Monday 30 December 2013

Christmas Day OOTD


Hello loves,

How are you? Hope you had an absolutely lovely Christmas. I certainly did although I've definitely put on about 18 stone (New Year Resolution is to definitely start running again).

Anyway, it's been long time no blog so thought I'd ease myself back in with a simply simple Christmas Day Outfit of the Day. I know it's really late and most people are getting out of the Christmas mode into New Years Eve mode but whatever I've been busy eating chocolate.


Actually, everything I wore on Christmas Day this year I got as presents. In my stocking I got this awesome "Fashionista" t-shirt from Studded Petals. I'm really into graphic slogan tees at the moment so I know I'm going to get a lot of wear out of this. 


Then from my mama I got these beeeautiful sequinned harem pants from Missguided which I actually mentioned in my 'Peg Leg' post. I love them! They're like soft pyjamas on the inside and glam sequinned goddess on the outside. All my favourite things!

I didn't wear shoes because...I was inside all day. Duh! Kept all my make up minimal because I was too focussed on the ENORMOUS AMOUNTS OF FOOD!!

Jazzy trousers make me want to dance! 
So hope you had a lovely, lovely day! What did you wear? What did you eat? What did you get? 

Sunday 22 December 2013

Christmas Tag

Hello all, 
Christmas is dawning closer day by day and I for one and extremely over-excited!! I literally turn into a child at Christmas and no one can dampen my crimbo cheer. I must be one of the few people who work in retail who still love it. I remember the first time I worked Christmas my boss ominously told me it was the last Christmas I'd ever enjoy because working in a shop full of Christmas shoppers ruins it for you! All lies I love it now more than ever!

Anyway, I spotted this lil tag over on Charlotte's blog, Hobbits and HairDye, which everyone should check out and thought I'd give it a go myself to spread a bit more of the xmas cheer! Here we go (this is my first tag, be gentle)

What time of the year do you start your Christmas shopping?
December. Early December if I'm lucky! Usually I don't get mine finished until a week or so before Christmas. I'm too indecisive and picky about what I want to buy everyone. 

Do you have any festive recipes for food or drink you limit solely to the Christmas season to share?
I really hate most Christmassy desserts. Christmas pudding, Christmas cake, mince pies - they're all gross! I always have to make a replacement pudding so I can avoid Christmas pudding at all costs!

Tell me how Christmas goes down in your home.
I spend Christmas morning at my dad's house, we open our presents there as soon as we wake up. I usually have some kind of big chocolatey breakfast my dad has baked whilst my step-mum attempts to weigh a turkey! Always funny. Then I go round my mum's for Christmas dinner which is always served later than planned even though my mum insists "this year it will be on time". My grandma is always 2 hours later arriving than she said she would be. We open presents, eat dinner, veg for a bit then usually eat pudding and play cards. 

Do you have any Christmas traditions?
Like most families we have a lot of stupid Christmas traditions that would take years to explain and wouldn't be funny unless you're a born and bred Anteney. 

Do you have a favourite festive coffee?
I don't drink coffee because I am like a child and can't stand the sophisticated taste. This year Costa are doing a spiced Apple Juice which is my new winter obsession!
Spiced Warm Apple Juice. Get in ma belly!

What's your favourite Christmas song?
Christmas Wrapping by The Waitresses! Best Christmas song ever written (and I listen to it all year round). Let's all just take a moment to appreciate its genius! 


What do you do on Christmas Eve?
On Christmas Eve I go round my dad's house. We either have a huge Chinese take away or my dad and step-mum will make a ridiculous buffet for us to pig out on all night. We also usually have a kind of 'family present' like a game or a film that we can all do together on Christmas Eve to pass the time until the big day! 

What's your dream gift this year?
James Franco. With a bow on top. Or like...World Peace or whatever...

Describe your Christmas tree. How tall? Real or artificial? How is it decorated?
We've got a real one this year, it smells like one of those things that hangs in a taxi window! Me and my mum decorated it together with all the decorations we've had since I was little. It's not chic or sophisticated but it's definitely ours. 
Our tree this year - understated as ever
Do you decorate just the tree or other areas of your house e.g. windows, bannisters?
Umm we're not massive on the window decorations in my house but we do have a few bits and bobs. Usually we have tinsel round the banister and a christmassy mobile hangs up in the hallway. We've also got a really tacky nativity set that gets put up every year - can't be forgetting the baby Jesus!

What do you wear to Christmas parties and what do you wear on Christmas day?
For Christmas parties I like to dress as ridiculously as possible. I feel like December is the only month you can really get away with head-to-toe sequins so I always exploit that. Last year it was gold sequinned shorts for every occasion! On Christmas Day itself I like to be cosy, cosy, cosy. Usually just a big jumper and jeans so I can eat as much food as possible without restrictions!

So if you're reading this - I TAG YOU! I wanna know all about your Christmas! If you do this tag, leave me a link so I can read all about your festivities! 

Saturday 21 December 2013

Christmas Gift-spiration for him | Under £5

Hiya,

So I've got a bit of a confession to make...I'm a cheat. I know, I'm just as shocked as you. Last week when at work we sorted out our Secret Santa. I'm rubbish at Secret Santa, I always end up picking someone I don't know, I get ridiculously over-stressed and I can't stick to a budget. So anyway, I picked out a name and shock horror...I got the only male member of staff on the whole team. "Boys are hard to shop for" my brain screamed "Can't do this". So when no one was looking I promptly put the name back in the box and picked another much easier name. 

When I was putting together this little gift guide I realised what a nump I'd been! There's loads of things to get boys at Christmas. There's all sorts of obvious choices, my little brothers get Lynx every year (and they still don't get the hint). All the boys in my life love nothing better than showing off so these 'World's Hottest Chilli Powders' are perfect for testing what they're really made of! If you're feeling a bit kinder then a nice mug for tea or lovely fancypants Rococo chocolates are a good choice. I went to the Rococo shop a while ago and it really was the fanciest chocolate shop I had ever been to! 

If you're still at a lost just indulge the hipster that lurks inside everyone with the fish eye iPhone lens. Make their Instagram even more pretensh! 

So that's my last gift guide...hope you've enjoyed them! Have you finished all your shopping? I've still got a few little bits and bobs to go - nothing quite like leaving things to the last minute! 

Friday 20 December 2013

Christmas gift-spiration for her | Under £5

Heyaaa, 

How's your shopping doing? I'm sure you've done most of it by now but there's still times to get a few little bits and bobs. 

I kind of prefer getting people a few little gifts rather than one big gift. If you're struggling with presents for someone this year then it might be an idea to make them a little goody bag or a stocking and just fill it up with smaller cheaper  gifts. This year I'm particularly skint so I'm definitely going to be stocking up on small presents.

Nail varnishes and mini cosmetics like this mini perfume from Soap and Glory are pretty easy to get hold of. There's also loads of stuff on Etsy like the cute shell candles and mojito lip balm which are a bit more unusual...

P.s how awesome is the Harry Potter picture? I'm not even a Potterhead and I think it's cool! Definitely know a few people who would love to find that under the tree...

What's This, Fortune Cookie Soap, $3.96 // Feather Bobby Pin, Crown & Glory, £5 // Evil Eye Midi, ShopDixi, £5 // Mirror of Erised Dictionary Page, The Digital Art Tree, £3.12 // Chameleon Colour in NP332, BarryM, £3.99 // Mojito Lip Balm, Sweet Cecily's, £3.25 // Mist You Madly Mini, Soap & Glory, £3.50 // Giraffe Zipper Pouch, J Pat Purses, £5

Thursday 19 December 2013

Christmas Gift-spiration for him | Under £10

Helllo, 
So I've had a bit of a break from posting for a while. The end of the semester got super crazy busy with work and essays but I'm back home now. Ready to relax and eat too much food. 

Boys can be so hard to shop for (believe me I've got 4 half/step brothers!) so I've picked out a couple of little bargain presents to buy the men in your life. I've got a real love for personalised presents. Things like the pen knife below or the bicycle notebook are extra special if you get something engraved or printed on them. It just makes it look like you've put in that extra bit of effort. I like the idea of getting someone's name on a present but I think it's even nicer if you can get a nickname or a little personal joke on them. 

If they're someone you don't know so well then a nice pair of socks like these from Topman is always a solid choice. I also think this Cider Selection from Boots is just a ridiculously good deal. How often can you get 4 bottles of cider for £8?! Might just buy it for myself...

How's your shopping going? All done?

Customised Key Ring, RSVP Handcrafted, £6.28 // Personalised Swiss Army Knife, Engrave Me This, £10 // Wooden iPhone Cover, Notonthehighstreet, £9.99 // Cider Selection, Boots, £8 // Bike Notebook, Made By Ellis, £9 // Lord Of The Rings Map, The Green Dragon Inn, £10 // Socks, Topman, £6

Thursday 5 December 2013

Christmas Gift-spiration for her | Under £10

Hello,
Hope you're well. Been turned into a big festivity-induced stress ball yet? My plan this year is to ignore that I have my own body weight in shopping yet to do and just enjoy the Christmas lights and the mulled wine!

I've put together another little gift guide for the "her"s in your life. Being a massive cheapskate £10 is usually my starting price for everyone at Christmas time, unless they've been extra good that year! I've got a lot of step/half relatives in my family who I don't actually know that well so I don't really like to be an extravagant spender. I'd rather save some of my pennies to spend on my mumma and papa!

£10 is a good starting price, you can often get a lot for your money and end up looking super generous. I think this "Be Mine Boxset" from The Gobstopper is a perfect example of that! You're getting a good deal for your money and give this to one of the kids in your family and you'll be popular all year round (although maybe not with their parents).

I thought this Owl purse/bag from Accesorize was a great steal for £10 too. Defnitely looks more important and really versatile so whoever you buy it for would definitely be able to find a use for it.

Again, I've had a little hunt for some independent creatives this Christmas. I absolutely love this camera lens necklace from The Pendant Garden. It's got a totally cute vintage feel to it which would go down well with your "too cool for their own good" friends!

Hope you find this useful. How are you getting on with your Xmas shopping? 

Be Mine Box, The Gob Stopper, £9.49 // "Shhh..." Coffee Mug, ChantillyStay, £6.27 // "I Like Big Books" Tote Bag, ExLibrisJournals, £9.39 // Camera Pendant, The Pendant Garden, £9.05 // Tartan Scarf, £10, Boohoo.com // Glitter Mini Set, Models Own, £8 // Owl Purse, Accesorize, £9

Wednesday 4 December 2013

Christmas Gift-spiration for him | Under £20

Helllo,
So recently I've started a little series of Christmassy gift guides to offer a teeny bit of help in this, the most stressful of seasons! (I am very reluctant to call it a 'series' because I am notoriously bad at finishing or keeping up with series but let's give it a go!)

I find shopping for men nigh-on impossible! I have 4 brothers of varying ages and interest, plus dad, step-dad, brother-in-law and any other male relation who decides to pop by. None of them provide a list of course they're all particularly useless which means I absolutely hate shopping for them!

This year I've been trying to look a bit more outside the box for presents, having a good search on Etsy and smaller independent websites with the hope of finding some unusual things...which I think I have! My personal fave from the presents below is the Beard Tonic and Brush which I think is a brilliant idea, especially as after Movember more men are rocking the facial fuzz (and rightly so - I love a good beard!)

I also really liked the headphones I picked out, we sell them at work and despite the cheap(ish) price they are very good quality! They've got 2 jacks as well so you can share your music with other people, great idea for little brothers who you might be stuck for.

The links for all the other presents I've included are below in the caption as usual. Hope you find this helpful. Lemme know how you're getting on with your shopping!

Beard Tonic, Drksoapcompany, £12.71 // Cottage Delight Ginger Selection, Lakeland, £17.99 // Scratch-Off World Map, Notonthehighstreet, £18 // Get Fresh With Gift Set, Soap & Glory, £20 // Two Tone Headphone, Blott, £15.00 // Skull Fairisle Beanie, Topman, £20 // Gentleman's Shoe Shine Kit, Lakeland, £14.99

Tuesday 3 December 2013

Christmas Gift-spiration for her | Under £20

Heyaaa,

Tis the season to be jolly falalalalala...la. It's nearly Christmas, I've got my christmas jumper on, my Bieber Christmas album blasting, my house covered in tinsel...and absolutely no Christmas shopping done! Woohoo big cheer for lack of organisation.

This happens to me every year. I spend hours and hours as soon as November starts looking at possible Christmas presents online. I never actually buy any of it and by the time I get round to it...it's too late and it doesn't arrive in time! Well this year no more. I'm going to get it done in time and everyone will be super happy and I shall be the star of my family!

This year will be an extremely budget Christmas for me because I am a sad, cash-strapped student (cue violins and emosh close ups). No really, I always like to do Christmas on a budget. I'd much rather buy someone something small and nice and know I haven't broken the bank than splash out on something gratuitous and have no food for the coming year. Maybe it's my selfish side coming out...but I like to think of it as thrifty!

Anyway, I've decided to do a couple of little gift guides this crimbooo. First of is my "for her under £20" guide. I think "for her" can be a struggle sometimes, there's a big difference between what you'd buy your best friend and what you'd buy your grandma. Hope I've covered most bases here.

Lemme know if you like this, find it helpful, have seen something similar. Need all the help I can get with my shopping this year, I am a disaster.

Dotty Pug Purse, Poppy Treffry, £12 // Burgundy Backpack, New Look, £19.99 // Snowglobe Necklace, Punky Pins, £15 // Truffes Rose au Marc de Champagne, Rococco, £14.95 // Mary Berry's Christmas Collection, Waterstones, £14 // Love at First Shine Lip Gloss Set, Benefit, £19.50 // Elrin Crystal Quartz Earrings, Regal Rose, £14



Monday 2 December 2013

Peg Leg

Hiyaaa,

So it's officially December. How did that even happen? I'm pretty sure it was only just my birthday and now it's already Christmas. I'm never ready for the winter months in any sense. For example, at the moment I have absolutely no food in my house, very few jumpers and one pair of shoes. If I was a hibernating animal, I would die.

Anyway I always feel like winter is quite a hard season to fashion up. I know you can go all out with layers and knitwear but when it really comes down to it you're just going to plonk on your same old winter coat and cover up all your hard outfit-planning work. That's why this season I really want to get into trousers. I usually just stick to my trusty black skinny jeans but that's getting thoroughly boring and difficult to smarten up or look interesting.

At the moment I'm totally loving peg leg, skinny fit trousers. They look really great in patterns or as a statement block colour (like the beautiful colbalt blue pair from Boohoo I've included below). I also think they're a great alternative to boring ol' denims especially in a season where (if you're anything like me) your obsession with keeping warm limits your outfit choices. I am desperately searching for the perfect pair that I think can work for me.

So here's a little collection of some of my faves from around the tinternet. I absolutely love the patterns on some of these espesh the bold zebra print of the River Island pair. Because I'm quite short I sometimes worry about bold patterns like that but I definitely want to go try them on in store. As we are entering the festive season I couldn't stop myself from including a sparkly sequin pair. Believe me you're about to see a whole heap of sequins this December!

Lemme know what you think, or if you've seen any nice ones around for me to try on heehee!

Blanid Sequin Trousers, Missguided // Monochrome Grid Slim Fit, New Look // River Island Zebra Print, ASOS // Mango Floral Print, ASOS // Nicole Jacquard Skinny Cigarette, Boohoo.com // Jenna 7/8 Tapered Trousers, Boohoo // 

Thursday 21 November 2013

Winter homes are happy homes

Helllllo,

If you've ever followed me on twitter (or low and behold met me in actual life) you will know I spend about 85% of my days moaning about how cold I am. I spend the other 15% moaning about how hungry I am.

But regardless of this, that cold snap between autumn and winter is probably my favourite time of year. I feel like it's the most interesting season for colours and sights and smells. I'm also quite a home-bird so the fact that it gets a bit colder and you're not expected to don a bikini and head to beach, or stay up all night eating undercooked barbecue food suits me quite well. I like a winter house to feel warm and cosy, like you just want to curl up with a book and eat marshmallows. (I'm not sure where I'm going with this - feel like I've slipped into some Beauty and The Beast alternate universe)

Anyway, basically I'm happy because winter home-ware is finally starting to emerge on the highstreet which means we can all stock up on blankets to get us through the harsh winter months! I've picked out a couple of things that I liked the look at in various winter ranges. I'm a big fan of candles, especially if they smell like Christmas and make the room feel like a little secret hideaway so that's definitely something I'm going to be investing in this season. Little touches here and there can make such a difference to a room especially when you're practically in hibernation.

Hope you like them, links in the caption as usual...

L-R Sequin Stag Cushion, Next // Tiffany's Gingerbread Cushion, H&M // Wooden Doily Coasters, Etsy // Stag Print Throw, Next // Stoneware Mug, Matalan // Foxy candles, Habitat // Fuschia Candle Holder, John Lewis // Polar Bear Duvet Set, H&M

Monday 18 November 2013

I done dyed ma hurr


Heyyya,
The other evening my flatmate and I got a little bit bored so (as all normal people do) we decided to dye my hair! I'd already bought the hair dye ready for a rainy day when boredom struck but we were going out that evening so decided to do it for that!

I've always loved dying my hair, I think the first time I did it was probably when I was about 11 and I used one of those wash in wash out ones in a subtle red shade. I remember a boy called me "fire-head" for 2 days straight...so I kicked him. Luckily, I don't hang out with such intellectually-lacking children anymore so I usually dye my hair once a year with no name-calling.
Flatmate doing the dying - big thanks to him!
I decided for autumn I wanted to go a darker colour, usually if I'm dying my hair in the winter I go for a purpley shade but this time I went for a dark red. There's so many brands of hair dye all boasting vibrant, nourishing, long lasting, natural colour with bells on. In the end I settled for SuperDrug's own because I'm a massive cheapskate.

How scary is that model's face?!
The shade I used is from the 'Superdrug Colour Vibrance' range in '6:45 Maroon Red'. It was super simple to use, put it on dry hair for half an hour then wash out with normal shampoo and the colour enhancing conditioner provided.

I'm really happy with the colour, it's a lot brighter than I thought it was going to be but I like that. It's lasted really well, I put it in a couple of days ago and hardly any washes out in the shower so I'm hoping it'll last til Christmas!


Anyway  hope you like it. Lemme know (and if you've got any tips on how to make your colour last longer I'd appreciate them too - thaaaanks)

Sunday 17 November 2013

Really cheap, really easy, really delicious!

Heyyyya,

Got a candle in the background - am I fashion blogger yet?
No the title isn't referring to whatever you think it is...just wanted to write a super quick post about a lovely dinner I made myself the other day. I'm definitely no Delia but I am a student who lives in a very cold house so I like food to be easy and warm and most importantly CHEEEAP

So it doesn't look like much but this dinner was delicious!

Firstly I chopped up a big potato in little chunks. Then I chucked them into a pan of boiling water with some frozen sweetcorn and boiled them until they were cooked all the way through. Then when they were done I put them in a frying pan with olive oil, paprika, mild chilli powder, mixed herbs, piri piri oil and fried until the potatoes were a bit crunchier.

After that I tipped a tin of tuna in and fried that all up a bit more and there you go!

Might not look that pretty but tastes nom nom nom
This meal literally took me about 15 minutes to cook and it was lovely and filling! Basically like a big chopped up baked potato but even better! The photos aren't that flattering but trust me it was delicious!

Have fuuuun

Monday 4 November 2013

"If We're Just Chemicals..." | Micah Purnell's Print Shop

Heyyya,

Bluebell Kid Clark - Chemicals // Micah Purnell
So if you've ever caught any of my 'Quote Me On It' posts you might know that I have a bit of a love of words. I love quotes and sayings and I love love love them when they're printed in an attractive way! I spend many an hour scrolling through the 'quotes' section of Pinterest.

The Finger Black & White // Micah Purnell
Anyway I recently stumbled across Micah Purnell's work and I absolutely love it! It combines my two favourite things; wise words and pretty pictures! Micah is a Manchester-based graphic designer. His work is really reminiscent of advertising which I think is one of the reasons I like it. It looks like the adverts and posters you see plastered everywhere but it says something actually worthwhile (some of his work as even been exhibited as fly-posters)

40 mins, Day 20 // Micah Purnell
Bluebell Kid Clark, Fame // Micah Purnell
I don't know, I won't claim to be an art expert but I just really like Micah's work and I like the message behind it. You can check out what he has for sale here and learn more about him here (he'll say it all much better than I can)

Saturday 2 November 2013

Thrifty Butternut | Recipe

Hellllo,


Normally when I go food shopping I'm really good! I am an obsessive list writer so writing a shopping list and sticking it suits me down to the bone! However, about a week ago I went to Asda and was ambushed by a butternut squash. I'm not sure what came over me, I had never cooked one before, I didn't know what to do with it and it sat sadly in my cupboard for a week. (This is literally as exciting as my life gets...sorry)

Anyway, today I decided enough was enough and I cooked the damn thing! I roasted half of it and made the other half in to curry and they're both absolutely delicious and considering the squash only cost me 95p it's a pretty cheap week's worth of dinners.

Here's my recipe for roast butternut squash:
First thing first, chop the bloody thing in half! This was really difficult for someone with no upper body strength (e.g me) so use a big knife! Scoop out all the seeds and keep them

Chop your squash into decent sized chunks and then lay them in a dish. Try to only lay them in one layer so that they all cook the same.

In a little bowl mix together some chilli flakes, cinnamon, mixed herbs, salt and pepper. If you've got a pestle and mortar now's the time to use it. I didn't have one so I used the back of a big spoon to smash them a little bit

Add some olive oil to form a herby paste. I also added a squeeze or tomato puree and some garlic puree (if you can't get hold of puree then it might be nice to put some whole garlic cloves in so that they roast with the butternut squash)

Smear this paste all over your squash making sure every chunk has some on it. Also, sprinkle some of the seeds you scooped out earlier over the top. 

Wrap the squash tightly in tin foil and bake at 180 until the skin becomes soft (this took about 40 minutes for me because my oven is rubbish but it could take as little as 20 mins). Once it's soft take the tin foil off and bake for another 10 mins.

There you go then! It's a little bit spicey so if you're not a fan of the heat you might want to use less chilli. I'm going to have mine for dinner tonight with some noodles and a bit of soy sauce! I also made a curry out of the squash but I haven't tried it yet. If it's nice I'll stick the recipe up here

Let me know if you make this yourself...let me know if you like it! 

Friday 25 October 2013

Make It Highstreet | Halloween Idols - Emily/Corpse Bride

Heyyyy


For me, halloween isn't complete without a good Tim Burton film. Growing up, 'Nightmare Before Christmas' was a staple in my video collection, I watched it obsessively (even though the oogie-boogie man terrified me). 

At first I thought about having Sally from Nightmare Before Christmas as one of my 'Halloween Idols' but then I started thinking about other Tim Burton animated characters and I thought of Emily from The Corpse Bride. Emily's clothes are really ethereal and although a wedding dress might not be great everyday wear for everyone (shame) the draped yet constructed style does make for good autumn-wear.

Blue isn't a colour I wear a lot of which is a bit of a shame really (must rectify that). There's so many different shade of blue and dark navy, like the colour of these shoes works really well in the colder months. Also I think darker or more extreme make up works better in the winter. In the summer the last thing I want is a load of make up sweating around on my face but when it's a bit more wintery why not try a more out-there lip colour?

If you are thinking of dressing up as Emily for halloween it seems like it's a pretty easy look. You could either do it a casual way with a drapey skirt and some blue eyeshadow or go all out using this tutorial! Whatever way it'd look pretty cool.

Hope you're enjoying this little series...lemme know who you're dressing up as this year

Thursday 24 October 2013

Make It Hightstreet | Halloween Idols - Morticia Addams

Heyaaa,

As I've said in previous posts, I've got a bit of a soft spot for halloween. So I thought this year I'd do a little mini-series of posts for the week leading up to the ghostly day focussing on those fashionistas that lurk among the classic halloween costumes. Taking their signature look and making them a bit more day to day and a bit more achievable.


First of my halloween idols is the first lady of creep herself, Morticia Addams. Morticia's clothes might seem a bit dated and dreary but I think she personifies halloween glamour. I try to wear a lot of black so for me this character is perfect. Her outfit choices are so interesting considering she has such a limited palette choice. The layering is perfect for the winter, it's too cold for a dress but whack on a detailed cardigan or cover-all and problem solved! Plus chunky rings and over-zealous accessories are always a winner in my book, especially in the winter when I always feel like my wardrobe has got a little bit drab.

Moriticia's outfits probably are a bit too costume-y for day to day wear but her make-up could definitely be used as inspiration for a night-out look. A dark smokey eye and classic red lip are a go-to look and there's about 1000 tutorials online for them (maybe don't mention the Addams family if someone compliments you on how glam you look...). I've included GOSH black eyeshadow just because I used to love doing a super simple smokey eye with it and Kate Moss lipstick because they're just awesome!


 Rimmel London Kate Lasting Finish in 001 // Black Lace Maxi, New Look // Black Gem Cocktail Ring, River Island // Velvet Maxi Skirt, Boohoo.com // Fortune Teller Rose Quartz Necklace, Shop Dixi // Zelda Multistone Amulet Ring, Shop Dixi // GOSH Eyeshadow in 006 Black // The Shredder Crop, Black Milk Clothing

So who are your glamorous halloween idols? What are you dressing up as this year? Lemme know...

Tuesday 15 October 2013

It's the most spookiest time of the year | Black Milk - All Killer No Filler 2013

Well hey there,

It's October, it has been for a while but this year has gone so quick I feel like I've only just really realised it is! I quite like October as a month. Firstly, autumn FRICKIN' RAWRKS! Winter coats and wooly jumpers yes please. Also, 31st October is the spookiest of all the holidays, Halloweeeeen!! I love halloween because it combines all my favourite things; dressing up, sweets and drinking.

Anyway, I'm going to do a little series of posts in the week running up to Halloween but I thought I'd add in a little extra early one, forget the tricks I'm all about the treats...

Black Milk is a brand I've fallen mildly in love with recently. I think it's because I have the penchant for novelty clothes which Black Milk fulfills in every kind of way. They've done some amazing collections before but their halloween ones really are something special. I love how out there the designs are, they steer clear of a lot of the halloween stereotypes which makes it that much cooler.

Black Milk definitely has a bit of a price tag but from what I've heard about them the quality is well worth it! I feel like the pieces would work really well if you've been invited to a halloween party but dressing up is not your cup of tea. Chuck a pair of leggings on with a t shirt or a body suit on under a pair of shorts and you've got yourself an instant go-to costume which will last you a good couple of halloweens!

I have found myself particularly lusting over the 'Mechanical Mermaid' leggings wishing my bank balance (and figure) was a bit more forgiving to that much lycra!

So do you like Black Milk? Have you had a look through their collections - they're really something! 

P.s I'm trying to be a lot more active on my blog at the moment so hope you like the more regular posts. If you have any suggestions for other posts plzzzz let me know...



Zombie Nation Skater Dress, $85 // Dem Guts Swimsuit, $95 // Mogwai Swimsuit , $100 // Corpse Bride Leggings, $85 // Mechanical Mermaid White Leggings, $75 // Bee Skater Dress, $85 // (All prices shown in AUD) 

Sunday 13 October 2013

Where I've Been | Club to Catwalk at the V&A


Heyyya,

Last weekend I headed down to London for the day. I originally went down to see my mum and go to a protest (because my mum and I love conventional mother-daughter activities). Anyway, whilst we were down there we decided to head to the V&A and have a look round the 'Club to Catwalk' exhibition they've got there at the moment.

The exhibition showcases some of the best that the eighties have to offer! Including work from Vivienne Westwood, John Galliano, Betty Jackson and so many more - it's a who's who of London fashion.
Trojan and Mark at Taboo, 1986, copyright Derek Ridgers.
The exhibition was really interesting in that it showed not only the designer, catwalk pieces but also the amazing garments that people were wearing to go clubbing in! I'm telling you, people in clubs dress like slobs these days compared the masterpieces that the V&A were showing! It made me a little sad that these beautiful clothes were sat on dummies in a museum when they were made for dancing and drinking but I loved looking at them so I definitely wasn't going to complain!

Clubbing in the 80s looked amazing. It's not something I knew a huge amount about but there was loads of information about some of the most famous clubs in London (Blitz, Billy's, the Club for Heroes) and their extremely selective dress policy.

The Cloth, Summer Summit, 1985, copyright Anita Corbin.
There was also some fabulous videos of the catwalks in the 80s including the likes of Boy George and Suggs strutting their stuff! The models looked like they were having so much fun, such a change from the Fashion Week catwalks we see now!

The big highlight of the exhibition for me was the iconic highway man outfit worn by the actual Adam Ant! I'm a big fan of Adam Ant and I couldn't quite believe I was really stood in front of his very own leather trousers whilst loads of other visitors seemed to be breezing straight past them!
Stay Alive in 85, Designed by Katherine Hamnett, 1984, Copyright Victoria & Albert Museum, London
If you love a bit of lycra and a good sprinkle of sequins this is definitely the exhibition for you! It was only 5 quid for a ticket and I spent at least an hour and a half in there. The care and detail that was put into the clothes made them works of art. Definitely worth a visit!

Unfortunately you weren't able to take photos in the exhibit...but I've included a few from the website and included the copyright. 

Friday 11 October 2013

You old tartan!

Heeeey,
Tartan is set to be a masssssive trend for winter! Everywhere I seem to go I see it and the worst thing is...I ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT! I'm a massive sucker for the original red tartan pattern but also absolutely love the dark green style I've seen about on the high street.

Every time I walk into a shop I can almost hear my bank balance whimpering "No...stay away from the tartan Maisie...we don't think we'll survive it". Luckily so far I've managed to heed the cry of my debit card and refrain from any huge tartan expenditure. I don't think this inner strength will last long. It's freeeezing in Norwich and I've got my heart set on a tartan winter coat!

Alas, until I find one which will fit my student budget I'm stuck wasting my hours traipsing round shops and scouring ebay. Below I've made a little tartan covered wishlist all of which I'm adding to my 'When I Win The Lottery' list.

Hope you like it, and if anyone sees a budget tartan coat...let a sister know!


Red tartan faux fur boyfriend collar, River Island, £40 // Tartan and leather satchel, Cambridge Satchel Company, £140 //  Red tartan skater skirt, New Look, £17.99 //  Tartan ankle socks, Missguided, £3.99 // Tartan high wasted trousers, Urban Outfitters, £48 // Black and tartan contrast shirt, River Island, £15 // Leather collar tartan skater dress, Missguided, £14.99

Monday 7 October 2013

Making Freshers A Home

Heyaaa,

Yeeeah I know most universities started a couple of weeks ago but the first few weeks are a crazy, vodka-ridden mess so I thought no one would mind this post being a little late. It was definitely true in my case that I didn't really feel settled into my halls until the third or forth week when I really began to make the room my own. I think moving away from home can be really hard so it's important to have a nice place where you can just relax. I picked a couple little things I thought would cute up any fresher room (or shared house room in my case *booooo second year*) and make it a little more homely.

I'll pop the links for everything below...

Hope you like it! xx

Skull Cushion // Alphabet "Eivor Ord" Bedsheets // Vintage Map Photo Frame // Green Clementina Photo Frame // Kasbah Fairy Lights // LED Candles // Floral "Emmie Söt" Bedsheet


Just a note: A lot of halls won't let you burn candles that's why I've put LED Candles here which I would realllllly recommend getting. They just make rooms so much nicer! Also, you aren't usually allowed to put holes in your walls so if you buy photo frames make sure they're ones you can stand up on shelves.