OOTD | GREY, FLUTE SLEEVES & KOKO COUTURE

I’m grey obsessed, anyone that knows me can tell you this. When it comes to fashion, grey (and black) is the colour of the majority of my wardrobe so it seemed fitting to talk you through how I styled my new favourite grey pieces.

Frills and flute/bell sleeves are everywhere at the moment and it’s a trend I have completely fallen for. Moving on from bell sleeved winter jumpers for the transition into Spring, I’ve picked up a few lovely pieces recently such as this blouse from Topshop. It’s grey of course, with a slight lilac tint which makes it perfect for this season. Unfortunately, this blouse is no longer on their site but I’d urge you to have a look anyway because Topshop are killing it with this trend and there are some very similar tops to purchase! I think I’m even away to add some into my basket after I finish writing this post…

Black jeans are my go-to and it’s unlikely you’ll see me in anything else. I’ve always been a Topshop jeans kind of girl but recently I’ve been trying to move out of my comfort zone and try some from other stores. I found this black distressed pair from New Look and instantly knew I had to have them. Ripped knees is a trend that has been around for a while now but what I love about this particular pair is that they also have ripped hems, which renews the style and brings them straight into ’17.

I’ve gone metallic mad in the last few weeks so these boots were a must-have! They are heeled but I find them incredibly comfy and can walk in them for hours and they jazz up any average outfit. Again, I picked these up from New Look and even better in their sale! There are a few different styles to choose from here so grab them before they run out.

Now for the star of the show – my bag. When it comes to bags, I’d say I was pretty snobbish and would only buy one if it were designer as I was all about the quality. That was until I had the opportunity to try out the Zoe Large Faux Suede Clutch bag in Grey from KoKo Couture. This bag is only £20 and it’s completely changed the way I view bags, which my bank balance is incredibly grateful for! It also comes in White or Tan if those colours are more up your alley.

This bag is perfect for a night out and is large enough that you can fit everything you need in it – purse, phone, keys, makeup – plus plenty room for more. It has a detachable silver chain strap making it versatile for different occasions and metal embellishments on the fold over closure adding a little extra oomph. The quality of the bag seems to be great and for the price I’m insanely happy with it.

If you are after this bag, you can purchase it from KoKo Couture‘s website but what’s even greater is that they are being stocked in Topshop stores so these beautiful bags are now even more accessible, along with more of KoKo Couture‘s line.

Have you ever tried KoKo Couture bags? What do you think of them?

Thanks for reading,

 

May Wishlist

I planned my whole day around taking photos for a blog post on my April Favourites, only to find out my camera battery was flat. Blogger problems? So instead, I thought I would give you a glimpse into the beauty and fashion products that I would love to get my hands on in May.

Let’s just jump straight in:

Gerard Cosmetics Hydra Matte Liquid Lipstick – Iced Mocha, £9.50. Like everyone else, I am a huge fan of matte lipsticks, especially those in liquid form. They are easy to apply and very ‘Kylie Jenner’. They are said to be hydrating on the lips, long-lasting and cruelty free. I have several friends who have a couple of these lipsticks and swear by them so they are definitely something I want to try. The Iced Mocha colour looks right up my street.

theBalm Mary-Lou Manizer Luminizer – £17.50. Again, I have heard such good things about this little beauty. This highlighter appears to something in between my MAC Mineralise Skin Finish (Lightscapade) and BECCA Skin Perfector (Champagne Pop) which is perfect as I would then have a highlighter to cover all bases. This product is said to be highly pigmented and the packing is quirky and fun.

 

Urban Decay Alice Through the Looking Glass Palette – price to be confirmed. When I heard about this launch I was so excited. I am a huge Disney fan so Disney themed make-up is exactly what I need in my collection. In this palette, there are a mix of 20 shimmers and mattes in a whole array of colours ranging from day-to-day colours, such as Dutchess, to fun, out-of-this-world colours such as Hatter. Even the box is fun but I will let you discover that yourselves.

Too Faced Sweetheart Bronzer – Sweet Tea, £22. Too Faced is a brand that I have always wanted to try but the price has always put me off. With a little shimmer, this bronzer looks perfect for summer to make your skin gleam. I like that there are two shades so you can either use them separately or take a large brush and swirl it around the two. I know that Make Up Revolution have a bronzer very similar in style to this so I may try it out instead as it it only £4.99. If you are interested in a bronzer that won’t break the bank, you’ll find it here.

 

Whistles Matte Croc Rivington Clutch – Pale Pink, £85.  I am a handbag fiend and would buy a new handbag every week if I could. I’ve wanted a Whistles clutch for quite a while now and when I saw this one I just knew it could be the one. It is the perfect size to hold all your essentials on a night out while still looking dainty. I mostly wear black, grey and white clothes so I think this nude pink clutch could be exactly what I need to inject a little colour into my look.

ASOS TEMPT Lace Up Heeled Sandals – £30.  Being a little on the shorter side, I’ve been on the hunt for a pair of heeled sandals for my trip to Thailand in June to give me some height. I came across these and I think I will definitely be ordering them. They are black, chunky and incredibly ‘me’. The laced up detailing makes them very on trend too. Even though they are heeled, I think they will be comfy for days where I want to do a little walking but still look fashionable. I’d team these during the day with a pair of denim shorts and a baggy white t-shirt or wear them in the evening with a floaty skirt and camisole.

I had better get saving!

What is on your May Wishlist? Let me know.

SimplyKirsty

 

Birthday Night Out | Make Up

As promised, I thought I’d give you a look into how I get ready for a night out. This time it was for my friend Holly‘s birthday. So let’s just get straight into it.

PREP:

• I start by moisturising my face and applying a tiny amount of Boots Simply Sensitive Hydrating Eye Cream under my eyes.
• Next I prime my face with less than a pea size amount of Rimmel Match Perfection Fix & Perfect Primer

 

BASE:

• I conceal beneath my eyes and any red pigmentation in the skin, which is a lot in my case, with my trusty Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer in Fair.
• Next I use my Real Techniques Buffing brush (which you can find in the Real Techniques Core Collection),to apply my L’Oreal Infallible 24H Foundation foundation in the shade Vanilla.
• My skin becomes very patchy after showering, so once again I will conceal any red areas that have appeared through my foundation with my concealer.
• Then I will use my Real Techniques Blush Brush to apply a thin layer of Rimmel Stay Matte Pressed Powder all over my face. I use Transparent. 

CONTOUR:

• To give a sunkissed glow to my pale skin, I will use my Real Technique Blush Brush to sweep Bourjois Delice de Poudre Bronzing Powder in Medium/Dark all over my face.
• Using a finger, I will then use my Anastasia Beverly Hills Cream Contour Kit to contour and highlight my face and use the Real Techniques Miracle Complexion Sponge to blend.
• I will then use Anastasia Beverly Hills Powder Contour Kit to define my contour further by using the Real Techniques Contour Brush, which is also in the Real Techniques Core Collection. If you want to know how I contour and which colours I use where, check out my blog on the Anastasia Contour Kits.
• I then set this using Rimmel Stay Matte powder. 

EYES:

• I prime my eyes with the Urban Decay Original Primer Potion. Right now, I’m using the free samples that came with my Naked 2 Palette, but I will definitely be making the purchase after I’ve used them up. You can find them here.
• I then use a mixture of colours from Morphe 35T Palette to create a brown smokey eye look. I will be doing a full review on this palette and my 35T very soon!
• Next, I draw on my winged eyeliner with Collection Extreme 24 Hour Felt Tip Liner.
• Then I apply some Eylure Volume Lashes, which is an essential for me because I find my eyelashes don’t stay curled and voluptuous for very long with just mascara.
• Using Rimmel Supercurler 24H Mascara, I blend my eyelashes and the falsies together to create a more natural look.

EYEBROWS:

• I start by brushing through my brows with the spoolie on the Anastasia Beverly Hills Sable Duo Brow Brush
• Using the opposite end of the same brush, I take a small amount of Anastasia Beverly Hills Dipbrow Pomade in Taupe to define and fill in my brows. If you want a review on this, let me know. I will show you a before and after of my brows.
• I then set this with Maybelline Brow Drama Sculpting Mascara in Deep Blonde to keep everything in place.

FINISHING TOUCHES:

• I sweep a little Bourjois Little Round Pot Blusher in Rose D’Or over the apple of my cheeks.
• Using the lovely BECCA Jaclyn Hill Shimmering Skin Perfector in Champagne Pop, I highlight under my eyebrows, down my nose and cupid’s bow.
• Then after a brush of the teeth, I will use  NYX Liquid Suede Cream Lipstick in Vintage on my lips.
• Finally, I set the whole look with Urban Decay All Nigher Setting Spray.

And that’s it! That is how I create my night out look. It isn’t too much different from my every day make up, but if this is something you would also like to see, then just leave a comment.

Thanks for reading,

SimplyKirsty

 

OOTD | St. Andrews

If I was only allowed to wear one outfit for the rest of my life, this would be it. As soon as it’s dirty, I’ll throw it in the wash and wear it again as soon as possible.

So when my family decided to take a trip to St. Andrews, to visit the university my sister got a place to study at, this was the outfit I had to wear.

If you’ve never been to St. Andrews before, it is a beautiful town in Scotland. It is a small place but there is plenty to do (aquarium, beach, castle, cathedral, botanical gardens, great restaurants and bars to name a few) and caters well for students. While I was here, I took the opportunity to catch up with an old friend who studies here over tea and cakes. We went to the Old Course Museum cafe and it was lovely.

But that is enough about St. Andrews. Let’s talk about fashion.

So here is my go-to outfit. I will wear this for any occasion – from food shopping to going out for drinks with friends. I find it very versatile.

 

I’m wearing:

ASOS Roll Neck Long Sleeved Body – £18. This is probably my favourite part of the whole outfit, even though it is hard to see in this photo. I am obsessed with roll/turtle/high neck tops. I own so many but I find this one is very flattering. It is skin tight so gives you a lovely, feminine shape and is true to size. The neck is tight and that’s no exaggeration. This nearly made me send it back but with a little perseverance – I’d also advice putting this on before make up – it is perfect for wearing with skirts and jeans as you will have no lumps and bumps of material. Also say goodbye to having to keep tucking your top in whenever you stand up. I wish I had these in several colours.

Topshop Boucle A-Line Skirt – £26. Over Winter, all I wore was black skinny jeans but recently I’ve been starting to venture into skirts again. Because I wear a skirt to work, it’s so easy to just slip on a skirt and t-shirt after work to lounge about in. This particular skirt is high-waisted  and along with being A-line helps show off your slim waist and flares out over your stomach, which after all the food I consumed while I was here was beneficial! I purchased a size 6 which is my usual sizing and it fits perfectly which is a nice change as I tend to find skirts are too big for me in the waist and too small over my bum.

Black Leather-look Faux Fur Biker Jacket – £40, currently. This lovely piece is a staple every girl needs. The gold hardware is a win for me as I rarely wear anything else so goes with all my jewellery and bags.  The faux fur collar is also detachable for those times when you want to make your biker ‘more biker’. I chose to go for a size 8, which is a size up but I think this works well because it will be layered over other articles of clothing. If like me you are petite, you may find that the sleeves cover your hands – but honestly, I prefer this as my hands are always cold.

Black Buckle Strap Block Heel Ankle Boots – £15. These are not the exact boots I am wearing but the only difference is that these have a soft finish and are roughly £10 cheaper! These give me a great amount of height and with the thick block heel, I feel comfortable to pop these on for a long day of shopping or a walk around town. The cute gold buckle on the side of each shoe and the gold plate at the back of the heel really finish these off and separate them from other black heeled boots out there. I think it gives the boot a more expensive feel.

Finally I want to talk about my bag. I’ve had this beauty for a few months now and it is exactly what I’ve been looking for.

Karl Lagerfeld Handbag – £220. This bag is a cross body bag that also has a gold chain handle for handheld use. It is the perfect size so stop you from carrying around everything you own but still holds everything you will need – phone, purse, couple make up items, hair brush. This is the main reason I bought this bag. Once again, it has gold hardware, which is right up my street. I plan on doing a What’s In My Bag so I won’t go into much more detail but just know this has been worth splashing out on.

Do you have an outfit that you cannot stop wearing? Would you like to see a What’s in My Bag post? I’d love to know.

Also, to all you students out there – a reminder that all the shops mentioned are featured on UniDays. Don’t forget to get that discount!

FASHION WISHLIST | Premium Handbag Edition + Dupes

Since I’m awaiting the arrival of my new camera, I thought I’d give you a peak into my handbag wishlist.

These will be high end products that I cannot afford but one day hope to be able to. I’ve tried my best to find some dupes that you may enjoy instead to put alongside (these have not been tested by me so I can’t give an accurate comparison).

Chloe Faye | Medium Python, Seude and Leather Shoulder Bag £1635 
I am completely drawn to this bag, isn’t it just beautiful? I’m not into animal print products but I make an exceptions for snake print. Fayes come in a range of colours to match every taste preference and a perfect size to carry all your day-to-day belongings.

 

 

Why not try this instead? Forever 21 Faux Leather Chain Crossbody £20

 

 

 

 

Lulu Guinness | Black Perspex Lips Clutch £245

Lulu Guinness is a brand I’ve admired for a while now and I was lucky to be gifted a make up bag one year from a family friend. It’s gorgeous quality and it makes me excited to try more of their range.

This cute piece is just what everyone needs to add a bit of fun to an evening outfit. It’s playful in all the right ways. Team with a Little Black Dress or even jeans and a killer pair of heels. Like the Faye, this clutch comes in an array of colours to suit every taste and outfit. How would you wear yours?

 

If this isn’t in your price range, how about this? Boohoo Alice Lips Clutch At £14, it’s a steal! It also comes in coral.

 

Chloe Drew | Small Textured-leather Shoulder Bag £1140

Okay, so you now know that I love Chloe bags? This lovely piece, surprise surprise, comes in multiple colours and patterns. I personally love this grey one and think it would work for a day of shopping or going for a drink with friends in the evening. In fact, I think it goes with everything I own. What’s not to love?

 

 

 

 

Maybe this one instead? ALDO Rodriguez Bag. It’s on sale right now for £22.50! The pattern is like nothing I have seen and I think I think it’s a perfect piece to give a little colour to any outfit. 

 

 

Are there any designer or dupes that you recommend? Or any bags that you would like to see a dupe for, let me know!

 

Now excuse me while I go and make some purchases…