Shades of Grey.

Hello, hope everyone had a lovely Easter weekend, ate loads. I stuffed myself full with an amazing cheesecake that me and my mother made, plus loadsa chocolate.

I couldn't wait to show you these leggings. I blogged about a similar pair from River Island but these £6 bad boys from Primark as just as good and I'll probably wear them just as much too. In this picture as well I'm wearing a size 18, a size down to what I usually get at Primark and they're still pretty baggy around my ankles. There is a lot of stretch in them in the leg, and around the waist so if you think you can't wear them, think again.

I paired them with a black top  and black boat shoes as I wasn't feeling super adventurous. And I have no idea what else to wear with them. I'm thinking a chunky white jumper? And leather jacket but again that's just all black and white. Can you suggest anything for me to wear them with?

You can particularly see the print in this last photo, and how well it goes with the silver cuff. I think chunky jewelry is the only way to go when wearing such a plain top, and tried to carry on the tribal theme with the colourful arrow ring. The only colour that is in the outfit. 

I finally started taking photos against the blank wall too! I think this just makes my clothes stand out in the photos rather than all the random crap on my shelves in the background. 

Leggings - Primark

Jumper - H&M

Cuff - Vintage 

Rings - Matalan and Pia

Boat Shoes - Schuh (last summer)

Gem xo

Wants of the Week #9

Hope everyone is having a lovely Easter weekend, for those who celebrate it. I did a little Wants of the Week centered around Spring and Easter time. I hope you're lusting after some of the things I am. Spring time, especially this year screams pastels, so I'm steering away from my usually black and dark colour pallet and incorporated colour into the list.

1. Lindt Gold Bunny - Local Retailer (Around) £2

This little bunny is always in our house around Easter time. Lindt chocolate is one of my favorite types of chocolate. Hey, whats an easter wishlist without a bit of chocolate! If you don't celebrate Easter, these Bunnies are too cute anyway not to eat.

2. Peplum Dress - ASOS Curve £32

I'm not a massive fan of peplum but the rest of the dress is so simple I think it would be a really pretty dress. Plus it would cover my belly when I'm not feeling so confident about it! I love the coral colour too, perfect for summer.

3. Coral Skinnies - George @ ASDA £14

I tried these on yesterday in my local ASDA, and they're a bit on the small side. But I still want a pair of colourful skinnies. ASDA also have a lot of colour choice in these jeans as well, which is amazing. The price tag is quite good too, shame about the fit, definitely would need to size up!

4. Mint Dress - Dorothy Perkins £35

Dorothy Perkins have the best collection of Fit and flare dresses. Obsessed with the colour mint this one is the one I want most from the website.

5. Purple Ring - Accessorize (not on website anymore, but similar ones are here)

My love of purple lives on in this ring, it would go with lots of my dresses, and the ombre nails I did earlier in the week. Chunky and gold are also on my love list. I also can't deny the similarities between this ring and an easter egg.

6. Cream Wedges - Office £55

Love these wedges, they're the right height for me as I can't really do massive heels. The colour will go with just about everything in my wardrobe too. I have some really similar ones from H&M last year that I'm going to start wearing again. They're actually the same, god, I have a disgusting amount of clothes.

7. Lilac Nail Varnish - Essie £7.99

Lovely pale lilac colour, again just fulfilling my love of purples!

Gem xo

Dark Side.

Hello again!

I thought as it's April, and Spring I'd show you this floral dress again. But with it being the center of the outfit. I'll probably show it you again over summer as I have lots of different ways to wear it.  

I wore this out to dinner with my mother. We went to one of our favourite places called The Fiddler i'th Bag. Its a little old pub down some country lanes not far from our house. Inside the pub, the owners have collected lots and lots of old things including uniforms from the different wars. Old books, new books, old toys and cuddly animals. It has older music playing as well, songs from the First World War. It has so much character, and my favourite thing about it is the abundance of old photos. I'd love to know the stories behind all the old photos. It helps that I got my nosiness from my Mother, so it's nice to go together. I never take any photos when I'm there as it's small and there are people eating, but next time I'll go I will bravely take some to show you why I love it so much, even if I piss 'the locals' off. I forgot to mention, the food is blinding!

Anyway, back to the outfit! I love this tea dress, it's quite lightweight and nice for summer too. I've been looking for a summery jacket, and I love my black. This is a shirt I've worn before, but I think it works as a light jacket for spring/summer, and a great cover up, as it doesn't take anything away or cover up an outfit. The tea dress works really well for summer pub lunches. The dress has little floaty sleeves too which add another pretty edge. I usually belt it but I left it floaty here, meant I could eat more as it hid my belly! What a positive.

To try the clashing print trend myself a little bit I popped this animal print loafers on. I'm not sure if it works or not, but it certainly beats wearing my stinky boots again! Is it bad that I quite like the two prints together? As I mentioned before the sheer shirt looks lovely over the print of the dress.

Did you play any April Fools pranks on anyone!? I meant to ask in my last post but got distracted.

Dress - Evans

Shirt - Peacocks

Tights - Tesco

Pumps - Dorothy Perkins

Necklace - Market Stall

Gem xo

Ombre Nails

Just a quick post to show these cool ombre nails I did this afternoon. I'm not very good at nail art so this probably won't become a weekly post. I'm very messy but these are so easy and quick to do. I used purple tones as I love the colour at the moment, I have quite a few purple dress and t-shirts... 

Anyway I found the tutorial here on Youtube. From a youtuber called Lovelynailsxx. The tutorial shows how easy it is to do. I love the use of lighter colours. I need an opaque white to use now for my nails! 

I'm off to watch The Apprentice now that I've recorded on V+ so have a nice evening!

Gem xo

Purple Rain

Hello, trying to entice you in with a bit of Prince there in the title, is it working?

This is what I wore on Friday coming home from Leeds. Me and my friend Lucy went for a pop around the shops and I bought the £6 print leggings I told you about. I've been taking test shots of them already. We sat in a well known coffee shop for ages drinking tea and people watching on the main street. Lucy bought a pretty Thomas Saboo charm, it's a peace symbol and is quite chunky but simple, she also bought some tasty tights too ;) Anyway back to the here and now. 

This purple dress is the shorter, sister version of the grey dress I recently bought. 

This dress is so comfy. I agree with all the other bloggers who have blogged about it. For a Primark dress the material is so soft and has a lot of give in it. This is perfect for summer as well as this, it hits the pastel trend on the head. I popped some tights on with it but it was too warm so leggings would have sufficed. I think it'd look cute over some pastel jeans as well, I've seen a lot of bloggers pairing lilac and mint together.

As always I 'gothed' up my outfit by popping this studded belt to cinch in my waist, I have a similar one I'm not sure if I've blogged about before but I found this old one in the back of my wardrobe but all the studs have fallen off. As well as adding black biker zip up boots and a battered denim levi jacket to stop any windchill. I'm not sure why my boobs look massive in this photo, but weheeyy anyway! 

How are you liking the pastel trend? What's your favourite trend for summer?

Dress - Primark

Belt - Next

Tights - Tesco

Boots - Dorothy Perkins

Gem xo

11 Tags.

Evening everyone! 

I've been tagged in this 11 Questions thing again, so I think I should do it. I always avoid doing them because I don't think I'm that interesting to talk about myself! But I think I should divulge a little bit more information than I currently am doing. Sooo.. here it goes. I was tagged by the lovely Mamma Moon, who is so supportive of everyone's blog and lovely! Find her pretty blog here.

The rules:

1. Post the rules.

2. Post a photo of yourself and 11 random things.

3. Answer the questions set for you in the original post.

4. Create 11 new questions and tag people to answer them.

5. Go to their blog/twitter and tell them you’ve tagged them.

This photo is from my blog post tomorrow. It's a sneak peak! 

The questions she asked and my answers are, as follows:

1. What fashion style describes you the best?

Oh god, I think maybe I'm a bit of a rocker, I love denim, leather and black. If someone else can describe me better, please go ahead!

2. Can you go out without make up or are you the type to touch up your lipstick even when answering the phone? 

I won't wear make up all the time, if I'm working at home for a day or walking the dog, I'll leave it off. But the majority of the time if I'm venturing out of the house I have to put make up on. I wish I was so confident in myself to not wear it or try a more natural look, but I've become to confident and rely to much on liquid liner!

3. Your worst fear?

This is a personal one and I'm sure you meant spiders or clowns, but the thing that keeps me awake at night is letting my parents down. They've always been so supportive of me and my choices in life, and they would never say I had disappointed them, but if I ever did I think it would kill me a little bit. I'm not really afraid of anything physical except maybe fire, and mosquitoes, because I have the ugliest reaction to insect bites ever, my skin actually goes purple, oozes pus and throbs. That's a nice thought for a Monday evening ;)

4. If you could step inside a book and live the life of the lead character, which would it be and why?

Probably Hermione Grainger from Harry Potter. Pretty little witch, who saves the world AND bags a fit red head, need a say more?

5. A movie that really touched you?

'The Lovely Bones' makes me cry every time, but I love the book too. Reminds me not to take my life for granted.

6. 5 places on your MUST VISIT list?

Times Square in New York.

London.

Trevi Fountain in Rome.

Santorini, Greece.

The Lanes in Brighton.

7. A food you hate?

Minced beef.

8. Are you the type to party all nite every nite or you prefer a quiet evening in?

If I have to choose, quiet night in with the nearest and dearest. That makes me sound terribly boring. I do like to go out and dance and drink, but people are much more important in my life than catching the best new club in town.

9. How do you imagine your life to be in 10 years?

I actually have no idea. Hopefully not living with my parents anymore, to have finally broken into the career I want to do. And with A LOT more life experience, there is so much more for me to learn about everything!

10. Something you never leave the house without?

My iPhone, I can't help it. And my camera, which is falling apart. But you never know what you're going to see.

11. Which do you prefer? Countryside or city living?

Arghhh, if I have to choose I'd have to say city living, there is so much to do and so many people. But being away from the city will always feel like home *clicks red glittery shoes together*.

11 Questions:

1. What's your top make up tip? (i.e. how to remove glittery nail varnish, or perfect lipstick)

2. What did you want to be when you were little? And did you become that?

3. What song describes you best as a person and why? 

4. What's your favourite trend for the summer?

5. Who is your style icon, and why?

6. Who is the best person at cheering you up?

7. What do you want to accomplish in the year 2012?

8. Favourite restaurant, where is it and why?

9. What is your favourite beauty item so far this year? (shampoo, foundation etc)

10. (Stealing this one from Mamma Moon) Top 5 places to visit?

11. Who is your favourite blogger? cough, cough (no I'm kidding I just want more blogs to read!)

Not going to tag anyone as I'd like to tag everyone, but it you want to do it please tell me so I can read them, I'm terribly nosey!

Thanks again! 

Gem xo

Wants of the Week #8

These are just some of the trends I've been lusting after this week. 

1. Aztec print leggings - River Island £15

These are now out of stock at River Island, but they were the closest to the ones that I have bought from Primark. For £6! They're obviously not as good a quality, but I'd probably wear them the same amount of times so I'm glad I got the Primark ones. Aztec print is everywhere right now. 

2. Cross Neclace - Dorothy Perkins £6.50

Every blogger seems to have a different cross necklace. I'm a big fan of rock/dark/gothic clothes and thought this gold necklace was a steal for £6.50

3.Black Suede Loafers - ASDA £10

Lovely simple shoes in the loafer shape. They'll go with alot, and they're smart too, to wear with dresses.

4. Extreme dip hem top - ASOS Curve £25

To go with the print leggings I think a plain top is the way forward. Another trend that is everywhere is the dip hem. Whether it be top, or skirt or dress. This top has the added extra of a chiffon cross on the back. It spices it up a bit whilst still being plain. For £25 I could see myself wearing this over and over again. It also covers my bum up in the leggings too, which is always a plus!

5. Blusher - NARS £21

On the blogosphere you always hear rave reviews about NARS blushers. So now I want one! I've heard Orgasm is a good one, and I would like a peachy toned one. I could never justify spending £21 on a blusher though, but I haven't tried it, can you persuade me!?

6. Gold Cuff - ASOS £15

Love the cuffs that are out at the moment. I have an older silver one that used to be my mums in the 80's but I would love a gold one now. I've seen quite a few on ASOS and they'd go lovely with the gold cross too.

5. Hello Flawless Oxygen Wow Foundation - Benefit £24.50

Another popular item on all the blogs recently is this foundation. I've only read good reviews about it. I need to get myself a sample and matched. I really don't wear foundation even on nights out as it drys my skin out a lot but I would love to see this one. I'm really buying into all the hype about it.

I just wanted to mention the Clements & Ribeiro Swan collection at Evans. I am quite impressed with some of the stock, I reckon those t shirts would feel like heaven, and the prints are amazing for summer. But I still think it falls short a little bit, it's still not exactly what I was expecting...My favourite item is this one, I love the fifties feel and the nipped in waist. And I think thats my favourite print too.  What do you think? Have you got any favourite items.

Anyway, the sun is out again today so I'm going to try and tan again!

Gem xo