ALL PRESENT & CORRECT

That outfit you wear just after Christmas that consists entirely of presents, even if they don't really go together.. don't tell me you don't do it.

Christmas was OK actually. Santa was very good to me (ie my mum went a little crazy) and I spent a lot of quality time in my onesie.

I'm wearing:

H&M jacket

Evil Twin dress

Topshop socks

Vans hi-tops

Minkpink clutch

Claire's screw earring

SPARKLE DAY 'N NIGHT

'Tis the season to sparkle, and all that, though this year I've taken a break from the usual rounds of drinks, meals out and socialising, rendering my festive occasion wear redundant. It's all good for the liver, the soul and the bank balance, mind you. Instead of going all-out festive sparkle, I added a little into my everyday life thanks to this sequinned bomber from Motel. I've been looking for a layering piece like this for a while - easy to wear with boyfriend jeans, though also great for nights out.

I don't have too many going out clothes; I attempt to mix up my normal clothes into something edgier, hence the turtleneck and metallic A-line skirt: great with a maxi and a fluffy knit, respectively. It's always good to trade in the sneakers for a stomping boot, too, and incredibly whilst lusting over the Tumblr trend of cleated soled shoes I forgot I had something very similar myself. Miista been doin' that '90s chunky boot thing waaay before Stella Mac.

I hope you all have had lovely festive season, and I wish you a very merry Christmas. I'm heading home today and I'm really excited to see all of my friends and spend a while hanging out with my mum.

I'm wearing:

DAY	NIGHT
Sequin jacket c/o Motel	Sequin jacket c/o Motel
UNIF t-shirt	Evil Twin for Nasty Gal crop (via Steph)
ASOS/DIY distressed jeans	eBay skirt
Nike Free Runs	Miista Luannes
Minkpink bag	Topshop bag

ALIENS EXIST

Although I may be in the minority here, I'm pretty glad the weather has taken a turn for the chillier today. It means that it's time to wear fluffy knits, tartan, and velvet.. which I have already been doing for the past few weeks, albeit with a brow full of sweat; but today it was definitely cold enough to wear my sicko new alien jumper dress for the first time.

It would have been too easy to style it with my silver David Bowie-esque boots and space buns - totally going to do that soon - but for a casual day at uni I just threw on my Nikes and a cosy carpet coat (never thought I'd see the day I wore sports trainers out of the gym.. how times change). And, how could I resist - little lilac antennae buns. I've been struggling with yellow roots the past few days so I've been toning and purple shampoo-ing hard, and now I look at these pictures I see my hair has actually started to go purple! I'm sat with the new Bleach white toner on my head as I type so hopefully I will have platinum locks by the time you read this.

I definitely forecast the sci-fi trend last year (although I would say that, being really modest and all) and my number one dudes Evil Twin are running with it this season: the I Want To Believe collection is full of dreamy galaxies, otherworldly intarsia knits, metallics, shredded knits, and their signature apocalyptic slogans. It's just what I'm feeling right now - kinda scruffy, kinda tomboy, but totally badass.

I'm wearing:

Evil Twin Invasion tunic c/o Out+About

Minkpink coat & bag

Nike Free Run trainers

Bohemian Collective necklace

PS. If you started singing this when you read the title, then you and I would have been best friends aged fifteen. And now, too..!

EVIL WE ARE

Sooner than you can say "summer is over" I am in my winter guise; that is, the gothy, grungy, witchy version of myself. My Evil Twin, if you like, or rather just how I looked from the ages of fourteen to nineteen. Because that's what was cool then. Watching bands and drinking pints, pretending to be able to play guitar at jam night but realistically struggling to move from D major to D minor.

That has all stuck with me, with added appreciation for layers and proportions, and my witchy winter self adores scouring the web for Evil Twin bits and pieces. That's why I was so glad to find Spoiled Brat; their selection of ET satisfies my rockiest A/W feelings, plus they stock my other bests Minkpink, Wildfox, Waiste and UNIF. A one-stop shop for all of your grungiest winter needs. Plus, I am a complete spoiled brat, stamping my cowboy-boot-clad foot whenever I need to get my way, so could this store be any more perfect for me?

Evil we are, and spoiled we will always be. I can't wait to wear this tank with woolen plaids when the temperature drops.. but for now I am resolutely sticking to bare legs 'til I can bear it no more.

Evil Twin tank c/o Spoiled Brat

Vintage denim jacket
Levi's flannel stolen from boyf

Oasis pleather skirt (similar)

Topshop socks & Arson boots

Minkpink bag

WHEN IN ROME

When in Rome, do as the Romans, the old saying goes. Well, in August most Italians leave Rome as it becomes inundated with tourists from all over the globe, as I found myself alone (due to a series of unfortunate events) in the ancient Italian city.

The first meal I ate was a McDonalds in Termini station - shameful, really, in the land of perfect pizzas and gorgeous gelato (and I don't even like McDonalds!!). But I needed somewhere familiar to get my bearings as I didn't even know exactly where my hotel was, so totally unprepared for this trip was I. I was to find almost the entirety of Rome is covered by WiFi.. but only if you have an Italian SIM card. Doh. So I resorted to Plan B in finding my hotel; wandering aimlessly in the wrong direction before finding a map, which eventually pointed me in the correct direction of my hotel.

Much of the trip continued in this same vein: eating some ice cream/pizza, wandering around, looking at things, stumbling upon the Coliseum/Pantheon/Trevi fountain/park full of a thousand cats, marvelling, eating more ice cream/pizza. I also went to some Couchsurfing meetings which is genuinely the greatest decision I could have made. These were full of people in the same boat as I, wanting company to drink, chat, and explore Rome with; I even made friends with some native Romans who were happy to show me around their city, and at night time too, when it's most glorious. Chris arrived for the last three days of my trip and I was overjoyed to show him around as I had been shown around, as if I'd been there all of my life.

My greatest Roman tip is to explore after the sun has gone down, as all of the tourist things are much quieter and lit beautifully. Most bars offer a take-away service and although none of my Roman friends could clarify whether drinking on the streets was legal or not, we walked around with bottles of beer and none of the police batted an eyelid. An evening must also be spent with a picnic (or takeaway pizza) and a bottle of wine on the Spanish steps, as Chris and I did on his first night. Rainy it may have been but we were blissful underneath a poncho and an umbrella.

Dunking your feet in fountains, eating €15 ice creams and pizza for brunch; Rome is all about the simple pleasures. I love it and feel it is my city and I want to live there.

I'm wearing: majority is Minkpink, with some Evil Twin, a vintage dress, & all shoes are Topshop