The Wardrobe Diaries: Workwear Addition

In less than a week, I'm having my first taste of full time big-girl work. Very scary. The child in me wonders how the hell I've grown up so fast - it only seems like yesterday when I was taking the 11+, let alone facing a 7 week professional training post! Anyway, seeing as my clothing repertoire seems to mainly cover sloth-mode and party clothes, I had the perfect excuse to go and splurge on some new stuff. This was easier said than done - the drawbacks of being hourglass! - but I have managed to get some core pieces which should complement each other. 

I tried to buy clothes within the same colour palette in order to be able to mix and match and therefore save some money. One of my favourite pieces is the New Look crochet-shoulder cardigan (I think it was about £18) because it seems to 'pretty' up any outfit! Cardigans will be one of my staples as there is a 'bare below the elbows' rule - this also rules out any bracelets too. 

The idea of having a capsule wardrobe has always interested me, so hopefully I can put it into practice.  I also bought a black skirt and already have a dress. The lacy cardigan (£14.99 H&M) in the picture above is not actually black - it's this enchanting dark purple colour and is fantastic for  summer because it is very airy! 

Shoe-wise, I have a range of ballet pumps (black leather, cream suede (although these ones rub like a b*tch), pink leather), some brogues and a pair of mid-heeled patent court shoes. 

Being someone who is near useless with anything fashion-related, I'm quite proud of my purchases!

This Month's Necessities: May

Most of May has been taken up with revision and end of semester exams, so I have been residing in my bedroom cave underneath a pile of notes for the majority! Therefore, my favourites this month have come in useful more towards the end of May after exams. Here they are:

#1: Stabilo Mini Point 88 Fineliners

These pens have been an absolute godsend to me during revision week! My paperchase sign pens were OK, but I found that the tips blunted after a while, leaving you to play a guessing game on how to hold the pen in order to get a consistent flow of ink! These were £5.99 from Ryman and are perfect for carrying around in my bag due to their size. The range of colours not only made my notes prettier, but also (hopefully!) more easy to remember. 

#2: 17 Lasting Fix Nail Polish

For a fairly cheap polish, it's actually pretty good! My most recent purchase was the colour 'Forever', which is a beautiful oyster pink: very nude and perfect for summer. I wasn't expecting it to last so long. I put 3 coats on (no top coat) last Sunday and it is still going strong today even after a deep clean of my kitchen and various other gruelling activities! I'm in love with the colour too and am so pleased that it comes out the same colour in the pot. The photo below shows my nails tonight, and there is virtually no chipping! 

#3: Star Trek TOS Season 1

For non Trekkies, TOS equals The Original Series. This was my post-exam box set of choice and will always be my favourite Star Trek. I think it's something about the freshness of all of the characters and how young they are. The first season definitely sees the development of the Spock-Bones relationship, as well as an obvious retro vibe. Absolutely fantastic! 

#4: Soap&Glory Arch de Triumph Brow Pencil

My brows are dark naturally but I still like defining them a little more, especially if I'm a bit reckless with the tweezers! This pencil combines a natural dark brown shade with a creamy highlighter which really makes the brow bone stand out. The pencil is smooth and I have no trouble applying it. I've also found that the highlighter end can be used for cheeks too! I would definitely recommend this for fellow brunettes - I think it was about £9 from Boots, so not too pricey. 

#5: Scholl Party Feet Invisible Gel Heel Shields

These may not look too pretty but they saved me from embarrassing trip overs and awful blisters at the Summer Ball! I have narrow feet and slim ankles, so find it very hard to keep court shoes on. However, I was not willing to admit defeat when I found a beautiful pair of towering Kurt Geigers in this style. So I raided the footcare section of Boots and found them. The heel shields grip the back of the foot, preventing it from slipping out of the shoe. I think it's safe to say that they did their job very well - no falls or near misses! 

On another note, I've finished reading Under the Jewelled Sky. I couldn't put it down. It was bitterly heart-breaking as well as glittering with some fantastic imagery. Everything was so well described from scenery to the villains; I felt as though I was there in India. Definitely a recommended book! 

My Week #1

This is my first ever 'My Week' post as part of Paperloverstory's blog posts. This week's been quite an odd week because it was the last week of exams. I still had two exams left, so the majority of the week was spent revising for them! There's also the end of year Ball at the University to get ready for. All in all, it was a hectic but (almost) enjoyable week. It's so refreshing to not have to get up early in the morning and revise any more! You may have noticed that there's an abundance of cat stickers...I may be slightly obsessed with them!