‘Sunday best’ beauty

The intention of this post was originally to showcase a few beauty bargains I picked up in the sales. I’m not alone in loving this Hello Kitty/Liberty print wash bag, below, and I’ve mentioned before how much I love the smell of Sanctuary Spa products, but photographing everything got me thinking.

There is something about the ‘newness’ of purchases that I always have trouble parting with. When I was younger I used to keep that little plastic film that comes on the screens of box-fresh watches and moble phones until it was practically falling off, and when I buy a new notepad or sketchbook, I can’t ever bring myself to write on the first page.

Even vintage or second-hand clothes are often squirreled away for weeks before being worn, while I wait for the right ‘moment’ to wear them, despite them being far from brand new.

It’s the same with beauty and skincare products, too. Photographing my new Louise Gray for Topshop lipstick and other sale finds made me realise how much I love the appearance of a new, untouched bullet of lipstick. Ditto to pristine eye shadow palettes or pressed powders.

I remember reading a Liberty London Girl post years ago about the notion of keeping possessions for ‘Sunday best’ – not wearing, using or enjoying them every day in a bid to keep them ‘special’ – and how silly that is. I can’t count the number of times I’ve felt like that though, buying something new only to hide it away in a cupboard or display it somewhere around the house without actually using it, deriving pleasure from looking at it rather than its intended use.

This ‘Sunday best’ attitude is one I’ve tried to fight in the last few years, though I still find it a curious struggle when it comes to disturbing the perfect neatness of a never-before-used piece of make-up. Reading blogs and seeing how bloggers style their clothes helps, though. For example, Roz is one of the only women I can think of who could look this incredible while marching through the wilderness in heels, and the way Marianne wears her collection of stunning vintage finds every day, regardless of the occasion.

Am I alone in feeling like this, or do you also have a tendency to ‘save for best’?

Louise Gray lipstick in ‘Legend’, Topshop, £10 £5 / Liberty Hello Kitty wash bag, Boots, £16 £8 / Sanctuary Spa goodies, Boots, £8 £4

New shoes, new ‘do…

Going to the hairdressers is a little treat that comes twice a year for me. While getting a new do at my salon is relatively cheap compared to some venues, it’s still an expense that I can’t afford very often, and whenever I go, I always have that moment, sat in the chair, when I think my hair looks perfect just the way it is (it doesn’t) – does anyone else ever think that?

As a result, I always feel like I chicken out when it comes to changing my hair, but last Friday I took the plunge and went red. What do you reckon? I’m really happy with the colour and the ends of my hair have been left alone, to give a slight ombre effect.

The shoes are also new, bought when Office in Broadmead closed down a couple of months ago, for a ridiculously cheap £7. Fortunately Office has found a new home in Cabot Circus (opening this Thursday) and I hope they’re keeping the staff that they had in the Broadmead store, as they remained friendly and helpful dispute having to shut up shop and deal with panicked bargain hunters.

The trousers are from Topshop, as is the jumper, which I found at a clothes swap. The hat is from H&M – I was looking for a classic black bowler hat but I actually prefer this bottle green number. The socks are from H&M as well, and the belt is by Christopher Kane, which I picked up for £5 at a sample sale in London earlier this year.

It feels very festive to have red hair, though I don’t need much help in that department – tonight I’m going to start making our stockings and might even play some Christmas songs if I have the house to myself : )

What to Wear to London 2012

Ship-Shape at London 2012

The title of this post is a bit misleading as it’s actually what I wore to London 2012 (aka the Olympics!) yesterday. Mr Ship-Shape and I ventured to London for the day to watch the quarter finals of Men’s Basketball. The event took place at the North Greenwich Arena, better known as the Millennium Dome or O2 Arena, and this photo was taken outside the venue.

I seem to be having a mini obsession with floral print trousers at the moment, and I found this colourful pair on sale in House of Fraser a few weeks ago. The t-shirt is Gap, and the scarf was a birthday gift. I also shoved a Topshop jumper into my bag ‘just in case’ but I didn’t need it until we got back to Bristol late last night.

I had a fantastic time watching Russia and Spain win their matches against Lithuania and France, although I am gutted we didn’t get to see Team GB compete. Are you still buzzing about the Olympics or are you looking forward to the end of this summer of sport?

Kat’s Clothes Swap

A couple of weeks ago I was invited to an impromptu clothes swap. Actually, it wasn’t that impromptu – Kat, who is raising money to fund her trip to work with a charity in Mexico – had been planning it for weeks, but I didn’t find out about it until S of Beautiful Plumage asked me to go that same afternoon. I love a good clothes swap, and since this one was for charity I could hardly say no, could I?

I’ve been to a couple of small-scale clothes swaps and while Kat’s was held in her home on a quiet street in Southville, it was the most organised and well-stocked swap I’ve ever been to! The photos I took on my phone are a bit rubbish, but picture a living room piled high with clothes, accessories and jewellery, all divided into neat sections, including knitwear, skirts, jackets and even ‘sparkly things’.

Not only was there an abundance of clothes to choose from, there were also ample sweet treats that Kat had whipped up, including carrot cake, scones and fresh strawberries. Yum!

After some tea and cake, nine of us spent half an hour perusing ( I love that word) the extensive collection of clothes and selecting a few outfits to try on, before getting stuck in and swapping.

I came away with some fantastic finds, including a mustard coloured chunky knit jumper from Warehouse, a linen blazer and leopard print jersey dress. Once the weather picks up I’ll put up some actual outfit posts, but for now, check out my best finds, below.

I’ve mentioned it before on the blog, but clothes swaps are such a fantastic way to socialise with friends, clear out the clothes you never wear and pick up some new threads at the same time. And, in the case of Kat’s clothes swap, you can raise money for charity, too.

Have you been to any clothes swaps recently? What’s been your favourite swapping find?

Coffee coloured Topshop jumper

Redoute leopard print jersey dress

Blue and cream spotty F+F top from Tesco

Grey linen 3/4 length sleeve jacket from Primark

Mustard yellow chunky knit Warehouse jumper

Slouchy grey jumper dress

Rock The Week

Fashion related (and totally non-fashion related) things that have made my world go round over the last seven days…

• I don’t know about you, but I’ve had a great weekend! Not only is this post number two of the day (you can read post one, Isms, here) but I’ve also been on a five mile walk around Bristol, taken more shots with my lomo camera, eaten a cheeky portion of fish and chips, and baked a cake – nothing momentous has happened, but it’s just been a lovely, chilled out weekend.
• On Wednesday my first post for Oxfam Fashion went live, and it’s all about sustainability when buying new clothes. When I mentioned the post on here, I got a great response from Niki of Hip Shapes and Bristol Fashion, who makes her clothes last longer by up-cycling them. Read it here and share your comments – I’d love to know how other fashion bloggers choose to recycle their clothes.

• Clothes swapping. This week I was invited to another clothes swap and it was brilliant! I met some lovely ladies, found an amazing mustard chunky knit jumper from Warehouse, above, and ate my body weight in carrot cake. Full post and pics to follow soon.
• Blog lovin’. I’ve recently discovered Lady Liquor Vintage and I’m thoroughly enjoying the abundance of vintages fabrics and suitcases that blogger Catherine finds. She runs her own vintage shop on eBay and has a great eye for finding kitch homewares and accessories.

What’s been rocking your world this week? Let me know by commenting below…

Rock The Week

Fashion related (and totally non-fashion related) things that have made my world go round over the last seven days…

• New make-up. This week I’ve been a bit lax with the whole blogging thing, but I did manage to squeeze in a review of my new lipstick, Brighton Rock, from Topshop.
• Getting my lomo shots developed. I took my new Diana+ Dreamer on holiday and got the first roll of film developed today. I went with redscale film which I had anticipated would give a warm, orange tint to my images. This is less sunny, more night-vision googles! If any of you reading this are lomography buffs then do let me know where I went wrong : )

Our roast dinner at The Cadbury pub

• Cadbury Roast dinner. This afternoon we popped out to the Cadbury in Montpelier for a roast dinner. I’ve never eaten in there before but lunch was delicious, as was the cheeky apple and sultana crumble I had for dessert. We’re off to watch Prometheus at the cinema now – looking forward to it.
• DIY. Mr Ship-Shape and I have had quite a productive weekend working on the house. Mirrors and picture frames have been hung, the TV is now on a wall mount thingy and the place has been given a good clean. Although I’m naturally untidy, I always feel so much better when the house is clean and vaguely neat : )

What’s been rocking your world this week? Let me know by commenting below…

Topshop Make Up: Lips Lipstick in Brighton Rock review

Since losing my lipstick virginity at the MAC counter in Debenhams last year, I’ve been looking to feed my growing habit for make-up. I’m no make-up junkie and prefer a look that requires minimal effort, so the notion that one slick of lipstick can transform my appearance appeals to me.

Despite the press hype surrounding Topshop’s Make Up launch back in 2010, I’ve been reluctant to try it. Sure, the packaging is quirky and easy on the eye, and the reviews from bloggers have been promising, but something was holding me back. Make-up is a new venture for the brand, and I was a tad suspicious that the results would be all talk, no walk.

When I was in London a couple of weeks ago, curiosity got the better of me and while in Topshop’s Oxford Street store, I decided to throw caution to the wind. After much consideration (and zero help from staff, despite how quiet it was on the shopfloor) I walked away with Brighton Rock, a semi-matte lipstick in a bright shade of coral, mixed with a dash of fuchsia.

It’s a lot brighter than my MAC lipstick (Speak Louder, in case you’re wondering) so I’d be more inclined to wear it for a night out, or paired with just a slick of mascara during the day. I love the matte finish BUT – and I think this would be problematic (for me) with any matte lipstick – I did find it very drying. That dryness is presumably the tradeoff you make for having a matte finish, however if you can recommend any matte lipsticks that don’t have the same effect then let me know by commenting below.

At £8 I think this lipstick is good value for money, though I feel I’d need to use a moisturising lip balm underneath if I were to wear this on a daily basis. It seems as if the lipstick is a different colour in each of my photos, so as with any review I’d recommend trying it out yourself before committing to buying, but it is a wonderfully youthful colour and the perfect weekend treat!

Have you tried any products from Topshop’s Make Up range? Or do you have a brand of lipstick you swear by?

Topshop Make Up: I’m a sucker for simple packaging!

Topshop lipstick in Brighton Rock

Brighton Rock is a warm, bright pink shade

Rock The Week

Fashion related (and totally non-fashion related) things that have made my world go round over the last seven days…

Our lovely holiday home…

• Bonjour! This week’s RTW post comes from France, where I’m looking forward to a week of eating cheese, drinking wine and wearing Breton tees. I’ll be blogging a bit too, depending on the internet connection : )
• Topshop Make Up. Being short on luggage space, I’ve had to restrain myself on the shopping front while in London (though a vintage sundress from Rockit did sneak its way into my bag) so I decided to treat myself to a new lipstick instead. I went for a bright pink number from Topshop called Brighton Rock, and I love it!

• London. One small paragraph isn’t enough to express how much I enjoyed my holiday in The Big Smoke, but in a nutshell I loved… seeing old friends, haggling for curry in Brick Lane, soaking up the sunshine in Soho Square, noodles, sample sale madness – courtesy of Christopher Kane, hotel breakfasts, walking everywhere, the British Library and ballgowns at the V&A.
• Jubilee overload. London was awash with Diamond Jubilee decor last week, and although I’m excited for my holiday, I do think being in the capital (or Bristol for that matter) would have been a fantastic way to celebrate.

What’s been rocking your world this week? How are you spending your long weekend? Let me know by commenting below…

Hello Topshop!

A couple of Saturdays ago I was in town for the Cabot Circus Fashion Show and I couldn’t resist taking a sneak peak at some of the sales. It wasn’t long before I found myself in Topshop, waddling towards the changing rooms with a ginat pile of sale goodies to try on.

I was restrained though, and came away with two practical purchases – a peach sleeveless tee and an oversized cream chunky knit jumper, which you can see below. It’s been far too wet to take any outfit posts outside – I think I have the mentality of a cat when it comes to wet weather – so apologies for the dodgy photos. I’m still getting used to our house and finding the best places to take snaps and, yes, those are net curtains you can see in the background!

Anywho, the t-shirt was a practical purchase, and the jumper was a slightly whimsical one. I’ve been searching for a the right jumper for ages, and I’ve got into my head a particular look that I want to emulate. If you didn’t catch The Edge of Love when it came out in 2008, then I highly recommend renting it out on DVD. Keira Knightley and Sienna Miller star in this bio about the Welsh poet Dylan Thomas, and spend the entire film looking gorgeous as they frolic around in their 1940s tea dresses.

I love this era and I’m looking forward to pairing my new jumper with some summer dresses when I go on an annual trip to the Welsh countryside later this year. There’s nothing quite like enjoying a day in the sun and warming up under a blanket or wearing a huge jumper to fend off the chill. Have you found any bargains in the sales recently? Or are there any movie looks you’d love to recreate? Let me know by commenting below.

Sleeveless peach tee from Topshop

Slouchy cream jumper with cable knit details from Topshop

Clothes Swap: Topshop, florals & denim delights

I mentioned on a recent RTW post that my friend, S, hosted a clothes swap last month. I’m a big fan of clothes swapping for several reasons; aside from giving once-loved clothes a new home, doing your bit for the environment, and usually consuming a few glasses of wine and half a bag of kettle chips into the bargain, there is the complete randomness of it.

Attend a clothes swap at a friends house, the local church hall or at an established boutique and you will be confronted with a wealth of clothes and accessories you wouldn’t normally look for on the high street. You can delve into the personal taste of others and (hopefully) find some fab new clothes to add to your wardrobe.

At S’s event there were beaded peter pan collar blouses, floral print dresses and everything in between. Anything that didn’t come home with us was taken to a local charity shop so we weren’t the only ones to benefit, plus I think we all felt a lot better for clearing out our overloaded wardrobes.

So, what did I take home? Take a look…

Denim smock dress, no label, perfect for summer

Feather-effect layered skirt, Topshop

Floral harem pants, Next. Granted, these don't look much on the hanger, but they'll look great with my white Converse and a plain tee

As well as this I also came away with a tan coloured waist-cinching belt (you can never have too many) and a pair of grey cable knit leggings, which I wore on my recent jolly to Manchester.

What’s been your best clothes swap find? Let me know by commenting below…