Zoe-Lee Skelton

Autumn Boho Fashion Wishlist

September 26, 2016 by Zoe-Lee Skelton

autumn-boho-wishlist-blog-graphic

Bye bye summer. It was nice knowing you…

The end of summer is always bittersweet. I’m happy about boots and jumpers but I also miss the warm evenings and sunshine. Even so, the beginnings of autumn are unwavering and I need to get my wardrobe in order. I have far too many summer dresses and too few cold weather items.

Usually I head to the high street or somewhere like ASOS to pick up some new bits but I’ve mentioned before on the blog how much I’ve gone off the high street experience; cookie cutter fashion that’s over priced. So that’s a no. I Still LOVE ASOS (you’ll never go out of fashion) but sometimes I find their selection a bit limited. I mean, it’s either ASOS branded clothing or more high street offerings.

I still raid the charity shops but even that pastime can be a bit hit and miss. You never truly know what you;re going to find which can be a little frustrating if you’ve gone out especially to get some warm clothes. So what’s left?

Recently I found out about Lyst. They’re a fashion tech company who provide a tailored shopping experience unique to user behaviour. The site collects information from your browsing habits and starts to learn more about what you like; this way, you’ll only see things that you love.

I thought that planning a new autumn wardrobe would be a perfect start to using the platform. Hopefully it would pick up my two main fashion loves in life: black and animal print. So I created an account, searched through a few different categories and I slowly started to see more and more things that I liked near enough straight away.

Lyst doesn’t directly sell anything, it’s more like a curation of fashion from high end designers through to more affordable high street pieces. If you see something you like, you will be directed through to the seller’s site. Kind of like a comparison site.

As the platform allows you to create wish lists, I decided to add a few items together onto a mood board to plan my perfect autumn boho look.

autumn-boho-wishlist-lyst

Naturally black features a lot…

Somerset Green Animal Print Dress by Alice Temperley £160

Amuse Society Women’s Red Benicia Maxi Dress
Free People Multicolour Maxi Dress, £208
Vera Moda Black Prairie Dress, £50
Frock and Frill Adore Youir Aura Maxi Dress, ModCloth, £116
Womens Multicolour Zipped High Neck Jumper, Zara, £60
Women’s Narural Cropepd Jumperwith Deconstruicted Hem, ASOS, £25
Women’s Gorzo Round Heel Mid-Height Boot, Lost Ink, £55
Women’s Blue Campbell Floral Jacquard Black Heel Booties, Sam Edelman, £131

Obviously some of the things are out of budget, but one can dream… waaaaah!

Do you use any tech sites to find fashion? Feel free to share your tips in the comments.

When Veggies Eat Out: The Brache Beefeater Luton

September 18, 2016 by Zoe-Lee Skelton

Despite the name, there’s a lot for a vegetarian to eat at a Beefeater. I know strict vegetarians or vegans might argue that non-meat eaters should boycott places like this but I disagree: I think that eating at these types of restaurants sends a clear message that veggie demand is growing and they should provide more meal choices.

Anyway, so I was invited to try the menu at The Brache Beefeater Restaurant in Luton. It’s recently re-opened with a new look so they were keen to get some people to come along and sample the menu. I took a look at the options online and saw a few things I liked so decided to go. We went on a Thursday evening; the place was busy which was a good indication that the food is good. Does anybody else think that, or is it just me?

There was plenty of seating throughout and we were taken upstairs to a quieter mezzanine floor which hard large family tables or smaller, intimate tables for two. It was a relaxed vibe upstairs and the waitress had enough time to chat to us about the food and the new decor as well as serve other guests. After she made some recommendations we ordered our food.

What did I eat?

Skipping the starters, I opted for Baked Veggie Enchiladas and my boyfriend had a steak (yuck, typical), as well as a TON of sides: skinny fries, onion rings and garlic butter flatbread.

The Baked Veggie Enchiladas were wholesome, carb laden – stuffed with lime and corriander rice – with the right amount of spice. It was topped with an ample dollop (or two) of cool sour cream. The flavours worked well and it definitely satisfied my cravings for carbs and cheese which I try not to eat too often, obvs. A small side consisted of mini seasoned corn on the cobs which I also devoured.

The fries were GREAT, onions rings could have contained more onion but were crispy enough. But – the star of the show for me was the garlic butter flatbread. The flatbread was warm and the butter was loaded with garlic and delicate chopped parsley. I probably hummed of garlic for a week afterwards but it was worth it.

As usual, I couldn’t eat all of mine but that just goes to show that the portions are very generous – and that my stomach is the size of pea!

Desert

OK, I know I said I couldn’t eat all of my main meal, but there’s always room for pudding, right? I had The Warm Chocolate Brownie with vanilla ice cream. Another winning combination. The chocolate drizzle was both salty and sweet, so a perfect end to a satisfying meal.

Cost

Our bill (including drinks and the steak) came to just over £50. Personally, I think this is decent value, particularly because the portions were large and there were many sides.

Verdict

I honestly would recommend The Brache to families, large groups and even for intimate dining as there are a variety of table sizes. There is something on the menu that will appeal to everyone and you won’t leave feeling hungry. If I could compare it to another place, I’d say it’s a high end version of a Green King menu.

Dreaming About Renovating A Small Space

September 8, 2016 by Zoe-Lee Skelton

Mansions and rambling estates have never appealed to me. Whilst they’re romanticised by the Austin sisters, in reality, I’ve always been far more attracted to cosy little spaces.

And owning my own little space is slowly creeping closer. I’m dreaming about how I’ll decorate it and what furniture I’ll scavenge and recycle. I know I’ll probably end up with a one bed maisonette, but I want to make it the best god damn looking maisonette ever. I’m looking at inspiration in all places. From minimalist layouts to log cabins.

So when Truedor recently got in touch and asked me to pick my favourite amazing spaces from George Clarke’s book, I thought it was as good a time as any to start piecing together some design inspo.

I’ve picked my top three favourite projects from the book where I plan to steal a lot of ideas from.

The Airstream

To me, the airstream motor home is a much more attractive style than your ordinary, ‘plastic fantastic’ caravan. This couple created the home of their dreams from a 1954 model on wheels. They installed reclamation yard pieces into the curves of the airstream. Things like old fruit crates, doors, a wood-burning stove (my ideal item) and many other units. The kitchen is spacious for a galley with aged patina wood and other mismatched features. It’s just perfect really. An attractive kitchen for a tiny abode.

The seating area is also large at the back end of the caravan with Peruvian style linen padded cushions and furnishings. If I ever travel the country, I would want to do so in this. The couple now use it as their home which I imagine can be quite challenging yet humbling for two people.

You can find out more about this project here

Shore Cottage Studio

If I ever have a holiday home or live by the sea, this is how I would want my place to look; just like the Shore Cottage Studio. Note that it’s a studio, so it’s been designed and renovated with an artist’s space in mind.

It lets in plenty of natural light and a lot of the furniture has been made from re-appropriated objects, like the wooden pallet table, which has ‘artist’ written all over it. When I was at uni, the majority of my sculptural artwork was created from found objects so I imagine my very first place will too. Plus I’ve been upcycling a lot more of storage hacks too.

Being next to the sea, it’s obvious that the surroundings have influenced the interior design from blues to shells and from driftwood to things washed ashore.

Basically, this is the art studio (and home) of my dreams. I’m pretty sure I’d sleep here just so I could wake up and immediately get on with some work.

Gypsy Wagon

The gypsy wagon project looks like a fire warden’s nightmare. But to me, the all wooden exterior is immediately charming and very romantic. It makes me want to jack everything in and go live in the wilderness tomorrow. I’d just have to keep the camp fire a fair distance from my bed.

This photo of Wanderlusts Gypsy Caravans is courtesy of TripAdvisor

The people behind this beauty on wheels actually run a horse drawn caravan business where city dwellers can escape the rat race and rent out something similar. The couple, who are keen musicians, plan to use this caravan when they travel through France and will perform from the units very own stage (that’s right, it has an in-built stage!).

This photo of Wanderlusts Gypsy Caravans is courtesy of TripAdvisor

The interior is replete with a Queenie wood-burning stove and mezzanine beds on an alternating wooden strut base so it can become a double bed. A lot of the decoration has been carved by hand with swallows on the back to represent freedom and flight, horses on the front to symbolise strength and power and with snails on the bottom to reference how a travelers takes his home with him.

So after picking these top three, I’m certain I’ll be incorporating a lot of found and ornate pieces of wood in my soon-to-be first home.

Have you got any ideas for your interior design projects. I’d love to hear about them in the comments.

What I’ve Got My Dad For Father’s Day

June 17, 2016 by Zoe-Lee Skelton

For birthday’s, Christmases and other national holidays, I always try to outdo the gift I got for someone the year before.

But this time I thought I’d stick with a few Father’s Day cliches and tried and tested present favourites. I’ve gone for classic styles and good quality choices.

Here’s what I got my Dad for Father’s Day.

Something To Wear

My Dad is the sort of man who always wears casual clothing. I thought I’d treat him to a more expensive tee than what he would usually buy. I really liked this navy Howich crew neck t-shirt that’s 100% cotton. It’s a classic staple with a smart pocket, and the good quality jersey material will mean it can be a go to classic for a fair few years.

I found this on House of Fraser’s website as a preselected Father’s Day gift. It was really helpful to see so much choice last minute as I probably wouldn’t have been able to pick this up at their store.

Something Homemade

If you didn’t know already, I make and sell bow ties. I’ve got my own little Etsy store called RagnBow that I’m pretty proud of.

I know bow ties have become a cliche gift but my Dad will appreciate something I’ve made myself. My Dad likes tartan so I selected a green and blue tartan check and turned it into a beautiful bow. I’ve got some fabric left over and I’m now selling this limited edition item online too.

Something To Drink

Usually I get my Dad a few bottles of his favourite tipple. But, seeing as my Dad is a real ale drinker and because I have a year’s experience working in a real ale pub, I remembered that you could join a club to show your appreciation of the traditional brewing process. CAMRA (which stands for the Campaign For Real Ale) is an independent voluntary organisation campaigning for real ale in community pubs and for consumer rights. Their aim is to champion great quality real ale made the old fashioned way and to ensure it’s available in every local pub. They’re doing a pretty good job as over the last ten years (or for as long as I’ve been able to legally drink!) I’ve certainly been more aware of a real ale resurgence.

CAMRA members get benefits like discounted entry into national beer events, information on new products as well as other discounts on popular brands.

With the membership I also bought the 2016 Good Beer Guide which was a decent deal for £32 all inclusive.

I’m sure he’ll be pleased with this mix of goodies. What did you get your Dad for Father’s Day?

Eyeko Skinny Liquid EyeLiner Review (Free With Instyle Magazine)

June 8, 2016 by Zoe-Lee Skelton

I can’t believe how awesome some of the magazine freebies are these days. They’re mostly full-sized beauty items – and they’re not cheap either.

I recently bought InStyle magazine because of the free Eyeko Skinny Eyeliner. I live in thick black eyeliner. I’ll probably be buried wearing eyeliner so this was a magazine freebie not to be missed.

But before I parted with my cash, a quick Google search told me that Eyeko products aren’t tested on animals and the brand as a whole “are against animal testing”. And this product in particular is vegan friendly. I didn’t need anymore convincing.

When I took the cap off I was thrilled to see a thick nib. I cannot stand those spindly applicator brushes as it’s impossible to draw a straight line across your eyelid. This is why I’ve been a die hard fan of Barrie M’s liquid eyeliner for years, but I’m starting to find that it isn’t as long wearing as it once was.

The application

The application of the Eyeko’s liner goes on smoothly over the top of my eye shadow and the thick nib makes it incredibly easy to draw my preferred “Amy Winehouse style” flick.

I’m pretty impressed with the precision and the control I’ve achieved first time.

I’m not one to spend ages on my face in the morning, so including applying my moisturiser, powder, eye shadow and eyeliner, I had barely passed the five minute mark. So far so good.

The eight hour test

I don’t re-apply my make up throughout the day, nor can I be bothered to wear make up that needs to be reapplied so if an eyeliner can mostly stay put, I’m impressed. Here’s what my eyes looked like after a full day’s work:

You can see that it has transferred to the lids but the structure of the line is in tact with some vibrancy. Therefore I would agree that it is a long wearing liquid liner. It hasn’t smudged as much as the cheaper brands.

Overall, I’m really pleased with Eyeko’s liquid eyeliner. I’ve actually been using this everyday since I first tried it and my Barry M liner has fallen to the bottom of my make up bag which usually means it has fallen out of favour with me.

This product currently retails at £12.00 – double the price of what I usually pay for Barry M. But I’m willing to spend more because the quality and precision outweighs what I normally use.

So if it wasn’t for my current magazine addiction, I would have never been introduced to this brand. Spending £4.99 to receive a full-sized product which usually retails at £12.00 was definitely worth it.

*I bought InStyle myself and all opinions are my own.