The devil makes work for idle hands

I’ve decided that working full-time is healthy for my bank balance. And not for the obvious reason of more hours = more money. But because I’m usually too knackered to trek around the shops after work, and too lazy to trawl through pages and pages of online fashion. I think my folks have been impressed with the lack of parcels gracing our front door.

Then my contract at work ended... *cue shopping marathon*

An ASOS sale purchase - this satchel should hopefully 

add a pop of colour into my (mainly black) wardrobe!

H&M sleeveless white shirt

 H&M mocha chunky knit - which looks very Alexa 

Chung with the shirt collar poking out underneath

Not one but two pairs of H&M denim shorts 

- they fit so well, I couldn't resist!

You can never have too much denim!

+ a free H&M gift card that I was handed by a member of H&M staff

... which I exchanged for these:

A lint remover - which is clearly being put to good use(!)

And stockings... you can never go wrong with stockings!

In good news: I got a new job! I’m now working in publishing / the media and hopefully will get to do some geeky IT stuff *rubs hands together*

Had a week free before my start date so took off for a few days – why not? Found me a last minute deal and hurriedly threw some things into packed a suitcase. Holiday summary to follow! 

Make your mark, Primark

Occasionally in my spare time I do market research to generate some extra cash. Every little helps right? I usually apply for the ones I like / am eligible for however this time a lady approached me: how would I like x amount of pounds and free clothes from a well known high street store? Er… yes please!

They swiftly sent me some vouchers asking me to go forth and spendeth. At a later date I would need to attend a focus group where we would need to do a show and tell on our purchases and talk about the brand.

So far so good.

I then learnt that the well known high street store was in fact Primark and had mixed feelings about it. On one hand I was happy as I knew the vouchers should go far there - but then on the other hand, I was a little disappointed. Primark isn’t one of my favourite stores. The crowds and queues just kill me.

Another kick in the proverbial balls was that I had been told to shop in the London Oxford Street store. The stuff of nightmares. The crowds, the queues… and not all that impressive stock wise considering it’s a flagship store.

So one Saturday morning, I got up at the crack of dawn, gritted my teeth and got my game face on. I was amazed at how expensive Primark seems to be getting. It’s not crazy expensive but it’s pricey for the quality you’re getting. I found it so hard to make my vouchers stretch. In the end I had to fork out a little bit of my own money just so I could afford my basket(!)

Here’s a sneak peek of my purchases:

I didn’t even stop to think about the bag. It was tan. It was fairisle. DONE.

The top I initially loved but am considering returning as I’m not sure about the keyhole neckline. Maybe I’ll do a bit of DIY and cut the neckline lower.

These stacked heels were an absolute bargain for a mere £18. 

Boohoo, Topshop and New Look sell similar ones but they are quite a bit more.

I got the royal blue ones but they also had some in burgundy. I tried them on and had quite the audience of women around me ooh-ing and ahh-ing. After being told numerous times that they looked incredible on me, I couldn’t ignore that voice in my head screaming “buy them!” any more. Those bad boys went back into my basket and that was that.

I must add that later after having paid at the tills, I did spot some of the aforementioned women clutching the very same pair of shoes and heading to the tills. It did make me laugh! I'm a terrible influence! ;)

The actual survey was fine. The last minute kick in the teeth was that they paid us in Primark vouchers rather than £££ :( I found that the heels and bag I purchased helped me get over this annoyance very quickly. Here they are in action:

Next time I’ll be heading to a far quieter branch me thinks!   

Is it chocolate? Is it a necklace? // presenting the KitKat necklace

This week I received a lovely little parcel in the post from Anouska of Junkie Lovers Boutique. 

With the tissue paper packaging wrapped that neatly, it seemed a crime to rip it open - but boy, am I glad I did!

Joy and behold this beaut I found inside. I am somewhat of a chocoholic so this necklace was the perfect choice.

This handmade KitKat creation, you could tell it had been crafted with care. And so realistic too – it will take all of my strength not to nibble at it at some point(!) Junkie Lovers Boutique also offers two other mouth-watering designs for all chocoholics out there – Toblerone and Dairy Milk:

 Images from the Junkie Lovers Boutique website

Stocking a variety of necklaces, brooches, bracelets and rings, Junkie Lovers Boutique has something for everyone.

The positives

• Shipping is offered at an astounding £1.50 – bargain!

• Fast delivery – I was so impressed with how quickly I received the parcel

• The chain is a good length. It’s not too short so it won’t choke you – but at the same time, it’s not going to get in the way like some of the insanely long necklaces on sale out there.

• Just how much it looks like chocolate. There are a few patches of colour variation like what you would get on an actual bar of chocolate:

Any negatives?

Not necessarily a negative, but a valid enough point... I like a lot of things on the website but at £10 or so a pop, I wouldn't be able to afford many things in one go.

To conclude this review, I always think it’s nice to see how things look on. Yes, my photos of the necklace artistically draped over flowers were awesome, but they won’t give you an idea of dimensions, how it hangs and etc.

Apologies but I don’t have a “photographer” at / on hand nor do I own a tripod, so you’ll have to put up with a pretty awful self taken photo. Here goes…

As well as the necklace, I'm wearing my trusty shorts, tan wedges and a light weight knitted top that I got in Republic a few years ago. A bit of a silly idea really what with the Indian summer we've got in the UK at the moment. I did change into a short sleeved sheer blouse very soon afterwards!

I love the length of the necklace – it tucks into the scallop detailing on my top beautifully. Also the fact that it stands out is great – I find that most necklaces tend to get lost in my hair (I have lots of hair).

I would just like to take the opportunity to thank Anouska for sending me this delight. I adore it and will be wearing it every chance I get 

Please note: Other than the Junkie Lovers Boutique stock photos of the Toblerone and Dairy Milk, all of the photos / pictures used are my own. Please do not reuse / circulate without my permission first.

Model behaviour

Fashion isn’t merely about beauty and glamour. It's so much more than that. Fashion likes to be bold and make a statement – ensuring that its campaigns / editorials have a lasting impression in the minds of fashionistas.

One must remember that “fashion” cannot exist without the pre-fix “fash”. And by definition “fash” can mean “to vex”, “to bother” or “to trouble”. It comes from the 16th Century French, fascher and the Latin, fastidium which can be synonymous with disgust and aversion. This correlates with the controversy that the fashion industry has seen over the last few years.

Let us not forget the meat dress that Lady Gaga wore. This meat theme continued onto an episode of America’s Next Top Model for a photo shoot. Kate Moss lit up on the catwalk giving the finger to the smoking ban enforced in public places. The legend that is Alexander McQueen once had a collection entitled “Highland Rape”. And let’s not forget these shoes of his which still to this day, astound people.

The latest controversy was plastered all over the news this weekend:

 

Images from French Vpgue

At first glance, the face is flawless and the accessories are to-die-for. Another stunning Vogue shoot. So why the drama?

Well, answer me this: how old do you think the model is?

She is actually pre-pubescent. She is just 10 years old.

This opens up a whole new debate: how young is too young?

Are the stilettos, full face of make-up and body language / positioning all appropriate? Or too sexualised for a ten year old girl?

I have no problems with these images – on the condition that they aren’t sending out the wrong message to other young girls. I would hate for them to have a harmful effect on young girls who are highly impressionable. I would hate for them to start making comparisons and not think they’re skinny / beautiful enough. A lot of us already compare ourselves to the models in the glossy mags. But deep down, we know there is a great deal of air brushing involved to create that perfect image. This is something that younger girls are perhaps not even aware of.

Insecurities commonly establish themselves during puberty and it would be such a shame if it hit earlier with a younger age group. At age ten, children are still children and childhood should be enjoyed. Besides, their bodies have yet to go through changes. If in the future I have a daughter, I would hate for her to have a confidence crisis from as early an age as this.

What are your thoughts?

Topshop sale!

Pretty much every retailer on the high street is luring us in with sales at the moment. And most of them quite impressive – the majority offering us 50-70% off which is a nice contrast compared to the measly 10-15% knocked off by some stingy stores.

I had a day off work this week for a friend’s wedding. Over breakfast before I got ready, I checked my emails and found an email from Topshop late the night before saying: “lucky you – you’re the first to know about our sale!"

My ass, I was the first to know about their sale!

Apparently the Topshop sale started that very morning and seeing as I was up early anyway, I thought it couldn’t hurt to have a quick look. Usually I’m the last to know about a sale and I miss all the good stuff. I had amazing luck this time round. A variety of sizes were available and there was a big range of sale stock to choose from. And so an “adding to basket” frenzy ensued.

But by the time I’d reached the last few pages, I could tell Topshop.com was in hot demand. Everything was selling out in record time. I found some fabulous shorts I’d been lusting over for ages which were even more fabulous now they’d been reduced. But alas, they had more or less sold out. Perhaps just a size 16 left? In fairness, I had more than enough in my basket – countless shirts and some underwear:

I find all of these blouses and shirts so versatile. As much as they’d look adorable tucked into shorts, they’d also be perfect for a day at the office. I especially love the paisley and bonsai prints – both so unusual. And I can never ignore anything with cats on it. To say I love cats is a bit of an understatement!

I loved these underwear sets when they were full price so I’m delighted I managed to find them half price. Sunflowers are my favourite flowers. And next week I’m going to a Disney fancy dress party as Alice. The blue of this blue set reminded me of the blue of my Alice dress so I couldn’t resist!

Anyone else buy anything nice in the Topshop sale? 

Mesmerised

They say your hands are the first part of you to age and that you can often guess someone’s age from their hands. If there’s any truth in that, I was an 80 year old woman for a while. I had what you would call “builder’s hands”. Nasty, dry mitts with a texture not all that different from sandpaper. And let’s not forget a lovely set of jaggy nails prone to chipping and splitting. My hand wrinkles offended my eyes and I was sorely tempted to iron them out.

Miraculously, no longer being in education seems to have been the cure of all cures. My nails are no longer chewed and non-existent – they actually have whites to them!

But their continued growth and strength is all thanks to this wonderful product:

Never have my hands been so smooth! If you haven’t already tried Atrixo, I highly recommend it. You can find it in your local Boots for just £2.03 for a 50ml tub.

Never before have rings suited me. It’s like seeing a burger with whipped cream on top – Just. Not. Right. Now I have semi nice ish looking hands, I have a new found appreciation for rings. And this ring in particular caught my eye in last week’s Stylist:

Aqua Tear Druzy, £79, www.redrubyrouge.com

The site also has an array of different colours and styles. The “Milk Tear Druzy Ring” also makes for good ring porn :)

I am so in love with the pictured blue gorgeousness, it’s not funny. But the price makes me cry a little inside. This would be most of my day’s wage gone in an instant.

I know there are similar “rock ring” creations on the high street at the moment but they just don’t compare in terms of quality. I like to think that for £79, this ring would last a life time.

What are your thoughts? Is this ring gorgeous enough to merit the £79 price tag? You can also find me on Twitter: @Lucy_Angele

Birthday summary

Birthdays at my age are weird. I never know whether to celebrate or not any more.

"Hooray, X years ago I emerged from lady parts."

I sure as heck wasn’t in a manger surrounded by livestock. Nor was I immediately presented with frankincense, gold and myrrh. I did however receive a gigantic teddy bear. Apart from traumatic “lady bits”, it was apparently one of the first things I saw.

Birthdays nowadays don’t seem like such a big deal. Especially when like me, your birthday always falls on a really stupid / inconvenient day. Last year, mine was on a Tuesday or Wednesday (I forget…). I arranged a night out and not many came because it was a week day and there was uni / work / exams the next day. 

I wanted to be excited this year. But my birthday was on a Thursday. There was no point organising something for that very evening – it would've been social suicide.

This year I wanted to get out of my rut and be excited for birthdays again. Thanks to the Bank Holiday, I managed to start celebrations early. Here’s my birthday week in pictures:

Sushi lunch with the girls

I originally planned to get and nail art done with the girls too but there weren’t enough appointments available for all of us :( We did however go out Friday night and had a BBQ on Sunday which were both really fun 

Getting cupcakes “to go” and eating them in the park.

Lots of birthday “treats” to share around at work!

Indian takeaway on the actual day

Day trip in search of adventures! The highlight was hiring a boat

Yep, that's me driving! Wearing ASOS cardigan first mentioned here

Yes, a little extreme to go from I'm-not-bothered-about-birthdays to partying almost every night and going out most days… Maybe I milked this birthday a tad? But hey, why not? It’s only your birthday once a year!