Wants VS Needs-A BIRTHDAY WISHLIST

Hello everyone,

It's my birthday next week so as per tradition I thought I'd make a little wishlist. Honestly, I don't particularly need anything desperately, so these are all things that would be lovely gifts. I don't usually make a big deal about my birthday but it's the big TWO-FIVE! Haha, I'm supposed to be an actual grown-up now aren't I?

Acer Chromebook

Quite a biggie for a birthday gift but my family said they'd all chip in towards a new laptop. I've been thinking about a Chromebook as I don't need it for anything too technical, I have Photoshop etc on my desktop so a laptop would purely be for writing/working on the go. Since getting a 'real' writing job I feel like I can't depend on my desktop and phone anymore, especially whilst I'm here, there and everywhere at the moment! This is cheap, cheerful and simple which is what I need.

Patterned Laptop Case

A white laptop isn't going to stay white for very long with me haha! As you can probably tell I'm in love with the folk, ethnic prints at the moment and the case is lovely, I think I'm really feeling the autumnal vibes :) Since becoming a gingey redhead again, I'm definitely attracted to the warmer tones.

Johnny Loves Rosie Watch

I've wanted a watch for some time now (badumdumtsch-sorry) but I'm really fussy! I don't want anything too big, too flashy, silver, no leather, no links etc it's been a hard search. I love this one by Johnny loves Rosie because it's classic & cute, it has little gold polka dots and even little heart arms. Plus it's silicone rather than leather woohoo!

Woodwick Candle

I got this Woodwick candle for my birthday last year and I'm being serious when I say it's only just finished burning a few weeks ago! I lit it almost every day and it smelt divine. Rum & raisin is one of my favourite combinations and in candle form it was sweet, spicy and sandalwoody which I love. Unfortunately, I can't seem to find this scent anywhere so this is a birthday plea, if you find one please sent it my way ;)

Wilko Duvet Covers

In a bid to make my caravan super cosy and extra boho, I think I need to treat myself to some new bedding. Wilkos ones are cheap and last well. As I mentioned before my love for hippy prints is showing no slowing down at the moment so this will go perfectly in my lil caravan, At Whimsy Towers I liked the black and white look with pops of colour as all the rooms were white & bright. In the caravan, the curtains all around are mustard colour and all the furniture is pine wood so white doesn't really fit in.

Lush Angels On Bare Skin

TRUTH: I already treated myself to this as an early birthday present 'to me from me' last week haha. It's amazing though, I remember using something similar a few years ago from Lush and it did wonders for my skin but it was limited edition and I didn't really think about it anymore. When I popped in the other day I got chatting to one of the lush gals as you do, and she said it was very similar to the one I used to use and they do it all year round! My skin feels so smooth and fresh after using it. Plus is vegan and has no nasties in it :)

I don't have any big plans for my birthday yet but I'm sure something will form nearer the time!

What is on your wishlist at the moment? Christmas is coming up ;)

Thanks for reading

Rachelle xxx

Wishlist: BIRTHDAYTIME!

Hellooo, 

Happy November folks!

November is one of my favourite months of the year. I love bonfire night, wrapping up in gloves, scarfs & fleece-lined tights, the shops getting all festive and of course it's my birthday month! I'm going to be a grand, old age of 23 this year. I haven't really asked for anything specific for my birthday as I don't really need anything but here are a few things that I've been eyeing up recently...

Sabrina The Teenage Witch Box Set 

Sabrina was my favourite programme to watch when I was a kid, I recently visited my friend and she had the whole boxset! I've never actually watched it all in chronological order and I'm sure watching it again will be totally different! I have so much love for Salem too, what a funny cat.

Guerlain Le Petite Robe Noir EDP

I first got a whiff of this gorgeous perfume in House of Fraser. It was the night of 'Vogue's Fashion Night Out' in Manchester and I was just having a good moochy mooch,. The Guerlain counter lady offered me a spray and gave me a sample to take home. At first I wasn't particularly bothered but the scent really grew on me. It has notes of black cherry, almond, smoked tea and patchouli which initially is quite a fresh fragrance that settles to a smokier scent which I personally love.

Nike 5.0 Leopard Print Trainers

After firmly staying away from the running shoe 'trend' I have caved in and decided that my feet need some super-supportive yet super-pretty trainers for my daily commute. These Nike ones are my favourite so far. I love the leopard print (obviously) & the pink & purple tones are my favourite colours. They are £80 (gasp!) & as a self-confessed cheapskate they do seem out of my budget so I thought if I get some birthday money they can be put towards a pair :)

NARS Orgasm Illuminator

My housemate (oh heeeey Hayley) kindly gave me some sample sizes of this illuminator that she'd got in Selfridges, that was a good while ago and now I'm getting to the end of the tiny tube. I never thought I'd feel so attached to an illuminator! I really like the warm golden/apricot flecks of glitter and it adds just the right amount of luminosity without making my skin look ridiculously sparkly or greasy. It is £22 for a tube but I presume that it would last me ages as the 5ml sample one has lasted me a good few months. I don't wear it everyday but I love applying a little to the tops of my cheekbones for a healthy glow. 

Bleach London Dye in Bruised Violet

I've followed Bleach London on Instagram for ages and there was certainly a lot of hype surrounding the launch of their home dye kits & colours. I'm no stranger to a bit of hair dye so I'm interested to find out what the results would be on darker hair as apposed to bleached hair. I love purple tones in my hair so bruised violet sounds like my kinda hue!

Now I just need to make some birthday plans! Who wants to party ;)

Thanks for reading :)

Rachelle xxx

Dream Wardrobe Building: BLACK BASICS WISHLIST

Hello :)

So I've decided that I am going to carry on my 'Dream Wardrobe Building' feature and the key to any capsule/working wardrobe is basics. I have a confession to make-I don't like 'basics' I find them well, you know, umm boring :|

Pretty much everything I own has a pattern or a motif or something to jazz it up a bit but honestly I do think this makes it difficult to have a workable wardrobe without going all 'clashing prints' every day of the week.

I'm trying to get myself excited by plain fabrics and timeless cuts so I have come up with a few wardrobe necessities that I am severely lacking in the clothing department.

I'd really love to have a capsule wardrobe of quality basics that will last for a long time but still look as amazing in 10 years as they do now!

Most style books I have read suggest 'a crisp white men's shirt' or a 'camel trench-coat', true they may be classic pieces but they don't really reflect my personal style.
So I've chosen black key pieces that I think will work season to season.

One: H&M Wool Hat

I've wanted a bowler-esque hat for ages. I think some high street ones can look quite cheap yet I didn't quite have £50+ to spend on the beautiful ones in my local vintage shop. H&m came to the rescue with this cute hat. 

Two: Zara Cropped Angora Jumper

Fluffy jumpers are set to be a big deal this A/W but I think a classic, black angora jumper will be a wardrobe staple for years to come. I like the fact that it's cropped & when I'm wearing plain clothes I like using texture to add extra interest to a simple outfit.

Three: Muubaa Leather Jacket

Ohh the dream leather jacket. I love the style of Muubaa leather jackets as although they are timeless they have great details too. I really like the textured quilting on the shoulders & I'm always a fan of the asymmetric fastening. This is a real investment piece at £400 but it will last forever. I'm gutted as last year I saw a few Muubaa jackets in TKmaxx reduced to £150 but at the time I had no money, Here's hoping that they get some in stock this year too.

Four: Zara T-shirt

This Zara tee is perfect, over-sized yet structured. It would look great with a skinny long sleeve top underneath & could easily be dressed up or down. I don't actually own any proper basic t-shirts that I wear casually. All my black tops are mainly for work so nothing too exciting.

Five: Topshop Denim Skater Skirt

A high waist skater skirt would be a welcome addition to my wardrobe. I literally wear high waist things all the time now. Again to add a bit of something something I enjoy the black acid wash effect. Kinda grungy but the silhouette is a classic. It would look really cute with thick knit tights and boots.

Six: Dr Martens Brady Sheepskin lined boots

These boots are beautiful! As most of you know I'm a big Dr Martens fan and it wouldn't be a wishlist without a new pair! I've had a couple of pairs of the furry lined boots before & they literally save my life in the winter. So cosy & practical. The boots I've had before have always had a suede outer and I find that they do get tatty quite quickly so I think a classic leather pair with the sheepskin lining will last a lot longer.

So there we have it. I may have accidentally bought the bowler hat already. I'm seriously lusting after the Dr Martens as the UK has completely missed autumn temperatures and it's wintery already-Why September?!

What are your favourite key pieces in your wardrobe?

Thanks for reading :)

Rachelle xxx

P.S I've decided that I'm going to add a song at the bottom of each post from now on,. Either a song I can't stop playing or something that complements the topic I'm posting about :) 

Wishlist: HURRY UP PAYDAY!

(Clockwise from the top)
Wall-Mounted Clothes Rail: In my new room I don't have enough space for a freestanding clothes rail so a wall mounted one seems like a perfect solution. I like this one but I can't find out the price. I've had a look on eBay and other places and they seem to be going for around £40-£60 which is a bit much for a glorified pieces of metal if you ask me so hopefully I'll be able to persuade my dad to build something similar!
Black Ballet Shoes: I need some new shoes for work, my Carvela ones are looking a bit scruffy now so they need replacing. I like these velvet ones from ASOS as I'm a bit of a velvet fiend.
Dermalogica Special Cleansing Gel: I've been trying out the mini size of this wash & I love it. It seems to be clearing up my awful skin. It's very gentle yet I feel like my skin is really clean and fresh afterwards. I've been using it with my facial buffer from The Body Shop which is amazing!
Aura Tracie Ellis Bedding- I need some new bedding and I saw this gorgeous set in TKMaxx the other day. I'd never heard of Tracie Ellis but she has some really pretty designs on her website. The set was £24.99 RRP £100!
Wooden Leopard Glasses- I know I've just got some new glasses but I want more in my collection! I adore this wooden pair and I think I need them on my face! They are $68 from Firmoo but I think they look so much more expensive.
Wooden Heart Ear Tunnels- I have my ears stretched and I've had some pretty wooden lotus tunnels in for the last 2/3 years! I'm not sure how the heart shaped ones would stay in my round holes but they are super cute. They are from this seller on eBay & there are loads of other great wooden designs.

So these are a few of many things that I would really like in my life right now! Every time I see something that I really want I write it down and I'm going to see if I still actually need it at the end of the month. I'm sure there will be quite a few wishlists in the next few weeks on here! I'm not one to splurge my money but then I don't really have a budget either. Isn't money a strange thing?!

Do you budget and save for specific items or do you tend to impulse buy?

Thanks for reading :)

Rachelle xxx