OOTD - 31st May, 2013

Just a quick little cheeky OOTD for today.
I had such a busy day, and breaking in these new boots has whipped my calves into shape (and maybe punished my feet a little too much...)

I had a grown up bank appointment at 10 o'clock, met my lovelies Matty and Alex for lunch, and spent the rest of the afternoon with them.

I also did something very very cheeky, but you'll probably see it up in a post within the next week!
Then I spent the rest of the evening at work. Wahooooo.


Anyhows, here are a couple of snaps... I hope you forgive me for the terribleness that these photos are: (thanks New Look for the setting, haha) but I'm sure you'll get the gist!

Topshop on Topshop on Topshop, quite literally!

Everything you see is from Topshop!

Easiest OOTD ever.

L.

The Stranger Smile

I know the title is borderline creepy, but I hope it intrigues you too. See, this blog post is about you: as a person, as someone who emits their feelings into the world, and as someone who might seem insignificant, but in the light of things, in the telescopic tunnel of 'retrospect', has impacted more lives than you could ever imagine.

I recently started to think about people who have 'made my day'. A lot of these people I could put a name to: my nearest, my dearest, and ...well, a couple strangers to add to the mix.
I live in a small-knit community, and so even walking to the bus stop ensures me of a couple 'good morning's. And those minute gestures are important.

What I'm trying to say is that we're all in this rat race, and a couple kind words here and there are the final knots to a compliment. You don't have to be Angel Gabriel and carry messages of gold or go out of your way to compliment someone, but these social cues, these iconic gestures have developed in our world for one reason - to communicate, no?

This technological era has brought so many opportunities to branch out and communicate with people that are out of arm's reach. But it has also brought solitude and independence and isolation - not necessarily bad attributes, but ones that suffocate an open community.

It's almost like the dying art of whistling in public - the stranger smile is hidden underneath parallel-to-the-floor foreheads and tucked into the gap between your upper and lower front teeth.

Don't stranger grin though. Now THAT is creepy.

L.

Special Sunday Skincare!

Every Sunday, I have a special 'pampering' routine that I use to treat my skin, instead of the mundane skincare I use from day to day.

I thought I'd share what products I use, and I hope it gives you the encouragement to give your skin a little something extra once in a while :)

 Firstly, I use No7's 'Beautiful Skin, Purifying Exfoliator'. (£8, Boots)

 If you have normal to oily skin, I'd recommend using this cleanser, perhaps even on a three-times-a-week basis, despite the packaging saying once or twice a week. It also makes a great partner to No7 'Beautiful Skin Cleansing Brush' (£24.95, Boots)!

I like this product because you can feel the difference - the gel like consistency applies easily to your skin, whilst the embedded beads penetrate your pores to ensure a good scrub! It always provides a good start to my routine, and makes sure that my skin is ready for the other products.

The packaging is also travel-sized, which is perfect for bringing on trips! It still fits a hefty 75ml though, and is still lasting me after several weeks!

Moving on...

I recently purchased Soap & Glory's 'Scrub Your Nose In It'. (£7.50, Boots - I bought this along with 2 other S&G products as part of Boots' 3for2 offer/S&G website)

Soap & Glory receive an incredible hype when it comes to their skincare, but I've often found myself hesitant to fall into the crowd. However, I decided to buy this product for myself (the other 2 products were for a friend's present) and so far, I'm pleased with the results.

'Scrub Your Nose In It' is a toothpaste-like consistency, and doubles up as both a mask and scrub, which is a factor that definitely appealed to me.

The packaging boasts a 'Special Fruit-Acid Formula', which is sadly not so prominent in its smell - a rather subtle peppermint, with a teeny hint of lemon.

It's early days yet, but so far I am enjoying this product, and it does leave my skin that little bit cleaner.

After the first two cleanses, I use The Body Shop's 'Honey & Oat 3-In-1 Scrub Mask'. (£10, The Body Shop)

This, my friends, is DIVINE.

I use this as a special special treat, as it is quite time consuming and very messy!

I apply a generous layer to my clean, dry face and neck, and leave it for about 5 to 10 minutes. During this time, I usually wash my make-up brushes and clean my teeth! How productive!

After the allotted time, I wash my face thoroughly, making sure not to get any in my hair (although this NEVER works out!)

I've had this product for well over a year now, and the 100ml is lasting me brilliantly! I have just under half of it left, which is surprising as when I do use it, I make sure to USE it... the picture is not representative of how much I use: it's easily 4 times more than that.

As well as making my skin feel smooth and fresh, the scrub surrounds me in a heavenly porridge-like scent! It's gorgeous, and not a bad smell for Sunday night. The smell, for those of you worried you'll have a porridge face, does not linger on your skin after you wash it off, which is definitely a plus for me.

To finish the routine off, I use Soap & Glory's 'Fab Pore Hot Cloth Cleanser'. (£10, Boots/S&G website)

This is a perfect end to my skincare, as it leaves my skin well polished and fresh!

My pores are cleansed by this cream-like product, by a 60 second massage followed by a 60 second leave. This 2 minute spectacle is well worth it, as when I finally wash off the product (with the wash cloth/flannel/face towel provided!) I can feel a definite freshness and smoothness to my skin, and a reduction in pores and oiliness, especially around my t-zone area.

After that, I moisturise using Nivea and I call it a day!

I think that all skin is deserving of that special treat every once in a while, as a continuous day-routine may make your skin susceptible to the products that are used. Changing and switching it up a bit every now and then really make your skin feel luxurious, and it's always fun to play around a little with some new products

Remember, water is your skin's best friend, whether you're drinking it or splashing it on your face! Keep hydrated, especially through these upcoming summer months.

I hope you enjoyed this post.

L.

(Disclaimer: I am no way affiliated with the brands that I have mentioned: these views are entirely my own. I am also not sponsored, nor sent any of the products shown above.)

OOTD - 24th May, 2013

WHERE HAVE THE YEARS GONE?

I finished college for GOOD today. I feel a lot of mixed emotions, but mostly just relief that I endured the 2 years. I'm also astounded as to how quickly it passed by - on to university in September (eek!)

Anyways, today's post is another OOTD. The weather wasn't particularly great, and it made me feel very melancholy... it's probably reflected in my outfit, haha! Here are a few cheeky snaps.

From head to toe -

Checkered shirt - Monki (around £15)

Black staple jump suit - Topshop (I think it was £38)

Men's wool cardigan - Charity Shop (£4)

Cross hatched tights - Present

Black, patent Dr. Martens

L.

(Disclaimer: I am no way affiliated with the brands that I have mentioned: these views are entirely my own. I am also not sponsored, nor sent any of the items shown above.)

OOTD - 21st May, 2013

Hello :)

Lovely day, isn't it? It started off really foggy, but by the time I got home, it was beautifullllll. I decided to slip out of the oversized jumper I went to college in, and slip into more summery attire.

This is what I came up with!

My lace, quasi-salmon pink crop top is from a cute little store called H&B.

Hearts & Bows (Manchester) is so dainty, and every time I visit my sister I always want to check it out. They do great grungey/punk clothes, for amazing prices - or, you can splash out on their super chic vintage section upstairs.

You can get cropped jumpers, dupes for disco pants, studded clothes and printed tees just to name a handful of things!

When I went, they were having a 20% off sale, so I think this top I purchased came to about £10!

It also came in the cutest bag.

(Sorry for the mirrored picture)

This top is thin, it's light and it's perfect for summer! What I really like about it is that it doesn't suffocate my arms like I felt the Topshop ones did - I think the colour also added a bit of excitement to the outfit, and its brightness is perfect for when the sun finally decides to show!

What I would recommend, though, is to wear a bandeau underneath it, as it is a bit revealing!

My a-line/asymmetrical skirt is from H&M (although I don't think it's sold online...) Once again, I think this was a really simple staple, which took a backseat in the outfit  - it acted as the foundation I worked around. I think the skirt was around £8.

I would advise wearing hot pants (or whatever coverage you prefer) underneath this as it isn't very opaque - the material is quite sheer, so you can see that cheeky butt!

What I think would be cool is to wear a leotard like this or this with this skirt... killing two birds with one stone, as they say!

Wearing a leotard would be a good alternative to a crop top, as you wouldn't have to show that bit of tummy if you didn't want to - for those of you out there that would rather keep it tucked in (including myself) a leotard is a fantastic alternative to simply tucking in a normal top because you don't get the 'bunching' that tends to happen around the waistline! 

And my trusty, over-worn Dr. Martens are from online (Amazon) but you can get them from so many places I'm sure you wouldn't need to search for long!

 :)

L.

OOTD - 19th May, 2013.

A little casual outfit, embracing the warmth! 

Def Leppard tour tee - Topshop

High waisted denim shorts - Topshop

Studded lemon bracelet - Topshop
I wore this with black patent Dr. Martens!

As you can see, a little OTT on the Topshop front, but why not!

L.

(Disclaimer: I am no way affiliated with the brands that I have mentioned: these views are entirely my own. I am also not sponsored, nor sent any of the items shown above.)

The Great Gatsby Review

Hi,

Today I finally watched the latest adaptation of The Great Gatsby, directed by Baz Luhrmann.
I watched it in 3D, and it was spectacular! The movie didn't rely on the 3D effects to carry it - it all fell upon the tragically beautiful novel that F. Scott Fitzgerald concocted so many moons ago.  ...The sprinkles of water, the green light beams and the screen protruding typewriter letters that flew your way were simply bonuses that added an extra 'oomph' to the movie. (Don't get me wrong - the visual effects were utterly discerning!)

What intrigued me first and foremost was the mixture of the periodic authenticity and the inclusion of elements of today, most noticeably in the soundtrack, including the likes of Kanye West, Emeli Sandé, and Jay Z to add to Jay G's story... highly influenced by one of the executive producers, none other than Shawn 'Jay Z' Carter, no doubt. And it worked. It most definitely worked. I couldn't help but think that an older generation would feel slightly betrayed by the use of mainstream music to counteract the 'Jazz Age', but it didn't counteract at all: if anything, it complemented.

The casting of the movie was nothing short of impeccable in my opinion.
True to the book, opening the story was our trusty, "judgement free" Nick Carraway, portrayed so eloquently by Tobey Maguire.

Without wanting to reveal too much, the interpretation of the "audience" that Nick addresses is clever. It's believable. It's fulfilling. It's another level to the story that Fitzgerald didn't ever specify, but I'm assuming the screen writers sculpted to perfection to execute.
Maguire portrays all the elements of Nick so well - he grasps his anger, his judgement and his content so deeply just by movement of his eyebrows or a simple intonation of his voice.

Leonardo DiCaprio deserves an Oscar already! He takes on the role of Gatsby with such believable confidence that the image I first had of Gatsby when I read the book might forever be replaced with Leo's face.

The first meeting between the two characters is electrifying - 'I'm afraid I haven't been a very good host, old sport. You see, I'm Gatsby'. Cue the fireworks... Quite literally. The extravaganza that is Gatsby is captured in a single screen, with bursts of colour in the backdrop and nothing but Leo's chiseled face. Goosebumps.

Carey Mulligan's acting was full of money (a quote that was missed out), creating a newly sculpted version that could probably give Mia Farrow a run for HER money. Joel Edgerton was the perfect brute for Daisy as Tom, Elizabeth Debicki created the most mysterious and intriguing Jordan, and Isla Fisher was a heart wrenching, pity-pulling Myrtle that I thoroughly enjoyed.

The downside for me, was the lack of reference to the Nick/Jordan relationship: a couple, I felt, paralleled Daisy and Tom in the fact that both were very much real and not careless... 'Angry, and half in love with her, and tremendously sorry, I turned away.'

I also wanted so much for the characters to say more quotes -

'So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.'
'It takes two to make an accident,'
'If personality is an unbroken series of successful gestures, then there was something gorgeous about him.'

But, to conclude, just like Gatsby, the movie was clinquant.

L.

Ahoy!

Hi,


I'm Lorraine. This is my first blog post (as you can probably see) and I'm not really sure why I'm doing this, or what I'm attempting to achieve. But as I'm typing, I know it's what I want to do.

...and it's a way to procrastinate from revising for exams that will ultimately determine my future. Phew.

I'm, like I'm sure we all are, made up of so many different pieces that I'd feel uncomfortable naming this blog under anything - but I hope you like any little posts that come your way.
Just so you get a little taster, it'll probably be mini daily blogs, a couple of cheeky OOTDs, maybe a nail art tutorial or two, and a bunch of lust-driven reviews on books, music, movies or shows that I've decided to invested my time in.

Thank you for taking the time to read this :)

L.