Week by Numbers: bruises, birthdays and Breakfast at Tiffanys

My knees are black and blue, I'm exhausted, I'm starved and I'm armed (sorry, Miss.Congeniality references are hard to shake off) and I couldn't be happier.

7 favourites...

1.) Can we just press pause on time for a bit please...how is it June already?! Before the hayfever and sun-drenched pints get the better of me, here's what my May looked like.

2.) This past week, there was the Now Summer Party - Smart Girls Fake It, which was to promote staying safe in out in the sun. It was the first event I was involved in with everyone in my office and it was hectic, unreal and ridiculously fun. I got to have fun with my colleges and work friends outside of the office and get to know them better, have drinks on the house, and even embarrassed myself in front of my 1st ever crush, Mr.Ben Adams off of boyband A1 back in the day. An all round success I'd say.

3.) I never thought I'd see the day when my life was too busy for Netflix, but it has been, but I had an evening free for once and was looking for something new to get engulfed in, and after writing off The Bitch in Apartment 23 completely before ever having seen it, I gave in and absolutely loved it. It's witty and the characters are so well written, and I love that Mr.Dawson's Creek himself can take the piss out of himself. I whizzed straight through them, and before you know it, series 3 of Orange is the New Black had landed. Goodbye social life...

4.) Last weekend was an absolute dream. I spent the day eating ice-cream in the park and drinking beer in the sun, before having my childhood best friend and my best friend from uni unite and going for a gin-fuelled and 90s music hazed night out. I was so happy to dance along to Arctic Monkeys and The Contours with my 2 favourite gals, that I feel over from enthusiasm. The bruise was so worth it.

5.) This weekend that's just gone was a completely different story though, as it was my nephew and niece's joint birthday party with the family. And my god was it a struggle to get there. After missed trains, delayed trains and nearly crying in the middle of Euston station with a mountain of toys and presents in my arms, I got there. It was 3 hour round trip, just to be there for 3 hours, but it was so worth it and I wouldn't have had it any other way - that's how much of a family gal I am y'all. My brothers went out of their way to come home and see my when I was younger, and I that's exactly how I feel about my niece and nephews. 

6.) And the reason why I had to dash off so quickly? I had a date with Audrey Hepburn that evening. My ever-so-chic pal, Rosie, and I had tickets to Breakfast at Tiffanys live at the Royal Albert Hall. While one of my fave films was playing, the Philharmonia orchestra played the music, and we drank G&Ts on World Gin Day. It was bliss. I even cried cus I'm a soppy, romantic sap. It was honestly so dreamy. 

"People do fall in love, people do belong to each other, because that's the only chance anybody's got for real happiness."

7.) I've received my first ever legit payday, as a proper journalist nonetheless! AND,  boys and girls, I've found a new house to move into! After staying rent-free, at my family's place in the dreamy place of zone 1 Angel, I've finally found somewhere more permanent - although, the amount of time I've been living here has been pretty permanent already - and I'm heading down to South London! A good place and people was all that was on my checklist for a new room, and this place has all that, plus a cardboard cut-out of Taylor Swift. What else does a girl need eh?!

3 thoughts...

"So, I used to have your poster up on my wall. And now. You're here.... WHATTTT."

"I don't want to ask how old you are, but I also don't want to have kissed a youth..."

"What - me? You're really happy with ME being at the company? Well schucks..."

1 outfit...

playsuit:Missguided, shoes:Missguided, necklaces:Topshop, belt:ASOS

As a gal who's fond of a pastel colour or 2, a playsuit that looks like a kaleidoscope made out of a Wes Anderson colour palette is a basically all I could want. Oh wait, no, it's not because when there's kimono sleeves and a lace-trimmed plunging neckline involved as well, they're things that I never even thought I wanted out of a playsuit, but now I don't know how I could have dismissed such things. And to top it off, pastel pink shoes that are tied up with tassels - couldn't have asked for a better dancing partner on a Saturday night!

Stay happy!

Until next time...

A.x

16 things that teenage me wouldn't believe will happen to her life

When I was 15 or so, I had SUCH an idea of what I thought my life and I was going to be like when I grew up.
PAH!
Oh, you knew nothing lil' Amy. You still know hardly anything now. So sit back while I tell you a couple of things that are going to happen to you, that you never thought would...

1.) You bloody go and get your nose pierced. 

It's not even something you knew you wanted, but my god, you love it oh-so-much. A cartilage piercing on your ear took you 2 years to pluck up the go and get, but your nose? Nah. After some fleeting thoughts, just stroll in there after a day's thought. You'll keep it in just for the year you're still a student in Sheffield you think to yourself.

But who are you kidding?  It's something that sparkles on your face - you're keeping that lil' sucker there, at least for a little while.

2.) Who'd have ever thunk it, but you'll end up LOVING olives, Brussel sprouts, wine AND even beer!

Sheffield turned you into a Pale Ale enthusiast. And maybe, just maybe, the fact you're not just drinking £2.99 pre-drink wine anymore helps. Just an inkling.

3.) Now this may come as a shock - so you may want to take a seat - but you don't want to be a fashion designer. 

I know it's been your dream since you were about 6 and played that fashion wheel toy to death. But you went to uni, and although you loved and wouldn't have changed a thing, all the dying of wool, constant pins pricking your fingers and sheer stress of it sheer fabrics, made your realise that you'd much rather admire it from afar before you fell out with it for good.

4.) After a lil trip to Malia, you won't ever want Sambuca to touch your lips again. 

Nop, nop noppity nop. Never want to hear the word 'fish' put together with the word 'bowl' ever again.

5.) You bloody love skirts and dresses.

After all those years fighting mum about wearing them (to be fair, she did dress you up in some pretty dire pieces that were reminiscent of curtains, back in the day), you realise that they're your BFF. Also, your favourite colour doesn't stay being navy blue that is usually found on your Reebok tracksuit bottoms - it's too hard to have just ONE favourite colour anyhow.

6.) You won't own a pair of Jimmy Choos by the time you're 21.

a.) you're too much of a shop-a-holic to save up that kind of money, b.) that's kinda insane, and c.) you really don't care about shoes that much - you're more of a bags kinda gal.

7.) Don't worry - your hair WILL grow long

So long in fact that it reaches the top of your trousers, so really, strop fretting about haircuts so much.

8.) You'll never save up and get the Juicy Couture velour tracksuit that has 'JUICY' tattooed on the bum. Soz. 

But you'll be glad of it. Trust me. They belong back in 2002, along with Paris Hilton.

8.) You never nail smoky eyes or become a pro at eyeshadow.

No matter how much you try and how many YouTube tutorials you follow and blending you do, you'll never get the hand or get into the habit of wearing eyeshadow that you wanted so much. Ain't no-body got time for that - you and your trusty eyeliner are a partnership made in heaven.

9.) Your schoolgirl crush on Harry Judd from McFly, won't fade.

You may not have posters up on your bedroom wall anymore, but your heart will still get all in a tizzy when you see snaps of him on drumming topless Instagram. Oof.

10.) You will finally get the hang of contact lenses. Trust me.
Yes, I know continuously prodding yourself in the eye with a piece of plastic until you're crying isn't fun. But they'll get to a time when you can do it hungover and without a mirror - pinky promise. And anyway, the older you get, the less fucks you give about wearing your glasses anyway, so it's a win-win all round really! (except for the fact you don't have good vision...)

11.) You WILL regret your highlights.

I know you think they're really cool, but...WHY, OH WHY, did you spend literal hours and £££ at the hairdressers, for blonde chunks?! Save your money, your poor hair, and yourself all the hassle. Dark - and hopefully mysterious - is the way to go. 

12.) You get a Masters degree - huzzah!

After all that time arguing with dad about how it's not the way things are done now, and you'd rather get straight into the industry, your fashion designer epiphany made you realise your passion and you realised you DEFINITELY weren't ready to be a legit adult yet. Being a student for another year while learning to be a proper journo sounds like a pretty good deal.

13.) You get pretty good at cooking (if you do say yourself *fingernail emoji*)

To say you used to bake scones that even your nan wouldn't pretend tasted nice, I think the words 'improved' would be apt to use here. You know how dad's a cook, so he kind of likes to be the boss of the kitchen and doesn't let anyone get a look-in? Well, that means you can't make anything for yourself to eat, bar scrambled eggs and ramen noodles. But fear not! Moving away to uni means you HAVE to learn to cook, cus y'know, otherwise you'll starve. So nailing the perfect jacket potato, turns to endless pasta combination, develops into insane salads and evolves into copious baked goods and a crackin' roast dinner.

14.) Fake tan and eyelashes aren't worth the effort.

I know that you wouldn't even bare the thought of going out-out without a set of lashes on. But all those Friday nights you spend slapping on brown goo on you (hello? you're asian...you've got olive-toned skin anyway!), and Saturday mornings waking up thinking you had spiders on your pillow, are just too much hassle. Reserve them for special occasions and fancy dress days.

15.) You move to London

Yes I know,  I know. I bet you can't even fathom the thought of this - what with your hatred of crowds, and love of the countryside and being a girl who was born and bred in suburbia. BUT, you know what? You get a crackin' job, some pretty sweet friends of yours live there, and there's tons of fun things to do. So all in all, you love it. And trust me, you'll get the hang of the tube - honestly? It's pretty simple and you'll grow attached to living on the Northern line.

16.) You haven't a clue what your doing with your life

I know at this point in your life, you think that being in your 20s is well grown-up, and you'll have your life well and truly sorted. But that couldn't be further from the truth. And that's more than OK. "I'll live in an amazing house with my dream job, with a killer car, with *the one*, and never have to borrow money from your parents ever again", thought EVERY 16-year-old ever.
But all of that isn't as easy as you think, and definitely entails more than you thinking 'Oh, I'd like to have a cream Mini Cooper!"
 Of course you're a way more well-rounded person at 23 than you are at 15, but me and you both know that we're just disguising as an adult in the real working world, and there's still so much of your story to live out yet!

So just hang tight and enjoy the ride kiddo.

Denim & Pink May

Oh denim. How I love you so. I'm sorry for all the hate I gave you as a teenager as I thought you only came in the form of skinny jeans. 

How wrong I was. 

Re-kindling my love of denim skirt and dungarees that I once had as a kid, they're now a true staple of my wardrobe.

And even jeans and I have kissed and made up. They're just now ripped and much less tight. 

Get me all in monochrome. Who thought there'd ever by the day eh?

While on a trip down memory lane, I picked up these platforms with me. They came into my life last Spring and I practically live in them as soon at the weather always my tootsies to be out. I call them my Spice Girl shoes - pretty apt don't cha think?

Or you can be more specific and go the whole hog.

Sporty spice anyone?

If channelling the footwear of the best girl band in the world isn't enough, then why not just wear your love on your tee.

And why just stop down there hey? ALLLL the 23-year-old adults are wearing heart-shaped sunglasses! Especially when you match it all the pink accessories you own in your tasselled pink bag. Obviously.

Pink. The perfect colour for a spot afternoon of afternoon tea. How typically, bloody British.

And the queen of all things pink?

Barbie of course. 

If Spice Girls and kitsch sunnies aren't your 90s bag, then surely Clueless is. Cher Horowitz, eat your heart out. 

I've got fluffy shoes to see from from day to night, from running for the bus to dancing on the ceiling.

Even when you do have to leave the house disguised as an adult, just throw on your brightest midi-skirt, add some stripes (oh, and don't forget your sparkly shoes and mermaid bag).

And if after all this silly-ness, you feel you need to chill things down a lil' bit, grab your camel utility jacket (that secretly makes you feel a bit like Indiana Jones/a cowboy) and slip into your tasselled suede boots.

Got all the bases covered here guys, don't you worry.

Stay happy!

Until next time...

A.x