Eyebrows make a face...

This is me, circa 2005 (probably at Nasty Fest in Leeds (at a guess!)

I was just getting to grips with the idea that as a natural blonde, I needed to draw on my face where eyebrows should be. They were pretty much just lines:

See, lines. 

When I was finally introduced to brow sculpting, using a powder, it changed my face!

Yes my hair and glasses are different, but so are my BROWS!

Need convincing on why I do it?

This photo was taken in some poor light, I admit, but the difference between the eye brow / not the eye brow speaks for itself! 

It's not that I don't have any, I do, they're just very very sparse. I know I'm lucky, and I'm very glad I don't need to pluck / wax them, but it does get a little frustrating when I accidentally do this:

I have used Benefit Eye Brow kit in the past, but since I received this from Birchbox, I have been converted:

It has a longer wear life than the Benefit counter part. Wearing glasses means I often have half of my brow on my glasses by the end of the day!! Mind, if i need a little extra help keeping my brows in place, I spray with hairspray! 

I am an eyebrow raiser, and have a very very expressive face. It just isn't my face without some eyebrows to give it shape and structure. And this way, you can tell what I'm thinking, whether I want you to or not!!

Much love my lovelies, 

K x

Skater Dress Obsessed

I am a firm believer, that if a trend comes along that you LOVE, buy it, buy it all. Why? Because in this age of fast fashion and trend savvy buyers having winter coats on sale in August, you never know when your favourite tartan trousers, or embellished ballet pumps will be gone. 

I am feeling this way about skater dresses. Otherwise known as the fit and flare look.

My wardrobe is full of them. Heck, my blog is inundated with them!! I often face the 'skirt is too short' fear with them mind, but then STUFF THEM, and strut about regardless!

When Yours Clothing contacted me about reviewing an outfit, I loved this:

Not realising that it would be a skater fit, but with a longer skirt, for those who don't have the Stuff You Strut quite yet!

As I said, they were kind enough to offer me an outfit, and having thrown out too many flatter than flat pumps, I was keen for a shoe a little more lasting:

These were just the ticket - with a slight heel, but not a back crippling one, and a sturdy feel, I have hardly had these off my feet! I ordered my usual 8, but with the EEE fitting, a 7 probably would have done. 

I would love to pair this combo with bare legs and a jacket like this:

I have worn this dress a number of times, either for the office, or for Saturday's pottering about town. 

I've made it a 'Kathryn' outfit, by pairing with cardigans and blazers. 

The dress may not be one of the most fashion forward dresses I own, but it is a great dress, which hasn't shown signs of wear or shrinkage so far:

Little Miss Delicious Cardigan

Vintage navy nurses belt

Brogues

Worn with the belt which came with the dress

Navy Blazer from ASDA, past season

Tatty Devine Button Necklace, past season

What I'd happily wear as a simple monochrome print dress, I've been able to dress girly, or office smart. Next time, it might be with a denim jacket. Or if I get my hands on one, a pleather jacket maybe. 

This will be a staple in my wardrobe for many seasons to come I'd guess, allowing me to dress it up, down, all around, depending on the occasion!

Much love my lovelies,

K x

The dress and shoes were gifted to me, but my words and thoughts are my own. The shoes ROCK! And I'll probably end up wearing them out in a season or two! :) x

Peaches and Jeans

You may have noticed that I am very much a dress girl. A 'throw on a dress, pull on some tights, and hop out the door' girl. I like how easy it is, but at the same time, how, with my short hair, the feminine dresses are balanced out!

I have two pairs of jeans, a black jegging type, and a blue wash skinny/skinny jeans. 

But they didn't light my fire. They were my 'I need to wear jeans' jeans. 

NOT my 'I WANT to wear jeans'. 

When given the option to choose some items from the Simply Be website, I was keen to try these Slim Legged Peaches Jeans, after Bets, at Arched Eyebrow, raved about the Chloe Skinny Jeans.

I was very excited when I pulled these on, and the high waisted goodness sat at my waist, and skimmed my thighs, but weren't tight on my calves, or saggy at my knees!!

And look!! It fit this!! I opted for a 22, after an unfortunate incident with a different pair, but I might have managed to get away with 20... maybe!

I wanted to give these jeans a thorough test drive!!

The first outfit was ideal - slim jeans, Glamourosa tunic, and these pointy shoes from ASDA. A great start!

Then came another tunic, this time with a print, bright cardigan, and I was set to go! I was getting the hang of this jeans thing!

And then something a little more out of character - jeans and a tee shirt!

The jeans don't dig in, they don't slide down, they don't show under my tops. They could well be the Holy Grail of jeans!!

After three wears, my jeans were due a wash - which they did well, and no colour run, or shrinking. 

Ta-DAH!! I love my new found happiness in my jeans. I'm not going running back to jeans and a tee combo, but it's great to know my options are expanding!! 

Much love my lovelies, 

K x

These jeans were sent to me to review, but my thoughts and views are my own. 

Western Style, Take 2

Last week I published my take on the Nashville / Rodeo trend in this post. There were some interesting comments about my lack of ironing (actually laughed out loud at that one), and about the gaping buttons.

Gaping is a pet peeve of mine, when it's clear that a bigger size would solve the issue. I keep this to myself though, and certainly wouldn't go about 'gobbing off' at people who have the odd gaping button. 

At a 34J (in the bra I'd've been wearing at the time), I'm bond to have a gaping button or two, just as I happen to have in this dress:

It is a pretty, versatile, Kathryn type of dress!

I frantically tried it on:

And it wonderfully just slipped on. It is a full skirted, full on dress. (I did need to press it a little with my hair straighteners!!) 

I wore it to do Brownie Holiday preparation, and it is an easy dress to throw on, and walk out the door in. It doesn't need much styling or thought, but that is one of the reasons I love my dresses: they are a complete outfit with little planned needed!!

I'm wearing to for work today, and I did venture to make it a little different:

As you can tell, not by much! Adding a cardigan and a nurses belt does not a whole new outfit make!

The weather was dark and dreary, and this dress cheered me up. Not in an out burst of colour, clashing prints, cheery detail, but in a simple, stylish, "get me, I'm wearing something on trend and feeling GREAT!". 

I added my now trusty Barratts brogues:

And nurses belt:

And wore it with a non padded bra, and look! No gaping! It does through movement / my lanyard but can easily adjust and get on with my day!

See - Happy Kathryn looks Happy!

The Rodeo trend is one that may well be staying with us for a few months yet, and if you just want to nod your hat at it, rather than jumping straight in, give this Chambray Shirt dress from Simply Be a chance! You may be surprised!

Much love my lovelies, 

K x

This item was sent to me for review, but the views are my own.

Magnificent 7th - BBQ

I might have missed last month's challenge due to my head being somewhere else entirely, but for this month, I have a little treat for you!

I would wear this sweet, sweet heart neckline, ice cream print of a dress.

You'll have seen it on a number of bloggers, rocking the fact that it was designed by one of our own, the adorable Lauren. It was chronicled wonderfully by Simply Be, from the initial meetings, the design process and the photoshoot, so the anticipation for their range of blogger designed dresses was high. 

This dress of Lauren's was always going to be on my lust list, with the bright, vibrant, novelty print, and it's fit and flare skater cut, it sang out to me. 

I've worn this to work twice, and to an Engagement party, and it gets so much positive attention that I can't help but feel it's a positive dress, made by positive people, with a positive outcome. 

The theme of this month's Magnificent 7th is BBQ, and this dress is perfect to start during the afternoon, and take you through to the evening:

To then becoming caught on camera doing things like this SOBER:

This was on a day when I pretty much MELTED, but if it turned chilly at the BBQ, I would so much so ROCK this:

Don't forget my dears, to check out the other lovely team of Magnificent 7th, posting today, on the 7th of the month, using items already from our wardrobe!

Beth

Becky

Nicola

Gail

Kirsty

Kaye

Mary

Steph

Charley

Rebecca

Nikki

Lindsey

Christiana

Vicky

An ENCHANTING week...

I sit here, writing this an exhausted human. 

I have spent the past 2 days recovering from a 5 day (4 nights) residential with 15 girls aged 7 - 10! 

I do this for fun, as part of my volunteer work, and this year, we had a BLAST! I don't remember a year we had such a relaxed, but hectic, week. 

My highlights include grass slides at Adventure Valley in Durham:

 

Disco showers:

Wigs:

 Dresses made out of curtains:

Me and my Mam in outfits made by my Grandma!

Evil Narissa being evil:

Goat hurdles at Adventure Valley:

It was a hoot. But I am a shell. A hollow shell with more paperwork to complete to complete my assignment and get my licence to take them away again.

Much love my lovelies, 

K x