(TFF) Patterned Leggings!

Good Evening!

Going to try and keep this short today, been feeling a bit poorly so it's going to be bath and bed for me shortly. I missed last week's Top Five Friday so I thought I better get back on track with one today. 

Now, as you can probably tell from my OOTD's, I like a good pattern. And one of my favourite ways to add pattern to my outfits is through my leggings. I didn't actually realise how many pairs of patterned leggings I had until I had a look for this post, (which is why a sneaky 6th pair ended up in the list), but I am pleased because no two are really that similar.

Anyway... bring on the leggings! Some were bought recently (Primark) some were over the last couple of years, and some were gifts, so I am unsure which are still available to buy. I would also add that the New Look ones are sheer, and are kind of like footless tights, but I would class them as leggings because of the fit.

Primark £6.00	Select £3.00	French Connection Outlet £5.00
New Look Sale I think around £5	Xmas Present 2 years ago (Ebay)	Irregular Choice (Xmas Present)

(the Irregular Choice pair 'appeared' after the original picture was taken, but I HAD to include them, I love love love the pink stripe!)

I found it hard to put these into an order, so interpret it how you will, I love all of these leggings a lot :)

So, the bf has popped a toad in the hole in the oven, then a nice hot bath and bed time I think, hopefully tomorrow I will have the energy to get on with my college assignment!

I hope my legging collection has inspired you to get some patterned leggings out and go wild! I like to wear them with big jumpers or cardigans. I also will wear plain, or patterned tops with them, depending on if I feel like clashing or not. No doubt you will see them in more OOTDs soon.

Anyway, time for dinner, hopefully will have time to post tomorrow, but if not it's The York Vintage Fair on Sunday, so, now I know how to format those posts, I should have something ready on Sunday night!

Until next time... :)

(OOTD)(TFF) So last night... I fell into Topshop...HAUL!!!!

Evening, (well nearly midnight but oh well!)

Sorry for my absence last night, I went to a seminar and also ended up at a TopShop event!

But I won't dilly dally, as we have a lot to get through, OOTD, Haul and a Top Five Friday!

Long-Sleeved T-Shirt- New Look £3

Dress- Pussycat, sale

Cardigan- Everything5pounds.com 

Belt- Select (came on a skirt)

Leggings- Primark £3

Necklace- New Look, £2

So that's today done, and now for last night. So although the seminar was a bit of a giant sales pitch, I did end up going to the TopShop Event, which I only discovered yesterday. So this was TopShop's Pastel Party, pretty much promoting this seasons pastel trend. Think Rose Lemonade, macaroons, free pastel nail varnishes, free makeovers and a DJ, and you kind of get the atmosphere. But I was surprised there was not more people there, you missed out! Anyway, I did get a few bits and pieces....

Top Left- Nail Varnishes

Top Right- Eyelash Curlers

Bottom Left- Tweezers

Middle- Balm

Bottom Right- Nail Art Pen

From Left to Right- Celestial £5, Mermaid £6, Waterlily (free with QR code) 

Balm in Rose £4, Nail Art Pen in Ballerina £6.50

Tweezers £4, Eyelash Curlers £5

Crocheted Top £12 in sale 

Knitted and Lace Jumper £18 in sale

Aaaaand, because I spent £50 *cough* I got a free sparkly clutch bag, and it's very very pretty!

(I should also add that I got my 10% student discount on all full priced items)

So another thing for today is that I tested out some of my products:

Nail Varnish- TopShop Celestial

Nail Art Pen in Ballerina (yes I realise it looks like a 4 year old drew the flower...)

And FINALLY my Top-Five Friday (I do realise it's past midnight but shhhh!)

Today I am doing a bit of a Geeky Top-Five- My Top-Five Mac Apps! Just some little tools I find useful or entertaining! All of these can be found by searching the titles in the Mac App Store. 

1. Angry Birds- Well, enough said really, who doesn't love firing birds at pigs?? (has free and paid versions)

2. Mind Node- Not for everyone, but I find this mind-map app really useful for my work. I think it would be useful for those taking creative subjects at school / college, or those who just like to mind-map a lot! (Free)

3. Caffeine- Useful for keeping your Mac awake for a long time, such as if you are reading and not moving the Mac a lot. I find it helps with making my printer work, as it stops the screen from going to sleep. (Free)

4. Screen Snake- The classic Nokia game, on your Mac screen, what's not awesome about that?!?!(Free)

5. iDisplay- use your iPad as an external screen over wifi (obviously this is not great if you don't have an iPad, sorry!). I have found this useful to have academic journals open on the iPad screen and typing into Word on the Mac. Also useful for keeping Facebook or something open on whilst blogging, so you don't have to keep switching windows. It's slightly slow, but I think that depends on your internet connection. (I think this was £3.99)

So yeah there we have it for today. I am staying in Sheffield tonight with my best friend Sam, she is new to blogging so go an have a look and give her some support :)

We're hitting Meadowhall tomorrow, this could be traumatic for my bank balance, I will have to try and be good....

(TFF) Variated Nails Attempt

So it's time for another Top Five Friday! And this time I have kept it to five you'll be pleased to know. Let's get started...

This week I have decided to look at hair accessories. I have a drawer full of the things but there are some that I do reach to more. Please bare in mind that the top five here represent the top five general styles I chose to wear, and it's likely that I have similar things in several colours!

So my number 5 has got to be my wire wrap around headband from Browns. I got it for £1.50 in the sale. I love leopard print so as soon as I saw it I had to have it! I find it really easy to wear now my hair is a bit longer. I also really like the fact that when it is twisted the ends look like a bow, as shown below.

Now I think I must have been a hippy in a previous life; I have always had a love for feathers, beads and bright colours. I just a had to have this feather and plaited cord head band from Primark when I saw it last summer. I think it was something ridiculously cheap like £1.50, I can't wait for some more sunshine to start wearing it again!

Remember I said I love leopard print?! I have had this bow for ages, and I will wear it time and time again. If I am wearing something quite neutral and plain, I can add a bit of something with this bow. I love bows! I have several of them, not just for hair accessories, in other jewellery styles too. I think this was from Primark too, and was around £1. This just had to be in my top five, you can wear it casually or with a more dressy outfit, I just love it!

Flowers! I love flowers, especially statement ones. I have quite a few but this one is my favourite. It was an xmas present this xmas just gone. I love the blue, (it's actually more turquoise in real life), and the gems in the middle just add some sparkle, everything I want in an accessory. 

But my number one accessory has to be this little hair slide. I love hair slides, I have lots, they just add a little something to an outfit. I love this one the most because I think the flower and the colour is beautiful. The fact it's pale means it will go with most things and just adds a touch of something different. Like I said, I am pretty sure I was a hippy at some point, so wearing flowers and things in my hair just comes naturally to me!

So that's the top five done for today. After seeing Sprinkle of Glitter's tutorial on variated nails, I thought I would have a go, but decided to use two colours instead.

I used e.l.f smokey brown underneath, and topped with a natural collection pale silvery blue (I would go check the name, but the bf just brought tea and home baked cookies over from the kitchen, so I am nom-ing :) ). Some of them have ended up looking pretty bad, the centre nail in this picture is definitely the best. It is starting to chip already though, which is not great, but I guess that's due to the amount of polish on the nail. Anyway, I thought I would share my attempt with you!

One last thing, during the writing of this post I had a phone call from Harrods, to tell me I was unsuccessful in my interview. I am fine about it, I am so proud to have even gotten that far, and the experience it has provided me with is so valuable. It has also made me realise that I am not really cut out to be a manager, I am much better working as part of a team, as I care too much what people think to be having to tell people off etc. 

So my plan now is to stick up in Yorkshire, and look for something in high-end sales here. I think London would have eaten me alive anyway! I will wait a while before I brave taking the plunge and moving there.

Anyway, one door closes, another opens, there is a job out there for me, I just have to find it!

Top Five Fridays (Well I say 5, but, it turned into 12...)

So, not feeling too great at the moment, I think I am getting a little nervous for my upcoming interview! I am sure by Sunday I will be raring to go! So wish me luck!

So today is Friday, and therefore it's time for a top five: Necklaces. But, as I was trying to pick my list grew from five, to twelve, I just couldn't pick!

So there is kind of a general order, but some are in my favourites for sentimental value, rather than their fashion value, so I am going to start with these ones:

So I am classing the first two necklaces as 'one' because I always wear them together. The heart pendant was from my boyfriend for my 18th, the Australian Opal from my parents, and the other necklace, which says 'Friends are kisses sent to us by Angels' was from one of my best friends for my 21st. I love these necklaces dearly, they are so precious to me.

This necklace was a Xmas present from my brother when I was in Australia in 2008, he had it made for me. It's on quite a long chain which I love. As you can see, it says my name on a grain of rice within the pendant, and also contains a pink flower. It's so special to me, he let me pick the shape of the pendant and the colour of the flower, and this is one of those things that will stay with me forever.

Now to the first of the necklaces that my mum has made me. She likes to make glass jewellery and I was admiring this on her when I went home before Xmas. She then gave me this one and made herself another. I can't wait for next Xmas to wear it again!

This necklace has featured in my blog before; my Vivienne Westwood necklace from Rosie. I love this necklace so much! It's quite big and makes such a statement. I love the style of Vivienne Westwood jewellery and was thrilled to open this for my birthday last year :)

This necklace came from Camden Market a couple of years ago for around £3, the reason that this is so special is the pattern that the cube is in. My boyfriend can solve a Rubick's Cube really fast (26 seconds at one point!!) and he made this pattern just for me. If you can see it has an 'L' in, (yellow), and therefore it is precious :)

Now the second of the necklaces made by my mum. She hated this pice of glass. She didn't like the bubble and some of the fire paper had melted to the side and made it a little bit rough. She classed it as a reject; I wanted it. So she put it on this cord for me. I love it because you can wear it over bright colours and it just looks really awesome!

Moving onto a necklace that is both fashionable and sentimental. This was my Xmas present from my best friend Sam. This necklace is from Tatty Devine, I have still not looked at their website because I am scared I will want things. I love this little owl, I think its so cute and I like the fact that it's wood. I also love the little guitar pick in the chain, I think its a nice way to incorporate the logo onto the piece. This necklace is so easy to wear as it's lovely neutral colours, so thank you so much Sam :)

I have had this necklace for ages, but I still love this little Russian Doll. I got it in America in 2006 and I just love it so much, it's so cute and I have not seen one quite like it in the UK. I think it was around $5.

I bought this necklace from New Look last summer, and I have had so many comments on it. I bought it in the sale on the first day it came in the store. I was attracted to the mish mash of birds, leaves, coins, pearls and jewels that make up this lovely piece. You can't see very well on the picture but the jewels are a sort of petrol navy that catch the light brilliantly. I just love this necklace!  

This next necklace is simple and so pretty. It is all clear faceted beads linked with brushed gold hoops. I like the style of Rosary beads, but, not being religious, I didn't really want to wear some, so I was please to see this alternative in New Look, I think it was pretty cheap. It's another piece that is easy to wear with any colour or style.

My favourites collection wouldn't be complete without a Panda. I got this little guy Xmas 2010, I love the fact that his arms and head move, and that he has got little black crystals all over the dark sections. He is so cute!

 So the last necklace is a little more shiny, but is ideal for any top and any jewellery combo, owing to the fact it has gold, sliver, pearl and gunmetal strands of plastic beads. I really love how easy this necklace is to wear with almost anything, it just adds a bit of sparkle! I think it was from Internacionale or Select a couple of summers ago.

So there we have it, there's nothing really in here that is 'on trend' as such, but more things that I find useful and that are important to me. I hope you find my collection interesting. I do have a LOT more necklaces, and I do tend to buy them quite often. I just feel that this little collection are my absolute all time favourites....ever!

Anyway, best get some sleep, work all day tomorrow, then to London on Sunday!!!

(OOTD) Top Five Friday's

Hello!

So I got my two day stint of work out of the way, believe me it's harder than it looks working from home, almost too difficult not to get distracted, (or in my case fall asleep, so tired!). But I am done, my presentation is prepped, and I am looking forward to a lie in tomorrow!

So I'll start with today's OOTD:

Gilet- New Look, last Autumn

Paris Top: Peacocks, couple of years ago I think

Long Sleeved top- Primark I think, £3ish

(I have a vest on as well for warmth!)

Leggings- £3 Primark, last week.

Simple but warm!

So now to another feature I plan to make regular on the blog; Top Five Fridays. I love looking at Top Fives / Top 10s so I thought I would do my own once a week. So on Rosie's advice I am starting with my Top Five Rings. I don't have a collection as amazing as her's but it is growing...

So out of this little lot I have picked my favourite five.

Number Five is my long feather ring. It came from Browns in York in September and was around £2 in their jewellery sale. Since then Browns have stopped selling their jewellery, but it was from a concession that is also used by Dorothy Perkins and New Look. I love how it makes such a statement across the hand, and I like the sparkly!

Number Four is this lovely little owl that I got in Superdrug in their half price sale after Xmas. I think it was around £2. I love his little bow tie, big black eyes and jewel-y belly!

Number Three is another from Browns. This should have been £5 but I got it for £2.50 because it was damaged, (nothing a bit of super glue can't handle). I love the peacock design and the shiny jewels around the edge, I think it looks kind of like a quirky cameo. 

Number Two is one of my newest acquisitions, this really cute sailing boat ring. I blogged about it in my Manchester Haul, it was £2.50 from Primark. I love the combination of stripes, jewels, and bright colours and I thing this will get worn lots this year!

And Number One HAS to be my Panda ring from Irregular Choice. This was an Xmas present so I am not sure how much it was (I think around £8). I love how sparkly it is and I LOVE Panda's, I think I have an obsession, (think jumpers, bracelets, earrings, rings and teddies...)! 

Speaking of Panda's I am going to go and continue watching the Panda documentary on BBC2 now, and "sqee" at all the Panda's! They are so fluffy and cute it's unreal! 

Anyway, enough for now! Go watch the Panda's!