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Channel: Beautycrush - A Style Diary by Samantha Maria
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The last piece of summer

September 8, 2014, 3:44 am
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Top - Brandy Melville / Shorts - Rokit / Flip flops - Havaianas / Hat - Urban Outfitters / Bag - Topshop

I figured this would be the last post of mine which will look remotely summery for this year - I'm not too sad about that as my favourite season is autumn, but anywho, what do you know it - another Malta outfit!

I was scrolling through my iPhoto and realised that I had taken some outfit photos that I had totally forgotten to post! Just a simple everyday look, we were strolling through the nearby town (Probably looking for somewhere to eat, thats pretty much me 24/7)

I grabbed my wide brimmed hat for the day to help shield me from the rays!

Sammi x
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DIRTY BURGER

September 9, 2014, 12:30 pm
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Who hasn't heard about this little gem? (if you haven't, well now you have!) Dirty burger is part of the chain which also boasts Chicken shop & Pizza east, they're based in Kentish town but are popping up in more areas now too like Shoreditch.
We had tried Chicken shop before and I was less then impressed with the fried chicken (again maybe I just had a bad batch) but we (Jason & I) were itching to get our hands on a Dirty burger.


It's hidden away in a shack behind Pizza east, it is TINY but I guess the idea is that a lot of people would the burgers to take away. If you stay, which we did, you can have a seat at the window or round a large wooden table so we did just that and waited for about 10 minutes for our order to be prepared.

 
They also do 'Dirty doughnuts'...I had to restrain myself a little. 'No...burgers will be enough!'




Quick little bag snap as I waited, I got this new scarf from COS the other day and am in love! Its so soft. The little poison box is from a little shop in Spitalfields market.

Bag - Urban Outfitters / Scarf - COS / Purse - MarcB


I had the Cheeseburger and Jason had the Dirty bacon. They were big, cheesy, soft, mourish, flavourful, well-cooked and undoubtedly dirty. It was a messy affair but SO worth it.
It was such a treat after being let down by Shake shack! The brioche buns were soft but crisp and light, the meat was cooked a perfect medium and cheese oozed out in every direction. The dirty bacon was the same and wasn't dotted with a few bits of bacon but had a thick slice of hearty bacon inside.

I also have to say, the sides were incredible, The chips were good, but they weren't my main point of focus. The 'Onion fries'...oh my! They were mouth watering - Just what onion rings should be like, plus they were sprinkled with freshly grinded salt & pepper which gave an amped up flavour.

I definitely recommend Dirty burger if you haven't been yet, I do think it is worth the hype!

Let me know what you thought too if you have been!

Sammi x
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UNDERGROUND

September 13, 2014, 2:10 pm
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On weekdays I am usually hopping on and off of trains on the underground, making my way around London, if I'm not at home working or filming
(or walking the dog?).
I had a meeting in Shoreditch and went for another simple look, I have to say i'm loving this slouchy blazer at the moment. It is the prefect hybrid between a striking, clean, tailored look and a casual 'just threw this on' look.


Glasses are from a random stall in Camden market


If you are yet to take to the London underground here are my three tips, Know where you're going, be fast & layer, because you never know when you might get hot running around down there...or get stuck standing next to a great big sweaty, smelly man. (Which would in turn not be great for your own heat problem)





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VENICE PHOTO DIARY

September 23, 2014, 5:15 am
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For our one-year-together anniversary (we're not married but wanted to celebrate!) Jason surprised me by booking a one night trip to venice! I was flabbergasted. He couldn't hold the secret for long and told me over the phone back when I was in Australia & we were 9,400 miles away, earlier in the year.

I actually quite liked that it was a short stay because we really appreciated EVERYTHING and we made sure we crammed in as much good Italian food as possible! On the first day we checked into our hotel (Hotel Papadopoli), did a quick change and then headed out to explore, we walked up to St. Marks Square which was bursting at the seams with people and pigeons - a spectacular architectural sight. It then started raining so we darted into a restaurant and had some pizza before going back to the hotel and getting ready for dinner and Gelato

On the second day we rolled out of bed and went on the hunt for breakfast, we walked for so long that breakfast became lunchtime so we had some seafood and pasta and then went to catch a Gondola to see more of the city by water.

This place is like nowhere else i've ever been, many people said it was a smelly place because of the water/dirt but it wasn't that bad when we went. Gondoliers bellow from the boats, sing and whistle while they row, Church bells ring every few hours, there are people from all over the world trying to wind their way to the best tourist spots through the narrow, signposted streets and there were dogs EVERYWHERE - we loved that!

We quickly realised that Venice is NOT cheap, but its a place that will be a once in a lifetime experience and its not somewhere you need to stay for long to absorb everything. The people really have a sense of humour and are very polite, the food was great, I think my favourite was the Gelato!

There is way too much to say about it so i'll stop here and hopefully you can get more details from my vlog when its up, I also took some more photos of my outfits which will be up soon.

Hope you're having a lovely day!

Sammi x
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CIAO

September 25, 2014, 2:15 am
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Top - ASOS
Shorts - Beyond Retro < Similar
Scarf - COS
Pumps - Topshop
Bag - Topshop
Glasses - Camden Market

Just a quick one, this was my outfit for day 1 of Venice, the weather was mild with a chance of rain (and oh boy, it rained!) so I thought to go for something simple, comfy and to bring a scarf for warmth.

I love this Topshop bag at the moment because it fits SO much of my junk in it - handy for travelling!

Sammi x
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ONE NIGHT IN VENICE

September 27, 2014, 7:01 am
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Jumpsuit - Topshop Botique / Heels - Topshop / Clutch - ASOS / Headband - Anthropologie (Similar below) / Lips - MAC Russian Red






We had one night in Venice and so we thought..for dinner, lets just GO for it. Dress up, have some wine, have some fancy pasta and go out hunting for Gelato afterwards...so we did!
It is still surreal that we have been there and I appreciated every single second of it. Water taxi's are super expensive so we decided to find a restaurant by foot and it took about 30/40 minutes to get there but it was worth it!

On the way there I bumped into a lover subscriber from the U.S too!
I love this jumpsuit I'm wearing, its from Topshop boutique and is such an easy go-to piece thats also really flattering.

It was a magical night, I just simply loved soaking in the sights and the sounds of Venice,

Hope you're all having a lovely weekend!

Sammi x
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BRETON IN VENICE

October 2, 2014, 2:27 am
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(My glasses are from a stall in Camden Market & Dress is Brandy Melville but couldn't find it online!)

My last outfit from Venice, I'm not sure why its taken me so long to get this one up! Anywho, It was quite a mild day again in Venice so this dress was such an easy, throw-on option.

I wore the headband again too because I just love this little thing! This was the day of the gondola ride, many cups and cones of gelato and just plain, exploring the city!

Ciao!
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THE FAMILY BUSINESS

October 5, 2014, 10:45 am
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On a bright but blustery day a few weeks ago, I took a trip back to The family business
(A wicked tattoo studio in Farringdon which i've been to a few times - My artist there is Ricky Williams).
Beforehand I had a little chai tea in 'Brill' because I was a bit early, I have to say this is the best chai i've had in London.


We got started, Ricky made sure the placement, size and final design of the tattoo were perfect and we got stuck in.



I didn't realise this part of the arm would be bloody excruciating!
I usually deal with tattoo pain pretty well but the time did not fly by for this one (it took just over 2 hours) But all I think during having it done is that its well worth it!

I was hungry - Celery break!

I am so happy with the result, I'll probably go more into detail about the tattoo in an update video or something like that but I thought it would be cool to share my trip that day.
You can find Ricky's Insta at @ricktattoo

I was knackered at this point, I didn't mean this look to look so...mean!
I retreated back to the car and ended up going to honest burger because I thought I deserved one after the pain (any excuse haha)




It was a good day! Hope you've all had a great weekend!

Sammi x
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THE CLINIQUE SONIC SYSTEM

October 10, 2014, 1:33 am
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Hey guys =]
I've got a little review today, you may have already heard about this little number but if you wanted to hear a few of my thoughts on it - here they are!



This is the Clinique sonic system purifying cleansing brush (try saying that three times fast!)
I received this in the post a little while ago and I have been using it for just over a week so far, I know it takes longer than that usually to see full results but I wanted to share what i've found so far.

It claims to remove impurities, give clearer looking pores, target problem areas such as the T-zone and leave you with skin that looks and feels smooth, radiant and healthy.

What I need for my skin is more control with oil down my nose, for my cheeks not to become too dry and I am usually combating the odd breakout in my t-zone.

I have been using this pretty much everyday bar one or two since i've had it and the first thing I noticed is how soft the brush is. I've used a few other face brushes in the past and they have all had quite rough brush heads compared to this (I've had the sensitive heads in the past) So this was a nice surprise.

It's a lovely soft massage for 30 seconds (you work it up to a minute over time), the green tilted part of the brush targets the t-zone and the white targets the cheeks which I think is a clever idea and its ergonomically designed for better pressure while you buff your forehead/nose etc.

What I've found

My nose looks a lot better after using it even for a little while, a lot clearer (its where I gather blackheads usually) My skin looks a lot more even & smooth and i'm looking forward to seeing even more results with the rest of my skin because its supposed to help fine lines too.
(I also have to add its a nice small size and is lighter than some other face brushes so this makes it easier to use too)

It's a joy to use, I just grab it every time I get in the shower in the morning, give my face a quick buzz and my skin feels so smooth afterwards, Give it a go, especially if you have found anything else to be too abrasive!

Sammi xx

Are you excited about Clinique's latest innovation? Click the link to learn more about the New Clinique Sonic System Purifying Cleansing Brush.



Compensation was provided by Clinique via Glam Media.  The
opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions or positions of Clinique

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THE TULLE

October 12, 2014, 5:18 am
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A little while ago I was sent over this beautiful tulle skirt from Alexander Grecco, I love that its a little outside the box for me,
I chose to style it (as I usually do) quite simply!




Skirt - Alexander Grecco (similar below) / Top - Topshop / Heels - River Island




It's such a great and show stopping item to add to my wardrobe, it would be perfect for a big special occasion or for fancy dress even!
The material is delicate and the fall is graceful, You could also grunge it up with a leather jacket and black heeled boots. Definitely a statement piece!

Sammi xx
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THE SHOE EDIT

October 16, 2014, 10:32 am
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1 - ASOS                    
2 - OFFICE                
3 - Topshop (On sale £30!)

4 - Missguided              
5 - ASOS             
6 - Missguided

Recently i've been doing a lot of website browsing. It'll be late at night, I don't feel like going to bed yet and slowly but surely I start typing A...S...O...S into my browser and having a good old google (whoops!)

It made me think to do a post full of things that I have been lusting over (or have bought recently) because I love when others do these posts, it gives me inspiration! So hopefully it could help or be interesting to some of you =]
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NEW IN

October 20, 2014, 10:13 am
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I've recently been doing a spot of online shopping (as you can probably tell from my last post) and here are some items which I just couldn't leave the website without!


I wore these leopard print boots today for the first time and they're a snug fit and I think need wearing in but I think they look FAB! The plain white v-neck top and the jeans I think are brilliant staple pieces and then these boots I just feel head over heels for (no pun intended) They elongate your legs like nothing else!

I've been inside quite a lot recently so there haven't been as many outdoor style photos but i've been working on some indoor ones so they'll be more up soon! 

S x


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THE DAILY

October 23, 2014, 10:34 am
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T-shirt - ASOS / Jeans - Topshop Joni's / Boots - ASOS / Leather Jacket - All Saints Balfern 
 Bag - Zara / Ring - Regal Rose / Glasses - Camden Market

This is an outfit I wore a few days ago, It's such a go-to outfit for me (and I'm sure for many people!)
I love to show normal outfits and the slightly more 'out there' outfits on my blog so I thought I would chuck this one in too.
I am beyond obsessed with these boots now, apologies for the constant feature of them, but I love a bit of leopard!



S x
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THE WEEKLY EATS III

October 30, 2014, 9:56 am
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Bacon cheeseburger + simple avocado salad (Kind of) Scrambled eggs with spinach & Quinoa Scrambled eggs with parma ham, rye bread & spinach Pasta with broccoli, lentils, pesto & Parmesan Oven baked Salmon, quinoa + a simple salad
Grilled Salmon topped with some pesto, Puy Lentils + simple salad

Another helping (hehe) of some things I have been making to eat at home recently, Its a little repetitive sometimes but its things I love to eat and make!
Maybe i'll work on things a bit more versatile for next time! This month has been very crazy and stressful so a lot of the days i've been getting home and knocking up something very quickly so that explains it a bit for this time round!
Hope it gives some inspiration or is interesting to you other food lovers!

S x
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NEW IN: MAKEUP

November 3, 2014, 5:42 am
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Warning: Chipped nail close ups...whoops!
Sometimes I am sent through new items of makeup to try out however, I never want to bog down my blog with product review after product review but when these landed on my doorstep I knew they HAD to make a little appearance!
Eyeliner / Liquid Liner / Mascara / Oxblood Lipstick
Knocking about here we have some gorgeous Burberry eyeliners (storm grey & Jet black), a brow pencil and pen liner. 
Then the Burberry lipstick in 'Oxblood' (My most favourite of colours) and their Mascara which is great for lengthening and separating. 
Here we have some items from MAC's new 'Heirloom Mix' range - a selection of sophisticated, rich and striking shades.
We have the new gorgeous rosy/plum Mineralize blusher in Sweet Sentiment, Lipstick in 'Salon Rouge' and the Cremesheen glass in 'Social season'. 

The lipgloss and lipstick from this range are what i'm wearing in the top photo and I think they compliment each other very well, The only thing about the lipgloss is that you can feel the sparkles on your lips but that is really the only complaint I have with any of these products.
I've been using the burberry eyebrow pencil on my brows recently and i've tested the liners which are ridiculously creamy and blendable. 

Such lovely products to add to my makeup collection and they're all of such amazing quality.
We all get a little excited when new makeup is in the house right? ^.^
S x

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PARIS WITH BIRCHBOX

November 8, 2014, 1:13 am
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The lovely ladies at Birchbox sent me an email a few weeks ago asking if I would like to join them on a trip to Paris to discover a new brand, more of the city, find out more about an already loved one of mine and to spend a little free time there too - Resistance was futile! 
We hopped onto the Eurostar at 7am, arrived in Paris and pulled up at the Birchbox Parisian office to meet the lovely ladies there and try out their new beauty vending machine. (It was so cute - and full of essentials!)
We then had a little rest in our hotel room where a gift was waiting for us from the new brand Huygens, I had a little sniff off all of the products in the box (gorgeous!) and then it was time to head out again to a delicious lunch next to the louvre. I had Butter lemon Seabass accompanied by the most Moreish French bread, butter and some crisp white wine.
We then stopped at Caudalie where we leant more about their products, the brand itself and then we each had a facial - It was my first one and it was such a calming, sensual experience, the woman who did it made me feel so at ease and was so gentle, warm and friendly.
I woke at 8am, jumped in the shower and then swiftly jumped back out after hearing a tap at the door where I was presented with a tray of breakfast, so I sat on the bed and munched through some croissants, yoghurt and sipped on a cappuccino. Then I got dressed and went downstairs to meet the others & go on to visit the new brand 'Huygens' at their store in La Marais.
I have more detail in my vlog of the trip and I will talk about these products more in the future but right now i'll just say that the store was incredible, the smell will make you want to stay forever. You have a whiff of all of their aromatherapy scents which range from uplifting, balancing and soothing onto aphrodisiacs. You can then mix your chosen scent into whichever body product you choose or they have pre-made products with the scents applied already and face products too (which are much less scented).
 I came away with about two boxes of products (they do candles too!) and I can't WAIT to try them all! I have to add that the men in the store were incredibly helpful, informative and passionate about everything in-store and don't pester or pressure you in a way that a lot of stores of this nature do sometimes. They were very polite.
After lunch we were told that we were having a Chocolate tour of paris, My heart skipped a beat! I love paris, I love chocolate, I love walking around the area...*insert scream*
 We only had a little time before jumping back onto the Eurostar but we still learnt about the artisan chocolatiers & what they were known for in particular, we visited Angelina where I tasted the best hot chocolate I'd had in my life and I also tried a white truffle macaroon (above) which was a very interesting experience.

 I didn't get to take as many pictures as I wanted to but again I did vlog whilst being there too and i'll be talking about the products in more detail soon but I always have to share everything as much as possible when visiting Paris!
Its one of my favourite places in the world and I want to say a HUGE thank you to the girls at Birchbox for making these two days possible, I couldn't be more appreciative and it was so nice to spend some time with the blogger girls too who were on the trip with me, it was such a lovely clan!

 (I didn't get to take pictures of my outfits whilst there which I'm gutted about! sorry guys! But I'm working on more outfit posts now as I have my photographer/boyfriend back on the mend, bless him!)

 Happy Saturday!
 S x
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FAR ROCKAWAY

November 15, 2014, 1:52 am
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Last week we took a short journey to 'Far Rockaway', a Bar/resturant in Shoreditch. When you peek at this place as you walk past, it bellows out with graffiti art, neon lights & massive tasty-looking pizzas purched on table tops with an array of interesting characters inside. I was chuffed to finally try it out.
 But first.....Coffee.   

Goodhood is fast becoming one of my favourite stores, it is more of a boutique, with a collection of well designed, well cut, fantistically eclectic clothes and accessories for the taking.
 I only go once in a while as its quite pricey but also downstairs is a collection of homeware complete with coffee bar, so we got our fix!



We sat with our friends and watched the rugby game (England v New Zeland). I'm quite new to the world of rugby so I found it quite fun and entertaining! A few minutes in, we got our drinks and then the food came, We were all SO hungry and couldn't wait to chow down! 

My friend A.J and I went for the hot dogs (had half of each others - a normal one and a chilli dog, I preferred the normal) We also had chicken wings and legs for the table and pulled pork fries. I wouldn't recommend the wings, the sauce is quite different to anything else i've tasted and some may like it but it wasn't for us! However THOSE FRIES....damn! 

It was all quickly devoured, we watched the rest of the game with a few drinks and then headed home to get ready for a night out - I absolutely loved the whole atmosphere of the place. 
It has a U.S vibe but is even brighter, quirkier and more playful than most bars in the states that i've been to. 
Its such an amazing hybrid of the Shoreditch art and creativity and the American food, service and oversized everything (the bigger the better!) 

I'd recommend it! 

S xx 

Top - Monki / Jeans - Topshop / Boots - Vagabond / Coat - Pull&bear (Over a year ago)
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THE CHUNKY JUMPER DRESS

November 22, 2014, 2:08 am
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Jumper Dress - ASOS / Bag - Zara / Boots - Urban outfitters (a long time ago!)

 A little while ago I was in Hoxton to run a few errands and to grab a spot of lunch. I love this area, Its not very big but Box park has lots to offer and there's a small street food section tucked away where we had lunch & of course, lots of coffee shops!
We grabbed lunch at Yalla Yalla (Which is Beirut street food), I had a veggie affair - falafel, tabbouleh, hummus etc which was very tasty, I was a little deflated after trying to give my order to the slightly short-tempered man serving but the food made up for it! 

I recently bought this jumper dress from ASOS and I am in love with it, it was a slightly warmer tone than it looked on the site but I actually don't mind that too much. Its SO warm and is a perfect length. Another current love is this bag from Zara which I got while in Paris, It hasn't left my arm and is a perfect little Mary-poppins kind of bag.



Happy Weekend! 
 S x
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MY HOME COFFEE ROUTINE

November 26, 2014, 4:02 pm
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Now I know I talk quite a lot about coffee, but I don't think i've gone into my home coffee routine before. 
Some days (rainy days usually) I just don't feel like venturing outside and so I make my own tasty coffee at home - This is usually how it goes!
I have an espresso machine which I sometimes use but recently i've been using a French press, I find it brings out a lot more of the flavour of the beans and I honestly just really enjoy the process. I have quite a few of their different flavours which range from 'Rhubarb & custard' to 'Bread and butter pudding and vanilla custard' (which I went with this time, couldn't resist!) 
I just boil the kettle, add 5 or 6 scoops to my French press (this one is rather large), add the boiling water and let it all steep for about 5 minutes. I then plunge the press and leave for another few minutes until the coffee settles.
I then add some brown sugar because I have a bit of a sweet-tooth, I pour the coffee into the cup and add a little milk, as much as I would to tea. I usually use almond milk but we had run out!
Stir and enjoy!
I usually do this little routine in the morning but sometimes I pour a cup of Joe at lunchtime or in the afternoon and I take to my computer to work through some emails, write a post or edit a video or two.
(or to watch videos of funny cats and dogs...)
I also have a code for you guys if you're as loco about coffee as I am!
Head over to PACT and just enter the code 'BEAUTYCRUSH' to get your first delivery for just £1 
It'll save you £5.95 off of the usual price, Hope you guys enjoy!
Happy Caffeination! 

S x
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THE CHECK

November 30, 2014, 3:31 am
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Shirt - Zara
Coat - Missguided*
Boots - Urban Outfitters
Bag - Zara
I was passing by Hampstead and thought, what a lovely little street to take some flicks down. 
If you've never been, Hampstead is a quaint little place in london which dosent feel much like London atall. 
I'd recommend Ginger and White for great coffee and breakfast, I also love the tucked-away Waterstones (which allows dogs) and the famous crepe van!
I picked up this Checked shirt in Zara not long ago, I fell for it straight away. Checked shirts just always remind me of the Olsen style and they're easy to pair with anything.

Hope you're all having a lovely weekend!
S x

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