MY JEWELLERY COLLECTION

(photo in picture above - bohoo moon)

I love jewellery, it's bordering on obsession really. I recently bought some new pieces and sorted out my jewellery storage and I've so happy with my collection and how everything looks. I thought I'd share my favourite pieces and how I spend as little as possible on new jewellery.

Earrings.

To store/display my earrings I bought these earring stands from Ebay for less than £3 each! Each stand has 44 holes to hold 22 pairs of earrings and I tried to colour co-ordinate each separate stand, one for gold and one for silver. These stands make it so easy to see all my earrings and keep the longer pairs from getting tangled up with each other.

These little hoops are my favourite everyday pair of earrings. They're the perfect size and they're super comfortable to wear in my ears. Because they're gold, I don't need to worry about wearing them for a long period of time as I know they won't damage my ears or get ruined in the shower. I like wearing these in my second ear piercings with either a small stud or larger hoops in my first piercings. They're from H.Samuel and I believe they're currently half price on their website too!

So many hoops! I love the multi pack gold hoops from Primark, they're literally £1 and you get 5 pairs of hoops, all in different sizes. I don't wear these for long periods of time, I'll take them out as soon as I get back from wherever I have been because they're not the most comfortable earrings to wear but I can't complain for the price. I like wearings multiple pairs of these at a time, bigger hoops in my first piercing, one size smaller in my second piercing and then the smallest hoop in my third piercings. I've been told this makes me look a little like a pirate but I like the vibe.

I used to wear these earrings every, single day. I bought these earrings from Etsy a while ago and I am in love with them. They're so simple but they look so cute, the chain detail stops these looking too delicate but they're still not super chunky which I love.

Now, I know these look a little rusty and that's because I've had these earrings forever, but I love them so much. They're so cool! I've never seen a pair like these before and I wish I knew where I got them so I could buy a knew, shiner pair but I literally have no idea.

These earrings are one of my absolute favourite pairs! My boyfriend bought them for my birthday and they're beautiful, he bought them from an antique/vintage store and they're even real silver! The silver is so shiny and the simple detailing on them is just stunning, they look so elegant. I wouldn't have thought to buy these for myself but I wear them so much and they're super comfortable.

Tortoise shell is such a gorgeous pattern and the tan colour and black looks so classy. I really love the flat hoop which lets the pattern stand out, but against my black hair I think the colours get lost a little. I think these earrings would look even more beautiful on people with blonde hair as the colours could really pop.

These were so hard to get a good photo of, so I apologise. I love the near juxtaposition of the chunky hoop in the heart shape. The bamboo-esque detailing looks really cool but the clasp on the back of these is so hard to close! There's a latch back that is so stiff I could only just get them out the packet and when I'm trying to get them out my ears it becomes a right ordeal. But they look really cute so I still wear them.

These heart hoops came in a pack with the previous pair but thankfully these don't have the horrible clasp on the back and instead have a normal stud-like clasp. The detailing on these earrings runs along the sides as the hoop is flat and thin. I don't know what the detailing on these earrings is called but I refer to it as like a hammered effect? Where the surface is all bumpy but in a good way. Anyway, they're very delicate and easy to wear and they're surprising comfortable too considering they're from Primark!

More gems from Primark! These small, bamboo hoops are a simple way to elevate gold hoops with just the small extra details. These are a great hoop size but because they're quite chunky I have found that they look weird when paired with more hoops, but I just wear them with studs and they look great.

I fell in love with these earrings from TKMaxx but soon after I bought them my heart was broken, the clasps on the back broke meaning they fall out as soon as I try to wear them. I will find a way to fix them but for now I'll just stare at them as they're absolutely gorgeous. I liked to pair these with (fake) pearl studs and it looks amazing!

Necklaces 

I keep most of my necklaces in the little bags they arrived in, I bought a tiny plate to keep them all together and I also keep my rings here. I only have two rings; the gold, floral one I had to buy after it got stuck on my finger in a store, and the opal ring behind it was an 18th birthday present from my parents. Other necklaces I have are kept on little command strip hooks that I attached to the side of my wardrobe, it's the cheapest, easiest way to keep them all separated and in easy reach.

(photo from website)

Bohoo Moon is an online jewellery website that I recently had a little splurge on. They have mis-season sales where they reduce their beautiful jewellery down to only £5! This '1999' necklace is so cute and since it was my birthday I thought I'd mark the occasion by buying my birth year necklace. The material is super high quality and the length of the necklace can be adjusted from a choker style to a longer necklace. This one is really nice for layering, all the Bohoo moon necklaces layer really nicely over one another.

 (photo from website)

I also bought two chunkier necklaces from Bohoo moon, (the second and third from the top in the picture). Again, these two are length adjustable and look gorgeous layered with each other. I like the simplicity of the boxy chains and the chunkiness of the metal. The clasps are very sturdy and the necklaces feel very luxurious despite them being so affordable!

(photo from website)

I bought this necklace in both gold and silver because I've been looking for a T-bar necklace like this for so long!  I love the look of the alternative clasp and the simple chain, but the length obviously can't be changed and it is quite long.

This necklace is probably my favourite item of jewellery that I own, my mum bought it for me from an antique shop and I wear it all the time. It's a Japanese style dragon that matches a tattoo I have near perfectly. I think it just looks super cool and looks amazing with everything I wear.

Jewellery on a budget doesn't mean cheap, tacky looking items anymore. Places like Primark and online sites mean that, even on a student budget, we can look a little fancy and accessorise till our hearts are content. Antique stores, vintage shops, online market places and pop-up market stalls also provide a budget friendly way to purchase adorable, one-off items that you can use to add personal touches to your everyday outfits. I love dressing up more basic outfits by adding statement jewellery, it's so easy but it pulls everything together. If you know of any places, online or in store, where I can continue to add to my growing collection, I'd love to hear your suggestions! 

20 THOUGHTS ON TURNING 20

I'm nearly 20 and I have done near to nothing on BuzzFeeds '20 things to do before you turn 20' list. I am going into the decade of real world decisions and it's slightly daunting, but do I really care that I haven't done what BuzzFeed has decided I need to? Well, no. But also kind of yes. To me, my 20-somethings will be the decade that my adult life will begin, hopefully anyway. 

Such big things are going to happen in this next ten years, what if I never get the chance to learn a choreographed dance routine? Or finally master how to use chopsticks? The BuzzFeed list is a little bit silly but it did make me realise that I spent so much of my time in school and college just focusing on getting myself good grades so I could get a good job. And as good as that is for my brain, I feel like I let myself miss out on most of the fun stuff.

So now I want to look forward to things I can do in the future, mainly so I don't freak myself out over not being a teenager anymore. I found a list of 'feelings towards your 20's' that will hopefully get me excited about the years to come, rather than scare the shit out of me.

(I'm second to the left)

1 - I'm excited to ... travel! I've never left the country so I'm super excited to move around of see loads of gorgeous places.

2 - I can't wait for ... all of the little things. Moving and decorating new living spaces, fun night's out with friends, celebrations with people I love. Just making even more memories with the people that mean the most.

3 - I'm don't want to ... miss out on anything

4 - I'm wearing ... whatever I want to. I spent ages trying to look a certain way to impress people or I wore loads of make up because 'acne is ugly', now I just can't be bothered to 'keep people happy'. I'll wear what I want, if I want to wear loads of make up, I will and if I don't want to, I won't. Simple.

5 - Turning 20 represents ... starting my career. I know what I want to do after years and years of changing my mind, I might change my mind again and that's ok. But for now I will focus on getting myself out there and starting to work towards my goal.

(I'm on the left!)

6 - The best thing about being a teenager was ... the people I met. Though now I may not be as close to some, everyone I have met has taught me something that has helped me grow as a person. I feel very lucky to have the friends I do and I love them all very much.

7 - I'm excited to try ... and write a book. It's something I've wanted to do for a while but have always been too scared to share my writing with people. After starting my blog I feel way more comfortable putting my work out there.

8 - I'm inspired by ... Joan Didion and Caroline Coon. Two strong women who worked in journalism  at the time where it was pretty much entirely run by males (not too much progression here though). I love their work and they inspire me to stick to my guts and be confident in myself. If you don't know either of these ladies, please educate yourself because they're great.

9 - I'm trying to ... turn nervousness into excitement. Most things I get nervous about always end up being really fun and exciting, so there was no point being nervous in the first place. My dad has always told me I worry too much and it's not easy to not be nervous but I'm giving it a go. I'm not saying you should never get nervous, obviously there are things that it's natural to be nervous about but I'm talking about silly little things that just make no sense to get scared over.

10 - I'm worrying about ... leaving uni. I love my course and even though I obviously want to earn my degree I don't want a real job, I want to stay and live off my student loan forever.

11 - I'm thankful for ... my family. My parents have been so incredibly supportive of me in everything I've ever chosen to do and it's prompted me to work that much harder so I can make them proud.

12 - I'm loving ... writing things for my blog. Having a hobby like this gives me so much to do and helps be practice for my future.

13 - I'm listening to ... everything! There's so much music and I want to hear it all.

14 - I'm hoping ... that at some point in my life I can be in a position to help others who need it.

15 - I'm surprised about ... the amount my confidence has grown. If this time last year you told me the things I've had the opportunity to do, the people I've got to meet and the places and events I've got to attend after putting myself out there and meeting new people, I wouldn't have believed you, like at all. I was so shy and so self-conscious, I hated talking to people and always thought people didn't like me but now I've gained so much confidence and I go out and do things now that I never thought I would be able to.

16 - I'm proud of ... myself. Self love has helped me big time, I'm the happiest I've ever been and, comparing myself to me years prior, I'm making way more healthy decisions and loving myself like I deserve. Big steps for me.

17 - I'm thinking about ... how I'm not yet old enough to drink in America and how fun it'll be to eventually go to New York - but only when I can legally drink there.

18 - I want to learn ... how to do taxes. How can I be twenty and I not understand how tax works.

19 - I've realised ... that not everything happens for a reason, some bad things may lead to better times but most of the bad things just happen and we don't know why.

20 - I'm going to live my twenties ... day by day. I want to live in the moment and experience everything I can, cherish the memories I get to make and be happy.

I think I'm over the BuzzFeed list now. Happy Birthday to me!!

'FOOL" - Rhianna Keane

Rhianna Keane released her debut single 'Fool' on the 4th of October across all major streaming platforms. 'Fool' is the first single she's sharing with the world in anticipation of her upcoming E.P 'blooming'.

The single is bang on trend, sounding very fresh and modern mixing pop, R&B with a little neo-soul. The synth harp playing in the intro stops the start of the song coming in too harshly and sets the relaxed tone for the rest of the song. The music arrangement allows Keane's vocals stand out in the forefront by softening the instruments playing behind her. I like the use of backing vocals throughout the single, the smooth notes round out the sound filling in any gaps in the melodies played on other instruments whilst adding a near echo effect onto the main vocals.

The R&B style chorus contrasts beautifully against the verse making it seem that much more funky and powerful. Her vocals are so smooth and impressively controlled and her voice fits this genre perfectly. I've not heard Rhianna Keane sing live or on recorded music before listening to her single but she has a Jorja Smith vibe about her, very raw and she knows exactly what works alongside her voice to keep it sounding so strong. The recording quality of 'Fool' is also super high, especially considering this is her first single ever released.

I'm looking forward to the release of more music from Keane. 'Fool' is one hell of a debut, she's made an amazing first impression throwing herself into the industry with confidence and beautiful music to back it up.

'NUSTOCK' LAUNCH PARTY

On Wednesday the 3rd of October I attended 'Nustock', the first event held by acclaimed Birmingham music project 'The Nu' and singer/songwriter Cole Stock. 'Nustock' aims to showcase the freshest and wildest music talent in the UK across what is hopefully an array of different shows. If this first show is anything to go by, 'Nustock' is going to be an experience no one will want to miss out on.

As I walk into Mama Roux's I immediately regret wearing the massive coat I bought to keep myself warm on my walk home, it's incredibly hot inside and I find myself wondering the whole night why the heating is on - I tend to get hung up on the small things. Adding to the heat is the pack of warm bodies moving round the venue, the place is full of all sorts of people looking to have a good night and the atmosphere is one of excitement and friendliness, everyone is smiling and having a good time even though the music hasn't even started yet.

The idea to venture outside into the tiny garden was met by an obstacle course of even more people, the general consensus of the gig-goers being that no one wanted to miss the launch of an event that promises to be, to quote the event page, 'the start of something seriously exciting' and 'unforgettable'. I'm warm, excited and ready to hear some music.

Pomelo Fellows 

Pomelo Fellows started off the night, the four piece adorned dad shirts and the frontman nearly pulled off a bright pair of pink sunglasses. The band formed within the windy streets of Birmingham bought a strong presence to the stage giving the impression they belonged exactly where they were stood, and they did. The minute they started performing their personalities shone through and made the music that much better, what they describe as 'zesty indie rock with the occasional donk' I would describe as 'indie rock pop hybrid with a little 2000's pop punk sprinkled in' - I'm good with narrowing things down obviously - but I really enjoyed this unique blend of sounds that just really work for these guys, it's very summery which I know isn't a genre but if it was these guys would be the best summery band.

The stand out song for me was 'dream girl'. The guitar tones were super 80's but not wildly overdone, the lyrics were cheesy but in a fun way rather than in an embarrassing way, we all like a little cheese. The song felt like the band showing everyone their personality and character rather than them creating a persona that separates band and audience. 'Crazy' was another of my favourites, my notes simply say 'like busted but better' which 13 year old me would never have thought could be said about anyone but here you go.

When I was told that this was Pomelo Fellows first ever show I was almost shocked, the playing is so clean and tight, they ooze confidence and everything sounds so perfected. The deep bass tone filled out the room and the guitar tones and effects work so well for what the band appear to be going for and they're having fun! They don't show nerves and their dancing up on stage infects every audience member to at very least bob along to their music. I already want to see them play live again!

Echo Gecco 

Echo Gecco are a band I have heard many rave about before finally getting the chance to see them at Nustock. They have created an original sound which I will now try to describe by listing multiple genres that came to mind whilst listening to their set; super funky, very psychedelic, kinda mathy, a little bit punk and a handful of 90's grunge all thrown together. The best way I can think to describe Echo Gecco is 'that band parents in the seventies would've hated their kids to listen to' and I mean that in the best possible way.

The powerful vocals throughout their set remind me heavily of Jeff Buckley, the higher notes literally embody Buckley to a point that just left me speechless which doesn't normally happen to me, I'm quite picky. The whole feeling that Echo Gecco give me is gritty and raw yet so clean and rehearsed at the same time, they make it look so effortless and the band's passion for music is so obvious when they play. Their stage presence is immense and the sound seems to come so naturally, they're not forcing anything and instead are being unapologetically themselves. Listening to Echo Gecco I find it hard to believe that they're a three piece, the sound is so full and depthy. The music was so good I almost didn't mind the near constant feedback ringing in my ears - obviously this was not their fault though.

Jumaji 

Jumanji bought summer vibes and feel good music inviting the audience to jump and dance around to the funky indie rock music the six piece performed. The sound of the band reminded me a lot of early Circa Waves, T-shirt Weather is the song that came to the forefront of my mind. I would also loosely compare their sound to Orchards, who I love, not just because of the tones and effects on the instruments but the jump-along sense of fun they bring to the stage.

My favourite song from their set was 'Shindig', the vocal harmonies were absolutely gorgeous in this song in particular, to be honest the vocal harmonies throughout all their songs were beautiful. I won't lie, when I listened to Jumanji's songs 'Foxes' on Youtube, I wasn't the biggest fan of their sound but watching them on stage changed my mind. I do think that some of the songs were a tad repetitive and a little too similar to each other but overall I had a great time watching them perform!

The NU 

Chants of 'WE WANT NU' bought the band on stage in front of possibly the wildest audience I've ever seen at Mama Roux's. From the minute they started playing right through to the final song, every member of the audience was singing every word and the energy in the room was just ecstatic -even after the first song Darius Zaltash decided "this is the best gig I've ever played in my whole fucking life".

I've heard The Nu's recorded music and I've seen the music live and I still love the way that the songs differ from the synth based recording to the heavy rock sound live. It's a completely different experience which I appreciate after seeing some artists who leave in way too much pre-recorded sound into their live sets. On stage it sounds like there's way more than four of them playing, they just fill out the whole venue with powerful noise. Special mention to Connor who killed it on the drums, it's the first time I've heard him play with the NU and though it may seem impossible to be heard over the incredibly loud synths and guitar he managed it with ease.

(Calling The Nu out quickly, in your short deep chat about the world you referenced 'saving the planet' whilst using lots of single use plastic balloons at a bar who gives out single use plastic cups.)

'Homestretch' was done acoustic using only an electric guitar. Zaltash's voice still sounded amazing with everything stripped back as I already knew it would. The song became an emotional tribute shared among only those who attended 'Nustock' as The Nu were joined on stage by Jumanji who Zaltash opened for 3 years ago after he first wrote this song. The emotions in the lyrics hit harder now they were more audible over only the guitar and the crowd and those on stage swayed along holding hands or hugging each others shoulders as we all sang along.

The Nu "finished" (that's air quotations not actual quotations) on the new single 'Living It Up' and set off a surprisingly impressive confetti cannon that covered the audience in brightly coloured confetti. Unsurprisingly once the band had let the stage the crowd started cheering "ONE MORE SONG" calling for an encore. The encore was teased by a drawn out drum solo and then suddenly, possibly, no definitely, the loudest bass sound I've ever heard - if I could even call it a sound, it was more of a rippling feeling deep in my body - rang out making me feel like there was a fucking earthquake ripping through the UK.

The NU finished on a short breakdown-esque song thing and everyone was pushing into each other and letting out all their excitement. Personally I would've played this little bit before the encore and then played the new single at the end so it stuck in everyones heads, but the audience seemed to love it as they went crazy throwing their drinks everywhere and pulling down the bunting in the venue. I think if I was drunk I would've joined in a little more but I had no liquid confidence so I stayed in the dance space I had appointed myself and had a boogie with some friends whilst everyone else got soaked in Red Stripe that only cost £2.95 a pint!

Overall, 'Nustock' was a success! The place was packed, the music was good and the people loved it. I'm anticipating the next 'Nustock' events will be just as great, if not better and I will definitely be attending. It's a great event and a great way to get bands out there, plus it's a cheap night out which I can't say no to.

SEPTEMBER IN REVIEW - WHAT I'VE BEEN UP TO THIS MONTH

This past month I've been trying to get back to routine and working hard after a very long summer break. I was in a little bit of a rut so I decided to take action and plan blog posts and more fun activities so I could get back to 100%. Whilst brainstorming post ideas I decided that each month I would write a look-back at everything that happened, things I loved, what music I was listening to and so on, so this post will hopefully be the first of many look-backs. I'm thinking of it almost like new years resolutions but just at the end of each month rather than year, whilst also giving an insight on what I've been enjoying recently - kind of like a vlog but written?

Starting September

September started whilst I was on a lovely holiday with my boyfriend and his family, we spent a week by the seaside and, though the sea breeze was less breeze and more gale, we had a wonderful time - it was the perfect way to end the summer break and relax before going back to university. I hadn't been eating the healthiest of foods, not just on this weeks holiday but throughout the whole summer break! So I made a pact with myself to get back to healthy eating and trying to drink more water, just looking after my body in general really. This routine wasn't hard to get back into, as soon as I started eating foods that are better for my body, my body thanked me and I felt really good in myself.

Another thing I wanted to do this month was to try a little bit of exercise, a couple of times in summer I did a little bit of easy yoga just for something to do so I wanted to try a little more. Through September I did yoga nearly every single day by following youtube videos, just half an hour a day and it does really set you up for a great day. Some days when I had no plans and sat watching TV all day, just by doing half an hour of yoga I felt like I'd at least accomplished one thing and it really helped me relax more.

What I got up to this month

This month I was so excited to see all my friends, being back with everyone that I missed over summer was so lovely and we did loads of really nice things. A couple of my friends had birthdays so we got to celebrate them, loads of my friends played gigs through the month so not only was I spending time with great people but I got to listen to great music too! Sometimes I accidentally stay inside for too long and don't go places unless someone else has made plans with me but this month I really tried to make loads of plans with people and have a good time - which I did! The above photo makes me really happy because that is a genuine smile! I used to cover my face when having my photo taken or I'd do the fakest smile so that my face didn't look funny or whatever I thought, but that smile there is a happy smile where I was having a great time and not worrying about anything. 

I also sort of learnt how to ride a skateboard, not amazingly well but I can move on it and not fall off which I've always been too scared to do. Early September the weather was so lovely and warm so I wanted to make the most of it and spend time outside before the inevitable rain poured down. When the colder weather did come round, instead of it putting a downer on my mood it just got me ready for Autumn and more importantly Halloween. I love Halloween, plus its just after my birthday so I have basically two or three weekends of just parties. By mid September I had already started watching Halloween movies and scouring the internet for costume ideas.

I also had a moment of insanity where I decided it would be a good idea to bleach my fringe but obviously it didn't go well and now I have fixed my mistake by dying all my hair jet black - maybe I will play into the black hair for a halloween costume? Despite the hair mishap, September was a great month for me. I had loads of good times and I feel like now I'm back on track, I'm super excited to start back for my second year of uni and spend more time with my friends and family. 

What I've been watching

Before all my friends moved back to start the new year I had a lot of free time so I took this as a chance to watch 'Maniac' on Netflix, I was saving this show for a time when I knew I could sit and watch a bunch of episodes at once as it looked very confusing and I knew that I would forget what happened in previous episodes and just loose the story line. 'Maniac' starts Jonah Hill and Emma Stone (my favourite lady ever) as two strangers placed together in an incredibly intense drug trial used to cure mental illness. The story is clever but slightly confusing, I had to concentrate very hard but I loved it and would recommend to anyone. 

I also watched Jessy Nelsons documentary 'Odd One Out' after seeing people rave about it online and whilst watching it I cried a lot, like a lot a lot. Bullying and trolling is such an important subject to cover and it's incredible how brave Jessy Nelson is to share her story and recovery on such a large platform. Even if you have no idea who Jessy Nelson is or if you don't like Little Mix, this documentary is a must watch to educate people on the consequences of their actions. 

I've never been into Youtubers that much, there isn't many people I religiously watch but if you haven't already heard of Bailey Sarian you're in for a treat. Bailey Sarian runs a series (I guess you could call it that) on Youtube called 'Murder Mystery and Make Up Mondays', it's pretty self explanatory but every Monday she talks about a true crime case whilst she does her makeup. I like these videos so much because all other true crime videos have that creepy background music and the graphic photos and video clips which freak me out a little too much, so watching a gorgeous lady do gorgeous make up whilst also talking about interesting cases is a lot better for me. 

What I've been listening to

September hasn't been a good music month for me, not much music has come out this month that I have really enjoyed. But I do love Lana Del Rey's new album 'Norman Fucking Rockwell!', not only is the music orgasmic but the music videos are beautifully cinematic and a pleasure to watch - I never expected anything less from the Queen herself.

'Soeur' also released an EP this month featuring one of my favourite songs, 'No Show'. I first saw Soeur at The Sunflower Lounge supporting Orchards and have loved them ever since, this EP is full of beautiful, slik harmonies and heavy guitar. Angry lady music is always good. 

'Counterpart' by Insurgent is another of my favourite releases, if you want to hear more about it read last weeks blog post where I reviewed the single.

Plans for October

This month I really want to take more photos, I was going through my pictures and I realised I never take photos. I like to remember things by being present in the moment but I would like to have some visuals to look back on. Also Instagram is the main source of promotion for my blog and as of right now I post very sporadically so having more content would really help me boost that side of things. I'd also like to start watching Peaky Blinders as I live in the neighbourhood where the series is set, I walk past the original Garrison pub every time I leave my flat so I feel almost obligated to watch it.

I'm so excited for October, it's officially Autumn, it's my Birthday, it's Halloween - all of my favourite things in one month. I hope everyone else had a great September and I wish you a happy October.