Back to School Packs

Across the country most of us are returning to school in a fortnight or so and back to school calls for one thing: the perfect new school bag that'll carry you (or rather your books) for the entire year. Since your school bag is the one thing that you're guaranteed to be seen with pretty much everyday, you have to make sure you absolutely love it, because a faux pas with spending a heck of a lot of your birthday/Christmas/parents money on this one item, and then waking up one day and seeing it as a hideous creation, could lead to you not having the money to replace it. This is why I decided to put together a collection of bags to suit different styles, and hopefully my ideas will inspire the right choice of bag for you this academic year.

The Minimalist:

If you prefer to keep it classic and tend not to delve into the adventure zone with your choice of arm accessory, here are a few of my simple yet attractive favourites (in fact, I purchased the Le Pliage Longchamp Tote for school myself, in black too.)



(Left to right: Longchamp Tote, £68. Topshop Satchel, £65. Zara Shopper, £39.99.)

The Saver:

If you're price conscious and want a bag that's still fabulous but more in your current budget then look no further than a few of the less expensive options I've picked out. I've found that H&M always do it right with the cheap but essential pieces, and every season they seem to have produced a popular, affordable bag that's perfect for school use.



(Left to right: Zara Messenger, £29.99. H&M Shopper, £12.99. River Island Messenger, £25.)

The Daring:

My last picks are for those of us who prefer to push the boat out with whatever they're wearing. Almost two years the backpack trend hit its peak, and a design that was previously considered "nerdy" was now adopted by fashionable teens everywhere. Now it seems that this trend is slowly trying to reemerge for fall/winter'14. Unfortunately, not everyone realises that you can't just throw on any backpack and make it "fashionable", and despite popular disagreement, in my opinion the Fjallraven Kanken backpacks just look like over-sized lunchboxes. So here are a few of my examples of how I think quirky bags have been done well.



(Left to right: Deena & Ozzy Shoulder, £38. Herschel Backpack, £50. Lazy Oaf Backpack, £40.)

Let me know if any of my picks spark your fancy and also remember to keep checking up on my purchases page!

They're just not that into you.

Once again dabbling in other areas besides fashion, (yes, I dabble) I thought I'd make another post about something that's been on my mind recently.

Have you ever noticed how the people who give us the least attention, make the least effort to see us and are generally the least appreciative of our friendship are the ones we spend the most time thinking about? Even if the thoughts are merely just irritated thoughts of anger or frustration instead of longing or sadness, we're still spending our precious time with them on our minds; this observation formed the foundation of my question: why do we care the most about people who care the least? Answer: for me, it all goes back to the well-known phrase "you always want what you cannot have." Bizarre human logic means that our brains seem to be programmed with a function that only enables us to form a serious attachment to something when we realise we can't have it. Much the same as when a parent tells a child they can't have ice cream and the child suddenly becomes desperate for that ice cream, or a teenager is denied going to a party and suddenly that party is the most unmissable event of the year, when someone realises that their affections to another are not equally requited then suddenly that person becomes the most fascinating person they know; all of their efforts will be poured into attempts to capture the interest of the uninterested. However, this results in us not realising that we are wasting all of our energy on people who simply don't care, and in turn doing exactly the same thing to the people who are actually interested in us. It's a vicious circle of neglect really; we'll waste our time on people, who are ignoring us to waste their time on people, who are wasting their time on people, who simply don't care. Question: Why is that? Why do we not waste our time on the people who do care? Answer: We're blind. Blind to kindness. We only ever pick up on the negative, leaving us to neglect the good.

So I propose that we all open our eyes and notice who and what we've been neglecting in favour of the negative; we leave people who give us attention, affection and care trailing behind, as we trail after those who are doing the exact same thing to us. Instead I think we should all put our time and effort into reciprocating the kindness people give us, rather than trying to fix the negativity we receive.

This Old Thing: The Vintage Clothes Show

A new programme that I've been absolutely loving is This Old Thing: The Vintage Clothes Show on Channel 4. Although the last episode of the series aired Wednesday 30th July , you can catch up with all the episodes on 4oD.

What I found refreshing about this programme was that we've been fed the same regurgitated shows about high-street fashion over and over- Trinny & Susannah and anything Gok Wan- and it was nice to see something different for a change. Not only were we given a look at the best vintage houses across the UK, ranging from Reading to Brighton, but the show also offered portions where they gave do-it-yourselfers tips on vamping up or rescuing their own vintage finds. One of my personal highlights of the show was learning about vintage fashion collectors that I'd never heard of before watching, such as William Banks-Blaney, who owns and founded WilliamVintage. The show gives you a unique insight of his most rare and exquisite pieces, from all different eras. Of course, the pieces are simultaneously wildly unaffordable and completely to die for, but at least we get to stare at them on our screens for a while!

The show's host, Dawn O'Porter, was not only charming and bubbly, but completely animated by her own personal love of vintage fashion throughout the show; each episode featured her wearing her own beloved vintage pieces from her wardrobe. Her genuine passion and interest in what the show was encouraging- convincing young people to ditch high-street in favour of more original, vintage numbers- added to the addictive quality of the show, as you found yourself convinced that you'd look as eye-catching as she does in her outfits. Her dedication to the cause is proven by the launch of her new brand and website, bobbydop.com. At the moment, it's just a collection of Dawn's favourite vintage pieces that she's scoured the country to find, fix up and sell, but in October she's launching BOB by Dawn O'Porter, all new pieces designed by her and her team, but ones that recreate classic and sought after vintage styles and designs. Her reasoning behind her new brand is that she understands it can be hard to find incredible vintage designs in the right size, so this way she wants to ensure that everyone is happy!

Best of luck to her with her new brand, and I know I'll definitely be checking it out in October.

Sundress up

Summer; the season of warmth, cocktails and, one of my personal favourites, sundresses.There's an understated quality about sundresses that I just adore. They're simple yet alluring, demure yet attention-grabbing, comfortable yet elegant. In other words, you just can't go wrong with a sundress in summer.

A lot of girls tend to shy away from sundresses, especially if you're like me and aren't 200% comfortable with getting your legs out, but I think that we all need to be a little more brave. Sundresses are feminine and flattering, and I don't about you but I certainly feel more dainty wearing them. There's almost an old-Hollywood feel about wearing a sundress, as they're not seen worn by teenagers much anymore, but they were all the rage for older women and teenage girls alike when they were popularized by American fashion designer and socialite, Lilly Pulitzer, back in the 1960s.

The two things I love the most about sundresses: 1) Due to the fact that they're usually meant to be quite loose and flowy, they suit pretty much all shapes and sizes, so you don't need to be rake thin to think you can pull one off. 2) There are so many pretty, yet still affordable, sundresses available on the high street! So there's plenty of choice, without having to empty out the contents of your purse. I've found that H&M in particular have some cute, but cheap, ones out this year. A few of my favourites from H&M.com will be posted below.

So please, be a little more brave and take a chance on a sundress! I guarantee you'll feel, even slightly, more glamorous this summer.



- Burgundy and Pale Pink: £12.99
- Daisy print: £9.99
(All from H&M)