Pay Day Lust List: Disney

It might surprise you to find out that I'm a bit late to the Disney party. When I was a kid, I was more focused on growing up than watching cartoons and as a result, I never really had an affinity with Disney that most children seem to. In the last five or so years, I have really begun to enjoy the films and have built up quite the collection, with my boyfriend and I making our way through old favourites and new additions.

When I graduated from university four years ago, one of our first holidays together was to go to Disneyland Paris for the week and I have never experienced anything quite like it. Completely surreal and magical, there is nothing that matched the feeling of walking through the gates to the park each morning, the lingering scent of sweet treats and sound of music in the air. 

Four years later, I'm being whisked away to Florida to Disneyworld and I can't quite contain my excitement - with just over six weeks until our getaway, I've started reading as many blogs and articles as I can to plan our holiday of a lifetime! Here's my payday lust list for heading off to experience the magic!

The first major thing on my list is this beautiful bead. A great addition to my Pandora bracelet, it reads 'Believing is just the beginning', a quote from Cinderella. I've been looking for something to commemorate the Disney trip and this would be a wonderful item for my birthday wish list!

Walking around the Disney parks in the heat of Florida's sunshine is going to mean decent shoes! These lovely Finley sandals from Topshop are not only suitably pretty but also brilliant for putting in the miles. Want!

Alright, so I can't see myself wearing these without feeling like I'm about five years old but how cute are they? Topshop are brilliant for pyjamas and these Disney Princess ones would make a great gift for die-hard Disney fans. 

Beauty and the Beast is my all-time favourite Disney film and this dress from Hot Topic is subtle enough to be worn outside without feeling embarrassed! I love the stained glass window effect on the skirt - the ideal outfit choice if you've been lucky enough to get a reservation at the Be Our Guest restaurant! 

Finally - something I will actually be treating myself to! The one thing I never did when visiting Disneyland Paris was buy some Minnie Mouse ears but I'll be rectifying that with this rock n' roll headband from the Disney Store. Well, you've got to look the part - haven't you?

Any die-hard Disney fans out there? Until next time...

New Look Lust List: Summer Days

I'm a big fan of New Look. While it isn't top-end high street style, it always seems better quality than anything I purchase from dear old Primarche. As its mid-season, they've gone and bought out a great new line of stuff for fashion bargainers to enjoy. So, I've gone and created a top outfit for say, a lovely summer barbecue, picnic in the park or cocktails in the local beer garden.

I love a good floral dress. I'm sorry - I've been wearing them since I discovered bold patterns circa 2006 and I don't think I'll ever change. This lovely tunic dress is bold enough to allow you to stand out, while remaining flattering - so you'll be able to have a few packets of salt n' vinegar in the beer garden without looking like you swelled up in the heat. 

I'd much rather sandals or boots than heels any day, but especially if it is sweltering and I've had a few beverages. I really like these Tan Gladiators- they look so comfy! They're also on sale for £11 at the moment, so I'd snap them up quick!

I have a bit of a thing about red bags. I also have a bit of a thing about satchels. Which is why I'm a little bit in love with this burgundy offering that looks much more expensive than it is. The ideal size to fit your phone, keys, purse, lip balm and sun cream in - what more do you need? 

I know, it all seems a bit silly to take a jacket while the sun is out. However, come 10pm when the light has begun to wane and you're caught in a freak summer storm, you'll thank your lucky stars that you've taken this leather jacket with you. 

 What is on your summer lust list? 

Birthday Lust List

This week I'll be celebrating my 24th birthday. It only seems five minutes ago that I was celebrating my 18th, so it is a little scary to think that I'm not technically in the mid-twenties age bracket. Nevertheless, I won't be acting my age- I've taken the day off to challenge Liam at the bowling lane followed by watching the new X Men film on the big screen. Proof I'm still a big kid at heart.

Remember the days when you would receive enough birthday money from various family members to make you feel like a junior millionaire? I used to love the trips to the shops to spend my birthday money on new clothes (leopard skin leather jacket...one of the most memorable and regrettable fashion decisions of my youth..), big bags of pick n' mix and endless supplies of stationery. These days, I don't receive many ten pound notes through the post. Definitely doesn't stop me making a birthday list, though...

I love this Initial necklace in Rose Gold from Etsy. I've always been a bit of a fan of anything with my name on it and this is a great alternative to a name necklace. I love the flattering shade of rose gold that looks great with any skin tone and the long chain means it'll look great with anything from a ditsy tea-dress to a smart shirt and blazer combo.

For anyone that reads my blog regularly, they'll know that over the last eighteen months, I've become a bit of a running fan. Whilst I love my old faithful Adidas trainers, I'm definitely ready for a change. These lovely Nike Lunarglide running shoes are just the ticket- brilliant technology, great stability and they come in this gorgeous shade of pink. Definitely an incentive to clock up the miles each week. 

Right now, I feel like I'm the only person in the world that hasn't seen Frozen. Just about everyone I know has been raving about it and I cannot wait to see what all the fuss is about. Liam and I have our very own Disney shelf at home (in chronological order, no less!) and this would be a great addition to it. Sounds like the perfect feelgood movie for a Sunday afternoon!

I'm grateful to be starting a brand new job in two weeks time! I am pretty excited as it is exactly what I want to do and is a massive step in the right direction. Lately, I've been clearing out my wardrobe in the hope it will soon be filled with new work clothes. Whilst the dress code is fairly smart casual, I'm looking forward to working in a creative industry where I can express myself a little more with what I'm wearing. Knowing me, this will mean a lot of smart printed dresses, Chelsea boots and brogues. I'm also loving this Pink crepe Knotch Blazer to smarten up simple outfits for work. This bold shade of pink will add a pop of colour to any outfit and will also look great with a floral dress for my friend's upcoming wedding in September. 

This perfume is a bit of an old favourite of mine. I was first bought Vera Wang Princess Perfume when I began seeing Liam over four years ago. Since then, I've made my way through the Vera Wang princess range but nothing matches the original. The scent has notes of waterlily, apple, mandarin, apricot, dark chocolate and vanilla and smells wonderful. I'm lucky enough to get a bottle of this for most birthdays and I just love it. 

Dear Santa...Lust list

The build up to Christmas seems to bring the child out in me. This week, I have had a lot of fun sourcing the best mince pies, visiting the Coca-Cola truck on tour and painting ceramic Christmas tree decorations. I also managed to get the entirety of my Christmas shopping done! It is around this time of year, of course, that most of us will be posting our lists to Santa. Here is one winter wishlist for the cosiest, comfiest and most stylish christmas yet...

These cute Topshop reindeer pyjamas are perfect for wearing with a warm knit and some long socks to cosy up on the sofa after a long day. As someone with a penchant for fairisle print, I love these festive shorts!

As someone who lives in ankle boots all year long, I am always on the look out for a new pair to add to my collection and these studded ones were unique enough to catch my eye. Currently with £20 off the full price in the sale, they are practical and stylish.

Winter is also about stocking up with lots of yummy food and drink to get you through the season. Whittard's hot chocolate is indulgent enough to be a treat but also contains 70% cocoa and is fairtrade. Guilt-free hot chocolate! Yum.

This cosy Fairisle cardigan from H&M is a real favourite of mine. Perfect for layering over dresses or jeans as well as covering up on a night in front of the telly.

I have recently bought Great Expectations. A perfect present for anyone, this novel is a wonderful read in the build up to Christmas and these Penguin Classics look good on a bookshelf too.

Finally, this Aztec snood from Topshop is a lovely little cover-up for chilly walks through the country.

Here is my week in pictures...

(L-R: Ceramic Christmas tree decorations, Painting a christmas plate at Fun pots, Fairisle knits, peppermint tea and french onion soup, cosy slipper boots, Rimmel Ruby Crush nail polish, hot chocolate, Holidays are coming...)

The Sunday Review

This week has been nicely busy. Among job applications, gym sessions and driving lessons, I managed to slot in a job interview and a few extra bits here and there. This weekend has been wonderfully relaxing and consisted mainly of reading in the sunshine, watching Eurovision and ambling through town. Here is what I've been filling life with this week...

I have been wearing...My new favourite dress from Dorothy Perkins. I purchased this dress a few weeks ago after buying the leopard print version and loving it so much, I bought it in every colour and pattern available. This dress with a pair of Ray-Ban lookalikes and tan brogues combined with the glorious weather almost made me feel like I was swanning around the French Riviera. Well, a girl can dream. 

I have been listening to...Silenced by the night by Keane. Admittedly, I have always harboured a bit of a secret love for mainstream indie music. In my early teenage years, I was a big fan of Keane and was surprised to see them making a comeback this year- a little older and a little less miserable. This song is brilliantly catchy and emotional, if not a little predictable- rhyming the words 'light' and 'night', who would've thought it? 

I have been reading...Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins. After reading The Hunger Games recently, I was eager to see if the rest of the trilogy was as good as the first book. I'm not usually one to buy in to these teen franchises (Don't even mention Twilight) but I have to say I am really impressed with the originality of these novels. So far, I am a quarter of the way through and finding it hard to put down. 

I have been lusting after...This lovely dress from Glamourous UK. With the weather hotting up as well as the fact that it is my birthday on Wednesday, I'm looking to nab myself a lovely summer dress. Glamorous UK was recommended to me by a friend and after checking out the website, I have been impressed. Hopefully I'll be ordering this beautiful little number very soon.  

Finally, here is my week in true Instagram blogger style.

Soaking up the sun, Catching Fire, 

Peppermint green nails, Frappucinno happy hour, 

Farringdon station, Starbucks and The Great Gatsby.

Follow me on Instagram @bexonfire

Lust List

For once, this week has been a relatively relaxed one. After coming down with the lurgy, I've given gym sessions a miss and even cancelled my driving lesson. I've really enjoyed this week at work, however- finishing on a high on Thursday as we were all visited by the Easter bunnies who left us all some delicious gold Lindt bunnies to feast on! Sometimes I truly love my job. I was also surprised to see that I managed to reach a total of 300 views in twenty four hours on my blog this week- all because of this post about Samantha Brick.  Here is this week's Lust List...

I'm sporting a serious love for cocktail rings at the moment and my current ambition is to make sure that at least half of my fingers are covered in jewels! Sitting Pretty is a wonderful shop full of pretty handmade jewellery by Claire, and has some gorgeous cocktail rings for bargain prices. This week, I purchased three for £10 and even managed to bag another free in a special offer! I'm very much looking forward to their arrival. Make sure you visit Claire's shop to have a look at her gorgeous little treasures.

This week, I've been loving Lily Melrose's blog. A fashion and beauty blogger, her reviews are honest and her pictures are flawless. Oh, and don't even get me started about her perfect ombre hair. Keep writing, Lily and I'll keep reading!

I'm really looking forward to catching up with Mad Men this Easter weekend. Three episodes have already aired on Sky Atlantic and we have them all logged on to the Sky+, ready to watch! I can't wait to see whether Don and Megan's marriage goes to plan and more importantly, how Joan deals with her new baby. So happy to have my favourite advertising firm back in my life! 

After hearing her gorgeous song Blue Jeans countless times on the radio, I finally weakened and purchased Lana Del Rey's album this week. Although I admit I haven't listened to it in it's entirety, I have managed to hit  repeat incessantly on Blue Jeans and her already established hits Born to Die and Video Games.  There is something distinctly refreshing about her sound, with a hint of classic americana and that sultry voice that makes me want to drink milkshakes in diners at the side of the road. We have recently purchased tickets to the Isle of Wight festival in June and I can't wait to see her perform.

Talking of the Isle of Wight, Cosmopolitan magazine drew my attention towards this great Topshop tee, designed especially for the festival. Depicting the 2007 line-up with a gorgeous vintage design, I'm sure it would be perfect paired with some shorts and sturdy chelsea boots for the festival of the year! At least I'd look the part, right?

That's it for this week's Lust List. Do let me know what would be on yours! Wishing you all a wonderful Easter weekend- eat many bucket fulls of chocolate and have a well-deserved rest. I'll be spending mine reading magazines, watching Mad Men and maybe even having a spot of retail therapy if I' m lucky! 

Lust List

This week has been a particularly busy one. In between fitting in gym sessions and working full-time, I also had my first driving lesson. Unexpectedly, I really enjoyed it and I'm looking forward to getting back in a car next week. Liam has been in Aberdeen at a conference this week so I've had some nice me-time to catch up with Skins and New Girl too. I also had a little splurge in aid of my first official wage packet and finally bought those red suede boots I was lusting after. Thankyou ASOS for the free delivery and 25%- it was too hard to resist!

This week's lust list has a bit of a beauty feel to it. Although I've always been a bit of a beauty junkie (the amount of points on my superdrug rewards card speak for themselves), I'm beginning to think that working in Beauty PR is rubbing off on me!

I'm always a fan of the newest beauty fads. Nail art is becoming increasingly popular with the sales of magnetic nail polishes and crackle paints hitting the shelves. This week, however, it was the caviar nail craze that caught my eye. This pretty polish by Ciante is available in three colours- black, white and multi-coloured and gives a three dimensional effect whilst also looking pretty glam. Anyone else think they look just like the hundreds and thousands you might sprinkle on your cupcake?

I have always loved Soap and Glory and my bathroom is now filled with the gorgeous products. I love everything about them- from the retro packaging to the great scents- and what's brilliant is that they really work. One of my favourites is The Righteous Butter- a really luxurious body butter to rival Palmer's Cocoa Butter that smells as good as it looks. Seeing as summer is nearly upon us, I'm looking to make sure I have the smoothest skin possible and I'm sure Flake Away would help. With Soap and Glory's Original Pink fragrance, it is a must-have for anyone who wants to pamper in the shower and feel glorious. 

When it comes to perfume, I tend to stick to the fragrances I love. For the last three years, I have made my way through the Vera Wang Princess range, having originally become hooked on Rock Princess. At the moment, I'm using Glam Princess but have alternated between the fragrances in the range for a while now. Whilst wandering around the duty free on holiday, I came across Vera Wang Princess Night and just had to have a spritz. With wild berries, watermelon and raspberry, it smells wonderful and still has the signature vanilla and musk that makes the Princess perfumes so appealing. Definitely one for the list. 

This product is actually something I already have, but I'm putting it on the list because it is too wonderful not to mention. Pond's Cold Cream has always had good press for being a fantastic beauty staple, used by the likes of Nadine Coyle and Kylie Minogue to name but a few. My favourite in the range is the Hydronourishing day cream which provides great moisturisation and a great base for make-up. It feels pampering for the skin and the scent brings me back to childhood for some reason. I remember my mum using Oil of Evening Primrose when I was a child, and this cream contains an extract, so perhaps that is the smell I love so much. 

I've got to admit that I have always been a bit nervous when it comes to self-tanning. For someone that looks like Casper the friendly ghost the majority of the time, I have always wondered whether I'd end up looking more like Katie Price than the desired Sienna Miller look. Horror stories of patchy skin and orange hands have always meant that I've stayed away from putting any kind of tanning product on my skin. However, L'Oreal's Sublime Bronze comes highly recommended. With a micro-diffusion spray, there is no need to rub in and no need for patchiness. Perhaps this is one tanning product that I should go ahead and try. At least when I feel brave enough!

That's it for this week's Lust List. Happy Weekend, everyone! 

Lust list

Admittedly, it has been a while since I have posted. With a recent holiday to Lanzarote and my new role as Junior Account Executive at Spink as well as a stint at the OTC Marketing awards, I have had my hands full. Things continue to move fast, too. I'm learning new things each day in my new job and next Thursday, I'll be having my first ever driving lesson. Wish me luck! For now, here is this week's lust list.

These birthstone rings from Pandora are gorgeous. I'm actually a May baby, which makes my birthstone Emerald, but I'm loving the pearl and sapphire rings. Simply gorgeous.

I recently read The Reader by Bernard Schlink on holiday and I was really inspired by it. I am always interested in literature depicting the holocaust, and this book is a truly original story. I can't reveal too much, but if you haven't yet read it, do give it a try. I promise you will be enthralled. 

I am absolutely loving BBC's new drama White Heat. The series features a group of housemates from the 1960's through to the present day and the issues they face. The second episode entitled 'Eve of Destruction' set in 1967 was brilliant, and the young cast are exceptional. For me, it isn't dissimilar to the 1996 BBC drama Our Friends in the North. If you, like me, were far too young to remember it when it originally aired, be sure to nab it on box set. Compulsive viewing. 

I'm not usually a great fan of modern music, but one song that has continually been on the radio this week is Somebody I used to know by Gotye. Fantastically catchy, it strikes the balance between infectious pop and hip indie sound. I might even check out his album.

If I ever manage to have enough money to treat myself to something wonderful, I'm sure one of the first things I'll do is go out and buy a Mulberry bag. I was very excited when I saw this gorgeous edition, entitled the Del Rey. Available in an array of colours, my favourite is this Deer Brown leather. Named after the one and only Lana Del Rey, this beautiful bag is launched in May. Just in time for my 22nd birthday. Not that I'm hinting, of course.

I'm always on the hunt for the perfect red suede boots and I'm pretty positive this ASOS pair fit the bill. I can just imagine pairing these with a pair of jeggings or a pretty floral dress for spring. If anyone has a spare £45 hanging around, feel free. Wouldn't they be fantastic with the Mulberry bag?

That's it for this week's Lust list. Until next week!

Lust list

Here is this week's lust list.

I absolutely love this dress from South. Bang on trend with it's bird print and peter pan collar, I think it would look perfect for work or teamed with a leather jacket for down the pub. The tunic style is also very forgiving on curvy girls. 

Having almost worn out my spotify allowance of She & Him, I decided to have a listen to something similar. Camera Obscura are an Indie pop band from Glasgow with a sound reminiscent of Belle & Sebastian. For any Come Dine With Me fans, you might recognize this particular song French Navy from the Echo Falls ad that precedes the programme! 

I am way behind the times with everything that is loaded on to our Sky+ box, but I managed to watch We'll Take Manhattan last week and it was worth the wait. Although I am not usually a fan of Karen Gillam, her performance was good and the actor who played opposite her as David Bailey was wonderful. As always, a massive fan of the 1960's fashions, music and photography. 

I bought these studded sandals this week for my holiday (off to Lanzarote next week!) and had to put a picture of them on here. As someone who can't bare the thought of wearing flip flops, the sturdy gladiator sandal has always been my friend. I think these will be perfect for wearing around the beach and in the bar. 

I know I need to curb my addiction for buying books, as I have way too many on a waiting list to read. This book is definitely one I'll be buying in the future, however. First published in 1965, The Millstone by Margaret Drabble is about a young student who falls pregnant and the choices she makes. 

Wishing you a fantastic weekend!