Another rainy day...

Incase you all haven't realised, I'm on a very rainy South Wales holiday at the minute.  I therefore have very much time on my hands and keep coming across these bordem-busting, fashion related things for you all...  Topshop yesterday, today it's ASOS.com.  They are running a budding stylist competition at the minute and they pick ten winners a day!  It's easy too, all you have to do is pick which 3 items you think will be the best sellers on ASOS that day.  Here's my selection:

 

I actually adore these shoes.  I think they are a dead cert to be the most popular... they're so on-trend it's unbelievable!  Denim shorts, such a staple of every girl's wardrobe! Especially as were fast approaching festival season and girly holidays!  I already have some but I know many of my friends still don't have any... and these are a reasonable price too.  Oh and the belt... 'boyfriend belt' to be exact.  I just think that a belt is another staple of the wardrobe and this colour is my fave for this season.  Also, ASOS haven't ruined it by making there be too much detail etc on it... it's simply a brown waist belt.

Go and pretend you're a stylist too and give ASOS your fashion forecast.
You never know, you might win!

Pour Maintenant, Au Revoir,
Tout Mon Amour,
Neen x

Which colour suits me best?

Topshop, you have outdone yourselves this time.  Girls, if you have some spare time on your hands then head over to the Topshop website and enjoy their new make-over application.  It couldn't be easier.  You upload a photo of yourself, preferably a close-up shot and then you play!  You have the option of basically testing all of Topshop's make-up without leaving your house.

   You align your lips and eyes so that the app knows where your facial features lie and where to apply the make-up.








You choose from a wide variety of colours and shades for your foundation, mascara, eyeliner, blusher, lipstick... everything!









If you decide you don't like that certain shade of blush for example, all you have to do is click "remove blush" and it's gone!  You don't have to start all over again, you just take that particular product off.








I discovered this when browsing the recent London Fashion show updates on their website.  Honestly, it's actually really good.  I was sceptical, I thought that it wouldn't work and that it would just look stupid, but it proved me wrong.  Now, with make-up I'm a firm believer in 'you get what you pay for' as I've used low costing foundation and found that my skin reacts badly to it.  I use Bobbi Brown foundation (but I rarely apply foundation at all), Chanel loose powder, Mac blusher, Lancome mascara and Chanel Kohl eyeliner.  I think with make-up it's all about trying different brands and products and finding what works for you.  However, this make-over app is really tempting me to give Topshop make-up a chance!

  This green mascara being my favourite.  I use blue and purple mascara from Lancome (hypnose) as black is just far too harsh for my skin tone... so green wouldn't be that much of a change.  Green goes quite well with my hair too, so I think I'll give this a go.

Honestly girls, if you're bored then seriously go over to Topshop.com and make yourself over!
I had a lot of fun :)

Pour Maintenant, Au Revoir,
Tout Mon Amour,
Neen x

It's best to be honest; I hate Primark.

I hate admitting things to you all that you might hate me for.  Yes I know it's cheap as chips and people seem to love the place, but I can't stand Primark.  Genuinely, it's not me being a clothes snob.  Words can't describe how much i've tried to like it; in these terrible financial times I really wish I could shop there and save myself some dollar... but I can't.
I feel the need to explain myself.  Maybe it's because i'm impatient or because I get stressed very easily, but the minute I walk into the store I feel hot, bothered and frustrated.

Nothing is presented nicely.  Primark turned over a profit of £200 MILLION last year, yet they can't seem to afford to employ enough staff...?  Enough staff to manage to keep the clothes off the floor and actually on the rails... or the piles of clothes in a reasonable display rather than being reminiscent of a 15 year old's bedroom?

I find it hard enough to 'root' as it is, but that's just ridiculous. 

  

My other issue is how busy it ALWAYS is.  I know this isn't Primark's fault but I can't deal with the pushing and shoving and the old ladies fighting over a mauve coloured jumper that'll probably fall apart when they get it home anyway.  I also hate the way the escalators are positioned so that you have to walk through the entire shop to get to the next escalator :/ yes Primark, sneakily clever, I know.  But it's torturous when you get stuck behind a 'slow walker' (these are the bane of my life by the way).

And today, when we walked into the shop, the most hideous smell hit me.  I just don't find shopping in Primark a very enjoyable experience, and I absolutely love shopping.  Don't get me wrong, I totally admire you girls out there who can get past all these devastating obstacles and come out with a purchase that you love... but I simply can't.  And i'm through with feeling bad and snobby about it. 

I HATE PRIMARK.

There, I said it... :) that's like a weight off my shoulders.  I hope you can all understand the reasons behind my hatred and don't hate me for it.

Pour Maintenant, Au Revoir,

Tout Mon Amour,

Neen x

£135 on a dress?

I committed my cardinal sin.  I entered All Saints without a discount voucher or surplus cash... and now my bank balance is screaming in pain.  I think it's strange how when it comes to shoes or bags, I don't think twice about spending triple figure amounts, but for clothes?  Even though I love clothes, at the rate trends change, I never can justify spending too much on them.  But I made an exception today.  I definitely couldn't afford it and I DEFINITELY didn't need it... but I've been in love with this dress for months....

I love it.  I'm off to Paris in May and I can picture myself wandering along Le Rue De Faubourg Saint-Honore wearing this dress, browsing the plethora of vintage shops and generally being very Parisian. 

I'm sure that when it comes to next week and I have no money to go out with my friends or buy anymore new clothes that I'll kick myself for flittering my money on this purchase... but for now, I'm extremely pleased with myself :)

Pour Maintenant, Au Revoir,

Tout Mon Amour,

Neen x 

    

You're just jealous, cos were young and in love.

I'm a bad blogger.  I know I said I intended to stop posting so often, but I took the biscuit there really didn't I?  I must admit that I've had a very busy week... so i'll be using that as my excuse.
And I can't even redeem myself with a brilliant fashion post... as what I was going to write about is impossible now.  I'm at my new flat and I haven't moved all my stuff in yet, so therefore I'm without my clothes :/
Never fear though, I do have something to write about... albeit totally and completely off the topic of my blog.

My two favourite bands at the minute (I have four fave bands but I'm talking about the male frontmen today...)

BIFFY CLYRO & BRAND NEW.

(Simon Neil- Lead singer of Biffy)

(Jesse Lacey- Lead singer of Brand New)

I am in love with both these men.  If you discover one new band this year, please make it one of these.  Words can't even describe how much I love them.  The incredible lyrics that I just relate to immediately, paired with amazing guitar signatures and some (ahem) orgasmic singing...  I can't understand how anyone could not enjoy these two bands.

I love this song.  And I hate hate hate that Matt Cardle ruined it... I know people love him, but he's got nothing on Simon Neil.  This isn't my favourite Biffy Clyro song but I do absolutely adore it.  He's so gorgeous!!!!!!!!!


And this one.  I could never choose my favourite Brand New song... I used to think I could, but I can't.  I literally love every song by them.  This one is up there though :)

I know this was a pretty random post considering my normal ones... but this had been playing on my mind.  I hate to think that some people don't know these bands and don't realise what they're missing out on.  Also, I just wanted to browse through endless pictures of my two perfect men :) ahhh... if only eh?

Pour Maintenant, Au Revoir,
Tout Mon Amour,
Neen x

"Beauty, to me, is about being comfortable in your own skin. That, or a kick-ass red lipstick.”

(Lipstick- Chanel)

Gwyneth Paltrow, I'm not you're biggest fan but you really hit the spot with this quote.  No matter how much of an ugly day I'm having, if I put on some red lipstick, I instantly feel better.  And I really couldn't care less if it's 'too bright for my skin tone' or 'clashes with my hair'... I love it.

I do have a blog post lined up about Jeans and about fancy dress... but I really don't have time right now, which makes me extremely sad.  I'd much rather post on my blog than finish my English coursework off... but needs must.

Pour Maintenant, Au Revoir,
Tout Mon Amour,
Neen x

there's nothing wrong with dreaming...

Believe it or not, I am actually trying to cut down on how often I post on my blog.  I fear that my readers may tire of me if I continually bombard them with posts, but this couldn't wait.
www.net-a-porter.com is my idea of heaven and hell at the same time.  I absolutely adore admiring all the beautiful designer items, but then the hell part comes into play when I realise I can't afford ANY of it.

Above is my net-a-porter wish list.  I have to admit, I had some fun making it.  I really like the way fashion sites are starting to catch onto this 'wish list' feature because although I'm not buying it, it feels like I'm making a step towards eventually saving enough money to.
In all reality, the amazingly gorgeous Louboutins are a tad out of my reach.  At least till I'm earning a 5 figure salary.  But the Helmut Lang skinnies (top left) and the Yves Saint Lauren costume ring (bottom right) aren't so unimaginable.  If I just try and hold myself back from spending my money on throw away fashion on the high street, I may be able to treat myself on pay day :)

Try making your wish list on:

www.net-a-porter.com


Pour Maintenant, Au Revoir,
Tout Mon Amour,
Neen x

"the first thing is to try and ignore the smell..."

As promised, my apparently 'narrow minded topshop' posts have been put on hold... On Saturday morning at the ungodly hour of 9am, my very good friend took me for my first experience of charity shopping.  I feel the need to tell you all that my original rant about why I've never shopped in charity shops before consisted of the following: "The windows of charity shops don't exactly entice you inside do they! There's an owl ornament, a dead ladies blouse and a few odd socks!"
May I now direct your attention to what I found in the first shop:

So that made my day really...

I must point out that I was actually really excited.  I'm completely broke at the minute and although my bank balance cries out for me to give it a rest, I must must must get my fashion fix... so the idea that I might find some nice new purchases without flashing the debit card and using the change in my purse instead, filled me with happiness.  As previously stated, I have no problem with charity shops, I'm just not very good at rooting.  The issues I have with charity shops are the same as those that I have with sales... if everything isn't displayed nicely for me, my impatient self just wants to leave immediately.  But with my friend, the bargain hunter extraordinaire, I felt readily equipped to take on the likes of Oxfam and Age UK.
I must now admit to you, that when we first began, I was still sceptical.  My friend managed to find a gorgeous cord blazer in the first shop we went into, but I just couldn't seem to get my head around it.  Nothing was organised into size, colour, style, price... nothing.  Therefore, I had to get over my fear of rooting and delving into the rail in order to find anything nice.
By the second shop, I had got the hang of it.  I found the following gorgeous rings on my hunt and they were both £2! Seriously, £2... I couldn't believe it.

 Needless to say, my friend bought WAY more stuff.  I was amazed at some of the stuff she found... I mean it's not like I saw the things she bought and didn't like them myself... I genuinely didn't see them!  I was uber jealous at this gorgeous chiffon black shirt she found, it was the perfect length to wear with tights or even just heels if you're brave enough.  That's another thing I discovered about charity shops, you have to be willing to look at things that aren't your size.  For instance, most of the shirts my friend bought were ranging in sizes from 12-18!  Don't be mistaken in thinking that we can all pull this off, my friend is blessed with a deliciously gorgeous figure; you could put a bin bag on her and she'd look amazing... (<3 you K)
The following are all the amazing bargains she has managed to bag herself... in all honesty, the price she paid for ALL of this together, probably equals one dress I own.  That doesn't fill me with happiness!

My absolute favourite is the silk blouse in the bottom righthand corner.  It looks stunning on her, I may have to steal it someday soon when she is not looking.... Top right is the gorgeous blazer she found when we went shopping.  I'm also slightly smitten with the top/dress in the bottom lefthand corner.  I do believe it was originally a top for a slightly plump lady, but on my friends lean figure, it works brilliantly as a dress; normally worn with a skinny brown belt.

To sum up, my experience of charity shops was very enjoyable.  I was pleasantly surprised with the range of stock they had and the prices were just the cherry on top of the cake... The most amazing thing I found was how fun it was!  I love shopping with my girls but rooting through the charity shops was much more fun; laughing at the horrendous pieces, sharing amazement over the one off beauties you manage to find... it was a really nice morning.

Here's my five top points if you're a charity shop virgin looking to become a pro:
1. As my friend said to me, DO NOT be put off by the smell. Although this is a bit naughty to say, I do believe it's the people in there that smell rather than the clothes! (just remember your raising the class!)
2. Be prepared to get your hands dirty (so to speak).  Nobody ever found a real gem in a charity shop by browsing, you need to get stuck in- rummaging, rooting and rifling.
3. Do not cast aside a nice piece because it isn't your size...the chances of finding something that's you size and your taste are slim, oh so slim.
4. TRY THINGS ON!  Okay, so the singular changing room isn't exactly a luxury experience, but what did you expect?  Just because it's a cheap purchase, doesn't mean you shouldn't check you love it before you fork out your hard earned pennies.
5.  And finally; don't feel too downhearted if you don't come away with much.  I only purchased my 2 rings and a plain, baggy black top (that I plan on wearing as a dress) but charity shopping is luck of the drawer.  You might find a vintage Chanel blazer with original silk lining... or maybe not.  But it's all about persistence and patience.

I myself am not fully converted, I am still a topshop addict and a sucker for designer labels... but it's nice to know that there's 12 more shops I can look in when I go into town for some retail therapy ;)
Charity shops = massive thumbs up from me!

Pour Maintenant, Au Revoir,
Tout Mon Amour,
Neen x

Nails to reflect your mood

Firstly, I would like to congratulate myself on the fact that a few posts ago, I wrote about up and coming model/actress Rosie Huntington-Whiteley... and who's on the front of Vogue's March issue?  Oh, I am way ahead of you Vogue... ;)

Anyway,  I couldn't resist telling you all about this amazing new nail art I've became obsessed with.  My friend received it as a present all the way from Dubai where her dad's living at the moment... and it's incredible.  The basics of it is that you paint your nails with a base colour of your choice.  Then you choose a design.  This is the fun part as you can go for an all over pattern or a flower... there's even little apples or strawberries you can have.  When you've chosen, you paint straight onto the design with one of the nail varnishes provided in the kit.  My friend tells me that you have to use the ones provided as they are a lot thicker than normal nail varnish and that's the whole reason the transfer works so well.  Then, you use the little scraper provided.  It kind of reminded me of an ice scraper you would use on your car but mini...
You scrape the excess varnish so that all that is left is your design highlighted in the varnish colour, then you take the rubber stamp provided and transfer the design onto the stamp... finally, you stamp it onto your nail and you're done.

The designs you can create are endless.  Not only can you change the designs but you can change the colour schemes.  I'm a girl who adores painting her nails.  If I'm bored or stressed, I love getting out my nail kit and sorting my cuticles out, buffing and shaping my nails, applying a base coat and then a gorgeous, bright colour to make my nails look pretty.  Now this nail art is just even better... my friend accidentally left it at my house and I just kept wanting to do them again and again.

If you fancy getting creative with your nails then visit the site:
http://www.konad.co.uk/shop/index.php?cPath=21&language=en

It's not cheap but it's well worth the money... I'm buying my Konad Nail Kit right now.

Pour Maintenant, Au Revoir,
Tout Mon Amour,
Neen x

How to look good naked.

GIRLS, GET YOUR KIT OFF.

So for starters, I have two amazing and very brave friends.  I can't say they were thrilled at the prospect of stripping down to their underwear but it was all in the name of research.  My sources for most of my blog posts tend to be my friends and they are very reliable sources.  Yesterday, I realised that they're all self-conscious about at least one part of their body, which seemed ludicrous to me as they're all gorgeous.  Needless to say, I can sympathise with them.  I hate my love handles, the lower part of my stomach won't seem to firm no matter how many sit-ups I do and my bum causes me constant grief.  However, I am not alone with these woes, my friends seemed to have similar hang-ups about the same areas.

 The lower stomach issue can be caused by the pill.  Now I don't know whether mine is or isn't, but it's nice to have an excuse isn't it?  I prefer that to admitting that I just generally eat too many take-aways...
But having spoken to different people about it, most seem to see this slight bump as attractive.  I've been told by many boys that girls look stupid just straight up and straight down, were meant to have curves and lumps and bumps!  Embrace it ladies!

Next, the illusive love handles.  I have to admit that these cause me the most grief... nobody else can even tell you've got them really but you can feel it.  If I put trousers on that are a little on the tight side or a slightly cropped top... I can feel them protruding out the sides.
However, the old saying 'you need something to grab onto' may not be far wrong.  My male source who shall remain anonymous claims that it's scary to hold a girl and feel nothing but bone.  Not scary in a frightening way but scary in a worrying way, nobody likes to feel a skeleton when they cuddle at night do they?

And the bum... oh the bum.  It's annoyingly hard to maintain and prone to annoying things like cellulite and sagging.  My bum is nowhere near the description of firm, and I know that given a few more years and plenty more greasy food, I'll have a lovely bout of dimples covering the surface.  Depressing? Indeed.  But terrible? Maybe not.
Were all aware that magazines air brush the celebs to high heaven in order to make them look like goddesses and make us feel like we have to be the same, but luckily brave celebrities like Mischa Barton are coming out and saying 'yeah, I've got cellulite... and what?'.  Come on, if it's cool for Mischa, it's cool for us.

The thighs are another killer.  If I had a pound for every time one of my friends said to me 'I hate my thighs', I'd most definitely be loaded.  The thing is would you rather have a bit of muscle and fat surrounding your legs or look like your standing on two tooth picks.  I can't describe how much I cringe when I see people with really really skinny legs running, I literally feel like they're going to snap any second!
So embrace your thighs girls, don't hate them.



When you get home ladies, take a long look at yourselves in the mirror.  Instead of doing your usual trick of picking everything you hate and dwelling on it for the rest of the day, try picking your favourite part of your body.  My girls did it; one's got fabulous boobs, the other is blessed with a perky bum and they both are drop dead gorgeous.  And if you can't see your impressive parts, then get your friends round and they'll tell you what's amazing about you.  Trust me, I've never felt so sexy as when my friends said I had a lovely figure.

 
Embrace the figure you've got girls cos from what I've heard it's downhill as you get older!  Stop worrying about what a Big Mac will do to your body and enjoy yourself!  As long as you don't over do it, you'll be fine.  Besides, the saying 'a moment on the lips, a lifetime on the hips' is a lie anyway...

Girls, we don't need Gok Wan to tell us we look hot.


Pour Maintenant, Au Revoir,
Tout Mon Amour,
Neen x

hello spring... hello new layout

Wow, that was tough.  I very nearly gave up on changing my layout.  I literally can't describe how hard this HTML business is to grasp... I used to be a bit of a pro thanks to Piczo (really, I used to just copy my two friends BUT still...).
Either way, it's complete!  I'm made up with how the photos turned out from my photo shoot.  I would like to take this opportunity to give a big, huge thanks to Emma Lord and Kimberley McDowell for being my models and braving the freezing cold for me, you two are stars! :)
I changed my layout due to the fact that I'm wildly and blindly optimistic... and therefore I feel that if we all think spring and warm weather, it will happen.  My layout was wintery and depressing me... now it's summery and happy!  As always, I value all my readers opinions so if you have any suggestions as to the new layout or anything you think could be better, PLEASE let me know! :)

I have some really great posts lined up for you including one on body confidence, my love hate relationship with jeans and as promised, my opinions on charity shops... but for now, I have a french lesson tomorrow and an excitable toddler to babysit so I shall have to call it a night!

Pour Maintenant, Au Revoir,
Tout Mon Amour,
Neen x