Style Icon: Dianna Agron

I’m a huge fan of Dianna as an actress, as well as her elegant yet eccentric everyday style. I personally love to incorporate pattern into my wardrobe, and Dianna manages to wear and mix different patterns without even looking anything close to messy. Pattern is one of my favourite ways to bring interest to a look and show personality, and I often stick to more muted coloured and monochrome combinations, adding touches of interest through different patterns and textures rather than through colour as is classically done. I find myself often taking inspiration for my own outfits from Dianna’s, especially in spring and summer – a patterned midi skirt and ankle boots is fast becoming one of my go to looks this season.

Dianna’s pairing of a very busy Louis Vuitton outfit with opaque black tights in the first image is one of my absolute favourite examples of how much of a difference styling can make. The way that the pulled back hair and black tights/shoes works against the dress makes a really wearable outfit and stops the dress from looking too busy against the patterned bag.

I have also loved seeing how Dianna’s style is being influenced by Alexander McQueen in previous months, due to her work on McQueen The Play. Alexander McQueen is hands down my favourite designer of all time, and another huge inspiration to my personal style, so I’m really enjoying this collaboration between two of my biggest inspirations!

A Weekend In Outfits

This weekend, I came home from uni for some good old Easter family time, and a much needed catch up with my friends from school. I love taking advantage of the opportunity to dress up a bit more when I'm home and give my ever-growing heel collection an outing, which I don't get to do as much as I'd like in Brighton.

Saturday Drinks

Last week, I found this necklace in the Urban Outfitters sale for £5 reduced from £38(!) - an insane bargain that I just couldn't resist. I wasn't sure how easy it'd be to wear, but I've found that I love it with a fairly muted jeans and t-shirt combination and these metallic strappy Topshop heels.

Sunday Family Lunch

I had to take advantage of the shockingly decent weather this weekend and crack out my new favourite Topshop skirt! I'm really loving the denim trend at the moment, and I'm especially obsessed with the retro/90s/Alexa Chung vibe of this skirt. I paired it with a plain white Topshop shirt (do I ever wear anything other than Topshop?) and some chunky New Look heels. I practically lived in these shoes last summer, and actually own them in red and blue as well - they're the perfect mix of style and comfort.

Monday Dinner

I bought a very limited amount of clothes back home with me, so by Monday I'd run out of anything even remotely colourful! I love pairing different textures together to create an alternate interest to colour, so I went for my usual Joni jeans with a plain black cami, textured leather clutch from Miss Selfridge and crochet fringed ASOS kimono. I think I've found my perfect nude heels in these New Look pointed courts. I usually really struggle to walk in heels that don't have some kind of strap, but for some reason I can manage in these, and they're not too high but thankfully nowhere near the kitten heel region either. They're a gorgeous shade of nude suede that doesn't wash me out and looks really expensive, and have mesh cut outs on the side that add a bit of interest without being too much. I really think they're my perfect nude heels!


What did you guys get up to over the bank holiday weekend, and, more importantly, what did you wear?

x

Currently.

This Topshop hat is the newest addition to my collection. I think it works so well with so many different outfits and I like the brown colour as opposed to the usual black. I love wearing hats, I think they add such a chic touch to an outfit and make me feel so much more confident - although they can be hard to handle against the sea breeze down here!

Benefit Hoola was never something I'd tried until I got it in a set for Christmas, as I've always been happy with my Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess. But I decided to finally give Hoola a go a few weeks ago and I must say I'm pleasantly surprised! I always assumed it would be too orange on me but even on my winter-pale skin it works great for warming up my face, and it's become the newest addition to my everyday make up.

I picked up this Asos top a couple of weeks back in an attempt to get out of my monochrome rut and get some colour back in my life! This is a perfect day-to-night top - great with jeans and a leather jacket in the day, and easy to dress up with heels and a bold lip (I love Rimmel Kate Moss #5 which is pretty much identical to the pink in the pattern for a matchy look!)

After watching this week's Bake Off, I've completely rediscovered my girl crush on Alexa Chung. She has that perfect relaxed, I-woke-up-like-this (sorry, cringe, I know!) look and such a loveable personality and basically I just want to be her! Her book, 'it', is one of my favourites for outfit inspiration.

As I mentioned in my Top 10 Lip Products of 2014, I'm a big fan of the Maybelline Colorsensational Elixirs, but until recently I'd only tried the more neutral shades. I spotted Raspberry Rhapsody the other day in Boots and just had to pick it up. It looks like a completely unwearable neon purple in the bullet, but on the lips gives just the right level of colour pop for an everyday look. I've layered it over Mac Vino lip pencil for a more full on purple look, but I love it alone during the day, especially for uni as I can easily touch it up without a mirror.

The Babyliss Pro Conical Wand (25-13mm) is something I can't live without. It's such a versatile styler that can create anything from ringlets to loose waves, depending on the amount of hair you use (I tend to go for fairly loose curls); and the curls last all day, and even into the next day for a relaxed wave. I also love conical wands purely for how quick and easy they are to use - I'm a girl who loves her sleep and so the fact that, with this, I can have an extra few minutes in bed and still get good hair in 5 minutes makes it a total lifesaver!

N x

Cherry Lips, Crystal Skies \\ FOTD #1

Along with pretty much every other member of the make up wearing population, I've been loving the combination of dark lips and neutral/golden eyes lately. I've worn this look a lot in the past few weeks, and I think it's great for so many different occasions, both day and night.

Face: The Body Shop Instablur  |  L'Oreal True Match Foundation in Vanilla  |  Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer in Cool Medium  |  Bourjois Healthy Mix Concealer in Light Radiance  |  Benefit Benetint  |  Bourjois Healthy Balance Powder in Vanille  |  Mac Blush in Harmony  |  Sleek Contour Kit (Highlight) 

Brows: Soap & Glory Archery in Hot Chocolate  |  Rimmel Clear Brow Gel

Eyes: Urban Decay Primer Potion  |  Kiko Cream Shadow Stick in 06  |  Mac All That Glitters  |  Eyeko Eye Do Liner  |  Urban Decay 24/7 Liner in Hustle  |  Maybelline The Falsies Mascara

Lips: Mac Vino Lip Pencil  |  Rimmel Kate Moss Lipstick in 30

The January Look

Topshop Cape | Miss Selfridge Clutch | Topshop Joni Jeans | Forever 21 Tee | Forever 21 Necklace | Topshop Billy Boots | H&M Rings | Mac Vino Lip Pencil

So apparently I'm in a bit of a Topshop phase at the moment...

Khaki green seems to be the colour of the season, especially in my wardrobe - I can't stop buying everything I see! It's such a gorgeous shade that adds a bit of colour to an outfit without looking out of place in winter, and is really flattering on all skin tones. Similarly, I'm also loving a green based smoky eye using Mac Club to bring out the green in my eyes.

I think capes are great for this time of year as well, perfect for layering up over a leather jacket when it gets really cold and for using as a blanket in lectures when times get desperate! This one will definitely be getting a lot of wear in the next few months, especially paired with my all time favourite Joni jeans. I was never really a jeans person until I bought these, but they're so comfortable and flattering - and actually skinny on my twiggy little ankles!

I spotted these boots in the sale at a total bargain of £20, and the only pair left was my size so it must have been fate! I think they make a perfect addition to an outfit like this - and a great addition to my ever-growing collection of black boots! I normally love to inject some pattern into my wardrobe, but recently I've been loving more simple, muted pieces, with little added touches like the raised lettering on this bag and a dark lip. I've found that this outfit works for so many different occasions, from shopping trips to drinks with friends, and I have a feeling I'm going to be living in it for most of the month!

N x

Read My Lips: My Top 10 Lip Products of 2014

It's only fair that my first 'real' post on here is about lipstick isn't it?

Weirdly, until this year I was never really a big lipstick person, especially not bold lips, but that's all changed in the last 12 months. So, to celebrate, here are my top 10 favourite items from my ever-growing lip product collection...

Rimmel Lasting Finish by Kate Moss Lipstick in 08 This is potentially my number one favourite of the year (but I'm notoriously terrible at choosing favourites so don't hold me to that!) It's the perfect every day colour that's slightly more interesting than a nude but still works with every look, and the formula of these lipsticks is amazing - creamy and non-drying but long lasting, and I really don't think they get enough recognition.

Rimmel Lasting Finish by Kate Moss Lipstick 30 Yep, I'm still banging on about these lipsticks. 30 is such a gorgeous vampy shade that gives a dramatic look but doesn't make me look like I'm 2 months late with my halloween costume. I love this alone for quite a matte finish or with the Rimmel Apocalips Lip Lacquer in Eclipse over the top to darken it even further and give a more glossy look. Obsessed.

Mac Lip Pencil in Subculture This was my first venture into Mac lip products (shock horror, I tried so hard to stay away...) and it's just as amazing as I was hoping it would be. I tend to find a lot of nude lip products just totally wash me out but this doesn't at all, and the formula is perfect for daytime or a night out.

Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet in Frambourjoise I hear a lot of people talking about the shades Hot Pepper and Pink Pong in this range, but hardly ever my favourite of them all, Frambourjoise. This was my first foray into the red lipstick arena, though I stuck very much to the pink end of the spectrum. This colour is a great 'suits all' shade and the formula really is the perfect triple threat: long lasting, non drying and lightweight. I also picked up the shade Happy Nude Year the other day after seeing how great it looked on Anna, so I'll be sure to update you with my thoughts on that too!

Rimmel Exaggerate Lipliner in East End Snob Ah yes, the infamous dupe for Charlotte Tilbury's Pillow Talk. I've never actually swatched Pillow Talk for myself as Miss Tilbury's collection is unfortunately very much out of my price range, but I'm perfectly happy with my Rimmel alternative for now. This colour is really great for everything from evening out the lip line, as a base for a bold lip or to fill in the whole lip on its own. 

(I've already changed my mind on my favourite product about 12 times while writing this; I wasn't lying about my make up commitment phobia!)

Maybelline Colour Elixir in Nude Illusion I'm not normally into glossy lips, mainly because there are so many ways I'd rather spend my day than unsticking my hair from my lips (that sounds disgusting written down, but you know the feeling girls!) but the formula of these lacquers is actually really great and not sticky at all. I also love the colour Caramel Infused, but Nude Illusion has been a constant staple in my uni bag for a few months now. It's great to just slick on in 5 seconds before an early lecture and for easy touch ups throughout the day, and is also the perfect accompaniment to a smoky eye for an evening look.

YSL Volupté Sheer Candy in 04 Succulent Pomegranate Over the past few years, I've started a tradition of treating myself to a high end make up item in duty free when I go on my summer holiday. Last year's Estee Lauder Bronze Goddess Bronzer is still a firm favourite, and this year I decided to step it up a notch and let myself be pulled in by the gorgeous YSL packaging. I haven't worn this so much in the last few months as I think it's definitely a more summery lipstick, but it really is the perfect product for the summer months. The shade is a stunning bright-but-not-too-bright pink that can work for day or night, and the formula is glossy and hydrating but not at all sticky. Another bonus is the slightly cranberry-esque scent that makes you feel like you're on a beach in the sun rather than dreary old England.

Mac Lipstick in Syrup If it wasn't obvious by now, my two go-to lip looks are dark and vampy, or nudey your lips but better, and this is ideal for the latter. The shade isn't all that different to my natural lip colour, but it really makes a huge difference and just pulls a look together. I really like the lustre finish of this lippy for an easy, natural look, or for a longer lasting option I like to layer it over Subculture or East End Snob.

Maybelline Colour Sensational High Shine Lip Gloss in Glorious Grapefruit Another good old favourite from back in the summer, this looks amazing with a tan and a golden/bronze make up look. I love the wand on this for distributing an even layer of gloss without going overboard, and I can't wait for the sun to come back so I can start wearing it again!

Mac Lip Pencil in Vino I actually only bought this a few weeks ago but it's already up there in my top 10. I've been obsessed with dark lips this season (if you hadn't already guessed from my emotional ode to Rimmel's offerings) and this is just the ultimate in my opinion. While this does work amazingly under a berry or purple toned lipstick, I actually prefer it on it's own as an all over colour. I think the shade is just about light enough to be acceptable for daytime wear (not that I wouldn't wear it in the day anyway), and it manages not to stick to dry patches or come off throughout the day. I'm actually planning on giving it the ultimate test in staying power tonight by wearing it to dinner at the local Indian - wish me luck!

So, there you have it. My top 10 lip products and simultaneously my first ever blog post with actual content! Apologies for the lack of images as I've somehow managed to lose my camera within my own bedroom, but I'm hoping it'll appear soon! This year I'm determined to finally give blogging a good go, and I can feel myself getting excited already! Let me know if there's anything you particularly want to see, whether it's beauty, fashion or just life itself. And I leave you with the obvious question: what's been your favourite lip product from the last 12 months?

N x

It's been a long time coming.

But here I finally am, starting the blog I've been wanting to start for about 4 years now. I really don't know why it's taken me so long to do this, but the past is in the past (as Elsa would say), and I'm ready to start rambling my thoughts out into the big wide world of the internet.

Stay tuned for some posts with actual content soon!

With Love and Lipstick...
Nicole xx