October Favourites

October is at its close and I still don't have a Hallowe'en costume! I predict last minute shopping and fake blood. Anyway onto the products that I have been loving this month. 

1. ASOS brogues

I featured these shoes in my recent OOTD, and have adored wearing them this month. I love their polished look - I'm digging patent leather at the moment. I also like their pointy style, which give a powerful vibe. I also want pointy patent ankle boots which seem to pop up everywhere at the moment. 

2. MAISON VES & PRIMARK candles

It's become a house tradition to make a hot drink, flick on our fairy lights and light our candles when we get home from a long day at uni or work. I featured this gorgeous vanilla and coconut one in my home haul, and the Primark candle is a more recent purchase. I think its packaging is pretty sleek for Primarni and it smells like a sexy man so I was sold.

3. TWININGS & TESCO peppermint tea

The hot drink I was referring to above is 9 times out of 10 a peppermint tea. In fact I'm drinking a cup as I write this. I love it's clean, refreshing taste whilst being comforting. Speaking of clean, the tea has a single ingredient: peppermint, and is caffeine free - perfect before bed. I've included two versions that I drink - Tesco's own and Twinings. I bought the branded version to compare, and I found they were pretty similar. However for the same price, I can get double the amount of Tesco's tea than Twinings. I'm not paying for additional ingredients, just the brand. So I'm saving it for guests and I'm not likely to repurchase.

 4. DYMO label maker

The room I moved into came with an industrial filing cabinet, so I thought I'd embrace it and add a retro vibe with a label maker. I have gone a bit crazy with it, and have to rein myself back so I don't waste tape. I love its effect, and it looks great on my shabby chic drawers - I feel like a Pinterest goddess. 

5. RIMMEL fix & perfect pro primer 

You may have seen that I was on the market for a new drugstore primer in my September wish list. I thought I'd purchase the Garnier Perfect Blur but whilst in Boots I realised it was £13 for a tiny tube. So I moved onto Rimmel, and swatched the Fix and Perfect primer, applying a little concealer on top to see the effect. I was pretty happy so I decided to try it out at home. I have been wearing it every day since, I like it so much. It's a thick but blendable formula that smoothes the skin and makes my foundation last a lot longer - a godsend for long shifts or nights out. 

6. MISSGUIDED bomber 

This bomber I featured in an outfit post this month and an OOTD in my post on Louis Vuitton Series 3. Off the blog I have been wearing it to death, as it is a perfect balance of smart casual. Plus despite being cropped, it's super warm and cosy which is why I reach for it on most occasions. 

7. Bedtime Yoga

As I am incredibly busy at the moment, I have been focusing on my sleep to ensure that I don't crash and burn. I've downloaded a Sleep Better app and try to avoid screens for half an hour before bed. Another tactic I've been trying is yoga. About an hour before bed I'll roll out my mat, stick YouTube on and watch a Yoga With Adriene video. My favourites at the moment are Day 1 of her 30 Days of Yoga series and her Bedtime Yoga sequence. It improves flexibility, stretches out my aching limbs and winds the body down for bed. I could fall asleep during the savasana at the end.

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Cocoon Coat, Patterned Shirt & Leather

MISSGUIDED coat (similar @ ASOS) | UO shirt | MISSGUIDED faux leather skirt | UO box bag (similar @ ZARA/UO) | ASOS brogues

It was actually raining when we took these pictures, which I thought would have had the benefit of less pedestrians staring at me. Alas, due to it being a Saturday afternoon in Winchester, there were a lot more than expected! They must have thought I was crazy for taking pictures in the rain without a coat or umbrella. 

I'm actually wearing colour(!) for once through this blue patterned shirt from BDG at Urban Outfitters. I tucked it into my trusty leather pencil skirt which I've been wearing to death recently. I also dug out a coat because temperatures have dramatically dropped recently. This one is made of a furry felt-like fabric and I love its shape and length. I added my studded leather box bag and my new shiny brogues, which I bought "for work". I've become skilled at justifying purchases for myself lately.

I'm dreading the colder weather ahead, but looking forward to layering and maybe even a new faux fur coat?

Photography: Aneesha Bailoor

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Home Haul

IKEA rug

In Sex and the City 2, Carrie Bradshaw admits to "cheating on fashion with furniture" which I can empathise with now! Those who regularly read my blog will know that I moved into a new flat in September for my second year of uni. Naturally much spending commenced, and my wishful procrastinating on Net-a-Porter switched to Anthropologie. I promised a home haul in my September Favourites and a month later (oops) I've finally delivered!

1. IKEA cacti

Meet Gertrude, Paul and Bill - my baby cacti! I picked them up in IKEA and they have been living happily on my windowsill. They are so cute (I have an obsession with mini things) and are super low maintenance. They are an easy way to add life to a rented flat and I love seeing them when I open my curtains in the morning.

2. HM Cushion Covers (x/x)

IKEA bed frame & covers

I wasn't happy with any of the cushions I had seen on my shopping outings, so I turned to the internet. The first site I went to was H&M Home and I found these beauties! They fitted in with my colour scheme well (white, grey and a lil bit of black) and I love the drama of the prints. The eye print went straight in my basket and after some deliberation the other followed. I was super excited when I realised the print was people Vogueing - how fab?! And they're from the Conscious Collection so the purchase was guilt free.

3. LIGHTS4FUN fairy lights

Once I bought this bed frame I knew I needed fairy lights to wrap around its bars. They make the room seem cosy and welcoming especially in the colder months! Plus these ones are a gorgeous "maroq" design, meaning I can enjoy them even when they're off.

4. MAISON VES candle

I was given this candle at Blogger's Fashion Week and I couldn't wait to bring it to my new flat. Candles were forbidden when I lived in university halls last year, so I was excited to burn some in my new flat! This one is vanilla and coconut scented, which smells divine. I don't normally go for sweet scents, but the fragrance isn't cloying so its very pleasant. It's also slow-burning, meaning it will last for a while, and I love the "#BLOGGERSRULE".

5. PRIMARK hot water bottle

This year I have to worry about bills (ugh) so blasting the heating whenever I want isn't an option. Therefore I thought a hot water bottle would be a good investment for chilly nights ahead. I chose this one because faux fur (duh) and at £6 it was a no brainer. Its super soft, which is perfect for snuggling with.

6. TIGER expresso cups

My friend Alex got me these expresso cups for my birthday, as she knew I love coffee. Maybe I talk about coffee too much, I also received a coffee face mask and two homemade coffee cakes... all from different people. Anyway, I love the monochrome typography aesthetic, and they make me feel like I have my shit together. Yes, I have an expresso cup stand next to my cafetière. Would you like a coffee? Alex has such good taste and gives good presents (she also gave me green tea candles and a bottle of rosé).

7. IKEA LED lamp

I get a lot of compliments on this lamp, its normally the first thing people comment on when they visit my room. I needed a lamp because I'm too cosy in bed to turn off the main light (lazy girl problems) and I fell in love with its sleek design and copper colour. I also appreciate how bright it is, and its LED so I don't have to change the bulb!

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Louis Vuitton Series 3

On Friday, I went on a day trip to London and the first thing on the agenda was LV Series 3. The exhibition - tailored for social media - had been on my radar for a while so I was desperate to go. 

One of the first rooms we visited featured this cage-like sphere, which was reflected in the mirror ceiling, having a dramatic effect. Meanwhile, Adèle Exachopolous (Blue is the Warmest Colour) reads a poem by Juergen Teller en français and in English.

Then we walked through this white tunnel into a circular room which again used mirrors to maximise the experience. The screens on the walls showed models talking about LV and iconic prints and pieces spun around us. It gave the illusion that the floor was moving, and some complained about motion sickness.

Spinning in the tunnel

Another highlight was the runway room, where screens showed the latest collection from Louis Vuitton and the tour guide described the main influences for the collection, which included Oriental, Scandinavian and androgyny.

My favourite room of the exhibition would have to be the accessories room. We stepped out of a dark corner into a bright white space, making me squint for the first couple of minutes. The brightness made the accessories stand out, perfect for taking pictures!

The final room displayed the latest collection in plastic cases. I love this sheepskin jacket so much - apparently there were only 10 made in Europe! It was super soft and double lined. The monochrome ensemble below was inspiring and I also had to include the limited edition handbag made specially for the LV Series 3 exhibition.

I came away with a poster and stickers! Pretty good considering entry was free as well. The brand has a motive though - our tour guide kept on encouraging photos and repeating the phrase "#LVSeries3". The gain behind an exhibition like this is the social media frenzy it starts, and the desire for Louis Vuitton it builds.

Stickers & Poster

Gazing into the distance like a tourist on Southbank... Wearing a black bomber, shirt dress and white trainers. 

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Black Bomber & Superstars

MISSGUIDED bomber jacket | TOPSHOP halter neck top | TOPSHOP jamie jeans | ADIDAS superstars | TOPSHOP mini bag | UO sunglasses

Autumn has definitely arrived, nicely visualised by the orange leaves on the grass. My housemate and I went to explore our local fort but it was "closed to the public", which was a shame. We took the opportunity to take some pics instead by this rather nice wall, and rewarded ourselves with salted caramel hot chocolate. 

I got this bomber from Missguided recently and it has been a godsend in this nippy weather. It's deceivingly cosy so I have been wearing it a lot. I wore a halterneck crop top underneath, which was featured on my September wish list, and paired it with my Jamie jeans and trusty Superstars. The mini bag added a needed pop of colour to the look and is soo cute!

Photography: Aneesha Bailoor

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