Minimalist Revamp

I was today perusing the blog of a finnish cosmetics blogger/ sales person extraordinaire, Virve, and the entry of her new apartment and the massive cull in the items she owns.

This, for me, resonates quite a lot at the moment. I am planning on moving to a new city next summer, in search of a new career as a graduate, as well as new adventures (all things going well!). Because of that, I have to seriosly look into the amount of things I own, use up my excess cosmetics, edit, edit, edit.

But also, I have half of my student fees to be paid off in January, which adds to the intrigue in its own way. Because of the fees, I have to save money, only using what I have to. No buying more clothes, no makeup as I have plenty (one day I will actually blog of my cosmetics shame), no handbags.. just the necessary food, no frivolities.

I have also recently ate lots of crap food, and feel it in my physical appearance. Clothes don't fit, I feel sluggish and tired, my skin's lacklustre. I definitely am in need of a health kick, that is a definite.
It all links together, but how, may you ask. Simple.

Need to save + need to minimize and sort out wardrobe + need for a health kink = Operation Run-Up. A run-up to Christmas, a run up to 2011, a run-up to the move..

Where as people put on weight leading to the end of the year thanks to the holiday excesses, I intend to lose it. Whereas people lose money because of the same festivities, I intend to save it. My theme for the end of the year will be about loss - loss of weight, loss of an impractical wardrobe, loss of excess spending, loss of all the cosmetics I have in the house.
I will blog about it, I will ponder it, I will be honest about it.. it'll be a pain in the ass, but hopefully, it will be somewhat useful, both for me, but also for someone who reads the entries.

The issues I will tackle are:

* my wardrobe: my current wardrobe is quite disjointed, and doesn't really reflect who I am. I am a minimalis at heart, like materials like leather and felt, dark colours like black, grey and purple, inky blue and dark blue-green. Strong colours, strong lines, character.
I will actually, when I am clearing out my stuff, go through all my old magazines and create myself a general mood board, and maybe identify some new trends in the things I like. Fingers crossed, anyway, maybe I will have some sort of a 'lightbulb moment'!

* my health: I have put on weight recently, thanks to the wonders of hormones and eating loads of food which is less than healthy. I have already imposed a ban on candy, chololate and crisps - in the name of enjoyment I will allow myself the occasional pastry as life is too short to eat food what tastes like cardboard.
I also need to crack on with my gym routine, but also re-start my exercise classes again. Hopefully I will take up something that is more holistic, as at the moment I feel about as flexible as an iron bar, sadly.

* my finances: saving up and paying uni fees, tackling existing debts, it's all about re-evaluating my relationship with money and consumption.

* my future: I have been doing a lot of thinking recently, having tackled allsorts of issues at work recently. Evaluated what I want out of life, and believe you me, working 80+ hours a week and doing shifts.. really not a nice thing at my ripe age (of 31, if you need to know)

So there, such will life be. Looking at my dining room table, it doesn't look any clearer. But the crisp/candy/cholocate ban has worked since sunday. Just don't mention the handbag I ordered tonight ;-)..small steps.



Ooh, metal. My future new bag from Next, my staple for everything these days :-).

Laziness

I have been stuck at work since last week, and will carry on work until next week. I've had to call the fire service in, the ambulance in, have broken things, gotten grounchy, been tired, stressed, annoyed, generally shattered.
So where does that leave me?
On Wednesday, I will be finally having a day off, and will be popping over to Leicester to spend a day horading more books, and meeting up with a University friend for some coffee, lunch and chatting about further studies. But with the tiredness, I am suddenly struck with a dilemma - I really cannot be bothered to make an effort. Casual slouchy clothes, trainers, no makeup, hair thrown in a ponytail, those are the things that appeal to me. Not the usual stuff I like - looking minimalistically rock, having eyebrows that are done, generally looking, well, passable.

Damned you, work, making me want to look like me, with no improvements. We cannot have that ;-)!



P.S. I miss dancing.

So What Am I Doing, Anyway?

A simple picture-less post from me today - have just accidentally deleted a post I was writing, so am just going to ponder today, after a long working day..

You'd think that a style/fashion blog would be an easy thing to write. Post photos of the 'outfit of the day', ponder about runway shows and talk about trends.

What about me, then? 'Outfit of the day' for me would be my work uniform (black trousers, white shirt, black shoes - hardly sartorial excitement galore). The perk of a work that requires a uniform is the sheer simplicity of it all. i don't have to think - I put my uniform on, and crack on to work. It makes me a canvas to which my employers wishes and expectations are projected to. I stop being an individual who has her own style and character, and become a part of a machinery.
Outtside work, I do not have an exciting style at all. I wear black, occasionally I wear jeans. At home I wear my 'home clothes' which usually consist of leggins and a hoodie or a shapeless but warm and soft cardigan.
My favourite shoes are plimsolls that have worn through and should have been binned months ago because they have a hole on the sole. I own a lot of high-heeles ubersexy shoes, but never wear them outside the house because I am afraid of falling ver and/or scuffing them.

I have lots of makeup because I love it, but I rarely wear it these days because I have no dressing table to apply it next to. My hair is tied back, and cut and coloured simply to suit my own reflection of my personality.



Runway shows I do not really watch or follow, apart from picking up the stuff I like. I catch the show reports on the media, think that majority of them are totally pants, and then go 'oooooh, I like that one', and 'boom', there's my focus.
This autumn, it's all about the military vibe and grungey hair. Quite handy for me, being an ex-soldier and someone who constantly loses their hairbrush.
Trends are the same ilk for me, I ignore them, unless I really like them, and even then I am likely to not really 'get involved' in them. I can appreciate a trend, but not take part in it.

So why do I write something that can only be described as a style- or a fashion blog?
because, people, I do like my fashion. I may not be the most fashionable person out there, but I appreciate it. At the same time, I don't feel like I am a slave to it. I just like it. And that, in my view, is enoug, because even 'normal' style is style.

13082010 - Friday the 13th

Truth be told, today hasn't been that bad of a day. Yes, I overslept, missed my bus and was late for work. But I also had a good day at work, got free cake and had a marvellous dinner, as well as came home to no bills. Bonus.

I was pondering about different things to blog about. I cannot do the usual 'what I wore today' stuff because not only do I wear a uniform pretty much every day due to work, on days off I tend to thrown on a black shirt, jeans and trainers. My 'outfit' is all about the bags, scarves and coats.
It's kind of hard to do a 'style blog' about an utfit when your outfit is all-black and quite simple - and always looking the same! still, style isn't always about the clothes, it's about the other stuff, too.

What I was pondering was writing about the stuff I carry with me, a kind of written version of 'what's in my purse'- videos. Which I love, by the way, in my voyeuristic way.
So that is definitely oncoming. As are blogs about my other obsession, make-up. Love the stuff, even though the question is why someone who doesn't wear makeup to work loves it so much. Lip cosmetics, I have always loved. But truth be told, I don't tend to use them that much either. A slick of lipbalm to stop chapping, and job's a good 'un.

Ideas, ideas.. all there, all good, all having to wait until later, or atleast until I have had my coffee.

My Fashionable Life

Suppose you could say that this blog is quite orientated about stuff that has a lot to do with the external stuff like beauty and fashion.
I have to say, however, that I am not at all fashionable as such, or indeed particularly stylish. I am trying to get there - I have a very distinct view of how I want to look (it's all about black, leather, a bit of a minimalist with an definite S&M vibe occasionally peeping through :-p).


This will all require a few changes in my life, and more importantly, in me. Thanks to the wonders of hormones, I am chesty enough (I cry every time I have to get a bra becayse the lettering depresses me - you're never happy with what you have), and that has a tendency to make me matronly.
I still remember seeing my aunt on my holiday, and her saying to me how much I have slimmed down. For the recond, I was wearing a shirt which was a tad more fitted - and has actually put on about two stone since I last saw her (that I only blame McDonalds and my lack of wanting to go to the gym, lol).

So for the style to look good, I need to lose weight. Not so much that I resemble a stick, but so much that I won't look like a square box with legs (I have a long back, high waistline byt no real waist to speak of).
More importantly, I just want to get physically fit, because I will have a very busy autumn ahead of me.

But me and fashion previously, my on my :-D. A teenager who dressed up like a gansta rapper, or to ill-fitting blue jeans and thich jumpers, bad hair.. ouch, bad bad bad :-). Atleast now I have some sort of an idea of what to look for, even if my vision has yet to actually materialize.. but one day, it will. My god, it will, and that day will be soon :-)

Boots And Studs

Just a few things that make me hapoy at the moment.

First things first, a piece of ego-emphasising wrist jewellery from Kappahl from Finland, given to me by my mum. How lovely is this.




..and these are the beauteous boots I ordered from Next, perfect for the autumn/winter season. Thinking of wearing these with my long jumper and jeans or leggings..

A/W 2010 Inspiration

A/W 2010 by julietdeltasierra featuring Balenciaga bags

Castle Realm

Today was mostly spent at the Turku Castle. Naturally, I was all over the dressed, clothes and medals. Too bad I didn't get any decent photos of the brilliant uniforms that were on display (after all, uniforms and me have a long past together, what with me being not really a femininen girl the slightest!).

But what I did get were hats..


..military medals...


..impressive dresses..


..and impressive accessories!


And finally, my favourite topic - 'crime and punishment' - also handy for any future boyfriends :-D