RedRock Fashion Blogger Competition

1.2.3.4.5.6

Inspired by our latest summery weather here in the UK, i've put together a beachy outfit for the Red Rock blogger competition. I've been completely craving bright colours since the sun's (FINALLY) made an appearance so I absolutely adore the Red Rock floral bandeau top and i think this would look perfect on the beach with a pair of high waisted shorts. I really love the bright blue studded ones over on Red Rock fashion because they have a retro vibe to them, and i love the studs which just gives them that added edge. 

Next, I can't leave the house without a pair of sunnies at the moment, otherwise my eye make-up literally just melts off of my face! I love these pink rimmed sunglasses from topshop because they match and compliment the colour of the bandeau top. I chose again from topshop to add classic gold plaited gladiator sandals which would probably compliment any summer outfit so they're totally versatile, followed by a big, bright beach bag. I found this one on the Animal website and again, i love the colours. I also really love the rope detailing on the strap which adds a nautical vibe to the look. 

Finally, how adorable is this seaside themed bracelet? My mum bought me some pieces from a brand called "the prettiest things" and i stumbled across this on their website which i thought was too cute not to include!

Now i just need to perfect my "effortless" beachy blonde wavy locks, "real" bronzed tan and we're good to go!

Have you taken part in this competition? What's your favourite Red Rock piece?

Tie Me Bow - The Accessory Stand

You may remember a little while ago I did a small giveaway with The Accessory Stand? Well  couple of weeks back I was kindly sent a selection of lovely rings from The Accessory Stand and I thought i'd share them with you guys because they are just lovely! My favourite is definitely the "Tie Me Bow" ring pictured above. I don't know what it is about bows right now, but I'm loving everything girly so this is perfect for me. It's a two finger ring, but it's totally adjustable so it's actually really comfortable to wear, I can't even feel it when i wear it. It's just so so so pretty and girly and i absolutely LOVE it.

1. Boho Ring 2. Purr Cat Ears Ring 3. Lily Stone Ring 4. Tie Me Bow

The boho ring is also really wearable and really pretty, it's got such a hypnotising stone! With a small amount of glitter, it would look really lovely for a fancy occasion or night out, but is also suitable for everyday. It reminds me of something i'd pick up at Topshop, but for a much cheaper price. 

You may recognise this puurrrfect piece (see what i did there?!), from the giveaway that i held and I was super excited to receive this myself, i think the cat ears rings are mega cute! They're a lot of fun to style and wear with an outfit.

Finally i also received the Lily Stone ring which is actually free with any order at the moment over on The Accessory Stand, so it's the perfect excuse to make an order! This is a really simple, yet pretty ring which is silver plated and i don't wear much silver, but because the stone is fairly neutral i find that this ring is really easy to style with other pieces of my jewellery. This is a beautiful everyday ring, my only issue with it was that it is a tiny bit big!

In other news, how much is everyone loving this mini-heatwave we've had!? It's been so lovely to finally enjoy the summer! I've actually had a rather nightmare-ish week so far as my poor little car broke down in the centre of town at 11pm on a Saturday night! I work in a nightclub and i broke down right outside, so I had crowds of drunk people pointing and laughing at me and my car - not fun! I had to be pushed to safety into a nearby car park and didn't end up getting home until roughly 6am. But this weather has made the situation a LOT better, having no car means i've been forced to use my legs and walk places so i've really enjoyed the sunshine.

I've also been getting really into my tumblr lately, yesterday i gave it a little redesign so i'd love it if you popped over and took a look. It's definitely a lot more pink and girly than it was before!

Have you been enjoying the weather? What's your favourite piece from The Accessory Stand? Also if you use tumblr, leave me your links! 

  

Disco Ball

Hi lovelies! I thought I'd showcase the other addition from Fast Fashion. If you read my post with my new floral skirt, you will know i was also lucky enough to receive this beautiful piece which is perfect for a crazy night out! This beautiful sequin shift dress is definitely a statement, so in this outfit I decided to keep accessories rather minimal, just adding a black skinny waist belt and black T-bar platform shoes.. Oh and of course classic red lipstick.

Dress: Rare through Fast Fashion
Belt: Primark
Shoes: Ebay
Rings: The Accessory Stand

As i said before, this dress would be perfect to wear on a night out to town, which is what I plan to do! I love how eye catching it is, it really does make a statement! And all of the sequins are individually sown onto the dress so if one falls of, it's not the entire line which could be disastrous! It is quite short, so I do like that my top half is nicely covered and there's not too much skin on show. This dress also has added shoulder pads which makes it feel more expensive as well as highlighting the upper half of the body and taking some attention away from your legs. The only problem I've had with this is that it clings a little bit to my tummy which makes me feel a little self concious, so it does help to add a waist belt.

In other news, do you guys like the new effect I'm using on my pictures? I'm just playing around with different effects at the moment and i'd love your feedback. I really love this look on them though I think it makes the snaps look more.. seductive ;)

Also, recently I've joined up with motel to give you wonderful ladies a generous 20% on their website. All you have to do it use the code "katiefhowell". There's a link in the sidebar so go treat yourself!

How would you wear this dress? Hope you have a great weekend!

Montagne Jeunesse Clay Range

Hey guys, how is everyone? I've been lacking a little bit lately on the blogging front even though i have a gazillion things to share with you guys. One of these things is the Montagne Jeunesse Clay Spa face masks which I've been kindly sent to try. These are a little different from the usual masks as they're made from a specially sourced clay which is cleverly infused into a soft, natural bamboo fabric. I have to admit, having fabric on your face is a little strange to begin with but there are actually a few advantages to this form of skin care!

What I liked:-  

• First of all, i have to point out the beautiful packaging this was sent in. It makes the products feel really luxurious and expensive and would also make a lovely gift for any beauty/skincare fanatic. It was also really interesting to read through the facts about Montagne Jeunesse as a company and how they've grown.
• The idea of using a cloth as the mask means it's really easy to apply and also really easy to remove. This means it's a lot less messy than a normal face mask.
• The product left my skin feeling soft and fresh.
• Montagne Jeunesse is a vegetarian approved brand and the products are made from natural ingredients, so there are no nasty unknown chemicals damaging your skin and you're saving the bunnies :-)

I enjoyed using the products, however there may be a few things that could be improved..

What I disliked:- 

• Because the product is made of cloth, placing material onto the skin is a really odd sensation and it made my face feel really heavy and irritated. I felt like the slightest twitch or movement could make it fall off!
• Also, because the cloth has to fit a generic facial shape, it was far too big for my face and the gaps for your nose and mouth meant that patches of my skin were left out.
• I did also feel like there wasn't enough product on the cloth? Or maybe that's just me being a bit greedy.
• The scent wasn't displeasing, but it wasn't pleasing either.. The products smelt a little bit like chlorine.
• I did not look attractive wearing this thing, but then again, who does in a face mask! Oh the things we do to save our skin..

(Mmm, so attractive! But, like i said, you can clearly see this was way too big for my face!)

Montagne Jeunesse Clay Spas are £1.49 and are available from Boots (Mid-August), Asda (September) and www.montagnejeunesse.com

Have you tried these products? What's your opinion on material face masks?

Floral Pleats

So a few weeks back, i was really lucky to win a twitter competition with Fast Fashion for this sparkly number. However, as a kind gesture they also included this gorgeous floral pleated skirt by Rare. I don't own any pleated skirts, so i've been having lots of fun finding new ways to dress this up and down. 

Cardigan - Old from Miss Selfridge

Vest top - Old from H&M

Skirt - Fast Fashion (Rare)

Belt - Old from Primark

Shoes - New Look

Necklace - Dorothy Perking

Bow Ring - The Accessory Stand

Being quite short, the length of this skirt isn't the most flattering, so i've had to roll it up at the waistline and hold it with a belt, but i do like that it's modest. Plus it has a lining underneath to prevent any accidental bum-flashes! In this look, i've tried to keep it casual and this would be the type of outfit i'd wear day-to-day, but with this skirt you could also team a blazer and shirt for a smarter occasion. I actually have a burnt-red coloured blazer that this skirt looks really pretty with and it would be perfect to wear in the autumn. 
In other news, I've had some exciting packages this week which i'm excited to share with you guys, so keep your eye's peeled for them! Now i'm working more, i have a little bit more cash to treat myself now and then. Including tonight, Mike and I are going to ZaZa Bazaar in Bristol to celebrate a friends birthday. If you've never been and you live in Bristol, it's definitely worth a visit. The place is absolutely huge and thriving on a weekend!
How would you wear this skirt? What are your plans for the weekend?

July She Said Beauty Box

As always, I was very impressed with my She Said beauty box this month. I just feel that the products are well worth the money you pay for the box, and you get a really great range of products as well as most of them being full sized! So here's what I got this month, and what I thought of the products.

The first thing i received in my box was the Stylefile designed by the apprentice winner, Tom Pellereau. Because i'm lame and don't actually watch the apprentice, this was the first time i'd heard of this product, but it's a very awesome concept whereby the shape of the file follows the curve of your nail. It makes nail filing a lot easier and I like that it has one side that's quite rough for filing and shaping, and the other is smoother. It says on the packaging that these are also supposed to last 12 months which is cool. I think these would make a really nice gift for friends and family, maybe a good stocking filler for mum! They're also a reasonable price of £4.49, cheap enough to be an essential in every girls make-up collection. This was obviously a full sized (and very useful) product in the box.

The next product I pulled out of the box was the Vintage Cosmetic company's eyelash curler, another full sized beauty essential and this one retails for £7.00 so I've already got the value of my box. I've really enjoyed using these curlers, before I didn't bother with eyelash curlers but they do actually make all the difference! I use these by holding the curlers under a hairdryer for a few seconds on a low setting and then curling my lashes before applying mascara to set. This product comes with replacement pads too, making it totally re-usable!

Can I just point out, we are now on the third full sized product in the box which is the Miner's cosmetics Bronzer and Blusher blend, retailing for £4.99. I would have to say this is the product I am most impressed with in the box. I absolutely love the glowy finish it gives me, and it has definitely worked it's place into my daily make-up routine. This is a product i will most definitely repurchase! I absolutely love the blend of the two colours making it look noticeable on your cheeks but not over the top.

And yet again, we have ANOTHER full sized product! This is the 30ml version of the Murad time release blemish cleanser retailing at £5.50. I'm going to be honest with you guys and say i've only used this a couple of times so far this month, but based on those couple of times, this is a really good cleanser making your skin feel really clean. I'm lucky enough to not suffer with acne or blemishes, so I can't say i've noticed a difference on that part, but it does a good job at cleansing and it smells really good too. It has a sweet, but fresh citrus-y scent. I've used this as suggested by massaging onto dampened skin, then washing off with warm water, but tonight i think i'm going to give it a go with the clarisonic and see how i feel. I've only used it in the morning so far and it really has made my face feel fresh and awake. I also love that this product is against testing on animals - always a bonus!

So the only actual sample sized item in the box was this ice crystals anti-ageing prep & polish sachet by Freeze 24.7. A full sized product of this retails for £35 so it is definitely a luxury product. I haven't actually tried this yet, so i can't review it, but it says it is a powerful resurfacing cocktail that re textures and refinishes skin for a vibrant and fresh new glow. I don't really like getting anti-ageing products in my beauty boxes, but when you have 1 sample and 4 full sized, it's hard to complain about minor details!

Finally, as a bonus product (as if we hadn't been spoilt enough already!) each box contained a Debenhams beauty club reward card, so if we did want to go out and buy these products in full sizes, or repurchase them, we can earn points to spend in store. I think this is just a lovely added touch to the box and that She Said have really thought it all through. I think you can possibly pick these up in Debenhams? But i haven't got one yet so this was really perfect for me. It says on the front of the card that you get points and money rewards when you shop, free samples, free makeovers, skincare consultations, emails and exclusive offers and competitions when you register your card online.







Overall, i think i was spoilt rotten with this box, it contains some absolutely amazing products that I know i will use everyday and repurchase again and again. If you'd like to sign up to She Said beauty, you can view my profile here.
What's your opinion on this month's box? Do you have a beauty box subscription?

Wishlist: RI Sale Top Picks

A little bit different to my usual wish lists, simply because I found some super cute picks in the River Island sale online at the moment. Here's a low-down of my top sale picks.
1. Crazy as it may sound, but I don't actually own a make-up bag. All the one's i've had in the past have gotten so grubby that I've ended up throwing them away, so I just take minimal make-up with me on the go nowadays! However, now that i've finished school and i'm working, travelling and going out more, I feel that it's time to invest in a pretty but practical way to carry my make-up around with me and i think the river island make-up bags are just too cute! The print on this one reminds me a lot of Cath Kidston.
2. You can probably tell from this list that i've been more into comfort over style lately. I think it's mainly due to the weather being poor as well as being so busy! But i love these laid back styled tee's which would look good with leggings or jeans.
3. River island have some awesome jewellery in their sale at the moment! I totally love this skull ring, and it's only £2  so you can't really go wrong!
4. I've definitely hopped on the coloured jeans wagon, i'm totally in love with my mint coloured jeans and i really want to get a cute pink/coral pair. I just feel that they really add a bit of fun to an outfit and instantly make me feel brighter and happier, these pink ones would be perfect.
5. How adorable is this rose-gold kitty cat? Rose-gold has been so hyped about lately as you all probably know and I just think this is the cutest little thing! I don't see myself wearing it much, but it's on here for it's fun-factor!
6. I'd really like to get my hands on some new sandals so i'm prepared for the sun when it finally makes it's appearance! As i said before, i've been getting more into bright colours lately and i think these pink sandals are really pretty. I also like that they have a very small wedge because sometimes totally flat shoes can wear down and become uncomfortable. 
7. Another comfy top, white tee's like these look really great with coloured jeans so i need to get my hands on some. I actually quite like the colours in the picture too, very summery and pretty.
8. Finally, I've included these RI button style earrings. I don't know what it is about them, but I just think they look quite classy and expensive? I wear cheap studs in my ears most of the time but these look like they're big enough to make a classy statement, but not too big that they over crowd your ears!
Anyways, that is my current RI Sale wishlist (summer addition!) Fingers crossed for a heatwave!


What's on your wishlist at the moment? Have you bought anything from the RI sale?

KLB Fashion Show 2012

Over the last year or so, my friend Molly and I have been organising a fashion event to raise money and awareness for the Tenovus cancer charity, some of you may have heard me ranting about the show on twitter. Anyway, after all of our hard work preparing the event, the evening came around last Friday and I thought i'd share some photo's of my favourite outfits with you. The whole point to the evening (as well as raising money) was to prove that you can make some gorgeous outfits from charity shop finds so all the clothing was provided by the Tenovus store on Wotton high street. Our theme for the evening was fairytale, so we had collections of equestrian, snow white, red riding hood (& lumberjacks!), Cinderella and riches, followed by a black tie finale. We also included a collection of tie-dye clothing created by students at KLB which looked amazing! Molly and I presented the show in some stunning long black dresses which were also from Tenovus, and although I was totally nervous, i really enjoyed the evening. 

1. Cinderella 2. Black Tie 3. Molly and I

4. Equestrian women's wear 5. Equestrian men's wear 6. Me welcoming on the door.

7. Zara dress 8. Tie-Dye unicorn 9. Presenting

10. Daisy print dress 11. Wolf 12. Lumberjack

13 & 14. Lydia Barnes collection.

15. A Fi Plummer design.

17. Finale

I have to give credit to Lewis Boreham and Natasha Yates for the stunning photographs, and thank our gorgeous models, hair stylists and make-up artists for participating. The evening was really successful and everyone has been talking about how much they enjoyed the show. We also had some pretty awesome goody bags and i have Delilah Dust and Kukee to thank for that! Overall, we have managed to raise roughly £2000 for Tenovus, which is more than I ever expected. I'm so proud of Molly and I for pulling this off and I love telling people what we have managed to achieve! On Thursday we're heading down to Cardiff for an awards ceremony as we have been nominated for the Young Volunteer of the Year award for the South-West!

What was your favourite outfit in the show? Have you found any charity shop gems recently?