Beauty: five for dry lips

The end of February is near, but the brisk cold air is still in full force. I feel like we're in that awkward stage between winter and spring where the sun can be shining but your face continues to take all the battering of the harsh wind. One common problem for me is the dry lip issue. There's absolutely no chance they will be soft, smooth and chap free without the help of some reliable products which is why I'd share my favourite rescues for those who are in need.

Before I begin to even apply any moisture into my lips, my holy grail starter pack is found in a small tub filled with lots of grit like produce. I couldn't be without Lush's Lip Scrub collection (admittedly I've only ever had Popcorn, I should really expand my choices). The teeniest amount buffs away any pesky crisp flakes so the application of my followed lip product is made easier and more polished. It does a grand job of vanishing the layer of dryness that prevents me from having healthy, rosy pink lips; especially when matte lipstick is thrown into the equation. We all know the pain of crinkled, patchy lips which are supposed to look like the perfected matte. I certainly don't pull off that look.

I recently delved into the Nuxe Reve De Miel hype and I now understand why it is so well loved. I picked up the limited edition not long ago and have sworn by it ever since. I'm a sucker for an orangey scent so right away this tickled my fancies but on top of that, it leaves my lips unbelievably moisturised and hydrated. It is quite a thick texture so I usually apply on an evening and leave it on overnight BUT it's just as effective when used through the day. It even makes a great base as it doesn't leave any stickiness behind, is light on the lips and lacks any drastic shimmer. If you're in need of a repair action on your cracked lips, I'd definitely go for this one because it does the job of cushioning the lips instantly and cures me of all those horrible white bits of skin you can wake up with on a morning. My second favourite balmy lip treat is the Korres Lip Butter. I purchased the pomegranate but am under the impression all options are just as lovely. I love how it leaves a tint of colour on the lips as well as soothing those pesky, sore lips efficiently. I get why it's classed as a lip butter as nothing leaves my lips as super soft than this does; that buttery well prepped feeling is so refreshing. 

Moving on to the cheaper alternatives which multiply the rating if you're on a budget. First up, there's the luscious The Body Shop Coconut Lip Butter. I honestly think it's the coconut scent that makes me rank this so high, the oil induced formula is good enough to eat! I also adore the creamy consistency of this and how it completely melts into the lips giving a velvety finish. The only problem is, it does need more reapplying compared to the others but I can never get enough of the taste so I'm not complaining. Lastly, there's the oh so popular Maybelline Baby Lips. I remember the obsession with this range when they arrived in the UK a year and a half ago and of course, I was one to follow suit. I wasn't overly overjoyed at first but I did warm to them and now, I always seem to go back to them when the guide to nourished lips is considered. The product being in chapstick form allows it to glide across all areas of the lips, conditioning them thoroughly. The bonuses being you get a hint of colour and it's long lasting for a few good hours!

What are your favourite, go to lip moisturisers?

Bridie x

Wishlist: the Boohoo edit

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So, my Wednesday Wishlist arrives one day late. I've had a hectic week so far (and when I say hectic I mainly mean stressing over catching up with lots of emails, blogs and eBay bits) which means I didn't have the time to create my desired collection on time. I did, however, have a browse on Boohoo the other day and managed to convince myself I need more clothes. In my younger days, I used to be addicted to Boohoo but kind of grew out of the pattern of searching through page after page of things I'd just chuck to the back of my wardrobe. Rekindling my love, I thought 'I'll just have a look' but it then resulted in me lusting over several items and I unexpectedly noticed Boohoo have seriously upped their game.

I have a thing for coats at the moment since I purchased my first waterfall style coat, I've moved on up in the world. This nude/stone coloured belted coat is the perfect staple, especially for the upcoming spring! I'm also thinking about bags and shoes more than I used to; especially the more classy kind. This rose gold clutch and black caged heels would be the dream pair. Now LFW has ended, I've found myself becoming inspired by the latest trends and I think this wishlist demonstrates that. There's the usual monochrome, whites and nudes which tickle my fancy and then there's the oversized shirts, camel shades, zip details and v necks. Now, I think I should put a ban on my spending right this minute!

Has anything caught your eye lately? 

Bridie x

What I wore: monochrome and blanket wrap coats

Blouse - Zara | Leggings - Primark | Coat - Primark | Shoes - Primark | Hat - Primark

Making the most of the sunny Spring-like weather last week, I ventured outside to take what seemed to be a long awaited outfit photo spree. Pre-planning with the trusty weather app definitely paid off as I'm much happier with the quality of these photos. It's just a shame the glorious sunshine which almost(italics) felt warm, soon disappeared as the week went on. I think I was a little too enthusiastic on the weather front. It's now reversed into full winter mode and I'm left pining for spring (here I go again...)

Meanwhile, whilst the weather chills right through my bones, I have this super comfortable blanket wrap coat from good old Primark to keep me snug. I've never considered myself ever looking socially acceptable in a long coat; I just never thought they'd suit me, until now! This navy beauty ticks all the right boxes and I've never had the £10 bargain off since. You may have noticed I'm wearing one of the items I lusted over on my Zara wishlist. Yep, it happened. I just couldn't hold off any longer and gave in to having a small Zara splurge, and I'm so glad I did decide to treat myself because I've found another favourite wardrobe staple with this monochrome beauty. I absolutely love the cut of it, v neck and black and white never let me down! 

Now, moving downwards on my outfit, your eyes definitely aren't deceiving you. Yes, that's me, wearing heels. Being more expressive in the shoes department is another change I'm trying to implement. Unsurprisingly, these are another proud Primark possession and when I spotted them, I had to have them. I don't tend to wear heels often but these were screaming at me and going for the print, I thought they'd pair perfectly with my brand new blouse, topped with my favourite red lippy. I can totally feel a Primark haul coming up!

Hope you're all having a lovely week!

Bridie x

The Sunday Natter: why body shaming needs to stop

I don't usually touch on subjects like this but when something's on my mind, I always feel the need to express my erratic thoughts and what better place than my blog on a Sunday Natter day? The idea of this topic was promoted by a controversial hashtag floating around Twitter on Friday. I'm pretty certain the majority of you already know what I'm talking about, but if not then I'll give you a brief insight. #SkinnyBirdWatching was a highly inappropriate move by Taking Shape, thinking spotting 'size 6 non average for a model girls' at London Fashion Week would be an inoffensive and acceptable idea. How wrong they were. I really don't understand how you can promote size positivity, whilst slating and humiliating the opposite, smaller body type. Putting down a range of size and shapes to praise another is not the way forward. Negative commenting on how 'awfully skinny' a person is, is just as bad as upsetting a person for their heavier weight. They are equally offensive. There is no right or wrong shape. We were all born and built differently and that's why the world is so diverse, because we're all unique and have individual qualities.

Unfortunately, we do live in a generation where there is a standard definition of beauty. Browsing at the online catalogue models, walking past Victoria Secret adverts and making note of the catwalks, you'll realise there's one certain look that is supposed to represent everyone. We all know that's wrong but that's just how it works and that's why we need to support each other more than ever. Us women already deal with enough pressure by the media and the hostile reality, we don't need resentfulness added to the list. I'm certainly no where near self-assured about my appearance which is why I feel so strongly about women sticking together and working towards building confidence instead of unnecessarily demeaning each other. What's worse is, people don't even realise they're doing it. We do live in a beauty obsessed era but we also live in 2015, filled with ever developing attitudes, and thinking you are correct in believing one certain size should be the focus means you need to open your eyes, and quickly.

You are not defined by a number. Whether you're a size 6 or a 26, I don't see how it matters or makes any difference to who you are. It's okay to be super slim, it's okay to be curvy, by god it's okay to be any formation you want to be. If you want to make changes and decisions for your own benefit, go ahead and if you want to stay the same, you carry on doing that. As long as you're happy in your own skin, you go strutting past that mirror with your head held high. There is no such thing as normal, there is no clarification of the word normal. You can't judge someone based upon this. Everyone has a personal preference and let's be honest, life would be a dull place if everybody was the same. If there's one term I absolutely hate, it's the 'real women' logic. I'm sorry, but who gives instructions on what should be included in the recipe of a woman? There's no rules for that. More importantly, how can you destroy someone's perception of themselves by what you think is ideal on the outside? There is so much more to a person than their size, weight and appearance and that doesn't take away the other beautiful traits they may carry. I hate the fact we feel the need to put labels on people. Whether you're smaller or larger, it doesn't make you any less of an attractive person, especially when seen from the eyes of others. Being forced upon to look a certain way is not suitable for someone's well being. Body shaming in both directions does no justice to confidence whatsoever. It doesn't make someone feel better stating their size is rated higher than the other and it's not fair that we should be categorised this way.

Not every weight is medically healthy, I know. Being both severely underweight and overweight can be dangerous but that doesn't instantly mean you can point a finger and shame someone for what they look like. There may be underlining issues, a reasoning for it, or they may just be simply, naturally made this way. Your insults and snide comments will get you nowhere in life and can affect a person much more than you think. Tell me this; would someone receive optimism from a statement of 'only a dog goes for bones'/'promoting bigger bodies is not a good thing' or would they be more satisfied with the point that, whatever our size, we are all important and empowering and deserve to be comfortable in our own skin? I read somewhere that society will do everything in its power to convince you that your personal happiness is dependent from something external and it's so true but this isn't the case. Making the conscious decision to be happy and to pass a casual compliment on a daily basis will make you and the receiver feel better, for sure. Always be nice to yourself and be nice to others, you'll get so much more out of life. That's my motto. 

What are your thoughts regarding this situation?

Bridie x

Style: what I'd wear to London Fashion Week

So, London Fashion Week kicks off today; the city wide celebration of global style that flocks in people of all individualities. Packed with designer shows, characterised catwalks, and unique street style, it's the ideal place for any fashion lover like me. The only twist being, I'm sat at home embracing my inner slob, creating a list of outfits I would wear for the 5 days of madness whilst the rest of the blogger world (or what seems to be) are parading outside Somerset House. BUT a girl can dream, right? I can't see myself attending LFW anytime soon (mainly due to the blooming distance and expense between the North and the South) but I can still swoon over lots of beautiful winter and spring appropriate clothes with a pinch of lust-worthy high end items thrown into the mix knowing there'll be no fear for my bank balance because only on a white page of my blog they'll stay, right? There's no doubt about it, if the opportunity ever did come up, I'd be on a huge shopping spree, raking in the clobber that 1) matches my personal style but 2) would hopefully make an impression with the public. I'm no out-stander, I certainly wouldn't be the one that has all the media and camera equipment lining up to capture this distinctive, eccentric, out of this world outfit and my style is pretty safe, average and boring compared to other devotees but I just love pre-planning and making wishlists, so that I did.

DAY ONE: NEUTRAL NUDES

Zara Crop Top | Missguided Skirt | Topshop Shoes | Olivia Burton Watch | Mango Bag | Ted Baker Coat

To kick off the event, I'd definitely roll up in the outfit that represented me best. This means, plenty of simple shades; whites, nudes and stripes with that pure, feminine vibe to the look. I'm really loving bell sleeve items at the moment and thought this basic Zara blouse would pair perfectly with the cute textured skirt and I couldn't not add in a prestigious Olivia Burton watch and dreamy Ted Baker high neck trench to give it that touch of classy chic. The rose gold accessories compliment the modern edge meaning it's not too full on and is an uncomplicated way of showing up in style. 

DAY TWO: ALL MONOCHROME

River Island Dress | Topshop Coat | H&M Boots | Zara Bag | Topshop Sunglasses

I don't think you can ever go wrong wearing all monochrome, it's something you can fall back on when you're feeling a little uninspired. You can always rely on colour block monochrome to bring out your motives, and that is to hit the streets with force. I'll never grow out of black and white, it's such an effective double act and I fall in love with many monochrome items every day without fail. This 60's style River Island dress is the ideal main staple piece to show off your approach. Complete with some gorgeous ankle boots, a sophisticated Zara bag, an oversized duster and some huge sunnies, you are well equipped and ready to show off your pins and pretend you're in the movies.

DAY THREE: CITY GIRL

Whistles Coat | H&M Blouse | River Island Jeans | Zara Shoes | H&M Belt | Warehouse Bag | Missguided Fedora

As the weekend fun subsides, settling for jeans is an intelligent option to choose. Not only are they cool and comfortable but you can work them around some minimal garments which produce that sleek no effort - effort image. Wrap over, floaty, chiffon shirts seem to be ever so flattering when paired with a great pair of black jeans and I adore the ribbed texture of this H&M piece. I was being fashion-forward when thinking about this put together outfit, focusing on the accessories to glamourise an outfit. This stunning Whistles faux fur coat would be the statement of the bunch, and clashing beigy nude trappings like a beloved fedora and an essential belt would bring the outfit alive. Add in a must have chain detailed clutch style bag and you have a winner.

DAY  4: OVERSIZED AND ON TREND

Great Plains Dress | Zara Coat | New Look Boots | ASOS Bag | Topshop Bracelet

Roll necks dresses, kimono sleeve coats and knee high boots, all bang on trend and are bound to allow you to make an entrance when you're now familiar with the crowd. Stepping away from the prints, I'm sticking to my belief that modest is foremost. Light grey is one of my favourite clothing colours, so when I found a high neck dress WITH POCKETS I knew this wouldn't just be easy on the eye but would also be a beneficial choice. The structure of the incredible, fresh belted coat would compliment the straightness in the shape of the dress and the knee high boots (a risk for me which I would be willing to take) would lengthen the aspect of the legs giving you that sexy strut whilst still remaining casual and snug. Then, just to go completely off key, this amazing wide eye bag would finalise the outfit by connecting a dash of vibrant character to your everyday tastes.

DAY FIVE: TRUSTY STRIPES

In The Style Jumpsuit | Missguided Coat | Zara Flats | Fiorelli Bag | Miss Selfridge Fedora

Imagine how battered your poor feet must be after being on them 4 days in a row in shoes you don't usually wear. Yep, you got it; blisters and rapid soreness which means flats are the sensible option. Flats don't have to be boring, in fact I think when a straight legged jumpsuit is considered, flat shoes give a refined, elegant element to what would usually be a more dressy possibility. I'm yet to meet a person who dislikes stripes; especially the traditional, navy blue/black and white type. The print of this alluring jumpsuit would highlight the figure, and an invested waterfall camel coat over the top would boost the luxe vibe. Topped with a hat and a similar toned handy bag, it makes the ideal attire for the last day of fun. It really is the little detail that matters.

If there's one thing I love about London Fashion Week, it's the way you can develop, enhance and progress your style in just a few days. I often find myself browsing the street style and the shows that attract my interest really helps with finding myself and where I want to be style-wise. So, that's how I'll be spending my weekend, with my nose in the internet double tapping on Instagram and searching for my fave bloggers, models and celebs. How about you? Will you be staying at home or are you lucky enough to be paying LFW a visit this year?

Bridie x 

Wednesday Wishlist: Forever 21

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I've always had a soft spot for Forever 21, it's such an affordable place to shop and you can find some really lovely, versatile key pieces to add to your wardrobe. Unfortunately, there's still no sight of one being built around my area so online shopping it is. The only problem being, they sell out super quick so if you see something, it's best not to hesitate in purchasing because before you know it you'll be cursing yourself over the fact you have to solemnly let go of the item you grew attached to (I swear I have this fear of missing out so have to regularly browse for updates!).

I feel like on every Wednesday Wishlist it's just going to be me blathering on about how I can't wait to wear clean cut clothing without the winter layers and how being a minimalist is my newly, improved taste but that's the drill, that's me and I'll never get bored of developing my sense of style and hunting for the perfect staples. I tried to step away from black this time (apart from the dreamy pointed loafers which are so my thing at the moment, and the faux leather skirt purely because of the fine floral embroidery) and included more fresh looking, cream, white, light greys and stripes and some beigy nudes which I think will be the high alert trends and my favoured neutral shades going into spring. The longline waistcoat particularly caught my eye, I can definitely see myself wearing that on a number of occasions; as I can with the nautical inspired stripe dress and the roll neck sweater dress. Not only do they look extremely comfortable but they're stylish on their own without you having to make much effort. The only pick that doesn't match the corresponding description is the paneled blouse for the simple reason, high necks and lace combined are my weakness especially when they have that touch of classy for when I want to release my inner chic. 

You'll have probably noticed I'm constantly focusing on the non-bold type prints and sticking to plain. I keep having a sort out of my wardrobe every few weeks, deciding I have to go with my head not my heart, think about the garments I won't wear again and never will wear, despite me hesitating whether or not to get rid forever. I am slowly improving and it's only reflecting my love for the basics even further. And if that's not enough, Forever 21 currently have 21% off full price items with code 'SAVE21' until midnight tonight. Will I ever save money? No is the answer. Gah.

Have you had your eye on anything in particular at the moment?

Bridie x

Life: Crafting With Carpetright at the Chirpy Store

A week ago today, I tootled off into the (rare) glorious sunshine in Chapel Allerton (which in my eyes is certainly one of the best parts of Leeds with how much character shines through in the buildings) to attend an exclusive bloggers event with Carpetright at the independent, super quirky Chirpy store. The workshop was lead by Miriam Laville, a visual artist, and organised by the lovely Melissa. The aim of the game was to focus on carpet cuts which are often thrown away without second thought and to learn about the different ways you can up cycle and make the most out of loose scraps, stretching your imagination as your mind goes into overdrive. When I first received the invite, my initial thoughts were "ooh how fun" but a small apprehensive part of me was questioning whether or not I'd be any good at this. This was my first crafts event, I'm not particularly a skillful individual and I've never really practiced, nor being knowledgeable about any crafty bits and bobs. However, my doubts were soon vanished as I realised you didn't have to be an expert to take part, you just had to deliver an approach which highlights and influences the fact material doesn't have to be wasted and can be soon repurposed for your very own DIY project in just a couple of hours.

Upon entering the store (which I've never visited before and sure was missing out on) I was fascinated by the vibrant charm it shone and knew I'd be in for a great day. After only a quick glance of downstairs, we were ushered upstairs to the workshop area to be pleasantly greeted by Miriam, Melissa, lots of fabrics, artsy decorations and stickers waiting for our name to be scribbled on. The room was lovely and spacious, all set out and ready for action and once again, filled with unique decor; beautiful framed photos and paintings and pretty wall add ons, bringing the room alive. After some quick photo snapping, the rest of us arrived and we were then sat down and given a brief introduction of what to expect. Our choices were made purely by the examples Miriam presented. She showed us some of her creations so we could gather an idea of what we could make. But this was only the base, it was up to us to get our thinking caps on and go all hands on. As I was an amateur and this was apparently the easiest to make, I went low key with a mirror. Everyone else picked differently which made it more fun and exciting. Some joined me with the making of mirrors, others garnished some pots and pans and two lovely ladies even stepped up an adventurous level and went all out to produce a doormat from scratch. I loved the variation and Miriam was also pleased with the originality as she said she could gain some inspiration (bonus!)

It took a long time for me to decide on my design (when I say a long time I mean at least 15 minutes time was taken up pondering and structuring a careful plan). I knew I wanted to slice and shape the pieces of carpet in a geometric, jigsaw like pattern but I wasn't sure what theme to set. In the end, my inner girly side jumped out and leant beside me whispering in my ear to make it as mixed as possible so that's what I did. I went for the hippie vintage vibe and considered what I'd need in able to achieve the desired look. I chose three shades of carpet; a fair pink, a beige and a cream and mentally lined the pieces up how I required (four squares in each corner, two long stripes at the top and bottom and two tiny rectangles to finish off). We were advised to use a Stanley knife to cut the carpet as this was the strongest, most ideal tool but with me being a clumsy nonsense, I was hesitant as to whether I should be trusted with a sharp object but I defeated my pessimism and went ahead anyway. Truthfully, I wasn't the best due to the lack of strength and accuracy in my unsteady hands and I ended up having to trim and tidy the ends of the carpet up with sharp scissors which actually turned out to be the longest part in the process! 

After I'd pruned my small shaped sections (I'm using this an excuse for my rubbish carving!) I laid them out on the mirror to know exactly where I wanted them positioned before I started any gluing! Once I knew the arrangement, only then did I move on to collecting lots of little accessories to jazz up and embellish the mirror. I started off with some fancy ribbon and cut it into 4 to place around the centred reflector, then I picked out some multicoloured wool style rope to fit around the edging and glued both down with some tubed adhesive. I was then ready to stick down my carpet segments and this time, used the spray on glue for a more effective affix. As this dried, I then moved on and concentrated on the missing sections beside the middle of the mirror and decided to throw in some more deep colour and grabbed some hot pink, soft felt material and selected another glue to use, taking advantage of the many available. This is when the picture started to form and I could see it coming to life. That was the positive side, the negative was my hands were worn out, my back was sore from standing up and bending over and I was completely covered in glue and lots of fluff from the carpet (seriously, you wouldn't believe some of the places it ended up!) so I decided to take a break and indulge in some of the specially made Carpetright cupcakes and sandwiches. They were both made and brought up to us by The Sunshine Bakery which I was familiar with as I indulged some myself when I was a regular at Chapel Allerton hospital so I knew they were going to be delicious... and that they were, possibly the tastiest cupcakes I'd had in a while and they went down a treat (and I even took a couple home with me, mmmm!).

Stepping away from stuffing my face before my stomach tripled in size, I headed back to the table to finalise the project. The end moves were the trickiest and the fiddliest as I lined up some pearl diamantés to fill the gaps and some cutesy symmetrical flowers to each corner. Despite my doubts, I was quite proud of the accomplished task and for myself for actually completing it in the time provided and I couldn't wait to take it home to show around and find a place for my handiwork (I think I've eventually agreed on giving it away to one of the younger girly girls of the family). I even did the school-sticker smile action when Miriam made her way round to have a peek and commented on how fetching it looked. It was certainly a messy process, but a successful one. We were informed that this was the first Crafting With Carpetright event and we were sort of a trial to see how it went so I hope the positive feedback and the thorough enjoyment of our group has been enough to urge them to do more as I felt pretty honoured to be the first in line to experiment with the wild wanders of carpet. It really has proved that you can make anything work, the workshop enlightened us as to how far we could make a stray cut go and opened up the ideas and opportunities.

To complete and round off a wonderful afternoon, we then had a group shot displaying our finished masterpieces and were kindly given our very own Crafting With Carpetright tote bag with lots of interesting goodies inside (I loved the fact I'd never had anything like this before, it made a change to the beauty or fashioned based products!). On top of this, we were also awarded with a £10 Chirpy voucher to spend downstairs which was extremely generous of the organisers and I couldn't have been more thankful.

As I was then able to check out the shop itself, I couldn't stop myself from having a gazing gander as I was overwhelmed with so much joy, colour and cheer (I get why it's called Chirpy!). I'm not lying when I say I must have walked around the same spots for around 20 minutes because A) I am too indecisive and B) I didn't want to miss any of the fine, distinctive details of each unique and cleverly laid out item. The shop was way too cute for me to resist temptation of spending (pretty dangerous handing me a voucher!). In the end I ventured for a quote in a photo frame and a bird clip in the form of a bookmark which I'm sure will be shown on my blog very soon.

Once again, a huge thanks to Miriam, Melissa, Chirpy and of course Carpetright for hosting this event. It was most certainly an unusual insight to the concept you often shove to the back of your mind on a daily basis.

Bridie x

The Sunday Natter: travelling dreams

There's not a day goes by where I don't drift off into the wonderland of travelling the world. Being a blogger gives you instant access to the insights of the individuals who live the ideal life; sipping cocktails in the Caribbean, sight seeing in Paris, posing almighty in the brisk New York air next to the famous yellow cabs etc etc, and I can't help but wish I could swap lives. Of course it's not all prim and proper but there's some pretty amazing opportunities which come along waiting to be grabbed and I hold on to the hope some day that will be me enjoying the freedom and exploring the most memorable places (preferably when my lotto numbers roll up on the big screen!). With this in mind, for today's Sunday Natter post I've collected together my top 10 most desired places to visit and would love to know if you have similar thoughts, if you've visited any of these, and if there's any special destination on your list!

1) Dublin.

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There's something about traditional pubs, live music, friendly people, dainty settings and the drool worthy Irish accent that appeals to me. I've heard so much positive praise about Dublin and it's fun, topped with cutesy vibe. It'd be the perfect short getaway to lift your spirits and soak in the atmosphere!

2) Paris.

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So cliche, I know but if there's one city I must visit before I die, it's Paris. With its beautiful buildings, quaint streets, the most famous Eiffel Tower, the somehow highly attractive French language, French baguettes, chocolate drizzled crepes, Pinterest-worthy photo opportunities, pretending you're a high class glamour star with the boutique shopper bags, and not to forget, Disneyland! If there's one way to further my French/vintage/chic obsession, it would sure be to visit the place itself!

3) Italy.

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First up, can we talk about Italian food? Pasta, pizza, speciality chicken dishes, the desserts and alllllll the bread. No doubt about it, I'd be a couple of stone heavier if I spent time exploring the different parts of Italy for a holiday but (although this is a big source of my interest) it's not only the food I'd admire. It's the people; I love Italians, they're so lovely, fussy and comical, and it's the diversity; the sights on offer, the sunny strolls, the art, the array of houses on the sea and the stunning landscapes. A tour of Capri, Campania, Florence, Milan, Rome, Sicily, and Venice would be an absolute dream come true. 

4) New York.

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I don't think I really have to explain the reasons I'm constantly pining for the big apple but if I really had to, it would be; the spectacular city life, the mad rush, the urge to flag down a cab like in the movies, the range of entertainment, the magic of Times Square, Central Park, the Empire State Building, a boat tour, an attempt at a Statue of Liberty selfie and most of all, the hundreds of well needed NY shopping trips! My ultimate goal is to visit New York over the Christmas and New Year period. As cold as it may be, it would be heaven and I'd love to experience it! (In fact a huge tour of the whole of America would suit me just fine).

5) Australia.

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I still find it crazy and rather fascinating how Australia is on the other side of the world and is a massive 11 hour, 30 mins (maximum) hours in front (pretty much the future, right?). Once again, it's the visual pleasures, the breath taking open spaces, the mountains, the outback atmosphere, the beaches, the nature, the liberation, the hip-urban vibe it seems to have and of course, Sydney Opera House that leave me planning incomplete plans.

6) Amsterdam.

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Imagine my Instagram if I I took a trip to Amsterdam, oh my. I think it's such a beautiful city with so much to offer. I don't think I'd be spending too much time in the Red Light District (oo-er) but I would most certainly be admiring the floating canals, the famous hooked up bikes, unique buildings, and the narrow, winding streets. I also have a large interest in the history side of cities, especially from the war. As upsetting as it can be hearing the horrific stories all over again, one place that would fascinate me would be the Anne Frank museum! I don't quite think I'd be kissing my Augustus Waters in there but I would be enthralled in every little detail.

7) Greece.

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I'm not gonna lie when I say it's the likes of Zoe and Niomi who influence this choice. I've had the pretty parts of Greece on my list for a long time but ever since their presentation of Santorini and its surrounding towns, I've grown to adore the whole package. The islands are magnificent; packed with beautiful hotels, rocky settings, buildings in line above the sea, the old fashioned streets, Greek traditions, bewildering beaches, sheltered bays, coastal caves and hard to describe in words sunsets which can be seen for miles. Imagine sipping your late night drink, soaked in the high top pool, the warm air still gazing down on you, it would be absolute bliss.

8) Bahamas.

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The freshness, stunning, clean views and more than amazing beaches with crystal blue water and white sand are what capture my attention about the ever so incredible island. I can almost hear a pin drop when I browse the wonders of the Bahamas and I imagine myself to be relaxed and taken far away from reality. However, it's not only the regular peaceful, holiday-esque, hot weather that keeps me gripped, it's the west end, the history, music and culture. It's something different to your ordinary European holiday and one which I'm sure would hold a big place in your heart.

9) Dubai.

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Dubai is the capital of abundance. Everything about it speaks out rich and classic, with plenty of remarkable and extraordinary architecture to study. I believe Dubai would be full of adventure, heart warming historical culture, and events to attend. Not to mention, the skyline is incredible. My camera would be worn out on its capturing the character mode.

10) Prague.

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I'm always so captivated with the photos of Prague. It has a real warm, elegant, original, and fairytale like feel to it. Like what it would represent if you walked into a postcard, filled with undiscovered secrets and opportunities. It seems very oldy worldly, packed with more history whilst regaining its authentic charm. Obviously, I'm just surmising but this refined city ticks all the right boxes in my eyes. 

And that's just 10 of many. There's a whole random mixture that would complete the equation (Malta, Berlin, Marrakesh, LA just to add a few). But for now, I'm just gonna move on, shake my head full of fantasies and continue to uncover the spectacular places on earth via Google.

Bridie x