Penny Lane inspired look

If you have never seen Almost Famous then stop right now, find a copy, watch it, then return to this post. I must say it is one of my favourite films at the moment, mainly because it is set in the 70s. It has an amazing soundtrack, fantastic characters that are based on legendary people and the clothes they wear are to die for.

One of the main characters is Penny Lane… and I have been heavily inspired by her wardrobe. She is a free spirited, yet tortured groupie (or should I say ‘Band-Aid’) who is completely in love with the music scene and is going on tour with a band named Stillwater. Her character is portrayed by Kate Hudson and it has been said the part was written around the socialite and famous groupie Pamela Des Barres’ memoirs.

If you have seen the film you will understand how you instantly fall in love with her. She is extremely groovy, has great fashion and reflects the 70s how everyone seems to perceive it (I hope it was as good as it seemed!)

After studying the film and watching it countless times for one of my assignments, I think I have the Penny Lane requirements down to a T.

1. You need curly messy hair.
2. You must have circular sunglasses – preferably with a purple tinge.
3. You most certainly need an afghan style coat.
4. Your make up has to be minimalistic, but still there.
5. A bra is not required and you cannot forget your suede skirt.

If you consider all five of these points, then you are well on your way to pulling off this look.

Here are a couple of photos of myself trying out the 1970s, Penny Lane look. (Do forgive the photo quality – I’m now back at university and the lighting in my room is terrible!)

 

Let me know what you make of the film in the comments section below, and whether or not you think I did a good job.

Three ways to wear a Bandana

Hello everyone,

I have finally got a bandana! You have no idea how excited I am for this – I no longer have to wear toilet roll in my hair to pretend I’m some 80s punk-rock chick. I found this amazing seller on Ebay that sells these gorgeous hair ties for a reasonable price, so if you’re looking to purchase one take a look at the shop here. Once I have worn this one a few time, I’ll definitely be going back there for more… they are soo nice!

Anyway, since getting the bandana, I have discovered some other ways to wear it other than in your hair. Check them out and let me know what you think…

1. In your hair

Here I have done a quick up do to demonstrate how to tie a bandana into your hair. I feel as though this look doesn’t have to be the neatest  of looks. You can pull up your hair in a ponytail, bun or wrap and then wrap your bandana around your head, carefully twisting it into a knot at the top. I love how quirky this look is and how easy and fast it is to do. Very simple yet very effective.

2. Around your neck

I think this is such a funky way to wear a bandana. Since my friend introduced me to this style I have been completely in love. It adds that extra something to any outfit, especially if you’re wearing a low cut top, it really shows off this accessory. I think it looks super cool with a necklace on underneath it too.

3. On your wrist

This is something that the 80s fashion introduced me to. They were very much into wrapping as much around your wrist as you can (my style influence here obviously being Madonna). I think it looks quite boho and would look super cute in the summer paired with some denim jeans.

Let me know what you think of these three ways to wear a bandana and if you have styled it in any other way let me know in the comments section below!

Urban Decay Flushed | Review

This Christmas I was lucky enough to be given this Urban Decay product as a gift from my Auntie. I’ve never splashed out on Urban Decay before as I cannot justify that money when I’m living a student life. I’m always tempted but then I think about food and rent and then I have to drag myself away from all of this lovely makeup – which is really heartbreaking! But alas, I have been treated to some Urban Decay and oh my god, it is so gorgeous.

The set I have is a trio of Bronzer, Highlighter and Blusher in the colour Streak Flushed which seems to be the perfect tones for my skin. The saying ‘you get what you pay for’ is so true when it comes to this palette. It’s in a powder form but tends to go on with a creamy texture which makes it last pretty much all day. It feels so light and gives a really natural glow to your face. You can layer it up to get a more striking look, or use them subtly  for an every day appearance. I use each powder individually but I’m sure they would look great blended in together.

I have to add that I love the casing too. It is magnetic around the edges which holds the lid down. But it feels so good to open and close… The writing on the top of the case is embossed and for me it’s little things like this which just add to the product making it more and more adorable and nice to use. There’s also a really decent sized mirror on the inside which is a really cute touch.

I absolutely love this set and will definitely have to try out some more Urban Decay. Please let me know if you use Urban Decay and which of their products you’d recommend!

Knee high socks and Bear Trapper hat | Review

Today I went shopping with my mum, hoping to find some good deals in the sales. However, I came across a bit of a problem where as I didn’t like what was in the sale but loved everything that wasn’t reduced. This tends to happen to me. Maybe it’s because I’m not that bothered about rummaging around all of the messy shelves, or I’ve bought everything I have wanted last season – which is normally the case, then I see it reduced to half price in the sale and it does break my heart a little bit.

But today I found one item in the sale that I do really love.

You will know by now that I am a little bit obsessed with hats. Bobble hats, Bowlers, Davy Crocketts… You name the hat, and I will probably have one. But this is something that I haven’t got and have been meaning to purchase for a long time.

I have never known this type of hat to be called a Bear Trapper before! I thought it was a Russian or Deer Stalker hat but this is what TopShop has it down as and so I’m going with it.

Today I got a Bear Trapper and oh my, it is so cosy! I know we will soon be heading into spring but I feel like when you live in the North you can get away with wearing hats right up until August, and even then it’s still acceptable!

This was from TopShop, in the sale at £5 – I mean you couldn’t even do better at Primark, right?

I think it is absolutely adorable and would go with any colour hair/complexion – which I must consider at the moment as I’m planning on dying my hair !!Scary!!

I got some really nice long length jumpers today, which I’m hoping to wear with this hat and some over the knee socks.

I must say though, if you have 36 inch legs, it is very hard to find over the knee socks and these literally just come to the right place. I could possibly do with them being a little bit longer so I could maybe fold the tops down, but for £3 from Primark they’re great and are super comfy.

If you’d like to purchase the hat you can still get it in the sale online here.

Please let me know what you think of my find… and if you’ve also found something cute in the sale.

Collection Eyebrow Kit | Review

I must admit, I’m a bit clueless when it comes to my eyebrows. I don’t really spend too much time on them in the morning, one because I have no idea what I’m doing and two because I have a fringe which tends to hide the mess I make of them. For a long time now, my eyebrows have been a bit of a disaster and I’ve not really done much about it.

When it comes to shaping them I tend to do that myself. I’ve only been once to have them waxed and that was for my High School prom four years ago. Since then I have tamed and plucked them myself, trying to keep them as much like the shape they were when I had them done professionally.

I’ve never been too into the whole ‘Scouse Brow’ look… I tend to have them looking more natural, but I’ve been constantly searching for the product that will give my eyebrows the perfect enhancement.

Recently I came across Collection’s ‘Eyebrow Kit’ which I thought I would purchase as it was only £2.99 which meant if everything went disastrously wrong, it wouldn’t hurt too much. It is a selection of three powders, clear brow mascara and an angled brush. They do them in Blonde but I went for the brunette shades. After trying them out I was really impressed. For the price they work amazingly.

The powders seem to be more creamy and go on quite thick meaning you only need a little bit on the end of your brush for a nice dramatic effect. The brush provided is firm and so this really helps when trying to shape your brows – it’s also really small which makes it perfect for shaping.

On the back of the box, it says the mascara locks the brow in place and it really does. The hold is amazing. I was worried that it would make them feel crusty or hard as though I’d hairsprayed my eyebrows but it really doesn’t. You can barely tell that you’re wearing it, however it really does the job of keeping your brows in place.

When these run out – which will be a very long time – I might upgrade to something  that little bit more pricey and see what that is like. But if you’re a beginner with your brows and want to try out a kit like I’ve done then I would definitely recommend this. The effect isn’t too harsh and leaves your eyebrows with the desired soft and natural look. I think this is a really good product.

Let me know what you use to shape and set your eyebrows. I’d really like to explore and find some more kits that might help with my brows!

Blogmas: Day twenty-two | Christmas nail polish

I very rarely paint my nails, I have no idea why… I just don’t pay that much attention to my hands. I think it could be a little bit OCD too as I hate it when they chip, but don’t have the energy/time/motivation to keep on top of them. So they always end up looking a mess. On top of this I have contact lenses and so can never grow my nails too long as it freaks me out a little bit to have long nails so close to my eyes!

However, at this time of the year I do make the effort. I think painting your nails is a fun and funky way to add to your outfit.

Today, being quite festive, I decided to paint my nails Green and Red! What better colours to paint your nails at this time of year? I decided to paint all of my nails red except the one next to my pinky – which I painted green. I love this look. It’s something that little bit different, adds a little bit more dimension to your nails, however is just as easy as painting them all one colour.

To do this I used my red Revlon nail polish (this I have had for years and still hasn’t gone gloopy – I’m impressed!) And for the green colour was in the make China Glaze. This is a little bit more up market and seems to last quite a long time without chipping – which is perfect for me. I just think the shades go really well together and are very Christmasy!

Each polish has a little bit of a glittery effect to them too which is really cute and makes them that little bit more fancy for Christmas time.

Let me know what you think of my nails and if you have painted yours for Christmas too.

Blogmas: Day twenty-one | Christmas Makeup Tutorial

Hellooo everyone! Party season has arrived and I thought that I would post up a quick and easy makeup tutorial for you to follow.

Step 1 and 2

Start with a completely clean fresh face. I used Clinique’s rinse off foaming cleanser mousse which completely strips your face of all oils, dirt and makeup. It is amazing, I wouldn’t know what to do without it! Then apply moisturiser if you have dry skin. I didn’t do this as I mousturise at night and then my foundation is quite oily and so in the mornings it is my moisturiser substitute.

Once you have prepped your face, apply your foundation and concealer. I have no idea which way round these are supposed to go, so if you know the proper way of doing this please let me know! However, I tend to put on my foundation first and then concealer on top. Here I used Clinique’s even better makeup SPF 15 evens and corrects foundation in the colour 04 Cream Chamois, and Clinique’s airbrush concealer in the shade 04 Natural Fair.

Step 3 and 4

I don’t contour that much but I do apply a little bit of bronzer where the sun would naturally shine on my face. I brush it onto my cheekbones, my jaw line and the side of my nose – if you don’t have a fringe you can put it on the sides of your forehead just below your hair line. This just adds a little bit of dimension to your face and gives it a natural glow. I use No7’s Perfectly Bronzed Dual Bronzer. As it is dual, there is a highlighter in the pack too which I use down the center of my nose (and my T zone… it also sets my foundation quite well too), my cheeks and my chin. I then apply Natural Collection’s Rosey Glow blushed cheeks blusher. This is my skin done! Now onto the eyes…

I think for a Christmas look, the eyes need to be quite natural with the eyeshadow, but a lot of emphasis with the eyeliner. Here I used a light brown on my lid and then a darker brown in the crease, just like contouring this is to give my eye some more dimension. Underneath my eye I applied a thin line of light blue eyeshadow. The camera doesn’t pick it up too well but I think it really goes well with brown shades and really brings out my eyes.

Step 5 and 6

I quickly coloured in my eyebrows with Gosh’s long lasting eyebrow pen in the colour 001 Dark Brown and then went onto applying eyeliner to my eyes. On the top lid, I went for a thin line in the corner of my eye and then made it go wider the further it went out. I drew on my wings quite small for a softer look, however if you want more of an intense eye the make your wing flick out bigger. The eyeliner I used was Seventeen’s Lacquer Liner wet look finish in black. I then used Natural Collection’s pencil Eye Lines black eyeliner for my waterline. I went right into the corner of my eyes in order to really frame them. After this I used my Soap and Glory thick and fast mascara in black.

Then I finished with what I think is the piece of resistance of the look. Bright red lips. I used Maybelline’s Pleasure me Red lip liner and filled in the rest of my lips with their Pleasure me Red (547) lipstick.

I really like this look, especially around Christmas. I think the red lipstick makes it warm and gives it a festive feel.

Please let me know what you think of this turorial and if you’d like to see other posts like this on my blog! If you recreate the look please let me know in the comments below. x

Blogmas: Day eighteen | Christmas jumpers

Every year on Christmas day, I normally get dressed up quite fancy in a cute little dress, or a nice floaty blouse. I love the whole idea of staying in and having a super cosy day but looking glamorous at the same times. However, this year me and my mum have decided to wear Christmas jumpers instead of a little dress.

You have no idea how excited I am for this. Don’t get me wrong, you can still look just as glamorous in a Christmas jumper, but the idea of being able to eat and drink as much as you can, and still stay comfy in the outfit that you’re in, is actually heavenly.

We didn’t want to spend too much on a Christmas jumper as you can only really wear them once a year, so we decided to hit Primark on our search.

 

I found this absolutely adorable one, with cute little penguins and love hearts on it. It is super soft and super cosy, there is no doubt that on Christmas I will be hot hot hot! It is quite fluffy which I think adds to the Christmasy winter feel. I like how this jumper is quite subtle, however still gets across the Christmas vibe. I love how crisp and snowy it looks. It’s the perfect Christmas jumper.

My mum decided to chose something a little less subtle but equally adorable.

For me this is so sweet! The Gingerbread men (and lady) have little buttons for their eyes and a pompom on the Santa hat. I just love this attention to detail, it makes the jumper that extra bit special. It is knitted and looks really good quality – I was quite surprised as it is from Primark, but they have some really lovely Christmas jumpers in at the moment. I think the gingerbread men is again, subtle for Christmas however very not subtle at the same time! It’s great.

What I also love is the tag that is inside of the Jumper…

I just think this is so nice and adds that little extra something to the jumper. Although you can purchase it for yourself, it would also make a really cute present for Christmas too.

These are just two of many Christmas jumpers out there! But I adore them both and I really hope you like them too! Please comment below with your Christmas Jumpers, I’d love to see what you’ve been wearing x

Blogmas: Day fifteen | Knitted winter wishlist

I have found some various knitted items around the shops recently that I am in love with! So I thought I would throw together a winter wishlist which might spark inspiration for your wardrobe to.

This jumper just looks like the cosiest of things. I can imagine sitting in this in January, writing up my essays feeling all snug. For me at the moment, my fashion sense is quite baggy and over-sized. I just think this jumper looks quite laid back, but also very stylish. Something you can throw on without having too much to think about, however still look like you’ve made the effort. You can purchase it from TopShop here.

 

I love this little roll neck. I think it is ideal for the winter months and can be put on on its own, under a jumper or dungarees. It is something that can be layer but is also a stand out piece on its own and I feel like every wardrobe needs an item of clothing like this. Again, it is from TopShop and you can purchase it here.

 

I think this top is just adorable. It is a knitted Tshirt which is something you don’t see that often and I think it is gorgeous. I love the colour and neck line. It’s something for those warmer days but still thick enough to keep you toasty throughout Winter. It’s such a cute piece! You can purchase it at River Island here.

There’s a lot more winter warmers which I think are so beautiful at the moment in store, but these are my current top three! Let me know what you’re wrapping up in this winter in the comments below.

Blogmas: Day three | Early Christmas present to myself

Lights is coming to Manchester next year and guess who is going to see her?! I absolutely cannot wait.

She has been one of my inspirations for such a long time now, when she came to the UK last year I couldn’t make her shows and was absolutely devastated. But I purchased some tickets yesterday morning and no matter what, I will definitely be seeing her.

I have no idea what it is about Lights, I wouldn’t even say that I am into that kind of music. But there is something so captivating about her that I cannot stop listening to her. I think it might be the fact that I have a lot of respect for her. She’s not one of these musicians that are only good on their CD, she can actually sing live, and on top of that, is an amazing musician.

Everything about her seems real and I think it’s that reality which makes you feel as though you’ve known her forever.

I got the chance to interview her earlier this year. I was absolutely bricking it, but when we got talking it was literally just like a conversation you would have with your friend. She was so humble and kind – as though she doesn’t actually realise how good of a singer/songwriter she is. (Read the interview here.)

She has a tonne of love and time for her fans too which is something rare with the industry now.

She is such a beautiful human… You have no idea how excited I am to see her next year!

Also, yesterday I got the train home to see my family. We’re going to put the Christmas tree up this weekend. There are too many exciting things going on!

Lights and home in one day – Christmas really has come early!