Hamsa Necklace Giveaway!

The Hamsa obsession continues...

In my last post I included links to some individual Etsy sellers that I thought sold beautiful versions of the hamsa necklace. Many of you clicked on those links and due to the traffic spike one of the sellers contacted me and asked if I wanted to hold a giveaway - the only answer to that of course is abso-friggin-lutely!

I love this piece that Elisabeth makes and sells. Sideways, delicate and incorporating a tiny evil eye, it's a pretty piece and one that I personally am going to order for myself.

And FYI, not to sound like a Modern Family obsessive or anything (I love you Cam!) but apparently it is also worn by "Claire"aka Julie Bowen on the show.

(Image taken from Etsy store)

So here's the deal. I don't like to make giveaways complicated. If you would like to be in with a chance of winning just enter a comment with the words "Enter me" - a phrase that always makes me giggle in an extremely immature/double entendre kind of way.

I will announce the winner in a post on Friday 20th - so you have until then to be in with a chance :)

FYI - The store on Etsy is called maldemer and can be found here - Link! 

Best of luck :) 

The By Sophie Hamsa Necklace

I got a little gift this weekend - of the costume jewellery variety.

Cue squeal of excitement

It's a little bit of everything, channeling the aesthetics of a pretty disc necklace, combining it with a dose of spirituality - and of course I love it.

The designer is By Sophie and this is a Hamsa necklace - an open palm shaped amulet intended to protect the wearer, much like the evil eye.

I absolutely love the way it looks on. The length and size is just right and well, you know me....little charm like sparkle things? Instant love.

I know that this was purchased at Boutique 1 - Dubai based shopping mecca - and unfortunately I can't find the exact one on the website. They have something equally lovely...and plenty of snake rings that I also love....*sigh* Bring on payday!
 However, I did have a look on Etsy for you and as usual, there are so many pretty alternatives offered at a great price. My votes go to:

1 - Link! Tiny and delicate with a combination of Hamsa and evil eye for the ultimate protection.
2 - Link! More sideways action!
3 - Link! - Similar to mine!

Seriously, how many more mythical charms do you think I can buy and stack up on my person? With this, the evil eye and my sideways cross I should be set for protection :) 

PS. Top worn in above photo is by Sass & Bide (said in Kath & Kim accent) and is a recent eBay acquisition. 

I haven't eBayed for clothes for ages and faith has been totally restored. 

This was such a bargain and it's the most beautiful top - absolutely deserves a post of it's own :)

The VIPXO scarf

Prepare for some "share the love" type chatter as I pay some respect to two great bloggers.

Here we go...

First Up

This scarf was posted on Victoria's blog - www.vipxo.co.uk - way back in November. It formed part of her popular "Designer Inspired" posts which see her scour eBay for cheap finds.

I loved the combination of colours and prints. The fact that it cost less than £10 including shipping didn't escape my attention either. I clicked, I ordered and I have worn it quite a few times since.

It is as light as a silk fabric so it drapes nicely and is perfect for Spring weather. It also washes well despite the el cheapo price tag.

So thanks to Victoria for finding this :)
 

Scarf: eBay - Link! 
Tee: T by Alexander Wang
Jacket: Topshop
Jeans: Seven for All Mankind (Roxanne)
Shoes: (more of an FYI obviously - Tory Burch)
Bag: Celine
Sunglasses: Elizabeth and James
Hair: Giving serious fringe today which I remain undecided about....


...and secondly

Another blog follow recommendation for you is Teresa of candyandcookie.com.

She is the Dubai based blogger I mentioned meeting up with yesterday and last night we enjoyed a 6 hour chat-a-thon at Shades pool bar at The Address Dubai Marina.

Infinity pool views, adult drinks, sweet potato fries and longing glances at her neon orange Cambridge Satchel...

We did attempt outfit pictures towards the end of the night but by then the alcohol and humidity ruined the effect. Until next time :)

Find her blog here and Twitter here and say hello from me :)

Hope you are having a great day! I had my hair colour "sorted" today and am relieved/happy to report that it all ended well. Such a relief!

I now have more "flashes" or a lighter caramel/honey colour courtesy of some skillful balyage highlights. I will probably post some pictures once I have washed my own hair (you know what it's like after a salon blow-dry) and give you a run down of the Redken treatment product I picked up as well.

See you all soon x

The Evil Eye bracelet

As much as I find the evil eye concept interesting, I also largely find the high street manifestations really ugly.

Sorry Topshop but I don't want to sport a ring with what is effectively a life-size eyeball on it.

For a long time then I have looked for an *affordable* and yet pretty version of the evil eye. There are many versions with 4 figure price tags and real diamonds but I will quite happily take the glass/crystal version thank you very much!

It was whilst looking through the stalls at Covent Garden Market in Dubai that I came across this beauty...it was EXACTLY what I have been looking for. A metal (although who knows what metal exactly!) chain and a dainty evil eye that embodies the design without looking ugly.

3 months later and I have worn it every single day. Even if it's not silver plated, it has accompanied me in the sea, through 3 months worth of showers and 100's of OCD hand washes. It's held up beautifully.

Where to get it

Now this is the tricky bit. The only site where I have found this charges about $50 for an identical bracelet. Do not pay $50.

I had a quick look on Ebay and came across this version....

It's not exactly the same but it channels the same theme - dainty. It is also pretty reasonable at $24. Here's the link...

Link!

There are many others on eBay (here's another one Link! ) and the best priced ones seem to originate from Turkey - so keep that in your search criteria.

...and if you have no idea what I am going on about when I say "evil eye" I will let Wikipedia explain it to you. They do a far better job that I ever could :)

The Sincerely Jules/Gabriela Artigas ring

Lets get one thing out the way first. If you don't follow Sincerely Jules then you really must do something about that now. She has an incredible blog and it's packed full of inspiring images.

Here's the link...follow her! :)

My new ring was bought via her site. She featured her collaboration with jeweller Gabriela Artigas way back in December and I fell in love.

A tiny infinity knot, it is designed to sit above the knuckle. I contemplated it for a few weeks before ordering and I finally picked it up when I went back to the UK this weekend.

It was well worth the splurge. To be honest they had me with the packaging....




(I think) I ordered a size 5 and have decided to wear it on the same finger as my Sydney Evan "love" ring. 



It's a little odd/scary wearing a ring that sits on this part of the finger. Whenever I wash my hands I am petrified of watching it fall down the plughole but for whatever reason it appears to be staying put.

Now this particular ring is now sold out (although Gabriela has other lovely rings!)and it would be remiss of me as a blogger not to mention that you can pick up something identical for a relatively low price on Etsy.

Link!

I haven't used this seller before - although I am thinking about buying a couple more of these as I like the way they look either stacked or worn across three fingers...pure greed I tell you! :)  - but her feedback is positive, she is called Laura :) and it's $21 as oppose to $70.

Ah...I do love dainty accessories :)

MORE sunglasses?

Now how do I justify this?

...

I just can't.

I am clearly aspiring to be the Timmy Mallett of sunglasses, with a pair for every day of the week/year.

I think I have always been like this. It came on in my early twenties when I was a terrible snob and became fixated on the tragically expensive Oliver Peoples. I bought one pair, then another etc.

These days I am more-or-less Ray-Ban loyal.

Mmm. Okay, that's a total lie. I would LOVE a pair of Dita's but I need a spare £300 so....Ray-Ban it is.

...and that's okay for now. I do love the nostalgia associated with them as a brand and I like the fact that their models come with non-ridiculous price tags. I don't think you can go wrong.

Today I wore these beauties.

I have no idea what they are actually called - the Ray-Ban site doesn't answer the question either - but they are essentially part-visor, part-Wayfarer. I love the ombre lens and the fact that they cover my face.

Sometimes it feels very nice to hide behind sunglasses :)

 Sunglasses: Link!

I should also give a little shoutout to the top I am wearing in the picture above. It's from New Look's Premium range and is a gorgeous piece. Geometric beading and a sheer corn yellow shade.

I have to admit corn yellow doesn't sound like my cup of tea but when I saw it in New Look a few weeks ago it made me feel happy and bright. It's just one of those colours and a nice way to pep up a plain outfit.

There are just two downsides to be aware of:

1) It's completely sheer - I wore a flesh bra which you can quite clearly see and which therefore meant that I wore my blazer done up when I popped out to lunch. Wear a flesh-coloured body/vest which is admittedly the most disgusting thing known to man but it will be worth it.

2) The beading is only present on the front panel. The problem with that is that it drags the light fabric down so your bra/boobs will be constantly threatened with exposure. I suppose a higher end piece would rectify this by applying the same amount of beading on the back panel of fabric but for around £30 you can't have it all!

Of course both of these things I realised once outside. *sigh*

Top: New Look - Link! (currently in the sale)
Jeans: H&M
Blazer: ASOS - Link!
Shoes: Tory Burch
Bag: Miu Miu in pale grey

A closing ramble...

A few things to note:

1) I am still obsessed with Drake's new album. I think I must have played it about 50 times so far. And repeat.

2) I have decided that I do not like Bioderma's make-up remover. I feel like I should be ashamed.  It's so damn popular. Although I think it's handy for on-the-go makeup removal (which I never do) I just prefer full-on oil-based removers. Okay, sometimes they get my fringe greasy but they truly remove every last scrap and the texture of them just feels "right".

3) I have a spot on my chin. I know. Tragedy. You no doubt saw this is my "smug bitch" photo depicting the sunglasses. I don't want to point any fingers but I am a bit scared that it might be Illamasqua Skin Bases' fault. I am going to continue to use it and see if I get any more. By the weekend we will know!

3) I got a Facebook page for this blog. I am not sure why I suddenly decided to do this but it's quite fun so far. I plan to upload little preview photos for blog posts and the like. That makes it sound all very exciting and dynamic but the reality will probably be anything but. Ah well, if you want to give it a whirl....link!

Hope you are having a good week!
x

Joining the bunny brigade!

Hello from Bangkok!

Cue smiley face :) 


Yes, I am on holiday here for about 10 days and it's so new and exciting. I have never been to Thailand before and the chaos and colour provided on the streets feels weirdly refreshing.



I should also say that the shopping is incredible. I haven't actually bought a lot but it's more the window-shopping element that I have really enjoyed so far.

Today I hit up MBK - a multi-level shopping mall full of little stalls that are packed with everything you could possibly - and possibly not - want. Clothes, trinkets and technology. It felt like a huge colourful bazaar.

My mission!

Of course I bypassed all of this and went straight to the floor dedicated to phone accessories. I was a woman on a mission you see - I was a woman in search of bunny ears!

Yes, just like countless other bloggers and "real life" people, I have jumped on the Rabito bandwagon and picked up the iPhone cover.

The story behind Rabito is quite cool. The creator was working as a User Interface Designer - similar field to myself actually - and just came up with this idea, featured it at a trade show with little to no intention of success and found herself getting huge orders from retailers across Asia.

No surprise. It's fun and functional. The fluffy tail actually serves a purpose - you can wrap your headphones round it and it will also prop up the iPhone, useful during FaceTime. It's also surprisingly easy to find in a large handbag - the tail and ears make it very distinguishable from the other trash you carry around.

So yeah. I had to have it. And I got it in black.

I am a little sad that it's not the real deal - very much an inspired version (I paid about £3!) and in honour of the cuteness of concept I am still going to try and get my hands on the real deal....

But here is my iPhone cover...for now :)

You can buy Rabito - or Rabito inspired iPhone covers -  in Bangkok (useful to know right? ;), Harrods (Link! although it you live outside of Europe DO NOT BOTHER as it will cost you £30 in shipping) and it is also available on good old Amazon where dozens of retailers are selling a version of it. (Link!)

In a way it's a shame that this phone is my personal - as oppose to professional - one. I would sort of love to pull this out in a meeting or in the office and see the faces of (mostly male) colleagues look on, in a mixture of wonderment and confusion.

Either way I have to say that I am happy to join the bunny ears brigade :)  

PS. I have photos from the Grand Prix - do people want to see that or should I just skip to an outfit post? Don't want to bore the majority senseless with close up pictures of cars :) LMK!

Shiny and new

Made a few daring purchases recently:

1) Harem trousers - yes yes they have been around for a long time however I have seriously struggled to find a pair that look "right".  The folds in the fabric can be awkward - nobody wants to pay money for a serious case of Camel Toe - and they can be far from flattering around the hips.

Well thank goodness then for the Whistles sale. I nabbed a lovely pair in a light copper silk fabric. Originally £110 - not a chance in hell I would pay that - and now £30.

The silk works well. They drape - rather than hang - and feel expensive.

Blazer: You know the score - it's the River Island one :) 

Top: French Connection (old!)

Necklace: See below!

Trousers: Whistles

2) MAC Ruby Woo lipstick - This is what I have realised about red lipstick. For me, it has to be matte. Shiny red lips are a step too far - and actually very difficult for me to pull off. Matte red lips are however manageable.

Another thing I have realised is that people really don't wear a lot of colour on their lips - anywhere. Only when you are wearing a bright ass colour do you realise this. You are a bit self-conscious walking around town in yours and that's when you notice how much of a minority you are. It's sort of nice.

Now back to Ruby Woo. It has more of a berry tone than Russian Red - it's brighter, it's more lifting and very very long-lasting. Matte = drying and it's no different in this case but I think it's worth it :)

3) Laptop/tote bag - laptop bags are so boring. Well the Mulberry and Bill Amberg ones are nice I suppose but too expensive right now. I have therefore taken matters into my own hands and picked up a canvas bag from H&M for £15.99 and declared it my laptop bag. It's mixed metallics and actually really nice. I am wearing it today as a handy tote.

4) Chained necklace - I am not keen on all those heavy chains that seem to be in fashion. They look like they would leave my neck aching - and possibly green. But I do like the basis of the trend - the toughness and structure - I just needed to find my little niche in it. And I have!

This is a take on the trend - lots of smaller chains knotted together  and feminised with a brushed rose gold effect.

Thank you Accessorize!



Hope you are all having a good weekend! 

The Grey Focco! FFS!

I feel a little bit ashamed about this post...

Yes I got the grey Focco bag as well and quite honestly I blame the likes of @Jen who told me in my White Focco post that THIS was the gorgeous one...

Well it is okay? As soon as I ripped it open I smiled and when my mum saw me on Saturday she demanded I get her one - so I did.

It's the same deal. Gold hardware etc....but this time the colour is nude/grey/lilac.

I think I should let the photos speak for themselves. I have nothing else to say. I am too embarrassed. I will however add that:

a) This may be my favourite one - even though the side zip has a wee hole in it - as the colour is perfect: softer than the white and tonally neutral enough to wear with anything;
b) It's typically sold out on the eBay seller site I recommended but I am sure others have the same one - I just did a quick search with "studded bottom bag grey" in eBay and loads of sellers in China appeared, all using the same image so no doubt, they all come from the same factory:
c) It looks nothing like the photos on eBay; and
c) THIS IS REALLY IT. I won't be buying more. All the colours I was curious about have been exhausted and I have got a grip.

I think my next post will be about my favourite eyeliner of the moment...La Ligne de Chanel, which Musing on Beauty correctly noted had been swatched on my hand in the photos takes the other day. If you want long-lasting beautiful liner....this is your man!

Okay, off to watch True Blood! 

Bye all and hope you had a good Monday!

Stella Sheer...and another new bag?

Meet the most recent addition to the perfume collection:

Stella Sheer

or Sheer Stella - whichever you prefer!

I must say I love the lighter versions of these classic/well known fragrances that emerge at this time of year. Case in point: I am considering the fraiche Marc Jacobs Daisy, Gucci Flora or Chancel Chance as one of the next acquisitions. 

There is just something about them that's almost more confident. They don't need to shout about the notes - they are there - but they are understated. It's clean, honest, light and almost optimistic.

I am starting to waffle here...

Back to Stella

I have sniffed the original Stella's and a lot of my friends cite this as one of their most cherished fragrances. I was never convinced but just like the Chloe, the sheerer and more wearable (for me) version has me in agreement.

Wear this and I would describe you as smelling of lemony, crisp roses. I know, I know...it doesn't sound that great but trust me...there's a sort of subtle sensuality about it that's far from eau de Grandma. It's obviously floral but not obnoxiously so.

The official description talks of: "crisp green apple, frosted lemon and Bulgarian Rose. A heart of peony pulses with the sensuality of amber".

Yep, pretty much! A fantastic day time scent in any case.

Onto the eBay bag

I have been a little bit naughty. You see I bought a bag and it's definitely inspired by another well-known design. The seller doesn't claim to be anything related to the designer but this is quite obviously a Wang-inspired/stolen affair. And as bad as it sounds I don't mind.

The reason I love the Wang Rocco bags is all because of the hardware at the base. All I want is some damn sturdy studs. I was considering buying one on shopbop.com - what the hell I thought - and then I stumbled across an exact copy on modekungen.se for about 130 Euro. But some savvy Tweeters pointed me in the direction of eBay. For £29.99 I thought "why not" and saw it as a bit of an experiment. It's not the same of course but if it feels durable and has my beloved studded feet. Happy days!

First impressions? Very good!

No, it's not real leather, but it does feel sturdy and my beloved studs are there for all to see! I think the lighter leather version - i.e, grey and white - may look pathetic but I think the black plays it safe.

Here come some pics:

Aha! I found the studs!

Mmm....don't you just love the smell of fake leather? 

Hanging out with my bag and a smug expression.

And quite simply - WAHEY!

Of course if it falls apart tomorrow, forget about it - it's a pile of poo. Until then it gets a tentative thumbs up.

I bought it here:

Link!

Hope you are all having a good week!

...and so it begins

Every new beginning heralds the purchase of a new bag. Or something.

I decided to start this blog by boasting posting about my gorgeous new Zara tote bag. 

I spied this about 3 weeks ago and it was one of those "absolutely must have" retail moments. I was thinking of it in terms of a stylish laptop bag that could also be an accommodating dumping ground for all the rubbish I seem to lug around with me every day. Most importantly though it met the happy medium for me between Valentino studding and Celine quality-structured leather - both bags I have been craving. The good news with this one is that it was less than a tenth of the price at £119.

Add to basket.

It arrived today - I won't go into the whole delivery debacle as I know we have all been there with couriers, but if you pay for Saturday delivery you expect it on that forthcoming Saturday don't you? Not 2 weeks later.

Anyway, "in with anger, out with love" and all that and so I am delighted to introduce this bag to you :) 

The leather is much thicker than I expected. It feels durable, extremely well made and the colour is a gorgeous dark butter/light tan. I sort of love the fact that there is no external branding as well. I don't generally like bags with big logos or obvious statements about where they came from. There is a subtle anonymity about this one - it's just a nice design and it's everything I wanted.

So here is the front...

 The inside...

This is going to hold ALOT.

And of course, some action shots courtesy of Photobooth

Pose, pose, pose...

(PS. Shirt worn from Whistles current season)

Cannot wait to debut this. Surely, I cannot be the only person out there that gets overexcited about handbags?

Anyway, you can get the bag here...

http://www.zara.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product/uk/en/zara-S2011/61145/365522/STUDDED%2BLEATHER%2BSHOPPER

Have a great weekend all and thank you for reading this post! :)