Wishing and Hoping...

1. The YSL Arty Ring is hugely popular in the blogosphere, but rather than invest in the real deal, I'm tempted by the Freya Knuckle Ring which is a fraction of the cost and makes just as much of an impact!

2. This COS Apricot Jersey Top is such a lovely shade of peach and looks ultra comfy for Autumn. Even better, it's now in the sale!

3. I'm slowly building my jewellery collection and this Michael Kors Skinny Buckle Bangle Set would be the perfect addition for stacking up with other bracelets or pairing with a watch.

4. I adore my Plaster Pink Mulberry Purse, but this cute New Look nude bow purse still caught my eye with it's soft colours and girly design.

5. The Miu Miu Vitello Lux has been my dream handbag for a few years now, but despite having saved enough to buy it, I wasn't overly keen on any of the shades available. When I recently spotted the Miu Miu Bow Bag in Light Grey online, I knew it was the colour I'd been waiting for and I finally made the purchase! It's due to arrive tomorrow and I've never been so excited about a delivery before!

6. A pair of Tory Burch flats have been on my wish list for a while, and I particularly love the Chanel-esque Kaitlin black quilted leather and metal pumps. I'm a huge fan of black and gold paired together, very chic!

Bvlgari Jasmin Noir

With the arrival of Autumn, I thought it was time to step away from my usual sweet and girly fragrances which make up the vast majority of my perfume collection, and wear something a little more chic and sophisticated. My choice... Bvlgari Jasmin Noir from Perfume's Club. A captivating mix of jasmine and gardenia petals with accents of almond and woody notes, I love how different this smells compared to the rest of my fragrance collection. Along with my Balenciaga Paris, this fits into the 'grown up' scent category - very womanly, alluring and sophisticated. I've been wearing this daily since it arrived, as it's subtle enough for daytime wear but sultry enough for night time. The perfect scent for winter as it'll linger on scarves when you wrap up! I love the deep black and luminous gold bottle - ultra luxurious and befitting for the fragrance, and a refreshing departure from my usual ultra feminine bottles.

I was gifted this scent from Perfume's Club - a site which offer products from an array of popular brands with up to 75% off RRP. If you love anything to do with perfume or cosmetics, you'll be spoiled for choice as the site has over 4,000 lines, including brands such as Chanel, Yves Saint Laurent and Thierry Mugler. I know I'll be heading here when I start my Christmas shopping! 

The 100ml bottle of Bvlgari Jasmin Noir Eau de Toilette cost just £38, a big reduction in price when the RRP is around £70. I found the site easy to navigate and the check-out process is simple with various payment options, including Paypal. The shipping cost is a little pricer than usual at £6.90, but with the products coming from Spain, and taking into account the discounted rate of the product, I think it's justifiable. I was pleasantly surprised to find shipping was much quicker than I expected, with my order arrving in just four days. Throughout the process I was kept up to date on my orders whereabouts and sent a UPS tracking number to check on the status. Overall an easy and pleasant shopping experience! I already have my eye on some other goodies from the site, so I'm now very tempted to treat myself to some discounted Clarins skin care and a new YSL lippie!

Which are your favourite fragrances for Autumn/Winter?

*Sponsored post

Sam Edelman Beatrix Studded Pumps

After my first foray into the world of Sam Edelman shoes when I bought the divine Adena loafers, I knew I wanted to invest in more footwear from the brand. My latest treat are these Sam Edelman Beatrix Pumps - another bargain found in the sale on ASOS, reduced from £132 to £85. I've been looking for a good quality pair of flats for a while. As much as I love my Vivienne Westwood Tortoiseshell Pumps and Jason Wu Melissa flats, I wanted a pair of classic leather ballerina's and as soon as I spotted these I knew they were the shoes I'd been searching for. The delicate pink leather means they'll go with most outfits, and I love the detail of the rose gold studs on the toe which give a twist on the classic design. The soft leather and cushioned sole mean these are ultra comfortable to wear and the addition of the girly bow make these the perfect shoes for me!  

Available from ASOS (and in black too!)

Which brand do you recommend for good quality pumps?

Hair Transformation Part One - Garnier Olia Hair Colour

I've posted fairly regularly about my hair and the frequent dilemma I'm in when deciding on any changes to make. The first step of my transformation this time around was changing the colour. My hair was a mixture of shades - a coppery auburn for most of the lengths and blonder at the ends due to my past with ombre hair, so I chose Garnier Olia in Iced Chocolate - a rich, warm brown - to give my hair back an even brunette tone. The product itself was simple to use and I love the design of the bottle. What I particularly noticed about this product was the mild scent. Usually hair dyes leave my eyes and nose stinging from the harsh chemicals but I found this one was much more gentle, probably thanks to the lack of ammonia in the product. My hair was left soft, smooth and smelling lovely afterwards, so definitely a product I'd recommend if you like to colour your hair at home. I love the colour, it was just the shade I was after and I'm loving being a brunette again! The next step in my hair transformation is to go for the chop and have a Cheryl Cole style fringe cut in, I can't wait!

To view the full shade range and find out more, visit the Garnier Olia site.

*Sponsored post

Peonies and Prettiness

After our wedding last year, I'd hoped I'd be able to wear my precious wedding dress again some day, so it was lovely to be able to fulfil that wish when earlier this year, Matt and I modeled for a wedding shoot in the countryside. The shoot was beautifully styled with my favourite things (peonies, cupcakes and teacups) and we had a fantastic day filled with laughter. It was also fun trying on a bridal fascinator which I wouldn't otherwise have worn! I was overjoyed when I saw the photo's from the shoot - we've been given some lovely memories to treasure and I was delighted when the shoot was later featured on two of my favourite wedding blogs - Style Me Pretty and Love My Dress.

Here are some of the shots from the day...

Photography - Caroline Joy
Wedding Dress - Blue by Enzoani 'Caldera'
Flowers - Blush Floral Design
Styling - Mimi Nicole Event Design
Cakes - Gifted Heart Cakes

Garnier Olia Permanent Hair Colour - Iced Chocolate

I recently mentioned I was in the process of deciding on how to transform my hair after I'd grown bored with the colour and style, so I've taken the first step and I'll be dyeing my hair with the new Garnier Olia Hair Dye. I'll be saying goodbye to the coppery and blonde tones and going back to brunette with the shade Iced Chocolate.

Garnier Olia is the first oil-powered home hair colour, boosting the colouring process and conditioning the hair with the ammonia free formula which contains 60% oils and claims to give maximum colour performance whilst visibly improving the hairs condition. Sounds like the ideal home hair dye! I'll be reporting back in a few days to let you know how I got with it and showcasing my new colour!

To view the full shade range and find out more about the innovative technology, visit the Garnier Olia site.

*Sponsored post

Winter Wardrobe Competition: Win £500 to spend at Next!

-- COMPETITION NOW CLOSED --

-- CONGRATULATIONS TO RHIANNON FROM FASHION ROCKS MY SOCKS! --

With the cooler weather well and truly here, it's the perfect time to plan your winter wardrobe - whether it's keeping cosy with chunky knits or planning the perfect party dress - so I've teamed up with Next to offer you the chance to win a whopping £500 Next gift card with their Winter Wardrobe Competition!

To enter, simply make sure you're following my blog via GFC and Bloglovin' and put together a blog post showcasing three winter outfits you've styled using Next's own brand fashion collections. Show off your creative flair with moodboards, pictures, style notes and links to make your blog post as creative and original as you like. Whether you showcase how to take a LBD from day to night or style an outfit for three different occasions - the choice is yours! When your post is live, just pop a link to it in the comments box below along with your email address so I can take a look at your winter wardrobe outfit inspiration.  

To get you started, here's a look I put together myself...

Patchwork Cardigan - Black & Gold Stud Bag - Lift & Shape Skinny Jeans - Metallic Glitter Slipper Shoes

I love chunky knits for winter time, perfect for snuggling and keeping chills at bay! I paired this nude patchwork cardigan with some metallic slipper shoes and slouchy black and gold stud bag for a casual and comfy look.

Good luck and happy styling!

Terms & Conditions:

♥ To take part in Next’s Winter Wardrobe Competition, entries must be received by 3pm on November 2nd 2012. To enter, submit the link to your blog post in a comment. 

♥ Your blog post must showcase three items from the Next’s own brand fashion collections and illustrate how you would style each one for winter. Please do not include products from brands other than NEXT.

♥ You may use a moodboard, pictures, links and social platforms to make your blog post as creative and original as possible. 

♥ Next’s Winter Wardrobe Competition is open to residents of the United Kingdom, Channel Islands, and Isle of Man who are aged 18 or over only. 

♥ One entry per person. 

♥ Next reserves the right to exclude from the competition any entry that does not meet the criteria set out in these Terms and Conditions.

♥ There will be one winner chosen by host blogger Amy of amyantoinette.com. The winner will be notified after November 6th by email. The email will contain details of how to claim the prize.

♥ The prize is a £500 Next gift card. Please note you do not win the products selected for your blog post as Next cannot guarantee that the items will be in stock or available in your requested size.

♥ The competition winner must claim their prize within 7 days of notification being sent and Next reserves the right to ask Amy Antoinette to select an alternative winner should the £500 gift card not be claimed within this time. The prize cannot be exchanged for cash or otherwise and no cash alternative will be offered. Next reserves the right to substitute a prize of equal or higher value in the event of unforeseen circumstances.

♥ Liability cannot be accepted for entries which are lost in transit or not received by Next due to technical difficulties.

♥ Amy's decision and any decision taken by the Promoter is final and no correspondence will be entered into. We reserve the right to feature photographs and screenshots of the winning blog, as well as the name and county of the prize winner in future publications and publicity. 

♥ Next reserves the right to apply the value of the prize to any outstanding account(s) of Next Group Companies.

♥ The winner's name and County will be available from November 8th by sending an email to nextcompetition@next.co.uk. This promotion is not open to employees of Next, their families, associated agents, or anyone professionally connected with the promotion.

Rose Gold Love Affair

I've embarked on a bit of a love affair with rose gold this year. The feminine hint of pink on traditional gold means I reach for anything that features it, whether it's shoes, jewellery or clothing. Here's a look through my current rose gold collection... The only thing I'm missing is a rose gold watch!

♥ Primark Pumps - I love the delicate pink faux nubuck paired with the rose gold cap on the toe, which make these one of the most girly pairs of shoes I own, second only to my glittery Miss KG Bow Pumps.

♥ Rose Gold Necklace & Bracelet - The ubiquitous H&M rose gold cuff necklace seems to be owned by every blogger, as it's the perfect piece to add a bit of pretty to an outfit. The bracelet's from River Island and looks lovely stacked up with some other jewelerry.

♥ Mulberry Plaster Pink Continental Wallet - The rose gold Mulberry plaque against the soft pink leather brings me joy every time I take this from my handbag!

♥ Topshop Hyperreal Nail Polish - Rose gold nails are the perfect shade for the transition from Summer to Autumn. I love the subtle shimmer in Topshop's Hyperreal.

♥ Sam Edelman Rose Gold Adena Loafers - These were so sparkly with their studs, I knew I had to add these to my rose gold collection. I also couldn't resist buying another pair of Sam Edelman shoes, also featuring rose gold and studs, which I'll blogging about soon. I told myself it was ok as they're a different style!

Do you love rose gold?

Zara Zip Bowling Bag

As much as I love my Oak Mulberry Bayswater, I've been on the search for the perfect black handbag for a while. As the winter months set in, I prefer to swap my tan and lighter coloured bags for darker shades. Yet finding a decent black handbag was proving to be as elusive as finding the perfect pair of jeans! I wanted real leather, classic looking, and something just the right size, so when I spotted the Zara Zip Bowling Bag, I knew I had found the one! 

This will definitely be my go-to bag throughout winter, I love how chic the gold hardware of the zips and studs looks paired with the grain of the black leather. The handle length is just the right size to fit perfectly in the crook of the arm, or alternatively, there's a shoulder strap should the bag get too heavy. The inside of the bag is large enough to hold all my bits and pieces, with an inside pocket for holding smaller items such as keys and a phone. The Zara Zip Bag is priced at £109, which I thought was a good price for real leather, and I can see myself wearing this bag a lot.

What do you think? Have you found your perfect black bag?

Philips Reaura - Final Update

I've now come to the end of my 8 week trial with the Philips Laser Skin Rejuvenation. You can read about my initial impressions and mid-trial thoughts if you've missed my previous posts. As a new anti-ageing solution whose primary purpose is to improve skin by reducing fine lines and age spots, I wasn't in the target market for this product, but I was hoping to find my skin tone and texture was improved through the process, and I'm happy to say it has been. The laser triggers cell renewal, replacing old and damaged cells with new cells packed with collagen, so my skin looks brighter and feels more plump. I've noticed a much smoother skin texture, meaning makeup application is a dream on my new replenished skin. My new skin texture has been something I've not been able to achieve through a good skin care routine and regular exfoliation alone, so I'm giving full credit to the Philips ReAura!

Overall I'm really happy with my experience. The Philips ReAura is an expensive piece of equipment, and although probably something of an unnecessary luxury for someone in their 20s, for anyone considering professional laser treatment due to skin troubles or hoping to fight fine lines or wrinkles, I think the ReAura is a great option and more cost effective in the long run.

Would you consider laser treatment as an anti-ageing option?

Philips RéAura Laser Skin Rejuvenation is available to buy from SpaceNK

*Sponsored Post

Sam Edelman Rose Gold Adena Loafers

The Sam Edelman Adena loafers comine two of my favourite things - rose gold and studs. I first spotted these on a fashion blog and although I loved them, I couldn't justify the £145 price tag. Recently they were featured on Brandalley at a hugely discounted rate but despite my early morning efforts at bagging a bargain, they'd already been snapped up and had sold out. So I was delighted when I browsing ASOS and spotted the very loafers I'd been chasing, not only in the sale for £85, but available in my size! I love the luxurious feel of these shoes, the sparkle of the studs on the pink satin paired with the added attention to detail of the cushioned leather insole and the embossed sole make these a special pair of shoes! I'm partial to wearing greys and blacks throughout Autumn/Winter so these are perfect for injecting some life into an otherwise simple wardrobe!