Last week, I wined and dined in a Winter Wonderland.
Alright, I actually sipped endless cups of tea, order a second round of savoury food and scoffed cakes in a Winter Wonderland, but you catch my drift!
After spotting this London hot stop on The Londoner's blog last year, I knew I wanted to go there this year. It books up very quickly, but luckily Charlie and I managed to find day at the end of November to fit in an Afternoon Tea.
Dalloway Terrace is hidden away in the Bloomsbury hotel in the centre of London. A winter dream land where you can wrap up in blankets and cuddle a hot water bottle to your hearts content.
We had GBBO Bake Off Winner, Candice Brown's Afternoon Tea and it was divine. Interesting but delicious flavour combinations and they'll cater to any dietary requirements you have with no fuss at all. We had refills of both tea and the savoury selection at no extra cost too, which was a lovely touch to an afternoon with such a luxury vibe.
I'd definitely recommend for a festive and breathtakingly beautiful afternoon!
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When it gets a little colder my fashion focus seems to be on every chunky jumper going. I love them with roll necks, cable knit, fitted, oversized, the list goes on. Sometimes when I chuck on a chunky jumper, I'll pull on a pair of jeans, whack on a pair of boots and I'm out the door, others I want to dress up a little more, mixing comfort with style.
I recently picked up this gem of a jumper from Primark. I was a little unsure knowing the material would probably cook me alive but I'm always cold and sometimes I just need the thickest, snuggliest things going. There was a huge range of colours (and I have my eye on the grey version too...) but I went for this deep purple colour, knowing I had nothing similar in my Autumn/Winter wardrobe already.
I found it was the perfect jumper to wear without a coat, as it's thick enough to block out the wind and keep you warm. The sun made a brief appearance and it was just a liiiittle warm, so I'll bear that in mind when I chose to wear it out.
Wanting to style it up a little more, I opted for a skirt and knee-high boots over going for black skinny jeans. Statement tortoise shell earrings and a dark Charlotte Tilbury lip added a touch more glam to the outfit as well. For me, I felt it was my ideal mix of comfortable and stylish.
-- What I'm Wearing --
ALL Primark (oops!)
Earrings - Accessorize
Rings - Silverado
Lipstick - Charlotte Tilbury 'Glastonberry'
Nails - Barry M 'Almond'
Each year I find that Primark absolutely nail Autumn/Winter trends so I got in there early to kick of the wardrobe transition with some key pieces. I absolutely love the things I picked up...
Primark hauls your kinda thing? Hit subscribe baby!
It's rare a day goes by without me wearing nail varnish, I feel it complete pulls a look together and everything looks a lot more polished (pun intended).
These are some of my favourite nail colours to wear throughout December, each one screams 'Christmas' to me and I just rotate between them all, sometimes layering the glitters on top of a solid colour.
This is a black nail varnish with bright specks of red glitter throughout, it looks gorgeous on and it creates a lot of depth with the layers of chunky glitter.
I wear this shade all year round, it's a beautiful grey/lavender shade. Its subtle but looks very chic.
This is my Winter favourite, it is the most gorgeous berry/wine shade I have ever seen - I've not yet found a nail varnish to live up to this colour, they're either too red or too purple, this is perfect.
This gold and white glitter is perfect as a topcoat over a coloured nail varnish, if you want it to pop layer it over a dark shade, or if you want it to be slightly more subtle, go for a shade like Barry M's Almond.
This is a beautifully intense silver glitter, it sparkles like nobodies business! Again, it's perfect at as a top coat or a couple of layers on its own to make it more intense. Although they have discontinued the American Apparel one, there are so many similar silver glitters about. 
I use the Nails Inc. NailKale Superfood Top Coat and the incredible Seche Vite as a top coat, it leaves it super glossy and it lasts for days.
What shades do you go for around Christmas?
I really love Autumn and Winter fashion, I love layering pieces, I love the burgundy, kahki, mustard shades, the dusky pastels and then the deep greens, reds and black around Christmas - and for that reason I love putting together Lookbooks at this time of year.
This is the final look I'm yet to blog about from this years Lookbook. This dusky rose pink pinafore dress, with a cute bee print shirt underneath, rocked up a little bit with black buckle boots, a leather jacket and a fur headband. This outfit is the perfect combination of looks for me, it combines feminine and classy with edgy. 
w h a t I ' m w e a r i n g
Bee Shirt - Primark
Pine Pinafore Dress - Primark
Boots - New Look (similar)
Fur Headband - It was a gift, but this one is similar.
You can see the other looks here ::
Outfit One - Bare Legs & Boots
Outfit Two - Autumn Pastels
Outfit Three - Winter Wardrobe Essentials
So, Here's the Look Book! A huge thank you to my boyfriend, Henry, for filming this for me, I quite literally couldn't of done it without you! I spent hours editing and pushing the boundaries of my normal, rather safe editing style so I hope you like it. Please do leave a comment and Subscribe for more videos just like this one... and lots of festive ones throughout December too!
xxx
I went for a good old snoop in Primark this week and obviously I didn't leave empty handed!
Have a little peek at the new super cosy additions to my Winter wardrobe - All under £15!
xxxx
We all need those wardrobe staples that can take an outfit from basic to stylish and sophisticated in a matter of seconds, right? I've currently got two go to items that do just that..
- L o n g l i n e W i n t e r C o a t s -
A coat can often be the main part of your outfit throughout autumn and winter - a day up in London spent dipping in and out of shops means you'll be wearing your coat for the majority of the day! This is why I love purchasing a new winter coat, as I know I'll be getting so much wear out of it.
I recently picked up this gorgeous Long Line Camel Coat from New Look for just £34.99 (it's actually now in the sale with £10 off, so hurry hurry hurry!) and I have not stopped wearing it since. It's flattering, it fits a chunky jumper underneath without looking bulky and is super cosy without being too thick and heavy. The colour is smart and sophisticated and goes with absolutely everything! 
- C o m f y H e e l e d B o o t s -
I'm a shorty. I'm about 5"3 so anything that gives me a little bit of height instantly makes me feel better about myself and a bit more confident. I love a pair of chunky heeled boots, they're comfy enough to wear all day long and give that little bit of extra height to feel a tad slinkier and to extend those legs a little!
My current go to pair are these ones, also from New Look (Similar). Although these were last season, they have plenty of similar pairs and New Look boots have never failed me so far! These are tan 'suede' with a black chunky heel (by chunky, I just mean not a stiletto heel!) gold hardware and tassels on the zip.
Adding both these wardrobe staples to an outfit makes me so much more confident and stylish within seconds. I feel so much more put together, even if I haven't made too much of an effort with the outfit underneath.
I've paired them with a roll neck striped top, a black a-line skirt and a signature red lip. I've gone for simple jewellery with just my silver rings from Silverado in Brighton. This was for a day of roasts and countryside dog walks with my boyfriends family and it was a perfect outfit for a mix of comfort and style. Obviously I swapped out the boots for wellies for the dog walk!
- o u t f i t d e t a i l s -
Boots - New Look (Similar)
Scarf - Accessorize (Similar)
Roll Neck Striped Top - Primark
Black A Line Skirt - Primark
Lipstick - L'Oreal Blake Lively Red
All photos taken on an Olympus Pen E-PL7 with a 45mm lens.
Photos by Henry Gottelier.
I love a good Netflix sesh. Light some candles on a grey, rainy day, grab your softest blanket and a cup of tea and settle down a good hour (or what could easily be hours) of Netflix.
So with that and the fact TV is in it's prime right now, with it being Autumn/Winter - I thought I'd share some of the programmes I'm loving at the moment.
1. Scream
I'm a mega wimp and usually anything that comes under the genre of 'Horror' is completely banned if I'm on my own - this series however, has me hooked! It's on Netflix and I'm currently watching the second season - so there's plenty to catch up on. It follows a similar story to the Scream films, with the masked killer making phone calls to his next victim in his crazy deep voice, picking off friendship groups one by one! I'd say it's a bit like Pretty Little Liars with a lot more blood. There's lots of jumps and twists and turns, but I'm actually able to watch it alone... but not with the lights off!
2. Total Bellas
Anyone who's read my blog for a while might know about my love for the WWE wrestlers, the Bella Twins and the TV show Total Divas. They now have their own spin off show, also on E! and I just love it. It's so easy to watch, It'll make you laugh and they're pretty sassy.
3. The Missing
Another Thriller, this time on BBC 1. This is the second season of The Missing but with a completely unrelated storyline, so no worries if you missed the first one. It's about a girl returning home after being kidnapped over 10 years ago. It's dark with a lot of suspense and it's a little confusing at times, switching between the past and present, but definitely worth a watch. The end of episode 5 had me gasping, it was pretty unexpected. You can catch up on iPlayer.
4. Married at First Sight
A slightly more light hearted option! This programme follows a bunch of singletons who have opted to be matched up by experts to meet and marry a stranger... on the day of their wedding! It's a crazy experiment, but so interesting to see how they get on and if it's all going to work out. It's on Channel 4 so you can catch up so far on 4OD.
5. The Secret Life of 4 Year Olds
If you haven't seen this you are missing out, it has me crying with laughter without fail. It follows a group of children on a day at nursery, listening to their conversations, seeing them making friends, arguing, playing, winning games, losing games and it's absolutely fascinating (and hilarious) to see how kids are with each other when adults aren't around. It'll make you laugh, cry and cry laugh but it's a great one to cheer someone up!
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Obviously I'm also loving the more usual suspects - Made In Chelsea, I'm a Celebrity, First Dates & Gogglebox. I also LOVED the new season of Cold Feet, which I'd imagine you could find on catch up somewhere.
TV is just far too good in the winter months, I can't keep up! But it's always good to have some new shows lined up for christmas time for those cosy evenings on the sofa!
What TV shows are you loving at the moment?
Just a couple of phone snaps and a video from bonfire night. I was with family and friends and spent the evening by the bonfire, watching fireworks, eating delicious food, drinking winter Pimms (which you NEED to seek out and try! It's delicious!) chatting away and playing silly, rather messy games.
I can't watch the video without a big smile on my face. Happy days.
xxxx
It's that time of year again, when my hands are forever cold and getting dryer by the minute! I've mentioned my forgetfulness when it comes to hand creams in a post before, it usually takes a rather wonderful scent to keep me re-applying as much as I should.
Enter 'Hungry Hands' the newest hand cream in the Zoella Beauty range. I was super happy to hear Zoe was bringing out a range that was gingerbread scented (as I personally think the UK needs to get up to scratch on the autumn/christmas scents!) and it's lived up to my expectations. It's sweet and warming, but with a subtle hint of spice that comes through after. The scent makes me think of christmas baking and reminds me of days spent by the fire, watching films and wrapping presents.
It sinks in quickly and leaves your hands feeling like silk, with the scent remaining for hours after you've applied it. The packaging is also rather beautiful with the parcel paper brown, deep red and shiny rose gold lettering it looks really sweet sitting on my bedside table. For just £5 you get a lot of product and it does not feel cheap in the slightest. It also doesn't feel like it's aimed at a younger audience either, which I think is something that can often be wrongly assumed by the fun packaging. 
So, all to plan I should have the hands of a goddess by the end of the year! This would be a perfect little present for anyone, young or old, who loves sweet, warming and spicy scents.
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