Why Buffalo Trainers rock!

Throwing it right back to the 90's with these chunky Buffalo Trainers! I've seen them on singers like FKA Twigs, Rita Ora and Zoe Kravitz and decided despite my lack of celeb status I'd buy a pair and my god they rock! 

Not only do they add a good 2 inches to your height, making me a solid 5'9, they are also great for all outfits. They make casual clothing look a bit more funky and they make smart clothing look a bit for chilled. I've bought them mainly for festivals, as their easy to clean material and the comfy sturdy walking boot like style makes them pretty great for the mud. 

Most importantly they were made famous by the Spice Girls, and frankly that says it all. 

Buy yourself some Buffalos ladies! 

SCUBA SUMMER TREND

The biggest trend this summer is undeniably that of the 'scuba bikini'...it may sound bizarre but yes, neoprene is very much in right now. The sales figures of swimwear line Triangl have rocketed in the past year as women across the world have decided to embrace the strong and sporty look. 

Originally fashioned in the 80s by Elle Macpherson for Sports Illustrated the trend has been very much revived this summer by Triangl. Like everything else in fashion, there are now multiple replicas on the majority of online sites, including ASOS, Missguided, and Depop. I myself have ended up managing to buy two scuba style bikinis(off Depop)and can happily say they are some of the most flattering bikinis I have ever owned. Not only do they come in a huge array of colours to suit all skin colours, they also come in a variety of styles fit for all body types. 

The idea of a swimsuit that is based on the idea of a divers wetsuit doesn't exactly scream sexy but Cosmo's recent photo-shoot with model, Olivia Greenfield, is enough to silence any doubts. The look is very much sporty and adventurous and the bikinis are extremely comfortable and robust (even for £8 on Depop). They retail on Triangl for between £50-£60...which isn't bad, but as a student the replicas will have to make do. 

Pictured here are my two bikinis and of course a much more impressive photograph of Olivia Greenfield for Cosmopolitan. 

Smile!

Been pondering over the idea of a smiley piercing for a while now and after speaking it over with some misunderstood unhappy parents I decided to get one! (Sorry Mum and Dad) 

A smiley piercing is a piercing through your frenulum (the bit of skin between your lip and your gum at the top of your mouth), and is only really visible when you smile. Hence the name. 

I've been intrigued by them for a year or two, but never thought I'd get one, due to my parents conservative ideas and strict principles. However, following a couple of tattoos and some pretty big 'debates' over the matter, I was told 'it's my body so I guess I can do what I want'. So like anyone else I went and got it ASAP! And I ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT! 

Not only is it discrete, pretty, sexy and painless, it is very temporary and also quite unusual, which I like. I got a plain silver ring which just hangs below the edge of my gums. Although the response has been largely mixed, I do definitely think this is a piercing that's going to become increasingly popular. Like the trendy septum piercing this is fairly unique. 

I wanted to get this piercing as it is one of the only ones you can get that won't leave a permanent mark. I like eyebrow, nose and ear piercings but I'm not too keen on being left with little holes! I highly highly recommend this piercing for anyone who fancies something a bit different, and absolutely zero fuss. 

Here's a highly edited picture of my piercing (got to love a good Instagram filter)

Gillian Wearing inspired shoot in Trafalgar Square

What they don't tell you about dyeing your hair blue...

What they don't tell you about dyeing your hair turquoise is that its a right bloody mess. 

I've experimented with hair colours before, which have included pink, purple and silver, but I decided about 4 months ago that I fancied something a bit different. I had seen a few bloggers with green and blue hair and absolutely loved it! The chance of looking like a mermaid for even a day is one that could not be passed up, so I decided to have a browse.

I completely and utterly blame Bleach London for drawing me in with their colourful Instagram pictures of hipster models with golden tans and long pastel hair! Nonetheless I went on to buy 'Washed Up Mermaid' by Bleach London and ended up applying two bottles worth to my already tired looking bleach blonde hair. 

30 minutes later I was bright turquoise, and I absolutely loved it! I was full on colourful, it wasn't just a tint or a tone, this dye had really worked some magic, even lifting the darker tones of blonde to a 'dolphiny' blue. I proceeded to have turquoise hair for weeks to come and fully embraced it by all means. Some people loved it, others (my mum) not so much. Regardless I felt fun and unique, and every outfit was completed by my aqua locks. 

What the bottle doesn't tell you, however, is that this is your life now. There's no going back. This stuff doesn't fade...this stuff clings on like hell! The '2-8 washes' on the bottle was absolute bull**** Not only did it stay for 2-8 washes...it stayed for 16 weeks! The pinks and purples had faded in a few weeks and done so in a beautiful delicate manner that had left me with dreamlike pastel shades. This was a whole different ballgame, and when I say I tried everything, I really do mean it.

I tried: 

Bleach London Colour Fader...about 20 times...(didn't work) 

Vitamin C hair masks X3...(worked a little bit but I smelt like an orange for weeks)

Colour B4 Hair Colour Stripper from Boots...(didn't work and smelt of sewage)

Salon Stripper...(didn't work and would never recommend...left my hair feeling like straw and looking even worse)

The only thing that eventually worked...was dyeing it dark dark brown. 

So the moral of this story is as fantastic as it is to look like a mermaid it is by far the worst colour in the whole spectrum of hair dyes to try and get out.

Lily-Rose Depp...the coolest child in all of time.

Lily-Rose Melody Depp is the daughter of Johnny Depp and Vanessa Paradis...and she is only 15! 

She has already made a name for herself as an actress and is now taking the fashion world by storm. Below she is photographed at Chanel Metiers d'Art show, wearing a Chanel pastel two piece with a simple blonde blunt bob. 

I'm 20, and this all makes me pretty jealous. But with an incredible Mum and a Dad who dated the 90's Kate Moss, what else could we expect? 

Depop - the cheaper version of Asos Marketplace?

Depop is not the only online marketplace around, but it is becoming the most popular amongst teenagers and young adults who are trying to make a bit of extra cash. The app is essentially a smaller and friendlier eBay where selling and buying is made as quick and simple as can be. 

I have been on Depop for about 3 months now and my god have I spent a lot! However, I have also sold a lot! Meaning my guilt from this online haven is diminished. I downloaded the Depop app when a friend showed it to me, and for the first few weeks I spent hours coasting through the millions of posts, seeing what else could be added to my wardrobe. I soon discovered how easy it was to buy, and sell. Within the last three months I have bought 22 things...BUT I've also posted 60 of my own items, meaning I've broken even and turned a profit. The pricing itself is much lower than Asos Marketplace or Etsy. Out of all those 22 items I've bought, the most expensive was £25 and the cheapest £2. 

You can buy and sell basically anything, from used hair extensions to a brand new Ikea desk. The downfall of Depop is the copious amount of 15 year old girls who are attempting to sell their hundreds of New Look vest tops and Dorothy Perkins bags. Their dimly lit blurry images of a £10 crushed top (that was originally £12 to buy) engulf everything in their path. You have to scroll and scroll for hours before finding anything decent! But then...in the midst of all the rubbish you strike gold! 

Depop has two types of people...the car-boot sale junk sellers, whose collective total is worth the same as a Big Mac, and the vintage entrepreneurs who are making a killing on gems they've found in Cancer Research, Oxfam or their Mums cupboards. I am an aspiring vintage seller who is currently grafting away at my followers to try and build some sort of market. The best way to sell on Depop is follow! Follow, follow, follow. I am now following 7000 sellers, and in return have gained 3000 buyers.

Depop has been appreciated by magazines like Nylon, Vice and Asos. It's potential is being recognised and in return, online shops like Motel are posting cheaper versions of their online products. I'm talking £40 down to £15! 

The reason Depop is so successful is purely down to its simple usage and its clever branding. Unlike Asos Marketplace, Depop is not attached to a large international fashion company whose name automatically lifts the prices of its products. Instead, the independent sellers on Depop provide honest pricing that is slowly beginning to win the hearts and purses of our youth.

My personal favourite sellers are: @kristinaapearl @aajr @greysquirreldesign @vuich  @sterlingstuff and @neverfullydressed  

and here are some recommended by Asos:

http://www.asos.com/women/fashion-news/2014_08_6-wed/how-to-use-depop/  

My Depop is: @amygrover 

Come and have a look!