OOTD: Ding Disney

Welcome back!

I know Christmas has passed but I had these photos stored in my memory card and thought I would share them with you. I wore this outfit when I went Christmas shopping in London and saw the Disney Christmas tree in Kings Cross. Of course, this outfit could be worn all throughout the winter season, its simple and most importantly warm and cosy! Enjoy.

H&M Hat 

Primark Coat

Forever 21 Dress

Coach Bag

Primark Tights

Topshop Shoes

OOTD: Christmas Party

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The party season is upon us so along with that comes gorgeous dresses, the highest heels and lots of glitter. If I am honest I am not a huge party girl bit I do like getting dressed up. So, I thought I'd show you what I wore to my first party/event of the season. Enjoy!

Claires Headpiece

New Look Faux Fur Coat

H&M Dress

Urban Outfitters Necklace

Primark Tights

H&M Ankle Boots

My Foundation: The Best Drug Store Pressed Powder

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For the past six months or so I have been looking for a high coverage but natural looking pressed powder foundation. To be honest I didn't expect to find one. But I have and *bonus time* it was only £6.99! Introducing the Max Factor crème puff pressed powder, my new forever favourite drug store foundation. Yes. I love it this much.

First of all, I want to talk about how perfect the colour is for my skin tone! But before I do let me just tell you that I have very pale skin with slightly red/pink undertones. So, just a little disclaimer, this works on my skin but everyone's skin is different, you may have to try out a few before you find your perfect match! I have this foundation in the shade truly fair which I believe is the lightest. It doesn't make me look yellow like most drug store foundations and blends well, even when I am a little red. For those of you with a different skin tone to me I did notice they do a range of shades as well as colours for those with different undertones ect.

As you can see a powder puff does come with the foundation. However it is just a typical drug store applicator with a sponge like texture so it is not very effective. I much prefer to use my beauty blender. Now back to the actual product. When you first apply this foundation it can be a little bit flakey, however if you wait a few moments and then brush over it with a big blender brush the consistency becomes very natural and blends in with your skin rather well. As I said above, I have some redness in my skin as well as freckles but this foundation combats them perfectly. Which, to me, is pretty impressive for a powder.

Let's talk formula. The foundation is scented but it is subtle and musky so it doesn't overwhelm you. I have pretty sensitive skin which usually reacts terribly to heavily scented creams and ointments but luckily this hasn't been a problem for me with this foundation. As for staying power, it stands strong for a solid eight hours as long as you spray some primer on afterwards.

All in all, this is by far the best drug store pressed powder I have come across and would seriously recommend it for anyone!

OOTD: Holiday Blues

Welcome back!

I am back with another holiday outfit of the day post. I know it is definitely not weather appropriate for London at the moment but I just couldn't resist sharing this number! I wore this outfit to Epcot at Disney World to have breakfast with the princesses. Enjoy!

Floozie Playsuit

Accessorise Bag

Superdry Flip Flops

Victoria's Real Secret: You're Not A Feminist If You Hate On Models

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My cosplay feature actually went down pretty well on here so I thought I would share with you all another one of my opinion based articles. Since the Victoria Secret fashion show took place this month I thought I would modify an old piece of mine to bring it up to date. I wrote this last year when the Victoria Secret fashion show took place in London as a sort of mix of news and opinion all rolled into one feature. Just a little foot note I have referenced all of my quotes within the text itself but please keep in mind that this was written a year ago so some references may be outdated. I hope you enjoy! Remember to let me know if you like these sort of posts. Also you can catch the Victoria's Secret fashion show on TV on December 8th in the UK!

Unless you have been living under a rock for the past month you probably know all about the angels of Victoria's Secret gracing us with their presence for the annual lingerie extravaganza in New York city. For those of you that are less fashion conscious or simply have been living in solitary confinement for the past decade and a half, Victoria's Secret is an American brand of lingerie that is worth over five billion US dollars. The catwalk show boasted acts and celebrities such as Selena Gomez, Ellie Goulding and the Kardashians. Yes it's that big of a deal!

I don't know about you but everything about the show; the glamour, star studded cast and glitter (of course!) always gets me hyped up. When a renowned fashion brand that big puts on a show this spectacular you cannot help but be excited. However what doesn't make me excited is the negative reception that the angels receive about apparently supporting "blatant and destructive objectification" (tumblr.com, 2014) of woman from many so-called feminists.

As a handful of angels strut down the catwalk showing off the latest Victoria's Secret lingerie sets, press and bloggers took to the internet to voice their personal opinions of the models and what they stand for. One blogger wrote that the models "glorifiy women as sex objects" (Wilson, 2014). Many other critics slated the angels explaining that they promote objectification of women or bend to the expectations of what men want women to look like. Yes, these angels do work extremely hard to get their "sexy" bodies however it is not to support a gender inequality quota or bend to the expectations of men. It is for their careers as models. Yes readers, being a model is in fact a career!

Many supermodels say that the Victoria's Secret fashion show is the Olympics for their industry. They compare the experience of being in the show to winning a gold medal. Being sexy is a part of getting them to this career propelling show just like being strong will get any athlete to the Olympics.

In addition to the show boosting some models careers many models that have taken part in the show have said they felt empowered and would definitely described themselves as feminists. Original angel, supermodel and TV personality Tyra Banks was the first black American angel to take part in the catwalk show and was the first black American female on the front cover of Sports Illustrated: Swimsuit Issue. Tyra rightly describes herself as "fierce and feminist" in relation to all of her achievements regarding the Victoria's Secret show. If that is not empowering to woman alike all over the world I'm not sure what achievement is. (The Huffington Post, 2014).

Furthermore Tyra was not the "typical" angel. She describes her body as "thicker" than the average model. In her words her strutting down the catwalk at the Victoria's Secret fashion show "really meant something" in the fashion world. She was changing things and breaking the typical lingerie model stereotype in the fashion industry for women everywhere and the Victoria's Secret fashion show helped her do this. All over the world women of all shapes and size were praising Tyra for going against the model "norm" and felt like Tyra and the Victoria's Secret fashion show had made them finally love their bodies for what they are. (The Huffington Post, 2014). Victoria's Secret even stated that putting Tyra on their runway helped them "sell more bras and panties than any other model" (Mic, 2014) despite her being at least 20 pounds heavier than all of them.

Unfortunately even though this show has brought so many positives to many models' and other women's lives this still brings up many negative but complicated issues throughout the feminist world. Other women are still suggesting that a woman can't dress sexy or show off her own body proudly without bending to the expectations of men or supporting objectification. As stated by previous Victoria Secrete angels a woman can feel so empowered and confident when dressed in a sexy set of lingerie. It has also been proven that many other women feel this way too.

In a recent scientific study undertaken at the University of Manchester women were observed to see if wearing a cleavage enhancing bra had any effects on their social behaviours. Professor Geoff Beattie, head of Psychology stated that: "the study showed emphatically that wearing the cleavage-enhancing bra in comparison to an everyday bra had a significant effect on non-verbal behaviours that are crucially associated with levels of self-confidence". Women were smiling more and their body language was perceived as being more friendly and open (Mail Online, 2012).

Self-confidence is so important especially as majority of the media skew our perceptions of what the perfect female form should look like. If putting on some sexy lingerie like the Victoria's Secret angles makes us feel better about ourselves then why shouldn't we stick our fingers up at so called feminists and celebrate our bodies and sexuality without being an "object" or "bending to a man's will"?

By wielding the Victoria's Secret fashion show as an weapon woman are knocking other woman down for dressing a certain way and this is not right. Women dress sexy majority of the time for themselves. It gives us a boost of self-confidence. As a feminist I do not understand why another woman would criticize or judge another woman for boosting her own self-esteem. This just gives men another excuse to do it to us as well. If we don’t all stick together on this issue we will never be able to achieve gender equality in our society.

OOTD: Holiday Hues

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If you follow me on social media you will probably know that for the past two weeks I have been in Orlando, Florida (stay tuned for photo diaries and videos). While I was there I took advantage of the beautiful weather and stunning landscapes to take a few photos of my holiday outfits. I wore this first outfit out shopping in Disney Springs (formerly Downtown Disney) and then to watch the Wishes fireworks show at Magic Kingdom. Please excuse my rather sunburnt face. And I'd like to thank my lovely partner who took the photos for me. Enjoy!

Flying Tomato Dress

Disney Magic Band With Etsy Vinyl Stickers

Primark Sandals

*CIAO*

Dark Fairy Inspired Makeup Tutorial

Welcome back!

It's that time of year when the days are getting shorter and the nights are growing darker, which inspired me to create a darker makeup look. It focuses heavily on purple smokey eyes, bold contouring and a dark lip to match. This look is perfect for nights out or even during the day when your channelling some grunge vibes!

If you saw my previous makeup video then you know I am still relatively new to filming and Youtube. But as always your support and patience is greatly appreciated and if you want you can subscribe to me here.

*CIAO*

OOTD: Stripes Lot

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I have been really enjoying the combination of a classic fedora hat and long cardigan lately. I don't know why but it makes me feel completely feminine and totally bad ass at the same time. I also love my black pinafore, a timeless piece with a classic silhouette. This outfit was really comfortable and I wore it to run a few errands around town. Enjoy!

H&M Hat

Ebay Choker

New Look Long-line Cardigan

H&M Striped Top

Miss Selfridge Pinafore

Doc Martens

*CIAO*

The Cosplay Crusade: Why Cosplay Is Good For You

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Comic con has just happened this past weekend and usually I would be having post con blues. However, this year I haven't gone as I have planned an awesome holiday to Disney world with my partner and family. So to celebrate comic con I thought I would share with you an article I wrote while I was at university about cosplaying and why it is good for you, in particular women. This article was actually published in a student run, feminist magazine named BIA last winter. I hope you enjoy it!

It's nearly Halloween and as you scroll through costumes online you cannot help but wonder why every single ladies costume has the word 'sexy' or 'naughty' in front of it. You wish that you could just find a fun costume that wouldn't dispute your promiscuity or sexuality. There is almost never a 'sexy' Frankenstein or 'naughty' Dracula costume for men. You wish that women would kick the lingerie inspired costumes to the curb an sport a more intelligent costume, that not only empowers them but showcases their personalities. 

Stomping to the rescue, female cosplayers all over the UK are doing exactly this; empowering themselves, wearing their personalities with pride and celebrating their femininity. Female cosplayers are trying to change the stereotype that the world has of women in costumes. They aren't always desperate, unintelligent or lacking in confidence. Cosplayers dress up at different times of the year frequently and argue that it isn't odd or consistent with the stereotype as discussed above. It actually gives them more confidence, stimulates their minds and provides them with a creative outlet.

Frequent cosplayer, Zara Thorn, talks about her experience cosplaying "I love cosplay. It's like a huge costume party that everyone is invited to. I feel so happy and comfortable cosplaying. I feel more myself when I cosplay than any other time of year. I love expressing myself through my costume and having fun playing a character that I admire and follow". Not only is it an empowering and fun experience for Zara it is also a time to socialise with friends. "I meet so many different people when I cosplay and its a great excuse to see friends you don't normally see as much".

Recently a psychological study 'expressions of fandom' was taken out on a group of female cosplayers and a group of females who didn't cosplay. One part of the study revealed that when wearing a mask women who cosplay felt more comfortable with themselves in comparison to the women who don't cosplay. Psychologist Dr Rosenberg suggests "This can imply higher self-awareness. It could also show that women who cosplay are more aware of who they are and this could give them more self-confidence and result in a higher sense of self-love".

Leah Wilson works a nine to five job but enjoys cosplaying all year round and agrees with psychological studies concerning cosplay and self-confidence. "I love escaping my nine to five routine where there are rules and regulations into a community where I can really express myself. It's nice that people come up to me and compliment me on my cosplay. This definitely gives me more confidence in myself and my costume making skills. I used to be really self-conscious but since I started cosplaying I couldn't be more comfortable with myself and my body".

Not only are female cosplayers celebrating their new found confidence, they are feeling more empowered by doing so. It is no wonder 71% of female cosplayers participate in five or more events a year if it gives them such a boost of confidence and strong sense of who they are. If you too think it's time to suit up and band together and break the female costume stereotype then head over to mcm.com to find out more about cosplaying and how you can take part. 

And that's a wrap! If you enjoyed this article, let me know as I have a mass of others somewhere in my dusty document archives that I can share with you all.

*CIAO*

Sweet Fairy Inspired Make-Up Tutorial

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This week I took a chance and created my first every make-up tutorial video on Youtube. Now, if you know me then you will know this is a huge step for me because I am quite insecure about my voice. Also I am not exactly the most outgoing or loud person either. This was a big step, but as the saying goes; "nothing good ever came from your comfort zone!".

I decided to start my YouTube channel off easy with a simple glowy fairy make-up tutorial and here it is!

If you enjoyed this tutorial please hop over to my Youtube (PoppyMayy) and give me a subscribe. I've only just started out so it would be greatly appreciated sweeties!

*CIAO*

Easy Daily Eyebrow Make-Up Routine

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This post is for all you girls (or guys!) that love the idea of perfect eyebrows but just don't have the time to maintain them or spend hours at a time doing them. That is me. I hopped on the "eyebrows on fleek" band wagon but have no intention of having them stay "on fleek". My eyebrows on an everyday basis are like fake fleek. They look fine but I have literally only spent three minuets on them. Wanna know my secrets? Keep reading...

First things first, brush out those brows! I just use a spooly brush I got with my Sephora make-up brush kit, but feel free to use whatever one you have handy. I like my brows to look full so I brush them upwards and outwards. If they look a bit too much for you just smooth them down a little.

Now onto the actual products. I use a combination of two Benefit products; brow zings and gimme brow.

All I do is outline my brows with the brow wax with the angled brush provided. Once you get the hang of it you can easily do each brow in under a minuet. Just follow the natural shape of your eyebrow. 

I then take the brow powder and fill my outlined brows in. For this I use the rounded brush. After that, if you feel they still look too sparse go back in with the brow wax. I usually use the angled brush in small upward strokes to mimic real hairs. The quicker and less precisely you do this the more natural your brows will look.

The last step is to just set it all with the gimme brow. I'm pretty generous with this and apply two coats to each brow (let it dry in between). I just simply brush the product through as if I was brushing my brows normally. 

And your done! Honestly its that simple to create an everyday eyebrow with little effort. But remember practice makes perfect, the more you do this the quicker you'll get!

*CIAO*

OOTD: Office Chic

Welcome back!

For those of you that don't know last month I started my full-time graduate job in an office. Now, that does mean that I won't be blogging as much but it also means handfuls of work wear posts! You win some you loose some... But don't get me wrong, I will be trying my very best to keep my beloved blog updated because I love writing and I love all of my readers.

Now on with the post! I wore this outfit to a regular day at the office. My office dress code is pretty casual but I still like to put effort into my outfit. I worked this ensemble around the newest addition to my wardrobe; my camel coloured coat. It is a staple in my autumn/winter wardrobe so expect to see it in more posts soon. I got it a few sizes too big because I wanted it to have that cozy, over-sized feel. I can't wait to to pair it with all sorts of combinations like chunky scarves, a-line skirts, floaty blouses and dungarees. Enjoy!

Primark Coat

Missguided Top

Alexander Wang Bag 

Missguided Skirt

H&M Boots

*CIAO*