Branding

• Hat from Burton
• Dress from New Look
• Belt from New Look
• Shoes from Dorothy Perkins
• Necklace of forgotten origin
• Bracelets from New Look

Gorgeous day here again in Aberystwyth, so I got out a summer dress and set out for the castle with a book again. You know, it’s days like this I’m actually kinda glad I don’t have a regular working week and can lounge about in the sun in the ruins of a castle.
I also like an excuse to wear my straw trilby. A couple of summers ago I was desperate for a straw trilby and could not find one I liked anywhere. I looked everywhere, but they all had silly glittery, flowery details or something like that on them. I kept seeing simple, classic ones on other people and went mad trying to figure out where these were. After a worringly long time I realised all the hats I saw that I liked were being worn by men. And so Burton came to the rescue. Perfect hat. Sometimes, men’s accessories are just the best.

I did a little shopping today as well. I bought a super sweet 50s style dress in Matalan and a long tunic top thing. Super pleased with the dress, and I think the top will be good when I’ve figured out how to style it up. I’ve been quite liking Matalan lately. I’d never been in one until I came to Aber. I don’t think I’d have bothered with the one if there weren’t so few shops here. Mostly, I find their stock fairly uninspiring, but every now and again they have some real gems. Matalan’s quite hit and miss for me, but when they get it right, they really get it right.
I think they’re being pretty clever with their brand identity at the moment, by beginning to stock more ‘trend’ led stuff at affordable prices and they’ve really embraced the idea of promoting through bloggers. They’ve recruited some high-profile guest bloggers for their website and run competitions for bloggers to style outfits from the store. Getting yourself in the big blogs if a very clever way of generating interest and making your brand seem fresh and cool.

Brand identity is a funny thing. So many shops seem to be trying to shift theirs at the moment and try and grab a younger market. Next did it not so long by jumping on the blogger band-wagon, and I think, for a little a while at least, Next did get on the radar of a place to shop for the fashion set. Marks and Spencers seem to be trying to grab some younger shoppers too. The stock is changing slightly, and their advertising uses younger models now, and recognisable figures like Myleene Klass. For me, most of their stock is still not for me, but their shoes are fantastic. Stylish, yet classic, and so well-made and comfortable. They’re a little more expensive, but still perfectly reasonable for the quality. However, their re-branding attempts don’t seem to be working. People my age are always amazed when I tell them my shoes are from Marks. It doesn’t occur to them to try and shop there. But for Marks’ main market the attempt to reach a younger market is irritating. My nan has always been a fan, but now she gets annoyed that she can’t find anything she likes in there anymore.

I don’t really know where I’m going with this, I’ve just been mulling on this a bit today after my brilliant find in Matalan today.
Do you ever find great things in shops you wouldn’t usually bother to look in?

Mummy

• T-shirt from Dorothy Perkins
• Skirt from New Look
• Shoes from H&M
• Necklace from Accessorize (I think)
• Smexy tubi-grip bandage from Boots. Aw yeah.

Uh, yeah, please excuse the bang-on-trend look of the ankle bandage. I’m encased in tube-grip from the middle joints of my toes to just above my ankle. My foot is much better though, so it seems to be working. I went back to work last night and survived, and the bruising seems to be going down.

Anyway, it’s been nice and sunny today here in Aber, so I threw on my favourite summer skirt and hobbled into town. I spent my afternoon lounging in the castle ruins by the sea with my book, and treated to myself to an ice-cream. Very pleasant.

God, I love days off

Back to Black

I’ve been trying to think of something to say about the awful tragedy in Norway, but to be honest, I have no words to sum up how completely shocking and horrifying it is. I cannot offer anything you can’t find written by those who understand this more than me and I don’t want to cheapen this terrible thing with fly-away words on a frivolous blog. So, I’m not going to talk about it beyond this. Please don’t think I’m brushing it aside in favour of pictures of shoes or something. I just have nothing to add to the outpouring of emotion. All I know is, I was shaken to hear about it, and feel very blessed to have the safety and security that I do. My thoughts are with the families and friends of the victims.

I also have little to add about Amy Winehouse. ‘Shocked but not surprised’ is a phrase being used a lot, and I think that about sums it up. It’s a very sad waste of a young life and an immense musical talent. Amy will join the ranks of Club 27, and I will remember her for her wonderful music. Again, my thoughts are with her family and friends.

To be quite honest, I am very glad to get to the end of this week. I am beyond tired tonight. My shifts at work have been long and horrible and busy. I had to call in sick today as I can’t put any weight on my right foot. I worked last night, aware my foot was hurting, and by the end of the night I was in agony and limping around, attempting to shut the bar. I got up this morning to find I was still in pain and could hardly walk. A day with my foot propped up on pillows has helped. I needed the rest, and a good icing has taken down the swelling in my poor foot. I’ll be back at work tomorrow, then I’ve got two days off, so hopefully I’ll have two working feet again soon.

I’m missing MrKiss horribly. He went home on Monday, and it sucks. I’d like him back please. Along with some energy.

Anyone else more than ready for a new week?

21 for 21 Update

As you may remember I set myself 21 challenges to complete in my 21st year. Here’s an update on how I’m getting on.

1. Complete Couch-to-5k

2. Write the first draft of a novel

3. Submit a story to a competition/magazine

4. Pass my driving test

5. Get a car

6. Get a degree relevant job

7. Move out of home
Check. Sort of. While I’m renting a room in a house as I did as a student, it’s not a student let and I’m paying my own rent for the first time, and working full-time in order to do so. I’m choosing to live away from home rather than go back, so I think that counts.

8. Complete a charity run

9. Learn to make ten different dishes from scratch
I’ve made a start and learnt to make a nice, healthy pasta dish (an old housemate taught me), and also made sticky toffee pudding for the first time ever. It was a success, by the way.

10. Have 100 blog followers

11. Graduate with at least a 2:1
I graduated last week with a 2.1.

12. Meet Muse

13. Find the perfect ‘Audrey’ style LBD

14. Visit Paris

15. Donate to charity

16. Organise my photos somewhere I can see them (not blu-tacked up, like they are now)
In progress. I’ve organised and framed one photo collage which is hanging on my wall now. I need to do a couple more, but the other clip frames I bought are too loose and the photos fall out. Boo.

17. See a West End show

18. Have a proper exercise routine

19. Read 21 books
This has really made me realise I don’t read anywhere near as much as I used to. I’m aiming to rectify that and have bought lots of new books. Since May, I’ve read The Sotweed Factor, My Sword Hand is Singing and I’ve nearly finished Game of Thrones. I will post a full list of the books, with reviews at some stage too.

20. Keep blogging

21. Have a proper skin-care routine

I’m ticking on with my challenges, although work is interfering slightly. It’s hard to find time to read, cook or run when you work for Wetherspoons, and the last few weeks have been so tiring. This week, I’ve worked 31 hours in 3 days, and I’ve got two more very long shifts to go. I hurt so much. My shoulders and wrists feel weak and my feet are a mess. Considered calling in sick today as I think I might have done something to my right ankle and foot. I really wanted to go for a run today, but there’s just no way that’s happening.

Lumos

I’m jumping on the blogger bandwagon and talking about Harry Potter. I saw the last film tonight, and I did enjoy it (despite inevitable ‘that’s not like the book’ niggles), although it was kinda ruined for me by a pack of idiots sat behind us in the cinema, who spent their night talking loudly, kicking our seats and generally being majorly annoying. I hate people who ruin the cinema for other people. If you wanna talk through the film, wait for the DVD, ok?

It is very strange to think that this is it now, for the Harry Potter story. Love it or hate it, Harry Potter was such a phenomenon, and we really are the Harry Potter generation. We grew up with the stories, and I think almost everyone I know has read the books or had them read to them in school,  and everyone seems to have seen the films. People who’ve read little else have read Harry Potter.
A lot of people are critical of JK Rowling, and I would agree that she isn’t a technically brilliant writer. She is a an incredible story-teller though, who gave lots of children a whole world to fall in love with. That’s pretty amazing.

I’m very glad to have been part of the Harry Potter generation. I’ve come to think of it differently as I’ve got older, and started to look at the stories in a different way. My favourite characters have shifted from the heroes to those more on the fringe, often the ones I’m not supposed to like. I love the Malfoys, especially Draco, as they are interesting, flawed characters. They’re not good people, but great works of fiction. I love Neville, and his story of growth from frightened boy to incredibly brave man. I like Snape. If anything, he’s the most interesting character in it. He is both hero and villain, likable and hateable. His connection with Lily is tragic, obsessive and beautiful all at once. The more unsettling side to his love was a glossed over a little in the film, but I think the revelation of Snape’s double nature was handled fantastically. He remains an ambiguous character.

Who’s your favourite? Why? What did you think of the film?

Graduation

• Blouse from Next
• Cigarette pants from New Look
• Shoes from Dorothy Perkins
• Charm bracelet from H Samuel
• Cap and gown courtesy of University of Wales, Aberystwyth

I’m a graduate! On Tuesday, I graduated with a 2.1 in English Literature and Creative Writing from the University of Wales, Aberystwyth.
How silly are the robes? They were horribly hot to wear, as the weather was glorious, but they did have the added fun of reminding most people of the Harry Potter films. I spied several people swishing round pretending to be wizards.

My family all came over for the ceremony, which was actually quite dull. I’ve never understood why for these events they insist on arranging ‘musical interludes’ and other such things with have nothing much to do with the event itself, and leave everybody slumped in their chairs being bored. Speeches and suchlike are to be expected, but please, just get on with it!

MrKiss graduates today, so I’m off up to campus again to laugh at him in his cap and gown, and will try and pick up my dissertation. I’ll let you know how that goes.

Wayfarer

• Sunglasses from Tesco
• Official Foo Fighters t-shirt, bought at gig in Milton Keynes Bowl
• Skirt from New Look
• Shoes from H&M

I enjoyed this outfit. I like the contrast of the pretty skirt and band shirt. I didn’t wear the sunglasses inside, by the way, just slipped them on for the photos so you could see the new glasses and I did have them on when I was out and about.
The new glasses were a bargainous £5 in Tesco, and look identical to actual Rayban Wayfarers. I’ll admit, real Wayfarers are more comfortable on the face and are better quality, but these are very good for cheapo replicas.

MrKiss is here, curled up next to me with a book now, and it’s lovely having him here. We went out for a few drinks last night, then took ourselves for an insanely massive Sunday lunch today. I am so full right now. I may never need to eat again. Although there is a prawn balti waiting to be made for tonight, so maybe I will.

How did you spend your Sunday?

Superhero

• Thrifted Batwoman tshirt
• Jeans from Dorothy Perkins
• Charm bracelet from H Samuel with charms from assorted locations

Nothing hugely exciting here, but I love this t-shirt. It once belonged to the sister of a friend, and she gave it to us to sell when we had a stall at a carboot sale a couple of summers ago to raise some funds for Glastonbury Festival. I spied it and claimed it for myself. Does that count as thrifted or pilfered? Either way, I wear it a lot. I want a Wonder Woman shirt next.

I wore this out to lunch with my grandparents the other day. I hadn’t seen them for a while so it was lovely to see them. I always enjoy spending time with them. My Granddad ended up chatting to my housemate for ages about her army training. She’s hoping to go for selection sometime soon, and he was in the army himself for a long time, so was pretty interested in what she’s been up to. I think it’s all quite different to when he did it!

MrKiss is arriving later on, and he’s here for a whole week for graduation week. I am unbelievably excited about seeing him. It’s been ages and I miss him. Posting might be a little slow next week as he’s here, but I’ll do what I can.

Anyone else looking forward to anything this weekend?

Deep-Fried Spats

I mentioned before (I think) that we were looking after my landlady’s dogs. They’ve gone home now, but this picture of them asleep on their first night here was too cute not to share. We really enjoyed having them and considered hiding them and pretending they’d run away so we could keep them. We’re missing them now they’re gone, but our landlady seemed quite keen to have us as dogsitters again, so hopefully they’ll be visiting again soon.

• Top from New Look
• Jeans from Dorothy Perkins
• Necklace of forgotten origin
• Bracelets from Topsop and local boutique
• Ring (just visible) from random new-agey shop. It’s made from gold-stone

I bought a classic blogger top. It’s sleeveless, button-through, collared and an awesome rusty orange colour. All it’s missing is the breast pocket. I keep seeing this style all over the blogosphere (don’t own one of those or something with a Peter Pan collar? GTFO of blog-land. Just kidding) and I’ve been keeping my eye out for one of my own. This one is a lovely colour and the fabric feels great, really soft.

This look is pretty simple, even with the added jewellery, so I added a ‘me’ twist with some unexpected shoes.

How amazing are these? I picked them up for cheaps in Dorothy Perkins’ sale and they are never leaving my feet. I feel like I ought to be tap-dancing when I wear them. Or wearing a suit and spats (what are spats anyway?). I get loads of compliments on them too, so I figure they’re a success.

I wore this out for drinks with a work friend. She’s leaving (just left, actually) to do some au pairing over the summer. It was sad to say goodbye to her, but she’s going to have a blast so I’m really pleased for her, as much as I’ll miss her.

Work is the same old same old although we did have some entertainment today when a customer walked into a glass door. He wasn’t harmed in the slightest, just dented ego, but what was so funny was his reaction. Now, I’ve managed to walk into glass doors (tell me I’m not the only one) and my response has always been “well, that was embarrassing…and stupid,” and then to forget about it. But this guy? No, he wanted to see a manager. Apparently the door is dangerous, and he insisted upon complaining to the manager that it was a health and safety hazard. You should know, our doors aren’t those invisible sliding door types. They have frosted Wetherspoons logos on them, silver handles that go the whole height of the door and signs instructing whether to push or pull. Apparently, not enough. Personally, I think the guy just felt a bit of a tit for bouncing off a door so publicly and needed it to be someone else’s fault.

We do get some wonderful complaints and questions though. My personal favourites:
- I want to send back this salmon because it smells of fish
- What are onion bhajis made of?
- I can’t have whipped cream on my hot chocolate because I’m allergic to milk
- I’d like two black coffees with milk in them
- Are the baked potatoes deep-fried? (Seriously, think about this one. What would happen if you did this?)
My job is hard some of the time, and the customers can get too much to deal with, but with gems like this, I can cope.

Run and tell all of the angels, this could take all night

I’m home from Milton Keynes, after a fantastic weekend. Foo Fighters were AMAZING. I’d never been to the Milton Keynes Bowl before, and it’s an unusual venue. It’s totally outdoors; basically a stadium shaped field. A friend and I sat up on one of the slopes, in front of the stage. We were further back than we usually are for gigs, but the view was good and we could see plenty on the screens.

Foos were supported by Biffy Clyro, who I was very pleased to see again. They’re so impressive live and were on good form. The Foos themselves were incredible. It was my first time seeing them, and I was blown away by their energy. They played for nearly three hours, and they didn’t stop moving the entire time. Dave Grohl was fantastic, sprinting around, downing drinks and bantering with the crowd. They had a good setlist of the new album and some classics, with some fun sing-a-long moments.

They also had some special guests. Roger Taylor from Queen came out to drum for them for a song, which was amazing. So unexpected. I feel lucky to be surprised with a member of Queen! They also had Alice Cooper, another amazing chance to see  legend. He came out and sang School’s Out and 18.

As a whole, the gig was brilliant. I enjoyed myself immensely and will definitely see the Foo Fighters again when I get the chance.

In unrelated news, my workmate moved in over the weekend. I’m looking forward to living with her, although as yet, our work schedules and my weekend away have stopped us from actually being in the house at the same time.

We’re dog-sitting for our landlady for a few days. They’re two Cairn Terriers and they’re very cute. I took them for a walk earlier, which was challenging at first as they were very excited and I have very little experience with dogs, but they were soon trotting along happily. They’re asleep now, one of them curled up next to me on the sofa.

How was your weekend?

What if I say you’re not the like the others?

There’ll be no posts over the weekend, as I’m off to Milton Keynes to see Foo Fighters. I am beyond excited! I’m going with some great friends I haven’t seen for ages, and it should be an absolute.
I’ll be back Sunday night/Monday morning armed with a ridiculous amount of pictures, some of which I will of course share.I’ll also be twittering (tweeting? twitting? What is the correct word for that?) over the weekend, so you can keep up with updates about trains, road trips, stage sets and how much my ears are ringing. You can follow me at @rockette7 if you don’t already.

See you on the other side!