A very civilised Afternoon Tea at THE TEA SALON

I love nothing more than a cup of sugary, milky tea. Yup, I said it. Most days I would rather be cuddled up with a English Breakfast than a Cosmopolitan...

So I was over the moon to discover that High Tea (or Afternoon Tea to us Brits) is served over here too!

I visited The Tea Salon in the Sydney Westfield- Noted to be the top High Tea in the City- and I was not disappointed. Nested in amongst the designer stores on the 3rd floor it was filled with groups of girlfriends, cute couples and fashionable older ladies.

At $40pp on a budget like mine it was an occasional treat (had to eighty six the champs this time) but well-worth it. The rose tinted panacotta with perisan fairy floss and the dark-choc chip scones were to die for....
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

Pretty Nails

As shameful it is to admit; I am a nail biter. Have been since forever and probably always will be. I'll have strange periods of time where I'll grow them really long, then get stressed about something random and without even realising it- end up biting them all off again! Not very ladylike blergggh. So THANK GOD that we have the heavenly invention of acrylic nails. The best thing about them, is that there really are no limits to what you can do- so I love to be creative & embrace the trends of the season. Here are some pretty ideas for 2013.

If boredom sets in too fast, then Frenchies  are a fail-safe and will never go out of fashion. Nothing completes a polished, well-presented look like they do <3

Emma Watson looks effortlessly beautiful in Carven printed dress and heels.

"Since the beginning, the Carven house has had a democratic and Parisian view of fashion design. Madame Carmen de Tommaso broke through the austere world of Haute Couture as an innovator in the Forties with a spontaneous and fresh style, adapted to the women’s everyday life at that time"

... And who better to showcase these highly wearable designs than Emma Watson at a society wedding. What I adore about Emma Watson is that she keeps it simple and doesn't over-accessorize, even with everday outfits (see the cute white shirt and velvet red shorts!). A statement necklace or dainty bracelet can make or break an outfit, but overstyling ruins EVERYTHING.

Less IS more. <3

 

                                               

 

The Great Gatsby!

Tiffany have been taunting me via their Facebook with stills from the movie. I have tickets booked for Monday and I am extremely excited to see their beautiful jewellery and the costume design in general. It also coincides with my recent interest in this era!

3 days to go!.....

Fashion Down Under. Sydney Vs UK

Approximately two weeks ago I landed in Sydney, Australia to start a new life down under. Once I was settled in my Pyrmont harbour side apartment I was free to roam around the city centre and assess what Sydney really had to offer.

My first impressions were not like I imagined, in Manchester Trafford Centre everything is literally merchandised down to a tee and laid out for you ready to buy. You can easily find something if you are looking for it and pick it up at a reasonable cost. Sydney is very different, firstly, as expected everything is a around 1/5th more expensive. I replaced a pair of plain back pumps and it cost $30 for a New Look pair, which would have been around £10 in the UK.

Topshop was one of my home comforts, being right in the city and having much of the same products you would find in a UK store. Some others I had to look for, and I was pleased to find shops such as French Connection and David Jones department store which stock many well-loved high street and designer brands. I did find myself missing Forever 21, Primark and River Island, as well as cosmetic stores such as Boots or Superdrug. I'd planned to buy most of my new clothes here as my baggage allowance was obviously very restricted!

I couldn't help thinking that Sydney has so much commercial opportunity for 18-30's retailers, including value retailers and mainstream fast fashion. However, overall I absolutely adore the city and the sights, and could not be more please with my crazy decision to move. So after seeing the Opera House and Manly Beach for the first time, I have to say Sydney wins hands down!

More updates to follow........

 

Coachella Festival California

So it's not so much about the music, more like (not exactly A list) celebrities going to show off their clothes and get photographed.

But I'm not complaining. I remember the clothes being better last year but cannot for the life of me remember who and what they actually wore (I have the memory of a gold fish). Although I do think this year Vanessa Hudgens looked amazing, with bindis on her forehead and flowers in her long curly hair. I love her (slightly wannabe) hippie type clothes, they just look so comfy, pretty and carefree. If I get to go to a festival when i'm in sydney this is how I will dress. Also, I think Sophia Bush 's dress and clutch are adorable and Alessandra Ambrosio's ankle boots are to die for, if only I had her legs.. And well Paris Hilton... What can I say? I like her sister but she is just embarrassing. Look at Nicole Richie and take note Paris! She is trying way too hard.

Here are some snaps...

Why I'm swapping Mac for Barry M

I hate that feeling when your favourite lip gloss runs out and you know that soon you're going have to rush out to buy more on an already strained budget. Luckily I'm more than willing to compromise on make up and The Body Shop and Superdrug wins over getting pestered by sales assistants in Selfridges.

The Christmas just gone I was treated to a Mac lipgloss set, and whilst lovely, I found the texture really sticky and they didn't last longer than a month. I also find their Lipsticks dry out my lips too much, and for that reason I'm not tempted to start buying their foundation or other products.

Instead I'll stick to my regime of Moisture Foundation from the body shop and £4.50 non-sticky bright Lipglosses from Barry M. Then its high street eye make-up all the way. I think Mac is totally over rated and all about good marketing and pretty brand ambassadors. If you're going to splurge there is nothing better than Dior, I recently bought the new rosy glow and it is just lovely to wear. And it will last a bloody long time!

Then there's the added fun of going to test out makeup on your own terms and being able to get a whole bundle of goodies to take home. Maybe one day my make-up bag will be full of Dior and Bobbi Brown, but for now, i am more than happy with my barry M...