New Hair at Trendz Studio Brisbane

Back in August, I was the unfortunate victim of a hair disaster after giving a new, too-affordable hairdresser in the city permission to colour my hair. While the condition of my hair wasn't affected much, I was left with a super dark, ashy brown hair colour with choppy ashy-to-grey blonde highlights throughout the top. Needless to say, it was a huge knock to my confidence and I found myself desperately searching for a good hairdresser that could fix the mess.

I discovered Trendz Studio, a salon well-known for their blonde and balayage with studios in Cleveland (Brisbane's Southern Suburbs) and the Gold Coast. I went to the Cleveland studio as it was the closest to me of the two. If you're thinking of booking with them, be warned - you need to book in advance, or be able to drop in at a day's notice (or even the same day) as they are so popular that they are often booked out for several weeks in advance and the only way to nab an earlier appointment is by taking over a cancellation. It's totally worth it though! Personally, I booked around mid to late September for my appointment on the 26th of October, which was one of the earliest available.

I arrived with a few pictures of my ultimate goal colour in hand, knowing I'd probably need to come back for a second appointment to reach the exact colour I want (and knowing me and my indecisive-ness, I'll probably keep wanting to change something anyway). The girl doing my hair was lovely and we discussed what I was wanting and what we were going to do, I felt pretty confident with everything by the time we started on my hair.

The appointment took approximately three and a half hours, and I've gotta say I was pretty darn pleased with the end result! I went from drab and dull ashy brown, to a gorgeous neutral-toned brown to blonde balayage! I really didn't think my hair would lighten so much in one go, and it was so healthy afterwards (possibly more so than before - and likely thanks to the Olaplex treatment they used). It only cost me $320 including a root colour to diffuse the previous choppy highlights, which was cheaper than some of the mainstream and popular options around Brisbane which was great!

I did end up going back a week later to have a warmer toner run through my hair to resemble the tones I had wanted, as my hair had a few too many ashy tones the first time around. The toner was complimentary, and gave me the warmth I needed!

I'm really happy with my new hair, just in time for my upcoming trip to London and Europe, and then summer back home straight afterwards!

Check out Trendz Studio's amazing Instagram feed here!

What do you think of my new hair? Have you had any big hair changes lately, or any salon horror stories you'd like to share? Let me know with a comment below!

x Chontelle

Topshop Ripped Denim Jamie Jeans | Review

Finding the perfect pair of jeans is honestly one of the most difficult things a girl can do, but it is absolutely essential! I've spent the better part of the last 12 months doing just that and I seem to have found my perfect match: the Topshop Jamie Jeans!

With the mid-high rise, skinny fit, and perfect amount of fabric flexibility (neither the too-legging like jeggings, nor the thick and stiff 'proper' denim), these jeans fit like a glove and make me look and feel incredible! These are actually my second pair of Jamie Jeans, but I've been wearing them so much over the last few weeks that I just wanted to share my thoughts on them with those of you who may be interested or even considering purchasing them for yourself!

One major difference between this pair, and the Black Jamie Jeans I already own is that the fabric does feel a little thinner or more flexible, which I don't mind at all! I think this may have something to do with the fact that these have the two ripped knees, because I've tried on a few different colours with distressed detailing and they all seem to be made of less 'structured' material than their un-ripped alternatives. This isn't a bad thing at all - I feel like the extra flexibility is needed for ripped jeans because after all, they're a more casual and relaxed look and you want to be able to sit cross-legged and be more comfortable in them!

These jeans are super comfy and very flattering, especially on someone like me with a relatively 'straight up-and-down' figure as the higher waist and slim fit shows off a bit of shape. Also, they keep their shape after being washed (hand-washed, most of my clothes get hand-washed because it's the most gentle way of cleaning them and means they will generally look better and last longer)! Honestly, at only $95 AUD (or $86 AUD with the in-store student discount!!) they're great quality and relatively affordable jeans that will fit right in to any wardrobe!

What do you think of these jeans - do you have a pair of your own? Are you thinking about purchasing any sometime soon? Leave a comment letting me know!

x Chontelle

Neck Tie & Mom Jeans

My Outfit:

Neck Tie - Dissh

Cami - Cotton On

Mom Jeans - ASOS

Handbag - Colette

Sandals - Famous Footwear

It's officially winter today - and by winter I mean the equivalent of an early autumn in most parts of the world, thanks Brisbane! I hope you've all been well! 

There's been quite a bit going on in my life lately, and honestly it's a bit too much for me to be unloading all into this one outfit post so I think I'll have to put together a dedicated post to catch you guys up with everything - I might even make a video on my channel to go over everything - but as long as you're following this blog or subbed over on my channel you'll see as soon as I update (not-so-subtle hint right there)!

Let's just say things have been pretty busy and stressful of late, but I think I've decided how I'm going to move forward and I already feel like a weight has been lifted! Anyway, on to the outfit!

I actually threw this look together in just a couple of minutes as I was rushing to get ready for uni last minute (as usual), so I was pleasantly surprised with how it turned out! I purchased this lovely black neck tie from Dissh for only $15 a week ago because I'm a bit lacking in accessorising pieces right now and wanted something current yet classic that I could wear with most of the pieces already in my wardrobe. I love that this tie can be worn in so many different ways, however today I chose to tie it into a bow for this look and love the classic feminine touch it adds to the outfit!

The cami is a basic check print with lace trimmings at the top. I actually bought this about a year ago and never really knew how to wear it for some reason, but I wanted something cool and simple today and it was the first thing that caught my eye! The lace trimming is actually a lovely touch that is very on trend right now with the cami/slip 90's trend that's been quite popular lately, so I guess you could say I saw it coming (or my obsession with 90's grunge got the best of me, either way)!

I'm in love with these denim, ripped knee Farleigh mom jeans from ASOS. I was terrified of taking a risk with buying mom jeans instead of my regular high-rise skinnies but I told myself to take a risk because I adore how they look on others, and lo-and-behold, I adore how they look on me! They're so comfy, so flattering, the ripped knees make them super wearable for everyday and the light blue colour is so lovely! I've already started saving for three more pairs from ASOS that I'll hopefully be getting in the near future!

I hope you enjoyed this post and love the look, please let me know what you think by leaving a comment down below telling me your thoughts and what you like most about this look! I'd also love any recommendations on what you'd like to see next on the blog!

xoxo,

Chontelle

The Striped Maxi Skirt

Hey loves, hope you're all doing great! <3

You've probably noticed by now that there's two things I can't get enough of - monochrome and stripes. So of course I fell in love when I saw this gorgeous maxi skirt hanging in the sale section of my local Dissh store. I was supposed to be on a spending ban, but for only $40 (down from about $70 or so!!!) it was too good to pass up! And anyway, there's always next week to save, right?

This skirt fits so nicely (I was in a rush before work when I took these photos though, so please excuse the fact that I didn't fully zip it up - oops!), it's the perfect length and is made of a nice, lightweight fabric so it's nice and cool for those humid Brisbane days (and nights). It's also got a white mini-skirt underneath, which is essential with this type of skirt. I really love the way the long split elongates my legs and just makes me feel super cute & confident!

I've styled it with some black heels from Famous Footwear, an old black crop top from Supre, my silver bracelet from ASOS, and a necklace and some rings from Diva/Lovisa/Colette (I'll be honest, I've forgotten where exactly each one was from but it'd be a mix of those stores)! I actually wore this outfit the other day out to dinner with mum, and I can't wait to wear this skirt some more before it gets too cold and wintery here (as wintery as QLD can get, anyway)!

What do you think of this skirt and how I've styled it? Let me know down below!

xx Chontelle

City Check | OOTD

My Outfit:

Blouse - Melrose Avenue

Pants - Dotti

Shoes - Famous Footwear

Bag - Colette

Bracelet - Butterfly Silver

Hi loves! Hope you're all well and have had a great week!

Yesterday I had to head into the city to go to the doctors as well as uni, but of course I wanted to have a look around the shops too! The weather is a bit weird at the moment here in Brisbane, one minute it's cold and feels like we're about to reach winter, and the next it feels like the start of summer! So I played it safe with a pair of long printed pants that I got on sale from Dotti (only $19.95!), paired with a navy blouse I actually only bought the day before (also on sale, $20!) from Melrose Avenue. I love the way these pieces look together, especially with the suttle, understated check pattern on the shirt (you may not have noticed until now), everything seems to come together quite nicely!

As it got later though, I did regret not adding a cardigan to the mix. But with Brisbane-s bi-polar weather at the moment, how was I to know!? Next time, haha.

What do you think of this look? Leave a comment down below letting me know, and have a fab weekend!

xx Chontelle

Back to Uni Style 'Then and Now' with ASOS

Hey loves!

Today I've got a super fun (albeit a little bit embarrassing for myself) post for you! I recently teamed up with ASOS* on their Throwback to School campaign to give you guys some outfit inspiration for your return to study!

I'll be honest, up until quite recently, I used to think 'buy heaps of new trend pieces' was the way to go. As a result, I picked up a tonne of things I hated and that never looked good together, and my style suffered.

Exhibit A - My 'go-to' look for university back in 2014. Oh, dear. I guess it could be worse, but I never felt comfortable in this playsuit - the crazy patter was too much for me, I don't like orange on myself, and it wasn't well made so didn't fit comfortably.

Of course, I've learned from past mistakes, and my style has come a long way since then! I now invest in pieces that can work with a wide variety of other pieces in my wardrobe, and tend to stay in style. I've put together two simple, cute outfits that I would wear to uni now as a bit of inspiration for those of you about to start or return to uni (or even school, for those of you lucky enough not to have a uniform)!

As you can see, and as anyone who has been following my blog for a while now will know, I have a thing for black, white and grey. I just love the neutrals - they're classic, never go out of style, and always look good!

The first look I've put together is super casual, super comfy, and totally long-day-at-uni appropriate if you ask me. I've gone for a pair of ASOS' White High-Waisted Ridley Skinny Jeans*, which are seriously the comfiest things ever and soo flattering on. I was really scared of ordering jeans online due to sizing and all, but they fit absolutely perfectly (I bought a size W26L32 for reference, so they definitely fit true to size) and paired those with this Cheap Monday Logo Tee* (one of the many awesome brands stocked by ASOS) tucked in for an effortlessly cool everyday look. I also added this cute ASOS silver bracelet* which is quite simple and understated so it suits any look (and is totally my kind of jewellery). Of course, I had to round up this look with my Converse Dainty All Stars in black - as you can see I've gone for total comfort, without giving up on style.

The second outfit is this super cute, simple and comfy roll-neck knit swing dress*. It's actually from the brand New Look, which is one of the many brands stocked on ASOS. I threw on my ASOS bracelet* (again) because it just adds something to any outfit, so cute and simple. I've also got my everyday black mini-heels/sandals (probably not the right words but let's just go with it), which I wear with pretty much everything, haha. ASOS actually has a bunch of similar shoes that are totally affordable for you to check out if you want to try out this exact look for yourself!

ASOS has some really great, affordable and fashionable pieces for students and with a 10% off student discount, they're a really great option when shopping for you back to uni wardrobe! I hope the outfits I've put together have been helpful and given you some inspiration for your back to uni looks!

I've also put together a capsule collection of pieces you can find on ASOS that are totally essential for a laid-back but still stylish uni wardrobe below. Remember lots of these pieces can be mixed and matched to create so many new looks (which is what I'm all about, and is great for those of us on a uni student budget)! I especially love the range of jeans and backpacks available on the site!

Items: 1. Cheap Monday Logo Tee / 2. Pieces Tara Bracelet / 3. ASOS Shopper Bag / 4. ASOS The New Forever Tee / 5. ASOS Woven Harem Pants / 6. Ridley Black High Waist Skinny Jeans Shredded / 7. New Look High Neck Knitted Swing Dress / 8. Ridley High Waist Skinny Jeans White / 9. Adidas Originals Drawstring Backpack / 10. Converse Chuck Taylor All Stars Black