The Carrie Files #10

We've hit the 10 mark...that's double figures my Carrie loving viewers!



Another look from the opening credits of the first movie. I love this look for the tailored pieces, boyish yet still a feminine tweak. Although you can't see it in this picture, she is actually wearing a simple peep toe shoe in this scene.


Shirt: Topshop £34.99
Waistcoat: All Saints £75
Tie: Vivienne Westwood £60
Trousers: Asos £40
Shoes: Asos £25
Bag: New Look £7.99


I chose the designer tie as a nod to the wedding dress Carrie is given in the movie, yet if you were going for the exact look, then any black tie would do. I also chose the sheer blouse as it's more in style right now.

Peace, love and all that jazz. xo

Bag Books: One Day

One Day by David Nicholls

This book has received so much hype and as the movie is coming out, I thought I'd read it before I go see it.

So, first off, I'd like to say how pleasing on the eye I find the cover and first few pages. Decorative without trying too hard and at the beginning of each part, the book is split into five, you're met with a nice quote, relevant to each part of the characters lives.

The story follows Emma and Dexter's lives over 20 years on the 15th July, which is where the book gets it's title, One Day. At first I did think, based on the movie trailers, that it was 'One Day' as in 'One Day I'll get him, he'll be my husband etc.'
I find the way it's written, switching between points of view, refreshing, and written in a way that doesn't confuse the reader.

It's a such a cliche but it is a roller coaster of emotions and you feel like you've known Em & Dex, Dex & Em for a long time, pretty much as long as the book spans really.

Without spoiling it, it is a sad ending and my jaw literally dropped when I read it, then I stared at the page whilst tears pricked my eyes, then I re-read the last paragraph to make sure I had interpreted it correctly.

This is a great story, one that will definately leave you gripped.

Peace, love and all that jazz. xo

I haven't had this reaction to a book since I read Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows on it's release day.

The Carrie Files #9

The look this time is from my favourite episode of Sex and the City: I heart NY. This episode is also the first time I fell in love with shoes, seriously, how can you not love those Louboutins?






Dress: New Look £39.99
Coat: Asos £120.00
Necklace: See previous Carrie Files.
Shoes: Shoes of Prey

Shoes of prey is such a good website, you can create a designer look shoe at the fraction of the price, hence using it to recreate those beautiful shoes!
I chose a kimono coat to keep the look up to date.
I love that dress.

I'm going to watch this episode again.

Peace, love and all that jazz. xo

Warm or Cool?

Unsure of what your under tone is? Well I'm going to give you a couple of tips to figure out what tone you are. Simple tests that will barely take five minutes. Easy peasy lemon squeezy.


Test #1

Look at the veins on your inner wrist. Are they more blue or more green? If you see your veins as blue you have a cool skin tone and if you see them as more green then you have a warm skin tone.

Test #2

This is the jewelry test. Do you look better in silver toned jewelry or gold? If you're not sure ask a friend or parent. If you look better wearing silver toned jewelry then you have a cool skin tone, if you look better in gold then you have a warm skin tone.

Test #3

This test isn't that accurate, but if you're more likely to burn than tan then you have a cool skin tone, and vice versa.


I hope that helps you in your future choices.


Peace, love and all that jazz. xo

Man Products: Lynx Dry Dark Temptation

What they say:

PREMATURE PERSPIRATION CAN BE CONTROLLED!

LYNX DRY FULL CONTROL, THE BRAND NEW 48 HOUR ANTI-PERSPIRANT FROM LYNX, AIMS TO STAMP OUT A PROBLEM THAT HAUNTS MEN ALL OVER BRITAIN – PREMATURE PERSPIRATION.

IF YOU'VE EVER HAD YOUR CONFIDENCE SHATTERED WHILST TALKING TO AN ATTRACTIVE WOMAN BY UNCONTROLLABLE, EMOTION-TRIGGERED SWEATS, THEN HELP IS AT HAND WITH LYNX DRY: FULL CONTROL.

DESIGNED WITH HOT ENCOUNTERS IN MIND, THE NEW ANTI-PERSPIRANT ALLOWS GUYS TO TAKE CONTROL, PROTECTING THEM FROM UNWANTED WETNESS FOR UP TO 48 HOURS, LEAVING THEM DRY, CONFIDENT AND READY FOR ACTION.

REGAIN YOUR CONFIDENCE AND TAKE CONTROL WITH LYNX DRY: FULL CONTROL.

What he says:

Compared to other dry bodysprays, it's the only one that keeps me dry without producing a weird gunky feeling, but the downside is, if I put it on too thoroughly it tends to itch when it dries. The smell is nice and smooth and doesn't attack the back of my throat.

What I say:

I think this deodorant smells divine, far nicer than most, but then you can never go wrong with Lynx. Dark Temptation smells like chocolate, I'm sure we all remember the advert for it, the chocolate man walking down the street, oddly resembling Russell Howard. This deodorant lasts, just like they say it does. Like I've said, it smells divine, and every male relative that has used this loves it. It also keeps your wallet happy, as the range is high in quality but low in price.

Peace, love and all that jazz. xo

Bag Books: Dealing with Dragons

Dealing with Dragons by Patricia C. Wrede

This is the first book in The Enchanted Forest Chronicles, and I would say that it's generally aimed at pre-teens/teenagers, but I don't see why that should stop anyone reading it.

The story follows Princess Cimorene (pronounced Chi-mor-een, according to Google Translate) who is bored with her traditional royal life, and what's deemed as "proper", in common terms, she's a tomboy. So, she runs away to live with dragons.

These aren't typical dragons, they're not seemed as evil. These are clever dragons, logical, each has their own characters.

There is a wonderful undercurrent of humour running through this book, and a great use of language. The characters could be fleshed out, though I imagine this happens over the course of the books, but I find the characters very likeable.

The advantage of this being a book aimed at teenagers, is that it's not overly complicated. you can simply read, put it down and pick it back up without too much thought of who-what-when-where-how-when?

Peace, love and all that jazz. xo

Test Subject: Blistex Rasberry Lemonade Blast

What they say:

Blistex Raspberry Lemonade Blast moisturizes, protects and refreshes lips with a tantalizing fruit blend.

Super-Smooth Moisturization: Raspberry Lemonade Blast is fortified with anti-oxidant vitamins C & E and rich moisturizers to quench your lips. It's a smooth-gliding balm that leaves lips feeling protected and totally juicy.

Refreshing Flavor Sensation: Raspberry Lemonade Blast is a mouthwatering combination of two tasty fruit flavors. Luscious raspberries and sweet lemonade deliver an explosion of flavor. It's as delicious as it is effective.

Sun Protection/Sun Alert: Raspberry Lemonade Blast provides SPF 15 protection. Limiting sun exposure, wearing protective clothing, and using sunscreens may reduce the risks of skin aging, skin cancer, and other harmful effects of the sun.

What I say:

I recieved a free sample of this lip balm in the post from 'liking' their Facebook page. Being such a lover of lip balm I was very excited to try this one out.

As soon as I opened it I couldn't help sniff it and it smells divine, like summer, fizzy but not over powering. I think it smells like sweets. Once you apply it, it goes on so creamily, silky and smooth. This lip balm even tastes great, so much that I can't help but lick my lips, repeatedly.

This lip balm has left my lips softer and in better condition than before. It doesn't leave your lips feeling greasy, unlike most other lip balms.

This lip balm is perfect for any hand bag, any pocket, any purse, and I shall be using it repeatedly. I am wondering what my fiance's reaction will be when I kiss him, I think that this will be one that he'll actually like.

Peace, love and all that jazz. xo

The Carrie Files #8

An American girl in Paris.
The poop scene, really, she wonders down a cobbled street in Paris and ends up stepping in a vast amount of poop, I'm assuming horse.

Dress: Asos £30
Under skirt: Party Warehouse £8.95
Shoes: Miss Guided £29.99
Coat: Asos £100
Corsage: Asos £10
Bag: Topshop £35

I have always liked this outfit, I think the corsage pinned to the coat is so cute. Should you want to make the coat look more like Carrie's, I suggest you buy some grosain ribbon and pin to the hem.

Peace, love and all that jazz. xo

Bag Books: Last Chance

Last Chance by Sarah Dessen

I have had this book for about 10 years without reading it, I got it free on J17 magazine. So when I finally got around to reading it I wished I'd read it years ago.

This was such a nice little read. I finished it in a few hours and I was really pleased with the reading experience it gave me.

Actually, not only did I enjoy the reading experience but I also felt better about myself for reading it. The theme of the book is self esteem and looks into how you see yourself may not be how others see you.

I felt empathy for Colie (the main character) as I remember my own teen years, badly dyed black hair and facial piercing and all. You follow her journey as she grows as a person in such a short space of time, and she barely changed on the outside.

The author, herself, says this is a summer read, it isn't a lengthy book, so I imagine it is just perfect for throwing into your suitcase and reading poolside, or simply reading on the bus in those ten minute snatches.

I give it a thumbs up.

Peace, love and all that jazz. xo

The Carrie Files #7

Probably the iconic dress of the SATC movie, that's worn in the title sequence.


Very memorable, but not exactly a wearable dress for every woman.
Dress: Asos £60
Shoes: Asos £55
Bag: New Look £7.99
Corsage: New Look £3.99

A beautiful dress with a more subtle detailing on the shoulder, I've shown a corsage to pin to the dress to make it appear more like Carrie's dress. I think if you pinned a few corsages on the dress you could achieve the magnitude of the 'Carrie flower'.

Peace, love and all that jazz. xo

Paint it Black

Time for another wants, this time for the classic, never out of style, black.



This dress is so beautiful, so gothic, sexy and romantic. I really adore it. The goth look is in this Autumn/Winter. The lace is revealing yet the slip allows intruige.

I actually saw this hat and tried it on instore. It's so much fun, I do have a love of hats, so this would be great on one of those bright, Autumn days.

I love feathers at the moment, so it's no surprise that I really want this bag. It's classy, grown up but not boring. The textures stop this black bag being dull.

When I saw this ring I automatically thought "This is how the Hallows/Horcrux should have looked in Half Blood Prince. It has potential to be bought to be made into the prop.

I really love socks, they can make you so happy. I adore this pair of socks. They're so kooky and fun.

Such a beautiful bracelet. It really reminds me of Canal boat paintings. A really beautiful yet demure piece of decoration for your wrist.

Such an amazing pair of shoes. The fun of glitter, combined with classy, cool shoes. These are real New Years Eve shoes.

Peace, love and all that jazz. xo

Bag Books: A Big Little Life

A Big Little Life: A memoir of a joyful dog by Dean Koontz is my book of choice this week.

Dean Koontz is perhaps best known for his dark thrillers, not anything as sweet as this story.

This book is the memoir of his beautiful Lab, Trixie (or Short-Stuff, or anything else that sprang to his mind). It's such a wonderful read that makes you laugh, smile, cry and wonder. These are feelings that you have when you are a pet owner, who truely loves their animal companion.

Trixie inspired his novels, she has such a wonderful personality and spirit. I really enjoyed reading this book, it really made me think of my own dog, I could relate to Koontz's writing, I laughed at Trixie's mischieviousness, I was full of wonder at the religious thoughts, I smiled at their special relationship and I cried at the end.

I will say, if you liked the Marley & Me film, you will like this book.

It's paperback so it'll just fit in your bag or pocket, convienient. Each chapter is accompanied by a wonderful photograph of Trixie, those alone would brighten your travel time.

I give this book a big, double thumbs up.

Peace, love and all that jazz. xo

Media Overload

I don't know about you, but I find myself overwhelmed by the media sprung at me, daily, weekly, monthly. There are so many programs to watch, movies to see, books to read, music to listen to, games to play and exhibitions to visit that I'm completely swamped.

I have honestly not been to an art gallery in the past year, I really enjoy art, but sadly it's been dropped from my curriculum. The same can be said of most television programs, which I generally catch up with online if I'm really interested (this being One Tree Hill at the moment) or I wait for the DVD release.

How are we supposed to keep up with it all?

Movies and Televison
There are thousand of of things to watch! New movies and films are being made all the time, which generally you want to see, but what about the back catalogue? The films you've never seen but want to? Films made before you were born, or you didn't see at the time. Pay Per View sports matches, wrestling in my case, that you are desperate to actually see, but will have to wait for the DVD because it's on at stupid-o'clock. The dramas, the soaps, the made for tv movies, the reality shows, the historical shows, the satirical shows. There's so much to see on so many channels.
A friend of mine has a very full Sky Planner, now that's a luxury, so many diverse programs she has to watch, that she tries to fit in along with her social life. I am envious of her... Sky Planner that is, I feel that I need it.
I have given up on soaps, I just read the television guide now, and in reality you can pretty much get the gist of the weeks episode from the guide's front cover. There is only one tv show I'm following at the moment, and that's when I use the 4od player.
I have box sets to watch, so many DVDs to catch up on. I'm currently, meaning: as I write, watching The Island, and that came out in 2005, so 6 years behind.

Games
Although I don't play many games, my fiance does, I do like to watch though. Now as soon as he starts one, another game comes along. Though as soon as you finish a game, they release a DLC (Down Loadable Content) that contains more maps, more characters etc.

Music
I currently find music impossible to follow, the only times I go to a gig these days are for the fiance's gigs. I also find the charts hard to follow. Music has taken a backburner.

Books
I have recently realised how far behind I am on my reading as a whole, I have stacks of books but most I have never read, and I keep buying more. I guess some of these were best sellers, or maybe books of note, I have one book I bought purely because I know the author and was going to tell her how impressed I was with the story, this was at least 6 months ago and I still haven't read it, though luckily I never told her I had bought it. This year a new author came into my life, Rachel Caine, and I am rather addicted to her Weather Warden and Morganville series, meaning; I had to buy and read 2 series of books, putting all my other books on the shelf, so to speak.
So what about all my other books? The poor, unread ones? Well, I have a solution! I've written a list of them all and put it up on my wall, so I constantly see it, and I cross them off once I've read them. Simple really.
I have just purchased 2 more books that are getting good reviews at the moment, these shall be added to the list once they arrive.
This also means I have new motivation for Bag Books.

Though I do believe that if I know I wont like it, I'll never get around to it.

Love, peace and all that jazz. xo

The Carrie Files #6

Time for another Carrie files, this time a refreshing look with simple acessories.



I'm giving it an Autumn twist, given the time of year. I've also muted the yellow accessories to match the shade of yellow in the chosen dress, much like Carrie matched the shade of her shoes to her dress.

Dress: Asos £48
Shoes: River Island £59.99
Belt: Asos £20
Bag: New Look £15.99
Necklace: Ebay £21.99

This is one of my favourite looks so far, those shoes are to die for!
Alternatively, you could buy a length of wide black grosain ribbon and tie it around your waist.

Peace, love and all that jazz. xo