[New Purchase] Converse Leather Chuck Taylors

I've never really jumped on the Converse bandwagon as I found my first pair of yellow canvas trainers uncomfortable. I recently decided to give them another go when I purchased a pair of tan leather Chucks from Zalando (who seem to be the only retailer I can find who stocks half sizes and their leather range). 

I've been wearing them to death on weekends since their purchase, and they even served me well while stomping the pavement in NYC - the ultimate comfort test! NHG x

See their full Converse collection (including a couple of leather styles which I highly recommend) here.

[Outfit] Carven Paris Map Skirt in NYC

Last weekend, Luke and I headed over to New York for a four day mini-break as a treat to ourselves for not having passports for the past 7 months due to a (horrendous) UK visa process.

Although it rained two out of the four days we were there, NYC really turned it on with clear blue skies and 30c sunshine on the Sunday. Having endured what feels literally like the longest winter and second winter (AKA spring) of my life, we headed out early to visit Williamsburg Flea Markets in Brooklyn and to get some much needed vitamin D and to look back at Manhattan in all its glory.

I've been meaning to feature my Carven Paris skirt for months now, as I have worn it many, many times. This was the first time I actually got to wear it with bare legs, and it felt so damn good! My skirt is now sold out online, but the print also comes in a blazer, dress and shirt.

I've also just noticed that they're released the full skirt in a peach colour which is lovely too! See it here. NHG x

Outfit details: Carven Paris Map skirt, See by Chloe white cotton shirt (similar here), Nine West gladiator sandals, Chanel sunglasses (really old) and OPI lilac nail polish (can't remember exact name!). 

[Outfit] Noisy May Boyfriend Jeans

Are skinny jeans on the way out? If the current trend towards boyfriend jeans is anything to go by, then I'd say yes!

I have been on the hunt for the perfect pair of boyfriend jeans for awhile now. My old pair of Topshop jeans felt a bit *too* baggy in all the wrong areas and I think that is key to not looking like you are literally wearing your boyfriend's jeans!

Anneli from What I Bought Today recently featured her Noisy May jeans which are the perfect shape for me; mid-rise waist, straight leg (so not too loose) and the 32 length stops just at my ankle. Like Anneli (see her posts here), I have literally not taken my off...I think I've worn them five times in two weeks!

The quality of the denim is fab and so is the price - only €59.95! I'll definitely be buying them in the slightly darker blue as once I find the perfect fit in jeans, I like to stock up multiple pairs and then wear them to death! NHG x

Outfit details: Noisy May Kim boyfriend jeans c/o (I'm wearing a size 27 which is true to size), Reiss fisherman jumper, Kate Spade Bryce bag with neon strap, Jemima Vine Edie python slippers c/o.

[New Purchase] Kenzo Tiger T-shirt

I swore I wouldn't buy the Kenzo tiger jumper or t-shirt that everyone seems to own. And then I caved - oops.

Stock seems to disappear on net-a-porter and Matches the day it lands, but I managed to buy mine direct from Kenzo in France. It arrived quickly and they had all colours and sizes in stock (it seems they are now sold through on most of the women's styles!).

I recommend following their Facebook page as they update it when new stock arrives. See current t-shirt/jumper stock here. NHG x

[Outfit] Hudson Jeans from Jeanography

I am a HUGE advocate of online shopping and probably shop 90% online and 10% in stores these days. The downside to online shopping is that if you don't know your size, you generally have to pay for 2 or 3 sizes/styles which is incredibly frustrating when waiting for your refund. I find that retailers are super quick with delivery in the UK however, when it comes to receiving a refund, I have waited up to 3 - 4 weeks for it to be processed!

Jeans are traditionally difficult to buy in store let alone attempt the find the perfect fit online, and that's where Jeanography comes in. Their 'Fit First Time' service allows you to choose 3 pairs of jeans for 7 days with zero upfront costs. Genius. You simply do the following to find the perfect pair of jeans:

1. Choose 3 pairs of jeans from their website. I chose Hudson Jeans Nico Mid Rise Super Skinny in Aruba, Hudson Jeans Leeloo Regular Rise Super Skinny Crop in Vice Versa and Hudson Jeans Nico Mid Rise Super Skinny in Black. I am a hourglass shape, so I always go for a mid to high rise shape. I also like jeans with a lot of stretch for comfort. 

2. Place your order and you will receive a call from Jeanography's in house denim stylist who will confirm you have selected the right size and shape for your body. I had to size down due to the stretch in Hudson's jeans. 

3. Try on all 3 pairs at home and return the jeans that don't fit within 7 days. Jeanography will only charge you for the pairs you have kept.

I kept the Hudson Jeans Nico Mid Rise Super Skinny in Aruba as I have been searching for a pair of light blue skinny jeans for summer. They are seriously SO comfortable and the perfect fit for my shape. I highly recommend the service - I received my order by next day delivery, tried them on at work, then booked their courier who collected that afternoon. Jeanography have nailed what online shopping is all about - convenience! NHG x

Find out more about Fit First Time here.

Disclosure: I received one complimentary pair of jeans which was perfect timing as I had literally set up my online profile with them the week before! As always, I don't blog about anything that I wouldn't purchase myself. 

[Beauty] Sassoon Salons

I have been wanting to do something with my hair for a long time now - something along the lines of balyage or ombre hair as I had thick blonde streaks in my hair when I was younger (it was 2002 - don't judge) and really liked it.

I recently had a bad experience with a stylist after an appointment mix up and the results were far from what I was after. Not only did the colour turn out completely unlike ombre hair, but she also hacked into my (thick) hair adding in way too many layers.

When Sassoon got in touch to invite me to try their Kings Road salon, I knew the time was right to try somewhere new. I had seen what they'd done with my fellow blogger friend's hair and knew I was in safe hands!

Straight-talking Ida said my recent haircut was "like Jennifer Aniston in 1999" with all the long feathered layers (see photos below) so we decided to update it with a more modern look with block hair length and only a few blunt layers.

My lovely Colourist Matt, explained to me that because I now had hair that was three different shades of brown from root to tip there was no way I could get a lighter shade without bleaching my hair. I essentially risked completely ruining my healthy hair in the process, so we decided to just fix the current colour and get it back to normal instead.

I am going to go slightly shorter when I visit again in summer and will slowly remove move layers. I really like the minimalist hair trend at the moment and it's nice to see a return to simplicity, rather than the high-maintenance hair (a la Cheryl Cole) that needs to be blow-dried daily to look good. Ida's ethos was that you need to work with what you've got - at the end of the day, the average person doesn't have a hair stylist on hand in the morning to add some big rollers to give you bouncy red carpet hair. Celebs really have done a great job of warping our sense of what it means to have good hair!

My colour (although not exactly what I had planned) is back to a natural light brown and now has its healthy shine back. Thanks Sassoon for fixing my hair - I greatly appreciated your honesty!  NHG x

Sassoon can be found at 124C Kings Road, SW3 4TR. Phone 020 7730 7288. You can visit their website here.

P.S See more of their fabulous hair styling on Anneli from What I Bought Today, Anna from South Molton Street Style and Sarah from Style on the Couch.

[New] A Beautiful Mess App

If you're an Instagram addict like me, then you will love the new photo app by A Beautiful Mess! I saw a few people tweeting about it earlier this week and instantly fell in love with the gorgeous word graphics that it created. Photo apps are nothing new (I have quite a few that I never actually use) but this one is bound to be a success given how popular word art is at the moment.

The app is £0.69 ($1 USD) from iTunes but that is for the basic package only! You need to pay separately for the borders, additional fonts, doodles and phrases which are all an additional £0.69 each (cheeky). I have only purchases the fonts and borders so far, but it is really easy to use and I know I'll use it regularly.

What are your favourite iPhone apps? I've decided that one of my projects while I'm not working over summer is to sort out my iPhone and laptop/s that are all a total mess. You can follow me on Instagram @nottinghillgirl. NHG x

 Spring in Regent's Park, Summer in Cassis, Autumn in Cambridge and Winter in Maida Vale.