Bon Voyage//Disneyland Paris Vlog

Bon Voyage//Paris Vlog

Bon Voyage: Snaps from Paris

Hi guys, I just got back from a trip to Paris and thought I'd share with you my snaps of this beautiful city. 

Hope you enjoy!

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Thanks,

Kelly T x

January Favourites

Fugifilm Instax Mini

I gratefully got this little gadget for Christmas and it has fast become one of my favourite things. There's just something so satisfying about getting your image there and then,watching it come to life. I'm definitely all for bringing back the physical copy of an image, there's just something so nostalgic about it.

 As far as polaroids go I would say the quality of image you get with this camera is not too bad at all. I personally really like the kind of oldy wordy feel to the image. I also really like the shape of the film, it just sets it apart from other polaroids. 

For me, although there are most probably cheaper cameras out there that are just as good, I still opted for this one because I loved the colour and the way the product looks on the whole and I'm not disappointed with the quality at all. It's also really light-weight too. One thing I would say is that the film is pretty pricey but for me that just makes the images I take that bit more special. I make sure I choose to capture particularly special memories.

Emma Hardy Amazing Face Cleansing Balm

I was pretty chuffed to get this in the sale early this month. Not going to lie, this purchase was pretty much influenced by all the good things I'd heard about it, even on feel unique (where I purchased it from) had such good reviews.

 I have really been enjoying using this since I've got it; it's very rich and feels really luxurious on the skin. For me, it does feel like a spa product and even smells like one; it's just lovely. To be honest, I can't say I've noticed a whole lot of difference in my skin from using this yet but straight after using it my skin does feel really clean and refreshed and all make-up is definitely removed, which is why I just love it. 

It is on the pricey side for sure, but you get a fair amount of product and you don't need much to cleanse the whole face. It comes with a really good quality muslin cloth to which is a plus.

Jo Malone Fragrance:Wood Sage and Sea Salt

I won't go into too much detail about this fragrance as I have done a more in depth post about it recently but I just had to include it because to me it really does smell divine. I know fragrance preference is personal but this one is just right up my street. I really think I will be repurchasing and repurchasing again for years to come.

If your into woody scents, I'd definitely recommend giving this one a try!

Weekday Jacket

So this is my first item of clothing from Weekday so I can't comment fully on them as a brand but so far so good, I'll definitely be checking more of their stuff out now I know their quality is good and for me, worth the money.

I really do love everything about this jacket. It is very oversized but I personally love that about it, it feels very Scandinavian in its style and really reminds me of the oversized fit of the clothes from Monki, a brand I love and have frequently bought from for years now.

It's maybe not the most appropriate jacket for an English winter as it is a light silky fabric but I've been wearing it non stop anyway; layering with jumpers underneath and a scarf on top does the trick.

 Crosley Record Player

I was graciously gifted this beauty for Christmas and I've just not stopped using it this month. Not to be too hipster here but there's just something so satisfying about having physical records again, about listening to albums in full and on repeat. Not that I ain't all about the Ipod shuffle but I'm really looking forward to building my own collection of Vinyl's up over time. I think it's such a lovely thing to do and I like the idea of handing it down when I'm older.

 In terms of the sound quality of this particular Crosley, it's really not too bad, not the best as it is a little on the quiet side, but I still just love it. I chose the blue colour as it's my personal fav, but there's loads of different ones too if you're interested.

Whistles Top

I can't tell you how long I've wanted to get my hands on one of these slogan t-shirts from Whistles. Well I kinda can actually; years. I'd seen them floating about on various different platforms and  thought they looked just effortlessly cool yanno. 

They come out with different ones every so often, usually French slogans, and I've liked them all, but there was something about this particular one that I just couldn't let go a miss. I just love the simplicity and the curve of the text. Of course it's a little on the pricey side but luckily I managed to grab this in the sale. Even so, I'd say it's worth it. The material is just so nice and soft and you can tell it's just so well made. It hangs on the body like a dream. 

It's a little different for me as I usually tend to gravitate to more oversized stuff. This isn't super fitted but it's not oversized either and I like that. It's definitely been a style staple for me this month.

It's available in Khaki too which is just as lovely.

Check Pinafore

I just love that this trend has come back, I really do. I had tried on a few different ones, such as similar checked ones from Topshop, but this one is by far my favourite.

 I love the dark blue colour as it's something I don't have a lot of in my wardrobe and find the fit really flattering (and forgiving haha).

I've been loving pairing this with my black turtle neck and Weekday jacket, like I'm just all about that outfit at the minute, it's become my uniform pretty much.

This pinafore also comes in at a super reasonable £19.99 which is so good considering I'd probably pay double for it.

David Bowie

Okay, so I just had to include Bowie in my favourites this month due to this unexpected huge loss that has shaken the world. I could go on and on about him I really could, but it has all probably been said better by another, and that's just it. 

How grave an effect it has been on so many and how they all have something to recall about how his music has reached them and touched them in the same way it has done for me, just says it all. A true artist. A true practitioner. Not just music, but art, life. Creativity at it's best. Gone but never forgotten.

What are your January favourites?

PS. I have tried to link the items the best I can but unfortunately some items are not available at the moment.

Thanks for reading,

Kelly T x

Christmas Wish List '15

Hi guys!

I thought I'd share with you things on my Christmas wish list this year.  Many of the things I've included, I've been lusting after for ages but just haven't bit the bullet and gone for it, although I would have really loved to!

I mainly thought I'd share them with you to give you some inspiration and ideas, whether that be gift ideas for someone else or even for yourself.

Hope you enjoy!

Fugifilm Instax Mini 
£89 (with 20 shots included)

Whistles Printed T-Shirt

£45

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Edit

£65

Emma Hardy Amazing Face Cleansing Balm

£38

Jo Malone Fragrance

£42 (30 ml)

Crosley Record Player

£69

Stay tuned for a more in depth Christmas gift guide coming very soon!

 What's on your Christmas list?

Thanks for reading,

Kelly T x

November Favourites

Olympea

It takes something to make me stray away from my beloved Bronze Goddess but this month, Olympea has done it for me. I've loved this from the moment I smelt it and have really been enjoying wearing it. I work in a perfume shop and so smell alot alot of perfumes and there was just something about this one that really appealed to me, and all my colleagues too, from the moment it came out.

It is branded as a fresh oriental fragrance with notes of green mandarin, salty vanilla and sandalwood. The blend of notes makes the fragrance both sweet and strong at the same time. For me, I prefer to wear it as an evening scent or for a nice occasion more than as an everyday fragrance.

When it comes to Paco Rabanne I have normally found the staying power to be very good as the fragrances usually have in common the fact they are quite strong and musky, Olympea being no exception. It lingers on me a for long time and is one of those fragrances that you can smell on your clothes the next day.

If you're a light floral fragrance kinda gal, and something like Daisy is your dream (ayy, see what I did there?) this might not be for you but if you're after something a bit different, give it a sniff (that sounds a bit weird)... give it a try!

MAC Sumptuous Olive Eye Shadow

I took somewhat of a splurge/plunge (splunge? maybe not) early this month and bought myself my first MAC eyes shadow BUT not only that, I bought myself a coloured eye-shadow, as in an actual colour that isn't a neutral #girlgonewild. I am definitely a neutrals girl when it comes eye shadow but as I was taking the plunge I wanted something a bit different and had been eyeing up this colour for yonks.

As the name suggests, this eye-shadow is a really lovely olive colour that is not too much but still adds a lovely wash of colour to the lid. It can be used quite nicely on it's own for a quick effortless look or works really nicely in a smokey eye; I've been using it as a base and then building it up with my Naked 2 palette from Urban Decay.

I can't say too much about MAC eye-shadows on the whole, as this is my first one, but so far so good. What I like about this particular shadow is that it blends easily but also its not too pigmented. It gives off enough pigment but is not too much. I never really feel at risk of overdoing it when using this shadow, which is good for me as I was/still am a bit wary of colour. It's a good place to start with coloured eye-shadows if you're a neutrals gal like me.

ASOS Oversized Shirt

I'm all over this shirt; the print, the colour, the fit... everythannng. I've worn it so much since I got it, probs too much, but oh well. It's such a versatile piece. It's long but not too long, so it's still okay to wear with jeans. I love to style it up with my ripped jeans and healed boots in the day time; it has just the right amount of oversized-ness which gives it that effortless vibe which I just love. It's so easy to chuck on the morning but still makes you look put together.

I've also been styling it up as a throw on over shirt thing which I've been loving as well. As shown here, I've been styling it up with a skirt and crop top a lot to, both in the day with tights and a jacket thrown over to add a pop of interest but also on nights out. As it's been getting chillier, I've been loving throwing it over a LBD; I feel like it just makes my evening outfits that little bit more me.

H&M Pine Candle

Okay, so I might have been a bit of keen bean on the Christmas front, but I like to think I've done it on the sly with this pine scented candle. The smell of Christmas trees is literally one of my favourite things about Christmas, like seriously, if you ever lose me around this festive period, I'll probably be nestled inside the tree just taking all the pine-y goodness in. So yeah, in order to avoid standing in a tree, I picked up this candle from H & M home and I was not disappointed; it smells divine. I was pleasently surprised by the give off it has too, the scent really fills my room. I was also slightly influenced to buy it because of the marble print too, not going to lie (much current, such trend). 

Daughter of Smoke and Bone

I really haven't had as much time as I would have liked to read this month, what with Uni deadlines an all, but when I have had the chance I've been reading this book by Laini Taylor and I've been loving it. I love the fantasy genre any-who but this book has brought something new to it for me and I'll definitely be reading the next two books for sure. I just love the world Laini Taylor has created  and I found myself not being able to put the book down, and it wasn't in the name of procrastination either. I don't want to say too much as I don't want to ruin it, but if you like fantasy, and fancy stepping into another world for a bit like the blue haired art student protagonist Karou, I'd definitely recommend it.

Post-Modern Jukebox



When Christmas roles around, I just seem to be all about the Jazz. There just seems to be something inherently festive about it. It makes me feel very nostalgic and warm and fuzzy. So yeah, anyway, when I discovered this modern jazz channel, which covers popular songs but puts a jazzy spin on them, I was hooked. I can't believe I hadn't heard of it before. It features many amazing vocalists and an incredible band who just do very creative covers of songs. It might not be everyone's cup of tea but if it sounds like your thing, definitely check it out!

Matt Corby

I was lucky enough to see this fine specimen of a human live last week and it was heavenly. He's been a favourite artist of mine for years now but I decided to include him in this months favourites as I finally got to see him live. It was honestly one of the most chilled gigs I've ever been too, it had such a good atmosphere. Having seen him live I'm still not wholly convinced he's not actually an angel. If an angel could sing, I'm pretty sure that's what they would sound like. I could go on and on *(and on) but I'll try and refrain myself, but seriously check him out if you haven't already.

American Horror Story

Last but not least AHS has returned and it's back with a bang... and a very creepy haunted hotel... and lady gaga as a vampire. It remains one of my favourite shows; I just love the concept of each series being it's own complete narrative and the fact it has (mostly) the same cast each season playing different parts. It's just so good. I was sceptical about this season at first because of the lack of the queen that is Jessica Lange and I know there's been mixed opinions of Gaga but I actually think she's great and fits her role really well. I feel like this season is still yet evolving and unfolding but so far good, or so far so creepy. The second season still remains my favourite with the first season closely followed but this is shaping up to be up there.

What are your November Favourites?

Thanks for reading,
Kelly T x

Use Your 'And'

I've come to end of my first year at university recently and whilst I have absolutely loved it and have changed and grown so much as a person this year, as I take these steps into 'adulthood' (I hate calling it that but I couldn't think of how else to say it... the future? but then how can you step into the future when it's not there? but yeah, that's going off topic) there is something I find myself struggling with more and more. Moving to Uni I feel I can finally say I'm living for myself, starting to become the person I want to be, but with that comes the ultimate question (that leads one heck of an existential crisis) of what am I going to do with my life? What am I going to be? 

This has led to me struggling with the idea of being one thing, of being stuck in a box. It's an incredibly daunting thing knowing and deciding what you want to do with your life, with your future. I think half of me knows and understands that the future isn't one coherent thing, that nothing I do will set it in stone, not my degree or anything else yet the other (irrational) half of me thinks that it can't hurt to work hard to determine my future is one I'm gonna enjoy, to help future me out by acting now. 

For me, a problem I am having is that I have so many different passions that I'd love to pursue; I'm always thinking what if? I just don't know which basket to put all my eggs in and where to focus my energy and passion. This is something that constantly plays on my mind. I don't know why but I had it in my mind that my degree is going to set in stone which area I'm going to go into, like it was caging me in in a way which I realise now is not the case.

 I'm currently majoring in Media and Cultural studies and am really enjoying it, yet my passion for writing has continued to grow and flourish this year (I took it as a minor subject for first year and absolutely loved it). Moreover, at the same time I also love and have grown up with theatre and  there's not much more I love than singing my heart out. I've had this impression from a young age that I needed to pick one thing and stick to it and that this one thing will define me and determine my future (maybe I just played too much Sims or something). This thought has always terrified me but I'd always just put it to the back of my mind when I was younger, however now it's getting to the point where I really need to take it into serious consideration and I feel like I am in a bit of a pickle. I really did feel like I was at a crossroads earlier this year and I still somewhat do now... truth is I think I always will.

Yet something that has really helped me is this campaign from Venus which invites and encourages you to 'Use Your And', something I fully support. 

I know I'm a bit late on this but in case you haven't seen it, I encourage you to do so because it has helped me so much recently (I'm not sponsored, I just thoroughly love when companies actually make something worthwhile) . It reminded me that you don't have to be just one thing, you can be and do whatever you want. Only you define you, and that definition can be whatever you want and how many different things you want. 

I've always been a firm believer that hard work and perseverance pays off and as cringey and cliché as it is, I believe if you work incredibly hard and want it enough you can achieve anything... Y'know obviously within moderation. If you work incredibly hard to turn yourself into a dinosaur it may not happen, but hey, if that's what you truly want then give it a go. To me, and I'm sure to many people, trying your absolute best, even if you fail, is far better than not trying at all.

It's incredibly daunting and almost soul crushing (I'm not even being dramatic...) when someone tells you that you won't achieve your goals, your dreams. It's even more soul crushing when someone (if not all of society) tells you that your area of study, whether that be Theatre, English, Media or whatever, is a hard area to get into and that you'll never get a job with that. And maybe they're right, but you know what, they'll definitely be right if you let what they say stop you from trying. You can never be fully certain that trying will get you there, will get you that job or the life you've always dreamed of, but it'll get you a damn sight further then if you don't try at all.

So, in an attempt to use my 'and' and to make my blog an honest reflection of me and to make my passion filter through into my posts, whilst I will still of course be posting beauty and fashion content ,I have decided to make my blog more than just one thing and have created 'Alternative Tuesdays'. On Tuesdays I will be posting something a little bit different, whether that be a poem or a short story or maybe a song cover. The reason I make my blog is because I thoroughly enjoy doing it and think it will be fun for me to do this and will hopefully be enjoyable for you too. Stay tuned if you're interested, but if not that's completely cool too.

Finally (pat on the back if you've made it this far), if you're in the same position as me at the moment, no matter what stage of your life you are at, don't be afraid to 'use your and' . Life is too short to not do what we want with it. Live your life, don't just experience it. I know it's a scary and daunting thing but none of us are alone in this. I, along with many many other people I'm sure, have no idea what we're doing with our lives really, but isn't that the fun of it?

A sea of opportunities await you- embrace them.
Embrace every aspect of who you are.

Thanks for reading,

Kelly T x

Summer Haul

Hi guys! I thought I'd share with you some things I've picked up recently as we transition from spring to summer. There's a mix of home-ware, fashion and music; hope you enjoy!

H&M 

Marble Print Ceramic Plate

Marble Print Pine Candle

Copper Metal Bowl

My wishlist of stuff from H&M home is forever growing; their stuff is on point. I had to restrain myself when I came to make a purchase and just picked up a few items (although I could have easily got about 20 different things). I'm really impressed with H&M at the moment and am loving these marble and copper purchases.

Pull & Bear

Cactus Print Clutch

When I saw this clutch I just knew I had to have it, I mean come on...it's cactus print! I love the colours on this clutch and the pop of colour with the yellow. It's advertised as a clutch but I actually use this as a make-up bag and have been loving it! It's a perfect size to throw in your bag and find it fits just the right amount in. I can pack all my essentials easily. 

River Island

White Cold Shoulder Top

This was an impulse buy when I popped into River Island recently and I love it. It's a really flattering cut on and I find it's great to pair with both jeans and skirts, either dressed up or down; it's such a versatile piece. It's a great alternative to a basic white tee, with the lovely off the shoulder style and the low back detail. They have it in other colours too but I opted for the white, although I am tempted pick it up in the black as-well.

Topshop

MOTO Denim Mini Skirt

This denim skirt I picked up from Topshop recently has quickly become a wardrobe staple. It's so easy to style and goes well with a lot of other pieces I have. I'm really impressed with this skirt, it fits lovely and is flattering on. I've worn this both on a night out, to a fancy dinner and also to work.It's great for many occasions and I love that about it.

Monki

V-Neck Stripe Tee

Stripey. Check. Oversized. Check. This Monki tee is one of my favourite things I've picked up in a while. It's really well made, with lovely material that makes it hang nicely on the body. The slits up the side make it that extra bit floaty which I love.  I can see myself wearing this a hell-uv-a-lot this summer. I've been styling it up with ripped jeans and sunnies for that casual but chic look.

Talking Is Hard

Walk The Moon

Last but certainly not least I picked up this marvellous creation, physical copy and everything, which is finally out in the UK. I could go on about how much I love it for quite some time but I'll try and keep it short and sweet; just listen to it. It's such a feel good album that will make you want to dance. It's the album of the summer...the whole year for me, which is saying something. It's not often I find an album where I love each song equally, but here it is!

Thanks for reading

Kelly T x