Keeping Warm with Zara

When it comes to autumn and winter clothes shopping, the store that comes straight to my mind is Zara. Admittedly I'm not a fan of their summer range, but as soon as the weather becomes dull and the nights get colder, I'm straight into my nearest Zara to stockpile all their cosy knitted jumpers, coats and scarves straight into my basket. As someone that suffers from Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) staying warm and wrapped in the winter is my priority, it is comfort over fashion any day. Without scarves, gloves and a fussy warm coat my joints would swell much easier and leave me in excruciating pain. It was actually last winter that I first noticed the warning signs of RA, but I dismissed these symptoms thinking they were side effects of the atrocious weather we were having. Investing in a warm snuggly winter coat is important for everyone, but for someone with inflammatory arthritis it gives them even more comfort through the days when their arthritis isn't at it's best.

My recent Zara purchase is the gorgeous camel coloured fur trimmed coat that I bought from a recent trip to Manchester. This coat is not only lovely and warm, but it also has a removable fur trim making it incredibly versatile and a great investment for those looking for a coat that pull off many styles. When I'm not wearing the fur trim, I often team this jacket with one of my large Zara scarves for optimum comfort and warmth.

There are so many winter items I'm currently lusting after Zara at the moment from this beautiful red tartan checked scarf to these super cute leopard print booties. I'm also in love with this wool blazer that looks sophisticated and cool yet still has the ability to keep you warm in the Autumn and this cosy camel layered jumper with sheer underlay, perfect for a capsule wardrobe.

Have you been shopping at Zara lately?

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Zara Autumn Wish list

"Buy me Gucci, buy me Prada, buy me Louis, buy me Zara"

 Wide boys, Shoppaholic.

Zara is usually a hit or miss store with me. One day I'll be splashing the cash, grabbing nearly every item in store and the next I'll go in and see nothing I really fancy. Zara's clothing is more for the edgy, urban woman so sometimes they're outfits are a little bit too flamboyant for more liking, however this season has really grabbed my attention and got my mind thinking about nothing, but Zara clothing.

If I had enough money right now i'd be coming out of Zara with more bags than my arms can hold, but being a student it's impossible to make my dreams a reality. Therefore, I've compiled a little list of items I may be able to afford in the future. Unfortunately I will probably only be able to pick one or two when I next get paid, but some Zara in my wardrobe is better than no Zara.

My wish list is composed of six items that I think will make the perfect Zara capsule wardrobe for the autumn and items that will go hand in hand with each other. The first item on the list is the beautiful leather shopper. Priced at £89.99 it's a little bit on the expensive side, but Zara bags generally make great investment pieces. I'm torn between this bag and the other that I have mentioned in my collage, the leather bag with metal tab. This bag is even more expensive, but has such a classic, long lasting design. It evokes a sense of rock'n'roll and if there's anything type of music that I love, i'm a die hard heavy metal fan.

The third picture in the collage is the Zara coat I've been lusting after since Sunday. This coat has remained in my mind ever since I left Chester and I'm dying to try it on again. The coat fits like a glove, it's really slimline and looks like it would be great for every season. I don't think anyone could go wrong with a classic red coat. Teamed up with the leather motorbike leggings and those red asymmetric kitten heels, I think it would be the perfect outfit to get me through the autumn weather.

Have you shopped at Zara lately?

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Confessions of a Shopaholic

A few weeks ago it was my 22nd birthday and I never really got round to announcing it or showing my brand new treats. It was very difficult time due to the loss of a family member, but I dealt with it the best way I know how...shopping.  I'm an impulsive shopper and always have been. My shopping habits are generally triggered by emotion and I'm ready to argue with anyone my belief that shopping is a real addiction. Do you ever get anxious if you haven't shopped in a long time? Have an overwhelming desire to have something new in your life on a regular basis? If you're answering yes, you're very much like me. I just can't help it, I love to shop. When I buy something I feel happy, until six months later when I have literally no wardrobe space from impulsive buys and my bedroom is literally cramped. The time I generally spend shopping is when I'm stressed. I love to stroll around and distance myself from life and pretend that I live in a different universe where money is limitless and the sky is literally the limit. Okay...maybe I have a problem. 

I never really do the whole 'haul thing', because I don't like to brag about what I've bought a lot of the time. I'm one of those people who sees someone showing off their brand new Mulberry Alexa and then sulks for days because I can't really afford one. Marriage and university life comes first, Louis Vuitton, YSL and Mulberry will come when I've made all my younger sacrifices. I want to be able to get my first full time job and properly be proud of my new handbag - when it comes to expensive things, I like to feel like I've earned it. 

One expensive item that I feel like I've really deserved lately is my sparkly new Macbook Pro.  My last laptop was literally falling apart. I used an old mouse from a windows 98 computer to work it, my laptop switched off every time it came unplugged because the battery stopped working and it weighed far too much carry around on a regular basis. I was kindly given a bursary by my university and decided to treat myself to my new Macbook when I went to London.  When I returned home, I quickly ordered this barbie pink case from Ebay to protect it from scratches. I get so many looks due to this case whilst I'm at university. I really think people assume I'm like Elle from Legally Blonde without the blonde hair. 

My next purchase was this gorgeous yellow Zara dress. I love colour in my wardrobe, because it makes me feel so confident. This dress compliments my brunette hair and looks great for springtime. It can easily be dressed up for a night out or dressed down for a girly day out shopping. I try to make my wardrobe as timeless as possible to save money and I think this is a great investment.

These shoes were brought from River Island a few weeks ago. I had an urge to buy wedges as soon as the sun came out and I love this nautical, french design. I think they're so cute and they're amazingly comfy. At £25 (with student discount) I'm glad I snapped them up.

From shoes to dresses. I seriously cannot go in New Look lately without browsing endlessly at their amazing line of floral dresses.  These two beauties are my recent purchases my New Look and I'm really impressed with the quality for such a low price. I love buying all my basics and staple daywear from New Look, I feel like I can never go wrong.

To complete all my outfits, I surrendered to buying this adorable Marc B bag. I love the Marc B range as they're always affordable, reliable and very sturdy handbags. It has got to the point where my mother has stolen my other Marc B bags as she agrees with me - you just can't beat them for durability.

Finally, my last big recent purchase is a well deserved week trip to Ibiza. I haven't been abroad since I was 13 - nearly 10 years. My parents bought me a passport for my birthday and I couldn't wait to book a holiday. Me and my partner are going to Ibiza for a week in July and I'm mega excited.  It's going to be my first ever adult holiday and even better, I get to go with my handsome fiance. Life is feeling quite a bit better now.

I think my next treat will be these beautiful Prada sunglasses so I can enjoy the weather properly.

http://www.smartbuyglasses.co.uk/designer-eyeglasses/Prada/Prada-PR09PV-1AB1O1-162683.html

Have you bought anything nice recently?

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Fabb Events Leeds Meetup

Yesterday I embraced the rain to hit Leeds for a spot of shopping with my partner and to attend the FABB Leeds meetup. Despite the horrible weather, the day turned out to be fantastic and I have so much admiration for Tor and Ray who managed to create such a successful event.

Meeting fashion and beauty bloggers for the first time is always something that daunts me. They always look stylish, immaculate and I often feel like - do I really belong here? Then within seconds, I feel at home and I'm gossiping about the latest release from MAC or talking about our recent 'lust haves'. I met so many wonderful fashion bloggers yesterday and I quite missed talking to them when I left. We bonded over the sight all of the beautiful cupcakes, enjoyed chit-chatting about all the presentations and best of all, traded tips of the trade whilst drinking cocktails...or Cranberry juice in my case.

The cakes were created by 'Rosie the Cake Maker' and tasted absolutely divine. I loved the attention to detail on all the frosting and the little FABB logos. It really made the event feel homely and all the bloggers took time out to take so many pictures.

For those who have never heard of Fabb Events - the whole afternoon was created by fashion and beauty bloggers Tor and Ray. They were very accommodating hosts, constantly asking if everyone was having a good time and making sure that everyone received their goodie bags.

Bloggers were treated to several presentations by various brands such as: Cloud 9, Health Point Ltd, Chiara fashion and Ark clothing. Throughout the afternoon there were various giveaways and lots of opportunities to ask questions. Chiara clothing did a really big giveaway with 10 lucky girls all walking away with various new clothing. Unfortunately I did not win (forever unlucky), but I'm looking forward to seeing all the other girls prizes on their blogs.

One of my favourite presentations of the day was from the Best British Bloggers girls. They were very amusing and kept us all giggling at the thought of pugs. It was fun to learn more about the brand and particularly exciting for me as I will be doing work experience with them in a few weeks time and it was the first I got to meet some of the team.  

The final presentation was by the ever so stylish Ark Clothing girls. They looked so trendy and really sold the outfits to us bloggers. Ark clothing have revealed that there will be lots of dip dye clothing, pastel leather skirts and funky tee's coming up in the next few months - I know where my wage will be going. I'm particularly seeking this cute little dip dye skirt that I knew I had to show you all. 

Before we left, we were all given various goodie bags to take away with us. I'm still in shock by the quantity of products we have been given and most importantly I'm so excited to blog about them all. Goodies included samples from: Elemis, St Moriz, Health Point Ltd, Witch Hazel, Batiste and Neal and Wolf and many more.

The event was so much fun and I really enjoyed meeting everyone. If you're a blogger, I cannot recommend Fabbevents enough and I can't wait until the next one.

Did you go to the Leeds meetup?

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Outfit of the Week

I've had a serious addiction to Ebay lately and here's my latest purchase - this beautiful cobalt blue Zara dress. This dress fits like a dream; floaty, feminine and figure flattering for anything size. The shoes were bought a few months ago from a local store called CatWalk and I'm obsessed with them.

What do you think of my outfit?

♥♥♥

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