Despite it only being morning in the UK. It's 11pm at night here in New Zealand and my birthday is pretty much over! (sad times!) but today I turned 20! Feels so strange saying it and no longer being a teenager anymore! I've had such a lovely day and I thought I'd show you all the outfit I wore! The photo's from above were from today but the photos below are from the weekend! I have sprained my ankle in two places from all my running along the beach (owh!) and so I might not be able to take many outfit posts for a few weeks (boo) as I'm in a lot of pain!
I wore this outfit on Saturday as it was super sunny and thought it would be a great time to take some outfit shots on the beach! I absolutely love this playsuit. I think the pattern is beautiful and so easy to wear and really on trend right now. (Who doesn't love a leaf print?!) I've teamed it up with my favourite red lipstick from MAC and my favourite sandals from Topshop!
I really like this outfit and think this is a great summery outfit! I teamed it up with tights and black boots today as it's a little colder and I have an ankle bandage on my leg (ouch!) but this playsuit looked amazing both for a more summery day and for a colder summery day!
It may be my birthday still in the UK but right now I need some sleep as I have another busy day interning tomorrow!
What do you think of this outfit? How would you wear this playsuit?
I can't believe I'm writing this post still in New Zealand! It's gone so quickly but it's been such an amazing month. I will update you all on that in a travel update post! It's so nice living by a beach too. I've been loving wearing jumpsuits at the moment and this little boohoo beauty is my latest edition to my jumpsuit collection!
Seeing as it's a little colder here in New Zealand, I've teamed this jumpsuit up with a simple t-shirt crop top underneath for a little bit more warmth! I'm absolutely loving the pattern of this jumpsuit and it's so great to wear with jumpers over the top and is so so comfy to wear!
It's such a good casual look especially when you want to wear something a little bit more bright but not make as much effort! Despite it being winter here it's actually about 15/16 degrees which is hot for us people which live in England! (This means it's definitely sandal weather!)
So I thought I'd try out a new feature while I'm over here in New Zealand. I'm always fascinated by people in the fashion industry and what they studied and getting an insight to what they do for a job! I was really excited to head over to Publicity PR HQ and interview their Junior Account Executive Danielle Todd!
So after having a quick chat we sat down with a peppermint tea and chatted all things PR. So let's get the interview started!
1. How did you get your dream job at Publicity PR?
I had no idea I liked PR at first. I went to University to do Journalism and my boyfriend suggested to me to take a PR Internship which I then ended up getting! I just fell in love with it. After university I landed an internship at Publicity which then turned into a full time job.
2. What advice would you give to someone looking to gain experience in PR?
The most important thing is attitude. We see a lot of people who do a degree and they feel entitled to work in a PR position. When the PR industry is more about having a keen attitude and willing to work with anybody about anything. We like interns which are really enthusiastic and willing to learn. Good people skills are also a must when working in PR!
3. What would be your top 3 tips for a student who wants to make an application for work experience in PR stand out?
Prior experience is always great but not essential. I'd probably say try your best to convey about what your passionate about and how that can benefit your role as an intern. I'd probably also say that PR is mostly about communication and interaction with different people and showing your skills with different people. Such as customer service, writing experience. Keep it as sufficient as possible as long CV's get over looked.
4. Tell me a bit about what your typical day as an account executive involves
No two days here are every really the same! A lot of my role is taken up with editorial recommendations. Liasing with media and product placement in magazines. Working with big brands such as collection cosmetics, and a great website called (www.themarketnz.com) and then putting together media press kits, writing releases (press releases) and at the moment I'm planning a music launch which is taking up a lot of my time!
5.What degree did you study at University? Did that help you gain the skills for your job now?
I did a (BAC) of communications and I majored in journalism. It definitely helped me gain the skills needed to work in this industry. University helps you gain prospective and to grow up and deal with different people you may have not worked with before in different lectures and classes. You're opening up to new ideas and seeing different areas of the industry you might want to focus on. Journalism wasn't quite me but all the areas of my course gave you a good idea of communication and those skills can you anywhere.
6. What's been your most exciting account you've worked on?
Collection has been the most exciting account I've worked on and had so much anticipation for it before it arrived which was really exciting!
7. What would you say are the essential skills for working in PR?
I'd say enthusiasm, attention to detail, definitely creativity and to be able to relate to anyone.
8. Finally, any inspirational words you'd give for graduates searching for their perfect PR Job?
I think just put yourself out there and don't be shy. Even if you have to step out of your comfort zone. Don't be afraid to fault your good assets (what makes you irreplaceable and better than other people). New Zealanders are modest and humble but it doesn't work in interviews so you have to show more confidence and know your strengths.
A massive thankyou to Danielle at Publicity PR for allowing me to interview her!
You can keep up to date with Publicity PR and follow their twitter account here.
Do you want to work in PR? Has this given you a little bit more insight into the industry?
I am going to start getting into writing more beauty posts as I know you guys love them! I thought I would show you all my Top 5 Nail Polishes! Every month my nail polish collection seems to build and build and I have far too many nail polishes! I thought I'd put together a post of my Top 5 Favourites!
Barry M Gelly Blueberry Nail Polish - River Island Models Own Hypergel Nail Polish in White - Urban Outfitters Nails Inc Porchester Square - HQ Hair Jade Green Barry M Gelly Nail Polish - River Island
I'm a massive fan of nail polishes and have a collection of about 100! (oops!) Yet I seem to be always buying more! So I thought I'd put together a post of my current top 5 favourite polishes for this summer. Top of the list is an old favourite of mine Barry M Gelly Blueberry Nail Polish. It's such a bright summer colour and would look great with a tan for on holiday!
I'm usually not a fan of white nail polishes but when Models Own came out with their Hypergel Collection I knew I had to try this white. Usually white polishes give off a 'tipex' sort of look yet this one doesn't at all. In every girls nail polish collection their should be a great nude colour. That nude colour is Porchester Square! It's such a perfect nude colour for everyday wear. Another favourite is Barry M Gelly (again!) in Jade Green. It's such a bright colour and so lovely for summer!
Have you got any nail polish recommendations? Which is your favourite shade?
I'm starting to think maybe my 12 year old cousin has a talent for photography! I didn't think he'd be so good at snapping outfit photos for me! So here's come another beach, summery sort of outfit. Perfect for a dry summers day and this kimono will keep you warm if it gets a bit colder!
This is one of my 'go to' outfits if I have no idea what to wear. I love a simple monochrome look but wanted to add a bit of colour so I'm wearing my new sandals from Daniel Footwear and my new bright coloured kimono from Boohoo which I'm absolutely loving at the moment!
I really like this outfit and it's the perfect chilled (I've not really made an effort but I have sort of look!) I'm now off on a jog again here's to getting fit!
What do you think of this look? How would you wear this kimono?
When I read Kristabel's post on about how blogging has changed her life I started thinking about how blogging has changed mine. I feel like a bit of a blogging 'oldie' because Fashion-Train has been my baby for about 5 years now which seems like a massive amount of time. During that time I did my GCSE's, A-levels, 1 year of a degree and 1 year of working. To me blogging's been a great distraction, a fantastic hobby and a great outlet to express my love for all things fashion!
It's definitely changed my life and hopefully made me a better person too. I've met so many amazing people some not so amazing but learnt an awful lot about an industry I never thought I'd ever get a look into as I thought my dream to work in fashion was unachievable.
So here I am in New Zealand it's probably about 4am in England right now typing out how blogging's changed my life so here it goes!
1. I learnt to never give up
With many things in life it's so easy to give up something before it's even really started. Think sports, think swimming, netball or those dreaded clubs your parents made you join! I started blogging pretty much by co-incidence. I'd never read a fashion blog before, didn't know much about the fashion industry, I just wanted to keep a record of all things fashion I loved! About three years ago I started blogging more regularly and the amount of times I wanted to give up and say goodbye to fashion-train has been mad to say the least but you guys keep me going! I always remember I have lovely readers who I'm helping with every post I publish. If it's something you love doing don't give up!
2. Confidence
It's weird to think that up until I was about 14 I hated having my photo taken, had very little confidence and I was convinced I was ugly. I know everyone has these issues or similar issues when they are younger but I have blogging to thank that I am happy to wear what I want, experiment with styles and fashions and feel so much happier in my own skin. I know I'm not the skinniest person in blogging land or have model like qualities but I am a typical size 10 girl and hopefully I can relate to a lot more of you better because of that!
3. Meet new friends
Without blogging I wouldn't have met blogger babes like Lucy, Chyaz, Laura, Rosie and Em which I can now call friends and love chatting too. I'm so lucky to have made such lovely friends in blogging land and I'm thankful to have friends I can chat about fashion all day with (yay!) I love sharing experiences with blogger pals whether it's heading to London for a great event, staying in hotels or visiting a different country! Another thing to mention about blogging is that it doesn't matter about your age. Em from Em Talks is the only blogger I've met who's the same age as me!
4. Gain an amazing insight into the fashion industry
I can't even explain how lucky I feel when an event invite drops into my email inbox. Every time I see one I seem to squeal of excitement! I wish I could make it to more events but living up north means that train tickets cost a lot to head to London. I've experienced things like product launches, press days, photoshoots, days in brand HQ's, Fashion week and endless amazing fashion parties!
I'm always amazed to how much goes on behind the scenes in the fashion industry. I remember when I was 16 I actually had to bring my mum (yes my mum!) to a fashion event as the brand wanted a guardian there with me! I didn't know what a fashion event was, I didn't know what fashion pr's did. I'd never been on a train by myself at the time! How things can change in 3 years is crazy!
5. Learning new skills
HTML coding, photoshop, social media and editing photos are just some of the things a blogger will do/use everyday. I still don't know all the ins and outs of photography, how to HTML code a website but I know an awful lot more than I did 4 years ago. I love just messing around of photoshop and trying new things. I love being able to understand things like HTML and how to use my social media accounts to build my 'personal brand'. There was a time twitter wasn't around, neither was pinterest and the word 'vlogger' wasn't a thing and that's all changed in the past 5 years. I love learning more and more about blogging and the variety of things you can do with it. I've learnt to multi-task really well and organise my time better through blogging!
I'd like to make this into a 'tag' and encourage other bloggers to write this post about how blogging has changed them! So I tag Megan, Amy, Em, Laura, Chyaz and Rosie!
Recently, well 3 weeks ago to be precise I hopped on a plane to the other side of the world. It took 3 days and it wasn't easy but I thought I would write this post to hopefully encourage a few of you that travelling alone can be a wonderful thing and it's definitely a life changing experience!
If you asked my 6 months ago to get on a plane and go to the other side of the world I wouldn't have done it. It takes a lot of guts and determination to do it and as an anxiety sufferer it was so daunting to think about but I knew I had to do it! I can't even explain how nice it is to see another side of the world, live life a little differently and just enjoy seeing things you haven't seen before. I see every travelling journey as a learning experience!
My journey began at Gatwick Airport and I was heading to Dubai. It was scary to think I was travelling alone but I suppose that way you are forced to talk to people or even make a new friend or two! On my way to Dubai I met a Danish model who was about 16 who was so lovely. I also met a girl called Becky on her way to Thailand to do a year abroad teaching!
Meeting these girls made me realise a lot of people travel alone and that me travelling alone myself wasn't a strange thing. You'll be surprised how pleasant some (yes I say some!) strangers can be when you're having small talk with them. I then had a not so pleasurable experience waiting at Dubai airport on the way to Sydney. Why are some airport lay overs SO long? What can you really do for 10 hours in an airport in the middle of the night?
I then headed over to Sydney which was a very long flight. It took about 12 or 14 hours but with movies, tv shows and meals it wasn't so bad just tiring. I made a friend called Emma who was Irish and really friendly on that journey. I then had an hour to wait at Sydney before I headed to New Zealand. I got there eventually! It took 2/3 days I am not sure exactly how long as there was a lot of time differences on my trip.
So I thought I would share with you my tips for travelling alone as most likely some of you who are reading this will be travelling or travelling alone somewhere this summer!
1. Bring a book - It's sometimes so nice just to have some time to yourself and before I went away I bought a copy of The Fault in Our Stars. I'm sure most of you have read this. I've recently finished it! It was such a great book surprisingly I didn't cry but I watched the movie this week and cried my eyes out!
2. Make a playlist - Whether it's happy music with happy memories attached or buying a new album. I recently bought Sam Smith's and it's amazing. I love the songs 'Like I Can' and 'Repeat'. It's a great excuse to listen to some music and relax.
3. Listen to calming sounds - If you suffer from anxiety like me, travelling can be such a daunting and scary thing. I have a couple of apps on my phone which help me stay calm when I can feel a panic attack coming or my anxiety triggering. I use an app called Relax Melodies which can really help you zone out, relax and just forget where you really are for a few minutes. I love listening to the bird sounds and the sound of the sea and I just close my eyes and breath slowly for a few minutes and this normally makes me feel a lot better!
4. Don't be afraid to make a new friend - Who knows where you're going to find your next friend for life? Not being afraid to talk to new people is a good way to start. Especially if they're sat next to you on a plane! Ask them about where they're heading to, comment on their appearance. Pluck up the courage to have a conversation. You never know where it may lead to.
5. Have a plan - When you're travelling alone you need to plan out the basics of what you want to do, whether it's exploring a new city for a few days, travelling to do some volunteering, joining a summer camp or just going on a trek tour around a country. Make sure you've organised a basic guide for yourself, check you have the plenty of the local currency too! I always store money in a few odd places (make sure they are safe) but always factor how much things will cost when organising your trip! Organise what you are going to do (not in detail but just so you have a basic plan!).
I'm currently in New Zealand staying with relatives and exploring for a few months and really enjoying it. It's great to take a break from life in England but also experience something new!
What are your tips for travelling? Have you ever travelled alone?
Photo Credits : Tumblr, We Heart it, Pinterest and Ring My Bell
Choose A Style Muse
Pinpoint someone whose look and attitude you'd like to channel. Next time you go shopping with your muse in mind. My style muses are people like Ashley Madekwe, Alexa Chung, Suki Waterhouse and The Olsen Twins.
Research, Research, Research
Tear pages from magazines and check out your favourite blogs, tumblr and pinterest for inspiration. Study things like hair styles, shoes, accessories, lipstick colours and outfit ideas so you have a clear idea about what you want to try or buy.
Have a wardrobe clear out
I for one am pretty bad at this! I hate chucking clothes away as I feel I'm always going to find new ways to wear them! But I think I'm getting better and getting rid of things I don't wear! I always think that if you haven't worn something in years then get rid of it. It's better to have less in your cupboard than to have too many things so you can't see what you have to wear. Discarding old clothes means there's plenty of room for a fresh start!
Exercise more!
I am doing a bit more exercise now and I am hoping to carry on with it when I get home from New Zealand. I was thinking how you will always feel a lot better after you've lost a few pounds. Clothes seem to look and fit best after you've lost a bit of weight! A good way to reinvent your figure is to find a realistic image of a body you admire and replace the person's face with your face to use as a reference! It's definitely worth eating healthily and exercising as dieting doesn't always work!
As some of you may know I'm currently in New Zealand. I am staying with relatives in one of the biggest cities called Auckland. The weather hasn't been amazing but it's definitely perked up these last few days! I headed to the beach today to just walk along it, grab a frozen yogurt and pretend it wasn't winter here so I am wearing a dress! I love a good shift dress as they're so versatile and this Missguided one is a summer favourite of mine!
I thought this was a great outfit as it wasn't too sunny but it wasn't too cold! It was nice to be a bit more girly and wear a dress on the beach! I think this dress is a great summer dress with coloured sandals or wedges or with a bright clutch bag for a pop of colour for a perfect summer outfit!
New Zealand is such a pretty place. Especially when it's a sunny day like today! I'm now going to sit in the garden and finish reading my copy of Australian Cosmopolitan! (Which is such a great magazine by the way!)
What do you think of this outfit? Are you loving a floral print this summer?
If like me you're heading off to University this September I thought this would be an appropriate post for you all! I'm so excited to go back and study this September but also super excited to have my own space to have a new room and cook for myself again! I've found some gorgeous cheap homeware during my online browsing lately and just had to show you all what I'm lusting after!
A bright duvet is an easy way to update your uni room as it's most likely going to be quite plain and basic. This duvet is under £10 and is only £9.50 and will add a great pop of colour to any room. Last time I went to uni I made the mistake of having white bowls you can never work out which ones are yours! I can't wait to snap up these cereal bowls so nobody will mistake mine for there's (I hope!)
I'm addicted to Pinterest at the moment (You can follow me here) and these bowls are so cute and pinterest like and only £7.50! I also think the heart shaped chopping board is super cute! Lastly my favourite pick of all is this scrabble mug! Who else has always wanted a scrabble mug with your initial on?
Are you moving out soon? Which is your favourite pick?
It feels like yesterday that I was telling you about my Skater shoe obsession but there's a new shoe trend I'm obsessed with and that's the ugly sandal shoe trend. Birkenstocks are a massive shoe trend for the summer and ugly sandals have never been so popular! I'm obsessed with this trend having always hated typical sandals as this style of sandal is SO COMFY!
These shoes are my 'go to' shoes at the moment no matter the weather because they're so easy to throw on with absolutely any outfit. I find these sandals look great with trousers, skirts, shorts and dresses!
At first I thought these shoes looked awful on my feet but ever since my first wear of them I've been in love. I love how comfy the real Birkenstocks are and the quality of the shoe is amazing!
If you're going to buy one pair of sandals this summer you need this pair from Topshop! They are a great cheaper alternative to Birkenstocks (and they're leather too) and they were about £24 from Topshop. They're so comfortable and I wear them with everything!
These sandals from Daniel Footwear are a new edition to my wardrobe for travelling to New Zealand! I adore this colour too for sandals! I can't wait to wear them loads this summer!
What do you think of the ugly sandal trend? Do you have any sandals like this?
One thing I love about summer is dressing for it. I think everything is loads better in the UK when it's sunny! I recently received this beaut of a playsuit from the lovely people over at Rare London and I couldn't help but show it to you all as it's a perfect summer piece!
I've teamed this playsuit up with my favourite kimono from Boohoo. I wore this kimono when I went to One Direction! You can check the post about my experience and outfit I wore here! I thought this would look amazing with the playsuit and I love how the kimono and playsuit work well together in this outfit!
I've teamed this outfit up with my favourite heeled sandals at the moment from Desire Clothing you can get the same ones from Missguided a little bit cheaper here! These are literally the most comfortable sandals ever and so perfect to wear for a summery night out!
What do you think of kimonos? Would you wear an all white playsuit?
