Resolution- #Keep on Thrifting

Sometimes, a good rummage can pay off in treasure.

I've found some gems in charity shops- and it's basically doing the world a favour, giving to the needy, recycling...and looking fabulous, all in one!

So today's #Resolution is to keep on digging.

To show you they're not stuffy old cubby holes full of granny tat, I found some items in my local charity shops and here's (just some of the ways) I'll be styling them

Coral Jumper

Shoes-Primar, £5

Jeans-New Look, £14.99 (Now 19.99)

Necklace- New Look, £5.99 in a haul here 

Floral Crop Top

Yellow Bangle- New Look, 50p (Sale)

Pencil Skirt- Charity Shop, £3

Metallic Peplum

 Shoes- Next (Sale), £14

Pencil Skirt- Primark, £12





Style Resolution Thrifting Tips

Go with an idea in mind. Sometimes cheap prices can make you want to grab something just for the sake of it- but be realistic- are you going to wear it?
Before you go, think about what you'd like to find. Yes, you might nab something great you didn't expect to buy- in which case, snap it up!-but don't just buy for the sake of it.

Think about how you're going to wear it. Before you buy, mentally pair up an item with others in your wardrobe. Garments might be cheap but if you don't wear them, they're still a waste of money.

Strapped for cash? Charity shop before high street.
I'm going to tell you a little story. Last Christmas, I seriously wanted a gold brocade/ metallic skirt. They were all over my favourite magazines and I could think of so many ways of working it. But although I could have gone to River Island and got myself one, I couldn't stretch to £30. It was Christmas after all, I had presents to buy.
Anyway, one day I was meandering around town and I just happened to walk in to a charity shop, and there was this GEM- right there in front of me. I mean, I didn't even have to roll up my sleeves of anything.
The label is Marks and Spencer. It's good as new, the exact right size. Will stay in my wardrobe for a long time. And cost £3.50.

#STEAL!

Do you love a good rummage? What have been your charity-shop best buys?  Follow @styleresolution

Resolution- #Spot a Dupe?

This product is currently half price at Superdrug. As it's at a bargainous price right now, I thought I'd give you the opportunity to strike while the iron's hot.

If, indeed, you want to.

Now, we all know what the Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish is. And I hope I'm not jumping the gun by guessing most have us have tried it, right? It's a product that's achieved cult status. You literally can't go a day of reading blogs, twittering, youtubing or reading magazines without seeing it mentioned.

Does it live up to the hype? Well, I gues that's a post for another day.

Because today we're not discussing the Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish. Today we're discussing a possible dupe.

Ladies, I give you the Superdrug Naturally Radiant Brightening Hot Cloth Cleanser. And it's currently on the shelves for just £2.99.

What it says-

Naturally Radiant Brightening Hot Cloth Cleanser is formulated with a unique energising complex and infused with kiwi fruit and mulberry extracts to help revive skin's radiance and even out skin tone. Enriched with nourishing cocoa butter, this rich and creamy formulation melts into the skin and cleanses away make-up and impurities, whilst also providing gentle exfoliation, leaving skin feeling renewed, soft and ultra-clean.

This feels really nice on the skin. It sinks in quickly and has a rich, creamy texture.

It isn't brilliant at removing make-up, so I tend to use another cleanser beforehand.

But it leaves my skin feeling soft and fresh. And over the last two weeks, definitely brighter.

The muslin cloth is better quality than what I was expecting, but I think the Liz Earle one is a bit softer and a higher quality.
But when you're paying a fraction of the price for more product- and a product that works really well at that- you can't complain.

I haven't thought this about any product for a long time, but I can't think of any negatives about this.

I think this is an absolute STEAL. Even at it's usual price of £5.99, you'd be hard-pressed to find a cleanser containing this much product and a muslin cloth which works so well.


Review by Numbers

Did it live up to it's promises?-4/5. Brightening? Yes. Exfoliating? Yes. Cleansing? Yes. It just doesn't remove make-up as well as I'd like.

Packaging- 4/5- A nice big, bright box, nothing not to like here.

Value for money- 5/5- £2.99 I couldn't ask for more. Even at £5.99 this is great.

Recommend to a friend? Yes! In fact, I already have!

Have you tried this product? What do you think? A Liz Earle dupe?

 Follow @styleresolution

Style Resolutions Staples- How I Style

The Leopard Print Pencil Skirt

 

 



Take one skirt.....

River Island, £15

Go.....

With a print clash

Bag- Primark (Sale) £5
Polka dot tee- George at Asda (Sale) £3


Go.....

On a Date

Well, there's always a good excuse to wear a new pair of shoes, right?

 Shoes- Primark £10

Jacket-Primark (Sale) £10

White tee- Primark, Men's Section, £2.50

 

 I really love this jacket- it was a sale bargain as it's a/w12 but the leather lapels and sparkle thread means it literally brightens up the plainest of outfits

 

Go.....

 

Toughen it up

 

 Shirt- Primark, Men's Section- £8

Boots- New Look (Sale) £14

 

 

Go......

 

Girly 

 

 Top- River Island from eBay- £4

Bag- River Island

Shoes- Primark £5

 

Go....

 

To Work

 

 Bag- Primark, £9

Jumper- Primak- £14

 

 *Wear with a bouffant pony and coral/ peach make up for a 60s vibe

Follow @styleresolution

Style Resolutions- #February Faves

So it's March and yet it still feels like a Russian winter *sigh*

Nevertheless, these have been getting me through the month.And a little over, as I'm well aware I'm slow with this (why change the habit of a lifetime, ey?)

So here are the Style Resolutions Monthly Favourites for February...and a bit of March

• Face Brush, Body Shop- £4

Turning 24 this month gives me a slight panic attack. Only one year younger than Rihanna. That means I only have a year to mimic her success. Damn.

But turning 24 is also making me think about the future. And investing in my skin.

Like all bloggers, I've done a lot of research (code name for spending hours on youtube/ blogs) and while I can't yet afford a Clarisonic *one day, one day* I really think facial massage has it's benefits. As does double-cleansing. (FYI, this is based on no scientific fact. So we'll see how my skin's bearing up in 20 years).

This face brush has been my cleaning tool of the month. I did slightly break out after about the third use, but then I thought that might be the fact it's bringing all the sh*t from down below out, right? Maybe I'm just spotty, who knows.

I wouldnt suggest using this everyday, because it is quite 'scrubby'- get it out once or twice a week. And make sure you wash between uses.

And don't press down too hard. Furiously scrubbing does not a nice face make.

• Nail Polishes, Rimmel- Around £3.69

I've blogged about these recently, I'm just loving the colours and the formula given the price.
In fact, looking at the brightness of this colour again makes me want to just run right home and dive in to a pool of it.
I wont. Because that's solvent abuse. In the extreme. 
This is Ready, Aim, Panit! by Rimmel

• 
  
• Original Beauty Lotion, Jergens- £1.79

I picked this up when it was on offer in Superdrug because in winter you just can't get enough of the moisturising stuff.

What I really like this is the smell- it's like cherries and marzipan.

Moisture-wise, I wouldn't say it's unbelievably drenching, but it does the job and it keeps you soft for the standard 24 hours.

• In Style magazine- £3.80 and Zest £3.70

Glamour, Cosmo, More!, Look, Elle, the list goes on of the magazines I buy. I just love reading them. And also sniffing the pages, natch.

The last two months I've picked up In Style and Zest and I have to say, I really enjoy both.

Zest, to be fair, was a conscious decision. I've decided this is the year of health (as well as style resolutions, of course) and I've gotten so many little tips and tricks from this.
Whenever I feel like reaching for the Cadbury's I have a little flick through this and it helps me get out the banana instead.
And by banana, I mean banana.

In Style, I randomly picked up because I was going on a long train journey and I'd natch already read every other one of my go-to mags- Cosmo, Company, Glamour et al.
Butagain, I really like this. Full of 'oh yea, I'd have never thought of styling it like that' moments. Also cuts out the 'does he love me, how to please a man' crap you sometimes have to endure in other titles.
Though it's just a shame everything costs like, £300.

Follow @styleresolution

Style Resolutions Staples

Each week, I'l be posting about one of my style 'staples'- basically, the items I will wear until they disintegrate.

1. The drawstring/ pouch bag

Wow, have these come back in to fashion!...Did they ever really leave?

If you want one of these, now's the time to go out and get it because they're all over the high street. But one in a classic shade, like black, will last season after season.

I personally can't get enough of this New Look number at the moment. Sling it over a shoulder, wear it cross-body, bundle up the strap and hold it in your hand, tuck it in the crook of your arm- WHATEVER, anything thing goes with this bag.

And one for spring IF IT EVER ARRIVES

I bought this on a whim a few years ago from Dorothy Perkins and it's become one of my favourites dor when the sun is shining. I CAN'T REMEMBER THE LAST TIME THAT WAS.

*Keep posted to see how I style these bags in my everyday outfits

How to style the drawstring/ pouch bag

Good for dates- can carry all your sleepover essentials ;)

Great for the cinema or shopping- go casual by slinging over your shoulder with an oversized tee and hi-tops
(Also big enough to smuggle in your popcorn. £4.50 for a cinema bucket! I could buy a nail polish for that, sir!)

Lunch with the girls- we appreciate fringing and detail so much more than stinky boys!




Follow @styleresolution

Resolution- #Have a Little Haul

I don't know about you, but the more I tell myself I won't do something...the more difficult it becomes.

'Don't eat those cookies'...'what cookies?'...'the ones you just stuffed in to your mouth'

But sometimes, it pays to be a little bit naughty.

And so I had a little bit of a New Look haul.

I don't know if it seems like an 'obvious' choice but New Look is probably my favourite high street store. It's not over-priced and there's always some kind of sale going on.

These vest tees were two for £12 and I love them. I think they might be a little bit cool for a girl like me, but this is the year of Resolutions. The black one is v.Rihanna.

I like the slogan on this one :) I will only be wearing this when I have a proper holiday and post-holiday tan. Because right now my arms are the same shade as this. #PALEFAIL

Anyway, my justification for buying the tops (as if I needed one) was that they'd go perfec' with either one of these statement necklaces

Not sure if the offer's still on. but jewellery was buy one get one free when I excitedly pulled these off the stand and started salivating. At £5.99 , it meant they ended up costing less than £3 each. You couldn't even get that in Primark.

I'm loving the neon trend, so the bright yellow necklace seemed a good way to go. And I just loved the colour of the blue necklace. It didn't scream at me 'YES, YES YOU MUST HAVE ME' when I bought it. But getting it home and modelling it on myself (as I so marvellously do) I fell in love a little bit.

A bit of a boring one now- flats. I don't know, you might be a big pumps fan but I'm definitely a heels girl. Unfortunately when you're running around town or at work, that's not always an option. So I'm always on the look out for a pair of flats that can keep me on my toes. And for £3- can't go wrong with this pair.

Not entirely sure if I'd have paid the original price for these though

And finally, the piece d'resistance.

Every wardrobe needs a jacket like this, right?

I've been on the hunt for one that a) didn't accentuate my box-like features whilst b) not costing a bomb. And to be honest I didn't think it was going to happen.

So to get this for £11 was a treat. And it looks so much more expensive than it was.

It will literally go with so many pieces in my wardrobe, whether evening out or casual day.

Just can't wait for the weather to heat up now so I can actually wear it and ditch the ridiculous winter coat!

I'm sure you'll be seeing this in future outfit posts because I LOVE IT.

 

Resolution- #Lips on Any Budget

Although red is my staple, go-to colour, I wouldn't want to wear it every day. Sure Mac and other high-end lipsticks are some of my faves. But but a few and that's over £30. Which, when times are tough, just can't happen. Especially if, like me, you measure life in 'days before pay day' (NOTE- It's always too many)

Having a high-end piece of make-up feels great, but it's not always feasible.

So if you're just getting in to make-up or are maybe starting to pick up a few bits with your pocket money, or you're on a low budget, or the boss ain't paying you enough- there's no reason you can't look and feel fab. Here are my picks of the drugstore's bargain lipsticks-

From top left- Miss Sporty, Malage. NYC, Velvet Wine. VIVO, Wow Pink. Miss Sporty, I love.

I picked up the two Miss Sporty lipsticks on a whim, really. It was a rainy Saturday I was mooching around town with my parents. With a holiday to pay for, I'm really having to cut back. But sometimes you just have to have a treat, right? And also with a holiday on the way, that 'treat' couldn't be chocolate or a Costa muffin.

I was mulling over the different make-up stands, swatching, as you do, when I came across these. And for £1.59 a pop (I think they have now gone back to £2 or so) I couldn't go wrong.

The two of them together cost less than my coffee at Costa.

Not only are they cheap, the colour pay-off is great. They smell like holiday and they have a nice sheen.

'Malaga' looks a little more orange in the photo than it is, but it is a bright red.

 

Next up- NYC Velvet Wine. These lipstick retail for around £1.70 (how ridic). I mean, I don't want to know what they're made out of but for the price, you can't go wrong.

I know the brand has had a little bit of a change recently with a new line of lipsticks, so I'm not sure how readily-available these are.

But if you're looking for a deep wine colour, especially for A/W, that you don't want to wear every day, this is a good option

VIVO- Wow Pink. Now, this says it's a 'matte' and I've got to be honest, it's not really. Yes, compared to these other budget lipsticks, it is (apart from maybe NYC Velvet Wine)- but for £1, it's a STEAL.

I have a lot of pink lipsticks, and some v.bright ones at that, so to me, this isn't the most 'Wow Pink'- but if you don't have anything like this, it's a great place to start. It is slightly drying, so dab on some balm every now and again and definitely wear a lipliner for long-lasting colour.

On that note, if you're also starting out with lip liners- check out Natural Collection in Boots.

And of course, every body's favourite budget beauty brand- MUA. My favourite is this peachy, 60s colour, called Nectar. Personally, it's not something I'd wear every day. And so to only pay £1 for such a pretty colour is a bit good really, isn't it?