OOTD: Date Night

This week my usual 7pm Friday conference call (love working across time zones!) was rescheduled so the hubby and I celebrated my unexpected evening freedom with a long overdue date night!

Dress: Roland Mouret for Banana Republic

Shoes: Christian Louboutin

Home Improvements: Making a House a Home!

Over the last year I have updated our home to make it a little more modern and a lot more reflective of my current tastes. After five years I felt like my living room definitely needed an upgrade!

Here is a little before photo (taken on the night hubby proposed, but it gives a good feel of the room - very brown and a lot of leather).

 And the after...

The first thing I decided to change was the colour scheme and feel of the room. I have become obsessed with grey furnishings and wanted to balance out the muted grey tones with warm blush pinks and a touch of cream.

 

I purchased two Chesterfield sofas in a rich grey and added a little texture and colour contrast with velvet cushions and a grey faux fur throw. I kept the rest of the furnishings, including the side tables and coffee table, in ivory.

I also added an ivory sideboard that worked perfectly with our new Vera Wang photo frame, cacti and the bonbon holders that we had left over from the dessert table at our wedding.

The last part was our dining table and chairs. Both were purchased from Made.com.

I love the lacquer table as it not only looks simple, modern and stylish, but is also extendable and super easy to clean.

For the table settings I used our old plain black glass settings and covered them in marble contact paper to make grey marble placemats and coasters. The napkin and napkin rings were purchased from Zara Home.

Let me know what you guys think! The photos aren't quite Instagram worthy, but I have really enjoyed researching and putting different pieces together!

Review: Freddy WR.UP

Since I started my fitness journey I have tried to keep myself motivated by following a bunch of gorgeous gym bunnies on Instagram. Since then my feed has been full of so many new activewear brands and Freddy has popped up many times. Their jeans and leggings are so different to anything I have seen as they really accentuate curves.

After working hard in the gym to build any sort of behind (I naturally have very little in that area) I thought that it wouldn't hurt to see how they would fit. So a few months ago I decided to treat myself and popped into their King's Road store to purchase my first pair of Freddy trousers. It was difficult to choose, but I decided to go for the most practical black pair WR.UP Shaping Effect Low Waist Skinny (£62).

As soon as I put them on and tentatively emerged from the changing room, feeling a little self conscious as they were so tight, my husband's eyes lit up and he practically ran to the checkout counter. When he suggested we actually go and purchase another pair I knew they must be something special... he has never (and I mean ever) suggested I buy any more clothes! 

 

(This is the same style but obviously not my bum.. I wish!)

Although they look more like trousers (with a front zip and pockets) they are completely opaque and very figure hugging so feel more like leggings with their 78% cotton/ 22% elastam mix. The special Freddy cut really does lift and pull you in in all the right places, but for me the best part is just how comfortable these are. Unlike other leggings or skinny jeans the Freddy bottoms have a strip if silicon inside the belt that helps to adhere so they never slip and give you that dreaded 'builder's bum'. As I have round hips most other trousers are cut straight so tend to dig in and give me love handles or gape at the back when I sit down, while the Freddy trousers just move with you! Plus a little extra shaping in the back never hurt anyone!

If this isn't enough motivation to do my squats then I don't know what is...

Have you tried Freddy WR.UP? I am excited to try some of their workout clothes and jeans in future!

OOTD: Easter

 

 Dress: Whistles (on sale on Asos)

Shoes: Melissa

Bag: Chanel

Hair: curled in small sections using the Babyliss Curling Wand Pro

I hope you are all having a wonderful Easter break!

Review: REN Keep Young and Beautiful Firm and Lift Eye Cream

It's somewhat ironic that all through last year I was on the quest for the perfect eye cream and at the beginning of this year I accidentally stumbled on to REN's ideal offering. Being on the wrong side of 25 I have noticed some fine lines forming around my eyes and wanted a cream that would help hydration, improve dark circles, tone and prevent formation of further lines (so not asking much). I have struggled to find a formulation that was suitable as the heavier creams were oily and gave me milia and the lighter gels left the area dehydrated.

I picked this cream up on a whim when shopping in SpaceNK as I have really enjoyed many of REN's products in the past. REN's Keep Young and Beautiful Firm and Lift Eye Cream promises to be an ultra lifting, firming and replenishing eye cream that dramatically reduces the appearance of wrinkles, crow’s feet and deep expression lines around the delicate eye area. It is moisturising without being heavy and still feels very light on the skin while giving deep hydration. Just one pump is enough for both eyes and I have found that the 15ml tube has already lasted me 3 months - so a little definitely goes a long way. The only negative is it's difficult to tell how much product is left in the packaging... I'm hoping there's a little more before I have to repurchase!

The REN Keep Young and Beautiful Firm and Lift Eye Cream is £28 from the REN website or SpaceNK.