Sunday Scent: Lokum Myndos Breeze

This weekend has been none-stop - in fact, this week has been pretty none-stop too. Yesterday I went dragon boating for charity with all my work friends, last night I went out for my graduation celebration meal and today I picked up my wedding rings. The dragon boat racing was a great way to get to know all my new work colleagues and I had so much fun, I wish I could do it all again and the meal last night was amazing. We ordered a lovely bottle of our favourite champagne and dined at my favourite restaurant. When we finished, we headed out for a few celebratory cocktails at a quiet Moroccan style bar hidden away in Huddersfield. Despite all the fun I had with the meal and the dragon boating, this weeks highlights was definitely picking up my wedding rings. It is now 9 weeks until our big day and everything seems to be taking place. The nerves haven't hit me yet nor my partner, but with it being so close, I do wonder who will be the first to crack. When I slipped my wedding ring onto my finger, it all felt real and I did not want to take it off. This week has been so busy that unfortunately I have barely had chance to blog, but I think with everything that I've been doing, I can be let off.

This short Sunday post is about a fragrance that I received a few weeks ago and can't stop wearing. Since I have been ridiculously busy over the last few weeks, this beautiful product ended up at the bottom of my draw and until now, I haven't had the chance to review it. The Lokum Myndos Breeze (link*) is from an online turkish perfume retailer and the brands philosophy is based around bringing traditional turkish scent and flavours to modern culture, highlighting the products natural beauty. I love traditional turkish scents. My dad went on holiday years ago and brought me back three turkish fragrance oils and I loved all of them. They would linger on my skin for hours and smell nothing like the fragrances we get over here.

A few days ago I applied the Mandarin Eau De Cologne from Lokum to my skin before going to the doctors and I was pleasantly surprised with how long the fragrance did last, it reminded me of those fragrances my dad bought me years ago. Eau De Cologne is much stronger than your average Eau De Perfume and Eau De Toilette and can sometimes be rather over powering, but this Mandarin product is strong enough to smell on the skin, but subtle enough to not make everyone choke when you walk by. The smell of Mandarins reminds me of cocktails and the sun and makes me dream of going on holiday. The perfume settles in my skin nicely and is a scent I can wear all day through. This cologne is perfect for work as it barely needs re-applying and would also benefit someone  that is going on holiday and looking for a fruity, zesty summer scent.

Have you tried any Turkish Perfumes?

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What my Degree Means to Me

Yesterday was one of the biggest days of my life, after three years of working hard I received my final university grade. Waiting made me anxious. All I could think about was this one sentence that would define my last three years of university. It is funny how all this hard work ultimately comes down to collecting a tiny piece of paper with some writing on it. These words would either make people or break people. These words could make the strongest people break down in tears, but ultimately it is a piece of paper with a grade written on it - nothing more, nothing less. The true wealth of the degree is what you have learnt in the last three years, the experiences that make you a different person from the one that walked through the door three years ago.

When I started university, I was shy and had very little confidence in myself or my writing. I went to university with the expectation that I wouldn't amount to much. My family are all from trade backgrounds and none of them have been to university before. Most of family were skeptical about how beneficial a degree could be. They came from a time where college training was all that was needed to obtain a managerial job. My family have had amazing careers - opticians, accountants, translators and none of them have been to university. As times have changed, it is harder to get anywhere without a degree. It can happen, but it is hard work. When I started university, I was on a mission to show them how a degree could really benefit my future and three years later, it has had a tremendous impact on my life.

Yesterday I was told that I would be graduating university with a BA Hons First Class Journalism degree. My tutors would agree with me when I say that when I started university, I could barely scrape a 2.1, never mind qualify with a first. When I received my results, it took awhile for it to really sink in, I checked it three times to make sure I wasn't dreaming and then screamed the house down. I did it, the girl that thought she would be an underachiever got a first class degree. After all the excitement, the phone calls to the family and the obligatory social media updates, I sat for awhile and reflected on my last three years. One question came to mind, what does my degree mean to me?

Although a first class degree is an amazing achievement, just finishing the degree is an achievement in itself. It isn't about the piece of paper that I will eventually receive on graduation day, it is about how I have developed as a person and gone from someone who could barely string a sentence together, to someone who is confident speaking in front of the class, someone who can now write and someone who has ambition and is looking forward to the next step of her career. My degree is symbolic of the journey I gone through to become what I would deem as a 'proper adult'. I have obtained an understanding into the importance of education, the importance of living life to the full and most importantly, I have learnt that nothing will ever be achieved if you don't trust that you can do it. I have said it before, I have had the most difficult three years. I have spent the majority of my degree in and out of hospital with chronic illness, I have lost three people incredibly close to me within a year of graduating and I had to contend with my confidence levels all the way through university. My degree is a symbol that I made it. I can go through tough times and I can come out shining. My degree will always be more than a piece of paper, it was a life experience that I will never forget.

As my favourite band, Alter-bridge once sang:

 "If you believe in nothing else, keep believing in yourself, there will be times of trouble, it's gonna hurt like hell, this much I know, all ends well."

 For me, all did end well.

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Red Label Mint Panel Dress

Being experimental with clothing is always risky - sometimes it pays off and sometimes you look like an ideal candidate for a 'Fashion Police' column. I usually stick to know what I know suits my body shape, which is usually anything that brings me in at the hips and flares out at the waist. I have an hourglass figure with a lovely small waist, but with rather big hips for my petite body frame. When Red Label approached me to review one of their dresses, I thought it would be a great opportunity to pick something that I would not usually go for and I decided on this lovely Mint Panel Bodycon dress.

According to the website:"Red label are a young British brand with an in house design team dedicated to all things fashion." The brand was founded in 2010 and is focused around designing versatile, everyday dresses, which now appear in Debenhams stores. When I first felt the dress, I was blown away by the soft, stretchy fabric and beautiful mint colouring. The dress looked shape defining and a good length for my height. Unfortunately when I tried it on, it just did not suit my body shape. The dress clung to all the bits I did not want anyone to see and the mint panel made me look wider than slimmer. It is unfortunate as I love the colour and the high quality fabric of this dress, it was my body shape that really let it down. As I chose this dress, I knew I would be taking a gamble, but fashion is about experimentation and being able to develop your style. With Red Labels affordable, quality and versatile clothing it is easy to be a little more daring and still have plenty of cash in the bank. 

Do you experiment with your style?

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French Connection Summer Bark Dress

I have always been a little bit of a French Connection fan girl, their clothes are so perfectly suited to my body shape. Due to the amount of tablets I take and my ever changing energy levels, my body has a tendency to fluctuate. Some days I can walk into Topshop and be a size 8, other days I'm wondering why I'm a size 12. French Connection has always been my go-to brand for when I need an outfit that will fit my body shape whatever day of the year it is.

When I saw this French Connection Summer Bark dress in store, I knew instantly that it would be a dress that would flatter my curves and give me a much needed confidence boost. Having a new job and a nice pay cheque on the way, I thought yesterday would be the perfect time to treat myself to some new work attire.

The summer bark dress nips in at the waist and bellows at the hips to form a nice hourglass appearance. The bark design is a little bit quirky and adds character to what is simply a white day dress and with a little bit of jewellery, this dress can be dressed up for a night around town. French Connection is at the upper end of the High Street scale so their dresses can be a little bit pricey. This French Connection Summer Bark dressed retails at £80, but since I have a discount card for House of Fraser I managed to save a few pennies. I see this dress as a worthy investment as it has a pattern suitable for the summer, winter and autumn seasons and feels incredibly comfortable to wear. For someone that often suffers from low confidence, I found this dress is fabulous at concealing those wobbly bits and gave me the confidence buzz I need.

Do you like French Connection?

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St Kitts Herbery Summer Rose Collection

I'm a bit of a sucker for anything rose orientated and during the summer time, I can't get enough of the flowers. I love the bright red colours, the sweet yet musky scent and the feelings they evoke surrounding romance. If I come across anything beauty related that has a bright red colour or scented of roses, I have to have it in my collection.

St Kitts Herbery are a small brand from Cornwall that specialise in natural, herbal toiletries, beauty products and chocolate. Their products are formulated using organically sourced materials, their first products derived from a packet of seeds which became plants they used from their own garden.

A representative for the brand introduced me to the new St Kitts Herbery collection which is right up my street when it comes to beauty products, a summer rose collection - all with amazingly natural scents.

The Summer Rose perfume (link*) exhibits fruity notes of Cassis, Bergamot, Rose and lychee, mixed with Cyclamen, Lily of the Valley, Magnolia and Violet. The base notes are made of Cedarwood, Musk and Sandalwood. All of these scents combine to make the most deliciously fresh, summer quenching scent. The perfume seeps deep into the skin and stays fresh and light all day through. The hint of musk mixed with the rose top notes enables the perfume to 'pack a punch' yet remain subtle and feminine.

The Summer Rose hand cream is the perfect accompaniment to the Summer rose fragrance as it smells just as delightful and also nourishes your hands. I found the St Kitts Herbery hand cream (link*) a delight to use as it is settles into the skin with minimal effort and leaves the hands feeling soft with no excess grease or product. The summer rose scent lingers for a fair while after use and leaves you feeling fresh and summer ready. 

Have you tried any of the St Kitts Herbery Summer Rose Range?

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My Invisible Illness: Auto Immune Arthritis

If you walked past me on the streets, most of the time I would like a normal 23 year old girl. The makeup I wear hides the bags under my eyes that derive from sleepless nights full of joint pain, the tablets that I'm on enable me to walk, but you can't physically see how much pain I am enduring and I might look a little bit overweight if you pass me in the streets, but I do try go to the gym, my joints don't like it anymore.

I once got to the stage where I was almost the epitome of good health. I was born premature, I diagnosed with asthma only a month later and ever since I popped out of my mothers stomach I've had problems. Almost four and a half years ago I made the conscious effort to lose a lot of weight and get my health back to scratch. I lost almost six stone through dieting and going to the gym and for once I was confident with my self and my health had improved.I barely had any health complaints and I was leading a normal life, fitting into clothing I never thought I'd have the opportunity to wear and exercising ferociously, something that I learnt to love.

I don't know how it what happened, what caused it and why it started to happen almost two years ago, I just started experiencing joint pain. I put this down to a lot of exercise and the fact that I have always had little bits of joint pain growing up, but nothing like this. The pain some days make the smallest of tasks so hard to face. Climbing up stairs was some days like being asked to climb up mount Everest. Within several months my health had deteriorated and I spent everyday in pain.  My life became a yo-yo of being in and out of doctor appointments. All the doctors looked at me as though I was lying and this made me feel ridiculously paranoid. I began to think am I losing my mind? Is this normal? My iron levels started to drop and on top of the pain, I started to feel the fatigue. In some cases, the fatigue felt worse than the pain. It was so debilitating. I just needed constant rest and I didn't know why. Eventually I saw one doctor that believed in me and she said it was about time that I saw a rheumatologist. I headed up to my local rheumatology ward and had a series of tests - the rheumatologist even said:" I very much doubt I'll find anything, you are just suffering from teenage pains like most girls." I started feeling rather depressed when I heard that a joint specialist didn't believe I had anything wrong. 

When I returned back to the rheumatologist, she shook her head and told me that the test results were inconclusive, but to not fear as she had one last plan up her sleeve. It was the ultrasound of my joints that finally confirmed what I had known all along. I have rheumatoid arthritis. It just so happened that the day of my tests, the sonographer was having an assessment and that there was a doctor in the room. When they scanned my wrists, hands and feet they found moderate swelling of my joints and finally showed me what was causing all my pain.

According to NRAS, the National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society:

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic, progressive and disabling auto-immune disease affecting 580,000 people in England. It is a painful condition, can cause severe disability and ultimately affects a person's ability to carry out everyday tasks. This disease can progress very rapidly causing swelling and damaging cartilage and bone around the joints. Any joint may be affected, but is is commonly the hands, feet and wrists. It is a systemic disease which means that it can affect the whole body and internal organs (although this is not the case for everyone with RA) such as the lungs, heart and eyes.

There is no cure for Rheumatoid Arthritis, just treatment that can help manage symptoms and delay any further damage. As I have only just started the treatment, I am awhile off remission, but at the moment I am coping relatively well. Some days I look normal and I can do the things I love, but other days can be a huge struggle. I try not to let it get the best of me as life is too short to dwell on things, you just have to live through it. But I can't ignore how RA has changed my life. I've gained a bit of weight (luckily only half stone) and going to the gym is difficult. I've lost some of my independence as I struggle to lift certain things and do the tiniest things some days. However I have gained the insight into a very different life and I am now able to take what I have for granted and I am constantly reassured that no matter how hard life is, there is always someone out there who is worse than me. I want to do things to help raise the profile of RA and show people that it is a difficult illness, but for those people out there suffering just like me, I want to use my blogging platform and my media skills to show these people that they aren't alone. This week is Rheumatoid Arthritis awareness week and I hope that if you read through even half of this post, that it changes how you see people. People might look healthy and normal, but sometimes they are struggling and need help.

Check out http://www.nras.org.uk/ for more information.

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The 'Forever Miss Vanity' Cocktail

Recently I have had a little bit of an obsession with making my own cocktails and I thought I'd dedicate a blog post to one of my current favourites. Whilst working in a bar, I never really got the chance to make cocktails as I wasn't there long enough for the training, but it has always been something that I have wanted to have a go at. I love going into my local Revolution and watching the bartenders make their latest concoctions and the Alchemist is my all time favourite bar for out of this world cocktails. I know I will never be at that level, but I've managed to make my own drink that seems rather nice.

After spending years of disliking Southern comfort (link*), a few weeks ago I suddenly had the urge to try it again. A bar in my local town had just reopened and started selling a cocktail known as the 'Southern Peach'. The Southern Peach is a mixture of cranberry juice, peach schnapps and Southern Comfort and for some reason I decided to buy it. It was from then on that I rekindled my love with the whiskey liqueur and decided that it was one of my new favourite alcoholic drinks. 

At the weekend I went to my parent in laws house to celebrate the 30th birthday of my future sister in law and I wasn't feeling my usual Amaretto and coke. Instead I decided to take a bottle of cheap Amaretto, a few different types of fruit juices and my trusted bottle of Southern Comfort. 

At the beginning of the party my partner and I challenged ourselves to make the best cocktail and I may be a little bit biased, but I have fallen in love with mine. The self named 'Forever Miss Vanity' cocktail is a mix of 1 part cranberry juice, 1 part orange juice and one part apple juice with a single measure of amaretto and southern comfort. I'm not entirely sure whether there is an actual name for this cocktail as I have researched it quite a bit, but for now I'm claiming the drink as my own. The cocktail incorporates all my favourite fruit juice and two of my favourite liqueurs. This drink is perfect for a beginning of the week tipple, a weekend party or a night in with the friends. Drinking in moderation is always advised.

What are your favourite cocktails?

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Payday Wishlist

We haven't even reached half way point in the month yet and I'm dreaming of payday. This month will be first full time wage I have ever received and although I need to sensible because I have a wedding to organise and a car to save up for, I can't stop dreaming of clothes, clothes and more clothes - with bags and accessorises to top them off. Every time I walk into a clothes store I feel like a kid in a candy shop, I just want everything. Spring and Summer are both my favourite seasons as they involve a lot of bright, bold colours and floral patterns. These months give me a chance to unleash my inner hippie and wear so much more dresses than winter. I'm not really a jeans and t-shirt kind of girl, I prefer shapely dresses and stilettos. 

After much debating,  I have managed to narrow down my June payday wish list and although it may seem pricey, I think I'm being rather good to say I'll be getting a really nice cash injection at the end of the month.

                                                              Hair cut and colour

My hair is looking a bit dull at the moment and my roots are beginning to show. A trip is needed to my favourite salon in Huddersfield, Studio 18 to make me looking sparkling new.

                                                     A Michael Kors Selma Satchel

So many people have Michael Kors handbags these days that they aren't considered as much as a luxury as they were in the past. However, I'm a massive fan of Michael Kors fan - I've got an MK watch and MK shoes, I clearly could do with a handbag to complete the set.

                                                         Bijoux Bazaar Boson Ring

I've always been in love with YSL arty cocktail rings, but I've never got round to buying them and when I've felt like buying one I haven't had the money. So many sites these days are making look-a-likes of big brand items and this Bijoux Bazaar ring looks almost like a replica of YSL. The Boston ring from Bijoux Bazaar is at a much more affordable price of £8.

Topshop Vintage Bloom Dress

As mentioned previously, I am a massive fan of florals. Most of my wardrobe is made up of floral dresses. The dress featured in the above image is the Vintage Bloom Bodycon dress from Topshop. I love the bursts of purple and orange flowers and the hourglass silhouette of this dress. It would be great to wear in any type of weather. Dressed up with a pair of black tights and a blazer or worn with bare legs and scandals in the sun.

Is there anything that you are currently saving up for?

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Dotty L'Amour Bra

Trying to find the right bra can sometimes feel like stepping across a minefield -it can be very hit and miss. A bra that feels good around the chest, might feel not right in the cup department and vice-versa. I've always struggled when it comes to my bra size. I have had the experience of having both larger and smaller breasts. When I was at my biggest a 38F my friends would route around in my wardrobe and come downstairs wearing my bra as a hat. They found the size of my 'melons' hilarious. When I lost weight my bra size dropped to a rather demure 34B and I've been happier ever since.

I have since discovered that it doesn't matter what size my breasts are, finding bras can be difficult. I used to blame my previous problems due to them being large and now I have no excuse. I just find the majority of high street bras to be ill fitted and none flattering. My favourite bras that I own come from New Look and Tesco - both of which are not solely focused on bras and my least favourite underwear recently has been from what should be considered as 'the professionals' La Senza and Ann Summers. I'm not saying these companies are bad - I have underwear from there that I do love, but recently I've found my bras to be rather uncomfortable and unsupportive despite being the right fit. A few months ago one of the bra measurers told me that I was a 34DD and even I knew that wasn't the case. If it was true, I'd be dancing around to Katy Perry and flaunting my assets. 

I almost gave up on the search for a perfect bra, believing that none existed. That was until a few weeks ago when I was introduced to the luxury lingerie brand Damaris (link*). Damaris stock the most beautiful underwear I have ever seen and many of collections are named after types of confectionary which evokes a sense of femininity and sweetness. This bra is from the Dotty L'Amour range (link) which according to the website is 'a chic twist on a classic white lace set.' The bra is flattering, elegant and features pretty embossed polka dots with a pink undercarriage. The Dotty L'Amour bra by far is the comfiest bar I have ever owned. The bra features a soft stretchy chest band and wide bra hooks for support. I found this bra to be 'true to size' and fitted perfectly over 34Bs with no extra room in the cup and not feeling too tight. 

If there was one downside to this bra, it would have to be price. Selling at almost £60 per bra, it's not like you can go a major underwear shopping spree (unless you have lots of money), but they say sometimes that if you are looking for quality, it is worth investing some money into an item. Some people under estimate the importance of great underwear and do not realise that they are the foundations of a great outfit. The lingerie you wear can define your body shape, can enhance your curves and conceal your problem areas - ultimately they are like a quick fix plastic surgery without the knives.

Where did you buy your favourite bra?

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Hairtrade Hair Extensions

I've always felt self conscious about my hair. I'm one of these people that wake up in a morning and it takes them hours to get their hair right - the majority of the time I just give up and hope it looks reasonable. My thick wavy hair has a tendency to stick out at awkward angles first thing in the morning and although sometimes I can wake up and have the nicest little curls, it usually ends up a frizzy mess by lunchtime.

Until I started my hairdressing course over 7 years ago, I did pretty much nothing with my hair. Growing up I was boring - barely got it cut and settled for having it long and marginally straight. My hair used to knot up so easily and it was incredibly difficult to tame - I had no patience. I felt like hiding my head under a bonnet, then another issue arose - hats don't really suit me. When I was sixteen, something clicked. For the first time in my life I felt style conscious.I enrolled on a hairdressing course at my local college and my life quickly changed. Suddenly I was dipping my head in all the colours of the rainbow, at one point I had jet black hair with a full head of bright pink highlights. My next move was to cut my luscious long hair into a bob. Needlessly to say that was my biggest hair disaster to date. I will never suit short hair. It made my face look round and being a little bit more of a tomboy back then, many people thought I looked masculine.

My life then changed dramatically when one day a friend brought into some hair extensions for one of her clients. It was something I had read about, seen in the media, but never tried myself. I always assumed that they would be difficult to apply and a pain in the rear end. My friend at the time then convinced me to go hair extension shopping with her and the rest is history. I loved and still love, the ease of clipping in hair extensions and the difference they can make to your entire look. I will never try glue ins as I have seen far too many hair disasters working in a salon, but clip ins and 3/4 wigs are like my best friends. Always there for when I need a pick me up in the hair department.

A few months ago I decided to blend in with the crowd and make my hair ombre. It was probably one of the best decisions I made as my hair looks much more vibrant and adds warmth to my face. Changing my hair colour meant that my previous hair extensions are now a no-go and the for the last few weeks I've had to painfully live without. I've always thought that buying hair extensions to match ombre hair would be rather difficult, but I decided to take the plunge by the selecting some I&K Auburn clip ins (link*) from Hairtrade.

These hair extensions blend in so well with my hair colour and clip in like a dream. They are soft, easy to style and look and feel fantastic. Admittedly I'm not into wearing hair extensions on a daily basis anymore - that was just a phase, but for girly nights out these are essential. My fine, dull hair can be transformed into long vibrant tresses and my confidence is given a nudge in the right direction.

Do you wear hair extensions?

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Parklife Saturday (Photo Heavy)

On Saturday Katie Fox and I (The Quick Red Fox) went on a little adventure to the Manchester based dance festival Parklife. Parklife Weekender* is an annual independent music festival that started two years ago at Platt Fields Park and has since relocated to Heaton Park following the festival's increasing popularity and exposure. In the past the festival has played host to bands such as Dizzee Rascal and Disclosure, but this year it was the notorious Snoop Doggs chance to wow the crowds as the main stage headline act.

As Katie and I arrived at the festival, we were greeted by torrential rain and lots of muddy festival goers. Despite the heavy downpours, many people remained in high spirits and according to media repots, the festival did not stop people attending as it is estimated that the festival had more than 60,000 guests yesterday alone.

Check out my Press Tyvek wristband. Thanks to ID&C for helping with the passes

Katie and I are both avid fashion and lifestyle bloggers and were lucky enough to be invited to the festival as members of the press. It was the first time I have reported from a festival and boy it was fun. I have been going to concerts since I was a mere 13 years old and I love the sound of loud, live music. Admittedly I'm a little bit more into my rock'n'roll than my dance tunes, but as long as it has a good beat and allows me to dance, I'm generally happy. As far as festivals go, I've only ever been to Download, but I have always wanted to expand my musical horizons. Download usually has all the music I adore in one roof and it has been my festival go to for the last five years, but this year I wanted something different. As I've grown older, my music taste has developed into such an eclectic mix. When I saw that Rudimental were playing at Parklife, I knew I had to be there.

The majority of artists I wanted to see at Parklife were on yesterdays main stage. I've become a little bit obsessed with Rudimental lately, as mentioned previously and I couldn't wait to see the trendy, quirky singer that is Katy B. Whilst having a gander at the lineup, I was drawn to seeing Annie Mac because I occasionally listen to her on Radio 1 and when it came to Snoop Dogg, although I'm not the biggest fan, it would have been silly of me to pass up the opportunity to see one of the legendary rap artists of our time.

The first thing Katie and I did was check out all the tents and the VIP areas. The VIP area of Parklife was available for those with either a VIP ticket or press pass. VIP tickets were only £20 more than a standard admission ticket and due to this, the VIP gardens were incredibly popular with Parklife fans. Being a Parklife VIP enabled festival goers to use slightly more sanitary restrooms, purchase cocktails as well as standard alcohol and there was a variety of sheltered seating and picnic tables available. 

After having a rest and sipping on a delightful Strawberry Daiquiri, Katie and I made use of our press passes by heading backstage. If there was one downside to Parklife besides the rain, it would be the lack of directions available. Katie and I regularly got lost. It took use quite sometime to get used to our soggy little map we carried around with us and even then, we mainly asked for directions. Wearing incredibly muddy boots with a face full of smudged eyeliner and having the most knotty, wet hair I can understand why security had doubts that I was a journalist, however my bright yellow wristband enabled me access to one of my favourite moments of Parklife festival, which ironically is none music related.

Hiding backstage at Parklife festival was a TIGI portable salon that offered hair and beauty treatments to the press. Stumbling across this little salon was mine and Katie's saviour. After a morning of trudging through mud and being constantly poured on, it was a delight to sit back and be pampered. TIGI products have always been a firm favourite of mine when it comes to haircare. After working in a salon for two years, they became products I relied on to achieve the best look for my clients. I can close my eyes and vividly remember the scent of Bedhead products lingering around the salon, in particular the Dumb Blond Smoothing Stuff that smells like bubblegum. The stylist at Parklife gave me a volumised curl look using some of my favourite products and introduced me to one of their newer products, "Oh Be hive" which I can't wait to buy.

Back to the music, the first artist I saw at Parklife was Katy B. I have had a soft spot for Katy B ever since her most popular hit 'Lights On' came into the charts. Her albums are full of foot tapping, hand raising dance beats that can get even the most anti social dancer on the dance floor and yesterday she drew a large crowd that lingered on her every word. 'Crying for No Reason' was my favourite song that she performed as it evoked a strong sense of emotion and had everyone in the vicinity swaying, singing and even the odd person shedding a few tears.

The next artist I saw was Annie Mac and the popular radio 1 DJ gave us a fab performance of her DJing skills. Unfortunately the show wasn't really to my taste as I prefer more visual performances, but I can understand why the crowd liked her and it won't stop me listening to her radio show.

Next to play was my favourite band of the evening Rudimental. Rudimental had the crowd going wild and delivered a faultless performance  and even when their sound system suffered from a glitch, they continued performing and came back on stage with the most appropriate song 'Not Giving Up.' I loved the sound of the live brass instruments, the various vocalists and watching DJ Locksmith wow the crowd with his humour.

The final act of the evening was Snoop Dogg. If you told me last year that I would attend a festival, watch a rap artist and enjoy the entire set, I would have laughed. Snoop Dogg has never really been on my musical bucket list. When I saw that Snoop Dogg was the headline act, I wasn't entirely impressed however I would have felt stupid not seeing one of the most  highly debated artists of the last several decades. On the night, Snoop Dogg wowed me. He had the crowd gripped to his every word and came across as highly motivated and passionate about his music. Snoop Doggs tribute to Tu Pac made the crowd cheer with homage and ending with Bob Marley was Snoop Doggs tribute to Rastafarian movement. It was Rudimental that stole the evening for me musically, but I know having the pleasure to see a musical icon such as Snoop Dogg will be a moment that I will always remember. 

Parklife had its up and downs. The rain and the initial disorganisation gave us a pretty bad start to the festival, but once the evening had ended both of us wanted to experience it all over again. For a smaller independent music festival Parklife delivered with their acts and from what I have been told by other attendees, everyone seemed to enjoy it. I'm not entirely sure whether I will attend Parklife in the future as I've said previously not all the music is to my taste, however the festival has opened my eyes to new acts, a different type of festival and gave me a brand new festival best friend Katie, who made the day the most enjoyable experience. 

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Festival Makeup

Finding the perfect makeup to wear at a festival can be a little bit of a nightmare. Most festivals involve you being stood in a muddy field and have a high prospect of the rain. The chances of you leaving the house looking glamorous and returning in the same state is either slim or none. Over the weekend at Parklife, I have seen some pretty terrible makeup and fashion disasters...

1) Why would you wear fake tan to a festival when rain is predicted?

A lot of people I saw were dripping orange and the colour of mud against their skin looked more like their natural skin colour. So many girls were walking around with smear marks all over their body and in the end, what was supposed to be a highly glamorous look made them appear more grim than glam. If you are feeling too pale, make sure you do your fake tan a few days before so you can allow it to settle correctly or check the weather and avoid it if it is raining. Better to look classy and pale, than orange and humiliated.

2) Don't cake on your makeup.

Yep, a lot of girls looked like they were destined to appear in a horror movie rather than a beauty pageant. It was raining too much that fake eyelashes were losing their grip, heavy smeared eyes were turning into panda eyes and their whole face looked like it was to be peeling off in the damp weather. Apply makeup lightly so the rain has less to smudge off. You can always reapply little bits later on in the day. Also, try using waterproof makeup. I doubt I could live without my L'oreal Waterproof Gel Eyeliner.

3) Please wear appropriate shoes.

I honestly felt so sorry for girls wearing converse and trainers when their feet was sinking an inch into the ground in mood. With stylish wellies such as Hunters and lots of amazing looking riding boots on the market, there's no excuse really. My old cheap riding boots from New Look did the trick over the weekend and left my feet dry, toasty and mud free on the inside.

When I go to festivals, I always opt for the minimal yet striking makeup look. I like to look vintage and a little bit rock'n'roll so it's cat flick eyeliner and red lips all the way for me. To create this look I used my Illamasqua Skinbase foundation that did not shift all day, my L'oreal waterproof gel eyeliner that did not need applying again all day and a red lipstick by the brand Astor which only needed applying once and only cost £1.50. To complete the look I used one of my favourite bronzers by Glo Minerals. This added a bit of warmth to my face and gave me a festival ready glow.

What makeup do you wear to festivals?

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House of Fashion Event

Last Friday I had the opportunity to attend the House of Fashion event in Leeds. The House of Fashion event was a catwalk show organised by the local House of Fraser that featured makeup artists, a fashion runaway, raffles and the cutest pink goodie bags. House of Fraser have always been one of my favourite department stores. The staff are always lovely, they have a great selection of clothing and cosmetics and I love the history of their own label Biba.

I attended the event with a few of my blogger friends and it was a great start to the weekend, as well as a fabulous finish to my first week of work. The catwalk featured a selection of clothing from House of Fraser stocked brands such as French Connection, Whistles, Biba and many more. 

I loved how the collections went from the simplest outfit formations such as jeans and a t-shirt to elaborate dresses and fun flirty evening wear. This shawl really grabbed my attention with it's exotic prints which clashed elegantly with the tailored trousers. It was two items of clothing that shouldn't really go together, but worked so well.

Unfortunately due to the timings, I was unable to see the second half. The break was longer than anticipated and I had a train to catch. However, what I saw of the event was fabulous and made me fall in love with House of Fraser even more, which I never thought was possible.

Have you been to any fashion events lately?

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The Bright Future

Every now and then I get the urge to write a diary style entry on my blog about my life. After all, that's what the founding principle of blog was. To write down your everyday feelings and have a collection of viewing material on the internet that was in a chronological order. If there was a perfect time to express my feelings in regards to my life, it would be now. To quote the age old saying: 'What a difference a day makes'...or maybe a few.

A few weeks ago I had just finished university and feared the unknown. I started having sleepless nights about 'what would happen next' and the prospect of a graduate job seemed impossible. The last few months haven't been easy, if there is such a thing as an ultimate force, a god or whatever you believe in, that spirit just about threw everything my way during my last year of university and rocked my life like a hurricane. When confronted with stressful situations, I am lucky that I tend to work harder than crawl up in a bed and cry. I'm incredibly driven and even when the worst happens, I try to stay my strongest. Despite my hardworking nature, I was adamant that I had almost failed my degree, the thought of retrieving any of my grades back frightened me.

Then suddenly, overnight everything went from going insanely to wrong to completely in the right direction. Despite having a chronic illness, losing two immediate family members and battling many other family problems, I had made it. I passed many of my modules with no less than a first class. Me at my happiest would have never thought I would be capable of that. I left university three weeks ago and within two weeks of leaving, I was so lucky to be given my dream job working at an amazing agency where I deal everyday with blogger outreach and marketing campaigns for some of the best brands. Honestly, my life has been a little bit like a movie recently. Everything that has happened just makes me think back to my favourite song lyric by my favourite band:

"If you believe in nothing else, keep believing in yourself. There will be times of trouble and it's gonna hurt like hell, but this much I know all ends."

Well, things are definitely on the up for me and I'm excited about the future. I have so much to look forward to in the shortest amount of time and this year is definitely going to be the biggest year of my entire life. Firstly, I have my first ever full time job pay cheque to look forward to and by the looks of what i'm planning to buy, there will be some great blog posts lined up for the future. Secondly, I graduate next month! I can't believe it. Three years have gone so fast. And finally, three months from now I'm getting married. I started planning my wedding almost two years ago and I can't believe it is just around the corner. I can't wait to be the future Mrs McDonnell.

What are you looking forward to?

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