Those who exist in Generation Y will tell you they wholeheartedly could not live their lives without avocado on toast and the odd influential life quote. I for one know I cannot live life without the occasional statement t-shirt with pro-feminist statements or cocktail orders (Cosmopolitan, just in case).  We love fashion statements and being able to say whatever the hell we want with clothing.

I've commented on the likes of Dior and their infamous 'We should all be feminists" but this year Dutch fashion house Viktor and Rolf have blown Dior out of the water for all the wrong reasons.

Me being me, I am a huge fan of tulle, tiered skirts and ugly clothing and Viktor and Rolf's Spring Summer 2019 collection delivered exactly that.

Statement gowns displaying slogans 'I'm not shy it's just you' and 'Go f*** yourself' were exhibited to fit every influencer and fashion moguls mood. Whilst I cannot see these gowns worn by Tamara or Negin, it will not be long before high street giants flirt with more racicous slogans.

Chanel Autumn/Winter 2018 Ready-to-Wear

We all know by now that any show that is being put together but Karl Lagerfeld and those who work with Chanel is going to be a spectacle. Rumour has it Lagerfeld keeps a sketchbook at arms reach even when sleeping to document all ideas that spring to mind. The whole collection was born on nostalgia and Lagerfeld's memories of his childhood in the country in North Hamburg.

I’ve always loved autumn. This is a kind of Indian summer, with all the leaves. It’s a beautiful mood - Lagerfeld 

For this show in particular we were taken into the woods as the Grand Palais is transformed into a magical, fairy tale like woodland. Some of the 80 something models were seen bundled up in heavy duty, almost ground sweeping long line coats, constructed with sparkly corduroy, quilting and a Chanel favourite, tweed. Although a lot of the silhouettes seen were clearly very masculine and harped back to the 80's with many exaggerated shoulders and collars, the coats were coupled with a range of different scarves; brightly coloured, contrasting in pattern and texture and we also witnessed the introduction headscarves.

The opening of the show was more casual and mildly understated than ever seen before from Chanel, but as the show really began to take of the collection progressed into accent gold metallic counterparts and finger less gloves, reflecting the autumnal palette seen throughout the entirety of the collection. Every single piece in the collection showed off Chanel's ability to really experiment with texture,  colour and pattern as silhouettes became oversized, sparkly and more appropriate for evening wear. The burnt oranges and browns remained muted and autumnal with the occasional flash of colour in the form of ethereal leaf prints adding to the fairy-tale like woodland theme.

The overexposure of flesh was kept to a minimum (obviously what you want to see from an A/W collection). Legs were covered by glossy and iridescent tights and fingerless neon gloves were worn reaching the elbows when being paired with the classic little or ankle grazing black dress.
Much of the evening wear took form in delicate gossamer's of black lace both long sleeved and high necked with pretty little chained spaghetti straps. The appearance of the black evening dress in  this collection is somewhat iconic after women joined forces in wearing black during award season for the #TimesUp campaign.

Of course there were a few famous faces on the runway including Lagerfeld's new favourite, daughter of supermodel Cindy Crawford, Kaia Gerber. Wearing a black knee length lace dress with a pair of fuchsia finger less gloves, Kaia proved to all spectators why she deserved to walk the show for Lagerfeld.

Feminism, an accessory to fashion?

Maria Grazia Chirui's debut at Christian Dior saw the excitement which was femininity. Not the make up and design of the clothes themselves, but the trend that was set to take Spring 2017 by storm. A cotton t-shirt reading 'We should all be feminists', paired with an embellished midnight blue tulle skirt - there was no doubt why this look became the most talked about part of the show on all social media outlets. As soon as the shirts hit stores, Dior were immediately criticised for cashing in on politics, by trying to sell empowerment.

This raises the question, is there a place for both fashion and politics?

Following Dior's Spring 17 show, the shirt was seen on three of the brands ambassadors, Rihanna, Jennifer Lawrence and Natalie Portman. It was Portmans appearance at the Women's March back in January which caught attentions, as she gave a speech in Los Angeles calling out President Trump for his behaviour towards women and then encouraging women to take on leadership roles and support other women. Personally, I love the idea of empowering women through fashion and this trend does exactly that by encouraging women to join the current feminist revolution since the election of Trump. Natalie Portman presents a powerful message in wearing the shirt to the march and continues to wear the slogan tee long after, as seen earlier this month.

Dior ambassadors - Natalie Portman, Jennifer Lawrence & Rihanna 

It didn't take long for feminist merchandise to appear on the high street and soon it was embraced by the worlds fashion bloggers and other women in society. I even picked up a shirt myself from Topshop which simply reads 'Feminist' - as mentioned I love the trend but it does make you wonder just how politically engaged consumers are?

I will admit that when I wore the shirt, my main concern was what it was going to go with. I had no regard for the message it was to portray, showing myself, like many others didn't necessarily support the meaning of the movement or its political nature. The shirt just became an accessory to fashion. This is not me in anyway saying that I don't support feminism because I really do, I just bought the item thinking it was nothing other than a t shirt which I believe isn't what designers including Dior or Prabal Gurung had in mind when putting their designs out there. 

Now of course the trend has dispersed and has developed into other slogans 'Females are the future' and 'Girl power' as females become hungry for the high street option. What I wasn't expecting when browsing similar designs online was to find shirts on well known brands websites reading 'Boys lie and 'No f*** boys'. Since when did it become okay to bash other genders through fashion? These shirts may not be displaying any sort of political message but it makes you wonder why women are empowered through these statement tees and not men?

The fashion industry should answer to all gender struggles and reflect society around us, which I do  believe is evident in high fashion NOT on the high street.

Would you spend £490 on a designer t-shirt? 

Since the famous Dior shirt hit boutiques, the label has pledged to donate a percentage of the items proceedings, to charity The Clara Lionel Foundation - an organisation founded by Dior ambassador Rihanna.  The singer was named Humanitarian of the Year 2017 by the Harvard Foundation. The aim of the charity is to benefit those impoverished in across the globe, pushing children into education and giving them access to healthcare. Of course it makes sense to partner with the Clara Lionel Foundation, especially as many of the rights embrace by the charity are under attack in both the Western and developing world. But then why the 'We should all be feminists' quote if the proceeds are not going to charities which focus their work on helping young women in impoverished states - charities such as the invisible girl project and the Global Women's Project?

 "My position in a house as influential as Dior, but also my role as a mother, reminds me every day of my responsibilities and the importance of my actions." - Maria Grazia Chirui

While feminism as a trend seems to be going nowhere this season, I cannot help but wonder whats next for fashion and politics? Will the two ever become the perfect fit?

Thank you for reading

BroganRose. xo

Back again...

No surprise at all - I went AWOL from the blogging scene.

My home for the last 9 months has been the university library, work and my bed, meaning anytime I have had to myself has been spent either with friends or my loved ones. After half a million lectures and seminars, tireless evenings in the library, one ECF submission and one too many lost library books I have finally finished my degree!! 

I'm quite surprised myself that I even reached the end of my degree after threating that I wouldn't be able to do it after realising my degree wasn't really for me, but I stuck it out until the end.

My whole university experience would not have been worthwhile if it wasn't for the support of my friends, family and tutors and I thank them all from the bottom of my heart. 

Now that I am finished I am finally able to delve back into doing something I love; writing. 

BroganRose

The Rise and Fall of the Supermodel

An article written by Olivia Goldhill (The Telegraph) suggested that supermodels are a thing of the past and are 'just so nineties'. With the increase of celebrity supermodels like Kendall Jenner and Gigi Hadid I guess we could say this is in fact true? Christy Turlington, Naomi Campbell and Cindy Crawford were all big household names through out the 90's, appearing in almost every high end fashion ad and magazine covers and I guess this was easy for them? The only famous faces seen in ads have been actresses like Margot Robbie (Calvin Klein), Jennifer Lawrence (Dior) and Keira Knightley (Chanel). Is there someone or something to blame for this? Maybe the rise of social media?

Anna Wintour in 1989 took the controversial step in changing the girls that appeared on the cover American Vogue - Wintour very bravely replaced supermodels on the cover with actresses and women with other talents. Personally, I would prefer to see the likes of Adele on the cover of Vogue than a women who fits a specific 'stereotype' of the typical supermodel. But then how are these women (models) supposed to make a name for themselves if they cannot land these huge campaigns and covers? Surely were are asking them to conform to the stereotype of a supermodel, by asking them to totter along the catwalk in high heels and with their skinny legs and curve-less bodies (probably a tad excessive) instead of using their talents elsewhere.

People are not happy with the likes of Kendall Jenner and Gigi Hadid being referred to as supermodels - this is the reason for me writing this post. By definition a supermodel is 'a successful fashion model who has reached the status of a celebrity' therefore the term does apply to both Jenner and Hadid. You cannot deny them the title due to wealth, family, celebrity status and social media following. 

Ex-Supermodel Cindy Crawford has been vocal on this very topic of supermodels being in decline commenting that "Models are not really getting covers now and they’re not getting the big cosmetics contracts and that’s where the money is. It’s actresses and singers and reality TV people." I happen to disagree with this - Kendall Jenner found fame in the reality TV show Keeping Up with the Kardashian's alongside her family and has landed the September cover of American Vogue, walked for Victoria's Secret and is the face of Estée Lauder. If anything I believe the likes of Kendall, Gigi and Cara have paved the way for new generation of supermodel - especially with their presence and following on social media. These women have power! You can go ahead and argue that these models get castings and contracts due to this all you like, but they can hardly help their popularity and fame? There is clearly a difference between a model in the 90's and the 00's - Social media. 

Remaining on the topic of social media, I headed to Twitter to do a bit of research of my own (only a poll, so hardly what you would call research) asking the simple question seen below. Simple. So, 52% of the people who answered the poll believed Kendall, Gigi, Cara and Kaia ARE in fact supermodels. I was rather taken back by this as I honesty believed that many would answer no. As mentioned, the reason for me writing this post was due to peoples opinion on these women on social media! 

To be honest, these girls are no doubt supermodels in their own right. Claudia Schiffer said "In order to become a supermodel one must be on all the cover all over the world at the same time so that people can recognise the girls." - This isn't necessary as such any more but the likes of Kendall and Gigi are absolutely everywhere in the fashion industry, not just seen on magazines.

Case closed.

Body Image - Be sure to taste your words before you spit them out

Growing up I have always been more than content with the way I looked. Blue eyes, mousey brown hair and a slim figure. Theres never been the need to maintain the way I looked - I simply did what others girls did; eat reasonably well, pamper myself here and there and hope for the best. It worked for me. However, keeping up appearances hasn't always been the easiest for me. Well I say 'me' but what I really mean is everyone else. People say you are your own worst enemy and critic. I happen to disagree on some level.

I think every university student can agree that the years you are at uni change you, whether its good or bad, it does. I would say university has helped me to discover who I really am and establish what it is I really from life - but I really don't feel like me. I look back at pictures of myself when I first started university and I want nothing more than to just be that girl again. The girl that hardly had a trouble in the world and was at least happy, happy as a person and happy with herself.

Now whats really prompted me to sit and write this post at a ridiculous time is my battle with rumination. Thinking deeply about things over and over again. These 'things' are mostly comments people have made about me. Someone could have said something to me a few months ago and it will still be with me right now this second and whilst the person who made the comment probably wouldn't remember saying it I still do. The worst comment to this day someone has made about me is on my weight. As I said, I had blue eyes, mousey brown hair and a slim figure. That is what I would have told someone a couple of years ago if I was to briefly describe myself. That is how I would identify me as me. Again, university and every aspect of life changes you and I feel as though it has changed me both physically and mentally. I still have blue eyes, my hair is beyond repair and I am now a size 10-12 no longer that slim size 8. 

If I had a pound for every time someone made a comment about my weight since coming away from university I would probably have enough money to not go to university. I can hardly say I am happy with what people have said otherwise I would be writing. I am aware that I have changed physically but what I don't need is people telling me so - 'Be sure to taste your words before you spit them out'. Its funny because you can justify peoples comments all you want and try to pretend as though you don't care but deep down inside you feel numb. Is what I'm seeing different to what others are seeing? I thought I looked better? If anything I looked a bit healthier. Obviously not. 

I can try to change but I tell myself I can't. I'm just stuck in this vicious cycle. I'm happy, you make a comment, I'm determined to change BUT I CAN'T. Eughh. I am slowly taking those necessary steps to make me feel like me again - getting back into a routine and doing the things I enjoy. Its difficult but hopefully I will get there and maybe, just maybe, I will be that blue eyed, mousey brown haired girl with a slim figure again. 

BroganRose. xo

ColourPop Cosmetics Haul

Us beauty lovers here in the UK have been awaiting the day ColourPop becomes available to ship in the UK. Petitions have been made and so on - finally they listened! ColourPop now ships to the UK!!!! I was put off ordering for quite some time due to the price of delivery and the possibility of there being any other additional charges. The only times I have ordered from the US is when I've purchased something from Kylie Cosmetics - For one lipkit including shipping I've thankfully only paid £30 and have avoided extra charges. Since ColourPop has been available to us Brits I have heard a few ladies have been stung by the extra charges but I bit the bullet eventually and made an order anyway!

ColourPop are well known for their liquid lipsticks and eyeshadows, so it would be rude for me not to pick up a couple. I purchased 4 Ultra Matte Lips in the shades Succulent, Bumble, Tulle and Mars, 1 Ultra Satin Lip in the shade The Rabbit and lastly 2 of their eyeshadows in DGAF and La La. There was such a good range of shades (majority being nudes) for all skin tones and seasons so it a while for me to decide which products I was going to be buying.

Top to bottom - The Rabbit, Mars, Tulle, Succulent & Bumble

Top to bottom - DGAF & La La

Shades described on the ColourPop website - 

Bumble - Dusty warm terracotta

Tulle - Dusty mauve burgundy 

Mars - Red fuchsia

Succulent - Electric neon orange red

The Rabbit - Bright fuchsia with subtle blue sheen

DGAF - A true rose gold in an ultra metallic finish

La La - Medium toned rusty brown topped with multidimensional gold glitter in a metallic finish

Natural light top to bottom - The Rabbit, Mars, Succulent, Bumble & Tulle

 In the sun top to bottom - The Rabbit, Mars, Succulent, Bumble & Tulle

The colours all but one, I would say are exactly as described. Tulle is a lot darker than I anticipated - I guess it will be the perfect shade for the upcoming autumnal months? All of the lip products apply like an absolute dream and dry extremely quickly so you will have to be speedy when applying the product. With there being a lot of comparison between the ColourPop liquid lipsticks and the Kylie Jenner lipkits I had to test them against each other - Personally I 100% prefer ColourPop! The liquid lipsticks feel weightless on the lips and you honestly wouldn't realise you had anything on. Kylie's lipkits feel very mouse-like on the lips which isn't a problem, but I do find the flake in the centre of the lips after a few hours of wear. Don't get me wrong I love Kylie's lipkits but the texture, longevity and the price are a winner when it comes to ColourPop - They also don't have such a sweet sickly scent like Kylie's. Win win!!

Holy smoke. The shadows. Its difficult to describe the texture of them exactly - they feel like mouse to the touch but apply like a power shadow. Confusing? I'm also the biggest sucker for metallic/glitter shadows, so I was surprised at how pigmented and sparkly these were. The smallest swipe of the shadow will give you so much product!

Natural light - La La & DGAF

Sunlight - La La & DGAF

I guess you are probably wondering how much I paid for the order? All lip products were $6 (£4.55 in the UK) and the shadows were priced at $5 (£3.79 in the UK), shipping to the UK was was a hefty $25 (£18.96) so altogether I paid £45.50! For 5 liquid lipsticks and 2 eyeshadows I am not complaining especially as I pay £30 for one Kylie Jenner lipkit.

Delivery wasn't all that bad as well. My order was despatched 4 working days after it was placed and took an additional 5 days to reach my home address. The ColourPop estimated that delivery would take roughly 7-21 days. I was worried about it taking any longer than 14 days as I am so impatient when it comes to makeup deliveries. I usually order everything next day delivery but you obviously cannot do that in the US to the UK.

All in all, I will definitely be ordering ColourPop again!

Hope you all enjoyed reading!

BroganRose. xo

All In Good Time

Adding character and excitement to your summer wardrobe, I find is a challenge when transitioning from one season to another. Colour palettes get brighter, more of the flesh is exposed and clothing gets lighter and a hell of a lot more comfortable. One thing I guarantee that will never change between seasons are accessories - pearls remain in my ears,  people remain obsessed with delicate rose gold items and the watch will always stand as that timeless piece in everyones collection. Being an admirer of watches I was beyond excited when I was approached by luxury watch company JORD Wood Watches asking to collaborate - this was to be the dream collaboration.

JORD create magnificent hand-crafted wood timepieces from a multitude of the most beautiful woods and materials. I choose the Maple finish from the Fieldcrest Series. The wood itself is a lovely light colour, being the perfect compliment against tanned skin throughout the summer months and the colour of course makes it easy to wear the piece with any outfit in your wardrobe. The watch itself is extremely lightweight and the watch itself is scratch resistant meaning it is perfect for everyday wear. I have been wearing the piece almost everyday since I received it and have had so many comments on the watch!

The watch came packaged in this stunning wooden box (see pictures) with the watch sitting upon a JORD cushion. Such a sweet way to present such a stunning item, right?  You can really tell that every single last detail has been carefully thought of when designing both the watch and its packaging. I have always found this super important with watches as many tend to come poorly packaged, leaving the watch unprotected and vulnerable to damage.

JORD are also giving one of my readers the chance of wining a $75 e-voucher to spend on the site  - Everyone who enters will also get a $20 e-gift card (excluding the winner). To enter yourself in the contest simply follow this link - https://www.woodwatches.com/g/broganrose. The $75 voucher will expire 30/09/2016 and the $20 expire 31/12/2016. GOOD LUCK!!!!

My watch -  https://www.woodwatches.com/series/fieldcrest/maple/broganrose

Women shop - https://www.woodwatches.com/shop/women/broganrose

As always thank you for reading 

BroganRose. x

Mens Wooden Watches

Independence & Embracing Change

Being independent is one of those life skills that is either easy to grasp or at times difficult. To me personally it isn't about taking control over your life, seeing as you could do that at any given moment. Its allowing yourself to take those small steps towards accomplishing your goals and ensuring you are happy. Simple? Not exactly.

Independence comes with acceptance. Ignore your inner critic, learn to accept your surroundings and celebrate your strengths. I appreciate this probably isn't the most straightforward of things to do and will take time but it will have its results and they will show. Acceptance is something I struggle with myself, especially when you feel there are others around you who are leading more successful and exciting lives than you are. It doesn't matter how many times someone will tell me they are proud of what I am doing, I wont ever accept what they are trying to tell me. Quite unfair on myself and my mood really but acceptance and everything else along with that are things I can change. If I want to be successful like others I need to work hard and be motivated into achieving my goals, knowing that I am doing just fine.

Risk taking. For me risk taking meant doing something out of the ordinary or something which I was scared to do. Silly decisions like deciding to go out with friends will always be categorised as risk taking. You can tell just how seriously I take life when these are hardly life changing decisions, but I admittedly have always been too scared to push the boat out and socialise with people other than my brother and partner. I guess thats being independent as I tend to allow people to make decisions on my behalf, not because I'm lazy but purely because its a lot easier for me.

Embracing change is another one of the many things I struggle with, whether it be at work, home or university I've never really liked it. It damage emotions and put you in an uncomfortable position.
Reflecting on that change I have found helps a lot - think of the benefits it brings to your life and deal with it. You cannot change change. Ive found it so much easier to motivate myself when going through periods of change - so I guess sometimes theres nothing better than just to sit and do nothing, like I said, take the time to reflect. Change can have a positive impact upon your life - it may not be instant but its one of those crucial survival skills which you will look back on later in life and be thankful for. You know how to move forward and won't ever be so exposed and unsettled with change again. Well you will be prepared for it at least.

Another series of what  I would call 'Brogans Words of Wisdom'.

Thank you for reading 

BroganRose. x

Another Step Forward For May

The news of Theresa May becoming the next female Prime Minister has swept the nation, the public and the Conservative party share mixed views whilst many others believe May is the one needed to reunite the nation and her party. Now putting aside politics and other contentious issues (Brexit of course) Theresa May has a lot more to offer than just her bold personality and thick skin - the woman has an one impressive shoe collection, once being named as the 'feminist in kitten heels' by magazine Total Politics. May has always had a good jolly when it comes to her choice in clothing and footwear keeping things fun yet a little out whilst being seen wearing an identical Vivienne Westwood trouser suit as model Cara Delevingne.

May is frequently known for wearing the most outrageous print kitten heels, paired with either a simple trouser suit or bold designed dress to match her personality. But we cannot dismiss her personal favourite - leopard print. Theresa was seen wearing a pair of leopard kitten heels at the Conservative party conference in Manchester and today when heading to Cameron's last cabinet meeting as PM. We have to give her credit, she really knows how to make a statement with her footwear. Many of you probably think this post is mad but I join Theresa in the quest for wearing ugly footwear (friends and family would probably agree). Besides, her taste in gimmicky footwear only makes her human.

It will be interesting to see if Theresa can match up to Thatchers taste in fashion whilst in Number 10 - One thing I can guarantee is that we won't be seeing her in a string of pearls with a little bag hanging from her arm anytime soon. Personally I believe May will follow in the footsteps of other iconic women in politics, not being afraid of fashion proving that a woman can dress and still be taken seriously by those around her.

May in Vivienne Westwood

Theresa May named a lifetime Vogue subscription as the luxury item she would take on a desert island with her - proves she really is a woman after my on heart.

Thanks for reading 

BroganRose.x 

Valentino Fall 2016-17 Couture

Couture fashion week and Valentino took us to a different time period with an Elizabethan themed show/collection. Models sashayed the runway in sheer lace collars, floor length gowns, bodices and high neck ruffs - All very Elizabethan and heavily influenced by the surroundings of creative directors Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pierpaolo Piccioli, both situated in Rome where a lot of inspiration for this collection was found amongst architecture and culture.

There was something so captivating and distinctive about this collection that it just stood out amongst Chanel and Dior shows and although other designers such as McQueen have also gone for the clerical sort of look, Valentino went basic but when looking at the clothing and accessories alongside the narrative of the collection it all just makes so much sense to me? Pieces were dark and sultry, displaying only hues of black, neutrals and the odd pop of red. The ruff shirts soon became embellished baroque esque jackets and gowns and full body capes.

This was the last show for Creative Director Maria Grazia Chiuri at Valentino, who will now be replacing Raf Simons at Dior. I adored Raf at Dior, however Maria has a lot to give to the fashion house with her experience at Valentino knowing exactly how couture houses work.

As always, thank you for reading. There are so many couture collections from Chanel and Dolce and Gabbana which I am also in awe of at the moment so expect a post sharing my favourite looks from the shows.

BroganRose. x

On The Streets With Bill Cunningham

New York Times photographer William J. Cunningham (Bill Cunningham) began his career in fashion through his love and interest of hats and headpieces - his clients included the likes of Marilyn Monroe and Truman Capote. Following events in the war Cunningham began freelancing for Women's Wear Daily before quitting after an ongoing feud with the publisher, moving on to taking assignments for other publications before joining the New York Times in the 1970's. From then on Bill would frequently been seen on the streets of New York riding his bike wearing his infamous blue jacket taking photographs for his  weekly spread On The Streets With Bill Cunningham.

Admittedly I hadn't heard of Bill until the 2010 release of the documentary, Bill Cunningham in New York and it was then when I came to appreciate his work and his approach to life, including his move from his Carnegie Hall apartment where other famous faces including Mark Twain and Marlon Brando lived and entertained. Now I am a huge fan of Bill's photography, especially those taken of people going ahead their daily lives and of course the early days of Anna Wintour, I thought it would appropriate to share some of my favourite pictures taken by Bill following his death.

- The documentary Bill Cunningham New York can be found on Netflix - 

Thank you for reading

BroganRose. x 

The Fashion Tag

I have chosen to The Fashion Tag on my own accord rather than having someone tag me. I feel its about time I shared some of my fashion favourites with my readers from where I shop to my ultimate fashion icons. I won't be tagging anyone else to do this but feel free to comment some of your answers to the questions featured in this post. Enjoy.

How would you describe your style?
Classic, girly and sophisticated. I guess it varies depending on how I am feeling and the weather? I did once live in bodycon dresses and nothing other than black and white. My style is always developing.

What are your wardrobe staples?
A pair of black trousers will always be a must have item. I wear them to work and on a day-to-day basis.

Most expensive item in your wardrobe?
My Christian Louboutin 100mm Pigalles - I worked my bum off for these babies to only wear them twice since buying them. I honestly think I need to write a post on them...

Most wanted item?
Hermès Kelly bag in rouge casaque (red). You know you've made it in the world once you own a Hermès handbag.

Favourite designer?
Chanel - Classic. Vintage Chanel will always be my favourite, especially in the 1920's where the little black dress was at its peak and Chanel No5 was born.

How much do you spend on clothes?
I won't spend a lot on items, I like to ensure I am buying things I actually need and will of course go with what I already own. In a month I will probably spend around £200 on clothes but always end up taking half of it back. I've got really into buying more daring not so me pieces like ripped boyfriend jeans and trainers which thankfully haven't made their way back to the shop yet.

What are your favourite places to shop?
Zara, ASOS, Topshop, Bershka and Victoria's Secret if that counts? To be honest, if I was to going shopping somewhere like Southampton and there was a VS a majority of my money would be spent there than anywhere else.

Favourite fragrance?
I have always been a huge lover of Chanel Coco Mademoiselle but as I have matured Dior J'adore is my winner. I stock up on this perfume whenever there is Debenhams sale.

What is your go to outfit when you have nothing to wear?
Black cigarette trousers, white cami, blazer, Chanel/Tiffany pearls and either a statement pair of flats or a bold lip.


One fashion trend you wish would come back or stay?

Tulle skirts weren't ever a trend as such but I would wear them all the time if it was acceptable. I also really love flares, they made their comeback last year but I still don't feel ready to rush out and buy a pair...

Who are your fashion icons dead and alive?
EASY. Audrey Hepburn, Jackie Kennedy, Amal Clooney and Olivia Palermo.

There we have it, The Fashion Tag. Hope you all enjoyed reading! 

BroganRose.x

20 Life Lessons I Learnt From My Parents

This month was my parents 20th wedding anniversary, so I thought now would be the perfect time to introduce them to my blog. The 20 best life lessons I learnt from them in my 20 years of being a human. 

1. Its never too late to change - No matter your circumstance, there is always on opportunity to make change in order to further yourself.
2. Be content with what you have - You may not be the wealthiest or a Kardashian but you should always make the most of what you have even if it is...
3. There is nothing wrong with drinking a bottle of wine in one sitting - Mum. 
4. Be on time - Growing up my Mum would never ever ever be late for anything. She would always be prepared for weather changed or even the silliest things like who's the slowest walker and all the what if's, of course I have learnt to do the same. 
5. Have an opinion - If you have something to say, say it. Could be telling a cashier to quite talking and do their job or telling someone their a crap driver, go for it.
6. Work hard - Want something? Work for it.
7. To have a good old laugh - One thing my parents were blessed with was a decent sense of humour and are 100% laid back.
8. There's nothing wrong with a bit of drama - We love a good bit of drama or gossip, gets us going.
9. I am loved - Mum may have given Jay an extra Yorkshire for dinner but she loves us all equally.
10. Be independent - Have tough skin and grab every opportunity you are given no matter how frightened and nervous you may be.
11. Don't forget where you came from - The Quad. That is all. 
12. Mum is always right - I don't care what anyone tells me Mum is ALWAYS right.
13. Its okay to eat salad sandwiches for breakfast - Mum would work weekend mornings and Dad would always allow us kids to make whatever we wanted for breakfast, for me it was a salad sandwich with salad cream. 
14. Not to give a s*** - Don't worry about what others think of you.
15. Make good memories from the worst - No matter how rubbish a period of your life was, you can always find a way of shrugging it off and laughing about it.
16. The oldest child is the best child - Hmmm....
17. How to do the housework (if being paid) - Again, a weekend Mum would be working so I was the lovely daughter that would do the house work only if I was given some pocket money. 
18. Eat plenty - We basically like food. 
19. Have as many cats as you want
20. If you lie you will get caught

Thanks for reading 

BroganRose.x 

Instagram Round Up

Another week, another Insta round up. Unlike previous weeks, I feel like this one was sightly more adventurous by spending time with family this May bank holiday and doing what I do best shopping and drinking. Now I will admit the past week or two has been rough probably explaining my withdrawal from social media and my blog but thats life I suppose.

Beginning with the bottom trio of pictures, I have found a real creative strike after discovering artist Mathias Kiss who uses all aspects of old and new interiors to create contemporary pieces. I really have fallen head over heels with his work. Paying more attention to living space has made me become more conscious over how messy and disorganised my room is so with the help of Pinterest and Elle Decor/Decoration I have taken small steps in transforming my room. Admittedly it seems a bit pointless as I move out of my uni house for a few months soon... I gathered a handful of printable wall art designs to display in different sized frames and it looks so effortless. It meant I had to clear away a shed load of makeup which I cutely put on display because of its prettiness but to be honest it just looks a damn mess.

Thursday was spent shopppingggggggg. The closest shopping centre we have in Portsmouth is West Quay and I always manage to spend a complete fortune whenever I visit. No guess as to where I went first, Victoria's Secret. Probably had the best shopping experience there with all staff members alerting me to available offers and cheeky sales which was a dream considering the decent ones are only usually on the US website. Of course I spent more than I needed. I blame the #PantyParty.

No shopping trip is ever complete without a few cocktails to help celebrate the days buys and mourn your back account. Anyone who knows me well would know I drink nothing other than cosmopolitans and mojitos so it I guess it was time for a change, branch out and try something new so a peach bellini was in order.

Like usual many pictures on my Instagram account are linked to recent posts. Its been a while since I posted anything beauty related so my recent 'Whats In My Makeup Bag' seemed appropriate?

Who knows what next week will bring...

Thank you for reading - Get sharing 

BroganRose. x

What's In My Make Up Bag?

Hello lovelies,

This is something new for me, I only ever thought you could do a 'What's In My Make Up Bag' sort of item if you had a YouTube channel? Not for any specific reason but purely because I had no clue how to make things visual and interesting without me running my mouth. Probably makes no sense... Moving on. The reason behind this post was just to show my readers that you can have an array of different make up items and still end up using the same products day in day out, which is exactly what I do.

First things first - My make up bag. I have so many, from Dior, Chanel to Lulu Guinness but will always rely on my trusty little Harrods one. I bought it roughly 4 years ago on a college trip and have used it ever since. The colour is a mixture between a pale lilac and grey with small metallic specks, adorned with a lace like pattern of flowers and a plastic covering. Simple, cheap (for only £8) and lovely. Need I say more?

The important stuff, le makeup. I will of course do this is in order of what I put on my face.

Chanel Le Blanc De Chanel - I use this product daily as a base, it is very illuminating and thick making it the perfect product to hold onto my chosen foundation of the day.

Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer - I usually only like to use concealers for brightening purposes so was pretty bummed when I realised vanilla was a smidge too dark for under the eye use. I will either use this to cover any blemishes or apply on my eye lids to even out any veins or darkness.

Now I do flit between different eye shadow but my go to at the moment is the Urban Decay Naked Smoky palette. I loveee to use Thirteen all over the lid and Combust in the crease. Simple. For that wide awake look I then use the Kiko Precision Liquid Eyeliner - As cheap as chips at £6.90. This product has the perfect felt nib making application easy.

Mascaras, I tend to use 2; Urban Decay Perversion for a bit of length and then Too Faced Better Than Sex for a voluminous sultry finish.

At the moment, like eye shadows I change them up all the time. I will either use the new Urban Decay One and Done foundation/BB cream, Chanel Les Beiges or Nars Sheer Glow. One thing for certain is that I will always mix the foundation with Chanel's Sheer Illuminating Fluid for that extra subtle sheen. After foundation comes my favourite product ever, the Urban Decay Naked Skin Concealer - BEST PRODUCT EVER. NO WORDS. JUST TRY IT. Then of course to set my face make up, Nars Light Reflecting Loose Setting Powder - Probably the best powder I have ever used. Keeps my concealer in place and prevents my skin getting oily.

My holy grail bronzer will forever be the Too Faced Milk Chocolate Soleil Bronzer. I really am not into a contouring and much prefer a bit more colour to my complexion so lightly dust the product onto my cheeks and forehead. It also smells a lot like chocolate. Now I couldn't honestly tell you what blush I wear, I have no clue. I just grab and go. However, one item I am proud to say I now own is of course the infamous Champagne Pop, is  nothing fabulous compared to my other faves, MAC Soft & Gentle and the Balm Mary Loumanizer.

Left - MAC Soft & Gentle
Right - Becca Champagne Pop

Whooooooo, last but not least my brows. I will only ever use Benefits Gimme Brow, Instant Brow Pencil and High Brow.

I obviously have to mention lipsticks somewhere in this post. I am 100% a lipstick hoarder owning every different finish and colour possible. Owning so many I do switch up shades depending on my outfit, but the picture below shows you my must coveted shades. 

Loreal - Blake's Red
Chanel Rouge Coco - Adrienne
Dior Diorific Lipstick - Shade featured was part of last years Christmas collection
MAC - Lustering
Chanel Rouge Coco Shine - Boy

And relax. 
There we have it, all the products hiding in my makeup bag. Hope you all enjoyed reading!!
BroganRose. x