Speckly jade nails

Hello lovelies,

Last week I sported a rather high impact manicure in the shape of Barry Ms Gelly nail paint in Greenberry topped off with the new L'Oreal confetti top coat which I have nicknamed salt and pepper!

Lots of compliments and a nice grown up alternative to glitter!

Have you tried either of these polishes yet? What's your fave combo?

Stealing that style with Avenue32

Hello Lovelies,

I know it's hard to believe but it's starting to approach that time, spring and summer wardrobes!

I am taking my 'sun' holiday early this year and I'm jetting off in the middle of May. I'm in that tricky predicament of needing to buy holiday clothes now but the high street isn't keeping up.

I've been doing some sartorial stalking for some inspiration. Most of my summer dress drools have been coming from Avenue 32 at the minute.

Avenue 32, being an online boutique brand website offers high end and high quality goodies with the site updated twice a week with new products. No wallowing in old stock here!

With designers ranging from Giles to Zac Posen to Roksanda Ilincic, you get a real sense of high end and an almost one-off feel to each piece.

Naturally the first place I looked was at the bags but hey, a new frock needs a new bag yes?

I am going on a 2 week holiday and I will be rocking my usual kitsch, retro, vintage inspired outfits so I have picked out some of my favourite dresses from Avenue 32, saved to a cheeky folder on my desk top as inspiration for early summer wear!

This pink dress from Antonio Marras is gorgeous and I'd wear this for sightseeing. I'd team it with a little white cardie and some white converse to funk up the girly design.Id even wear this with thick black tights and a blazer back in the UK in the autumn!

Another Antonio Marras wonder, this would look perfect with black ballet flats and a little black clutch for a chic lunch or a nice dinner. I think the print is very 60s Mad Menish with the combination of floral and an almost plaid lower half.

On holiday, being brave in the sun, I'd wear this Thakoon Addition zebra flared dress for some quirky fun. Teamed with flats and big blag sunnies during the day or a pair of sky high heels and a chunky necklace for the night, I like funky dresses you can wear 2 ways... helps cut down on the packing!

Nothing sets off a suntan better than a crisp white dress right? This dress is a flared skater style from Chalayan and is another one you can style up a multitude of different ways. Gladiator flats and sunnies during the day, a pair of creepers and a denim jacket for lunch or a statement necklace and heels for partying on a night time.

For that one special evening, occasion or night out, you cannot go wrong with a statement dress. I find because I favour a more retro style usually, I like to switch it up and pick something effortlessly classic to make more of an impact. This Giles embellished silk gown is just amazing. Grey silk that just hangs so simply and with that excess of fabric that screams high end, oh my its just out of this world. And look at that collar. Pearl beading means no jewellery necessary!

Of course, you could use these images as inspiration to find similar outfits in your budget range or size range (which is what I will be doing!)

 

Which high end websites do you use to steal style ideas from? What do you think of my top holiday dress picks?

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It will be all WHITE on the night with Scott Cornwall

Hello Lovelies,

As you all know, I'm a bit of a sucker for my hair to be icy white and as cool as my cold stone heart (lol) but if you have ever been on this quest, you'll know how hard it is to banish those pesky warm tones.

Thankfully I'm a natural blonde so I don't have too much to contend with but unless I go to a salon..... reaching the perfect cool tones at home is bloody tiresome.

This is where Scott Cornwalls Colour Restore comes in. It has truly transformed my hair routine and I will not be parted from my trusty tube! Priced at £11.99, you can buy it from exclusively from Boots, www.keepmeinspired.co.uk or directly from the Scott Cornwall Website HERE which accepts a myriad of different payment types including Paypal which gets a humungous thumbs up from me!

Depending on your desired results, the handy, simple instructions give you 3 different ways to tone your hair. A rinse through for subtle toning, a medium length tone for mid level changes and an intensive tone for the full effect.

Ice Platinum promises to do the following wonderful things :

Banishes Yellow and Brassy tones in bleached or highlighted hair.

• Creates cool to pure white tones
• Replenishes cool tones in highlighted hair
• Restores and replenishes hair without the need for a peroxide or ammonia based colourant
• Can be used frequently and safely to keep that desired cool or pure white tone without damaging the hair.

Does it do that? YES!!

I like to apply the Restore to the top half of my hair and slather the ends with my favourite deep conditioner. I leave the products on between 5-10 minutes depending on how much time I have.

 

I'm left with gorgeously smooth, cool toned hair with no purple in sight. Yes, purple peril is a danger for all us white hair wonders. As a point of warning, if you have not used a toning product before, be prepared for purpley grey foam and a delightful grey scum ring in the bath from the bath water. It doesn't stain and is 110% removable, it just doesn't look very nice!

Since last summer I have been leaving a lot more of my natural blonde to intermingle because I have been disappointed with most comparable products but not any more. 2013 is going to see the return of my white blonde hair and thanks to Scott Cornwall, I will be able to get salon results at home!!!

Money saving!

Colour Restore is also available in ash blonde & red too but as you can imagine, I haven't actually tried those!
 

 

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Man Man Manly Man

Hello Lovelies,

Ok, so I might be channelling the Two & a half men theme tune but today I wanted to talk to you about men. Everyones favourite subject right?

 Yesterday saw an interesting article posted on the Daily Mail (Daily Fail) about John Lewis’s newest menswear model – Johnny Harrington. On clicking in to the article I was presented with a manly looking male model, unlike nothing you’d imagine selling high end highstreet clothes. Johnny intrigued me, pulled me in. Piqued my interests if you will.

I was thoroughly impressed that this strapping, manly, rugged looking chap was selling clothes that my husband, a 30yr old ‘manly man’ would want to wear, based on the fact that a rough and tough looking fella was modelling them rather than an 18yr old stereotypical male model. Yes, we all know the type I mean.

I polled Mr Tramp and a few friends, varying from the rugged of rugged to the preened of the preened and there was a VERY strong divide on opinions on Johnny. The more ‘manly’ men of the group all favoured Johnny’s campaign with quotes such as

 

 “He looks like he has a story to tell”

“He’s wordly wise looking”

“Check out that f&%$^& beard, I WANT ONE!!!”

 

while the more high fashion super groomed folks thought he looked dishevelled and made the clothes unappealing.

I can see it from both side. No one wants to buy in to the clothing ideal, to be wanting an outfit worn by someone they cannot identify with but I absolutely commend John Lewis for bringing in a new flavour to their male models.

 

Manly?

 

What does astound me is some of the rude, unpleasant and just down right ludicrous comments I have seen made about the advert and about Johnny himself. So he has a beard and long hair, that makes him any less of a person how? Exactly. Just because he isn’t covered in St Tropez with eyebrows plucked to within an inch of their life, doesn’t mean he CAN’T be a male model. Think of all the unconventionally beautiful female models out there! Just because someone has a beard and long hair, does that automatically mean they don’t care about grooming? Er no.

Hats off to John Lewis and to Johnny for breaking the mold and I truly hope this sees an increase in the diversity of the male modelling world. More manly men please!!!

 

And just for my own personal benefit…. Here are my 2 favourite bearded hotties…..

 

Aaron Kaufman and Richard Rawlings.

 

 

 

 

Yes so I’m slightly biased, cars & hotties... I wonder how much flights to Texas are?.....

 

VIVA LA MANLY MAN!

What do you think of the new John Lewis campaign? Are you a fan of a manly man? Let me know!

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NOTD: Dayglo Disco

Hello Lovelies,

 

I thought I'd share a NOTD with you. I blimmin' love this. Its China Glaze's Shocking Pink (neon) with the bling fingers layered with Loreal's Confetti top coat.

 

Love the absolute offensive brightness for these murky February days!

 

 

 

 

 

And yes folks, they ARE leopard print pyjamas!

 

 

 

Katie

x

 

A pocket money challenge......

Hello Lovelies,

Recently, I was asked to take part in a fantastic MoneySuperarket challenge which involved celebrating those little moments in life when you find that spare £5 in the back pocket of your purse or the extra £1 you needed to pay for your takeaway down the back of the sofa.

My husband, Mr Tramp, is an inherent saver but I am a bugger for spending every single penny I have and I love nothing more than spoiling my loved ones.

In the vein of this challenge, I knew instantly what I wanted to spend my £20 'loose change' on. I wanted to spoil my Mother and give her a gift she wouldn't buy herself or even think of. If you remember, I bought her the gorgeous Links of London necklace back in September too.

I scoured discount code websites and finally found a great online discount for printer canvas photos. I used www.photobox.co.uk to make a photo canvas of a photo of my Dad & I from my wedding day for my Mam to keep as a momento now that my Dad is no longer with us.

I know my Mam doesn't have that many photos of the family together but I thought this was a great idea and very, very touching. Don't you agree?

The canvas hasn't arrived back yet so I can't show you the actual finished article but I will show you a snippet of the photo used.

What would you spend £20 on? Treat yourself? Treat someone else? Save it for a rainy day?

Let me know what you'd do and what you think of my gift!

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The daily gangnam with a difference

Hello Lovelies,


To cut through the sickly sweet mood of today, Valentines Day, I thought I'd share with you something that has been amusing me for a wee while now.

Since Gangnam Style was released it's been my massive guilty pleasure and I like to listen to it on a morning while im getting ready for work. Now it's not my usual genre of music and i'm not much of a pop fan but what can I say? Still obsessed!

Animated flick book genius!

And then if that wasn't good enough....... Mr Tramp's favourite version...... Heavy Metal Gangnam!!!! 

 Enjoy!

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