Earlier today I found myself idly scrolling through various clothing websites including New Look, Topshop, Forever 21 and finally H&M, where I found a lot of really nice and reasonably priced partywear. I've said it before and I'll say it again, H&M is so underrated - I always find amazing stuff there when I go, so I'm hoping to pick up some amazing bargains when I go in the January sales!

I love this sosososo much oh my goodness. I've been to a lot of formal college dinners this term and I never know quite what to wear over a dress when an actual coat would be too much and a blazer doesn't fit the style of my dress - this would be just the thing. Of course black would be a more practical colour, but I really like this shade of purple, it's gorgeous.

Admittedly this is quite pricey but I'm sure you could find something similar that isn't in suede. I don't know how practical it would be but I love the shape and the metallic studs and rope.

I spotted this and had a mild epiphany when I realised that a long blazer is precisely what my wardrobe is lacking. It would be ideal for making really boring outfits slightly more dressy, and just generally to get that effortlessly casual vibe down.

Would you just look at this dress, I mean what's not to love? It's full-on spangly so personally I'd probably only wear this for truly fancy events, but it's such a striking piece that is just crying out to be accessorised.

Sometimes you just need a really simple but fancy black top to wear with more exciting bottoms (such as the gold skirt). Plus this is so versatile, I would definitely wear this over shorts on the beach in summer!

Having recently purchased my first pair of non-black heels, I am feeling adventurous and I will totally buy these if I can find them in my size! I think metallic is definitely the way to go for parties, especially as it can bling up a more conservative outfit.

Merry Christmas Eve everybody! So far my day has consisted of finishing off some work for uni and playing board games with my mum and brother, and later on this evening I think we'll probably just watch some TV or something. I just wish the weather would cotton on and drop a few degrees, it doesn't feel the same when it's 12 degrees outside...

Anyway I just felt the urge to write a cheeky little blog post, so here are some outfits for the festive season for you to enjoy!

Unlike a lot of people, I really enjoy Christmas shopping - I love hunting for the perfect present for my friends and family (or if not perfect then just something suitable within my price range). This year I did all mine online through Amazon, which worked like a dream and meant I didn't have to face the long walk into town more than was entirely necessary. But when I'm out and about in the winter months I tend to plan my outfits quite carefully, as although they're probably warm I find jeans quite constricting, and thick jumpers tend to make me overheat - so something lightweight but layered like this is perfect.

In my opinion Christmas parties are a fabulous excuse to get properly dressed up - when else can you get away with dressing entirely in velvet (including a jacket), as I did the other week for a college formal dinner which is much the same thing? Obviously there are various degrees of fancy but my go-to outfit choices always consist of either something velvet or something in that gorgeous dark red, so I thought this dress summed it up quite well.

Lets not forget that it's distinctly chilly outside (unless you live in Australia, in which case g'day to you) and there is nothing better than curling up in a cosy spot with a warm drink and a book. Thick jumpers are fully required here, as are slippers and comfy clothes all round. Sadly I haven't done much of this so far this winter but no doubt I shall be making up for lost time in the new year.

I actually wish I owned this dress because I love it so much, but I think I'm going to have to content myself with something very similar in red. It's my go-to Christmas day outfit which now I think about it perhaps needs to change... I just think there's something so Christmassy about a nice plaid dress on the day itself!

After 10 weeks of busy university life I am finally back home for the holidays and already enjoying the peace and quiet! It's been a hectic couple of months trying to find my feet at uni, while also adapting to life in the UK, completing assignments, keeping up with all the reading my course requires and of course making new friends. Unlike at home where I will happily sit on the internet for hours on end and generally lounge around there is always something to do, from looking over the following day's lecture material (yes I am that student) to late night soda bread-frying sessions in the kitchen. So while I'm really enjoying myself up north, it's going to be really lovely to have a whole month off to relax and fill up on those home vibes - plus write about 4 essays and prepare for 3 tutorials, eeek!

The journey back was really quite smooth, or as smooth as taking two trains across three countries can be. I was lugging a huge suitcase, a backpack and a small holdall so I suppose I didn't make things easy for myself, but the small holdall was definitely necessary given the amount of Christmas presents I needed to bring back with me - hopefully I will be able to fill that space up with slightly more summery clothes on the way back. Also I am apparently yet to take the Eurostar without either setting the security scan off or getting shirty/into an argument with the person at the bag scan, but that's another story.

On another note, I am actually really enjoying my course, although there are parts that I really hadn't expected to be studying. Purely for your enjoyment, I've been keeping a list of weird, wonderful, interesting and unexpected things that have been touched on in my geography lectures so far, in no particular order:

Also I will be writing an essay on landscape in Austen's Mansfield Park over Christmas, which I am slightly thrilled about because it combines English, history and geography, which are my three absolute favourite things!

Anyway. Christmas is of course just a few days away and I am well and truly in the festive spirit after spending most of Sunday draped in tinsel and decorating the tree. In a way I almost feel like the big day has already happened because we had so many Christmassy events going on at college in the last few days of term, including a formal dinner, a candlelit carol service (which was lovely and definitely a potential fire hazard), carols in the bar (which was a potential hazard for one's eardrums), a Christmas jumper day and even a couple of days of proper snow! On top of that my friends and I bought cheese and crackers to be extra posh and Christmassy, and also made a gingerbread house which tragically got left in someone's room over the holidays... 

But after all that festivity I am definitely ready for a lovely family Christmas at home and a month just to enjoy the calm, see friends and prepare for next term!

x

Whoops long time no blog but uni life is turning out to be pretty crazy - I'm currently snowed under with work, not to mention trying to find the time to attend social events and just generally doing my best not to become a hermit holed up in my room reading endless papers about the spatiality of domestic violence (I'm studying geography but the department seems to have a rather loose interpretation of what constitutes geography lol). I'm loving my course so far though, for instance today one of my lecturers started off with a 'somewhat relevant pop song' which just happened to be Lana's Video Games! Unsurprising since the lecture was about landscape in video games but it was still a nice start to 4 solid hours of lectures.

Anyway. Christmas is just around the corner and I for one am looking forward to being back at home with my family and friends (especially after nearly 3 months of college food - so. much. spice!). So today to get into the materialistic spirit I thought I'd share my Christmas wishlist with you, since nothing says seasonal cheer quite like consumerism!

Michael Kors purse

 

The Journals of Sylvia Plath

Crosley Cruiser

Badlands vinyl

Rookie Yearbook Four

The final Rookie Yearbook comes out on 22 October and I really want to add it to my little collection of yearbooks. Also how adorable is the cover?? So adorable.

Pandora Silver Star Clip Charm