When In Rome

The eternal city is undoubtedly my favourite place in the entire world, bold statement I know but if you've been there you'll know what I mean. The street food. Do I need to say anymore? Fresh pizza on the go is the work of the gods. And obviously being a bit of a ancient history fanatic this is obviously the perfect place for me but you don't need to have any previous knowledge of the Roman Empire to enjoy the sites here. Entry into museums and monuments are generally really reasonable but if you're a student make sure you take your student card as it will get you discount - even better, if your degree is in historical studies you get in free. A recommendation of mine is Torre Argentina Cat Sanctuary which isn't on the beaten tourist track. The Sanctuary does some amazing work looking after strays that live amongst the ruins where Julius Caesar was murdered in 44BC. You just couldn't make this stuff up. 

I stayed at ARS Hotel which was truly amazing. The staff were unbelievably helpful and their English was a heck of a lot better than my Italian (learning Italian is definitely on my list, somewhere). Although it's a 20/25 minute bus ride to the centre of Rome the public transport is really good and reasonably priced, buses run up until midnight from central Rome. 

Italian being my favourite food I was naturally in heaven here but my favourite restaurant by far was the Mercato Hostaria at Piazza Campo di Fiori. When I picture real Italian cuisine this is what springs to mind. The service was great, the food amazing and the wine reasonably priced. It wasn't the cheapest place I ate while I was there but the prices were reflected in the meal. 

For me this was the perfect time of year to go, it was around 23 degrees most days which was perfect for a bit of site seeing as it can get extremely hot at the height of summer. If you have any tips for sightseeing in Rome, where to eat or way to stay please let me know - I'm already planning my next trip back!

Alice & Grace xo

Bank Holiday Vibes

Since we haven't left the library in what feels like 100 years, we thought a chilled bank holiday weekend was just what we needed to interact with the human race again. We didn't do anything to hardcore though, we are sensible third years in prep for adult life after all, just a few cocktails with friends and a well deserved lie in! 

Jacket~ American Eagle Outfitters

Jumper~ Primark

Pants~ Forever 21

Sneakers~ Primark 

Jacket ~ Topshop

T-shirt ~ Cheap Monday

Belt ~ Topshop

Watch ~ Urban Outfitters

Jeans ~ Asos

Sandals ~ Topshop

Alice & Grace xo

The Trainer Edit

Flats are the footwear to be seen in this season (thank god) & what's even better is trainers are having a rather glorious fashion moment right now. At last it's acceptable to wear your running trainers on a day to day basis & still be on trend. Being a bit of a trainer fanatic myself this new take on everyday sportswear has been warmly welcomed. My collection is slowly growing, although a good trainer can be quite pricey but it's worth the investment. 

My current collection: New Balance (current favourites), Nike Free+ & trusty old (& well loved) Converse.

Despite already having a few pairs my trainer wish list is growing (pretty quickly). Here's a few of my pay day picks…

Adidas Gazelle ~ £67

Nike Free 5.0 Tr Fit 4 ~ £85

Tech Super Trainers by Topshop X Adidas Originals ~ £90

Zara Sneakers ~ £59.99


Alice & Grace xo

The #nomakeupselfie for Cancer Research

As you've probably seen (unless you've been living off under a rock this week) the #nomakeupselfie has taken over social media. In aid of Cancer Research lots of ladies have been daring to bare in order to raise awareness for breast cancer. It's been a controversial matter that's got a lot of people talking so we thought you'd like to hear our opinions on the beauty phenomenon! So, check out our selfies & get donating…

Alice

When I first saw this trend taking off on Facebook I'm not going to lie, I was dreading the moment someone nominated me. While I'm not in to wearing loads of makeup I still like it as a sort of comfort blanket. But when I did finally get nominated I gave myself a good talking to for being so vain - this project has raised so much awareness and money (8 million pounds the last I heard?!) which is truly unbelievable considering they're not even sure how it started. Unfortunately my family has been affected by the big C in the past couple of years so I can assure you every single penny helps those diagnosed with cancer & their families! Even if you don't agree with the campaign you're still talking about it ain't ya? Point proven! Now donate please…

Grace

When I fist saw my feed filled with beautiful bare faces I thought it was great! Finally social networking being used for something useful (and it beats seeing half naked uni students necking tequila, although somtimes that is pretty funny). But then I started seeing those slating status', you know the ones sayin 'it's a fad and no one really cares', 'just another excuse for a selfie', 'they have a cure anyway it's all a conspiracy' and the worst 'girls, quite frankly, you all look disgusting'...It was mind boggling. I mean, what's the difference between trends like this and Sports Relief or Red Nose Day? All of them are commercialised on the run up to the event, pull in a mass sum of money and then slip off the radar for a while. WHO CARES?! It's for charity. #DontHateDonate

If you haven't already please text 'BEAT' to 70007 to donate £3 to Cancer Research UK, it really is that easy.

R.O.I text 'PINK' to 50300 to donate 4Euro to the Irish Cancer Society

Alice & Grace xo

OOTD #1

Just because our degree & being a third year insist we spend the majority of our lives in the library doesn't mean we need to start dressing in sweats all the time (yet, give us until dissertation deadline & we might be saying something entirely different…). 

Today's OOTD is all about my current obsession with Topshop Boutique. It may be a little more expensive than usual but I'm completely sold & my collection is slowly growing. This top is 100% silk and feels absolutely gorgeous. I know for a fact I'll be wearing it for years to come so I can justify the splurge, right?

What I wore…

Mac Coat ~ Zara, £69.99

Oversized Top ~ Topshop Boutique, £85

Jeans ~ Topshop, £36

Heeled Chelsea Boots ~ Topshop, £45

Handbag ~ Michael Kors

Watch ~ Urban Outfitters, £24

Necklace ~ Camden Market, London

Alice & Grace xo

Jack Wills Brit Pack: Alice & Grace Meet Josef Craig

So it's been a while since our last post, apparently third year is actually a lot of hard work - who knew?! But we're back with a super exciting post. We were lucky enough to be invited by Jack Wills to meet a member of their JW Brit Pack. This is a campaign which follows Britain's up and coming inspirational new talents. Enter local boy & Paralympian Josef Craig MBE, gold medalist and world record breaker - genuinely one of the nicest guys we have ever had the pleasure to meet (and he's only just turned 17)!

The floor was open for questions and we were also given the chance to have a one on one chat with Josef after the event (we both fell a little bit in love). Here's what he had to say:

A&G: What is your favourite thing about being British?

JC: Just being British! I'm very Patriotic and proud to be British. Meeting the Queen was such an honour, she was really nice. I even put on my posh voice for her! (he said in his thick South Shields accent).

A&G: What did it feel like winning gold?

JC: Getting gold was my greatest achievement and being awarded an MBE was my greatest honour.

A&G: Do you see yourself as a role model?

JC: It's up to you, you could go away today thinking I'm a tool but I hope I have inspired some people.

A&G: Have you ever used your gold medal to pick up the ladies?

JC: No I honestly haven't! (we would but he's too much of a nice guy for that)

A&G: Do you ever allow yourself a cheat day?

JC: I'm partial to a jaffa cake (cue the great debate; is the jaffa cake a cake or a biscuit!?)

A&G: Who do you think is the best dressed male on the scene at the minute?

JC: Leonardo Dicaprio always looks good, very sharp.

A&G: Describe your style in three words…

JC: Ultra smart, clean.

A&G: Finally, what advice can you give to an aspiring athlete?

JC: You just have to go for it, you make your own destiny.

The man himself looking rather dapper whilst being interviewed

A cheeky look behind the scenes - keep an eye out on the Jack Wills website to see the interview!

It was such a pleasure to meet someone who has achieved so much but remains humble (and impeccably dressed). Keep an eye out for him representing Britain at the 2016 Paralympics. 

Who says nice guys don't come out on top? 

Alice & Grace xo

The Hangover Post

To kick things off; a massive happy New Year from both of us, we hope you guys had as much fun as we did! Alas, it's that time of year again & after a bit too much food, drink, partying then a bit more food we're not feeling our best. The detox begins & we're not just talking about the green food & mad exercise regime. It's time for a bit of TLC in your beauty regime as well! Here's a top products for giving your body a bit of a rest & time to revitalise:

Left to Right:

Aroma Salts - Stress Releasing 

For all the uni students out there you'll understand how stressful the Christmas holidays can be. The moral dilemmas you face are just too much: more booze or revision? It's a tough one we know. I got these as a present from my Mum for Christmas along with a Aroma candle. Most people who know me know I'm partial to a bath or two & for me it's the perfect way to unwind.

Origins - Clear Improvement

I try to use this face mask at least once every two weeks all year round to clear out my pores but I've definitely used it a lot more recently. It's a tad pricey at £22 but I think it's worth it. I especially like how it doesn't go rock hard on your skin & is really easy to wash off.

Elizabeth Arden - 8 Hour Cream

This is the holy grail product of all fashion & beauty bloggers. It does everything (well pretty much). It's perfect for this time of year when your skin needs a boost. You can use it on all sorts though, from shaping your eyebrows to giving your cuticles a bit of tender lovin' care. You also don't need very much meaning a tube goes a loooong way.

Lush - Mask of Magnaminty

If you're a regular reader you'll know we've raved about this facemask on Alice & Grace before. It's been a god send these past few weeks as the alcohol has taken it's tole on my skin. This may seem like a bit of a facemask overload but when teamed together the Origins & Lush masks work wonders on tired skin.

What are your post-New Years beauty must haves?

Alice & Grace xo