I don't wake up on weekends...

One half of my wardrobe...

Two articles have caught my eye recently, the first was from Company magazine, claiming that British women have £1.6 billion worth of unworn clothes.

As soon as I saw this article I thought it was talking about me personally! I am one of those annoying people that try things on and buy them and then they sit in my wardrobe for years.

"Cumulatively women spend over £1.6 billion on over 500 million items of clothing that are never worn, which if placed on a single clothes rail, would stretch the distance from London to New York over four and a half times over – a distance of 15,534 miles!

Rash purchases are the main reason for an unworn clothing pile up, with 45% of Brits blaming impulse buys for their unfulfilling wardrobes. Despite unworn clothes taking up 5% of storage space, only 12 per cent regularly clear out their wardrobes with 11% saying they only throw away clothes once every three years and 2% once every ten years!"

This is me all over. Rash buys are a forte of mine, especially if I'm shopping alone and don't have any advice on hand. My most unworn items of clothings are skirts, jeans and dresses. I'm not a skirt or dress person as I hate showing off my legs so they just sit in the wardrobe gathering dust. Why do I even buy them in the first place?! Currently there is a black maxi dress stuffed into the bottom of my wardrobe that I've never worn along with a few others.

"Jeans are the most common items of unworn clothes with 88 per cent of Brits saying they own a pair (or more) of denim trousers that they would never been seen out in. 22% of Brits are modern-day Imelda Marcos, hoarding up to 6 pairs shoes and 95 per cent owning tops that will never be worn."

I am the worst person for hoarding shoes. :\ I love shoes and whenever I spot a pair of gorgeous heels, I stupidly buy them, wear them once or twice and then stuff them in the wardrobe. There's currently a pair of heeled clogs, wedges and trainer heels in the bottom of my wardrobe that I can't bare to part with! Ok...maybe the clogs can go on eBay...

I hate getting rid of my clothes because I feel stupidly guiltly, but then I shouldn't have been stupid enough to buy them in the first place! My nan gave me some money towards the clogs so I feel bad about putting them on eBay, even though I know I probably won't wear them again!


The other article that I noticed was from the Daily Mail website (boo, hiss), which gives tips on how to make sure you'll never buy anything you won't wear again.

The tips given are actually quite helpful. I find that shopping alone is always easier as you're not in a rush and can take your time, but the danger of making rash buys is much higher. I personally prefer shopping on my own as I don't have anyone pointing things out for me and generally annoying me. I can just about bare to shop with my sister but other than that, I'd rather be alone!

'Sleeping on it' is a great tip to stop rash buys and it's something I'm definitely going to try next time I'm about to queue up and purchase things I'm never going to wear!

The two articles have inspired me to be much more careful next time I'm shopping. I need to think seriously about whether or not I'm going to wear the items I've picked up and if I do end up making a rash buy, I need to make sure I take it back to the shop straight away and get a refund!

Right, now I'm off to put the clogs on eBay...

you only live forever in the lights you make

Today has been a pretty good and positive day! I managed to secure myself a work experience placement at Red magazine for two weeks in March! The magazine's editor complained on Twitter that their work experience girl had quit after 1 day so I quickly zapped an email to them, telling them that if they wanted someone who valued a work experience placement then I was the girl for them! I got a reply about 5 minutes later and now it's all arranged! It's going to cost a lot to travel but I have a bit of time to save. I'm really going to put my all into this placement and get as much experience as I can out of it!



Today I also had my interview with Miss Selfridge that I mentioned in my last blog. I think it went really well. I felt very confident in the outfit that I chose and will definitely be wearing the cropped trousers more often! My feet literally froze as I walked into town but once I got to the interview that was totally forgotten about. The lady that interviewed me was very nice and chatty and she asked me most of the usual questions about retail, which I think I answered well. When she asked me what the most exciting thing I had done this month was, I was pretty stumped though. I realise I've literally done nothing this month! After more questions I was given a little task. To go out on the shop floor and pick out an outfit for someone to wear to work and then wear out for drinks with colleagues. I opted for some smart trousers, similar to the ones I was wearing, with a blue floaty top and cardigan as it made a smart but casual outfit, for any time of job. For the evening look I picked out some pretty high heels, a statement ring and necklace. I think I did OK, it took a while and I got a bit sidetracked looking at all the clothes but the interviewer seemed quite impressed. Now, I just have to wait to hear back from them. Fingers crossed!

Yesterday I received an email from a company called Parker Worldwide who offered me an interview...except I didn't remember applying for a job with their company. My mum told me I should go anyway so I confirmed it with them, but this morning I decided to ring and ask what vacancy it was I had applied for. They just told me it was a 'customer service role with the opportunity of a management position.' OK? So, Vince did a little Google search and found out that the jobs they are offering are all a big scam to do with cold calling and sales. After reading up a little about it, they seem to find your details through job websites and constantly go on at you to make sure your going to attend the interview (they rang me 4 times and emailed twice!). It's no wonder they were so vague about the job description! There was no way I was going after that!

It's quite scary how they managed to get my mobile phone number! I'm going to be extra careful from now on...and to anyone else out there on the job hunt, watch out!

Working in Retail

The fun of being unemployed wears off fast! I've managed to get myself into a bad routine of going to sleep in the early hours of the morning and not waking up again until after midday. It means that I'm totally missing the first half of the day because by the time I'm showered, dressed and properly awake, it's usually way past mid-day!

As I'm looking for a job at the moment, I'm going to have to get used to early mornings again. After handing out lots of CVs last week, I got a reply from Miss Selfridge and I have an interview on Friday at 4pm. If I'm successful it will be my first retail job since working in New Look. I did enjoy working there and quietly looking at all the products as I tidied up and replaced stock. Unfortunately, the people there were not so nice but I thoroughly enjoyed the 50% discount!

Working in Retail again would be a nice change from the Cafe I've been working in for three years back home in Weston Super Mare! No more smelling of chips and fat! I've already planned what I'm going to wear for the Interview. I did wonder whether to go with the formal Interview outfit of black trousers and a white shirt, but I thought I would go for something a bit more 'stylish' seeing as it is a clothes shop.

I've decided on some Tailored Crop Trousers, which I've never worn, along with my new Caramel Coloured Boat Neck T Shirt from Zara. Being the idiot that I am, I've forgotten to bring any black flat pumps to Southampton so I've decided to wear a teeny tiny pair of heels which I wore for my graduation.





I'm actually quite pleased with the outfit as I feel it's smart enough for an interview while still being 'fashionable' enough to be seen in a clothes shop! I would usually panic and leave it until the last minute, but in the spirit of wearing items in my wardrobe that I haven't done so before, I thought I'd dig out the cropped trousers! I'm just praying it doesn't rain or I'll be getting wet feet!

What does everyone think about my choice of outfit?

Weekly Wishlist!

It's about time I had a go at a weekly post on my blog, so what better subject to base it on than my fashion and clothing lustings. Seeing as I have zero money at the moment and I have to literally force myself to stay out of Topshop, I can live vicariously through the Internet, planning out my new wardrobe for when I finally have the money to spend!

Just three items to start off with as I don't want to go overboard!

I spied the Topshop Navy Chinos, £36 on I Heart Vintage x and knew instantly that I had to get a pair for myself. I wear skinny jeans so much that I think I'm scared of wearing anything else, I badly need a pair of trousers that aren't made of denim.

I spotted (ha!) the New Look Spotty Peter Pan Tee, £14.99, when I was browsing Online and then spied it again when I went into the store today. I think it's very me, I just need some pennies to make it mine!

I'm loving oversized tops at the moment so I headed straight for the New Look Oversized Batwing Top, £14.99 in 'Rusty.' They are so perfect for wearing casually in the day time, in fact I'm wearing a similar one from Topshop right now!

So there's my first Weekly Wishlist...let's see if I can keep it up!

New Look Spring/Summer 2011 Collection

New Look has really been growing me over the past couple of years. I feel it's gone from cheap and tacky to fashionable yet affordable. I am particularly impressed by their new Spring/Summer 2011 collection and can really see myself wearing some of the pieces featured.

Take the gorgeous brown jacket in the image below. This is perfect for Spring evenings when it's a bit too hot for my usual leather jacket. I also adore the belt purse featured here, it's a massive trend for Spring 2011 and was seen on the run ways of Jaeger and Diane von Furstenberg. It's such a step up from those tacky, tourist 'bum bags.'



I truly hope that no one is sick of Peter Pan collars yet because I absolutly love this trend. I love the cute Peter Pan collar blouse featured below, it's something that I would really consider as it would be perfect for interviews and fashionable workwear. It's definitely not something I would usually go for but this image alone is persuading me to try it! Of course, midi skirts are also going to be huge in Spring 2011; unfortunately I'm a little short for this kind of skirt.



I'm a bit of a chicken when it comes to showing off my legs. I really wish I wasn't because I would definitely be wearing these toffee coloured cut out shorts. The belt would be perfect for me as I often find that New Look's size's are always a little big and the cut out detailing is really sweet.



The above images are my three top looks from the collection, and as you can see I opted for gorgeous caramel and nude colours. There is a lot of colour popping within this collection which isn't necessarily for everybody, but I think a hint of colour can really cheer you up. I love the red cardigan and the bright red Mac in the images below.




As I said before, the whole collection really impresses me as I'm very much a high street kind of girl. The collection pretty much has something for everyone, from pretty floral dresses, lots of silk and feminine materials to bold and ballsy colours. I recently wrote about how much I loved the collection on The Fashion Buzz, but wanted to include it here so I can talk about my personal favourites!




*Images courtesy of New Look

'When I grow up....'

Wow, I haven't blogged in so long! Sorry about that! I'm back in Southampton now with Vince and it's colder than ever! I swear it's warmer outside! I love having my own place to live and my own independence, but I hate the cold and having to clear up after everyone else who lives here. I can stand a little mess but when it builds and builds, I just have to clean it, even if it's not mine! I know that makes me a bit of a mug, but I'd rather not live in pure filth.

We came back to Southampton on Monday and since then I've pretty much been cleaning up our bedroom and the rest of the house. I still have the living room to go which I'm not looking forward to. Today was spent job hunting. Not for a job in Journalism this time, but just for a normal 9 to 5 job in retail. I printed over 30 CVs this afternoon, stuffed them into envelopes and visited just about every shop in the town centre. Unfortunately, most places do all of their recruitment Online and they won't even take CVs anymore, which is ludicrous. I've checked all of their websites and there are no vacancies, but luckily a few shops did have some vacancies and they kindly took my CV, so fingers crossed I get a phone call for an interview!

Since coming back to Southampton I'm on a money saving mission. I'm currently living on the wages I made during the Christmas break, which really isn't much and until I find a job, I really need to cut down on my spending and shopping. It's not easy, believe me. We did a weekly shop at our local Tesco and brought mainly Tesco's own brands and items that were on offer, yet it still came to £41! Luckily we split the cost between us, but still...£20 is a lot to someone with no money. I'm definitely trying to stop myself popping into town to have a look around when I'm bored because that is definitely the biggest culprit.

I think a proper job in Journalism is going to be put onto the back burner for the time being. I know that unpaid Internships are probably the best way to go for me, but obviously I need to save some money to be able to live while I do them. We also have to start thinking about what we're going to do and where we're going to live once Vince finished University. Of course, that means more money if we're going to rent a flat, so once everything is sorted and we are all settled, then a proper career job hunt can begin.

It's daunting being a 'grown up' isn't it?

Nails Inc & Diet Coke promotion!

If like me, you can't afford to splash out £11 a piece for a bottle of lovely Nails Inc nail polish, they you too were probably waiting outside the doors of Boots so you could grab yourself a little freebie!

Fortunately, I wasn't so needy to wait outside for the shop to open and I managed to contain myself until lunch time when I marched in and straight over to the drinks section. There are four nail polishes on offer...Delicious Denim, Cool Caramel, Perfect Plum and Heather Grey.



I decided to stay away from the Perfect Plum colour as it's not really 'me,' but I absolutely love the other three. In order to get my lovely freebies I then proceeded to buy six bottles of Diet Coke. Yes, 6. And I don't even like Diet Coke!



As I mentioned, I love these colours! I love polishes that aren't glittery or shimmery and just rely on their colour to do all the talking.

Cool Caramel is similar to Cadogen Square which is available from the Nails Inc Website and is in keeping with the Camel trend that is still massive. Double Denim is by far my favourite, a gorgeous dark blue that is funnily enough, exactly like denim! Heather Grey is a gorgeous Pinky/Purple/Grey colour that reminds me of chewy sweets.




I couldn't decide which colour to wear first so I decided to wear them all at once. They are so easy to apply, only need one layer and they dry extremely quickly. If you get a chance to pick up any of these polishes with this promotion, I suggest you do. Purchasing all 4 colours still works out cheaper than buying one polish from Nails Inc.



L to R - Cool Caramel, Double Denim & Heather Grey

Collection 2000 'Big Fake' Mascara

Although this is my third new mascara in the past month, I really wanted to buy the 'Big Fake' by Collection 2000 because I had read such good things about it on fellow blogs.

£5 for a mascara is a real bargain when you think about it. Some of the mascaras on sale can be up to and over £10 which personally I think is ridiculous! Thankfully, I got paid today so decided to treat myself!


When I first picked it up, I loved the shape of the tube and how easily the wand glides in and out of it. The mascara claims to 'DOUBLE YOUR LASH SIZE' with lash boosting tube technology which plumps and stretches each lash with NO clumping or smudging. Those are some big claims.




I have really awful eyelashes that choose to grow outwards instead of upwards, so it's always difficult for me to have nice, lengthy lashes that curl up. It usually takes me about 20 layers of mascara and about 10 minutes of holding the lashes in place for them to stay in that position; and don't even get me started on eye lash curlers - useless!

The neck of the tube takes off a lot of excess mascara so it took a few applications to get a nice finish, but I was pleasantly surprised.

The mascara certainly didn't smudge, and only clumped a tiny bit (much less than other mascaras). Although the wand wont reach the corner lashes, that really doesn't matter. It lengthened my eyelases very nicely and looks as natural as it possibly can do. I love the finished look! A big hit!



I am seriously impressed with this mascara and it's a real contender for the more expensive brands out there. I always thought of Collection 2000 as a cheap and cheerful brand but this mascara just shows that they mean business in the make up stakes. This has got to be my new favourite mascara!

Do what you love and you'll never work a day in your life

Are you ever job hunting and spot an advert for a job you just know you can do? If the company or person would just give you a teeny tiny chance, you know for a fact that you'll be brilliant at the job! This is what frustrates me so much about job hunting. I recently came across an advertisement for a simple writing job that I just know I would be great at, obviously I've sent off my CV and covering letter etc, etc...but I feel like that just doesn't do me enough justice, if I could just put my skills into practice for them to see, things would be so much easier!

But life is just not that easy, so I'll continue to send my CV and out and keep every single part of my body crossed!

In the mean time, writing for Styleclone.com and The Fashion Buzz is going really well. I'm making a little money which I'm hoping to put into a separate account, to save and then use for important things! Although fashion isn't my first choice of subject to write about, I'm finding it extremely interesting and fun. Although I do love looking at catwalk collections and the latest trends, through viewing various fashion blogs, I've come to learn that fashion is really all about what you feel comfortable and confident in. Some blog writers look more stylish and glamorous than some celebrities and these people are really the ones we should all be taking note of! (This has also given me an idea for a new weekly or monthly post)

My blog is a bit of a mish mash of subjects at the moment and I'm starting to wonder if this puts people off a bit? Would you rather see a blog dedicated to just one subject or do you enjoy reading posts about a variety of different things?

Only boring people are bored...

You'd think that since I have no work deadlines anymore and no job to go to, that my blog would be full of daily posts about the latest goings on in my life...

Well, to be honest, nothing is going on, apart from a lot of lying on the sofa, watching TV and browsing the Internet for jobs. Being at home is driving me crazy, I constantly have the dog running up and down all day long, leaving me little presents on the floor and sitting on the sofa all day is starting to hurt my back.

Vince and I aren't due to go back to Southampton until sometime next week. He's planning on getting a tattoo and has booked himself in for the 12th which means our time at home has been extended a little. Last night we spent the night at my friend's flat which was really relaxing and fun. I ate so much takeaway Curry that my stomach hurt for the rest of the evening, but other than that I had a good time. We are going back again on Saturday for Drinks and Wii playing!

I have been meaning to make a start on refreshing AmpedReviews.net with new reviews and hopefully at some point this year, a new layout. I wanted to try a Wordpress theme but I'm just not clever enough to customise them! I think it's time to write myself out a bit of a to-do list.

One of my New Years resolutions is to take more photographs so hopefully you'll be seeing a lot more images here, but at the moment Vince has our decent camera. I was hoping to do more outfit posts on the days where I feel like putting effort into my outfits but until I can master taking decent photographs, that will have to wait. Vince and I are planning on taking a trip to the Woods soon or even take the dog to beach so I'm sure we'll get some snaps then!

Book recommendations - Annie Valentine Series by Carmen Reid

If I remember correctly, I was first introduced to the Annie Valentine series by Carmen Reid after my Nan leant me a pile of books that she thought I would like. Well, she did good as I'm now a huge fan of the series.


The series follows personal shopper Annie Valentine through lifes ups and downs. Annie is a shopaholic and can't resist a bargain, specifically designer bargains which she picks up with a nifty staff discount from The Store where she lends fashion and style advice to women without a clue.

Annie juggles a career in personal shopping with expectations of bigger and better things, while also managing a teenage daughter, growing son and new boyfriend, Ed. Each book grips the reader and pulls them into Annie's life while still managing to be a fabulous and funny read.

These books are perfect for those that love fashion as there are a fair few designer mentions, style tips and general fashion love. Each book gets better and stronger, drawing the reader in and making them fall in love with the entire Valentine clan.







Later this month, the next book in the series, New York Valentine, will be released and I can't wait.


Annie Valentine has a dream job in the heart of fabulous Manhattan.
Daughter Lana is lost in the heat of first love, but has she fallen for a heart-breaker? In London husband Ed faces a scandal at work and knows, in his heart, he needs Annie back.

What’s a girl to do when her true love is in London but her new love is New York? Does it have to be fashion or family, or can Annie Valentine have it all?


I do love a series of books as you can really get to know the characters well and feel like you're part of the family. The Annie Valentine series is right up there with the like of the Shopaholic series by Sophie Kinsella.

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year to all my blog followers!

I spent the New Year's celebrations at Vince's house which was lovely. There was so much yummy food thanks to his mum's buffet and we just chilled out until Midnight struck. Thankfully, Vince's house is near Weston Seafront so we were able to watch all of the fireworks and lanterns and had our own little firework display. :) It's a shame we didn't take any photos!

I spent Christmas at home with Mum, Dad and Nan which was also lovely. I got lots of nice presents, the usual Pyjamas, Slippers, Diary, Calendar and Notepads as well as lots of smellies, nail polishes and books, so I'm very happy! I now have so many books to read, it's unbelievable. I need to stop buying more!


I'm officially unemployed again after finishing today at Sandbay Leisure Resort for the holidays. Once I'm back in Southampton I have to find myself a full-time job as well as searching for a writing job. Vince and I have a few months left until he finishes his course, so until then we'll be staying in Southampton but after that...who knows!