Style | Feeling Formal - Leaver's Ball 2016

On Friday 8th July I greeted my year thirteen prom, also known as a leavers ball. This was a long awaited celebration of the seven years we have all spent at the school and a lovely opportunity to dress up all fancy and have a tipple or two.

 

I debated on whether or not it would be best to compose a rather extensive post on the ball - full to the brim of photos and rambles about the night - or separate it up into a couple of posts instead. After much thought, I concluded that this gem of a dress fully deserves a full post solely dedicated to its beauty. Enter a 'what I wore' post.
 

If I'm completely honest, I spent a good six months deliberating on which dress to pick for the evening. I knew I wanted something short (got to take any opportunity to show off those pins haven't you?) and most likely black as the whole LBD look is right up my alley.

After months of searching the internet from top to bottom and trying on endless dresses in stores - most notably from the Topshop on Oxford Street, their lowest floor exhibits some amazing pieces for this kind of event from a number of amazing brands - I came across this little beauty from TFNC London.

TFNC London offer luxury designs at wonderfully affordable prices; perfect for this kind of formal event or maybe even a simple night out if you want to add a bit of glamour to the clubs and pubs. This particular piece is actually an evening dress by Lace and Beads, a collection well stocked by TFNC London.

The "Rio Black Embellished Dress" is a truly beautiful piece of evening-wear: a simple black sleeveless dress adorned with silver and blue beading and sequin embellishments. It features a stunning V shape back, a touch I simply loved. The dress gave me a wonderful defined shape and its a pretty timeless piece that I can see myself wearing over and over again.
 

A dress that sparkles as much as this one does all the accessorising itself so only simple accessories were needed. I paired it with a collection of simple rings (mostly rose gold of course), a couple of pearl earrings in each ear and a simple Orelia bracelet.
 

 I can practically hear all you beauty fanatics screaming questions regarding my makeup and hair looks for the evening. Whilst it would have been a potentially more purse-friendly decision to tackle these areas myself, I decided to pamper myself further and fork out to have them done professionally.

 

In the hair department I decided to go for loose waves with a plait pinning part of the hair back. This was done by my usual hairdresser - the wonderful Emma from J'RE Hair Design in Peterborough if you're a local gal - and I couldn't have been happier with it.

 

My makeup was one of the most important elements of the look for me, as I wanted a photo-ready, long-lasting look that highlighted my best features and masked those which I'm less fond of. After a search for a makeup artist in the local area, the lovely Tiffany (from Tiffany Does Makeup on YouTube) was recommended to me and she was truly amazing. I'm far from trusting when it comes to other people doing my makeup as I'm so particular about the way everything looks but I felt in safe hands having Tiffany work her magic. She created a Pinterest-inspired look that was exactly what I was after - high coverage foundation, nude lips and high emphasis on my eyes. Such wonderful makeup provided such a strong layer of confidence for the evening and I'm happy to say that it lasted all night long, despite the many drinks and overall partying that occurred.

 

For nails I took a trip a day prior to the prom to Serenity Loves in Peterborough with my closest friends for a bit of a pamper in the form of a gel manicure. Although I am unable to provide a close up snap of the look, I went for a beautiful nude look with a pink hue and a bit of sparkle. 



Of course such an occasion calls for a pair of heels. I went for a fairly simple black pair from Linzi as I wanted my dress to do all the talking. The heel was not too high - just over 3 and a half inches - which was a god sent as I really didn't fancy adding too much height to my already fairly tall frame. They were also surprisingly comfortable, leaving me able to dance until dawn.
 

Brandi Strappy Stiletto Heel with Diamante (Black)
 

So that's how I was styled for the leaver's ball. I shall see you here this time on Wednesday if you fancy a peek into a photo diary from the night, featuring more photos of this stunning dress of course.

 

Oh and on a side note, I promise I'm not truly as pale as these photos may make you believe, the lighting was not my friend on this occasion.

 

Until next time.



Books | Girl, Missing by Sophie McKenzie

Lauren has always known she was adopted but when a little research turns up the possibility that she was snatched from an American family as a baby, suddenly Lauren’s life seems like a sham. How can she find her biological parents? And are her adoptive parents really responsible for kidnapping her? She manages to persuade her family to take a trip across the Atlantic where she runs away to try and find the truth. But the circumstances of her disappearance are murky and Lauren’s kidnappers are still at large and willing to do anything to keep her silent…

 

Girl, Missing is the title that kicked off McKenzie's 'Missing' trilogy. It's introduces fourteen year old Lauren who has grown up with the knowledge that she was adopted as a toddler however has been given no details of her life beforehand. At the center of the story is Lauren's determination to answer the question "Who Am I" and (as the description references) this leads to her investigating the potential for her to have in fact been the victim of a child kidnapping.

 

I was completely and utterly absorbed in this book from the very first chapter. The plot was high speed and electric, exactly what you want from a YA thriller. I'm not the kind of reader who tends to be into novels which focus on themes such as crime but for some reason this novel had me hooked. Each chapter is short and sharp, creating a high level of suspense which left me frantically turning from page to page.

 

In Lauren, McKenzie has created the protagonist of my dreams. She's headstrong and brave, and these traits make up for the occasional selfish acts you see here and there in regards to her treatment of other characters. In regards to the supporting characters I can easily say that my favourite was Madison. The author manages to bring across her innocence in such a beautiful way. I also hold a - rather large - soft spot for the character of Jam (short for James in case you're wondering), aka Lauren's lifelong best friend, runaway companion and love interest. Jam was one of the very first book character crushes young Chloe had (paving the way for the likes of Peter from 'To All The Boys I've Loved Before" by Jenny Han) and I'm not going to lie, I'm still ever so slightly in love with him.

 

I will pre-warn you - Girl, Missing is an utterly addictive read. When I first delved into this book, however many years back, I read it cover to cover in a single evening. Fast forward another 48 hours and I had read the other two titles in the trilogy on top of this. If there's anything to prove what a truly amazing example of YA literature this is, that's it. Just make sure you have no important points on your to-do list when you start reading as, unless you have a darn sight more will power than I do, they will simply not get done.

 

Girl, Missing is getting ready to blow the candles out on its tenth birthday cake later this year and it has been re-released with a brand spanking new cover in light of the celebrations for this milestone. Is it bad to buy another copy of the book simply to add the new cover to my bookshelf?

 

If you're after a book that will make you gasp, cry, smile and everything in between, this title is a star. It's engrossing story line, deep characterisation and McKenzie's electric storytelling make it the perfect title in the YA thriller genre.

 

Have you read Girl, Missing? What did you think?



Beauty | Lush "The Comforter" Shower Cream

The Comforter is a berrylicous aroma that Lush fans all over the world will recognize and love. The bubble bar is one of my staple lush products so I was overjoyed when they brought out a shower cream to match it.

 

"A cuddle in a bottle" the good people at Lush HQ called it, and boy are they right. As soon as I got a whiff of the famous scent I was practically powerless to resist buying a bottle (or five). It's truly a god-sent that I can buy this creamy goodness by the kilo, although it does make storage a bit of a tricky task mind you.
 



One of my favourite elements of the cream is its fabulous warm pink shade with hints of glitter here, there and everywhere. If you're not familiar with the scent, it reminds me of the love child of the snow fairy scent and good ol' ribena; simply delicious. It's like covering yourself in a blanket of berry-goodness of a morning.

 

Now that I've finished raving about the true beauty of the scent I must note that it's a true skin softening savior. I find some shower products to be ever-so slightly drying for the skin but this has never been the case with the Lush shower range and I'm happy to announce that this product only furthers their reputation. I do believe it has rather a lot to do with the cream formula of the product; it's a darn sight more nourishing than its gel formula cousins tend to be. It lathers up just the perfect amount and my skin felt revitalized as soon as I washed it off. Using it of a morning also left my skin smelling incredible for the rest of the day; what more can you ask for?
 

(Side note - I do love me the little hilarious messages Lush pop on the side of their products, they add so much character)

 

Overall The Comforter Shower Cream is perfect if you're after a shower buddy that makes everyday a blissful spa day whilst adding a little bit of shimmer to the mix. But is it as good as a cuddle? All I'm going to say is my boyfriend sure does have some solid competition.

 

"The Comforter" Shower Cream retails from £4.95 to £27.95 and is available online here.

Food | Muriel's Kitchen, Soho

Back in March I spend an afternoon in Soho having the true pleasure of indulging many of my favourite past times in a single sitting… tea, cake, vintage-style crockery, friends and gossip. Popping out for afternoon tea was one of the points on my 101 in 1001 so I was ever so glad to be able to tick it off, particularly in the capital.

Myself and two of my best chums had found ourselves in London town for a day celebrating the first of our eighteenth birthdays, and the day was eagerly awaited following months of top secret planning on the part of the two youngest of our group (myself included). The piece de resistance of the gift were tickets to see Wicked on the West End, a show whose delights only myself out of the three of us had witnessed prior to this occasion. Wicked was as incredible as usual and - as expected - I sobbed my way through most of the show, much to the amusement of my friends.

No theatre trip would be complete without a bite to eat ahead of the show and we chose to surprise the birthday lady with a gorgeous afternoon tea at Muriel's Kitchen in Soho. I had captained the search for a splendid place to dine on sandwiches and cake and I must say that I was more than proud of my findings; it was the perfect afternoon treat. At just over £15 per person it is such a cost effective option in the pricy world of London afternoon teas but believe you me you do not loose any of the quality you'd expect when dining out on tea and cake.

I must note that Muriel's Kitchen could not be decorated more to my taste. The café is endless shabby chic with olive green hues and oozing quirk and charm from every nook and cranny. It has a real homely vibe which I think is a real rarity in London's dining landscape and even featured some of its seating hanging from the ceiling in swing-style. Whilst I didn't get to rest my derrière on this unique seating innovation on this occasion I really do hope I will if I return in the future; it looks delightful.

We were served a brew of our choice (and plenty of it, may I add) in a simple white teapot and vintage-style duck egg blue tea cups. I'm going to throw my hands up and admit that I'm not normally much of a tea drinker at all (I'll prepare myself to be exiled from England) but the green tea I chose was simply delicious. The afternoon tea also came with a 'berrylicious smoothie', which I believe is normally one shared between two but for whatever reason we ended up with one each which was very well received. There is also the option to have something bubbly with your food if it takes your fancy.

The tea itself was served in the most adorable way, piled high on top of a mini picnic bench. It caught the eye of many a fellow diner as it was brought out to us, might I add. The 'table' of the bench was filled with finger sandwiches galore: Wiltshire ham, coastal cheddar and pickle on granary bread, cracked black pepper and cucumber on white bread, egg mayonnaise and watercress on granary bread and smoked salmon and cream cheese on white bread. Each diner received one of each delight served on wooden skewers.

On one of the benches lay three scones; my personal favourite part of the afternoon tea. The scones are freshly baked and come teamed with clotted cream and strawberry jam (cue a lively debate around the table on which condiment has its rightful place first on the scone). On the opposing side was the naughty bit of the afternoon tea, and the true show stoppers, a delicious selection of cakes and puddings. The collection consisted of a carrot cupcake, a white chocolate and coconut blueberry meringue, a chocolate brownie bite and a banoffee pie. Each of these treats were ridiculously indulgent and much enjoyed by all.

Overall Muriel's Kitchen is truly a beacon of culinary delight. The lovely folks there served a fine array of treats which were just perfect to fill our tummies ahead of trip to the land of Oz and I will most definitely be making many a return visit with whoever I can drag (I may or may not already be pestering my boyfriend).

Can you recommend any spots for afternoon tea?

The Afternoon Tea at Muriel's Kitchen is priced at £15.75 per person and can be booked online here.

'Have Afternoon Tea' was part of my 101 in 1001. You can see what else I'm hoping to achieve here.

Thoughts | Pinch Punch I've Been Absent All Month

Okay so the title of this post maybe a teeny tiny lie because it has in fact been a good 4 months since I last tapped away on my keyboard and popped out a blog post. Oh the shame. There was good reason behind my blogging hiatus however as the (not so) wonderful world of A-Levels had to take priority in my life. But now I sit here with the world of education behind me, for now at least, and with a refreshed mind, ready to blog to my hearts content.

Oh boy I've missed this little space of mine, we're well overdue a serious catch up. It really does feel like forever since I just sat myself down and wrote about one of life’s little adventures. The pause in rambles about the shenanigans I've got up to has meant that I have more than a handful of bits and pieces I'm eagerly waiting to share, whether it be new beauty products I've fallen in love with, outfits I've styled or adventures I've been on.

A lot has changed since I last conversed with the Internet. I've entered the big scary world of adulthood by turning eighteen, waved goodbye to education and a rather amazing fella has become a huge part of my life. I also feel like I'm mentally a hell of a lot stronger than I was say sixth months back. Each of these changes have definitely helped to shape the person I am as I enter this new stage of my life. The changes may have been slight but they've been wonderful and have left me feeling ready to take on the world.

Now what is to become of my little portion of the web? I'm aiming to compose and publish a post three times a week - Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. I've decided to not label each weekday with a type of post, choosing to instead let my mind compose whatever it desires.

So ladies, gents, fairies and unicorns, I hope you're all well and I'm ever so glad to welcome you to Yours, Chloe. If you're a long term reader then hello old friend, I sure have missed you. For those newbies among you, why don't you make yourself a hot drink (I myself are quite partial to a fudge hot chocolate) and delve into the history of my rambles.