I am in love with this new Urban Outfitters nail varnish - the perfect colour for early spring. My little brother was lucky enough to take a trip to New York in February and brought back an amazing snowglobe and this Gotta Have It nail varnish as a belated birthday present. I gotta say, boy did good!

I know it's wrong, but I cannot explain how much I love my new leggings! Anyone who knows me knows that Urban Outfitters is my absolute favourite when it comes to fashion. Their sales are always superb which is why when I was browsing Oxford Street whilst catching up with one my uni friends, I had to buy these X-ray skeleton leggings. I have had my eye on these for absolutely ages - they've been in my online bag on the website for weeks and when I saw a pair in-store for £5, it was as if it was fate!

 

I would usually opt for a medium in terms of the size but there were only smalls and larges in store, so I tried them on and although they are a tiny bit short on the ankles, I couldn't bear to put them back! And I figured that since I'll probably be wearing them for dance more than anything, I'll be wearing socks or shoes that cover the ankle anyway, so no one will ever know!

 

Jade :)

Here's my problem: I love looking at other blogger's OOTD posts but I always feel like a massive plank doing my own. I'm much more of a behind-the-camera than in front of the camera kinda girl but I'm working (or should I say werking hehehe) on trying to build my confidence up bit by bit. Step one is doing more outfit posts because at the end of the day, it's about the fashion, not the face (thank goodness!)
 

So back to the OOTD, I've finally accepted that England's summer is probably over. The sun was lovely while it lasted - and it lasted a lot longer than usual! - but I am kind of excited to get back into my black boots, my knee high socks and my woolly jumpers. I'm not ready to go full out for fall yet though, so I'm trying to bridge the gap between summer and autumn with a mix of lightweight shorts, sturdy shoes and my ever faithful Urban Outfitters jumper. I'm pretty sure it's been featured in my blog more than any other item! I really wanted to do this OOTD outside but by the time I'd done everything else I had planned for today, the heavens had opened and it was absolutely chucking it down! Autumn has definitely arrived!

Jumper - Urban Outfitters Shorts - Topshop Necklace - New Look Socks - Urban Outfitters Shoes - Timberland (over 7 years ago now!)

None of these items, the necklace excluded, are relatively new: the jumper is getting on for two/three years old now but it's probably one of my favourite pieces of clothing I own. I love recycling and rehashing old items into new outfits and this OOTD is certainly a mish-mash of several generations of clothing! The collar is actually thanks to a £4 shirt I bought from Asda purely for work-related reasons, but I find this jumper tends to work better with a collar underneath it. I love how the bright white contrasts against the pretty neutral necklace and jumper combo (though I wasn't sure at first that my work shirt would actually work! Would have a been a bit ironic if it hadn't!)

So there is my first fall outfit of 2013. Summer, was nice knowing you!

 Jade :)

The 21 one year old me should be revising right now. The 21 year old me should also be taking more of an interest in world politics and environmental issues and a whole host of other grown up things you're meant to do when you turn 21. But the 18 year old in me (who, I have to say, never really went away) is actually far more intrigued by the new series of Skins coming back to E4.

I have fond memories of Skins. I remember seeing the trailer for the very first series and being simultaneously horrified and captivated. I was under strict instructions not to watch it (with good reason) but I remember joyously hatching up a plan to watch it anyway. I would have my TV volume at the absolute minimum, ready to crouch with my ear as close as possible for the full hour it was on, my duvet half pulled back ready for the superhero style leap back into bed if footsteps began to ascend the stairs. It was, in my eyes, the perfect plan and executed effortlessly. Looking back, the plan was probably futile and my parents were probably aware of what I was doing but safe to say, I got hooked. It wasn't until the 2nd Generation of Skins that I became (borderline) obsessed though: I fell in love with Cook and never looked back. In terms of style however, Effy was always the one I wanted to emulate.

Effy is the teenage epitome of soft grunge. In short, the type of style I wish I was cool enough to pull off. Think baggy tops, dark make up, ripped jeans and chunky boots. These pictures give a bit of an idea of old school Effy, though if the new trailer is anything to go by, the dark and mysterious ensembles are long gone. (Sob.)

Lots of black, lots of leather, lots of jewellery and printed tees. Is it any wonder I was a fan? Shops like Urban Outfitters, Fashion Union, Top Shop and (if you can afford it) Black Milk are great starting points for a bit of stylish soft grunge.

1. Stripes are an easy way of dipping your little baby toe into the soft grunge pool. This oversized vest top from Asos is great because of the dropped sleeves: Effy has a penchant for baggy tops, bandeaus and bras.

2. I'm not the biggest fan of  gummy bracelets but they are a little less macabre than a skull encrusted bracelet.

3. I am however a massive fan of this  3 pack necklace set, also from Asos. Pile on the neck-wear if you're looking for a quick and simple solution.

4. This printed tee (surprise, surprise) is from the male section of Urban Outfitters but to be honest, both the male and female sections boast some very Effy-like creations. It's my number one stop for graphic tees.

5. Finally, if you want to have a hand at trying Effy's intricate eye make up, try creating a smoky eye combo with the help of this Jemma Kidd Eye Crayon.

For some extra inspiration, see these stylish sale items (can you tell I enjoyed this post a tad too much?!)

 1. MeeMee

2. MeeMee

3. Top Shop

4. Fashion Union

5. Asos

I'm awaiting judgement on the new Skins - I wasn't a massive fan of the 3rd generation (but I watched all the episodes regardless) and I can't decide if this is a last ditch attempt to get back its former glory or not. Either way, I'll probably be watching and if you fancy checking out the trailer yourself, you can find it here.

Enjoy!

Jade :)

I'm a little bit in love with my new found combo.

The fact that it's been warm enough to forgo my leather jacket this week means that my denim jacket has been in high demand. It is a little on the large side so I tend to roll the sleeves up in the hope of preventing myself from looking like a big blob of blue.

My favourite part of today's outfit though is my white halterneck 'disorder' top from Urban Outfitters. I can't even remember how many years ago I bought it now but it's one of those items that seems to always get lost in amongst my other tops and tshirts but every time I re-find it, I remember how much I like it. 

Last week took the form of a nice collection of activity-filled few days: I met up with my best friends who I hadn't seen since Christmas; Mum and I took our dog on a long (and windy) walk one morning; I went shopping a couple of times (sadly not for myself) and I finally got round to re-dip dying my hair. So all in all, a pretty decent week.

 

 

 

The pictures suggest that the weather was nicer than it actually was but I can't complain - we managed to avoid the rain! The wind, on the other hand, was out in full force and being the idiot I am, I stupidly left all my gloves at uni so by the time we got home my hands were absolutely frozen. It was worth it though, the walk totally tired Popstar out: she just got a bit comfy on the wrong bed!

 

 

As stated above, I also dip dyed my hair again. My hair really needs a cut but I'm planning to dye the ends red in a few days so I figured I'd cut it after all the hair dying is done. As my hair is so dark naturally, I had to use a pre lightener on it first but I actually love the colour it turns the ends of my hair. Which is ideal really, as I can't dye the ends red straightaway.

 

 

 As for the denim jacket I'm wearing there, I bought it ages ago for a cheeky £10 in the January sales from Urban Outfitters and I swear I wear it all the time. I love the collar detail and it's perfect under my ever-growing collection of men's jumpers.

 

 

 Happy Easter!
 

Jade :)

I'm currently the proud owner of two black (surprise, surprise) crop tops but I'm drawn to them more and more the closer summer seems. Now I by no means have the body for them but a few alcoholic drinks down the line and I start professing I have the body of Miranda Kerr. (I really, really  don't.)

Still, I am convinced that under my ever-present pouch, I could potentially possess abs. I try (emphasis on the try. I fail quite often too) to work out a couple of times a week. I'm not terribly rigid with it - some days it's literally five sit ups and nothing else - but exercise is something I am conscious of doing. And sometimes, when I'm having a really good day, those low-lying abs come to the surface and I whack out the crop top (with some suitably high-waisted garments of course.)

In other words, I'm tactical. Having a high enough skirt and a long enough crop top gives the very clever illusion that I'm far more toned than I ever could be. In showing only a sliver of flesh, it allows the onlooker - who is usually far more inebriated than I am - to assume I'm some sort of gym-loving golden girl. And if I'm lucky, the camera falls for this trick too. So until this theory is disproved, crop tops will continue to be a staple part of my student wardrobe. (Sorry, dad.)


This tie-dye crop from Urban Outfitters is one that I keep coming back to. I love the colour of it and the little lace section is lovely; my only worry is that I'd be far too scared to wear it out in public. I think it'd be perfect for dance under a baggy, over-sized vest but for me it has just a little too much SPP for a night out.

I really like this Topshop bralet because of how summery it looks. In terms of its style, it's not something I'd usually opt for (it's a tad too tight-fitting and feminine) but it would be perfect paired with denim shorts someplace hot.

I think this white crop top from Fashion Union is one of my favourites though. It's baggy yet beguiling and can definitely be dressed up or down with disco pants or boyfriend shorts. It's a little longer than the other two so if, like me, you're a bit more body conscious then this allows you to still get on trend without any untoned tummy trouble.



Of course any wishlist of mine would not be complete without something black and basic so this eagle crop top from New Look is of course one of my top crops.  It's loose, it's white-on-black print; in short, it's very me. If I bought this (and believe me, I'm very close to doing so) I'd probably wear it with denim shorts, black knee high socks and some pretty grim black plimmies. I am a student after all.

The studs on the middle are the main reason I like this one from Asos - studs are a surefire way of making any outfit a bit more edgy. It comes in black and grey and I like that it has actual sleeves - I'll take any extra warmth I can get.

I also love this cream crop top also from New Look. Lace is ace because it never really goes out of fashion and again this comes in a number of colours. Woo.

So as you can see, crop tops really are all the rage right now. And the best thing about crop tops? By only using half the material, they're usually half the price of a proper top. BONUS.

Anyone else a fan of the crop top? Also, MAJOR apologies for the poorly constructed post title. I like to try and pretend I'm dead witty. I'm not.
 

I was browsing Urban Outfitters earlier today and stumbled across a pair of Cut-Out Leggings which I instantly fell in love with. I vaguely remember cut out leggings being in fashion a couple of years ago but at the time I barely wore plain black leggings outside of my dance classes so cut-outs were out of the question! But now I'm older, very legging-friendly and more willing to experiment in my life, I decided it was about time I gave into cut-out curiosity.

Now at first I was tempted just to buy these: they're cool, they're quirky and down from £65 to £30 - over 50% off! But I figured that before I spent that much on a pair of leggings, I'd have a go at making some of my own, just to see if I'd even like what they looked like on me. I'm the first to admit I don't have the slimmest legs ever so I would terribly regret spending that much (yeah, £30 is a lot to a student) on something that I would then never wear.

So I found one of my many pairs of black leggings (once a dancer, always a dancer) and took a pair of scissors to them and this is the end result!

And voila! Here is the finished product . Now I just have to see if I'm brave enough to actually wear them in public - the cut-outs don't look particularly professional but I quite like the fact that they'll be unique!

Anyone a fan of the cut-outs? Or had any D.I.Y delights or disasters they'd like to share?