This is Halloween | ASOS Wishlist

It has been a hot minute since I published a fashion post of any kind, namely because I generally spend my days in pyjamas or stretchy, comfy sweats and baggy t-shirts, nothing to write to Vogue about if you catch my drift. But this, Autumn time, October time, Halloween time is also my time to shine and ever since the season began, ever since it was socially acceptable to drink pumpkin spiced lattes, dig out your winter coats and of course dress your home in all things 'weenie I have built up quite a list of Halloween goodies that I fully intend on splurging on for the big day... and you know living my spooky wee life in general. So below are my top picks from fashion blogger fave ASOS for the spookiest season of the year.. and you know.. my new wardrobe staples...

Lace insert leggings £20.00

Velvet cat bodycon dress £30.00

Cat pom keyring £6

Skeleton maxi dress £28.00

Wildfox Halloween Wednesday t £65.00

Lace crown and veil headband £10.00

'I'm not your boo' iPhone case £8

Did some of your picks appear on my list? Share your favourite Halloween haute couture links in the comments below and be sure to find me being my same old spooky self on the usual socials, Twitter, Instagram and Bloglovin.

Until next time folks, creep up the good work!

H.Elizabeth x

August in an Insta | My month in Instas

Admittedly I've done a lot of stressful things in my life, self inflicted. Back in 2014 I decided that yes, I could in fact complete my fourth year dissertation, graduate, change jobs twice, plan and action a wedding, and yes juggle this here blog in addition to all of that. Though nothing, I repeat nothing could prepare me for August 2016, aka, the most stressful 31 days of my entire life. First time buyers beware - I left two and a half months (after we found 'the one') and it still wasn't enough time for the banks, their solicitors or the letting agent to get their shins together! (Anyone fancy a scather of a review on any parties involved? Hit me or my very disgruntled Twitter feed up)

However we did have some good times this August, Nick and I celebrated two years of matrimonial bliss, I visited Livingston Designer Outlet (my favourite place on Earth - well in Scotland anyway) one of my besties celebrated her 29th birthday, I got inked (again) and we EVENTUALLY, closed on our dream home!

#1. (Sorry guys I can't remember if it was July but I'm going to count it as August) The girls and I (the girls being Sarah, Katherine, Laura and Julia) stayed at Skene House for a fun filled girls night where I not only enjoyed some fabulous company but one of the greatest sleeps of my life! To read more about my full Skene House experience follow THIS link.

#2 I died and went to heaven again this month with the fam. Heaven being Livingston Designer Outlet, where I got brand new goodies for our new home, hauled ass at French Connection and went a bit crazy at the Cosmetics Company.

#3 The girls and I got together once again this month to enjoy the culinary delights of the independent Books and Beans cafe in Aberdeen. You can again read my full review and expereice by following THIS link.

#4 I got inked... again...for like the 7th time. I haven't quite revealed my newest addition yet as it is still healing ever so slightly but stick around for the 'big reveal' soon to become a part of something even bigger  (if I have my way!)

#5 New products, new looks. I have been experimenting with even more new and different products this month, my favourite to do being the gorgeous purple eye you see above - super fast, super subtle and in real life, super sparkly.

#6 One of my besties celebrated her 29th birthday this month and I celebrated by embarrassing her with this throwback pic of the two of us 5 years ago. Shot glass necklaces? So on trend don't you know?

#7 Don't look I'm Naked. This month I discovered the Naked range by Urban Decay - already being a huge fan of their setting sprays and eye shadows it's safe to say they have now taken over my skin. I love using this alongside my tried and tested Arbonne foundation as well as my Naked concealer. Full review pending!

#8 For the many, many folks asking just why I wear foundation and 'cover my freckles' I posted a quickie before and after picture towards the end of this month showing the true struggle my skintone faces. Come rain, come shine that uneven patchy skin tone reigns supreme on my face and that ladies and gents is why I wear foundation (In actual fact I LOVE my freckles but just don't love my tone!)

#9 And finally I bought even MORE Kylie Cosmetics products - I have refrained from buying her eye shadow palettes I'm strictly a lippy lover!

Most of you will be aware if you've been on my Twitter or Facebook page that we do have a big life change a coming but due to set backs and various bodies dragging their feet (and brain cells) we have had to pop that on hold and that in case you were wondering, is why it does not feature in my August in an insta post this month. But stick around for September and I hope we'll be hitting the ground running!

And these were supposed to be short posts! Well guys as usual you can catch me on the channels I love so dearly, Twitter, Instagram, Bloglovin etc. Be sure to leave any and all (nice and polite) comments in the box below.

Until next time folks, August sure passed in an Insta!

H.Elizabeth x

A whole other dimension | Eylure 3D Lashes No 119

3D lashes, have you ever heard of anything more marvelous in your entire life? Well maybe a 4D experience lash which will single handedly create their own wind (how can I grow if you won't let me blow comes to mind here) but perhaps that's a technological leap for another day. Today as you perhaps could have guessed I'm going to be talking about a brand new type of lash that has hit the stands with Eylure recently with a layered '3D' lash that promises to offer the wearer length and volume. I have been using these in number 119 for a month or two now and these, alongside my favourite textured lashes, are my new daily go to. Sorry it has taken quite so long for me to review these given I have been using them for quite a long time, but I did want to see how long one set lasted as well as give an overall in depth review, so without further ado let's do this (3D Glasses at the ready..)

The first thing I noticed about the lashes of course was the double band, having been used to wearing a lash that has one very thin and flimsy band I was worried these new, improved, double, super wham bam lashes would be too heavy on the eye  or perhaps that the band would be overly obvious and make me look (more) fake, but that hasn't been the case. In fact since wearing them I've had more people ask 'what my secret is' to long and healthy lashes which of course I still myself do not know, but hell if I had wanted to tell folks I did an egg eye wash or caked them in Vaseline every night I'm sure I'd have duped many. Where yes in reality these lashes give me a more doll like appearance than my natural piggy eyed state as they fan to the sides slightly and really 'open up' the eye - which is fab for someone with a hooded eye like myself.

Another thing I've been pleasantly surprised by is just how much more comfortable I've been finding them. As opposed to a singular band which can come loose at the sides relatively easily and give that all too familiar stabbing sensation we lash wearers have all come to know and loathe, these feel more secure and last all day (yes gals even though hayfever season - or you know ugly crying at the season finale of Friends)

In their collection I belieive at the moment Eylure only offer another one set of 3D lashes the 111's which I have also tried but don't give as 'natural' a look as the 119's. At the moment I have about 3 sets of these ready and rearing to go (shout out to Superdrug and their 3 for 2's) but these last around 3 / 4 weeks if you clean them properly and of course remove them carefully!

Just as a quickie reminder, if you need a quick crash course on false lash application I have a 3 step super simple false lashes in a flash tutorial that you can read through right HERE.

Which lashes do you love or loathe? I'd personally love to hear your suggestions, comments and favourites in the box below, come share your best brands with me on Twitter, or of course keep up with my other channels, Instagram, Facebook, Bloglovin etc, etc.

Until next time folks, 3D glasses at the ready!

H.Elizabeth x

Not another MAC Haul | My Recent MAC Haul

It's for the kit, I swear it's for the kit... well at the very least it's for research purposes! Yes I am indeed coming back to you today with another MAC haul but this time guys, I didn't buy ANY lip products of any description (I'll pause right here for the gasps) nope instead I ventured forth into some more weird and wonderful products that MAC have had to offer the beauty world of late and today I'd like to share just what I picked up this time.

MAC Eye brushes (217 and 224)
Though I do love my Zoeva brushes sometimes you've just got to see what else is out there you know. And as the beauty bloggers and vloggers of the world have been screaming and SCREAMING about the MAC 217 brush I thought why not? It is a flat eye brush which I think I'll use to pick up and apply pigment as well as shading and blending. The 224 brush I picked up on a whim, I love crease brushes and this one looks as though it will deliver some more precise application than my current Zoeva crease brush does.

MAC Mini Prep and Prime Fix + Spray

Prep and prime has been around in the beauty world since the times of yore. It can be sprayed on your bare face to absorb additional moisture into the skin and give you a lovely dewy look, it can be applied to your beauty blender before pushing product into the skin and some have even used it as a finishing spray. I myself have been dampening my eye brushes with this spray and using it to pick up and apply glittery or more shimmery pigments to give me a 3D effect on my eyelid.

MAC Cream Colour Base in the shade Luna
I was told in the store that this was a limited edition colour base product but I'm sure it's still available! Sneaksy store lady, sneaksy! I got this because I felt it would look fab as a cream highlight, it's so soft and buttery and just glides over the top of my foundation (liquid) and has helped give me that gorgeous dewy, strobe effect that folks have been loving for spring / summer.

MAC Studio Eye Gloss in the shade Pearl Varnish
After I spotted these out of stock gorgeous glosses in Barcelona I knew I had to have one, so when I returned to MAC in Aberdeen I was on a mission! Luckily I managed to get my hands on this pearl varnish shade. I have not been brave enough to use this yet through fear of sticking my eyelids open or something drastic but I'm looking forward to creating some dramatic, wet look eyes with these one day soon.

See, I didn't do too badly did I? Since writing this post I have also stocked my kit with a few shades of the MAC Face and Body foundations which are great for bridal make up as well as work on photo shoots (which I did in fact use them for recently) and of course and as always I do still have my eye on a few MAC lippys (I will be strong, I will be strong)

I'd love for you to alleviate my guilt and share with me just what you've been buying in MAC or elsewhere recently! Be sure to share your hauls and best buys in the comments below, come share them with me on Twitter, or if you just want to see what I've been doing to folks faces recently you can find me on Instagram and Facebook!

Until next time folks, MACing life!

H.Elizabeth x

It was mine to give | Mine Pop Up Boutique Aberdeen

Hands off fool, it's mine! Don't worry guys I haven't been getting into scraps over jewellery...again... but there was plenty of potential when my friend and I visited Aberdeen's hottest new jewellery pop up Mine last weekend and went cray cray for some lovely, shiny new brands.

Mine is the brainchild of Amy Donaldson, a local entrepreneur and jewellery lover who saw a gap in the online and pop up independent jewellers market and sought to fill it with all kinds of fabulous. Bringing together jewellery from as far as Australia and as close as Aberdeen, Mine is turning the jewellery market on it's head delivering fun filled brands such as Les Nereides contrasted with something darker and a little more moody like Wolf and Moon and those are just a couple of my own personal faves.

Visiting their Aberdeen pop up so late in the month for me was perhaps a mistake, I could have honestly walked away with half of their stock! Instead I opted for a wee geometric gem of a necklace that goes with anything and everything and hasn't left my neck since I left the shop (a part from for you know, washing and sleeping...) I'll certainly be back visiting Mine when payday rolls around, I have my eye on so many gems from Wolf and Moon and of course my fave, fun and fab new love Les Nereides, but more so I'm looking forward to all of the new and exciting brands Mine are going to introduce to my life in these coming months.

Not fortunate enough to be in the Granite City? Don't worry, you can stay updated with Mine on Facebook and keep in the loop with when they'll be opening their online store so you can get your hands on all of the shiny, lovely jewels I've been basking in latelty (sorta)

Hopefully you guys enjoyed this peek into my very new and very shiny jewellery box and of course what goes on in the Granite City, if you'd like to keep up with me, the 'deen, the blog or you're just downright nosy you can catch me on Twitter, Bloglovin' and Instagram.

Until next time folks, back off fool, it's MINE!

H.Elizabeth x

Searching for my Signature Scent | Flowerbomb by Viktor & Rolf

The search for that signature scent is something I think every woman goes through in life. Some find it in their teens and carry it through their lives with the scent acting as a reminder of their younger days and cherished memories throughout the years, others find it as they mature and settle on a classic scent like Chanel and some, like me, chop and change as the search continues on with every last squirt of your coveted perfume bottle of the time, but this time I was prepared.

For some time now I have admired the Viktor & Rolf perfumes from a far in my local Debehnams, and let me tell you with the release of their recent 'Bonbon' perfume choosing one of their scents was no easy feat, but after a unanimous vote from friends and family I settled for their more classic and subtle scent, Flower Bomb. Now I feel like I want to let you guys in on a little secret, I have loved this perfume for years, even back in the days where I was a hardcore advocate of Paco Rabanne's Black XS I have to admit Flower Bomb held a special place in my heart for a good long while, so why didn't I buy it you ask? Well silly, sad and petty as this may be, I once saw one of the girls who let's say I didn't get on with at school (I hope your life is miserable!) pull it from her gym bag and spritz a good dousing on, has that ever put you off?

But alas, today is the day I finally get over my high school perfume spritzing dramas and finally purchase Flower Bomb without prejudice (it probably smells better on me anyway!)

Anyway now that the extensive background of my inner psychological workings linked with my traumatising experiences of school are out the way, can we just take a moment to appreciate how beautifully designed this bottle is? Seriously I'm sure if real grenades were this pretty there would be less wars and lots more lovely smelling troops but don't worry this isn't just a pretty package. As you may have guessed from the name this scent is meant to be an explosion of floral aromas, but if I'm honest I don't feel that at all, in fact I am a hardcore hater of all things 'floral' smelling and I detest being given flowers like lilies though they're very pretty. This to me is a lovely subtle sweet smell, but not sickly sweet,  it's far fresher than that and it is so refreshing to give yourself a spritz after a shower in the morning. Personally I wouldn't wear this perfume on a night out, for things like this I prefer something a bit stronger I'm going to be sticking to my deeper YSL Black Opium, I think Flowerbomb is best suited to day time wear and I may even give myself a spray for work as it has a very fresh, sophisticated scent which I love.

Have you ever tried a perfume by Viktor & Rolf, I'd love to hear what you think, please leave your thoughts, comments and your favourite perfumes ever in the comments below, come share them with me on Twitter or if you'd like to keep up with the latest reviews, scents and smellies be sure to follow Granite City Girl on Bloglovin' you never know, one day we could be swapping smells on blogs through smellivision!

Until next time folks, awaiting the scientific leaps in smellivision.

H.Elizabeth x

Aberdeen Events | #GetGifted at Warehouse

All I have to say to you guys today is, why, oh why, do bad things happen to good people? Yes you read it correctly this weekend there is a fantastic shopping event taking place at Warehouse in the Bon Accord Centre, Aberdeen and I being on the spend ban I truly am as of December will be unable to attend, that as well as you know family commitments.... but I mostly blame the spend ban.

The #GetGifted event is Warehouse's way of saying thank you, to all of you shopaholics and fashionistas out there for shopping with them throughout the year in the form of (you guessed it) a special Warehouse gift. Get yourself along to Warehouse this weekend (5th of December) and you will receive a gift, whether that's 20% off of your shop, a free item from your shop, a voucher, or even a £250 spending spree. And if that doesn't excite you and make your palms sweat then I really don't know what will.

Be sure to share your purchases, prizes and gifts from the day with me on Twitter so I can make myself that little bit more jealous and wallow a little more, and you can keep up to date with the latest events and Granite City goings on on Bloglovin.

Until next time folks, go on #GetGifted.

H.Elizabeth x

Granite City Shopping | How to survive a spending ban

 

There may or may not have been somewhat of an intervention in my home recently. After having a bit of a splurge a couple of weekends ago in Aberdeen's Union Square (for the record Union Square I wholeheartedly blame you!) and coming home with way too many bags to be deemed acceptable I know now that something had to be said, though of course I didn't see it at the time. My spending, at times can be likened to Rebecca Bloomwood and trust me when I say I'm about one more shop away from literally freezing my bank card in a block of ice. 

So having taken everything on board, and coming to terms with the fact that no, I in fact don't need to buy my 5th winter coat of the season I have decided (forced myself) that a spending ban is long overdue, and we all know how bloggers handle spending bans right? Write.... about how I plan to survive my self imposed spending ban.

Understand the difference between essentials and non essentials; my new mantra? Do I need this to continue my day and live my life to the best of my ability? When it comes to that new dress...odds are no, when it comes to that lovely bag of tatties.... perhaps I do yes. Lists here are going to become my best friend particularly when planning my weekly shop and food plan.

Stop prioritising convenience; what do you usually grab out of convenience rather than necessity? Take aways, a Boots meal deal over a lunch from home, the morning Starbucks (that will be the hardest admittedly) and even something as small as a  bottle of juice when really you should be drinking water, you know what they say...every little helps.

Don't be ashamed to tell your friends and family; I have been in the position of falling out with friends when I say I have no money, thing is people see it as an excuse to get out of plans you have already made but if they're really your friend they'll understand and opt for a movie night at home with your rather than a night on the tiles. Trust me when I say you'll need a strong support system. 

Well guys now all of my cards are on the table, it's ready, set, stop spending and you'll know not to expect any haul posts from me any time soon, and if you do see one slap me on the wrist (or face) and confiscate my bank cards. 

Have you ever faced a self imposed spending ban? Or perhaps a forced spending ban, which you know is totally not what this is or anything (seriously they're making me save money against my will...help me!) be sure to let me know in the comments below and share you top money saving tips. As usual you can catch me on Twitter (not spending) or more from the Granite City Girl blog (where I won't be writing about spending) on Bloglovin.

Until next time folks, can you pay my bills, can you pay my telephone bills?

H.Elizabeth x

Body Shop Aberdeen | Bloggers Evening and Skincare Haul

Coming back at you today with yet another Aberdeen Bloggers event, myself and the girls from the #Abzmeet group were invited along to the Body Shop in Aberdeen's St Nicholas centre to test out their new range of spa products as well as their oils of life range and their exciting foray into flawless foundation! Needless to say as a lover of all things spa, beauty and just product really I was so excited to go along for the evening and get my learn on. Admittedly the Body Shop is not somewhere I usually venture just mainly because I have a tendency to stick to what I know skin care wise and never stray too far from my typical Boots and Lush products, but I knew myself it was time for a revamp!

We were introduced to the team at the Aberdeen store and they explained we would each get time with their three experts, one from the spa range, one from skincare and one from the make up team. As there was only three of us able to make it we each had a considerable amount of time with each of the ladies and were given advice tailored to our individual needs and skincare requirements which was brilliant and so informative. We got to try out pretty much all of their new products, my personal favourites being the new spa range which has all sorts of smelly, goodies and loveliness for you to get your hands on, their oils of life which make your skin feel unbelievable and their new foundation which I may even do a separate post on because it is a thing of wonders (am I exaggerating? NO!) 

Instead of today bending your ear on all the intricacies of my own skin and the ins and outs of what we tried on, what worked, what didn't work, I just want to share my haul of products I came away with on the evening, how they benefit my skin and how they might benefit yours if you're skin type is similar to mine. 

Honey and Milk Bath Mix
When I got a whiff of this from their spa range I knew I had to have it, and given that we will have a bath in our new home I am so excited for this to become my go to relaxing bath scent! The formula leaves your skin feeling hydrated, moisturised and all manner of silky smooth. The mix was inspired by Egyptian Queen Cleopatra who used to bathe in milk to keep her skin in tip top condition. So if this mix is going to leave me looking anything like the late great Liz Taylor I'm all for it.

Oil of Life (pictured above)
Okay so like many of you ladies and gents out there I struggle with dry skin, particularly at the moment with the colder weather coming in. I leave my house in the morning hydrated and looking alive but after facing the elements and the general day I'll left with unattractive dry patches showing through my foundation and I'm in need for a little TLC. This is why I have invested in a facial oil, I have been seeing these everywhere lately, these babies are the new face serums. You put this on before you go to bed and after your shower in the morning before you use your moisturiser, it basically preps your face for moisturising and helps your skin to absorb the product a bit easier. 

Vitamin C Microdermabrasion

Again, with the Scottish weather lately my skin has turned a bit grey and as fashionable as the colour is for home interiors right now I don't want it on my face! Given that I'm a bit of an exfoliation junkie I jumped at the chance to get my hands on an exfoliator with skin brightening vitamin C properties.

Fresh Nude Foundation in Porcelain (Pictured above)
And for the big finish! After spending a bit of time with the Body Shop's senior make up artist and talking about my skin care needs and what tones go best with my face in general she showed me their new Fresh Nude Foundation. I will be doing a full full review of this product but I just have to give it props right now for how wonderful it makes my skin look. Never have I ever had a product match my skin tone as well as this does, it's lightweight, build-able and one of the best parts? You can wear it matte or dewy by doing one small thing (no tools required) stay tuned for the full review of this wonder product soon!

On top of all of my haul goodies we were treated to some gift bags and freebies which has an amazing array of products inside that I can't wait to try out, vanilla scented sprays, lip balms and a highlighter dupe for Benefit's High Beam to name a few. I'm hoping to discover some skincare saviours for winter in my little bundle and if I do I'll be sure to share them with you guys who also suffer with dry winter weather skin like I do!

Apologies for the lengthy, lengthy post today guys but I honestly can't say enough good things about the staff at the Body Shop in Aberdeen, I was so impressed by how passionate they are about the brand, the ethics and the product quality in total (and before anyone says, no they are not on commission!) so if you're looking for your very own skin care saviours be sure to spare a thought for Body Shop and pop in past to have a chat with their experts. Do you have any must have beauty, skin or shower products from the Body Shop? I'd love to hear all of your thoughts, comments, suggestions and link your reviews below, and as always you can catch me, myself and I on Twitter or more from the blog on Bloglovin.

Until next time folks, bathing just like Cleo!

H.Elizabeth x

Girls Night | Coast to Coast VIP Evening

Where to begin, oh my goodness where to begin? As many of you know I was recently  invited to come along to Aberdeen's Union Square to a VIP evening to celebrate the launch of their brand new American style restaurant Coast 2 Coast. As you guys will have seen from my Aberdeen Events post, the evening basically promised plenty of fine dining, entertainment and booze (by god was there booze) and trust me when I say they did not disappoint.

For the launch night I was given a plus one, which was great as I didn't want to be wining and dining billy no mates, so I brought along my friend Jodie for a good old catch up and you know I just wanted to treat one of my friends! We arrived on time for our reservation at 8pm and were offered a glass of prosecco or orange juice as we were shown to our table which was a lovely secluded spot where we could have a good natter and a catch up at the front end of the restaurant. The inside of the restaurant is very swish and stylish with vinyl blacks and reds and had everything from big family booths, to long party tables to smaller more intimate areas for dining as a twosome. We were truly given the all American dining experience, from the level of service to the quality of the food and everything was more than impressive to say the least.

Once we were seated and all settled in we were introduced to our waiter for the evening who wasted no time in bringing over our cocktails, a strawberry cheesecake daiquiri and a raspberry mojito - both of which were to die for (not that I had both of course... ahem) After our drinks and a lovely chat we were brought over a platter (yes a platter) full of starters, which had everything ranging from salted breaded pretzels, chicken wings, ribs, prawns and calamari - portions large enough to feed four, but despite our lacking in numbers we powered on through! Everything was lush, though I would say if you were a vegetarian you may struggle a little bit but I'm sure there were vegetarian alternatives available but for us it was a veritable meat fest mmmmm!

Brining with him ever more drinks in the form of white wine, our waiter explained we were allowed to have anything we liked from the menu for our mains, so I opted for a Cajun Chicken Melt Wrap with sweet potato fries and my friend had a lovely pasta dish, whose ingredients escape me. The wrap was amazing and complimented by the sweet potato fries was just heaven on a plate for me, they weren't scared with the portion sizes and I seriously feared for my dessert and worried I  just wouldn't be able to handle the final course! Fear not though we pushed on through and I enjoyed a gorge vanilla cheesecake with honeycomb pieces and a caramel drizzle (drool)

We spent a good 20 minutes or so chatting before saying our goodbyes to Coast to Coast and promised we would be back soon, everything from the decor, to the staff and of course most importantly the food was brilliant down to a T and after judging the prices on the menu for a bit I decided yes it would be well worth the cost.

Do you have a Coast to Coast in your town, if so I'd love to hear about your experiences, or perhaps you're a fellow Aberdonian and you're off to try the all American treat, be sure to leave your comments about the restaurant and your overall thoughts below, come share them with me on Twitter, or if you'd like to see more culinary delights and carry ons be sure to follow Granite City Girl on Bloglovin.

Until next time folks, I'm going costal!

H.Elizabeth x

Aberdeen Events | Coast to Coast Launch Night

As you guys have probably guessed, I love food, I mean who doesn't love food? Anyway, just thought I would do a quick little life update / post to let you know about this (fingers crossed) awesome event I will be attending this evening in Aberdeen to celebrate the launch of Union Square's brand new restaurant Coast to Coast. 

Coast to Coast are an American style restaurant and bar who opened in Aberdeen a couple of weeks ago now I believe and from the outside look a bit like the Filling Station so I'm looking forward to see how the food compares. The invitation promises an evening of fine food and drink with some entertainment sprinkled in with a bit of philanthropy thrown in there too so there seems to be something for everyone and I'm super excited to have been asked along.

I must say so far I have been loving the events Aberdeen and particularly Union Square have been able to put together this year in terms of food and beauty, I really feel like the Granite City have upped their game when it comes to keeping things interesting for the locals.

Stay tuned for my thoughts on the evening and of course you can keep up with the party on goings and happenings on my instagram feed @granite_city_girl or as always you can keep up with my chatter on Twitter and the blog on Bloglovin.

Until next time folks, I'm going costal.

H.Elizabeth x

Fashion Forward | H&M Long Live Fashion

My home is the tidiest it has ever been at the moment. Between having one of our friends coming to stay for the weekend and not wanting to face a mountain of washing and cleaning when we return from our holidays at the beginning of June we have been going turbo on the cleaning front, and I'll be honest I'm kind of liking this cleaning malarkey. My wardrobe on the other hand... well it's a sight for sure. Between buying mountains of holiday clothes, digging out old summer clothes and generally having a switch around of the seasons my wardrobe makes me want to hide under my newly cleaned house corners. 

Truth be told I'm a clothes hoarder, to look in my wardrobe is really to see a time capsule of my adolescence. Ranging from sizes 6 through 14, I have dresses from my school days as a 'goth' 7 years ago, cropped tops from my college hippy phase 4 years ago and bringing us up to my rather tame and toned wardrobe today and even still I continue to buy. I hate to throw away clothes I have paid quite a bit of money for and after years of giving bits and pieces to my local charity stores I decided it was high time the fashion industry gave us a good incentive for buying and recycling! And that's when I discovered H&M's worn out clothing scheme.

H&M have launched a recycling scheme where you get money off vouchers for the clothes you bring in to your local H&M store to recycle. They can be torn, hopelessly worn, out of style and they don't even have to be H&M branded clothing you just need to fill a bag bring it in to your local store and they will exchange your goods for one of their £5 off recycling offers (which unfortunately can only be redeemed when you spend over £30) it ain't much but it's better than nothing! You can literally bring any fabric product along so I hear, from curtains and bedding, to tops, t shirts, jeans and jeggings, it seems the sky is the limit for this environmentally conscious brand and I plan on reaping the benefits for as long as I can.

Have you guys donated any clothes to H&M recently as part of their recycling scheme? Or have you tried out another stores scheme and found it even better? I would love to hear your thoughts, apologies for the short post today I was just quite excited to share this with you in case like me you were a bit late to the party (as usual for me!) Be sure to leave your comments below, come share them with me on Twitter or if you'd like to keep up with the latest Granite City Girl posts be sure to follow me on Bloglovin.

Until next time folks, I have my brand new environmentally friendly trousers on.

H.Elizabeth x

Girls Day Out | Dundee Adventures

Hello everyone, it has been a while since I have done a post like this and this is mainly due to the fact that in my spare time I actually sit in a darkened room mulling over my friendless state... just kidding but today I am back with a special (to me anyway) edition of a day in the life with Granite City Girl centring around another girls day out. For me, and I'm guessing many others in my position, finishing university not only meant the ability to get out into the big wide world and pursue my chosen career path with confidence but it also meant that all of my university friends dispersed and returned to their respective home towns leaving me in the Granite City almost all by my lonesome so whenever I get the opportunity to go and visit them I jump at the chance. So after receiving an email from Dundee's Overgate shopping centre to attend a shopping, fashion, bloggery event last weekend I leapt and off I plodded to visit my good friend Lisa.

One thing I'll say about Lisa is she is never under prepared when I come visit, she has an agenda of events and a list of activities we could do for the weekend (which puts me to shame when she comes visiting me!) and because we had such fun that weekend I thought I would take you through a couple of the things we did that day and some of the places we went as a sort of day in the life of post, Dundee edition!

 

Tweet Chic at the Overgate

Promising days filled with fashion, shopping, discounts and fun, Tweet Chic did not disappoint. There were fashion shows featuring high street names such as New Look and River Island, impromptu dancing (which put me and my sweet sweet moves to shame once again) hair and make up demonstrations and a magic mirror which allowed you to virtually try on clothes (which unfortunately we didn't have the time to use) We literally spent hours in the centre just shopping and having a girly day and I came away with so many bargains that you'll soon be treated to another clothing haul. I'm looking forward to seeing what else the Overgate centre has up it's sleeve in the coming months because if this event is anything to go on then we are in for some retail treats!

Avery and Co
And now we come to the food portion of our girly day and trust me Avery and Co did not disappoint. I believe they are quite new to Dundee and as we don't have one in Aberdeen I was excited to go along and give them a go. Avery and Co have pitched themselves to online audiences as an independent eatery who provide a welcoming space designed to encourage people to eat, relax and linger, and my goodness did they deliver! First of all the food, oh  the food (can you tell I'm hungry as I type this?) As a starter we had the sweet potato quesidillas, and I do love a good sweet potato and for our main we enjoyed the tarka dal (which is a blend of lentils, onions, garlic and Indian spices served with cauliflower pakora and flat-bread) We must have spent a good few hours in there and it's not often I enjoy lingering in a restaurant post face stuffing but the tables are so openly spaced out, the staff were so friendly and the atmosphere was so relaxed that we didn't feel rushed out the door, the whole experience was just so pleasant, when I visit again I will definitely be pushing to go back there.

We did do a few other things that day such as visit the DCA for a drink (what a gem of a place by the way!) but I'm aware of my rambling on and on so I'll leave it there as two of the days highlights. I hope you have enjoyed this glimpse into my life today these posts are quite few and far between but I really do enjoy writing them so stay tuned for more day in the life posts in the coming months, especially as I have some quite exciting events to attend shortly! But as always guys I love hearing from you so be sure to tweet at me or share your comments below, or if you'd just like to see more from Granite City Girl you can follow me on Bloglovin.

Until next time folks, I'm going on an adventure!

H.Elizabeth x

Aberdeen Events | Shoes and Sparkle with Union Square

Hello everyone, I just thought I would take this opportunity to tell you about an event that I will be attending in the Granite City next week that I am super excited about that features food, fashion, frolics, and to boot (pun very much intended) it is in my favourite shopping centre, Union Square.

The event is called 'Shoes and Sparkle' and will be held on the 5th of March from 5pm in the stylish setting of Valeries Brasserie Cafe. The event is free to attend and hosts brands such as Dune, Clarks, Sole Trader and Deichmann who will be showcasing their SS15 collections with an informal showing and a bit of background surrounding the inspiration behind the designs and trends of the season. Plus I hear there is going to be quite a nice little discount for shoes purchased on the evening!

A representative of Union Square has said it is set to be the 'ultimate celebration of all things shoes' now if that isn't enough to get shoe-a-holics hearts racing then I don't know what is. I'm really looking forward to going along on the evening to see the collections they have in store, and  of course potentially meeting some other fashion, beauty and shopping enthusiasts and bloggers (not sure what this is going to do to my bank balance though!)

As the saying goes 'Give a girl the right pair of shoes and she will conquer the world'

Until next time folks, I'm looking out my gladrags.

H.Elizabeth xx

What I Wore | Working Wardrobe

Having recently secured myself a proper 'grown up' job upon graduating and getting married (woop big year for me!) I of course saw this as a brilliant excuse to revamp and redesign my wardrobe. Out with the old as they say, so I threw out some of my younger clothes (2 black bags full I might add) and hit the town to take advantage of my student discount before it's too late! So in light of my new wardrobe and  grown up career I thought I would share a typical office look for this Granite City Career Girl.

What I wore on my body

Dress - B/W Tartan Shift Dress / Pinafore from New Look

(You may recognise this from my recent Student Haul post) 

Tights - Supercosy Black Tights From Asda 

Boots -  My Trusty H&M Boots from last year (vintage - so adorable!)

What I wore on my head and face

 

Hair - Swooshy locks ala GHD straighteners

VO5 Plump it up Heat Defence Spritz

Face - Collection Lasting Perfection

Concealer in Cool Medium

Applied with Real Techniques

Beauty Blender

Eyes - L'Oreal Colour Riche Eyeliner Black

Benefit's They're Real Mascara

Lips - Topshop Burgundy Lip Liner

Topshop Lippy in Trigger

And there you have it a typical office outfit and look pour moi.

As always I love love love hearing from you so drop me a comment below, come have a tweeter fest on Twitter or if you'd like to keep up with my latest posts come join me on Bloglovin

Until next time folks

H.Elizabeth x



Domestic Goddess | My New Recipe Book

Since finishing university (because this has granted me the gift of time!) I have been known to dabble in the culinary delights my kitchen and oven can bring and I'll be honest it's been pretty fun and successful. (Successful here meaning that I have not had nor have I given anybody food poisoning yet)

My most recent culinary creations were mini oreo cheesecakes and before that I tried my hand at chocolate swirled shortbread. This newfound hobby is doing NOTHING for my diet and fitness plans, but none the less it keeps me busy and entertained in the evenings.

I've been slowly building up my utensils and cooking resources every week at ASDA, so when I saw this book in Paperchase organisational inspiration struck again and I just had to have it!

The book is wipeable (good for this slap dash cook!) and has an adorable design on the front, it stays closed with a mint green ribbon (that was the dealbreaker in the store I'm ashamed to say)

This book is a neat freaks heaven, I mean from the organised dinner party planner pages to specific meal times and recipe types, its amazing and at times creepily organised! I'm planning on using this book to stick in all of my loved recipes, usually if I see a recipe I like the sound of I'll email it to myself and set up my iPad in the kitchen, however following a recent incident with my iPad and it's recent scare with a water basin I think this is a safer, cheaper alternative!

So that's all from me today folks, I just wanted to share this cute wee book with you because I got awfully awfully excited about it and honestly sharing with you is just second nature now!

Have any of you started experimenting with cooking / baking recently? Drop me comment below telling me your fave thing to bake, or come chat to me about it on Twitter or if you want to see more posts, come follow me on Bloglovin

Until next time folks.

H.Elizabeth x

New Look Haul | Autumn Update

I've never been much of a fan of online clothes shopping. Many of my clothes appear to be a major hit or miss when it comes to fit and style in particular so I'm not entirely sure what possessed me to go on a major internet clothing shop frenzy one Friday evening when I had other things I ought to have been doing (i.e Blogging about other things that didn't cost me £40!)

So I thought instead of moping and suffering from buyers remorse I would share these purchases with you guys and you can tell me if it was indeed a waste of my time and money!

#1 I wish I was a unicorn T (£9.99)

 I love a good loungy, baggy t shirt to both wear around the house and on my more casual events and escapades, and unashamedly this reminded me a great deal of Despicable Me so I had to haves!

#2 Dark Blue Denim Leggings (£12.99)

 These have been in awfully short supply in my home recently, the banes of having a cat and thin leggings has been getting to me, and not to mention my bank balance. So I thought it was high time to invest in another pair and be wary of the cats claws in future!

#3 Blue Pocket Tunic Dress (£9.00 SALE ITEM)

Since watching Cilla on ITV recently I have rekindled my love of the 1950's and 60's so this bargain shift dress is a must for pairing with woolies in the winter months. Perhaps I should invest in some boots too...hmmm

#4 Shocking red Kimono (£13.00 SALE ITEM)

At the moment red is my colour and Kimonos are an obsession, and since my hair is about to undergo a dramatic Summer to Autumn transformation I thought I should invest in the colour since it will compliment me quite well. A plus as it can be used as a party piece as opposed to a jacket or blazer.

Total Splurged: £40.38
(Still using my cheeky student discount online)

Really if you think about it I just bought myself a whole two new outfits for under £50, I do believe I am quite a thrifty buyer. Have you guys been treating yourself due to the dramatic weather changes we've been having? Drop me a comment below to share how you cheer yourself up in this dismal state, you can as always catch me on Twitter or keep up with my latest posts on Bloglovin

Until next time folks.

H. Elizabeth x

Aberdeen Student Lock In | Autumn Haul

Technically no, I am not a student anymore. Well at least as of the very end of September, and I mean I'd quite happily be exploiting my discount up until 11.59pm on the 31st of September that's how much I'll miss my discount. So you can imagine that when Aberdeen's Bon Accord and St Nicholas Shopping centre announced their annual student lock in I was first in line! (not literally unfortunately!)

Pre Lock In

Well the queue was massive, we actually arrived 40 minutes prior to doors even opening and we were I would say reasonably near the front, considering how far back the queue eventually went I was chuffed! 

During the Lock In

As cheapy as it may sound I had been expecting more freebies, I literally went away with one shower gel by L'Occitane and a catalogue from Warehouse which I could have got any time.  I don't feel like the actual discounts on offer deserved as much hype as there had been because there was literally an extra 10% and Boots didn't even bother with discounts, to the dismay of many shoppers we saw loading baskets with products!

New Look (20% Discount)

Tartan Pinafore
I've been dying to get a bit more fashion focused at work since all I seem to be wearing as of late are my black trousers paired with a flowy shirt, and this was RIGHT up my street not to mention on trend for the Autumnal months.

Burgundy 50's Flare Skirt
Something I've been dying to try out and not to mention suit over the past few months is a long skirt that isn't body con, and I do believe I've found it. It's a show stopper!

Parisian Tee
Admittedly I was drawn in due to Paris, our holiday booking is looming and I feel like I'm already behind in buying my holiday clothes! Plus it looks amazing with my 50's skirt.

Purple Floral Geisha Kimono 
When it comes to Kimonos, what can I say? I'm a woman obsessed I think at the moment I have 5 or 6, and this one well I had to have it! I wear these instead of blazers or jackets on an evening out so really you can never have too many!

Coral Stilettos 

Recently I have been dying to buy a pair of statement shoes for special occasions and evenings out, but I had no luck since my tiny size 3 feet only get the boring shoes! But at the lock in I spotted a rare find in the form of stilettos for a tenner! Now if only I had a party coming up!

Topshop (20% Discount)

Lippys! (Macaroon, Ditsy, Wicked and Trigger)

I'd heard good things about Topshop's lippy over the past few months, from their staying power to their moisturing qualities and even their great pigmentation, so when I saw they were on offer at 2 for £12 in addition to discount I jumped to buy 4! (Review pending)

Lip Liner (Burgundy)

Another one of my new obsessives is lip lining, I've seen the MAC girls in town lining to perfection and well I'm a sucker for trends!

Post Lock In
As a general guesstimate I Buyers remorse? Never! I am of course feeling so gutted that this year was my last ever lock in but I look forward to my senior citizens discount when the time comes!

Have you guys visited a student lock in wherever you are? If you have what was your experience of it, a lot of freebies? better discounts? Drop me a comment below, Tweet at me or come follow my latest posts on Bloglovin

H.Elizabeth x

What I Wore | Casual Mondays through Sundays

Hello everyone, computer problems are still reigning supreme over at our house, diagnosis slow with a case of the human lazies. Sorry guys!

Anyway I know how much all of you readers, fellow bloggers and indeed vloggers out there love a good ol' 'what I wore post' so here goes my millionth. Today's outfit is very casual but I like to think classy and incredibly comfy, my personal summer favourite.

What I wore on my body

Top - Plain black 3/4 sleeved slinky top, Dorothy Perkins, this top is so comfortable and form flattering especially for curvacious ladies like me and it honestly cost me £3 in a sale.

Bottoms - My one true bottom love, dark jeggings, Urban Outfitters.

What I wore on my head and face...and neck actually

Hair - Oh no it's all gone!!! Not really, but stay tuned for my faux bob tutorial coming up later this month!
Face -  Benefit PoreFessional Pore Minimiser / Primer
L'Oreal 24hr Infallible Make up (Porcelain)
Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection Concealer (Fair)

Eyes - L'Oreal Colour Riche Eye Pencil (Midnight Black)
Clinique Mascara (whose name eludes me, sorry guys!)

Neck - Another lovely gift one from my future sister in law. I believe this lovely futuristic / grecian style statement necklace is from Topshop.

Hopefully you have enjoyed my casual what I wore post today, I really just wanted to do a sort of plain ish style 'WIW' post because I feel a lot of the time, whether explicitly or implicitly, the online foakals will lead readers and viewers to believe you need to break the bank in order to look good and feel confident within yourself...well I'm calling it! This outfit was achieved in under £20 and I feel fantastic when I wear it (unless I bloat!)

So stay tuned for some up and coming hair tutorials, little life posts and fingers crossed for a spending splurge sometime soon! If there is anything you would like to see more of or if you would even like to see something a bit different going on on the Granite City Girl drop me a comment below, come chat to me on Twitter or if you'd like to keep up to date come follow me on Bloglovin!

Catch you on the next one.

H.Elizabeth xx

Rituals | Foaming Body Wash Review

So as you may know from a previous post a fee months back I bought Glamours latest and greatest beauty box and I was so over the moon, intensely excited to try out all of the new products. Now I find myself needing to use an invisibobble over a regular hair tie, I am in love with the lush lashes Miss Manga has continued to give me and I wouldn't be without my minty Burt's bees!

However there was a wee surprise product which I did not expect to love even half as much as I do and that is the Rituals Zensation Organic Rice Milk & Cherry Blossom Foaming shower gel sensation... Quite a mouthful I know! 

Usually unless there is a fantastically amazing sounding scent such as my Philosophy Apple pie gel, a wildly luxe brand like Molten Brown or even something a bit different from Lush, shower gel doesn't tend to enthuse me. So upon throwing this into my gym bag only last week I didn't think twice about what I had in store!

Scent

First of all the smell, my goodness the smell! Mouthwatering, sweet and positively luxurious. I tend to get confused hearing things like 'cherry blossom' or 'rice milk' unless it's spelled out for me like apples or strawberries I am pretty clueless. But such a gel deserves a beautiful name, top marks for my refreshing and femininely scented body after using this foamy delight.

Sensation

The feeling of the gel wasn't like the traditional foamburst you would expect from the likes of imperial leather, instead the gel is just that quite a runny gel like consistency much like a shaving gel rather than a shower gel... If you understand what I mean. It doesn't take too much to work the gel into a foamy lather of sweet smelling goodness and glides off your skin as smoothly as it leaves it.

My one and only criticism of this gel is that a little doesn't really go a long way, I was given a travel size in my beauty box and that really only did for two and a half washes, so I would say this is more a once in a while luxury product, no use for daily washes. Definitely recommend for those of you looking to add a bit of luxe to your shower routine.

RRP £8.50 (200ml, From Bath & Unwind)

Criticisms

If you guys would like me to review anything else which was included in this specific beauty box drop me a comment below, and if you guys have any recommendations for me for other beauty boxes you may have tried let me know and I will definitely check them out! As always you can catch me on Twitter and of course if you want to see more of my latest and greatest follow me on Bloglovin. Stay tuned folks.

H.Elizabeth xx