Zara Haul!

Had such a mare. I usually just wonder round the Zara sale and never really pick up stuff like 'omg I must have this'. I'm trying to save up lately as I'm moving out my uni house into the big bad world, so I knew entering Zara would either be safe or a mistake. And it was a mistake. At one point I counted up all the items I wanted and it totalled to well over £150. Luckily I managed to walk out with just these two beauties (self control right there). I got this baggy cropped top with cute pineapple print all over it and this pale blue beautiful maxi dress with crochet back detail. They were both under £20 and I fell in love with them in the changing room so I had to get them. I nearly took away the leather bucket back which was £20 but I loved these two more (plus i'm already lusting over a bag in River Island...)

Have you bought anything from the current Zara sale?

Thanks for reading and hope you enjoyed this post. Follow for more :)

Missguided Haul

Chieko Daisy Print A-Line skirt - link here

Klaritta Open Back Rainbow Playsuit - link here

Spain World Cup Fan Crop top - link here

Merry Open Shoulder Cami top - link here

I was naughty on Missguided the other day and treated myself to these beauties. This is also the first time I've ordered a bunch of stuff and haven't wanted to return/exchange any of it! Safe! The instant I tried on this playsuit I fell in love, it's amazing and so pretty, I think I might have to wear this to work if weather permits! I'm a massive Spain fan and supporting them this World Cup so I bought this crop top so I can cheer them on with! This skirt is so cute, and I usually struggle with lengths with Missguided as i'm tall and they like to make everything so short usually so when I bend over or even lif my arms my knickers appear, but this fitted nicely and I liked the length! And finally this open shoulder cami, when I first put it on I thought it was a bit too big but the more I wore it I liked the oversized casual look to it so decided to keep it. Isn't it typical, the one time you hoped you wouldn't like things to get money back to carry on saving up you end up loving it all.. Oh well! The saving continues... For now....

Mulberry AW14 lust

How amazing is this Mulberry rucksack. Cara models it along with other new designs however this is my favourite one. I love the classic bayswater appearance of if, but in a rucksack form. Will definitely be saving up for this bad boy! 

 

University is over!

 That's it! 3 years of my life are now over. University has been, well, an experience. All through A Levels my Graphics tutor would repeatedly say 'You don't need my help, you wont be getting any at university!' and things like 'I've given you way too many notes, you'll have to do your own at university!' and my favourite, 'If you do this in university you'd fail straight away!'. Yes, she tried, but I don't think nothing can prepare you for a fashion course at uni.

 I knew that first year is just meant for partying, and I've always been last minute Laura. I joined the university cheerleading squad and don't know what I would've done if I hadn't of. I made so many amazing friends, was constantly out drinking with them and managed to keep extremely fit in between drinking and nap sessions. Cheerleading definitely made my university experience and I don't think I would've survived 3 years without it and the girls I met!

 During the summer I did work experience at New Look head office which was amazing. I did it for 2 weeks then was offered a job there for Summer, so obviously I took it. I feel like I learnt more at work experience than at university, so it was definitely beneficial.

 Second year was fun as well, when I found out none of the grades counted for our final year, that's it! It was like 1st year again. At one point I went out every single night for about 2 months. I also got a job at a nightclub which I enjoyed way too much. I met so many fun people working in a nightclub and learnt to survive on about 2 hours sleep, very useful skill. I recommend a job at a nightclub or bar so much if you're in a university with a big busy nightlife, you'll definitely be sorted for life (Free entry etc.) it saved me so much money and still does!

 Third year however has been a struggle! My motivation was down after the first two hand-ins as they were pretty huge. My final major project has also been one of the biggest struggles of my life! I cannot do long projects, I keep changing my mind and interests, I like lots of short projects like in 1st and 2nd year. Handing in my FMP was one of the biggest reliefs ever! So glad it's over, but absolutely dreading the grade! Not even funny how much I'm dreading it!

 As soon as it was near the end of uni I started looking for jobs. By chance the job I really wanted for a brand I really wanted to work for became available so I applied for it straight away. I was over the moon I got an interview and literally cried with happiness when I was offered it. Not only that, head office got in touch and said they wanted me as well! Not only am I working in store doing what I love, but I also get to work for head office too some days a week! This literally is my dream job right now and can't believe how lucky I am to have got it!

 

 So now I begin the next chapter of my life. I've made some amazing friends I hope to keep with me for a very long time and hope (PRAY) I end up with a decent final degree. I intend to keep up blogging (will force myself) and cannot wait for my new amazing job. I WILL take over the fashion world, one mannequin and window display at a time..

My Weekend at Nationals!

 Every year thousands of cheerleaders descend to Nottingham at the last weekend of March for what is the biggest event in the cheerleading calender for UK cheer, Nationals. It's a massive competition where hundreds of teams compete. It's not just for cheerleading however, jazz dance, pom dance and even hip hop dance compete.

 This was my 3rd Nationals as a competitive cheerleader and my second on a hip hop team. I attended Nationals with my university squad, the Solent Ravens. We have 3 competitive squads, being the All Girl Level 3, Hip hop and the Level 3 Stunt group (who came 1st in their division!).

My competition squad stunt group aka team YOLO

 Nationals is a long weekend full of hairspray, glitter and screaming girls everywhere, but it's definitely a weekend to remember. I enjoy watching all the allstar squads who are amazing, such as my favourite Unity Black. When they hit the mat, every single person in the arena runs to watch and even get their phones out to film them, they're amazing.

 The Solent Ravens are a new squad who have only been running for 4 years, which is nothing compared to the standard of squads we compete with. We've come a long way over the years and it's exciting being part of a new and upcoming squad. We faced a huge number of challenges along the road to Nationals, with so many girls injuring themselves (me included) but we all made it and gave it the best we could, are more importantly, had fun.

Hip Hop Squad

 I enjoy being a cheerleader so much as it's physically demanding and challenging, but also so enjoyable and honestly, addicting. I cannot express the feeling and sensation of being on the competition mat, it's amazing. I remember in my second year of competitive cheer at a competition in Loughborough, I had pulled my groin muscle so badly it really hurt to walk and even stand on, however the pain disappeared whilst I was on the mat as the adrenaline and excitement just took over.

 We stayed at this amazing hotel, and had the luxury of free access to a pool, jacuzzi and sauna, that was open till late at night. I'm not a fan of swimming or pools at all, but as soon as I got into the heated pool and boiling hot jacuzzi, I was overfilled with happiness. Definitely want a jacuzzi in my house now. We even hit the jacuzzi and pool hours before we competed on the second day. Not sure any other cheer squad competing could have said they had just left a jacuzzi before they performed!

Jacuzzi and Pool time!

 On the Saturday evening, the squad all enjoyed a pizza and chill night together. I had never seen so much pizza in one place at one time.  I was starving as well so my pizza didn't last longer than 3 minutes.. It was so nice to relax and have fun with my friends. Especially afterwards with a bottle of wine and music with the girls I was sharing a room with.

Being silly with my besties

 Overall the weekend was so fun and it makes me want to be a competitive cheerleader forever. I will definitely be one of those cheer mums when I'm older, making my little girl be the best cheerleader in the world.

My Fashion Career Story.. So far...

We've all been there.. ''What do I do when I grow up?!''... ''Which direction of fashion do I go into?!''... Read my story of how I got to knowing I wanted to be a future top Visual Merchandising Queen..

TUMBLR

Ever since I was a little girl I’ve always known I’ve wanted a career in fashion. I made my mum get me some fashion designer kit one Christmas when I was really young and loved it; from then on I was adamant I was going to be a future top successful fashion designer. At school, whenever someone would ask me what I wanted to do when I grow up, was always answered with ‘’fashion designer’’. However for a week it once changed to hair dresser, but switched right back. Always knowing I’ve wanted to be in fashion helped so much with GCSE options and A Level choices as I chose courses I knew would lead me in the right direction. 

At 16 I got my first retail job in New Look, a brand I’ve basically grown up with as my mum has worked for them since forever. Here I had my first taste a visual merchandising. I’ve always loved looking at shop windows, I find them so interesting and the concept of grabbing a customer’s attention via styling on a mannequin in the window which they’d potentially look at for a good 5 seconds before choosing whether or not to enter your store is exciting. Through me constantly bugging and trying to get involved whenever I can, I was given the chance to be the store Window/Mannequin specialist. I think I was either 17 or 18 when this happened and I was so excited. The responsibility motivated me so much and I took the role a little too seriously for a part time job, however I loved it so much. I’d come in early to change the mannequins, bust forms and the windows whenever they needed doing (and even when they didn’t). Even tidying the windows from dust and smudge marks excited me, as I had my very own role and responsibility!

PICTURE SOURCE

Then came University. I researched all the places which had fashion courses to offer, all of them advertising that they wanted students who had completed a Foundation Art degree. Now I had my heart set on NOT doing a Foundation art degree, doing a AS Level in Fine Art killed it for me, after GCSE Art and 2 A Levels in an art subject (Graphics and Fine Art) made me want to stop Art and just focus on fashion, I had enough of it. I applied and interviewed for places and mostly was turned away at application process as I hadn’t got my Foundation. Now this was horrible, was seriously considering saying no to university full stop and working my way up instead. Luckily I received an offer for an Interview for Epsom University. Went and looked around and then came to the group portfolio showing. Wow. Now I realised why they ask for a foundation art degree. These girl’s portfolios were jam packed! I went away knowing I hadn’t got in and debated this bloody Foundation art degree, HOWEVER along came Southampton Solent and offered me a place. Yes! Was so happy.

 

I came to University knowing I was going to be a Visual Merchandiser. The course I’m on is so varied in fashion that we do it all. PR, Styling, Buying and Merchandising.. You name it we do it (apart from pattern cutting which I’m definitely not complaining about). This left me in a panicking state a few  months ago when my course leader told us to start applying for jobs. What do I want to do now as I’ve tasted so much fashion industry choices?! 

 During my time at university however, I had completed a load of work experience at New Look head office, yes this brand is a brand very close to my heart! I was the International Visual Marketing Assistant and bloody loved it. Apart from the half 6 in the morning wake ups, it was so fun and it was definitely a career choice I wanted to pursue. The head office itself was amazing; I’d find myself wandering around just ogling all the shoes and pretty clothes. I even got to attend a few Press Days which I absolutely loved. I mainly worked in the Visual Marketing department but my role required me to work with other departments as well, so I got to see and taste all of it, and I loved it. During my time here I learnt more about Visual Merchandising and the nitty gritty details of it. I was involved in training workshops and even got to assist in creating training modules to send to Field VM Managers to train their VMs in their regions! By the time I left I felt so confident in my visual merchandising knowledge.

PICTURE SOURCE

  My Visual favourites are the obvious, being Selfridges London and designer brands such as Louis Vuitton and Chanel. One of my favourites has to be the Louis Vuitton gold dinosaur skeleton concept as I bloody love dinosaurs and love LV, it was genius. The dream is to one day reach this level. I want to style and go nutty in the windows for one of these brands, with an amazing Visual Merchandising budget I can imagine, and let creativity loose on the mannequins and concept. It'll take a lot to get there. The reason I cannot continue my story is because I don't know the next steps. I'm completely stuck on what to do next, trying to find a VM job role right now but there's little out there I can find and I need to concentrate on finishing this bloody FMP for my degree. 

PICTURE SOURCE

 I hope you've enjoyed reading my story. If you're stuck on what to do next, don't worry, as i'm trying not too! I'm just hoping that destiny will occur and the right oppurtunity and what to do next will just happen and it's meant to be...

Wish List

I have like, zero pence to my name at the minute. I have no time to work overtime due to FMP and major cheerleading competitions and everyone is so expensive. To make myself feel slightly better about not buying everything I want, instead i'll blog about them.

1. ASOS Lattice Strap Waist Cut Out Swimsuit, £32

ASOS

 In a few weeks i'm travelling to Spain for a week on tour. Tour is basically a massive sports team piss up week, i'll blog about it later. I hate these costumes for tanning purposes, but for tour you don't really tan as it's not hot enough, you just drink and try to look pretty (whilst incredibly bloated from all the alcohol) so this beauty would be perfect.. if I had a spare £32 to spend on a costume just to stand round and try and look pretty in...

2. New Look Light Blue Acid Wash Short Dungarees, £24.99

New Look

How adorable are these dungarees. I love the light blue acid wash look as well. I'd love to wear a novelty tshirt underneath it as well, really rock the 90s kid look.

3. Topshop NINA Jelly Sandals in Black, £24

TOPSHOP

I had a pair of jelly shoes when I was a child but they were flat as mother wouldn't let me have the heeled version, even though I don't agree with children wearing heels so right on mother! But now i'm a big girl aka 21 years old I think it's time I was able to wear proudly a paid of HEELED jelly sandals.


4. Tobi Native Breeze Cardigan, £28 (was £41)

Tobi

I love this aztec/navajo style cardigan and I love how it's styled as well, very LA beach cool, kind of reminds me of Miley before she cut of all her hair, bleached it blonde and went nutty. You remember the Miley i'm on about? Long brown wavy hair? Always out in denim shorts and carrying cute puppies or bottles of water everywhere? Aaah I miss that Miley..


Well this is all I can handle before getting upset at my lack of funds. Hope you all agree in my choices!

Till next time!

I'm back!

As part of my university project I gave myself a digital detox to experiment with the process of blogging without internet. Instead of using my online blog, I used different formats such as flyers, letters, postcards and a personal journal/scrapbook. It was nice as I feel pressured to keep up blogging for follower counts and views etc, but it also made me miss reading other blogs and posting on my own, especially since I now have a nice new camera. But now the detox is over and i'm back and plan to keep on blogging.

Through trying to promote my 'blog posts' through letters and postcards/flyers and seeing how difficult it was to recieve responses during my detox, I now want to focus on maximising attention to my blog and getting the follower and views count up. I will do this through social networking as much as I can with my blog, also leaving responses on other people's blogs so they are attracted to visiting mine also.

It's good to be back on Blogger and I look forward to blogging as soon as I can!