Autumn Updates ft Primark and New Look.

If you didn't know already Autumn is my favourite season of all time. To be honest those 'inbetween-y' seasons always attract me the most, when the weather begins to change slightly, but you're not too hot nor too cold. I woke up last week and was thrilled to feel a chill in the flat and had to pop the heating on the timer again and wrap myself up in a jumper before heading out to work.

As much as I love the idea of warm weather, when summer arrives I'm forever stressing about what to wear as I'm not that confident in getting skin out. So a season which requires layers, knitwear, ankle boots and tights is my idea of heaven! Plus its that time of year when you get to change your wardrobe over and add a few new bits to see you in the season, and theres nothing in this world thats more fun than that.

HOW TO UPDATE YOUR AUTUMN WARDROBE

Statement boots

I'd happily wear boots all year around, and believe me I do try and wear them for as long as possible. However looking into my wardrobe all my boots are very similar, black with a chunky heel with a range of different heel heights. I really should be on the hunt for a black flat pair to wear at work but statement boots are so much more exciting right? New Look are on fire this season when it comes to boots and these leopard print beauties are the perfect way to jazz up some plain black denim and an oversized jumper. If you're feeling a little more adventurous theres always these space age silver ones which would look amazing with lighter denim and a touch of pink.

Refreshing your knitwear

Every year when I pull out my winter clothing box from under my bed I always like to check how well my knitwear has survived and if it will last through this coming season. Having pulled my box out last week I noticed some of my knitwear is looking worse for wear, the dreaded bobble of a jumper. I tend to stick to buying my knitwear on the high street as my skin cannot stand wool anywhere near it, which generally means I'm buying it more often as it doesn't last as long. As soon as theres a chill in the air I tend to lean more towards mustards and maroons as my staple wardrobe colour palette. This mustard roll neck is a much needed addition to my wardrobe to break up all the navy and black, and knowing Primark the chances are they'll be available in every colour you'd ever need.

Buying basics

Whenever the seasons change I'm always suddenly aware of how much I lack in basics, I just find no joy in buying them. But when it comes to getting dressed in the morning I realise I should start picking them up more often. Every season I like to make a mental list of the basic items my wardrobe is lacking, and this year has been no different. Two much needed items for my wardrobe is a plain black skater skirt - the most basic of wardrobe items, which is easily jazzed up by a statement belt. The second believe it or not is a pair of smart black trousers. I do have a work pair but they're plain, skinny and have quite a low waist (forever having to pull them up) so these high waisted belted trousers are a much needed addition to my wardrobe.

Layering

One of my all time favourite part of autumn fashion is being able to layer items without slowly melting away into a puddle of sweat. Over recent weeks I've re-kindled my love for button up shirts, something that I pretty much lived in a few years ago and Primark are producing some really amazing printed shirts at the moment and this one is no exception. Button down shirts are the perfect accompaniment to wear under dresses like this maroon pinafore dress - teamed with a little leather jacket and a cosy scarf and you have your perfect autumn outfit.

What are your newest additions in your autumn wardrobe?

Confessions Of A Brogue Addict.

If I was told I could only choose one style of shoes to wear for the rest of my life, I'd always pick brogues. Every single time. I don't know what it is about this style of shoe but my wardrobe has always been full of them, in every colour possible. They're just that perfect shoe that goes with everything, from jeans to dresses, from skirts to shorts, they just look good all year around. 

Now most of my brogues now are quite dark and wintery, as my summery ones are slowly making their way into the bin as they're worn beyond belief. So I'm not left with much choice during the spring and summer months, so when I was asked to review a pair from Brantano I knew this was the perfect opportunity to pick up a pair suitable for those warmer days and lighter coloured outfits. I opted for this* light grey cut out pair as I felt I'd get the most wear out of them being a neutral colour. My previous "summer" brogues have always been quite bright or unusual colours, like coral or mint which has restricted me in what I can wear them with. These are the perfect neutral colour without them being too white as I can find them to be a little too harsh sometimes, and I can already imagine them with a multitude of outfits.

The one thing that surprised me most about these shoes is how light they are. A lot of the brogue style shoes I've previously owned have always had quite heavy soles and have been on the clumpier size - the kind of brogues that always remind me of my Grandad and the shoes he wore. But these are a lovely lighter alternative - which I always prefer when I'm wearing skirts and dresses as I feel lovely and dainty in them. The cutout detail adds a nice little touch to the shoe without adding too much so they still feel quite neutral. So these get a five star from me!

Being an Introvert.

Online personality tests, Buzzfeed quizzes or even Myers Briggs, they all tell me one thing. I'm an introvert, even Pottermore sorted me into Hufflepuff. FYI I bloody love being a Hufflepuff, I even have some Hufflepuff knickers that are hideously yellow and make me laugh whenever I put them on - maybe thats a little TMI, sorry.

But basically I am an introvert! But what exactly does that mean? Urban Dictionary defines it as:

'Opposite of extrovert. A person who is energised by spending time alone. Often found in their homes, libraries, quiet parks that not many people know about, or other secluded places, introverts like to think and be alone.  

Contrary to popular belief, not all introverts are shy. Some may have great social lives and love talking to their friends but just need some time to be alone to "recharge" afterwards. The word "Introvert" has negative connotations that need to be destroyed. Introverts are simply misunderstood because the majority of the population consists of extroverts.'

In some ways this is me.  Yes I am shy - at times! When I'm with a group of people I don't know very well I stay quiet, though I always worry this comes across as stuck up. But once I get to know people I never shut up - my friends can vouch for this I'm sure. 

Yes I enjoy things like reading books and sitting in parks and typically cliched introvert activities. But I also love going to gigs and screaming my head off, I love going out and spending my evening dancing away with a rum and coke in my hand and I love being surrounded by people.

This isn't really something I've spoken very openly, but I spend a a large proportion of my time alone, and I hate it. Which is a un-introverted quality as many thrive on spending time on their own to recharge. But I'm the total opposite.

I'm an introvert who gets really lonely.

This is something I've noticed a lot more as I've gotten older and I really hate it. But throughout High School, College and University I was surrounded by friends every day, and I end up taking it for granted. But now I'm out of education I've realised how much I miss having friendships like that. When you grow up life gets in the way a little bit - I've friends now who live in London, friends who have husbands and children and work full time. So arranging days together are few and far between.

As somebody who only works part time, I end up spending a huge amount of my time in my flat alone - and it can make me really miserable. I thoroughly enjoy going to work, purely for the fact i'm surrounded by people and get to chat to customers and volunteers all day long. I work with some lovely people, but everybody is at least 10-15 years older than me  - if not more, so I don't have a work friendship group like a lot of others might do. 

I'm always on a mission to form friendships others ways - but as an introvert its really quite hard, its pretty much a vicious circle for me. I'm not the type of person who finds it easy to go "hey person I don't know very well, fancy going for a coffee this afternoon" I'm not good at putting myself out there and I hate to feel like I'm annoying people by always being the one texting them, as I always worry they think I'm being a pest. But if I'm not interacting with people face to face I get really quite sad. I've had days where at 12pm I'm feeling great for having a productive blitz of the flat, but then by 2pm I'm sat on my sofa crying because I've not seen anybody.

Recently I've been trying harder to push myself and try and make some more friends and open my circle a little bit by meeting new groups of people. A few months ago I met up with Fiona and we had discussions over a cheeky burrito about setting up a Newcastle chapter of The Geek Girl Brunch as a way to get together with fellow nerdy types from the North East. We are still working on getting this set up properly but I'm super excited to meet some new ladies with similar interests.

I've also recently been trying to spend a little more time with some local bloggers which I've been really enjoying. I spent a day a few weeks ago with Amy, Helen and Chloe, where we spent the day stuffing our faces with food, swapping beauty products and chatting about all things blogging. I throughly enjoyed this as its nice to spend time with other ladies who have the same love for blogging as I do. I even went shooting outfit pictures with Helen and Chloe last week. Not only did this help with me need for social interaction, but it also helped boost my confidence a little as I didn't hate how I looked in the photographs. I am on shooting some more outfits again soon, so keep your eyes peeled!

Does anybody else suffer with loneliness from time to time? I'm always happy to chat to new people and I'm always on Twitter for a quick chat. Plus my inbox is always open if you ever want to talk privately. 

On Wednesday We Wear Pink.

📷 : Helen & Chloe

Jacket: Zara     Top: Boohoo     Jeans: Asos     Boots: *George      Bag: Primark (Similar)

Ever since I first laid my eyes on this baby pink Zara biker jacket, I knew it had to be mine. Initially I'd seen it in a mustard yellow, however already owning a similar suede mustard jacket from Missguided I decided to let it pass. Then the pink one was released and that was it.

After weeks of checking daily (I kid you not) it finally came back in stock and I ordered it at such speed the delivery address was for Alice Alice. This was definitely worth the wait as I've barely had it off my back since I bought it, thank you for the rubbish summer weather England. I was worried a baby pink biker jacket wouldn't get much wear in my wardrobe, but I was mistaken as it seems to go with the majority of my clothes.

I've found myself leaning a lot more towards blue clothing at the moment, forever lusting over denim and this ruffle top from Boohoo is the newest addition to my wardrobe. I've already worn it three times this month already. Im really enjoying quite 'simple' basic items at the moment with little details that give them an extra something. Ruffles and bell-sleeves being my favourite at the moment, which are luckily all over the high street right now. I cannot wait to fill my autumn winter wardrobe with as many frills and ruffles possible.

I've an interesting story about this bolo tie - it actually belonged to my Grandad. Back when I was around 7 years old I used to go line-dancing, yep thats right. Line-dancing! My entire family went and although most of the time I was too shy to actually dance, I really loved going. We all got quite into it by the end and had all the clothes to go with it. So when I came across this bolo tie after my Grandad died and I decided to keep a hold of it as I always loved it as a child. Low and behold 10 years later they're all on trend, so I finally decided to get this out of my jewellery box and wear it with pride! Teamed with my black tassel ankle boots by George they give me the perfect cowgirl kind of vibe without the cheesy leather slacks and checked shirt.

So there you have it, I've actually done an outfit post!

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What fashion trends are you loving right now?

Five Reasons Why I Love The Body Shop Vitamin-E Range.

ONE

It smells amazing, simple as that. There is just something special about the smell of this range that sends me head over heels for it. The smell instantly relaxes me as soon as I smear my face with the cream cleanser. The cleanser just smells like clean. Its soft, a little floral and reminds me a little of baby powder. The perfect way to revitalize me in the morning and also relax me in the evening.

TWO

It leaves me skin feeling incredible! Theres few cleansers that as soon as I rub them on my face my skin instantly feels nourished and plump. Even on days when I do a quick lazy cleanse and shamefully don't really follow up with anything after a quick cleanse and a cotton pad, it still leaves me skin feeling clean, moisturised and super soft. I just wish i'd used this as a teen instead of those dreaded make up wipes.

THREE

It is not tested on animals. As i’ve mentioned in previous posts, I’m slowly transitioning to products that don’t test on animals, replacing my products with cruelty free alternatives as I run out. Luckily this was already in my stash of facial cleansers, so I’m able to carry on using a cleanser I love without having to search high and low for a new one. Although I am currently on the hunt for a new micellar water if anybody has any suggestions.

FOUR

It is pink. Yeah, thats a reason. It looks good on my little skincare shelf in the bathroom, sat next to my Peaches and Clean cleanser by Soap and Glory theres a nice little pink theme going. I know it's a little sad to colour code your cleansers but if you've seen my bookshelf you'll know I find real enjoyment in beautifully organised shelves. Especially those that are colour coded.

FIVE

It is pretty affordable. Now I'm not saying its the cheapest skincare range out there, but its affordable in my books. I wish I was somebody who had the cash to spend £30-£40 on a cleanser but that simply is not possible. I think quite often its easy when you read beauty blogs and watch youtube videos to feel inclined to buy all these 'must have' products and sometimes you can feel a little crappy if you can't afford the newest product that everybody is raving about. 

Do you have a favourite skincare range you'd recommend?