My favourite items at the moment...

My loooovely housemates had a little surprise in store for me the other day. Coaxed to the Bullring despite a hangover from Hell, I was greeted upon my arrival with a...

PIZZA HUT BIRTHDAY PARTY!

No joke, salad bar, ice-cream factory: the lot. I am not lying when I say I was moved to tears.

And to top it all off, they bought me a prezzie too... This gorgeous rucksack.

 

 

Upon asking where it had been sourced from, I was answered with an ambiguous "somewhere" - which gives me a sneaky feeling it may be from U.Outfitters. (Getting stuff from there as a present is a delight - don't get me wrong. I just disagree with their business morals. I do not disagree with this bag - it's amazing.)

As well as this bag, I've treated myself to a new "school bag." Getting a new school bag was always one of the few perks of going back to school.

Year after year I would pester my mum for the latest must-have bag - which were mainly, in hindsight, horrendous. I endured the Warehouse epidemic, the Jane Nor fad and I even have faint memories of being the envy of my friends with a (somewhat dykey) Animal rucksack. But any way - here it is...

 

Only £18 in the monsoon sale. YUM.

Now, just because it's snowing does mean you shouldn't look G. I've been LIVING in my pink Timberlands. Great grip, eye-catching.. I get a lot of sticks from the housemates for looking like a single mum called Shaneekwa but I love them. They're so sturdy. And make me feel a bit less white. :)

Ode to thrift

At dawn I wake, with good intent

To make sure all my money's spent

I'll head to town, I will not wait,

Knowing my day will surely be great.

don't have a job, hence little cash,

To squander on this worthy trash.

But what I've got, I must make sure,

Is destined for velvet, silk and fur.

I head to Digbeth, knowing full well that,

There I will find my abundant tat

I'm greeted by satin in all patterns and shades,

My desire for bright colour never fades.

Before I know it, my hands are full,

With denim jackets, blouses, and wool

It smells of must, but I don't care,

Some are even a little threadbare.

I try them all on and to my delight,

They all fit wonderfully, perfectly right!

It's amazing how, in piles of junk,

One can find such wonderful funk.

I dash to the counter, tenner in hand,

This escapade has gone just as planned.

So remember this, my frivolous friends,

A real fashionista customises and mends.

Guilty pleasures

When it comes to what I wear, I do push it a bit sometimes.

I'm a true believer in "if you're confident enough, anything looks good"... but on more than one occasion my housemates have ripped me to shreds for wearing pink Timberland boots and a cord patchwork shirt.

Yes. I have these.. Don't judge me.

There is something exhilarating about wearing something hideous.

It's a challenge as to whether you can actually make it look cool or not.

I like the idea of someone looking at my Timberland boots and thinking "Good God those are brave." All attention is good attention. What we wear says a lot about who we are - it tells whoever glances your way if you're a conformist or a boundary-pusher. Or just downright mental.

My guilty pleasures get me stick, yes. But I still can't help but love them. I'm a SUCKER for velvet. My sister bought a black velvet shirt from our local Salvation Army for 50p and I genuinely considered stealing it and taking it back to Uni with me. Am I a bad person?

Another guilty pleasure of mine is furry things.

I wouldn't go as far as to wear furry space boots (although I did bloody love them in year 6) but I definitely am all over the fur collar coats that are so on-trend this winter.

Look at this jacket. Om nom nom.

Click here to have a mosey at it...

I like to wear something completely weird - because weird gets noticed. And surely that is better than just being another boring pawn in Urban Outfitters' evil game!