Bloggers Love Fashion Week #BLFW

Previously I had heard about the Bloggers Love event's but had never managed to go to one, luckily I popped it into my calendar last year so I could remember to book a place this year!

Blogger's Hangout (Previously Blogger's Love) are a company based on bringing blogger's and brand's together for new opportunities. The dress code for the event was Black Chic but unfortunately I have nothing purely black in my wardobe so I opted for this Black and White Dogstooth Dress from Primark with Joe Browns Ankle Boots and a Green Hat from Asos.

When I first arrived at Waterloo station I tried to find the people I had been messaging on Twitter but to no avail, instead I occupied my time playing "Spot the Blogger" (ie. who's wearing black). Whilst playing the game I met Katrina who was also waiting for other bloggers, Ana and her friends.
We all headed off to the OXO Tower in London to be greeted with a room full of bloggers and brands.

First up was the brand With Love Lilly, featuring a mother and daughter power duo focused on bringing girls unique and handmade intimates which make them feel Confident, Free and Sexy.
One of the things I love about this brand is its ethos and how they want their beautiful lingerie to empower girls, and let's face it with the media nowadays a lot of girls are not as body confident as they should be myself included. I also noticed whilst scrolling through their site that their bra's go up to a 34 DD/E which I expected as most delicate lacy bra's are more suited to a smaller bust however they have inserted a "Custom" option where you can give them your size details and they'll make the product tailor made for you. If only I was small enough to not need an underwire....sigh.
Here are some of my favourites:
 Champagne Blush Bralette | Luna Bralette | Ariel Bralette | Nina Bralette

One of my many favourites of the day was MaisonVes, a company that sells luxury hashtag candles! With themed printed hashtags around the candles base, this makes them ideal gifts for special occasions such as Birthdays, Engagements, Weddings or even as a simple Thank You.  As candles go they look clean, modern and "totally instagrammable" (is that even a word?). My favourite is the #BFF Candle with a Cassis, Apricot, Fig and Cherry Blossom scent..yum! Which includes the following hashtags, #BFF #BESTIE #PARTNERINCRIME #FRIENDSFOREVER #GIRLS #MEMORIESFORLIFE #YOUMEANTHEWORLDTOME #XOXO.

A brand i'd researched quite a bit before the event was Little Ondine, this nail varnish  promises to be odour free, quick drying and easy to peel off (instead of using acetone) so I thought I would investigate. I was pleased to find that all of this and more was true! Little Ondine uses natural ingredients in it's varnishes so your nail-beds remain undamaged by chemicals, this is also to give your nails a smooth and hydrating finish. Take one of their twins sets in your handbag to either refresh or change your colour on the go without worrying about stinking out the room thanks to their odour free formula. These are the elements of varnish that put me off painting my nails more often (mainly because its more trouble than its worth) but after trying some out at the event, I might have to buy some for myself! My favourite colours of the moment are:
Ripple | Admiration | Afternoon Tea | HoneyMoon

Motel Rocks was next with their new Autumn/Winter Collection which looked absolutely stunning. We were asked to pick out our favourite piece and mine was this gorgeous turtle neck black sequinned dress pictured below, perfect for a winter evening event! They were also lovely enough to give me a gift bag filled with lots of goodies which will be at the end of the post. Here are some of my favourite picks from their site:

Suede Winnie Dress | Gabby Sequin Dress | Paulo Jumpsuit | Deena Dress

Fleur of England was a brand I had never heard of till this event, and I must say I am in love with their lingerie! A luxurious brand which prides themselves on being purely British, Fleur of England is designed by women for women. They also have a handy "Gentlemen's guide" which makes the process of buying lingerie for your partner that much easier. The brand styles up to a 36DD which again unfortunately is too small for my bust, maybe a diet might be in order to fit into these beautiful bra's.
My favourites are:
After Dark Balcony Bra | After Dark Playsuit | Scarlet Boudoir Bra

Paul & Joe is possibly one of my favourite brands ever despite not owning a single item from the beauty brand. Apart from it's amazing quality Paul & Joe is best known for its emphasis on packaging which was something I noticed when I first started looking at the brand (They had a beautiful Alice in Wonderland collection a few years ago and I was hooked from then on). This year they have wowed yet again with their AW15 collection featuring many a cat print, as you can see from the images below there are individual cream eye colours, cream and powder blushes, waterproof eyeliner, balms and my favourite of all lipsticks which feature a "chat de cafe that reappears with every application" in the centre of each lipstick. You may have also noticed the makeup bag sitting in the first image which comes with a few of the collections products as-well as eyeshadow slips which can be opened and sealed (so it doesn't go all over your bag) and each can be used about 15 times. Perfect for a christmas gift or if you don't want to lug an eyeshadow palette on holiday with you.

I had lovely time at the event meeting lots of new bloggers and brands, and I for one can't wait till next year! I brought home two goodie bags filled with items that I thought i'd show you. Thank-you to all the brands who worked at the event and gifted me lots of lovely items, and thank-you for Bloggers Hangout for putting on a great event!

#Bbloggerssecretsanta

So recently I took part in a #bbloggerssecretsanta and sent mine off just before christmas to Sarah from Blinkered Barbie. Unfortunately the Post Office must of been very busy as my package didn't arrive until New Years! Even though it arrived late I was still very excited to open my present!

The lovely Nic sent me a little card as-well which I still have sitting on my shelf as we head towards the end of January. I finally unwrapped my mystery box to find an Accessorize Fragrance Set, I had never heard of this set so I was very excited to try it out! Especially as It came from one of my favourite brands.

Inside the box I found two fragrances and a fuchsia coloured pouch to keep them safe. The scents were called "Joy" and "Spirit", you can either wear these fragrances separately or combine them to create a new smell called "Boho". I found that "Joy" was very fruity and fun whereas "Spirit" was a bit more musky and floral, but both were absolutely gorgeous especially when worn as "Boho". Most friends know that I despise long and complicated names for perfume, but I feel these were named perfectly!

A massive thank you goes out to Nic for my gorgeous present. I love it! You can see my #Bbloggerssecretsanta receiver's post here.

Did you take part in a Secret Santa this year? and what gift did you receive?

Leave me a comment down or below or find me on Twitter!

A Trip to the Zoo

Hi guys! This last Monday my boyfriend and I decided to take a trip to down memory lane and head over to Colchester Zoo for the day. We got to the zoo super early to make sure we didnt miss any of the animals and to beat the queue's , however when we got there it was pratically deserted (thankyou winter weather!)

This is us (forgive my lack of makup and dazed look, it was too early in the morning for me!) in the underwater Sea Lion enclosure. Luck was on our side and we had glorius sun all day (even if it was windy aswell). We stayed until about 2.30pm So spent most of the day strolling round the park.

Colchester Zoo recently celebrated its 50th anniversary and is well known for being one of the biggest and best zoo's in the UK. Both me and my boyfriend Ben agreed that a day around the zoo beats lagging around town anyday!

For 4 hours we felt like small children again, bouncing round the park and enjoying the mini-train ride. There was so many different species of animal to see, my favorite (despite myself being a cat lady in training) being the Red Panda, and Ben's being the Monkey's and Fish, specifically the beautiful Orangutang. Unfortunately we kept missing the talk's and feed's by minutes but normally they are a mjust for me as they are so fun to take part in!

I couldn't leave out a picture of the cute small Squirrel Monkey's we found! Myself and Ben fell in love with these gorgeous creatures due to their playfulness and their ability to entertain for hours on end!

So that pretty much sums up our day at Colchester Zoo, Just to let people know, I prepared a picnic for the zoo as I think it was a bit more appropriate, and as I'm a student, money doesnt come easy!

I hope you guy's enjoyed this type of post, as it was fun for me to write!

Click on "Colchester Zoo" to head over to their to their site.

When was the last time you visited the Zoo?

Let me know in the comments or on Twitter!

Prairie Charms #PrairieXmas

Recently I was contacted by a lovely company called "Prarie Charms" about an opputunity to review their products for #prairiexmas, of course I said YES straight away! A couple of day's later I received the most gorgeous fuchsia parcel in the mail. I had a little fangirl moment (I love letters and parcels to an obsessive point) and opened the parcel to find my delicately wrapped gifts. I received some beautiful products and couldn't wait to try them on.

My favourite piece was the Kaiya Multi Wrap as it had so many uses and looked absolutely stunning! Normally I don't really have much interest in jewellery, but I loved the idea of using the Wrap for multiple uses and I think this might encourage me to start accessorising my outfits!

It can be used as a hairband - a particularly good item for people who have annoyingly long hair like myself.

 As a necklace to add a small simple statement to an outfit.

But by far my favourite is the wrap bracelet as I can pop it on as I'm running out the door and it will instantly jazz up my outfit!

Next is the Vanessa Retro Hairband. I've always liked the look of these hairband's, but been scared to try them as I was sure they would show off my rather large forehead (not good!). However I was pleasantly surprised and impressed by this beautiful vintage floral piece. 

The wire inside the material also meant I could style it into a cute bow shape!

Normally I love bows, unfortunately the Limited Edition Tartan Bow I was sent didn't quite make the grade. The material wasn't the correct length which made the bow's shape look a bit distorted. However I love the colours and the idea of the (much sturdier) crocodile clip keeping this beauty in your hair.

And last but not least are the Vivenne Knot Ties. These are lifesavers! Brilliant for quickly tying up your hair without leaving kinks in your barnet and they even look pretty cool on your wrist too.

Everyone who participated in the blogger event also received a discount code, and I've already decided what I'm going to spend my pocket money on! 

The Harper Glitter Bow in Poppy Red looks so pretty and I can't resist!

A massive thank you goes out to Prairie Charms and owner Stephanie for providing all these beautiful items for me to review and keep. Another amazing fact is that 10% of profits made from this project have been donated to the charity GOSH, which makes me feel much happier about spending my pocket money. I also want to mention how lovely and helpful customer service has been, helping me along the way via Twitter and email.

Why don't you give them a visit at Prairie Charms?

Or their Twitter Page?

Did you take part in #PrairieXmas?

Comment your link and tell me what you think!

Talk to you later,

AnnieMAC

xxx

New Years Resolutions

As a child my new years resolution was always to "Eat Pie". Sad to say I'm 18 now and have still not gone within an inch of any kind of pie, so I decided to start anew and think up some new years resolutions for 2014!

DO MORE BLOGGING

I've hardly been looking to my blog for a while recently (due to some big life changes- which I will talk about later) and it's gotten me really depressed that something I'm really passionate about, has taken a back seat in my priorities list. So starting the 1st of January 2014 I will be blogging everyday. Yes, everyday. I want to put all I have into this blog to make it the best It can be. 12 blog posts are waiting in the wings already so I hope you enjoy reading them when they are published!

GET A JOB

One of the reasons I've been away for so long Is that I found a part-time job at Wilkinsons Retail. However it was only a temporary contract over the Christmas period, so I am now jobless (and without money to buy my weekly beauty treats). So, being a motivated girl I am already handing out CV's to everywhere and anywhere, and hopefully this persistence will pay off.

30 MINUTES OF EXERCISE DAILY

I have finally found the motivation to do some exercise and get fit again after a 3 year break from dance lessons. Now I'm not one of those induviduals who find it easy to go to the gym weekly or get up at 5am each morning to run, so instead I have decided to give "Zumba" a try! I will be posting weekly results on this blog to document my journey, motivate myself and maybe along the way encourage others to get up and shake their bum to get fit!

These are a only a few of my resolutions for the upcoming year, but I'm sure even more will crop up during the year.

What are your resolutions for the new year?
Leave a comment below or find me on Twitter

Talk to you later,
AnnieMAC 
xxx

The #RushBloggerMeet

Last week I was pleasantly surprised by an invite that popped up in my email for a bloggers meetup, being a big newbie in the world of both blogging and beauty I was instantly buzzing with excitement (more like screaming the house down) and rsvp'd straight away!

I headed down to London all dolled up, donning a bright red primark dress and some cute black heels ready for the evening event. Safe to say I wasn't expecting to get there 2 and a half hours early, for the heavens to open (turning my sophisticated evening look into more of a drowned rat) or my heels to cause me a pain similar to someone chopping off my toes, but the main thing was I made it. This was my first time traveling to London alone, so I was very nervous (probably looked like I has having a seizure to onlookers). So after helping myself to a cream cooler and Costa's free wifi, I still had an hour to kill, luckily the National Art Gallery was just down the road and my inner art student couldn't resist a visit!

Finally the time came for the meet-up to start, I was still a little early so I took full advantage of the free manicures before any queues started (My nails were painted with O.P.I's Big Apple Red) and had a little explore before the venue got packed with bloggers. The event was being held at the House of Rush in Piccadilly and was organised by top beauty bloggers, Becky (Lipgloss and Lashes) and Laura (Lauzzenger). I travelled upstairs to find dazzling chandeliers, trays of mouth watering nibbles, free bubbly and a range of treatments and products for us bloggers to try.

This was also where I met my first blogger friends Natalie (TheFashFeed) and Angelica (LoveFromAngelic), we quickly got chatting and realised that we all had a lot in common! We all headed upstairs to experience a mini "Oxygenator Facial", the machine pumps out  pure oxygen, which is  sprayed or 'air-brushed' over your skin giving you instant hydration, whilst also smoothing out any fine lines or wrinkles. I really enjoyed how this made my face appear hydrated, and fresh, whilst keeping my makeup in tact! This facial made me feel much more awake for the rest of the night.

I also managed to observe the Live Botox session where Dr. Gillian Carver applied a "Top-up" to the clients previous Botox instalment. I was taken aback by how quick and small the procedure was, as-well as how natural the finished product looked. For anyone interested in future Botox treatment I recommend looking into Epsom Skin Clinics.

I met so many lovely bloggers during the course of the night, here are their links and i thoughrly recommend you check them out: 

Olivia (BeautyfromtheFjord)

Angelica (LovefromAngelic)

Monica (MakeupandLondon)

Rachel (BeautyQueenUK)

Dani (SoManyLovelyThings)

Sophia (BeautyinmyMind)

Zoe (FaceValueBlog)

Tijan (TijanSerena)

Anna (AnnaNuttal)

Amanda (HoneyPopKisses)

Carima (Scrapbookofallsorts)

Selina (MissFashion1994)

Natalie (TheFashFeed)

Sheen (GoldenandSheen)

I also got a cute little goodiebag which contained:

A Catherine Colebrook Tote Bag

A Smooch Blusher
2 W7 Lipsticks
Some Magic Soap
A South Beach Discount Code
A Sample of Structure Paste

A massive thankyou to both Laura and Becky for organising this wonderful event and to Rush Hair and beauty for hosting.

P.S. If you guys want to have any treatments done at The House of Rush you can quoteBLOG20 for 20% off any Beauty Treatments and MICRO50 for 50% off Microderm Treatments.

But this expires on the 31st of October!

AnnieMAC

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