Thursday 28 June 2012

Friday's fiction


Books let us into their souls and lay open to us the secrets of our own.  ~William Hazlitt

I thought I'd add another feature to my blog alliteratively named 'Friday's Fiction', from either the title or the image above I presume you more than likely have guessed that this isn't my usual beauty or fashion related post but instead something far closer to my heart, reading.

Ever since I was a little girl you could always find me nose deep into a book, absorbed by worlds and lives other than my own. You could say I was quite an introverted child, a little quirky, not one to ever want to be the centre of attention but rather observing from the outside and, I guess, that's why books and I got on so well. I could escape into fiction, whether it would make me cry or make me laugh aloud on the tube, much to my embarrassment, the written word has always touched me far more than television shows and cheesy pop ballads.

This love for reading endured and I am currently at university, for those of you that don't know already, studying English Literature because it's pretty much been the one constant in my pretty hectic life. Studying literature, however, can somewhat destroy your reading experience as once you go into all the hidden themes several times and pick out various linguistic devices the book doesn't seem like its yours any longer. That is why I'm so glad Summer has rolled on round and once more I get to read for my own personal pleasure and since reading is such a big part of me why not share it here, on my own little space online, with you lovely people!

So my aim is to keep you updated every other Friday with what books I'm reading, looking to read, or have read and loved - almost like a Summer reading journal. Feel free to join me on my summer reading challenge - I'm looking to read twenty books this summer! And, as ever, do leave me any suggestions or favourites of yours, I'd love to hear from you.

I'm currently a third of the way through 'The Hobbit' the prequel to the ever so popular 'Lord of the Rings' Trilogy. I was recommended this book many times but was wary of reading it due to having attempted 'Lord of the Rings' and found it a struggle-some read, however, my worries subsided when I was informed its intentional audience was Tolkein's sons and therefore the language was much more suitable for children. One my modules next year is Childrens Literature and this book was on the list. On the next 'Fridays Fiction' I'll give a short review and let you know what I'm reading next!

Tuesday 26 June 2012

my top high street sale picks

Despite not having the money needed to on a massive sale shopping spree I have been repeatedly filling up virtual shopping baskets with my very nearly irresistible sale choices. I did snap up a few cheeky items but had to resist furthur temptation by clicking the the close tab button and compiling this blog post for yours truly instead  - enjoy!



Coral Cut Out Peplum Top £26 £15, Green Buntin Pearl Necklace £8.50 £4.25, Nude Square Toe Pumps £16 £10, Petite Ivory Cat Print Blouse £28 £15



Browsing through there have been plenty of really good bargains to be had in this years summer sale and as I gaze at my laptop screen as if it was something utterly delectable I do have to remind myself not to go too crazy! Nonetheless it's always a wonderful feeling finding something you previously wanted for half the price and therefore much more financially in my reach - you just can't say no.

Have you picked up any shockingly good sale goodies?

Monday 25 June 2012

MAC Costa Chic



Lipsticks are an obsession of mine, never feeling completely myself and presentable without a slick of colour upon my lips, and so over time I have accumulated quite the little collection most of which are either red or coral toned. Coral lipsticks are my go to shades for spring and summer and I think compliment my colouring far better than any bubblegum pink could; I tend to steer well clear of anything remotely barbie-esque as it really doesn't do much for me. I know coral tones are always associated with summer sun and tan skin but I don't think that should put off any paler skinned girls from daring the brighter coral shades such as MAC's Costa Chic - in fact it is one of my personal favourites!

Costa Chic was brought for me as a present from my dad back in the bitterly cold winter months and so has been sat in my makeup drawer patiently awaiting a sunnier day to make its debut. It is a true bright coral shade which often draws out my green eyes and leaves my teeth looking far whiter than normal. It can lean slightly pink some lights but throughout it remains an utterly gorgeous shade. You can dab this on with a slight hand for a more subtle finish or for those of you want to brave a more punchy look a light coat is enough as the photographs don't quite illuminate how bright this lipstick can be in true light.

It is a frost finish which I didn't realise for quite some time and I know that many take an immediate disliking to the often over shimmery and metallic finish that is labelled 'frost', however, I am quite partial to this finish as I find it extremely moisturising and I don't personally find the touch of glimmer that overpowering.

I think my summer coral lip is sorted, what about you? Do you have any summer lip suggestions?


Thursday 21 June 2012

skulls and lycra


loose knit jumper - asos
leggings (disco pants) - american apparel 
flatforms - h&m

After yesterday's bout of glorious sunshine I did get my hopes up that the weather may be turning for the better once again, foolish me. It rained. No, it poured.
Luckily I live in jumpers and the autumn and winter months are preferable to me over spring and summer as I love bit snug knitted jumpers and layering. I found this loose knit jumper on asos and found it perfect for the on/off weather we are having as it covers you are yet it light and cool so can be worn on sunnier days. The henna skull design is what caught my eye and has received many compliments whilst wearing it in my local nando's for an evening dinner with the girls. Second time this week, seriously cannot get off enough chicken in my diet, I'm obsessed.

Although I have what many have called a 'blessed' amount of time off for Summer before I head back to Uni I am getting pretty bored of it already. Lacking structure and anything of actual importance to do has lead me to occupy a lifestyle of a slob. I should actually be planning my dissertation, I know, eek! Scary times, it's so hard to believe I'll be finished my degree this time next year, I don't want it to be over - I can't face the real world just yet, leave me be with my super noodles and nocturnal body clock, thank you.

Wednesday 20 June 2012

the animals went in two by two



denim boyfriend shirt - asos
plain black vest - miss selfridge
shorts - asos
necklace and ring - freedom jewellery via topshop
nails - french manicure
lips - mac costa chic

I was a wee bit naughty, yet again, and found myself browsing the asos website the other night for a few bits to spruce up my summer wardrobe. For any of you that know me, or follow me on twitter you will know that I'm quite the night owl, aka a very bored insomniac who shouldn't be left alone armed with her debit card at three in the morning. I'm blaming my oh so muddled up body clock and my addiction to late night 'revenge' episode marathons so it's acceptable, ssh it is.
I've been after a denim boyfriend shirt for ages and despite knowing that I could have probably picked myself a nice little number in my local charity my sleep deprived insania took over and I forked over a fair bit more at £35. Let this be a warning to you to hide your cards if you, like me, go on late night online shopping spree's! Despite this I love it and it's a very welcome edition to my wardrobe as are the alphabet animal print shorts I also picked up which can be worn casually, like in this outfit, or dressed up for a night out with a crop top as they are highwaisted. One thing I would point out is that if you're interested in buying these maybe pick up a size bigger. I bought a size 8 but they look and feel like a size 6 being a lot harder to squeeze over my not so tiny hips and leaving me feeling like I should have opted for a 10.

I had such a lovely day today and I've been really glad to see the sun putting its hat once again. This yoyo weather is driving me a bit mad as it's so difficult to choose what to wear with one minute of brilliant sunshine and the next you're facing downpours of rain and wind! I spent this afternoon sat in my dads garden with my Granddad, a finnicky old Irish man who seemed to be in the mood for sharing stories, most of which left my belly hurting from so much laughter. I love family days like that.

Ooh before I forget you may have noticed I've tinkled my blog design a tad and next stop is a better header so if any of you are good with photoshop let me know ;)

Let me know if you like these outfit of the day posts as I'm thinking of doing them more regularly!

Tuesday 19 June 2012

want: high end make up bag

want: high end make up bag


001 NARS Sheer Glow Foundation in Siberia £29.50 - 002. NARS Miss Liberty Highlighting Blush Powder £21.00 - 003. Shu Uemura Eyelash Curler £20.00 - 004. MAC Naked Lunch Eyeshadow (also lusting after Ricepaper, Shroom, Woodwined, and Coppering) £12 - 005. Benefit Porefessional Primer £19.58 (Usually £23.50) - 006. NARS Bolero Velvet Matte Lip Pencil £17.50 - 007. Bobbi Brown Creamy Concealer Kit in Ivory £23.50
Being a student I often have to budget my spending and so my current makeup bag consists mostly of cheaper drugstore brands, most of which I find work wonders for their less expensive price tag but nonetheless I want to venture out and try some of the more high end products out there. I do own quite a few MAC Lipsticks since first wandering in there last Christmas armed with gift money but as of yet I have not tried any other brands of high end lipstick and have been also lusting after a YSL Lipstick just for the gorgeous packaging it comes in as well as testing out NARS lipsticks as I find their blushes to be my favourites since first receiving NARS Orgasm Blush for my birthday; the pigmentation is unbeatable and I can't wait to get hold of Miss Liberty Highlighter!

What are your favourite high end treats? Or have you found any dupes for some of the more lusted after high end products?



Monday 18 June 2012

I cannot get enough of...

Untitled #9


1. I've recently become so addicted to this programme, another trashy America drama suits me just fine and this one really does pack a punch, pardon the pun. I really love the whole plot and history of this series and have found myself watching three episodes in a row without a thought or care in the world besides who is next on 'Emily Thorne''s list to revenge...

2. This post highlights just how much crappy tv I do watch as I've also become totally enamored with new sitcom 'Girls'. I really think you should all go check it out, I practically watched the whole first series in one sitting and have fallen in love with it. It's honest, hilarious and a real hit in my eyes and I find the frank sexual humour concerning young female adults really refreshing.

3. I love smoothies and have always pegged the Innocent smoothie brand as overpriced for what it essentially is but recently they've been on offer in Tesco's and I've been gulping my way through a variety of different fruity flavours!

4. DIY Collar tips are somewhat blowing up everywhere I look and Zara is my go to store at the moment which isn't such a good thing when I'm saving up for my first tattoo amongst other things!

5. I'm heading to Reading Festival again this year and was really excited to hear that Azealia Banks was playing, I really think she's one to keep an eye on and she's been on repeat on my spotify all week.

What can't you get enough of lately?

Friday 15 June 2012

Gel Nails - an indulgent treat


Normally I hate my nails, I've been a biter ever since I can remember always owning a set of stubby, grubby bitten down nails that even a sparkly Barry M Nail Paint couldn't revive into any form of attractiveness. I've tried all sorts of nail biting deterrents, I even grew quite accustomed to the bitter taste that was meant to repel me from gnawing on my barely there nails - strange I know.

I've been feeling a little down in the dumps recently with the initial excitement of Summer increasingly waning as I still have nearly four months left and find myself with little to do and not much money to spend which doesn't bode well when you're an avid fashion and beauy blog reader - believe me! However, on Wednesday my best friend Cara twisted my arm - very little twisting was needed I'm afraid, I'm too weak!- and we plodded along to our local nail salon.

This is my second time getting gel nails and they instantly make me feel so much more glam and presentable, even more feminine! Prices obviously will vary wherever you go but our local is a little bit pricey at £28 a pop with infills costing £12 but my nails take their time to grow out so mine end up lasting just over three months which I declare as an investment just for making me feel that little bit better about myself. Yes, that seems rather materialistic but I'm not really one to get sucked in to the whole pampering and primping myself up scene.

It normally takes about 15-20 minutes and although it doesn't really hurt you in any way it can be a little uncomfortable at times when they speedily file your nails down and the major downfall of gel nails, if like me you don't want to fork out for infills or removal, they can be a bit of a pain to get off as they obviously become less attractive as they start to grow out and your real nail underneath begins to show - at this point I normally paint over them to try to make it look more even until I can't take it any longer and have to cut them off!
I'd say they are worth getting as a bit of an indulgent treat every now and then, I tend to get mine done around the same time once a year for the summer period and I have been constantly tapping them ever since! However, for a far cheaper and longer lasting alternative there are stick on false nails that you can pick up in any Boots or Superdrug, even Primark!, but I hate faffing around with it all myself most of the time!

Do you know any cheaper alternatives for fixing up lack luster nails?

Sunday 10 June 2012

Sunday Session #8

Standard Pub Grub// Jubilee Spirit//Kindle//Cheeky Nando's Takeaway//Facemasks!//Homemade cakes//2 for £3 just had to!//Wine time in the garden//Off to central with my honeys <3

This week I headed off to Southgate in North London to stay with my housemate before she heads off for an enviable summer in China travelling! We had such an amazing time heading off to Tiger Tiger! and then to Rumba where we bumped into BGT Winner George Sampson and had a bit of a dance - my dancing skills are not to be desired I can assure you! It was lovely spending some quality time with my housemates before we part ways for Summer and the rest of the week was spent gorging myself on home made cakes and bottles of wine in the garden with my friends, perfecto!

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Saturday 9 June 2012

Amazon Kindle 4

You might have heard me harp on a bit recently about my newly purchased Amazon Kindle, I thought as an English Literature major that I could justify parting with £84 as an investment and I haven't been dissapointed yet.

I thought I would write up a quick review for you about my experience so far with the Kindle and a summarized review that hopefully will be helpful to any of you looking to buy one for yourselves. I know this is not my usual sort of post but reading is a great part of my life and I thought I would share a little of that with you.


There are clickable buttons on either side of the kindle which help you to go back or forward a page catering for both right handed and left handed individuals.


These are the navigational buttons that pretty much function as their icons would suggest. From L-R: Go back, Keyboard (in order to type in book titles, word searches, annotations), Up,Down,Left,Right and Enter directional buttons, Pop Up Menu, Home Screen.


This is my personal homescreen which I have not yet properly organised into Genres as you're able to do to condense these pages as well as make selected reading choices easier and is much more organised. In the top right hand corner you will see the strength of your wireless connection, which you will need with this particular kindle in order to connect to the online Amazon store; this enables you to buy books via whispernet a process that takes a mere few seconds to complete.
 You will also see the battery logo which will keep you informed of your battery life which is one of the key things about the kindle that amazes me as I have used mine constantly since I got it and the battery and barely gone down, once charged it can last up to a month before it needs to be re-charged.


Whilst reading you, like me, might come across certain words you're unfamiliar with and so by using the navigational arrows you can then hover over that word and a definition will appear for you to read. This I find extremely useful as despite English being my choice of degree we all have a bit of trouble with words less commonly known from time to time.

The main thing that attracted me was not its lightweight feel and memory of up to 1,300 books but rather having the option to purchase books at a much cheaper price and the fact you don't have to wait days even weeks for your book of choice to arrive. I have taken advantage of the many free books available on the Kindle Store, the majority of these being classics such as Wuthering Heights, Jane Eyre, and Alice in Wonderland. I managed to pick up The Great Gatsby for 49p. bargain! However, more modern literature and chick lit are generally still quite pricey and even can sometimes work out more than the paperback versions which defies my main goal of saving money. 
You really have to keep your eye out for good deals and value for money, I often check Amazons daily deals where a selection of books are reduced to 99p and prices are altered regularly with some kindle books being free one day and £2 the next!


If you're an avid reader then I think you'd really love this as it is so easy to get books straight to your kindle and is a great device for reading on the go as I often use mine for long train journeys without the burden of carrying a heavy novel around! If you're not one of those who reads quite regularly and only purchase chick lit or the newest best seller every now and then you might be best sticking to buying paperback novels.

Do you have a Kindle or are thinking of purchasing one? I'd also love to know any book suggestions you have, so please leave them in the comments below!

Tuesday 5 June 2012

May Favourites

This post is in video form again this month. I couldn't quite believe how quickly this May went as it seems only a few days ago I was uploading my April favourites. There's nothing too new within this months favourites as I've found myself reaching for older more unloved products in order to give them some proper use instead of constantly buying new things!

P.s. this video is for my friend Ellie who misses my face when she's at university ;)

Sunday 3 June 2012

Sunday Session #7

April Favs//RIP Rocky :(//Shameless Posing//AA Disco Pants ready for Forum//Baskin & Robbins makes my day//Housemates <3//Loving Life in our Pool somewhat drunk//BBQ!//Treats from Boots//Jedi time! on Kinect//Handbag Love @ Zara//Brush Cleaning Time//This show makes my evenings - Phil Dunphy <3//|Cocktails @TGI's//Aunties 40th Outfit!
This is a bit of a compilation of the past two weeks which has been filled with laughter, paddling pool frolicks and making the most of the sunshine we were blessed with for only a short period of time. My AA Disco Pants finally felt like they fit so I've been parading around in them whenever I have the chance and therefore I have been sung at "you better shape up, because I need a man" countless times for their resemblance to Grease. I'm so glad to finally put exams behind me and enjoy my four months of freedom! Hooray!

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