Tuesday 30 April 2013

Jewellery Review: Timothy Roe.

"Lucky" Sterling Silver Spinning Ring: C/O Timothy Roe Fine Jewellery* £20.00

I have another lovely piece of jewellery to show you today, girlies; this time it's from a Chichester-based company called Timothy Roe Fine Jewellery. They kindly asked me if I would like to review one of their spinning rings and of course I said yes- they're beautiful! The one I chose is the "Lucky" Sterling Silver Spinning Ring from their Primo collection as I love symbols of luck- I'm one of those people who needs a lot of them, haha!

I'm a sucker for packaging and the lovely, rich purple bag and box that the ring came in screams "luxury"- these rings would make the perfect gift for somebody as all the hard work is done for you. I love the ring itself as it is so dainty and looks lovely worn alone, or you can collect some more spinning rings and combine them to make a unique ring which expresses your personality and your memories. Timothy Roe stocks a vast collection of spinning rings, including gold and silver ones, rings with dangling charms and rings which have your birthstone set in to them.

The sizing of these rings is a little weird- They only come in XS, S, M and L, and I couldn't find a sizing guide on the website. I went for an XS, however, and it fits me fine- well- it's a little big but that's just the curse of the stick fingers; I struggle finding rings that are small enough for me!
The rings are also a little pricey- the one I have costs £20, and they range up to £59, so these are definitely something that I would ask for as a gift for a special occasion- but I liken the concept and the quality of these to a Pandora charm bracelet, so I do think they're worth it if you're willing to spend a little more on a piece of jewellery that holds a special meaning to you. There is also a 15% discount offer on at the moment- Just type in SPINNINGDEAL15 at the checkout if you want to take advantage :)

If you would like to check out the range of spinning jewellery at Timothy Roe (they also sell spinning earrings!), you can visit the Timothy Roe website here.

Do you own any spinning jewellery?
*DISCLOSURE: PR sample. My opinions are still 100% honest and my own.


Monday 29 April 2013

TK Maxx Liverpool Silent Disco.


Last Thursday I was invited along to check out the silent disco that TK Maxx Liverpool were holding to promote their Spring/Summer collections. I met up with my fellow Liverpool bloggers, Alex and Laura beforehand and after a quick coffee we wandered down to the store where they were just finishing setting up the DJ booth.

We were each given a pair of wireless headphones so that we could "shop and bop" around the store to cheesy tunes like TK Maxx's classic theme, "Do Your Thing", whilst sipping on a virgin mojito (which, by the way, was ahh-mazing, despite the lack of alcohol- I could have had about five). The DJ was a bubbly chap, who was great at getting people to have fun on the dance floor, and taught everybody a few of his moves.

TK Maxx were also very generous and gave a £25 gift card to the first 100 people through the door. I haven't decided what to spend mine on yet- I'm going to have a browse in my local store tomorrow; there's always so much to choose from in TK Maxx!

Make sure you check out what your local TK Maxx has in store for Spring/ Summer- I spotted some gorgeous swimwear; if only I was going on holiday this year! :(

Have you been to silent disco before?

My Ultimate JD Sports Wishlist.

For somebody who, a few months ago would have turned her nose up at the thought of wearing a pair of trainers, I sure have become obsessed with sportswear over the past few weeks! I have come to realise that girls who spend a lot of time training and in the gym want to look good too, and not all sports wear is dull, drab and boring. I follow a lot of health and fitness blogs on Tumblr and I always feel so jealous of the girls who take photos of their rows and stacks of colourful sports bras and trainers (move over Jeffrey Campbell- this girl wants to put her Nike Frees on display!). Browsing through JD Sport's range of footwear the other day, I fell in love with their collection of Nike trainers and decided to put together my ultimate sportswear wishlist- If only I could afford it all!


1. Nike Free Run+ 2 Trainers £80.00
2. Nike Free Run+ 3 Trainers £80.00
3. Nike Dual Fusion Trainers £60.00

I think that Nike makes the best running trainers by far- they're good quality, provide comfort and they look stylish at the same time. These are my three favourite pairs from the JD website, even though I could probably pick out loads more- I just love the colours and I think it would be so much fun to be able to mix and match your sports wear just like with any other outfit.

7. Nike Woven Two-In-One Shorts £28.00 £20.00
4. Nike Pro Shorts II £25.00

Whilst the average fashionista longs to look amazing in a pair of disco pants, a fitness fanatic wants to look great training in a pair of Nike Pro shorts. I don't think I'm quite there yet, but one day! Until then these funky zig-zag print two in one shorts will suffice!

6. Nike Pro Sports Bra £24.00

Of course, sports bras are an absolute staple piece in any girl's wardrobe if she works out- Nike makes them in a huge array of colours and designs, and I want every single one. I love wearing mine with a plain black or clashing colour drop-arm vest over the top so that the colour pops out.

5. Adidas Originals Adicolor Team Bag £60.00

I am in desperate need of a new bag to carry my things to the gym as I currently just cram everything in to my trusty old Primark bucket bag. I love the classic look of this Adidas bag and it's nice and roomy to fit all my gym gear in.

8. Adidas Response Tights £33.00
A good pair of leggings are another staple in my work-out wardrobe- normal leggings just don't cut it as they  cling to your skin as you sweat whereas work-out leggings are often designed to tackle that kind of problem. I really like the pink detailing on this Adidas pair and I think they look super flattering.

Whats on your sportswear wishlist?

*DISCLOSURE: Sponsored post.
Saturday 27 April 2013

The Colour Run- The Happiest 5K on the Planet.

The Colour Run is coming to the UK! 

For those of you who don't know what it is, The Colour Run, dubbed as "the happiest 5K on the planet", is a 5K race event that requires you to wear white at the beginning, and as you reach each kilometer you get a different colour of powdered paint thrown at you, so by the time you reach the finish line you should look like a rainbow! If you're still feeling a little clueless, check out the videos below.

The Colour Run is currently a big thing in the United States and Australia, and it was announced yesterday that this year it is coming right here to the UK! The Colour Run will be in London on July 14, 2013 and in Manchester on July 21, 2013- I will be for sure signing up for the Manchester event!

The good thing about The Colour Run is that it is only 5K (or 3.1 miles), so if you're new to running and don't fancy taking on a half marathon, this is perfect for you. It is also not actually a race- it is un-timed so you can go as fast or slow as you want to; you could run, walk, crawl or do roly polies all the way if you wish! The Colour Run is also open to people of any age- even children. I personally have never been a great long-distance runner; I'm a much better sprinter, so even this is a challenge for me at the moment and I'm looking forward to getting trained up for it!

The main intention of  The Colour Run is to promote good health and happiness, and to have a whole lot of fun whilst doing it. Registration opens for the UK events on May 10, 2013, and you can purchase your colour run pack which contains a white Colour Run t-shirt, your race number, a bag of colour and other goodies, and some of the proceeds will go to a local charity (full details and prices haven't been released for the UK events yet).
Are you going to be registering for The Color Run? At the moment I am going to be doing it alone :( so if you're in the same boat and will be attending the Manchester event let me know and we can run together! You can also register as teams, so maybe if enough people are interested, we could get a #fbloggers/#bbloggers team going?!

Visit The Color Run website and the UK Facebook page for more details and updates.



Wednesday 24 April 2013

Outfit: Making a Statement.

Crop Top: C/O She Likes* | Disco Pants: C/O She Likes* | Shoes: eBay | Coat: H&M | Hat: H&M | Rings: Necklace: C/O Chic La Chic* | Infinity Ring: C/O MissGeeKay*, Hope and Peace: eBay| Bag: Primark

As you can tell from my last couple of outfit posts, I have been getting a lot of wear out of my She Likes crop top, which is probably a sign that I should buy some more in different colours. I really just can't get enough of the crop top and high-waisted trouser trends- I'm such a 90's kid at heart and the fact that 90's trends are coming back in to style makes me far too happy!

I thought that I had missed the opportunity to wear this coat as I picked it up in the sales back in February, but with the British weather being so bipolar recently, I have found it perfect for covering up as it isn't too thick yet it still protects me from the chilly winds we have been having. It has also sparked a new love of leopard print in me- I had always shyed away from leopard print as I thought it looked over-the-top and tacky on me but I'm actually growing to be quite fond of this coat. What do you think?

Another thing I have been loving lately is statement necklaces and I adore this one that I was kindly sent to me by Chic La Chic. They have tons of gorgeous statement pieces on their website- I'm also currently eyeing up this one and this one.

Have you been loving statement prints and jewellery? What about 90's trends?
*DISCLOSURE: Starred items are PR samples.


Tuesday 23 April 2013

Review: Nike Trainers from Zalando + Fitness Posts?

Nike In-Season TR2 Running Trainers: C/O Zalando £55.00*

I class this blog as a fashion, beauty and lifestyle blog, however, I often lack in the lifestyle department- I just have never really found anything exciting about my lifestyle worth blogging about! That being said, I recently embarked on a fitness journey- not to lose weight or anything- just, after a year or so of unfortunate events in my life that left me feeling a little lost, I decided it was time to pick myself up and do things that would make me feel good, and this is certainly one of them! I just wanted to ask my readers if they would be interested in reading posts to do with health and fitness? These might be recipes, sportswear posts, my regime, and general health and fitness tips that I have picked up. Do let me know!

I have also already created a secondary Instagram account (my personal one is @FrancesCassandra) where I have been posting pictures of my food and progress, if anybody is interested. If you would like to follow, my username is @FrancesCassandra_.

Anyway, on to what this post is really about. I thought a good way to start would be to show you the footwear I have been using, which was kindly sent to me by Zalando. I love it when fashion retailers stock sportswear; I feel that too many companies overlook it, but as well as stocking a full range of regular women's fashion, Zalando also has a whole section dedicated to sportswear from lots of well-known brands.
I am a bit of a trainer-phobe and have always thought that they look ugly, but I actually think Nike makes a lot of nicely designed trainers in some lovely colours. The purple-ness of these ones drew me in right away as it's my favourite colour haha! The Nike In-Season trainers are really lightweight and breathable, with a good layer of cushioning on the inside, making them perfect for running and training in the gym. Zalando has now become my go-to website for browsing at gym wear- I currently have my eye on ALL the Nike sports bras and shorts, and this sports bag to carry all my things in.

Have you checked out Zalando?
Don't forget to let me know if you would be interested in seeing some health/fitness/lifestyle posts from me!
*DISCLOSURE: PR sample.
Sunday 21 April 2013

Outfit: McArthurGlen Fashion Fling Style Challenge Outfit #6.

Crop Top: C/O She Likes* | Skirt: C/O Jovonna London* | Shoes: Matalan | Sandals: C/O Blowfish via Mrs. Marcos* | Denim Waistcoat: F&F @ Tesco | Bracelets: C/O The Rose Chain* | Watch: Michael Kors | Sunglasses: Ray-Ban via Sunglass Time @ Cheshire Oaks

Here it is, my last post for the McArthurGlen Fashion Fling Style Challenge! And what a challenge it has been- it has been hectic putting together these outfits in between typing up my dissertation and other things, but I have had so much fun taking part! 

Since I don't think anybody would need to wear sunglasses on a night out, I decided to style my "evening" outfit for a garden party on a sunny day, or even a nice meal when you're on holiday. I took up the opportunity to pull out my beloved Jovonna London skirt which I don't get enough wear out of. I absolutely love it and I think that it would be perfect for the occasion, plus I think the colours go fantastically with my Ray-Bans. The skirt and sunglasses speak for themselves, so I just teamed them with a simple white crop top and a denim gilet which is easy enough to put on or remove if the temperature changes. I also put my new nude block heel shoes that I picked up in the Matalan £5 Shoe Event to the test, and they are perfect! Or, if heels aren't your thing, some strappy sandals look just as lovely, as you can see in my last picture :)

I'm kind of sad that this is over now, as I've had a blast. But of course, there will still be plenty of outfit posts from me in the future! :) Don't forget to check out my other posts from the challenge here.
The McArthurGlen Fashion Fling fortnight also comes to an end tonight- Unfortunately I didn't get the opportunity to go down to Cheshire Oaks and check it out :( Did you manage to visit a McArthurGlen Designer Outlet over the Fashion Fling fortnight? Let me know!

*DISCLOSURE: Starred items are PR samples.

Saturday 20 April 2013

Matalan £5 Shoes Event.

Top to Bottom: Black Block Heel Court Shoes, Nude/Cream Block Heel Court Shoes, Black Metal Detail Loafers: Matalan £5 each.

This post is a little late going up, but I didn't want anybody missing out on this amazing offer, plus I wanted to share my mini shoe haul with you. Until tomorrow, Matalan have reduced a selection of their shoes to just £5.00! The offer is valid both online and in store and while stocks last so hurry if you want to grab a bargain- You could be saving up to £11.00 on a pair of shoes! If you're buying online, you can also select their free Click and Collect service so that you can pick your shoes up from your nearest store :) I rushed straight down to my local store when I heard about the offer on Thursday and I picked up three pairs of shoes; my favourites have got to be the nude/cream bow heels (you can see me wearing the black ones here) which are unfortunately sold out online, but check your nearest store as they might still have them! I was also tempted by these Metal Detail Patent Wedges in nude and black but I decided to be good as I already own similar shoes, although I am still resisting the urge to go back and purchase them today!

You can have a look at what is up for offer in the £5 Shoes Event here, or head down to your local Matalan store as they may have more! Don't forget the offer ends tomorrow (Sunday, April 21)!

Have you picked up any shoes in the £5 Shoes Event? Which ones did you pick?

Outfit: McArthurGlen Fashion Fling Style Challenge Outfit #5

Blouse: Matalan | Skirt: Primark | Shoes: Matalan | Blazer: C/O Glamorous* | Belt: Primark | Sunglasses: C/O Ray Ban via Cheshire Oaks*

Who says you can't look stylish when you go to work? I think these sunglasses add a fun but classy touch to your every day office wear and will be sure to turn heads on your commute to work. Obviously, if your work uniform dress code is a little more restricted a plain white blouse would look just as nice, but I love how the floral print on this blouse matches the design on my Ray Bans and adds an extra touch of Spring flare.

This is my second to last outfit for the McArthurGlen Fashion Fling Style Challenge; if you have missed any of my other posts you can find them here. The Fashion Fling events at the UK McArthurGlen outlets end tomorrow, so if you're not busy this weekend, why not check out what is going on at Cheshire Oaks on their Fashion Fling page- You might be able to grab a bargain! Or if you aren't nearby, find your nearest McArthurGlen Outlet here :)

Have you been to a McArthurGlen outlet over the Fashion Fling fortnight?
*DISCLOSURE: Starred items are PR samples.