Favourite Things Friday.

Hey all, so it's nearly the weekend!! Who else is excited?! I worked today instead of yesterday (I work part time at Starbucks) So i'll have the weekend off, so am very excited!
I've decided to do a new feature, aptly named 'favourite things friday' (I have to admit I got my inspiration from Gala Darling's 'Things I Love Thursday'). Basically, Every Friday, I want to be able to celebrate the great things about that week, whether its personal or something more monumental, as well as share my week in pictures.
The reason I wanted to start this this week, is because on monday I had my last exam. One of my fave things, is finishing exams. There's no better feeling. It feels like a weight has been lifted off your shoulders. I went out and truly celebrated! I love Cardiff for nights out, admittedly i'm a bit of a party girl, but i'm also very dedicated to my exams, so it was great to let my hair down!
On wednesday, me and my flatmate went shopping and for a cheeky cocktail. Cardiff is also a great city for shopping. It has pretty much everything you could dream of. 
My most fave thing about the week so far though, is this amazing weather!! Who would of known we were in Britain?! I love great british summertime. Unfortunately I couldn't enjoy it all today becuase of work, but afterwards me and my flatmate went in to town to enjoy the olympic celebrations. We saw the torch which was amazing, and then sat in a field and watched You Me At Six play live (ok so it was on a screen, but basically, yeah, live!)


My Week In Pictures: 

From top left: Nails (Gypsy Night, Topshop); Smirnoff Lime Vodka; Going out outfit! (Dress - Oh My Love London, Shoes - Asos); Tiger Tiger's infamous vodka buckets; Starbucks and panini in the sunshine; Blue Hawaiian Cocktail at Mocha Lounge; Costa Iced Pink Grapefruit Lemonade when walking back from the gym; Dr. Pepper and Grazia in the sun; The Olympic Torch in Cardiff!

OOTD: hello sunshine.

Again, another beautiful day! Today I wore my brand new top and shoes so couldn't resist doing a little post. I've had a really good, lazy day. Went to pilates then just been sunbathing. Hope everyone has also had an amazing day!

Top - Urban Outfitters, £30.

Cross Necklace - Urban Outfitters, £8.

Shorts - Topshop ,£32. 

Shoes - Topshop, £28.

This top has been tied at the waist, it's actually quite long and baggy, but thats why I love it because it's so versataile. I can wear it tied up, tucked in, or long and belted over a pair of leggings. I'm so happy I finally got hold of these much coveted shoes as well!!

Beth x

OOTD: cream dress = hello summer.

Hey everyone, hope everyone's been enjoying the sunshine today! I finished my exams on monday so I certainly have! My and my flatmate went shopping (I bought lots of goodies which I can't wait to show off) and then we had a cheeky cocktail in the sun. Anyway I thought I'd do an outfit post because the perfect look for this summer sun is the cream dress. I got this dress a couple of months back but it is still available. I adore this dress because it's very versataile. I can wear it with a pair of tights for when its colder, with some heels for an evening look, or just with some sandals as I have today. Plus its really flattering and fits like a dream!

Dress - Chelsea Girl at River Island, £25.

Ring - Birthday Present.

Nails - Gypsy Night, Topshop, £6.

Shoes - New Look (old), about £20. 

The photos aren't the best (I am going to get a tripod so then I can take decent photos I promise) but the cream dress is defo the one for the summer. And I err, did just order ANOTHER, slightly different one off of the River Island website, oops :/. Anyway, everyone get one!! 

Beth x

Have a designer Jubilee.

Everyone is getting excited about the Jubilee... including some fabulous designers who have made their very own crowns in celebration for it for Harrods. These crowns are so fab! There's the fun, the traditional, the mad, all of them putting the luxury fashion back in to what it means by 'regal' in their own little way! I couldn't resist featuring some of my favourites on my blog. 

Love this outrageously decorated crown from Paul Smith... Can you imagine the queen wearing this?! Would definitely give me a giggle!!

Crown by Boucheron. A bit more ice queen rather than Queen of England, but fabulous non-the-less.

The crown by De Beers. More traditional than the other crowns, but perhaps more decadent too! The velvet and gold and jewels sum up what it is to be a royal! 

Crown by Mikimoto, This is just totally cute!!

hundreds and thousands crown by Mulberry, pretty sure this is my favourite!!

So what does everyone else think of these Jubilee crown designs? Do you have a favourite??

CJG; Chloe Green's new shoe collection for Topshop.

Chloe Green, AKA daughter the owner of the Arcadia stores (of which Topshop is a part of) Sir Philip Green, has today launched her stunning shoe collection for topshop, named CJG. The shoes are all sky high heels or chunky wedges, with stunning details and a signature green sole. 
Below I've put some of my favourites, even though I have to admit it was hard narrowing it down to just a few!! 

Misha Slingback Mega Wedges, £130.

These wedges are just WOW, MEGA is definitely the right word for them. I adore the pale green which fits in perfectly with the pastel trend and goes with the sole. Despite the height these shoes look strangely comfortable. 

 

 

CJG Stud Back Peep-toe Court Shoes, £115.

As you can see these shoes come in 4 colours, Orange, Baby Pink, Black, and glittery green. I love all of them!! The black and the orange ones are suede while the other two are leather. I think these peep toes are very sexy and classy and the studded back is a really nice touch! The glittery green ones are stand-out and maybe more party shoes than office shoes! However I love glitter and I think they are a mix of outrageous and fabulous. 

Louisa Chain Booties, £175.

I adore these! They're very rock chick, yet the peep toes and the caged element make them perfect for the summer. The chain detail and small platform adds a little something extra to an already fab shoe. (These are also available in white and gold. I personally prefer the black as I think they're more classy, but if you're more in to your whites and brights the other option may be more for you!)

Well, thats a summery of my fave shoes in the collection, but if you want to take a look for yourself at the complete collection or make a purchase, the shoes are available on the topshop website. I think these shoes a mix of sexy and fun and I can definitely see another fabulous collection in the future!!

Fashion trend alert! Studs, studs and more studs.

I've got a confession to make... shh you can't tell anyone... when I was about 14, I was a complete emo kid. Thats right, I was THAT person. My hair was black and backcombed,, my eye make up dark, my jeans ridiculously skinny, my bright accessories ironic, and my belts? my belts were studded. 
That look was my own 'teenage rebellion', but while I still listen to rock music and my style still has an edge, I'm glad to say my emo days are far behind. Mostly because I discovered I can express myself through an actual real fashion sense. But maybe, just maybe we were on to something? Because studs, in case you haven't noticed, are back in a big way. Ok so I wont be digging out my neon pink double rowed studded belt which I bought from my local alternative shop 'Tiger Lily' any time soon, but studs on dresses, shirts, handbags and shoes are everywhere, as part of a major decoration or just to give a little edge. I think it's great. Studs give a dramatic rock'n'roll edge to any outfit. But be warned previous emos, these studs ARE more 'rock chic' than 'rock chick'. 
I think the look started making a come back a while ago to be honest. I got this gorgeous bag from Marc B about 2 years ago. I always take it on nights out, it's one of those bags I can fit all my essentials (and then some!) in to without having to compromise, but can still look dainty enough for a night out. 

However more recently i've been getting some more gorgeous studded pieces, like the dress below, which is also perfect for nights out. (Excuse the photo of me, I'd just finished an exam so I'm not looking my best!)

Dress, £30, River Island.

These shoes are a definate favourite of mine. They look like JC Litas, but I couldn't afford the real thing!! At almost £50 these weren't cheap either! I haven't worn them yet because they are so hard to walk in! But they are still one of the best purchases I've made.

Studded Heels, £49.99, missguided.co.uk

Lastly, I got this awesome phone case from Etsy a couple of weeks ago!! I love it. 

Phone Case, around £12 including delivery, Etsy.

[in case anyone was wondering about the nails, I'm wearing Barry M Lilac Foil with Barry M Silver Cascade over the top on the feature nail]

Below I've put some of my other favourite studded items which are around at the moment!!

Clockwise from top left: Studded Collar Dress, £27.99, missguided.co.uk; tie-dye shorts, £40, Ragged Priest; studded shoulder grey jumper, £34, Topshop; red shorts, £35, River Island; Shoes, £35, River Island; Mint Shoes, £28, Topshop; Louboutins, £945, net-a-porter.com (ok I know no one in the real world can afford the Louboutins but I just couldn't resist putting them in here!!)


The great thing about this trend is, if you're quite creative and arty, (unlike me) you can do a DIY job of it. Buy studs from somewhere like ebay put them in collars of blouses, shoulders of t-shirts, or the pockets of shorts, and get your own customised look!!

Sunday Best.

Hey guys hope everyone's been having a good weekend!! With exams coming up very soon mine has been occupied by revision! Today me and my flatmate decided to go and revise in the park. Anyway, my first outfit post was last sunday, so now I've decided to make a thing of it, with a new feature 'sunday best', which will occur, as you've probably worked out, every sunday (well with probably a few exceptions).

Anyway, today, I gave my OTHER new hat a spin, which is perfect for sunny days, although the wind did keep trying to blow it off my head!!

     Dress - H&M. Can't remember exact price but was under £10.

Scarf - Alexander Mcqueen, Selfridges, £165.

Hat - Urban Outfitters, £5 in sale.

Shoes - Primark (price unknown)

Necklace - Topshop - Price Unknown.

Other than the scarf (which was a birthday present from my Mum and i adore!) my outfit is pretty cheap and cheerful. I love love love the necklace. I must of got it about 2 years ago now and rarely wear it and now I'm thinking I should wear it more. I'm an aries and the sign of an aries is a ram, which is why I got it. I just think it's so funky! The shoes are also pretty old and worn, but go with anything and everything. The dress is very new and I recommend it. It's comfortable, cheap, durable, and pretty! 

Beth x

Album Review: Marina and the Diamonds, Electra Heart.

Marina Diamandis, or Marina and the Diamonds as she is known in the music world, came on to the music scene in 2010 with her debut album, The Family Jewels, a great, fun, poppy album with hits like Hollywood and I Am Not A Robot, which showcased Marina's fab voice and lyrical writing talent. However I have to admit, despite the quality of the album I was worried that Marina and the Diamonds would be one of those acts that just disappear in to thin air after their first album, but I'm glad this worry was wrong. I've been anticipating the new album 'Electra Heart' for some time, and now it's out I can't stop listening to it!!
The new album, as most second albums do, really shows how Marina and the Diamond's has grown as an artist. The new album still shows off her fabulous voice, with great electro-pop tunes, yet there seems to be a lot more depth and personality in the new album. Electra Heart shows off more than great music: it shows off a lot of personality, or even personalities. Many of the songs seem to focus on ideas surrounding young relationships and sex, and Marina's lyrics take on a life of their own. Many are clever, witty, fun and/or heartwarming. For example in 'Home-Wrecker' Marina cheekily sings 'Girls and their cosmic gourmet vomit, Boys and their toys and their six inch rockets' after introducing the song by singing the lines 'Every boyfriend is the one, Until otherwise proven', something which I think most girls can relate to!!
The album also has a sort of black humour about it, for example in the song 'Teen Idle' Marina sings in the perfect carefree pop voice 'Wish I’d been a prom queen fighting for the title, Instead of being sixteen and burning up a bible, Feeling super, super (super!) suicidal'. 
This album feels like so much more than a simple pop album, the witty, somewhat sarcastic lyrics, the hailing back to teenage to angst and young love, the dramatic themes of different personality, this album is the most clever pop album i've came across! What I love most about it, is Marina raises thoughts about youth everyone can relate to, yet I think she is also sort of saying 'do remember, it is only pop, don't take it too seriously'!










Top 5 Hits from the album:


1. Primadonna
2. Teen Idle
3. Home-Wrecker
4. Bubblegum Bitch
5. Radioactive. 

Why is 'feminism' such a taboo word in the 21st century?

So this is going to be a bit of a different post today, but I felt so compelled to write something on this topic as it's something I have a very strong opinion on and I'd be grateful for anyone who reads it.


Basically, I like wearing pretty dresses, heels, and nice underwear. I wear make up and I do my hair. I like boys and flirting and going out... I'm also a feminist. shocking right? I mean, aren't all feminists bra-burning man haters who don't shave? And isn't feminism outdated now anyway? I mean that was a 70's thing right?

I buy cosmo every single month, and lately they have been focusing on a new campaign, to say 'The F word', aka, feminism, and it's the most inspiring, encouraging campaign, yet at the same time it is quite alarming as it has made me realise how far women have to go, and part of the problem is that most women do not regard themselves as feminists, because their view of what a feminist is is so skewed!! Women are still paid considerably less than men in big private corporations, which is shocking enough. Whats more shocking is the way women are still treated as 'sluts' for dressing too 'provocatively' or as 'dykes' (not my use of word) for dressing too 'conservatively' or 'unfeminine'. What is even more disgusting is the way women are being treated in cases of rape. If the woman wasn't dressed in a hoodie and dragged down a back alley in the dark, if she was drunk or dressed up or if the crime was committed by her boyfriend, it MUST of been her fault. This is not the view displayed simply by the general public, but by the police, the courts, the jury. SORRY BUT I thought this was a democracy, I thought this was 2012?

A feminist is someone, male or female, who wants equal rights. Who feels that a woman deserves to be treated on the same playing field as men, rather than as inadequate. Why should a woman be punished simply for being a woman? The problem however, isn't helped by the fact that women are too afraid to say they are a feminist. How is anyone meant to make any progress if they don't stand up for themselves and for their other females? It doesn't mean you have to stop waxing or start wearing crocs. You can still be a feminist and like pink. It just means having enough self respect to turn around and say, I am capable, I am worth something, I should be listened, vagina or no vagina. 

The Sex and the City girls, in my opinion, the

ultimate modern day feminist icons.

finally! my perfect pair of daytime wedges.

As other small girls will be able to sympathise, it can be hard trying to fashion flats when all you want to do is be nice and tall. I'm a mere 5ft nothing, and most of the time my height does not bother me at all, in the day I usually wear flats, but I rarely wear flats on a night out. All of a sudden my height insecurities surface, all these tall girls with even taller heels are around me. Heels are my friend. But weirdly enough, during the day I think i'd feel rather awkward, and not to mention in a lot of pain, in heels. I'm used to flats. However, I do have a pair of boots with little wedges perfect for a bit of daytime height in the winter, and when I wear them, it makes me feel so much more gorgeous and confident, yet it doesn't leave me toppling over and trying to regain my balance either. But now summer is (somewhat slowly) approaching, and my suade boots with a faux fur lining will no longer do, so I got the perfect pair of daytime summer wedges!! And my god they are the comfiest shoes I've ever worn, I genuinely think they are more comfortable than my worn out leopard-print dolly shoes!! 

These bad boys were just £20.00 as well! From New Look! and with my student discount I got them even cheaper which is always a bonus. As you can see from the photos the platform isn't major. I adore big heels more than anyone, but the fact its small means not only is it really comfortable but it gets rid of my fear of wearing major heels in the day. Honestly these are the comfiest shoes i've ever owned. I don't know what it is, possibly the material? Also I love that the wedge looks a little like the sole of an espadrille, without me having to actually buy 'toms' (sorry to any TOM owners but the look has really been done to death. plus these shoes are much more ladylike). 

Also for colour lovers, these shoes don't just come in black but come in a variety of colours, I however went for black for simplicity and the fact it will go with anything. If you get one pair of shoes this summer get these. 

Outfit #1

So this is my first 'outfit' post. Today was a lovely sunny sunday, the first time the sun decided to appear in Cardiff in a good couple of weeks! So me and my flatmates decided to embrace it. We went for lunch and coffee in one of the outdoor cafes in Bute Park. I decided it would be the perfect day to take my new shorts and hat out for a spin.

Top - Urban Outfitters

Hat - Urban Outfitters

 Cross Necklace - Urban Outfitters

 Dip-Dye Shorts - Topshop.

Earrings - Urban Outfitters

Shoes - New Look

Ring - Topshop. 

Sorry the focus is a bit shoddy on my webcam! As you can see my outfit is very Urban Outfitters orientated today! I love the new shorts and think they will be perfect for festivals in the summer. The shoes I got back in september, they are those shoes I where all the time because they are just so comfy and go with everything. I also got the ring a while back too. Everything else however is fairly new :) 

Things I'm Loving This Week.

Today I went shopping In Cardiff. That's one of the things I love about living in such a vibrant city, the shopping is immense!! My plan was to hit Urban Outfitters and get a hat. I don't have enough hats in my opinion. Hats are somewhat a controversial item. They're on your head for everyone to see and if drunk, steal. Plus some people just can't pull them off. But today I was brave and bought 2! I bought a beautiful black bowler hat, which I reckon makes me look totally rock 'n' roll if I do say so myself, and I also bought a big floppy hat. It was in the sale, only a fiver! chuffed!!

Hat Number 1: £22. Urban Outfitters.

Hat Number 2: £5 in the sale, 

originally £28! Urban Outfitters.

My other obsession this week is 50's style cropped shirts which tie at the waist. I got this lush one from River Island. I love it because it has a mix of this trend with the whole denim shirt craze. 

Shirt, £18, Chelsea Girl at River Island. 

These types of shirt are everywhere at the moment. I've also put photos of some other nice ones below! Because denim isn't for everyone. I love the first one, the print is fab and it's great if you love bold, bright colour. The second one is also adorable for that classic polka-dotty look.

£18, Chelsea Girl at River Island.

£29, Oh My Love, at www.ohmylove.co.uk

              

Other top buys today:

I've been dying for a top with a peter-pan collar for ages. This cute Tee was only £9.99 from Internaçionale.

This Long Silver cross necklace is the perfect accessory. Only £8. From Urban Outfitters.