Shrunken Knickers and Charcoal Sausages :)

As freshers year is coming to an end, and i will soon be forced to empty my beautifully cluttered bedroom at halls, i have been feasting my eyes on all things furniture. As i peer at the pretty delights glimmering over Urban Outfitters 'gifts at home' pages, I am already envisioning my new bedroom at 59 Wilton Avenue :)

However, even though i am already grieving the abandonment of our adorable cook flat, i have decided to focus on all the positive attributes that second year holds; which is mainly the excitement of renting a REAL house. But the thought of actually living somewhere without my parents, or any other forms of supervision (such as the pestering security guards of Lucia Foster), just sounds enormously grown up! Although i am turning 20 this September, i am far from the mature young woman that i was expecting to be at this 'ancient' age. I still cook all my meals in the microwave, spend all my money on useless rubbish, get excited by the antics of hide and seek, and continue to dodge the punishing price of an adult bus ticket, as i pay the meagre sum of £2.50 for a child explorer.

So the thought of moving into our new house makes me feel like a kid in a candy store! I simply can't wait to make it our own with the combination of our homely touches. I can just imagine picture frames of our fresher adventures scattered around the living room, silky pillows circling the wooden coffee table (ready for pre-lash shenanigans), plus colourful biscuit tins and an array of fridge magnets animating our kitchen. There's obviously only one place that entraps such endless decorative possibilities, and that is of course, IKEA. I'm now incredibly eager to splash my unearned dollar on everything from cutlery to beanbags!

So as first year comes to a conclusion and we now edge nearer to the world of 'adulthood', i have decided that this is the year that i will attempt to mature...which doesn't mean i won't stop giggling at the word penis, or put away my childhood bear, but i will aim to successfully overcome my fears of the washing machine and conquer the conundrums of the cooker! Good luck to my housemates; watch out for shrunken knickers and charcoal sausages...

Old Soul at Heart...

I have always been told that i was born in the wrong era.; from clothes to music i should belong in the swinging 60s or funky 70s! I just adore the spirit and freedom that enveloped throughout the 70' decade, plus the colourful fashions of the 60s, although I'm not exactly a hippie!

About a year ago i decided that i 'needed' a classic record player in my life; but as my wages were usually scattered away on cheeky vodka redbulls and cab rides home, i had little left in the pit of my bank account. Therefore, i knew the only option would be a second hand eBay jobby; i was desperate for an original Dansette player, but their value tip toed far above my price limit, so i settled for a replica. Its wooden and nostalgic appearance automatically forced me to purchase the beauty; so i then scoured many boot fairs for some musical gems. Buddy Holly, Everly Brothers, The Beatles, Michael Jackson and Elvis are now all treasured vinyl that belongs in my collection. Although i enjoy a lot of modern music, such as Ellie Goulding and Bombay Bicycle Club, my true passions lie with the heroes of the 50s; a night out wouldn't be the same without Buddy Holly's 'Rave On' spinning out of my tune box.

However, regarding fashion, without a doubt, my absolute favourite decade has to be the 1920s. My enchantment with the classic trends of the 20s has prominent influence on my style of dress; as i flutter around Topshop or H&M, my desirous pupils never fail to elate with the views of fussy headbands and fringed dresses. I am completely infatuated with the grace and simplicity that can be created with a modest hair accessory and flowing dress, which is clearly conjured by the trends of the 1920s. After many countless watches of the fantastic film 'Singing in the Rain', i have always cherished the clothing worn by the female characters; especially Kathy Selden. The dusty lilac dress worn in one of the scenes, is an item that i am determined to posses; so i have been scanning the shops to find a quirky semblance of the original..no luck just yet!

So as i search the streets for 50s records and 20s dresses, I'll attempt to remind myself that we actually live in the 21st century!! But maybe another cheeky floral headband won't be such a sin ;)

Pork Pies and Cheese Sandwiches...

Sitting in the library with a black coffee and a cheeky kitkat, i feel i need a well deserved break from the suffocation of uni work. So i couldn't resist a little peek on eBay!

A few weeks ago i suddenly had a strong desire to purchase a bike...this is very unlike me as i am the biggest boob at cycling. I generally can only handle pavements and flat surfaces; indicating is far from smooth and will most likely result in the bike trampling over my bruised knees! So, as i can barely ride this wheeled contraption, my urge to buy one came as quite a shock.

However, the one i have my eye on is not your typical bike; it is a classic 1970s retro bike! Its creamy colour and wicker basket rested on the front, immediately provoked my excitable grin...i thought, if i was to have a bike, this was definitely the one for me! So i bid a comfortable £40 on the teasing item eagerly awaiting on eBay; as i believed that i was safe with my bid and quietly confident that i could win, i regrettably left the site and typically lost the auction. My dreams of riding blissfully underneath the blue skies had been crushed by this ruthless bidder!

Ever since then i can't resist a sneaky peak on the site to repeatedly review my chances of owning my own retro wheels! 'Old fashioned bicycle with basket' are the only words that hit the search engine lately; so as I'm stuck in the library all day, i feel that it this a perfect opportunity to pop the magical words into eBay. A bike ride with friends just seems like an ideal and CHEAP way to spend the summer; especially with the world of opportunities that my wicker basket will hold...pork pies and cheese sandwiches definitely won't go a miss! I simply have to invest.

But my luck on eBay seems to be vastly dissolving, as evidence of my dreamy bicycle is non existent. But nevertheless..I'll continue inspecting each hopeful page and will eventually secure my very own vintage vehicle :) But for now its back to the monotony of work..2000 words on medieval fashion. Kill. Me. Now!

Summer Lovin'

After months of bleak and dismal weather..the cheeky little sun has finally popped its head out of the clouds to shine on the city of Southampton. Every spring, it appears that whenever the temperature tickles above 14 degrees, every English citizen believes that it is time to get their kit off! T-shirts, shorts, bikinis and flip-flops surround the streets. Regardless of that biting wind, we refuse to put a cardy on..even if us girls are smuggling peanuts underneath our bikini tops!

A few days ago my flatmates and i enjoyed our first barbecue of the year; we went to Lidyl for cheap supplies, including a £1 disposable BBQ, some sausages, burgers, Hovis buns and lemonade! Whilst the boys brought the most essential items of the trip..beer and a football. So after we had eaten our burgers and washed them down with a lick of beer, the boys had a kick about while us girls attempted to sunbathe in the warm(ish) weather. Loving life!

The next day, after spending hours on my monotonous uni work, along with a gruelling session at the gym, i was relieved that it was over and that the weekend was looming. Saturday was bliss, but held a slight sting of embarrassment. At 2pm Kelly, Katie and i went on a much needed shopping trip, as the grey materials of winter were suffocating our wardrobes. So we scouted for floral tees and summery dresses as we fluttered around Topshop, New Look and obviously Primark! I can safely say it was an impressive trip as the remainder of our student loans were successfully rinsed :) We then met Andy and Carl in the park, along with a few others. I couldn't help but steal a sip of Fosters and pinch a sneaky sausage as the alluring smell of the barbecue was simply IMPOSSIBLE to resist! The rest of the day consisted of what you would expect; footy, sunbathing and burnt kebabs; however, i became slightly tired of lounging about, so i requested a running race!! I'm guessing it only reached 100metres at a push, but regardless, it was a race. So Kelly and i 'zoomed' off, up to the tree and back barefoot..MISTAKE. As i landed back at the finish line, i peered down at my feet and saw that i had stepped in shit..brilliant. As Kelly and all the boys took the piss out of my pooey toes i began to wash it off, although as there was no evidence of water around, i used beer. Just as good.

So all in all the day was victorious..minus the crap squelching in between my toes; thanks to student finance i now have a healthy serving of summery treats brightening up my wardrobe. I salute you retail therapy!!

Calling Doctor Jones !!

After watching Indianna Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, my love adoration with the gorgeous Harrison Ford has risen once again. After researching his exact age, i was completely startled to discover that he is in fact 67!! Is it wrong to lust after an ageing pensioner? I'm going to say..YES. However, i feel my cringe worthy crush on the elderly actionman, is in fact fictional; the solitary time that i yearn for his muddy skin and masculine behaviour is when he plays the character. In reality the Ford is probably a simple family man with two kids and a labrador..YAWN! So i have come to the conclusion that i am in love with Indianna Jones..

In general most girls have a certain 'type' that they would look for in a fella, the majority of my girl friends would go for the attractive, cleancut male with tanned skin and a six pack. This is far removed from my desires in the opposite sex; every time i see a grubby bloke with an unshaven face and dishevelled hair, i immediatly want to rip his scruffy clothes off! For me, there is simply NOTHING hotter than the homeless look in a man; basically my ideal gent would be based on a cave person (without the clubbing your wife part!) I'm not sure whether its their strong and manly nature, or their nonchalant and unkept appearance; i just can't help but admire any guy with a messy barnet and shabby facial hair...although a full on Jesus beard slightly crosses the line!

Not to stereotype, but it has become apparent that the traditional modern 21st century man will now spend hours on his appearance..male wrinkle creams, hair gel and gradual tanning creams seem to be an essential part in many men's morning routine these days. Not that men should retract all the way back to the caveman era, (unfortunately for me!) but i feel that the extremities and obsessions with appearance are going too far and can only get worse. Today, vanity is not just affecting women; men have also been enticed into the world of perfection. Magazines such as Men's Health target these impressionable males who believe that the latest fake tan will help you bed any woman you desire. It's insane..all blokes need is to not give a shit about what they look like! That's surely the most appealing element about a man? Why would we want a boyfriend who spends more time in the mirror than us? Pretty soon men are going to look like women, and every straight female will look like a lesbian as they stroll down the street with their perfectly groomed other half!

I say, bring on Indianna!!....I'm sure Doctor Jones could help straighten out today's effeminate sissies; with just one swing of his bull whip lasso! Watch this space ;)

Ode to eBay..

Hello student loan! On Monday 12th April, joy and excitement was delivered to me and my bank balance, as the long awaited installment finally entered my account. The very first thought that floated into my mind, as i saw the sparkling view of my bank summery was, 'how can i spend this wisely?' There was obviously only one place to abuse this delicious helping of cash, and it was of course, eBay.

What is not to love about this genius site? Even at the end of each semester, when buying cuppa soup is a bit of a stretch, i just can't resist a sneaky peer on eBay as the possibilities of finding a bargain are significantly high. So as my bank account got less lonely and my overdraft got a tad shorter, i let loose in the world of bidding! Not knowing what exactly i was looking for, i typed 'vintage clothing' into the enticing little search engine; a field of all things pretty stared back at me. Everything from bags to dresses sent thrills down my spine! I tossed an array of bids on several appealing items; these included a dark brown leather satchel from 1972, a pair of second hand cream shades, plus a black and white polkadot playsuit, which was first worn in the late 1960s :)

Audrey Hepburn is a prominent style icon of mine; i just adore her natural relationship with fashion and how she could pull anything off with such elegance and grace, even if it was a binbag! I saw the playsuit and couldn't resist; although polkadots is not something she would have exactly worn, i feel that it sits in close proxemics to her style of clothing, so it simply had to be mine! This meant, the war of the auction had commenced, and i was not going to back down easily...especially now i had a comforting number waiting in my bank account!

After an hour of addictive bidding, i was suffering from eBay insania. With my aching eyes blurry from my constant glaring at these alluring treats, i decided to tear myself away and do something productive..like going out with the girls!

The next morning, i was delighted as i saw these satisfying words on my screen; 'i need to pay for three items'. So after all, i had successfully won the battle of the bid, and will soon have a scrumptious parcel coming my way, full of vintage charmers :) Farewell student loan!!

Anyone for Scrabble?

After a week into my Easter holiday, i have been enjoying the break with a lot of relaxation and unfortunately work. However, by Saturday i was desperate to get out of the house and get on it with the girlies! So i invited Mic, Amy, Claud, Han, Jaz and Harley round my gaff for the very important pre-lash session (essential for penniless folk like ourselves!) Next, there was the outfit..a task that takes hours of frustration with the limited options in my lonely wardrobe. Eventually i decided to wear my cream Topshop dress; with my dusty pink heels and of course a colossal sized flower in my newly highlighted hair.

As everyone was back from their individual universities..our local Weatherspoons was completely rammed. Faces i hadn't seen for ages were queuing up for their alcopops! Although i wasn't exactly hammered, my memory of the night is rather foggy as usual. But i do remember a classic tumble on the dancefloor as soon as we hit the 'grizly' (shockingly bad but brilliant nightclub in Folkestone). And without fail..my cream dress fell above my head which enabled the crowds to see all..fantastic. The day after, Amy said to me "All i saw was this bum on the floor an i thought who the hell is that....ohhh god its Maisie." Typical. However the rest of the night consisted of cheap booze and a lot more dancing!

After the hilariously drunken antics of Saturday night, i felt saddened by the thought that we hadn't yet planned another night out! So Monday we all journeyed to Claud's house for a birthday gathering; after a few minutes, Canterbury was thrown into the equation..Studio Nightclub was suggested as a possible place for us to venture. After a little persuasion on mine and Claud's part, we convinced the others to join us for another drunken outing :)

With an eager 45minutes to transform ourselves, we all rushed home to change! The date with my wardrobe was here again..this time i just chucked on my ASOS floral dress and rosey flower headband. After shoving a lick of mascara on and a dash of lippy i was ready to get on the Budweiser!!

I can only blame my pissed and excitable self on Studio's offering of £1 Vodka Redbulls. Again i saw many Folkestone chums out in the club..which just made it another brilliant night. After all the dancing and drinking, we taxied back to Claud's for a very entertaining house party. Hot tubs, trampolines, scrabble, basketball and cheese sandwiches were all thrown into the night..and in my strangely energetic state, i forbid ANYONE to sleep. At 7am everyone managed to get in an hours kip. However, my scrabble playing was far too exciting for sleep, so i woke everyone up with my 'accidental' dropping of the letter pieces all over the wooden floor. They were not impressed! But of course, the conversation started as we all reminisced about the nights antics, so luckily the need to sleep was soon forgotten.

All in all the bank holiday weekend was definitely one to remember, thanks to those cheeky Vodka Redbulls and that sparklingly witty banter!

Bring on the next adventure :)

Imagining the Impossible...

Weeks before the cinema release of the long-awaited Alice and Wonderland remake, i attempted to go and watch the film countless times, however a number of things got in the way, such as uni and drinking! Eventually, two days ago, i finally got the chance to see Tim Burton's reformation of this vintage classic. It was exactly what i was expecting, only better. Magical, dark, colourful and eccentric; the fact that we saw it in 3d just made the experience more exhilarating! One of my favourite aspects of the film was the scenes involving the 'Mad Hatter'; the wonderfully weird atmosphere that the character brought to the screen enlightened the other solemn elements of the story.

I simply can not praise the film enough; Burton cleverly stirred mystery, laughter and sorrow into his remake of the Disney classic. Another appealing edge to the film was the fact that it involved an impressive collection of stars, such as Johnny Depp, Stephen Fry, Anne Hathaway and of course Helena Bonham Carter who played the evil red queen. This character never failed to amuse me; her extremely over-sized head and abusive manner was a delightful take on the original character. And of course Johnny Depp, who was another absorbing factor about the film; you cant help but fall in love with the character's strange appearance and quirky nature.

After watching Alice in Wonderland, i was so taken by the mystery and magic that seeped from the screen, i began to imagine what life would be like if we lived in a kooky and supernatural place much like Wonderland. Wouldn't our days be so much more exciting with talking pets and special potions? Instead of our monotonous daily routines, if only we could just jump out of bed and plunge into a hole that traps a fascinating world of impossibilities.

"My father used to say: 'Sometimes i imagine more than six impossible things before breakfast.'"(Alice). This memorable opening quote encouraged me to believe beyond the bounds of possibility. Regardless of the fact that its fiction; this heart warming film has taught me to believe in the enthralling world of the impossible. And why not? Surely life is better with a dash of fantasia and sprinkle of imagination !?