Chanel bashing

Chanel has been my brand of choice for foundation many years now. In the summer I love Vitalumiere, in the winter I wear Pro Lumiere (I was gutted they discontinued it, and am yet to try out there replacement cause I'm still in mourning. It's like how I haven't watched the bat man film cause of Heath Ledger), and I have a bottle of Mat Lumiere which I only use every once in a while. 

However, Chanel is really pissing me off at the moment. First of all I think they are overpriced but I am willing to cough up the extra moolah for such great quality, secondly I hate the packaging of the foundation as there is always a fair amount left over that no amount of pumping will retrieve, thus forcing me to painstakingly pick at to get at. But my biggest bug bear of all is they NEVER have what I want. I have been on the hunt for a bottle of Vitalumiere Aqua foundation in 20 for over a month now. Ever Wednesday I pop down to House of Fraser and without fail they don't have it and tell me to come back in a weeks time when they are getting a new shipment. The girls behind the counter are lovely, and always give me a sample size to keep me going, but this is really beginning to piss me off. I have also been going to Peter Jones, but they too have been out of shade 20. 

This exact same thing happened the last time I wanted to buy a foundation, in the end it took me 6 weeks to get it. And don't even get me started on the disappearance of the Bronze Universel. The trouble is though I've convinced myself that if I buy a different foundation (Chanel aren't getting my money after this nonsense), the Vitalumiere Aqua will be fully stocked up, and I'll kick myself. So for now I will just have to keep going back on a bi-weekly basis. Sigh.

Have you had these problems with Chanel? What foundations would you recommend?


Kat x

Pictures from google image search & weheartit.com. Clink to go to original

Are you asking? Then I'm (watching) Dancing!

As I mentioned yesterday on Tuesday night I went out to the theatre with a lovely friend from my halls. We didn't go to see anything normal like a play or musical but went to a dance show starring Strictly's Vincent & Flavia.

Midnight Tango at the Aldwych Theatre was a wonderful show, with beautiful live music. I happen to love dancing (though am remarkably un-gifted in that area), and I know quite a bit about it so I knew I would like it. But Deb (my friend) never ever watches SCD or any other dace shows, so I wasn't sure how much she would like it. I was actually worried she would be bored. But she loved it too, I think it's hard to see such visual beauty without getting wrapped up in it. 

Vincent & Flavia have a wonderful partnership, and her body put was so incredible I instantly regretted getting the rustic platter at Jewel before the show (though it tasted sooo good). The rest of the cast were also great, however it's really hard to ignore Flavia, who can't but help stealing the show, even when she's simply just sitting on a chair. There was an underlying plot which linked all the dances together. It all took place in a bar in Argentina, which is run by an older couple. The bar is frequented by dance loving couples and the cream of the crop are, of course, Vincent & Flavia. But, oh no, a dark and sinister man in a hat comes in and sweeps Flavs off her feat. What will poor Vincent do? It was a slight case of art imitating life, which did make me giggle, and I do hope that at some point Vincent & Matt Di Angelo did a good old fashioned homoerotic fight dance! There were plenty of group dances, a wonderful tango waltz from V&F and the highlight was a wonderfully poignant dance where the old man mirrors a young couple dancing in order to portray his memory of dancing with his wife in his youth.

All in all it was a wonderful show, with great choreography from Arlene Philips. I would highly recommend it, especially to anyone with a love of dance. And it's an extremely sexy show, so I even think it would make a wonderful date (and what bloke wouldn't want to watch Flavia do her stuff for 2 hours).

My Rating:   8/10 

Do you guys love SCD as much as me? Have you seen Midnight Tango? What did you think of it?

Kat x

My Tried & Tested Cure

Urgh. I feel like death, and it was completely self inflicted. I never ever learn. Last night I went to see Midnight Tango (more on that coming up) with a really good friend last night, and we hit the wine. So today I have been feeling less than fresh. Most people's hang over cures include coke, a fry up or some other fast processed food. However, when I'm feeling like my "mouth had been used as a latrine by some small creature of the night, and then as its mausoleum" then heaven on a plate looks like this:

A gorgeous Greek Salad a la Kat. This is literally all I ate for a month when I went island hopping, & I still haven't grown sick of them. Really quick to make, super tasty & am now feeling slightly more human.

But seriously, back to bed. Try again tomorrow.

Do you have any hangover tips to help me in my time of need?

Kat x

The Colour of Royalty

from weheartit

A major downside of being blonde haired (helped along with bleach) & blue eyed, apart from the obvious thick-o jokes, is that you're constantly told that you can't pull off coloured eye shadows. For years I have been told to stick to wearing brown smoky eye on nights out, and spend the day sporting a light taupe. 

Well, I've had enough 

Blondes of the world unite

IT'S TIME TO EMBRACE 

THE WHOLE RAINBOW

(Sorry, I've had a lot of sugar)

This is probably just a late onset rebellion to compensate for my sweet & innocent teenage years. But this attitude all stemmed from Halloween when I dressed up as a pumpkin. To add to the costume I wore a green smoky eye & orange lipstick. Obviously I wasn't afraid to look like an arse & I assumed the make up would look stupid. But it came to the night and guess what? It look perfectly fine, possibly even good (but I'm biased). So this got me contemplating other colours...

 

It just so happened that when I subscribed to Look magazine I got a free Urban Decay deluxe palette, which had lots of colours to play with. So, after years of avoiding colour like the plague, I followed Dorothy's lead & stepped into a world of technicoloured glory!

From weheartit

OK I'm really bigging this up to much, all I did was buy 5 mac eye shadows (and even that's a lie as 2 of them were gifts) but here they are:

From left to right: Signed Sealed, Trax, Nehru, Sketch, Graphology

Trax

This looks really beautiful in the pan, and is also stunning on the lid. It is a burgundy purple which shines gold in the light. It goes on very light, so needs to be built up to achieve a purple colour. I think it'll be gorgeous over a gold/brown lid base.

Sketch

Again, another stunningly beautiful colour. It's a deep and warm burgundy colour with a lovely sparkle. This would be perfect to smoke up an eye in the evening.

Nehru

I definitely didn't need this one, but I wanted it. The website describes it as a "muted bluish black", and it does look like this in the pan. However, I think it takes a careful eye to distinguish it from any dark black/grey colour! I do like it to add lash definition to my upper lash line though!

Signed Sealed

This is part of mac's Matte² range and has been discontinued for a while now. Again, it is a softer alternative for using carbon to define an upper lash line, and I think it would be great to add definition for a purple smoky eye. 

Graphology

This is another discontinued dark purple matte shadow! Though this is more eggplant. This is definitely a shadow that needs steady building and blending to get the most out of it, but this process creates a lovely crease colour, for a captivating defined eye.

From left to right: Trax, Sketch, Nehru, Signed Sealed, Graphology

So, yes I know that purple isn't the most flattering colour for blue eyes, and yes I should really wear some green or brown contacts, but as I stroppily said in the beginning I DON'T CARE!! In fact, I'm already getting slightly excited about purpling my eyes up tomorrow, hopefully without looking like I've been beaten up. Though that may get me a seat on the tube, so it wouldn't be too bad!

So what are your favourite purple eye shadows? How do you wear a purple eye?

Kat x

All unlinked photos are my own

A Year of Smelling Like Cinderella/Ariel/Jasmine/Belle

So as I said in a previous post, my lovely boyfriend buys me a new perfume every year for Christmas. I waited this long to post a review so I could make it as fair & truthful as possible!

So this year the perfume selected for me was:

Vera Wang Princess

And the lucky girl that I am, I was not just given the bottle. I got given alot of varioius Princess products, all presented in this rather fetching box

I need to find a use for this box, as I think it's too pretty
to end up being recycled into loo roll.

Inside the box was two bottles of perfume, a Foamy Body Polish & a Satiny Body Lotion. Even though I appreciate getting the assorted paraphernalia along with my annual perfume, I never really see the point of them. I think it's overkill to have a body wash, moisturiser & perfume with the same scent. But this year I quite liked it as I love the little itty bitty version. I will treasure it forever & clutch it in my hand whilst pretending to be a giant (old school reference to Monica from friends).

Please excuse the nails, no nail varnish in hospitals!

Now to the perfume (can't believed I've rambled this long without talking about it).

I think the bottle is cute (maybe even a bit too cute), it is heart-shaped bottled with a gold embellished crown for a lid. I do think it's pretty, though it's quite teeny bopper. It has grown on me a lot though as I'm quite a girly girl and now I think it looks quite pretty on my stand. 

The scent is very vanilla-y. My friend who is quite the perfume conoseur says it also has "strong notes of dark chocolate with just a hint of guava", I'm sure she's right but I just think it smells sweet! It is definitely not a sophisticated scent, but it is ideal for day wear. It also has very good staying power, so if you're a multi-sprayer be cautious! 

Conclusion:

I would never have chosen it though I have grown to really like it. Even though I would not reach for it on a sophisticated night, it is suitable for every other occasion. I do like it, but I don't love it as much as last year's perfume, though I can't see myself loving anything else that much! So, all in all, I would recommend it for girls who love sweet smelling perfumes. 

I'm such a loser I'm already excited about what I'm getting next year. Only 326 days to go!!

What perfumes are you wearing at the moment? What are your favourites?

Kat x

Photos: All my own

Apologies

I have to apologise for my absence,

No I haven't given up on this whole blogging malarkey, but I have been in & out of hospital this week & really didn't feel up to giving my fingers a keyboard workout!

But just to let you know, I will be back in action from now on & have a few ideas for upcoming posts.

Thanks for putting up with me

Kat x

Image from weheartit.com

Book of the Week

One of my New Years Revolutions this year is to read a book a week, and write a quick review! Quick because I haven't done English since GCSE, and thus have lost any skills I may have once posessed. Also I will give no spoilers, though will hint at general themes.

So this weeks book was Gillespie and I by Jane Harris.

Yep I do judge a book by it's cover.
Though actually not so much since getting a kindle!

This is Harris' next book following the critically acclaimed The Observations, which I am ashamed to admit I haven't read (though will soon do, as have heard nothing but good things). The book is narrated by an elderly Harriet Baxter in the 1930s writing her memoirs about her time in Scotland in the 1880s (that sentence got away from me). From the first page, even the first paragraph, you get a glimpse of the dark and sad times yet to come. You are however eased into the story which appears at the beginning innocent and light. However, this seemingly pleasant tail is smattered with cryptic forebodings of things yet to come. I won't give any more away, but this book is full of unexpected twists, that kept me guessing til the end. I genuinely did not know what was going to happen. It is a sad book, mainly about love & loneliness, but I really enjoyed reading it. Thinking about it now, I think it gets better with hindsight, which is a trait I definitely like in a book.

The book was definitely enjoyable, going from being funny to depressing to full of suspense all within a few pages. If you are looking for a new book then give this one a go, and let me know what you think!

What books are you reading at the moment? Do you have any recommendations for next weeks books?

Kat x

Pictures found on Google search

I Heart Oasis

When one my fruitless search for jeans I popped into Oasis. I love Oasis, though it is a bit too pricey for me. I much prefer their style over Top Shop (controversial!), and the quality is excellent. I also like how over the years, while they do take note of changing styles, they always mix current trends with their own signature underlying style. This could be a bad thing, but as it happens I love this style. So on that note I thought I'd share with you my current Oasis wish list:

Parrot Print Dress, Spot Bow Front Top, Butterfly Bow Detail Top

Embellished Long Sleeve Top, Mid Wash Amber Jeans, Contrast Cuff Blouse Top

Smile Jumper, Burgundy Coloured Jeans, Stripe & Heart Top

Leopard Print Cardigan, Pearl Knit Jumper, Sequin Jumper

Faux Leather Biker Jacket, Faux Leather Dress, Faux Leather Skinny Trousers

Belted Drape Coat, Spot Shorts, Belted Drape Coat

So self-reflection time. Apparently I have very simple styles, coupled with a love of sparkles, leather & a small print. Not very cutting edge, but I like it. And I hope Oasis continue banging out beauts like this for years to come (coupled with good sales).


So do you share my love for Oasis?


Kat x

The Never Ending Search...

This weekend my favourite (only acceptable) pair of jeans died, so I went out to get another pair. This is the shopping trip I hate the most (actually maybe second to swimwear). I find it stressful, disheartening & depressing. I don't know if anyone else feels the same, but if you don't, I'm extremely jealous.

I think the main problem stems from my size. I'm a size twelve, which in my mind is neither large nor small, so that should be a good thing right? No. This is because I have odd proportions. I do not fit into a typical body shape. I have the narrow shoulders & wide hips of the pear, but coupled with the larger chest & narrow waist of the hour-glass. My mum always described me as a pear-shape with boobs. My boyfriend heard this once, so of course he now calls me: Bear Shaped. This doesn't exactly raise my self-esteem. But anyway, coupled with that, even though I'm above average height (5 foot 7), I have short & stumpy legs. My height is all in my body which leads me to have a very high waist. See what I mean when I say everything is just wrong?

Jeans are always too long for me, if they fit my hips then the waist is too narrow & vice versa. Also for the last few years it has been near on impossible to buy anything but a skinny leg. I do wear skinnies on occasion, but they aren't the most flattering shape on me as nothing about me is skinny. Gap do have a big range, but I happen to think they are evil as I have never found a pair to fit me. 

Everyone but me!

The pair that died were from New Look, were a small flair (but bigger than boot cut) & fitted on the hips. I cannot find them anywhere anymore. Nor anything similar to it. More troubling is soon The S/S collection will be everywhere, & jeans will be even harder to find (how stupid do I sound, there are plenty more troubling things than that).

The day ended with me giving up & buying a pair of black straight legs from Oasis, & whilst I do like them & will definitely wear them (also a bargain at £15), they were not what I was looking for. So the search goes on...

Definitely not what they look like on me!

Sorry this was a really bratty & whiny one, but surely I'm not the only one who feels this way? Why can't they make jeans for my specific shape?!

Do you hate jeans shopping as much as me? Where do you buy your jeans?

Kat x

Boots

My main Christmas prezzie from my mother this year was a pair of boots. For the last 2 winters I have been living in a some EMU boots (think cheaper versions of uggs). I have never liked this for everyday style but as I go skiing everyear I've always found these the most useful, and they inevitably find their way into my regular wardrobe.

But last year they died and so this year I've had to cope with just some ballet flats and have been begging anyone who listens to buy me some boots. So, down we popped to House of Fraser to scout out my ideal boots. Annd I found them:

They by Bertie and can be found here. They are everything I've been looking for, a perfect bown riding boot, with a small heel so I know it will be comfy to walk in for a few miles. They are loose enough to wear over trousers, and yet tight enough to keep there shape. They are smart yet casual, and the lovely leather smell will keep me content for a long time.

There was however, one teeny tiny problem: They didn't have my size. This is a fairly common occuence for me and whilst I realise I do have above average size feet (size 8 compared to size 5), I do know alot more other size 8s than 3s, so is it so hard to find the larger size, whilst the smaller ones a free flowing?

However, whilst I was waiting for the sales assistant to search in vain, I saw another pair of boots:

These were not what I was looking for, they are black, they have a bigger heel, and are less casual. They are so comfy, and the heel is wide and only 3 inches high (this does sound high, but I frequently wear 5 inches, so these are quite flat for me). Anyway, they are a dream to wear, the heel means I'm happy to wear them with a skirt as well as jeans, and the runched affect makes them a little more interesting. The sales assistant made me try them on (working on commission?) and I fell in love. To make things even more confusing for me, they also came in another colour:

Which I also loved. Though in real life they are much lighter )more or a sandy colour than the caramel one pictured). After quite a long deliberation I decided to choose the black ones and whilst I realise I'm not making any fashion statements with them, I think they are a great staple item, that should last me a few years. I also promised myself that I would stalk the other two until they were in the sale. Though knowing my luck, they won't be in size 8. Sigh.

What winter footwear did you buy in the sales?


Kat x


Pictures:  All from House of Fraser website

Party Like It's 1941

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

I hope you all had a great night last night. I had an amazing time, so thought I'd let you know what I did. Sorry about a lack of photos, I always forget I have a camera after I've had a few.

I went to The Blitz Party. This is a monthly 1940s theme night which really goes all out. I realise this doesn't sound like much fun, but it really is. Each month it is in a different area, and last night it was in The Arches, just off Shoreditch High Street. The whole place was decked out with blackout curtains & sand bags, an air-raid siren went off randomly and the bar menu looked like ration books. 

The music has to be the highlight of the night, in one room (The Swing Room) they had a DJ playing swing music (obviously) which was great fun. The bigger room had a live band performing a variety of songs from the 40. Whilst I know this isn't to everyone's taste, I absolutely love the music from this era and especially the dancing that goes with it, and whilst there were a few people who clearly knew how to swing dance it was great just to be swung around in a hapless manner. 

The drinks were quite expensive (£7 a cocktail, £4 a beer) but it was NYE in zone 1 so I expected as much.  I especially liked The Blitz Cocktail (vodka, elderflower and lemon which was continuously topped up with Champagne by a very handsome barman!). They also had a barbecue going on where you could buy the most delicious sausage rolls & scotch eggs, which were a very welcome treat at about 2am. 

I mostly chose to go to the Blitz Party because I love a costume theme, and I love dressing up. Even those who don't like fancy dress, 1940s is a very easy theme to slap together. I went as a typical 40s woman, and my boyfriend went as a soldier. He bought his gear in the military shop in Camden (by the horse tunnel). My other friends went as pin up girl, a forces sweet heart, RAF pilot, Churchill and an evacuee. Someone walked past in skinny jeans (her boyfriend forgot to tell her there was a theme) and everyone was definitely judging her. Another great thing about last these types of nights is I love the crowd it draws in. I think that getting dressed up automatically puts people in high spirits, and gets people talking (usually in character).

I only have two complaints about last night:

     1.     There were far too many people last night, they really should have sold at least 100 tickets less.

     2.     A lot of the barmen had no clue how to make the cocktails (and there were only 4 to remember).

So all in all, it was a great way to ring in the new year. I had an amazing time and would highly recommend it as a great night out. 

And now here are a few photos of our outfits:

Yes he threw my cardie up there. Sigh.

What did you do for NYE? 

Kat x

Images obtained from Google search, http://www.theblitzparty.com, and my own