Outfit no. 5

Shorts: New Look, shirt: H&M, blazer: River Island, shoes: ASOS, necklace: F21

Today is National Drink Beer Day! And it's Friday (all beer-related holidays should fall on a weekend night), so this means we must all drink our favorite beers and get super weird! Are you with me? I'm with me! Beer! What is everyone's favorite beer? Mine is probably the Raspberry Wheat that Cascade Brewing in Portland makes, but every beer from Portland is ridiculously good. Living in the opposite of Beervana is kind of tragic, and makes my soul whither a little when I think about it, but at least I always have... uh... Polygamy Porter? :|

I think it's funny -- Greg isn't a beer drinker at all, really; he just drinks socially for the most part. But I love beer. I love the taste, the buzz, the fizziness, the way it goes with cheese fries, everything. One of the great things about living in Portland was trying out all the local brews. If you live in Oregon, or really the PNW, you are a lucky bastard! SLC is pretty lacking in the beer arena. I also really miss cider, which is everywhere in the UK. Bulmer's, Strongbow, Aspall, Kopparberg's, Magners... so many different brands and flavors. I must look into finding a shop here that imports foreign bevvies because I'm in withdrawal.

But enough about my obsession with fizzy alcoholic beverages! And onto clothes. I have to mention this blazer I'm wearing because it's the best thing in my wardrobe right now. I got it at River Island in Belfast, during Shaun's and my Northern Irish adventure. It was the only "souvenir" I got while in Ireland (chocolate doesn't count), which somehow helped me justify the £35 price tag. I love it so much though; it manages to look smart and slouchy all at the same time! And it's super comfy and really long and I just fell in love at first sight. When that happens I have a hard time denying myself a cheeky purchase. Can't wait to wear this baby more as the days get colder.

And sorry about the necklace. I know it's veering dangerously into Tacky Land, but that's kind of why I like it! I mean look at it. There's something about big gold, stupid jewelry that I love. I think an element of tackiness always makes an outfit more fun. I have my whole life to look chic and elegant, right? I may as well dress like an idiot for as long as I can. I'm pushing 30, I need to relish my youth, argh! Panic!

Outfit no. 4

Dress, belt, and jacket: F21, necklace: Primark, shoes: ASOS

For the bloody life of me, I cannot sort out how to take a full-body photo of myself that's in focus. How hard can it be? REALLY HARD, apparently. To be fair to myself I am dealing with a self-timer here and I still have no idea how to make my camera do exactly what I want it to do, even after reading the manual cover to cover, so please keep in mind my incompetence and don't be too offended by these blurry photos. One day I'll sort it out (or will I).

Turns out these tights I got from Primark are the not same as the tights I got last fall, which were way better and not weirdly shiny. I feel like I'm meant to be doing some sort of dance/gymnastic routine with these shiny tights! Ugh get them away. Weirdly unflattering too, but I'm way too lazy to actually change tights and then take more photos. Grumble.

Here's a story for you. I got this necklace at Primark back in London, and loved it so much I wore it pretty much every day before I hopped on a plane to America. Tragically, when I dug around in my bag o' jewelry in search of it for my welcome home party, I discovered that my beloved Primark necklace had broken on the flight, and all the little bits were scattered amongst my jewelry. Trauma! I made a forlorn post about it on twitter, and people offered to buy one for me as a replacement... but before any of those punks could follow up, Shaun went and got one, mailed it across the Pond, and included a bag of Haribo Starmix! SHAUN IS THE BEST! Nobody, I mean nobody, can compete. So let's just end it right now. Shaun, you win the Coolest Person Ever Competition and I shall bestow it upon you in the form of an internet high-five. HIGH-FIVE.

And now on to Life News. I had a job interview yesterday, and I think it would actually be a really good fit for me in terms of the work itself and the hours, plus the guy who interviewed me was super nice, so fingers crossed! I would sure love to go shopping for fall clothes as well as get a dog (at last), and a paycheck will help accomplish those dreams. And speaking of dreams, I've been trying to write a bit every day, even if it's difficult to get the words to come. It's important to stay in the habit, even if I feel like I just typed out a pile of absolute rubbish. One can always go back and edit, amirite? RIGHT? *quiet sobbing*

Welp. It's time to each lunch. Even though there's no tortellini in our salads today. Just chicken. Why didn't we buy two bags of tortellini at Smith's? Salad lessons. Life lessons.

Stuff I Want (For Fall)

So there's a bunch of stuff I want for fall. This is not a secret. But hey, why not do a blog post on it since I'm far too brain-dead today for an outfit post? Also I really love looking at other bloggers' wish lists as it makes me want everything they want, in addition to what I originally wanted. Hurray consumerism!

1. ASOS Cross Stretch Bracelet. Really loving crosses and the whole goth thing recently (how unique of me), and this bracelet is cool and has crosses without being too full-on.

2. River Island Tartan Faux Fur Boyfriend Coat. I want this coat more than anything. It's the coolest goddamn coat I have EVER SEEN and I need it in my liiiife! As soon as I get a job I'm saving up for it because seriously.

3. F21 Faux Ostrich Leather Satchel. I love the color and texture of this bag! I tend to treat red-colored things as a neutral, which makes no sense but there you have it, and therefore this bag would go with everything I own.

4. F21 Rhinestone Cross Necklace. I need a cross necklace. 'Nuff said.

5. River Island Black Mid Heel Ankle Boots. They're like Lita lites, which is good because I think Jeffrey Campbell Litas are way too much shoe for me and too often end up looking like hooves. But these are smaller and more every-day, and would fill the hole in my heart that is shaped like a pair of black mid-heeled ankle boots.

6. Pixellated Sunglasses. Saw a pair of these glasses on Molly's instagram and fell in love! They're so geeky. They're not even chic they're just straight-up geeky and I love it.

7. Clinique Chubby Stick in Two Ton Tomato. I will probably end up buying the cheaper version Revlon has going on, but hey a girl can dream.

Outfit no. 3

Jumper: New Look, shorts: F21, shoes: ASOS, necklace: Topshop, earrings: Primark, hat: H&M

In a bit of an emo mood today so I dressed like a goth? I think that was the thought process, though to be honest it's more likely the fact that I bought this jumper ages ago in London and have yet to wear it. Whilst paying for it the girl at the register asked if I was getting ready for winter. Yes, yes I am. I am always getting ready for winter. Woolly jumpers! You need no other reason to look forward to cold weather.

These shorts are one of my favorite wardrobe staples, as they're super comfy, high-waisted, and seem to go with everything. Expect to see them a lot in the future because when I like something I wear it a lot.

This necklace, like most of my purchases, was an impulse buy at Topshop. I tend to buy their jewelry on impulse, and end up wearing it nonstop. Topshop really has the best jewelry in my opinion, and it's a shame there are so few stores in the US. Topshop, come to Utah I will spend my hard-earned monies on your overpriced stuff! Anyway who can resist a giant gold mustache for only about £7? I certainly can't.

I wanted to say a tiny bit about my lip color, which is something rather new for me and I wanted to hear what others think. I love the look of a red lip, and a while back I saw Emma Stone floating about in an advert for Revlon ColorBurst Lip Butter, and something clicked in my head. Later that week I went to a bunch of SuperDrugs and Boots in search of the Candy Apple color. I didn't own a single lipstick, not even lipgloss, before that. Just Nivea chapstick which is really nice, but it was a magical new experience to be buying lipstick. The few times I've worn lipstick in the past it's been really heavy and dry, and made my lips feel pretty disgusting, but this Lip Butter thing is really nice! I love the color and it's super moisturizing and I don't feel like I'm putting on my grandma's lipstick from the '50s or something, which is always how I felt wearing the stuff in the past. SO BASICALLY: Have you guys tried this stuff? Is it amazing? What other lipsticks or lip things are just as good? I'm itching to try the Clinique Chubby Sticks now, but at like $16 I'm not too sure. WHAT IS MAKEUP I really don't know.

Now let's talk about how awesome these shoes are. They're from ASOS, which I admittedly don't have a lot of experience with, but based on the awesomeness of these shoes I'm gonna have to shop there more often. I love the look of creepers, but I wasn't sure I was ready to bust out the whole shebang all at once, so I went with these. They're kinda like loafer creeper lites. They're ridiculously comfy though, and super cool, so I think I might go ahead and spring for the full-on creepers once I get an income (somebody hire me?). 

Who has creepers? Do you like them? I'm worried they'll make my short curvy legs look even stumpier than they are, but part of me doesn't really care. CREEPERS.

This has been a rather boring clothes-centric post, but there's a lot going on in my life and a run-down will have to wait until my next "lifestyle" post, whatever that means. Borderlands 2 is great, though. Co-op mode is super fun! Bonding time with the boyfriend is always awesome. Even if it involves space hillbillies.

Temple Square

Dress: Amazon (gift from Mom), belt: F21, shoes: New Look, necklace: Topshop, bag: River Island.

Let's start with a cheeky outfit photo. Greg and I went to see the LDS Temple in downtown Salt Lake City today, because I was super curious about this crazy temple I kept hearing about and I wanted to blog about it because frankly I need something interesting to blog about. This is what I wore. Obviously. Last time I wore this dress I styled it the exact same way, because there are only so many ways one can style a red tartan dress without looking like an idiot. Remixing is for losers! (What is "remixing," anyway? Isn't that just... what normal people do with their clothes? Wear them more than once? Why give it a gimmicky name? Discuss.) Note the bag that does not go at all, but was solely worn because my DSLR fits inside it. Do not judge my Christmas colors.

ANYWAY the real purpose of this post is to talk about the bizarre culture that is LDS, or Latter-Day Saints, or... whatever I don't really know and if I try to say knowledgeable things I'll end up sounding like a jerk. Let's just say I'm really intrigued by the strange religious culture in which I've suddenly found myself. 

Firstly, it's really clean. Disturbingly so. As Greg and I walked to Temple Square we saw an old guy sweeping the sidewalk. I don't know what he was sweeping though, because it was flipping spotless. Mormons, what are you?

Secondly, right by the Temple there is an LDS Office Building, an LDS Library, and a shopping center that was built with LDS money. It has incredible fountains, you guys. There's a creek inside the shopping center with fish inside. It's frightening how nice it is. And all the men there are wearing white shirts, ties, and have really short gelled hair. :(

Still, the whole spectacle is pretty interesting. I have problems with pretty much every organized religion I'm aware of, but you gotta hand it to the LDS -- they get shit done. They're loaded and organized as hell. And they go around in pairs on bikes wearing adorable streamlined helmets!

Salt Lake City is a pretty strange world, but I'm ready to embrace it. I guess. Even though there's no Wagamama.

Outfit no. 2

Skirt & necklace: Primark, top & earrings: H&M, shoes: New Look

Quick post today, as Greg and I are about to venture to Best Buy to get Borderlands 2! Well stoked, as it has co-op mode and I'm dying to play a new video game. Will let you know what I think after we've played a bit.

This skirt is one of the few things I've bought at Primark that didn't fall apart or end up being really awful quality, and I love it! It's actually quite weather inappropriate as it's got an almost felt-y, woolly texture, and the little black bows have a velvety texture, but I couldn't care less about dressing appropriately for the weather! I want it to be fall so I will wear fall skirts OKAY.

Embarrassing story about the skirt, though. I was on my way to Little, Brown in London for my work placement in March, and I ended up standing on the tube right next to a girl who was sitting down and wearing the exact same skirt. I tried really hard to play it cool but it's kinda difficult when you're crammed together like sardines in the rush hour crowd. I've also sat right across from someone on the tube wearing these exact same flats, but with silver sparkles instead of gold. High street fashion YES!! So many opportunities for individuality.

I love this necklace, and I bought it because I saw it on LLYMLRS and I'm a shameless copycat when it comes to ~fashion~. I have a super hard time wearing it though, as 1. I hate pink for the most part, and 2. I don't know what it goes with? I feel pretty okay about its place in this outfit but I JUST DON'T KNOW; what do you think?

And lastly let's have a gratuitous shot of my TARDIS tattoo because "A Town Called Mercy" was a really great episode and Doctor Who is always relevant.

SLC Style

F21 shirt; Primark skirt, belt, & earrings; New Look shoes; H&M hat; River Island necklaces (from Lucy).
Whenever I'm unemployed I make outfit posts. That's how this goes I guess! I've also, if I'm totally honest, been super inspired by Molly McIsaac's new style blog, The Geeky Peacock. Gahh, fashion and geekiness, perfect combo! Actually you should just go read her blog instead of mine, because it is just flat-out better. Okay now that everyone is over at Molly's blog, I'm gonna write to myself yay!

I've been a bit bored here in Salt Lake City for the past few weeks. It's been much better this week, but being unemployed is never fun. The good thing is that Greg buys the groceries and pays the bills, so I get to edit my novel and look for work while he's at his real job wearing a tie and everything. It's pretty awesome if I'm honest. I really miss London, though. I was reading Natalie Off Duty, who's apparently in London now (or recently was), and had a hard time not breaking down after looking at all of her wonderful photos from Shoreditch and Brick Lane. I miss it so much, but I'm focusing on the positive things here in SLC. For instance: my amazing boyfriend Greg ♥. IHOP. Proper cookies. Video games! Etc.

It's kind of silly because I really had no reason to get dressed today. I haven't left the apartment since Monday, but I rather like it that way. I get to live in my own creepy writing world, wander about in pajama shorts and t-shirts, and sing along to Robyn at the top of my lungs. Admittedly amazing! If a bit repetitive at times.

  

Anyway I found this hat buried in Greg's closet when I returned from across the Pond, and I'm super excited about it! Totally forgot it existed. Gonna wear it every day forever. And Lucy gave me this amazing pair of necklaces from River Island in a lovely British care package at the airport just before I left. I cried shortly thereafter, of course. She said the necklaces were to help me be more Steampunk, and I'm trying hard to reach the ultimate Steampunk goal. Thank you, Lucy my crumpet! If you're all keen, I'd like to keep doing more outfit posts on my blog because IT IS A GUILTY PLEASURE and I have a lot of clothes. Yes? No? Could not care less either way? Let me know! Or send hate mail. Whichevs.

Wot's all this then?

A fitting end to my adventures in London: a photo with the most adorable fixtures in the city, London police! I don't know what it is exactly about British cops, but they are super hawt and I get really excited whenever I see a pair of them strolling past, their hands tucked into their vests, little checkered caps or old-timey helmets just so. It could have something to do with Simon Pegg in Hot Fuzz, but it's mostly gotta be the hats. Those hats are just beyond amazing.

This was taken after a long day of running errands, picking up last-minute gifts for loved ones, meeting up with my twitter friend Kelli (who is adorable and super nice and awesome, as expected!), eating one last dinner at Wagamama with Shaun, and wandering down to Trafalgar Square for a final glimpse of Big Ben. There were a bunch of cops milling about outside the Paralympic Games event going on inside the square, and Shaun demanded that we have our photos taken with London cops before I left. So here I am!

It was a beautiful day in London, the perfect way to end my stay here. I'm so sad to go, but I'm beyond excited to see Greg again at last! I also can't wait to eat a proper breakfast. None of this fry-up nonsense. It's gotta be sweet and savory, guys. Sweet and savory. French toast and sausage. Pancakes and bacon. There is no other way.

Goodbye, London

When I moved to London about a year ago, I was terrified. I'd never been to the UK before. I'd never lived anywhere but Missoula, MT and Portland, OR. I was lonely, scared, missing Greg, and completely culture shocked. My mom was there with me to help for a few days, and thank god for that. Moving to another country is scary enough, but doing it completely alone? I could have done it, but I might have gone prematurely grey as a result.

But now, a year and a lot of mental adjustments later, London feels like home to me. A while ago Shaun and I were sitting up on the Heath with a picnic, watching night fall over the city. And we agreed that despite its size, its mess, its millions and millions of unfriendly people who rudely bump into you in the street, and its lack of Target... London felt like home. To realize this only a matter of days before I was set to leave the country for good was particularly tragic, but it's pretty much what I expected would happen. It's okay.

Living in England has been the most rewarding, exciting, frightening, difficult, and worthwhile thing I've ever done. Brunel's Creative Writing program was so excellent, and I met some incredible people there, not to mention the fact that I completed the first draft of my very first novel! It's always been a dream of mine to live in England and write, and look what I did -- I moved to England and wrote a novel. I'm so happy with everything I've accomplished in the last year, especially with my writing. I feel like my life has a direction now, and it is to follow in EL James' footsteps and write porny romance novels for a living. JUST KIDDING, my romance novels won't be porny. But seriously I'm gonna be a writer, and I'm going to get a book (or two or three??) published, so keep your eyes peeled!

Anyway this post isn't about writing! It's about London. And how much I am going to miss it. I think mostly I'll miss the Britons. They are seriously the best people. Great senses of humor, fabulous senses of style, and constantly guzzling tea (seriously I didn't realize how much tea these people consume until I stayed a weekend with a British family. I was blown away). The Brits may not understand customer service, unbridled enthusiasm, or efficiency (sorry guys), but they make up for it by having the best accents in the world, and Wagamama. Actually Wagamama may not even be a British chain but seriously there are like three of them in Leicester Square alone and it's probably not enough. Wagamama is GREAT.

I'm also going to miss: Cider on tap, Pimms, River Island (oh god I'll miss it so much), rolling hills dotted with sheep, people saying "cheers", Nandos, watching Doctor Who on the BBC, being trampled to death on Oxford Street, walking along the Thames at night, cold rainy days year round, fruit pastilles, proper chocolate, random British celeb sightings, Heinz baked beans, chips with everything, Topshop, history, architecture, the pigeons outside my window, being a cool American, the tube, people saying "Alright?" and not knowing how to respond, Brick Lane, and my friends.

I'm mostly going to miss my friends. Lucy and Shaun, you are the actual best and I don't know how I'll survive without you. It's been great. ♥

London, you've been great. I may not be back for a while, but I'll be back. Don't go anywhere while I'm away.