Pinstripe-ing

Eggs Benedict brunch at Carluccio's

Top - Zara / Trousers - Boden / Sandals - Vagabond / Sunglasses - Rayban / Bag - Furla

Summer seems to be well and truly back in London, even with the clouds, the heat is up.

I am absolutely in love with this floaty shirt that I picked up in Zara a few months back. It feels so wonderful walking with your arms stretched out in the breeze! The shirt also has a beautiful tie-neck detail (on the back) and an open back, so it's perfect for those light, breezy Summer evenings. 

To make the shirt work for the daytime, I paired it with these super comfy, linen pyjama-style trousers from Boden. The pinstripe detailing and wide leg make them the perfect trousers all Summer round, and help to make the shirt a bit more casual. And finally, my Vagabond sandals - the monochrome black & white can uplift even the dullest of outfits.

I hope you're all making the most out of the Summer - who knows how long it'll last here!

*Pictures taken on location in Richmond, London.

Denim Weather

Sunglasses - Rayban (round) / Top - Primark / Jeans - Whistles (sale) / Shoes - Creepers by Underground

I am currently writing this post about the fact that Summer seems to have 'finally rolled along' while staring out the window at the violent rainstorm that has just started. Needless to say, these pictures are making me sad. 

Summer - where have you been? I saw these cool, almost culotte like jeans in Whistles a few weeks ago when the sale had just started, but made a vow to myself that I wouldn't purchase them unless the price dropped again. Lo and behold, two weeks later, the price dropped, and on a whim, I bought them.

I love a good culotte, as we all know, and I think denim culottes, when cut right, look really cool for Summer. This pair are super elasticated, have a thick zip on the side (the zip looks cool, but having caught my skin in it twice now, it is not my favourite aspect of these jeans) and are thick enough that they keep you that extra bit warm in the cool evenings. I paired them with this cute white top I found in the Primark sale last Summer and my trusty creepers which I've had since I was 15. 

Isle of Wight: Festival Guide & Lookbook

As you can see from the title of this post, I went to the Isle of Wight festival (9th-12th June), and I can't express enough how brilliant of an experience it was, especially considering I went due to the lineup of incredible artists, which included my life-long favourite band, Queen. 

As a relatively inexperienced festival goer, I was quite nervous on going for the whole four days as a novice - but now, coming back with a new abundance of experience, I feel as though it could be helpful to write a little guide to all budding 'festivalites' (yes I just made up that word) on the do's and don'ts of festival living, and why all music lovers out there should consider going. Prepare yourselves for a long post ahead...

Part 1: Quick Guide to Festivals

1. Really invest your planning time in choosing the right festival for you and choosing the right people to go with. I was desperate to go to the Isle of Wight as a lot of my favourite artists were headlining - don't just go to a festival because 'everyone else is' (*cough cough* Reading), go because you GENUINELY want to. I ended up going in a really small group (me and two close friends) as we all wanted to see the same acts - so it wasn't a waste of time or money, and we knew that in our small group, we wouldn't need to seperate off as we were all interested in the same music and events.

2. Choose a bigger tent than you thought you'd need. It's important to not only have enough room for sleeping, but enough room for all the inevitable crap you'll bring.. We trundled to Argos and purchased a 5 man tent for the 3 of us that had brilliant reviews, and the extra space really aided the comfort of our trip. A plus was that the tent was only 30 quid! Really look for the right tent, as a lot will be ridiculously over-priced but offer the same amount of protection as the ones that may be discounted.

3. Go for the music. Again, I can't express enough how important it is not to waste your money on going to a festival where you may not actually enjoy yourself or know what's going on. It's not worth it to fork out 200 quid to go to a festival just for the 'experience' as the costs will just add up. Save your money for something you really care about.

The Who, one of the headlining acts of Isle of Wight 2016, and a massive highlight of the weekend.

4. Food for thought. We brought way too much food and snacks with us as we thought we wouldn't be tempted by the food at the festival. Wrong. We STILL ended up spending money on food, and then didn't bother with our snacks as much. Wasted cash and space really! (I mean we still ate them, but we didn't need them) If you're planning on drinking, invest in alcohol before the festival. You'll be saving money that could go towards enjoying other aspects of the weekend instead of wasting it on over-priced drinks at the event.

 The only fruit we had all weekend were these strawberries...

5. Be careful what clothes you pack.  If you don't want any of your fashion favourites to get dirty, then simply don't bring them. However, pack realistically. Pack what you know you'll want to wear - not what you THINK you'll want to wear. I knew I wanted to vintage shop during the festival, yet I brought seven tops, only three of which were actually worn. Waste of packing space! I also only brought three bottoms, and they dirtied much quicker from sitting on the grass. Pack sensibly!

6. Shoes. Yes, shoes. My friends both bought two pairs of shoes with them - one waterproof, and one not (e.g. sandals/converse), which is a great idea, especially if the weather is nice. I only brought one pair, but the one pair that I brought were waterproof Doc Martens. I highly recommend boots like Docs as they're comfortable (although bring compeed/blister plasters just in case), and can go with anything. I was worried they wouldn't be great with the weather (I was recommended wellies or else by a friend...), however, they proved to be brilliant.

7. Jackets and Bumbags. Bumbags are always a great idea for festivals so that you don't need to drag a bag with you around the arena/event space, and they're much safer. I decided to bring my Barbour jacket with me instead as there were plenty of deep, button up pockets (which fit all my importants), and it was waterproof (with an attachable hood). Make sure you choose the best way of keeping your valuables safe before you arrive at the festival.

8. Safety in the tent. At festivals, there's always going to be a risk of pick-pockets or people trying to steal from others tents - it's unfortunate, but it's true. A great way to ensure that at least no proper valuables get stolen at night (aka money, phones, ipods, etc.) is to sleep with them at the bottom of your sleeping bag. *quick tip* If you want to take photo's during the festival, but you don't want to take your fancy phone to the festival, disposable cameras are great and nobody cares to steal them!

9. Explore, and enjoy! Don't stress yourself out too much at festivals. Plan what acts you want to see, but let yourselves explore and have fun!

Part 2: Isle of Wight Lookbook

Day 1: Thursday, travel attire. No photo's taken.

Day 2: Friday, day 1 in the arena, and already one vintage shirt in.

 Shirt - Kate & Aud / Shorts - Vintage Levi's (Rokit) / Jacket - Barbour / Knee High Socks - Primark / Shoes - Doc Marten Serena's (Borrowed from Chiara)

Outfit Number 1 features this beautiful, recycled vintage wrap top that I found at one of the stalls at the festival: Kate & Aud. It is 100% recycled Sari from India, and 70% silk, so it has a beautiful quality to it. It also features this intricate paisley print. It was only £20, so in my opinion, a bargain for such an incredible one off piece.

Day 3: Saturday, day 2 in the arena.

Shirt - Tommy Hillfiger / T-shirt - Isle of Wight Official / Shorts - Vintage Levi's (Rokit) / Fishnets - Primark / Boots - Doc Martens 1460 (Discontinued) / Jacket - Barbour

Comfy yet covered in powder paint from the paint fight at the Bulmer's Colourena, this was my evening outfit for Saturday night when watching Iggy Pop and The Who.

Day 4: Sunday, day 3 in the arena, the night of Queen.

Outfit 1: Daytime

Shirt - Friday On My Mind Vintage / Shorts - Topshop / Tights - M&S / Jacket - Barbour / Shoes - Doc Martens 1460 (discontinued colour) / Neckerchief/Neck Scarf - Bits & Bobs Vintage

This was my day outfit for Sunday featuring yet another brilliant vintage piece. Friday On My Mind Vintage (a.k.a FOMM) is a store in Camden that had a stall at the festival, and all three of us absolutely fell in love with their collection of vintage shirts. They have such an array of styles that they have acquired from all over the globe, and every shirt is unique. As you can see in the last picture above, all three of us ended up purchasing one, and they were all very different in their own way.

Outfit 2: Evening

Bardot Top - Topshop / Trousers - Primark / Shoes - Doc Martens 1460 (discontinued colour)

And here is the final outfit, featuring these crazy patterned trousers from Primark that I bought a couple years back. They were brilliant for the evenings as they are super comfy and give you that extra bit of warmth. I wore these two years ago for a day trip to V Festival as well.

Part 3: Checklist & Highlights

I recommend creating a checklist of things you might need before you head off to your festival, and keep it with you so that you can check it off when leaving the festival as well (in case you're forgetful). Here are a few of my recommendations of what to bring just in case.

- Paracetamol/Ibuprofen

- Hand sanitizer &/or hand wipes

- A few packets of tissues

 - A refillable water bottle (possibly with a filter just in case)

- 4head (trust me on this one)

- A portable phone charger (with 2 or more charges)

- An eye mask

- Baby wipes (the Boots variety are super cheap, free from bad chemicals and come in a pack of 67, great for the body and makeup removal)

- Moisturiser

- Dry Shampoo

- Mini toothpaste (and obviously a toothbrush)

- Immodium (you never know)

- A big hairbrush

- Lots of hairbands (and/or grips)

- Suncream

- Compeed/Blister plasters and regular plasters

- Throat Lozenges

- Tampons/Sanitary towels (just in case)

- Jacket with a hood/hoodie

- Lip balm

Highlights from Isle of Wight included:

- The bands we saw! It was an unbelievable experience watching some of my all time favourites, a.k.a Queen (There were a lot of tears here...), The Who, Stereophonics, Busted (crazy throwback), and Iggy Pop, who I may or may not have winked at in a crazy pointing fashion, and who may or may not have reciprocated (I was at the front). And discovering bands we'd never heard of before as well (hello, Ocean Colour Scene where have you been all my life?)

- The Bulmers Colourena - was great finding this, and the powder paint fight was so much fun!

- The vintage stalls - needless to say, we had a lot of fun rumaging through these, and finding some hidden gems along the way.

- Chips & gravy. Nuff said.

- Going on the crazy swing ride, which looked mild from a distance, but was definitely not!

- Covering ourselves in glitter, henna (done by yours truly), bindhi's and flower crowns. We soaked up 'festival chic' as much as we could.

- The fact that it rained three night's in a row but there was no mud the next day - thank you, Isle of Wight!

- The Electro-Love tent - fab 80's tunes, neon lights and bubbles. What more could you want?

- The David Bowie masks that were handed out for the tribute done by the lead singer of the Corrs, and none other than Mr Gary Kemp from Spandeu Ballet. And then the Bowie disco at the Hey Joe tent. Yes.

- The Oxfam vinyl sale at Hey Joe - some brilliant finds were found.

Electro-love

Getting colourful!

Isle of Wight had so much to offer, and was a wonderful atmosphere to be in. And the lineup was honestly second to none - I cannot wait to see what they have in store next year, and I can't recommend the festival enough. I hope this [now incredibly long] post could be useful for some of you this Summer, and I hope you all have a wonderful festival experience if you happen to be going this year!

The Wyatt

Lipstick - Sensai Lip Pencil (Hiiro)

Leather Jacket - All Saints 'Wyatt' / T-shirt - Whistles / Trousers - &OtherStories / Bag - Furla / Bandana - Bits & Bobs Vintage / Shoes - Underground Creepers

It happened. After many, many years of contemplating and months of saving up, I made my biggest, and frankly happiest, purchase ever. 

I've always loved a bit of leather. It elevates any outfit instantly, and my beloved Reiss leather jacket that I've had since I was 14 has always been my most treasured companion. However, 5 years of non-stop wearing can give even the strongest of leather jackets strain, and lets just say you can definitely see the strain in the now slightly green tint that my jacket has acquired.

It took months of deliberation for me to choose the perfect new leather jacket, but I always knew it had to be All Saints. Their leather is unlike any other brands, and they have such a huge array of styles and cuts. I didn't even know which jacket I was going to purchase until the actual day! I chose the Wyatt - it's very similar to the classic All Saints Balfern, but for me the Wyatt was a better choice. The leather is more matte (the colour is technically 'ink blue'), the main zip is black (the balfern's is metal like all the pocket zips), and the fit was just ever so slightly better, which made the jacket perfect for me. I have barely taken the Wyatt off since!

I paired the leather jacket with a casual, somewhat Parisian, somewhat Rock-a-billy outfit. I found these flared, slightly cropped black trousers in the &OtherStories sale, and I love them. I always have a huge number of jeans that I can turn to, but I noticed that I didn't have a single pair of casual black trousers in my wardrobe, so these had to come home with me when I found them. Along with the trousers, I wore my all time favourite Whistles t-shirt 'Feminin' (so classic and versatile), a neckerchief (I've become obsessed with them, this one is vintage that I picked up at the Isle of Wight festival), and one of my oldest and most beloved shoes, my burgundy creepers.

http://www.allsaints.com/women/leather/allsaints-wyatt-zip-biker/?colour=3969&category=25

Beauty Favourites of 2016 (so far)

Well would you look at that - June is already upping it's sticks and disappearing quicker than I thought it would! So I thought as we're already more than halfway through this year, I've got a little beauty favourites of 2016 (so far) for you guys, so let's get stuck in!

1. Skincare

- La Roche Posay Makeup remover milk
For a while, I have wanted to stop using makeup remover wipes, as they are filled with nasty parabens and chemicals that end up drying my already dry skin out even more. Enter the makeup remover milk from La Roche Posay - the product that has officially ended my makeup wipe addiction! It's so gentle and simple to use, my makeup comes off easily by using it with a cotton pad (and I wear a LOT of makeup), and it doesn't irritate my eyes whatsoever. Plus, it's paraben free. Bonus.

- La Roche Posay Effaclar range
Pictured is just the toner, but the La Roche Posay Effaclar range is something I only recently discovered, and it's already made quite a big difference to my skin. I suffer from dry, sensitive and acne prone skin, and this has already helped even out my skin tone and imperfections without drying or irritating it further, which is something I look for in skin products, but have a hard time finding.

- Bioderma Sensibio Light Soothing Cream
Bioderma is a brand that I've really admired over the last year or so, as, like La Roche Posay, it's easy to find and relatively affordable. It's also brilliant for sensitive skin, which is something I have. This moisturiser is great as it soothes irritation on the skin - I use the light version as it makes skin feel fresh yet well nourished.

- Grown Alchemist Polishing Facial Exfoliant
Another very recent find, Grown Alchemist is a brand worth splurging on - their products are so natural (free from a huge abundance of crap, including parabens, artificial fragrances, animal derivatives and petrochemicals). This facial exfoliant is gentle enough to use daily, but still has enough of a kick that after only one use, my skin already felt noticeably softer and smoother. Plus, the pink grapefruit and glucomannan extract are a great combo to hydrate the skin (and it smells pretty great too!)

2. Makeup

- Cover FX Calming Primer
I've always been a huge fan of Cover FX - their skin makeup is incredible. Long lasting, high coverage and free from nasty chemicals (as you can tell, I like things to be as natural as possible). I needed a new face primer, and wanted to try a new one out from them - this calming one is great for reducing redness, irritation and skin discoloration, and after only a few weeks of using it, I can safely say that it was well worth the money.

- La Roche Posay Effaclar BB Blur

I had just run out of my beloved NARS Sheer Glow, and really needed a new foundation that would be light enough (but still with enough coverage) for Summer. Enter another La Roche Posay love - this BB blur cream is amazing for hiding enlarged pores (something I suffer from) and evening out skin tone. The added bonus is that it's main purpose is being a suncream, with SPF 20, so it's perfect for those hazy London summer days.

- Cover FX Blemish Treatment Concealer

Another Cover FX product, this concealer is brilliant for covering any blemish, and with added salicylic acid, it treats the blemishes as well! It also has buildable coverage which is useful for those times when I've had a major breakout. I've been using this concealer for years, and I don't think I'm going to stop any time soon.

- By Terry Line Designer in Black Ink

I've never really been one to splurge on eye makeup before (apart from the naked palette by Urban Decay), and my go to eyeliner has been the Collection 2000 felt tip liner since I was about 13 (it costs 2.99), but I have to say, this eyeliner is competing to become my number 1! It's much easier to apply than I thought it would be, and the jet black inky colour stays on for hours without smudging, yet is really easy to remove.

- By Terry Terrybly Densillis Concealer

This is the ultimate concealer for covering dark circles, discoloration and eye bags. The luxurious creamy formula blends into the skin like a dream, and even though the coverage is buildable, it still feels uber light on the skin.

- Marc Jacobs Velvet Noir Major Volume Mascara
WOW is the first word that springs to mind when I'm asked about this mascara. I like big, long, full lashes, even for the daytime, and this mascara does the trick. I have a travel mini version which is great for on the go touch ups, but honestly, I don't even need touch-ups throughout the day!

- Charlotte Tilburry Matte Revolution Lipstick in Love Liberty
My first (and currently only) product from the recently hailed Makeup Queen, Charlotte Tilburry. If you know me well, you'll know that I am a bit of a lipstick lover ('a bit of' being a major understatement) and these lipsticks do not disappoint. Beautiful, creamy texture, moisturing yet matte, and great for super even coverage. Love Liberty is a gorgeous deep plum shade, which I highly recommend (a drugstore dupe is definitely Rimmel Kate Moss Matte in 107) especially for Autumn.

- By Terry Crayon Levres Terrybly in Dolce Plum
By Terry's Dolce Plum is a great lipliner to brighten up any shade of lipstick, and it blends like a dream. It's also a great addition to the Charlotte Tilburry lipstick in Love Liberty!

- NARS Velvet Lip Liner in Lanikai
I have always been a huge fan of the NARS velvet matte lip pencils - they are my go to product in my makeup collection. I'd been searching for this lipliner everywhere, but it was sold out for ages (I'm not surprised why). It's the perfect deep red shade and the application is so easy as its an automatic lip pencil.

- Estee Lauder Automatic Pencil for Lips in Cafe Rose
This has been one of my favourite lip liners for YEARS and I just repurchased one, which is why it's in this post. It is, in my opinion, one of the best lipliners I have ever used. A beautiful, deep rose colour, in a brilliant refillable applicator. I even use this as a lipstick itself with a bit of lip-balm!

- By Terry Rouge Terrybly in Bare Instinct
This is one of my new favourite red shades. It's a slightly muted, deep rose-red shade, and is one of the easiest to apply lipsticks I've ever had due to how soft and creamy it is. The "Terrybly" inscription on the lipstick itself also makes the product seem even more luxury than it already is!

- Stila Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick in Patina
This is by far one of the best long-lasting liquid lipsticks I have ever tried. Patina is an unusual, cool purple/pink shade, and is unlike any other colour I own. The lipstick has a daupher applicator so is super easy to apply, and the formula is great for a long lasting look. 

- By Terry Terrybly Velvet Rouge Liquid Velvet Lipstick in Lady Bare
Another great liquid lipstick, the daupher applicator on this one is in an hourglass shape, so is great for creating a fuller lip. Lady Bare is a warm beige colour, so not 100% my thing, but I cannot fault the lipstick in terms of the formula at all!

- Sensai Silky Design Rouge in Hiiro
These lipsticks (which come as an automatic lip crayon) are incredible - so easy to apply and are great for quick touch-ups during the day. Hiiro might be one of the most beautiful red colours I have ever seen - think classic, like Marilyn Monroe.

- NARS Limited Edition Hardwired Lipstick in Deadly Catch
Nab this beauty while you can! A shocking, bright red which doesn't crust or crumble off your lips. You'll feel like a Hollywood Screen Siren in this.

3. Misc.

- Grown Alchemist Lip Balm Vanilla & Watermelon
Not only does this lip balm smell like Summer, it's super hydrating and a great addition to lipstick if you want to turn it into a lip gloss. 

- Roger & Gallet Hand & Nail Cream (With Shea Butter & Apricot Oil)
Roger and Gallet hand creams are super nourishing for dry hands, great to take on the move, and smell divine. It's like a Parisian bathroom in your pocket!

- Hand Chemistry Extreme Hydration Concentrate
This is unlike any other hand product I've ever used. The formula is more like a gel than a cream, and you're only meant to use this once a day for two weeks (or as long as you need) before achieving soft, hydrated hands. I haven't had dry hands for months because of this product - and I can't say enough good things about it.

- Percy & Reed No Oil Oil (For Thick Hair)
I like using hair oils on the ends of my hair to prevent dry ends as much as possible as I use heat styling tools nearly every day. This one is brilliant as it's thicker and more like a serum, and my hair immediately looks (and smells) fresher and more rejuvenated after using this.

- Bumble & Bumble Surf Infusion (Sea Salt & Oil Spray)
I have always lusted over the Bumble & Bumble Sea Salt Spray, but have always been put off by the price. I bought this mini version of their newer spray, which is sea salt spray infused with oils, to test out before buying a big version of the original, but I have to say, I think this is better than the original! It still gives the gorgeous texture, look and smell of the original sea salt spray, but the oils help to rejuvenate limp, dry hair instead of drying it out even more. 

So, I hope you all enjoyed this beauty favourites. Let me know if you like this format and if you want more posts like this in the future - maybe I'll do one every 6 months?

Let me know!

Pink & Patent

Leather Jacket - Zara / Navy Jumper - Nicole Farhi (outlet) / Culottes - &OtherStories / Boots - Topshop / Bag - Furla

These boots were made for walking...kindof. Okay, they're not the easiest to walk in (they're comfy yes, but the super flat sole and pointed toe doesn't help if you're a Londoner and need to get around quickly), so let's just say these boots were made for drooling over.

I had been looking for a pair of flare-heeled patent leather boots for a long time. They just look so effortlessly retro, chic and somewhat classic. And when I finally found this beautiful pair from Topshop on a whim in central London, I knew I couldn't say no.

They can elevate any outfit. And when paired with this gorgeous, pastel pink leather (hehem, pleather) jacket from Zara, you can't go wrong.

*Side Note* I would like to sincerely apologise for the unbelievable lack of blog content in the last two months. Life got pretty hectic over that time - I worked as a PR assistant for 6 weeks (weirdly professional, I know!), it was my sister's wedding, and I was in a show. Needless to say, it was pretty mental. But I am back now, and blog content will be restored!