Amy Rowley Style - The Biker Jacket & My LFWF Experience

So after scrolling through the Zara app on my phone (a daily occurrence) this gorgeous suedette biker jacket caught my eye. The dilemma of what colour I should pick was the first hurdle after seeing it came in a baby pink shade too. It might surprise you if you saw my last blog post (here) that I chose this beautiful baby blue/grey colour to add to my wardrobe and after receiving the jacket it only seemed right that I shared it with you too. 

* Outfit * 

Jacket - Zara (pink version)

Jumper - H&M 

Jeans - Topshop

Boots- Office 

Bag - Zara (Sold out)

The classic biker jacket, is the perfect staple for any wardrobe. They return to the high street and designer market every season, with a different colour, new details or a interesting material. This particular biker jacket is part of the suede biker collection that has been around for the last couple of seasons and something I've totally been loving. I think its nice to step out of your comfort zone and choose something other then black or grey which is why I chose to go with this baby blue shade. It isn't too far away from the grey tones which means it's still easy to style and will work with most of your wardrobe. 

I wore this outfit last weekend when I went to London for the day with one of my good friends. It kept me warm in the still very breezy weather we are experiencing but I still felt stylish at the same time. As for my jumper underneath, I found this cute little number on one of my recent visits to H&M. It is very similar to a Club Monaco jumper that a few well known bloggers had been styling throughout fashion week (Lydia E Millen & Josie Fashion Mumblr) so I knew I had to pick it up once I saw it. All other items in my outfit will be linked above if you fancy having a look. 

Moving on from the outfit I wanted to quickly touch on a subject that I wasn't sure whether to bring up or not. As I mentioned earlier I went to London last weekend with a friend and we specifically went for London Fashion Week Festival. We had been excited to go for what seemed like ages and watching all the media shown throughout London Fashion Week, we had become even more eager to experience just a small part of that world. 

I think its important to talk about how things may not always seem as they are and that in fact certain hyped events might not always make you feel as you had thought. But that is okay. 

After experiencing only half an hour of the hustle and bustle of LFWF we decided that we would rather spend the day enjoying ourselves, exploring london further and being typical tourists instead of pretending to enjoy something that just wasn't our cup of tea. I wanted to enjoy the experience and could see so many others doing so but sometimes you have to accept if something isn't right. 

The overall busy nature of the event and way it made us feel, left us leaving uncomfortable and almost eager to breathe again. 

Anxiety isn't something I have really touched on before and its not something i'm overly ready to talk about now but for anyone else out there who may feel the same in these situations I just wanted to make a point of saying..ITS OKAY. Don't force yourself through something, instead remove yourself and be comfortable in your surroundings. Everyone is different and you may have the same passions but you might not like experiencing them in that shared way. 

That's enough rambling for one post, don't you think!? I hope you enjoyed my little update and outfit post, who else is seriously in love with this jacket?

Thanks for reading my lovelies x

Christmas Science Afternoon tea @ The Ampersand Hotel

So its Christmas time, and its the one time of the year that eating all kinds of unhealthy food and stuffing your face is socially acceptable in all ways. This means one thing and one thing only, especially for a afternoon tea junkie like myself, its time to hit the best themed tea in town. After having seen a friend of mine already try and test this particular afternoon tea, i knew it had to be done. Myself and my Friend Mayumi, booked ourselves a table at the Christmas science afternoon tea at the Ampersand hotel. Normally its just Science themed however this festive time of year means they put on a special Christmas menu. For starters its important to mention how beautiful this hotel is. Its located right next to the South Kensington station, so its super easy to get too. The hotel was decorated with lots of lights and cute Christmas decorations, and when having afternoon tea, you are seated in the Drawing rooms, which has gorgeous decor, A good thing to note is that we booked during the week via, Afternoontea.co.uk which meant we received a glass of Moet on the house. Already things were on the up. After already consuming lots of bubbles we were given a choice of tea. I went for the classic Ampersand Breakfast tea, while May went for the Peppermint tea, both were enjoyed immensely. Stupidly i hadn't eaten that day, so by the time the food turned up i was ravenous, but it really was so scrummy. We were given a three tiered plate stacked full of food. The first tier was savoury followed by a plate of scones, and then a further plate of sweet treats. Not only did it taste amazing, it looked amazing too, and once the waiter had poured the white ice into the the little plate at the top, we had a plate of smoking science goodness. 

* The gorgeous tea station*

We tucked into the first plate which consisted of Smoked salmon blinis, Crayfish and asparagus on toasted bread, Goats cheese and pumpkin quiche and finally a roast beef bagel with horse radish (which really did have a spicy kick). After demolishing it all, me and may were both decided that our favourite were the blinis and crayfish, they were miniature sized so perfect little mouthfuls but so so flavoursome and delicious. 

Next we tucked into our plate full of scones, we had two each, so it was quite a mountain to get through, we ended up only having one each. I went for the plain one, and may had the cranberry and white chocolate selection. Not only were they both still warm, but both super delicious and not dry in the slightest. 

Last but not least we had the sweet tier to get through and this really was a mixture of all sorts. I was already quite full at this point, so i tried to get through as much as possible, but didn't manage to try it all. The plate consisted of a Christmas tree biscuit, Vanilla mousse with cranberry baubles, Spiced apple juice in test tubes, Salted caramel and chocolate tree brownies, and mini Christmas cakes with snowflake toppers. WOW right!! I didn't make it to the end as Christmas fruit cake isn't a favourite of mine anyway, however the show stopper for me on this plate was the salted caramel brownie, it was so yummy, rich and full of flavour. Neither of us were that sure on the mousse, it was quite an odd texture and the added cranberry's just weren't my cup of tea, but all in all what a scrummy little plate of goodness. 

* May fully respecting the tiny test tube of apple goodness *

Its safe to say we were so stuffed at this point we could barely speak, we were however given a little box of Christmas fossils hidden under a blanket of white chocolate snow. May had lots of fun with this, if shes reading she will know what i'm talking about haha! But it was a nice added extra to fit in further with the science theme. We both agreed that the savoury plate was by far our favourite. Every option was gorgeous in its own way in textures and flavours. I'd safely say i would love to return in the new year to do the classic science tea, which I've heard involves Rocket ships and dinosaurs, *squeals in delight*

I hope you have enjoyed this little insight to our Christmas science themed tea, its still available till the 27th of December, however it will be back to the classic tea after that which I've heard is just as good. Head on over to there website and check it out here. 

Thanks for reading my lovelies x 

Lydia Elise Millen, Monica Vinader and going to events on your own!

When I saw that there was a meet up at a Monica vinader store, with Lydia Elise millen as the star of the show, I knew I had to go. My favourite blogger and jewellery brand in one, what more could I ask for. At first I was really apprehensive to go on my own. First off I get nervous and awkward at the best of times and also what would I say, how would I start a conversation with anyone let alone Lydia!! However after tweeting about this and getting a fast response from Lydia herself I decided what have I really got to loose, and as I wasn't at work this day what excuse did I have?! None. So on Thursday evening I headed to London to see what it would be like. It's the first meet up I had ever been too so I really wasn't sure what to expect or how it was going to work. But when I got there I realised , no one else was either. Everyone was in the same boat and it made it a lot easier then expected. I started speaking to a lovely couple of girls and we all expressed our nerves but excitement too.

Let's start off by saying the Monica Vinader store is beautiful! It was there flagship store on duke or York square and it didn't disappoint. All the staff were lovely and we were given a glass of bubbly which definitely helped those nerves a little. We all seemed to naturally form a que and after waiting for a little while, myself and another lady Maria who had buddied up, finally got to meet and speak to Lydia and also her partner Allie. They were both honestly the nicest people, so down to earth and humble and she looked just as incredible as she does on social media! (I know I'm fangirling a bit, but hey we all have our inspirations)  we talked for a while about her YouTube channel, lumi her cat and random conversations about Allie and their boiler too . Haha yes that's right, it really was like talking to a good friend.

After having our conversation, we were then allowed to browse the store and the lovely jewellery , and kindly treated to 20% off, if we wished to make a purchase. I very reluctantly behaved myself and just mentally put everything I saw on my wish list! However the signature bangles really caught my eye, so I feel a purchase maybe made sooner rather then later.

I really just wanted to make this blogpost to tell you that is definitely okay to go to these events like these on your own. 6 months ago I wouldn't have dreamed of it but starting my blog has given me a lot more confidence and makes me think why not, much more often, which is good. Don't worry about what everyone else will think, do what makes you happy and explore your hobbies like any other person would!

Hope you enjoyed this little post from me, I'm blogging every other day leading up to Christmas so be sure to follow me on bloglovin and instagram (@amyrowleyy) for lots more festive fun and fashion!

Thanks for reading my lovelies! Xx

August Roundup

Can we actually believe that august is practically over and we are near enough in September!? I know i can't. This month in the UK has been a weird one we have had super heat and windy weather all in the same week, it's felt like summer for everyone else but to be honest i work in a very air conned work place, so most of the time I've still been in thick tights and a cardigan. Nonetheless i wanted to share with you some of  my favourites this month. Style faves, beauty, food and a couple of randoms thrown in there too. 

Style - let's start with my favourite style pieces of this month. First off my new denim skirt that you would have seen in my last style post. It's a staple piece to anyone's wardrobe and i had honestly been on the hunt for one for ages. They were either too short, or too flared, and with a denim skirt you definitely have to get it right for your shape. The one i purchased was a sale piece from Topshop, it was £18 pounds and because of that i was even more chuffed. You could honestly style this piece with nearly everything, it's perfect all year round and i can't wait to start wearing it in the colder months with chunky knits and ankle boots (not excited for autumn one bit *smirks.*)

The next favourite piece in my wardrobe has to be this white sheer pajama style blouse. I have worn it a couple times and really love it. It is super comfortable, can be dressed up or down and looks great with ripped denim and some little heels. It is from ASOS and comes in black too i believe, which is very tempting for work as this would be perfectly acceptable and still trendy for the workplace.

Beauty - Next up to ramble on about is my favourite beauty products of this month. I haven't got many but the two that i love are definitely winners in my eyes. The first is a new eyeliner. I kept having the same issue with every drugstore eyeliner i was buying, in that it was never truly black and within a couple of hours just looked like a big grey smudge on top of my eyelid. After reading ton's of reviews and a couple of videos, i decided i wanted to try the Guerlain liquid eyeliner. Wow i wasn't disappointed. I generally look forward to putting my eyeliner on each morning with this bad boy in my make up bag. It glides on really easily and the colour is a true black that lasts all day. If you were having the same issue i was then maybe look into this little beauty. 

My other beauty favourite is my MAC Mineralise  skinfinish in soft and gentle. A great highlighter that has been giving my cheekbones the gleam that it needs to get through a 8 hour shift. I just like to swirl my brush into it and whack it on all the places the sun would hit and i am good to go. It is a beautiful colour and a proper MAC cult product. 

Food - Now lets talk food. The one thing i have been obsessing over this month has to be anything kinder! You might have seen my kinder bueno cupcakes that i made a couple of weeks ago ( blogpost here), well since then i cannot get enough of kinder. Kinder chocolate, kinder bueno, Happy hippos. you name it, I've been eating it. If you have had a hard day at work or just craving something a little naughty get your bum down to Tesco and pick up a kinder bueno. I promise you, your day will get that little bit better. 

Random - So even though this month all i feel as if i have done is worked. The time i have had off i have spent it with the right people. I thoroughly enjoyed my weekend off with my friend kit, who visited from Brighton, we did everything girly, and a had a little wiggle on a night out which was greatly needed. I also spent a great day baking and making smoothies with another friend which was super fun and we definitely had a good old giggle while doing so. 

 My last favourite of the month was right at the beginning of the month and feels like a while ago now, but it was my day in London with a great friend. We spent the day exploring London and booked in at the Cutter and Squidge cafe for Hello Kitty afternoon tea. To read all about it i wrote a blog post with loads of pictures so go take a read here.

So there you have it. August is pretty much done and dusted and onto the next month. I wonder what September will have in store, a week off to look forward too and some mini changes that's for sure. 

Hope you enjoyed reading, to follow me on day to day basis please head over to my Instagram page @amyrowleyy to see more. 

Thanks for reading my lovelies x 

Hello kitty Afternoon tea @ cutter and squidge

So clearly it was time again to head to london and stuff our faces full of cake, tea, biscuits and scones. This could only mean one thing, and  after seeing countless youtube videos and bloggers visiting cutter and Squidge (great, great name) for afternoon tea we had to try it for ourselves. Now i say afternoon tea, but it isnt just any afternoon tea no no, a hello kitty themed tea, hosted in a basement that had been transformed into a secret garden, *jaw drops*. It truly was scrumptious. Cutter and Squidge is found in Soho, London and is super sweet and small. When we arrived we were given little Hello Kitty wristbands and taken downstairs into the basement. It was decorated beautifully and dressed with Hello Kitty stickers, false leaves and flowers, and little marble tables. One word...Adorable.

We were each given a pink lemonade and a choice of four teas; Apple pie tea, English Breakfast, Lychee peach tea and Earl grey. My friend Kate was daring and went for apple pie, i did the classic and stuck with what i know best, English breakfast. They were served in little tea pots and did not disappoint, i even tried the apple pie tea, which was really different. It had a slightly spicy cinnamon kick. We were then given the five tiered platter of yummy treats to dive into, and boy was this gonna be a struggle to get through, even on an empty stomach.

We started off with the savouries. Cucumber and cream cheese, hummus and pepper, cheese and red onion, and salmon and chives mini sandwiches. My favourite was by far the cucumber and cream cheese and not because it was shaped like Hello Kitty I promise. Oh and i forgot to mention not only was there enough food to easily satisfy your stomach, everything including the drinks was unlimited, so if something took your fancy there is no need to worry about asking for more. 

Next up were cheese scones, with a cream cheese and red pepper dip. They went down a treat, they were very rich in flavour and the mix of dips were great together. We also had coronation crackers,  something a little oriental.  Personally we weren't overly a fan of these but if you like that flavour then i'm sure they would be lovely.

Now on to the sweet treats, the first little basket included a vanilla cookie, strawberry milkshake biskie and a chocolate brownie. These were all accompanied by both a dark chocolate dip and a matcha latte dip, which was definitely different and very sweet. All were delicious but the Strawberry milkshake biskie was my favourite. Two mini cookies with a creamy textured strawberry mixture sandwiched in the middle. Yummy.

Next up we had lychee Hello Kitty jelly, pink lemonade marshmallow, cake truffle and strawberries. The jelly was a lovely sweet refreshing flavour but quite an odd consistency, but the cake truffle had to be the winner. You know when your baking a cake and decide to cheekily dig into the left over mix. Well imagine that in a truffle form with chocolate, yep..Delicious.

Last but not least and i know we were struggling at this point, we were given a chocolate mud pie and an apple pie mousse with a little bow biscuit. I personally don't like apple flavoured things, however Kate dug into this with a smile on her face and it didn't disappoint. We decided to Box up the last chocolate cake and we dug into this on our way home instead. It again was delicious and very rich in flavour. 

We were offered ice cream at the end but decided we couldn't feed our bellies anymore for at least a little while so opted out. After taking countless pictures we decided it was time for us to waddle out fully satisfied and full. The afternoon tea was £40 and considering it is unlimited and the attention to detail was fantastic it didn't seem unreasonable at all. Cutter and Squidge are holding this limited Hello Kitty themed tea until the end of the month so if you wish to try it yourself go and book in before time runs out. 

I hope your having a lovely Sunday. 

Thanks for reading my lovelies x