Spring Summer 2019 Faves

It's no secret that I’m desperate for warmer weather, I’m sure you’ll all agree that those few days of spring sunshine and highs of 18 degrees that we experienced mid Feb have left us wanting more. And whilst we’re probably still a while away from sunnier days, I’ve already started making a few wardrobe adjustments and investments to beckon spring and summer with. I thought I’d share a few of my faves below and if this is the type of post you like reading, then let me know and I can write them more regularly :) 

First on my list for Spring/Summer is of course a new handbag. I’ve been on the hunt for a small but stylish white bag for a while now, and when I saw this Cece Medium Leather Shoulder bag at the Michael Kors store at the Beverley Centre in LA last week, I knew I had to have it. I honestly think Michael Kors is underrated, I know they had their moment several years ago when everyone went crazy over their classic Tote bags and watches and after a while the hype died down. The fact that they are available at discounted rates in TKMaxx has decreased their desirability and devalued the brand slightly, but personally I think MK makes high quality, on trend and versatile pieces. They are a go to brand for me when I’m on the hunt for new shoes or bags for the season.  I got so much wear out of my Brown Whitney Bag back in the Autumn - and given that Earthy tones and colours are back for spring, I think I will continue to get great use out of it but I wanted to add a little white number to my collection. 

The Cece Shoulder Bag is a pure white soft leather bag with gold hardware detailing. I love the gold handle chain but in reality as a working Mum who is always on the go, its not very practical - although looks great for outfit pics! Thats' where the detachable longer handle comes in useful - I love the changeable option as it means this is a very easy day to night bag. There are 4 buttons on the strap so you can adjust it to a length that suits you - personally I think this is an extra and unnecessary feature and I actually hate the way the white buttons on the strap look, I think gold studs would have been more aesthetically pleasing, but this is the only detail of the bag I dislike. The front of the bag has a gold lock and key detail which I think adds a really elegant touch. 

The inner lining of the bag is a grey/beige coloured suede material and there are 5 smaller compartments which is amazing for a bag this small. At the rear of the bag there is a small pocket which is great for slipping in my train tickets on long days in London; in front of this there is a slightly larger compartment which is great for fitting in a purse, lipstick or mobile phone. A zipped smaller compartment runs through the middle of the bag followed by the biggest compartment. The final surprise is that the front of the bag envelopes over inside to create a secret compartment. This is an ideal travel bag as there are lots of little places to put things like passports, luggage keys, boarding pass etc - you can keep everything separate, but also secure. The bag is also available in khaki and red, but white is my favourite. I have found it on the UK website, so you can shop by clicking here - they also have the same bag with silver detailing too! 

Another summer essential is Sunglasses, of course! When it comes to designer purchases I normally do a bit of research and looking around before investing my money into something. I want to ensure whatever I buy I will get lots of use out of; normally I’ll opt for pieces that are classic and will last over seasonal trends. I also try to buy the high street version first and if I’m wearing it enough, then I’ll invest in something more luxe and longer lasting. That was not the case with these Gucci sunglasses, these were an impulsive airport buy (in my defence I was slightly encouraged by my LA crew so I can’t take all accountability! lol). But on a serious note, I have been after a nice pair of designer sunnies for a while, however I struggle so much trying to find something that will suit me. Whilst I’m still not 100% sure about them I do like the classic cat eye shape as I feel like this is the most flattering style for me. I picked these up on the way to LA in the hope that I’d get lots of use out of them - I wore them once and half of that time they were on my head as opposed to my face! We didn’t have the greatest weather in LA, so I am hoping we get lots of sun in London this summer so I can pull these out. You can buy them from Selfridges by clicking this link. 

Summer for me is intrinsically linked to scent. Citrus, bergamont, mandarin, anything zesty or fruity instantly reminds me of carefree days spent as a child in Pakistan surrounded by fresh fruit trees in my Grandparent's garden. Something about these scents just rekindles memories of a time when there was no time; when each day just slowly eased into the next until there was no awareness of what day it actually was. When there was no school, no work, no responsibilities; waking up at sunrise and sleeping at sunset - it sounds quite whimsical and dreamlike but this is what summers in Pakistan felt like and I guess that is why I love the new Pacific Lime fragrance from Atelier Cologne. It is inspired by the idea of a dream beach party and features notes of Mexican lime and Italian lemon. The blend of these two beautiful ingredients is addictive, the type of fragrance you want to keep sniffing. There are also notes of coconut - personally I find coconut smells too sweet and tend to avoid it if I can, but I am pleased to say I can’t personally smell it within this scent - it is very subtle. Finally, notes of American spearmint and Chinese eucalyptus add vibrancy to create a fragrance that is fresh, long-lasting but not overpowering. A single spritz of this will have you reminiscing your favourite summer days so it's easy to see why It will be a go to fragrance for me over the next few months. You can buy it here. 

(*This item is a press Sample)

Another new accessory which will be a go to for Spring/Summer 2019 is this beautiful initial ring I picked up from Chloe on Melrose Avenue - I may have gotten a bit carried away whilst shopping in LA! I was desperate to get my hands on the beautiful Celine Initial necklace last SS, but despite looking on all the official sites I just couldn’t find it, so when I came across this beautiful piece I knew i had to have it. I opted for the letter “N” as it is Noahs initial, I don’t wear any other jewellery linked to him and so this sentimental touch was endearing - I did wear a beautiful necklace from Tresor Paris (blog post here) for the first 6 months after he was born, it contains all our initials and is very special to me, but Noah would pull it very hard every time I hugged him so I had to take it off in the end. The choice of initial has caused some confusion - my husband suggested I buy another with his initial, my best friend asked if the N was for my Mum as her name begins with N lol and I am slightly concerned that if the people closest to me can’t make the link then everyone else will be even more confused! lol But I don’t mind as I do think its such a beautiful piece that I’ll probably wear everyday! All letters of the alphabet are available in the collection and you can shop it here. 

The final product I’m currently loving is a an unusual one for me. Its the Huda Beauty Matte n Metal eyeshadow sticks in shades Minted/Dinero and Limelight/Goldchains. I’m sure you’re sick off hearing about how Neon is very on trend this season, especially if you’re like me and have no interest in wearing Neon - but these shadow sticks are actually a great way of getting a pop of colour and being on trend with your make up this season. The pigment is unreal, they swatch and blend beautiful and despite being such bright colours, they are great for all skin tones. Use the matte shade on your lower lash line or as a winger liner for a pop of colour, use the metallic shade in the inner corner of your eyes or as a halo on the centre of your lid to add a bit of glam to your everyday look! These were a press sample and you can shop them here.