My Christmas Gift Guide 2018🎅🏻

Its coming to the time of year where its time to hit the shops in aim to get the perfect Christmas presents. I've put together a collection of gifts that I think are suitable for a whole range of different people in your life, from your bff to your uncle.

For the foodie I found a few perfect gifts for those who love a tipple or a nibble at Christmas time.



The first thing for foodies I found is possibly the most exciting present I saw and perfect for all the family (or yourself I'm not judging😉) Personalised Quality Street tins. Pick three or more of your favourite flavours to fill your tin, in selected John Lewis & Partners (Oxford Street, Glasgow and Trafford) you can even have the tin personalised and keep to refill year after year. Available at John Lewis & Partners Bluewater, Cambridge, Cheadle, Cribbs Causeway, High Wycombe, Kingston, Liverpool and Westfield White City.



The second gift I saw was the John Lewis & Partners Red Wine and Nibbles Christmas Hamper. This eclectic mix of of nibbles is the perfect all-rounder present and at £40 its not going to break the bank. Coming in a black and white hamper its a ready-to-go gift with minimal effort but still thoughtful for anyone busy in the run up to the festive season. There are so many other hampers by John Lewis I just picked this one out as I thought the price point was good.



For the baker in your family I saw this little Penguin Cookie Baking Mix, complete with a penguin cutter. Perfect as a secret Santa gift or as a stocking filler. Also a good thing to keep kids busy this Christmas when the toys loose interest. They also do a unicorn version should that be more appropriate for your recipient!



The last thing I thought of for those who like a tipple, the people at Edinburgh Gin have brought out so many good sets this year. The one that I thought was so pretty and instagrammable was the Rhubarb and Ginger Liqueur and Glasses set.  The two branded cocktail glasses that come with the set are perfect for that evening tipple and the reverse of the box has a cocktail serving suggestion for the set. Its one of their bestselling flavours and good opportunity for any gin lovers to show them another distillery for them to try out.


The next two gifts I picked out seemed to be some good presents for the men in your life. First off you can't seem to go wrong with good old fashioned socks, though Happy Socks take these to a new level with their outrageous colours and design. They have a selection of different designs contained in a cracker for the ultimate Christmas socks.  I also thought this Barbour Land Rover Defender Belt and Card Holder gift set, exclusive to John Lewis. This little luxury set is a thoughtful but handy gift for any man in your life whether its your other half or family member.



This year a lot of us were obsessed with blue Planet this year and our environmental impact so something I thought that was a good gift for those who like their morning coffee on the go or to carry cold water re-usable bottles have been on the rise. S'well drinking bottles are the perfect gift for those caffeine addicts or people up on their hydration. They come in so many different designs as well as either 260ml or 500ml sizes so there is one for everyone.



On the subject of hot drinks what else is the perfect way to have a cosy evening than to have some festive pjs and a toasty hot water bottle. These could either be Christmas gifts or part of a Christmas Eve box. There are so many good PJ sets at John Lewis but I went for the Mon Etoile Cotton Pyjama Set with Eye Mask and the cosiest looking Rose Quartz hot water bottle. I can just imagine sitting by a fire with a hot chocolate cosied up, the perfect way to spend cold winter nights.



On the theme of cosy there are some really nice hats and gloves around to keep you warm. My favourite set is the Chunky Lovely Colour Block Beanie Hat and Chunky Lovely Colour Block Snood in Navy Mix. There is also a matching jumper to the hat and scarf which would also be a nice addition. It comes in three different colour block combos but the navy is my favourite.

And now for the beauty gift selection. This was the hardest to narrow down because frankly I want all the beauty gift sets.



My skincare gift set I chose was the ESPA Nourish Treats Skincare Gift Set. This little set includes their Overnight Hydration Therapy, Pink Hair and Scalp Mud and Nourishing Lip Treatment. This is the perfect introduction to ESPA skincare. Definitely one for those who love a spa day, the products smell amazing and work wonders for your skin.




The second set I saw was the Molton Brown Seductive Rituals Gift Set which looked like the perfect pamper evening. The set includes Jasmine & Sun Rose Bath & Shower Gel, Delicious Rhubarb & Rose Mini Scented Candle and Fiery Pink Pepper Fine Liquid Hand Wash. This set it the perfect way to test out the brand and at a good price of £30 for 2x100ml and a 30g candle. Rhubarb and Rose is my favourite Molton Brown fragrance, but this set is perfect for anyone wanting to try out three different scents in one set!



This gift is a bit of an extravagant one but could change your hair styling forever. The new Dyson Airwrap Volume + Shape Styler is the newest way to style and shape your hair on the market. I've seen this in action on other influencers channels and seen it in action on Dyson counters at John Lewis stores and I'm super impressed. Its certainly not a small price-tag but as something that could be pivotal in your hair regime.



The fourth beauty pic I went for was the BECCA Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed Highlighter Macaron Kit. These adorable little macarons come in 4 different shades; Opal, Vanilla Quartz, Rose Quartz and Prismatic Amethyst. These are the ideal travel size for the glow on the go.



Onto the last gift idea, and still on the theme of sparkle the perfect edition to you highlighters is this beautiful Kate Spade New York Burgess Court Briley Small Makeup Bag in Soft Gold.  As you can tell from my blog I'm pretty Kate Spade obsessed so of course I had to include this little makeup bag. You could even just use it as a handbag tidy, I just think its so pretty and sparkly perfect for Christmas.

I've now come to the end of my top picks of what to gift this Christmas. How prepared are you this year at buying your presents?

John Lewis & Parters Fashion and Beauty Bloggers Evening

A few weeks ago at John Lewis & Partners Cambridge I was invited to an exclusive fashion and beauty  event for bloggers. It was so nice to see all my blogging friends all in one room and even meet some new ones. It was also a good opportunity to  explore more brands and services available in store.



There was a showcase of the new key pieces from a couple of the exclusive brands to John Lewis, which certainly gave me some new outfit inspiration. I’ve fallen in love with the Modern Rarity burgundy boots and the hush bag embellished with little gold stars. The personal stylists were also on hand to discuss their free service and all the options from occasion wear to finding the perfect pair of jeans.



BECCA Cosmetics was also at the event helping you find the best highlighter shade for your skin-tone. I also picked up a foundation sample to try BECCA Skin Love Weightless Blur Foundation. They showed us the new BECCA Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed Highlighter Macaron Kit which  is an exclusive to John Lewis & Partners as part of their Christmas gifting! They were the perfect size for gifting, or for keeping to yourself😉.



Coach were also showing off some of their exclusives to the partnership like this Edie 28 Shoulder Bag. They also highlighted some of the purses and card holders which make perfect stocking fillers of Christmas present.



The lovely girls from the Charlotte Tilbury counter were showing off the gorgeous new Christmas collection hot off the press.  They have an advent calendar of rose gold dreams. They also did my eye-makeup with the new Stars In Your Eyes Palette, which I'm super impressed by the beautiful colours in this palette. They also gave me a tip for using the Hollywood Flawless Filter under your eyes to really brighten the area, I've used this trick since and it works!



Elemis were demonstrating their new BIOTEC machine and the various facial results that you can get from different treatments with them. I was super impressed with the ultrasonic peel, it made my skin so soft I just have to book in and try one of their facials out!

It was such a nice evening catching up with all my blogging friends and checking out new products and services available at my local John Lewis & Partners! Don't forget to swing by and check out the new beauty studio as well!

John Lewis & Partners Womenswear Rejuvenation

As you may have seen this week John Lewis has relaunched as John Lewis and Partners. With the launch they have rejuvenated their core womenswear brand, in the words of Partner & Design manager of Womenswear and Accessories Iain Ewing "Designed entirely in-house, our autumn collection reflects a new style philosophy. There are no fashion gimmicks here- Just brilliant modern pieces that work together and work with your existing wardrobe." The idea behind the new brand is a whole new philosophy on how to style and wear your wardrobe. 



The teams have designed 300 versatile pieces to style effortlessly into the new season and beyond. Every item has been carefully designed in-house to slot seamlessly into your existing wardrobe. With an emphasis on clean lines and easy silhouettes, there’s something for everybody. And not forgetting colour: a vividly broad spectrum, from neutral camels to popping pinks.

The Personal stylist's best-kept-secret is all about celebrating your own aesthetic rather than a one-outfit-suits-all approach. "It's about breaking down a look into three elements: your basic, an accent and a finishing touch," (Jo Bennet, Partner & Head of Buying, Womenswear). You can see this demonstrated on Lauren (Right) and Hattie (Left) the glamorous models show how you can put bold colours together to make really wearable looks. Lauren is wearing the Sky Blue Double Faced Collar Coat (25587101), Oyster Cashmere Chunky Rib Knit Sweater (66082201), Cobalt Blue Wide Leg Wool Culottes (66037301), Snake Leather Bianca Stiletto Open Court Shoes (14250901) and the Smoke Blue Lena Leather Circle Mini Cross Body Bag (40040307). Hattie is modelling the Raspberry Pink Double Faced Collar Coat (25587201), Dark Yellow Skinny Rib Crew Neck Sweater (66060532), Bright Green Wide Leg Wool Culottes (66037321), Orange Suede Amy Open Back Court Shoes (14250801), Electric Blue Ellis Leather Mini Backpack (40045101), Bright Pink Cashmere Scarf (40794114) and the Red and Gold Hexagon Necklace (42159827).



Of course, the discerning commitment to quality that John Lewis & Partners is renowned for is present throughout. From the impeccable trousers to beautifully crafted coats, the teams have worked tirelessly to ensure the perfect fit, from sizes 8 through to 20. And long-standing relationships with suppliers and manufacturers mean that everything is brought to life with a high level of craftsmanship.



Many of the garments are made of cotton in the collection and the sales of these help support the Better Cotton Initiative (BCI). The BCI exists to make cotton production better for the people who produce it, better for the environment it grows in and better for the sectors future.  



The same also goes for the quality of the cashmere John Lewis uses. Primarily sourced from China and Mongolia where the conditions on the high Mongolian plateau are just right for the particular types of goats from which the cashmere fibre is collected. Using the longest, finest cashmere fibres, the specialist cashmere spinners use their extensive expertise to twist a finer, softer, and more rounded yarn. These fibres are also likely to pill less, and any pilling that may occur form longer, thinner bobbles which are easy to remove by hand or with a cashmere comb. The core styles are machine washable whereas the heavier gauge, loftier styles are hand wash due to the knit construction. 


As for the accessories they were also designed in collaboration with the clothing design teams to create pieces that tie an outfit together, whether you want a contrasting pop of colour or go fully tonal. The handbags have a modular concept with purses that connect to the bags so yet another opportunity to add more colour to your wardrobe. The handbags are also all made from Leather, along with the purses and card holders. The new shoe collections are also predominantly made from Italian leather and come in a variety of styles to take your style from day to night, so many occasions can be covered with the shoe range which are really classic and stylish but have the options of many colours to still add that pop to your outfit. 



That's my little roundup of the new and improved John Lewis & Partners Collection. What do you think? Let me know which your favourite colours are!

Madewell Comes To Cambridge

A new brand is on the scene fresh from the USA. Madewell is a womenswear brand from the partner company J Crew Clothing. Madewell is designed to be effortlessly cool and unexpected, a collection of essentials for your every day. The pieces are designed to be mixed and matched, from the perfect dress to versatile denim to a classic tee. All made to feel like you've worn and loved them for years. It also ranges in size from a XXS to XL so it good for people of all sizes and 23" to 32" waist for their denim. The denim also features Magic Pockets in front that offer an extra layer of holds-you-in sorcery for the slimmest, smoothest look yet.

Of course the first thing I did when we got it in store was to pick up the Patch Pocket Pullover Sweater in Arctic Ice ( John Lewis product code 81967004),  made from a soft cotton rich yarn, this relaxed knit is easy to wear with its boxy fit and high low hem. It is finished with ribbed trims and front patch pockets for a touch of detail. I paired it with my Levi 721s, grey vans and my new Kate Spade Hayes Street Sam Suede Grab Bag in Sienna (John Lewis product code 40613414) (isn't she a beauty!😍)



In 2006 J.Crew Group Inc. introduced Madewell, as a modern-day interpretation of an American denim label founded in 1937. Targeting women ages 18 to 40. Madewell has a flagship store in New York City and 17 other stores nationwide, but is now available online on John Lewis.com and in store at John Lewis White City and Cambridge. Here is some of the highlights from the Cambridge branch!



What do you think of the new Madewell collections? Could this be a new favourite brand for you? Let me know! xox

Braids and Blooms Workshop 🌸

Last week I attended the lovely Becca (@braidsandbloons_) ran a fabulous workshop in a dreamy bakery in Knebworth. Becca is queen of braids and the perfect girlie instagram posts so this workshop was the perfect opportunity to learn her go to plait techniques and floral inspiration. Held at the new high tea room out the back of Sugar Boutique on Station Road, Knebworth.

We started off with learning your standard dutch and French braids, then moved in to fishtail and reverse fishtail. Safe to say I have a lot of practice required! Though learning on someone else's head is easier than your own! I also got to try out the Invisiboble's* for the first time, which made practising the plaits over and over super easy without ripping out my hair!



The ladies over at Batiste had also supplied some of their new fragrances of their dry shampoos and plumping powders. I have to say I think the Rose Gold* one had to be my favourite, with a fresh and fruity scent.



When we were all plaited-out it was time for our delicious afternoon tea made by the lovely people at the Sugar Boutique. From mini club sandwiches to tiny toffee  and strawberry pavlovas and of course tea and scones, this afternoon treat was beautiful and super tasty.



After we were refuelled we then were taught how to make flower crowns by The Ivy Florist. I could quite happily do this everyday it was super relaxing and getting to take our own little crowns home was really nice. Made from wax flower, spray roses, gypsophila and what I think is tree fern.



Once we had completed our flower crowns we headed outside to try and get a iconic Braids and Blooms Instagram post, posing with a bouquet also from the Ivy Florist, which was so so beautiful.


This workshop was so girlie and fun, I wish I could do it all again. She also gifted us super cute goodie bags with Tangle Teezers*, Mini Batiste*, Invisibobbles*, notebook from Tillyanna, the bow in my hair from Rose and Guy, floral print from Bella Casa, Lee Stafford hair products, Pixi Glow Mud Cleanser*,  leather keyring from Red Meg, and a Pink Grapefruit and Vanilla wax melt by Wax Melts by Francesca. I can't wait to use all these goodies! It was also really nice to meet a few friendly faces from Instagram in person, and hopefully we can all plait properly by the next time we all meet again!

Go send Becca some love for putting on this fab workshop and keep an eye out for her next one!💕

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