H&M bag review

A few days ago I walked into my local h&m and saw these gorgeous studs on faux leather and my style radar went off! I took a closer look and instantly n knew I had to buy this bag!

It is a medium sized, black, leather effect handbag with two small straps and a larger detachable strap. It includes gold studded detailing over the front an back panel of the bag. The inside is a simple, bright red and it includes a zip pocket and mobile phone slot along with a larger slot for keys/ID the bag has two zips as a fastening.

Inside lining and zip pocket 

Appearance: 5/5
I love the whole look of this bag, I'm a sucker for gold studs and this bag is covered in them! This gorgeous bag screams edgy and fierce which is how I would describe my own style so this bag is a perfect addition to my wardrobe.

Feel: 5/5
I love the feel of this bag, it's soft to the touch and the texture is really authentic the studs add a shimmering touch but are not sharp or spiky which makes the bag more useable.

Function: 4/5
I find that the bag is of perfect size for everyday use, it can hold lots of items including notepads, make-up bags, cameras, books etc.. it maybe slightly bigger than some people are used to for everyday but if you're anything like me and can't travel lightly then this is perfect. Due to the three straps the bag is versatile, you can use the two straps for short trips but the longer strap can be used if you'll be walking for a long period of time. My only negative point is that the zip is quite stiff at first, I found that it takes a little tugging but it gets easier through use.

Weight: 5/5
When buying any bag its important that it doesn't weigh lots without anything in as this will be even worse once you have everything you need in there! In my opinion this bag is of a perfect weight without anything inside, my first thought was that with the abundance of spike detailing that it would be heavy but to my surprise I found that the weight was perfect.

Here are my ideas of what to pair this bag with...

This is an extremely gorgeous bag and I completely recommend it to anybody who has an edgy, modern style. At only £29.99 it's a perfect purchase. it's available online in black or white, however I purchased mine in store so I can't comment on delivery charges or post and packaging quality.
I hope this review helps
Love Dixie
:) xox

Designer for a day 'Great British Fashion

Designer for a day 'Great British Fashion by perfect-that-pout featuring leather boots

5 MUST SEE looks of the week

1.
Who: Michelle Williams
Where: Tribeca Film Fest premiere of Take This Waltz
 Wearing: Giambattista Valli patchwork dress paired with with Louboutin ankle-strap sandals  Let's see!

This look is a must see simply because the dress is astounding. A gorgeous dress that is like no other! I love the clash of the bright yellow with the soft, neutral tones of the rest of the dress. The layers look fabulous together and teamed with the Louboutins it's a match made in heaven!

2.
Who: Penelope Cruz 
Where: The Italian premiere of To Rome with Love
Wearing: Champagne Dolce & Gabbana lace gown with metallic Roger Vivier clutch
Let's see!

How stunning does she look in this feminine, chic gown? Giving Penelope a gorgeous shape and making her look elegant this gown was the perfect option for this event. She looks classy and stylish and the updo draws attention to her flawless make-up. Definitely worthy of a spot in the MUST SEE list.

3.
Who: Gwen Stefani
Where: L.A premiere of Paul McCartney's music video
Wearing: Stella McCartney black silk jumpsuit with sheer cut-outs and Christian Louboutin heels 
Let's See!

Gwen looks stunning in this jumpsuit! Although 57% of the UK feel her look is a 'sham' (according to Eonline's Fashion Police Gallery) I think this look suits her well and looks gorgeous. The jumpsuit is daring due to the amount it reveals, I love the peplum detail too. I adore how she has kept the silk jumpsuit and shoes neutral but added a pop of colour with the red lip tres chic! The messy up-do adds a modern vibe to this effortlessly fabulous look.

4.
Who: Emily Blunt
Where: The London premiere of Salmon Fishing in the Yemen 
Wearing: Beaded and striped Carolina Herrera dress, Tiffany & Co jewels and black satin Louboutin peep-toes
Let's see!

I must point out straight away how much I J'adore this dress. The colour suits her perfectly, contrasting with her delicate, light skin and matching her blue eyes to a tee. The cut of the dress keeps her looking classy but you can still see her gorgeous figure. The hem of the dress flaunts intricate bead work whilst the neckline is kept simple with a very slight round neck. Emily's hair is perfect for the occasion and the shoes are a great addition to the ensemble.

5.
Who: Rihanna
Where: The Toyko premiere of Battleships
Wearing: Metallic Emilo Pucci wrap jacket and pants, nude Manolo Blahnik sandals and a Tom Ford necklace
Let's see

Rihanna has nailed the pyjama trend with this Emilo Pucci duo. A trend that takes a lot of confidence and one hell of a personality to pull off looks effortless here. This outfit works so well because it was a risk, it's not a typical Rihanna-style outfit but she rocked it. Teaming three world-renowned designers together to make this ensemble ticks all of the style boxes here, good job Rihanna, keep it up!

That concludes my 5 MUST SEE looks of the week list
Love Dixie
:) xox

Must see product range: Revlon PhotoReady

As a make-up junkie the thing most important to me is a flawless base for gorgeous new styles of make-up. I am constantly on the hunt for the perfect foundation to give me a smooth, even base that doesn't look cakey or orange, but natural with a hint of photo-shopped perfection that is within budget. Revlon may have made that hunt a success with their new PhotoReady range...

Revlon PhotoReady Face Perfecting Primer - £11.99

The first step in creating the perfect base is to use a primer, this sets a fresh base to apply your make-up and keeps it on longer. Revlon's PhotoReady primer smooth and softens skin to create the perfect canvas. It also reduces the appearance of pores and fine lines.

Revlon PhotoReady Airbrush Mousse Foundation - £12.99

The next step is a layer of foundation to create an even finish. This mousse formula foundation contains 'photochromatic pigments' that are supposed to minimise the appearance of flaws for a smooth poreless look. It comes in a range of 8 colours so you can find your perfect shade.

Revlon PhotoReady Eye Primer & Brightener - £9.99

The final step in creating a flawless base is the eye primer and brightener which can be used anywhere on the face for an instant pick-me-up. It brightens areas of the skin which gives you a glowing look.

I am hoping to purchase these products soon so I can see for myself what these products are like and put them to the test and see if the truly give a PhotoReady look

Love Dixie
:) xox

Rainy day pick me ups

Today in England it is raining cats and dogs and it is hard to feel glamorous in the rain, here is a guide on how to survive the rain:

Getting from A to B
On a rainy day travelling is the last thing you want to do but when there is a place you need to be there are some simple ways to maintain your look and ending up at point B looking presentable.
1. Tie your hair loosely in a low ponytail, slightly to one side, for me it's my right and let it rest down your shoulder.
2. Put on a coat with a hood and use the hood! Although it isn't always the most glamorous of options it will save your hair!
3. Always always always carry an umbrella in your bag, then you can whip it out when necessary.
4. When you arrive at your destination simply undo the ponytail and speedily rearrange your hair back into it's original style, pull of the coat and wrap your umbrella up in a small plastic bag and put back in your bag

Ways to pick up your mood
When it's cold and wet and windy outside it instantly puts me in a bad mood, however there some things that cheer me up, here are some ways you can cheer yourself up in the gloomy weather
1. Rock a bright lipstick
 By wearing a bright pink lipstick, every time I check the mirror to check my make up it brightens my mood a little because the colour is so bright and pretty

 Some gorgeous shades to try are:
Nicki Minaj Viva Glam £13.50

MUA Shade 4 £1

Rimmel - Kate lasting finish lipstick shade 5 £5.49



2. Another way to pick yourself up on a rainy day is to wear pretty jewellery
I like to wear cute charm bracelets or big, chunky rings here are some cute ideas of jewellery you could try:
Accessorize abstract Leah ring £14

This ring is gorgeous! I love how abstract the ring is. I also love the clash of the silvery gems and the gold coloured detailing. This sparkly ring will definitely raise your mood in the rainy weather!

Dollybowbow.co.uk  - Trinket charm Bracelet - Luck £7
 
This bracelet is adorable! Dollybowbow is an incredible online store, also if you love the style of the site, check out the dollybowbow youtube channel for style and make up tips! Wearing this would instantly make me smile due to the cute little charms, also who knows maybe the lucky horse shoe charm, four leaved clover or wishbone will make the bad weather change?
RegalRose - Tea cup ring £6

I j'adore this adorable little ring! It is so quirky and cute, and was inspired by Alice in wonderland and the Mad hatters tea party which is really cute. This would make me smile because of how delicate and adorable it is, for only £6 this ring is a must!

3. Another way to pick yourself up is to use a cute umbrella! It sounds silly but instead of having a plain umbrella, why not go for a more interesting umbrella like this cute ones...
New Look - Union Jack Umbrella £7.99

This umbrella will definitely stand out in the gloomy weather, this instantly makes me smile due to the bright colours and the fact that I love almost anything with the union jack on it and this year everybody seems to be very patriotic!
New look - Red spot frill Umbrella £8.99

I love how feminine and cute this umbrella is. Again it would definitely stand out in the dark, gloomy weather and would put a smile on anyone's face. A very pretty umbrella is a very good way to brighten your rainy day.
New look - Zebra crook umbrella £7.99

A more urban umbrella, Not as eye catching but still a very modern style. This would definitely still put a smile on my face in the rain due to the cool pattern, also tribal prints are very on trend right now!

These are most of my ideas for cheering yourself up on a rainy day and also how to maintain your stylish and glamorous look in the rain! Hope it helps.
Love Dixie
:) xox

New fashion trend alert: Sculptural wedges

Out with the boring wedges in with the fabulously new wedges. Perfect for Spring/summer 2012 sculptural wedges are forcing their way onto:

The red carpet...

   
(Victoria justice wears black sculptural wedges, showing just how fashion forward she is.)

The runway...

(These gorgeous takes on the trend popped up on the Alexander McQueen spring 2012 runway.)

And designer stores...

(These cute sculptural wedges are found a Browns fashion for £210)

As you can see this trend is appearing all over high end places, however this trend has yet to be spotted in high street stores and being worn out in local areas, I would love to get my hands on a pair of these gorgeous wedges, they are a modern take on a classic shoe and can be a key piece in any ensemble.

New beauty trend alert: bold eyeliner

An exciting new beauty trend is happening all over the UK; bold eyeliner!

Whether its a unique liquid liner look or a bold colour swept across the upper lash line everyone is rocking this brand new trend, here are some ways people have made the trend work for them...



I love the clash here of the thick electric blue line swept across the upper lash line and the jewel toned purple thinly lining the lower lash line, it looks gorgeous. This will really make your eyes pop on a night out and shows your creative and experimental side whilst still enabling you to look drop dead gorgeous!



This is very bold but elegant liquid liner look, the thick black eye liner would look gorgeous with an airbrush finish base and very natural lip colour. This look is bound to make a statement and will make your eyes appear bigger due to the definition this look will create by giving the illusion your eyes are bigger because of the flick that extends beyond your eye.



This layered look is amazing! Obviously not for every occasion but this look could be toned down for a more wearable look by using just two colours layered up or even one line that includes three colours alongside each other. However this look here is very on trend due to the bright clashing colours layered up. I also love the green liner on the lower lash line, this again could on it's own be an amazing take on the new trend.



This look is also becoming more and more popular, the double winged liner look. The model looks so elegant here and the double winged liner appears so gentle and girly, not a very subtle look and should not be used for casual occasions but for a formal event it would look stunning. This look is amazing with neutral cheeks and lips as seen above in the picture.



Again here is a double winged liner look however here it is more interesting with a less defined line and a shimmery gold shadow accenting the brow bone and swept across the lid. This could be worn on a formal occasion for an 'all-eyes-on-me look.'



This take on the trend is not extremely common and quite hard to achieve but is amazing all the same. I would describe this look a 'doodle liner' because of the added decoration and doodles to the eye. This look always has an average sweep of black, liquid liner that extends further than normal and then consists of any type of doodle which is usually an explosion of swirled lines extending from the average line. Hearts also appear to be a reoccurring idea with this trend.



This is quite a simple take on the trend and more suited for a casual occasion, one sweep of colour along the lower lash line and bold lashes. I will be experimenting with this take on the trend myself with the neon yellow eyeliner from models own, this would look amazing. I love how the colour used in this picture compliments the models eye colour.



This is another bold eyeliner look, the eyeliner here is very angular. It angles in at the inner corner of the eye and sweeps across the whole lid, it then angles out in a thick point just past the outer corner of the eye and finishes by sweeping back under the eye along the lower lash line. Again this take on the trend is not for a casual look and also not for those who are not confident enough to rock bold make-up looks, the model in this picture wears her hair in an up-do so the eyes are the main focus which is a good idea with this look.




Finally this picture shows a sweep of black liner along the upper lash line and then a thick line of yellow layered above it, this looks amazing but if you are recreating this look it is important to use bold colours as weak colours could wash you out. I also really love this look as it simple to do and looks gorgeous as long as the lines are straight and defined.

Overall this trend is quite bold and courageous, however there are takes on the trend suitable for people who are not as brave at experimenting with bright colours and new ideas, so practise a few ideas and rock this new trend!
Love Dixie
:) xox