One Shirt, Two Ways

Shirt - George // Cardigan - Vintage £15 // Culottes - Charity £4 // Earrings - Charity £1.50 // Gold Necklace - Gift //
Lips - Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Lip Balm Stain in Honey

Excuse the "Instagramed" photos but the quality of my pictures isn't that great today. (A rushed shoot in between work and a dentist appointment and very poor light). If I'm quite honest I like the vintage haze it gives the photos due to the slight blur! I wanted to show this shirt in a contrasting outfit to yesterdays post Chain of Fools. Today I teamed it with culottes I got from my local charity shop and my favourite cardigan which I have worn to work every week without fail since I bought it over a year ago. I like the clash of prints here and the granny chic look of the mismatched colours and textures. 

P.s. Excuse the "baby-hair" fringe. It appeared a year ago and is the bane of my life ha!

Chain of Fools

Coat - Charity Shop £10 // Shirt - George // Shorts - Market £5 // Belt - Primark //
Loafers - River Island // Gold Necklace - Gift

It's been a lovely Sunday. My sister, my mother and I went to a local vintage fair called Gin in Teacups (I got some lovely items but will post about them separately) and took a trip to Matalan. It started off a miserable and "driech" day but turned out rather nice by the afternoon resulting in lots of squinty-eye pics being taken. Despite the sun, it's still very cold in Scotland which means I can crack out my winter jackets including my old Barnardo's favourite.

Where Have You Been...

Where indeed have I been? A paltry three posts since my return from Thailand. Excuses...

1) Well I've been working on an epic Thailand post which seems to be taking forever to compose.

2) I've also been really busy at work. The first term's always a busy one; finding your feet and getting back into the swing of things after six weeks off. (Don't all feel sorry at once!)

3) I've lost my resident photographer as my sister has moved in with her long term boyfriend.

4) Last but not least I have been completely and utterly preoccupied with the purchase of my first flat! It's taken me over a year to reach a stage in my life where I feel confident enough to make such a big decision but I think it's the right time and I've found a gem of a flat. I move in in less than two weeks and am beyond excited. It's a beautiful old building, late Victorian with feature fire places in every room and my own patch of garden. I've been obsessed with gumtree and eBay the past few weeks looking for furniture and items to decorate the home or should I say "my home".

So there are my excuses. Quite valid I think! I've shared some of my latest Instagram pictures (excuse the list but I am posting from my phone) including a shot of my new flat, some daily outfit shots, DIY projects and some shots from a few nights out. I hope you are all well and I can't wait to share some "home" posts with you!

1. My new flat!  2. Blazer - Topshop // Shoes & Belt - Vintage (£4 & £2) // Necklace - Forever 21  3. Clip on earrings as collar tips  4. Scarf & Cardigan - Vintage (£2 & £15)  5. DIY studded jacket  6. Mascara - L'Oreal Double Extension Beauty Tubes  7. Disco Pants - American Apparel // Shirt - Vintage (£1.50) // Necklace - Forever 21  8. Wool Blazer - Vintage (£12)  9. Dress - Forever 21  10. Camisole - Forever 21  11-13. Shirt - Vintage (£9) // Necklace - Primark

Some Like It Hot

I thought I would share my favourite perfume with you... Givenchy Hot Couture. I just finished my latest bottle so if anyone feels like replenishing my depleted perfume stocks (hint, hint). Perfume is not something I generally buy for myself, however, I might just need to have an indulgent moment and waltz into Boots this weekend!

Launched in the year 2000 the perfume has top notes of citrus, raspberry and nectar, heart notes of magnolia, pepper and vetiver and base notes of sandalwood, amber and musk. It's a warm, spicy almost woody scent and is very long lasting; it is always commented upon when I wear it. The Perfume Shop compares it to Boss Intense which funnily enough is my other favourite (I must be very predictable!) and Caroline Herrera 212 Sexy. 30ml EDP will currently set you back £24.66 from Boots. Did I say hint, hint?!

A Leopard Can't Change It Spots

Dress & Necklace - Forever 21 // Nail Varnish - Barry M (Coral) // Shoes - Dorothy Perkins

The dress and necklace are two of the lovely items I purchased during a cheeky wee stop over in Dubai. Forever 21 is yet to come to Scotland so I tried to restrain myself when let loose in their massive Dubai Mall store. I walked away with two dresses (both leopard print), a black camisole top and three necklaces. The necklace is fast becoming my new favourite. Unfortunately, I have not been able to find either on the Forever 21 UK site however, I did find a similar dress for £18.75. This outfit was for a night out in Edinburgh where a lot of Grey Goose was consumed. It was my first time on the "Goose" and I woke up the next day hangover free - success all round.

Don't think. Just do.

I am chronically indecisive. I like to weigh up the pros and cons before committing myself to something. I spend hours reading reviews. (I suppose that's why I like beauty and fashion blogging so much!) I wouldn't say I was a worrier per se but I definitely like to be positive about the decisions I make in my life. Whether that's choosing the right facial cleanser or skinny jeans, or buying a house or starting a new relationship. I suppose I have high expectations or set ideals of how I think my life should be, which is strange considering that a year ago this month I shattered those very ideals by giving up my carefully considered life and moving back in with my parents.

I've learned a lot of things this year. For one thing, life doesn't necessarily work out the way you thought it would... I was doing an exercise with my students today. They had to write a wish list of things they wanted to achieve by the time the were 30. I thought about what my list would have looked like at 13. I think, looking back, my 13 year old self was more ambitious than my twenties self but I can safely say that I got a little bit of that 13 year old back this year. On reflection, that was part of the reason I changed things so drastically a year ago. I was busy over-thinking when the right time in my life to become pregnant was and whether I'd be able to get married and buy a bigger house and produce said child before I was 30 and then, from somewhere deep within, that little 13 year old voice inside me said "Who cares... I want to go to Thailand... I want to fly a plane... I want to move to London" (or whatever your little voice says inside you).

So don't think. Just do. A motto I've been trying to apply to life which, as I said, is difficult for an indecisive person who loves nothing more than a deep and meaningful discussion. I suppose one area I've maybe failed to apply this motto to is my love life. This is an area I definitely tend to over think... However, it has been a challenging year romance wise with many a lesson learnt. I am definitely much wiser and loathe to say older!

I think when I sacrificed what I had, which was quite a beautiful and precious thing, I had to be certain of what I wanted in the future and this has perhaps meant I've treated future relationships like I treat buying a new object; reading the reviews, weighing up the pros and cons and analysing the results. In doing so am I taking the enjoyment out of things? Am I thinking instead of doing; instead of living? I'm currently "mid-experience" which is challenging me not to think so much. To do and in doing enjoy. Next week I'll have quite possibly cracked my pros and cons list out although I'm trying desperately to limit that to house purchasing and beauty buying.

Penny For Your Thoughts

  

Shirt, Vest & Rings - Topshop // Skirt - River Island // Converse - Office // Shilling Necklace - Vintage

So the count down to Thailand is on! 18 more sleeps to be precise and my mother is worried about my casual attitude towards my holiday preparations. She does not appreciate that I've got it all under control or being told to chillax... 

Actually it's 4 more sleeps now and the reality of my casual attitude and the adventure I'm about to embark on is all beginning to sink in. I have things to buy and a rucksack to fit everything into. My day has been an endless list of "to-dos" or "to-buys". On top of this I've been neglecting the gym since T in the Park and am currently in a quandary over a possible property purchase. Things are never simple are they? I think the fact of the matter is that when I booked this trip to Thailand I never thought it would actually arrive. When I bought my rucksack it seemed like a glimmer in the distance. And when my sister cracked out her notebook and started marking locations on a map of Bangkok it was still a trip someone else was taking. But I am taking it. This is a trip I've wanted to take since I was 14 and the reality of it is quite scary.

I'm escaping the rain, which has featured in the majority of my outfit posts since the summer holiday began, and heading off to a land of temples, smiling faces, jungles, beaches and thai food. And maybe I'm escaping all the thoughts that have been in my head for the past year... thoughts about my job, my living situation, my love life. I know these things won't go away but maybe I'll be able to think on them with a clearer head when I return. If I can blog when I am away I will... If not then Bon Voyage, I'll see you all in August!

Where the Wild Things Are

Shirt - Charity Shop // Skirt - River Island // Boots - ASOS // Necklace - Primark // Lipstick - MAC Russian Red  

I was lucky enough for the rain to stay off on Friday and for the temperature to creep up to a positively balmy 15 degrees so it was a no tights evening and a chance to wear my relatively new suede boots! These are the tan version of the purple ASOS Aggie boots that feature in the post "Purple Rain". The ASOS Aggie boots are currently in the sale for £31 but have unfortunately sold out in this colour - I am tempted to get them in grey or black leather too but three pairs of the same style boot is a bit excessive... no?!

The skirt is from River Island and cost £16 - bargain! The necklace is actually a purchase from last year but it was the first time I've worn it as it was really itchy but it felt fine under a shirt collar. I was a bit apprehensive about matching a silk tiger print shirt with a cream floral skirt but all in all I think the clash of textures and patterns works really well.

T in the Park 2012

Jacket - Vintage // Dress - H&M // Wellies - Hunters // Socks - Primark
(Please excuse the sun squint!)

Well my first T in the Park since 2006 was a wet one... a very, very wet one. In fact no words can describe how wet it was. The above picture was Friday's outfit which was a lovely warm evening - oh how misleading that evening was! The rain began very early Saturday morning and did not stop 'til Saturday evening turning the fields of Balado into a quagmire. I dragged myself through mudlike swamps and free-form mini lochs and sported a rather fetching plastic jacket all day but had THE most amazing weekend. If the weather chose to punish me the company, the music and the atmosphere certainly didn't. However, I am glad I chose not to camp. Post with several embarrassing and wet photos to follow :)

(The camouflage jacket was stolen from my father after seeing a post by the lovely Amy Bell at The Little Magpie . I was just about to purchase a jacket on eBay when I asked my dad if he owned a camo jacket. He popped off to the shed and voila - success! After discussing this with Amy we both decided that all men happen to have one of these bad boys kicking about somewhere... that and a drawer of adapters and screws!)

Sunny Side Up

T-Shirt, Loafers, Watch & Ring - River Island // Jeans - Topshop

The sky may be grey but I am feeling pretty in pink. I bought this t-shirt a while ago but it is currently in the RI sale for £5. It it's the perfect match for these jeans and I cheer myself up every time I throw on this outfit... Can't say better than that.

Rawhide

 

Satchel - Warehouse £35 // Loafers - River Island £15 // Rings - River Island £3 & £2 //
Gold Vest - Topshop £10 // Vests - Topshop 2 for £10

Two days in to my holidays and the rain is coming down consistently. This would depress me if I wasn't going to Thailand in 17 days or if I hadn't remembered I had a £20 voucher for Debenhams in my purse! So off I trotted up town with the intentions of buying myself some Benefit Porefessional and having a rummage in the River Island sale. That was until I saw this bag... Reduced from £76 to £35 so with my £20 voucher I paid the grand sum of £15 for it. In effect, the most expensive bag I've ever owned has proven the most inexpensive. And it smells divine.

I didn't really put a lot of effort into rummaging through the sale items in River Island but I did get a lovely pair of loafers and a turquoise ring I've been umming and ahhing over for the past month. I also picked up a knitted vest in the Topshop sale which I plan to layer over everything for T in the Park this weekend. Like all Scottish people I know that layering is essential especially if I'm planning on wearing sundresses - which I am! (yes it will probably rain all weekend but that's what my Hunter's and camouflage jacket are for!).

What have been your best sale bargains this summer?

Purple Rain

 

Shirt - Costume Cupboard // Trousers - American Apparel // Boots - ASOS // Ring - Topshop // Necklace - Vintage // Lipstick - Revlon Black Cherry

I am finally on holiday... for six whole weeks! This will mean a vast increase in the number of OOTD posts I am able to do. Scotland is very much against me as far as OOTD posts are concerned. It's either raining, freezing, once it was even snowing or I just don't seem to have the time. But today a little rain was not going to stop me - hence the umbrella! The shirt is another little steal from the costume cupboard (for those of you who haven't guessed I am a drama teacher). Our costume cupboard is quite literally bursting at the seams and so I generally have permission to take the odd piece now and again. I'm also showing off my ASOS Aggie boots for the first time. I bought these a couple of weeks ago and loved them so much I bought them in the tan as well. (I actually bought the tan pair during a night out. I had a few drinks and couldn't stop looking at my purple boots. Plus I had a 20% off code - damn the ASOS app!) The boots retail at £45 and are real suede but they are currently on sale though for the bargain price of £31! I think they deserve a post of their own but will probably feature in a considerable amount of posts are they seem to be the boots I am living in at the moment.