OUTFIT | #234

top, skirt: Topshop; shoes: Converse; bag: Fjallraven Kanken; watch: Casio

It's my birthday on Monday so I spent this weekend in London seeing some sights, museum hopping, and eating a lot of great grub. I had intended on bringing my camera and taking pictures of everything and making a really great blog post, or two, to show you all the fun stuff I did and some of my favourite places in my favourite city. It was all going so well. Then halfway through the first day, my battery died and the plan all went to pot. Blogger problems, eh?

My next post will be a little mini-taster of what I got up to. I did manage to snap a few pictures of Saturday's outfit while I was in the V&A before my battery gave out. I'm rubbish at packing outfits for trips and had to throw a bag together quickly after work on Friday night. I wanted to wear this Topshop skirt with my denim jacket but the weather in London was super muggy and I ended up being far too warm. I'm so confused by the seasons lately. Is it autumn? Is summer clinging on a while longer? Who can tell. It makes looking cute 24/7 so tricky. Can't somebody help a girl out?

TIPS | Clearing Out Your Wardrobe

I just moved house, which makes blogging a bit tricky because everything is still packed in boxes and my house is a mess and still mostly unfurnished. Soon I will have a bunch of fun home decor posts for you all. In the mean time, moving has brought one issue very much to light. I own too many clothes. I'm no stranger to a grand wardrobe clear out. (My issue is the rate I fill it up again.) Most summers I do a bit of a sweep and along the way I've learnt some simple, but effective, key tips to the clear out process. Whether you're donating your clothes to charity or making a bit of spare money on Depop or eBay, these tips should help you along your way.

1. BE STRICT

Clearing out your wardrobe can be a stressful process and often involves parting with clothing items you may be somewhat overly attached to. Daft as it sounds, just try to power through. No one said minimalism was easy. But remember that being soft and letting things pile up is how you got here in the first place. 

2. WHEN DID YOU LAST WEAR IT?

This one is pretty simple. Have you worn it in the last 12 months? If not, it needs to go. We all have those items we like but always pass over for clothes we like even more. 12 months is long enough that you've been through all the seasons or events you could possibly be faced with and if you still haven't worn it after that, it's time to say goodbye. 

3. IS IT BROKEN?

We all buy things that we put aside to be mended at a later date and then never get around to it. This is the time to decide either you fix it or it's time to get rid of it. That skirt you always meant to take in a bit? The blouse with the missing buttons? The dress with the split seam? It's now or never. If you haven't picked up a needle yet, are you really very likely to?

4. DOES IT FIT?

Hanging onto clothes you no longer fit into or are aiming to fit into does no one any good. Don't be mean to yourself. Clothes are meant to make you feel good. Don't let them become something that means you criticise your body. And if it's miles too big and you're not into the oversized look, pass them on to someone else who'll get more out of them.

5. GIVE IT TIME

This is a tip I heard from Vivianna's recent video that immediately made sense to me. If you're still wavering and unsure if you want to get rid of something, hide it away. Put it in a bag, put it somewhere out of sight, and leave it there for a few months. If in that time you miss it, then keep it. If not, it's another one for the donation pile.

LIPSTICK | Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet Lipstick

Bourjois Rouge Velvet Edition lipsticks in Hot Pepper & Grand Cru

A while back I mentioned how much I love the Bourjois Rouge Edition Velvet lipstick formula. It's become one of my favourite lipstick formulas. So far, I have two colours but I pretty much want to buy them all. I can't quite pinpoint exactly what I love so much. The incredibly affordable price? The long-lasting, surprisingly non-drying formula? The pretty great colour range? All of those things? Probably. I've been on a real lip stain kick for the last few months and these were the first ones I tried. I was on a somewhat serious, somewhat jokey quest to find a totally kiss-proof stain. There are a few others brands worth a mention on this journey, and I'm sure posts on them will come later, but the Bourjois offering still pulls me back in.

While I haven't completed my collection yet, I wear the two colours I already own a lot. Especially on a night out. They last pretty much an entire night of dancing and drinking. Plus they're small and purse-friendly and won't melt if you're in a sweaty club all night. 'Hot Pepper' is a bright reddish-orange that has been a firm favourite all summer. 'Grand Cru' is more vampy and wintry, although not as dark as it appears in the tube. It comes out as more of a lush raspberry stain, if you're into that 'I've just eaten a whole bushel of berries' look (and I am). 

INSTAGRAM | #10

The Beautiful Word @ The Bicycle Shop; exploring new watering holes; chip shop dinner

post-work bar crawl; a graduation gift from my sister; new house keys

I've been settling into my new routine of working 9-5 and trying to adjust to graduate life. Thus far, this has involved trying out new pubs beyond my old haunts in the student union, seeing some live music (check out The Beautiful Word - they're really fab), and sorting out a new grad pad. I finally got the keys to my new house this week. Roll on the next few paydays so I can start decorating and putting up some home decor posts for you all. I'm so excited, and only slightly terrified. I suddenly feel very adult. Or at least like someone pretending to be an adult.

Follow me on Twitter and Instagram for more graduate life updates.

WHAT'S IN MY BAG | Rebecca Minkoff Mini M.A.C.

For my 21st birthday, I was a very lucky girl and received a Rebecca Minkoff Mini M.A.C. from my family. I was never especially into small bags, always preferring to cart my life around with me. However, in recent years, I've taken to a more minimalist approach with my bags and ditched all the excess crap and stuck to the basics instead. I wear my Mini M.A.C. for pretty much any occasion - going out for dinner, a night out, a jaunt around town in the day. It's my favourite bag, after my beloved Kanken. 

Being rather compact, it forces me to really think about what I bring out with me. It isn't absolutely tiny however - I have been able to fit my iPad Mini in this sucker a few times when I was in a hurry to get out the door. It's deceptively roomy and the various pockets are super handy. 

Typically, these are the essential items I carry in my Mini M.A.C.:

-River Island purse

-Topshop blush (also doubles as a mirror

-Jack Black Intense Therapy lipbalm

-whatever lipstick I happen to be wearing

-my keys

-iPhone 4

OUTFIT | #233

top: MissGuided; skirt: American Apparel; boots: River Island; necklace: gift; belt: Topshop; watch: Casio

This week, myself and some pals decided to go on a weeknight bar crawl to while ago the time after work. We headed to some of my favourite spots around Norwich, and some I'd not been to. I've decided now I'm not a student I should explore more of my city, beyond the university campus I've come to know like the back of my hand. If you're ever in East Anglia, make sure you go to the Playhouse for a pint and a packet of Salt & Shake crisps. It really can't be matched.

The weather's been cooling down of late and I kind of hope it's here to stay. Summer's novelty always wears off pretty quickly for me and working all the time means I don't get to enjoy it anyway. I want to wear layers, sweaters, boots, all of my beloved winter clothes. It was a chilly evening and I was more than happy to break out a turtleneck sweater and some tights. I always feel so much more 'me' when dressed for colder weather. Plus I can already tell this burgundy tennis skirt will fit right in with my winter wardrobe.

OUTFIT | #232

jacket: Levi's; top: Zara; skirt: Topshop; shoes: New Balance; necklace: gift

Working 9-5 is making me feel pretty boring and frumpy lately. A lack of suitable work clothes means I wear the stuff day in day out. My evenings have been spent trying to enjoy the few hours I have off every night so I've been exploring pubs in the city I've never seen been to before and went to a colleague's gig one evening. Funny story: I wore this to the pub one night and while we were taking these pictures, some French girls walked past and thought I was someone famous. They ran over and asked for a picture with me and paid me lots of lovely compliments. It was all quite surreal.

Back to my clothing limitations currently, I decided to go a bit wild and dress up even though I was only going for a few drinks. Cue shiny skirt. How I've missed it. This skirt and I have been on countless nights out over the past year. It felt good to bring it back. I toned things down a bit with my New Balance so I didn't look super overdressed. Plus they're super comfortable, like walking on air, which is always a plus when traipsing from pub to pub on a weeknight.

WISH LIST | 22nd Birthday Gifts

Nuxe huile prodigieuse; Casio watch; In God We Trust 'Sweet Nothings' necklace; Nike Air Force 1 Lo; Gucci Guilty

I turn 22 on September 1st and, in light of recent queries from various people in my life, I've been compiling a little birthday-inspired wish list. The gold theme was unintentional but hopefully it's a good omen. Something about 22 turning out to be a golden age maybe. Everything 21 was hyped up to be and didn't quite live up to, or something like that. (Although overall, 21 wasn't too bad at all.)

The Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse is something I've seen on blogs and in YouTube videos for months now. I own a million moisturisers and oils, on my constant quest for super soft skin, and this top of my list to try next. I feel like I always have watches on my wish lists. I love a good watch. Bracelets? Not so much. I wear a watch everywhere and as I enter my incredibly serious and professional new graduate life (or y'know, something to that effect) I figure a good watch is essential. Casio watches are among my favourites; I already own two. Then, as a little confidence boost for the moments I'm struggling to adjust to post-uni life, this In God We Trust necklace should serve as a nice reminder. 

While I was 21, I developed a real penchant for trainers. I foresee this being a passion that follows me in my early twenties, starting with a pair of bright white Air Force 1s. I'm not a fan of the hi-tops, more of a lo-top girl personally. But with an all-black outfit (naturally) and a great winter coat, I can see these looking pretty fantastic. Possibly with an all-new scent too. I feel like entering a new life stage is a good time to get a new perfume. Certain scents I can't wear anymore because they remind me too much of uni. I always like Gucci Guilty when I smell samples of it so perhaps it could be my next new fragrance.

NAILS | Top 5 Nail Polishes

I own a somewhat absurd amount of nail polish but it struck me recently that I stick to a few solid favourites every time I come to repaint my nails. I'm a creature of habit and we all know my colour palette preferences, lipstick aside, are limited. So I'm sure it comes as no shock that out of my large collection, only a small selection get used regularly. Now that I'm no longer a bar tender, I don't have to worry about the harsh chemicals we use to clean the bar stripping my nail polish so I've been painting them more which lead me to thinking I thought I'd show you my all-time favourites.

ORLY 'SMOLDER'

I love a metallic nail polish. Partially because with a good top coat they're super high shine, but also for the convenience factor. They dry ridiculously fast and have saved my arse many times as I've been rushing to get out the door for a night out. 'Smolder' is a beautiful dark red that I wear pretty much constantly in the winter when I favour a vampier palette.

ORLY 'RAGE'

Originally someone described this nail polish to me as a 'rose gold' shade. Since buying it, I would say it's more silver-based. Definitely no gold in this polish. It's a cool silvery pink colour with a slightly 90s vibe that I'm a big fan of. This is one I wear all year round because it goes with pretty much everything.

REVLON 'CARBONITE'

The last of the metallic finish polishes, 'Carbonite' is supposed to be exactly the same as the much coveted Chanel 'Graphite'. Not willing to shell out big bucks for something that will only chip after 24 hours, I stuck to old faithful Revlon for this shade. (Revlon are one of my favourite brands for nail polish.) Another multi-tonal shade, this looks dark grey in some lights and silver in others. 

BARRY M GELLY 'BLUE GRAPE'

This one's a bit of a wild card. An eye-poppingly bright blue. Not a typical shade for me but I absolutely love this colour nonetheless - so much so that I've mentioned it in a Recent Favourites post. It looks great against a completely black outfit, a.k.a everything I ever wear. I love the Gelly formula from Barry M. It's so shiny, even without a top coat, albeit slightly thick and a bit tricky to apply in a hurry.

BARRY M GELLY 'BLOOD ORANGE'

Another Gelly formula addition. It's probably my favourite nail range from any brand. This is a total misnomer - there's absolutely no orange in this shade. It's a true classic red. I love red nails, from any brand and have gone through countless bottles of red polish in my time. This one is my current favourite.

SALLY HANSEN INSTA-DRI TOP COAT

I don't do a heck of a lot to my nails but I never go without a top coat. Mostly because my nails are very weak and peel a lot so top coat is a must to stave off chipping. I've tried several, including blogger fave Seche Vite, but this is my favourite. It's well-priced and don't get incredibly thick and gloopy in a few months like a lot of top coats I've tried in the past.