My 26th Birthday

Hi Lovelies!

Happy New Year to you all! ^_^

I'm sorry I'm so late to the party here, but I've been so snowed under with work that I've not really had time to function, let alone blog >.<

Just after Xmas I celebrated my 26th Birthday (it still doesn't feel right typing my age....I don't wanna be old! T_T) and so I wanted to share some things with you all.

We started the day off by going shopping at Silverburn in Glasgow, where I got to choose my super amazing Bday present from the Mister - a Swarovski Necklace!!!! I really love Swarovski everything, I'm a crystal fanatic! 

Isn't it beautiful?!?!?!

During the day I opted for a casual co-ord, since we went shopping and then out for Yum Cha!
Peplum jumper/top & knitted Slouch Cardigan: offbrand from Ebay
Jeans & earrings: Primark
Necklace: Swarovski


Here are a couple of images by my Buddy Rob @ CSD_Images - check out his work here: http://celticshadows.co.uk & on facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CSD_Images-128053790554716/?fref=ts

My Bf & I stayed at the Royal Crowne Plaza in Glasgow for the 2nd year in a row, after really liking it the last time we stayed. The beds are SO COMFY! Seriously, I didn't want to get out of bed at all. 

Such a lovely room with the biggest, comfiest bed ever!

Later in the evening we went out for dinner at Amore Italian restaurant, before meeting some friends for a couple of quiet drinks. Having a Birthday between Xmas & New Year is pretty inconvenient timing for making arrangements and parties, since everyone is either broke after Xmas, or saving for New Year. Adding in that I turned 26, I decided to play it all very low key which was a lot less stressful.

my tiramisu <3 so yummy

Sticky Toffee Pudding

For going out, I changed into a more night-time look, although kept it weather-suitable as it was a really cold and windy Scottish night - no skirts or dresses for me!

Top: Offbrand from Ebay
Trousers: Parisian Collection, from NewLook & Unique
Blazer:Primark
Boots: New Look (can't see them here, but black matt shoe boots with silver pilot holes and a stiletto heel.

Once again, images are by Rob : Csd_Images

I didn't do much to my makeup to switch it from day to night, I just added another layer of eyeshadow and a red lip!

After we checked out of the hotel the next morning, we swung past China Bakery to pick up a box of wonderfully delicious Chinese cakes! ^_^ I have to admit that 80% of the box was eaten by me within 24hours...I'm such a sucker for cake!

After this, we headed out to Wallace Well Farm just outside of Glasgow to have breakfast...and what a massive breakfast it was! We could barely even finish it - and it was only £7.95!

They also have such amazing cakes to choose from, but I was too full from the breakfast to have any....next time though!

After breakfast we headed back home to relax, where my friend was house & cat sitting for me.

I had such a lovely time with everyone, and also received some amazing gifts from my friends and family too that I really love! (spa sets, hair extensions, spending money, a new jacket, jewellery etc)

Thank you all for giving me such a special day!
 

Love,

          Kasumi x

Seeing SuG Live in London (Japanese & English)

昨日、私はロンドンに行った時、SuGのLiveに行きました！(When I was in London, I got to see SuG Live!!!)
本当にすばらしい！(They were so amazing!)

ありがとうございます！(Thank you so much for playing here!)

たのしかった！(I had fun!)

Best day ever! I've waited so many years to see SuG live!!!!

スコットランドに住んでいますだから、友達は私に迎えに 来ました。。。
。。。道に迷った！（笑） ( /)u(\ )
(I live in Scotland, *this was actually my 2nd ever time in London*  so my friend had to pick me up after the gig because I didn't know where I was, or how to get back - I get lost really easily!)
Live会場外のまえで、一時間私の友達をまっていました！心配していました...(╯•﹏•╰)
(I waited for my friend for an hour outside the venue for her to come and get me - I actually thought something happened to her!)

その後なにかすごいなりました！男の人が私にプレゼントをくれた。。。

。。。ギターピックス！！！
(Then something amazing happened whilst I was waiting! A nice gentleman came up to me and handed me something, said they were for me, and walked off. When I looked into my hand it was 2 guitar picks!!!!! )



 びっくりした！
(I was so surprised!!!!)

私は本当にラッキーですよ！
(I'm really so super lucky!)
(/￣ー￣)/‥∵:*:☆*゜★。：：＊☆

すごくうれしい〜！！！！！
(I'm so happy!)

ありがとうございます！！！ (୨୧•͈ᴗ•͈)◞ᵗʱᵃᵑᵏઽ*♡
(Thank you so much Mr. Gentleman!

Love,           Kasumi x

Gathering some new basics

Hi Sweethearts,

I really feel that I'm falling so behind in trying to get new blog posts out to you all, and it's just because I'm so busy at the moment.

What's new with me? 

Well, not terribly much! I've been doing well at being an ex-smoker (which isn't easy, let me tell you!), working and failing at being healthy.
 Being so exhausted after work leaves me no motivation to cook or eat healthily at all. Even though I'm at spin classes 3 nights a week, and generally eating less, I've still managed to gain weight due to the amount of crap I'm polluting my body with.
 However, I have managed to lose an inch off my thighs, which is great, however I've gained that inch back around my waist....what kind of sorcery is this?!?!!?
 I suppose that means I'm on the look out for an ab workout that won't affect my back, in addition to attempting to eat right and not just quick and lazy!
If you have any ideas for me, please leave me a comment below! 
I'm also looking at those waist trainer fad-trend-current product - do they really work? 


Moving on, I've been trying to renew some basics in my wardrobe (read: my current ones are literally falling apart or are ripped to shreds with wear and tear) so took a little trip around the high street with my other half before dinner to find some staples.

So, these are what I came away with today!

I've been in desperate need of these items for a while, and after being moaned at for the state of my work jeans (they were ripped from the inner thing almost 3/4 around to the other side!) I finally gave in and got some new ones.

 These 2 pairs came from Primark, for £9 & £11, and DAMN is it difficult to find bootcut jeans on the high street! I had to venture to Glasgow just to get some. Everywhere is skinny, Skinny, SKINNY...and I'm sick of them!
 They don't look good on someone pear shaped and short like me, unless I have a long top and heels on. I much prefer to try and balance myself out with bootcuts, that to be honest, are far comfier on my legs. (does anyone else find that skinny jeans are uncomfortable on the calves after a while, or is that just me?)  

Unfortunately, as usual, I'm going to have to either roll these up or cut them to make them a proper length for my 28inch legs...it's either that or I fork out 4times the price for ones built for shorties!
(whilst I'd have no problem doing this for nice jeans, work ones will just get ruined anyway so it's a waste of cash) 

I also bought a few Bras from H&M as I don't really have enough that are the proper size, so in order to throw them out I needed to restock.
 I got the same style in black, white and light pink as they're super nice, comfy and most importantly...really padded! I have a bit of a complex about my bust size, much like most women on the planet, so I don't feel comfortable wearing bras that aren't padded...I guess that makes me a cheater/let down...right?
They came in at £14.99 each.

Finally...something even less exciting (can you handle it?) SOCKS.
Seriously. Socks.
I am utterly convinced that either my cat steals them all, they magically grow legs and run away at night, or that the washing machine eats them!
 No matter how many pairs of socks I have, I can guarantee that before long they will be long gone! Even a full gutting out of my flat yields no results...this can't be normal, can it? Do they really grow legs? 


Moving on to something a little more interesting to look at, is my outfit for the day!

I really do have a thing for white jeans at the moment. Even though I have to be super careful not to mess them up, I always seem to feel really good and dressed up in them...even if my outfit is casual.
I recently picked up this knitted slouchy Cardigan from Ebay after being after one for a good while!

I never really thought that I'd wear something like that until I saw a picture of Ozaki Sayoko in something similar, and I absolutely love her style so I just had to find myself something similar!

I teamed this up with some white heels (on sale at New Look the other month), offbrand dangly earrings, bracelet, and a strappy black top that my mother gave me a long while back.

I actually used this Cardigan for a photoshoot on Sunday, where I did a little experimenting! Here's a sneak peek/behind the scenes from the shoot whilst I wait for the images! Hopefully you'll like them!

Silly VS super Serious face!

Anyway, that's all I have to report for the moment, as usual please leave me your feedback below! ^_^

Love,

           Kasumi x

Lens Village Review - Gothic 3 Tones, EOS DollyEye Circle Lenses

Hi Sweethearts,

Hope you're all doing well!

I have a couple of things that I'm itching to post about, the first of which is a review of some new lenses that I got through last week from www.lensvillage.com
I've been looking for a more natural set of Circle lenses that will enhance my eyes, as I want to have a more mature, Onee-gyaru style going on. Big, cute colourful lenses just wouldn't work for that, as much as I adore them.

After a lot of browsing the LensVillage store, I finally settled on Gothic 3 Tones, from EOS - DollyEye, in Blue, to add a little extra oomph to my natural eye colour.

After ordering, the lenses arrived in just over a week, which is great considering that they're coming from Asia.

How they arrived:

Once again, my lenses came in perfect condition with a little card and super cute animal lens case to keep them in. They arrived securely wrapped in bubble wrap to avoid any bumps or damage in the post - but I haven't taken a photo this time round of that, though you can see this on my last lens village review here!

This is what the lenses look like in the case. Admittedly, they're not as bright as the stock image (unworn), but the real images of them on the site below were a perfect match to what I received - I'm happy that they aren't as bright as the stock type image, as they wouldn't look as nice that way.

Here are the specs for them:

Power Available : 0.00 to -10.00

Price: £14.60 (pair)

Life Span : 1 Year

Diameter : 14.5mm

Manufacturer : EOS

Origin : South Korea

Lenses is manufactured by EOS and labelled under DollyEye. 

They come in a choice of 9 different colours - that's really great news, as I'd like to try out a different colour of them too.
   Price wise, they're also very reasonable, considering that they can last up to a year if properly taken care of, and my monthly prescription lenses from the opticians are £15 per month! 

Here is a little selfie of my natural eyes before putting the lenses in! 

Putting the lenses in: 

I found these lenses to be really delicate and soft, which is great for me as they were super easy to put in and really comfortable to wear once the initial annoyance of poking myself in the eye was over with.
 I wore these all day (8hours) without any issues, so I'm very happy with that.

I also love the subtle difference that they make to my eyes - they're very natural and not "in your face" circle lenses, so these aren't for you if you want a massive change.

Here are my eyes & lenses in different situations: 

As you can see, they give a slight enlarging effect, but without the hard black ring around the edge, so they look a lot more natural and, for me, grown up.

I really like the subtle colour boost that comes from them - they have that "pop" without being overdone and I really love that.
These are the type of lenses I'm more comfortable wearing on a more regular basis, and with my Onee-Gyaru style, which I feel suits me a lot better.

Here are a few pics with the lenses in: 

...and a little picture of todays' outfit!

Dress: Primark (I got it on sale for £5)
Belt: Primark (came with another dress)
Jewellery set: Primark (£4)

Overall Verdict:

Look: 4/5 (only because the stock photo showed brighter, in reality they're pretty perfect)
Fit: 5/5
Comfort: 5/5
Service: 5/5

I really like these lenses for more subtle looks, and will be wearing them regularly, though I'm very tempted to try the other colours in this range!


So, what do you all think?  Do you prefer the more natural look circle lenses, or the really dolly, cute type?

Have you used these lenses before - let me know in the comments below!

Love, Kasumi x

Branching out into Onee-gyaru (Wardrobe Update)

 Hey Sweethearts,

Finally getting round to doing another outfit post!

Spring is finally here....well, it was here, briefly, until we had snow here in Scotland this week! >.<
 For the last while I've been having a good hard think about what direction to take my style & wardrobe in. I'm not far away from the dreaded 3-0, so it's probably about time I grow up in terms of style too.

That being said, I still want to keep my Gyaru influences, just make it a bit more age appropriate. Upon searching, I came across a style called "onee-gyaru". "Onee" translates as "older sister" and this sub-style of Gyaru is a more toned down, grown up & refined style - and I was quite excited to see this!

I haven't given myself Gyaru makeup here due to my eyes being pretty dry so lenses aren't a good idea, and my hair is in desperate need of a revamp, so I've just been tying it back and avoiding it!

I've been doing a lot of research and trying to find equivalent or similar items on a budget that can give me that look & hopefully rebuild my self-confidence. (lately, I'm struggling to wear items other than running gear and jeans with holes in the thighs....thick thigh issues)


I went a little nosey around Primark, hoping to find a nice dress & accessories to make an outfit from and I think I got something pretty good!

Dress:

Price: £13 - Primark

I really love the colours and pattern on this dress. I'm really into neutral tones, and the splash of blue worked so well to make it pop a bit more. 

It regards to the cut of the dress, I'm enjoying trying out higher necklines as usually I opt for something more low cut to show off my collarbones. (and make my bust look bigger than it actually is  - padded bras are friends, ladies! XD)
 The downside of the neckline is that it minimises the bust area for me, but it still looks nice. 
 Generally the dress has quite a loose fit, which is why it comes with a little waist belt to pull it in and give shape. Unfortunately I currently lack shape (well, aside from pear...), so every little bit helps. 
 I wasn't entirely sold on the little thin belt as I didn't feel it pulled my in enough for my liking, so when I added a jacket to it, I changed belts. 

Shoes:

I also realised that I had thrown out all of my little flat shoes in my last wardrobe clearout, so had to get myself a couple of new pairs. I found these little brown ones for £6 which matched the belt on my dress, so picked them up.

Price: £6 - Primark

These are super comfy and fit well, so perfect for running around in town, and for when I need to change out of heels! (I always like to carry flats in my handbag if I'm going out in heels)

Bag: 

I went out shopping with a good friend of mine who came back to visit this week, and stupidly went out without a handbag - only grabbing my purse and keys before running out of the door! -_-

However, I used this as an excellent excuse to buy this cute little bag that I spied on my last venture to the shops: 

Price: £8 - Primark

I absolutely LOVE the lace cut out detail on this, it's just so cute! ^_^ It also fits in with the rest of the things I bought the few days prior, so that's always a plus!
To be honest, I've been wanting a brown bag like this for the longest time, so I'm really happy to have it.
It's quite a small bag (for me, at least) but it can hold my big purse, keys, phone, makeup & mirror, and a Manga quite comfortably!
The drawback is that it doesn't have a zip, which is quite a big deal for me - I'm a paranoid person, and prefer to have a zip underneath for extra security.

Outfit: 

So here is my outfit!

I teamed this dress with my favourite soft, nude coloured jacket from New Look that I got a couple of years back. I kept the accessories simple with a little necklace and bracelet set that I also got from Primark for £4, and a thicker belt that I had in my cupboard (also from Primark a few years ago).

Improvements: 

Ideally to complete the look, heels are definitely a requirement, but I haven't found a pair to match that I like enough to buy. Do any of you have any suggestions?
I also need to make an effort with my hair & makeup...I can't wait to take a bottle or 2 of dye to my hair again!
  I've been trying my best to let my hair grow out after all the bleaching, but I'm getting to the point of hair hatred, where it's a case of I either;

a) Dye it and get extensions
or
b) shave it all off and start again

I don't mind the brown so much, but all the same 1 colour is too plain and boring for my tastes...I really want to add some blonde into the mix.

What do you think?
Have you got any hair or shoe suggestions for me?

As always, leave me comments below!

Love,

          Kasumi x