Playing Tourist For a Day

I've lived in London my whole life but I very rarely do anything that I consider to be 'touristy.' I often stay in East London unless I have somewhere particular that I need to go but on Sunday I thought it would be a good idea to grab the boyfriend and go for a wander around Southbank. We're both not a fan of crowds but it was more manageable than I thought it would be and was such a pleasant day that it was nice to walk along the river and take in the atmosphere. There were food and book stalls aswell as a Chinese Food festival. The smell of the food was making our mouths water but the queues were quite long and we were looking for somewhere to sit down and eat which was away from the hustle and bustle. We stumbled upon the Real Greek which I've always wanted to try but didn't get the chance so we thought we'd give it a go. It's like a Greek tapas menu and they recommend that you order 3-4 dishes each. We only ordered 2 dishes each and shared a 3rd but I wish we'd ordered more now! We know for next time to get some bread to start then add an extra main dish. As it was very busy the service was pretty slow which isn't ideal if you're very hungry like we were! I would definitely go back at a quieter time though as the food was delicious. 

There were also street entertainers as we walked along the Thames, including people creating bubbles using a giant wand!

Despite the warm weather I wanted to go for an Autumnal vibe so I wore burgundy jeggings from Uniqlo with a lace top from Zara layered over a Topshop top. Snake print skate shoes from New Look completed the casual outfit

My new Favourite dress & considering Pushing my Style Boundaries

I'm trying to be sensible with money at the moment whilst I'm not earning any but I when I saw this gorgeous bright red dress in Topshop I couldn't resist! It was £39 which isn't too expensive for how often I'll wear it and it's great for bloated days or those who aren't confident about their stomach area. The colour and tie neck detail are bang on trend and add interest to the simple shift/tunic shape of the dress. I usually steer clear of anything with a v-neck but the necktie provides a distraction which allows me to get away with it

I'm also obsessed with anything that has fluted sleeves at the moment so this ticks off that trend box too. I'm gutted that I managed to ladder my star print tights from next and thought that my boots covered up the laddered part but as they didn't lets just say I added an element of grunge to the outfit on purpose! One of my best friends suggested that I occasionally make more daring fashion choices rather than always sticking to pieces that I know will suit me so I'd like to start leaving my style comfort zone every so often and experiment a bit but still feel comfortable. Are there any outfits you would like to see me wearing or any particular looks I should try? Please comment or tweet me; @ChelseyPrentice as I'd love to hear from you

Fastfest 2015; Catwalk to Cosmopolitan Fashion Show

Most of us love a good fashion show but throw in upbeat, party music, a few cocktails, photo booth and beauty treatments then you have the recipe for a great night out! Cosmopolitan organised a series of events last week as part of the Fash Fest so I chose to attend the Fashion show as I couldn't wait to see how the Cosmo fashion team led by Sairey Stemp had styled the latest must have high street pieces. The good news is that most of them are within my price range and can be added to my wish list. 

The event was held in the Battersea Evolution Marquee which was a stunning, spacious venue. It felt so glamorous that I imagined I was at a party with the cast of Made In Chelsea and funnily enough, some of them such as Lucy Watson and Stephanie Pratt actually attended the event but sadly I didn't bump into any famous faces. Before the show my friend and I enjoyed cocktails with Zubrowka vodka, a glass of prosecco and a Baileys Martini whilst soaking up the atmosphere. The queues for beauty treatments were quite long but we did visit the Ted Baker stand where my friend won a bag after finding a badge in a large box, reminiscent of the trial in 'I'm a Celebrity...' where you have to rummage through to find stars. 

The fashion show started at around 9 and there were so many inspiring looks on the catwalk but here is a round up of some of my favourites

Brand Alley City Slicker

70's Bohemian Hippy, Clockwise from top-left; asos, boohoo, H&M and next 

Luxe Modern Tailoring featuring Simply Be, Brand Alley, next, Evans, New Look and Missguided

Super Knits featuring from clockwise; River Island, missguided and asos

Swinging 60's featuring clockwise; Missguided, River Island, Simply Be and boohoo

The show was presented by the gorgeous Laura Whitmore and we were treated by a lively, entertaining performance from Connor Maynard who kept us all in high spirits

I decided to wear a mustard blouse from asos with a red PU skirt from Primark and Burgundy loafers from Office as I wanted to look classy and be comfortable

Review of Beau Bronz Soft Sun Self Tan for English Roses

I met Abi from Beau Bronz at the Bloggers Conference (see post here) last month. She was so friendly and chatty and I was intrigued by the products, especially the self tan for English roses as my skin is naturally quite pale so often needs a bit of a tan to make me look healthy. I love that the range is cruelty free, organic, natural and paraben free so there are no chemical nasties that upset the skin. I applied the self tan on two separate occasions using the Beau Bronz soft tanning mitt felt so velvety soft against my skin.

Overall, I was pretty pleased with the results. I love the natural looking colour and the citrus smell which is much less biscuity than other self tan products I've tried. The formula is very luxurious but the density of the liquid makes it slightly difficult to get it out of the bottle and I found I had to really shake it up and squeeze the bottle to dispense the product. I think that a pump dispenser would be really useful or perhaps a squeezy bottle for ease of use. I also found that I had to spread the product evenly across the mitt with my fingers to get an even tan so maybe I'll try using gloves instead to apply it next time. I did have a bit of streaking on my neck and upper arm but that is more than likely due to my lack of expertise in applying it more than the product itself! I'm more used to thin tanning lotions or mousses so I think I just need to get some gloves and improve on my technique. My arms and face look naturally sun kissed and people have commented on how well I look so I would recommend it for the compliments alone! Professional spray tans using Beau Bronz products are also available in selected salons which I'd definitely like to try before a big event as it's always best to leave things to the experts! See the website for more information

September mini Primark Haul & other Purchases

Every September I can't resist adding a few new season items to my wardrobe to update my look for Autumn which is my favourite season. Primark is a good place to start if you're on a tight budget like me as you can pick up both key, trend-led pieces and capsule basics for under £15

One of my favourite looks is Victorian Gothic and this lace shirt (£12) with a velvet ribbon tied at the neck fits the bill perfectly. This can be glammed up with a black patent pencil skirt or dressed down with jeans and ankle boots

This cosy cardi (£14) will be perfect for chilly days and is in one of the most popular colours at the moment; Burgundy. I'm looking forward to snuggling up in this!

I love a comfortable dress that you can just throw on with a pair of tights and boots on a cold or rainy day so this pink knitted roll neck dress (£10) should do the trick

I've always been a fan of red and this PU pencil skirt with split (£10) will be perfect for nights out, especially during the party season. Lets just hope I'm well enough to go out this December after being so ill last year and missing out on the festivities.

I'm not really a jewellery person but I do find that it can complete a look so I try my best to wear it when I remember! This gorgeous set of rings was a bargain £4 and are a good way to update your look with a touch of boho

For Casual, everyday wear I often slip into a pair of jeggings from Uniqlo as they are so soft and comfortable like leggings but pretty much look like jeans. At £14.90 you can't go wrong so I picked up two pairs for Autumn and Winter

Bloggers Love Fashion Week September 2015

I've been to a few Bloggers Love events before so was keen to attend their Fashion Week event on Monday evening. My boyfriend came along to experience a blogger event and take the photos for which I'm very grateful! We arrived early at about 5.50 so it wasn't too busy when we first got there. There were some great brands and the ones that I spoke to were very friendly and engaging. I didn't get the chance to chat to everyone but I did have a detailed look and chat with representatives from the following brands:

Kleem Organics; I'm looking forward to trying their vitamin C serum which will hopefully reduce the appearance of the pigmentation marks on my skin (see picture 2)

Boadica The Victorious; This range of unique luxury unisex scents is available in high end department stores such as Selfridges and the two fragrances that I sampled were sensual, musky florals that lasted all night. One for the Christmas list I think! (see picture 1)

Little Odine; The concept of peel-off nail polish takes me back to my childhood in the 90s but what a great idea! I definitely plan to try them soon as they dry quickly, use natural ingredients so are much less damaging to your nails than normal nail varnish and as they peel off, theres no need to faff around with remover (see picture 4)

Type the Hype: This platform brings bloggers and brands together by giving them opportunities to work together on assignments. I will definitely be signing up very soon

Linzy-Lou's: This purse friendly accessories brand had a few on trend handbags that I have my eye on! I'm very tempted by the red one in picture 3 below

Halo; A hair extension brand with a difference as rather than traditional clip ins, the hair piece is worn around your head like a hat and once you pull through your own hair it blends pretty seamlessly, providing the shade matches your own hair. It also feels incredibly soft and shiny (see picture 6)

I also had a quick chat with the lovely Georgina Dee (below) who has recently produced her first collection, including this gorgeous blue cocktail dress 

There was also a fashion show which showcased gorgeous pieces by Amigdala Wearable Art jewellery, Quiz clothing and Zaeem Jamal

I enjoyed the event but did struggle with the all black dress code as it's not a colour that I usually wear head to toe unless I'm at work! However, it did make the front row look very professional, like the show was being watched by fashion editors and it also pushed me out of my comfort zone style wise. I went for a playsuit from Motel with tights, a fedora from River Island and fringed faux suede jacket from Zara which I ended up tying around my waist. Ankle boots from Linzi and a fringed Primark bag completed the look. The OXO Tower location also provided the perfect backdrop for outfit photos

That 70's Show

The 70's is one of my favourite fashion eras. From the glamour of Studio 54 to floaty dresses with groovy prints, the looks of the decade are right up my street. Designer brands such as Gucci and Miu Miu set the trend on the catwalk which, thankfully for us mere mortals has translated well onto the high street. I'm in love with 70s inspired pieces in Zara and Mango but it's worth browsing all of the high street giants as I found this little gem in H&M for £19.99. I love the fluted sleeves, tasselled tie neck and autumnal toned print which will look fab with burgundy tights. (once I find the perfect pair)

As it wore it for a party that was in a garden I layered a white polo top from Topshop underneath, which also added to the 70's feel. My ankle boots are old ones from New Look. Expect many more 70's inspired looks in the near future!

Learning how to Dress to Flatter your Body Shape

There is an art to dressing to suit your body shape and what to avoid. Most of the time I like to think that I get it right but there are occasions when I don't as you can see from the pictures below! Health problems have caused my weight to fluctuate over the past two years and I'm currently at my heaviest. Most of the weight tends to go to my stomach area which means bodycon is out of the question and anything that is tight around this area looks very unflattering as you can see from the dungaree dress below! (I was even trying to hold my stomach in for this picture) It's difficult for me to flatter my current shape with some dresses as I still have small shoulders so it can gape in this area but be tight everywhere else. 

Although I'm still considered to have quite a slim body, last year I was over a stone lighter and I'm at the point where most of my clothes don't fit properly, if at all. This was quite a rushed outfit as I was running late and didn't have time to iron anything but it has taught me a valuable lesson about outfit planning. I felt so uncomfortable all day and couldn't wait to get home to get changed!

I currently have a thyroid problem which I will be discussing with a doctor in a weeks time so hopefully I can find a way to manage it and lose some weight around my stomach but in the meantime I'm sticking to loose dresses, high waisted bottoms with floaty blouses and for anything tighter I think it may be time to invest in a pair of Spanx!