Vintage Hunting in Portobello.

Heya...

I hope you all have had a great few days and a wonderful Christmas for those who celebrate it! Its always sad when the noise dies down as relatives leave the house after boxing day, but a post about a vintage day shopping in Portobello cheers me up.

I hadn't been to Portobello market since the summer, so I was keen to get back and rummage around the treasure trove of shops. It was a beautiful crisp winter morning to I took the opportunity I got to wear my faux fur white vintage coat. It was warm, elegant and perfectly vintage for the occasion and I loved styling it with casual pieces to tone town the glamour and glitz associated with (faux) fur coats.

I didn't pick up any clothes, however it was a day for accessories! We hadn't even reached the market before being hypnotised into a glorious shop packed with hats. I have always wanted a felt floppy hat and I finally got one! I love it so much and I really think it brings any outfit up to scratch if you want to look more sophisticated.

Once we reached the second hand clothes stall, I spotted a rainbow of scarves all on a rail. They were all beautiful, but somehow I managed to find one I loved in the myriad of colours and patterns. Its a late 60s-early 70s gem and I will definitely be styling it for you in a blog post soon so don't worry, you shall see it soon! 

My Portobello vintage hunting outfit, complete with oversized 60s sunnies for the fun of it!

Hat - Portobello

Faux Fur Jacket - Vintage shop in Cotsworlds

Roll neck - Topshop

Sunnies-Trying on for fun

Tweet me your vintage finds @Snapshotgirl117 !!

Snapshotgirl

xxx

Christmas Baking!

Heya...

If there's one thing I love about Christmas, it's the naughty but nice food that appears out of the kitchen! I love baking this time of year and the ultimate Christmas bake would have to be gingerbread! 

Gingerbread men would be the classic, although I do think stars and snowflakes are very dainty and make gorgeous gifts when wrapped up with a festive bow. They do require a bit of effort, but the end result is always worth it!

These are my attempts at the Christmas classic.

Hope you enjoyed reading this festive post, as there are lots more to come!

tweet me your xmas bakes @Snapshotgirl117!

xxx

A frosty Morning...

Heya...

Last week the weather suddenly got super chilly! About time too really. though I'm not loving having to cocoon myself with a blanket every morning when I have to get out of bed! 

After waking up ridiculously early for a hockey session which didn't happen due to frosted pitches, I decided to take this rare opportunity to photograph the beautiful frosty leaves and flowers scattered around my local park. These are a few pics I snapped, hope you like them!

What I've been up to!

It's been a while guys...

And I've missed my little space on the internet to voice what I love about  the world so I thought I would fill you in on what I have been up to since those long ago summer holidays.

LOTS has been going on in terms of controlled assessments, crazy homework loads and hours of art prep for a mock I did recently so there haven't been too many exciting things going on.

However...

I did go to Scotland at half term for a few days, in which I DIDN'T get rained on! Heheh it must have been a miracle, although it definitely was cold and windy.  We were only there a few days however I feel like I've seen the main bits of it there is to see!

Cute, curious and intricately stacked shops lined the cobbled streets, not to mention a few quirky cafés we passed as well! Vintage shops like Armstrong's Vintage were a dream come true and all the stuff in there was really well priced, compared to the inflated snooty prices in London! 

The art gallery we visited was great, as I am actually starting to enjoy visiting them! When I was younger, I moaned all the time but now I find myself surprisingly enjoying them, trying to get my head round what the work means and how it affects me.

It really was a lot of fun seeing the wacky art in there, but this post couldn't be complete without a outfit from Scotland so here it is:

Leather Jacket - Random shop in Florence

Jumper - Topshop

Skirt - Topshop

Hope you guys liked seeing what I have been up to and I promise, it won't be 4 months before my next post!

xxx

Summer Essentials!

Heya...

Anybody panicking about what to pack for your week or two away?

Well, take a deep breath and relax!

Holidays are supposed to be relaxing and often there is just too much unnecassary stress when it comes to packing your bag with summery things which make you feel exotic and beachy, ready to proudly show off your gorgeous tan which you have painstakingly applied  to look 'natural'. 

Hopefully this little post will help you de-stress and de-panic when it comes to the ultimate challenge of squeezing the most amount of stuff in your bag without going over the limit! So here are my summer essentials:

Sunglasses

These bad boys are from Topshop and are perfect for a stylish finish to any outfit. Worn whilst sunbathing, they protect your eyes but also give the impression that you are on trend 24/7. I honestly could not tell you which sunnies are the most fashionable right now but these are the ones I wear and love the most!

Cute Hair Accessories

Scrunchies, flower crowns and headbands give a festival vibe to all outfits and really brighten up a plain old t-shirt and shorts. These are from the urban renewal section form Urban Outfitters and I love the daisy/sunflower ones as they are just so cute!

Day Bag

This is a 60s leather hand tooled bag from Beyond Retro! It is the perfect size to carry all essentials whilst site seeing and can also act as an evening bag as well! There are loads of styles of shoulder bags everywhere so make sure you grab one before you go away!

Sandals

Sandals are the ultimate summer staple so grab some before you go! These are white leather type ones from Topshop and are super comfy.

Perfume

A gorgeous scent like this will have you smelling summery and fresh all day! Honey by marc Jacobs is a beautiful scent and comes in a delightful bottle which will look great on the bathroom shelf!

Jewellery

Ear cuffs are a punky statement piece adding a grungy feeling to any outfit! They look great with long flowing dresses as the girly dress contrasts with the metallic sharpness of the design. This one is Urban Outfitters and is perfect!

Makeup

Choose your favourite eye palette and face palette and you are good to go! Don't forget your brushes though! The Urban Decay Naked Flushed palette is great as it had a highlighter, bronzer and blush in just one place and my Stila eye palette is perfect for every occasion. 

These have been my summer essentials but what are yours?

Tweet me @snapshotgirl117

love,

Isla

xxx

Singaporean treats!

Heya...

So following my promise to be a better blogger, here is a post all about my secret obsession with food   and the unique packaging it comes in from different countries!

A while ago my parents went to Singapore and brought back a collection of interesting things from around where they were staying. One of the things I loved the most were the little snacks found in a supermarket near their hotel. These are the ones I loved the most! 

The packaging is adorable and so detailed! 

As for the actual taste, they were suprisingly nice! Like little rice cracker puffs in a sweet and salty coating, almost a bit like barbecue  sauce.

These are delightful morsels of chocolate and almost digestive biscuit shaped as a hamburger! 

What more could you ask for?!

The box even had little pictures inside it! 

My mum picked up a few extra things as well, like poky and little biscuits which tasted like mango!

The packet in the middle contained bourbon biscuits covered in white chocolate! They were amazing and were finished by the next week!

I've shared my secret food obsession, but whats yours?

love,

Isla

xxx

A promise for better blogging!

Heya...

I have not posted for a very long time. Not because I haven't had ideas, I just have been a bit useless at typing everything up and posting interesting photos for you all to see.

BUT!

This is going to change!

I am now fully equipped to post every weekend without fail and I am going to attempt to do this for as long as I can! 

So, I promise to:

-> Post every Sunday

-> Write about something interesting

-> Include lots of photos for you 

Hope everyone is having a great Summer!

Love,

Isla

xxx

A sunday...

Heya ...

 

 

I know it's been a while guys but please, this half term has been crazy busy and it is only going to get busier! Exams are on the way for many and that is the reason I have not posted for a while. However after the next two weeks I will be free to post whenever so don't worry standards will get better I promise you!

 

This weekend has been a rather 'chilled' one although there was definitely some revision that went on as well! After a lovely evening with a friend I was ready to work and I have to say I actually revised this time! No scrolling You Tube or Instagram which is always tempting when your phone is just a few centimetres away.

 

I also made some scrummy cupcakes, red velvet and topped with cream cheese frosting ( Hummingbird recipe  for the icing of course), although I used a recipe (for the cupcake batter) from last year's world baking day website however there is a similar one HERE which looks great!

 

 

I sprinkled a leftover cake over the top and I am quite proud of how they turned out!

 

 

Freddie the dog was also in need of a walk so this little one was a little tired when he got back! It was an irresistible photo I couldn't ignore and I just HAVE to show you all how cute he is!!

 

 

 

I hope you all have enjoyed reading this mainly baking blog, as it is one of my favourite things to do when I need to relax. Don't forget it is world baking day this Sunday (18th) so make sure you pop into your local supermarket to grab some ingredients and the all important decorations for the finishing touches!

 

Love,

Isla

xxx

 

Summer Styles

Heya.

 

It's been a while I know, but I have been super busy since my last blog post about a month ago!!  But hopefully this one will make up for all those weeks left without a post.

 

I've just come back from a lovely Easter holiday in Crete, a small island just off the coast of Greece. I can't say the weather was that amazing though in the evenings it felt great to wear dresses and skirts for dinner, as opposed to trousers to keep warm! This post is a general summary of my favourite outfits I wore throughout the week, hopefully giving you guys some inspiration for the warm summer months ahead of us!

 

The first look I went for was a body con style dress from Topshop, which I absolutely love! Tie die and really actually quite comfy, it always make me feel ready for summer.

 

 

I teamed this with a cropped army style jacket,(also Topshop), a random necklace and black wedges.

 

I also love the maxi skirt and crop top/t shirt look  which is what I wore the next evening. Sorry about the photo quality, but hopefully you can just about see.

 

 

I wore this cute, summery skirt (jigsaw) with the same necklace (above) with black wedges and a standard black crop from Topshop.

 

On the rare sunny days, I made the most of it by wearing many pairs of shorts and a varied selection of t shirts. My favourite combo would have to be my high waisted denim shorts from Topshop and one of my most loved tshirts by ' Miss Sunshine', found in Camden Market last summer!

 

 

 

Wearing flip flops highlights the summer vibes and I think the necklace adds a great pop of colour!

 

My final outfit rocked the Grecian goddess look, as I think a maxi dress really does fit in with a surrounding like this. The dress is a hand me down from my mum but I love the blue colour of it. It's from Ghost, the material is luxurious and it really does make you feel special!

 

 

I wore my vintage thrift necklace to finish the outfit, breaking up the wall of blue.

 

I really hope you have enjoyed reading this long blog post!

Love,

Isla

xox

 



A day as a tourist

Heya...

 

Last weekend I had a great day with a super amazing friend who suggested that we go to a vintage car boot sale in the South Bank centre. It was a perfect, beautiful sunny day and everyone was decked with vintage clothes, bags and shoes.

 

 

Piled high and packed full of random vintage stuff, there was a huge selection of trinkets, shoes, clothes, bags and loads more.

 

 



 

This bag is so cute I just wanted to take it home with me and put some knee high socks, pretending to be a little school girl again!

 

 

A retro gumball machine caught my eye, I love the battered look about it, the story behind where it came from and who used it.

 

After thoroughly looking around we grabbed a rather yummy pulled pork sandwich and walked along the South bank. Entertainers lined the street, captivating children and adults, as they did their tricks.

Surrounded by astounded children, a man created bubbly creations with some rope and a bucket full of soapy water. Not gonna lie, I did quite like it too.

 

 

 

 

 

 



 

 

A completely random blog post but it really was a lovely day!

love,

Isla

xxx

ecoTools eyeshadow brushes

Heya...

I'm thinking it's time for a beauty post now as I have up, until now just gone on about a slightly random collection of things, so make a cuppa and get ready for my first post about beauty!

 

On Friday I went to Westfeild after school for a little shop around, mainly in Boots however I did get some cute socks from Topshop. The big reason I did pop into Boots was to get some eyeshadow brushes. You may be surprised to know that I only used to own one makeup brush (for foundation) and that was it! But since I got a lovely Stila palette recently I have been dying to use it, however I have had no brushes to apply the gorgeous shimmery and matt shades.

 

 

I chose a very cute set from Ecotools and love them very much. They are cute, travel size and exactly what I was looking for. 

There are 6 in total: a large eye brush, an angled crease brush, a tiny eye shading brush, a highlighting brush and the ever useful smudge brush as well!

 

I recommend them as they apply the shadow well, are super soft and are not too expensive either!

 

 

Love,

Isla

xxx

 

 



A very sunny Saturday

Heya...

I have LOVED the sunshine this weekend! Don't know about anyone else but I spent most of it outside, making the most of the beautiful weather. I feel like spring has officially arrived and now I can't wait for summer!

I was out on Saturday for breakfast with a lovely friend from school, I had a crepe with maple syrup and banana (personal favourite)  with a tropical smoothie which was all very nice.

 

 

I love the flower stalls on the high street, they always smell so nice when you walk past, especially in spring and summer!

 

 

 

Hope you all enjoyed the sun as much as I did,

love,

Ilsa

xxx

 

 



Vintage Thrifting

Heya...

I love finding old vintage things, which have been loved before and have got that certain thing about them, a little scratch or dent. I had a great vintage thrift shopping weekend and I thought I would share one or two things with you, as well as a  past thrifted item found in NYC!

 

I met with a new friend Lexie -lexielikes.com- and we started our thrifting weekend with the numerous local charity shops! I didn't find any clothes I liked but I did spot a rather 60s looking necklace from Oxfam for £2!

 

Spurred on my charity shopping on Saturday we went to a car boot sale on Sunday! I love the random assortment of odds and ends dotted around, endless possibilities of vintage finds hidden among the stalls. I found two fantastic things, the first being a vintage 50s camera. I thought it would look cute on my mantel piece but the much loved, dented thing still works! I have already ordered some film and can't wait to start experimenting with it!

 

 

The second thing I spotted was an extremely cute tin. I've always loved vintage tins, and this one is the perfect size for lip products!

 

 

I think I was extremely lucky with these finds as they were not expensive at all (camera-£3) (tin £1) and they were pretty much exactly what I was looking for!

 

Two Easters ago, I was fortunate to go to NYC! I loved it there soo much but one of the best days was going to a flea market! This granny clutch is adorable and it was mine as soon as I saw it!

 

 

Hope you liked seeing all my favourite thrift finds!

 

Love, Isla

xxx 



London Fashion Weekend

Heya...

During half term I was lucky enough to go to London Fashion Weekend! I went on the Saturday and saw the 10.30 trend show. It was great to see all the trends for spring/summer and it has really given me some inspiration!

 

 

The categories were Flower Power, Precious Metals, Lace Embrace and Good Sport. My favourites were flower power and Lace Embrace. The bright 60s prints of flower power were cute and summery, and I loved the contrast of the punky Lace Embrace trend. 

 

 

Afterwards I got the famous goodie bag designed by Julien McDonald which was black with a silver dragon on it. Inside was an assortment of things, including a tiny Essie nail polish in 'naughty nautical' and a Maybelline baby lips lip balm.

 

Then it was time for the pop up shops, which ranged from fury jackets to t shirts!

 

 

I got a T-shirt from Zoe Karssen which is extremely soft and a beautiful greeny grey colour. There were many different brands around Somerset house to see and here are are few pics of some stuff I saw!