Illustrated by the talented, Tonn  from @tonnns on instagram!

I've been waiting for this particular parcel to arrive for a long time now. As it goes with ebay and buying from a seller in Hong Kong, it took a good few weeks to come. But now that it's finally here I am so excited to review this oval brush which is a dupe for the famous artis brushes that have taken the makeup community by a storm at the moment. However, for college students like me spending over a hundred dollars on a makeup brush is simply not an option. So I decided I'd test out this all synthetic dupe which only cost me $5!

One of the main reasons these brushes have been the talk of the town is they apply foundation/ any makeup in under a minute and blends away faster than any normal makeup brush would. I found that to be true with it's dupe as well. The shape of the handle makes it really easy to hold and the domed shape helps with quick application. All I had to do it dot my foundation all over my face, used the brush in sweeping motions and viola, it was all blended in seconds. I am quite impressed with this dupe and I think it worked so well for me. I also wiped the brush off on a wet wipe after applying my makeup, and hardly anything came off on the tissue which proves that it doesn't soak up your foundation(as sponges and beauty blenders can do)

The title of this post might give away that I am no closeted swiftie and I do agree with her love for plaid. Maybe we will see a return of it now that she is going a little "Jenny Humphrey". I will admit that I've been binge watching a lot of gossip girl lately which may have inspired this a little. Anyway, It's something I love and even if it's not fall/autumn. I never limit it to a particular season as long as it is wearable. I found this red graphic tshirt while thrifting one day and I immediately thought it would go so well with a plaid shirt over it, a classic!

A good tee-shirt tucked into my high waisted jeggings kind of day was fast approaching and I decided to wear this one out. It was a bit of good luck to find a plaid that matched so well with my tshirt. Paired with some suede ballet flats, this made for a perfect outfit. If you're looking for some easy to layer pieces, you can't go wrong with a plaid shirt because it absolutely goes with any tshirt or shirt that you'd be thinking of pairing it with and adds a bit of jazz to a very basic outfit. This is a print I will keep coming back to!

I am always in favour of trends that don't really break the bank and the "neckerchief" trend is no exception to that. Apart from being really cute, it is so easily available in so many stores. Topshop does some really good ones and in every colour and material too! Mine is the "western inspired" paisley pattern and I chose "black" because I own majority of my accessories in that colour(It is a lifestyle). And what better to pair it with than a classic checkered shirt dress. I am kind of fond of the print how it can be mistaken for a masculine print, however I think it looks great in a feminine cut dress like this one. With my quilted bucket bag and my favourite pair of summer shoes at the moment, the Freya shoes from Topshop, this made for a great casual day outfit. While lace up shoes are all the rage in the summer, I had a pair and I found that they get ruined or come undone quite easily when you have a great deal of walking to do. This Freya Pair is quite like lace up except with the buckles, it's way more sturdy and can make through long days like this one.

Let's be honest, a lot of us girls have a shopping problem. But who's to blame? The new arrivals at the stores, the changing seasons or the trends we love to catch up too. I am one of them and I do this thing called as a "Spending Ban" (Nope, it's not an urban legend) once in a blue moon while it should be made a more frequent occurrence (being a blogger makes it really difficult). However, I have a few little tips on how to successfully go on a spending ban without completely giving up the very next day.( Been there, done that!) Whether you're trying to save up some money for summer or just simply don't have any more room in your wardrobe to keep more stuff, keep on reading.

1. Start Small:

Starting with a week at a time is a very practical way of going about a spending ban. It's a lot like exercise. We need to progress slowly and steadily but what's important is to 'Start'! I have personally never been able to do well with a month long ban or anything longer but a week's ban is a good way to get used to living life without obsessively clicking on the Buy Now button.

2. Unsubscribe from Website Emails:

This is a particularly great idea because every time you receive a new email from your favourite website saying they have restocked it, is an instant invitation to an impulsive purchase. I agree if you love reading their newsletters and knowing about styles, it would be a bummer to not receive them for a while. You can unsubscribe to their emails for the duration of your spending ban and then re-subscribe again or a better thing to do would be to divert all these emails to a different e-mail address which you don't check that often.

3. Setting Goals:

Try setting goals in your life like healthy eating/exercising 5 times a week/getting a good Gpa or anything really and reward yourself with that dress or those shoes once you've achieved them. The difficulty level of these goals can correspond with the price of the items. If you set yourself a difficult goal, it's only going to take a little more work and a little more time and you'll be able to sustain your spending ban that much longer.

4.Keep Records:

Keep track of everything you've been buying in a month - makeup, beauty, clothes, shoes, books etc and keep a little chart or even if it's a corner of your planner to constantly remind you of how much you're buying and keep you in check.

5.Buy Collectively:

Placing a collective order at the end of your spending ban/ end of the month is going to be so much more satisfying than impulsively buying some items and never getting much use out of them. You also get that little bit of extra time to think about the items you're buying and analyse the whole "Do I really need another phone case right now?" question before placing an order.

6. Avoid Midnight Shopping:

We all have heard the terrible horror stories about midnight internet impulse buys and waking up to an empty bank account. Don't do it! If you are bored and can't sleep, try Netflix instead. A much safer option sometimes.

7. Set a Spending Limit on your Card:

This one's for you if your spirit animal is Rebecca from Confessions of a Shopaholic. I know many Card companies give you the option to choose and it's always an option to consider. Less limit means less debt right? It's only going to make you richer.

8.Steer Clear of Flash Sales:

Flash sales can be tricky. They make you buy a huge pile of stuff, half of which you probably didn't need. Try to steer clear of them while you're on a ban but if one of your 'goal' dresses are on sale and won't be in a week then by all means go ahead and get it! Don't forget to extend your spending ban by another week though.

That would be all of my tips for successfully having a spending ban! I hope you find it helpful if you plan on going on a ban yourself.

After Coachella completely took over social media in the last few weeks, I cant deny that I had major envy from all the gorgeous outfits people wore to this festival and made me wish I was there. It was about time I brought out my Bohemian blouse again especially with the rising temperatures. I had to make sure it fits in with my daily wardrobe and couldn't go all out and extreme like some of the outfits I've been looking at. They look fabulous,sure but I'm definite I can't dress like that everyday of my life(sadly) when I have work to do or errands to run. Then comes out my most worn clothing ever, dark wash skinny jeans- Surprise! Paired with some pointed toe block heels and felt Fedora, I think it manages to look borderline "Free people" acceptable. No? Haha, I tried.