3# What I Wore Today

Remember how I used to do these style posts? Yeh, me neither! Considering that this is only my third post of such, I guess I can talk! Anyhoo, moving along so this blog actually has worth-while and enjoyable content, here is one of my latest 'looks' I managed throw together!

This was back when I had money, and I could afford the occasional purchase from high-street shops. However, as you definitely get from my previous WIWT post, I always try to scrounge at some level. Whether it's with charity shop clothes, or purely sale items, I've never been accomplished at comfortably forking out above £30 for one item of clothing. "Price buys you quality" they say, weeeelll, not every time, or for everything, as I have learnt through hard-earned experience. "Price buys you longitude of wear", again, surely the existence of charity shops and 'vintage' assures this is NOT the case? Anything that can last one owner's use, be transformed, and last through another generation's use, has value wouldn't you say? As simple as the product may be...

Ok, so thinking on it some more, maybe I'm just trying to justify my slightly dilapidated sense of style. My friends are always telling me about one hole or another they've discovered in my jumpers...

And here is where the hypocrisy comes in. Everything in this featured ensemble is new, albeit sale or budget! Does that make things better? Back onto the case at hand, I love anything with a slight 90's grundge, an that's what I tried going for with this look. Hell, there's a lot about the 90's I love and thought I wouldn't, high ponytails being one of them! For this case, it's funky, interesting, edgy, and EASY. 

Don't be scared of the wet-looks, never be afraid of them. The key is to keep the rest of the outfit simple! Pair with a basic, or long, top. I love the unusual print and cutting in this particular top, being drawn to it immediately. When put with the plain black bottoms, it does all the accessorising for you, hence why I felt no need to do anything complicated with my hair or accessories. The only other extremity is my oh-so-grundgy creeper shoes, leopard print no less. Ignore the cat-face socks. I just like cats.... and 'kook'. Team up with chav-tastic gold chain bling of some sort, and you're done! The only thing I would say you could add, is maybe a dark red nail finish, instead of the pastels I used, and a darker, messier, smudgier form of eye makeup. Have fun!

Top | Dorothy Perkins | £10
Leggings | New Look | £11.99
Cat Socks | Topshop | £3
Creepers | New Look | Around £10?
Bracelet | New Look | Can't remember!

The Social Jam Jar syndrome

Suffice to say that this title, itself, holds all potential to be as awkward and nonsensical as the subject of this post. And yes. It has been a while. Welcome back and hello again.

I would like to coin the title to a certain condition. Basically, being eternally 'Ditsy.' It's one of those human inadequacies which everyone probably believes they have but with which you feel so very alone at the time, like any act inducing insecurity. It's the moment you double book, forget the glasses on your head, and, most commonly, completely miss a joke. It becomes frustrating when it's taken to the point that you feel unfairly delt with early dementia, and you start believing in your acts of stupidity, two university degrees promptly lost down the psychological drain.

What I'm trying to say is, why am I so gosh-darn socially awkward?!

Every act, every occurrence, every missed or over-played opportunity has resulted from the white noise of your brain cells, and can only be described as feeling like the behavioural equivalent of not being able to open that stupid jam jar. You try really hard, but in the end someone has to take the situation off you, whilst rolling their eyes. How's that for a metaphor?

At least you finally get that title now, no?

Whilst this is most assuredly a first world problem, what limitations am I, are we, left with within our societies? How are we supposed to join the click? How are we supposed to get favour or respect from that guy? If you promise someone you're not THAT dumb, will they believe you?

I guess it's down to playing your part. So you're a bit slow, what the hell. That, in itself, is your sense of humour, right? People who know you, or who like you, should take any miss giving with affection, not judgement. And anyone who chooses to judge without getting to know you is missing out on many other qualities that you undoubtedly have.

The tricky thing is to not overplay your stupidity or 'ditz'. Sometimes going with the flow of general consensus is easier than surprising people. This can be a big problem sometimes, you should never let it get to the point of being a big problem. I'm talking about when you let it affect your career or act of self preservation.

I'm still figuring this bit out, and I still get pissed off with myself, despite what I've written here. Worries about other peoples' opinions are usually grossly exaggerated, and people, in general, don't give a hoot. It's more myself I have to reprimand, I am the harshest judge after all. . .

Please leave your thoughts, if there are any to share.

London Poem

Land of concrete,

Red brick, patch work green,

Dim stars, bright lights, things obscene.

Constant sirens wale in the pale dawn, and dusk, of London's scenery.

Tutting mouth slurps

And bus driver bickering,

Foreign tongues and mini ganstas sniggering.

Swarms of colonies, red, White and blue,

Not one name for me or you.

Constant noise, constant spitting!

Its fitting.

Love thy neighbour like a stranger,

Turn the left cheek when you're in danger.

Heads look forward, straight,

Only the weird ones unabate.

No identities, and many,

It's a multifaceted paradise

From which, I promise,

You will sometimes miss.

Hey Y'aaaaallllllll....

What's that? Who am I? Ahhhh yes that's right, I haven't been on here for a long, ........long, ............. ...........long while and I admit, I've gone incognito, under the wire, A.W.A.L. (what does awal actually stand for?). But no need to fret, I have returned, for the most part, albeit with a positively rubbish post.

This will be rubbish because it's basically a bunch of random thoughts and updates that will have absolutely no relevance to you. At all. But hey-ho! In reference to your imaginary questions which are bursting forth:

Where have you been!

Nowhere....same place really. I've just been too busy in my new internship.

What have you been doing?!

My new internship, ah, mentioned above. Ok, more detail. I finally left that previous place which wasn't doing much for me other than improving my social life, onto something where I have no social life what-so-ever but is much better for me...oh. The short of it is I now write blog posts and schedule tweets for a small fashion dance wear company which has literally just launched. The subject of these posts are anything from dance, dance companies, fashion trends, theatre, beauty and lifestyle. Considering I have to schedule 17 tweets everyday, the subjects I tweet about vary immensely! Sometimes I'm not sure how I get away with the bollocks I put on there! To prove my point, I have previewed the content of one of my tweets below.

'Nuff said.

Why haven't you blogged....or tweeted...or whatever?

I find that when your job is in the field of something you used to consider a hobby, it's difficult to maintain the passion and drive for it in the same way. Not to mention that the rota is surprisingly full on, and I've been going back to the gym for a bit...and...well, arrr, I'm lazy. I still get inspiration to write stuff, I just need to learn to jump on that feeling more before it goes. Keep you guys entertained ya know!

So what now?

Weeeeelll, I've just got a part time job at LUSH!! Exciting times. I love the company and their ethical campaigns, and the products of course, and I GET PAID. Paaaaaaiiiiiiidddddd. Urgh finally. Unfortunately this now means that my rota is thus; Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday at internship, Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday with LUSH! ...... got it yet? NO DAYS OFF wooooooooo oohhhhhh......On the bright side, I get 50% off LUSH products (let me know if you need hooking up yo) and I'll be posting reviews on here to help you and to help me learn the products better.

Also, I've just changed my desktop background to this...

#ThingsAreLookingUp 

The beauty of unexpected journeys

This isn't about those well planned, well organised (sometimes not) holidays or road trips you have with your fellows. This is the genius part of life which lives up to the phrase "it's all about the little things." This is also an encouragement to those of you who may be a little socially shy, like me, or feeling a little lazy, .....ok, like me, to say 'yes' to things, just a little bit more. You never know, it could be a fun night. Take mine for example...

I've just finished my placement at the internship, previously mentioned, and actually ended up making a few good friends there. On my last day, I wasn't planning to do anything, there was other stuff going on the following weeks, but, upon an uber last minute request from Claudia, one of the good ones ;-) I thought, why the heck not!?

We had an amusing journey to the first location, one of those situations where you end up making an inside joke and tell it for the rest of the night. She took me to a bar I've never been to before, the Covent Garden Cocktail Club. It's London, what else do you do!? This bar had some of the most amazing cocktails, music and bartenders of all time, even as the tiny little basement room it was. Danny, the main bartender, seemed to have the memory of an elephant. Each time one of us went up to get a drink, he'd remember our names, previous drinks, including where we were from. He also turned out to be an actor (of course), and as soon as I revealed that I haled from Stratford-Upon-Avon, and was an avid RSC goer, we nattered about all the Shakespeare plays we liked and why. I mean, when you think about general service 'stereotypes' in Britain, this was bloody lovely!

The rest of the night consisted of some classic dancing, changing the heels for flats, and another first, riding in one of those bicycle pedallo things which are all over London. The next day, after staying over at Claudia's, which has the most AMAZING view by the way, the journey home was a delicate one, to say the least. I took my time and wondered into an American Diner cafe. Enjoying scrambled eggs with potatoes, bacon, tea, the Beach Boys and a good book is something a lot of people don't have time for these days. Also, bearing witness to a 7 year old's birthday breakfast, and their nan dancing a jive with his sister, is oddly charming.

So this is about the little things. Whether it's taking the opportunity to people-watch, to gander down a different route for a change, or by saying 'yes' to more offers and invitations that come your way, do it! It's not going to work out every time but there is something more life-revealing about experiencing new things and seeing how the 'other half' live. Take the opportunity to grow a bit more, whatever stage of life you're in. People never stop learning, seriously. Sometimes you need to stop looking at your destination and start occasionally enjoying the road along the way! Cheesy but whatever.... See what you end up doing next time.

The brilliant 90s

Oh hello there! What's this? A post where I'm NOT moaning? Whaaaaaaaaaaaaa.......

So yes, I have progressed somewhat onto the field of fashion again, this time with an ode to the inspiration of the 90s for women's fashion. This is finally a colourful, lighthearted piece I had to get out there after having two accidental doses of 90s TV sitcoms over this wonderfully long weekend. Never mind the fact that it is slightly depressing that an era that still seems pretty recent to me is now deemed 'retro'!

Firstly, F.R.E.I.N.D.S. What else can I say, other than reminding you that it was, and almost still is, the biggest series of the 90's through to 2000's. Till not long ago, it was constantly on TV. Nothing else was on really. I saw an episode quite randomly last night and got to thinking how I would quite happily wear most of the things Rachel, Pheobe and Monica were wearing, except for Monica's Marilyn waitress outfit, ....obvs.

Then came Sister Act 2. Again, just by accidentally walking into a room where the TV had been left on and there it was. This is the Sister Act film where the nuns, and Whoopi, help a bunch of rebellious school kids in a broken down, about-to-be-closed school. The kids are trained up, they solve all their social angst, as you do, and win their final show down at a massive singing contest, ultimately saving the school and proving to the world, and me, they have great style. Yep, guys, this just crunched the biscuit for me, and I had to explain, again, why the 90's style is purely great.

It's the baggy, boyfriend, yet high waisted jeans, worn with colourful crop tops and varsity jackets. Sound familiar? Dungarees, shorts or trousers, and heavy dot martin boots. Summer dresses with high socks and sandals. Sleeveless denim jackets over sweat shirts and big hoop earrings. Denim jackets tied round the waist with another crop top and low slung sweats or high waisted denim shorts. Long slit skirts or dresses with a loose fitting shirt over the top. To say the least! Have I missed anything? Probably, but all this is great, in my opinion.

Something about the 90's is so unashamedly colourful and, well, denim. With patch work, bright prints of floral or shapes, and those girly high pony tails or braids. I like the side of it that's also a liiiitle 'hooch', hence the hoop earrings and lip liner. It's fun and funky, just like the music, and can be seen through timeless classics such as these shows and many more. I mean, who can forget 'Buffy The Vampire Slayer" or "Clueless"!?

The last example I want to show you is the beautiful Ashley Banks, from my all time favourite, 'Prince of Bel Air'. When she got older, her style turned truly amaze. For all the reasons and examples mentioned above, just see below. Enjoy.

All images nicked from Google Image Search

Oh, and you can thank me later for this:

If you ever, EVER, need a pick-me-up...

I'm sorry, welcome to my sense of humour. Hi humour.