Madolyn Thinks

It is during this autumnal time of year that cropped jumpers are ideal and I am so happy to have recently introduced two new pieces into my wardrobe. The cropped style offers a relaxed feel that can be dressed both up or down. It also means that you can stay cosy and warm without overheating, hello random October heat-waves in the middle of the day!

I absolutely love this cute, off-shoulder, mustard yellow number from Femme Luxe. I adore the casual vibe and find that the tighter waist combined with the over-sized body is so flattering. Although I wouldn't necessarily throw on my shorts during this weather, I wanted to showcase how lovely this jumper looks with high-waisted denim.

The other addition to my autumnal knitwear collection is this beautiful maroon piece, also from Femme Luxe, which is another cropped gem. I absolutely adore the colour of this jumper and I think that it will be a perfect staple that will carry me through from autumn to winter.

Both of these jumpers however are casual enough to be worn around the house, at the weekend or during a cosy evening at home. They are so comfortable and work perfectly when styled with a pair of high-waisted jogging bottoms - which is basically all I will live in from now until April next year! I think these would be perfect outfits for a night curled up on the sofa with a cup of hot chocolate and a good read, or when you have the girls round for a film night and a bottle of wine.

My everyday makeup doesn’t differ too much throughout the year. I will almost always wear a natural base, concealer, bronzer, blusher, highlighter, some form of brow product, eyeshadow, mascara and something on my lips. This is my classic go-to makeup palette, which for me is a complete fail safe.

I also have products that I use on a regular basis, such as liquid liner, lipsticks, false eyelashes, primer etc. However, I am most likely to wear these products on an evening or to something that is more of an occasion.

So, although I tend to have a pretty standard makeup collection all year round, it is the products themselves that I like to switch up on a seasonal basis.

I have also switched things up in terms of my bronzer. I have swapped my lighter, more golden and shimmery bronze block for a matte, chocolate brown bronzer. I find that it provides me with enough colour to give me a healthy glow, but it is a bit more subtle and seasonally appropriate for this time of year. I am still in love with the Nars Blush, Orgasm though and I have carried that through from summer.

I feel as though my eye makeup is the easiest to play with when it comes to varying my products on a seasonal basis. I love to pull out a lot of burnt oranges, reds, browns and golds and have a bit of a play with creating an autumnal smoky eye. I love this little palette from Mac that I put together using their singular shadows. I find that it is the perfect little quad that works great for autumn.

Although I often leave liquid liner for more of an evening look, I feel like daytime natural liner looks really nice during autumn/winter. I love using the gel Liners* from Esqido. They are so easy to apply as the gel-like formula glides beautifully over or under the lashes. They have a very buildable consistency and are super longwearing. I love the chocolate brown one for during the day, and the black one looks really nice on evening, especially when teamed with lashings of black mascara.

As for the finishing touches, I love to apply highlighter throughout the year, no matter what season it is. I have recently been using the Illuminator Highlight by NYX, which provides a very subtle, golden glow to the cheekbones. I also love to wear a bit of a neutral lip throughout the year, however I have recently started wearing San Francisco by NYX. This is one of their Soft Matte Lip Creams, which is a pinky neutral with a burnt orange undertone. I find that when I wear this with orange or red eye shadow, it really ties the whole autumnal makeup look together.

For those of you that read my blog regularly or follow me on social media, you may have noticed that I have not been online for about two months. I have had some very personal things to deal with in my life over the past eight weeks, and a lot of a adjusting to do. Whilst I’m not going to go into any detail right now, I just wanted to say a huge thank you to all of my friends and family who have been a major support system for me lately. 

So, after a two-month break I am excited to be back to doing something that I absolutely love; writing, creating and publishing blog posts. I have really missed everything that coincides with blogging; the brainstorming, the writing, the photography, the editing, uploading content to Instagram etc. etc. It has honestly felt like I have had a huge hole in my life over the past couple of months, and I am really pumped to get back into the swing of things.

I’m feeling doubly pumped because it is officially autumn now – my favourite time of the year! I know it seems like a cliché and not very inventive, but there really is something about this season that makes me feel so happy. 

Autumnal fashion is one of the main selling points for me. I absolutely love styling autumn inspired fashion pieces. I find that there is a pretty yet masculine casualness to autumnal outfits, which is the perfect combination for my aesthetic. Pairing over the knee boots with a short fitted skirt, worn with an oversized, tucked in jumper and an oversized scarf, complete with messy hair and pretty autumnal makeup equals my ideal outfit. 

It is most likely because I have pale skin and super dark hair and eyes, but I think that the autumnal colour palette really suits me. I love maroon, burnt oranges, chocolate browns and mustard yellows. I think it all just feels so warm and cosy, and I find it very flattering. It looks so pretty when these colours are not only in my wardrobe, but also in my makeup stash. So, it is around this time of year that I like to bring out all of my red/orange-toned eye shadows and deep pinky-red lip products. I just find it so pretty and seasonally appropriate. 

The weather also plays a huge part in my love for the season of autumn. I love blustery walks to work, the chilly/crisp mornings followed by glorious sunshine at lunch and the darker evenings that make everything feel so cosy… I also like the idea that you know where you stand a bit more. In the UK the summer/spring weather can be quite unpredictable, in autumn I feel like I can be a little more prepared and confidently walk out of the house in a jumper, jeans and some ankle boots, accompanied with a scarf and an umbrella and know that I have all bases covered. 

Autumn also marks Halloween and Bonfire Night, two of my favourite events of the year. Although Halloween can sometimes feel a bit stressful on the build up (hello scrolling through Pinterest every night for five weeks trying to find inspiration for the perfect outfit) it is always fun on the night. I love getting ready and dressing up, or even if I don’t have a party to go to, staying in, getting a load of Halloween treats and having a movie marathon. It’s probably something to do with my love of Harry Potter, but I just find Halloween so magical and exciting!

Bonfire Night is another favourite. I love the food, fireworks, getting all dressed up in warm clothing and drinking cider around the fire. My parents usually host a huge Bonfire Party at their house, so there is probably some nostalgia thrown in there, but I always have such a good time. 

I am really looking forward to the weeks ahead, and I have some new content planned that I am excited to get published. Thank you so much again to everyone that reads and supports my blog or follows me on social media, it really does mean a lot to know that you’re still here!