Pretty little satchels...

Hello!

So it's start of the week (though it doesn't it feel like it) and a little gift that can through the post over the weekend is what's going to keep me going!

As you may (or may not) know, I have a teeny obsession with satchels, and my latest gift from Oasap has certainly made me very handbag proud!

With a wide variety of beautiful colours I chose a deep green bag with a tan lace around the edges. The bag is not leather, but is made to a high quality which could easily fool the eye. I particularly liked the sewing details around the outside if the bag which add character and make the beg look more rustic. The size of the satchel is perfect for a day out, as you can fit all the necessities in without having to worry about space/bumping into every person you pass/wishing you'd brought your brolly after convincing yourself you wouldn't need it. It's structured frame makes it suitable for work/collage too, and the little pockets on the front make it suitable for storing the 'I'm going to  loose these' items'.

As the first showers of September left me with a cold this weekend - going to a university open day without my coat was not a sensible idea - I'm being a little brave in my outfit choice. I chose a little skater skirt I brought in a river island sale a few years ago, with a new look coral blouse and my shoes which are a new addition to my collection of brogues! As it's London Fashion Week at the moment - though I'm trying to avoid this topic, being gutted I'm not there - I've been getting far too excited about Summer 2014, and forgetting about the long winter I'm sure we've got in store. For that reason, this may be my last 'without tights' post for a while now...so be prepared for woolly tights, thick jumpers and oversized coats!

What I'm Wearing: Bag - OASAP, Top - New Look, Skirt - River Island.

That's all from me, make sure you check out the OASAP winter collection - it looks fab and well I'm a tad obsessed already!

Have a lovely week, wherever you are!

Lots of Love,

A Postcard from Paris...

I'm catching up, with some photos of my one day stop in Paris last week!

If you've ever been able to visit Paris, you'll know it really is a beautiful city. There's just so many places on the 'to see' list, that it's impossible to fit even a fraction of what the city has to offer in one day. With the little time we had,  myself and my family decided to walk what we could, and take in the ambiance along the way... and what we couldn't walk we'd bus, taxi or hit the underground...However, the First rule on a visit to Paris - do not try to walk!

One of my favourite parts of visiting France is seeing historic locations (sad I know) and as France has been a popular topic in my A Levels this year, I spent a lot of the time when we were on the road in France telling my parents (or boring them) with a historic story about nearly every town we passed. As Paris is always the centre of European history, I found it was not only the shops which excited me, but the museum's and history of famous locations themselves!



That's enough of me rambling, here's some photos I thought I'd share..

Equipped for a days tourism, with my converse and rucksack, we took the 42 bus, to Eiffel tower, and I mentally prepared myself for the climb (674 steps to be precise). Although, my parents didn't make it past the first level, the view was worth the effort and luckily my own fear of heights didn't stop me. 

Even though the Eiffel Tower looks like a giant when your standing underneath, there was never a moment where I genuinely felt insecure about climbing it. There was even a cafe on the first floor - though the window seat didn't appeal to me (what with a view of the 190 feet below).

 Next it was a long walk along the river Sane, and on the way we enjoyed watching artists painting, people attaching 'love' locks to bridges and obviously eating yummy ice cream! It was worth the walk, as the bank was filled with cafes and quirky activities like a giant chalk board!

We then stopped for a picnic in one of the many beautiful parks in Paris, which admiring the views of the Art galleries and Palace. We then dashed over to Notre Dame Cathedral - which was HUMONGOUS! If you didn't know I sing in lots of Cathedrals around the UK with my little choir during the summer months so I'm quite used to the style of the buildings, but I was baffled by the scale and beauty of the Notre Dame. After we took the tube for a last minute shop (okay...window shop) down the Champs-Elysées before heading back home on the train! It was quite literally 'Paris in a day', but worth every penny to finally see the beautiful city!

As always, I've got a few TIPS FOR A DAY TRIP IN PARIS (from the blonde, who found out the hard way)...
 
1. Plan ahead - it's a big city, and you need a realistic idea of what you want to see before you step onto the caos' that is the Paris streets!
2. If you want a cheap coffee... your not going to find it anywhere near the Eiffel Tower - Paris isn't cheap so if you can take a flask/picnic, there are lots of lovely places by the river or parks to choose from. Just remember the location before you start ordering your drinks! 
3. Learn your French - In Paris, lots of people speak fluent English, but it goes along way to add a 'merci' here and there!
4. If you go by train - Keep your valuables close by, as the train station is somewhat on the outskirts of town and I had the unfortunate scenario of jitzu combating a few locals with an interest in my rucksack! 
5. Make sure you come back with your own Eiffel Tower figurine - they sell them everywhere, and although they might look slightly tacky on your bedroom shelf, it's a must have!

Just in case you were judging my interesting combination of denim for my outfit choice in Paris, I'll tell you know, it was 6:00 am in the morning when I was pulled from my bed, to catch the train into Paris. Therefore, I dressed in what I thought was sensible for a day on foot in Paris. Oh and the moustache necklace was a little extra touch, just to make me feel a little more french ;)

What I'm Wearing: Dungarees - New Look, Tie-Dye Top - Matalan, Sun Glasses/Belt/Denim Shirt - Primark, Shoes - Bank, Necklace - River Island.

Well that's all from me. For the next month I'll be up and down the country visiting lots of University open days! This time last year I didn't realise how complicated it could all be, but it's all so exciting to be given the chance to go off an study whatever you want (In my case HISTORY, as I've loved the subject since I can remember). However, the long train journeys aren't always fun, especially when your trying to do homework!

Have a lovely week! 

Lots of Love,

Bonjour from France!

If you've been reading my blog in the last week, you'll know I've been soaking up the French sunshine, while my blog was kindly taken over my Olivia and Poppy from DollySnowFlake. I went with my family over to France on the ferry, and spent lots of time touring Northern France - and obviously my first visit to PARIS!!!!! (ahh). I would definitely recommend France for a holiday! Our usual family holiday just consists of a hot country, a pool and not doing very much, but in France there's so much to see and do - it was fab!

I'm also doing an extra post of my visit to Paris - for first timers, as a newbie myself, it was quite a challenge finding your feet in such a beautiful (but vast) city!

One impressive fact from the holiday was myself and my sisters ability to spend a week together without any major cat fights!

During the trip, we visited lots of fishing ports and beaches around the Somme coast of France. Every where we went we were tempted by the yummy ice creams, French baguettes and mussels! Sadly there wasn't the same optimism to try the snails - maybe next time? We also visited the city of Amiens, which is very beautiful and where I realised my love of cake!

 Here's a few tips if your going to France for the first time:
1. Try and learn a few phrases, in some areas, nobody speaks English, and it can be quite a problem when trying to read restaurant menus and ordering food!
2. Take a wardrobe that's suitable for all weather, it's hot in France, but it can rain too!
3. Take a Sat-Nav, you'll need it, the roads are easy to use, but getting lost isn't hard.

4. If your on a budget, take everyday supplies with you, as everything is more expensive in France!

Every night we ventured out to a local village, took a guess at something from their very French menu (I knew no French before hand) and watched the sunset - it was so beautiful! We walked along the promenade and touched on some evening entertainment - though having a very full belly, Zumba on the beach didn't really appeal to me..

For the week, we stayed in a Eco Village called Belle Dune, which was complete with its own water park, gold course and had activities running everyday. The village consists of little colourful houses, which line up around the lake in the centre - it was too cute!

Well now you know where I've been hiding the last week! France is such a beautiful place, and if you wanted to do something a little bit different for your summer holiday I'd definitely recommend it!

Later there will be a post up from my day in Paris, so look out!

Lots of Love,