The Halloween Edit

28 October 2015

The Halloween Edit by What Laura did NextTights: ASOS, Witch headband: Topshop, Dress: Topshop, Lip Pencil: 'Train Bleu' by Nars, Sweatshirt: H&M, Headband: Orelia, Onesie: Boohoo, Mask: Johnny Loves Rosie at ASOS
Lashes: Selfridges, Skirt: ASOS

Tis the week to get all spooky, so with that in mind here are some Halloween-based pieces from the high street that are sure to get you prepared for this weekend. 

I'll definitely be coveting dark coloured lips - any excuse to pick up another Nars Lip Pencil in my opinion but, I'll be curled up on the sofa in my cosiest PJ's this Saturday eve - no Halloween plans for me. If I I did have any then this ASOS Tulle midi skirt would be top of my list, teamed with the Skeleton sweatshirt by H&M. Not exactly Fancy dress, but I'll leave that to you lovely folk.

Polka Dot Blouse

19 October 2015

Polka Dot Blouse by What Laura did Next
Sometimes, I like to change things up with my style. Not that I have a 'set' look but, getting out of my comfort zone that contains lots of black, grey and Boyfriend jeans is something I try to do every now and again. 

This polka dot wrap blouse paired with my River Island denim culottes is perfect for that. Comfort is always going to be key for me, and this outfit is just that. Throw in a pair of wedges and you've got yourself a great little combination that suits me down to the ground. 

As for the silly pose below - well, that's just me trying to 'get comfortable' in front of the camera whilst my friend 'S' snaps away in the middle of the West London street she lives on. I've been doing this blog thang for a good few years now, and I'm still not used to having a camera pointed at me!
Polka Dot Blouse by What Laura did Next
Polka Dot Blouse by What Laura did Next
Blouse: ASOS, Culottes: River Island, Wedges: Topshop (sold out), Bag: Sophie Hulme

Eggbreak

16 October 2015

Egg Break London by What Laura did Next
Carrying on my London series, with a place that is perfect for brunch in West London. The people behind Soho House and The Hoxton Hotel Group have opened a cute egg-based café called Egg Break on a residential street in Notting Hill. 

One of my gorgeous friends, S lives close by so we decided it would be an eggcellent idea (couldn't resist) to try it out  instead of our usual Granger & Co brunch visit. 
Egg Break London by What Laura did Next
The menu at Egg Break is full of delicious egg-based dishes. Split into different catergories, the basics: eggs on toast, eggs benedict, etc are alongside a variety of other dishes, including buns and salads. 

I had the Broken eggs, chorizo, roast tomato, scamorza, and spring onion" (avocados on the side) and it was bloody delicious and, great value for money too. 
Egg Break London by What Laura did Next
I'm heading back soon to try out a few other dishes and some of their desserts - the salted caramel custard has me almost dribbling on my keyboard as I type.

Egg Break
30 Uxbridge Street
London
W8 7TA
Open: Monday - Sunday: 8am - 10pm

The Capsule Wardrobe Edit

14 October 2015

The Capsule Wardrobe Edit by What Laura did Next
L-R: Shirt: Cos, Trousers: Zara, Jeans: Topshop, Dress: Whistles, Coat: Zara
Ankle Boots: Kurt Geiger London, Trainers: Nike, Lace-up Boots: Carvela Kurt Geiger
Bucket bag: H&MFlats: ASOS, Grey top: Cos, Animal Print Shirt: Cheap Monday
Jumper Dress: ASOS, Backpack: Topshop

There's been a lot of talk on the internet about Capsule wardrobes recently, and I've been paying close attention. Caroline from Un-fancy has inspired a lot of ladies to try this method out - basically, you only have a choice of 37 items per season... and that includes shoes and coats as well. Accessories are exempt if that helps you're sense of panic reduce a little - I know it did for me.

My style doesn't change too much throughout the year - I don't really buy in to trends too much and, I tend to wear the same pieces in my wardrobe but, style them differently. So I already feel as though I'm sort of doing the whole capsule wardrobe thang.

So far, I’ve probably bought less items for this season than the last couple of Winter's...yes, I know we're only in October but usually my jumper drawers are overloaded by now. I tend to purchase a lot more than I would in the warmer months. I'm a huge Winter coat fiend - I can't just have one so, I've limited myself to two coats for this. Believe me, that's pretty good for me especially as i've been swooning over about six coats in Zara's AW15 collection in the last few weeks. That brand can do no wrong.

For me, footwear is important in Winter - I like to have a collection of boots and a couple of pairs of flats/heels as well. I'm not talking about a shoe collection that's on par with the Kardashian women, but enough to feel like I can change it up when I want to. Kurt Geiger's boot collection for AW15 is totally awesome, so a couple of pairs from there will see me through a few winters I reckon.

In terms of basics and a few stylish items, I tend to head to my beloved Cos and Whistles. They're a little on the pricey side but, the quality is so good and when you're limiting yourself to wardrobe items, I think quality is hands down the winning factor when choosing your pieces.

In summary, it’s not too crazy a overhaul. I’ve still gone through the usual process I do each season of getting every item out of the wardrobe, trying it on, and either putting it back in the wardrobe, in the bin, giving it to a local charity shop, or saving it for selling. I'm not going to commit to trialling this concept out fully BUT, after spending some time reading up about it, I’ve decided to go down the not-so-capsule route (i.e: I am going to try it out but not stick to the rules too much). For me, this is an opportunity to adapt the capsule wardrobe approach gradually, and save some pennies whilst I'm at it.

Let's see how I get on....

My Skincare Routine

12 October 2015

Skincare routine by What Laura did Next
Rewind about 5 years, and I had really bad adult-acne around my mouth and chin. It was horrid, painful and uncomfortable making me very self-conscious. 

Then, a couple of years later, I had a bad reaction to something that made the skin round my eyes and cheeks breakout(we still don't know what it was). I had two solid months of sore, red, irritable dry skin which made me so self-conscious, I wouldn't leave the house. After several trips to the doctors, various creams and antibiotics it cleared and, so did my adult-acne. I found my skin to be the best it's been in years. Don't get me wrong, I still get the odd spot but that's down to stress and hormones, or me being lazy and not taking my makeup off. 

Since then, I've been very careful what I put on my face. Up until recently, I only used Bioderma to cleanse, and E45 to moisturise. But, that's changed and I've removed the E25 and added a few new products to my routine - my skin feels so much more glowy and all that jazz.

Morning routine
Quick and simple as I tend to be in a rush to get to work - I give my face a quick wipe with my Bioderma Sensibo H2O and then wash my face with Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser before moisturising with my Cetaphil Moisturising Lotion. Done.

For the evening
I change it up a little. After I've taken my mascara off with Nivea Double Effect Eye Makeup Remover, and taken the day off with my trusty Bioderma, I use Eve Lom Cleanser (I'm still not used to the smell) and then moisturise with my Cetaphil Moisturiser.

The extra bits and bobs
Sometimes, I use a couple of other skincare products. When I've spent a few days up in London, I slap on the Clear Improvement Active Charcol Mask by Origins to freshen my face and get rid of all the city dirt and grime.

Once a week, I'll use my Ultrafine Scrub by La Roche Posay this product is the best face scrub for sensitive skin. There's also no need to hop on a Eurostar to Paris either, as this and lots of other products from the brand are now available in Boots. Bonus!

If I have a spot, I'll also apply my magic cream - a.k.a Effaclar A.I by La Roche Posay. I've mentioned this before but, I can't preach enough about this product! Unfortunately, you can't get this over here - I've had no joy finding it over here, except when I head over to Paris, where I stock up on it!

And, that's it! I'm currently trialing one of the Sunday Riley serums after receiving a sample which, is massively living up to the hype that they've created. I may have to cave and hand over the cash for the one I'm sampling when it runs out, meaning I may have a new addition to my routine soon.

Watch this space...

Paris Fashion Week SS16 Highlights

11 October 2015

C'est fini! Fashion month has now wrapped up and what better way for it to end in Paris. As we all know, this place is dear to my heart and the fashion is the best of the best.

For me, this was my favourite fashion week out of all of them - from the gorgeous, girly prints at Carven, to the 90's influenced looks at Chloe and not forgetting the chic collection from Mugler - sexy-chic at it's finest.

Paris, you have my heart anyways but, this fashion *swoons*

Take a look at my favourites below

Chloe
Paris Fashion Week SS16 Highlights

Carven
Paris Fashion Week SS16 Highlights

Mugler
Paris Fashion Week SS16 Highlights
SS16 is looking absolutely right up my street and the high street NEED to take note on the designers below for their next season collections - hint hint Zara, ASOS & COS!

Photos via Vogue.com

Kurt Geiger AW15 Bags

9 October 2015

Kendall Jenner Kurt Geiger by What Laura did Next
Kurt Geiger's new bag collection for AW15 is proving to be smoking hot - I first laid eyes on it back in June (see post here), and it looks like the A-List are loving them as much as me - spotted this week, Kendall Jenner wearing the Kurt Geiger London Croc London Tote in Wine. This bag, and all of the other KG bags infact are perfect for day-to-day use and are so chic. 

Check out my favourites from the collection below...I know what I'll be getting come pay day!
Kurt Geiger AW15 Bags by What Laura did Next
Kurt Geiger AW15 Bags by What Laura did Next

The Kurt Geiger AW15 accessory collection is available online and in stores now. Bags range from £20.00 to £395.00

The Workout Wear edit

7 October 2015

Selection from: H&M, GAP, Boohoo, Whistles, Cope Active and Nike

Ok, hands held high here - I've not done any exercise all Summer, and now we're heading into the season where carbs and comfort food are a major factor in getting through the cold, dark months I have decided to join the gym.

I can hear my family laughing as they read this.

After a couple of stressful months, and the fact I'm now on full wedding dress shopping countdown, I've decided to try out Pilates and go running at least twice a week. Obviously, I'm going to need some suitable clothing for these activities (plus, it's another good enough excuse to shop) so I've turned to the high street to see what they have on offer. 

In the past (and I mean way back) I've purchased some cheap bits from Sports Direct. I was really surprised that a few of my favourite brands now do active wear, and I found a great online brand who do some really different pieces - the emoji leggings are so ridiculous I love them. 

I've decided if I'm to take this whole exercise thing seriously, then I'm going to get some nice bits from one of my favourite brands - I've got it in my head that if I spend a decent amount on some pieces, it will give me more motivation to actually go out and exercise in them.

We'll see how that goes.

My travel make up bag(s)

5 October 2015

Travel Makeup Bags by What Laura did Next
I love to travel (who doesn't) and as weirdly as it may sound, I love packing for trips away - be it business or pleasure, I seem to have it nailed, with it only taking me about half an hour to pack everything (I think it's my amazing organisation skills that I possess). 

Last month, I was away on a work trip (no where glamorous, trust me) and whilst packing I decided to shoot what I tend to take away with me (beauty-wise) when I go away. I try and keep it limited, as toiletries and cosmetics can be a tad heavy. 

Toiletries
Packed up in the cutest Flamingo wash bag/pouch, these are my absolute essentials when travelling. I'm a sucker for miniature versions of things and they are so bloody handy and mean you don't have lots of heavy products to carry. 
Travel Makeup Bags by What Laura did Next
Bag: Muji
Makeup
I try and really travel light with makeup but, it totally depends what I'm travelling for. I have a one bag only rule for makeup, so these palettes are an absolute space saver when it comes to squeezing them in my luggage. Up until recently, I was just chucking my brushes into a cloth pouch and hoping they'd stay clean (and in the pouch). However, after finding this cosmetics brush case on one of my trips to Muji recently I've been so much happier knowing that they have a proper little home. 

Milan Fashion Week SS16 Highlights

3 October 2015

Ciao mia bella!

Honestly, I don't usually sift through the Milan shows - mainly because I'm still going through all the London ones!

Milan Fashion Week boasts some huge, established designers, from the likes of Prada, Gucci, Pucci and Marni. These collections are on almost every fashion editors lists of ones to sit in the front row at. 

From tailored chic at Bally and Costume National, to a variety of fabrics and textures at Fendi and Tod's, check out these favourites below. 

Bally
Milan Fashion Week SS16 Highlights by What Laura did Next
Costume National
Milan Fashion Week SS16 Highlights by What Laura did Next
Fendi
Milan Fashion Week SS16 Highlights by What Laura did Next
Tod's
Milan Fashion Week SS16 Highlights by What Laura did Next
Paris next and then, it will be the high streets turn to show their offerings for SS16.

I can't wait!

Photos via Style.com

Charlotte Tilbury Makeup Haul

2 October 2015

Charlotte Tilbury Makeup Haul by What Laura did Next
I’d been lusting after some Charlotte Tilbury bits and bobs for the longest time ever since beauty blogger babe Anna mentioned the brand on her blog.

Now I can't walk past the Charlotte Tilbury make up counter in Selfridges without playing around with the products and, usually walking away with a cheeky little purchase and an arm covered in swatches. 

First off, I've got to admit to something...5 days before my birthday, I purchased my very first eyebrow pencil. To be honest, it's not a beauty product I'd really thought I needed to own but, as soon as the very lovely and patient lady at CT applied the Brow Lift Eyebrow Pencil, I haven't looked back. If you're looking for an eyebrow pencil, go grab this one and teaches you to shape, shade and lift. It only took me THIRTY YEARS to own one but, blimey it's good.

Next up, this was a purchase I totally didn't need but, I am so glad I did. The Eyes to Mesmerise Cream Eyeshadow in Bette is an absolute babe of an eye colour. A rich, amber-gold tone which, I have to admit is totally not something I usually would choose. It has the right amount of shimmer, that doesn't make you look like a Christmas decoration and, goes on like a dream. 

Again, the Eye Blender Brush wasn't a necessity but, it turned into one when the makeup lady (not the right term, but let's go with it) applied the Eyes to Mesmerise shadow with it. It may look big for an eye brush but, you can get precise application of eye colour to your crease and, it's so soft you'll find yourself swishing it around for a while after. 

I'm already planning my next trip to my nearest Charlotte Tilbury counter - I have a few more products on my list that need to be added to my collection. Including the new Magic Foundation which, I've heard so many good things.