#061

Hat: H&M

Top: Primark

Leggings: River Island

Hi-Tops: Adidas

Love these leggings, I got them quite a few seasons ago but wasn't ever brave enough to wear them out! Nowadays I'm way more outrageous with what I wear. It's like, studded leggings? Pfffffft. Give me a double-fluro-ombre-tye-dye-ensemble and then we're talking ;)

When it comes to fashion, sometime I think the more daring the better. It's nice to push the boundaries even if occasionally you might err more towards the clown-esque, it's worth it for those times when you do something really on point. Isn't it always the way that the outfits you're not too sure about and think, hmmmm maybe this is a bit too crazy, end up being the ones that earn you the most stars on WIWT or get the most compliments (and a few standard stare to boot!)

xx

#060

Waistcoat: Forever 21

Jumper: Primark

Blouse (just seen): Primark

Trousers: Primark

Boots: Primark

Necklace: Primark

Haven't had a chance to take any pics recently which is REALLY frustrating! Need a gap in this awful weather so I can set up my tripod in my picture spot and get snapping. If only I had a personal photographer. 

I love this blue cable knit, literally live in it at the moment. It's a bit big as they didn't have my size so went up, but I like it like that, it's extra cosy. It has cute elbow patches too which I've done a great job of not showing off in these pics!

xx

#059

Jumper: Primark

Trousers: River Island

Wedge hi-tops: Boohoo.com

So a few bloggers have done these 30 facts about me posts recently - I thought I might join in too :) I think the challenge will be thinking of 30 things about me, I'm not really that exciting - I may have to stop at 20! Oh well, here goes...

1. (Some of you may know this already) - I live on a small island, population about 200, 1 mile by 2 miles, off the coast of Cornwall! It's nice and I live about 10 metres from the beach! It's called Tresco, in the Isles of Scilly - Google it!
2.  I'm a massive dog lover - we have 2 springer spaniels at home and I adore them
3. I didn't go abroad until I was 17
4. But now I'm desperate to go travelling!
5. I don't eat cheese unless it's melted! (probably the weirdest thing about me, people are often horrified to hear this!)
6. I own over 70 pairs of shoes
7. I'm half Scottish
8. I used to play football a lot and was my University Womens Football club 2nd team captain in my final year. I really miss it but made some great friends whilst there :)
9. I sometimes get sleep paralysis
10. My mum is my style inspiration. She's 55, looks better than me on a daily basis, and taught me how to be adventurous and creative with what I wear
11. I currently work at my local pub, doing housekeeping and barwork. It's OK for now but after travelling all I want is to do something in fashion
12. I've only just discovered Instagram and Whatsapp. Absolutely shameful I know
13. I have what some would consider terrible taste in music - I love Girls Aloud, The Saturdays and have recently fallen in love with 1D's Kiss You - but I LOVE it. Guilty pleasure toons are my thang!!
14. I'm 24 and have a 19 year old boyfriend - true toyboy sitch!
15. I love a good sausage roll
16. I don't wear make-up although am considering starting to - I really want to experiment with colourful lipsticks!
17. I left home at 16 to go to college on the mainland. It was daunting but great for my independence
18. I like to think I have very good manners - I can't stand people who are impolite or rude, it costs nothing to say your Ps and Qs people!
19. I've loved hi-tops for ages, long before they recently became high-fashion. I think I got my first pair just before I went to uni, probably in about 2008.
20. I'm terrible at remembering birthdays and hate myself for it!
21. I really want a pair of retro roller skates
22. I love wearing fake glasses even though I probably look like a Class A tool in them
23. My fave TV program EVER is the US Office - it's frikkin hilarious and if you haven't watched it - do it, now!! I'll lend you the DVDs :p
24. I sing in a band at home, just covers, playing local pub gigs but it's really fun
25. I don't mind tattoos on other people but would never get one myself
26. I pride myself on being a nice person, I would hate to treat people badly
27. I'm awful at watching films, I have such a short attention span I can only watch them if I'm doing other stuff at the same time!
28. I LOVE wiwt.com and it makes my day if I get Editor's Choice
29. I think having good friends is one of the most important things in life. Surrounding yourself with people that make you a better person is intrinsic to a healthy life
30. My first ever shopping trip to the mainland was for my 10th birthday. I bought a black puffa jacket and a red sequin dress. My life has never been the same since. In a good way :)

xx

#058

Shirt: Primark

Skirt: Primark

Socks: New Look

Wedges: H&M

Love love love this combo - don't know if I will ever fall out of love with coral! Or socks n sandals combos for that matter!!

So a little about my recentest adventure - those of you who've dropped by my blog recently will know that I've just got back from a trip to the mainland where I undertook an intensive driving course. MY GOD it was hard!!! I mean, I expected it to be difficult and my dad kept telling me, it'll be the hardest thing you've ever done, but I just thought, hello? I did a law degree that I didn't exactly enjoy? This can't be that bad! 

I guess in some ways it wasn't. But it was a different kind of difficult. So much to think about and a level of multitasking that I'm sure even being a woman doesn't help make any easier! I did a 2 week course, drove most days and was completely knackered by the end of it but passed (thank God!). I'm not gonna lie to you, there were tears aplenty, tantrums often, and general sulkiness at regular intervals. But it was all worth it in the end. It's a weird one, the relationship between you and your driving instructor. Get a bad one and your screwed, and might as well kiss goodbye to your chances of passing, as it's such a scary, nerve-wracking experience anyway that you don't want any extra stress or difficulty to contend with. The guy I went with was pretty good, but I expect I was a nightmare pupil. I'm generally fairly well-mannered and polite, but at the same time I'm my own worst critic, so even on the (rare) occasion that something went well I refused to be content and would always find a way that I could have done better. I'm sure it was very frustrating.

How did you learn to drive? I'd be interested in comparing the pros/cons of intensive courses vs spread out lessons. For me, living on a small island with no cars, an intensive course was the only viable option. As much as weekly trips to the mainland under the pretense of learning to drive would be a great luxury, it'd hit the bank balance pretty hard :p

xx

#057

Another pair of dreamy shoes are the order of the day today.

Necklace: Primark

Blouse: Primark

Jeans: Primark

Flatforms: H&M

I love H&M shoes - I may have rambled on about this before but if so it definitely warrants another ramble. The H&M website is OK, but there's also a lot in store that doesn't get put up on the website. Either way you can find some absolute treats for the feet in H&M. I love these dalmatian print flatforms - they're just a little bit different to all the creepers that are in store at the moment. It's nice to have an animal print in my wardrobe that isn't leopard print too, as I seem to have gone into leopard print overload without even noticing



xx

#056

Still rocking the berry pleather...

Split-front blouse: Boohoo.com

Bandeau: New Look

Pencil skirt: Primark

Bracelets: Primark

Fake croc-skin heels: New Look

Nice to wear something a bit raunchy from time to time! I love this split-front blouse, gives a bit of a peek-a-boo vibe, although TBH I'm pretty flat-chested so it's not too outrageous!

Have finally returned from the mainland and have mixed feelings about it really. It's nice to be back and has made me appreciate all the good bits about living on Scilly like being able to walk to friends' houses in 10mins or less, and the gorgeous views and scenery. But I also really enjoyed my time away. It sounds weird but living somewhere that has a population of under 200 makes you relish being able to walk down the street and not know anyone, to remain anonymous and just be a bit of a nobody for a bit. I like people not necessarily knowing what I'm up to 24/7. And I like being able to do stupidly normal things like go to the cinema or supermarket! I'm now really looking forward to moving away in the future. The main thing that made me want to come back was general fed-upness of living out of a suitcase, isn't that just the worst?!

xx

#055

Necklace: New Look

Dress: Boohoo

Bag: Forever 21

Trainers: New Look

Here's another addition to my Christmas presents selection. Mum and dad bought me this boohoo midi dress. I love midis as I think they're just that tiny bit edgier than maxis or minis, do you agree? This one looks fab with my new green flatforms and bowler hat, if I'm trying to be super cool! I wanted grey as its so versatile, it's easily dressed down like I've done here with my converse-style trainers but I could also have paired it up with my asos t-bar platform heels and statement jewellery for a night out.

The only problem is that perhaps my hips are too big to wear such a clingy dress! I always try and just embrace the curves but on this occasion I'm not sure whether I will feel self-conscious, what do you think?

Xx

#054

Jumper: H&M

Skirt: H&M

Socks: Topshop

Boots: soyoushoes.com

I don't know what's happening to the order of posts on my blog! Currently away from home so am using my iPad instead of my usual laptop so will have to try and remedy this confusing situation when I get back!! Thank you for everyone that's commenting and leaving blog links too - I'm gonna have a huge blog browse again when I'm back on the ole lappy just cos I can't quite get to grips with the blogger for iPad/iPhone format!

Hope you like this outfit, I'm obsessed with this knit as many of you may know! I've just started using Instagram too, username sashaparkes1 so get in touch if you're on there as I'd love some new peeps to stalk...oops I mean follow :p

Xx

#053

Jumper: H&M

Skirt: H&M

Boots: Missguided

Hi guys, sorry for my absence, I'm currently doing a 2wk intensive driving course and am away on the mainland staying with friends so I'll fill you in when I get back! Literally the scariest thing I have ever done, coming from an island with no cars definitely has its downsides!

Hope you all have a great weekend and will be blogging when I can :)

Xc

#052

Jumper: H&M

Blouse: H&M

Disco pants: River Island

Hi-tops: Adidas

I need a dolla, dolla...love this H&M sale jumper, was only about £7 I think, win! I don't often wear purple so it makes a change, and I reckon I probably have a knit in pretty much every colour now, addict this way! These were my first pair of proper hi-tops, I saved up my birthday and Christmas money a few years back and invested in them and I still love them - I think the best type of hi-tops are the more old school garishly coloured ones like these, give me neon pink and bright blue, gotta love a bold fashion statement and a bit of clash sometimes!

Xx

#051

So in love with this neon knit! I can barely prise it off! And I love how well it matches this cute clutch which I received as a Christmas present from a lovely friend, who obviously knows my sense of style very well :) I think this outfit is a perfect combo of all of my favourite things - this neon knit, a cute collar peeping out, disco pants, statement clutch and these bargainous ASOS heels!

Ps its my birthday today :)

Xx

#050

Top: Forever 21

Riding pants: H&M

Socks: Topshop

Shoes: Office

Can't believe these shoes were only a tenner in the Office sale!! Such a bargain. I also reckon they're similar enough to the Toppers boots on my lust list to not have to shell out £50+ but instead make do with these nearly lookalikes!

I've just spent the weekend shopping and haves led myself up a few bits but not as much of a crazy shop as usual. I think it's because it's a strange time for shopping. It seems like everywhere is sort of inbetween seasons, with slightly lacklustre sales still going on and some winter bits still available, and then a kind of token glance to spring without fully launching into it. I think instead I'm going to save my pennies and try and get away in April or something for a more satisfying SS13 shop!

Xx

#049

Jumper: Forever 21

Top: Primark

Shorts: Primark

Shoes: H&M

Well to say these are the best pics of the bunch they are fairly crap! Dodgy face/pose central! This heart print jumper is another new post-xmas addition to my wardrobe. As much as I picked it thinking it would be super-versatile now I'm not sure what to pair it with, I dunno if I like this outfit at all. maybe next time I will have to keep it simple with jeans and boots.

I do love these flatforms though, they're h&m and just the best thing ever

Xx