New In: Sheinside Clothing

When the online clothing store, Sheinside, contacted me to try out some of their pieces i jumped at the opportunity. After hearing about Sheinside on many fashion blogs, i was really excited to give it a try for myself. As i browsed their website i found many pieces which i really liked, mostly embellished with sequins or studs, and with New Years Eve just around the corner, it couldn't have been at a better time.

Black Embroidery Rhinestone Mini Skirt £16.61 Size Medium

The first item which caught my eye, is this beautiful embellished mini skirt that instantly reminded me of something i had spotted in Zara before. I loved the eye-catching pearl embellishment, and thought it would look great paired with a simple silk shirt, tights and heels. I was pleasantly surprised when it arrived as i didn't know what to expect in terms of the quality. However, the material was very nice- thick and sturdy- and the embellishment was very intricate. Unfortunately, some of the beads along the hem of the skirt had fallen off, so i don't think it's the sort of skirt that you would want to wear a lot. As a one-off party piece, such as for New Years Eve, it would be perfect. However, i don't think it's durable for frequent visits to the washing machine. Although, as it is such a party piece, its unlikely to be worn so often anyway. In terms of sizing, i ordered a medium which fit perfectly and would be suitable for a UK 10. 

Black Chiffon Shirt with Gold Sequinned Collar £27.68 One Size

The next piece which i chose to review, was this gold sequinned collar blouse. I thought it would look great paired with my black skater skirt over the festive/party period, or with a classic pair of black jeans. Once again, the quality was good- not amazing, but good- and the sequins seem very durable as they're sewn into a mesh fabric. This was one size fits all, but i think it would be suitable for anyone between a UK 8-10. 

Overall, whilst the quality isn't amazing, for the price it's certainly very good. For £16, i think that the skirt is great quality, especially as very similar styles can be found in Zara this season for around £70-80! I would recommend Sheinside for affordable yet good quality pieces, that are ideal for one off events or particular fashion trends. I wouldn't buy any classic investment pieces, but for one-off trendy pieces it's ideal. I'm looking forward to wearing the skirt on New Years Eve! They also ship worldwide, for free, which is amazing, and the website is updated with over 500 new arrivals per day. 

You can check out the website here.

Love, Claudia x

Weekly Summary #15: Christmas Celebrations

1. Christmas lunch destination, 2.  Turkey!, 3. Christmas OOTD (video here), 4. My favourite Christmas card,  5. The best Christmas candle ever- 'Winter' by The White Company, it smells amazing! 6. Christmas baking- me and my brother attempted to make melting snowman cookies which actually turned out quite well!, 7. Yummy Christmas pudding, 8. Some of my favourite tree decorations this year, 9. My Christmas makeup look (post here), 10. Beautifully wrapped Christmas gifts (post here), 11. Christmas lunch menu- i could eat it all over again today!, 12. Filming my Christmas haul (video here)

I hope you all had a lovely Christmas, and have a very Happy New Year too! I'd love to know how you spent Christmas this year:)

Love, Claudia x

Christmas Goodies

-Tiffany Pearls-

-Chanel cosmetics-

-Jack Wills clothing-

-Fashion Fairytales-

 -Victoria's Secret Sleepwear & Body Mist-

I received some beautiful gifts for Christmas this year, and thought it would be fun to show you some of them. I'm really excited to start reviewing some of my new cosmetics and beauty items, which i'm sure will make an appearance very soon! If you'd like to see my Christmas haul, you can check it out here on my you tube channel. 

I hope you all had a lovely Christmas,

Love, Claudia x

My Makeup: Christmas Day

Firstly, i hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas on Tuesday! I went out for Christmas dinner this year and really enjoyed getting dressed up for the occasion, rather than sporting my pj's as i do most years! I thought I'd share the makeup look that i went for as it involves many new products that im really loving. 

For my eye makeup, i decided to try out one of my new gifts- the Urban Decay Naked Basics Palette. It consists of six, mostly matte, neutral eye shadows, which i used to create a soft brown smokey-eye. The pigmentation is amazing as usual, and the colours are incredibly easy to use. I then applied my Guerlain Bi-phase Liquid Eyeliner, which is absolutely amazing in my opinion. It makes the often tricky task of creating winged liner incredibly easy with it's mega fine brush. It's super black, and has a glossy finish that stays put all day. To finish off the eyes i used my new Chanel products- Le Crayon Khol in 'Noir' and the Inimitable Intense Mascara. Once again, Chanel have impressed me. Both products are excellent quality and will be sure to feature in a review very soon. On the lips i opted for a festive red, Chanel's Rouge Allure Lipstick in 'Famous'. As my eyes and lips were the main focus, i just applied a light sweep of highlighter to my cheekbones to finish everything off. 

Love, Claudia x

Weekly Summary #14

1. My gorgeous new slippers from Romwe (post here), which i plan to wear on Christmas day, 2.  Cute Reindeer!, 3. NOTD with Dior's new holiday colour in 'Diva' (post here), 4. Another NOTD, this time with Chanels' new shade in 'Malice' (post here),  5. John Lewis snowman!, 6. Shopping for Christmas decorations, 7. Putting up the tree, 8. Yummy dessert, 9. Beautiful eyeshadow palette by Chanel (post here) 

I hope you all had a great week, and are looking forward to Christmas! I have the rest of this week at college and then Christmas break begins :D

Love, Claudia x

New In: Studded Slippers

For the last few months Romwe have kindly sent me some beautiful clothing pieces to review, but i had yet to try any of their shoes. When i saw these gorgeous velvet slippers however, i just fell in love! I've been admiring a similar pair in Topshop for quite a while, but this pair from Romwe are practically identical. This slipper style has become a key trend for this season and for those of us who feel more comfortable in flats rather than heels, velvet slippers are a great option. With opulent textures, colours and embellished details, they're still dressy and party appropriate yet much more comfortable! 

I love the black velvet fabric and most importantly, the gold studs! The slippers are such great quality, and fit perfectly. Im a UK size 6, and ordered the 6.5 from Romwe which was a great fit. I'm planning to wear them a lot over Christmas this year, from the big day itself to parties for the new year. They look perfect worn with both skirts and dresses, and nail the stud trend perfectly!

You can find the slippers here at Romwe.com, available in three sizes. Plus, if you spend over $60 between the 19th and 25th of December, Romwe are giving away surprise Christmas stockings with gifts worth $30 inside!

Love, Claudia x

Festive NOTD: Chanel Malice

Red is my favourite nail colour to wear during the Christmas season, and Chanel's latest addition has quickly become my favourite for this year. 'Malice' is a deep red-black, with a gorgeous metallic finish. Although it can still be considered a 'classic red', the blackened tones add a more vampy and chic vibe. The formula is beautiful as always, providing an opaque and glossy finish with just two coats. 

This will definitely grace my nails on Christmas day this year, and long throughout the winter season too. It looks amazing with all of the ox-blood tones that have been so popular this season- it's a great colour to compliment any winter wardrobe. 

Love, Claudia x

New In: Chanel Holiday 2012

Alongside Dior, Chanel also have yet another beautiful collection this Christmas. I picked up two beauty items, along with a perfume which i'll be gifting. I loved the warm burgundy colours that featured strongly in the collection, as many of these shades are also in my wardrobe.   

I picked up the eye quad in 'Harmonie Du Soir', as i fell in love with both the packaging and the gorgeous colours. The colours include a bronze gold, a taupe, plum and light pink. They're all perfectly pigmented and incredibly smooth to apply and blend. They all work extremely well together in creating a plum smoky eye and there's not one colour which i don't like (that can be rare to find in a palette!). I also think the colours look amazing for Christmas parties, especially when paired with a black liner and bold red lips. 

I just couldn't resist the new 'it' colour from Chanel, 'Malice'. It's described as a 'deep red-black', but it also has a gorgeous metallic finish with deep red shimmer. It's more of a blackened burgundy which looks incredibly vampy and chic on the nails. It's a great alternative if your not into the typical 'Christmas reds' which can be a little twee. This is definitely my top pick for this Season, along with Dior's polish in 'Diva' (post here). 

Lastly, is the limited edition size of Chanel's signature No5 fragrance. The bottle is very heavy and looks beautiful on any counter top or dressing table. I think it looks great used as decorative ornament, especially if your a Chanel fan! 

Love, Claudia x

Christmas Reads

I always love to snuggle up with a good book and cup of tea, and at this time of the year i enjoy reading more festive options. Last year, i really enjoyed reading Miracle on Regent Street by Ali Harris, so when i saw this 'Christmas Collection' in WHSmith i thought i'd pick it up. The set contains three popular Christmas novels and each are by a different author. Of course, they're very girly, chick-lit books which are perfect for reading throughout December. 

At just £5.00 this collection is such a good deal- your roughly getting three books for the price of one! The covers are so beautiful and i can't wait to get started with reading them. They'd also make an excellent stocking filler for any females in your family that love a good chick-lit book. 

Love, Claudia x

Weekly Summary #13

1. With Santa in Selfridges!, 2.  Stopping by Victoria's Secret on New Bond Street, 3. November Faves (video here), 4. My favourite window display in London this Christmas! Who wouldn't love a little (or big!) red box?!,  5. Taking a break from Christmas shopping at Fortnum's Ice Cream Parlour- Apple Strudel & Tea, 6. Winter mornings, 7. My favourite red lippies (post here), 8. FOTD for London, 9. Festive shower gel- cinnamon cake scented! (post here)

I hope you've all had a great week, and happy December!
Love, Claudia x

Dior Holiday 2012: 'Diva' Nail Polish

The Dior holiday collection was so beautiful this year, that i wanted everything! But after checking out the collection at my local counter, i decided on just the nail polish in 'Diva'. I adore the Hollywood-glamour vibe of the packaging and the extremely high quality finish. The bottle is incredibly opulent and reminds me of a Christmas bauble! 

Naturally 'Diva' was my favourite colour out of the three available, as dark vampy shades are my top pick for the holiday season. 'Diva' is dark black colour, with gold, fuchsia and bronze flecks of shimmer. The shimmer is very noticeable in the bottle, but on the nails however it is much more subtle. I was a little disappointed that the application wasn't quite so shimmery as the bottle had promised, but i still really love the colour. The formula is very glossy, and provides an opaque finish with just two coats. Despite it's petite appearance, the brush was actually very easy to use. Although the handle is obviously a lot smaller than usual, the brush was still the thick and wide design that i like about Dior polishes. In terms of staying power, with a good top and base coat, it lasts for a good 5-7 days before chipping. 

Since it is limited edition, anything from the Dior holiday collection would make an ideal christmas gift idea. 'Diva' is a great colour to wear throughout the party season, and the packaging will woo any female recipient! 

Love, Claudia x

Budget Buy: Festive Shower Gel

As i mentioned in my last post here, i've been loving the festive scents recently. But it hasn't stopped at just candles, i've also been enjoying festive shower products! So when i saw the Cinnamon Cakes shower gel in Waitrose I couldn't resist adding it to our basket. It's super affordable at £1.26 for 250ml of product, and is the perfect scent for the holiday season. It's very warm and spicy, and lingers on the skin for quite some time. Apparently it's very similar the Philosophy Cinnamon Buns' shower gel, but a little less sweet, and more spicy. There's an obvious price difference too.

Waitrose Cinnamon Cakes Body Wash

Obviously, if your not a fan of cinnamon scents then this won't be for you, but if you love festive aromas like myself then i highly reccomend it! They also have a hand wash and bath cream available, if you want to go all out with the festive scents! 

Love, Claudia x

New In: Seasonal Scents for Christmas

I love the Christmas season, and something that i always look forward to is burning my favourite candles or using my festive room sprays. Festive scents are one of my favourites, and i love how warm and cosy everything smells. So, i rounded together a few of my favourites for this year that will definitely help to bring on the festive spirit!

Yankee Candle in 'Macintosh Spice':

I love Yankee Candles- they have such a wide range of amazing scents, and the Christmas collections never disappoint. To me, 'Macintosh Spice' smells like a freshly baked apple pie, with a dusting of cinnamon and Christmas spices. It's a very comforting and cosy scent, that's particularly well suited to this season. Yankee Candles are great quality, and the scents always linger long after they've been extinguished. 

Yankee Candle 'Sparkling Cinnamon' Reed Diffuser:

The Yankee reed diffusers are a great option if you want something a little less demanding than a candle- they don't require any supervision, and therefore scent your whole house all day long. 'Sparkling Cinnamon', as the name would suggest, is a warm cinnamon scent that to me, is just perfect for Christmas time. They do a great job at scenting an entire room, and the beautifully decorated bottles also provide a touch of festive spirit!

Glade Candle in 'Winter Berries':

This is the most affordable option out of the selection, and one of my favourite scents. If your not such a fan of the strong cinnamon scents, then 'Winter Berries' is a great alternative. This scent is very fruity and fresh, with notes of crisp winter berries. I love burning this one if i still want something festive, but not too spicy or overpowering. At just a few pounds from most supermarkets, it's an easy way to scent your home for the festive season.

Glade Room Spray in 'Spiced Apple & Cinnamon': 

Another item from Glade, is their Christmas room spray. I love these for a quick festive-fix, that you can spray around the house before having people over. The classic scent works great on its own for an easy scent fix, or it accompanies any other festive scents perfectly. 

So that's a little selection of the festive scents that i've been loving this year. Personally, i enjoy the scents and candles of this season, just as much as the decorations and food! Candles are perfect for creating a warm, cosy atmosphere and providing seasonal aromas. 

What are your favourites?

Love, Claudia x

Weekly Summary #12

1. New haul video featuring Jack Wills (watch here), 2.  Lunch with mum at Zizzi :), 3. New leather jacket from Topshop, 4. Christmas pj's from Primark- perfect for cosy nights indoors,  5. Opening the advent calendar!, 6. Some festive goodies- waitrose 'cinammon cakes' shower gel & a christmas collection of chick-lit books, 7. Wrapping up warm with my new Jack Wills coat, and Topshop scarf for college this week, 8. Amazing french toast from Bill's, 9. Picked up the Enrapture Heated Rollers for half price at Argos- so excited to give them a try!

I hope you've all had a great week, and happy December!
Love, Claudia x

Red Lipsticks: My Top Picks

I'm not sure whether it's the festive season or the fact that i just fancy a change, but this month i've been loving the red lip colours! Although i typically reach for my nude lipsticks, it's the bright, christmass-y reds that i've been wearing the most of recently. So with the party season fast approaching, i thought i'd share my favourite picks with you, even if you don't typically go for bolder colours like myself.

Although the lipsticks that i've been reaching for do appear very similar, they each have different formulas and tones. Chanel's Rouge Allure in 'Famous', has the most 'Hollywood Glamour' out of three. It's a bold, rich red, with gorgeous fuschia sparkles. The formula is very opaque, yet still remains hydrating, with a beautiful sheen on the lips. It stays on well, and the packaging just oozes luxury. 

My next favourite is by YSL, and it's part of the Sheer Candy range. If, like me, your not so used to wearing bold colours, then this is a great one to try. 'Luscious Cherry' is, as the name would suggest, a bright cherry red. But what sets it apart from many others, is the beautifully glossy and hydrating formula. It's also a lot more sheer, and a lot easier/safer to work with if your a little anxious about wearing such a bold colour. However if you do like a little more pigmentation, it's still very build-able and easy to achieve an intensity that your comfortable with. Plus, how gorgeous is the packaging?!

Last but not least, is MAC's Viva Glam 'Cyndi'. This is the most pink-toned out of the three, and is more of a raspberry red which i find surprisingly wearable for everyday. The formula is also lovely, providing a glossy sheen that doesn't require a lipgloss. As with most MAC lipsticks, the staying power is great. If i still want a lip colour from the 'red' family that doesn't require as much maintenance, then this is what i go for.

L-R: Chanel Rouge Allure in 'Famous', YSL Sheer Candy in 'Luscious Cherry' & MAC Viva Glam 'Cyndi'

So that's a roundup of my favourite red lipsticks. With Christmas just around the corner, it's the perfect time to try any red lipstick, but these would be my recommendations! 

Love, Claudia x