Autumn Layering

It looks like the typical British autumn is finally making an appearance, it's been pouring down today in Somerset, the kind of day where you want to stay in your pajamas, drink tea and watch a film. Did I do any of these things? Of course not, my Nan has been visiting over the past few days and has bought her little shih tzu x toy poodle with her to  meet my puppy Rosie. As cute has this has been, it has also been incredibly chaotic as my puppy weighs a whole six kilos more than hers and keeps bowling her over at any opportunity. As the result of my dog chaos I have been forced out into this miserable day to walk them both, not a pleasant experience. If like me, you find yourself having to walk around in the blustery autumn weather than layering is your best way to keep as dry and warm as possible. I have compiled a short list of a few layering essentials for the what is arguably the best season.

• Shoes- I absolutely despise getting soggy feet when I am out walking in the rain, no one wants to sit in school or work with soggy feet for a whole day. I have found one of the best ways to look "put together" and stylish but stay dry is to wear shoes with a huge platform. There are loads of great platform boots out at the moment (here and here are my favourites) which are perfect for dressing up a boring outfit and adding an element of 90s grunge that is popular at the moment. Another option is to wear creepers which are excellent at keeping your feet out of puddles, I tend to buy mine from Amazon as they are so much cheaper and lighter but still give the desired creeper look. 
• Capes and Coats-  Coats are obviously an essential come Autumn/Winter and in my opinion no coats keep you as warm and dry as the parka. Most come with hoods you can put up in the rain and a furry lining to keep you warm. I have this parka from Asos, I specifically bought this as it has one of the most feminine shapes I've seen and has knitted cuffs to keep your arms nice and warm in the snow. Another great way to layer that is currently in style is the cape, I love these as they double up as a blanket if you are having to do long, cold train or bus journeys. Most high street stores are doing them this season my favourite I've seen so far are from Newlook. 
• Hats- I love wearing hats at all times of the year but in summer I always feel that likelihood of getting sweaty hat hair is increased massively by the heat. I love pairing outfits with floppy hats like this one with my outfits, it instantly gives a dressy stylish edge to an outfit without you having to put in too much effort, these hats look beautiful in camel or burgundy- typical autumn tones. If it is just too windy to wear a proper hat a beanie is great warmer alternative that can cover up any bad hair day and keep you insulated. All of the hats in this mood board are from Topshop, but Primark does great cheaper options if you are on a tighter budget. 
• Lipstick- Obviously Lipstick doesn't add a warm layer to your outfit but I feel that autumn is the perfect time of the year to wear a bold lip as they match the autumn palette of navy, burgundy and camel so well. I love the vampy shades from Sleek for a mid price option but Makeup Revolution sells highly pigmented vampy shades for just a pound if you aren't sure dark colours are for you. 

So these are my favourite picks of the moment, perfect for autumn layering, what do you love most about Autumn? 

A Lifetime of Wardrobe Malfunctions

Rings (left to right) Topshop, Primark, Primark ( gold band), vintage, Topshop

My whole family seem to have been born with an incredible talent for having wardrobe malfunctions, we may be up there with Janet Jackson or Fergie who arguably have had some of the funniest wardrobe malfunctions ever. For instance, at my sister's graduation meal my Mother managed to drop all her white top, then she tried to wet a red napkin to wipe it away which in turn left her with a massive red stain on top of the curry stain. I always seem to somehow have a wardrobe malfunction at nearly every single formal occasion there is- there was the time I flashed my whole bum to a restaurant of Italians, or the time where my trousers ripped from crotch to feet in school, you name it and chances are its happened to me. This skirt is no exception, I asked for it from my birthday thinking it would be a a heavy quality and a little bit longer. Unfortunately missguided clothes do tend to feel the tiniest bit cheap ( which isn't that bad considering they are cheap) and I am almost 5'8' meaning this skirt is bum skimmingly short on me, every few steps I took yesterday I had to yank my skirt down to make sure it wasn't up around my waist. Not the most glamorous look. 

This outfit was mainly put together for dog walking purposes so I wanted it to look fairly nice but also be warm as my body runs at a naturally freezing temperature. This coat is from the reclaimed vintage section of Asos and came in at around £70 which does make me cringe slightly inside, hopefully I can get a good couple of years out of it as  it quite easily makes a dull outfit into something that stands out a bit more. The shirt I bought from Depop but was originally from Topshop, I love it but it is 100% silk and therefore creases every time you even move a tiny bit which can be annoying for someone who hates ironing. I really love the way the blue tones in the shirt make the skirt look more of a vivid blue as it can look a little wishy washy and cheap.

I may as well also address the elephant in the room- yes, I have dyed my hair, these photos make it look a lot more brown then it really is in real life. Overall I like it as I felt the whole bleached blonde look was very severe and my face look a lot harsher than it really is. I dyed it this colour in the hope I can grow out my natural hair, which is a "strawberry blonde" (ginger) colour as I haven't seen my natural hair since I was twelve and it has become very weak and dry from dying, bleaching and illness over the last year. Undoubtedly this colour won't last long in my hair though, I have had nearly every single hair colour there is, bright red, purple, blonde, yellow, pink, blue, black, brown and every shade in between. I am thinking in the near future I will have to a post of my many different hair shades, although it might take my a worryingly long time, there some absolute shockers that I am sure many people would like to save and look at when they need a laugh.

Headband- Amazon 

Jacket- Asos 

Shirt- Depop 

Skirt- Missguided 

Rings- see above 

Nail Varnish- Sally Hansen Gem Crush in "Cha-Ching"

Five Reasons Why I Love Christmas

This post may come as a slight surprise to anyone who has known me over the past few years because for a long time I was the Grinch of Christmas. I never particularly enjoyed Christmas because I was never religious and my Mum was quite anti Christmas for most of my childhood. It wasn't that I didn't get bought nice presents or that I had some scarring experience as a young child, I just never really saw what the fuss was about or why shops had to start playing Christmas songs in October. In the last few years I have made an effort to stop being so negative and try to enjoy what is meant to be the "most wonderful time of the year". I thought I would give a quick run down of why I suddenly after many years of ruining Christmas spirit I am now sickeningly enthusiastic about the whole thing. 

1. As cliche as it sounds I do actually enjoy giving presents, of course receiving them is nice but I really love being able to buy something I know someone will enjoy and putting effort into wrapping it nicely. I never really believed in Father Christmas as my delightful older sister told me he didn't exist when I was practically in nappies. Because of this I have always been acutely aware that all the gifts I receive have been bought by me from my parents or the rest of my family, I've known that my Mum often had to try and scrabble around for money to buy gifts she couldn't really afford. This is why now I am older I go ever so slightly over the top when it comes to buying gifts, I feel like now I am older I can finally give back something to those who sacrificed their own money to make me happy when I was younger. Receiving gifts is privilege a lot of people never have, so being able to enjoy giving presents is something that isn't possible for everyone in the world. My Mum still doesn't treat herself very often and Christmas is one of the only times of the year where I can spoil her and she cannot object or feel bad about it. ( I also have an addiction to wrapping paper, ribbons and gift bags but let's just pretend I am totally selfless for the time being).

2. Another reason I have suddenly developed into a bit of a Christmas fanatic is because I really enjoy getting to spend time with my family without anyone being stressed over their work or other problems in their lives. I won't launch into a sob story here but like most modern children my parents have been separated for as long as I can remember, my Dad died when I was eleven and I don't have very much contact with a lot of my family. This has made me really appreciate the family I do have, to this day I can't stand to properly fall out with anyone who is in my close family because there really are more important things to worry about then petty arguments. Christmas magnifies this for me because I can't help but feel pretty thankful for the family I do have, I might not have the biggest or the most straight forward family situation but they are a constant in my life that can be relied upon which is more then can be said for a lot of people. I love the feeling of togetherness that Christmas brings, I love the collective feeling of everyone being in good spirits, whether you are religious or not I hope that everyone celebrates having their family around more than just once a year.

3. Onto a shallow reason, but a reason I'm sure many of you can relate to, I absolutely love Christmas or even Winter in general because I finally have the excuse to say in the house and be warm and cosy whilst watching bad tv without worrying everyone will think I'm a social recluse. Christmas is by far the best time of the year for TV, whether you want a good miserable episode of Eastenders, a children's film or some Downton Abbey there is always something on which can entertain you. I love feeling able to relax and enjoy watching tv without something niggling away at me reminding me to revise or stop being lazy. Not to mention you get a perfect reason to stay in your ugliest PJs and sing along loudly to cheesy music whilst watching those around you drinking themselves into oblivion- sounds perfect to me. 

4. This is by far my favourite thing about Christmas, I wish I could say it was the enjoyment of donating all my gifts to orphaned children but lets be realistic it isn't. I can not get enough of gifts sets, I LOVE mini things, if something comes in miniature then I have to buy it, Christmas is the season for miniature gifts sets and it pleases me to no end. I once "stole" around fifteen pots of mini jam from a hotel in Amsterdam by shoving them into my jumper and I don't think I have ever been so proud. Now, of course not everything is miniature but Christmas also brings around the best smells and tastes of the whole year, I have a genuine candle addiction and my favourite smells are ginger, cinnamon, pine trees and cranberries- ALL of which Yankee candle make into a candle for Christmas time, it just can't be a coincidence. Of course Christmas also means I can bake freely and everyone will eat everything without thinking about their weight, I'm thinking of running a weekly festive baking recipe type thing on this blog because I cannot let my passion for silicone bake ware be untamed this year.

5. A lot of people complain that Christmas shopping from the 20th onward is hell on earth, which to some extent it definitely is- everyone has a cold, everyone is too cold outside/too hot inside and everyone is stressed because they've forgotten to buy Great Auntie something a gift. BUT I just love the last few days before Christmas when everyone is is a really positive and uplifting mood, I like how people stop to say Merry Christmas or say "Have a good Christmas" when you buy something from the shop they work in. In general I think if people kept up this cheery behavior all year around everyone might get on a bit better and stop trying to kill/fight each other. The fact that Christmas brings out the happier, kinder side in people is something which even the most Scrooge like people have to appreciate and enjoy even a little bit. 

So there we have it, those are some of the reasons why you will see me smugly humming along to Christmas songs in October this year and wearing novelty themed jumpers. Enjoying Christmas is all about keeping up a positive attitude and not letting the little things worry you. If you think this festive post is a bit early this year, then beware because I will undoubtedly

 be coming up with more festive posts as the days get chillier. 

An Outfit Without a Smile

I wanted to post an outfit today, I had been planning it last night and was excited to get started as I felt confident with my appearance in my last outfit post. This is all started to go wrong this morning when I went to put on some Topshop shorts (very odd fitting- massive on the waist but tight on the bum) and was unhappy with my appearance in them, I felt like my legs were comically bulging out each side like a cartoon elephant in tight knickers. This is quite obviously not how I really looked but it put me in a bad mood from the word go. Still I persisted and changed later on, persuading my official photographer (my Mum) to take my photos in the garden for my blog. 

  

Needless to say I wasn't happy with any of the photos- I blamed my Mum not taking the photos quickly enough, my Mum being too short and making me look like a giant, I blamed myself for being too fat and too ugly. In fact these set of photos are no different from the other outfit photos I've posted, the only difference is how I felt when I was taking them. I felt like I looked awful so therefore I looked awful, the only real issue with how I look is that I look miserable. I was trying desperately to appear aloof, smiley and laid back and I couldn't look less like those things if I tried. I think I am not the most natural blogger really, yes I love fashion but I have always despised having my photo taken- pulling silly faces instead of trying to look nice so I wouldn't have to feel sad about my appearance was my go to tactic for most of my teenage years (and the next year or so till I'm 20 I suppose). Unfortunately this creates a vicious circle because if you feel angry and irritated with yourself the chances are you won't look your best. Sometimes I feel it is more important to put a blog post up or upload photos if you aren't confident because it shows that everyone has days (or years in my case) were they feel bad about how they look, however this doesn't actually mean anyone else would be able to tell. 

I wore this skirt all the time last year for college, the elasticated waist and midi length means that it is super flattering and comfortable even if you've demolished a monster sized meal. I do sometimes feel a bit nun like in midi skirts but I love the way they look on tall person, so being a tall person I hope it gives that elegant look I'm aspiring to have. I bought the jumper from Depop and have loved wearing it, much to the disgust of those around me who for some reason don't love the garish print. For me the print brings up visions of  80s Versace, for my sister I think it brings up a migraine and disgust in my taste. I have shoved my hair into a ponytail for this outfit because I am desperately trying to grow out my short pixie cut, unfortunately my natural hair is extremely coarse and kinky (not curly, not wavy, not straight) and I have to use heat on it when it is down- I've resorted to putting it up in any effort to keep it healthy but also slightly more bearable looking. Needless to say I will be beyond happy when my hair grows out of the awkward mullet stage and into an actual bob.  

 

*No Mothers were harmed in the making of this blog post 

Jumper- Topshop (bought on Depop)

Skirt- Primark 

Coping With Long Term Illness

I've been hesitant to write a proper post about coping with long term illness because I don't really know if I am coping with long term illness that well, nor do I feel like I am the best person to be handing out advice. I've already done a post on what is wrong with me so I won't be going into great details about the nitty gritty diagnosis details. I'm writing this so it can be some what cathartic and will hopefully be helpful for other people who are feeling alone with their illnesses. 

One of the hardest aspects of being ill long term is that you of course don't feel on deaths door every day of the year, otherwise you probably would be dead and not just chronically ill. Unfortunately these good days haven't always been pleasurable for me, it often leaves me with a strange feeling of guilt- guilt that I'm not really ill, guilt that I don't have a job or a purpose in life, guilt that I haven't managed to sit my exams yet. It is only when these good days are followed by bad days that I realise why I haven't achieved all of those things, I am just not consistently well enough to commit to a job, exams or even enjoying myself. This leaves me with the dilemma that I don't feel I can enjoy life when I feel well but I also obviously won't enjoy feeling bad either. I try to live life as it comes ( trying to avoid slipping the phrase YOLO in here) but that isn't always possible. I think the most important thing to remember if you have been ill for a long time is to look after yourself, try not to worry that other people think you are lazy or not that ill, only you and those closest to you will know how ill you really are, try to listen to the people who care about you and know you properly. Just because you are well enough to go to Tesco on your own one day doesn't mean you are suddenly well enough to handle a full time job, it is more complicated than that.

Guilt is also something that will inevitability be felt by those who are ill for a long time. No matter what your illness is, you will find yourself asking "could I have done something differently to make myself healthier?". Whatever the answer is it is a pointless question to ask, you cannot change what has gone before but you can try to change how you live from now on. I also find myself frequently feeling guilty for how my illness has affected those around me, I can't help but feel that my health is not only holding me back but it is also holding back those who have to care for me, like my Mum. For me this amplified by the fact my Step Father also has a long term health condition and needs more care than what is "normal". I hate to use the word "burden" because my family have tried their hardest not to make me feel like I am a burden, but sometimes when I just cannot do the simplest of tasks, or need lifts to doctors appointments at stupid times in the day I do feel like my family would probably have an easier time if I wasn't this way. The only advice I can offer to help with this guilt that sits and eats you up slowly over time, is to try and imagine how you would feel if you had to care for someone who is close to you. If you were looking after someone in your family you wouldn't feel remorseful or annoyed, you would likely want to help as much as you can, if you do love someone you want them to be happy and healthy even if it does impact on your own life. There will always be times when you feel that everything would be easier if you are not around but that completely overlooks the fact that you can positively impact those around you without being in full health. You can still offer advice, make jokes, have long conversations and be there for people if you're ill, those are the things people would miss if you weren't there, they wouldn't just be happy because they no longer have to give you the odd car lift somewhere. 

Tumblr Illustration

I already feel like there is so much I need to say about this topic but I know not everyone will want to read reams and reams of rambling about illness so I will probably end up doing follow up posts from this when something important comes to me. One of the last few points I definitely want to mention is advice for those around chronically ill people. If you know someone who has been ill for a long time and has to give up their job etc. because of it then it is important to remember that this person will probably be "grieving" somewhat for what they have lost. I cannot express how frustrating it is to loose the ability to do the things you love. Before I got ill I always enjoyed being a homebody, I'm an introverted person and I didn't go out that much, but I did have the option to- I would quite often go out for peoples birthdays, or shopping in a nearby city. Now I cannot manage these things that I used to enjoy, a lot of people assume that those who don't work are spoilt or lazy, but not working isn't fun at all if you can't go out and enjoy yourself, I don't live off benefits or go out all day splashing my cash because I am not well enough do those things either. I find myself frustrated because I am unable to do the things that made me, me before, I cannot help to feel that I living a stagnant life achieving absolutely nothing but likewise not having the freedom to be destructive either. People who are chronically ill will get upset that they have lost the ability to live their lives the way they would like to. For instance I found myself in tears a few weeks ago listening to my sister talking about starting her course at university, I couldn't help but feel I should be the one starting a degree. I felt upset that I cannot manage to look after myself, I thought back to when i went to an open day at Queen Mary University in London- my Mother and I went up the night before, traveled across London and walked around shops for hours, as well as going around the University itself. It suddenly hit me that I couldn't do those things anymore, I wouldn't be able to cope with the train journey up to London let alone organising myself so I could get around an open day or a busy shopping center. I felt overwhelmed with the realisation that I am barely able to attend open days for university this year, let alone apply and start a degree in the near future. Those with long illnesses will be hit with grief because in a way you have lost a major part of yourself, in becoming ill you loose your old self and become someone completely different in order to cope with your new problems. Sometimes I feel as if I am a completely different person compared to the person I was six months ago, I feel as if I am somewhat of an empty shell or just a person who is  in pain and nothing else 

It occurred to me the other night that I have been feeling so stressed about being ill because I constantly feel that I am under pressure to suddenly get better, to be cured from everything and go back to how I used to be. As negative as it may sound  I have realised that I may never go back to "normal", that normal has changed to a totally different thing altogether. I may never be able to go up to London at 7am and walk around the busy streets until 8pm at night, even if I massively improve it will take a long, long time for me to have the stamina for that. I may completely recover but I feel fairly certain that if I do it will be a slow process, I won't suddenly wake up and be able to go on a long run. Once you let go of the idea that you will find a magic cure you begin to enjoy life a bit more again. You cannot live your life afraid of disappointing other people with your pain, you haven't asked to end up being ill and you cannot ask to get better in day. Although it may sound that I am being totally pessimistic, I really just being realistic, I now feel that it is more about if I get better not when I get better. This acceptance has made it easier for me cope and although it may not work for everyone I do think sooner or later with long term illness you will feel like this.

I hope this has shed some light onto how chronically ill people can feel if you yourself are having to care for someone at the moment- it can be difficult to know how to help someone, especially when the feelings around these issues can be incredibly complex. If you yourself are coping with long term illness then maybe this post has at least made you feel like you aren't as alone- it can feel like you are the wrong sized puzzle piece in your life but in reality you are just part of a different puzzle altogether.

Cara Delevingne Inspired Makeup

If you haven't heard about Cara Delevingne over the past year or so, then I can only presume you have been under a rock sheltering from all forms of media. Everyone wants to be her, know her, look like her or parade around with her being your girlfriend. Obviously I do not look like Cara Delevingne, if I did I would not be poor or single or living in Somerset, alas some us have to rely on something other than looks to survive in life (not entirely sure what I'm relying on- a talent for catching all illnesses?). That being said, I thought I would attempt to create a makeup look based on Cara Delevingne's makeup- I've changed a few elements to make the look more suited for my face but this a look that anyone with a heavy brow can attempt as it doesn't involve a brow highlight.

The main feature of Cara's look is a flawless bronzed face with heavy eyes and brows. I started off by moisturising my face with my usual moisturiser to make sure my foundation had a smooth application and didn't look cakey. In the photo below I have zero makeup up- being a ginger this means I appear to have no eyebrows or eyelashes, try not to be alarmed we all have our flaws. Generally when attempting flawless skin I like to keep the use of makeup brushes to a minimum as personally I feel they leave noticeable brush marks and can make the foundation appear very obvious. Thus, I have used my hands to apply all the liquid face products so they would be warmed up by my body heat and be in a thinner layer, I did use a makeup sponge to concentrate on my under eye bags but if you don't need a heavy coverage  foundation your hands will work well.

I first used an illuminating primer to set a base for my foundation- this isn't a necessary step but Cara does have a very ethereal and dewy finish to her face which is easier to achieve using a primer. I then used a combination of two foundations across my face and under my eyes to create a flawless finish, luckily I don't tend to suffer with blemishes but if you do then you may find a heavier coverage foundation better for this step. Another key element to most of Cara's makeup looks is that she very heavily contours to make the most of her gorgeous bone structure. My natural bone structure is of course no were near as perfect as a supermodel so I simply followed a "C" shape from my brow bone to under my cheek bone with a bronze which helped give me a healthy glowing look. I also applied a powder highlighter and blush to the apples of my cheeks, nose and cupids bow to add yet more of that healthy glow that is a key feature in most of Cara's makeup looks. If you possess heavier cheek bones then you could add a harsher contour powder by your cheekbones to emphasise your natural luck.

Although Cara has very heavy eye makeup it is generally made up of a few very natural eye shadow shades that most people will own. I applied a Maybelline colour tattoo onto my eyelids and up into the crease and the outer corner with my Real Techniques domed shadow brush which I blended out with a light matte brown into the eyebrow. I then applied a dark brown into the outer corner and slightly into the crease to intensify the natural shadows on my eye. The main trick behind this makeup look is to continue blending out the eye shadows until you are happy with the shape and feel the colours seamlessly lead into each other.

I then used a combination of brown and black kohl eyeliners on the tight line, lash line and water line to create a really dark smoky look. I then blended out the eyeliner underneath the eye using a small eye shadow brush with the same matte brown eye shadow until I felt that my eyes stood out enough. You could add some winged eyeliner at this point if you want to have a more polished look but it appears that Cara is primarily wearing eyes shadow and eyeliners on her eyes.



A major feature of the makeup is some super heavy dark eyelashes to frame the grungy eye shadow, if your lashes are naturally sparse then you could add some individual lashes here but I've used my natural lashes as it is more wearable. This is one look were you cannot make your lashes too clumpy as the heavy eye shadow really needs framing by something equally as intense. My advice for achieving this is to first curl your eyelashes as it will make them appear closer and heavier together. I then use a combination of a lengthening mascara and a volumising  mascara building up the layers until I feel that the lashes look dramatic enough, using two mascaras is a brilliant way to get both volume and length without forking out for an expensive product. 

Now onto the brows, of course Cara Delevingne has some pretty amazing eyebrows which look naturally amazing. There is almost no point in me trying to re-create her exact shape as I would probably end up looking more like Chewbacca then a model. I followed my natural eyebrow shape with a pencil and then filled the rest of the brows in with my MUA brow palette, I would go for the shade darker then you normally use. If you own a spooly then try brushing your brows upwards to mimic Cara's really messy brow shape. Less plucking is better if you are attempting grungy makeup.

I left my lips without any colour as I have seen Cara with nude lips, red lips and natural lips wearing this look, it really depends on what situation you are using this makeup look for and how confident you are with lip colours. I think this look is perfect for a night out as the primers mean that is won't be melting down your face too quickly and would probably last through most "activities". I personally would also happily wear this look out on a normal day but it could be easily toned down with the use of less bronzer and eyeliner. Let me know what you think and which look of Cara's is your favourite. 

Products Used 

L'Oreal Lumi Magique- Pure Light Primer 

Revlon Colour stay- 110 Ivory 

Bourjois Healthy Mix Serum- Lightest Shade 

L'Oreal Illuminating Powder- 01 Rose Boudoir

Miss Sporty Ohh Tan So Fine- 001 I am Blonde

B. Glowing Blush- 161 Just Peachy 

Colour Tattoo 24hr Maybelline- 35 On and on bronze 

Rimmel London Waterproof Kohl- 001 Black and 012 Bronze

MUA Undressed Eyeshadow Palette 

Superdrug own Eyelash Curlers 

Bourjois Mascara liner effect- 81 Noir 

Max Factor Wild Mega Volume- Black 

MUA Pro-Brow Kit- Blonde

MUA 3 in 1 Extreme Contour Liner 

GOSH professional eyeshadow brush 

Real Techniques Brushes- brow brush, domed shadow brush, multi task brush



Jug Ears

Today's outfit is based around the Topshop " Prince of Wales" trousers which look a lot more like culottes on me as I am close to 5'9'. I bought these after seeing Jess from sunbeamsjess style them in her latest Topshop lookbook.  when these style of trousers first came in I was more than a little hesitant to wear them, I envisioned myself looking like a slightly frumpy geography teacher who is still wearing the trousers they has from their school days. Luckily I don't believe that they do give that look, although they aren't something I would wear everyday I do think they give a smart twist to a fairly simple outfit. They remind me of something straight out of the 30s or 40s, I feel like I should be sitting around elegantly smoking and flirting with my imaginary butler. 

This blog post is entitled "jug ears" as a slight reference to the dear Prince of Wales himself who does happen to be in possession of some rather recognisable ears. These trousers do make me feel a little bit like I should take up blood sports and say pardy instead of party, but they are surprisingly comfortable and incredibly easy to style. I love combining the camel colour of the hat and coat with the dark vampy lipstick as it really ties the whole look together and balances out the lighter yellow tones. I think these trousers will become a summer staple for me next year but I doubt I will get much use out of them as the ice starts to spread over England and five layers are needed to be put on before leaving the house. 

I sometimes find it a bit daunting to go out in outfits like this as I live in a small town with some small minded people who genuinely gasp at the sight of originality. Personally I don't really think my style is that "out there" or unusual but a lot of people in the countryside are happy to live in their jeans and Jack Wills, which of course is fine it just isn't for me. I have avoided putting style on this blog in fear of people I know finding it and using it as some kind of comedy material to make fun of. Honestly, I have gotten to the stage were I realise that most people are too caught up in there own lives to care about what you are wearing, and if they do care or comment then it is probably out of an insecurity they have with themselves. Hopefully this will be the first of many style related posts to come as I have always loved coming up with outfits that encapsulate a certain time period, film or theme. If you have any suggestions on posts you want to come then please comment below and I will do my best.

Hat- Asos

Cropped jumper- Topshop

Tartan Scarf- Primark 

Prince of Wales Culottes- Topshop 

Shoes- Dr Martens 

Autumn WishList

cfg by bleughh featuring christmas candles

 Now I spend a worryingly large amount of my time sitting on the laptop looking at online shopping sites, splashing my cash on electric blankets (really) I have developed a reasonably long wish list for this autumn. Some of these items I will inevitably end up buying but most I will just stroke through my screen, sobbing silently into my empty bank account in the hope the magical Christmas fairy will purchase them for me. Being off ill from college and work is amazing, fabulous and a luxury if you aren't actually ill and can spend your time doing the things you love. However, being off ill when you are too ill to work or study is shit, you're bored, you're poor and you never see anyone because you are actually too ill to enjoy yourself. Saying this, I seem to be doing a pretty good job at buying things at least, because why save when you can spend your money you have saved for when you EVENTUALLY go to University and actually do "life".

1. A Shearling Jacket

I have wanted a shearling jacket ever since I was a little girl and my Dad bought me the most expensive shearling boots ever, which were way too hot to ever wear but looked so nice and would have looked even better with a matching coat. My Mum absolutely despises these coats, she says they are tacky, look like binbags and are way too 70s. However, the same women once bought me a cropped diamanté hoodie with a butterfly on it for my twelfth birthday- so I think I'll make my own clothing choices. I know eventually I will cave and buy the pink Missguided coat and it will be beautiful- until I spill a cup of tea down it or inevitably leave it near my new puppy who just loves putting her dirty little paws (the cutest paws ever) all over my things.

2.  A Leather Backpack

Topshop do the nicest backpacks I may have ever set eyes on, these leather and suede ones make my heart melt into my wallet and make me want to be cool and chic and wear one. Unfortunately I think these are meant to stay firmly on the "wish" side of this list. I have bought at least three backpacks since they became "cool" again and I just cannot pull it off. No matter what I find myself having to stop mid walk to get my gum or phone out, getting a bruised bum from a badly placed lunchbox or looking way, way too much like my thirteen year old self who refused to be at all feminine. I think I will leave this trend to people who can bear the discomfort to wear what my StepFather would call a "shoulder bag".

3. ANYTHING from The Great Frog London  

Ever since I've seen my favourite youtubers wearing this jewellery I have been pining over most of it, not to mention they do amazing Keith Richards like skull rings that I just know would last forever. As previously mentioned I am unemployed, meaning I do not have £200 to throw around at jewellery, no matter how spontaneous or rebellious I'm feeling. This brand is just my style of jewellery as it isn't too pretty or cutesy but also isn't boring or dull. I have ridiculously short chubby fingers which sit on a massive hand span meaning thin delicate jewellery looks utterly awful and embarrassing, while larger pieces look great. I know one day I will have to add something from here to my collection but until then I will settle for stalking those who can afford it and being wildly jealous of them- because yes, I really do have that much spare time.

4. Charlotte Tilbury- Matte Revolution Lipstick

Everything about Charlotte Tilbury's makeup makes me weep- the packaging, the colours, the price range, EVERYTHING. I personally despise any lipsticks with the slightest bit of shine of glimmer, they make me look like Mick Jagger in the 80s, hence why I am in love with the new Matte Revolution Lipsticks. They come in some amazing vampy colours like "Glastonberry" and I know they would be the sort of product that I would keep forever just for the packaging. However, they do come in at £23.00, seeing as I currently cannot even justify buying a MAC lipstick which is around £8.00 cheaper, I really can't pay this much for the lipsticks. But if any of my lovely, beautiful, generous relatives would like to buy me one for Christmas I wouldn't object ( no hinting obviously). I would recommend Revlon for some good vampy shades at a cheaper price, or the Bourjous Rogue Edition Velvet for a really good, non- drying lip shades.

5. Yankee Candles

Yes, it might only be September but we all know that it is now Christmas. Despite being a person lacking in most kinds of spirit, I am full of Christmas spirit. I love everything about Christmas, the TV, the days ending at 3pm, online shopping and decorating. But there is nothing I love more in this whole world then a candle. I kid you not, I can sniff the candles in shops till I get a headache from the fumes, I just love the way they create an atmosphere more than electric lights. I am also a total freak who is extremely fussy about lights being too bright and hurting my "poor" delicate eyeballs. This year my friends got me a mix of Yankee candles for my birthday- much to my delight. However, I always need candles, I need cinnamon scents to live. I'm sorry but if you don't like candles- you don't like me.

So there we go, a list full of consumerism. Hopefully this can be helpful for any autumn birthdays- or just if you fancy treating yourself for the new school year.

Style Icon: Effy Stonem

blog 2 by bleughh featuring VILA

Hi guys, this is a start of a new series on my blog focusing upon so called "style icons", or people that I personally am influenced by when putting my own outfits together. A lot of these will be tv characters, I buy a lot more into street style and the outfits of "ordinary" people over celebrity style, especially considering a lot of celebrities have stylists which often results in them looking a little too polished for my taste. 

My first focus is on the character Effy Stonem from the UK tv show "skins", I fell in love with her styling when I first watched the show when I was fourteen or fifteen.Her style is very laid back, with lots of band tees, leather jackets and Dr Martens which fits in perfectly with the grunge trends seen over the past couple of years. Probably my favorite part about Effy is how effortless her style always looks, whether she is going out at night or rolling out of bed, she always looks laid back and perfectly carefree.  Obviously Kaya Scodelario's figure is amazing and although I think this a big part of how "heroine chic" she manages to look, I think anybody could pull off her style. Also a lot of her clothes are affordable or good value for money, both leather jackets and Docs are timeless pieces, that last forever and will never go out of style. This over all makes her style easy to pull off and perfect for students and young people who want a laid back but on trend wardrobe.

Probably the most important elements to compile an Effy style wardrobe are:

• Boots or converse- perfect for every day and a lot more comfortable then swanning around in heels. This is one of my favourite elements of Effy's style as being over 5'7 I hate wearing heels.
• Denim- Effy Stonem is all about denim: of course it’s never new, or dark, it is always that kind of grunge denim. That means, she often wears boyfriend jeans, ripped of shorts or over sized denim jackets.
• Tartan/plaid- This is perfectly on trend in the winter season and can act as a great tool for layering up under coats in the winter or as a thin layer in the summer.
• Layered accessorizes- Effy often sports layers and layers of chains and cross necklaces at college or going out, sort of like a less tacky version of Ke$ha. This is easy to achieve as so many highstreet stores stock great costume jewelry to create this look (look here, or here, or here). 

January Wishlist...

1. Instax Mini 8 Instant Camera Polaroid Type  2. Motel Spanddangle Shorts 3. Topshop Modern Tailoring Suit  4. Pandora Leather Bracelets 

I know, I know Christmas is only just over but as 2014 rolls around I find myself wanting a whole new bundle of things that I can't really afford. I am one of those people who is forever writing lists, I even write lists to remind me to write lists. This of course means I had written my Mum a Christmas list in mid November, something which I have done for the last couple of years and helps her figure out what to look for when she starts shopping, normally very last minute for my gifts. This is how I am going to justify already having a whole new list of "wants" before 2014 has even begun. Not a great excuse but I'm sticking to it.

1. Instax Mini 8 Instant Camera Polaroid Type 

I have been searching for a good Polaroid camera for years, nearly buying the gimmicky but very, very cute designs from Urban Outfitters but holding back at the last minute in fear that underneath all of the pastel they just aren't that great of a camera. But I have managed to find the God of all Polaroid cameras, not only does it actually produce Polaroids but it also comes in an array of pastel colours, if the film was a bit cheaper I would definitely snap this up in the blink of an eye! At the moment I only have my Nikon D300 and an old Canon film camera so I would really love to expand my camera collection with this little novelty.

2. Motel "Spangdangle" shorts 

There really is very few occasions in which I can really see myself being able to wear a tiny part of very sparkly hot pants, this however hasn't held me back from lusting over them for weeks and weeks. I know deep down that these would be the kind of item that I will buy, try on in my room, but back in the wardrobe and wear them about once a year. But this only makes me want them more, I love the grungy vibe these shorts give off and I can see them going perfectly with any leather jacket and Docs in the winter. 

3. Topshop Modern Tailoring Suit 

Oh Topshop. How do I love thee? Let me count the ways. It all started a few weeks ago when I was watching Sunbeamsjess and saw she had purchased a few of the suits from Topshops new Modern Tailoring section. At first I shrugged the idea of buying a suit off, after all I live in Somerset, where jeans and a nice top are considered "dressy". But, these suits have been haunting me, slowly but surely I am coming up with more and more justifications for buying one, the fit of these is beautiful and it would probably only take 30 seconds to persuade me I definitely need one. The metallic finish of this particular suit is amazing, and I love how Topshop have actually put some thought into the fit of this suit, it is much less frumpy then most co-ordinates and I can see it being perfect for party occasions, instead of a girly dress.

4. Pandora Leather Bracelets  

I rarely bite the bullet and buy myself jewelry, I have literally hundreds of rings that I stack up together but hardly any bracelets. I am also very lazy with jewelry, I hardly ever bother taking it off when showering or sleeping meaning a silver or gold finish is really a must. However I absolutely love these leather bracelets from Pandora, I never really bought into the whole troll beads trend when I was around 14, so I have never looked properly at Pandora before. I love these bracelets, not only can they be worn in the shower but they are the perfect mix between dressy and casual and can be put with most outfits to add a tougher, more quirky vibe.