OOTD: night at the market

Every year Queen Victoria Market turns into a night market, full of great food, music, art and clothing pieces. I've been a huge fan of markets seen I was very young, probably because my mum used to drag my sister and I to every market she ever heard of. Even though I've been to most, if not all markets held around my area, Queen Victoria Market's night market always stand out. With the crazy buzz of people buying their food to the different types of music playing in every corner.

Its always exciting to choose your outfit for a night out and so this is my OOTD.

 I love this outfit so much, I'm all about prints so I love these shorts and animal print sunglasses. I kept the colours very cool toned, with the light blue shirt and black and white accessories. The only pop of colour is from my bright berry toned pink lipstick. I think this look is very effortless, the prints don't clash and the look is a very simple, but sophisticated.


My sunglasses are a pretty bold statement accessory, I usually stick to very simple accessories to compliment my more out there outfit. This outfit is defiantly all about the sunglasses. This year I've been all over the animal print trend, I used to think animal print = cougars. I was wrong animal print if worn the right the way can look very classy and very young and modern. I'm still not comfortable wearing animal print as a large part of my outfit, but I love wearing it as part of an accessory, such as the sunglasses. I love the size of the sunglasses, its very comfortable to wear and the shape reminds me of those expensive Prada sunglasses, how it takes up half of your face. I also feel that because the print is in black and white, its not as loud and crazy and adds more of sophistication and makes my entire outfit look more expansive than it is.
sunglasses-Portmans

I bought this top ages ago and haven't worn it for ever, I don't know why since every time I pull it out I'm reminded of how much I love it. The colour is so nice and the shape gives a very relaxed and smart look to any outfit. I feel like a lot of people stay away from wearing coloured shirts and stick to white and black. Which is fine, but it can easy become boring and very forgettable, you want to stand out from the crowd and for your outfit to be talked about, well I do anyway. Also I went to the market around the afternoon, so if was still fairly warm, so pushing up the sleeves gives more movement and kept me cool, but the shirt is long sleeved so I can roll it down when I need more protecting from the chilling air. I knew that my big fancy print sunglasses was my stand out accessory so I wanted the other accessories to be very dainty and simple.
shirt-Zara
necklace-Marc by Marc Jacobs 

I'm completely obsessed with these pair of dressy shorts. The print, the colour and the fabric. It so up my alley, I used to always be seen in a printed skirt, but shorts are really growing on me. I love that the fabric and the print makes the look as dressy as a skirt, but it gives me much more movement. Also it gives the look a more manly and strong feel, while if it was a skirt it'll give more a feminine look. I think that the tribal print is loud, but the colour makes it wearable and really makes it easy to pair anything with it. This is why the sunglasses and the shorts didn't clash, because they are both loud prints but with the same colour scheme, black and white. I think this is an absolutely essential in any girls wardrobe, a loud dressy shorts.
shorts-vintage store

Apart from my sunglasses, the rest of the accessories are very simple, gold pieces. I love this gold bracelet on my right arm, its very thin so it gives a very subtle attention to my hands, I wear this when I don't want to leave my arms bare, but don't want to make a statement. It says dream in cursive writing, I love accessories with little encouraging words or phrases and it has been a huge trend for quiet some time now. On the same hand I have my rose shaped ring, I love rose shaped rings, I pair it with everything. This black colour is so cool, even though its a flower, which can be cute and girly the colour is so strong and dark it gives a twist the a very sweet piece of accessory. Onto my left arm I have my thick, gold bangle, which has the message The best is yet to come engraved in it. Its so cute, but very meaningful and I love simple pieces of accessories like this and this bangle is in my top 5 favourite pieces. To my last piece of accessory it's my black hair tie, these have been all the rage to teens world wide. They cute and versatile, which is why they are so incredibly popular, have you ever wanted to tie your hair back, such as going out for lunch, but who would want to put of an ugly elastic hair tie on their wrist it's not cute and it cuts of circulation for me. So I'm so glad of these cute little hair ties were invented.

This is so my go to outfit, I love to look smart and put together, which this outfit is, but the shorts lets me move and all the accessories really make this outfit fun and cute. xoxo - Monica

2014 favourites

Sadly 2014 is over and a brand new year has started, that means new make up, skincare and beauty products, but before we run out to buy these new product lets look back on our 2014 favourites. Today I'll be sharing with you my ultimate holy grail items of 2014, these items have been my saviour and angel products that I truly and forever love. so without further ado lets dig in to my favourites.

Favourite face product: Avene thermal spring water - $25.99

I cannot say enough good things about this product, it tones, moisturise, prime, refresh and add a glow to my face. It can also be sprayed onto brushes to intensify eye shadows, if water wasn't cutting it and buying MAC's fixplus is a waste of money get the Avene thermal spring water. This is ideal for summer time when your hot and stuffy and your face is getting ridiculously grease and you don't want to go to the bathroom to cleanse your face (cleansing too much strips off the nature moistures on the face leaving it grey and dry) just a quick spritz of this refreshes your skin. It literally like taking a shower in a magical waterfall, at the comfort of your room.

Favourite eye product: Covergirl lash blast - $17.95
This mascara is amazing, I love it so so much. I was so excited about the Maybelline the rocket mascara and I only ever buy Maybelline mascara's because I trust their formulas and prices make me happy. I unfortunately could not get my hands on the waterproof version and my lashes only stay curled if its a waterproof mascara. So the rocket was a huge fail and I was on a hunt for a mascara alike, but in the waterproof formula and that's when I discover the Covergirl lash blast. The brush is identical and the formula is very black and very waterproof, also I live in a hot climate area and even waterproof formulas get a little tired and weigh my lashes a few millimetres down, but not the Covergirl lash blast. 

Favourite lip product: Ulta3 lip liner in dusk - $2.99
Lip liners never appealed to me I was too lazy and I figured it was going to take to much time an d skill. I was so wrong! To apply it's as simple as smiling with your mouth closed and just line where the natural lips outline or draw on a little bit outside the perimeter of the outline to give the illusion of a fuller lip. I love the formula it glides on, but it sets and wont budge, it's great on its own or underneath a nude or pink lipstick.

Favourite skincare product: Neutrogena fresh foaming cleanser - $11.49
I love this so much, I do change up my cleanser depending on my mood, but this is the one I count on and come back to time and time again. It's great for sensitive skin, because it's a combination of a make up remover and a cleanser so you can go really close on the eyes and it wont irritate. I love that the formula is really smooth and foaming, unlike most cleansers where they have the harsh gritty beads of scrubs. Your skin feels really smooth, clean and moisturised.

Favourite hair product: Garnier fructis oily roots and dry ends shampoo and conditioner - $5.99 
My hair can get super oily after the 24hr mark and I need a product that gives me control of that and this is it. I have tried different ones, but this one is the best for me. First I fell in love with the scent it very citrusy and the scent lingers lightly when dry. I love the formula, a little goes a long way for this product especially for the shampoo, it really strips my oily roots but adds a good healthy amount of moisture back to my roots. Also the shampoo formula not only cleans my hair but detangles and smooths out my hair, ready for the next step, conditioning. The conditioner moisturises my ends and really detangles and smooths out my ends, I believe their is no conditioner on the market at this price that detangles my hair as fast and pain free as this does.

Favourite fashion item: Zara NWT grey floral flared mini skirt - $35.95
I have a good amount of hand me down Zara items from my mum, but this is the first item I choose and bought on my own. I love it so so much, its has a thick material that its a cross between a skater skirt and a tight skirt.  Its flowy enough that it moves, but tight enough to give a very sophisticated silhouette. I love that it can be dressed up or down depending on the shoes and top to pair it with. The floral print it very dark and is a very sophisticated and feminine, which is what Zara is all about. I think the shape is so flattering on all body shapes and the length is so perfect, the length definitely makes it appropriate for younger buyers like myself and thankfully doesn't  make it look like I've been playing dress up in my mums closet.

Hope you enjoyed my list of top product of 2014, maybe you agreed with some of the products listed and hopefully I gave you enough reasons to try out some of the products yourself. Please leave a comment below on your favourite products of 2014 and I'll check them out. xoxo - Monica