Payday is almost in sight once again (or for you lucky people that get paid before the last day of every month, it's already happened) and after booking flights to Thailand for New Year, there has definitely been a tumbleweed blowing around my bank account and purse. But with my accounts in close proximity of being replenished, I've compiled a brand new edit of lots of fun things to blow your money on this month.
Want to know the burning fashion question in the office last week?
"How the hell do you wear over the knee boots without looking like a slut?"
Well, without saying a word I set out to answer that very question.
It�s about playing a game of contrasts. Pretty, feminine dresses will temper the bad-bitch vibe that emanates from thigh-grazing boots, as well piling on layers and layers of oversized knitted pieces. Who can look like a slut whilst looking like a snug duvet burrito babe? Not me, not you, and I'm doubtful even an adult movie star could either - even with a whole host of pouting. Choosing boots in different hues to jet black will also break up the boldness. Riffing on this seasons seventies trend, terracotta, tan and burgundy are big news for thigh-high boot aficionados. If you sit more in the neutrals camp, opt for beige and grey suede.
One thing that certainly removes all sex appeal from over the knee boots: slouching. And trying to fix the slouch. Indeed there is certainly few things less sexier than strutting down the street awkwardly trying to keep your boots in place, only to keep stopping and do a not-so-sneaky tug up off the boots. The answer? Boots that fit properly. Ted & Muffy (formerly DUO boots) create boots based on calf size as well as shoe size, ensuring a perfectly snug fit. The Empress boots are also fitted with ties at the top, to double stop any slipping.
Here�s my edit of the best over the knee boots you can find on the high street, as well as a few handpicked sumptuous knits to keep cosy in all autumn/winter long.
We�ve all been there. You're all dressed up with nowhere to go because you planned to go for dinner and drinks with your boyfriend when he cancels last min saying he just had burgers with the boys and he's going for beers with them instead. Great. Or maybe he turned up to your flat, drunk, at 3am with lipstick smudged into his stubble. Or perhaps when you went out with him for drinks some girl was texting him asking what time she should meet him. Weird. Or maybe he called you Jessica whilst you were having sex and seriously who the fuck is Jessica????????
You�re pissed off. Understandably. So you say something along the lines of �that�s not cool, I�m pissed off.� And with a raised eyebrow and a discerning look, he delivers the line �babe, why are you being such a psycho?�
Here is the issue: women get labelled as �psycho� or �crazy� when they partake in basically any behaviour that their boyfriend/casual sex friend/manfriend/man-child doesn�t agree with (so in other terms, generally feeling anything beyond the realm of an emotionally undemanding agreement.) It�s become a societally ingrained label we�ve casually, insensitively, and detrimentally associated with women.
Beginners Psycho Girlfriend Checklist
Texting too much.
Not texting enough.
Not wanting enough sex.
Wanting too much sex.
Not wanting to have sex in his Aunt�s wardrobe during a visit to his family.
Wanting to see him.
Not wanting to see him.
Being annoyed that some random girl called Jessica keeps calling his phone.
Did you tick off at least one? Well then babe, your boyf might just think you�re a psycho.
Let's reverse the situation. When women call their boyfriends or exes psychos, we�re instantly more likely to take it as them being some sort of abusive, stalkerish lunatic, rather than the kind of trivial things that get women landed with that label. That boy you just started dating who texts you all the time � adorable! Possessive, maybe. Creepy, potentially. But Psycho? Oh, no. Psycho is just if you�re a girl.
So why do some men (only some, not not all) throw this label around so carelessly? It�s a way of them feeling right 100% of the time by displacing any of the blame in a situation directly onto you, and making you feel guilty and wrong for having some form of emotion about it all. Plus, it�s damn easy way to shut down an argument. Once the psycho card has been pulled out, it�s no longer for him to address your concerns, but for you to justify your behaviour to prove that you�re not being an overdramatic drama queen that might just pull a kitchen knife out on him and cut off his penis. Who wants to feel like a controlling, possessive, psycho bitch after all? Not you, and not me, so it�s easy to stop arguing so that you don�t get made to feel anymore like you�re in need to being slipped into a straitjacket.
So it�s all well and good recognising that guys can sometimes � and I mean only sometimes - be arseholes and make you feel like you�ve escaped from a lunatic asylum, but it�s when you start altering your behaviour because your worried about being called a psycho when things start to get out of hand. The amount of times my friends say they are too worried to say something to their boyfriends over a certain situation that's stressing them out in fear of being branded a psycho girlfriend� well, I�ve given up counting. And it�s worrying. I�ve been there too. But nobody should have to alter their behaviour and stop standing up for themselves - unless, of course, you genuinely are doing something that actually is psycho... Like stalking your boyfriend to work and back again to make sure he�s not with another girl. That's a bit weird. Or constantly checking his texts/whatsapps/facebook/twitter/instagram/linkedin profiles to see if he�s messaging other girls. If this is you � seek help.
�All the other girls are psycho, but you�re just so cool� � does this sound familiar? When coming from the mouth of the chiselled man-babe you�re dating it sounds like the sweetest and most delicious compliment. I�m blushing. Oh my god I�m so special. I�m so different to all of the rest. I am an untouchable queen of cool and calm. Right? Wrong. It reads a little bit more like �don�t step out of line or you�re just as psycho as all of the other girls I�ve dated.� With guys like this, you�re just one drunk text away from being that girl.
It�s fine to be nonchalant and act casual at first, but there is a line between how cool you are, and how cool you�re pretending to be. Let�s face it; we all try to pretend we�re a little cooler than we really are. Most of my relationships I have played it that way. But if you always hold in every little thing that he does that annoys you - trying to not be that girl - there will come a point (probably 6 months into dating and after 7 glasses of prosecco) when you realise it�s about time that he knows all of these things that you ever thought were out of line. Next thing you know, you�re dropping a 6 month strong crazybomb on him, telling him every tiny little thing he did that made you mad, in complete chronological order. Like you're regaling a history lesson to a bewildered little child. You storm out of the restaurant, prosecco glass still in hand. Now you do look a tad psycho. The longer you play it cool for, the more needy, weak and pathetic you�ll feel when you let this icy exterior crack. Believe me, I know this, because I was the psycho girl storming out of a restaurant with a prosecco glass still in hand, leaving some poor man inside wondering where the hell that outburst had come from.
It�s easy to not want to be that girl. Nobody wants to be that girl that guys say always moaned about their attitudes. But being that girl shouldn�t be bad, because at the end of the day, those girls say it how it is, calling out bullshit when they see it. They say what they want and they do what they want. If a guy doesn�t like it, then it�s not meant to be. If he�s fine with it, then chances are the relationship will be a lot stronger because it�s based on honesty, rather than hidden feelings of angst and annoyance. And regardless of the result, something about that feels so much more liberating than being a �go with the flow� girl that it all blows up for when you drop a crazy bomb.
Don�t be crazy. Don�t kick him in public or throw his clothes out of the bedroom window into the road. Don't go mental just because he's talking to another girl at the bar because it's probably just nothing. And don�t play it cool by pretending that you�re totally fine that he called you Jessica when introducing you to his friends (seriously, who is she????). Cut guys some slack - most of them probably don't drop the psycho card just to manipulate. Like I said earlier, it�s often just a case of them trying to shut down a potential argument because well, who really wants an argument. But know where you stand, and work it out. We all have morals and know the basics between right and wrong, so go with what feels right. Don�t be a psycho. But don�t let anyone make you feel like you're being one when you�re not. Stop putting your own emotions secondary to your boyfriend's discomfort. If he can�t take it, just let him move on. Because at the end of the day they�re going to find out what you like anyway. You�re not risking a lot by calling someone out when they�ve crossed the line, but you are risking more when you just let it slide entirely. You�re risking wasting time, emotional energy, and potentially future arguments.
Vlogging is replacing blogging. Or at least, that�s certainly how it feels. Whilst major players in the fashion blogging world continue to look amazing, take beautiful photographs, and crate amazing content, technological advances have only served to make us greedy for new varieties of content. In a nutshell, we've become obsessed with other people and simply want more. It�s time to adapt and try something new. Every day one of my favourite bloggers pops up launching a YouTube channel. Social media has made us curious and nosy - we want to know more about people, not just look at a pretty picture. And that�s where YouTube comes in. Being there on screen, talking away takes you from being a two dimensional photograph to a real life human being (although in a virtual, on-screen way.)
Having studied journalism in my BA and MA, and currently working as a fashion writer in the online team at a luxury UK department store, I can firmly state that I am still rooted in the blogger camp rather than vlogger. I found it hard to jump over the hurdle of creating video content when I found both reading and writing so enriching, and quite frankly, I only watched YouTube videos when I wanted a gory Halloween makeup tutorial. But with a hugely expansive audience sitting on that platform waiting for new, exciting and engaging people to discover, it�s such a waste not making the most of it and jumping into the YouTube pool. But where to start? Here are the 5 big fears I had before starting my channel and how I got over them!
1) Starting from the Bottom
Starting a YouTube channel can be daunting because it�s a little bit like starting your blog all over again. As a new platform, you�ll probably have no subscribers. Zilch. Nada. And that�s a lonely little world. It�s easy to get comfortable with your Instagram/ Bloglovin/ Twitter following serving as a constant stroke to your ego because it shows that some people (to a certain degree) actually give some form of shit about what you say and do, but starting off fresh on a new platform with a big fat 0 feels as though you�ve had that safety blanket ripped right off you and you�re left feeling naked and exposed with no followers to hit the like button. It feels damn weird. And you know that you�ve got to put in that graft again to grow a subscriber base.
But luckily, because you already have that following from other social networks, it makes it a lot easier to grow your channel then if you started both a blog and YouTube off at the same time. So take a deep breath, take the plunge, and go with it.
2) WHO EVEN CARES?!?!?
Another similar issue I faced was simply �who even cares?� I mean, I�ve known myself all of my life so nobody could be more bored of me than me. Who is even interested enough to want to see what I have to say?
Well, this goes back to people being nosy. Having racked my brain for why I�m possibly unique enough from anyone else (result: I�m just not) and scouring successful to mildly successful YouTube channels ran by people similar to me, I realised there�s a lot of samey content out there. Beauty tutorials, Get Ready With Me�s, haul posts, and lookbooks. The list goes on� but they are successful videos because people are nosy and interested in other people. So it might be the same idea, but it's a different person doing it, so the result is different. Also, if you already have a blog with a good following, there�s a good chance those people will care about what you have to show too.
3) What do I even have to share?
Working out what kind of content to do is TRICKY. I started off by doing little videos of my outfit posts, which whilst were fun and would get a few views, the extra effort involved was so not worth the time it took up in my blogging schedule. If you blog about fashion and beauty, keep it about the same thing. I use my YouTube channel as an avenue for my followers to get a more behind-the-scenes version of me and my blog, so seeing what things I�ve been buying, my favourite beauty bits, and letting in on secrets with my hair styling. Chances are if you�ve had someone comment on your Instagram saying they love your hair or makeup, then there�s more people out there that want to see exactly how you did it.
Work out what works for you, and do it in your own way.
4) But I hate watching myself back on camera...
Get over it girl/boy. Seriously. So did I! Watching my friends snapchats of me back to myself was cringe enough to make me break out into a rash. Itchy. With the first one or two videos, you will be like �oh my god I didn�t think I looked/sound like that and why do I pull that weird face when I say words that begin with an S and wait do I have a lisp I never realised I had a lisp,�� and it�s weird. Uncomfortable. And you do cringe. But, you get over it really quickly. It becomes almost clinical way of editing. It's just about getting used to me. Trust me, it's like ripping of a plaster - it only hurts for a second.
5) How do I even video/edit?
Equipment is key. I'm currently doing all of my videos on my Panasonic Lumix GF6 and I think the quality is incredible. It's an affordable (ish) camera (that I will actually be selling soon at an even more reduced price - any takers?!) and it's great because it's smallish, lightweight, and it has one of those fab selfie screens you can flip up so you can see how you look when you record.
Get a tripod if you need one. Where I now film in my room means I don't need one, so I sit mine on a stack of books on my desk, but for other videos where you will be standing up it'll come in handy. Just make sure you look into the height of it! You can get really cheap ones here for around �17 that extend to around 5-6ft, perfect for filming full body.
Lights. I'm very lucky as my new bedroom has amazing natural lighting. Two huge front-facing windows and a crisp white bedroom is a perfect canvas (yep, it may have been my requirements whilst flat hunting that my bedroom had selfie-friendly lighting and yep, that did garner a few weird looks from estate agents...) But if you are lacking in light, this website has a great breakdown of what lighting you can get to fake natural light. Even if your bedroom is bright then having a light will help balance days that are cloudy and sunny.
iMovie will be your best bet with editing. I'm a technological imbecile because I skipped all IT classes back in school (oops) and so I struggle with the most basic of things- Microsoft excel anyone? But iMovie is relatively simple to use after getting used to it. You can buy the updated version cheaply, and most Macs come with it anyway. It's more a case of working out what style and aesthetic you want to go with for your videos and sticking to something that works with your brand.
I hope this has been of some help, and here's a shameless plug of my new video over on my YouTube channel
After last weeks' profession of my love of brunch with a recipe for low carb eggs royale, I thought I'd continue this week with another easy peasy delicious low carb brunch, perfect for when you're super hungover but don't want the guilt of eating a greasy Full English Breakfast. So say hello (or good morning) to the Low Carb Flourless Ham, Feta, and Courgette Quiches! First things first, these weren't supposed to be mini versions... I simply didn't have a muffin tin baking tray big enough to make large ones! I don't bake, I'm all about delicious savoury dishes, so I tend to be ill equipped in that department...
This is a super easy and seriously delicious recipe to make, plus, it's HEALTHY and bursting with good nutritious food, protein, and healthy fats! You can easily swap ingredients out to make them vegetarian, or to spruce things up with your own personal touch. Putting some dill in with some flaked salmon instead of ham is another delicious alternative. When I cook I don't usually follow recipes, I just throw things together and go with it, so these amounts are just rough guides for one person. Just add and takeaway things that you don't want! The recipe is forgiving, and basically it takes a lot to mess it up, so unless you put something ridiculous inside of it, it'll probably still work out well.
You Will Need For the Quiches 3 Large Eggs (I used 4 small-medium ones) 1/2 Courgette 1-2 slices of ham Some feta Fresh Coriander (optional) Salt and Pepper Coconut oil or butter to line the muffin tin (optional) Garnish Spinach Plum Tomatoes
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees celsius.
Beat the eggs together in a bowl.
Grate 1/2 a courgette on a plate.
Chop the fresh coriander, shred the ham up, and crumble the feta cheese.
Soz but, there's nothing photoshop can do to make that look sexy.
Combine all of the ingredients with the eggs, adding salt and pepper to taste, and whisk until you get something that looks a little like the consistency of vomit. I mean... looks like that picture above.
If you want, line the muffin tin with some butter or coconut oil.
Spoon the mixture evenly into the muffin tin.
Place in the middle shelf of the heated oven.
Bake for around 15-20 minutes until the little quiches have risen and all the egg has set.
They may need a little longer if you are making larger size ones, so I recommend keeping your eye on the oven! Press them to see if they are firm enough to be cooked through.
Remove from the tin and serve hot with a spinach and tomato garnish. These also taste amazing with a little bit of chilli jam or if you're like me, ketchup (there's nothing ketchup does not go with!)
These also taste delicious cold, so you can leave any leftovers for lunch.
Hope you enjoy this delicious low carb brunch recipe, if you come up with any interesting concoctions and fillings let me know!
Autumn, there's a reason why I love you, and it's not Pumpkin Spiced Lattes (which are totally overrated, if you ask me.) It's all about super-sized silhouettes and layers of sumptuous wool blends, faux fur; belted, unbelted, buttoned, but all deliriously fabulous. Coats. I just love coats. Put one on over an oversized jumper and skinny jeans it's a fast track to easy peasy chic. Who cares what you have on underneath if you have a show stopping coat on? Without further ado, here's my edit of the best Autumn Coats you can find at ASOS and Topshop.
Flared jeans. Once bringing on panic attack-inducing flashbacks of badly-skilled first kisses at school discos in the early/mid noughties now conjures images of street style stars and seventies sirens. And quite frankly, I couldn't be happier about that. Fully flared jeans made a comeback with a vengeance this season, yet that hardly comes as a surprise when with the addition of a pair of boots or platform sandals, their graceful wide silhouette and magic leg lengthening abilities can easily catapult your limbs to the level of Miranda Kerr. With that in mind, it seems bizarre that the most flattering factor about them is utterly removed in their little, dorkier sister, the cropped flare. Cutting off just a few inches above the ankle, the cropped flare sits there, awkwardly, with both it and onlookers thinking "what's going on?" all whilst I stand there, thinking I'm so cool, so fashion, and pose for a picture.
This silhouette is all about man-repelling. My boyfriend's reaction? At least nobody else will fancy you in those. Thanks, babe. But with skinny jeans feeling a little tired, the cropped flare gives the perfect opportunity to play with new shapes and proportions. My styling recommendations? Wear with a high, mid-calf sock-style boot, and an oversized jumper. Go for severely pointed ballet flats, to balance the sharper cut of the hemline and a bell-sleeved top. Or keep things sky-high in a pair of mules or shimmering courts.
The way to my heart is through brunch. If you ever happen to cross me, I guarantee the way back into my heart involves a plate full of delicious bacon/eggs/avocado/pancakes/smoked salmon/sausage/delete as appropriate. But we all know that some of the best brunches are also the naughtiest. As I'd like to keep my thighs the way they are, I've been eating my favourite morning-noon dish with a couple of alterations to make it a little more health-conscious-friendly. Say hello to the Low Carb Eggs Royale - if you don't like mushrooms then soz, look away now.
I've replaced the English Muffin with a Portobello mushroom, cutting the carb content, thus allowing a little leeway for the calories and fat you get in the Hollandaise. Remember, if you're cutting carbs from a meal, you can eat a little more fat anyway! I've also added in some spinach, to boost the nutritional value. If you prefer Eggs Benedict or Florentine, just forego the salmon in favour of ham/bacon or extra spinach.
As I only ever cook this healthy stuff for myself, this recipe is just for one. I've included the recipe for a lighter Yoghurt-based Hollandaise that'll keep in the fridge for a few days, alternatively if you're feeling lazy (like I was when I made this) just use a packet.
You will need
2 eggs 2 Portobello mushrooms A few slices of smoked salmon 2 large handfuls of spinach
For the Hollandaise
Either Light yoghurt-based 1/2 cup of greek or plain yoghurt 2 egg yolks Juice of 1/2 a lemon Dash of cayenne pepper 1/2-1tsp of Dijon mustard
or the easy no-judgement option 1/4 packet of Hollandaise sauce powder (easy peasy) Semi Skimmed milk
Heat the oven to 180c. Trim the stalks off the portobello mushrooms, then place in the oven for around 5-10 minutes. Remove and pat dry with kitchen towel as they tend to get a little soggy in the oven.
mmm. sexy
For the hollandaise, if making the yoghurt based Hollandaise, heat a pan of boiling water, put a bowl inside, and mix all ingredients in the bowl, letting the hot water heat the sauce through the bowl.
Alternatively, if using a packet (like I said, no judgement. It is way easier for hungover Sunday's...) combine all ingredients, bring to the boil slowly and keep stirring.
Whilst the hollandaise is cooking, poach the eggs. There are so many methods to poach eggs, but the one I use seems the most simple. Pour some boiling water into a deep frying pan - about enough to cover an egg - then put on a hot simmer. Crack in the two eggs so that they are totally covered by the water and leave them to cook. Remove them with a slotted spoon and drain.
Wilt the spinach in a microwave for 1 minute, or in a pan on the hob.
Assemble the dish: 1 portobello mushroom at the bottom, topped with spinach, smoked salmon, 1 egg, then drizzle some Hollandaise on the top.
And the money shot...
Yessss brunch.
There you have it, a delicious, healthy, low carb breakfast option that's guaranteed to make you feel slightly less guilty about your hangover!
Oh sweet, snuggly roll neck, was it not only the other week that I was professing my love for you? And here I am, once more, trying really hard not to repeat myself all over again. We all know that layering comes in at number one in the British Wintertime Fashion Survival Guide (ok this doesn�t exist, but I think someone should probably make one�) and the roll neck has to be this season�s ultimate layering piece. Wear one under a shirt dress, kimono jackets, sleeveless jacket, and sleeveless knitted pieces. Try to keep it a jersey iteration so that you don�t look too bulky (like I sort of do in these photographs. I promise I haven�t quite packed on the winter pounds quite as early as October.)
It�s come to my attention that this outfit is a fully fledged retro revival of rainbow-resplendent shades, bordering on costume, thanks to the overload of suede and acid bright stripe jumper. Margot Tenenbaum - this season's muse (not to mention Gucci's girl) - eat your heart out. Sunglasses at the ready, retina-searing shades are apparently the look du jour this autumn/winter.
