101 Spotty Dottys

Me and trousers don't have the best relationship. They're always too long for my lil legs. Whenever they fit around my waist, they don't around my hips. They either swamp me and look like a dwarf, or are so skinny that I feel like I'm gonna faint at any time for the circulation being cut off in my legs.

But in an attempt to break out my wardrobe ruts, when I saw this dreamy, spotty, watercolor 2-legged creation, I just had to take them for a test drive.

They're so fun yet elegant. I don't know if I feel more like I'm part of a pointillism painting, or like I'm a Dalmatian puppy.

When leaving a lecture wearing this, one of my friend's commented how I looked like I was about to jet off and jump onto a boat for a little getaway (i wish!)

With the sun making more of an appearance these days, it's been new to whack out the sunshades again, which also gets to hide my terrible dark circles under my eyes! (I'm such a night owl, it's terrible...)

With such busy, patterned legs galloping through Sheffield, the rest of me was kept plain and simple, topped off with a dangling and tasseled necklace.

I'm so glad that Spring seems to be on it's way now! Are you guys looking forward to a change of weather and wardrobe?

tshirt:ASOS, trousers:H&M, necklace:Topshop, shoes:Topshop, sunglasses: RayBans, bag:Mulberry

Hope you're all well,

Speak soon,

A.x

The future's bright!

Last week, me and the rest of the magazine journalism group at uni took a lil trip down to the Big Smoke to see what the big wide world of magazines held for us when we finished this masters degree.

Now, controversial statement, but I used to be very anti-London. I hated how busy it was. I hated how you had to battle through a sea of people to get anywhere. I hated how everyone seemed to rushed to even say 'hello' in the morning.

But then, I lived there for a month while I did an internship, and after just day 2, although tired and sweaty, I had fallen in love with the capital.

There's a different vibe and atmosphere around every corner. Whether you're looking for something bright and fun, or sophisticated and quintessentially British. There's something for everybody.

So I was more than happy to be thrown back into the city, especially with new friends along for the ride.

As if I didn't love the city enough already, spending 3 days going around magazine offices imagining what my life could be, can be, and will be, just made me 10 times more determined to get where I want to be with my career. 

There were encouraging talks from inspiring people, locked-out mishaps at offices, good ol' British pub grub, cocktails at night, dim-sum in China Town, singing Les Mis songs outside of the musical, and of course, a trip to London wouldn't be complete without a visit to one of my favourite places in the entire world: Liberty's

A treasure trove of beautiful items inside a even more beautiful building, and one of my favourite things are the fresh flowers outside.

I even got to pop over to Hogwarts for a flying visit....

...and go over to Sherlock's for a cuppa!

It was an amazing trip that opened my eyes to all the possibilities the future holds. It's inspired me, enlightened a world of knowledge onto me and has pushed me to put in nothing less than 110%.

And, I bought myself a cheeky lil treat as well while I was there...opps!

Gin and macarons...what else does a girl need?!

Hope you're all well,

Speak soon,

A.x

I'm gonna fly away

I have a stupidly over-proportioned, large head, so finding a hat to fit on it is a monumental mission.

So when I found this burgundy baby, I was jumping for joy! I can throw it on when I cannot be bothered to do anything with my hair, or don't have the time (which is 90% of the time!), and still look put together and like I made an effort.

I've been enjoying not needing to wear 10 different layers before I leave the house these days, to only have to take them off again after 5 minutes walking into a building. My trusty leather biker jacket has become my best buddy again!

With a slick of berry lipstick and top of the same tone to coincide with my hat, I zipped up my boots and hopped on out to meet my friend.

I love how this skirt has tiers of layers overlapping one another, with the prints of the birds looking like they're flocking together, with a belt added on top with chains cascading down like a waterfall with the rest of the skirt.

With pastel colours being the basis of my wardrobe and colour palette in life, it's nice to break out of norm and exchange the ribbons for a hat to tip off to the sun.

hat: Topshop, top: Topshop, skirt: Ted Baker, belt: Asos, boots: Timbaland, jacket: Urban Code

Hope you're all well,

Speak soon,

A.x

Little Minxes!

In 2011, four girls were put together on the UK singing contest, X Factor. Perrie Edwards, Jesy Nelson, Leigh-Anne Pinnock and Jade Thirlwall joined forces, won the contest, and Little Mix was born.

4 young women with their own distinctive voices, and just as distinctive style, which has hopped across the pond and shot straight to the top of the charts and into people's heart. And wouldn't they? 

Their quintessentially British, kooky humour and silly behaviour, along with a slick and fun style has put good old-fashioned girl bands back in the limelight, and it's about time too!
Girls groups have come and gone, many who have made their way into my life and onto my iPod, but there isn't this kind of sassy girl-power frenzy since they days of Spice Girls. 

What started as a very bright, loud and fun style, has slowly evolved into a slick, sassy and still just as fun. What I love most is that they don't deny who they are, their fashion have grown with them as they've turned from girls to young women.

Their envious wardrobes, coupled with their infectious odes to pop music, they have winning combination that is dominating the world.

And why I love these girls, and why I think people have taken such a liking to them as well is, they're having fun. The time of their lives and you can tell. It's like they're having a sleepover and you're invited to join in!

Whether you're looking for something fun that you just want to dance your troubles away to, or inspiring lyrics sung by some powerful voices, Little Mix has something on their menu to cater to your needs, but my ultimate favourite is 'Move' which I have listened to over and over again since it's come out, and I still bop around to it like I did when I first heard it!

Their recent single, where proceeds went towards Sport Relief, will also no doubt make you move your feet and is helping towards an amazing cause.

So if you haven't heard of these girls or wanted to raid your wardrobes after seeing them, a.) where have you been?! and b.) what are you still doing here, go and check them out!

(sources: justlittlemixstyle.tumblr.com, funkidsliv.com, metro.com, pixiwoo.com, yahoo online, promonews.tv, billboard.com, captitalfm.com, digitalspy.co.uk, little mix instagram)

Are you a little lover of Little Mix? 

Hope you're all well, 

Speak soon,

A.x

Foxy

In my on-going quest to find the perfect balance between the playful, big kid within me, and the adult side of me that wants to be taken seriously and sensibly.

But when I saw this jumper, covered with my favourite furry friend prancing about, I just had to adopt him into my life.

 

With polka dots and foxes running around, you can't help but smile when wearing this bundle of fun, but the beige background and black spots tone it down and neutral.

With my trusty, shimmering skirt teaming up my with a chunky statement necklace, things didn't stay neutral for too long.

Brown boots and brown belt to tie it all up, I was ready to go our frolicking with my foxy friends.

In the evening, before I went out to meet some other friends (of a less furry kind!), I slipped a sheer shirt underneath and a golden brooch to clip it together.

I've been accessorising my outfit a lot more, with brooches, dangling jewelry and silk scarves, and have been enjoying playing aroud with all my trinkets!

jumper: ASOS, skirt: Glamorous, boots: Timberland

Hope you're all well,

Speak soon,

A.x

It's the littlest things...

I know I'm very late to be chipping in on any Fashion Week chat from any city around the world, but apart from uni work starting up again, the fact is that I've just been sitting back and enjoying everything that designers have flung onto the world!

Amongst Burberry's beautiful and cozy woolen wraps and folklore patterns and Elie Saab's sparkling and shimmering flawless dresses, Anya Hindmarch rummaged through our kitchen cupboards and transformed all our favourite treats into fun and flirty pieces.

Everything from bright and bold caricatures of old-favourite cereal characters....

...to tasty lil biscuit tins that are so dainty and quirky I want to just gobble up!

But my favourite and shiniest things that I've ever laid my magpie-like eyes on.

It's like Anya dug into my mind and realized that I could eat 10 packets of chocolate Bourbons with no problem, and also that I automatically am drawn like a moth to a flame to anything shiny or shimmering. And my gosh, is this one of the prettiest things I've ever set my eyes on....(be still my beating heart!)

Anya has this knack of making ideas that may sound ridiculous on paper, to lookg amazing and chic in reality. A biscuit as a bag? She makes it look like a metallic dream fit for any princess. A bag based on childhood toys that lights up? She makes it look like the most magical and chic present under the tree.

What do you think to Anya's creations? Quirky and chic or childish and cheap? 

Hope you're all well,
Speak soon!
A.x