Wedding Guest Florals

Now that the assignment madness has ended- I’m back!! Keeping away was actually a lot harder than I imagined, I’ve got so many exciting posts lined up :). I officially finished uni on Friday (I think its still yet to sink in!) and to start the three week long celebrations I came back home to Brighton for a family wedding. You cannot beat a bit of family time, especially when you live away from home for uni. Todays post is an outfit of the day, my wedding guest outfit ft. my little poppet!

Dress- £49.99 Zara ‣ Midi heels- £29.99 Zara ‣ Clutch- £29 John Lewis ‣ Necklace- H&M (last season) ‣ Leather cuff- £9.99 H&M ‣ Nail varnish- Barry M gelly in lychee- £3.99 Boots

I actually ended up buying four dresses just for this one occasion, I just couldn’t find one that I really loved... until Zara released this beaut! Midi length, midi sleeve length, high neck, structured material, light colours and a pretty print- I think it ticks all of the boxes to make a perfect wedding guest dress. The position of the print on each of the dresses alters slightly, so no two dresses are the same! How amazing is Zara at the moment?! It's by far my favourite shop, everything’s just so reasonable for the quality- I could easily purchase the entire shop!

I added a bright colour pop with an oversized envelop clutch and my spiked statement necklace to break up the high neck cut a bit. My trusty Zara midi shoes had yet another outing, they’re simple enough to not take away from the dress and the heel height meant that I wasn’t towering over the family. I truly believe that everyone needs a pair of these midi heels, they’re such a versatile wardrobe statement and were just as comfy after an entire day standing in them! 

Barry M gelly nail varnishes are my absolute favourite at the moment! Their staying power is amazing, they have such a glossy ‘luxurious’ finish and they’ve now released a fairly large colour range. I opted for lychee to stick to a sophisticated nude colour pallet.

Although I didn’t end up wearing them, for my previous wedding guest dress picks see here. It feels good to be back to blogging :).

Zoey xo

BACK SOON!

I’m currently putting my every hour (literally!) and brainwave into my final major project and assignments as it’s my final two weeks EVER of my degree, ahh! The 24 hour library has become my home, I think this picture below sums it up nicely.

I have so so many post ideas, a few guest posts lined up and my holiday style diary on their way as soon as my uni work is handed in! 

Zoey xo

Spring Fling Outfit

Celine top- £12.00 Etsy ‣ Patterned trousers- £14.99 H&M ‣ Midi-heel sandals- £29.99 Zara ‣ Neon clutch- £6.00 H&M (sale) ‣ Over the knuckle rings- £4.99 Riverisland ‣ Daisy chain necklace- £10.00 Topshop (in store)

As of yesterday, the sunshine has finally made its long awaited appearance and it seems as though Spring is finally upon us yayy! I’ve even been able to go out in just a t-shirt.. a far cry away from last weeks wrapping up in layer-upon-layer and huddling under umbrellas. This outfit was all about pattern and colour, with my new daisy chain necklace to inject a summery vibe. 

I picked the trousers up quite a while ago now, I love the high waisted, slim leg cropped fit and have incidentally ended up with three pairs featuring different patterns. I dressed them down with my high tops yesterday whilst shopping and had people coming up to me and asking where they’re from, which I thought was so lovely! They’re absolutely perfect for both S/S days and evenings, and for £14.99 they’re an absolute bargain too.

Celine Ts are everywhere at the moment. I think the cheapest place to purchase them is Etsy (where I got mine), but they’re also on eBay and in Urban Outfitters too. The lime green neon bag was a bargain find in H&Ms sale from a couple of weeks ago and I love the ‘wetsuit’ material (no idea what it’s actually called?!) as it makes it a less dressy alternative to my leather clutches. 

I have been looking for above the knuckle rings to fit me for so so long. If you’re like me with twigs for fingers then you’ll know that finding rings to fit is impossible! Retailers really need to take note and introduce an XS to refrain me from taking someones eye out due to a loose fitting ring. Anyway, I found these in the River Island kids jewellery section, they come in a pack of three (star, heart and cross) and theres also a silver alternative too. 

I’ve opted for my trusty Zara midi-heels yet again, I really just cannot get enough of them. Perfect heel height, style and they’re obviously black so go with everything. I love them so much so, that any other shoe doesn’t seem to compare so I’m sure they’ll be appearing on here again and again (apologies!). 

This weather has got me so excited to finally be able to wear all of my S/S bits that I’ve been dying to wear- lets hope I haven’t jinxed it!

Zoey xo

Holiday Buys!

I mentioned in a previous post that I’ve been slightly uncontrollable when it comes to shopping sprees lately, I had a serious lack of S/S in my wardrobe so had to sort that out asap!

At the beginning of June, me and my boyfriend are off on holiday for a beautiful, relaxing 10 days in Cala Mondrago, it’s what’s getting me through this final stretch of uni (final year, final term ever ahhhhh) and I really cannot wait! I thought I’d keep this haul themed and just show the few bits I’ve bought purely with my holiday in mind. From looking out the window at our British ‘Spring’ I think we could all do with a bit of a lift and a reason to get in the Summer spirit!

 All three bikini separates- £7.99-£9.99 H&M (in store) ‣ Strappy jellies- £14.99 Topshop ‣ Neon lime belt- £4.99 H&M ‣ Wet wipes- £0.99 H&M ‣ Facial brush- £4.00 The body shop ‣ Vitamin C energising facial spritz- £9.00 The body shop

I’ve been eagerly awaiting H&M’s bikini collections, it’s sort of an unwritten rule that as soon as you set your eyes on a beaut in store, you have to snap it up straight away (especially as their online delivery is soo awful!) as the popular sizes will be for sure sold out within a couple of days. So for that reason I definitely didn’t hesitate when I saw these three! 

The ombre fringe bikini is my absolute favourite, the tassels mean it’s particularly flattering for smaller girls and the colours picked out my blue eyes and surprisingly worked well with my skin tone! There’s also a burgundy/neon orange fringe one in store too, but the ombre doesn’t look as effective as it’s only the tips of the tassels that are neon orange.

The peach one is such a beautiful textured material, I love that the top is an unconventional cut and that the bottoms are teeny tiny (tanning purposes!). The rose gold fastening is a cute addition too. I found it hard to show the bright neon/blood orange bikini true to it’s actual colour, it’s a lot brighter than it appears here and again is such a nice textured material.

The lime neon belt is the perfect accessory to add that all important colour splash of my currently-favourite colour and will look great with so many outfits. As for the bargain Topshop strappy jellies, I can see them becoming one of my Summer wardrobe staples and the jelly material means that they’ll be great for around the pool/beach. 

The wet wipes were a ‘I am bored in the queue’ buy, the vanilla and lime scent stood out to me (how delicious does it sound?!) and I know they’ll come in handy in my beach bag. I already have the body shop vitamin e face spritz and have really enjoyed using it to set my makeup, so am keen to try the vitamin c version. I think this will be so refreshing to use in the summer and it smells so beautiful, yet not too unnatural or intense. 

I think the mini facial brush was such a great little find! It reminds me of something that No.7 sell and I’m looking forward to trying it out with my cleansers and scrubs. I love that it’s mini too and comes with a top so it’s perfect for travelling.

Leave your links below if you’ve posted a Summery shopping spree haul recently too!

Zoey xo

Shiny t-zone no more!

Seaweed clarifying toner 200ml- £8.00 The Body Shop

After continuously flitting from product to product, this is the first toner I’ve ever repurchased, it really is THAT good! As I have combination skin, previously my t-zone used to be so shiny and get quite oily as the day went on. Although I found a powder to stop this happening (see my Jurlique finishing powder post) I was still on the lookout for products to help balance out my skin, especially as recently I’ve developed a hatred of wearing foundation and powder during the days. I never thought this would happen, but I now definitely favour a bit of concealer and bronzer over a face full of daytime makeup and prefer a more natural look- oh how I’ve changed! Anyway, it is down to this toner that I’ve been able to face the days (excuse the pun!) barefaced.

It’s one of The body shop’s best sellers, and has over 138 reviews giving it an all round 5 star rating, which is exactly what enticed me to try it. It hasn’t disappointed! After using it day and night and finishing my first bottle, the main and most amazing benefit is that specifically my chin and nose no longer get oily or ridiculously shiny. This is even without mattifying creams, cosmetics etc, in it’s natural state the toner seems to have sorted my combination skin problems out!

As it is clarifying, it’s so refreshing and cooling and leaves your skin feeling cleaner than ever. Before trying it the one doubt I had was that it could possibly be quite drying and affect my normal skin areas (mainly my cheeks) by completely drying them out- how wrong could I have been! My skin has never been so soft, yet its still managed to get rid of my shiny t-zone areas.

Anyone with combination, or even oily skin- I really couldn’t recommend this enough! It has transformed my skin and I’d go as far to say that its made my skin switch from being combination, to normal (or that’s how it now appears anyway!). It’s also available in a handy travel size for a mere £3 so ideal for trying it out if you wish before buying the full sized bottle.

Zoey xo

Clashing Prints

Wiggle dress in border wallpaper print- £42.00 ASOS ‣ Mid-heel sandals with ankle strap- £29.99 Zara ‣ Elephant necklace- £14.00 Topshop (last season) ‣ Leather cuff- £9.99 H&m (in store)

You may recognise this dress from my previous 'wedding guest dress picks’ post, as soon as I saw it in the Asos new in section I didn’t hesitate at putting my beloved premier account to use! Firstly, the print- OHMYGODD! I absolutely love the clashing print border and it’s just such a beautiful eye-catching design. This is complimented by the high neck cut, the midi turned up sleeve length and midi hemline along with the absolutely perfect structured fit that has literally made me fall in love. It fits so well yet subtly accentuates my curves, creating such an on-point silhouette. I’ve found the perfect dress? I think so! If I could have this exact cut of dress in every single pattern in the world then I’d be one happy girl!

The pockets are such a nice touch, making it a little less formal yet tying in with every other element. I didn’t feel this dress needed accessorising as it clearly deserves to be the centre of attention, so my leather cuff and gold elephant necklace was all that it needed.

Shoes-wize, I went for these simple Zara midi heels that I included in my Midi heel post. They’re such a versatile wardrobe staple and are just the right height to be daytime-doable.

This beautiful Asos wiggle dress is also available in a striped print and two plain colour block designs- I’m too tempted to invest now that I know it fits like a glove (an extremely flattering glove at that!). 

Zoey xo

60's Sports Luxe

After weeks of compiling mental wish lists, writing wardrobe inspiration and lust list blog posts and filling up my wantworthy lists, I’ve FINALLY had a few days of splurging! I say a splurge.. I especially went a bit click crazy on Asos and ended up with three huge boxes arriving at my door, turning my bedroom into my dream Asos changing room! I haven’t even felt one bit guilty, I’ve gone for sensible purchases (almost) that I just know I’ll get a lot of wear out of and I have wanted them all for so long! Don’t you just love♡ that feeling when you finally get your hands on something you’ve been lusting over for ages!! Here’s todays casual ensemble..

Oversize tshirt in vertical stripe- £16.00 Asos ٥ Mom jeans- £40.00 Topshop ٥ Hi tops- £25.00 (now £15) H&m ٥ Top handle bag with piping- £25.00 (now £15) Asos ٥ Peace buckle belt- £12.00 Topshop ٥ Leather cuff- £9.99 H&m

Topshops mom jeans are a wardrobe staple that I’ve had my eye on since they came into store! Their high wasted relaxed cut means that they’re perfect to team with oversize tops as I have done here, yet they’ll look equally as good with crop tops for a dressier look. You can see my blog post here with an alternative way to style them. The only one thing I’d say about them is that getting the fit right is quite tough, I opted for the 26inch with a 32inch leg as I wanted the roll up at the bottoms to be thicker. When standing up, as they’re a relaxed cut they are quite loose fitting around the stomach (although a perfect fit around the bum and legs) which some people may not like, but it means they’re comfy to sit in (& eat it!!) and you can always draw them in with a belt. 

I love how this oversize vertical stripe top subtly hits the sports luxe nail on the head and the turned up cuffs and mid length sleeves are right up my street. When it comes to the grab bag, if I were to describe my perfect daytime summer bag then this would be it! Although I thought it would be slightly bigger than it is, it’s just so cute and works well with casual hi tops that I pretty much live in. I couldn’t find the leather h&m cuff on their website, although in store they had this beige and gold, a black and silver and I’m pretty sure they had another colour combination! It’s the perfect statement piece for a small wrist that would look equally as good with a dressy or casual outfit. 

Featured on LOOK magazine’s outfit pick, thanks LOOK!

Zoey xo

30 day squat challenge- completed!

Unless you've been living under a rock, you would all have definitely heard of the 30 day squat challenge! You increase the amount of squats you do day by day and after 30 days, you'll have a peachy toned bikini-ready bum, well that's the idea anyway. I saw the image circulating around Instagram/twitter/Facebook and after seeing the photo I couldn't wait to get started- who doesn't want a bum like that?! I've been doing this and only this (in the form of exercise) for 30 days to see if it would actually work, here's how I got on..

I'm lucky enough to have my mums skinny genes and a fast metabolism and although I have quite weird eating habits, I eat exactly what I want when I want yet still remain pretty much the same size (I am SO thankfully for this as I would have 0 willpower/interest to diet!). We all have our body hangups, my main one was my lack of bum and definition in my thighs.. Que the 30 day squat challenge!

Thinking back to 30 days ago, I remember struggling to complete the mere 50 yet now 100 in a row seems like a walk in the park (perhaps a jog). I kept a little tick list in my iPhone notes (photo above) so that I didn't loose track. I started to personally see and feel results by about day 6, my boyfriend started to see and comment on the results by about day 12 and by day 20 I even had comments from random guys in the street! Usually these comments would mean nothing and make me feel pretty uncomfortable, but as I'd been working hard it was secretly so good to know that my efforts were showing! I was a bit unsure as to how to do this post as I'm not up for posting a photo of my bum haha, obviously it's not yet the perfect bum I'm after but it's definitely grown quite a lot in size, has that 'shelf' thing going on underneath and is a lot more rounded. As for my thighs they feel a lot more solid and toned, I can definitely feel it more so when I walk around.

I don't think it's taken me anymore than 10minutes to complete it on a daily basis, so it really is a little time to make a big difference! I love that you can pretty much do it anywhere at anytime too so it's easy to fit in. Saying this, there were a few days when I'd had long days at uni/work or was just feeling extremely lazy so I just switched around the rest days. Finishing on 250 squats was quite tough to do in one go, but now I'm left wondering where to take it.. I think I'll continue with the 250, then slowly increase it and make up my own 60 day challenge. Once you see the results, it really does get addictive!

My tips

‣Use a good squatting technique (I typed it into YouTube and loads of great tutorials came up)

‣Squat slowly, don't rush it

‣Have a mini mini break after every 50 squats (as in shake your legs around/have a sip of water)

‣Don't give up! You see/feel results so quickly with this so I found that to be great motivation to keep at it.

I couldn’t recommend this anymore, it really is amazing and best of all- you don't need a gym membership! 

Zoey xo