Shortlisted For The Company Style Blogger Awards!

Big big news...I've been shortlisted for the Company Style Blogger Awards! After starting out not even considering entering, I can't believe I've actually been shortlisted! It still seems unreal - I only started this blog last year! I really can't thank everyone who voted for me enough. I never expected to get this far (or even be nominated!), so it really is an enormous honour to receive such support from you guys :)

At this stage, the winner of each category is picked from the list of blogs shortlisted. It would mean a huge amount to me if you would go vote for my blog in the 'Best Male Style Blogger' category. All you have to do is click HERE (or click the image below), and then (along with voting for your other favourite blogs) keep clicking the next page button until you get to the male style blogger category. Then simply click the circle next to my blogs name to vote for me, and carry on clicking until you get to the submit page. Thank you in advance for voting if you do want to, it really does mean a massive amount!

On to another subject, school. My first exam (kind of) starts on Monday, and as a result, I won't be on here blogging for a few weeks. It won't be long and my exams finish in early June so after that I'll have lots of free time for blogging.

Please vote for my blog in the Company Blogger Awards and for those of you who are taking your exams these next few weeks, good luck!

Just A Few Nice Photos (+ An OOTD)...

First of all, how amazing is the weather at the moment?! Sunny, bright weather always puts me in a better mood, and seeing as it was the last day of the Easter holidays, my parents and I decided to spend Monday walking around our local garden center. On days like this, I love nothing more than spending the day out and about in the sun, and whilst there we also snapped some outfit pictures :)

Hamaki Ho Jacket | Primark Gaga T-Shirt | Topman Skinny Jeans | British Flag Dr Martens | Ben Sherman Watch

I know this jacket was in my last OOTD, but I just love it so much! Although it's leather, it's unbelievably light in weight, and since it's such a neutral colour, it's perfect for Spring! I also wanted to jazz up the outfit a bit more than usual to match the stunning weather we've got at the moment; so I added this bright Gaga t-shirt which I got from Primark and these British flag boots from Dr Martens.

I hope you've all enjoyed your Easter holidays and that your first couple of days back at work or school haven't been too stressful!

What have you done over the holidays?

Hamaki Ho | OOTD

Hamaki Ho Jacket | Topman New York Print Jumper | Topman Skinny Indigo Jeans | Airwalk Shoes | Ben Sherman Watch
I've got to say, I've been desperate to blog about this jacket ever since I got it haha. I couldn't believe my eyes when I spotted it on the clearance rack (it must've been fate) in TK Maxx. A mere £22, this went straight into the trolley.
Because of the colour, I wanted to keep the outfit fairly calm and neutral (that means no purple skinny jeans sadly). Unsure of what to wear underneath the jacket, I decided to work my way up. For the shoes, I wanted to wear these Airwalks because although they're not my typical style of shoe (boots all the way), these are by far the comfiest shoes I've ever owned. Then (in order to keep a consistent style throughout), the shoes helped me decide on this thin, New York print jumper from Topman. Although oversized, I got it anyway because it's just so beautiful. And as always, I'm wearing my Topman skinny indigo jeans and Ben Sherman watch.
Happy Easter everyone! I'm back at school on Tuesday and dreading it (exams ever nearing) but I'm trying to enjoy my last two days off before going back - hope your enjoying your weekend :)

Pssst - please nominate me for the Company Style Blogger Awards 2014! Just click here, click next page & fill out the quick form - lots of thank you's!! :)

Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water | Review

Over the last year or so, cleansing waters have taken the beauty world by storm. Yep, you guessed it, I'm talking bout' Bioderma! With it's mystical properties, Bioderma fast became the 'it' product for all beauty bloggers and makeup lovers. Luckily though, more affordable high street brands like Garnier have caught on to the craze, and have finally introduced their own variation of the micellar water.
The Bottle: A fantastic design, this product stands out loud and proud on beauty shelves with it's simplistic yet bold packaging. Another craze you'll have noticed is the love for all things transparent. Whats with this new obsession?? First Apple and it's revamp, then the rest of the internet (e.g Twitter) and now the beauty world is joining in as well! The bottle's modern look gives it a luxurious and sophisticated vibe, but the patches of colour keep it fun and down to earth.

The Water: One word. Seven letters. A.M.A.Z.I.N.G. Efficient and effective, Garnier's Micellar Water is officially my new favourite. Although I don't wear makeup, this is a great alternative to a full skincare routine when your in a rush or feeling lazy, all I need to do is pour some onto a cotton pad, wipe over my face (usually a couple of times) and then chuck it into the bin. Done! Told you it was efficient ;) This past week I've had revision sessions almost every day (darn you GCSE's) which has meant I've used this pretty much every day and night this week. My skin looks and feels hydrated (I don't feel the need to moisturise as much) and clean each time after using this. Another plus, it does exactly what it says on the tin bottle and somehow manages to soothe and reduce the redness I get in my cheeks, evening out my skin tone.
The Thoughts: Garnier have hit it spot on with a much more affordable option to Bioderma (Garnier's is priced at £4.99 for 400ml) without compromising the great results. Perfect for travelling as well, Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water is definitely a product I'll be repurchasing in the future!
Have you ever tried Bioderma or the Garnier Micellar Cleansing Water? What did you think?

Company Style Blogger Awards 2014

Last week I was overjoyed to hear from fellow teen blogger, Mia, that she had been kind enough to nominate me in the Company Style Blogger Awards 2014! I'd heard of the awards before but I've honestly never thought anyone would think my blogs good enough to be nominated.
Blogging has become a massive part of my everyday life (as cheesy as it sounds). Everywhere I look I see inspiration for blog posts and a big chunk of my free time is spent doing something blog-related be it the design (which I'm planning a new one), promoting Stylish England on social networks, or writing/thinking/planning actual post content.
As much as people told me, I never understood just how supportive and friendly the blogging community is. Since beginning my blogging journey back in June 2013, I've spoken to so many kind and supportive bloggers and I've loved every second I've spent either on the chats on twitter, replying to comments or simply emailing fellow internet writers.
I'm sure your probably wondering why on Earth I've decided to get all sappy all of a sudden and pour out my feelings in a post about the awards, but I've wanted to say thank you for all the support and kind words for a while now, and considering the awards I decided this was as good an opportunity as any :)
If you enjoy reading (or any aspect of) my blog, then it'd mean an enormous amount to me if you'd nominate me for either Best Personal Style Blogger - Newcomer (less than one year blogging), Best Male Style Blogger or Best Teen Style Blogger :) I know my posting has been a bit irregular lately as a result of exams starting in a number of weeks, but it won't be soon before they've ended and I've got lots of time off afterwards to get back on schedule!
If you do want to nominate me, first, thank you! Second, here's the link to do it - just click next page at the bottom and select whichever category you think Stylish England fits into most.
If you do nominate me or are entering your blog in the awards as well, I'd love to hear from you in the comments!

We Heart It

I have officially become a Tumblr addict. Ever refreshing, reblogging and liking, I spend hour upon hour roaming what I think is one of the most inspirational websites of all time. Having said that, a lot of the stuff on Tumblr which I find inspiring, often comes from another website called We Heart It. The other day, I finally bit the bullet and signed myself up for an account. 
Best. Decision.Ever.

Put simply, We Heart It is a collective website where you can browse (and upload your own) "inspirational and beautiful images". I am always inspired by others and I've recently been inspired by some fellow students at school to organise a charity event, but when it comes to blogging or overall being creative, I instinctually turn to fellow bloggers and tumblr. And now We Heart It.
It's so simple to use and you can even create collections of images you like such as food, travel and fashion! It's a lot like Pinterest but I find it a lot more easy to navigate and use, plus all the stuff on We Heart It is more my kind of style unlike Pinterest.
It's super easy to sign up, all you need is a Facebook, Twitter or Google account, and if you don't want to use one of those accounts or don't have one, then you can sign up just as easily with your email account!
Let me know if you've got We Heart It or if your gonna sign up! I'd also love to hear what you think about the website!
(follow me on Tumblr here!)

A Day Out At Lyme Hall | OOTD

Like many an OOTD on this blog, this one was taken at a picturesque National Trust estate that my family and I spent last Sunday walking round. Lyme Hall is situated in Cheshire in te' north of England, and was also the filming location for the iconic TV series adaption of the book, Pride and Prejudice (you can't live in Britain and not hear the name Mr Darcy). It wasn't one of my favourite NT estates, but I did have a fantastic time. GCSE's are getting to me way too much, and to have an entire day's break from the stresses was lovely :)
My family and I started the day off with a delicious picnic (sorry but we were too hungry to take photos before it was demolished!) which included some of my all time favourite snacks such as vegetable samosas and spring rolls *sighs dreamily*. After devouring the contents of our picnic bags and 2 thermos's of coffee and tea, a quick trip to the toilets and a brisk browse of the gift shop, we ventured into the house itself. Finished wandering around the historic house (where we were given these AMAZING tickets!), we decided to spend the rest of our day walking through the gardens and we managed to get some outfit pictures for you guys :)

 

Burton Tattoo Design T-Shirt | ARK Burgundy Snood | Sainsbury's TU Tweed Jacket | Blackmans Boots | Topman Skinny Jeans |
The t-shirt I'm wearing is another one of my new Burton t-shirts. I absolutely love this one as it has a tattoo design look to it which gives the outfit a really modern, urban theme. However knowing I was going to the more rural area of Cheshire, I decided to mix a bit of urban with some truly British style, and so added this harris tweed coat with some burgundy boots.
Please leave a comment cause I love hearing from readers :) Hope your enjoying your week!
What do you think of this outfit? Have you ever been to any NT estates?

SUNNY DAYS

 

Kind of ironic title since the first photo is in B&W, but since the weather was so wonderful yesterday (I literally can't get enough of it), I decided to take a few snaps of my outfit :)

| Barney's Original Leather Jacket | Burton Skull T-Shirt | ARK Snood | Hugo Boss Bag | Topman Jeans | Dr Martens Boots | John Lewis Sunglasses | The leather jacket is from Barney's but was bought discounted from TK Maxx. I wasn't sure whether to get this at the time cause I'd never thought leather jackets were my kind of style, but now it's got to be one of my favourites! Fitted, comfy, warm and stylish. What else can you ask for? (Plus it's from Barney's - I love New York!). The bag also has to have a special mention cause I don't use it that often. From Hugo Boss, I usually only use it when I'm spending the night away from home, but today I had a lot of stuff to take over with me (revision books, wallet, phone, laptop, chargers etc.) so I decided this was best suited for it's purpose. Hopefully the weather will continue to brighten (the sunsets at the mo' are unreal) and I hope it's just as nice wherever you are (let me know in the comments!). Have a good week! Whats the weather like where you are at the moment? What do you think of this outfit? :)

Hazy Sunsets

Recently, one of my closest friends turned 16, and as you do, we celebrated it by all going out for a meal. Usually I'd go pretty (or at least more) formal wearing something like a shirt and tie or casual blazer, but the recent burst of spring inspired me to go a little lighter.

 The cardigan and boots are my 2 favourite things about this outfit. The boots you'll have seen in other OOTD's and their from Dr Martens. We scored a deal on them on Amazon (payed half the price of regular DM's!) (they're still real though) and I couldn't be happier with them! *cheesy grin*. Shoes are the best in terms of fashion because even if your not particularly adventurous with your clothing (like me), then you can easily jazz up your outfit with some funky shoes. The cardigan is a recent purchase (cue THIS HAUL), which I got from H&M on a recent shopping trip to Manchester. As soon as I saw it I loved it. It's just such an amazing colour! I've honestly never seen something like it before. And to top it all off, it was on sale! Too good to be true? I thought so. Luckily though, I hadn't managed to get rid of all my money and so took this home for £10!

I really wanted to try and get into the spring attitude and mindset (a spring clean is definitely needed); starting with my wardrobe. I panicked a bit when I got home as I thought I'd have pretty much no spring colours (I tend to stick to a more monochrome wardrobe) to wear. Luckily though, I had past purchases that are perf for spring (red, blue and white boat shoes anyone? Watch this space!) and now that there's a break in the winter weather of the UK (this week has been unreal so far - please leave me a comment telling me what you've thought of it!), I'll definitely be sporting as many spring colours as possible.
What do you think of this outfit? Have you been enjoying the sunny weather? :) Here I'm Wearing:
H&M Cardigan | Topman Skinny Jeans | Dr Martens Union Jack Boots | Plain White T-Shirt

I Heart Paris | Book Review

Yes, another book review! I can't help it! I'm enjoying this series too much haha. This time, I'm back with a review of the third book in the series, I Heart Paris. And I have to say; it's a goon un' ;)

After the events that took place in I Heart Hollywood, Angela and Alex are doing their best to get back to normal. Whilst Jenny is off living in LA, making it big as a stylist, Angela is back in New York and still blogging for TheLook.com. Soon however, her editor (and online editor of TheLook.com), Mary, informs her that the head of Spencer Media (and therefore publications like The Look), would like to have lunch with Angela and Mary. Whilst at first cautious, Angela can't believe her luck when Bob tells her that due to his 'massive fan of Angela Clark' granddaughter, he wants her to branch out to other areas in Spencer Media, and immediately sets her up to write something for Belle magazine.
Long story short, the vicious (just imagine the typical stuck up fashion stereotypes - then double it, your there) girls at Belle grudgingly appoint her (purely down to Bob's role as head of the company) to write a joint piece for a special European addition of the magazine. Falling perfectly in time with Alex's news that the band is headlining a festival and performing in Paris, and even better, that her childhood friend in London, Louisa, will be in Paris at the time as well, Angela accepts the offer with Belle telling her to find all the hipster places 'To Be' in Paris. 

As if having Mary's assistant CiCi (who coincidentally happens to also be one of Bob's granddaughters - not the one who likes her obviously) telling Angela that Alex's flight had been fully booked (despite his flight being booked the same day) and having to fly out on her own wasn't a bad enough start to her trip, once arriving in Paris, Angela is informed that her suitcase (full of everything important she needed as well as 3 boxes worth of designer clothes Jenny had sent her way for the trip), have had to be destroyed. Now feeling distraught and having to find Alex in a bar in a city she's never been to, Angela sluggishly drags herself to find Alex and the rest of his band, The Stills.

Going forward Angela's trip escalates to epic proportions. She meets one of Alex's ex-girlfriends, an attractive french woman named Soléne who is also a member of her own band (and a total psycho!), she's given an assistant by French Belle who turns out to be trying to ruin her life, and she discovers just how far CiCi will go to get Angela's job.

I loved every single bit of this book and Angela's heavenly descriptions of the city of love has made me in fact, fall in love with Paris. Whilst it was filled with drama and suspense as well as unexpected twists and turns that left you on the edge of your seat, it was also funny, joyful and full of fashion. The entire book was fast paced and the ending was simply phenomenal.

 I'll soon be ordering the next book I Heart Las Vegas before moving on to the penultimate and final book, I Heart London. I would recommend this to anyone I could although I must warn it does include a lot of swearing and such.
Have you ever read any of the I Heart books? What did you think? Are there any books you'd recommend?
P.S I've decided not to write a review for I Heart Hollywood as I didn't enjoy it very much and I keep re-writing the post as it never turns out very good

What To Pack For A Weekend Away | #Blog4Trek

Earlier this week, I read Sleek-Chic's fab post to enter the #Blog4Trek competition. #Blog4Trek is a an amazing competition run by Trek America where bloggers have the opportunity to win a trip to and tour the west of the USA! There are three stages to enter and the first is to write a 300 word blog post on what to pack for a weekend away. Being an American fanatic (just read my sidebar about me text haha), I decided I couldn't not enter. I decided to do a more helpful post and talk about what I think most people - in general (not just myself) - would need to pack for their weekend away. So without further ado, here's what I think you would need to pack for a weekend away...

1. The Gadgets

Nowadays, it seems pretty obvious what to take with you when it comes to tech. However, it's pretty easy to either take too much, or limit yourself too much. By that I mean that some will take quantities similar to the PC World warehouse whereas others will arrive at their hotel without a charger or spare batteries in hand. Phones are a given. I think everyone would take their phone nowadays no matter what. Smartphones are ideal for going away as their benefits are endless with GPS stopping you from getting lost, a high quality camera for memories without lugging around a massive DSLR, and if you get bored on the subway or metro etc. you can have a game of Flappy Bird! (I probably shouldn't mention that game haha).

In terms of camera, it depends on you as the person really. If your someone who's really into photography or wants some really stunning pics and knows their way around a DSLR, by all means take one. Personally I'd want to take something more like a DSLR as I'm not keen on normal digital cameras anymore (blogging has changed me), but I know I'd use my iPhone an awful lot to take pics (I always get embarrassed taking pictures in crowds haha so the iPhone's the more discrete option rather than battering several people around me whilst trying to raise and focus a DSLR). For a weekend, I can't see you needing to take any more than a camera, phone and iPod/mp3 perhaps. Laptops etc. are for work and it's not a weekend away if your doing work now is it? ;) 

2, The Clothes

The building blocks of a good weekend away, your wardrobe. I'm probably the worst person to give advice on limiting the amount of clothes you pack seeing as I've just given up my bedroom desk for a clothes rail (next to my wardrobe and 8 draw unit...oh dear), but limiting is the best thing. For a weekend away, the last thing you want is a fortress of suitcases cluttering up your hotel room (or wherever your staying). 
The best thing to do is pack clothes that can be worn with each other easily. This means you can pack a little but wear a lot. I hate nothing more than wearing the same looking outfit twice but if you have a couple of pairs of jeans, shorts, shirts, dresses etc. then when folded up super tightly as to maximise space, they'll fit in your suitcase, and your outfits will still be different each day. Maybe one day wear a jumper, skirt and heels, then the next wear the same skirt but with a shirt/blouse/t-shirt with a fitted jacket and heels again? You could also add a scarf to the outfit to make it look even more different. Top tip - if your gonna re-wear something, the most discrete is the bottom half. Jeans, skirts etc. are the easiest items to re-wear.

Another tip, take full advantage of accessories. A lot of the time, accessories like scarves and jewlerry won't take up much room but have the ability to complete change an outfit. You could wear something really simple and plain (a white dress or shirt?) but add a yellow scarf (Essie Button reference here) and it would look fantastic! The next day you could wear a similar thing but with different shoes and a blue scarf maybe? Ooh and a hat!

Tip - The most important thing to remember is most of the time the comfier the better, especially with shoes if your walking round somewhere like NY all day (but don't forget some skyscraper heels for evening meals out)
3. The Beauty

Another modern day problem. If your flying, there's restrictions on what you can take on board and if your not, theres restrictions on how much your suitcase can take before it refuses to shut and goes in a mood. Trust me I've been there. I have spent many an hour or so doing my best to cram my Ted Baker wash bag with as many creams and cleansers as possible, but if it's not working it't just not gonna work. For some reason, when it comes to packing, humans seem to think that no matter what, it will fit. Wrong. Best thing to do is invest (if you don't already have one) in a wash bag or a make-up/cosmetic bag. This way you'll be more organised.

Next, instead of packing full size bottles (which I'd be very surprised if you could get through in a weekend), either buy travel sizes in the supermarket or at a drugstore like Boots and Superdrug, or, make an investment by buying travel bottles to fill from your full size products (you can get clear ones for air travel) which will last you many more trips to come. If your someone who is planning on travelling a lot, the travel bottles are best, but if it's a one off for the foreseeable future, then the travel sizes will probably be the best (although you may not have a choice with air travel). Also, try to keep it simple. The last thing you want at the end of a tiring day is to have to go through a 15 step skincare routine, keep to the 3 basics, cleanse, tone, moisturise (unless you have any special requirements or your having problems with your skin at the time). 

Tip - Facial wipes are your best friend when your tired and feeling lazy before you go to bed.

4. The Travel Entertainment

No matter whether your having a leisurely drive to your desired destination or a fast-paced flight, your gonna want something to keep you entertained. For a weekend, I'd say keep it simple. No portable DVD players. laptops etc. just your phone, an iPod/mp3 and a book. Along with those, I'd also have to take some food with me. I am always hungry and so I'd need to take something like pretzels (Maple Bacon flavoured...ahhh, happy times) with me to keep me happy (I get hungry grumpy).

5. The Positive Attitude/Outlook

I got inspiration from Essie Button for this one as she's lucky enough to travel a lot. Like Essie says, things will go wrong on a holiday, for Essie and Aslan, restaurants/cafe's always seem to be shut when they want to get some food. It can be easy to let things like this get you down and ruin your holiday (it sounds ridiculous but it could easily make you feel as if the universe is against you and your not meant to enjoy the holiday which is not true), but you need to be able to use emotions like your holiday excitement to fuel yourself to get back up and carry on. The last thing you want to do is waste your money on a holiday your not enjoying so make sure you get your moneys worth! All holidayers have problems as well, you just need to know that it's not the end of the world and that you can and will get past it.

There we are! Thats my post on what to pack for a weekend away! Hopefully I've not bored you too much and I hope it's been an okay post - fingers crossed I'll get in to Stage 2 of the competition! If you want to take part in this amazing opportunity, click HERE for more info :)
What do you pack for a weekend away? Where have you been on holiday/travelled to?