ClaireOctober 29, 2013

New Brand Launch: NOWSEEN Jewellery

As young women of the 21st century, I would say we’re all pretty used to faking it. And by this, I mean faking our jewellery… obviously (minds out of the gutters please).

Lauren and I are both big fans of statement jewellery – as a general rule, the bigger and blingier the better – but our poor graduate budgets mean that usually we end raiding the stands at Primark to get our fake fix. Last week, though, an email popped into our inbox that means that all this could soon be about to change.

NOWSEEN (yes, you have to shout it) is a new online store due to launch this week that specialises in fashion-focused jewellery. This is pretty exciting in itself; most highstreet stores stock jewellery almost as an afterthought, and I can’t think of many jewellery-exclusive stores aimed at our market.

But what really caught my attention about this brand is that we’ll no longer have to fake it. All of the jewellery is made with precious metals and real gemstones. Do you know what this means? NO MORE GREEN FINGERS!

I would have thought that real pieces like these would be far above my meagre budget, but prices on NOWSEEN are going to start as low as £10. Considering you can pay as much as £20 in some high street stores for costume jewellery that can fall apart the first time you wear it, this is amazing for investment pieces that will last you a lifetime.

As well as offering genuine quality pieces, NOWSEEN is also incredibly fashion-forward. Their jewellery promise to be edgy and on-trend, with stacker rings, friendship bracelets and statement cocktail rings all available.

These sneak peek images have got me super super SUPER excited for the launch, and I can’t wait to see the full range once the site is live. We’ve also heard a cheeky rumour that to celebrate their launch, NOWSEEN will also be running a competition on Facebook for one lucky winner to win £200 worth of jewellery from their A/W 2013 collection. You can keep up with their Facebook page to find out more about this once it launches.

What do you all think of NOWSEEN? Would you be interested in buying ‘real’ jewellery?

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ClaireOctober 21, 2013

Currently Watching: eBay Wishlist #2

Another month, another endless list of eBay delights!

Fedora Hat – £9.98
Fedoras are hugely in fashion this A/W, but they’re the sort of item I’m just not sure if a) I can pull off without looking like a try hard twit, and b) I would be brave enough to wear without the fear of a gust of wind tearing it away from me. For these reasons, I wouldn’t want to spend a lot of money on one, so this one coming in at under a tenner (with free P&P, HOLLA) is the perfect way to experiment with the trend.

Ring Display Hand – £3.95
I’m still on the fence as to whether this is cool or a bit tacky and creepy. Even if it’s the second, I still want it to be honest. My rings are currently stored in a variety of different jewellery and trinket boxes, but I think something like this is much more fun. It’s also nice to see jewellery actually displayed and used decoratively in a room.

Fur Gilet – £22.23
As we go into the colder months, my deep and passionate lurrrve for fur comes out in full force. Two fur coats, a fur hat and a new fur collar are simply not enough – I also need this fur gilet for those days when my body’s all chilly but my arms are all toasty.

Printed Shorts – £9.59
I know these are completely unseasonable, but I am in love with the paisley print on these shorts. I also think the warm hues make them kind of autumnal… um, right?

Poster – £6.49
I’ve had my eye on this for a while, and now that we’ve just moved into our new house I think I have a definite reason to buy it. Even if my life is more about drinking tea and falling asleep on the sofa these days…

What do you all think of this wishlist? What are you loving on eBay at the moment?

ClaireOctober 15, 2013

If I Was A Rich Girl | October Wishlist

Good morning chums,

I am still in a horrific pit of poverty and haven’t bought much in the last few weeks, snore. Spending bans make me want to cry softly to myself. Nevertheless, I am still perving on a huge number of things at the moment that I simply must share with you all. That way, you can buy it and I can live through you all like a crazy mum on Toddler’s and Tiaras (although I probably wont be forcing you to do dance routines…).

Clothes & Shooooooes

Clothes, glorious clothes. My wardrobe is looking increasingly more pathetic as I keep selling everything on eBay. Claire and I are becoming quite the social butterflies (instead of sitting in and watching Downton Abbey, which has become our lives). Events are coming and obviously new clothes are necessary. I love this little Topshop pastel crop top and I am a keen bean to incorporate a few more pastels into my autumn/winter wardrobe. It’s knitted, so I think I should be able to keep the frostbite at bay.

I need more heels in my life and LETS ALL SAY HELLO TO THESE MISS SELFRIDGE HEELS. Phwoar, corr and good lord. They are stunning. I’m pretty positive I can’t afford to purchase them on my meagre bank account, so lets all start the hashtag #PrayForLauren to get these into my possession.

Beauty & Makeup

Excuse the horrifically long list of items in my beauty wishlist, but you know how it is…when you start browsing it is simply impossible to even think of stopping. I need to go to beauty bloggers anonymous. Particular favourites in this hugey list of beautiful things includes the Sleek Face Contour Kit. I love the look of this (much like I love the look of cake every second of the day) and the range of colours looks perfect for sculpting my face to look like someone who has bones rather than marshmellows for a face. I reviewed the Bourjois Bronzing Primer as a contour product here, but this will be my next facial experiment. Fingers crossed, I’m hoping to look like Scarlett Johansson.

I’ve also heard everyone rave about the Smashbox Brow Tech To Go kit, which is a little brush/pencil set. I’m keen to try it out as I am also on an eyebrow quest for the perfect brows. Too many quests, so little time.

I have a lot of primers in my life at the moment. I’m using Seventeen’s Flawless Poreless Primer, which is excellent beyond belief and I recommend it to anyone looking to get rid of those pesky holes in your face. Nevertheless, a gal can never have too many primers, so I want to try this Benefit one and see how it compares to the cheaper ones I own. I already use the Pore-fessional Primer, but this long-wearing intrigues me like a mysterious woman.

I saw this Collection Smokey Eye Palette recently on a beauty blog (I wish I could remember which!) and I was hugely impressed with the swatches. While I am definitely not a Collection snob, this palette looked a bit cheap to me. After seeing the range of colours and the pigmentation, I MUST OWN IT. NOW.

WELL FRIENDS. What do you think of my October picks? Do you guys have any reviews/hauls/ootds with some of these bits and bobs in? If so, PWEESE share them with me so I can have a gander before I launch myself at the Bullring.

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ClaireOctober 4, 2013

Motel Rocks New Arrivals for Autumn/Winter.

Hola amigos!

First up, I would like to say a HUGEY happy birthday to everyone’s favourite white haired bafoon. Claire has turned the ripe old age of 23 and we are now discussing which care home to put her in after a weekend of partying, eating carbs and feasting on cake.

We’ve also made the executive decision to join the Motel Rocks Street Team, partly because we love a project but also because we both are big fans of Motel and love any excuse to persuade our pals into spending their hard earned dollar on threads. We are sorry guys, but everyone knows that new clothes makes you feel like a really fancy lady.

In my most recent Motel browsing, I have genuinely broken out in cold sweats over how beautiful their new arrivals for autumn/winter are. I mean seriously guys. I have been well and truly ready to whip off my pantaloons and run around my house in delight. I didn’t do that, thankfully, partly because I think Claire would disown me and also because my neighbours would probably call the police. But apart from pantaloon whipping, I have felt it necessary to share some of my favourites from Motel’s new collection so you too can feel the overwhelming delight that they bring. Disclaimer: if you fall off your chair with excitement, I take no responsibility for any bruises or embarrassment caused.

These are just a few of my current favourites, but CAN YOU SEE HOW PERFECT FOR AUTUMN/WINTER THEY ARE? I love the way they’ve styled everything and there is such an awesome 90s vibe with all the new arrivals. I don’t know about y’all, but whenever I’ve had a night out that I literally can’t figure out what to wear, Motel has saved the day. I can definitely see this happening a lot this winter. I thoroughly recommend check out what they have on offer, team fbloggers. You will not be disappointed.

If you’re suffering from the shopping bug right this moment (I know I am, LEAVE ME ALONE SHOPPING BUG, you pesky twit), you can get 20% off with the discount code Stylingo. Don’t say we don’t treat you! 😉

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ClaireSeptember 20, 2013

Currently Watching: eBay Wishlist

I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again: I bloody well love eBay! I always have at least twenty things in my ‘watching’ list, which I look at daily like a creepy Peeping Tom. A lot of stuff gets deleted once I go off it, but other bits lurk around there for weeks until I inevitably lose all willpower and make that transaction. Here are some of the things I’m currently lusting after:

1. Lipstick Storage Box – £2.99
2. Floral Jumper– £8.95
3. Tartan Scarf – £8.99
4. Platform PU Leather Chelsea Boots – £22
5. Lace Turban Headband – £2.00
6. 9 Piece Knuckle Stacker Rings – £1.85

An example of my piss poor willpower: in the few minutes it took me to write those prices down, I’ve just bought the jumper. The mind is willing but the flesh is weak.

What do you all think of these items? What are you watching on eBay at the moment?

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ClaireSeptember 15, 2013

If I Was A Rich Girl | September Wishlist.

Hello lovely ladies,

Claire and I are currently on a horrible spending ban, which means life is terribly tragic and boring at the moment. BUT IT DOESN’T MEAN WE CAN’T DREAM. I’ve got lots of things I’m hugely lusting over at the moment, so I’m quietly making a list of stuff to go wild over when I finally allow myself to spend some hard earned dollah.

1. Missguided leather panel midi skirt. 2. Topshop lipstick in Hazard 3. Seventeen animal bronzer. 4. Topshop geometric print trousers 5. Boohoo brocade cape. 6. Urban Outfitters lattice shoulder blouse 7. Asos coat with leather sleeves. 8. Too Faced Natural at Night Palette.

1. GOOD LORD, I love this skirt. It’s Claire’s birthday soon so obviously I need something new to wear. We’re going for a faaaaaaaayncy dinner, so I need something a little sophisticated to keep up appearances. I’m loving the leather panels and I’m thinking it’s a good way to incorporate the leather autumn/wintertrend into my ‘drobe.

2. Let’s all face it, deep red lippy is an absolute necessity for colder weather. I need this more than life, isn’t it gorgeous?

3. I don’t really need a new bronzer BUT HAVE YOU SEEN THE ANIMAL PRINT? HAVE YOU?!

4. These trousers are incredible, I love the print with all my heart. I feel like I need more trousers in my wardrobe and these are definitely on my trouser list.

5. This Boohoo cape is amazing – bring me the capes…that’s right China. All the capes.

6. Those who know me will know I have about 10000 white blouses but this is one that I would love to add to my collection! I can’t wait to give everyone flashes of my shoulders, ooer.

7. I am in need of a winter coat as all of mine of boring and uncool. This Asos one makes me want to cry with love and admiration.

8. I love a natural eye palette and how fabulous does this one look? SO FABULOUS, THAT’S HOW.

So, home girls, this is my September wishlist – what do you all think? Any things you’re lusting over but can’t get quite yet?

|| Don’t forget that you can follow us on Bloglovin’ and Twitter! ||
and we also have a giveaway on at the moment!

ClaireSeptember 13, 2013

New Look’s A/W 2013 Denim Campaign

If in a few years time you’re asked to recall what major events happened in 2013, what will you say? That our future king was born? That the Pope quit? That Miley Cyrus became a full time hoochie? NO, you won’t say any of these things unless your priorities are completely out of whack. You will instead say that 2013 was the year of the denim revolution.

This summer, we saw denim enter our lives in ways which we might not have expected. I for one had a lifelong hope that denim skirts would NEVER make a comeback after the god-awful denim mini skirts of the early 00s (I think my sister actually had one with some sort of jewels on, though I’m hoping that was just a nightmare I had). But lo and behold, there I was in 2013 handing my money over to the fine people of Topshop in exchange for a denim skater skirt which I absolutely loved. Then when the 90s trend came along, dungarees came with it. Once again, I was left gobsmacked by the fact that people actually looked decent in them and not just like they were performing in a Dexy’s Midnight Runners tribute act, about to burst into a rousing chorus of ‘Come On Eileen’. Certainly, it was an exciting season for denim.

As we head into Autumn/Winter, our legs become chilly and thoughts inevitably start to turn to jeans. There was definitely a worry that the humble jeans could end up losing popularity now that we’ve experienced what life is like with their funkier denim cousins (if you didn’t have this worry then, again, you need to think about your priorities). Thankfully though, new Autumn/Winter denim ranges are starting to be released and BY JOVE, THEY’RE FUN.

New Look are one store who have just launched their new denim campaign. While they still have a range of denim shorts, jackets, dungarees and skirts to swoon over, it’s the jeans that have attracted my attention. In terms of fit and shape, there isn’t really anything revolutionary to report. The skinny jean is still king of all it surveys, with three variations hitting stores: the skinny, the highrise skinny and the super skinny. For those who like the skinny look but also want to feel like they can chow down on as many biscuits as they like (i.e. ME), jeggings are also featured strongly in the new campaign. And for those who just can’t get on with skinny denim, there’s the classic bootcut.

What’s really interesting about the new range, though, is what’s being done with texture and pattern. Coloured jeans seem to have taken a bit of a back seat this season. While there are still burgundy and electric blue hues around, pastels are firmly out (so sorry, lavender jeans, away you go). Instead it’s all about the finish of the jeans. Acid wash remains huge, but the new big cheese on the block (let’s all pretend that’s a real phrase please) is coated jeans. If you’re not quite brave enough for full leather trousers or disco pants, then coated jeans are the much more wearable take on the trend, and can be dressed up or down for effortless style.

As always, I’m SUPER impressed with New Look’s latest denim offerings. With leg lengths ranging from 28″-34″, they cater to all different shapes and sizes – even us teeny tiny hobbit girls. For a full look at their Autumm/Winter denim campaign, have a look at NL Daily.

What do you all think of the latest season’s denim trends?

ClaireSeptember 9, 2013

Barry M NEW Product Launches | A/W 2013

We’ll state the absolute bloody obvious first: we love Barry M. Doesn’t everyone? Is there honestly anybody in the country whose life is not instantly improved when they set eyes upon that glowing technicoloured makeup stand of dreams in Boots? Well, apart from obvious people like dads who only care about football and pork pies, of course.

Whenever Barry M launch new products I basically become borderline hysterical with excitement – I’m sure my colleagues would be well within their rights to slap me to get me to calm down, to be honest (though if any of them tried it then I would be forced to open a can of whoop ass). So when photos and info of the brand’s new Autumn/Winter products started to pop up on my feed, I immediately had to have a look. And guess what – I’m excited.

Flawless Matte Finish Foundation

First up is this new range of foundation. Historically, I’ve always stuck to Barry M’s ‘fun’ products – i.e. the nail varnishes, lipsticks, lip glosses and the much-revered Dazzle Dusts. I’ve never really tried out their more basic items, but it definitely seems to be a market they’re trying to elbow their way into. These matte finish foundations are VERY exciting to me; as a chronic sufferer of Shiny Nose Syndrome (or SNS as it shall henceforth be known) I’m always attracted to more matte formulas but have yet to find one that truly does the job. This oil-free base which also promises to be hydrating could just be my saviour. Also, see that? They’re not just blendable; they’re SUPER blendable. Super exciting.

Eye and Cheek Palettes
‘Natural Glow’

‘Smokin’ Hot’

‘Glamour Puss’

These eye and cheek palettes promise to be a big success, with six eyeshadows and a blush together in a handy mirrored compact with two applicators. It’s nice to see Barry M stepping away from their typical brights and actually offering some great neutral shades alongside the shimmering colours you’d expect. I’ve only very recently dipped my ~~massive~~ generously-sized toe into the waters of eyeshadow application, so I’m thinking a couple of these could be superb additions to my makeup bag.

Lash Vegas Waterproof Mascara

I haven’t tried the original Lash Vegas mascara, but now there’s a waterproof version for all the weep-prone ladies out there. The spiral-shaped brush aims to catch all the little lashes and add definition and volume. I’m tempted to buy this and only ever wear it on Saturday nights – I have a strange tendency to cry at X Factor when ugly people get standing ovations (no, I don’t know why) so this could stop me from looking panda-eyed as well as completely ridiculous.

Matte Nail Paints

For me, these are definitely the most exciting of the new products. I haven’t tried any matte nail varnishes yet, as most of the high street offerings seem to have received pretty poor reviews. Whenever Barry M hop on a new nail bandwagon though, they tend to do it brilliantly so hopefully these will live up to the hype. I think matte black in particularly looks amazing on nails, so I’ll be very keen to give these a try.

Royal Glitter Collection Nail Paints

Barry M’s glitter varnishes are up there as one of my favourite things in the world EVER, alongside puppies and Viennese Whirls. Some of the Textured Effect range has been hit and miss for me, but they’re always exciting to try and are guaranteed to give you an interesting look – and these glittery shades will be perfect as we get closer to Christmas party season.

Crystal Glaze Topcoat

A crystallised finish top coat? If there’s anything that can get your inner J-Lo excited, then surely it’s that combination of words. Ever a fan of a chavvy nail and polishes with ‘bits’ in, I’ll definitely be giving this a go.

All of these products are due to launch on 25th of September in Superdrug, and the 2nd of October in Boots – which, fact fans, is two days before my birthday, giving you two whole days to go and buy me many many matte polishes as gifts.

What do you all think of these new products? Are you excited to try any of them?

ClaireSeptember 6, 2013

Autumn/Winter 2013 Makeup Trends.

Hello dear pals!

Whilst some of you may shake your heads in horror, I’ve been having a natter on Twitter about how much I’m looking forward to autumn/winter and all the trends we’ve got coming our way! It may still be roasting outside, but lets be honest: the lead up to Christmas is a fantastic time of drinking mulled wine, laughing at people in sexy santa fancy dress and generally knobbing about in scarves and coats.

We’ve covered some of the autumn/winter 2013 fashion trends here at Stylingo, but haven’t yet touched on what makeup trends we’ll be rocking when the weather turns chillsome.

Now, Claire and I had a mild tiff about this earlier in the week. She is of the opinion that makeup trends are stupid and that nothing really changes in that arena (she has a point, berry lips for winter? CALL THE PRIME MINISTER, WE HAVE A SITUATION ON OUR HANDS). At the same time, it’s fun to get involved and find new looks to try out – and if we look ridiculous, we can blame fashion.

So, I’m ploughing ahead and finding out what ~~we should be slapping on our faces~~ autumn/winter makeup trends we should all be getting involved with in 2013. And yes, before your pantaloons fly off in anticipation, berry lips is on the list.

1. Wine Berry stained lips.

For the alcoholics among us, the wine stained lips are a fabulous excuse to neck a bottle of Merlot and stagger around in the name of fashion. For those who are more sensible, pretend you have been nibbling on a load of blackberries, forgotten how to eat properly and smeared them all over your lips. Or you know…you could invest in a red/purple lip stain or lippy like a normal human being.

My top products:
Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain – £7.99
Yves Saint Laurent Rouge Pur Couture Glossy Lip Stain – £22.50

2. Big eyebrows, full of secrets.

Well, to be fair, most of us have been getting involved with eyebrows that probably have the ability to enter a room and introduce themselves all on their own (I know I have). I love big eyebrows and I am hugely pleased that this is a trend that’s going to continue. What I can gather is that the bold brows of autumn/winter are more natural and ‘grown out’ rather than the intense filling in that I partake in. Channel your inner Wolverine gals and remember: extra eyebrow hair means that your face will be extra warm in winter.

My top products:
Rimmel Professional Eyebrow Pencil – £2.99
Sleek Brow Kit – £8.50

3. Eyes that make a statement.

(like: I saw a man with brown shoes and a beard that said ‘I’m a guy who likes to try new things’.)

Basically, what I can gather eye-wise regarding the autumn/winter makeup trends for 2013, is that you have to go somewhat mad. Purple, blue, metallic and all other kinds of equally frightening eyeshadows need to make an appearance. If you are like me (i.e. a wimpy sap) and can’t face anything that isn’t brown, black or nude – fake eyelashes will become your best mate. Glue them on with gay abandon and don’t worry too much about the fact you are sticking bits of plastic on your face.

My top products:
Collection Extreme 24 hr Felt Tip Eyeliner – £2.99
MAC Pressed Pigment – £17.00

4. Pink blusher agogo.

The inner cynic in me is saying things like: ‘PARDON, isn’t pink blusher the point, you giant nonce’. Well, to him (yes, my inner cynic is a man, do not ask me why because I don’t know)I say shut up. Autumn/winter is about making your blusher a beautiful girly feature, so keeping everything else quite nude (by that I mean your face, I take no responsibility if you get arrested for streaking). I’m keen for this actually, it’s a nice fresh look for the colder months!

My top products:
Benefit Sugarbomb – £23.50
Sleek Blush By Three: Sweet Cheeks – £10.00

5. Naked lips.

Speaking of nudes, another great trend for the eternally lazy (like me) is forgoing any lip colour whatsoever. Popping on a bit of lip balm and strolling out of the house is pretty much all you need to do to work this one – c’est fantastique! If you like a bit more product on your pie hole, try mixing a bit of foundation with lip balm for lips that are closer to your skin tone. OR you can pop on a trusty nude lipstick. Phew, so many options. I think I need to lie down.

My top products:
Burts Bees Super Shiny Natural Lipgloass: Nectar Nude – £7.99
MAC: Creme D’Nude – £15.oo

WELL. Those are my top 5 autumn/winter makeup trends for 2013: what do you all think? Are you a nonbeliever like my dear blondey pal Claire? Or are you excited to give some of these bad boys a whirl?

Images sourced from Glamour Maga zine.

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ClaireSeptember 3, 2013

Autumn/Winter 2013 Mini Trend: Cut-Out Ankle Boots

Ladies and gentlemen, say hello to my new loves. I featured these boots in my recent haul post, but thought I’d write a bit more about them seeing as they’re ~~SEXY~~ definitely one of my key A/W pieces.

Cut-out ankle boots are something that bloggers have been loving for a while now, with the Topshop Arabel boots becoming almost a cult item. This winter though, cut-out boots are really coming into the mainstream and are ALL over the high street. I think they’re a really fun take on the winter staple that is the humble ankle boot, and easily add edge to any outfit.

Although the clunky, biker boot style is the real on-trend choice, I opted for this slightly more feminine version, deciding that the slight heel would give me a much-needed boost in the height stakes and also that I could get away with wearing these to work without attracting too many strange looks (which me and Lauren are quite used to). These are from New Look and, at £28, are definitely at the cheaper end of the scale which I was really happy with.

I think the key to these boots is what you wear under them. During autumn you can flash some ankle flesh through the cut-outs (though I definitely recommend wearing those footsie socks unless you want to become the sweatiest, most blistered girl about town), and then as the temperature drops there are a whole host of fun socks and tights options for you to frolic round in. I’ve bought six new pairs of frilly socks just to wear with these (excessive, meeee?), including two pairs of lace socks, the black version of which are pictured above. These were only £1.19 each from this eBay seller in China, and thankfully the shipping was amazingly fast and they arrived after only about 8 days. My sister said I looked like a creep Victorian porcelain doll in them, but I decided to take that as a positive.

I’m completely in love with these boots, and they’ve already received loads of compliments each time I’ve worn them. I’ve scoured the rest of the high street and web and tracked down a good range of alternatives, ranging in price, style and colours (though I still think trusty black is my fave).

River Island – £45 / Topshop – – £70 / Zara – £79.99 / Primark – £18 /

eBay – £19.99 / New Look Limited Edition – £59.99 / New Look – £27.99 / Office – £85

What do you all think of cut-out ankle boots?