NOTD: Starry, Stormy Skies

Today's NOTD uses a polish that has travelled all the way from the US of A, a gift from one of my best friends, Naima. In fact, "best friends" doesn't really cover it; her dad and my dad were best friends from childhood and we've grown up together. She's my older, way-cooler sister whom I've adored since I was little.

Knowing me as she does, on her recent travels to NYC, she got me a nail polish from American Apparel called Peacock, a blue-teal creme shade. Anyone who's read a while back on my blog knows how much I love a) peacocks and b) teal. But this is different to No. 7's Totally Teal: it's a brighter, bluer shade and, unlike No. 7, a dream to apply. I've done a two-coater, but if I'd been paying attention when applying the first I could've got away with one. (Calling out to another of my beloved friends, who was complaining recently about the quality of the No. 7 polish; Sara: along with Models Own Slate Green, YOU NEED THIS IN YOUR LIFE). The colour is in fact the exact same colour as my school uniform (I hated my school for picking a really unusual shade so that if you bought your uniform from M&S in royal blue you properly stood out as the poor kid at the private school... but apart from that it's a lovely colour!)

So here it is in all its glory:

Me being me, I had to add some glitter. With GOSH Magic Star on top, this colour really resembles a starry, stormy sky at late dusk. Coo.

Thank you, my lovely!

OOTD: Rainbow Hearts

As promised earlier, here's my OOTD. I managed to get my hands on the Peacocks dress I posted about, it was the last in the shop and slightly too big but that's better than too small! It's my first foray into navy, which doesn't really suit me but I love the print too much to care. (Incidentally when I have some time I think I'm going to do a montage-post of all my favourite prints in my wardrobe). But for now, here's what I wore:

It needs a belt, a red or teal skinny one I think, but I don't have either. For the mean time, it's fine as it is!

Dress: Peacocks, cardigan: Primark, shoes: Accessorize.

Close up of the print:

and close up of my shoes (with toes painted with Illamasqua Jo'Mina peeking out):

I was also wearing hear shaped little earrings. I go all out when it comes to a theme!

Hurrah!

I have found my camera charger! (well, actually I haven't, but I've improvised as I only lost the plug bit so have used one off my DVD player instead).

Stay posted for an outfit of the day and NOTD later!

20 Nail Questions Tag

I saw this on Mocha Mish Mash's blog and had to complete it! If you do it, please let me know in the comments, I'm so nosy about other people's polishes!

Nail polish stash:

How many polishes do you have in your stash? 40 or so
Which brand do you own the most of? OPI
What colors do you own the most of? Purples
Do you have a color/texture you don't own? Lots, but not many glitters (want more), and oranges or yellows (for a reason)
What's the one polish that can lift up your spirits? OPI Mad As A Hatter
What polish do you keep looking at and wondering why haven't I gotten rid of it? OPI Monsooner Than Later. Too, too bright for me.
Franken me? or I'm nervous to try it? I tried it years ago before it had a name (I was curious as to what might happen). But I love all of my current polishes and wouldn't want to sacrifice any!
Do you franken for new/original polish ideas or franken for polish you won't be able to own? Neither
Go-to-basecoat? I've not got one yet, working through options.
Go-to-topcoat? Same - am going to try Poshe next.
What's your sexiest polish? I think it is something vampy like Baby Goth Girl, or my true red, Bourjois Rouge Diva.


Nail Design:

Stamping vs Free Hand? Neither, I'm a nail purist.

Bling me, baby? or No bling for me, please! No bling, thanks.
I consider my nails basically nekkid if they don't have some kind of design? No
My favorite plate/tool/technique? Layering glitters over cremes.
What I haven't tried and want to within a month? Nothing.

Purchase/Lemmings:

The one elusive polish you want and can't seem to get? Essie Ruby Slippers, and so many colours by Sephora by OPI, particularly Metro Chic.

What was the last nail related thing you bought? The new Sleek Lilac polish.
How much nail related hauls have you bought in the last seven days? No hauls, just one polish.

If you've ever been on a no-buy, how long did it last? Is that what you planned? Nail polish is one that that's not usually a no-buy for me, but I've started to curb my purchases because my nail polish box is almost full!
Hobby? Addiction? Compulsion? Passing Fancy? Love? Not obsessed enough to be an addiction, but bordering on one!
What's the next polish you plan to purchase? OPI Pamplona Purple, Jade is the New Black and Models Own Purple Haze. And Poshe topcoat.

And 21, a question I've dreamt of being asked!:

If you could make your own nail polish collection what would you base it off of or what would be the inspiration be? What types of colors/ finishes would be in it?

It would be a peacock or petrol theme - dark, rich jewel shades in super glossy cremes: purple, plum, teal, forest green, navy, a couple of petrol-like duochromes, and co-ordinating deep coloured glitters that could be put on top. Now, doesn't that sound pretty?

Ups and Downs

It's been a while, apologies for not posting of late. A combination of busyness on the work front, tiredness, bloggers' block and losing my camera charging lead means I've been AWOL for ages. To give some context here are my ups and downs:

Up

Couple of days off, hanging with my sister, beginning this afternoon. Could not have come at a better time.

Conference papers: one done, one written, two to go.

Research project website, almost ready to launch! It looks great - and since I had a lot of input into its design, and am filling it with content, I feel rather proud.

Bright nails: a late convert to pastels and greens/turquoises. Just wish I could find my camera lead so I could show you all!

Summer clothes: just when I was getting bored of my winter wardrobe, it warms up! Cooler today, but still, no UGGs or knittd dresses!

Bartimaeus: super-proud of his brilliance, resilience and creativity.

Twitter: getting into it now! I'm nazneen372 if you want to read my random observations.

50+ followers! Hooray! I may plan a giveaway soon to celebrate (in June, see below for why).

My birthday: a month and a bit away. Still looking for a dress and deciding on a date for my party (my actual birthday is mid-week this year) - an annoying thing called The World Cup is scuppering plans! But am looking forward to it :)

Down

Travelling: early starts this week and last are taking their toll, because I always sleep terribly when I have to get up early.

Battery chargers in bits: why? So much easier to lose...

Expensive month: conference registrations and travel, plus emergency tax. Boo.

Sent using BlackBerry® from Orange

NOTD and OOTD from last week

This is an outfit I wore last week:

I love these grey woolly tights, they were from QS which is like a budget Primark (!). Dress: Dorothy Perkins (you can't see it but it has a grey crochet detail on the bust and the print is a green/grey/purple ditsy floral). Green cardigan: Primark. Purple lace up pumps: Clarks.

And here's a picture of what I was wearing on my nails until yesterday, the first corally shade I've found to work on me and not be too neon. It's Rimmel Rose Libertine and it lasted four days without chipping, which is pretty good. I wasn't wearing it when I wore the above outfit, that would've clashed horribly!

The miracle of technology

In blogger-land we all love our technology, our uber-fast, high-spec laptops, our super-sharp gazillion-megapixel cameras. But while we're connecting virtually with readers and followers we've not met, we can forget that technology can bring real people together.

I'm feeling all sentimental today, because technology has finally come to my family in Bangladesh. My cousin (he's really a brother to me) has got himself a computer, internet connection and a webcam and I finally got to see him after three years. My mum got to see her brother after four. We saw their new flat, they came for a "walk" with me around our house. It was a magical, magical thing.

My uncle said that when my mum got engaged to my UK-based dad, he was devastated at the prospect of her moving thousands of miles away. A young boy, he desperately dreamt and wished of a way he could just see her from time to time. Thirty years later, that's actually come to be.

Pearl Lowe for Peacocks, May 13th

 Picture from Cosmopolitan

Though it was girlie, sweet and retro-inspired, Pearl Lowe's Christmas collection for Peacocks just didn't appeal. There was a lot of red and gold in cheap polyester lace and satin, which looked, well, cheap. I'm feeling this collection much more, particularly the rose print dress, the above green dress with lace hem, and the black/red polka dot dress. The cream dress is also lovely but not for me!

In general, Peacocks has been offering some cuteness of late - saw this lovely heart print navy sundress on the site which has now promptly disappeared! Just as well navy doesn't suit me!

The collection is out on May 13th, I think, but some articles are saying 16th. Hope it's less of a disappointment than the H&M Garden Collection!