Week in Outfits - Holiday Edition

Last week I travelled to Greece with my mum as a way to celebrate the end of my exams! Whilst I was there, I snapped a few of my outfits, and here they are! I won't lie, I spent most days in a vest tee and shorts, but in the evenings when it cooled down I had the chance to actually put a bit of effort in. Each of these outfits are really easy and simple. They're not really anything special, but each outfit was good for 2 reasons: 1) I felt really comfy and cool in the heat, and 2) each outfit had a loose waistband so I was able to eat as much souvlaki, tzatziki and baklava as I wanted (yep, I'd like to think I have my priorities right). 

If you've been wondering where I've been since April, the short answer is: The Library. I was in the middle of writing my dissertation and then went straight into exams, and with it being my final year I was feeling the pressure. But - I finished my exams at the beginning of this month, and have moved home! As of yet I haven't done much to tell you about, other than go to Greece and make a flippin' good banana bread, if I do say so myself. 

I'll be back soon with more to tell you about though! Until then, here are a few outfits I wore in Greece. xx

Top - New Look // Skirt - M&S // Sandals - Birkenstock //

Laced Up

Sunflower Season

Losers

Perfect Waste of Time

Seeing Stripes

I don't know how, but it's taken me a long time to realise how much I like a maxi-dress. You can dress them up or down, and they're great to throw on for cooler summer days, or warm evenings. I'll always feel a little dressed up in anything that isn't a pair of jeans (aka my second skin) so I grabbed my backpack and white converse. Am I the only one that's still obsessed with the whole mono-chrome thing? 

I'm writing this post well ahead of publishing day, so as you read this I'll be catching some rays abroad, internet free. I can't tell you the last time I went away without the possibility of blogging, so this week will have been an interesting one. This break is definitely needed though, even if it's not going to be easy. I like the idea of not only updating my blog a few times a week, but also getting to interact with you guys, so bare with me on this one! I'd love to know your thoughts though. Let me know in the comments and I'll get back to you after my hiatus!

Backpackin'

It used to be that I would much rather piece together an outfit for the colder months - even though I would probably go for jeans and ankle boots every time. I thought I would actually make a concerted effort to re-inject my summer wardrobe this year though, and so far I'm actually enjoying dressing for warmer days. You might have noticed that ripped jeans have been making an appearance and it's safe to say they're favourites in my re-vamped wardrobe. You'll be seeing more of these babies soon. 

My summer officially starts tomorrow, with prom. I'm going to do my best to get some photos for you and edit a post together super quick before I fly to Corfu on Friday, so check back on Sunday for that post! This past week has called for some serious organisation, and because I'm going to be away from the internet for two weeks (gasps) I hope all my blog scheduling goes smoothly. Keep your fingers and toes crossed for me, and have a lovely Wednesday! 

Summer Inspiration

Movies, monochrome and bloggers serve as inspiration this Summer. The beautifully shot Submarine gets an honourable mention for being my favourite thing at the moment. It's coming-of-age story is hilarious and the whole movie has a beautiful style. Not to mention the music- oh hello there, soundtrack that's written exclusively by Alex Turner. As well as Submarine, clean white sheets, cities and simple outfits are my inspiration. If only my Summer will be this Pinterest-worthy. Gah. 

(All images found on Tumblr.com) 

The Dream Team

Now that I actually have time to give my hair a little attention I've been rotating the products I use to give my hair a little of the 'it's straight but still got oomph' thing. The straighteners have been coming out, but so has the spray to give my hair a soft, lived in texture. 

VO5 Give Me Texture Dry Texturising Spray- Word is that this is a dupe for the Orbe Dry Texturising Spray. I go a little crazy with this because it's undetectable in the hair, popping a little at the roots for extra lift before spraying it through the lengths for some matte texture. 

Batiste Dry Shampoo in Original- This little bottle comes in handy for those second-day hair situations. Spray it sparingly through the roots and comb through just to leave the hair looking clean, with no grit in sight.

Aussie 3 Minute Miracle Luscious Long Deep Treatment- Lordy, what a mouthful. I like to treat my lengths every now and again because even with a good spritz of heat protector, the GHD's do dry my hair out a little. If I'm brutally honest, this Aussie treatment doesn't give dramatically different results to any other deep conditioner I've tried. This choice is purely down to the fact that it works, it smells great and Aussie products don't irritate my fussy hair. 

Let me know what your favourite hair goodies are! Are you a fan of the matte, texturised locks a la Vivianna Does Makeup, or do you prefer something else?

Distressed Up

Finally, I'm back from my blogging hiatus. There were two reasons- the first one being exams (which we'll come back to later) and the second one being- I had no idea what to write with this post. Most of the time there's something interesting to update you on but recently it wouldn't be an understatement to sat that there's been nothing interesting in my life. 

But hopefully that's going to change any minute now because I can finally say that my A Level exams are completely over. *Fist pumps*

I'm taking some time to celebrate this weekend, but then I'll be straight back into creating content for this blog. I feel like it's been pretty neglected over the past few months so I can't wait to start spending more time on it. Let me know if there are any posts you would be interested in seeing! I might even give my YouTube channel some attention too, so let me know what you would like to see anything on there. Did someone say "Room Tour"? It's just an idea I'm putting out there, so let me know if you're interested! 

Summertime Sadness

Even though the Sun has come out a little bit since taking these outfit snaps, how crazy is it that it's June and I'm wearing a knitted jumper, thick tights and boots? I actually bought these shorts for my holiday wardrobe, but let's be realistic here. I do live in England so the likelihood is that I'll be wearing these shorts with tights more often than not. 

Other than constantly complaining about the weather, there's really not much to report on. I have two more exams to go until my Summer officially starts, so this time next week I'll be in the exam hall, sitting my last one! I'm signing off now, because revision is calling. I bet you can all guess what I'm doing this weekend? 

May Favourites

Over the past few months I've fallen out of love with writing favourites posts. Some months there are just no inspiring finds to write about. May has brought me a few new loves though, so carry on reading for the details on things that I couldn't get enough of. 

Nike Free 3.0 Running Shoes- I could ramble on about these shoes till the cows come home because I don't think I've ever worn a trainer that looked so darn cool. Check back on Friday for a full blown ode to these, and a new vest top that make up my new gym kit. 

D-Frame Sunglasses, Warehouse- On the rare occasion that the Sun has been out this month I've been reaching towards these. They have a classic, universally flattering shape and I love tortoiseshell shades, they're a little less harsh than jet black sunnies. 

Exposed, Topshop-  My last post gave an in-depth analysis of this nail polish but the general consensus is, even if it's a pesky three coat polish, I love it. The colour is a muted, off-white grey and super pretty. 

Sarah Chapman Overnight Exfoliating Booster- I've nearly come to the end of this little sample and it breaks my heart just a little bit. I'm rubbish with the scientific stuff but all I know is it works- my skin never feels smoother and fresher than when I use this. It helps get rid of the dry patches around my forehead and I still haven't figured out what I'm going to do when it runs out. It's a great product to have in your evening routine, if it's not too pricey for your purse. 

Maybelline Colour Sensational Shine Gloss, Cashmere Rose- I held out on buying this for such a long time because lip gloss was always something I associated with my first forays into makeup, and hair getting stuck to my lips. Not a good look, but I think we've all been there. This lip gloss has filled the little void in my collection though, because now I actually own a lipgloss, and I've yet to relive the hair + mouth situ. Score.

Tan Leather Buckle Sandals, New Look- The holiday shopping has begun and I was in need of some new sandals. New Look always do the best shoes and these are a 10 on comfort factor. The white cleated sole makes them a little bit different, and they were a steal considering they're real leather. We know what I'll be wearing this month...

So there you have it. Another month done and dusted! Let me know what you've been loving this past month too, I would love to hear! Happy June, everyone. 

Deep Thoughts & Dresses

Bright colours aren't usually my thing, but this dress was too pretty to pass up. Also- three applications of fake tan later, and I'm still as pale as ever. Anyway, of course I had an excuse to get dressed up and if you read my last post you'll know that last weekend I was at a wedding! Ah, I love a good wedding. (Apologies about the crazy variation of lighting here - it was so windy outside that I had to venture indoors for these shots)

But aside from that, I have some pretty big news, which you'll know about if you ever read my tweets or saw last night's emotional Instagram post. Yesterday was my last day at school, EVER. I really don't know what to think right now or how to feel, I've been amazingly lucky in finding so many friends over the past few years, and I'll miss seeing their half awake faces every Monday to Friday at 8:30am. So, if any of my Derby High girls are reading this, then first of all - good luck in your exams! Secondly - I'll see you all at the Leaver's Ball in July. Sending big love, as always. 

*Phew, emotional bit over* 

I hope you've all had a lovely weekend. Being the typical Brit that I am, of course I'm going to mention how ah-mazing the weather is today. As soon as I hit publish I'm running upstairs to get changed and take advantage of the nice weather. Wishing you all a lovely weekend!  

Meow.

Finally a new outfit post! I feel like I've been battling with the weather recently. I wanted to shoot this sweater on Saturday but it was so grey and miserable outside. Yesterday saw a second and third attempt, because (as surprising as this sounds) it was too bright! The first set of photos were scrapped because I was squinting and my eyes were so tiny they were practically non existent! 

This sweater is from H & M, and I love it so much. I'm all for some serious, grown up clothes but for me, dressing will always be fun and I like to keep an element of immaturity to it, like having a huge cat's face on my top. I think Isabella from Views Of Now summed it up perfectly in her latest post, where she said:

"Fashion, in my opinion, is one aspect of life that should be fun"

July Favourites

This month hasn't been great for new products. I'm in a good routine and I'm pretty happy with the things I'm using, so I've yet to try any little samples I have. However, I've got a few new things which I've loved, and a few things I've rediscovered. 

Calendula Shampoo & Body Wash, Weleda- This is a new one. I've known about the brand for ages but I've never tried their Baby range. Yes, I am nearly 17 years old and I'm using a baby range, but that's okay because it's great for sensitive skin! Anything that's gentle on your skin gets a thumbs up from me, and it smells so good. 

"They're Real!" Mascara, Benefit- Another newby. I bought this at John Lewis after meeting Lily Pebbles. I don't know why I went for this mascara, I guess I just needed a new one. I was torn between this and Benefit's Bronzer, and for some reason this was won. Needless to say, me likey. The wand is designed to create the 'falsh lash effect' but actually, you can build it up to whatever level of volume and length you want, so you can still keep your lashes pretty subtle. It is, unfortunately, a serious pain to get off. Any tips or products great for a stubborn mascara?

Rosy Lips, Vaseline- There's not really many exciting things to say about this one. It's always in my bag, along with a few other lip balms and it rarely gets used. But, I was out and about in London last week and needed to retouch my face when- crisis, I had no blusher with me. I dabbed a bit of this on my cheeks and it didn't look too bad- blended out with my fingers it gave a dewy flush to my cheeks. 

Breakfast at Tiffany's- Another story from my trip to London. I took a few DVDs with me and remembered that I had this gem. I sat in bed one night watching it, and thought God, I love this movie. It somehow made me forget I was away from home, and for 2 hours I escaped. 

Dual Personality Spray, Aussie- Another product that gets a ten out of ten for the scent. I hear beauty bloggers rave about products like the Oribe Dry Texturising Spray all the time and wondered if I could find something a little bit more budget friendly. I picked up Aussie's offering from Boots and I think it's fab. It adds texture and volume but also conditions your lengths, which is just what I need with all this hot weather. (Having said that, as I type this the rain is pouring down) The only thing I would say is... because I have thick hair the hold isn't all that great, but it's pretty purse friendly so I can't really complain!

White Loafers, New Look- The only fashion favourite for me this month. I wore these so much whilst interning in London, they were so comfy. Plus, I have a real big soft spot for loafers, whether they're simple, a penny loafer or a lace up, I love 'em. 

Comment with recommendations- what have you been loving recently? 

Brother's Shirt

A few weeks ago I was in Cornwall, the weather was fab (although it's still pretty good) and I spent all day, everyday, at the beach. Here are a few photos I never shared with you! I raided the ironing pile and found one of brother's shirts which he never wears. It was pretty huge on me so I tried tying it round my waist, which made a small improvement. 

As I write this I'm just about to go out for lunch- my parents and brother are on the train down to join me in London so we can spend the day together. Even though we've spoken every night it feels like ages since I last saw them. I even spoke to my dog on the phone the other night, she probably didn't have a clue what was happening though. She's the cutest.

I hope you've all had a great weekend, talk soon x