Christmas Gift Wrap Inspiration

With christmas slowly creeping up on us (yay!) I thought I would share with you some inspiration for festive wrapping :-) 

I have loved the whole brown paper look that has become popular in the last few years and adore the gold reindeers on this roll from WHSmith. It also comes with cute circular gift tags! 

To decorate my present I decided to use crochet lace that I stumbled upon in Tiger as the base of my decoration and think it gives a lovely feminine and soft look to the present. It also breaks up the colour between the brown twine that I used and the wrapping paper. 

To finish off the present I used Sellotape  to stick down a snowy pinecone underneath the bow of the twine, giving the present a lovely rustic feel. 

I hope you liked this idea and it can be adapted many different ways to your liking! 

Lots of love,

Sarah Marie x

Christmas Wishlist

Lush Butterbear Bath Bomb

This is my all time favourite festive bath bomb that has a delicious vanilla scent and includes soothing cocoa butter. At only £1.95 it makes the perfect little gift or stocking filler. 

MAC Hang Up Lipstick

If you are looking for a perfect deep berry christmas colour then this is the one for you. Its gorgeous creme sheen texture adds the perfect finish to compliment the beautiful colour. 

H&M Suede Bucket Bag

I have been in search for the perfect little black bag for a couple of months now and this one ticks all the boxes. I have always been a fan of the bucket bag style and think the suede compliments it well :-) It also has an adjustable strap. 

Topshop 'Coffee Waffles Pancakes' Sleep Tee

My love for sleeping in oversized t-shirts has grown massively this year so I want to overturn my pj collection with sleeping tees! I particularly love the writing on this one. 

Calvin Klein Grey Knickers 

The crop top version of these are the most comfortable piece of underwear that I own, so I have hope that these will be just the same!. I have also asked for the Urban Outfitter's Exclusive Black Foil version :-) 

MADE by Millie Mackintosh

When I heard that Millie had released a book I could not wait to get my hands on it - I love these types of books that include a range of topics including style, food and fitness.

The Age of Adaline

I never got a chance to see this film when it came out in cinema and have still been wanting to see it - I have heard great reviews about it so hopefully I get the chance to see it :-)

Black Marble iPhone Case

Since I got my Marble Laptop case, I have been lusting after anything marble from notebooks to iPhone cases. It has taken me a while to find one that I am in love with and this one is definitely what I have been searching for.

Hotel Chocolat: Comet Does Caramel 

The caramel milk chocolate from Hotel Chocolat is my all time favourite and I thought this slab was presented in the cutest way. I may even pick one up for one of my friends as part of their Secret Santa present!

I hope you liked seeing the types of gifts that I have asked for from my family, friends and boyfriend. Hopefully they can also inspire you for gift ideas for your friends or relatives too :-) 

Lots of love,

Sarah Marie x

Alexander Wang Project

For a while now, I have been wanting to share my work on here as a creative outlet and as something for me to look back on in years to come. It may also help inspire some of you that study fashion design or gain an insight into the creative process for those who are interested. 

The project began with a brief asking me to pick a designer from a list and choose a sport that the collection was going to be inspired by. Next, came the research which would help me to understand the brand's identity, target customer, aesthetic as well as the evolution of sports inspired garments from the 70's. I also looked at and analysed current sports inspired garments for inspiration on which elements to take and so forth. Research is extremely important in ensuring that the final collection reflects both the brand and the mood of the sport.

After I had completed my research I was required to create a trend (which is one of my favourite aspects of fashion design)and I focused on Snow Sports for Autumn Winter 2016. The concept of the trend was to create oversized, warm and cozy-looking garments that juxtaposed against the iciness of the snow. As a great lover of detail in my designs, the gear worn and used for Snow Sports offered me many fastenings (such as buckles and carabiner clips) and interesting trimmings such as reflective piping. I then collated my favourite parts of my trend board to create a final board titled 'Snowbound.'

Then came the designing part (my other favourite part of fashion design) which I am still currently working on at the moment. I am having a lot of fun experimenting with different shapes, fabric, trims and colour co-ordinations. Alongside this I have been doing mini experimentations to show how my designs will work as well as coming up with new ideas. Here are a few of my designs - I still need to transfer my annotations from illustrator over:

At the end of the term I am going to pick one or two of the garments to make next year which I am extremely excited for! I hope that you enjoyed this more personal and creative post and I will update you with more projects in the future :-)

Lots of love,

Sarah Marie x

The Autumnal Salad

There's nothing I like more for lunch then a yummy and lovely salad so I thought I would share this one with you :-)

Ingredients

Cous Cous // Garlic Cloves // Mushrooms // Spinach // Tomatoes // Chickpeas // Paprika // Carrots // Peppers 


1. Dice the garlic cloves, wash mushrooms and cut in half and place in the frying pan on a high heat. After approximately 8 minutes add in spinach and diced tomatoes, lower the heat and leave to cook.

2. Meanwhile, cook the cous cous (I just use Ainsley Harriot's packaged flavoured cous cous where you simply just add water and leave it to absorb for 5 minutes).

3. Whilst the cous cous is forming, open a tin of chickpeas, drain and wash and place in a microwavable bowl for 3 minutes. 

4. Dice the carrots and peppers into cubes. 

5. Place all finished food onto a plate and sprinkle some paprika onto the top of the chickpeas - yum!

*I like to have a side dip of spicy sauce such as Nando's hot sauce to dip the peppers, carrots and chickpeas into! 

I hope you enjoy this salad if you make it :-)

Lots of love,

Sarah Marie x  

Lust Luck Liquor & Burn

A couple of weeks ago me and my boyfriend hopped on the train to Manchester for a lovely day out. One of my favourite things about Manchester is its range of cool, quirky and cute cafes and restaurants. After wandering around for a while looking for somewhere to eat, I decided to search online for best places to eat in Manchester and was directed to In The Frow's blogpost. As we were in the mood for Mexican we decided to head to the Northern Quarter and get a table in Lust Luck Liquor & Burn. 

As soon as I walked in I knew I was in for a treat as the small seating area was packed. Overwhelmed by the choices on the menu I decided on a Chicken Lickin Burrito (cajun chicken, coriander pesto, grilled peppers onions, fries, lettuce, cheese, pico, chipotle sour cream, taco sauce & sun dried tomato aloli), a side of winning fries and pineapple juice. I have to say that I definitely was not disappointed and it was the best burrito I have ever eaten :-) For only £10.50 for the burrito & side the restaurant was an extremely reasonable price for the quality of the food. The service was very quick too.  

Overall I was very impressed and would highly recommend anybody who loves Mexican food to try here. Bonus points to Lust Luck Liquor & Burn for their very cool decor too!

Lots of love,

Sarah Marie x 

Halloween: Vampire Nails & Beauty Essentials

For those of you who tend to leave things to the last minute (much like myself!) I thought I would share with you a quick & easy Halloween nail tutorial. It is very simple & only requires things most girls would tend to own: black nail varnish, red nail varnish, silver nail varnish & two well sharpened pencils. 

For face make-up some essentials are dark purple, pinks, reds & black eyeshadows found in most eye palettes. If you are simply creating a smoky eye look than you could use a piece of tape from the edge of your eye out to your eyebrow to create a strong, defined line. However, if you are placing the eyeshadow all over the face for a bruised and 'dead' look ideally use matte shades. Sharp lipliners or eyeliners can be used to create 'veins on the face.' To finish off the look you can either add a few coats of mascara or some false eyelashes. 

Loose glitter pigments could be used all over the face if you were going for a Twilight look where you wanted to 'shimmer.' 

Lastly a great vampire look would not be complete with either a deep dark red or purple lipstick & dripping fake blood coming off the bottom lip down onto the neck! Vampire teeth are optional here too :-) 

Here are some of my favourites:

Products shown:

Urban Decay Naked Basics Palette // Urban Decay Naked 3 Palette // Urban Decay Naked Palette // MAC Eyeshadow x 9: Burgundy Times Nine // Maybelline Colour Tattoo in Leather Effect // Charlotte Tilbury's Colour Chameleon in Dark Pearl // Eyelure Nadine Definition Lashes // Topshop Nails In Rumours & Lies (Red) // Topshop Nails In Up In Smoke (Silver) // Topshop Nails In Cloak and Dagger (Black) // Topshop Lipstick in Wicked (similar) // Barry M Lip Liner Plum No. 11

I hope this post helps a few of you who are going out/dressing up for halloween at the last minute! Or perhaps a few of you who are behind the UK and have a lot longer to get ready. 

Happy Halloween!

Lots of love,

Sarah Marie x

Autumn Beauty

Autumn is my favourite time for make-up, I love the deep purple and berry tones mixed with bronze hues. 

For my eyes my most staple product would be the Urban Decay Naked Basics Palette that consists of five matte shades from white to brown to black and acts as a great base layer. On top of a couple of these shades, I use the MAC Eyeshadow x 9: Burgundy Times Nine which gives a lovely warm hue to the eyes. If I am going for a softer look I will use the first five shades (left to right) and if I am going for a smokier look I use the last five shades. To apply them I use the brush that came in my Naked Basics 3 palette but the Urban Decay Naked Basics Double-Ended Brush is very similar.   

Another two eye products I sometimes use are Charlotte Tilbury's Colour Chameleon in Dark Pearl (a lovely deep purple shade) all over the lid and smudged out or Maybelleine's 24 Hour Colour Tattoo in Leather Effect (deep brown) in the crease and blended out. To line my eyelids my favourite product to use is Charlotte Tilbury's The Classic Sophia Eyeliner, a warm bronze colour that gives a softer appearance to black eyeliner for a more natural look. 

For the day time I like to wear a dark nude shade on my lips such as Topshop's Lipstick in Mink. It has a very smooth and creamy texture making it easy to apply on the go, but it does also mean that it does not have the best staying power. For the evening I have been constantly reaching for Charlotte Tilbury's Lip Cheat Lipliner in Crazy in Love and wearing it all over my lips on its own. The red rose colour is perfect for those with a medium or olive skin tone and the staying power on this is amazing!

On my nails I keep on re-applying Topshop's Nail Varnish in Rainy Day which I think is the most perfect grey colour with a hint of blue and purple in some lights. I do feel that the product quality isn't as good as some of their other nail varnishes as mine has chipped and flaked after four days, but I can overlook that as the colour is so beautiful! I don't usually go for glittery nail varnish but with festive seasons approaching I bought Topshop's Nail Varnish in Up in Smoke on a whim! I will probably use it as an accent colour on one of my nails :-) It appears quite pink online but in reality it is more silver with a hint of pink. 

What are your favourite autumn beauty products? 

Lots of love,

Sarah Marie x

Evening Style | Rhodes Gig

A week or so ago my friend suggested that we go and see Rhodes live at a nearby venue, the tickets were cheap and it was very close so we had nothing to loose! Little did we know how amazing he and his band were going to be and his supporting acts were just as fabulous! Fun fact: Rhodes actually also performed at a Burberry show a few seasons ago which is very cool :-) 

As it was in the evening time I wanted to wear something warm and comfortable yet cute at the same time. Therefore I opted for a pair of black skinny jeans and a black belt with a silver buckle for added definition at the waist. 

On the top half I was originally just going to wear my grey jumper. However, it is extremely cropped and has a tendency to ride up which would have been annoying when swaying along for example. Therefore I decided to add a long bralet (similar here or here) underneath, which added extra coverage for when it rode up and also added a cute extra detail to my otherwise plain outfit. 

Before I left I decided to add some rings (similar here) to my outfit and these just came out of a multi-pack from Urban Outfitters. The silver also matched my belt. I didn't wear a coat because the venue was extremely close and I just wore my standard black boots to complete the outfit :-)

You can check out the bands here:

Rhodes: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_RD8B_cFD4U 

                :   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=epGnes2q3NQ

JP Cooper: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8fVZL6Acxr8

Lots of love,

Sarah Marie x 

October Haul

When I arrived back at university and my student loan came in, I couldn't help but go on a little shopping spree... oops! It was a very successful trip and I feel I have bought great staples for the autumnal months ahead. 

Zara Flat Shoes with Studs

As I am not a 'shoe person' I find it extremely difficult to come across a pair that I like which is why I wear my three year old boots all of the time! However, when I went into Zara I was drawn to this pair - they felt comfortable, fit well and were smart yet stylish. I love the silver stud detail and I can't wait to wear them. 

Topshop Double Faced Swing Top

Jumpers are also something that I lack of in my wardrobe, as I generally don't tend to find the fit of them to be flattering on me. The fit of this grey one is perfect with the high neck and a relaxed bodice and sleeves. It also has a lovely cream accent on the hem and down the centre back. 

Zara Grey Ribbed Crop Top

This is definitely my favourite purchase of the bunch! It is great to throw on with a pair of high-waisted jeans and you are ready to go. It is not too cropped and very comfortable to wear! You can see me wearing it in this OOTD. 

All Saints Black Kerin Vest

I have been lusting after this item for a little while now and whilst they were doing 20% student discount I had to pop in and try it on. It was a lot more draped then I had initially expected and really wanted the grey colour. However, I realised that it draped a lot more than the black version and with black I could pop a little black cami or bralette underneath to blend it in. It is a beautiful fit but definitely size down and you will probably need to wear something underneath!

MAC 'Staunchly Stylish' Pro Longwear Lip Pencil

Initially I wanted the lip pencil in Spice to go with the lipstick I bought, yet they were out of stock so I went for this colour instead. It is a lovely pinky beige and acts as a great base to layer a darker nude on top and really helps to keep the lipstick on. 

MAC 'Taupe' Matte Lipstick

This has become my go-to lipstick for a night out and even during the day. It is a beautiful reddish-taupe-brown colour which I think personally really flatters those with an olive/tan skin tone. As it is matte, it is important that your lips are nice and hydrated beforehand, otherwise it will really settle into any dry patches on your lips. Overall, a great seasonal colour! 

Lots of love,

Sarah Marie x 

University Style | Little Denim Skirt

Denim skirts were a huge trend over the summer and have transitioned into a suede button-up skirt trend for autumn. However, I don't see any reason why this skirt can't make it through the autumn season too :-)

To make the outfit more seasonal I simply paired the skirt with a cropped black long sleeve top (similar here). It was very warm on this day but I brought my black lightweight duster coat (similar here) with me in case it got a little bit chillier. For shoes I simply continued the neutral colour palette with some black boots (similar here) and I wore my black Michael Kors bag too. However, you could always swap these accessories for a burgundy or burnt orange colour to inject some life into the outfit.

I think that this outfit would also look nice paired with a simple white t-shirt and black tights or alternatively a dark grey jumper.   

I love the A-Line shape of this skirt, as I find it to be very flattering and it would suit many shapes and sizes. The panel construction also helps to achieve a nice fit and a-line shape. Lovely details include the buttons running down the centre front and the classic orange topstitching which I think fits in perfectly for autumn! 

As I have been inserting the links to the clothes I have realised that this post is practically an homage to Topshop (haha) - but thats because I think they are the perfect place to buy on-trend yet good-quality clothes :-) 

Hope you are all having a lovely week.

Lots of love,

Sarah Marie x

Mary Katrantzou Internship Experience

Before I go on you may want to put on something cosy, grab yourself a drink and a handful of snacks, this is going to be a long one… ;-)

Over the summer I decided that I wanted to do another internship and to do so I undertook the same process that I did earlier this year (see my Sass and Bide internship here). However, it was required that I had an interview before I was selected which I was quite nervous about. When the time came they asked me questions such as:

• Tell me a bit about yourself
• What is your favourite collection and why?
• What is your least favourite collection and why?
• What do you know about Mary?
• If you had to pick three designers to work for who would they be and why?

Luckily Mary Katrantzou is definitely up there as one of my favourite designers so I thought that the interview went well. After that it became the waiting game to find out if I had been chosen or not and after e-mailing them a couple of times they replied saying that I had got the PR & Marketing internship - hurrah! 

First Day

Tip: The first day is always the most daunting - you are the newbie and a blank canvas in a new setting. First impressions count so make sure you are friendly to everyone, offer to help where necessary, be eager to learn and try your hardest. There is always a lot of information to take in on your first couple of days so bring a notepad and pen with you to jot everything down :-)

On my first day I made sure I set off a little earlier than I needed to in case I got lost or there was any delays with the train - I was half an hour early in the end! After being offered countless amounts of tea, coffee or water I finally met the team who I would be working with and they were all so lovely. My task for the day was to do an inventory for the sample sale. This required me to go through boxes of sample clothing and using their commercial books I had to find the style of the garment and the name of the print and note it down into a spreadsheet. It was super exciting seeing all of the clothing in real life and I began to understand how the business side worked.    

The Next Few Weeks

Over the next few weeks I was given a range of tasks including; designing and writing newsletters, logistics, locating samples, using Fashion GPs, communicating with PR companies Karla Otto and Starworks and suggesting garments/looks for bloggers. My skills rapidly developed, I felt in control of my role and I was enjoying every minute of it. I was also getting to know other interns, and members from different teams (finance, e-commerce and sales) which has resulted in me making great friends and good networking for the future :-) One aspect of the fashion world that I love is that you never know what the next day is going to bring and the tasks are constantly fresh and exciting. 

Show Week

Show week is manic. The hours are longer and it involves a lot of logistics as an intern. Tasks for the week involved; ensuring the show boxes were complete, writing invitations, hand-delivering invitations, sending looks for guests to wear to the show and many coffee runs. This is the week that you really want to aim for comfortable clothing as you will be doing lots of running around getting bits and bobs! It is also very important to be on top of all e-mails, make sure you prioritise important tasks efficiently and work well as a team :-) 

Show Day

The day began at the studio getting last-minute show bits and going on a huge coffee run before heading off to the venue at Kings Cross. My role was working front of house which meant that I had to put all of the seat numbers/names out on the benches and show guests to their seats if they were lost with the other interns. I was required to wear all black with a Mary Katrantzou scarf to distinguish myself as an employee. After everyone was seated we were rushed off to the viewing gallery where we could sit and awe at the show from above it was absolutely magical - I loved the cosmos & chaos theme! It still amazes me how fast fashion shows whizz past, months and months of preparation and it is all over in ten minutes - every moment counts and I think Mary and her team definitely made every moment count. 

Top Tips:

1. For an interview always thoroughly research the brand and be prepared to answer difficult questions. 

2. Always be sure to ask what you need to bring with you on your first day. (A notepad and pen are a must).

3. To-Do Lists will be your best friend. 

4. Don't be afraid to ask questions. 

5. All you can ever do is be confident and try your very best :-) 


Lots of love,

Sarah Marie x

University Style | Outfit of the week

For the first day back at university I always like to keep it comfy and simple yet cute. You can never go wrong by starting with a pair of black skinny jeans for the base and then deciding which top to wear. I opted for this dark grey striped top as it was perfect for the weather and it fits me comfortably. Of course for shoes I just went for my classic black boots but to make this outfit even more casual you could switch them for some trainers. The final two accessories were my fake ear cuff (which I have been loving from Urban Outfitters) and my fringe backpack which is a great size to fit all of my university supplies and is comfy to wear :-)

An update: I will now be doing one outfit post a week, mainly university style but it is generally what I wear on a day to day basis/weekend anyway :-) 

Lots of love,

Sarah Marie x 

University Supplies

One of my favourite things about going back to university is going out and buying a fresh new set of stationery and supplies. A crisp, clean new notebook is so appealing to me - a blank canvas for a fresh new year. Now I am not suggesting that you should go and buy everything new - I am sure you have drawers full of packs of pens, pencils and rubbers (much like I do!) but some new pieces will most likely help you feel a little bit more excited about returning to school or university. Here are a few of my essentials:

1. Pens & Pencils 
   This is a very obvious one but I think that it is good to get a pen that is 
   nice and smooth to write with to make it easier when quickly writing down 
   lecture notes. My favourite kind are the BIC Cristal Ballpoint pens. Pencils 
   are also great to take to lectures if you aren't quite sure what the lecturer 
   has said, so you can go back and re-write a fact for example correctly. They 
   are also handy for sketches! 

2. Cute Notebooks
   If you're going to buy a notebook, it might as well be cute right? Lined 
   removable paper is great for note-taking as you just need one pad for the whole 
   day of lectures and then you can go home and file them into your subject folder. 
   Mini plain notebooks are perfect for writing to-do lists or even your shopping 
   list! I am loving this cute grey heart notebook from The White Company. 

3. Laptop
   A laptop will always come in handy for research, writing essays, lecture 
   notes, or whatever it may be. If you are thinking about buying one then 
   definitely try and get one with a large storage space or buy an external hard 
   drive - it will be a life saver!  

4. Headphones
   In my opinion there is nothing better than putting on your favourite playlist 
   and blocking out all distractions to get on with your work. Headphones tend to
   work better in cancelling out outside noises and my favourite pair are from 
        Frends.

5. Diary
   A diary will become your next best friend at university for writing down 
   deadlines, organising meeting friends or perhaps remembering about the new 
   society you would like to try out. Plus it will be great to look back on 
   one day to remember everything you got up to during your university 
   years. It's nice to get a pocket size one to pop into your bag :-)  

6. Memory Stick 
   Ideally it would be great to purchase a memory stick that has a large memory 
   space and is durable (you don't want it snapping in the first month of term 
   like my old one did!). I would also recommend using google drive to back 
   up any work, so you can access it on the university computers and is an extra 
   back-up if your memory stick breaks!

7. Post-It Notes
   I would definitely suggest purchasing these! The tab style ones are great 
   for marking important pages in your textbooks, and the regular ones are great 
   for little reminders to yourself to ensure you stay organised :-)

I hope you enjoyed this little university supplies guide and I wish any of you who may be starting their first year the best of luck :-)

Lots of love,

Sarah Marie x  

Autumn Wishlist

Urban Outfitters Blue Plaid Shirt
This will be a perfect piece to add to my wardrobe to transition into the Autumn months. As the weather is constantly changing and making its mind up, it will be great for layering and help create an 'effortless look.' It looks super cosy too!   

Topshop Raw Edge Tee
It comes as a surprise really that a girl like me who dresses mainly in monochrome, does not own a plain white tee. Specifically, I like this this one because of its loose fit and the raw edge adds an interesting touch.I am definitely going to invest in one to throw on under one of the few coats that I have accumulated recently (oops!) 

Zara Oversize Denim Jacket 
I know I just said I had bought a few coats recently but c'mon look at this beauty! I am actually lacking a denim jacket in my collection (I promise!) and quite simply think this one is very cool. As it is oversized, it will be perfect to put over thick jumpers and the rips will help tone down a smart outfit. 

Zara Synthetic Box Clutch
At long last I have found the perfect small bag (hurrah!). It appears to have great structure to it and is a nice size for when you just want to pop out and do some errands.

Blacklist 'Not All Those Who Wander Are Lost' Print

Prints are a lovely way to display your favourite quote or add some graphic design to a room. I particularly like what the brand Blacklist has to offer - but sadly they are based in Australia! If anyone knows of any similar brands in the UK please let me know :-)

Frank Body Cacao Body Scrub
It is a matter of fact that when the Autumn months roll around your skin begins to dry out and this is where body scrub steps in as the saviour. I have been wanting to try Frank Body for a long time now, not only because of its cute packaging but because of the amazing reviews it has received. The cacao one appealed to me the most because it was my favourite scent of the bunch. 

Charlotte Tilbury Lipstick in Bond Girl
I have also been lusting after this product for a little while and as it is September, it's the perfect time to add a berry shade to my collection. The last Matte Revolution lipstick I purchased was amazing - so I have high expectations!

Dogeared Sterling Silver Karma Necklace
Dainty necklaces are my favourite. As I have recently converted to a love of silver jewellery, I think that this would be perfect for me and the fact that it has a meaning behind it makes it just that bit more appealing!  

Ikea Faux Sheepskin Rug
September means a new university term which means a new room to decorate (whoopee!) There's something about creating a space into your own cosy nest that I adore and I think that this rug will fit perfectly with how I envisage my room to look like :-)

Hopefully, you enjoyed this different style of blogpost as much as I did creating it! I definitely would like to do one for Winter time :-) 

Lots of love,

Sarah Marie x