OOTD: Meeting Christian Louboutin

A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of attending a lecture by the fabulous Christian Louboutin as part of the Vogue festival. Christian is an amazing character with real vivacity and passion for life. He is incredibly charming, inspiring and his energy is just infectious! I would definitely recommend meeting him or attending any of his talks if you get the opportunity to do so as he is just wonderful and gave me all the more reason (as if I needed any more) to love the brand that he built through his talent and hard work.

Since my Saturday mornings are usually spent at the gym this was a rare chance for me to dress up so I decided to try something a little different! A little nod to the festival theme, despite being set in central London in the rain...

I paired a heavily beaded sheer tunic/ dress from Karen Millen (worn with a slip underneath) with some grey suede boots from Russell & Bromley. Sadly I couldn't wear any of my Louboutins as it was raining and I just couldn't bear to ruin any of my precious pairs! As beautiful as they are they do need a lot care!

I have had these R&B boots for years and honestly they are the most comfortable pair I have ever owned. Despite being suede they have lasted really well. I was running about in these from 10am till late, which I very rarely do in heels! I am currently lusting after their over the knee version as they have a very similar structure and look absolutely amazing! I need to start saving!

KM Polished Workwear Edit

The last look in my Karen Millen accessory edit is Polished Workwear.

Although the length of this skirt wouldn't be wholly appropriate for my office I absolutely adore this monochrome look! I decided to keep it simple and stylish by adding black accessories in a range of textures. The waist belt combines black pony hair and leather, while the bag has a gorgeous patent finish to contrast the muted suede of the simple black court heels.

If this look is not quite glitzy enough for you there is still time to enter the @KarenMillen competition to win my edit of accessories for the after dark look here.

Good luck my lovelies! xxx

*Sponsored post*

Karen Millen Off Duty Luxe edit

The second of my Karen Millen edits is a much more casual look called Off Duty Luxe!

I chose to accessorise this look with some amazing over the knee suede boots and a long necklace to add a little glamour to a very relaxed ensemble.

If you haven't entered the competition to win my choice of luxe accessories or a @KarenMillen £100 gift voucher you can still go ahead and enter here! Good luck lovelies! xxx

*Sponsored Post*

Win Karen Millen After Dark Elegance Accessories!

Something very exciting begins today! I have partnered with Karen Millen to accessorize their autumn collection and to give you all the chance to win my selection of accessories for their After Dark Elegance look.

The After Dark Look features the Ultimate Prom Dress (£140). I absolutely love the vibrant blue and the fifties style flare fit. I paired this dress with some fun and festive accessories to give it a more modern edge and create some contrast.

To be in with the chance of winning the first prize of an edit of coveted accessories from my After Dark Elegance look, or the second prize of a £100 Karen Millen gift card, simply enter here. For more news and competitions you can also follow Karen Millen on twitter @KarenMillen.

Check back later in the week to see the final photos of my accessories for off-duty luxe and polished workwear. I would love for you to let me know what you think of my choices!

*This is a sponsored post.*

KM by Karen Millen Capsule Collection

You all know how much I adore Karen Millen, not only for occasion wear, but also well structured and flattering work dresses. I have a number of their shoes in my closet, but have never embarked on purchasing their other accessories, though they always catch my eye. I was therefore excited to see that they have launched a new capsule collection KM by Karen Millen.

This is a cute mini-collection that offers affordable luxury accessories including tote bags, purses and even ballet flats.

The classic totes retail at £99 while the small totes are £65. 

 This durable metallic effect leather purse is £40.

My top pick of the collection is definitely these cute ballet flats (£85) that will go with everything!

KM are running a competition on the Karen Millen website where one lucky winner will be able to own the entire collection. I'm keeping my (selfish) fingers crossed! xxx

*Sponsored Post*

Work It Out: Karen Millen Colourblock

My love for Karen Millen dresses is one of my worst kept secrets, but I had never really considered their knitwear! I recently picked up this super cute Karen Millen Colourblock dress on sale in Selfridges. The lovely girl working on the counter actually recognised me, which pretty much sealed the purchase lol.

Despite being form fitting this dress is super soft and comfortable. I actually purchased it in a size up as I wanted to wear it for work and was worried that it was a little short. Luckily, it's very stretchy so you can pretty much adjust it to the length you need!

Unfortunately it is no longer featured on the KM website, but I did find it on sale for £85 here (I have never purchased from this website, so I have no idea how reliable it is).

Dinner Date

 Last weekend the bf and I indulged in a lovely meal at one of our favourite London restaurants - Cafe des Amis in Covent Garden. They have a great deal on OpenTable, so if you are a foodie it's definitely worth checking it out!

I wore a dress from Karen Millen and shoes from Carvella.

I rarely take the time to blow dry my hair as there's so much of it, but since this was a special occasion I took my time in styling it with the Babyliss Big Hair. It's so much easier to use than a regular brush and a hairdryer, and is fantastic for adding volume and movement.

Makeup wise I kept it pretty neutral since my dress was such a vibrant sapphire. For foundation I chose the NARS sheer glow topped off with MAC well dressed blush and NARS laguna bronzer. I used a gold BarryM dazzle dust all over the lid and smudged Urban Decay's 24/7 liner in zero to create a smokey cat eye. I finished the look off with false lashes from buyeyelashes.co.uk.

What are your favourite restaurants in London? I'm always on the look out for new places to visit!

Gifts for You

In the third and final installment of my gift guide we come to Gifts for You! You have worked hard, you deserve a treat too ;). Plus you can't be sure that your mother/ friend/ other half has read my 'gifts for her' post so they may not get you what you really need... ;).

Xen-Tan Dark Tanning Lotion Trio (Special offer trio - £28.94) - Preparation is key, so when it comes to looking good for that Christmas party you may need a night to yourself. Having recently tried Xen Tan for the first time I am still very much excited about it. I really enjoyed the scent of the lotion, which reminded me of marzipan. Even though the notorious 'fake tan smell' was still noticeable in the morning (I always slather it on before bed), at least the application in my tiny bathroom was pleasant. The body scrub in this trio also works well for a gentle all over exfoliation, but as my winter skin is currently a little dry I used a harsher scrub on some areas, such as the knees and elbows, to achieve a smoother application. The tan itself developed beautifully over night to a natural, albeit deep tan and the mitt provided ensured it was even and streak free.

ELF Party Eyeshadow Palette (£3.50) - With 6 gorgeous colours this palette is perfect for creating a beautiful wintry eye look. As I was kindly sent this for review a few weeks ago I can assure you that the shadows are pigmented and blendable. I especially like the sparkly black to add a little bit of definition and glitter!

Soap & Glory Pink Tote Bag (Originally £60, currently £25!) - When I spotted this bag full of goodies on the Boots website I knew it had to be mine! The re-usable pink bag contains:

• Clean On Me Creamy Clarifying Shower Gel (500ml)
• The Righteous Butter Body Butter (300ml)
• Flake Away Body Scrub (300ml)
• Girligo Scented Body Moisturising Mist (100ml)
• Glad Hair Day Ultra-Shine Super-Shampoo (250ml)
• The Breakfast Scrub Body Smoother (300ml)
• Hand Food Hydrating Hand Cream (125ml)
• Scrub Your Nose In It Face Scrub And Mask (125ml)
• Super Colour Sexy Mother Pucker Lip Gloss in ‘Pink Apricot,’ (7ml)
• Off Your Face Cleansing Wipes (25 wipes)
• Giant Super Sudsy Shower Puff

This is probably the best offer of 2010 ladies, so hurry as I'm sure supplies won't last long ;).

Rapid Lash Serum (£39.99) - Want longer lashes come March without breaking the bank? I have already reviewed Rapidlash (read the review here) and this stuff works! The results are not as dramatic as other lash growth serums such as Lilash, but neither is the price. One tube lasts 3-4 months of daily use along the lashline and you will usually start to see results after 4 weeks.

Eyelure Lashes (£4.35) - In the meantime why not stick to false lashes? No party makeup is complete without them and if taken care of they will last you the whole season! My favourites are the Nicola lashes as they are full and wispy, without being too long and spidery, and have a sexy flick on the side, which will elongate and lift any eye shape!

Karen Millen Statement Spotted Dress (On Sale £89.95, down from £180) Why not skip the LBD this year and treat yourself to a statement dress with style? Luckily many stores are having pre-Christmas sales, so you can easily pick up a stunning new dress for that special party at half the price!

Karen Millen Frayed Silk Dress (On Sale for £175, down from £250).

 Miss Selfridge Nude Beaded Shift Dress (£150).

Aqua Victory Mini Dress (£100)

ASOS Black One Shoulder Organza Tape Dress (On Sale for £60, down from £85).

French Connection Pretty Penelope Dress (On Sale £110, down from £140).

Bare Escentuals SPF 15 Matte Foundation (£20.40) - Now that you have your dress and tan sorted, all you need is the perfect base to last the night. I have been testing out the latest foundation from Bare Escentuals and have to say that it is fantastic. The new click and lock sifter makes application on the go neat and simple, taking the worry out of mineral makeup. The foundation itself blends into the skin beautifully when used with a little kabuki. It has great coverage, yet looks natural and works hard to absorb excess oil and keep you looking matte and polished. A little goes a long way, so be careful not to apply this too liberally, especially as the SPF15 can create a white cast in some photos.

I hope this three part series has given you some ideas and that you have enough time to treat yourselves this Christmas my lovelies! What will you be purchasing in the last few days in the run up to Christmas? xxx

Saturday's OOTD

I am so sorry my lovelies that I have been slacking on the blogging front lately!! I have just been so busy sorting out prizes and watching all your fabulous contest entries for my 10,000 sub competition on YouTube. You have all amazed me and I am so happy so many of you have entered, but there is still plenty of time to make your entries if you are interested :) it ends on Wednesday 22nd July at 12 midnight GMT.

Now back to our regular broadcasting ;). On Saturday night my darling boyfriend took me out for a fantastic dinner at one of my favourite London restaurants- L'etranger. Normally this would be saved for a very very special occasion as it is pricey, but luckily Toptable have an offer at the moment for 50% off food, so we were able to indulge without breaking the piggy bank :).

As you all know I take any chance I am given to dress up!! So I put my hair up in rollers to give it volume and bounce (the bigger the hair, the smaller the waist) and wore a standard silver and black smokey eye.

Products used:

Face: MUFE HD, MAC MSF natural, NARS laguna bronzer, elf mineral blush, auburn brow powder.

Eyes: UDPP, silver from chanel quad, MAC carbon e/s, blacktrack fluidline, covergirl lashblast, Ardell demi lashes.

Lips: GOSH darling l/s.

I then let my bf chose my dress, and like a little magpie he decided on my most sparkly number from Karen Millen. I paired it with my new Carvella shoes, which I absolutely adore.
I would never normally wear such a short and sparkly dress as I feel it looks somewhat 'overdone', even for me. However, I love the long sweeping sleeves, the drape in the back (just seen) and the fact that my decolletage is not exposed, so I don't feel too uncomfortable showing some leg as the rest of me is covered up.


Do you guys ever let the magpie in you out?
xxx