My goals for the next year

Recently I have been lazy in so many areas of my life so I've decided to write down a list of things that I want to achieve by this time next year and hopefully then I will stick to them.

1. Lose weight - I've had a gym membership for ages now but I'm so bad at going regularly, mainly because I feel like everyone judges me for not knowing exactly what to do. But I'm starting to realise that really no one else cares what I do in the gym because they're too focused on themselves. So by this time next year I want to lose 2 stone (which is probably unrealistic but a girl can always dream) so that I can stop being so self conscious about the way I look. 

2. Do more for my future - I'm realising more and more that grades are not the only thing that count when applying for jobs, and that experience is key for getting where you want to in life. This is the reason behind my plan to be proactive and gain as much experience in as many sectors as possible so that I have a clear view of where I realistically want to go in the future (job wise). 

3. Spend more time with people I love - since my school friends and I have all gone in different directions it's hard to find time to see each other and catch up, so I'm going to make more of an effort to arrange to see everyone that I want to. I also don't see some of my family as much as I would like to so in the next year I want to do more to make time for everyone that I care about. 

4. Be completely happy with myself - i think this is going to be the hardest for me personally as I've always been very judgemental of myself and have never been completely happy nor do I think I ever will. But I think it's very important to accept yourself for who you are and to change anything that you can't accept. If other people can love me for me then why shouldn't I be able to, right? 

My go to list for travelling

Summer is finally here and everyone seems to be getting excited for the chance to relax in the sun whether its on holiday or just in your own garden. This year I'm going to Spain with my family and my boyfriend and I can't wait. Summer holidays are definitely my favourite time of the year because everyone seems to be happier and more relaxed so I thought that I'd share my go to list to start packing.

1. Underwear 

2. Clothing - both for the beach and evenings

3. Swimwear

4. Make up and wipes

5. Skin products

6. Sun cream

7. Jewellery

8. Pillow for the plane 

9. Handbag 

10. Pyjamas 

11. Sunglasses 

12. Shoes - sandals/flip flops and heels 

13. Chargers

14. Adaptors 

15. Washbag including shampoo, conditioner, razor and deodorant

16. Toothbrush and toothpaste 

17. Medication

18. PASSPORT 

I have created a video if any of you are interested to see exactly what I have packed for my holiday including some of my favourite outfits! Follow the link to check it out https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UyxxzX_rdLY 

Working at a Bridal shop

So this summer I got a job at Woburn Bridal - a modern couture bridal boutique which has gorgeous vintage and handmade pieces from around the UK. It is still a fairly small business which has meant that I get to be more involved in the day to day running of it which is great experience for me. Having this job has helped me experience another area of fashion which I could possibly go into once I've finished uni. I love the whole vibe that customers give as it is a very exciting time in most people's lives to get married and by having this job I am able to potentially help complete the day for them.

This store is very much for the kind of bride who wants something a little different to the princess style dress that you seem to see everywhere now a day. Some dresses have a very 'boho' vibe to them and others are more traditional but have a modern twist just to add a little something to them.

My first year at university

So I started at the University of Northampton in September studying Fashion Marketing and as my first year is almost over, I thought I would share some of my experiences and tips for those of you who are in the stages of applying or are thinking about your options for next year. 

The first decision you'll have to make is which university you want to attend. Personally I chose Northampton as my first choice because it is fairly close to where I live, I have family who live in Northampton and I also didn't want to be too far from my boyfriend. It also is set on two campus's unlike city universities which I don't really like the feel of. 

The second is whether you want to live in halls or a private rent. I decided to stay in halls which are in the Northampton town centre and were the nicest ones that the uni had to offer. I actually loved staying in these halls because I made loads of friends. Next year i'm sharing a house with some of my girl friends which i'm SO excited for. 

In my opinion moving out definitely makes you grow up and get to know yourself better. I feel like more of an adult now that I've lived away from home as I haven't been able to rely on my mum to do everything for me. Having to do my own food shopping, washing up, and generally looking after myself was strange at first but it definitely gives you more freedom. Although it has been exciting, its also been hard as I have missed my parents and friends but luckily I have been able to come home quite often to visit everyone. 

Being careful with money has been a bit of a challenge but for me it's not been too bad. I'm quite good at saving and being careful with my money when buying food, clothes and other things. But if you're someone who isn't very good with money then I definitely recommend making a spending plan and sticking to it because you don't want to be struggling toward the end of each term and having to stress about money as trust me, there are going to be plenty of other things that you will be stressing about. 

Another tip I would give anyone in this position is to learn to cook a range of different foods. Before coming to uni I could cook some basic dishes but nothing fancy which was handy as you honestly won't have the money to be buying expensive food. Personally I found that if you're getting bored of cooking the same pasta dishes over and over, then start to share cooking with one or a few of your flat mates.. that way you'll be able to make more exciting dishes because you'll be sharing the cost and time it takes to make. 

But overall I think that the most important things is to enjoy yourself (while also studying of course) because at the end of the day you're paying £9000 a year for your lectures alone so what's the point in spending all this money if you aren't going to make the most of it - making memories while also getting a good grade to help kick start your future. 

My favourite lipsticks and wish list

Before coming to uni I never really wore lipsticks or anything with colour. But recently I've been trying out a few different colours and brands so I just thought I'd share some of my favourites ones so far and some that I want to buy soon.

1. Clinique - 21 toasted rose (high impact spf 15)

I love how this colour can be worn with pretty much anything as it's quite a neutral colour and it fairly matte so works for both a night out or just everyday make up.

2. Clinique - bamboo pink (long last lipstick)

This colour is pretty similar to the toasted rose but it is slightly lighter and has more of a shimmer to it. I also find that this colour can be worn whenever and wherever.

3. Soap and Glory - chocoberry (matte lip)

This is the most recent one that I bought and I love the colour. It is more pink than my Clinique ones so adds a little more colour to the whole look regardless of whether your make up is full coverage or not.

4. Mac - Mac red

This Mac lipstick is amazing - it's so pigmented and smooth to apply. It's definitely my most statement lip colour that I own and I would recommend it to anyone wanting to buy a bold red. 

5. Rimmel - as you want Victoria (moisture renew)

This is a gorgeous deep pink colour which is so glossy and pigmented that you don't need much to achieve a bold lip. I love how creamy this lipstick is as it seems to moisturise my lips at the same time. 

 

Comparisons:

Mac wish list: 

I tried all of these colours when I was at a friends house and instantly fell in love with these 4 colours.

1. Men love mystery 

 I don't own any purpley lipsticks right now but this first one was so different and gorgeous that I'm going to have to buy it soon.   

2. Mehr 

This is a gorgeous nude/brown colour that I found was similar to my toasted rose but seemed to be just that little bit more pigmented.

3. Retro matte dangerous 

This colour is fairly similar to my Mac red however it is much more matte and is slightly more orange I think. 

4. All fired up 

This was probably my favourite one out of the 4 as it is a gorgeous pink colour that I thought could be worn with just basic make up or to go out. 

So these were my favourites lipsticks and wishlist updates, I hope you enjoyed! 

My dog's wardrobe

Ever since we got Reuben from my Aunties house he has been spoilt by the whole family and treated as if he was a baby. He is a shorkie - his mum is a shih tzu and his dad is a yorkie. We've always dressed him up in all sorts of things from baby grows with socks to Santa outfits, partly because he gets cold easily but also because he just looks so cute in them. So I thought i'd show you a few of them.

Enjoy!

 

Valentine's and my boyfriend birthday

Valentine's Day and my boyfriends birthday are only 4 days apart so I have to be creative when thinking of presents in February.

This year I bought many things, including a sports massage and a weekend away at a hotel for the both of us. 

We went to a hotel in Market Bosworth and although the hotel itself wasn't the best, we had an amazing weekend together. 

Since I've been at uni, we don't get to spend as much time together as we used to so it's nice to be able to spend a few days just the two of us. 

For valentines he bought me a River Island handbag and some CK underwear which I was very grateful for. 

I'd definitely recommend a weekend away for anyone struggling for ideas for their other half.