It's not you, it's your eyebrows.

"It's not you, it's your eyebrows" tee: c/o Batoko. Warehouse denim skirt: £2, sample sale. Vintage leather jacket: £17. Topshop leopard print ankle boots: £27 (old). Vintage bag: gift from Jazmine.

Hey, even if I kinda look like Jake Gyllenhaal in Nightcrawler in one of these photos (guesses on a postcard/comment below), at least there's one guy who doesn't think I'm an absolute creep. 

From one place I haven't been in a while, to another: Colchester. Yes, it's got a castle. Yes, it's got a zoo. Yes, it's got a Missoula (those who know, know their jaegerbombs). What's not to like? Being just a liiiitle bit too far the "wrong" way along the A12 to permit frequent visits, it's been a fair while since I went there - for a roller disco, no less. My mum can take or leave it, but I got a pretty good vibe from the town. The beautiful rose-lined Castle park obviously called to me, and a shout out to the amazing charity shops too, but it was the labyrinthine streets of somewhere "out of town" that piqued my interest - probably more than is to be expected from someone who knows the nooks and crannies of the City like the back of her hand. And with one of my best friends heading here to study come Autumn, it looks like I'll heading back sooner rather than later: score.

On a side note: I've found THE t-shirt to ward people off when my withering glance just isn't enough. Finally.

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I want desire.

Luella blouse: ebay. Vintage suede skirt: £8, charity shop. Laura Ashley trench coat. Adidas Spezial: £29, Freeport Braintree. Rotary watch. Rimmel Kate Moss 08 lipstick.

It's always a bit weird to revisit things. I'm not talking an ex-boyfriend here (bye means bye, okay?), I'm talking places. I grew up in Woodford, which is best explained as 'on the east bit of the Central line', and, despite heading back to Loughton every six months to go to the dentist, I hadn't really been back since we upped sticks and headed way out 'so far past zone nine you can't even use an oyster card' in 2003. For the first time in over a decade, my mum and I popped back down the M11 to have a little wander along memory lane. It's a bit like heading back to a club you frequented in freshers week - things are a bit hazy, but you know where the toilet is and vaguely recognise that booth.

In case you're not aware (you probably aren't, half the people I live with now haven't heard of Redbridge, let alone know it's in the same county), if you look at London on Google maps and see the reservoirs just north of Central, I'm talking a little bit east of there. We started off the day in Highams Park, by far my favourite of all the places in that little bit of the London-Essex border. There aren't many places I can see myself settling down (this is what moving all over the place does to a girl...), but there is something about this area which gives me complete chilled out vibes, and I would definitely move in without a second thought were it not so bloody expensive to live there. London housing woes aside, we walked past my mum's first flat, through the Park, past my childhood home, and round Woodford Green back to the car. We then popped over to Loughton for dinner before heading up into Epping Forest a little to take these photos. Oh, wisteria, how I miss you already.

Are there any little pockets of London you love to re-visit? I'm always on the lookout for more places to fall in love with!

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My life in print.

Oasis V&A Collection Kilburn culottes (ish): £5, sample sale. Collective white t-shirt. Primark faux leather jacket: £10 (similar). Oasis loafers: £4, sample sale. Mulberry belt: gift. Vintage bag: 50p, jumble sale. Necklace: from Claire.

If there's one place I look to for peace and quiet in London (other than the City at the weekend), it's the V&A Museum. It may be a ball ache pain to get to from East London, but once you emerge from the underground, there's nothing like the relief of walking through the main entrance under that chandelier and walking among display on display of history hosted in just one building in South West London. So, when someone started the sentence "I'm definitely not supposed to tell you this yet, but" I was pretty bloody excited. In case you haven't heard - Oasis has teamed up with the V&A to create a perfectly printed collection, and I want it ALL.

I picked up the Kilburn culottes in a sample sale a month or so back (I was after the Shoreditch trousers but my rail rummage didn't come up trumps this time) and after the initial 'how the hell am I meant to wear these?!' thoughts, I decided to throw all caution to the wind and just go for it. This much print needs to go with something plain, so my ol' faithful white tee was an obvious choice. A warm brown instead of black seemed like the perfect accompaniment, and one of my best Primark finds finished things off with a little pastel flair. I've picked out a few of my favourite V&A Collection bits below, but do let me know if you've spied anything you'd fancy adding to your own wardrobe.

ps, I'm currently at Glastonbury! Phone free, carefree, and probably not hangover free, I'll be back ASAP, but keep an eye on Instagram for a few snaps on my return.

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Blow a kiss, fire a gun.

Lacoste stripe top: £42, Freeport Braintree. Oasis black jeans: £27 with staff discount. Adidas Spezial: £29, Freeport Braintree. Vintage bag: gift from Jazmine.

When getting the train home with Jazmine a couple of months back, I full on laughed at her dungarees, beanie and New Balance combination, stating that East London had 'happened' to her. Looks like I'm might have to eat a very expensive (probably vegan and bespoke) hat - a pair of black skinnies which fit and a bargain retail therapy session which had three stripes later, I'd fit in pretty well at Shoreditch Grind. No fixie bike is on the horizon, but this is a whole lot more hipster than I ever imagined possible in my peter pan collar days (note: my next post is going to be a whole lot girlier, keep an eye on my Instagram on Thursday to see why).

This one's now off to consume a full english and pints of orange juice, but do let me know in the comments if there are any trends you've fallen foul of despite your better judgement - yep, that does include those cargo trousers with the weird strap hanging off them circa 2001.

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How big, how blue, how beautiful.

Primark colourblock top: £13. American Apparel skirt: £30. Clarks leather loafers.

This skirt + wind ≠ a good combination. Mind-bending maths aside, these photos were taken four months ago in very thick tights weather, saving myself from much embarrassment. Heybridge Basin is one of the places I like to go when it's all getting a "bit too much"; pretty much untouched since it was built, there are beautiful coastal walks with views over Maldon, plenty of dog-walkers and an amazing Tiptree tearoom with malteasers cheesecake for afterwards.

Maybe I should get myself back to Heybridge Basin sometime soon as I've been a little out of sorts for the last few months. Things I'd normally let bounce off me and then forget about have been taken to heart, I've not been sleeping well, and generally things have been a bit difficult to deal with. I'm banking on longer days and sunnier weather to help with keeping my chin up, but if anyone has tips on how to take a step back please do leave a comment as I'd love to hear how you guys do it.

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