I whittled it down to two bags: the GG Marmont leather crossbody bag in nude/pink and the Louis Vuitton Alma BB in monogram. Two very different bags, but on a similar budget (around the £850/£900 mark). But I wanted to see the bags in person before I took the leap to buy the bag, as I had never purchased from either brand before.

I went to Gucci in Harvey Nichols first and looked at the bag. It didn't wow me the way I had hoped it would. I took a photo, had a feel of the bag, asked extensive questions to the sales assistant and tried it on. It ticked all the boxes. But it also made me realise there was another box I had not considered- does it make me feel special?. It didn't.

Slightly disheartened for myself, but relieved for my bank account, I headed across the street to Louis Vuitton. Honestly, the experience in that shop was wonderful. The sales consultants were kind, patient and willing to help. I asked to look at the monogram Alma BB, and the assistant told me that it was not in stock, but she got another BB out of the drawers to give me a feel of the bag and its dimensions. It was, again, slightly underwhelming.

Simultaneously, I was also looking for a coin purse and had found one in LV that I really liked. It's a monogrammed purse with pink interiors. Our amazing consultant offered to show me different bags, similar in size to the Alma BB, that complemented the purse.

Then it was presented to me- the Cluny BB. I can't explain how I felt when I first saw the bag, but I knew I had to purchase it. It ticked every box. I again asked many many questions, and then went ahead with the purchase. The bag was more expensive than the Marmont and the Alma, but I think it is justified given the quality and design.

So now, on to the first impressions...

Size:

The size is perfect for everyday essentials. The bag fits my Cath Kitson umbrella, benefit cosmetics make up bag (containing YSL lipstick, panty liners, a mirror, a sample size foundation, hand sanitiser), a packet of tissues, a packet of hand wipes, my house keys, a fold-up shopping bag, my LV coin purse and my Kate Spade cardholder.

Convenience:

The bag seems to be very convenient for day-to-day use. I have used it- thus far- for shopping and it has been easy to get in and out. The bag closes magnetically, and everything feels safe and secure inside when it is closed. There is a large interior pocket with a zip, for more precious items. There is also two phone shaped compartments- however, I have not used these as the bag does not close comfortably when a phone is in there. There are also poppers on the side of the bag to undo if you need to expand the bag. It has a handle, which can be handheld or placed on the crook of the arm, comfortably. It also has a beautiful pink detachable crossbody strap, which is a convenient length if you wish to wear it crossbody.

UPDATE! I recently took the bag on a trip to Paris and it was the perfect city bag. Everything felt safe and secure, metro tickets were easy to get in and out, discreetly. AND it looked great with all my outfits.

Look:

It looks stunning. It is made, mostly, with canvas, which is very easy to clean. The handle is leather, and you do have to be slightly more careful with it, however, if kept in the dust bag the bag does not require extensive maintenance. It has gold hardware, which I think looks really classic. The interior is bright pink and everyone that has seen the bag has commented on the beauty of the interior, as it is different from other, more popular, Louis Vuitton bags.

Overall:

So far, I love this bag. It ticks every box and has become my go-to bag. I am planning to take it on holiday with me as my carry-on handbag as it is a perfect size for all the essentials, and prevents me from taking unnecessary items on board!

I hope this blog post was helpful to any of you bag-lovers out there currently looking at the Cluny BB as a potential purchase.

See you in the next one,

byyyyeeeeee

I'm Back! 

I haven't written a beauty inspired blog post in a while (or any sort of blog post lol @ Jan 2018), so I thought I'd tell you guys a bit about my favourite fragrance's.
I must admit, I am a bit of a fragrance snob. I don't mean that I only wear expensive or designer scents, but I am very picky when it comes to perfume. One of my first ever jobs was working on the fragrance wall at Boots, and in that year I learned more about scents than I ever thought was humanly possible!!! I am also lucky that because of my job, I get to try a lot of the new scents. So here are a few of my favourites.

Coco Mademoiselle - Chanel

50ml EDP retails at £74

This is the most iconic fragrance ever. It is (in my opinion) so much nicer than the original COCO fragrance, or any of the other Chanel scents (although Chance Eau Fraiche is beautiful). It is not a generic fresh scent in the slightest, although it does have a freshness to it. I would say it is more of an evening scent than a day-to-day one, but I wear it whenever the mood takes me. It has notes of orange, jasmine and rose, followed by patchouli and vetiver. It really is a sophisticated smell, and honestly, I don't think there will come a time when I don't own this perfume. 

Big Pony Pink 2 - Ralph Lauren

I have the 100ml BUT 50ml EDT retails at £25

This is a fresh scent and is the one I wear the most when I'm at work. As it is an EDT (eau de toilette) it is weaker than an EDP (Eau de parfum) and is not overpowering. Edt's are also better when out and about in the sun as a higher concentration of perfume in a fragrance increases the skin's sensitivity to the sun (this can lead to amongst other things age spots on the skin). Anyway, the scent is floral and fruity, and I am a stickler for a sweet scent. It has top notes of dragonfruit and waterlily, heart notes of Lily of the Valley and honeysuckle and base notes of marshmallow, musk, vanilla and sandalwood. It also reminds me of my best friend, as this was her go-to fragrance all throughout sixth form (apart from the One Direction fragrances!).

Live Irresistible - Givenchy

50ml EDP retails for £56

Live Irresistible is the first real fragrance I bought myself a couple of years ago. It is a super sweet fragrance made up of pineapple, rose and amber. It brings back memories of my first year at uni, travelling on the metro and feeling very sophisticated in my Topshop camel coat! I think something that can really influence purchasing and liking a perfume, is the salesperson. AND LET ME TELL YOU the Givenchy representative was and still is, one of the nicest people ever! Her energy energised me and really made me enthusiastic about the perfume. To this day I will always recommend this to any friend that is looking for a sweet sweet scent.

Miss Dior Blooming Bouquet - Dior 

Again, I have the 100ml, but the 50ml EDT retails for £62

This is definitely the freshest scent out of my faves. I really really love it. The bottle is so elegant and a true representation of the brand itself. The scent is floral; with middle notes of rose and peony, but it does also have fruitier notes of orange and citrus. Like Pink Pony, this fragrance is an EDT, therefore it is not too overbearing as a scent. This is definitely a perfect all year round, everyday fragrance, due to its freshness. It is also promoted by Hollywood's perfect human Natalie Portman, and I mean, any opportunity to be slightly like her is an opportunity I am going to take up (b/c I'm sure I'll never get into Harvard, or be Luke Skywalker's mam). 

Notable Mention: Rocker Femme Fantasy- Britney Spears

Back in the day, my old employer used to hold termly 'Tester Sales'. These were events where the staff would be able to purchase makeup and fragrance testers for pennies (by that I mean fragrance for £3 and ten pieces of makeup for £1!!!!). That is where I purchased this beaut. I believe that it's not sold in high street shops and drug stores anymore, as I am sure it was a seasonal release, but I think you can purchase it online at certain retailers. I LOVE BRITNEY. No, like I full on stan Britney Bitch. And I do lovvvvvveeeee Britney Fantasy. Tbh I love this too, it is probably the fragrance I wear the most frequently. It is sickly sweet and won't be to everyone's taste, but it most certainly is to my taste. I thought I'd mention this as I would never lie to my huns. oh and one time a taxi driver said I smelled lush and I was wearing this, and taxi drivers don't lie!! 



Thanks for reading this little insight into my fave perfumes of the moment
Much love 
B x 

Okay so I know the Academy Awards (the Oscars) were a few weeks ago, buuuuuut the fashions were too good/bad not to talk about.
So without further ado, lets get on to the fashions.

DISCLAIMER- I am by no means a "professional clothes reviewer" I am merely someone who is interested in fashion, therefore these are just for fun and just because I personally don't like something doesn't mean it's not fashionable!!!

1. Emma Stone- Givenchy

Winner: Best Actress- La La Land. All photos from Oscars : Getty

Thought I'd start this off on a good note. Like a really good note. Emma Stone is so cool. She can do no wrong. She could wear a bin-bag and I would be like "omg. inspiration. truly. honestly." She is so great because she knows what looks good on her and doesn't follow the generic "sexy" trend. I love her. She really stood out from all of the photos from the red carpet (there was loads, like 80). And, from the looks of it, not many people wore Givenchy on the red carpet either. I love the colour, detail, the length, the whole dress pretty much. I love that she hasn't gone OTT with accessories, it really makes the dress stand out. Overall, I am obsessed with Emma Stone. She looked so beautiful and in a dress like that really did deserve that Oscar.
Duh Winning 10/10

2. Michelle Williams- Louis Vuitton

Nominated Best Supporting Actress- Manchester By the Sea

This is Michelle Williams. Not Michelle the one from Destiny's Child, but the other Michelle Williams, the actress Michelle Williams. I think I like this. It's not like super exciting or anything, but it looks cute. Her hair looks cute, her make up looks cute. So I'd say this is cute.I really like the contrast of the black halter up top and then the beautiful sparkles on the skirt. She looks sad though, I dunno why, but she looks sad. The dress looks a bit long on her, maybe she's short, or maybe that's how it is supposed to look. I'm not sure, I'm not fashion.
I do like this, I think. 8/10

3. Pharrell Williams- Chanel

Nominated Best Picture- Hidden Figures.

Urghhhhhh. Give it to me Bae. I love Pharrell. He takes risks. Men on red carpets are usually sooooo boring. But he always switches it up. I appreciate him. He is wearing like 20 necklaces, which look like they're from a Claire's goody bag (ya know you all bought them). His jacket with the belt and the flower and bow tie shows that men can go to a formal event, wear a suit and still look different. They can still stand out. I love him. Even if people hate it, it's impossible to hate Pharrell.
Love it 10/10

4. Dakota Johnson- Gucci

Dont think she was nominated for anything. Just there for a good time.

Hahahahahahhahaha. I creased so much when I first saw this. But the more I look at it the more I hate it less. Gucci is known, especially recently, for going completely OTT, but this, I just find strange. Can't tell whether its the bow, the shoulder pads or the HUGE Cartier necklace, but for some reason this just doesn't make much sense. The colour is very erm Oscars statue gold, so I guess it fits with the theme? I dunno.
maybe this is good but I just don't understand it. 4/10

5. Felicity Jones- Dior

Presenting Award for Visual Effects

Not gonna lie, had to google who she is (I'm so un-cultured in culture). This good. I think. I think it's pretty and simple. Not sure about the length, whenever I see a dress in this style it makes me think that its too long or too short- like cropped trousers wtf are they. But this is pretty I like it and an extra point for the shoes, those are good shoes.
Good Shoes  6/10

Nominated Best Actor- La La Land

Retails at £33.00 for 60ml at Boots

Retails at £5.00 exclusive to Boots

My final favourite of this month is a book. I'm absolutely obsessed with Chinese birth signs and zodiac signs and this book is all about both of them. The books called The New Astrology and was written by Susanne White, who has wrote many many books about astrology. I read so many reviews of how amazing and accurate the book is and I just had to buy it. I wont get into too much detail but basically it tells you about your Chinese birth sign (ie year of the rat, ox etc) and western zodiac sign (Sagittarius, Aquarius etc). In addition, it also explains your specific sign combination (Sagittarius/Rat, Aquarius/Ox etc). The explanations are scarily accurate and very interesting!!!

Retails from as little as £3.07 on Amazon