OOTD: Lime Green Jumper and Olivia Burton Watch

Coat: Warehouse

Jumper: Primark

Shirt: ASOS

Jeans: M&S

Shoes: Clarks

Bag and Earrings: Accessorize

Watch: Olivia Burton

I've finally broken my relationship with monochrome, and injected some colour! This kind of lime green/yellow hybrid is something I've always wanted to pull off but never thought I was 'cool enough' for it. I think wearing it with a shirt, rolled up at the sleeves, breaks it up a bit, whilst clashing with my purple Olivia Burton watch.

I literally adore this watch. My brother got it for me as a 18th Birthday present a few years ago, and it's still going strong. It has a fairly large watch face, with no numbers but a beautiful humming bird (anyone who knows me, knows that I like anything with a bird print on it!) The deep purple shade clashes perfectly with this jumper, and I love mixing and matching colours and textures together - just adds another dimension to the outfit!

This week has been so quick (as always!) and I've got a few bits to look forward to at the weekend. Namely my sister's Halloween/Bonfire Night Party with loads of our friends, family, food and fireworks (ooh, look at that alliteration!) It's a fancy dress party, and last year I went as this, so you can only guess what I'm going as this year....

Thanks for reading! I hope you're all having a great week.

Rhiannon xx

 Find me on: Twitter/Instagram/Bloglovin'/Pinterest

My Student Journalism Experience and 6 Tips

If you've been following my blog for a while now, you might know I studied as a journalist student at Brighton City College last year. I thought I'd put together  a little intro of how I got into journalism and a few tips for any newbies journos!

From Primary School I knew I always wanted to do something that involved writing. In Year Six we had a task to create a newspaper, and I just loved writing the stories and coming up with catchy headlines! Since then, whenever someone asked me what I wanted to be when I was older it was always 'journalist', despite my dad wanting me to be a brain surgeon (I wouldn't even be able to tell you which organ does what!) 

I can't remember how I exactly found out about the fast-track year long Brighton City College course, but I knew I'd rather go down that route than Uni. Not to say Uni isn't as intense or valuable, I just found this course suited myself better than Uni did. 

So I took my entrance course, passed and was offered a place within a few days, but then the hard work really began!

6 Tips for Newbie Journalists:

• It's a TON of work: you've got to be good at deadlines, juggling various pieces of work and keeping up with the pace of the course. It really pushes you and proves how capable you are as a journalist and whether you've got the knack and nose to be one. 

• Work inside and outside the classroom: following on from point one, you'll be expected to know the current news and trends that are happening around you. So again, keeping up with news daily is essential.

• There's no wrong answer: this is partly why I love journalism. It's giving you a voice and a place to expression your opinion, as long as you back it up with factual information. Opinion pieces were always my favourite to write!

• Uni isn't the only option: I touched on this in my intro, but nowadays there's so many different ways to get into journalism. Start a blog, take an evening course, do a fast-track course or even an online course. Excuse the pun, but the world is your oyster.

• WORK EXPERIENCE WORK EXPERIENCE: I cannot stress the importance of this enough. Even though the knowledge is important, gaining valuable and insightful experience is so key. I ran two internships over the year and did a handful of work experience and freelancing whilst studying, to build up my portfolio. 

• Don't give up: It is a challenging career choice. Journalists get slated all the time, but to be a good journalist takes grit, hard work and a lot of dedication. There will be times when you want to throw the towel in and get a regular 9-5, but if you don't evolve, how do you expect to grow?

So those are a few journo tips I've picked up along my journey, and yes, I'm still trying to figure out my own path myself.

Let me know what you think in the comments and share your own tips!

Thanks for reading,

Rhiannon x

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High-End Make Up Wish List #1

Real Techniques Duo Fiber Collection / Smashbox Photo Finish Blemish Control / Bobbi Brown Bronze Shimmer Block / Charlottle Tilbury Eyeshadow Quad in The Vintage Vamp / Benefit BAD Gal Lash Mascara / NARS Multiple in Maldives 

Let's face it, I'm no stranger to a make up splurge in Boots now and then, but these guys are the ones  that keep coming back and ask to be swatched every time I pass them!

1. Real Techniques and I have a great relationship, as their brushes have literally changed the way I apply my make-up to the final look. I adore big fluffy brushes, and as these are so versatile, they'd be great for taking away on holiday and not taking up much room.

2. It's official, Smashbox do the best primers. I've used their original Photo Finish Primer for a while now and love the finished look it gives to my foundation. It would be interesting to see how the 'blemish control' element works, because I've found that most primers tend to clog up pores quite easily. 

3. If you haven't heard about the Bobbi Brown Shimmer Blocks, then where have you been?! They've been circulating the beauty bloggers for a while now, but they're so pretty in reality that they're too hard to resist. Their Pink Quartz Shimmer Brick is also gorgeous and would be great for a nice healthy flush in winter.

4. Again, another cult product that I've seen a few blog posts on. Charlotte Tilbury doesn't seem to be putting a foot wrong at the moment! Her eyeshadow quads are beautiful, and I can totally see myself using the top two shades for the day time and adding more definition with the bottom two for the evenings.

5. Benefit BAD Gal Lash is my all-time favourite mascara. It gives you just the right amount of definition and length without looking too clumpy and, really, scary! I've gone through quite a few, so this might actually end up in my basket come pay day...

6. Whenever I go into SpaceNK I'm forever swatching the NARS Multiples and cooing over their creamy and soft texture. I've tried to narrow it down, and Maldives stands on top, but I would be lying if I didn't want the whole range!

So there's my dream high-end make up wishlist, in all their glory.

What's your favourite high-end make up product?

Thanks for reading,

Rhiannon x

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OOTD: Topshop Monochrome Aztec A-Line Skirt and Leather Jacket

Jacket: Zara

Top: Forever 21

Skirt: Topshop

Shoes: New Look

Earrings: Accessorize

Rings: Pandora

I reckon from the past month or so, my blog will just be one big monochrome blur! There's something about it that I'm drawn to, perhaps because it's quite sophisticated and I try to be sometimes! In the future I'll try and jazz up my colour palette, so I don't always look like a walking and talking newspaper.

I'm in total love with this A-line style skirt, the shape is so flattering, if slightly short, so extra thick tights are needed with this one! My waist is pretty much non-existent, so I'm drawn to tailored clothes which have a slight flare to them to give the illusion of a smaller waist. Of course I'll be wearing my leather biker jacket, as it seems to be the other thing I'm wearing at the moment! Quite a few people liked my last Primark Fluffy Coat post, so I might upload a post dedicated to this jacket and a few of my other favourites, tis' the season and all...

What do you think of the outfit? Love or hate A-line skirts?

Thanks for reading!

Rhiannon xx

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Instagram: Floating Buildings, Lewes Bonfire and a Topshop Skirt

Another whirl wind week, and it doesn't seem to be slowing down! I know I'll just be repeating what you've probably heard quite a few times, but we're already over half way in October. Seriously. October. 

I've already bought my first few Christmas gifts (don't judge), so you'll probably see a lot more festivities across on my Twitter and Instagram in the next few weeks! Deck the halls and all..

If you're in London, go and visit Covent Garden. Artist Alex Chinneck has created this optical illusion, where the middle section of the building is missing. It's always got crowds of people around it and tapping it to work out whether it's real of not! 

From my Brighton Haul the other day, I finally wore my new Topshop skirt! I adore wearing A-Line skirts, and can't wait to wear this more. Watch out for a few OOTDs coming up!

Speaking of OOTDs.... I uploaded this military style outfit, pairing it with my favourite leather jacket and boots. I'll probably be wearing this jacket until it gets too cold and I'll be needing my new Primark Coat!

My sister and I took a trip to London yesterday, to begin Christmas shopping and try out a juice from Joe & The Juice. I had my usual 'Pick Me Up' with banana, apple and strawberry and my sister chose 'Hangover Heaven' with mint, apple and elderflower. I'd 100% recommend Joe & The Juice for a fruity drink!

Last night my family and I went along to the Lewes Nevill Juvenile Bonfire celebrations, which have torch lit processions and also a massive fireworks display. We've always been since I was a kid and taken part quite a few times. It's a family tradition and I just love going every year and feeling so festive! I did a post a few years ago about the traditions and ceremony here.

Thanks for reading! I hope you have a great week!

Rhiannon x

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Shavata Double-Ended Eyebrow Pencil

 Dawn

Dusk

Shavata Double-Ended Pencil £9.50*

If you saw my post on Soap & Glory Make Up, then you probably know about my relationship with my eyebrows. In short, they're pretty much non-existent. Because my skin and hair is so fair, you have to fill them in with something, otherwise I'll just be that girl with no eyebrows!

Moving on, Shavata kindly sent me this eyebrow pencil to try out - just in time too as my previous pencil had run out! It's a double ended pencil, at one end, 'Dawn', is a slight grey and dark brown tone and the other end, 'Dusk', is a reddish chocolate brown. Both are super pigmented and very creamy so you can blend them out very easily, which is a bonus for me as I find that brushing brows out helps them look a lot more natural. 

I mostly used 'Dawn' to fill in my eyebrows, then a tiny bit of 'Dusk' along the bottom of them, just to define them more. As they're both very easy to blend, these worked out a dream to use and finally, people could see my eyebrows again!

I'd recommend this for anyone with brown/dark brown or darker eyebrows, as they do the job well and are inexpensive, so aren't pulling on the purse-strings too much! 

You can purchase the pencil and find loads more of eyebrow tools here!

What do you think of this product? What's your favourite product for your eyebrows?

Thanks for reading!

Rhiannon xx

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*PR Sample

A Monochrome Brighton Fashion Haul

You're all probably tired of hearing of my trips to Brighton, but it's one of my favourite places to visit for shopping, food and culture. I did do a little post on my love for the seaside town that you can read here! The other day I did a spot of shopping with a friend, after a stop off a Bill's for breakfast of course...

Dress - Urban Outfitters, £18 in Sale

I've never been a massive Urban Outfitters fan, as their clothes are slightly 'too cool' for me. They've got a massive sale on at the moment, so it's always worth a look! It's actually an XS, but the medium was massive and this was the only other size left! And it's got a button missing, so I got an extra 10% off the sale price, which is always a bonus. I'll definitely be wearing this in the winter with thick tights, boots and cardigans, then with sandals and a denim jacket in the spring. 

Jeans - Marks & Spencer £22.50

If you've seen my previous OOTD's, then you'll know I love the M&S black skinny jeans! I've been through so many pairs, they barely loose their shape but do fade over time, which is a given. My current two pairs (Yes, two) are part of the Fifty Shades of Grey, so I really needed a new pair. They're hands-down my all time favourite jeans, I've tried Topshop, H&M, Zara and New Look, but nothing seems to beat M&S!

Skirt - Topshop, £35

If you're in or around the Brighton area, do check out the new Topshop in Churchill Square - it's amazing and so much bigger! I've had a voucher from my birthday back in July, don't judge, that I still hadn't spent yet. I've been in love with all the mini and A-line shape skirts that are coming out this season, and saw this one as the perfect fit! It's a fairly thick skirt, so it'll be great for winter with boots and slouchy jumpers. And yet another monochrome outfit to add to my wardrobe...

Tights - Primark £2, Umbrella - Primark £4

And let's finish off with the boring stuff! Remember when tights used to be £1 each?! They're now £2 in Primark! Just crazy. And as the rain proved in Brighton, my half broken umbrella wasn't up to the mark anymore. I adore the little handle and spotty pattern, plus it has a frilly edge - at least if I'm not looking cute, my umbrella will be!

What's your latest shopping finds? Let me know in the comments!

Thanks for reading,

Rhiannon xx

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Barry M Gelly Hi-Shine Coconut and Huckleberry

Barry M Gelly Hi-Shine Nail Polishes £3.99 at Boots

Like any other beauty blogger, lover and general fanatic, Barry M Gelly's have been a holy grail in the nail polish department for a long while. Their consistency is great, chipping time is better than average and they're so glossy! 

I've seen dozens of posts on the 'Coconut' shade, which is an off-white nude creamy colour, and I totally love it too. White tip-ex nails actually scare me, so I was a little unsure of how white this shade was but it fits perfectly between white and off-white. I already have Lychee (see my dodgy photos and review here!) which is a nude, so comparing these two together, Coconut is a lot lighter!

Overall, I love this shade. It's great for having on shorter and rounded style nails, and matches everything!

And you can't just buy one without buying another other...

'Huckleberry' is a gorgeous pale baby blue, which kinda looks like your nails are frozen, but even so still cute! Despite it being winter, I'm still a massive sucker for anything pastel, nail polishes just being another extension of my obsession. 

Again, this polish glides on like nothing else and is super glossy, even without a top coat. I love how it stands out against my usual monochrome outfit, adding a bit more colour to my day. I'll definitely be wearing this throughout winter and change it up from my normal maroon and dark purple shades.

What do you guys think of these nail polishes? Love or hate Barry M Gelly's?

Thanks for reading!

Rhiannon xx

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OOTD: Military Dress and Leather Jacket

Jacket: Zara

Dress: Primark

Belt: New Look

Shoes, Socks and Leggings: Topshop

Bag: River Island

I'm in full-on winter mode now, and I for one couldn't be happier! The Military trend is my favourite style for this autumn/winter, you can look as casual and masculine as you like. Another two styles I've been loving this autumn is the shirt dress and wearing socks poking out of my boots. The dress was a great find in Primark, even if it does crease to no end and you can't really wear it without tights without flashing anyone! 

I bought the boots about a year ago from Topshop and they have little cut-outs on the sides, so you have to be aware of what socks you're wearing that day! Update on the H&M Leopard Print Slip-Ons, I found a pair but they're a really weird suede grey colour, which was a little disappointing - but probably saved my bank balance in time for Christmas (Yes, I mentioned the C-word!) 

What do you guys think of this outfit? Love or hate the military trend?

Thanks for reading!

Rhiannon xx

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The Fluffy Primark Coat

Fluffy Primark Coat: £25

I've always been loyal to my beloved Zara when it comes to winter coats. Their quality is amazing and I know I'm going to get a coat that'll last me years, in terms of style and wear and tear. But, recently Primark has been stepping up its game, with tons of styles to choose from at reasonable prices.

This coat comes in cream, black and a grey-purple shade, all of which are equally gorgeous! It's not a particularly thick coat, but worn with a wooly jumper, jeans and boots and I'll still stay cosy and warm. Whenever I wear this (and let me tell you, I'm wearing it tons now it's colder!) it feels like I'm hugging a massive polar bear, which isn't a bad thing... I adore the collar, it's a coat I can wear with a scarf and throw over jeans but still look smart!

I'll probably be wearing this coat until it gets way too cold and I have to bring out this Zara beauty again! I'd definitely recommend checking out Primark's coats for the in-between stage of needing a warmer jacket to a full on puffer-Michelin man coat, when the UK gets snowed under!

What do you guys think of this coat? What's your favourite winter coat?

Thanks for reading,

Rhiannon xx

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Review: The One Plus One by Jojo Moyes

For me, books have to do three things, 1. Have a strong plot line 2. Be written well and 3. Captivate the reader. Jojo Moyes does all three things and does them very well. I've only read 'Me Before You Before' and fell in love with it (review here), so I had high expectations for her new release.

I recently met Jojo Moyes at a event Red Magazine held and she spoke about this particular book, talking about how the inspiration came about (her friend slammed a door into his cleaner's face, which is how the story starts!) 

Even though it doesn't have the emotional impact that 'Me Before You' has, it's still a tear-jerker and one of those "God, they've got to get together at some point!" Jess' constant positive attitude is inspiring and her vulnerability when everything goes wrong is written so well it brings you right to the front of the story. 

The quick blurb of it is a woman called Jess struggles with two jobs and two children, so when an opportunity to win money in a competition arises she does all she can to make it work. And when it does go wrong, Ed comes in to save her and the family. It's heart-warming, poignant and just a perfect read to cosy up with alongside a cuppa and blanket.

As you can probably tell, I'd 100% recommend this to anyone who loves a chic lit with a touch of realism. Good job, Jojo Moyes!

Have you read this book before? What do you think of it?

Thanks for reading,

Rhiannon xx

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Beauty Review: Eyeko Skinny Liquid Eyeliner

Eyeko Skinny Liquid Eyeliner £12

Before blogging and following various beauty news accounts, I'd never even heard of Eyeko, but from browsing beauty blogger reviews, I think they're a brand to definitely check out! I'll admit, I didn't actually buy this (don't worry, I didn't steal it!) it came with a Glamour magazine a few months ago and I just got round to blogging about it. 

I'm all for getting that perfect feline flick, but some days I just want a little line to define and open up my eyes. Cue Eyeko Skinny Liquid Eyeliner! It's precise, smudge-free and great for an easy application. But. Now this is a big but! It dries out so quickly! So now it takes a good four or more layers to get a jet black line, which is frustrating when you want a quick eyeliner flick. Maybe I've had the lid off for too long before (wouldn't be surprising!) but from such a good, staple product at the beginning, I've become a little disappointed in it.

Saying that, it does still give you a good and sharp line, as the nib isn't flexible so you'll have no wobbly lines, and it does stay on all day! I'll definitely be checking out the rest of the Eyeko range, I've heard very good things about their mascaras.....

Have you guys tried Eyeko before? What do you think of this eyeliner?

Thanks for reading!

Rhiannon xx

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Beauty Review: Soap & Glory Make Up, Peach Party Blush and Archery Brow Pencil

Multi-Colour Blush Brick in Peach Party £11 and Archery Brow Pencil in Blondeshell £8

Soap & Glory has always been a firm favourite of mine for luxurious bath and body products at a realistic price, but I was a bit sceptical of their make up products. Well, until now anyway! It's just once of those things where you'll associate a brand with a particular range of beauty products, so when they bring out a new range, you're a bit unsure of what they're like!

First up is the Archery Brow Pencil, which I have been intending to purchase for a long while! Myself and brows have had a difficult relationship. Let's face it, you can't see them because they're so fair and there isn't really much shape to them. 

Although the famous Archery Eyebrow Tint and Precision Pencil has had a lot of love across the blogosphere, I prefer the natural pencil look so opted for this version. There's only two actual colour selections, which is a little disappointing, but luckily 'Blondeshell' is just about the right shade for my eyebrows. It's got a slight grey tinge to it, is fairly easy to apply and because the nib is so small you can fill in your brows with small strokes to make it look a lot more natural.

I'll first use the spooly (best eyebrow product invention to date!) to brush through my eyebrows and get a good shape, then fill in the gaps with the pencil and finally brush back through again to make sure everything is in place.

In short, I can't rave on enough about this! It's great for when you haven't got time to use eyebrow powders and it stays put all day. I might even go so far to say it's a new eyebrow holy grail...

Because Boots had a 'Buy One Get One Half Price' deal across S&G, it would be rude not to pick up something else, of course?!

Again, there's been a million and one reviews of the bronzer and highlighter, Solar Power, which I do also like, but this coral shimmer blush caught my eye. It's highly pigmented, as well as being very shimmery, so go easy with this one! It does have  a lot  of fall out, but the overall product itself is stunning. Just a quick sweep across my cheek bones and I'm done, highlighter and blusher all in one. The packaging is brilliant too, nice big mirror that you can actually use and is still small enough to slip into your bag. 

Another product which has turned around my first impression of S&G make up! I'll definitely be checking out their other products now, but these two are pretty good if you're looking for a new blush or eyebrow pencil.

What do you think of Soap & Glory make up? Have you tried these two before?

Thanks for reading!

Rhiannon xx

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