Month by Numbers: Ice, ice, baby

7 favourites...

1.) I left on a jet plane and hopped over to Iceland and it was unlike anyone I'd ever been on holiday.

The sunshine was swapped for snowy mountain-tops and bikinis were out while thermals were in. 

We galloped around geysers, went chasing after waterfalls and soaked our troubles away in the Blue Lagoon.

I came back feel uber-zen and my soul feeling as happy as Larry.
(and skint. very skint. Reykjavik is expensive y'all.)

2.) But you know what doesn't cost a thing? Love. 

So when my lil' nephew ran and threw his arms around me when I arrived for a surprise visit, boy did my 

heart feel all warm and fuzzy.

Oh, and when he told me he likes me visiting and wants me to come back on a sunny day? 

Well, I'm done. No emotions left in me cus he's taken them all.

3.) Perks of my jobs are one of the best things about my job and this month has been particularly brilliant.

First thing's first is the opening of a new gaming bar. Four Quarters in Peckham is filled with old arcade games

and holds a special place in my heart. So when they invited me to the opening of their new bar, for a night

of beer, burgers and video games, well how could a girl refuse?

Also, I won Street Fighter, and my girl Chun Li came out with this, on International Women's Day nonetheless.

Jumping for joy like chocolate frog that I'm drunk off butterbeer on Diagon Alley 🔮✨#forbiddenforest #WBTourLondon #harrypotter #HP #diagonalley #london #boomerang #gif #instavideo #instavid #video

A post shared by Amy Lo 🐚 (@amylo92) on Mar 28, 2017 at 1:39pm PDT

4.) Secondly, a night to galavant around the Harry Potter studios while I chomp on canapes and sip on bubbly?

Erm, YES PLEASE. I got invited to the opening of the new forbidden forest at the studios, and despite having 

been before, going after hours with booze somehow seems more mischievous. 

5.) Last, but not least, the third perk was a night to run around Thorpe Park like a bunch of school kids. 

And free beers, which I didn't take full advantage of because I didn't want to embarrass myself on rides!

I haven't been on a rollercoaster in about 10 years, and I used to get my kick out of them, and I'm proud 

to say that after some initial nervous-ness, I still bloody love them (and love to swear on them it seems...)

The Last Thing on my Mind when I went on a Steps night out was that actual @officialsteps would turn up to Stomp all night. Pretty sure I turned a Deeper Shade of Blue from excitement as 8-year-old me was SHOOK 😱💃🏻🌟 @middletonhadley @welovepopclub @lisascottlee1 @fayetozersmith @princessclarabella @ianhwatkins #deepershadeofblue #videocollage #video #collage #nightout #weekend #instavid #steps #90s #london #vsco #vscocam

A post shared by Amy Lo 🐚 (@amylo92) on Mar 12, 2017 at 5:03am PDT

6.) Steps was one my favourite bands growing up, so when they reunited and released a new single that 

was everything I wanted to be and more, I was all over it. 

(Groups looking to have a reunion - THAT'S how it's done. Don't try and be 'relevant'. Don't lose your identity!)

So when me and friend went to a Steps themed night out, expecting an evening of fun and silly dancing,

and lo and behold, the actual band decided to show up!

We were excited to say the least.

7.) On March 22nd, an attack happened in Westminster and people were killed and injured.

I never thought I would see the city that I'm living in, trending on social media as people prayed for us.

My heart was breaking, and this happens all to much all over the world, all the time sadly. 

It's always horrific, always shocking. But when it's happening to London, to your home...

But I couldn't be prouder to be British and live in London. While the media were scaremongering and 

portraying to the rest of the world that we were stopped with few, in actual fact, mere hours after the 

awful event, the Westminster tube stop was open and running again.

Our Shaun of the Dead 'let's go to the Winchester' spirit will never be beaten. 

5 tweets....

1.) Woman next to me on the train has a bottle of wine in handbag, listening to Streisand & whipped out a
cheese toastie. She knows how to LIVE 

2.) Back in the day I would've already started drinking & putting my lashes on for a night out.

Now, I've just cleaned the house & made a tea 

3.) Papa Lo just fed some Pringles cus I've painted my nails and they're still wet. My dad's a babe 

4.) Brother laughed that I have feminist badge on my jacket. C'mon bro, get with the programme, this has 

been the situation for years now! 

5.) It actually felt like spring today! I'm happy as my natural comfy state is in sunnies (which @anna_tabs 

points out is a Mariah statement ) 

3 songs...

1.) Little Mix - Beep Beep

This is just pop-tastic, fantastic. Makes me feel like I'm a Pink Lady in Grease and about to break out 

into a synchronised doo-wop dance routine.

2.) Gavin James - I Don't Know Why

This makes me feel SO excited about summer and when Gavin goes all falsetto to sing the leading lines,

boy does it give me goosepimples.

3.) Sigala - Only One 

If Gavin James' song makes me think of summer in a chilled on the beach, watching the sunset kinda way. 

Then Sigala makes me think of summer in a 'opps, I accidentally got drunk by day-drinking in a beer

garden all day' kind of way. Very mad. Very excitable. Very happy.

It's the golden labrador of songs.

Month by Numbers: gals & good times

7 favourites...

1.) One of the reasons I love my job so much is because of the people. So when there's a chance to drink and be merry with said people, that's time well spent, especially when that day is Valentines Gal-entines Day. A day of love spent with my loves!
 And you can beat anytime that the Bella Babes are out on the town, there's bond to be prosecco, espresso martinis, Instagrams on fleek, laughing in unison and hazy memories the next day.

2.) Continuing on my bid to see more of the country I live in, I headed to Oxford to spend some time with some of my favourite uni babes, and Oxford just happens to be the same distance for all of us to travel. We ate, we drank, we wondered around feeling uber-British and we climbed up a castle in the rain. Time. Well. Spent.

3.) I got my bake on this month y'all. Because when you need to bake a surprise cake for your bff's birthday, only a chocolate cake with Nutella frosting and a peanut butter glaze will do. Oh, and covered in gold stars and glitter of course. 

And would you just LOOK at this bad boy! Not only is it the first time I've ever made a swiss roll (hence some cracks on it...don't worry, just throw some glitter on it, that's what I do for everything else in life anyway), but it's drench in motherflipping emojis. You're welcome. 

4.) If you know me in any capacity, you'll know how much I love Adele. She's gotten me over heartbreaks and gotten me into sassy 'over you' mode. She's hilarious, engaging, has ALL the emotions and let's not even get started on her voice. 

So when she won Best Album at the Grammys and said she couldn't accept her award because she though Beyonce deserved it, and then shared her award with her Cady Heron outta Mean Girls style? Well, my love for her just went up another level. 

5.) After nearly 3 years of living in London, I finally got round to seeing some of the iconic sights. And all it took was for a London newbie to move into town so I could use the excuse to show them around. Lizzie was in the royal house and Big Ben was chiming. 

6.) And on the flipside of all the London tourist sights is all the greenery that the big smoke has to offer. Some Sheffield huns came down to visit and we spent all day just meandering around Hampstead Heath, coo-ed at all the doggos, sang Disney songs, and the sun even came out for the occasion. 

7.) Social media is fucking great. Not a surprising statement to make from this millennial here, I know. But there I was, scrolling away, and then came across someone sharing some pretty badass t-shirts, and as a slogan tee obsessive, I clicked on it straight away. But they were so much more than a sassy slogan tee. Lolli, aka Girl Stole London, is the genius behind these tees, and also the babe that is kicking cancer in the tits. She writes about her battle in a really honest, real and hilarious way in which her personality really shines. As someone who's seen their loved one go through cancer, it can be scary and you can have fear instilled into you constantly and it's refreshing to hear about it from a down-to-earth and logical way (read more here boo).

So if you love a slogan tee as much as I do, get one from here, look great with 25% of proceeds going toward Breast Cancer Haven, do a great thing while doing so.

5 tweets...

1.) Work wifey @anna_tabs: "I'm looking at houses to buy" 

Me: "...I'm looking for lace0up bodysuits to buy" 

2.) Woman in the office: 'you always wear nice clothes, I have wardrobe envy!' Girl, I've been curating that shit all my life 

3.) I'm wearing a mini-skirt & the lipliner is ON...I think I'm over the worst of the illness guys! 

4.) Booking a Jacqueline Wilson event & drinking honey & lemon, while in my boxing kit listening to Skepta...I'm multi-faceted ok 

5.) Finished a double page health & diet feature at work, just in time for cake o'clock 

3 songs...

1.) Katy Perry - Chained to the Rhythm

This pop bish is back y'all, and doing what she does best. Good, ol' pop, but this time with an important message to say along with the catchy tune.

2.) DJ Khaled, Beyonce & Jay-Z - Shining

All the swag you could ask for to accompany you on your morning commute.

3.) Starley - Call On Me

This makes me so ready for summer, WHERE ARE THOU?!

6 style struggles every girl has going into autumn...

Even though I haven’t been in education for a few years now, every time that September rolls around, I still get that dread of going back to school. Yep, summer is done and dusted for yet another year and autumn is rearing it’s head again, those awkward dilemmas of what to wear during this trasitional period appear once again.

1.) Layer it up like a Mary Berry cake

 This is especially true if you live in that there Big Smoke of London. It’s still stupidly hot on the tube due to there being about 200 people packed into a carriage about the size of a sardine tin. But the sun’s not making an appearance as often and it’s getting chillier with each day you walk to work. You wanna wear something breezy for the commute but wrap up warm for everything else. Cue you wearing more layers than a cake in the Bake Off, and you dressing and undressing more times in a day than you care to wish to.

2.) Right, so how long can you hang onto that tan you got on holiday?

You've caught a bit of the sun and now you’re feeling like a bronzed goddess from your summer holiday. The sun’s fading, but you don’t want your tan to be as well! So you do everything with all your might to stay golden while the skies turn grey. You wear loads of white to flaunt it - while you’ve still got it and everything. You invest in some of that after-sun that has a bit of fake tan in it and your bedding ends up smelling of biscuits. But in the end, you just had to do like Elsa from Frozen and just Let it Go. You’re going to be so wrapped up soon anyway, that you won’t see any skin, never mind a tan.

3.) I love and hate tights simultaneously.

As a loyal skirt wearer, they are an essential in my wardrobe as soon as those leaves start falling - I don’t know how i’d live without them! But my god, I love strutting around with bare legs. And the fact that they have to be prisoned once more by an 80-denier prison makes me so sad. Let’s also not forget that those little menaces ladder like crazy, you have to buy so many pairs that it ends up costing more than your rent, are just so unattractive. You will never feel more unattractive than the split moment you catch yourself in the mirror as your getting ready and you’ve just got your bra on, and a pair of tights pulled all the way to your bellybutton.

4.) Dust off those jackets and coats boy and girls.

Once upon a time, you could leave the house and go the whole day with just the top on your back. But those days are over my friend. Even your trusty denim jacket that goes with everything won’t even suffice now. Nop. You’re going to have to slowly step away from the jackets and infiltrate some big, snuggly coats back into your life.

5.) Better say seyonara to your sandals!

There’s no way that your little tootsies can withstand the ever declinging climates without being snuggled up in a pair of socks in the comfort of a pair of closed toe shoes. On the rare occasion you get ready in the morning and the sun’s peeking through and you think you can get away with one more appearance from your fave summer sandals, by midday you’ll realise what a grave mistake you’ve made

6.) Who knew you had such a GREAT winter wadrobe eh?!

Yes i know it’s sad to say farewell to those flirty and floaty skirts and sassy and strappy tops. But the upshot of all of this is that all of a sudden you feel like you have a completely new wardrobe to play dress up with. More jazzy jumpers, snuggly scarves and bangin’ boots that you can shake a stick at.

Until next time!

A.x

Playtime July

July saw the welcome of a heatwave. Yes, a heatwave. And not like a measly 22 degrees British kind of heatwave, like a proper legit one - it was 33 degrees! 

So thinking of what you can wear on a packed commute in that heat is enough to make any girl's head tizzy. As little as possible basically if what you want on your body, and unless you have the confidence of Beyonce to rock up to work in a bikini or something of that ilk (which if you do, props on you and WHERE DO YOU WORK?), a strapless, short playsuit should do the trick. 

Bonus point if it's got palm trees printed all over it - it is summer after all! (and god knows they never last for long in ol' UK!)

Or if going all out on the skin front is too much for you, exposing your back will do wonders - c'mon, give the guy some space to breath. Whether it's in the form of a bright and cheerful Hawaiian-eaque floaty and floral cami top, or a long pastel maxi dress complete with side-splits and a lace-up back. Background of Kensignton gardens optional.

People seeing the back of you has never looked as stylish.

You know what else you do in the summer? Splash around in the ocean. And you know who else lives in the ocean? Mermaids of course. 

If you're sat in the office working and can't have a little paddle in the water, you'll be safe in the knowledge that you can look down at your watch and get lost in the aquatic gemstones that you picked up at Greenwich market. What a beaut.

Or y'know, there's the much less sensible option of a rainbow holographic t-shirt with a 90s throwback vibe - Sega Mega babe yo!

You know what else is not really that sensible? Going to dinner with your friends and having them greet you as Princess Jasmine because you've got oriental patterned culottes and an amethyst tiara on. Some say niche, I say AMAZING.

Also, for the longest time, I think culottes wouldn't flatter a 5 ft 5 girl with not the longest legs in the world. Oh how wrong I was. I'm sorry I ever doubted you my chic and comfy friend.

Or if that's just all too much to take in, let's take it back to basics. I'm talking denim and clean white threads (do kids even say that these days?) From ripped jeans and frayed, vintage dunga skirts covered in pockets, to holographic hi-tops and sheer, netted tops.

On a more serious note as well, can we just talk about how on point the message on this sweatshirt is? Not to mention just how darn comfy this bad boy also is.

Shirt too jazzy? It is a LITTLE jazzy...

(10 points to you if you get that reference)

Although I'm all about the patterns, they're usually floral and-or pastel, so autumnly colours and shimmery Morcoccan vibes? It's  like someone took the typical Amy and actually made her look like an adult. Topped off with a hat and plain denim or any sort and job's a good 'un.

Ok, serious time over, let normal scheduling resume! And that means initialled bags and multi-coloured pom-pom shoes - oh, which are also holographic by the way.

Couldn't be happier than when I'm in denim, with heart sunglasses on, with a pint and a hot dog in my hand. Life's fucking great ain't it?

Stay happy!

Until next time...

A.x

12 Things I'd Tell Drunk Me

Dear drunk Amy:

Hey, it's sober Amy here! Hope you're doing well - did you ever book that trip to Tunisia that you planned to? Anyway, I just wanted to have a little chat, cus I wish we could both just get along and play nice! Sure, we work together better and better with every night out or bottle of wine, but I think it's time we had a bit of a team talk. So here's some things and pieces of advice I want to address to you that you'll hopefully take on board while you down your next Glitterbomb....

1.) Don’t roll home still singing at the top of your lungs in the early hours of the morning

Yes, I know you had a great night and just want it to carry on by singing Call Me Maybe/Arctic Monkeys/No Diggity. But your poor neighbours! And as if the volume wasn't bad enough, just FYI, you ain't no Mariah Carey.

2.) Whatever you do, DON'T throw up in the taxi home
It's only happened once, but dear god was it embarrassing and 50 shades of gross. Don't worry, it happens to the best of us, just let's not have a repeated episode of it yeah?

3.) Stop attempting to make yummy potato goods when you get in at 3am

I know all you want is wedges, cheesy jacket potatoes and to gorge on a bowl of mash - but just get chips at the kebab shop like a normal person k? It’ll save the confusion and mess of half peeled spuds and herb-sprinkled baking trays the next morning. 

Not to mention it’s highly dangerous to mix alcohol with knives…

4.) Stop! after the 3rd tequila shot

You love tequila! You genuinely do, with or without lemon and salt - shocking I know - and others just don't understand the delicate love and bond you have and share. 

But it's a fine line to whether it loves you back or not. Up to 3 tequilas makes you as happy Pharrell Williams in a hat, but any more than that, and it ain't pretty. Trust me.

5.)Step away from your phone!

Not only are you a chronic drunk-texter, but you've evolved into a pretty bad drunk-snapchatter. I get it, you wish that that friend you love was here with you, but they probs don't appreciate having their phone go off at 4am with you screaming down the other end of it. And don't even get me started about the boys you decide to contact in your gin-fuelled drunken haze. Bad decisions all round. 

6.) Free champagne doesn't mean pour as much down your throat as you can

Cus limits and shit. Remember when dad had to haul his grown-ass daughter to bed cause she couldn't get into it? Yeah, well, let's not have that happen ever again....

7.) You need to chill the fuck out with your facial expressions 

Others have been known to say you have the facial expressions that of a selection of emoticons and emojis. And I feel ya girl, you're just having a real fun time, and can't contain that and it overflows onto your face (and there's also a little big of you that feels you're being a bit Cara Delevigne with your wacky poses). But just, calm it a lil' bit. Your Facebook feed will thank you for it.

8.) Back the hell away from that cigarette

You, Amy WY Lo, are a terrible social smoker. One drink down your throat and you're on a hunt for a smoke like a game of Where's Wally. You know it's terrible for you. You judge dad that he used to be like a chimney. You hate it! So just stop it, k?

9.) Vodka jellies are always a lot more tricky to shot that you think

You've had a few drinks, gotten a bit cocky, and before you know it, you've accepted a challenge and am taking part in a race of downing them. What you forget is that those wibbly-wobbly creatures are stuck in there pretty darn good, and you end up scraping that sucker out with your tongue like a spotty teen having their first kiss.

Oh, and don't think vodka gummi bears are just fun and games either. They're lethal lil' buggers.

10.) Please don’t lose your keys

You're pretty good with your belongings, not an ID even misplaced - and I know, I know, the keys things only happened that one time. And that lovely girl picked them up, and found you to return them to you! (Faith in humanity restored). But it'll just save you all the hassle of trying to crack your door down with a credit card, or the shame of having to ask your landlord for a spare key at silly o' clock.

11.) Oh, on the issue of locks, don't lock yourself in the bathroom!

You've gone to brush your teeth, or like that time where you felt like you might throw up, so you took yourself to the bathroom - good job btw - but maybe just keep the door shut and unlocked. Cus you've fallen asleep before, and then your housemates think something's to you while banging on the door, when all it is is that you've curled up on the rug with a toothbrush hanging out of your mouth.

12.) Kudos on letting your friends know how much you bloomin' love them

You've had a bit of rum and am feeling a bit melty and rather happy - evenmore so than usual - and you'll know doubt grab your friends towards you for a cuddle and a kiss, and profess your love and appreciation of them and the friendship you share. Which is all true as gold! But tbh, you'd probs be doing the same if you were sober anyway, cus we're both just soppy motherfuckers like that. 

Do you have any of these bad drunk traits?! I know I'm not the only one!

Stay happy!

Until next time,

A.x