Three Floor 2011

Recently discovered Three Floor, a new online fashion brand, who are launching next week. I'm actually going to their press day next week to get a feel for the brand and style of clothes, so I'll be posting again soon with all of the insider news and my thoughts on the collection itself, but for now, I really wanted to share some looks from their lookbook. So gorgeous. Their casual-chic look, balance of tailoring and softer, more feminine pieces and perfect variety of styles really appeals to me. It isn't often that I post lookbook images, but just look at their pieces... I think I'm in love.

What also interested me is that Three Floor's debut collection is inspired by models, fashion insiders and bloggers, showing just how big and influential blogging as an expressive and networking platform has become. They've really balanced their own brand aesthetic with wearable pieces that'll appeal to consumers like you and me.

Which are your favourite looks from Three Floor's debut collection?

a (simple) week in photos

Getting organised and building up the dissertation reading list · Laksa Chicken noodle soup: the best £3 I have ever spent! · Archie getting protective over my Grazia magazine · I got Pad Thai in town on Saturday - seriously, the healthy eating will begin next week, all of this food is making me ridiculously lethargic! · A Harry Potter evening spent with Chocolate Orange pieces · Gem realised that we're in the top five budget blogs on Bloglovin'! So amazing to even be on the list, especially along with some of the loveliest people I've met in the blogging community! · A little snapshot from the train journey home on Friday, my face was very similar to the 'Close' symbol... I only went and lost my ticket home, didn't I?! Paying for two tickets was not enjoyable · My new HG skincare products, top of the Christmas wishlist this year!

I can't believe Sunday has rolled around already, don't make me go back to Uni, the workload is slowly killing me! From the photos I've gathered up this week, I seem to have eaten a lot, read a lot, and not much else. I've made it a mini resolution to up my game with these Weekly Photo features; I feel like I've lost some of the personal touches to this feature, and I'm not sure why, I really want to make it more "me" and less generic food/clothes/books snaps! In similar blog-related waffle, a huge thank you to everyone who has followed or visited my Uni blog, I'll be posting some "real" content for it from Monday 7th November, so stay tuned and all that jazz. If you're a fan of my Ways to Wear posts, I'd recommend giving it a follow ;)

This week I've been indulging too much, slaving away until the early hours of the morning (I'm almost completely nocturnal and prefer to nap in the daytime!), going for late-night runs to the supermarché for naughty food stock ups and failing to beat my Sims Social addiction. Third year Uni life is certainly a world away from Freshers, that's for sure! I've become a little bit of a recluse, but I think I like it this way. I've been at home for the weekend, housesitting, popping out to take photos of the autumnal scenery and trying to work out how to use our new DVD player to no avail. Hopefully following my first hand-in of the semester, I'll have something more exciting to talk about, haha.

Anyway, our singing rice cooker (don't ask, my Mama has a strange sense of humour...) is currently telling me that lunch is ready, so I'm off to begin another Sunday of eating. What have you all been up to this weekend? How are your Halloween preparations, if any, coming along?

reducio

Confessions of an easily-persuaded student: I caved and bought those velvet Topshop shorts after featuring them in one of my Ways to Wear posts last week. This is quite possibly an overdressed look for a day on and off trains and tubes, but I just had to wear them! Home alone on a Friday night, housesitting... in my velvet shorts. I am absolutely living the life.

(Top, H&M;
Shorts, Topshop;
Tights, Wolford;
Brogues, Primark;
Bag, Topshop;
Necklace, c/o Sunken Rose;
... and bonus snaps of chocolate cheesecake, Archie and my makeshift tripod of questionable "literature"!)

I haven't posted one of these "details" outfit posts in a while, but I think they'll be my go-to option unless I finally invest in another tripod, and a camera remote. Sucks for my blog photographer - ahem, the sister... - to live 100 miles away in term time! Onto the outfit: I bought this printed tee from H&M at the network event last week, and it actually came in a pack of two. Didn't think it out that I couldn't wear them both at the same time, and on their own, it just looks like you're wearing random letters in a broken heart... (The two together spell out LOVE, btw.) But I wanted something cutesy and casual to dress down the wine red velvet shorts. I also wore my little tan brogues and demi-sheer tights, although I'm after a pair of patent black loafers to replace them this season. End of a shoe era!

This weekend, I'll be at home, housesitting and slaving away at working on my dissertation. Fun fun fun! My Mama and sister are away on an impromptu holiday in Hong Kong, so I'm manning our abode for the weekend, and using up all the hot water for extravagently long bubble baths. So sorry for being a little quiet on both here and Twitter recently as well, University is taking up all of my time, and when I'm not doing that, I'm generally just sat in my pyjamas, playing with the kitty, playing on Sims Social, and eating ridiculous amounts of food with my best friend. We're currently doing a weekly new recipe scheme, where we cook a new meal together every week (I didn't really need to explain that, but oh well!), so I might start a foodie series at FTG if I remember to take photos!

Right, I'd better get my act together now and stop talking endlessly. I was interviewed by the lovely Colleen at her blog this week, if you want a little more to read. xo

like nobody else

Suitably soaked after deciding to leave the house on a grey Autumn day without a hood and/or umbrella. It was just my luck to catch the rain on my way out, as well as on the way home. Thank you, world. Grabbed a Pret-a-Manger hot chocolate on the way back, as well as Topshop's Head Over Heels blush. Needless to say, I'm glad to be wrapped up in my blanket, along with a coffee and bar of chocolate!

(Dress, Coco Fashion;
60-denier tights, H&M;
Jacket, H&M;
Faux fur stole, H&M;
Bag, Topshop;
Shoes, Primark.)

This is what I wore for a day of lectures and seminars: jewel colours, comfort and some style via the dress and tights. I didn't realise I was doubling as a walking advertisement for H&M today either, I love their range at the moment, it's so affordable and cosy enough for day-to-day wear. I still haven't found the perfect pair of jeans either, so until then, I'm going to battle onwards through the chill with tights - what else would you expect from me? Sneaky little appearance from my faux fur stole again; it has barely left my neck since I last wore it, I'm so pleased I bought the darker version too, it feels so luxe!

Tonight I'm going to bundle up in my duvet and be a bit of a recluse. My to-do list is epicly long for today, and I've not even looked at it yet. I need to get some blog theory reading done, conduct some surveys, research blogs and then edit an essay. Third year is such a killer, but I'm seriously enjoying the work so far. (Pipe down, nerd.) I made a random guest appearance in our blogging lecture too, with my tips and advice on layout coding! I think that can easily be noted down as one of my top five most embarrassing moments, the top one being a casual faceplant outside a club a few months ago...

Anyway, I'm going to kick off my action-packed (or not!) evening with some compulsory viewing of this week's Gossip Girl! Catch you on Twitter?

an (autumnal) week in photos

Pretty new (discounted) purchases have made me happy · Shared some Guylian chocolates with my sister at home · Broke out my old mustard yellow coat, which everybody except me hates · Archie attempting to sabotage my outfit photos · Met Sabrina at the ELLE and H&M Fashion Network event · My outfit for the event: shorts are from Forever 21 · Rose wine, spinach and ricotta pizza, kitty cuddles and TV with Jamie on Friday evening · Pastaaa goodness. Ahem.

Today is a day dedicated to reading textbooks, journal articles, and finalising my first draft of a textual analysis. I've been feeling well-motivated all week, and I think that's partly down to my mid-week jaunt to London for that Elle and H&M event, sorry to keep banging on about it! It definitely kick-started my work brain, because I've been up until 2am most nights, just trying to get all of my thoughts on paper. Lovely jubbly.

In-between working away at unsociable hours, I've been playing endless hours of The Sims Social on Facebook, rustling up some yummy meals with Ebony, setting up my new University blog, and getting back into my watch-a-Harry-Potter-film-a-day system. Also, my new University blog is hosted on Tumblr, so if you have an account there, I would seriously appreciate it if you'd give it a follow and leave me some comments, likes and reblogs! I've set up Disqus on there, and I'm considering installing it over here on Daisybutter too.

Other than that, it's been a relatively quiet week: nothing nicer than chilled autumn days in the warmth (well, as warm as a student house can get!), X Factor last night was pretty appalling, wasn't it? I have a love/hate relationship with that programme, yet can never seem to change the channel on a Saturday night, I just love how hilarious my Twitter timeline suddenly gets in the evenings! Fingers crossed that Cocozza kid or Sami Brookes leaves tonight! xo

- this week in five (posts):

• Fashion Vibe: Tutu Trench
• Simply Breakfast: Tuesday 18th
• Grazia Daily: Miu Miu Muse
• Vivatramp: Bee's Travel Journal
• Wish Wish Wish: Tomboy

glossybox october 2011

My October GlossyBox arrived early on Monday morning. It was a nice surprise, I tend to lose track of time a little with things like these, and it definitely brightened up my day. From what I have gathered through reading some other GlossyBox posts in the blogging community, there has been a mixed bag of reactions to this month's offerings. Personally, I like the products that came in my Box.

I always seem to fall into a routine of using the same products over and over, and over the summer, I went to a Dermatologica counter in the hopes of finding something new to treat my skin to. I'm forever faithful to my Lancome and Laneige, but new skincare never fails to lift my mood! I don't like being pushed to buy things, so cosmetics counters are nothing short of a nightmare when I'm still uncertain! Needless to say, I am both pleased and relieved that I now have three luxury samples (one is mini, but the cute bag makes up for it) to sample at my leisure. I also like that I have a mini range to sample together, I'm currently assuming that the product samples all complement each other, so will probably trial run this over the week!

First impressions? The lip renewal smells fruity but clinical and artificial, and is a little gloopy; the Recovery Masque is again a little synthetic in scent, but is the perfect thick texture and I hold high hopes for its' uses; and as for the Thermafoliant? The scent reminds me of Hong Kong and of my Mama, and the tiny exfoliant beads are perfect to bring back some radiance into my skin.

My favourite product of the bunch from this month's Box has to be the Stila smudge stick in Moray. I wore it on Wednesday, and it lasted all day without primer, and made me feel like an Olsen. It seems perfect for a dressed-down, grunge look, and is a soft, blendable, khaki green colour with gold shimmer. Would really recommend picking one of these up, I'm already eyeing up Purple Tang and Lionfish for my collection!

Finally, the other two products in my Box were a Leighton Denny nail varnish and three perfume samples. I'm undecided on the perfume samples, they don't feel very "me", but I'll keep them in my beauty box as a reserve, "just-in-case" scent. The light blue, metallic nail varnish also felt a little strange to me, pastel shades are a little summery for me, but I'm imagining some sort of wintery blue nail art with mine. We shall see! Overall, I liked this month's GlossyBox, especially as I'd been looking to try some Dermologica for a few weeks anyway. I love happy coincidences like these!

By the way, I just wanted to take a second to say hello to my new followers, and a huge thank you: I reached "The Big 2000" last night and couldn't be happier! If any of you are on Tumblr, it'd be a huge help if you could also follow me at my Uni blog, Ways to Wear Daily, it would mean the world. xo

figured out

I went for a Starbucks date, gossip and window shop with my friend Alana today; it was refreshing just to get out and about on a day I'd usually have spent reading, writing essays and tearing my hair out on occasion. She only lives around the corner from me, so we also took some outfit photos before she left to go home for the weekend. Sometimes a few hours of frivolity is what you need to get yourself back on track and motivated. Textual review, I'm ready for you!

(Jacket, Warehouse;
Chiffon shirt dress, H&M;
Tights, H&M;
Belt, Primark;
Aggie boots, ASOS;
Faux fur stole, H&M;
Bag, Topshop;
Necklace, c/o Gogo Philip;
Ring, Dolly Bow Bow.)

I went to the ELLE and H&M Fashion Network event on Wednesday with the lovely Sabrina. It was quite a good evening, with an interesting talk about the industry and tips to "get in" to the fashion industry, which is perfect for a final year student like me: overall, I'm pleased I went, enjoyed some cocktails and music, and a generous discount in H&M (where the event was held). The chiffon dress and faux fur stole are both pieces I picked up on the night, although I've included a gratuitous photo of all of my H&M buys. I'm really impressed with H&M's current stock at the moment, I'd probably have bought more if they had stocked more pieces in my size. So glad I bought the faux fur stole too, it adds so much drama to a simple outfit!

Gogo Philip got in contact with me a week or so ago about their new collection, which will also be available through the ASOS Outlet. I always make a point of looking at their pieces in the Topshop Oxford Street branch when I'm in London, so it's great that they are expanding to make the range available online. I absolutely adore my little wooden heart necklace, the turquoise/duck-egg blue adds a gorgeous hint of colour to an outfit, and at £8, it doesn't break the bank either!

I'm going out to get Mexican food for dinner tonight, with an old flatmate from first year. Can't wait to get some good food in me and have a catch-up! I really must get some work done before I go, but everything is just so distracting when you're on a time constraint and can't stop thinking about food. xo

beauty highlights #2: ft. boudoir prive and elle magazine

It's been a surprisingly good month for beauty discoveries for me. I'm usually a real stickler to my old favourites, and I'm much more of a skincare/beauty lover than a make-up girl, which you can probably tell from this post. Was contacted by the Boudoir Prive team in September, who offered to send me a one-off box to sample and test out for myself, and while quite apprehensive at the time, I have spent about three weeks trialling each goodie, and am seriously impressed by a few so far.

Macadamia Healing Oil Treatment
I seriously cannot sing this product's praises enough! While my hair is typically in good condition and really quite manageable, the weather in England has taken a turn down the windy route recently, and a few drops of this in the ends of my hair before leaving the house does wonders. I've also test-run it as an intensive hair treatment (used throughout your hair when damp, and left in) and have found it amazing for that use too! My hair just feels silky smooth to the touch, and much easier to manage. 100% ordering the full size bottle when my sample runs out, although I've only used a quarter of my mini bottle so far over three weeks!

Zoya Nail Polish in "Marina"
I was really excited to see a Zoya mini polish in my box when I opened it. The night before, I'd been watching Ingrid's Youtube video about nail colours (by the way, go and watch her Harry Potter nail tutorial, SO good!), and suddenly, I had one appear on my doorstep - magic! After a summer of block coloured nails from Models Own and Barry M, or no colour at all because of uniform restraints at work, this shimmery nail lacquer from Zoya's new Smoke and Mirrors range was a welcome sight. It applies really well, and only really requires two coats for an opaque finish, and Marina is the most beautiful slate grey/blue colour with a hint of shimmer. My Autumn go-to!

Skin79 Super Beblesh Balm (Gold Edition)
This month I've been reaching for my Skin79 BB cream much more than my Missha one. The Missha version just smells a bit too baby powder for my liking at the moment, and I prefer the texture of Skin 79's. Such a bargain from my usual eBay seller, and although slightly ashy-toned on application, if you have similarly coloured skin to mine, it blends perfectly with a light coverage for everyday wear.

Chanel Rouge Coco Shine in Boy #54
My Mamabear persuaded me to buy this over the summer. I was going to buy a MAC lipstick to expand my collection - lipsticks are key to a good mood - but my Mama was all for me blowing my wages at the Chanel counter! So wise. Love the sheer pink colour of 'Boy', and it has enough shine and very subtle shimmer for a wearable daytime look without all that awful lipgloss stickiness. I've popped three other shades on my Christmas list, so fingers crossed for one of those in my stocking come December!

Chunky Goddess Braid
I first started wearing the front of my hair like this unashamedly when I was (and still am!) obsessed with The Hills and Lauren Conrad, and all of that reality TV goodness. Fast forward a couple of years, and I am, rediscovering its' practicality. I've tripled up the thickness of hair used, pulling right back from near the crown, and braided quite messily towards my cheek, then clipped back behind my ear. It sounds complicated, but really isn't, and the messier, the better! Perfect for days when your hair just doesn't sit properly, or when the wind is making an enemy of your hair.

... and a bonus!
ELLE Beauty Breakthrough Internship Competition
ELLE magazine have long been a firm favourite of mine, and I spied something interesting in there that might be of note to a lot of my readers, so thought I'd share it tonight. The competition is in search of a new beauty talent, where the winning candidate is awarded with a 12-month job, split between ELLE magazine themselves, some time at the House PR agency, and at PZ Cussons Beauty, who own Charles Worthington, Sanctuary Spa and St Tropez. It is an amazing opportunity, and I'm in half a mind to enter the competition myself - getting the chance to work at events like London Fashion Week, the BAFTAs and some festivals? Yes please! To enter, you have to write a 500-word essay about a brand that you admire, and explaining why you love the brand so much. The deadline is Tuesday 1st November 2011, but I've popped a little accompanying video below for you to get some ideas and inspiration. Click through to here if you'd like to enter, and good luck!

Disclaimer: I am lucky enough to have received some of these products at press events and as samples, this does not affect my opinion, and I'll always be honest about products I use. The Skin79 cream and Chanel lipstick were purchased with my own money, while the first two mentioned products were in my Boudoir Prive box, sent to me for consideration last month.

Ways to Wear #25: AW11 shorts

Shorts are one of my favourite pieces to wear in the winter, as well as the summer. This season, the key trends fall under faux fur, velvet, corduroy, and textures in general, making shorts something easy to overlook. The Looks I've styled this week are a range of luxe, comfort and are all wearable, give or take a few adaptations.

I found a pair of velvet shorts in Topshop - featured in Looks One and Three below - which are perfectly on trend, yet don't look OTT, as some velvet garments can look at times. Last week on my whistle stop evening in London, I discovered a sweet little brand, Joy, and upon further peruse of their online offerings, I found these amazing corduroy shorts. Again, not for everyone, but you can always substitute these with denim shorts, high-waisted shorts, etc.

Look One: H&M jumper | H&M petrol blue shirt | topshop velvet shorts | accessorize cable knit headband | H&M tights | miss selfridge boots

Following on from yesterday's outfit post, I wanted to feature a collar and jumper look. This jumper is so wintery and cutesy, brightened up with some petrol blue, although a black or white shirt would also be perfect. Added some typically winter, ski chic accessories to the outfit: I absolutely adore knitted headbands at the moment and keep meaning to pick up another one. The prim and proper collar and jumper look balances out the velvet, which can sometimes look a bit much in the day.

Look Two: river island top | joy turn-up corduroy shorts | new look knit kimono | disney couture earrings @ asos | asos necklace | river island bag | river island boots

As difficult as corduroy shorts sound to style in theory, you can either go two ways with cord: a clash, or something very demure and neutral, and obviously I had to opt for clash! Love this metallic tank top and its Missoni-esque pattern, it is slouchy and feels weighty enough for the autumn, so tuck this in to a pair of shorts for some added warmth, and to bring back some shape to your form. I then added another texture in, with some waffle knit from New Look. To streamline the Look, add some height with Chelsea boots, and some dimension with a long-length necklace and cutesy/kitsch Disney Couture earrings.

Look Three: topshop tee | topshop velvet shorts | accessorize faux fox fur bando | new look snood | joy boyfriend coat | topshop earrings

My final Look is my favourite this week: faux fur, little fox accents and a boyfriend coat is the ultimate combination this season. I styled it around the velvet Topshop shorts and a graphic print tee so the Look wasn't too dressed up, although I would LOVE to add a snake print blouse into the mix. The faux fox fur bando is too adorable, pop over some messed up tresses, mattify the hair with some clay, et voila: instant off-model duty chic. I'm imagining ankle socks and moccasins with this look, but for the less brave/more reserved of us, sheer black tights and patent black loafers would also do the trick!

As always, let me know which Look was your favourite this week. How do you like to wear your shorts in the autumn/winter? Are you tempted to dabble in velvet, faux fur and corduroy this season?

I've spent the day in a world of productivity: seminar work completed and printed (now that I've rescued my printer cable), dissertation notes compiled for my meeting tomorrow, textual review is a quarter completed... All that's left on today's agenda is decide on an outfit for tonight's ELLE and H&M event, which I am still excited/very nervous for! xo

all i wanted

After a whirlwind weekend at home, I'm back in the cosy confines of my little room in Southampton. Today was spent mostly in and out of lectures, feeling sorry for my hungry and tired self (all self-imposed!) and cooking with the best friend. We're planning to open our own restaurant following graduation... Ahem. I joke, we followed a recipe for spinach and ricotta cheese pasta shells to some pretty good results!

very HD brows courtesy of a heavy-handed, sleepy Mish and HD Brow Kit ;)

(Jumper, Miss Selfridge;
Dress - underneath, Topshop;
Skater skirt, Topshop;
Necklace, c/o Gogo Phillip;
YSL Arty inspired ring, Dolly Bow Bow.)

I've been dabbling in collars-and-jumpers for a while now; there's something so cutesy yet chic at the same, bordering on little girl and geek chic. I particularly like a darker collar against a soft, muted colour too, simply because white collars can be a little too uniform, although I'd love to wear a white/cream shirt with metal tips, and a subtle, sparkly knit at some point this season! As per usual, I'm wearing one of my Topshop Peter Pan collared tunics underneath - essentially wearing two outfits today - purely for the ease of not having to shell out for another top. Also wanted to inject some sort of colour into my outfit to liven it up, and opted for pink, fitting in nicely with Breast Cancer Awareness month! I think that when the dedicated Awareness day rolls around, I'll just stick to some pink ombre nails instead of whack out a pink onesie or something...!

University is getting quite busy already. We're into week three and I'm trying to keep afloat of my work and dissertation reading, as well as balance some form of social life (generally via making dinner, oh life!) and some blogging in the mix. I'm starting another blog next week for one of my Uni modules, and it'd honestly mean the world if some of my readers on here could whizz over and support me over there, but more on that later! Tomorrow I'm aiming to get a lot of work done, and then head over to the ELLE x H&M Fashion Network Event in London. It sounds like such an amazing opportunity and event, will anyone else be headed over?

Anyway, I'll be back tomorrow with a Ways to Wear of some semblance, a GlossyBox preliminary review post, and hopefully another outfit post if I can recruit an unsuspecting friend to act as photographer! *cough* Alana *cough* xo

another (foodie) week in photos

Enjoyed a sneaky Subway lunch with Lauren on Tuesday: eventually, I might start eating healthily again... · Possibly the best apology text from Orange about the disrupted Blackberry service, which failed to send through to me! · In a seminar at Uni, studying blogging and taking sneaky photos in a packed class · Roland Barthes, full fat Coke and a Twirl bar on the train · Vegetable tempura and some sushi at Ikkyusan on Thursday night · My homemade sweet potato wedges/chips · Started reading Michael McIntyre's autobiography - absolutely love it so far! · Sunday morning, snuggled up in my pretty duvet · Chicken, pancetta, red onion, parsley and white wine linguine for lunch.

Thoroughly indulging in my weekend at home at the moment. A warm bubble bath was just what I needed after hobbling around on stiff arms and legs from that pole-dance party earlier in the week! My sister and I went for our customary food splurge yesterday, so we're both currently feasting on Christmas chocolate selection boxes - Guylian, if you're into the specifics - and watching Run's House. Got my third and final injection tomorrow, and then I'll be on the train back to Southampton for another busy week at Uni. Just looking at my outstanding reading list sends my brain into overdrive! I've compiled a list of things to do for my dissertation, and I'm geekily excited to get stuck in, along with some help from some of you. I can't believe how quickily this week and weekend has flown by, can you believe we're halfway through October?! I'm not sure that I'm quite ready to leave the crisp autumn mornings behind yet.

How have you spent your week? I'm excited to spend my evening with my cousins, sister and Granny as I always do on a Sunday. xo

- this week in five:

• rediscovered my love for dance
• two hour long coffee gossip sessions in the kitchen every evening
• excessive spending
• my new featured blog: caught up in cake
• pining away for pink jeans, faux fur and that topshop dress

episkey

Being home only means two things: eating an insane amount of good food, and outfits comprising of items from every wardrobe in the house. I'm back at home for the weekend: today is my cousin's 15th birthday, although I'm yet to see him, and I have a doctor's appointment, so I thought I'd make a weekend of being back. My arms are fit to fall off from carrying my laptop, my Alexa and a tote, full to the brim with dissertation notes and my make-up, around Uni and then around London last night.

(T-shirt, London Fashion Weekend 2009;
Skirt, H&M;
Tights, H&M;
Shoes, Primark;
Belt, Next via my Dad;
Necklace, Stella McCartney via my sister;
YSL Arty inspired ring, Dolly Bow Bow.)

I can't believe how much of my wardrobe I left behind when I moved back to Uni. I won't lie, my packing was very much a half-hearted, last minute attempt, but I'm definitely going to repack on Monday for when I head back! More clothes = less laundry. Or something like that. Ahem. I absolutely adore this tee, I bought it at London Fashion Weekend in my Freshers' Week (clearly I preferred fashion to alcohol even then!) and it is the most flattering and soft shirt I own, aside from pyjamas. Perfect for dressing an outfit down, although I'm imagining it with faux leather shorts, cable knit socks and boots for something a bit less casual.

Accessories wise, I've been dying to whack a chunky belt with my Chambray skirt for ages, so I borrowed this from my Dad's wardrobe: he has the best collection of slightly dodgy 80's T-shirts! While I've been in Southampton, my Dolly Bow Bow order arrived, so I have some new jewellery to play with. Over the summer, I finally decided that I was warming to the YSL Arty, and the jade green stone option at Dolly Bow Bow seemed like the perfect recreation of it. It won't be leaving my finger for a long, long time!

Last night, I met my Mama and sister in London for a bite to eat before driving home. It was pandemonium as ever, and I'm sure I accidentally swung my heavy bag into someone's stomach at some point on the walk into Chinatown. Whoops! We settled for a Japanese meal at Ikkyusan, which was nice as always, but the service was so poor. Some of the waitresses were touching up their make-up on the restaurant floor!

Thank you to all those who registered their interest regarding the "South" bloggers' meet, I promise I'll finally email everyone tonight, after helping my Mama organise our living room (the redecoration is still happening and a work in progress) and indulging in my homemade sweet potato wedges. Just wanted to also let everyone know about the ELLE Breakthrough Beauty competition that Elle magazine are running for a year-long beauty internship; it's times like these that I wish I'd already graduated from Uni, best of luck to any of my readers who are entering!

all too quiet

Managed to quickly snap these photos in a much-needed break from lectures today. Even though I have a four-day weekend, and then a mid-week break on a Wednesday, my days are pretty hefty, typically mind-numbing (my brain won't exit summer mode!) and packed with things to be getting on with! I wish I was the lady/student of leisure that I seem to have accidentally presented myself as, but alas, I do still slave away.

(Tunic, Topshop;
Skirt, c/o Annie Greenabelle;
Cardigan, Hollister;
Necklace, c/o Maria Allen Jewellery;
Tights, H&M;
Shoes, Primark.)

Pretty standard outfit as ever to be honest, dressed for optimum comfort for being in and out of lecture halls all day. I customised my Topshop peter pan collar tunic - one which I bought well over a year ago - with some gold studs from my sewing kit, and chopped the sleeves to just above my elbow. For something that was pretty plain before, I really think my DIY job revived the tunic, and I'll wear it much more now that it has some life to it! I can't believe how expensive Topshop has seemed to get recently, we're now entering the £50 region for simple dresses, yet I'll probably still splurge when I next pop in there. Been sporting a double belt look recently as well, I can't get enough of the faux leather injection, especially when I'm not daring enough for leather shorts and the like.

Yesterday I went to a Pole Performers party for my housemate's birthday party. Not really my kinda thing on the whole, but it was so much fun and something I'd recommend you to stick yourselves out on a limb and try if the opportunity arises! Although I would say that I'm currently aching all over and feeling very sorry for myself as I recline with Uni reading... Be warned, girls! Going to the party/lesson really made me realise how much I miss my old dance school, and going to some sort of class regularly, I might shop around for some reasonably priced dance lessons again soon.

Anyway, I've got a to-do list as long as I am tall to be getting on with! Been organising a South bloggers' meet with a few other girls this week as well, we've decided on Saturday 3rd December, and obviously we'd like to meet as many bloggers as possible, so if you're interested, leave a comment with your email address and I'll get back to you with the full details that we've managed to organise so far. For now, I'd better get on with reading about the language of fashion, and analysing your pretty blogs for my assessment! xo

PS. This skirt is beautiful and all, but how on Earth do you wear a paperbag waisted piece without looking like you're four months pregnant?!

a (blustery) week in photos

Spent some of my student loan wisely: on reduced price Whittard coffee · The adorable Hufflepuff crest that Skye gifted me as a housewarming pressie! · I've really been loving my Macadamia Healing Oil treatment, can't stop stroking my own hair, weird as that sounds. It's been a godsend with this windy weather down South · Udon noodles in miso soup, with some ham - the ultimate lunch on a cold day · My new Uni stationary! · Been getting stuck in with reading for essays and other similarly exciting things... · Wrote a review of my Korres lip butter · Me! I'm alive! Been wearing my hair like this, with a chunky, messy goddess braid lately. L-o-v-e.

Experimenting with photo layouts for these posts is fun! Which has been your favourite so far? I think this week's is my favourite so far, although selecting and cropping my original photographs was a complete nightmare! I don't even want to talk photographs at the moment either: I've been reading up on Roland Barthes (for the fifth year running...!) and all of his crazy theories this weekend, and my brain has consequently melted. Roll on 10.15pm for some TOWIE! This week has been pretty packed to be honest, I think I had plans for every single evening, and I'm now a) suitably exhausted, and b) out of pocket for at least a week! I need to discipline myself a little more with my student budget! The student lock-in at West Quay in Southampton on Thursday was... okay. It was manic, and full of people who were running to the shops! I picked up a gorgeous little top in River Island, and enjoyed a discounted meal with Emily and Lauren. Perfect.

Hope everyone has had a lovely weekend! I'm just about to catch up on last night's X Factor, put the laundry on and power through with more reading. xo

- this week in five:

• meeting Kim, Rosie and Laura
• decking the house out in tealights, barstools and pretty things galore
• bought #E52A40 and named it "daisybutter" with an "incendio" description for unicef - such a good cause!
• enjoying some me-time
• lemon tea

before you, i did

Thank you timetable fairy, for my four-day weekend. I think I love you more than I love Harry Potter, Sims 3 and Taylor Swift. Combined. Spent my day reclining in bed, food shopping and making udon noodles with miso soup for lunch.

(Jumper, Warehouse;
Sheer shirt, New Look;
Playsuit, H&M;
Ring, Miss Selfridge;
Rabbito phone case, eBay.)

It has been surprisingly difficult to fall back in the swing of blogging. with huge blocks of lectures and seminars that begin in the middle of the day, and having your own face unexpectedly projected onto the screen at Uni. Yep, that happened! What a surreal feeling! I wore this to the library and then for cocktails and wine with Rosie, Kim and Laura on Wednesday: lovely and cosy for the windiest day ever, and doubly suitable and understated for the library hour. My Mama bought me the jumper last week, like I mentioned in my Week in Photos, and I'm in love with it. Perfect fit (although I did size down), the pockets are so handy, and camel/black palettes look so classic!

I saw "Crazy, Stupid Love" with some friends in the evening too, which I really enjoyed! Tried to scour my dashboard for reviews to no avail, but I quite liked the film, which I'd describe as a rom-com with some serious elements in it, definitely a film I'd consider buying on DVD. How beautiful is Ryan Gosling, please?! We also went to Prezzo for dinner, but I couldn't take photos having left my camera out of my bag for the cinema: sad face. Penne con Salmone is such a nice dish!

Currently sitting and trawling through a pile of books for dissertation research, and trying not to feel too guilty about the amount of money I've probably spent this week. I have a lovely four-day weekend with which to watch X Factor, eat free pizza, gossip with the girls and research blogs in. Third year: so far, so good.

Ways to Wear #24: oversize tops

There's probably nothing easier to wear than a simple, plain, oversize top, is there? They are so easy to wear for all occasions, and can be styled up perfectly to stay on trend all year round. I'm sure I've worn and featured them to death on my blog now, like in this outfit, and this one too, and I can imagine them tied in with some other Autumn/Winter trends this season.

From personal experience, I've found that the best loose-fit, oversize tops are from H&M. I'm an absolute Topshop fiend, but theirs just don't quite match up to the inexpensive, perfectly soft and tapered versions in H&M. Of course, you probably already have a plain staple oversize top in your wardrobe (and if not, whyever not?!) so don't feel the need to rush out and buy everything on here!

Look One: h&m top | topshop skirt | topshop blush snood | new look satin scarf | miss selfridge necklace | new look moccasins

Look One is all about layering and lengths. Oversize tops are most flattering when they end at the top of your thighs, which makes bodycon skirts perfect to slip on underneath, although I'd recommend tights as well "just in case". I absolutely adore this studded one from Topshop, although I'm thinking a super cheap one from H&M and a bag of your own gold beads from a haberdashery would be much better. I've also layered two scarves; the silk one to hang around your neck, no fancy knots or anything, and the knitted snood on top, and of course, a jewel-toned necklace underneath. Finally, these leopard moccasins are adorable, and would finish the look off perfectly, to compliment the silk scarf!

Look Two: h&m top | river island jeans | accessorize snood | h&m blazer cardigan | topshop bracelet | river island boots

I went for a sophisticated, sleek Look in Look Two, although the boots could easily be switched for black or navy blue flats for the same look with a more casual feel. Absolutely love the warm, buttery colour of the cardigan, best worn in a size too large for an easy fit that'll streamline your body shape. I'm still in love with the Dalmatian trend, and a snood is the perfect way to inject the trend into your wardrobe without committing to a skirt, shoes or shirt.

I hope you enjoyed my condensed Ways to Wear this week, I'm going to do some reading for Uni, then meet Kim, Rosie and Laura for some drinks later. So excited to finally meet the girls, because I couldn't make it to either of the SW blogger meet-ups over the summer! I'll be hoisting my camera over so will make sure I come back with some snaps! I'm also off out for dinner and to the cinema with my old flatmates, Rebecca, Ellen and Grace tonight - I'm quite the social butterfly today, but I have had one of the most productive days ever, so I feel like I've earned it. If this hasn't quite fulfilled your W2W appetites, I've guest posted for Victoria today, so make sure you read my post there for some tips and outfits for skater skirts. Happy Wednesday girls! xo

pull me in

Today I welcomed the return of my favourite season, started back at Uni, and embraced student life with a customary gossip and mooch around town. The first day back is always a weird one, isn't it? Feels like I've forgotten how to concentrate for more than ten minutes on something that isn't a film or other tele-visual entertainment! Lucozade in copious amounts was much needed.

(Jumper, Boohoo;
Dress, Primark;
Tights, Wolford;
Rabbito phone case, Ebay;
Hufflepuff crest, A gift from Skye.)

Nothing new to see as usual! There's a student shopping lock-in event at West Quay on Thursday (or so I'm told!) which is exciting, I'll probably head over after lectures with my student loan in hand and stock up on some essentials and generic cosy clothing goods! Really want to have a look in H&M for basics, and in Topshop for something to make me smile. Today I wore a little dress, which is literally "little" because it keeps shrinking in the wash to the point of indecency, and my trusty Boohoo jumper. Love these colours together at the moment! No jewellery except for my little white gold ring: my Grandad gave this to my Mama for her 21st birthday, and she passed it down to me before I moved back for Uni, d'aw.

Had two of my first lectures today, which were Publishing the Package, and Fashion Analytics. I say this every year, but I'm genuinely excited to get going with my modules this year. I'm also studying Buying, Forecasting and Trend Analysis, which I'm most excited for, I think. PtP is pretty much a blogging module, and I've been told to compare and contrast three blogs for next week which is crazy! I'm half expecting to see some familiar faces in my lectures!

I also came home to a little package from the lovely Skye today. She designed and made me a little Hufflepuff Hogwarts crest! Needless to say, it is now sitting in pride of place on my bedroom wall, I can't wait to phone my Mama and tell her all about my new Hogwarts/Uni escapades haha. In other news, Archie has taken to spending his days curled up in my throw, laddering my tights for me so I don't have to, and napping on my windowsill. So adorable! Anyway, I'm going to go and rearrange my furniture (pretty standard Uni student practice in times of boredom) and then rustle up something for dinner! Hope everyone is having a lovely start to the week!