Trends from the 2000s not to bring back into fashion

Happy Sunday folks i hope you are all well.

I have so many blogs/ vlogs i am going to write and record this month and i have been wanting to write this one for a while as i am going to be doing a video on this on my youtube channel; natural blonde and i wanted to talk about throwback fashion items we used to wear back in the day (well in my day) when i was a teenager.

I have been searching all over for good images to show you exactly what these items look like yet been very unsuccessful in doing so for this reason i am going to give a description of the items i am talking about instead.

Fashion in the 2000s;

Cast your mind back to 17 years ago (thats if you where old enough to remember or even born) it was the millennium everyone said the world was going to end that obviously didn’t happen and fashion went out of control but we all loved it at the time and thought we looked great. 

I might only be 30 years old but i remember all my fashion outfits growing up especially some of these i am going to list below;

PEDAL PUSHERS/ CAPRI PANTS: If you didn’t have a pair of these then you weren’t cool as a teenager they where a tight fitting trouser or jean that came to the knee and where very fitted i had them in denim, white, dogtooth print and even a floral pattern with matching top (looking back at them now they where hideous and i just hope no designers bring them back or brand them up with there logos on them to make them look trendy again because they wont).

GYPSY MAXI SKIRTS: All i can say is thank god i never took to skirts as i had one of these in brown yes brown and it was awful so long it dragged on the floor with uneven patterns throughout and very heavy to wear i used to wear it with a vest top on top of a t-shirt with a huge disc belt and some backless loafers from faith in yellow with a flower on them (what was i thinking this is an item that can never return or be improved it was a huge fashion faux pa).

DISC SHAPED BELTS: I had more than one of these i had brown, white and black with a huge gold disc on the front to fasten it together it just went over and around jeans or skirts as it was way to big to fit through belt holes, i used to get mine from indoor markets as they where £5 each what a bargain (I know for a fact this will come back i am waiting for an online retailer to bring them back or a celebrity to be rocking it).

SHRUG CARDIGAN: Yes i said it a shrug and the name itself isn’t trendy let alone a practical piece of clothing i had so many of these i used to wear them over my vest with a t-shirt on and knot the front with my cargo pants and kappa trainers and i thought i was in a girl band or the 8th member of s club 7 (how wrong was i they where ugly looking and pointless yet everyone had one).

PATCHWORK DENIM JEANS: I had 2 pairs of these 1 pair flared with glitter in the denim from new look 915 and a pair from tammy girl with buttons instead of a zip i can honestly say these where my favourite jeans ever until i got grass stains down 1 pair and the other pair i borrowed a friend and never got back (thanks friend) i have seen that topshop and asos have something similar to the ones i had but not overly patch worked which is a shame (but something i would never buy or wear again nostalgia has kicked in on these for me and should be left in the fashion past).

PONCHOS: I hated it then and ill hate it again if i comes back these where everywhere in every pattern, colour with tassels without tassels they made everyone look bigger than they really where so unflattering and impractical for putting your bag on your shoulder, however i did have one from a shop called pilot which my mum would take me too twice a month at mcarther glen Mansfield as that was the shop to go to when i was at senior school i soon got bored of my poncho and it got given to a family friends daughter who loved it.

CARGO TROUSERS: I loved these especially as tammy girl had loads on back in the day i had a beige pair with hanging bits of the legs a khaki pair with huge pockets and a black pair to match my cool babes t-shirt as it looked cool together all the pop groups wore them and made them look cool and i loved steps 5,6,7,8 i blame Fay for me wanting these (I hope kanye west doesn’t release these for his next collection as its the kind of thing Kim will rock with a corset top and clear heels and pull it off).

TROUSERS WITH A SKIRT OVER THE TOP: I didn’t love these trend when i was 13 and i am glad as it was so random yet lots of people wore it if you haven’t seen this before google it theres not many great photos of it but you can get the idea of the style (I hope this never gets released just because of how random it looks leave it back in the 2000s).

I am sorry there are no images to show you just how bad these items where but if you do remember any of them leave me a comment below or on my Instagram page; naturalblonde86

Also let me know if you can think of any other fashion stores you shopped at back in the 90s or early 2000s as i can only remember these;

• BAY TRADING
• TAMMY GIRL
• ETAM
• PILOT
• MORGAN
• KOOKAI
• MK ONE
• JANE NORMAN

Thanks for reading and comment below 

Amy x

Just because it’s in fashion doesn’t mean it suits you

Happy hump day everyone i do hope you are all well.

I am still battling with this bad back of mine and have been bed bound since Friday which is making me go insane and get frustrated with life.

As i have had lots of spare time on my hands this week i have been doing a lot of online wishful thinking shopping as the bank balance is saying NO and so is the other half and my mum, i just feel like i am loving so many items at the minute and thats always the case when funds are low or have to be spent elsewhere.

I am loving the trends for SPRING/ SUMMER this year as there is something to suit everyone i always find that (JUST BECAUSE ITS IN FASHION DOESN’T MEAN IT SUITS YOU) and this is where people go wrong i look around and think that Topshop mannequins have thrown up on some people or they wear things that are unflattering just because its in fashion.

These are the main trends to look out for in all high street stores;

STATEMENT TSHIRTS; I have seen these in Topshop, Primark, Zara and pretty much every other high street store this is a big trend to wear with mom jeans and converse for casual or with a leather look skirt and statement boots or sandals for summer, I do love this particular tee by @TOPSHOP but its becoming super popular everyone on Instagram already own this and if your anything like me you might want to get creative and make your own.

TIP; Buy a plain tee for a few quid get some transfer iron on paper, create and design a cool saying in a statement bold colour and print it on your tee and you have your own personalised statement tee.

GINGHAM; This is becoming popular on asos, Topshop, river island etc i previously purchased a ruffled top in this print from primark for less than £10 and thats probably the only gingham item i will buy just because its a full on print and very bold and wont suit everyone, nobody wants to look like a picnic table cloth or have a flash back from wearing this in summer at primary school (I WORE IT IN RED AT SCHOOL).

TIP; Depending on your figure and height depends on what kind of gingham clothing will suit suit, play it safe with a top or a skirt if you are taller, if your petit like me then this playsuit above or trousers may suit you with a statement tee and some backless loafers.

BACKLESS LOAFERS; I am loving this trend i have 4 pairs of backless loafers already and ill no doubt invest in some more just because they are super comfy on they dress up an outfit especially jeans and a tee, they come in so many designs, prints, colours and are a great dupe to the Gucci ones which are £700 i have some from eBay, primark, sainsburys tu clothing and ego.

TIP;Shop around for the style and design your after primark have basic colours in for £6, river island have gold tassel ones in for £45, eBay have a great selection from £12 plus the faux fur gucci Princeton dupes at £16.

DENIM; I love denim and at one point i owned over 25 pairs of jeans but that was a few years ago, denim is huge for this season whether it be this jacket from @TOPSHOP or statement jeans with embroidery on or buttoned down denim skirts which seem to be popping up online.

TIP; I love statement denim but wont pay the prices for it when i can customised my own for over half the price, i would buy some jeans and get a few patches from ebay and sew them on or get some pearls and sew them on like i did which you can see on my INSTAGRAM; NATURALBLONDE86

POM POMS; This was in late last year but it didn’t take off until now and its all over whether it be on bags, hats, sandals, playsuits you name it i’ve seen it with pom poms on, it just brightens up a bag or gives off cool look on sandals lots of high street stores have them like river island and primark plus asos online have lots varying in prices from £12.

TIP; diy make your own pom poms i recently bought a pom pom kit and it comes with 4 sizes with the simplest instructions (even i understood them) and i bought some colourful wool and started making my own and i have transformed a bag some trainers and a straw beach hat so far.

PEARLS; This is the trend i look at and see any items with pearls on are so much more expensive than any other trend at the minute especially in zara and river island, these sandals above are from @ZARA and as beautiful as they are they are the cheapest of trends to introduce into your wardrobe for the season.

TIP; I purchased a bag of 50 ivory pearls from ebay and sewn them on my basic mom jeans from primark and now i have my own customised pearl jeans for the price of £14 unlike the zara ones at £40. 

Here are the images of the items i’ve customised so far with these trends going forward and i will be filming a customisation video on my youtube channel go and subscribe to be one of the first to watch it. (youtube channel name; natural blonde)

Mom jeans from Primark £13

50 ivory pearls 6mm ebay £1

Gold tassel backless loafers Primark £6

Flamingo straw clutch bag Matalan £8

Sunglasses Primark £2

Wool Boyes £1.80 per colour

Pom pom maker Boyes £4

Pink trainers Asos £20 last years 

Wool Boyes £1.80 per colour

Pom pom maker Boyes £4
I am a creative person i get the from my mum who has worked in fashion for over 40 years and i always love designing creating and coming up with ideas of things i want to make.

Thanks for reading and let me know what trends your loving for this season.

Amy x

Essence makeup review (I love it)

Happy Sunday everyone hope you are all well.  

I have been a little quiet lately on my blog as you know i have a youtube channel now and i am focusing on getting good contents and videos out there for you all to watch, my youtube  name is; natural blonde and there are videos about makeup, fashion and primark shopping hauls so go over and have a snoop if you haven’t already. 

This week my addiction for makeup has grown a lot after discovering this brand called Essence in my local Wilkinsons store, you can also buy from Essence.eu too if you are interested in trying this makeup.

I have never seen nor heard of this brand before but its euro’s no.1 makeup brand so i was keen to try some products and let you know my thoughts on them and I Love it, its super affordable, the quality is great, nice packaging, great selection of colours and it wears really well too so thats a bonus, here are a few bits i picked up to try.

ESSENCE MAKEUP I BOUGHT TO TRY; 

As you can see from this image i picked up alot of pink shades as thats what i seem to be drawn too atthe minute plus they suit my skin well.

This is the 1st lipstick i picked up in the Shade no.7 natural beauty its a pinky nude tone and it wears really well on my lips the colour lasted me about 4 hours yesterday without having to go over it again i would recommend this shade if like me you love a pinky lipstick and its was super cheap at £2.30! Yes guys £2.30! 

This is the 2nd lipstick i got in the shade no.3 wow effect its a sheer and shine lipstick in a browny nude but it swatched really nice in the store and i was super happy with the colour and the formula of it and this was evern cheaper at £2.00.

This is the 3rd lipstick lip crayon i bought in the shade no.2 peony star its a matte lip crayon but the colour is beautiful yetagain another pinky nude shade but it stays on my lips without them looking cracked or dry like most other matte lip colours out there by other brands this was also only £2.00 and comes in other shades.

 This is one of there many concealers i picked it up in the shade no.30 pure honey as you may know i love the collection concealer and swear by it but i wanted to test this and see if its any good and so far the past 3 days ive been wearing it i love it and recommend trying it they have different shades available too and this was £2.50.

Now moving onto blusher this is in the shade no.20 all you need is pink and its one of there mosaic blushers which come in 3 other colours i prefer a mixed blusher as its easier than buying a pink one or a peach one or a lighter one for winter and so on, this so far is proving positive and i like the colour combination if gives my cheeks this was also £2.50.

This is 1 of 3 eyeshadows i picked up this is in the shade no.6 called rose razzle dazzle and i loved the metallic effect and you canwear this dry or wet for a better colour covergae and its long lasting this was £2.00 and comes in other shades.

These last 3 items i purchased must have sold out as i am unable to find the images online but they are in my main picture above.

I also picked up the velvet effect eyeshadow in the shade no.8 coral me baby which is a velvety soft pink shade at £2.00.

Aswell as a gold shimmery eyeshadow in shade no.18 all i need which will be lovely for the corner of your eyes to brighter them up this was also £2.00.

I also got my hands on the last one in store of the matte long lasting lipgloss in the shade no.02 beauty approved this is probably my favourite matte lip colour i own it reminds me of the kylie jenner Dolcie k except its a super cheap version and looks amazing on this was £3.00 i think might have been less than that but its worth buying if you cant afford the kylie one or just want to compre it or add it to your collection like i am.

My overall view is i wish i came across this brand sooner as i love the selection they have and the colours of the products such a wide selection and something for everyone so if you are interested in trying it out then have a snoop on there website.

I am also going to do a video on my youtube channel of the products too so keep a look out for that.

http://www.essence.eu/uk/home/

or 

http://www.wilko.com/

Thanks for reading and let me know if you have used these products before or decided to give them a try after reading this. 

Amy x 

Embroidered Denim A Must have Trend for SS17

Happy Saturday everyone hope you are all well, 

I love fashion, clothes and especially this trend for ss17 we saw this creeping into the shop late last year in autumn and winter and now its back and its a must have for our wardrobes, the designers are putting embroidery on there bags and shoes and now the high streets are putting it on their denim and shirts.

I have looked at a few of the best jeans i can find with the embroidered detail on them and here they are below;

Boohoo.com 

Petit range ideally up to height 5ft3

Petit embroidered Emily mom jeans

£25.00

Great with heels as seen on the model or with an off the shoulder top and some metallic mules.

I personally love these and i am defiantly considering getting myself a pair for the season as they are one of the most affordable and nicest pair i have come across.

Topshop.co.uk

Topshop Moto Mom floral embroidered jeans

£59.00

Come in all sizes starting from a 24″ waist

Great with statement trainers or converse and a bomber jacket

I do love these but i wont pay the money for them as its a lot for a trend but they are lovely.
Asos.com

Glamorous tall boyfriend jean with embroidered leg

£22.50 in the sale limited sizes left

To me these remind me of the Gucci trend with the red snake on the the leg as they did something similar on their last collection.

I love these as i always prefer to wear dark jeans over blue jeans but they don’t have my size and i would have to have them taken up a lot.
Zara.com

Zara embroidered mid rise blue jeans 

Available in black 

£25.00

I love Zara jeans and these are great they are more subtle with the embroidery on the leg but it still works and looks good when worn with a nice crisp white shirt tucked in and loafers.

New look.com

New Look blue floral embroidered pocket straight leg jeans

£15.99 in the sale limited sizes available 

These are great for adding that detail to under the pockets instead on the side of the leg like most jeans i personally love these and if they where in my size i would be adding them to my collection.

I would wear these with a white tee and plain white trainers to give a casual look then add a bomber jacket for the finished look.
Pretty little thing.com

Plt Asos 

Plt embroidered denim jeans

£28.00

I love the colours of the embroidery on these ones as it pops more on the jeans, these are more casual in my opinion to wear with a basic tee and converse.

Overall these are the best pairs i could find without breaking the bank to follow the trend for spring and summer, I also saw some in Primark too in blue and black so i would snap them in if your local store has them as they well sell out.

Don’t miss out on the trend and grab a bargain.

Ideally this is the look i want to recreate as this to me is a outfit to nice not to be worn out in public. (picture grabbed from Pinterest)

As this is a trend which is worn by celebs and blogger not all of us are as brave to wear it head to toe, you could introduce a jacket with embroidery on the back or a handbag to create your own look for this trend.

This same trend was around when i was in senior school and i used to have lots of jeans with studs pearls, beads and embroidery on them from Tammy girl a shop for the under 16s back in the early years of 2000 i loved the trend then and still do now except my style has change and i need to make it work for me now i’m in my 30’s i cant wear what the teens do nowadays.

All trends wether it be flare jeans, wedges, fringe jackets, rock tees and now embroidery it all comes around full circle so in another 15 years time it will be back again and your daughter will be wearing it or even yourself.

Thanks for reading x

Designer Vs Dupes are they worth the money?

Hello everyone happy Wednesday

• Designer; clothing, shoes, bags etc are they really worth the money, good quality or are you paying for the name?
• Dupes; are they a waste of money or an affordable way to follow trends without going broke? 

Not everyone has the cash lying around or are fortunate enough to be able to splurge on those designer goods that we all love and wish we could have but just simply cant justify or afford it.

I am thats person that loves designer bags more so than the clothes as the clothes aren’t always made any better than a top you can get in a high street shop, i know this as my mum has worked in fashion for over 40 years and i know how things are made and how much they cost to make and in my opinion designer items people buy because they think its higher quality but thats not the case.

• I.e; Diesel jeans are made in the same factory that high street jeans are but sold at a higher price because its a designer brand unlike topshop or river island which are a third of the price.

Here are a few items i own or have seen great dupes of and if you cant afford those finer things or the designer bag your lusting over but need to save more than a year for then this might be of interest to you;

1st item Designer; i came across are the Gucci fur loafers which are bang on trend for ss17

Gucci Princetown Leather Loafers;

Real hibiscus Leather

Variety of colours

Real lamb fur lining

Available from; Gucci.com

rrp £715 + 

score: 4/5

1st item Dupe; i do own these and they are an affordable and a great alternative to the real ones above for less than £700.

Women’s Horse Bit Slip on Loafers;

Faux Leather

Faux fur

Variety of colours

Available from; Ebay

rrp £12.95 

score; 5/5

2nd item Designer; Chloe faye bag very popular in 2016 as seen on lots of celebrities became the IT bag of the summer.

Chloe Faye Medium bag;

Smooth Leather 

Real suede flap

variety of sizes & Colours

Available from; Harrords

rrp £1,280.00

score; 4/5

2nd item Dupe; The dupe version i’ve found is identical apart from where it says Chloe on the flap, this is a great alternative.

Velocia Chain detail flap body bag;

Faux leather

Faux suede flap

Chain detailing

Variety of colours

Available from; Yes style

rrp £30.31

score; 5/5

3rd item Designer; Eugenia Kim beach hat as seen on most bloggers and celebrities on holidays a great statement hat to accompany that bikini in the Bahamas.

Eugenia Kim Do Not Disturb sequin hat;

Embellished Do Not Disturb in Sequins

Available from; Harvey  Nichols

rrp £340.00

score; 4/5

3rd item Dupe; Statement beach straw hat great for those summer holidays at a lot more of an affordable price and who would know any different.

Lady summer sun beach floppy derby embroidered hat;

variety of colours 

embroidered detailing

Available from; Ebay

rrp £6.85

score; 5/5

4th item Designer; Gucci Dionysus bag this is the IT bag at the minute i don’t think i haven’t seen a celebrity who doesn’t own this bag, Gucci are producing lots of nice items lately and i know this wont be a bag that will be in fashion in a years time.

Gucci Dionysus bag;

Variety of sizes

Variety of colours

Tiger head fastener 

Silver chain strap

available from; Gucci.com

rrp £1,630.00

score; 5/5

4th item Dupe; If you love this bag as much as i do then you will want to get your hands on this seasonal statement piece.

Axixi snakeskin cross pink bag;

Variety of colours

Variety of sizes

Tiger head horse shape fastener

Silver chain strap

Available from; Yes style

rrp £25.56

score; 5/5

5th item Designer; Charlotte Tilbury this is a luxury makeup brand that releases beautiful packaged items loved by lots of celebrities and makeup artists.

Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Bronze & Glow;

Light to medium

Highlighter uses light flex to give a radiance complexion

Bronzer mimics a sun kissed complexion

Available from; House of Fraser

rrp £49.00

score; 4/5

5th item Dupe; W7 bronze & Glow duo is a great dupe to the CT one above and a lot cheaper and looks identical minus the gold packaging.

W7 Hollywood bronze & glow;

Great or contouring

Highlight has a good pigmentation

Light to medium

Available from; W7 or Ebay

rrp £2.99

score; 4/5

6th item Designer; Urban Decay Naked 3 nude eyeshadow palette this sold out when it was released 4 years ago and i got my hands on 1 for Christmas, its beautifully packaged and has a selection of shimmers and pearl shadows to chose from.

Urban Decay Naked 3 Palette;

12 Nude / pink shadows

Comes with a mirror and brush

Available from; Debenhams

rrp £39.50

score; 4/5

6th item Dupe; A very similar nude eyeshadow palette by a popular affordable makeup brand which gives off the same shimmer and pigments you would get from the UD one.

Makeup Revolution iconic 3 palette;

12 Nude / pink shadows

Comes with a brush to apply but no mirror

Available from; Tam beauty.com

rrp £4.00

score; 5/5

7th item Designer; Bobbi Brown bronze shimmer brick highly used by makeup artists and professionals great for those cheekbones and sun kissed faces.

Bobbi Brown Shimmer brick bronze; 

2 bricks to chose from

Bb black packaging

5 Highlight / bronzing shades to use individually or together

Available from; House of Fraser

rrp £34.00

score; 5/5

7th item Dupe; Affordable shimmer brick more or less identical to the BB one above, great for definition on the cheekbones and a warm bronzing glow.

Makeup Revolution Vivid shimmer brick;

2 bricks to chose from

Cheaper packaging

Great highlight and bronze tones

Available from; Superdrug.com

rrp £3.00

score; 5/5

I wanted to write this blog as i know everyone thinks buying high end means it better but this isn’t the case as there are similar versions of everything we use at a lot more reasonable and affordable prices.

My advice is shop around.

Thanks for reading x

My Top 5 January Beauty Products

Happy Tuesday everyone i do hope you are all well.

As you will know i love makeup, beauty products and anything that can make me look alive and prettier.

I have bought some new makeup products this month as well as a trusty holy grail product i use all the time and swear by.

Beauty Products i am loving this month are; 

1. NIVEA POST SHAVE BALM; I was recommended to use this as a face primer before applying makeup and i am not going to lie its brilliant, in such a short space of time i have noticed a difference in my skin and how well my foundation stays on my face, its no longer oily or shinny and its a great alternative if you don’t want to spend lots of money on other primers which may not be as good.

This product is sold in most supermarkets and drugstores but i got mine from B&M bargains for £2.99.

2. PRIMARK AQUA LASH WATERPROOF BLACK MASCARA; I don’t like to buy mascara that isn’t waterproof there is nothing worse than seeing black streams coming down peoples faces when they are upset, i used to buy the Benefit They’re not real mascara but i couldn’t justify spending £17 on it every few months and it wasn’t waterproof so i started using Maybeline mascaras which are good and a lot more affordable, i recently watched a youtuber who said Primark mascara was underrated so i thought i would give it a go and so far so good, its not clumpy like some mascaras can be i do have to give my lashes a couple of coats while using this but for an everyday mascara you cant go wrong.

This Aqua lash waterproof mascara is only available in Primark stores and it retails at only £2.

3. RIMMEL MATCH PERFECTION FOUNDATION; I recently watched well known youTuber Zoella do a drugstore video and this was one of the items she had purchase and i wanted to give it ago and i am far from disappointed this foundation apply’s lovely on my skin it last most of the day easily until i take my makeup off in the evening, its comes in 12 different shades to suit a lot of skin tones and has a spf 20 in which most foundations nowadays usually have in my opinion this is a great drugstore foundation.

The Rimmel Match perfection foundations are sold at most drugstores and i got min from Boots on offer 2 Rimmel products for £10 I got the shade Classic beige due to my skin being pale at the minute this retails for £7.99.

4. COLLECTION LASTING PERFECTION CONCEALER; This is my holy grail when it comes to concealers i’ve been using this product since summer last year and i have yet to try a better concealer on the market, this is great for under the eyes and hiding those imperfections and blemishes we all tend to get, i love this product and i think majority of people i know also love it and swear by it if you have yet to try it i would highly recommend it.

The Collection concealers are available from most drugstores and even supermarkets they retail at £4.19.

5. MAKEUP REVOLUTION ROSE GOLD LIPSTICK IN CHAUFFEUR; This lipstick is something i came across by accident when looking on a website called Tam beauty which sells all makeup revolution products and freedom makeup they also had this in a matte lipstick but i chose this one instead and i’m glad i did i have nearly ran out of this and need to replace it but they are currently out of stock due to it being so popular its a nude pinky shade which every woman loves and has in her makeup collection it wears really well too and the colour is enough to wear on its own without mixing another lipstick with it i would recommend giving this ago especially for the price.

Rose Gold Chauffeur lipstick is available from Tam Beauty and Superdrug online i am yet to spot it in store this retails for £3.

That comes to the end of my January Beauty favourites let me know if you have tried these are if you can recommend other makeup for me to try and review, also if you haven’t already go and check out my YouTube channel which is going well and i am hoping to turn this blog into a video on my channel.

My YouTube channel name is; natural blonde 

Thanks for reading x

My Top 10 Tips & Advice on Buying/ Selling your house

Happy Wednesday everyone i hope you are all well,

I have decided to do a post all about my experience as an ex estate agent and wanted to give you some tips and advice on what to do.

• FIRST TIME BUYER; If your a (first time buyer) and have no clue in regards to whats involved when buying a house then i would suggest you research areas you want to live as all areas vary in house prices, Before going to look at houses make sure you have a mortgage in principle (mip) from your lender as this will only last for a maximum of 90 days depending on the mortgage lender you are using, this shows you are in a position to buy a home and can commit to proceed through the sales ladder as if you don’t have one of these you are unable to commit to make an offer on a house you have fell in love with.

• WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A HIGH STREET AGENT AND AN ONLINE AGENT? There are lots if not too many high street agents around nowadays and a lot of competition between the agents, there are good and bad points to selling with a high street agent but MY ADVICE is to go with an INDEPENDENT AGENT who aren’t a chain or ran by cooperate company as you end up paying over the top fees for very little work as they brand there name on the board outside of your home and expect you to do all the work yourself after they have charged you a 2.5% fee. An ONLINE AGENT is the new way to sell your home except they take an upfront fee of £750 and do little work for this as you do your own viewings, sale chasing and arrangements for solicitors you think your saving money but in my opinion your wasting money as it doesn’t end up working out with you and the online agents and you have to then use a high street agents.

• RESEARCH OTHER HOUSE’S FOR SALE IN THE AREA;  Always do your research before putting your house on the market to what price you can expect to achieve, look at similar house’s to your own in the area i.e (3 bedroom, 1 bath, detached, single garage, long garden etc) as this is clearer to compare yours and determine if your has more to offer or not, don’t expect to get £10k more because your kitchen cost £15k It makes NO DIFFERENCE in the valuation of the house.

• IS THERE A RIGHT TIME TO SELL YOUR HOME? Sales agents LIE when asked this question as they always say NO! but i disagree from my experience i know the summer months when its the school holidays is the slowest time for people wanting to sell or buy as they are mostly on holiday with their families or waiting until September once the children are back at school, THE BEST TIME TO SELL IS AFTER CHRISTMAS AND SPRING.

• GET AT LEAST 3 AGENTS TO VALUE YOUR HOME AND SELL YOU THERE SALES PITCH BEFORE DECIDING WHO TO USE; Agents will tell you what you want to hear they will say we have lots of people looking for a house just like yours or this will sell in no time (THIS IS ALL A SALES PITCH LIE) yes they have people on the system with a criteria matching your home but they have a smaller budget or want a different area, corner plot, closer to a school, not on a main road and so on. MY ADVICE get 3 VALUATIONS along with the fee’s for using them and let them wait until you have made a decision as agents are relentless and will ring you every hour until you pick them.

• KEEP THE AGENTS ON THEIR TOES; Make sure you are getting your monies worth from the agency you decide to use as once you have signed the contract and your house is on the market they wont do anything else for you, you will be chasing them for feedback or viewings, get the agents to do the viewings on your home as this is something you are paying them for unless you want to do your own viewings but i wouldn’t advise this, Tell them you want weekly updates on how many brochures they have sent out to people and once a viewing has taken place get them to give you feedback whether it be good or bad.

• SHOP AROUND FOR MORTGAGE RATES; All estate agents have their own mortgage advisors but they don’t always work out with the best rates for you, ask your bank first and then sit down with the agents broker as the 1st meeting is free there is no harm in shopping around (ALWAYS CHECK THE TERMS, HIDDEN FEE’S AND ANY UPFRONT PAYMENTS).

• PROFESSIONAL PHOTOS WHEN SELLING YOUR HOUSE; Packages are a huge deal with high street agents as they make more money for up selling professional photos and a video tour on Rightmove and Zoopla the company i used to work for wouldn’t sell anyones house if the homeowner didn’t decide they wanted this package which cost you an upfront fee of £250 plus 2.5% on completion of the sale, As good as professional photos look when selling your home the towel draped over the bath and pots and pans in the sink didn’t and this is a big NO NO! CLEAN UP AND TIDY THE HOUSE.

• ASK FRIEND, FAMILY AND NEIGHBOURS; If someone on your street has there home up for sale also knock on there door and ask them would they recommend their agents? The same if you know someone buying a house would they recommend who they are using to buy through (EVERYTHING NOWADAYS COME WITH RECOMMENDATION).

• THE SALES PROCESS; To sell a house there is no time limit on how fast it will sell it all depends on the house, location, the buyer , the time of year and yourselves for how motivated you are to sell, Once you have sold your home depending on who’s bought it will depend on how fast the sales progression will take here are the 3 most common examples; 

1. FIRST TIME BUYER – They have nothing to sell and have a mortgage in place to commit to the sale this will take 8-10 weeks for the sale to complete.
2. MORTGAGED – This is a buyer who is porting there existing mortgage over to the new home and this can take a little longer as they are in a chain with there buyer and this could lead to delays in the chain this will normally take 10-12 weeks (depending on the chain).
3. CASH BUYER – This is the quickest out of all sales to complete as there is less work with solicitors involved as theirs no mortgage on the property this can take no longer than 6 weeks.

This concludes my tips and advice on buying and selling your home, I hope it has helped some of you out and i am thinking of doing this blog as a video on my YouTube channel let me know if this is something you would like to see.

Thanks for reading x

Starting my own youTube channel

Happy Sunday everyone i hope you are all well.

Let me start by telling you all the NEWS I now have my own youTube channel called Natural blonde (the same name as my blog) I decided late last year that i was going to do something completely different and out of my comfort zone and start my own channel for people to watch as i love watching so many youTubers myself and thought i would give it a go, i might decide in a few months its not for me and stop making videos but for now its something i wanted to do and i am excited to start my very own youTube journey.

The reasons for me wanting to do this is for me and my confidence as when i meet people for the first time i am very confident but when it comes to filming a video for the world to watch its slightly more daunting if i over think it (which i am trying not to do) I wanted to do something for me for once as when i started my blog last year i never knew how much i would enjoy writing posts every week or how much you guys would like reading them and relate to them.

I have decided to do some videos on my channel which collate with some previous blog posts i have written for example;

• Living and working in Dubai
• Anxiety and mental health chats
• Being gluten free
• Shopping and beauty hauls

I am at the stage in my life when i don’t want to dread getting up for work in the morning or tell people i hate my boring job as i have done that for the past 14 years this is the year i do something for me and try and turn a hobby and passion into possible opportunities it might not work out for me but i am not going to let any negative people or comments stop me from doing something i want to do, negativity just fuels the fire for me as it makes me more determined to do something and succeed.

This is my first vlog which is live on youTube from Sunday 15th Jan and its a short trailer with clips and images of me and what kind of things you can expect from my channel, i decided on a trailer as when you see a new film come out you always get snippets and clips of what to expect which makes you either want to watch it or not and thats the same for my 1st video.

I have watched all the people on Youtube i am subscribed to 1st ever videos to get an idea and understanding of how far they have come on and all of them started off with nerves, not the right equipment or lighting but this comes with time and experience the same as it will for me as i have a camera, tripod, good editing software and i am relying on natural light as i am yet to invest in a good ring light.

I am not going to ramble on anymore i just hope you all take the time to have a look on my youTube channel and support me as much as you have my blog post.

I will still be writing my blogs every week on here and i am looking into working with a company to make my blog stand out more so watch this space…

Thanks for reading x 

My top 10 Fashion items for January

Happy Monday everyone hope your all well and had a lovely weekend.

I am in desperate need for new clothes at the minute as my least favourite time of the year to buy for is winter and knowing that spring will be around soon and these thick coats and wooly jumpers are fading out in all the sales i can actually start looking for items i will get my wear out of.

 I love online shopping i think its the best thing to do on a Sunday from the comfort of your own home I am the typical online shopper who sits in my Disney pyjamas, wearing no makeup, with a nice cup of Yorkshire tea and card details at hand ready to do some damage.

I think my dislike of shopping in stores came from working in retail for 10 years i used to work for Next and thats enough to put anyone off when the sales are on and you on the rota to work Boxing day at 4am and the queues are ridiculous.

Here are my Top 10 Fashion items i am loving at the minute and will defiantly be adding into my wardrobe;

• 1st place i looked at was my favourite high street store which is ZARA and they do some have still decent things in the sale that you can carry through to other seasons but the main items i liked where in the new SPRING/ SUMMER COLLECTION all at affordable prices.

These jeans are in the new collection from the TRF section and they are the embroidered black jeans that are all the rage and at £29.99 they are a MUST HAVE in your wardrobe i would be quick though if you did like them as they are limited to sizes online.

These jeans are also from the TRF section and these ones are the faded black frayed hem jeans which are also very popular in most high street stores these are only £29.99 and limited sizes are left online as they are going to be popular this year.

This white ruffle sleeve detail shirt seems to be the big trend for ss17 as most stores are selling these in various designs i thought this was really nice with the pocket detail and the ruffle on the elbows this is £29.99 and you cant go wrong with a staple white shirt in your wardrobe.

• 2nd place i looked at was ASOS i don’t usually shop on here for things as the website always seems to crash on me when i am looking and the quality of some of the clothes i’ve gotten from there before aren’t very good or worth the money, but i have found these pumps / fashion trainers i liked the look of which are on trend and very affordable.

Here is the 1st pair i’ve found and these are in the sale for £17.50 with the pom pom on the back of the trainer these do come in mint or lilac (I wouldn’t advise wearing these if it rains as the poms will get dirty) and sizes are limited again.

This is the 2nd pair of trainers i found i would describe these as marmite you will ever love these or hate these but i LOVE them they are something Gucci or Sophia Webster would design but a lot more affordable to the average working person, these are £22 and come in half sizes.

• 3rd place i looked at was TOPSHOP i shop here less and less now days as the fashion online isn’t really aimed at my style and the pricing on some items are quite a lot in compared to other high street stores, i do however always buy my jeans from here as the Jamie jeans are a perfect fit for my figure.

These are the new in Jamie jeans in black with the tassels on the hems they are bang on trend for this year and will be a key piece in your wardrobe for spring and summer these are £46.

These are also from Topshop and they are similar to ones the designer Chanel did a couple of years ago but at 90% cheaper these are really practical for comfort and a great piece to dress up any skinny jeans at only £26 they are something worth buying if you love trainers as much as i do.

• 4th place i looked was MISSGUIDED i have never bought from here before but i have been after one of these jackets for ages now and i think these will be timeless in our wardrobes and they look more expensive than they are.

This is the jacket i have been after for the last couple of months i have seen lots of bloggers wearing these and i think they are a great statement coat this is the aviator jackets they sell online in a selection of colours this is the nude one and its £65.

• 5th place i looked at online was EBAY as i am a lover for a bargain and always look through loads of items on here and they have some great fashion pieces and thats when i came across these.

 These little beauties are just like the ones Gucci are doing and i love them but just not the price so i went on a mission to find some similar and eBay didn’t disappoint as they had a selection of colours in faux leather for £12.99.

This was the last item i found is an embroidered striped shirt which i have also seen at zara for sale but for a third of the price at £9.99 on eBay.

So thats all for my items for January to buy let me know if you like these items and what items your looking to buy this month as i am always interested in other peoples style and taste in fashion.

Thanks for reading x

Life’s not a competition

Happy Thursday everyone i hope you are all well and enjoying the new year so far.

This year i am wanting to improve on myself and my goals and ambitions yet struggle when it comes to comparing myself to others who seem to be excelling in life and going from strength to strength.

I can be really hard on myself at times and worry that i am not good enough and doubt my ability to do things which shouldn’t be the case as i know thinking these negative thoughts only prevents me from being happy and following my dreams and goals in life.

The worst place for comparing ourselves is to what we see on social media sites like Instagram, twitter etc and this is so unhealthy to do but judge people on the images they chose to share with their followers and leading them to believe there life’s are perfect, this is far from the truth (Not everyones life is as glamorous as they lead us to believe on social media and we need to stop thinking it is) Photos lie and so do people.

If you look at friends or people you went to school with and compare yourself to what they are doing in life we are all at different stages for different reasons not everything works out the way we planned in our minds things happen to change the direction we go.

• So what one of your friends married a footballer and have a range rover and a designer wardrobe (who cares).
• So what your friend got married before you and her wedding cost £15k and they honeymooned in the Maldives (who cares).
• So what someone you know moved to another country and landed a great job and go on yachts every week (who cares).
• So what someone you follow on Instagram has more likes on a photo you also put up or have more followers than you (who cares).

What i am trying to get at is comparing ourselves to others just frustrates us and prevents us from being happy with what we have achieved in our lives so far it doesn’t matter if you haven’t reached the goals you had set in life, the only person putting limitations on them is ourselves and we are our own worst enemies for that.

”  on your own grass without looking over your neighbours fence to see how there’s is growing, it’s not a competition who’s is the greenest or grows the fastest.”

I am 30 and ;

• I still don’t know what career i want in my life.
• I don’t have a mortgage or own my own house.
• I am not married.
• I have no children
• I don’t go on 4 holidays a year.
• I haven’t got expensive clothes hanging in my wardrobe.
• I don’t have a luxury car sat on my drive.

Because i haven’t got any of these things doesn’t mean i have failed, it just means i am not settling for less than what i want in my life, this year i want to focus on me and what i want.

This year we all need to focus on ourselves and stop worrying that others are doing better than us in life, thats what life is, there will always be someone with more money than you or has a bigger house, newer car, multiple holidays a year it doesn’t matter we create our own life’s to fit around us (it’s never to late to make a change).

Thanks for reading and following my blog x