Boux Avenue

For those of you who follow me on twitter or Instagram you will have probably seen a few pics from last week when I was lucky enough to be invited along to a press preview of Boux Avenue!

Boux Avenue is a Lingerie chain that's owned by Theo Paphitis. It has opened up its thirteenth store in Cabot Circus in Bristol. Setting itself apart from other lingerie chains by priding itself on attention to detail, superior customer service, and an inclusive size offering (30A to 40H)!

Gone are the days of any busty girls only being able to look at the pretty bras but then having to buy the ones that no one wants!! Boux avenue offers beautiful sets in a huge variety of colours, I was completely wowed when I went in.....The store feels very luxurious, the lay out is very simple yet gorgeous and everything is customer friendly, all the items are stored in pull out draws so you can help yourself, or you can ask for help from the very glamorous staff. They were all super friendly and had a good knowledge of the brand and stock. They offer a free fitting service and in the elegant fitting rooms there is an intercom to concierge to save you poking your head out the door and asking for a different size!! The other great thing in the changing rooms is there is three different light settings Day, Dusk and Night!

Not only can you get gorgeous underwear but you can get sports bras and night wear too, as well as little girly gifts! Ladies all I can say is that you will love it there.....the days of dreading underwear shopping have gone!

The great thing about Boux Avenue is that it isn't only aimed at size 10's it has embraced the curves too! Now there is a lingerie store that works for all shapes and sizes! Robyn Lawly, Australian plus size model represents the brand!

For more info or to see the wide range offered by Boux avenue take a look at their website www.bouxavenue.com

Stay Gorgeous

Grace xoxo

Fashion Must Have - Scull Scarf

The Alexander McQueen Scull Scarf is known across the globe and is fast becoming a must have accessory. That being said not all of us can afford the £165 - £245 price tag! I have seen lots of copies in the shops over the past year but in my opinion that's exactly what they look like. Well I came across a scarf in my favourite shop....Primark. It is a scull print but is not trying to be a McQueen copy, its one of there jumbo size scarfs which I prefer to the smaller ones they do and is the bargain price of £4.00 (a bit more in my budget!).

 It has a slight worn look to it which I really like and the material is really soft.

As it is a jumbo scarf you can wear it in several different ways, I like to just have it draped around my neck so it hangs down at the front. This is a great scarf for wearing with casual outfits but is also smart enough for a slightly dressier outfit too!

Have you found any designer inspired items in the shops? 

Stay Gorgeous

Grace xoxo

Little Black Bow Nail Design

I haven't done a nail design for ages!!! But this week I have and its really cute....even if I do say so myself!

I got some little nail art bows from eBay, they had them in loads of colours and because I got five I got another five free! Bargain! They were the inspiration for my design!

There isn't a video tutorial to go with this post but I have done step by step photos instead!

 To recreate this design you will need a Base and Top Coat, Red and Black Varnish (all of mine are from OPI but you can use any), a white nail art paint and a nail art bow.

 After applying your base coat paint your four fingers red and the thumb black

 Once the red has dried for a while paint french tips in black

 Add white polka dots to the black areas

and then add your bow (add a dot of top coat to the nail and the bow will stick to it) and finish off with your top coat!

This is a really quick and easy design to do and you could always change the colours if you prefer.

I hope you like it! If you want to get the Bows here is the link to the eBay shop I got mine through.

Stay Gorgeous

Grace xoxo

Weight Loss Wednesday - The down side to losing weight!

As you will know from last weeks WLW post I cant attend my weigh in for a few weeks so there wont be any weight updates for now. But this week I wanted to write about a weight loss issue I'm having!!

Now don't get me wrong the pro's hugely out weigh the con's when it comes to weight loss but one thing I am struggling with is......lose skin! Now its not like its hanging off my body but it definitely hasn't caught up with the fact I've lost weight.

I have lost six stone which is a big amount of weight. Unfortunately due to the fact I was on crutches for ten months it meant I couldn't do any exercise to accompany my diet. I know the sensible way is to do the two side by side which would mean you can tone up as you go but my body hasn't done that!

I think that a lot of people that are trying to lose weight assume that once they have lost their weight that they will be in a happier place.....that is mainly true but I would love to be much happier with my body. I love the fact that I can now go shopping and know my size and that so many more options have been opened in regards to shopping but what I hate is that I couldn't go on holiday and be happy with my body on the beach.

So now that I have been cleared to do more exercise I really want to get in to a routine that will see me achieve my dream beach body (but I think it will now be for next summer unless a miracle happens in the next couple of weeks and then I get whisked away to some hot place!! hehe)

Next summer I WILL look like this........

(...probably not but a girl can dream!)

So armed with my trainers and toning creams I'm off to the gym! ;)

Do you have any tips for toning up? Have you suffered with body issues despite losing the weight?

Stay Gorgeous 

Grace xoxo

FashionistA - Double Collection Mascara

Hey Sugars,

I recently received a package full of goodies from FashionistA which included The Double Collection Mascara.

 Available from Superdrug stores and superdrug.com priced at £8.00

As with all double ended mascaras the idea is that you use the different layers to build length and volume. Now I have to say I have never been a huge fan of this concept as to be honest I have only ever found one that actually works, well FashionistA have changed my mind! I loved the result I got from this mascara.

My naked lashes (please excuse the HUGE bags under my eyes!!)

 Step 1 - Ultra Lengthening Base coat

Step 2 - Intense Colour coverage and volume. 

Unfortunately the picture doesn't show the lashes quite as thick as they were in real life! The sample I was sent was in Brown / Black, I think the plain black one would give even more definition.

I have naturally long lashes but they are very straight, I love how they are more curled and even longer after applying the double collection mascara!

I would definitely recommend this mascara, its now in my make up bag and I have been out to get more for my Make Up kit! 

What do you think about double ended mascaras? Will you be giving this one a try? I think you should! Keep an eye out for reviews on the other goodies I was sent!

Stay Gorgeous

Grace xoxo

I was sent this product to review. I have not been compensated financially in any way and all opinions are my own. 

Fashion Must Have - Primark Studded Clutch Bag

For a while now studs (not the male variety!) have been very much at the fore front of fashion and this coming season sees them still up there! To be honest this is a style that I wasn't too keen on at first but it has grown on me and now I'm loving it! 

Zara have a collection of studded clutch bags which all come with a heafty price tag....

 So imagine my reaction when I found this little beauty in Primark!

 I'm not so keen on the tassel but its removable so that's ok!

And its a steal at just £6.00!!

I'm predicting this is going to fly off the shelves so if you like it I would hurry down to primark as soon as possible!

Stay Gorgeous

Grace xoxo

Weight Loss Wednesday - Confession time!

So its been a long time since I did a Weight Loss Wednesday.....This is purely down to being majorly busy! Ok that's not completely true! I have slightly fallen off the diet wagon!!!!

I have not been able to make it to my weigh in for a few weeks due to my work schedule which is really frustrating as its too easy to think I can have a bad day as I have an extra week.....but even though I have tried my best to stay on track its not so easy!

At last count I was still down -85lbs which I'm obviously still very happy with but when I only have another stone to get to my goal its really frustrating that I have lost the weight loss bug!

Falling off the wagon has been a mixture of working on set where we are catered for and a lack of organisation on my part! But I'm hoping that by confessing to you all it might shame me back on track! I cant get back to weigh in's until the end of September but I will try and stay on track so I am pleasantly surprised when I do step on the scales!!

Do you have any tips for getting back on track? Hope you guys that are losing weight are doing well!

Stay Gorgeous

Grace xoxo