BOHO PLAITS (Festival Feature)

I thought I would do a quick post on how I styled my friends hair at T in The Park. We chose to do plaits as we thought they would be the best option. Nikita wanted something that kept her hair out of her face but was still soft and stayed in place all day. So for her I decided to french plait the hair around the front of the head round to the back. I then plaited two standard braids with the hair that was left, making sure I left a small section of hair in between the two braids. I then used that piece of hair to weave in and out of the plaits to make it look like a double braid.

Kiera also wanted something that kept her hair out of her face but she also needed a little more durability. Kiera and I spent most our time in the music tents with the dance and house music so we needed all our hair off our neck, as it got very hot and sweaty in the tents, and something that didn't fall out when we were jumping around. We decided that tight braids would work best but we wanted to do something slightly different than the average 2 french plaits. I sectioned Kiera's hair into 5 sections, the biggest one being straight down the middle of her head. With this section I plaited a dutch braid. The next section was a fishtail plait that I had done using the french plait technique so it was against the head. The last section was also a dutch braid just smaller. I then repeated the last two sections on the other side. 

Whats your go to festival hair? 

Let me know on social media or comment below :)

Instagram: abbylancs

Twitter: all_blackx2

I have two more festival feature posts coming up for you. So look back soon for those!

FLASH TATTOOS (T in The Park Feature)

FLASH TATTOOS

As you may know I recently set up a twitter account for my blog (@all_blackx2), and it was through twitter that I found the company Hippie Chic. They are a boho inspired company that sell beautiful Jewellery and Accessories. One of the items I was most interested in on their site was the flash tattoos. The stick on tattoos are right on trend and I had seen them all over social media the last few months. I had been searching for some to get my hands onto as they fit perfectly into the festival trend and I wanted to be able to wear some for T in The park. 

Hippie Chic have a wide variety of the flash tattoos and all the tattoos in the packs are reasonably sized. Not too small so that you shouldn't have bothered, but not to big that you don't know where to place them. 

The two packs I choose from their website were: 

Sunset (click here)

Leo Cabrillo (click here)

How to apply the tattoos:

The Flash Tattoos are extremely easy to apply, even at a festival. It can be done in 5 easy steps:

1. Choose where you want to place the tattoo

2. Remove the plastic layer from the tattoo and place the tattoo face down onto your skin

3. Wet the back of the tattoo (I recommend using wet tissue) and press down gently. 

4. Hold for around thirty second until you can see through the paper that the tattoo has transferred.

5. Remove the paper and your done!

Review:

The metallic Flash Tattoos are the perfect accessory for a festival. They are quick and easy to apply, last the duration of the festival and they don't fall off like rings or bracelet's! The Hippie Chic tattoos are waterproof and lasted my friends and I until the festival ended. We applied them on the Friday morning and they were still there come Monday morning. When you wake up feeling groggy at a festival you don't want to have to plan an outfit out each day and choose the perfect accessories for it. By using the Flash Tattoos you can apply all your accessories in 10 minuets and they are there day and night. You don't have to spend loads of money on different necklaces or bracelets to match your different outfits, and you wont want to as the likelihood is at a festival, you'll either loose them or break them.

 Overall I loved the product as did my friends! The delivery was quick, and the packaging was stylish and beautiful. I would definitely recommend that you have a look at the company and give the tattoos a try.

Rating:

10/10

Hippie Chic California: 

http://www.hippiechic.com/

Twitter:

hippiechicca

--My info--

Instagram: abbylancs

Twitter: all_blackx2

I also have a watch and bracelet set from Hippie Chic which I will be featuring in a look book soon. Check back to see which one I styled!

T in The Park-

T in The Park 2015

On Thursday the 9th of July I flew to Scotland with my friends to go to one of the biggest festivals in the UK. The line up was incredible and covered a massive range of genres, from Fat Boy Slim to Sam Smith. I experienced camping at a festival for the first time and I must admit its not really for the faint of heart. It was definitely an experience! In terms of performance I would say Fat Boy Slim and Jamie T were my personal favourites. Simply because of the feeling of the crowd and the reactions we were all giving.

If you want to see some of the performances check out BBC iPlayer. 

The view from the plane

I thought I'd share with you some of the photos I took at T. Just to show you a bit of how we dressed up and what I wore. It was raining all weekend in Scotland so it was lucky that I had packed a stylish rain mac from Topshop that I had picked up in the sale for £30. My most essential item of clothing for a festival would definitely be a pair of  denim shorts. I feel like there a really versatile piece that you can pair with anything and dress them in your own style. They were comfortable to walk around in all day and also comfortable enough to dance in. I recommend finding a pair that aren't too tight or too stiff and a pair that's made from quite a soft denim. You don't want any that are too restricting and you also don't want a pair that you have to spend 5 minuets trying to get off. If your in a tent you cant stand up in its not fun trying to squeeze on any kind of tight clothing. It also helps if the shorts are quick to get off because when it comes to using festival toilets you don't want to be the toilets for any longer than you have to be. Trust me!

Shorts: Topshop

Rain mac: Topshop

Tomorrow I will be posting a review on the Flash Tattoos I used at T in The Park. They are from a company I found recently and the tattoos were right on trend for festival look and were the latest hype with everyone there. Look back tomorrow to see photos and find out exactly where I got them from. 

Instagram: abbylancs

Twitter:all_blackx2

Let me know if you guys are going to any festivals this year, or what your festival essentials are!

:)

NEW MAKE UP PURCHASES- FEATURING THE NEW KATE MOSS NUDE LIPSTICK

Foundation- Revlon-ColorStay (For Combination/Oily Skin) // Lipstick- Rimmel- Nude Collection by Kate Moss

As you can see, theres only two items in this quick make up post. The first is a medium to full coverage Revlon foundation with SPF 15. I bought this foundation to take with me to T in The Park, a festival I'm going to in a couple of days. I wanted something that would last me all day but would still provide protection for my face. I've tried it out already and it blends into the skin perfectly and doesn't leave the heavy feel that some higher coverage foundations have. I bought it from boots and it cost me £12.49, which can be quite pricey for a highstreet foundation, but extremely cheap compared to most high end brands.

The second item was a Rimmel lipstick form the new Kate Moss Collection. I've always wanted to try one of the kate moss lipsticks but I've never felt brave enough to walk the streets with such a bright colour. So when I went into my local Superdrug this week I was over the moon to find that they had released a Nude collection. The shade 45 compliments my skin tone beautifully and the creamy consistency doesn't leave my lips feeling dry, which is always a plus. Even though it has a creamy consistency the look of the lipstick isn;t too glossy which I also really like about it. I'm not keen on overly glossy lipsticks, especially when it comes to nudes. 

I believe the Kate Moss Nude Collection is released online on the 9th of July.

When I find a link to them online I will let you guys know:)

Instagram: abbylancs

Twitter: all_blackx2

I've just purchased some items from Kiko too, so make sure to check back soon to see those.

EBAY BUYS

As some of you may know I'm going to two festivals this year, Reading and T in the Park. So I've been on the hunt for some pieces I can wear when I'm there. eBay and Asos seem to be the best places to find the perfect cheap festival look. I didn't want to buy anything too expensive for the chance of it just getting ruind. While I was looking on eBay I came across these little crochet tops. Crochet is right on trend for this season and everywhere seems to be selling it, from Topshop to Primark. So when I found these bralettes for a fraction of the high street prices I ordered them straight away. 

When ordering I made sure I chose England based sellers so that they would arrive within a week. I had a good experience with all the sellers and postage and they all arrived on time and they all looked how they were advertised on the site. As for sizing they were all only available in one size so its very much pot luck to whether or not they fit you. The orange one for example is slightly too small for me so if I do wear that one it will have to be paired with something else. 

I will do a post either before or after I get back from T in the Park and show exactly how these tops look on and what I style them with. Check back soon for my Asos mini haul!

Instagram: abbylancs

Twitter: all_blackx2

OOTD- RIPPED

Ripped Top- Brandy Melville / Ripped Jeans- Topshop / Nike Free Run 2 Trainers- JD Sports

I done another shoot with the extremely talented Jake! For this shoot I wanted to style an easy grunge look that i would just throw on if I was in a rush or having an easy relaxed day. This look is just a simple baggy tee and jeans look which I tried to mix up slightly by adding the ripped top and ripped jeans, like I said to give the outfit a more grungy edge. 

I styled my make up and hair with the same idea. With my hair I styled it in a loose messy bun at the nape of my neck and for my make up I used a dark eyeshadow from a sleek pallet and a dark lipliner paired with a nude lipstick.

Instagram: abbylancs

Twitter: all_blackx2

Check out Jake on Instagram: jake_hoodies

MONTHLY MUSIC FAVOURITES- JUNE 2015

HAIM

This months music favourites are again another band. They're also another band who I just can't seem to get bored of. They are a 3 piece band made up of sisters, Este, Danielle and Alana. This American trio released their last album Days Are Gone in 2014 and their next album is set to be released this July I believe. They seem to be amazing live and I hope I get the chance to see them some time soon. 

Haim create an amazing pop rock sound, which seems to be catching the attention of more and more people. So much so that they recently teemed up with Calvin Harris and created the song "Pray To God". The song infuses their distinct sound with a Calvin Harris mix. I can't wait for their new album.

Instagram: abbylancs

Twitter: all_blackx2

GBK AND STUDENT DISCOUNT

                                     

Gourmet Burger Kitchen- Find your local GBK

As a student I only have a part time job with extremely low pay. So when it comes to eating out it usually involves grabbing a McDonald's, because lets face it, as students most of us cant afford to eat at restaurants all the time. However when I do have money to eat out with friends we usually choose GBK every time. Not only is it amazing food, at the moment their student discount is 30%! So that means (depending on how hungry you are) you can grab a quick meal for under £10. Literally love this restaurant!  

Instagram: abbylancs

Follow me on instagram to see just how often I eat there...its ridiculous! 

ASOS SANDALS

Fringed Sandals- ASOS

I've been on the look out for some chunky sandals for a while now. I'm eager to get into summer clothing already. However with the unpredictable English weather I wanted a pair that I could style with many items. If you click on the link for the shoes you will see them styled on the ASOS website with ripped mom jeans, which in my opinion works. So I felt that these were the perfect pair of sandals to transition into summer clothing with and also a pair that will see me straight through to the end of summer. 

Check back soon to see how I style them and to see a review on the shoes.

Instagram: abbylancs

Twitter: all_blackx2

T-SHIRT HAUL

Patterned Crop - Monki / Stripped Halter Neck - Urban Outfitters / Black and green crop - Topshop / Ribbed V-neck Crop (green) - Topshop / Ribbed V-neck Crop (pink) - Topshop / High Neck Ribbed Crop (blue/green) - Topshop / Fishnet Tank- Vintage Shop 

For this post I thought I'd do a mini Crop Top Hail, as that seems to be all I've bought over the last couple of weeks. The first 3 tops I bought were Topshop Basics. I'm really into them this summer as there simple and easy to style with anything. From shorts to jeans, even dresses! The next 3 tops I purchased were all halter necks. I love the necklines on all of these tops as they are all slightly different, yet all compliment most body shapes. Again I think there easy to style with almost anything high-waisted. The last top I bought was a white fishnet tank. I purchased this top on a trip to London, I found it in vintage shop in Camden. I love the style of the top although I think it may be the hardest to style out of everything I've bought. However I plan to style it with a black bra top underneath and pair it with high waisted denim shorts. I think it will be great for Reading Festival this summer.

Instagram: abbylancs

I will be putting up a post soon styling some of these tops. Check back soon and let me know what you think :)

BLACK CUT OUT BIKINI

 

       

 BLACK CUT OUT BIKINI- PRIMARK

(Top-£6 / Bottoms-£5)

Styled with: Black Mesh Top- The Ragged Priest / White Mesh Rainbow top- The Ragged Priest

I always find that Primark is hit or miss to whether or not I can find anything in there, especially my local store. However when I found this bikini, I was so surprised that I had found this in Primark of all places! They often do some good dupes, and I had been looking at bikinis very similar to this one on websites such as asos and Urban Outfitters, so I was happy that I could get one extremely similar for a fraction of the price! Definitely the best thing I've got from Primark in a long time.

Instagram: abbylancs

OOTD- COLOUR POP

Top- H&M / Ripped Jeans- Topshop / Boots- Topshop / Bag- Urban Outfitters

Alternatives:  Bag- mango alternative / Shoes- Dr Martens

For this outfit I wanted to style a smart top with grunge items such as chunky boots and ripped jeans. This red loose top was the perfect find in the H&M sale. I bought the top for £6,  a complete bargain, but unfortunately at the time I bought the top it was no longer available on the website as it was a sale item.  I'm sure if you look in any high street shop you'll be able to find a similar style of top! I had trouble knowing what to pair with the top with as its not usually something I would wear. But i decided to just pair it with items I always grab to wear on a daily basis? The pop of colour with the top works well with the basic style of the rest of the outfit and adds contrast to the look, making it stand out.

I tagged an alternative for the boots and bag, as the bag again was a sale item and the boots are old. I highly recommend you check out the alternative boots! I definitely want to buy a pair of them, they are just too expensive for me at the moment!! 

Instagram: abbylancs

Photo cred again goes to my friend Jake
Check out his Instagram: jake_hoodies

MONTHLY MUSIC FAVOURITES- MAY 2015

Quick message: Sorry I haven't posted again yet! I've been trying to work out a plan for this blog and decide what I want to post and when. I've finally done that so hopefully now you can see regular posts :)

This months music favourite is a band named Swim Deep. They are a 5 piece indie pop band from Birmingham. I fist heard this band about a year ago and I still love their songs now. The first song of theirs I heard was "King City" (click to listen on YouTube) from their album "Where the Heaven Are We", and it's definitely my favourite of theirs so far. They are set to release their next album this summer just in time for Reading and Leeds festival. Although the album is not yet released the band have released two singles from their upcoming album. The first titled "To My Brother" (listen here) and the second "One Great Song And I Could Change The World" (listen here). From these singles it is clear the bands sound has changed, with hints of the sounds they first released. Their new sound has been referred to as Acid House music, which I equally enjoy just as much as their Indie Pop sound. 

Instagram: abbylancs