Lust List.

A girl can dream right? And it is my birthday coming up...so I thought I would use this post as a sort of fantasy birthday wishlist. As you all know I am an avid accessorises fan, so naturally my mind went racing to an endless list of jewellery, purses, bags and some make up that I have my eye on.

I am a massive fan of delicate bracelets and like to wear a few thin chains layered up on each wrist. Hence my number one wish is this stunning ‘Fiji’ bracelet by jewellery designer Monica Vinader featuring shimmering pave diamond embellishment. At £175 it’s not cheap, but the quality and design makes it a ‘wear-forever’ piece.

My second wish is a must-have for every fashion conscious girl: a designer IT bag. Whether it be a treat to yourself, or as a present from someone, a gorgeous designer bag is never going to be a bad addition to your collection. A good handbag will escape the perennial changes of the fashion world; being your staple grab-n-go piece. My choice is this Yves Saint Laurent Leopard Print Tote; classic in shape, chic in design. Made from a mix of printed calf hair and leather, it is ultimate luxury.

Now for some make up... I do love new make-up (purchases are usually followed by a day at home trying out new looks and watching You Tube videos for make-up artists’ top tips). I have been really keen to try out the Bobbi Brown Shimmer Brick Compact since a friend showed me hers. I love the range of brown, pink and cream based colours and how it is a multi-functional product. It can be used as a highlighter for the cheekbones by sweeping a blush brush across the palette or as an eyeshadow by using the colours individually. For £32, the Shimmer Brick Compact gives you a choice of five different colours, is a great handbag-sized addition to your make-up bag and judging by my friend’s one, lasts for a really long time as well. I will definitely be heading out to get one of these beauties soon.

So there is my top three ‘lust items’, all products available online or in store at Harrods. Imagine yourself with a limitless budget (the excuse of a birthday not needed)... what would your dream wishlist consist of? Let me know by commenting below. x.

Save, Spend, Splurge.

Looking for some serious arm candy? Or should I say finger candy. Check out these amazing 'Knuckleduster Ring Clutch Bags'! Made famous by Alexander McQueen's designs and loved by celebrities such as Kim Kardashian and Nicola Roberts, these beauties have trickled their way down the fashion ladder to become available for all purse sizes. x.

SAVE: LYDC £16.99

SPEND: Mistress Rocks £64.99

SPLURGE: Alexander McQueen £1,395

How to: Customise

Top 1: Bleach Tie-dye & Cutout

Get the plain t-shirt you want to customise and stuff it with a plastic bag to protect the other side from the bleach. Make sure to cover your surface with newspaper to protect that too.

Tie up randomly spaced sections of the fabric with elastic bands.

Get some ordinary household bleach. Be careful not to get any on your skin.

Pour some bleach into the cap then use this to pour some bleach over the tied up fabric so that the bleach falls down the sides. Don't worry about being too precise the final look is a roughed up, grungy t-shirt so it shouldn't look perfect.

After about 10 minutes, or when you are satisfied with the colour change, wash off the bleach.

Remove the elastic bands to reveal your tie-dye top and leave to dry. If you want to stop here then make sure to wash your top thoroughly in a washing machine before wearing to get rid of the bleach smell.

To create the cut-outs, pinch a section of fabric and cut off the top with scissors.

Here is the final top! I would wear with denim shorts, ankle boots and lots of  grunge-chic jewelry.

Top 2: Bleach in a Shape

Repeat the same process with the newspaper and plastic bag as with Top 1.

To create a heart shape that is symmetrical, fold a piece of paper in half then on one side draw half of a heart shape.

Fold over again and cut along the line. When you open the cut-out shape it will be a symmetrical heart.

Place your paper shape on your t-shirt.

Fill a glass with plain water and get an old paintbrush that you don't mind being ruined by the bleach.

Paint a water layer onto the top around your paper shape. Then discard the paper.

Paint on the bleach working from the inside of your shape, out.

Continue until the whole shape is covered using the bleach to go over the water-layer outline.

As the bleach works it should look like this after about 10 minutes. Again we are not going for a perfect look, so the bleeding of colour and roughness of shape works well.

Wash off the bleach.

Here is the final top! A 'wear-with-anything' style that  reminds me of the Victoria's Secret 'Supermodel Essentials' Collection.

Shoes: Embellished with Brooches

Buy some plain shoes that you want to embellish. they can be any style but make sure the material they are made from is a fabric or felt otherwise you will not be able to pierce the brooch through.

Take two matching brooches of your choice. The great thing about embellishing in this way is that as soon as you become bored of this style you can simply change the brooches for an instant update!

Simply pin the brooches on and you have a completely new (and more expensive) looking pair of shoes!

Feeling frugal? As a student I am constantly looking for ways to change up my look on a budget. Needing some throw-on-tees I decided to customise two plain coloured t-shirts that I already owned. I then went out to buy some plain black slipper shoes (in love with the comfort and easy style of these shoes!) and two brooches to easily customise them. See the results and my step-by-step guide. x.

Bit of It All.

Bit of a mixed bag today. Here are the results of my detox diet, some more wedding photos as requested, and my pick of new IT-things this week.

First up, my detox diet has been going well. I have lost the extra few pounds I had acquired whilst in Ireland and feel much healthier generally. The first day of fasting was tough and I have to admit I did cheat a little in the evening by having a smoothie and some soup (still healthy and low calorie). By the second day I wasn't experiencing the same hunger but I did have bad headaches, so it is important to keep your intake of water up. Today is the third day and I get to add in protein to my diet (!) I have chosen low calorie options, such as my favourite chicken-style Quorn pieces (eggs are also an excellent source of low calorie protein). I intend to keep up this fruit, veg and protein diet up for a little longer, and have also taken up Pilates which I am loving! I'm not the best for sticking with exercise programmes but I really like how easy going and yet effective Pilates seems to be. Its great for those who want that Miley Cyrus-esque flat stomach, she herself being an avid fan.

Secondly, I have provided more photos of my wedding look, so I hope these provide all of you with a wedding or formal event to attend with some inspiration! The details include; nude heels, a black fascinator from House of Fraser, a pink and white patterned clutch from New Look (Rochelle Wiseman from the Saturdays was seen out with this clutch recently), a pink rose ring and pink nails. I wore my hair in a side bun at the nape of the neck using one of the 'hair doughnuts', some clips and a lot of hairspray!

And my new IT-things? Victoria's Secret's first UK store in  Westfield Shopping Centre, Stratford. I went in yesterday, and it is quite simply amazing. These people certainly know how to market a brand + their products are of amazing quality. I for one, am certainly glad to have this great brand finally in the UK.

One last thing, on my radar this week are Wedge Hi-Tops. These have been growing in popularity over the summer and now I seem to be spotting them everywhere. They are great for adding that hidden bit of height whilst being casual enough for everyday wear. And after Millie Mackintosh was spotted wearing a pair at last nights launch of boyfriend Professor Green's clothing line for Puma, I'm sold. Check out this cute embellished pair from New Look for £64.99! x.

Upcoming Posts: How to: Customise, House of Fraser Blogger Style Challenge & Kate Beckinsale + Jessica Alba's 'Total Recall' Red Carpet Round Up.

Round Up: Top 10 Accessories of the Week

Check out the hottest accessories to hit stores and websites this week. All at under £50!

1) ZARA Combined Fur Clutch Bag £49.99

2) RIVER ISLAND Rose Gold Diamante Watch £30

3) NASTY GAL Bandit Shades £17.93

4) NEW LOOK Gold T-Bar Heels £29.99

5) ASOS Jewelled Moon Earrings £20

6) RIVER ISLAND Black Croc Tassle Phone Holder £10

7) ASOS Rhinestone Plait Necklace £25

8) PIXIE MARKET Gold Lion Head Leather Belt £25.78

9) STYLE OUTSIDE THE BOX Paris Metro Cuff £23.63

10) LIPSY Ipad Case £20

x.

Summer Heat: Accessories Edit

So I’m having a bit of an accessories moment. And it’s not just because my wardrobe is now spilling out of my room and into the study, but because I am true believer that accessories can make or break an outfit. With this in mind I have been trawling the internet for boutique sites and came across luxury fashion and homewares company http://styleoutsidethebox.com/. They work with independent designers to bring unique, one off designs to a wider audience. My favourite is their jewellery range. Check out my summer holiday picks; this double-sided gold clutch, this gorgeous ‘Snow White’ ring  and White Chalcedony Stone leather bracelet. x.

Its All-White to Accessorise!

Thought I'd share my latest outfit with you, this I wore last night for drinks out with friends. I went for an all-white outfit (something you can only get away with in summer) and accessorised with print to break it up. The lack of colour and print in my clothes meant I could mix prints and colours in the accessories. In the end I went for a leopard print bag from River Island, pink zig-zag wedges from New Look (featured earlier on this blog), this beautiful green gemstone frog ring from Topshop and a blue statement necklace from H&M. TIP: dressing in one colour head-to-toe makes you look taller! Great for shorter girls like me. Hope you like it! x.