Purchase Peek...

Yes, I went shopping again. I seem to be doing a LOT of shopping for myself at the minute, but not a lot for others considering Christmas is practically round the corner! Oops.

Never fear, in true Clare style this was an absolute bargain in the sale! 

We (by 'we' I mean my Mum, Dad & Me) met some friends of ours in Manchester for some food, a catch up and a walk round the shops, not to mention a cheeky walk around the Christmas markets too! I love the markets! They are wonderful, I'd recommend for any age. Anyway, a walk round Selfridges, and a wander into Miss Selfridge (the cheaper delights on the top floor!) were I found these. They were quite well hidden actually. But the inner bargain hunter in me sniffed them out like a hairdresser snipping away at a split end. 

£20 down to £10 down to £7 is what I would call a total steal! I quickly tried them on, jumped for joy when I realised they fitted. I then proceeded to keep tight grip on them in case someone else decided to steal them. Not that they would but you never know ;)

Fun & Flirty because fashion should be fun! 

For anyone who doesn't know me all that well, leopard print, pink & bows are three of my favourite things. So to have them all nicely rolled into one is amazing. I can foresee them becoming a wardrobe staple. They will jazz up just about any outfit (nicely co-ordinated of course). 

Being flats they are also super comfy and mega easy to drive in! Result!

Until next time lovelies x

Movember...

Ahh, Movember. The month where guys up and down the country attempt to grow a moustache in aid of charity. It raises awareness of prostate cancer and other male related cancers. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for charity but I can't help but think that if we women decided to grow the hair on certain parts of our bodies for charity, the male population wouldn't be so accommodating. Not every man however can grow a beard to massively hairy proportions, and let’s face it those people who can't are funny to have a secret chuckle at. The words 'bum fluff' spring to mind. Those however, who can grow a decent 'tache can also be laughed at, simply because they look like they belong in a 70's porn movie.  I was requested by a 'tache growing work mate to write a piece on Movember, and the least I can do, (if not successfully persuade you all to bid goodbye to the slugs growing under your nose) is to give you some friendly advice on moustache care. I was also asked by a different workmate what kind of tashes women like. Well, I don't know how many of the female population out there I speak for, (however I can guesstimate at least more than half) but my personal opinion? None. I like a bit of stubble on a man, but let’s leave the Inspector Clouseau style facial hair to your Grandfather/eccentric Uncle Bob. 

No, no and NO!
 

Notes on moustaches... 

- Use a moustache comb to keep it knot and tangle free.

 - Make certain that you keep the skin under your fuzz moisturised. Having facial hair takes a lot of moisture out of your skin, and with it being winter too; this will mean even more moisture being lost. Moisturise the normal cream you use into your beard, but obviously don't forget to wipe away any excess cream. 

 - Use moustache wax to keep it styled and firmly in place. But leave the curls at the edges to the French. 

 - Make sure you keep it trimmed just above or level with the top lip-line. Anymore growth and you'll be eating it along with your morning cornflakes!

 - You can trim your ‘tache with scissors, but that requires a steady hand that most people do not possess. Ouch if you sliced yourself too! Invest in a beard and moustache trimmer instead.

 - Moustache caring items can be found in any man friendly beauty isle - look in Boots/Superdrug etc etc.

 Enjoy the rest of Movember gentlemen. Because you can bet on December 1st girlfriends will dive on you armed with a razor and shaving foam ;)

 Until next time lovelies x

Purchase Peek...

The Debenhams Mega Sale. Otherwise known as a week of shopping Mecca right before Christmas. Get ready for discounts galore on in season items! Unlike other sales at specific points in the year where only last season’s stuff is reduced, this one concentrates on discounting the 'on trend' items. Big savings can be found on coats, winter jumpers, underwear and shoes. Being a card holder I also got an extra 10% off the marked sale price. I would honestly recommend getting a Debenhams card. Its well worth it if you spend a fair bit in store, and you get perks like extra discount and getting to shop the sale a day earlier than non card holders. Think of it as like a thank you for being a loyal customer. Obviously, use the card wisely, I don't recommend racking up a huge bill of debt ;)

I myself had been toying with the idea of buying a new coat for a while, something a little different to the one I usually wear, FYI a rather business like camel coloured trench coat. In my head I pictured myself wearing a parka with a big fluffy hood. And, of course in my local store I found it. I always think it's good to have an idea beforehand of what you want to buy. This pre planning saves buying anything on spec, something you may later regret splashing out on! Ad hoc buying is a common downfall to sale shopping. My shopping experience was altogether something I've never had before. As the store was open later, I went after work accompanied by my shopping buddy, my Mother. I trust her to tell me honestly what looks good and what doesn't. Not that I need this advice but sometimes it is always nice to have a friendly face to discuss these matters with! Upon arrival we were greeted with a glass of wine (red) and a piece of cake. I'm not used to swanning round a half empty shop with wine, but I was very much enjoying this new found approach!

After discarding nearly every parka style coat in the store (some were too long, hood wasn't fluffy enough, I looked too much like a school girl) I found this one in Red Herring. It fitted well, looked nice, was cosy and wasn't too expensive - score! And, I can safely say, I love it. I wore it to work today and was lovely and toasty (no need for the excess heating in my car!) 

From £65 to £32.50

From the back detailing, to the quality of the coat and don't think I would have found something better anywhere else for that good of a price so I am very content with my purchase to say the least!

A close up of the hoods 'fluffyness' and the detail on the coat!

For all those now interested in checking out the sale, fear not, it's on till Friday. You can also shop the full collection here. 

Until next time lovelies x

Bath Time, Me Time...

After my slight blogging hiatus, I'm back! I decided to take a break after landing my first post University job. Eeek, I'm now a grown up! I think I've finally got used to the early mornings, my new surroundings and just generally having a lot less time to myself than I used to. But not that I'm complaining, I'm having a ball! 

So, in the spirit of all us '9 to 5ers' I've been thinking a lot lately about how much more precious my 'me time' is nowadays. I love a good old pamper, and I encourage everyone to take some time out to recharge and de stress - no matter how busy your life is! How you do that is of course up to you, but mine is (and of course feel free to give this a go) having a nice soak in the bath.

Now, I'm huge bath fan. I'd take a bath over a shower any day. But, sometimes a shower is inevitable, if only to save some time. Once a week, usually on a Friday night or a Sunday evening I have a nice long soak in the tub. 

Notes on bath time...

You can't possibly have a bath without bubble bath! Over the years, and after trying most makes of bubble bath, I have to say that Radox is by far the best, compared to other much cheaper counterparts that are out there. Granted, Radox probably isn't the cheapest, but it is worth the extra spend! You don't need lots of it, but yet the bubbles are nice and big, plus they last a fair while. I also have these 'bath petals' which I picked up in Ann Summers. They are rose scented flowers and every time you want to use them you pull the desired amount of petals off the flower, scatter a few in the bath, wait for them to melt into the water a little and hey presto, a lovely rose scented bath awaits. Also, perfect for all those with boyfriends/girlfriends, a great way to spice up an otherwise standard night in! ;)

You also can't pass the time in the bath without a good book (careful not to drop it however. And, yes my clumsy self has done that before! I also avoid candles for that very same reason). You can see that I finally gave into the hype and have started to read the 50 Shades Trilogy. I'm currently reading the second book, and while it's hardly a masterpiece that could rival Dickens or Jane Austin, it's still fun and not massively heavy going!

Not pictured is my cup of tea! (Not very rock and roll I know!) More often than not I take a beverage of some sort. This week it was a brew. Other weeks it's been a glass of wine, Jack Daniels and coke, Gin and lemonade... Well, you get the picture. But if you bathe on a Sunday, it will probably call for a cup of tea, not more alcohol! ;)

All that is left to say is precisely how long you soak in the bath for is totally up to you! 

The perfect relaxing night in 

Until next time lovelies x

Five of the Best...

Like most women/girls I love shoes. Pretty much all shoes, but my particular faves are heels. I always feel good when I've got a nice pair of heels on, and I think they finish off just about any outfit. Whether you are dressed up or dressed down you can always find the perfect pair of heels to go with your outfit. I can't resist online shopping, especially browsing from the comfort of my own bed for what my next purchase of heels are going to be! I've hunted high and low to find you my five best picks from the High Street (no blisters or walking required!).

 Zara - Platform Sandals with Piping 

 £29.99 now £15.99

Electric blue is such a hot colour! Whack a contrasting colour on your toes and get ready to have some fun! Plus the ankle straps mean that you'll still be steady even if you've had one too many! ;) 

  

Next - Glitter Peep Toe Court Shoes 

£32

Get ready for a sparkling version of 'Dorothy' shoes! Cute & classy these heels will go with just about any outfit. A good buy ready for winter, hello Christmas parties!

Office - Kind Bow Court Fushia Nubuck 

£70 now £32

OMG I LOVE THESE! I can't tell you all how much I'm love! The bow detailing is the cutest thing I've seen in a while and the colour is amazing; fushia pink looks great with a tan. Pair down your outfit to show these off to the maximum!

Dorothy Perkins - Coral T-Bar Platforms 

£40

I've blogged about coral before (subject matter being nails) and as I've said it before I'll say it again, coral is the shade of the moment! If you want to invest more in the trend invest in these babies. These shoes will bring any LBD or skinny jeans bang on trend.

River Island - White Point Slingback Shoes 

£50 

Black and white. Monochrome. A sexy colour combination that oozes style. I also love pointy shoes, no matter how much they may mash my poor toes up! These shoes remind me very much of a 'French Riviera' look, think white linen trousers and red lipstick.

Until next time lovelies x   

Hard As Nails...

Over the past weeks/months I seem to have been on a quest to find the perfect coral nail varnish to adorn my summer ready feet. And, I think I've found "the one" - well, at least in nail polish terms. Coral is the shade of the moment and flatters all skin tones. I found this colour by happy accident. For starters I didn't even buy it! Our Avon lady brought the newest catalogue round and my Mum actually chose this shade for herself. Cue me coming back from Uni to raid her beauty box (yes cheeky, but come on girls, we all do it?!) to find this.

Avon Nailwear Pro in 'Coral Reef'

Well, it's less flamingo pink and more of an actual coral colour. I'm sorry if that's not describing it very well but I hate nail polishes that are described as 'coral' when really they should be renamed "flamingo pink" or "salmon pink". It's a bit deceptive and you end up with yet another pinky colour. I don't need any more pink nail varnishes, I have so many!

It went on nice and smooth but it did chip a little too quickly. I don't expect pedicures to chip as quickly as manicures because toes aren't usually exposed the same as fingers (mine certainly weren't, it's been raining all week hahaha), so this did disappoint me a little. That said I am fairly impressed with it and will definitely be wearing it to the raft of birthdays I have coming up in the next couple of weeks. Hurrah to dressing up and having a great night out on the town! :D 


Until next time lovelies x      

Purchase Peek...

I thought I'd give you another insight into what I've recently bought. I've wanted some new flats for ages, something summery that will give my summer wardrobe a boost. My shopping trip started off as a mini nightmare, I went into Primark but sizes 5 were too small and size 6 were too big! I thought that I wasn't destined to find any shoes that fitted. I think that qualifies as having a Cinderella moment??! And I finally found them in H&M. I'm a H&M fan, I find the clothes trendy and affordable - plus their jeans fit me really well too, which is always a bonus! 

Anyway, I saw these flats in an array of different colours, and you can see the full spectrum here. I decided on the light pink in the end because I thought they were fun, feminine and flirty - perfect for summer! It's also going to be a challenge keeping them clean ;) Plus at £7.99 you can't really go wrong.

  

I've worn them a few times; they look great with jeans, leggings and even dresses if you don't fancy wearing heels. Flats are a wardrobe stable, and I don't think a girl can have too many!

The stitch detailing and the bow are so cute!

I'm now off to do my nails, as I'm having a night on the town tonight! Cocktails ahoy! Has anyone got any nice plans for the weekend?

P.S - I've finally got with the times, you can now follow my blog on bloglovin' :D I haven't quite worked out how to add the badge to my blog so any tips would be much appreciated! Until next time lovelies x