So today I shall write the day 2 post, and we shall simply pretend Tuesday was lost somewhere in the abyss, which I don't think too many people would complain about (who in the world ever likes Tuesdays?)
Today's post is all about getting that little extra spark of fierceness and energy you remember so well from summer, that seems to go out of the window in winter when we resign ourselves to cosy knitwear and slippers. But truly, what can possible make you feel better than feel just a little bit fabulous on a cold morning?
Beauty Tip -
Nothing could possibly scream 'fierce' like a fabulous red lip. Or why not go bright pink and really stand out. Red is a typical winter colour, but a pink will really curb the trend and draw the eye. In winter, unless you are blessed by the lip fairy, you will at some point feel the dreaded dryness looming, leaving your lipstick cracked and unappealing, and your lips anything but kissable. You could go for a specially moisturising lipstick, such as Lancome le Rouge Absolue - which has the most gorgeous (and enormous) range of colours, and are specifically designed to combat dryness as well as being highly pigmented.
However, these lipsticks, at £22.50, are a bit pricey if you're more of a high street lover, and I can totally sympathise, with all the gorgeous lipstick ranges on the high street (Rimmel Kate Moss, cough cough!), sometimes spending over the odds on a lipstick unless you've completely fallen in love with it can seem silly. Do not fret, my beauties, I have another solution! I can bet you have a pot of lip balm in your purse right now, but lip balms are often marketed as being much more nourishing than they are, when really they just protect your lips from outside damage, rather than cure the damage already done. Do you know the feeling when your lips feel fine and then as soon as you start applying lip balm, you feel like you always need it? That's why! This is when the lip butters come in. Ultra-nourishing, lip-butters have always been on the outskirts of the beauty world, when I think they deserve a front row catwalk seat (the Alexa Chung of products, if you will). The one recommended highly to me by friends is Nivea Lip Butter, which comes in four delicious but not sickly flavours. Boys can also get away with the original one as it has a really neutral and just generally nice scent. Slather on a lip butter the night before you plan to rock the bright lippie look and your lips should be silky smooth come morn! At £2.50, these are a snap!
Now, I know what you're all thinking, "It's winter, she's going to suggest going out in a splash of colour so I ultimately clash with the very grey landscape". Quite the opposite in fact! Adding colour to your wardrobe in winter is a classic way in which to brighten up the cold days, but in fact, it often just does not go with the surroundings! There is a reason all the fashion lines go with burgundy, navy and forest green this time of year, and that's because if you go out in lime green and shocking pink, you slightly look like you got beamed down on the wrong planet (aiming for planet sun maybe?) Of course, there are exceptions, and a well-placed bright accessory here and there would never go amiss. However, today I want to talk about rocking the monochrome. At the moment it's all about the clean-cut, slightly androgynous, poker face look. I'm talking crisp blouses with feminine embellishments, skin-tight, well-cut trousers, heels (not too high, this isn't a look for stripper heels, but rather, cool, quirky ones).
To give a blouse a quirky, monochrome twist that won't look out of place with an outfit such as this, try this easy tip which I wear to work in order to give my suits a little something extra. (By the way, sorry about the lack of pictures, I'll take some on my phone tomorrow and upload them so you can see what I mean).
- Take a small piece of black ribbon, whatever thickness you want, the thicker the more dramatic. Just makes sure lengthwise it can fit round your neck with a bit of space for a bow
- Do your top button up, then thread the ribbon under the collar like you would a tie
- Cross the ends over each other at the front and loop it round to create a 'bow' (this doesnt have to actually be a bow, just look like one, so it can merely be held in the middle by your fingers)
- Take a stud earring (whatever kind you like, this is a chance to be creative, and it is a really good use of those odd earrings that never manage to be reuinted with their twin), and push it through the centre of the bow held together by your fingers, in order to hold it in a bow shape, then push the end through the side of the button hole on your shirt, securing at the back with the back of the earring.
There you have it, a super-chic and simple way to make a blouse different, and all for the little cost of a black ribbon (which you probably have lying around anyway, I used to sometimes use the ribbons that come on the insides of clothes under the arms which you are supposed to use to hang them up, but everyone cuts them off!)
Foodie Fix -
My, my! This is becoming a long post, so I shall try and be quick! One of my recent favourite favourite favourite foodie fixes (breathe) is using vegetables as a substitute for starchy carbs in food.
Now now, I know what you're thinking, sounds very very dull right? Just trust me! I thought the same as you, until I read about using courgettes as a pasta substitute, and when I cooked it that evening, my world changed!
In winter, we constantly stock up on warming plates of pasta and bread and other bloating carbs, which often (when eaten in mass, as I so often do!) make us just feel worse, we feel tired and far too full. So recently I have been using vegetables instead and it could not be easier.
- Simply use a potato peeler on a courgette to make it into tagilatelle-like strips, fry them up for a little bit and then serve with pasta sauce, it genuinely tastes jusyt like al dente pasta!
- use sliced aubergines and courgettes in a lasagna instead of pasta sheets, roast the vegetables up first to make them softer.
I'm sure there are loads more online but those two are my absolute faves, and you can really enjoy 'pasta' without the food baby afterwards!
Lifstyle -
I know I always feel a bit down when my room feels unappealing, or I don't want to have people round to be in there because I don't feel homely there. This could be because it's a mess, or maybe you're just too used to how it looks and are a bit tired of it. My new favourite home-thing right now is removable wall stickers. Like instant wallpaper without the mess, effort or commitment, as well as coming in so many different shapes and patterns, I am loving these new ways to style up a boring bedroom. Ebay is an absolute haven for them so check them out. Also, they're cheap as chips!
These are some of my favourites:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Removable-Vinyl-Wall-Art-Stickers-Decal-Paper-Mural-Home-Decor-Black-Flowers-New-/400635017704?pt=UK_Wallpaper&hash=item5d47b539e8#ht_6826wt_1041
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Transparent-Border-Dandelion-Flowers-Wall-Stickers-Mural-Decals-Art-Decor-Paper-/251116597103?pt=UK_Wallpaper&hash=item3a77b72f6f#ht_1721wt_958
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/48-butterfly-wall-art-sticker-wall-decal-wall-decor-/261152880050?pt=UK_Wallpaper&var=&hash=item3ccdecb5b2#ht_2979wt_721
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/DAMASK-BAROQUE-WALL-ART-STICKERS-DAMASK-BAROQUE-INTERIOR-STICKERS-/251448190265?pt=UK_Wallpaper&var=&hash=item3a8b7ae539
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VINTAGE-BAROQUE-STYLE-FRAME-Wall-Sticker-Decal-20-COLOURS-3-SIZES-FR01-/221351660629?pt=UK_Home_HomeDecor_Frames&var=&hash=item3389964c55#ht_2809wt_1030
There are absolutely zillions so make sure to have a good search around!
Love to you all, and thank you so much to everyone who has commented recently or who is reading this in general, it really means a lot to me, and do comment if you want me to write about anything in particular!
Abi x
I've nominated you for the Liebster award :) x
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Oh you lovely thing! Thank you! =]
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