The Belles of Belsize

What I call my "Heart of Glass" raglan; £27; Illustrated People for Topshop. Skirt which I always wear; £30; American Apparel. Belt; 20p; St Michael's via charity shop. Tights; probs 50p; Primark. Socks; £3; Internaçionale. Chelsea boots; £60; Topshop. Rings; Topshop and vintage. Necklaces; Accessorise, Topshop and vintage. Skull bracelet; £11; Made via ebay.

I had the most wonderful weekend with two of my favourite people. When not learning how to do the Paper Planes dance in Sabby's flat in Belsize Park, we went to the Degas exhibition at the Royal Academy, ate hummus for four meals in a row (thank you to hummus bros for the free birthday malabi in the last photo!), disputed the legitimacy of an "all night" DJ at Proud Camden on the 24, and drank cocktails and champagne at Dirty Martini (who have the nicest staff, I truly recommend it).

I didn't intend to take outfit photos, but while Sabby was preparing for her moot and Charles was in Acton I wandered down to Hampstead and took advantage of the Heath's emptiness caused by the chilly December weather.
Birthday tomorrow!

xxx

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The Hand That (Motel) Rocks the Cradle

Do I win the "last to blog about it" prize?


1. Dina at Whistles.
2. I can never resist a red velvet. You can tell by my face...
3. Me, Elosie and cocktail umbrellas.
4. With Jazmine (I need to stop putting my hair behind my ears).
5. Appreciating cupcakes with Dina! Thanks to Elosie for the photo


Three weeks ago (ha) during my reading week I went to London to meet up with some lovely people. I met Elosie and Dina at Euston and headed directly (for we did not get lost) to the Whistles SS12 press day. Bright colours, stripes, lace... Let's be honest, Whistles haven't ever got it wrong. I felt kiiind of uncomfortable after reading the guestbook (companies included Vogue and InStyle, that I can remember), so we headed off to to the Motel bloggers evening. There were so many people I knew. Probably definitely came across like a stalker, but it was lovely to finally meet people I've "known" for what felt like forever over mojitos prepared by Motel Student Ambassadors (of which I am one too, my first post can be found here) and Lola's cupcakes provided by GlossyBox.
Thank you to Selina for the invite, and as a bonus she's given me a discount code for 15% off to pass on to readers of this humble blog, just type in TOPBLOG15 at the checkout. I picked a dress for my Christmas Ball next Monday, which is doubling up as my birthday dress (twenty on Tuesday, oh jeeze), so I'll "unveil" it when the event (read: hangover) is a mere memory...


xxx

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it's like you're trying to get to heaven in a hurry

Jumper; £10; Ryan Vintage Liverpool. Necklace £9; ElsieBelle. Skirt; £30; American Apparel. Patent Loafers; £15; Russell and Bromley via ebay.

This is the only photo I managed to get where my hair isn't in my face (here's a good example of your classic hairinface scenario). I've currently got it pushed behind my ears so I can ignore it, but I promise you that it's incredibly windy in Liverpool today.
Okay, I caved, I bought something else. This jumper is from Ryan Vintage which opened a couple of days ago about halfway down Bold Street (apparently they have branches in Manchester, Leeds and Sheffield too). Texting my friend, she noted the irony of having summery flowers on a winter jumper. Whatever, it meant I didn't freeze today.
On my way to campus I picked up my train tickets for tomorrow's meet up in Birmingham, are any of you going? I had a ridiculous amount of fun last time, and even though I'm not staying for the night this time round, I can't wait to explore the Christmas Market.

xxx

ps, I created a FAQ page. Ultimate procrastination.

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It's always darkest before the dawn

Taupe Lambskin Medium Leather Pouch; £46; American Apparel. Copper Embellished Shorts; £58; Topshop. Bone Chiffon Tee; £40; American Apparel. The Collingdon Blazer; £269; Jack Wills. Python Serpent Heel; £195; Allsaints

Bow-embellished Suede Ankle Boots; £320; Red Valentino. Octet Key Pendant; £1,150; Tiffany. Glitter Velvet Bow Clutch; £28; Topshop. Melissa Dress; £175; Whistles.

Models Own "Mixed Up" Nail Polish; £5; via Motel. Aloë Lace Playsuit; £175; CoCo de Mer. The Huntsgrove Jumper; £125; Aubin & Wills. Poinsettia Boot Sock; £7.62; Free People.

Peacock have £5 pizzas (goats cheese, obviously). The Yule Ball gives me an opportunity to twirl around a dimly lit basement in a fairy dress. Then home means duvet snuggles with the usual suspects, lots of food, and a DVD or two.

Just because I'm turning twenty in a fortnight doesn't mean I have to grow up. Or aspire to have clothes I can afford.

I've been spending a lot of time being your cliché English student recently (poetry readings, open mics, film screenings, etc.) which has been FUN, but now I feel slightly delirious from lack of sleep. It was wonderful to meet Olivia a couple of days ago and talk about scones, trains, and the importance of taking the teabag out of your tea before putting the milk in (no joke, this is a really important issue). I just got another disposable camera developed so expect to see some (but definitely not all) of them here very, very soon.

xxx

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treats

Gemma dress; £20; Motel. Aldgate heeled chelsea boots; £70; Topshop. Masquerade necklace, £9; ElsieBelle. Vacation necklace; vintage.

Since the beginning of term I've tried hard to save money (a ban from coffee shops is currently in operation), but here are the things I've succumbed to. Massive love for the dress, my nod to the cutout trend, even if it's normally hidden beneath a cardigan in these chilly months. I've wanted a pair of chelsea boots for ages, so finally took the plunge when Topshop did a 20% student discount and chose these over the slightly less practical higher cherry red pair. I may have also indulged in Domino's pizza menu due to my (apparently weird?) love for feta cheese. Hey, everyone's got their vice...

xxx

Mandatory shot of me dancing around, trying not to get run over by dustmen:

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with a scowl in his pocket and a smile on his face

Reading about Starbuck in Starbucks.

I've been in the South of the country since Thursday, catching up with friends from home, and spending far, far too much time between coffee shops and Wetherspoons. I'm heading back to Liverpool tomorrow (with a rather large box of Twining's english breakfast tea) to see Arctic Monkeys and attempt to get through my reading list a little bit more. I'm also attending the Motel evening on Thursday, will I be seeing any of you there?

xxx

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I'm the ghost in the wrong coat

So, it's a lot harder to dye over ombre than I expected.

xxx

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it's a mixed up muddled up shook up world

There are always such wonderful surprises to be found at Amy's house!

xxx

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we've got a city to love

t-shirt; luella via ebay; £5. skirt; zara; £7. belt; primark; £1.50. cardigan; charity shop; £2.50. coat; topshop; £63.

IT'S FINALLY TIME FOR LAYERS.
So I present to you three photos indicating said layers, in which I look like an idiot.
(Featuring hair and make up, courtesy of walking up and down Liverpool's hills in gale force winds.)

xxx

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hell is empty, and all the devils are in middle-class england.

photos by paolo zerbini, styled by nic jottkandt, for i-d magazine.

these photos were taken in tilbury, essex. an essex just slightly different than portrayed on towie.

i'm going to go and make some important life decisions (i.e. whether to buy some new boots or not) over cold domino's, then start on my emily dickinson presentation for tuesday. student life is a cliché.

xxx

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noon burned gold into our hair

It's been quite busy recently.

Instead of walking straight back to my accommodation I decided to go for a wander around bits of Liverpool I'd never been to before. Lots of deserted car parks, bombed out buildings, rubble and brick walls. The Tobacco Warehouse looked so beautiful in the late afternoon light. I noticed a hole in the wall (next to where I'm standing in the second photo, actually) and through it was the most delightful canal.

A nice little break from reading and responsibilities. Then I had a jacket potato with coleslaw for dinner.

xxx

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t shirt; £20; arctic monkeys at don valley bowl gig (take me baaack). skirt; £15; topshop. belt; 20p; charity shop. tights; £1; topshop. boots; £30; topshop. bag; mother's. jacket (over bag); £22; primark. messy hair; c/o essex seaside breeze.

this is such a ridiculously "me" outfit. just minus a collar of some kind.
i'm back at university now, so no little quaint places like this to take photos in (thanks mum).
feeling a little bit lost, and drowning in "bleak house".

xxx

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an overgrown house party.

last photo by ashlea hugh

i attended brownstock festival for the second year in a row (see my post about last year's here). of course i managed to successfully avoid any of the professional photographers, yet i managed to go through a total of two and a half disposable cameras, as well as most of the film on my lomo fisheye (yet to be developed, the suspense/fear lies palpably inside my bag).
i don't know whether it's the board games, pianoke (there was a rather impressive rendition of parklife), or the mindset of the local rugby club to dress up (i saw mankinis, a french maid, and some nuns), but i just love brownstock. it's small, especially when compared to the only other nearby festival v, but that just adds to the charm. and lessens the queue for the mediterranean wraps. so good, i can't even.

and somehow we adopted/inherited/won a pink unicorn, christened dave.

xxx

ps, i've been featured by florrie on british style bloggers. click through if you fancy a little read about paying to wash your clothes and how film photography is fab.

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last ones standing

blouse; £3.99; st michael's via charity shop. skirt; £30; american apparel. belt; 10p; scouts via charity shop. shoes; £40; swedish hasbeens x h&m. sunglasses; £1; primark. bag; gift; marks and spencer limited collection.

taken in leigh-in-sea a few weeks ago, when it was sunny and could pass for summer.

i have to go to tesco and buy last minute (i.e. i forgot) stuff for this weekend's festivities chez morris farm. i'm a sucker for example, i'd never change the way i kiss him. follow me on twitter for fairly innocuous updates on my iniquitous behaviour.

pow

xxx

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a series of photos in which my hair covers my face

photos taken by oliver (i think?), jazzy, and charles.

i refuse to believe that summer's nearing it's end. i've still brownstock and varying birthdays and parties to look forward to. and there better be an indian summer (no doors reference intended) else i'll freeze during (re)freshers.

oh, and i met jazzy (aka hivenn) yesterday, maybe we should just set up a film photography appreciation society? just got to wait for me to finish the film and then i'll share them here (although the second photo does depict me falling over in front of the cathedral when i was with her). garlic vodka shots shouldn't exist, but they do, and so do jalapeño ones.

xxx

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'cause i sez so

pineapple tee; £??; topshop. floral shorts; £28.80; topshop. most amazing sunglasses in the world; £1; primark. socks; £1; topshop. shoes; £25; russell and bromley via ebay. necklaces; vintage and gifts.

it was selena's birthday yesterday and she had an inflatable palm tree, so i went dressed in embroidered pineapples. too much of this outfit is topshop (i'm beyond ashamed) but the bag was the prize i won in claire's (aka jazzpad) giveaway last year.

DISCLAIMER: there's a lot of concealer on my legs. in the words of natasha bedingfield, i bruise easily.

xxx

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