Charlestown Favourites: January

Even though I've been living in our new house since sometime in September, my space is starting to feel like my own, and I'm filling it up with new pieces I keep acquiring (but shouldn't!). If you've been reading my blog for a while, or been an Instagram follower for at least a year, you'll know that I've got a bit of a soft spot for a classic cloche, or bell jar. My first was in the form of a mini all-glass bell jar, complete with a Victorian-style dried floral display, my second was a classic small bell jar which I then filled with glittery balls 'a la Kirstie Allsopp', and I stumbled across my third (and last, at least until I've got my own place, where I can dedicate a whole room to them if need be!) amongst the glass figurines in Home Sense! For a bargainous £12, I snapped it up as I knew it'd be the perfect home from my Gold Pineapple Candle from M&S, and for future cacti and mini ferns. 

As most of our days are probably spent looking at some form of screen, it's extra special being able to spend time delving into the pages of a good book, or even better, venturing back into a story that stole our hearts a long time ago. For me, Jane Austen stories will never grow old; I have read everyone of her books, seen all of the film/TV adaptations (at least as far as I know!), and like every other fan, I've dreamt of having the life of a wealthy Georgian lady, surrounded by lots of land, frivolous dances and swoon-worthy men (eww)! Even though I do own every Jane Austen novel, I was treated to this beautiful book at Christmas; and with every single novel included, gold lined paper and detailed illustrated cover, I know it's something that I'll treasure forever. The other day, I popped into Waterstones and found it as well as lots of other Classics in the same style, so if you want to get your hands on one, go for a visit! 

Dinosaur Earrings. I'll just let that sink in before I go ahead. Yes, dinosaur earrings - and not just any dinosaur, it's a Tyrannosaurus Rex! Maybe it's the fact that I've been surrounded by every single possible dinosaur in model form, cuddly toy form, even table lamp form, and have different facts thrown at me from all angles by my little brother (true), or maybe I just love dinosaurs (also true), but my inner-Palaeontologist lit up when I saw this little pair in Forever 21, and at only £2.99 it'd be silly not to, right? 

I think we should probably now move onto this seriously cute pair of slippers! My love for these slippers only grew when I saw my Great Nanny Olive wearing an almost identical pair, which meant they must be good! From the renowned Morlands of Glastonbury, they're lined with their traditional sheepskin which just makes them the warmest and comfiest slippers I've owned (perfect for the winter!), and after about 2 months of constant wear they still look as good as new, with their pretty burgundy colour and little bow! 

Now I'm probably the least likely person to be a make-up connoisseur, but I really feel like this little number needs a special mention. I've had a bit of a love affair with Revlon; I love their cream blushes and their foundation, but I wouldn't leave the house without one of their lipsticks in tow! The colours are always really beautiful; especially their huge range of coral-ly reds, peachy pinks and more muted, natural tones. My current favourite is the Smoked Peach - it's a much more natural colour, which I think is perfect for the winter, but with it's peachy hues, it looks a little bit different and brightens the face! Are there any must-have lipstick colours I should be looking at? Let me know!

I'd love to know what you think about my favourites! It'd also really benefit if I could know your thoughts about my blog - I do realise it's been a bit hit and miss lately, but as I'm getting back into the swing of things, your opinions mean a lot and will give me a good kick up the bum - as is very much needed!

Au revoir! 

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My ASOS Picks for January!

I would have to admit that I probably take a sneaky peek at the ASOS website at least once a day (please tell me I'm not alone!), and even though I save all my favourite items, I've never actually created a blog post highlighting my monthly favourites. 

This month however, there's just too many bits that I love, ranging from camels, denim and hints of red, to more monochrome and utilitarian pieces, so I've pulled out a few (too many) pieces below that I'll be trying to squirrel away some of my wages for. 

1. ASOS Tie Jumpsuit: £50 2. ASOS Denim Shirt Dress: £40 3. Catarzi Classic Fedora Hat: £30 4. Monki Bold Oversized Dress: £30 5. ASOS Chunky Roll Neck Jumper: £42 6. ASOS Leather Tassel Shoes: £45 7. ASOS Vintage Floral Co-ord: £53 8. ASOS Bardot Dress: £40

I love the fact that I can get inspiration from everywhere with ASOS; unlike a lot of other brands, their clothes and content isn't targeted to only one type of individual, or one clothing style, but in fact to everyone. Additionally, I can find inspiration in my favourite celebrities when they arrive on my doorstop on the front cover of the ASOS magazine, notably with Taylor Swift's feature which was a mixture of bubblegum girlie-ness with 60's vibes and new-age metallics, to some of my favourite bloggers on ASOS Fashion Finder, showcasing their latest outfits that mix ASOS finds with other items that tend to be totally copy-able! 

9. See by Chloe Top: £175 10. Weekday Drop Waist Dress: £45 11. Matt & Nat Structured Bag: £108 12. ASOS Ankle Boots: £45 13. ASOS Stripe Detail Jumper: £35

Way to go ASOS! If you've got any favourites on ASOS at the moment, let me know - I'd love to see them - you can also find me on ASOS Fashion Finder.

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3 Simple New Year's Resolutions

Happy 2015! 2014 was a bit of an odd year, I don't view it as being a year that I'm particularly proud of - I feel like I stumbled through it, not really achieving anything amazing, even though I did manage to gain my first 'real' job, have been on some amazing holidays, seen some of my favourite bands and have probably been more 'social' since University! To make sure I make the most of 2015, there are a few things I would like to achieve, or improve. 

Success does not equal money
Success isn't about what you get on your pay check, how much money you can afford to spend on clothes each month, how many designer brands you have or the fact that you have a brand new car. At least, this is what I'm trying to tell myself. It feels like success is synonymous with money, and it's something that everyone is fighting and competing for. 

I don't want to come across as being judgemental, because I can't deny that I would love to be able to earn lots of money so that I can do whatever I want without any worries, get a new car, and travel to all of the cities I want to see. But why are we expected to have all of that now - maybe I don't want to seek immediate gratification, this type of 'success' shouldn't, and can't, be for everyone. I'd rather work, make mistakes, learn new things, meet new exciting people, especially if it meant that I'd finish in a better position as a person at the end of it. I guess what I'm trying to say here is that, in 2015, I want to focus on being a 'success' less, but realise that for me, being successful means doing something that I enjoy, being able to spend everyday with people I love, whilst being motivated and passionate about pushing myself, learning new things and enjoying the little things in my life. 

Make comparing yourself your worst enemy

'To succeed in life, you need two things; ignorance and confidence'. The second I saw this quote from Mark Twain, I knew that there was a lot to learn from it. I'm notorious for comparing myself to other people, whether that be someone on the street who has longer legs than me, someone who appears to have their life 'sorted' at 22 (think London-based job, mortgage on the way, living with their other half etc.) or, as something which I've experienced recently, someone who has the ability to be loud and confident and generally just themselves without even thinking twice when surrounded by people. 

I know that this can hold me back - there's been times where I've either said no to something, or not pushed myself hard or far enough, because I'm scared of failing, being seen as weak, or just not as good as others. I need to remember that if there's anything I want to do, or if there's any ideas I have, to just be confident in myself - there's always someone else who could get there first if not! Also that sometimes being quieter than others does not mean boring - I can be loud and crazy if I want to, and I can also sit quietly in the corner, I shouldn't let it define who I am as a person. 

In terms of ignorance, I don't want to necessarily be ignorant of other people, but ignorant in the sense that I won't care as much about them on a day-to-day basis. I've got friends that are very successful and I'm very proud of what they've achieved, but that's all I should be. Why critique yourself and query why you're not as good as them, when you probably are but in a different way, or where they excel, you excel somewhere else? Why spend all day ogling other people on Instagram, wondering how someone got so lucky because they appear to have shinier hair or prettier eyes. Stop; they're them, they probably have similar worries, quirks and down days just as you do (plus, there's always filters, everyone uses filters!). I need to celebrate myself for who I am, find what it is that I'm good at and what it is that I love, run with it and not look back! 

Work hard and be brave

I feel like 2014 has been a bit of a slump for me; I've managed to get myself into a bit of a rut this past year, finding myself uninspired and demotivated. But this is something that only I can change, and it needs to be done soon! Life doesn't have to be perfect to be wonderful and there's so much more good and beautiful than there is bad, it's whether you choose to notice it or not. Letting little things get you down and feeling very unlucky will only make you feel worse and force you to dwell on the bad things. 

My aim of 2015 is to change my attitude overall - the happier I am, the more beautiful things and good I see in the world around me and everyone else, the more I enjoy myself and the more motivated and passionate I am. It's amazing what a little smile can do! I want to push myself more, find more things that I enjoy and love - and to also be brave, if there's something I want to see or do, I don't want to be the only thing holding me back, it could be something amazing that changes my life. 

So 2015, it seems that I'm expecting a lot from you, but let's get started! 

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