How to be a wise shopaholic !

Hello my beautiful readers :) 


Today I was reading 'the secret dreamworld of a shopaholic' and I came across this quote :

''In fact I think they should list shopping under cardiovascular activity. My heart never beats as fast as it does when I see a 'reduced by 50 per cent' sign.'' 

Yes, I admit that I consider shopping as a sport, I'm such a talented athlete you know :P However sometimes we need to go through our wardrobe and realize that we need to be more sensible when shopping. I bet all of you (like me) have stuff you regret buying in your wardrobe, stuff that lay there but you avoid to wear because you realized you shouldn't have bought. Don't you ? 


I gathered some suggestions on how to shop wisely. I'm sure you'll see yourself guilty in some, so take care of these tips and tricks when shopping next, your bank account will be happy :) 

• KNOW WHAT YOU OWN. Go round your wardrobe before you go shopping so you make sure to know what you already own and not buying similar pieces, or pieces which don't compliment any of your other items. 

• PLAN.
  Make lists of what you really need, of what is missing in your wardrobe and of items that would complete some outfits that you already have. 

• LIFESTYLE.
  Consider your lifestyle before buying, be realistic and ask yourself where and when you will wear the item. 

• KNOW YOUR BODY TYPE.
  Look for things that will embrace your body type perfectly, that will bring out your best feature. Know what suits you best and buy similar things. 

• INSPIRE YOURSELF.
  Why not looking through old pictures and see what you look best in and what colour suits you most? Inspire yourself from street-style and look for styles and items you liked on others, only if they fit your personality and shape.

• BUY YOUR SIZE.
  Every shop tend to vary in sizes, so try more than one size before buying. Never buy anything, especially trousers, shorts and skirts, which are too tight or too large as they will both make you look fatter. (unless embracing the over-sized trend properly)

• DON'T BUY BECAUSE IT FITS.
  Yes you have to buy what fits, but not because it fits. I tend to have that problem because of my size, it is sometimes really hard to find items I like in my size. Yet, I try to avoid buying an item just because it is the only one that fits me, and which I'm not particularly excited about. I buy what I like and that fits. 

• DRESS UP FOR SHOPPING.
  Go pretty when shopping, because if you don't like the way you look, you won't like the way the clothes look on you either! Don't forget to wear your best undergarments too, so the items you try on look the best on you too. 

• COMPARE.
  Compare items from one shop to another, compare the price, the material, the quality, and how it fits, so as to avoid finding another piece which you would have been more fond of! 

• HAVE A BUDGET. Know your budget and see if items are worth buying at that price.

• TRY ON.
  Always try on clothing before buying, walk with it, sit, bend, jump, walk away from the mirror so you see yourself from different angles, do whatever you want.. the important thing is that you are sure that you are comfortable in that piece and that nothing is too tight or too loose. (of course unless online shopping)

• HAVE YOU OWN OPINION.
  Rely only on your taste. You will be the one wearing it, so be sure you like it and that you are looking forward to wearing it! However don't be afraid to ask for opinions, to a friend or to the sales girl, you will still be the one taking the decision whether to buy it or not. If you tend to find it difficult to buy alone, take a friend who has your same tastes in fashion, and don't let anyone influence you badly :P 

• RECOGNIZE A BARGAIN.
  Don't buy anything with a cheap price. Sale can help you make really good deals, but not everything on sale is a good deal! You have to think whether you would have wanted to buy the item if it wasn't on sale. If you wouldn't have considered it, then don't buy it. It's better if you keep that seven euros for something you really want than for a cheap item. But don't get me wrong! Sale does not mean cheap and boring.

Always choose to shine! 

Much love 

Ruth x x 

Shoe Haul

Hello dear readers :) 


You know when you open your wardrobe, full of clothes, and yet feel that you have nothing to wear? Well that was happening a lot to me lately, and not because I don't have new clothes, I still have clothes with the tag still on because I haven't worn them yet! 


Sometimes I'm a real perfectionist, no one stands me during shopping, as I get really frustrated when I don't find what I want, and I waste a lot of time to figure out what to wear... people close to me call me a 'Qansha', which means that I'm really picky ! Yes I am, especially when planning outfits, both for weekends and for school, I always find that one thing missing in every outfit, which doesn't make me 100% sure about the look. I figured out that my major problem was that I needed some new shoes to complete my outfits, as I was always restricted of what to wear because I was limited when it comes to shoes. So it was time to go hunting for some new shoes, to have something else to spice up my outfits and help me mix and match and be able create new outfits. 


These below are the four pairs of shoes I bought today. I know not everyone is going to like them all four, but I chose to go for basic (goes with nearly everything), comfortable and practical, which for me are the 3 most important things in shoes. 

I got these black wedges at McBailey, my first reaction when I tried them on was 'oohh these are soo comfortable !' I needed a black pair of shoes for summer, because the ones I have are kind of 'wintery'. The  heel is not too much, but I don't have to justify myself for not wearing super high heels!

I got these sneakers from Bershka. These are going to be my 'go to' shoes for everyday this spring. Even though they are sneakers, the fact that they are leather gives an edge and combines sporty and comfortable with casual and cute. I imagine them looking really cute with a floral dress and cardigan, and with the classic jeans and t-shirt.

These black pumps are from McBailey. I needed a pair of black pumps which go with everything. Nothing special acutally, just a basic essential that every girl should own, but which I didn't until this morning :p

I know not everyone will like them, but I had decided I needed a purple pair of shoes when I saw a youtuber wearing black shorts, a green blouse and purple pumps and fell in love with her look immediately. When I saw these suede purple shoes on sale at Dorothy Perkins, I felt so lucky that they had my size! These will be great with a black and white outfit, or jeans and white, or to colour block with yellow or green :) Yayy I finally got my own purple shoes ! :D 

A pair of shoes was life changing to Cindirella, let's see what four pairs will do for me! 


Always choose to shine! 


Much love 


Ruth x x 

5 days, 5 outfits

Hello Dear Readers! 


At last I'm doing another outfit post :) and not just one! I'm showing you what I wore to school in the past week, 5-9th March 2012. The outfits are all outfits for everyday, jackets and layering can be added to adapt the look to the weather. Note that I had no makeup on since I don't wear makeup everyday. 

MONDAY:
I fell in love with the sweater immediately, love the colours, and I think it looks even better with the closed buttoned shirt underneath.. but this is of course optional

TUESDAY:
Colour Blocking green with red, and the feminine lace detail of the top matched the cute moustache necklace really well. 

WEDNESDAY:
The shirt is vintage, (thumbs up to my mother who had made it for herself!!) I love it's unique double breasted style and little buttons. I love wearing it buttoned up. Here I matched it with a faux-leather brown jacket and an owl necklace which I think added a more modern and edgy yet soft look to the shirt.

THURSDAY:
This oversized sweater is really fun, It can be paired with a buttoned up shirt underneath, but here I chose to wear a scarf, which matched the top really well. It is brighter and lighter than the blue stripes on the top, so popped out as a statement to the outfit. I paired it with a pair of dark jeggings (leggins which looks like jeans) so the top could flow around and the oversized and layed back effect came out perfectly. 

FRIDAY:
I had wanted to mix leopard print with mustard for long, and I think it looked really well. I paired it with the moustache necklace and red scarf to tone down the edginess of the leopard print top with something feminine and fun, and add a pop of colour to the outfit.

Choose to shine !! 


Ruth x x 

February Favourite Products !

Hello dear readers :) 


It's time for my February Favourites ! :) I haven't bought any makeup products this month because I was buying way to much, and not using the ones that I had already. So as for makeup, I re-discovered some products which I had abandoned, not because they weren't good enough, but because I got too excited about new products which made me use only the new ones! I will now try to at least come to an end of a product before buying another one, and end up eg. with a number of blushes of the same colour !! Not healthy for my bank account :/ 

Skincare is a must, its a matter of hygiene. My face is very oily and sensitive, and I got my first breakouts in form two. Back then, I wasn't really into all this stuff, and couldn't care less about breaking out and used to pick my spots continuously. Of course, this used to break me out even more .. yuuuckk :( When I finally realised what I was doing to my face, I started to wash my face regularly , brand after brand , I never found any products which solved my problem, and never wanted to go to a dermatologist, as it was never a severe acne which needed antibiotics. Now I finally realised what my problem was and found the ideal products for me and I'm finally seeing some good results !! :) 


I stopped exfoliating, as I think that might have affected my problems before, I think I used to over do it , and my skin was being irritated instead of healed! Pimples were being bruised with exfoliation and bacteria was spreading all over the face instead of removed! If I had realised that before I would have stopped immediatelly! I'm not saying that exfoliation is bad! It helps a lot with black heads, however, it should be applied only once or twice a week, and if pimples are present, avoid completely, or don't exfoliate that part as you would only be damaging your skin! 

I am loving the tea tree oil range form the body shop. They are suitable for blemished and oily skin, and cleanse the skin removing oil without over-drying the skin. My breakouts have minimised a lot this month, and scars are fading away slowly. I still have some tiny spots here and there, but not as severe as they used to be, and I thank this range for these results. The oil in my skin is finally also being controlled. I use my Tea Tree Skin Clearing Facial Wash, Toner and Lotion (moisturizer) twice daily, every morning and before I go to sleep. If I have makeup on before, first I remove my makeup with my famous baby wipes, and then cleanse , tone and moisturise, to make sure that every bit of makeup is removed and no pores are being clogged. 


Another good thing about these products is that they are quite long lasting and not very expensive ! I have tried many other brands, and some where much more expensive and had fewer amount of product, yet still they didn't work as well as these do, so I think that this range is really worth-it ! 


Choose to shine ! 


Ruth x x 

Spring/Summer 2012 Trends

Hello dear readers :) 

Spring is around the corner and I can't wait to say hello! New seasons bring new trends and these are some of my favourites from next season :) I like mixing trends together, like white with neon, metallics and pastels, neons and pastels, mixing prints, and many other combinations.

• White (white jeans, white blazer, anything white actually)

• Pastels (mint is going to be my favourite one especially paired with yellow, pink, peal and denim... there's a whole post on how to rock pastels click here to read other blogpost :) )

• Metallics (here I would go for some chunky accessories and shoes with a white dress, a sequined blazer or cardigan with something pastel, or a sequined skirt paired with a buttoned up denim shirt tucked inside ) 

• Neon (I think I'm going to invest in a couple of bright handbags and pair of shoes, so I can rock this trend without going out of my comfort zone as I don't see myself wearing a bright neon top or dress) 

• Prints (floral, navy [chain prints], tribal) for me, there is no spring without floral prints, we see it every time, so lets try to make something different with it this time, mixing different patterns (like 2 floral prints together, not floral with tribal together) is a trend I would like to explore this spring, here I would go with different sizes, so there's still one item which is like the main statement piece. 

Choose to shine !

Ruth x x 

How to wear Pastel Colours

Dear Readers, 


Pastels are my new favourite thing ! If you follow my blog, you know I mention pastels quite often, so I decided to finally dedicate a whole blog post to my spring favourite trend, pastel colours. I know a lot of people love pastels, yet some find it tricky to decide with what to pair them so I'm giving you some ideas with my favourite ways to style them. As I always say, these are just my ways, you can have your own ways to style them and adapt them to your own personality.


With pastels, the first thing that comes to mind might be vintage tea sets, grandma's cushions, or a photo-shoot with a large lolly pop or balloons. Some girls might not be comfortable with all that girly theme, however pastels can still be edged up a little bit, especially when pairing them with metallics. Using metallics pastels can be spiced up for a night out partying with friends or for a more classic occasion. 

Another fun way to wear soft pastels is accessorising with bright neons. I wouldn't go with a full pastel dress accessorized with neon, that might bee to much for my taste, but adding white can separate the two statement colours and balancing the outfit. This can be so versatile and enables you to mix and match and create different outfits using white, neon and pastel. 

Trousers from Pull and Bear, Shirt from Topshop

Pastels can also give a feminine vibe to masculin denim pieces. I love mixing different trends to neutralise the outfit. I kind of go on the safe side, not to be too masculin, or too feminin. 

Pastel colours can be paired with neutral colours like white or beige and serve as a pop of colour, yet maintaining a neutral and warm, soft look.  

Pull and Bear Dress, Topshop Blazer, Stradivarius Shoes and Bag

The only way I would pair black with pastel colours is when the black item is a bag or a pair of shoes. Personally I would avoid to pair black pants, tops or dresses with a pastel item, the look just doesn't convince me... 


Pastel colours are found in many floral prints, but that would be another spring trend on which I will eventually blog! 


I hope you enjoyed this blog :) I promise you more blog posts on other spring trends will be coming up! 


Much love 


Ruth x x 

Outfit Re-Creation #1

Hello dear readers :) 


Feeling the cold ?? Weather like this makes me soooo eager for spring and summer!! I can't wait for spring to start, not only because of the weather, but because I want to try so many awesome new trends that are coming out this spring !! Last spring and summer's trend.. colour blocking, will show up again this year, especially with pastel colours <3 <3 but not only !! 


Yesterday, in the Italian TV program, Grande Fratello, the conductor, the beautiful Alessia Marcuzzi was rocking this trend so well I decided to blog about it. Colour blocking means pairing contrasting colours against each other in one outfit. In fact, she had a pale yellow blouse, a bright blue pair of trousers, and orange heels. I didn't manage to find a full picture of her outfit from the front, but this is what I found. 

This outfit can be re-created in many different ways, and I have prepared two outfits to give you some ideas. The pieces I used can all be found in shops which we all love, Bershka, Stradivarius, New Look, MissSelfridge and Pull and Bear. 


These are the items separately: 

Miss Selfridge

Bershka

Pull and Bear

New Look

Stradivarius

Bershka

And hese are the looks I created :

and

The second look is more casual and layed back, this trend is great because you can wear it up or down, however you want and adapt it to your personal style :) Try not to include more than three colours in your outfits, but if you're doing so, make sure you go with neutral colours like beige, black or white. 

If you're interested in this trend, you should watch these two videos, made by my favourite youtube beauty guru Dulce Candy :) :)  click here to watch video 

I hope you enjoyed this blog and that you will try this trend next spring !! Until then, get cozy and snuggle as much as you can in this cold weather, and don't forget to like my facebook page !! I really appreciate your comments and feedback :) :) 

Much Love 

Ruth x x