My Summer Edit - the Chanel Inspired Shoes

Happy Friday everyone! Hope you all had a fab week & are excited for the weekend ahead! 

Today's post is all about my bargain buy this Summer - they are these beautiful Chanel inspired kitten heel pumps! 

I am normally a 6 inch heel kind of girl & have rarely worn kitten heels but I am loving them recently! As soon as I saw the black fabric & beige suede beauties I just had to get them. I spotted this one & only pair & they were in my size so it was def. meant to be! I found them in my all time favourite Penneys! 

I honestly think they look so designer - it really was hard to believe they were from Penneys. The best part is I tried them on, fell in love & got to the checkout where the girl tells me the shoes are reduced to 5 euro!!! 😍 I really thought these babies were part of the new season collection but I had never seen them at full price in any of the Penneys stores. You can trust me when I say I have been in a lot of the stores in the past couple of months & had never seen them! 

Not sure why they would have been reduced because the style & colour combo is so classic - I just love them! 

These are the real designer shoe - so similar! 

actual Chanel pumps!

I am normally not so good with shoes that have the backs out but I wore these in Kildare Village yesterday & walked around for a couple of hours & I was fine. They are just so pretty & dainty! 

I styled mine with my black River Island Molly jeans, a basic black top & my Jasper Conran cream coat. I just wanted to keep the look classic & the only other colour I added to the palette was gold metal details - in my handbag, Gucci inspired belt & in my jewellery. I even wore my black sunglasses which are also from Penneys! 

This was my OOTD for the opening of Michael Kors at Kildare Village! For more pics of my day at Kildare Village check out my Instagram at thestyleflamingos. I met some of my fav.

bloggers there too! 😆 The fab Erika from Retro Flame & her Sister Kaelin - they were so sweet!

So there you have it guys my little Summer bargain - not sure if there will be any left in stores now but def. worth a look if you like this style too! I picked mine up about 2 weeks ago in Penneys on Mary Street, Dublin. 

Love the shoes your in 😉 

Arlene xx 

Autumn Style - The Penneys Olive Green Shirt Dress

Happy Sunday my lovelies!

This is just a short post on last night's dress - I posted a pic on instagram & I have received a lot of messages about it!

I was heading to a family meal last night & I said the usual to my Husband "I have nothing to wear!" (first world problems & all!!!!) I was in Liffey Valley then yesterday afternoon & I hit my reliable Penneys for a last min. outfit. They have a lot of their A/W collection on the shelves now so there was so many beautiful autumnal shades & styles to choose from.

I ended up selecting the olive green shirt style or button front short sleeve dress. I adored the colour & the light fabric & short sleeves made it the perfect transitional outfit! I was saying on my insta stories last night that the Liffey Valley store only had two dresses left in a size 10 & a size 12. I thought the 12 was a little too big around the shoulders so I went with the 10. However, it does run a little tighter around the tummy & leg area so if you don't want it too fitted or the slit in the front too high then I would suggest going up one size just to have that more comfort fit.

I think the style of dress that it is can be worn a little oversized if you want to! I absolutely loved mine & I really like the little tie belt detail which helps to cinch in the waist. The v cut neckline is so flattering especially if you are like me & you have bigger boobs!! The short sleeve is again flattering covering the tops of your arms & my all time favourite element on this dress is the tortoise shell style buttons all down the front.

This detail really is a feature on the dress & gives it an overall more expensive vibe. This one is only Eur18 so it's a bargain at that price! I themed mine with tortoise shell earrings also from Penneys for Eur4. The tortoise shell accessories & features on clothes is going to be a massive trend for A/W 2018.

 

I styled mine with tan suede heels which were last years' from Penneys too! I love the slightly over the knee length of the dress - it just gives that super chic vibe!

I'm in love with this shade of green - theme it with gold's & tans & its a beauty! You could make it a more casual look with some studded ankle boots or if the sun comes back out a nice tan sandal or wedge!

 

 

Leaving the house it was a little chilly so I threw my Penneys mustard suede jacket (also last years') over my shoulders to complete the look! It was raining too so I needed cover!

 

 

A tan suede or black leather jacket would also look cute with this outfit! So there you have it ....Saturday nights' look all from my beloved Penneys!

PS - I was only five mins late for dinner - an all time record for me LOL

I have shared my Sunday life inspiration over on my instagram this morning, so if you haven't already go over & have a read! (@thestyleflamingos).

I hope everyone enjoys the rest of their Sunday & is excited for a fabulous brand new week ahead!

Lets make it a good one!

Love

Arlene

x

My Summer Edit - Skincare Favourites

Happy Wednesday everyone! Hope you all enjoyed the bank holiday weekend! x

Today I am chatting about my favourite skincare products that I have been using this Summer.

First up I love a good facial exfoliator, especially in Summer when you find that your skin is dry or dehydrated. I use so many different products but one of my favourites is Liz Earle Gentle Face Exfoliator. I love Liz Earle skincare & this one is just fab - you just apply all over your face & gently massage in circular motions & then rinse away with warm water. This leaves your skin feeling so soft, refreshed & hydrated. All the Liz Earle skincare range smells so beautiful - you feel like you are having a spa facial at home!

Liz Earle products are a little more pricey but definitely worth it! You can pick this one up in Boots for Eur21.50 They do often have this product in the brand duo sets, so watch out for those as you will get to try two of their products for a little less!

As for cleansers, I have tried & tested so many & I do like a lot of different products, so I am not what you would call 'brand loyal' to any product in particular. Right now I am literally obsessed with the L'Oreal Facial Cleansing Oil. I would have thought cleansing oils would leave your skin greasy & tacky but this one really doesn't do that! It is such an amazing product - you only need a pump or two of product on each use & apply all over the face & neck, then use a muslin cloth with hot water to remove all of your make up! It literally melts your make up (mascara & all!!) with one wipe of the dampened muslin cloth.

I love a facial wash cleanser but would have resisted using them with any consistency as having to wash your face with product & remove every morning & night would put me off!! I know I am so lazy!! 😛

However as this cleansing oil is so quick & easy it has become my go to cleanser for the last 4/6 weeks! Every evening it takes me two mins & all of my make up is completely gone. It's magical - cannot recommend this one enough! The best part is that it leaves your skin feeling so soft & beautiful. It is such a clean fresh feeling - exactly what you want from a cleanser.
This one costs approx. Eur16  - its not the cheapest cleanser but genuinely this has been my longest lasting cleanser ever - simply because you need so little of the product! I have only used 1/4 of the bottle & I am heavy handed with all of my products! I actually picked this up reduced for under Eur10 in Ryan's Pharmacy in Edenderry - so keep an eye out in the sales in pharmacies for this one! It is def. worth a try - I'm in love anyway!! Check out my Skincare highlights on instagram @thestyleflamingos to see me using it!

Another cleanser I use a lot when I want to just use a creamy cleanser that takes make up off while chilling on the couch (multi - tasking at its best!) is the L'Oreal Fine Milk in Rose & Jasmine. The one I use is for dry & sensitive skin so this one really nourishes your face! It's so creamy & moisturising but the only thing is I do use a lot of product. I am still a big fan of this one & it is really handy when travelling or going away! Another bargain product as this one is approx. Euro 7. I always have a bottle of this in my skincare drawer.

Following a cleanse its nice to use a toner to close in the pores. One I reach for at the moment is the L'Oreal Fine Flowers toner. This one is the match of the Fine Milk cleanser! It lasts soooo long too as you really use so little on each application. It's a lovely soft toner that does not leave your skin feeling dry & tight like some toners do! I really like this one & again it's a great price at approx. Euro 7 - so def. worth giving it a go. You can get L'Oreal products in most pharmacies & in Boots!

Now for the moisturiser I been yapping on about over on my snaps & insta! This really is a bargain moisturiser and when I say bargain, I mean 'BARGAIN'! at only Eur2.99 from Aldi! I know that some people are very particular about their skincare & might feel better if they pay expensive for skincare & of course that's ok too! I normally buy skincare that's a chemist brand or at most a mid - tier price range luxury product - it really is a personal choice though!

A couple of months ago I needed a new moisturiser & I just saw the Lacura brand products in my local Aldi store so I said I would just give it a go! The one I picked up was Lacura Soy Restorative night cream & only realised when I got home that the box says its for 'mature skin' with a recommended age group of 45-60+! Now I am not quite there just yet LOL!! but I said I would give it a go so I am using it ever since & absolutely loving it!

Now there is a wide range of these Lacura products & there is one that is labelled anti - wrinkle cream and it is for an age range of 30 - 50 so I might try this one too.

Anyway about the one I picked up - this is a night cream with a special collagen booster! Anything that gives a collagen boost is my friend! I need this kind of boost & this product feels thick, luxurious and beautiful on your skin. I actually look forward to taking my make up off or cleansing my skin & applying this night time cream. You can just feel it sinking into the skin & it feels like its really working! I honestly feel my skin the next day looks different - somewhat better! It is def. plumping my skin & I have only been using this for the past two weeks. The box states that when used regularly this product optimizes the skin's structure, improves skin elasticity & helps to reduce fine lines. It honestly sounds like magic cream doesn't it? It contains a high quality anti - ageing complex which promotes the regeneration of skin during the night. It also contains Hyaluronic Acid which helps to support skins moisture. It really is a fabulous product & for the price I honestly can't believe it!

There are other day time creams & multi intensive serums available in the range too so I will definitely be picking these up & I will keep you posted on these items too.

So finally before bed I like to apply a lip balm & at the moment I am using Elizabeth Arden 8 hour cream - now you can use this cream for many purposes but I love it on my lips - it feels amazing & it really helps with dry lips. I would suffer from dry lips a lot especially wearing many matte lipsticks & this has really saved me this Summer. As you will see from the pic I use this a lot & I will definitely re purchase as I am a big fan.

So that's my evening skin care routine at the moment & I have been using all of these products this Summer & I am in love - I will def. repurchase all of them when I run out!

I think whatever products you choose to use, make sure they suit your skin type & just use the products consistently so that you will see results. I think you def. need to use things for a number of weeks before you will see any difference in your skin. To be honest I try my best with my skincare but of course there will be nights when I hit the pillow with my make up on which is so not good for my skin but I try to keep these nights to a minimum (it has to be said those nights might just include wine!!) I try to be good usually LOL!!

Anyway, I hope you find tonight's post useful & do let me know if you pick up any of the recommended products or if you have been using any of these already! I would love to know how you get on with them!

Hope everyone has a fabulous week ahead!

Love the skin your in! x

Arlene x

My Summer Edit - & Other Stories Summer Dress

Happy Wednesday lovelies! 

Hope you all enjoyed last weeks' beauty recommendations to kick start my Summer Edit blog series!

Today's post is a fashion post! & as Miranda said in 'The Devil Wears Prada' "florals.....for Spring/Summer........"groundbreaking!"" 😛 This dress is a floral summer dress, maybe not "groundbreaking" 😆 but I personally consider florals a must for any summer wardrobe, even the Fashion Guru that is Miranda Priestly needs to accept that! Fashion trends are repetitive as if something works why change it! So florals are here to stay for the S/S essentials! 

After seeing the fabulous Pippa O' Connor wearing this beautiful & Other Stories summer dress, I was in love! I had a look at their website & the week I happened to be browsing there was an early summer sale on & this beauty was included in the sale, so happy days! I just had to order it! 😏

Pic from @pipsy_pie instagram

 It was originally €89 & I got it reduced to €54 #summersteal! 

Before ordering I saw that a friend of mine had ordered it & it looked amazing on her too - I asked her advice on sizing & she had said size down. As this is a wrap dress, I find that they have the potential to run on the bigger side so I went with the advice & went for a size down. I am normally a size 10 in most things but I ordered this wrap dress in a size 8 (& guys I am not a size 8!!) & there is honestly plenty of room in it. So if you are ordering probably go down one size just to get that nice fit. The dress has a light tie detail around the waist which you can tie to the front or the back depending on how you like it! The waist tie is also great if you feel the dress is a little big as it helps to cinch the waist in! 

Also to note as it's a wrap it can sweep into a low cut V on top (at the chest) so I added a pin in mine so that I wouldn't show off anything I didn't want to LOL. You can wear it low, add a pin or use some double sided tape to hold into place! So lots of options for that - again depending how you want to wear yours! You could also add a little strappy top underneath either!

I absolutely adore the summer florals & the bright colour palette just screams summer sun! It has long sleeves with elasticated wrist cuffs but as the fabric is so beautiful & light it is still airy & breathable. It is midi length which is so flattering on any height - as I am 5' 4' I find the length really nice with flats or heels. I know, I know, I said flats & anyone who knows me well knows that I don't wear flats too often. However, my summer wardrobe contains a lot more flats with sandals etc. than my A/W wardrobe. Im just ok with summer footwear - its a 'me' thing!! 😆

I wanted to show you a couple of ways to style this one. I have worn this lots since I bought it - the price per wear is literally zero at this point! The ruffle wrap dress is so versatile it really can be dressed up or down. I wore mine with flip flops for a casual day time look & it looked bright & bold but still relaxed & summery. I was going to a hen lunch last weekend & I was intending to put a wedge with it just to give my legs a little more length for a more dressy occasion. However, the weather did not play ball & to be honest it was worse than just cool & breezy - we had the dreaded rain! So I went with an open toe shoe boot which I wore in a biscuit shade still maintaining a neutral colour around my feet as there are lots of colours in the dress.

Wait for it - it was actually cold too - in July!! (#Irishsummer is back!).So I had to add a jacket so I themed the dress with a black leather jacket - this one is from Penneys years ago - one of those 'gold' Penneys purchases!! As the jacket is light I added a dress scarf to give me warmth & to add texture - imagine I needed the scarf in the summer - hence my facial expression here!! 😏😎

Anyway I think I got away with it! It really showed me how easy it was to dress it down. So if you are wondering where you will wear it - the places are endless! 

Now to also show you styling it up, it is even more simple - add a nude or basic heel & you are ready for a meal out with himself or the girlies! It's that easy. I have styled mine here with the Valentino inspired nude patent heels from Penneys. I bought mine last year but they are constantly restocking these sell out beauties! So check out Penneys stores nationwide.

Just to finish I wanted to add that the key to styling this one is to keep everything else simple & basic. The only accessorises I wore last week were these gorgeous tortoise shell earrings from Penneys - Im in love - can you believe these are Penneys?! These are in their A/W collection & are in stores now. 

Now to finish finish ......I hope you liked today's post & for anyone wanting to add this beauty to your wardrobe you can now pick it up for .....................drum roll............. 27 EURO IN THE SALE - link here https://www.stories.com/en_eur/sale/all-sale/product.ruffled-wrap-dress-yellow.0574735003.html.

I don't usually say this but you would be mad not to get it! - at this price they are basically giving it away. If you sign up as a new customer you can also get an extra 10% off so that essentially covers your postage if you are in Ireland! 

This would be perfect in the early Autumn wardrobe too as it does have some raspberry & deep green leafy colours in there - add your leather jacket & a scarf with ankle boots before it's too chilly & you have a winner! 

Happy shopping everyone! If you do purchase & get this ultimate summer bargain tag me in your pictures on Instagram & use #thestyleflamingos so I will see all of your lovely snaps!

Love 

Arlene 

x