DIY: NEGATIVE SPACE MANICURE.

It has been a long ass time since I last posted anything beauty related here on Ladylike Len. That is not to say I don't love beauty and all the fun that comes with it but I don't really have any passion regarding writing about it. I do however love a cheeky little DIY post, so I decided to crack out the nail varnish and try out some new nail art ideas. 

WHAT'S IN MY HANDBAG?

I have meaning to do this post since I started blogging back in the beginning of 2013. For me they are one of my favourite kind of post's to read cause hell, we all love a good nose around peoples handbags. For me these items are the bare essentials of my handbag, sunglasses, gloves and umbrellas make a seasonal appearance but these are the items that come along with me wherever I go. 

ELEGANT TOUCH TREND ABSTRACT NAILS.

Despite being a huge fan of nail art and someone who is not afraid to get out a paint brush in an attempt to adorn my manicure, sometimes I just simply cannot be bothered with all the messing around and the huge wait time between layers. Having quite naturally strong and long nails myself I very rarely wear false nails unless they have a design on them I don't think I could replicate myself. I have a few nail art designs in my repertoire but I do not think any human could possibly be able to replicate this amazing abstract pattern on a nail without the help of some falsies or nail wraps. 

MAC 15 PAN EYESHADOW PALETTE.

Despite the lack of make up and skincare related post's on this blog I am a huge lover of all things beauty and have slowly over the past year I have built up quiet a hefty selection of Mac eyeshadows. One of the most popular posts here on the blog are my Mac Lipstick Collection therefore I thought you guys might enjoy a peep inside my Mac palette! I love everything about this palette and despite the hefty price tag to complete, the fact you get to personally select every single shade and build it up over time once you have the palette and insert makes it a little bit like a beauty Pokemon, you just gotta fill them all. 

CLASSIC SHEFFIELD LADY BY DANIEL WELLINGTON.

Firstly, happy Valentine's Day everyone! Today I wanted to share with you the latest love of my life, the Daniel Wellington Classic Sheffield Lady watch. A love that has been going strong since Christmas morning when my lovely boyfriend gifted me this beautiful timepiece. 

LEYLA CEMAL DWTN NECKLACE.

My love for the online jewellery retailer My Flash Trash has been previously noted here back in July when I was on the hunt for the perfect birthday gift to myself. Fast forward 6 months and that dreaded "what do you want for Christmas?" question was being bombarded at me from all angles, so I sent the boyfriend directly to My Flash Trash with one simple requirement, gold.  

TARTAN CAMBRIDGE SATCHEL.

If there are two fashion trends that have always got the better of me and forced me to the checkout till they are without doubt satchels and tartan. I have more satchels (handbags in general) than any human could possibly require and the fact shops are filled to the brim with tartan for autumn/winter  2013 is not helping my already borderline scottish fancy dress wardrobe. As a teen my fashion choices where debatable and I guess I fell into the emo, scene, goth, whatever category and based the majority of my fashion decisions around the things I saw on music channels such a Kerrang and at my local "alternative nightclub". One day not that far into my experimental teenage phase I got a bit tired of head to toe black and decided to branch out a little introduce colour and pattern, obviously picking tartan, one of the most recognisable prints from the entire punk movement. To this day I still love it and have never really fallen out of love with it so I am totally all over this 90s grunge revival and all the tartan thats comes with it, thank you fashion gods! 

Now that I have fully embarrassed myself and let you into a little insight of my teenage years lets get down to business and admire the beauty and craftsmanship that comes in the form of this tartan pocket satchel from the highly adored brand, The Cambridge Satchel Company. My heart jumped out of my chest a little when I saw this bag pop up in the ASOS sale a couple of weeks ago and couldn't pass by on the opportunity of finally getting my mitts on a Cambridge Satchel. For years magazines and bloggers alike have raved about this brand and their almost iconic satchels that I and many another human being had full on fallen for the hype. I am a sucker for a contemporary twist on a classic design and a little British heritage so I have had my beady eyes on one for what feels like a lifetime yet for some reason never committed to buying one despite buying one for a friend on a recent birthday. It is pretty obvious from reading the above as to why this specific colourway was the one for me and I could not be  any happy with the product. 

This specific 11inch tartan satchel is exclusive to ASOS and is still in stock although no longer in the sale if you fancy picking up one for yourself, retailing at £115 this is by no means a small gift to yourself but if you are like me a fan of quality and craftsman ship you will not be disappointed by this brand. Lets just pretend I didn't just come across the Vivienne Westwood Collaboration and instantly add another to my ever growing handbag wishlist. 

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YSL BEAUTY.

It has been a few months since my last beauty post on the blog, nothing intentional, simply a case of nothing exciting me in the beauty world as of late. That was until I set my eyes on YSL's latest beauty offerings for autumn/winter 2013 in the form of this City Drive Classy Palette in Uptown. Lets just address the elephant in the room here and take a moment to appreciate the beauty that is the packaging of this palette! Gold, black and a contemporary graffiti design is so up my street I couldn't help but have a peak at what treasures would be inside such luxurious packaging. I was not disappointed with what came within, the colour selection in this Uptown palette is a lovely mix of neutrals to make the perfect day to night look - hello perfect! True to its name the colours reflect the city with champagne, marble, concrete and steel. All 4 colours blend well together to create a lovely soft smokey eye but can also be used wet if you want to intensify the look. The YSL palette is currently on sale at Debenhams for £25.20 (linked above) or at YSL counters for the usual price of £42.00. 

I'm a big voluminous lashes type of girl and after doing some research this YSL Baby Doll mascara was quickly added this to the top of my wish list. It was pretty much a given that I would throw this in my basket at some point so I thought what a better time than the release of the palette above. I am happy to report this mascara has worked its way up the ranks when it comes to giving you that wide eyed, long, full lash mascara effect. The brush is narrow enough to easily reach your inner lashes but still coat and magnify your normal lashes. This mascara is undeniably pricey retailing at whopping £24.40 but if you fancy treating yourself and you are in need of a new mascara I couldn't recommend this more. 

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KATIE MULLALLY SILVER WISHBONE CHARM.

With my birthday just around the corner I have been on the look out for a little gift to myself (please tell me i'm not the only person that does this?!). I quite literally squealed with happiness when I came across this piece on My Flash Trash, one of my favourite places to buy jewellery as they stock some of my most loved designers including Zoe & Morgan, Tatty Devine and of course Katie Mullally. I have been on the hunt for a wishbone necklace for what feels like a lifetime but have never found an ideal suitor. This piece is everything I wanted, vintage yet modern and something that will keep a smile on my face for years to come. The designer behind this piece of jewellery is Katie Mullally a British designer who followed in her Grandmothers footsteps making beautifully crafted jewellery out of precious metals. Being solid sterling silver this is an investment piece therefore I didn't want anything overly elaborate that would be out of season before I knew it, I'm all for longevity when it comes to designer jewellery. The clean simple lines of this piece are timeless and it instantly adds a whimsical touch to any outfit. Katie Mullally jewellery is available from several stockist online and can be purchased from My Flash Trash for £94 just here. With the tradition of breaking wishbones being over 2000 years old i'm in no doubt the meaning behind this charm isn't going to lose its relevance any time soon. 

Have you fallen head over heels for this wishbone charm like me? I don't dare check out the rest of the collection as I can already hear my bank card weeping and my heart yearning! 

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SILVER NAME NECKLACE.

I have been a huge fan of Sex and the City for years and have shamelessly made my boyfriend watch the series over and over with me on DVD, films and all. From the very first episode I fell a little bit in love with the "Carrie" style necklace but for some reason never got around to finding one for myself! On a recent trawl of the internet I came across the website O Necklace which specialise in name necklaces and I was sold. I chose the Silver Alegro Name Necklace at the purse friendly price of $31.95, just over £20 for us British folk, it's a steal in anyones eyes. Offering free worldwide shipping I clicked away and selected my options and speedily headed towards to the checkout button. To my surprise the postman turned up with this beauty a matter of days later and I am happy to report the necklace is everything I wanted. The quality is great and with various chain lengths available you can pick and choose a length to suit you. I haven't really taken this off since it arrived and I can see myself wearing this timeless gem for years to come. Tapping away at my MacBook with this around my neck always brings a little smile to my face. 

Do you love the name necklaces as much as me? If you fancy getting one for yourself or as a gift you can simply add the 10% off coupon code: GIFT at the checkout! 

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RAY-BAN CATS SUNGLASSES.

Finally, some sunshine in the UK! Unfortunately for me when the sun gets shining I end up spending the entire day squinting and begrudging the wonderful sunshine. I am literally blind as a bat without my glasses and have never been able to get to grips with contact lenses, because of this I've never been able to just pick up a cheap pair of sunglasses from the high street. The majority of prescription sunglasses  I have come across have just not been my cup of tea so I've always just got on with it. Despite never being able to indulge in sunglasses I have lusted after a pair of Ray-Bans for absolutely years! I remember being at Isle Of White Festival a few years back when they had a Ray-Ban stall and I literally wanted every single pair in every single colour, it was a very sad affair walking away empty handed. That was until I came across the Sunglasses Shop online and noticed that they offered a much broader range of prescription sunglasses compared to my local opticians. 

I am a huge fan of anything with even a slight hint of vintage design so these tortoiseshell cat eyes had my heart from the very first glimpse. I love the highly coveted Wayfarers as much as anyone but tend to lean away from the must have item and try and buy something a little different to the obvious choice. One of the main selling points for these sunglasses is the beautiful gradient lenses as it totally creeps me out not to be able see peoples eyes at all through lenses, just me? My only pet peeve with the sunglasses is that due to my prescription lenses they don't have the iconic Ray-Ban logo on the lenses but I am happy to let this minor discrepancy go to have clear vision and a huge decrease in sun glare. You can purchase the Ray-Ban Cats sunglasses from the Sunglasses Shop for £113 just here. The price is higher and varies for prescription lenses and they even offer the option to thin your lenses if required.  

Ray-Ban Cats 1000 are a bold, unique sampling of everything that makes Ray-Bans design aesthetically timeless, original and unmistakable, I truly could not love them any more. Are you a fan of the timeless Ray-Ban sunglasses? Here's to a squint free summer! 

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TOP 5 NAIL POLISHES FOR SPRING.

Finally spring has sprung over here in the UK. The sun is peeping through the clouds and you can actually leave the house without being wrapped up in coats and scarves - hurrah! To celebrate the sun showing up in our lives once again I have picked my top 5 nail polishes to spread a little of that precious sunshine onto our nails. Spring is my favourite time of year for nail polish simply as you can get away with pretty much anything! Whether you are a pastel fan or one for a bright bold colour spring/summer is the time to embrace them and stash away your winters greys and burgundies.

1. Models Own Utopia £5. A creamy lilac with slight grey undertones and is the perfect non brown nude. Nude nails are all the rage right now but this one completely stands out against the rest, I love a brown nude but there is something about this that is just so pretty and a really feminine neutral colour that compliments any outfit. 2. Models Own Beths Blue £5. This is the most perfect creamy pastel blue and looks stunning on absolutely everyone. A very obvious choice for spring but just too beautiful to be over looked. I personally wear this polish all year round but find myself loving it even more in the warmer months. 3. Nails Inc Baker Street £11. If you prefer a pop of colour on your nails this vibrant cobalt blue is must have for your polish collection! I have had my beady little eyes on this beaut for quite some time now and finally caved the other week and this has graced my nails non stop since! 4. Barry M Gelly Greenberry £3.99. This bright mint green is my absolute favourite nail polish of the moment, the colour, the price and the quality is just spot on! I fell out of love with Barry M for a while but these recent Gelly HiShine releases are right up my street, with a high gloss formula these polishes require no top coat and dry opaque after 2 coats. This colour will look glorious with a tan and I cannot recommend enough picking up one of these gems on your next shopping trip! 5. Barry M Gelly Papaya £3.99. Another Barry M Gelly polish that i'm currently besotted with is this beautiful creamy coral shade. At first glance this shade didn't jump out at me but after the first application I was sold. I don't own a shade like this what so ever in my collection but I couldn't love it any more. A really stand out shade that would look amazing partnered with a coral lip. 

So there you have it, my top 5 nail polishes for spring. I hope this post has encouraged you to get out the nail polishes and add a little spring to your finger tips! 

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VIKTOR & ROLF FLOWERBOMB.

You can probably tell just by looking at the photo photo above that Flowerbomb by Viktor & Rolf is my all time favourite perfume. The fact that I own the 50ml bottle and the adorable travel duo which I purchased purely so I can keep a small bottle in my handbag at all times quite clearly convey my love for this scent. The first time I came across Flowerbomb I was in the beauty department of an airport looking for something to spend my left over euros on this was the resounding winner. 

 The scent of this perfume won me over instantly and can only be described as a floral explosion, very apt considering the name. I already predict this will be my go-to perfume for the spring/summer months as this is the perfect uplifting scent with Sambac Jasmine, Centifoila Rose, Cattleya Orchid and Ballerina Freesia bloom on a base of Patchouli which instantly puts me in a positive mood ready for the day ahead. Along with the "thousand flowers in a bottle" scent this bottle design itself was a huge thumbs up from me. I know not everyone is as shallow as me when it comes to the look of a perfume but I like to have mine out on display so tend to go for bottles that compliment the rest of my collection. The combination of bomb shaped glass bottle with the feminine dusky pink fluid captures the scent perfectly and is a great visual representation of the magic that is within. This scent even won the 2012 Beauty Club Awards in the luxury fragrance section so I am clearly not alone in my love for this perfume! You can purchase this 50ml bottle of Flowerbomb from Debenhams here for £65.  I love taking perfume out with me during the night/day for a little refresh but never want to risk breaking any of my full size perfumes so when I saw that there was a travel size available I knew I just had to have it. If you are a girl after my own heart and have this debate I highly suggest you get your paws on a travel version of your favourite scent. The travel duo includes a full bottle and a mini bottle to refill once empty, along with a little funnel to make refilling as easy as possible. I purchased this travel duo via eBay but the seller no longer lists the item. This exact set is currently available in Sephora if you live in America or don't mind paying shipping and handling costs here for $35. Fortunately for us over here in the UK Viktor & Rolf sell another travel version of this scent that is available here from Debenhams for £25. 

 Do you own any travel versions of perfumes and rate them as much as me? I would love to find more perfumes available in these sizes so please let me know if you have any of your own! 

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VIVIENNE WESTWOOD SAFFIANO PURSE.

Oh my, would you just take a look at that! Since I discovered Vivienne Westwood around the age of 13 I have always longed for a purse by the lady herself and last week I finally caved. I am currently selling my Polaroid camera and some film on eBay and decided to spend the money on this gem. Unfortunately I am an impatient human being and ended up just buying it anyway but I intend to replace the cash come the end of the auction which makes this purchase totally justifiable right? 

I chose the Saffiano design as it is timelessly beautiful with its simple textured leather finish and striking gold signature orb. The quality of this item is faultless and I cannot find a single imperfection. 

Time to get down to the nitty gritty, the Saffiano black 1032 purse is made from Italian textured leather and has a soft leather interior with a stud fastening,  space for 8 cards, a full length zip closing coin compartment and note/receipt slots. Perfect for a woman like me that has far too many store cards and receipts falling out of everywhere. I personally couldn't ask for anything more from a purse and know for certain this purse will be gracing my handbag for years to come. I have never owned designer purse before but the quality compared to your average high-street purse is almost remarkable, I have never really been one for real leather but this textured italian leather really is something special. Being the proud little Brit that I am I always opt for a British designer when and where possible when it comes to purchasing any high-end item. There's something about buying an item designed by someone on the same little slice of land as you that really pleases me for some strange reason. 

You can purchase the Saffiano Purse here from Vivienne Westwood website for £125 or from any Vivienne Westwood store. Just so you know, the image and description on the site varies slightly to the version I own despite ordering it from the website itself. The website shows the interior of the purse to have a clear window to hold a photo card. I fortunately prefer the purse without the clear window but please take this into consideration before purchasing or thinking i'm a mentalist linking the wrong purse.

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MAC LIPSTICK COLLECTION.

My Mac collection is rather small compared to some I have seen on the blogosphere. Considering I received my first one on Christmas Day its pretty fare to say this is a small yet fast growing collection! 8 in roughly 2 months? Crazy. Especially when you take into consideration the fact that I only started wearing lipstick regularly about 6 months ago. Being a member of "Team Ginge" I was under the impression I was just too pale too pull off a bold lip, oh how wrong I was! Since conquering my irrational fear of lipstick I have fallen head over heels with them and a day doesn't go by where I don't apply a flash of colour to my lips. I tend to stick to nudes/pink shades still being a newbie to the land of lipstick but I recently added a few more red/purple toned lipsticks to the bunch. Of course no collection would be complete without a stunning red lipstick, after reading up on a few reviews I decided to go Ruby Woo, a stunning true red with some serious lasting power. Without doubt the my "Most Used Lipstick Award" has to go to Haute Altitude, a mid tone blue pink with an amplified finish. A perfect almost vintage pink that applies like a dream, lasts for hours and goes perfectly with any outfit! 

Mac has been my go-to brand for lipstick since that fateful Christmas morning and I don't think I will ever look back. From the simple bullet like design to the highly satisfying click when you pop the lid on there is nothing not to love. The shade selection is vast and possibly on of the largest I have ever seen.

Most of all the quality of these products, they apply like a dream and last for hours, especially when prepped with a lip pencil. I think the price point is accurate for this product and have easily paid more for products with a lot less colour pay off.  Mac lipsticks can be purchased directly from Mac stores/counters across the globe or online here on the Mac website for £14. 

What is your favourite Mac lipstick? Will any of the beauties be creeping their way into your collection? Feel free to leave any recommendations for my next undoubtable purchase!

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