Book Review: Lauren Conrad's 'Style'

 I accidentally opened some mail yesterday that turned out to be my Valentine's Day present from my husband!

He gets serious brownie points for picking this out, I love books like this and will quite happily stare at Lauren Conrad's pretty face for an hour or so!

The book is surprisingly bulky and full of beautiful glossy photos of Lauren, clothes, shoes bags makeup etc. I love how it's set out, with its catagories starting with 'Fashion: Building your Wardrobe' and ending with 'Lifestyle: Events and Parties'.

At first I thought the book was going to be full of unattainable expensive designer looks, but it's full of tips of what to do with skinny jeans and basic white t shirts. The clothes that Lauren wears throughout the book a similar to clothes I already have, or pieces I can easily buy in Topshop or Missguided.

There are tips about what shoes go best with what pair of jeans, how to style jewellery to different outfits, even how to dress for your shape or downplay a particular body part you hate.

The section on hair and beauty is a treasure trove of tips, advice, tutorials and hair-spiration that will make you want to try out new looks.

There are several different hairstyle tutorials, all natural looking and easy to obtain. She also teaches you how to achieve perfect blow-dried hair at home.

Lauren has added in a daytime and a nighttime makeup tutorial, as well as skincare tips and advice about what products to use.

This book really is a must have for any girl's bookshelf who is interested in fashion and beauty.

It isn't full of impossible looks that you can only achieve with a paycheck like Lauren's, all the looks are very girl-next-door and Lauren comes across as very knowledgeable and, of course, stylish.

Love, Laura

xxx

Book Review: Katie Piper

Katie Piper has got to be one of Britain's most inspirational women. For those of you who don't know of her she fell victim to a vicious acid attack arranged by her ex-boyfriend. For most people, this would mark the end of their lives, but for Katie, she turned this terrible scenario around and built up an amazing Foundation that helps people with burns and scars.
Katie has filmed many documentaries about the care she received, her surgeries and the people that are learning to deal with scars, disfigurements and burns.

Katie had also written two books, which have come to be quite profound to me at the moment. I have recently been diagnosed with something that is making healing from my birth and cesarean even tougher, as well as the infections I've picked up from the hospital.

So I implore you, if you are going through a tough time, or just need a bit of cheering up, please read the following amazing and inspirational books.

'Start Your Day With Kate' is her newest book. It is a small, purse-sized book that is full of affirmations, one for each day of the year.

For those that don't know what an affirmation is; it is a small quote, saying or sentence that inspires you, cheers you up, or helps you conquer some sort of goal.

For example, the one my birthday says...

28th April:

'Struggles are part of our lives, they enrich our characters, strengthen our souls,and give us the opportunity to try another way.'

With the occasional summary from Kate, this book is a must-have for positive thinking, without having that tragic self-help book sort of feel about it.

'Thing's Get Better' is all about recovery and healing. If you have had anything bad happen to you in your life from an injury to a loved-one passing on, and you are struggling to cope with your thoughts, then this is the book for you.

Katie writes in a pleasant and understanding manner, she has taken letters and messages from people who have contacted her and has created this book that tells you how to deal with fears, depression and negativity.

Throughout the book she tells her story in an honest way, encouraging her readers that positivity and laughter is the key to healing and the medicine of all physical and mental ails.

I would definitely reccomend both of these books, even if you are the happiest person in the world!

Love, Laura xxx

Hubby Christmas!

Men are SO hard to buy for. 

My husband has everything he needs, and anything that he wants usually borders around the ridiculously priced DIY items... which are boring to buy and out of my Christmas budget!

I prefer to buy him lots of little things rather than one big present. Buying for him this year has taken me four days! This isn't due to indecisiveness, it's mainly because whenever I've sat down to buy things Nahla has distracted me!

I thought, whilst she's asleep, that I would write a quick post about what I bought my husband this year. There are so many fun and quirky gifts out there, I was spoilt for choice!

I bought a few different types of these funny post-it notes, there's the Nag Note, the WTF note, the Passive-Agressive note and loads more. Simon's constantly forgetting things that I ask him to do, so I thought these would be a fun way to remind him.

I think this mug says it all... I bought this for him to take to work, I'm sure it'll give his workmates a laugh!

Simon swears like a sailor, it drives me mad. Especially when he randomly swears in a sentence...

'There was this really cute squirrel that I saw on the way to fucking work today.'

I bought this so his swearing makes him sound more like he's a well-travelled gentleman rather than a prat.

My lovely husband is now a father, which means his dancing is no longer cool.

Now that he's a Dad (and is in the process of growing a moustache, which makes me despair) he needs this book. Its full of hilarious pictures of Dads rocking the Hipster look.

Every year I ask him what he wants and he always replies 'Don't worry love, I don't need anything.' So if he inwardly complains about my gift-giving he can ram it.

Merry Christmas to the blokes!