My favourite looks for Spring/Summer 2013

Hi Guys,

By the time this goes up, I'll be driving down to the Hook of Holland to get on a ferry back to England. I've had such a great time at my Dad's, I always wish I could spend more time here. Now I've done the trip over once on my own driving up and everything I'm sure I'll feel okay doing it again.

Now, I don't know about you, but I'm getting a bit sick of this weather... It's a little under a month until the official start of summer, and we've had about three sunny days. One is so not amused!

So this post is me trying to cheer myself up. I've created four outfits for possible situations that could arise this summer (if we ever get one) because I'm feeling like I need to be out shopping for skirts and dresses! 

My boyfriend has promised me a holiday in a few weeks, he gets home next week hopefully, so a couple of these bits and pieces would be perfect for that. I feel like I haven't had a holiday in ages... In fact, my last holiday was Malta last April, so it's been a while, I need some sun!

So here are my looks!

Shirt - River Island - £18.00

Skirt - New Look - £14.99

Shoes - ASOS - £75.00

Bag - ASOS - £20.00

Earrings - French Connection - £18.00

Nail Wraps - Nail Rock for ASOS - £6.60

This is perfect for hosting a little BBQ garden party. I am obsessed with these shoes and I love the nail wraps. When you're having a party at home, it's always tempting to dress down and not make much of an effort, but these items feel more dressy without being over the top - you are still at home at the end of the day!

Waisted Maxi Dress - River Island - £20.00

Sandals - River Island - £18.00

Cutout Sunglasses - ASOS - £15.00

Bag - Aubrey @ TKMaxx - £24.99

Nail Polish - When Monkeys Fly by OPI - £11.50

This is my perfect beach outfit. You can throw the dress on over a bikini and the bag is big enough to fit everything I need in it, including Caleb's essentials! The sandals are perfect, and the khaki of the dress is very flattering. I might actually have to get this whole outfit if I go on holiday, I can see myself wearing it to stroll around in.

Jumpsuit - Topshop - £60.00

Linen T Shirt - H&M - £12.99

Bag - ASOS - £32.00

Sandals - River Island - £30.00

Sunglasses - H&M - £5.99

Nail Polish - Essie In The Cab-ana - £9.95

This is such a Spring outfit to me, I'm obsessed with this jumpsuit and I'd love to buy it... I guess there is still time! I would wear this for a family day out somewhere nice, maybe out for a pub lunch, or for a picnic. I can imagine wearing this on a first date, it's that kind of cute summery outfit... I might have to get my boyfriend to take me out on a date so I can wear this! Pastel is a huge trend this S/S and I love the mint green with the nude sandals and the floral print jumpsuit.

Dress - Jarlo @ ASOS - £75.00

Shoes - ASOS - £40.00

Bag - French Connection - £85.00

Earrings - French Connection - £12.00

Necklace - Topshop - £12.50

Nail Polish - Soul Session, Kate Moss for Rimmel - £3.49

This is my favourite outfit of the four I've just shown. This is what I would be wearing if I had a wedding to go to this summer. In fact, my cousin is getting married next month and I came across this dress while searching for an outfit. I was planning on styling this with some kind of jacket, or fur stole - the wedding is in Brazil and it's winter there... Unfortunately I won't be able to make it for a variety of reasons, so I decided to style it for summer instead. This beaded clutch from French Connection is perfect!

So what do you guys think of my outfits? I will have links to the French Connection items as soon as I can, but as I'm writing this, their site is down...

When I next post I'll be back in England... Wish me luck for my long drive back, and I'll be posting tomorrow (Friday) or on Monday, time depending... Friday will be a stressful day for me because I'll be exhausted from travelling and unpacking. So if I'm not back tomorrow, have a good weekend!

My Christmas and New Year in Pictures!

Hi Guys,

Happy New Year! I can't believe this is 2013! We all survived the end of the world and we've made it this far! This is the year I will be turning 23, my son will turn two, and my boyfriend will be hitting the big 3-0! 

I hope you all had a fantastic Christmas and that you're all feeling positive for the year ahead!

As far as New Years Resolutions go, I haven't gone mental... I would like to start making more movements towards my own polish line, and I also want to get fitter. I used to go to the gym but I didn't have a driving licence so getting there was a nightmare. Now I have a car, I don't have a babysitter! We got a treadmill for the house so I can start running, I would like to lose that last bit of baby weight, that's all! I don't like to make proper resolutions because I can never keep them, but I think mine are realistic! 

I thought that as I have been away for so long relaxing with my family, I should share some of my Instagram photos with you all. I have misplaced my camera wire, so can't charge my camera or take my photos off right now (typical) so Instagram photos are a good option! I have a horrible feeling my boyfriend has taken my cable with him offshore... I'll have to buy new one because he's gone for a month at least!

Onto the photos... Please ignore the horrendous carpet and curtains. We've only lived here a couple of weeks and the focus has been on hosting Christmas, unpacking as many boxes as humanly possible and building furniture! We want to lay down solid wood flooring and we're trying to sort out getting our one pair of huge, beautiful damask curtains turned into three pairs of smaller curtains...

Don't forget, you can follow me on Instagram, my username is @truly_polished

Click "Read More" to see the rest of this post, it's extremely long!

Passion For Fashion Competition!

Hi Guys, 

Sorry I didn't post last night. I had planned to post my competition entry last night but it took me a lot longer than expected, we're talking over four hours probably, so I decided to prepare it over two nights and post it tonight. 

I was invited to enter this competition by MoneySupermarket, and it's probably the competition I've been most excited about! You can find out everything here but the basic premise is that you must put together five outfits: Party, Casual, Outdoor, First Date, and Office Wear. All outfits must be under £200, and you can mix and match brands and stores. This is so up my street! I got the email invite ages ago but I've been so busy, the competition ends tomorrow night (Wednesday) at midnight so this is very last minute!

Here are my outfits. I've tied in each theme with a trend for Autumn/Winter 2012 that I think goes well with it.

Each piece is numbered and you'll find corresponding links underneath to take you to each item!

1. Baroque Body - ASOS £22

2. Leather Skater Skirt - Hearts and Bows @ASOS £22.99

3. Taylor Statement Earrings - Whistles @ASOS £30

4. Clutch Bag with Chain - Miss Selfridge £29.99

5. Ring - Whistles £12

6. Letitia Heels - Topshop £65

Total: £181.98

1. Ombre Dye Jumper - Topshop £45

2. Jeans - Topshop £38

3. Bobble Hat - ASOS £10

4. Bag - Zara £59.99

5. Wedge Trainers - River Island £40

Total: £192.99

1. Jumper Dress - H&M £14.99

2. Tights - H&M £6.99

3. Earmuffs - Topshop £14

4. Snood - Topshop £18

5. Nail Polish: Elephant Walk - China Glaze @ NPD £5.45

6. Puffa Wellies - Juju @ New Look £24.99

7. Parka with Fur Lining - River Island £95

8. Bag - H&M £14.99

Total: £194.41

1. Jumpsuit: Miss Selfridge £45

2. Shakespeare Shoes - Topshop £65

3. Earrings - Topshop £12.50

4. Necklace - Orelia @ ASOS £12

5. Bunting Bracelet - ASOS £8

6. Peplum Jacket - ASOS £28

7. Envelope Clutch - ASOS £14

Total: £184.50

1. Top - Zara TRF £25.99

2. Trousers - Zara £39.99

3. Earrings - ASOS £6 for a pack of two pairs

4. Wraparound Watch - ASOS £20

5. Jacket - Urban Bliss @ New Look £29.99

6. Bag - Zara £29.99

7. Shoes - ASOS £28

Total: £149.97

I hope you liked my entry! Don't forget if you're a blogger and you want to enter, you have until Midnight on Wednesday 26th September! Very last minute but worth it. The overall winner will win £1000 and The New iPad (iPad 3) and there will also be one winner for each category who will win £200, the perfect amount to buy their winning outfit! 

I've enjoyed putting together these looks so much, so fingers crossed one of them is good enough! 

See you on Thursday!

House of Fraser Blogger Style Challenge

Hi Everyone,

Another fashion post from me today! A couple of weeks ago, the lovely people of House of Fraser invited me to enter their latest blogger challenge. I LOVE these competitions and jumped at the chance to create a look and enter to win a £200 voucher. 

House of Fraser is one of those shops that has something for everybody, and every time I go in there I see plenty of things I want to buy. What I love about it is that it makes higher end products more accessible to those of us who don't live in areas where we don't have little designer boutiques! 

Every time I walk in there it reminds me of my teenage days living in Spain when I'd rush to El Corte Ingles in between trains to and from school to have a look! I feel so grown up now I can go in there and buy things! The makeup range is amazing and the clothes are to die for!

I've seen a few of these posts about and a lot of people seem to be going for a very "fashion" theme, or something they can wear during the day and then out to a bar etc, so I thought I'd do a different and more personal take on this! 

I'm a mum of one, and my son is at the very naughty stage at ten and a half months old, so when it comes to my outfits, I like simple pieces that I can mix and match without too much hassle, so that's what I'm showing you! This outfit is something I'd wear day to day, at home, at playgroup, to go shopping... Pretty much everything I buy is like this, so you can get a real insight into my personal style!

1. Tommy Hilfiger Idda Cardigan

2. Label Lab Tattoo Skull Tee

3. Denim and Supply Ralph Lauren Jeggings

4. Linea Weekend Oversized Hobo Bag

5. Deborah Lippmann Bad Romance Nail Polish

6. Ash Yes Leather Boots

7. Mikey Skull Stud Earrings

8. Marc by Marc Jacob Mbm2550 Rock Watch

I hope you liked my picks! My favourite items are the boots: shearling and leather is one of my favourite winter trends, and the nail polish: I love to add a bit of glitter to a plainer outfit to add a special something. Chunky knits are always a winter staple for me, I think this Tommy Hilfiger one is amazing! Pieces that have a rock look are a winner for me so that's why I went for a skull theme with the earrings and t-shirt and paired them with the jeggings. The bag is ideal for me. I love the hobo style, and the oversize bag is perfect for me to fit in my essentials as well as all of my baby paraphernalia!

Let's not forget the watch! Rose gold is becoming so fashionable! I've loved it ever since I first saw it in the middle east in the 90s as a child, so I'm really pleased it's becoming so easy to get hold of now. I have a gorgeous watch that I got as a graduation present, but if I didn't have that, I'd LOVE one of these Marc by Marc Jacobs ones. I love the combination of the grey ceramic against the rose gold, it's an instant classic! 

Thank you so much to House of Fraser for the opportunity to enter! And don't forget if you're a blogger, you can enter this competition too, find out more here.

Let me know what you think of my look!

How To: Save Money Online This Summer!

Hi Everybody!

We've finally reached the end of the week and I couldn't be happier! I caught my son's cold, so I've just been achy and gross all day. The good news is that from Sunday I'll have it a bit easier, my boyfriend will be back (he's been working away for eight weeks) and I won't have to look after Caleb on my own  at last!

Today I have another "How To" post for you. As a mother of a young child (milk and nappies cost WAY more than they should) I'm always looking to save money when it comes to myself. I'm a typical girly girl, I love clothes, makeup and everything that comes with it, so I don't want to cut back on shopping but I do want to buy everything in sight cut back on the cost! Online shopping is a great way to do this, and seeing as I don't drive, it's a great way for me to get everything I want without moving a muscle!

So here are my top 5 websites to help you save money on fashion this summer!

1. eBay

 I LOVE eBay, it's come a long way from people getting rid of their junk and it's no secret that I check there first for whatever I need before I check specific shops. What's really interesting is that big brands and stores are realising the potential of the site and are setting up shops on there, you can find Karen Millen, House of Fraser, Levi and Superdry with up to 70% discount. It's well worth having a look.

Fun Fact: I'm going to be maid of honour at my friends wedding next week and my dress is from eBay. It was brand new, in the bag, with tags on from a big store and it was reduced from well over £100 to under £40! It's a beautiful dress, you might even get to see it in a future post!

2. Voucher Code Sites:

The recession has hit the country hard, and this means that voucher code sites have become increasingly popular. FashionVouchers.com is one of the ones I use a lot, and it has a great layout where you can search for the brand you want codes for. VoucherCodes.co.uk is another one of my favourites (not least because ASOS codes are really easy to find on there!)

Fun Fact: My Mum signed me up for the emails from Martin Lewis at moneysavingexpert.com and they come in really handy. They send voucher codes and offers to my email inbox, and they also tell you if there are good magazine freebies to look out for!

3. ASOS:

ASOS is 100% my favourite online store of all time. If I had to choose one store to get all my clothes on for the rest of my life, it would be ASOS. My favourite thing about this site is the sale/clearance section. It's amazing, items start from £1.50, shoes start at £4, tops from £4.50 and dresses from £6... And they also have a designer outlet! What's not to love! I've bought so much of my summer wardrobe from ASOS this year and I've saved so much money! What's more, they offer free international delivery! There's nothing I hate more than buying a lot of clothes and then getting slapped with a £5 delivery charge! 

Fun Fact: ASOS offer a one off payment of £14.95/year for unlimited next day delivery. So if you're impatient (like me) you can save money rather than paying £5.95 every time you want your order the next day!

4. Boohoo:

I love Boohoo, it's a store I've been shopping in for a few years now and it never disappoints me. Their summer range this year has been amazing and the prices are too! They have a sale on right now and you can get pretty summer dresses for as low as £5 but even full price they don't break the bank. The average price for dresses on there ranges from around £18-25 which is a total bargain!

Fun Fact: I have never paid full price/delivery costs at Boohoo. Look out for discount codes and you're bound to save a couple of pounds!

5. The Outnet:

This is definitely aimed at the more high-end consumer, you won't find dresses for £10 on here! I am in love with the Outnet and spend many an afternoon browsing on there, imagining myself in Marchesa and Herve Leger dresses! They sell designer clothes with HUGE reductions. You can save a lot of money on here, they have items with up to 80% off. Some of it isn't cheap, but you can find some things for as low as £25, so don't be put off, there are some designer bargains to be had!

Fun Fact: I'm not even engaged, but there's a certain Marchesa dress that I can definitely see myself walking down the aisle in!

Don't think I've forgotten that this is blog that revolves around the nail world! Just before I go, here are my favourite sites to save money on beauty products! 

Cosmetics Fairy: This site has nail polish from 35p a bottle, you can find old, discontinued polishes, Bourjois polish from 99p, it's amazing. I've bought from here a lot before, if you want to get a variety of nail polishes and you don't want to spend a lot, then this is a great site to try.

Cheapsmells: My Auntie got me into this site in 2009 and I've made quite a few orders. They sell discounted cosmetics and perfumes and skincare products. This site is really good when it comes to makeup, I've ordered a lot of Stila bits and pieces, they also do Benefit, Urban Decay, OPI, Essie, MAC (at times), Chanel, Dior, the list goes on. You will always make a saving against the RRP so it's well worth having a look, you might find something you never even knew you wanted!!!

I hope this little post helps you save a little bit of money this summer! Let me know if you get anything nice from any of the sites I mentioned...

Most of all, have a lovely weekend and see you on Monday!

*Disclosure. I was invited to write this post by FashionVouchers.com. My decision to include them in this post was down to the fact I love their site, and it will not affect my chance of winning. All opinions stated are 100% my own as always!