Inked & Addicted

Forevermore Tattoo:

Glasgow

So I'm in bed with the tv on, bedside lamp on setting a nice warm glow against the snow covering everything within an inch of its life outside and I think to myself, "This actually couldn't get any comfier if it tried.". Then I mindlessly roll onto my side and am struck with a burning pain down my left arm - I was that comfortable I forgot all about my tattoo. Shit. As if the yellow and purple bruising wasn't enough, it had to have a burning sensation whenever it was touched, didn't it?

If any of you are regular followers on my Twitter or Instagram accounts, you'll be well aware that I started work on my sleeve just shortly into the New Year, and have since then had a second sitting (Friday 18th) to finish some shading. I already had five tattoos up until this point which I got done by a family friend in Italia, but since then have dreamt about starting work on a full sleeve design. You could say that I thought about others opinions far too much in the past and hence let that influence my decision, but when 2013 came around, I just thought 'f*** it' and booked a consultation at a tattoo studio in Glasgow called Forevermore Tattoo. You might have heard of them if you're from Glasgow or London, as they have studios in each of these cities, but if not then you do now. Each artist who works for Forevermore either as a permanent artist or guest, have skills that are nothing short of insane. I've seen people with tattoos done by them and knew immediately that I had to get them to do my sleeve. 

For the design I wanted - a Mexican Day of The Dead theme - I chose Alison, purely because she liked to tattoo things that are a little more...'weird and wonderful' if you will. I gave her an image that I liked and she completely made it 100% custom for me, so that I would be guaranteed a design that no one else would have. To get to the stage the sleeve is at now I've had two sittings, each lasting three hours. To be honest, after getting a tattoo on my ribs a couple of years ago, I didn't think my arm would be all that bad but boy was I wrong. Especially after the second sitting, I don't think I've ever felt pain quite like it before - whoever says tattoos don't hurt are either lying or have something wrong with them! I still have one more sitting to finish this first part of the sleeve, then I'm going to start on the bottom half. I honestly can't wait to see the bottom half all done: I think that might be my favourite part.

Seeing as I'm getting my sleeve extended to about 2 inches from my wrist (I have 'Maria' tattoo'd there and would like the design to end just where that is), I've got some other ideas about what I would like on the underside of my arm and forearm. Sugar skulls are obviously a key part in any Day of The Dead theme; however rather than having a typical human skull, I'm opting for the skull of a stag/deer with typical sugar skull decoration and more roses to act as a joining feature. If you're at all into symbolism like I am, then stags are known for very positive things such as happiness and luck, so I thought it would make for a good tattoo. As for the underarm, I'm having another portrait done - this will be the last part of the sleeve to get done however as I know I'm going to end up passing out or dying. Whichever comes first. That area is insanely sensitive and where I seem to be bruising the most, so I'm not looking forward to it if I'm being entirely truthful. I've asked Alison to think of any other little features that she might think would look good in the sleeve, so we'll see what she comes up with. I trust her judgement 100%, so I'm not worried!

If hearing me talking about the pain of a tattoo hasn't quite put you off, then you should definitely check out FMT's website and their artist gallery to see some of the work they produce. I have quite a few other tattoo ideas that I'd like to get and I'm pretty sure I'll end up going back there to get some of them done.

Tattoos are something that I have always been interested in and are now becoming more of me as a person. So with that in mind, you can bet that they'll be featuring here at Vita di Moda alot more now that I've got the confidence in myself to go out and get the kinds of tattoos that I really want. 

H&M May Have A Fresh Face

Beyonce For H&M?

Bey & Blue Ivy during a shoot in the Bahamas

Not so long ago, fresh faced Lana Del Rey was singing her heart out for H&M in her latest campaign, but now rumours have emerged that there's a new face in town and it belongs to none other than the queen of R&B and pop: Beyonce Knowles. As you might already know, this all came about when one of Bey's dancers tweeted "First day of trial in the Bahamas! H&M all set … go" - the tweet was taken down almost instantaneously of course, but once it's out there, it can't be taken back. Not really anyway. 

If I'm honest, I never really got on the whole hype ride with Lana Del Rey last year but Beyonce on the other hand is hard to ignore. She's got the body, the career, the lifestyle and the family to match, I just hope for both Beyonce's sake and everyone else's that H&M start to make their clothes to real sizes and put a little room in their patterns for those of us who actually have curves. I mean, what girl likes being a size 8/10 in one store, to then being a size 20 in H&M? - exaggerated of course, but you catch my drift.

What do you think of these rumours? Would you like to see Beyonce as the new face of H&M?

Photo Credit: fabsugar.com

Guess who's back?

A.W.O.L

Well, I think it's safe to say that 15 days-ish is the longest I've gone without blogging. I'm ashamed. I could have the excuse that my 2013 started off less than stellar (you can blame the male species for this) and it just seemed that I was never going to get my groove back with writing, but I won't even bother. You don't need excuses, you just need new content - and that's exactly what I have for you.

I had anticipated that it would be 2014 before I found the streak of inspiration needed to start writing again, but with the help of Benjart Clothing I can breathe a sigh of relief and bring you that highly awaited post a lot sooner than I thought - queue happy dance. Now, before I moved to Newcastle I was dressed in black and felt like a complete goth with every outfit that I put on. Then I moved and all of a sudden I'm going all urban and wearing sneakers and beanies. What the hell. So this new found style in me naturally felt drawn to the fashion brand Benjart - an urban clothing brand that I came across on instagram whilst procrastinating my uni work. Naturally.

The brand of Benjart is borne from shattered dreams… After finding obstructions in his path and being faced with difficult decisions, Mr Benjart had to persevere to break down barriers or find alternative routes to the top. These are life experiences that everyone must endure in order to find success, and Benjart is still climbing, so join him on his journey, and learn his story through the different stages of releases.

Click onto their website and you'll find an array of urban themed beanies, jackets, tshirts, hoodies, snapbacks (something that lads everywhere in Newcastle are wearing at the minute - even to the gym) and accessories to name but a few for men. To be fair, I'd wear practically everything on the website so it's really a unisex brand. A few customisations here and there and you would be good to go, girls! Although I love everything they have on offer, I've managed to pick out six items that are topping my lust list at the minute.





I especially love the bravery quote on #2 - they have it on tshirts etc as well if you aren't quite feeling the jumper. Prices range from about £11.99 (sale items) to about £90+ for things like their jackets etc. They're definitely street style pieces that would look pretty damn good any time of the year. Who needs fashion designers telling us what to wear when we have a mind of our own, eh?

If you want to purchase any of the items shown above, you can click here and that'll take you over to the Benjart website! They also have other social media platforms such as twitter, facebook and tumblr if you fancy a little look at those as well. Enjoy!

Photo Credit: Image from the LookBook available at http://www.benjartclothing.com/look-book

Making 2013 Count

2013:

New Years Resolutions

Well first of all, I hope you all had a lovely Christmas and that Santa brought you everything that you could have asked for and more! I certainly had a great Christmas Eve/Day spending all my money on the sales and booking my next tattoo, so I can safely say that I was pleased with Christmas this year.

After eating my way through countless chocolates, glasses of vino and a seemingly endless amount of lasagne (my gran makes me it every year for my Christmas dinner - I don't do turkey!), I began thinking about the inevitable New Years resolutions for 2013. Most are focused on my career and general financial situation (like not overspending on everything - again.) but there are some for my blog and its content after the New Year!

First of all, here's my list of resolutions for 2013:

1. Join Body Zone gym in Newcastle.
2. Go at least 3 times a week.
3. Eat better.
4. Budget my money properly AKA stop impulse buying.
5. Save money.
6. Don’t overspend. Again.
7. Book a trip to California or NYC.
8. Go to LFW.
9. Start my sleeve tattoo on Friday, Jan 4th then come back to Glasgow in Feb to get it finished.
10. Get intern experience with a fashion magazine.
11. Write more lifestyle based posts.
12. Pass 1st year of uni with a great grade.
13. Make 2013 count.

So the resolution that is more of a need to know basis for you lot is #12. Why? Well, I was looking at various blogs out there and felt that I would love to start writing more lifestyle based content for Vita di Moda. Diets, fitness regimes, films, tv shows, beauty products and even food and tattoo's would be on the list of content to feature at Vita di Moda in 2013. Don't worry, there will still be regular fashion posts each week and I'm hoping to get this blogger pass for LFW in February so that I can give a better rounded opinion on the shows for AW'13!

What would you all think about seeing this happening at Vita di Moda? Yay, or nay? 

*Photo Credit: Taken by myself at the dinner table via instagram

I'll Take One of Everything

Online Window Shopping:

What I Have My Eye On

It wouldn't be Christmas without the masses of sales, promotions and constant bombardment of newsletters from our beloved retailers, so naturally I've built up a rather long list of items that I'm currently lusting over. With the rain becoming constant background noise this week, I thought it was a perfect excuse to sit by the fireplace all day, Galaxy orange hot chocolate (40 calories per cup!) in hand and put together a little post to show you all what I would love to see under my tree - or in the wardrobe, ironed and hung up neatly if Santa's feeling generous -  on Tuesday morning. 

First up, it's a pit stop at Zara. Naturally. I don't think I could live without Zara these days. Items 1, 3 & 4 are on my list of definite buys with my Christmas money; if I could stretch it I'd buy everything on the website to be fair.

1. Woolen Coat With Quilted Leather Sleeves

2. Leather Effect T-Shirt

3. Herringbone Trousers With Zip Pockets

4. Basic Ankle Strap Heels

5. Studded Peplum Belt

6. Quilted Leather Jacket

7. Red Coated Biker Pants

Warehouse are a retailer who surprised me actually. I've walked by their stores in Newcastle recently and felt that I've wanted quite a few of the outfits they've styled together in their displays, so when I had a little peak at their website I found myself mentally taking note of some of their stock. Have they always been this edgy, or have I only just noticed it now? 

1. Acid Wash Western Shirt

2. Soft Leather Pocket Jacket

3. Butterfly Tribal Print Tunic

4. Contrast Sleeve Parka - LOVING this!

5. Mesh Panel Faux Leather Dress

6. Beaded Neck Tee

Don't take my word for it, but I'm pretty sure every item I've listed from All Saints is currently in their sale? I know that the majority is anyway! All Saints isn't really everyone's cuppa tea, but I'm attracted to the whole dark, mysterious and slightly gothic personality of the brand so I can't help but lust after a few items every now and then.

1. Saredon Trench Coat

2. Joelle Shirt

3. Abel Leather Jacket

4. Elva Cardigan

5. Restrain Tee

It might be fair to say that Topshop and I have a love/hate relationship. I went off the brand for a while, purely because of how mainstream it had become (GEEK jumper for example. If I see that on one more person I may lose faith in street style) - that and it's prices just kept getting higher and higher and my poor student loan was crying out for mercy. I will admit though that their collections recently have been stunning and I've found myself typing Topshop.com into my web browser more often than not.

1. Shoulder Pad Maxi Dress

2. Cutout Leather Shell

3. Rib Panel Mesh Crop Top

4. Oxblood Full Skater Skirt

5. Pallette Premium Met Boots

6. Mesh Insert Colour Block Tee

7. Heavy Embroidered Mesh Tank

8. Skull Spike Ring

9. Perspex Peter Pan Necklace

10. Ribbed V Front Skater Dress

Happy Shopping! xo

Christmas Review: Pandora Moments

Christmas Review:
Pandora Moments Charm Bracelet

When I received an email from a representative at John Greed Jewellery a couple of weeks ago asking if I would be interested in writing a review for their Pandora Moments range, I immediately said yes. Pandora is a jewellery brand that I have been aware of for years now but I've just never gotten round to owning any of their collections - until now that is, and I have to say I can see where the buzz comes from!

*Slight disclaimer here, I don't agree to reviewing products left, right and center - I actually have to like the brand for starters and then I'll proceed to give a justified and fair review on whatever the product may be. A sell out fashion blogger is not something that I'd like to be known as.*

I'm more a lover of the concept behind charm bracelets, than the actual bracelets and charms themselves - purely because anything that dangles from my wrist and gets caught on just about everything known to man will start to piss me off after about two seconds. Pandora charms on the other hand however, are beads - beads that don't get caught on things or get in the way of my daily tasks. There are some charms on offer though with little dangly bits and bobs hanging off the bead, but it's entirely down to your own preference and there's plenty of selection if you're a little like me and just want some dainty beads on your bracelet. 

The second factor I switched my attention to with the bracelets was the size. I have quite small wrists, so anything that isn't re-sizable will probably be a little big for me. This was sadly the case with this product. I did however notice that on the website (John Greed Jewellery) you can select various cm sizes, so it's nothing really to do with the design of the bracelet itself, it's just unfortunately the size that I've been sent!

Third factor: the material. You can't go wrong with sterling silver, so this was always going to add points from the beginning. It's durable, won't turn black (if you take care of it properly) and looks expensive. And at £99 a pop, expense and durability are things that you'll be taking into consideration when making your purchase. If silver isn't really your thing though, you can opt or a wovan leather band in a variety of colours: this is actually a perfect way to add a little more personality or colour to your outfits and I actually think I prefer it to the silver! 

Which then takes us into the fourth and final factor: the price. You can purchase individual bracelets and charms from JCJ, however what's pretty handy is their starter bracelets which is what I have. Due to their sale at the minute, these are now only £99 due to their current sale (RRP £125-145) - don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that £99 is just spare cash, but considering that the sterling silver bracelet on it's own is £55 and charm prices range from anywhere between £15 and £420, I'd say that a starter bracelet is a pretty good investment both style and price wise if you're wanting to start your own little charm collection, or even if you're just looking for that super last minute Christmas gift for someone special - it's perfect no matter what the reason is for buying it.

What's On Your Christmas List?

Christmas Wish List:
Black Milk Clothing

Well that's all of my hand in's completed and submitted for my first semester and I could not be happier. It's such a relief to know that I now have five weeks over the festive period to eat, drink, be merry and start work on my new sleeve tattoo (yes, I'm getting one!). I hope you're all having a relaxed few weeks and that Christmas shopping/preparation isn't getting you all too highly strung!

The skeleton print is on both sides from hip to ankle.
Image taken via instagram - follow me at @vitadimoda

This Christmas, as an early gift, I was given two pairs of Black Milk leggings from someone who I am now afraid to say is my ex. I've had my eye on their leggings and bodysuits for about a year and a half now due to Tumblr being flooded with people wearing them, but I never seemed to actually get my hands on any of their products - that is until they had their lovely Cyber Monday deal: 50% off selected products and luckily for me, the leggings I wanted were in that category!

So, as a gift I was asked if I wanted them for Christmas and now I am the proud new owner of some Black Milk leggings. I went for the bone printed leggings and just a plain matte black pair. I love the material that they use (polyester bright & spandex mix) because it's nice and thick like dance leggings, so no transparency issues or a constant need to keep pulling them up or make adjustments. They're insanely comfortable and although not classed as high waisted, they do come up as far as my belly button, so I can wear a crop top with them and they'll look good. 

The problem I now have though, is that I want near enough every single style on offer on their website, so I thought I'd put together a little wish list - just in case Santa is reading this and is wondering what to bring me on Christmas morning!

The leggings range in price from $50 to $90, which is why as a student I've been unable to have a wardrobe full of them. I definitely recommend them though and will be purchasing another pair of two with some Christmas money if I have any left over from my tattoo! Fancy a pair for yourself? Get them at www.blackmilkclothing.com

What do you think of Black Milk? Do you own any of their products?

10th Tribe Next Exclusive - The Garter Tee

10th Tribe's Next Exclusive:
The Garter Tee

So you know that NYC brand that I keep raving on about? 10th Tribe? I know I keep going on about them, but I don't think there's a brand out there that I feel more passionately about.
Anyway, after the success of their beanie sale they've gone and decided to give you all another exclusive and personally, I just think it is the sexiest styling piece on the market at the moment!

Long sleeved, scoop neck and then garters for a trim - it's sexy and basic all in one go. If you're not feeling the garters though, just tuck it into your shorts/skirt/jeans and it's a basic black tee - simple, no fuss and it's two looks in one. I can't tell you how often I've just wanted to wear a black tee out to a club to just be comfortable for a change, but it never looks acceptable. Then comes along the 10th Tribe Garter Tee and it's like my prayers have been answered. I think I'll be thanking 10th Tribe for this marvel until my dying day.

Fancy getting your hands on one? Well, if you can wait until Sunday (Dec 9th) then you can just head on over to the 10th Tribe website and purchase one for yourself! It'll be like their beanie sale though where it is only available for a few hours (2pm-12pm), so you best get in there early...

Photo Credit: 10th Tribe Instagram & from the brand themselves. 

Exclusive Saunt&Sinner Competition!

Christmas Competition:

Saunt&Sinner Hand Printed Scarf

If you're unaware of the luxury fashion brand Saunt&Sinner then you really must educate yourself a little. Some may think I'm being a little bias loving their products so much when they are in fact based in Glasgow - my home town - but I can assure you that it is their raw talent and absolutely gorgeous prints that had me at hello. That and the fact that they are passionate about keeping design, manufacturing and luxury in Scotland, when most new designers fly the nest overseas!

"Based in Glasgow, the creative heart of Scotland, the foundations for the luxury womenswear label Saunt & Sinner collections, are beautiful textures, unique prints and expressive pattern cutting.Proudly, each garment is designed and produced where possible in Scotland. Saunt & Sinner is a brand that is a must have in any wardrobe due to its uniqueness and the high standard of quality of product. Collections will be limited editions and create a feeling of individuality and exclusivity for the customer whilst including them and making them feel part of the luxury brand.When you own a piece by Saunt & Sinner, you own a piece of Saunt & Sinner"

S&S will be launching their AW'13 collection next March (an event which I am hoping to attend), and their gorgeous limited edition "Heather" scarf is currently selling for £180 at sauntandsinner.co.uk, so in the spirit of things, they are generously giving one of you lucky lot the chance to win a little Christmas present! I myself have this scarf and knew immediately that it would be something that my readers would love as well. 

Interested? All you have to do is follow a few simple steps
(all of which are mandatory) and the scarf could be yours!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

*Winner will be chosen using a generator such as Random.org*

The competition will run from Dec 4th to 24th and is open to everyone worldwide. Good luck and may the odds be ever in your favour!

**Update: The Winner is ... #17 Sarah Morbey! Congratulations! Your scarf should hopefully be with you shortly (give or take with the postal service over Christmas & New Year) :) xo

Shop The Edit: Christmas Party

Shop The Edit:

The Christmas Party Outfit

As promised, your Christmas partywear edit has arrived - and it only took around 15,000,000 hours. With so many retailers and amazing fashion out there at the minute, I had to narrow my store choices down a little: otherwise I could be here for days and you would be seeing this Christmas edit in 2013. With that in mind, I decided to hit ASOS first. With everything from high street to designer and clothes to beauty, I knew I could basically form an edit from their website, and that is exactly what I did - minus a pair of heels from Zara that I had taken a peep at yesterday and knew that I had to have in here. I've tried to take into consideration that some of us might perhaps decide that they want to go for separates (skirts or trousers) rather than a dress, so I've taken the liberty of adding those in for good measure as well. I've even added a little beauty and nail section which isn't something that you regularly see here at Vita di Moda, but you never know, if you like it I may just have to do it a little more often in 2013. 

P.S; if you like any of the items shown in the images, rather than put the links up like I normally do (there's A LOT of items in this edit) I've just linked each picture up to my Polyvore account where you will be able to see where each item is from and it's price!

Click to buy

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Shop The Edit: Suited & Booted

SUITED & BOOTED.

First of all, let me offer you my utmost apologies for the lack of new content in EIGHT days! This last week until December 14th has been - and will continue to be - a little stressful and my focus will mainly be on my university modules, as my deadlines are in this time. In my Fashion Communication course, I don't have typical exams. Instead I have briefs and deadlines (which I prefer), but it still gets you a little stressed because it seems as though you have one million things to hand in at the one time. I've managed to get three of the four briefs finished and have another two weeks to focus on the last one, so thankfully that means I now have a little gap to write some new content for you all. I hope you can forgive me!

Is it just me, or have you brought those knee high boots out from the back of the cupboard too? The temperature has well and truly dropped in Newcastle (Glasgow too when I've been visiting for the weekend), so I have literally been living in my over-the-knee black suede boots for the last couple of weeks. I actually wore a pair of ballet flats today and wanted to shoot myself in the face after I took one step out the front door. My poor little tootsies. Anyway. Inspired by my moment of madness, I decided to do a little online window shopping to see if I could find a nice new boots, or pair of shoes that would bring me a little extra warmth this chilly festive season - and naturally I am now sharing my finds with you lovely people.

First of all, if you're reading this and thinking, "where are the party options Maria?!"  fear not! I will be doing a post dedicated to Christmas party attire, which will include everything from dresses to accessories and shoes, so remember to look out for that post if you're needing a little inspiration for your Christmas nights out this month. In the meantime, let's focus of the days in between!

I've tried to stick to boots which are of an attainable level (some readers may agree more than others. I'm a student for example), with some higher priced than others but mostly affordable and good quality. Boots are probably the only type of shoe that I would be prepared to pay slightly more for to ensure better quality, purely because I wear them during the colder months and want to make sure that they're going to last. With that in mind, here they are:

1. Gallivanting Slouch Black Suede - £95 @ Office

2. Long Leather With Metal Detail - £85 @ ASOS

3. Gardenia Suede Tassle - £220 @ ASOS

4. Marc Jacobs Patent PVC Quilted Boots - £162 @ Luisa Via Roma

5. Devils Point Wedge - £40 @ Office (£25 off! Also in black leather)

6. Delta Black Leather - £95 @ Office 

7. Studded Heel Ankle Boot - £60 @ Faith/ASOS

Will you be purchasing any of the boots shown? I can't decide which ones to go for...either the Gardenia suede tassle boots from ASOS, Delta metal tipped toe wedge (hott) or the Devils point wedge ankle boots from Office. Actually, can I just have them all?