Recently, I was invited to take part in the Matalan jumper challenge. It sounded like just my kind of challenge. After all, a girl can never have enough knitwear. Am I right or am I right?!
With the transition from Summer to Autumn just around the corner, Matalan have brought out this relaxed fit, super-flattering jumper in a range of colours. I went for the grey, because it's so versatile and goes with absolutely everything, but it's also available in black, navy, cream, light blue and light pink. It's the perfect weight - light enough to throw on now if it gets a bit breezy, but substantial enough to see you well into the cooler months too. The best part? It's only £8! I'm seriously impressed with the quality for this price.
Jumper, Jeans, Shoes, Bag - Matalan
The challenge for myself and a few other bloggers was to style up the jumper using other Matalan pieces. Apart from my sunglasses and the white tee you can just see under the jumper in a couple of the shots, my entire outfit is from Matalan, and comes in at less than £50. Amazing!
Now I do know that jeans and a jumper doesn't exactly make me fashion innovator of the year, but I wanted to style the jumper the way I would genuinely wear it in real life, and this is it, my friends! Faded denim, flat pumps and a cute bag - all day every day!
The jumper is round necked and a flattering cut with a dipped hem, making it slightly longer at the back. It's also got this zip detail which I really love.
It's just the sort of piece I gravitate towards once the Autumn starts to appear and I'm sure I'll be getting plenty of wear out of it next season.
As for the rest of the outfit, the jeans are soft and comfortable to wear, and a good fit. The bag is like a mini version of one I already have and I knew as soon as I saw it that it would be something I'd use a lot. For a tiny bag you can still fit a surprising amount in it, plus it zips across the top, which is something I appreciate as a lot of bags don't these days. The shoes are very similar to something I was eyeing up in Zara a couple of months ago, but at a fraction of the price. I don't seem to own many flats that aren't plimsolls or sandals so I'm sure I'll find these useful. I love the pointed toes. In my opinion, this detail makes them more wearable with dresses and skirts as well as just jeans.
(Don't you just hate getting photo-bombed by a duck?)
So there you have it! If you like this look and feel moved to show your approval in some way, you could always vote for me to win the jumper challenge by liking my photo of the outfit over on Matalan's Facebook Page. Everyone who likes one of the pictures will be entered into a competition with a chance to win a Matalan gift card worth £100, so it's well worth your while to pop over there and cast your vote. Doesn't have to be for me, but it would be lovely if it was! ;-)
Thanks Matalan for inviting me to take part!
How would you style this jumper?
Kate x
39 comments
I have an all-beauty favourites for you this month. (And yes, I know it's a little late, but what's a few days between friends?!) As usual, I've kept it brief, limiting my picks to just a few items. Shall we take a look?
1. Dove Summer Glow Gradual Tanner
I absolutely love Dove as a brand. I nearly always use their shower creams as I find them so gentle and moisturising - likewise their liquid hand soaps. I've also been hearing really positive things about their hair oils, so it probably won't be long before I acquire one of those too! I've tried this gradual tanner before, but forgot about it for a while when I became more focused on "proper" fake tans. I like a fairly deep tan, and used to think you could really only get that from a dedicated tanning product. But they can be a pain to apply, so the last time I was looking for one, I decided to try this again. I went for the medium to dark skin version, even though I'm obviously more light to medium, and applied it every morning for about a week. And voila! A nice deep tan, with none of the hassle. Applying this stuff is basically as easy as putting on moisturiser. And the beauty of it is, you can make it as subtle or as deep as you like depending on how often you apply it. My bottle is almost finished now and I'm definitely going to pick up another one soon.
2. Coffee toned lipsticks - Rimmel By Kate Nude Collection in #43 and Mac Lipstick in Mocha
I'm loving both these shades at the moment. The Rimmel Kate in #43 is a lovely, wearable nude, whereas Mac Mocha is slightly deeper and packs more of a punch. I can see myself wearing this one a lot through the Autumn. I haven't really worn any brown/coffee toned lipsticks for a long time - I don't think anyone has since the nineties, up until two or three years ago! It makes a really nice change from the usual pinks, peaches and reds. There's not much more to say about these really, just that I love them and will no doubt end up buying a few more that are same same but different!
3. Real Techniques Starter Set (Eyes) and Bold Metals Pointed Crease Brush
With my sister's wedding fast approaching, I've been practicing my eye makeup a lot this month, and really appreciating having the right tools for the job. The Real Techniques Starter Set has been so useful. There's a firm brush to blend shadow into the crease, a fluffy brush to pack colour on the lid and a tiny one that's perfect for highlighting the inner corner. The Bold Metals pointed crease brush, aside from being a thing of beauty, allows for accentuating the outer corner very precisely - an area I struggle with. I know I've talked about this one very recently, but I just had to mention it again in my favourites because I've so loved using it this month. These brushes are going to be a real lifesaver on the big day!
4. Moisture-rich skincare - Indeed Labs Hydraluron Moisture Boosting Masks and Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate
I reviewed the Kiehl's product very recently here, so I won't go on about it too much. Suffice it to say that I'm still loving this stuff. It feels so light on the skin and my complexion looks nicely "plumped" by morning after wearing it overnight. For an even more intense moisture hit, I've been loving these hydraluron masks by Indeed Labs. I've actually had these for ages, tucked away in a drawer, but I found them when I was tidying up recently and decided to pop one on while I was having a bath. They're those paper masks that make you look like something from a horror movie, but they certainly work well! Again, they have a lovely plumping effect on the complexion and will soften fine dehydration lines - fantastic if you have dry skin.
And there you have my July favourites! Have you tried any of these? What have you been loving this month?
Kate x
I have an impromptu giveaway for you today!
A little while ago, I was approached by Zaful.com, who offered to send me a dress from their website for review. I'd never heard of them, but I saw a lot that I liked when I browsed the site. They're US based, but offer free shipping worldwide and the prices are seriously affordable. They're definitely worth checking out.
The dress I picked was this black and white striped fitted maxi, but unfortunately when it arrived it was far too big for me, even though it was a size small - the smallest size available. Oh well, maybe my loss will be your gain, because I'm going to give it away to one of you!
Here it is.
The dress is polyester, ankle length, and as I mentioned, designed to be fitted. I was picturing it with a denim jacket or waistcoat, aviator shades, some simple sandals and a red lip. I'm quite sad that I have to give it away really!
The giveaway is open internationally. To give you an idea of the size, I'm a petite 5'3 and usually wear a UK size 8 (US 4). Ordinarily, ordering a small would be no problem, but the dress was very big on me, especially on top. (I'm a typical pear shape, carry most of my weight on my hips and have matchsticks for arms.) I would say this is more of a 10 or even a 12, depending on height and weight. If you think it might work for you and you like the look of it then please feel free to enter. Of course I can't promise that it will be a perfect fit for whoever wins it, but it's got to be worth a shot for a free maxi dress, right?
If you want to be in with a chance of winning, then here's what you have to do:
- Follow me on Bloglovin, Instagram and Twitter,
- Leave a comment to let me know you've done this and would like to be entered,
- Check back here on Tuesday 1st September when I will announce the winner (selected at random using an online name picker). I will also contact the winner via Twitter.
And that's it! If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask.
Good luck!
Kate x
So I've picked up a few bits and pieces over the past couple of months that I'm probably not going to feature in other blog posts, and I thought you might be interested in seeing them, so I've decided to put together a little haul. Personally I always love a bit of vicarious shopping, so I hope you do too.
First up, this beautiful nightie and dressing gown set from the Rosie for Autograph range from Marks and Spencer.
First up, this beautiful nightie and dressing gown set from the Rosie for Autograph range from Marks and Spencer.
I'm obsessed with this range. Obsessed. I'm not going to lie - there is a little part of me that secretly believes if I just buy enough Rosie for Autograph nightwear, I will eventually become Rosie Hungtington-Whiteley. It hasn't happened yet, but believe me, I am going for it.
I often find nightwear a difficult thing to shop for. Unless you want to wear novelty pyjamas, old lady flanneling or porn star negligees, there's not a lot left to choose from, but Rosie for Autograph is a glorious exception. The designs are just so feminine and beautiful - subtly sexy and totally wearable. If Marks and Spencer ever stop producing this line I don't know what I'll do. This set consists of a silky chemise with a lace panel detail and matching dressing gown.
The next two items were purchased because my sister and I are going to be doing our own hair and makeup for her upcoming wedding, and I needed the appropriate tools. I picked up the Real Techniques Bold Metals Pointed Crease Brush and a Babyliss Teasing Brush.
I find eye makeup hard to do, mostly because of the shape of my eyes. They're set quite deep into the sockets and shadows tend to end up all over the place if I'm not careful. The pointed crease brush allows you to apply shadow to your crease in a really precise way, so it's perfect for me. I also think the Bold Metals brushes are just beautiful, and I want them all so that I can display them in a decorative pot on my dressing table. This one has started my collection off very nicely.
I'll be wearing my hair in loose waves for the wedding, and a certain amount of back combing is going to be necessary. I've had a go at it with a regular bristle brush, and that works ok, but when my sister showed me her Babyliss teasing brush I was astonished at how much more effective it is. I went straight out and got my own. Sometimes you just can't beat having exactly the right tool for the job.
And finally, I've collected a little bit of makeup from Boots. Because... well, you know. Advantage card points. And 3 for 2. And enticing advertising. I've been loving the images of Kate Moss wearing her Rimmel nude range, so I couldn't resist picking up a lipstick and nail varnish to try. I got the lipstick in shade 43, which is a peachy, browny sort of nude, reminiscent of Nude Delight which I've featured on the blog a few times. There's more of a coffee tone to this one though, which I really like. Plus, I love the packaging. I pretend that the "Kate" written on it is just for me.
For the nail varnish, I opted for 127 Gentle Kiss. This is essentially the exact same colour as my skin, but I don't necessarily dislike that. It looks very polished, especially with a glossy top coat over it and a couple of nice rings on.
I also bought the Maybelline Master Sculpt palette in light/medium. I honestly don't know why I bought this as I have always avoided the contouring trend in the past. My face is mostly bones and not a whole load of flesh, so contouring is probably never going to be flattering on me. Strobing, on the other hand, now that's what I should be getting into! But this palette was so inexpensive and so hyped up that I thought, what the heck, maybe there's a way I can work with it. I've had a little play with it since purchasing and my first thoughts are that it's very subtle. Almost too subtle. Perhaps I don't have quite the right brush. Perhaps I need to buy the Bold Metals Contour brush. Isn't it funny how new purchases only seem to make the shopping list longer?!
I'm going to experiment a bit more with this makeup and perhaps I'll do a "nude look" post soon if I think it's worthwhile.
I'd love to know your thoughts on my purchases! Have you tried anything from the Kate Moss nude range?
Kate x
You know how it goes. You're just about getting to grips with Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair when it suddenly seems that all anyone is talking about is Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate. So you eventually get around to buying the Kiehl's, and now it's all "Sunday Riley this" and "Sunday Riley that".
Well, I couldn't exactly justify splurging on Sunday Riley while this was lying around unused and unloved, so I cracked it open just over a week ago and I've been using it every night since then.
I like the packaging. The bottle is glass and the lid/dropper has a nifty little button which allows you to dispense the right amount of product without any waste. I also appreciate the midnight blue colour, because it gets to work while you are asleep at night. I know that's probably very silly, but it appeals to me for some reason!
I've tried a couple of facial oils in the past - Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair and Clarins Blue Orchid Oil, which I reviewed here. Both of these products were a pleasure to use and both definitely benefited my skin, but my feeling so far is that the Kiehl's is better. This is a first impressions post, as I have only been using it for a week or so, but with a product like this I actually think it's the first impression that counts. It's supposed to work overnight to deliver results by morning, and if you failed to use it the next night, presumably your skin wouldn't look as good the morning after that. My understanding is that it won't necessarily improve your complexion to any greater degree with continued use. (Skincare experts, feel free to correct me if I'm wrong!)
I've been using this in place of a serum, and I apply a night cream afterwards. The directions for all facial oils seem to recommend applying two to three drops, but the Kiehl's is the first one I've used where two to three drops actually covers all my face with ease. It's much lighter than the others and just glides effortlessly across the skin. It sinks in very easily and smells of lavender, which I love. One of my favourite things about the Clarins oil was that it felt like an aromatherapy treatment as well as skincare, and you definitely get that with this one as well. In addition to lavender, it also contains evening primrose oil (rich in omega-6 fatty acids) and squalane, which I have never heard of but which is apparently "similar in molecular structure to natural skin lipids". These ingredients are combined to deliver a hefty moisture hit which works its way into your skin while you sleep. This is the optimum time to get the best results from the product as it coincides with your body working to repair your skin from all the damage of the previous day.
Kiehl's promises a "smoother, more radiant complexion by morning" and I have definitely noticed improvements in these areas, from the very first use. I'm never going to have the best skin in the world, but this has certainly made it feel smoother and look plumper. For me, the best part is that it seems to have drastically reduced a couple of fine lines around my mouth that have been bugging me lately. I haven't experienced that kind of result with any other oil. This tells me two things. Firstly, that I need to keep this little bottle of magic as part of my regular skincare routine, and secondly, that I need to hurry up and try that free sample of the eye cream which was included with my purchase!
Have you tried this oil? What did you think?
Kate x
The sequence of events that led to me acquiring this dress went a little something like this:
1. Visit all time favourite blog, Buy Now Blog Later, and see the lovely Laura in a gorgeous light grey shirt dress. Experience dress envy.
2. Go on shopping trip to Leeds with my sister and casually enter Topshop. The first thing to catch my eye was this dress, on the tallest mannequin right in the middle of the store. That's a sign if ever there was one, right?
3. Exclaim, a little too loudly, 'THAT'S LAURA'S DRESS IN RED!!!' and rush over to hunt for my size, totally oblivious to the strange looks I'm getting from other shoppers.
Less than a week later I'm proudly wearing it out and about, and looking pretty happy about it.
Dress - Topshop, Jacket - Warehouse, Bag - Zara, Shoes - H&M, Sunglasses - River Island
There's something a little bit special about this dress. It looks almost boring on the hanger and as though it's going to hang on your body like a sack, yet somehow the cut and substantial fabric make it super-flattering when worn. It looks and kind of feels like silk, though it's actually 100% viscose which obviously makes it a lot more affordable.
You can dress it up or down quite easily. I've gone for a casual-ish look here, but I still felt nice enough in it to wear it out to dinner with my husband for our anniversary last weekend. (In case anyone is interested, we went back to The Old Weighing Room, which I talked about here. It wasn't really our intention to go back again so soon, but it was booked long before we were invited to the family lunch there, and after some discussion we decided not to change the reservation as we were both so curious to see what the evening menu was like. I'm happy to report the food was delicious - definitely a level up from Sunday lunch!)
Here's the look sans jacket.
I really love the length of this dress, and the stepped hem. It's so easy and comfortable to wear. It's also available in a few different colours. I've seen a bold striped version and a khaki as well as this one and the pale grey. I'm very tempted to pick up another as it's such a versatile piece. I'm going to Mallorca in September and I can see myself wearing this to death there.
£36 for this gem of a dress? Nice one Topshop!
Are you a fan of shirt dresses?
Kate x
A little while ago, I was approached by fellow blogger Katie Lou who wondered if I might be interested in collaborating with her on a post. Checking out her blog, I was immediately struck by the similarities between us. Our names are nearly identical, and of course we're both passionate about fashion and beauty. We even got into blogging around the same time, in the Spring of last year.
However, there is one big difference - at sixteen, Katie is two whole decades younger than me.
Gasp.
Age isn't something I think about too much, or at least I try not to. I have always felt quite strongly, ever since I was a child, that I want to remain young at heart, and not get old before my time. However, the way I dress and do my makeup has obviously changed a lot since I was Katie's age, so I thought it might be fun to make our collaboration about that. How much influence does age really have on our style and beauty choices? Obviously there is nothing scientific about this as it's just me and Katie, but we both thought it would make for an interesting post nonetheless. It was Katie's idea for us both to pick an outfit and makeup for a casual summer day, so without further ado, here's mine.
Makeup
Makeup
I've been loving dewy skin at the moment so that's what I went for. I'm wearing Clarins Extra Comfort foundation with a bit of Benefit Dallas - an old favourite of mine in the summer months. It's basically like a bronzer and blusher in one and is a gorgeous "sunset" sort of colour. Then a generous sweep of good old Watt's Up across the top of my cheekbones, Rimmel Nude Delight on my lips and that's pretty much it. I kept my eyes very simple - just a creamy colour across the lids and a soft mid brown through the crease, then a little liner for definition and Rimmel Wonder'full Wake Me Up mascara.
Back when I was Katie's age, I was pretty clueless about makeup. I think my collection consisted of a single brick red lipstick that I would slap on as and when I felt like it. It was only in my twenties that I started to wear makeup on a regular basis and only much later with the discovery of YouTube that I started to really experiment with it. In my teens and early twenties I would happily go out without makeup on, but not now. Does age have something to do with that? Well, yes in the sense that as I've got older I've definitely started to prefer a more polished and put-together look. But truth be told, I've never had particularly good skin, and I've grown to really enjoy playing with makeup! If those two things were different, perhaps I'd still be happy to go bare-faced from time to time. Who knows?
Outfit
Well, here I am, strolling casually through my Aunty's garden with my handbag, as you do. This is what I wore for a family gathering last weekend. I bought the top from Zara just before I went to Cyprus and I love it. It works well with denim shorts and flip flops, but I've equally enjoyed wearing it like this too. It's a nice, wearable take on the whole boho/peasant trend. The grey jeans make a change from blue and the sandals and bag are old but still much loved. I added my River Island cat-eye sunglasses (still obsessed) and some delicate silver jewellery that you can't see in the photo.
I'm by no means an expert but I think I have learned something about putting clothes together over the years. When I was Katie's age I was really only just starting to get interested in fashion and when I went into Topshop or wherever I just loved EVERYTHING. Now I'm a lot more discerning and I have a better idea of what's going to look good on me and what isn't. Even now, though, I still sometimes make a point of trying on clothes I'm really not sure about. You just never know. We're changing all the time, and sometimes that means that something you wouldn't have dreamed of wearing before suddenly looks good on you.
Let's take a look at Katie's photos now!
Makeup
My first thought when I look at this, other than how gorgeous Katie looks, is that I wouldn't have had the first idea how to do this when I was sixteen. I suppose I was a bit of a late developer, but honestly I don't know how any of us figured out anything to do with fashion or beauty before YouTube and blogs came along. Katie clearly knows exactly what she is doing and I love that she still looks totally fresh-faced and age-appropriate - she's accentuated her lovely eyes and lips without looking at all like it's "too much". Would I wear this makeup? Actually, I probably would! A nice sharp liner and a pink lip - what's not to love, at any age? I'd probably tend to wear it as more of an evening look, but that's just me.
Outfit
I love Katie's outfit. Like me, she dressed for a casual summer day - hers involved a spot of shopping and a barbecue. She looks stunning and I love the way her makeup compliments the colours of the dress. I'd wear those gorgeous sandals in a heartbeat, but much as I love the dress, I have to admit that it wouldn't work on me. Is it because I'm too old for the short hemline? Well, that's the obvious answer, but I think there's more to it than that. There are certain contexts in which I would happily wear something that short - on a beach holiday, for example (I was literally talking about denim shorts a few paragraphs ago!) or perhaps for a dressy evening out (a short cocktail dress with heels? No problem!) I think with this dress it's the length combined with the girly simplicity of it that makes it, quite simply, too young for me. Wonderful on a sixteen year old, yet somehow slightly ridiculous next to a more mature face.
This collaboration has made me think quite a bit about how my approach to clothes and makeup has developed over the years. The conclusion I've come to is that it's a continuous learning curve. We are always changing and adapting and always picking up new skills and ideas. Katie is so much more clued-up than I was at her age and my advice to her would be, keep doing what you are doing, girl! Have fun with it, experiment, and basically milk being sixteen for all it's worth! But I'd also say, don't dread growing older. I'm not going to get all deep here because I do know there's more to life than clothes and makeup. (Like, seriously.) But we're all here reading and/or writing blogs because we love clothes and makeup, and my personal experience of the journey from 16 to 36 is that I've gained a lot more than I've lost. Yes, there's certain things I probably wouldn't wear now I'm "older", but the list is really not that long. (There's nearly always a different way to wear something if you think outside the box!) At the same time, there's so much more I can wear now that would have looked too "grown-up" on me when I was in my teens and early twenties. Add to that the years of practice that have led to me finally being able to apply makeup and style my hair properly, and I'm pretty happy where I am!
How has your approach to fashion and beauty changed over the years, and how influential has the Internet been in teaching you what you know? And finally, please head over to Katie's blog for her thoughts on our style choices!
Kate x
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)