My first; LFW 2014!

Hello everyone! Today's post was not planned, but I am going to be slipping it in anyway! So on Saturday I unexpectedly booked tickets (the silver ones) with a friend of mine to attend London fashion weekend on the Friday! It was all very last minute, but my excitement levels were sky high. Of course I began to plan my outfit straight away! I unconsciously found myself in black and white pieces, so you could say I was going with a monochrome theme! I couldn't wait to experience my first ever London fashion weekend-day! The build up to the day was full of anticipation as I really didn't know what to expect! I was excited but at the same time quite nervous! However all in all I had an unforgettable day! It was jam packed with activities, and there was definitely something there for everyone! I was so shocked to have people come up to me and ask me if they could take a picture of me and my outfit! It really was overwhelming, but so very lovely! I really wasn't expecting anything like that! Especially it being my first time attending something like this! I received so many nice compliments, that genuinely made me feel so warm and fuzzy inside! It really gave me confidence, as I was so nervous to begin with! I loved talking to other people about their outfits, their interests, and influences! It was just great to meet so many diverse people at such a wonderful event! As soon as I got home I tried booking gold tickets for the Saturday, so I could get to see my first ever fashion show, but unfortunately all tickets for that had sold out by then. But I guess there's always next year! And I definitely know to get in there early next time! After having such a good time I asked myself why not share it with you guys? It might interest those of you who have never been, and it might even make you want to attend next year! Or for those of you who have been before, it can just be a little insight into what my day consisted of! So I'm hoping it's got a little something for everyone! 

Here are some pictures of my outfit!

Dolce & Gabbana sunglasses - Sunglass Hut 

Black jumper (cropped) - Zara

Statement necklace - Zara 

White leather midi skirt - Lipsy (Kardashian Kollection)

Watch - Michael Kors 

Boots - Vagabonds (Office)

Plain silver rings - H&M

Nails - Luxedo by Essie 

And here are some other pictures I took during the day!

Have any of you been to LFW before?

Stay safe! Stay lovely!

AA

NYC Part 1: American beauty haul!

Today's the day everyone! For those of you who have a good memory, you will remember that a few weeks back I decided I was going to make a three part series about my trip to America, but as usual 'life' decided to get in the way and be busy and unnecessary, but let's not get into that! However I've decided I'm not going to scratch the idea, and that I'm going to finally begin it! Better late than never, no? So as promised here goes today's first installment! It's going to be my first ever 'haul', which is 1) a beauty one! And 2) American!!! So without further or do, let's get stuck in! I'd get comfortable if I was you, I went slightly makeup stir-crazy whilst I was out there, and bought more than planned! My excuse is I was on holiday, and everything is remarkably cheaper over there compared to London due to the exchange rate! Especially cosmetics! And of course they have a ton of stuff that we don't, so I had already made a list and pre-planned to buy a few things to begin with! Let's just say I was very prepared! Look at me rambling on trying to justify myself... Shall we finally start?

So, most of the items I purchased were at Sephora! Which comes as no surprise, seeing as I spent hours on end in there, on a daily basis! (Puts hands over face - monkey emoji) However there are a few of items that I did purchase at a drugstore (Walgreens) and a couple other items at Bloomingdales and Macy's! But I will state what item was bought from where when I talk about them, I just thought I'd get that out of the way! 

Disclaimer: everything was bought with my money, nothing was gifted to me, and this is not a sponsored blogpost! I would also like to reinforce that I am not showing off either!

Here is a picture I took of all of my shopping, just before I began packing to come home! I don't know whether this picture makes me happy and proud of how much I bought with my money, and how great that feeling was or whether it makes me sad to know just how quickly I managed to spend in 2 weeks! You can kind of make out the variety of shops I shopped in such as Forever 21, Macys, Uni Qlo, Zara, American eagle, Sunglass hut, Bergdof and Goodman, Sephora and so on! So you can say I really did shop till I dropped!

Side note: This sephora bag was so huuuuuge and so heavy! It may not look it in this picture, but I ended up having to lay it on the floor to take a picture of it, as it wouldn't even stand! 

This was definitely 100% one of my most exciting and long awaited purchases! Took me about 20 mins to decide which shade of pink to get it in!

Eeeeeee!!!! Look it at just laying on the floor, all pretty in its packaging staring back at me! 

Mmmmmmm, beautygasm? I think so!!

I decided to add the individual prices of each and every product! So for those of you who are thinking of purchasing a thing or two or for those of who are just curious, I hope that this helps!  

Sooooooo.. 

From Sephora I got:

Nars pro-prime smudge proof eyeshadow base ($25)

Nars radiant creamy concealer - in Medium 1 custard ($29)

Smashbox photofinish foundation primer ($49)

Anastasia of Beverly Hills tinted brow gel - in Espresso ($22)

Anastasia of Beverly Hills brow wiz - in Brunette ($21)

Tarte Amazonian clay 12 hour blush - in Blissful ($26)

Tarte Amazonian clay 12 hour blush - in Exposed ($26)

Stila - In the light palette ($39)

Urban decay - Naked pallete ($52)

Josie Maran 100% argan oil - organic moisturizing oil ($48)

Clarisonic Mia 2 - in Light Pink ($150)

Philosophy - Purity made simple Facial Cleanser (mini $10)

From Bloomingdales I got:

Bobbi Brown corrector - in Light to Medium Bisque ($24)

From walgreens I got: 

Mary-Lou Manizer highlighter - The balm ($24)

Frat boy blush - The balm ($21)

EOS lip balm - in Strawberry sorbet ($3.49)

And from Macy's I got:

Chanel vita lumière aqua foundation - in 30 beige ($45)

I know this was one hell of a long post, but I hope you stuck it out to the end, and also enjoyed seeing what beauty picks I grabbed my hands on, just as much as I loved buying and sharing it with you all!

Next up on my three part American trip series is a slight mix and match, mash up of my fashion bits and bobs! So stay tuned! 

Stay safe! Stay lovely! 

AA 

The return of Anila's Armadio!

Some of you may have been wondering where I've been or why I haven't been posting and most importantly whether I've stopped blogging altogether, but if you're reading this you would have probably guessed that is definitely not the case! So rest assure as all the above will be explained. So where do I start? Well, the main reason for my disappearance these past 3 weeks or so was due to my holiday to America! (Nyc to be exact!) I jetted off to the the land of opportunity on the 27th of January, where I spent 14 days living one of my dreams! It was my first ever independent holiday, where I paid for it completely myself, including my expenses for whilst I was out there. It was also the first time I travelled alone (and let's just say that was an experience, in itself!) To be very honest this holiday in general has taught me a lot about myself, and has made me realise that I am a much stronger person than I thought I was. I definitely feel those two weeks made me grow as an individual and into an adult! I am very proud of myself!

Now that cheesy ramble is out of the way let's get onto the juicy stuff! I had a jam packed 14 days. But everyday was a new adventure for me, and everyday another one of my wishes would come true, one after the other! Whether it be visiting a place that I had only ever seen on TV, or in pictures (the hotel that home alone 2 was filmed in, and Central Park) or shopping in shops I had only ever dreamed of shopping in! All of it was truly amazing and they are definitely 14 days that I will never ever forget!  

Seeing as I managed to do a hell of a lot of shopping and sightseeing, I've decided to create a three part series of my trip to New York, and the first one is going to be a beauty haul! Prepare yourselves! It's a big one! Can I just say I feel as if sephora had some sort of power over me! It knew I was weak! As I began to find myself in sephoras daily, and visited at least 6 different store locations! Let's not count how many times I visited each store! (Shamefully hides behind hands)

I've decided the second installment of my three part series will be a fashion related haul including the souvenirs I picked up along the way! 

And the third and last installment will be a  summary of my time in New York City in pictures, of the places I visited, including some of my personal favourites! 

I hope these posts are something to look forward to, as I myself cannot to share my experience with you all and show you all exactly what I got up to! I also hope this makes up for the lack of posts whilst I was away and being MIA! But I am back! And have been for exactly a week now! But getting used to the time difference was definitely a whole challenge altogether, but I am ready to dive back into blogging, fully recharged and full of post ideas, just waiting to be typed up, so I hope you're all ready! 

Stay safe! Stay lovely! 

AA 

The perfect primer; Drugstore edition

Before I begin, I would just like to say my skin type is oily. I love a mattifing primer that makes my foundation last twice as long. That ticks a big box in my book! So it you have anything but oily or combination skin, unfortunately I can't guarantee that these will work in the same way as they do for me! 

First off, before you all start to wonder the reasons as to why I've decided to talk about drugstore primers rather than high-end ones it is because in the last few months I have been trying out quite a few drugstore ones and luckily enough I have found some really good ones that I thought I'd share with you guys! So I have yet to find more high end primers that I love other than my Porefessional by Benefit! (Can I just say I absolutely love that one! But I'll save that ramble for another post when I find something to compare it to!)

The two that I will be talking about today are the Bourjois Happy Light Base Serum Matte primer and the Rimmel Fix and Perfect Pro primer! They are both under £10 and in my opinion both worth every penny! 

I must say there are only slight differences between the two as they are both equally as matifing as one another! However the consistency between the two is definitely an aspect which separates them from one another. The Bourjois one is a pinky/peachy colour and is definitely more of a lighter consistency than the Rimmel one, which is white and more of a thicker moisturiser-like consistency. The reason for this might be because it promises to do a lot. On the front of the Rimmel tube it states that it smoothes, resurfaces, brightens, mattifies and protects! I agree with most of the above apart from the brightens and protects part, as I haven't seen these for myself, and I don't really see how or what this product is protecting my face from! Whereas the Bourjois one only states that it mattifies and minimises the appearance of pores, which is something I have definitely seen it do! Both of these primers are great bases that prep my skin for my foundation to have a smooth area to sit on, whilst also make it glide on like a dream! But the real question is, which one makes my foundation last the longest? And I have to say it was a tough decision,  but after much deliberation and weeks of trying, testing and comparing between them both I have to give it to Bourjois as it is honestly the one I found myself reaching for on a daily basis. It made my foundation last up to 6 hours and over! It is light and refreshing and has a lovely floral scent to it, so if you're sensitive to smells, or you just don't like your products smelling, this might be one to steer clear of! (Although I have found that Bourjois and their products as a brand in general all have distinctive smells about them!)

What are your favourite drugstore or high-street primers? I am always on the look out to try new ones, so let me know if you have any recommendations! 

Stay safe, stay lovely! 

AA

My newest H&M purchase!

My love for H&M is becoming slightly worrying!

From their clothes, to their shoes, my obsession has now moved onto their bags! Earlier this week, I popped in, for no particular reason! (Rookie mistake!) I literally had 10 minutes to spare before work so I decided to spend it in H&M! 

I had been in need of a new 'everyday' bag for a long time now, even though my zara one is still in its perfect condition, I just feel like that one isn't everyday appropriate! Anyone feel like that after owning something for a while? (For those of you who are interested, my zara bag is a black suede hand bag, that has a gold chain for a strap! It's has two compartments, which I consider relatively small to medium size, that fits just the right amount for dinner or a trip to the movies! Don't get me wrong this is definitely still one of my prized possessions, which I don't intend to stop using! Especially after costing £80! 

Rambling over! Here is my new beauty that only cost £34.99! 

I love absolutely everything about it! It was definitely a love at first sight purchase!  

However the shape of it has to be my favourite thing about it! It is a tote/phantom-like bag! Similar to the celine bags! And almost a dupe of the Michael Kors Selma bag! (Unfortunately I don't have that sort of money, let alone that sort of money to be spending on a bag! Maybe in the future! One can only wish!) 

The majority of the bag is black with gold detailing! It has a hint of the colour grey/dark cream on the sides of it, which I think makes the bag that little bit more special! It has a strap, which I find handy and do wear depending on where I'm going! It is a type of bag which I feel is very versatile and will definitely go with near enough everything, and that is wearable during all seasons! It is a great size! Not too big but not too small! Some might not think of it is an everyday bag, but I'm not a big fan of casual bags, so this is just right for me, as it is the best of both worlds! 

Have you been loving anything from H&M recently? And do you have a favourite bag?

P.S I know I always say this, but please trust me when I say blogging on a regular basis will be happening! I pinky promise! I've had a lot of things put into perspective recently, and I've decided after not having one of the best years of my life, that I'm going to make the most of this year! I have bought a diary to help me along the way, and make sure I make to do lists, and actually keep to them! I have also decided I want to get into a healthy regime and start exercising weekly! I have lots of New Years resolutions in place! I just really hope I stick to them! (Fingers crossed)

Do you guys have any New Years resolutions or plans for the new year? I would love to hear about them! 

Stay safe, stay lovely! 

AA 

Honesty, updates and some news!

First off, I would like to apologise for my absence! Once again I have been super busy and just haven't been able to balance things in my life right now. But I'm trying my best to improve on this, so please bare with my while I get the hang of it. In return for being away (for what feels like years) I do have some exciting news to share with you al! So I really do hope this makes up for it! Even in the slightest bit. (Drum roll please!) I AM GOING TO AMERICA!!! (New York to be precise!) *does an embarrasing happy/crazy dance* And I hope you guys will come along on this incredible journey with me! 

Disclaimer: I got the second picture (which is a beautiful one may I just add) off of Google by simply typing in 'New York'. It is not mine, therefore I do not take any credit for it.

But yes, I have been planning this trip for a while now, and only a week ago did I finally pluck up the courage and book my ticket! I will be going on the 27th of January and I will be staying there for 2 whole weeks! (Where I will be shopping every minute of everyday! Slight exaggeration, but you know what I mean!) So I am flying will Delta airlines, which is an American airline, which I haven't flown with before! If any of you have, please let me know how your experience was! I have no idea on what to expect! I'll put my hands and admit, I am very apprehensive, anxious and nervous as this will be my first ever independent holiday, where I will be traveling all alone. This will also be the first time I will be travelling on an airplane for more than 3 hours! It is triple the amount I'm used to, so that is also something I have mixed feelings about! (I'm officially an independent lady! Can I get a woo hoo?) For some unknown reason I've starting scaring myself and imagining endless awful scenarios that could occur, such as getting on the wrong flight or even worse, missing it. Fingers crossed none of those happen though! And that I do end up getting there in one piece! (Can I just say watching home alone, definitely doesn't help either!) And for those of you who might be wondering if I will be spending this holiday alone, rest assure I will be staying at my aunties house who luckily for me, lives in New York, so don't worry guys! And for any of the curious and nosey people out there (like myself) I would like to confirm I did buy my ticket myself and all the money I will be spending out there I have and still am saving myself! So, I must say I am feeling pretty proud of myself! And very, very excited! (Yes I am counting the days! I've even downloaded the countdown app! Only 50 more days to go!) Finally this gap year isn't feeling so pointless and wasted after all! 

I'll be honest with you all, I haven't been feeling very positive lately. This month my energy levels have been pretty low, and I just haven't been in the best of moods, to do anything really. Which is probably another reason I haven't blogged in a while, but I finally have something to look forward to, and I am very, very thankful. I've decided to stop moping around and appreciate life a bit more than I was doing beforehand. It really is nice to be honest and have you guys to talk to! 

But yes, I did stop blogging for a while but I am definitely back, and my blog is 100% up and running! I am on a mission to make a regular schedule, where I post weekly or twice a week! Just bare with me! And I will get there. I promise. 

Stay safe, stay lovely! 

AA 

 

H&M heaven

H&M has officially climbed its way to the top and won first place of currently being my favourite store to shop in! Yes I said it, favourite! 

Some of guys will know already know from a previous post that all thanks to H&M the hunt for my perfect pair of autumn/winter bulky, heeled (vagabond lookalike) boots was finally over and complete!

Mini update: I can officially confirm that they haven't disappointed me at all! In fact they have done quite the opposite! For the crazy and affordable price they were at (£29.99) I was honestly expecting a few blisters due to their material. And I had also prepared myself to only get a few wears out of them, but oh no! This was definitely not the case! I have literally been wearing them non stop since, that they have barely left my feet! (And I didn't even have to break into them either! Bonus!) They are by far one of the most comfiest heeled boots/shoes I own (and of course, definitely one of my favourites) And now I've found another! These ones are definitely more of the classic chelsea styled boots! Something I had also had my eye on for a while now! But every time I found a pair I liked (for example in office or topshop) they only came in the colour black! Which is exactly what I didn't want! So when I found these beauties I was sold! They were the perfect shape! Not too pointy and not too round! AND they weren't in black! They were in this gorgeous tan/golden brown colour. The majority of the boot is a light brown shade, but the little elastic bit on the sides of the shoes and the heel is a darker one. The combination of these two different shades was lovely! Definitely a perfect versatile colour! And in my opinion it is the perfect autumnal colour! I fell in love with them instantly! And I knew these just HAD to come home with me! Especially after seeing that they were the last pair left! AND they were in my size! Fate? A sign? I think so! (Shopaholic mentality in full swing here haha) I already started to pair these babies with outfits in my head! And there was just endless options! One after the other! Whether it be jeans, skirts, dresses, I think these will go with absolutely anything! So chic, but also so smart at the same time! I love versatile shoes! That must be the one thing I look for in a pair of shoes and these certainly had that! At just £24.99, how can you possibly go wrong?!

(Confession: Don't mind the slightly dirty heel, as I have worn these a couple of times prior to this blog post! I do apologize, but I really just couldn't wait! Haha)

I have been so impressed with the options H&M have had to offer these past few months, not only in the shoe department, but also as a whole! From jumpers to skirts to jeans and so on and so forth! Everything is just so in! I must say I have even realised that their window displays have improved too! (It must be because I work in retail) 

Disclaimer - I am not being sponsored to talk about H&M, this is my genuine opinion. And seeing as it has become my new favourite store to shop in, I just thought I'd share that with you all! But let's just say it's becoming slightly unhealthy...

What's everyone else's opinion on H&M lately? And what are your favourite stores to shop in?! I would love to know :) 

Stay safe, stay lovely!

AA