Month: March 2015

Greenwich Park.

The sun is shining. The sky’s are blue and we needed to get out the house so we raided the wardrobe for something summery, whipped out the shades and walked into Greenwich.

We grabbed some strawberries and juice from Sainsberies and picnic blanket in hand we went in search of the perfect picnic spot. It was such a nice afternoon sat just chilling in the March sun. It’s still a bit cold in the breeze but it gave us a taste of the summer sun to come. We sat eating our strawberries watching the world go by. There were so many doggies out on a walk, I saw two frenchies- I nearly melted. I had to run up for a cuddle. I want a frenchie so bad! Too cute.

Anyway back home now and going to chill before a few friends come round for some drinks.

Kim Kardashian Goes Blonde.

Kim blonde

So, what do we think?

It’s a bit Barbie and she couldn’t really get much more fake but you’ve got to give it to her, she still looks good.
She arrived at Paris Fashion Week in a beanie and has now revealed her new look. A long feathered bob in a striking platinum blonde, she appeared in a black velvet origami mini dress and her hair swept back off her face looking very “modern power women”.

Kim

It’s striking for Fashion Week but I can’t see it lasting, the maintenance is going to be extreme and how damaged must her hair be. I’m sure she will be back to her dark brunette soon.

Kim and K

Kim and Kanye are both dressed to impress in front row seats at the Balmain. They do like to coordinate their outfits and today they both opted for black velvet. Black on black is so dramatic that and Kim’s new hair makes for a striking entrance.
Check out my posts on Black Bags and Clutches- links below and feel free to leave a comment below, what’s your opinion on Kim’s new do?

https://katielouisaclarke.wordpress.com/2015/03/05/in-your-clutches/

https://katielouisaclarke.wordpress.com/2015/03/05/the-big-black-bag/

In Your Clutches.

To take you through into night, everyone needs a clutch for those few key essentials. You can’t go wrong with black. These are my favorites.

clutches

religion clutchOn the left we have a stunning angular clutch by Religion- this is from their Angular Range it is RRP £40 but it is currently £28 on ASOS. This bag is large and its striking shape makes it modern but the black keeps it minimal. I adore this bag, it looks stunning here paired with a wet look pencil skirt but equally it would amazing with a pair of suit trousers and stilettos.

The middle bag is a Matt & Nat Grab Clutch Bag with Zip Compartments, this eco friendly company has mastered ethically bag making. No animals are hurt or
mat and natharmed in the making of these products and their collection of bags make from up cycling and sustainable sources are at the forefront of the currents trends while echoing the hues and textures of nature. I love the grab design, it looks so clean cut. This bag is priced at £65 a little pricey but you are paying for piece of mind and modern design.

asos clutchThe final clutch on the right is so minimal and stunning- a simple fold over, all soft leather bag made by ASOS is priced at £28. I am a real fan of the simplicity of this bag, its more relaxed feel makes it perfect for a lunch date or drinks after work, dress it up or down.
Black leather is every girls staple. All these bags are available from ASOS. Happy shopping!

http://www.asos.com/women/bags-purses/cat/pgecategory.aspx?cid=8730&via=top

The Big Black Bag.

The black bag is every girls staple. Its more wearable than the little black dress- the black bag can accompany anything from jeans and a T shirt on weekends to work to a night out. I just wanted to talk you through my favorites right now. With the black bag you need to consider what makes it different from other bags- think different textures something that breaks up the shape.

For everyday- Go Big. Think Tote, Shoppers, Box bags. Keep it black but consider contrasting leather with suede, gold or silver finishes and consider croc- a popular texture for the season.

best of big

From left to right. First we have River Island Suede and Leather Shopper bag £45. I love the croc suede, you don’t often see it, also the luggage tag adds a relaxed feel perfect for the weekend. Next along is Zip Top City Bag by ASOS £32- the all over crock makes it stylish and sophisticated, the gold finishes and boxy style make it perfect from the office. Next along is Pieces Tote bag in Contrast Black with Strap Detail £40, the perfect bag to wear on your shoulder suitable for any occasion and a good size for all your must haves. And finally Mango Hobo Bag £34.99- the most relaxed bag of them all but the slouchy nature is dressed up with the contrast black nylon with leather front pocket, perfect for Monday all the way through to Sunday.

black bags

For anyone living a busy life these bags are perfect. Keep everything you could ever need to get you through the day close at hand.

All these bags are available from ASOS.

http://www.asos.com/women/bags-purses/cat/pgecategory.aspx?cid=8730&via=top

ck in2u.

It’s hard to find a new fragrance. There are so many out there and when you go to try them out you end up with a thousand smells sprayed up each arm in a cloud clashing fragrance that make you dizzy. I’ve decided I am not much of a fan of floral smells, I find them almost bitter and some put my teeth on edge. I also don’t like musky based smells as I find them too strong and lingering. How ever I did really like Lady Million for a while, it has a sweet but not to sickly smell that you can wear day or night. My Lady Million was running out, I wanted to find a new fragrance but didn’t know where to start.

My boyfriend Zac started wearing Calvin Klein in2u soon as I smelt it- I loved it. It has a sweet manly fresh smell, when Zac wears it, it makes me melt at the knees. Mmmm it’s good. I think I also like it so much because to me it’s Zac’s smell, the smell he wears when he’s all dressed up.

A popular fragrance for young men, Calvin Klein In2U Him Eau de Toilette is a masculine and fresh fragrance which is perfect for evening use. On trend and distinctive, Calvin Klein In2U Him is a combination of Lemon and Tomato Leaf top notes, heart notes of Cacao Pod and base notes of Vetiver, Cedar and White Musk. Calvin Klein In2U Him features a stylish glass bottle which makes it an essential fragrance for any young man looking to make a fashion statement.

I then thought I should try the ck in2u for her- then we could have the matching couples fragrance. I tried it and fell in love with it, its sweet but clean and fresh. I like the vanilla under tones mixed with the pink grapefruit, it’s such an easy sent to wear.

Described as a fresh and floral scent which opens with fresh pink grapefruit and sugar orchid, Calvin Klein In2u expresses the freedom of the new age and the possibilities available to the youth of today. The base notes feature amber, red cedar and vanilla, making it a perfect concoction for the modern day woman. Housed in an urban style bottle with an attractive and minimalist design, Clavin Klein In2U is deliciously floral and is a signature scent not to be missed.

Ck in2u pair

The ck in2u range has been around for quite a few years now, Calvin Klein have brought out ck in2u Heat for Him and Her as well as a Pop range- I haven’t tried them out but I will. I have been using their original line for about 2 years and I can see myself continuing to use it for the foreseeable future. The fact it’s been around for a little while also means its often on offer or reduced in price, I picked up a 150ml bottle of for Her for £19.99 I think it is RRP is £50. It is available at most fragrance retailers and department stores.

HTC One M9 Release.

I currently have HTC One M7 my phone is due for an upgrade in May but what do I get. I was waiting to see the launch of the HTC M9 and now it’s here I need to decide whether to continue with HTC -considered the best android run smart phone or do I finally give into Apple with the iPhone 6- I have resisted everything “i” up until now, I’ve just not felt the urge but there is no denying the iPhone 6 is one of the best phones out there at the moment.
I have had no major problems with my phone considering its coming up for two years old, the battery have gotten worse but that’s expected, its still pretty fast and does the job well. For me it’s just the camera that lets it down. It started off okay but the UltraPixel camera is just useless, I was interested to see how HTC addressed these issues in their new model.

htc-one-m9

So the HTC M9 doesn’t look that different from it’s predecessor. HTC have found their clear design template and have only tweaked it slightly. The phone is visually stunning- it’s slightly shorter than the M8 but it is also thicker. This is the house the bigger more powerful battery, it does go against the ever slimming trends of new phones but it doesn’t distract from the gorgeous design.
Finally after 3 years they have ditched the UltraPixel camera on the back and upgraded it to a 20MP camera. They have moved the UltraPixel camera to the front for ‘better selfies in low light’- they say but we’l have to see how that copes. The camera is still in the centre of the phone and they have make it bigger with a rounded square surround, it is striking but I can imagine it would get scratched even though they say there is a scratch resistant film over the phone.

htc-one-m9_gunmetal

The M9 is available in hero (silver with a gold band), gunmetal grey and all gold. For me it would be Hero, all gold is a bit much while the gunmetal is more mescaline. There is no denying its a good looking phone with an improved battery and camera but the hardware hasn’t stepped up that much, there is also the fact the design has moved on and it looks good but there isn’t a dramatic change in the looks from previous models, if anything to seems to be a merge of the M7 and the M8. The M9 is due to be released March 31st so I still have a little time to decide between HTC and Apple.

Jet Set. Go.

We have booked our holiday for summer 2015. We are going to Egypt! Zac and I went last year and we have decided to go again, this time with our friends Pierce and Simona for a double couples holiday- Yay!
Last year we spent two weeks lapping up the sun, getting drunk on cocktails at the pool bar and going snorkeling with all the gorgeous fish and corals of the Red Sea. It was the most incredible two weeks, we felt so far away from the ordinary- it was our two week slice of heaven.

wpid-img_88967068575799.jpeg

Egypt is such an incredible place and super cheap, making it perfect for us students. In my opinion its a perfect place for 18-30 year olds, you get the perfect balance of chill out time, activities and night life. You can take a boat trip to the best snorkeling spots along the red sea coast. Go quad biking in the desert. Enjoy the water sports on the beach. Chill by the pool and go out in the evenings. The hotel animation teams arrange lots of the activities for you and are always willing to give advice on the best places to go.

sharm
The hotels in Egypt are pretty much all 4 and 5 star hotels, all grand with huge receptions and large spacious king size rooms- its so much nicer than the often tacky hotel tower blocks in places like Spain. Then there’s the prices: all inclusive hotels start from as little as £15 a night, that’s £15 for all the food and alcohol you could wish for as well as a really nice room in a hot country for literally pennies!
Then there is the weather: between July and August temperatures can reach as much as 45°C. Which is seriously hot! but the sea breeze cools it a little and as long as you like to be by the pool or the sea and don’t mind being lazy for the middle of the day then its perfect. Lounge by the pool, build up the tan, when you get too hot take a dip in the pool and then grab a drink at the pool bar when your thirsty. Just total bliss.

Egypt, Red Sea, Sharm el-Sheikh, Coral reefs!

We booked our package with onthebeach.com- they are great because you can pay right up until 2 weeks before you leave and the deposit is spit into two parts to help you to spread the cost. They also make it really easy to compare destinations, dates and flights to help you find the cheapest package. For us we found a 13 night all inclusive package to Sol y Mar Sharks Bay, Sharm el Sheikh for a steel. To put it in perspective we have originally thought about going to Ibiza; we found a 7 night basic bed and breakfast for the same price as our 13 night 5 star stay in Sharm.

For anyone looking for an action packed holiday with plenty of time to chill and relax then I would really recommend you look into Egypt. I am so excited bring on June 28th.

https://www.onthebeach.co.uk/

So Nails.

There’s nothing more girly than painting your nails. It looks so pretty and stops them breaking. Wack on some colour and look fabulous all week and then surprise yourself a week later with how much your nails have grown. Also a good colour on your nails finishes your look and makes you feel like you’ve made more of an effect even when you haven’t. Right now I am wearing Barry M Matte in Crush- its a dark burgundy berry colour- the matte finish is so sophisticated, in my opinion its just more subtle than the glossy finish making it more wearable. All the colours in their matte range are so nice and at £3.99 a bottle and often on offer with 3 for 2 they are definitely well worth a try.

Barry-M-Matte-Polish

Another nail vanish range I am in love with is Essie’s Autumn Collection- I know we are heading into spring but theres still plenty of time was those autumn shades. Essie is a little more expensive but the vanishes do last longer without chipping and the colours are so scrummy. I have Sew Psyched which is a neutral pale khaki tone.essie

A cashmere-soft sage pewter nail lacquer is perfectly suited to set off fall and winter styles. dressed up or down, this shade is sure to start a fashion frenzy.

Its something a little bit different and I think it goes really well with my skin tone and being neutral it goes with everything.

http://www.boots.com/en/Essie-Nail-Polish-Sew-Psyched-13-5ml_1347605/

http://www.boots.com/en/Barry-M-Matte-Nail-Paint_1388205/

The Bearded.

Beards are sexy as hell. There is nothing more manly than a man with a beard. Its that rugged, worn in, easy look that’s charming and so endearing. A smooth faced man is like a man with a high voice- luckily David Beckham has a beard to cancel out the latter and thank god in pictures you don’t have to hear him speak. And no girl likes face burn. To avoid that sore blotchy face from too many kisses there is one simple solution… just head straight for the bearded instead.

stubble

I watched the Oscars earlier this week. I think nearly every guy there was fully suited and booted and finished with a well groomed beard. My first prize would have to go Chris Pine-Who else; what a fine specimen of a man he is. But in at a very close second it would have to be Chris Evans- such beard perfection.

pine and evans

So dreamy. A good beard adds to the jaw line and frames the face. It should be trimmed under the cheek bones to create a clean line, similarly a straight line can be trimmed into the neck line, this gives a neat edge to the beard and keeps you looking polished and fresh.

In my opinion baby faces should be left for babies. Full stop. I’l just leave you with one final image of the ever so handsome Chris Pine. If the don’t share the same enthusiasum for a good beard then maybe Pine’s fine blue eyes will change your mind.

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