SEVENTEEN.

Me and my friend, Amy (Vintage Pixies), were talking today about the music we used to listen to and reminisced about various bands we loved in our angsty teenage days and I've spent this afternoon searching the Spotify back catalogue and reliving my youth.

Three/four years ago I was into music more than anything; it was a passion. I'd always be listening to some sort of music and digging around the internet for hours on end hunting down new bands that I hoped would soon become favourites. Although I wasn't really into any of the stuff that was in the charts or listen to what my friends were, I didn't totally disregard it before listening. Admittedly, I enjoyed being unique with my music tastes, I liked knowing all the words to whole albums before they became mainstream but I wasn't necessarily exclusive like a lot of people are these days. I liked the feeling of finding new music and I'd thrive off knowing the hours of searching would be worth it in the end. I'd make mix-CDs (God, how I miss making them!) for my friends and try to force bands that I'd found upon them but it was always to no avail!

I'm not sure what happened, why I stopped loving music all of a sudden. Actually, it's not that I stopped loving it because I still do - I nearly always have something playing but I think the enthusiasm I once had has slowly dissolved as I've grown up.

I personally believe that the music industry has changed so much since "indie" has become more popular; it's almost as if the air of personality and mystery surrounding it has been uncovered. I particularly find that the majority of people who listen to it nowadays come across as ridiculously up their own arse and tend to put down anybody who dare listen to something out of their circle. NME is a classic example of this; I used to enjoy reading it and I honestly wish I still did. But I don't. The articles/blogs on the website make me cringe no end simply because of the arrogance that shines through and that's something I don't want to be associated with.

Music is for everybody to enjoy, plain and simple. It's not made for an elite audience and I don't understand why people think it is, or why people think they're better than others because they like certain bands.

SIXTEEN.

I had a bit of a naughty splurge on Saturday while shopping with one of my favourite girls. I always feel more inclined to want to buy things when I'm not on my own, I seem to be able to justify it better. My brain works in strange ways sometimes (read: all the time).

Anyway, onto the purchases:

Bow tights of amazingness, I love these! From New Look as well. I stick by what I said a few posts ago about how they're getting better, albeit not always but they are generally going up in the world!


Black dress with SHOULDER PADS and diamantés which I love. It's not a massively dressy dress at first sight but because it's quite simple it can be accessorised to hell and back.



Love this too, it's very similar to one I've already got though apart from the three gold buttons that are on each shoulder (not sure they're very clear on here though). I'm contemplating returning this but I'm in two minds; it'll be good for work experience times in London and Kent but it is extremely similar to one I already have. Decisons, decisons..

I also bought myself some more Honour blush from MAC, it was more of a replacement purchase than a treat, but new make up makes everybody feel good!

Had the best weekend on top of the shopping trip. It consisted of too much chicken (Red Thai Curry, breaded chicken with salad & baked potato, roast chicken dinner), lots of punch and not enough time watching films/snuggling under my duvet.

FIFTEEN.

I had the most perfect 'me' day in London on Friday. I've wanted to go on my own for so long and just not worry about anything or have a care in the world. I wanted to wander around aimlessly and do what I wanted to do, when I wanted to do it, for however long I wanted, I didn't want to have anybody to please but myself. Even the kindest of people have to be selfish sometimes.

The first half an hour of my day was spent sat in the window of McDonald's on Euston Road pondering over what I should do with my day. I was quite content sat there though actually, I love people watching at the best of times but it's so much better in the City. I like making up stories for people, watching the businessmen push past the tourists, I like wondering where everyone is going, where they've come from, what they've got planned. The skies were grey and the rain was forcing itself to fall but the weather doesn't seem to phase people as much as it does me. There was a distinct lack of umbrellas which disappointed me - I always think umbrellas say more about a person than anything else, I'm not sure why.

Anyway, I decided to move up the road and go to The British Library (which I discovered was opened by the Queen on my 8th birthday), it's somewhere I've wanted to go for SO long but have never got around to it. One of my favourite things about it is the various quotes that are up around the building. As soon as I stepped inside - right after I'd had my bag searched - I was so happy. It's such an amazing first sight, the decor and general interior is fantastic; my breath was literally taken away.

I was a bit - I don't know what the word is, apprehensive perhaps - when I first arrived because I was so overwhelmed by everything and whenever I go to places for the first time and and I'm alone I never know what I can and can't do and I worry far too much that I'm going to do something wrong and embarrass myself/get thrown out(!). I went and got myself a map, perched on a leather-cushioned-covered-bench and tried to take in everything that was on offer. I decided to visit the Sir John Ritblat Gallery first and I'm glad I did - "The Sir John Ritblat Gallery in the Library's St Pancras building hosts a permanent display of our greatest treasures, drawn from the many millions of items in our collections. See over 200 beautiful and fascinating items: sacred texts from many faiths, maps and views, early printing, literary, historical, scientific and musical works from over the centuries and around the world"

I saw original clippings from Alice in Wonderland, various bits from the Brontë sisters, some of Shakespeare's stuff and part of The Magna Carta (which I'd learnt about for my Public Affairs exam the previous day so I was even more intrigued by it!). There was a glass case full of original Beatles lyrics handwritten by Paul McCartney, John Lennon, Ringo Starr & George Harrison (obviously!), and it was really interesting seeing their actual handwriting but it was odd at the same time, thinking they'd actually written it - my brain doesn't like to or even pretend to understand the lives of the rich and famous!

After spending a couple of hours taking everything in that there was I headed upstairs and I was filled with jealousy when I saw the amount of people who were sat in the café and in the corridors at desks tapping away at their computers doing God knows what. I'm definitely going to take my laptop one day and do some work - it's the kind of place where I think I'd get so much done because of the environment that it is. In fact, I'm a little bit excited at the prospect of doing work there!

I wasn't sure what else I could do, I'm 100% sure there were other exhibitions I could have seen but the fear took over me again so I headed towards the Gift Shop turned Book Shop and spent a good 40 minutes browsing round there. I was very close to buying The Bell Jar, 1984 and Lolita but I decided I couldn't justify almost £30 on three books - despite how attractive the covers were - when I could get them online for probably half the price so I compromised and just bought one; The Bell Jar.

The weather was still rainy and dull as I came out of the library and headed across the road to Starbucks. I ordered my usual; grandé Caramel Macchiato and decided to treat myself to an egg & cress sandwich and a packet of salt & vinegar crisps before taking one of the more comfortable seats in the window and reading for about 2 hours solid. I was finally one of those anonymous people I'd longed to be for so long: somebody who sits in the window of a coffee shop and just reads. I didn't want to outstay my welcome (!) though so I moved onto Costa Coffee for another couple of hours before making my way back to the train station.

In Costa I accidentally made the mistake of picking a table next to two materialistic (moreso than I am) girls who thought they were God's gift. They were both sat singing along at the top of their voices to the songs that were playing, deciding that a Duffy song was their favourite to sing along to because of all the high notes that they could apparently hit. It was entertaining at first but it soon got repetitive!

The train on the way back wasn't the best of experiences either, it was rush hour so I couldn't expect any less but I guess I've got nobody to blame but myself. I was sat by the window though so I was able to watch the world fly past at 125mph with my iPod blaring into my ears.

As ironic as it sounds, the whole day made me so relaxed, even the girls in Costa and the train back. Who ever thought a day in London could relax somebody? I'm so happy when I'm there. It's definitely something I need to start doing on a regular basis. There's so much I want to see and do and if I don't go by myself I'll probably never get around to doing it and my free train pass is only valid while I'm in full time education so unless I do a Masters I'd best jiggle on; I've got a feeling the next 18 months will fly by.

FOURTEEN.

Thank you for all help on my last post! I'm definitely going to invest in a variety of different accessories for when I wear mentioned dress on other occasions. I did sometimes feel like somebody from the army because the neckline is quite high and in photos it looks more of a khaky colour than the beige/mushroom that it actually is.

On Saturday however, I went for a cream/nude colour scheme. Sorry for the rubbish pictures!


£16, Topshop


£7, New Look (which is definitely getting better and better each time I go in)


£10 (down from £16), also New Look

I was going to get some sheer black tights with little hearts on that I'd seen in Dorothy Perkins but they didn't have any in so I just went for a pair of normal sheer black tights which didn't look too bad but the others probably would have looked better.

Have also decided, with inspiration from Nat's literary post, to expand my collection of books and would like something to read other than trashy, predictable yet feel good chick-lit (which I have no shame in loving!), so any recommendations are welcome please. I already have Lolita on my 'to read' list! I'm also planning on buying a collection of classics that I feel I should-but-haven't-yet-read too, but I don't want new ones because they'll have no character and that's something I like my books to have. I raid my local charity shops in hope of finding the book that I'm going to use to begin the collection but as yet I haven't had any luck. I am excited for the immenient bookshelf expansion!