Perfect Autumnal Eyes

Eye make up has never been my strong point but I'd like to think that I've upped my game over the past year. I've been watching tutorials, practising every day and it's now a favourite part of my make up routine. As my technique has improved, I've been treating myself to more high-end palettes including Urban Decay, Anastasia Beverly Hills and Too Faced. 

My most recent purchase was the Anastasia Beverly Hills 'Soft Glam' palette and, teamed with the Urban Decay Naked Heat palette, it's the perfect autumnal combo. 

When the Naked Heat Palette was released I didn't understand the hype. That is until it arrived on my doorstep, beautifully packaged, and I fell in love. I'm all about burnt oranges and shimmering bronze shades in the autumn months and this palette is a perfect combination of both. It's very versatile, sporting a wide variety of colours meaning that a look can be created for every event.

I only need a small amount of the shadow on my brush as the colour pops immediately. I've only ever used the original Urban Decay Naked Palette which was never very pigmented, so this came as a very pleasant surprise. 

The Naked Heat Palette is my go-to for an everyday autumnal makeup look. I don't think you can beat Low Blow (brown matte) in the crease, Cayenne (terracotta matte) in the outer corner and Ounce (ivory shimmer) in the inner corner. It's the perfect natural autumnal blend. If you want to add a slight shimmer then add Scorched (metallic deep red) or Lumbre (copper shimmer). 

In all honesty, there isn't a shade in this palette that I don't love and that's very rare for me to say. It's my holy grail palette for the autumn-winter months and I'm especially looking forward to using the darker, burgundy shades for Halloween.

If you follow me on Twitter then you'll know how long I've had my eye on the Anastasia Beverly Hills Soft Glam Palette. I was going to wait until Christmas to expand my collection but a 20% discount on Beauty Bay finally tempted me to add it to my basket. 

I still can't get over how beautiful it is, both on and off the eyes. If you love natural shades with a slight shimmer then this is the palette for you. There's a shade for everyone and it's the perfect palette to create a glamorous, glittery smokey eye. In my opinion, it's a combination of the Naked palette and Naked Heat - what more could you want?

As the shades are so pigmented, you only need a very small amount on your brush. The glitter shades really make your eyes pop and can transform your look from natural to glam in the dab of a brush. As this is the newest addition to my collection, I'm yet to use all the shades however my current favourites are Sultry, Rustic, Dusty Rose and Tempera. Sultry is perfect for any occasion and Dusty Rose is the prettiest shade of pink. 

Give me an eyeshadow palette full of matte brown, burnt orange and a shimmering gold, team it with a bold berry lip (Charlotte Tilbury's Glastonberry is a must have!), a mustard jumper and you've got my perfect autumn combination. Oh, and can't forget the pumpkin spice latte! 

What are your holy grail products for autumn?

Lots of Love,
Meg

xxx

Hey Mama, Welcome to the Sixties!

If I could travel back in time, I'd like to experience what it was like to be a teenager in the 50's/60's. It was the best time for everything; music, Hollywood and of course fashion. Frank Sinatra was on the radio, The Beatles were taking the world by storm, Audrey Hepburn was on the big screen and mini skirts were making a comeback. What's not to love? 

I was having a browse on ASOS when I came across this Double-Breasted Mini Skirt. I fell in love with it straight away, so as a little treat for passing my Uni assignments, I selected my size and added it to my shopping bag. Although this skirt is something I'd consider to be very 'me', it's not something I'd normally buy so I was nervous to see how it would look and if I could pull it off. 

The first thing that initially drew me to the skirt was the burnt orange colour. It's not a colour that makes a big appearance in my wardrobe, however, I'm trying to take more risks with my fashion choices this year so it seemed like the perfect addition. The black buttons are such a nice contrast and give the skirt such a sixties vibe - a look I've tried (and failed) to pull off in the past. 

The skirt is more high waisted than I was expecting and is quite tight around the waist, but it is incredibly flattering and will show off your perfect figure in all the right places. It's such an effortlessly chic item and I'm so glad I spotted it. I wore it to go and see Jersey Boys last month and so many people stopped me asking me where it was from. I'm absolutely in love with it and the temptation to wear it with everything is so real. 

Last week, I went for brunch with my lovely friend Emma (who kindly took these photos). It was absolutely freezing so, along with my skirt, I wore some thick, woolly tights, a black polo neck and my black jacket. I also wore my little black backpack, which featured in my previous post, adding a cute twist to the outfit. The orange added a nice pop of colour to what would have been an incredibly gloomy outfit, which is the thing I love the most. I think it's so fun to give old styles a modern twist, and I'm loving seeing all the sixties inspired outfits on the high street at the moment. 

Although I've only worn the skirt casually, it could be jazzed up with a nice pair of heels and a black off-shoulder top for a date night, a night out or a dinner with the girls. All I do know is that I feel incredibly pretty and elegant when I wear it. There's no better feeling than wearing clothes that make you feel good about yourself and I think that's such an important thing to remember. As long as you feel comfortable and happy in what you're wearing then it doesn't matter what anyone else thinks. 

I'm absolutely loving this look at the moment.

Here's what I'm wearing: 

ASOS Mini Skirt

Boohoo Black Bodysuit

New Look Black BackPack

If you could bring back any fashion trend from the past, what would it be?

Lots of Love,

Meg

xxx

My Autumn/Winter Goals 2016

Autumn; the season of pumpkin spice lattes and walks along paths carpeted with leaves. Is there anything that shouts Autumn more than cosy woolly jumpers and burgundy beanie hats? I think not. In all honesty, I've never been a big fan of Autumn until it gets super cold and the build up to Christmas starts, but this year has been different. I've just been so excited to wrap up warm and take Buster for a long walk in the woods. As someone who set New Years Resolutions and didn't stick to them, I thought I would set myself some more goals for Autumn/Winter. I really love the feeling of accomplishment, so I thought I'd share with you some of my goals for the end of this year! 

1. Make more friends

I want to meet more people and socialise with everyone on my course at Uni. I feel very distant from a lot of the people on my course because everyone is extremely cliquey. Putting myself out there more and talking to different people is something that is extremely daunting for me but something that will hopefully make me happier in the long term. 

2. Start writing my book

I've always wanted to see what it would be like to start writing a book but I can never seem to get around to doing it. I've decided that I'm going to take some time out each week to make some notes and do some writing. I don't know if anything will ever happen with this potential book but it'll hopefully get me back into loving writing again. 

3. Read more Blogs

I'm a big part of the blogging community but I feel like I watch YouTube videos too much. I think it's completely taken over from blogging and that sometimes blogs just aren't recognised or appreciated anymore. I really need to read some more blogs and find new bloggers to be friends with so be sure to leave your links in the comments because I'd love to read what you've been writing about!

4. Spend less time on my phone

Like everyone in the modern day, I spend 90% of my life on my phone, the other 10% being when I'm sleeping. I read a quote the other day that really made me emotional and it said that one day when you look up from your phone, your family wont be there anymore. I spend way too much time on my phone when I'm around my family so I've decided that when I'm out with people and socialising, unless I'm on a night out or feeling awkward, then I will definitely not be going on my phone. I need to appreciate the amazing people I have around me whilst they're still here.

5. Get my Anxiety under control.

 I'm determined not to let my anxiety take over my life anymore, and as it has caused me to lose a lot of friends, I don't want to risk losing anyone else. I'm promising myself that by Christmas I will be able to go out on a night out without having an anxiety attack and have an amazing Christmas with my family.

6. Visit Coffee Shops and Read

I love going to different places, going into the coffee shops and spending the day reading. I say that I love going to these places but I really don't do this enough even though it's something that relaxes me and makes me so happy. I've decided I'm going to use this as my relaxation time and take a day after lecture each week to go and sit somewhere and read for a little while. I always seem to be too tired to read now that I'm back at Uni. 

7. Read my work out at an Open Mic Night

Yep, I'm a Creative Writer and the whole purpose of my degree is to be able to share my writing with others. However, this is the thing I hate the most about my course and if I can avoid sharing my work with other people then I will. As soon as my lecturer says that we are all going to share our work, I make an excuse to leave (normally going to the loo) and then come back when he's moved on to another topic and forgot that I even left the room. However, at some point I am going to have to share my work with other people whether I like it or not. When I attend the open mic nights hosted by my Uni, I always say that I'm going to read out next time but 'next time' never comes. If I'm going to share my writing with other people why not throw myself in at the deep end and read it out at an open mic night!?

8. Don't be so hard on myself

I've come to realise how much I put myself down; whether that be because of my appearance, personality or the work that I do. I'm always talking about the fact that we shouldn't compare ourselves to other people but yet still find myself doing that exact thing. Just because you think someones work is amazing doesn't mean that yours isn't just as good, just because you think someone is pretty doesn't mean that you aren't pretty too! I just need to stop comparing myself and start working with what I have. 

What are you Autumn/Winter Goals? I think they really motivate me to achieve something by the end of the year! 

Lots of Love,

Meg

xox

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London & Jersey Boys

When it came to finding something to get my mum for Christmas, I didn't just want it to be something she'd expect. I didn't want her to look at the shape of the present and think 'It's that top I saw in New Look the other week'. So, when I came up with the idea to go to London for the day, I knew it was what had to be done. I booked our trains in early November, and as a little extra treat, I also booked for us both to go and see Jersey Boys. It's a musical that we've both wanted to see for so long, so I was very very excited, to say the least. Then it was the wait until Christmas day.

I handed my mum the train tickets and the theatre tickets in a little red envelope on Christmas day, and it's very safe to say she was shocked. I think she really liked the fact that she didn't expect the whole thing. And the best part was, that when she got the tickets, we were only three days away from going! We've been listening to the Jersey Boys soundtrack since.

Last week, at 5am, we woke up and headed to the train station to catch our train to London. We were both very very excited. I hadn't been to London in just over two years so was very much looking forward to going back and taking in the beautiful surroundings of the city. I fell asleep on the train there, but let me just tell you how much I love Virgin Trains. They are like a plane that doesn't fly. I wish all trains were like Virgin Trains.

Anyway, after a two hour train journey, or in my case, a two hour sleep, we arrived in a very quiet London. It was 9am so I'm not very surprised. Then, Mum and I had the challenge of actually trying to find the theatre where we would be watching Jersey Boys. Mum refused to let me use the sat-nav on my phone, and instead told me that she knew the way; she didn't. We were up and down little back streets, and what should have been a half an hour journey took us about an hour, but we got to see where Great Ormond Street was, which was the only perk of the walk. Soon enough, we found the theatre, and my excitement started to flutter around in my tummy.

By this time, it was about 10am, and as the show only started at 3pm, we had some time to kill. We decided to head to Oxford Street and do some shopping. The minute I saw the beautiful blue screens of Hollister, I dragged mum straight inside. It was three floors, THREE FLOORS! And let me tell you, it smelt absolutely beautiful. I also got a very nice bargain in the sale, I'm starting my summer wardrobe early.

We then headed further down the street, and I came across a little alleyway that was decorated with lights. It said 'Carnaby Street'. Being a girl who is constantly on Instagram, I'd seen this a couple of times but I didn't really understand the hype about it. but let me tell you now, it is the cutest little street ever. I didn't even feel like I was in London. Mum explained to me a little bit of history about the street, I took some pretty photos, and then we headed back into Oxford Street. We started to walk down, and had a browse in places such as Topshop, New Look and Miss Selfridge, but I found it very hard to shop. I hate shopping in sales when everything is jumbled, it's the worst. We then took a little break and went for a coffee. I'd never been to Oxford Street, and from what I'd seen so far, I really wasn't impressed. I just didn't understand what everyone loved about it.

We all know that Disney is my life, and I'd heard a lot of things about the Disney Store on Oxford Street so I was on the hunt to find that. The further we walked, the more Oxford Street became pretty. The beautiful street decorations glistened in the sunlight, and the lights on the Christmas Trees sparkled. It was perfect. Then, I found the Disney Store. It was beautiful. Two floors of pure Disney-ness, Cinderella's Carriage and a talking Storm Trooper. It's safe to say I didn't want to leave. We had a wander around for a little while and then continued on our journey back down Oxford Street.

Now, this is the Oxford Street I wanted to see. The Oxford Street I loved. We passed House of Fraser and then we came across Selfridges. Mum and I are massive fans of the show Mr Selfridge, so we let out a little squeal and headed through the doors of the most famous shop in London. Mum started to sing the theme tune of the show, and then said 'Good Morning Mr Selfirdge' to every single male employee she saw. I honestly can't take her anywhere. But Oh My, Selfridges is amazing! It's like another world, so many gorgeous things. And the escalators, they're flat and then all of  sudden they just rise. Everyone needs to up their game if they want to be anything like Selfridges.

When we'd finished walking around the many many floors, and looking at things that we definitely couldn't afford, we decided to take a stroll back to the theatre. In the build up to watching Jersey Boys, the album had been on repeat, and I knew the words to 60% of the songs. We were a little early to the theatre, so we took our place and waited for the show to begin. I sang and danced in my chair the whole way through. We were sat in the Grand Circle, and I was a bit apprehensive at first, because after reading reviews online, they had said that you couldn't see much. I just didn't want the day to be ruined for Mum. Honestly, we saw everything that went on. It was well worth the price. I'm not going to spoil anything, but Jersey Boys will make you laugh, smile and cry. It's my favourite musical...EVER!

We emerged from the theatre, just wanting to dance and sing down the street which was lit by the beautiful Christmas Lights. We then decided to head down to Trafalgar Square. I'm very scared of pigeons, so we thought it'd be best to visit it at night time when they've all gone to bed. It was beautiful. We sat by the fountains for a little while, watching them change colour and it was so peaceful. We then went to see Buckingham Palace, Leicester Square and many different theatres such as the Palladium, Her Majesty's Theatre and the Apollo Theatre. The day was coming to an end, and we ended it the only way we knew how; in McDonalds. We couldn't get into cafés anywhere so it was the only place we could find, and we were very very hungry.

We got back to Euston Station, and had a short wait until our train was called. We then hoped back onto the train and headed for home, eating our sandwiches and falling asleep straight away Very tired, we stumbled back into Wigan Station after the most wonderful day in London.

Here are some photos I managed to take of the day!

 








 Lots of Love,
Meg
xox

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Where Have You Been?

It's been about three weeks since I last posted on this blog, and I've really really missed it.

I always said that I'd post a lot on here because I was studying writing at Uni, but since my assignments have been flooding in, I haven't even had chance to prepare one single blog post and that upsets me a lot. So, first, I would like to say that I'm sorry. I promise I'm going to post so much on here in the next few weeks! It's been so hectic with Uni, and then work. If you didn't know, I currently work for Disney Store; it's been a job I've wanted since I was a little girl so it really means the world to be to be able to say that once in my life, I worked for the Walt Disney Company. When Uni finished, I was then whisked home to spend time with my family who I haven't seen in a very long time and then it was Christmas! It's been insane!

The next thing I'd like to say is Merry Christmas!! I can't believe how quickly this year has passed, I mean it only seems like two seconds ago when I was writing my blog post about the highlights of 2014, and now I'm in the process of writing about my favorite parts of this year. I hope you all had a really lovely Christmas, I know I did. I got some really lovely presents and was able to spend the day with my family and friends, which meant the world to me. I got some amazing beauty products for Christmas, so keep your eyes peeled for some reviews coming in the New Year!

So, for now, what I'd like to say, is that I'm back and blogging again and to be expecting a lot of blog posts in the coming months. I'm really excited to get back blogging again, and I hope you guys continue to enjoy the posts as much as I love writing them!

Lots of Love,

Meg
xox

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