OUTFIT | #162

jumper: H&M; dress: Urban Outfitters; boots: Topshop; lipstick: Revlon Matte 'Really Red'

Let's all take a moment to appreciate how much healthier my hair looks in this post. I had it cut and it's barely any shorter, but it feels so thick and luxurious now. Please remind me never to go 4 months without a trim again. My poor, poor hair. I'm super tempted to go for the big chop now though and get a long bob. It's been on my mind for ages now but I've also never had my hair this long before, so I'm reluctant to give up so easily. Maybe I'll carry on aiming for mermaid hair a little while longer.

I am loving the fact that I can wear tights and boots all the time again now it's chillier. Dressing for colder weather is so much easier to me. I love layers, what can I say? Plus this dress I bought for the summer slots perfectly into autumn dressing too. Don't you love when that happens? Much as I do enjoy a good summer dress, they get so little wear most of the year. I'm forever reluctant to splurge on something I only get use out of 2-3 months of the year. 

OUTFIT | #161

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

I wore this on a day where I was spectacularly hungover. That's kind of all I remember about this day, or this outfit. I spent most of it in bed before finally dragging myself onto campus to see a friend, so I didn't feel like I'd totally wasted my day. I think that was why I went for all the black. It felt comforting. I'm kind of glad that freshers week is coming to an end. It's been good but I'm exhausted and I've said 'I'm getting too old for this' a few too many times. 

That's not to imply I haven't had a lot of fun, and I know that I'm not really too old for all this. The night before this particular outfit was especially fun. I had a very belated birthday celebration with my uni friends. Yes, I know my birthday was ages ago now. No, that doesn't stop me celebrating it weeks after the fact. Somewhere along the way I became one of those annoying birthday-loving people, and I've just come to embrace it.

OUTFIT | #160

t-shirt: Primark; trousers, necklace: Topshop; shoes: Clarks; watch: Casio; lipstick: MAC 'Candy Yum Yum'

New room, new set-up. You know the drill. I'm a third year now. Let's not talk about it. Possibly ever. I'm all settled into my new house for this year and ready to get back into the swing of things. Trying to figure out the best angle and set-up for picture taking in a new room is always an interesting exercise. Hopefully this works out for now. 

I went with that whole 'black with a pop of colour' thing for this. Although I hate the phrase 'pop of colour', but I can't ever think of another way to say what I mean. I love these trousers with a plain black top but that gets a bit repetitive, so enter neon pink lipstick and necklace. 'Candy Yum Yum' is the most recent addition to my MAC lipstick collection and it's utterly ridiculous, in the best possible way. I'm very excited to have it in my possession.

OUTFIT | #159

top, skirt: American Apparel; shoes: Vans; lips: Revlon Matte 'Really Red'

I didn't realise until I was already dressed that I was essentially wearing all American Apparel on this occasion. As you can see behind me, this was when I was packing up my stuff to move back to uni, so a lot of my clothes were already in suitcases and my hanging rail was looking pretty bare. I wore this a week or so ago, when we had a ridiculously hot day in the UK. I think it was like 30 degrees or something. I made the grave error of going to town and basically melted.

My American Apparel circle skirt is one of my favourite skirts I own. And I own a lot of skirts. It's dead short and sometimes I feel a bit self-conscious when wearing it. Flashing my bum to people isn't always top of my priority list. Lately I've taken to wearing it with a little pair of black shorts (those Soffe shorts cheerleaders wear, to be precise) underneath and it does the trick. I feel a hell of a lot more confident wearing the skirt and no one gets a glimpse of my undies if there's a breeze. Job done.

OUTFIT | #158

top: Topshop; skort: Zara; shoes: BCBGeneration; watch: Casio

I am a blogger cliché. This skort has been everywhere, on every blogger, lately. I went into Zara the other day and couldn't resist trying it on. I was (and still am somewhat) wary of the skort trend. It feels potentially 'gimmicky' to me. A trend that may not age particularly well. I'm always cautious not to buy things I think will look daft in a few months time (ahem, mullet hems/peplums, anyone?). So while I liked the skort on, I initially walked out of the shop and left it. Then I tweeted about it, a lot, and ended up convincing myself to go back and buy it. So it goes. Decision making has, sadly, never been my strong point.

I do enjoy how it looks like a super short skirt from the front, a style we all know I'm fond of, but without the potential for flashing your bum. Hence the last picture above. I was attempting to show what the shorts look like at the back, but it just looks like a picture of my (sadly flat) bum. So enjoy that, I suppose. I haven't had a chance to wear the skort out yet, but I was putting together some potential night-out outfits with it and this was one of my favourites. I'm sure it will make an appearance or two at fresher's week events when I'm back at uni.

SKINCARE | My Current Routine

I'd never really considered making a skincare post on here before. My skincare routine is agonisingly simple and I'm no dermatologist or even a particularly avid skincare person. I tend to stick to a product if it works for me, and never switch from it. Recently though, a friend asked if I wouldn't mind sharing the extent of my routine in a blog post so I figured I'd oblige. It's very short and sweet, but it works for me.

MY SKIN TYPE

I feel I should first start by saying I have never had bad skin. I've never suffered from acne, only the occasional stress related or hormonal break out. My skin is very sensitive and dry, so I'm wary of trying new products in case I react badly to them. This means I rarely try new skincare products and just try to keep it simple and stick to what I know works. 

DRINK WATER

This is basically my biggest skincare tip. Anyone who knows me knows I drink ridiculous amounts of water every day. I rarely drink juice, squash, or fizzy drinks. I basically only drink water, and buckets of the stuff. I keep a water bottle with me constantly and am always refilling it. I know some people struggle to get into the habit of drinking water but I've always drunk tons of it and I think this really contributes to keeping my skin so clear.

WITCH HAZEL

I use this every night on a cotton pad, and some mornings if I remember, to take off my face make-up (I never use it around my eyes, I use a separate eye make-up remover for that area) and to tone my skin. This is a product I've used religiously ever since I was 13 years old. I've had bad experiences with cleansers and other toners in the past and this has never caused a problem for me. I would like to try an alcohol free witch hazel to compare how that works, but otherwise I never stray from this step.

LA ROCHE-POSAY EFFACLAR DUO

This is a newer product I only started using a few months ago. It's a serum that claims to 'correct and unclog' skin. I apply it to my t-zone (which is the only area I ever break out) after I've toned with witch hazel and I like it a lot. It keeps the few break outs I used to experience at bay, and reduces the appearance of any blackheads I may have. I've also heard from several others, with very different skin types to mine, that this product works fantastically on their skin too.

SOAP & GLORY FEEL GOOD FACTOR SPF 25

I began using this as my daily facial moisturiser at the start of summer because I needed a moisturiser with an SPF in it. It's the best facial moisturiser I've tried yet because it's never broken me out or irritated my skin. In the summer my skin is less dry, so I'll be interested to see how well this works in the colder months when I have incredibly dry, flakey skin.

BIO-OIL

This is a product with a few purposes for me. I use it on stretch marks, and on my face at night. It's incredibly moisturising and always leaves my skin looking amazing, almost glowing, the next day. I find it also lessens the appearance of any discolouration of the skin and actually helps with break outs, instead of making them worse. I use this less often in the summer, when my skin is less dry, but in the winter I'll apply one to two drops of Bio-Oil to my face every night and sometimes a drop in the mornings too.

OUTFIT | #157

shirt: BDG from Urban Outfitters; t-shirt: Topshop; shorts: Zara; shoes: Vans; watch: Casio

So I guess this is my new favourite shirt. Seriously, I've worn this sucker, in some capacity, nearly every day since I bought it. Even if it's just for putting on with comfy clothes at the end of the day because it's so cosy. I wish I could find it in other colours on the Urban Outfitters website so I could buy another. I have officially become one of those people who buys clothes they like in multiple colours. I denied it for a long time but, looking at my wardrobe now, there's definitely a pattern emerging. If you're looking for a super soft flannel shirt, I really cannot recommend this one from BDG enough. It makes every outfit so comfortable and casual-looking.

Also, hey new shoes. For my birthday my sister bought me a pair of Vans Authentics. I've wanted some for a while now. The last pair of Vans I bought were a pink checkerboard pattern pair of slip-ons back in my scene days (You know the ones). I think I even still have them somewhere in my mum's house. The Authentics seem like a more grown-up step up for my trainer collection. I like that they have a bit of a platform look going on, so I feel taller when I wear them. Coming in at 5'5'", I'll take anything that pushes me a bit above average height happily. They're burgundy too and that's like one of my favourite colours, so that's another plus.

SHOES | My Favourite Black Boots

If you've followed my blog for any length of time, you'll be aware that my biggest weakness comes in the form of black boots. Well, and lipstick, but I already have a few posts about my favourite lipsticks. (Favourite Vampy Lipsticks, Favourite Winter Lipsticks, & Favourite All-Time Lipsticks - although this last one could do with an update) As I talk about boots often enough and, with Autumn coming up, will be wearing them all the time, I figured the time was nigh for a post about some of my favourite pairs. This isn't my entire 'collection' of boots - that would be a much longer post. Rather just my Top 5, if you will.

DR MARTENS 1460 BOOT

An obvious universal wardrobe classic and staple. Mine took bloody ages to wear in though. I suffered months of painful feet and blisters, despite wearing multiple pairs of thick socks, until these became comfortable. They are a total saviour in the snow though and just a great pair of boots that will always look good.

TOPSHOP MIGHTY BOOTS

A blatant rip-off of the Acne Pistol boot, at a much lower price. I wear these everywhere. They are my everyday black boot and I'm always tempted to buy a back-up pair, for when they eventually wear out. I could not be without them.

TOPSHOP ALEXY BOOTS

I missed out on the Topshop Allegra, back in the day, and always regretted it. I've since bought a knock-off pair of Allegras on eBay but I couldn't resist getting the Alexys. I wear these with both casual outfits to uni, or on a night out. Although, as with all my shoes, I always live in fear of them being ruined. That's the neat freak in me talking though.

TOPSHOP PREMIUM PARKER BOOT

I have a Recent Purchases post featuring these and explaining what an absolute steal they were in the sale. They feel incredibly well-made and are basically just a thing of beauty. I don't own any other boots with a pointed toe and I enjoy that they're on the flatter side, with only a slight heel, for days when I don't feel like being super tall.

TOPSHOP MONTH BOOTS

If you hadn't guessed by now, I have a bit of a love affair with Topshop boots. I am always inevitably drawn to their shoe section to scope out a new pair. These are the most recent addition to my boot family. I love a good chelsea boot, as if it wasn't obvious enough. Plus these look a bit cute and equestrian, with their little flat heel, which is rather charming, if not also practical.

OUTFIT | #156

shirt: Forever 21; jeans: Topshop; shoes: Urban Outfitters; watch: Casio

Day 2 of straightened hair. Verdict: much preferable to day 1. I slept with it in plaits so isn't so poker straight anymore and has a nice wave to it. I feel like I look a lot younger with my hair like this, but maybe that's because I associate it with being younger, when I wore my hair like this all the time. Who knows. It's an interesting experiment, nonetheless. I'm stuck with it for another day or two since, fun fact, I only ever wash my hair once or twice a week. I think that's how it stays so red, because when I washed it more this summer when I was swimming the colour definitely faded much more quickly.

This outfit turned out to be a bit of a regret. Not because I don't like it, because I do. Mostly because it was way too hot to be wearing jeans so I was sweltering. Also I love these loafers but no matter how often I wear them, they remain the most uncomfortable pair of shoes I own. I always have to bring another pair of shoes to change into. I think I might have to give up on them and try and find a less painful pair. It's a shame because there's nothing wrong with them to look at, but the blisters on my feet tell a different story.

WISHLIST | #7

Motel dress; Topshop white blouse and clutch; Vagabond Grace boots; Zara sweatshirt

A plethora of black and white items I'm currently lusting after, for your viewing pleasure. Some of these I've already had to stop myself from buying. My head says 'No, think of your big trip to the States, spend your money on that' while a little impulsive devil on my shoulder is trying to convince me otherwise. I tried on the white Topshop blouse the other day and it pained me to restrain myself from buying it (not literally 'pained', but I did let out a little sad sigh as I handed it back to the dressing room attendant). Basically, I really want all this stuff. But I guess that's the whole point of a wishlist post.

If I had to pick, I want the Vagabond Grace boots the very most. Because I need another pair of black boots like I need a hole in the head. I know, as my mother keeps telling me. Keep your eyes peeled for a blog post coming up featuring some of my favourite black boots, by the by. The boots are probably closely followed by the Motel dress with the adorable floral neckline. I don't really do floral very often. I like how it's pretty subtle on this dress though, but turns what is basically a boring black dress into something super cute.

The Topshop bag and Zara sweatshirt come in at joint third. My lust for knitwear knows no bounds when Autumn comes around again and the only reason I haven't bought the sweatshirt yet is because I have yet to see it in a Zara store. Otherwise I'm sure I'd have my grubby mits all over it. A similar story applies to the black bag. Coupled with the fact that I just got a new small black bag and, as I tend to favour a larger bag, buying another small bag just seems a bit frivolous.

GUEST OUTFIT | Baby Sis

top, shoes, earrings: Topshop; jeans: BDG from Urban Outfitters; watch: Casio; lips: MAC 'Vegas Volt'

I figured you guys must get kind of bored of my face sometimes, right? I don't know if guest outfit posts will become a regular thing, who knows. I just love looking at other people's personal style and what they wear on a day-to-day basis. I've been thinking about posting some of my little sister's outfits on here for a while now, since she's a pretty well-dressed kid. Yes, we are related. No, we don't look anything alike. She's 5'8" and platinum blonde while I'm 5'5", on a good day, with wannabe mermaid locks. Chalk and cheese, I'm telling you.

That said, she does share my penchant for the all-black outfit from time to time. I would totally wear this. In fact, I'm sorely tempted to steal/borrow a few of these items from her wardrobe sometime. Especially the jeans. I'm such a sucker for a good pair of black jeans. I already own two pairs, but I'm already coveting her new black BDGs. They're the high-waist, cigarette ankle style I love. If you don't own a pair, I would highly recommend them. They are seriously good denim.

OUTFIT | #156

top: Feather Hearts (from Urban Outfitters); jeans: Topshop 'Jamie'; shoes: Converse; watch: Casio; lips: MAC 'Impassioned'

I turned 21 over the weekend, so that was pretty exciting. Just in time for my trip to the US next week. (Yes, that was planned.) My actual birthday was on Sunday but being the birthday monster that I am, I decreed all weekend (plus Monday) a celebration of me. I never used to like my birthdays or make a big deal out of them when I was younger, but as I've got older and become happier with myself I figured why not make a fuss out of my big day? Plus I've really enjoyed my twenties thus far, after hating every minute of being a teenager. Not a time of my life I look back on with any nostalgia, I'm afraid.

I went to a local music festival for the day of my birthday, so I felt the time was nigh to pull out this top. My sister pointed out that if you only glance at it, it looks like it reads 'lucky you. It's from a brand called Feather Hearts and they make some other really cool graphic t-shirts. I am sorely tempted to buy another one or two, since it appeals to my fondness for bold slogan tees, shall we call them, lately. It certainly made this birthday outfit one to remember.

OUTFIT | #155

dress, boots: Topshop; shirt: BDG from Urban Outfitters; watch: Casio

Guess who got really bored and straightened her hair? That would be me. I'm not sure how I feel about it, to be honest with you. It's pretty boring. And so bloody long. It also took me an absolute age to do. I've been marathoning The Hills on Netflix recently (yes, I am that girl) and I got through nearly 3 episodes before I was done straightening. How did I do this every single day from the age of 13 to 18? And more importantly, why? I definitely prefer my natural curls. This was just kind of an experiment/something to do on a dull day indoors.

Now can we talk about this shirt for a moment? I guess this post is all about revisiting looks I favoured in the past, because I haven't worn a checked shirt in a really long time. I used to own a couple back in my scene/emo days of yore, but they're long since gone. Lately I've been itching for a new one to throw over things or pair with jeans on lazy days. This BDG shirt from Urban Outfitters is so soft, like ridiculously soft. It looks more lumberjack than 15-year-old-wearing-too-much-eyeliner so it does the trick.