Friday 30 December 2011

Violent Lip Ambassador & Supermarket Sweep!

MERCY. ME. It has been too long since I've posted! Weekly posts are on my hefty New Year's Resolution list I promise you! So as a premature start to the new year, here's a little video about the overwhelming joy of being made a Violent Lips Lip Ambassador and a supermarket sweep of cheap beauty buys to keep you looking just swell on a post-Christmas budget.



This is the Silver Glitterati on my friend TJ, the first pair of Violent Lips I applied on someone else!



Here are the names and prices of those products:
Tesco Soft & Smooth Cocoa Butter Body Lotion - £1
Tesco Cucumber/Sensitive Cleansing Wipes - currently £0.60/£0.95 a packet but they are often on special offer in store!
Aldi Lacura Concealer Pen - £3.59
St. Ives Sensitive Skin Apricot Scrub (Gentle) - £3.57 in Asda

Below are links to everything from the video:

Violent Lips - my obsession!

Violent Lips tutorials

The Cheetah - the VL design I'm wearing in the video


Violent Lips Makeover App - try before you buy! Or try it with your outfit/make-up before you apply!

I should also mention that for lovelies in the UK Violent Lips are now also available from: ASOS, HQhair.com, Topshop.co.uk and Boots (online AND in store!) as well as from violentlips.com

Get buying you beauties, I will keep you updated on all things Violent Lips and I also hope to get that Sleek make-up video done soon too, so keep a look out!

Sunday 9 October 2011

tooooo many tights!

Well the weather can't quite decide what it wants to do with itself right now: one moment I'm rejoicing at the nip in the air meaning I can break out my chunky knits and the next I'm scrabbling to peel off the layers lest I melt into a little puddle on the floor. BUT seeing as it's October and technically it's meant to be Autumn/Winter now I thought I would pay homage to one of my favourite cold weather accessories.

Wolford A/W '11 Bonny Dots
Tights tights tights: streamlining legs, shutting out the cold and reducing shaving costs for the female masses since the Sixties. Since then designers have experimented with patterns and prints to jazz up this simple staple, and this season it seems as if they've gone mad for extravagant leg dressing. In terms of premium hosiery, the first brand that always comes to my mind is Wolford, well known and loved in the fashion industry for its high quality product and high fashion designs. Unfortunately at around £30 a pair, those of us on a budget are somewhat loathed to click 'Add to Basket'.

That's why I was delighted to find so many alternatives on the high street, still on trend but with a much more convenient price tag:

Gipsy Big Spot Tights from ASOS - £8!
These Gipsy tights available from ASOS are a dead ringer for the Wolford Bonny Dots, and a darn sight cheaper at only £8! Cuter than a basket of puppies and kittens and simple enough to pair with several of this season's other trends without looking like you're a sandwich short of a picnic.

Next Navy Medium Spot Tights - £6.50!
Next also offer their own take on the polka dot pins, but they've also incorporated a twilight blue, an intoxicating favourite with fashion houses this season.

H&M Houndstooth Tights - £2.99!
My personal favourite after trawling through several websites and high street shops, these extravagant houndstooth tights from H&M are a complete bargain at only £2.99! Talking from experience, they look KILLER with a slinky, high-waisted pencil skirt and blocky, platform heels but they'd also go great with any number of this season's Forties inspired pieces. (N.B. The above image is of the Wolford Cheryl tights, H&M are rubbish and have not put their version up on their website, but it is almost identical except for the nude panels which are a very sheer black on the H&M product.)

Next Black Star Tights - £6!
Another popular name in the hosiery game is of course the dashing Henry Holland, whose collaborations with Pretty Polly have frequently been the focus of my style envy. This season he has snatched the A/W '11 star print trend from the skies and sprinkled them over a pair of his famous tights. Though not quite as dear as Wolford at £14.99, it's always good to look after the pennies, so you may want to opt instead for Next's version for only £6!

And finally, though not necessarily a trend for A/W '11 I felt I had to share a surprising discovery I made whilst shopping yesterday: fishnet tights are a frequent favourite of mine for nights out, but blow me if they aren't hard to find on the high street for a reasonable price! I know you'll all be screaming PRIMARK at your computer screens, but unfortunately for a girl with a little more cushion for pushin' around the derriére, the fit is truly awful. So imagine my surprise when I spied my faithful fishnets in Wilkinsons for just £2 a pair! Plus the fit is fantastic, who knew?

Wilko Fashion Tights - £2!
That's it for another post lovelies! I really am trying to get round to my supermarket beauty buys, hopefully this week will prove slightly more productive, and I hope to do a budget nail colour/design video too! In the meantime, leave me comments if you buy/own any of these tights and let me know what you wear them with!

Wednesday 28 September 2011

ASOS 50% off! + a MASSIVE apology!

Well hello there my lovelies! For those of you who do read my posts regularly it has been a while, I am SO sorry! A combination of a gorgeous holiday, moving in with friends and generally having too much of a good time has prevented me from sitting down and properly doing a post, and unfortunately today isn't much of a post either, but I HAD to share this with you...

ASOS are currently in the middle of a 48 hour up to 50% off sale on their current season! It started this morning (sorry, I'll get back on it soon I promise!) and finishes 8am on Friday 30th September and there are some absolute beauties in the pile!

Navajo/native American is big on the high street this season, as are the Sixties, and this unusual but visually striking shirt dress encapsulates both trends, down from £55 to £44!


Shirt Dress in Aztec Print - now £44!

Block colours are also a big trend for AW '11, and one of the most popular items to inject with colour this season are jeans - these Vero Moda skinny jeans are available in four colours (the Direct Blue is my personal fave!) and are a complete steal at £22 down from £28! If you're someone who lives in your jeans and want to mix up your everyday wardrobe a little this season, these are a fantastic and frugal solution.

Vero Moda Super Stretch Skinny Jeans - £22!

If you're still looking for your Winter coat for this year, then you definitely need to check out the Coats & Jackets section during this 48 hour sale. From English heritage style jackets to Sixties style car coats, there's some gorgeous pieces perfect for keeping you warm and looking good this Winter. The one which caught my eye is this stunning faux fur coat. Faux fur garments dominated the AW '11 collections of designers such as Gucci, Carolina Herrera and Jean Paul Gaultier, so this faux fur coat is right on the money, even coming in cheaper than similar coats/jackets from boohoo.com who are notorious for their mini-priced imitations!

Faux Fox Fur Coat - now £56!
It's definitely worth having a little trawl through yourself because there is far too much to condense properly into one quick blog entry, but make sure you get yourself on there quick as I'm certain the most popular sizes will be snapped up pretty sharpish.

I'm hoping to get a budget beauty video fired off in the next week, so watch this space!

Tuesday 9 August 2011

custom heels from Groupon!

Well I woke up to a frugal fashion delight this morning! The Groupon goblin has lured me into its treasure cave once more, but boy oh boy is this a deal!

£19 pp custom crystal shoe workshop with Nicky Rox!
Custom shoe designer Nicky Rox whose design studio is based in Poole is offering her fabulous Shoe Workshops for only £19 pp on Groupon! The workshop lasts two hours, a variety of crystals are available to customise your heels with and the BEST part about it is that you can bring your own heels! This means it could be a £2 pair from Primark, that plain boring pair you bought in the sales at Christmas, or a basic pair of platforms from eBay (there's plenty to choose from, here's a link to loads!) 


The only stipulation is that the shoes you bring must be plain, but they can be satin, suede, synthetic leather or PU (and I'm assuming real leather too?) and they can be any style, though no trainers or flip flops please! The workshop is at the Cottonwood Hotel in Bournemouth, a super cute boutique hotel which might not look much on the outside, but the inside is cute, kitsch and very pink!


The Cottonwood Hotel, Bournemouth
Hurry though, it's Groupon so the deal is only on until midnight and there are limited dates available. Aren't you just dying for someone to ask you where you got those fabulous heels?!

Saturday 6 August 2011

a Sixties staple - for under £20!

Well my lovelies it has been a little slow on the shopping front of recent! Moving out in September, several V.I.P's birthdays and a holiday in less than 10 days (eeeep!) mean that even my bargain scouring has been reigned in. I have however been searching the net for cheap little beauties to see in the new season and to share with you all, and I have found a little high street delight that I am dying to get into my own wardrobe!

Peacocks Funnel Neck Block Print Dress - £18!
As well as the naughty Forties, several AW '11 collections have given more than a nod towards the age of Mary Quant, Twiggy and the dawn of the mini skirt. Jean Paul Gaultier, Prada, Bottega Veneta to name a few have drawn on key trends from the iconic Sixties in their collections. But for those of us who can only dream of registering for a Net-A-Porter account, the super workable Funnel Neck Block Print Dress from Peacocks may be a little more reasonable!

Balenciaga RTW AW '11
A mini dress, although extremely fun may not be the most appropriate work wear and for budgeting beauties, an item of clothing must be multi-functional! So why not take a leaf out of Balenciaga's books and incorporate another key trend of AW '11, tunics and trousers. Wear the Peacocks dress with a pair of loose straight leg trousers (a clashing jewel colour if you really want to make a statement!) for a more professional look.

Prada RTW AW '11
For a day time look, team with slouchy knee socks, wide belt, low to mid Mary Jane heels and an oversized clutch a la Prada! Hair and make-up should probably be pared down to avoid looking too cutesie.

Jean Paul Gaultier RTW AW '11
For a night time look, it has to be the ever sensual Jean Paul Gaultier that we look to for inspiration. A beehive, high, blocky heels, massive earrings and coloured tights is most definitely the way to dress up this high street bargain.

One of the other great things about this dress seems to be its cut too! An A-line is great for pear shapes (yippee!) as it skims over the widest area of your silhouette, so this dress should terrific for those of us who are blessed (yes, blessed!) with more cushion for pushin'!

On an un-dress-related note, because I am going on holiday in less than 10 days (did I already say that?! Probably about 572 times.) I will really try and get a budget holiday essentials video done beforehand, so stay tuned for that if you have any end of Summer or Winter sun holidays on the horizon!

Wednesday 27 July 2011

Summer make-up review!

AT LONG LAST! I've finished editing my first video for Cheap Like Me, it's a budget Summer '11 make-up review, let me know what you think!



(YouTube gave me the most HEINOUS thumbnails to choose from, so this is the best of a bad bunch, sorry people's eyes!)

The prices for the products are as follows:
Bourjois Delice de Poudre Bronzing Powder £6.99
Bourjois Healthy Mix Foundation £9.99
Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection Concealer £4.19
Rimmel Glam'Eyes Quad Eyeshadow £4.99
Maybelline The Falsies Mascara £8.19
Maybelline The One-By-One Mascara £8.49

Hope you enjoyed it! Oh and get following you beauties!!

Tuesday 19 July 2011

who loves short shorts?!

Well slap my thighs and call me Sally! (On second thought don't I bruise like a peach...) But exclamations aside, I have just experienced a revelation in Matalan. Yes, I can hear you all now: "Matalan?! Has she gone mad!?!?" Fear not my lovelies, you are about to see what on earth I am talking about.

Tribal Patterned Shorts - £8! and Denim Polka Dot Shorts - £10!

I spied a pair of tribalesque patterned shorts (above!) in more! magazine last week which looked completely adorable, so today I ventured into Matalan after work to seek out these Summer 2011 must haves, and I found them... along with a vast collection of Summer basics and cute key pieces, in particular - shorts!
Rebecca Taylor's 'Denim Dot Dukes' - £93 phew!
Matalan's Spot Print Denim Shorts - £10!
There was also a gorgeous pair of drawstring patterned shorts which I resisted buying (maybe next pay packet!) but that were equally to-die-for and the likes of which I have not seen on the high street for such a brilliant price! Drawstring also equals cinched in waist, which is a-okay in my book!!

Drawstring Patterned Shorts - were £12 now £7! Yay!
But shorts aside, there are also some gorgeous little basics floating around for Summer, including this bateau-style stripey t-shirt with rolled up sleeves, very reminiscent of the Marc by Marc Jacobs nautical collection!

Marc by Marc Jacobs SS11

Summer Stripe T-Shirt - was £8 now £5!
So there you have it my gorgeous lovelies, get yourselves to Matalan, there's so many more incredible bargains I spied that I didn't have the time/budget to list here.

Oh, also I am in the process of editing my first video! It's a Summer make-up review, and I'm hoping it should be up in the next couple of days, so watch this space!

Tuesday 12 July 2011

latest bargain haul!

Another day, another trip to the charity shops! This time to the beauteous little bargain haunts of Ashley Cross and Upper Parkstone. These are both great areas for charity shopping: as with Boscombe, even though you may have to sift through a hell of a lot of poorer quality items, you will find the odd gem which you wouldn't normally find in the wealthier areas like Westbourne or Christchurch.


I think my favourite find had to be this woven tote (my wise owl of a mother believes it to be banana leaf?) with raffia handles and pocket detail. The perfect day bag, big enough to carry my enormous filofax amongst other essentials, but also great for the beach as it has a handy sand filter (the bottom is a loosely woven raffia) to avoid time consuming clear outs.

'M' for me!
I also found this great mottled brown box bag which has already proved extremely handy, due to its 'open plan' set-up which means nick nacks can't get lost in the lining. It also had an 'M' bag charm on it, which sealed the deal!


On the clothing front, I found two very different but absolutely lovely items: a leopard print maxi dress (on trend for Summer!) and a super super cute short-sleeved knitted jumper in a gorgeous light yellow! I love the fact that the maxi dress pattern is alternated in what almost looks like a zebra print style, more animal magic! And although the knitted jumper may not be suitable for this time of year, I cannot wait to wear it with a circle skirt, platform court shoes and a sweep of red lipstick in Winter!

As you can see ironing is not a favourite pastime of mine...
The final find was this rather eclectic little blast from the past, an ancient batwing top from Topshop in a sort of 80s-style tribal pattern. I might cut the modesty slip out of it and wear it as a shrug over the leopard print maxi dress, currently undecided!

That's it for now, I'm hoping I'm going to have the time/the skin to do my Summer make-up review this weekend so watch this space!

(P.S. I notice I have a couple more followers, thankyou and hello lovelies!)

Thursday 7 July 2011

gorgeous giveaway alert!

Just a quick one lovelies!!

There's a faboosh giveaway going down on the Facebook page of Kiki's Boutique a gorgeous little boutique in Christchurch, Dorset which sells an eclectic mix of premium brand clothing, shoes, jewellery and vintage inspired trinkets (it's also the workplace of a very gorgeous friend of mine - hi Kay!)


So anyway the gorgeous girls at Kiki's Boutique are running a big ole giveaway with some completely adorable items up for grabs!! And the good news is they ship internationally so it's open to everyone from Christchurch to Canada! All you have to do is tag yourself in the photos of the items that you love to be in with a chance to win them! Make sure you take a look at all their albums, duplicates of photos have had to be made because it has been so popular already!

Winners will be chosen next week, the giveaway ends next Wednesday 13th July so remember to pick your favourites before then, here are a couple I've got my fingers crossed for!

To indulge the old lady within me, but keep my style tooth satisfied!

Still optimistic for the Summer...

So cute I might explode. No, really.

Perfect for the English Heritage trend of AW11!
So there you have it. Oh, here's that link to Kiki's Boutique Facebook page in case you missed it before... Good luck everyone!

Wednesday 29 June 2011

serious savings at Superdrug!

So this is just a VERY brief one, but word on the street (and the MoneySavingExpert forum) is that Superdrug has some crazy discounts right now. I can't quite make out whether the discounts/sale items vary from store to store, but from what the forums are saying the lowest price items are going for is      
10p!



Some of these items are clearly reduced, but some of them aren't, so here's a link to the forum where many people have actually listed the items that they've bought reduced and how much they've bought them for. This is the perfect opportunity to stock up for the start of term in September, or just bag yourself several bargains!!

Thursday 23 June 2011

last night ASOS saved my life!

It's been TOO long, but I'll get straight down to it!

ASOS is having the most UH-MAZING sale right now and if you don't take a look you're a fool, a fool I say!! (A little strong, but it is an absolutely incredible sale!)

I'll keep this brief as I do have two more, much better posts coming soon, but I just wanted to share two of the fantastic little finds I scooped to prove to you how good it is!

Cheap Monday Very Stretch Skinny Jeans - £31! (RRP: £45)
I was going to hold out until next month to buy a pair of classic blue jeans, bite the bullet and possibly invest in some Levi's ID jeans, when lo and behold, in the ASOS sale I find a pair of perfect indigo beauties in the one denim brand that I know fits me like a glove. For all those curvy girls out there with more cushion for pushin' but smaller on the waist and lower legs, Cheap Monday has served me so well that they are now the only jeans I buy (and I have 3 pairs!!). They may not be as purse friendly as your average pair from Primani, but they will make you look and feel like your pins have just stepped off the runway - parfait!

Jonathan Aston Mock Suspender Tights - £7! (RRP: £10)
Now some people may be screaming '£7 for a pair of tights?!' but I will say this: much like my Cheap Monday jeans, my other leggy love are my Henry Holland suspender tights, in which I feel like a woman (/high class escort - c'mon, we've all seen Secret Diary of A Call Girl and thought about the money/killer wardrobe) but bless them, I think they need a little rest from their faithful service, and dear Jonathan has provided a gorgeous alternative. They also come in S/M/L so none of this One Size trauma for the more curvaceous!

I WILL get round to my other two posts, one is a charity shop haul and one is a make-up review so watch this space and in the meantime get a little ASOS sale in your life!

Friday 3 June 2011

orientation.

So the Seventies is dominating fashion this Summer, but another big trend of the Seventies was the allure of the Orient, which is also bang on trend for the season. In particular, household name Louis Vuitton injected their SS11 collection with a vibrant Oriental flavour and clashing colours.

Louis Vuitton SS11
Now I wish I could bring you some gloriously inexpensive imitations of these Oriental jewels, but unfortunately my scouring in this case has not been THAT successful.

What I do have for you is a couple of pieces from a great website which should always be your first visit when looking for 'that dress' or 'that blouse': the brand is LOVE and having already been featured on the rails of Topshop it now has its own online platform to sell its simple, staple designs. The great thing about LOVE is that they don't mass produce their collections, so it is much less likely that you will see someone else running about town wearing the same thing as you! 

LOVE clothing will set you back on average about £30, but considering they make limited numbers for their collection and their wardrobe essential styles, there is definitely a greater value to them than you might find on the high street.
LOVE Jasmine Print Shirt - £28!
This little piece took my eye because of its adorable tie front and lace insert shoulder detail, but also because of the vintage/oriental looking jasmine print, perfect to wear with a chiffon maxi skirt, floppy, wide-brimmed hat and chunky mid-heel wedges for a smart casual day look.

LOVE Rust V Neck Playsuit - £30!
This rust coloured playsuit almost has a mini-kimono look to it, making it perfect for those who don't want to be 'going Japanese' the whole nine yards! If you do want to dress this little beauty up however, a great and inexpensive idea would be a long, bright coloured sash/ribbon in a colour like purple or cyan blue, plenty of gold jewellery (definitely some hoop earrings and bangles!) and colour clashing platform heels (of course!).

And if you're feeling really brave, take a leaf out of Louis's book and get yourself a lovely lace fan to complete your fabulous ensemble!

Thursday 2 June 2011

frugal fashion from Groupon!

Groupon offers The Bible for less for 48 hours only!

Okay so enough with the blasphemy, I'm not talking about the actual Bible, I am of course talking about my fashion bible Vogue, amongst other Condé Nast glossies like Tatler, Vanity Fair and GQ for all those metrosexual males out there.

£19.99 for 12 issues!
Until midnight Friday 3rd June, Groupon is offering a year's subscription to a Condé Nast magazine, 12 issues for just £19.99! This is a fantastic deal as usually Condé Nast subscriptions cost a minimum of around £40 even with internal offers (I was lucky enough to receive mine as a birthday present from my beautiful best girls this year!). Perfect as a gift or as a treat to yourself for end of exams, 


Also until midnight on Friday 3rd June, London based make-up brand Eyeko are offering £20 worth of their Tokyo inspired make-up for £8! 

£20 worth for only £8!
Inspired by the playful, colourful elements of young Japanese fashion trends, Eyeko has already been featured in Cosmopolitan, Elle and Marie Claire amongst other publications. They offer a range of adorably packaged cosmetics created on the principles of cute colours and natural ingredients. In particular their range of Fat Balms have caught my eye:

Toffee Fat Balm - £6.50!
The Fat Balms are a multi-purpose product which can be used for lips and cheeks, free from lanolin (which can affect sensitive skins) and also provides SPF 15! They've had great reviews on blogs as well as in the magazines and for only £6.50 for a 2-in-1 product they're a beauty bargain! The Toffee Fat Balm looks to be perfect for Summer, ideal for wear with a smokey eye, dewy skin and a healthy tan for that post-beach chic!

If anyone takes advantage of the Eyeko offer, let me know what you think!

Wednesday 25 May 2011

DIY facial!

Girls, Summer is just around the corner and that means we're all after that flawless complexion to flaunt sans make-up. Problem is you might find the solution for dull, blemished skin either costing you a pretty penny or a few more spots!

Expensive face-masks may work, but not for a student budget. Cheap face-masks may not cost you much money, but sensitive skins may be left looking worse than before!

As a sensitive skin sufferer, I've been through countless pots and tubes and sachets of face masks to try and get my skin looking good for the hotter months. The Lush Fresh Face Masks are the only real affordable miracle-workers I've found on the high-street, but at £5.25 a pot, they're not always cost effective for everyone!

After a couple of experiments in the kitchen, I've concocted an all natural face mask which is tightening, brightening and sensitive skin friendly.

You will need:
  • 1x small, ripe avocado (moisturising and anti-bacterial)
  • 1x small, ripe mango (brightening and tightening)
  • 1x bag of oats (exfoliating, moisturising and soothing)
  • 1x pot of manuka honey (anti-bacterial, soothing and healing)*
  • 1x blender/mixing bowl and electric hand blender

This little recipe is for 1-2 people, for sleepover numbers just adjust the quantities in accordance!

Step 1: Halve the avocado and the mango and put the other halves back in the fridge (healthy treats for later!). Remove the stone from the avocado, cut into quarters and peel off the skin. Do the same with the mango. Then finely chop both and place in a mixing bowl/blender (depending on which tools you have.

Step 2: Add a regular mug/cup of oats and a tablespoon of manuka honey into the mix.

Step 3: Blend until a thick but even consistency, about the same as whipped cream.

Step 4: Pour into a tupperware and put in the fridge to settle for half an hour (just in case there are any left overs, those can go in the fridge for another day/another person!)

Step 5: Take it out and slap it on! Apply thickly and evenly over the face. Leave for 20-30 minutes, then rinse off with cool water in circular motions.

Et voila! A clean, toned, exfoliated and brightened complexion for next to nothing! If you've tried it let me know how it went!

*N.B. Manuka Honey is more expensive than normal honey to buy, usually coming in at about £7.99 for a regular size pot (health food shops usually have the best deals!) but once you have it, you can use it for face masks, for putting on toast or even for putting in hot water with fresh lemon juice and ground ginger as a sore throat remedy!

    Saturday 14 May 2011

    violently sexy lips!

    OH. MY. GOD. If it was possible to fall in love with a beauty product I think I've just gone head over heels! On my blog travels I have stumbled across what I think has to be a cosmetic phenomenon!!

    Click here for Violent Lips!
     They're a temporary lip tattoo, just like those super cool temporary tattoos from about 10 years ago (no but seriously, these ones are amazing!). You cut them to fit your lips, wet them, hold them, then peel off the backing et voila! Hot lips like never before.

    The Pink Polka - around £9.25!

    Now I know what you're thinking, how the hell are they going to stay on?! Well the Violent Lips girls are always at hand to answer questions. As long as you follow their application tutorials and leave off eating and drinking (or kissing!) for 15 minutes after application then they can last you between 4-8 hours, perfect for a night out!

    Violent Lips already have a great range of colours and patterns, though in the next 3 weeks they will be adding an amazing 36 new designs to their website!

    The Leopard - around £9.25! (one of my favourites!)

    NOW is the time to buy these beauties too, because even though Violent Lips is in the US, for a limited time they are offering FREE international shipping when you buy any 3 products! (as with all International purchases it's always better to see if any friends want them too, works out cheaper for you!)

    What with the currency conversion, one design with three applications will cost you around £9.25 which just over £3 a tattoo, that's cheaper than your average set of falsies!

    PLUS this weekend they're offering 20% off all purchases with the code VLMDS, so you get even more for your money!! So go fill up your basket now!

    Thursday 5 May 2011

    juicy fruit!

    Last weekend I think I stumbled across the cutest little bikini on the market right now!

    If you've flicked through any of the fashion bibles recently you'll probably have seen Stella McCartney's fruity pieces, and there's plenty of imitations and inspirations on the high street.

    Stella McCartney RTW SS11
    H&M's new collections have been splashed about everywhere from TV screens to bus stops, and they've had some great pieces on show (alas the Seventies style jumpsuit they dangled in front of my eyes seems to have sold out everywhere!) BUT they haven't showcased this little beauty yet, and more fool them!
    Banana bikini top - £9.99
    Banana bikini bottoms - £7.99
    This adorable little two-piece is on trend for the Summer with a great design and cheap as you like! You can pick up the whole set for just £17.98! You can't see from these pictures but the bikini is a halterneck, has support panels at the sides and removeable padded inserts, so it can actually give you a good lift despite its non-supportive appearance.

    (N.B. having tried it on myself, I would say that this bikini is better suited to C cup sizes and smaller OR those with gravity-defying boobs!)

    It also has super cute pineapple charm details on the ends of the straps, continuing the fruity theme and sealing this bikini's status as a real steal!

    Sunday 1 May 2011

    a two-trend bargain!

    This Summer's style era: the Seventies.
    This Summer's most adorable pattern: polka dots.

    Sometimes the most simple pairings can produce the best results: I have just become the excited owner of a pair of these amazing navy with white polka-dot palazzo pants by Florence & Fred at Tesco for £16!


    F&F Spot Print Palazzo Trousers only £16 from Tesco!

    Please believe me when I say that palazzo pants work for almost everyone:

    • they lengthen the leg
    • they can create volume and shape for straight up and down figures
    • or they can slim down a larger leg (yay for me!!)
    • plus the high-waisted, flat-front is great for people who aren't big on tummy-showing!

    These super adorable palazzo pants combine the Seventies sensation, the palazzo pant with the cute polka-dot which is a favourite for Spring/Summer with fashion houses like MaxMara and Moschino. I'll be wearing them with a simple silk blouse, blocky suede platforms and lots of costume jewellery for an updated, eccentric look.

    MaxMara RTW SS11

    Moschino RTW SS11
    As well as looking great and being cheap, the F&F Palazzo Pants will also earn you valuable Clubcard points!! So go grab yourself a super-flattering, bang-on-trend bargain right....... now!