The end of a beautiful era

I'm just going to say it - I'm no longer going to be updating Paige of Fashion. I'm not deleting my first little corner of the internet (I don't think I could ever bring myself to do that) but I've reached a point in my life where I feel like it's a time for change and it just seems right to move on in the blogging world.

I love Paige of Fashion and all of my readers more than I can even say and I owe you all so much. Thank you for being the wonderful, supportive people that you are. The past three years submerged in the world of fashion blogging have been simply beautiful. The truth is though that over the past few months writing about clothes has become harder for me and at times even tedious. I didn't want to stop posting entirely, so I cut down my weekly post number. I tried so hard to become obsessed with this area of blogging again. As much as I still love it and respect everyone who can write about it, I just don't adore putting pieces together about fashion anymore. And what's the point in doing something you can't put your heart and soul into?

Maybe I'll be back at some point in the future. Maybe it will be sooner than I can ever imagine because I'll end up missing it way too much. But for the time being, consider this my last post. Instead, I have moved home and you can find my ramblings over on curlyandwordy.blogspot.co.uk (yes, don't worry I'm not completely gone). My new blog will be more about the inside of my head and social issues, although fashion will probably make its way into the proceedings at some point!

I know this isn't goodbye because I follow most of you on other social media platforms and for those of you that don't already follow me, I'm @curlyandwordy on pretty much everything. I'm most active on twitter and instagram though. My handles will logically be changing soon but I'll edit this post as and when. I just want to stay in contact with all of you amazing people!

Thank you again for the past three years. Paige of Fashion has been my therapy, my hobby and my addiction.

Bethany Paige X

Wishlist: A spending ban

I'm not buying any more clothes until just before my holiday to Spain in 98 days (yes, I'm counting). And this time I'm serious. Really, I am. Considering I left my job just over a month ago to focus on school and the fact that I'm going travelling throughout June/July, I really do not have the money for any Topshop sprees or sly online shopping that "doesn't count" because I don't leave the sofa. So this is the real deal.

As I'm sure you all understand, it's a hard task for anybody and is only harder due to being a part of the blog universe. All I see all day every day on my instagram feed is gorgeous clothes and gorgeous shoes and gorgeous makeup! I suppose I can still lust away and create wish lists, though.

D-Ring Bralet - Topshop £22 // Zip front midi - Topshop £48 // Adidas Originals ZX Flux Dusk Pink trainers - ASOS £72 // Why not slogan t-shirt dress - ASOS £25 // Sahara Duster Coat - House of Sunny - £199 // Too Faced Natural matte palette - Debenhams £32 

I hope you're all having a lovely weekend,

Bethany Paige X

Compliments that aren't about physical appearance

This week I've been thinking a lot about compliments. Mainly I've been thinking about the fact that one of my most frequently used compliments is "you look lovely today" and how sad that makes me. Although it's always true, the people that I say it to are so much more than beautiful on the outside. They deserve better words to describe them than "pretty" or "handsome". 

I decided to dedicate some of my time to compiling a list of compliments that are in no way related to physical appearance. A list a compliments that I would love to receive and that mean so much more than a comment on someone's hair or clothes (even though those ones are nice too)! At first I didn't intend this to be for Paige of Fashion but I thought that it would be refreshing to post something that's more inward focused. I'm also resolving to use the relevant compliments as much as possible in the next week and beyond. I plan on peppering them liberally throughout the day along with the classic appearance based comments, to make sure that the people I care about know just how much they mean to me.

(-B.A is how I sign my non-blog related writing, for those of you that don't know)

Bethany Paige X

Watch and learn

I'm not sure there's any better accessory than a gold watch. I feel like it can make a boring outfit stand out. It's simple, yet effective. And for my 18th birthday I was lucky enough to get possibly the most gorgeous watch in history from my wonderful Dad. Not only is it gold, but it has a pearl face and in place of the normal numbers are individual diamonds. Unlike previous watches I've had it's relatively dainty, but without being too overly-feminine. We all know I'm not the kind to go for full on girly when it comes to accessories.

Since I had it adjusted (I have weirdly thin wrists) I've worn it every single day. I'm pretty much obsessed.

I thin it's safe to say my Dad knows me very well!

Bethany Paige X

February Favourites

February has been a good month. A very good month indeed. Valentines day, my 18th birthday (finally) and a lovely week off from school all combined to make something altogether rather wonderful. Mainly, February has been so good because I've been able to spend it with the people that I love. But a few other things also played their part in adding a little bit of extra sparkle. 

Victoria's Secret perfumes are divine. I do not tell a lie when I say that they are sent from the heavenly realms to bless our earth. I already have "Forbidden" which is easily my favourite perfume ever, but I was lucky enough to add Coconut Passion to my collection this month. I have my two best friends Kels and Maria to thank for this beauty that I got as part of an amazing birthday gift! It's not a serious scent (does that make sense?) just the kind of thing you spritz on before a day out shopping or at school.

A good month and late nights go hand in hand. And with late nights come dark circles. In my case at least. So the Nip and Fab CC Eye Fix has literally saved me lately. I'm not too sure whether it's meant to work as a concealer, but it certainly does for me. I have it in the shade medium and not only does it hide all signs of a heavy night but it also moisturises too. 

I've actually had my Pandora bracelet since my 16th birthday but only recently have I got really into wearing it. And I mean really into wearing it. It's got to the point where if I don't have it on one day it feels a little odd. I think the main reason that I've become so obsessed is because I acquired four charms in a very short time span, which filled it out a bit and gave it the look I wanted. I got a little silver car charm for passing my driving test last month, an 18 charm on my birthday, plus the two beauties pictured above! On Valentine's my boyfriend gave me the flower (get it? Because boys usually give girls a bunch of flowers on V-Day?) and then he was lovely enough to also give me the beautiful dark blue one with silver stars for my birthday. Both are absolutely stunning. I'm a very lucky girl. 

It's basically customary to post some kind of Lush product in my monthly favourites! In February I've been loving The Comforter Bubble Bar. I always go for the sweet scents at Lush and this is no exception. It produces a tonne of bubbles with just a tiny amount too! I break off a small piece every time I have a bath (I must have used it at least 5 times) and I still have quite a substantial amount remaining. If you like to smell like a sweet shop, this is the one for you.

This one was a tad hard to picture so I had to find something to represent it - Audio Books! In particular Russell Brand's "Revolution". I got it for free on Audible using one of those YouTube links that every beauty guru seems to give their viewers. The book is both thought provoking and hilarious, and as much as I would love to give a synopsis I don't think anybody except Mr Brand himself can explain his ideas. Just read/listen to it. 

I got a MacBook Pro! And it is glorious. Glorious! It truly has made my life, in terms of school especially, a whole lot easier. It's so slick. That probably doesn't make sense but the way it runs is just slick. I've also been rather obsessed with using the app "Wunderlist" and connecting it between my phone and laptop, to have an electronic to-do list with me at all times. My productivity levels have been at an all time high. Did I say my MacBook was glorious?

Last and most definitely not least is my Blend-Active. My dad bought me this bad boy as part of my birthday present, as well as a gorgeous watch that warrants its own blog post! I'm obsessed with smoothies and "health foods" recently (shout out also to almond butter, another recent favourite). The Blend-Active just makes the whole smoothie process a lot less hassle and a lot less messy. It's my dream come true! My favourite smoothie this week has been frozen blueberry, almond butter, banana and spinach.

I hope you all had as wonderful a month as me!

Bethany Paige X

Tibi A/W 2015

If there's one way in which my wardrobe has changed over the past year or so, it has simplified. Not only has it shrunk, but embellishments are almost all gone and cuts are usually sleek yet oversized. Opulence just doesn't inspire me anymore. I think it's probably this adoration of minimal designs that made me fall so deeply in love with the Tibi A/W 2015 collection that debuted at NYFW.

 

Whilst the designs are undeniably minimal, Amy Smilovic managed to incorporate cozy textures in with the simple tones and shapes. Which makes it a whole lot easier for a lover of all things sleek to keep warm in the winter. And I for one am not going to complain about thick knits and fur linings! Not only that, but the colour palette is my idea of perfection. Greys, blacks, navy and the occasional pale hue mean that nothing detracts from the beautiful cuts of the pieces. I'm not so sure bare legs would be suitable for winter in snowy kent, but who said fashion shows have to be completely realistic?

Bethany Paige X

Be mine

Valentine's dressing is all about red, silk and pretty touches for me. Well, actually, this year it's all about aprons, ties and perhaps pasta stain details since I'm working. But if I was lucky enough to be going out for dinner or spending the day in with my boyfriend, I probably would dress in something a tad more sophisticated! Maybe a pair of heels in place of my black tennis shoes.

Despite the fact that I will be serving loved up couples throughout the evening, I can at least dream about the outfits I would wear if that wasn't the case, right?

Deep V bodycon dress - £9 (!) Topshop // Snake-effect heels - £46 Topshop // Faux fur clutch- £35 ASOS // Half moon necklace - £16 Topshop 

Sweet dreams PJ set - £22 Topshop // heart socks - £3.50 Topshop // Applique vine lingerie set - £24 // OPI nail varnish - £11.50 

Crepe Bralet by boutique - £45 Topshop // Crinkle maxi skirt - £20 Topshop // Black clutch by Whistles - £40 ASOS // River Island cleated boots - £31 ASOS // Black varnish - L'Oreal //

Bethany Paige X

Wishlist: our third Birthday and my eighteenth

Fist things first, I'm back! After my hiatus which I've spent regaining my writing mojo and gathering inspiration, I am officially back on my blogging game. I can't even tell you all how excited I am to be talking to you again. I've also decided that from now on, in order to stay on top of my studies, I will be doing about one post a week. Well, that's the plan at least. Knowing me, I'll end up being unable to contain myself and will go back to posting every other day. I guess we'll see.

More importantly though - It's Paige of Fashion's third birthday today! I can practically hear you all turning up the music and letting off party poppers through my laptop screen. Seriously though, this is a huge moment for me. I'll be honest, when I started blogging I would never had thought it would last long. Especially not three whole years. But Paige of Fashion is like my baby and I feel as though it has grown with me throughout the time I've been in the blogging universe. So, a massive thank you to those of you that have been reading since day one, and those of you that have joined me recently.

On the topic of birthdays, not only is my little corner of the internet three this month, but I turn 18! You can all mark the date in your calendars - The 16th. I thought that for my first post back I would do my favourite kind of post, a wishlist!

1. Naked 3 palette // 2. Michael Kors Selma bag in Grey - £315 at House of Fraser //  

3. Marc Jacobs Daisy - £55 at House of Fraser //  4. Spike necklace - £35 at Topshop // 

5. Ralph for Women - £54 at Debenhams // 

6. Eleanor and Park book - £6.39 at Waterstones 

Of course I'm not really imagining I'll get a Michael Kors bag... but a girl can dream! 

Bethany Paige X 

A pause in the proceedings

Life is crazy at the moment. And as much as I hate to admit it, it's been affecting things over here on Paige of Fashion. Thanks to school, wanting to spend time with my loved ones and the general insanity that is the festive period, I simply haven't had the time to put as much thought into my blogging. As a frustrating consequence, my posts have been sporadic and somewhat rare. My usual habit of posting every other day has utterly disintegrated!

I'm not complaining in the slightest. As much as I would love to be able to keep Paige of Fashion in a state of constant renewal, I've chosen to put other things in front of writing blog posts on my list of priorities. I guess this is a taste of what growing up feels like! So, over the rest of the Christmas period I've chosen to take a short break from blogging. I'm looking forward to spending time with all of the people I love and not feeling pressured into pulling together a post in between that. I feel as though as soon as you start writing because you need to and not because you want to, the whole essence of blogging is lost.

Consider this only to be a pause though. I will be back. I promise. At some point early in the new year I hope to get into the swing of blogging once more and start my schedule afresh. I have no doubt that my temporary absence will revitalise my ability to post more frequently and to a better standard.

I hope you have absolutely wonderful Christmases and I'm excited to speak to you all again in 2015!

Bethany Paige X

Lush's shoot for the stars review

When I do baths, I do them right. I'm talking a complete relaxation routine. I'm talking candles, books and a plethora of scented liquids. I'm talking all of the Lush products that I can possibly afford to pour/drop/crumble into my bath. When it comes to winter though, my baths step it up a gear.

As soon as December hits I spend quite an extortionate amount of money on Lush products. I'm just obsessed with their Christmas range every year! Considering I spend approximately an hour and a half in the bath at a time (no joke) I don't consider it a waste of money. So while I was present shopping on Black Friday, the glorious smell drew me in and I couldn't resist picking up a bath bomb. My logic was that you have to relax after the serious cardio that is Christmas shopping. It also gave me the opportunity to write my first review of this kind. See, two birds, one stone!

 

The bath bomb I went for this time was Shoot for the stars. I was drawn in by two factors. Firstly, that scent. It has the same smell as the "honey I washed the kids" soap - a gorgeous blend of caramel and sweet orange. Secondly, it claimed it would make my bath water look like a night sky! How could I resist that? 

At first, I'll be honest, it didn't make my bath water look anything like a midnight sky. It kind of just turned into a swirl of pastel colours. But hey, that's good too. Once it settled down and was finished fizzing (I'd say it took about five minuted) it did leave me with a dark blue/purple shimmering bath of wonderfulness though, which made me sublimely happy.

I can't say that shoot for the stars is particularly moisturising or bodes any such qualities, but it did leave my skin shimmery. I was like a walking diamond! I left the bath feeling shiny and smelling beautiful, which is all  I can ask for in a Lush product really.

Bethany Paige X

All I want for Christmas is...

Today I was suddenly hit by a wave of Christmas excitement. In less than a month I will be well and truly submerged in the festive spirit, no doubt eating more than my fair share of mince pies and dancing around in fluffy socks to Mariah Carey. That's how it usually goes at least.

For me, my favourite part of Christmas is giving people their presents. I plan them months in advance which means I have plenty of time to build up excitement to see their faces when they open them! There's no denying that I'm pretty fond of receiving presents too though. We'd be lying if we said we didn't get a little bit like a child every year! And I thought it was that time of year again when a little Christmas wishlist is in order. It's the fashion blogger's equivalent to a letter to Santa.

Naked 3 Palette by Urban Decay // Too Faced Melted Nude // 5th Avenue by Elizabeth Arden // Yankee candle in Merry Marshmallow //  Snakeskine notepad from Paperchase // Holly Golightly lush bubble bar // He Wasn't Man Enough Boots by La Moda // Mi Vida Loca backpack in White by La Moda // "It was all fucking awesome" photo album // Quay cat eye sunglasses // Underwire white bra by Topshop 

What are you hoping to find under the tree this year?

Bethany Paige X

OOTD: Black and navy revolution

Who created the fashion rulebook that every woman seems to live by? The leather bound book that contains such rules as "never do double denim" (please see Balmain SS14) and "socks and sandals will never be trendy" (please see any vaguely fashion orientated Tumblr page and search for Nike Sliders). My point is, there's always an exception to fashion rules and usually those exceptions are a hell of a lot more kick ass than the conventional looks we see on a daily basis. Sometimes it's just good to put a metaphorical middle finger up to the book and do what you want. 

One rule I never understood was the fact that you're not "allowed" to wear navy and black together. I'm not sure I comprehend where that idea spawned from. And frankly, pairing the shades has been one of my favourite fashion moves recently. In particular I've been obsessed with wearing my black oversized t-shirt dress with navy accessories. I know, shocking.  

T-Shirt dress, button down, bag, trainers, 

leather jacket - All Primark // Gold ring - Newlook 

Bethany Paige x

The segregation of sunglasses

A couple of days ago, as is often the case in the colder months, I was mourning the loss of my summer wardrobe. I miss shorts, crop tops and open shoes terribly. I feel like I've gone through a break up and have rebounded into a relationship that's left me completely unsatisfied! Yes, winter does bring the opportunity for layering (I'm sure you've heard every other fashion blogger shouting about it already) but nothing will beat the carefree approach I can take to dressing in mid August. Most winter mornings I spend more time contemplating whether a scarf is absolutely necessary than I do actually getting dressed. And that's precious time that could be spent still asleep.

So I continue to feebly attempt to bring some kind of sunshine into my daily dressing. Starting with sunglasses. I am taking a stand against the frankly ridiculous notion that sunglasses should be utterly neglected in autumn and winter. The sun doesn't disappear in September! And some of us have eyes that enjoy watering as soon as the clouds clear leaving us a mascara covered mess. So despite the strange looks I will undoubtedly get, I'll no longer be segregating sunnies into my summer wardrobe. 

I may just start my rebellion with a pair of these beauties... 

Quay Athena Sunglasses - £12 ASOS // Quay Invador cat-eye sunglasses - £27 ASOS // Double bridge cat eye sunglasses - £9 ASOS // Posh in Gold - $25 roseandono.com // Willow cut off cat-eye sunglasses - £18 Topshop // 

Bethany Paige X

Thigh highs

I never was a fan of thigh high boots. In fact, I never was a fan of anything longer than an ankle boot for that matter. As far as I was concerned, they were just a tad trashy. Even when pop angel Ariana Grande wore them I wasn't convinced and couldn't help but feel they were a bit much.

Then a few days ago my whole perspective on the thigh high boots matter shifted. And I have La Moda UK (as usual) to blame/thank! These black, suede effect boots have me drooling. Maybe it's the fact that they're not overly high in the heel department, or maybe all of my fashion morals have disintegrated, but I'm officially obsessed with them. It's got to the point where I plan outfits to wear with "my boots" and pretend that they are the most versatile form of footwear known to womankind.

At the moment I'm lusting over the idea of pairing them with a simple shirt dress, a clutch and gold accessories.

Boutique silk shirt dress - £85 Topshop // Leather clutch - £45 Topshop  // Mesh and snake chain necklace - £16.50 Topshop // Sovereign ring set - £12.50 Topshop // Ghetto Superstar suede boots - £34.99 - La Moda UK

Where do you stand on the thigh high boot debate?
Bethany Paige X

October favourites

I know you are probably still in a state of shock after seeing this post on your Bloglovin/twitter feed. You probably thought I was gone for ever. But alas, I am back and blogging! Apologies for my recent disappearance from basically all forms of social media over the past few weeks; I’ve not had access to any solid internet sources and I’ve been out and about a lot. Getting my twitter fix has only been possible with free bus wifi. Thank you Ariva.

Anyway, now that I am settling back into my little corner of the internet I thought I’d share with you all the things I was loving last month. October signalled the point of no return towards freezing temperatures but as much as I despise the change in weather, it was a beautiful month spent with beautiful people.

During summertime I’m lucky enough to have skin that basically maintains its own health, but as soon as temperatures drop it’s another story altogether. So, around this time of year I invest in skincare products to get me through colder periods. The first of these that I’ve been loving is the LUSH Mask of Magniminty face and body mask. Aside from smelling phenomenal, it’s worked wonders on my face, back and arms to rejuvenate my skin thanks to it containing peppermint. To be honest, I use it every time I have a bath these days because I am simply obsessed.

 

Another LUSH product that October saw me lusting over is the Mint Jullip Lip Scrub. I’ll be honest, it’s not essential. It’s easy enough to whip up your own version of this with Vaseline and caster sugar. But it is just gorgeous. It tastes like mint chocolate (who doesn’t want that?) and leaves my lips smooth ready to apply lipsticks or just after I’ve been out on a cold windy day.

I have real problems with moisturises. I’ve spent more than I care to admit on attempting to find one that doesn’t leave me greasy and breaking out in spots after a couple of days use. I certainly did not expect to find my saviour in the form of this unbelievably cheap Boots Essentials moisturising cream. I’ve used it every day, morning and night, since buying it at the beginning of October and can’t even imagine living without it now. Cucumber is one of my favourite scents which is a bonus and it's the perfect consistency.

Final skincare favourite, I promise. And I know it seems like an odd one. For those of you that don’t know me, I always carry around baby wipes in my bag. Not makeup wipes. Baby wipes. I use them to wipe my hands clean and take off makeup on the go as they’re gentle on my skin and generally nicer to use than other wipes. I saw these Huggies natural care ones were on offer so I picked them up and have fallen in love with them. They have a fresh smell and since they’re natural, the wipes have a thicker and more cotton wool like texture to them. They contain aloe and vitamin E too which I figure can’t be a bad thing for your skin. Plus, they prevent the causes of nappy rash naturally! What’s not to love?

As the weather gets colder my obsession with scented candles steps up a gear. I’ve had this Gaia Creations “monkey farts” (yes, the name is part of the reason I love it so) candle for a few months now but have recently fallen into an even deeper love for it. It has a fruity scent which means I can pretend I’m back in summertime and it’s just so comforting to have it burning whilst I’m in bed reading.

Talking of reading – this book! The Lover’s Dictionary is easily in my top five favourite books of all time and I re-read it last month so had to include it here. It’s a love story but written in the form of definitions which is an absolutely genius idea. It’s a really quick read and for me is unforgettable.

I have a total obsession with pretty underwear but don’t exactly have a Victoria Secret budget since one bra would probably cost me the equivalent of a full month’s wages. So I have to settle for the less extravagant despite my desires. However, I was in Primark and came across this absolutely stunning set for £4! Four British Pounds. I am genuinely impressed. It’s a gorgeous white mesh with floral applique and bow detail that I could not resist. The only problem is that since they are sold as sets, the bottoms are slightly too small. Being not so blessed in the chest department, the knickers are a size 6-8 in order to correspond with the bra size, but my bum is unfortunately not so willing to cooperate!

Primark certainly have been doing well recently. This jacket merges two of my favourite things - grey and feaux leather. It only cost £25 and is really good quality considering. Paired with my grey tennis skirt as seen here or just with high waisted black jeans it's perfect for keeping warm without going all out with a coat. I absolutely adore the quilt and gold detailing. 

My final favourite of October is Costa. I’ve spent essentially the whole of my half term with my friend Jodie in Costa sipping away on Chai Lattes and taking advantage of their free wifi for a few minutes! It’s basically become another home for me. If you haven’t tried their emmental and mushroom toastie yet, you are seriously missing out and must go there immediately.

I hope you all had a lovely October too (even though we’re quite a way into November now) and I can’t wait to ramble again to you all very soon now that I’m back on the blogging scene!

Bethany Paige X