Thursday, 31 October 2013

My October in Pictures: Part 2

October in general has been quite a dud month to be honest. I've spent most of the month trying to get my brain used to being back at uni, which is a stressful adjustment! But I have still managed to take photos of the most pointless things so here is the evidence!


1. (left) On the 12th I spent the day at Meadowhall with my parents and came across this amazing toy. It's Justin Beaver! It even sings Baby and I was obsessed from the moment I saw it. I freely admit I do have a soft spot for the Biebs!
2. (centre) On the same day, we ended up in Starbucks and the guy behind the counter ended up putting my mum's name on every drink. So I was my mum for the day!
3. (right) I do like a selfie. And I seem to have a thing for wearing cleavage-bearing tops at the moment. Don't judge me people, you might as well flaunt what you've got!


4. (left) I used to buy magazines on a weekly basis but then figured out it was costing me an absolute bomb so now I just buy Company, Glamour, Seventeen and Teen Vogue. This is the November issue of Company with one of my favourite actresses, Lucy Hale, gracing the cover. I love Pretty Little Liars so much!
5. (centre) This is my new blazer from Zara. I'd seen a similar one for £55 and then I saw this one was on sale for £20! Bargain! Plus I know tartan is back in fashion again and I love that this looks smart and quirky at the same time.
6. (right) On the 25th I went out for a meal with my family to celebrate my cousin's 18th birthday and wore this pink lace dress. I bought it a while ago off the Dorothy Perkins website but just haven't had an occasion to wear it! I paired it with nude peeptoe heels so I looked cute and put-together.


7. (left) On the following day, it was the start of the Rugby League World Cup 2013 so because I don't have an England shirt, I decided to wear an old-school Hull FC shirt circa 2004 or 2005 I think! 
8. (centre) I bought this dress the other day because I loved it online but it just doesn't fit properly around my boobs. Gutted! :(
9. (right) On the 29th, the parents and I went to the pub for tea and I saw this on the menu. Everytime I see the words "buttery biscuit base" it just reminds me of Greg James on Radio 1 and this song.

So that's October done; hopefully November will be a better month for me personally and hopefully I've have some good photos to share with you all!

Wednesday, 30 October 2013

Style Crush: Kendall Jenner

I realise I've not done a fashion post in quite a while so I thought I'd try a new feature. I'd say I get my fashion inspiration from celebrities. I like looking online to see what they're wearing and then adapt it so it suits my style/figure. There are a few celebrities that I keep a close eye on in terms of fashion and Kendall Jenner is one of them. I'm a Kardashians/Jenner fan but only recently have the Jenner girls featured more on the show and this has allowed the public to see what their style is like. I'd say Kendall's style is my favourite out of the whole family despite her being nearly 3 years younger than me; she just has this effortless way about her as if she just grabs anything out of her wardrobe in a morning and still manages to look amazing. Her daytime looks are very cool but her night-time looks look just as fabulous! So here are my favourite 10 looks of hers:


First up is a red carpet look from the Project X film premiere in March 2012. Now the first thing I love about this look is the gorgeous periwinkle colour! It's not often you seen this shade of purple on the carpet; it's usually a lilac or a deep purple. I also love the mesh on the sleeves and at the side; it makes the dress look super expensive (which it probably is!) and young. I don't think the hemline is too short like many out there because it is balanced by the longer sleeves. The one thing I love about Kendall is she never wears too much make-up, even on the red carpet. She is a natural beauty! I really hope she never dyes her hair too because us natural brunettes need to keep it that way! To finish the look, she has paired it with a pair of nude suede peeptoes which accentuate her ridiculously long legs.


Next up is Kendall at the Lone Signal launch event in New York, just after Kim had her baby. I don't have a clue what the event was about but she looks amazing! As much as I love her in a dress, I love that she loves her jeans! Here she is wearing a white zip-up top which is a quirky item for her but fits her figure perfectly. Paired with black skinnies, this outfit looks perfect on her slim frame. The high-waisted jeans emphasise her skinny waist and super long legs once again! And that boots are just incredible and now on my wishlist. Because the look is very futuristic to match the event, I like that she has her hair back in a ponytail so it doesn't distract from the outfit itself.


The third look I've chosen is Kendall at the film premiere of The Vow. Now I am not the biggest fan of white dresses on myself but she just looks incredible. I like the simplicity of the shape of the dress and the brocade pattern on it. Again, she has opted for a shorter hemline but with those legs, why not? The beauty of a white dress is you can pretty much pair it with any colour shoes and she has opted for a bronze platform heel which I love! I like it because it's unexpected and a different colour. 


Another aspect I like about this look is the red lip and up-do. Red lipstick looks so good on Kendall and her pale skin. The up-do keeps the outfit looking elegant and I like the loose tendrils in from of her face so her hair doesn't look too done.


Next is Kendall at the People's Choice Awards in January 2011. She is wearing a nude Bebe dress. Now I am a big fan of one-shouldered clothing (I just can't wear them because they never seem to stay up!) and I love the simplicity of this dress. I especially like the draping on the front and the black belt that cinches her in at the waist so the dress fits properly. The best part of the outfit for me is the fact that she wore flats on the red (well, blue) carpet, yes Kendall! It is well known that I love a brogue too so she gets a perfect 10 from me!


This outfit is from the Burlesque premiere in November 2010. Again, it is evident from my blog that I like leather so this dress had to be one of my favourites! I like the pattern on either side of the dress that breaks up the leather; I think an all-leather dress on such a young girl would just look a bit too dominatrix. I'm in love with these shoes too; if I had the money, they would definitely be in my wardrobe! The loose curls and light make-up keep the look looking fresh.


Next up is Kendall at the Teen Vogue Young Hollywood Party in October 2010. Flats on a red carpet again Kendall, you rebel! When I saw this outfit back in 2010, it inspired me to go out and get a draped-front skirt and now I wear that skirt all the time! I love how age-appropriate this look is, from the crisp white shirt and bow tie to the bright green skirt and the brogues. From someone who usually hates the colour green, I love how this pops against her skintone!


Next is a more recent photo where you can see how elegant Kendall is as she's gotten older. I love how this dress just hugs her figure too. I like the mix of navy and nude, again proving that nude goes with everything! I also like the mesh on the shoulders. Paired with nude heels to elongate her legs further, the whole look just looks mature but not too old for her. I love how she never wears much jewellery either; her outfits are always simple but stylish.


Another more recent photo in April 2013 at an art gallery event with her dad. Here she is just wearing a simple black strapless dress and sky high wedges. Now I am in love with yet another pair of her shoes; these wedges would look good anyway but with the green/turquoise panel at the back, it makes them look just that bit more luxurious. Defying my point on the last week, she's opted for a necklace for this event. This works because the dress is so plain yet stunning, it needed a little extra pizzazz. 


Next up is Kendall in one of my favourite outfits of the year worn by anyone! Taken in August 2013, she pairs a muscle tee from her and Kylie's PacSun collection with a Zara skort. As soon as I saw that this skort was from Zara, I knew I had to have it so I went out and purchased it straight away! I've also taken to pairing it with a casual top to avoid looking too overdressed. I love how the look is finished off with simple black heeled booties. Am I the only person who thinks she looks like Emily Ratajkowski aka the brunette girl from the Blurred Lines model? Not that that's a bad thing of course, they're both gorgeous!


Last but certainly not least is Kendall at another art gallery event in April 2013. I love how this outfit could be dressed up or down simply with a different pair of shoes. I like the studded shoulders on the vest and the leather leggings, highlighting her slender legs yet again (no wonder she's a model with pins like them!). Finished off with black patent heels and a red clutch, this look would be great on a more casual night out too.

Monday, 21 October 2013

How I Work Out

Exercise has always been a massive part of my life but my problem is staying motivated. I used to go to the gym most days but then after a month or so, I'd have two months off. This ended up being a complete waste of money so I cancelled my gym membership. However, I then felt disappointed in myself for doing so so decided to investigate into workouts I could do at home myself.

Currently I weigh 101lbs which I know to a lot of people would be a dream weight but it's the heaviest I've been. I don't have a target weight, but for me working out is to tone up my body and get my slim frame back.
Me the other night, pre-workout
I've had a set of mini dumbbells for quite a while now so I thought I might as well get some use out of them! After looking online for some inspiration of what exercises to do I found The Student Room which has a full list of basic dumbbell exercises. The full set takes very little time up and in order to see the full effects, increase the number of reps every week or so.

Another place I looked for inspiration was Twitter. There's so many great pages on there that post motivational photos and exercise ideas. My favourites include:
Daily Health Tips
Fitness Life
Health & Fitness
Health & Fitness
Fitness & Nutrition
Fitness & Health
Fitness Motivation
Exercises
Health & Fitness
The Secret Fittie
Fitness Motivation

My Top Tips
  • Aim to work out different areas of your body each time i.e. weights/arms one day, abs the next. This way, you won't get bored of a workout. 
  • Try making a workout playlist full of upbeat songs to help keep you motivated!
  • Don't work out for over an hour; aim for between 30-60 minutes in order to get the maximum out of your workout.
  • Keep a workout journal/folder. I print off exercises I find online and group them together as to what areas they target on the body. 
  • Even if you don't think you have the time, you can do a tiny bit of exercise. Run up and down the stairs a few times, do a few squats whilst you're waiting for the kettle to boil or whilst you're brushing your teeth.
  • Drink lots of water.
  • My favourite workout is dancing. Stick on your favourite tunes and just dace around your room. You'll soon lose a fair few calories!
  • Yoga is a great, low intensity workout and is so great for your health and well-being.
  • Even if you're working out at home, invest in some decent workout gear. Sports bras, trainers, joggers.

Friday, 11 October 2013

My October in Pictures: Part 1

I'm one of those people who loves taking photos in general but thanks to Instagram, I now seem to take photos of the most pointless things! So I thought because of my love of photography (bear in mind, I like photos but I take poor photos), I'd start a new feature on my blog! So here is a taste of what I've been up to so far this month!

1. (left)  October 1st I went to a gig on my own (I was meant to be on a date but they stood me up!) and managed to steal the setlist and a couple of guitar picks. Groupie! The bands I saw were Continental Keys, The LaFontaines and Canterbury.
2. (right) I am too lazy to put my shoes away after I've worn them so this is the view of them as soon as you enter my room. As you can see, I like many different styles!

A selection of outfits from my first 2 weeks at uni.
3. (left) My new jumper from Dorothy Perkins, skinnies and my red Keds.
4. (centre) Zara thin kit top, black skinnies and my new biker boots.
5. (right) Zara crop top, my new New Look high-waisted shorts, tights and red Keds.

I would've had more outfits but I've spent 4 days of this week in bed ill :'(

6. (left) The creepiest cushion I have ever seen in Matalan. Thanks to my dad for being my assistant here!
7. (right) Again, top dad for buying me this chocolate! Night on the sofa the other night in my Perry the Platypus PJs.

Everyone should go check out the three bands I saw, they are all incredible! Check them out on Twitter: @contintentalkeys @TheLaFontaines @canterburymusic

So I hope you enjoyed the insight into my everyday life and hopefully when I'm feeling better, there'll be more photos for part 2!