October Wishlist

September has been unseasonably warm. Today I wore a skirt, loose top and sandals and it's October in three days. Where are the fluffy scarfs? Where are the plaid shirts? CAN SOMEONE GET ME A PUMPKIN SPICE LATTE.

But I have no doubt that the winter chill will draw in and so I obviously need a new wardrobe. One that consists of coats, boots, big jumpers and massive scarfs.

I am absolutely dying to own a pair of pink converse. They just look so cool! I also think the green coat paired with the floral dress and black backpack would look great together. Add in some black tights and chunky black boots and you've got an outfit.

1) Nightdress
2) Shorts
3) Dress
4) Coat
5) Converse
6) Scarf
7) Jumper
8) Backpack
9) Watch



Disclaimer: this post is not sponsored.

13 things every fresher should know

When I first arrived at Uni I was a naive 18 year old with no experience of washing my own clothes, cooking for myself or being an independent human being. But two years on I feel generally I am actually a grown up. I buy my own food, cook questionable meals and wash my own clothes without bleeding the colours.

1) Buy a packet of colour catchers. These will be your laundry life savers. Now you can put purple towels with white pants and never live in fear again.

2) Your diet will mainly consist of tinned foods for the first few weeks. Stock up in your first food shop and avoid the fresh food. Let's be honest. You'll be drunk most of the time you wont even have time to make it to the fridge.

3) Ah the dreaded freshers flu. Stay hydrated and purchase LOTS of Lemsip Max cold and flu relief capsules. These are a lifesaver.

4) Let's not waste time here. You're going to buy a Netflix subscription sooner or later.

5) Go to ALL THE THINGS. Its the easiest way to make friends and find new things you like.

6) Sainsbury's basics really isn't that bad.

7) Don't give out your real email address to companies. They will bombard you with spam. It will be awful. Save yourself the time and make up a fake one.

8) Ah the joy of getting a free pen.

9) Don't complain about how much work you have. Really. First year doesn't count you just have to pass!

10) You're going to put on weight. It's inevitable. Booze + cheap drunk food = increasing waistline.

11) Those 'best buds' you made in freshers week... bet you can't even remember their name by first week.

12) Student houses kind've suck. It's just a thing you have to deal with.

13) Uni is the best thing ever but it's not weak to feel homesick or hate it with a passion. It's more important that you're happy with all your choices than to do something just because your parents, friends, career advisor tells you to.



Disclaimer: this post is not sponsored.

Home Style: Covering a pouf!

In May myself and my family moved into a new house. It is an amazing new home for us but the only problem was... I didn't have any furniture. The plan was i'd go to University and when I came back my bedroom would be finished. However, I came back from Uni a little early and my parents had already smashed up all my furniture and got rid of my bed. Oops.

We managed to find an old mattress for me to use (my dad is a bit of a hoarder) and that was my bedroom. For months I slept on the floor with no cabinets, no where for my things, in a giant double bedroom. It was a little roomy. 

I'll be doing a blog post on my new bedroom when I go back home so look out for that if you want to know the full story. Eventually we bought a new bed and cabinets but there was just something missing. I was searching the pages of Pinterest when it hit me. I NEED A POUF!

Thanks to my Dads hoarding skills he still had one from my parents first ever sofa. Although... tt wasn't exactly the thing I had in mind. 

It's just a little dated to say the least. But I had a vision. 

Firstly the top was attached to the base with elastic straps. Not good. So I snipped them off as I thought it'd be easier to cover than battling between the straps. 

I started with the base and chose a white fabric with a small flower print, just enough to catch the light without being too FLOWER POWER. I admittedly was a little slapdash with this part of the pouf. I literally laid the fabric over the top, stapled it to the bottom and snipped off the edges. 

I folded around the corners of the base so that it would look a little less DIY and a bit more professional. I hope it worked. Next for the cushion.

This was a little trickier as it was round and a domed shape. Far from my usual square fold cushion. 

I started by making a test piece with some old fabric I had in the house so that I could roughly guess the size and shape that I needed. And even if it was completely wrong I could always start over again, thankfully not wasting my expensive fabric. 

To do this I laid the cushion down on the old fabric and drew around the whole piece. Then cut out two of these and sewed them together. 

This gave me a rough shape to work with but it was a little big. So I simply stitched along again about a quarter of an inch to see what size I would need for the cushion... This happened about 5 times. Once I was happy with the size of the fabric I needed I placed it onto my fabric and cut around. 

As you might see from this photo I decided to hem my fabric before sewing it together. This was purely because the opening end of the fabric where the cushion would go into was difficult to sew together and looked INCREDIBLY messy without a hem. Not something I wanted for my 'professional' pouf. So I pined my fabric in place, ironed along the outer edge and hemed. 

Then I sewed the two pieces together and put my cushion inside. It took a lot of wriggling and faffing with the cushion to actually get it inside but IT FIT. Thankfully. 

And here is the finished result. 

I'm really pleased with the result. I really like the contrasting fabrics and it fits in so well within my new room. Ideally I would have liked a more snug fit on the cushion however, I'm not the best sewer in the world and many of my skills are thanks to my Nans tireless efforts when I was a child and trial and error. 

I also had some left over fabric to make tiebacks for my curtains. But you'll have to wait for my room tour to see those.

I hope this gives you some inspiration for your bedrooms and shows you that anybody can attempt a bit of DIY.

Disclaimer: this post is not sponsored.

BROW THIS WAY!

Our eyebrows hold so much power and most of us don't even realise. We use them to show our emotions, our disgust, our love, our disbelief, and all without even knowing we're doing it. Which is why it is so important to make sure our eyebrows tell the story we want them to.

I have been in a love hate relationship with my eyebrows since I can remember. I naturally have dark brown hair with red touches. HOWEVER, my eyebrows seem to have inherited the blonde/non existent gene. How did that even happen? This has led to many a rouge eyebrow, discoloured brows and even one day when I went out and had forgotten to do both of them. Oh the horror of catching yourself in a mirror in Topshop and realising you looked like a one eye browed crazy person. 

I recently picked up the Rimmel Brow This Way, a excellent dupe for the Benefit gimmie brow, for £6.99 in Boots. This excited me very much. So I thought I'd give you all, especially fellow brow battleists, a review. 

Here I am au natural brow. What a horror. 

WHERE EVEN ARE THEY. Thank GOD I have my trusty Benefit Brow Zings to save the day. Yes, this product is a little pricey but I definitely think it is worth the money. So here we have the progression from no brows, to some brows with Brow Zings and the finale with Brow This Way.

A DEFINITE IMPROVEMENT.

Brow This Way works in the same way as your mascara by picking up on the individual hairs to make your brows look as natural as possible. Despite the rather oversized brush I really like this product will definitely be repurchasing it. 

Disclaimer: This post is not sponsored. I just love Rimmel.

Designer VS Highstreet

I cant be the only one that drools over designer; one day hoping, wishing, PRAYING, that I'll be able to afford even just one piece. But when you could buy a small car or a beautiful pair of shoes... there really is no contest.

My favourite shoe designer has got to be Christian Louboutin. I pine over the red soles and lust after the delicious leathers and suede's in his latest collection on a daily basis. I seriously cannot get enough. I am determined to wear Christian Louboutin on my wedding day, even if I have to rent out my house.

For this edition of Designer VS Highstreet I thought it only right then that we start with my favourite. Look at these bad boys. Strappy, shiny and the thinest heel my eyes have ever seen - holy hell I am in love. But these beauty's cost a staggering £795.00. That's more than my first car and the years insurance. And as much as I may love them, I don't think my bank account would agree.

So I thought, let's bring designer to the highstreet and hunt down some similar looking purse friendly styles.

Topshop £79.99 

These are my personal favourites. I love the slight sheen on the toe with the contrasting straps that are almost bondage meets the ballet. I also think that the point on the toe is a major advantage as a strap across your calf can cut off your legs and make you look dumpy but the pointed toe will elongate your legs and bring the focus of your outfit down to a fine point.

New Look £24.99

Admittedly these are my least favourite of my selections but I have a feeling these shoes would look great with a bright midi dress or jeans and massive knitted jumper. These are a great variation on the Louboutin as they have a chunkier heel and a wide strap across the front toe but these would be great for day wear, walking around town or having a lunch date. A little less glam but the most wearable.

Zara £59.99

Finally we meet Zara with this strappy buckled pair. I love the leather styling on these as it's constrained yet with the contrast of the wide gaps between the straps there's an element of fun and a fine balance between wear-ability and restraint.

What would you like me to do for my next Designer vs Highstreet?



Disclaimer: This post is not sponsored.

#FashionFriday My top looks from London Fashion Week

It is only right that for this weeks #fashionfriday I look at some of my favourite looks from London Fashion Week. It is my dream to one day sit front row in London Fashion Week. Watching the likes of Cara Delvigne and Kate Moss strut down the catwalk in the most fabulous clothes my eyes have ever seen and rubbing shoulders with Anna Wintour. Cause we all have those dreams right?

Day one

Daks, Felder Felder, Fyodor Golan, Shrimps, Trager Delaney 

I am completely in love with the Fyodor Golan dress. The work on the top is incredible, my eyes cannot get enough.

Day two

Barbara Casasola, House of Holland, Julien MacDonald, Julien MacDonald, Orla Kiely

I could have picked everything from Julien MacDonald's collection. It was truly an incredible work of art. The sheer decadence of every piece and the flow from look to look was extraordinary. Seriously amazing. 

We're also seeing a lot of white, blue and sheer in the collections so far with a hint of 60's/70's inspired shapes. 

Day three

David Koma, David Koma, Mary Katrantzou, Matthew Williamson, Pringle of Scotland

If only I could get my hands on that Matthew Williamson gown for my graduation ball. It is to die for. 

Day four

Peter Pilotto, Burberry Prorsum, Burberry Prorsum, Giles, Mother of Pearl

I simply cannot get enough of that white gown. And Burberry's denim jackets. Don't mind if I do.

Day 5

H by Hakaan Yildirim, H by Hakaan Yildirim, Isa Arfen, Fashion East, Osman

Day 5 saw a 60's retro inspiration which I am very excited for. Love the pink dress and soft pastel tones. And may I just say, the bumble bee jumper from H by Hakaan Yildirim - so beautiful. 

London Fashion Week was truly amazing this year with some incredible lines awaiting us for Spring/Summer 15 and I cannot wait to get my hands on them.

Disclaimer: this post is not sponsored.  

Photo credit: http://www.londonfashionweek.co.uk/

TV Tuesday - Our Zoo

I love a period drama as much as the next person. Corsets, the war, a bit of servant scandal and I am hooked. Upstairs Downstairs, Downton Abbey, Mr Selfridge are my favourites to name a few. And now the BBC has bought us another period drama beauty in Our Zoo.

Our Zoo tells the story of a family living in Cheshire after the first world war. We meet George and his family and from the first episode we are dropped right into the world of life after the war; the struggle to find a new passion after the horrors of war have left both a physical and mental scar.

The programme tells the story of how Chester Zoo came to be. With a new exotic animal appearing every few minutes and a camel living in the back yard, the family all struggle to grasp George's new hobby. Quite understandably, I mean a camel in your back garden might freak you out just a little bit.

 I love Our Zoo. I think it does an excellent job of pointing out how the very first zoo's were used to save animals from the terrible conditions of the circus or being put to death. The BBC have done an incredible job in telling this amazing story. From the camera angles to the lighting, costumes, setting, we are transported to 1930 and are a fly on the wall in this new family drama.

I will definitely be watching again this Wednesday at 9pm on BBC1.



Disclaimer: This post is not sponsored.

Home Style: Bright Office

I love a bit of country chic as much as the next person and that's probably what I'll have in my home when I'm older. But whenever I'm browsing through the pages of homebase, dunelm or ikea I am always drawn to the bright colours, exciting shapes and just wishing I was brave enough to make my whole house an exciting experience of every colour under the rainbow. Maybe I'll have a secret bright room in my house just for me, who knows?!

These are a couple of my favourite bright spaces from Pinterest. I especially love the lights arrow and kiss wall art. Deliciously Vegas.

(1,2,3,4)

If all out brights aren't for you, why not add just a touch like we see in the fourth picture. Adding one bright accessory lifts the room and gives you a focal or conversation piece for the room. And if you're working, you might as well add a bit of entertainment. Even if it is a rug. 

So here are a few of my favourite pieces from my hunt of the internet. I wanted to add a soft touch to the bright furniture so that rather than working in a headache inducing room, its a room of calm serenity and happiness. I especially love the deer head, with the pinks blues and greens all featured and picked out throughout the pieces. 

1) Desk £69.99

2) Chair (for two) £31.99

3) Rug £69

4) Chest of Drawers £199

5) Lamp £71

6) Clock £51.52

7) Deer figurines £55.53

8) Candle holders each £6 

9) Deer head £85

10) Cushion £25

Disclaimer: this post is not sponsored.

#FashionFriday: Newlook

Have you ever had those days when you're just wandering around town and you think about what you're wearing... and then you realize you're wearing your entire outfit from one shop? No? Just me? But why is this such a bag thing. It saves you time because you're not traipsing from shop to shop on a hunt for the perfect outfit and you know you're getting something of relatively the same quality whether that be primark or gucci.

Despite the fact it's gloriously sunny and 19 degrees outside I'm on the hunt for autumn winter outfits. Newlook has some fantastic new things in their 'new in' section. I am loving the styles they have available for this winter. There's something for everyone; beads, parkas, cut out boots, I could go on forever.

Here's my pick of Newlook's new in section. If only they had a big floppy hat...

My personal favourites are the mustard jumper and the tartan scarf. I feel these are essential for my winter wardrobe and I must purchase them immediately.

1. Jumper £19.99
2. Shirt £17.99
3. Jeans £22.99
4. Shoes £27.99
5. Socks £2.99
6. Bag £22.99
7. Watch £17.99
8. Scarf £14.99
9. Necklace £7.99


Disclaimer: This post is not sponsored.

20 things I should've told my 15 year old self.

There are some periods of our lives that we really wish we could go back and scream WHAT ARE YOU DOING. 15 year old Ally is one of those. So if I had the chance, here's the list of things I would tell myself.

1) Put down the straighteners. Your hair is straight anyway!
2) Step away from the chocolate bar.
3) Watch your language. You've turned into a right potty mouth.
4) It's okay to feel like shit but don't let it eat you up.
5) Contrary to popular opinion, you are not the only girl left in school not to have kissed someone.
6) The girls in school aren't having as much sex as they say they are.
7) Go out and experience the world. People aren't as scary as they seem.
8) You don't need a Jane Norman bag to be cool.
9) Put down the twilight, step away from the posters DVDs fan books and graphic novel and go read some dickens.
10) Your P.E teacher does not have it in for you. You just don't like rounders... Or any exercise for that matter.
11) Being a stressed out grumpy teenager passes, you will find out who you are eventually. It just takes time!
12) Wear less black.
13) Finding a boyfriend isn't the key to happiness.
14) Clean your contact lenses more often.
15) Don't cut your hair off when you're 17, you'll spend the next 3 years trying to grow it back.
16) You have some amazing friends right now.
17) The next few years are going to test you. Don't worry, you'll make it out alive but you must go through it!
18) STOP BITING YOUR NAILS PLEASE!!!
19) Buy an epilator. This is vital.
20) Be who you are. Have faith that you are a great person and will only grow into a better one.


All this being said, if I hadn't been the person I was at 15, I wouldn't be the same person I am at 20. As much as I hated being a teenager and some parts of my life, the past 5, even 20, years of my life have shaped me into the person I am today and I really wouldn't have it any other way.

TV Tuesday: DIYSOS

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006pnjk

DIY:SOS is one of those programmes that indulges my love of redecoration as well as tugging on the heart strings. Seriously, I cry like a baby. Everytime. And I am so very glad it is back on our screens with the big build.

For those of you who haven't seen it, DIY:SOS isn't like your ordinary home renovation show. They work specifically with families and people in need. From disabled children to activity centres, they work to help those who desperately need them. And that's why I think they are amazing. They are so focused on giving back, getting everyone from the community to come together, work together, bond and help someone they don't even know. It's magic.

In a world that is becoming increasingly more self involved, it is so lovely to see a programme solely focused on the needs of others doing so well.

 Last week they featured a family living in a completely unsafe house, especially considering their baby son only had 2% of his brain. He was incredible. I was completely in awe of his abilities and his parents strength in making him the best little boy he could be. Their family had really struggled and DIY:SOS came along, not to change their lives, but to make them just a little bit easier.

And that's what they're there for; to make lives just a little bit better for those who really need it.

If you want to get involved, or if you need some help, go to https://ssl.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006pnjk/contact to get involved. DIY:SOS shows on Thursdays at 8pm on BBC1.

I really do hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

Home Style: Modern Office

When we think of modern styling we think clean lines and simple decor with just a touch of luxury thrown in. When I was much younger and naive I thought modern styling meant glass everything, chairs, tables, cabinets, you name I thought modern meant glass. That was until I discovered that modern isn't just about shiny cheap plastic, glass tables and white walls. It's about bringing together the new and the old, merging old ideas with a new way of doing them. Here are just a few of my favourite shots from pinterest;

(1,2,3,4)

I do really just love the look of modern style. It's clean cut, symmetrical and everything is just polished to perfection. Even more so, I love the third picture with just the hint at nature with the potted plants on the window. In a world that's constantly battling between nature and the future of mankind, it's nice to see where the two sometimes interact. I also loooveee a photo gallery with a passion. Black or white clean cut frames with all kinds of photos in just makes me want to drool, die and go to heaven. I will have many galleries in my house. 

So here are just a few of my favourite choice pieces for creating that modern look. I think a nice warm grey accent wall with wooden skirting would look amazing. I especially love that rug. I'm a Pinterest girl, love a bit of chevron. 

1) Desk £200

2) Paper Tray £16

3) Clock £49.99

4) Speech bubble chalk board £12

5) Light £49

6) Rug £19.99 

7) Flowers £25

8) Cushion £3.99

9) Candles £1.99

10) Chair £140

5 Fashion trends I just do not understand.

There are so many beautiful things that the fashion industry brings us; big floppy hats, 60's inspired tailoring and the beautiful gowns of Emilio Pucci or Christian Siriano. But there are just some things that I cannot seem to get my head around.

1) The choker 

WHY IS THIS BACK?! I am all for a bit of 90's fashion, love a chunky heel and a scrunchie. I'm only 20 so chokers really weren't that long ago for me but come on, chokers. You have got to be kidding me. They remind me of being an incredibly unstylish 6 year old who borrowed her older sisters choker because she thought it was cool. The harsh black itchy plastic that just sat around your neck in a ridiculous flower pattern that yes, did leave prints on your neck when you took it off. What's wrong with a high necklace over a jumper or a SCARF!?!?

2) Surgical gap tooth

This is actually something that really bothers me. When I was younger, I had a massive gap tooth that I thought would never grow over. Some people rocked that look, I unfortunately was not one of them. With glasses, frizzy hair and a bit of chub, a gap tooth was not the sexiest look I could have been rocking. Some people look great with them. Georgia Jagger or SprinkleofGlitter look amazing with them. But to surgically create something purely because it's in fashion. Now that I don't understand. You can put veneers on your teeth fine but that doesn't change what you are naturally born with, that only changes the surface appearance. But a surgical procedure just to fulfil the fashions of A/W 2013. No thanks.

3) Skirt/shorts combination

Is it a skirt? Is it a pair of shorts? Who the fuck knows what's going on down there.

4) Culottes

Namely I just have a thing about culottes and this specifically stems from my Brownie days. I was a brownie before the fashionable stripy comfy clothes they wear now. I wore a polo with a brownie jumper (which yes I still have) and CULOTTES. Long dark brown itchy culottes. They were the bane of my life. I hated them. They made me look like a bag on legs. And I have since sworn that I will NEVER wear culottes again no matter how fashionable they might become.

5) SWAG/GEEK tshirts

Clearly if you're wearing it you are neither of these things as you would not wish to go through the humiliation and bullying of being called this by those who do indeed wear the t-shirts.


Disclaimer: This post is not sponsored.

#FashionFriday: My Vinted Experience

I'm sure by now we've all heard and downloaded the latest craze in shopping online - Vinted. For those of you who don't know, Vinted is an app where users sell, buy and swap all types of fashion. Simply put, its a more specific version of ebay... but with better results.

I'd be browsing Vinted for a while. Just having a look around, seeing what types of things users were posting when I saw a watch I liked. I'm not normally one for buying second hand online because you can never be sure of the quality of the product, how damaged it is and whether or not it is actually the brand they say they are. I'm just not going to risk my money for that. But this watch was beautiful. After scouting round for a cool, funky watch that was slightly out of the norm, I had found it. It was a £4 plus shipping. Now don't get me wrong, that's a fine price for a watch, but I just was unsure about what I would really be getting for my money, especially with a relatively new app. So I held back, resisted and vowed I'd find something somewhere else...

And then. An email arrived. Vinted had offered me a £10 voucher. BRILLIANT NEWS. You could buy one item and use the voucher to pay/get money off. This was it. I didn't really have to part with any money, even better since at this point I had £7 in my bank account. So I did it. All I paid was the £2.58 for shipping. Excellent!

I wasn't too sure how the app would work but it was very good for guiding me through exactly how to get the product. I just had to say I wanted it and wait for the seller to get back to me about when she would send it. Really easy. I ordered at 8.54pm on the 19th and by the 22nd the watch was in my hands. I literally couldn't believe it. It was exactly what was on the description, no con in my bank account and really fast delivery. Amazing.

So what does this watch look like I hear you cry. Well here you go. It's a bright green with stripes through the middle. It's quite large on the wrist, I have to use the smallest hook but I do have really small wrists so it's only a slight niggle. But for £2.50 I couldn't be happier with it.

Disclaimer: This post is not sponsored. Please be aware that just because I had a positive experience does not mean all experiences are the same. Contact Vinted customer support for any queries.

TV Tuesday: Gossip Girl

For the past few weeks I feel like I've been living in the Upper East Side and I'm now more than ever convinced that Blair and I would make great best friends. I've been sucked into the world of scandal, secrets and lies of a few New York teenagers and I completely blame Netflix and their '10 seconds to the next episode' downfall. 

For those of you who haven't seen the show, this post may contain a few spoilers. So sit down, relax, log into Netflix and enjoy your downward spiral into the scandalous lives of Manhattan's elite. 

I just couldn't get enough. 6 series and 121 episodes later I'd become addicted. When the first season opened it was clear that backstabbing and bitching were at the forefront of this show, and I think the boys were worse than the girls. The battle for Blair had begun. And it was great. 

The whole show is a battle of characters, with Serena battling Blair for the top spot, and Jenny trying to take down Blair but also scheming against Serena and then dating Nate to annoy Blair but Blair loving Chuck who slept with Jenny and then Dan loving/lusting after Serena, then Vanessa, then HILARY DUFF. Who knows what's going on. Gossip Girl interbreeds friendships before the first episode has even begun! 

And Georgina. Oooooof GEORGINA. THE BROWN HAIR BIGGEST BADEST BIG OF THE UPPER EAST SIDE. What a nightmare. A loveable and annoying nightmare. Coming in just to stir things up and you knew after that, the aftermath was going to be epic. 

But now I've finished Gossip Girl, I need another scandalous fix to satisfy my Upper East Side needs. Any suggestions?

You know you love me. XOXO. 

Disclaimer: This post is not sponsored.

Home Style: Country Office

I don't know about you but I love scrolling through the home decor tag on Pinterest or turning on Sarah Beeny's Selling Houses or Grand Designs on a Saturday morning. I love getting my fix of a good sofa and cream rural kitchen and I simply cannot be alone in this. 

When I think about my future, I would love to have my own house and have it exactly how I want. But I have so many ideas and styles for what I want that it's hard to organise that in my head. So here's the home style section of my blog. Room by room, style by style every Monday (apart from the last monday of the month) until I have planned out every room and style I could possibly dream of... with a little help from pinterest.

So let's kick off with a country style office. 

(L-R: http://www.pinterest.com/pin/34058540901475292/, http://www.pinterest.com/pin/572520171351160476/, 

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/431993789229491532/, http://www.pinterest.com/pin/388224430348663009/)

When I think country office I think dark wood, luxury green table clothes, big red rugs and an old man in glasses reading a classic edition of Great Expectations. Just me? A country office is the idea of working in style, your work is important, it has all the value and greatness of the history that came before it.

1)  Desk £757.44
2) Reading chair £169
3) Desk chair £129
4) Glass box £9.99
5) Clock £9.99
6) Wire metal basket £6.99
7) Date block £15
8) Mirror £181.33
9) Bookcase £299
10) Rug £225 - £995
11) Stag cushion £14.99
12) Jug table lamp £17.33

I think this would look great with a dark blue accent wall and some drop lighting. Just because you have to work doesn't mean you shouldn't do it in style.