We're getting a puppy!

Now that I've finally said (or typed) it out loud it seems all the more real.

It's official, the fiance and I are making the next step in our life together and getting a puppy. On Sunday past, we made the long ass drive down to Manchester to pick out our new baby - a little black pug (eeeeeek!). I'm a whole bag of emotions just at the thought of it. Excitement, nerves and utterly smitten are just a few of the feelings in there.

'So, how did I decide to get a puppy?' you may be asking yourself. Well, my friends let me tell you. This was not a spontaneous decision and in my opinion never should be. We've actually been speaking about potentially getting a puppy for around two years now with the plans to get one for Christmas 2016. Up until about two months ago I didn't actually know if our wishes would become reality but after the surprise proposal in October it felt more right than ever. With a wedding in the works and a very scary savings plan kicking off in January (*gulp* - my wardrobe will never forgive me) it was perfect timing. Now that spending money will be at a minimum, weekends in the park with our puppy sounds like the perfect trade. Don't you agree?

I had the luxury of getting to visit her again this weekend as, wait for it,.... one of my friends has bought one of her brothers!! I'm so excited that we'll have siblings that will always be able to see each other. Puppy training classes will now be all the more fun.

We pick up our little lady on the 17th of December so we have four weeks to get ready for her. A bed, leash, collar, bowls, a blanket, toys, insurance and a cute outfit (of course) are on the shopping list. I can't wait until the moment we're driving back to Glasgow with her on my lap! I'm considering vlogging the whole experience (yep, I said it. VLOGGING) so let me know if you would like to see this.

I'm so excited for this next chapter of our lives. I know it's not going to be easy and adjusting our life to fit in a dog will be a challenge but I'm ready for it.

XoXo

Winter booties: this season's must-haves

I'm back with another outfit post and this one comes with a side of puppy cuteness. Yep, that itty bitty tiny face is in fact my future in-laws new chihuahua. Isn't he the CUTEST?! I'm literally in L.O.V.E.

After a lazy morning on the couch with this little fella, The Fiance and I climbed up to a mini forest to grab some pictures as the sun set for another day. It's not often I get my legs out in the winter without tights (us cold blooded gals can't handle anything below 10 degrees) so I compensated with a cosy jacket from River Island, a big fluffy scarf and my new Public Desire booties. After being on the hunt for a new pair of heeled ankle boots I ended up buying two pairs from my favourite footwear site. Of course my intention was to send one pair back but you know what us gals are like and after falling in love with both pairs I happily flung that idea out of the window.

These are the Cayden Sock Boots and my slightly fancier pair that I plan to wear when going to bars or events. I also picked up the Chloe Persepex Boots which have a slightly shorter heel and are more suited for work and days out. I love the Yeezy feel of the sock boots and think they're SO flattering on. I got them when there was 20% off so they cost a bargain £32! I'd recommend hanging off for a voucher code with Public Desire if you're thinking of buying anything as they're always sharing them.

Jacket - River Island

Boots - Public Desire 

Skirt - H&M (similar)

Scarf - Zara

Hat - stolen from my bestie 

Don't puppies just make pictures ALL the better? I actually have some exciting news for you in my next post that all my fellow puppy lovers are going to love. Stayed tuned!

XoXo

Brunching, Burgers and Blogger Events - October in pictures

I'm not going to lie, when Tuesday marked the beginning of a new month and more specifically the end of October, I was relieved! Last month there were so many highs and lows that I was simply  emotionally exhausted. Feeling ready for a fresh start - November was my saviour.

I don't want to look back and remember the crappy times so thought I would round-up the highlights of my month - and let me tell you, there was plenty of them!

I started off the month with a delicious champagne brunch at Cote Brasserie. After heading along to their 1st birthday celebration a few weeks before, myself, Victoria and Rachel headed back for more brunch and bubbles. I really love this spot for a lazy weekend brunch. The menu is delicious and really affordable! Plus there's a lovely relaxed ambience and pretty interiors - what more could you want. Definitely one of my top recommendations for weekend brunch.

Next up, was our engagement party! We had the best night with our nearest and dearest and were completely spoiled by everyone who came along.

Location - the party was held at Loks Bar and Kitchen in Shawlands - I'd highly recommend this spot for anyone planning a party in Glasgow. It's modern, right next to a train station and the staff are super helpful and friendly.
Cake - we (finally) managed to get the perfect cake from @MeganRoooney (Insta). I knew what I wanted and she completely nailed it. It was almost too good to eat. Almost!
Dress - I picked up this gorgeous white dress from Missguided's premium collection. I purchased it when there was 20% off the website so it was really affordable and I totally loved wearing it! I also had my make-up done by my talented little cousin, Naomi. She's amazing - check out her page here.

Two events in the one night - Specsavers #LoveGlasses Press Show and the Glasgow Therapie Clinic launch.

Held at BoConcept, we checked out the new glasses collection at Specsavers. There were a lot of nice brands on show, food from Martha's, a braid bar from Blow and a candy cart - I'm sure you can guess where I was at. Now I really need to get my eyes checked. It's only been, what, 15 years or so?!

Victoria and I then popped into Therapie Clinic on St Vincent St. They specialise in laser hair removal - something I've never tried (and not sure I'd be brave enough to!). They also offer facials though and sell a bunch of brands I've never tried before but look great. We actually got a sample of Image Skincare Vital C in our goody bag which I'm really excited to try out as I've heard a lot of good things about this brand.

Finally, although not technically within the month of October, this week we were invited along to the launch of Gourmet Burger Kitchen at Glasgow Fort. I never been to a GBK before but the food was de-lish! It's like a Nandos in that you need to go up to the cashier to order but everything we tried was spot on. Especially those cheesy truffle fries......

XoXo

The beginning of our everything.

Normally on The Girl with the Big Hair you'll find me rambling on about fashion, beauty, travel adventures or blogger events however I rarely delve into my personal life. I'm not sure if it's because I prefer to keep that side of my life private or there's just not been anything significant that I thought would fit into a full blog post. Well, here's where that's all about to change.

Today, I'd like to tell you all about the moment I was asked, 'Will you marry me?'.

I woke up on the 17th of September thinking it would be just like any other day. It was the day after The Boy and I reached our five year anniversary and to celebrate he was taking me to Loch Lomond to enjoy a picnic.  After a two hour journey we reached Luss, gathered our supplies and walked along a stretch of beach to find a quiet spot. Blankets, cheese and bread, prosecco, and even a cupcake stand - it was the perfect picnic and I was suitably impressed. As the hours passed by, the sun began to set and the beach became somewhat quiet. As I was poured my final glass of prosecco, I looked around, simply soaking up the pretty views of the loch in silence. In that moment, I hear The Boy call my name, I turn around, and he's propped on one knee with a ring box in his hand. My heart stopped a beat. It was then a mixture of me exclaiming 'are you kidding me on?' and The Boy giving me his meaningful words before I gleefully explained, 'well yes!' and the ring was placed on my finger. 

The moments following I was almost in dis-belief at what just happened. A mixture of happy tears, kisses, cuddles and pictures made up the next hour, and as what just happened began to sink in, I was filled with complete happiness. It's truly difficult to describe a moment so magical in just a few words but this really was one of the most precious, surreal, and special moments of my (our) life. 

Loch Lomond is our place. It's the place of so many happy memories and somewhere we always love to go to escape the city. Now it's so much more than that and I'm so thankful our little spot of heaven is just a short car drive away. 

I once read a quote about moments in life. It goes: 'Live for the moments you can't put into words'. This was truly one of those. 

XoXo 

Tenerife Style Diary

Waow. It has been a while, hasn't it? Or perhaps you've been soaking up every last bit of summer just like me and time has somehow disappeared in the blink of an eye. Either way, I'm back after a solid six weeks off from the blog. I've got A BUNCH of pictures, stories, and favourites that I can't wait to share with you so lets kick it off with my holiday outfits round-up.

It's been a short three (and a bit) weeks since I returned from our holiday in Tenerife and the tan in my skin has almost faded completely. In our nine days away, we made the most of days by the pool, eating until our hearts were content and some solid R&R time. A few of my favourite memories include sunset watching while sipping on prosecco, visits to the oh-so-popular Siam water park and Loro Parque, and my first volcano visit to Mount Teide - more on that later.

On today's post I thought I would share my holiday style diary. I had a tight holiday wardrobe budget so tried my best to buy sensibly and only purchase items that I could also wear day-to-day in sunny Scotland. So, white summer dresses and tropical print two pieces were a no-no. Instead I opted for silky camis, denim skirts, metallic bodies and pink shimmery culottes (which FYI I'm so excited to style up for A/W).

A Primark silk cami paired with this beaut denim skirt from River Island - thanks sis. 

My trusty lace black top from Zara (sold out) with a bodycon skirt and Moschino belt.

A ribbed long sleeved bodycon dress with high neck (similar here) paired with my strappy Topshop heels. 

A oldie but a goldie racer back crop from the Nicole Sherzinger x Missguided range (circa 2014) with the ripped denim skirt. 

A gorgeous metallic silver body from Zara paired with a black bodycon skirt also from Zara (similar here) complete with my my new Missguided heels - which FYI have gone missing... come back!

I've loved looking back on all of my holiday pictures and can't wait to share a few more next time.

XoXo

A very special Monday

Okay, let me start off by apologising for my lack of presence here on my blog. I don't want to hit you with excuses but there just happens to be a few small things that have got in the way of me blogging over the last month. 1. it's Summa time and well, I've pretty much turned into a social butterfly. Every week is jam packed with plans - not like I'm complaining but it certainly leaves less time for blogging. 2. It was my birthday a couple of weeks ago and well, extra work is a no no throughout birthday week. I absolutely love blogging but it definitely feels like a part time job and something I don't like to rush. 3. I've been suffering from a burst of writers block. I honestly have whipped the laptop out on a few occasions but when it came to putting thoughts to keyboard nothing was flowing. So there you have it - three very acceptable excuses for my temporary departure.

Now onto the post. You may be wondering what this 'very special Monday' is all about so lets get started. A few Monday's ago I had a half day from work to see Rihanna at Hampden later that evening. While at home getting ready for the concert I received a phone call from one of my colleagues. Thinking it was a work-related question I un-enthusiastically answered the phone to a conversation I really did not expect. It went something like:

Me: "Hi, is everything okay?"
Colleague: "Have you checked your emails recently?"
Me: "No, what's happened?"
Colleague: "Well, basically, you've won a competition with Sheerluxe..."
Me: "WHAT?!?! ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!?!"
Colleague: "Yes - you've won an Hermes bracelet and £500 to spend on a website."
Me: *screams with excitement* "Aghhhhhhhh. OMG ARE YOU  KIDDING ME ON. XPOE&$BDKF*T£$NF%NFWF*@DQY"$"FBSOSCS"
Colleague: *Laughing* "The girl has emailed you. Check your emails."

And off I go with the biggest grin on my face. I couldn't even really remember what the competition was or what the bracelet looked like but I was excited to say the least. After going back and forth with the lovely team at Sheerluxe it was confirmed that I had won one hell of a package! Not only did I win this lovely leather and rose gold bracelet but I also won a years supply of Biscuiteers boxes. These biscuits are to die for and are going to help me out massively with present gifting over the year. See pictures below (sorry they're just iPhone snaps!). I also won £500 worth of GHD products. So for the first time in my life I'm the proud owner of a very lovely white straightening iron. As well as a hair dryer, curling wand and an abundance of hair products to ensure I never have a bad hair day again. I also won a £500 voucher to spend on SpaBreaks.com - so if you have any spa recommendations I'd love to hear them! And finally, £500 to spend on the pre-owned designer website, Vestiaire Collective. I've already spent my voucher on a very exciting purchase that I'll share on the blog shortly. I think it's actually due for delivery tomorrow. EEEK.

I'm honestly still in shock that I won such an amazing prize. I feel like a very lucky girl indeed. Since winning my prize I think every single one of my friends has signed up to Sheerluxe and entered every one of its competitions. LOL. But honestly, if you've haven't signed up to the websites daily newsletter, do it! I've spoken about it here on the blog before because it honestly is my favourite website. If you want inspiration for fashion, beauty, food, and lifestyle then Sheerluxe will provide this daily to your inbox at around 11am everyday. I swear I've not been paid to promote this, I genuinely just LOVE it.

 One Biscuiteers box for myself - and of course I chose the 'Fashion Box'.

One for my little cousin and her future husband. AKA 'The Future Mr & Mrs O'Brien', just in case you can't read that icing. This is the wedding bells box. 

The 'Anniversary box' for my sister and her husband to celebrate two beautiful years of marriage together! 

It feels good to be back and I promise I won't be gone for as long next time.

I hope you all have a lovely Sunday, whatever you're doing. I'm having a relaxing morning before I need to pick up The Boy from a drop off point following an alcohol infused stag weekend in Dublin. I'm guessing it will be a movie and munchies evening for us. No complaints here!

Happy Sunday lovelies.

XoXo