Summer Blogger Challenge: my summer bucket list

This weeks #summerbloggerchallenge is focused entirely on your very own summer bucket list. I never really think that much into summer as it tends to end up like every other season. It is generally thought of as being a whole load of fun, adventure and cheeriness which is the case for some lucky folk out there but for me, I end up being stuck doing the same old things, being bored, and not having even the smallest, uplifting change to my mood. The typical summer that is publicized throughout unrealistic expectations like movies and magazines is never going to happen in my eyes but once I got started on thinking about what I'd like to and have always wanted to do when the sun is shining, I became inspired. I think it's important to make the most of the memories you're able to create. As I went through each one, noting these goals and aspirations in my mind, it suddenly dawned on me that maybe I should get up and appreciate nature, step out of my comfort zone and realise how much potential to be happy there is in the world. 

Below are the 20 summer ambitions I hope I can stick to:

1) Go on a road trip.

2) Give back to others.

3) Have a classic picnic.

4) Take a walk in the park.

5) Watch the sun go down.

6) Discover new music artists.

7) Mix up my style.

8) Embrace the relaxation summer holidays give.

9) Explore the hidden, adventurous places in my city.

10) Find and read an engaging book.

11) Make a scrapbook of the daily positives to remind me of every little detail I have to smile about.

12) Spend more time and effort taking photos.

13) Take a trip to the seaside.

14) Make a fruit smoothie.

15) Visit a market.

16) Visit a cute cafe with macaroons and teacups.

17) Take a swim in the ocean and write my name in the sand.

18) Put a secret into a balloon and let it go.

19) Have a family barbecue.

20) Make something I've never made before.

Do you have any exciting summer plans? Talking of summer plans, I'm in the process of going through my photos from London which will be posted on my blog very soon. I had such a great time and it was the loveliest way to spend my 21st birthday, despite how manic it was and despite not getting to see everything (I sensed that was pretty much impossible to do once arriving in London and realising how huge it was).

The five London birthday outfit layouts

As you're reading this, I'll probably be sat on a poky coach ready to brave my 4hr 30min journey to London (not a nice thought but hey, it's better than leaving yourself bankrupt with the extortionate train prices). I've never been to London in my 20 (nearly 21) years of living (mainly due to the distance and cost), the lively capital has always been a place I've wanted to visit and there was no better opportunity than to plan a weekend away with the family for my 21st birthday this Saturday. Today, when we arrive, we'll be taking a stroll across Hyde Park which is dead opposite our hotel. Then we'll be heading off for a well needed spot of dinner, followed by a drive to Victoria Palace Theatre to see Billy Elliot The Musical, which again has always been a wish of mine. I love musicals, I love how engaging they are, I love how they appeal to anyone no matter what the age, and I love how when you leave a theatre you're always left with so many words on how brilliant the show was.

Saturday will be a completely different day, and a mad busy day at that. In the morning, bright and early, I will most likely go through the usual stages of a birthday morning. Wake up, embarrassingly listen to a sing song or two directed to me, open presents and cards, speak to the numerous friends and family to thank them for their lovely, thoughtful gifts, indulge in a big birthday breakfast, then step out for a fun packed, enjoyable day. As it's my 21st, I'm guessing there will be a bit more fuss made compared to an ordinary birthday (cue balloons, badges and banners) but I don't mind, it just adds to the novelty.  

Saturday will be a day of cram packing as much as we can into only 10 hours or so. First on the agenda is a spot of shopping (or more likely a lot with me present). I want to check out Oxford Street, Regent Street, Bond Street, and Covent Garden. Then we'll be heading over to see the famous sights; Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, London Eye, River Thames, Tower Bridge, Trafalgar Square, Piccadilly Circus etc etc. A walk down Southbank appears the ideal location for me, too. It looks like such a beautiful setting, and the perfect time to snap some (okay, maybe way too many) photos of the vibe in and around London. I'm ridiculously excited to have my camera at the ready for all the picture opportunities, and it'll also give me a chance to experiment with my new lenses properly. I'm sure once I'm back home and refreshed, the photos will be shared over on my blog expressing my new inner love for the city, and a chance to show what we I got up to during my time there... through picture form of course.

Saturday night was originally going to be a put your feet up, relax, and recover from the daily activites kind of night, but that soon changed. As you may or may not know, my uttermost favourite boys in the word, The Wanted, are taking a break to engage in their solo projects at the moment. As London is the pinpoint for their whereabouts, I was hoping somehow I'd bump into or be able to go see at least one of them. Then comes along Tom, he announces he'll be performing his new solo featured single and DJ'ing at a club starting from 10pm. Seeing him, on the night of my birthday, was an offer I couldn't refuse, so we booked the tickets and will now be continuing our hectic yet delightful day into the night.

Sunday is the day we unfortunately have to head back to reality (and I'll be heading back a whole year older). Our coach is at 2pm so I'm hoping we can catch breakfast early and then have a little wander around Camden Town. I know, whatever we end up doing, I'll be fast asleep on the coach back home! 

Now, I'm the kind of person who likes to plan ahead in the outfit department. I hate stressing out last minute trying to pull an outfit together and then being the one regretting your choices after it's too late. You do have to be weather conscious in this country and plan accordingly to the forecast but as London is like a completely different planet compared to up North, I guessed (with a little help from the forecast) that the weather will be warm and pleasant so whipped out my best shorts, dresses and sandals to create a suitable yet my style kind of outfit for each occasion. Due to the strenuous schedule, I highly doubt I'll have the time to be taking outfit photos; which sucks, as a change of background scenery would have been nice but hey, time is already limited. So, I decided to get together my very first outfit layouts post to show you every individual detail of what I've created.

OUTFIT 1:

Crop Top - Missguided | Shorts - Missguided | Bag - Vintage | Sandals - Primark | Necklace - Primark

This is the outfit I'll be travelling in. I wanted to go for the cool and comfortable look whilst adding a dash of style. The sandals are the comfiest pair I own so that definitely ticks the expectations. The high neck top from Missguided is one of my staple items of clothing, it not only looks lovely on, it's soft, cosy, and easy to pair with almost anything. The high waisted shorts are a really pretty blue colour and I love the pattern it characterises; when spotting them in my cupboard I knew exactly what would go great with them and my thoughts lead to this. 

OUTFIT 2:

Dress - Persunmall | Shoes - ASOS | Bag - Primark

Ah, just how dreamy is this dress? I saw it and instantly fell in love. It's very sixties with the neckline and the way it falls outwards when on. This outfit will fully bring out the girly side of me. No matter how many times I try and mix and match with colours, light pink will always come crawling back to number one. I will be wearing this to Billy Elliot; I didn't want to be too over dressed, but I wanted to look like I've made the effort. It will also be the first time I get some wear out of my ASOS beauties, the colour doesn't match the dress exact but the contrast clashed nicely. To complete the whole sixties look, I wanted to finish off by taking a tote/bucket bag with me but I'm yet to purchase one that compeers, so I went for this simple but gorgeous pastel clutch bag and surprisingly, the hint of mint green adds to the outfit.

OUTFIT 3:

Co-ord - Ark | Sandals - Primark | Hat - H&M

The famous black and white has made its way back into the limelight in this outfit. Although it's summer, I don't think you can ever go wrong with the versatile colour. I knew when I spotted this quirky co-ord that it had to be mine and when thinking upon what I could wear for Saturday day time in London, this sprung to mind. I've only recently started wearing hats and I'm still not entirely sure whether they suit me or not; however, this modest bowler hat is ideal to pop on whatever time of year it is and it adds to that indie look I was reaching for. As we'll be walking pretty much all day, I had to once again face the dilemma of style vs comfort. Luckily, these Primark block heel sandals serve both. They're super easy to walk in and even add that extra length to my legs so they don't look stumpy in shorts, yay!

OUTFIT 4:

Playsuit - Missguided | Belt - Charity Shop | Heels - New Look | Clutch Bag - Vintage

If you haven't yet noticed, I'm loving florals this summer. The ditsy, cute kind of flower like the above co-ord and dress are super flattering, but the tropical kind of flower is also something I can't get enough of at the moment. This beautiful mint green coloured playsuit can be styled in most ways; dressed up or down, worn with black or white accessories and so on, but for this particular time I wanted to bring out the safest option which is black. This will be the outfit I wear on Saturday night. I'm not a regular party animal so it's hard for me to find that comfort zone. However, I think I will be perfectly fine in this.

OUTFIT 5:

Shorts - OASAP | Top - Forever 21 (last year) | Shoes - ASOS (last year) | Bag - New Look

Within this outfit, 3/4 of the items are old and have been collecting dust in my wardrobe for a while now. When I finally received these beautiful lace pocket shorts from OASAP, I was struggling to find a top that would go with them. That was until I routed and found this past favourite t-shirt of mine. Tucked into the shorts, the top finishes off the whole lace look entirely and it would be naughty of me to not include even more lace/floral touches. I'll be travelling back home in this outfit so once again it leaves me with style and comfort. Hopefully I won't be too cold in what I'm wearing when I reach Yorkshire, but I'm not getting my hopes up!

Have a lovely weekend everyone! I will be back online at the beginning of next week and I'm sure I'll have plenty to babble on about. Turning 21 makes me feel quite old as each year seems to pass by rapidly without warning and before you know it, half your life has gone (seriously, I swear it feels I left school only yesterday). It's pretty scary but it also allows me to look forward to my future; I just refuse to ever give up the inner child side of me! And on that note, I shall leave you with a life motto "growing old is mandatory, growing up is optional".

Summer Blogger Challenge: Pastel Nails

For this weeks #summerbloggerchallenge, the topic is 'Summer Trends'. Now, when I think about the numerous trends that pass through the summer, I could be thinking forever. There's the fashion side of things which can be highly dangerous when I move my focus over to that (I am 100% sure I have a clothes, shoes and accessories addiction, especially the lovely colours and patterns around in the summer!), then there's the makeup trends that I'm still experimenting with, but one reoccurring trend that I think sticks throughout the summer are the vibrant nail polishes that can make such a difference to your appearance for the day. Nail varnishes are so effortless yet so gorgeous, the colours you choose can highlight your outfit, your makeup, and even your hair colour. At the moment, I can't get enough of pastel colours. They're the perfect neutral pick with that ounce of colour and look so effective whatever you do and wherever you go.

1. It's only recently I've moved on to the more expensive nail polishes and Essie was the first on my list. It's most definitely worth the money, I love the shape of the brush and how smoothly it glides on the fingernail without making a mess at the sides. Cute As A Button is a stunning bright coral colour, not too dark, and not too light. It stands out against my pale complexion but I think it will also be handy to take abroad with me as I can imagine it looking just as lovely on tanned skin.

2. Topshop nail varnish is another bandwagon I've jumped on. The colour range they have are gorgeous and there's plenty of choice when it comes down to the typical summer colours. Flamingo Coral is a peachy coral colour that is of the uplifting kind and once again I think it will suit you whatever your skin tone. If nail polish did facial expressions, this one would be cheerful.

3. Ah, my trusty Barry M Gelly's, I don't know where I'd be without them. I've found them to be the most reliable drugstore brand when it comes down to long lasting colour and chip resistance. They've always been my favourite and the pastel colours they have on show at the moment haven't let me down. Sugar Apple is a beautiful mint green colour and is elegantly flamboyant. It's the colour that everyone notices and compliments, an absolute staple for when the sun is shining!

4. Models Own is another brand I've freshly ventured in to. The hyped up (pardon the pun) hyper gel was first on my list due to their pretty colour variety that is always something I go for. Pink Veneer is the perfect pastel pink, girly but not too sleazy. It has just the right amount of balance and can be paired with any sort of outfit, especially for a classy night out!

5. Lilac Sheen is another Hypergel colour I purchased a month or so ago. I've not used it much but I think it's one of those nail varnishes which you save for a special occasion or a really warm day. I absolutely love the sleekness of the colour, it's so gorgeous, light and refreshing and the sort of purple you can get on with. I find it difficult to find a desirable purple, but this one ticks all boxes.

6. Another one of my Barry M Gelly's that I have featured before on my blog, is Huckleberry. It's very similar to Sugar Apple but has more of an aqua blue tint to it that is bang on trend this summer. I adore how shiny and classy this looks on the nails, it's highly pigmented so lets out a dash of colour.

7. Finally, we have one of my definite all time favourite shades of nail varnish, Essie's Bikini So Teeny. I do class it as more of a summer colour and one that you can show off more throughout summer, but this would work just as well through the colder months with the fabulous pop of blue it throws out. The easy application and intense colour is an instant winner.

So they're just a few of my favourite summer colours in terms of nail varnish. Do you have a favourite?

Summer Blogger Challenge: handbag essentials

When it comes down to summer and living in England, there is no proper way to prepare. One minute you can be soaking up the rays and complaining it's too warm, the next you can be sat indoors with the heating on, watching the rain thrash down on the windows, complaining it's too miserably cold (that's just how our logic works). It's hard to remember what essentials you'll need to pack away in your chosen summer handbag, in fact it's hard to figure out whether you'll need to pick up any items at all and just make do with an umbrella but for when the days are hot, everyone needs a check list to tick off what you couldn't be without and this post is all about the things I take with me on a daily basis as the summer months approach.

Being asked to take part in the #summerbloggerchallenge by the lovely Amy was an offer I couldn't refuse. I loved the idea of getting together a new summer related post every week (whether it was raining outside or not) and the first topic of choice 'Summer Bag Essentials' couldn't have come at a better time. I had planned on creating a post based around what I think are handy to rely on when travelling abroad but now I think this post just about covers all categories, and hopefully it will be of help to the rest of you!

THE BEAUTY PRODUCTS:

Soap & Glory One Heck of a Blot Powder - £12.00 | L'Oreal L'Extraordinaire Liquid Lipstick by Color Riche - £8.99 | Dr Organic Virgin Coconut Oil Lip Serum - £3.99 | Nivea Pearl & Beauty Mini Deodorant - £1.05 | Ted Baker Butterfly Wings Body Spray 50ml - £2.50

Oil absorbtions: Whether it's powder or blotting strips, I always need something with me when my face becomes sweaty and oily (gross, I know but it happens to everyone, especially in the heat!). Although my oily skin is much more under control now, I still have breakouts of colossal oil, especially around the forehead area. One product I can't get enough of at the moment, is the wonderful, translucent powder that is Soap & Glory One Heck Of A Blot. One sweep of this across the face erases all shine and leaves skin feeling freshly mattified!

Lip treatment: It's important to look after your lips whatever the weather, but especially in the sun when they can become dry, dehydrated, and prone to burning. I recently purchased Dr Organic Virgin Coconut Oil Lip Serum and am loving the moisture and nourishment it provides! After you have treated your lips to some TLC and they become nice and soft, you can add a splash of summer colour to them, which of course you take with you to top up through the day. The Color Riche Extraordinare Lipstick by L'Oreal is slowly becoming a favourite of mine. It is a high shine lipstick that goes on like a lipgloss without the added stickiness. I have it in the shade Rose Melody 101.

Products to keep you clean and fresh: Deodorants and body sprays are a must in summer! It's something I'll never forget to pop in my bag and they're even better when they're in miniature form. Applying a dab of both products (deodorant first of course) when you're feeling particularly grubby is pretty much life saving. It can keep you feeling refreshed, as well as less paranoid about being overly clammy in public! I can always count on Nivea Pearl and Beauty and Ted Baker's Butterfly Wings Body Spray has been one of my favourite scents for so long now! 

THE HAIR CARE COSMETICS:

Bobby pins - £0.89 (Bodycare) | Bobbles £1 (pack of from Primark) | Pocket mirror - £1 (Primark) | Tangle Teezer - £10.99

A brush, bobby pins and a few hair ties: Keeping it minimal. I go nowhere without my trusty Tangle Teezer, not only does it destroy the nasty knots I get in my hair when it's down, but it's there for whenever I need to tie my hair up in the summer when my thick mane doesn't get along with the stickiness on the back of my neck. This is where the bobby pins and bobbles come into place too, of course. I'd recommend squeezing as many as you can into your handbag because they seem to disappear without no valid reason (I swear they have legs?!)

A compact mirror: There doesn't need to be much explanation for this. The prettier, the better (for me anyway). It helps having two sides to it too, with one being more magnified. Having a mirror with you becomes a necessity, you can use it for tying said hair up, correcting your makeup, and even spying on the person behind you, whether that's for a good reason or a bad (weird person and cute guy at the back of the bus, this is aimed at you!)

THE PROTECTION: 

Sunglasses - £2 (Primark) | Vaseline Aloe Vera Hand and Nail Cream - £1.74

Sunglasses: They're a little miracle aren't they? Once again, they can be used for all reasons (cue being able to stare without being caught) but let's not forget the main reason. When the sun's blaring, sunglasses are the only option to protect and shade, and they can help with us hayfever sufferers too!

UV Protection: I don't regularly carry a sun lotion around with me when it's warm in the UK which is naughty of me, I know, but I'm one for applying it before I go out and then shrugging off the fact it is hot enough to burn (which is always regretted afterwards), and telling myself I'll be in the car more than I will be walking around. As I've grown however, I have learnt the importance of regularly shielding your skin from not only burning which can be intensely painful, but from long term danger too. If a day relaxing outdoors is planned, I'll certainly add an extra bottle of sun cream to my summer bag, but something which is brought out with me often is the Vaseline Healthy Hand and Nail Cream with SPF15, it keeps my hands feeling smooth and maintained and shades the one part of my body which is always on show, at the same time.

HUMAN NEEDS:

Water: Possibly the most important substance of all time. Surprisingly, I never used to drink that much water because I never realised how good it was for you. Now, it's all I drink. It's the one thing I always reach for when it's hot (and mostly the rest of the time, actually), especially icy cold water that clenches your thirst right when you need it (it may be even an beneficial option to freeze water and then take it out with you and sip whilst it melts). Water not only keeps you, your skin and your weight healthy, it is a natural hydration which should always be considered when it's hot and your bodily fluids are swimming out of you.

Entertainment: Whether that be a magazine, a book, music, or all 3! Carrying objects around with you that will prevent you from being bored is a must (trust me, you'd definitely appreciate it when you're stuck in a waiting area or on busy public transport, craving for any kind of entertainment). Plus, there's nothing better than laying out in the sun with a good book, your music blaring through your earphones, browsing through the latest summer styles.

OTHER RANDOM BITS AND BOBS (everyone surely has those in the pit of their bag?) 

Moist handy wipes - £1 (A pack of 4, Bodycare) | Tic Tac's - £1 (Primark)

Wet wipes: You'll never know when you'll spill something down yourself (especially if you're as clumsy as I am), or when you'll need to wipe your hands/arms/legs/anything in view when you're feeling a little grimy, which is why a small packet of handy wipes are always reliable.

Mints: Or chewing gum, whichever you prefer (I often have both). They're just what I carry with me every day. You don't notice how major they are until you run out of them so it's always best to regularly stock up for times of need. In the summer, my mouth tends to be more dry and desires a sweet pick me up!

Plasters: Last but not least, the saviours of all saviours! Feet tend to swell and cling to shoes much frequently in the heat which often results in blisters which can be unbearable. Permanently having plasters with you saves the hassle of nagging and trying to find a shop that sells them, and rescues your poor dying feet (particularly when your chosen shoe for the day/night is anything with a heel on!).

Do you have any other special essentials you carry around with you? Or do you suggest differently to the ones I've listed? I'd be interested to find out and even gain tips/idea from you lovely lot. Keep an eye out for next weeks post. I'm excited to find out the chosen topic and get to work on another post!

Pinstripe pinafore

Dress - OASAP | Shoes - Primark | Bag - Primark 

That one dress in your wardrobe that you feel fate welcomed you to and once in your hands, you can't imagine being without. Everyone has one of those, right? Well this is mine as the 'summer' months commence. I say 'summer' because the weather up North has taken a turn for the worse over the past week or so and I've had to make the most of the slighter warmer weekend and dash out in the garden for a quick photo session (which is why they're not all that good and I look derpy on most of them so you'll have to excuse me there). I think I've expressed my love for OASAP on various other posts of mine but one more time won't hurt! The items of clothing they have on there are not only cheap and cheerful but totally on trend too and to say the items are sent from China, they arrive so quickly. I'm yet to be disappointed by their simplistic yet chic choices and this pinstriped pinafore style dress certainly doesn't disappoint. It's been the dress I seem to reach for more than anything else as it's so versatile, it can be dressed up or down, paired with layers or left alone, and be completed with any type of footwear. I went for these chunky heels I picked up in Primark only recently. I just had to snap them up before anyone else did. Once again, it was like fate had struck. I was on the hunt for some black shoes and these appear. To be honest, I couldn't believe they were Primark shoes; Primark have really upped their game this Spring/Summer and these shoes are just one out of about 20 items I've picked up in there recently (oops!) be sure to keep an eye out for another huge Primark haul on my blog very soon!

I've had quite a busy week this week, my grandma got herself a brand new car so I've been enjoying the luxury of that over the past few days. I've finally booked everything for my 21st birthday trip in London (only 2 weeks to go now we're into June, argh I feel old!) and now I'm counting down the days till my holiday abroad as well as making sure I have all my essentials ready to pack away. June will hopefully be a better month (it will definitely be a more hectic month) and I have plenty to look forward to starting from now. I hope you all have just as many exciting plans, and if you don't, just enjoy the tranquility!