Jessica Purple Burst Nail Polish: Review

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I’ve just started working as a journalism assistant working for the lovely Leah Hardy. One of the perks is that we get to try out lots of wonderful new products, including one of my new faves from nail brand Jessica. From the new Ignite range, the purple burst vanish really caught my eye.

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It’s great for the summer months, and with a little luck, my optimistic nail choice might bring out the sunshine!

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I also used Mavala nail seal to quickly dry to colour after applied, and luckily it worked a treat so I was back to work and tapping away at my keyboard with no risk of chipping in no time! The new Ignite range is available now for £9.75 per vanish.

OOTD – Midi Mania

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As you know, I am no longer in Leeds, but here’s a peek at what me and best friend Courtney wore on a day out to The Alchemist for lunch. This often happens that we opt for similar styles of outfits, and on this day we were all about the midi dresses!
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Me: Dress – George @ ASDA

The Alchemist Trinity: Review

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Sadly by the time you read this, I’ll have left Leeds and said goodbye to my wild but wonderful group of friends. If they do read this blog like they say they do, then thanks everyone for being great friends and I’m sure I will see you all soon. Special mention to Courtney, Matthew, Gracie, Jordan, Will, Ben and Craig. You’ve all been so consistently great and given me some brilliant memories.

Speaking of memories, it’s safe to say my last Sunday in Leeds will be a memorable goodbye. We went to the posh spot of Leeds in the new Trinity Shopping Centre, The Alchemist, and it was bloomin’ brilliant.

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The Alchemist was brimming with beautiful people, and had a gorgeous atmosphere with the balcony that looks over Leeds and also a whole lotta light due to the huge glass windows surrounding the dining room. Not only was it a nice atmosphere, but it was lots of fun due to the array of gimmicks such as foaming cocktails and steaming food. Sounds weird I know – but it was a real laugh. It’s not that obvious but the image above for example is a long island ice tea with a twist – dry ice that turns it into a potion!

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I went for a cheesecake martini, which was amazing. Sweet to say the least, so you could really only stomach one, but it genuinely tasted like cheesecake! I was however jealous of the other cocktail choices including Courtney’s colour changing one, and the strawberry belinis, which you can see below.

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The wait for a table at lunch was around half an hour, which gave us time to test some of the cocktails. However, there were more treats that came with the meal! We ordered a portion of chicken wings for starters, and when they came they were served in a skull and were steaming!

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Unfortunately, my main mean, unlike the others, was a little disappointing as it was undercooked. However, I quietly expressed my dissatisfaction to the waiter who quickly took away my meal. The manager then brought me a new one and took it off the bill! That’s what I call customer care! Really recommend this place for a fun lunch out.

OOTD – Ladies in Red

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I swear it was an accident – but me and my two best girl mates in Leeds; Gracie and Courtney all turned up for drinks in very coordinated outfits. Courtney and I had opted for red numbers whilst Gracie had red shoes and lips to contribute to our apparently themed night out. Here’s how we looked, and be warned, these where taken after a couple of glasses of wine.

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Left to Right

Courtney: Dress from Topshop

Gracie: Dress from Miss Selfridge

Rosey: Dress from H&M

OOTD – Summer BBQ

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The weather is just about holding up, and so luckily I’ve been able to go to a few BBQs over the past week! Here’s what I wore to one of them at my buddy Craig’s house.

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Jacket – Vintage

Top – H&M

Skirt – H&M

Shoes – ASOS

Necklace – Primark (again!)

Nation of Shopkeepers: Review

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As you probably know by now, I am leaving Leeds this week to move back to London. To say goodbye to a couple of good friends I went to one of my favourite spots ‘a Nation of Shopkeepers’. It’s a really cool spot near Millenium square and lucky for me, it’s been on my doorstep for the past year.

I am not a huge meat eater to be honest, up until recently I didn’t even eat meat, but I can appreciate a good looking burger when I see one – or in this case, four. My friend was in an indulgent mood when she ordered a platter, which I must admit looks incredibly greasy and glorious.

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Not only were there four burgers on the platter, she also had chips and chicken so it’s safe to say she was pretty satisfied. What really surprised me though, was the amount that came for just £11 something! I was pretty impressed with that value, and she looked pretty impressed with the grub!

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I had a hippy burger and onion rings and my housemate had a HUGE burger with hollumi and chorizo. I have to say, I’ve had better veggie burgers but to be honest I think I was just jealous of the other’s quantity rather than quality. So, there was only way to solve that problem and of course, I got myself a pudding. Just a small one, with erm, three different types of cake.

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Can’t lie, I demolished it in seconds and it was incredible.

It’s not just the food that’s impressive at Nation, they also have a range of great nights including live music, quizes and quirky themed nights. I went to a hip hop night there not long ago and enjoyed dancing to the likes of Biggie and Jurassic 5, it was a right good ol’ knees up! Check out the listings here. 

Summer Fashion for the Workplace

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When the summer months are just around the corner, we all hear and see just about all we can handle about outdoor summer fashion. Popular fashion catalogues and blogs display all of the latest warm weather outfits, and big stores like M&S display summer swimwear in line with all of the other trends. But there’s one thing worth remembering: as much as we’d all like to, most of us won’t be spending the entire summer season on a beach! Sad, certainly, but it’s the truth.

So, what is one supposed to wear during the summer season when not lounging on the beach or cruising the town with the windows rolled down? Here are a few ideas for summer clothing and accessories that are fashionable for 2013, but which can be worn in professional environments.

Black & White

One of the simplest trends of the summer is one we’re a bit more accustomed to seeing in the cooler months of the year: pairing black and white! There’s something vaguely vintage about black and white in the summer, but vintage (and specifically 60′s) is hot, so this is certainly a look you can take to work.

Rose Gold Jewellery

Perhaps the most elegant of summer accessory trends, rose gold is in for 2013, and it’s perfect for the warmth and sun of summer. Of course, any sort of tasteful jewellery does fine on or off the beach, and rose gold can help you to make your workplace fashion statements.

Graphic Prints

Graphic prints are some of the most noteworthy summer trends for 2013, and also some of the most versatile. Prints vary a great deal, and some are a bit too flamboyant or wild for a formal or professional environment. But others can be quite tasteful, and will certainly make you stand out in a positive way.

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Water Themes

Another theme for fabric and design in clothing is simply water. Wispy, watery fabrics, aqua shades, and even printed designs of beach scenes and water images are all appearing on runways this season, and again, some of the more understated designs are perfect for the workplace.

Bold Sunglasses

When it comes to sunglasses, just about every trend of the season can be summed up in one word: bold. Whether it’s the stark contrast of white frames and dark lenses, frames featuring striped designs, or even neon frames, everything out there seems to make a loud statement this year. But, that doesn’t mean you can’t have them on when you get to work so long as you don’t wear them at your desk!

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Stripes

Finally, there’s another simple and very wearable trend to consider: stripes. A striped suit or dress may not be as exciting as the summer neon, or as cozy as the bermuda shorts we’re seeing all over runways, but it’s one of the more formal summer trends.

Guest Post: LUXE Models shoe trends

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India Johnson is a Leeds-based writer. She works as both a copywriter and editor, and is currently guest blogging on behalf of Luxe Models, a photography studio based in London that helps aspiring models:

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I recently discovered the importance of shoes. I mean, of course I was aware of the importance of shoes, but I never quite realised the importance of having a good range of staple footwear until this spring. This revelation came to me after a winter of wearing my Doc Martins (black, studded, round toe shoes) until I gave myself shin splints and blistered feet. Doc Martins are awesome but wearing them day in, day out for several months is bound to take its toll; they’re pretty heavy! Further, despite the fact that I think Doc Martins look awesome with most things, I was left feeling like every single outfit I wore looked the same, or at least had the same feel. That’s when it hit me, shoes are incredibly important when it comes to what you wear; wearing the same kind of shoe with everything results in outfits that all kind of merge into one solid image.

Now, of course, most people are in a similar situation to me and cannot afford to have a gazillion pairs of shoes Victoria Beckham style. Walk in wardrobe? Ha, try hole in the wall! Therefore, it is important to get shoes that can act as staples. Have a few really good pairs that can vouch for different styles:

Trainers

With street style on the rise and set to take summer ’13 by storm, trainers are a great option when it comes to your shoe purchases. Vans are a great choice because they’re incredibly versatile. They can look like cute deck shoes with pretty dresses or like hip street wear with leggings or jeans.

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Sandals

Sandals are, of course, an essential for summer. There are some lovely little round toe dolly-shoe style sandals in Topshop at the moment that will go particularly well with skirts and shorts. Gladiator sandals seem to be making yet another appearance this year (a trend that’s been around for a while now!). They’re great for a beachier look. 281646118Or… you can go for gold/metallic colours to dress up a holiday outfit.

Boots

Boots, despite being associated with winter, look seriously hot in summer. Here at Luxe Models we love a good ol’ tan leather ankle boot. They are perfect for festival wear (where wellies aren’t required) and look fabulous during those long afternoons spent in beer gardens.

Heels

Finally, having a good pair of staple heals is essential, even for the casual types. Summer weddings, family dos, posh bars; at some point this summer you’re bound to need to get glammed up. Right now pointed toes and thin, stiletto heals are back with a vengeance. Casadei’s blades are a celeb favourite, and look great with rolled up jeans.

Having these four shoe staples in your wardrobe will ensure that you’re prepared for all eventualities this season and, what’s more, can rock completely different styles all summer long.

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OOTD – Lip Service

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This look is all about the lips. When an outfit includes a lot of dark blues, greys and blacks like this one, it’s nice to wear a bold lipstick, like this Kate Moss Matte lipstick!

As there was nobody to help me (sniff sniff), please excuse the selfies.

 

 

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