1. Nude Lace Embroidered Bodycon Dress / Missguided / £45

This is probably one of my favourite dresses that I ordered. I like it because it still shows your arms, without feeling the chill. The embroidery detail is gorgeous too and a really popular trend lately, it seems to be on everything. I'm not sure if the pictures fully pick up the colours, but the dress itself is a neutral cream colour with beautiful champagne thread - love this little touch.  I think the length is good with this one, I don't like dresses to come below or on the knee because I think it makes me look short - something I don't need since I already look about 14 years old!! The only downside is that the silky lining in the skirt doesn't stay in place very well, it could do with a few more stitches to stop it shifting around when you move. Overall, the dress is beautifully elegant and perfect for seasonal parties and occasions. 

Similar here or here

2. Pink Bandage Contrast Long Sleeve Bodycon / Missguided / £25

This dress is a really odd material, very thick and well structured so it is good for keeping you warm and its gonna hide any lumps and bumps, creating a beautiful silhouette. The striped panels are even more elongating and the blush pink and purples are hot colours at the moment. Something, I think is going to be sticking around for a while. Again, it is a nice length and think a ring necklace would make this outfit. Excuse my hair in these shots, slightly gross and needing a wash!  

3. Luxury Malina Grey Pleated Tie Back Top / Pink Boutique / £28
Luxury Taina Grey Pleated Wide Leg Trousers / Pink Boutique / £32

I love this two piece so much! Anything pleated, give me right now! This does stray from my no skin rule, and therefore I think this is more of a summer outfit, but I just love it. I really wish Pink Boutique did smaller sizes as this is an 8 and is too big for me in all honesty. The leg length is also very long, even with 6 inch heels you'd need to take the bottoms up. It is a very baggy look, so I think the size is okay, especially for feeling cooler in summer. The back of the top is exposed, a tie simply doing up at the back, so there really is a lot of skin bared with this piece. It also comes in blush pink which is what I really wanted but my size wasn't in stock and an electric blue.

4. Addiction Gold Sheer Embroidered Crop Top / Pink Boutique / £19
Flirtation Gold Embroidered Mini Skirt / Pink Boutique / £25

I love this little set! Very similar to the first dress with the champagne embroidery and netting but also has the same shifting around of the skirt lining which is a bit annoying. I think the lining could do with being a bit longer. I think this is a cute outfit for nights out all year round. It could even be separated to go with other pieces. Pink Boutique also do a halter neck top and also a black version, have a look at their 'two piece' section for all of the variations of this piece.



5. Versacia Nude Lace Bardot Mini Dress / Pink Boutique / £35

This is a really cute dress for a special occasion, I think like a wedding or something. As I said I don't really go much on longer dresses but I surprisingly like this one. I think the mesh below the min thigh makes the difference because it isn't solid material, you can still see my legs. The colour is a very pale pink/nude which is really soft and I think would look lush with a bit of tan. The lace detail all over it is very soft and can easily pull so I'm gonna have to be careful with that. I like the V neck line, I feel most dresses that have a V tend to fall so low down, it is just no good for my little boobs. This one is the perfect V that I can get away with, I can even choose between wearing a bra or not.




6. Lovefool Blush Bardot Frill 3/4 Sleeve Mini Dress / Pink Boutique / £25

I think this is a really good, simple dress for the odd night out or social gathering when you don't know what to wear. I love the blush pink colour and the material doesn't feel cheap and nasty. Frills are big this year and I love the exaggerated frill detail here. It's great that it is a bardot, a really flattering cut, but also allows you to cover up the top of your arms with the big frills - a good transition from winter to spring I feel. Again, PB don't do smaller sizes in this style so it is a little big for me, the sleeves are elastic but don't feel tight enough to hold them where I want them to sit. The bardot sleeves do tend to fall down with movement which is a shame. Overall, I think everyone needs a simple dress like this in their wardrobe, it is an easy way to get a bit of fashionable frill into your closet without going overboard.

So that's my roundup of 6 pieces I would wear to a party of occasion this side of Christmas. Some of these picks can even take you into spring/summer too which I think is a great investment and money saver. I'm especially loving two piece sets as you can really mix them up to create different looks. I'd not heard of Pink Boutique until quite recently, they have some really lovely pieces on there at reasonable prices so I urge anyone to take a look there if you're stuck for inspo. Hot looks for the coming months are definitely frills and blush tones and I think pleats are gonna carry on through as well.

Over the past few months, I've slowly (finally) transformed my Instagram into a theme that I feel is working well for me. I've had many compliments and lots of questions asking me how I get it to look how it does. So I thought I'd write a short how-to guide explaining how to create a consistent, professional looking Insta. 

Pick a filter and stick to it

This is probably the most important step I like to follow. I think something that instantly makes an Insta look better and more professional is if all the photos have the same filter applied to them. So whether you choose a filter with a lot of blue tones, black and white, whatever, your account will instantly flow better and be more pleasing to the eye if the content is matching in this way. 

How to pick a filter

I wouldn't pick a filter that requires you to apply something like 5 colour filters from 3 different apps and then adjust 10 different photo editing options - it's just gonna take far too long every time and you're gonna get fed up with it very quickly. I use one colour filter and then use FaceTune to turn any backgrounds in my pictures black and white. I've gone for this look because I think it mades the central object really pop out and also makes my instagram look really clean and comfortable to look at. Then I simply use the features in the Instagram photo edit to add a bit of structure, sharpen etc. It is effective and easy to do, so I recommend choosing something simplistic like that.

I find it best to apply a fairly neural filter too. You can really over do the editing with too much contrast or brightness etc and the image will end up looking really unnatural and over edited.  

Backgrounds
By this I mean the backdrop of your photos. Since I edit my photos to look nice and white, I tend to only picture things that have bright backdrops to help with the editing process. For example, I probably wouldn't post a night time shot because it would be too much of a contrast to my other images. 

Angles
I think it is nice to experiment with different angles with your camera. Even though I want my Insta to look consistent, I also want it to look natural. Instead of taking all of your pictures from above with the feature object dead on centre all the time, try experimenting with different angles so viewers don't get bored of your account. Even by just crouching down and positioning your object to the far left will help you mix up the angle of your images.

Image content
If you're a blogger and your sole focus is makeup or shoes or whatever, it is best to fill 80% of your Instagram with images relating to your chosen topic. This helps to build an audience as they will begin to recognise your account and style with your chosen focus. If you don't have a particular content focus, I think it is even more crucial that you get a consistent theme going.

Camera choice
To keep my Instagram looking as professional as possible, I only use the camera on my iPhone 6S+ or Lumix Camera(s). So I wouldn't really post an image using SnapChat as I think it makes my account look less blogger and more 'personal account' - I've got @BethChx for that! These camera choices also keep images of a nice quality.

These are just some of the tips I like to think about when updating my Insta. I'm not saying it is wrong to have a 'non consistent' account, this is just some simple tips for those who are looking to improve theirs! The main thing is to be unique and create an account that is a true reflection of you. If that means using a different filter every day, taking pictures of your holidays one minute to daft photos of your dog the next, then go for it!! I think it is often too easy to ask how someone edits their pictures and just apply it to yours, have a mess around with some editing apps and try to create your own look. Here are some apps I love:

- VSCO: some lush filters, lots of editing tools
- Snapseed: nitty gritty editing e.g white backgrounds
- Facetune: nitty gritty editing e.g white backgrounds, removing blemishes
- Afterlight: good filters, lots of editing tools
-  PhotoWonder/MakeupPlus: for sorting out any makeup mistakes (careful not to overdo this one)
- Phonto: Adding text like watermarks, announcements etc
- Layout: adds frames or multiple picture collages

Make way for the new kid on the block: wooden watches! Whilst classic silver watches are beautiful, wooden watches bring a whole new, stunning dimension to the world of telling the time. JORD Wood Watches are an American company bursting into the UK to introduce their wonderful time pieces. They offer a range of women's watches and men's watches in a wide variety designs all handcrafted out of natural woods. 

What is so special about a wooden watch?

The watch featured in this review is a man's watch from the Dover series made from Koa wood with a stylish black face. I think the main beauty of this watch is its story from tree to beautiful accessory. JORD are very big on sustainability, Koa trees are not in danger of extinction meaning JORD are happy to create watches from it and watches from only from other sustainable sources. The Koa is native to Hawaii and is a soft wood that is exceptional for machining and gives a beautiful natural sheen to the finished product. The Koa wood watch varies in colour tones throughout the piece, really reflecting the nature behind it. Koa wood also varies in tone depending on what season it is harvested in which means products made from its wood are very unique. If you study the watch closely you can see the little cogs and inner workings of the watch busily keeping the watch working, which I think is such a beautiful, classic touch that has really made me appreciate the delicate craftsmanship that goes into making these watches. As a bonus, the watch does not need batteries, so no need to fork out for new batteries every few months! 

I'd also like my readers to take a moment to really take a good look at the presentation box the watches from JORD Wood Watches come in. It is clear to see that the same amount of care, attention and detail has been put into the packaging as the watches. As you can see, my watch came in this gorgeous wooden storage box with a nifty magnetic lid to keep the watch safe and even a tiny little working drawer to store any information booklets that came with the watch. It is so beautiful! The watch is for my dad, but I think I'll be keeping hold of the box myself! I hope from this little added touch, my short description and from looking at the images provided, you really get the luxurious, quality feel JORD aim to provide in each other their pieces.  

Who would like a wooden watch?

A stunning, quality piece needs a precious owner who can fully appreciate the delicate craftsmanship of these gorgeous watches. Whether you're looking to treat your dad, mum, a partner or a special friend who values the beauty of nature, a wooden watch from JORD Wood Watches would make a luxurious Christmas gift this festive season. JORD provide an easy to follow sizing guide and assure you that any watch repair service can re-size watches, so there is no need to worry if you are purchasing as a gift. You can even get the wooden presentation box engraved with a special message which is a lovely personal touch.





If you are thinking of treating that special someone this Christmas with a unique watch, check out some of the other woods, designs and styles JORD Wood Watches have for men and women over at their website here.

c/o JORD Wood Watches / Dover Koa and Black / £232
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  Wooden Wristwatch  

This post was sponsored by Jord Wood Watches

Oh my God. Okay. I cannot recommend this coach tour enough. I cannot recommend Contiki enough. Basically I had the most incredible time visiting top locations on America's East Coast and into the boarder of Canada with beautiful people. Stunning sights, a new place every day, fun attractions, great food, great hotels, crazy nights out, endless shopping...I was living the dream! Read on to find out exactly what I got up to and all the typical Trip Advisor style comments and tips!