It’s a new month so that means I've had some new favourite items. I don’t know about you but I am so over January: the weather has been typically rubbish and I swear everyone is in more foul mood than usual. I’ve decided that January is like the Monday effect, so it’s lovely to see February beginning. Spring is approaching, daffodils are blooming and I’ve got lots of things planned for this month including a trip to Amsterdam (SO excited) so I hope I’ll be able to upload plenty of inspiring posts for you! Despite my hatred towards January, I’ve found some amazing purchases and random bits that I’ve used throughout so, without further ado…
Mr Carter's Soy
Candles in Brown Sugar & Fig
(Buy online here)
(Buy online here)
It’s
no secret that I am a bit of a candle hoarder and collector. I actually picked
up this candle when I was in Notting Hill in December, however I’ve
only just lit it this month as it was time to put the spicy Christmassy
cinnamon smells away for another year (sob!) This was the perfect in-between candle
for this annoying ‘its not yet spring’ seasonal limbo. I’m not a fan of sickly
sweet smells and this candle, for me, is the perfect balance between muskiness
and sweetness. You definitely get that sweet hit of the brown sugar however the
addition of fresh figs and vanilla orchid give it a unique smell that’s both
fruity and floral. It slightly reminds me of the Turkish delight but without
the sickly aftertaste! I’ve been lighting it throughout all of January and I’ve
also placed an order on Mr Carter’s website for more candles including ‘Red Grapefruit & Sugar Cane’ and ‘Peppered Pomegranate’ so I
hope I’ll love those just as much. The White Company and Yankee candles will
always be a firm favourite of mine but I love finding new small businesses to
support, and I’d definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a new brand of
candle to try out. It looks so cute on my side table as the candles come in
solid glass jars with minimalistic labels, plus they’re also super affordable.
I
know I’m late on the bandwagon here. Admittedly, I didn’t want to actually like
these trainers as it seems as though every second person in the world owns a
pair, but after the death of my beloved converses recently I couldn’t not buy
these beauties. I’m not going to go on and on about these as we’ve all seen
them a million times but they are ridiculously comfy (no rubbing of the heels
here!), go with everything from jeans, dungarees, shorts to skirts plus they
definitely have that effortless laid back aesthetic to them without being too
try hard. I was going to buy them in the white with black stripes however I
really love the pop of red colour with these and the gold embossed Adidas logo
at the top. They’ve also released a pair with a rose gold cap on the toe that I
am also really tempted to buy… (Resist
the urge Alex, resist the urge!)
Topshop Pinstripe Paperbag Waist Trousers
(Buy them in-store and online)
I
won’t go on about these trousers too much as I have already done a blog post
about them (read it here!) but these without a doubt have been a wardrobe
staple of mine this month. Anything pin striped I absolutely adore, and I
always feel as though Navy looks smarter than black so these are a great
contribution to my statement trouser collection. Topshop have also released
these trousers in their Tall and Petite ranges so anybody with varying leg
lengths are catered to! To sum it up they hide all the lumps and bumps I don’t
like at the bottom of my stomach, make my waist look smaller and are really
comfortable… What’s not to love?
Lindt 70% Cocoa
Chocolate
I’ve
been doing well with my healthy eating and water drinking this month as I mentioned
in my new years resolutions, but everybody needs to have a treat now and again!
To be fair, anything involving chocolate probably isn’t the best snack you
could ever have, but if you’re trying to eat well and you’re in need of a sugar
fix, dark chocolate is the best choice. It’s been proven to have all sorts of
benefits when you eat it in moderation including helping to reduce low blood
pressure, so I’ve been reaching for this when I need that sweet sugar fix around 3pm. And hey, apparently Elle Macpherson is allowed a square of
dark chocolate a day, so if it’s good enough for her it’s most definitely good
enough for me. Pass me the Lindt…
As
much as I’d like to think I have a memory of an elephant, I definitely don’t (Dory eat your heart out) so
I’ve been using my diary a lot throughout January to get things planned. Going
back to work at Urban means I’ve had to keep track of all my shifts plus organising
Amsterdam means I need to know what I’m doing so this has been a great after
Christmas purchase. I love Karl Lagerfeld- I think anybody who works within
fashion or admires it can’t deny he’s a visionary- so this is an ideal travel
sized diary that’s lived in my handbag. While a diary may seem dull I love how
this one in particular features not just average public holidays but also key
dates within the fashion calendar- EG the start of London, Paris, Milan and NY
Fashion Weeks, plus a full clothing equivalent guide at the back. The exterior
of the diary is simplistic with the Karl logo monogrammed at the front and each
page inside features typically hilarious Karl quotes including ‘I get along well
with everyone, except with men my own age who are either middle class, retired,
or boring.’ Life aim: be as sassy as King Karl.
Bobbi Brown Creamy
Matte Lip Colour in Berry Noir
I
don’t want to give too much away here as I’m going to do a blog post on this
soon, but oh my, I love this lipstick. Last month I put in my favourites that I
was loving MAC Diva but I think I love this shade even more (am I finally
turning my back on MAC and becoming a Bobbi Brown convert?!) Sort of similar in
shade, but this creamy matte lip colour has more of a plum tone compared to MAC
Diva- and I won't even begin to say how much better it is in terms of moisturising qualities- but I’ve been wearing this all the time throughout January. My best friend Molly picked it up for
me as a little January present (cutest friend ever) and I’ve found it a great statement lip staple. Further
details revealed soon… Watch this space!
Blog of the Month:
Media Marmalade
Melissa
was one of the biggest influencers who made me decide to launch my blog Fashion
Captive. After launching her blog in 2011 and posting something online every
single day (round of applause for achieving that alone!) her blog is a massive
source of inspiration for me. From her day-to-day style that looks so
effortless to her beautiful photography that makes me green with jealously her
blog is something that I strive to achieve in terms of aesthetic and quality of
content. If like me you’re a newbie to the blogging scene, she has created
multiple different how to’s/tips when it comes to blogging and making
it become successful. I always recommend her blog to anyone who needs a new
source of inspiration and she never disappoints.
Quote of the Month
If you haven’t found
it yet, keep looking – Steve Jobs
Coming
back home from London last month means I’ve had to go back to my old retail
job. Admittedly it’s not my life ambition to work within a store forever but I
think its important to remain inquisitive, enthusiastic and driven by the
future no matter how somewhat deflated I feel about having to go back to a job
that isn’t necessarily my desired career path. Afterall, it was one of my New Year's Resolutions to remain positive, so this quote in particular has kept me motivated to remain smiling and more importantly, keep looking.
What have you loved throughout January?
A x
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