The Christmas Edit 2015

 

 Hello and Merry (after) Christmas!

I can't believe it's already the 28th December and that Christmas is over and done with as the new year quickly approaches. The build up to the 25th was hectic; uni was busy and the stress of present shopping was getting to me, but the big day itself was great even if my excitement for it dwindles as the years go on. I have about 2 weeks until term starts again and two essays to write before I go back to university, so the Christmas spirit has certainly gone into hibernation for another year already. 

I was thoroughly spoiled this year by my family and received some wonderful presents, a few of which I thought I'd share! 

 This gorgeous black velvet bra with sheer detailing is from Topshop. I'd had my eye on it and the matching bottoms for a while as they look so chic and modern and wearing nice matching underwear always makes for a great day. Topshop have a great selection of pretty bras at the moment which I would definitely recommend checking out.

One of my favourite gifts that I received was Chanel Chance Eau Vive from my grandparents. Months ago I had tried this out in Boots when buying my Chanel eyeshadow quad and since then it had been top of my wishlist. The floral-zesty fragrance is to die for and a perfect light everyday scent. For the past year or so, I've been experimenting with different perfumes, trying to find 'my scent' and I think this is a strong contender. It's feminine and fun with a hint of that Chanel sophistication that I just love. 

Another favourite was this Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution lipstick in 'Very Victoria'. I love Charlotte Tilbury; everything about her make up is perfect and I really want to build up my collection of it. This is my first CT lipstick so I wanted to go for a shade that I would cherish- a nude of course. 'Very Victoria' is a rosy-brown shade that I know I'm going to use almost every day.

As well as the CT Matte Revolution lipstick, I also received the mini lipstick charms in the shades 'Bitch Perfect', 'Penelope Pink' and 'So Marilyn'. These were a total surprise as I hadn't put them on my list, but I really love them. They do live up to their name and are very mini for the price but the shades are beautiful and a great way to try out the K.I.S.S.I.N.G lipsticks. 

These shoes. Oh my God. I'd had these on my Asos wishlist for so long. They are so unique and I've never seen anything like them before. I can't wait to style these with some tights and an A-Line skirt or a pair of mom jeans. I love that they're so versatile- you can dress them up or down and wear them in summer and winter.

It's one of my New Year's resolutions to read more (as it is every year), not just novels, but books about style and fashion. It's my goal to one day work in fashion, whether that be writing or styling  and as I approach term two at University, I'm starting to think about work experience and internships. Working in fashion is obviously very competitive these days, so I need to do all I can to stand out. As well as really working on my blog in the new year and contributing to the newspaper and magazine at Uni, my goal is to read up on fashion and styling, trying to learn as much as I can. I asked for the book 'Love x Style x Life' by Garance Doré as she epitomises everything I aspire to be. Her book gives insight into her musings on elegance, style, love and life and I feel that I can definitely learn a lot from this book as well as from others like 'Front Roe' by Louise Roe, which I also received.

Hope you enjoyed a little insight into what I got for Christmas! Like I said, I was very spoiled and I'm so incredibly grateful. I hope you had a wonderful December 25th, whatever you celebrated and continue to enjoy the rest of the year!

July Favourites

Hello!

July seems to have flown by so quickly and the end of summer is fast approaching (noooo!). I can't believe we're already in August and that in 11 days, I'll get my A Level results and find out if I got into Uni!! Putting the panic aside for a moment, here are a few things that I loved during July.

• 1. Weekly Planner from Anthropologie: During summer I tend to get a bit lazy. It's so easy to sleep in until 12pm everyday and spend all of my time watching Netflix whilst I neglect all the things I had planned to do. I love things to be laid out in a clear and visual way so I thought that this weekly planner would be perfect to help me get on track with spending my time productively. Apart from the days of the week, the planner is fairly blank, leaving you to fill it out however you please and plan your time according to you.
• 2. Copic Markers: I'm a very arty person and now that I'm finished with all my art course work for college, I have the time to draw and paint whatever I like. I'm currently really into illustration and have been wanting to get a few Copic Markers for quite some time. They are some of the best in the drawing biz, however they are quite pricey. I managed to find some being sold individually on eBay for a reduced price and decided to get myself 3 to start out with. I love the vibrant pigmentation and the way the colours blend together to give a clean, even finish. I shall definitely be getting some more of these.
• 3. Birkenstock Arizona Birko-Flor Sandals in Khaki: Yep, I bought a pair. I know these guys have a bit of a bad rep but honestly I'm in love with them and they have to be the comfiest shoes I've worn in a long time. I'd been eyeing up these khaki ones from Urban Outfitters for a while but was a little reluctant to pay the £55 (£49.50 with Student Discount) that they cost. However, after searching for weeks to find a pair elsewhere online for cheaper and failing, I gave in and ordered these beauties. I find them so effortlessly cool- you can just slide these on with almost any outfit and instantly create a laid-back look. I'm a big fan of muted tones so the khaki green shade goes perfect with most of my wardrobe. I love to pair these with some grey ripped skinny jeans or some distressed shorts for a casual vibe.

• 4. Charlotte Tilbury Wonderglow: It's a well known fact that Charlotte Tilbury is the queen of make up. Her quirky product names and rose gold packaging are to die for and her Wonderglow Primer is a firm favourite amongst make up fans everywhere. During summer, I love to go for a glowy, 'golden goddess'-esque look with my make up, but that can be a little hard when you have dry, dull skin. I've found that Wonderglow works wonders (ha!) for me; I wear it under my Rimmel Wake Me Up Foundation and I truly get that 'glow from within' effect. The hint of glitter in the product reflects the light giving you dewy, youthful skin which is perfect for summer. 
• Rimmel Nude Lipstick Collection by Kate Moss in shade 48:  I'm a massive lover of nude lipsticks and of Kate Moss' Rimmel collections, so her new line was a dream come true. I made a blog post here reviewing 2 of the shades that I bought (45 & 48) and I've been finding myself wearing shade 48 almost everyday. It's such a beautiful brown-red shade that isn't too dramatic for every day wear. I tend to wear very warm tones on my eyes and this lipstick shade goes perfectly with them. The formula isn't drying and the colour pay off is fab. I can see this being a fave all throughout August too.
• KIKO Beam of Light Highlighter in shade 02 'Sand': A KIKO store has opened up in Brighton's Churchill Square and I couldn't resist having a browse. I've never owned anything from this brand before but I ended up buying a few products and have since become obsessed. This highlighter is incredible. The pigmentation is so intense and beautiful and gives you the perfect glow to your cheekbones. Shade 02 is a lovely champagne-gold and is great for warm toned make up. I use this everyday and it's the perfect finishing touch to my everyday glowy make up.
• Makeup Revolution Ultra Blush and Contour Palette in 'Golden Sugar': WOW. This blush, contour and highlight palette from Makeup Revolution incredible. Makeup Revolution has been a favourite brand of mine for a while now- their beautifully pigmented and affordable products are in constant use in my make up collection. I was drawn to the golden-amber shades of this palette as I can't resist warm tones. Recently, I've really been getting into contour and highlight and this palette has it all. With mattes and shimmers in some gorgeous colours, its a great palette if you want in on the contour and highlight game too. I've also been using the marbled copper shade on my eyes as it's so shimmery and vibrant. The palette is versatile and a steal at £6.

Lilia xoxo