The Sun Shines Down, You Came Around, You Love The Easy Days

Since I started my new job a year ago I've found that I'm finally figuring out my style. In my previous job, we had to wear clothes and accessories (a minimum of 3 to be exact, which always reminds me of Office Space and the "flair") from the shop which meant that although we got a reasonable discount I still ended up spending a large portion of my wages on my "uniform" which meant there was very little leftover for spending elsewhere.

Now that I no longer have to buy my uniform I've found I'm experimenting with my clothes a lot more and trying things I never have before just because I can. There are days though when I just want to keep it simple and minimal with one statement piece like these leopard print brogues. 

Photos by Simon

Coat- H&M (similar here, here and here)
Shirt- H&M
Trousers- ASOS (similar here and here)
Shoes- ASOS (similar here and here)
Earrings- Topshop
Bag- Accessorize (similar here here and here)
Lipstick- Urban Decay Disturbed (review here)
Nails- Champneys

I bought these high waisted wide leg cropped trousers thinking they probably wouldn't suit me but I wanted to try them anyway and I was suprised my how much I like them. They're a wool mix so I've been wearing them a lot in the cold weather and they work really well with brogues or boot or runners. This H&M boyfriend coat I featured on the blog about 2 years ago and at €29.99 it's one of the best style investments I've ever made. I love the classic cut of this coat, it's one of those styles that would suit anyone.

Leopard print is very obviously hotter than ever and I couldn't be happier. I have always adored leopard print, particularly in the form of accessories. I got these shoes last year on ASOS, there are plenty of similar options available at the moment, I've linked to some that I really like above. Printed shoes are such a great way to update your Winter wardrobe or make a simple outfit something more special. I also love all of the velvet, metallic and embroidered shoes and boots at the moment.

As you can see from the links above, most of these items are no longer in stock because I bought them all a while ago. I find that with sharing my personal style online there can be a pressure to constantly have new things, but what I love is finding new ways to wear things I already own. My main goal with a post like this is to offer inspiration to anyone who reads it. I'm tall and curvy and I do struggle to find things that suit me and that I feel comfortable in sometimes. For me that's what it's all about, feeling comfortable and stylish no matter what shape and size you are and to not be afraid to experiment as long as it takes to figure out what works for you. Hopefully I can be of some inspiration, even if it's that you don't like my style!

You may have noticed (if you don't already follow me on Instagram) that I recently had a significant amount of hair chopped off. I felt it was time for a big change after having very long hair for the past two years. I was nervous to finally go for it because any time I've had my hair cut shorter I have hated it. This time was different because I went to see my favourite hair stylist Carolin Zinck who has never let me down. She cut my hair exactly the way I wanted it with long hidden layers. I'm blown away every time she cuts my hair. If you're living in Dublin and looking for a great stylist for curly hair or any hair for that matter, I honestly can't speak more highly of her, she's got the gift. I'm so happy with my hair right now I'm having a lot more fun styling it than when it was long (and it's so much easier to maintain), so if you're thinking about going for the chop, my advice is just go for it, it'll always grow back!

Finally I wanted to ask for some help with new bloggers to follow, honestly it's been difficult especially with style bloggers to find people I can relate to and who inspire me. There are a few ladies I've found through Instagram recently who have been reigniting my love for fashion and style blogging and perhaps I'll share them in a separate post for you but I'm always on the lookout for more if you have any suggestions.

Emma x

Beauty Works Hair Accessories

I'm a low maintenance girl when it comes to my hair. I shampoo and condition it, add some mousse, serum or oil and leave it to air dry. I'm very lucky that I have curly hair so I don't have to style it on a daily basis. Occasionally I use a curling iron or hot rollers if I'm going out or for special occasions. So when Beauty Works, an online retailer for hair extensions and accessories, sent me some of their pieces, I was excited to try them out. I was sent the Small Messy Hair Bun and the Festival Braid Head Band. 

I was colour matched using a photo of my hair in natural light, however if you were thinking about ordering Hair Extensions, you can actually buy a swatch from the 42 shades available to make sure you know the right shade to match your hair before you go ahead and buy the full extensions. 

As you can see the band on the Festival Head Band is adjustable so that it can fit anyone. I did a really quick half updo with the band by backcombing the hair at the crown of my head to give that slight sixties beehive look. Then I took the top section of my hair and pinned it at the back of my head with bobby pins. I then added the braided band and it instantly made everything look a lot more put together. 

The Bun has a net underneath with an elasticated edge and tie that you can pull tight around your own hair. I found both of the pieces very easy to use. The only issue I had was that my hair is quite long and thick at the moment so I actually put it into a small side bun secured in place with bobby pins and then added the hair piece on top to give a more polished and full look to my hair. 

I was really impressed with the colour match, I took the photos above in natural light and as you can see both hair pieces are the exact match to the shade of my hair. 

I've never really tried anything like this in my hair before and I was sceptical as to whether it would be too much trouble for me to bother with, but having tried the pieces out I think they would be perfect on days when you need to wash your hair but don't have the time and maybe just want to put it up but still look presentable and like you've made an effort. I think either of the looks I did above would be perfect for a Wedding or special occasion. It would save the money of paying for a hairdresser and both are quick and easy to do. 

What do you think of hair accessories like these ones? Would you ever try them?

Emma x

BTX Hair Treatment

Back in November I was invited into The Art Team Hair Salon just off Grafton street in Dublin for one of their exclusive BTX hair treatments. BTX is a Botox effect treatment for the hair which sounds a lot scarier than it actually is.

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The treatment promises to revive and tame the hair giving it shine and softness and eliminating frizz. It's ideal for use on damaged, dehydrated, dull and weak hair. It is also recommended for mistreated, coloured or bleached hair and for the repair of split ends. Depending on your hair type your stylist will customise the formula, which contains caviar oil, B5, collagen and E vitamins, to meet your specific needs.

The treatment was added to wet hair and then a lamp was used for about 15 minutes, then the majority of the treatment was washed out leaving some of it still in the hair and then it was finished off with a blow dry leaving it shiny and soft. 

Since I stopped colouring my hair It'd gotten a lot healthier, I no longer suffer from split ends, but I do find my hair can get quite dry and is prone to frizz because it is naturally curly. I found that the treatment made my hair softer and less frizzy, it dried more quickly and took less time to heat style. 

The treatment lasts up to 4 weeks, takes just 45 minutes and costs €50. I'd definitely recommend this to anyone who is suffering from damage caused by frequent colouring or perhaps if you have an event coming up or just even if you just want to give your hair a treat! 

Thank you to Hollie and the ladies at The Art Team for their generosity and time. 

Have you heard of this treatment? Would you like to try it out?

Emma x

Beauty and the Beach 2

Last month I entered the TravelSupermarket.com Worldwide Wardrobe Competition. I then read about their Beauty and the Beach 2 competition and I immediately tried to come up with ideas for each category, Nails, Hair and Make Up.

I wanted to combine all three categories to create an overall look. The look that I came up with is something that I like to call "Modern Beach Pin-Up".

Make Up

When thinking of ideas, my main aim was to create a look using long lasting products that contain SPF so that the look can be worn during the day and quickly adjusted for a night out.

I started with Clarins Beauty Flash Balm as a primer, this is a step you don't necessarily need, but it's nice if you're just wearing the make up for a night out. If you need to during the day you could wear a primer to help your make up last longer depending on your skin type. I then used Double Wear Light foundation because it has SPF 10 so you could wear it during the day as it's a long wearing foundation and I know from experience that it is amazing for hot days. The SPF isn't too high so if you wear it at night you won't get flashback in photographs. I did my brows using a brow brush, some matte dark brown eyeshadow and clear mascara to hold them in place all day.

For eyes I used Urban Decay's Primer Potion in the colour Sin as it's a long lasting product that doesn't crease. You could wear it alone during the day with just some mascara if you wanted a low maintenance make up look for the beach. I added Sin and Virgin eyeshadows from the Naked palette and some waterproof eyeliner for a more glamorous evening look. I finished the eyes by curling my lashes and adding some Maybelline waterproof mascara.

I used a cream blush and some highlighter on the tops of the cheekbones  to give a nice subtle glow and define the face. I dusted some loose powder on my T-Zone to avoid my face looking shiny in photographs, but it's not necessary if you have drier skin.

For lips I used some red lip liner and a gorgeous Revlon lipstick on top, but because this is a fun holiday look, I added a pink gloss on top to give the lips a gorgeous high shine finish. This gloss also has SPF 15 so it's great to wear during the day as we often forget to protect our lips from the sun (well I know I do anyway).

Products Used:

Clarins Beauty Flash Balm
Estée Lauder Double Wear Light in Intensity 1
Urban Decay Primer Potion in Sin
No7 Beautiful Eyebrow Pencil in Brown
Revlon Matte Eye-shadow in Rich Sable
Urban Decay Eye-shadows in Sin and Virgin
Shu Uemura Eyelash Curler
Natural Collection Lash Care Mascara in Clear
Essence Liquid Ink Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner
Maybelline The Falsies Volum' Express Waterproof Mascara
Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer in Fair
Estée Lauder Cream Blush in Evening Rose
theBalm Mary-Lou Manizer Highlighting Powder
No7 Perfect Light Loose Powder in Translucent
Rimmel Exaggerate Lip Liner in Red Diva
Revlon Super Lustrous Lipstick in Cherry Blossom
BECCA Ultimate Colour Gloss in Flamingo Crush

Hair

When it came to hair I wanted a style that would be quick and easy to do. This whole style took me under thirty minutes and looks great the day after too.

Starting off with "beachy waves" or in my case my natural hair, I had already used an all in one treatment which included heat protectant.

I used a 25mm curling iron pulling the hair away from the face rather than towards or under, you can be as random or as particular as you want depending on the type of curls you desire. I was going for a more defined, retro Veronica Lake inspired curl so I used the curlers at the highest heat setting. This also helps the curls last longer. I then sprayed some hairspray on my brush and brushed out the curls to make them less like ringlets. This gives gorgeous soft sweeping curls and the hairspray on the brush helps them to stay nice and smooth and avoids frizz.

I parted my hair with a deep side parting and added some large flower clips to one side of my head. You could correspond the flower to your outfit or just wear the curls without any accessories. You can bring the small travel size hairspray out with you for touch ups too if you need to.

Products Used:

Uniqone All in One Hair Treatment
BaByliss Pro Curl 210 Hair Tongs
Hair Brush
Hair Grip
Umberto Giannini Beauty Secrets Travel Size Hairspray
Flower Hair Clips and Accessories

Nails

For nails I wanted to continue the retro theme so I gave myself a half moon manicure with a twist. After base coat I used a rose gold polish and then added the reinforcement rings and painted a second coat with a pinky red shades. The rose gold peaks through and is really eye catching in the sun. I also thought it was nice that the nails mirrored the colours I used in my make up look.

Products Used:

Sally Hansen Double Duty Base and Top Coat
Orly Rage
Essie Watermelon
Reinforcement Rings



What do you think of the looks I created? Is is something you would wear on holiday?

You can enter all three categories for the chance to win the overall prize of £1500 and there is a prize of £500 for each of the three categories individually. The competition is open until June 5th and you can find out exactly how to enter here. Please let me know if you decide to enter so I can see your looks! I had so much fun creating my entry.

Emma x

When The Redhead Girl Goes By

It's been a while since I've done a proper outfit post. Hope you enjoy this one featuring my new hair!

Coat- River Island (bought on ebay)
Tights- Penneys
Scarf- Accessorize
Shoes- Monsoon
Brooch- Accessorize
Gloves- Accessorize
Satchel- River Island (men's section)
Lipstick- Rimmel 'Heartbreaker'


Happy Halloween everyone!

Em xxx