My Top 5 Shoes!

Hi! So, for today's post I was going to do a summer outfit post, but I woke up and it was pouring with rain (seriously, its been tipping it down since at least 8am!), so my plan was scuppered.  So instead, here are my five favourite and most worn pairs of shoes - I am definitely a shoes girl, but I tend not to buy them very often as once I have a pair that I love, I wear them to death! (so excuse any little marks on the shoes in the pictures - they're very well-loved!)

#5

OK, so I know that they're not the most exciting, but my Reebok trainers had to make the list!  I used to wear them all the time, and have recently rediscovered them, and I can tell you that they are the most comfortable shoes in the world. Possibly.  After all the year that I have had them, I think its a miracle that they are still white, and I love white trainers, especially clean new ones that are really bright!  In the summer, I love to wear these with shorts and t-shirts, or even skirts and little ankle-socks,and when its colder they look really good with simple jeans, or you can dress them us with black disco-pants (which I think gives a slightly 80s vibe, which I love!).

#4

This next pair of shoes I bought in Deichmann over a year ago, and despite being very affordable, they are lasting well!  They're high-heeled brogues, and I have to admit that, until I saw these, I wasn't particularly fond of the trend.  However these were the shoes that made me love brogues (or oxfords as I know they can be called outside of the UK), I just love the muted brown colour of them, and I think that the delicate little designs are adorable! I recently wore these with a yellow collared dress to my friend's birthday dinner, and overall the look was very vintage and cute.

#3

Without a doubt, these gorgeous sandals have got to be my favourite summer shoes - they were a recent buy from Primark for only £5 (and now are in the sale for £3!!! That's insane!), and I've worn them almost every day since buying them.  They are made of plastic (the best that I can describe them is grown-up jelly shoes!), but it seems doesn't seen to have worn at all, and they haven't given me any blisters on sore feet at all as you might expect with plastic.  They are also black, so go with almost any outfit, but my favourite thing about them is the tiny gold bumble bee on the front, I just thought that they were an especially unique and incredibly fun detail!

#2

These shoes have been through a lot - I originally bought them for my cousin's wedding last summer, and they were also my prom shoes at Christmas time, as well as being worn to many other parties and occasions!  (they also featured in my last London outfit post - here they are in close-up now!) What really attracted me to them was the rose-gold shiny detailing at the front, along with the ribbon tie - when buying them I was at my wit'send trying to find a pair of shoes in this colour, and then these just stood out to me from the shelf in Miss Selfridge! (luckily they were in my size, because they were the only pair left!) They make it onto this list because, although they have sentimental value too, I just think that they are really gorgeous!

#1

Last on my list are these boots, my number one top pair of shoes.  They have appeared in a couple of other blog posts, so obviously, I love them very much!  They were a birthday present around three years ago, and I'd count them as my first pair of actual heels (what could be considered my first pair of heels might be a pair of black shoes with a teeny-tiny minute heel which I wore to my first junior prom.  But I didn't really like them, so I'm not counting them!).  They're really super-comfy, probably because I've worn them so often, and they're pretty much weather-proof - I've even worn them in snow!  You can also wear them with the tops turned down to show the lining, so two looks in one, and I wear them with almost anything: jeans, leggings, dresses, skirts, shorts, you name it!  If you couldn't tell, these are my favourite pair of shoes ever!

xxx Bexx

(Psssst!  follow me on twitter: @xB3ccA )

Liebster Award

Hi!  So today's post is something a little different - I was picked to do the Liebster Award by May la Faye, an awesome blog that you should definitely check out:  http://maylafaye.blogspot.co.uk/  there's fashion, beauty and beautiful jewellery - thanks so much for picking me, I really appreciate it!  The Liebster Award is for bloggers with under 200 followers, and the rules are simple:

1. answer 11 questions from your tagger

2. choose or 'tag' 11 more blogs (with under 200 followers, and no tag-backs!  also, give your tagger a shout-out to say thanks!)

3. ask 11 brand new questions for the blogs which you have tagged

4. contact the people you have tagged to let them know!

I will put the blogs that I have picked, and their questions at the end of the blog post!

1. Preferred hair style - straight or waves?

Straight - I'd love to be able to do waves myself, but I only wear my hair like that on days that its behaving - straight is just easier!

2. Your ideal red carpet dress and state designer?

This might sound a little odd, but I'd love to wear Hermione's dress for the ball in Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire, its just gorgeous, haha!  But if my dress had to be designed by a real designer it would be the fantastically creative people at Alexander McQueen, I'm in love with everything that I see from McQueen!

3. What is your favourite lipstick?

I don't tend to wear lipstick on a daily basis, but my absolute favourite is Revlon's Super Lustrous Lipstick in Sofsilver Rose (#430) - its a gorgeous shimmery pink, and it never dries out my lips, which is my pet peeve with lipsticks!

4. In this new age how do you preferr to read  - On a pad/tablet of your choosing or opening the pages of a book? 

I'd have to say books, definitely, although I do like the original Kindle as it doesn't have a backlight (I just can't read books on a glaring screen!) and reading through tablets opens you up to so much more options than just what is in the bookshop!

5. If you were given a £150 to spend on a handbag what would it be like and what brand?

Ted Baker's Saffiano Bow Tote - its insanely cute!

6. Describe your dream house? (no limits to your imagination)

No limits?  Then my house would be on a cloud, so that I could move it to whatever location I wanted!  It would be a slick, modern design, but obviously I'd still put my own girly spin on it!

7. If you were to be a superhero what would be your power?

Simple - my superpower would be to give myself more superpowers, then I could have them all!

8. Describe your ideal superhero outfit?

Something very, very shiny.  With a cape and a sparkly mask.  And probably pink.  Ok, definitely pink!

9. If pink was your only option what would your item be? 

A pink dress - you might as well make a statement!  Not baby pink but hot pink, as its my favourite colour, although it usually makes its appearance on my nails rather than in my wardrobe!  

10.  A beach holiday or the Country? 

Beach 100%.  Although I love the country, the town that I live in is already there, so for a holiday I'd like a change of scenery, plus on the beach you have the opportunity to wear all of the cute stuff thats in the shops at summmertime  - flipflops, swimsuits, cover-ups, hats!

11.  If you could only choose one what would it be arm candy or necklace? 

Arm candy, since I don't tend to wear necklaces that often, and I have an addiction to bracelets! 

I've also had a look at a few other Liebster Awards blog posts, and I've noticed that some of them also include 11 things about yourself, and since I haven't done this yet, I thought I'd take the opportunity to let you know a little more about me! 

1. I'm a twin

2. I'm a vegetarian

3. I'm Scottish

4. my favourite food is Doritos (its worrying how much I love them, seriously!)

5. I have a bunny rabbit called Wings (don't ask...)

6. I'm 16, and about to start my sixth and last year of school after summer (bloody terrifying!)

7. my favourite number is 21 (and I have no idea why!)

8. I love fashion, and blogging about it,who knew!

9. I have crazy taste in music - one minute its Justin Bieber, the Hoodie Allen, then Fall Out Boy.

10. my birthday is the 15th of November

11. I can't sleep with socks on (its weird. I know.)

So here are the blogs that I have picked - check them out, they're all fab!

Bows and Brushes

A Dot of Daisy

A Little Abstract

Carolyn (Brunette Wavez)

Little Bits of Sunshine

Sassy's Space

Pretty Eclectic

Ana Celine Labod

D is For...

Flawed Fairytale

Toad Road Fashion

And here are my questions for you...

1. Shoes or handbags?

2. Where would you most like to go shopping, London or Paris?

3. How did you pick the name for your blog?

4. You can only pick one item from your current wardrobe to keep. What is it?

5. What is your best (or worst!) joke or pick-up line that you've heard?

6. Who is your favourite designer, and what would you want them to design for you?

7. Who is your celebrity style crush?

8. If you could only buy one thing, would it be clothes or beauty products?

9. Who is your favourite band/music artist?  Are they reflected in your style?

10. What item is at the top of your wishlist right now?

11. What is your favourite blog and/or Youtube channel?

Thanks for reading, have a fantabulous day! xxx Bexx

Stepping Out in Style in London!

Hi! I know that I haven't posted in a veeeery long time, but I got very busy with exams and school, so life hasn't been very exciting!  However, I recently went on holiday to London with my lovely (at least until you spend two weeks straight with them, haha!) family, and so now I have outfits to post!  Unfortunately, I wasn't thinking about uploading on my blog when I was taking the pictures, so sorry, no close-ups, but these are items that I wear all the time, so they'll probably (i.e. definitely) crop up again!  This particular outfit was worn on an evening when I went to see a play with my mum and sister - we went to see 'The Cripple of Inishmaan' (starring Daniel Radcliffe!) which you should definitely go and see if you're in London, its hilarious and happy and heartbreaking all at the same time!  (but enough of that, onto the outfit!!)

My dress is from H&M (can't quite remember the price, but something like a tenner!) last summer, the lighting in the photo above is a little odd, but you can see the colours more clearly below! I love it because you can dress it up a bit for night, but it also makes a very comfy day dress on a hot day, which you can wear with trainers or flats.  It looks very short, and I can tell you that it is - I'm not sure what it would be like on anyone taller than me, and I'm only about 5"3!  My black blazer is from Zara, also bought last summer (around £50), but they do the same one in the same cut every year, just with a different lining and button!  This blazer is worn to death by the way - it works all year round and can be smart or casual, and it goes with everything!

Here's what the dress looks like without the blazer, and I teamed it with high-heeled pumps which are a kind of nude-pink, the same colour as the dress, but you could also go for black or hot pink to pull out  the colours in the print - if there's a colour that you want to stand out in a print, match your shoes to it!  The shoes are just heeled pumps with ribbon ties from Miss Selfridge, and I also like that they have a platform - so whilst making me look taller, they also don't kill my feet!  These shoes are also a very well-loved piece - originally bought for my cousin's wedding, they have also appeared at my prom (at which they survived continuous Ceilidh dancing!) , parties and trips into town, so I've got a lot of wear out of them!

I finished the look with a little silver necklace, and a baby-pink bracelet, just to bring everything together.  I even managed to achieve a hairstyle that wasn't just a ponytail!  Thanks for reading, and have a fantabulous day!  xxx  Bexx

Cinema Chic

Hi!  So today I decided to do another outfit post, but this time for some more casual looks.  I went to the cinema with my friends to see Iron Man 3, (which was a-freaking-mazing!! Not as good as the first, but definitely better than the second, so Disney didn't ruin it yay!) and this first outfit is what I wore.  The second outfit is one I wore a while ago, and I'm sorry that the pictures are incomplete for it, but I wasn't planning to do a post on it at the time!  But here you go: two casual looks for going out, which still retain style!

Obviously when you go to the movies you want to comfortable since you'll be sitting down for a couple of hours (and with the giant ad-rolls before the film, who knows how much longer you'll be?!), so I chose this soft black batwing jumper, burgundy skinny jeans (which are a little less skinny because I've had them so long!) and brown/burgundy sneakers.

My shoes are from SoulCal at Republic, and they're sooo freakin comfortable, no joke!  The fuzzy lining doesn't go all over the bottom of the inside of the shoe, but trust me, its like heaven for your feet - I could wear these like slippers!  The colour is great with this outfit as well: they're better than wearing black, but still blend in with the jeans (and  pssst! Extended colour can make your legs look longer!!)

Does anyone else remember when jeans this colour were really popular?  Well its one trend that wasn't totally fleeting for me - I absolutely love them!  These jeans were from TK Maxx a while ago, so the knees are a little worn (you can see the difference in colour) but I like jeans that look what I call well-loved!  They're also a little baggy since I've had them for a long time, but not in a way that the shape is lost (when you're jeans are so far gone they start sagging in in the butt, it is time to throw those mofos out!  Or donate them.  Either way, that is NOT a good look!)

This jumper is gorgeous.  I love it.  Its amazing. I've rambled about it previously so I'm not going to again!  But perfect for the cinema: really soft and slouchy, so awesomely comfortable! (I'm feeling like I said 'ly' a lot there!) I got it fairly recently from Wal G at House of Fraser, so if you're interested head on over there, quick!

Excuse the odd blue lighting that makes me look like a zombie.  Here I have on another cute casual outfit - perfect for the movies if the first wasn't to your liking!  I have on black disco pants here (from Topshop), they look great with casual shirts as they give a bit of sass to a pretty plain outfit (did I just say 'sass'?!  guess so...).  I also paired the same shoes with this as the previous outfit, since they go perfectly, and tie in with my hat! (but don't worry, there's no danger of a look like this being 'matchy-matchy'!)

The checked shirt I have on is from Hollister - I got it in the sale a while ago; I don't personally shop there usually, I wouldn't pay the regular price of their shirts for something that is, frankly, no better quality  than anything else from the highstreet.  The lower end of the highstreet.  I do love it though - the colours remind me of Christmas!  I rolled up the sleeves because I can't bear not to, I just think that it looks better!  My hat from Next is maroon with a giant pom-pom on top, and really cosy as well as cute - I think hats area great way to add some personality to an outfit.

Thanks for reading - have an a-freaking-mazing day! xxxx

Magnificent Metallics!

 Hi! Today is a post that's a little different - metallics have been around a lot lately, on everything from skater skirts to bags to sunglasses.  But way to incorporate metallics into your daily look in a more subtle way?  Because, lets face it, metallics are not shy - even a slight flash from that new bracelet is eye-catching: it seems we're almost hard-wired to have a radar for shiny trinkets! So these are my new wear-anywhere metallics: my nails!

For this look I layered two solid glitter polishes - it works with other coloured sparkly polishes with less glitter, al though I would recommend a glitter topcoat with them, but not with solid or satin-finish colours - it works best with the darker colour at the bottom of your nail, and the lighter one at the top. Its really simple, and the glitter means that the gradient effect is really easy, all you need to do is paint about 3/4 of your nail using the darker colour (or the whole nail) and then paint around halfway down the nail with the lighter colour.  Since you're using glitter, just add a few light dabs of the lighter colour  in the middle  of the nail to achieve the gradient effect. Just make sure to check your polish gives a pretty solid glitter finish (don't use a glitter topcoat, as the finish will be very sparse), but obviously you will want to do 2-3 coats for the best finish.

The polishes I used are both Barry M - I would reccomend using a base coat with these glitter ones or else they chip like crazy!  Here I used the shade 'Copper', which looks quite orange in the bottle but actually gives a gorgeous rusty-gold colour.

The polish which I used for the tips of my nails is in the shade 'Silver Multi Glitter' (inventive, I know!)  and although on camera it looks very silver, which is still lovely, its quite lilac-y, and you can even see chunks of pink and gold and blue glitter!

This look is easy to do and looks great for those of us who are a little less talented on the nail-art front! Alternatively, just use any solid-glitter or metallic polish for an on-trend statement nail, which still goes with any look!

I also thought that I would leave you with some of my past nail-art for some inspiration!  I do tend to use nail-art pens, but if you don't have them then the same effect can be achieved with a pin or a cocktail stick dipped in nail-polish.  Happy nail-arting! xxx

Metallic gold, pink and black

Cartoon messy hearts

Spring/Easter grass and flower nails

Glitter nails, with one magnetic-effect polish statement nail

Girl on Fire nails! May the odds be ever in your favour!

Cute polka-dot French-tip nails

Springtime and Blue Skies...hopefully!

Hi!  So this week the weather's started to get pretty gloomy (and I'm telling you, gloomy in Scotland is probably about a hundred times more grey than where you live!) so I needed a little way to cheer my self up - and what better way than to create a gorgeous, colourful spring outfit?!  When you're yearning for the sun there's no point hoping for it to make a move - bring the sunshine to you by brightening up your wardrobe!

This outfit is suitable for those who love prints, but maybe aren't sure just how to wear them - since there isn't any print by your face, its a lot easier to wear!

I love love love this top!  Its quite long, but fitted at the bottom so looks great over leggings, but I also love it tucked into high-waisted skirts.  I've had it for ages, I bought it years ago in New Look and it reappears in my wardrobe quite frequently!  I'm also starting to think that I have some sort of obsession with tops with embellished shoulders or zips - I just think they make baggy, loose tops much more edgy and little more dressed-up whilst still being casual.  Also with this being high-street you might think the quality might not be so great, but the material is so soft and flowing, and sturdy even though it is quite thin.

This skirt was a gift, its kind of a skater style with little pocket. and what I like about it is that the waist only elasticated at the sides, so you don't get that bunchy, elasticated-waist look.  The print is perfect for spring or summer, as its floral, but with a bit of punch!  The colours on this are so bright that they're borderline neon, and I love this busy pattern next to the plain blue shirt.

One of my favourite things about this has to be the accessories - the go with the outfit perfectly!  My little blue bag is from Debenhams, and its the perfect spring clutch if you want to add a zap of colour to a more neutral look, or blend with the same tone or other brights like I've done here.  My bracelet is from a shop called Joe in Edinburgh (I'm not sure whether they have branches in other cities) and it is a mixture of flat and round glass beads with delicate but bright flower patterns on them.  This ring is from Accessorize, and only cost a few quid, and I love it because the glass stone is a really gorgeous blue, and it reminds me a little of my mum's engagement ring!

 The earrings were also from Joe, and I think they're so cute and quirky - they're little red apple cores, and I've found that most people's reaction to them is love them or hate them!  They're a sweet little addition to this outfit to add a little personality, and I just adore them!

These shoes are some of my favourites for summer, and I think that the go really well with this outfit.   I got them in a shop called Bank, which isn't actually in the city nearest to me, but this one was in Newcastle.  They're cute little espadrilles, and were very on trend last summer - and I don't think they're going anywhere any time soon, which is fantastic news, because they are insanely comfortable!  I also managed to get a 10% discount on these because one of the metal eyelets that the laces go through fell off when the woman at the till was taking off the security tag, and these were the last ones in my size!  The eyelet was really easy to fix anyway, so don't turn your nose up at a bargain!

Thanks for reading - I hope your springtime weather in better than mine, but if not, hopefully this cheered you up!  Please feel free to leave comment and follow my blog to make me smile!  Have a fantabulous day! xxxxx

Plastic Fantastic!

 Hi!  Today's post is a little different - I wanted to show this cute wraparound braided bracelet and giant flower, which I made!  They're actually made out of a plastic bag (if you're interested in the colours of this one, the bag was from when I had some clothes delivered from Yumi - if you're no familiar with the brand I would check its out, they have many gorgeous things!).

Alternatively, you could always use the large flower as a brooch rather than a bracelet, or even make smaller ones and glue them to a hair clip - or even stick with the large if you're so inclined!

Her is where I attached the flower to the braided bracelet - they look great together because whilst still being the same colour, the rough braiding contrasts with the shiny flower.

The bracelet was simply made by tying three strips of the plastic bag together, around an inch wide, and then braiding them until you get the right length for your wrist, and tying the ends.  Then I cut off the excess material and for a clasp used a tiny golden safety pin, which can be tucked out of sight so your bracelet flows.

                                        

The flower was made by cutting out variously sized petal shapes and experimenting until I got the look that I wanted - they were then taped on layer by layer until the flower looked three-dimensional.  Its extremely easy to do, and costs no money at all! (it would also probably make a suitable umbrella if you happen to get caught in the rain!)

So there you have it - beautiful, unique accessories, from a plastic bag! 

Until next time, have a fantabulous day!  xxxxx

*my nail polish is Avon's Nailwear Pro+ in Sea Breeze