Hotter Shoe | My #HotterMoment

Hear me out guys. Okay so Hotter isn't exactly the first place which springs to mind when you hear a 20 something lady is shopping for shoes, but why not? A couple of weeks ago myself and a handful of the Abzmeet blogger gang were invited along to Hotter to hear a bit more about the business, try on all of the shoes out little hearts desired and hear just how Hotter stand a part from the crowd in a sea of stilettos!

I came away with these lovely vintage delights, recently I've been loving dressing to the nines (well lets say seven and a halves?) in my midi skirts, cincher belts and let's not forget my cat flicks, so I thought what better way to round off my look than with a pair of vintage inspired heels fresh from the 50s? Usually I have such trouble finding shoes that fit me just right, but in Hotter something just clicked, it fit my width, my length and with the help of half an insole I had my #HotterMoment or what I like to call my Cinderella moment.

I've been so enjoying wearing these with anything and everything! From a hot to trot leather midi to body con dresses and most recently to work with my ever edgy culottes, dare I say comfiest day at work ever!

All I can say about Hotter is this is a classic case of don't knock it until you've tried it, and now you can try it that much cheaper using the code PPATEN before the 30th of June for £10 off all first full price orders as well as benefiting from free delivery. May I make a small recommendation here? Buy their memory foam trainers because... HEAVEN....Heaven!

Until next time folks, go on... have your #HotterMoment.

H.Elizabeth x

Granite City Style | Bon Accord Summer Style 2016

Useless. Utterly useless. When it comes to style in summer that's really the only way you can describe a former goth kid like myself. Instead of integrating with everyone else into floral patterns, brights and tanning at the first sight of sun I'm still sat clutching my winter wares, destined for a life in dark knits, greys, varied shades of black and a summer of melting in general! So, any help, as you can imagine, is greatly appreciated, and when I saw an invitation to Aberdeen's Bon Accord Centre for their summer style showcase of 2016 I was pretty intrigued. 

Showcasing all of the hottest summer trends for this year all of my favourite brands were out in full force, everyone from Benefit and Warehouse to newbies such as Jigsaw and scotch favourite Ness, everyone had something unique to offer us for the evening. Focusing on dewy, summer skin, the beauty brands were out in force with new tanning solutions (not my cuppa), highlighters in all shades of the unicorn rainbow and of course glosses, glosses galore which I was only too happy to sample!

The fashion brands gave us such great pointers for how to combine the hottest prints and textures of the season with colour pop bags by Coach which helped me leave with oodles of fashion inspiration and a shopping list as long as my arm. I was glad to see that the brands didn't just throw the top summer trends from the magazines at us, as I feel they so often miss the mark when it comes to weather. Bon Accord were great in that they displayed coats, jackets, handbags that weren't ridiculously tiny and all of it wearable!

Overall I was pleased to find that a lot of this summers trends are pretty up my street, and hey I may even add a pop of colour if I'm feeling super daring, what are your top summer picks? Be sure to leave your summer staples in the comments below, come share them with me on Twitter, or if you just can't get enough you can catch me on Bloglovin, Instagram and Facebook! 

 H.Elizabeth x

Autumn in Aberdeen | Granite City Girls Wardrobe Staples

As you guys could probably tell by now I have pretty simple tastes when it comes to fashion, I rarely experiment with prints, bold colours or new and 'innovative' styles, which usually come in the form of sausage casing like crop tops with some terrifying looking embellishment. No I'm afraid these things are simply not for me, and you can trust me when I say I have tried, my goodness have I tried! It used to be very much that I was pretty embarrassed by my chronically monotone wardrobe thinking there must be something wrong with me before I favour black leather and a vest in summer over a floral print cropped piece of nonsense frankly! And so with that in mind I fully embraced my monotonous state and decided instead to experiment with accessories, b/w prints and fabrics with a few lovely combos as a result which I thought I would share with you today!

Simple staples of leather and leopard
If you perhaps couldn't tell from my instagram posts as late, I have been a bit obsessed with leather midi skirts, and really leather in general. Currently I own three leather midi's, my favourite at the moment is my Topshop one (as it was the first size 10 thing I was able to fit back in to!)  which has a stable leather at the front and a denim panel on the backside. I love how versatile this skirt is, you can dress it up for a night out with a crop top (which I don't do, but you could) wear it for work with a shirt or dress it down and pair it with a slouchy T shirt. In this particular pic I have paired it with my French Connection vest which is my fave at the moment, for a day at work, as you can see keeping to my monochrome theme nicely! 

Slouchy shorts and stripes
Stripes are something I ordinarily shy away from and spaghetti straps are the clothing form of demons as I hate bra straps being on display, but thankfully as I have gotten over my fear of stripes (only ever vertical though!) and got my boobs under control I was able to throw this combo together! Though looking back I do realise I look a bit like a referee. The shorts are from French Connection and they're the comfiest shorts ever, though they crease super easily! I'm looking forward again to wearing these with woolies, boots and my cosy coats!

Seventies Suede
Suede is something I have always been terrified of, but when I saw this skirt I must say it was love at first sight! When I bought this the 1970's were very 'in' as they probably aren't now, but just you wait ladies and gents they will come around again! I love pairing this with a plan black top and a statement belt namely the leopard print one in the picture. I'm looking forward to the proper Autumnal months where I can pair this with some wooly tights and ankle boots to really complete the look.

Happily leather after

Leather look leggings, oh my goodness leather look leggings, however did I live and dress before these leather look leggings!? I wear these bad boys at least twice in a week and they're so versatile and are able to jazz up any old t shirt, vest or drapey top I fancy. I love wearing them with my drapey River Island tops in particular like the one in the picture, which I usually wear a lace vest underneath. This has by far been my favourite outfit recently and I can't see that changing as the colder months storm on in as the leggings have a super warm lining and as for my 'drapey' tops I have so many sleeved ones, sleeveless ones, lacey ones there's no shortage on choice!

Fashion at times isn't my forte, and summer, as you've probably guessed really isn't my time to shine style wise, but I really hope you've enjoyed seeing some of my Autumnal wardrobe staples for the coming months and perhaps this has given you a  little bit of inspiration to dig out your own staples. If you have any thoughts or want to share some of your Autumn staples be sure to leave them in the comments below, come share them with me on Twitter, or if you'd like to see more of my efforts, endeavours and engaging content (ha!) be sure to follow Granite City Girl on Bloglovin.

Until next time folks, I'm making fashion my forte!

H.Elizabeth x

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

Happy Valentines | A love letter to my freckles

 

Oh no, not ANOTHER Valentines post! Is it a gift guide? Perhaps a post to show off my gifts and wonderful love life? Well ladies and gentlemen you're in luck, because today's post contains none of those things, because I plan on spreading the love this Valentines in a different way this year because lets face it this day of love doesn't necessarily have to mean the love we share with a spouse or boyfriend and it doesn't even have to mean the love we share with our cats (just me?) Today I instead challenge you to take the time to think about the relationship you have with yourself, your supposed flaws, kinks and quirks and embrace them for all they are. In light of this I would like to share with you  love letter to my very own 'flawed' freckly face, and just what it is I love about the skin I am in.

As you guys will probably know I am a ginger, which living in the North East of Scotland suits me just fine, we get little sun, you're more likely to get scrutinized by your face being ginger if anything and finally my legs are never out of place on a dance floor considering the sunshine epidemic, in many ways I suppose it is like living like a vampire. Of course abroad this puts me at a distinct disadvantage with sporadic sprouting freckles, unfathomable sunburn and such a thick layer of SPF 50 I'm destined to slide right off of any deck chair or sun lounger I deem fit, but don't worry I'm not about to go on a lengthy rant about genetics, because as we have just established such negativity today shall not be tolerated. So without further ado here is my very own take on the perks of being pale:

Never needing to worry about streaky/melting limbs

The only thing I want is streaky bacon thank you very much, in the past I have had friends who loved a good tan, and quite frequently I see people moping and moaning about their fake tans being ruined due to movement or rain or sweating and really that's just quite a lot of upkeep for someone like me. I won't lie and say I have always felt this way, in fact I went and got myself a tan just last year at a local salon and I have to say never again, sitting down was a chore, moving was difficult and streaks were simply unavoidable. Did I also mention that tanning with a sun bed can cause skin cancer and wrinkles? I think from now on I'll keep to the pale and interesting look!

Foundation? Does it come in Casper? Skincare products are super easy to find

Is porcelain on the menu? If yes then that's me, palest one you've got, no questions asked, and did I mention my tone is consistent come rain or shine (in our case lack thereof) I often see people sharing their latest skincare secrets or make up must haves that alter foundation wise season on season but something I pride myself upon is I will forever own the fairest foundation of them all, it is both a money and time saver!

No freckle pencil necessary

Freckles in fashion again?! As ridiculous as I do find the notion of penciling freckles on I must say when they did grace the catwalk as an aesthetic choice I beamed a little and wore mine with pride, and I didn't even have to buy a freckle pencil!

Colour clashing? I don't think so!

Being pale opens a lot of fashion and style doors too, since nothing clashes with white the only thing I really have to consider clashing with is my hair (so orange, red and yellow are mainly out of the question)

Forever the fairest of them all

Have you ever seen the pin up ladies of the 1950s, Marilyn Monroe, Dita Von Teese, Audrey Hepburn or dare I say the fairest herself Snow White? We can rock a bold red lip flawlessly, create a brilliant cheekbone with a flawless contour and even boldly go where no tan brow has gone before.

Now I know being pale comes with disadvantages the sun being one of them, but today is not a day for dwelling on the negatives and this Valentines (and you know every other day before and after) I challenge you, whether you’re a single pringle, in a new relationship or even married, try to embrace the skin you're in freckles, warts, birth marks and all. Too often do we see negativity in our midst, whether it be on the news, on social media, or even ranting in our everyday lives, it's time for a little positivity.

I know this is something a little bit different to what you might be used to seeing on Granite City Girl or you know any other blog this Valentines but I do hope you have enjoyed it. I invite you to comment below what it is you enjoy about being pale or even what you like about your tan, freckles, birth mark, body shape, personality, anything, it'd be great to share the love. Be sure to come Tweet at me to share your own perks or if you'd like to see more of my pale mug be sure to follow Granite City Girl on Bloglovin.

Until next time folks, I'll be the one without the freckle pencil.

H.Elizabeth

Granite City Girl is now on Pinterest!

Ladies and gentlemen I have a new obsession, it takes up a great deal of my time, shows me pretty things I simply can't have and is basically another way I can justify sitting on the sofa stuffing my face with doughnuts, I am talking about Pinterest. Yes some of you may say I am late to the party, but hey better late than never right?!

 

Pinning, repinning, liking, loving, let's just say it is one of my new hobbies (which is a fine way to justify laziness and procrastination) If you'd like to come find me you'll be treated to plenty of new recipes, style inspiration and motivational quotes a plenty (because who doesn't need a little kick up the bottom sometimes?) 

 

My main motivation behind joining the legion of pinners is because as some of you may know hubby and I are looking to relocate later on this year and as much as I would love to, I just don't have a head for interior design and Pinterest appears to be where the designers, interior decorators and creative heads live which so far has been glorious. Pinterest also serves as inspiration for new recipes, style ideas and of course make up tutorials, so far this is doing nothing to help my bank balance!

 

So if you would like to join me on Pinterest and waste your days away looking at all of the pretty lovelies of the world then my link is: https://www.pinterest.com/granitecityblog/ and of course as you know I love hearing from you, and I am in need of some more pinners to follow be sure to comment below with your Pinterest profile or of course as always you can catch me on Twitter or follow my weekly happenings on Bloglovin.

 

Until next time folks, I'll be pinning all of the things!

 

H.Elizabeth xx

Ooh La La | New Look Parisian Haul

This month I have been on a bit of a spending ban, well when I say spending ban I mean I tried my best, failed spectacularly and today I am justifying my splurgey tendencies with this blog post. One day we may delve a little deeper into my psyche and determine why I have such a terrible spending habit and shopaholic tendencies but today I think it would just be that bit more fun to share my recent work wear haul and purchases from New Look (which in actual fact only came to around £55!)

Looking at my wardrobe, as I'm sure we all do, I felt as if I've been in a bit of a clothing rut. Dressing mainly in a midi skirt and a floaty tee, or being really lazy and throwing on jeggings and a shirt, my working wardrobe has left much to be desired. So when the brand new New Look Parisian inspired collection came into stores earlier this month I just couldn't help myself and of course I was able to fully justify these purchases by telling myself they will come in handy for our holidays later on in the year too and of course I get to share my finds with you guys.

Monochrome Tunic Dress £14.99

This was actually something I spotted in New Looks window display, and usually I don't get along with shift / tunic style dresses or horizontal stripes for that matter (I have the fear of looking like a fashionable but chubby zebra) But this is such a lovely fit and the material is so flattering and falls just right, it doesn't exaggerate my hips as some of these dresses often do and I'm looking forward to wearing this little number to work in the colder months with some wooly tights and then taking this to Paris with me in the summer and baring all! (legs)

Striped Baggy Shirt £17.99

This isn't something I would usually go for but the softness of the material drew me in! Since buying this I have barely had it off my back and it is totally worth the price just for the comfiness and wearability of the material. I can wear this shirt with so many things, dress trousers, jeggings or even tucked into a high waisted skirt. Statement pieces you can wear with a multitude of things have got to be my favourites, which is why I almost cried when I ruined my faux leather skirt a few weeks ago!

High Neck Ribbed Crop Top £12.99

I was scared to make this purchase if I'm honest, high necked and cropped are two words which are generally not in my vocabulary, I have the uni-boob fear you see! But feeling like a daring devil I tried this on, and I was pleasantly surprised. Of course I won't be dawning this with my belly on show or with anything too risque, instead I think I'll pair this with a pair of high waisted jeans or a skirt if I'm going dressy.

Grid Check Leggings £7.00

These were on sale, and I remember eyeing them up when they were full price and thinking I just wouldn't wear them enough to jusfity their price. But now I have them I can barely get them off (and no, funny people, it's not because of my big bum!) I wear them to work, around the house, out shopping and like the shirt I love how versatile they are! Usually patterend items scare me a little bit and I only have one item that goes with them, but in this case I have been very creative with my wardrobe and lucky!

 

Given that this has been my one and only haul this month I think my loose spending ban has done me some good, but I am pleased that I was able to find such fashion gems which are all so versatile! Now all I need to do is look for some great fashion accessories to go along with them and my life will be complete (until the next haul)

 

Of course as always I'd love to hear your styling suggestions, have I perhaps missed a trick or maybe you want to point me in the direction of some similar looking items which could dessicate my bank balance even further, either way I'd love to hear your thoughts, comments and suggestions below. Of course as always you can find me loitering about on Twitter or if you'd like to keep up to date with my latests you can always find me on Bloglovin

 

Until next time folks, I'll be nursing my bank balance back to health.

 

H.Elizabeth xx

 

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

Beauty Haul | Pre Christmas Party Ready Treat

Every time I know I have to save for something I seem to spend more than ever. Having just booked our holiday for next year and with a good few birthdays and of course Christmas looming you'd think I'd exercise some self discipline! But alas it was not meant to be, unfortunately my route home happens to force me through Aberdeen's Union Square shopping centre and who can resist the twinkly lights and the special offers of their stores, especially after a long day at work AND with the cold weather coming in?!

Does anybody else do this? act as their own bank account saboteur when they know they really shouldn't? I suppose it's just my vice, I was quite restrained at one time but let's face it those days appear to be long long gone!

So now around £50 down and a good few products up, I thought I would be proactive, productive and pro product and share my latest buys with you.

Apologies for poor quality pics - teccy troubles!

Bourjois Délice de Poudre (RRP £7.99)
At the weekends especially I've been trying to experiment a little bit more with make up and of course with one of the biggest trends of the year being to perfect that Kardashian contouring routine I thought I'd give that a bash. When I was in Boots I saw this palette and thought it was perfect as a contouring and highlighting tool, stay tuned for my thoughts and review as I have yet to have a play about with it!

Eyelure Katy Perry 'Bangin Beauty' lashes (RRP £5.95)
As you'll know if you've been keeping up with my wishlists for the past couple of months I have been on the hunt for Katy Perry Party Lashes and as I think I may have missed the boat with the glitzy glam ones with the sparkles and studs I thought I would compromise and add these to my collection instead. I think these will be perfect for party season and they offer a middle ground to my current collection, as I have the Sweetie Pie lashes which are slightly shorter and a bit more sparse, I have the Lovely Lolita which look like spaced out medium lash clusters and finally I have the Feline Fierce which are long, thick, full and have a wee flick at the ends. These are a medium length full lash which as I said are a fab middle ground!

Goody Dent-Less Waves Foam Rollers (RRP £10.99)
Boots Essentials Sleep In Rollers (RRP £5.19)
My go to look when I'm dressing for a special occassion is to sit with slightly damp hair up in my massive rollers for about half an hour and then blast them with some heat to achieve that Cheryl-esque volume we all often crave. But if I'm honest I'm looking to inject a little bit of glamour and style into my everyday look so I have invested in these sleep in foam rollers to achieve this on a daily basis and to avoid heat damage to my hair. I got this idea from watching Becca Rose's vlog on how she achieved her lovely curls and volume on a daily basis and I really liked it and thought hey why not give it a bash (link to her video just below in case you are curious)
Becca Rose Video - Overnight Heatless Curls Using Primark Sponge Rollers

Tres Emme Keratin Smooth Deep Treatment Masque(£5.50)
Of course it goes without saying the Winter weather isn't often the kindest to our hair, mine for example is looking a little lack lustre, full of split ends and just feels generally damaged in the cold. And of course you can't very well experiment with your hair if it isn't in great condition (unless of course full frizz is your thing) And well Tres Emme has never let me down in the past and with the description of this item being, 'intensive rescue for unruly, frizz-prone hair. This masque deeply replenishes each strand for unbelievable salon-smoothness.' I suppose we shall just have to wait and see.

After writing this post for you guys I must say I do actually feel a little bit better about having spent so much this close to Christmas, I mean I was able to justify all of these products... right? And I just want to say before saying goodbye for the day that I do apologise for the pics for this post, perhaps Santa will bring me enough money to treat myself to some new photo taking products....

Guys once again I hope you've enjoyed this post, if you've tried any of the products above or of course if I've missed a trick please let me know in the comments below, I love chatting to you guys about new and great products on Twitter or of course if you'd just like to keep up with my latests do come find me on Bloglovin!

Until next time folks

H.Elizabeth

All Brand New | Eyebrows on Point

Hello everyone, as you may have noticed recently through my intsagram or twitter posts I have had my eyebrows done (waxed and tinted) for the first time in my life and so I thought I would share my experience of this with you and tell you how I style them on a daily basis (such an odd concept!)

On a weekend away in Dundee my friends and I decided to book in a few beauty treatments to pamper ourselves and generally have a relaxing weekend so we went to a central salon I believe it was called 'Glow' and booked in our chosen treatments, mine of course being a wax and tint. I was honestly a bit apprehensive about waxing my eyebrows as I don't have the best track record of liking make up and treatments others have done to my face in the past. But the therapist put me at ease and explained it really is the best and most effective way to get a good shape so on I went!

Since having my hair done I have had to put a bit more brow gel and powder on because my hair is so much darker so I thought I would plan a head, saving money in the long run and just have them tinted. I was a little taken a back when the therapist asked what colour I'd like of course I'd like it to match the hair on my head wasn't that logical? But then I remembered all of the ladies who appear to be sporting sharpie brows and felt slightly silly!

The colour was done within minutes, it smelt lovely not like some of the toxicy smelling dyes you sometimes get in salons and beauty establishments and thank goodness it didn't burn. I was really pleased with the colour and I honestly could have easily stopped there but I put on a brave face and had my face waxed!

The pain wasn't bad at all it was over within minutes (my brows were quite full so for others time and pain may vary) It was of course very red when it was finished but that is to be expected! So it was time for the big reveal! 

Left - Before. Right - After

Tah - Dah and I love them (when I put on the filler myself!)  I have even invested in a more expensive brow kit to maintain their shape and to save me going from fierce to fluffy! It's incredible the way that you never notice how bad something has gotten until you have it fixed, I vow to Cara Delevingne and her perfectly formed brows that I shall never let mine become so unruly and misshapen for as long as I blog!

Have you guys ever undergone professional threading, waxing, tinting and plucking or even dared to brave 'HD' brows? Drop me a comment below, come chat with me on the Twittersphere or as usual if you'd like to see my latests come find 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



Whats In My Bag Tag

It dawned on me recently that I don't think I have ever participated in a beauty blogger tag, quite a shameful act if I do say so myself, so today in true newbie fashion I thought I would make a go of the whats in my bag tag.

The Bag

My bag itself is a very very worn in leather satchel style which I have had since I started college (4 years ago) and my goodness it has served me well. I love this bag because I think it's a style that never really goes out of fashion, plus its massive so I can carry my life if I need to!
 

The Contents

Hairbrush and Hairspray:

Self explanatory really, I mean I do live in the North East of Scotland and we can't look fabulous all of the time can we!? I'm prepared for practically everything!

Crazy Cat Diary:

Sometimes I have trouble managing my time / remembering peoples birthdays so this is my life saviour. I get a mid year to mid year diary as I hate starting one in January, it was very handy as a student.

Leopard Print Notebook:

My blogger book! Should inspiration strike, and sometimes it does at awkward times of the day, I don't want to scribble on my hand, so this does the trick.

Green Elephant Purse (Urban Outfitters):

As much as you're not meant to and as bad luck as it's supposed to be, I bought this myself. Nobody knows how to buy me a gift like me and it's a bit tatty now and my poor elephant is going a funny colour but it serves me well.

Dior Glasses Case + Glasses:

Hello four eyes! Yes I wear glasses, I understand its from years at the cinema and sitting to close to a computer screen, but hey at least I can pull of Geek Chic without those awful false frames. Don't sit too close to the television kids!

Marc Jacobs Lola Perfume:

I have adopted this as 2014's signature scent. Mine at least. Years I feel I lusted after this sweet, flowery scent and now it's mine, my precious if you will and I wouldn't be a day without it.

Bottle of Evian:

A practicality if anything, it saves me gorging on yet ANOTHER bottle of fizz and helps for my long walks to work in the mornings. God forbid if I forget it I'm a sweaty mess after my journey!

And that's me, what do you guys carry in your bag that's maybe a little bit different? Eccentric even? I'd love to hear your crazy bag tag!

If you'd like to see me do another blogger tag or if you simply want to say hello, drop me a comment below, catch me on the Twittersphere or if you want to keep up to date with my latest and greatest catch them all 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

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 | 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

Valentines Day - A Granite City Romance

Happy Valentines Day everyone, today I thought I'd do something a little bit different to the traditional 'valentines day look' blog post and instead tell you a bit more about my own love life in the form of documenting my relationship milestones in photographs thus far. 

Going Courting: Year 1

First things first, Nick and I met a fairly generic way in a bar in Summer...while he was clad in lycra and dressed as one of the greatest cult superheroes of all time, Spider-man. Indeed I love the eccentric and meeting a man in dressed lycra, on a Summers night, for no particular reason...well naturally this was a pairing that was meant to be (plus the comical link of Spider-man and redhead Mary Jane)

Going Steady: Year 2

This year Nick and I came a long way in our relationship, as a very talented watch maker I received the most thought out and personal gift, a custom watch as you can see above (he's a difficult gift giver to top!) For our first anniversary we hired bikes and embarrassingly Nick taught me how to ride one... (when I say I'm a city girl I mean it in the most literal sense) And on another milestone, we took our first couples holiday to Rome. City of romance and rejection I'm afraid (My attire wasn't appropriate enough for his highness the pope..oops) But lovely none the less the Trevi Fountain is on my list of top favourite romantic places.

Going Down the Aisle: Year 3

Last year marked one of the best years of my life as you can probably guess. On taking a trip to London for our anniversary Nick proposed in the only way I would have expected, while we were eating pizza and he was dressed as Spider-man. Best holiday ever! (to end on a high I'll tell you the top right pic is us at the Rocky Horror Picture Show)

And here are some of the other bits in between

I hope everyone else is having as fab a Valentines day as I am, I look forward to the next 3 years worth of milestones Nick and beginning the rest of my life with him as from August this year.

How have you guys been spending your Valentines Day, drop me a comment below, send me a Tweet or if you want to keep up with my posts follow me on Bloglovin

H.Elizabeth

Barry M's Matte Nail Paint

Nail polish is my vice, I'm not good at putting it on, taking it off and I have not yet mastered the art of the non smudged manicure! Nevertheless I am a sucker for the latest and greatest in nail polish, I have the lacquers, gels, glitters, chameleon, neon...all of the things, so it was no surprise that when Barry M released their latest matte finish nail polish, it was at the top of my wishlist and I was near first in line at Boots.

On going to purchase the polish I was still undecided about the colour to go for, so far their matte range has 5, and I was swithering between their gorgeous (what looked like) deep red and their grey colour called 'vanilla' Eventually I settled on their red 'crush' I figured if I'm going to go Matte I may as well make a statement about it!

 Here is what the paint looks like on, apologies for the shabby handiwork and camerawork actually! On brushing the colour across my nail the polish at first appeared to be a deep deep burgundy colour, which is what I was expecting. However when it dried, and it dried surprisingly fast, it turned into a sort of Matte plum colour which I was even more chuffed with!

I really like the alternative grunge look it offers your fingers over the hi-shine or glitter ones that I am used to especially since I haven't been feeling particularly Summery with this dreich weather we've all been suffering through!

So I hope you've enjoyed my take on Barry M's Matte Nail Paint, I'm off out to get another in my next haul!

 As per I love to hear from you so drop me a comment, catch me on Twitter or if you just can't get enough, follow me on Bloglovin where you can keep up to date with my latest and greatest Granite City posts.

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

Minnie Mouse Bow Bun | How To

So if there are any girls out there who, like me, are still chasing that elusive dream of Disney-like hairstyles, fear not help is at hand in the form of a Minnie Mouse-esque bow bun!

Usually my attempts to play around with my hair and throw together a hairstyle (a myth I assure you!) go awry and ordinarily end with me clutching my hair in two frizzy clumps on either side of my head and ultimately throwing it into a bobble and having done with it!

However one day, and one day only, the clouds parted and my misfortune melted away temporarily as one of my hairstyles turned to be a giant success and yes, you guessed it I achieved the Minnie Mouse 'Bow Bun'

In celebration of my mass achievement I would like to share with you my 3 step guide to achieving the Minnie Mouse Bow Bun.

You will need:
 1 Regular Hair Bobble
Lots of bobby pins
A tin of hairspray
Patience

Step 1:  Begin by taking your hair as high as possible on your head and put it through a bobble once as normal, then bring it around a second time but do not pull all of the way through. (This will create a mini loop as you can see from the picture on the left)

Step 2: Using the loop of hair you have just created, split this in two using your fingers to create two even loops (they may look a bit messy, this is normal) Form these loops into two rounded hair buns using your hands (where the patience comes in handy)

Step 3: Using your hair pins, pin both of the buns into place (as many as you feel necessary) To get your middle section, you should still have a wee bit extra from where you left your loop, take that around the front, and secure with more pins! 

Finally spray with as much hairspray as you see fit and you're done!

I hope you have enjoyed my first ever how to post, to keep updated follow me on Bloglovin or send me a Tweet!

H.Elizabeth