What's in my beach bag?

So activity on this blog has been pretty much non-existent over the past few months. Apologies.

But i'm back, and with the holiday season well and truly begun, theres no better time to share with you what I pack in my beach bag.
I'm a big lover of straw bags and this year I came across this little beauty in the OYSHO sale. It is the perfect size to carry all my stuff around, not to big and not to small; and the price was pretty great as well, £15!.

Below is a list of my beach essentials..

1. Suncream
The most important thing in my bag. There is nothing worse than seeing people with big bright red burns all over their body, which will no doubt peel in due course making it look like they've got a skin condition. So be responsible and slap that suncream on!!

2. Face cream
I normally use a different suncream for my face. I try and use an anti-ageing face cream as my mum has quite rightly taught me that our faces show age the most, and the more we look after our skin now, the healthier and younger we'll look when we're older. 

3. Sunglasses
Whatever brand or style you like sunglasses are a must! My current pair is from Le Specs which is a brand featured on ASOS. They are a well priced and good quality brand. 

4.  Wide tooth Comb
I have very thick hair and the sea can often make it knotty and dry. Therefore a wide tooth comb is essential to get all those knots and tangles out. This comb is by GHD which I brought on Feel Unique for £7.50. I thoroughly recommend it as it doesn't break your hair as much as normal brushes do.

5. Argan Oil 
After constant exposure to heat and salty water my hair often feels extremely dry at the ends. Therefore I try to remember to apply a walnut sized amount of Argan oil onto the ends of my hair after each time I get my hair wet in the sea. I then simply put it up in a bun to protect it from the sun as well as allowing the oil to moisturise the ends. I would also recommend buying a hair treatment for when your on holiday. Make sure you try and use it up to 2/3 times a week when you have a shower. The treatment helps your hair to restore its moisture. 



6. Hat

This is not an essential but for those of you who are hat fans they are often a good way to hide a bad hair day, protect your hair and head from the sun, and of course they help you to bring an element of style to the beach! The Panama hat is definitely my go to summer hat this year. This one is from River Island. 

7. Books and magazines

Summer for me is more or less the only time where I truly find a passion for reading. There is nothing better than reading a book and getting so into it you can't put it down! My recent purchase was The Versions of us by Laura Barnett and I read it on holiday and it was so good I even shed a few tears towards the end. 

8. My trusty little red notebook

You never know when you might want to write something down or draw something,  so I carry this moleskin round with me just incase a bright idea comes to mind.

9. Deodorant

There is nothing worse than the smell of BO, so wherever I go deodorant comes too. You don't want to be that person on the beach that smells!! 

And that is all. I hope you enjoyed this little blog.
Don't forget to let me know what you think below,

Love
The Average Brown Eyed Girl xox

On top of the world

Being a university student means one-thing long holidays! With the Easter break on the horizon me, my parents, plus our adopted child, (my best friend) booked to go skiing in the 3 valleys for week. We stayed in Meribel, in Chalet Leonardo, which was part of Crystal Ski.  The beauty of chalets is that you get a huge breakfast every morning, afternoon cake, a 3-course dinner every night with pretty much unlimited wine and an amazing cheeseboard. The downside is you come home the size of a house despite skiing everyday. However all the staff are so friendly, and the other guests staying in our chalet were great.

The skiing in the 3 valleys is like no other. I’ve visited the area many times and it never fails to impress. The sheer scale of the resorts means you can go somewhere different every day, experiencing different terrains, and landscapes. Nothing can compare to that feeling you get when you’re at the top of the mountains with the sun beaming down on you and the snow glistening beneath your skis. The most memorable days are when the sky is royal blue, with a fresh layer of powder on the slopes. Lunchtime stops rarely involve light food, instead you’ve just got to embrace the carbs and forget the diet. 

A week in the Alps flies by and before you know it its times to go home. Yesterday we left a blue-sky day in the resort and returned to a cloudy and rainy day back home.  Definitely back to reality! The countdown now begins for next years ski holiday.

I would definitely recommend skiing in the 3 valleys to anyone, as I can assure you its not an area you will get bored with. Our chalet was great and so were all the staff at Crystal. A great holiday was definitely had by all.

Enjoy!

Love

The average brown eyed girl x

LFW

Last week was a short week in Leeds as from Thursday I headed back home for the weekend. The excitement to go home was like no other. You don't appreciate your family, home cooked food, and your own bed, until you spend a lot of time away from it all.

My long weekend at home was perfect though. It featured a day out in London at London fashion weekend, a meal out, plenty of cocktails, and a rather long dog walk. The highlight of my weekend was of course LFW, so with that in mind I thought I'd give you a bit of an insight into what it entailed. 

London Fashion Weekend is in essence the finale to London fashion week. It gives "normal" people (i.e. people who are not celebrities) the chance to experience the glamour and style of the city of London, while taking note of this seasons trends. As a LFW virgin I didn't quite know what to expect, but I was surprised by the array of designers shown and on sale to all. Sadly no purchases were made as the student loan is beginning to look a bit worse for wear, but instead we just dreamt about all the clothes and had the attitude of "look but don't touch".

We had booked to go and see a trend show which also enabled us to get a little goody bag with a few freebies in, which is always a nice little bonus. The trend show included 4 of this seasons most talked about trends.

1. Hyper Florals- This trend always seems to be in fashion, but this season its more prominent than ever. It's a really easy trend to work with, you could pair a floral blazer with jeans, or you could go even further with a floral co-ordinate set, or you could master the trend with a beautiful floral dress paired with a set of wedges. The choice is yours.

2. Shimmer and Shine- Ever felt like you really want to grab someones attention? Well now is your chance! Shimmer and shine graced the catwalk and caught all of our eyes. The beauty and style shown in all the outfits was divine. Once the sun begins to grace our presence a bit more, and the temperature begins to warm up this trend will work beautifully on those lush spring nights in the city.

3. Make it Monochrome-  As a nation we work this trend the best. It screams sophistication, style and is effortlessly simple and easy to wear.

4. That Seventies Show- this was my favourite. This season its time to bang on the suede, the denim and the controversial flares. You can be as subtle, or as out there as you want. 

London fashion weekend was wonderful, I would definitely recommend it and encourage you to see the trend show, as you get to see a variety of styles, as well as getting to be in the know for this seasons trends.

My Outfit

Jeans- Topshop

Boot- Carvela 

Denim Shirt- Warehouse

Sleeveless Jacket- Zara

Necklace- Topshop 

The rest of the weekend was lovely, but before you know it I'm heading back home and saying goodbye to my family once again. 

However in 3 weeks time I shall be making the trip back home for the end of term, and from there I'm off skiing. 

Have a good week
love
the average brown eyed girl
xx

Make your life simple.

This week my shopping habit got a little bit out of control. What was meant to be a browse round the shopping centre in Leeds, and a day trip to York, ended up with me making one to many purchases. Although i have not yet entered the dark days of being overdrawn the dark cloud is currently hovering over me, reminding me to watch the pennies. However aside from a dent in my bank balance the purchases i made were well and truly worth it.

Below are some of the purchases I made, and below that is a little insight into my day trip to York.

This weak I have brought a bit of spring into my wardrobe. The black that populates the majority of my wardrobe at the moment is starting to be over run by some actual colour!

1) This jumpsuit is from H&M I tried it on and fell in love and after that there was only one thing I could do, and that was buy it! Its a great quality product that fits really well and gives off a very sophisticated look. Definitely something I would recommend.

2) This shirt is from River Island. The intention was to buy a white shirt, but I tried on this soft pink one and I really liked it. It's something different, not a colour that I would usually wear so I thought why not! However they also do this shirt in white, so I think I may have to take another trip into the city to buy it.

3) This jumper is from Mango. Its a really casual jumper that is super soft. In my opinion you can never have too many jumpers as they are always a great addition to any ones wardrobe.

4) Last but not least is this yellow jumper from Zara. I love the colour of it, and in SS15 this would look great paired with some white jeans and a big statement necklace.


Trip to York

Aside from making purchases I did have a lovely trip to York yesterday (Saturday). It was so nice to get out of Leeds for the day and do something a bit different. My best friend was meeting some of her family there for a day out and invited me along, of course I said yes. The train cost around £8 for a return so I would definitely recommend it, as its such good value for money.

We spent the day looking around all the shops, where of of course a few purchases were made. We also had a lovely Italian lunch which definitely hit the spot for all of us. Shopping in York is definitely something I would recommend, we even thought it could be better than Leeds.

We all bought some fudge there, which probably did nothing for our teeth but who cares it tasted nice!

Below are a few snippets from the day:

All in all it was a great day, and we finished it off with grabbing some dinner in a lovely tapas restaurant in leeds. 

Next week is going to be even better as I'm heading back home from thursday!

And finally my last note of the week is from Zara. 

Have a good week,

Love the average brown eyed girl x

A Denim Takeover

This season denim has been revealing itself a little more than usual on the catwalk, magazines and in the shops. In essence denim this season is everywhere. We've been transported back to the 70s and have resurrected the flares, denim dresses, and denim shirts. Its time to update them wardrobes, or for some its time to head up into the loft and dust off your ultimate denim classics.

Here are few pieces that will allow you to wear the trend this season, without feeling like you were born in the wrong era.

The Denim Dress

New look- £24.99























The Denim shirt

Warehouse £36.00
I brought this during the week, making it my first denim purchase of the year.




















The Flares
In my opinion you either love or hate flares. If you love them, or if you think you could be persuaded then look below, and if you aren't a fan then skip this section.
Some inspiration:

 

Time to shop:
If you have been inspired then here are a couple of flared jeans on the market right now. In my opinion flares are a versatile number, and they would be a great edition into anyones wardrobe this spring/summer.

Warehouse- £42.00

ASOS- £38.00






















All in all denim has and will continue to make itself present this season, so be sure to jump on the trend.

Hope you all have a good weekend,
Love
the average brown eyed girl

x

Hello February

How has January already been and gone? and how has it been over a month since Christmas?

Im glad to be saying goodbye to January as lets just say it's not my favourite month of the year. I find it quite dark and depressing, especially as all the excitement of christmas and new year is now over. I've also started a new term at uni which will no doubt bring lots of highs and lows!

On another note its time to say hello to February. Below is an insight into what February has to offer us, as well as some monthly inspiration.

London Fashion Week-
London Fashion Week the event I, like many others dream about. I long for that moment where I get an exclusive invite to some of the shows, and have the opportunity to be in a room full of iconic figures. But back to reality! Anyway, this spectacular week is full of creativity and inspiration that will no doubt leave you mesmerised at the beauty of the guests, as well as the sheer talent of the designers.  It's definitely going to be a week to remember.

This Months Trends
According to our friends at Vogue UGG boots are creeping back into the limelight. This movement will no doubt be faced with a wide of range of views.

Denim is also taking the more rebellious stance this month, showing creativity and flair. The controversial double denim graced the catwalk, so be sure to tear up that page in the fashion rule book.

Interior
If you are looking for some inspiration for your home this month, look no further. I've put together a few images of some beautiful homes that will hopefully give you some ideas. If you are also looking for some quirky pieces for your house my top recommendations are Etsy and Not On The High Street.

Food

Being at university meals often get quite repetitive, and during these cold winter nights a hearty stew can solve all your problems. This weekend Im going to cook a vegetable and lentil goulash which I love, and I am constantly asking my mum too cook it whenever I go home. I shall let you know how it goes, and I will put the recipe up on here as soon as possible. 

And finally. I spend way to much time on Instagram, and this week I came across this quote that really made me question my life a bit more.

"A person who has multiple degrees in your field isn't always better than someone who has broad experience and a great personality" Richard Branson

And that is all,
Have a good week
Love
the average brown eyed girl x


*if you like my posts don't forget to follow me xox

Valentine's Day

Valentine's day is one of them days that you either love or hate. For some of you it can be a day of happiness, for others it can be a day of watching the notebook in bed, while wishing you had someone like Ryan Gosling in your life. However for most of us its just a normal day. 

For those of you who do have plans, its time to get organised and get that perfect outfit, as you don't want to be in that situation when the day comes and you have nothing to wear! Below are a few pieces that may help you out when trying to find that killer outfit. 

1. The Dress
Red Bardot Bandage dress from ASOS- for a glam and dressy evening meal or night out.

Or for more of a casual look you can go for this jumper dress from Topshop, which you can pair with some over the knee boots, and a statement necklace.

Another option is a Kim Kardashian style co-ord from Celeb boutique

2. The Shoes
At the moment it seems to be all about the lace up heels. For those of us that can't afford the designer shoes do not worry as there are plenty of cheaper options on the market right now. Just fab have a great range of lace up style shoes at a very reasonable price so make sure you check them out!

3. The Accessories 
Accessories are so important as they have the power to make an outfit go from average to downright amazing! Here are a couple of pieces that could help you make that change.

This bag is from Butterfly Jewellery it comes in 7 different colours and is a small but elegant style clutch that is perfect on a night out.

This necklace is also from Butterfly Jewellery. I love it, i think it would look perfect teamed with a black jumpsuit or dress. The colour will also bring an element of warmth to an outfit, and it will also be great in spring/summer.


4. The Underwear
This Victoria Secret combo is a sexy, but highly versatile little number. Its time to ditch out those ugly strapless bras and replace it with this. The bra can either be strapless, have straps, or the straps can be crossed over at the back. This means there will be no excuse to see your  bra straps on a night out (pet hate of mine).

I hope these pieces have helped give you a bit of inspiration for Valentine's day, or for just a usual night out.  For those of you haven't got any plans it still doesn't mean you can't treat yourself.

Enjoy
love, the average brown eyed girl x