50 Shades of Blue

If I had a penny for every time my mother moaned at me for having an all-black wardrobe, I could probably afford to pay off my student loan by now. However over the last few weeks I have emigrated away from my LBD's and black ripped jeans and landed on the not-so-distant shores of... navy blue. 

The Festival Edit

 1. T-Shirt with Crossover Back - Zara, £17.99 // 2. Daddy Cool Trainers - ASOS, £45 // 3. Felt Pork Pie Hat - ASOS, £22 // 4. Mesh Bow Scrunchie - ASOS, £8 // 5. Tapestry Bum Bag - Urban Outfitters, £20 // 6. Vintage Pattern Ring - Rings And Tings, £6.50 // 7. Fringed Kimono - H&M, £29.99 // 8. Daisy Chain Watch - ASOS, £18 // 9. Slogan T-Shirt - Zara, £12.99 // 10. Purple Acid Wash Denim Shorts - Miss Selfridge, £25 // 11. Sequin Nails in "White" - Barry M, £3.99

Birthday Haul: Part Two

A few days ago I posted a Haul, sharing with you some of the things I was lucky enough to receive for my birthday. Of course, after every girl's special day there comes a lot of shopping; we have to find somewhere to deposit all those notes that flutter so generously out of cards from long lost relatives, right?!

Maybe purchasing just three items of clothing, a bag, a pair of shoes, a lipstick and a nail varnish doesn't seem that extreme, but I seriously felt like I'd gone rogue as I crept from shop to shop, trying to resist all the gorgeous Summer stock. 

Perfect Pastels

'Tis the season for pastels and ice cream and all things light and fluffy.

As Spring is slowly approaching, I've decided it's time to stop wearing leggings and oversized jumpers and start looking a little more ladylike. To inspire me, I put together this little mood board of pastel pieces that would be perfect for the upcoming season.

 Jelly shoes are making a bigger comeback than Britney and are definitely this season's number one must have; these coral ones are perfect for the warmer weather! This Zara coat is perfectly chic and makes me want to roam the streets of Paris or take a stroll through Central Park, although I supposed I'd settle for just wearing it to the pub. Coloured denim is great for Spring, and these Topshop shorts are a great alternative to a pear of Levi's for a slightly sweeter look. Of course, no outfit would be complete with a slick of red lipstick so I've included a Barry M Lip Lacquer in the shade "Mandarin" to spice things up a bit. 

1. Jacquard Top - Zara, £25.99 // 2. MOTO Mom Shorts - Topshop, £30 // 3. Patent Block Heel - New Look, £19.99 // 4. Barry M Nail Paint in "Strawberry Ice Cream" - Barry M, £2.99 // 5. Barry M Lip Lacquer Crayon in "Mandarin" - Barry M, £4.99 // 6. Seamed Textured Tunic - Topshop, £46 // 7. Coral Jelly Sandals - New Look, £9.99 // 8. Barry M Nail Paint in "Peach Melba" - Barry M, £2.99 // 8. Structured Coat - Zara, £89.99 // 10. Turnlock Satchel - Topshop, £28.

Just a reminder that as of tomorrow afternoon, I will be changing my URL to "www.agirlbloggingabout.blogspot.com", but it'll still just be little old me writing all the same posts!

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. 

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. 

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

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.

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

H&M Sportswear: Review

 Since I joined the gym about six or seven weeks ago, I've been working out in an old, loose pair of jersey shorts, an M&S sports bra and an oversized Bristol Half Marathon t-shirt that I got given for free at a DofE tent-putting-up competition a few years back. Seeing as I've been exercising four to five days a week, it's not really ideal for me to only have one outfit to get all hot and sweaty in (Honestly, at the end of a session I look like a tomato that's been put through it's paces). So, I finally got round to hitting up H&M and purchasing a whole new set of workout gear; I put together this sassy little combo which came to just under £30 all together, not too shabby if you ask me! 

Girls' Christmas Dinner

After much stress and organisation, me and the girls finally got together on Monday for a Christmas meal. Having a Christmas meal with friends means a lot to me, because the one I have at home is always sub-par and leaves me feeling slightly cheated. 

We spent a week trying to decide which day would be best for everyone, and then another three days trying to decide what everyone should bring, before someone suggested that we just order a curry instead. Of course that idea was quickly shot down by me, and the Judas who suggested such horrors was forced to prepare and cook the chicken as punishment. 

Isy (aka the hostess with the mostess) had laid the table beautifully, which got me in the festive spirit for all of five minutes before I was informed that a chicken takes two hours to roast... at which point, a curry didn't sound so bad after all. However we powered on through (well the others did, I just pointed my camera in everyone's faces whilst they flapped around getting everything ready) and the meal was well worth the wait. 

Y-U-M-M-Y!

Festive Party Outfit

I'm sorry for my lack of posts lately, this is the first year that I have experienced real Christmas stress; between working, Christmas shopping, seeing friends who have returned from university, a couple of birthdays, making a thousand Christmas decorations and trying to organise a girls Christmas dinner, things have been a bit hectic this month.

I have taken multiple trips to town these past few weeks in order to try and find gifts for everyone, and every trip has ultimately ended with me lusting after various items that I'd quite like to add to my own Christmas list. This embellished dress from Topshop has caught my eye on a number of occasions; it's elegant and sparkly and perfect, and something that I would never wear because I don't go to the kind of parties that require an elegant, sparkly and perfect dress. Boo hoo. But a girl can dream, right? I put together this 'Festive Party Outfit' whilst wishing that maybe one day I'll have a chic event to go to, that requires a pair of Kurt Geiger heels or a Karen Millen clutch. If not, then I guess I'll have to buy it all anyway because really, who can resist all those sparkles?!

Cross Embellished Skater Dress - Topshop, £55 // MOTO Bleach Western Jacket - Topshop, £45 // Glacier - Kurt Geiger, £100 // Crystal Encrusted Box Clutch Bag - ASOS, £140 // Nail Varnish in 'Blizzard' - Models Own, £5 // Rouge Allure Velvet Lipstick in "La Somptueuse" - Chanel, £25.

KJ xo

Bonobos Man-Tastic Gift Guide: The Answer To Every Girl's Prayers

Is anyone else majorly struggling to think of something to buy the men in their life this Christmas? Brothers, boyfriends, dads, friends... They're impossible to shop for! If, like me, you are on the brink of picking up a nice pair of socks to replace the ones you bought them last year, you might want to take a look at this "Man-Tastic Gift Guide".

Bonobos has created a holiday gift guide for men; a sort of Holy Grail, if you will. If you too are crazy about organisation, then you'll agree that one of the most appealing things about their gift guide is that they have kindly sorted it in to six colour co-ordinated sections, three of which I have chosen to feature on my blog. 

From cosy jumpers and hats to cuff-links and suits, skis and axes to alarm clocks and coffee; Bonobos really has something for everyone, or perhaps something for "the man who has almost everything". You can even purchase a trip to space (or that nice pair of socks that you originally wanted to buy). 

So, I suggest you avoid the painful task of heading to your local mall to fight the frantic Christmas shoppers in order to purchase something for a man who will most likely be ungrateful anyway, and check out the Bonobos Man-Tastic Gift Guide instead!

My Winter Lips

'Tis the season for lipstick, is it not? There's something comforting about applying a thick, dark layer of lipstick on a cold Winter's morning. I used to wear this look every day to sixth form in the colder months, and have recently started playing around with it again. 

Along with burgundy nails and tartan scarfs, it's not the most ground-breaking look for Winter, but it works for me. As I've said before, I don't really know all that much about beauty things, I just like to play around with putting make up on my face so I apologise for this not being the most professional of tutorials. Here we go...

I apply Vaseline and then go on to do the rest of my make up, so it has time to moisturise my lips. I like the "Rosy Lips" one, as it gives a nice tint.

Christmas At Cribbs

Here in Bristol we have two main shopping centres; Cabot Circus and The Mall Cribbs Causeway. I think most Bristolians (apart from over-50's and chavs) would agree that for 91% of year, Cabot Circus is a more preferable shopping environment. However, if there's one thing The Mall does well, it's Christmas.

Every year they transform their car park in to a Winter wonderland; thousands of lights, a merry-go-round, a gigantic castle, fake snow, an ice skating rink and a mini Christmas market. 

Nails I Need

Having become a bit obsessed with Barry M Nail Paint's lately, I often find myself perusing the Boots website, lusting after the shades I want to purchase next. Now that I could name pretty much any polish in the Barry M collection, I decided it was time to branch out and start stalking other brands. 

Of course, my first stop was Chanel; at £17.50 their nail varnishes don't come cheap but they are definitely the most hard-wearing polishes in my collection. I found two gorgeous colours, "Taboo" is a much more obvious shade for this time of year but "Orange Fizz" would certainly brighten up any Winter outfit.

I desperately need a black nail varnish in my life, as they are so versatile and great for creating statement nail art. With Barry M Nail Paint's being only £2.99, I couldn't help putting their black one on my wishlist along with a beautiful pastel pink.

I don't actually own any Models Own nail varnishes, and after sitting at my laptop gawking at their entire collection for a good ten minutes, I have to ask myself why. Seriously, why? Just the names of their collections are magical; Wonderland, Beetlejuice, Fireworks, Fruit Pastel, Mirrorball, Tropical and Kaleidoscope. Need I say more? I picked out "Blizzard" because to me, it just looks like Christmas in a pot. "Indian Ocean" also reminds me of an icy Winter's morning and is pretty much the most gorgeous shade I've ever seen. 

I also had a look on the Essie website, as I've seen many beauty bloggers raving about their products. I picked two pastel shades, purely because I have vowed not to purchase any dark red/ burgandy/ purpley-red this season. 

So now I must go and restrain myself from spending £67.98 on nail varnish. Maybe I'll put them all on my list for Santa instead...

Chanel Le Vernis Nail Colour in Taboo - Boots, £17.50 // Chanel Le Vernis Nail Colour in Orange Fizz - Boots, £17.50 // Barry M Nail Paint in Black - Boots, £2.99 // Barry M Nail Paint in Ice Cream Pink - Boots, £2.99 // Models Own Wonderland Collection in Blizzard - Models Own, £5.00 // Models Own Beetlejuice Collection in Indian Ocean - Boots, £5.00 // Essie Nail Polish in First Timer - Essie, $8.50 // Essie Nail Polish in Pink About It - Essie, $8.50 //

What colours are you loving this Winter?

KJ xo

"All Shopping Eventually Leads To Shoe Shopping."

Excuse the Gossip Girl quote, I couldn't resist.

After recently purchasing a new pair of boots, I apparently decided that I was on some sort of shoe-shopping roll and found myself scouring the internet for a new pair of flats to add to my collection. Somehow that ended with me buying some 2" high, T-bar shoes from Topshop, after being lured in by the sweet scent of a student discount and free postage. One look at these and I knew they'd be mine, I'd figure out what I could actually wear them with later...

When they arrived, I instantly started trying them on with every item of clothing I own. To my surprise they actually go with quite a lot; oversized t-shirts, dresses, and my beloved skater skirts and dungarees. Now all I need is some frilly ankle socks to wear with them and I'll be good to go!