ghd celebrates 10 year partnership Breakthrough Breast Cancer

Are you a fan of the hair styling brand ghd? I thought so! I mean, who isn’t? ;)

They’ve just launched their limited edition Pink Diamond styler, which is in collaboration with Breakthrough Breast Cancer, and for every pink styler sold £10 goes to this organisation.

In fact, this collaboration has been going on for 10 years, and to highlight their 10^th anniversary ghd has created this lovely infographic below, showcasing the different pink stylers from past years, as well as the total donations made.

This year’s Pink Diamond styler is part if the gorgeous limited edition Jewel collection, which also comes in the colours Sapphire, Amethyst and Emerald. However, it’s only the Pink Diamond styler that is in collaboration with Breakthrough Breast Cancer. A really great cause! 

Cruise, gala night and a lilac dress

For my 27th birthday (yes, I'm that old!) my lovely boyfriend took me on a Thomson cruise in the Adriatic sea (just east of Italy). Isn't he a catch? ;) Perfect present!

We flew from Leeds to Corfu in Greece where we boarded the ship, and during the week at sea we visited Koper (Slovenia), Venice (Italy) Sibenik and Dubrovnik (Croatia), and Kotor (Montenergro).

On the second night on the ship the captain had arranged a big gala dinner, and for that everyone needed to suit up. All the men were wearing full suits and ties, and the ladies were wearing fancy dresses.

The dress I was wearing was a lilac creation from Warehouse. It's made out of thin sheer fabric in layers, and has some lace details on the chest.

I'm absolutely loving the colour and the material. The only thing I was worried about when I ordered it was that it wouldn't be a good fit with it being a zip-up dress made with non-stretchy material... but the dress fits like a glove! 

This was actually a gift from the lovely people at Warehouse. Very generous - thank you! At £65 it's not exactly a steal, but I'd say it's definitely worth that price, cause you can tell the dress if of the highest quality fabric, and it's very well made.

I matched the dress with my new strappy sandals from New Look, which I have practically been living in during the last few weeks. They're really comfy, and the taupe colour just goes with everything!

I can't say my bright blue nail polish goes very well with the outfit, but at least it matches the sea (and the ship's floor!).

It was a lovely gala night and an amazing week overall. This was my first ever cruise, and I would definitely go on another one in the future!

GIVEAWAY - Shoes from Ravel

I'm sorry that it's been a bit quiet on the blog lately... I've been busy living my life! ;)

Don't worry though, I'm back - and this time with a bang! Why?
Cause it's time for another GIVEAWAY!!!

In collaboration with footwear store Ravel, I'm giving away ONE PAIR OF SHOES OF YOUR CHOICE to one lucky winner.

The winner can choose ANY PAIR OF SHOES from the Ravel website. Amazing, huh?! :D

Ravel is a well respected footwear store that dates back to 1934, and they offer high quality shoes that are quite exclusive. Just look at the price tags ;)

Fancy winning yourself or a loved one a pair of fancy heels, sleek sandals, or comfy but stylish flats?

All you have to do FOR A CHANCE TO WIN is to enter via the Rafflecopter widget below. The more things you do (like on facebook, follow on twitter, etc.) - the higher the chance to win.

I will draw 10 people at random, and the one with the best blog post comment wins - simple!

So, what are you waiting for?  

(EU residents only)

GOOD LUCK!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Trendy holiday destinations for the aspiring fashionista

I'm not sure about you but this time of year just always seems so busy. Rushing from A to B, holding down a day job whilst by night you dine out, frequent beer gardens and constantly have to rush between social functions because everyone seems to wait until the sun is shining to do anything! Even though this may sound like a dream to many, it's also rather tiring. Perhaps it’s making you crave a little getaway? Somewhere where you can pamper yourself and maybe indulge in a little retail therapy? If that sounds perfect, why not consider snapping up one of the great late deals out there and head to one of Europe's most fashion focused cities? That's right; I didn’t think I’d need to ask you twice! 

PARIS

If I were to mention fashion and not mention Paris in the next breath, I am sure that fashion legends of yesteryear would roll over in their graves. There are loads of great last minute deals to Paris available so, before you know it you could be hitting the city’s high end boutiques before rewarding yourself with a glass or two of wine in a charming street side cafe. It's impossible not to fall in love with Paris... especially when it's potentially the fashion capital of the world. 

MILAN

Think big sunglasses, impossibly impeccably dressed locals and the chance to visit one of Italy’s most vibrant cities. Home to the likes of Gucci, Prada, Versace, Dolce & Gabbana and Armani, you’ll be hard pressed to find a city that is more focused around fashion, or more glamourous for that matter. Plus, when you have well and truly exhausted yourselves pounding the pavements of this Italian city, you can feast upon all of the carbohydrates that Italians do so well, safe in the knowledge that you earnt it.

LONDON

Visiting your dream shopping destination doesn't necessarily require jetting off to some far flung destination. After all, the money that you can save on flights by staying at home and by snapping up great late deals at hotels right in the centre of London only means you have more money to spend in the boutiques of Bond Street, the high street stores on infamous Oxford Street or in the independent shops of Shoreditch and Angel. Perfect. Plus, don’t forget the wonders that await you at both of the Westfield shopping centres. Well worth a visit!

Summer Lovin’ - It’s Not Over Yet

Before everyone gets carried away talking about the oversized tailoring and punk rock plaids of Autumn 2013, let’s focus on the sun we continue to have, and the outfits we have yet to release from our wardrobe. There’s still enough sun to shine on our parade.

The Dress

For a warm evening there’s nothing better than a silky dress to look both smart and sexy. Match it with some tough detailing, for example a statement clutch, to have a daring edge. Geometric patterns, cool details, graphic prints and basically any detailed embellishments (as long as they’re bold) will triumph this summer. 

The Trousers

Black and white prints or monochrome will follow the momentary minimalist trend. Although for a bit of summer fun, team them with a bold coloured or detailed tee. For those few days when the British stop wishing for holidays and are happy to be in Britain go for cropped trousers for a fresher, but still smart, outfit. 

The Tees

Silk or silk fronted t-shirts are having their moment, not only cool to wear but smart, especially when teamed with suit-jackets. For a more casual look try playful colours or bold block colours. Similarly to the summer dress, graphic and sometimes mismatched prints with shorts or a skirt look effortless. Remember, no low cut tops please; it’s all about the midriff crop top.  

The Shoes

Luckily for our feet the low heel is in fashion for an edgy look. The chunkier the shoes or thicker the heel, this is a fashion trend we’re happy to follow. As the fashion houses show, a mix of materials are really in at the moment, but if you’re investing this late into the season go for a low to midi heel as that will carry you through to autumn/winter effortlessly.

The Accessories

The summer sun tends to bring out the feminine side in jewellery. This means pearls and pinks that go with the summer pastel trend. For stylish charms go for a Pandora bracelet with pastel coloured gems, or for bracelets at a lower price try the pale coloured woven leather for some girly arm candy. Something else to go perfectly on your arm is your bag. It’s all about the essentials this season; pick out something that will keep you outdoors for as long as possible, preferably something to hold the essentials, the lipgloss, the credit card, the eyeliner….

So don’t worry, there is still enough sunshine to go around so enjoy those summer outfits and don’t get the winter clothes out just yet.

Sneak preview of Joe Browns AW13 collections

Last week, myself and the lovely Laura from Top Style Advice were invited to an exclusive sneak preview of Joe Browns' AW13 collections. It was only the two of us who were invited as bloggers - the rest were staff or loyal customers. It was only a very small event, which made it all the more exciting!

The event lasted for just over an hour, and was a very professional little fashion show. 

Joe Browns presented a few new collections for autumn and winter, which will be available on the website from next week;

'Wuthering heights' - inspired by vintage style, and consisted of a lot of dusky colours, with girly cuts.

'A Winter's tale' - inspired by old time Russia, with lots of prints (such as Russioan dolls) and elements of red.

The men's collection - Also a bit Russian inspired, but with a lot of geometric prints that screamed heritage and adventure.

Have a look for yourself, at the collages below.

Enjoy! ;)

Autumn collection with girly elements - flowing fabrics and dusky pinks.

Russian inspired colours and patterns for Winter.

The men's collection consisted of a number of different styles - everything from trendy checked shirts and hoodies, to chunky knits and floral patterns.

Joe Browns also presented some beautiful lace dresses which would be perfect for a Christmas or New Year's party.

Can I have this one, please!? ;) 

What I really love about Joe Browns is their bohemian inspired cuts, with the flowing fabrics and the slightly crazy patterns. 

Joe Browns were kind enough to gift me with a gift card to treat myself to something from their new AW collections. I have not yet decided what to pick, but keep an eye out for a review coming soon! :)