Fashion | How to wear your summer kimono in winter…

Its finally the Monday before Christmas! Honestly, I’m not sure either me or Josh feel all that Christmassy yet. As I write this up on the Saturday before we are both watching Muppets Christmas Carol and I am in new Disney, Bambi PJ’s (obviously). It has become somewhat of our own Christmas tradition in fact, A muppet Christmas Carol and new PJ’s, hopefully with disney characters.

Part of this years oddness is it our first ever at home, just the two of us. It makes the event a little different to normal years of going to our parents and Grandparents and so have set aside a couple of our own traditions. A christmas day walk before lunch (post champagne however), christmas movies or more exact movies of our past, this year we intend to watch muppets again, Chanel fours 1998 straight to TV movie of Merlin, Love Actually and About Time and finally of course new christmas day clothes, PJ’s all the way….

Before Christmas however, you need a different type of outfit, one acceptable for outside and general company, thats where this post comes in. One of my favourite silhouettes at the moment is the high waist, soft harem trousers with a tucked in shirt and belt, in Marrakech I called it Annie Hall meets Indiana Jones and I’m still a little bit obsessed.

Whats not been helping our Christmas spirit is this warmer weather… it doesn’t feel like Christmas. However, in its place are outfits like these, where you can wear your summertime Kimono in the depths of winter.

Like many, I love a good jacket and this green kimono from Zara is the perfect jacket for an outfit like this, it takes an oversized polo and harem trousers and makes the outfit fun again. For my own figure it also gives me a little more shape by cinching my waist in. So how do you wear a kimono in winter, well, its as simple as layering your clothes whether that is sweaters and long sleeved T shirts or pulling a shirt over a tank and the kimono also works great on black colours as it breaks up the outfit without breaking the silhouette.

Want to make Christmas cookies this year? Then this is the post for you

I try not to make Pinterest bakes but sometimes the season calls for a little cheesy goodness, or in this case, chocolately goodness in the form of Christmas cookies.

This adventure all began from a vlogger who I am slightly loathed to share because she’s so down to earth and untouched by ‘vlogger fame’ and just plain wonderful that I don’t particularly want to spoil it and yet at the same time, I think she’s amazing so here goes, Rhiannon Ashlee Vlogs alerted me to the christmas pudding cookies and I knew from that instance that I just had to make some myself!

Knowing the bakes that I like, I knew instantly that I wanted to make a christmas pudding cookies. To do that I wanted to use a tried and true Nigella Recipe! The only issue I hit was that it said it made 14 cookies and I was making mine for at least ten people so figured I would simply double the recipe. What should have been 28 cookies, made 64 so as you could imagine just one style was not enough, so instead I went full on Pinterest.

I

Firstly I created two types of christmas puddings. One with Royal icing leaves and one with piped icing straight onto the Rolo (pushed into the centre whilst the cookies are still hot to create an xmas pudding) then I wrote on some of the plain chocolate chip and M&M cookies first with peoples names and second with ‘merry’ and ‘Xmas’. Then of course I made Reindeers…

Things I’ve learnt about myself during this experience? When doubling the recipe to include 600grams of flour, know that you probably won’t just make 28 cookies.

Two packs of 365grams of chocolate drops is at least four packs of m&ms. Speaking of M&M’s, taking out just two colours makes the rest of the bag look strange and with that in mind, it made me realise I never want to be responsible for fulfilling celebrities riders, you only want red and green M&M’s? its called, you work it out.

My work counter is too short for spending ages decorating things and surprisingly I am pretty patient when dealing with three trays in and out of the oven.

Making cookies is not as messy as marmalade. Although creating holly leaves out of Royal Icing was a nightmare.

You’ll be glad to know the cookies went down a treat so I can definitely attest to Nigellas recipe being amazing even if it makes a regular baker like me and you into a full scale operation. Honestly if we had a serving hatch in our kitchen I would have set up a shop. Don’t ask me about how I would get customers into our house at half one in the morning, because yes I was making royal icing holly leaves well into the next morning, but it was worth it. Right?

If anything this is why we don’t use Pinterest. It makes you make weird things into the morning and creating front room bakeries.

Christmas | The Tree

The best bit about Christmas? The decorating.

My favourite part of Christmas is never presents but always the feel of the festive season and time with mine and Joshes family. However if you were to ever ask my mum (please don’t) she’ll tell you all about my obsession with the christmas tree as a child. Although I don’t spend hours in front of it as I once did there is something so magical about seeing your own christmas tree in your first house. So here it is! Happy Christmas everyone!

 

Dine and Celebrate | Friends Christmas

    A long time ago myself and Joshes friends discussed doing a friends Christmas. The rules were you had to turn up in your most fantastic Christmas jumper, exchange secret santas (where we have to guess who its from) and finally make dinner all together and just be chill and celebrate us and our fabulous life! Here are a few stand out moments and a few things I bought which I loved and thought were pretty cool!

Sloe Gin update!

  
Back in September I shared the easiest thing a girl or guy could make at home for a homemade and delicious Christmas present.

You will be pleased to hear that it all went smoothly and the photo above is the end result! A beautiful rich and sweet Gin! Let me tell you you really only need a mason jar, some sugar and a cinnamon stick and let me tell you that is perfect. 

As you may read this we are currently preparing for our very first friends Christmas! We are uber excited and have made our house as festive as possible to prepare so stay tuned this week for a post on Christmas jumpers, friends Christmas and all things Christmas! 

Christmas Shopping | #oneforyouoneforme

Longline Sparkle Cardi, Faux fur wrap, Shimmer top, Sequin shoes

I hate to say that shopping can be problematic because honestly its one of my favourite hobbies. However when shopping for Christmas with family and friends over the age of about eight it gets a lot harder. Gone are the days of buying the latest toy obsession for my cousins or there being something you really wanted but couldn’t afford. Instead we all buy what we want, when we want it making it all around harder come Christmas time. Whats a girl to do?

Look at the pretty things of course!

The first problem will be this, will they love it? Whilst the second, will they wear it? I actually found that most of these items could work for any number of women in my family, the key was to find something beautiful or sparkly mixed in with what we need, so for my mum and nanna they like something to keep them warm so mix sparkle with a cardi and that is a keeper! Pair a handy faux fur stole with it and voila! A seasonally appropriate winter outfit + a must needed boost of warmth! Then obviously glittery shoes (perfect for my sister in law (Boo) or even a great friend) a mildly shimmery top with cut sleeves all paired with jeans makes an easy look, festive.

Faux Fur Gilet

Oh, faux fur. Come to me.

I knew exactly what I was looking for this winter and it looked a lot like a faux fur gilet. I have considered them for the longest time, but now is when to take the plunge! This makes me want to mix fabrics, adding leather makes it tougher, sheer tops or silk add glamour whilst pulled over another jacket mixes practical with fun.

Blanket Scarf, Chevron Stitch Poncho, Suede Skirt, Shimmer Box T,  Faux fur trim gloves

Eventually it might get cold in the UK and when it does, we want to be ready. The suede skirt is 100% my mum, she adores suede, in fact if she could have an outfit made of suede then I think she would! For me I also love the brand, Taller Than Your Averages collaboration with Long Tall Sally’s (TTYA London) suede dress which looks phenomenal.

You should never underestimate the power of a good pair of slippers. When it comes to christmas I am all about stocking up with a nice warm pair to keep my toes toasty when it gets icy.

These are just a few of the items I love from Long Tall Sally this season, check out their site for more ideas and follow the hashtag #oneforyouoneforme to see other bloggers favourites and recommendations!

Therealjlow Shops | Christmas Fashion Buys

Zara, Black Velvet Bag, George Asda, Jumping Stags jumper, Next, Red Dress, Zara, dancing shoes.

So I always have these ideas about a Christmas outfit, that I will buy one, photograph it on the blog, that it will look fabulous! The truth however is I never find anything I really love for the price I’d like it at.

This year however, things are going to be different.

We have decided to have a ‘friends Christmas’ this year where our nearby friends get together, with each person making a different dish and of course that will be all done in a Christmas jumper.

Now this will be held at my own house so I don’t really need a bag and shoes and probably not a floor length dress but who said you have to need something to want it? No one at all.

Christmas Beauty buys for under £30

Neals Yard, Normal Skincare Kit, Benefit, Most Glamorous Nudes, Clinique, Whole lotta chubby, Laura Mercier, In The Glow Trio, Yves Saint Laurent, Touche Eclat (01) Mini Mascara Duo Gift Set,

It might seem a little unlike me to post about beauty buys but Christmas is my ultimate favourite time to indulge in skincare and make up. Over the years my tastes and choices have changed but the feeling of excitement when unwrapping a new beauty gift set of products has never lost its shine.

This year I have certainly upped my game in the products I use and the above reflects this but even though they are high quality products every kit above comes in under, £3o! Which in the grand scheme of things is really nothing.

The Clinique Chubby Sticks are what I would suggest for anyone whose a little lazy with beauty or who wants something simple but effective. I swear by the Chubby Stick baby tint for everyday lips and I am really interested to see how the cheek tint works next!

Neal’s Yard products are just winter musts. They smell amazing and moisturise like no ones business and even better they look amazing on your nightstand when your not using them! I love this collection for giving your skin that much needed boost!

Benefit glamorous eyes. Benefit are just a solid for anytime you want to find yourself a healthy blush! I have been on the lookout for a great nudes pack and I love the sheen that benefit products usually have.

I have wanted to try Laura Mercier for the longest time. Its a product line which so many people have been speaking about and singing their praises about this whole year that I just feel that this would make a wonderful starter kit. I’m all about natural healthy glow as I said before so anything to help lift my spirits this winter is a go with me!

Finally, YSL are one of my ultimate favourite make up brands. I swear by their lipsticks (they don’t budge and are crazy flattering) whilst the Touche Eclat range is just so light and flawless how could you go wrong? This set includes the original Touche Eclat in 01 and also a mascara so for £20 you cannot afford to miss this!

(Yes I have linked all these products to John Lewis but this was just because it was easier to look through. I am in no way affiliated with this brand and I make no money from your clicks anywhere on this post.)

Quick Sloe Gin

Quick Sloe Gin.

1. Per jar (1Litre) 225grams of Sloe
2. 150 grams of sugar
3. A cinnamon stick
4. 700ml Gin

For something called Sloe, Sloe Gin is ridiculously quick and simple to make. My mum made sloe gin what feels like many years ago but it wasn’t until early this fall that we considered making it ourselves.

Thankfully nearby Josh’s mum and grandma are several bushes filled with sloes which Josh’s mum very nicely picked for us last week. So of course the weekend meant making Sloe Gin was a must.

So as you can see making sloe gin takes so few ingredients it’s insane and the rest is pretty simple to boot!

Firstly weigh out your sloes! We halved the recipe so we used 225g of sloes per jar which are then pricked (to release the juices) then decant the sloes into your jar and add 1 cinnamon stick and 150g of sugar.

The last thing is to add the alcohol, the Gin. Per jar we used roughly 700ml of Gin.

Once you’ve added all the ingredients you want to make sure that a, your jar is secure and secondly that you’ve got a firm grip and the cap on because the last stop is a lot of shaking!

This is so you mix the ingredients and bash those sloes a little to release the incredible juices! So what’s the next step? Well to make sloe gin you also need time. Ideally you want to leave it for several months whilst shaking it occasionally to dislodge those berries again! Once you’ve let it sit for several months you have to sieve out those berries and the cinnamon and decant the gin sloe gin into your chosen container where its ready to drink! Huzzah! So its key to get it done now so you can enjoy it as the festivities for Christmas begin!!!

Everyday workwear with glitter . . .

Buy the look: Shimmer Crew Tee: Gap, Necklace: Accessorize (2014, Feb) Others, Black Harem Trousers: Next, Pointed heels: New Look other.

Why just wear work clothes when you can have glitter in your T Shirt?

So when I bought this top from The Gap a few weeks ago I immediately thought, black pencil skirt, work dinner this Tuesday. However upon putting on the skirt and top combo I realised that no, unless I planned on taking this look to a nightclub and possibly as a 16 year old trying to look ‘sexy’ I was not going to be pairing this with a jersey pencil skirt from H&M which has in recent years decided that it is now its life mission to slide as far up my thighs as it can make it.

So failing my original idea I was left wondering what on the earth am I going to wear it with? Well firstly I think that primarily this is a great T-shirt to be worn at home lounging! I plan to pair this with PJ bottoms on lazy Sunday afternoons with Josh but I also realise that to make anything a good investment in a smaller wardrobe then it has to be work wearable, after all I spend most of my life at work (sad but true.) So this item needs to be wearable for more occasions so say hello to how to make everyday workwear exciting!

As you know I love a good harem trouser (mainly because actual trousers aren’t really big fans of me!) So pairing them with a T-shirt? Thats like not even getting changed after breakfast! Add a pair of pointed heels (or flats) and I think this is another of those work keepers! I have always loved the smart casual approach of having a piece of soft jersey paired with workwear so although these trousers are also jersey I’d like to keep the illusion at least.

Lastly, what your really interested in, that white fuzzy bag. This bag has a bit of a history with me even though I have only actually had it since Friday night. You see when I bought the pink fuzzy bag (so much faux fur in my life!) I asked my sister in laws advice only she thought it was this one! I obviously went on to buy the pink one but my best friend Becky bought this for me for Christmas but I promise boo I’ll share it with you also! 🙂

How are you guys dressing up the last week before Christmas do you have any tips for making your workwear festive?

“How you doin’?”

I’d love to show you some stunning photos of my outfits down indian streets but I have got to be honest. I have gone on total tourist mode this past week to the point that I haven’t even photographed things and struggled to even think Christmas presents!

As we speak there is a beautiful dark red/purple sari being made that might if we’re both lucky make it onto the blog in the future . . . We all had so much fun pulling beautiful fabrics and trying on different colours and patterns it was one of the best evenings we’ve spent. Outside of saris I’ve been almost beyond casual, you wouldn’t recognise me! Living in leggings, harem trousers from next long tees and scarves to be honest. I’m very much enjoying the sun and warmth though and I’m not particularly looking forward to the cold come Friday! 

But until then we’re going to enjoy the sun and Christmas abroad and pray that the new year will bring us better weather, prosperity and happiness.

And next week? India recap and why the title of this is, how you doin’?

Christmas Recap

Over the festive period, I seemed to have wonderfully festive jeans. I only own two pairs of coloured jeans red and green which were great for christmas day and boxing day!

I also got to wear my awesome new boots which I strangely bought in the sale before christmas, but my sale drama’s are a whole other blog post! I’ve just been dying to share them with you all! they are just so fabulous and the heels arn’t too scary either which is great!

Other than that there’s not been too much time for outfit posts even though I have been planning a few much to my boyfriends dislike. Tomorrow however i’m going to try approaching the sales again on my list? A low fancy heel for NYE with the boy and a sequined skirt, you know you’ve average shopping list. Oh, and groceries but who cares about those?

Whats on your list?

Jessx