Aside from some scrapbooking bits, this velvet jumpsuit from Topshop was about my only January sale purchase. Reduced to £20 from £42 and a combination of everything I love - the colour black, velvet, gold glitter and thing straps - it's also my favourite item that I've purchased in recent months. I'm not sure if these photos really do it justice, but the contrast of the gold glitter line design which mainly forms flowers and leaves, against the richly black velvet is just heaven on the eyes. I have an upcoming weekend away with my uni girls during which I'm planning on debuting this jazzy jumpsuit - I am so excited to wear it! I have no clue what shoes to pair with it yet, or what accessories, but who doesn't like last minute panic packing in preparation of a girls night out?! (Me.)

Let me know how you'd style this,

Jade x

It may be fair to say that I'm a bit of a hoarder. That's part of the reason I took up scrapbooking; I've always liked keeping little mementos and since rediscovering my artistic streak, it feels so much more satisfying having somewhere special to store all things arty. I also have a real problem throwing away old magazines, so I have stacks of Company, Marie Claire, Glamour, Elle and Vogue under my bed, in my wardrobe and in the loft. I love coming back to old editions to create new moodboards or visionboards and now I have two more to add the ever-growing pile! I'm particularly enjoying March's Marie Claire, with the features on Idris Elba and Maya Angelou, although Elle was great for carrying on my commutes. Elle also came with Benefit's new mascara, which I still have yet to try! It's also really fun comparing the different suggestions on how to tackle upcoming trends. I do find myself turning to Instagram and fashion blogs for inspiration a bit more nowadays but I don't think I'll ever outgrow the joy of flicking through the glossy pages of  a magazine. I'm a bit old school like that. #geriatricJade 

Jade x

One |  First up is the cutest concept for any kitchen. We usually keep our eggs in a little plastic rack in the fridge but why, oh why would I do that when I could store them in this little egg house?! Offering a roof to six little eggies at a time, this cute contraption is top spot on my wish list.

 

Two |  So not exactly extravagant or Christmassy, but I love the mint/black colour contrast and can you ever really have too many sports bras?

 

Three | This geometrically deceptive ring would toughen up even the classiest outfit and be equally efficient at adding a touch of sparkle to the straightest, blackest combination. A multi-tasker if ever there was one and a sure cert for my Nextmas wish list.

 Four | I am all about wall art this year. Since moving home from uni I've taken every opportunity to put in place some permanent personalisation. I love putting my own stamp on things, so why should the four walls I live in not represent me as well? This tree design would bring any room back down to earth, but has the additional feature of lighting up for those cosy evenings in.

 

Why don't you create your own #Nextmaswishlist?

 

Jade x

As a child born in the 90s, I cannot overstate just how much I love that the 90s fashion trend has made such a big comeback. Especially that I'm now at an age where I can properly enjoy and, more importantly, appreciate it in all its velvety, scrunchie-based glory.

 

If it's not clear, I really like velvet. In all colours. On any day of the week. So it's really no surprise many of my upcoming outfits for the Christmas season are centred around this little fashion crush of mine. Feeling the same way? Well here are a few of my favourite finds for all things velvet:

 



1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5

 

As for me, I have a few parties and Christmassy events coming up over the next two weeks and I'm planning on maximal velvet exposure. But if you only want to dip your toe into the velvety pond, then a half up, half down hair style finished with a velvet scrunchie is an easy way to ease yourself in. Alternatively, opt for some velvet flats; these vary in colour and design across all major high street shops (and some, like the ones above, are currently in the sale too!)

If you're bold and want your velvet emblazoned across your body for the whole world to see, try some crushed velvet leggings. I myself bought a pair from H&M about a few months ago but if you're really feeling adventurous, squeeze yourself into this eye-popping pair of blue velvet leggings from Boohoo. Go on, I dare you. If there was ever a time to live by a quote from one of my favourite ever Gossip Girl episodes, it's now.  'You go, baby vamp!' -  the perfect seasonal sentiment!

 

 

Jade x

So this was the dress I opted to wear, a beautiful blue number bought via Asos from Motel Rocks. I knew I wanted sequins, I knew I wanted long sleeves and I knew I couldn't afford the £54 it originally was. So I waited, and waited, for it to hop into the sale. Which it did. Yay! But alas I waited perhaps a day too long and though I did get it for a bargainous £27, I probably (read: definitely) could have done with the size up! But the die had been cast. I wanted to wear this dress and I wanted to be able to breathe in it. So I gave myself a little helping hand. I'm trying to change my lifestyle at the moment anyway, but having a target like this was great motivation. I started running more regularly, eating a bit healthier and I even purchased the most unflattering control underwear I have ever seen. All in the name of fashion. But it paid off and I'm keeping the running up too, so win-win!

 

These photos do not quite do the dress justice. In different lights it looked slightly more green, in others a nice, deep blue. In my head it was always blue though, which is why I chose to tailor all my make up to blue hues. I wanted natural looking make up - no lipstick, no blusher - with the exception of one standout application. The dress was so busy that I wanted my make up to be a complementary afterthought, so I opted for just a few dabs of glitter underneath each eye. I only decided to do that two days before my grad ball, after reading Company Magazine! I will recreate my eye make up in a step-by-step post, in case any one is interested in trying something similar themselves.

 

No, the real reason I haven't blogged recently is because I travelled back up to my university for the final time to attend my graduation ceremony and my union's Grad Ball, which this year took on the theme of The Great Gatsby. It was a wonderful four days and a great way to close the door on this part of my life. I can't lie and say I enjoyed every part of university because I didn't; it was a hard time for me and though I am proud of myself for getting through it (and getting the certificate to prove it!) I do wonder if I really made the right decision in attending in the first place. But there is no point in trying to change the past, so I might as well concentrate on the future now. I'm trying hard to reinvent my lifestyle at the moment, with healthier eating, more exercise and more positivity (but that's for a whole other blog post!)

 

Now I am more comfortable in casual clothes. I like jeans and jumpers, shorts and baggy tees, hotpants and vest tops. Dresses? Well, they're a little out my comfort zone. So you can imagine how hard I found these two formal events! For my graduation, I opted for a dress I bought way back in January and had wimped out of wearing for a friend's birthday for fear of SPP. (That's Sweat Patch Potential, fyi).

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I had a book review lined up to post today but I had to share this little gem instead. I popped to the shops yesterday for some control underwear (sad, but true) and of course ventured into every other shop in sight. In my opinion Zara consistently have the best sales and I was not disappointed - not that I was even intending on buying anything! I saw the most gorgeous pair of yellow crochet-style shorts that unfortunately didn't have my size and it wasn't until I was on my way out the store that I even spotted this jumper. I probably didn't need any new knitwear - England is being suspiciously sunny at the moment - but I can guarantee I'll get a lot of wear of out it later on in the year. I lived in jumpers this past Autumn and Winter!

 

From £36 down to under £9.99, it was impossible to resist and the colour was right up my street too. The lovely women who served me even commented on what a good sale find it was! There were at least five other colours in store of similar jumpers and I very nearly bought a second in a creamy-beige colour but I figured one sale splurge was enough. Especially with my graduation and grad ball all happening next week - need to save some pennies for then!

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Playsuit - Asos Nails - Barry M Socks - Primark Shoes - New Look

I have a somewhat troubled past with playsuits (in the sense that the last time I worn one - a strapless denim thing - I was innocently bopping along to a Nero performance at our students union when to my horror, said playsuit fell down BRINGING MY BRA DOWN WITH IT. Cue insurmountable levels of horror and embarrassment.) Unsurprisingly I've resisted buying playsuits since then, that altogether rather mortifying memory brandishing all playsuits as the work of the devil. That was until I came across this little number on Asos. I know what you're thinking: it has untie-able straps Jade, who's to say you won't accidentally bare your chest again? (God forbid). I'll admit, the thought did cross my mind but the loose fit, the floral-but-not-too-feminine pattern and the versatility all outweighed the fear. I love how flattering it is despite not being fitted. I'm quite self conscious about my legs but the dress-like hem gives the illusion that my thighs are far more toned than they actually are! The only pitfall is that I bought a size 8 to fit my chest and waist but in terms of length I probably should have gone for the 10. It's not so short that it's indecent but my personal preference is to have just a tad more material covering the old quads. (Oh and I went for the sock combo and I actually think it kind of worked! Props to J Law for the inspiration.)

The event I wore this for was my last Summer Ball as part of the Dance Club at my university. It was such a lovely (and slightly emotional) way to round off my time at uni, as dance has definitely been a big part of it. I'm pretty sure there have been weeks where I've spent far more time rehearsing than reading for my course! To top it off, I was lucky enough to win an award for the Best Dancer in my ballet class although I think everyone in the class was just as, if not more deserving of it. I've blogged a lot about my love for ballet before though so it was a special moment for me and it really will be treasured. And even better, my opinion of playsuits has definitely improved! I'm so glad I opted for this and not a dress, with no SPP, no flashing unwanted flesh and so easy to dress up and down this was definitely a winner! A perfect outfit for what was a pretty perfect night.

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I, like many people, am not a massive fan of feet. They're weird looking for starters, not to mention the fact that I have one wonky toe from when I broke it aged 8 and that my feet are so flat I could pass for a platypus. I kid you not. So when I bought some lovely heeled wedge sandals last year, I braced my foot fear and showed the toes. Unsurprising, I hated every minute. Cue today's dilemma. I'm planning on wearing this playsuit to an event next week and had planned to pair the aforementioned wedges with it. But the mere thought of flashing foot flesh is enough to make my toes curl. So I took to the internet's new fave femme fetale for advice. If J Law does it, then it's cool to copy right?

 

As the pictures demonstrate, I am of course talking about pairing socks with shoes. Peep toe wedges to be exact. I know, I know, it screams fashion faux pas. But just at how effortlessly J Law pulls it off. It's quirky without being too cutesy: my MO exactly. So I ran down to Primark, picked myself up a pair of white frills (and naturally took a detour to Superdrug for some white nail varnish to match).
 
(If I never blog again, it's because the fashion gods have struck me down with lightning. You know, for rocking socks when I shouldn't be. It was nice while it lasted...)
 

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There's no such thing as being overly organised in my books. I'm popping to Europe for a few days next week and naturally the packing preparations have already commenced. I didn't realise at the time, but there is a lot of New Look lovin' going on here! I love the gemstone detail on my black top too - perfect substitute whilst I save up for a statement silver necklace.

Jade x

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 :)

I'm procrastinating. Surprise, surprise! To be fair, I'm suffering a little bit with what I'm (not so) fondly calling "Final Year Fatigue". It's really just general all-round tiredness and feeling a bit rundown but I love me some catchy alliteration! So instead of tapping away trying to redraft my essays whilst I'm not feeling 100%, I thought I'd turn my attention to some things far less academically tiring (and, if I'm being honest, much nicer to look at than articles on sonnets!)

I've been quite good with purchases recently and have been trying not to spend too much money on clothing for myself with Christmas just around the corner. Still, I am finding myself being drawn more and more to the collections of long line necklaces every time I have a quick browse online. Now I love high, chunky necklaces. I think they're so versatile and great to wear both during the day and out at night. However, I also love a collar and recently I've been feeling that a longer style necklace would just revamp a couple of my favourite shirt/jumper combos. So I've browsed around and found a few of my faves. 

Now I love all of theses a lot but I feel like the Zara necklace needs a special mention (and also a special place on my dressing table!) because I don't think I have ever wanted to buy something more in my life! It has everything I love in life: the classic pearl, the mix & match colour scheme, the edgy impact of the skulls, spikes and pins.. what more can I say? I think I actually love it! I'm even considering asking for it for Christmas!

Jade :)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Since being back at uni, it feels a bit like I haven't stopped: lectures have kicked off and final year is well and truly underway. The workload isn't a shock to the system (yet!) but I've definitely found my work ethic has improved since last year. Whether this lasts or not.. well that's another question!

 

I keep meaning to compose OOTD posts for this week's lectures but I've been so nervous about getting back into the swing of things, I always forget to take photos before I leave and by the time I get home, I'm either sweaty from a gym session or I'm so tired I get straight into my onesie! So in the meantime, I thought I would do a little post in honour of one of my favourite ever programs returning to the telly this Sunday. 

 

For those of you who don't watch Homeland (why on earth not?!) Morgan Saylor plays Dana, a somewhat rebellious teen Dana - the daughter of ex-Marine Nicholas Brody. She was recently featured in Asos magazine which in itself says a lot about her fashion sense: in short, I want to steal it.

1. This black number is one of my faves - for starters, it's black which already means I'll likely love it. I also love sophisticated looking up-dos, mostly because I just cannot pull them off - I have the unfortunate attribute of an oversized, melon-shaped head!

2. Bang on trend is this monochrome dress. I love the unusual pattern - it's not quite geometric but it's far from boring, everything you want in a dress. I'm penning a monochrome post for later in the week, so keep your eyes peeled for that!

3. Lastly is this cute lace dress, featured in the aforementioned Asos magazine. It's no secret that I love Asos - these days I'm sure I spend more time browsing Asos than I do Facebook! I'm also a fan of the floral crown, it gives just enough of a burst of colour to really enhance the otherwise delicately pure ensemble.

 

So there we have it. Not quite what I envisage Dana will be necessarily wearing when Series 3 airs this Sunday (eeeeek! Can you tell I'm excited?!) but Morgan Saylor's style is definitely one I'd like to steal.

 

Jade :)

If you need to know anything about me, it's that I get seriously hooked on American TV shows. It's like an obsession; a very unhealthy one. True Blood, New Girl, Big Bang Theory, How I Met Your Mother - I love 'em all. Literally cannot get enough. So it's no surprise I was scouring the web to see what everyone was wearing at this year's Comic Con and I found some pretty cool clothes on show. Here's my top 4:

 

1. Cobie Smulders.

 

I'm not usually a massive skirt person but I love the way Cobie (left) has matched her heavily patterned skirt with an almost understated black top. They're not pictured here but Cobie wore some beautiful nude heels (although if Neil Patrick Harris' twitter photos were anything to go by, the shoes spent a fair amount of time off her feet as well as on!) Whilst I'm fangirling a bit here anyway, I have to mention how much I love Cobie's hair too. It's the perfect length for summer and I love the loose curls - it's the type of style I keep trying to emulate (emphasis on the trying.)
 

 

2. Karen Gillan

 

Gillan shocked a few faces by debuting her newly shaved head during a panel interview, apparently all for an upcoming film role. Prior to this though, she wore a lovely black ensemble and I can't even begin to express how much I love her satchel. Such a good choice in wig too - I was totally fooled until I saw the pictures of her pulling it off!

 

 

3. Anna Paquin

 

Star of True Blood, Anna gave birth to twins not that long ago and already looks better in a dress than I do (hardly seems fair!) I love the fit of the dress and the pattern is almost a modest take on the geometric trend hitting the high street at the moment. Top marks from me.

 

 

4. Now I don't actually watch Game of Thrones but I was browsing various Comic Con photos and had to include this outfit in this post. I love the added detail on the top but more than anything, I'm now after a top of that colour for myself!

 

 

There were so many other fabulous items on show this year but these were probably my four favourites, though I loved Jennifer Lawrence's outfit too. It's not something I could see myself wearing necessarily but she looked absolutely ace. Now I know I said I'm a fan of a few TV shows but this event seems like it takes being a fan to a whole other level - I think for now I'll just stick to my DVD boxsets!

 

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 :)

It's a known fact that I have been graced with hands larger than your average female. As a result, I spend an inordinate amount of time painting my nails trying (and mostly failing) to beautify my massive, manly hands in any way I can. And in a more recent attempt to mask the manliness, I invested in a set of stacker rings from New Look.

 

 

I still had some money on a gift card from my birthday and as a little post-essays/pre-exam pick me up, I saw these shiny little (or large, thanks to my chunky knuckles) rings that I hope will do the trick.

 

There are ten rings in total and I love that there are so many different combinations to be worn (it's the simple things.)

 

 

I really like the detail on these three, the ring at the bottom in particular. These will be the ones that I envisage I'll be wearing more regularly because they're pretty yet plain, so should compliment most outfits.

 

 

The ring on the left  (and on my middle finger below) is very similar to a ring I used to own but sadly broke. This one is a lot chunkier which hopefully will mean my man hands won't completely demolish it. I have a very bad habit of twisting my rings around my fingers when I get nervous (and I get nervous a LOT) and I swear my fingers see new rings as some sort of a subconscious challenge.

 

 

The two below are perhaps my least favourite of the set. I'm not a massive vampire fan (I was going to try and make a pun on the whole fan/fang word play but I figured I've made you endure far too many bad puns in the past. I hope you appreciated my restraint.)

 

 

They are kind of cute though, perfect if I'm feeling like embracing my soft grunge side. But my absolute favourites have to be these three below.

 

The classic pearl, the geometric print, the dark and mysterious one on the end. Yep, I love them ALL.

Definitely worth waiting to spend my gift card on and as long as I can make these last long enough to wear in Paris, I'll be happy!

Jade :)