Suck my cockiness

Faux leather black bodice: TOPSHOP | Black coated skater skirt: RIVER ISLAND |
Oversized checkered shirt: HEARTS & BOWS via ARK (c/o) |
White round sunglasses & silver dino flatforms: ASOS

As some of you will know, I am digging my 'darker' looks at the moment.  And word on the street is that gothic is gonna be huge this season   HUGE, I tell you.  Which, you know, I am kind of excited about.  And to show you my excitement, I thought I'd get started and start channeling my inner goth (I haven't dived in at the deep end, mind) before the A/W months have even started.
What better way to show my appreciation of the trend than with by mixing my treasured pleather items.  I know this skirt could be worn in many ways during the summer (you should know this by now too, as I have worn it, like, seventy three times already), but the main reason I bought it is because I know it would be a great piece in the winter.  I think that the colder seasons are quite hard to choose bottoms for.  I don't want to be wearing skinny jeans all the time, so when I pick a skirt/pair of shorts, I need to know they're gonna look great with a pair of tights and a big jumper.  Hence why this skirt is perfect.  And at a mere twenty pounds, I cannot stress how much you (yes, you) need this in your life.  Just do it, 'kay?
I then teamed it with this zipped-up bodice.  Quite a brave choice to put these two items together, if I do say so myself, which is where the checkered shirt comes in and it separates the two nicely.  I don't usually tie things around my waist.  Even when it gets hot and I have to take my jacket off, I will carry it over my arm.  I am not ten, and I don't wish to look like I am.  However there is something about this look that kinda' makes it okay.  Does it work on paper?  Oh, probably not.  But I really look how the whole ensemble turned out.
I thought my silver flatforms would be the perfect addition.  They offer a kind of sporty, futuristic twist.  Give me a pair of tights, some biker boots and a man-style coat and this outfit is winter-ready.

So I've been having quite a hectic few days.  I went to Manchester to look at accommodation, which is very last minute (which isn't my fault, I HATE rushing things!), and my mum and I got ridiculously lost trying to find the place.  Ended up asking for a taxi.  'Berry Street please'.  We ended up under some random bridge on BURY street.  Cue lots of stressing.  But we got there in the end (and figured out we were only a couple of minutes away when we got in the bloody taxi).  I looked round the flat and it was okay, pretty much what you'd expect as a student.  Although my wardrobe is TINY, like, big enough to store my coats in.  That's it.  I move in on Sunday.  I give it a few hours before I am hiding in said wardrobe and crying at the lack of a power shower.  It's fair to say I've been spoilt in my life up to now, but I am going to be a big girl (I'm a grown up now, don't cha know?) and get used to it.  I will be living with three boys and two other girls, who I will hopefully get along with.  Oh, maybe we'll be like 'F.R.I.E.N.D.S.' except in real life!  I've always fancied myself as a Rachel.  Are any of you starting uni this month?
I am getting my second tattoo tomorrow, so excited!  I won't say what it is yet, but I will say it's going to be bigger than my first one and with my sensitive skin I am gonna be in there for a stupidly long amount of time.
Watch this space...

Run DMC

Run DMC slashed tee & purple frill ankle socks: TOPSHOP | Coated black mini skirt: ZARA | Contrast faux fur coat & velvet dino flatforms: ASOS |

Just a simple, casual outfit today for a lazy weekend.  This tee is still one of my favourites, despite owning it for a few years (I know, how bizarre), I love the cut-out detail.  And the print is pretty damn cool, too.  I couldn't resist adding my awesome coat which I am wearing more and more now it's starting to get colder, although, by the looks of it, it's starting to get hotter again.  Sigh.
I am also starting to wear these flatforms more often now, as I think they are a much more winter-appropriate shoe.  I thought I'd try and wear them slightly different today, though, hence the addition the ankle socks.
The skirt I bought from Zara in their latest sale, and I can't seem to get enough of it.  It would look great if I went the opposite way with it and wore a white shirt and my patent loafers.
I've got quite a busy week starting Monday, so am making the most of lounging about doing nothing.  Am currently watching 'The Hunger Games' (for the third time, it's still awesome) with my mother.  I do think the books are better but I think Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson play the parts perfectly.  I am trying to read another book at the moments but I just keep thinking 'I WANT PEETA BACK THOUGH'.
Hope you all have a nice weekend!

Cropped

Pink crop vest: TOPSHOP | Black coated skater skirt: RIVER ISLAND |
Green beanie hat & velvet dino flatforms: ASOS

Quite a different look from me today but like I've been saying recently, I am really digging the whole grunge type looks at the moment, and I think this gives a subtle nod to the trend.  The crop top is something which I don't really know where it came from (my mother's wardrobe probably), and it's been shoved to the back of my wardrobe for ages.  I haven't worn a crop top this summer despite how big of a hit it was in the S/S '12 shows.  I just haven't been able to find the right skirt (has to be high waisted, obvs) to go with one.  Or jeans, for that matter, I do think the American Apparel 'easy jeans' would be great, but at £65, I think I'll just stick to looking for a skirt.  I bought this a week or so ago, it's not exactly 'summery', but I thought I'd adopt the crop top for the Autumn days.
I think the beanie hat was the perfect addition and the colour of it contrasts nicely with the baby pink.  The velvet shoes also added to the grunge effect, and it was nice to wear the with more of a 'girlie' item rather than wearing them with dark clothes all the time.
I don't think I'll be wearing a crop top any time again soon, unless we get a heat wave in October again like last year, as it's getting far too cold for one.  But it's always good to try things out and see how you style something.  I'd love a cropped, baggy band t-shirt and just go all-out gothic.
I'm not busy today.  Just cat-sitting and reading.  I went to see my dad yesterday which was nice, we just chatted and watched the film 'Safe'.  Not seen it?  It's pretty much two hours of Jason Statham punching and shooting people, with a Chinese girl thrown into it.  I enjoyed it.  He kicked ass.
I am just trying to sort things out for university at the moment  The big move will be over the 15th and 16th and then my induction week starts on the Monday after.  I am bloody terrified.  I haven't even got anywhere to live yet after my application for halls being rejected, but I am going to look around a couple of private halls on Monday, so fingers crossed!  It hasn't been an easy ride for me so far, and I'm currently on a spending ban as I need my money for university things, but hopefully it will all work out!  Are any of you going to uni this time?

You should let me love you

Purple checkered shirt: HEARTS & BOWS via ARK (c/o) | Blue skinny jeans: ZARA |
Contrast faux fur coat & purple velvet dino flatform shoes: ASOS

Okay so I kinda', sorta', REALLY love this outfit.  I am digging the whole grunge look at the moment, and I think this outfit gives a subtle nod to the trend without being too in-your-face. The shirt is one I received from Ark a week or so ago.  I decided to choose it in a size-up as I usually need to with shirts to avoid boob-area gaping, but this one actually looks over-sized, which I actually looove.  It has the whole yeah-I-pinched-this-shirt-off-my-boyfriend-and-I-am-still-totally-making-it-work effect.  There are so many way to wear this shirt (last time I wore it tucked into a mini skirt) so am looking forward to seeing what else I can do with it.
I really like how the coat looks with the outfit.  I get so many compliments on it every time I wear it and it's safe to say I will never grow bored of it, EVER.  It is such a unique item and I definitely think the contrast in textures add to the overall grunge-ness of the outfit.  The shoes I purchased late last year for a mere £25 (£20 with the discount I had, Bargain with a capital 'B'!) and I can't get enough of them.  If you like them I know ASOS have done a few variations on the dino flatforms, so I'd definitely keep an eye out!  The sunglasses were a cool, final touch to the look, although I should probably look into buying some more pairs as I just cannot stop wearing these ones.
I can't believe it's Septemeber in a few days, time moves so fast!  I think I'll just spend my last few weeks of freedom vegging out and watching my 'The Land Before Time' box set with a fat tup of Ben & Jerry's.  Don't hate me 'cause you ain't me.

What a wicked thing to do, to make me dream of you

Floral butterfly print shirt: RIVER ISLAND | Bowler bag: TOPSHOP | White skirt & silver dino flatforms: ASOS

Some days I feel like being more girlie and pretty than I do on others, but rather than throwing on a floaty dress and leaving it at that, I thought I'd go for the skirt and top option.  This shirt is a perfect piece for days like these as it as still feminine but relatively more grown up than your average floral dress.  I went for the buttoned-up-sleeves-down look today since my legs were on show and I wanted to avoid flashing too much flesh.  It is quite a busy print so I teamed it with more neutral items to balance it out.  I purchased it during my trip to London a few months ago, I really love the mixture of pastel colours on it and it goes great with everything, from outfit like these to more winter appropriate ones when I'd team it with a pair of pleather shorts/skirt and a woolly snood  Perfect.  I've seen a couple of people wearing a sleeveless version but since the sleeves are where most of the floral magic happens on the shirt, I've decided I much prefer this one.
I bought the skirt a couple of months ago after deciding I need more white items in my wardrobe rather than black.  I haven't actually worn it that many times but I think it'd look great toughened up a bit with an oversized military shirt and a pair of biker boots (which I don't have, but I am still on the look out for a perfect pair).  The shoes seemed like the perfect addition to the outfit, the metallic tones go really well with the shirt and add my much-needed edge to the outfit.
I don't think dressing like this will probably continue for much longer as the rain is already back as I am typing, but I came to terms long ago with the fact that England just isn't having a summer this year so it's not like I've got a whole summer wardrobe planned out.  In fact I'll probably be buying a winter coat before you know it.