Category: Fashion

Judy’s Affordable Vintage Fair

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On Saturday (1 December), my husband and I popped into Judy’s Affordable Vintage Fair, so I could get my hair did for our big night out (more on that later)! I managed to restrain myself from spending big, although I’m now kicking myself because my parents have planned a roaring ’20s Agatha Christie murder mystery night for New Year’s Eve (okay, I sorta suggested it… and already had the kit… shush). If I had known then what I know now, and all that – although I have to admit, I’m more of a ’50s-era fan! (Despite the victory rolls!) There’s been some fierce, flapper-related eBaying since then, but we’ll get to that later – onto the fair!

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The fair definitely lived up to its reputation as being affordable, and there were plenty of goodies on offer. I love vintage accessories, and although I don’t own any vintage clothing, that’s just a matter of time… I did try on a lovely long-sleeved white lace dress, but in the end I couldn’t get on over my hair – how about that for ironic?

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One of my favourite things about vintage fairs is how beautifully all the products are displayed. I spent most of my time taking pictures of everything rather than looking properly, in the end!

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I love vintage homewares, and I even spotted some Babycham glasses just like my nan used to break out at New Year’s!
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That brought back some memories, I can tell you! I also coveted these gorgeous phones, and there was plenty of pretty crockery to be had.Vintage Fair 6 Vintage Fair 2

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I think for sure the highlights of the show for me were these pair of frankly amazing hats…

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I especially had my eye on the bottom one – I don’t even know what this style of hat is called, but it’s lovely. I think the price was £50 – sadly too much to spend on something I know for a fact I’ll never really wear (as opposed to things I know I probably won’t wear but take a punt on anyway in case one day I wake up thinner, more daring, and more likely to be invited to lounge around a casino in Monte Carlo or something…)

These babies, however, were in my price range, and something I know I would wear…

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So I bought the lovely silver one on the right – £6! Bargain!

Did anyone else visit the fair at the weekend? Or any other vintage fair recently? Let me know what you bought! And if you know what that style of hat is (and where I can get one, just for future reference, y’know), leave a comment – I’d be everso grateful!

5 Dec: Ciate Mini Mani Month – Cabaret

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Aah, I really love those bows… Do you think everything would be better with a little bow on it? Looking around my study: Coca Cola can – yes. Computer screen – yes. iPad – yes. Keyboard – yes. Cat – yes! Could it be, I am onto something? Let me wander further… hmm, the bathroom. Toilet – err… Okay, I give up. Bows have their place in life – and I definitely think they look like they belong on these pretty Ciate bottles!

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Onto the colour! Today, it’s another creme – Cabaret! The website says: “Creamy purple with lashings of pink. The perfect mix of cuteness and sophistication. Incredible when paired with dark suits for stylish work wear.”

I love these style tips from Ciate, it really adds something to the description and lets your imagination run wild. Cabaret is also the colour paired with the Berry Poncho Velvet Manicure Set, which is sold out (boo!). I’d love to try the velvet one day – I have the Blue Suede version, but I haven’t had a chance to use it yet. Let’s say, I’ve had my hands full trying all these other shades. HO HO HO!

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In other news, yesterday I tweeted a picture of my Prom Queen Caviar Manicure to @ciatenails – and won a matching Paint Pot! Every day this month the company is giving away a matching Paint Pot – all you have to do is tweet your photo to them and add #minimanimonth. Great fun! I hope everyone gets a chance to join in so we can all see your lovely nails!

Victory Rolls by The Powderpuff Girls!

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On Saturday 1 December, I got my hair and make up done by the lovely Claire from The Powderpuff Girls! The company had a stall at Judy’s Affordable Vintage Fair, so I popped along to get all dolled up!

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I had already decided I wanted victory rolls, because it’s a look I’ve never been able to do on myself, and I wanted to pick up some tips at the same time as seeing what it would look like! As you can see from this picture, my hair is ridiculously long, so I’m definitely planning on having it cut soon to make styling easier!

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I guess the main tip I came away with was – don’t be afraid to backcomb to insane proportions! The hair you can see in the picture above hasn’t been sprayed at all, it’s just standing up all by itself!

(As a side note, don’t you LOVE the Powderpuff Girls’ uniform?!)

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Another thing I’d been doing wrong with victory rolls is trying to curl my hair from the ends down – Claire started from the middle and wound backwards from there, and it definitely made it easier to do!

I also got my makeup done with the classic red lip and cat-eye flick.

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The whole thing was a very reasonable £30, and I even got to take a free powderpuff home with me too! This is the third time I’ve had my hair and make up done by The Powderpuff Girls, and each time I’ve been really pleased with the look and the style’s holding power. They use Paul and Joe products along with some other brands you can see on the site, and it really makes a different to how long they last. I’m definitely thinking of investing in some Paul and Joe foundation – Claire wrote down all of the products she used on me, which was awesome!

Come back later in the week for more about the fair, my outfit, and the real reason we were in London… to see Viva Forever!

4 Dec: Ciate Mini Mani Month – Prom Queen

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Yay! My first ever Ciate Caviar! I’ve been dying try these out ever since I heard about them, so this morning was like an early Christmas for me!

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The calendar comes with a cute little funnel to pour the beads back into the bottle when you’re done. I’d read about how to do these Caviar manicures on various blogs, so I knew what to do – and it was very easy, I have to say! I’m not sure what I thought would be hard about it, but it was very quick and simple to pour the beads onto my wet nail, push down, and then repour for extra coverage. I applied it over a plate with a sheet of greaseproof paper on it, so I could just fold the paper up and pour back into the bottle, and it all went without a hitch. I only did one nail on each hand, because I didn’t want to get carried away – plus, I cook a lot and I didn’t want to shed baubles into my fajitas tonight (oo er!).

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As for the Caviar itself, it was everything I hoped for and more! Again, not a colour I would have picked for myself, but I love it – the mixture of blue, silver and pink is very pretty, and the nail’s texture is divine. There are also pieces of flat, hexagonal, reflective discs in the pot, which add a bit of interest to the baubles.

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I’m very impressed with how well the baubles are sticking to my nail at the moment – I applied top coat to the tips, but all of the balls feel very sturdy. However, the test will be whether they can withstand a shower – I’m betting not, but I’ll let you know tomorrow!

3 Dec: Ciate Mini Mani Month – Halo

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Third of December already! Today, it’s Halo! The website description reads: “Let this beautiful colour see the light and you are sure to see the rainbow. A delicate pearl that can be built up or left for a natural irridescent glow on the nail. Perfect for those who like a barely there look with a smile-inducing twist.”

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It’s a beautiful, ethereal and girly colour, with flecks of shimmery pink and blue embedded in it – I wore it with three layers to create a stronger look.

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It’s a very subtle festive look – I’m definitely feeling in the Christmas mood now!

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2 Dec: Ciate Mini Mani Month – Dangerous Affair

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2 Dec Dangerous Affair Ciate Mini Mani Month (1) 2 Dec Dangerous Affair Ciate Mini Mani Month (2)

Ooo, I love this red! Red nail varnish is definitely my thing!

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Dangerous Affair is a very rich, dark red creme – the website describes it as: “Stunningly beautiful burgundy colour. Looks fabulous with a crisp white shirt and light blue skinny jeans.”2 Dec Dangerous Affair Ciate Mini Mani Month (6)

Love that style idea – in my imagination, this is the kind of thing a glossy, carefree gal would wear on a casual lunch date with her friends, perhaps with her hair pulled into a high pony tail, minimal make-up, and a great big leather tote. I think I have an overactive imagination, maybe…

What do you guys think? I’m only two days in to this advent calendar project, and loving it!

1 Dec: Ciate Mini Mani Month – Cupcake Queen

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It’s 1 December, and that can only mean one thing!

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It’s day one of my Mini Mani Month!

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Today, it’s Cupcake Queen. The website describes it like this: “A loveable Barbie pink shade with a very subtle blue shimmer. Reach for this bright colour to exude feel good vibes to the world. Team this with a sunny vibrant personality.”

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That blue shimmer might be hard to see on film, but it adds an intriguing edge to this bubblegum pink colour.

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I have to say, I never would have chosen this shade myself, but that was kind of the point of getting this set – to try new things and different colours, and see if I can find some new favourites. 1 Dec Cupcake Queen Ciate Mini Mani Month (1)

They do look snazzy up against my black keyboard, though! It’s been fun having pink nails for the day, and the blue shimmer gives it an extra dimension – but I can’t wait for tomorrow… I’m like a kid in a sweet shop!

Ho ho ho, it’s a Ciate Mini Mani Month ahead!

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Well, well, well – look what got delivered to my house today!

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I decided to treat myself to an advent calendar with a difference this year, and the Ciate Mini Mani Month looked so enticing I couldn’t resist! (Especially as I was lusting after the Caviar pearls – four colours inside!) Expect an update every day in December (well, up until Christmas Eve!) with a brand new shade…

Lust List: little black shoes to go with your little black dress

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You know I loves me some French Sole. I also love the new studded slipper trend. Put the two together, and you get these beauties! Black Henriettas 2Black dome studded leather Henriettas from French Sole! Oh my… Let’s look a little closer at these beautiful little studs!

Black Henriettas 3Even though I love the bold, rock chick look of the pointed studs of the current trend, these domed studs are beautifully feminine, like little golden bubbles! Black Henriettas 1

There’s something really Christmassy about these sweet flats – and it would definitely make a great Christmas present for a lucky girl! Purchase these beauties at French Sole for £150.

Nailed it: OPI’s GoldenEye

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Ever wondered what happened to the golden nail varnish of my dreams? I’d been too afraid to try it on properly until yesterday, keeping myself to just a one nail swatch to try it out. Why, you ask? Well, because I didn’t think I could handle all that awesome at once. Who knows what could have happened? One minute, you’re painting your nails, and the next minute, you’re standing in the garden, holding your hands up to the sun, shrieking “EUREKA!” and doing a special nail varnish dance*. (Don’t look at me like that, you know which one I mean.) Frankly, my neighbours think I’m weird enough as it is. Anyway, I finally tried it out last night, and here are the glorious results:

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Here it is in the daylight:
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Ahhh, so beautiful and shiny! The colour is actually glitter suspended in a clear varnish, I think, and you layer it up over several coats (this is three). This is the perfect way to get a complex, ultra sparkly colour, without it being overly girly or glittery (nothing wrong with glitter! But I wanted GOLD!). This, to me, is the perfect festive shade! Has anyone else planned some festive colours this holiday season?

* Actually, the real reason I haven’t worn it yet was because I was saving it for post-Thanksgiving/birthdays Christmassyness… WHICH IS NOW!