Yesterday I decided 'I want some loafers' and quickly became obsessed with finding the perfect pair of slouchy, yet quality loafers. Then, when I found exactly what I wanted, I realised that I'd have to pay a premium for the item, compared to cheap copies on eBay. Time and time again I do this. Visualise an item I want, find it, then buy a cheaper version. Then, become slightly disappointed with my wardrobe of Primark and H&M items. Should I be spending the money and buying quality items? The reason I don't is because I'm scared I'll get equally as bored with the item if I spend £70 rather than £17. Also, I'm not sure paying more for something always means it lasts longer. So here is the item in question at the moment:
These are Manas loafers. They cost £66. They're so much more gorgeous than some of the cheaper versions of loafers that I've seen. They've got that fantastic vintage aged look, whilst being new and strong. So, what would you do? Spend the money, or make do with a cheaper version of the item? With £66 I could do a week's food shopping. Yet, I work hard and I want to enjoy my money, and I could probably afford them; let's face it, they're not exactly hugely expensive Sex and the City £500 heels. I need advice people!
To thank my readers, I am offering a giveaway prize to you lovely people. The only condition is you MUST LIVE IN THE US TO ENTER. (Don't worry, I'll be offering some UK competitions soon!). Some Kind of Pretty is an adorable jewellery shop on Etsy that offers unique handmade pieces. Catheryn, the owner of Some Kind of Pretty, has offered a pair of earrings free of charge to one lucky reader. Click on the link to access Catheryn's shop and see what she has to offer.
The winner of this competition will receive one gorgeous pair of handmade earrings from the selection below. You will get to choose one pair of earrings from the following selection
Green owl earrings
Peacock blue czech glass earrings
Silver arrow earrings
Sunset sparkle earrings
Pretty pink butterfly earrings
In order to be in for a chance to win, you must: 1. Live in the US (or have a US postal address your prize can be sent to). 2. Be a follower of my blog. 3. Leave a comment on this post with an email address and which earrings you would like to win.
It's as easy as that. I know I have followers on Twitter, Tumblr and Bloglovin but you must leave a comment on this post on my blog. The competition will close on Monday 12th August at 12pm (GMT). Earrings chosen must be from the selection offered. The winner will be chosen at random using a random number generator.
Winners will be contacted at the end of the competition. The prize will be sent directly from the Some Kind of Pretty Etsy shop. Good luck!
I know what you're thinking... how can you hate Keira Knightley, but love Alexa Chung? Well, for the record, I'm not suggesting I love Alexa Chung. I still can't get over her terrible hosting in Vanity Lair, and I've not seen her do much else since. However, one thing I can admit is the girl can dress, and she usual looks damn good. She is a little bit skinny and unachievable by us averagely sized peeps, but her looks are completely possible by people on a nomal budget.
The thing she does well is the messy, 'I don't give a damn', effortlessly cool style with stepping too far away from classical and into novelty. Here are some of my favourite of her looks. Bear in mind, there is a part of me that still gets annoyed looking at images of her because I know I won't look as faboulous as her, so don't worry if you're thinking the same thing... we are not alone. She probably looks normal without all the make up and air brushing anyway (or we can at least tell ourselves that!)
I just love the messy, baggy, 'just thrown this on' style she eludes. And it's also an excuse not to straighten my hair in the morning. Unfortunately Alexa probably straightens her hair, then artfully curls it into perfect bedroom hair, whereas I get out of bed and go to work. Not quite the same effect.
I've decided to spend a few days in summer reorganising my wardrobe and chucking out some of my primark dresses (or recycling them where possible) and replacing them with some tailored pieces. Unfortunately with buying a house, that may be fewer pieces than I would hope, but I'll do the maths. I'd like a few new pieces for when I start back at work in August.
Recently I've been living a rural lifestyle. I've been walking the dog at the weekends around the countryside without a second thought to how I'm looking. Half the time I haven't even bothered wearing makeup. It's been nice. However, a couple of days ago I felt the urge to shop. I hadn't felt it for ages, but I finally got a niggling feeling that forced me to log on to the nearest computer and look at items I might like to buy. I found there were lots, and I was especially drawn to the quirkiest items I could find. At first, I sensibly thought, "you're a grown woman, these are not for you", but then I changed my mind. How much longer will I be young enough to pull off a quirky item of clothing? I'm 26 now (although I still get asked for ID most times I buy alcohol), so I've got 3 more years at the very most. So, amongst my sensible and classic purchases, I decided to embrace my inner geek, channel Zooey Deschanel, and buy the ditsy items I was lusting after. Here's what I bought:
Bunny flats - Asos £25
Asos mini dress - £17.50
Asos Donkey sweater - £42
Oasis - stripe top £28
Urban outfitters - bee jumper £42
I am so excited for the bunny shoes! I'm off work sick today, and I can feel the shopping urge creeping in. However, I think my bank account would feel better if I logged off for a while. Let me know what you think of my quirky purchases!
Every now and then, a woman will see a dress that makes her think "if I had that dress, all my problems would be solved". Clearly no dress can do that, but the mind is an odd thing. I have found THE dress. I don't actually know who it is made by, and I know I can't have the exact dress as it's clearly a designer amazing beautiful cost-the-earth number, but I'm looking for a good rip-off. I've even willing to push the budget higher than I usually would and go into three figures to get the perfect one. Basically, I watched the film Priceless (Hors de prix in French) two days ago. Audrey Tautou is physically one of the most beautiful women ever, and she looks gorgeous in anything. But she looks even more gorgeous in the dress I have been lusting after. Priceless is a French film. It has a vintage style to it, and has a fairly simple plot that wouldn't be out of place in an Audrey Hepburn classic, or even a light-hearted Doris Day movie. A gold-digger meets a barman who she thinks is very rich, as he has access to the best suite in a hotel (because he works there). He fools for a while, until she realises he is actually poor. Unsurprisingly, love conquers money at the end and it is a lovely, heartwarming, but also deliciously stylish film. Here are some images from the film.
I loved the film. I love the dress. What more can I say.
I had my eyes tested on Saturday (which ate into my Christmas shopping time considerably) because it had been 2 years since my last eye test, and I had noticed a difference in my eyesight.
I actually hate getting my eyes tested. I've always had a problem with eyes. And spines. Oh, and necks. Particularly my own. I don't want people near them. I told the optician this, and I think they took this to mean that as long as they talk to me in a babyish voice and say "you're doing really well" now and then that I'll be ok. I'm a grown adult with a weird dislike for something, not a four year old!!!
Anyway, I went through with it because I'm a big girl now, and it wasn't too bad. I wasn't keen on the machine that basically shoots you in the eyes with air, but I got past it. I'm not sure what that machine does. I think it's just for the opticians to make you jump, and have a little laugh at your expense. The eye equivalent of jumping out from behind a door and shouting "Boo"...Geeks.
So it turns out I don't legally have to wear glasses, but my eyes are detoriating slowly. My far vision is affected, but my near vision is pretty damn excellent. At least I can still read books, I just can't spend as much time at the cinema. I decided although I don't have to have them, I would get some glasses to see if it had an effect on how often I get headaches. And because I can be officially 'adorkable' (an adorable dork) if I have the glasses to complete the look... rather than just being 'a bit weird'.
I went for some Pepe Jeans glasses. Mostly because they were on the bottom shelf, which means they're cheap, and secondly because they have the geek-chic look. If you're gonna wear glasses, you've gotta embrace your inner geek.
I showed my friend my glasses yesterday. The first thing she said was "now you really are new girl!" (I have a lot in common with the TV character).I guess my life is becoming more and more like a sit com every day. One thing I can say, it's definitely one of those sit-coms with awkward conversations. I've definitely put my foot in it a few times the past few days. At least I can consider this as character development, rather than shamefully poor timing. Eventually I'll just hear a laughter track in the background whenever I speak. That's one way to get through the day.
The trend for retro is well and truly in. People are wearing dresses their Mums thought were cool in their teenage years. People are paying over the odds for old, shabby furniture, and, if a fireplace isn't Victorian it's just not worth mentioning. As I begin thinking about furniture in my new house with my other half, I am thinking of a gorgeous retro look, coupled with interesting prints. But am I just falling into the retro trap and paying good money for stuff that's just tired and old?
Quality
The main argument in retro wear is: 'they don't make things like they used to'. Retro often means quality- solid wood tables, soft leather chairs and well-oiled machinery. Plus if the item has lasted all this time, the chances are it's not going to deteriorate in the immediate future either. All too often people are going for the cheap option: buying flat-packs from Ikea and then finding their wardrobe starts collapsing after one or two years. You can buy quality items new, but you'll be spending a fortune. It's much cheaper to buy a vintage quality item and hope that it'll last that little bit longer.
The look
For some reason 'old' has become synonymous with 'quirky' or 'indie'. Indie kids are wearing flat caps and brogues like they were the latest thing. Famous people and characters are confirming that retro is cool. Retro can even add that touch of class to your wardrobe.
The quick fix
Dressing and decorating in retro makes people seem more interesting. No personality? Dress like an Edwardian gentlemen. People will automatically assume you're at least weird, and that's gotta be better than boring. Have you watched any of those dating programmes and a man waltzes out declaring he's obsessed with old fashioned style. Well that's probably all he's obsessed with because he's dull as dishwater. It's not necessarily a good thing, but everyone's got to have a hobby. It's when you end up spending your weekends in auction rooms bidding on a set of Victorian smoking paraphernalia when you don't even smoke that you need to realise you've got a problem.
If I could afford it, I would probably bypass retro and go straight for quality: like this gorgeous leather armchair for over £500, but while I'm still saving for a rainy day and spending my pennies on educating myself I'll pick up the retro eBay bargains instead. The thing is, you're not paying for someone's old junk when you buy retro because no one thinks it is junk. It's about getting quality and style at an affordable price. That's something I'm into.
I love the show New Girl starring Zooey Deschanel. It's quirky and adorable, and very easy to watch. However, watching it, I started to get a funny feeling. Like looking in the mirror. Wait... that's my life!
Numerous friends have also said to me "you're Jess from New Girl" confirming my suspicions. Have the producers secretly been tailing me? Here are the reasons why I have concluded New Girl is me.
1. I moved to a new town, I am a 'New Girl'.
Ok, this isn't evidence on it's own, but it's a start. But wait, there's more...
2. I live with 3 boys.
When I moved in, it was two boys and a girl, but she moved out and was replaced with another male. The rapport between us is bordering on the kind of rapport Jess has with her housemates, although I'm not quite as good friends. However...
3. I lived with Schmidt.
I had a housemate who was Schmidt. My friend loves New Girl, and recently met him, and said "He's Schmidt". He used to walk in my room with his shirt unbuttoned and say "what are we doing tonight then?". He was into the ladies, but secretly wanted a girlfriend. He is confident and cocky, but underneath has a good heart. Plus he looks a lot like Schmidt. Unfortunately my landlord kicked him out for sleeping with one of her friends.... the kind of thing Schmidt might do!
4. I am a teacher
Ok, Jess taught in a comprehensive school, I teach in a college, but come on! I also make weird little jokes and do little dances for my classes. I recently tried to teach them this... but they ended up just watching me do it on my own. Acceptable for junior school, a bit weird in a college.
5. I sing everything.
Well not everything, but now and then a little song creeps in. It's fricking weiiiiiiiiiiiiiirrrrrrddddd. Like the time I went on a boat trip with my friends and insisted on singing this the whole time. I like to think I added another dimension to the experience.
6. I wear embarrasing pyjamas.
And I don't give a damn.
7. I look a bit like her.
I don't want to put a photo up on this blog so my students find it and start quoting bits while I'm teaching and send me into some sort of breakdown, but I have long brown hair that is slightly curly, vintage- cutesy style, and I'm fairly little. I'm also a big fan of the dark eyeliner look and have been championing it for years. Zooey is undeniably much prettier than me, but there are some similarities. My ex even said to me "you look like the girl out of hitchhiker's guide to the galaxy" before I even knew who she was.
We are also leg-twins. She's thin with slightly stocky legs, I'm thin with slightly stocky legs. We wear short skirts anyway, cos we're cool right.
8. I'm fairly awkward in social situations.
I'm mostly pretty confident, but I often feel a bit stupid, and have been known to put my foot in my mouth more than a few times (the worst being when I implied my colleague was a bit of a slag without meaning to). Not something I want to share with Jess, but unfortunately I do.
Therefore, I conclude, I AM JESS. What to do about it? Carry on buying cutesy outfits and making a fool of myself? Done.
Like most people... well, some people (my boyfriend just wears whatever his aunts buy him for Christmas), my style is ever-changing. I go from cutesy to sophisticated and back again within my mind in a matter of days. I like to think I can pull off both looks, but I end up with cutesy more often than effortless chic.
Currently I'm after some statement pieces that I just adore and can throw on and feel effortlessly cool. I don't mind paying more than I usually would for them (my go-to place is usually Primark... I get sucked in by the prices), but if I am paying more, I have to put in the time to shop around to make sure I'm getting what I want for the money, and that means I have to put in more hours. It's a tough one, it'd be nice to walk into an expensive shop, see something, and make a decision to buy it. Unfortunately while I'm earning vastly more than a year ago, I'm not a good enough wage to warrant spending a lot on what I wear.
I'm really into the striped look. There's something about it that's very French and bohemian without being too out-there. I would like a staple stripe top, but not one that's too clingy or makes me feel too warm. My workplace is like an oven and I don't want to walk around feeling uncomfortable. I'm thinking Audrey Tautou in Coco before Chanel, or Audrey Hepburn.
Unfortunately, what I bought today is almost exactly the opposite of this subtle style.
A ballerina dress from Zara. It's even more poofy in real life than on the Zara website...
It was only £23 though. I bought it as a statement piece in Barcelona. Think Carrie Bradshaw...
My friend said when I tried it on.... "If anyone can pull it off... it's you." I took that as a compliment, or perhaps a dare, and bought the thing.
I must stop giving in to these insane ideas and buy wearable, sensible clothes.
I'm bored of my hair. It's long, it's chaotic, and it's dry. I love having long hair, so I don't want a drastic short cut. I toyed with the idea of getting a Zooey Deschanel fringe, but I know for a fact it just won't suit my face. So how do you change your hair without changing the style? Dye it.
It's pretty bad condition, I'm not sure why. I look after it, try not to straighten it every day, don't use a hairdryer and put conditioning treatments in it. I've got exactly my Mum's hair though, coarse and dry, unlucky for us. I don't want to run my hair by dying it, and it's so dark I'll have to bleach it first, so I'm going to try just dying the ends. I was thinking of going a funky colour for the next few weeks, then I can cut it off, or dye it back, before I go back to teaching in September.
I bought some blonde dye today, but I'm going to wait till I've got a nice colour to go over it before I do it. The bleached hair might come out orange considering how dark my hair is. I had a look in Boots today, but they only have boring colours, so I've had a look on Beeunique, the go-to site for crazy hair colours. I'm thinking a fairly bright red, as red falls into the realm of 'normal' hair colours, although I'm slightly tempted by a bright pink. I'm thinking this pink dye or this red dye.
I'll try to post some photos when I do it. I heard from a friend you use little elastic bobbles and put them where you want the colour to start, and just paint it on up to the bobble. I bought some bobbles on ebay not long ago so I'm all set.
I'm hoping it will look something like this fellow blogger's gorgeous locks... here (and below)
I can't stop wanting things! It's because I'm off work and my mind is free to desire all the cute things I 'accidentally' find on the internet. I never got into the Pandora craze, but when I came across these adorable charms from the charm works I couldn't help but want want want. If you buy a bracelet and charms at the same time, they attach the charms for free.
How cute are these...
The great thing is you can choose charms that really mean something to you, or just choose the totally adorable ones. If you buy a new one from them, and already bought the bracelet from them, they will attach it for free if you send the bracelet back to them.
