Leeds

If there's one thing I've gained from going to University 'up North' then it's the ability to take day trips to a variety of beautiful cities that I've never been to before. Leeds is just a 40 minute train journey from my base in Sheffield and definitely a city that I'd recommend visiting. Step off the train and you're immediately in the heart of the city, surrounded by endless shops and a variety of restaurants, bars and cafes to choose from. 

The Alchemist: Restaurant and Cocktail Bar










If you're after somewhere upmarket, affordable and not at all pretentious, then you have to stop off at The Alchemist. Located on the upper floor of the Trinity Shopping centre, it offers an extensive range of cocktails from the classics to The Alchemist's own unique creations. We chose to share the Fools Gold soda syphon which I'd highly recommend, followed by the white chocolate and raspberry Martini and the hip-flask cocktails which you could also take away as a keepsake. 

The food was equally as impressive with super quick service and a menu that offered a real mix of cuisines allowing it to cater to all tastes. I've tried plenty of burgers over the years and this one definitely was a good'en! If you do fancy visiting the Alchemist for food as well as drinks then it's essential that you book well in advance to guarantee yourself a table.

Shopping: Trinity and Harvey Nichols



Save up if you're heading for Leeds, as like me, as soon as you step through the door of Harvey Nichols you'll realise that you want at least 95% of the entire store's contents. I barely made it past the Make-up counters on the ground floor (I may have picked up a couple of Charlotte Tilbury items) as we were running out of time but I could've easily spent an entire day in there. The same can be said for the enormous Trinity shopping centre which I'm sure contained every major retailer imaginable. But beware of the crazy Christmas crowds that were in full swing last Saturday.  

Muffin Break: Cafe





The perfect place for a casual coffee and a catch up, Muffin break specialises in (yep you guessed it) muffins that are freshly made on site continuously throughout the day. Whilst waiting in the queue for only a matter of minutes we saw 3 different batches emerge from their oven. Although I'd never heard of it before, Muffin break is a chain that has cafes all across the UK and offers a great alternative from your usual Costa or Starbucks hangout. 

Next up on my northern travels will hopefully be either Liverpool or Manchester! 

Competition: Thierry Mugler Angel

The new Thierry Mugler Angel campaign is well underway starring the gorgeous Georgia May Jagger. With enchanting vanilla, chocolate and patchouli base notes, Angel encapsulates the feeling of imaginary journeys, sensual delights and giving in to your temptations. I'm a huge fan of the perfume myself as it strikes a perfect balance between sensual and sweet, quickly becoming a necessity within my routine and a true daily addiction.

Recently, the wonderful team at Thierry Mugler asked if I'd like to create a mood board sharing my most cherished addictions in order to celebrate and continue the Angel campaign.













At a glance these may be just 'favourites' or major parts of my life rather than addictions. However they are my most cherished addictions as I wouldn't want to be without any of them and that is the true definition of an addiction for me as I need them in my life.

This montage depicts my addiction to...
Baking - being able to create something from scratch that I can share and enjoy with others is truly rewarding and something I often try and make time for. 
History - the degree I'm studying at university and have always enjoyed exploring as the only thing better than a good story is a true one.  
My nearest and dearest - friends, family and my boyfriend are all undoubtedly the most important things in my life and to be without them is unimaginable.  
Music - whether I'm singing along in the shower, playing the guitar and simultaneously annoying my flatmates or being lucky enough to attend a concert, music is an ever present pleasure in my life.    
Autumn/Winter - my favourite seasons despite complaining of numb hands and bad hair days, I love wrapping up in a chunky scarf and cosy jumper and feel genuine sadness when the season ends and I have to leave the house again without a coat, it's almost as if my safety blanket has been removed. (Is that weird?!). Oh and don't even get me started on Christmas!
Make-up - Seemingly superficial but never the less of vital importance alongside Fashion, to me I can never know enough about the industry, be overwhelmed by the range of products just waiting to be discovered or not get excited over the prospect of a good ol' sale. The happiness gained from buying something beautiful (and even better if its at a bargain price) is most definitely addictive.

Competition time! To win your own bespoke Angel gift all you have to do is create a mood board/ montage of your most cherished addictions and share them on instagram. Make sure you include the hashtag #AngelAddiction and @Mugler and @amandamoss10 so I can select three winners. The competition will close on Friday 21st November and the winners contacted within 48 hours. Good Luck!

Amanda xx


Yumi // Distant Galaxies Collection

This Autumn/Winter, clothing brand Yumi known for their vibrant and quirky prints, are launching an exciting new collection entitled Distant Galaxies. Taking inspiration from fairy tales, cosmic fantasies, and our enchanting solar system it features Galactic themes of dazzling star scattered skies, whimsical winter florals and captivating tribal prints each set to a backdrop of striking textures and light reflective materials.

I was recently contacted to style a piece of my choice from the collection and so I opted for The Distant Digitals Dress which is still in keeping with my girly fashion sense but also proved to be super versatile.

-Look No.1: The Overdressed Biker
Dress: Yumi // Jacket: Zara // Hat: Asos // Shirt: H&M // Bag: Zara // Belt: New Look 



-Look No.2: The Feminine Way
Dress: Yumi // Coat: Pink Soda via Bank //Bag: Asos // Shoes: Asos // Belt: Asos


-Look No.3: The Layered Up Look
Dress (worn as skirt): Yumi // Jumper: Topshop // Coat: Topshop // Necklace: H&M // Bag: Zara


The dress is such high quality and true to size, I was originally planning on showing it in just one outfit but I found it incredibly easy to style so thought I'd share with you a couple more options of how to work it into your everyday wardrobe. 

The Distant Galaxies Collection is available to buy online now on the Yumi website, it contains gorgeous pieces to suit all styles and occasions. Hopefully this blog post has shown how the collection can be dressed up or down and incorporated into your own personal style. Take a look and I'm sure they'll be something that catches your eye.

Be sure to let me know which is your favourite of my three looks in the comments below :) 

Amanda xx

Little Black Coat







Coat: Topshop // Shirt: Urban Outfitters // Skirt: Urban Outfitters // Bag: Zara // Watch: Michael Kors

I've had my eye on this coat for quite some time now but I've only ever seen it available in store in the Topshop petite range and it has been sold out for a number of weeks on the website. Feeling disheartened I decided to try the petite version on regardless of the fact I'm 5ft 6 and by no means petite, yet surprisingly I'm pretty happy with the fit. The fact its not as long in the body means my skirt peaks out the bottom and although I've read a couple of reviews slating the normal version's sleeves for being too short, as this one is petite they look more 3/4 length which is a nice bonus as it lets me show off my beloved watch.

This weekend has been a fairly chilled one for me! It's consisted of reading endless history articles for uni, a jaunt to Costa, watching Back to the Future and a spot of lane swimming with my best friend in an attempt to burn off the alcohol and post night-out food rampage that occurred on Friday evening. The weekends always  seem to fly by!

Amanda xx