New England Road Trip: Rhode Island, Newport & Connecticut; the Highlights!

And so begins my series of blog posts on our road trip in the states from last year. I kept putting this off because we enjoyed it so much that every time I thought about writing this, I felt all gloomy that it was over.
Now that we've booked trips away to Iceland and the South of France within the next five months however, I can finally revisit our glorious stay in New England. 

After we left Boston (post on that HERE) we stopped into Wrentham Village, a premium outlet centre stocking such brands as All Saints, Aldo, American Eagle Outfitters, Gap, Bare Minerals, Barneys New York, Coach, Guess, Converse, DKNY, Karen Millen, Michael Kors, several make-up and perfume stores and of course, my favourite; Kate Spade, where I bought a lovely dress, earrings and a bag at a huge discount. We ended up spending almost an entire day here without realising it- the place is vast and it's easy to get absorbed in the bargain shopping so I would suggest setting aside some time here if you are interested in saving a bit on your premium brands. 

My beloved rose gold bag. 

Our next stop was Narragansett, Rhode Island. We stayed in the Tower House b&b, which has a whole load of positive reviews on Trip Advisor (HERE) and definitely lived up to them- the house itself was stunning and our room was decorated beautifully and thankfully, included air conditioning. Cool drinks were also provided in our own fridge (and badly needed as it was very humid at the time!)
Mary Beth greeted us warmly, like we were family really and provided welcome drinks and nibbles.

Click the bottom right to enlarge!

We sat out on the porch, listened to the crickets around us and felt our shoulders drop as we sipped our beer and wine. We realised at that stage how full on New York and to a lesser extent Boston was and we were really delighted to begin the more relaxing part of our trip.

Later that evening, we went for a great meal by the sea in The Coast Guard House, the top-rated restaurant in the area. We enjoyed seafood and cocktails and sat outside afterwards to digest our all-American blueberry pie while the waves bashed against the coast:

The following morning we were treated to a delicious breakfast that included this baked French toast, dripping in brown sugar syrup. 

I'm still thinking about it, several months afterwards..

Once we were well fed we headed out into the oncoming storm to Newport, where we spent the day hiding from the torrential rain in The Breakers, a Vanderbilt palatial mansion that has been restored and opens for tourists. We weren't allowed take photos, so sadly I can't blind you with how very gilded it is,  so these are courtesy of their wikipedia page:

The audio tour is really interesting and it was fascinating learning about how the very wealthy lived and Summered (100% keeping that phrase for future reference) back in 1895. We didn't stay the night in Newport but instead, headed on towards Connecticut where we had been briefly while staying in New York to visit family, but took the time to return to sightsee.

We had such a brilliant time the first time we were there, we both felt that overall this was one of the highlights of the trip for us! Plus, is there anything better than that sign, made by my very cute cousins-in-law? *heart eye emoji*

We stayed in a B&B at Taylor's Corner (Trip Advisor reviews HERE), a farmhouse from the 1700's that had that authentic old-timey feel to it but with all mod cons, thankfully. This was one of my favourite places that we stayed in. The owners left us to our own devices and we almost felt like we had the whole house to ourselves out in the countryside. It was so peaceful outside, while the house itself was cosy and welcoming.

We ate in Woodstock that night, a nearby town but I've no recollection of the name of the place…apologies. I really should have taken notes!

The following morning we were again treated to a great breakfast and made friends with the owner's cats while we made our plans for the day.

Taylor Brooke Winery is just around the corner and had a free tour on that day, so we of course took part! 

Although most of the fruit had been picked for the season, there were still some grapes left on the vines and so we got to see them being put through the machinery and afterwards taste some "ones we made earlier". 

It was a lovely way to spend the morning and we learnt something too (mostly what we learnt is that wine is delicious but we already knew that much..)

And that's the end of part one! 

I know I've crammed a lot in here but that's exactly what our trip was like; we wanted to see as much as possible, which we did! If I gave each place a separate post, we'd be here forever so these really are just  the highlights. 

See you in Massachusetts! 

XX

My U.S Shopping List!

All going well I'm off to New York at the end of the week (I say all going well because I haven't been feeling the best this week and I have notoriously bad luck when it comes to health and holidays. Keep all your extremities crossed for me!) If we do in fact make it on board the plane, I'll have this little list in my bag for what I want to pick up while over there. Let me know if there's anything I MUST add as I trust all of you fellow beauty addicts to steer me through the maze that is Sephora!

First up, I will be buying a perfume rollerball as I think they're super handy and readily available in the states. I spotted Orla from Make Up Over Mind talking about Nirvana by Elizabeth and James and as luck would have it, it is available in rollerball form. 

If I like it, it's coming home with me!

I've seen so many people raving about the Lorac Pro palette that I have to see it for myself! I didn't buy the new Naked palette so there's definitely room in my life for more eyeshadows (there's no room at all really but sure let's keep the pretence going).

I will of course be buying a blush or two as I am a blush fiend and Milani baked blushes are supposedly the business. I haven't featured any lip products here but sure you know yourselves, I'll no doubt be stood there in the aisle with about about five lipsticks in my hand trying to figure out what to get. Desperate.

These are only small but I really want to try some eye masks and Sephora have a whole range of these handy little fellas!

The Kate Somerville Goat Milk moisturiser is pricey for sure but it might just be the Holy grail cream my dry skin has been looking for. Watch this space..

There's loads of different products in the Living Proof Perfect Hair Day range but this 5 in 1 styling treatment looks ideal in that it smoothes, adds volume and shine and repairs damaged hair. 

The last three there basically mean I'll be doing a big old Kat Von D haul. I'm not massively into full coverage make up but I have been thinking recently about going back to Estée Lauder Double Wear and sure if I'm thinking that I may as well try out the Kat Von D Lock-It Tattoo foundation and Waterproof concealer. 

I also want a goo at the Tattoo liquid liner and the Waterproof Autograph eye pencils.

Other than that I'll also be looking at the Becca under eye concealer, all things Tarte and some Anastasia brow stuffs. 

I will of course also be hitting up Kate Spade, specifically the main store in NYC and an outlet near Boston. I don't necessarily want these specific things, this is more to illustrate all the many wonderful things I could lay my hands on!

Although you'd best believe I'll be hunting down the 'New York Library print scarf' there, bottom left! I also really want that 'Cold Hands Warm Heart' thermos but I'm hoping to get it a bit cheaper than it is here. 

With the exchange rate being as poor as it is at the minute I'll only be buying things we can't readily get over here and I'm limited by weight as we'll be driving for a good bit of our trip and I'd rather not be dragging around a big mad heavy case* so if you think I shouldn't bother with any of those beauty bits, do let me know and help me save my cents and dollars!

XX

*by that I do of course mean that himself will be dragging my case. Let's be realistic!

I Want To Be A Mermaid..

My Ariel love rages on. The Little Mermaid came out when I was a mere nipper of five years old and I instantly fell for her super swishy red hair, her under sea antics and her love of all things human, even though she used them for all the wrong purposes. Dinglehopper anyone? 

I also had an Ariel doll that changed colour in water. Overall, I loved her. A recent re-watching confirms that it's still an enjoyable Disney classic if not exactly a feminist masterpiece but you can't have everything! 

Meanwhile, I'm obsessed with all things under the sea, as is evident from the below collage. 

Everything's better down where it's wetter, don't you know. Ooh-er etc.

Slightly more understated than everything else is this Seashell locket necklace with a pearl, €29.36, Etsy HERE.

This pink metallic shell bag from SkinnyDip, £30, HERE is super summery. Also available in blue. 

Woman's hair on Pinterest that I want. I'm probably going to go for a much less dramatic version and add in peach to my blonde hair this Summer. 

These Ariel pjs from Topshop have to be mine. I've been putting off buying them for ages cause I really don't need new pyjamas but the fact that I keep going back online to look at them means they should probably come live with me. £22.00 HERE.

And eh, more seashells with this SkinnyDip phone case, £12, HERE.

Lastly, this super sparkly green sequin dress kinda screams mermaid. It ticks my "can I wear it with black tights" box too. £39 HERE from Motel Rocks. 

Penneys also have some very summery tees at the moment with slogans like: "part time mermaid" etc if that floats your boat (see what I did there?!).

In case you needed another reason to love her, she's also patron princess of the make-up addicted:

G'wan Ariel!

XX

What's In My Bag Featuring Kate Spade

When I heard towards the end of last year that Kate Spade was coming to the Kildare Outlet Centre I made a noise only dogs can hear, such is my love for the quirky accessories brand we had long been denied on this side of the water. 

Given that, Himself and I went and picked up my Christmas present there and I've been lovingly stroking the gorgeous aqua green leather bag and bright pink purse ever since. So I thought now was as good a time as any to do a "what's in my bag" post. If you're unfamiliar with this type of blog post, it's basically where one arranges the contents of ones bag in a somewhat organised fashion, minus dirty tissues, Luas tickets and old sweet wrappers, photographs it and shares it with the world. Strange, eh?

On that note:

Pretty standard really; glass nail file (comes with me everywhere as I'm incapable of not breaking a nail), romantic wedding photo keys, headphones because I walk everywhere and listen to audio books on my way, the aforementioned beautiful pink purse, Nars concealer (always with me, review HERE), Burts Bees lip balm stick (love this, super moisturising with a nice natural pink sheen), novelty cat mittens (or kitten mittens to be even more sickeningly adorable), Soap & Glory Hand Maid gel (kill ALL the germs), Paperchase super sparkly green glitter 2015 diary, Laura Mercier Almond & Coconut hand cream (smells so freakin good) and lastly, Lollibalm (review HERE). I'm surprised there's only two lip products in there actually, that's unusual for me. 

And a better look at that bag:

The bag is made of super soft leather in a mint/aqua/turquoise hue with gold details and is just swoon-worthy. Inside there's a zipped pocket and striped material and outside there's a long strap to wear across your body or handles for the crook of your arm. It's also quite light which is nice as some bags would break your shoulder before there's anything even in them.

The purse has the usual slots for cards, space for notes and zipped section for coins. There's a good selection of purses and wallets in the KS store, with a big variety of colours. I was tempted by a larger orange one but I know what I'm like- I need a small purse for work and I'd just end up taking the money and cards out and never using a bigger one so this suits me perfectly. 

I'm going to need another trip out to the Kildare Outlet Centre soon to have another look around; there was a very small selection of jewellery that I wouldn't mind having a better ogle at!

XX

Irish Beauty Bloggers Secret Santa 2014: The Big Reveal!

I missed the deadline to take part in the Irish beauty bloggers secret santa last year so I made a point of signing up quick smart this year! Amazingly well organised by the lovely Aisling from Total Make Up Addict, there's over fifty bloggers involved this year and so we've all bought and sent a present we've picked out specifically for the blogger we were matched with. It had to be sent by the 5th of December and we're all revealing our gifts today! Yay! If that doesn't make everyone feel suitably festive, I don't know what will.

My present arrived in this very cute wrapping paper with a lovely card. I do so love a Christmas themed woodland animal. 

The first thing I saw once I had unwrapped was this fella. I've wanted one of these bags for ages now but hadn't actually found one I could buy anywhere so I'm absolutely thrilled with this. Turquoise is one of my all time favourite colours and if you know me at all or you read this blog then you'll understand that I love anything kitsch. If it has a cute animal face on it, then I want it and I'll most likely be wearing it shortly after seeing it. This has an across body strap which is an essential for me in a bag and is ridiculously adorable to boot. Look at his little ears! 

Inside the fox was a selection of Japanese BB creams and skin samples:

I can't wait to start using these, I haven't tried any of these brands and Asian cosmetics are something I want to get into this year.

Next up, there was; Missha- a full size Japanese BB cream, Catrice nail polish in Alluring Red, Etude House Sweet Recipe Candy Stick lip balm and an Essence eyeliner pencil from the Christmas collection in Naughty Or Nice?:

I already have the nail polish on my toes (it's very festive), I'm planning an eye make up look with that pencil and I'm loving the BB cream- it provides an incredible finish to the skin (full review next year!). I'm mostly just staring at how pretty the lip balm is but I will also start using that too!

Lastly and amazingly, was this badge:

Best. Badge. Ever.

I have absolutely no idea who my secret Santa is as there was no name on the card so if you're reading this and it's you, please let me know in the comments and thank you so much- you've picked the most perfect gifts for me and I love them all!

XX

Current Wishlist, Otherwise Known As I Want ALL The Things.

This isn't specific to the month or changing seasons, it's just a random list of things I want that have been on my mind lately going around in a kind of continuous loop of "buy us Chloe, go on, you know you want to. You may not be able to afford us but having us will somehow keep you warm at night" etc. 

I should probably get that seen to actually. 

I still can't decide whether this yellow coat from Warehouse (HERE) is a bit too fisherman's friend. I mean, it's actually called "fisherman's parka" and there is a worry it could be too costumey. Would I run the risk of looking like a Cabot Cove extra from Murder She Wrote? That said, I love yellow and feel like this would be nice and cheery for wearing out for walks on the gloomier Winter days ahead. No? Have I lost my mind? I don't even know anymore!

No. 2 there is also from Warehouse (HERE) and is a rather fab pair of pink leather brogues. They come in a more neutral shade also but something about the colour and style of these are drawing me to them. I've always liked brogues but they tend to look a bit clown-like on you unless you have tiny feet so these may be a bit hit or miss. Cute though.

3 & 4 are really the same bag so I wouldn't be getting both but I can't decide which I love more. You can find them both HERE in the bag section on Accessorize. I've actually seen the camera bag in real life and almost bought it until himself told me flat out that a) I would never wear it and b) it would go with nothing. Like a damn fool I listened to him and now I have non-buyers remorse. It's actually ridiculously cute in real life but in fairness to him there is the fear that you could look like you're a small child who really wants a camera but is being placated by being given a fake one instead, lest she'd break a real one. So there's that. The cassette bag is also beyond adorable. Look at it there- first of all, I come from a generation that actually had to use tapes so this would be more nicely nostalgic for me rather than ironic, as I'm sure it is for the youth of today *shakes cane*. 

Secondly, if there's anything I love it's 80's hits and thirdly, I can't resist anything vaguely kitsch and that has it in spades. 

I'll probably carry on ruminating over it but do let me know which one you prefer!

You may have spotted that the entire Charlotte Tilbury (make up artist extraordinaire) collection has landed in Brown Thomas Dublin and I'm feverish with the need to get my grubby paws on EVERYTHING. Yes, I said everything. The eyeshadow palettes, blushers, contour set, lipsticks, foundation, my god they just all look incredible. I've been trying out a sample of the magic cream (review HERE) and based on that I have high expectations for everything else. Plus, look at that packaging. Swoon.

What's that? "Be cool honey bunny"? No, I think decidedly not. In fact I think I'll get overly excited instead because that there on the right is the latest collection from Urban Decay based on one of the coolest films ever, Pulp Fiction. Obviously the focus is on Mrs Mia Wallace (who I love so much I dressed up as her earlier this year for a 90's themed party) so I'm going to be all over that eyeshadow palette and red lipstick. I already own and love Chanel's Rouge Noir so the nail polish holds no lure for me and I'm not one for a glittery eyeliner so I actually have already justified the purchase of just the two pieces I want. I mean, they're just too cool not to get them. 

Lastly, on to books because god knows, there's always a book wish list on the go with me. I'm a big fan of Irish author Tana French, I've read all of her books to date and can't wait to get my hands on her latest, which has yet to be released. The Secret Place is her fifth novel focusing on the fictional Dublin murder squad (they're all stand alone books though so you don't have to have read the other four to read this one) and this time the detectives are investigating a cold case of a murdered teenager after a photo of him with the caption "I know who killed him" mysteriously shows up on a notice board in a boarding school for girls. Intrigued? Me too! It's out September the 2nd.

Not that kind of girl is a collection of personal essays from creator/producer, writer, actress and all round cool feminist Lena Dunham about what she's learnt so far from life. It's received some great pre-release reviews and as a big fan of Girls and Dunham in general, I really can't wait for this to come out; in fact it feels like I've been waiting all year for it so let's hope I haven't built it up too much for myself! It's out September 30th.

I also really like Colm Toibin and his new novel, Nora Webster looks like it may well be in-keeping with his previous excellent form. The book is about Nora, widowed at only forty with four children. On her own in a stiflingly small community in Wexford, she struggles not to drown in her own sorrow but being strong willed begins to find solace in an old love; singing. Toibin tends to write really beautiful prose and I love the old Ireland settings of his books and engaging female characters. This one is out on October the 7th.

And that's the lot…for the moment at least.

Any of these making your own wish list? What have you currently got your eye on? Come, share in the comments and we can all commiserate with each other/enable to purchase!

XX 

Spring Wishlist

This time of year basically means pastels for me so that check coat from Topshop is top of the wish list at the moment. It looks beautiful but as I haven't seen it in real life it could still be horribly disappointing..I don't always have the best luck with oversized coats. I have high hopes for this one though! 

Dior make my favourite perfumes and I've lately fallen a bit for Miss Dior, a beautifully pretty floral fragrance, perfect for Spring/Summer. 

I love, love, love the look of these cut-out shoes from Zara, super Summery and they'd go with loads. 

Equally lovely is the very cute daisy bag there from Acessorize. The want is strong for that one, I tell ya. 

Make-up wise, I have my eye firmly on that blush palette from TheBalm, the Naked 3 palette (still!) and that gorgeous pinky/purple polish from Essie. 

Check Swing Coat

Miss Dior Eau de Parfum

Zara Open Work High Heel Leather Sandal

TheBalm Blush Palette

Essie Splash of Grenadine

Daisy Cutout Bag

Urban Decay Naked 3 Palette

What's making your wishlist at the moment? Are you all about the pastels too?

XX

September Favourites

September favourites and the last day of #SBBC. It's been a fantastic month and I actually really enjoyed the challenge to blog every day- the topics chosen by Girl Friday were fantastic- something different each day and I found that it encouraged me to write about things I may not have thought of otherwise. Plus it's been brilliant to see everyone else's take on the same topics- it's highlighted what a talented bunch of bloggers are out there and how we all see things in our own unique ways, which is pretty cool. Anyways, on to the topic at hand! Favourites!

Mac Powersurge Eye Pencil. This is probably my favourite eye pencil ever, I've worn it for years but put it away in favour of others until the last month or so. I then wore this every day throughout September! It creates a lovely smudgey burnished gold/smokey brown around the eye and generally I just apply mascara and then I'm done. Easiest eye look ever.

I did a full review of Mane 'n Tail shampoo and conditioner HERE so I won't go into detail but really any time I didn't used this this month, I felt it's loss and went straight back to it.

No.7 Blush in Soft Damson. I received this at the Cocoa Brown Tan event recently, along with some other No.7 goodies and being the blusher fanatic that I am, decided to give this a go first. I wouldn't generally gravitate towards No.7 as a brand but I have to say this is a really lovely product. A nice flattering shade of pink, there's no sparkle in there so if you're going for a more natural look (as I have been this month) then this is perfect. Dani from The Glamour Nazi has a full review of it HERE, if you want to find out more.

I've been using Hydraluron a lot this month- I bought it at the end of August and have applied it every morning before my moisturiser. I'm not one hundred per cent sure yet how effective it's been so I'm going to give it another couple of weeks and do a full review then. The basic idea with this is that it's pure hyaluronic acid, which supposedly does wonders for dry skin. So far I am liking it but I  just want to be a bit more thorough before committing myself completely!

Lastly, although I got this towards the end of the month, I've been loving this limited edition bag from Penneys. Yes, it's huge but it fits all of my odds and ends and it looks way more expensive than it was. Plus, that front pocket is actually a bag itself that zips off, leaving you with a clutch. Nifty! This for me, is the perfect bag for the colder months ahead as it'll hold all of my Winter accoutrement- scarf, gloves, hat, tissues, olbas oil and random gatherings of change for coffee. 

What's been your favourite product this month? Have you tried any of this lot? 

XX

Mint-y Goodness!

I recently extolled the virtues of coral in THIS POST and mentioned that I've also really been loving mint for Spring/Summer. In fairness, coral and mint are pretty popular every S/S- like the nautical and neon trends, they always seem to come back in fashion as they are perfect colours for the nicer, sunnier (I'm nothing if not eternally optimistic) weather. Apart from actual clothing, I'm loving mint shades for accessories and nails, so here's my mini rundown on what I'll be wearing to channel the look this season:

 1) Mint and grey strappy heels, Asos.
These are pretty much taxi-to-bar shoes, undoubtedly they will cripple me and will be my (literal) downfall but somehow I think they may be worth it. These are available online now.

2) Mint Candy Apple polish, Essie.
I love this polish, for a matte creme it's surprisingly lovely to apply- no streaking and fully opaque after two coats. I get a good three days wear out of it before I see any obvious signs of wear and tear, it dries fast and generally just looks all Summery and pretty. Hurrah! (as a side note, I mostly got this cause it reminds me of my wedding manicure, which I was informed by the nail technician is an OPI shade called "Tease", however according to the Internet that polish apparently does not exist, so this is a happy alternative).

3) Mint Doctors bag, Topshop.
It's slightly cruel of me to include this as I actually got it last year but I really had to pop it in as it's so perfect. It's surprisingly roomy so fits all my random goods and has a detachable long strap so it can be worn across the body although I prefer to carry it in the crook of my arm, whilst I pretend to be a lady.

So those are my current favourite mint items. Anyone else enjoying this trend?

xx

April Wishlist

I've been loving all the bright colours that are out at the moment, here's what I'm currently lusting after but have somehow resisted buying (the links are the names of the websites):

1. Colour Block Large Pink and Orange Envelope Clutch, Accessorize, £29.00.
2. Illamasqua Polish in Fragile (although I'd gladly take Mottle too- it reminds me of mint chocolate chip ice-cream!), Asos, 19.04 euro.
3. Limited Edition yellow Floral Embellished Skater Dress, Topshop, £140, 
4. Darling Lace top,Asos, 45 euro.
5. Ted Baker spot dress with Belt, Asos, 182.51 euro.
6. Sleek Blush by 3 in Lace, Cloud 10 Beauty, 13.00 euro.

XX

Christmas Wedding Outfit and Face Of The Day

I tend not to do Outfit Of The Day posts very often, purely because no one needs to see my pjs, as exciting as they are (and they really are- bespectacled cupcakes, yummy happy sushi, ice-skating monkeys and tough cookies, just a small example), however I thought the outfit I wore for my sister's wedding this week was worthy of a blog post.

The dress is by Eliza J and is available from House of Fraser. It's navy with a ruched waist and 3/4 sleeves with diamante buttons, below the knee with a v-neck collar. It's kind of hard to tell from the photos but it's really swishy in real life- very 50's, is super comfortable on and would be very flattering on most figures- I would definitely recommend! I styled it with pearls, my Ted Baker coat (thank God for that as it was super cold), my sister's Anya Hindmarch sparkly pink clutch (she's never getting it back) and bright pink scarily high Kurt Geiger heels.

Beauty wise, I went with a 50's style up-do, the Urban Decay Naked palette, false lashes (the Eyelure Girls Aloud Nicola ones are my favourite), Kate Moss for Rimmel pink lipstick in 16, Laura Mercier silk creme foundation and Nars Orgasm blush. Nails were courtesy of Sally Hansen's Frutie Petutie (it looked closer to the colour of the shoes in real life):

I was particularly happy with my tan for the day- recently I was given a can of Cocoa Brown tan to try but had waited 'til now to use it. Basically Cocoa Brown is an Irish brand recently launched onto the market and available in most pharmacies nationwide for around the 8 euro mark. It's a mousse that you apply with a tanning mitt, leave for up to 3 hours to develop, then wash off only to be delighted with your lovely bronzed self! There's no orange tones here so you're left with a really natural all over tan. I only left mine on for one and a half hours, giving me a light tan which suited me perfectly as I'm so pale naturally and rarely use fake tans- mostly because I find they always turn out too dark and then don't think they suit me. No such problems here, however- I have to say that I'm now completely converted to using tan after trying Cocoa Brown, I felt like it gave me a really healthy glow and prevented me from looking washed out in my navy dress. Other plus points include the lack of that "fake tan smell" once the original application is washed off, the even and streak-free result and its longevity once applied. I've been searching for a non wash-off only, flattering tan for the longest time and I'm thrilled I've finally found it. In your face, pasty legs and bright blue arm-veins!

Christmas Gift Guide- Accessories and Sleepwear!

Still stuck for a present idea? Look no further! Pyjamas, sippers, handbags and jewellery- all are ideal gifts for your mum, sister, friends, girlfriend etc. Again, clicking on the description highlighted in grey links you to the website the item is from:

1) Knitted Fairisle Slipper Boots, £12.00, Very.co.uk, warm and inexpensive.
2) & 3) Poppy Pointelle Top, £19.00 and Chrysanthemum PJ Bottoms, £19.00, Monsoon, perfect for wearing all year round- not just for Christmas.
4) Silver Sequin and Chiffon Slip, £65.00, Topshop. Ooh. Pretty.
5) Lace Trim Teddy, £35.00, Topshop. Ditto.
6) & 7) Robin PJ Set, £39.00, Monsoon. Very Christmassy.
8) Slipper Claw Boots, £12.00, Very.co.uk, nothing like a novelty slipper.

9) Ornate Stud Clutch, £35.00, Miss Selfridge.
10) Small Leather Satchel, 252.59 euro, DKNY (Brown Thomas have a fairly amazing selection of DKNY bags at the moment, there's a dark green beauty in there that I have my eye on but I'll be waiting 'til the sales!)
11) Bright Pink Matinee Purse £75.00, Ted Baker (I have one of these purses in gold and it's rather lovely so I can definitely recommend one of these).
12) Beaded Iridescent Clutch, 48.62 euro, Asos.
13)  Personalised Initial Wash Bag, 26.27 euro, notonthehighstreet.com.
14) Cambridge Satchel Company Satchel, 194.46 euro, Asos.
15)  Metal Corner Book Clutch, 34.73 euro, Asos (comes in green too, a very cute and unique item and not too expensive).
16) Lulu Guinness Fifi Dolls Face Clutch, 368.09 euro, Asos. You can't beat a bit of Lulu Guinness but granted this is very pricey..spending the same amount for a large handbag like the one from DKNY is easily better value but it obviously depends on the taste of the recipient too!

17) Michael Kors Rose Gold and Crystal Watch, 331.97 euro, Asos. Michael Kors watches are really popular for a reason- they're very lovely. They are also quite pricey.
18) Jeweled Bunting Necklace, 13.89 euro, Asos. This is so cute and such a great price!
19) What Do You Link Necklace, $43.99, Mod Cloth. This is rather funky but you will be facing a nasty shipping tax if you're ordering outside of the U.S.
20) Soft Mint Faceted Bauble Necklace, $44.00, Pree Brulee. Ditto the shipping tax, but look how pretty!
21) Amethyst and Rose Quartz Cocktail Ring, 91.63 euro, notonthehighstreet.com. This is really beautiful but you need to know the finger size of the person you're buying it for when ordering, which is a bit annoying. Self gift option maybe?!
22) Flower Earrings, 12.00 euro, Oasis. Oasis have lots of beautiful and relatively inexpensive jewellery items at the moment- lots of nice options for stocking fillers or to go with your Christmas party dress.