#OOTD: 28/6/14

It’s been a while since I made an outfit of the day post, hasn’t it?  Well today I thought my outfit was particularly inspired, so here it is for your enjoyment!

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Today was a lovely sunny day so I decided to whack my legs out and wear my favourite high waisted shorts, which I picked up from New Look a couple of years ago.  They’re probably one of the most worn items in my wardrobe (in fact, you probably recognise them from my previous outfit of the day post), and high waisted denim is definitely bang on trend right now.

Animal prints and designs are also really popular this summer, so I decided to pair my shorts with a tiger vest top, also from New Look.  My favourite animal shirt in my wardrobe, however, is my tiger t-shirt from Thunder Apparel – which I reviewed here.

I also love to layer shirts, so I paired the vest with one of my favourite red check shirts, from Select.  I started off with it tied around my waist, however thanks to the unpredictable British weather I was wearing the shirt as a jacket by the end of the day.

I colour coordinated my red shirt with red converse and my favourite black and red Vans snapback to add a bit more colour to the outfit, plus my favourite matte black sunglasses to complete the outfit.

I would also wear this outfit with a pair of embellished sandals and see-through bag if I was hitting the beach, or a leather jacket, wedges and chunky gold necklace if I was going out for a couple of drinks.

What do you think of this outfit?  Tweet me or comment below to let me know!

Currently listening to: Last June – Gallows

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Supporting local businesses in Sleaford: Seventh Heaven Beauty Spa

During my little trip into Sleaford town centre the other day – which I wrote about here – I also went into Seventh Heaven Beauty Spa, also located in the Bristol Arcade.

It’s a lovely little shop, and as soon as I walked in I was hit by the scent of a fragrant mix of perfumes and gorgeous bath bombs.  Seventh Heaven is a one-stop shop for gifts – if you were shopping for a lady and didn’t find something they would like in there I’d be very surprised.

They don’t have a website, however their Facebook page is updated fairly often if you want to get in contact with the shop.

I’ve been looking for a new handbag for a long time, as the handle was starting to tear from my current bag.  I needed a high quality bag, but one large enough to carry all of my university-related paraphernalia.  Literally as soon as I walked in the door of Seventh Heaven, I fell in love with this bag by HT Fashion.  I do mean that, by the way – the bright green colour caught my eye through the shop window.

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This bag is such high quality, and I was happy to spend £24.99 on it because it’s real leather, meaning it should last a long time.  And I want it to last as well – it’s such a gorgeous bag, I can see myself using it a heck of a lot in future.

If bright green isn’t the colour for you, there was a huge selection of satchels in similar designs with a wide range of colours and patterns available.

Satchels are a wardrobe essential right about now, and it was really satisfying finding great quality bags right on my doorstep and supporting another independent retailer in Sleaford.  I’ll definitely be visiting Seventh Heaven again soon!

Currently listening to: You Wanna Know – Don Broco

Supporting local businesses in Sleaford: Katezart Designs, Crafts and Gifts

Now, anyone who has followed my blog for any length of time will know how much I love to support independent retailers and clothing brands – they’re such a great way to buy high-quality clothes that you won’t find on the hangers of every department store, as well as individual homeware and other accessories.

Since I returned to the little town of Sleaford for my summer break from uni earlier in the week (hence the silence on this blog – the last couple of weeks have been ridiculously hectic), I figured I should make the most of the independent retailers on my doorstep and go exploring in town.

First of all I went to Katezart Designs, Crafts and Gifts, located in the Bristol Arcade in the centre of town.  The store doesn’t just contain Katezart’s products – there are also a number of other small independent retailers who sell their wares in store on an individually hired shelf-by-shelf basis.

The atmosphere is really lovely, and honestly I could have walked out of there with an empty bank account and half of the stock of the store.  However I settled for purchasing a set of four drinks coasters with an awesome retro comic book design.

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The design is great quality, and they feel like they will last for a long time.  Plus, at only a fiver for four coasters, they were a bit of a bargain too!  Their website is a little bit outdated, so check out their Facebook page for up-to-date photos and information about what’s in stock at the moment.  I especially love their collection of scarves, as well as their clutch bags and purses made out of old reclaimed vinyl.

I find it so satisfying, purchasing from independent retailers and knowing that my money goes directly towards keeping the business alive.  I would always recommend buying locally if at all possible.  If you’re ever in Sleaford or the surrounding areas, I suggest you take a look in Katezart’s store for yourself!

In a few days time I’ll be writing about the other independent shops I visited in little old Sleaford, so keep an eye out for that.  Until then, TTFN!

Currently listening to: Rescue Me – You Me At Six & Chiddy

Review: Thunder Apparel

I had the immense pleasure of making another order from Thunder Apparel on Wednesday the 18th after my first purchase from them went so well, and once again I have not been disappointed.

I ordered their THNDR tank top, as well as a sticker pack, and they slid through my door on the morning of the 20th – nice and speedy shipping always makes me happy.

The majority of the sticker pack has made their home on my pin-board, alongside my concert tickets, stickers from other brands and business cards.  The stickers I have left over will probably customise my laptop, once I get round to buying a case for it.

I think the ‘wolves don’t lose sleep over the opinions of sheep’ sticker is my favourite. What’s yours?

The vest top itself is lovely.  The material is soft but feels high quality, and the printed design doesn’t feel like it’s gonna fade any time soon.  It fits really well on me too, which is a major plus.  The Thunder Apparel ticket stitched into the hem is also a nice feature.

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Once again there was no invoice included in my order, which struck me as odd – if I’d needed to return any part of my order that could have ended up being problematic.  In this case, it’s definitely fortunate that I can trust Thunder Apparel’s sizing chart and the quality of their clothing.

I honestly cannot recommend Thunder Apparel enough – plus, they’ve just released their Summer 2014 collection, which I absolutely adore!  Make sure you check out their store ASAP.

Currently listening to: Heart and Soul – Twin Atlantic

Review: Ted Baker’s body soufflé is absolutely delicious

Now I know this is a little different to the kind of posts I usually write, but I made an amazing discovery when cosmetics shopping the other day and I had to share it with you.

Currently, Boots have a massive 3 for 2 offer on a whole range of skin-care, cosmetics and make-up.  You can tell, because I went in only needing a couple of low priced items and left £18 lighter.

I decided to make the most of the offer and pick up some new fancy looking moisturisers – including a travel-sized Ted Baker Treasured Orchid Body Soufflé for £2.50.  And let me tell you, it is gorgeous!

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Its fragrance is subtle, but the combination of sandalwood, rose and vanilla is really lovely.  As soon as I opened the lid I knew I had made a good choice.  It has a lovely silky-smooth texture, and it absorbed into my skin super quickly, which is always a plus.  It is a lovely thick cream which feels luxurious, and it hydrated my skin really effectively.

My only issue with it is that, due to the name, I expected it to have a fluffier, mousse-like texture, rather than just being a regular cream.  However, I would still definitely recommend it as it’s one of the best quality moisturisers I’ve used – and believe me, I’ve tried a lot of moisturisers in my time.

I bought this 50ml tub from Boots, but it is also available from other large cosmetics stores.  And, because it was part of the 3 for 2 offer currently going on in-store, I picked it up for free!  If you feel like you deserve a bit of luxury in your life, this Body Soufflé will definitely deliver.

Currently listening to: Handsome Devils Club – Pure Love

Radio 1 Rock Week: Three exclusive gigs, three explosive line-ups

First of all, I’d like to extend a huge thank you to the NCTJ for scheduling my exams on the same days as Radio 1 Rock Week.  No, really, you shouldn’t have.

Second, how exciting does this line-up look?  The Radio 1 Rock Week has a great reputation for creating awesome live gigs – last year, for instance, included great acts such as Enter Shikari, Frank Turner, Mallory Knox and Don Broco.

This year the annual celebration of rock music takes place over three nights, with three acts playing an exclusive set per night.  The line-up is as follows:

Monday 9 June:

• Of Mice & Men
• Architects
• Bury Tomorrow

Tuesday 10 June:

• Lower Than Atlantis
• Mallory Knox
• Marmozets

Wednesday 11 June:

• Lonely The Brave
• Wolf Alice
• Slaves

Personally, I like the look of Monday’s line-up best – Of Mice & Men are one of my favourite bands at the moment.  However, Mallory Knox are returning to Rock Week for the second year in a row, which just goes to show how awesome they are to have beem given the honour again.  Plus, Lower Than Atlantis’s new single is awesome, and I’d love to hear it live.

The worst thing about these gigs is that there are only 60 pairs of tickets up for grabs at each event.  That means only 120 people will be able to witness these awesome nights, and because of my exams I won’t be one of them.  Sad face.

Thankfully all three gigs will be broadcast live from the legendary Maida Vale studios on Zane Lowe’s Radio 1 show, so I can listen along in my bedroom whilst pretending to revise.

If you’re lucky enough to be available during the Radio 1 Rock Week, there’s still time to apply for tickets!  More information can be found here.

Currently listening to: Closer To The Edge – 30 Seconds To Mars