Springtime Haul

So I went shopping...again. My purse doesn't like me very much at the moment but when all the shops are dropping their new spring summer collections I want to snap up some new clothes now! After being wrapped up in countless layers for months I was on the look out for some simple dresses and sandals. I just did the BIG WINTER CLEAROUT and got rid of last years summer clothes i didn't really wear that much, so I had a nice big gap in my wardrobe to fill.
This is what I've bought in the last few weeks sorry it's a bit photo heavy I went a bit mad, oops...

Denim shift dress george@asda £12    Topshop stripe shift  £29

New look stripe shift £10 Black fringed tee george@asda £10 (I also got the white version)

H+M basic grey tee £7.99  Primark neppy dark grey tee £4

Primark neppy light grey tee £4 Pink floaty top george@asda £5 (sale)

  New look stone collar £10 Topshop skate shoes £20

Primark aztec sandals £4 New look gladiator sandals £20

belts pack of 3 Primark £2

So that's what I got. I havent really got much summer clothes due to the wonderful welsh weather last year but I'm being more optimistic this year, hoping for a repeat performance of last years heatwave but I hoping It'll last longer than 3 weeks this time.  At the moment I've really got a thing for stripes and basic tees, essentials in any wardrobe and can be mixed with lots of stuff. I needed new sandals so I picked up this amazing aztec print pair from Primark and some gladiator style ones from New look which I've worna few times already with jeans.

I love these skate shoes from Topshop that everyone seems to have. Luckily I didnt need to size up like other people had to but you definitely need to break them in but now their super comfy. The high shine finish make them look more luxe than they are which is always a thumbs up from me.

Did you like what I bought? What have you been buying for summer?

Let me know and don't forget to follow me on instagram @thesmallestnom

Springtime Blues

Hey guys these are few things I'm planning on getting hopefully in the next few weeks. I've just had a bit of a clearout of my wardrobe ready for new things but I'll have to be a bit careful I went a bit mad this month as I had a week off work. So there might be a bit of a haul post soon...

Jumper River Island satin front £28 New look leather rucksack £17.99  river island sandals £30 Topshop nail polish air kisses £5

End of January wishlist

Hey guys! We've already reached the end of January it's gone so quick. I'm definitely fed up of this never ending rain, it's so hard to try and look nice when the rain and  wind ruin your hair and your bundled up in a giant duvet, hat, scarf etc. Here is a few things I've got my eye on for when the weather finally gets better. I've got a feeling this beautiful Topshop tote is going to be my SS14 bag, so simple and chic. I really like this peep toe boots as well they'll make good transitional shoes to when it starts to warm up again especially if teamed with a nice bright polish. I need to get new jeans, my old ones are starting to fall apart but I don't like to spend lots on them so hopefully I can find a cheaper pair of boyfriend jeans when I get paid. The checked shirt and cami are just good basics as you can guess I really like grey at the moment.

Finally look at this stunner of a fedora. Swoon!

Bag -Topshop £36, Shirt - River Island £30, Cami Top -River Island £12, Peep Toe Boots - Topshop £72, Boyfriend Jeans - River Island £40, Fedora - River Island £22

Have you had enough of the cold weather? What are you planning to buy for SS14?

Winter Skincare Heroes 2013/14

Hello again! I'm back after an extended blogging break. I haven't been very inspired recently and work got super busy in the run up to Christmas so I haven't been blogging as often as I wanted to. To be quite honest I've become really lazy with everything and I think I need to change this. Winter has taken it's toll and I just want to be inside drinking insane amounts of coffee/tea and not come out until summer. So I'm going to try really hard to improve my blog, post more often, exercise and generally be more proactive in life. It's so easy to get into a rut and not bother with anything and before you know it, months have flown by and nothing has been achieved.

To start my first post of 2014, I've done an update of the very first post I did when I started this blog almost a year ago. This Winter hasn't been seriously cold yet but boy it's been wet and windy. The weather and central heating have played havoc with my skin and I've found it gets irritated very quickly. I've stripped back my skincare because I don't want to aggravate my skin too much so I've been moisturising and using gentle products to cleanse.

I'm still using some of the same products I featured in my other post because I find they work and are exactly what I need at this time of year. For a more detailed review of the No.7 Melting cleanser and Hydration Mask have a peek here. They are really gentle and makes my skin really soft and clear. I still need to exfoliate but I've cut it down to once a week at the moment because I felt it was stripping the natural oils the skin produces if I did it any more.
 Luckily I haven't had many breakouts recently but when my skin gets congested I've used Sanctuary's 5min Thermal Detox Mask which is amazing. The clay formula heats up when applied to the face which is alarming at first but feels lush. It draws all the oil and gunk out of your pores leaving skin refreshed. I always put some moisturiser on afterwards because I think it absorbs better after using a mask. Currently I've been using Neal's Yard Youthful Skin Moisturiser which contains ingredients like blueberries and Goji berries which are full of antioxidants.
 I then apply Clinique's Laser Renew Serum that I got as a tester to kick it up a notch. Lip wise Burt's Bees has become my go to for yummy tasting lip balms and really help my chapped lips.  I recommend the pomegrante and mango ones. Soap and Glory's body buff had been great at slogging away the dry skin that's been lurking under all my layers.Lastly, I've been loving Clinque's Body Comfort Butter after a bath. It feels really luxurious but at £24 a pop for 200ml I'll have to save this for birthdays/christmas treats!

Hope you've liked what I've been using this winter. What winter skincare products can't you live without?

New Favorite things for Winter

Winter is officially here and its cold! Today I thought I'd share with you some bits and pieces I've picked up during the last few weeks that I've been wearing constantly. Tartan has been massive this season  and its all over the high street and catwalks so naturally its been creeping into my wardrobe...
I bought a cardigan from primark with a similar print to the dreamy Stella McCartney ones but in black. It's really warm and can been dressed up or down which is essential for a good winter cardigan. I also noticed I've been buying a lot of same colours recently, with my wardrobe slowly becoming a mass of grey. black, olive green and burgundy. Primark are also doing these great beanies for only £2! so I picked up three colours black khaki and grey to add to my winter staples. 

I try to find good bargains when I shopping and love sharing these. I love the chanel nail polishes but I cant afford to splash out £16 everytime a colour I like comes out. I really like Chanel's green polish  601 "mysterious"  but when browsing in my local drugstore I bought a new winter polish Revlon Colourstay in 225 Jungle, beautiful deep green for £7.99 almost exactly the same shade as the Chanel one. 
Whist on the hunt for a good winter handbag/tardis to chuck my stuff in, I came across this amazing burgundy beauty from Dune reduced from £70 to £34.  It's really soft and has handles and a long strap.The gold hardware on the zips and buckles also make it look a lot more expensive than it really is. 
Layers are the easiest way to keep warm so I picked up this red check shirt which could be worn on its own or maybe under a jumper for a cool collar pop. This jumper from George cost me a £1 basically because I won a tenner on a pound scratchcard and bought this olive woven jumper. I really like the faux fur shoulder detail and it has big brown buttons on the back. Finally to add to my growing tartan collection I got these vintage wool scarves from Urban Outfitters which look really nice with plain t shirts.

Revlon Colorstay Polish in 225 Jungle £7.99

Dune Burgundy Bag £34 (sale) TK Maxx

Beanies Primark £2 each

Check Wool Cardigan Primark £14

Red check shirt New Look £18

Faux Fur Shoulder Jumper George@Asda £10

Vintage Tartan Scarves Urban Oufitters £14 each

I hope you like a few of things I've picked up recently, what have you been buying?

xxx

Floral Print Jeans How To Wear For A/W 4 Ways

Hey my lovelies , hasn't it got cold all of a sudden? I've started to organize my wardrobe and start sorting out my winter woollies. I've been packing all my summer clothes and shoes into boxes for their little hibernation bless them. I need to get my big coats out, get them dry cleaned/ washed and give all my boots a good polish. I haven't got a lot of space in my room and I share my wardrobe with my mum so organization is super important to me (and also to avoid parent wrath!).

Getting ready for A/W is also about updating your wardrobe essentials for the new season. Florals are always in season you just need to update them accordingly. These floral print skinny jeans are a good example. I've created 4 different outfits based around these jeans but nodding towards the colder weather. By being able to create different outfits around on key piece for all seasons, you've definitely upped it's cost per wear factor or CPW for short. So this is what I came up with.

Outfit one Classic Breton

Ahhh, good old breton my faithful friend. A year round staple, this outfit was also about updating this top for A/W too. Clashing florals and stripes seems a bit mad but strangely it works as long as I keep the rest of my outfit fairly plain. A leather jacket with fur collar, pretty scarf and brogues should make this outfit fairly weather appropriate though maybe when it's sunny.

Outfit Two Add A Complementary Jumper

Straightforward this one just add and jumper and boots. I would suggest plain block colours for daytime so I chose this old deep purple jumper I got in a topshop sale about 3 years ago. I only got these jeans this year so I'm pleased that I've been able to combine it with some old stuff. CPW again people!

Classic black boots keep you toes warm and a plain grey beanie to keep your head toasty, job done.

Outfit Three Evening Meal/Night Out

Like above, I chose a plain coloured jumper but the embellishment on the shoulders just make it little bit more glam without taking away from the jeans. A black blazer and heels keep it classic and let the jeans take center stage. I added this satin flower clutch as an extra touch because I thought it went well with the print and colour of the jeans. 

Outfit Four Casual Daytime

For A/W I usually wear lots of black and grey so I put this plain 3/4 sleeve top and biker gilet for a more grungy take on florals. I think the darker colours tone down the girlyness of the print. My studded drawstring bag and floral DM's complete the look. The boots definatley toughen up the overall feel of this and who can't resist a chunky boot?

  I hope you liked my ideas. With careful planning and a little imagination you can make your wardrobe staples work really hard and you can get as much use out of them without looking the same all the time because fashion's about being creative right?

Til Next Time x

Topshop Carrie Dress How To Wear 5 Ways

I bought this beautiful dress in Topshop a few weeks ago for a friends birthday. It was fairly inexpensive at £30 but when making the decision whether to buy it I thought about how many ways I could style it therefore getting more wear for money. I think it's important especially now when moneys tight that the clothes you buy can be mixed and matched with lots of different things. How many times have you bought something and never wear it because it doesn't go with most of your wardrobe. I'm all for buying standout pieces but I'd rather spend that little extra and know that I can piece together a few outfits with it.
I came up with 5 different ideas of how I could style this dress. It's a grey tube midi length style with a netted skirt over the bottom half. I wanted to create a variety of day/night looks so hopefully I'll get lots of wear out of it.

Outfit One - Glam night out/ Dinner party

A classic black blazer will always make a outfit look more grown up and sophisticated. This Topshop one  is a few years old and I've worn it with everything from party dresses to T shirts and jeans for day.
Pretty heels are a must and I adore these glitter heeled pumps. The lower heel make these super easy to walk in, useful for when you've had a few too many! A little silver clutch  makes this an easy evening look.

 Outfit Two Parisian Daytime/Afternoon Tea

I went for a Parisian take for my next look which I would wear if I was going to lunch somewhere fancy or afternoon tea. Layering parisian classics like a Breton tee and pearls makes the dress look like a Carrie SATC skirt. This little quilted purse is vintage and I love the gold chain. Black lace up wedges dress this up a bit but black brogues would also do the trick and would be more day time appropriate. This neutral grey jacket from Next is the perfect preppy cover up.

Outfit Three Casual Boho

Styling the dress for day was the bigger challenge but it all comes down to layering. For a cosy autumn boho look I added this furry gilet from M&S and a basic grey over-sized tee from Primark. I've got lots of these boyfriend style tee's in a variety of colours and they go with everything but layering them over something unexpected is when I get the most interesting results. This furry bag doubles up the cosy feel and trusty black boots are perfect for the colder months. I got these cut out style ones from New Look and I wear them with everything.

Outfit four Rock gig/ festival

 t

This dress has a dreamy quality to it which would look amazing at a gig or in a festival environment. I wouldent risk taking it to Download but if you were going to an overseas festival this would be perfect. I added a flowery headband, studded pumps and a studded drawstring crossover strap bag to rock this girly dress up. All you need is your favourite leather jacket and your good to go!

Outfit Five Grunge 

Even though I like the dressier elements to this, the grungy style is closest to my personal style and this is how I would probably wear this dress during the day running errands. A plain grey beanie, vans and a checked shirt would be my go to's and a slouchy bag to chuck everything in!


I hope you liked all the different looks I came up with. How would you style this dress? I would love to know any other ideas

Til Next Time x