Outfits of 2013

I saw this post format on Paige Joanna and thought it was a lovely way to look back over the year. A lot of things have happened to me over the past twelve months: I passed my AS Levels, successfully applied to university, I broke up with my boyfriend, got a job, turned 18, got a new boyfriend, carried on with my Chemistry A Level (that was never part of the plan!) and went to see Bowling For Soup, which was awesome.

Looking through my Lookbook posts for photos from each month, I realised that I do the same poses in almost every photo! And I really should find more interesting backgrounds than my bedroom wall... maybe "take better outfit photos" should be one of my resolutions?

January - February - March

I have to admit that this probably wasn't the greatest time for me. I hated sixth form the point where I was seriously looking into going to college instead, but I'm much happier now so I'm glad I stuck it out. And look how short my hair is! It's grown so much this year. 

April - May - June

This was a pretty stressful time for me because of all my revisions and exams, and it's going to be even worse next year when my results will determine if I get into university or not. But it was also a very lovely time because we had all that gorgeous weather, and going to school is so much more bearable when you can show up in a floral playsuit. 

July - August - September

I was pretty happy over the summer, my results came through (AABC) which I was very happy with, I spent quite a lot of time with friends and family and everything just seems so much pleasanter when it's sunny. Ofcourse there was the dreaded back-to-school but as it was my last one ever I was almost excited to get it over with and run away to university. 

October - November - December

I was very happy this year because I went to two Halloween parties, giving me the opportunity to dress up twice - I do love fancy dress. I also got my UCAS application sent off and received offers from everywhere that I applied so I was able to make my firm and insurance choices. I turned 18, had my first "night out" and had a wonderful Christmas. I am also looking forward to New Year's Eve tomorrow because it's the first year that I will have done something to celebrate, rather than just watching TV.

2013 was downright messy in places, but it has most certainly had its perks. I'm really looking forward to 2014: freshers, leaving school, a long care-free summer, I'll hopefully pass my driving test and maybe save up enough money to go on holiday somewhere. 

See you in the new year!

The anatomy of a trumpet is hilarious

Vest - H&M

Cardigan - Red Herring at Debenhams

Necklace - Pandora

Skirt - H! by Henry Holland at Debenhams

Nails - Amethyst Glitter by Barry M 

(with Rimmel I Love Lasting Colour Black Cherry as a base coat)

I'm so sorry that I've barely posted all month, I've just been so busy with school and work and CHRISTMAS (I hope you all had a good one!) it's a wonder I found the time to take these photos, never mind write a post.

The skirt has previously featured in an outfit post (Crawling back to you) and has become one of my staple pieces over the past few months, because it is just so wearable and never looks too dressy or too casual wherever I go. The heavy fabric also means that there haven't been any Marilyn moments in the wontry winds. And because it's dry clean only I don't have to wait for my mum to wash it, bonus! 

I got some lovely Christmas presents, including a Kindle Paperwhite, some new Converse (which will feature in a rare shoes-included post soon) Marc Jacobs perfume, another Barnes and Noble leatherbound classic (The Bronte sisters) and a huge bag of Soap and Glory.

Have you all had a good Christmas?

University

Today as I logged on to my emails expecting to find nothing but junk from online shopping websites, I found an email from ucas to say that my final offer had come through, and all five of the universities I have applied to have accepted my offer!

I've applied to do English at Lincoln, Leicester, Sheffield Hallam, Leeds Trinity and Coventry - and all five of them wanted me, me! Can you believe it? I certainly can't. Applying for these courses was so daunting because I had nothing more than my AS grades, personal statement and a reference from my Head of Sixth Form, who has known me for little over a year, to get me through. No interviews, portfolios or auditions, purely an online form. I can't believe it worked. 

I've since accepted my firm (Lincoln) and insurance (Sheffield Hallam) choices, rejecting the other three. Rejection is a harsh word, but I'm so happy because now I can stop worrying about getting in and just work my butt off for those 300 ucas points. I need to organise my student finance and accommodation (it's scary to think that I'll be living away from home in less than a year) and then it all comes down to results day, 14th August, here I come! 

I'm so excited!

Are any of you applying to university this year? 

Eighteen

Gah, I'm sorry I haven't posted in almost two weeks, time seems to be slipping straight past me lately and I really don't know what I have been doing, apart from the fact that I turned 18 last week!

For anyone who might be reading this overseas, turning 18 is about the biggest milestone in the UK, there are few things you can't do once you're 18, and the world just seems to open up right in front of you.

Eighteen things I can do now I'm eighteen:

1. Buy alcohol
2. Buy cigarettes
3. Get a tattoo
4. Go to a casino
5. Vote
6. Get married
7. Be in adult movies
8. Be classed as an "adult"
9. Get a credit card
10. Watch "18" films in the cinema
11. Go to 18+ gigs
12. Be a stripper
13. Go to nightclubs
14. Travel unsupervised
15. Bet on the Grand National
16. Get paid more than £5 per hour
17. Get a loan
18. Join Match.com

I got some of the loveliest presents as well from friends and family, as well as some much appreciated money to keep me going until payday!

One of my favourite presents is the Barnes and Noble leather-bound edition of Hans Christian Anderson's Classic Fairy Tales. I realise it isn't exactly a stereotypical 18th-birthday present, but it really is beautiful, the illustrations are exquisite and I will keep it forever. 

 

Promise of a suicidal father

Dress - H! By Henry Holland at Debenhams

Jumper - Next

Bracelet - Pandora

This dress is an absolute favourite of mine because of the collar and cute floral print, but it hasn't featured in a look since April (link to the blog post here) because I find dresses are difficult to, well, dress differently, and I don't want to be reported on Lookbook for reposting.

I want to point out that the title for today's post isn't a personal reference, but a paraphrased quote from the book I'm currently reading "A Tale For the Time Being" by Ruth Ozeki (available from Amazon). It was short-listed for the Man Booker Prize 2013 and so far I am really enjoying it, and it's teaching me a lot about Japanese culture, which I find very interesting. We tend to think of the world as a very small place now, with aeroplanes and the internet, so it's a shock to realise that places are still so different, and not everywhere has the ideologies of the west. 

The book is split between the diary of Japanese teen Nao, and American-living-in-Canda author Ruth, who finds the diary when it's washed up on the beach in a Hello Kitty lunchbox. I can't say much more because I haven't finished it yet but I really am enjoying it so far. 

Are you reading anything good at the moment? 

Just tell me you love me and it will be okay

Glasses - FCUK

T Shirt - Next

Cardigan - Dorothy Perkins

Jeans - Red Herring at Debenhams

This week is going by so slowly, every day it gets more difficult to get out of my warm, cosy bed and walk up to that miserable bus stop. I realise that neither of us have written many personal posts lately and I hate to tell you that it's simply because there just isn't that much going on right now. If it weren't for my birthday I would hate November just as much as everyone else, but it's my birthday soon and I am so very excited.

The worst part is that I'm 18 before all of my friends, meaning that I have nobody to have a drink with, but when they all turn 18 I will be able to join in the celebrations, so there is a silver lining!

Are you guys doing anything in November?

Secret Santa

Shirt - Topshop

Cardigan - Red Herring at Debenhams

Shorts - Topshop

Watch - Fossil

Tights - Primark

Today was a day much like any other - I dragged myself out of bed at the horrific 6:15am, got ready for school and trudged up to the bus stop. I actually understood my Chemistry lesson (okay, maybe today wasn't so normal) my English teacher is on maternity leave and school still hasn't sorted out her replacement so we missed another lesson, and by fifth period Psychology I could not focus on getting any work done.

On the plus side of my education, I've now received three offers from universities: Lincoln, Sheffield Hallam and Coventry, which I'm really happy about because now I just need to focus on getting the necessary 300 UCAS points and this time next year I'll be at university! It's really exciting but it's become very real and a little bit daunting since I got my offers, I'm actually going to study for a degree (results day permitting) and I won't be living in this little town any more, everything in my life will be completely different in less than a year.

I bought this shirt yesterday and I love the vintage look, it's so soft and feels like it's been washed a hundred times already so it's really comfy and having the top button fastened doesn't feel restrictive at all, and I love the metal poppers down the front.

How was your day?