River Island Cut Out Boots

I have been craving a pair of cut out boots for at least six months now. These started popping up a long time ago but I could never find a pair with the right heel height, correct account of chunkyness and a price tag I was willing to pay. I had my eye on a few pairs at Office but didn’t fully love any of them and just couldn’t commit nearly £100 to a pair when I wasn’t sure how much wear I would get out of them! Then I spotted these beauties in River Island.

I snapped them up in the shop the day after I spotted them online. For me, these are my ideal cut out boots. The heel is nice and small which is ideal for someone like me that resembles a giraffe at the best of times. They aren’t overly chunky but still have that cool masculine look about them and look sturdy. They are also real leather which was a plus for me as for me that is a sign of quality and that they will last me a long time. And the best bit? They were only £65. Absolute bargain for a pair of boots I adore the look of, are comfortable and will go with most outfits and definitely look great all the way through autumn and winter. I’m finding it pretty difficult to actually remove these from my feet at the moment as I love them so much! Do you guys like the cut out boot trend?  

Model's Own Collecton

Whilst painting my nails today it dawned on me I had a little bit of a problem. Whilst choosing which polish to wear I noticed my collection had recently increased…a lot. And they were all the same brand; Models Own. This is partly due to gifts and partly due to offers on in Boots, but it’s safe to say I have a firm favourite when it comes to nail varnish brands. Why do I love Models Own so much? For £5 they are fantastic quality and have one the biggest drugstore shade ranges I have seen for polishes of this kind. They last for ages and apply like an absolute dream. They also have a large range of finishes and their glitter polishes are some of the best I have used!

I promise in no way is this sponsored (one can wish ahaha!)…I just love them! I currently own ten; Hedonist (has anyone else noticed Hedonist NEVER photgraphs correctly?), Jade Stone, Indian Ocean, Mermaids Tears, Ibiza Mix, Mystic Mauve, Nude beige, Strawberry Tart, Disco Mix and Pink Fever.  After having seen some others collections of the Model’s Own facebook page I actually feel a lot better and my collection is actually rather modest. Well, that’s what I keep telling myself. 

wish list #1

1. Oh My Love Sarah Dress

This dress has been around for a long time at varying prices but it's now pretty cheap at just £25. It's a little bit more of an autumn / winter piece so I may hold off for a bit but can see myself purchasing this and keeping it in the back of my wardrobe for a while until it's the right time.

2. Office Uni Cut Out Boots

I missed out on the manly boots trend and didn't manage to bag myself a pair of Topshop Arabellas. Fear not, Office have some pretty amazing pairs of boots and I just can't choose which ones i like the most. I think I'm going with this pair at the moment, the chunky heel is just so cool!

3. Missguided Alexa Swimsuit

Party rings. On a swimsuit. Need I say more?

4. Michael Kors Hamilton

Totally unrealistic on my current wage but I fell in love with this on a recent shopping trip and knew it was for me whilst I wandered around the seating area in Frasers trying this on my arm and posing in front of the mirror with it. Please be mine! *Sighs*

5. Rusty the Fox Doormat

I have a weird thing for all things fox and this is just beyond adorable!

Self Improvement & The Push That I Need

Hello bloggy friends! Today I thought I would throw myself back into blogging with a little bit of a personal post. I have been feeling a little down in the dumps lately and realised I have been lacking in self confidence and not fully living and enjoying life the way I should! Since I graduated last year I have gotten stuck in a bit of a rut. I haven't put any of my skills to use and have found my current employment a little mind numbing to say the least. It's true that it is incredibly difficult to find employment, even for graduates, and once I do find posts to apply to I am either rejected straight away or refused after interview because the roles have already been filled by people that have an unfair advantage (some roles have already been filled before they are even advertised which is so frustrating!). Recently I decided I'd had enough and applied to so many jobs, and realised that part of the problem was I had been underestimating myself and feeling like I wouldn't be good enough for some jobs; this simply isn't true. I have managed to bag myself a fair few interviews so I am certainly feeling much more optimistic but even better; I'm starting to believe in myself. It's strange that no matter how many times family and friends told me I was a smart, capable and hard working person that I never fully believed it. I'm still not sure what has given me my confidence back but I have a sneaky suspicion it has something to do with the fact that I just don't want to be that person anymore! As i have always said; if you don't like an aspect of your life then change it! And I didn't like feeling down about myself and being stuck in a place I didn't want to be.

Ok, so maybe I'm still in that same job and similar routines but simply changing my attitude and how I feel about myself has made all the difference. I guess what I'm trying to say is happiness comes from within. I used to read this sort of thing everywhere and I just didn't understand it. I seemed to think that having nice clothes and a nice car and a great job and lots of friends and a perfect boyfriend would make me happy. Sure these things can help, but they don't create happiness. I'm lucky enough to have a supportive family, a great boyfriend who makes my life better just by being there, a few hilarious and great friends and very little reason to feel sad if i'm being totally honest with myself. I guess what I'm saying is - stop comparing your life to others, stop feeling bad about your imperfections and follow your dreams - because you  deserve it! None of this is easy, but life is a journey, not a destination so enjoy the ride. A bit of a ramble and it may not make sense but I hope this helps someone, anyone to realise how great they are and what they can achieve if they believe in themselves. 

Liebster Award

I've been tagged by the lovely yeslesley for the Liebster Award - basically I have to answer some questions that some other bloggers and I have been tagged to, then pass it on and make some new questions! I am really lazy and also a new blogger so I'm not sure who to tag - so basically if you are reading this then leave a comment - as I tag YOU!! :)

Here are the rules:

1. Each blogger should answer the questions the tagger has set for you.

2. Choose 11 new bloggers to pass the award onto and link them in your post.

3. Create 11 new questions for the chosen bloggers.

4. Go back to their page and tell them about the award.

5. Each blogger should post 11 random facts about themselves.

6. No tag backs!

11 Facts

1. I have a degree in Politics and Sociology though I'm still not sure what I want to do with it.
2. I have a strange connection to Cornwall which began with yearly holidays from a young age - My brother and his family now live there as well as my uncle... and now my best friend is moving there to do her PHD this year. Sometimes when I visit it feels like I'm going home in a way!
3. I met my boyfriend for about 10 minutes 5 years prior to us meeting again and him asking me on a date but he doesn't remember it!
4. I'm a very messy person but when I do begin to tidy up and clean I get obsessed with it and can't stop until it's perfect. 
5. I used to be very shy to the point it would stop me taking part in things or prevent me from making new friends. I began to realise how silly it was and I'm mostly over it now though I can be quite a quiet person in general anyway. 
6. I really enjoy working in the supermarket that I do but I can't do it forever and I don't want to be a manager so I must leave when the time is right. 
7. I love animals and I think if I could go back to school I'd become a vetinary nurse or something along those lines.
8. I have a nephew and niece who I only get to see around twice a year as they live so far away but I love them dearly. 
9. I'm addicted to chocolate and get cravings all the time and get sooo grumpy when I can't have any. 
10. My favourite Disney film is Beauty and the Beast. 
11. I hate driving but I like cars. Weird. 

1. Describe what a perfect day would be like for you.

Anything in the sunshine! I 'm a bit outdoorsy so maybe a picnic in the park after a litte bit of shopping and a few beers and a BBQ later? 

2. What is your most prized possession?

A picture of my Grandpa. 

3. Do you have a favourite perfume? If so, what is it?

Viktor and Rolf Flowerbomb!

4. What is your favourite place to travel or what is your dream travel destination?

Cornwall! Though I loved Berlin when I went and would love to go again. It would be a dream come true to travel around Europe. 

5. Describe your style in three words.

Monochrome, Comfortable, Boyish

 

6. What is your favourite quote or song lyrics?

Not all those who wander are lost - J R R Tolkien

7. If you could have grown up in any era, which would you have chosen?

The 50s, I'm not sure why but it seems like an exciting time to be growing up in. 

8. Are you a heels, flats, or trainers kind of lady?

Flats, specifically boots! I'm 5 foot 10 so heels aren't really an option without looking like a giraffe. I love a good ankle boot.

9. Do you still read magazines (the actual paper copies, not just online)? What are your favourite?

I read Company sometimes.

10. If you could live in one climate all year round, what would it be?

Sunny but not humid. With a breeze. Thank you. 

11. You have one day to spend an unlimited amount of money on treating yourself to things you normally wouldn't spend money on - what do you do? (Extra points to anyone who watches Parks and Recreation and is now singing Treat Yo'Self 2011!)

hahaha treating myself? Well...a new car because my current one is a banger and is giving up! A Mulberry bag...all of Topshop. And this is weird but I'd do a food shop at Whole Foods hahaha. 

So my questions for you are:

1. What is your one beauty product you couldn't live without?

2. If you were stranded on a dessert island what would be the one thing you would choose to take?

3. What is your favourite kind of music and what does music mean to you?

4. Do you have a signature dish you like to cook?

5. If you could have any pet what would you have?

6. Would you rather wear no make-up and have stylish clothes or have horrible clothes but perfect make up?

7. What is your funniest childhood memory?

8. Favourite place you have visited?

9. What is your dream job?

10. Where did you meet your best friend and tell us a bit about them :)

11. What is your favourite drink?

Clothing Factory Conditions; Who is Responsible?

With a recent focus in the news on factory standards I’ve been thinking a lot about where our clothes actually come from and whose fault it is that people are still working in such horrific standards. Is it simply just bad standards of build or does it go much deeper? I believe it does. I think perhaps the responsibility is shared somewhat…but what exactly can we do?

Let’s face facts, Primark supplies fast, cheap fashion that isn’t exactly the greatest of quality but feeds the demand of shoppers looking for a quick fix of the latest trends at a small price compared to other designer and high street shops. We have all been guilty of shopping in Primark and other such budget stores  looking for the latest trends and items we know we won’t get much wear out of, but does that make us to blame for the way such items are sourced? Or is it up to Primark as a business on the whole to find a more responsible way of manufacturing items in bulk? Quite often the majority of us are quite happy to be ignorant of where our clothes are manufactured, but look at the labels of most of your favourite garments and you’ll more than likely see they are produced in countries such as Bangladesh, China, Vietnam and India. Such countries are considered as less economically developed which means they are susceptible to providing cheap labour in horrendous working conditions, fuelling poverty due to inequalities between factory owners and factory workers. I’m sure we’ve all heard the term ‘sweatshop’ but do many of us actually care or think about what it means when our clothes have been produced here? Unfortunately our clothes are likely to have been made by workers in horrific conditions, many of which who are children. So perhaps we could be a little more responsible. There are many fair trade brands that are ‘socially responsible’ and whilst they are a little more expensive, perhaps it is worth the cost.  I believe even ASOS, Topshop and even Marks and Spencer’s have begun to stock some fair-trade items which is a big step forward!

But is it our problem? It can be said that it is the country that the items are sourced from that are at blame for not providing suitable working conditions. Poverty at the end of the day is to do with politics, and I believe today’s politics is too concerned with self-interest. While rich countries continue to make decisions that only benefit themselves, others in not so fortunate positions are suffering due to these decisions. We wouldn’t have cheap, affordable fast fashion without these countries, but should we be taking advantage of that? We shouldn’t be taking our business elsewhere as surely this benefits workers in no way whatsoever, but the current conditions surely can’t continue.

Will you think twice next time you pick up a cute dress at a bargain price? Or do you think it’s part of a wider problem that is down to governments and charities working together to provide better standards? The argument goes far deeper than this but I thought it was an interesting subject to bring up and something I don’t often see addressed in the fashion blogging world. It would be great to hear your opinions! 

Some links if interested:

War on Want Charity

Ethical Fashion Directory of Stores

People Tree

Nomads Clothing

Review: Collection Lasting Perfection Foundation

I was in a bit of a rush picking a cheap temporary foundation recently and I quickly chose Collection’s Lasting Perfection Foundation (£5.99) based entirely on my love for the concealer equivalent of this product which is wildly raved about. I’ve tested this over a few weeks now and my expectations were initially low; however I have been pleasantly surprised so far and I use it daily at the moment. The packaging is nice considering the product is so cheap and it comes with a pump as standard. It has SPF 20, not great with flash photography, but good news for skin protection.

It claims to provide 16 hours of long-lasting full coverage. For me this certainly lasted on my skin all day and provided a nice full, matt coverage. This definitely isn’t for those girls who like a natural looking finish though; it can occasionally go a tiny bit cakey if not blended fully and it can highlight some lines and wrinkles but overall it does have a nice finish to it. It is oil free so great for those of you who have oily or combination skin! I have dry skin and find if I have particularly dry patches it can highlight this but this is mainly down to skincare and preparing my skin in advance, it’s nothing a little bit of primer won’t sort!

My main problem with the product is the colour range. There are only six shades available so it may not suit every skin tone. I went for number 2 – though number 1 didn’t look much lighter at all! This is a little too dark for my pale skin tone and can look a little orange if not blended properly (ew) but I’ve began mixing this with a little leftover maxfactor foundation that was far too light for me and have found the perfect combination for my skintone.

All in all, this is worth every penny! If you like a heavy-duty high coverage foundation that lasts all day then you have nothing to lose. My advice would be is to make sure your skin is in good condition and to spend a little time making sure this product is blended completely! With a little perseverance I made this product work for me and now I’d definitely repurchase this as a go-to product when I need a little more coverage.