summer shopping

As promised, I thought i'd do a little post on some of my purchases from my little bit of holiday shopping in Leeds with my mum on Thursday. Here's what I bought:

Beach Tote, Topshop

I was a bit worried that I don't really have any appropriate bags to whack a towel and a book in to head to the beach so when I spotted this beauty in the Topshop sale I was quite pleased. I really love the summery floral print! The materials really unusual, its a bit like a thin version of the material on an anorak (...? my textiles knowledge isn't great haha!) so hopefully it will be ok with a damp towel. And its not too much of an obvious beach bag so hopefully i'll get it out back in the UK too!

Vest Tops, Primark

Standard Primark purchase. Not very exciting, but I was quite impressed with some of the brighter coloured ones. I went with a grey one to replace a really old grey lace trim one from New Look that I had to throw away after years of summer lovin' - i really hate having to throw loved clothes away.

Pink Suede Bow Wedges, M&S

Not my favourite choice of shoe store (!) haha, but I had a voucher to spend from the absolutely amazing and lovely lady next door from way back at my cocktails party for my 21st. She's over the 70 milestone I think, maybe even hitting 80, so she obviously went with a store voucher from one of her faves. I don't mind some of the shoes in there though, so I spent it on some mid-wedges that I really wanted rather than big heels. I love the colour of these and the suede bow front details. Hopefully they'll be ideal.

Shorts, Miss Selfridge

Finally, I picked up these shorts in the Miss Selfridge sale for a really good price which is great when they're exactly what I was looking for. A fun, summery colour and ripped and worn looking. I really liked the length, I had a look around quite a few places and the short shorts trend is taken faaar to far in some cuts. I don't see how anyone is attractive with bum cleavage hanging out the back. 

I've just realised that all my buys are very pink heavy haha! I must have had a bit of a unconscious theme going on.

So, thats it! I'm so excited to go off and pack for it now. I can't wait for a week on the beach, by the pool, in the sun and out having tons of drinks with some of my absolute favourite girls! It's going to be a blaast. I'll update you on the other side with hopefully lots of pictures and amazing memories.

Lots of pre-spanish love,

Becca xx

celebrating the end

Eeevening! I'm finally back home after a very eventful and entertaining last few days (possibly ever) in Leeds!

As you may all know, my mum came up to visit for my last few days in Leeds. We went for a really nice day of shopping and lunch and coffee during the day on Thursday. I'm gonna do a little post about my holiday fashion purchases tomorrow if I get the time, to fill you in on what I bought for Spain next week! Very exciting!! We did really well and managed to get everything that I needed/wanted.

Then we headed back to my flat to get ourselves glammed up for my Private Viewing night at my Degree Show. I was quite nervous about the event because I didn't really know what to expect in terms of the atmosphere and how formal it would be. A huuuge thunderstorm kicked off as we were leaving which made it feel like one of the films where all the bad stuff is about to happen because theres thunder and lightning and crashing rain outside haha. But I had nothing to worry about, the night was really relaxed and we swanned around drinking lots of free wine and looking at all the amazing work.

The show was actually really busy. I'd say the Graphics Studio was possibly the busiest area which was  exciting and filled with lots of family and people's friends and even quite a few professionals. I was genuinely gutted that I only had my mum there. It would have been so nice to have had friends who took an interest and wanted to come see it. I only had one text to wish me luck...

My work looked quite good put up, but I was really disappointed with my newspaper designs being placed on the floor. I think for a 68 page piece of work to be put on the floor is really discouraging for people to want to pick it up and leaf through it. I was quite angry really, but I didn't take much part in the setting up of it and all leads back to being back on the course this year rather than next year with friends. I'm glad I still chose to take part though, because it felt really nice to show off work in a room with everyone else celebrating their work.

Here's a few more photos of the show. We had enjoyed quite a few free wines and predrank before we left my flat, so they're not brilliant quality haha. But if your more interested, I've got a few of the show catalogues which have some great images of every students work that was in the show.

After the show, Mum and I went out for a really nice meal at Pizza Express and had yet more wine. We stayed for ages chatting and laughing over pizza and dessert. By this time we were both just chatting about anything and everything and things kept slipping out that I don't really talk about with mum, but it made for some hilarious conversation. It didn't take her long before she was laughing about marriage and children and confessing suspicions on different uni relationships haha.

I then took a big risk and took my mum to Call Lane haha! It was a Thursday night and most students had already left Leeds, so it was quite quiet and I luckily didn't bump into anyone(...) but it was nice to go for a few more wines and a few more ridiculous conversations in Oporto, my absolute favourite little bar in Leeds. We sat and watched this ridiculous couple getting very intimate with each other, but rather than it being a bit awkward sat there with my mum, she was getting me to guess which one was having a sordid affair seeing as they clearly couldn't go home to be intimate. Haha, our guess was the balding man.

Unfortunately the only picture we had actually out in Leeds is this Blackberry beauty:

And the incredible quote of the night was definitely: "I'm gonna live off this for a week in the office."
Hahaha! I ended the night taking my dietician mother, who spends her working week discussing the dangers of bad diets to children and obese children's families, by going for cheesey chips in a greasy chip shop down at the bottom of Call Lane haha. I was specifically instructed not to take photos!

We then took these back to the flat to enjoy with the rest of our wine. Such a funny night. Mum kept reminding me that she'd never be able to do this with her mum, which made me feel really proud and glad that we have that kind of relationship and that generations have changed in the way they're allowed to be these days.

The next day we both woke up hungover and exhausted but managed to do the final packing up and moving out despite ridiculous amounts of fire doors, a lift and the worst rain and wind I've ever seen in Leeds. It felt sad to pack up for the last time. Seeing my room empty really drilled it in that that's it, Leeds is finished. But i'm so glad to get out of those flats.

Today has been a ridiculous day of trying to cram a whole other room back into my bedroom here, but eventually i've done it and now can't wait for Spain on Monday! Bring it on.

Lots of eventful love,
Becca xx

the last benefits

Hellooo! I'm actually getting really into this new blog. I can't believe i've had over 200 page views in the past 2 weeks and i've got the start of a new set of followers. Thank you all for reading!

Tomorrow my mums visiting Leeds for a few days of shopping, drinks and exhibition private viewing. It's just dawned on me that this may be actually the last time I go shopping and can claim student discount. My student card runs out on the 1st of July and I go away next week to Spain until the 2nd of July, so this is it. The last chance to cling on to student living!

I've been having a pre-shop browse on the websites and heres a few items i've got my eye on for tomorrow...

Moto Dip Dye Shorts, Topshop

(Topshop too!)

I desperately need some new shorts for going away next week. I want some quite fun and beachy ones that aren't a bit boring like the ones I wear with tights all the time back in Britain. So hopefully tomorrow i'll get something like these, either acid coloured, dip dyed or a fun print.

Patterned Ankle Tie Wedges, New Look

I'd love some beachy summery wedges to go with the shorts really. I can't imagine any of us being up for full on heels when we go out for drinks in Spain, so some nice wedges would be nice. I love the colours on these and they're not too high that i'd fall over my patio window at a fancy cocktail party...

Wrap Front Dress, Miss Selfridge

Loveee this dress thats new in at Miss Selfridge. I can't really decide which colour I would like best, normally the dark purple would suit me better, but maybe the green would be nicer for the summer?

Black Soft Crepe Long Blazer, Dorothy Perkins

And finally, something a little more actually necessary! I really could do with a Blazer for tomorrow nights private viewing event. Hopefully there will be quite a lot of industry professionals and big designers floating about that i'll be able to talk to about my work, so I want to like quite smart. Also I could do with a blazer for any upcoming interviews - although not having much luck at the moment!

(I'll be wearing this dress from Ark tomorrow night. My new fave dress, I call it a something-for-everyone dress because its a mix of leather-look and floaty fabric haha! It's difficult to know what to wear to this thing, its meant to be a bit of a drinks and celebration of our work event. But it's important to keep quite professional and a bit arty and creative looking too.)

So, that's it. A little fashion update. I'll keep you posted on how the visit from my mum goes. And see you on the other side!

Lots of degree-show-fashion love,

Becca xx

beautiful places and people

I've finally taken a little adventure, woo!

After a bit of a mixed week last week, yesterday I decided to take myself out of this room and do something other than just have a wander around Leeds city centre, so I took a little journey out to Harrogate for the afternoon.

I've never been and it's one of those nice little famous towns that everyone always says I should go and visit whilst i'm so nearby, so I jumped on a train and seized the first afternoon it hadn't rained in days. I actually really enjoyed getting on a train to somewhere different. It was nice to get out in the countryside and see a few farms and fields on the way!

Stupidly I forgot my camera which is a shame because everything looked really pretty in the sunshine. Its not even as if I could use my phone camera because its a Blackberry - which is like the opposite of using Instagram, rather than taking normal photos and purposely look a bit artistically ruined, it takes rubbish photos and makes no attempt to make them look any less shit. So heres a few photos from Google of Harrogate. God i'm so good at this designer/photographer lark...

I didn't do anything very adventurous in my adventure. In fact all I really did was have a wander up and down all the streets and along the outskirts of the park. Then I went and sat in a Starbucks and had the same latte in the same kind of seat and the same interior decor as in any other Starbucks in the country. But it was nice to seem some of the fancy little shops and buildings. I did go and glance at the famous Betty's tea rooms windows at all the gorgeous little cupcakes and macaroons, but I decided it wasn't really the kind of place you treat yourself to when your out for the afternoon alone. There's sad, and then there's sad. 


Then in the evenings I've been getting obsessed all over again with Mad Men. I'm very late on the bandwagon with this, I think it might have even finished filming seasons now? But i've only just hit half way through the second series and I genuinely love it.

I'm obsessed with all the fancy professional men's lifestyle and their passionate affairs with either powerful rich women or their office secretaries. The whole late 50's/early 60's era is fascinating. I so wish we were still in it, I love the style and the way of life. I wish it was still acceptable for most of their  fashions and to still aspire to be a kept house wife looking after homes and children when the men go and do business in amazing suits.

I find all the advertising stuff really interesting too, seeing as its close to my own game and I can look at bits of it with a designers mind and properly understand whats really going on. It's like my own version of Silk, or any of those crime or medical dramas that I haven't got a clue whats going on! I'm also ridiculously obsessed with Christina Hendricks. I want to be her. She's my big boob hero. Someday I hope to pull off my figure the way she does haha!

And thats it for the update for now. My dad's just read me out a tip over the phone from an M&S DIY book about how to get blu-tac stains off your walls, (it's to dab a bit of toothpaste over it and it'll dry and come off with it apparently! Top Tip!) so i'm off to literally cover my walls in toothpaste.

Lots of beautiful love,
Becca xx

flat 101

Soo this is a little tragic farewell post to my room from the last year in Leeds, sob.

I'm going to have to start taking pictures and postcards from the walls tomorrow so I can do a deposit-winning paint job on it and mum's due to come at the end of next week to finally take me home and get me out of this dive. So now seems like the best time for this little post.

Mums going to come and stay overnight on a "i'll come to your degree show then we can go for drinks and loads of shopping" trip next week, but all said with more emphasis on the drinks and shopping than my exhibition, obviously! I don't blame her, thats a little bit more what i'm excited about too. I'm slightly anxious about the night out in Leeds part... i'm sure we'll have fun but theres definitely a few places I shouldn't take her!

I don't think i'll be that emotional packing this room up at all. It does bring back memories of literally crying all the way back home after packing up and leaving 103 in first year. But that had so many more happy memories than this place. I think most of my friends only ever visited this place once this year? And all slightly forcibly! Not that I blame any of them, it's hardly an ideal place or situation to be living in. I think i'll end up having been more emotional watching them all packing their stuff and clearing out their house than my little room here.

But I think because I didn't really have much company here and because it's in its own little (industrial) corner of Leeds, I put a lot more effort into making this room feel nicely decorated and cosy. It's probably been my favourite room, I just wish it was in a different location. But what can you do!

Heres some photographs of my room, in a true wannabe The Selby feature! And here's to hoping the next time i'll properly unpack all my belongings, will be in an exciting new room which will be equally proudly decorated but much more loved.

This is what i've been reading at the moment - a very appropriate choice of title. It's actually really good, I love Cecelia Ahern's books for just an easy chick-lit read. P.S i love you is one of favourite books ever, so I think i'd have been a bit disappointed if I wasn't enjoying it. Also managed to get it for a cheeky half price on the WHSmith self service machines... not so clever now hey. Might go and try my luck on them again tomorrow as i'm getting to the end... although it'd be embarrassing scanning a book in then leaving it if it comes up as full price...

Lots of get-me-out-of-halls love,
Becca xx