Topshop princess, a rockstar too

I woke up this morning and the sun was shining. In a fit of excitement, I swiftly donned a Spring outfit I've been planning for ages and heading to my garden with my tripod. Unfortunately I completely underestimated the wind so here are some rather blustery outfit photos:

Top: H&M. Skirt: Topshop. Sandals: Topshop. Socks: Topshop. Necklace: c/o Bluefinch Boutique. Earrings: Culture Vulture.

Firstly, I must apologise for my horrendously pale legs. I can't wait for some decent sunshine to build my tan, but in the meantime I've turned to Palmer's Cocoa Butter Natural Bronze to gradually add some glow. I stocked up on it yesterday, along with some MUA Power Pouts. They were a complete bargain at £3 and I adore them. They are soft and nourishing on your lips and ridiculously easy to apply, even for a beauty novice like myself. I bought two shades - Broken Hearted and Crazy in Love - and know that they will be perfect for summer.

Today I wore the Crazy in Love shade to match my red Topshop skater skirt. I teamed this with a lovely lace crop top from H&M. With a high waisted skirt, I love this top because it isn't too stomach-baring and the scalloped lace makes me feel all ladylike in contrast with my schoolgirl socks and sandals. Talking of which...

These Topshop Block Heel T-Bar Shoes and some Topshop ankle socks are another recent treat, as a distraction from essay-writing and exam pressure. I've been in love with these shoes since I spotted the black version over on Megan from the Briar Rose's blog but they were out of stock in my local store. Then I discovered that you can get your online purchases delivered to store for just £2. It's not as good as free delivery, but you do get it the next day for much less than a delivery to your house. I chose them in tan, as I wanted them in leather rather than suede and felt this colour was a bit more summery. Then, when I went into store, I managed to buy these socks too. £8 does seem extortionate for three pairs of socks, but unfortunately I don't live near enough a Primark to go there instead! That said, these socks seem good quality and they are so cute with the sandals. Socks and sandals are cool, right? 

<3

xx

"After all this time?" "Always."

Hello! As I warned you in my last post, here's another Harry Potter themed post. Today I wanted to share with you a few of the wonderful costumes used in the Harry Potter films, and how the 'fashion' enhances both the films and the WB Studio Tour:

Firstly, the Great Hall contains a procession of Hogwarts' teachers, my favourite costumes being those of Mad Eye Moody and Prof Trelawney. The artful shabbiness of these costumes are so skillful and I was constantly enthralled by the fascinating attention to detail throughout the tour.

The costumes for the Yule Ball were exquisite. Hermione's dress was beautiful (and I was extremely envious of Emma Watson's waist!) You could even buy a replica of the dress from the gift shop - a 'bargain' at £250.

I love these iconic costumes from the Prisoner of Azkaban. They always remind of that wonderful Malfoy-slapping scene!

Another iconic set of costumes are the sports gear for Quidditch. The design team must have loved creating the kit for this fantasy sport. I particularly love the keeper's padding, which reminds me of old-fashioned cricket gear.

I do love a good baddies' costume, and these are great. One part of the tour had a selection of images by concept artists, who had helped create these costumes, especially the Death Eaters'. The intricate masks are fascinating as well as terrifying, and each mask has its individual characteristics. 

Finally - some would say the worst baddie of them all; Umbridge. As with all of the costumes, the intricacy was what truly astounded me. You couldn't really describe these costumes as 'fashionable,' but they certainly can be said to convey the style and personality of the character they are designed for. 

These are just a small selection of the truly amazing costumes at the Warner Bros Studio Tour. I can't describe how astounding it was to see these costumes created by the designers and costume department for the Harry Potter films. The intricate details, particular to each individual character, were fascinating and testament to the dedication and skill of each and every person involved in making the world of Harry Potter come to life.

<3

xx

Mischief Managed

As many of you will know, last Friday I visited the Warner Bros Studio Tour. It was a truly amazing gift from my boyfriend for my birthday and, as a massive Harry Potter fan, I was unbelievably excited to finally see behind the scenes of the film adaptations of my favourite childhood (and adulthood!) books. It was particularly exciting to visit during the #OneYearOn celebrations - even if I wasn't lucky enough to win a prize! Here are just a few photos to sum up the day:

As you can see, I struggled to cut down my pictures to my favourite few! I am already planning a couple more posts about the day, so I hope that there are at least a couple of Harry Potter fans amongst my readers. If not, don't worry - the next post is about fashion too!

I simply cannot recommend the WB Studio Tour enough. It is a fascinating experience, for fans and non-fans alike. I loved all the facts I learnt - I will share with you just one example; the tricks to ensure that Robbie Coltrane looked like a giant. For one, there were two Gamekeeper's Huts; one normal sized and one smaller in which Hagrid was filmed to ensure that he looked 'oversized.' In other scenes, a 6"10 ex-rugby player acted as a body-double whilst wearing an animatronic mask of Coltrane's face. Watching back some of scenes, I can't believe that it's a mask! But worry not, Warner Bros, I won't share any more of your secrets - if you want to know more, my readers, you will just have to visit yourselves. You certainly won't regret it.

<3

xx