Claire | Vanity Claire

ClaireJune 11, 2014

SS14 Highstreet Wishlist: Topshop, Pretty Little Thing & More

Topshop La Vie Boheme Crop Top | Missguided Strawberry Print Strappy Crop | Topshop Lip Bullet in Covet | ASOS Huntington Heeled Sandals | Pretty Little Thing Holographic Platforms

Pretty Little Thing Cloud Print Co-ord | ASOS Pink Flatform Trainers | Sleek Au Natural Eyeshadow Palette | Topshop Gold Collar | Bleach London Reincarnation Mask

Even though I am SUPER poor at the moment, I have been shopping more than I care to admit. There’s just so many amazing things on the highstreet at the moment and it’s virtually impossible to resist. I’m not entirely sure what the shops are playing at to be honest, WHY YOU STOCK NICE THINGS?

These are just a few of the bits and bobs I’ve got my eye on at the moment. I don’t know about you stunners, but I always put things on my wish list that I know aren’t going to suit me but I love anyway. Those ASOS Huntington heeled sandals are one of those. My giant plank feet would look genuinely ridiculous in them, but how amazing? I need some kind of perspex heel in my life. NOW.

I also really want to try that Bleach London Reincarnation Mask – You might have read my recent Bleach London Awkward Peach review, but I’m big into Bleach London products at the moment. This hair mask is supposed to repair and moisturise damaged hair, and BLOODY HELL the packaging is so cute.

When I own these, I will be the fanciest person in the world.

ClaireJune 10, 2014

Angel Eyes Eyelash Extensions | Review

Ladies and gentlemen, I have a confession to make: I am a stumpy girl. I have stumpy legs, a stumpy body, stumpy fingers and even my hair long ago decided to give up growing and just become stumpy hair. Basically, nothing on my body has ever been arsed to grow to an agreeable length. Unsurprisingly this also includes my eyelashes, hence why I’m borderline obsessed with mascara and have wanted to give eyelash extensions a go since approximately FOREVER (and even more so following an unfortunate recent incident with an eyelash curler where I might have… er… snipped off half my lashes).

Recently at a press day I was lucky enough to be given the chance to try out some semi-permanenent false lashes from Angel Eyes, which I was SO excited about. Before I had them done, I got chatting to the founder of Angel Eyes, Marie Di-Rito, who devised the unique 7-step technique after years of experience in eyelash extensions. This technique is now taught to lash technicians in salons all over the UK that fit Angel Eyes extensions, so you’re guaranteed the same amazing quality wherever you get them done.

Before / After

After an initial consultation where we discussed what look I wanted, I opted for the ‘Socialite’ lashes which are designed to last between 2-3 weeks before you need infills. Application only took around 15 minutes and I was so pleased with the results. As you can see, my lashes transformed from being mousey little stumps to thick, full, dark fluttery things of dreams. I thought they might feel a bit uncomfortable or at least heavy in the same way that some strip lashes do, but in all honesty I couldn’t feel these at all.

I’ve heard of other people having lash extensions and waking up the next morning to find they’ve nearly all fell out, so I was curious to see how long these would last. However, they really impressed me. I lost one or two lashes in the first couple of days but other than that they basically stayed put. You’re advised not to use oil-based mascaras which I thought I’d struggle with, but they looked so good that I quickly grew used to not needing mascara. I was careful wiping my eyeliner off at night and tried not to touch my eyes during the day, but other than that I got on with my life as normal and they were no hassle whatsoever.

Looking cock-eyed but fluttery

I’d been advised that the lashes could only be removed by an Angel Eyes technician, which did make me wonder whether I’d actually given over my eyeballs to some sort of witchcraft. I also thought it might end up being a bit of a pain as my nearest technician seemed to be in Leicester and I find it a bit of a chore just getting off the sofa sometimes. However, after just over 2 weeks a few more of the lashes had started to shed and then I couldn’t help but start picking just a bit… I’ll point out that this is totally not what they advise and you really should get them removed by a professional to avoid damaging your own lashes – but mine remained absolutely fine.

Overall I was really impressed with the lashes and think I could have got another week out of them if I hadn’t got a bit pick-happy. I have a few important occasions coming up in the summer and I would definitely be tempted to get them again as they’re so perfect for a holiday (as a side note, they’ve also been tested in conditions ranging from blizzards and strong winds to 40 degree temperatures, so whatever holiday you’re on they’ll definitely last!) or just adding some glamour to your everyday look.

If you’re interested in getting Angel Eyes eyelash extensions then you can take a look at their handy salon finder to find a technician near to you. I’d also like to say a huge thank you to the wonderful ladies at the CiCi PR event who hooked me up with my lashes – you released me from my stumpy life for a couple of weeks, which may go on record as being the best weeks of my life.

Have any of you had eyelash extensions before? What did you think?

ClaireJune 9, 2014

#Instalove: 5 Instagram Accounts You Need to Follow

So, today I am shamelessly robbing a post idea from Joelle at February Girl. She recently posted about the 5 Instagram accounts that you need to be following, and I decided that I want to spread the Instalove too. Plus, stealing things is such an adrenaline rush, it is filling the void since I gave up crack.

Without further ado, here are some of our absolute favourite Instagrammers. We’re keen beans for Insta (you can follow us at StylingoUK if you so wish) and approximately 4 hours of my day is spent scrolling through and wondering how on earth people lay their outfits on the floor so artfully. I still don’t really know. I tried it once, and it looked like a pile of dirty washing that I couldn’t be arsed to clean up.

1. @ThePixieCut

This girl is FIERCE and has mastered the art of floor outfits. Her actual body outfits are bloody brilliant too and she consistently makes me feel like chopping all of my hair off will be a good idea. Unfortunately, I don’t have a tiny pixie-like general appearance and instead of looking banging’, I would look like a boy. But anywho, I thoroughly recommend giving Laura a follow on Instagram, if not just for some serious kimono envy.

2. @BlouseAndBrows

There’s nothing more I love in life than eyebrows and blouses, so it was pretty much guaranteed that I was going to enjoy this excellent Insta account. Claire introduced me recently, and we both love this girl’s style (and are only slightly jealous of her amazing figure). She’s a relatively new Instagrammer, so show some love and give her a follow.

3. @BeautyLifeMichelle

If you are a makeup fan, then you absolutely HAVE to follow @BeautyLifeMichelle, although I have some suspicions that Gandalf or another magical being actually does her makeup. No one can be that good at it, surely. Plus, she’s Irish and now lives in Australia, which basically means she’s the most interesting person in the entire world. Big Instalove.

4. @LydiaRoseSmyth

Lydia is a fabulous blogger and Instagrammer who Claire and I ~~stalked~~ met up with last week for dinner. Her posts are so pretty and this hot momma takes an EXCELLENT selfie, there’s also a good level of food photo taking. Everyone loves food pictures.

5. @LydiaFayeJones

Apparently Claire and I only like you if you’re called Lydia. All joking aside (it’s not a joke), @LydiaFayeJones is a constant source of thinspiration, style and general brilliant hair envy. Lydia’s got an absolutely BANGING wardrobe and we thoroughly recommend you give her a follow and let your bank balance deal with the consequences.

I hope that you enjoy these Instagram accounts as much as Claire and I do and if you have any other Instagrammers that you want to share the love for, let us know in the comments below! Peace out.

ClaireJune 7, 2014

Outfit of the Day: NEU Apparel Gymwear

Crop top: Primark / Leggings: c/o NEU Apparel / Trainers: Adidas

Alright there lads and ladettes!

So, recently my gym game has been seriously weak and I’ve somehow ended up replacing planks for pizza and crunches for Crunchies… I was therefore SO pleased to be kindly sent a few bits to try from UK women’s gymwear brand NEU Apparel’s new summer range.

I know some people think it’s lame-o but I really think feeling good at the gym helps you to do a better workout – surely I’m not the only one who has stropped out in a “FORGET THIS, I’M FAT AND GOING HOME TO BE MORE FAT” rage before? Oh what’s that, I am? Oh okay. Anyway, for me having nice gym gear is definitely part of that feeling good mentality, so brands like NEU Apparel that focus on fashion as well as practicality get a huge thumbs up from me.

(Sorry about the butt pic. Have I made everyone uncomfortable?)

I was in love with these neon printed leggings when they arrived, but was a little bit anxious about them being grey. Grey leggings are notoriously unforgiving when it comes to showing off sweat, and usually I steer clear as I don’t particularly want people in my gym to think I wee myself with excitement at the thought of a squat. However I’m so pleased to report that the sweat didn’t show up in these at ALL. Three cheers for merry England!

I was also sent this mesh panel boyfriend t-shirt which is honestly the most comfortable gym top I’ve ever worn. The mesh sides keep you FEELING cool, while the rolled sleeve and neon lettering keep you LOOKING cool. I hope y’all appreciate the cheesiness of that sentence; maybe NEU Apparel will want to buy it off me as their new slogan?

Overall I love the fit and style of these pieces and would definitely recommend the brand if you too like to combine your fitness and fashion. You can have a look at the full collection here while I set about getting my gym game firmly back on track in time for my holiday in July. I’ve recently ordered a few packs of Slim Pasta to try out, so let me know if anyone would like that reviewing once I’ve given it a whirl for a few weeks!

What do you all think of NEU Apparel?

ClaireJune 6, 2014

Bleach London Awkward Peach Hair Dye Review

Many of you will know that I have been on a bit of a ginger mission recently. From having virtually black hair, I decided that enough was enough, I will return to my ginger roots and may the consequences follow. For anyone who’s vaguely interested, I lightened my hair using a few rounds of bleach and Loreal Feria Mango Intense Copper. But what I really wanted was to go a peachy pastel shade because I had nothing better to do.

After a spontaneous (and dangerous) trip to Boots during our lunch hour, I invested in another box of bleach and a couple of bottles of Bleach London’s Awkward Beach semi-permanent dye. I’ve heard and read good things from other bloggers, and Claire’s a fan of Bleach London too, so I was MEGA keen to give them a whirl. It’s also 3-for-2 on all hair products in Boots at the moment – rude not to, right?

For those of you who don’t know a lot about Bleach London, it’s a brand that started out as a hair salon (you can still book yourself an appointment if you so wish) but they now offer lots and lots of exciting products too. They’re soooooper cool and specialise in pretty colours and bleachy stuff for us girls who enjoy looking like colourful idiots. You can shop their whole product range here – I’m mega keen to give their hair care products a whirl too, they look AWESOME.

Anywho, I chose the Awkward Peach colour because it looked perfect for my peachy needs. Because my hair was already pretty ginger, I lightened it a little bit more with Jerome Russel’s medium lift bleach so it was a more blondey-ginger in the hope the colour would take better.

They recommend using rubber gloves to apply the Awkward Peach colour. Unfortunately, I didn’t have anything besides a pair of Marigolds. So you know. I used them anyway, and only looked slightly like a raging fool.

While they also said to leave the colour on for 15 minutes, I decided to leave it only for half an hour because I find that the longer you leave these things on the better.

Before | After

And here was my result! From the pictures I’ve seen of other before and after pics, I’ve noticed that the colour can be a little pinky. I didn’t really want a pink tone, but thankfully that didn’t really happen to me. This was partly because I already had ginger tones in my hair, so it just added a bit more of a pastel orange colour. I’m really pleased with it – I feel like it brightens my colour up a lot more and helps me on my way to somewhat fierce. The colour is only meant to last 2-10 washes, so I’m not expecting it to be that long lasting. For £5 a bottle, these are a little pricey to be using couple of weeks but if I can’t find anything that gives the same colour, I’m definitely going to be popping this on my head regularly!

My only beef, that isn’t really beef at all, is that it’s a bit uneven. But that is not Bleach London’s fault, it is mine for being lazy when I bleached my hair.

What do you think? Have you used Bleach London’s Awkward Peach hair dye before? Share in the comments below!

ClaireJune 4, 2014

Brand Showcase: Zara Taylor Jewellery

Do you know what I bloody love? ~~CAKE~~. Er… apart from cake? I bloody love jewellery, and in particular I have a penchant for a statement ring. It’s no surprise then that I’m thoroughly in love with this new beauty that I was lucky enough to receive from Zara Taylor at a recent press day I attended. It’s rarely left my finger since, and in the meantime I’ve become borderline obsessed with the rest of the pieces available from Zara Taylor. And what better way to deal with these obsessive feelings than by passing them on to all of you? It’s better than passing on germs.

Zara Taylor Jewellery is based in London, and has a focus on quirky, vintage-inspired pieces made with the highest quality materials. Since 2010, Zara’s amazing talent has led the brand to already achieve great success, with her pieces already featuring in Look and Vogue, and being worn by celebs including Kelly Rowland, Jessie J and Taylor Swift. As my old nan used to say, ‘IF IT’S GOOD ENOUGH FOR THAT BINT TAYLOR…’ (okay, she probably said that a total of never times, but you see my point).

1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6

I love the mixture of cute trinket-y pieces that are perfect for stacking and the lavish statement jewels. I’d probably wear them all at once so I looked a bit like a pirate, but then I’m a classless lout.

1 / 2 / 3

One of the best things about Zara Taylor Jewellery is the price. Ranging from as little as £5 for a ring up to about £22 for some of the statement necklaces, they’re really purse friendly without being cheap. Regularly readers will know it PAINS me to slag off my beloved Primark, but I’ve had no less than 3 necklaces from there break recently, while the rings will always without doubt turn your finger green. My Zara Taylor ring is a completely different story, with no green mark in sight (just the usual orange from my rubbish fake tan, much better). I therefore definitely think it’s worth paying a bit more and getting something of such a higher quality, as well as being much more interesting in terms of design and story.

I’ve waffled enough for one day, but I hope you all LURVE Zara Taylor Jewellery as much as I do. Be sure to check out her amazing website!

What do you all think of this brand? Have you bought anything from Zara Taylor before yourself?

ClaireJune 3, 2014

Highstreet Beef: Things I don’t Love

At the moment, I am slightly consumed by rage. I’m not too sure what my problem is, but I have just been an angry, angry person recently. In fact, when Claire and I drove home today, I flipped someone off. Granted, they did cut us off BUT still. There was no real need.

So, in the interest of channelling my inner rage into something positive (kind of), I have decided to create a post of current highstreet bits and bobs that I think are downright silly. Now, I’m the type of girl who is happy to embrace even the stupidest of trends (see jelly shoes), but there is a strong, fashiony line for me. And here are the highstreet nonsense items that I just plain don’t like.

Drop Waist Dresses

Topshop Drop Waist Jersey Tunic | ASOS Gingham Drop Waist Dress | Topshop Bonded Drop Waist Tunic

Drop waist dresses are a huge bug bear of mine. In theory, I should like them. They’re a close cousin to the skater dress, which I love with the fiery passion of an ice skating goddess. But, they’re just so wrong in so many ways. Unless you are a willowy beautiful person, they will look lovely on you. But if you are a short, slightly dumpy person like I am, they will more than make you look like a potato. NO THANK YOU. Also, the word drop waist makes me think of some kind of accidental toilet problem in your trousers.

Culottes

Another stressful garment on the highstreet that causes me deep amounts of pain. Like drop waisted dresses, they look lovely on tall willowy ladies, but bloody stupid on me. In fact, they make me look at least 10 times worse than a certain Game of Thrones character who got his head violently squashed. I just don’t really understand how long, billowy shorts are supposed to look normal on a 5ft girl. At all. And I’m very unsure about what shoes anyone would wear with them.

ASOS Culottes | Topshop Palm Print Culottes | Boohoo Butterfly Print Culottes

Knee Length Gladiator Sandals

Boohoo Cage Leg Gladiators | Missguided Cage Gladiator Sandals | Carvela Tall Gladiator Sandals

MORE SHORT GIRL PROBLEMS. I say that these are knee length, but on me they would basically be thigh length. And they would genuinely make me look like the most ridiculous person in the whole entire world. In fact, I can’t think of anything less flattering on my ham legs. Frankly, these would be an absolute disaster. I hate them. Although that’s mostly because I can’t pull them off. I have seen many a beautiful fashion bloggers wearing them and looking fierce. But not me. Plus, Claire just made the valid point that they look a little bit like when you by a joint of string wrapped beef.

So anywho, these are my LEAST favourite things on the highstreet at the moment. Reading back, I think most of my issues with them are actually because I am short, rather than because they are horrible. But ya know. That’s that.

ClaireJune 2, 2014

June 2014 Haul: Primark, H&M, NEU Apparel & More…

Hello you little saucepots! It’s safe to say we’ve been a very OOTD-heavy this last week, so to give you a bit of a break from our moon faces, today I come bearing a haul post. Yes, another haul post. In my defence, I haven’t been completely spend crazy since my last haul post (which you can see by clicking here) as some of this was kindly gifted to us. I don’t really have a defence for the rest of it except, er, I can’t walk around with my nips out can I? This isn’t Game of Thrones.

Anyway, let’s crack on!

Trousers: Primark, £9 / Culottes: Primark, £12

A little trip to Primark last weekend saw me exit stage left with these couple of beauties. I love the jogger-style trousers for several reasons, which I will explain to you quickly: 1, elasticated waistband = give me all the biscuits, thank you; 2, the crazy club Tropicana print, it’s summer somewhere; and 3, £9 means change from a tenner to go and buy some Haribo with, HUZZAH. What’s not to love?

Secondly, we have here a pair of culottes. Yes, culottes. Has anything divided a nation more since Gareth Gates vs Will Young than culottes? I bought these on an absolute whim and to be honest haven’t quite got round to trying them on yet to see if they actually look nice or, as I suspect, will make me look like a 2 foot tall mutant.

Shorts – H&M, £8 / Playsuit: H&M, £13

I also popped into H&M and to be honest was pretty flabbergasted at how much nice stuff they have in at the moment, as well as how good their prices are. I ended up picking up these two pieces “for my holiday” (yep, that excuse is still going strong) though I’m sure I’ll get plenty of wear out of them before then.

Crop top – eBay, £10 / Trousers: c/o Sammy Dress

I wore this top in a recent OOTD and my love for it is still going strong. These trousers were sent to us by the wonderful folk at Sammy Dress, which is a Chinese site definitely worth checking out if you want ridiculously cheap clothes. And I mean ridiculous. As it’s international you have to wait quite a while for delivery (I think I ordered these when I was about 16) but when the prices are so good you don’t mind as much.

Mesh Panel Gym T-shirt / Gym Leggings – ℅ NEU Apparel

These last few weeks I’ve seriously lost my gym motivation, which I think has been down to a combination of remembering I love pizza LOADS and also not having anything new to wear to the gym. Yes I know that is pathetic but it’s me, I am pathetic. So for that reason I was SUPER HAPPY to be sent these pieces from NEU Apparel’s new collection to try out. I’m going to have a full post on this brand soon but I’m basically in love with their whole range.

London Retro Sunglasses – ℅ Glasses Direct, £95

I don’t think I’ve ever worn a pair of sunglasses that cost more than a fiver in my life so I’m so grateful for Glasses Direct for sending over these bad boys. While £95 is definitely more than I would pay myself, these are amazing quality and I know they’ll last for years – unlike my usual Primark versions that snap easily/lose lenses/bend in the heat/all of the above (stay classy).

What do you all think of this haul?

ClaireMay 29, 2014

Outfit of the Day: Missguided Dogtooth A-Line Skirt

Bloody hellfires, it’s outfit central at Stylingo at the moment! Someone needs to tell us that we’re actually horribly poor and can’t afford any of it…

That aside, I recently treated myself to this delightful little outfit from Missguided. I really love the preppy style that’s going around at the moment (HELLO Iggy Azalea in her Fancy video…), so it was rude not to get a few bits and bobs to show off that undying love.

Let’s all take a moment to appreciate this a-line dogtooth skirt. I love it, with a burning love that will never be quenched. It’s, as I said, from Missguided and will set you back a measly £14.99. For you gals who prefer a stiffer (oo-er) a-line skirt, this is not for you. It’s a bit more ‘flowy’ than you’d expect, but it’s really, really flattering.

I paired my one true love, I mean skirt, with another Missguided classic. This is a ribbed, high neck crop top and it will ALSO cost you £14.99. Zut alors and excuse moi.Someone at Missguided is having us on.

As it was a little chilly out, I popped on my Topshop fur coat and also wore my momma’s classy silver necklace for a laugh.

On my lips, I have on Mac Amplified Creme Lipstick in Sensual Sparks – read my review about it here. My shoes are quite old now, but they are from Primark if you’re wondering.

ClaireMay 28, 2014

Outfit of the Day: Primark Neon Floral Printed Jumpsuit

Hey there hot mommas,

Claire and I (and the fools that think its a good idea to hang around with us) went out on the bank holiday weekend – we had a jolly laugh, drank white russians and only slightly did some embarrassing dancing (orrrr maybe that was just me).

This is what I wore. It was a bit of a last minute buy – i.e. a mad dash around Primark, barrelling man, woman, child and pram out of my way an hour before I had to start getting ready. But I actually really love this neon floral jumpsuit – the print is absolutely jazzy and the fit brilliantly hides the fact I’d eaten a massive pizza before getting dressed. It also only costs £10…soooo.

I wore my trusted Missguided Bardot body underneath (similar here), because I have arms that resemble the trunk of a 100 year old oak tree. I think it works relatively well, if not only to make me look like I am ready to join a street dance crew (in my dreams).

Now lets get onto the shoes. For those of you who have pride and dignity, look away. I was tempted to lie and say that I bought these from a really cool boutique vintage retro shop that no one will ever find because it is too cool, but the fact is I got them at the market. For £10. And I would do it again in a heartbeat. In fact, I’m tempted to trek back to the Birmingham markets because they had some BANGING holographic platforms for £20. For all you shoe lovers that are in need of some excellent footwear but are thinking ZUT ALORS, I am too poor for this nonsense – wear a balaclava and get your fine asses down to a scabby market. It’s so worth it.

My earrings are from Primark and my nail varnish is one I robbed off Claire – it’s Makeup Revolution in Adore.

I am a tramp.