This is where I sleep

I can't be the only person that has a head full of thoughts on a Monday evening. 

 

 (Images from weheartit and pinterest)

The death of you and me

Today I learnt a new lesson: It's surprisingly therapeutic to laugh at yourself. My life appears to be a series of depressing/embarrassing situations mainly due to my poor decision making. I'm hoping that one day I'll get it right and not have to stand around with my friends laughing at myself. It is actually quite enjoyable though!

Anyway, today I thought I'd share some of my latest fancies from Accessories Direct. I already have some goodies (see here) from their website and here are a few I've got my eye on at the moment.

In the centre is a gorgeous key ring which would look delicious on my Mulberry! If you haven't seen my Mulberry yet then you've managed to avoid my constant raving about it and the competition that I won. Have a look through my previous posts if you want to see my pretty bag in all of its glory.

Ok so the top row shows two bracelets and a ring (centre) - I vary what I like on a day to day basis so I thought I'd have it covered by two completely different items! The bracelet on the left would be for a reserved, classy evening (yeah, I have loads of those) and the bracelet on the right would be something I would wear everyday. The ring in the middle of the row is another one I'd wear constantly because it looks a little different but not so stand out that I couldn't wear it for work.

The sandals on the second row look so difficult to wear but I bet they'd look really good when you actually put them on. I see girls wearing these and wonder how they wrap it around their ankle! The bracelet on the right of the second row is just another gorgeous find.

Last but not least, the bottom row has three things for evening. I don't wear necklaces that often. Too much faff in the morning when getting ready for work! I like the idea of wearing a big chunky necklace on a night out and a boxy clutch like the one in the centre. It reminds me of the Alexander Mcqueen skull clutches but just much cheaper.

That's all for accessory love right now. I've been listening to my V playlist TONS recently and I'm getting so excited about the festival even though it's not until August. Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds are my current background noise, hence the title of this post. It's not as depressing as it sounds, promise!

Anyone else off to V? 

End of time

I'm off to V festival in August with the lovely Lauren and I'm already looking forward to it. I can't afford a holiday this year so the festival is my summer treat. It turns out that being an adult is pretty expensive and I can't just go and do whatever I want. Who knew? I'm keeping an eye out for festival attire and a few things caught my eye in Topshop this weekend when I went for a little browse. I don't normally go into Topshop as I think it's mostly overpriced and you can normally find the same thing somewhere else but something drew me in this time. Aztec style clothes were everywhere and I flitted about like an excited little bird as I picked things up to try on. Of all the patterns and colours, I find Aztec things the most flattering and easy to wear. Mostly monochrome, patterned but not 'loud' and it still looks quite different.

Below are a few things I'm going to be looking for similar versions of. There is no way I am paying £25 for some denim shorts when I could just make them myself! I'm trying to think about practical festival wear this year. Note: maxi dresses and festival toilets are not a good combination. I think the best plan is to layer EVERYTHING and that way I'm prepared for rain or shine. All of the items below are from Topshop - I was being lazy when putting this post together!

I'm not sure if I can still get away with wearing hi-tops but I think they look good on everyone at the moment so they had to go on my wishlist. Then I just thought lots of different tops, some plain shorts and accessories to keep me going. I love the belt although I don't know how bothered I would be to sort a belt out when I'm stuck in a tent feeling gross.

The rain outside is suggesting that my festival shopping might be a little bit early. Think I'll stick to films and ice cream for a while!

I love#11

I'm rubbish at blogging at the moment. I just don't have any energy or much to say. I will try to make more of an effort now though. I'm still reading tons of other blogs and seeing what others are up to. I've found some great new reading material recently and my ebay addiction shows no sign of slowing down any time soon either.

Anyway, here are a few pictures of happy things. Well, apart from one!

Starting to see blossom on the trees now. On of my most favourite things.

Dressing room heaven.

I want to be here.

YUM

I really, really want one of those smaller rings to sit halfway on my finger. Delicate and pretty.

True.

Images taken from weheartit.com

Film Friday

Easter has left me with lots of time to catch up on things I don't normally get to do during term time. Not even anything big, just normal person stuff like watching films! Anyway, here's what I've seen so far and what I thought. *I've just looked back down the list of films and it seems I've had some pretty dark choices. Sorry if you were expecting a lighthearted post!*

Drive

Aah Ryan Gosling. Who doesn't love a bit of him on screen? He's well known for his romantic roles, including Noah in The Notebook (an absolutely heart rending weepy one!) Before I watched Drive, I'd heard that it was quite a different character for Gosling and also that there was a fair amount of violence. I was prepared for the unexpected... or so I thought! I'm not averse to a bit of violence in a film (some of my favourite films come from Quentin Tarantino who isn't exactly the shy, retiring type of director) but this was super, horrific violence. Maybe it was more shocking after the opening in which Gosling comes across as a sweet natured, quiet guy who just wants to romance his neighbour. We spent the first half an hour of the film swooning over Ryan Gosling in skinny jeans only to be shocked when he turned into this psychotic crazy person! I don't want to give too much away so I won't say much about the plot. I really enjoyed this film (even when I was hiding behind a pillow!) and would definitely recommend it. Some people aren't as squeamish as me! The moments when Gosling is all brooding and mysterious can make it a little awkward though. Think I'll stick with crying at The Notebook in future.

Kidulthood

Stereotypes and cliches abound but I don't mind so much when I'm completely immersed in the plot. Kidulthood basically centres around the lives of teenagers in West London and what happens to them within twenty four hours. Think Skins but more honest and brutal. There are some very aggressive and violent scenes which actually adds to the realism. I'm sure some would think this film is exaggerated and unrealistic but I know that the bullying scene between the girls is extremely realistic and hard hitting. I really enjoyed this film and the topics that it dealt with. It examines every stereotype you can think of and also serves to expose certain myths and ideas which have become outdated. However, I don't think it will do much to reassure older generations that 'the youth of today' aren't all troublemakers! As a teacher, I can definitely confirm that not all teenagers are like this. Infact, I'm sure very few are. But the fact remains that some teenagers do experience these things and that is why the stereotypes exist and also why more should be done to provide for teenagers in these situations. (I'll stop there, don't want to get too preachy!)

I also watched a tv programme called 'My Murder' on the BBC recently too. The programme was based on the real story of Shakilus Townsend who was beaten and stabbed to death in a planned attack by members of a gang in South London. He was just 16 years old. It is believed that he was led into the ambush by a girl called Samantha Joseph (played by Simona Zivkovska). Samantha was sentenced to at least 10 years for her part in his murder and six other teenagers including her ex-boyfriend Danny McLean were jailed for life.

Obviously this type of drama covers a sensitive subject as it is based on a real life situation and it will inevitably have an effect on grieving friends and relatives. Levi David Addai wrote 'My Murder' but was careful to keep it as realistic as possible as he didn't want it to "seem like an 'urban drama' with a stereotypical knife crime story". Addai's representation of Shakilus is realistic. He hasn't created a character who is devoid of faults or is the model teenager. He has included every aspect of this teenager's life so that his story was 'richer'. By giving a more rounded portrayal of Shakilus, I felt like I knew this boy as I watched his story unfold and the tragic ending was even more awful when it arrived. He seemed like a genuinely charismatic teenager who enjoyed life and his only mistake was to become smitten with Samantha. I'm glad I watched this as it's important for his story to be shared. I think it's still on BBC Iplayer if you want to watch it.

Secretary

This is a fairly old film now but it's been on my list of things to watch for a while. I remember lots of people mentioning it when it came out. I've signed up for a free month on Netflix but it doesn't have any recently released (onto dvd) films on yet. Anyway, I thought I'd get cracking on some films that have been popular and Secretary was on the list. I'll just start off by saying... weird film! I don't really know what I was expecting but it definitely wasn't that! In order to avoid having to write all of the details about this film, I'll link you to a review from The Guardian here.

You'll know what I mean once you've read the review! I can't really say I enjoyed the film, I was more intrigued by the weirdness of it and the strange relationship that the two main characters have. Either way, I'm glad I can cross it off my 'to watch' list.

 Food, Inc.

Another Netflix watch. Food, Inc. is a documentary about the production of food in America, the shocking treatment of animals and the way that the public are being misinformed about what they are eating. I love watching documentaries and hearing all of the things that are hidden from us. I'm a particular fan of conspiracy theories and quite aggressive interviewers who track down their information! Food, Inc was slightly different in that way. There were lots of facts and figures (which bored me slightly) but there was also footage of farms in America and background scenes to show us what really happens. The documentary is not against the production of food on farms or against the eating of meat, but it is against conglomerates treating animals extremely badly and leaving farmers with no choice but to sell out and conform or lose their business and livelihood. There are some really shocking scenes showing how chickens, pigs and cows are kept and also the way they are killed. It definitely put me off food for quite a while.

Overall, it was interesting to see these things and get some inside information on the food industry as a whole. It has made me think more carefully about what I eat and where I buy it from. I'm one of those people who never has lots of money and so has to buy budget food, but I don't think I'll be buying cheap meat again. Everytime I consider a Mcdonalds I will most probably get flashes of this programme in my mind which will keep me away! I feel bad saying this, but I'll always be a meat eater. I'm just going to consider much more where that meat comes from and how it was treated.

So that's what I've been watching recently. Some strange choices admittedly but I've not really been in a romantic comedy mood and I hate horror films!  

Has anyone got any films to recommend?

Lonely are the brave

Everyone that knows me is aware that I am the clumsiest person ever. I can fall over thin air! I think when I was a teenager I suddenly grew pretty tall and still get a bit mixed up with my own limbs sometimes. Today started pretty badly... before 12pm I had managed to cut a finger, stub a toe, eat part of a mouldy banana (ew), notice that someone has dented my car and driven away (grr), find out that the post office have no idea where any of my parcels are AND (possibly the worst of all) I dropped an entire biscuit into my cup of tea. Not such a great start. I was tempted to get back into bed, have a nap and pretend that this morning never happened. But no! I decided the only way forward was to keep going and turn it into a positive and productive day.

I've begun a real markathon today and still have half left (I'm in the middle of a break, promise) and then after that I'm going to write a giant to-do list, do some cleaning, some exercise and possssibly watch a film. Ah, Easter holidays, you make me feel ever so productive.

Anywaaaay, here are a few items I was lusting over on the ASOS website last night so I thought I'd share. I can't afford to have any of them at the moment but there's no reason why I can't point them out to other people who might want a little shopping spree.

I always love looking at clutch bags and one day I hope to own loads in different colours and styles. At the moment I have a few staple clutches which go with most outfits but you can never have too many! The blue clutch (top left) would go with EVERYTHING and plus I need some colour in my life. The middle clutch with horse prints on just looks quite different to others I've seen and I'm really into horse prints. No idea why, I'm terrified of actual horses! The clutch (top right) is designed to look like a book. Now, as a total geek book lover AND handbag lover, I adore this. Plus it's a nice pastel blue which fits into current trends. Want.

The greeny coloured belt is another thing that I can picture going with everything without me having to buy into a whole pastel type outfit. I've actually included this watch in a previous post (but in a different colour) and I'm still loving it. I'm so tempted to buy but at £25 I don't think I can get it right now. Sob. And finally, the friendship bracelet is really cute and has the little forever/infinity symbol which I really like. However, I refuse to pay loads of money for what is essentially a piece of string! I would much rather have a real friendship bracelet than have to buy one for myself.

I've been really rubbish at blogging recently but I think it's just one of those things where if you can't be bothered to write, then don't just write something for the sake of it. I think I may be posting now because I've not spoken to anyone today and I need to communicate in some form! I had a little play around with links (on the right hand side of the page) so that people can find my profiles a bit easier. It was also for me, I always forget what online profiles I have and I'd like to keep track, at least until Facebook takes over the world.

That's all for now, I had better get back to marking and biscuits. At least the rain outside means I'm not too sad about staying in!

Oh, and I've been listening to insane amounts of music recently so I'll share some of that in a blog post soon. Unlimited Spotify is amazing - especially now I've figured out how to unlink it from Facebook. No one needs to know when I'm listening to Britney.

Style Crush #14 : Claire Danes

 Claire Danes hasn't really been on my style radar until recently. My first thought of Claire Danes is as Juliet in Baz Luhrmann's Romeo and Juliet with Leonardo Dicaprio. I have seen that film at least ten times and expect to see it plenty more as an English teacher! She was very young back then and looks totally different now. Another film I've seen (and loved) her in was Stardust. She's a fully fledged blonde in Stardust and looks like a mix between Gwyneth Paltrow and Reese Witherspoon.

The reason Claire Danes is my most recent style crush is because I saw her in the latest tv series Homeland. I haven't actually had time to watch the whole series but the bit I did see was pretty intriguing. I'm considering a Homeland marathon when I have the time! Anyway, I'd also seen a picture floating around of her in a red/pink Valentino dress and decided that I should have a look into other things she has worn. I liked what I saw so thought I'd share. Here are some favourites:

The Valentino dress. Just on the right side of Barbie!

Classy but still a little quirky

Love the red lace and simple black shoes

Another cute combition. I think she looks a bit Tess Daly here. Anyone agree?

Rocking the red lipstick

Dresses below: Not sure I'd personally wear the one on the left but I think it looks amazing on her! The black dress with lace sleeves on the right is beautiful. The cropped lace sleeves with flower details on look really delicate and pretty.

I have fallen in love with this dress. The shade of pink matches her blusher too. Love love love.

Dresses below: I wish I owned all of these. I actually wore a very similar dress to the dark blue one to my graduation ball. It was from Very.co.uk and cost me £70 which is the most I've ever spent on a piece of clothing. Probably not that much in comparison to others but it's loads for me! Unfortunately someone spilt a drink down it and I've never been able to get it out.  Anyyyyway, the orange dress is cute and summery but fitted enough to be an evening dress too. The glittery dress seems to be the obligatory celebrity dress but nevertheless it looks stunning on Claire Danes.

 Massive wardrobe envy right now. 

In other news, I downloaded the Ebay app for my phone which was clearly a dangerous idea. I bid away and ignore the fact that I will actually have to pay for the items at the end of it. So far I've bought too dresses and I'm bidding on two more at the moment. Think I might have to put some clothes of mine on there soon because I keep seeing similar things making a fair amount of money! I also discovered instagram for androids so I've been uploading snaps on there. Mostly food! If you want to follow me on any of my various accounts then the links are below:

Hellocotton

Pinterest

Weheartit

 Bloglovin

Twitter