Snow White.

I'm not going to lie, the thing that stood out most to me when I looked at these photos was my deathly pale skin. I worked until 5.30 this evening, and then had to get ready in about 40 minutes to head to a gig....hence my lack of fake bake. I probably should have pretended that my paleness was intentional, shouldn't I? Oh well - you live and you learn. I went to see Kids In Glass Houses tonight, for possibly the millionth time. Incase you haven't heard of them, they're a Welsh band who are currently preparing for what will be their final tour; this is a depressing thought - not just because they're a talented band, but also because it makes me feel incredibly old....I've been going to their gigs since I was around 15 years old - it's like the end of an era! In terms of the venue, it was a relatively small and intimate gig, but once they started playing, you could have easily forgot that; their stage presence and energy is simply phenomenal, they have a profound ability to liven up even the most neglected of bars. I'll probably post a couple of photos on my Instagram account, I took them on my phone so the quality isn't sharp enough for my blog, sadly.  A quick tip: if you haven't heard Kids In Glass Houses before, give them a quick search on YouTube. "Drive" is my song of choice.

 

Kimono - River Island, T-Shirt - River Island, Skirt - ASOS, Boots - Kurt Geiger, Bag - Urban Outfitters, Necklaces - River Island, Cuff - New Look

I wasn't really too sure what to wear, it was an indoor gig so I went for something relatively cool. I  think the whole outfit would have worked a little better with a different choice of shoe, but I knew the entire place was going to be crammed, and I didn't want my poor little tootsies to get crushed. So, instead of focusing on my rather boring and mismatched outfit, I'm going to bang on about my hair for a little while. I've had a couple of private messages asking me what I do to style it, and the answer is frustratingly simple....I hardly do anything to it. My hair has a natural kink to it, which used to be the bane of my life. Nowadays I embrace it. I normally wash my hair, and then put it in a very loose and messy bun on top of my head until it's 80% dry, then I blast my hairdryer over it and rough straighten my "curtains". I then tip my head upside down and spray a little Bumble and Bumble Surf Spray through the ends and scrunch it in before combing through it all roughly. Voilà! That's basically it; my answer to scruffy, grunge hair! Oh, and another question I've had lately - "Do you wear extensions?" No, my hair is naturally this length. I'm always more than happy to answer questions about my style and/or beauty routine, so do feel free to tweet/comment/instagram/send smoke signals if you want to know anything more. Actually, maybe not smoke signals....I'm not sure if I'm fluent enough in smoke yet.

Thanks for reading!

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xx

Thighs & Tie Dye

Ah, Rat and Boa.....what would my wardrobe be like without you? I'm not sure that these photos really do a good job of showcasing this skirt, but I was rather limited with space to take photos...plus I didn't really feel like taking my camera out for a night out in Brighton - who knows what images would have been captured?! My guess is that it would have been something akin to the photo reel at the end of The Hangover. Anywho...this was another of my loose fitting outfits in a bid to reduce the pain of sunburn. The hat was added as something of an after thought - sunburn & straighteners are not a fun combination so I was forced to dig out the Bumble & Bumble Surf Spray and let my hair do its own thing. 

Hat - ASOS, Crop Top - Topshop, Skirt - Rat and Boa, Shoes - Primark, Watch - Marc Jacobs, Choker - ASOS, Necklace - Empty Casket

To be honest, this whole look panned out a little better than I was expecting considering I went for comfort and practicality above anything else. I think the best outfits are often the ones without too much thought behind them. I do, however, wish that my face had been a little less shiny, ha. I suppose there is only so much magic that make-up can do after a day of frying your skin though.

These photos were taken on our last night in Brighton, which was spent in an Open Mic night. I've mentioned before that my boyfriend is a singer/songwriter, so he got all excited when he saw a random advert for an Open Mic night just up the road from our hotel. Of course, I was forced to attend after dragging him around endless vintage boutiques and what not all week - but it surprisingly turned out to be one of the best nights of our "holiday". The Open Mic night in question was held in The Bee's Mouth - a bar I'd never even heard of. The bar itself was completely quirky and endlessly fascinating with an eccentric décor which manages to encapsulate both the weird and the wonderful; it just felt instantly cosy, particularly with the aromatic scent of burning incense in each of the dimly lit rooms. 

Anyway, as you can imagine, I get dragged to more than my fair share of Open Mic nights and music venues - and don't get me wrong, I really do love to hear new music from fresh talent; I find it both invigorating and inspiring. I love the sense of excitement that overcomes me when I hear something new which moves me in a way that radio simply can't. I feel lucky to be exposed to all of this raw talent; a musician's most honest and "real" material generally comes from the early part of their career before they get tweaked and refined to meet radio standards and regulations - there really is nothing better than seeing them in all their raw, vehement glory. The Bee's Mouth seemed to truly encapsulate everything that's good about live music; the amount of talent to be held within one small room was truly inspirational, and every single person there watching seemed to be truly interested and moved by each performance. Honestly, the vibe there was electric. I couldn't recommend it more as a venue - definitely worth a look if you ever find yourself in Brighton.