Perfect Boots for Skinny Calves

I am ready for winter. For the first time I can actually say that! I have got my perfect boots and my perfect coat (post coming soon!) and am excited now the cold weather has almost kicked in!

I have spent more than two years looking for the right pair of boots and the right coat and I think I finally found them! This post will focus on The Boots as after two years of looking I think they deserve their own post!

The Boots. Simple requirements (or so you would think):

• black leather or suede
• heeled but not too high
• not stiletto but not too chunky
• knee high
• beautiful
• not more £200
• and most important they need to be fitted to my (thinish) calves.

I looked EVERYWHERE for two years, tried on countless pairs of boots but they never matched the image in my mind. I was actually quite shocked that it was such a hard task!

After much internet browsing I stumbled across Duo Boots when Googling “boots for thin calves”! Duo Boots basically cater for smaller or larger than average calves by having different calf widths to their boots – genius! Not only that but the designs are unique and gorgeous! So I was all poised to order online when I realised that I needed to have my calf measurement..hmmm..not so simple! So I decided given the importance of this purchase I would go into the Duo “fitting” shop in London Convent Garden and get it done professionally!

The Duo shop is beautiful and chic and the staff are lovely. After measuring my calves I was given a selection of my chosen boot styles with different calf widths. The first one I tried on fit my calf like a glove! It was amazing! I spent a while in the shop making sure I loved the boots, they fit my feet and my calves properly and that they were the ONE! You can’t just buy the boots and take them away – no they deliver them free to your house 3-5 days later! Which is either a great thing so you don’t have to walk around with a massive bag or not so great as you have to wait to wear them!! I was quite happy to not have to carry them around London for the day so it worked for me!

I went for the Turner Boots in suede which were £194. I honestly do not think that is too much for these boots. I have never had boots that fit my calves so perfectly which makes a huge difference to how smart they look and what you can wear them with (everything!). I love the snakeskin print on the back of the boot and plain suede on the front. I also like that they are over the knee which is a huge trend this winter. The heel is high but not too high and very comfortable. If it is of interest I went for a size 40 with 34cm calf.

I am more than pleased with this purchase, although it was hard to hand over the credit card initially!! I am hoping that they last me many years and I intend to take good care of them by investing in boot trees to keep their shape and by giving them a good spray to protect them from the elements. Given they are suede I will have to be careful but to be honest my Whistles Kir Royale ankle boots are light taupe suede and have been really easy to take care of and look great even after a few months of persistent wear!

Autumn Mousse Eyeshadows

Marks and Spencer is not the first place I would look for makeup although in the past I have found one to two gems there (like this lip and cheek tint). This time I found these amazing eyeshadow mousse pots. They come in three colours Gold, Chocolate and Russet and are £7.50 each. I of course got all three (well they were on a 3 for 2 offer!). I kept the Chocolate and Russet and gave the Gold away as a gift.

The Chocolate and Russet are most definitely perfect autumn shades (see below). The texture is definitely mousse like and incredibly soft. They glide on beautifully and the colour can definitely be built up. Once on the colour does not crease and stays put all day. I have to say the Russet is an incredible colour. Somehow this reddish brown just looks amazing. I am really loving these shades and am wearing them all the time!

Russet on left and Chocolate on right,above.

Wearing both the Russet and the Chocolate shades together.

TRESemme Keratin Smooth Range

I have been using the TRESemme Keratin Smooth shampoo, deep treatment mask and the heat protection shine spray for the last few months. I have to say I am quite impressed.

My hair is quite thick, frizzy and dry so needs a lot of products to keep it looking healthy. I don’t use straighteners so much anymore but I do use my Babyliss Big Hair at least twice a week.

I found that although conidtioners work, these intensive masks work better for me. I use them like a conditioner – so apply after shampooing and leave on for 3-5 minutes before rinsing off.

My hair has been incredibly soft and smooth since I have been using this. The texture of my hair definitely feels better and more manageable.

The heat protection spray is not ok. I find that although it does smooth my hair and is probably protecting it from the heat it leaves a residue in my hair that makes it a bit sticky. If it is protecting my hair – which I cant really tell to be honest – then I guess I would carry on using it but as it is I often leave it out of my hair styling routine and opt for a hair oil instead, like the L’Oreal Elvive Extraordinary Oils.

I would definitely recommend the shampoo and treatment mask and already have my eye on some of the other ranges of TRESemme!

New Look Biker Boots

On a whim as I was browsing the shoe section in New Look I spotted these flat back studded biker boots and I was instantly smitten. They are faux suede and just looked so cool I had to have them!

As you will probably be aware biker boots are everywhere at the moment. I wasn’t sure if they were for me so this is a great way to test the trend! These boots were £29.99 and I have to say I love them!

Mainly Black at Zara

I had a bit of a major shop at Zara recently and found myself buying almost everything in black! I think I was feeling slightly gothic but also very practical as quite a few of my clothes need black to go with them. I did buy one thing that wasn’t black though!

Starting with smart wear I got a silky top (£19.99) which has sheer detailing on the shoulders. I am wearing it below with a black pencil skirt with a ruffle detail on the side (£29.99) that I also picked up.

Next I got some black skinny cropped jeans (£25.99) worn below with a heavier crepe black top (£29.99).

I also picked up this gorgeous black beanie shot through with silver thread (£9.99)

Finally the only non black item! A very cool blue jacquard fitted dress (£39.99).

Whistles ankle boots and Clarks courts worn in pictures.

Chanel Les Beiges

A friend of mine was raving about this to me so I decided to go for it and get the much talked about Chanel Les Beiges Healthy Glow Face Powder (£38). My colour match was the darkest shade (No 50) which I have to say was quite surprising and disappointing given that I am not that dark.

I have to say I was very glad that I could get a colour to suit me. The powder is just amazing. It does exactly what it says on the tin – i.e. gives you a ahealthy glow! I used this on its own for a night out and it made my skin look smooth, healthy and fresh. According to Chanel “the fine, lightweight and antioxidant powder shields the skin from environmental stress and sunlight thanks to its SPF 15 / PA++ sun filter. Its ultra-protective formula, enriched with cotton flower and white rose plant cells, becomes one with the skin. It is gentle on all skin types, even the most sensitive.”

The packaging of course does ot disappoint. As you can see from the pictures it is quintessentially chic. I love taking this out of my makeup bag to use! The brush that it comes with is actually really good and works well with the powder.

Overall I am very impressed and pleased with this. I hope that as my skin lightens through the winter months I can use this more like a powder bronzer. Love this and would highly recommend it!  

Surprising Find

With the plunging temperatures and darkening days I decided that I needed some work dresses in a slightly heavier jersey material that I could wear with cardigans, tights and boots. I looked in all the usual places but to be honest nothing really fit the bill. As it was for work I didnt really want to spend a fortune but still wanted something fashionable.

After much internet browsing I finally found some in a very unlikely place – Matalan! I was going there to get some uniforms for my daughter and spotted a selection of dresses that were very reasonably priced and looked quite chic.

I went for 3 dresses and two skirts!

First up I got this leopard print dress with a belt and slightly flared knee length skirt (£16). This is really easy to wear, simple cardigan, tights and knee high or ankle boots and I am good to go! I like the fitted top and waisted detail.

Next I got two dresses but this time with a ruched waist (£20 each) – these are incredibly flattering! I wore the plain black on a night out and had a lot of comments about it. The ruching at the waist hides a multitude of sins and just makes it look a lot more expensive. I also went for a patterned option which works well during the day.

Finally I got two leopard print jersey midi pencil skirts (£10 each). This was a really good find as I was extremely pleasantly surprised by the material and how flattering it is on. I really like the longer length which I think makes it very chic. Looks amazing with heels or ankle boots – like the Whistles boots worn throughout or my Clarks ankle boots below.

I am super pleased with all of these purchases and so far I just wash and hang them up and voila good to go! For a total of £76 I think they are brilliant!

MAC Mini Haul

I had been waiting for an opportunity to get a few things from MAC that I had my eye so when I ran out of my MAC face powder I had a little shop!

First up is the powder I ran out of. It’s the Mineralize Skinfinish Natural in Dark (£22). This is just a great face powder for my skintone. It’s finely milled so gives a flawless finish. I can use this instead of foundation when I want light coverage but a good finish to my skin. I really like this and have repurchased three times now.

Next I have been wanting the Mineralize Skinfinish in Soft and Gentle (£22) for a good while now but it is always sold out! This is a highlighter with the most beautiful peachy bronze gold colour. It is so pretty on the skin and really gives my cheekbones a lovely highlight. It is very very shimmery so you have to have a light touch with this. I just adore this and it has quickly become my daily highlighter of choice.

I went for an eyeshadow that I have read about on a few blog sites. It is the Mineralize Eyeshadow in Gilt by Association (£17). This is a very beautiful blend of black and bronze eyeshadow. The powder is surprisingly light so you have to build it up to get a really dark smoky look. The colours are just stunning and I love the shimmer and drama of it.

So using mainly these MAC products here is what is looks like on my face! This is with no foundation concealer etc. just the Skinfinish powder. On my cheeks I have used the MAC Soft & Gentle with a bit of the Tarte Amazonian Clay Blusher in Natural Beauty. On my eyes I have used some Scandal Eyes black kohl and Killer Curves mascara and of course the MAC Gilt by Association. On my lips I used Revlon Lip Butter in Pink Truffle and old YSL lipstick.

One Year of Blogging!

I honestly can’t believe that it has already been a year since I started this blog. In celebration of that I thought I would do a quick round up of my favourite posts, products, fashion, etc. over the last year – the ones that are still going strong and remain firm favourites.

Starting with hair – it’s got to be my Babyliss Big Hair. I still use this every time I wash my hair and it has definitely been one of my more popular posts.

Next is another Babyliss product – my Babyliss Curling Wand. Love this and again use this at least once a week!

For hair products nothing beats the L’Oreal Elvive Extraordinary Oil! Probably on my sixth bottle now!

For shampoo and conditioner I am still loving the L’Oreal Ever Riche range.

Next on to skincare…to begin with I had to mention the Alpha-H Liquid Gold. This is a fixture of my night time routine – I use this every other night.

My Asian Cloth Face Masks are still going strong (good job I got my sister to restock my supplies when she visited earlier this year!).

For makeup the Maybelline Color Tattoo in Pomegranate is still one of my all time favourite colours and products.

Of course my Naked Palette is in this list – can’t live without this!

And finally two different lipsticks – first is the entire Revlon Lip Butter range – and the collection is still expanding!

And of course MAC’s Ruby Woo – my red lipstick hero!

For accessories I had to include my Halo necklaces from Daisy Jewellery….

and my stunning J Crew bracelet which always get loads of compliments.

Shoes was an easy one – the Clarks Anika Kendra in snakeskin. I live in these shoes and they are still looking fab!

And of course my Whistles Kir Royale Ankle Boots in Taupe have hardly left my feet! Soon to be stored away for next summer and make way for the dark grey version for the winter!

Fashion was a really tough one to choose for. I finally settled on my Zara jacquard jacket which has been worn throughout Spring and has come back out for Autumn.

My gold River Island leather skirt given to me as a gift and still a favourite for a glam night out!

My Summer dress from Topshop which I wore to my 39th birthday party this year so has a special place in my heart!

And finally nails!! I had to go with two of the OPI Skyfall posts – it was too hard to choose between them! The Spy Who Loved Me paired with Goldeneye..

and “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service”

So that’s it – some of my favourite bits of my first year of blogging! I am definitely looking forward to many more years!!

Batiste Dry Conditioner

Batiste recently launched their Dry Conditioner spray with Argan Oil. I am assuming this is a bit like the now famous Percy and Reed dry conditioner but much much cheaper! Of course the sucker that I am dashed off to get myself one super quick! I, as you know, have very thick Asian hair that can be frizzy and dry. So the idea of a quick spray that conditions and smooths in one was a no brainer! At £3.99 for a large 200ml spray can I was sold!

I love the smell of this, its very fresh and leaves my hair delicately scented. The spray itself works quite well. I found that the frizzy ends on top of my head were quickly smoothed away. I don’t really feel like its extremely “moisturising” as it doesn’t necessarily make my hair feel more conditioned. It certainly doesn’t leave my hair greasy either which is good. Overall for £3.99 I would say its pretty OK! It does help tame flyaways, makes my hair smell good but doesn’t really help with dryness.