Faux Allowed

As much as it pains me to say, winter is drawing in on us English folk. The nights are getting darker earlier, the rain won’t cease and last night the central heating even went on. If there is one comfort I can take from the winter, it’s the fashion. I am 100% through and through a dresser for the winter. Knitwear, boots, big coats; you name them, I love them. However with the snow hopefully holding off for a few more months we need a jacket to get us through the autumn limbo stage. Cue: the leather jacket.

Ladies if you don’t own one already I can only encourage you and hope you go and treat yourself. Almost every high street shop will have them in stock in the up and coming months so the price range is down to you (but do bear in mind for the cheaper jackets, they probably won’t be real leather.)

If you do want to splash out and buy this jacket for life then I strongly recommend All Saints range of leather jackets. The price will be over a couple of hundred but start saving now and it will be such a satisfying purchase. Some come with fur trimming and others with a jersey lining so you can match it more to your wardrobe and taste. On  top of this, if you’ve always wanted a leather jacket but not sure what to team it with, then All Saints put a ‘related items’ column down the left hand side of the page to give you some inspiration. 

Caledonian Jacket, £295.00

Fleck Jacket, £275.00

Ruskin Jacket, £550.00
(100% Sheepskin not leather)

Telstar Jacket, £395.00

(All images sourced from Google)

Heaven on Earth

The word 'fate' I often think gets thrown around by people too much and used as an excuses for justification. However, there are definitely times when it is so appropriate. An example, me owning a pair of Christian Louboutin's. 

I've spent the last few days in London with friends and family and covered a vast area of shops including Knightsbridge, Oxford Street and as many places in between as possible. We delved into Harvey Nichols and Selfridges and on our way around Selfridges, I walked into what can only be described as shoe heaven. The Christian Louboutin section. It was all shiny and sparkly and shoes in every possible direction. These kind of items can sell themselves. 

I am going to openly admit to one of my aims in life, as shallow as it may sound, but it is to purchase and own a pair of my very own Louboutin's. Style, colour, price; I'm not to bothered. Just a pair I will love (not hard) and that will allow me to stare at the shiny red sole all day long. 

Work Hard, Shop Harder. Here's a few to wet your appetite.

Balota

Lady Daf - Spotted: Beyonce owns these. 
Need I say more?

Pampas Boots (all images sourced from Google images)

 Further signs of fate: opened a magazine on the train home, advert for a pair of zesty Louboutin's. I can't escape them! 

Time to Buy

If you’re not a girl who is mad for accessories like the majority of us but want to find that signature piece that you can treasure and will complete an outfit without it screaming over the top bling then I may have found the answer.

Liberty of London offer a stunning range of watches and I was lucky enough to be given one by my two sisters a few years ago for my 18^th birthday. I don’t wear it every day because I’m two scared of ruining it and I like to save it for special occasions but having worn it on nights out, to dinner or just on a day when I felt like dressing up, I see no reason why this can’t be your permanent watch.

I was pleased to see then that Liberty are still making these gorgeous watches. The watches range from £55 to £90 and for a high quality, different but still sexy watch, it’s a very reasonable price. The £55 watches you have to tie as the strap is made from a stretch of material, so you  may need a little bit of help the first few times but I managed to grasp how to tie it myself pretty quickly. The more expensive watches are just as gorgeous but with a more original strap.

With Liberty’s spoiling you for choice, this won’t be a quick, snap, impulse buy but don’t lose sleep over it. I haven’t managed to pick a favourite from the 2011 range so you’ll be happy no matter what. And lads, it’s a go ahead for a birthday/Christmas present.

http://www.liberty.co.uk/fcp/categorylist/dept/womenswear_accessories_watches?resetFilters=true

Liberty Print Knot Watch

Sun, Sea and Surf

After mentioning Mallorca in my last post, I thought I’d make a quick, very little photo diary to show off the place (Puerto Pollensa). I hope it encourages some of you to visit because it really is a gorgeous place! 

Enjoy!

Dear hair, we’re sorry!

I’ve been using and abusing my hair recently in the ongoing battle for it to sit perfectly and exactly how I want it. Unfortunately, I must admit, with no prevail. Summer is always harsh on your hair with the heat frying it anyway, holidays causing us to be in and out of swimming pools (chlorine – our number 1 enemy) and the sea plus general day to day wear and tear. If you’re anything like me, the straighteners are on and off. I almost feel stabbing guilt whenever I put my hair between the irons. I know I should give my hair a rest for a while but I've got that annoying kind of hair that isn’t naturally straight but isn’t naturally curly and sort of just hangs in an unattractive manner. I think this is easily where my hair straightener addiction began.

What do we even want from our hair nowadays though? Straight is out of fashion, curly isn’t always the easiest style to get right and our desired ‘beach babe’ hair is so unattainable. Or so we thought.

The discovery of Bumble and Bumble sea surf spray. One word – incredible. This product is publicly known to be used by our beloved Blake Lively (and who wouldn’t want hair like hers?) After a week away in Mallorca (gorgeous country, strongly recommend to anyone) and dipping in and out of the sea I re-discovered beach hair, always a winner, but with the horrid weight and feel that the sea gives it. Well this is the answer, (I guess mostly because the sea is no longer right on our doorstep at home for some of us)and because you can’t feel any kind of product in your hair. I’ve been tracking this product for a while and due to the price of £19.00 in Space NK apothecary it took me a while to take the plunge but I couldn’t be more glad I did.

What is more, you can tell little white lies and say it’s your natural hair coz surely adding salt water is just a little extra help...

Happy styling! 

Bumble and Bumble Surf Spray

Practice what you preach

After going down south for a week for a festival, the return to reality from outside that field, living in that lack-of-personal-space tent, there are things I realised I missed more than I thought and things that if I could, I would quite happily eliminate from my life. One of the main things I was (I won’t lie) ecstatic to see was my skin care. As I write this I can hear my dad saying ‘that’s sad, get a life’ but my skin is something I’ve battled with for many years so once you find the perfect antidote it’s hard to let it go.

My skin care heaven = Simple. A few of my friends are greatly amused by my skin care regime and often just state ‘you’re mad for Simple’ but I really am. I cannot swear by these products more because they’re so easy on your skin. For any of you who also have this battle with your skin, I really do sympathise with you and I’m not saying that picking up some Simple cleanser and toner will fix the problem but it can only help. Harsh chemicals and strong solutions with strip your skin of its natural minerals and dry it out even if it still feels oily. Stuff like your skin and hair will only cooperate if you treat it well so a regular daily routine, lots of water and fruit will make even the smallest difference.

If your skin really is bad and upsetting you, do seek medical advice. It took me years to go to the doctor for mine and within 5minutes, I was prescribed Duac one daily gel and three months later it was looking better than ever. 

Keep the faith. 

Simple cleanser, toner, moisturiser and eye make-up
remover

Hawaiian Flare

Apple Cart’s last few blog entries have ended up adopting a summer essentials theme so I thought I’d continue this idea for at least one more post. This time, it’s something for the boys. However I can guarantee right now that the majority of you will hate, disagree and scorn what I’m about to say. Granted, with good cause but for those of you who are feeling slightly open minded, maybe my words won’t fall completely on deaf ears.

If you’re still a par-taker on family holidays then firstly: you’re a good son/daughter, well done and secondly: you may be familiar to the dread of your dad cracking out the just awful summer shirt. By this I don’t mean a simple, short sleeve, white or light breathing shirt, no, I’m talking about that bright blue gem with neon pineapples all over it, or a jungle shirt with an array of 7 different bright colours that clash horrendously. Until not so long ago I would of been taking the side of the haters and burning any single shirt like that the second I got my hands on it, but recent events make me feel like I’ve seen the light.

Back in May, two of my housemates and I went to see Friendly Fires at a small gig in Manchester. This was the first time I’ve ever seen them play live and I tell you now, I fell in love. I’ve never seen a band with such energy and such a spot on live repertoire. The atmosphere throughout the whole gig was electric and they left such a buzz behind. Ever since then I’ve been following the band avidly as they hit all the summer festivals. Spotted at Radio 1’s big weekend and Glastonbury, to name only a few, my attention started to stray from the overall performance and home in on the lead singer, Ed Macflarlane. He is hands down the coolest guy I have ever seen in my life. With an ability to dance like no one I’ve ever seen before he was completely intoxicating. But it wasn’t only his dance moves that were mesmerising but also the shirts that he sported at each different gig. We’ve had a sexy beach number with palm trees on; a white one that after a while I worked out was covered in zebras, flowers and trees and one that I could only make out as multicoloured. I mean if Ed’s doing it, I reckon we all should be. Dare to be a little bit different and let’s bring back the crazy shirt and make it acceptable. You won’t get many people supporting this venture but it’ll bring a smile to the majority of passer-by’s faces.

If I have not managed to persuade you to embrace the Hawaiian flare shirt I can only hope I’ve persuaded you to give Friendly Fires a listen. Their new album ‘Pala’ is out now and with a whole load of new tour dates realised, try and catch them before disappear back into the music studio.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NncY6X0vJ0E

For some decent advice on men’s wear, check out 50% man. http://50percentman.blogspot.com/

(image taken from 'event-ist, Independent Music Media's
Photos - Rock N' Coke 2011') 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/bigweekend/2011/artists/friendlyfires/

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/bigweekend/2011/artists/friendlyfires/

It’s not about the perfect bikini body; it’s about the perfect bikini

Summmmers here and well under way! The few months of every year we Brits yearn for. Forget Spain and their non-stop year round siestas, July and August is our time to shine! (Or for those of us who were sitting exams, May will always be full of sunshine and one year we’ll enjoy it.)

After endless phone conversations, Skype sessions, joint internet browsing of trawling through websites for that perfect bikini, my housemate and I found the answer to all our prayers: a cut out swimsuit. Who would have thought that connecting a bikini top and bottom with a simple strip of material across the stomach could cause such happiness? However, it does cause the slight problem of an odd tan line but you’ve got to pick your battles sometimes. Now don’t get me wrong, this is a trend that hit our high street last summer for sure but let’s keep it ripe in 2011. Everyone deserves to feel sexy in summer.

Top of my wish list is a gorgeous black crochet number from Pain De Sucre but at £129.99 and myself living off a student loan then this will merely remain a distant dream. Ladies who wish to treat themselves, do it for the rest of us (or me at least.) For those whose bank can’t quite justify that spend, get back into Topshop, River Island and onto Asos. They’ve never let us down before so why change our loyalties now? 

(SS10 Pepe Jeans cut out swimsuit)

(Pain de Sucre, Honolulu, £129.99.
Taken from google images)

Crème de la crème

I’ve got one of my sisters to thank for this discovery. We all know a good foundation is hard to come by and one that your friend loves and wears everyday may not suit your skin at all. It can also feel like you’re just clogging your skin up day after day with layers of foundation. So after having this discussion with my sister she pointed me in the direction of cream gel foundation by Rimmel.

At a very affordable price it was exactly what I was looking for. Light on my skin but a good amount of coverage. Due to it being so light, it is also perfect for summer and will definitely be in the suitcase in preparation for my holidays.

The gel comes in five different shades so no doubt you’ll be able to find a colour to suit your skin tone. Plus it comes in a handy tub so no more squirting too much on the back of your hand and not being able to get it back in the bottle (such a waste! I reckon that’s where most of my money goes).

I’d definitely recommend this for work, shopping, holidays and even evening drinks.

(Rimmel Match Perfection Cream Gel Foundation in True Ivory, £6.99. Mac Duo Fibre Brush, £32.50)

Simply perfect!

Classy but Sassy

I am sure we have all shared the same experience of buying something new and just being completely addicted to it. Well this happened recently to a friend of mine and I can 100% understand why.

She bought this dress recently for her brothers 21^st and was easily the centre of attention in the room and in the photos. The dress is made from 95% polyester and the remaining 5% elastane making it very soft, so I’m not at all surprised that she wants to wear it at every available opportunity.

I think the back of this dress is my favourite part however it may be worth investing in a strapless bra if you don’t already own one. Team this red beauty with some killer black heels, wedges or even sandals and you have a dress for every occasion.

This is available to you all now from Asos in red, black and white and at £35, it’s an absolute steal.

Added bonus: Cheryl Cole was snapped wearing a similar number at the National Television Awards but Cheryl’s LBD was a Versace number at £2,200. If it’s good enough for Ms. Cole then it’s good enough for us (and we’ll save a few pennies!)

LOVE

(Asos Bodycon Dress with Strappy back detail, £35)

Image taken from www.skinnyvscurvy.com

Sheer delight

Often fashion can get caught up in the Haute Couture, the edgy style and the just plain crazy with everyone trying to define their own style but sometimes there is a time and a place for pure and simple. Especially on those humid, sticky, summer days.

A summer must have: a white granddad shirt.

Its light, doesn’t cling, comfy and goes with everything. A shirt like this is also definitely not hard to come by. The one bellow is a standard Topshop purchase but no doubt every high street and designer shop will have one in stock of some sort meaning the price range is up to you.

However, number 1 rule; accept that it won’t be your signature item to make your statement outfit. My best friend and I have met at least three times in the past two weeks wearing exactly the same shirt but will both still continue to swear by it.

Plus every girl much prefers wearing a boy’s shirt. This just makes it more acceptable. 

(White granddad shirt, Topshop)