Graduation season is upon us. While most parents will be thinking of the ceremony day, if you are a final year student, you know better, it’s all about Graduation Ball. Or at least outfit wise.

My Graduation Ball or Grad Ball as its simply known is in a few weeks time, and I can’t express how excited I am. I got my dress sorted about a month ago, but I know plenty of people haven’t, so if that one of you, then I’ve put together some outfit ideas to help you chose.

The Statement. This is for the ones who love to make an impact. The ones who will guarantee to get talked about it. While it is quite simplistic- it’s all about limited but key pieces. This gorgeous dress by Alice McCall at ASOS is super stylish, but vamp it up with bold red. You can’t beat show stopper lips- in all their form! Shoes, bag, and your God given ones!

Dress- Alice McCall at ASOS

Shoes- Kandee Shoes

Clutch- Lulu Guinness

Lipstick- Lancôme L'Absolu Rouge

The 1920’s Vintage. No one can deny right now 1920s fashion is hot. The Great Gatsby influence is everywhere, and why shouldn’t it be, it’s classy and sexy. This is a great outfit especially if your Graduation Ball is more, longer dress attire. These shoes are perfect, as you don’t want anything chunky. It’s all about the dainty not chunky excess. However the Pièce de résistance is this head piece. I’ve had my eye on it for ages (I may even wear it to my Grad Ball) but unlike headbands, it won’t give you hat hair. Finally who could forget the moment Daisy came to Jays wearing that stunning Prada cape. Emulate her style with this less pricey Prada lookalike cutesy of Coast for only £35.

Dress- Needle and Thread at ASOS

Shoes- Kurt Geiger

Cape- Coast

Headpiece- ASOS

The minute I clapped my eyes on this dress I just wanted it. Only problem is I haven’t got anywhere to wear it to (Anyone want to invite me to a swanky party?). A little black dress can never fail, especially if you dress it on the side of glamorous. Think old school Hollywood glamour. Soft set waves swept over one shoulder, smouldering red lips, and the classic cat eyeliner flick. Keep accessories simple, with just a hint of colour, and let the whole ensemble do the work, rather than one piece.

Dress- Miss Selfridge

Heels- Office

Clutch- &Other Stories

You can tell it’s getting close to the end of exams, as I’m getting more and more into Graduation mode. I can’t wait to slip on my dress, sashay into the venue, and dance the night away with my girlfriends; champagne in hand. Any excuse to put my glad rags on.

Let me know if any of you decide to wear any of these dresses, I’d love to hear what you think. If not, what are you wearing to Graduation? (Or any other event coming up). Drop me a comment below, I love hearing from you.

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After 4 years of university, I’m nearly at the end, with just one exam left, and then it’s over. Well not completely over. I’ve still got Graduation Ball and the big Graduation itself. Therefore lately I’ve been re-vamping my beauty regime in preparation for graduation, so in the next few weeks I’ll be blogging my beauty journey to graduation perfection. It only happens once (well this girl isn’t doing a masters anytime soon!) and with the multitude of flashing cameras bound to be around, I need to put my best smile on.

Problem is the years of drinking vast amounts of black coffee everyday have left my teeth a little... well less than pearly whites. Now when (yes when, not if) I’m nice and rich I plan to have my teeth whitened, but until then I think I’ve found a pretty good alternative. 

Blanx Toothpaste have started doing a whitening tooth paste that has an LED light with it. Without going into all the science behind it, the light reacts with ActiluX, a patented formula to accelerate the chemicals to react and dissolve the bacteria that cause the stains on your teeth. I’m sure you will have seen images of dentist whitening with the blue LED lights? Well it’s a mini version of that.

To use, brush your teeth using the paste and then hold the light in front of your teeth whilst they are covered in the paste for around 1 minute. I rub a little extra paste over them too.

Of course, it’s never going to be as good a professional whitening, it is only a toothpaste after all, however for a short term fix, I have to say I am very impressed. I’ve been using it for 2 weeks now, and I can see a difference. It’s no Hollywood smile, but its photo worthy. My teeth have a nice subtle whiteness to them now, very natural.

I’m going to continue to use it until graduation, so hopefully they’ll keep getting whiter, or I’d be happy to keep them the shade they are now.

You can learn more about BlanX on their website, or you can purchase it here.

So Mr Papazzari, I’m ready when you are.

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I’m back! Oh I have missed blogging. But needs must, I’ve had a pretty hellish time with my finals recently, and I know I said I wasn’t going to be back until the 5^th when I will have finished, I just couldn’t last that long. I’ve only got 1 left now, so I thought that was good enough!

Feeling pretty frazzled, full of fried chicken, red bull, coffee and chocolate, I couldn’t last too much longer in study mode, so me and a couple of my girlfriends decided to treat ourselves and went out for dinner and cocktails to The Alchemist in Manchester.

The Alchemist has a bit of a reputation around the North West of being the place to be seen. Men in suits, women in ity bity dresses. Its part chemistry, part mixology, muddled together to create a swanky bar. If science was this fun a school, who knows maybe I’d be some half baked nutty professor by now.

The gorgeous B and R.

We arrived early for our table so we decided to start as we meant to go on, and get a round of cocktails in.  B zoned straight in on one of the coolest things Id seen in a while- The colour changing one. It arrived in 2 conical flasks, with instructions to add the blue first then add the clear.

Like something out of Harry Potter the drink billowed smoke and turned bright pink.

It made mine and R’s rather dull, although still seriously scrummy. English cherry sour and the classic Pina Colada.

We then settled down for dinner. We all opted for Nachos to start, and then R decided to have The New Yorker Sandwich, while B went healthy and had a salad.

What did I do?

Prime aged beef burger with cracked black pepper, BBQ sauce, cheese AND bacon... oh and chips. Well it’s not like I haven’t been eating for 4 lately or anything...

The food was nice, but it felt rather like the sideline event, the needs must in the story, because soon we were back on the cocktails.

And boy did we step it up a gear.

Mad Hatter’s Tea Party was from the heart of what The Alchemist is about.  Crafted in their laboratory, drinking just got serious with molecular mixology. Or more rightly open mouthed trickery!

Russian Standard vodka with St Germain Elderflower liqueur, Cointreau, citron gomme muddled with water, they set it up on our table, looking rather suspicious... ‘Do you smoke it?’ was an instagram comment. Lighting a bunsen burner, it was left to boil up and infused with fresh fruit. Once done, it was served up in all its smoking glory in teacups.

And no was the answer to could we keep one!

Of course we had to get one last round in. Bubble gum daiquiri- with popping candy; caramelised rum punch and a French martini. Oh the caramelised rum punch was seriously delicious.  It had dark, deep taste to it, quite something, like nothing I’ve tasted before.

But before long we had to head back for the train, as Ive still got revision for my last exam to do. Not long to go through at all- that thought is keeping me going.

We went to The Alchemist on New York street but there is also one on Springfield’s or now one in Leeds Trinity. It was one of m best nights out in ages, and id thoroughly thoroughly recommend it.

Now If anyone ask ill be in the library, obviously not playing with my new chemistry set...

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Ok, so I know I said I was having a total blogging break to concentrate on my studies, well... turns out I needed a break from my break. When you start to know the wood grain details on your library desk, it’s time for a change of scene. So when an invite came from the lovely people at Get The Label to attend a Urban Hip Hop Party, well I couldn’t resist.

C/O Jay Cain photographer- Most photos are mine, but some are from the official photographer, simply because he was good not to include!

I will admit, I wasn’t too sure if I’d heard of Get The Label before, it sounded familiar, but I hadn’t bought anything.

The event was hosted at 2022 Dale Street which is a basement event space with an urban warehouse feel. When I arrived I felt I’d been transported to an edgy Manhattan art preview, which accompanied by the urban beats, and the immediate ‘let’s get you some champagne’ made for a winner.

C/O Jay Cain

On display was a selection of Get The Labels spring/ summer collection, which they have just launched. Get The Label offers well known brands at a fraction of the cost- up to 75% in allot of cases. Being a subsidiary of JD Sports, I was worried it might all be sporty wear, which really isn’t me, but I was pleasantly surprised. They had pretty summer dresses and heels, which of course I made a bee line for. There were the classics, such a Bench Jeans and Nike teeshirts, which I personally avoided, but I had my eye on a fab Rare dress. Get The Label has some great brands like Apple Bottom, Religion and Motel, and on the website, I've spotted Hunter Wellies, V Fest gear that wouldn’t make me cry into my credit card statement.

Throughout the evening we got the chance to pick out clothes from the new collection, and put together an outfit with a chance of winning the entire thing. Personally I am more of a trend lover, so wanted to prove that you could make trends out of classics. I paired an organza flower dress (Remarkable reminiscent of one Topshop did in mint) with a black sweater over the top. I cinched it in at the waist with a belt and added a necklace. If available I would have added a big underskirt to give some volume to the dress.

Sadly I didn’t win, but me and my model formed a lifelong bond...

C/O Jay Cain

Top- H&M

Blazer- Primark

Necklace- Topshop

Shorts- Topshop

Heels- Topshop

Danielle and Frances

C/O Jay Cain 

Me, Victoria and Rosy

C/O Jay Cain

Of course, being me, my fashion eyes were soon overshadowed by my foodie nose, and of I went straight to the canapés.

Seeing as I was photographed at #northmeetup with a cupcake, well I thought I might as well keep up the tradition.

There was also the chance to do a blog brag, which made me realise I’ll never be a TV star. I think I did about 4 takes, and in the end I spoke for all of about 20 seconds. If they decide to release the hash I made, I’ll post it on here so you can have a giggle.

C/O Jay Cain

I also got to catch up with the lovely Victoria form In The Frow, who I met at the #northmeetup, and meet some new gorgeous girls. 

Clara and me

Me and Megan

Overall I had a blast of a time, the team at Get The Label were really friendly, and were happy for me to chat to them about what they did, and how they got involved (nosey parker aren’t I? It’s the inner networker, I can’t help it!). We were looked after so well, I can’t thank them enough.

I’ll always be honest with you though, as I would hate this blog if it become commercialised, which I won’t let it! There were some great pieces, and honestly the price for the brands, such as Rare Opulance are amazing. If you do love your classics, Get The Label is for you. However, on a day to day basis i'm more... quirky, as evident by my sequin shorts and Velcro heels!

However, I’ve just spied a tribal bikini set for 6.99 on their website- 7 pound for top and bottoms! Crikey! This may be my incentive to actually bother book a holiday now.

You can find Get The Label here, or on Facebook here to see more of the events pictures.

Also during the month of May, you can have free UK delivery on me: Just use code UBPFD

Well, before that thought, its back to the library for me. Like Cinderella after midnight... ooh maybe I’ll meet a gorgeous prince hidden between the book shelves. Now that’s motivation!

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