DIY & Lifestyle

Hello everybody! How are you my chums? Did you have a nice Christmas? Today I have a nice relaxed blog post whilst you all browse the Boxing Day sales, with my lovely advertiser, Bas from Let’s See! (If you want to see your blog here, then look at my packages here!) Images from Let’s See

Do you stay up late for the big countdown, or just sleep through it all? I’m usually working. This year I’m playing in the band for the Rocky Horror show, we’re doing a late show on New Year’s Eve and then there’s a party.

What would you wear to a New Year celebration? I think people are dressing up, I’m not sure as what. Theatre people go all out when they dress up, so it should be crazy. Although on the last dress-up occasion, the drummer wore eyeliner and thought that was his costume… I haven’t decided what I’ll wear yet.

Will you be taking any festive pictures, and with what camera? My film camera, it’s a lomography LC-wide.

Where do you like to photograph in the Winter? It’s the middle of summer for me in Cape Town right now, so the beach I suppose. Although, I prefer shooting on the beach in Winter. White sand and grey sky and nobody around, that’s when the fun starts. My favourite film photos happened in the mist on an empty beach in winter. 

What’s your favourite piece of Winter clothing? Jerseys. Big patterned thrifted jerseys, layered on top of each other.

CHECK OUT LET’S SEE HERE 
Follow Bas on TWITTER//INSTAGRAM//BLOGLOVIN’

I believe if this is my blog, that I can talk about what I want with in reason… even if it isn’t directly ‘fashion’ related. I love inspiring things, I love that feeling of just being like ‘Awww’ or ‘That’s amazing’, well I have something for you that hopefully should make you feel that way! It is slightly fashion related, in a way but I hope you like it no matter what it is about!

I love this one because it is very theatrical and reminds me of Meadham Kirchoff a lot. I love it so much! Plus, Katy (the lovely lady)’s expression is brilliant! That is a 100% natural too as it was taken just as she opened her eyes! Brilliant! 😀
Ariane is this lady’s name! Look at that hair? That is like crazily cool. I think the blue suits her! Best reaction of the lot, she’s just like *sassy hm-hm-hmmm*

The Mimi Foundation is a foundation for cancer patients, but not just for when they are in Hospital. Mimi help out by giving the patients courage and strength to keep on going through the struggle. The foundation got 20 people who suffered from cancer, and gave them a make-over (which, I think are brilliantly hilarious). They were then seated in front of a one way mirror with a photographer behind, and even if they just forgot about their situation for one second their objective would be completed. I absolutely love some of their responses, and the hair and make-up team really have done an excellent job.

Fabienne reminds me of an american lady who works at a diner. The hair, the bow… retro and kitsch. Brownie points for the amazing reaction too! 😀 
Brigitte… 1 word. Sophistication. #enoughsaid (oh, also maybe a bit of Hairspray inspiration went into this look!) Look at that expression too… :OJeannine… I LOVE the pink colour! I also love the curls and the blue earrings. A nice pop of pink and a trend setting colour.  Not the best of reactions, but still brilliant!

You can buy the book from The Mimi Foundation, and 100% of the money goes towards helping other cancer patients just like these lovely bunch! I really think that is just such a nice idea and even if you don’t know somebody suffering with the same thing, I think you could do it for whatever worry somebody might live with! It just seems like such a fun thing to do to make somebody feel special and ‘care free’, if only for one second. Make sure to go over and give there Facebook page a ‘Like‘ because I think they really do deserve the support!

I know this isn’t a typical blog post for me, but I just loved the video and the pictures that I just had to share it with you! What do you think? Which is your favourite make-over?

(Images from the Mimi Foundation Press Pack)

I live in France most of the time, which means I know a bit about how the French lifestyle works, from the fact that they take their lunch breaks seriously – I’m talking, lock up the shop and have a 2 hour nap – to the annoying point that they still don’t understand the ‘sandwich’. So, being a ‘fashionista’, means I am also interested in the fashion side of things, which means it basically means it is obligatory for me to do this post on the reality of French fashion…

When you think of France, you think Fashion – mode -, Wine – vin -, and Food – nourriture -, non? That’s exactly what I expected when we settled into our new surroundings. I was excited to do street style (which is still yet to be done), and to infuse the French style into my own. If you haven’t been to France yet, or you have only been to Paris, you may not realise but when people say ‘French Fashion’ to be honest, they just mean, ‘Paris Fashion’ or ‘Canne Fashion’, or basically ‘The Richer Cities in France Fashion’… pretty much. Let me explain what I mean…

(Both images via Pinterest (Left – by H&M))

When I leave the house and ‘go to town’, most of the people I see are wearing, either jeans and a jumper, or a black dress and boots. Now don’t get me wrong, nothing is wrong with any of that, but when you think ‘French Fashion’, you think the whole of France is ‘trendy’ or ‘fashionable’. I usually stick out like a sore thumb when I’m wearing the clothes I wear, and I was really surprised! It’s not like the towns around me are poor, or really unknown, we live near a city which has a pretty big airport, and big chain stores like Lafayette (similar to John Lewis in the UK), and yes I do see a few more expensive handbags, but it’s still not what you might expect of France. I’ve also been to a few cities along the coast, and they are still not the stylish places that have been hyped up for being like. Then there is the food… the menus are all the same, with burger, pizza and sausage and chips, not once have I seen the gourmet, ‘photoshopped’ looking meals. I think the only thing which is correct about the French expectations, is the wine!

Don’t get me wrong, I haven’t been to Paris myself personally, but from what people I know have said, it’s a capital of style, fashion, wealth and food. That’s the exact opposite of what it’s like round here, totally! So, when they say ‘French Fashion’, I really don’t think they mean it literally. Don’t get me wrong though, France is a beautiful place, and I love the experience of being here, but I would just say one thing. Don’t expect what the magazines say, well, unless you are in Paris.

If you liked this post make sure you leave a comment with your opinions on French fashion, and also, don’t forget to follow my blog on BlogLovin‘ to keep up to date with my new posts!

Hi hi! Today is another edition of My Style, but with a little twist! Read on to see a pretty cool little thing from a certain App brand! *cough* Shuttersong *cough*… 😉

What I Wore: Black Fluffy Jumper £10.00 (Primark), Denim Dungarees (Jumble Sale), Tartan Check Scarf (Second Hand), Tiny Heart Necklace (Girl Talk – the one with TDP in it! 😉 ), Dr Martens (Jumble Sale) & Mermaid Logo Watch (Shuttersong)*

I know this is a weird way to start, but do I look like a deranged elf? I always think I do…? Okay, umm… back to normal… This outfit nice and warm and cosy, and because it has the different textures (fluff and denim), I think it makes it more ‘fashion-y’ and all that jazz. I also like how the denim and the scarf a nice pops of colour against my jumper, so it isn’t too dark and gloomy. It was especially cold when I took these photos, and walking around Toulouse is quite a trek, so I was freezing! Darn you Winter! Ooh ooh! I’m wearing my little heart necklace I got in my Girl Talk magazine (when I was in it), and it is now my lucky necklace, and reminds me of my proud moments 🙂 – Whilst taking these pictures, I realised how embarrassing it is when you take them in public!

Click on the image to see what music I put on top! (direct link)
Now, you might be wondering, ‘Tolly, why is there an orange dot on that picture?’ well, let me introduce you to Shuttersong! Shuttersong is basically an App which is available for iOS users (iPhone/iPad), where you basically, add music, or a recording on top of the image! I think it is really cute because you could have a picture of you blowing out your candles, then Happy Birthday on top! The App is FREE which means you should totally go and try it out! Visit the App Store and click the download button! On to the watch though… I didn’t own any black, or simple leather watches until this one arrived, and I am so glad I have it! It goes with most things and is the perfect of sizes! I really do like it a lot! It has the Shuttersong Mermaid in the centre, which I have to say, is rather cute! I also like how it has a silver middle, and no numbers because it makes it even more versatile and plain. Plus, it’s real leather, so hopefully it should last quite a long time before anything needs to be replaced!

Some random pictures I know, but heck, why can I not put my photography on my own blog? If you are wondering, the first image is of some hammers… from the Air Bus museum (yup, that really makes sense), but I thought the focus was quite nice. Then the second one is of some buildings (obviously), and after reading Islaay’s post, I have been obsessed with the way buildings look, and I tried to do some of my own! What do ya’ think?

(This post contains a sponsored image. I may have been paid or gifted by Shuttersong to publish the image. All opinions are 100% honest, as always. You can read my full disclaimer here.)

I feel like I am a bit of a Scrooge because I’m always moaning that Christmas is already here. I mean, come on, Christmas films, already?! I even ate a mince pie yesterday. Next week everything will be about getting ready for New Year! But there is one aspect which I understand, which is shopping. I feel like November is a good time to start, because then things don’t go out of stock etc, so I decided I would make a guide to budget Christmas shopping!

Get Creative… 1//2

There are loads of tutorial out there on making hair bows, cushions etc, you name it, you can make it! Making your own gifts saves the £££ but also means you can give your loved ones a completely unique present. Plus, if you don’t like 1, Christmas shopping at all or 2, going out in the cold, it saves the stress of shopping. Stay in, watch a film and make something! You can also buy kits for making jewellery, soaps etc which means you can make things in bulk, make them professionally and keep it for next year! This Fashion is Mine has a few ideas, so make sure you check them out!

Bundle It Up... 3

To make a sweet and cheap present, I recommend going to a shop like Wilkinsons. It may surprise you, but they have a really big range of things at good prices, which can cater for most people. All you have to do is gather a few bits and bobs and wrap it up nicely. Poundland can even help with their wrapping supplies, you could possibly make your own too! If you do it really well, nobody will ever suspect that you only spent a few pennies on it! It’s like your own gift set! I’ve done this, and it went down a treat!

Set A Budget… 4//5

Obviously your friends and family are all priceless but if you really need to keep hold of those purse strings, then make sure you set prices per person. I would recommend spending more on your nearest and dearest, and less on your friends. Maybe you could spend £15.00 each for your parents and £8.00 for your friends. Be careful though Mr/Miss Popular! This could still add up!

Vouchers & Gift Cards… 6

If you really have no idea what to buy for somebody, a good present is a Voucher or Gift Card. Straight after Christmas, the sales kick in, which means the recipient of the Voucher, can go and treat themselves to whatever they like! Plus, you can now buy ones which work in multiple stores, and some stores even let you add as much as or little as you want – usually at least £5.00 though! 

Search, Search, Search… 7 (find the code at Islaay.com) & 7

As I said, Christmas shopping can be stressful, but this always the internet (everything comes back to the internet, non?), so make sure you shop around. Some shops may even have better deals on their site. I recommend definitely taking a look at Amazon, ASOS and BANK Fashion. Another tip is to always look for discount codes. It’s always annoying when you discover there was one, just after you pay. Talking about codes, some of your favourite blogs might have codes too! Motel Rocks are a very popular brand with blogger discount codes 😉 Don’t forget that free delivery is your best friend. ASOS do free worldwide delivery, and it’s pretty quick too!

I hope you enjoyed this little budget Christmas shopping guide! I should be bringing you a Christmas Wishlist because I thought it deemed appropriate, so watch out for that! I also have a couple of Winter style DIYs coming up, also! 😀

So basically, when I went to England, I had coinage, when I came back I had… nought. My explanation? Well, basically you can just watch this A/W fashion haul video… 😉

Click the link to watch the video here.
Subscribe to my channel here!
Purse//Leggings//Tutu Petticoat//Dress//Tartan Dress*//Nail Polish

I hope you enjoyed the video! If you did, I would really appreciate if you subscribed, commented or even just gave it a thumbs up! I’m sorry that there isn’t any pictures, but they really didn’t come out great! I’m sure their will be OOTDs featuring the pieces, so watch out for them!… Seeing as this is my haul post from England, here are few Instagram pictures etc from my trip! Remember to follow me @tdposh! Enjoy…

I hope you’d liked this post and enjoyed my video! I really love my purchases! 😀

Just a quick sort of ‘letting you know’ post today! I have been thinking of doing this for a while (in fact I think I thought of it in June…), and have finally completed it! I’d like to give a few  one thank you, to my big sister for making me actually push the publish button on this one. Nothing in it is too personal, but I just wasn’t 100% sure on it, but it’s out there now! So here it is…

Yes, I’ve turned into a teenage guru apparently. Not really, I just wanted to give some advice to all you fellow teens, basically it’s a guide to being a teenager (a darn awesome one). I’m not going to give you the rules of how to be the perfect child, or how to deal with ‘girl stuff’, I’m simply telling you a few ways to feel more comfortable and positive about your own skin. In other words an ‘Insecurity’ guide. If you click on the above image or you can click here to read the guide. I popped it on a separate page so those of you who aren’t so interested don’t have a long ramble on teen stuff, slap bang in the middle of my blog posts. I do hope you enjoy it, and if you do please leave a comment with feedback/advice/your thoughts on what I had to say. It would make me very happy as I put a lot of effort into this one! For all non teen readers, posting will ‘remain as usual’ in a day or so!

Make sure to check out Anything Bas blog! It’s a great photography blog, full of inspiration. (End of post ad link)

One of, now last month’s, advertisers, Bas from Anything Bas is here to talk about her photography and lifestyle blog, and her top tips for blogging… (Images courtesy of Bas)

What inspired you to start your Blog?: I wanted a place to share my photography, really. I knew I was going to be travelling a lot this year, and I loved the idea of capturing different cities and cultures on film, in a sort of personal way.

Why did you choose Photography as a topic?: I would say it’s more a “lifestyle based photography blog”. I use my photos to show my experiences, although there are some photo shoots mixed in there that are purely for creative’s sake, let’s call it ”art”.

What are you top tips on starting a Blog?: Post about what you’re into, what makes you happy. It seems like an obvious thing to say but so many bloggers are on this mission to please their readers, always asking what they want to see. Sometimes it gets boring. I mean, I’m reading your blog already. (Half of my attraction to a blog is tied in with the blogger’s personality, definitely). Also, work on your writing skillzzz, it makes such a difference to read correctly structured sentences devoid of typos and grammar problems. If you don’t know the difference between “you’re” and “your”, I’m outta there.

What are your Blogging Targets for this year?: I don’t have any set targets. Getting new readers is cool because I like to meet people and get my blog out there (it feels good to know that other people like what I’m doing) but it’s not something I’m going to worry too much over.

Who are your favourite fellow bloggers?: Tori West for her style and photography, Robyn Lynch for her outfits, Lily Melrose for her hair and London lifestyle posts, Ellie for her all-round coolness, Ella Masters for her art. (God, are they all British? whoops. I follow loads of Swedish chicks on Instagram, they all seem to wear Docs with tiny shorts and eat McDonalds a lot.)

What trend are you most looking forward to working, this A/W 13?: I’m really not into fashion. I’m definitely into style and clothes though (I’m sure we all know the difference) but I don’t like to think too much about it.

Where’s your favourite place to grab a bargain and why?: Vintage/thrift markets. There are a few very cool ones in Cape Town that I frequent, I’ll also be exploring the markets in Amsterdam for the first time this month. Yesssss. So excited.

What’s your favourite type of camera to use?: At the moment I’m very into my Lomo LC-wide camera, it’s a film camera with a wide angle lens. I’d love to get a proper vintage film camera and one day learn more about digital photography (when I have money to burn). I am completely self-taught, my skills are purely aesthetic, based on what I see and what I like. I get inspired by pictures and landscapes and images rather than manuals and paragraphs and diagrams. (I don’t necessarily think that this is a good thing, but as an educated jazz musician, it’s a nice change to create art without any of the theoretical thinking behind it.)

Who is your favourite fashion brand and why?: Hmmm, I’ve just spent a few days in Dubai visiting my cousin and I have to say, I’m so disappointed with everything in the shops. Brands in Cape Town are bringing me down too, and I don’t do much online shopping purely because of all the ridiculously customs laws in SA. Maybe I’ll have a favourite brand after this next month that I’m spending in Europe.

What’s your personal style and what do you do to work it?: Vintage grunge. Thrifted, big jerseys, Doc Martens, ripped skinny jeans, messy, natural hair. I’m all about being comfortable, seriously.

Check out Bas here: BLOG//Twitter//Instagram//BlogLovin’

**Advertising is now open for November. If you would like to book a space, fill out the form on THIS page. 50% off for all teen bloggers. Enjoy!**

Hello, ‘ello, ‘ello! So, I’ve been thinking of doing this post for a while, and after the recent #lbloggers chat on Twitter, it made me just go with it. I hope you enjoy this new post, and hopefully it can become a monthly occasion on my blog…

The XX I recently discovered this band, and I love them. They’re a British band which is very rare to come across these days (I think), and they are really quite good. They’re inspiring because they make me relaxed and just make me want to zone out and chill for a while. If you like indie, and a good bass, then this a definitely a band to check out.
Image Source: Chart Attack

Eddie Redmayne & Cara When having a conversation with my best bud (her blog is pretty cool), I ended up looking through Eddie Redmayne pictures, as you do. I stumbled upon these, and WOW. Cara just looks… like Cara (i.e pretty darn awesome), and Eddie, just looks… cute ^-^ The reason these are inspiring is… well… um… just… they’re nice?!
Image Source: Rebloggy

A New Generation I’m getting ridiculously excited now. If you don’t know, I’m going to become an aunty very very soon! It’s going to be so weird for me, seeing as I have never held such a tiny creature of the same species, and I have never really been up close and personal with a bubba. I’m so excited, and I can’t wait to meet my niece/nephew (eek!)
Image Source: Embell

Sunsets & New Beginnings FYI, no I have not fallen in love. Haha! First of all, I just love Sunsets. They’re inspiring because they are so beautiful, and they clear my mind when I see them. As of New Beginnings, it’s Autumn, which means only one thing… Winter. Winter means that it is nearing the end of a year. This year has been such an amazing year. I’ve moved to abroad, I’ve been told that I’m becoming an aunty, I’ve achieved so many things, and met some amazing people. I cannot believe that it has all happened in one year (and a bit). I know it’s not over yet, and I have had some amazing news which hopefully will pull through and I can let you know of, but I have a feeling that this year has been my best yet.
Image Source: Only HD Wallpapers

Sweater Weather Not only do I absolutely love the song, Sweater Weather, I actually love… Sweater Weather haha! I have a feeling that I will be wearing my good ol’ WOW jumper over and over again, with a few nice dresses underneath. I love the feeling of a nice sunny day with a fresh breeze. It’s inspiring because it makes me feel cosy and homely, which makes me feel like spending more time, just chilling.
Image Source: Pinterest

Coral Tea Dress £22.00 (River Island Teens), Pink Marl Slouchy Top £22.00 (River Island Teens), Leopard Print Chelsea Boots £50.00 (River Island), Scallop Trim Satchel £22.00 (ASOS), Barry M Eyeliner £4.59 (ASOS) & Bourjois Rouge Edition Lipstick £7.99 (ASOS).

As for what I hope to wear this Autumn, I love layering different tones of colours. For example, berries and oranges are perfect! I love putting jumpers over collared dresses, with a nice satchel! I think it looks nice and vintage! I also love eyeliner in Autumn, and of course a berry lipstick!

Excuse the really odd title of this My Style post. I thought it was quite fitting, though…?! I also excuse the fact that my editing is changing. I’m trying to find the perfect way that suits the feel of my outfits I wear, I know it can be annoying, but I just can’t find the right type of colours etc

What I Wore: Floral Crown (DIY), Oriental Silk Kimono Top €1.00 (Jumble Sale), Sleeveless Parrot Blouse £8.00* (Peacocks), Petite Lasercut Hi Low Skirt £13.00 (ASOS), Jelly Shoes (Supermarket).

I LOVE THIS OUTFIT. When this gorgeous blouse slipped through my letter box, I was like.. ‘Hmm, what should I wear it with’, so I went on the hunt for something to wear with it. BINGO. A 1 EURO Silk Kimono Top in the perfect turquoise blue. The colour picks out the parrots in my blouse, and ooooh they look so nice together. Add my flowy lasercut skirt from ASOS (Still available here, grab it whilst you can!), and it’s just perfect. Although this blouse is Peacocks, I really do like it. It’s great quality for the price. The one thing that is a shame, is the fact that there are only a few gems in the range for girls, which are in the midst of 1D T-Shirts, so come on Peacocks, give us some more! I definitely think I would wear this to LFW though, for one of the more informal shows… *sob sob* Ahhh, one can dream!

As I always do, here is the lifestyle part of my OOTDs… last week we went on a day trip, involving an hour and a half car journey. We went to a pretty village which was basically on the edge of a hill (One of the building was IN the hill). We had a walk round, a drink and a kebab – the yummy ones, pita bread, chips, BBQ sauce, onion… you know the drill. We then went back home stopping off to of course take my OOTD pictures 😉 #bloggerproblems. It was a really lovely day, but also absolutely boiling! I am going to miss the summer, but oh boy, I can’t wait for cosy nights in the winter!