A Fond Farewell to 2011

As we all get ready to say farewell to 2011, there is one question on everyones mind "what do I want from 2012?" Whether you are making a New Years Resolution to lose weight, take up a hobbie or embark upon a new career, the end of 2011 is always focused on what you wish you could've changed this year and filled with questions of what you really want from next year. In a recent article I read from Jameela Jamil, she pointed out that perhaps we should all start focusing on NOW, the present and I have to admit, its a pretty nice idea. Recently, I've been puzzling over where I want to head in my career, what do I want to of achieved by this time next year etc etc etc! After all this thinking, where am I at? Still in the same place but with a bit of a headache. Sure, there are some ambitions I would like to fulfil in the near future including really getting my foot in the door in a fashion company, taking up photography since I love fashion imagery and working on photoshoots so much and return to New York (my all-time favourite place) and it is all very exciting to think about, but why wait for 2012? Instead of planning for the New Year, I'm making changes now. I've started practising a bit of photography and learning tips and tricks over the last week, New York is in the planning process and will be booked within the next week and well, as for the career, I accepted a new venture a few days ago and will be ceasing all opportunities that come my way. I'm living for now and enjoying every minute of it. Cheers!

Bright Eyes

Recently I've been on the hunt for an eye-cream to get rid of those dark blue circles and to simply moisturise my eyes since they always go a little dry and irritable as the winter weather takes its toll. Nightmare. So, I was over the moon when I came across this brand new eye cream from Benefit- 'It's Potent'. I have to admit, I am a HUGE Benefit fan anyway, not only do I think their products look great in quirky, cool packaging with witty names but the products are genuinely really good! From Erase Paste to Sugarbomb Blusher, I have them all and will continue to be a true loyal benefit consumer as long as they keep releasing fab products.

'It's Potent' is part of a fantastic new skin-care range, 'B-right.' From face-wash to hydrating mist, the range consists of all sorts of lovely products, all in more quirky packaging that comes across almost old-school like authentic lotions and potions bottles. To break myself into the collection I thought i'd begin with the eye-cream since I'm in dire need of it and the penny strings are a bit tight at this time of the year. So is it any good? Yes. I really could not recommend it enough. It's creamy and nourishing with a slight tingling feeling as soon as you apply making your eyes feel awake and rejuvenated. A must-have product especially after all the festive partying and late nights over the last few weeks!

The Onesie

The winter months have set in and all I want to do is kick back in front of the roaring fire, tune in to some cheesy chick-flicks and dig in to some warm home-made brownies (yum yum!) all whilst sporting my brand new 'Onesie.' Yep, thats right, I said Onesie. Now before you judge, I must make it clear that I am not normally one for partaking in some crazy trend that everyones talking about, I'm one of those that would rather do something a little different. For instance, during the New York 2007 school trip all the girls flocked to the shoe stores to grab a pair of cheaper-priced Uggs as they were all the rage, whilst I went on the hunt for some sturdy leather black riding boots to last me the winter months. Or there's the time at University in 2010 when everyone seemed to be rocking a funky leather brown back-pack to lectures, whilst I stuck with my trusty black studded River Island bag (courtesy of Ebay). Obviously I adore fashion so I am forever following trends but I'm talking about those kind of trends that spiral out of control, feature on the news and grace the walls of Facebook, all because people find them, well, a little silly! So when the Onesie trend caught on, I thought nope this one is definitely not for me. Not a cat in hells chance you will catch me wearing one of them! But during an early Christmas with my family, due to them celebrating the season in a sunnier climate, I was more than surprised when I teared open another one of my presents like a 5 year old child to find a little package with 'Snowflake Onesie' printed across the front. Oh no. Not the dreaded Onesie. After my mum explained that she thought it was really funny and couldn't help buying it just to see me in it- that's what you get for being the joker of the family, I whipped upstairs and came down sporting the blue snowflake-printed giant baby grow ready to be the centre of all jokes. I was well aware that all I needed was a dummy in one hand and my milk bottle in the other, but as a giant baby I opted for a bottle of champagne and a handful of Thorntons chocolates.Thats the way I roll. Anyway, within 10 minutes of wearing it, I have to admit it was ridiculously snug, which is great for me since I'm one of those people that can never get warm and I was surprisingly growing rather fond of it. Two weeks down the line and I must have worn it at least 8 times. I simply cannot help it. Its comfy and cosy, perfect for chilling out in, the only issue I must point out is that it is prone to giving slight sharp electric shocks, either when taking it off or when the dog rubs past me. Nevertheless, it is clear that I am a converted Onesie fan. Who would have thought it? This is the first time I have succumbed to such a trend and I have to say...I kinda like it!

Clothes Show Live 2011

For the last 8 years me and my mum have hit the Clothes Show Live at the NEC Birmingham every December. It's a fantastic day out for all fashion-followers who want to have a fabulous girls trip and grab a bargain. From clothing stalls to beauty, there is a little something for everyone. My favourites are the Benefit stall where they offer free gifts with your purchases, Tigi where they offer multi-buy promotions and the designer stalls where there are some great quirky finds for affordable prices. Above is a few of my great clothing purchases from the day, all of which I am very proud of! Once we had literally shopped until we dropped all morning, we headed to the fashion theatre where the show took place. Each year, the show has a different theme and this year was the year of The Department Store. It certainly lived up to my expectations with glamorous dancing mannequins, stunning male underwear models (wink wink!) and an added touch of celeb appearances- Kimberley Wyatt came out with a big bang singing her new song and looking fantastic during the middle of the show. What-a-day. See you next year Clothes Show!

Louis Vuitton Spring Summer 2012 Campaign

Who couldn't resist this super cute new campaign for 2012 by Louis Vuitton. The candy-floss pink mixed with sweet pastel tones create a pretty little picture. With ice-cream sundaes, cut out patterned dresses (a big trend for s/s 2012) and iconic LV printed bags, what more could a girl want?