A Feminist in Makeup

This  blog post is going to be the first post in which I unleash the angry feminist who enjoys ripping males apart whilst they stammer over the sexist opinions, this post will undoubtedly be easy to disagree with and argumentative- you have been warned. Nothing riles me quite as much as the suggestion that a woman cannot be a "real" feminist if she chooses to invest in the makeup and fashion industry. It seems to be a common theme of the moment that the only women who have their opinions valued in society are those that appear to be "serious" women, men, or society in general seems keen to split women into two clear categories- 

• Women who wear makeup, enjoy fashion and are attractive but are brainless and incapable of holding a valid view 
• Women who are plain, unattractive and uninterested in fashion but have strong informed opinions on varying issues.

Whilst a man can easily be fashionable, attractive, intelligent and thoughtful all at the same time, women are too often made into one dimensional creatures that are expected to fit a a perfect mold of "pretty but dumb" or "clever but ugly". Too often I see girls being labelled  as "just a pretty face" without them ever even having a chance to voice their own thoughts and opinions. I don't mean to suggest that it is only men who are at fault for coming up with these ideas of women, I think often women themselves spend a lot of time trying to fit themselves into just one characteristic, often we choose to be "clever but ugly" because it is easier than having to prove ourselves otherwise. I clearly remember my Grand Mother suggesting that interviews were easier for pretty, well dressed females than those who were qualified and intelligent but didn't look right. I find it increasingly frustrating that girls are under pressure to appear attractive and polished but yet we aren't put under as much pressure to achieve academically, or to be confident in our own personalities. Going for an interview as a female is a lot more daunting because you know that your appearance does count, that no matter what your looks are what determines your value.

Another common theme I've noticed lately is the idea that if you buy makeup as a female, then you are supporting an industry that is sexist, and thus you can't be a feminist. Although the fashion and makeup industry has a lot to answer to in terms of making women feel inferior about themselves, makeup itself is not something that marginalizes women. I choose to wear makeup because I like it, I enjoy applying it, I enjoy being able to make myself look different and I enjoy aesthetically pleasing things. Just because I choose to wear makeup it doesn't mean I'm insecure, or that I think women are ugly without makeup on. I spend my money on lipsticks because I like the way they make me look, not for any other reason. Likewise, just because I enjoy buying things that are pretty colours and saying things like "I want more of a blue toned red", it doesn't mean that I have no other interests.

 Too often I think fashion and makeup are seen as these futile women's hobbies that only shallow people can enjoy, as if having a passion for lipstick is useless because it what is seen as a typical girl hobby. Not only does this not take into account the amount of men who are interested or work in the fashion and beauty industry, it also perpetuates the myth that makeup and fashion are only used to make people look pretty. Makeup and clothes can completely change the way you feel about yourself and others, they are much more powerful then they are given credit for because they can literally completely decide how you feel about someone. Why is it that we value hobbies such as reading more than fashion or makeup? I think mostly it is down to the idea that "girly" things are hardly ever serious. Women are expected to enjoy shopping or baking but we aren't expected to use these things to our advantage. Many top designers and chefs are men, somehow when a man likes a "girly" hobby they are taken as much more seriously, they are suddenly professional and important. When it comes down to it, a white silk shirt is still a white silk shirt, whether a man or a women is looking at it. Women are expected to enjoy their hobbies but not pursue them, we are not supposed to take ourselves seriously. 

I am going to stop here as I feel I have already gone off on a thousand different tangents. But on a closing note, I don't by any means think all women should wear makeup, or love fashion, I just feel that those of us that do shouldn't be dismissed as "silly little girls" who are shallow and appearance obsessed. Your appearance should only enhance your personality, you can own as many lipsticks as you want but you will only be truly happy when you accept who you are, not what people want you to be. 

Go Your Own Way

I haven't done a huge amount of blog posting this week, for a couple of reasons. Firstly, my Nan came to visit from Saturday to Wednesday, I haven't spent a lot of time with her in the last ten years and I really wanted to get to know her better and not just sit on my computer, it is strange how you can connect with family so easily even if you hardly know them at all. This blog acts as somewhat of a distraction for the fact that I can't do much at the moment, but if by some miracle I suddenly have a new lease of life or develop a huge circle of friends I probably won't post as much. The second reason is that my head has been a big ball of stress over the last week, I have found out I need to pay £300 to take my A Levels next year despite sitting my exams at the same time, in the same place as every else at my old college. That combined with my general stress about applying for university, worrying about getting a job and sorting out my health has taken up most of my time and brain. 

It's not that I am ungrateful for all the things I do have like a family, somewhere safe to live and (some) money. It is just that there is enough pressure on young people as it is, without having to worry about how on earth I am going to be able to teach myself my A Levels this year, or how I can work when I still need to take two or three hour naps a day. It is very frustrating to have the motivation and ambition towards work, university and achieving something in life but physically being unable to do it. I spend a lot of my time worrying that other people think I am lazy for not having a job or that other people think I'm babied and spoilt by my parents, despite the fact that I know I am not lazy just ill and never receive any money from my parents other than my inheritance which I live off ( I don't think dead parents count). I suppose I should remember the saying "What Susie says of Sally, says more about Susie than it does of Sally", if anything this year has at least taught me to not assume that other people have it easy or make quick judgments about what other people do and just hope others do the same. One of the main reasons why I have taken blogging a bit slower recently is because I go at everything at hundred miles per hour and look at everything in life like it is a job. So, lazy? No. A bit full on and over enthusiastic? Always. 

Today is the first day where I have really noticed the growth in my hair, I can now tie it up in a bun with very minimal hair pins and look worryingly similar to old pictures of my Dad. I have been growing my hair out since February, mostly because my medical condition makes the thought of someone touching my head seem like a horrific punishment. But also because I have had a pixie cut since I was thirteen, I briefly grew it out before but now I feel like I need a change, something a little more feminine and softer. I am luckily that my hair grows incredibly quickly, my aim is to get it past my shoulders by this time next year which I will easily achieve. Although my hair grows fast I do have to look after it and use the right products otherwise it grows into a giant tangle that  looks like a strange wavy mullet- attractive I know. This outfit was chosen for another day of house work, dog walking and constant worrying. I am resisting the warm weather and am happily pretending it is freezing despite the factual difference, I want it to be Christmas- therefore I will dress like it is Christmas ( a logical theory). I like the trousers but I do always feel a little bit clown like in non tailored trousers, they are also a tiny bit big for me and seem to balloon a bit comically for my liking. I would definitely recommend Fashion Union for Primark priced pieces that are of reasonably high quality and follow the trends.

Coat- Asos 

Top- Primark 

Trousers- Fashion Union (at Asos)

Shoes- Dr Martens 

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? 

Not All Those Who Wonder Are Lost

 

I am cringing a bit using a massively misquoted and over used line from Lord of the Rings as a title for my blog post. Especially as I don't even like Lord of the Rings that much, but sometimes there are feelings I have  that I know others have expressed much eloquently then I ever could. I am not entirely sure what this post is going to be about as such, because I don't think I've quite come to terms with my own inability to have a direction in life. In England at least we are pressured into choosing what our entire futures will look like at sixteen, although after the recent Gove education reforms this now looks more like fourteen. It is almost impossible at fourteen to know what kind of person you will be by the time you are an adult, you can't know what is going to happen in the world, what is going to happen to you, where you will be living or what opportunities will come your way. There is so much pressure to go to university or have a job as soon you leave school, you go from being babied and spoon fed to  having the world on your shoulders as soon as you get your GCSE results. £27, 000 is a lot of money to owe when you might not be sure that you even want to go to university at all. At my college we were made to feel like university is the only real option if you want to have a happy successful life, that Oxbridge is what everyone should want and that taking anymore than a year off between A levels and University is life ruining. I don't really want to document my feelings of disappointment towards my college and their actions on this blog, but I will say that they were incredibly unwilling to be flexible with me and my illnesses. I was made to feel that if I wasn't able to be a "normal" student then I might as well not bother with my exams at all, I might as well just give up completely.

 

Something which is rarely acknowledged is that often at some stage in your life things will fall apart, you will have to change the way you live, change your plans and you aspirations. I am often saying to my Mum how different I feel I am now to how I was last year, in a relatively short time I have gone from someone who was extremely argumentative and felt the need to get involved in every discussion to someone who glazes over and no longer cares. Of course these changes are due to unusual circumstances but I have been through so many stages in the last few years and at the time I was always convinced that I would stay that way forever. For years I thought I wanted to be an artist, I couldn't stand the idea of studying in a formal setting or wearing suits and being in an office, I then did a complete 360 and decided I wanted to be a lawyer and become some kind of leader of justice. My other great life plans have included being a writer, a teacher, a journalist and a politician. So what do I want to do now? The reality is I don't have any idea what I want to now and I don't think I need to, whilst seem people are sure of their future and do exactly what they planned a lot of people don't. Both of my parents took an untraditional route into education and did a lot of different jobs before and after, that doesn't make their achievements any less valid. My point is, you don't have to follow the status quo, you don't have to spend your life doing something you hate because it earns you money or looks impressive to other people. As dark as it sounds I have accepted that no one really knows what is going to happen in their life, just because those around you appear to have everything sorted out it doesn't mean they always will.

 

 

I seem to have written quite a lot without really saying much, there is so much to say about a topic like this but my brain is in medicated "brain fog" mode and I have begun to forget what my name is, let alone being capable enough to construct a readable sentence. I think there is a lot of media hype about my generation being lazy, I don't think we are lazier than those who came before us, we just are expected to set our sights on being an over educated professional, anything less makes you less of a member of society, whether you enjoy it or not (or so the Conservatives belief). It is alright to not know what you want to do with your life, not all those who wander are lost and not all that glitters is gold.

 

 

University Stress

Winter has finally arrived, or so the weather reports have been saying on and off for the last month- although I'm told that this time it definitely is staying cold. Winter brings along many possibilities that summer can never give, I can stay inside all day and avoid the world with a reasonable excuse, I can buy more coats than anyone would ever possibly need and I can get my hot water bottle out without being mocked by those who don't feel the cold as much as me (everyone). I have already previously written a blog post gushing over why I love Christmas and why, in turn I love winter so I won't blather on anymore about that topic. Yesterday was one of those brilliant winter days where the sun is shining and there isn't a drop of rain, or a gust of wind all day but it still cold enough to need to wrap up warm. My Mother and I took the opportunity to walk Rosie our new puppy for an hour on two, resulting in me falling face first down a grassy hill and the puppy being momentarily terrified of me and what I was doing. My Mum did manage to capture this moment on camera but I have decided to keep it to myself to protect any pride I have left.

Unfortunately the last few days have been the kind of days where I'm not really fit for anything, my health issues make it difficult for me to achieve anything and over the last few days I have spent a good majority of my time sleeping. I won't start a therapy session right here and now but I do feel unsettled by a lot of uncontrollable things in my life at the moment. Currently I am having to think about the reality of applying for university this year, it is tricky to strike the balance between being realistic about your abilities and remaining positive and upbeat. In typical "me" fashion I am throwing myself into every single possible task as a way of distracting myself from what has been a fairly shit time. It is strange to look back over the last year and think how many things have changed and how much I have changed as a person, there is a sense of inevitability in my situation but it doesn't really make it any easier to deal with. 

On to lighter subjects- yesterday I decided to dress practically for the warmth, opting for a more comfortable outfit. I have always despised the idea that dressing comfortably should take priority over looking good, I used to put myself through all kinds of minor discomfort to look good. However, since being ill I have despised wearing tight things as they tend to feel like little needles digging into my hip bones and body, something which isn't very desirable. I bought the joggers pictured as I thought they would be comfortable, warm and maybe fit into the sports luxe trend, I'm not really sold on them completely but they are fine for dog walking in Somerset. I am also wearing my extremely battered and destroyed converse, these really shouldn't be worn anymore as they have holes in them, are falling apart and are no longer even vaguely white in colour but I just feel like they go with everything and I have a strange attachment to them. I am also wearing my newly purchased MAC lipstick in Russian Red, I am still cringing over spending this much on lipstick but it so beautiful. I ate three meals, had a nap, drank and went out wearing one coat of the lipstick and it didn't budge at all. I have never really appreciated high ends products, believing you are paying for the brand name over the quality a lot of the time, but this is one expensive item I think is worth the money. 

As a last note I would like to apologise to anyone who is neurotic as me for all the pictures in this post being different sizes. My brain is completely stressed out and muddled today and I just couldn't make them look how I wanted them to look. I realise the majority of people won't notice this but it does set my perfectionist side on edge!

Coat- Asos 

Shirt- Topshop 

Top- Urban Outfitters (sparkle and fade)

Joggers- Topshop 

Converse 

Lipstick- MAC Russian Red 

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. 

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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