Going To a Wedding? Stay Fashionable Without Spending A Lot!

Are you attending a wedding? How exciting! A wedding is a beautiful occasion where two people celebrate finding the love of their life and want to share that time with friends and family. As a wedding guest or even part of the wedding entourage, it can be a little scary to know what’s appropriate. It can be even more difficult if you are working with a small budget. 

You will be surprised that some people would go as far as applying for wedding loans just so they have enough spending money for the upcoming occasion. This way, they are confident that they are appropriately dressed and fashionable. The good news is, you can still be fashionable without breaking the bank or applying for unnecessary loans. Here’s how:

1. The outfit

It’s important to know how “dressy” you should be when attending the wedding. For sure, most couples would stipulate the expected attire somewhere on the invitation. If not, it is perfectly appropriate to call and ask the wedding hosts. If you already have something in your closet, then don’t feel the need to go buy anything special. If not, see if you might be the same size as a fashion forward friend and borrow something. 

Last, you might be able to find something perfect at a thrift store or a recycled clothing store that specializes in name brands. You can find great ideas here. Remember, for the most part the other guests will be looking at the bridal party, so don’t worry too much!

2. The gift

We live in an age where everyone already has everything they need, so you have to resist the urge to go big. Buying something meaningful or making something personal will mean a lot more than a new food processor. 

If your budget is on the smaller side, you might opt for a handmade gift. Use your talents and create a one-of-a-kind item for the happy couple. If you aren't artistic, then you could do something personal and put together a recipe book of favourite dishes from the couple’s friends and family. These gifts don’t have to be expensive to be beautiful and cherished. Looking for great gift ideas? Check this out.

3. Skip the gift

No, you shouldn't skip the gift completely. That’s rude. But let’s say you are an amazing baker or you can arrange flowers, or you have a DJ equipment, or you are a great photographer, you can offer to provide any of these services to the couple for free for their wedding. You may even offer to stay and clean up the venue, so the couple can get their deposit back. 

These are gifts that won’t cost you anything, but will help save the couple or the parents’ money. These will definitely be appreciated.

4. Accommodation

If you are travelling for the wedding, and you don’t have much to spend on a place to stay, reach out to the bride or members of the bridal party to see if anyone might be willing to share a hotel room with you.

 Also, you might be able to ask if any local friends or family of the bride might be willing to let you stay in a guest room. Everyone will be appreciative of your desire to attend and should be willing to help.

With these tips shared, you need not apply for wedding loans just so to be fashionable or cool. You can be both without the need to break the bank. Always remember, for the soon-to-be-wed couple, your friendship, sincerity and presence during their most important day is more than enough.

This is a guest post

Best & Worst Accessories from the 2014 MTV VMA Red Carpet

We kick off our best VMA accessories list with Beyonce and Nicki Minaj-  Beyonce wore huge black and silver statement earrings by designer Lorraine Schwartz that embellished her dress beautifully without being OTT, while Nicki toned herself down a little in a snakeskin print dress accessorised with a huge peachy coloured quartz ring.

Demi Lovato opted for gold accessories with her red dress while Rita Ora (shown here hugging Chris Brown) went for silver- Demi's triangle lobe earring and gold ear cuffs keep the look embellished but simple while showing her jewellery off with an undercut. 

Rita's look however was a little more lavish- her manicure reportedly cost $56,000 and includes black diamond polish, hand crafted spiders and ruby bows! With a ring for nearly every finger, she didn't go lightly on the Lorraine Schwartz hand jewellery either, which contrasts beautiful against her silky Donna Karen Atelier dress.

Teen Wolf's Holland Roden cracked out a cracking clutch for the occasion in metallic reflective silver with top embellishments. 

Model Natalie Gal's wrists and hands were stacked to the brim with bangles and rings in both gold and silver which almost stole the limelight from her very loud dress. This is a lovely modern take on the boho-esque stacked jewellery trend.

Our two awards for worst accessories of the night go to Katy Perry and Amber Rose. As if Katy Perry's denim Versace dress wasn't quite hideous enough, the tacky looking thick silver chain choker has been added to make the outfit that little bit more shocking, and the silver nose ring isn't doing her any favours. To top it off, Riff Raff's orange hair, patterned sunglasses and studded demin jacket is giving us a headache. Don't even get us started on his ring! 

Keeping with the silver chain vibe, Amber Rose seems to have forgotten her dress and skipped straight to the accessories. Thankfully she remembered her underwear because if there's a way to show much more skin on a red carpet, then we don't know about it! Half necklace, half dress, but not quite either!

What did you think were the best and worst accessories of the 2014 VMAs?

(image sources)

DIY Shoe/Collar Clips

These clips are a brilliant and simple way to rework a necklace you no longer wear- use them to embellish heels, plain flats or sandals, attach them to a shirt as statement collar clips, or even use them in your hair to jazz up a bun!

You'll need

1 necklace with large gemstones that you don't wear anymore (any will work but the cheaper the better as it will be easier to pull apart)

2 hair grips

A pair of pliers

Sandpaper

Glue (we switched to Araldite (a stronger resin glue) halfway through)

Instructions

1. Use the pliers to remove any links, chains or unwanted embellishments on the necklace.
2. Carefully pull the necklace apart so you have individual gemstones or small clusters if working with smaller crystals.
3. Arrange your design (remember you need two!). We went for a long angular shape but you could try circles or stacking to achieve something unique. Make sure the design is long enough to cover the hair grip.
4. Rub your chosen gems on coarse sandpaper if they have any sharp edges or pieces of metal sticking from the sides to give them a smooth shape.
5. Apply glue to the sides of the gems to stick them together and secure your design. Make sure to use a strong glue so the clips can withstand any knocks they may take, and follow the instructions on the packet to ensure it hardens perfectly.
6. Once the glue has dried and your new gemstone design is solid, apply a line of glue to the back and press the hair grip down firmly. We cut a cotton bud (Q tip) and slid a part of the stick it into the grip to keep each prong apart.
7. Once all the glue has dried, remove the cotton bud stick and you're ready to roll! Try out your new customised clips on everything from your shoes to your handbag to your hair to give your outfit some personality!

Let us know how you get on with this DIY, tweet us a picture so we can see!

My #BusinessPyjamas

While I'm not a professional blogger, I do work from home for over half the week, and I can bet other people in the same position will tell you that getting motivated to put on actual clothes in the morning can sometimes feel like a bit of a redundant task!

I've never been a morning person anyway, so if anyone actually does have the misfortune to see me before midday (usually the postman) I will probably still be in my pyjamas. And the tops and bottoms probably won't match. Who knows why both parts of the same pair are never clean at the same time, but I roll with it like some sort of deliberate bed-based fashion statement.

Post-midday, comfort is key for me as my real desk is where I store my make up so my desks come bed- and sofa-shaped, which means I need to be able to bend my legs (and that is barely possibly in so many of my skin tight jeggings or thigh skimming dresses). In this summer heat I tend to go for loose harem pants or thin patterned pyjama-style trousers and a strappy top, or if it's really hot as it has been over the past couple of weeks I'll throw on some little cotton shorts.

I bought a few casual summer dresses the other day which do the job of being both cheap enough to wear round the house without worrying but actually nice enough to wear out in the evening, and throwing one on keeps me cool in the heat but also makes me feel summery and a bit more 'done up' even when I still have bed head!

AXA want to see your Business Pyjamas for their current competition in which you could win an iPad mini- just snap a selfie of you at work in your most delightful pair and write a little blogpost about what you normally wear while working, then post your photo to the AXA Facebook page or tweet @AXABizTeam using the #BusinessPyjamas hashtag!

You can see my #BusinessPyjamas above, I nominate Sophie Rose Hearts to show us hers!

This is a sponsored post in association with AXA

Blue Hair, Don't Care

Since Kylie Jenner posted her first blue ombre Instagram pic in May, and girls everywhere fawned over that picture of her and her sister at the Billboard Music Awards, blue has been on the agenda for hair trends everywhere. In June, Vanessa Hudgens dabbled in blue hair chalk, transforming her into a boho mermaid with flower crown and big turquoise ring, and this month Pixiwoo's Nicola Chapman has been sporting a bright blue dipdye, and make up artist Chrissspy donned an icy blue wig.

Blue hair has been spotted on celebs since 2011, with Kate Bosworth kicking off the trend, followed by Demi Lovato, Katy Perry, Alexa Chung, Rita Ora and even Cher Lloyd, in varying hues of dark blue and turquoise. 

Celebrities are still jumping on the blue bandwagon, but what do you think of the dip dyes and ombres? Is blue here to stay, or will another colour take its place? 

5 Instagrammers You NEED To Follow

Elle_Wills
This Brisbane based realism artist creates gorgeous drawings that are girly with an edge. She draws everything from rappers and tattoed beardy men to donuts and scenes from Breaking Bad, but settles on lovely ladies that wouldn't look out of place in the pages of a magazine, or even on your wall.
And if you fall in love with one of Elle's creations, her prints are very reasonably priced! 

Dreamy_Touch

Malaysian based Maimona posts lovely flatlays including stationary and food that will make you swoon at their cuteness as well as their composition!

Angelicablicks

If you're dreaming of bright colours and summer sun, Stockholm based blogger Angelica is your girl. She posts beautiful fashion and lifestyle photos from her travels. 

Galialahav
If you're planning a wedding (or just love beautiful dresses) Galia Lahav is definitely worth a follow. Known for lace and low backs, both her wedding and evening wear are the stuff a girl's dreams are made of. And even if you're not getting married, a girl can still dream right?

Chrisspy
For beauty inspiration look no further than Chrisspy, a makeup artist with a penchant for bold looks and winged eyeliner. Her makeup looks range from edgy to girly and she gives great tips and product recommendations.

Pantone Radiant Orchid Inspiration

Pantone's Colour of the Year 2014 has received an explosion of interest compared to previous years, with the evocative purple popping up in fashion, beauty and even food. Beautiful Radiant Orchid themed wedding photos have surged onto Pinterest and beyond, cementing the nuptial-worthy shade as one of the most captivating trends of the year so far.

But what is it about Radiant Orchid that makes the colour so compelling? Is it that it 'emanates great joy, love and health' as Pantone claims, or maybe that it offers an edgier alternative to a traditional feminine bright pink? Whatever your reasons for loving the shade of the moment, the exotic purple is easy to work into your wardrobe and home. 

Radiant Orchid pairs well with blue, so try incorporating the shade into your shoe collection to wear with denim jeans, or invest in a bright purple bag for a pop of colour against pastel summer dresses. While not many of us have the bright blonde hair required for a full purple dye, hair chalks make it easy to achieve a relatively radiant dip dye or streak effect.

Radiant Orchid enlivens the skin and suits many tones with its warm and cool undertones, so is a beautiful shade for lips, eyes and subtle blush, or try working the colour into your manicure for a less scary way to keep on trend.
Finally, incorporate Radiant Orchid into your home by using accessories such as throws, cushions and curtains to liven up a neutral palette, or pair with red, blue or green to enliven your space. And if you're feeling really creative why not bake in colour and try this Purple Ombre Mini Cakes recipe from Glorious Treats?

Manhattan Intense Lip and Cheek Balm First Class / Urban Decay Eyeshadow Flash / Poppy Flowers Pillow Cover / Mini Silk Phalaenopsis with Fluted Vase / Evie Satin Weave Clutch Bag / Converse All Star Purple Cactus Flower / Pantone Universe Radiant Orchid iPhone 5/5s Case

Shop the Jewellery Trend: Chunky Chains

From the catwalks to the highstreet, chunky chains have been trending for at least the last 5 years- it was only yesterday that I came across an article detailing how they'd be the 'next big thing' for A/W 09- and with S/S 14 already upon us the fashion is in no danger of dying down. Big metal links are currently in demand not only on the highstreet but in boutique fine jewellers, and I witnessed the sale of a solid gold chunky curb chain last week for an eye watering £4000. Not all of us (in fact probably not many of us) have the chance to drop that amount of cash on one item, and the pieces above have price tags that are a little bit more thrifty!There are so many ways to wear this trend- from necklaces and bracelets to even earrings in gold, silver, rose gold and gunmetal colours. Theres also the option to choose between smooth or textured links, and there's so many types of chain from curb to belcher to box to herringbone. New Look is particularly stocked up with metal chains at the moment, and a lot of styles are available in both silver and gold which means picking your favourite (or 3!) shouldn't be too difficult. 

If you're not sure how to style your new purchases, take a look at this Pinterest board for ideas on how to work them into your outfits. Knowing England I can guarantee that we'll be seeing bikinis and bling on the beaches as soon as the sun comes out!

1. Gold Textured Link Chain Bracelet £5.99 - New Look

2. Jules Smith Knight's Armor Chain Bib Necklace £32.33 - Neiman Marcus

3. Nakamol Draped Golden Multi-Rope Earrings £15.85 - Neiman Marcus

4. Open Filigree Hoop Earrings £44.95 - Love Jewellery

5. Bad Girl Cuff $13 - Princess P Jewelry

6. Premium Chain Stone Bracelet £15 - Topshop

7. Limited Mesh Chunky Chain Necklace £14.99 - New Look

8. Gold Layered Slinky Chain Necklace £7.99 - New Look

9. "Brooke-Lynn" Rose Gold Pave Chain Bracelet $78 - Princess P Jewelry

10. Miquella Atomic Necklace £199 - Cadenzza

11. Premium Multi Row Flower Necklace £22.50 - Topshop

12. Gold Square Chunky Chain Necklace £9.99 - New Look

13. Multi Crystals Decor Chain Earrings £5 - Rings and Tings

What do you think of the chunky chain jewellery trend, will you be rocking some metal this spring?

Tattoo For a Week

I really like the look of tattoos on other people, but because I change my mind so easily and I'm not the biggest fan of needles or pain, I haven't considered getting anything permanently etched into my skin. Thankfully, for those of us with a fear of having something done that we cant change, there's another option that means we can have a new design every week, or longer if we take care of it.
The thought of temporary tattoos might take you back to your childhood- a pretty flower or sparkly butterfly that was pressed onto the top of your arm and rubbed off a few days later never to be seen again. In contrast, there are now hundreds of more grown up designs for adults with much better quality and staying power, including those used on film and TV sets. While some might think they're a cop out, I'm actually a big fan; a nice design on bare legs or under tights with a dress for a night out looks very cool, and if you don't want to show it off to everyone you can wear it just under hem so that it's only seen when you sit down.

I recently received a 20 euro voucher for TattooForAWeek.com and was so excited to look through all the designs. Tattoo For A Week has more than 3000 really affordable designs from fun tattoos, to professional film brands, to knuckle and face tattoos, with discounts and free shipping on orders over £10. The company is based in Belgium but the package only took a few days to reach me.
I wanted to choose something that I'd actually wear out, as well as a few unusual ones to test out and see what they were like- I went for Strepik Owl, Day of the Dead Roses Face Mask, Tinsley Transfers 1940's Pin Up and Tattooed Pin Up Girl, small Tiger, Roses Ring tattoo, and Water Slide Temporary Tattoo Paper.

I haven't used all of them yet but I have tried the more unusual ones which I'll talk about below, and will post twitter/instagram photos of the others when I do get them on. A couple were a lot bigger than I had thought so it's definitely worth checking sizes before you buy!

I started off with the Roses Face Mask (£3.40), which would be brilliant for a costume for a fancy dress party escpecially with New Years Eve on the way. Each piece of the design is supplied on one sheet which needs to cut out and applied to clean dry skin individually, before dabbing with a damp cloth and peeling off the backing paper. Some areas, such as the eye circles were a bit tricky as the hollows in the inner corners are so defined, and if I was to apply again I might change the placement a little, but I posted a photo on Twitter and had a couple of questions asking whether I'd drawn the design myself so I think I did a pretty successful attempt! I'm not a good drawer so it was so much easier to apply these and have each line looking perfect. The tattoos covered my eyebrows well, and I filled in the eyes with Maybelline Black Gel Liner and used a small fluffy brush to apply Mac Mineralize Skinfinish in Light Plus around the edges of the tattoo sections to even out my skin and cover blemishes, before finishing with Arbonne lipstick in Strawberry. To remove I soaked a cotton pad in oil based makeup remover, and with a bit of gentle rubbing it was gone without trace.

Next I tried the Roses Ring (£0.70), which can be used as a navel or nipple tattoo. This is definitely one of the most unusual types of temporary tattoo I've seen and, in keeping with my piercing from a few posts ago, I thought I'd give it a go on the nip. Tattoo For a Week also do full pastie tattoos which cover the nipple completely for underneath sheer tops. This wasn't the easiest to apply and it suffered a bit of distortion during dampening, but it definitely looked unusual and would be nice as a pair for a special occasion.The Water Slide Temporary Tattoo Paper is an interesting product- it's used to design your own tattoos or to check the size and placement of a design you're planning to get permanently inked. The image is mirrored on your computer and printed onto the glossy side of the tattoo paper, then the adhesive overlay is stuck onto the top (making sure there are no air bubbles) before you peel off the plastic topsheet and apply the temporary tattoo as normal. I had a lot of fun with these, but they do come with a note that the quality isn't of normal temps and they're definitely right- while they do last, they need to be cut very close to the design and look like a noticeably shiny film on the skin, and instead of rubbing off into small pieces they peel off like a thin piece of tape. Nevertheless, these are great fun to play around with, and would definitely serve the purpose of checking a design. They're available in two sizes- approximately 4x6inch (£1.90) and 9x11inch (£7.20).

The rest of the tattoos are reasonably normal compared to the above and I'm looking forward to wearing them when I go out. You can tell whether a temporary tattoo will look realistic just by seeing it on the paper, and the difference between the two Tinsley Pin Up tattoos is really interesting- one is a dark with new crisp looking hand drawn lines, while the other is more faded with slightly feathered lines and looks like it has been on the skin for a good few years. I've had temporary tattoos last a good while longer than one week by avoiding them when shaving and moisturising, and I've no doubt that these will last just the same.
How do you feel about temporary tattoos, would you try them as an adult or leave them for the kids?