Studs and Dreams

Monday, 17 November 2014

#VeryOnTrend: A/W Party Edit & Fashion Show

I'm not usually one for dressing up fully. I'll often feel to dressy and pop on my new beloved Puma Suede's, a pair of flat boots or some flatforms to bring an outfit from being super dressy to that little bit less but when picking this outfit from Very.co.uk, something changed and I fancied a little bit of a change and a little bit more glitz and glamour.

As you can see in the pictures above I went for a virtually all black outfit with a hint of navy blue and not forgetting the obligatory glitter... I fell in love with this River Island via. Very.co.uk High Neck Glitter Panelled dress* as soon as I saw it. It's just so me! I shortened it a little though as I'm just a tad shorter than the model wearing it on the site. I added the River Island via. Very.co.uk Faux Fur Collar Jacket in Black* and this gorgeous Navy Velvet Chain Shoulder Bag with Gold Detailing* and finished it off with a pair of heeled black ankle boots, I went for my faves in my stash and of course, they're the Topshop Allegras (firm favourites in my wardrobe since I started this blog!). A super simple outfit, but the glitter on the dress makes it that bit fancier. Perfect for the Christmas party season and I just know I'll get so much wear out of it.

So you're probably wondering what this post is actually all about? I was invited down to the #veryontrend event with Cosmopolitan Magazine and Very.co.uk and of course I wouldn't turn down to see Very's Party Edit... and Sam Faiers new collection. After a rifle through the rails of beautiful sequinned dresses and super sleek playsuits with the lovely Ashleigh (who actually took my pictures, so thanks lovely!) we sat down to the watch the catwalk show of all of the pieces in action. Here are a few of my picks... Can I own them all please?

The collection is so dreamy! All of the black items I just need... Love doesn't quite cover it. It was a lovely evening with so many lovely ladies and I now have a wish list the length of my arm. Christmas maybe?!

Shop the Very Party Edit here, read more about the night here, and shop my outfit here...

What's your favourite piece?

Lorna x

Getting Into Glitter

I've never been a massive fan of glitter. A little bit of shimmer here and there but I've always been a matte kinda girl at heart. Enter these beauties from NARS and Paul and Joe Beaute, and everything changed. Just like that.

Perfect for the up coming season and all things Christmas, when is a better time to get this new obsession of all things glitter? I'm talking all the glitter eye shadows you could ever need. Pop a bit over a smokey eye or neutral eye to jazz it up bit. A little sweep of glitter is all you need and it makes the look that bit better. These are my picks to add a little bit of sparkle into your makeup collection...

First up I'm going to give a massive mention to Paul and Joe Beaute. They have got glitter down and I'm going to put this new obsession solely down to them. The eye colour trio's in 02* and 08* are the ones. The first shadow in the trio's are the ones with all the sparkle and as soon as you give the shadows a swatch you'll know exactly what I mean and I can just imagine that you'll fall in love with it like I did. They're gold and silver glitters like I've never seen before. Just trust me, they're amazing. Adding a little more Paul and Joe into the mix and the Eye Gloss Duo in 01* is something I never thought I'd be into. Especially not the yellow shade, but my god, it's beautiful. Imagine the glitter shade in the eye colour trio palette 02 but in a gloss form, so more glossy, more glittery, perfect! (Can you tell I love it yet?)

Another favourite are the NARS Dual Intensity Eye Shadows in Callisto* and Dione*. Perfect glittery shadow-ness. That's all I need to say. Read the post linked for all the deets on these beauties and of course some unmissable swatches. They're a goodn' and a firm favourite in my collection that I just can't imagine not using.

I'm actually so happy I've gotten into these and can only imagine this obsession and collection will be ever growing.

What are your favourite glitter products?

Lorna x

Don't Forget To Smile Today

Happy Monday everyone! For most, today will just be 'one of those days', I mean, I find the majority of my week tends to be sometimes, so I thought what better day than a Monday to post and write this on. I just wanted to talk a bit about happiness as I can honestly say I am feeling so happy at the minute and this 'Don't Forget To Smile Today' sticker I got from My Little Box just rang so true that I just couldn't not share it...

We can get so caught up in our busy lives that we can forget to do things that we love and make us happy. We get used to things, perhaps change can seem daunting but if in the long run it'll make us feel better about life in general then it's so worth doing. That can be a big change, a few little ones or just something to make you feel that bit better instantly. Like listening to your favourite song or getting back into that band you used to love. Popping on your fave lipstick (pictured is a lovely one from MDM Flow, how cute is the packaging?!) or having a sweet treat. Spending time with your best friend, someone you love. That kind of thing. It can be as big or small as you like, just do it, you'll feel so much better for it in the long run. I'm not saying don't do things like go to work if you don't feel like it, I mean a girl's gotta earn a living, but maybe do something after to make you feel better, or before? Perhaps even both.

I'm feeling really happy with life at the minute and a lot of that is down to changes I've made and things I'm totally getting into doing. I'm quite lucky to absolutely love my job and the people I work with, I'm making sure to spend my time around people that keep me feeling positive about everything and that is helping so much too. I'm doing things I love, and trying to not stress about not being able to do as much as I'd like, I will get everything I need to do done at some point. There is only so much time in the day after all...

I can be a really disorganised person, I mean I like to think I'm not that bad but I can be, but I've found that giving myself this Monday, Wednesday, Friday and a video on Sunday routine has just made me feel so much better about doing this and creating content for you all. I honestly cannot tell you how happy making videos has been making me. I bloody love it. I get excited filming it (albeit a little stressed sometimes, which we can definitely see in the outtakes, oops!) and then seeing it come together when I edit it and then finally put it out there come Sunday for everyone to see. It's a super long process and if you don't make videos, you probably don't realise quite how long it does take, but I love every second of it and right now I wouldn't change that for the world. Every comment, every thumbs up and every view puts the biggest smile on my face and that's because I'm so proud of something I've worked so hard to put out there and because of that happiness it gives me, I just can't see me stopping that any time soon. (Here's a link to my channel if you'd like to see what I've been up to, honestly cannot tell you how excited that makes me to say... Eek!)

Obviously I still love writing posts on this blog. I told you how excited I was to put my new design out there and how inspired that made me feel and of course, that's still the case. I never would have written a post like this before. It was all beauty reviews and although I did enjoy that, I just didn't find the content to be as riveting to write and it almost started feeling like a chore. I'm changing up my content, adding back in a little Fashion, adding in the new spin of lifestyle and of course the regular videos will be included! It's so much more enjoyable to write now, and I'm hoping so much more enjoyable to read too... Although don't be shy to tell me if I'm wrong there, of course I'd love to know if you'd prefer differently. It is you reading it after all.

So that's just a little bit of how I'm feeling at the minute, I mean it's not fine and dandy all of the time in Lorna Land, but there are a few things that are just keeping that smile on my face that bit longer.

Go on, treat yourself to something you love to do, you deserve it.

What makes you happy?

Lorna x

Video: Autumn/Winter Essentials

It's getting a lot colder and for some reason, this year, I just felt a little unprepared. I think perhaps I got so used to the warmer weather, I just wasn't ready for it. I still find myself thinking it's okay to go without tights when wearing a skirt... But let's be honest, it's bloody cold and that just isn't okay.

I'm so excited to share this video with you all. I've been planning it for a little while and it's a little different to my past ones so I do really hope you like it. I put together all of the bits and pieces I love about the Autumn and Winter and what the essentials are to help get you through the seasons changing and quite obviously, the weather getting colder. I'm talking hot chocolates, wooly knit jumpers, vampy lipsticks and so many more...

Products Mentioned:

Lush Lip Scrub in Popcorn

Carmex Original Lip Balm

YSL Rouge Volupte in Forbidden Burgundy

Topshop Lipstick in Beguiled

NARS Audacious Lipstick in Charlotte*

The Body Shop Lipstick in Damsel in Distress

Rituals Gingko’s Secret Hand Cream*

Nails Inc. Gel Effect Nail Polish in Kensington High Street*

Liz Earle Deep Cleansing Mask*

Origins Drink Up Intensive Overnight Face Mask*

Embryolisse Lait Crème Concentre

Lush Twilight Bath Bomb*

Lush Dream Time Bath Melt*

Lush A French Kiss Bubble Bar*

The Body Shop Body Butter in Shea

Monki Wool Biker Coat

Lindt Classic Hot Chocolate*

Last but not least I'm going to give a mention to the AMAZING artist and song I featured in the video. It's Deep by JONES. and you all just need to go and check her out. The song's amazing right?!

I really hope you like the video, I really enjoyed making it...

What are your essentials for Autumn and Winter?

Lorna x

Outfit: Navy Floral Mini Dress and Flatforms

So we haven't seen a post like this around here for quite some time. I'm thinking the last time I posted an outfit post like I have done here was back at Field Day Festival... over 2 years ago! Wow. It's been a little while, hasn't it? I thought it was about time I got back on that bandwagon and when Travelbag Cruises contacted to put together an outfit perfect for a number of different occasions I was just so excited to get back into posting fashion, something I still love reading about. So I'd expect to see something a little like this, a bit more often, and hopefully with a better background.

On another note, you might also notice a little change in my hair... The ombre is BACK! Thoughts?

When thinking about what sort of outfit to go for that would suit a number of different occasions I honestly wasn't really sure what to go for. Flats, obviously. Heels dress up an outfit too much so if you opt for a bit more of a dressy outfit then the flats just take it down a notch and obviously it works both ways, but honestly, i'm not really a heels kinda gal. I went for this Floral Print High Neck Mini Dress* from New Look via. ASOS as it's super simple, can be dressed up or dressed down and it's so bloody comfy. Paired with these Black Shiny Sandals* from Missguided and you're good to go. Imagine popping down to the pool. Out for dinner. Pop on a pair of tights and a jacket if it's a bit cold. A pair of heels if you need to dress it up a bit more. I mean you get the idea but this dress is so versatile and so affordable I just needed to express my love for it.

What would you pick as your uber versatile piece?

Lorna x

My Little Box

Another subscription box? I know, I know... But there's just something a little bit special about this one so I thought you all just needed to hear. I've had a little bit of experience with beauty boxes in the past. I signed up for a GlossyBox after the first one came out and cancelled quite quickly after as I realised I just didn't use the bits, I loved the excitement but that was all. The same for Birchbox unfortunately. I mean, maybe I gave up too quickly and should have another look into them but there's just something that this box fills the gap for and I'm so excited by it.

My Little Box is a Fashion, Beauty and Lifestyle subscription box. So there's a little bit more to it than just the usual beauty samples. They do still have that though, so for all of us beauty lovers out there, don't worry, this box definitely doesn't miss that out. In fact they take it one step further and include products from their own beauty range, My Little Beauty, and I've tried the gel blush I got in my box, and I can definitely vouch that it's a goodn'. Super subtle, really hydrating, great quality and super cute packaging that reminded me a little of something Topshop would produce.

Each box comes with a different theme, all with an illustration by My Little Box's amazing illustrator Kanako. She actually did a little illustration of me and I'm so in love with it. I got my hands on the My Little Arty Box*, right up my street, and I honestly can't tell you how sweet and exciting it all was. Everything is packaged so nicely and the products are a little different from what you'd usually get in a subscription box. Think the cutest bits and pieces you'd ever own. And the box is just the best for storing things. Can you tell I love this yet?

What's your favourite subscription box? Do you still subscribe to any?

Lorna x