My New Leather Love

Finally after our swelteringly hot bank holiday weekend, the autumnal weather seems to have made an appearance. So, finally it is time for me to get my beautiful new leather jacket out the wardrobe (before the sun returns again). 

I have completely and utterly fallen in love with this jacket. It's black, has silver hardware, it's matte, and is slightly cropped... it has everything I could've ever wanted. I spent a lot of time hunting for the perfect leather jacket. As an investment piece, it had to be just right. Originally, I had my mind set on an All Saints one, but after trying them out I came to the conclusion that they were just a bit too busy for me. I then knew that I didn't want a belt on it. I came across this beautiful Whistles 'Black Agnes Leather Jacket', as soon as I saw it I prayed it would look just as lovely on, and it did.

It's completely timeless, because it has the right amount of details. It's not particularly trend lead, so I know that it will carry me through seasons from year to year. For me, it is the perfect length, hitting me around the hip area (I'm around 5'5). It's quite a boxy fit, with slim fitting arms, which I find is the most flattering fit for my body shape. I'm not sure there's anyone I can't see this jacket looking fab on!

Whistles is one of my favourite and most covetable brands, so I was thrilled to get my hands on this jacket. It is made using the softest of leathers, and has a beautiful silk feeling lining. I am so pleased I picked this one, it is definitely going to be a wardrobe staple for many years to come.

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Sass & Edge | New Winchester Boutique

You may or may not have heard about the fabulous new Boutique coming to Winchester, Sass & Edge. Co-owned by two lovely ladies, who are certain to bring some effortless style and sass to the city. They will be opening their doors quietly on Thursday 31st August, followed by a launch party (date soon to be revealed), so look out for the beautiful shop on Southgate Street, where you are sure to discover some gorgeous brands. If you're a cashmere, star or denim lover... this shop is going to be your idea of heaven. I was lucky enough to get a preview of the beautiful stock you will soon be lusting over, and I am going to share some of the pieces with you!

Isn't it all so beautiful?! I cannot wait to see the shop merchandised with all this stock. Follow their Instagram (@sassandedge) where they will be regularly posting, and keep an eye out for some of my shots! I'm sure you're just as excited as I am for this lovely Boutique to be opening, so make sure you pop the date in your diaries!

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New Homeware Additions

I haven't yet had the chance to tell you about my love for homeware. I always have and always will buy many home accessories that I simply don't need, or have the space for. Still living with my parents does make it hard. I buy so many bits and bobs that I simply cannot fit just in my bedroom! There's definitely an overcrowding of trinkets and pots... But I just love anything to do with interiors, so I can't help myself when I see something I love. Usually with homeware, if you don't buy it when you see it, you won't be able to get it again. So, that's my excuse!

The lovely gold square tray at the top of this photo is from Debenhams, and it currently has 20% off! It's actually described as a jewellery tray, which I don't use it for. I like it more as decoration. Currently, I have placed my beautiful Jo Malone Peony & Blush Suede candle (which smells incredible), and a cute little glass bottle from Eliza Rose inside it. It's a lovely addition on top of my chest of drawers. I like to place my 'lovely things' trinket next to this tray, which I do in fact use for jewellery. I like to change it up with my favourite pieces that I am constantly wearing. I was gifted this so am un-sure on where it is from, but I'm sure there will be something similar floating around online.

Now, I know this doesn't really count as homeware, but I consider it just as decorative as everything else in this post. I was very kindly gifted this Fujifilm Instax Mini 8 Camera for my Birthday, and I am already obsessed with it. I'm trying very hard to be precious with my shots. It's just so nice to be able to have instantly printed photos, which will be perfect for my upcoming trip. It's great fun and doubles up as a great homeware accessory, it's definitely not one to put in the drawer!

You may have noticed this lovely sign popping up in the above photos. I bought this at the Eliza Rose shop in Wickham, which is full of lots of beautiful home decor pieces. I originally purchased it to use as a prop in photos, but soon realised it looked perfect displayed in my room alongside all the other gold decorations.

As you can tell there's a theme... This lovely silver paperweight is from Debenhams, unfortunately I cannot find it online. However I have seen lots recently, like the 'Inspire' one from Zoella's lifestyle range. As this one is much more weighted it is easier to place wherever you please. I am usually quite particular on my mixture of metals, but having gold in one area of my bedroom and silver in another seems to sit just fine with me!

As you can see, this is where I decided to place the 'dream' sign. I love how it looks here, and it ties in with the other silver accessories on the shelf. Most of the decor on this shelf I have owned for quite a while, other than the 'Shine Bright' print which is another new homeware addition. This is also from Debenhams (they have some great pieces at the moment), but again it isn't featured online. I have had a browse though, and there are plenty of other really lovely framed prints. I enjoy the contrast of the black and white frames, and doesn't everyone just love a good print?

I was on the hunt for a nice storage box to fill up with all my skincare products, and ended up finding this bargain in Homesense. I love the 'shabby chic' style of it, and it fitted perfectly with the interior of our bathroom. It's a versatile box, as I know I could use it in most rooms and fill it with whatever I like. It was only £5.99, but as we all know Homesense don't always have more than one of a particular product. However, they do always have so much lovely home decor, that you're more than guaranteed to find an alternative.

These beautiful coasters were another purchase from Homesense. They were again, an absolute bargain, and are such lovely quality. Marble is obviously very popular at the moment, and usually I find it to be quite expensive, so I was very pleased to come across these. They look perfect on my bed side tables. Both of my Homesense purchases were made at the Hedge End store, so it may be worth having a browse if you really like any of these items!

All of my new additions are perfect for any home no matter what the season is. It may not all be to your taste, but hopefully I've given you a good insight into mine.

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Rome Lookbook

If you've read my previous blog post, you will know that I recently visited the beautiful city of Rome. In that post you will have found lots of photos of all the amazing scenery, but this post is all about what I wore whilst there. The sun may have disappeared in England, but hopefully I can still give you some inspiration for upcoming holidays, whether they are this year or next.

Outfit 1

The main aim was to keep cool at all times, and this playsuit did just that. I purchased this last year from Bershka, so unfortunately it isn't current season. But over the Summer, there are lots of brands that produce similar items. There was actually one from Bershka this year which I loved (but couldn't justify), which was along the same wavelengh. I paired the playsuit with my lovely Topshop silver clutch, which seems to be constantly in and out of stock online. However you can find it in other colours here. I love this bag. The size is perfect, it fits a lot in it, more than you would expect and it literally goes with everything! I don't know how I've lived without a silver clutch for so long.

Outfit 2

This was my monochrome outfit of the holiday, paired with my amazing pink Mango bag for that pop of colour. Most of this outfit consisted of old purchases (sorry!). The shorts are River Island, in general I am a big lover of their fabric shorts. The sandals were Topshop last year, they are pretty basic so you probably wouldn't struggle to find something similar. Of course the most important part of this outfit is the Mango bag, which unfortunately sold out so quickly. Keep an eye out though, Mango have been doing some amazing bags recently!

Outfit 3

I bought this playsuit from River Island quite a few months ago. I saw it and loved it, and knew that it was one of those that probably wouldn't stay in stock for long. And I was right. It's the perfect garment if you like to still keep your arms covered in the warm weather, as the sleeves were so light and floaty. I've managed to track down the same playsuit in a different print, which is much more suitable for the A/W, however there are only limited sizes. I once again paired this with my beloved silver clutch bag. I added my trusty Kurt Geiger block heel sandals, which are super comfortable. They are the perfect shoe for when you just want to add that little bit of extra height. And you can still easily walk down the cobbled streets!

Outfit 4

I purchased this playsuit very last minute from Pull & Bear, with it being so cheap I wasn't expecting much, but ended up loving it. It is such a flattering wrap shape, and even though it was black I still felt nice and cool in it. It was perfect for wondering around Rome in. A new addition to my sunglass collection, are these Ray-Ban Aviators which I am slightly obsessed with. I love that they are a gunmetal frame, so you can get away with wearing them with silver or gold accessories. They may well replace my well-loved Topshop aviators!

Outfit 5

My final outfit is what I wore on the evening of my 21st Birthday. Of course it was a special occasion, so I had to wear a more special outfit. I found this dress particularly flattering because of the shape, I loved the tiered skirt. It's quite self-portrait inspired, but definitely a lot cheaper! I bought it from Pretty Little Thing, which is somewhere I don't generally shop. Looking at it, it appears pretty good quality. After wearing it, I realised the quality is definitely reflected in the price. When I put the dress on I wasn't sure the zip was even going to do up, it got stuck at the waist band which was very stressful! And after wearing it for several hours, the material started to rub around my neckline. It was a lovely looking dress, so if you believe that 'beauty is pain' then maybe you'll still consider it. My silver clutch made ANOTHER appearance, as well as my amazing silver heels. These heels were such a good price, and I can last hours in them, I would recommend them to anyone.

I hope you love all my outfits as much as I loved wearing them. For a short city break, I definitely wore quite a mixture. From casual to dressy, there was a little bit of everything!

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Rome City Guide

Rome is by far the most beautiful city I have ever visited. Every corner you turn round there is something utterly amazing, it is a complete feast for the eyes. Before visiting I of course knew that it would be a very aesthetically pleasing place, but everything is even more incredible in real life. Italy is one of my favourite countries, so I was excited to be visiting an Italian city. Myself, my boyfriend and parents visited for 3 nights to celebrate my 21st Birthday. I got the choice of where we went, and Rome is somewhere I have ALWAYS wanted to go, so that's where it had to be! It didn't disappoint, with the amazing scenery, beautiful weather, and incredible food... what more could you want in a city break?

Here's what I got up to whilst there (be prepared for lots of photos)...

The Apartment

We stayed in the lovely area of Monti, which was a 10 minute walk from the Colosseum and the Trevi Fountain. It was a less touristy area, with lots of lovely classically Italian restaurants and lots of boutique shops. It was very conveniently placed, with easy walking routes to the main attractions. I couldn't recommend this apartment more. It was beautifully decorated, a very modern apartment inside a beautiful old building. We booked it through booking.com, and stayed in the two-bedroom apartment with terrace. I was glad we stayed in an apartment rather than a hotel, as it felt like we got to live the Italian lifestyle for a few days. With a supermarket around the corner we could wake up and have some brunch on our lovely roof terrace, something you don't necessarily get with a hotel.

Trevi Fountain 

Undeniably one of the most beautiful sights in Rome, if not the most. It really is even more magnificent when you're stood right in front of it. It almost seemed surreal, you're walking down a normal street and all of a sudden it pops out of nowhere. I can imagine it would be amazing to visit at sunrise or sunset. Even if you're in Rome for one day, definitely put visiting the Trevi Fountain in your itinerary.

Spanish Steps 

A lovely area in Rome, with more beautiful churches and fountains. It's worth the sweaty climb to the top to see the view. There was a bar at the top of the steps which looked like a good stopping point for a drink, to soak up the lovely views. We didn't have time to stop, but it's a good one to know about as everyone loves a bar with a good view. The church, Trinita dei Monti, at the top of the steps is open to visit, however be aware that you must cover your shoulders and knees.
Almost directly across from the Spanish Steps there is the shopping street known for it's high-end stores. If you're feeling like you wanna splash some cash, then that's where you want to head!

The Vatican

We pre-booked a 3 hour tour of the Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel and St. Peter's Basilica through City Wonders. The tour was really well organised, and meant that we got to skip all the queues which made a big difference. There was around 10-15 people per group, so it was quite personal. Although the tour guide was helpful in giving an insight into different sculptures, buildings and artwork, I personally found the tour dragged a bit and was much more artsy than I thought it would be. If you're a big history of art lover, then you will really enjoy this tour. But I found myself leaving with unanswered questions about the Vatican in general. I would suggest pre-booking tickets to skip the lines, but if you're not a massive art lover then just walk the museum etc. by yourself. I realise I sound very negative and like I didn't enjoy it, which isn't the case. It was an amazing building to walk around, I just found myself much more interested in the architecture than the artwork. There were also so many beautiful tiles around, which any blogger loves! If you're in Rome it is definitely worth a visit, just maybe consider whether or not a tour is for you.

St. Peter's Basilica 

This does really fall under the Vatican, however when there I felt like it was a whole different attraction by itself. Obviously this is one of the most famous Churches in Rome, and it really lived up to it's expectations. It was huge, and so amazingly decorated. Alike the church at the top of the Spanish steps, you must make sure your shoulders and knees are covered for both the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter's Basilica. If not, they simply won't let you in. And if you're in the Vatican you definitely don't want to miss out on viewing this incredible church.

The Colosseum

We visited the Colosseum on my Birthday as I knew it would be one of the most exciting things to see. It truly is amazing! We pre-booked tickets online through the official website, which was super easy. It allowed us to skip the extremely long queues and get inside in about 5 minutes. We couldn't quite figure out why everyone else hadn't done the same? The Colosseum was unbelievable, you don't quite realise how vast and magnificent it is until you're stood inside. I personally didn't find we needed a tour guide to go around it, but I guess if you want more in-depth information then it's worth doing. However, there are information boards dotted around. It's an obvious must-see when visiting Rome!

The Roman Forum & Ruins

There are several ruins situated around the centre of Rome, but of course the main ones are found at the Roman Forum site. It's pretty spectacular, and really allows you to envisage what Rome used to be like. As you wonder around there are lots of signs that provide you with information. I believe you can pay and actually walk amongst the Forum, but we just observed it all from the pathway that goes around it. It's all very close to the Colosseum, so definitely head there afterwards.

A Couple Quick Stops...

The Pantheon

Altare della Patria

Shopping

As I said, there is the shopping street right across from the Spanish Steps called Via dei Condotti, full of lots of covetable high-end brands. If you're a little more like myself and high-street stores are more in budget, do not fear there are plenty of those! The main shopping street in Rome, Via del Corso, has all the great high-street shops. Look out for the five floor Zara!

Food & Drink 

I think it's pretty hard to find a restaurant in Rome that'll disappoint you. Italian food is by far my favourite, and there are hundreds of restaurants around. You'll never struggle to find somewhere to eat! I recommend staying away from the tourist trap areas, as you'll pay a lot more for food. There were lots of lovely restaurants around the Monti area, where we were staying. We found them to appear much more family run and more rustic than the ones in the touristy areas.

One night we ate at a restaurant called Gli Angeletti. We had great food and the service was really good, we were even given limoncello shots at the end of our meal. This is the perfect restaurant if you want a classic Italian meal in a rustic environment. The same night we headed to a cocktail bar after dinner, called Dow Jones. We didn't know anything about it, it was just conveniently placed across from our apartment and looked lovely inside, so we thought we'd take a look. If you're a big gin lover, then this is the bar for you! They had over 50 different gins, which is really rare to find in Rome as it is so expensive over there. We all had amazing cocktails, some of which were improvised and not even on the menu. They ranged between €12-€15, quite pricey but reflected in the craftsmanship and deliciousness.

On the second night we ate at a restaurant called Il Girasole at the bottom of our road, having looked up reviews it seemed pretty good. Once again the food couldn't be faulted, and it was really well priced. It's your standard Italian restaurant, serving lovely food in a casual setting.

On the last night it was actually my 21st Birthday, therefore we had already planned to go out for a more special meal in a more special restaurant. We actually got the recommendation off of our apartment host, as we knew it would be good to ask someone who lives in the area. The restaurant was called Ar Galletto, about 10 minutes from the Piazza Navona area. It was around a more busy area, but the restaurant itself was quite tucked away so we weren't surrounded by tourists. The food was amazing (small tip: share a starter) which was reflected in the price. But as we were celebrating, we knew that we wanted to splurge a bit more on this meal. If you like to eat at more expensive restaurants regularly, then you should visit this one. Or if you're visiting Rome for a special occasion like I did, then this is the perfect restaurant to eat at.

Rome was everything I expected and more. I couldn't recommend it enough to anyone. There is so much to do, even walking around the beautiful streets is exciting enough. Sorry for the excessive amount of photos, I honestly couldn't pick between them all! I must've taken about 4,000, as every corner you turned around there really was something amazing to look at. By making it a very image based post, I hope I have given you a good insight into Rome. I'd be surprised if you don't want to book a holiday there immediately!

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