been out sailing in a decade full of dreams

 

Hello again. For probably the first time I have quite a lot of post content lined up, and not enough time to post it on here! I'm almost always rushing out last minute to try and nab a few outfit pictures to help me keep to my two-per-week schedule, but for some reason Summer has meant I have been up to much more photo-worthy things. I'm definitely not complaining though, as it has really taken the pressure off me to document everything - knowing I have posts lined up has given me the freedom to spend days on end dressing up for no one but myself, and enjoying mini adventures without the need to prove it photographically for this blog. I love documenting and recording everything, but sometimes it's nice to be able to choose when and what I want to blog about, and not feel obliged or pressured to make something into a blog post as I haven't had time to take any other pictures. Hopefully this will mean good things for my content as well, as I will be able to post only the things I am most happy with, and nothing that will just 'do for now'.

Note- Ignore the awful spacing in this post, for some reason no matter what I do the pictures still end up really spread out?!

 

 

Anyway, this outfit is from Saturday, when I spent the day working in the absolute dream of a shop that is Hirst Antiques. I've never actually done any real work (let alone paid work) before, and so to have my first experience of the workplace in one of my favourite places was a dream come true. The shop itself is a literal Aladdin's Cave, with antique and costume jewellery almost flowing out of the big glass cabinets, intricately carved glass chandeliers hanging from the ceiling, and fabrics and all sorts of pretty pieces layered everywhere. Each shelf is organised by colour and style, and heaped with jewellery and inspiration making each one like a sort of shrine that you could spend hours exploring. Passion for jewellery and style hangs in the air like incense, and it is almost impossible not to be completely and utterly enthralled by the mystery and magic of the place. Obviously I was completely in my element, and could have spent all day there (which I almost did by accidentally carrying on working until 6, when I was supposed to finish at 5!)

 

 

I wanted to dress a little smarter for the occasion, and so wore my pin-stripe shirt and belt from Beyond Retro, cream skirt and bag from Rokit, white tights from Topshop and white socks (that were once tights) from H&M. The shoes are from Office, however I only wore them for the photos, as I'm sure teetering around fragile glass cabinets would not have been such a good idea, given that I am the clumsiest person alive. I wore my vintage glasses from a car boot sale, and was surprised that a customer actually recognised them as Gucci...I found them for £10, and then when trying them on later noticed they said 'Gucci' on the arm, but I just assumed they weren't real designer for such a good price. You never know, maybe I was wrong (fingers crossed).

  

  

 

Working in a shop definitely appeals to me - I can imagine it would be very hard to get bored in such a busy place, where you get to meet so many interesting and enthusiastic people. It's also a really nice thought to think you might be able to help someone find a piece they really love - especially if they are after something for a wedding, as you feel partially responsible for helping them get the ideal piece that will help contribute towards their perfect day. It's also given me a new interest in jewellery, as recently I have been wanting to wear more, but am quite clueless as to materials, styles and designers. I definitely now want to learn more - it is a very similar world to the fashion world, just heralded by different icons and with a different and deeply historic background. The two go hand-in-hand really, and I think it would be amazing to be more knowledgable in both areas.

  

 

 

The rest of my day was spent with family, celebrating my Auntie's birthday and my Aunt and Uncle's anniversary, which meant lots of fancy dress, party food and of course amazing cake from Dru of Coco's Cakes, who was the kindest person ever and made me my own little cupcake to celebrate the result of the Company Awards. It definitely tasted as good as it looked. Also, here is a little preview of my prom outfit from Beyond Retro...there will be a post on it soon!

Last but definitely not least, I was sent a gorgeous personalised package from Balance Me to try out and review. I've never really been big on skincare routines - after toying with them when I was younger, I found they were often impractical and time-consuming to carry out each morning and night, and so I made do with makeup-removing face wipes, tea tree, witch hazel and the odd bit of moisturiser to try and keep my skin clear. I was, as you can imagine, a little daunted by the idea of trying to keep to a routine, but the products from Balance Me were so effective and practical that I'm now struggling to imagine what it was like without them.

 

 

 

 

I was sent three products: Pure Skin face wash, Rose Otto face oil, and Balancing face moisturiser. The face wash was deliciously fragrant and refreshing, and I felt like it definitely removed any unwanted oil or grime from my skin, without leaving it tight or dry. The face oil was light, and after using it overnight made my skin look a lot more glowing and alive (my pale skin has the habit of looking quite grey and corpse like from time to time). The moisturiser was probably my favourite, as it was so light and yet so effective, and somehow left my skin quite matte compared to the usual shine and grease left by most other moisturisers. I loved all three products and think they definitely worked for my skin - it is looking clearer and healthier now than it has in months. Also, Balance Me products are completely paraben, sulphate and silicon free, use no artificial fragrances or colours, and are as close to 100% natural as they can be, making them even better for your skin. I totally recommend you checking out their other products here.

Anyway, I hope you had a good weekend!