Autumn Wishlist

1 ~ 2 ~ 3 ~ 4 ~ 5 ~ 6 ~ 7 ~ 8 ~ 9 ~ 10.

I didn't realise quite how dark this collection was until i put it all together, evidently winter is rapidly approaching! Tartan, fluffy jumpers, tulle, leather.. i'm just loving the autumnal season so much currently. I just love everything here though and how well they all combine together to create such a vast combination of outfits. I've wanted a floppy hat for far too long now and am determined to get one asap. The shoes are just the perfect statement shoe to brighten up those simple autumn outfits (lets just ignore the ever so slightly high price tag). And glittery socks though, personally i think they're like beyond cool but then i do often have the mind set of a 2 year old... 

Lots of Love, Melissa xx

Raspberry and White Chocolate Cake

I made this cake a few days and, oh my it was soo so good! So good that there was no way i could not share it! The cake consists of a raspberry and white chocolate sponge, a white chocolate ganache to fill and top the cake and fresh raspberries to decorate on the top.

Ingredients:

200g Butter

100g White Chocolate

4 Eggs

200g Caster Sugar

200g Self-Raising Flour

200g Frozen Raspberries

For the ganache: 

350g White Chocolate

100g Whipped Cream


1) Heat the oven to 180°C / 160C fan / Gas Mark
2) Grease and line the base of two 20cm round cake tins.
3) Melt the butter and chocolate together, either in the microwave or in a bowl over a pan of barely simmering water. Once melted, allow to cool for 1-2 minutes
4) Beat in the eggs and sugar
5) Fold in the flour and raspberries
6) Pour the mixture into the tins and bake for 25-30 minutes until golden brown and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean (note, the raspberries may leave residue on the skewer when pulled out due to their juiciness)

To make the ganache - 

1) Melt the chocolate, either in the microwave or in a bowl over a pan of barely simmering water

2) Boil the cream in a pan

3) Take the cream of the heat and gradually add the chocolate, stirring continuously until you are left with a smooth glossy ganache. Leave to cool to room temperature  

Once the cakes and ganache have cooled, sandwich them together with the chocolate ganache and coat the top with it also. Randomly pile the berries in the center of the cake and dust a small amount of icing sugar on the top.

Lots of Love, Melissa xx

Days Are Gone

Coat & Top - Zara

Skirt & Boots - Topshop 

Oh how I'm enjoying autumnal clothing. It's that perfect season where you're able to have great versatility within outfits - you're not restricted due to overwhelming heat or coldness. As i said, perfect. However, not quite so perfect for my bank account... 

This coat has to be one of my favorite buys recently. I love the boyfriend, slight cocoon shape of it and the leather collar which brings in that slight grunge-y edge. Its just a slight infatuation. The skirt is slightly more a-lined than in the picture which produces such a pretty shape. It will be perfect for layering with jumpers and woolly tights in the colder winter months. And the boots....the infatuation returns... 

And what is going on with my hair in the second photo...since when was i ginger?... 

Lots of love, Melissa x

Zara A/W 2013

From first sight i fell in love with the Zara autumn winter collection. It is all quite simply, perfect. Every piece is so on trend currently; boyfriend coats, contrast collars, plaid. It is causing me to longer for the cooler months which are rapidly approaching, something i'd never have believed myself to have said two months ago. Oh i just want it all. Literally. I've compiled a heavily cut down wish list of the items which i am really really wanting.

1  ~  2  ~  3  ~  4  ~  5  ~  6  ~  7  ~  8

Lots of Love, Melissa xx

Holiday Style Diary

Shirt & Wedges - Topshop

Skirt - Urban Outfitters

Clutch - Primark

 Dungarees & Hair Band - Topshop

Bikini Top - American Apparel

Jelly Shoes- Juju

Sunglasses - RayBan

 Top & Wedges - Topshop

Skirt - Urban Outfitters

Bracelt - Oasis 

Clutch - Primark

Shirt - Urban Outfitters

Shorts - Vintage Levi's, Urban Outfitters

T-Bars - Topshop 

 Cami - New Look

Dungarees - Topshop

Jelly Shoes - Juju

Sunglasses - RayBan

 Shirt - Urban Outfitters

Skirt - American Apparel 

Lace Espadrilles - Aldo 

 Top - Urban Outfitters

Shorts - River Island

Jelly Shoes - Juju

Sunglasses - RayBan

 Dress - Vintage

Belt, Bag & Shoes - Topshop

 Cami - Topshop

Shorts - Vintage Levi's, Urban Outfitters

Sunglasses - Ray Ban

 Dress - Zara

Wedges - Topshop

Lace Top - H&M

Shorts - Vintage Levi's, Urban Outfitters 

Jelly Shoes - Juju

Sunglasses - RayBan

Lots of Love, Melissa xx

What's In My Holiday Carry On Bag

~  Magasines  ~  Photographs  ~  Chocolate  ~  Notebook  ~  Pens  ~  Kindle  ~  Blushes  ~  Powder  ~  Lip Balm  ~  Mirror  ~  Body Cream  ~  Eyeshadow  ~  Money  ~  Sunglasses  ~  Snacks  ~  Scrunchy ~ Breath Spray ~ Hand Sanitiser ~ Body Spray ~ Powder Brush  ~  Highlighter Brush  ~  Concealer Brush  ~  Blusher Brush  ~  Mascara  ~  Highlighter  ~  Lipstick  ~  Perfume  ~ iPod  ~  Phone  ~  Camera  ~

Lots of Love, Melissa xx

I Will Do Anything, For My Love

Dress - River Island

Shoes - Topshop

Bag - Ebay

Sunglasses - Rayban

Yesterday we took a family outing to Cadbury world in Birmingham, which was lovely to be able to spend some times with my cousins and have some fun together. Yesterday was one of those days where i urged to wear a pretty dress and heels, regardless of it's appropriateness (especially when walking into Mcdonalds for breakfast at 9am...!) I'm loving my wedges so much at the moment though. They're comfortable, yet provide a lovely height and give the illusion of having much more skinnier legs than i do, perfect! Being such a neutral colour they go with just about anything as well :) 

I'm going on holiday on Thursday to Egypt and am so excited! I can't wait to be sat at the beach for 10 days and I'm hopefully going to be going swimming with dolphins, which is something I've been dreaming of for practically the last 10 years! Exciting! 

Lots of Love, Melissa xx

My Favourite Recent Purchases

I haven't been shopping a lot recently, mainly due to lacking money after a rather large post birthday shopping trip - my life is an ongoing cycle of obscene shopping and then having no money i swear. However, there have been a few things i've bought recently which i'm loving too much not to share with you. Despite the recent heat i seem to have been lead towards buying some much more autumn/winter fitting items, such as the boots and dress. I'd been admiring cut out boots and shoes for months so decided i just had to get myself a pair, they'll certainly be one of my staple winter items. The book is a preparation for my impending a-levels which are rapidly approaching and I bought the Luther box set due to becoming slightly in love with the recent series (i have a tendancy to do this with any good crime drama!) Last week, a friend and I took a trip to the American Apparel flee market in Brick Lane. From here i bought the blue skater skirt and bikini top which is just the perfectest thing. I'd been lusting after it when it was originally introduced and therefore was overjoyed to find it there for only a fraction of the price. Lastly my mum treated me to this bag from ebay which is practically a replica of the Zara with the intentions of it being a school bag for next year, however it will certainly be getting a lot more use prior to this!

Lots of Love, Melissa xx

Easter 'Revision' Playlist

So the last few weeks have been spent attempting to cram the last 2-3 years of school work into my mind - to absolutely no avail. This certainly isn't helped by my ability to completely procrastinate my day away, leading to many completely unproductive days... However, during these torturous periods, music becomes even more of my true love, making the endurance ever so slightly more durable. So these are few songs on my current playlist to help the time pass by...

Jessie Ware - Wildest Moments (acoustic)

Foals - Late Night

Haim - Don't Save Me

Jake Bugg - Seen It All

King Charles - Love Lust

Imagine Dragons - It's Time

Dog Is Dead - Teenage Daughter

Local Natives - Breakers

Lewis Watson - Into The Wild

POLICA - Wandering Star

Mumford & Sons - I Will Wait

Lots of Love, Melissa xx

London!

On Wednesday  i have a shopping trip planned with a friend to London so i thought i would share with you a few of the items which i am hoping to purchase. I am in such desperation for this trip, revision is overtaking my life currently and i need to step out of it to restore my sanity! The best place to do so has to be in Oxford Street :)

1. Dress - H&M

2. Pink Blouse - Topshop
3. Dungarees - Topshop
4. White Blouse - H&M

5. T-Bar Shoes - Topshop

5. Shorts - Topshop

7. Wedges - Urban Outfitters

I am also hoping to pick up this gorgeous denim pinafore (yes another one!) from River Island as well as some MUA lipsticks and nail polishes - for only £1, who can resist! 

Lot of Love, Melissa xx

Few Words Could Open Me, But You Knew Them All

Blouse - Forever 21

Skirt - Urban Outfitters

Oh my! It's been far too long since my last blog post! It seems school work has consumed my life recently and this break could not be more appreciated. So today the weather has finally begun to brighten up, much to my delight. Brighter weather means less layers and prettier clothes, which makes me very happy indeed! So today i decided to pull out this lovely skirt from Urban Outfitters which i bought last summer. The pattern is just so pretty and makes me happy so easily! I wore this with my pink blouse which just has the cutest little lace collar. I feel so summery in this outfit, summer really needs to hurry up! My favorite activity recently has to be trying on all of my pretty summer clothes and making outfit combinations - please weather warm up?! 

Lianne La Havas!

So on Monday night, my friend and I (i actually used the correct form of grammar there, i think that is certainly a first!) went to go and see Lianne La Havas live at the O2 Shepherd Bush. Oh my, she was utter perfection! Aah literally, her voice, if even possible, sounded even better live than on the album. It was just all so beautiful, powerful and i still have goosebumps just from thinking about it. Also, i bought my first band t-shirt whilst there which was a very exciting prospect for me!  I am still in disbelief that she was actually standing only meters away from me! wow!
Now, once again, my camera was confiscated off me for being 'too professional looking' so all of my photo's from inside are awful quality and i do apologise profusely! At least i have some photos though?

Urban Outfitters wish list

Urban Outfitters is currently an absolute beauty. I've been addicted to the website recently, continuously checking for more items for me to desire with my empty bank account. Oh my, i just want everything! Sometimes i find that Urban Outfitters can present styles which seem too far fetched however this season every item is perfect - literally, trying to narrow down my favorites to make this was extremely challenging!

Everything is just so perfect. I absolutely love the vibrant colours of the first dress and last shirt  which would perfectly brighten up those typical dull English summer days. The dress is just so pretty, and looks like such a simple item to wear. Contrasting to the vibrant patterns, i also love the simplicity of the two white shirts. The lace shirt and peter pan collar shirt appear so versatile and so perfect for summer. Worn with skirts, shorts, jeans, dungarees...the list goes on and on! They'd just look so cute and simple! Next, those wedges are just so perfect (i think there is a slightly reoccurring word here...) They're not too high meaning i may actually be able to walk in them and could be worn all seasons - i think i'm just attempting to convince myself that these are a worthy investment! And lastly, the pinafore. sigh. It's evident through reading my blog of my 'slight' obsession with these and after trying this one on when in London, i fell in love once again. Honestly, the picture does the beauty of it entirely no justice but it is just so beautiful! Perfect for summer with one of those pretty white shirts :') 

Lots of Love, Melissa xx

It's been a busy few days!

This last week seems to have flown past absurdly fast and now, it is Monday morning and i am currently writing this rather than getting ready for school - what can i say, procrastination is most certainly what i do best! I've had a week full of sleepovers, trips to London and Oxford, a visit to the Harry Potter studio tour, a concert and many little outings with little Lorrie. Despite how drained i now feel and a lack of work done (definitely not rested and ready to head back to school) it was so lovely just to be able to spend time with friends and family, making the most of the time before the real work kicks in.

So i thought i would share with you a little snippet of my life this past week - 

(I need these in my wardrobe so badly!)