My Autumn/Winter Shoe Collection

I feel that it is something of an occupational hazard when working in a shoe shop that you end up buying a lot of shoes. I've worked for Office for around a year and a half now and I have developed quite the footwear collection so I thought I would do a little (massive) post showing you the shoes I've been rocking for these Autumn/Winter months!

Converse All Star Low - Office 

Not the most weather appropriate shoes in the world but I love wearing my white Converse all year round. They are super comfy and literally go with anything! I think Converse always look better when they've got a bit scuffed up and are more worn looking so I am pretty happy with the stage mine are at. Just a little note for if your ordering Converse online or not trying them on, they come up pretty big so you're better off going down atleast a half size; I'm a 6.5 and I got a 6!

Studded Ankle Boots - River Island

One of my few pairs of shoes not actually from Office I have had these little studded biker boots for a good 2/3 years now and I can happily say they are my favourite boots OF ALL TIME. These have studs missing, scuffs all over and pretty much no insole left inside but I think they look better than the day I bought them! They are super slouchy and loose and look so nice with skinny jeans tucked in.

Lace Up Boots - Office

I bought these little cute lace up boots from Office last year. They are such buttery soft leather and a really nice change from the standard tan/black boots. 

Vans Authentic - Office

It took me a while to buy a pair of Vans for some reason. They were everywhere over Summer but I wasn't massively keen on any of the colours but as soon it hit Autumn I knew I had to get this Burgandy pair! They are so so comfy and make every outfit look casual but thought out. As with Converse, these come up quite big; I am a 6.5 and went for the 6!

'Keeper Lace' Boot - Office

This is the comfiest boot ever and really seems to dress up any outfit! They are a gorgeous black suede with a really 90's chunky heel; Me and the girls at work call them 'Clarissa' as in Clarissa explains it all? You'll have to be a true 90's kid to know what I'm on about ;) I'm not a big fan of these with jeans but they look so lovely with tights and dresses.

Leopard Studded Shoe - Urban Outfitters

I received loads of compliments on these after featuring them in a recent outfit post, you can see that here. They were a total bargain in the sale and I think leopard print is perfect for Autumn as it looks amazing with all the dark berry colours that are around. I love the tiny heel with the studded detail and they are really easy to style.

'Debatable Lace Platform' Boot - Office

These are the latest addition to my shoe collection and were an absolute bargain after being reduced to just £25! They are clearly a total copy of the Jeffrey Campbell Lita's but what I really love about these is that they come a lot lower on the ankle so are much more flattering if you are concious about your legs like me. Im going to be wearing these with dresses and tights all through Autumn/Winter for Christmas parties as they are so comfy and give an 'edge' (cringe) to any outfit.

'Nikita' Boot - Office 

This is probably my most worn boot, hense why it is looking a little worse for wear! This is just the easiest little ankle boot to wear and literally goes with everything.

'Les Ballet' Studded Pumps - Office 

This is easily my most worn shoe as I wear it to work most days. It is so unbelievably comfy and the leather is incredibly soft. I love the fact the studs are black as I think they go with a lot more than if they were gold or silver and look a bit more expensive. These are getting so scruffy now but I love them that much I think I will buy another pair!

Slippers - Primark

It wouldn't be an Autumn/Winter post without a pair of slippers so these are the ones Im currently wearing and they were super cheap from Primark! They are lovely and soft inside and keep my feet toasty in this freezing cold house!

So they are the main shoes and boots I've been wearing so far this Autumn/Winter. Let me know if you've liked this post as I could do something similar for my heels/going out shoes and also a similar one when Spring/Summer comes around. A few of my friends and little baby Lily are coming round for a take away tonight so I better go clean this mess up...

Becca.x

OOTD - Its Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas

I am having the best day ever! Me and Andrew both have the day off so I spent the morning in a hot soaky bubble bath, got ready listening to Christmas songs (It's never too early) and then we sped off to M&S to buy a ton of treats for a comfy movie day. The candles are lit, cheese is being consumed, I honestly couldn't feel more festive! This is what I wore today to keep warm and cosy, I cannot get enough of this new coat!

Beanie - Primark

Coat - Label Lab @House of Fraser

Fur Stole - H&M

Jumper - Primark

Pleather Skirt - Topshop

Stud Heel Shoes - Urban Outfitters

Lips - Mac 'Shy Girl'

Soz about the serious ghost face! I hadn't put much makeup on anyway as I was just nipping to the shop; Just a bit of foundation, mascara and my favourite nude lipstick. I love my new coat, I got it in the House of Fraser brand event last week so instead of £130 it cost me around £75, bargain! It is made of real wool in a gorgeous speckled burgundy colour with a pleather collar and pocket trim. I bought the H&M fur stole in black as I love fur collars on coats. I also cannot stop wearing this new Topshop leather-look skater skirt. It gives any outfit a bit of a 'grunge' edge and is so easy to style. My leopard print shoes were the steal of the century! They were £10 in the Urban Outfitters sale with a further 20% off and free delivery so that's just £8! I love the stud detail on the heel, they look so much more expensive!

Finally I need a little advice from you all. My hair has faded sooo much as you can see from the photos and I really cannot whether to go back Ombre or dye it all really dark chocolate brown. My hair is so dull at the moment but I just don't know what to do with it. Suggestions welcome!

Becca.x

OOTN - Super Sexy Glam Night Out Look

Lol just joking wiv ya. How cute is my new onesie?!!

Minnie Mouse Onesie - Primark

I know onesies are a love or hate thing, but personally I love them! I like feeling all cosy and warm in winter and I enjoy nothing more than a spot of pyjama shopping! This little beauty set me back around £15 and is complete with minnie mouse hood, tail and grippy feet, what more could a girl want?!

Becca.x

Winter Warmer Fashion Haul

Me and Andrew nipped into town this morning and as it's pay day I couldn't help nipping into Primark and Toppers to buy a few bits now the weather's got so cold. Talking of Topshop, if you haven't been in to the new store in Leeds Trinity you NEED to go. It is absolutely massive and has all the amazing concession brands we've never had here before such as The Ragged Priest, I had to get Andrew to hold me back so I didn't spend too much!

Tall Flecked Oversized Top - Topshop - £18

I love casual basics like this for throwing on for a long day at work. I always buy the tall option if it's available at Topshop as I love tops that cover my bum and have that oversized slouchy look to them. I think grey is perfect for Autumn/Winter as it goes with all the seasonal colours such as Burgundy and Khaki.

Disco Treggings - Topshop - £30

I love the whole disco pants trend that's been flying round for the past year or so but unfortunately they just weren't made for my figure. I've tried on the real American Apparel ones on a couple of times before and whilst they are of an extremely high quality fabric, they just don't fit right on my pear shaped frame. They are either too tight on my thighs and fit on my waist or fit on my thighs and absolutely swamp my waist! When I saw these Topshop ones I thought it was a much more reasonable price and they seem to fit much more evenly. They are less trouser like and more legging like but as I will be wearing them with a baggy tshirt or jumper over the top I don't think it will be a problem! Just a word of warning, if you are going to buy these I would recommend getting atleast 1 size smaller than you usually wear as they are deceptively big fitting and stretchy!

 Jumper - Primark - £6

Cable Knit Snood - £5

I love this jumper as it's so soft and slouchy and is in a beautiful speckled blue colour. I cannot believe it's only £6! This will be ideal for work as it gets so hot when I'm running around the shop floor but it will still keep me warm enough when it's quiet. This snood was also a great investment for winter as it is in the beautiful oxblood colour that is so in fashion right now and is a lot easier than wrestling around with my big long scarf.

Speckled Jumper - Primark - £10

Fur Stole - H&M - £12.99

Ok so you're probably sensing a theme now, I like oversized speckled knitwear! This jumper is actually from the men's section and has really nice suede patches on the elbow. I really love the Primark menswear as they do really nice chunky knits and baggy printed Tshirts that seem to all be a lot cheaper than the women's section. I bought the fur stole a few weeks ago but haven't included it in a post yet. It seems to instantly glam up any outfit and makes me feel like a Bond villain! 

Legging - Primark - £10

Slippers - Primark - £6

Gloves - Primark - £4

Socks - Primark - £3

The fair isle print seems to be on everything at the moment and I couldn't resist picking up a few cosy winter items in the cute design. I am OBSESSED with pyjamas, I literally live in them at home, so I bought these super soft Christmas leggings to wear in bed as they are so warm! I also needed a pair of slippers as the house is absolutely freezing so I picked up these adorable little booties and some snuggly angora socks to keep my feet warm! The last thing I bought were these fur trimmer fair isle mittens as I think they'll look nice with a plain outfit and were a total bargain for £4!

So those are my winter warmer buys from Primark and Topshop. What have you been wearing to keep cosy?

Becca.x

Top 10 Nail Polishes for Autumn/Winter

Those of you who have been following my little blog since the start may remember that way back in June I did my 'Top 10 Nail Polishes for Summer' post. Now it's Autumn, my favourite time of the year don't you know, and I thought I'd do a similar post showing you my seasonal faves for these colder months. Since moving into the new house I haven't been able to afford many new makeup and beauty bits, hense the lack of beauty posts, so these are all from my old  faithful nail varnish collection!

(L-R Revlon  'Plum Night', OPI  'Romeo & Joliet', Essie 'Sew Psyched', OPI 'Warm & Fozzie', Rimmel Lycra Pro 'Beige Babe', Models Own 'Golden Green Beetle Juice', Sally Hansen 'Gray By Gray', Revlon 'Facets of Fuschia', OPI 'Stranger Tides', Nails Inc 'Queenstown Road')

1) Revlon 'Plum Night' - I love, love, love the colour of this polish. It is exactly what the name suggests, a true plum, very dark and rich. The only issue I have with this shade is that it does take a fair few coats to get it opaque and streak free as it is fairly watery but the colour you get at the end makes it worthwhile.

2) OPI 'Romeo & Joliet' - OPI are by far my favourite nail polish brand for their amazing shade range, their smooth application and their quirky names. 'Romeo & Joliet' is a dark burgandy/wine colour with shimmer to give it a metallic finish that is really on trend this Autumn/Winter. The colour is opaque in 1 coat as with most OPI polishes, although I always do 2 for good luck!

3) Essie 'Sew Psyched' - This is the perfect polish for this season's military trend. It is a khaki green and applies so creamy and even. This is by far my most worn Autumn/Winter polish so far this year. As far as I know this shade is now available in the diffusion line for Boots and Superdrug, however I ordered mine online from Fragrance Direct last year so it is the old formula.

4) OPI 'Warm & Fozzie' - Another favourite from the famous brand, 'Warm & Fozzie' came out in the Muppets Collection last year and is a beautiful bronzey-brown with multi coloured shimmer, seriously festive!

5) Rimmel Lycra Pro 'Beige Babe' - I'll be the first to admit this isn't the most exciting and glitteringly festive shade, but 'Beige Babe' is ideal for those times you're feeling lazy and want a colour that is going to go with everything. It is a creamy taupe and as I mentioned in the summer alternative to this post, Rimmel Lycra Pro polishes are by far my favourite formula.

6) Models Own 'Golden Green Beetle Juice' - This is a stunning duo-chrome polish that I've heard is a dupe for Chanel 'Peridot', although I don't have that to compare. This has a really complex shimmer to it and is one of the few nail varnishes to last more than 5 minutes on my nails without chipping, so for me it's a total winner!

7) Sally Hansen 'Gray By Gray' - This is actually a really versatile shade as you can get away with wearing it any time of year. Contrary to what the name would have you believe, 'Gray By Gray' is actually more of a tealy-blue and reminds me very much of a stormy sea at night (Im so deep). 

8) Revlon 'Facets of Fuschia' - This nail varnish excites me so much it is RIDICULOUS, it is just so god damn special! I'm not normally a massive glitter polish fan, they can look a bit tacky and are frankly, a total pain in the butt hole to get off but this is just so unique, it's like nothing I've ever seen before! 2 coats leave it looking like a black gel with different sized purple/fuschia glitter suspended within it, it really reminds me of the galaxy print that's so popular at the moment. Definitely get your hands on this!

9) OPI 'Stranger Tides' - This is a gorgeous pale pistachio shade that is perfect for when you want a nice Autumn/Winter polish but you don't want anything too dark. It is much, much lighter than Essie's 'Sew Psyched' and it has a similar affect to a nude polish.

10) Nails Inc 'Queenstown Road' - I am so gutted I only have the mini of this as it is the perfect Oxblood/Burgandy hue. It almost has a gel finish to it and is really dark and beautifully opaque in just 2 coats. I love matching this with a dark vampy lippy such as 'Dubonnet' by Mac which I featured in my similar 'Top 5 Lipsticks for Autumn/Winter'. 

So those are my 10 favourite nail polishes for these up and coming christmassy months, what are yours? Do you like to follow nail trends or are you still rocking the neons and pastels?

Becca.x

Top 5 Lipsticks For Autumn/Winter

With my love for lipsticks ever growing, the start of new seasons brings about exciting new lip colours and new trends to try out. Surprisingly, I haven't actually bought a new lipstick this Autumn yet (although Mac-Rebel will be mine) so I've put together my Top 5 Autumn/Winter lippies from the ones already cluttering up my dressing table.

(L-R: Nars 'Senorita', Revlon Lip Butter 'Macaroon', Revlon Super Lustrous 'Spiced Brandy', Benefit 'No Competition', Mac 'Dubonnet')

Apologies in advance for the moody faces and the greasy scraped back hair; it just personally really annoys me when I'm looking for online swatches of a lipstick and all I can see is it on the back of someone's hand. I don't want to see your hand, I want to see your face!

1) Mac - 'Dubonnet' 

You may recall I included Dubonnet in my 'Top 5 Mac Lipsticks' post back in June when I started my blog and it is easily my favourite Autumn/Winter lipstick of all time. The Mac website describes it as a 'Deepened Claret' and I would definately agree; It is a beautiful dark, wine red that applies super smooth and creamy due to it's Amplified formula.

2) Revlon Lip Butter - 'Macaroon'

I bought quite a few of the Revlon Lip Butters when they first came out in the UK as there was a massive hype around them but I actually found myself to be quite disappointed with most of them. This is one of only 2 I ended up keeping and it is a beautiful dark dusty rose colour with a subtle shimmer. It is perfect for the Autumn and Winter months due to not only it's rich colour, but also it's moisturising formula.

3) Benefit - 'No Competition' 

The Benefit website describes this lipstick as a 'Heathered Plum' and it's amazingly creamy and moisturising formula has made this a firm favourite in my A/W2012 lipstick collection. This is the only Benefit lipstick I have but I love the texture so much that I definately want to add to it and 'Espionage' is next on my list for an even darker berry hit.

4) Nars - 'Senorita' 

Whilst berry colours are the most obvious choice for an on-trend Autumnal lip colour, sometimes the occasion just calls for a nice nude and it's particularly in these colder winter months that I struggle to find a shade that doesn't make me look like the living dead. I bought Nars 'Senorita' online last year and it's taken me until these last few weeks to actually dare to wear it. In the tube it looks incredibly frosty and shimmery, and to be honest, on the lips this does pick up too, but it manages to really warm the skin up and create a fuller looking lip. I LOVE this lipstick and recommend that everyone tries it on before ruling it out, it truly is transforming. 

5) Revlon Super Lustrous -  'Spiced Brandy'

'Spiced Brandy' is possibly the nicest textured dark lipstick I've ever worn. I often find darker lipsticks to be quite drying but this is seriously moisturising and lovely and creamy. I have heard a fair few people saying this is a pretty good dupe for Mac's 'Fresh Moroccan' but having not tried that I can't really comment. I personally find it gives a similar overall effect to that of 'Dubonnet' however this has a fair bit of shimmer in, which normally I would say I'm not too keen on but in this case looks really pretty and perfect for these colder months.

So those are my top 5 lipsticks for these treacherous winter months. I'm thinking of following this up with a similar nail polish post as Autumn is by far my favourite time of year and quite frankly, it's getting me excited for Christmas. Too soon? 

What are your favourite lipsticks for Autumn/Winter?

Becca.x