Christmas Day outfit ideas 2014

Hi Guys,

I thought I would come by with one last post before Christmas and give you all some outfit ideas for the big ol' turkey day. We never have a dress code in my house so our outfit choices vary from year year. Regardless of how you are sending your day the options above have you covered. 

Lets get to it----->

The show stopper- old school glamour

Lavish Alice rose gold reverse sequin bodycon dress

Aldo LIVERGNANO heel

Monsoon Marjorie Faux Fur Stole

Christmas bloom- casual cocktails

H&M Fine-knit jumper

Miss Selfridges Chelsea block heel sandals

Newlook Black Floral Print Skater Midi Skirt

It's all about the boots- chilled times

eBay graphic Happy Birthday Jesus jumper (although evidence does show march is more likely)

Topshop Tall Ponte high-waist treggings

ASOS All that jazz glitter ankle boots (sold out) Alternative here

Totally dotty....I woke up like this

Tesco F&F Spot Print Cuddle Sweat Top

Tesco F&F Polka Dot Brushed Fleece Lounge Pants

Asda Penguin Socks

Have an amazing Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Don't forget to come find me and Follow @GirlWednesdays  

Christmas party season prep

The Christmas party season is now upon us and for those who want a few simple, quick and easy pampering treatments to see you through the whirlwind of dnners, bars, drinks, house parties and the infamous office party look no further!

To keep the drying effects of drinking and general wear & tear at bay reach for The Body Shop Warming Mineral Mask and AMAZING Brazened Honey from Lush.

The warming mineral mask is a lovely deep cleaning  clay mask that absorbs oil yet keeps the skin supple and moisturised. Coupled with the invigorating fresh ingredients in Brazened Honey you have a winning combination. Ginger, lime and fennel will add zing to your skin and as Honey is a humectant it will give the face a big moisture boost. All this equals plump and youthful skin.

I picked up I Sao Paulo over there (cheapest price found online) and Ciate Beach Hut (cheapest priced item online) in TK Maxx   for £3.99 each and have been alternating between them ever since. Neither are traditional winter nail polish colours but I absolutely adore them. The depth in I sao Paulo over there makes it a very sophisticated tone and think the reflective quality of Beach hut makes it very festive. 

Last but not least is the wonder product that is Lucas' Papaw Ointment. I have used this for years and recently started using it consistently this year. I use this for my lips but it can be used for absolutely anything and works so well. I even like the fomented papaw scent 0.o- I know.

This is an absolute must for me especially when using lipstick. With so many textured finishes, reapplying and wiping lipsticks off my lips are going to take a battering this season before thinking about how drying the English winter can be in general.

What are your Christmas party prep items?

Smooches

Stephanie aka Wednesdays Girl

xoxo

Don't forget to come find me and Follow @GirlWednesdays  

MUA Nail Polish haul

L-R  Leapfrog, Sweet peach, Red rose £1 each

I stopped by  Superdrug a few weeks back and picked up these beautiful nail varnishes by MUA. I really like their stuff and I find that most colours have very good staying power. They are a really good way of experimenting without breaking the bank.

Although 2 aren't particularly wintry, I find that at least 60% of the time I reach for brighter colours in 

A/W to lift my mood and paint my toes.

At £1 each I couldn't of got a better bargain and you can never have enough red nail varnishes especially in the run up to Christmas!

Speaking of Christmas these make really lovely stocking fillers and with so many pretty shades in cute packaging to choose  from you can't go wrong.

Smooches

Stephanie aka Wednesdays Girl

xoxo

Don't forget to come find me and  Follow @GirlWednesdays  

The reinvention: Seared tuna steak & sweetcorn quinoa

I am pinchin, I am punchin, I am first of the monthin..... wooh lol

Hey guys, I am really in a foodie phase right now.

Can you tell?

It is cold outside and I just wanted something hearty and healthy to keep me warm and vitally something that doesn't take ages to throw together.

Isn't she lovely? Yes I have dubbed my dish a she coz she fine!

I have been obsessing over Tuna steak and Quinoa for the last few months and this combo has been really good to me.

This is super simple but looks and tastes very impressive.
The colours are vibrant and refreshing against the slate gray December skies and you can almost pretend your sitting somewhere hot.

Tuna seasoned with a dry rub:
Dried chives
Mustard
Garlic and herb salt
chili flakes
30 mins I didn't marinate the tuna steak as long as I usually would.


Quinoa:
Approx 190grams serves 2
Boil until fluffy season with dried herbs and seasoning to taste
Dice 1 large red bell pepper
Finely dice 2 rashers of bacon
Finely chop one large leek and fry in a small amount bacon fat
Boil sweetcorn separately and mix all together
Add poppy seeds

I wasn't a big fan of Quinoa when I was younger but now I am loving  that nutty flavour so much.

Quinoa is so nutritious and tasty a definite must try ummmm hmmm.

And now if you will excuse me, I shall now face plant and chow down lol!

Smooches

Stephanie aka Wednesdays Girl

xoxo

Don't forget to come find me and  Follow @GirlWednesdays  

My ultimate mini satchel

Strolling through Primark a few weeks back, My eye was caught by this beautiful maroon/ burgundy/ deliciously dark berry mini satchel.

I love a good satchel and immediately snatched it determined to buy it and at a ridiculously low £6 buy it I did. Everything about it appeals to me.

I really love the gun metal hardware and matte finish that gives it a glossier high end look. Although I have been using this as a clutch it does come with a strap which I would have preferred to be detachable but hey ho! It is the perfect size for the bare essentials, phone, money, keys, cards, oyster card of course and lippie. Bish, bash, bosh.

My fav khaki snuggly jumper and mini satchel- good colour pair no?

I do tend to favour bigger bags and carry my whole room in the depths of them but have been leaning towards pouches as seen in this post. I love that it can be taken from day to night and have been reaching for it non stop of late. It adds a really nice sophisticated yet edgy twist to any outfit. Every once in a while I stumble across a fashion item that I obsess over and this my friends is it! 

It just seems perfect for me in every way and I can't wait to break this bad boy out for the Christmas party season.

What do you think guys?

Smooches

Stephanie aka Wednesdays Girl

xoxo

Don't forget to come find me and  Follow @GirlWednesdays  

Lets get mini: Gourmet brioche hotdogs

Mini brioche hotdogs, wooh woooh!

  OK, So they aren't proper hot dogs but these are sooo 

much better and more importantly I like to think of them as a upgraded gourmet version.

These were so good guys, I honestly want to face plant them nom nomsssss....

Hot dogs are not often eaten in my house, it just isn't our bag. I never really jumped on them as a kid and during my teen years it was a once in a blue moon sitc.

I have been randomly craving brioche hot dogs for ages and finally got around to making them and ummm umm hmmm do they taste good.

I hold my hands up I didn't bake these Brioche rolls, I simply picked up a pack of 8 and shimmied home to get started.

Ingredients (serves 2 or 1 greedy bugger :-0):

4 x apple and cider Cumberland sausages - bought by a friend at a farmers market

4 x brioche rolls buttered with Olivio or drizzled with virgin olive oil

1 1/2 x medium Spanish onion caramelise on medium heat

Dijon Mustard

chili salsa:

2 chopped chillis

 1 medium tomato

½ cucumber

Juice of 1 lime

Extra virgin olive oil

chili flakes for extra zing

a drizzle of honey 

Final stage:

Look the hot dog right in the eye and say "get in my face good sir, make haste!" 

I really hope yo give them a try dolls, I absolutely adore them.

Smooches

Stephanie aka Wednesdays Girl

xoxo

Don't forget to come find me and  Follow @GirlWednesdays  

Childhood revival: Caterpillar Boots!

When  was I kid I absolutely loved Caterpillar boots. 

Whether on a builder or a feels like teen spirit grunge kid they just looked kool with a k!

I loooooved them so much and nagged my mum to get me a pair before for ages and treasured them maybe even more than docs!, before I graduated to kickers and Timberlands.

I love everything about them. 

The camel colour, the soles and the distinctive laces. 

The feel of them is so very retro and reminiscent of a simpler time: 1997.

ASOS

Smooches

Stephanie aka Wednesdays Girl

xoxo

Don't forget to come find me and  Follow @GirlWednesdays  

New trainers - Nike Flex

Hi guys,

I am slooowly edging my way back towards the gym and of course the first step is finding some nice comfy training gear to sweat in!

I have been looking around for a nice pair of versatile running trainers that can be used for all sporting activities and found these pretty bright Nike trainers.

I was actually geared towards getting some black and white ones. 

Who doesn't like a nice bit of monochrome? Why not look chic whilst pumping iron eh!

I eventually narrowed down to 5 pairs and ended up buying these beauties.

These are the Nike Flex Trainer 4 Ladies Fitness Trainers, which are specifically designed for the gym.

Features:

* Fitness trainers 

* Flexible grooved outsole 

* Mesh upper panels 

* Inner cushioning 

* Nike swoosh - always helpful if your buying nike! lol

* Lace up 

* Leather/textile upper 

* Textile lining 

* Synthetic sole

Colour:

* Main: Black -these have that it is so black they look blue tone.

* Accent colour: neon hot pink

* Inside and laces: light mint blue

These trainers are incredibly comfortable and have great breathability.
They retail for £44.99 and are so worth it, considering trainers can cost anything up to £200.
I am really pleased and am currently breaking them in with walking and jogging to make sure the ankles and arches are properly supported in preparation for the gym.
I have also worn them out to amp up a sports luxe look to great effect.

I really like these and can't wait to see how they fare at the gym!

Have you been rocking any stylish gym wear?

Smooches

Stephanie aka Wednesdays Girl

xoxo

Don't forget to come find me and  Follow @GirlWednesdays  

AW14: wrap it up!

Now you might not actually be able to take your blankets to work (if only) but these are the next big thing.

Cape/blankets/wraps or shawls call them what you will are always an important autumn/winter piece!

I love over sized wraps as there is something so Amazonian warrior princess about them.

They work with everything and just elevate an outfit.

If you are a little scared of the open nature of the wrap you can easily modify they with a few stitches to create arm holes or add belt loops for a more fitted look.

 It is super easy to do and takes 5 minutes.

Here are so affordable beauties to help you battle stylishly through the gusty wind that is occurring in London.

1- classic

Matalan Monochrome tasselled shawl £12

2- Traditional

Boohoo Lovisa Paisley print tassel blanket £22

3-Ethnic

 Topshop Aztec Cape £32

4- Old school

Dark green check print blanket wrap £19.99

Are you a fan of the blanket/ wrap?

Smooches

Stephanie aka Wednesdays Girl

xoxo

Don't forget to come find me and  Follow @GirlWednesdays  

Getting figgy with it: Procuitto & roasted fig salad

Roasted fig and procuitto salad nom noms.

Fruit and meat yeh I am Henry VIII like that lol. I have a very love hate relationship with figs. 

Sometimes they are just too sweet and complex for my palate. However when placed with  the tang of pears, wild salad, salty procuitto and a damn sexy dressing they are puuuurfect!

Rocket is a perfect addition to this mix and makes this an awesome autumn/winter salad.

Ingredients (serves 4):
1x large bag od Spinach

1/2 bag wild leaves
1x Procuitto
6x Figs
2 x Pears
3x tablespoons of Poppy seeds

Dressing:
Mustard
Mexican honey
Chilli flakes
Cayenne

Poppy seeds
Olive oil
Rice wine

dressing and salad storage

This container keeps it fresh for up to 3 days after and at 99p it was a steeaaaal!

Happy eating

Smooches

Stephanie aka Wednesdays Girl

xoxo

Don't forget to come find me and  Follow @GirlWednesdays  

Mixtape Mondays #8

It's that time again!

I have got my Monday morning tube shuffle tuneage at the ready.

Check it out ->

Childish Gambino - 3005

Banks - Brain

Wankelmut ft Emma Louise - My head is a jungle 

 Have a great week.

 

Smooches

Stephanie aka Wednesdays Girl

xoxo

Don't forget to come find me and  Follow @GirlWednesdays  

Shoppers + pouches

I have really been digging simple shoppers and pouches of late.

 They are soooo chic and sophisticated. I have veered towards black (obvs so me) and there is something rather Autumnal about them. They just have an air of sexy Autumn/ Winter mystery.

Meet my current favourites.....

 

I am so of that generation that carries their whole life and room in their bag. 

My generation will be those crooked arm, lopsided old ladies lol!

The shopper allows me to do this and yet looks streamlined. Strangely I have been carrying less and the fact that the shoppers don't have compartments gives me the opportunity to put my pouches to good use. I have become strangely organised, no scrabbling about looking for my oyster for me!

Win win no?

Unfortunately they are all sold out except this little beauty

Monki Printed Casja Pouch £6 

Are you feeling the Shopper + Pouch vibe?

Smooches

Stephanie aka Wednesdays Girl

xoxo

Don't forget to come find me and  Follow @GirlWednesdays  

Bare Reality - undertanding the story of 100 women and their breasts

© Copyright Laura Dodsworth 2012-2014.

I saw an article about a project on Kickstarter called Bare Reality and thought it was such an interesting project. Created by Laura Dodsworth bare reality chronicles women's relationship and thoughts on their breast from their own prospective. Dodsworth has photographed 100 women aged between 19 and 101 years old, sized AAA to K hailing from various walks of life without airbrushing or tweaking we are seeing these womens breasts as they are.

I thought this was so interesting as we don't often get to see what breasts in their natural state look like ( by that i mean to be hangin free augmented or not). I found the images to be a unflinching and honest depiction of what many womens breasts actually look like. We have the medias idea of what the female form should look like and if you don't look like that you are left with the question- What is wrong with me?

The answer of course being nothing. We all look different. Luckily for me I am from a female dominated household and went to a girls school so the notion of a variety of shapes and sizes is not new to me but so many who are not aware that breasts come in different lengths, shapes and sizes will find this comforting, confidence enhancing and eye opening. There has always been mild hysteria in my opinion concerning breasts as they represent so many things to so many people both positive and negative-  womanhood, motherhood, sexuality, femininity, attention, change, becoming a woman, health, aches pains and so much more.
They are indeed complex beings and I think this project will go a long way in allowing women to have an open discussion about our own bodies.

Once completed this project will also will donate £1.00 from every book sold to Breast Cancer UK. If you haven't heard about Bare Reality I urge to to have a look at her gallery where 5 stories from the book will be released, watch the video and see what you think. 

Smooches

Stephanie aka Wednesdays Girl

xoxo

Don't forget to come find me and  Follow @GirlWednesdays  

Ello Aloe vera! - Aloe & Seaweed Gel Skin Hydration Gel

 Hi guys,

I am a big fan of Aloe, whether it is being used internally or externally.

I have always been aware of its magically properties as my Mum is into Homoeopathy and a Aloe plant called Tim lived on our piano for many years (yeh good old Tim lol).

Aloe & Seaweed Gel - Skin Hydration Gel £5

 

I ordered this Aloe and seaweed hydration gel from Naturallythinking (one of my fav natural product places atm, I have spent a silly amount of money on their products) a few months back and I totally adore it. I have been a little lax with my skincare lately what with work etc. This has really been a saviour. My skin instantly feels refreshed and plump.

Colour and consistency

I took a few weeks to try and see what was the best fit for my skin and routine. I also find this is the best way to really give a product time to perform. I have been using this mainly at night as I find in the morning my face feels a little sweatier after the morning commute with this on (London Overground urrggh!).

After cleansing and  toning (I have been making my own toner!) I either use it by itself or mixed in with a drop of my homemade face oil elixir and Superdrug Naturally Radiant 2 in 1 Moisturiser & Serum

if I feel I need extra ommph.

 

Product information:

Price: £5

Suitability: All skin types

Main ingredients: Aloe Vera and Seaweed

Size:120ml 

Contains: Aqua (Water), Glycerine (Veg), Phenoxyethanol & Ethylhexylglycerin, Carbomer, Fucus vesiculosis (Seaweed) Extract, Polysorbate 20, Aloe barbadensis (Aloe vera) Leaf Powder

Overall this has been an amazing addition to my facial routines. The price is very resonable and considering that it is vegan, has anti-oxidents and doesnt contain parabens I will definitely continue to use it. 

Have you tried Aloe vera in your skin routine?

Smooches

Stephanie aka Wednesdays Girl

xoxo

Don't forget to come find me and  Follow @GirlWednesdays  

New Hair: Marley twists

Hey Kids,
 It's been a minute.

Work, Life, Sleep and all that good stuff has indeed got in the way a tad!

I am not one to switch it up with my hair that often (which is probz why I still have my hairline and a sizable fro) but I have been eyeing up Marley twists for the longest time.

I haven't had extensions in my hair since teenage days and a weave literally twice in my life!

I have been totally obsessed with this beautiful twists formerly known when very small as kinky twists and I finally took the plunge and did it. Yay!

 My best friend and hair guru extraordinaire hooked me up.

She used to do my hair at school, so I trusted her 100% to look after my hair and scalp.

I am a bit of a researcher by nature and knew that i wanted to use the invisible method.

I sent over videos on how that was done. (see vids below).

1st day

Products used:
Ecostyler gel with Argan (mine £1.99)
Homemade Shea butter whip moisturiser
(recipe coming soon)!!!
Hair x 4 in colour 2 and 4:  Sensationnel Soft N Silky (Mine purchased for £2.79 per batch).

What do you think?

I have had them just over 2 weeks and
I absolutely LOVE them and will definitely be doing them again.
When done correctly they are an awesome protective style.
As my hair is a lot softer than the hair,
I think 1 month to 7 weeks is as long as they will stay in neatly. As you can see they were easy to manoeuvre on the first day and I had no tightness or pulling on my edges or scalp.

 I am not ready for box braids as my neck is still in heavy hair training but I look forward to getting my poetic justice on!

Video 1

Video 2

Video 3

Smooches

Stephanie aka Wednesdays Girl

xoxo

Don't forget to come find me and  Follow @GirlWednesdays