OOTD - H&M Skater Dress & Jumper

Al'reet me loves.

I thought i'd do a little outfit post this eve'. I got home from a day of shopping last night and took a drive over to the boyfriend's house for a Prison Break marathon (i never saw it when it was on TV but he happens to have them all and i'm addicted!). I decided to wear my new purchases as i love wearing things i've just bought - it makes me feel all happy insidee..eek (sad). My ASOS things arrived today too (love them), so hopefully will have another little clothing haul very soon - i feel like i'm posting lots of clothing related stuff recently - i need to sort out my shopping habit...

What I'm Wearing:

Skater Dress - H&M

Slouchy Jumper - H&M

Tights - Primark

Necklace (seen in one photograph) - Miss Selfridge

Ring - Primark

Makeup:

Lips - Topshop 'Charmed' (seen here)

Cheeks - Illamasqua 'Lover' (seen here)

Rimmel Eyebrow Pencil in 'Brown'

Mini Clothing Haul

Afternoon my little ducklings

I've been on a little shopping trip today and I thought i'd show you what i picked up; i didn't buy too much - I'm really trying to be good just recently due to the fact that all of my friends have decided to have a birthday over these next few weeks (cheers for that, sunshines) - my car tax killed my bank balance the day i got paid, and i've also placed a cheeky little order on ASOS last night. Needless to say, i shouldn't be spending. But it's ok to treat yourself sometimes, reet? 

 Loose Knit Jumper - £14.99 - H&M

I've been looking for a lightweight jumper for springtime to throw on over vest tops and to tuck into skirts and i finally found what i was after. I wanted it loosely fitted so i bought it 2 sizes bigger than usual - but it's such a nice length and perfect for those slightly cooler days/nights.

 Skater Dresses - £7.99 - H&M

I wanted to buy this dress in every single colour and pattern possible but i settled on the leopard print and the black and white floral version. They're just the right length to wear with leggings/tights and fit really nicely - I'm off to grab the bright yellow one next week!

 Lace & Chiffon Dress - £36 - Topshop

I've been after a white summer dress for ages and i just haven't been able to find the right one. I already have this dress in the coral colour (seen here) and i was in two minds whether i wanted it in the white too. But i picked it up anyway - i'd regret it if i didn't and the style seems to suit me quite nicely.

To say i've been wandering round the shops all day i'm quite impressed that this is all i bought - i really had to use some willpower not to buy more! I also bought some beauty bits, but as i didn't get everything on my list i figured i would do a beauty haul towards the end of next week (prepare yourselves!)  Plus i shall have an ASOS haul midweek...

Don't forget to add me on Twitter: @Beth_BirdsWords

Birds Words on Twitter

Evenin' you wonderful bunch.

After muchos umming and arring, i have finally decided to get myself onto Twitter. I feel like i'm missing out on good things by not having it, and of course this now means that i can keep in contact more easily with all of you lovely lot. I shan't make any promises that i'll be tweeting a lot to begin with - having a blog and keeping up with uni work at the same time as maintaining having a life means that i won't be on there as much as i'd like - but nonetheless i have now jumped on the Twittery bandwagon. I'm not the sharpest crayon in the box with these things so please do forgive me if i'm a little slow :) My account is protected so send me over a request and i will accept as soon as possibley. 

[Link to my Twitter]

@Beth_BirdsWords

How To... Tidy an Untidy Wardrobe

(I must warn you this will be a long post, apologies if you aren't in a reading mood tonight..)

Twice a year, i take on the mahoosive task that is tidying my wardrobe. Warmer weather is (hopefully) coming around the corner and i took this as a chance to 'swap' my wardrobe around and breathe some life back into a rather wintery looking mess; get rid of some old stuff, put away the heavy knitted jumpers and replace them with my summery dresses. I thought i would document my little tidying sesh - and share a few tips with you if any of you decide to have a spring clean yourselves. 

I shall admit i am one of those annoying people in life who actually enjoys tidying and organising my stuff - i find it quite theraputic and rewarding and i make sure i set aside a day to get it done. 

 The Wardrobes:

I have 2 built-in wardrobes in my room (trust me, it's not that fantastic it's just an excuse to buy more stuff to fill them both), so wardrobe tidying sessions for me are a nightmare. For about a year now i've split the two into different 'categories' - one being my daytime clothing, and the second being bottoms (skirts, shorts and jeans) combined with my 'going out' clothes (this second wardrobe is a bit jam-packed to say the least - i've come to realise i own waay to many dresses!)

The results of my 'daytime' wardrobe

Before:

After:

 [To be fair it's not a huge difference but it feels lighter and brighter and altogether more colourful and organised to me.]

Time:

I shall start by saying - don't expect to get this done in an hour. Or even two or three hours. It might seem do-able but once you start you will realise how much stuff you've actually been collecting and sorting it all out takes a lot longer than planned. Today's tidy took me from 11:00 in the morning 5.30 this evening (with a 20 minute break for a Pot Noodle - of course).

Space:

Things are going to get very messy very quickly and if your room is untidy to start with then you aren't giving yourself the best of chances. I cleared the floor, made sure my bed was all nice and tidy, and de-cluttered everywhere (you will need all of this space to put piles of stuff).

Make a pile of hangers!

I know, a hefty pile of clothes hangers! Throw any spare ones onto the floor or your bed and begin to make a pile of them. I just took all of the clothes in the wardrobe off their hangers and threw them both in a pile on the floor ready to sort.

Categorise - Which items deserve a space back in the wardrobe?:

The pile of clothes you have just made needs to be sorted! I first went through and decided which items deserved a place back in the closet - if i hadn't worn it in the past 6 months i folded it up ready to put into boxes. The stuff i did wear often was sorted into 'dresses', 'tops' and 'cardigans/jumpers' ready to hang back up again.

Boxes:

The first thing i suggest doing if you're going to tackle the wardrobes is to invest in some good quality boxes to store stuff in (no cardboard excuses or flimsy plastics as they just look messy). I took a trip to IKEA and bought a load of storage boxes (IKEA are fabulous for storage boxes of all shapes and sizes) - i must have spent about £50 purely on storage and my boyfriend thought i was a nutter - but they've been put to good use and contain so much stuff without collapsing!

I placed all of my winter jumpers and random bits i don't wear much anymore in the boxes (but can't bear to get rid of  (yes im a hoarder and the thought of parting with things fills me with dread), and i took out the summer bits i'd packed away from last year ready to hang back up again!

Be RUTHLESS - Charity shop time!:

Now, i know i've just said i'm a hoarder - and i am - however, when you're having a spring clean you do need to throw stuff away and part with things (i'm very silly with this and spend ages pondering over whether to throw stuff away i'd forgotten i even had!). 

The best thing to do is make 3 piles - 

1. Keep

2. Charity shop (anything in good condition that you don't like or use anymore)

3. Bin

It's very useful to have some bin bags/boxes handy for this categorising madness!
If, like me, you find it tough to part with things, then keep the binbags of stuff in the garage or some other space for the next 3 months or so. If you don't return to fetch stuff out of them in a mad panic over this time then it's obvious you aren't going to wear them again - after a few months it's time to take them to the charity shop/the bin!

Make use of your hangers!: 

You may remember these three Primark dresses from a previous post - if you have things in the same colour, then hang them on the same hanger. It saves on space and you can still easily see the items in your wardrobe.

Everything has a place:

I organised my wardrobe in categories (again with the categories - I'm obsessed!). I have jumpers and jackets at the far end, day dresses in the middle and tops and sleeveless tops at the opposite end. Moving from heavier to more lightweight items. This way, if the weather is nice then it's much easier to find what i'm after, rather than rummaging through a random mess!

I also made a row of bags on the top shelf :):

 

Shoes:

KEEP YOUR SHOE BOXES!! (if they come with one when you buy them), as it prevents damage and makes your shoes easier to store. If not, i get decorative shoe boxes from TkMaxx (for pretty boxes they're a great option). I'm very lucky that i work in a shoe shop and can steal empty boxes as i please *teehee*.

Have your favourite pair on display if you wish - it makes a wardrobe look a bit prettier (and they're too pretty to store away!) It also means your favourite pair are easier to grab in a 'shoe emergency'.

 Hanging shelves:

If you still find you haven't got enough space to hang everything then it's an idea to grab yourself some hanging shelves. They reduce hanging space but by doing this you get bags more shelf space and can cram more stuff in to your wardrobe. I got mine from IKEA and they're suprisingly strong - i've had these for about a year now and they still haven't collapsed.

Anything i reach for on an everyday basis goes in these shelves (because i can never be bothered to hang stuff up at the end of the day - lets be realistic! And it's much easier to just fold up and place back on the shelf). 

Bodycon skirts have a whole shelf to themselves, as do my more flimsy skater-styled skirts and then i have my denim shorts and hotpants for summer. The bottom shelf is a little 'alcove' (not pictured) and i store all of my winter hats and belts in there. Anything that gets creased easily gets hung up.

 The results of my second wardrobe:

I didn't get a 'before' shot - but it basically looks the same (just a lot neater and less cluttered). This houses my going out clothes/jeans/skirts and is always going to be jam-packed no matter what i do to it..

Pick a day when you feel in an organising mood!
I hope this helped any of you wishing to tidy up your wardrobes any time soon!
I always do it regularly to keep on top of things (i hate mess), and i always end up having fun doing it. That said, you have to be in a tidying mood to do this, otherwise you will just end up stressed, tired and you'll be sat in the middle of your room surrounded by heaps of clothes and rubbish, hopelessy staring at the mess you've created in floods of tears and unable to get out of the door (yes, this has happened to me..)

I just thought it would be a good idea to do this - i hate seeing photo's of other people's neatly organised closets because mine will never look that tidy - they're crammed full of stuff and they will always look slightly on the messy side - but an organised mess at the least (and the decorative boxes make me feel better about hoarding stuff i probably don't need!)

 I'm off to town tomorrow to buy some wooden hangers and some more shoe boxes from TkMaxx just to spruce things up even more. 

Are any of you lovely lot having a Spring clean any time soon?  

March Clothing Buys

Afternoon my little rays of sunshines :)

I thought i would do a little clothing related post today. I've been trying to cut down on my monthly clothing purchases due to the fact I have about 4 birthdays coming up, none of which are mine, and one of which is my boyfriend's.. (and another my best friend's). They could have atleast spread their birthdays out just a little bit...? It's only fair?.. 

Nonetheless, i still found an excuse to buy some stuff - i will never get through a whole month without atleast one little shopping expedition..

 Black & White Lace Dress - £48 - ASOS

I originally wanted the nude colour, however they didn't have my size so i opted for the black and white. Kind of glad i did now as i think it has a bit more 'oomph' to it - I'm planning on wearing this with a pair of nude patent heels and a tan (courtesy of the good ol' St Moriz) on a night out with the best friend for her birthday.

 Mint Skater Dress with Sparkles - £36 - Topshop

I loved it when i first saw it and just had to have it in my life. This one is from the petite section in Topshop - and i have to say it's quite short so i'll probably have to pair this with the trusty tights unless i'm feeling particularly brave with the legs! I just love the colour and it can be dressed up or down for daytime or a night out.

Lace Fringed Crop Top - £12.99 - H&M

I love fringed tops - especially for the summer as they dress up any shorts or simple skirts in an instant. They also look great with skinny jeans and heels.

Lace Shorts - £21.99 - New Look

I must have snatched these out of the poor sales assistants hands when she was placing them on the rail as i've been after a pair of lace shorts ever since i spotted a pair in Zara a few weeks ago (they never had my size back in *cryscryss*). I later realised they also sell these in a lovely pink/coral colour so i'm a bit gutted i went for the cream pair (i have waaaay too much cream in my wardrobe - that'll teach me for being so flipping impatient!).

Scalloped Collar Blouse - £10 - Primark

I can't decide if i actually like this or not as the shape of it once on actually reminds me of my work shirt (*shudders*), but i didn't buy it to wear on it's own - i thought i might wear this underneath my plain jumpers when the weather is a bit chillier. I just love the little collar.

Beige Patent Cross Strap Wedges - £24.99 - New Look

Suprisingly comfy enough to walk in but i must admit my feet didn't thank me the first time i wore them due to the fact they've been in comfy brogues and boots all winter! They will go with anything and being a wedge i can wear them in the day with skinny jeans without looking too overdressed.

Flower Headbands - £1 each (Sale) - Primark

I just love Primark's little headbands and accessories - i'll be wearing these in the summertime or on holiday when i want to shove my hair up - they brighten up any boring hairstyle!

So much for my spending ban! I still have yet to buy everybodys birthday presents (and i need to pay my car tax - grrr) but i'm sure there will be another little clothing haul popping up on my blog again very soon... I just can't help myself!

Saturday Beauty Buys

Saturday is the one day a week i tend to go a bit crazy-crazzy with the beauty pur-chasing. I walk through Boots on my way to work, and walk past Superdrug on the way out, so i'm basically destined to buy something.. Yet again, this week was no exception to this 'pur-chasing rule' and i bought a couple of things .. :)

Here's what i picked up... (i had a measly excuse of a lunch break today and i've worked bloody hard! And so i figured i would treat myself to a crafty 5 minute browse around the shoppy shops before heading to the car - i deserved it!)

Eyelure Eyelashes '050' & '101' - £5.09 each (2 for £8.99 at the momento)

Laydeeeeesss get yourself down to Superdrug if you're in need of a pair of falsies or two, as they're on offer right now at 2 pairs for £8.99 - of which i thought was absolutely spiffing :)

I picked up my trusty 101s for nights out, and i decided to go for a pair of '050's for a more natural option. I never wear falsies in the day but i figured if i do happen to have any daytime events coming up now that the weather is warming up then i have something less dramatic to opt for!

No.7 Stay Perfect Nail Polish in 'Mojo'

I had to have this colour in my life - a lovely orange colour with gold sparklies in it (ooo sparklieees). I love No.7 polishes, as they apply smoothly and evenly and last for ages without chipping (which is a miracle for me and my cruddy shoe shop job!)

Does anyone else end up buying random beauty items on their way to work to pass time?! 

& can anybody recommend their favourite false lashes for me to try? I fancy a change :)

Lord & Berry Lipstick Crayon Review

Lord & Berry Lip Crayon 'Mandarin' - £8 - ASOS

I was having one of my regular ASOS binges last week and really fancied treating myself to some new beauty bits. I took advantage of the 25% discount and decided to pick up a few Illamasqua treats, and i also decided to pop one of these little lip crayons into my virtual basket. And i'm so chuffed that i did.

Lord & Berry isn't a brand i'd really looked into before, or really heard much about, and i was really intrigued by their lipstick crayons. I opted for an orangey peach shade in 'Mandarin' (i really need to stop this addiction to coral..it's getting slightly obsessive). I love how it comes packaged in a little white box - for a product which is fairly reasonably priced i didn't really expect it come in its own box and it made me a very happy lady (i'm one of these girls that keeps all their makeup stored neatly in boxes...i just never want to throw them away.. the thought of throwing pretty little boxes in the bin makes me feel a little bit sad inside..)

The consistency is just perfect; really creamy and smooth. I half expected it to be very drying and difficult to apply, but it applies like a dream, and gives a very pigmented but glossy finish.  It also smells like vanilla (similar to Mac lipsticks but with even more hints of vanilla-ey yummyness). I've worn this for a few days now and even though it is quite glossy and light, it does last quite well - i only needed to reapply a small number of times throughout the day as it wears off gradually and still gives a pretty hint of colour after an hour or so.

I really like the concept of crayon lipsticks - they've really taken off this past year (Topshop's are proving very popular), as they are so easy to apply as you can vary the thickness of the line you're getting, it's easy to get a more precise finish without the need for a lip liner, and they just seem altogether more versatile.

I'll definitely be purchasing another of these, and i'll also be looking into more products from Lord & Berry as this little crayon has impressed me no end. 

[Lord & Berry Lipstick Crayon - £8 - ASOS]

What are your thoughts on lip crayons?
Have you ever tried any products from Lord & Berry?

 

Topshop Pay Day Treats...

It's Saturday. It was pay day last week. This could only mean one thing for me - my monthly Topshop venture. I could have bought the whole shop; they have some lovely cropped t-shirts and shorts in at the moment, but i settled for a spring dress and a couple of lippies (if you know me you know i have a weakness for lipsticks..especially of the Toppyshoppy variety). I'm very lucky that i live in a city with a flagship Topshop, and that it's directly opposite my place of work (oh hello there lunchtime treatss..)...

 Lace & Chiffon Spring Dress - Topshop - £36

I originally wanted this in mint green or powder blue, but since those colours never emerged in my Topshop i settled for the peach colour and i'm extremely chuffed i managed to get my mitts on it. Perfect length (i didn't even need the petite version which are always hard to get hold of - yaaayayayay), perfect colour for a summer tan, and it has little hook and eye fastenings to the back so the top is really nicely fitted. 

I love lace. I love chiffon. I love spring dresses and i love coral. Basically my perfect dress.

Topshop Lipstick in 'Infrared' - £8

I finally gave in and bought it. I've been putting myself off it for weeks and telling myself whatever will i do with an orange lipstick?! But i love it. Such a lovely shade that is actually very pretty and wearable. It's a very deep orange colour which is almost red, and looks similar in the tube to 'RioRio' (one of my favourites everever - review here) - but once on the lips it is a lovely vibrant orange shade.

 

Topshop Lipstick in 'Charmed' - £9

I know, i know. It looks more or less the same as 'Infrared', but i can assure you - it isn't. This one is from their 'Sisters of the New Moon' collection and i am just in love with the packaging - a lovely little pink box with pretty swirls and silver writing. This shade is more pastel once on the lips and is more of a peach shade rather than an orange, it's also more muted and doesn't look so bright on the lips - more cool in tone and is more wearable if i'm not feeling brave enough for the brightness of Infrared!

Swatches: Top - Infrared

 Bottom - Charmed

Currently on my Topshop Lipstick wishlist is 'All About Me' and i really want the liptint in 'Crystal'. But i shall wait until next payday for those.. 4 lipsticks in the space of a week is a little bit ridiculous, surely?

What are your Topshop favourites right now? :)