New year, new me... My resolutions

I'm not usually one to jump on the 'new year, new me' bandwagon but this year is different. Normally I am one of the people laughing at others harping on about how much their life is going to change and how the new year is a brand new start which they'll be able to change by altering their hair colour BUT this year I am planning on really working on myself as a person, and - as a result - hopefully becoming fitter, happier and more productive (or so the Radiohead song says...)

1) Become a better University student.
I'm not perfect. Nobody is. But my aim for the new year is to stop being lazy and attend every single lecture and seminar. I have a habit of burying my head in the sand when things become too much for me to handle and this first semester has been no different. So, this year I plan to tackle my problems head on and ensure that I attend every single lesson possible. I am paying £9k a year, after all...

2) Reach a level of semi-fluency in my Italian reading.
Learning a language is an absolute dream, which I would really recommend to anybody. I am lucky enough to study a language from scratch at one of the best Universities in the world, which I really need to remind myself from time to time! My plan for my Italian is to reach a level where I would be comfortable reading an article in the language without having to ask for much help. I know this is a pretty steep aim considering I have only been learning the language for 3 months BUT it's not impossible and it will really help me when I go to Italy on my year abroad!

3) Do not allow myself to be walked over/stand up for myself more.
I have always been a bit of a wallflower - in class I rarely speak up unless I feel extremely confident, despite knowing the answer. The same goes for me at work and in many social situations. Whilst I understand that this is something that comes with my confidence and will be worked on in time, I really want to make the effort to stop being walked all over in every aspect of my life this year! Too many times I have found myself crying, stressed and feeling depressed because I have allowed myself to be used as a doormat for other peoples' gain and it's really unfair, both on my mental and my physical health. I need to learn when to say no and realise that some of the people who ask for help won't necessarily return it when you need it.

4) Stop impulse buying and actually save some money!
My worssssst habit is impulse buying, and it's something I need to tackle in the new year. One of my good friends, Ellie, told me that she saves up her money and treats herself to a Topshop personal shopping spree every few months, which I really think I might start doing as it allowed her to build a wardrobe of interchangeable items, giving her really good value for money and an amazing style at the same time! Too often I will go into a shop, purchase one or two items without considering what the rest of my wardrobe looks like, wear it once and then just never even consider it again, which needs to stop. It is wasting me money because I end up returning to the shop a week later claiming I don't have anything to wear and selling my impulse bought items on ebay for a quid! Not good and something which desperately needs to be tackled. Saving money wise, I am reaching the age where I am starting to understand that blowing all my money on clothes and shoes and make-up and hair extensions is NOT the best idea... especially when I am sat here nearly crying because I am into my overdraft and still need to buy people Christmas presents with money I do not have! My plan is to deposit money from every wage into my savings account and allow it to build up gradually. I don't work at uni, but I do have a job when I come home which allows me to earn some money whilst not interrupting my studies.

5) Join a gym and actually attain the body I want.
I am quite fortunate in that I am currently the largest I have ever been... yet I am still a size 8. Uni has definitely had its toll on my body recently, and it's left me feeling sluggish and heavy. So, in the new year I plan to join a gym and really work hard on eating healthily. I feel happiest when I am smaller and more confident, so weight loss through exercise and eating well will definitely have a knock on effect with my confidence and happiness. I have found a cheap student gym which is open 24 hours too so I can hit the treadmill instead of ordering dominoes at 2am!

6) Stop smoking.
This is a habit I'm really not proud of and hate admitting as it makes me sound really dirty but I started smoking properly when I joined my current job as most of the staff there do it and it meant I got paid breaks when it was dead... win win situation? Not really. It's expensive and taking its toll on my health, so along with my mum I plan to join the NHS stop smoking service in order to cut it out altogether and save money along the way!

I understand that this post has been reeeeally long but it's more a note for myself to keep myself going in the new year.
What are your new years resolutions?
Lauren x

Christmas is here... My favourite items of the moment

I am typing this from a different station to my two previous posts; my bedroom at home. I returned home for Christmas from University today and got to spend some quality time with my mum, brother, sister and my beautiful little doggies! I love coming home from University for those reasons especially, and also because my bed and shower and bath and EVERYTHING is sooooo much nicer at home (I definitely did not appreciate it when I lived here full time, sob..)

One downside to Christmas is definitely money. I have spent SO much money on people this year that I have left myself with no choice but to sell some much loved items on ebay just to get some extra cash! I am already into my overdraft and really don't want to face the scary Barclays people again to request an extension so I'm trying to be good and not spend any more money on unnecessary items... like Topshop clothes and Primark canvas bags which have the letter L on them. Ha.

So this post is basically about my current FAVOURITE items for the festive period which I should not have spent the banks money on buttttt I did anyway and there's no point crying over spilt milk (or spent overdraft money, ha.)

1) This amaaaazing super glittery leopard print metallic piece of deliciousness from Urban Outfitters:

Urban Outfitters - £38

This picture does NOT do this skirt any justice whatsoever. I purchased this in the Black Friday sales along with a dress which I shall mention in this post and wowwww I can't stop wearing it! I team it with black tights, boots, a deep wine coloured jumper I got last year from Topshop and it just looks so festive. It reminds me of mulled wine - the spiciness from the skirt mixed with the berry tones of the jumper look amazing and when I don't feel like a potato (I am currently in a Macaroni cheese coma... the horrors) I will be sure to post some images of how I would style this particular piece.

2) This INSANE snake skin/metallic/shimmery dream of a dress:

Topshop - £68

I originally purchased this dress for my boyfriend's 21st birthday meal and got so many compliments on it! I really cannot wait to wear this again some time soon but I am so scared of ruining it due to the price! I'm thinking leather jacket with it to spice it up a little? I recently saw a shop assistant at Topshop wearing it with black tights and brogues which looked so nice as a toned down look which I am going to try during the Christmas months.

3) This monarch-esque, jewel of a playsuit 

Topshop - £48

This little beauty is sooo worth the slightly steep price tag! It's a gorgeous jewel colour and is perfect for festive parties - it has a lacey back as well which really makes it stand out against the deep purple of the playsuit. I ordered it from the Tall section as although I am only 5 ft 6/7, I have quite a long torso meaning the normal sizes can give me extreme camel toe which is just not so attractive... but I am so glad I bought it in the size I did! I wore it on a night out with a leather jacket, some loafer style heels, black tights and a lovely gothic statement necklace which I got from Primark! They also sell this playsuit in a deep navy and bottle green... I wish I was rich so I could buy all three!

4) The most perfect shoes known to existence... 

Topshop - £98

I can see a bit of a running theme with the brand of all my favourite items haha but whatever... LOOK AT THESE SHOES! Aren't they amazing?! Everything about them is screeeeaming at me to buy them but, alas, I am a student with no money so hopefully they will still be in stock when I get paid after Christmas! I can just see these going with SO many things, and the print and strapstyle makes them a little bit unique. I especially love the teeny tiny platform at the front of the shoe which is so elegant!

5) A dress with a name I have been known to be called...

Urban Outfitters - £60

This dress is perfection. It's royal blue, velvet, has a mesh peter pan colour, and is called the 'Wednesday' dress. My mum always calls me Wednesday Addams due to an unfortunate incident when I thought black hair would really suit me - I look like Wednesday ANYWAY so imagine what would happen with black hair... I'm sure you can picture it. Anyway, this dress is amazing. It is just perfect for winter as the quality is so lovely and it's the perfect length for preventing any unfortunate knicker showing on windy days which is always a bonus! I especially love the netting along the bottom of the sleeves and the skirt because it means I can wear my all important black tights without it clashing! I wear this with Chelsea boots and my leopard print coat for extra winter warmth. I got this in the Black Friday sale too and I am sooo happy that I did!

I could go on for days and days about clothes which I love but I'm going to keep it short and sweet and stop whilst I am ahead. Here is a little picture of my current wardrobe situation just to show you the sort of tones and textures I am currently loving.

What clothes are you loving this Christmas?

Lauren x

Reasons to smile: photographs of my favourites.

As somebody who suffers horrendously from SAD I thought I would compile a post of some of my favourite photographs, as a reminder that just because the gloomy weather is getting me down, it's not all so bad.

Rosie Joy Wilson.

Rosie Joy Wilson, 3 weeks old

Rosie Joy Wilson, 3 weeks old

Rosie is my eldest cousin Karen's little baby girl who was born in October. As you can see from the photographs, she is just perfection! As Rodger, her father, is verrrrry ginger, we are all expecting a gorgeous little red head girly as she grows up!

I visited Karen, Rodger and Rosie in reading week in October when she was just a few weeks old, so by the next time I see her she will probably be sitting up! It's always lovely when a new family member is born but it did scare me a tiny little bit knowing that when she is my age I will be 38. Shocking, absolutely shocking.

Joshua's 21st Birthday meal at the Italian Orchard.

Josh and I at the Italian Orchard

You only turn twenty one once! Josh is my boyfriend and for his birthday celebrations is currently in Amsterdam partaking in elicit activities HOWEVER he had to celebrate it with his family somehow! We all went for a meal at the gorgeous Italian Orchard back at home where we ate sooooo much gorgeous food, I swear I'm still full! I had pate for starters - because what is better than pate, really? - and an Italian form of savoury pancakes with chicken, ham, cheese and spinach for my main meal. Obviously the birthday boy got an ice cream and cake for his dessert and an embarrassing singalong by the Italian waiters! After many glasses of champagne and wine I was pretty tipsy by the end of the night, but stayed up chatting with him and his lovely mum until about 2am - craaaaazy I know. For Josh's birthday I gave him some euros towards his holiday and also bought him a signed Red Hot Chili Peppers CD! Brownie points for me...

My babies' first birthday!

Dobby sleeping on Tonks' head

[L-R] Tonks and Dobby as babies

I am a huge lover of dogs. In June 2010, my dad was sadly killed in a motorcycle accident, and not long after we decided to get Luna as a way to complete the family after such a horrendous tragedy. A few years later, we thought she might want a friend. We were mistaken, by the way - Luna is the Queen of the house and knows it, and definitely did not want any little puppies coming along and taking her reign away from her! In January of this year, we picked up not one but TWO little baby puppies. 

Luna - my little Queen

My mother still holds a grudge against my siblings and I for the fact that we convinced her to buy two puppies instead of just one, but a year down the line they are more than we could've asked for! Dobby is the most mischievous little man ever, but is so cute you cannot actually tell him off without feeling guilty! And whilst Tonks is a bit of a dumptruck now - she has been put on a diet by the vets.. oopsie - she is the nicest dog you will ever meet. And yes, they are all named after Harry Potter characters... fan family here, I do apologise.

Manchester Christmas Markets.

So many Santa's!

Manchester Christmas Markets are the most festive, beautiful, amaaaaazing scenes ever! I would highly recommend people visit them if they haven't already done so as they are guaranteed to put you in the most cosy, happy, christmassy mood. They're situated just near Market Street - there are two, mind, one near Harvey Nichols and Selfridges and this one which is outside the Town Hall. With mulled wine, German beer, bratwursts, cheese, chocolate, Baileys hot chocolates and LOADS of gift stalls all around, you'll leave having spent an absolute fortune but being all the happier for it. I had mulled wine and for £2 you can keep the Christmas markets mug which is comes in, which is pretty nice! I'm going back again in a week with my mum and sister, so I will definitely be begging my mum to treat me - I am a poor student, after all...

Already after writing this post I have found myself immediately happier and content!

See ya soon - Lauren x

Bloglovin'

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Post numero uno: hello!

Ciao! September up until now has been a whirlwind of emotion. I moved to Manchester to study at university, my mum got a boyfriend, I got a job - and subsequently left said job -, my boyfriend turned twenty-one and yet again I managed to spend a hell of a lot of money on clothes I shouldn't have bought. Oops. I decided to create my own blog as I love reading them and thought I'd attempt to write something marginally interesting since my halls are the most unsociable ones known to man and therefore I am an extremely bored student. I was also told that creating a blog can assist in future employment and when you consider the bleak opportunities as a graduate I feel that anything which could assist me in becoming super rich and successful can't do me any harm! So for now I'm just going to use this as a platform for my general moaning, rambling, excitements and whatever I can think to write about at the time! See ya soon - Lauren x