As I have a keen interest in fashion, I know that it doesn't just change in clothes each season. For me, make-up is another way of expressing the mood you're in, be it fresh and bright for spring or mysterious and deep for the chilly months.

However while fashions change, as we all know, like clothes, you need those staples that you can go back to whatever the weather. Think of it as a stylish trench coat, or a pair of good boots. In my make-up drawer, these staples vary from time to time, but they cover a range of different products and are my go-to items in any facial disaster or in time-stricken rushes.

 Maybelline Expertwear Blush

 MAC Paint Pot in Painterly

MAC Eyeshadow in Mulch 

L'oréal  Studio Secrets Primer

L'oréal Volume Million Lashes in Extra Black

 Garnier Caffeine Roll On Concealer in Fair

 OPI Nail File and Nail Lacquers in Tickle My France-y and Rumple's Wiggin'

MAC Brushes 239 and 217

I am a self acclaimed clean-freak. In my house, this involves regular emptying of unwanted wardrobe items and cast offs. However, after rifling through the collection of old clothing I came across something that didn't belong to me: a black lace crochet type cardigan. I didn't know who's it was - someone in my family, obviously - but I was immediately taken by it, as I've been gaining a fetish for lace as of late.

So after adopting the neglected item, I decided to waste no time in trying it out. I wore it today over a sleeveless peach shirt, with light wash jeans and my newly beloved tan loafers. Not bad for something heading towards the charity shop.

It was my birthday last month, and I received this long watch/necklace from one of my friends. I already had a necklace similar to this, but the clock itself was a lot smaller and more detailed and came on a golden chain, so I wasn't too excited about this one. However when I delved into my jewellery box this morning in search of something different, I decided to give this necklace a chance and see how it levelled up.

Worn over a very light cream top, I was pleasantly surprised. It looked almost cartoon-like, but in a good way, not cheap and tacky like I'd feared. Because I was in the mood for relaxing (very unusual for me, achem...), I threw on a pair of jeans and a patterned headband. Verdict on necklace: stylish and useful.

For me, maintaining - or achieving - clear skin is essential. One thing I cannot stand is waking up with blemishes that I can't control, and it certainly knocks my confidence. So I have devised a routine that seems to be taming my skin, and even though it's not perfect, I've got the best results that I've seen in several years.

I bought this Nivea lip cream after a holiday where I hadn't protected my lips and they'd swollen up. On the way back I stopped by Boots and picked it up and used it several times a day, and my lips were back to normal - in fact better - after only a few days.

To get beautiful glowy skin in time for the Summer, catching a good even tan is unlikely (and unsafe). So in order to achieve the perfect self-tan & get clear skin at the same time, I've been looking for a good exfoliator and came across this. I'm definitely very pleased with how it's leaving my skin, and it smells gorgeous too.

The Nivea Visage collections work wonderfully with my skin. The eye make-up remover is very gentle, which is a must for me as I'm very particular about products around my eyes, and gets all mascara and shadows/liners off completely. When using the cleanser & toner, it removes any make-up off my skin, and even face paint (don't ask). It's of a lovely creamy consistency, and the scent seems very clean but not chemical like some other face products.

 I'd only purchased this for the scrublet that it comes with, and used it with a Garnier exfoliator. However when I ran out of that and hadn't replaced it, I used this exfoliator scrub and was very surprised. It has a wonderful fresh fragrance, and the little beads aren't too harsh on my face. When used three or four times a week, it makes my skin tighter and clearer.

There's a lot of confusion as to what to call these shoes. But whatever the name, I got my hand on a pair of these - belated, I know, but I made it my mission to find the perfect pair for the right price. I was undecided as to what style I wanted: Suede? Leather? With a low heel? Completely flat? In the end I went with a tan leather pair, slight fringing, no heel and stitch detailing. I ordered them online (newlook.com if you're wondering), so it's always a risk as you never know exactly what they're going to turn out like, but when they arrived this morning I was definitely pleased. A little big for me, yes, but that's probably my fault (it's a matter of guessing what size I'll be).
I was in the mood for a lazy day consisting of revision, so I opted for some jeggings - extremely lazy, admittedly - and a baggy sun top with a floral belt I got given as a present from Morocco. But regardless of the rest of my outfit, I was determined to break in those loafers as a pick-me-up for the loathsome day ahead.

At last, the weather is finally picking up again on this fine Sunday evening. And so if, like me, you're in the mood for dressing for the sunshine's return, then I suggest finding things that inspire you to do so - I find flowers to be symbolic for Summer. Along with floral prints, to get me in the sunny-state-of-mind, I look to the colour red, as it always reminds me of the tropics. So I've compiled a small collection of the pieces that I'll be most looking to purchase (or for inspiration, depending on my bank balance) as we get closer to the Summer months ahead...

Pictures from topshop.com, asos.com & urbanoutfitters.co.uk

This past week I've been watching some old Audrey Hepburn films - Funny Face, classic Breakfast At Tiffany's, but the last one I watched was Roman Holiday. After seeing all of these movies it'd be hard not to notice the stunning outfits she is dressed in, but I particularly paid attention to the blouses she wore in Roman Holiday. They often seem to feature 'Peter Pan' collars and a little accentuation at the waist.

And so, sat in my pyjamas, I couldn't even wait until the end of the film to dig out some clothes that I thought were of a similar style, and found this: a blue (perhaps not accurate with the colour, but it's hard to tell - the film's in black and white, after all) blouse with the rounded collar and some ruffle detail. Again, I don't think she wore any ruffled shirts, but it's still a touch of femininity - something Hepburn epitomised.

Due to the ongoing rain, I think it'd be unwise to brave the weather with bare legs and flip flops. So in an attempt to be a little more Spring-ready, I've been looking for other ways to incorporate fresh colours into my outfit. But instead of clothes, I hunted for some nail varnish - a cheaper alternative.

The colour I was most attracted to was OPI's Rumples Wiggin'. It's a gorgeous milky-blue-lavender shade, which I think is part of the Shrek collection. I ordered it straight away, and as soon as it arrived I applied 2 thin coats and awaited the results. I probably should've gone over it with another layer to make it completely opaque, but I had places to be and so I didn't have time let it dry in time. I think it's so gorgeous and love the look it adds to my outift!

As well as having a strong interest in fashion and beauty, I'm also a big home décor fanatic. Because I don't have egyptian cotton sheets or expensive art work, I find other ways to make my space a nice place to be, and it gives me an opportunity to get a little bit more creative with what I've got.

Along the way I've picked up some unique and interesting finds, so I've chosen my favourite pieces to show you all.

An old box that I recovered with some Toile de Jouy 

A candle that I burned which made this fantastic, unusual shape

A large ceramic vase which I stole from my parents

A square plate I picked up from a small store in France

When thinking of colours associated with Spring, I, like many others, automatically think of fresh colours, and the one aspect I'm focusing on is pink. Whether it's displayed in an ultra feminine fashion or in a more edgy manner, be it rose or coral, pink is definitely a good choice when deciding on the colour palette to feature in your seasonal outfit.

Mulberry

 Paloma Barceló  

Valentino 

 Alberta Ferretti

 Sonia by Sonia Rykiel 

Bijoux Heart

All photographs from net-a-porter.com

So; my first clothes-related post. As you may or may not know - probably the latter - I am British. And being a true Brit, I live in Britain, which unfortunately suffers from fluctuating weather. And so, being typically British, the month of May has decided to burden us with cold winds and rain showers, making us adapt our outfits to accommodate this.

This choice of outfit wouldn't be what I would prefer to wear as we head towards Summer, however my instincts told me to wrap up warm until I can get out the sunglasses and floral dresses without getting odd looks. I have attempted to lessen the Autumnal look by accessorising with a bright, gypsy-inspired umberalla. I apologise if you're reading this from California or Abu Dhabi, but us Brits choose practicality when neccessary...

Well here I am. After admiring many fashion blogs and bloggers, and their courage to put their opinions and tastes out there, I have decided to join them. Anonymously. While that may be cheating, as I am not actually putting a name to what I'll be posting on here, it's a step closer.

I hope that this works out; I'd hate to abandon this after a fortnight (that's how much I lack determination) because I've not had a single page view. So please - I wont grovel - if you stumble upon this page, do stay and take a look around. But I trust all of your opinions. If you don't, I'll take the hint and abandon project Blog...