Interiors: What To Buy From H&M Home

I know that singing the praises of the brilliant buys from H&M Home is nothing new, but they have such a fantastic selection of interior goodies at the moment that I had to share what I've recently added to my home.

Wire Basket £12.99 BUY HERE

How to store the ever increasing amount of toys that are invading my home? In a stylish wire basket of course! This generous sized basket would also look chic holding towels in a bathroom, logs around a fire place or magazines next to a sofa.

Glass Jars £9.99 BUY HERE

My kitchen work surfaces were looking rather bare after the recent renovation, so these sleek glass jars with blonde wooden lids serve as the perfect storage/decorative hybrid. I think they'd also work really well in a bathroom filled with bath salts or cotton wool.

Display House £14.99 BUY HERE

A great item for any children's room is this decorative house frame. It also comes in pink and grey.

Picture Frame £6.99 BUY HERE

Ignore the dodgy picture of me and my baby daddy many moons ago when we were footloose and fancy free, travelling the world, without any responsibilities or sense of style (I clearly had a thing for pink!), this graphic print photo frame is a stylish way to display photos of happy memories.

Metal Tray £14.99 BUY HERE

I love using trays on tables to display little trinkets and this copper hexagonal tray adds a mid-century spin to my living room.

So if you're looking for an inexpensive way to update your home you won't be disappointed with a trip to H&M Home.

Fashion: New Season Shopping List

However much I like to kid myself that we are going to have an Indian summer, the recent chill in the air suggests I need to cover up my bare legs and pack away my sandals. Some consolation however is that stores are filling up with lots of new season styles.  Here's a round up of the pieces I have my eye on.

Rockstud cross body bag £840 by Valentino fromMatches Fashion BUY HERE

I always like to invest in a new bag each season and this cross body style with Valentino's infamous stud detail would be a practical yet stylish addition to my bag collection. Since having the baby carrying my everyday handbag just isn't feasible, so a back pack or cross body style is the only way to go. This bag would allow me to carry all my essentials without feeling frumpy.

Bow Bomb Sneakers by Joshua Sanders from Matches Fashion BUY SIMILAR HERE

To say I am in love with these sneakers is an understatement, I've been obsessed with them since spying them on Instagram a few months ago. I adore the colour, the comically large bow and I know they'd elevate even the dullest outfit into something special. Sadly they have sold out in my size everywhere, so I'm on a few waiting lists and keeping everything crossed that one day soon I'll own a pair.

Cropped Wide Leg Trousers £170 by Whistles BUY HERE

These incredibly flattering cropped trousers are in the colour of the season, burgundy. Don't think you can't wear burgundy, it's a very versatile hue, complementing nearly all skin tones and working with black, navy, grey, pale blue and cream. I'd wear these wool blend trousers with a denim shirt and trainers to dress them down and a navy top and caged heels for night time.

Navy lace dress £59.99 by Zara BUY HERE

If you only buy one dress this season you have to make it a maxi. I don't normally wear lace as I find it too feminine, but this dress called to me from the hanger. For autumn I'd wear it with a denim jacket or leather biker with Stan Smith trainers or pointed flats and as the weather turned colder I'd layer a chunky knitted sweater in grey or burgundy over it and pair with a block heel ankle boot.

Coat £139.99 by Mango BUY HERE

I've been looking for a new camel coloured tailored coat recently. If I had a money tree I'd buy this one from Stella McCartney , however this style from Mango is an excellent cheaper alternative. 

Leather skirt £79.99 by H&M BUY HERE

This leather skirt is buttery soft, a very flattering length, sitting just above the knee, is slightly flared and has a full length back zip detail. Plus it's a great price point. It is described as dark brown, but having seen it in real life I would describe it as oxblood. I'll be wearing mine with woollen tights, ankle boots and a chunky knit sweater come winter.

Wool sweater £239 by Maje BUY HERE

Knitwear in various guises be it sweaters, dresses, skirts and cardigans, is a big story for winter as is the roll neck sweater. This oversized chunky knit by Maje is the ideal sweater, ticking both style boxes. I'd wear it with ripped jeans or khaki chinos on the weekend, then put it with a leather trouser or mini skirt with a statement earring for evening.

Double pendant necklace £35 by Made BUY HERE

This weighty hammered gold metal necklace is a great addition to my jewellery box for the new season. Wear it with round neck dresses and sweaters to add a subtle boho vibe.

Military boots £585 by Isabel Marant from Matches Fashion BUY HERE

Over the knee boots reign supreme this season,  but I still favour the ankle boot. Isabel Marant has created the perfect style with military buckle details, two-tone leather & suede and a wearable heel height. These would look equally great with skinny jeans, wide leg cropped trousers and pretty much any skirt length from mini to maxi. 

What's on your wish list for Autumn/Winter?

Images: Matches Fashion, Whistles, Zara, Maje, H&M, Mango, 

Beauty: The Beauty Review

Here's a little round up of the beauty products I've been using recently.

Percy & Reed Totally TLC Hydrating Mask £20 BUY HERE

I have dry fuzzy hair which I make worse by my daily endeavour to iron out the kinks, so my hair needs the TLC that this mask promises. It's a rich and creamy formula that I use once a week. I rub it through the entire length of my hair, then pop on the included shower cap for at least 10 minutes before rinsing. It doesn't leave any heavy residue, my hair simply feels soft and thicker and looks healthy and shiny. It contains marshmallow to nourish and strengthen and coconut and mango oils to condition and moisturise. The smell, specially created by the brand, is fresh and pleasant with hints of apple, citrus and rose. A must buy if your tresses are in need of some TLC.

L'Occitane Angelica Exfoliating Gel £19 BUY HERE

I love exfoliating my skin, be it with scrubs, muslin cloths, brushes, gels, creams...you name it and I'll try buffing my skin with it. This formulation from French brand L'Occitane, is incredibly gentle making it ideal for sensitive skins and regular use. It has a grainy, creamy texture that contains natural gum micro-beads to tease away dead skin cells and massage the skin. It also contains organic angelica extract to hydrate. You only need a broad bean size amount to do the face and neck. It left my skin feeling fresh, clean and smooth with no sign of redness or irritation.

Cowshed Moody Cow Balancing Bath & Shower Gel £18 BUY HERE

A traumatic birth, a newborn to care for, sleep deprivation (the list goes on), have all contributed to me feeling out of sorts lately, definitely a bit of a moody cow. While using this gel doesn't help clean my home or soothe a crying baby, it does perk me up a little during my evening shower. The luxurious gel contains essential oils of rose geranium to regulate emotions and hormones, frankincense to calm and soothe and linden blossom to help relieve tension. I've almost finished this bottle and I think for the sake of my sanity I will be buying another toot sweet. 

Fashion - Bargain Buy

After seeing the image below on Instagram a while back I've been on the lookout for a pair of loose, slouchy, wide leg, relaxed trousers that I could wear with sandals, trainers or a pair of pointed toe flats should I need to dress them up.

Image: LittleSpree

I was recently prepping for a job, rummaging through the rails at TK Maxx when I came across these trousers by Maison Martin Margiela for the bargain price of £39.99! They are super slouchy, in a heavy cotton/silk blend and they fit my comfy but stylish trouser criteria perfectly. I wore them rolled up (as they are extremely long) on the weekend to meet a friend for coffee with an old Dries Van Noten khaki sweatshirt and Russell & Bromley snakeskin plimsoles.

Trousers by Maison Martin Margiela from TK Maxx BUY SIMILAR HERE, Sweater by Dries Van Noten, Plimsoles by Russell & Bromley, Watch by Rolex

This style of trouser are ideal for the weekend/school run/lounging around at home. I've scoured the internet and found some others that fit the bill.

Trousers £360 by Y's by Yohji Yamamoto from Matches Fashion BUY HERE

Trousers £54 by Sister Jane From ASOS BUY HERE

Trousers £59.50 by Banana Republic BUY HERE

Fashion: Blooming Beautiful Boden

The lovely people at British brand Boden very kindly sent my lucky lady a big bag of beautiful things recently. 

Pretty packages filled with beautiful clothes

She's still a little bit too tiny to wear the clothes, but is already getting great use out of the blankets and bibs. Here are some of the gorgeous items we received.

Dribble Bibs BUY HERE

Super soft cotton and towelling bibs in a delicate star and forest animal print perfect for mopping up baby dribbles.

Denim dress BUY HERE

This adorable dress comes with a super sweet striped top. I plan on putting this with some navy tights in the winter.

Pyjama set and blanket BUY HERE

A cute bed time outfit with the lovely forest animal print. I especially like the gender neutral colours of cream, grey and yellow, perfect for a little boy or girl. This reversible blanket (one side stripes, one side forest animal print) is ideal for a cot or pram and would make an ideal gift for new parents.

Pyjama set BUY HERE

How adorable are these pyjamas! These are so soft to the touch and I love the pale blue with pink bow colour-way. I'd actually like a pair myself!

Body suit BUY HERE

With the sweetest collar, ruffle shoulder detail and picot lace edging this body suit will look great layered under a dress or dungarees. 

Body suit, hat and blanket BUY HERE

I love a stripe and I've got a feeling my little lady will too! This little body and hat in grey and cream are perfect for layering.

Cardigan BUY HERE

This cute cashmere blend cardigan comes in four different colours. I love the patch pockets and the contrasting velvet trim.

 Thank you Boden for being so kind!

S&T x

Style - Topshop Haul

I did a little smash and grab in Topshop last week. All the new season clothes are starting to fill the rails but you can also bag a bargain, as I did, from the sale rail. Here's what I got.

Dress £46 from Topshop BUY HERE, Shoes from Zara

Dress details

I first saw this dress in cream but sadly it sold out before I could add it to my wardrobe. The black version will work well as summer transitions into autumn. The Victoriana trend for next season is covered with the high neckline, sheer fabric  and embroidered detail. I've paired it with simple pointed toe flat shoes, but when the weather gets colder I'll toughen the look with ankle boots and a leather biker jacket.

Culottes £36 from Topshop BUY HERE, Shirt and shoes from Zara

I finally have a waistline again post-pregnancy and am happy to show it off with these high waisted culottes. If you're scared of culottes and think they won't suit you these are incredibly flattering on the belly and backside, so give them a try. I love the undone hem as it allows you to dress them up with heels without looking to 'done' and also dress them down with trainers.

Dress £10 from Topshop, Bag £14.99 from H&M BUY SIMILAR HERE, Sandals from Kurt Geiger

I first tried this dress on when I was pregnant but the bump made it too short. Now that I'm no longer smuggling a water melon it is the perfect length. And to make it even more appealing I managed to get it in the sale for a purse pleasing £10. Wahoo!

Beauty: Tips From The Pros - Alice Theobald

Alice Theobald is one of the loveliest hair and make up artists I've had the pleasure of working with. Plus she has the most infectious laugh ever! After graduating from The London College of Fashion Alice has enjoyed a meteoric rise within the industry working with super models, celebrities and royalty. Her impressive client list includes Princess Beatrice of York, Jodie Kidd and Lindsay Lohan to name a few. She has worked for titles including Vogue China, The Sunday Times Style and Red. Alice also regularly works on a number of well loved TV shows including Strictly Come Dancing, Lorraine and The Graham Norton Show. Alice has kindly agreed to share her industry insider top tips with Sunshine & Stripes. Take it away Alice!

Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation £36.50 BUY HERE

My must have foundation is Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation. I love its versatility!  Sometimes I mix it with ARK Maintain Replenishing Moisturiser for a sheer natural finish, or I simply apply it straight from the pump to the face.  There is a wide colour range which is perfect for my clientele. 

MAC Studio Finish SPF35 Concealor £15.50 BUY HERE

I have lots of concealors in my kit, however I always go back to MAC Studio Finish SPF 35 Concealor. You can build it up for total coverage or blend it out for a more subtle finish. 

MAC Mineralize Skinfinish £24 BUY HERE

I love a sheen to my powders and MAC do a great Mineralize range which provides this. I need the skin to look fresh not caked and this delivers! 

Clinique Contouring Palette £28 BUY HERE

When it comes to blusher I am loving Clinique's contouring palette in defining nudes. I use the lightest tone to highlight the cheek bone, the darkest shade to sculpt and the peachy tone on the apple of the cheek for a summery glow.

ARK Skin Protector SPF30 Primer £36 BUY HERE

I love ARK Skin Protector SPF30 primer. It is suitable for all skin types and ages. It lightly moisturises the skin, protects the skin from UVA and UVB rays to prevent premature ageing and creates a good base for makeup.

Essie Nail Polish £7.99 BUY HERE

For colour choice and salon quality, I always choose Essie for nails. I especially rate the all-in-one 3 way, which acts as a primer, top coat and strengthener.

Kiehl's Sunflower Color Preserving Deep Recovery Pak £25 BUY HERE

For hair to look it's best I believe it has to be nourished with great shampoo and conditioner specific to your hair type. I use Kerastase Bain Oleo Relax and Kiehl's Sunflower Deep Recovery Pak to revitalise my locks. When your hair is in great shape the styling is much easier.

ARK Nourishing Body Lotion £19.50 BUY HERE

Body product wise the ARK Nourishing Body Lotion is my hands down favourite, I couldn’t live without it. It contains shea butter, coconut oil, sea oak and silk proteins to soothe dry or sensitive skin. I use it on photo shoots to give skin a beautiful sheen.

ARK Plumping Lip Balm £19.50 BUY HERE

I love ARK plumping lip balm. It's a great base for any lip makeup and great for guys as it doesn't leave a shiny finish. 

Benefit They're Real Mascara £19.50 BUY HERE

Benefit's They're Real Mascara, is my current favourite as it lengthens, separates and adds volume due to the specially designed wand.

Lalique White £69 BUY HERE

As a makeup artist smelling fresh is essential so I couldn't live without perfume. I have a small collection which I use to enhance my mood. I'm currently spritzing Lalique White which is fresh, floral but with a hint of musk. 

For any hair and make-up lessons, bookings for events or wedding packages please go to www.wonderlandhairandmake-up.co.uk or email atwonderland@icloud.com joy@joygoodman.com @Alice_Theobald

Images: John Lewis, Boots, Liberty, ARK