STEAL HER STYLE: Laura Whitmore

When it comes to celebrities I'd like to look like/be/be best friends with, Laura Whitmore makes the top 5. She's so effortlessly cool, and whilst she's quite 'cute' looking she's also got a killer fashion sense and manages to make 'cute' look edgy. It's an art. I love her style because although a lot of it is quite high fashion and probably very expensive, when I look at her outfits I know that I can replicate it on the high street for a fraction of the price. I think when you look at her you think 'yeah, I could pull that off.' So that is exactly what I've done for you today...



Look One: Metallics are big this season. In fact, aren't they big every season? I absolutely love the way that Laura has paired this rose gold metallic mini with some simple sexy shoes and a sheer white long sleeve short. She looks so hot, without flashing all the flesh. Plus, despite the skirt being pretty daring and there being a mix of metallics, she still manages to make it look wearable. You can replicate her look so easily on the high street, and in my eyes this is a perfect night out look. The shirt is from Forever 21 and is a great wardrobe staple, as are these blush platform heels from French Connection. The skirt is from River Island, but it's been sold out on their website for some time. I managed to find it on the ASOS website, and I love it!



Look Two: I am absolutely loving anything yellow at the moment, whether it's a pastel yellow or a bright sunshine yellow. I love how effortlessly put-together Laura looks, and I think this yellow dress from Oh My Love is absolutely gorgeous and a great addition to any girl's 'going out' wardrobe. The black pointed courts are a great staple but to me are just incredibly sexy, and I love the small box clutch and the dainty gold jewellery from Topshop as finishing touches. The clutch is from Carvela and although it's a little more expensive than I'd usually go for, I think it would go with everything and is so classic.

Finally, I will leave you with a Youtube link of the recent episode of Celebrity Juice with Laura Whitmore. Fast forward to the last challenge and she has a banana in between her legs...hilarious. Check it out HERE.

Easter Weekend

This Easter was my first since starting work, and boy was I excited for some time off. I actually booked days off before and after so I've ended up having a whole week - HEAVEN. I was so excited for some family time, lie-ins and good food. And that is what I got...



The weekend kicked off with Indian takeaway from Joy (our local Indian in Charminster.) Their food is slightly more expensive than your average curry house, but I'd say it's worth every penny - it's kind of 'posh' Indian food if that makes sense. I have the garlic chilli chicken, and oh my days it's good. Highly recommended.



Friday we went bowling as a family. Others may find it slightly strange that a family with two fully grown-up children would go bowling, but if you could see us you'd realise how much we're all big kids (yes, even the parents.) I came second and last, but managed to get over 120 in both games. I don't think I'll be the next bowling champion, but I didn't completely disgrace myself. Plus, it was SO fun.

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Friday afternoon was spent sunbathing in the garden with a diet coke. My parents' garden is one of my favourite places on earth.



Friday evening was family steak night. Mum served up a gorgeous rump steak, crispy potato and leek bake and ratatouille. The woman can cook!

Saturday was spent shopping, as Saturday night I was out with the girls. It ended up being a pretty mad one (surprise surprise) but so much fun. Here is what I wore...



My standard chunky 'last all night' black heels, this gorgeous silk cami from River Island (the neck detailing is what drew me in and makes the top a little more interesting and sexy) and this gorgeous floral skirt from River Island. Super flattering, lovely colours, and I can't wait to style it in different ways!

So that's part one of my Easter weekend. Check back for more photos!

Zara, my one true love...

It's no secret to anyone in my life that I have a love affair with Zara. In fact, it's quite embarrassing when people ask where my clothes are from at work and 'Zara' is my reply. Every single time. I think they offer amazing quality clothes, which are really on trend, at such affordable prices, and they change their stock so frequently there is always something new to feast your eyes on. Great for the wardrobe, not so great for the bank balance. Currently I am in LOVE with their bright Spring items, but that's a topic for a different blog post!

When I was home for Easter weekend I asked the brother to get some shots of me in my evening outfit. This jumpsuit was an amazing Zara find back in November, and I wore it for my birthday meal with the girls in London. There are loads on the market though - Missguided do some great jumpsuits in all different colours. Excuse the face pulling and stupid poses, I was in a very playful mood...



The best bit about this clothing item? The back. Oh my is it beautiful. Piece of advice though - invest in some good tit tape...



Obviously as soon as we got out into the garden the cat (Tiggy) wanted the spotlight too. She's such a diva, but oh so cute. Definitely my favourite ginge.

I love everything about this jumpsuit...from the light silky material, to the cut out shape on the front and the GORGEOUS lace back. Now I wasn't blessed in the bottom department, but this jumpsuit actually hugs and gives you curves in all the right places. The best bit about it? It was £29.99. I know. I almost died.

The shoes are also a Zara love, and I've had so many compliments on them. They're pretty high, but they are really chunky so are a dream to walk in and I can last until 4am in them.

So there you have it, a little OOTN. I'm sure I'll have a few more up soon as I have a couple more big nights out lined up. I blame it on the sunny weather!

Purple Smoke...

It is fair to say that despite owning a huge storage container full of make-up, I am someone who can get stuck in a make-up rut very easily. This mostly happens because every morning without fail I hit the snooze button one too many times and I end up running around the flat like a mad woman, trying to make myself presentable and get into work on time. Therefore, I rarely mix up my make-up and tend to just stick to what I know works.



However, a while back I bought the Maybelline Colour Tattoo in Pomegranate, because I know purple brings out blue eyes. On Saturday afternoon I had some time to kill and I sat and played around with my make-up. I ended up liking the look so much that I snapped a few photos and thought I'd share it with you!



As my face base I used the Rimmel Match Perfection foundation. This stuff ROCKS. It provides a gorgeous amount of coverage, makes your skin look like its glowing from within, and it's a crazy bargainous £6.99. What is not to love? I then used my Rimmel Wake Me Up Concealer under my eyes to add some highlight and cover those dark circles, and then used a generous helping of the Bourjois Chocolate Bronzer (you can never have too much bronzer. Well you can if you end up resembling an oompa loompa, but I think that's pretty hard to do with this bronzer.)

Onto the eyes. I used the Pomegranate Colour Tattoo as the base, and then added MAC's Antiqued eyeshadow on top. I have to say, I absolutely loved the finish. A purpley, reddy, smokey concoction that really made my blue eyes stand out. I then added a small amount of dark brown from my NAKED palette in the crease, and a little bit of highlighter in the inner corners of the eyes to ensure the eyes weren't too dark and looking too small.

After a good coating of the lashes with Maybelline the Falsies, and slicking on some of this pink MUA lipgloss, my face was complete. This has definitely encouraged me to experiment with my make-up more often and try and be a little bit more adventurous. Perhaps not for a client meeting, but definitely on the weekend!

What make-up looks have you been loving? I have to admit I've got a list of Spring-esque items to buy from Boots come pay-day…

A Week in Outfits

I thought I'd do a quick post and show everyone what I've been wearing recently. There's nothing overly glamorous, but there are some beautiful pieces in the shops at the moment. I definitely love to incorporate trends into my look, but I always do it in a way that makes me feel comfortable and confident. So without further ado...



Look One: On Sunday it was sunny and fresh. I wore my favourite new slogan jumper from H&M (£14.99) which is so soft on the inside, and my new favourite 'ripped-effect' girlfriend jeans from River Island. I don't like Mom jeans, and I don't really like overly baggy jeans, so these are perfect because they're relatively tight but still a bit edgy. Plus, you can dress them down like this with boat shoes, or up with a pair of strappy heels.

Look Two: This was for an unfortunate Sunday in the office. I love gingham, and this New Look shirt is super comfortable but cute. I wore it with my Topshop Joni's and my new black Topshop slipper shoes, plus a fedora to finish it off. Casual Sunday dressing at it's best.

Look Three: This was my beach walk outfit when I was back at my parents' for the weekend. I love this baggy orangey-red jumper (my favourite colour after pink) and with a pair of jeans and my fake Clubmasters from Primark it's casual but still smart. FYI, the sunglasses were £2. Yes seriously. I'm going to be buying 5 pairs so I'm never without them.



Look Four: This was my 'first day of Spring' outfit. This Zara jacket/coat was a very naughty purchase, but I absolutely love it. The cut, the fit, the colour...perfection. The jeans are the white Joni's (I'm loving white jeans for this time of year) and the shirt is an oldie from Topshop. Here are my trusty nude courts - they are very well loved.

Look Five: I love this outfit. It's all black, but the florals lift it and make it interesting. The boots are lace ups from Primark which are SO comfy and another absolute bargain. The floral kimono is from H&M and was £14.99 and I just wore it with a plain black silk cami and black jeans. And there's that black floppy felt hat again, I told you it would crop up again...

So there you have it. I'm counting down to pay day so I can treat myself to a few more items. What are you 'selfie-ing'?

Haircare Saviours

One question I get asked a lot by my friends is, 'Ellie, how do you make your hair look like that?' Now I have to admit, I am quite lucky in the hair department (a certain someone told me it looks like a lion's mane) but I am also quite lazy with it. I have naturally curly (read: frizzy) hair and I find it a real pain in the backside to manage. Therefore, any products which help tame it and make it easier to style are a definite win!



Shampoo/conditioner: With shampoo and conditioner I'm a bit of a floozy; I tend to decide based on what's on offer. I love the Tresemme ones as an affordable option, and the L'oreal Riche as a slightly more expensive treat. I try to change whatever I'm using after finishing up a bottle as I find then my hair doesn't get used to it and the effects don't stop working.

Hairbrush: The Tangle Teezer - every long haired gal's best friend. Since using this I rarely have a battle with knotty hair, and I therefore feel like I'm doing less damage to it. Only £12, and absolutely worth every penny. If you're looking for a pricier option, my crazy flatmate bought a Mason Pearson hairbrush which is probably even more delightful.

Hair Oil: The L'oreal Extraordinary Oil is a cheaper alternative to the Moroccan Oil, and in my opinion does almost as good a job. It seals the ends of your hair, keeps it looking shiny, and recently I've been using it on the little dry bits of hair near my face which have been over-dyed to give them some extra nourishment. Plus a bottle of this stuff lasts for AGES.

Hair Spray: You can't go wrong with the Tresemme hairspray. It keeps hold without making your hair crispy (no-one wants a boy running his hands through your hair and comparing it to straw). Super affordable, and keeps my curls in all day (and even into the second day.)

Dry Shampoo: In my opinion, for the money Batiste is the dry shampoo winner. I especially love the blonde one, as when I'm in need of a visit to the hairdressers it not only soaks up any oils and gives my hair more volume, but it also covers my roots!

Styling – surf spray: This little Bumble and Bumble Surf Spray came in a set from my besties as a birthday gift. I wasn't a crazy fan of the shampoo and conditioner as they were a little too drying for my already-dry hair, but this spray is perfect when you can't be bothered to do anything with your hair and you just want those sexy 'I just walked out of the sea' beach waves (even if you do live in the middle of a big city.)

Styling - hair rollers: The Enrapture Heated Rollers are the styling tool of the Gods. I love that you can put them in, and then do your make up whilst you let them work their magic. Take them out and voila, you have big, bouncy Cheryl Cole-esque hair. What more could you want?

So there's a round up of my current favourite hair 'stuff.' What else do my locks need in their life?

STEAL HER STYLE: Mollie King

So the other day, I came across a post like this on Bloglovin', where someone took a celebrity picture and then re-created their outfit online (for much cheaper.) It got me thinking about my favourite celebrities and what they wear, and time and time again someone who I love for the way they dress is Mollie King. I am constantly ogling her outfits on the Daily Mail side bar of shame, and then trawling websites to find clothing items so I can copy her look. She's always very smartly dressed, rarely ever showing a lot of flesh, and everything is very clean cut and feminine. She recently brought out her second clothing line for Oasis, and I have to say I am incredibly impressed. My bank account, however, won't be, after the damage I'm going to do in there!

Look 1:



I love smart cigarette trousers. From starting work I realise how much more I prefer trousers rather than dresses and skirts, but I think it's hard to make trousers more interesting and feminine. In come the floral/patterned cigarette trousers. Nicely fitted, add some interest, and can be dressed up or down; definitely an investment piece in my opinion. These cute daisy print ones are from River Island.

You can't go wrong with a white blazer like this one from Zara. Again, you can wear it with jeans during the day, or you can wear it in the evening over a tight LBD with strappy heels. Another wardrobe staple. This little blue cami from H&M is cute, and I like the lace detailing to add a bit of interest. Alternatively, choose a top in a different fabric like silk for a luxe look. Finally I LOVE strappy sandal heels. They are so elegant, and these ones are from Zara for £29.99. I know, WHAT?? *All rush to Zara*

Look 2:



I am absolutely in love with anything floral at the moment, and I have also had my eye out for a cute shorts suit for the Summer. When I saw Mollie in this I knew I had to have it, and to my luck I found out it was part of her Oasis collection! It is so fresh, smart, and what's great is that the two separate pieces look great together but also paired with different things so you can get the wear out of it. This white shirt with little burnout polkadots from Dorothy Perkins is really cute, and again the outfit is finished off with nude heels, this time pointed courts. These are £24.99 in New Look, another absolute bargain! Perfect for drinks with the girls, a dinner date, or the office. I live in mine!

So there you have it, Mollie King's look all from the high street. Don't say I never treat you ;)

So the Queen actually owns Buckingham Palace, mortgage free?

This post has been a LONG time coming. We're talking weeks. So pretend that this was a recent event...

The title of those post was a particularly insightful question asked by James when we arrived at Buckingham Palace. He told me he'd never visited before, and I decided it was a wonderful tourist activity to do on a Sunday afternoon. The weather was absolutely glorious again, so we were really lucky.

We took the tube to Victoria and walked along Buckingham Palace Road until we got to the Queen's home. It was actually a lot quieter than I expected which was nice. The building never fails to take my breath away. It was particularly special this time after visiting the Grand Palace in Bangkok, where one of the buildings there (and even the soldiers guarding it) were modeled on Buckingham Palace because of the impressive architecture. Plus because James had never visited before his awe was so infectious.

After admiring the golden gates and the soldiers in their full uniform standing like statues (how do they do it?) we took a stroll through St James's Park and got a drink. Everyone was sitting on the grass passing away their Sunday afternoon relaxing, chatting and reading in the sun. I got James to take a quick photo of my outfit.



I went for pastels. My jeans are (again) the light wash Joni jeans from Topshop and my cream silk cami is also from Topshop (a great wardrobe staple.) I wore my pale pink blazer from Zara which was kindly gifted to me by a boy from the past (no names mentioned.) I definitely don't wear it enough, but pink is everywhere this season and I was excited to get it out. What better day than the first weekend of Spring? Finally my bag is from Miss Selfridge. I usually wear it as a clutch on nights out, but I was struggling to find a bigger bag to go with my outfit and so I used this. It actually worked a lot better than I expected.

We then took the 35 minute walk from the Palace, through Knightsbridge, to the Natural History museum. We passed Harrods and all the beautiful designer shops. I had to drag James along to stop him staring at the smart shoes (he's worse than me) and at one point he did get me to take a picture of a baby blue Ferrari for him. At least he was happy eh?

We didn't stay long at the museum, but it was really fun. We looked at the dinosaurs, and everyone's favourite has to be the moving T-rex at the end of the exhibit...



My favourite part was the Human Biology exhibition. Aside from sniggering at the pictures of private parts, we found the mirrors which distort your reflection. I have honestly not laughed so hard in ages. There were tears in my eyes! Here's my favourite 'selfie' we captured...



We left the museum and fancied a sit down. We stumbled into Le Pain Quotidien and after umming and aahing over the menu made our choices. James said it was the best cappucino he's ever had. And the desserts? Well they were out of this world. James doesn't share food so he had the toffee and banana tart which looked delicious, and I went for the largest scone with jam and cream. It was incredible, although it definitely defeated me...

Unfortunately soon after this we had to head home for James to pack and head back up North. However, we had an incredible day (and weekend) and even better, we hardly spent a penny! London can be expensive, but it has so much to offer for free if you make a little effort to look for it...