Halloween Haute Corture

So it's that time of year again , after the madness of summer and starting back at uni my favourite holiday has returned! I am of course talking about Halloween. Whilst it is a truth universally acknowledged that any female in want of an emergency Halloween costume can just stick on lingerie and animal ears, I prefer a look in which the scariest part isn't the fact you can see what I ate for breakfast!

This year my own commitment to Halloween has seen me scare the life out of my boyfriend and house mates with a pair of black out contacts, and the rather rash decision to dye my hair green.



But Halloween doesn't always require a total costume. Over the years thanks to the success of the Twilight films and a re-emergence of grunge styles increasingly ghostly, horror-inspired designs have been hitting the high streets and the catwalk. So if you're not into costumes (and after battling with the scratchy fabric of my witches costume my love affair may be over) you can still look scary but sophisticated!

Bedazzled


Witching Hour


Vampire Queen




So there you have my stylish Halloween outfit picks! Let me know what you guys decide to go out as/already have been out in. I adore everything about this holiday from the opportunity to dress up to the free sweets (the joys of taking younger siblings trick or treating!) so would LOVE to see you outfits!

And here's a little video to make you giggle, potentially my fave youtube clip of all time!



Liss xoxo

Wednesday's Wanelo Wishlist part II

Lalalala I love wanelo. I could go on for hours about my adoration for this site but hopefully I've already converted some of you with my last post. Now I'm fully back into the swing of university (hence blog neglect-forgive me!) i've found myself lusting over thrilling items such as stationary once more. Oh the joys of student life. So, here's my pick of wanelo's best trending products this week that will kit you out for the ultimate uni experience!



Pen Holder-Etsy I'm forever losing pens. If I had somewhere to store them this probably wouldn't happen. If it was as cute as this it definitely wouldn't happen
Stache Jar-LuullaI'm forever losing money. If I had somewhere to store it ths problem wouldn't happen. If it was a cool as this the chance would lessen slightly.
Glasses-Ruche.You're a student now, you wear glasses even if you don't need them. It's not just hipsters who play that game.
Student Cookbook. Step away from the ready meal
Quilted Backpack-Charlotte Russe. Totally cute and carries your books, the next best thing to the fitty in your lit seminar.
Leopard Print Laptop Case- Urban Outfitters. Your laptop is your new best friend. And you wouldn't let a friend go out badly dressed would you.
Topshop Geek tee-admit it, you're a total nerd.
Red Cup Shot Glasses-alwaysfits.com You might be at uni in a shitty seaside town where it rains all the time but these badboys will take you straight to frat parties on Laguna Beach.
Notebook-Urban Outfitters. No seriously, get it together.

Liss xoxo

Rock Chic Review

So my obsession with painting my nails has been increasingly noted by house mates who in between warning me about acetone poisoning and mocking me for my OCD arrangement of my polishes have been lusting over my various nail shades.

I change the colour about 3-4 times a week but touch up every day. I find the whole process of nail-painting ridiculously therapeutic and this is definitely one reason for my obsession. However having used all my colours at least 400 times and being momentarily poorer than Oliver Twist I decided an investment to keep me interested was necessary.



And that's where Nail Art came in. Their 'Rock Chic' nail art kit caught my eye in a local beauty haven called Blush. At just £3 this kit was the same price as a bargain polish but meant I now had over 100 news designs at my finger tips.

Excited is an understatement.

Now, as anyone who knows me will happily state, i'm potentially the clumsiest person a live. Mumma bear has renamed me Clam as in Calamity Jane and not a day goes buy where I don't drop something/trip over/break stuff. It's a curse and one I was well aware would haunt me when I bought this kit. So after first dropping it all over my bed and having to piece it all back together I was ready to go. Once i'd got to grips with it the kit was so simple to use,even for those as severely co-ordinationally challenged as I am.


First I painted my Nails with Rimmel's Purple Reign shade which is one of few nail polishes i've come across that actually dries in 60 seconds. They key to getting these designs right is to ensure you have a smooth finish on the nail and I'd reccomend adding a top coat before adding the embellishments.

After this I chose the small silver diamanté from the Rock Chic kit to be the first embellishment for my nails. And then I added a slightly smaller black stud above this to create a simple design (I didn't want to get ahead of myself now did I!). I applied these very simply with my fingers by wetting my index finger slightly, picking the studs up by having them stick to it and then placing my finger with the stud on it over the painted nail, holding until it set.



After waiting for the studs to set I then simply painted another layer of topcoat on over them to ensure they stayed put and was very careful to not do anything until I was totally sure this had dried.


I absolutely loved my final result and was so pleased with how long this lasted. I expected them to come off after 1 day but the majority of the studs lasted 3 days. The kit was incredibly simple to use and the variety of possible designs means this kit can properly transform your nail designs. It was so easy to use , even for a clutz like me, and at £2.99 it's a kit that will re-vamp your nail deisigns without having to break the bank.

All round i'd give this product 8/10. Stylish, simple to use and amazing value for money. My only complaint is that I don't own all the nail art kits!


Liss xoxo



Me. In a nutshell.

You can never get a cup of tea large enough or a book long enough to suit me.
C.S Lewis



Wanelo's Wednesday Wishlist.


If you haven't discovered Wanelo then you seriously need to get involved. It's possibly my favourite online resource with the biggest collection of unique pieces online from a range of stores you probably wouldn't know about otherwise. It's perfect for those who like to stand out from the crowd or for finding unique gifts. It sells a range of home stuff, clothing and accessories and there's literally nothing on there you can't find. It has also recently been integrated with social media so you can see people you follow on your facebook newsfeed. Below is this weeks pick of my fave items!




So Fetch!// I mustache you a question// Purple pout// Purple Pumps to match!// Wrist razzmatazz// High-lo Heaven//

Think Pink

So October is not only the month of ghouls, ghosts and all things Halloween, it's also Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Whilst the aim of this month is, of course, to raise awareness (and hopefully some money) for one of the biggest killers in the UK it has also become something of a fashion phenomenon. October sees thousands of pink items flood the high street and some of our favourite stores offer limited ranges with the proceeds going to charity.

It's also a month in which to indulge your girly side and add a bit of pink to your outfit to raise awareness and look good at the same time. I can't think of anything better than that. So here are my fave pink picks for October.



NailsInc. have started there very own campaign for breast cancer awareness this year called 'paint your pinky pink'. The premise is simple, show your support for the fight against breast cancer by painting your pinkie finger in any shade of pink you like, snap a photo of yourself and your newly decorated pinkie and send it in. They've even commissioned this beautiful pink glitter polish for you to do it with. You may find £11 a little pricey for a nail polish but for NailsInc. quality and knowing that part of the profit goes to charity it's a small price to pay for looking and feeling good!

Protect your assets. Boux Avenue are my go to for beautiful bras in a range of sizes (and trust me, with my awkward bra size I could basically get a PHD in this area). This beautiful pink camisole is just one piece from there collection of breast cancer awareness goodies. With £1 of every item in the collection going to Breast Cancer research you can channel the 'fitty fundraiser' look.

Keep Warm with another item from Boux Avenue's collection (if you're cavorting around in the cami, you're gonna need this. Once again you can do your bit for charity whilst looking amazing. The words 'sexy' and 'Mother Theresa' should probably never go together but that's exactly how you'll feel when you look this hot and feel so charitable!

Put your best foot forward and invest in some adorable pink vans. Vans are my go to shoe for any outfit and the only pair of 'trainers' I own. Maybe after you've road tested these you can invest in a proper pair and do a charity fundraising run for breast cancer. Exercise makes you feel healthy and look hot, charity work is good for the soul. Are we seeing the connection between looking and feeling good now?

Punctual in pink. I've long coveted a Michael Kors rose-gold watch and although not the brightest shade of pink, it's a delicate enough touch for those not yet ready to commit to candy and fuchsia shades. I'm having a very charitable October so far and investing in one of these bad boys may have to be my reward!

Suit Up. It really will come as no surprise now how much I adore Chelsea Doll Jewellery and this piece is no exception. I adore collar necklaces and think they are the perfect quirky touch to a formal outfit. So if you thought you couldn't get involved with the pink procession due to a boring office job then think again. Add this to a plain white shirt and tailored black trousers for professional pink perfection.

Pink Pout. Amazing shade and Rimmel quality. Need I say more?

Bringing a little fun to proceedings. Esty is one of my fave sights , with unique designs from people all over the world. It's because of absolute little treasures like this that I truly adore it though. A cute, well priced and light-hearted take on breast cancer awareness, every girl should own one of these!

Swarowski Breast Cancer Pin. I don't think I really need to sell this item, it's the classic symbol of breast cancer awareness and it looks absolutely stunning. Yes, this is the Swarowski version so at $55 it's out of most people's budgets, however there are lots of beautiful pins around at much cheaper prices so get involved!


So there's my collection of pink picks for you to enjoy! What will you guys be doing for breast cancer awareness month and what's your favourite pink item?

Liss xoxo

Things I like

So I've seen this on a few other blogs and think it's a really nice way to get to know the person behind the blog. This will be a little insight into the things I enjoy and what I get up to when I'm not obsessing over fashion etc. So here is things I like Part 1.



1. Pop Punk
This seems to surprise a lot of people but pop punk is by far my favourite genre of music. Perfect for cruising round with in summer and the ideal winter pick me up, pop punk music just gets me in an over excitable mood. Pop punk reminds me of lazy summer days with my friends when music meant everything to me, before I discovered fashion (which looking back couldn't have come sooner!)

2.Rome
Having been given what I referred to in my childhood as ‘a silly Italian name’ I’d wanted to visit my ‘homeland’ for years. I loved pizza, pasta, ice cream and fashion. I'm also a fan of tall, dark and handsome men, so whilst I might not have ticked the tall box Italy offered everything I could want. One Boxing Day me and my family boarded a plane (a generous term for the glorified cattle buses Ryan Air packed us on to) and headed to Rome. The capital city, pizza and gelato on every corner. I was home. I've visited a lot of places all over the world but none has quite struck me like Rome has. Yes, admittedly the food did sway me but so did the people and the sights! The Trevi Fountain (pictured) is hands down my favourite place in the world! The magic of Rome can’t truly be captured without visiting but if Rome is defs my very own city of love!

3.Charles Bukowski
So as a girl just out of my teens I'm probably supposed to like angsty female poetry. And don't get me wrong Sylvia Plath, Emily Dickinson and Maya Angelou are some of my favourites (at least until I start my dissertation work on them) Charles is my man of the moment. His poetry and writing is way more accessible than people think and with life advice from 'sometimes you just have to pee in the sink' to the slightly more eloquent 'there is a loneliness in this world so great that you can see it in the slow movement of the hands of a clock' there really is a bit of Bukowski for everyone. My faves of his are For Jane, the best poem on grief I have ever read and Bluebird which is admittedly a little high on the angst but still beautiful!

4. Pandas
I absolutely adore pandas and am pretty certain I was one in a previous life and I definitely want to be one in my next life. They eat for 16 hours a day and sleep the rest, ideal! On a serious note they are severely endangered so show your support for these adorable little creatures Here!

5. Jeffrey Campbell Lita's
Someone needs to buy me these ASAP, I currently have almost enough to buy a pair but desperately need to pay off my much-abused overdraft. This growing up business is bollocks sometimes!

6. Nail Art
I spent 19/20 years of my life as a prolific nail biter. Every lent I'd promise to give up biting them, my cuticles and the skin around my nails to shreds. Then one day I just stopped. I'd seen my friends painting their nails with intricate designs and had a whole box of gorgeous coloured polishes gathering dust in my bedroom (bought as motivation to drop my nail nomming habit). Then I discovered Pinterest and it's amazing ideas for nail art, at the same time nails became the latest accessory in the fashion world. The match was made, the timing perfect and now i'm rarely seen with naked nails. Hopefully the acetone won't go to my head!

7. Jewellery
From my wishlists and my Money Supermarket competition entries you may have noticed I love jewellery. Again, this is something I came round to later in life. Now I can't put an outfit together without earrings, rings, bracelets or a necklace. My helix and lobe piercings never come out and on any given day I can wear between 3 and 5 rings. No outfit, in my opinion, is complete without the addition of a well placed accessory to highlight and compliment. I buy jewellery anywhere I can find it loving anything from high street brands such as Freedom at Topshop or to rummaging through market stalls and vintage shops to find a gorgeous unique piece. I'm also a huge fan of the convenience of internet shopping and Chelsea Doll or Galibardy are perfect for quirky but stunning pieces!

8. Animal Print
Despite being no relation to Roberto Cavalli and not being raised on the set of Dallas, I absolutely adore animal prints. As I type I'm wearing a snakeskin shirt and leopard print boots (error? my house mate mocked me for my clashing prints the other day). It's not that they make me feel glamorous or fabulous in some weird Joan Collins kind of way, in fact it's quite the opposite. Prints are my go to for a slightly edgy pop to any ensemble and they work a treat every time!

9. Indian Food
So if I'm gonna be a panda in my next life then I think I was Indian in a previous one. I love nothing more than curry of any sort, I could drink mango lassi until I drowned and know no boundaries when it comes to how much rice to eat. Curry cured me of the fussy eating which burdened basically my whole life until I was 16. It's definitely a case of 'if you could only eat one food for the rest of your life what would it be?'. Indian food, all day every day.



So there it is, your first little insight into who I am, what I do and what I like. For those of you who it bored to tears, normal blogging shall resume tomorrow. For anyone who has similar likes, get chatting!

Liss xoxo

Serious Blog Time

EDIT: WE DID IT! I have never been so proud of my friends in all my life! To everyone who donated, thank you ever so much. Our final total was 21,153.75! HOW incredible. Thank you so very much to all. It was for a truly wonderful friend and incredible charity and i'm so pleased to have been involved.


I know, I know. I promised Fashion and Food and you thought feminism was as serious as I got. Well, sorry to disappoint but hopefully this post will both touch and inspire you.

It's time for another F, or maybe a few. Friendship and fundraising.

.


This is my beautiful friend Sophia

Whilst I only knew her for a short time, meeting her at college through mutual friends, I was immediately struck by how friendly, cheerful and downright infectiously happy she was. She made me feel instantly comfortable in a new friendship group and had time for everyone. Having both applied for Leeds University we quickly bonded over plans to tear up Leeds together, on results day when I was sobbing over not getting in, it was Soph who comforted me and cheered me up. She truly was one of the nicest people I have ever had the fortune to meet.

Unfortunately, and for reasons that are still hard to understand, Sophia passed away in 2011. Her death was a result of Sudden Adult Death Syndrome, at the time I personally knew very little about the condition and many of our friends were also uneducated on what exactly SADs was.

Slowly emerging from our group grieving process we began to investigate the condition and discovered the charity CRY which stands for Cardiac Risk in the Young. CRY was founded in 1995 to raise awareness of conditions that can lead to young sudden cardiac death (YSCD); sudden death syndrome (SDS); SADS. Through research, screening opportunities and fundraising the charity seeks to make the general public aware of these often little understood conditions.

After discovering CRY members of our friendship group, along with Sophia's elder sister decided to aim to raise 10,000 in 10 months for CRY, in time for what would be Sophia's 21st birthday, through various charitable events. Calling ourselves Sophia's Gang there were mountain climbs, bracelet selling, charity auctions, marathons, general hassling for donations and much more. We very quickly smashed our £10,000 target and are now heading towards an incredible £20,000 for a charity which truly deserves it.

So, yes this post is a tribute to an incredible friend but also an appeal for those of you out there who can to donate. This is being done in memory of a girl anyone who met her was touched by and for a charity that really does deserve the help and publicity. We have one day remaining to hit £20,000 as tomorrow will mark Sophia's 21st birthday, an event she should be enjoying with her friends but sadly will not be.

Please please DONATE HERE if possible, I will love you long time.



Liss xoxo

Just a quick little note

to say i'm sorry I haven't been blogging much, I am currently sans internet unless I go to the local Cafe Nero and am struggling to maintain my extreme peppermint tea addiction at £1.50 a cup!(welcome to poor student life).

I've been prepping lots of blogs for you however and will be back as of Thursday!

Liss xoxo
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