Granite City Fashion | Cocktails with the Girls

Can you believe it has been over eight months since one of these posts has been published on this very blog? Well what can I say I've been roaming the Granite City as a nudist and haven't had very much in the way of styling, so in light of my newly found clothes and obsession with the summer sales that have suddenly came into play I thought I would share a what I wore post revolving around my recent dinner and night out with the girls in Dundee because I must say I was pretty pleased with myself!

What I wore on my body

Whistles Jumpsuit - John Lewis Sale

This has to be one of my favourite purchases as late, I got it for the bargain price of £48 in the John Lewis sale, marked down from £120, who cares about last season right?!? It may not look like much but the fit and shape of this jumpsuit when I wear it is just perfect. Truth be told I have completely given up on trying to fit in with the summer shades, in style patterns and seasonal trends, I have fully embraced the dark side if you will and now focus on the style and cut of clothing rather than what the magazines are telling me is 'in' this month. Statement pieces for all seasons I say! 

Statement Necklace - Lisa's Wardrobe! 

No, sadly this isn't the name of a boutique, though I imagine if she did happen to open one from her wardrobe she could make a killing! As you guys undoubtedly know by now I'm pretty rubbish with accessories and jewellery and such and tend to just wear the same thing on a daily basis, but what can I say, inspiration struck Lisa seeing my jewel-less self and the rest as they say is history!

What I wore on my head and face

 

Head - Backcombed Pony

Having been told this looked 'mental but in a good way' I had to somehow sneaksy this hairstyle into a post, despite not actually getting a decent picture - ain't that just the way though. This style is super messy and super easy to do, and bonus for getting all of this hair out of my face for an entire evening. All you need is a bobble, hairbrush and thousands of kerbie grips, and you wish I was kidding!

How I made my face
Eyes -    L'Oreal Colour Riche Liner
              Benefit's 'Roller Lash Mascara'
              Make Up Revolution Iconic 2 Shadow Palette (1 & 8)

              Eyelure Enchanted Lashes in Posie

Brows - Sleek Brow Palette 'Light'

Face -    Smashbox Primer 

              MAC Pro Longwear Foundation NW15

              Collection concealer in Cool Medium

              Smashbox Contour Powders

Lips -     Rimmels Red Diva Liner

              MAC Brick o La Amplified Creme Lipstick

We had such a lovely chilled out time in Dundee and we looked 'too glam to give a damn' doing it (sorry guys I have recently discovered that phrase and have been looking to sneak that in for weeks!) I hope you enjoyed reading this post and having a nosy in my wardrobe as much as I enjoyed writing it, please let me know what you thought in the comments below and of course if you have your own OOTD posts those are one of my favourites to read or look at rather so be sure to leave me those links. As usual I look to respond to every comment left so be sure to drop your below, come chat with me on Twitter or if you'd like to see more of my postings and hostings come find me on Bloglovin'

Until next time folks, feeling too glam to give a damn (yes thats right twice in one post!)

H.Elizabeth x

Black Friday | ASOS Haul

The night before Black Friday I was anxious, incredibly anxious. One thing my friends and family have come to know about me in recent years is that manners and particularly shopping etiquette mean a great deal to me and sitting on the periphery of the dreaded Black Friday I just knew that all of those famed reservations and snobbish manners of the Aberdonian people was all about to go flying out of the window and there is only one word to describe my beloved Union Square on a sale day, and that is carnage.

Given my nervous disposition and unwillingness to brave the supposed amazing sales (which I was later to find were non existent in the likes of Zara, despite the crazed women who were grabbing handfuls of vests, T's and all manner to stuff into breaking point baskets) I decided this ear was the year I go digital, and that's just what I did. I enjoyed Black Friday from the comforts of my own home, armed with my dressing gown, slipper boots and a recently topped up card I was able to grab a fair few bargains which I thought I would share with you today!

 

ASOS Cyber Sales

Having done my research by looking at what felt like hundreds of articles revolving around the best online discounts during the Black Friday madness, I settled on ASOS as my poison of choice. Throughout the course of 'Black Friday Weekend,' ASOS were giving you 20% off everything using the code CYBERWKND20, which brought me right back to my student days where I could often get 10 - 20% off everything and I must admit I got a bit click - buy happy!

Clothes and Misc

River Island Too Vogue T Shirt £12.00

Only Live Love long sleeve top with lace trim £12.00

ASOS Midi Skirt in Ponte with pocket detail / Grey £14.00

ASOS Full Length Leggings in High Waist / Oxblood Colour £8.00

Happy Jackson YAY! Lunch box / Pink £6.00

Make Up

Eyeko skinny liquid eyeliner / black £12.00

Bourjois little round pots eyeshadow / pink £4.00

Bourjois limited edition vintage little round pots / beige rose £6.99

Price before discount: £74.99

Price after discount: £59.99
Total saving: £15.00

With a saving of £15.00 I think I did quite well, however as much as I do love all of my ASOS goodies and gadgets I have to admit I am suffering a little from buyers remorse because I just know that had it not been Black Friday and had it been any old sale I wouldn't have spent half as much as I have now. Yes ladies and gents at the time I unashamedly got swept up in the madness of Black Friday as I believe many of you did too but now shamefully find myself almost £60 down so close to Christmas that probably would have been better spent elsewhere!

If you are however going to splurge like I very much have, I would highly recommend avoiding the dramas and chaos Black Friday physical shopping brings (very physical judging by some of Tesco's finests customer videos) and spend some quality time with the good ole laptop, onesie and slipper boots and spend yourselves silly!

I hope you've enjoyed reading of my Black Friday buys and blunders and I'd love to hear about some of your best purchases from that weekend of madness? Did you pick up anything in the ASOS deals? Drop me a comment below, come share them with me on Twitter or of course if you'd like to keep up with the latests be sure to follow me on Bloglovin

Until next time folks!

H.Elizabeth xx

What I Wore | I Wanna See Your Peacock

If there's one thing my nearest and dearest know about me it's that I rarely have a night on the town. I'm afraid I'm an old soul who would sooner cuddle up with my iPad and a mint tea than live big in the city after dark. But on those rare occasions when I do find myself at a 'perty' I do like to make more of an effort, so I thought I would share with you guys my most recent outfit for hitting the town.

What I wore on my body

I didn't want to go too OTT with my outfit for this particular evening as it was beginning as a games night so I thought something you can dress up or down was most appropriate and I came up with this wee number.

L - Full Length Peacock Dress. R - Close up dress pattern

Peacock Dress - New Look

My friend actually spotted this dress on a weekend away to Edinburgh and promptly put it down, which I was in shock and awe of since I found it so beautiful. Due mainly to the pattern, the shape and suit to my body was a simple bonus. The pattern is a monochrome peacock print with accents of red in the centre, a great pop of colour that would do well with some red flats on a day out or some red heels for an evening (which I don't have!) 

What I wore on my feet

Black Stilettos - H&M

Never underestimate the power of a plain black heel in classing up a casual outfit, since losing my usual, comfy black stilettos due to general wear and tear I have been at a bit of a loss when it comes to my heel collection and funnily enough H&M had the answer. I never expected H&M stilettos to be quite as comfortable as these but they are my new go to shoes for a long evening out. Since I can NEVER find a size 3 shoe in New Look anymore I think I will be visiting them quite a bit more now.

What I wore on my head and face 

This was one of  my more experimental looks of the past few weeks and I have to say I was pretty darn chuffed with how it all turned out (I have since tried to repeat this phenomenon to no avail) I found it was very bouffant 1960's, not quite the trend of the moment but hey sometimes who cares it's all about what works for you!

Hair and make up look

How I wore my hair

Voluminous Curly Wurly Do - Rollers and Heat Tools

So to achieve this look I used my huge velcro rollers and applied them to slightly (VERY slightly or it'll take ages to dry) and left them on my head for about an hour. I then blasted them with really hot air from my hairdrier and then quickly swapped to the cold setting to allow your hair to hold that sort of style. After taking the rollers out I brushed it out and then curled the ends of my hair only and then backcomb backcomb backcomb (SO bad for your hair so I'm not endorsing this for you guys at all) I loved the way my hair came out for the evening as I got a lot of depth and texture to it by styling it this way, and with the right amount of hairspray it really did last (until the long walk home!)

How I made up my face

Eyes - 
L'Oreal Colour Riche Liner in Charcoal
MUA Charcoal, Silver and Shimmer White Eyeshadow Trio
Benefit's They're Real Mascara (top and lower lash)
Katy Perry Lashes by Eyelure (Feline Fierce Lashes)
Brows -
Sleek Brow Kit in Medium
General Face Area -
Arbonne Make up Primer
MAC Studio Sculpt SPF 15 Foundation
Rimmel Natual Bronzer (Contouring)
Collection Lasting Perfection concealer (Highlight)

Blush by George at Asda (A hidden beauty gem)
Lips -
MAC Hip 'N' Happy Lip Pencil
Clinique in Mighty Mimosa

This is obviously not what I would wear on a daily basis I usually don't wear foundation or concealer or anything on my face for a general working day but you know when you've got so much make up and an occassion is coming up you just can't help but play with it sometimes.

Let me know what you guys think of this look I hope it has inspired you to go and have an experiment and play about with your own looks! Or of course if you have any tips, pointers or comments be sure to leave them below, otherwise and as always you can catch me on Twitter or if you'd like to see more of my latests keep up with me on Bloglovin

Until next time folks!


H.Elizabeth x

Going 'Half & Half' with a dash of 'Spice'

My love affair with MAC has hit an all time high. On my walks home I can barely resist going in to marvel at their hundreds of lippys, plethora of polishes and of course the obsession only worsens when a new trend hits the seasonal fan, but that is a discussion for another time.

Today I am going to share my brand new vice and must have make up for the month! I know that everyone has been obsessed with MAC's 'Velvet Teddy' lippy made famous by the poster child for lush lips, Kylie Jenner and her mad lining skills! And of course I had to have it! But on thinking of it a little bit further I decided to get a lippy that would best compliment me, my skin tone and general style, because I think that's what this big make up business is all about finding your own style and making up your own face.

And so tah-dah this is what I bought and came up with! The MAC Half 'N' Half Amplified Creme Lipstick and the Spice lip liner.

MAC Amplified Creme Lipstick in Half 'N' Half (RRP. £15.50)

I always love MAC lipsticks for their wearability and pigmentation, and this one in particular is a great moisture rich lipstick that doesn't dry your lips very much at all (something I have mentioned I have struggled with in the past) This lipstick isn't as intense as I would say 'Velvet Teddy' is and I feel it really compliments my skin tone, on others I suppose it's considered a nude but for me it's a gorgeous brown autumnal colour.

The spice lip liner goes really well with this particular lipstick it gives a much darker defined line to your lips so you can build up and build up to give yourself that voluptuous pout we've all been aiming for! The colour isn't technically meant to go with the lipstick but you can do so much with it , you can as I said create a darker and more defined lip and you can even ombre your lips (something I am yet to try as I think I'll need an afternoon for that!)

Tah- dah! The finished product

So what do you guys think? A fair compromise for us Casper folks for 'Velvet Teddy'? What lippys have you been loving lately? Have you tried this trend yet, be sure to drop me a comment below, catch me on Twitter or if you'd like to keep seeing more catch me on Bloglovin!

Until next time folks.

H.Elizabeth x

The Girl with the Green (ish) Coat

Can you tell I've been watching 'Confessions of a Shopaholic?' 

As you'll know if you read my October / Autumnal wants post I have recently been on the hunt for a brand new striking, statement winter coat to break my blackish, grey habit and inject some colour into my life. And I'm ever so pleased to tell you I have done it, and at a discounted price too!

When I'm on the hunt for something I generally stick to my comfort zones, visiting shops like New Look and Dorothy Perkins or sometimes I'll dabble in River Island but only when I'm feeling 'out there' but this year I was tempted in and fell for the M & S ad, which has us all in the grips of their fashion forward talons. Can anyone genuinely say that they haven't nailed their AW14 campaign?!

Basically what prompted this was a very Frozen esque jacket I saw on the advert, you all know the one, the ice blue comfy coat with the white trim around the collar! But of course my practical brain set in and when I tried it on, as much as I loved it, it just wasn't practical for Winter. A nice ice blue ensemble is all very well and good but at almost £80 think of the splashes you'll get from cars on the way to work, or think of the clumsiness of yourself in your oversized winter boots and even think of the marks you'll get just from the falling snow! I couldn't risk it!

So instead I tried on and loved this little ensemble which I only saw by chance as it was the last in it's size and on the wrong rack! It's such a lovely fit and the colour is amazing, on the website it's called 'Emerald' which of course being the film buff I am, just whisked me off to OZ. I also love the black (faux) fur trimmed collar. Having no reservations I of course snapped it up ASAP, and I struck even more luck when I found it was 20% of all M&S coats that weekend! So I only had to pay £69.30, luck of the Irish perhaps?

Limited Edition Faux Fur Collared Neck Coat in Emerald (RRP. £79.00 From M&S)

Sorry that I have spent so much time on a post revolving around a new winter coat but honestly it's exciting when you spot a rare find (in this case a smart, on trend, cost effective winter coat that isn't black!) Have you guys found any AW fashion nuggets on you travels lately? I'd love to hear about them, be sure to drop me a comment below, come tweet at me on the Twittersphere or if you'd like to keep up to date with my latest posts be sure to follow me on Bloglovin

Until next time folks

H.Elizabeth x

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



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

The Faux Bob - Granite City Style

Hi everyone, so today I am going to take you through a quick and easy hair tutorial for you gals out there who maybe like me don't want to spend too much time on your hair but still want your lovely locks out of your face for a while.

What you will need

Curling Iron

Dry shampoo (if you have day old hair/grease prone hair)

A Large Grip hair clip
A smoothing comb (ideally)

As many bobby pins as you have! (I cannot stress this enough)

Hair Spray / finishing spray (if you live in Scotland LOTS of hairspray!)

Step 1:

If you have day old hair I suggest using a little dry shampoo, not only to make it more manageable, but if like me you have grease prone hair it will also make for a nicer finish.

Step 2:

Clip the top layer of your hair on top of your head (or wherever comfortable and out of your face) and using the curling iron curl even sections of your hair. You can make it as curly or wavy as you want it will all depend on the look you are going for, I tend to make it fairly wavy rather than hardened curls. Spritz the layer with hairspray and then do your top layer.

Step 3 (OPTIONAL):

Once you have curled the entirety of your hair flip all of your hair upside down and gently backcomb the roots of your hair to give yourself a bit of volume (spritz again with hairspray) If you do backcomb and it goes a bit awry then just give it a once over with the smoothing comb.

Step 4:

Sweep all of your hair over to one side and begin rolling your hair upwards into a bun / ball of awesome hairiness. And (this is not the techy techy term) START PINNING!

ET VOILA

So guys that's that the hair look I've been loving so far this Summer, if you have any questions for me about this tutorial or have any suggestions of what you would like to see in the future be sure to drop me a comment, tweet at me on Twitter or come find me on Bloglovin!

Hope to hear from you soon!

H. Elizabeth xx

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

New Additions | Feeling Comical

A few weeks ago I went on a bit of a spending binge, I'm afraid it progressively got worse the further along I my dissertation was coming, probably as a result of filling the void where my social life used to exist... but I'm pleased to report that it is indeed working its magic. So I thought it was high time to post something, since hibernation/dissertation mode has also robbed me of my blogging time and since this binge is literally all I have to share right now, here are my latest and greatest wardrobe buys!

Comic Print Midi Skirt - Miss Rebel

You know I just had to! Having just visited the London Super Comic Con 2014 back in February when I bought this I was in super geek comic pop arty mode. I have since worn this once it's a lovely fit for girls with a fuller figure with lots of curves like myself, however there is a rather unfortunate word placement on the skirt with the word 'crack' being right across your booty.... comical indeed!

Star Wars Baggy T - H & M

My new best ever favourite sleepy loungy comfy top ever. This top is never off my back it's quite a long fit so on hot nights I'll wear it as a nighty and it can always be paired with my loverly furry sleepy boots. As you can see I have been a very indoorsy person as of late....I blame sheer exhaustion from university but I promise as Summer rears its head things will get better!

Space Shorts - Topshop

Oldies, goodies and I wish I could still fitsies!!! These faded space patterned shorts got me through Summer 2012 / 2013 in style, before the pre graduate pounds crept onto my waist!

Spacey, Geekery Jewellery

As you can see from the pics above I love accessorizing my geekery clothing with equally geeky jewellery like my star trek emblem earrings which I acquired from London Super Comic Con 2014. If you'd like to know where I got the specifics leave me a comment below!

Well those are my latest and greatest comical geeky best buys, if you guys have been loving any and all things 'geek' lately drop me a comment I would love to check those out. As always you can find me on Twitter or if you'd like to keep up to date with the latest Granite City Girl posts catch them all on Bloglovin!

H.Elizabeth xx

What I Wore | Fairytale Fashion

Yaaay it's that time of year again (well that one day a year we get here in good ol' Aberdeen) where the sun has got his hat on and makes our great city glitter, Summer! And what better way to celebrate than to dig out the wardrobes summer finest, and in turn celebrate the up coming release of Disney's Maleficent at the end of May.

What I Wore on my Body

Vest - 'Who is the fairest of them all' Metallic Fairytale Vest, H & M (incredibly comfy!)
Jeans - High Wasted Light Wash Jeans, Topshop
Feet- Plain black pumps, New Look

What I Wore on my Head and Face 

Hair - Iron Curled Ends (using straighteners) otherwise straight all over.
Face - Nivea Moisturizer
Collection Lasting Perfection (Fair)
Eyes - L'Oreal Colour Riche Crayon Le Khol (Midnight Black)
I used a trio of colour from my Urban Decay Naked 2 Palette
Lips - Burts Bees Lip Balm

Given the weather has been so good my skin has been behaving incredibly well (I put it down to the rays we Aberdonians have been catching lately!) and all I have been using on a daily basis is my regular moisturizer and a touch of concealer to get rid of any redness or blemishes, fingers crossed this continues throughout the coming months!

So that is my homage to fairytales and princesses of Summer, it may be a tad dull but I'm afraid this is often as bright as we get here in Aberdeen. I have been working on a few new hairstyles inspired by the vintage ladies of the 1950's and 60's in addition to a few You Tubers I have been loving lately (Cherrydoll Face to name one, go check her out!) so if you enjoy trying something a little vintage and something a bit different stay tuned for my take on these timeless classics.

As always you can catch me on Twitter or if you'd like to keep up to date with the latest with Granite City Girl follow me on Bloglovin, catch you on the next one.

H. Elizabeth xx

What I Wore | I've Been Lazy!

I'm afraid recently I have been slacking, not only with my blogging but honestly with my overall dress and appearance! Studying has taken over my life I'm afraid and I do apologise as soon as May comes I'll be back on the hardcore blogging, scouts honour. 

But for now here is another what I wore post to hopefully keep you going through this Granite City drought!

What I wore on my body

 

Jumper - Black 3/4 sleeved jumper, Topshop

   Dress - An oldie oldie black strappy dress with white florals

                                           Tights - Supercosy, Asda (ever faithful)

            Necklace - Lengthy key necklace, Urban Outfitters (apologies for the lack of close up)

What I wore on my head and Face

 Head - Lazily straightened, GHD Straighteners
Tres Emme Heat Defense Spray
Face - Still trying to go easy on my skin while my blemishes get to calm down
L'Oreal Infallible Foundation (Porcelain)
Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer (Fair)
Eyes - Easy on the eyes still too!
L'Oreal Colour Riche Eyeliner (Midnight Black)
L'Oreal Miss Manga Mascara

Lips - As many of you will know from my 'lippy' post I have been trying some new lip products and I have fallen in love with an oldie from my make up collection and that is Rimmels Coral Gold colouring. I love the way it looks against caspery skin as all of you red heads out there will know we can't wear a deep red without looking super intense (and if you can comment below with what you've been using!) The slight shimmer to this also means it's not too matte but not too glossy, striking a perfect balance for me!

This post hasn't showcased anything brand new from my wardrobe and just goes to show that you don't need to break the bank to create a new look for yourself, go and have a good rummage! If you've found any hidden gems lately comment below or share your OOTD! As always you can catch me on Twitter for a chat, or if you want to keep up with the latest Granite City posts you can give this blog a follow on Bloglovin!

H. Elizabeth

What I Wore | In a Galaxy Far Far Away...

Hello everyone, so today I thought I would do a bit more of an off duty, casual what I wore post today last week I had a kind of comfy, lazy day at uni and I thought for the purposes of being an open and honest blogger I better show you on one of my beauty/fashion days off. Also I wanted to show off my first ever pair of brand new ASOS boyfriend jeans (a bargain from their sale at only £10.00!)

 What I wore on my body
 T-Shirt - Deep V Neck Star Wars T-shirt, Superhero Stuff
Boyfriend Jeans - Baggy ripped Boyfriend jeans, ASOS

What I wore on my feet
Pumps - A regular star of my what I wore posts, New Look

What I wore on my head and face

Head - Mid Ponytail with my fringe quiffed (it was a lazy day indeed!)
Face -  L'Oreal 24hr Infallible Make up (Porcelain)
Collection 2000 Lasting Perfection Concealer (Fair)
Eyes - L'Oreal Colour Riche Crayon Le Khol (Midnight Black)
L'Oreal Miss Manga Mascara
Lips - Clinique Chubby Stick (Mighty Mimosa)

So as you can see from this look this is not something I would generally post but I thought for the sake of being real I would show you a more casual look which is far less high maintenance than usual. And if you're not too keen on this look...well... I was comfy at least!

As always guys I enjoy hearing from you, I'd love to see your off duty, casual looks for lounging, studying or just lazing. Drop me a comment below, catch me on Twitter or you can keep up to date with my latest posts on Bloglovin

H.Elizabeth

Beauty Staples | Lifes Little Must Haves

It came to my attention recently that I have shamefully enough not yet shared the beauty bloggers ritual of ritual post, sharing with you my beauty staples! So today I have got off my lazy hind and decided to share with you a few of my favourite products I simply could not be without!

Since January I have aimed to try something new every month and I have introduced a few new products into my daily routine and they have become my little life must haves and they get me through my day, as sad as that may sound!

Beginning with my absolute and 100% must have, my L'Oreal Infallible Lasting Perfection Foundation in Porcelain. I struggled for a very long time to find my perfect foundation which didn't dry out my skin, look too cakey or worse still give the dreaded oompa loompa effect! As you might have guessed 'Porcelain' is the lightest colour the foundation comes in, perfect for me really and thankfully it doesn't dry out my skin!

My eyes are my favourite feature so there are a couple of things I feel I must must do everyday in order to enhance them. I recently bought a brand new eyeliner in the form of L'Oreal's Colour Riche eyeliner pencil in Midnight Black and it is so so much better than my previous eyeliner brands. First of all the pencil doesn't break very easily, the colour glides in so smoothly and doesn't come off in clumps on my eye (I have use some terrible eyeliners!) and lastly it is such a gorgeous black colour and doesn't come off grey.

Next I have my Burts Bees Lip Balm, which some of you may know I got as part of Glamour's Beauty Box last month. I suffer from incredibly dry lips and needed something as a miracle base for my lipstick/gloss to glide smoothly over and by jove I have found it. The beauty box gave me the mint Burts Bees balm but they come in all kinds of flavours from pink grapefruit and honey to blueberry & dark chocolate.

Lastly and very simply my staple face moisturizer, which I have been using for years and years is the trusty old Nivea Soft Refreshingly Soft Moisturising Cream. I use this in the morning after my face scrub and in the evening after removing my make up and I have had a fairly clear skin complexion throughout the years as well as silky smooth skin.

And those are my current staple, must, must haves of the month, do share what you've been loving in the comments below or even if you share the same staples as me I'd love to hear from you. Otherwise you can catch me on Twitter or keep up to date with the latest Granite City posts on Bloglovin!

H.Elizabeth

What I Wore | An Evening with Jamie (Oliver)

Over the weekend my better half and I attended a meal with family at our local Jamie Olivers restaurant so I thought I would get that little bit more dressed up than I'm used to and share one of my rare wardrobe successes with you.

The evening demanded room for expansion (in the waistline) and a sophisticated style for a lady looking to dine in style...and grace where possible!

What I wore on my body

Vest - Black Scalloped edge vest, Topshop
Belt - Oldie, favey belt which I cannot remember where I bought it from!
Midi Skirt - Monochrome Leopard Print Midi, Internationale (new bargain buy only £3, and note the elasticated waist skillfully hidden with a clinching belt)
Tights - Supercosy Tights, Asda

What I wore on my feet

Pumps - Guilty of yet another purchase of a pair of pumps, rationalized due to the heavy rain and soaked feet I got from walking to the shopping centre! New Look £8 Sale

What I wore on my head and face

Head - Loosely curled hair with that terrible fringey bit pinned back! Although due to our rather unfortunate climate in the North East my hair ended up in a high pony by our main course!
Face - Attempting a more 'natural look'
L'Oreal 24hr Infallible Make up (Porcelain)
Collection's Lasting Perfection Concealer (new love, in fair)
Eyes - Trying to go easy on the eyes too!
L'Oreal Colour Riche Pencil (Black)
L'Oreal Miss Manga Mascara (Black)

Thankfully, I didn't bloat, my hair looked fab in it's restyled makeshift pony pinned up in the lovely bathrooms of Mr Oliver and overall I had a lovely evening. Hopefully the lack of make up will come back to me in a good way, I've been drinking more water, moisturizing religiously, exfoliating everyday and attempting to get more sleep, so my skin better thank me for my near naked face!

I hope you have enjoyed the first March 'what I wore' post of the Granite City Girl blog, I'd love to see your recent bargain buys and fashion finds as of late, so be sure to drop me a comment below, catch me on Twitter or if you like what you've read so far, keep up to date with my latest post on Bloglovin!

H.Elizabeth

What I Wore | Aztec Affair

So today I thought I would share yet another what I wore post with you, but I was very excited about this one in particular as it features my brand new sale ASOS dress which was a bargain at only £7.50!

What I wore on my body

 Dress - B/W Aztec Print Dress, Asos (love love love)

Belt - An oldie, unfortunately I cannot remember where it is from (Sorry guys!)

Tights - Supercosy Cotton Tights, ASDA

What I wore on my feet

Pumps - Bow Glitzy Pumps which you have seen before, New Look

What I wore on my face and head

Hair - Voluminous lightly curled and pulled to the side (apologies for the roots!)

Face- Benefit Porefessional Pore Minimiser
L'oreal 24hr Infallible Make up (Porcelain)
Collection 2000 Pressed Powder (Ivory)
Eyes - Max Factor Khol Eyeliner Pencil in Charcoal Black
MUA Browns Trio Eyeshadow
Clinique High Impact Mascara
Lips - Burts Bees Lip Balm

What I wore around my neck

Necklace - A beautiful gift I received for my 14th or 15th birthday, stunning heart shaped locket with an art deco pattern. Can't seem to take this off at the moment I'm really loving it.

 I hope you've enjoyed this edition of 'what I wore' I love hearing your comments, seeing your latest fashion endeavors or even just general blogger feedback!

As you all know today marks the end of February, so stay tuned for my latest best buy post coming in the next few days along with some latest beauty product reviews, from the likes of Philosophy, Garnier and Dove.

If you like that and more you can keep up to date with my posts on Bloglovin or keep up to date with just me on Twitter

What I Wore | Another Manic Monday

Hello there, thought I would share with you yet another wardrobe post just for an easy beginning of the week read. Fun fact, beleive it or not the 'top' I'm wearing below used to work as a dress! Damn those milky ways...

What I wore on my body

Top/Dress -Navy blue ruffle vest, Topshop

Trousers - Black 'harem' esque trousers, River Island

What I wore on my feet

Biker Boots - Black Leather Lace Up's, Brantano Footwear

What I wore around my neck

Necklace - Blue Floral Jewelled Necklace, Accessorize

What I wore on my head and face

Head - Loose volumised curls, Babyliss Curling Wand

Face- Benefit Porefessional Pore Minimiser
L'oreal Infallible 24hr Make up (Porcelain)
Collection 2000 Pressed Powder (Ivory)
Eyes - Max Factor Khol Eyeliner Pencil in Charcoal Black
MUA Silvers Trio Eyeshadow
Clinique High Impact Mascara
Lips - Burts Bees Lip Balm

As you can probably tell from my other recent 'what I wore' posts my babyliss curling wand has been my best friend as of late, my favourite way to wear my hair is in loose curls and perhaps now that the weather is ever so slightly warmer I might just be more motivated to get up earlier to recreate this look.

Of course if you follow me on Twitter you'll know that I am currently on the hunt for some good texturising salt spray I think it would add a good look to my hair in the Summer when my highlights come in and I can feel human again, so if  you have any recommendations be sure to drop me a comment below, catch me on Twitter or if you'd just like to see more of me in the future you can follow my posts on Bloglovin

H. Elizabeth

What I Wore | Feeling French

Recently I've been feeling as if I've hit a sort of wardrobe rut, nothing I seem to put on is giving me the usual confidence boost that comes hand in hand with a great outfit. However this day the clouds parted and I, for the first time in weeks found an outfit I remained happy for throughout the day.

What I wore on my body

Top - 'Tres Jole' Cropped top, H & M
Dress - Black Tube Dress, Topshop
Tights - Super Cosy Cotton Tights, Asda

 What I wore on my feet

Boots - Leather and Suede effect heeled boots, H&M

What I wore on my head and face

Hair - Voluminous lightly curled and pulled to the side (All time favourite hairstyle)

Face- Benefit Porefessional Pore Minimiser
L'oreal Infallible Make up (Porcelain)
Collection 2000 Pressed Powder (Ivory)
Eyes - Max Factor Khol Eyeliner Pencil in Charcoal Black
MUA Browns Trio Eyeshadow
Clinique High Impact Mascara
Lips - Burts Bees Lip Balm

What I wore on my ears (This is a new one!)
Black teardrop earrings, a gift from my mum.

I was very chuffed that I was having a good hair day, these are few and far between and for it to fall on a day where I was also having a good wardrobe day seems improbable but there you have it. I hope you've enjoyed this 'what I wore' post I feel like my wardrobe blues may finally be at an end!

As usual I love hearing from you so drop me a comment below, catch me on Twitter or if you just can't get enough, follow me on Bloglovin.

H.Elizabeth

What I Wore | Feeling Theatrical

As many of you know, at the weekend I went to see Ghost the musical and had a fantastic time, usually I find it difficult to find a nice yet comfortable outfit to sit for about 3 hours in. So since I feel Saturday was a wardrobe success I thought I would share my look with you.

What I wore on my body

Playsuit - Crochet lace appearing play-suit, Zara
Tights - Super cosy cotton tights, Asda

What I wore on my feet

Boots - Leather and Suede effect heeled boots, H&M

What I wore on my head and face

Hair -Twisted hair sections pinned back, fringe quiffed (fantastic style for vision!)

Face- Benefit Porefessional Pore Minimiser
L'oreal Infallible Make up (Porcelain)
Collection 2000 Pressed Powder (Ivory)

Eyes - Various from Urban Decay's Naked 2 Palette 

MUA Cream coloured shadow
Max Factor Khol Eyeliner Pencil in Charcoal Black
Clinique High Impact Mascara

Lips - Nivea Moisturising Lip Balm
MUA Red Lippy (not sure of name!)

What I wore around my neck

Deserving of a section all alone is my lovely Art Deco necklace given as a Christmas gift from my grandma a few years ago. I love this necklace as a statement piece especially when paired with a plain white vest, dress or regular top, as I feel it makes quite a bold contrast, especially when you're as Casper as I am!

Well I hope you enjoyed this edition of 'What I Wore' as usual your comments are more than welcome, if you'd like to keep up to date follow me on Bloglovin' or of course you can always catch me on Twitter

H.Elizabeth

What I Wore | Ladies Who Lunch

This week has been quite eventful for days out and a busy social calendar, so I am going to share my Thursday luncheon look with you, what one would wear to a casual afternoon of Brazilian food and fine company.

What I wore on my body

Vest- Black Plain, Forever 21
Blouse- Sheer White, Topshop
Bottoms- Dark Blue Jeggings, Sparkle & Fade, Urban Outfitters (Stretchy as a necessity!)

What I wore on my feet

Flats- Grey & Silver Bow Pumps, New Look (New Addition)

What I wore on my head and face

Hair- Minnie Mouse Bow Bun (See Previous How To Post) 
Ears- Faux pearl earrings (my go to pair)
Face- Benefit Porefessional Pore Minimiser
L'oreal Infallible Make up (Porcelain)
Collection 2000 Pressed Powder (Ivory)
Eyes- Urban Decay's 'Rehab' Cream Shadow
MUA Cream coloured shadow
Max Factor Khol Eyeliner Pencil in Charcoal Black
Clinique High Impact Mascara
Lips- Nivea Moisturising Lip Balm

As I discovered later on in the evening I was happy to be wearing VERY stretchy jeggings as I ate my weight in Brazilian food! Anybody else have a special pair of eating bottoms?!

 As always I appreciate any and all comments from you lovely people and if you want to chat with me a bit more reach me on Twitter and you can keep up to date with me on Bloglovin

H.Elizabeth