Here is my, rather windswept, entry into the Style Eyes Ethical Fashion Blog Outfit Competition. The prizes are awesome!
The rules are simple…
'All you have to do is create an outfit which contains at least ethical piece, that could be something from your favourite ethical fashion brand, vintage or charity shop. It could also be something that you have upcycled yourself… Before the end of 28th November'. And then you have to tweet about your entry.
Why do I always leave everything until the last minute?!
Ordinarily I don't have much luck in charity shops. This summer I found the most amazing River Island dress in Age Concern. I excitedly snapped it up, only to discover that it didn't fit… so back to the charity shop it went! I do buy clothes new from the high street but I am making an effort to buy less and make smarter decisions. I guess you can say my ethical fashion credentials are a work in progress.
The addition of this skirt to my wardrobe was a direct result of my burgeoning eBay obsession. I paid £5.50 (which included postage) for this second hand tulip skirt, originally from Topshop. I always knew I'd dress it down so my go-to looks-fab-with-everthing jumper was selected and teamed with a long sleeve t shirt for a bit of colour at the cuffs. Navy nails completed it.
As you can see I had company - a friendly black cat who turned up on our doorstep in mid October and has refused to leave. No owners have come forward and there is no room for her at our local Cat Protection so we're taking care of her.
The rules are simple…
'All you have to do is create an outfit which contains at least ethical piece, that could be something from your favourite ethical fashion brand, vintage or charity shop. It could also be something that you have upcycled yourself… Before the end of 28th November'. And then you have to tweet about your entry.
Why do I always leave everything until the last minute?!
Ordinarily I don't have much luck in charity shops. This summer I found the most amazing River Island dress in Age Concern. I excitedly snapped it up, only to discover that it didn't fit… so back to the charity shop it went! I do buy clothes new from the high street but I am making an effort to buy less and make smarter decisions. I guess you can say my ethical fashion credentials are a work in progress.
The addition of this skirt to my wardrobe was a direct result of my burgeoning eBay obsession. I paid £5.50 (which included postage) for this second hand tulip skirt, originally from Topshop. I always knew I'd dress it down so my go-to looks-fab-with-everthing jumper was selected and teamed with a long sleeve t shirt for a bit of colour at the cuffs. Navy nails completed it.
As you can see I had company - a friendly black cat who turned up on our doorstep in mid October and has refused to leave. No owners have come forward and there is no room for her at our local Cat Protection so we're taking care of her.
After shopping comes the fun part (not that shopping isn't fun), what happens next, for me, is to get my new purchases on my body as soon as I walk through my door, then I wear them for a while… seriously. I've always done it - no idea why.
But this isn't the REALLY fun part. No, the REALLY fun part is discovering how to make new purchases fit my wardrobe.
I have, in the past, made many purchases that simply had no place in my wardrobe, this resulted in more shopping to make them 'fit'. But I wanted to start making smarter choices, to reduce my spending and limit the amount of rarely worn items in my wardrobe. I have recently sent 50 items to a charity shop as a result of a massive wardrobe cull, most items hadn't seen the light of day in years, others had simply never been worn.
After a recent haul I promised to style each new piece in three different ways, which is one of 'The Rules', and here is the first item - a grey sweater dress from H&M.
It is ridiculously easy to wear and it has pockets (I find this very exciting - I have a thing for pockets). I was worried that it would be a tad to long to wear with jeans but I think it works, don't you?
Next up, a black sweater, also from H&M.
I love this, it's so versatile - a real wardrobe staple. I've worn this so may times since buying it, it's perfect for simple, classic outfits.
More to follow soon...
Do you upcycle? recycle? go vintage? buy secondhand? or make your own clothes?
Love
But this isn't the REALLY fun part. No, the REALLY fun part is discovering how to make new purchases fit my wardrobe.
I have, in the past, made many purchases that simply had no place in my wardrobe, this resulted in more shopping to make them 'fit'. But I wanted to start making smarter choices, to reduce my spending and limit the amount of rarely worn items in my wardrobe. I have recently sent 50 items to a charity shop as a result of a massive wardrobe cull, most items hadn't seen the light of day in years, others had simply never been worn.
After a recent haul I promised to style each new piece in three different ways, which is one of 'The Rules', and here is the first item - a grey sweater dress from H&M.
It is ridiculously easy to wear and it has pockets (I find this very exciting - I have a thing for pockets). I was worried that it would be a tad to long to wear with jeans but I think it works, don't you?
Next up, a black sweater, also from H&M.
I love this, it's so versatile - a real wardrobe staple. I've worn this so may times since buying it, it's perfect for simple, classic outfits.
More to follow soon...
Do you upcycle? recycle? go vintage? buy secondhand? or make your own clothes?
Love
I know that it isn't even December yet but I'm feeling festive already! This will be the first Christmas in our new home. OH loves the festive season, so-much-so that after just two Christmases together he has managed to break my Bah! Humbug! opinion of the festivities.
He has suggested that we entertain at home on both Christmas Day and Boxing Day. The idea of not leaving the house is very appealing but what have I let myself in for?! Never before have I had to brave the madness that is Christmas grocery shopping or experience the sheer terror of cooking the perfect Christmas Day lunch. I have already told OH that if we can cheat, we will (Aunt Bessie's yorkshire puddings are already in the freezer).
Now that we are in a bigger space my meager collection of decorations will not be sufficient to adorn the house in the way I'd like. I've already made a few purchases from H&M home, but to 'do' Christmas OH style is going to take some serious effort... and shopping!
We will be having a real Christmas tree and if OH has his way it will touch the ceiling. Last year, on a trip to London, we bought a London bus to hang on our tree and a red pig (to be known forevermore as 'Christmas Pig') on a lazy Sunday afternoon spent wandering around Woodbridge. I notion of adding to this collection, year after year, gives me a warm and fuzzy feeling…
This year is the most exciting yet.
What will you be getting up to this year? Any brilliant Christmas buys you can share with me?
Love
He has suggested that we entertain at home on both Christmas Day and Boxing Day. The idea of not leaving the house is very appealing but what have I let myself in for?! Never before have I had to brave the madness that is Christmas grocery shopping or experience the sheer terror of cooking the perfect Christmas Day lunch. I have already told OH that if we can cheat, we will (Aunt Bessie's yorkshire puddings are already in the freezer).
Now that we are in a bigger space my meager collection of decorations will not be sufficient to adorn the house in the way I'd like. I've already made a few purchases from H&M home, but to 'do' Christmas OH style is going to take some serious effort... and shopping!
We will be having a real Christmas tree and if OH has his way it will touch the ceiling. Last year, on a trip to London, we bought a London bus to hang on our tree and a red pig (to be known forevermore as 'Christmas Pig') on a lazy Sunday afternoon spent wandering around Woodbridge. I notion of adding to this collection, year after year, gives me a warm and fuzzy feeling…
This year is the most exciting yet.
What will you be getting up to this year? Any brilliant Christmas buys you can share with me?
Love
avon
Garnier Miracle Skin Perfector, Daily All-In-One B.B. Cream Review
Wednesday, November 09, 2011
I requested a free sample of Garnier's Miracle Skin Perfector, Daily All-In-One B.B Cream after
seeing it advertised and used it for a few weeks.
It promised to unify, illuminate, hydrate and help protect skin with SPF15.
So, I decided to forgo my trusty moisturiser and put my faith in these
claims (although I wasn't 100% sure if this was meant to be used as an alternative or alongside your daily moisturiser).
Using it alone, I didn't like it as an alternative to my moisturiser as my skin didn't feel as hydrated as it normally does. It did give a mattified finish and the colour was subtle even though at first sight I was concerned about the colour of the cream. I am very pale and was sent the medium shade (it is also available in light, which probably would be much better for me) but it does melt into the skin nicely, giving me a bit of a 'glow'.
The left handside of the photo is without the BB cream, the right is with. Can you see a difference?
Using it alone, I didn't like it as an alternative to my moisturiser as my skin didn't feel as hydrated as it normally does. It did give a mattified finish and the colour was subtle even though at first sight I was concerned about the colour of the cream. I am very pale and was sent the medium shade (it is also available in light, which probably would be much better for me) but it does melt into the skin nicely, giving me a bit of a 'glow'.
As
for giving me a perfect complexion? It
didn't. Imperfections do seem slightly reduced but not hidden entirely.
Illuminated? A little I suppose... but not the WOW! factor result I
had expected.
Anyway, I persevered and started to use it over my normal daily moisturiser, the result is a little less matt but my skin did feel nice to the touch. However, for me, this isn't the miracle all-in-one cream that it claims to be. It's nice enough but I have to wonder about the reason for using it if I have to use moisturiser anyway and the results are barely noticeable.
Before this I had been using Avon's Magix Face Perfector over moisturiser, which gives me better results, although it has no colour. I have however just discovered that Avon's Cashmere Finish Foundation has the Magix formula in it... if this is as light as the face perfector I could easily be persuaded to use it. I have some samples to try so I'll let you know how I get on...
Have you tried Garnier's B.B Cream? How did you get on?
Anyway, I persevered and started to use it over my normal daily moisturiser, the result is a little less matt but my skin did feel nice to the touch. However, for me, this isn't the miracle all-in-one cream that it claims to be. It's nice enough but I have to wonder about the reason for using it if I have to use moisturiser anyway and the results are barely noticeable.
Before this I had been using Avon's Magix Face Perfector over moisturiser, which gives me better results, although it has no colour. I have however just discovered that Avon's Cashmere Finish Foundation has the Magix formula in it... if this is as light as the face perfector I could easily be persuaded to use it. I have some samples to try so I'll let you know how I get on...
Have you tried Garnier's B.B Cream? How did you get on?
It
will come as no surprise to any of you when I say I have a thing for
jewellery. My arm parties are becoming an almost daily occurrence, my
necklace collection is beyond control and
even though I
only ever wear one ring at a time, when I do, it's big.
But it wasn't until I received an email from Harriet
about an earring giveaway that I realised I've been neglecting my lobes.
I rarely change my
earrings and own only a handful, most of which are studs.
Since then I have discovered that they
also offer some fab dress jewellery, each piece is beautifully handmade and designed in
small runs, so you're unlikely to see someone else wearing the same
thing. They're perfect for Christmas presents (only 54 more sleeps people!) and they
will deliver your items, along with a hand written
message, to an address of your choosing - perfect for when you want to keep that personal touch.
Harriet has
sent me some gorgeous sterling silver, hematite and Swarovski crystal chandelier earrings (RRP approx £45) to give away to five readers.
All you have to do to be in with a chance of winning a pair is...
All you have to do to be in with a chance of winning a pair is...
1 - Be a follower of this blog and leave a comment saying that you would like to enter (this gives you your first entry)
2 - Follow @HKBespoke
on twitter and tweet the following message 'I'm in with a chance of
winning one of five pairs of @HKBespoke earrings' and please include a link to this post!! (this gives you an additional entry - you can tweet as many times as you like)
3 - Tweet @HKBespoke saying why you like the giveaway
earrings using the hashtag #HKBoneoffive (this gives you one additional entry)
This is giveaway is open for the month of November. I will select five winners on December 1st 2011Open to residents of the UK only.
Good luck!
