Lifestyle: Let Your Shoes Do The Talking.

Firstly, I just wanted to apologise for the lack of blog posts over the last week or so- You know when you work a day job that you no longer enjoy and it diminishes any motivation you had to do the things you actually love? Yeah, that.

 

Anyway, a couple of weeks ago I was able to take a short break from work and was treated to a romantic (albeit partially sponsored by Jacamo) night in by Simon, which involved dinner, a bubble bath and a chick flick with a glass of wine and a box of chocolates. Not a bad one, is he?

 

Now, I wish I could say that this was all for no reason, but this bout of romance came with a bit of a twist. Jacamo have recently launched a new campaign called, "Let Your Shoes Do The Talking", which has not only been created to try and prove that romance in relationships is, in fact, not dead, but also give a little advice to the men out there who need a little help getting off on the right foot (teehee) when it comes to dating. If you've been wondering where it keeps going wrong, guys, it could all be down to what you are wearing on your feet.

 

You see, Jacamo carried out a survey which showed that a man's shoes are often what us ladies notice first, and 51% of women use a man's shoes to try and figure out his personality (I suppose it's kind of true!). Now, before you throw out those battered old Nike Blazers that have probably been turning off the ladies, don't despair- Jacamo have made a dedicated Shoe-Duction page full of shoe success stories and advice on picking the right pair from some top British male fashion bloggers. You can also find out what type of shoe is the most popular amongst the female population in your region of the UK and then shop from Jacamo's collections (which are available in a huge range of sizes and are pretty spot on, if I may say so myself) right from their website. 

 

So guys, treat yourselves to a new pair of trainers or brogues and try your luck- You may find that it wasn't that cheesy chat up line that turned her away. And if shoes just aren't your thing, there's still hope; there's still another 49% of ladies who are attracted to other articles of clothing- I'm pretty sure I complimented Simon on his jacket on our first date!

 

Ladies, do you think that a man's shoes do all the talking?

 

Frances x

 

*DISCLOSURE: Jacamo kindly provided us with a date night hamper as part of their campaign.

Outfit: Festival Bunting

Top: C/O Sugarhill Boutique* (buy) | Skirt: C/O Poppy Lux * (buy) | Shoes: Matalan (old) | Hair pins: Miss Selfridge (old)

 

It has been a little while since I had my last Sugarhill Boutique fix and I'll admit that I had almost forgotten how much I love the brand until their SS15 lookbook found it's way in to my inbox. In less than five clicks they had won me over yet again- I mean, it's hard to pass up a dress covered in Dalmatians and Corgis, isn't it? Feeling inspired by a couple of the looks that their gorgeous model was sporting in their lookbook, I opted for a midi skirt and t-shirt combo, and please, can we just take a minute to appreciate this elephant print that was hand-drawn by a complete design genius in the Sugarhill Boutique studio? I predict a new best seller coming on- I have my eye on the dreamy smock dress version, too.

 

Teamed with this classic PU panel midi skirt by Sugarhill's sister brand, Poppy Lux, which they now aptly describe as "a complimentary brand of wearable basics with trend-led shapes and finishes", I think I have found one of my favourite pairings for the Spring. And just when I thought I couldn't be more smitten, I tried it on to find that it has pockets. The little things, guys...


Have you taken a look at Sugarhill/Poppy Lux's Spring/Summer range?


Frances x

*DISCLOSURE: Starred items are PR samples.

Luxury Gift Guide for Her.

Going from being a full-time student to having a close-to-minimum-wage paid job means that luxury items and high-end brands rarely appear in my wardrobe or on my dressing table, except around birthdays and Christmas time when one or two extravagancies sneak their way on to my wishlist, or on the odd occasion that I receive especially good payslip. I believe that everybody deserves a little bit of luxury in their lives, whether it be emptying the penny jar to buy that Michael Kors purse you've had your eye on or treating someone special to a bottle of their favourite eau de parfum, so I decided to put together a little gift guide including some of the luxury items that I have been lucky enough to add to my collection.

 

 

My favourite thing to accessorize an outfit with is a statement watch, and the first designer piece I ever received was my beloved tortoiseshell Michael Kors watch (£185) from my dad one Christmas around the time when MK was all the rage. Both my Michael Kors watch and my rose gold Tommy Hilfiger* (£140) number have gotten so much wear over the past couple of years, a special wrist piece is definitely the perfect gift for any punctual fashionista.

 

 

I'm not a huge beauty fanatic so drugstore brands usually see fit for my daily winged eyeliner needs and the occasional red lip, however I do have a couple of high-end palettes tucked away in my makeup drawer for special occasions. The NARS Virtual Domination Cheek palette (£45.00) and the infamous Naked 3 palette by Urban Decay (£38.00) have been two very welcome pieces in my collection recently as they allow me to experiment with different looks without splashing too much cash, plus they last for ages. My two Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution lipsticks were extremely generous gifts from my grandparents last Christmas, and at £23 a pop they only get used on very special occasions as I'm terrified of ruining the bullet (this is exactly why I don't buy high-end makeup...)! They do look beautiful sat on my dresser in all their rose-gold glory though, right? (Shades Glastonberry and Bond Girl respectively, incase you wondered).

 

 

Buying luxury gifts doesn't necessarily mean forking out hundreds of pounds. This Ted Baker brogue notebook* (£11.04) and outdoors wood pen* (£16.99) set looks high-end with its intricate detailing and gold hardwear (the notebook features gold-edged pages and beautiful parrot-print endpapers also) but doesn't boast the designer price tag, and Flamingo Gifts stock them in plenty of colours and styles suitable for both men and women (plus lots of other fun, nice and quirky gifts- their website has fast become one of my favourite online stores for scoping out unique and affordable presents).

 

Perfumes have always been one of my favourites to give and receive as they are so personal to the recipient. I fell in love with my all-time favourite Freak by Illamasqua eau de parfum when I received the smaller 30ml bottle (£34.00) for Christmas two years ago. After using it sparingly over the next year, I finally bit the bullet and snapped up the 75ml bottle (£59.00) in Illamasqua's crazy end-of-season sale last month for an amazing 60% off, so it's worth keeping an eye out for super deals before you splurge.

 

One thing you can't go wrong with when buying for even the fussiest lady is jewellery. I recently discovered JewelStreet, a huge online marketplace stocking men and women's jewellery from over 250 designers, including Sari Jules, from whom I picked up these gorgeous 14 carat gold-filled statement earrings* (£59). They also stock designs by a few award winning online boutiques, including Sara Gunn and one of my most favourite jewellery designers, Jana Reindhart, who makes luxury gold and silver pieces in cute designs inspired by wildlife and her childhood, like this Hummingbird ring (£89) which I also have in my collection.

I think it's every girl's dream to one day have the likes of Christian Louboutin or Jimmy Choo sitting in her shoe closet, and I was lucky enough to receive my very first pair of designer footwear from Harvey Nichols in the form of these butterfly print espadrilles by Valentino* (£285) last week. Just look at that packaging! Valentino also have a whole collection of pieces in the same butterfly print, including this clutch bag which I have somewhat fallen for, and you can find all of them plus lots of studded designer goodness by searching for Valentino over at Harvey Nichols.

 

 

What is your favourite luxury purchase/ what's on your wishlist?

 

 

Frances x

*DISCLOSURE: Starred items are PR samples.



Competition: Win 12 Pairs of Adidas Originals Trainers With Mainline Menswear.

 

  Hello ladies (and gents- tonight's blog post is especially for you)!

Just a quick post this evening to let you know about a really cool competition that Mainline Menswear are currently hosting.

 Mainline Menswear are a UK-based online retailer of lots of popular men's brands including Fred Perry, Vans and G Star Raw, plus some high end designers such as Vivienne Westwood, Versace and Armani. They are giving one lucky person the chance to win twelve pairs of Adidas Originals trainers, and all you have to do to be in with a chance of claiming the prize is click here and fill in your details - the winner will be selected at random once the competition closes and will be able to pick a new pair of Adidas Original trainers to be delivered to their doorstep every month for a whole year- Not bad for thirty seconds of your time, eh?
There is a great selection in the Adidas Originals line to choose from, including classic styles such as their Stan Smith and Gazelles. Simon is modelling the super sleek Adidas Originals ZX Flux NPS mid trainers* above.

Hurry though, there are only six days left to enter - the competition will end at midnight on Sunday, March 15, 2015.

Good luck! :)

Frances x

*DISCLOSURE: Contains PR samples.

He Wears, She Wears: Parka Coats.

 

Photo credit: Shane Murray
Him: Coat: C/O Jacamo (buy)* | Jeans: H&M (old) |  T-shirt: Burton (old) | Shoes: Nike via Office (old) |

 

Me: Dungarees: Topshop (old) | T-shirt: C/O Army of No Country (buy)* | Shoes: Nike C/O Get The Label* (old)* | Coat: H&M (old) | Beanie: Primark

 

I think there comes a time in any blogger's boyfriend's life where he is invited along for a taste of the blogger lifestyle only to be met by the dreaded words, "but you have to be on my blog". There's a small price to pay for the freebies, guys. That was the case for my beau, Simon, when I coaxed him in to joining me in front of the camera in return for a new jacket. He did an amazing job on the shoot though, right?

 

I guess this means that I have to get clued up on all the menswear retailers now; admittedly I had never heard of Jacamo before, although their stores and their TV advert seem to be popping up everywhere now. I have been informed that they were once a brand targeting larger men, however stocking from chest sizes S to 5XL on the website (Simon is sporting a size M) they now cater for men of all builds, and stocking a wide range of well-known brands including Adidas, French Connection and Timberland, there is sure to be something to suit everyone.

 

As for my own ensemble, yes I saw the opportunity to be all matchy-matchy and ran with it (solely for blog purposes, I promise). And yes, that's a skeletal Bambi wearing a flower crown printed on my t-shirt. Army of No Country are an independent brand that I recently discovered and fell in love with their quirky designs that give a edgy nod to some of my favourite Disney characters; I still have my eye on the Mickey Mouse and The Little Mermaid prints!

 

Have you checked out Jacamo?

 

Frances x

 

*DISCLOSURE: Starred items are PR samples.

Event: #DivasGlamVegas

Image credit: (Photos 3,8 & 9 provided by Thomas Cook Airlines)
 

For a while now, Vegas has easily been in the top ten list of places in the world that I would like to visit. However, being a graduate, my post-uni budget has prevented me from ticking America's city of sin off my bucket list, so when Thomas Cook Airlines popped an invitation in to my inbox, inviting me for a taste of Vegas right outside my doorstep, I couldn't pass up the opportunity.

 

So last Wednesday, I donned my glad rags and headed down to Manchester's swanky Milton Club, where I was instantly welcomed in to diva territory by Britney Spears herself (okay, maybe it was an incredibly uncanny look-a-like) with a Viva Las Vegas cocktail, and ushered over to the make-up artist station to receive my own celebrity makeover.

Looking more the part with an ombre lip and an added touch of sparkle to my regular winged liner, I was let loose with my blogging loves, Katie (The Quick Red Fox), Lola and Fikki (Pastime Bliss), to grab another vegas-themed cocktail, get papped, and of course, try our luck over at the roulette table. Thankfully we were provided with fake diva dollars to gamble with, as my confidence was high (I blame the cocktails) but my winning streak was short-lived.

 

Now, there was a reason for bringing all this glitz and glamour to Manchester (although true divas never need a reason to get glammed up). Thomas Cook Airlines have recently introduced flights to Las Vegas from Manchester Airport (as well as Glasgow and Belfast), and costing from £549 for a return journey (or as little as £247.99 for a one way ticket if you fancy staying a while), they are some of the cheapest around. And if that wasn't enough to get you booking your next holiday, Thomas Cook have clued me up with some of their A-list recommendations and hotspots to visit in the city. If you're looking to run in to a famous face or five, Las Vegas is home to a number of celebrities including Nicholas Cage and Celine Dion, and if they don't reside there then you can pretty much guarantee that Vegas is where they go to party, with Kim Kardashian, Leonardo DiCaprio and John Legend being regular visitors at the 1 OAK nightclub in the Mirage, and the likes of Prince Harry, David Guetta, George Clooney and Lady Gaga spotted hanging out at Vegas' luxury resort, Encore.

 

However, with stardom-status comes stardom-price tags, so with those pennies you saved booking cheap flights with Thomas Cook Airlines, perhaps you would fancy a trip to Sweet Surrender, the Palazzo's candy and cupcake shop, where you can purchase a $750 cupcake complete with a sparkly gold leaf. Or maybe you would like to head down to The Palms Hotel to try the most expensive burger in Vegas, costing $6,000? No? Don't worry- there are plenty of more affordable places to grab a bite to eat between all the dancing, shopping and gambling.

 

If you'd like more tips on how to embrace Las Vegas like a true celebrity, you can read more of Thomas Cook's guide to traveling a top diva  here.

Or, if you don't need any more convincing, you can go ahead and book your trip here.

 

What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas.

 

Frances x

 

Outfit: New Look Denim Part II.

Photo credit: Shane Murray

Jeans: C/O New Look* | Top: ASOS | Coat: C/O Fashion Union* (old) | Boots: H&M | Hat: Primark

 

When I opted for a pair of ripped jeans from New Look's vast range of denim for their style challenge, I didn't quite take in to consideration how difficult it would be to style outfits for three different occasions with gaping holes in my knees. However, it isn't impossible. Here is my second ensemble in my three-part mini-series (you can see the first one here), and whilst it's still a pretty casual look, I think it's less "girl at the rock show" and more "date night with friends".

 

Now that the jeans are covered, can I just avert your attention down to the weapons on my feet for a second- At a steal of £15 in the H&M sale, they are not only my sale purchase of the year, but they are also the new stars of my rather ridiculous shoe collection.

 

How would you style up your ripped skinny jeans?

 

Frances x

 

*DISCLOSURE: Starred items are PR samples.

Outfit: New Look Denim Part I.

Photo credit: Shane Murray
Jumper: Primark | Jeans: C/O New Look* | Shoes: Converse via Schuh | Jacket: Wrangler via Depop | Beanie: ASOS (old) 

 

So we're already in to the latter third of January and I am already doing a fantastic job of not sticking to my New Years resolution. In my defense, it is only a lack of photographer that has been stopping me from getting content live over the last couple of weeks, but then again this could have been avoided with better organization. Anyway, my best friend happened to purchase a beautiful, brand new DSLR camera last week, and I jumped at the opportunity to be his guinea pig ;)

 

I told you I was becoming more of a jeans person this year! New Look contacted me last week challenging me to choose a key piece from their range of denim and style it in three different ways, so expect a mini series from me over the few days. Despite my many attempts to tear myself up a pair of distressed jeans back in my wannabe-rockstar days, I have never actually owned a wearable pair, so I decided to channel my teenage self and opt for this pre-destroyed pair of black skinnies.

Styling them up in a casual way is pretty straight-forward, I went for a relaxed vibe with a thin jumper, my trusty converse, a beanie and my oversized Wrangler jacket in this tame attempt at double denim. The real challenge lies in my next outfit post; putting together a smart ensemble!

 

Are you a fan of ripped jeans?

 

Frances x

 

*DISCLOSURE: Starred items are PR samples.