2013 Ear Worms

Hello,
So 2013 has drawn to a close. How did that even happen? I don't know if I'm just getting older but the years seem to actually fly by these days. Anyway, for me 2013 was a year of change and one thing that definitely changed was the music blasting on my headphones. So I thought I'd share my fave albums of 2013. I'm not a music know-all but I does knows what I likes.

I don't really read loads or watch many films but music is something I tend to keep on trend with a bit more and I thought there were some really standout albums this year so here were my top 5 and little taste of each.

5. Too Weird To Live, Too Rare To Die - Panic! At The Disco
Panic are my leftover guilty pleasure from my greasy haired scene kid days. As much as I try to let go of them (I don't try very hard to be honest) I can't seem to get over how catchy their songs are. This album definitely wasn't their best and I don't think they'll ever get back to their emo glory days but it's got songs that'll make you want to dance and that's most important really...

4. Save Rock And Roll - Fall Out Boy
Ok maybe Panic aren't the only leftover from my scene kid days but really how many people can honestly say they weren't excited when Fall Out Boy announced they were releasing new stuff? I ran through my flat screaming about it...only to find none of my flatmates cared. Humph. Whatever! This album was good. Different enough for new fans, samey enough for die hards and it had Elton John on it. Literally nothing not to love!

3. Magna Carta Holy Grail - Jay-Z
Since this album was released in July I have listened to at least one song from it everyday. My friend recently moaned that "it's not as good as The Black Album". Well duh but you can't always compare someone as long-lasting as Jay-Z to their finest album. To get all pretensh up in here I feel like this album has so many different aspects to it, it's got pop-rap like Holy Grail to catchy club tracks like Tom Ford stopping off at a bit of social commentary (Somewhere In America) along the way. My fave Jay-Z release for a long while.

2. Matangi - M.I.A
This album is da bomb. Literally. I can't even explain how much I love it! I heard Bad Girls ages ago and then when I found out the whole album was being released I was so excited. M.I.A is just amazing, her rhymes are sharp and she just sounds so sassy all the way through the album. Some of the songs (especially Exodus) are just ridiculously sexy whereas others like Bring The Noize make you wanna party and start a fight all at the same time! I love this and I can't recommend it highly enough. Even if you've never been into M.I.A or rap or anything before you should give this one a go.

1. Beyoncé - Beyoncé
Up until the beginning of December, Matangi was without a question my favourite album. M.I.A had it sewn up. Then Beyoncé got all Beyoncé up in here and released a secret visual album. Only a queen can get away with that. Mrs Carter's secretive offering is my favourite from her for years - especially after the slight disappointment of 4. This album is too sexy for it's own good, it makes me want to dance and cry and get married and eugh. To me, Beyoncé is just incredible, she makes me proud to be a woman and this album reflects that. After years of making unquestionable hits this album feels way more honest and powerful. LOVE IT!

So those were my favourites of 2013...how about yours? Got any recommendations for me? Swear to God if anyone else says 'Yeezus' is the album of the year I will kick off! 

7 days to go | Winter Warmers

No one told me that Norwich was cold. This meant that when  I got there, bright eyed and bushy tailed, for the beginning of university in September I had packed mainly the wrong clothes! I only had my grandma to thank for the 5 jumpers I had packed - other thank that it was all leggings and t shirts. This meant I had to go out and buy lots of lovely knitwear hats and scarves within my first week. Since then I have developed quite a love for the knitted beanie!

I particularly love the navy, flecked one from New Look below - I think pompoms are the cutest things ever on hats. The same goes for the pastel beanie from ARK. Whilst out on my knitwear purchasing hype I bought an infinity scarf from H&M (the one below is from Asos) and have since converted several of my flatmates to them! No more one-long-ended scarfs or that odd scramble for the other side of your scarf when you're trying to take your coat off in a hurry! Another time saver are the hand warmers being sold by New Look - these are great if, like me, most things you own are touch screen and you don't want to be stuck listening to the cringey music on your iPod whilst hammering your gloved fingers into the screen! Moving onto the fur. I first saw faux fur collars similar to the H&M one below in a video by Sammi aka BeautyCrush and thought they were an awesome alternative to the Peter Pan Collars which were popular this spring! Also, I'm very tempted to forray into the world of earmuffs and these ones from River Island (which are not only ear muffs but bear ears) are too hilarious to not love! Although I have recently been warned to stop buying clothes for comic purposes... hmmm some people are no fun!

L-R Pompom scarf, TopShop. Bear-ear Ear Muffs, River Island, Chalk Bobble Hat, ARK. Navy Bobble Hat, New Look,  Navy Handwarmers, New Look, Faux Fur Collar, Burgundy Infinity Scarf, Asos

8 days to go | LBD

Hear ye hear ye! Let us all gather round and praise the wonders of the LBD! Stuck for outfit ideas for the office christmas party? Trying to one-up the ex at a friends festive bash? Or simply spending a lovely wintery evening with the girls? Then look no further than the LBD!! For those of you who live on mars, the LBD, otherwise known as the Little Black Dress, is the ultimate wardrobe essential for all girls! I commit the cardinal sin of only owning one...but I do wear it constantly!

I love LBDs because they're simple yet usually gorgeous! Also, just because they're a classic doesn't mean they have to be boring. For example, you can go for the classic H&M one shown below which can then be jazzed up with accessories. Or on the other hand go for something completely different such as River Island's baroque take on the LBD! I also really love the galaxy detailing on the collar of the TopShop's dress, although the shape of this probably makes it more of a day time dress. To liven up a little black dress it's all about altered tailoring, cut-outs and mix-match hems! If you ignore the scarily skinny model, Asos's ice-skater style cut-out dress is really pretty and the studding detail on ARK's dress is very 'in' (also it's worth checking this out on the website just to admire the beautiful back-detailing)

L-R Asymmetric Chiffon dress, New Look . Digital Splash Collar, Topshop, Skater Dress, Asos,  Velvet Cut-out dress, ARK, Baroque Prom-style dress, River Island, Simple LBD, H&M

17 days to go | Gadget Cases

Imagine the clumsiest person you have ever met. Then double it. Now you are picturing me! I drop absolutely everything. Last year alone I broke 2 cameras, a phone and an iPod. So this year, I did what every notorious clumsy person does and bought and iPhone and a MacBook Pro. As I was signing my new phone contract my mum said to me "I give you a month til you break it". This was when I realised the importance of gadget cases! They protect all your treasured possessions and with the amount of variety you can get them in there's literally no reason not to get one!

Below I've given a little selection of cases. I really love the Marc Jacob's case, I think it's really chic and sleak at £33 it's not totally extravagant but it's a little pricey. I also really love the studded iPad case from Accesorize, nearly enough to make me go out and buy an iPad! If you're planning on buying someone a gadget case as a present why not go personal? VistaPrint have got some great offers on personalised iPhone cases (as illustrated by the creepy photo of the couple). For your mum you could get her favourite family photo or for a mate you could get a little joke or quote printed on it. I love personal presents so I think it's a super cute idea.

L-R: Radley Blackberry Case, John Lewis, Studded iPad Case, Accessorize,  Laptop Case,  Marc by Marc Jacobs, Owl iPad Case, Zazzle, Personalised iPhone Case, VistaPrint, Fox iPhone Case, Accessorize