Fall to grace

Dress* - In Love With Fashion

Sandals - New Look
Earrings and watch - Spanish market

I am a few days behind on the old blogging but this is what I wore to a celebratory birthday lunch for my little brother on Sunday. I love the contrasting black and peach shades, the scallop, lace top section and the pleats of this dress. Oh yes, you know me and my pleats! I figured it could easily be worn quite dressy with heels and the like but I preferred to keep it a bit casual with my cute, beaded New Look sandals. I don't know about you but it certainly feels like the seasons are changing this week and I have been wearing tights and cardigans for the first, in a very long time. I think it is time to pack away the sandals and floaty fabrics and brace ourselves for Autumn. I for one am really looking forward to the dark nights, hot drinks and chunky knits!

I hope you are all having a great week. I am so pleased it is nearly Friday and am looking forward to attending the Felder+Felder show at London Fashion Week tomorrow night. I have been invited backstage to witness the all the makeup and mayhem pre-show so I will definitely take lots of photos and share the whole experience with you. Should be fabulous!

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Grazia's Beauty Blogger of the Week

Look, it's me!

If you don't follow me on twitter, you may not have been aware that I was featured on Grazia Daily last week as their beauty blogger of the week. (Sound the trumpets!) It was a lovely thing to be asked and I really enjoyed answering all their questions, fondly remembering why and when I started blogging. It seems unreal that it has been over two and half years since Pearls & Poodles was created and sometimes it is quite nice to sit back and reflect on the reasons why you began blogging and what hopes you had for your blog back then. I can honestly say that I didn't have any expectations for my blog when I sat down and wrote my first post, but what I have achieved to date has surpassed my wildest dreams and I am so happy I decided to join this crazy blogging world! For anyone considering starting a blog, I say just go for it! There is no right or wrong and you never know where it could lead you. :)

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chevron-patterned

Top - Topshop

Trousers - Primark

Shoes - Primark

Lipstick* - Estee Lauder Fuchsia Velvet

Earrings - Primark

Bag - LV Speedy 35

Aviators - V festival

Watch - 'Casio' (spanish market find)

This week saw the opening of a Primark in my hometown. Now this may not sound very exciting but considering my nearest Primark has always been a lengthy car or train journey away, to have a Primark merely 500 yards away from my office fills me with anticipation and dread in equal measures. Amongst the frenzied shoppers and cascaded clothes, you can find some real gems - namely these jazzy tapered trousers and sweet, gold toe cap pumps, it's just a question of patience and a well-timed approach. I have already vetoed lunchtimes and anytime on a Saturday!

I was really happy with this outfit which I wore yesterday for a day in London. My first stop was Bourjois HQ for some light refreshments, some much needed air-conditioning and a look at their latest launch which I will dwell more on in a future post. I then met up with Rob and happened to end up in Liberty where he treated me to a gorgeous Diptyque candle. (Again, more on that later!) The main reason for our trip to London though was our anniversary dinner. We decided to head to Mildreds which is an amazing vegetarian restaurant in Soho, with an incredible selection of veggie and vegan food. It was a real treat and I would definitely recommend it to anyone, vegetarian or not.

I am currently enjoying a three-day-weekend so a trip to Thorpe Park with my little brother is on the cards for tomorrow. I am so excited! I hope you are all well and have had great weekends. What have you been up to?

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Illamasqua Magnetism lipstick

Illamasqua lipstick in Magnetism* - £16 from the Generation Q Collection
"Beauty has no age limits"

So Illamasqua's latest collection, Generation Q, has landed in stores and online and is as dynamic and expressive as ever. Never a brand to strain under conformities, Generation Q celebrates ageless beauty, free of restrictions and limits. Their campaign has challenged the status quo and featured older models as well as young to demonstrate a new generation where beauty has no age limits. The collection comprises of two gorgeous eyeshadow palettes (more on those later), two sultry lipsticks, two unique-toned lipglosses, a pair of enchantingly dark polishes, a compact highlighter, a duo of shimmering blushers and a Precision Ink with an antiqued gold finish. As always with Illamasqua, the collection is eclectic and intriguing and I just love the mixtures of shades and textures on offer, along with the story they tell.

Magnetism lipstick has really surprised me, and for all the right reasons. The consistency and finish is like no other Illamasqua lipstick I've tried. It is smooth, it is creamy and it glides on like a dream. Described as a deep raspberry pink, it is the perfect on-trend lip colour for this season and leaves your lips with a soft sheen - quite unlike Illamasqua's typical matte finish. The shade is the perfect harmony of purple, berry and pink tones and is incredibly long-wearing. You can also get this colour on your nails with Illamasqua's nail varnish in Charisma which is a deep raspberry pink with a playful touch of ruby-red shimmer. Very pretty!

So, are you drawn in by this lipstick?

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Origins GinZing brightening mascara

Origins Ginzing Brightening Mascara* - £17 - "to lengthen and lift"
Formulated without Parabens, Mineral Oil, Paraffin, Synthetic fragrance and Animal ingredients
available online

For the last month or so I have been obsessed with Bourjois' Volume Clubbing Black Jack mascara and have been reaching for it most mornings. It is reliable, easy to use and guarantees lovely lashes every time! However, I was very keen to road test an alternative mascara and the new GinZing Brightening Mascara from Origins, a brand I admire for their high-performance natural skincare, seemed like a exciting prospect. They describe this newly-launched mascara as a high-performance, naturally-derived mascara that instantly boosts the appearance of lashes to deliver lift, length, volume and definition. The brush has an advanced bristle technology that lets the mascara glide on easily, coating each lash from root to tip to visibly boost and define even the sparsest of lashes.





This mascara does exactly what it says on the tin packaging. It coats each lash wonderfully, lengthening and lifting them as you comb the brush through. The formula is rich and pigmented with an energising blend of high contrast black and blue pearls which make your eyes appear whiter, brighter and more vibrant. I like the fact that your lashes never feel stiff or crunchy and the vitamins in this mascara help condition the lashes and provides them with hydration. The only box that doesn't get ticked in my opinion is the 'volume' box. Whilst this mascara brilliantly lengthens, separates and defines the lashes, I felt I needed a bit of oomph when it came to the volume. That said, it definitely ranks highly in the mascara stakes and I love the fact that it is a natural formulation that conditions and treats the lashes as well as making them look damn good!

What products do you love from Origins? Are you tempted to try this new mascara?

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My updo how to

I am no expert when it comes to putting up hair but I love to experiment with fancy up-dos and styles which comes in handy when the occasion arises for something a little fancier than a simple ponytail. Through my teenage years, before the days of ghds, I took a violent repulsion to my naturally curly hair and sought anyway possible to avoid wearing it down. This led to many hours spent meticulously twisting and plaiting my unruly mane into a variety of styles, adorning my whole head with pins and clips to keep the curls at bay. Now, thankfully, I have a much more loving relationship with my hair and pinning it up is fun rather than frustrating! I attended a lovely wedding at the weekend and had a few questions about my up-do so I thought I would do a quick how-to on how I did my hair for the day. 

Step 1/ Section off the top third of your hair just at the crown, comb back to disguise the parting and then gently twist and push the hair back under itself to create a puff. Fasten with a few hair grips. If you have a fringe or want any bits of hair left loose to soften the look, pull these out the way at the very beginning.

Step 2/ Take an inch section of hair from just above your ear and plait it away from your hairline, pinning in place just under your hair puff. Repeat on the other side and secure your second plait just under the first. If possible, try and get hair grips that match your hair colour so they don’t look so obvious.

Step 3/ Gather the rest of your hair in a ponytail and begin twisting from the base, coiling it around as you go so it forms the perfect bun. Fasten it place with more pins and finish with a mist of hairspray.

Et volia! It really is that simple. :)

What is your go-to hairstyle for a fancy occasion?

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I just want you to know who I am

Dress - Topshop

Scarf - H&M

Shoes - New Look

Lipstick - Costa Chic

I feel extremely lucky to have attended some wonderful weddings this Summer and yesterday's affair was no exceptional. The sun was shining, the champagne cocktails were flowing and the couple couldn't be happier. I hadn't planned on getting a new dress for the occasion; I safely have another options in my wardrobe to serve a whole year of weddings, but I spotted this dress in Topshop the other day and couldn't resist. I think you know I am not one to shy away from bright colours and floral prints so the vividness and pattern of this dress was a winning combination. Luckily the day stayed blissfully warm but I didn't fancy risking it with our dubious English weather so kept my (equally bright) pashmina close at hand. The whole day was beautiful with the bride and groom, my dear friends Kelly and Mat, looking absolutely gorgeous. First dance was Iris by the Goo Goo Dolls (such an amazing song) hence the blog post title! Naturally, as any good wedding does, the whole day climaxed with an evening of cheesy songs, kicked-off heels and the obligatory dad dancing! Perfect.

I hope you all well and having great weekends. I found out earlier this week that I had won the Style Compare Style Challenge with my Aztec outfit. Thank you so much to anyone who voted for me and I will posting my Style Compare £25 giveaway very shortly for you all to enter. :)

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