So I'm back at university and although lectures don't start till Monday it feels good to get back in the swing of things. There's something about the walk into town on a crisp autumn day and seeing the cathedral tower rising up over the rows of houses that truly lifts my spirits, but it's also comforting to come back to a city I know instead of starting in a new place like I was this time last year. The major difference this year is that I'm living in a student house which so far has been a really lovely experience, it's so nice to have a big space to live in instead of a tiny room in halls - not to mention a pretty decent-sized TV and a lovely bathroom!

On the drive up my dad and I stopped off at Bluewater for a bit of a shopping spree and of course I bought a few things. Unfortunately the big H&M was closed for refurbishment and Forever 21 was 50% off the whole store (which sounds good but it was an absolute tip, full of summer stuff and impossible to find anything), but I still managed to spend quite a bit of time and money in New Look. I also got a couple of things in the H&M here in Durham so I thought it was probably time for another haul post, even though my last one wasn't too long ago.

Striped 3/4 length sleeve top from New Look, £8.99

Checked shirt from New Look, £22.99

Striped top from H&M, £7.99

Okay so I realise these might all look very similar but believe me, they aren't. The one on the left is from New Look and it's just a really nice super soft top with dark red stripes which totally match my hair now it's red again. It's one of those really easy to wear pieces that go with a lot of things so I'm hoping it'll become one of my wardrobe staples. The shirt is also from New Look and I really love it - you can't see too well on the photo but it has a sort of twisted fabric thing going on at the bottom so you can't wear it like a cardigan but it's another effortless top that I think will look so good with plain black leggings or jeans. Finally I got this red and blue striped white top from H&M because lets face it, you can never have too many striped tops! I tried this on with blue jeans in the shop and it looked so good as the blue basically matched, I had to get it.

Green corduroy skirt from New Look, £9.99

White trainers from New Look, £17.99

Black suede skirt from H&M, £14.99

Black bag from Forever 21, £7.50

The skirt on the left is actually a really dark green and I just fell in love with it. It was from the 915 section of New Look which I'm really glad I can still fit into (this was an age 12 lol) as the stuff from there is always slightly cheaper. I'd been looking for white trainers for a while but could never find quite the right ones, so I was happy to come across these in New Look - yes I know they're basic af but I need more practical footwear for the colder seasons, especially now I'm living so far away from where I have lectures. The other skirt is a lovely soft imitation suede material and I think it'll just be really handy and go with everything, plus I'll be able to dress it up or down. Last but not least, the bag was the only thing I managed to pick up in Forever 21 but it's really nice, it has two pockets which are just big enough to fit your iPhone in one and some money and your keys in the other so it's perfect for a night out (not that I do much of that) or just any occasion when you don't want to be carrying a big bag.