Birthday Wishlist

As I've spent the whole day in bed wallowing in self pity due to the fact I've contracted the flu, I decided that the only thing that could cheer me up would be a spot of online shopping. However, I simultaneously realised that everything I want it rather expensive and my birthday is just round the corner, and decided it would be more productive to make a birthday list.  

Slowly but surely, Converse have become the only shoes that I wear and I've been wanting a new pair to add to my collection for a while. As soon as I laid eyes on this sequinned pair, I knew that we were going to end up together; love at first sight, if you will. At the other end of the spectrum, I do want a pair of smarter shoes because I do occasionally venture to places where Converse aren't appropriate. These tassled loafers from Topshop are perfect for smartening up dresses and jeans!

I may have naturally curly hair, but I often crave smoother, more even curls because the dragged-backwards-through-a-hedge look doesn't always work for me. This Babyliss wand has a nice thick barrel, perfect for creating loose curls and waves!

Seeing as I'm turning 19, I think it's about time I owned a proper bag. You know, not a rucksack or a Primark handbag. Zara has the best bags, and I'd happily carry my junk around in any one of them, but this bowler bag is practical, sophisticated and the perfect size for day to day use. 

I'm on a mission to own all of my favourite TV shows on DVD, and having culminated a nice collection of Gossip Girl DVDs, it's time to move on to the second best show on the planet; Pretty Little Liars. 

I've always struggled to find a mascara that leaves my lashes looking long and lustrous, and have come to the conclusion that maybe a slightly more expensive product would do the job. These Chanel and Yves Saint Laurent ones have rave reviews! I'd also like another Chanel polish to add to the collection, and "Holiday" is the perfect shade for summer.

Last but not least, macarons. I only know of two bakery's in Bristol that sell them, but have scoured the internet and found a couple of reasonably priced websites that do home delivery! Of course, it would be preferable to receive a trip to Paris for my birthday and buy my own from Ladurée... A girl can dream, huh?

1. Converse All Star Multi Sequin - Office, £59.99 // 2. Laverne Tassle Loafers - Topshop, £32 // 3. Babyliss Boutique Loose Waves Curling Tong - Tesco, £19.50 // 4. Bowling Bag - Zara, £19.99// 5. Pretty Little Liars DVD box-set - Amazon, £29.95 // 6. Sublime De Chanel Infinite Length and Curl Mascara - Boots, £24 // 7. Yves Saint Laurent Babydoll Mascara - Boots, £24.50 // 8. Chanel Le Vernis Nail Colour in "Holiday" - Boots, £17.50 // 9. Macarons (Box of 6) - Bettys, £8.

KJ xo

Paella and Pudding

Last night, me and the girls headed over to my friend Alex's house to celebrate her birthday with what promised to be a glorious feast prepared by her mother, the original hostess with the mostess. Alex's birthday usually consists of frozen margaritas, a variety of salads and breads, posh meats and macarons. I was therefore extremely eager to see what was on offer this year and it's safe to say I was not disappointed. 

March Favourites 2014

This month I've discovered some new beauty products (and re-discovered some old ones!), and so decided to do a little "favourites" post. I'm not exactly an old hand at these types of posts, so you'll have to bear with me as I'm yet to learn about "favourites" posts etiquette.  

First up is Rimmel's Match Perfection Illuminating Concealer (Boots, £5.99). Before now, I'd been using Rimmel's Wake Me Up Concealer, but I've found this one blends in to my skin a lot easier and gives a much dewier, even finish. If you're looking for a new concealer, I would definitely recommend the Match Perfection range over the Wake Me Up range, as the products give my skin a really healthy glow.

Steal Her Style: Kylie Jenner

Over the past year, Kylie Jenner has been everywhere; you can't pick up a magazine without seeing her face, or more importantly, her latest outfit. She has steadily been branching out from the rest of the Kardashian clan's style and has now really come in to her own. From tailored jumpsuits and heels to denim cut-off's and Dr. Martens, she can go from sleek and sophisticated to grunge queen in the blink of an eye. Whilst her statement Céline bag and Fendi key-chain might be a little pricey for us commoners, she can style a plain white t-shirt in a million different ways, which is something we can all afford to do!

If there's one thing Kylie does well, it's denim. More often than not she's papped sporting one of her many pairs of denim shorts and biker boots; teamed with a white crop top and a chic handbag, she looks as if she's walked right off of every teenage girl's Tumblr dashboard. 

InstaDiary: Week 17

The £2.95 I have saved up in coppers over the last 5 months // Mine, Jim and Isy's productive afternoon // OOTD featuring my Glastonbury 2011 t-shirt // Probably the only selfie I have ever/will ever post on Instagram // So obvious yet so true // Me and my besties before they left for Asia // OOTD - Primark daisy print dress // My home made oatmeal cookies // Quiz night at The Flyer.

Don't forget to follow me on Instagram: KathrynJamshidi !

KJ xo

Elemis Pro-Radiance Illuminating Flash Balm Review

A few months back, I got a 15ml sample tube of Elemis' Pro-Radiance Illuminating Flash Balm (try saying that five times, fast!) free with a copy of Cosmo. Like most sample products, I tried it once and then tossed it in to the place where make-up products go to die; the bottom drawer.

Having suffered from dull skin lately, I decided to dig this little gem back out and applied it slightly more liberally. To my delight, it worked wonders. In all honesty, I had never heard of Elemis before sampling this product, and after looking at their retail prices (£32 for a full sized tube of this Flash Balm) I realised that they weren't quite within my price range. I researched the brand a little further and whilst I find the design of their webpage rather offensive, they claim to be "the leading luxury British spa and skincare brand", which isn't too shabby for KJ. 

Florals for Spring? Groundbreaking.

After doing a post on Primark's Spring/Summer 2014 collection, I couldn't resist popping in to my local store the other day for a very quick look around. I barely got to investigate any of their new collection properly, but this daisy print swing dress caught my eye and so I had to purchase it. Not having had time to try it on, I was delighted to get home and find that it fitted perfectly and was nice and comfy. We've had two or three sunny days over the past few weeks, and even though the golden rays were accompanied by fierce winds, it was the perfect time to début my new frock. 

Bristol's Beauty Spot

Today I had absolutely no motivation to do anything other than lie in bed, watching Gossip Girl and eating home made cookies. However, I knew that if I didn't get up and do something, then by the time evening rolled around my DVD's would be finished, the sugar rush would've worn off and I'd be feeling pretty down. So like a crack addict taking their final hit, I devoured one final gooey little piece of heaven, grabbed my camera and headed out to one of Bristol's best known beauty spots. 

A Day in the Life #1

Some days, I have lots of fun plans that I want to photograph and share with you guys but I never seem to get round to actually documenting them. Of course when I say "fun" I generally mean eating nice food and seeing friends, not shopping for designer dresses or going to the spa. I think the reason I tend not to photograph these moments is because people seem to get rather intimidated whenever I whack out my SLR camera (even I can admit it does sometimes ruin the mood when I'm darting around with a gargantuan camera, trying to get a good shot of someone's meal before I allow them to eat it!). I have realised, however, that people seem to find it a lot less offensive when I want to photograph them on my iPhone as we go about our day to day activities. So, yesterday I got a little bit snap-happy and decided to put together my first "A Day in the Life" post. I don't usually like to post photos on here that weren't taken on my SLR as I'm a stickler for quality, so I'm hoping that my readers aren't as anal as me when it comes to aperture and ISO numbers!

I started the day off by hitting the gym bright and early (11am!!) in my new H&M workout gear. I always find it easier to get motivated to exercise if I know that I'm going to be seeing my friends after. 

Statement Nail Art Tutorial

I can't remember the last time I didn't have a sleek layer of polish on my finger tips, so today I decided to try something a little bit different whilst painting them. I'm a huge fan of statement nails; having a contrasting design or colour on one nail is a great way to make a manicure stand out. So, I decided to try a little bit of DIY nail art, using two of my favourite polishes and a bit of sticky tape. I went for a simple black and gold design, as I wanted something chic and glossy looking. I'm pretty pleased with the way it turned out, and now that I'm feeling a little braver I'm definitely going to try some funkier patterns! Remember, I am most definitely not a nail/beauty expert, I just like to experiment with things and share them on here when they work out... I mean, I've been working on this tutorial for weeks with all my super professional products and am now pleased to share it with you.

 You will need: Scissors // Sellotape // Top coat // Two nail varnishes that work well together.

Primark Spring/Summer 2014 Collection

I've never been a huge advocate of Primark; I pick up a few of my basics there, and I am a fan of their bags, but it's not a shop that I tend to visit regularly. I'm not being a snob when I say that, it just seems that I'll spot something nice in the window which then takes me about an hour to find in the store, as you have to navigate your way around a multitude of t-shirts with trashy slogans on and tacky push up bras. More often than not, I then discover that it's actually made out of a really uncomfortable material or is a lot less flattering on my body than the hanger.

I was therefore surprised when my friend sent me a link to Primark's Spring/Summer 2014 collection and I found myself lusting after the vast majority of it. Whilst their notoriously cheap prices have increased slightly so that they are now almost on par with high street brands such as H&M and New Look, their increase in the style stakes is much bigger, making their new collection worth the few extra pennies.

Tailored jumpsuits and fitted asymmetrical skirts alongside chic dresses and classic heels make up one half of the collection, whilst summery shorts, floral prints and funky accessories make up the other half. A subtle nod towards Burberry's "The Petal" bag and seemingly taking inspiration from Matthew Williamson's LFW show make this collection a step above all those previous to it. 

 I've chosen my favourite pieces for you to browse (unfortunately Primark does not yet have online shopping so I can't include links but you can view the collection here). I intend to pop in to my local store soon so that I can try some of these pieces on, so you can expect a haul post soon!

InstaDiary: Week 16

Purdy kitty | Jordans Country Crisp; the best snack ever | Using my only talent (sticking photos on bedroom walls) to help Joe brighten up his room | My two favourite boys | Rocking the Rae Earl look | My favourite snap from the film I got developed | Snazzy hot chocolate at the Cider Press | Realising how much hair I actually have when I tried out a Katniss Everdeen style braid and saw how gigantic it was | Pancakes galore.

Don't forget to follow me on Instagram: KathrynJamshidi !

KJ xo

February Food Favourites

Since the start of the new year, I have had a bit of a lifestyle change; I go to the gym 4-5 times a week and I've completely changed my diet. Now, don't get me wrong, I still love burgers and crisps and all things sweet (as is evident from some of my recent posts), but for the most part I'm making healthier and more wholesome choices.

I've been experimenting with lots of new foods and have now got a ton of new favourites! Anyone who knows me will know that this is a massive step for me, as I was about 16 when I tried my first carrot (and promptly spat it back out). So, I wanted to share some of my new favourite foods with you partially because I just love food and also to give you some ideas for new snacks. For the sake of alliteration, let's pretend this is a slightly belated post that I intended to put up at the end of February! 

I fell in love with Yeo Valley yoghurt at Glastonbury in 2011, where they had their own stall set up from which they sold frozen 450g tubs for £1 each. Given that England was basking in one of the sweatiest heat waves I have ever experienced at the time, this cheap treat was an absolute God-send. I probably go through a tub of this every 2-3 days, dishing it up with grapes, strawberries, blueberries and banana. It's the perfect way to wake me up in the morning, and means I've had 4 of my 5-a-day before I've even got out of bed!

 Yeo Valley Strawberry Yoghurt - £1.60

Pancakes, Please

Today me and Joe had a slightly belated Pancake Day and of course, I couldn't resist whipping out my camera and snapping a few shots of our sweet treats in the hope of capturing at least one truly worthy of the "foodporn" hashtag.

Steal Her Style: Blake Lively

Having being cursed with writers block lately, I was delighted to open my emails yesterday to find that Paul Fredrick had contacted me suggesting I put together a "Steal Their Style" post. Before I had even read the email in full, the words "Leonardo" and "DiCaprio" practically jumped off the screen at me, leading me to their own "Steal His Style" post. Whilst he may have lost out again at the Oscars this week, their post proves he's certainly winning in the style stakes (Warning: Click on the link at your own risk, it contains serious eye candy). 

If you know me in the slightest then you'll be aware that I have a totally normal and healthy interest in the TV show Gossip Girl. It therefore only took me a split second to decide that I would be doing my post on Blake Lively (Or Serena Van Der Woodsen, as you may know her). I spent a good few hours choosing my favourite Blake/Serena looks, and trawling through the entire British high street to find affordable alternatives. Unfortunately it seems Topshop doesn't yet stock Blake's hottest accessory; Ryan Reynolds, but I'm sure it's only a matter of time. 

The first look I chose to recreate is quite a dressy one. A bold skirt and cropped statement jacket paired with a nude heel is the perfect combination for drinks with the girls, or a big work or social event. This is the kind of look I'd like to imagine I'm brave enough to pull off, even if I don't have anywhere to wear it!

Putting a Spring in my Step

What with Spring just around the corner and the sun making a few more appearances, I've slowly been transitioning from my cosy (sloppy) Winter outfits to my much more feminine Spring wardrobe. Whilst doing so, I realised that I basically don't have any Spring shoes; I own a lot of Converse and flatform trainers, and whilst there's nothing wrong with rocking the Lily Allen look once in a while, I decided I need to invest in something more... Spring-y. 

So, I hit up all my favourite shops and put together a little list of Spring appropriate footwear that I would like to purchase. I've always been a fan of loafers, but am yet to actually bite the bullet and invest in a pair. These Topshop ones are adorable, and I wouldn't mind the challenge of trying to figure out how to style such a bold colour. The H&M sandals are a great staple shoe, as they can be worn with dresses and skirts, or with boyfriend jeans for a more casual look. Whilst they're a bit pricey for a less than practical shoe, I couldn't help adding these Urban Outfitters roller-blades to the list. I think we can all agree that they are very cute and we wouldn't mind having a go on them, sort of like the Chace Crawford of shoes. I also added some ASOS plimsolls and jelly shoes to the list, as they were both nice and summery and are more casual than the others. Let's be honest; I can dream about wearing chic, sophisticated shoes, but at the end of the day comfort always comes first!

1. KIKI Suede Tassel Loafers - Topshop, £42 // 2. Sandals - H&M, £24.99 // 3. Rookie Bella Rollerskates - Urban Outfitters, £70 // 4. Dockland Plimsolls - ASOS, £18 // 5. Jelly Sandals - Topshop, £20.

Have you started experimenting with your Spring wardrobe yet?
KJ xo