Clothes show buys!

As my previous post explained, I attended the annual Clothes Show Live this year at the NEC Birmingham. It was amazing as usual! A real fashionistas haven with endless amounts of stalls for fashion,jewellery,vintage,accessories and make-up all under one roof! Including the amazing dance fashion show, showcasing all the latest trends and upcoming models! I wanted to show you a few bits that I got my hands on at the CSL and what my best buys were! This is me and my twin sister just before our first trip back to the car! (The bags were too heavy!)

Below is one of my best buys of the day! It's a Ciate advent calend containing a mini ciate polish for every day, it's a little late but 24 polishes for £10 was a deal I wasnt going to pass on! It's amazing and the colours are stunning. You can still grab one for yourself here, but unfortunatley not for the same price! 

Some more nail goodies! 

Oh my love is sold at Topshop! Its website is here. This was my steal of the day for only £5! 

Vera Moda is one of my favorite places to shop at the clothes show and as a platinum ticket holder I got %10 off! These two knitwears are perfect for snuggling up this winter!

I fell in love with this boyfriend coat! It was off a little unique stall and its snakeprint striking pattern caught my eye! Oversized jackets are perfect for this seasons trend. 

Thanks for reading and feel free to comment or ask questions below! Hope you enjoyed :)

Loveash-xx

Clothes show live!

Hello again-

I know this a little late but this is FINALLY the blog post from the Clothes show live that I attended on the 10th of December. I know that seems like ages ago but it took a while for me to get all the pictures of my camera and ready for blogging! The Clothes show is a must-go event for any Fashion lover with the amazing Fashion/dance show, hours of shopping and must-have make-up stalls. This year was my 5th year attending and also Clothes Show's 25th Birthday!

We attended the last day as there is usually great deals on all the high end stalls that are trying to get rid of their stock, such as Ciate nails, Rimmel London, David&Goliath, W7, Barry M and Models own are just a few of the big names that were offering some amazing deals! Although you can miss out on some popular items going on the last day as they sell out pretty quick if they are going for great prices all week:( Never the less, I managed to get my hands on some great bargains and also got to snap up some pictures from the theatre dance and fashion show, with the great seats we got this year with our platinum tickets! (We were FROW!!!)

Here are some pictures from the show!

The male models were a highlight.. 

Monochrome stripes were a hit with the males..

Gold luxe is definitely a must have christmas/new-year buy!

Ofc Tartan was on trend! 

Festival tribal prints modelled by Cover girl Jade Thomspon

I had such a great day and will 100% be attending again next year! If you love fashion and catwalks this is certainly an unforgettable day out, make sure you book you're tickets nice and early for next years CSL! Thanks for reading and ill be shortly putting up a post about all my amazing purchases! 

Comment, share and enjoy :)

LoveAsh-xx

All of my own images- Ashleigh Clarke©

Ashleigh's nails!

Nail time again! As we're quickly getting closer and closer to christmas I thought i'd go for something a little festive. With all my new polished it was tricky to decide on colour but eventually I went for a Ciate mini 'Amazing Gracie' and Barry M 'Pink Iridescent' which is gorgeously glittery! With the Amazing gracie base coat and the Barry M over the top it creates a perfect subtle festive glitter nail.

Ciate mini- Within Ciate Calender
Barry M- £3.49

After creating my glitter nude base I decided to add snowflakes for that extra bit of christmasy spirit and it's a little more subtle than full blown reindeer and santa head nails! (not that there's anything wrong with them either!) Anyway, to add the snowflakes I just made a star shape with 4 lines and then simply added little flicks to the end to create snowflakes, I used my white nail pen to create these! I also left one nail blank to add some extra sparkle, I used my gold glitter nail pen to paint my 3rd finger in from the thumb as I like to create a little gap between patterned nails. After all my nails were dry I added a few drops of 'Blizzard-wonderland' polish from Models own to add a little more detail to the snowflakes. There, that's how I created the nails below.. Sparkly,Subtle and Stylish! 

Festive snowflake nails

Hope you enjoyed this post and thank you for reading! If you have any questions or want to leave any feedback I always appreciate it! Just leave them in the comments box below and i'll reply asap! 

Thanks again,

Loveash-xx

Bedford shop!

Hello again my lovely little bloggers/readers! I've been a bit cheeky and have been shopping for myself once again, before christmas! I'm sorry okay, there's just too many goodies out there that can't wait. Anyway, I desperately needed something to wear to the Clothes Show so decided a little trip to bedford (a local shopping centre) was needed. I only had a little budget so Primark was definitely on the cards, as well as the bargain little shoe shop in the centre which was my first stop!

Kempston Footwear Bedford- £25

As you probably already know, boots are so on trend this Winter and I just can't stop buying them! It's like I need a pair for every outfit in every colour. Even though I already have a black gold studded pair of boots I fell in love with these platform biker buckle boots from this shoe shop! They were surprisingly comfy when I tried them on which made me want them even more! These can also be doubles as boots for a night out if you're going for that grunge/biker girl style, matched with a little swing dress and leather jacket it's the perfect fashionable/casual outfit! If for the likely occasion you don't live anywhere near bedford and you want to get your hands on a pair of these beauts these links below take you to some similar styles from online/worldwide shipping sites!  

Primark-£12

Collar Detail

Next on my list was an outfit to go with my new boots. I wanted to keep in mind my grungy biker style that  I was going to go for, but with a classy twist. I found this slightly cropped, embellished collar blouse in Primark and thought 'PERFECT!' This blouse is so on trend with sheer pristine white fabric and Gorgeously embellished collar, the details are gorgeous. This blouse will add a touch of class to any outfit even if the price tag isn't really classy at all! More cheap and classy than cheap and cheerful i'd say!

Primark- £10

This was my next steal of the day! The perfect high-waist leather mini from Primark at this ridiculous bargain price. I had to pick this for my gurney style Clothes show outfit, it goes amazingly with the blouse and is matching trends with my new boots. I love this Chanel style crosshatching and the fit is lovely considering it's from Primark where you sometimes have to be cautious! I'm 5.7 and often find that any 'mini' skirt I buy looks to short but this high-waist fits like a dream and doesn't rise above the dreaded 'way too short' area.

I'm thinking this little shopping trip was a success and I know have the perfect outfit for the Clothes show! Matched with my monochrome fitted coat I can't wait to see the outcome, and don't worry ill be blogging about it straight after, the Clothes show is one of my favourite events of the year so i won't let you miss out on the action! Thanks for reading and if you have any questions or feedback feel free to comment below! 

Thanks again,

LoveAsh-x

Similar items to mine from this post- 

Boots-

River Island Black boots

New look gold buckle boots

Blouse-

Miss Selfridge Embellished Collar Shirt

Topshop Collar Blouse

Skirt- 

Forever 21 Quilted skirt

New look leather mini skirt

Ashleigh's Nails!

Ima little bit of a houndstooth addict atm! I love the simple design that always look's on trend and unique. It may take a little time to get the hang of the pattern but once you've mastered it, it really is easy! I wanted to add a colour pop to my nails as the usual monochrome houndstooth has already featured here. I decided to go for a pink to purple fade, my favourite ombre effect! To create ombre nails you will need 2 or more colours, a white base coat, small sponges (make-up sponges work best), cotton buds and nail polish remover. 

The first step to ombre nails is a basic white coat. It needs to be white as the colours you are sponging on won't show up very well with a basic clear coat. After the white has dried you need to paint on strips of you're chosen colours onto the sponge, make sure they will fit on the space of your nail or you may just end up with one colour over the whole nail (waste of time)!

 After you're colours are on the sponge quickly place the sponge over your nail and lightly dab to mix in the colours to a fade. Most colours work well together, using too many dark colours may result in an overall one colour but usually it works fine. Once you have dabbed each nail with the sponge, (you will have to re-apply paint for each nail) you will need to remove the mess around the rest of your nails. To do this, just pour a little nail polish in the lid and then dip the cotton bud in. Then simply wipe of the unnecessary paint with the cotton buds!  

After your ombre nail's have dried you're free to start painting on the pattern. As I mentioned before I'm in love with this houndstooth pattern and I think it will always be a favourite of mine! There's a really great tutorial on how to do monochrome houndstooth pattern here- Nail art tutorial image

Then all you have to do is add a nice glossy coat on top and you're done! Classy, colourful nails in a matter of minutes :) 

Above it another example of houndstooth nails that I did for my sister. These were a white to pink ombre fade with houndstooth over the top! I think these colours work well and this just shows that it works with multiple colours other than white! 

I hope you've enjoyed this tutorial/nail post! If you have any questions or comments please leave them below as I love any feedback you have :) 

Thanks for reading! 

Loveash-xx

Cambridge shop!

So,last week was mine and my boyfriends 3 year 'anniversary' of when we got together so we decided to take a little trip to Cambridge for the day! My eyes lit up as I knew it's the perfect shopping destination! I spent most of the time christmas shopping but got a few cheeky purchases for myself! First stop was primark!

Primark-£15

This is where I picked up these great vintage style tan leather boots, that go perfect with my new zara bag! They were only £15 so I had to grab a pair, they are perfect with skinnies or tights and for the winter that seems to be fast approaching! 

Primark- £13.99

I also got this grey jumper dress from Primark! It's really soft and dead cosy, perfect for all this chilly weather and also goes with my lovely new boots! Ive been wanting a comfy jumper dress for ages and this was just the perfect fit, at only £13.99 I couldnt resist! 

Wallpaper- B&Q- £13.99 Per roll
Scented candle- Primark- £2.99
Pillow-Primark- £5

The last few bits from Primark were for my bedroom rather than wardrobe! Ive just re-decorated with this great purple/cream print wallpaper so wanted to add a touch of purple to match! I got this bargain throw cushion for just £5 and this scented purple candle for £2.99! Now it all matches in nicely! 

Topshop £25

After primark, it was only natural to head to topshop! It's a nightmare going in when your supposedly not shopping for yourself.. Although i spotted this little number at a bargain £25 and just had to treat myself! I love these little split dresses and it's perfect for christmas time coming up! 

Overall it was a successful shopping/ gift buying trip! If you have any questions or just a query drop me a comment a below:) 

Thanks for reading! 

Loveash-xx

5 Perfect christmas gifts for under £30!

Wether your hunting for your best friend, sibling or just your office secret santa this is the ultimate gift guide for any fashionista. When searching online for gift's I often get easily side-tracked by what I would like for christmas and not what I'm supposed to be looking for, so hopefully at least one of these gifts will make your online christmas shop a little easier! 

ASOS- Premium night garden necklace- £28

The first gift is perfect for the ultimate style guru. This chunky jewelled necklace is perfect to style up any outfit and would go with any pre-planned new years outfit! It's currently on sale at ASOS too so what's not to love! 

Marc by Marc Jacobs- Selfridges- £30

Here's another set of gifts above, perfect for any brand lover without the designer price tags! These cute little Marc Jacobs friendship bracelet are the perfect stocking filler for any good friend!

£10.20- Amazon

This gift is for the dedicated fashion lover as well as passionate reader! This it THE book to have on your shelf if you love fashion and it's certainly a great read! (I got it for my birthday and loved it!). The icon that is Coco Chanel is an inspiring read for any one who even likes fashion so grab one now from amazon! 

£6.95- Liberty London

The fourth gift is perfect for the party goer in your life! These cute little shot glassed have the recipe on the back so they'll be cocktail masters in no time! At such a little price they are great gift goodies.

Debenhams- £29.50

Another Marc Jacobs gift for the final one of 5. This time it's perfect for the scent lover! This little bottle is perfect to have on the go and in your handbag. The scent is just as appealing, smiles all round for the receiver of this little beauty!

Hopefully you find these gifts a little helpful and useful towards your christmas shopping! 

Thanks for viewing and feel free to comment below:) 

-LoveAsh-xx

Product of the week!

Im going to start a regular 'product of the week'. I love getting my hands on new products and luckily enough my sister was sent this amazing new 2 in 1 tangle teaser brush by 'ScareDoo'. This brush is great! If you're like me and have  long hair that often gets in a tangle wether im just walking down the street or have justdeeply conitioned it- no matter what it gets tangled! So,as you can imagine this is tres annoying and I need a product that can help me with these knotty issues! This is it! This brush glides through my hair with ease without ripping half my hair out in the process (which is always a bonus.) 

Another great feature that really makes this product stand out from the rest is its two way brush! Just a simple click of the tangle brush and you can flip it over to the all time fave paddle brush! Even better is, the accesable space inside can be used to store all those forever dissapearing hair toggles and bobby pins! Pefect! 

Overall this product is great for any-one with knotty hair and at only £10.99 there's no reason not to have one! Another absolutely amazing bonus is they donate £1 from every brush sold to the pink ribbon foundation charity! Totes- worth every penny in my case, so get online and order one asap❤️

If you have this product or have any question's, feel free to comment below! 

Thanks for reading! 

Love Ash-xx

Ashleighs Nails!

Its that time again,new nails time! I absalutley love changing my nails and I will try my best to keep udating blogs about them! First up (better late than never) is the halloween nails! I went for a simple yet unique approach to halloween with thses mix&match scary prints! The thumb is hidden but that was a pumpkin, the rest are the more favourable to me! All of them were created with different colour nail pens! A key element to any keen nail artist! I think these turned out ok overal, and they dried just in time for me to open all the sweets!! 

My next set of nails from this month were inspired by a post I saw on @wahnails instagram! I love following them for inspiration as they always have the best and freshest designs out there! I went for this monochrome style with a hint of red to make it pop! I also wanted to try out my black matte with shiny black tips! Look at my first 'Ashleighs nails' blog to see how I create the hounstooth effect! I created this look with a BarryM black matte and silky red polish with black and white nail pens from models own! 

Thanks for reading and hope you enjoy:)

LoveAsh-xx

P.s- If you love nail art follow my Instagram for daily updates, as well as #ashleighsnails!

Newcastle shop!

So, I havent posted in a while and I am truly very sorry! However,I have a little treat as im posting twice today! Thats right two posts! Awesome. Anyway, the reason I havnt been posting much is because ive been a busy bee interning at this really cool digital marketing place so I have been blogging but just for other companies! The pics below are from a little shopping I did at the metrocentre in Newcastle! I went up a few weeks ago to visit a friend who's at uni up there! I had a truly amazing time and will never forget that weekend! So,here are a few goodies I got! 

Zara Tan Bag- £24.99

Above is one of fave buys of the day! This amazing leather luxe tote from Zara. I couldnt resist, at only £24.99 who would? Its perfect to fit my mac book in and loads of room for day to day wear! Deffinatley my deal of the day :)

Primark Denim Faux fur Jacket- £19.99

Another bargain above,this lush denim jacket from Primark! So comfortable and extra fur lining for that little bit of warmth needed now its getting cooler! This was only £19.99 and goes with any outfit, perfect all year round too! 

H&M wax effect skinny jeans- £22.99
Zara Denim Jegging skinnies- £19.99

I needed some casual/smart clothing for work so I decided to buy some new skinnies whilst I could. There great to wear with anything and I think these dark colours are perfect for smart/casual office wear! Anyway,these luxe wax effect skinny jeans were £22.99 from H&M wheras the dark blue denim jegging's were only £19.99 from Zara! 

H&M Floral B&W Kimono- £16.99

Above is another great H&M buy! This floral kimono is perfect for day wear or evening! Paired with black skinnies or a little black dress thus kimono adds an element of class to any outfit! This top was £16.99.

Last but not least,beauty! I had to grab some new make-up for this winter weather,ive been looking ghostly for the last month and needed some brightening up! The boots in the metro centre is also massive so had to give it a go! I started of with the nails,ive been wanting matte polish forever and spotted this croc crackle whilst at the Barry M station. I thought they would work wanders together but thats for another post! They were £3.99 each. Next I moved onto the face, powder and foundation are a basic necessatie and I needed to top up! I went for Max factor powder (as always) its my favourite powder! It always feels so light and makes the best difference! The foundation was a first for me, I usually use Rimmel but I went for a different type. This Wake me up however is really great! Its ever so slightly dark for me  but it still fits my complexion after a light brush on! It feels airy and doesnt leave me looking greasy and orange after,bonus! 

Overall I loved newcastle and wish I could of splashed way more cash but unfortantley with christmas coming up I wasnt allowed:( Nevermind,all set for the office and fresh faced too! If you have any questions please feel free to comment below! I would love any feedback or advice you fellow bloggers have:) 

Thanks for reading-

Loveash-xx

Ashleigh's nails!

As well as fashion,another passion of mine is nail art! Yes, ever since I got my hands on a nail pen i've been completely addicted! So,I've decided to update you all on my weekly nail art newbies! Occasionally there will be one or two changes in the week so ill post up every one with a little tutorial/explanation of how they're created! Heres two from this week! 

The image above is my first attempt at houndstooth nails. A top trend along with tartan this autumn so I just had to give it a go! After watching a little tutorial from another blog and I was ready to go! You need a black base polish to start and a white nail pen/ brush. Ill post the tutorial I used below as its a little fiddly and also very tricky to explain in words (I tried and had to give up!)

My second mani of the week is a little more wild than monochrome! I specifically chose leopard print as I new I would be wearing my fave leopard print pumps the next day and who doesn't love a little matchy matchy! Anyway, to create this look I used a nude/brown Maybelline gel polish base and then topped it with a matte gold crackle polish from O.P.I. Nails. After the crackle dried I added small dots of the the same colour as the base on top. Then simply added the blavk lining details and a few extra spots to create this lush leopard effect, top with a high gloss top coat and your good to go! 

Hope you enjoy my weekly nails and feel free to comment below with requests or blogs that I can follow for inspo! Thanks for viewing! 

LoveAsh-xx

Winter Warmers

As you can probably feel in the air, winter is defiantly on it's way. Wether you love it or you hate it, there is always one good thing that come's from it.. a brand new winter wardrobe! Here in England the weather certainly doesn't disappoint on the cold front so us girls need to be warm as well as stylish. This is where this seasons top style-tip comes in- layering! Knitwear upon knitwear, chunky tights layered with chunky socks and comfy boots is a key element of this winter season style; paired with tartan punk, gothic and leather luxe trends. 

Chosen from a few of my favourite high street brands I have selected some key item's that we all need in our winter wardrobes for every type of weather this great british weather throws at us! First thing's first the one essential we all have, fashionista or not is a good pair of trousers! Patterned boy-fit's are certainly a bold style in for this A/W13 but if you don't want to stand out just as much then there is always the perfect pair of comfy warm and essential winter jeans. Now 'mom' jeans are a big hit this season and perfect for windy weather as the high waist keeps your tummy nice and warm as well as allowing you to wear the perfect cropped knitted jumper (also very in this fall). Leather luxe is another favourite of mine, these faux leather jeans look great on and even paired with a white t-shirt you look effortlessly stylish and bang on trend.

Another key item in every wardrobe is the perfect coat! I know everyone has their own unique style and choosing a key element such as the coat can be a tricky decision.. however I have selected 3 of my favourites styles for this winter. Firstly the denim jacket, not always the warmest in cold weather but great for these few autumn days that are left. I love pairing a chunky vintage denim jacket with a little skater dress,tight's and boots for that casual comfy look. Secondly for the warmer option a big comfy boyfriend jacket, i'm loving this particular colour block coat from Rebecca Taylor , it's great come rain or snow for keeping you cosy and on trend. Last but not least the essential leather jacket, a key item all year round but go for a jacket with fur lining for that extra padding this winter. I love this Topshop quilted fur collar jacket, it's most defiantly on my to buy list at only £58!          

Overall I think that the key to looking great this winter is to feel comfortable and cosy in whatever you wear! Hope that these little style tips help you on your way to finding the perfect winter wardrobe! Feel free to leave comment's if you have any tips or suggestions for my next blog! Below is a little taster of a winter style of my own! Enjoy, Stay sensible and stay stylish.

LoveAsh-xx

Beautiful Boutiques!

As much as I love going into my favourite stores on the high-street and getting to look around, feel the clothes and try items on; I must admit I love to shop online also. Its an easy and quick way to simply select what you want and go, without being distracted onto the things you didn't even know you needed (wanted). Another bonus with shopping online is that your free to explore the whole world of fashion boutiques and high-street favourites from the comfort of your own sofa! I love finding new boutiques and feeling the excitement of unique styles and clothes from all over the world available at my fingertips. I thought I'd let the select of you that read this, into a little secret of my favourite affordable and best online Boutiques! 

To start,one of my favourite boutiques all the way from down under is 'BeginningBoutique'. Although the postage fee's may be a little higher than your average UK boutique, it's defiantly worth it! With top quality and stunning variety of items on offer, it's hard to resist  Every week the page is updated with new items and even better, if your in Britain because as Australia have their not so cold winter's most of their summer items go on sale perfect timing for our warmer months! They also have a great Instagram page if you want to check that out, it's how I discovered them! 

Next in line for another great boutique is a e-store a little closer to home! This Boutique is a popular hit with thousands in the UK but still not as big as the branded boutiques such as miss-guided and Ark. This means the prices aren't as high (Bonus!) but still great quality items. Daisy street is a celebrity led fashion store but has great unique individual items for great prices, along with reasonable P&P charges. Below are a few of my favourite items from the store, catching on with this seasons punk and winter  ankle boots Daisy street is the boutique to stop at for your winter essentials.

                            

Last but certainly not least, is another British Boutique called 'prettylittlething'. This e-store offers everything from the  perfect fashion inspo blog to the ideal OOTD. You can grab your basic's from as little as £4 as well as picking up new trend favourites from under £40! This shop is also available world wide, not just the UK so Europe, America & Australia you're all in luck! This is one of my top 3 out of all these beaut boutique stores's ive picked out for you, it has style advice, celeb take-overs and prices that wont make your bank balance shiver with fear! Take a look for yourself and here's some of my top picks.

That's all from me for know, and if there's any cute boutiques you think I should know about feel free to drop a comment below! Thanks for reading and ill be back soon,

LoveAsh-xx

Autumn steals!

Now, as much as I would love to be strolling around in the latest Burberry mac or Chanel little black jacket; my bank certainly wouldn't let me. With winter fast approaching however, I do need to be getting my hands on a cosy new coat but at an affordable price with essential style. After browsing a variety of high-street stores and comparing them with runway identical's, i've selected the best of the bunch that are perfect for every outfit and every weather!

                                                                      

My first selection is 3 of my top favourite boyfriend style coats, that are set to be the favourite style for this A/W. Ive chosen these 3 styles from Zara,Topshop and H&M all at affordable prices for the perfect winter warmer. The first coat from Zara is perfect for this seasons pastel trend and will brighten up any grey day! I love the side fastening on both jackets from Topshop and H&M, it allows both coats to almost have two styles when open and closed, either way they both look fab and with dimmer colours they can be matched with anything! 

My next top 3 styles are for the perfect leather jacket, although leather isn't always the warmest of coats for winter they are a top wardrobe essential and every girl needs at least one for autumn. I would literally be lost without my little black leather jacket, it goes with everything from party dresses to office wear and gives that biker/ rock chick edge to any outfit. Although black is one of my preferred colours for leather there are some pretty wild colours out there if you want to brave them, i've picked a few below that are again all reasonable prices. If you prefer a warmer jacket for winter pick one with fur in-lining for that extra layer or team with a cosy sweater, the fitted leather jacket will fit snugger and provide extra warmth! 

                                 

Another top trend for this A/W is the Trench coat. As we all saw at Burberry A/W13 spectacular show last year, midi length glossy trench coats are bound to be the top seller this season. As much as I would love to splash around in the rain with a burberry trench on I'm afraid I couldn't quite splash the cash so i've opted for some of these high-street identical's. The middle Asos coat is the ultimate classic and at just £63 its not going to make you bankrupt! A similar style in black from feelluxury.com is even cheaper at £40, so head over there if you want a real winter bargain. Both of these jackets are wax material and a more waterproof coat than the Ted Baker stunner, however it will keep you warmer with a higher wool content, perfect for the snow days so you can stand bright and keep cosy!

Hopefully those 3 main styles will help you decide on your perfect A/W coat this season, but if none of them took your eye then take a look at some of my favourites from the high-street! A range of Asos, Topshop, Zara and River island in there all at great prices, hope you fall in love with them as much as I did and find yourself a bargain this winter! 

Thanks for reading! 

Loveash-xx

All outfits made on Polyvore.com- follow me at http://ashleighclarke.polyvore.com xx