Month: January 2013

Valentine’s Day Gift Ideas for HIM

My previous post had Valentine’s Day gift ideas for HER, so it’s only fair I do the same for HIM.

Valentines Day Gift Ideas for him - for men

1. Soft Coeur Massage Bar, Lush, £4.75. A Soft Coeur massage bar – with a chocolate and honey soft centre. Messy and flirty fun for adults!

2. Nandos Peri-Peri HOT sauce, £2.95. If he likes to visit Nandos, buy a selection of HOT & SPICY sauces for him!

3. Sweet Hamper, £5. Visit your local supermarket and buy all his favourite sweets, then put into a gift box and wrap in ribbon. A sweet present when on a budget.

4. Hummingbird Bakery Red Velvet Cupcake Gift Box, £14. Women are always sent flowers, so why not send him some Hummingbird delights? If he lives/works in London you can have them delivered right to his door – you could also send a Krispy Kreme delivery!

5. The Mr Porter Paperback, £20. The perfect book for a modern man, offering a useful guide on living a stylish life.

6. Converse style iPhone case, £25. This site has some really cute and fun iPhone, iPad and iPod covers from converse prints to contemporary graphics and slogans.

7. Murdock Luxury Wet Shave, £45. Ok, I LOVE this idea as a Valentine’s Day gift. Treat your man to a traditional, indulgent close shave (using a cut-throat razor) and facial treatment at Murdock. Perfect for the modern gentleman!

8. Chanel Bleu Eau De Toillette Spray 50ml £44.50. As I added a Chanel perfume to the women’s guide, I thought I would add a Chanel men’s scent that I love. Another favourite is Paco Rabanne XS and 1 million – they are so distinct and masculine!

9. Kurt Geiger Vouchers. I think it’s time for men to enjoy Kurt Geiger as much as us women do! Treat him to some vouchers (in the red gift box) and let him pick a pair himself.

10. Zara Briefcase with Metallic Detail, £49.99. If he works in the city, this is an ideal gift! It’s so smart and has a useful carry handle as well as the shoulder strap! Love.

11. Boudoir Photo Shoot, from £89. Treat the man in your life to a few ‘secret’ photos of you looking sexy, confident and a little bit naughty – perfect for Valentine’s Day! Secret Boudoir is a fab studio in Cambridge (who also offer pin-up and burlesque type photography) but there are similar businesses nationwide!

12. Powerbeats by Dre Sport Headphones, £119.95. If he likes to exercise, work out in the gym and generally lives an active lifestyle, these headphones are perfect.

13. Alexander McQueen Skull-Patterned Woven-Silk Tie, £90. So many guys have the iconic McQueen scarf, but has he got a tie? This tie provides an effortlessly stylish way to wear the look – it also comes in the skinny style!

14. Flying Lesson, from £79. A few years ago my boyfriend and I both had a flying lesson and I can honestly say it was an incredible experience! It’s one of those things on so many bucket lists! You can buy a 30minute lesson online from so many websites, including Buy a Gift!

15. Hermes Silk Scarf Tie Croisiere, £160. If you want to spend a bit more on his Valentine’s Day gift, this Hermes tie is perfect! It’s a silk tie but in the style of a scarf!

16. Personalised Nike Football Boots, from £100. This is another present I treated my boyfriend to a few years ago and he loved them! You can select the shape, style and colour of the football boots and also have a nickname stitched on the back!

Love & hugs, xoxo.

Valentine’s Day Gift Ideas for HER

I love LOVE – as in I’m a complete hopeless romantic! So, I’ve had some fun putting together a Valentine’s Day gift guide! Although I do think Valentine’s Day is so ridiculously commercialised, I still think it’s nice to give a small gift, whatever the price, it’s the thought and effort that counts!

Valentines Gift Guide for HER

1. Tender is the Night massage bar by Lush, £4.50. This is the world’s first soft-centred massage bar with lots of yummy goodness like vanilla and jasmine – ideal for a romantic Valentine’s night!

2. Charbonnel et Walker mini pink heart champagne truffles, £3.85. What more can a girl ask for? Chocolate + pink champagne = Perfect. You can buy these from so many places too, M&S, Selfridges, Waitrose etc!

3. Homemade cupcakes! If I received homemade cupcakes from my boyfriend I would feel very loved – to think he spent hours baking away in the kitchen, just for me! What’s more, if you’re on a tight budget you could probably make a dozen cupcakes with pretty pink icing for around £5!

4. Cath Kidston Bleached Flowers Makeup Case, £10. Super cute, feminine and pretty!

5. Chanel Chance Eau De Parfum Spray 35ml, £44.50. Perfume is such a classic Valentines gift and Chanel Chance is my favourite scent – sparkling and romantic.

6. Laduree Macaroons, gift box of six £9.80 from Harrods. I haven’t tried these yet as unfortunately I don’t shop in Harrods (I wish) but the packaging is beautiful and I’ve read so many good reviews on them!

7/8. Jo Malone candles and bath oil (both £38). Jo Malone offers something a little bit special, whether it’s the red rose bath oil or red rose candle – I think they would make perfect Valentine’s Gifts for a girl who likes to relax and loves a little luxury!

9. Kurt Geiger Gift Vouchers – what’s more to say? You can buy vouchers for any amount and let the lady in your life pick a pair of shoes she loves. The vouchers also come in a red box, very fitting for Valentine’s Day!

10. Tiffany Picasso Love Bracelet, £140. This bracelet actually features Paloma Picasso’s own handwriting! LOVE. LOVE. LOVE.

11. Vera Wang Pink Perfection flowers from Interflora, £55. Ok, seriously, these flowers are actually Vera Wang flowers! They aren’t part of the Valentines Day section on the Interflora website but I think they are far prettier than the ordinary red rose, plus they come in Vera Wang gift wrapping; the epitome of elegance.

12. Victoria’s Secret – cami’s, underwear sets, lounge pants – just about anything from Vicky Secret’s would make a fab Valentine’s Day Gift and it’s even easier now that they are in the UK! PS. Get the right size!

Now we move to the dream section – ROLEX, CHANEL and LOUBS.

If you’re looking for something to do on Valentine’s Day why not try a champagne winter picnic, afternoon tea, cook a lovely meal (email her the menu during the day), catch the Eurostar for a day trip to Paris, enjoy a few glasses of champers on a rooftop bar – or even go on a hot air balloon ride! A few years ago one of our local cinemas had a special screening of Breakfast at Tiffany’s (one of my fave films), it only cost £7 and was probably my favourite Valentine’s Day to date!

Love & hugs xoxo

Hayden Williams – Fashion Illustrations

Hayden Williams is a British Fashion Designer/Illustrator and an all-round art genius – conquering the world one sketch at a time!

I first noticed Hayden Williams on instagram and ever since I’ve been obsessed with his designs!! My favourites include the classic Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Parisian Chic, Gossip Girl and Kimye. Yes, Kimye! LOVE. LOVE. LOVE.
Hayden Williams Breakfast at Tiffany's Audrey Hepburn

Breakfast at Tiffany’s by Hayden Williams: Fifth Avenue at 6 A.M.

Hayden Williams Fashion Illustrations Vogue

‘Suits Her Well’ by Hayden Williams

Hayden Williams New Year Couture

New Year Couture 2013 by Hayden Williams

Gossip Girl Hayden Williams

Gossip Girl by Hayden Williams

‘Ooh La La Paris’ by Hayden Williams

Hayden Williams Kimye

Kimye by Hayden Williams

Zara’s New Collection – Top Picks

Zara is my favourite high street store – the fit, fabric and cut of all the clothes are so classic and the new collection is just as good!!

Zara Jacquard Trousers

Jacquard Trousers, £39.99

I have a bit of a thing for the jacquard print so these trousers are right up my street! They look so chic teamed with simple black court shoes and a blouse for work or with a sparkly top and high platform heels for the evening. The gold zip at the bottom on the back make them that little bit more special.

Zara Polka Dot Printed Shirt Blouse

Polka Dot Printed Shirt £39.99

I already have a polka dot blouse from Zara but this one is actually made with 40% mulberry silk! It looks great tucked into leather shorts but I would also wear with grey or black skinny jeans for the daytime. LOVE.

Zara Platform Ankle Boots

Platform Ankle Boot £29.99

I am seriously impressed with these boots as they are such a bargain! Although they aren’t leather, the platform makes them super easy to walk in and they come in either cream, blue or black! I will definitely be buying a pair of these – possibly the cream to wear in Spring!

Zara clutch bag with bows

Clutch bag with bows £22.99

Another little obsession I have is with bows. I just love them. This clutch bag is super cute with pretty little gold bows and a handy chain for when you want to throw it over your shoulder. Another LOVE.

www.zara.com

Golden Globes Fashion 2013 – Top Picks

Jennifer Lopez Golden Globes Zuhair Murad 2013

I’m a big fan of Jennifer Lopez and love her in this long-sleeve silk, lace Zuhair Murad dress – the shape, fit and lace detailing compliment her hourglass figure perfectly! I’ve read on a few media sites that she is channeling ‘granny-chic’ – um, lace is classic, no?
Jennifer Lopez & Jessica Alba Golden Globes

Jessica Alba looks beyond ah-mazing in a coral, strapless Oscar de la Renta dress! LOVE coral colours next to tanned skin. Stunning. I love the wavy hair on the side too – a huge hair trend this year! Heidi Klum Golden Globes 2013 Fashion

WOW, Heidi Klum has the most incredible body! Although I’m not really a fan of asymmetric dresses, this is strikingly beautiful! I love the front split, train, and gold accessories!

Julianne Hough Golden Globes 2013 Fashion When I think of the Golden Globes I always hope for at least one modern day princess and Julianne Hough is definitely that in this beautiful bejewelled Monique Lhuillier gown. Plus, the rock chick hair adds the ‘modern’ to princess!

Eva Longora Golden Globes 2013 Fashion Style Eva Longoria is so HOT it’s unbelievable. I’m in love with this Emilio Pucci black lace, split dress and while it is quite daring showing leg and cleavage, the simple hair and earrings work really well. LOVE. LOVE. LOVE.

Dr. Organic Bioactive Skincare

Dr Organic Skincare Products

With skincare I always plan to buy organic products but when it comes to it, that’s rarely the case! So I was really pleased with this Dr. Organic gift set I received at Christmas from my little brother and sister.

So, let’s start with the Organic Virgin Coconut Oil Body Souffle (£9.29). This promises to moisturise, smooth and revitalise and it really does! It’s packed full of organic goodness from coconut oil and aloe vera to papaya and mango extract and has left my skin super soft. Although I highly recommend the actual product and it has a delicious coconut scent, the packaging annoys me! As it’s in a tub I have to scoop my fingers in and no matter how much I try not to, I seem to constantly get lotion in my fingernails.

Next up is the Organic Moroccon Argan Oil Bath & Massage Oil (£9.99), which is described as a: hydrating, anti-aging, regenerating oil that restores and balances the skin and senses. I love argan oil so I had high hopes for this product and again, it’s amazing. I’ve been massaging every other day over my neck and on my thighs – the neck to help with anti-aging and thighs to stop cellulite appearing! I don’t see much of a glow but it’s definitely working magic on my skin, leaving it feeling really soft and hydrated! You can get a lot out of this product and it will last ages so definitely a worthy investment. As for stimulating the senses? Well, I can’t vouch for that part.

With the Organic Dead Sea Mineral Hand & Nail Treatment (£6.99) you are supposed to apply this to your hands before putting on the Bamboo Cotton Moisturising Gloves and wear overnight. I did try to wear the gloves but must have taken them off in my sleep! Regardless, I have continued to use the hand cream (although it has a fancy name, let’s face it, it’s a hand cream) and can definitely feel a difference. Even with the harsh cold weather my hands feel much softer than before. Perhaps I’ll try the gloves again – that’s if they don’t scare my boyfriend off!

Lastly, a body brush came with the set but I haven’t used it yet!

Overall I am really pleased with this gift set but buying them separately I would only buy the body soufflé and body oil. There are so many other hand creams on the market that probably have a nicer scent!

I can’t find the gift set online so I have put the individual price for each product next to the name and you can buy all of them from Holland & Barrett. I also recommend browsing the Dr. Organic website as it shows the whole range and explains the properties of each main ingredient.

Handmade Underwear – Petits Secrets by CB

Petits Secrets

I first came across Petits Secrets on Twitter and instantly fell in love with the designs. Each item is handmade using up-cycled fabrics, so whatever you buy will be eco-friedly and one of a kind. They currently have a collection of knickers, tops and eye masks which you can order and buy online for really reasonable prices, although as the sale is on the number of matching sets is limited. I guess they are waiting to bring out the new line.

Anyway, the combination of soft satin fabrics with flirty bows, ribbons and sashes are so beautiful. You can go for sexy black ribbon knickers, a feminine and floral style or even glitzy sequin knickers!! The tops are my favourite part of the collection as they offer something so different to any other lingerie brand. I love the Mae bra top, shown above, which is decorated with cream chiffon flowers and a satin ribbon bow on the back. If I wasn’t on a serious saving mission, I would be buying this!!

Another part of the brand which sets them apart from others is a bespoke service, where they can design and produce underwear garments from any clothing that you provide – which means you could have a gorgeous lace or sequin dress/top and have it made into an underwear cami or bra – personalised just for you! I love this idea and may use the service for my wedding underwear!

So, who are they? The London lingerie brand was created in 2011 by Céline Bakshi – which I love for two reasons. They are a fairly new brand with fun, innovative ideas and secondly, it’s always good to support and celebrate British-based businesses! You can see their lookbook online at petits.secrets.celinebakshi.co.uk. You will also find them on Twitter @petitssecretsCB.

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