Madrid Style Diary

Here it is! Not very professional just wanted to show you what a normal girl wears on holiday! And the clothing is all really affordable and easy to find. 

Also just a disclaimer, my body looks NOTHING like in these pictures bar the last bikini photo, and if you don't have anything nice to say just keep it to yourself please, I know what my body looks like in real life and I don't want anyone trying to put me down because they have false opinions, this is a fashion blog. 

If there is anything you like and I didn't mention enough about it, feel free to comment below and I'll try my best to fix it for you. 

June 18th

So this is what I wore on the plane, you can't really see the colours of the top that well, but it has lots of neon stripes, with a high low hem, its so comfy and I love it as it looks really nice in the sun. The whole outfit was from a charity shop (the shorts were 2 quid!) except my faux snake skin nude sandals which were from Next. My nails were white and so were my toes, and my fingers had hot pink stripes with sparkly gold and looked soooo nice!

So for our first night on the town I wore this Miss Selfridge teal play suite, with my trusty New Look wedges which have multicoloured straps and a mixture of cork and straw, and I love them - they're sooo easy to walk in! I kept jewellery and make-up minimal as I was tired, but I went for bracelets with elements of teal in them.

June 19th 

For the first day of sightseeing I wore my charity shop steal of a top and my Republic fringed REAL Suede shorts which I got in a sale reduced from 50 pounds, with my nude sandals again. I kept the theme of the fringe by wearing my denim studded back with the tan leather fringe strap.

 I thought the outfit had a very native feel to it, and I loved the baby pink and tan combination.  By the pool I wore my neon pink fringed bikini - the colour hasn't come up great in the pictures though! For jewellery I wore my white drop earrings that I got at a market in Salou, Spain and ankle bracelet as I'm OBSESSED with them at the moment and my white leather studded bracelet from Accesorize. 

For my night outfit I wore my New Look jewelled sandals, my River Island Bardot red top, and my trusty Topshop Leather jacket. I wear this top in England a lot when I go out as I think its really classy but still a bit sexy with the off-the-shoulder look. I also dust my shoulders with some shimmer powder. I wore silver jewellery this night, with my sea shell necklace and my silver bracelet that is my absolute favourite with square semi-precious red stones, I love the geometric style of it and it was again bought at a market. 

June 20th

For the second day of sightseeing I wore my beaded tank with  my silver flip flop necklace. I thought the colours of the top looked great with my heeled sandals which I showed you in a previous blog. I also wore my Fair Trade bag, but unfortunately these pictures don;t show it well! But it's got mirrors and gorgeous hand made pattern on the front with a purple interior . If you want a picture I will gladly put one up, for you to go and find your own hand made fair trade bags giving women in India a job and  a purpose and money for their families.  I also wore my massive turquoise and silver stretchy bangle which I have come to the conclusion goes with anything!  My sunglasses are my mum's vintage Ray Bans. 

By the pool I wore my really simple orange bandeau bikini from Primark, but I attached the strings just to feel more supported but still with the cute style of the bandeau. I threw my top on as a cover-up proving the £3.50 I bought it for to be worth it as it is so versatile!

For the night I put some Accesorize flowers in my bun (ponytail for later one). And did a gold and brown smokey eye. I absolutely love this top from Primark, with the intricate neckline and the sheer body of the top. I was recently told by a close guy flatmate that he hates how girls wear high waisted shorts, but I still absolutely adore them. Finally, some big gold earrings to attract the attention to the neck of my top, and just simple bracelets. 

June 21st

I wore my white bikini on the last day because my tan was at it's strongest, which you can't see that well because of the flash, but you can see my awful tanline at the bottom of my abdomen! EEK. 

 Thursday's day outfit was my Internacionale floral playsuit with tie straps, my Asos sandals, and my turquoise bracelet and my dreamcatcher necklace with turquoise elements. I thought I'd print clash with my black and white beach bag, which reverses to just black. 

For our last night out I wore the Topshop skirt from my previous blog, with my New Look white heels. I wore my neon statement necklace and some hot pink geometric earrings I'd picked up that day and a neon tie bracelet that I'd bought the day before.I did a simple black lined eye with a wing and wore bright pink lipstick to match my jewellery

 June 22nd

Just wanted something comfortable for the journey home, but I also saved my colourful bikini because its my favourite, I love the purple ties and the beading.

 Anita x

                                                                    

Birthday Outfit!

Hey! I haven't blogged in ages, still trying to figure out how to do a piece on my Madrid outfits =] but I thought I'd share what I wore for my birthday with you!

So my dress was French Connection and the shoes were Lipsy - which I love because the have a transparent heel! So in and sooo cute, love the chunkiness ;].

                For my nails I went all out matchy-matchy! I picked two blues that appeared at the bottom of my dress, and painted my nails half light blue, half dark blue. I then painted a silver crackle over the top, I really liked the effect =]. For my toes I picked out the palest blue I had.

For my makeup, i did a basic blue smokey eye but with loads of eyeliner, a nude lip and just a hint of blush. I didn't use any foundation because of my tan and I don't have any that matches - hopefully there weren't any major imperfections that needed clearing up! This is NOT a flattering picture but maybe you can see it better!

Jewelry wise I was really simple just my silver Links bracelet, my tiny silver arrow ring from Accesorize, and blue diamante earrings.

The whole theme through my outfit was blue really, please let me know what you thought and how you'd have styled it! 

Anita xx

Nail Art! Best destresser.

I haven't blogged in a while so just wanted to do something quick and 

fun as my main post soon will be my Madrid Style Diary! So here are just a few examples of really mediocre nail art I've done, I'm showing you these because I want people to see that you don't have to be a professional or have bags of time and tools and fake nails - just have fun with it. I find it super relaxing and just nice to let out my creative side when I'm feeling overwhelmed by my majorly scientific course. Feel fee to post all your nail art I love to get more ideas from talented people!

Anita Juliet Mary

7 things to pack to make the most of your holiday in the sun!

As I primarily want this blog to revolve around fashion and I've recently booked my 4 night city break in Madrid (so excited!) I thought I'd do my own  'Things to wear on holiday' =]. This blog is aimed at places with sun sun sun! 

May I say in advance I do not own any of these pictures in this blog, all have been taken from their respective websites or Google Images, I have made sure to include the exact name of the companies who own the products.

I have never gone on holiday without these things, only number 4 is a new addition! 

1) Bright Colours
If you're like me and live in one of the dreariest countries on the planet, it is currently the end of May and it is STILL raining, you'll know that bright colours don't really work, especially for the paler ladies out there.
As I'm tanned I can normally get away with wearing bright colours at home, much to my mum's envy!, but even so they don't look nearly as good as when you're abroad in the sun.

Whether it is a bikini, nail varnish or a cute little sundress always make sure to bring something that will really pop. Personally I love orange, yellow, pink and turquoise and with the current neon trend it won't be hard to get something gorgeous that will just look stunning in the sunshine compared to the possibility of looking garish back home.

Recently I bought this Topshop Neon Orange Lace Skirt and intend to wear it in Madrid with white heels and a chunky necklace with neon elements.

http://www.topshop.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=33057&storeId=12556&productId=8808954&langId=-1


I also love the bright bikini trend and I bought this from Jane Norman, I especially love the fringe detailing which seems to be everywhere at the moment. 
http://www.janenorman.co.uk/fcp/product/buy-fashion-look-fabulous/swimwear/Fringe-Bikini-Top/16374?colour=not%20applicable







2) Gold Jewellery

Normally in England I tend to wear a lot of silver jewellery, or pearls and the only time I really wear gold is when I go out or if an outfit just wouldn't work with silver, however I realised that when I go on vacation I tend to bring a ton of Gold Jewellery and it's because it just looks better! At the moment I'm absolutely loving chunky gold necklaces and layering gold chains. As for earrings, I always say the bigger the better! -Especially since you'll have gorgeous voluminous beach waves. 

River Island has some fantastic pieces in at the moment, if a bit pricey like this Gold Spike Necklace and there Dip Dye Feather Earrings
http://www.riverisland.com/women/jewellery/earrings/Gold-tone-dip-dye-feather-drop-earrings-635535
http://www.riverisland.com/women/jewellery/necklaces/Gold-tone-spike-necklace-634461

If you're totally against gold then I love picking up great silver pieces abroad that have turquoise and coral stones in them, I always pack them when I go away and they make for nice statement pieces when you're home.

3) Anything White! 

A lot of my friends who have porcelain skin are forever telling me 'white just washes me out' - but when you're abroad whether you tan well or not white always look great. 
 I recently got my Warehouse White string bikini from asos, and I am in love and I can't wait to wear it while I'm sunbathing.

There are currently loads of white bandeaus, string bikinis, swimsuits, you name it on websites like ASOS - and remember they always look better when you wear them with confidence, so embrace the fact that your body is beautiful and show it off!

White sundresses are also a great item to pack that you can dress up at night (with gold jewellery ;]). 

Wearing white just makes anyone's skin look fab so make sure to bring sun screen and moisturizer so you can show it off at its best!

4) Barely there sandals ( a new addition to my luggage)

I NEVER used to wear sandals at all, always having a strange phobia of feet haha, but recently I succumbed to the fact that wearing converse, boots, and flats in the heat isn't always fun, and bought some sandals last year. But the thing that's really caught my eye is the 'barely there' sandal trend which has hit almost every shop. Now while I absolutely love all the stiletto-heeled versions as they are super elegant I decided to go with one with a block-heel, I'm really annoyed because they've recently been reduced to £31.50 and I spent £36.00 haha.

http://www.asos.com/ASOS/ASOS-HALF-MOON-Heeled-Sandals/Prod/pgeproduct.aspx?iid=2602322&SearchQuery=half%20moon%20heels&sh=0&pge=0&pgesize=20&sort=-1&clr=Greywhite

Other shoes I always bring with me are flat sandals, sky-high cork wedges, and a pair of flats.

5) Sunglasses

This seems obvious, but I'm talking about them because I have always had a huge problem with buying sunglasses as I always looked ridiculous and after years and years of being blinded by the sun I finally picked up a pair in Primark, and I've got a few tips if you're like me - 
Always make sure the legs don't stick out past your face and choose sunglasses that slightly curve back, as this will allow you to pull off the HUGE sunnies trend without looking like an insect! Finally never settle when you get frustrated as you will end up wasting money on something you don't like, if you have to try on every pair in the shop do it, because eventually you will find a pair that don't make you look silly!

If you're one of those people that look good in any type of sunglasses, well I envy you! 

6) Waterproof Mascara

We all love a refreshing dip in the pool and it is near impossible to preserve your mascara, so a quick fix for that is to just splash out on a waterproof mascara so you don't end up with panda eyes that don't budge no matter how much you rub! 
At the end of the day we probably don't even need it, but if you're not that brave it's always a great relief to know that you can go in the pool without worrying about your makeup.

As for the rest of your makeup bag, lipgloss for the day and lipstick for the night (with some of those bright colours I mentioned before), and I always give myself a rule that I'm not allowed to wear foundation during the day as a bit of sun does your skin good, but always remember to wear a good sun screen! 
Nowadays sunscreen is built in to most moisturisers as well =]. 

For nightime makeup my usual 'go-to' is a peach blush as I feel it brings out my tan a bit more, lashings of mascara, and a gold and brown smokey eye with a nude lipgloss. If I want to be more bold I'll go for a bright pink lip, I'm currently looking for an orange lippy, and simple black eyeliner with a bit of blusher and the usual mascara =].

7) Over-the-shoulder bag

One of the most essential things to bring whether you're going on a beach holiday or a city break is a large tote bag that fastens at the top. First of all, tote bags with short handles that you always keep on your shoulder are a better alternative to small handbags with a long handle that may be snatched easily.
The reason why I love them is that on holiday there is sooo much to carry! Maps, bottles of water, your favourite book, camera, towels - you name it! And with an ultra-trendy pattern they look great as well as being functional. 

This bag has a really unusual pattern and is certain to come in handy when transporting all your things to the pool! http://www.asos.com/Liquorish/Liquorish-Multi-Print-Beach-Bag/Prod/pgeproduct.aspx?iid=2648163&SearchQuery=bags&Rf-700=1000&Rf900=1428&Rf946=2338,2246&sh=0&pge=0&pgesize=200&sort=-1&clr=Multiprint

Again feel free to email me or comment below! 

Anita Juliet Mary xx

A Petite Problem

   Hey everyone, obviously I'm extremely new to this blogging thing but for my first one I wanted to make it quite personal and talk about something that has been bugging me for a while - the lack of petite models.

   Now I have heard and read every reason for why taller models are used in the fashion industry, and I completely understand it, but standing short at 5 foot 3 and a half (the half matters to me!), buying clothes online has always felt like a risk each time I hit 'Pay Now'. I never know how they will actually fit me, and with fashion websites still using taller models to advertise petite clothing, or even clothing in smaller sizes like a 4 or 6, often you can overlook  the fact that the item of clothing will look completely different on you than on the 5'9 girl pictured. This can often lead to disappointment.

   I know this topic has been debated constantly, but as a girl who enjoys modelling, knowing that due to my height I will most likely never be able to take it anywhere, I do feel a certain need to state my thoughts. With the huge amount of advertising done by celebrities, such as actresses and singers, many of whom may be on the shorter side - take Eva Longoria for example, renowned world wide as beautiful and no doubt will have modelled countless times - I still don't understand why the idea of a model of the same size, doing the same thing, is such a difficult one to understand. I'm not even thinking about the biggest designers, but simply clothing companies that provide fashion collections for everyday women to purchase and wear, and use hundreds of models in their campaigns. I was not aware that the spectrum of everyday women excluded ladies under 5'8.
  
  Don't think I'm disregarding the effect of a lack of petite models on men either, most of the guys I encounter at University, for example, I wouldn't describe as necessarily tall and I know my boyfriend often worries about buying trousers online as the male models are obviously taller than him and is never sure about how they will fit. 

 I guess what I'm trying to say is that any form of discrimination is wrong. The introduction of 'Curve' collections that showed clothing on women who were a different size to the 'typical' model was brilliant, it gave women a better idea of how that dress, that top, or those jeans were going to look on THEIR body type by showing them how good it looks on someone who looks similar to them. Being small is a different body type too, and I no longer want to be deterred from my dream dress because I look down and see 'Model is wearing a size 6', think 'great!' and then see 'and is 5ft 10' and sigh. Some may argue that just the fact that clothing lines have a petite range is progress, which it is, but not advertising the clothes on petite models seems slightly backwards. 

Well that has been my first post, I just want to reiterate that I'm not here to write paragraphs with impeccable grammar or amazing wit - I just want to discuss the topics that I ponder regularly and see what other people think =].
If anyone has any opinions about the subject that I've discussed feel free to email me at anitacityblog@gmail.com or comment below! 

Anita Juliet Mary
x