I'm ready for you, 2014

It’s the morning after Boxing Day, it’s 12:32am, I have to be up in 7 hours, I can’t sleep and shit’s about to get deep. If you prefer reviews of lipsticks over angsty moaning, avert your eyes elsewhere.

This blog post has been on my mind for a while now, and I was going to save it for a hungover New Years day task; but sometimes there are just those nights you stop up reflecting. There’s something about typing out all your thoughts to store them away on a screen rather than in your mind.  

I couldn’t be more excited for this year to be over, which sounds so pessimistic, but it’s been a strange mixture of the very worst year of my life with a few truly amazing bits thrown in for good measure. So many pity parties led me to forget to be proud that I have a job in my dream career before I’ve even hit 21 years old, which is the stupidest thing I’ve ever done. Only my best friends will know what I mean, in the way that it’s meant to be, I’d never dream of posting it online, which leads on to my next point.

Recently, I’ve been thinking about the honesty of social media. On Christmas morning I was scrolling through Instagram and Bloglovin’ (while sipping wine at the same time as eating Pringles, of course.) While scrolling, I became so envious of the perfect family photos, expensive present ‘hauls’ and spoiling boyfriends. It took me an entire day of sulking that my family isn’t perfect, I didn’t get a Macbook and my relationship ended this year, to realise that Instagram is just the world through rose tinted filters.

 In the generation of selfies, blogs, tweets and status’ we become more concerned with how we appear to others, rather than the real enjoyment. Surely thanking your family and friends with real words from your actual mouth is more enjoyable than posting a Facebook photo with the cringe worthy caption of “Santa’s been, must have been good this year.” You’re 21, grow up.

I never normally make New Years resolutions, they are normally just a half hearted promise to exercise more, but this year I’m making one that I’m keeping. I’m officially promising to actually live, rather than just tweeting about living. I wish I could make a resolution to not compare myself to others, but I think that that’s so ingrained in myself, and society, that just a change from 2013 to 2014 isn’t going to change that. I’m working on it. More than anything, my New Years resolution is to be happy and honest with myself, which will be so easy once I try as I have so much to be happy for.

2014 is going to bring living with the two best friends in the entire world,  working in an career I love, being truly happy to be alone, moving to the city centre, seeing Beyonce and Professor Green live, writing a dissertation on something that inspires and fascinates me, travelling, graduating and who knows what else yet. It is most definitely time to stop comparing my life to the #instalife of others and remember how fucking amazing that is.

p.s, I’ve found, and love, a playlist on Spotify called “Indie/Hipster Playlist” and can’t fully cope with how hilarious that fact is. 

song of the post - INDIE/HIPSTER Playlist

Little corner

Here is where I blog, read Game of Thrones, drink tea and avoid my dissertation. I love having a little place I can sit that isn't my bedroom! I really do love my new little house, it's such a princess castle and the next uni year is going to be so fun here. I don't have much more to say about it, pretty self explanatory!

song of the post - Everything Everything - Don't Try

Byron Burger

I am most definitely one of those people who take photos of their food, sorry not sorry. When it looks this good though, how could you not? Byron Burger opened a Manchester branch in June, much to mine and my top chummy Kaitlin's delight. I'm not going to pretend to be a food critic, this isn't even really a review, I just wanted to post the photos and say it was gooooood.

song of the post - London Grammar - Strong

Sad songs

Quickly becoming one of my favourite tops ever, is this tshirt from Me & Yu. I saw this top in Afflecks Palace more than a year ago, and kept putting it off for no reason at all. I went last week and checked to see if they still had it, when I couldn't find it for a while I was gutted. When I finally found it, I knew how much I must have wanted it! Me & Yu are a brand that hand print all of their tshirts, the quality of the fabric and production is lovely. I couldn't recommend them more, i'm definitely wanting to purchase a few more from the collection! There really is something to be said for buying from independent designers like Me & Yu, you know you'll get something more unique and better quality than Topshop (no offence Topshop, luv u 4eva)
I guess I also love this tshirt, because I relate to it so much, (yes I do feel like I'm having 15 year old teen angst saying that, sorry!) If you follow me on twitter, you'll probably have gathered by now that my favourite band are Bon Iver, I saw them live last year and it was perfect. I also love artists/bands like Benjamin Francis Leftwich, Joe Banfi, Keaton Henson, Glasvegas, Nick Mulvey, Bat For Lashes, Daughter etc etc. Although constantly listening to music like Keaton Henson should have me pretty down, it actually really chills me out.
Anyway, back to the tshirt! I wore this outfit to visit friends in Chester (which I'll also be blogging about) as it's the perfect comfy throw on outfit for travelling and rainy weather. I love how the converse and nail varnish (Essie, Naughty Nautical) break up the monochrome of the outfit, just because the sky is black, doesn't mean I have to be. I obviously wore it with my favourite Chloetea necklace, but I think I might have too many words on me. Along with my lyrics tattoo on my back, I'm a walking notebook in this outfit!

song of the post - Keaton Henson - You

Room tour!

I moved into my lovely new home ready for third year of university (how did that happen?) I think I've finally got my room looking nearly how I want it to look. Obviously I unpacked my nail polishes first, and dropped and broke one sob sob, but I love the way they look on my fireplace! It really is the cosiest, girliest room ever so I'm hoping I wont turn into a total recluse because I love being in there so much! As you can see, where my make up is stored (or getting ready station, which is so much more fun to say) is painted pink, it used to be such an ugly chipped grey as you can see here, so I bought a few pink an purple tester paint pots and made it look so much prettier, fingers crossed the landlord doesn't notice/mind!

song of the post - Disclosure ft London Grammar - Help Me Lose My Mind

Byegone

I am finally back! I still don’t have wifi in my new house, and blogging in cafes is sometimes just that bit too much of an effort. But I’m back to stopping at home-home (uni students will know what I mean) for a few days so I’ve got internet. Hallelujah! Here are a few photos of a lovely park in Didsbury from yesterday; it’s so lovely in this weather. I took my camera out for the first time in ages and played around with the macro settings and got some nice snaps. I’ve got my room tour of my new room in my drafts ready to publish tomorrow, but wanted to share these photos first! Also, how lovely are these sandals? They were £12 from Primark and I adore them, I think I’ll get so much wear out of them, and very dodgy tan lines! 

song of the post - Volcano Choir - Byegone

Anchor for my soul

Hello! This is the first outfit post I've done in so so long! I couldn't be bothered to set up my tripod and charge my decent camera so these are just a few shots taken on my iPhone. Sometimes I think full length photographs are best to see the whole outfit, but I really like the outfit posts on Hello Chloe Rose where she focuses more on the little details of the outfit that put it together. I'm wearing quite a simple outfit today, I'm out for coffee with a friend in a little place by Whitworth Park in Manchester, then attempting to sort out which clothes I want to get rid of on eBay. Anything I've not worn for more than six months, I'm just going to get rid of. Anyway, the top I'm wearing is from Forever 21, I love how the chiffon shoulders make it a bit more dressy than just a grey baggy tshirt. Also, you might notice the ever so gorgeous Zara Office City bag. I'm so in love with it, I'm going to do a proper post just about this bag soon. Its my baby. I'm going off on a ramble again so I'll stop here, hope you're all ok!

song of the post - Princess Chelsea - Cigarette Duet

Don't tell me our youth is running out, its only just begun

flatforms: Primark - skirt: vintage - crop top: Primark - bag: H&M 

This is what I wore to go out for cocktails with my housemates a few nights ago, I completely forgotten I'd bought this skirt (I've worn it once, to Ikea, with my mom, what a waste!) I've fell back in love with it, it the right amount of high waisted to look nice with a crop top. This night was also the first night my flatforms, ie favourite things ever, made an outing. They're the perfect balance of casual and dressy and go with everything, luv u primark. I've had the bag around a month now, it reminds me of a Mulberry that I really like, but only £15 from H&M! 

song of the post - Foxes - Youth

Alchemist

Look at that sparkly drink! I love The Alchemist so much, I went for cocktails and food for a friends birthday and wanted to share the photos of all the amazing food and drinks. I would really recommend a visit if you ever can, it is so lovely. Anywhere that puts glitter in drinks is fine with me!

song of the post - The 1975 - The City