How To Bring Country Girl Vibes To The City

Now Spring is upon us, it's time to really perk up our wardrobes and although I love a good floral why not try something new? Ever since the days of Hannah Montana I wanted to be a country western girl so I took guitar lessons for 4 years and bought ever pair of ankle boots I came across! So if you fancy throwing some Nashville vibes into your day to day dress then here's some street style inspiration to get you started.

Nothing says country like denim dungarees, so be brave and invest in a pair! They go perfect with a frilly blouse, cowboy boots and your fave sunnies. Plus who doesn't wanna feel like a sassy farmer strolling round the streets??

SHOP: DUNGAREES- H&M

TOP- H&M

SUNGLASSES- H&M

BOOTS- FAITH (DEBENHAMS)

The little black dress may be iconic but white is just perfect for when the sun is shining, since we're playing on country vibes then make sure you find something girlie and frilly to float around in.  

SHOP: DRESS- HOLLISTER

BOOTS- FAITH (DEBENHAMS)

This look is the easiest to execute and can be worn day to night (from brunch to booze basically) A classic pair of ripped jeans and a feminine bib styled blouse will do the trick paired once again with bad ass heeled tan boots.

          SHOP: BLOUSE- ZARA

JEANS- ZARA

BOOTS- FAITH (DEBENHAMS)

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Beauty And The Beast Inspired Glam

Growing up, all I wanted was to look just like Belle, to wander through the streets with a book and have small towns gasping at my beauty. In reality it's average ol' me stress strolling, gripping a Cosmo and having old men telling me to smile. HOWEVER with the brand new Beauty And The Beast out in cinemas, it's the perfect time to channel our inner (or outter) Belle with glam inspired by her Disney perfectness. Hope these pictures serve as some handy inspiration.

Tale as old as time... For her iconic ballroom look whip up your hair in a half bun, remember plenty of highlighter, subtle winged liner and for the lips, line with nude and fill with a glossy pink.

I want adventure in the great wide somewhere... Before Belle stumbled into an enchanted castle, fell in love with a big hairy guy and spent her days chatting the tea pots she was a simple small town girl dodging egotistical men with her pretty hair and roaring feminism.

Keep this look simple with a nude lip, plenty of blush and hair twisted into a low pony, topped with a bow.

*When he's rich AF so you gotta overlook his Beastliness*

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How To Make Cocktails That Are Good For You...Kinda

One of the biggest trends at the minute is showing off the fact that we're eating the healthiest most cleansing foods at all times. One word - Kale. Kale has been thrown about in places where it just shouldn't work, like smoothies! The glamorous, yoga doing, crop top wearing Queens of California convinced us that there are certain foods that we need to wedge into our diet in order to clear our skin, cleanse our insides and all round detox ourselves. However this can all get very dull so let's mix in some frickin' alcohol! Now you can get wavy with your girlfriends and still pretend you've got your life together. These three cocktail recipes are a much more enjoyable way of fitting in the foods we're meant to be eating, meaning our skin, hair, health and social life all improve sip by sip! (Warning - presence of antioxidant fruits does not limit the risk of drunk dialling an ex or singing karaoke in the cab)

1. Blueberry Blitz

Blueberries are often labelled a  'superfood'  because they are thought to contain the highest capacity of antioxidants of all the commonly consumed fruits and veggies. So these rustic cocktails are a must if you're slicing the guilt on your next sesh.

• Put a cup of water, sugar and 2 cups of blueberries to boil and then leave to simmer and cool.
• Mix in the juice of one fresh lemon and shake the syrup in a cocktail mixer with some ice.
• Pour over a cute glass filled with ice and a shot (or several) of dry gin and finally garnish with some thyme which can also really bring out the flavour.

2. Grownup's Lemonade

Fresh lemons are something I've always loved incorporating into my diet  because of their high vitamin count,  including vitamins C, A and E, which fight against infections and flus (unfortunately not hangovers). A great reason to involve lemons with alcohol is their benefits for our liver as it can dissolve dangerous poisons hanging around there (like the excessive amounts of vodka we'll be adding)

• Boil a cup of water then add a cup of sugar until it dissolves
• Add the juice of 5 lemons once the syrup has cooled
• Pour the lemonade into a glass filled with ice, preffered amount of vodka and mint leaves

 

3. Cranberry Fizz

A few years ago we saw the boom of Prosecco industry where suddenly any event, formal, causal or otherwise seemed to be drowning in the stuff.  NO complaints from me, champagne class on apple juice price seems like a pretty banging deal in my book. So to make this trend somewhat good for us, add cranberry juice! This stuff is my favourite, not only does it taste great but once again the benefits are endless. These include everything from anti aging elements, a high vitamin count and even helps cardiovascular health (heart business). Although it can't fix the broken heart you'll get if your best mate tells you she's already been to the toilet when you ask for a bathroom buddy ... no greater betrayal in womanhood.

• Squeeze the juice of half an orange into a glass
• Fill almost half way with cranberry juice and top up with your favourite Prosecco
• Garnish with orange peel and voila! Class in a glass mate. 

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How To Give Your Skin A Good Ol' LUSH Spring Cleaning

Spring is FINALLY here! Time to watch the blossom trees bloom and wear heaps of florals , 'Florals for Spring? Groundbreaking' -Miranda Priestly. More importantly it's time to brush away the cobwebs and get cleaning, this doesn't just apply to living spaces but your skin too. So here I'll show you my favourite LUSH products to give your face a deep, much needed skin cleaning, enjoy! 

(P.S I quickly realised I do not have the patience to re do my makeup after every step so you'll just have to deal with my bare face until the end -APOLOGIES IN ADVANCE)

1. SCRUB AWAY THE COBWEBS 

It's been a long winter filled with binge eating, weather so cold it cracks your skin and Christmas alcohol still seeping it's way out of your pores. So to prep yourself for a fresh start whip out the big guns. LUSH's Ocean Salt is literally my favourite product, I've used it for years and it's the most fabulously aggressive scrub I've yet to come across. This is the shizz you whip out when times are rough (along with your skin) it takes away all dead and dry skin and leaves you smelling like lime, coconut and genuine sea salt, just like the mermaids. 

2. POLISH THE SURFACES

This next product is called 'Full Of Grace' and essentially it's a solid lil brick of oils. You rub it between your hands until they're sufficiently oily then rub all over your face. MAKE SURE you only pull skin in an upward motion since no one wants premature wrinkles. Use this product before any face mask and it enables all the goodness to seep in deeper since it's able to clear out any deep seeded dirt- we are just vile creatures

3. MASK THE MADNESS

Next is a proper 'I've got my life together, both my eyebrows are even, I eat a salad everyday' face mask. I feel like these only occur when you're really sorting your life out and with Spring cleaning about, NOW is the time. One of my favourite LUSH masks is 'Don't Look At Me' (presumably since it makes you Smurf blue) This product has small grains in it making the mask sufficient to scrub your skin as it dries. Apply a thin layer all over and leave to dry for 10-15 minutes before washing off with warm water. 

4. TONE IT DOWN

Finally before you bask in the glory of your new shining, clear skin the  final step is to tone up. (No cardio involved thank Jesus) Spritz some Tea Tree Water on a cotton pad then wipe all over your face, this is an antibacterial product which just removes any left over oils and protects your skin from future germs throughout the day!

TADAAA!

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How To Make The Perfect American Pancakes

Tuesday the 28th of February is one of the greatest days in modern civilised society... Pancake day! It's a day committed to fattening us all up before Lenten purges, an event to commemorate the countdown of a mere 40 days and 40 nights before Lindt Bunnies and Creme eggs. So to make this day extra special, why not offer something a little different to our usual British, crepe style pancakes with lemon and sugar and take a leaf out of McDonald's book with these classic, fluffy, all American pancakes? Super easy and delishhh!

You will need:

4 3/4 oz plain flour 

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 

2 tablespoons of caster sugar 

teaspoon of vanilla extract

130ml milk

1 egg

SYRUP!

 STEP ONE:

Start by sifting the flour, sugar, salt, cinnamon and baking powder into a large bowl and mixing together 

STEP TWO: 

In a jug beat together the milk, melted butter and one egg along with the vanilla extract until completely combined. After such, slowly pour the eggy mixture into the dry ingredients. Whisk the two together until there are no lumps remaining and leave to sit for 5 minutes 

STEP THREE: 

Melt a knob of butter in a large pan then pour a ladle of batter into it, ensuring the mix is around 1cm thick. When you see bubbles appear on the side facing up, you'll know it's time to flip! (Warning this cannot be done in the same frivolous way as crepes, it's a boring spatular turnover I'm afraid)

STEP FOUR:

Absolutely drown the suckers in syrup (the classic American thing to do) and serve warm. Feel free to add some extras at this point such as blueberries or even bacon! Hope you all have a fabulous Pancake day everyone and remember that on this particular Tuesday, calories certainly, do. not. count.

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How To Get Oscar Worthy Old Hollywood Glam

February isn't just the month of Valentine's day, or as I like to call it 'sit at home with Ben and Jerry's watching Bridget Jones day' It's also THE OSCARS!! On the 26th of February the world will be watching the biggest Hollywood red carpet like... ever. SO in honour of the most glamorous show on the planet for the last 89 years here is your guide to old Hollywood glamour. A nod to the times of Marilyn Monroe, diamonds and timeless beauties.

STEP ONE:  Spritz your hair with some heat protection spray. Separate small sections of your locks and curl with curling tongs, keeping the appliance in a vertical position.

STEP TWO: Each time you release a piece of hair, immediately catch the curl, wind it back up into itself and pin to your head. Continue to do this with the rest of your hair, leaving the very front section loose to put in a roller then spray lightly with hairspray to set. Allow your hair to completely cool for at least 15 minutes

STEP THREE: Ensure your face is glowy AF, whip out all your favourite highlighters, (this is the Oscars darling) fill in some solid brows and add definition to cheek bones with bronzer and blush. Then, move onto the eyes. The lids should be covered with matte cream eyeshadow and lightly brush some brown into the crease. NOW the tricky bit! This look wouldn't be complete without some vintage winged liquid liner.

STEP FOUR: Finish your eyes off with some banging mascara, or if you're less useless than me, false lashes will slay with this look. Make sure to add some white eyeliner in your water line to really make your eyes pop and you'll achieve that deer in the headlights 'who me Mr President?' look!

STEP FIVE: Line and fill your lips, ensuring you define the cupids bow with a cherry red lip liner

STEP SIX: Unpin all of your curls, (warning- you'll initially look like some creepy Mary Antoinette) Make sure you brush through your hair enough times to loosen and soften the curls, leaving you looking more like Lauren Becall than Princess Mia Thermopolis before the epic make over.

STEP SEVEN: Spray a whole lotta setting spray over your glam, drown yourself in diamonds and get out there to slay old school style (the best kind)

Few pics from the closest I ever got to the Oscars! Just happened to be in Hollywood while they were setting up for the 86th Annual Academy Awards and I freaked out just a little (may or may not have leant under the railings to stroke the red carpet with a giddy giggle... classy)

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