Pretty Baby

Thrifting Tuesday

Vintage Cream Mesh Ballet Skirt



http://www.brandalley.co.uk/


This elegant stylish layered tulle ballerina skirt with the contrast black waistband with feature bow is a key item for spring/summer 11.  So when I saw this gorgeous skirt from Lipsy I had to have it.  Luckily they still had my size so I snapped it up on brandalley.co.uk.  £20 reduced from £60 I most definitely got a bargain.
When I get it through the post I'll put something together to show you all. 


I created this set which features heavily on our English Heritage.
Girly, pretty shapes featured on all walks during London Fashion Week and Essex Fashion Week. 
Go out and treat yourselves ladies!

TopShop strapless cotton dress
30 GBP - topshop.com

Dress
$90 - modcloth.com

Beige platform pumps
$29 - lulus.com

Chloe Chloé Rosebud 1.7 oz Eau de Parfum Spray
£52

Fashiondetails.ru: Мода, стиль, тенденции. Весна-Лето 2010.
fashiondetails.ru

Monday Must Haves...

tea party fun by alice-luella featuring a bangle bracelet

Lace dress
38 GBP - usc.co.uk

Friis & Company peep toe heels
63 EUR - welikefashion.com

Miss Selfridge cream handbag
28 GBP - missselfridge.com

River Island bangle bracelet
13 GBP - riverisland.com

Sorrelli vintage jewelry
$34 - perfectdetails.com

Glass shade
220 EUR - colette.fr

Amazon.com: Fox Run Large Natural Baking Shells, Set of 4: Home &...
$17 - amazon.com

Grab Yourself A Mulberry Bag

Thrifting Tuesday - the day dedicated to cheap buys and bargains.

My absolute steals of ebay have been these two Mulberry gems.  A canvas holdall and a classic scotchgrain pocket bag. 

Both from ebay, the holdall cost £90 and the Scotchgrain came to £40!  Both came with dust bags and Mulberry care and authenticity cards.  I know people sell copies and fakes on ebay, and get away with it.  I have taken both into Mulberry shops to certify that they are the real deal.  Something I would recommend to anyone buying on ebay if you do want the real thing. 

Top tips for finding a deal like this on ebay

1) Shop at the end of the month.  You are more likely to get a good deal, before pay day when everyone is watching the pennies.  (Just make sure you save enough for the end of the month!)

2) Ask the seller for photos of the serial number on the bag. 



The serial number appears under the Mulberry tags

3) If the seller doesn't state why they are selling something, ask them!  I would want to know why someone is selling a designer handbag at pound land prices.

4) Research other websites for the same item.  This will help you to find out if it is authetic or fake.

What else I found...

This beautiful head piece by Crown and Glory is to die for!  £15 and a must have for spring/summer 11. 

I made my own the left using single flower hair clips. 

Henry Holland Tights £25.99, NewLook Tunic £7.00, Chain belt charity shop 50p





I love my floral NewLook tunic, £7.00 in the sale.  It's easy to dress up like in the photo above or you can dress it down with boots and coloured tights. 

Suspender look tights have been huge this season.  Henry Holland has designed some really cool tights for Pretty Polly such as the Gold Chain Suspender ones worn in my picture. 

http://www.houseofholland.co.uk/

If you don't want to spend £15 on tights, Primark do some good copies for £3.00

Paper Lashes

Show me a girl who isn't a fan of fake eyelashes.  You can't.  Some may whinge about not being able to put them on so don't wear them, but deep down they are wishing they had them on.  Trust me. 
For Christmas, my boyfriends Mother bought me some fake eyelashes, with a difference.  They are made out of paper. 



Paperself - peach blossom eyelashes
Harvey Nic's £13.50



'Inspired by the art of Chinese paper-cutting, Eyelashes blend an element of traditional culture with contemporary design. Intricately cut and delicately pretty, each of the Eyelashes is infused with symbolic meaning rooted in Chinese culture: Peach blossom is the symbol of love and romance. Unique and expressive, the Eyelashes can be used to make a statement for a special occasion'



I love them!  But they are very delicate as they are lasered out of paper.




I've teamed them with this daisy chain tunic and headband. 




Rose Bow Headwrap - £3.99 NewLook
Daisy Chain Trip Tunic - £24.99 NewLook

I wouldn't swap them for the standard night out lashes, but they will be perfect for those summer tea parties, garden parties and festivals. 
You could probably only wear them a handful of times because they are so fragile.  So save them for the festival days when anything goes and you want to stand out fro the crowd. 




I got these feather eyelashes from ebay for about a £1 I think.  Instead of popping them on each eyelid I glued one on the bottom eyelashes of the same eye with them on the top.  It looks so effective and I was stopped by loads of people at Bestival who wanted a closer look.

Thrifiting Tuesday

Haven't got the money to buy all the things you want this month? Who does! Thrifting Tuesday is for those who want the look at high street prices.  These are just some of my favourites for this Tuesday.

Pretty Scalloped edges-  are a hit this season, and at only £12.99 from NewLook you can't go wrong.  Topshop have many scalloped items in as well, including tops the same as NewLook, trousers and dresses.

Floral prints - still in after London Fashion week, this prom inspired dress is too cute!  £89 from Jack Wills - it's also made in England woohoo.  

Rain Macs - It's almost April and that means showers are on the way!  Rain attire doesn't need to be ugly and boring.  I love this Paddington Bear like Mac, £45 from Topshop. 

Vintage inspired shoes - these cut out vamp courts are on trend and this Bellini colour is beautiful.  Only £19.99 from NewLook. 

Ostrich Effect Bag-  this is the sort of bag that will never go out of fashion.  Giving Hermes a run for their money at only £25 from BooHoo, this Darcy Black colour Ostrich effect grab bag is a steal!

Bye Bye Cellulite City

Cellulite city, fat dimples, orange peel, lumps and bumps, cottage cheese skin - the descriptive names go on and on and so does our moaning about it. 
How do we get it and more importantly how do we get rid of it?

Cellulite is mostly fat that has been damaged and is the result of poor circulation and drainage.  If you have an inactive lifestyle then the fibres in your body tighten their hold on fat cells which then leads to that ugly, dimpling cellulite.
So it's most fat people who have cellulite then.  False.  Many slim ladies have cellulite, Tyra Banks has admitted to having it.  And if we think celebrities are always looking perfect, then check out Kim  Kardashian below. 

What we can do to make it better

1) Body Brushing - dry body brushing can help with circulation and leaves the skin softer and smoother.  Although it is a bit painful at first, it is worth it - I promise!
I get mine from Liz Earle, it has a long handle so you can get those hard to reach areas, but you can also remove it from the handle to do the backs of your arms.  Remember - always brush towards the heart!

Natural bristle body brush

http://uk.lizearle.com/natural-bristle-body-brush.html

2) Water - try and drink 1.5 lites a day.  Although drinking more won't fix the problem, it will help

maintain a healthy lymphatic system to remove waste products and keep water levels in your skin

at an optimum level.  Don't drink too much as swelling under the skin can make cellulite look worse!

3) Exercise -  working out improves circulation, removes excess fluid and tones muscles, meanin that skin will look smoother.  Again it won't get rid of that orange peel mess althogether, even athletes have cellulite.


 

4) Diet - 'We do know that anti-oxidants neutralise free radicals, which are implicated in the cause of cellulite and improve micro-circulation,' says Dr Dancey. 'Essential fatty acids, like Omega 3 and 6, are also anti-inflammatory and reduce cells sticking together.'  So healthy eating will help to prevent dimples.

Tired and Tested

I was reading through some health books and came across a "diet" that claimed to help with cellulite.  I am not fat.  My cellulite isn't that noticable if there at all (unless I poke, prod and squeeze to see the rippling effects).  So why would I bother with this? 

It promised
Reduced cellulite
More energy
Weight loss
Clear skin

Who wouldn't want to try it?! Plus you only have to do it for a week if you just want to do it as a detox.

What it involves
Eating only fruit and vegetables for one week

I found it hard.  Bread, pasta and generally any carb -I love. 
If you want better results you can carry on the "diet" for 3 weeks, slowly introducing fish, then meat then some carbs (sweet potato, brown rice etc)

What I ate
Soups (homemade) -Carrot and Corriandor
Leek and Potato (I needed some sort of carb!)
Butternut squash
Pea and Bacon
Smoothies - get some great ideas online to make
Fruit salad
Roasted vegetable salads

The results
 I did have a lot more energy
I lost 7lbs
My skin literally glowed
The cellulite prone areas did seem smoother

Follow The Island Girl Blogger and WIN a Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish

Healthy, beautiful, smoother, clearer... the list goes on for what we want our skin to feel and look like. 
So do we go for surgery, turn to the beauty products or just opt for a balaclava and hide it when we having our bad days?

Personally, surgery such as botox is not on my "wish list" (right now) only being 21, but then I can't afford to buy beauty products that nearly cost as much as having the de-wrinkle procedure done!
For example The Regenerating Serum by Creme De Le Mer, £375 for a 75ml bottle. Ouch.

"

Creme De Le Mer

A skincare powerhouse that diminishes the appearance of lines, wrinkles and pores"


But if I could afford to buy such products, perhaps I would treat myself to them every then again...
Alas, I can't. 

And do we even need it anyway?  I believe good skin runs in genes and taking good care of yourself, we all hope we won't have the face of  prune we turn into OAP's.

My Grandmother, 84, kept her face out of the sun from the age of 20 and has looked after her skin since a young age.  And not a wrinkle in sight!


My Grandmother 84.  Wrinkle free. 

The following are obvious - smoking, sun, over indulgence and no cleansing routine are not going to give you peachy smooth skin and a plump face. 
But we are young and live for the day and these things cannot be helped. 

What we can do to help though is take 5 or less minutes out of our days to cleanse, tone and moisturise.  Simple things that all help our skin. 

I have been using Liz Earle's Cleanse and Polish since I was 14 and would never use anything else.  I've never had oily, dry or spot prone skin-  (well, the odd spot from a weekend of debauchery perhaps).
It really is a miracle worker and I have converted so many people from brands such as Clinique, Elemis etc and now I want to convert YOU.  All you need to do is follow my blog and at random one person will be selected and win a Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish 100ml Starter Pack the following week.
http://uk.lizearle.com/cleanse-tone-moisturise/cleanse-and-polish-hot-cloth-cleanser.html







Why I love it so much:+ Time - It take 2 minutes to use
+ Application - Cream based, it's safe to take over eyes, smells yummy
 My skin, Your skin - Suitable for all skin types and ages
+ Removal - The muslin cloth removes EVERYTHING and helps to gently exfoliate your skin at the same time = smoother skin
+ Ingredients - High quality, safe naturally active ingredients
+ Testing - Not tested on animals.
+ Price - 13.95 for a starter pack = 100ml cleanser and 2 muslin cloths. 


It's won 10 awards for Best Cleanser so why don't you try it for yourself.  For free.  Just follow www.theislandgirlblogger.blogspot.com and YOU could win. 
(please make sure you follow on blogspot as followers on bloglovin are unidentifiable)

To ST Tropez or ST Moriz... To Fake or Bake?

"Sunless tanning (also known as spray tanning, self tanning, fake tanning, or UV-free tanning) refers to the application of chemicals to the skin to produce an effect similar in appearance to a more traditional suntan"

ST Tropez tan



'A more traditional suntan'- this is what we all want during the dark sunless months, which happens to be most of the year if you live in England.  But is this 'traditional suntan' what we get when we have to use other methods? 
I see nothing traditional about streaky legs, patchy necks, black knuckles and knees, that nasty biscuity smell. Oh, and not forgetting that colour an Oompa Loompa would be proud of. 

So which are the best fake tans to use?

Old faithful, ST Tropez Self Tan Bronzing Lotion is my all time favourite.  However I am not a fan of its price- £30.64.  (200ml bottle).  There are websites where you can get it for less though.  The best one I have come across is http://www.beautyflashshop.co.uk/ selling it for only £22.


When I first used it, I was petrified what the results would be.  It goes on streaky, the colour is so dark it looks like you've been rolling in a mud bath, and you have to sleep in it over night. 
Wake up, wash it off and admire your tan!  No streaks, no smell, and a colour that looks like you've been on holiday.  (I use the same one for my face as well)  It lasts for a good few days and the first place for it to go I find is my neck, so really moisturise to avoid this.  Apply more coats if you want a deeper tan or every other day. 


ST Moriz - could it be the new ST Tropez?   For the amazing price of £2.99 for a 200ml bottle, you can't go wrong.  Or can you?   I purchased a mousse that promises a streak free golden tan.  It has a tint so you can see where you're applying it and develops over 4-6 hours.  I am a firm believer of "you get what you pay for".  So am I going to come out the shade of Kat Slater?
I would love to do a before and after shot, but the before is so hideous I resemble Voldemort in the morning.  So the after shot will come tomorrow once I have done it tonight!

On to FakeBake - The website stated above does good prices if you do want it cheaper. 

I was really impressed with the line they sold at fashion retailer New Look over Christmas, but could only get hold of the colour for "Fair Maidens".  It only costs £9.99 and creates a sun-kissed look, and the best thing is that it has no parabens or artificial preservatives.  This is perfect if you are pale and want  a hint of colour.  Like the ST Tropez, you sleep in it and wash it off.  I found it really left your bed sheets marked though, unlike ST Tropez. 

Wash On...Wash off

The Best

Sally Hanson spray on legs - covers freckles, stretch marks and looks like you're wearing tights.  Spray it all over the body!ST Tropez - instant wash off glow spray (my personal favourite) don't be shy with it, go for it and you will be pleased with the natural looking tan.  Even coverage with no streaks, a life saver for nights out if you're feeling pasty.Fake Bake Pasty to Tasty - a wash off tan that does wash off! You won't be left in the shower for ages with a bucket of soap and a sponge. 

The Worst

Tanning wipes - Don't use them - they streak, they smell, and the colour, well - who wants to look like a Simpson.Instant glows with a sunshimmer - you do not want to look like you've doused yourself in chocolate, rolled in sparkles and glitter glued your eyebrows on.  Rimmel

Let me know any other "best and worst" that are out therehttp://www.beautyflashshop.co.uk/
http://www.lookfantastic.com/
http://www.feelunique.com/
http://www.johnandginger.co.uk/

The Savvy Shopper

1. to know; understand.

adjective

2. shrewdly informed; experienced and well-informed; canny.

"Savvy" is slang derived from the French word "savoir", which means "to know".

We all want to know how to save money and shop like a pro.  And when most of us are still feeling the pinch, our hopes of buying that Herve Leger dress seem even further away then before. 
But why should we have to save for something we want, when we can get it now.  For half the price or less. 

Such a bargain at only £492 when it was £1,200.

http://www.theoutnet.com/

I always envied the ladies who pranced around the shops with their Chanel or Miu Miu handbag, dripping in Moschino and pearls.  Well, I wasn't going to stand and watch with my knock off Prada from the looky looky man from Ibiza!  I had heard of sample sales, but how did you know when they were, where they were!?

Here are some of my favourite online outlets.    Happy Shopping Ladies!

http://www.brandalley.co.uk/
http://www.secretsales.co.uk/
http://www.theoutnet.com/

http://www.billiondollarbabes.com/

My recent purchase from brandalley

I am loving Chelsea boots at the moment.  But for those who are vertically challenged, like myself- just hitting 5"2, a bit of help is welcomed from a 6 inch heel.  And for only £3.50 you cannot go wrong.  Especially when they were somewhere around £60 to start with. 

Also on brandalley.co.uk right now - benefit lipsticks at only £6! At half price I shall be ordering one in every shade- chapped lips is NOT sexy.