RECENT FAVOURITES | Best of 2013

Yes, this is another of those 'best products of 2013' blog posts. No, I will not apologise for being a blogger cliché. If you know anything about me, you know I love lists so this is right up my alley. Hence, I present to you an assortment of products that I came to know and love in this past year.

URBAN DECAY NAKED PALETTE

I only own the original Naked palette, although I'm now sorely tempted by the Naked 3. I have a modest collection of eyeshadow palettes but the original Naked is always the first one I reach for. For someone with green(ish-blue) eyes, the warm toned colours really suit me. Whenever I travel, this is all the eyeshadow I bring with me. If I could recommend a palette to anyone, it would definitely be this one.

IT'S A 10 MIRACLE LEAVE-IN PRODUCT

My hair is a nightmare. It's long, dry, curly, prone to frizz, and thick. I'm constantly looking for ways to tame it. This is one product that does the trick. I run a few spritzes through wet hair then scrunch it and it stops my hair looking and feeling like straw. Possibly not a good bet for those with fine hair, but my hair needs all the help it can get and this helps along the way.

THE BODY SHOP BODY BUTTER

My skin also suffers with dryness. In the winter I'm prone to sore, itchy skin that feels tight and dried out. It's not the best. Most body moisturisers just don't cut it and leave my skin feeling parched again a few hours after application. The only thing I've found that helps combat my winter dryness is The Body Shop's body butter range. My personal favourite scents are Brazil Nut and Satsuma. 

NARS 'ALBATROSS' HIGHLIGHTING BLUSH POWDER

I used to only wear highlighter on special occasions, or when I could be bothered but recently I've been wearing it most days. Again, it's probably a dry skin thing. I hate a matte face. It just draws attention to dry patches. I've tried several highlighters in various forms, creams, powders, etc. This is my favourite. It blends like a dream and you don't end up looking like a disco ball after applying it.

RIMMEL 'STARRY EYED' LIPSTICK

This is a recent addition to my vampy lipstick collection (I should probably do an updated collection post at some point). I've long been a fan of Rimmel lipsticks. They apply and last well, and they're super cheap. 'Starry Eyed' has been my go-to daytime dark lip of late. Definitely a good one to try out if you're new to the dark lip thing, or want something more everyday appropriate.

LA ROCHE-POSAY EFFECLAR DUO

I mentioned this in my skincare post a while back, but it's still going strong. I'd recommend going and reading that post for more information but basically, it keeps what minimal breakouts I experienced at bay and helps reduce the appearance of pores. It also lasts ages too. I've used mine every day for around 6 months and there's still plenty left in the bottle.

TOM FORD BLACK ORCHID EAU DE PARFUM

I'd wanted this for years and finally received it as a gift for my 21st birthday, back in September. It's a really interesting, androgynous scent. With perfumes, I like intense, unique scents. Nothing that smells like cupcakes or flowers, thank you. It's definitely one to go and smell for yourself. I always get compliments when I wear this.

TARTE 'EXPOSED' AMAZONIAN CLAY BLUSH

Most bloggers worth their salt will likely have heard of this neutral blush. I picked it up on a trip to the US this year and found that it did indeed live up to the hype. If I can't decide what blush to wear, I always end up going for this.  Again, another product I always pack in my travel make-up bag. 

OUTFIT | #184

top, boots: River Island; jeans: Topshop

The lighting in my room is super weird in the mornings and it makes taking pictures kind of a nightmare. In half the shots I took, I didn't even have a face because the sun was so bright. So excuse the bizarre light and how it's making my hair look like it's glowing. My hair and I aren't currently getting along anyway. I'm around 99% sure I'm going to chop it off soon and go for the long bob. I'm 21, the long hair's getting old. It makes me feel like I'm still trying to be a teenager. I hated my teen years, I'm ready to start looking like a woman in her early twenties. Plus it takes up way too much of my damn time to look after it properly. Over it.

This is my 'gonna go spend hours and hours in the library' outfit. Just because it's Christmas break doesn't mean I get to lounge about eating selection boxes and watching films all the time, sadly. Comfort was the aim of the game so I wore this incredibly baggy shirt I found in River Island recently. I foresee us having a long and successful relationship involving many late nights in the library. I was concerned it would look a bit odd on me because baggy tops like this tend to only suit flat-chested girls. When you add boobs and flowy material, it doesn't always work out but I think it works. Is it flattering? Not especially, but I wasn't really going for that look anyway. And yes, I am wearing a new pair of black boots. It's a sickness.

INSTAGRAM | #8

 late nights in the library; all black everything; getting ready for evening out

ready for a night out on the town; lunchtime cocktails; hot baths and Black Books

December has been an odd mixture of end of semester excursions and festivities with uni friends, general Christmas preparation, and toiling over essays and my dissertation. Trying to strike a balance hasn't always been the easiest thing but I'm doing my best. Currently I'm back at my mum's for a week or so to celebrate Christmas with family, eat a lot of food, and generally be merry. Then I'll be back and forth between hiding myself away in the library to work all day, and heading off to visit various friends across the country. I hope everyone else is treating themselves well and enjoying the holiday season. 

Follow me on Twitter and Instagram for more of what I get up to during winter break.

OUTFIT | #183

top: Primark; skirt: American Apparel; shoes: Converse

I don't think I've ever consistently featured so much Primark on my blog. Ever. In the past, I've steered very clear of Primark. I find it too busy and too messy for clothes I wouldn't wear anyway. Lately they've definitely stepped up to the plate though and had some decent offerings in store. I still have to find a quieter period to pop in, or I get too stressed out and walk straight out. But that's just my personal aversion to mess and crowds talking.

There's something incredibly festive about velvet to me. I wore this to another Christmassy shindig. It's so warm and always a conversation starter when people realise how soft it is. Yes, you can stroke my t-shirt. No, that's not strange at all... I think I'll be pretty sad when the holiday season is over. I love any excuse to get all my friends together, eat food, and drink a lot of wine while wearing our favourite clothes. Christmas is an especially good time of year for that. I guess that's why people complain about the January blues after the holiday excitement comedown.

OUTFIT | #182

top: Primark; scarf: H&M; skirt: Topshop; shoes: Converse

Another day, another crop top. This is another of those ridiculously cheap Primark crop tops I mentioned in my previous post. Nearly identical to the last one, except this has a high neck. Will I ever wear anything other than black crop tops again? Who knows. Watch this space. I threw this outfit on in a hurry and spent the whole day feeling like I was in that film The Craft. Which is no bad thing, in my humble opinion.

I wore this on a particularly busy day, when I had to rush to work to sort some things out before meeting friends for lunch and doing some last minute Christmas shopping. Say what you will about crop tops, but I love them and with something high-waisted on the bottom, I never feel cold. Someone asked me the other day to feature 'functional outfits' on my blog. Pieces to layer, what to wear on really cold days, etc. But that's basically what I already do. This is exactly the stuff I wear on really cold days. Every day here is really cold. I would never walk around feeling cold just because I liked an outfit. Who has time for that?

OUTFIT | #181

top: Primark; skirt: River Island; shoes: New Look; necklace: ASOS

It's the time of semester when everyone's going on one last hurrah before people head home for the winter break. One night last week, I went on a night out with some of my nearest and dearest uni friends and fancied a new outfit for the occasion. I didn't want to spend loads of money though. I am a poor student, after all. In the end, I bought a new top and skirt for under £20. A successful effort, if you ask me. 

The skirt was a bit 'out there' for someone who tends to favour the miniskirt, like myself. Real talk: I think my legs are one of my best features and I like to display them accordingly.  The split in the side made me feel less like a demure grandmother though. Plus the fact that it was super sparkly and festive. Originally £30, reduced to £15, it was a done deal. The crop top was a Primark job. At £2, I stocked up on every style and colour they had to offer in the store. We all know how much I enjoy a good crop top.

RECENT PURCHASES | Sleek

Christmas shopping ultimately leads to making a few sneaky purchases for yourself along the way, as we all know. My present shopping is nearly finished now but along the way, I couldn't resist purchasing a few items from Sleek as a gift for myself. I'd had my eye on them for a while and since it's deadline week for me, I figured a treat might be a good incentive to crack this final project out.

Sleek Blush By 3 'Sweet Cheeks'

I believe this blush palette came out with one of Sleek's collections that I didn't pay much attention to. These palettes always catch my eye in stores though, and I liked this one a lot in particular. I have a lot of peach blushes and not enough pink tones so this offers a lot of colours I don't already own. There's a nice mix of brights and neutrals, mattes and shimmers, powders and creams, all that good stuff. I can't speak for longevity just yet but I have other Sleek blushes and they're always very pigmented and long-lasting, in my experience.

Sleek Face Contour Kit 'Light'

This is a product I've seen recommended countless times on YouTube. It tends to be difficult to find in stores by me, so when I ordered a few things online I knew I had to finally get this for myself. I'm a big fan of contouring, even in my everyday make up, so I'm always in the market to try a new contour powder. Plus the highlighter this comes with is lovely too. I have really dry skin so I avoid the matte look at all costs. Highlighter is a must. Plus it should be a great product to bring with me when travelling - having two-in-one is always dead handy.

WISHLIST | Shoes Please

1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Shoes are my downfall. I have so many pairs, yet never enough. And a lot of the pairs I already own look really alike. It's a sickness. I can't go anywhere without falling in love with yet another pair of black ankle boots. These are some shoes I've had my eye on more recently. River Island are tempting me like no other currently. Their selection of ankle boots is impeccable. Basically, I want them all. It was difficult to narrow it down to merely two pairs to feature on this wishlist.

Another great shoe love of mine is the heel. I always wear heels on a night out. I think the gene that makes people's feet hurt after wearing heels all night skipped me, because I always soldier on. I'll run in them, I'll dance in them until the wee hours, you will not see me walking home with my shoes in one hand. I am a high heels trooper. This purple and black Topshop pair are calling to me in particular. I'm not usually one for a stiletto heel but for these I can make an exception. 

The New Balance look somewhat out of place amidst all these heels, but I've wanted a pair for a while now. I wear trainers a lot during the day, with all variety of outfits. I walk a lot and I spend hours on my feet at work so comfort is key. Plus there's something about my signature black paired with turquoise that is incredibly appealing to me.

OUTFIT | #180

dress: Miss Selfridge; clutch: H&M; shoes: BCBGeneration

Props to my housemate for snapping these pictures 5 minutes before we ran out the door. I so rarely manage to get ready in time to take pictures of what I wear on a night out, but this dress was too good not to document. I went to the student media ball at my university this week. I love a good formal affair and excuse to wear all my best rags. I knew this dress was for me the moment I spotted it in Miss Selfridge a few months ago. Even the girls in the shop said they were all obsessed with it. It's an absolute corker. I kept trying it on and ending up sitting about watching TV in it because I wouldn't want to take it off. 

Sequins aren't usually my thing, but black and form-fitting is so it worked. I didn't manage to get a picture but it's lower in the back which is a nice touch. I am in desperate need of a good new clutch though. My reliable old black number finally bit the dust a few weeks ago and I like having the option of more than one bag to choose from on a night out. Definitely an item that's going on my shopping list for future purchase.

OUTFIT | #179

jumper: Tommy Hilfiger; skirt: J. Crew; boots: H&M

This is possibly my favourite jumper I've ever owned. When I moved back to uni, I foolishly left it at my mum's house and have felt the sting of its absence ever since. In all serious though, it was really bloody annoying. I kept thinking of outfits I wanted to wear with it and then remembering I didn't have it. I went home last weekend and the first thing I did was make sure I packed this jumper securely in my bag. Reunited at last. I've worn it nearly every day since. Hopefully we won't be parted again anytime soon. 

Special mention here to my sister, since this jumper was originally hers before I stole it. Or she gave it to me, one or the other. It certainly wouldn't be the first time I've coveted her knitwear. I've got my eye on a black and cream striped number in her wardrobe currently. Watch out, sis. That one might 'accidentally' end up in my bag after I come home for Christmas.

OUTFIT | #178

jumper, boots: Topshop; skirt: H&M; bag: Rebecca Minkoff

I wore this out for dinner and drinks with some friends last week. I'd been in the library all day, in a perfectly acceptable outfit, but decided to change anyway. Sitting in silence amongst the stacks all day left me feeling rather dull. Hence the big peach jumper. That thing is a god-send on cold nights. I have never encountered a warmer item of knitwear. I can even get away with a lighter jacket when I wear this jumper. It's that warm. Since my criteria for winter outfits is basically: looks good, won't leave me frozen to death - it fits the bill.

I don't often feature the bag I use in outfit posts. Mostly because on a day-to-day basis, I just use my Fjallraven Kanken 24/7. I'm rarely without it. On the rare occasion I do ditch the backpack, I've been reaching for smaller bags lately. For my 21st I got given a Rebecca Minkoff Mini M.A.C. and it's the perfect size for running quick errands or an evening out. Not so small that I have to sacrifice bringing certain things with me, but still sleek and unobtrusive. For someone who's always been into big bags, it works surprisingly well for me.

OUTFIT | #177

cardigan: H&M; top: Primark; skirt, boots: Topshop; watch: Casio

I'm not really buying much for myself currently because I'm in the throes of Christmas shopping for everyone else in my life. However, I did amble through Primark the other day and spot this black velvet crop top for £6. I've always been intrigued by velvet but never owned anyway, so it seemed like a good place to start. Plus it feels amazing. While wearing it, the temptation to constantly touch the fabric was pretty overwhelming so I sat rubbing my arms a lot. A little weird? Maybe. But it just feels so cool.

I'm just a big fan of textures in general, I think. Wearing all black a lot of the time can get a bit samey, obviously. Textures are a really simple way to break it up and make things look more interesting. I decided not to stop at just velvet and threw on my fluffy cardigan too. The fluffy knitwear look is something I'm also keen to dive into. Once all this Christmas shopping is out of the way, you bet I'm getting my hands on some ridiculously fuzzy new jumpers.

OUTFIT | #176

top, skirt, boots, necklace: Topshop; watch: Casio

It was all a bit touch and go here for a while. I broke one SD card for my camera, then lost the other, then my new SD cards took a bloody age to get here. So I'd wear great outfits and be all ready to blog them, then realise I couldn't. It's all good now though. The SD cards are here. Technical issues are a thing of the past. Let's get on with the show.

I have for you here a very basic, all-Topshop outfit. Which I feel isn't, in theory, that exciting. But I really like it because of the highlighter pink necklace I'm sporting. As a friend put it upon seeing me: 'That is some poppin' neck candy you've got go going on.' Quite. I can't wear lipstick at the moment because my lips are ridiculously dry, thank you winter weather. Usually I'd incorporate colour into an outfit through a bold lip but with that not an option currently, I dug out this necklace instead and I'm really into it.

OUTFIT | #175

jumper: American Apparel; shirt (underneath), jeans, boots: Topshop; scarf: Edinburgh Wool Mill

Long, stressful weeks call for comfy knitwear and a bright lip to fend off bad moods. The weather isn't helping either. It's rained basically every day for a week and I'm not cool with it. I can handle the cold but as soon as winter rains and dark evenings draw in, it really affects my mood. And my hair. Dear god, does all this moisture in the air ever screw with my hair. John Frieda's Moisture Barrier hairspray has been my godsend lately. If I can find the time to do a Recent Favourites post any time soon, you better believe that stuff is taking centre stage.

I've been living in a combination of collared shirts with various jumpers lately. All worn with jeans and trusty black boots, of course. Same old, same old It looks just made up enough that I don't look like I just rolled, reluctantly, out of my warm bed, while still being comfortable. The temptation to throw on a hoody and leggings and give no fucks was strong last week, but I refrained. Barely. It was one of those weeks. Let's hope the rain stops and things pick up, for my wardrobe's sake.

WISHLIST | Boyfriend Coat

l-r: Topshop; Zara; Monki, River Island

High on my winter wishlist is a new coat. Specifically a boyfriend coat. It seems like everyone and their gran has the perfect oversized boyfriend coat except me currently. I have serious coat envy. The issue is, apart from being terribly skint, narrowing down which coat I would get. I love them all. I have to stop myself from trying on every coat in any given shop I go into. To get a black one seems most sensible, since I do wear black 90% of the time. But then there are grey or tan options out there that I'm also lustily eyeing. In lieu of actually being able to afford to buy my dream coat, I'm just shopping around online at all the beautiful options that I'll probably never own. These are a few of my favourites. I particularly love the brown Zara coat I tried on a few weeks ago. But I'm not ready to fully commit to it as 'the one' yet. The search for my perfect winter coat continues.

OUTFIT | #174

jumper: Cheap Monday; camisole: Forever 21; skirt: H&M; shoes: Vans

The sheer look, with just a bra or simple camisole underneath, has been a favourite look of mine of late. It works especially well with this Cheap Monday jumper I've already recently blogged about. I wish I had some more interesting tops to put under it to experiment with. Definitely something I'll have to keep an eye out for. It is, admittedly, not the warmest of my knitwear. I always pair it with a fairly hefty jacket to fend off unwanted winter chills. I'm never one to suffer for clothes. Ain't nobody got time for that. 

The skirt is new, to me anyway. My sister had it for ages and never wore it because it didn't fit. Hence it got handed down to me. Circle skirts have a special place in my heart so I happily took it in. Polka dots are something I wore a lot in my mid-teens. This skirt isn't too busy though. I like that the circles are fairly large and bold. It's joining my already far too large skirt collection, although I may have to think of a new method of storage soon as wardrobe space is becoming rather limited.

OUTFIT | #173

blouse, boots: Topshop; skirt: H&M

I wore this during the day on Hallowe'en and someone asked me if I was wearing my costume already. Clearly, that person doesn't know me very well. I feel like I might even have posted this exact outfit, or a very, very similar rendition of it, on the blog before. There's nothing more 'me' than stripes and monochrome. Paired with my trusty black ankle boots. In fact, I love this blouse so much I have this sheer version of it and an opaque version, that is otherwise identical, that I found at Forever 21. 

Lately I've been neglecting my button-down blouses in favour of t-shirts. Mostly out of laziness because blouses require ironing, and t-shirts don't. Wearing this reminded me how much I like a good collared shirt. I had a bit more time to get ready in the morning so I didn't have to worry about throwing on something quick and easy. Hence the incredibly puffy just-blow-dried hair I'm sporting. It was a particularly 'large and in charge' hair day.

OUTFIT | #172

cardigan: H&M; t-shirt: Primark; jeans: Topshop; shoes: Converse; watch: Casio

I worked a lot of hours at work last week. Working in a bar means I often come home smelling like beer and Jagermeister, so I avoid wearing anything I would be upset if I ruined when on the job. Working most days in a week week meant ditching any nicer outfits I'd had planned for old jeans and trainers. I have one ancient pair of Hollister jeans in particular, leftover from my teen years, that I hang onto strictly to wear at work. I've learnt to always carry a spare shirt too so I just throw that on over my work jeans if I have anywhere else to go in-between shifts.

To be fair, this is something I'd wear even if I hadn't been off to work. These jeans always get forgotten in favour of other pairs but I really like them. They fit perfectly, and are so worn in that they're super comfy now. The Converse are my favourite pair of hi-tops that I own. I've never seen anyone else with the same pair and I got them for around $10 in a TJ Maxx in New Jersey when I was 14. They're still going strong, 7 years later. 

INSTAGRAM | #7

special guestin' on some student radio; graffiti on my walk to uni; one of many hungover fry-ups

 

spooky Hallowe'en party treats; I'm a mouse, duh

I've been back at uni for nearly 7 weeks now (how is that possible?) and I've forgotten to Instagram nearly anything of interest that happened. Of course. Being back here, I tend to get sucked into busy days and seeing friends and forget about anything else. Here are a few snippets of what I've been up to, including a lot of Hallowe'en pictures. We had a house party, complete with amazing homemade Hallowe'en treats. I went as Karen 'I'm a mouse, duh' from Mean Girls. Now I'm pretty bummed Hallowe'en's over now for another year. I guess there's always Christmas festivities though...

You should follow me on Twitter and Instagram for more general life musings, unapologetic selfies, and pictures of food I eat.

OUTFIT | Hallowe'en

playsuit: Primark; tights: mytights.com; shoes: Topshop; lipstick: Rimmel Kate Moss #04

I don't really enjoy fancy dress. It's not my thing. My typical response to why I don't enjoy it is 'I dress fancy enough anyway'. I'd just rather wear my own clothes, look nice, and not get messy. So when it comes to Hallowe'en, much as I enjoy it as a holiday, I tend to just repeat costumes year after year. Case in point, I took this picture last Hallowe'en (as you can tell from the background, this was taken in my old room) and never got around to posting it on the blog. I'm wearing it again when I go out tonight so I figured I'd just post it now. Is that cheating? Maybe.

If you couldn't tell, this is my beloved Wednesday Addams costume. It's all stuff I already own, which is a plus. I hate buying new stuff just to wear for costumes. Such a waste of money. Admittedly the tights are a throwback leftover from my teenage years, I probably wouldn't wear them day-to-day now. It's my favourite Hallowe'en costume I've ever thought up, and I think it's reasonably good too. People from the party I went to wearing this last year still refer to me as Wednesday occasionally in passing.

OUTFIT | #171

jumper: Cheap Monday; skirt, boots: Topshop

It's dark by 6pm now and I'm not happy about it. If I spend all winter whining about how I hate how pictures turn out with artificial lighting in this room, I apologise. I'll try and keep it to a minimum. Or just take pictures in the early hours of the morning when I wake up, I guess. Wearing all-black doesn't help so much. I was in a pretty terrible mood the day I wore this particular outfit, so I decided to be a horrible cliché and ditch all colour. Including black nail polish. The red lipstick was an added touch because I find it helps make me feel better on a bad day.

I've never owned anything by Cheap Monday before, although I've wanted to. This jumper was my first purchase. I spotted it in the ASOS sale and decided to go for it. Usually Cheap Monday stuff is always a little bit more than I'm willing to pay, although I really like their stuff. You can't tell from these pictures, but the jumper has slit sides that show the top I'm wearing underneath. I popped a striped long-sleeve shirt on to add a bit of dimension, but you could only really tell if I turned to the side.

OUTFIT | #170

shirt: BDG; skirt: H&M; boots: Topshop; watch: Casio

The semester's nearly halfway over and I'm getting to that stage where I feel like I'm drowning in work. There have been a lot of long days of campus, putting in several hours at the library. The life of a final year uni student, eh? As a result, I've been reaching for my most comfortable clothes. Nothing that requires tucking or a lot of adjustment throughout the day. Anything baggy and cosy will do, basically.

This flannel check shirt is definitely up there among the most comfortable items I own. Every time I wear it, I briefly consider never taking it off. It's pretty much the best. The pleather skirt, believe it or not, is also really easy to wear. It's so soft and makes it look like I thought about my outfit a lot more than I actually did. A truly winning combination.

OUTFIT | #169

jumper: Primark; blouse: Forever 21; jeans, boots: Topshop

Breaking out those cropped jumper and blouse combos like it's my job lately. Always a firm wardrobe favourite for the winter months. This one's from Primark, which has never been a place I've shopped much. I always find it so messy and stressful. I wandered in the other day to buy socks or something though, and spotted that their knitwear section is actually pretty on point right now. I would recommend a trip to check it out. This cheap little number is super cosy and soft. 

I felt a little predictably black, white, and grey in this outfit so I pulled out some bright red socks for a sneaky peek of colour. Barely visible, really, but I liked it. I used to like really busy, patterned socks when I was younger but lately I've become a fan of just block colour, bright socks. Yes, I am blogging about socks. Has my life really come to this?

OUTFIT | #168

jumper, jeans, boots: Topshop; blouse (underneath): Forever 21

I think my love of cable knit jumpers may be reaching ridiculous levels. I've bought 3, in various colours, in the past 2 weeks. I'm running out of knitwear storage. I think it's probably time to introduce a shopping ban. On the plus side, at least I look cute and warm all the time now. This peach jumper is super cosy. It's angora, or some kind of angora blend, but not the itchy kind. My love of knitwear stops at anything itchy. 

If it would just stop raining, the weather would be ideal right now. I can layer up, finally, without having to wear a bulky winter coat all the time. Instead I'm running around with umbrellas, worrying about frizzy hair and damp shoes. A typical British autumn, I suppose. I've basically lived in these flat equestrian-style boots from Topshop of late, since they're flat and practical but more rainproof than any of my Converse that I lived in for the past few months.

OUTFIT | #167

skirt: H&M; top: Zara; boots, necklace: Topshop; lips: MAC 'Rebel'

Every time I wear this skirt, I'm reminded how much I wish I owned more pencil skirts because I look great in them. This skirt has a cool scale-like pattern on it and makes me feel like an icy mermaid, which is always a fun look. It's one of my faves, but I don't wear it as much as I'd like because it's not a colour I reach for too often. Note to self: Get a black pencil skirt. Surely that's a wardrobe staple? Seriously, why haven't I made this purchase yet? 

This is probably one of my favourite outfits I've worn lately. I had to spend the day on campus in the library and going to meetings, then go to a concert afterwards. It is, I guess, one of those transitional outfits that works for multiple occasions. Plus I brought a spare top and changed into that so I could go out in the evening and it worked with that too. A pretty damn versatile outfit, if I do say so myself. 

OUTFIT | #166

top, boots: Topshop; skirt: American Apparel

This skirt with a pair of boots and tights is just too cute, I love it. I've almost definitely mentioned on here before that I struggled to wear it in the summer, being so short. With tights though, not a problem. It's also one of the only tan/brown items I own and can comfortably wear with black. In fact, it looks great with black. It was pretty much made for this outfit. As someone who is afraid of browns and neutrals, I can work with this.

I wore this on a day where I didn't think I was going to do anything or go anywhere but I ended up going out to dinner with my housemates in the end instead. So that was cool. My weekends at the moment are a mixture of going out to clubs, working behind a bar, or catching up on reading I couldn't find a spare minute for during the week. It was nice to change out of my pajamas, ditch the books, and get out of the house though.

OUTFIT | #165

top, jeans: Topshop; necklace: ASOS; shoes: Clarks

You probably can't tell but I redyed my hair (the same colour as usual - Schwarzkopf Live Color XXL in 'Red Passion' if you wanted to know) and it's much darker and wintry now. I love the colour it is when I first dye it. It always makes me feel super sultry and confident. Plus, after feeling a bit stuck in a rut for a while, I feel a bit more daring and interested in what I'm wearing again. I honestly just think I don't get along with summer clothes. The minute it got colder, I breathed a sigh of relief and pulled out my knitwear and tights.

Maybe I'm weather confused but I never wore this crop top in the summer and now I want to wear it a ton. I still need a version of it in black, because I need to own everything I love in black. Crop tops and high-waisted everything is all that's on my mind, once again, after avoiding that combination all summer. I'm not really sure what I'm trying to say here, except that I totally lost my mojo when the weather was warm and now it's back and I'm pretty pumped.