From ginger to blonde...in two days

Disclaimer: I know blonde hair looks so beautiful I GET IT. I would advise you to NOT bleach your hair. It's seriously not worth it. To clarify - do not do a full head bleach on your hair. Please. That's the serious bit done! Seriously though, if you wanna be blonde do it over a couple of months via highlights, truuussst me. I had waist length, thick glorious hair, I now have layered, limp, dull dark brown boob length hair that is brittle and weak. I did have a great summer as a blonde though and yes I did have more fun. You have been warned! I am now not responsible for any hair disasters ok xx

WHAT I USEDJerome Russell Bblonde cream peroxide 40% vol
Jerome Russell Bblonde powder bleach
Garnier Nutrisse British Blondes Collection 10.31 x2
Superdrug Ash Blonde wash out toner

My hair had been stripped twice, and dyed constantly for about 4 years at this point. The condition was brilliant though, and was thick and lustrous. Like Severus Snape's lovely locks. My natural colour is like a dull golden brown/ginger but I dyed it every shade of orange and red.

For some reason, a week before a festival, I decided it would be a brilliant idea to go blonde. I had a romantic image of Courtney Love or Marilyn Monroe in mind. and despite never even picking up a bottle of bleach in my life I thought it would be a great idea. I used 1x bottle of Jerome Russell Bblonde cream peroxide 40% vol for every two sachets of Jerome Russell Bblonde powder bleach. Mixed it in a bowl according to the easy instructions and it was lilac paste. I started applying it at the roots and then mixed another batch for the mid length and ends, due to the length, similar to hair dye application. I then wrapped my head in clingfilm to trap heat, and speed the bleaching process up a bit. After around 35 minutes (don't be scared if your head is really hot) I rinsed the bleach out with normal shampoo and conditioner. It didn't feel particularly weak, but was very stretchy at the ends. Like an elastic band. I then went to bed and gave my hair a quick 12 hour rest. 

L-R start colour, first bleach, first tone/dye, second bleach, second tone/dye, result!

I wasn't satisfied with the fox blonde result after the first bleach, but I was impressed with how light it was. Years of red dye had stained my hair and some parts of it were a faded pink. It was brassy and ew so the next mor I tried the brilliant Superdrug wash out ash blonde toner (£1.29 I think) and dyed it with Garnier Nutrisse British Blondes Collection 10.31. This made it a little better but not perfect so the next morning I decided to bleach again. After another half hour, my hair started to snap off at the end so I washed the bleach out with the toner again. The hair was now almost white at the root and yellowish towards the ends so I did another box of the previous dye through it. My hair was beyond traumatised at this point, but I had come so far and felt obliged to continue.

Success! After some more Superdrug toner my hair was now an acceptable blonde shade and was still on my head. It was much thinner from the chin down though, and felt like synthetic doll hair and was very stretchy. The colour was even though, and didn't smell weird and felt reasonably soft so I was pretty happy! Here's a before and after! 

.

sketchbook photographs

I thought I'd share a couple of photos I took of my sister Grace for my A Level Textiles sketchbook. She is classically beautiful, and only 13! Enjoy 

my bedroom

I love looking at photos of people's bedrooms. I would love to know what people assume about me when they see photographs of my room, I feel are reflections of people

Some Picasso inspired photographs..of me!

In textiles we had to recreate and reinterpret a painting by Picasso. I chose this one called Boy With a Pipe which was completed in 1905. I'm not a huge Picasso fan, but I think this painting is BEAUTIFUL. For me, the painting represents 'good vs bad.'

I think the flowers are meant to be big angel wings, and the head wreath the halo. The young boy is innocent and angelic but he holds a pipe - his twisted expression suggests that he's maybe not as innocent as you'd think. Anyway, here are a few photographs taken by my lovely friend Philip

Trunk of vintage clothes

Just a quick one - my Grandma discovered a huge trunk from her mother's days in the Navy, and inside it's full of dresses and shoes from the 1930s...and i'm getting them! I really look like that side of the family, and hopefully I shall have a similar figure to her so all the dresses will fit me. I'm getting it at the end of June, and I just can't wait to have a look through!

may wishlist

all clothes from Rokit / creepers from eBay

The black maxi dress is £45, I feel this is a good price and a timeless piece of clothing. It's quite formal, but could be dressed down and appropriate for more informal situations with tousled hair, old boots and black tights (and a kind of nonchalant attitude) I adore it, it's so me! I would try and wear it to college, or possible save it for a meal or party.

This sunflower and cat jacket is so cool, I've never seen anything like it! It's £25 and you most definitely wont see anyone else in anything similar. I would wear it everywhere and anywhere, with an old plain t shirt or cream blouse and skinny jeans. I'm in love. It's kind of hideous in a fabulous way.

The tie dye dress is perfect for all year round - thick tights in the winter and bare legs in the summer. It's £25 which I think is quite expensive, considering tie dye is easy to do at home (perfect if you can find a cheap plain white dress.) When I was 10 or 11 i bought a dress similar to this at a jumble sale for 'dressing up' and years later found it, and cut into a vest. I LOVE TE DYE. But yes this dress is could inspiration for something that can be done at home.

I know that creepers are bit contrived, but I can't help but love them, especially leopard print ones. On eBay they range from £23.00 to £80.00+ depending on the brand. I would get the cheaper ones as this time next year I think places like New Look will be ripping them off and every Rihanna fan will own a pair...but for now I think they're pretty cool. (and they make you taller!)

Ah, this lace collar is such a simple way to update last years plain dress, and those awful 'flippy' skater dresses places like Topshop have been churning out. They make an otherwise boring outfit cute and if it's a vintage collar, chances are that no one you know will have an identical one. Adorable. This one, though beautiful is expensive at £20. I've seen cheaper on eBay and I might look into making a DIY lace collar tutorial.

This Lake Tahoe sweater is just so EFFORTLESSLY cool. If i could, i would wear one of these with a pair of skinnies everyday. At £18 i think it's an alright price, it's just so casual but still a bit different to those plain coloured zip up hoodies every girl at my college town seems to own...

Red Riding Hood is a fab woman, and I would pretend to be her whilst wearing this burgundy capelet. It's particularly good because you can still easily carry a bag which is quite difficult in a full length cape (mine's a nightmare.)  At £30 it's expensive, but the condition is excellent and it isn't subjective to change in fashions. I'm not sure how i would wear it, i can imagine it with the black maxi dress above though! Amazing. 

DIY Mermaid hair

My friend Harriet and I spent yesterday 'mermaiding' our hair. I might get round to making my own tutorial video, but in the mean time here is a good video that is pretty good at explaining the 4-strand plait/braid.

When we were in London Harriet and I went to Pepi's, a hairdressers in Camden (it's incredible there) and got our hair dreadlocked and braided with synthetic hair. We loved it so much that the next day we decided to buy colourful synthetic hair and found a small shop in Brixton that sold hundreds of colours for only £1 each! We bought a couple and decided to have a go at it ourselves. So yesterday we had a go at 4-strand braiding with the synthetic hair, how cute is it?

Sassy Harriet

Only a pound each!

  

The finished product...

Shed raid

I was having a look in the shed (no particular reason it's just how I roll) and I found this lovely old suitcase!

I've moved house a lot and I have no idea how these lasted so long without me knowing they were there...

 It's full of old photographs and stuff but I shall put it in my room, my third suitcase. It's handy as my clothes have nowhere else to go and are spread across my floor..

I also found this HUGE old scrapbook from 1937

It's devoted to the Royal Family (more specifically the Coronation) it's so interesting, and in such good condition.

I recommend you all go into the shed, garage, attic or spare room and have a good look around as you may find something interesting...you don't know what you may find! 

Self obsessed clothing confusion

Recently I've had a real style crisis, I am cringing even writing this. It sounds so indulgent but it's true. Do you remember all the short phases in your early teens? Skater chic? Sporty girl? Emo?! Ugh. Well I feel like at 17 I am way too old to still be going through the whole experimental style stage, but I still don't think I've found a style that truly reflects me, or that I feel completely comfortable in.

For example one day I would go to College in a batwing black top, black tights jeans and a velvet tight black blazer and a crucifix necklace. The next day however I could easily be in bright white trainers, leather look leggings and a bright blue Nike zip up and...gold hoops. Stranger still I could go to college in a vintage Laura Ashley tea dress and frilly socks. I covet brothel creepers at the same time as lusting after a bright blue fur lined puffa jacket.

So, my issue is that everyday I seem to dress like a different character. I want to find a consistent style! However I think my clothing is an extension of my rather overwhelming and chaotic mind, I have a trillion things going on and different personalities I want to represent if you know what I mean. Teenage life is so confusing.

Tales of London

Hello everyone!

I thought I would share tales of my lovely three days in LDN last week. 

Valentine's evening I slept at Harriet's house, Amy was there too and we spent the evening arranging outfits and planning where to visit etc etc. We caught the coach at 8:15am on the Wednesday and got to Hammersmith at around 11:30am. We were so excited that spontaneous tears took place. Oh my goodness! We wasted no time and, after getting travel cards for three days (fail to prepare, prepare to fail) we went to Oxford street (after meeting my cousin for a Starbuckz.) The Topshop was overwhelming - we saw the live DJ and cupcake stand and we just had to leave, it was utterly crazy. After buying a Pineapple from Chinatown, going to a costume department and wandering round Covent Garden, we went out for a Chinese and made our way back to Brixton...home! I wore a black vintage chiffon dress, leather waistocat and boots with my wonderful 80s rainbow cardigan.

Day two was intense. After popping to the Sherlock Holmes Museum on Baker Street, we spent the entire day in Camden, I've never seen so much vintage in my life! I didn't buy anything as it was overpriced but I saw so much inspirational stuff that I can easily recreate. I got a blue dreadlock put into my hair and we went on to Harrods. It was stunning! It was an entirely different world - a few plates for £12000? Crazy. We were so tired after a day of shopping so we went back to Brixton, had pizza and went to bed at like 10! I wore a three quarter length chiffon pink dress, leather waistcoat and the faithful black hat.

After a lie in and crumpets in bed we headed to London Bridge. We walked up the side of the Thames and had lunch at Southbank. We looked at the dungeons at London Bridge but we were too scared to go in! At Riverside Bookshop we ran into Stuart Hammond. He went out with Florence Welch (of Florence + and the Machine) for years. He was buying a banana and was in a divine suit! I said hello but he looked pretty scared. Lovely jumper though. In the afternoon we went back to Camden, hung out at a Shisha bar and got henna on our hands. We got the coach back at 9pm. It was a beautiful few days and has made me even more determined to live in London after A levels. So exciting! I wore a black maxi dress, a black vintage cape and my hat. (See pictures below)

LONDON

in case you're wondering what i look like...

My lovelyyyyy friend Gemma took these and developed them for me!

Yes, even MORE clothes.

ESSENTIAL PIECE OF MY WARDROBE.

£42 from Topshop.

I have worn this pretty much everyday since I got it last Sunday haha!

£12 reduced from £22

So much love for this man...and this t-shirt. 

In case your wondering, the pink dress underneath was £10 reduced from £40 from River Island

Possible outfit idea. Finished with a hat and boots. Perfect! 

birthday meal!

Last night we all went to Prezzo for my early birthday meal (it's on Sunday)

I had such a lovely evening, I'm finally 17! 

couldn't resist putting this one on haha

I mentioned this dress a few posts ago. Harriet got it for me two weeks ago and I now have it! So excited. She wrapped it beautifully and I put it on straight away. THANKS HARRIET

pre raphaelite style photographs

My sister asked me to be her Pre-Raphaelite muse for an art project, here's a picture. 

Hello 1860s face! (well mostly just the aquiline nose) I think I was born in the wrong time to be honest.

My friend once said "if you had born 150 years ago, you would've been so hot! Now you just look a bit weird." Fair enough! I would rather have an odd but interesting face rather then a generic pretty one. 

a lovely day with harriet!

Today was another free day so Harriet came over and we explored the place I live. I moved here like three months ago and eventually today got round to having a walk! Here are some pictures of my day...

Discovered this grotty bridge and struck a pose. I dyed my hair this morning so it's a lovely orangey auburn. 

Pretty pleased with how my room is turning out!

the DIY record wall

1) go to local charity shop
2) buy any vinyl you like, they'll be less then a £1
3) attach to wall with hammer and nails...DONE.