Week by Numbers: perseverance & magic

7 favourites...

1.)  Ladies and Gentlemen. Boys and Girls. I have some brilliant and exciting news! And no it's not that the Royal baby has been born - although, congrats to Kate & Wills and the new gorgeous princess! No. It's that after nearly a year of interning, uncertainty, literally hundred of cover letters written, endless interviews gone to, and feeling pretty low at points...

 I'VE GOT A MOTHERFLIPPING JOB! 

Like, I'm a legit, proper journalist at a national publication - say whatttt?! I cannot tell you how the sheer joy and relief I feel at the stability and security I now have, and the fact the all the hard work and grief was all worth it. If you stay true to your ambitions and keep plugging away, you'll get there eventually. Am very grateful and just all kinds of happy!

2.) Apart from landing myself a job, here's what the rest of my April looked like - pretty gutted that my bday month is now over tbh, booooo.

3.) Sometimes, wading through floods of people on the tube isn't what you really wanna do with your weekend. So when that happens, and your friend lives a quick 30 min train journey, the sane thing to do is to jump on that train and head for a land of all things green and surrounded by trees. You get welcomed with creamy mushrooms on toasts and the chance to have a big, deep, breathe of fresh air. Bliss.

4.) After being appalled by myself for not having watched all the Harry Potter films when they first came out, I bought the whole series on DVD during my last year of uni, and blasted through them all in one weekend, sat on the edge of my seat. That was it. Hook, line and sinker, I was in love with the world and the characters. So, me and my 2 besties and housemates from uni booked ourselves to go to the Harry Potter studios for a birthday present for each other and OH MY GOD. It was amazing. There's a surprise round every corner and I genuinely felt like a big kid. From being in Diagon Alley to having my mind blown by the props team and the mechanics behind the mythical creatures, it was such a fun day that I feel sad to be back in reality now. Even if I did genuinely get scared by a deatheater...

5.) I always end up having a song on repeat, and at the moment, it's the Oliver Nelson remix of All Cried Out (which I love anyway) by Blonde ft.Alex Newell. When the sun's shining and I'm skipping along the streets of London, it instantly makes me happy and wishing I was sat on a rooftop terrace , with a cocktail in my hand, cherry blossom raining from the sky and the warmth of the sunshine beaming on me. Heavenly.

6.) Don't get put off by the name, but Scrotal Recall, is an amazing series on Netflix. It's heartwarming, witty, oh-so-British and makes your heart feel all warm and smooshy. Think major 'Cold Feet' vibes.

7.) I have a small hoard of small nephews and nieces now, so that means when I usually see my brothers, it's not without the presence of small humans who I love. But midway through this week, my brother was in London for meeting, he treated me to congratulatory cocktails and dinner. It was so nice to chat and catch up as 2 adults with no lego about and feeling shattered from pushing swings all day. Going from teaching me how to ride a bike (unsuccessfully I might add), to sharing after-work drinks together. Siblings rule y'all.

3 thoughts...

"I'm so excited there is a high possibility I may be sick"

"If you don't want to be an asshole, then you have the choice to not be one y'know?"

"Imagine if you're Kate Middleton and the whole world's waiting for you to push a human out of you..."

1 outfit...

We had a couple of heatwave days in April, so I assumed like any normal person would, that the weather was on the rise, and we were entering a solid Spring. Oh, how wrong I was. It's England. Of course good weather being on the cards isn't a certainty. So a striped poloneck it is, but that doesn't mean I can't flash a bit of leg with a midi-skirt, and channel some sunny shades with a lemony-yellow, embroidered skirt. Add lots of black and gold accessories and a seashell bad and hey presto -you've brought spring to yourself!

Stay happy!

Until next time...

A.x

Week by Numbers: 23, bowling & bright skies

This week, I turned the grand ol' age of 23!

7 favourites...

1.) I started the 1st hours of being a 23-year-old with a gold crown on my head, eating rainbow cake. I had a lovely day full of sunshine, animal pjs (complete with unicorns - winner!), a Cinderella-worthy Michael Kors bag, and lots of love and birthday wishes. I felt so lucky and thankful to have so many people who care about me in my life.

2.) As a kid, my brothers would come home every year to celebrate my birthday with me, watch me blow yet another set of candles out, and spend 3 hours building me that Barbie dream house. But now we're all grown-ups, and the big 2-1 has been and gone, and we've all got busy lives, sometimes it's a rush just to send a card off in time. But even now, I got this box of birthday goodies in the post. And as someone who loves receiving letters and hand-written letters, a package of fun made me insanely happy. Especially when it including a box of Disney Lego to build.

3.) Birth-Day? More like birth-week! Back in the capital I had an all-weekend sleepover with my bestie, got greeted in the morning with birthday cake, marshmallows, Hairspray on full blast and Minnie Mouse ears on my head. Spend all day wondering around Regents Park in the sun, enjoy a bubblegum ice cream, and go from getting gutter balls to getting strikes and ultimately winning at bowling, complete with a cocktail in hand. Oh, and screaming along in karaoke. Course.

Can every weekend be this fun-filled with activities please? 🎳👯🎤 #imatiredpuppynow @wilsonrosie2 #birthday #karaoke #bowling #weekend #sundayfunday #instavideo #london

A video posted by Amy Lo 🐚 (@amylo92) on Apr 19, 2015 at 1:58pm PDT

5.) I can't stop listening to Marcus Mumford's (of off Mumford & Sons fame) cover of Bob Dylan. Literally the best thing to have on while walking in the sunshine. Get this song in your life, you shan't regret it.

6.) Speaking of sunshine, London in the spring and summer is legit one of my favourite places to be. When the blossom's out, and you can hear joy in people's voice as they natter, and you can spend all day just aimlessly wandering around - it's the best. Brings so much happiness into my lil heart.

7.) As I mentioned Hey Claire's last week, with her sunglasses video, I have fallen in love with THIS pair. Unfortunately, they're Miu Miu and I can't justify spending so much £££ on some shades, but MY GOD, they're beautiful.

3 thoughts...

"Please don't be a dick, please don't be a dick, please don't be a dick..."

"It's so quiet and activity-less back at the house. WHERE'S ALL THE FUN."

"I can definitely hit this high note in Whitney Houston. 100%..."

1 outfit...

bag:Aldo, trousers:H&M, shoes:Topshop

Now, I don't want to speak too soon, but I think Spring has finally sprung! I'm all over the floral trousers and equally floral shoes - complete with jelly sandal flatforms. Oh, and what this? This pink suede tassled number? Yeah, it's pretty great so shimmying around in the sunshine, thanks for saying. 

Stay happy!

Until next time,
A.x

25 reasons why I grew up wanting to be Gwen Stefani

When I was a mini version of myself, I was obsessed with Gwen Stefani. I tried with all my might to replicate her awesome style, and wanted nothing more than ice-cool peroxide blonde hair, and it's not hard to see why...

1.) She's the queen of the red lips and ice-blonde combo

She is completely the reason why I started wearing lipstick. Teenage Amy accidentally broke one of her mum's lipsticks when trying it on, begged her if she could buy her her own, and it's been a match-made in heaven ever since. Cheers Gwen.

2.) She just OOZES cool

Ugh. It hurts just how damn cool she is. She's such a sexy badass that I don't even know how to deal with it.

And she's still just as awesome to this day (also, how does she not seemed to have aged one single goddamn day?!) As Bruno Mars would say, "too hot, HOT DAMN" indeed.

3.) She was part of epic band of the 90s, No Doubt

If you don't like No Doubt, we can't hang out, soz - they were basically the epitome of the 90s. For reals. They were all sorts of weird and wonderful in a sea of girl and boy bands back in the day.

4.) She rocks a pair of tracksuits like no other

15-year-old me LONGED for a pair of matching green Adidas tracksuits. But teen me also only had pocket money to spend, so it's probably a good thing that I didn't splurge my money on them, as I have no doubt (eh? geddit?!) that I would defo NOT look that killer in them.

5.) Oh, and can we just take note of her KILLER ABS?!

BRB as I go do 12945829 ab crunches.

6.) 'Just A Girl' spoke the absolute truth

As I jumped around to this song when I was younger, I didn't realise how ahead of it's time it was, and how poignant and meaningful it would mean to me now. It's not only an insanely good song, but also an education, and is sarcasm at it's best - PREACH.

7.) She is a style icon. Fo' realsies.

The master of personalised fashion: LAMB top and No Doubt belt anyone? 

8.) She clashes patterns like a trooper

Teach us your ways oh masterful one!

9.) Think that having your bra straps on show is tacky?

Think again. 

10.) She's all over leopard print

RAWR.

11.) Off-duty look on lock

Ugh, this whole ensemble is so brilliant and effortlessly cool, it makes me want to cry.

12.) Oh, and let's not forget the gold-n-stripes phase during 'The Sweet Escape'

I own some striped jeans - others call them Beetlejuice pants, I call them my Gwen Stefani trousers.

13.) And think she's just all about being cool chick?

 Think again, look at her all glam and sophisticated! We are not worthy.

14.) She's just like a multi-faceted GEM!

15.) Let's not even get started on the art piece that is her hair

She was all FKA Twigs before FKA was even born. 

16.) Who'd ever thought your string bikini could be so versatile?!

Gwen did, THAT'S WHO.

17.) 'Don't Speak' is lyrically heart-breaking and oh-so-honest

When I got over the 1st boy I ever fancied at school, I listened to this on my MP3 player on repeat. I wish that was a joke (school girl Amy was very emo over the whole thing). But now I'm older - and hopefully wiser - OMG, those lyrics convey 100% how you feel when you go through a break-up. And the fact she wrote it about her split with ex-boyfriend and bass player of the band, Kana, as well, just tugs at my emotional heart strings even more.

18.) She taught a whole generation how to spell 'bananas'

And also made me wish I was in band in American high school, just so I could wear that feathered hat. 

19.) Her wedding dress was flipping pink!

Tranditions? Pft, who needs traditions when your wedding dress looks da bomb.

20.) 'Hey Baby' is a tune and a half

It's also the 1st song I heard of from No Doubt, before trawling through their back-catalogue and vowing to love them forever more.

21.) On that point, their comeback single was perfection

All was right in the world again in 2012 when No Doubt reunited and bestowed upon us this ultimate summer jam. They're like an ol' rum & coke - they never go out of style and are always a sturdy choice to making you feel-good.

Oh, and Ms.Stefani's hair was crazy-good in the video too.

22.) 'What You Waiting' for was a crazy pop masterpiece

Laying some truth down on us about the music industry. Not to mention the video was a crazy, wonderful, Wonderland-filled dream as well. 

23.) She's super kawaii

And not in the Avril Lavinge way (Thank God...remember that?! Let's never speak of that again...)

24.) She's probably the most badass mama ever

Just look at the matching quiffs yo! 

25.) Long live the queen of cool!

 But alas, young Amy realised that red lipstick and a mint Adidas zip-up hoodie alone wouldn't turn her into Gwen Stefani. And besides, probably not the safest idea to try and bleach your deepest of dark hair to a bright, white blonde. That's just a catastrophe waiting to happen...

There's only one Gwen Stefani, and that's what makes her so goddamn special!