#OOTD

As I've been so bad with outfit posts recently, the best I could do was a few snap-shot mirror-selfies in which I have uploaded onto Instagram. Here are a few of my latest #ootd's that have found their way onto my very own Instagram account:
From top to bottom:
Green & black faux fur coat: H&M Monochrome striped blouse: H&M Holdall bag: Louis Vuitton Boots: Topshop
Black blouse: Sheinside.com Vapour jacket: UNIF @ Nasty Gal Checked trousers: Asos Boots: Topshop
Beanie: Ebay Jersey: Sheinside.com Monochrome smart joggers: Primark Boots: Topshop
Striped jersey: Primark Faux fur gilet: Dorothy Perkins Silver necklace: Dorothy Perkins Checked skirt: Asos Boots: Topshop
Roll neck jumper: H&M Biker jacket: Minusey.com Leopard trousers: Zara Boots: Topshop
Jumper: Monki Boots: Topshop

BACK TO BLOGGER...

Wow, I really need to apologise for my lack of blogging since the Summer. Moving house and getting back into the swing of uni has been more overwhelming than I had expected. With assignments coming out of my ear holes, I completely lost the time to blog, and to be honest I still am struggling to fit it in with my everyday schedule (sad face). That being said, and blogging being one of my favourite hobbies, I am pleased to say I am back and finding the time to fit it into my busy lifestyle. I'm excited as ever to get back into sharing with everyone my favourite fashion and beauty buys - just in time for the festive season! 
I'm not going to bore you and go into details of why I have been so absent over the last few months, but  instead I thought I'd show you all what I have been working so hard on by blogging some of my work. Here is a fashion video in which I art directed and edited for emerging fashion designer Ming Pin Tien. Enjoy!
I have also been working on a website/online portfolio which I have just launched. Check it out at www.nataliejade-edwards.co.uk

TODAY'S INSPIRATION BOARD.

(All images sourced from Tumblr)

My Tumblr: www.fashion-form.tumblr.com

LFW FAVORITES.

So London Fashion Week has passed and I've gotta say I'm extremely pleased with the collections. Plus i'm so happy about the percentage of monochrome and white-on-white pieces I have seen throughout the last couple of weeks as this means my wardrobe is safe the way it is for another year! As depressing as it sounds, colour really isn't my thing, but Erdem really pulled it out the bag when it came to the battle of monochrome this season and this puts a smile across my face.
 The only thing that could have been improved over the week was the typical September weather, but that's no shock to us Brits. Despite the pouring rain, I was lucky enough to attend a number of Fashion Scout shows which I will do a separate post on. For now, here are the a few of my favourite pieces from the BFC shows throughout the course of the week...

INSTAGRAM UPDATE.

Here is an update of my Instagram over the last month or so. Pictures include my own outfit details and looks, days and nights out, glimpses of LFW and, of course, the odd selfie. You can add me at @natjedwards

Please leave your usernames and I'll check them out!

SEPTEMBER'S WISH LIST.

Wow. Where has this year gone?! I cannot believe it's September already and how I'm already thinking about Christmas and my wish list. I've moved back to London in my new house which I am really excited about. I've been so busy getting my bedroom set up, settling in and attending London Fashion Week that I just haven't had a spare minute to blog. Apologies! I'll do a post on LFW soon also so stay tuned for that. 
There's so many things I want and actually need at the moment that I haven't been able to afford due to my lack on funds (sad face), however I always put together a wish list so I can visualise my yearning pieces, but don't we all?! Here's a list of my aspiring things for September:
1. Urban Decay Naked Palette 2 - This is one of the most popular and talked about current makeup items of this year and I can't believe I still haven't got my hands on it! I love neutral eyeshadows because they enhance my blue eyes and these shades just look gorgeous. I've heard great things about this palette however the price tag isn't so attractive. This retails for around £35 but luckily I've found an awesome deal on eBay for £17.80 here.
2. Larson & Jennings Leopard Watch - I've needed a new watch for ages but I have struggled to find the perfect one. When Daniel Wellington bought out his classic style watches I fell in love, however Larson & Jennings have taken it to another level. I have a love for leopard print so this watch is perfect for me. At £180 I'll have to put it on the Christmas wish list and hope the boyfriend coughs up (dreaming). You can buy it on their website here.
3. Sleek Contour Kit - Sleek have really upped their game recently by bringing out some gorgeous products. This contour kit has been a big hit, and with my obsession for popping cheekbones, it's straight on my wish list. It comes in light, medium and dark so it's suitable for all skin tones. At a bargain price of £6.49, you can grab it here.
4. Emma Hardie Cleansing Balm - I'm a sucker for skin products and balm cleansers are the bomb. They're silky smooth on the skin and extremely thorough in removing the last traces of makeup. I've read some amazing reviews on this product and I can't wait for my current cleansers to run out so I can justify ordering it. Made with all natural ingredients and essential oils, I'm sure this will be worth the wait. Buy 100ml for £34 here.
5. Studded Ankle Strap Heels - The Valentino Rock Stud collection is completely mind-blowing, we all know that. As much as I want to pretend I could afford the real thing, I have to be true to myself and find an alternative. I found these on eBay and I think they're a pretty good dupe? You can buy them here for £19.99!
6. Zara High Collar Faux Leather Top - I don't think I need to explain this item. It's just amazing. Thank you Zara. Link here for £49.99.
7. Missguided Checked Trousers - This print is so in right now and these trousers are so cool. For £18.99 you can buy them here.
8. Topshop Lip Crayon in Royal - I've wanted a deep red matte lipstick for a while but haven't seemed to find the perfect one. This crayon by Topshop is perfect and I know it would be a lot easier to apply than a lipstick. It's only £7 and you can buy it here.

BATTLE OF THE TANS: MILLION DOLLAR VS VITA LIBERATA

Being a fake tan addict, I've been wanting to do a post on the good stuff for a while. I've decided to do this post because I want to share with my readers my views on these two products that I have recently tried out and tested. If your tan you've tried isn't working out for you or you fancy trying something new, please keep reading!

So first of all I am very fussy and wary when it comes to the products I put on my skin. If the list of ingredients is filled with unfamiliar and harmful chemicals and parabens, I simply won't buy. This isn't because I have overly sensitive skin, because I don't. It's simply because I don't believe in allowing my skin to absorb these products when there are much healthier and safer options out there. I am naturally extremely pale skinned and I feel so much more confident when it comes to a tan. Finding a good self tanner with natural ingredients was hard for me until Vita Liberata was put on our shelves (some of the tans I have previously used include St Tropez, OMG!, L'oreal, St Moritz and Novatan). 

If you don't know already, Vita Liberata is made from 100% organic and natural ingredients, with the first ingredient on it's list being aloe vera, which we all know soothes and moisturises the skin. This has to be one of the main reasons I love it because it is so gentle. This particular product is around £21 to buy in a number of stores across the UK. The tan fades beautifully unlike other self tanners I have tried, as the majority tend to go flakey and the overall wear off just looks hideous. Although it takes a few applications of Vita Liberata to get a deep golden tan, I think the quality of this product is so worth it. I have yet to try the mousse version of this as the tan I use is in gel form. It is unfortunately quite hard to rub in to the skin and you need to be somewhat a pro in this area, but once you get the hang of it, all the effort is worth the while. The tan doesn't last very long on the skin which is why I'm excited to try their new 'Phenomenal' range which is supposed to last 2-3 weeks. This is on my 'to buy' list and I'll be sure to do a write up once I've tried and tested it out.

I'd previously seen the Million Dollar Tan 'Tan Icon' on a number of beauty blogs and also heard most of the American beauty guru's rage about it. I had to try it out, but being unavailable in the UK, it was a case of getting it shipped over from the US. This cost me around £15 including the shipping costs. This is also an all natural and organic product which, can I just say, smells AMAZING. If you like the smell of Malibu then this will be ideal for you. The downside to the lovely coconut aroma is that the product is very alcohol based which does dry out the skin. So with this tanner, alternative moisturising with a rich cream is a must once it is washed off. I also wouldn't recommend this to anyone with sensitive skin, unless they can tolerate high-in-alcohol products.  This glides on the skin beautifully and is very easy to rub in once the solution is sprayed onto a mitt. The wear off is amazing and even better than the Vita Liberata as it fades so subtly. The colour needs building as it isn't very dark in colour, however I feel it is worth it for this fab self tanner. 

All in all, I love both of these tans. They are for sure the best I have tried and are the most natural when it comes to the shade, the wear and even the ingredients. If I was going to pick between the two, I would choose the Million Dollar Tan due to the scent and also the way the product rubs in. If I was to go for convenience, Vita Liberata would be a perfect option, being an easy product to get hold of in the UK.

I hope this helped any fake tan lovers out there. If you haven't yet tried either of these products, I thoroughly recommend you do! I will be doing a post very soon on my application tips for these tans so please stay tuned! Thank you for reading. 

NEW IN: MISSGUIDED.

Being a fashion student in London, I find it extremely hard to keep up with the latest trends with my lack of funds, and this is definitely not a cool thing for an aspiring fashionista. Luckily, for people like myself, we have Missguided which allows us to dress ourselves at a bargain price. I've been paying my rent for my new house in London over the course of the summer, without the help of a student loan may I add, so my bank account surely isn't in a good state at the moment (cry). It came to the point where I decided I deserved a treat after all my hard work attempting to pay the £530 a month rent throughout my time off uni. Yes I said attempting (cry again). Of course I thought I'd share with my readers my little treats that I purchased off the site, and what a surprise, they're all black! 

1. Open Back Bodysuit - I saw this on the website and thought it was such a classy piece. The neckline did it for me - it's so feminine. This is my first ever bodysuit so I'm really excited to wear it. It's really flattering, and although it was only £6.49, it fits me like a glove and looks so expensive paired with a statement necklace. A bra is a no-no with this one so I need to work around that little obstacle! 

2. Shoulder-less Crop Top - This was another bargain at £4.49. It's so simple but super cute and sassy. It goes with pretty much anything and can be worn dressed up with jewellery and heels or dressed down with jeans and a cardigan. I love it  and looks awesome with prominent collar bones (I have a little obsession).

3. Asymmetric Zip Leather Skirt - This is the piece I'm most excited about because I've been wanting one for so long! I've finally got my hands on this bad boy for £19.99 and I absolutely love it. These origami style pieces are so in right now and they add so much character to an outfit. I'm very excited to wear this. It fits so well and is very flattering!

ALEXANDER WANG SPRING 2014.

It's no secret that Alexander Wang is one of my favourite fashion designers of today, so when his latest collection hit the catwalk for New York's fashion week, I was straight on my laptop to take a peek. Let's put it this way: there were no disappointments. Just wow. Yet again he strikes with a mind blowing collection of clean cut silhouettes made from the finest fabrics. Minimalistic is definitely his strong point and I am so loving these minimal pieces for next Spring. The laser cut leather and the pleated skirts look effortlessly striking too. The collection has received tonnes of publicity since it's showcase yesterday and I thought I'd jump on the bandwagon to share with my readers these gorgeous looks that I have just fallen in love with. Here are my favourite pieces from the Alexander Wang Spring 2014 collection: 

INSPIRATION BOARD.

So something you should know about me is that I spend 70% of my life looking at jaw-dropping fashion imagery on tumblr and blogs in hope that one day I might have the time and money to afford some of the amazing fashion pieces I see on my computer screen. Unfortunately, for now, I'm still shopping at Primark and eBay, hopelessly dressing myself in a slightly stylish way at an extremely low cost. But hey, I can dream right? This is probably the main reason I've decided to begin regular 'Inspiration Board' posts on my page. It adds a little more excitement to my blog and it gives my readers a deeper insight to my (aspirational) fashion aesthetic. I think it's inspirational to others also who may not have the same time on their hands as me to search through endless tumblr posts? Obviously all images are sourced from tumblr, and if you don't follow me already you can check out my page at www.fashion-form.tumblr.com.

PAST ERA.

Sunglasses: PRIMARK

Dress: TOPSHOP BOUTIQUE

Belt: EBAY

Rings: CHOIES, EBAY & PRIMARK

SHOES: EBAY

SKORT AND JERSEY.

Wayfarers: RAYBAN

Chain Necklace: EBAY

Jersey: SHEINSIDE.COM

Skort: EBAY

Rings: EBAY

Heels: PRIMARK

SILKY CHAINS.

I love this look, mainly because this bomber is one of my favourite pieces. I was lucky enough to find it on eBay real cheap and unfortunately I'm not overly sure where to buy similar jackets. The label says 'MOTO' so I'm not sure if that's much help to you guys but if you like and want to search for it, that could be a starting point! This is a cool summer/fall look with a kind of urban twist. I just got the chunky gold chain bracelet off eBay for £3.59 too! You can find it here.

Blue Mirror Sunglasses: H&M

Netted Crop Top: MISSGUIDED.COM

Scarf Print Bomber Jacket: EBAY

Faux Leather Shorts: SHEINSIDE.COM

Chain Bracelet: EBAY

Flatforms: H&M

Rings: H&M

GIVENCHIC.

Givenchy has to be one of my favourite labels, but being a student means impossible funds to buy any form of Givenchy's pieces. Luckily there are alternative ways to rock the Givenchy style, including this awesome graphic tee my boyfriend picked up for me from Minusey.com. I've paired it with a Versace style lion chain necklace (yes I love my copies) and some strappy heels to add some chicness. 
Oversized Chain Tee: MINUSEY.COM Lion Chain Necklace: EBAY Heels: PRIMARK Bracelet: EBAY