Monday 30 June 2014

Men's Style: 7 Things Men Think Women Like

Since the beginning of time, men have struggled to understand women. But as the years roll by, it seems that men are still nothing short of mind boggled by women and their needs. It’s not that they don’t try though, bless them. We know they do try to keep us happy.

Here’s a list of top things men think that women like; whether we like them or not is, er-  ambiguous to say the least.

1) Skinny Jeans- Without sounding utterly offensive guys, skinny jeans make a lot of you look ridiculous. They subtract any ounce of masculinity you have, simply because they make you look small and weedy. The worst turn off about this though is that most of the skinny jeans men wear are actually women’s jeans. I mean, what on earth is the deal with that and since when did society accept or condone the act of men dressing in women’s clothes on an average, serious day? Also, aren’t they uncomfortable for er- obvious reasons? Don’t put yourselves through that, it’s not benefiting anyone, honestly!

2) Too much jewellery- Fellas, if you have heavy gold rings on every finger, chains around your neck and hoops or diamonds in your ears, I’m afraid we’re going to take one look at you and walk the other way. This look is strictly for mafia bosses and hip-hop legends and shouldn’t even be considered by the average, ordinary man. If you insist on wearing jewellery though, keep it tasteful, keep it subtle and stay away from the gaudy, ostentatious jewellery that will leave you resembling an ancient gangster.   

3) Too much designer- There’s nothing more cringe-worthy and repelling than the sight of someone wearing an overload of designer labels. Not only does it suggest overindulgence, but also arrogance. The fact you’ve invested in clothing just for its branded label and then subsequently worn it with other branded clothing, suggests a vanity to your character which is one of the least attractive qualities about a man- to put it plainly. Just think to yourself: are you wearing the logo or is the logo wearing you? And tone it down for pete’s sake! Has no one ever taught you the importance of subtlety?

4) Tight tops- Guys, if you actually think we like men if tight tops, you’re wrong. Even the guys that have abs and arms like an action man model; if you’re in a top tight enough that we can see all of your muscle groups, we’ve already made our minds up that you’re vain and arrogant and therefore, aren’t really interested. But guys with big, beer-belly sagging guts, if you even have the audacity to wear a tight top, what the hell are you thinking? You’re offending society by even thinking it’s suitable to step out like that!
 
5) Socks with sandals- Seriously now, this is a fashion faux pas if there ever was one! Sandals are designed to ventilate your feet and cool them down in warmer temperatures; so why would you put a pair of socks on to then defeat the whole object? If your feet are cold, put a pair of shoes on. If you have a dislike of your feet, just don’t wear sandals atall- simple really! Please don’t embarrass yourself by committing such a well renowned crime against fashion and one that scores top marks in things that churn women’s stomachs.

6) Gym clothes outside of the gym- If you’re the type of guy that shops for all of his clothing in sports shops, it’s definitely time to reconsider that if you’re hoping to earn the attractions of women any time soon. Although our fashion is becoming more and more casual, guys that wear tracksuits or other gym clothing on a ‘normal’ non-gym day, just can’t be taken seriously. Sports clothing is synonymous with the term and perception of ‘chav’ and ‘chav’ is synonymous with anti-social behaviour and the inability to function as a sensible, mature adult. Surely you see where I’m going with this? 

7) Baggy clothing- Look at it this way: would you like us if we wore baggy trousers and a baggy jumper? Of course not! You’d be annoyed that you couldn’t have a perv at our figures (probably). Well it’s exactly the same as far as we’re concerned. We want to have a glance at your physique! Plus, it’s not the Bronx or the hood in LA; T-shirts down to your knees over baggy jeans just look too pretentious and again, rather off-putting.
 
Which men's style decisions do you dislike the most? Leave me a comment below! :)

 

Wednesday 25 June 2014

Laundry Boutique


* AX Paris Textured Rose Skater Dress- £26- Laundry Boutique
 
I really was overjoyed when my A X Paris summer dress arrived from Laundry Boutique, the dress was beautifully wrapped in blue tissue paper and enclosed a kind note hoping I would enjoy my new dress, and I must say, I really am!
 
There is no denying that florals are a huge summer trend year by year, and this dress really is a great investment, its diversity is fabulous! When contemplating when I could wear this dress I came up with a few occassions, ever wondered what on earth to wear to that wedding? This casual summer dress teamed with some heels will work wonderfully, that summer barbeque? Add some wedges or sandals, shopping day? Bring out the JUJU jellies, there really is no limit to how you can wear this dress and I decided I would wear it for a meal and drinks with friends, slipping on a pair of heels and a belt to sinch in the waist.
 
I particularly love how this dress is such high quality for the mere £26 price tag, the dress itself is textured which I have found works wonderfully if its a windy day and it doesn't leave you with an embarrassing wardrobe malfunction as it is thicker and a little heavier than a light floaty material. The print is also very summery and will never be out dated, and the cut out back takes the dress from a casual day dress to an evening or special occasion dress, absolutely love it!
 
As for Laundry Boutique they are a ladies fashion boutique online, and they also have stores in Chiswick, Altrincham, Stockton Heath and Chester, unfortunately living in Leeds I can only buy online! The array of clothes, shoes and accessories is so lovely and I literally have a wish list to fulfil, including; 2 skirts, a cami and a fluffy jumper. If like me you have visited the site and would like order a few bits and pieces you can use this unique discount code at the checkout by using the code: DREAMLOVELIVE10 to receive 10% OFF YOUR ORDER!
 
Don't forget, you can find Laundry Boutique online, Facebook or on Twitter and you can also find their independent accounts to keep up with latest news from your local Laundry Boutique store! What do you think of my outfit? Have you found anything in particular you love from Laundry Boutique? Leave me a comment below! :)  

Monday 23 June 2014

OOTD: Birthday Night Out

In recent weeks I must admit I have been a bit down in the dumps, and therefore I just haven't been in the mood to write on my blog, hence why this is my first post in over a week! Hopefully I can start to get back to my usual blogging routine ASAP. Anyway, I thought I would kick the week off an outfit of the day post which I haven't done in a while, typical me though this outfit was actually worn last week at one of my best friends 19th birthday! My favourite part of this outfit is most certainly the Aztec skirt I hunted high and low for from Topshop which has been in and out of stock for weeks due to its popularity and I finally found my size in OUTFIT  a couple of weeks ago and it has now since become unavailable. I just love Aztec and thankfully it is so on trend at the moment meaning it is all over the high street. I teamed my skirt with a lovely lace crop originally from Urban Outfitters which I picked up from depop, and as always I wore a pair of 6'' heels. I decided to keep my accessories and make up simple with just my Michael Kors watch and a small necklace and finally adding a pop of colour with my lipstick (MAC Satin 'Rebel') which as anyone who knows me knows that I usually use it to 'dress up' any outfit :') What do you think of my outfit? Leave me a comment below! :)
Aztec pelmet mini skirt- £34- Topshop
Lace cami crop top- £10- Depop

Friday 13 June 2014

Review| Garnier Moisture Match

I am usually a little shy and embarrassed whenever I do a skin care or makeup product review as I hate showing people my bare milk bottle white skin, so gross! But I really wanted to share this product with you as I think it works so well. I tend to just ignore the product testers which come in magazines but now I have a whole pile of them I want to start reviewing and this Garnier moisture match moisturizer is the first.
 
This product comes in many different forms for varying skin types, as with some moisturizers they tend to never work very well as they aren't meant just for your skin type, luckily this one happened to be created for oily skin which I am prone to at times. I wouldn't say that my whole face is oily but my nose, forehead and chin in the 'T-Zone' can become prone to shine, thus I tend to cover it with powder during the day, however this can lead to patchy skin, ew. Anyway, due to the package size I only got to use this product twice but I honestly found it really worked!
 
The moisturiser is quite thick and works well if you apply a little all over the face, paying particular attention to oily areas. The problem with moisturizers can be that they tend to in fact make your skin oiler! But with this one I found once applied it dries instantly, and then you can carry on with your makeup routine as usual without having to worry about shine during the day, it also works well for evening out your skin tone and leaves skin felling soft.
 
 I really recommend this product, but if you don't have oily skin, check out the rest of the product range to find a moisturizer tailored to your skin! :)


Tuesday 10 June 2014

This week i'm loving...

Boho at Topshop- I have gone on and on about how much I love this trend at the moment, and honestly if you're wanting to follow it too, Topshop has a lovely selection of Boho inspired items, in particular their pelmet and A-line skirts are lovely!- Embroidered A-line skirt- £36- Topshop

Cleated shoes- Jeffrey Campbell shoes are a No.1 favourite at the moment, and because of this high street stores are replicating this look, so there are now cleated shoes everywhere! I Just love how individual and unique this style is, I have found some of the loveliest shoes are at ARK, these shoes come in pink, black or white.- White Tasha slingback platform shoe- £44.99- ARK

Kate Spade New York- I have long admired this designers collection and in particular I have fallen in love with these gorgeous studs, they come in some other beautiful colours too- Basket Pave studs- $68- Kate Spade New York

Personalised lip balm- These clever new lip balms by Clarins are developed with shea butter which reacts with the pH of your skin to create a unique lip colour which suits your tone.- Clarins Lip Balm Crayon in My Pink- £18

MAC aquatic lipstick- I'm not going to lie, the main reason why I love this new lipstick range is because of the packaging, the water splash effect is lovely!- Alluring Aquatic in 'Enchanted One'- £16.50- MAC

Bow bikini's!- This could be pretty hit or miss depending on your body shape, and admittedly this could cause some major bikini malfunctions in the pool but whatever a bow shaped bikini, so girly I love it!- Talula fuchsia structured bow bikini set- £60- Forever Unique

Mini bags- Mini bags are so popular right now, and these will be perfect for festivals! The mini bag ensures you can keep all of your essentials safe AND prevents a build up of random crap in your bag- Mini festival cross body bag- £18- ASOS

Mermaid Hair- Forget de frizzing lotions and straightening shampoos, Disney hair is all you need, you always wanted to be Ariel the little mermaid right? Well now your perfect mermaid hair comes in two bottles of mermaid perfume shampoo and conditioner!-Mermaid Perfume (conditioner)- £26- Liberty.co.uk

Daisy studded bum bags- I always hated bum bags with a passion, but as soon as I find one covered in daisies I am all over them! I have found a couple of people making this festival fashion essential, you can find this one in particular on Ebay- Black leather festival bum bag, daisy studded- £17.99- Ebay

Sunday 8 June 2014

June Fashion Hitlist

Pastel accessories- These American apparel clutches come in a huge array of colours, in particular I love the pastel trend, and this clutch will see you through all occasions and seasons. American Apparel- £42

Chokers- The 90's trend is 100% back, scrunchies, PVC, fish net and chokers are so popular at the moment, in particular I am a fan of the tattoo choker and a charm choker, I have a baby elephant one. If you aren't a fan of this grungey trend, Topshop in particular have put a spin on more of a subtle choker necklace. Topshop- £5

Culottes- This trend is very hit or miss, for me, I will be staying well clear of it, but if you're into knee length shorts there are so many out there and they are perfect for the warmer months.... (hopefully)- Topshop- £36

Monochrome Florals- Florals are a major spring/summer trend every year, however the upcoming trend for autumn/winter is going to be monochrome florals, so get them while you can!- River Island- £30

Tropicals- This print is so diverse, from fruity pineapple prints, to palm tree leaves there are so many ways to work this trend, certainly something for everyone and so summery!- Topshop- £12

Scrunchies- I've already mentioned this one, but this is such a cute little trend, from bunny ears to over sized, florals to gingham, chiffon to velvet, make sure you have this number 1 hair accessory!- Topshop- £4

Boho- Boho is well and truly back! I couldn't be more excited that it is here I just love it! The materials, prints and colours are just so beautiful, these pelmet style skirts are so perfect for summer and with tights in autumn/winter!- Topshop- £34

Lace Bralets- These are so in demand at the moment they are selling out all over, especially lace but anything go's!- Topshop- £22

Jelly sandals- Admit it, you had a pair of these as a child and you loved them. These are such an amazing trend I just can't get enough of jelly shoes at the moment, they come in all colours, flats or heels, and even glitter, personally I have heeled clear glitter sandals but I really want some plain black ones to go with more outfits. What I must admit however is JUJU jellies are not the be all and end all, you can get them way cheaper in stores like Primark which are just as good quality! :)- Footasylum- £24.99

*All images from respective websites

Wednesday 4 June 2014

DIY Scrunchies!

Mini life update! Basically, since coming home from university I have been super bored and so as I am such a shopping fanatic, I have noticed scrunchies are so popular at the moment. Having bought a couple myself, I just decided to consider how I could perhaps make them myself, and it turns out it is actually quite easy! So, now I have started to make scrunchies in 10 different colours/patterns and I am currently selling them through Depop and Vinted apps and also Ebay. The scrunchies come in pink checked, red checked, gingham, 2 variations of pink floral, blue floral, black floral/forest print, cream, pink and lilac, and also in 2 sizes and can come as a bunny ear scrunchie.... aside from making a little bit of money, I actually enjoy being creative so why not!? Below are the scrunchies I sell, and can be found on Depop, my username is eleanordanksx... okay enough with the self promoting. :)
Right, so as I said scrunchies are so easy to make; here is my simple step-by-step guide!
 
1. Measure out some material which is 22 inches long x 5 inches wide
2. Fold one side over by a couple of centimetres (it makes stitching the two ends together easier)
3. Fold the whole piece of fabric lengthways and pin into place
4. Stitch along the whole length of fabric
5. Use a safety pin to turn the now tube shaped piece of fabric inside out
6. Slide a piece of elastic through, 7-11 inches long depending on how tight you would like it to be  and tie in a double knot.
7. Slide the rough edge inside the edge you folded over at the beginning and sew the two ends together
8. Et voila!
I hope these pictures might help to explain a bit more! What do you think? Leave me a comment below! :)

Monday 2 June 2014

May Haul

Please don't judge me, honestly I am becoming a shop-a-holic! Basically since I got into using depop I have found that I can buy all of the bits and pieces which I love from the high street, and for the sake of it being worn once, maybe twice I can buy it for a fraction of the price! Having said that, I do still buy quite a few things from in store, this little lot below are my purchases from May, as you can see I am getting myself ready for summer and for holiday. Although I really don't think it is a good idea for me to add up the total amount of money I have spent but I have had some bargains I guess, not only from depop, but also I went to a student lock-in event in Leeds just before I finished uni, 20% off at Topshop is not to be sniffed at! What do you think guys? What have you all been buying lately? :)
 Peplum lace cami top- £22- Topshop
Petites tropical cami- £20- Miss Selfridge
Floral lace crop top- Topshop- bought for £4 on Depop
Lace tassle cami- Urban Outfitters- bought for £10 on Depop
Handmade paisley print bandana crop top (back view)- Bought for £12 from White Alaska on Depop
Moto blue Rosa hotpants- £28- Topshop
Tattoo Choker- £3- Depop
Elephant choker- £3.50- Depop
Statement necklace- £5- Depop
MOTO hyper blue wash JONI jeans- £36- Topshop
Black sheer netting two-piece- £20- Stylish