#OOTD Aztec Kidston

 Top: New Look | Denim Skirt: Cath Kidston | Necklace: Topshop | Tights: New Look | Shoes: Peacocks | Bracelets: eBay

As you've probably all seen, or heard, we had some pretty nice weather here in the UK! Such nice weather that i didn't even think to take snaps of my outfits, i was too busy enjoying it! However, here's an outfit from a day that was sunny but a little cooler than what we'd been used to.

In all honesty, i'd totally forgotten that i owned this Cath Kidston skirt! I bought it when i was a little smaller in size, i then put on weight and put it away under my bed because it no longer fit but i'm finally back down to what i was before (sort of!) but had forgotten i'd got it tucked away so it was a lovely find. It's a gorgeous skirt, i love that it's a decent length and the fab acid wash style is great for the warmer months and would be great with or without tights.


What do you guys think of my cute little eBay finds? I absolutely adore the liquorice allsorts bracelet, i've been eyeing up the chunky ones for ages but think this mini version is so much more wearable. I love the purple and the shamballa for easy day to night time but they look gorgeous for an arm party a la Shirley!

K|xo

Home is where: #2 The Bunting Is

I am a bunting fiend. I think it's one of those decorative pieces that can easily make a room, or home, feel more homely and welcoming. It's a simple way to jazz up a space and often give a nod to the shabby chic style.


I picked the top bunting up from Amazon, and goes well with my blue theme with accents of pinks, oranges and greens. They're gorgeous, big flags and will be great to hang above a bed or any space that needs a little pattern.


The bottom bunting was handmade for me by a fab eBay seller. You had the option to choose which Cath Kidston fabrics you wanted used and how many of each you also wanted. I love this because it's super long and looks like real, traditional bunting. The flags are smaller but i think that's a little more classic, i think it'll be great for hanging in the traditional fashion in a scallop style and great for decorating a larger area. What i love most is that it's bespoke and was really well priced, i'm super happy with it.

K|xo

#AussieSummerSizzle

As you probably already know, i successfully got my wings to become an Aussie Angel last month. It's an amazing opportunity as it is, to work with such a great, friendly and approachable brand but with it comes some rather exciting perks! Last week i received an email to say that a parcel would be delivered to me the following day, which can only mean one thing: Aussie! So the next day when the lovely DHL man delivered this to me, i couldn't wait to see what was inside!

When i opened the box i was met with this gorgeous Aussie beach bag, perfect for representing the brand and parading during the Summer months. It's a great size for carting all your beach bits and bobs for a trip to the coast, for taking on an overnight stay or even carrying your shopping. A 'wish you were here' note came along with the parcel explaining about the #AussieSummerSizzle which includes the fab, new, limited edition Summer Aussie bottles. As well as that, they've given us Angels the exciting opportunity to win VIP tickets to a surf festival in Newquay, this Summer, where we'll also get the chance to stay in a VIP tipi! All we have to do is host an #AussieSummerSizzle party and show how we did it on Pinterest, Twitter and blog about it with the most exciting becoming the winner! Unfortunately, i'm away while the festival is on but i'm sure the other Angels will host some truly aussome parties!

When i peered into the bag it was full of exciting goodies for me to try out as well as an Aussie beach towel fashioning the new limited edition print.

I got three full sized colour products to give a go, and actually they're three of my favourite Aussie products.

The Aussie 3 Minute Miracle Colour Deep Treatment is really similar to the 3 Minute Miracle Reconstructor Deep Conditioner which is my all time favourite conditioner, when i use it. It gives the best deep condition of any product i've ever tried, without being heavy or weighing down your hair. This product is amazing for coloured hair because it holds all the properties of the reconstructor but is made for coloured hair, so if you dye your hair regularly or even bleach it, making your hair dry and brittle, this could be your holy grail product!

I adore Aussie shampoo, like i said about the conditioner, it gives a great clean but feels light on application and doesn't weigh down the hair. I've tried many of the Aussie shampoos but not this one, as it's such a great sized product i'm going to save it and take it on holiday to use, sharing it with my mum, as it'll be great to help with our dyed hair in the blazing sun. Plus it has the delicious classic Aussie scent, that i can't get enough of!

This is probably my favourite Aussie product, and also my holy grail. I raved about a similar product here but this has the added bonus of being made for coloured hair. It's turned my hair from being fine, dry and brittle into it's former self. It's always been fine but never as dry or in bad condition as when i bleached it, but this helped to improve the quality amazingly - i can't recommend it enough.

I also received five sets of the Miracle Moist Shampoo and Conditioner to use ourselves and share with friends and family. They're the perfect size for a week or two away, and i can confirm that these are just as fab as the rest of the Aussie family. I tested them out on a week away and they were the perfect size for travel, i love them.

So, thank you to the lovely people at Aussie for the chance to give these products a go and i'll be sure to use my Aussie tote all Summer long!

K|xo

Home is where: #1 The Love Is

As some of you may know, i've just finished my first year of university - although i haven't raved about it - so i'll soon be moving out of halls of residence (1st July!) ready to move into my new flat. I'm super excited to move as my halls experience was awful and i pretty much hated every minute, SO! Moving can't come soon enough. I'm lucky enough to be moving in with one of my best friends at university, into a two bed ground floor flat and we're both very excited!


So with moving into a new flat means getting to decorate my own space, even more than i did while in halls as my room was the size of a shoe box. I'm looking forward to having a larger, more permanent space - as we'll be staying put for the next two years - and a double bed (hoorah!). I'll be showing you some of the pieces i've picked up to personalise my new room with, over the next few weeks, and then when i've fully moved in and decorated in October i'll be sure to show you some snaps of it all put together. But for now, i'll show you some elements that will help to create my new space.


The overall theme for my room is generally going to be blue, but i'm kinda going by the colours on my bedspread - which you'll be seeing in a few posts - so there will be colour accents, but i'm generally going for blues mixed with baby, light pinks, purples and touches of brights like peach. I'm also kinda going for the classic shabby chic look paired with my quirky style, for example i'm going to be using a gorgeous cake stand to house my go to jewellery but i won't be showing you that here until October when i've built it - it needs to stay flat pack for now to travel well!


So, to go with my shabby chic style i picked up this beautiful wooden freestanding sign depicting LOVE from eBay. I wanted something like this, and i felt that love was girly and playful adding a sensitive touch to the room. My boyfriend will be visiting me in Southampton, from London, so i want to make sure i have an equally welcoming space with a touch of romance and i feel that this piece will fit in well.

Keep your eyes peeled for the next post!

K|xo

Tea Tree Foaming Cleanser

Tea Tree Foaming Face Wash

So, before i'd really indulged in using my Good Things Products and was having some problematic skin on my face - i was breaking out, i'm pretty sure due to stress, and my acne scarring was looking harsh - and i was eyeing up Tea Tree products in Superdrug, deciding only to pick the Tea Tree spot stick (which actually works insanely well!) but Tea Tree can be pretty expensive when you want to try out the whole range. 


But what did i see while strolling in Poundland? Why, only a Tea Tree face wash and for a pound i thought why not! Now, i wasn't expecting miracles seeing as it was so cheap and while using it i wasn't overly impressed. Since using the amazing purifying cleanser from Good Things, which is a thick melting gel, using a foam seemed a bit pathetic. It suggests, on the bottle, to use one or two pumps but i found that i needed three of four to feel like anything was working. While massaging into my face, i felt more like i was just wiping it around or just completely off my face. However, i persevered and did what the packaging said - massaging into the face using circular motions - and i did this for about a minute or so, which is what my Good Things cleanser suggests. Like i said, i didn't think much too it but when i washed it off my skin felt super smooth and supple. It felt cleaned and clear, maybe not quite as well done as my gel cleanser but for a pound, i feel this Tea Tree cleansing wash would be great for a lighter clean and maybe when i'm having problem skin as the Tea Tree will always be good for bad skin!

K|xo

The Boyfriend Tag

You can follow me on Instagram @_legseleven

So, i've decided that i should finally fill you guys in on the Mr as he's been mentioned many a time on this here blog and i thought it about time that you were formally introduced! I decided the easiest way would to be to do the boyfriend tag, that's usually found on Youtube but i've brought it to my little space of the net, so here we go!

A little intro: His name's Jonathan, i call him Jonny, his family often calls him Jon. He's 22 in August and is a Computer Science graduate of the University of Southampton (i know!). He's secured a brilliant job at a finance company in London, starting in September and will be moving there full time.

1. Where did we meet? 

Jonny: I think the first time we met was through one of my school friends, and was invited to her 17th birthday at Frankie & Bennies. Probably the most awkward meal of my life, 12 girls and me sitting on the end.

Kat: And i knocked his beer over. Awkward. The first time we saw each other was through a webcam but like Jonny said, the first time we officially met was when i invited him to my 17th birthday meal. I'd also like to point out that before this point he had chatted me up on Facebook chat. True story.


J: I still maintain that I did not chat her up, just ask who the hell she was as I had no idea why she was on my Facebook! Pretty glad I asked her though.

2. Where was our first date?

J: Our first date, now that is a throw back to the past. So much so I can't even remember and I'm not even sure we did have a first date. I think it would have been just a day out where I live with some walks and a drink. Evidently a memorable date.


K: I'm pretty sure we didn't have a first date because he didn't take me anywhere, nice. However, we often went for walks, day trips and the first Christmas we were together i was invited to attend a family get together with half of his vast family (Did i mention there's like a thousand of them?)

3. What was your first impression of me?

J: Leggy, smiley and very friendly.


K: Insanely clever, very tall but really approachable. The least scary kinda 'stranger'.

4. When did you meet the family?

J: The first time we met, quite daunting if I'm honest. I generally see them whenever I go to visit her.


K: I can remember the first time i met his parents, i don't remember the exact date but i remember it was Summer and i remember i was wearing a pink and purple checked skirt from Topshop with a white oversized top and my beloved gold glitter shoes. Such a fashion journalist, and like i said before i met a few more of the brood the first Christmas we were together approximately 9 months in.

5. Do I have any weird obsessions, if so - what?

J: Me. Oh and clothes, don't get that.


K: I promise i'm not weird, honest. His BIG thing is obsessing over everything having to have a logical explanation.. What IS that? Maybe it's a computer scientist thing.


EDIT: K: AND HIS IPHONE. How could i forget that? I'm going to enforce a no phones/laptops/ipads/technical equipment in bed rule.

6. How long have we been together?

J: 3 years, 3 months and maybe a few hours.


K: 3 Years, 2 months exactly (When this was written on June 12th) We were official on April 12th.


J: Apparently I can't count.

7. Do you have a tradition with your gf/bf? 

J: I don't really think we do. Not that I notice anyway.


K: Well, if you can call celebrating our anniversary every year a tradition? We like to make sure we do something for the milestones.

8. What was our first roadtrip?

J: Me driving to and from University for my final year. Such a good time, had she not been grabbing my wheel and indicators!


K: We drove to Southampton a few Summers ago for a week, he drove and i held on to my seat very tightly. On that trip i also realised i had become the phantom breaker.

J: I am not a bad driver, she's just easily scared.


K: Should i mention when you crashed your Dad's car only metres from your own home? No, i didn't think so.


J: Completely unrelated incident.

9. What was the first thing you noticed about me?

J: As above really, really long legs, a constant smile and just really friendly. If it had to be the very first thing, it would be her eyes, they're amazingly big!


K: That he was taller than me! I'd never met anyone who was taller than me before.

10. What is my favorite restaurant? 

J: Bella Italia, hands down. 


K: Jonny likes to cook and he's really good at it too. He likes good food so it'd probably be somewhere neither of us could afford. We went to Pitcher & Piano in Southampton once, and we both really enjoyed that.


J: I'd have to say Café Rouge or Orso.

11. What do we argue about the most? 
J: Probably who's better at stirring food. Generally something and nothing.


K: Definitely something and nothing, however i'd ask any long distance relationships whether they argue about something and nothing - pretty sure they'd agree.

12. Who wears the pants in the relationship? 

J: We take turns.


K: Haha, We share. But me.

13. If I am watching tv what am I watching?

J: Either some cheesy chick flick or a boring reality/drama show (Gossip Girl, Towie, Made in Chelsea etc. etc.)


K: FOOTBALL. ALL. THE. TIME.

14. What is one food I do not like? 

J: I think "food group" is more appropriate here. Vegetables.


K: He ain't picky and i would like to point out that i am getting better with my veg!


J: Only after a serious amount of hard work over 3 years!


EDIT: K: If you could have seen the tickle fight that just occured.. He thinks he's so clever!

15. What drink do I order when we go out to eat?

J: Malibu & Coke, Brothers or a soft drink.


K: A beer or red wine.

16. What size shoe do I wear?

J: Not a clue, 6?


K: I'm a 7/8 and i'm pretty sure he's an 11?


J: I'm a 10/11, so pretty good guess.


K: Only because i shop for most of his shoes.

17. What is my favorite kind of sandwich?

J: Chicken and bacon.


K: Jonny likes food. Fancy cheese and meat.

18. What is one talent I have? 

J: Being completely oblivious to my humour is a pretty special talent. On a serious note, probably her fashion sense, even if she hates brown.


K: Being sarcastic. Although he's also amazing at designing websites and generally being a creative genius, however he has a huge ego.


J: I really don't, I know I'm good at some things, but only good, not amazing.

19. What would I eat everyday if I could? 

J: I'm going to guess either pasta or chicken.


K: Jonny couldn't eat the same thing every day, he'd get bored. He likes too much and is a really good cook.

20. What is my favorite cereal? 

J: Cookie Crunch or Rice Krispies.


K: Only because i gave him that one! He eats Special K a lot or Coco Pops!

21. What is my favorite music?

J: I know she likes the Bublé, but probably current pop music.


K: I like catchy things i can listen to in my car, so current pop music is probably pretty accurate! Jonny loves Spotify, he listens to all sorts! One minute it's gangsta rap and next it's a chamber choir. He also likes to find new things.


J: Only recently have I started to search for new music, but generally I'd say I have a wide range. Favourites are Muse, Coldplay and house music.


K: Oh my GOD, how did i not say Muse!? OBSESSED.

22. What is my favorite sports team? 

J: This question does not apply to Kat. Maybe Norwich by association.


K: I don't know WHAT he is talking about, i am an avid Norwich City supporter! I have a yellow top to prove it! Jonny's team is Norwich too, if you hadn't of guessed.

23. What is my eye color? 

J: Grey/Blue.


K: His initial answer was Grey/Green until we had a debate. I'm pretty sure his are brown.

24. Who is my best friend? 

J: Jenna or Nicole.


K: His Iphone. Haha, He has a number of close friends like i do. I have a close circle of best friends, including the two above (from separate circles). I don't know that i would be able to guess his 'best' friends because he has a few that he's close to.

25. What is something you do that I wish you didn't?

J: Not listening to a good opinion on something, she can be very stubborn in her ways.


K: Tell me to calm down. We all know that just adds fuel to the fire.


J: It is always meant sincerely, and NOT patronisingly.

K: It never sounds it!

26. Where am I from? 

J: St Ives.


K: London.

27. What kind of cake would you bake me on my birthday?

J: A really good sponge cake with awesome decorations. My last one was a pirate on a desert island! 


K: Chocolate orange cupcakes. Or something in the shape of Hello Kitty.

28. Do I play any sports?

J: She does not do sports.


K: He plays football. Do video games count as a sport? Pretty sure they should.

29. If I could live anywhere, where would it be?

J: Probably the flat in Friends.


K: That was a good, unexpected answer. I would like to live in New York or in Florida, depending on what job i'd want to be in. Jonny would probably like to be in America too, although he hates the heat.

30. Why do you love me?
J: Love is different for everyone and hard to summaries, but to me it's the fact she's always there when I need her no matter how annoying I may be. That and her smile.


K: I love him because he's the best friend a girl could ask for, as well as a boyfriend. He knows how to look after me and does it well. He puts up with me even when i'm being even more annoying than usual and he's open minded about us and our future. Except maybe about the fact i want a Westie and he wants something else. Don't worry, we'll have both.


J: We're not getting a Westie.


K: Yes, we are.


Well! There you have it folks, the boyfriend tag is now complete and i hope it maybe you let you in to a little more about me and my Mr. We had a lot of fun writing together and it was nice, and probably good for us, to think about things in our relationship and such. I'd love to read any of your boyfriend tags! Let me know if you've done something similar and i hope you're all keeping well!

K&J | xo

Aloe Propolis Dream Creme

One of my skin woes is that i get terrible eczema. Now, any of you that also suffer from this problem know that the dry, flakey skin is a real bain of life.  It can become sore and itchy, and sometimes even has bad as bleeding. I get mine under my arms and down my chest, and i can tell you that getting it under your arms is horrible. It can become really, really itchy and so sore because of all the activity that occurs in this area - shaving, sweating, rubbing, etc.


I usually get a prescription, medicated cream - Betnovate, for those wondering - to treat the area but this generally dries the skin out even more, however does treat the eczema. Now the sun is here (finally), i want to get my arms out more than usual without worrying about my underarm skin. This also means that i'm shaving the area more frequently, because of this which doesn't help. So, when talking to my mum about options i could take she said that she had bought a cream for my dad to try on his sore elbow. She said that it wasn't exactly medicated but contained ingredients that were supposed to help with skin problems - so, i thought i'd give it a go.


It's called Aloe Propolis Creme from the brand Forever Living and it seems to have cured all my skin woes. Like i said, my worst affected area was under my arms and after just one use my skin become silky smooth and actually felt like my skin again - over sharing? Sorry! - and a small squidge goes a long way.

The creme contains Aloe Vera and Bee Propolis, this is what bee's line their hives with and is meant to keep it intensely sterile - often thought to be more sterile than an operating theatre. This thick, creamy moisturiser, and conditioner, contains an active blend of Aloe Vera, Bee Propolis, Chamomile, Vitamin A and Vitamin E - all ingredients recognised for their contribution to healthy skin. This cream promotes healthy skin tone and texture.


If you have skin troubles, like me, i highly recommend giving this a go!

K|xo

REVIEW: Benefit The POREfessional

Benefit The POREfessional: RRP £23.50

This is a well overdue review, as i've had it for so long now but just never really thought it was my kind of product but how wrong was i, as it's found it's way in to my day to day make up bag. It's not a product i do use every day, but it's used when i know i'm going to need to look bright and glowing for a longer period of time as it definitely helps to keep my make up in tact. It goes on really smooth, evens out my skin tone and make my skin look healthier - minimising pores. I feel like it still lets my skin breathe and doesn't make my skin greasy or oily, but i do like to let it soak in before applying my make up on top of it.

It's a great product for someone like me who's a bit of a primer-a-phobe!

K|xo

Florida Fashion

Apologies if some, or all, of the garments are no longer available - this was written a little while ago and got lost in the depths of Blogger but thought i'd post it to finish the Florida series.

(Image sourced from We Heart It)

As you now know, i love Florida! Orlando to be exact, and Walt Disney World to be even more specific, but the weather is a whole world away from the dismal Summers we experience in the UK. Temperatures soar to the high 30's, which is lovely for a warm getaway but it can often become overpowering, which is why the Americans know how to seriously use their air con! We're in and out all the time, to keep at an acceptable temperature but clothing, or lack of, also keeps you feeling cool in the high temperatures. As i'm beginning to get excited, and thinking about my Summer wardrobe, i thought i'd give some tips and suggestions of things that keep the heat at bay, for me.

Topshop Bright Marble High Waist Shorts: £30 | New Look Denim Dungarees: £25.99 | Topshop MOTO Bleach Splatter High Waist Hotpants: £30 | New Look Aztec Patterned Belted Shorts: £19.99

Shorts are my go-to Florida get up; they're easy to throw on and it means i can wear as little clothing as possible, without being indecent. I find that skirts can, sometimes, be great for cooler evenings but during the day when you're doing all the theme parks and shopping can sort of getting in the way, especially the more floaty styles of skirt which are favoured in this heat (bodycon is a NO-NO) I also love dungarees! think they're a great alternative to shorts, and are super fun making you feel like a child! (Who doesn't want to feel like you're 5 again?) I don't often wear denim while in Florida as it can often be heavy, and weigh you down, but i kind of base my clothing in material as these bleached hotpants have a high cotton percentage which will help skin to breathe and keep you well ventilated.

Topshop Shanghai Floral Playsuit: £34 | Paprika Via New Look Floral Zip Playsuit: £29.99 | Miss Selfridge Petites Burgundy Playsuit: £35 | River Island Blue Floral Print Playsuit: £19.99

Like dungarees, playsuits are also a great alternative to shorts and also save room on packing as there's no need to take extra tops like you need with shorts. The ones i've chosen to show are a little more summery, floaty and thin than some of the playsuits you can get on the High Street; they can often be tailored and a little heavier in fabric, so it's important when picking that you don't pick anything too tight or structured, something you could run around to if you so wished! Not only when choosing playsuits but also anything for hot weather, it's good to choose light colours or at least nothing too dark, so stick away from blacks and navys but patterns aren't too bad, you just want to keep yourself as cool as possible!

H&M Top: £7.99 | Miss Selfridge Embellished Vest: £25 | New Look Cameo Rose Diamante Lace Edge Vest: £12.99 | Dorothy Perkins Champagne Animal Print Vest: £19.50 £15

When it comes to tops, the simpler the style the better but i'm definitely not opposed to bright and colourful print! My favourite kind of top for a super humid holiday, like Florida, is the basic strap top but there are so many kinds of strappy top. I love the ones with lace straps and lace insets around the neckline and waist, it gives a little bit of embellishment but nothing too crazy, or heavy, to make you hot. I love the prints, but whatever i choose i make sure they're not dark tones, basically as long as it's light and strappy it's perfect!

What do you wear on holiday?

K|xo

#OOTD Peplum Stripes

 Top: Innocence Via New Look | Shorts: Topshop Tall (Old) | Cardigan: H&M | Necklace: Rock'n'Rose | Tights: Primark | Toothpastey Towl: Model's Own

I adore this little ensemble, it's so easy to throw on and is insanely comfortable but also looks super chic and like i've made loads of effort (read: i haven't). I never thought i would, but i'm loving the peplum style tops and am on the hunt for some others - maybe in different prints, or plain to wear with pattern skirts. The style is simple but flattering and goes with a surprising amount of contrasting styles.


The one problem i have with this top is that with the peplum style comes with quite a high pinched waist, meaning that when worn with lower rise bottoms - like jeans and low rise short/skirts - if it's windy or rides up, when walking, you flash a bitta skin, which isn't really my cuppa tea, so i combat that by pairing it with a high waist pair of shorts. I have worn it with low rise jeans and a cami underneath which works equally well, but is a little less clean lined.


With a pop of cardigan colour and my Rock 'n' Rose necklace, this simple outfit just seems easy and styled.

K|xo