Statement Tee

I've never really been a Tee kinda gal (tea yes, t-shirt, no!)

I get why people like them, they are comfy and easy to chuck on with a pair of jeans etc...but they've never really been...well...me. That has changed a bit recently. As I've lost a little bit of weight and have a new very short pixie crop, I decided to break out of my comfort zone of tights and dresses and invest in some jeans. Skinny jeans to be precise. After a bit of research on the old blogosphere, I decided to try the Topshop Leigh jeans, as there are a lot of rave reviews about how flattering yet soft and comfy they are...a must for me!

I picked up a pair in dark blue and quickly fell in love. I then went back and repurchased a pair in black and grey and am trying very hard not to get any other colours just yet, as I still want to shift a few more lbs!

Anyway, now that I have some suitable jeans, the t-shirt seemed a necessity. Just as well really as they are everywhere, and I mean everywhere this season! The humble Tee has exploded onto the high street for SS14 and everything from subtle prints to vibrant slogans goes. Primark have an amazing, huuuuuuge selection but I had spotted a couple in River Island, which I wanted to get my hands on.

The first is a simple white slogan Tee, featuring the slogan "Tres Vogue Madam." Yes it's a bit of a naff slogan, but I really like it...fashiony without being too in your face. I've already worn this with faux leather joggers and my Leigh skinnies, and a blazer and it looks fab.

The second is a nice black tee with the slogan "Little Black T shirt." Again, so simple yet so effective. I've been wearing this with my grey skinnies and cut-out boots and in the summer, I'm planning on pairing it with a super girly skirt.

I picked up both tops in a size 14, as I wanted them to be baggy. However, the style is already quite oversized, so a 12 would have been plenty baggy enough! They both have little rolled-up sleeves, which gives them a cool James Dean kind of vibe.

What do you think of this season's must have statement T? Are they your cup of tea?! (sorry, couldn't resist!) Enjoy x

The Primark Must-Have Shoe

I had a little blitz around Primark the other day, as I needed a few essentials...socks, tights, knickers, cotton pads etc, and as I was there, I thought it would be a crime not to have a quick look at the clothes and shoes!

After snatching up a slogan tee, a couple of cami's and a pair of tapered, silky khaki trousers, I stumbled into the shoe section. My local Primark has had a bit of a makeover, and looking through the shoes is so much easier now. I am really into the whole cut-out look with shoes and boots at the moment. I think they work so well for winter, summer and in between seasons. I've picked up a couple of pairs from River Island recently, but I really wanted a more light weight pair for the summer.

And then I spotted them. A little block heel, strappy and cut-out effect. Not just one pair...but three...black, white and tan. It was love at first sight and it was also inevitable that they would all end up in my basket. Well, at £14 a pair, it would have been rude to leave a pair! (forgive the exclusion of the white pair in the photos).

I absolutely love them and predict that these will be my go to shoes this spring and summer.

What do you think of these shoes? Will you be rocking the cut-out look this season? Enjoy x

Naked Palette Dupes by MUA

OK, so maybe I have been hiding under a rock but the last couple of years with the pregnancy and the baby, the "It" beauty must have kind of rolled past me with nothing more than a vague sigh of longing from me.

Now that I have a new job starting very soon and the baby is almost a year old (can you believe it?!) I have been slowly getting back into the make up, beauty and fashion loving Claire Belle of old. So in the last three months, my make up collection has been joined by all three of the much lusted after Naked Palettes by Urban Decay.

Now, at £37, these are not a cheap addition to any collection, but, boy are they worth it! I actually worked my way backwards and started with number 3 and after a couple of months of testing, I would say number 1 is my favourite. Now, I saved for these bad boys, but if the thought of spending over £100 on 3 palettes makes you cringe slightly, then do I have a treat for you!

When I was schmoozing on the high street the other day, I wandered into my local Superdrug and have a looksee at the make up. I never normally check out MUA but I just fancied having a look on that particular day and I was very happy that I did. Lining up smartly on the MUA counter were three palettes, which made me stop in my tracks. OK, so the packaging was not as impressive as the Urban Decay numbers, but the similarities in the colour shades was amazing.

Undressed - £4

Heaven and Earth - £4

Undress Me Too - £4

Introducing Undressed, Undress Me Too and Heaven and Earth...the gorgeous 12 shade palettes from MUA. Featuring a selection of matte and shimmer nude and natural shades, these palettes were just begging to go into my basket and at £4 each (yes...£4 each!!!) I really could not resist. I really can't get over the price tag on these palettes, so I was expecting the quality to be a bit meh. Again, I was wrong. With the right eye shadow primer, these shadows are buttery soft and stay put with hardly any creasing. They blend together so well and the colour selection works so well in creating subtle or bold smokey eyes, with shades for highlighting, contouring and deepening.

It's taking some time to get through 36 shades, but if you are lusting after the Naked Palettes but can't justify the price tag, then I cannot recommend these MUA beauties highly enough.

Have you tried these palettes? What do you think of them? Enjoy x

Anthropologie Whipped Cream and Pears Candle

I am a huge candle fan. Whenever I have a birthday or Christmas rolls around, you can be sure that there are several candle requests on my wish list.

Over the years, I've sampled quite a few different brands and scents and my all time favourite candles come from the beautiful Anthroplogie. To be exact, their Illume Boulangerie range. Not only do the candles smell amazing and look fabulous - they come in gorgeous, vintage French style ceramic screw top jars, but they are a great price. £14 for 40 hours burn time...but I've found they last slightly longer than that. My top fragrances have been the Sweet Vanilla and Cinnamon and Vanilla and Fig...that is until I tried Whipped Cream and Pear last year. A-MAY-ZING! Just the most precious fragrance of fresh pears and sweet cream...sweet but not sickly and makes the whole house smell beautiful.

I was very excited then when my hubby presented me with a hand wrapped parcel from Anthropologie for our anniversary on the 27th. I opened it up and a HUGE candle fell into my lap. Upon inspection, it was a giant version of the Whipped Cream and Pear candle. The Incremental version of these candles is brand new and twice the size of the original size, giving you 80 hours of amazing burning time. That's a whole lotta goodness. At £24 it is a tenner more expensive than the original, but with double the burn time, I think this is great value for money, especially when you take into account other luxury brands are at least £10 more than this!

What do you think of Anthropologie candles? Are you a fan? Enjoy x