My Morning So Far

Not having a good day so far. I was actually dreaming about the green Topshop Unique shoes last night...I've decided I really want them, but they have sold out already. I guess I'll just keep checking the site....5 times a day as opposed to the 3 times I do already! I couldn't have ordered 3 pairs though...that would've been £290! I'm keen to see which size will fit me, the 5 or 6. The black boots (which I ordered in the bigger size) have also sold out. I got my Stila goodies this morning, everything looks lovely, except they stuffed up my order. They didn't send me the Bronzing Kit and mixed up one of the lipstick colours. I've emailed them, but the chances of them still having stock is slim. Most of the items I bought have sold out already, which is really annoying as it's not my fault they didn't send me the right thing and I'll probably miss out. I notice the Look Palettes with IT Gloss are £6.95 (I bought them for £4.95) now on the site. They have some new items though, like All Over Shimmer Liquid £6.95, Cherry Crush Lip & Cheek Stain £4.75, Color Push Ups All Over Color £5.95 and Lip Liner £3.95.

Thy Will Be Mine

*Just as I went to hit 'publish post' my computer went off, we've just had a power cut for a couple of hours-glad to be back-life's no fun without electricity!*

Do you like the new banner? I fancied a change and really wasn't keen on the last one. Anyway, I got all in a tizz, a wee minute ago when I realised Topshop had the elusive Unique statement heels online!!!! Of course, I sent back the Emma Cook frilled pair yesterday, so that refund hasn't yet been processed and I don't have enough money for the Unique pair. A quick phonecall to my little sis and she said I could use her card (panic over). I just had to decide which colour and style to get.Initially I had my heart set on the blue ankle boot as you know. However there is a beautiful pair of green suede courts and also creamy snakeskin in court or slingback styles, which I hadn't been expecting. It threw me and I was really torn with what to order. Plus, to avoid a repeat of the Emma Cooks, I decided to order my normal size and a size up, just incase (p&p free over £100 and free returns by post). I ended up getting the blue ankle boot in size 5 and a black size 6. I really like the green courts though....I'll see what happens with what I've ordered. Although if it's like last time, it'll take a week to get here and I'm sure everything will be sold out by then. As I type this, there are most sizes available in all the styles, so go and get them now.

images topshop.com

Stila Bargain haul

So much for trying to save money! I got an email this morning from Beauty Spot Cosmetics letting me know that they have just received a limited amount of Stila at bargain prices. I immediately clicked onto the site and right enough, there is a fine little selection, all under a tenner. I spent about £60 and got a lot for my money, although I admit I didn't really *need* any of it. I got The Best of Stila Gift of Glamour Set (£9.95), Stila Look No2 and No3 palettes with It Glosses (£4.95 each), Clear Color Lip Tint in Sugar and Nude (£3.95 each), 5 shades of IT Gloss Lip Shimmer (£3.95 each) and Gift of Glow Bronzing Kit (£9.95). I may swap some away on MUA (I know that I already have the Brown Sugar Lip Glaze from the Bronzing Kit) and some of the eyeshadows look a litte too brown for me, but at those prices I couldn't resist. Head over right now if you want some, as they are going fast. (Free delivery over £40, select free gift with £20 spend).

Matalan Shoe Haul

Soooo excited to show you my lovely new shoes...first stop was Matalan, who hardly had any size 5's-so the choice for trying on was limited. Lots of high heeled gladiator styles, some satin polka dot or leopard print peep-toes and these lovely bow front platforms (below). £14 and in either black, electric blue or bright pink. They are very similar to some Topshop styles I've seen before. I just had to get both the pink and blue.The mega excitement though was over these Christian Louboutin for Philip Lim knock-offs (real deal above). They are just fantabulous. I remember seeing a purple pair in Look magazine a while back and thinking 'they are a pretty shoe, but I would be able to resist if I saw them in real life'. Oh no, not a chance! They had patent black (slightly crackled effect) or matte orange (exactly the same shade as above). These are a little bit on the small side (slightly narrow at the toe), although I still fitted my normal size 5. There was no 5 in the orange and the 6 was broken, so I had to get the black. Another girl was also trying them on at the same time as me and we were 'oohing' and 'aahing' over each others feet! They are just such a statement shoe and actually kinda remind me of an updated version of the Matalan ribbon platforms from a few years back. They look like a good quality, well-made shoe and I don't think you'd ever guess they cost under £20. £18 to be exact, except mine lost their price ticket and the lady put them through for £14, excellent!! I'm quite tempted to go and find other Matalans now and see if they have any other colours of them. They have a concealed platform, skinny really high stiletto heel, pointed toe and 4 thin straps across the foot. One strap goes around the ankle and the other 3 thread through the back of the ruffle detail.Before I had tried these on I was going to buy snakeskin Terry De Havilland style wedges and black patent (also available in grey) Gucci S/S '09 style platforms (see pic below), however I managed to put them both back (I'm so strong!). The black had a little bit too much toe cleavage for me (although my Mum loved them) and I didn't really *need* the wedges.Next was TK Maxx which was pretty rubbish. The shoe shelves were fully stocked until you got to the size 5's. I did try on a pair of brown crocodile platforms which had a gold plastic sole and layer of the platform (do you kinda know what I mean?). They had a strappy front with little bow detail and were just beautiful on. You really rocked when you walked in them. I tried on 3 different pairs until I got the right fit, then we looked around the clothes etc and as I went to pay for them, something crazy happened. I actually said out loud 'do I really need these?' My Mum had just finished saying that she thought they were the most beautiful pair of shoes she had seen...and she was right, they were lovely, but not amazingly unique and so I put them back. I told you, I am so strong!

(Gucci and Philip Lim pics from Vogue.co.uk and Elle.com)

Carby and Shopping

Hiya, been shopping today, just a little trip to TKMaxx and Matalan. I'll tell you more about it tomorrow...I got 3 pairs of shoes (oops!). However, I did manage to put back another few pairs, so I do have some willpower...somewhere!I'm bursting with excitement for tonight with the return of my lovely Dr Carter in ER. I kinda looked at some spoilers so know a tiny bit of info, but don't want to know anymore! I just hope he's split up with Thandie Newton (or 'thongy' as I call her, after her BAFTA thong outfit a few years back). She was never any good for him (it was just a crappy storyline so he could leave the show), her character was just so utterly unlikeable. Yes, I'm a Carby fan through and through...pity Abby couldn't come back and divorce Luka, then life would be perfect!

Frilling Shoes

I got the ASOS magazine in the post today and gasped aloud at these frill platforms in one of the features. I was pleasantly surprised by the price (£34.50) as I've been finding their shoe prices higher than usual lately-athough due in part to a larger range of Premium styles I think. Of course I've had two £10 off codes recently and used one last week and the other yesterday and the platforms arrived on the site today, typical! I just love the curved shape, slender heel and huge platform (btw also available in black or coral). I think I may have to break my 'don't buy lots of cheap shoes, try and save for more expensive styles' thingy, for them. I am mega excited at the prospect of my quilted booties arriving that I ordered yesterday. So Chanel and I've been patiently waiting for the price to drop, not bad for £37.

*update: ASOS parcel arrived today and the boots are adorable. They do however look tiny and it was a real struggle to get them on, so I'm going to return them for a bigger size. Later today my Topshop parcel arrived and that's a whole other story. FYI in comparison to ASOS the Topshop customer service is pretty crappy. I placed my order on Sunday and it's taken until today (Friday) to arrive. The Emma Cook shoes are just amazing though. They are a thing of beauty....until I tried to get my foot into them. IMPOSSIBLE. Seriously, not a chance. I can't even be sure if a (bigger) size 6 would fit me. The thing is when you look at them together with the ASOS pair it's hilarious, the Emma Cooks could eat the little ASOS, they are huge. Topshop offer free returns by post, yet don't seem to offer an exchange, a little odd I think. There is practically no information with your actual order, whereas ASOS are very informative and clear. They have to go back, it's just a shame I can't swap them for a bigger size (I would have to place another order, I assume). I just don't know if I want to go to that hassle when I can't even be sure the bigger size will be any better*

Miss Sicily by Peep-Toe

My Miss Sicily shoes by Peep-Toe arrived a couple of weeks ago, crappy pics-sorry! Bright red, shiny sole and the pink uppers are so soft. They almost look patent in the image on Salon Kitty, but they actually have a pearlescent finish to the leather (which I think comes across as shiny in photos). Remember all Peep-Toe shoes have been reduced to £40 in the Salon Kitty closing down sale.

H&M/Primark haul pics

I mentioned last week that I took a little trip to Primark and H&M. Remember I didn't try on any of the Primark dresses? Well, I only ended up keeping one. There was a black, floral shirt dress which wouldn't button up over my boobs, a blue smock dress with gold embroidered detail that didn't sit right, a cobalt blue tulip shaped shift which was just a little too tight and I'm really bummed about this lilac frill dress with bow detail down the front which was also too small. Sometimes it sucks having a large bust!
I did keep this rather odd utility style, grey dress though. It has some interesting details (large voluminous pockets, bubble hem). The style of dress is very masculine for me, I usually prefer the very pretty, but I think I can maybe make it work. I also got a bright green/yellow snakeskin clutch for a fiver, overall I was really disappointed with the stock this time.
H&M was another huge disappointment clothes-wise. However, I have taken images of the tonnes of accessories I bought. I expected the hairbands to be a little tight considering they are childrens, but they fit fine. My favourites are the plastic bow hairbands-I feel like a human Hello Kitty and the turquoise bow clasps are very pretty. Click on the pics to see them detailed. Oh and I should mention all of the items were either £1.50 or £1.99, very reasonable. Plus, I almost forgt about this Hello Kitty eyeshadow palette I got (£2.99). I cannot emphasise enough just how sparkly this is. It is mega glittery, I couldn't even really capture it with the camera. Of course, the glitter is only on the surface and I'm sure the colours are drab and unsparkly underneath but I couldn't resist!

MU haul V-Sculpt

I treated myself to some makeup last week. It's been a while since I've bought any (other than the recent mac collections). There was a time when a little parcel of cosmetics popped through the door almost every day! In a bid to help my skin though and due to the fact that I have more makeup than any one person could ever need in a lifetime, I've been cutting down. Magic Makeup was an old haunt of mine and I was keen to try the new dVb range they had in stock. Fronted by Victoria Beckham, the range called 'V-Sculpt' was launched a couple of years ago and mainly available in Japan. Magic Makeup have very limited stock and almost all the lipglosses had gone in the first day or two. The prices are dirt-cheap, so I bought a selection to try and see what it's like. I've taken pictures for you and reviewed some of them, but please note that I haven't yet had the chance to really try out the products. I have only roughly swatched (sorry no pics) and tested them out.
My main issue with this range is that the powders (blush, eyeshadow and highlighters), come in magnetic trays and are supposed to be sold alongside an empty compact so you can pick the shades you like and make your own palette. However MM don't sell the compact so the powders just come in a cardboard box with clear slide-along lid over the top of the pan. Not a huge problem, but I would've preferred having the choice to buy the compact. There are 2 shades of blush (I think there was perhaps another shade that MM don't sell), several shades of eyeshadow and highlighters, lipgloss and lip pencils. Apparently there are mascaras in the range although MM don't stock them.
Lipliner £1.94 in Cool, a pale pinky neutral that will go with anything. The pencil is quite soft and comes with a brush at one end.
Lipgloss £1.94 in Glam. Quite a weighty nude but not completely 'brown' if that makes sense. A wand applicator with brush (like Bourjois), I wish I had had the chance to try the other lighter pinks, peach and nudes before they sold out.
Eyeshadow £1.71 in Airy (pale blue) and Illusion (pale, minty green). These are really pearly with a terrific sheen, not intense in colour. I think they are lovely for spring/summery makeup, but if you are looking for bold colour pay-off don't buy these. The other shades are colours I don't really wear so I passed on them, but I would've liked more colours like turquoise and purples. Very soft powder.
Blush £2.45 in Radiance (berry pink) and Enchanting (hot coral). These are super scary in the pan, the colours look so intense and dark. However as with all the V-Sculpt powders, they are super soft and have a lovely pearly sheen, so the colour is diffused. I love blusher, so can't wait to get stuck into these, I'm sure they'll give a lovely glow.
Face £1.94 in Tender Dream (pale ivory), choose from darker shades to define and sculpt and lighter shades to highlight. I'm sure the blush are pearly enough to use without a highlighter, although I think these powders could create stunning, contouring effects alone or with another brand blush. Again, soft and shimmery...these have the dVb logo embossed into the powder.
I would definitely give them a go, they seem like good quality and at those prices you can't really go wrong. I also got Urban Decay loose pigment in Shattered (I already have the pressed eyeshadow of this) and Joey NY CinnaMEN He's Into You lipgloss in Good Enough to Eat/Funch Break, one side is vanilla, the other cinnamon. I'm not overly keen on the gold side, but the pink looks pretty.

Please click on images to enlarge, please do not take images without my permission-I leave them untagged so you can see the products better.

Ruffled Shoes, Ruffled Conscience

Feel incredibly guilty having just splurged on a pair of Emma Cook for Topshop frill platforms. I don't know why I feel like that, it's not like I paid by credit, I actually have the money (for once) and consider them to be worthy of that amount of cash. Whenever I have money I spend it (my mum says 'it burns a hole in your pocket!'), I'm not a saver. I think it's just that I'm more used to spending large amounts on cheaper things. Huge hauls from Primark and the like and I'm slowly trying to change my spending habits.

As you know, the shoe storage situation in my house is out of control. I sold over 40 pairs of shoes on ebay last year and you wouldn't notice any difference. My room is still overflowing with boxes of footwear. I'm trying to break that habit of going into Matalan and buying 6 pairs at a time, (sometimes) because 'oh they're only £12, can't go wrong with them'. I'm going to save up and buy really special pairs. However, I'm not saying that every expensive shoe is worth shelling out for just because it's designer. More expensive, doesn't equal better. Some of my favourite shoes are my cheapest pairs (Primark studded sandals, you know who you are!) and if I can get a designer lookalike that I love for £25 in New Look, then all the better. I just want to try and see if I can save and get something really special for my money.

However even a £2 lipgloss gets a sizeable amount of debate before I purchase. It's just the way I am. So I think it may take my brain a little longer to get used to spending this amount of money on one item, without feeling guilty!

All that aside, I have been drooling over these shoes for some time. They are incredible statement shoes. Every day I checked the Topshop site for them and the Unique 'statement heel' booties. I had actually given up and it was just by luck that I saw them yesterday. They didn't have the cream/zipper ones (which I probably would've preferred), the all-black don't stand out to me as much, so the white with black trim it was (even although I don't really 'do' white shoes). I didn't buy them straight away but decided that if they were still in stock today I'd purchase them as it was meant to be! I really hope they don't get in the ankle boots now (or at least before I get paid again), as I adore them and would wear them more. Oh well, if they do, I'll sell the Emma Cooks on ebay and buy the Unique pair!

Pina Colada by Shoemissy

Yesterday, I got a lovely surprise when my Shoemissy Competition prize arrived. I picked the new Pina Colada style and wasn't disappointed. As you can see, I've taken tonnes of pictures for you, to really show them off. They are made from pink cotton with raffia heels and platform and white satin ribbon and veiling. The S/S '09 collection is proving popular though with many of the styles already out of stock. Remember you can also order from Coco Violet, Boutique Babylon and Pin-Up Parade. I've also included the images I took for the competition, you can see the winning pic on the Shoemissy site, all images are clickable. Thank you very much to Anna at Shoemissy, I adore my new shoes!