Trend of the Week: Lace

Lace is a very pretty trend, and is perfect for when you want to bring out your girly side, yet you can still toughen it up with leather or denim. I love all of today's items because they are great for if the sun ever decides to come out here in Britain!

So this lace dress is absolutely perfect- I love the pastel colour with the lace overlay, and the floaty shape is so cute. The straps add a little something to the dress, it makes it a bit more girly and the cinched in waist gives it a bit more shape.
How I'd wear this: this would be perfect for a summer evening with some simple court heels and a slouchy clutch bag. For day I'd go with a denim jacket and some leather sandals.
£65, Topshop

This top shows a slightly more grungey form of lace. This top could be worn underneath a sheer top is you didn't want to show off your underwear or as a top alone. It also comes in a nude or white colour if black isn't your thing.
How I'd wear this: some high-waisted denim shorts, a leather jacket and some black chelsea boots would be a perfect way to grunge up a summer look.
£18, Urban Outfitters

These ruffled lace shorts are so cute- they remind me of something a china doll would wear! I love the neon pink underneath, it adds some fun to an otherwise very girly item.
How I'd wear these: with some nude heels and a sheer white blouse for a night out because the ruffled texture is very flattering.
£20, Boohoo

Finally one more dress- this one is so great because it is a skirt and top all on one. I love the way the top looks like a bandeau with lace top over it. The pleated skater skirt it very cute, and I love that the belt finishes off the look perfectly.
How I'd wear this: keep it simple with loafers and a satchel for a cute spring look.
£48, ASOS

Olivia Ellen XXX
@oliviaellen97

All In Green

Shorts- River Island

Bag- Topshop

Shoes- Vans

Jacket- Miss Selfridge

I am in LOVE with this top at the moment- I 'borrowed' it from my brother so am hoping he's not reading this! Fall Out Boy have recently released a new song which I love (listen here) and I always loved them when they used to be around so I thought this t-shirt was a great way to show off my love!

I stupidly though it would be warm today and went with these high-waisted khaki shorts, unfortunately it was super cold all morning but hey, I still love them. This bag is super spacious and for accessories I've kept it simple and just stacked a mixture of bracelets on my wrist.

Olivia Ellen XXX

@oliviaellen97

Garnier Moisture Match 'Tailor-Made Moisturisers'- Reviews

Recently I received some samples from Garnier of their new moisturisers, and I was super excited to try them. I actually received two packets of samples so I ended up with a sample of all five different formulas.

'We're all different right? Well so is our skin! With a variety of specialised textures and carefully selected ingredients, each Moisture Match is customised to address specific skin conditions.' 

As I say, there are five different moisturisers in the range, and I have to say when I first heard about them I was a little disappointed as I didn't think any of them were particularly suited to my skin but I decided to try them all out anyway.

The sample packets looked quite small but there was enough in them for about 2 applications so I used a different one each day to really see what I thought of it.

And here is what the packaging looks like:

I think they look really cute, the fact that each has an individual colour is something I like a lot.

So on to the actual reviews, I'm going to try and keep it short. Obviously I can't say a huge amount about each one as I haven't been using a particular one for a prolonged period of time but here are my first impressions anyway:

Start Afresh- for normal/dry skin: this was a very thick cream, it had a fresh clean smell which I liked. It also soaked in very quickly and seemed to work quite well on my areas of dry skin and it wasn't particularly oil either.
Goodbye Dry- for dry/very dry skin: ok, so admittedly I don't have very dry skin but I did find this worked wonders on the dry areas that I do have. Again, this was a thick cream, although this took a bit longer to soak in. I would say it had a slightly floral scent but it wasn't too strong so it wasn't unpleasant.
Wake Me Up- for dull skin: this had a very strange texture, almost like a clear gel. The smell was slightly fruity but also slightly antibacterial which I have to say I wasn't a fan of, but it did leave my skin feeling very smooth and I can see this being a good base for makeup.
Shine Be Gone- for combination/oily skin: this one didn't get on with me at all; although I have combination skin this just seemed to make it more oily and took forever to soak in.
Protect & Glow- for normal skin: I didn't really get on with this one, it felt very oily and took a long time to soak into my skin. I also didn't notice much difference after using it.

If I had to buy one moisturiser from the range it would have to be 'Start Afresh', I just felt this did the most good for my skin. Next time I'm in need of a new moisturiser and can see myself reaching for this one.

Garnier Moisture Match Moisturisers are £5.99 and are available here.

Olivia Ellen XXX
@oliviaellen97

Trend of the Week: Fruits

Right, today's post contains some very fun items of clothing and I wish I could have them all! Fruit prints are very fun, bright and perfect for summer.

Beginning with this bikini with a very cute lemon print on it. I love lemon as a colour so along with the print it works wonderfully. This comes in two versions but I love this one with the high-waisted bottoms, it adds a lovely retro feel to the bikini. I can just picture wearing this sat in the sun on holiday- bliss.
How I'd wear this: I think cat eye sunglasses would look super cute with this to keep the retro look going. If you were heading out, I'd throw on some high waisted shorts and chunky wedge heels and a sheer top.
£34, Topshop

Another bright fruity print, this one has bright orange peaches all over it with a lace trim around the top. It also has a collar peaking through underneath which I love! The skater style is very pretty and the colour is wonderful.
How I'd wear this: I suppose because of the bold print I'd keep it simple with some leather sandals and a denim jacket.
£9.99, Missguided

Ok, this is cheating slightly but now I'm talking nail art! 3D nail stickers like these have been around a while now and you can get them in all sorts of places. They are super cute and just add such a fun touch to any outfit, and will surely be a talking point.
How to wear these: paint your nails with a colour of your choice (a bright glossy polish would look great), stick one of these on while the polish is wet and finish with a clear top coat.
£4, Urban Outfitters 

So finally a crop top with an amazing tropical fruit print! The black background really makes it pop and this is again, perfect for summer.
How I'd wear this: I'd go with some high-waisted distressed denim shorts and some Converse. Put a scrunchie in your hair for a very 90s look!
£22, ASOS

Olivia Ellen XXX
@oliviaellen97

Clothing Haul

Ok, so I wouldn't say this is a haul because I only have three items, but I wanted to show them to you anyway.

Starting with Miss Selfridge, I picked up two items which I adore, firstly this little cropped t-shirt. It has gorgeous kind of aqua coloured stripes. I love the cropped boxy fit and the rolled sleeves. It looks great with my high-waisted Joni jeans and I've thought of loads of ways to wear this already.
£16, Miss Selfridge 

The next item is something I've been wanting for a while- I picked up this super cute denim dungaree-style dress. It has a gorgeous A-line shape in the skirt and it's so great because you can put all sorts of tops underneath.
£40, Miss Selfridge 

Finally is the item I am most in love with- this off the shoulder dress from Motel in this incredible bold red. I love the skater style because of how tight it is at the top, I think it's really flattering. Only thing I would say is that because it's tight, the little sleeves are also quite tight and so I find it quite hard to wear them completely off the shoulder otherwise I feel like it's cutting off the circulation to my arms! Motel's sizes do tend to come up quite small however- I'm a size 6/8 normally so I bought this in a XS/8, and I still think I could pull of a S/10.

This dress is normally £38, but I used a discount code which meant I got it for around £30. This discount code is for anyone to use, and it doesn't have a time period so you can use it every time you order to get 20% off; just type in: 

cakesfordorothy

into the discount code box and voila! It's a great discount so be sure to use it next time you shop at Motel. 

Olivia Ellen XXX

@oliviaellen97

Trend of the Week: Florals

This is a pretty obvious trend for spring/summer but one that has exploded onto the scene even more than usual this year. It's one I love because it's so versatile.

So let's begin with this cute sun top from Topshop- it's a great floral print because it's bright but still very pretty. The details on the strap are   great too, they're a bit different from a normal vest top.
How I'd wear this: I'd team it with some light wash skinnies and a cardigan for a spring day, with some cute flats and some sunglasses.
£26, Topshop

I adore this skirt, the floral print is kind of vintage looking, and I love the mint colour. The pleats and the hi-low hemline make it perfect for summer, the material looks super lightweight too.
How I'd wear this: which a white chiffon vest and some leather sandals, then add a pastel blazer and a satchel.
£16.75, Forever 21

So this dress is gorgeous, it's a skater style but has a slightly fuller skirt which I love. it's kind of a graphic floral print so it's quite modern.
How I'd wear this: I'd love it with sandals and a denim jacket for a daytime look but it would also look great with some heels and a coloured envelope clutch bag.
£55, ASOS

Finally is this tropical floral print playsuit, it's so bright and perfect for a hot day.
How I'd wear this: some chunky silver jewellery and some flat shoes are all this bold print needs.
£45, Motel

Olivia Ellen XXX
@oliviaellen97

Haul- Elf, Neutrogena, Maybelline

Hello lovelies, got a bit of a haul for you today. I've just got a few little beauty products to show you but thought you would be interested so anywayyyyy:

So first is a new moisturiser: I normally have combination skin but recently it's been hardly oily at all and has been very dry all over so I decided I needed to get a new moisturiser that would really help to clear up that dry skin. In Boots, I picked up this Neutrogena Visibly Clear Pink Grapefruit Oil-Free Moisturiser.

I love the smell, it's very refreshing. Also it soaks in really quickly which is great as you're not left feeling sticky or greasy. I've been using this over a week now and have noticed that my skin has been getting less dry, although I can't say it has helped clear up any spots at all. This was pretty cheap though- it was on offer for £3.33 and I have to say I would buy this again.

Ok, moving onto Elf:

So I've been wanting to order these particular brushes for a while but it didn't seem worth ordering just these three items- luckily a friend was doing a big order and asked if there was anything I wanted. She had some really good discount codes so they ended up being super cheap so very happy about that!

I bought the Studio Stipple Brush and the Foundation Brush  and both of these are super soft and feel very good quality. I really think the Stipple brush will be great for all sorts of make-up (foundation, cream blush etc) and the foundation brush will make is much easier to get my make-up on evenly!

And then I bought this eyebrow wand, which is going to be super handy for keeping my brows in order!

Final beauty product is a lipstick by Maybelline, I've been wanting a coral lipstick for so long as I'm kind of on a coral high at the moment! I'd tested out so many in shops and just could not decide on the perfect shade. After reading so many reviews I finally decided to go with the colour 'Stay With Me Coral' by Maybelline which is from their new '12 Hour' range.

It's a perfect bright pinky-coral colour (the swatch doesn't do it justice to be honest, on the lips it does look more coral). I have to admit, I'm not a huge fan of the packaging- it just feels a little cheap to me when I've got lipsticks that cost less than this with better packaging. However, the product I think makes up for it. The lipstick has great staying power, and it smells incredible- I can't quite put my finger on what it reminds me of but it is very sweet and I love it. Also the lipstick has a matte formula but unlike some of my other matte lipsticks (the MAC ones in particular) it doesn't feel like it dries up my lips, and instead feels quite moisturising.
£6.99, Boots

Olivia Ellen XXX
@oliviaellen97

Trend of the Week: Playsuits

So friends, today we're talking playsuits- a summer must-have in my view and I have some of my favourites to show you right now:

Lets begin with this gorgeous acid wash denim playsuit. This is so 90s which is a trend I'm loving at the moment and the elastic at the waist just makes it a bit more flattering and gives you a bit more shape.
How I'd wear this: this would look so great with a shirt or polo shirt underneath and them some high top trainers and some 90s sunglasses.
£36, Topshop

This is probably my favourite item I have to show you today, I adore the colour and the super cute cutouts around the collar. Perfect for summer whilst still looking smart.
How I'd wear this: some chunky loafers, silver jewellery and a cute cardigan would do this justice.
£25, River Island 

The print on this black playsuit is the cutest- little white elephants all over it, and the pussy bow collar just makes it a bit more grown up.
How I'd wear this: this would be perfect for a night out with some black heels, an oversized clutch bag and a blazer if you needed something to cover up with.
£35, ASOS

So finally is this monochrome playsuit with a lovely floral design. Monochrome is going to be huge this summer so this fits right in.
How I'd wear this: I'd keep this one simple with just sandals and sunglasses for a summery day. You could even add a bright jacket for a pop of colour.
£24.99, Missguided

Olivia Ellen XXX
@oliviaellen97

Joni Jeans

Joni Jeans are something I've been meaning to talk to you about for a while now (I bought them about a month ago so thought it was about time I told you about them). Joni jeans are a newish addition to the Topshop jeans range and are a take on the Leigh jeans which you probably know are my favourites jeans EVER!

The Joni jeans are basically full length, high-waisted jeans and I adore them. They come in quite a few colours and also are available in the tall and petite ranges. I have them in the colour 'Indigo' I believe. They are slightly different material to the Leigh jeans- a little thicker and more 'jean' like is that makes any sense (if you know what the Leigh jeans feel like, they're very soft, and hardly feel like jeans at all, whereas these are thicker).

They are super high-waisted on me, they come up to my belly button at least which is great. They add a great 90s feel to any outfit and I love to wear them with crop tops because it makes me feel like I'm showing off less flesh which is good at this time of year!

I think the only thing I dislike about them is that they tend to loose their shape around the knees quite easily. What I mean is that if you say, sit down for a long time they stretch around the knee and become bigger which can be a bit annoying but once you wash them they go perfectly back into shape.

What surprised me about these is that they are actually cheaper than Leigh jeans even though they have more material- they cost £36 which I guess is still quite pricey but I swear by these jeans, god knows what I'd be wearing if I hadn't found Topshop jeans! They are the only jeans that seem to fit me perfectly and I love all the different styles.

Check out the range of Joni jeans here.

Olivia Ellen XXX
@oliviaellen97

March Favourites

Today I'm going to do my first March favourites post, so I'm just going to be sharing with you some of my favourites products and clothing items from the month of March!

First I want to tell you about the Body Shop Body Scrub, I have the Shea flavour which smells amazing. This is such a good exfoliator- I use it a few times a week in the shower or bath and it leaves my skin feeling so soft. One downside is that it tends to leave my skin feeling slightly greasy so I just make sure to wash it off with some shower gel afterwards. It costs about £12.50 a tub which is quite a lot but you get such a big tub that I think it'll last a long time.

Next up is a product that I've actually had for a while now but I've started using it regularly this month. It's the 'Witch Anti-Blemish Tinted Moisturiser' and I have it in 02 Medium. It's a really nice, light natural looking cover on the skin and although technically speaking it doesn't prevent blemishes I think I'd say that it doesn't make them any worse.

Final beauty product- when I was in Boots a few weeks ago I saw some face wipes on offer at the till so I grabbed a packet without looking. Turns out these are the best wipes I've used! They're by Johnson's and I actually picked up the packet for dry skin but they're still great. They have a really nice natural smell, they don't irritate my skin at all and remove make-up really easily. Even better, they're normally cheaper than the Simple wipes I used to use!

Next favourite are my Joni Jeans from Topshop and I have been wearing these jeans to death this month. I've actually done a whole blog post here is you want to know more, so all I'll say is that they are high-waisted, super skinny and go with everything.

You're probably sick of hearing about this watch by now! But I have been wearing this pretty much every day in March so thought I better include it!

Finally something a bit different- I've had a subscription to Company magazine since Christmas and I love it- every month when it comes through my door I'm very happy. It's mainly fashion and beauty based with a couple of celeb interviews and some hilarious/interesting columns too. Bonus-only £2!

Olivia Ellen XXX
@oliviaellen97