Sugar sweet September

September had a trip to Ibiza stored so once again, it was time to do some packing (which I always go overboard with...standard)

And what does one pack for the party island of Spain? 

Well crop tops and hot pants ahoy first of all, surely.

Secondly, anything with a palm tree or tropical print is going STRAIGHT in my suitcase

Oh and no holiday's compete without your watermelon bikini of course, otherwise water-melon-choly time away that would be am I right?

But it's sad times when you come back from holiday and go back to work. That means no more crop tops and tropical kimonos on a daily basis. Not really office appropriate is it? No. Didn't think so. 

But fear not, you can carry on the khaki colour theme of your summer tropical forest with a slinky chained crop top to go with your ripped high waisted jeans. Feel weirdly like I'm in Liberty X and I weirdly don't hate that...

And even if you have got a bit of holiday blues, don't fight it, show it via your outfits. Blue skirts, blue bombers, blue camis - blue e'rything y'all.

What can I say? I just can't enough of the khaki - and I've even upped the anti and pimped out my camo coat with some pretty pins.

You can put the girly girl into an army jacket, and she'll find some way to make it more girly with sassy pin badges and floral embroidered jeans. 

And if flowery jeans weren't jazzy enough, you can mermaid your way through Monday like a shimmering mermaid with your sparkly pleated skirt. Toughened up with a Biggie Smalls tee, naturally.

When the sparkles get to much, be safe in the knowledge that you can always slide them off in favour for your trusty dungas - available in blue and blue - and perfect with a sheer, pastel top.

Dungas are all fun and games hwen you're pint-sized a la me. Can we just start naming heights in a more exciting way please? Instead of 5ft 5, you can just call me fun-sized. Like a mini Milky Way Celebration if you will.

 Wrapping myself in a lilac and white strappy mini dress with white heels that Cupid has given it's stamp of approval of with a glittery pink heart and arrow - who knew Daisy Duck could be such a style inspiration eh?

Until next time...

A.x

Month by Numbers: Ibiza heat

7 favourites...

1.) At the very beginning of this month, I headed to Ibiza and it was the perfect remedy that came at the most perfect time. After what were some of the worst months of my life, I got to get away to a sunny paradise with some of my favourite people. We danced, we did nothing on the beach and our meals consisted mostly of sangria and gelato. 

This is uber-melty, but there was one point on the holiday where we were on one of the most beautiful beaches in the world (6th in fact FYI) and I went for a swim on my own in the bluest, most crystal clear water I've seen in my life. And there was not a worry or thought in my mind and before I know it, I'd swam so far out, I was just on my own and I just felt truly content for the first time in ages. After all that's happened this year, I was just floating there thinking 'You know what? It's really not all that shit. Life's OK. I'm OK.'


2.) After coming back from Ibiza tanned and filled with tequila, I spent a whole weekend with my bestie and a bunch of boys from Sheffield who I have a blast with every time I see them. Which would be once. I've met them once before. One weekend last year, I spent a weekend with my BBF, and her boyfriend had some uni friends stay. We all ended up hanging out all weekend and becoming friends - isn't that just the sweetest story you ever did hear? And this time, we drank a lot, and played a lot of games (because, you know, we're really cool like that)


3.) Sadly, all those drinks and games means a lack of sleep and an increased chance of feeling pretty rubbish. Probably not the best combo before you do a 5K charity run for Cancer Research. BUT, even after 5 hours sleep and being low-key hanging, I laced up my trainers, travelled from North to South London and threw myself (literally) into the mud that is the Pretty Muddy 5K. I'm not even joking, there was mud EVERYWHERE. In places where mud should never, ever be. But we did it! We raised over £350 for an amazing cause, which was made even more amazing after receiving the news that my no.1 gal Mama Lo had been given the all clear from the Big C after showing it who's boss, just like we all knew she would. 

4.) Ah the Bake-Off. It'll come as no surprise that I'm a massive Bake-Off fan. In fact, last year, me and my flatmate baked something each week to go the theme of said week. I love how wholesome it is. I love the cheeky innuendos. I love the characters on it. I love Mary Berry. I love how a whole nation is gripped by a show about cakes and soggy bottoms. And then, it all came tumbling down all so suddenly! First, it was moving to Channel 4. Then the hilarious Mel & Sue were leaving. And the final blow, the Queen herself Mary Berry bowed out. This current series of the Bake-Off is the last one as we know it, and I am not emotionally prepared for that guys.


5.) Hi, my name's Amy and I've become obsessed with pin badges. They're sassy and cute and creative and teeny tiny and up my accessorises game in a big way. But sadly, they're also starting to drain my bank account in a big way too.

6.) And speaking of little things, I've been doing more little gestures. I know what a heartwarming surprise it is when you get or hear something you really didn't expect to. So I've been writing postcards left, right and centre for my friends. To cheer them up, to encourage them, to thank them, and just to say hello. And I'm hoping they've loved the sentiment as much as I've loved sending them. 


7.) A mixture of holiday blues and that back-to-school slump of September meant that I felt like I was in need of about 50 hours sleep, 50 cups of tea and cuddles with 50 puppies. Fortunately, one of my fave babes told me to come up North where she could provide me with lie-ins, all the teas I could ever ask for and 1 adorable puppy. She even threw in a 10-course fancy and fabulous Italian dinner and some dancing as well. She knows the way to my heart.

5 tweets...
1.) Catching up on #GBBO on the train. Man asleep next to me woke up as I let out an audible gasp at someone forgetting to turn on their oven
2.) Playing Heads Up at the pub & Vera Wang came up. Me: designer makes lovely wedding dresses!  Lads: surname sounds like a DICK 
3.) Something in my lad of washing has made all my clothes glittery...whilst I don't love it, I don't hate it either
4.) Let's just get this out of the way. Thing I don't like that everything else loves: avocado, Idris Elba, chocolate orange & salted caramel..
5.) Can never remember how to do an accented 'e' on my keyboard. Always end up googling Beyoncé and copy & paste. PROFESSIONAL JOURNO Y'ALL 

3 songs...

1.) Tove Lo - Cool Girl

This makes me feel like a genuine cool girl, no matter how much I may not be. If you see you strutting down the street and swooshing my hair, 90% certain this is what's playing on my headphones.

2.) Little Mix - Move

I feel in love with this song with my BBF 2 years ago at uni, and even now, it still makes me dance like I wish I was in a girl band. Sass-central y'all

3.) Kanye West - Fast

If the other 2 songs make me feel like feisty and cool independent women, this song makes me feel tough and ready to box about 10 rounds in the ring. Neither of which I am, but the bass lines and auto-tuned singing in this makes for a good disguise for it

Until next time...

A.x

Week by Numbers: culture vulture & pop princess

IT'S OCTOBER HOW ON EARTH DID THAT HAPPEN. While I freak out over how quick time's going, the weeks have just completely bypassed me and before I knew it, it's not a week by numbers anymore, it's just recently by numbers. So without further ado...

7 favourites...

1.) This was my September. It's filled with family reunions, odd exhibitions and confusing feelings about relationships and dating.

2.) Two of my friends from school came down to visit me in London, and they're the first ones to do so, so it was really nice to kinda bring my old home to my new home. Both being rugby fans, we went to the pub to watch England play - and sadly ultimately lose - against Australia. Despite feeling a bit confused at what on earth was going on watching my first ever rugby match, the night completely spiralled out of control from a couple of pints at the pub to tequila shots and dancing to Depeche Mode. And my god, was it glorious.

3.) How did a weekly tv programme about baking become such a vital part of my week? With me and my flatmate making something every week in the theme with the show, the final was worthy of a four-tiered, pinata filled, ombre cake. It lasted a whole week in our flat. It was a monster. I know it's just a show about cakes but it's so not - it unites the whole nation together is such a ridiculous and stereotypically British way and produces wonderful quotes from wonderful people like this:

4.) The words 'Britney Vs. Beyonce night out' is like music to my ears. So when a night out consisted of exactly that, I immediately got my best Britney gear out and was more excited than a kid at Christmas. I was doing body rolls and arm pops in the club like nobody's business - THE CORRS WAS EVEN PLAYED. It felt like a school disco and it was brilliant. 

5.) Recently I made my way to The Strand to see the Louis Vuitton Series 3 exhibition, and it interesting to say the least. Forget your standard views of what you thought exhibitions were like - this had mirrored rooms with flashing lights, catwalks shown in a room full of screens and a live workshop or artisans constructing LV products. Oh, and I think i've got the LV Parisian posing down haven't I?

6.) My mum and dad have been away in Hong Kong for 5 weeks, and even thought I've gone that long without seeing them before, with them not having internet access there, I forget how easy we have it now when it comes to communication. Needless to say I missed them like mad and FaceTimed them as soon as they got home.

7.) I'm on a bit of a hair journey at the moment. Apart from a few regrettable blonde highlights and my on-off fringe that I got cut because of Zooey Deschanel, I've not really been that experimental with my hair. It's pretty much just been long and the same since I was 15, so, I'm having a bit of fun now - and I'm dead excited, like.

3 tweets...

"My flatmate gives stellar love advice: "tell him it's waiting his texts and YOUR time" she says while slipping her shades on. SASS "

"Just woke up to be told I'm 'more of a girl than @JessicaMPlatt will ever be' & shown a video of me drunk singing by @joannaolivia92"

"Am loving the combo of legs out, long autumn coat and sunglasses on right now. This British autumn weather man "

1 outfit... 

top:ASOS, skirt:Girls on Film, shoes:Topshop

So a Britney vs. Beyonce night out is worthy of a Britney-poptastic outfit right? That's why the metallic leather mini skirt was whipped out along with the fluffy heels. Add a sassy side-swept style into the mix and you're set for your school disco girl.

 Oh, and some glitter on your face is always a must.

Stay happy!
Until next time...
A.x

September scarves & sillyness

Autumn is well and truly here. And for the first time EVER - I'm welcoming it with open arms.

Being a proper summer bunny, usually when the temperature and the leaves start to fall, I am clutching onto those last few rays of summer sun and refuse to give into the cold.

But this year, I'm saying 'yes' to the open fires, 'yes' to long coats and 'yes' to being wrapped up in layers.

And what better layer than the humble scarf? Seriously, where would me and my cold neck be without you?

Whether to top off a school-girl worthy denim ensemble - complete with rucksack - or fluffy enough to brighten up any pint-sized outfit

Outfits with all the fiesty skirts a girl could own may I add - leopard print and pink leather? Yeah, go on then.

And the perfect way to top such outfits? With your trusty hat of course - instant chic points, zero effort into doing your hair. Win-win all round.

But when those glimpses of sun still do manage to peep through, make sure you're got your glittery sunglasses and a plait in your hair before you leave the door. Oh, and any kind of floral dress will gain you compliments of lovely elderly women at the park.

If you thought September was all about the autumnal cover ups though, how wrong you were. September's just as silly as the rest of the year.

Enter, the glittery lucky cat bag. Putting the fun in functional!

And all sensible layers can be removed when it comes to bedtime in exchange for the most fun and flirty pjs you ever did see.

And yeah sure, when England rains, it really rains, but who needs a boring waterproof when you can have a yellow fisherman's jacket to shield you from the weather?

Oh, and looking like a french ballerina is always an option for work if you've got your blue stripes and lilac tutu to hand.

And if not, then get ready to go back-to-school with a polka dot heart shirt, topped off with your denim dungaree skirts.

Add in a swishy and sassy ponytail and your light-up rollerskates and you're ready to take on the world.

And anyone who tells you otherwise? Well, you can just tell them to kiss your sweet behind!

Stay happy!

Until next time..

A.x