Friday Fashion Treats

I must apologise that I have been so absent from my blog of late. I have been interning and moving, so the blog has gone a tad quiet.

I have also been without internet which makes life pretty difficult for a blogger.

Alas, I am back and felt I should share with you some glorious end of week treats to tempt you away from your pressing Friday evening work.

1. Every time Bijoux Bazaar gets a new drop, I notice a sudden drop in my bank balance. Anyone else feel this knock-on effect? This dove grey and crystal MANHATTAN style is the latest piece to catch my eye, and I am terribly worried it will sell out very soon. It is the perfect piece to throw over a casual sweater dress, or to add a healthy bit of chic to your LBD. It is a great buy... but please don't all buy one. Leave one for me, yes?

2. I have fallen hard for these burgundy velvet Hoxton sandals from ASOS. Velvet is so very decadent and elegant, and this rich colour just exudes opulent allure. They are the perfect shoes to buy in the run up to the party season.

3. A slip dress is foolproof for a Friday night, and this metallic one is a real dazzler. It's so 90s Kate Moss it hurts, and the silver sheen is perfect for both AW13 and SS14. It's a knockout. Sadly most small sizes are gone, but it will work on anyone.

4. This nail polish by Seche, also at ASOS is the perfect regal raspberry shade to compliment these killer ASOS heels.

Get Your Neon On

Okay so tomorrow is the start of May, today I went out in a strappy camisole and a lace jacket from The Kooples and this afternoon I received an email from Company magazine reminding me that it was almost a year ago that I took part in Company Grads 2012 (read about it here if you've forgotten!). I am 20 next year and will be a graduate by next Summer. This is scary- i'm practically a grown-up.

In the mean time, rather than getting all teary about this being my last year as a teenager, I shall instead do a bright and beautiful post with a whole lot of glowing neon products to put a big summery smile on my face.

Smile, guys, it's Summer (ish)!

1. Essie polishes are my favourite. There, I said it, let's just all move on. They are so richly pigmented and always in the most glorious colours with the cheekiest, cheeriest names. Their new neon collection for 2013 is deliciously juicy and I want every last shade. This bubblegum shade is called Bottle Service.

2. Acid green nails are not to everyone's taste, granted, but with a name like Shake Your $$ Maker, how could you resist this funky shade?  A tan is an essential, i'd imagine, but go for this shade if your feeling a little brave. 

3. Orange you lovely! Gosh, one day i'll cease with the embarrassing puns, but that day is not today. This acidic orange shade is perfect to pep up your nude studded sandals and it has a suitably uplifting name: Saturday Disco Fever!

4. This refreshing purple shade reminds me of Atelier-To-Go and, of course, for that reason I love it. DJ Play That Song is like parma violets on acid and would look amazing worn with hot pink sandals or lashings of aqua (my new favourite hue... as this instagram shot shows)

5. Topshop's fashion-forward budget beauty collections really are second to none, and this sexy peach Lip Bullet is fabulous for adding a little vivacity to your make-up bag and will bring a tropical touch to a "bare-faced" look.

6. Another gem from Topshop, this Bombshell lipstick just screams 90s nostalgia! In a clear case with an almost gelatinous look, this bubblegum pink shade is great fun. Get them feelin' Hella Good with this fabulous fuschia. 

7. I spotted this Ciaté polish a couple of days ago on my Twitter feed and I have been getting rather excited about it since. An interpretation of the famous Caviar set, this bad boy glows in the dark: seriously! Read more about Ciaté Corrupted Neon here.

8. The Red Roses scent from Jo Malone is one of the most iconic fragrances of recent years, and all with good reason. It is soft, sweet and feminine but also still a little musky and certainly rather sophisticated. In her new role as Style Editor to the brand, Charlotte Stockdale has updated the scent by dipping in neon pink paint with a limited run of 300, each one individually engraved. Available exclusively at Selfridges, Charlotte's neon collection also offers a number of other pretty rosy treats with a little fluoro-floral touch.

9. Burberry beauty is usually all about redefining sultry nude shades, but this new lipgloss shade, Pink Sweet Pea, takes a new direction with a zingy, poppy colour and luxuriously glossy finish. It is £18.50 at Harvey Nichols here. 

10. The go-to beauty brand for all things bold and theatrical, if you're looking for a show-stopping lip colour then you need not look much further than Illamasqua. Though it is certainly not one for shrinking violets, this Intense lipgloss in Indulge is a bit of a corker. Pucker up boys! It is £14.50 here. 

11. Be a blushing beauty with this Love blush from Lancome. A pearly blush with an apricot core and candy pink trim, this blusher is flecked with light-reflecting particles to make it the ideal partner to gloriously bold lips. The packaging is rather cute too! The perfect gift, this blusher is £34 from Harvey Nichols here. 

Hoppy Easter Monday!

I think i'm addicted to Pinterest- and this image is another of Pinterest's very finest. Wickle bunny foo foo. You can find the original image here if you feel like spending your Monday oooh-ing and aaah-ing  

Happy Easter Monday you gorgeous lot. 

I hope that, like me, you shall spend this morning nursing a chocolate hangover while watching trashy TV... That's what Bank Holiday's are for, you know.

I just thought i'd share with you some lovely Easter treats to keep that chirpy Spring smile on your face! 

First up, I found this adorable (and easy) recipe on Pinterest for Bunny Tails! All you need to do to make PIZZAZZERIE's sweet treats (original recipe here) is whip up a tub of softened Philly, add a teaspoon of Almond Extract- or coconut for a tropical touch- and then add 4-5 "cups" of icing sugar- one by one- to create a thick dough. Once you've got the perfect consistency- think truffles!- roll the mixture into 1 inch balls and roll in desiccated coconut.

Yummy scrummy, as Mary Berry would say. 

If the very thought of more food is making you a little queasy, go for these sweet scented candles from the lovely Yankee. 

Chocolate Bunnies smells, as the name subtly suggests, like creamy milk chocolate bunnies- the very essence of Easter (£19.99 here).

If you've overdone the chocolate this weekend- i'll put my hands up to that one- then opt for the pretty in pink Bunny Cake candle which is a divine marriage of coconut, citrus and vanilla- gimme, gimme, gimme! It's currently out of stock, but keep checking back here to buy it for £19.99. 

1. The glorious Sitting Bunny pendant is available here for £120
2. The Sitting Bunny earrings are an adorable update on the simple gold stud. Buy here for £108
3. My favourite is this Sitting Bunny ring in gold which you can buy here for £180

For something rather more indulgent, put a Spring in your step with these divine little bunny pieces by Alex Monroe.

I've long been a fan of Alex Monroe's dainty fine jewellery and I only wish I could afford to treat myself to these gorgeous golden trinkets!

The bunny pendants, earrings and rings are the perfect Easter Monday treat, if you ask me. How very adorable is the twig ring with diamond detail?

1. Speckle me pink with SCARCE (here £14.50)
2. Speckle me blue with FRAGILE (here £14.50)
3. Speckle me purple with SPECKLE (here £14.50)

Last but not least- a little Easter sweetness for your fingertips from ILLAMASQUA.

Cadbury's sweet pastel Mini Eggs are an Easter tradition and I could (and would) happily eat bag after bag of these tasty morsels!

If you're equally enthusiastic about good old Mini Eggs, you'll be pleased to see these Speckled polishes. They look amazing on (i've had a look at a number of beauty blogs) and i'm particularly fond of the duck-egg blue shade.

Pursuit of Prettiness : Tutti Frutti Nails

Yay! The sun is shining! Yes, it's a bit baltic out, but today is the first day in a while i've felt a teensy bit summery, so here are some beautiful fondant fancy shades of nail polishes to spruce up your winter look a treat.

I received the Splash of Grenadine nail polish by Essie for my birthday from my parents, and I absolutely ADORE the vibrant pinky lilac shade- fabulous quality, of course, and sure to get a number of compliments (I counted four yesterday!)

1. Leighton Denny polishes really are top quality. This soft coral shade is a great way to warm up your winter neutrals, particularly gorgeous with muted sandy shades. This fiery shade is, rather aptly, called Just Perfect and is £11.

2. The Thakoon collection at NARS is full of truly phenomenal colours which have been at the top of my wish list for ages. This Anardana rich pink shade is a particular favourite- a sophisticated bright pink that isn't even remotely Barbie-esque. This retails for £14 from Space NK.

3. This is my new favourite polish, joining the ranks of Nails Inc Devonshire Row and Revlon Bewitching . A pretty pale violet shade that is a little bit sweet, but still very stylish and sophisticated. It's also universally flattering and will go with pretty much everything. I love, love, love it! You can buy Essie Splash of Grenadine here for £7.99.

4. This cheap and cheerful peachy polish from Models Own is a great uplifting shade. This Peach Sherbet shade is just £5 from ASOS. 

5. Another treat from the NARS Thakoon collection, this icy blue polish is a great alternative to pale sugary pink. At £14 it's a little more indulgent, but this high fashion shade is a hot trend for SS13. You can buy this Kutki polish at Space NK here.

6. Pistachio green nails are surprisingly chic, and this delicious Mint Candy Apple polish from Essie is a mouthwatering spring shade. The quality of Essie polishes is also totally unrivalled, so they are worth every penny of this £7.99 price tag.

7. Sherbet Lemon nails are not the easiest to pull off, but this Notting Hill Carnival polish from Nails Inc is a softer shade that will be particularly alluring on warmer skintones. You can buy it here for just £5.

8. Revlon nail polish is always such good quality, and this Dreamer shade is just delectable. A powdery blue, but not overly girly, this polish is a great alternative to your favourite winter navy. You can buy it here for £6.49.

PS

I also must say a big thank you to the lovely ladies at Nicolas Feuillatte who treated me to a luxurious manicure at the Sofitel SO spa in St James, all washed down with a few glasses of the truly divine Palmes D'Or Rose Champagne (read more about it here- it's just gorgeous)

Nothing makes a look complete quite like beautifully manicured nails, and nothing makes a manicure like a glass of chilled bubbly and indulgent canapes! 

A Spring Fling

1. Everybody say HEY to the bag of my dreams. This Prada tote in clay grey leather has overtaken the navy Céline in the dreamy bag stakes... It is just such a beautiful neutral, a lovely alternative to black or tan, and is just divine. I want it so much but I can't seem to find that spare £1290, did anyone see where I left it?

2. This lemon yellow cropped sweater from Topshop is a SS13 must have. While the colour may not be for everyone, it was a huge hit at the Balenciaga SS13 show (see my new season references here) and looks gorgeous with a geometric black and white print. Wear this chunky sweater (£30) now with a long skirt and boots, and channel with a flirty mini come spring... If it ever arrives, of course.

3. This Accessorize necklace is such a lovely way to instantly update your look. The turquoise shade will lift neutral pieces to new heights, but it is also a great colour to make other brights sing- especially this zesty yellow. Shades of marine are going to be a huge hit for spring, so this is a great way to get ahead without feeling like you've splurged. It also has an alluring Elizabeth Taylor vibe which certainly belies it's £15 price-tag.

4. Any excuse for a new accessory, eh? Ever since my friend Nicole pointed me in the direction of the Kate Spade store in Westfield, I have been smitten with this bow-detail iPhone case. It is around £30 but is such a lovely way to treat yourself on pay day, not to mention a great way to lift your spirits in this horrible, horrible snow.

5. I am in love with these new season Kurt Geiger ELLA shoes. While white shoes may have horrible connotations of fake tan, Malibu and bleached hair (and no that is NOT a description of my Friday night look), in recent years they have been given a sartorial update and have become a beacon of modern elegance. Just ask Sarah Harris, the incredible fashion features writer at British Vogue, who wrote a great piece a few issues back about why white stilettos were her new season must have. If the Vogue girls are doing it, why shant we? White shoes are actually rather chic and lend a contemporary and fresh edge to everything from simple skinnies to little black dresses. These block heel shoes from Kurt Geiger (at £195) are just the ticket and I really rather fancy a pair.

6. My latest purchase is this flirty little miniskirt from Topshop, which I initially bought as a piece for work, but have unfortunately been very short of opportunities in which to brave the opaques. I am dotty for this miniskirt (£22) which looks fun worn with a little white crop top (channelling Balenciaga the very best I can) or with a crisp white shirt tucked in. It also looks playful and modern when paired with bold brights like this sherbet sweet sweater.

7. This is a classic nude polish from Nails Inc which has a soft caramel tone to it. Basil Street (£11) is a warm and elegant shade which goes with everything yet looks particularly delicious when paired with zingy aqua.

8. In time for last summer, I featured these fabulous nude and neon nails by Nails Inc, and I felt that they would look particularly fab with this look, as a way of marrying in the cyan blue. Simply paint the base of your in the afore mentioned Basil Street (two coats), then leave to dry before applying a french manicure sticker to the nail and painting the tip in this refreshing Pool Party shade from Topshop. Simple and quirky nail art that is sure to put a smile on your face.

SW Fashion Giveaway

A Box of Treats for one lovely reader!

If you've been following this blog for a while (and you're not my mum) then you'll know that it's not like me to do a giveaway... But i'm feeling all lovely and Christmassy so thought i'd put together a little box of goodies for one of you guys to win!

Rather than just one pretty little thing, I thought i'd put together a big box of gifts to fill you with festive cheer including a pendant and cocktail ring by Chelsea Doll, a River Island laptop case, a classic Nails Inc gift set, an adorable pill case by US brand Miamica and some sweet treats!

To enter, all you have to do is:
* follow the blog via G+ and on twitter
*  pop your email address in the comment box below

A winner will be chosen at random towards the end of December ! 

Her Dark Materials...

1. Topshop Rings £8.50
2. Chelsea Doll Claw Ring £10
3. Zoe & Morgan Ring with sapphires (in. love!) £400
4. INCREDIBLE ACNE dress at Liberty £550
5. The Kooples Sleeveless Aviator £425
6. Revlon nail polish in Impulsive (love it!)
7. Mulberry Boots £550
8. Zara Handbag £89.99

Wow, wow, wow. This dress is incredible! I love the dark floral print and the feminine but demure shape- it's sexy but not over the top. If only I had a spare £550, eh? One day...

Season-nail.

Burberry Prorsum S/S13, NARS Nails in Anardana £14
Christopher Kane S/S13, Models Own Nails in Lemon Meringue £5

Erdem S/S13, Essie Nails in Poppy Art Pink
Felder Felder S/S13, OPI Nails in Ogre The Top Blue

Issa S/S13, Nails Inc. Nails in Devonshire Row £11
Victoria Beckham S/S13, Revlon One Perfect Coral £6

I know that fashion is crazily fast-paced, but I can't help but feel a little bit behind the times. I am only just editing down the options for my winter coat (no, it really is as pathetic as it sounds) and my twitter feed is telling me that crop tops are back?! Hold. Yer. Horses.

If, like me, you cannot bring yourself to ignore the catwalks, then why not update your look with a zingy nail colour reminiscent of your favourite dresses of the new season? Perfect to perk up a camel coat or your parka!

(images from ELLE UK)

Insta-Intern

Topshop Pumps, Feather and Gem Statement Necklace

Topshop Rings, ASOS Heels (in sale £51)

Nail Art at the Impulse Event by Michelle

Topshop Bracelet, Wonderful quote at Thoughts of Angel

Topshop Ring, Ashish Loser T-Shirt

This month I have been interning at a few different places, and i've been having a blast. I thought i'd do a nice cheery post featuring some images from my Instagram account to brighten up the blog! If you'd like to see more of my generic nail/jewellery/self-depriciating t-shirt blogs please do follow my instagram account at ShonaWallace ! Or follow me on twitter at @SWfashion_

GB Gold

Hey guys, did you hear that the Olympics were on?

Such a joker.

I don't know about you but i'm a little bit glued to my screen as these inspirational athletes take London by storm and, by jove, aren't us Brits doing well?!

It's no secret that we have some incredibly talented young athletes, but I never for one second expected Team GB to do quite so brilliantly. It's helping matters that Stella's kit is the best of them all- other nations are clearly well jeal.

As I have been flyering like a crazy woman trying to get some summer money (so I can keep up my expensive Zara habit) I have not managed to embrace the Olympic spirit as much as I would have liked. I'm actually so gutted that I haven't had time to attempt some Olympic inspired baking, or to sit in the sun in the Olympic towel my lucky parents bought after watching Jess Ennis get her gold (lucky devils). However, I have decided to paint my nails in a glistening gold that is podium-ready.

This manicure is even more British than THIS ONE. Team GB are all about the gold. I used a metallic base (two coats) by Nails Inc and topped off with one coat of Nails Inc gold glitter polish. That way my nails don't get totally destroyed by glitter polish and the finish is far softer and less garish. 

Definitely worth a try, and a great way to enhance a summer tan from this sudden burst of sun! 

Zig a Zig Wah

Since I had the evening to myself, I thought i'd give some fun nail art a go and went for a leopard print design as seen in my amazing WAH nails book (read about it here) 

I had always thought that I was far too shaky of hand to pull off such a look, but even with my oozing nail art pens I managed to do a fairly decent job of adding a classy but wild edge to my petite nails. 

In the WAH book they recommend a pastel blue base, but I wanted something a little more subtle so opted for my favourite muted grey polish- Covent Garden Ballet, part of the Nails Inc A-Lister collection- as a base, inspired by a favourite summer dress of mine in a cloudy charcoal leopard print.

So how do you go about doing this look? It's a lot easier than you might expect!

1. Start by painting your nails a base colour of your choice. You can keep it simple with a taupe or grey, or pretty with a delicate pastel or zingy with a fluoro polish! Another option is to paint the base white and have the spots coloured rather than white (see a how-to on one of my favourite beauty blogs HERE)

2. Leave polish to dry before carefully dotting a white polish around the nails. Scatter the spots randomly but try to keep them relatively small. As I said before, though, you can swap the white polish for a variety of brights if you're going for a white base.

3. Once dry, take a nail art pen and draw circles and semi-circles around each dot. They needn't be particularly neat- as leopard print is never precise.

4. Once you're satisfied, fill in any gaps with little black spots or dashes to add a bit of life and you are ready to roar.

Nail Art: Union Jack Joy

My patriotic nails!

Hello and welcome to SW Fashion's thousandth Jubilee related post!

Okay, maybe i'm exaggerating slightly, but I know i'm banging on about it a little bit too much! That said, where is the problem in being a little bit patriotic, eh? I'm just doing the Royals proud.

Today I took my patriotic passions to my fingertips and attempted union jack nail art. Despite my shaky hands and INABILITY TO USE NAIL PENS I managed to do something that looked a little bit decent.

I do not think I am quite ready to get ambitious and attempt it on all my nails, so have opted for just me thumbs. On the rest? A muted gold by NARS (Senryou) as my silver glitter polish is at home, unfortunately.

I'm not saying they are flawless, and i'm the first to admit that up close they are pretty shoddy, but they are good by my standards!

Here's a little how to to get your Jubilee nails sorted in time for all those street parties tomorrow. Perfect with Pimms (not so perfect after Pimms- I shouldn't think nail art and alcohol are best of friends.)

1. Paint your whole nail in royal blue (my pick is King Tuts Gem by Jessica)

2. Paint a bright red cross on the nail (I went for Nails Inc in Victoria- my favourite red)

3. Line around the cross with a white nail art pen (WAH for Models Own is my favourite)

4. Add white lines diagonally across the blue for your complete Union Jack look!

Y'Alright Cupcake

Cheer up your sunny Sunday and purchase yourself this new Nails Inc Sweets Way Sprinkles polish. It's a faff and fuss-free alternative to the Ciaté caviar manicure and is rather lovely. The adorable Sprinkles collection is based on sweet cupcake sprinkles and the desired effect is a subtle multicoloured glitter.

This charming mix of baby blue and bubblegum pink is my favourite... Sweets Way is the perfect nail polish for your obligatory Sunday tea and cake. Just the thing to adorn your fingers as you pinch somebody elses buttercream!

And on that note (cake, obviously) never has Afternoon Tea been so chic- even Nobu is doing it (see here, but don't read if you're hungry/skint!)

What do you think of this polish? Comment below or tweet me @SWfashion_ - i'm always looking for new blogs to read so please do link me !

Five New Neutrals

Let me know what you think at @SWfashion_ and get your new neutral fix at Ciaté and Nails Inc!

PS

Apologies for my revolting purple/red hands. I have terrible circulation! 

DIY Nail Art? Count Me In!

If you fell for these Easter nails, then why not try out your own kooky nail art by WAH! I will definitely be buying this book, which should take the trickiness out of nail art. The author and creator of WAH nails Sharmadean Reid says that once you master the basic techniques, the iconic nail art designs are far easier than they look, so why not get your hands on this book? Topping the Fashion and Beauty bestseller lists on Amazon, it's certainly a hit!

Happy Easter!

See more from WAH here!

Instant Update: Coral Nails

While pastel and neon nails are all the rage, they aren't always the most flattering on all skintones. A new, equally fashionable colour to try is coral. It is zesty and bright and great for this Spring sunshine, but it actually flatters most skintones! I love the Nails Inc. one, my choice for a recent manicure, but when it started to chip after TWO DAYS (not impressed, sorry, really not!) I bought the cheaper Barry M colour for top ups and it was just as good, though the consistency is not as thick and thus requires more coats.

Give it a try for a mid-week pick-me-up!

Nail Rock and ASOS: Love!

by Shona Wallace, @SWfashion_ 

Nail art has been a huge trend for a while, and nail wraps are the easiest way to work this look yourself. These new editions exclusive to ASOS are just the cutest (and much cheaper than a manicure at WAH at just £6.70).

The cheery wraps are so kitsch and such a nice way to inject a bit of spring cheer into your look. My favourites include the adorable little cupcakes and the donut sprinkles! The smileys in a variety of colours are also tricky to resist. I will have to add a few to my ever bursting ASOS basket! 

Get yours here... I'll race you? 

Mother's Day Gift Guides: Pamper and Preen

by Shona Wallace, @SWfashion_

Every lady loves a good old fashioned pampering. I love nothing more than going home, running a bath with some Laura Mercier Almond Coconut bath honey, slapping on a face mask, applying a Bumble & Bumble hair treatment and lighting a few scented candles. It is just bliss- and most women appreciate this luxury, particularly busy mums!

Pampering can stretch from little touches like flowers or a bottle of champagne, to some lovely cocktails or a personalised nail polish.

I love to put together a little "Pamper Hamper" as a present, and it really is a nice touch. Just get a few of mum's favourite things, put them in a hamper and you're done quicker than you can say "Fortnum and Mason"! A great mix is some bubble bath, some chocolates, bubbly, a candle, face mask and a magazine. That'll be her evening sorted and you can make it as special as you want!

If your mum appreciates the finer things in life, she will be more than a little bit pleased with a lovely fragrance like the new Jo Malone ones, or even a beautiful Laduree (buy them here) or Diptique candle.

If you want to pamper her, but do something a little bit quirky, why not head to Harvey Nichols in Knightsbridge and create a bespoke Nails Inc nail polish (£16 for basic lids, £20 for glitzy lids). The couture service lets you you choose the lid, the colour, the box decorations and- the best part- the name label! Nails Inc Couture is also available online, so get your orders in now! Another lovely gift to treat her is by making her some glamourous cocktails- Nigella's salted caramel martini (recipe here) sounds just dreamy and i'm sure the  butterscotch schnapps concoction complete with a salt frosted rim will not disappoint!

Instant Update: Fluoro and Flesh