March 2017 - Rachel Ellen

Wednesday 29 March 2017

Vintage Jewellery Box

In August 2016, on a trip to Lyme Regis, I spotted this little jewellery box in a vintage shop.

Ignoring all my inner complaints about what ghosts it might bring into my house (stop watching scary films Rachel) I decided to get it.







I think it's such a beautiful little box that makes a really nice addition to my bedroom when so many online fashions are light colours and minimalism. The deep colours of it really make it stand out. And I really love all the different ways of getting into it.

A well loved little box that is going to get a lot more use out of it!

Do you have any little vintage pieces in your room?

Thanks for reading,

Rachel xx

Thursday 23 March 2017

Sleek Make-Up Review

Today, I wanted to write about a couple of make up bits that I've had for a little while and think they are well worth the money. They are both by the brand Sleek which I'd never had any products from them before so it was exciting to try!

First, the Sleek highlighter palette in solstice. So many bloggers have spoken about this palette and it does live up to expectation. It was a little more than I expected, at £10 it seems pricey for a cheap brand, but you do get 4 colours.

Superdrug website describes the product as "This versatile face and body highlighting palette suits all skin tones and includes two baked powders, one luxurious cream formula and one silky shimmer powder."

The two baked powders are my favourite, I always get compliments when I use the purple one, although it is a bit strong and glittery. I like to save it for evening wear now. 

The cream one is really nice for under your eyebrows. I've had this palette for a few months now and used it plenty, but look at the products, they don't look like I've touched them! I couldn't imagine this EVER running out.

The other product is the Matte Me lip cream in the shade Shabby Chic



It's a really pretty mauve shade and was only £5, it's super matte and long lasting, but is incredibly drying. Anyone with particularly dry lips shouldn't try this.


I made a video of the lip cream on, please ignore the state of my lips, but this is over a lip balm and still quite drying and tacky, but minimal printing.




Sleek does seem to be a good affordable brand and I'm really pleased with my purchases!

Have you ever bought anything from Sleek? What do you think of their products?

Thanks for reading,

Rachel xx

Sunday 19 March 2017

An Ode to Winter

Tomorrow is the first day of Spring (woohoo!) We're getting much more daylight, the occasional sunny day and a little warmth in our lives, which I am loving!

So I thought, in an ode to Winter, I would just show off a couple of pairs of boots I've got this year that I loved, before they go in to cupboard until colder days (actually they won't, I love to wear boots all year round but you get the idea)

For a couple of years I'd been wearing the same brown and black pairs of boots, I adored them like my own children but they had holes in, I had to keep colouring one of my brown ones in with sharpie (I'm a student, don't judge). So new boots were in order this winter.

First, my boots that I got for my birthday in November. My khaki green Timberlands, as soon as I saw them I was totally in love, though they have taken some effort to wear them in properly, the inside at the back isn't the best shape, for the price that's not really ok. But I still love them






Next, a very recent buy, these beauties were in the New Look sale for £12 which I thought was amazing, they're wide fit and pretty comfy, although, in future I need to remember to take pictures before various evening escapades that involve drink splashes :(




Winter, it has to be said, I will almost miss you. But I will dread your arrival once again. In the mean time, summer, can you be a little less disappointing?

Sunday 5 March 2017

International Women's Day

Wednesday is international women’s day. As a 23 year old female, I feel I might actually be on my way from a girl to a woman (you know like when a stranger refers to you as a lady #sogrownup).

There are a lot of women in my life that have made a huge difference to me, family and friends included.

But I thought I’d talk today about Hayley Williams of Paramore and why she was important during my teenage years in my growing into a woman, and maybe some of you can relate.



I was about 13/14 when I became a fan of Paramore, and that Misery Business hair style.

I didn’t learn about feminism and the deeper things of being a woman in my teenage years, in fact I was pretty unaware of gender inequality still existing, which is sweet really.

For a while, I didn’t really know how Hayley Williams could be someone I could look up to, I was never going to be a singer (I sing like I’m being stood on)

But being a fan of Paramore and of Hayley Williams, taught me not to be afraid of being a girl. She always had mad hair styles and colours, she had crazy make up and cool clothes. She wore skirts and dresses but she was still punky as hell. She wore things with studs but also wore leopard print and pink.

"This is what I've learned, in my life: Headbanging is crucial. Growing up is hard to do. There's nothing wrong with wearing a dress."

Being interested in your own appearance is always associated with self-obsessed girls, and apparently negotiates your intelligence. But it was an important development for me to learn you can like make-up and clothes, but also be a human being who has important things in their life.

But also, being interested in your appearance, doesn’t mean you have to conform to a standard way of dressing. You can wear clothes that other people think are weird, you can have hair styles people don’t agree with, and that doesn’t matter because that’s your style.

“I’m really into healthy self-expression; That’s why I dye my hair, that’s why I wear stupid clothes, that’s why I don’t care that my bangs look like Spock from Star Trek.” 



She taught me that it’s important to pay for music when you can, even when it is so freely available to you.

"Support music every day because there isn’t a day music won’t be there for you”

She taught me that a woman can stand up in a male dominated environment (the rock music world) and have a voice, work hard, and get what she wants.



I know there are a lot of inspirational women in the world, but for me, Hayley Williams was just such a big part of my teenage years, in a time when all the other bands I liked were male dominated, she was so important in realising, its OK to be a girl. That being a girl isn't a hindrance.

This year, International Women's Day have a hashtag #BeBoldForChange and I think that's important to me and in relation to this post, let's not be afraid to be bold, but also be a woman. 

On international women’s day, celebrate the women in your life appreciate all they do because women are pretty badass after all.

Thanks for reading,

Rachel xx




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