Picks of the week: Something a little different

When I initially started the "Picks of the week" tag, I intended for it to be a weekly posting, but to be honest, I don't come across that many things that are that different week to week and even more honestly, some of the very exciting blogs that I've just started read aren't fashion-related and wouldn't quite be on-topic or everybody's cup of tea.

Lately, however, I've found a few clothes-y blogs that are different in some ways and I wanted to share them with you guys! 

1)  What's in your bag Flickr

Picture from http://www.flickr.com/photos/74668633@N00/6058847728/in/pool-52241283780@N01/

If you're like me and love looking at what various people carry in their purses, then one page of some celebrity's purse at the back of a magazine won't quite do it for you. 

Check out this Flickr instead, which has literally thousands of pictures of what's in people's purses (or backpacks, or totes).  I can spend hours browsing it and looking slowly through what both men and women carry - it provides a really interesting glimpse into what real people carry, not what some celebrity needs to promote at any given moment. 

I'm always particularly interested in what notebooks/stationery they pack, what they're reading, and what they've got for a snack!

2)  Quirky Explosion

Picture from http://quirkyexplosion.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2011-08-12T09%3A14%3A00-07%3A00&max-results=3

I just love Lexy's blog - it's not quite like anything I've ever seen before.  She wears the craziest things and makes them all work - none of this mild "stripes and spots" pattern mixing here!  I remember her saying in one blog post that people sometimes see bold things and say "I wish I could carry that off", to which her response was "You totally can.  Just wear it."  

I completely agree, and the wild abandon with which she enjoys clothing makes this, for me, a real joy to read.  

3)  The Snugbug

Picture from http://pattythesnugbug.com/2011/the-july-dress-hung-jury-colette-macaron-with-knit-yoke/

If you want something servicey and interesting, Patty's blog, The Snug Bug, is a beautiful collection of tips, sewing and pictures that really makes me wish I were more handy with a needle.

Check out some of her posts like this one on how to sew a zippered pouch, and maybe you'll end up being far more threadtastic than I am.  I can't sew to save my life, but I sure enjoy looking at other people do it!

4) College Fashion 
 
I wish, wish, wish that I had found this blog in my undergraduate days.  This e-zine is full of really helpful tips for building a trendy wardrobe around a student budget, decorating your dorm room and many more college-related things. 

For example, here's a handy post on how to look cute and comfy on moving in day.  And here's another great one on 3 stylish ways to wear hoodie, including those ugly school logo hoodies that I dislike intensely, but that they make look great!  Especially good for students, it's also handy for anybody on a budget as all their picks are relatively afforable.

5)  Corporette

At the other end of the spectrum from College Fashion, here's a blog for those going the high flying route with their degrees.  Apart from boasting lots of great but still conservative designer picks for those who work in business or law, it has some really helpful advice.

For example, how to deal with awkward Ramadan questions if you're fasting on the job (not such a big problem in Asia, but perhaps more so in other places) or how to look great on very little sleep after a big project.

6)  Thrifty Business

Picture from http://verythriftybusiness.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2011-08-14T22%3A03%3A00-04%3A00&max-results=5

Want to know how to achieve this designer necklace look for $15?  Then head on over to Thrifty Business where Anna puts together affordable and professional looking ensembles based on more expensive designer picks.  She shares my philosophy on why buy something extortionate when you can get a much more affordable likeness?   


I hope you've enjoyed this round of picks, and I hope to find more interesting and different sites to share in the near future.  And if you've seen other sites worth sharing, go ahead and let me know in the comments!  Tattybye!

Heads up!

This is just a quick post to let people know, if they are interested, that there are some massive sales going on at the moment, with some good ones in particular.  The other day, Shriya, Anjuly and I were in town and happened to see 70% off signs screaming at us from the windows of Accessorize.  I love window shopping at Accessorize as much as the next girl, but everything is so ridiculously priced that I normally can't bring myself to buy anything.  And I almost never see them going on sale.

My point being that - if you happen to be near one now, or see one go on sale in future, I'd highly recommend stopping by because the drop in price makes the goods so worth it!

I normally hate flip flops.  I only own one pair here and it takes me from the kitchen, to the bathroom, to collecting my mail.  When I wear them plain, I often feel sloppy and a little too casual, but these embellished ones from Accessorize really changed my mind.  And the pair on the left?  £6.  The pair on the right?  £5!  Can't argue with that!

I love the simple bow and charm detail on the black pair - enough to jazz it up but not so fussy that I have to be worried about running around in them all day.  And I've never seen slippers with buttons - too cute!  All the embellishments are also sewn, not glued, on.

Also really worthwhile?  These anklets with the string one going at 90p (!) and the beaded one at £1.50.  I used to wear silver anklets all the time, but they occasionally rolled and pinched and chafed at my skin.  These string ones are very comfy!

I didn't actually wear them out together - this was just for the purpose of illustration, but I wore the string one out over my purple tights today and I thought it popped rather nicely!  I've never thought of wearing an anklet on anything but bare skin but thanks to 14 degree wind chill, a different style is born.

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This blog, like many others, is a partitioned representation of just one aspect of my life and while I like to keep it separate from everything else that's going on, I just wanted to say that if you are in London (as I know many commenters are) or any troubled places nearby in these unbelievable times, I hope you are safe and stay safe. 

And on a more nostalgic note, if you are in my hometown, Happy Birthday!  I couldn't watch the parade this year, but I was thinking of it with all my heart.

Eight things I loved about Amsterdam

I know I haven't posted in ages, but I've only just reset my clock from Amsterdam and properly caught up on sleep.  I was only there for a couple of days, but I've found plenty to love and I'm dying to go back for more!

1)  The colours: there was a myriad of colour everywhere I turned (I'm using "myriad" because Anjuly said she HATES that word and it's overused and I think so too, so this is sort of a... reverse nod) and the city just felt so bright and alive!

2)  The little sights at each corner.

3)  The buildings, the architecture and just the open spaces around in general.

4)  The water.  GOD, I loved the water.  I was born on an island and I've lived there all my life.  It's surrounded by the sea, bisected by a river and dotted with little reservoirs.  Each time I turned the corner in Amsterdam and saw a canal, my heart sang.

At one point on our canal cruise, we stopped where we could look down the column of bridges and see them disappearing into the same point again and again like when you look in two mirrors opposite each other.

5) Houseboats.  I cannot tell you how manic (in my heart) I was getting over all the houseboats.  Most of them were pretty on the outside, painted in cute colours and with flourishing gardens in pots on the outside decks.  I even saw one woman sitting among her plants in the sunshine and using her laptop.  Imagine writing there in the spring sunshine!

I also had the barest peek inside and it looks a lot like Ikea in some of those houses - lots of colour, cute little things all crammed together in a slightly cluttered but charming, space-saving way.  I really really really want to live in a houseboat now!  (The red one is my FAV.  Look how well tended that garden is!)

6)  The plant life.  This is the place for tulips and many other gorgeous things.  There were some amazing stalls at the flower market which sold bulbs of every kind as well.  To be fair, the last picture of the willow was taken when our coach stopped briefly in Belgium, but it was so lush and gorgeous I couldn't resist.

7)  The food.  I really liked everything I ate though I can't say if it was particularly local.  The farmer's omelette below was phenomenal with all kinds of vegetables in it, and the one picture I forgot to take was an AMAZING sandwich I had on the last morning - grilled chicken, avocado, some special sauce, veggies and a freshly fried piece of bacon in a gorgeously flaky croissant.  YUM!

8)  The action.  These pictures aren't great because they move so fast it's hard to capture them in motion, but I am so honoured to know such an exceptional group of dancers and I only hope I can be half as good one day!

PS I'm really happy with how the pictures came out... hope you guys enjoyed them!

On the tour, the social secretary gave out little gifts according to people's personalities and I got a toy camera because she said the one thing she'd learned about me was that I love taking pictures.  I loved it, and it really was the perfect gift as I really did spend the whole trip annoyingly taking pictures of everything and holding the group up, so thank you and apologies!

14

 Fun fact:  I occasionally like to play ragtime music in my room (like right now) and pretend I'm in an old-timey saloon where a villain will come bursting in through the swing doors any minute.

Not so fun fact:  Occasionally, I have bad photo days.

Dress - The Station.  Cardigan - Tesco.  Shoes - New Look.

Tights - Uniqlo HeatTech.  Necklace - Accessorize.  Earrings - School vendor.

This was one of them.  Oh, Inklund.  Just when I think I understand your crazy weather, you go out of your way to flummox me.  The last few days have been nothing but freezing rain (look out for loads of white wall pictures coming up!) and on the weekend when it appears there was a brief respite from the downpour, I tore out to get some pictures.

Two minutes in, it started coming down violently and Bobby McGee and I were drenched.  Scrambling to grab a couple of quick photos, I ruined my shoes in the mud and found out my camera lens is scratched.  Don't ask.  Oh, life.

On a more positive note, I am mad for this dress.  I've had it for a couple of years now and it's gone through many wonderful moments with me, including a first kiss with someone whose name may or may not begin with D.  The bubble shape of the skirt and the tighter bodice are also very flattering on my body, when they're not flapping around in the wind.

I also love this necklace, it's one of the most simple and delicate pieces of jewellery I own, and also one of my most worn thanks to its light, dainty design and sterling silver material, which will go through most anything.  I'm not a lover of hearts by any means, but for this necklace, I made an exception. 

I wore this ensemble out for dinner with Shriya and Anjuly that day...

... Where Anjuly smoked the breadsticks...

... And Shriya and I had water for wine.

Anyroad, in lieu of better quality photos, I present you:

 A row of ducks on a river pimpled with rain and...

A bunny!  In my school!  Can you see why I love it here?!

Isn't it cute?  Don't say I don't love you.

PS  I'll be in London over the next few days as my mother is in town for a visit.  Hurrah!  Free meals!  Posting may be a little slow, but you can't say sponsored food isn't worth it.