Dealz Winter Wonderland.

Maybe Christmas he thought, doesn’t come from a store. Maybe Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more.

A few weeks ago, I was invited to preview the Dealz Christmas collection. Now I know what you’re all thinking – Christmas in October, really? However, as the saying goes; fail to prepare, prepare to fail.

Now, I didn’t know much about Dealz before I attended the event other than the fact that everything costs €1.49 and that my mother absolutely loves the store. Therefore, I was pleasantly surprised to discover an array of bargain buys – sure, I could fill a basket for under €20. What’s not to like? Whether you’re looking for decorations or stocking fillers, check out these Christmas steals!

Every single Christmas Eve, I find myself running around the house in a panic, searching for gift bags. Usually, after all the shops have shut. Dealz have some really cute options such as the duo pictured above. Two gift bags for €1.49? Sure, that’s practically making money.

If you have lots of visitors in your home over the Christmas season, your dishwasher will be in over-drive. Dealz have lots of home-ware options so why not stock up on some extras? These festive wine glasses are my personal favourite. Red is my self-declared power colour so I think I will be using them all year around.

If you have children in your home, you need to run to your nearest Dealz store and purchase as many of these sacks as you possibly can. My inner child is squealing with delight at the notion of personalised sacks, straight from Santa’s workshop.

Festive candles are a must in my household, and my mother’s scent of choice has always been cinnamon. Now, usually we purchase a few luxury candles, ranging in price from €15 to €40 but after smelling the candles which were burning in the Dealz Christmas showroom, I will be saving my money for other treats instead. Available in a few different scents, these candles are really fragrant and long-lasting – SOLD!

If you’re on a bit of a tight budget for Christmas, a great option is to purchase some affordable accessories in high street stores, remove them from their plastic packaging, and deposit them into swish jewellery boxes. Nobody need ever know that their gorgeous necklace came from the sale section in Penneys. This two pack of jewellery boxes is available in stores nationwide for €1.49.

The reality is that Christmas is all about the kids and at the moment, almost every child in Ireland seems to be obsessed with Frozen. I know a particular baby brother who would be delighted with this Frozen stationary set for writing his letter to Santa.

Alright, I know I said “kids” but you’re never too old for Disney, right? Could I please have these baubles for my Christmas tree?

I thought that these individually packaged Christmas crackers would make fabulous stocking fillers.

And, it isn’t Christmas without an advent calender. I have very fond childhood memories of scoffing all 24 chocolates in one go, only to mourn the loss for the remaining 23 days so maybe it is wise to purchase a few back-ups for any greedy chocolate monsters.

And, if that wasn’t enough chocolate for you, Dealz have a huge range of Christmas sweet sets. Smarties, Freddos, Malteasers – calories don’t count at Christmas!

Everything pictured in this post goes on sale in Dealz in November for €1.49. Will you be stocking up on any of the goodies?

Rouge x

Boohoo.com – My AW15 Wishlist.

Last week, I was lucky enough to be invited to Boohoo’s AW15 preview. The evening, hosted at Soder + Ko, Dublin’s newest ‘hot-spot’ was fabulous. The room was sprinkled with fashion, food and cocktails – the perfect recipe for any great event.

Unfortunately, I now have a wishlist which has reduced my bank account to tears. Yes, Boohoo.com is a really affordable source of style, but not when you want to purchase everything you see – argh!! Here’s my top picks for the season:

First up, I have fallen for this chic shirt dress. It is simple, yet sophisticated and could be dressed up or down, depending on the occasion. Personally, I would pair this with some luxurious patterned tights, black stilettos and major sparkle for a night out. The dress includes a belt which may be tied to give the illusion of a clinched waist. Costing just €34.00, this piece is available here in a multitude of colours.

I just couldn’t resist this ‘Suedette Biker Jacket’ and so, purchased it last night. This design offers a nice alternative from the ever-popular black leather jacket. I think that this one will be really cool with edgy dresses or skinny jeans and tees. It retails at €47.00 and is available to purchase here.

My next pick is this cute skater dress. I adore the pretty pink and navy pattern and think this one would be perfect for casual wear. I would pair it with some over-the-knee boots, or grey/navy tights for the perfect A/W look. This dress is a bargain at €24 and you can find it here – I might just have to add this one to my own wardrobe.

Turtle neck tops seem to be really on trend this season. They’re on sale in every high street store, but Boohoo are pricing their’s at just €14 so stock up while you can. These tops can be paired with virtually anything and this one is available in seven colours here.

I am CRAZY about this coat! Reminiscent of Kim Kardashian’s style but for only €41 – where could you go wrong? This one is belted and looks really cosy for wrapping up during the cold weather. You can find it here.

If you’re looking to swap your skinnies for a skirt, look no further. I love this tulle midi skirt with metallic detailing. It will really stand out from the crowd so if you’re looking to dress up, this one is perfect. You could pair it with a crop top as seen in the picture, or invest in a black bardot top or bodysuit if you want to avoid revealing your midriff. This piece has an elasticated waist, so it should hide a multitude of sins. It is €34 and available here.

Ok folks, that’s a wrap on my favourite pieces from Boohoo.com for AW15. Let me know if you love them, or even hate them – I always like to hear your opinions.

Rouge x

My Fall Favourites.

I was very kindly nominated by Sarah Jane of Siren and Soul to complete a list of questions about my fall favourites. I love these ‘ask and tag’ type posts because they give me a real opportunity to interact with other bloggers and our followers. Here goes:

Favourite Halloween Costume?

It took me awhile to hunt down this photograph. I once dressed up as Katy Perry and actually won €100 in my local nightclub. Granted, I probably spent that purchasing the sweets to super-glue on to the dress.

  

Favourite Candle?

I am obsessed with Yankee candles. They’re the only scented candles that produce a scent that lingers for a considerable amount of time. My favourite scents at the moment are from the ‘Out of Africa’ range – I’m loving ‘Serengeti Sunset’ in particular. It is a citrus and floral scent, perfect for Autumn.

  

Favourite Fall Movie?

I will admit that I am definitely not a film fanatic. But, ‘Dirty Dancing’ – always!

  

Favourite Lip Colour?

How can I pick just one? At the moment, I am loving Wet n Wild’s ‘Bare it All’. It retails at €1.99 and I find myself reaching for it more often than any of my high-end lipsticks.

  

Favourite Fall TV Show?

I love a good TV series so please leave any suggestions below. ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ is my favourite and ‘Gossip Girl’ will always have a place in my heart – mainly because Chuck Bass stole my entire heart!

  

Favourite Drink?

Is it too early for mulled wine? Never too early..

  

Favourite Thanksgiving Food?

There’s no Thanksgiving in Ireland but I am a huge fan of sweet potatoes with marshmallow crust. Now I’m starving!

  

Favourite Blush?

The weather is getting chilly so the majority of us will be seeing a natural pinch in our cheeks pretty soon. For that reason, I will probably be sticking to cream formula blush – perhaps MeMeMe’s ‘Boho Balm’. You can find my full review here – this one is a handbag essential.

Favourite Clothing Item?

I am MADLY in love with these boots from River Island. They’re €85 and worth every single cent. You can read more about them and view all my footwear picks for AW15 here.

  

Who I Tag? 

To continue the ‘Fall Favourites’ challenge – I want to nominate a few of my favourite bloggers. Check them out:

1. The Pharmers Journal.
2. Cool Rhubarb.
3. The Fashionista Observer.
4. Pure Irish Sugar.
5. Shawna Beauty.

Ziaja ‘Cocoa Butter’ Range – My Winter Skincare Saviour.

Your skin is so soft, newborn babies are envious.

October is finally here! Welcome back to the pumpkin spice lattes, toffee apples, gorgeous autumnal colours and  of course flaky, weather-sensitive skin. During the summer, when the central heating systems are turned off, we don’t really need a heavy moisturiser and I love to use something nice and light like Cocoa Brown’s ‘Chocolate Whip’. However, now that Mr.Frost has returned, I need something a little more rich to keep my skin in tip-top condition. Let me introduce you to Ziaja’s ‘Cocoa Butter’ range.

First up, I was sent this beautiful ‘Ziaja Cocoa Body Butter’ (RRP €7.99). Filled with vitamin E, cocoa butter and omega 6 & 3, this formula is designed to give you satin smooth skin. It smells gorgeous – reminiscent of chocolate, so best to avoid if you’re on a diet. What I like best about this product is that it absorbs really quickly. I hate sticky moisturisers but this one soaks into skin almost immediately – perfect if you’re in a hurry. I have almost finished the container and will definitely be repurchasing!

I will admit that even though I’m a skincare addict, I never really believed in the benefits of hand cream until just a few weeks ago. Like I said, I cannot stand the sticky texture of moisturisers and I find that hand cream is often the worst culprit – nobody wants to be walking around with greasy palms! However, because I’m studying at the moment and handwriting essay after essay, I recently noticed that the skin around my fingers has become irritated and dry. So off I went in search of this ‘Ziaja Cocoa Butter Hand Cream’ (€2.99) only to discover that I have been missing out for years! After just three days of use, the dry patches on my hands have cleared up completely (results photographed below). Again, the formula is extremely fast absorbing (less than 60 seconds) and the scent is delicious. Ziaja promise that this product will also help strengthen nails over time, which I’m really looking forward to. At that price point, who could resist?

Ziaja products can be purchased online here. I’m very impressed by the quality of their products, for such affordable prices. Have you read my review of their ‘Natural Olive’ shampoo and conditioner?

Let me know if you have tried any of their products – I would love some recommendations.

Rouge x

Debenhams AW15 Collection – My Picks.

Those of you who follow me on Snapchat (username: rougewriting) will already know that I attended the Debenhams AW15 press event a few weeks ago. I’m studying for my FE1 exams at the moment, so posts are slightly delayed but I have finally gotten around to researching my top picks for the season.

First up, I am in love with this H! by Henry Holland ‘Military Jacket’. Reminiscent of Cheryl Versini Fernandez’s style, this pick could be dressed up at night with the addition of heels and accessories or dressed down during the day with a cosy scarf. RRP €97.50 available here.

Next up, we have another piece from the H! by Henry Holland collection. This wool mix jumper is playful yet, chic and could be worn with skinny jeans or casual mini skirts. RRP €60.00 available here.

This coat from Star by Julien Macdonald was my favourite piece from the AW15 collection which was displayed at the event. I love how the military style of this coat is softened by the pleated skirt – very 50s chic! I will definitely be purchasing this one for myself. RRP €180 available here.

This piece is such a fabulous colour that I couldn’t resist adding it to my picks for AW15. It is also from the Star by Julien Macdonald collection. The pleated detailing is flawless. I would match this top with a pair of ‘leather effect’ skinny jeans and killer heels. For those of us who are ‘tummy concious’, I’d imagine that this design would be very forgiving. RRP €67.50 available here.

Accessory wise, I love these patterned tights by Joe Brown. Patterned tights can really dress up an outfit and are perfect with casual shirt dresses for an understated sexy look. RRP €17.95 available here.

I really like these Red Herring fringed ankle boots, also available in a ‘tan’ shade. RRP €52.50 available here.

And last but not least, are these Lipsy shoes. I actually purchased these to match my graduation outfit and I’m delighted with them. They’re gorgeous and very reminiscent of Taylor Swift’s ‘Bad Blood’ music video. They’re also relatively comfortable – hurray! RRP €90 available here.

And now, I have some extra good news – at the time of publishing there was 20% off all the items listed at Debenhams.ie so check them out sooner, rather than later.

Let me know what you think in the comments!

Rouge x