PASTEL DAYDREAM

Moon and Stars Print Two Piece * and Mesh Dress from Motel Rocks | Lilac Coat* from Missguided | Unicorn Clutch* - Chelsea Doll | Platform Heels* - Chicwish

Sorry for being M.I.A on the blog this week! My exams are about to start and every time I sit down to write a post I just get "revision guilt" where I feel as though I should be doing something else. This lilac jacket by Missguided is my newest favourite thing in my wardrobe. It's actually really light and makes the perfect jacket for Spring as it isn't too warm at all. I restyled the Sun and Moon print co-ord with my Motel mesh dress which I just think looks so pretty. The dress has been a staple of mine for way over a year and I just get so much wear out of it. It's a great layering piece. Can we all just take a minute to appreciate my new platforms? I actually squealed when I opened these up, it felt like Christmas! My cleated shoe addiction just keeps growing but I can't get enough.

I'm sure you're all sick of hearing about the Cosmo blog awards by now but I would really appreciate it if you took a moment to vote for me as Next's Best Newcomer here. It's a really quick form to fill out and I would be so so grateful!

What do you think of this outfit?

Lydia Rose,

xoxo

VINTAGE FAIRS & PRINTED DRESSES

Dress - Topshop (really old) | Sandals - New Look | Sunglasses - ASOS

Yesterday I went to a vintage fair with one of my best friends and it was so much fun. I live in a tiny little town in The Lake District where not a lot goes on whatsoever. There's definitely a vintage revival coming to our area and it's so great to have local events like these! It was held in the events hall we have which is a huge, old fashioned building which made the perfect venue. Girls were singing throughout and it really did capture the nostalgia for a gone era. It also made me want to attempt victory rolls, ha!

 I am obsessed with all things vintage. I love anything second hand and with a story to tell. Even though my career plan is to be a journalist, after visiting New York and raiding the Brooklyn thrift stores, I've had a dream in the back of my mind of starting up something of my own.

Usually I come away with quite a lot of pieces but at this event it was definitely very vintage vintage for people who dress more of a pin-up style. I think you really have to have an eye for how to make these kinds of pieces work and although I had to stop myself from buying things for friends I didn't come away with much. 

It's always hit and miss and if I don't come away with anything I always admire the pieces there anyway. I had to stop myself from buying a black velvet 70s jumpsuit - two sizes too big and slightly out of my price range but it was pretty awesome. I did buy a ridiculous vintage fluffy night gown jacket which will probably never get worn unless I do an artsy outfit post on my blog. Until then it is hung above my white furniture and looks amazing. It's definitely set off my vintage love again and I will definitely be getting to car boots and more fairs this summer.

Tonight all of my friends are home and we are going to have a garden party and make fruit cocktails. We're going to attempt to make these because I live in the middle of nowhere (designated driver problems) and also as an attempt to smooth over "I should be revising guilt". It's alright if it's a mocktail, right? 

                                   What are you getting up to this bank holiday weekend? 

Lydia Rose,

xoxo

BENEFIT BIG EASY | REVIEW

Benefit Big Easy Multi Balancing Complexion Perfector (Shade 01) - £27.50 *

I have to hand it to Benefit with their latest release - they have seriously ticked all of my boxes. I was initially hesitant about a product which promises to be 'bigger than a BB cream'. It didn't really make sense to me how a moisturising product could go to a powder without leaving my skin in a patchy, oily mess. And I'm sure most of us have had our fair share of bad experiences with BB creams by now. But how wrong I was.

It isn't a tinted moisturiser, BB cream or foundation but sits somewhere in the middle. The formula does initially feel quite thick for something which is supposed to offer more of a sheer coverage. But once blended, it gives a seamless, glowing and sheer finish as a good tinted moisturiser would. As you blend, it adapts to your skin tone which is perfect for fairer skin girls. I use the lightest shade and was a bit worried that the peachy tone might not work for me as I tend to sway towards more yellow undertones. This adapts to my skin perfectly without leaving any of those nasty orangey patches that a lot of products do. I've found products tend to give grand promises of adapting to your skin tone, but this is the only one I have found to truly work, which a tiny bit of the product on the back of your hand will prove.

The consistency will strike you as quite unusual at first. Benefit recommend that you apply this to a moisturised base and with your fingers. This works best for me when I have cleansed, exfoliated away dry patches and have applied a good layer of moisturiser first. If you're going for a sheer coverage your skin needs to be the best it can be before applying, otherwise you will more than likely be unhappy with results. I don't like to apply this with my fingers. The powder texture makes that a little bit difficult and it actually reminds me of the Porefessional in that it rolls up in your fingers. I find this looks best with a light layer buffed in with my Real Techniques blended brush, then a little bit more stippled on top. 

The oil control in the formula definitely works and the powder provides a really lovely matte finish. As much as I love the finish of the NARS Tinted Moisturiser, it requires constant powder touch ups throughout the day to steer oiliness. I can get away with forgetting my powder when wearing the Big Easy due to the liquid to powder formulation which is definitely a plus. 

Another bonus point for this product which can't be ignored is the 35 SPF which is perfect for spring / summer when you don't want to be applying suncream under your foundation. For this reason it does have a slightly suncream-like scent but this goes away once applied and doesn't sit with you throughout the day.

Overall, I'm really loving this product and have been wearing it every day since I received it. I would definitely recommend this to anyone with oily/combination/normal skin, however, dry skinned girls might want to stay away due to the matte and powdery finish. To try to show you how it looks most accurately, I took this photo in natural light and haven't edited it whatsoever. I'm pretty happy with the results!

Have you tried this yet? 

Lydia Rose,

xoxo

ps. "Lydia Rose XO" has been shortlisted in the Company Style Blogger Awards under the Best Personal Style Newcomer category. Click here to vote- it would mean the world! (You can skip the categories through to the end if you like to and then will be asked to enter your e-mail at the end). 

I would also love for you to nominate me for Cosmopolitan's Best Newcomer 

I am also currently running a giveaway to win a Benefit Gift Set 

WHAT I WORE | GIRL INTERRUPTED

MinkPink Fur Coat | Topshop Joni Jeans | Jeffrey Campbell Soirees | Vivienne Westwood Handbag

You're probably wondering how much of a crazy lady I must be to still be rocking fur coats given the sudden heat wave in the UK. I guess that's the problem with scheduling outfit posts. And living in the North. 

I love the skinny jean and open toe heels combination. It's so effortless but hits that perfect mid point between casual and dressy. This is a lot more casual than I usually post on my blog but I thought I'd start adding more every day outfits.  I wore this out for lunch which probably made me over dressed but hey, I don't cash out on stupidly expensive shoes just to look at them... 

I know I've been spamming this lately, but just a friendly reminder that the Company Style Blogger Awards only have a few days left. I would be so happy if you voted for me under Best Personal Style - Newcomer! A lot of people have been put off by the form thinking they have to vote in all the categories but you can actually skip them until the end. Let me know if you vote so I can thank you! 

Do you like this outfit?

Lydia Rose,

xoxo

ps. I would also love for you to nominate me for Cosmopolitan's Best Newcomer 

I am also currently running a giveaway to win a Benefit Gift Set 

NEW IN: SKINCARE

When it comes to skincare my routine is incredibly basic. But lately I've been trying out a few new things and trying to get into a solid routine. These are two new products I've been loving lately...

Lush 'Dark Angels' Cleanser - As someone with sensitive skin, I've always loved Lush's products for the natural ingredients. I actually went in wanting to buy a Cupcake face mask (isn't that just everyone's pre-teen nostalgia in a tub? Sleepovers, anyone?) I was convinced by the girl to try out this cleanser instead. My skin is on the more dry side of combination which can make it difficult at points. I was looking for something which will scrub away the dry patches without breaking me out or causing oiliness. The first thing you will notice is that it looks like a pot of volcanic ash which is due to the charcoal and black sugar. You take a small amount on your hand, froth it up with water and then massage it in to your skin. It's quite messy but really does the job. You can feel the black sugar and charcoal really getting into your pores and cleansing them. It is sold as a cleanser but definitely works more effectively as an exfoliator. For me, this is definitely not an everyday product. I probably use it every three days or so when my skin is particularly dry. This is a life saver when I'm in need of giving my skin back its glow when I'm looking sallow and tired. Definitely will be a repurchase!

AOES Gentle Exfoliator * - After a little research I discovered that AEOS are 100% organic which straight away ticks my boxes. This is the complete opposite to the Lush cleanser, the consistency of the exfoliator is not gritty whatsoever. As a more gentle exfoliator, I would assume it would suit a wide variety of skin types and would especially suit someone who doesn't suffer from dry skin. Although I have liked using this product I wouldn't say my mind is by any means blown. I did assume this would be reasonably priced given the small amount you receive but was shocked to see the pretty huge price tag. It's nice to use in between the Lush one to not over-do exfoliating, but I'm sure there are a lot of cleansers out there which do the same job for a smaller price tag.

What are your favourite cleansers and exfoliators? Are there any gentle exfoliators you would recommend?

Lydia Rose,

xoxo

ps. "Lydia Rose XO" has been shortlisted in the Company Style Blogger Awards under the Best Personal Style Newcomer category. Click here to vote- it would mean the world! (You can skip the categories through to the end if you like to and then will be asked to enter your e-mail at the end). 

I would also love for you to nominate me for Cosmopolitan's Best Newcomer 

I am also currently running a giveaway to win a Benefit Gift Set 

BENEFIT THEY'RE REAL PUSH UP LINER LAUNCH & EVENT

On Monday I was lucky enough to be invited to the launch of Benefit's latest release, the 'They're Real' Push-Up Liner...



Getting to work with Benefit on my blog is something I feel incredibly privileged to be apart of. They put so much effort into their blogger packages and it is so amazing to be one of the first to hear about and try their latest products. As this was my first blogging event, I was feeling a little bit nervous and unsure of what to expect. I met up with the lovely Abi and we took on the task of tracking down the venue together in Leicester Square. You couldn't miss the venue which was a pink crime scene, complete with a pink banner and pink security tape.


We had our mug shots taken and were then served by prison guards with cocktails, fruit salads and muffins. The venue was like a huge cell with metal tables ready for bloggers to take their seats and watch the presentation.

It was fascinating to listen to one of Benefit's leading ladies take us through the 'Evolution of Eyeliner'. Not only that, but we were given insight into what exactly goes in the branding, testing and design of a product. Benefit have had this liner in the making for 5 years and you can definitely see why, given the innovation behind this product. A gel liner in a pen with the perfect tip to apply it... Benefit are the first to do it, and it's definitely something to be excited about. We were shown interviews from the Elle team who had received an unbranded version of the liner, tested it out, and confirmed it was one of the best that they'd used. It got us pretty excited! Lisa Benefit and her Benebabe in-mates then rushed out to tell us how to apply it, before we got to test it out for ourselves.

[Photo from Em Sheldon's blog]
We were handed these amazing goodie bags stocked with the 'They're Real' range, including the new eye-make up remover. Benefit had been so generous! Just as you'd expect from a room full of beauty bloggers, we got stuck into testing out the new liner straight away. As you can see, I set out to achieve the perfect cat eye, but let's say eyeliner isn't my forte...

Here's some close up photos of the liner which will be available to buy on June 28th. As you can see from the angled tip, it's designed to allow you to get as close to the lash line as possible, making your eyes look huge! I don't want to say too much about it though as a full review will be on my blog soon.

 Are you excited for this release? 

Lydia Rose,

xoxo

ps. "Lydia Rose XO" has been shortlisted in the Company Style Blogger Awards under the Best Personal Style Newcomer category. Click here to vote- it would mean the world! (You can skip the categories through to the end if you like to and then will be asked to enter your e-mail at the end). 

I would also love for you to nominate me for Cosmopolitan's Best Newcomer 

I am also currently running a giveaway to win a Benefit Gift Set 

WHAT I WORE | IF I COULD CHANGE YOUR MIND

Dress - SheInside* | Boots - Topshop | Headband - Forever21

I used to dress to express how I felt on the inside. I.e stomping around in buckled boots or giving a permanent v-sign to the world in my leather jacket. IT'S NOT JUST A PHASE, MOM. Actually, it kinda was. Lately I dress to express the opposite of how I feel. Surely the whole fun of clothes is constantly playing dress up. I don't really have one set style. I am constantly revisiting things and recreating. And that's why. When you feel constrained, wear bat wings. They make you feel like you can take on the world.

Lydia Rose,

xoxo

ps. "Lydia Rose XO" has been shortlisted in the Company Style Blogger Awards under the Best Personal Style Newcomer category. Click here to vote- it would mean the world! (You can skip the categories through to the end if you like to and then will be asked to enter your e-mail at the end). 

I would also love for you to nominate me for Cosmopolitan's Best Newcomer 

I am also currently running a giveaway to win a Benefit Gift Set 

I'VE BEEN SHORTLISTED! | A THANK YOU

As I'm sure you're all aware, the Company Magazine Style Blogger Awards Shortlist went up yesterday. I was lucky enough to be shortlisted in the top ten blogs for the Best Personal Style Newcomers category! I remember these awards coming around last year before I had started blogging and having a look through the shortlists. Never did I expect a year later that my blog would be up there! It is totally surreal and so exciting. I am incredibly grateful to everyone who voted for me!
I am over the moon to be shortlisted, but if you'd like to nominate me to win, please vote my blog in the Best Newcomer category here. If you don't want to vote in the rest of the categories, simply skip through and enter your e-mail address at the end.
The Cosmopolitan Blog Awards are also running this month, and I would love for you to nominate me for Next's Best Newcomer, too! Only if you think I deserve it, of course.

Thank you so much to everyone who voted. If you vote again in either of these categories please let me know so I can thank you! If you're running for an award feel free to let me know too, I'd love to help support you.

Lydia Rose,

xoxo
Don't forget to enter my giveaway

#DESTINATIONUNKNOWN | BANK COMPETITION ENTRY

* THIS IS AN ENTRY FOR BANK'S DESTINATION UNKNOWN COMPETITION * 

It's that time of year where my Tumblr dash is on overdrive with LA girls in flower crowns and reblog after reblog of Vanessa Hudgens. Yep, we're approaching festival season. Suddenly dressing like a 70s reject (like I do, most days) becomes socially acceptable and every girl on the planet decides to adorn a bindi. If you haven't guessed, "Festival Fashion" edits gets me simultaneously eye-rolling over 'grunge chic' and 'boho babe' cliches all whilst desperately wishing I was at Coachella. It's addictive.

Glastonbury was my initiation into the festival world at just 11 years old. Pink butterflies painted on my face, I felt one step away from Stevie Nicks dancing in my boho maxi skirt. I also got sunburnt to a crisp. Scarlet tan lines were perfect warrior wounds to prove to my school friends that I'd spent the weekend hanging out with hippies. And totally adopted their mode de vie. Peace man, etc.

Then Leeds Festival. 18, staying up all night, getting to watch my favourite bands. In between eating too much pizza and moshing away, we made life-long, magical memories. We wrote 'PUSSY RIOT' across our knuckles and got into various feminist protests. One ended up with a best friend in a fist-fight. All in the name of our feminist heroes, of course.

But where do clothes fit in with the magic of festivals? We all know that living life through an Instagram filter can be disenchanting. You have to find that mid-ground.  How many girls at Coachella were clearly more focused on getting that perfect outfit post over experiencing the magic in front of them? I mean, come on, platforms are just impractical.

I'm not saying I wasn't armed with my disposable ready to capture memories. Or that I didn't dribble over the Mink Pink dresses. But if you're there just to get street-styled, you're not going to have fun. By day 2, you will be a dirty, damp, dry-shampooed matted mess. It's part of the festival charm.

Festivals are an opportunity to let go of all your inhibitions and wear whatever you want.  If that means being that person raving in a chicken suit, there's room for that. But let's be honest, most people are too drunk to care.

My favourite festival style is laid-back and effortlessly stylish. T-shirt dresses, head chains and fringed kimonos. Festivals are the time to be care-free; to turn off your iPhone, to experience the now.  So, if I won Bank's insane #DestinationUnknown competition and got to go to 3 amazing European festivals this summer, these are the outfits I'd do it in....

Kimono | Bag | Sandals | Sunflower Dress | Palm Playsuit | Sunglasses | Palazzo Pants 

Bank is your the go-to destination for festival wear and even stocks brands from Motel to Lavish Alice. My ultimate festival piece would definitely be the fringed kimono, perfect for working your inner Stevie Nicks magic. I would style the sunflower dress with a messy bun and red lipstick whilst hiding my tired eyes behind chunky sunglasses for a laid-back festival look. Finally, palazzo pants are perfect for hanging out around the camp fire when you're not knee deep in mud watching bands.

What will you be wearing this festival season? Do you have any funny festival memories or thoughts on Coachella fashion? 

Lydia Rose,

xoxo

P.S As you may have seen, I have been shortlisted in the Company Magazine Style Blogger Awards! Thank you to everyone who voted. Please vote for my blog as 'Best Personal Style - Newcomer' here 

If you think I deserve it, please nominate my blog for Cosmo's Best Newcomer here. 

And don't forget to enter my giveaway!  

What I Wore: Primadonna Girl

Dress - Fashion Union * | Mesh Top (worn underneath) - Topshop | Shoes - Jeffrey Campbell Soirees via Motel | Hat - H&M| Bag- vintage 

There's something about spring which is making me want to experiment. This means wearing colour. Suddenly my wardrobe is popping with blues and pinks for the first time... Ever. I love it! I saw this biker dress and just couldn't resist. I tend to stay away from shift-dress type cuts. But the sharp collar and zip detailing made this tough enough for me. Paired with my studded JC's, we're good to go. 

I'm currently up to my eyeballs and revision. The end of summer term cannot come soon enough. I'm feeling slightly anxious about work experience placements and still dreaming about getting an internship with Company (sigh). Hopefully something is going to pop up within the next month! 

As I'm sure you're all aware the Cosmopolitan blog awards are open and it would mean the world if you could spare a moment to nominate me as Best Newcomer here! The award is sponsored by Next so it will take you to their site rather than Cosmopolitan's. If you vote, please let me know so I can thank you! Also I'm currently running a giveaway so make sure to enter that here.

Would you wear this dress? What are you wearing this Spring?

Lydia Rose,

xoxo

♥ COSMOPOLITAN BLOG AWARDS: BEST NEWCOMER? ♥

This time last year I was falling more and more in love with blogs. I wanted to set up my own little space on the internet so badly but just couldn't get the confidence to start. I was thinking, will anyone read it? Am I interesting enough? Why would anyone be interested in what I have to say?
I finally got it together and wrote my first post in August and haven't looked back since. Starting up my blog in the summer of 2013, I was incredibly down on myself. My first year at uni wasn't what I wanted it to be, I felt demotivated, uninspired and generally unhappy with the direction of my life. I wanted to be a journalist but had no experience whatsoever. Besides good grades, I was doing nothing productive with my life and was pretty miserable.
A blog gives you something to show for yourself, something to productively pour yourself into and offers an amazing way to engage with people. It has become a lot more than a shiny addition to my CV or merely a hobby. Having a positive outlet has worked wonders for my confidence and has made me so much happier. It is such a privilege to have people reading your posts and sharing things with you along the way. The blogging community has been so welcoming and supportive; I feel part of an amazing girl gang who motivate me to be the best I can be.
Safe to say, if you told me this time last year that I'd be writing to over 1,500 people, I wouldn't have believed it. Numbers aren't everything; that figure might mean a lot or nothing to some. But I am so humbled by how much my blog has grown in a short period.
Ramblings aside, it would literally mean the world if you nominated my blog for a Best Newcomer award. If you enjoy reading my blog and think it's deserved, please nominate here. '(Best Newcomer' is supported by Next so will redirect you to their site). I didn't feel my blog necessarily fell in with the category of 'Best New Beauty Blog', as my posts aren't all beauty focused, but if you think it does you can also nominate me in that category here.

If you stick in a nomination, thank you so so much, and thank you for reading and supporting my blog!

Lydia Rose,

xoxo 

ps. don't forget to enter my giveaway to win a Benefit gift set here