Top tips for healthy hair.

Hair extensions are not something that I've ever considered before but now I've had my hair cut pretty short (see the photo in my sidebar!) it's something I would probably think about if I need a fancy hair do for an event. Pauls Hair World offer an amazing selection of gorgeous, European hair extensions so you're always likely to find a set that suits your hair type/colour. They've got everything from straight to curly to ombre/dip dye. They also have feather extensions! The good thing about extensions is you can get the length and style you want without having to damage your hair, that's what I love about the curly extensions.

Since having all of my dead ends cut off, I've vowed to spend more time looking after my hair so it doesn't end up in such bad condition again. There's nothing like having a head of healthy hair! To make sure my hair is kept at it's best, I like to use a number of deep conditioners once a week and I always make sure I use a heat protecting spray before I apply any heat to my locks. My favourite type of conditioner is anything involving coconut oil - as well as smelling gorgeous, it nourishes the hair really well, leaving it soft and shiny and in a fantastic condition. I also like to use a hair oil just before I blow dry and then again when my hair is dry, just to tame any frizz. All of the above products are some of my favourites, click here to shop online at Pauls Hair World.

Sponsored post

YSL Babydoll Mascara

Yves Saint Laurent Babydoll Mascara* - £24.50, available here

Mascara isn't really my thing, I'm more into lipsticks and blushers if I'm honest. My eyelashes are straight, short and don't really hold a curl so I usually just buy a cheap mascara (always under £10) and use an eyelash curler to help open up my eyes a bit more. However, when I was invited along to the launch of the new YSL mascara in Debenhams, I jumped at the chance to go as I love the brand and I was pleasantly surprised.

We were all gifted with a sample of the mascara which I didn't use for a couple of weeks but once I tried it, I was hooked. The rubber brush boasts a revolutionary mix of bristles, with both wide-set and finer ones to help you to create whichever look you want for your lashes. I know a lot of people aren't keen on rubber mascara brushes but YSL claim that this one is different. The formula is great, it's not overly wet but it's also not dry enough to clump your lashes on application like some mascaras do. I've found that I don't need to use an eyelash curler, I can just use this mascara on its own and I can still give my eyes good definition with a couple of coats. I've found that it really lengthens my eyelashes whilst also volumising them at the same time and it's also really buildable - I can apply three coats without it clumping!

The only con I've found with this mascara is that it smudges under my eyes after a few hours wear. Oh, and the price. Trust me to fall in love with a £24.50 mascara when I'm skint, I'm going to be really upset when this sample has ran out. 

Have you tried this mascara? What's your favourite mascara?

Superdrug Detoxifying Dead Sea Mineral Mask

Detoxifying Dead Sea Mineral Mask - 99p, available here

Once a week, I like to treat myself to a face mask as part of my skincare routine. I don't always stick to the same one but I do usually always choose one that's specifically for blemishes. This week I decided to pick up a mask from Superdrug's own range. Despite not being very pleased with the last one that I tried, I was really impressed with this one.

I picked up the Detoxifying Dead Sea Mineral Mask which is meant to deep cleanse the pores and leave your skin looking clearer and give you a more vibrant complexion. I chose this one as I'm currently suffering with a horrible break out on my chin which for once, I don't think is hormone related. My first impressions of this mask were a lot better than the one I tried before, the product is a lot thicker and spreads easily on the face without dripping off. It dries within a few minutes depending on how thinly you spread it and it also has a great scent of seaweed and lavender which is really calming. I left the mask on for 15 minutes and when I washed it off, my face was slightly red but there was no discomfort. The redness disappeared after a few minutes and I was left with a glowing complexion and although my spots haven't magically disappeared, the mask has really helped to soothe and reduce them. So far, I've managed to get two applications out of the packet which is amazing for such a cheap product.

Have you tried Superdrug's own range of masks? What do you think of them?

Introducing: Little Mistress at Littlewoods

I often spend most of my time online window shopping, but I tend to stick to the same brands. However, Little Mistress is a brand that I've only recently discovered but I really wanted to share a few pieces from their collection at Littlewoods with you because there really are some brilliant, affordable items.

How luxurious is this pyjama set? I love pyjamas with shorts instead of trousers and these pink silk style ones are gorgeous, they're perfect for the transition from summer in to autumn when it's still quite warm at night.

This coral dress is perfect for a night out with the girls,  I love the sequin and lace panel in the middle and you can glam it up with some silver bangles and wear some sky-high heels for a really eye-catching look. It would also look fantastic with some gladiator sandals for a daytime holiday look.

Little Mistress also have a great selection of underwear, from bras and briefs to basques. This gorgeous navy  lace basque is so flattering on any body shape and comes in a range of sizes. I love the lace detailing on the front.

This white lace long sleeved top is really versatile -  it looks great dressed with skinny jeans and heels for a coffee date or it could also be dressed up for the evening with some leather look trousers and platforms. It would also look fab tucked into a skater skirt with some pumps for a more casual daytime look.

What do you think about the pieces I've shared with you today? Have you bought anything from Little Mistress before?

This post was written in collaboration with Littlewoods

Birmingham International Food Fair 2013

If you're around Birmingham this bank holiday weekend, I really recommend you check out the International Food Fair. It's been on for a couple of weeks now and it's ending on Monday but it's really worth looking at. There's loads of different stalls around New Street, Victoria Square and Chamberlain Square, selling all kinds of food from all over the world. I bought some of the 'World's Best Macaroons' which were delicious and a red velvet cupcake but if I wasn't on a spending ban I would have got some squirrel sausages and a llama burger. My brother really recommends the zebra burgers too.

Have you been to the Food Fair this year?

It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live.

Personalised iPhone case - £3.99, available here

I'm pretty obsessed with finding the perfect iPhone case. I usually spend hours trawling ebay and Amazon looking through them,  but I'm also very fussy and change my mind a lot. When I came across this listing to have any image printed on an iPhone case for just £3.99, I knew I'd found the solution to my problem! It then only took me a couple of months to decide what image I wanted to choose. At first, I was going to have a photo of my cat or maybe hundreds of cats on it but I realised that everyone thinks I'm a crazy cat lady already, there's no need to have everything covered in cats. Eventually, I found an image on Tumblr and tampered with it a bit and added a quote from the great Dumbledore (it only took me a couple of hours to decide on a font) and hit the 'Buy It Now' button. Luckily, it only took a few days to arrive and I loved it straight away.

I love knowing that I'm the only one in the world with this iPhone case and I'll probably order another one as soon as I've decided what design I want on it. I think it's shocking how some companies can charge £10+ for an iPhone case when you can get whatever you want on one for under £4!

What do you think of my personalised iPhone case? What would you have on your own?

Autumn Evening Outfit Inspiration with New Look*

Black tunic dress - Strappy gladiator sandals - Charm bracelet

Neon green skater dress - Black and gold platforms - Gold geometric cuff

My birthday is coming up at the beginning of October and it's always at around this time each year when I start to look for an outfit to wear on the big day. I haven't got anything planned at the moment but I know whatever I do, I'll need to get myself a nice evening dress. All the ones I have at the moment are way too summery, so I need something for autumn/winter. 

New Look have a great selection of dresses to wear on a night out and they're so affordable too, so they're always my first port of call when I'm looking for an outfit for any occasion. I had a quick look at the website earlier and picked out two outfits that I thought would be appropriate for my birthday.

 I loved the pattern of the black tunic dress and I think it's perfect for dressing up or down during the colder months. It would be great for the day as well as night. The neon skater dress is the perfect shape for my figure, it's very flattering and the colour is also great for a night out as it's very bright and eye-catching. Both of these dresses would be great with a fitted black blazer over the top, which of course can be taken off as soon as you get inside. I've kept the accessories to a bare minimum with just a simple bracelet for each one and I've also completed the outfits with a pair of statement black heels. 

What do you think of the outfits I've chosen? What would you wear on a night out this autumn?

Hair Timeline

Age 14 - Age 15 - Age 16 - Age 16 - Age 17 - Age 18 - Age 18 - Age 19 - Age 23

I decided to do this post today because today at 3pm I'm getting a much needed hair cut. I've been growing my hair for six years from a boy cut (middle photo) which was a massive mistake and I thought I would never cut my hair again but recently it's been really getting on my nerves, so it's coming off!

As you can see, my hair has been all sorts of lengths over the years and a variety of colours. My natural colour is ginger (like the first photo) but I was blonde for a bit when I was 14-15 and then I've been dying it red since I was 16, apart from a brief period where it was almost black when I was 18. There's a bit of a jump between ages in the above collage because my hair has basically been some shade of red and long with a fringe since I was 18. I think my favourite hairstyle was when it was bright red and long and I had a side fringe in my second year of uni but all of those photos were on my old Facebook and I deleted it. At the moment, it's a dark red with ginger roots and blonde at the ends where I dip-dyed it back in April and the dye keeps washing away. It's also just past my boobs, with a centre parting and the ends are very damaged. How attractive do I sound right now? I can't wait to get the chop and I'll definitely be posting about my new hair do!

What was your worst hairstyle?

Spending Ban

Image source

I've always thought spending bans have been a silly idea as I'm terrible with money and just want to spend, spend, spend so I'd never be able to do it. However, my hours have been halved at work which means I'm going to be struggling to pay my bills and I'm also going away to Paris with Amy in October so I think it's time to stop spending and start saving.

This means that for the next 10 weeks, I'm not going to buy anything I don't need (and I think I have enough makeup to last me until at least next year!), no stop offs at Starbucks on the way to work or McDonalds on the way back and no bubble tea. The last thing I'm going to treat myself to is (a much needed) hair cut tomorrow.

As well as not spending money, I'm also going to be doing my best to make some. Today I took a few bags of clothes to a Cash 4 Clothes place and managed to get £13.50 for them, which has gone straight into my Paris fund. I've also got some things to list on eBay and I'll be doing a few sponsored posts over the next couple of weeks. I had a quick look at this post I wrote back in February about how to make some extra money and I thought I'd check my YouGov account and I actually have enough points to redeem £50 and almost enough for another £50 so it's well worth signing up for. I think I'll probably be able to reach the next £50 by the time I go to Paris. Click here if you want to join too!

Have you ever been on a spending ban? What are your top tips for making money?

Topshop Lip Tint in Crystal

Topshop Lip Tint in Crystal - £9, available here

I don't own much from the Topshop cosmetics range but whenever I'm in the Bullring, I always have to spend ten minutes or so swatching the lipsticks and blushers and marvelling over all the different shades of nail polish that they have on offer. I originally saw this lip tint when it was released as part of the 'Sisters Of The New Moon' collection a couple of years ago but I missed out on it. When I saw it had been re-released, I didn't need to think twice, I just bought it. 

Crystal is more of a lip balm than a lipstick although it's packaged in the same way as the usual lipstick - in a white tube adorned with abstract doodles. Not as sleek as say,the packaging a MAC lipstick but they're certainly unique and stand out from the rest of my collection. In the bullet, it's bright pink and very glittery but this product contains a pH reactive pigment which means that it changes colour upon application to your lips, depending on your pH balance and everyone gets a unique shade of pink. On me, this is quite a bright pink but still subtle enough to wear in professional situations, it's not too in your face. I've found that a bit of the glitter transfers to the lips and it can feel a bit gritty, but it's not really a problem if you like a bit of glitter. It smells delicious, like sherbet and it leaves a nice stain behind when it starts to wear off after a couple of hours. 

I haven't worn this much as I think £9 is a lot to pay for what is basically a balm and I don't want to use it up too quickly, but I just couldn't resist buying it, it looks so gorgeous. I couldn't stop showing everyone when I bought it because IT'S SO GLITTERY! 

Have you tried this lip tint? What did you think of it?

A/W Outfit from John Lewis and White Stuff

Grey top - Raspberry jeans - Dark grey coat - Black Cambridge boots - Aspinal of London satchel 

I know I keep harping on about it, but I'm so excited for autumn! I'm just hoping August hurries up and disappears because I've got so much to look forward to in September and October. As well as my birthday and a trip to Paris, there's also a number of exciting events including the John Lewis press day which I can't wait to attend!

 As I'm so excited, I've been looking on the John Lewis website for some inspiration and I've put together an outfit for the coming seasons. The colder months are all about layering and keeping warm, so I've gone for brightly coloured jeans (dull weather doesn't mean dull clothing!), a simple grey top and a warm double-breasted grey coat which is both smart and practical. All three of these are from the White Stuff concession and are available both in store and online. I've completed the look with this gorgeous pair of leather Cambridge style boots and an Aspinal of London satchel (well, a girl can dream!) which I was recently admiring in the Oxford Street store. I love tan satchels, I think they go well with any outfit.

What do you think of this outfit? Is it something that you'd wear?

Sponsored post

Acrylic lipstick storage for under £3!

Acrylic lipstick storage - £2.98, available here

Ever since I started buying a lot of lipsticks about two or three years ago, I've struggled with a way to store them. They used to live in an old Glossybox but I've now got so many pretty ones that I decided I wanted them out on display for everyone to see. I'd seen a lot of other bloggers using Muji and other types of acrylic storage but I can't really afford to spend £20 on a bit of plastic to house my lipsticks so they carried on living in their battered old Glossybox.

That was until I decided to do an eBay search and I found these acrylic lipstick holders for under £3! I featured them in one of my eBay wishlists and a lot of you told me that you'd also bought them as well. They took around a month to turn up but I didn't mind waiting.. you can't really complain at that price, can you? They turned up in one piece as well which I was pleased about as the Royal Mail isn't exactly careful with packages.

Most of my lipsticks fit in this holder, including MAC, Illamasqua, Chanel, YSL and Revlon but there are a couple of brands that are too big, such as Burberry and Yves Rocher and have had to go in a separate acrylic organiser.  I soon filled up all 24 sections and now I'm thinking about ordering another one as they're fantastic quality for the price and look great on display in my room.

How do you store your lipsticks? Will you be getting one of these bargains now?

Autumn Shoe Wishlist

Tan leather chelsea boots - Black studded cowboy boots - Burgundy ankle strap pumps - Tan leather brogues - Tapestry slippers - Burgundy plimsolls

To me, autumn is all about browns and the colours of fallen leaves. It's my favourite time of year and I always look forward to layering up with chunky cardigans, scarves and a winter coat and getting my favourite boots out for another season. This year my winter shoe collection needs a serious overhaul as it's been a few years since I've really splashed out on footwear. I've put together an autumn footwear wishlist to show you a few of the pairs I'm lusting over at the moment.

New Look is always the first place I look when I'm after shoes as they always have such a wide variety at great prices and they're always great quality too! Real leather brogues for £24.99? You can't argue with that! I also love that I was blessed with small feet so I can fit into the teens shoes as well because they have a fantastic selection of plimsolls.

There's a bit of a theme going on here with the tan leather, boots and the gorgeous oxblood shade. I think my favourite pair is the tapestry slippers though. They'll be perfect with a pair of skinny jeans before the weather gets too cold to go without socks.

What are you going to be wearing on your feet this coming autumn?

Sponsored post

1D Lip Polish in 'Liam Loves Blueberry'

1D Lip Polish in Liam Loves Blueberry - £2.50, available here

Before I start this review, I just want to make it clear that I DON'T LIKE ONE DIRECTION. At all. Not one tiny bit. In fact, I loathe them after one of my housemates in my third year of uni had them on repeat for the whole year. So, I was a bit hesitant to buy this product but after seeing Sara's review I knew I wanted it. It didn't help that she came into Superdrug with me and was badgering me to buy it. THANKS FOR MAKING ME LOOK LIKE I LIKE ONE DIRECTION, SARA!

The product I picked up is one of the Lip Polishes in 'Liam Loves Blueberry'. Well, I have no idea which one Liam is. He could be the ugly one for all I know, but one of my best pals is called Liam and he likes blueberries so I'm just going to pretend that this was made for him and not the minging one from that boy band. The packaging and the product itself reminds me of Sleek's Pout Polishes which I know are very popular in the blogging world apart from this one has cringey One Direction logos all around the edge.

I was expecting this to smell like blueberries (y'know, with it being called 'Liam Loves Blueberry') but it actually smells like grape which I think is better than blueberry to be honest. There isn't much of a taste to it, but it's not really for eating anyway - if a lip product tastes too good I just end up licking it off and therefore using more of it. The consistency is like a thick lip balm, much like the Sleek Pout Polishes that I mentioned before and it gives a sheer wash of colour on the lips which lasts a good couple of hours as long as you don't eat or drink, much like a normal lip balm. It is purple but it's also very subtle so you can get away with wearing it for work. The colour is buildable, you can use less for a more sheer look and more if you want a deeper purple colour.

I'm ashamed to say that although I've moaned about buying a One Direction endorsed product, it is really good and think I love it. I can see myself using it a lot and I might even have to buy a back up pot, just in case it's limited edition.  I've heard a lot of great things about the lipsticks in the collection too but there isn't a colour that really stands out to me, otherwise I'd probably buy one of them as well.

Have you tried anything from the One Direction collection? Are you a lover or a hater?

Ebay Wishlist #25 - the cat edition?

Cat face dress - Cat dress with sheer panel - Cat shoulder bag - Forest green skater skirt - Chambray denim skater skirt

This week's eBay wishlist has accidentally turned into the cat edition. Oops. It's no secret that I love cats and I know that a lot of other bloggers do too so I'm sure there won't be any complaints!

First of all I found this screaming cat dress (okay, it might be yawning or just meowing but I like to think it's angry!) which is similar to one I saw in H&M, only a lot cheaper! I think this would be great for the autumn with a leather jacket over the top and worn with black boots. Kind of a grunge crazy cat lady look.

 Then there's the coral cat dress with a sheer panel which I thought was lovely and cute even though you don't tend to get coral cats but it's so pretty and I think it's quite subtle for a cat dress. It's not as obvious as the black one and would be good for a night out.

I've mentioned this print before and I actually have a big weekend bag in it, but this is the first time I've seen a slouchy shoulder bag. Do I really need another cat bag though?

As autumn is approaching I'm starting to think about the colours I'm going to be wearing. Forest green is probably my favourite colour ever so this skater skirt would be a welcome addition to my wardrobe. I already wear my forest green skater dress to death in the colder months so I would definitely get a lot of use out of the skirt version!

Finally, another skirt I found is this Fenchurch chambray denim skater skirt. I wouldn't usually look at Fenchurch products but this one caught my eye as I think it would be very versatile and you could pair it with a lot of different pieces for both day and night.

What have you been loving on eBay at the moment?

LUSH Bubblegum Lip Scrub

 Bubblegum lip scrub - £5.25, available here

The lip scrubs are one of the things that I've never tried from Lush, despite having been buying their products for over seven years now. I have seen many other bloggers raving about them though, so when my lips suddenly went dry and flaky (yum!) due to a change in weather recently, I decided I'd pick up a pot and see what all the fuss was about.

"Our lip scrubs are made from castor sugar to act as a gentle scrub and jojoba oil to be wonderfully moisturising but light enough not to leave you feeling greasy."

There's currently three different flavours to choose from, but I decided to go for Bubblegum because as well as being a bright pink, it also smells just like one of my favourite Lush products, Snow Fairy! You get 25g of product, which may not seem like a lot but a little goes a long way. I've been using this every time I wear a matte lipstick to ensure that my lips are smooth and I get a good application and I've barely made a dent in the pot. It's super easy to use, you just scoop some of the product out onto a finger tip, rub into your lips and lick it off - it tastes delicious!

As well as smelling (and tasting) amazing, I find that the Bubblegum lip scrub really does live up to the expectations. It helps to exfoliate my lips and get rid of any flaky bits as well as moisturising them slightly, leaving a great base for lipstick. Once I've got through this pot, I'll definitely be repurchasing another one.

What do you think of Lush lip scrubs?

Tag: Confessions of a Blogger

Image c/o Heidi. 

I first saw this tag on Michelle's blog a couple of months ago and thought I'd join in too as it seemed like a good idea. 

When did you start your blog?

I first started Strangeness & Charm in late December 2010, in between Christmas and New Year. 

Have you had any other online presences?

Since we first got the internet when I was 11, I've been a part of many different online communities. It started off with the message boards over at Ty.com (yes, the beanie babies website) which I was a part of for a year or so. I then made my first website when I was around 12 which was called 'Hedwig1' and it was all about beanie babies, Harry Potter and Winnie the Pooh. I made several different websites on Homestead and Geocities around this time. I then discovered GirLand which I was on for a couple of years until I discovered LiveJournal (which I'm still a part of now) and a couple of other message boards.. was anyone else a member of Nova, fu.CK or any of those other message boards? I also had a couple of domain names when I was around 14-15, one of them (too-late.org) was a personal blog and the other one (showbiz-online.org) was a Muse fansite which was pretty popular.

Why did you start a blog?

I was at home during the Christmas holidays and I'd been pretty ill with flu so I didn't have the energy to do much. I'd been reading a few blogs for a while and had been thinking about starting my own up, so I thought there was no better time than when I was stuck at home with nothing to do! It took me a while to come up with a name and a layout that I was pleased with but I had my blog up and running with its first follower a day or so after I decided to start it!

When did you become serious about starting a blog?

I don't think I take blogging too seriously, it's only a hobby really and the fact that I make a bit of money from it is just a bonus. I first got involved with meet ups and socialising with other bloggers when I went along to the first BrumBloggerMeet in July 2011, 7 months after I first started blogging. Since then, I've been to loads of different blogging events and meet ups, I've even organised a couple of my own!

What was your first post?

My first post was a bit of an introduction and a wishlist all at once. You can see it here. 

What has been your biggest challenge about blogging?

Sticking with it while I was at uni was quite challenging, especially during my third year when I had a lot of work to do. Apart from that, I don't really find it very challenging. I really enjoy it and if I didn't, then I wouldn't be doing it!

Where do you see your blog in one year?

I'd like to get a bit more of a 'blogging schedule' on the go as my posts are a bit sporadic at the moment, but apart from that I'm quite content with how my blog is right now. I'd like to make more of an effort to attend events in different parts of the country as well. 

What is the most discouraging thing that has happened to you?

I can't think of anything to be honest, even getting my own thread on Guru Gossip hasn't discouraged me at all. It did take me a while to gain my first few followers but that didn't really bother me, I just carried on blogging to the small number that I had. 

What's your lasting inspiration/motivation?

Other blogs and bloggers. I'm also motivated by the opportunities that I get from blogging, I never thought that I'd get to do so many exciting things when I first started. 

Let me know if you do this tag too! 

YSL Golden Gloss in shade 47 White Gold Topaz

YSL Golden Gloss in shade 47 White Gold Topaz* - £22, available here

There's something about YSL which makes it feel a lot more luxurious than other high end cosmetic brands. I think it must be the gorgeous gold packaging as well as the high quality of the product itself. Everything from the mascaras to the lipsticks comes in a beautiful gold tube which looks great on any dressing table amongst the boring black packaging of MAC and Chanel.

I'm not normally a lipgloss or glitter fan, however I was pleasantly surprised when I received this YSL Golden Gloss in shade 47 at an event recently. As you probably know, I'm really into purple lip products at the moment although I usually tend to stick to lipsticks and stains. This gloss works great on its own but it's also great for using over other products such as Illamasqua's Kontrol and ESP lipsticks when I want to brighten my look up a bit and make everything a bit more girly. It's not sticky at all and lasts a lot longer than other lipglosses that I've tried in the past, only needing a top up after a couple of hours, plus it's such a gorgeous, unique colour - perfect for the summer! Its very glittery though so it's probably not best for work.

Have you  tried a YSL lipgloss?

I was lost standing in the wilderness downtown

Denim jacket: Primark

Dress: eBay

Heart sticker covering up cat turd: c/o Photobucket

There's a right bloody story behind this dress.. I originally bought it from New Look in my second year of uni but it got stolen from my radiator after I'd worn it once along with a load of my other belongings. A few months later, I tracked down another one in the sale and wore it a couple of times before the washing machine ate one of the arms about 18 months ago. I'd been trying to find another one since then and I managed to get this off eBay for about £4 but it's a size too big for me so I have to belt it and the arms are a bit too baggy. Oh well, it just means I'm allowed to eat a lot of junk food until the dress fits properly.

This is what I wore today to go into Lichfield and have coffee, cocktails and lunch with my two friends Alex and Amy. We don't see each other often as Alex lives in Winchester, so it was lovely to have a catch up. It's also my little brother's 22nd birthday today and he's currently got a million friends round and he's having a barbecue and I'm meant to be making sure there isn't too much mess afterwards as my parents are on a cruise at the moment. I can see myself doing a lot of cleaning up tomorrow!

Sorry the photos aren't very good but I've really missed doing outfit posts. It's hard to get decent photos now I don't have white walls and a boyfriend to take them for me. I'm going to have to get my DSLR fixed soon and buy a tripod I think!

Ebay Wishlist #24

Owl iPhone case - Ankh ring - Tan brogues - Silver above knuckle rings - Yankee Candle car jar - Nefertiti hoop earrings

I'm still on the hunt for the perfect phone case. I thought I'd found it when I bough this Van Gogh one but it faded really bad after 4 months of continuous use. This owl one is so pretty and is a complete bargain at 99p! I love the little floral chest on it and the patchwork style wing. So cute.

I already have an ankh ring that I wear everyday but I stumbled across this one recently and I really feel like I need this one too. The one I currently have is also silver but the ankh is facing the other way (like this) and I also really like the style of this one. I'm a geek and I'd probably wear both together with one of my ankh tshirts, my ankh scarf and my ankh necklace.. ahem..

I'm so looking forward to the autumn and I want a nice pair of brown shoes that will go with everything. These brogues are perfect as they can be worn casually but they will also help to smarten up an outfit. I wear my black ones a lot so tan would make a nice change!

Above knuckle rings are everywhere at the moment but I love the simplicity of these plain silver bands. They also come in gold too! I might have to get both colours, at that price you can't say no!

I don't have my own car but I love the Yankee Candle car jars. I always tend to buy them for other people if I know I'm going to be in their car a lot and they're also great for scenting a room too. They're not too overpowering and last a lot longer than a tart or candle would.

Finally, I found these gorgeous blingy Nefertiti earrings.. Okay, I think I'm probably the only person that will actually appreciate these (although maybe Lauren will too?) but I think they're so tacky that they're brilliant and I would definitely wear them. Somebody just give me a job in the British Museum already!

I've got a few high end items on eBay that are ending in a couple of hours including Clarins and YSL and they all started off at 99p! Please take a look.

Mistaken for Strangers

Denim Dress - New Look (Kids' section), similar here

Jumper* - UNIQLO, available here

Socks - Primark

Shoes - Primark

This denim dress is probably my most worn item of clothing this year. I bought it from New Look on Christmas Eve last year and I've been wearing it with tights, heeled boots and a cardigan in the colder months and with bare legs and pumps now it's so hot. It's so casual and easy to wear but can also be dressed up fairly easily for a night out too. I love how it's slightly longer at the back too, so I can get away with not wearing tights without having to worry about flashing my bum to everyone. I also tend to wear a pair of lace cycle shorts underneath too which I bought off ebay for only 99p (similar here).

When I was told to choose anything off the UNIQLO website last week, I decided to get this floral merino wool jumper as although it's boiling outside right now, we all know it's not going to last! It's 100% wool, so it's extremely soft and lightweight. I threw it over this denim dress today as it started to get a bit chillier. I adore the pattern on it and I think it will be great in the winter with jeans and a shirt collar peeping over the top. Personally, I'm really looking forward to the Autumn, I can't wait to start layering again!

MoneySupermarket's Budget Bucket List Competition

My good friend Amy alerted me to the most recent Money Supermarket blogger competition and I couldn't resist entering, even though today is the last day for entries! Money Supermarket want to know what is on our 'bucket lists' and what it is that is preventing us from doing them. Like most people, I have a whole list of things that I want to do but can't because I'm not a millionaire (yet!) so I've picked just a couple to share with you.

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Budget
First of all, there's the budget option. If I won £50, I would spend it on.. coach tickets. Thanks to going to uni so far away from home, I now have loads of friends all over the country but most of them are located down south in the Reading/London/Hampshire areas. I left Winchester over a year ago and I haven't seen many of my best friends for even longer than that as I was one of the last to leave. As I've been struggling to get a full time job, I haven't been able to travel to see anyone and a lot of them have been in the same boat as me. I've had a pretty terrible year and it would make it a lot better if I could see my favourite girls! I'd love to be able to travel down south for a few days and visit Izzy, Jade, Selina, Katie, Lily and Hera and have a couple of girly nights in with takeaways and a gossip.

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Extravagant
The extravagant option is something that I think I will never be able to do unless I win the lottery or marry a rich old man unfortunately. If I had £1000, the first thing I would do is fix my DSLR which would cost around £150 and then I would take my camera and the rest of the money and go travelling around Europe for a couple of weeks. I would love a nice adventure after the crappy year I've had and I love travelling on my own. I'm not sure if I'd just stick to a couple of countries or try to do a few but the cities I'd really love to visit someday are:
- Paris, France (I've already been but I love it!)
- Lille, France (again, I've already been but I spent less than 24 hours there so I'd love a proper chance to explore)
- Limoges, France (I spent two weeks here on a French exchange and I'd love to go back and visit my host family for the day)
- Barcelona, Spain
- Madrid, Spain
- Ypres, Belgium (I've already been here but I'd love to visit again and spend more time in the museum)
- Brussels, Belgium
- Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Rome, Italy
- Pompeii, Italy

So.. as you can see I have quite a long list of places I want to visit and £1000 would really help me to cross a few of them off my list.

I tag:
Sara from Pretty in Pink
Chloe from Unwritten Hollywood
Clare from A Bit Of This and That