It’s so nice to work with someone who has their own individual style and with her unique tattoos and stunning vintage wedding dress, Lindsey looks the picture of perfection for my 1940’s bridal feature. Here is how I gave her this pin-up look and the products I used.

Firstly I began with the hair; I sectioned it off and began curling with the Babyliss 2285CU Curling Wand which you can purchase here. Make sure you curl each piece of hair the same way otherwise when you brush it through it won’t create that Hollywood Wave we need.

I left a section of hair for the fringe and took two sections from the side and rolled them upwards into a tight curl and pinned to the top of the head. This may take a few goes to get it perfect but the more you practice at the the easier it gets; I will be making a separate video tutorial for the hair. For the fringe I rolled the hair from the bottom upwards and slightly to the side to create that deep roller look and pinned into place. I didn’t brush through the curls until her make-up was finished otherwise they would drop out.

For the make-up I began with the Smashbox Pore Minimizing 24 Hour Primer which you can find here on the Smashbox website in two different sizes. I used my Real Techniques Foundation Brush to blend this into the skin. I then used Dior Forever Foundation in two shades 020 and 031 to give the skin a medium coverage as I didn’t want it to be a heavy look. To set the foundation I used a Nude by Nature Loose powder and just lightly dusted a thin layer over the face to stop any shine; it’s also good for the skin as it contains natural ingredients. I used the Makeup Revolution Collection Palette which you can buy for just £10 here. It contains 144 colours and I used the bone colours as a base over the eye-shadow primer to begin with, then blending in the more violet colours from the edge to create a gradient. I then used the darkest colour in the palette which is a warm black to create a very subtle flick at the ends of the eyes to really lift and emphasize the shape; her eyes really pop and they look huge 🙂

For the lashes I used Urban Decay’s Perversion mascara as it really lifts the lashes and makes them stay up all day long even underneath heavy false lashes, it also contains marine glycogen which is known to stimulate lash growth. You can find this mascara at your nearest Urban Decay counter or buy online here. Lindsey chose to use her own false eye lashes which I applied for her using Eyelure eye lash glue.

For the eyebrows I used a pomade by the brand Freedom in the shade Soft Brown which you can find at Superdrug. This is supposed to be a dupe for the Anastasia Beverley Hill Dip Brow and to be honest, it does a pretty good job. It’s a bargain at just £5 per pot and it’s waterproof too so will stay on throughout your big day and through to the evening.

For the rest of the face I used a subtle blush from MUA which you can buy on special offer at the moment from Superdrug or online here. With this type of look you don’t want the blusher to be too overpowering as it can ruin the entire look and you really want the lips and eyes to be the main focus.

Of course no pin-up make up would be complete without a statement red lip and for Lindsey I used a red lip liner (which is actually listed as an eyeliner) from Sleek which is smudge proof and waterproof so perfect for kissing on the big day. I then filled in the rest of the lips with a lovely Revlon Colourstay Lipstick in Boho Chic. This lipstick is nice and light so can be re-applied throughout the day and will also keep them moisturized.

To complete the look I just brushed through the curls to create a Hollywood wave and added a few small flowers to her hair. Overall Lindsey looked absolutely stunning in this vintage 1940’s style look really suits her.; this is the perfect make-up and hair to accompany a vintage wedding dress. 

Dublin Castle

So, for the first time ever I went to visit Dublin as everyone always tells me how great it is. Unfortunately I only got two days off work to explore but I tried to make the most out of my time there as I could. Flights were only £60 return on Ryanair so I thought why not?

The first morning I woke up and got a bus into the town; be warned they only accept coins on the bus and not notes or card. I found this out the hard way when I tried to give the bus driver a 20 Euro note; luckily he let me on for free. They do their own version of the Oyster card too which is called a Leap Card but I wasn’t aware of this until I got there. The trains and buses all have free wi-fi which was great as I nearly got lost many times (Dublin is bigger than I thought).

My first stop was the Museum of Modern Art which is just around the corner from Heuston Train Station. If you are staying near a train station then I would suggest getting the train as it is much faster.

The Museum of Modern Art Entrance

The Museum Grounds

The grounds of the museum reminded me of Somerset House in London which has a very similar layout and also hosts Art Exhibitions. The Museum is free and there are a range of different exhibitions to explore including moving film and photography.

One of my favourite pieces was the replica of ‘Image of Samuel Beckett’ by Louis Le Brocquy. Beckett is one of my favourite playwrights; he was born in Dublin and there is even a theatre and a bridge named after him in Dublin.

Image of Samuel Beckett

To the side of the museums are several barn-like workshops where you can take part in various arts and crafts sessions. There is more information about the museum and the different workshops here.

Workshops and sculpture to the side of the museum

If you walk through the back of the museum there is a large, beautiful park with a monument you can walk underneath which resembles the Marc Du Triumph in Paris.

Park and sculpture to the rear of the museum

When I had finished at the Museum I walked back round past Heuston station which was now lit up beautifully and made my way to The Guinness factory. Heuston station is around a 30 minute walk into the hustle and bustle so I would only get off here to see the Museum of Natural History, The Museum of Modern Art and The Guinness factory.

The Front Entrance of Heuston Station

You have to walk along the river and all the way round the cobbled streets to get the The Public Entrance to The Guinness Storehouse but I didn’t mind as the views along the way were lovely. There are so many bridges that go across the River Liffey and they are beautiful during the day and the night.

The Rory O’Moore Bridge

The entrance to the Guinness Storehouse is just right of the Rory O’Moore Bridge and up a beautiful cobbled street which veers around the walls of the factory. Walking along here you will see horse and carriage rides and smell the burning of the Barley and Hops from the factory.

Crane Street

Entrance to the Guinness Storehouse is normally €20 but with student discount I only paid €18. In comparison to it’s exterior, the inside of the Guinness Storehouse is absolutely magical. All seven floors are lit up with fairy lights and it feels a bit like being in Willy Wonker’s Guinness Factory.  

First Floor of The Guinness Storehouse

As you walk around the first floor there are grand displays of the ingredients that Guinness is made from; Barley, Hops, Water and Yeast. If you walk up one level to the second floor you get the chance to enter the Tasting rooms which is super exciting. It’s a sensory experience where you not only smell the ingredients but get your first taste of the famous beer.

The Tasting Rooms

You can view a virtual tour of the tasting rooms here online 

On the 5th Floor you get the chance to trade your ticket in for a full pint and if you pull it yourself you get a certificate. But the best part for me was The Gravity bar on the top floor; the panoramic views of Dublin were incredible.

The view at night from the Gravity Bar

From the Guinness Storehouse I took a stroll into the central part of town near Temple Bar which is famous for it’s bars and lively atmosphere. I walked past some stunning sights along the way including St John’s Lane Church and

St John’s Lane Church

The predominant religion in Dublin and the Republic of Ireland is Christianity so the majority of people are Catholic which is why there are a number of beautiful churches around the city. Although I do not practice a religion myself, I appreciated the beauty and architecture of the buildings.

Roman Catholic St. Audoen’s Church Portico II

As I headed back to the station I walked back along the river which was now filled with light and colour from the several bridges that run across it.

Butt Bridge Illuminated at Night

The following day I decided to head out early as I needed to catch two buses to get to Marlay Park. It did take a good hour and a half to get there so I would suggest driving if you can as it is only around 25 minutes from the centre of town. Marlay Park is one of the starting position of Wicklow Walk; a world famous mountain walk. You can read more about the Wicklow Walk here but it is known as one of the most scenic walks in the world.

Marlay Park

I had read online that the forest in Marlay park is full of wonderful sights so I took a wander through there first to get lost and find some waterfalls. I almost wanted a Troll to pop out from underneath this bridge it looked like something from a fairy-tale.

Waterfalls in Marlay Park Forest

There is also a beautiful lake where you can feed the ducks and swans and sit out on the decking.

The Lake in Marlay Park

Although there a few signs around the park pointing you to the Wicklow Walk is it always best to ask the Park Ranger or a local for directions; otherwise it’s quite difficult to find. Luckily for me I made friends with a lady who was walking her weekly lap of the park as I was going the completely wrong way. As you can see from the signs there are a few start points for Wicklow Walk and it can be confusing but the one I took was just under the under-pass that goes under the motorway next to the park.

Eventually after walking up a long hill with huge houses either side I ended up at the small car park at the entrance to the walk. If you choose to do this mountain walk yourself I wuld advise taking a car up to the entrance just to save yourself time of getting buses and walking as i was quite worn out by the time I had even got to the sign; more cardio in the gym for me I think.

There is a map which tells you the routes you can go and if you choose to do the whole of the mountains it will take you around seven hours so make sure you are prepared and give yourself the whole day. I unfortunately only had a few hours before it got dark and I needed to catch my bus so I didn’t get to experience the whole walk.

The Start of Wicklow Walk

Although I didn’t get to climb all of the mountains I still very much enjoyed the parts I did climb as the forests are beautiful and the views were wonderful over Dublin.

The Forest of Wicklow Walk

I would definitely suggest going in Autumn as you won’t get too hot from the sun and the colours you see in the forest are just incredible.

Beautiful Trees of Wicklow Walk

Around half way up I realised that there was a golf course adjecent to where I was walking. It was very steep but the views were incredible so I sneaked in and took a few pics of Dublin and the bay.

The view over Dublin from Wicklow Golf Club

Now I only had a very short time in Dublin so unfortunately couldn’t climb as high as I would have liked but if you keep going to get to a point called Fairy Castle where there are stunning views over Ireland and you would walk through Glenealo Valley which is just spectacular to walk through.

Glenealo Valley

Unfortunately this is not one of my own Photographs but I am definitely going to go back to Ireland and complete the walk as part of my Bucket List. There is so much of Dublin to see and obviously I have only scratched the surface;but I hope you liked reading about my adventures and I cannot wait to re-visit this beautiful city.

If you haven’t heard of Shade London; then you have now. They are a must if you love a bit of a gothic/grungey and quirky look. They often sell on ASOS but to find their whole range go directly to their website.

This Mesh T-shirt dress really appealed to me because of the detail on the hem and sleeves. The name of the brand almost looks like hieroglyphics and it goes perfectly over any outfit you want to show off due to the sheer material. I wore it over a bikini on holiday so I could still show off the bikini but could also easily take it off for a swim. I have also worn it on a night out with a little black skirt and black crop top underneath.

Simply click here to buy one of these stunning dresses for yourself 🙂

Outfit: Black Mesh Dress – Shade London. Beanie Hat – IKrush. Black Boob Tube/Bandeau – Ebay

Lipstick is Mac  – Smoked Purple

A delicious halloumi and asparagus arrangement with avocado salad and boiled potatoes…heaven!

Halloumi is a Cypriot cheese which has a sort of rubbery texture but tastes amazing when cooked; especially on a bbq. It is nice and salty and is a must for any vegetarians who need that extra substance in their meal ideas.

To cook for two using this recipe you will need:

2 Medium-Large Potatoes or 1 Extra Large

1 Asparagus bunch of10-12 sticks

1 Large Avocado

1 Red Pepper

1 Packet of mixed salad leaves

1 pack of Halloumi

 Squeezy Honey

Olive Oil

Start by pre-heating your oven to the highest temperature ie 250 degrees and make sure you have a nice clean baking dish ready. Pop 2 tablespoons of olive oil into the dish and set aside, don’t put in the oven as we want the oil to be cold.

Next wash your potatoes and cut them into the size you prefer; preferably not as large as you would cut your roasties. You can also use smaller new potatoes for this recipe if you prefer.

Pop the potatoes into a saucepan with a pinch of salt and a tiny splash of olive oil to keep them soft and put them on to boil for 15 minutes or until soft.

Next you will need to chop the ends off your Asparagus sticks, give them a wash and pop them into your baking dish making sure they are nicely rubbed in to the oil.

Now give your red pepper a wash and cut that into medium size squares and place next to the asparagus in the dish. Pop those into the oven for 10 minutes.

Whilst all that lovely food is cooking away you can prepare your advocado salad. The best way to cut an advocado is to slice it in half around the stone and peel away the skin like you would an orange. Cut half an avocado each into slices for each meal. Make sure you wash your salad even if it is already pre-washed, pop that onto the side of your plate and place the avocado slices on top. You can of course add any other salad you like such as tomatoes or cress.

Now for the main ingredient; the halloumi. Take your halloumi out of the packet and cut it into cubes, making sure you cut it on a chopping board as it does come in a juice.

Once your asparagus and red pepper have roasted for 10 minutes take the dish out using oven gloves and place the halloumi next to your peppers. Add a drizzle of honey over the whole lot and pop back into the oven for another 5-7 minutes.

Drain your potatoes and melt a few large dollops of butter over them whilst they are still in the saucepan, sprinkle some salt over the top and pop the lid back on to keep them warm.

Once the halloumi has a nice brown edge take the dish out of the oven and serve up your yummy food…not forgetting your potatoes. The sweetness of the honey compliments the sweetness in the red pepper and this will definitely be a dish you make again and again.

Enjoy 🙂

So ever since I was little I have always loved mermaids; I still spend half my bath time under the water in the bubbles pretending I live under the sea #waterbaby. Since my girls holiday to Ibiza this year which you can read about in my travel section, my love for these scaley creatures has only grown stronger and I have now decided that life is more fun as a mermaid. Thanks to shops now being covered in mermaid goodies it is now easier for me to find beautiful products to add to my collection. It was my birthday a few weeks ago and all my close friends and family planned a surprise party for me with an underwater fancy dress theme which was amazing; so I knew I had to step up my game with my outfit. I went all out with a gold sequin fishtail dress from ASOS. It was actually from the tall section but they went down to a size 4 so even though I couldn’t breath or walk properly due to the long length, I felt fabulous. You can buy the dress here

Unfortunately for my bank balance when I was choosing my birthday outfit I happened to stumble across some more mermaid style clothes (accidentally of course). So I wanted to share them with my lovely readers and fellow mermaids. This particular mesh t-shirt dress is one of my favourites as it just has a hint of scales on the shoulders so as its mostly plain it will go with a lot. Mesh dresses are everywhere at the moment and look great with bikinis, crop tops or shorts underneath. This is from A brand called The Ragged Priest and they sell their range on ASOS. You can view and buy it here

The bikini underneath is from my favourite bikini brand Jaded London. If you have read the rest of my blog you will notice I have a lot of love for their bikinis as they do a lot of high waisted sets and they are so unique. This glitter bikini appealed to me as it’s slightly two tone and had a very underwater feel to it. You can buy it here

Whilst browsing through bikinis online I of course noticed another beautiful swimwear set but it was only the top that appealed to me. The iridescent colours are beautiful and really catch the light. This bikini top from Boohoo can be worn as a normal crop top as well as a bikini top. You can buy it here

This pretty pink clutch bag is amazing and the glitter is built into the material so won’t fall off. You could always use it as a make up bag too and it has a really cool slogan. The bag is from ASOS and has a little starfish on the zip. You can buy it here

Now I know mermaids have a tail and no feet but even Ariel needed shoes at the end of the film and what better sandals to choose than these sliders. They couldn’t be more perfect for mermaid footwear and I love The White Brand as their footwear is always so different to what you would normally find in the shops. You can buy them here

Or if you’re more of a heels girl these gold scaled shoes from Boohoo glisten amazingly in the sunlight and give your feet a gorgeous arch. They wrap around the ankle too so are extra secure and they also come in silver. They are two tone so you will see lots of mermaid colours in them. You can buy them here

This oversize hat sums me up perfectly; I get a lot of funny looks for experimenting with my hair but I don’t mind because I like to have a bit of colour in my life (and my hair). The hat is very large so be careful if a gust of wind comes along, but it will also protect your scalp from the sun and is great for holidays and beach wear. I only wear hats every now and again but when I do I like them to be statement pieces. This hat is from ASOS and you can buy it here

The dress I am wearing with this beautiful hat is from Boohoo and is probably the comfiest thing I have ever bought. The material is so soft, you can tie it as tight as you want around the neck and it’s not too tight like some body-con dresses. The seashells are in a bit of a naughty place but hey we all have them 😉 This was an absolute bargain and they do it in grey, white or black.  You can buy it here

Now the nights are getting chillier I needed a new long sleeve jumper so this grey cut off mermaid academy jumper from Daisy Street was perfect. It is one of the softest jumpers I have ever worn as the lining is really fluffy and the sleeves are nice and long to give a preppy look. It is slightly baggy at the bottom so I like to tie it in a little knot at the back, or you can just wear it loose with a pair of joggers to slouch around in. You can buy it here

The bag I am holding in this photo is an absolutely stunning pink giant glittery sea shell which fits in so much more than you would think. It is from the brand Skinny Dip who also make accessories for Topshop. What better accessory to carry around than a giant shell and as you can see when it hits the light it glistens so nicely. You can buy it here.

Another accessory everyone needs is a phone case and as soon as I saw this one I had to have it. I have only just got an Iphone (hard to believe) and this case fits the 6 perfectly. It hasn’t faded or rubbed off at all so you can tell it’s high quality. It’s from Daisy Street which is another one of my top favourite brands. They have their own website but also sell through ASOS. You can buy the same case here

Speaking of Daisy Street (who also make fabulous clothing) this cute grey cut off sweatshirt is so super soft on the inside and super geek chic on the outside. The sleeves are made slightly longer for a preppy edge and it’s perfect to slouch around in too with some joggers. You can buy it online from Daisy Street or via ASOS here.

This white glittery leotard from Jaded with scales is one of my ultimate favourite mermaid purchases as the scales are beautifully decorated with tiny white sequins. The backless design makes it hard to wear a bra so I bought a stick on bra from Primark; they are a must for if you wear backless clothes a lot like moi. Jaded have recently been selling products in Topshop so you can now buy it here.

This incredible midi length sequin skirt is from ASOS and almost feels like half a mermaid tail. It’s full of silver hologram sequins and can be dressed up with a cute pair of silver heels. You can buy it here

The trainers I am wearing are Silver Reebok Classics which is the same brand I used to wear when I was 12. They are the most comfortable trainers I have ever worn as they have a super soft lining and are nice and wide fit. I’m so glad they have come back into fashion and you can buy them here

I’m not really a Michael Kors handbag type of person so I have a LOT of backpacks. So as soon as I saw this mermaid glittery style backpack in Topshop I fell in love and let’s be honest you can never have too many back packs. You can find this particular metallic two tone bag here.

The colour I have in my hair is blue hair chalk from Amazon which you can buy here and I just rubbed it into the ends as it can make your hair a bit dry. For true mermaid hair it’s best to use a brand called Directions which is a semi-permanent colour, mixed with conditioner which will lead your hair to have a fuller softer colour as seen here.

The dungarees I am wearing in these photos are from New Look and are a perfect fit as they are stretch denim. You can buy a similar pair here.

Now onto my super bargain magical t-shirt. When I saw this in Primark I was so excited as I love love love changeable clothes that can be worn more than one way. One day I can be a mermaid, one day I can be a unicorn and one day I could even be a unimaid; hours of fun in one t-shirt.

Unfortunately you cannot buy Primark products online only in your nearest store.

I hope you enjoyed reading this post and it has inspired you release your inner mermaid too. There are more images of the outfits shown on my Lookbook page http://lookbook.nu/thepetiteavenue and on my Instagram @thepetiteavenue 🙂