Zatchels, York

A few weeks ago I was excited to discover that one of my favourite accessory brands Zatchels had opened a store right in York. I headed down to the press day to check out all their gorgeous bags, including some rather special York exclusives:

The rose prints you see above were launched exclusively for the York store, but some are now available on the Zatchels website - they seem to have gone missing for the time being but I assume they will be back after their current flash sale ends! The prints were inspired by the Yorkshire rose and they are just so pretty. They are striking and original yet a print that seems to coordinate with any outfit. For me personally, they are a wonderful reminder of the Yorkshire county and the release is particularly well timed with Le Grand Depart starting next week, meaning that Yorkshire is feeling particularly proud of its heritage at the moment!

Another bonus of the York store is the various in store offers - when I popped back in a week after the press day, the store was holding a sale offering 30% off across much of the range. I couldn't resist this beautiful mint backpack at such a reduction. However, let's not mention the fact that Zatchels are currently running a 50% off sale so I could have got it cheaper! Instead, I'm reminding myself of the second selling point regarding the York store - you get your bag immediately. I've already worn my backpack so much I'm feeling slightly less upset over the money I could have saved!

If you want to visit Zatchel's new wonderful York store, head over to The Shambles and try and resist their beautifully designed shop. 

OOTD: Stripes and Scarlet

It's time for another outfit post! I was kindly sent this striped dress from FD Avenue and I've been itching to get the chance to style it. I decided that I wanted to style a glam night out look, with some help from my Halo hair extensions:

Dress: FD Avenue* Wedges: Primark. Bag: Zatchels* Hair extensions: Halo Hair Extensions*

This dress is called the 'Beyonce Stripe Panel Bodycon Dress' but it is clearly a dupe for the Topshop number that Beyonce actually wore. Whilst the Topshop dress is out of stock online (but still available in some stores such as York) and retails at £70, this FD Avenue version is just £9.99. There are some obvious differences - this version is bodycon rather than A-line and it is tight. I played it safe and ordered a size 10 and I am glad I did because it is tiny! Luckily the material is sturdy and works like shapewear to hold everything in, but this is still definitely a dress for those elusive 'thin days.' 

Despite this, I like the stripes, which emphasize your waist and hips, and the sleeves cover up my upper arms nicely. It's such a bargain for £9.99 as I can easily see myself wearing this with bare legs and sandals in a more casual environment or smartening up the whole look with a blazer. Today I teemed it with some black tights and wedges from Primark to lengthen my legs. These wedges are without a doubt the comfiest heels I have ever owned - a statement which is about to be tested as I am going to be wearing them for 12 hours this evening at my university's Summer Ball. They were only £14 and are also available in beige; I'm seriously regretting not buying them in both colours and hoping I can snap up another pair before they disappear.

I wanted to add a pop of colour to the outfit so I couldn't resist posing with my new Zatchels Barrel Bag which I was kindly given at their York store opening. The new store is fantastic (keep an eye out for my post coming soon) and I love the metallic red to add another colour to the outfit, which I matched with some bright red lipstick. Finally, I finished my outfit with my Halo hair extensions, which I have recently rediscovered after writing about them last year. They are just so easy to put in, even for me, and I love how glamorous I feel wearing them.

Have you bought anything from FD Avenue? I think I might be a convert to their affordable versions of the latest trends and this is one of my favourite outfit posts to date - I hope you like it too!

OOTD: Exploring York

I can't believe that I only have two weeks left in my beloved York! In my three years at university, I have come to love Yorkshire and I am so sad to leave such a versatile and endlessly explorable part of the country. I've been trying to make the most of my last few weeks, so I took a trip down the river to shoot some outfit snaps and enjoy the surrounding area:

Skirt: Primark. Crop top: H&M. Necklace: New Look. Earrings: Culture Vulture. Sunglasses: Primark. Sandals: Topshop.

I picked up this skirt in Primark in Trinity Leeds and I love it. I'm often dwarfed by Primark's midi skirts, but this one hits my legs just right and I love the long split along the skirt to show a little more leg. My favourite summer looks always involve a vintage vibe, including floaty skirts, geeky sandals and quirky accessories. This pineapple print appeals to both the quirky and vintage sides to my fashion personality - I can't believe it's from good old Primark!

Today I teamed it with a lace black crop top from H&M, which when paired with the high waisted skirt only shows a slither of stomach. I added my favourite Topshop sandals, which are sadly wearing rather thin so I'm currently on a hunt for a new pair. I wish I'd bought two pairs when they were in store! 

However, this post isn't just about what I'm wearing, I wanted to share some more pictures of York before I leave the area in a few weeks. The River Ouse threads throughout York and is lovely to sit along the banks in the sunshine:

Isn't it beautiful? Yorkshire Water are currently working towards keeping areas like this in the best condition thanks to their Blueprint for Yorkshire*. It's worth checking out, especially if you are one of their customers like I am to find out how it will benefit you. They've even set up a series of walks around the entire Yorkshire county in order to promote the beautiful Yorkshire landscape and I'm looking forward to using it to try and explore Yorkshire a little more. How will you discover Yorkshire? Let me know where you visit!

Speccy Four Eyes with SpecsPost

Hello! Today's post is a more interactive one because I need all of your help to make some decisions. Recently, SpecsPost contacted me regarding their prescription glasses service. Their website is an easy and cheap way to buy your glasses - you simply choose your frames, add the details of your prescription and SpecsPost will send out your new glasses at a fraction of the price. As a glasses wearer for reading, I was excited to try out this innovative service for myself:

Let's start with a glasses-free photo of my face - lovely, there are far too many large images of my face in this post! I was sent the SpecsPost 'Home Trial,' which sends three pairs of glasses to your home, lens free, to try on before you buy. You can choose which designs suit you best and decide to either purchase the frames or send them back. Here are the three I chose:

Option 1: Black Retro Glasses

£28

I couldn't resist this oversized retro pair, despite the fact that I'm definitely not cool enough to pull off geek-style glasses! These were my 'risk' choice of the three, but I actually like the shape on my face and find them very easy to wear. I love the addition of the detailed brown edging around the frames, which I think makes them look far more expensive than just £28. 

Option 2: Parker Petite Sunglasses

£28

As much as I love the first pair of glasses, I thought a great use of the SpecsPost website would be to grab myself some prescription sunglasses. I struggle to read for long periods of time without my glasses, but this can create a bit of a dilemma in bright summer sunshine. These sunglasses are a little small for my face and don't really suit me, but I still think that they are a basic yet versatile pair of black sunglasses to co-ordinate with any outfit.

Option 3: Grace Tawny Sunglasses

£35

Finally, I decided to try a more vintage style pair of sunglasses. I loved the tawny tortoiseshell print as soon as I spotted them on the website, as well as the oversized retro frames. The tinted lenses aren't as dark as I would like (not much opportunity for 'people watching' in these) but I love the colour of the frames. They are subtle enough to go with every outfit, but certainly add a more statement edge than the second pair. I can imagine them going perfectly with my vintage-style summer dresses as I read in the sunshine this summer.

Overall I love the concept of SpecsPost as an affordable and hassle-free way to get some fashionable frames. The prices are incredibly good value, and the website also includes a variety of designer frames for all you label junkies. The process is simple and hassle free and the option to trial the frames before you add your prescription lenses demonstrates the SpecsPost ethos of the importance of customer satisfaction and great communication.

So which pair are your favourite? I can't decide between pair 1 and pair 3 personally, although the third pair are a more useful addition to my glasses collection. Please comment below and help me decide which pair to keep! 

OOTD: In The Pink

Hello! I figured I'd break up my recent spate of restaurant reviews with a little outfit post, featuring a recent Primark find:

Dress: Primark. Sandals: Topshop. Sunglasses: Primark. Necklace: New Look.

Primark has been onto a winner recently for me and I've found some great Summer pieces. This dress is one of them - a perfect smock style, with short sleeves and a bold pink floral print. It's an easy staple to throw on and head out into the sunshine. I wasn't sure about the idea of smock dresses for a long time - there is a definite risk of looking like you're wearing a pregnancy dress - but I'm now buying more and more. I've began to steer away from the more bodycon looks and move towards a more loose fitted look for summer teamed with a pair of simple sandals.

Today I paired it with my favourite Topshop sandals and one of my New Look statement necklaces. I added a pair of cheap and cheerful Primark sunglasses and was ready for the sun! I've been stocking up on sunglasses from Primark but I'm also excited to try some pairs from SpecsPost - keep an eye out for my post on this great brand coming soon!