Pretty in Pink!

Pink!  How does one define the colour pink?  Well...

"Pink is a pale red colour that takes its name from the flowers called 'Pinks', which are members of the genus 'Dianthus' e.g. Rose pink, petal pink, cherry blossom pink etc.  It was first used in the 17th century as a colour name.  It is associated with emotions such as love, beauty, romance and femininity and nowadays some see it as portraying  extravagance and a wish to be noticed."

This season the colour pink has been a prominent fixture throughout the top designer collections.  With Dior, Miu Miu, Prada and Christopher Kane being some of the big names that have contributed to this sudden Pink movement, I thought that it was about time to incorporate this gorgeous shade back into my wardrobe after what feels like a very long time!

Having scrolled through the high street to find the perfect pink purchase, I was sadly having no luck... that was until I found myself in Dune and all my worries were wiped away!  Right in front of me lay a pair of exquisitely made stilettos... That had my name on them!  

Where to start?  First of all, the gold detailing on the shoe is what first attracted me.  I liked how it had a slight rose gold tinge to the metal, softening the overall look.  Also, the gold outlining was very subtle, as each metal piece whether it was inside the shoe or outside of it was very thin and elegant... especially the exposed seam at the back of the heel, I loved that element to the design! 

The second thing that caught my eye was the colour.  It is the perfect combination of Pink and Salmon pink... making it more of an updated nude shade suitable for anyone's wardrobe.  The fact that it has a little more depth of colour, will result in it being the perfect versatile colour for styling outfits!  And also will give any tired look more personality as the colour is not what you would call your everyday pink! 

Lastly, in my opinion Dune make some of the best court shoes, due to the fact that they usually have the softest leather inside.  Whenever I'm buying shoes... I always have to feel the texture of the sole, because there is nothing worse than buying a pair of shoes that have no heel support whatsoever and end up being frankly uncomfortable!  (Fashion isn't pain people... I have learnt that the hard way!)  But these shoes have the softest leather and a very cushioned sole, which is ideal for a heel this high. 

Without any hesitation I purchased them and could picture all the outfits in my wardrobe to team them up with.  As I left the store, I walked past the matching clutch bag that goes with the shoes... How cute is that?  I smiled and thought, "maybe next time!" 

What is your favourite pink item to wear at the moment?  Let me know and message me in the comment  section below! 

M x

Mad about plaits!

For any of you who know me, you will know that I hardly ever tie my hair up... (For those of you who don't, I don't know what it is, but for some reason I prefer to have my long locks flowing around my face freely!  I'm usually a little lazy when it comes to styling my hair and I'm renowned for the 'hair down' or 'placed over one side' kind of look.  I guess it's just a comfort thing.  (Basically I have really long hair and never really know what to do with it!)  

This all changed however, when I decided to search through YouTube in the vein hope of discovering quick and easy hairstyles that look effortless.  There was everything from curls, to fancy ponytails, bow hairstyles and buns, but the craze that attracted me was... braids, or plaits as I like to call them! 

I had never known that there were various combinations out there other than the basic 'three strand braid', and more importantly braided creations that could inspire the girls who usually like to 'wash and go', (which I too am guilty of!) 

Here are my top 4 plaits that I like to do on a daily basis when I need a quick hair fix! 

1.  (Standard 3 strand braid fanned out)  

I will always love this classic but I find that if you carefully fan out the plait.... It looks less harsh and much softer for the face!

2.  (Fishtail braid)  

This one took some getting used to but after a few tries... I can achieve it quite quickly.  I also like to fan out the plait to make it more effortless, because messiness is preferred nowadays. 

3.  (My own braid - yes that's right I made it myself, which I'm very proud of and have named it 'the duck and dive' plait!)

4.  (Hair band braid). 

I really like this one as it adds volume to loose hair and makes your overall appearance seem smarter! 

I thoroughly recommend that you all should browse the Internet for inspiration when it comes to your hair, because it is so worthwhile and it is amazing what you will find!  The other day I was given a book called, 'braids, buns and twists' by Christina Butcher, which is filled to the brim with incredible and quirky looks... I cannot wait to get started on that!  I am slowly but surely getting more confident with my hair and I must say that once you start being creative, you just can't stop! 

La Tasca... Our first Tapas together!

At the weekend, Perry (my fiancé)  treated me to a wonderful meal in Kingston Upon Thames... (I've got to hand it to him... the boy did well!)  It was totally unexpected and so romantic - which made it all the more memorable!

He took me to 'La Tasca', which is a Spanish tapas bar and restaurant.  They specialise in small dishes of tapas, and advise you to get 6 dishes between two of you.  It sounds like a very little amount of food... But once you start eating, you get full very quickly!  So the portion sizes are perfect! 

With Perry and I both being such food lovers, we were in our element when the menus were handed to us!  There was literally so much choice on offer and it took us a good quarter of an hour to figure out what the verdict would be (that's a sign of a good restaurant, because usually we order straight away!) 

Once the food arrived, we both stared at each other with expressions that read, "this food looks so good - what dish should we try first?"

  The dishes we chose in the end were:

1.  Slow cooked Pork cheeks with pedro ximenez (served with fries) 

2.  Chorizo and morcilla (simply sautéed on the plancha with black pudding, peppers and onions) 

3.  Pascado blanco Frito (deep fried white fish in a special recipe San Miguel batter) 

4.  Croquetas de espinacas (hand crumbed croquettes filled with goats cheese, spinach and béchamel sauce)

5.  Costillas de cerdo (la tascas famous baby back ribs glazed with a Spanish style bbq sauce) 

6.  Calamares (crispy squid sprinkled with sea salt) 

Each dish was carefully and cleverly assembled to create the most delicious and authentic Spanish cuisine I have ever tasted!  

Because the food was seasoned so well, I didn't want to drink anything too strong that would mask the flavours I was tasting at the time, so instead of drinking alcohol, I opted for a Spanish Apple Juice by 'Frobishers' which was incredibly fresh and satisfying!  

I was also impressed by the overall decor of the restaurant, as there were colourful tiles along the walls, bright orange lamp shades, blue and orange  hand painted plates and ceiling fans... All things that you would expect to see in a Spanish tavern. 

 It was nice to see some traditional aspects of Spanish culture in the restaurant and for a short time I really felt like we had escaped from London and walked into a Spanish paradise! 

We will definitely pop back again, if we are ever in the area, because we are still visualising the food to this day! 

M x

Tuesday top up!

I've always been a fan of neutral colours when it comes to my toe nails and painting them.  I always seem to opt for the paler tones like pale pink, gold, bronze etc (basically the safe options, as to not draw attention to my feet)... but today I thought that it was time to shake things up a bit! 

Rita Ora's new range of nail polishes for Rimmel London "60 Seconds Super Shine", are really beautiful and really represent summer perfectly with all the floral shades and pastel tones.  There are 12 different shades in the collection and already I have three of them, (413 Orangina, 860 Bestival Blue and 270 Sweet Retreat!... They're just so addictive!) 

I spotted this pale purple shade and just needed to make this an addition to my 'ever growing' collection!  It's called "558 Go Wild-er-ness" and is the perfect shade of purple as it's not too bright that it becomes overpowering, but it is also not too pale and washed out.  You see in my opinion, some purple nail varnishes can be very light in colour and can almost look grey based, making them unflattering to your skin tone.  However, this shade is perfect as it is bold whilst being a versatile colour... What more could you want? 

Once applied, I really felt that it gave my feet some colour and made me look sunkissed!  I feel that this is a wonderful nail polish for holidays and outdoor parties!  Perfect for a pair of sandals or open toe wedges!  

I shall definitely be reapplying this colour onto my nails the second it chips, (yes I said reapplying, because the colour and pigment is that good!)

What nail varnishes are you liking at the moment?  Leave me a comment in the section below.

M x

Gladiators are back with a vengeance!

Oh how I have been impressed by the gorgeous array of shoes in the high streets!  So much so that I purchased these little beauties and I am growing more and more fond of them every day!

Primark has brought out a pair of gladiators that have their own unique style and character.  They are far from what I have seen in the past couple of years, and that sets them apart from all the others, making them seem more eye catching! 

I absolutely adore the overall design of the sandals - they are positively stunning and something that I know I will get a lot of wear out of!  They are rounded in shape with a slight wedged heel, making them ideal for dressing up skirts and jeans, or even wearing them in the evening!

What really impressed me were the gladiator straps, which have little black and gold emblems on them... Giving the shoes a smarter look.  Also the detailing creates the image that they are fairly expensive, (even though they cost around £10... Incredible right?)  

I also am a huge fan of ankle straps or some form of support when wearing heels or smart flats, because it makes them more practical and comfortable.  The sandals have ankle straps which join to the zip at the back of shoe which secures the ankle in place!  And voila! 

I wore these shoes for the first time today (at work in a 9 hour shift to be precise) and they did not give me any blisters and felt so comfortable!  I wore my silk khaki dress and I felt that the gladiators really dressed my outfit up and looked so sophisticated!  I recommend you all to try them because they are perfect for now (when the weather is either really hot or grey and muggy), but are also suitable for holidays! 

M x

Pear and white flowers... My new everyday scent!

I have been on the hunt for the perfect everyday scent for a while now.  Yes, I have some beautiful scents on my dressing table, but they are all empty, (the last purchase being Yves Saint Laurent Black Opium... A heavenly fragrance!)  I love a good French perfume, however I am the kind of person to overuse them and before you know it, it's gone and it has only been a couple of months... Sometimes even less!  So I decided that this time I would buy a fairly reasonable fragrance that I wouldn't mind using up any time soon.

I walked into Zara (one of my favourite shops), in the off chance that I might walk away with a sale piece or two.  I'm always very unlucky in the sales with regards to clothing, because my size is never there and I just end up feeling depressed as the pieces I lust after are only in larger sizes or have run out completely.  So I usually end up browsing and purchasing from the new collection... I know, I'm a snob - but it's just what normally happens!

After realising that none of the sale items were working on me, I made my way over to the accessory shelves, (I have always been one to invest in their necklaces, because they are so unique and always add such a chic finish to any outfit.

As I walked to the other side of the shelving unit, I stumbled across Zara's very own eau de toilette fragrances.  I completely forgot that they produced these and with prices ranging from £6 - £13, they are a total bargain.  I was like a kid in a toy shop... Literally!  I had no idea that they had created so many... I must have sampled about ten different scents!

I'm quite particular when it comes to perfume... I'm not really a fan of sweet candy fragrances and instead I prefer more of a subtle musk or floral scent.  With that said, I ended up choosing a perfume called 'Pear and white flowers', which is utterly beautiful!

Firstly I was very impressed by the packaging, (I don't know why but I always look at the packaging when buying beauty products!)  The bottle was rectangular with a black sphere as the lid and the perfume was mint green.  The packaging had a zig zag pattern in white and mint green and on the back of the box, it described all the ingredients that went into the eau de toilette, which I thought was a nice touch!

"The top notes:- Jasmine, Bergamot, Pear, Violet

The heart notes:- Plum, Apple, White flowers, Patchouli

The base notes:- Sandlewood, Musk, Cedarwood, Amber"

The pear, floral and musk accents in the fragrance, work extremely well together, because the Pear adds a freshness to the scent, whilst the white flowers balance out the sweetness and the musk helps to prolong the fragrance when worn.  (I sprayed this onto myself the other day and it lasted right up until the late evening, with no need to reapply!)

I cannot get enough of this perfume and I have had so many compliments already!  This definitely will be my new everyday smell, and I will save my French perfumes for special occasions.  Well done ZARA!  You have managed to create a beautiful array of unique scents that are just as good as the big names, without damaging your bank balance!

What's your favourite perfume at the moment?  Let me know in the comment section below.

M x

A surprise spree to cheer me up!

For the first time in a really long time, I was given two days off in a row and I can't tell you how amazing it was to not have to wake up at 6am for work!  On Sunday I had plans, as I was invited to a friends party, where we ate burgers and drank Pimms all night!  You can imagine my relief to know that I had the next day to recuperate!

Monday morning was incredibly relaxing, as I was home alone and used that time to catch up on all of my favourite TV shows and Youtube videos - (I've been really trying to catch up on Lily Pebbles, Beauty Crush, Hello October and I Covet Thee's vlogs!)  Having watched everything, I then worked on some blog posts and felt really drained afterwards.  Lately work has been full on and incredibly strenuous, and after having a couple of days off, it was clear that it had finally caught up with me!

I decided to take my Mum out and treat her to a cafe latte at Costa in my local high street and after having a natter, I decided to do a little window shopping.  Little did I know that this window shopping would quickly turn into a shopping spree, with me walking away with three items!

I popped into my local boutique 'La Maison' and purchased a new clutch bag.  The bag is made of suede leather and although it comes in 14 colours, I bought it in the shade Dove Grey, a very versatile colour for Summer.  The design of the bag is called 'envelope clutch', as it represents an envelope on the front of it!  It comes with a wrist handle and a long thin strap that allows you to wear it across your body.  I already have this bag in two other colours (black and dark tan) and at £21 you can't really blame me!

As I made my way to the shoe display area at the back of the store, I was utterly smitten by these cute sandals for holidays.  They have an open toe at the front of the shoe with an elasticated heel strap at the back, making them very comfortable indeed!  So much so that I ended up buying them in two colours (rose gold and silver!)

Once at the till point, I prepared myself for the final figure... (What will the damage be?)  But to my surprise the shoes were only £12 each!  The lady then told me that they were on sale with 25% off making a grand total of £18 for two pairs of shoes... What a result?

I can definitely say that I walked out of there with a humongous smile on my face!  I think that these items will be very useful over the course of Summer and I especially cannot wait to wear my new rose gold sandals!

Have you had a mini shopping spree lately?  If so, what did you end up buying?  Leave me a comment in the section below!

M x

Food everywhere you look!

I was invited to my very first street food festival and boy was it memorable... So much so, that I am still to this day forever dreaming about the endless amounts of food that were on offer, (that I very easily consumed!)

Once I arrived into the venue, the noise was captivating!  There must have been hundreds of people there and luckily I was one of them!  People were enjoying drinks at the bar, the most famous options were Pinocoladas served in actual pineapples and watermelon cocktails served in (yes you've guessed it), watermelons... So clever!

There were many people sitting outside the food huts, catching up with old friends, whilst sampling the delicious food and then there were people like me, who literally moved from place to place in the vain attempt to taste every style of food that was within the complex!

The first place I went to was called 'Mother Flipper', which was renowned for its Mother Flipper cheese burger and also Candy bacon burgers.  Candy bacon is simply bacon fried in maple syrup to give a real sweet taste to the meat! 

Doesn't this burger look so colourful?  I must say, in real life this burger looked almost incredible and almost too good to eat..... Almost!  It was a nice size too, because it was the size of the palm of my hand - there's nothing worse than being given a humongous burger that is stodgy to eat etc.  This however, is by far one of the tastiest burgers I've ever had! 

The second place I ventured into was called 'Smokestak', which was all about smoking meats for a long time, locking in all of the flavours and therefore making the meat so tender!  They smoke the meats for around 12 hours and then they finish them off on the BBQ, giving a nice chargrilled finish.

The food that they sold consisted mainly of pulled pork with vinegar slaw buns and slow cooked brisket with pickled chilli buns.  How good do they sound?  Unfortunately this place is not suitable for vegetarians, as meat is all they sell.  However, the meat was cooked and flavoured to perfection!  The brisket was incredibly soft and melted in the mouth and the pulled pork was so flavoursome!  I would love to find a Smokestak pop up shop near me... The search is on!...

After consuming what felt like my weight in burgers and pork buns, I quickly meandered across to the cake and dessert stands.  For me, I absolutely adore puddings... And so I was overjoyed to have so much choice on offer!

The first port of call was 'Southeastcakery' and they specialised in selling small brownie bites which were so delicious and filling.

I tried two of their desserts, one was called 'The Bab' and it consisted of brownie bites with marshmallows and strawberries assembled like a kebab.  The second was called 'The Bronut', a small fried doughnut covered in brownie mix and then coated with crushed walnuts on top... It was incredible to say the least! 

Before I left the Market, I spotted out of the corner of my eye 'The Meringue Girls' hut.  As a huge fan and Instagram follower of this company, I instantly dropped everything and sprinted over to them! 

When I got there, I was in meringue heaven!  Each meringue has been cleverly flavoured and designed to look so vibrant and inviting.  I tried the watermelon flavoured meringue and was instantly transported to another place!

It tasted exactly like a piece of watermelon, which impressed me.  I also adored the overall look of the meringue, as it has pink and green stripes on the front with watermelon seeds sprinkled on top... So clever! 

Once I left the venue, I couldn't stop thinking about all the delicious food I had tasted and how memorable this day will be for me.  I hope that someday I can return again, or better still travel to a larger street food market, because food to me is so important and it is always a real treat to taste new and exciting things! 

M x