Butterflies & Polka Dots!

Hello my lovelies, hope everyone is enjoying their bank holiday weekend in the small glimpses of sunshine that we actually get! Has anyone been up to anything good? I have spent most of my weekend sharing my time between going to the hospital, making homemade soup (without a recipe I might add, and with the seal of approval from two very picky food tasters *tooting own horn*) and watching The West Wing. 

     Recently, I am completely addicted to The West Wing and have made it through the first series in about a day, now working through the second. If anyone has not seen it, you have to, the writing is pure genius, the timing is perfect, along with casting. It's just so good, forgotten how good it was. Anyway, it makes me want to work in the White House - not a completely mad idea, at all, I know. But, whenever they talk about the US Supreme Court, it's unnerving just how much I know about it from my dissertation, spaces in my memory I reeeeaaaally would like back but cannot see it happening. 

     Anyway, got off the point, the outfit yesterday was made up with one of my absolutely favourite dresses, here's the pictures:

The dress is Vero Moda, a gorgeous silky shift dress with frilly shoulder sleeves which is just really beautiful, the cardigan is H&M, the belt is New Look and the boots are from Next. I loved the mix of butterflies and polka dots, as they are two patterns I always, always love to have in my wardrobe. This was the first time I actually combined the two though, normally I just wear black cardigans with this dress, but thought would try a new look and actually thought it worked pretty well and got the sign off of the fashion police in my house through Dani. So think I might style it like this again come the winter months!

Hope everyone is having an amazing bank holiday weekend despite the temperamental weather :)

Stephie x

The Grand Arrival of the Graduation Photos!

I haven't actually blogged about my graduation, and although I am intending to finish my 'Oasis Haul' posts, because of the rain have postponed the last of the trilogy (no doubt, a sigh of relief has just been breathed). Anyway, I never really wrote anything about my graduation which was a ridiculously early start, begun with rain but ended with sunshine and getting to graduate in the gorgeous Canterbury cathedral. However, as lovely as this all was and a proud moment for the family, I have to say one of the absolutely best moments was wearing the tassle hat and robes. Seriously, that tassle hat was just entertainment in itself (despite ruining my hair underneath, it actually left a square shaped indentation around the top of my hair...) plus wandering around the cobbled streets of Canterbury with this robe billowing behind you like Professor Snape and the fancy mortar board on, you just felt quite the part, even if I did look just a tad ridiculous sitting fully robed in the restaurant...


Anyhoo, this was over a month ago, which seems such a ridiculously long time ago, and after putting it off for weeks on end, I finally got round to ordering my official graduation photos, and although they make me look slightly hamster-rish in the face, they had the classic poses with the scroll (fake, as the real degree was just in an envelope...) and with the proud parents. So just thought I would do a little post about them and put some pictures of them:

Dress: Dorothy Perkins; Bracelet: Tiffany & Co; Ring: Past Times

Anyway, getting these photos made me realise just how much I miss being at university, it really was a second home. I miss being able to see one of my best friends almost everyday, and having her just live down the road so visiting was not hard at all. I miss going to classes, and researching essays (a geek, I know). It's a strange thought to think I am not going back to Canterbury in September, that I'm not going back to my university house or campus, or hanging around at the library with my friends. I received my enrollment pack the other day for my MA, which I am now not doing, and it took all my willpower not re enroll again just to go back for one more year, to my favourite seminar leader (thoughtfully nicknamed Dumblefield...) and not to be studying for a year again. But part of me is really looking forward to the new adventure, of trying to discover what I want to do with myself, and begin working towards something new. Even if it does mean leaving Canterbury behind for a little while...

Stephie x

And the rain, rain, rain, rain came down, down, down, down and washed us to a shopping centre...

So the lovely English summer weather that is renowned for its dreariness, reared its ugly head again yesterday which made finishing off my 'Oasis Haul' posts a bit difficult as it is a summers dress... Anyway, to get over the grey that seemed to have engulfed my area and just put a damper on everything, the boyfriend and I decided to take an outing to Lakeside shopping centre (with the valid reason of me needing to buy shorts from Primark for my Trek... Not so we could go out for lunch and mooch around shops buying things we don't have the money to...) instead of just sitting in, watching the garden turn into a lake. Now, despite having the very practical intention of buying necessary shorts, I actually didn't come back with any... After trying on about ten pairs of different shorts and realising none of them quite looked right and not fancying queuing for anymore dressing rooms (completely forgot it was the school holidays and therefore the intention to have a peaceful shop was shattered with teenagers swarming from every direction) we decided to give in the practical part of the shopping up. Instead, we went to Ed's Diner and enjoyed some Elvis with a Chocolate Malt and some Chili Cheese Fries feeling like we belonged in the completely wrong era, something that we often feel anyway but is always cemented with a trip to Ed's.
I have always felt like I belonged in the 1940s/50s - the sophistication and style of the fashion, the hair, the make up, the music, the films and of course the chivalry of men and the feminity of women. Now, I am in no way saying that those eras were perfect, but I have loved how men and women behaved in those days, and the domestic goddess image of the 1950s wife. I do not think women should be forced into, or confined into that position, as they were, but I do think it definitely had a charm to it those days and the attitudes of those days should have passed on through. My boyfriend feels the same.
Anyway, here are some pictures from the day:

T-shirt: Hollister, Skirt: Next, Tights: M&S, Boots: M&S, Bag: Next.

Do you ever feel like you belong in a different era?

Stephie x

Oasis Haul Part 2/3 - A bit of red...

Hello my lovelies, hope this Monday is treating you well! As horrible as Mondays can be, sometimes they are pretty alright, even if it does mean a whole five days until the weekend (how does that even work, surely it should be equal time on as off, the weekends should be longer!). Anyway, from the Oasis haul today is this really lovely little red dress.

The material is all silky and stretchy, like the dress that I posted about yesterday, but it is more a tea-dress design rather than a shift dress. It has these cute little capped shoulders that was one of the things that really caught my eye about this dress (and of course that it is reeeeeeeeeed - if anyone has seen Kinky Boots might get that reference) which gives it that vintage style, as well as having a key-hole design at the front & back. It is just above the knee which is a nice length I think, not too short and not too long to look like I have jumped out of some Victorian picture. I added a silk black ribbon as a belt in some of the pictures, just because it breaks up the dress a little, just for a bit of a change but that was stolen off another dress!

The shoes are from Peppermint, and have a square block end which I love as its so unique to usual platform shoes which are either rounded or pointed. Once again, they are black patent, something I seem to get most attracted to about shoes despite the fact it is high maintenance if it gets the smallest rips...

Sorry about the fur! The dog literally just molts all over the house, enough to probably make another dog! It's ridiculous and makes wearing black tights a challenge...
The make up today had the usual, apart from I used 'Toasted' eyeshadow from the Urban Decay 'Naked' shadowbox which was a bit darker than I thought it would be, but actually think it works really well!

Anyway that is the look today, with the usual Tiffany & Co silver pendant from the boyfriend for my 21st. Tomorrow, the final dress from the Oasis haul...

What have you all been up to this weekend?

Stephie x

The Start of the Great Oasis Haul... Part 1/3.

See, already keeping to the promise of blogging more! Ok, so the plan is to keep focused with blogging by reporting on the massive Oasis haul I did a couple of weeks back (massive for me is buying more than one dress at once, in which I really outdid myself by buying three dresses in one go!) but hadn't actually got round to blogging about. So today is the first dress out of the four that thought would share just because I had forgotten just how gorgeous Oasis dresses could be! Plus, have styled it with the KG shoes I spoilt myself recently with, and thought would begin showing the new looks!

Sorry about the smudges on the mirror, that would be me having a make-up mishap and not cleaning it off properly. Fail at being the clean housewife again... But it's ok, as having a massive clean out of my room this week, honest! If I do not get distracted by reading, shopping, blogging or about anything else! Anyway, the dress is made of a stretchy, silky material which is lovely to wear! At first, I thought the pattern was dragonflies but it is actually flowers in coral, pink and white colours. Very feminine. But what really attracted me to this dress was the frills on the sides and sleeves which just give it that extra bit of movement and femininity, plus a vintage look. The shift dress style and satin bow of course were a huge attraction as well, if it has a bit of frills and a bow I am interested! I just thought although it was a modern style, with a keyhole back, it still has a vintage 1950s feel to it because of the shift dress style and patten so because of these points, it just had to be bought! Oasis definitely has this mix of vintage style with a modern flair down to an art, so had to get the dresses!

The shoes compliment, even, dress up the outfit a bit more I think, which is not surprising for platform heels from KG and the string of pearls my parents bought me for my graduation, adding to the vintage look:

I love the mix of leather style buckle/bow on the front, but the rest of the shoe being patent. Plus the heel not being stilletto, but not quite being block either, is the style of KG that I love so it wasn't suprising that I became determined to have them. Even though they cripple my feet everytime have worn them...


Finally, the make up today was a mix of the usual black flicks and natural pink lipstick (Clinique Pink Goddess lipstick) but with Urban Decay lilac eyeshadow just for a bit of the change.

Not the greatest pictures by far, but they were the best out of the lot. Anyway, just felt like a bit of a change of colour from the usual Urban Decay 'Naked' Collection, so went back to the old faithful 'Sustainable Shadow Box'.

Tomorrow (hopefully, all going to plan) shall post again about the next Oasis dress. Please let me know if this is boring, if you haven't all fallen asleep already, in which sorry but can always use these posts as sedatives now!

Hope you are having a lovely Sunday, there is a roast to be made here!

Stephie xx

I'm still here! With a natural look for the summer days!

Sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry! Did I mention, sorry? I have been a horrendous blogger for a good few months now, cannot believe that the last time I blogged was April! I could make excuses, but I am not going to as that's not positive, instead I am PROMISING a positive attitude of regular blogging now (or at least more than blogging only once in each 'A' month a year!) even with everything else going on!

So moving along, what has been going on since April, went in a very brief overview: I completed my undergraduate degree in History with a 2:1 (woo!), went on holiday with the boyfriend to Gran Canaria, graduated, left Canterbury (boohoo), booked my Trek to the States (21 days of camping across the U.S... Will be interesting for a virgin camper like myself...), and then a few other bits and pieces which leads up to present day! At present day, I am trying to get work experience in primary schools in preparation for a PGCE application in December and before I disappear off to the States in September... But moving on!

Today's look is sort of natural with creams and browns, as well as a bit of a bohemian look. I thought it worked well with the sunshine (that on the rare occasion does exist in England, shine a little bit before turning into rain...) but then subsequently had to get changed once the monsoon started again...

Here it is:

Dress from H&M, Belt from Next, Shoes from Next, Golden Snitch Necklace from Wallpaper Rose.

I love this dress, it is one of my absolute favourite for the reasons:
1) It is just so floaty, it is not constricting in any form, just very free and flowy, especially the skirt.
2) The design is gorgeous - a mix of lace, embroidery and flowers. Patterned all over the different hems to show all the different layers which is such a unique design.
3) The soft v-neck design that balances on your shoulders, and dips down on your back, its very symmetrical and stylish.
4) My absolute favourite part is the cape layer, it is just lovely and floaty, with a beautiful deign and I love how it keeps my arms warm despite only being a light layer. Definitely eradicates the need to find a matching cardigan!

For make up, I used a mix of golden and bronze eyeshadows, and a more bronze lipstick to co-ordinate with the belt and shoes that accessorized the dress with to add to the natural look:

Primers: Nivea Creme moisturiser, Clinique 'All About Eyes' cream. Powder: No7 Creme Touch Translucent. Concealer: MAC - NC15.  Eyes: Urban Decay's Half-Baked & Smog; Bourjouis Liner Feutre in Noir; Benefit's High Beam; Collection 2000 Skyscraper Mascara.  Blush: Clinique - Bashful. Lipstick: Clinique's Honeynut.  Hair products: Kerastase Elixir Oil.

One of my daily necessities now is Kerastase Elixir Oil for the hair, my hairdresser has got me completely addicted to it despite the less attractive price tag. Not only does it smell heavenly (a mix of coconuts, chamilla and flowers) but it makes my manic hair into something shiny and soft! You can use it in a variety of ways but my usual routine is a couple of drops before I dry my hair as a leave-in conditioner on the ends of my hair, making it the softest it has been (as far as I can remember) but then after you have finished styling, add another drop all over as a serum to just smooth it down/make it shine like gold. Now the price tag is a bit of a shock (the boyfriend told me off so much, plus shakes his head everytime I use it...) for a small 50ml pot it is £15, for 125ml it is £33. Alot of money for a hair product but think it is the only time I have ever felt saying that spending £15 on 50ml was really worth it! It lasts for ages and you can use it sparingly as it spreads so well throughout the hair. Definitely a product I recommend to those who's hair need a bit of extra TLC!

So that's it from me, for now, I will be updating again soon... Not because I have bought several new dresses and a new pair of KG shoes want to share with you all, nothing like that!

Hope everyone is having a fabulous weekend, despite the horrible weather!

Stephie xx