Primark haul

Following on from my New Look and Zara haul recently, it's only fair that I show you the Primarni version. I don't shop a lot, but I do let myself have a splurge every now and again especially when I know I'll get some wear out of the bits I'm buying. 

Whenever I enter Primark, I always come out with a pair of shoes, and now that I live abroad where there are no Primarks, I tend to make the most of it when I'm back in the UK visiting. I've read that pointed shoes are on the way back in for autumn and I've always been partial to a bit of pointiness, so I picked up these three pretty pairs. The grey and red ones are suede-like in style so they're smooth and soft to the touch but easily scuffed! The navy ones are patent, and I love the Mary-Jane-style strap. 

I absolutely heart this oversized cardigan. I always get chilly at work so I've been looking for the perfect cardigan to keep there to stick on while I'm sat at my desk, and this could be it! It's almost too nice to have as an office-only cardy though so I'll probably keep hold of it for now...if only to run my hands over the bobbly loveliness! I'm just too cool.

I'm always on the lookout for skirts that I can wear that will still keep me warm and dissuade me from sticking on my standard trousers/jeans options for work. So far, so good with this little number. Its stretch-knit material has me feeling comfortable and warm when paired with tights, so I'm a happy lady. The pattern is also a little different, which I like.

I'm usually a bit wary about picking up accessories from Primark as I think the lower quality can sometimes show in the stitching and general design, but this little bad boy was an exception for me. I think a bright pop of colour can often top off an outfit really nicely, so I'm hoping this does the job for me.

What do you think of these bits and bobs? Have you picked up any Primark bargains lately?

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Halloween fashion wishlist

A simple post that does what it says on the tin title! Apart from the obligatory scary film night, I sadly don't have big Halloween plans this year as I've been too lazy to arrange anything, so I've instead been perusing online for some inspiration. I love the idea of understated, simplistic pieces that give a subtle nod to the occasion, so these are my top finds (links in the caption)...



Clockwise from top left: Missguided twerk or treat top / ASOS teen witch jumper / ASOS orange striped tights / Missguided velvet dress / ASOS ghost coin purse / ASOS patent mini skirt / Boohoo bat print dress / ASOS monster face tshirt / Boohoo hangin' nightie / ASOS skeleton heart dress / ASOS arghh two-way tshirt / see previous link / Cat socks / Boohoo bag of tricks clutch

What do you think? Have you spotted any themed clothing or accessories I can add to my wishlist? And what have you got planned for Halloween this year?

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W7 Honey Queen Honeycomb Blusher

Benefit were probably one of the first brands to present their powders to us in the cute, gorgeous boxes that we're all now so accustomed to. It's pretty much their thing, so I was slightly surprised when this lovely powder arrived in my postbox, only for me to see it was from the lovely budget brand I've recently been enjoying - W7 Cosmetics.

The Honey Queen Honeycomb Blusher* is so Benefit-like, I  forget it's not when I look at it! I can only assume W7 were aiming for such comparisons, as we all love a good dupe, especially one at a fraction of the price.

I love the honeycomb pattern in the powder with the differing peach and bronze shades; detail like this helps to make it look higher end for me, and it fits in nicely with the 'honey' theme.

In terms of application, I have to say it doesn't cling to the brush particularly well, and I found myself having to keep sticking the brush back in and sweeping it up the sides of the box.

I couldn't get a good enough swatch on my wrist, so I thought it would be easier to show you this on my fingers…

Even though I couldn't picture a great swatch on my wrist, I do like how this looks when applied to my face. While it looks shimmery, it is very subtle and it adds a lovely highlighted peachy sheen. I actually felt that it worked well as an overall powder for my face rather than blush on its own. Maybe W7 themselves agree after all, since they actually describe it as a bronzer on their site. 

At £4.95, this is a great budget powder and could probably be described as a shimmered version of Benefit's Georgia powder but a fraction of the price. Definitely one to consider!

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*sent to me free of charge for review purposes

The reverse bucket list

I love the idea of a bucket list; it's such a great incentive to reach your goals and do things you otherwise might take a while to do if it wasn't for the push of an existing 'list'.

I have got a mental bucket list sitting somewhere in my head, but I've never taken the time to actually write one, most likely some kind of weird sub-conscious decision down to the fact I'd probably find it frustrating to actually see so many things left un-done! I know this completely contradicts the idea of a bucket list, but I'd much rather see a list of things 'ticked off' to satisfy the 'doer' in me. You're reading the ramblings of someone who used to 'make' class registers as a kid and revel in the 'ticking' off of names as her sister was forced to act as various pupils confirming their attendance. What a hoot.

Moving swiftly on. This got me thinking the other day; why hasn't the idea of a reverse bucket list kicked off yet? Why don't we triumph fist-punch-the-air style in our achievements and goals already reached for a change? This 'reverse' concept probably has already been bandied about, but I certainly haven't heard of it, so do bear with me (and accept my apoogies) if this is completely unoriginal. To me, the ultimate fan of 'ticking' lists (yup, I said that), this is much more my cuppa tea...and much less pressure!

So, my current mission is to keep my own little reverse bucket list of things I'm proud to have done, goals I've reached and experiences I've, erm, experienced. I'm not going to write one here, as I think there's something nice about keeping it private for now; for me, it's more of a personal exercise to keep reminding myself of the things (big and little) I'm lucky to have done and never to take life and all its lovely opportunities for granted.

Do you have a reverse bucket list? Does it help to brighten your mood on a down day?

I'm leaving you with this gorgeous Hemingway quote, which I try to remember every day! I actually found this print on Etsy and am absolutely loving it...

Source: lettersonlove Etsy store

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Gifts & Pieces wishlist

I've been meaning to write this post for a very long time, as I came across the Gifts & Pieces shop through Twitter and love practically everything they have. I've noticed they add new items regularly, which is great for variety...although dangerous for the old bank balance.

Created and run by an independent mother and daughter duo, they obviously make a great pairing as there's just SO many nice, ahem, gifts and pieces available at such low prices, from hanging decor to stunning crockery and even craft supplies. Alas, I've managed to whittle my top picks down to these few beauties (links all captioned).

1. Owl tea-light holder / 2. Teapot / 3. Cottage lantern / 4. Love birds vase / 5. French-style jug / 6. Powder blue mug /
7. Milk jug / 8. Office sign 

1. Aquamarine teacup / 2. Unicorn jewellery dish / 3. Rose garland / 4. Floral jug / 5. Bird house /
6. Lavender bird mug / 7. Home sweet home decoration / 8. Wire chicken egg basket



What do you think? What's your top pick? And which tea cup is your fave?...I'm struggling to pick one!

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Zara haul: casual chic

Following on from my New Look haul, here's the Zara version, where I managed to pick up only three pieces, but three pieces I adore and have already been practically 'living' in...

Ok I lied a little bit when it comes to this bad boy; as much as I LOVE this faux leather skirt, I haven't yet been 'living' in it, purely because I've not been brave enough to slip into it on a cold morning. I will get round to to it soon, as I think it's a gorgeous autumn/winter piece that could work with tights as well as without...and I love the aubergine colour. I'm also not sure what sort of shoes to wear with it - maybe my ankle boots or simple pointed flats...all suggestions welcome!

Here's a pic of me pairing it with the jumper I also picked up (more on that shortly). I love the contrast of the fitted skirt with the casual baggy jumper.

Here's some close-ups of the grey jumper from above. I'm having a bit of a love affair with what I like to call casual chic...you know, the kind of stuff you'd usually only think to throw on when you're feeling meh! But I'm loving the oversized jumper look, especially paired with something more fitted on the bottom half.

I also love little touches to simple pieces, and the faux leather trim to this neckline just makes it for me. This is the kind of thing I think sets apart brands like this from budget brands like Primark. I have absolutely nothing against Primark (in fact, there'll be a haul from there soon too!), but when I'm buying from somewhere more expensive like Zara, I do like to look for more unique pieces (leather trim does the job for me!) that I'm unlikely to pick up elsewhere.

Lastly, these mixed jacquard trousers are another example of the more unique pieces I prefer to pick up from Zara. I feel like I can pick up basics (vest tops, standard trousers, plain tees) from places like H&M or Primark, but smart trousers like this, with the gorgeous croc detailing on the front half, are a bit different and stand out for me. I've already worn these to work a few times, and they're a lovely comfortable fit. They actually look lovely with the jumper above, again a nice contrast between the fitted bottom half and laidback top half.

What do you think of these three bits? Have you got your eye on anything Zara lately?

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The ultimate guide to 2014's beauty advent calendars

Yes, I know it's far too early to be talking Christmas already, but this is one post I don't mind writing! It's my birthday on the first day of advent, so when I found out about the variety of alternative advent calendars on the market, I got a little bit excited about adding them to my birthday wishlist! After hearing about Benefit's super gorgeous one soon to grace our presence (praying I'll be lucky enough to grab one of the 8000 released), I decided to have a nose to see what else was available...and here are the fruits of my Googling!

FYI, I've purposefully tried to include images that don't show the contents; let's not lie, we're all kids at heart and love the surprise factor!

First off, just in case you haven't heard about it yet (have you been hiding?), Benefit's Candy Coated Countdown advent calendar is priced at £60 but holds 24 mini treasures to the value of nearly £110, so it's definitely worthy!

Available from Boots on 29th October, No 7's 25 Days of Beauty Secrets is probably one of the most appealing ones, purely for its quality. At only £35, it packs a value of £130 worth of skincare and makeup goodies including the best-selling Protect and Perfect range. Tempted much?

W7 has only recently been on my radar but I've been pretty impressed by the budget brand and have reviewed a few of their products before (lipstick, chunky lips, mascara, nail art set). At only £19.99 (currently £16.99 on Fragrance Direct), their offering includes nail polishes, lip gloss, glitter pots, mascara and various other bits of make up, ideal for the festive season. This would make for a great calendar for the younger generation.

Selfridges Enchanted Spells advent calendar is available now at £85 and features 24 luxurious skincare, makeup, and fragrance treats from the likes of YSL, Kiehl's, Urban Decay and Lancôme. Not bad at all if you're a fan of high-end brands.

The Jo Malone advent calendar is like the Rolls Royce of calendars price-wise. At a hefty £250, it delivers 24 treats in a combination of creams and fragrances. For your dollar, you're gifted with a pretty Georgian townhouse design, and it's available nationwide on 10th November or earlier from Harrods.

The Elemis 12 Days of Beauty set offers slightly less excitement with only 12 gifts, but the sample sizes are quite generous so you're still in for high-end treats, especially since it's worth double the cost (£59.50, with a value of £113).

Ciaté's Mini Mani Manor is usually a super popular choice and features a gorgeous pretty Christmas house design, consisting of festive nail transfers and polishes for a reasonable £49. Personally, I'll be holding off on this and hopefully picking it up in the sales (I saw last year's on Fragrance Direct for a fraction of the price!).

Available now, 24 Days of Joy is one I'm definitely considering, as The Body Shop will donate 4p to their charity partner War Child (sending children in war-affected areas to school) for every one sold, which is a brilliant incentive and also applies to other selected gifts. It's £50 with a product value of £83, featuring creams, body butters, fragrance, oils and nail colour!

L'Occitane en Provence is another lower quantity offering. However, I do like their justification; it features not 12, but 13 products, in line with the Provençal tradition to present 13 deserts on the festive table! It's nice to tie it in to the brand, and obviously nice to know we won't be the only ones munching on cake and goodies at Christmas time. At £45, you have to wait until 3rd November for this one.

And this last one isn't necessarily beauty related, but it's one I can't help but share! It's a standalone 3D house (too cool!) full of Yankee tea light goodness at £24.99. Heaven! It seems to be out of stock on the official site, but it's sold on Temptation Gifts a little cheaper and on Amazon too.

Update:

I've also just heard about the 12 Days of Christmas from Lush (£49.95). I'm admittedly a tad late to the Lush bandwagon as I've only recently started using their products more frequently, but I bladdy love them! Again, this isn't necessarily beauty, but who can resist their gorgeous products? 

Will you be treating yourself to one of these beauties this winter? Which one is your top pick?

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Lake Trübsee, Mount Titlis, Engelberg

With a population of just over 4000, Engelberg is a small yet leading mountain resort renowned for snow-filled fun in winter and all sorts of summer activities (paragliding, climbing, biking, hiking to name a few). Originally famous for its monastery before it became a top mountain sports resort, we decided to make the most of the sunny weather and visit for a wander.

As we were nearing Engelberg, we frustratingly slowed to a halt in traffic; soon it was clear why when we witnessed dozens of cows being escorted past us on the other side of the road, all with giant bells on them signalling their presence. I had to smile at what we were seeing; it felt so surreal and somehow Swiss, and I couldn't help but feel happy we'd actually stumbled across this tradition, where the cows are escorted back to their farms in autumn - after more than three months in the mountains producing cheese.

Finally we arrived and headed to the cable car reception. While I am used to the crazy high Swiss costs, I was slightly disappointed at the price for a return pass to travel to the top of Titlis; at 89 Swiss Francs (about £57), we decided to opt for a cable car pass to just over halfway up instead - to the beautiful Trübsee - for a more reasonable 30 Swiss Francs (£19). I was keen on a nice hike in the sun rather than a stomp in the snow anyway to be honest!

Trübsee is a mountain lake 1796 m above Engelberg at the foot of the famous Mount Titlis (3239 m). After the very steep but scenic journey on the cable car up, we hopped off and made our way around to the lake situated a few minutes' walk from the lift. There's a lovely viewing point from the side of the mountain where you can see the whole of Engelberg in all its pretty glory...

In the sunshine and with the snow-capped peak of Titlis on one side of us, the lake was bloomin' stunning, and one of the main things that stuck with me was the peace and quiet up there. Being so high up meant the noise pollution of everyday life below was far away, and while there were other people walking around, the lake is big enough to accommodate a fair few visitors before it feels crowded. I felt a world away from the hustle and bustle of inner-city Basel.

We sat on a secluded bench beside the lake and had a mini picnic in the sun, before hopping into one of the rowing boats for a leisurely ride around. Again, as you can see, it was big enough for us to row out, settle the oars and lie in the sun, silently thanking our lucky stars to have such beautiful places to visit on our doorstep.

This amazing reflection in the water just goes to show how peaceful it was as we sat in the boat.

Here's a few more pictures I couldn't resist sharing...

After returning home, we sat on our balcony and watched the sunset; a perfect way to end the day.

Where do you go to get away and escape the norm? Have you visited Switzerland before? I'd love to hear your comments below.

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