it's so different from the world I'm living in

This weekend has been surreal. Probably not quite as surreal as the following weeks are going to be, but still surreal enough for me to notice. The five years I've spent at secondary school have passed by in a blur - it feels like only yesterday I was walking up to school for the first time. I have changed so much since my first year, and after taking on an almost completely new persona each couple of terms I think I have more or less settled with what I think 'me' really is (a 96 year old Grandma stuck in the small little body of a redheaded 16 year old). I've sort of come to terms with the fact that I am no longer legally required to go to school, and feel somewhat prepared for sixth-form (mainly because I have a really cute Staedtler pencil tin from the 1940s/50s that I am DYING to make use of). The one thing I am a little worried about though is the fact my actual exams start this week. I've been going on about them for ages but it feels as if my whole academic life has been building up to this very moment, but instead of feeling ridiculously scared or nervous I feel somewhat neutral. The whole 'everything in your life ever is counting on these very grades' attitude from teachers has become normal; it's difficult to panic when you've been sitting in examination conditions doing mock papers for a good year or two already. I'm obviously nervous as I'm one of those people that does actually want to do well - but I'm also quite calm because I've just accepted that whatever happens will happen. I'm not going to be a chemist, anyway.

I wore this outfit on the weekend to go for a short trip out to pick up my disposable film from the last day at school. Despite being quite expensive to buy and develop, I think disposable cameras are such a nice way to remember an important day or event. They have a limited amount of exposures, so you end up being quite specific with what you photograph, leaving you with a few really nice, significant memories on print and not a bunch of selfies or something. I bought two to use on my birthday last year and am so pleased that I did, as they really captured much more of the day than an over-used digital ever could. Not that I have anything against digital cameras; I just feel there's a time and a place, that's all.

 I've always had a bit of a thing for pattern clashing but recently I've accidentally been taking it to a whole new level. For some reason, at the moment if I'm not wearing at least two or three mis-matched prints then the outfit just doesn't feel right. It started unintentionally; the nothing short of horrible weather left me with no choice but to layer patterned tops and shirts (I don't have many block colours) and before long I realised it had become something of a habit.
For this outfit I felt like pairing a checked wool skirt from Rokit with my mum's old checkered jacket. I had been avoiding this combination for months because surely double-checks receives the same response as double-denim, but then I realised that I simply did not care. I wore the two with my green shirt from Blitz, current favourite pair of tights from Aldo, socks from Topshop, shoes from Brighton, necklace from Beyond Retro and fish pin from my mum. I bought the sweater-vest from Clobber when I went to Bournemouth and I just LOVE it...it brings a certain Grandpa-like twist to my regular Grandma attire.

I'm not exactly sure why but these sort of natural/earthy colours (which I NEED to stop wearing 24/7) and this skirt really make me feel a kind of 40's wartime aesthetic. I have been getting much more into true 'vintage' fashion from the 30s, 40s and 50s recently, which I think is good because as much as I try I don't think I'll ever really be the sort that can properly pull off the holographic prints, multicoloured bombers or bright hot pants of the 80s and 90s. I do have a slight obsession with the hippy/boho vibe of 60s/70s woodstock festival, and am ready to get my flares and gypsy crops out in full force this summer.

As you all probably already know (I haven't stopped tweeting about it yet) I have been shortlisted for the Company Magazine Style Blogger Awards. It really means a lot to me as I love Company Magazine, and to be shortlisted alongside so many amazing blogs is so surreal and exciting. I really appreciate the nominations and votes from you guys, and thank you all so much for all the support with this blog over the last year and a bit. I hope I can keep it growing and improving for you! If you can and would like to, you can vote for me to actually be chosen as 'Best Teen Style Blogger' here. Thankyou so much!
Hope you all have a good week (and good luck with exams if you are taking them!)

Ellie xo