A Room of One's Own

I need a change in my life. I need to change my room.

I love my bedroom but I can't help but feel that I've outgrown it slightly. Up until last summer I'd spent the last three years of my life living in student accommodation, which isn't exactly famed for its chicness. My first year room, although lovely, wasn't far off a cell with its exposed, unplastered brick painted over with a dull shade of grey. I endeavoured to cover this with that oh-so-cliché Audrey Hepburn poster. Whenever I bought bedding I went for bright colours and prints to brighten up the place, the more mismatched the better.

My second year room was the worst. It was situated on the ground floor, the single-glazed window onlooking a busy street. I think I've spent warmer nights camping. This property came with a no posters on walls policy, meaning my big, empty room felt even bigger and emptier with this lack of stereotypical student decoration. So I went a little crazy in third year with the posters: Paris, New York, London, Thailand, maps of the world, basically any image that conjured wanderlust.

And now? I'm back in my childhood room. What once had a colour palette- baby pink, black and white- has now been taken over with my eclectic attempts to make drab uni rooms more fun. Take my bed at the moment for example; my aqua bedding is interrupted by splashes of flamingo pink and sunshine yellow in the form of florals and birds, decorated with a mismatched (yet all neatly placed, I'll add) cushions ranging from a fair isle knit style patterned owl to an Eastern inspired, gold and fuchsia beaded delight.

I love this fun approach to décor but I've lately found myself favouring a more minimal Scandi design with vintage, feminine elements.  The key word is cosy. Enter Pinterest with it's never ending display of #designgoals...

My current room is far from being Pinterest-worthy but for the meantime here is my wishlist...

Top row, left to right

Ikea Bed, £79
Ikea Map, £65
Next Flowers, £8

Bottom row, left to right

Next Candle,  £12
Primark Organiser Board, £5
Next Cushion, £10
Primark Picture Board £6
BHS Boxes, £14

But on second reflections my room isn't actually that bad. Sure it could use a lick of paint but it's my room, meaning my space and that's the important thing. It may be a treasure trove of eclectic design elements but these are the pieces I've collected over the years. Then again, I am quite the hoarder...


What are your interior design inspirations?

NG <3

Crazy for you

Is it really possible to beat such a wonderful item as a multi-seasonal piece? When taking these shots I originally thought that I had not posted this playsuit on the blog before but I was wrong, I actually did last July, during a heatwave. I've swapped the wedges for brogues and bare legs for tights.

 I'm wearing a New Look coat, brogues and bag, H! by Henry Holland playsuit and Primark tights.

  

Sorry I haven't posted much lately, I left my camera at home which was really annoying (these pictures were even taken on an iPhone!) but now I've retrieved it so expect more outfit posts coming your way!

 

 

NG <3

 

 

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Remember Remember the Fifth of November

I hope you are all having a great bonfire night! If you're not aware what this is (I'm not sure if it is an international celebration but I'm guessing it's a UK one due to its origins) it is basically a night, at the beginning of winter, that is the anniversary of the prevention of Guy Fawkes' attempt to blow up the Houses of Parliament-history lesson there for you! To be honest there's not too much history in the festivities, it's a night to get wrapped up, see some beautiful fireworks and eat some comfort food, which is always welcome for me! I'm being boring and staying in tonight but last night my housemates and I had a mini bonfire and toasted marshmallows which was really nice so I suppose I have celebrated in my own little way.

I'm wearing a New Look coat, H&M dress and blazer, Barratts boots, Boohoo bag and Primark tights, scarf and necklace.

When winter comes there's nothing as nice as a big, comfortable coat. I honestly have been wearing this one every day-it goes with everything! I suppose if there was a subconscious 'theme' behind this outfit, given the coat and the dress, which has made many an appearance on NG, it would be my most worn clothes/accessories. What a good idea to put them all together!


I hope you have a great week and stay safe and warm this bonfire night!

NG <3

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Autumnal

Autumn is by far one of my favourite times of year. I just adore the turning of the leaves; the crisp, fresh element in the air (so long as it's not too cold) and the traditions that the season brings along with it-Halloween, bonfire night etc. And Autumn fashion? It really doesn't get any better. Give a girl a nice coat and a good pair of boots and she's ready to go. Oh, I could ramble on about my love of Autumn continuously but I'll just put it into pictures instead!

I'm wearing a Primark jumper and tights, Boohoo faux fur gilet, bag and sneakers, H&M necklace and New Look skirt.

Hope you are all having a great week-only two more days until Friday!


NG <3

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Unidays

Amongst all the chaos of moving back to Nottingham, freshers week and settling back into the student way of life it seems I have neglected my blog, which I do apologise for. Now I'm coming to the end of my second week I'm finally settling back into a routine and am finding the time to blog again. It really has been too long.

 I took these pictures a couple of days ago, it's a typical uni outfit for me; all about practicality and warmth with my own little touches. Basically everything I'm wearing, bar the bag which was a gift, is from New Look. I didn't even realise this until typing this post but I really do love their pieces (clearly!) and they always seem to be a great fit.

I've been getting involved in some really great projects since I've been back at uni (i.e writing as much as physically possible) so I can't wait to share these with you at a later date!

Hope you are well!


NG <3

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Date Night

Last night I cooked a meal. Well, I use the term 'cook' very loosely but I did put said dish in the oven so I suppose I can say I cooked a meal on a technicality. The truth in the matter is that I am a terrible cook, I think I blame my dad. He is somewhat of a culinary whizz and so I've never really had to fend for myself. Luckily I just sit down and await whatever Provincial dish is on the line up that day. I was lucky enough last year to be in catered halls at uni therefore food was not a worry. But next year? I'm living in my own house so unless I want to survive solely of tinned soup and the occasional pasta when the mood takes me, I need to start cooking. But last night was important, so last night wasn't the night to start.

Photo from my instagram @natashagregson

My boyfriend's birthday is coming up this week and my parents were away so I decided to throw a romantic 4-course dinner for him and I wanted everything to be perfect, so me cooking wasn't on the agenda for the night. The menu is was as follows;

Pre-meal nibbles; Ciabatta bread with an olive oil dip and cherry tomatoes. It was due to be served with balsamic vinegar also but the clever little chef I am I didn't check that we had any in the cupboard until five minutes before he arrived *FAIL NUMBER ONE*.

Starter; Lobster Bisque served with seeded bread rolls. Thanks the heavens for Baxter's tinned soup, the fact that I laughed when telling him what ingredients I put into the bisque kind of  gave my faux attempt away *FAIL NUMBER TWO*.

Main; Catalan chicken with potato wedges, with help from Sainsbury's bistro ready prepared meals. I nearly got away with it until he heard me popping the film lid *FAIL NUMBER THREE*.

Dessert; Chocolate souffle. Ok, it was fairly simple; remove the packaging and place the pot on the table but surprisingly *NO FAIL HERE*.

Onto the outfit of the night. In the tradition of sticking with fail-safe options for the night I went for a classic LBD.

The dress is from Boohoo, I believe it was only £15, and it's named 'Natasha'. Yes, that was partly the reason for my purchase. The picture isn't amazing quality but I only had limited time to take a few pictures before my boyfriend arrived. In terms of jewellery I opted for classic, delicate styles in silver to complement the dress. The necklace is by Jon Richard, the bracelet's a gift and the earrings were from Primark.

The hair and make-up was also fairly simple. I quickly curled my hair and ran serum though the ends before spraying hairspray on. Make-up wise I wore a slick of liquid eyeliner, slightly thickening the line above the lashes before applying a few coats of mascara and a layer of red lipstick on lips, although it looks pink on the picture!

I hope you are having a great weekend! I'd love to hear what have you been up to so far?


NG <3

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Raspberry

Hey all! I hope you are having a great weekend so far. I honestly cannot believe that it is the beginning of Autumn tomorrow, not that I'm unexcited about it. After a long, long summer in England I must admit that I'm craving the touch of wool and a pair of worn, leather boots. September translates to students as a new year of education. I'm not starting back at university until the end of the month yet I do feel some sort of pivotal moment is happening at midnight for some reason, call me crazy. I feel as though I'm leaving behind a summer of memories for a brand new season of experiences. Does anyone else feel this sentimental about the changing of seasons?

Anyway on to the outfit post....

They're not the most amazing pictures as they were snapped quickly before I headed out and the lighting was not my friend!

 

I'm wearing a H&M jacket and shoes, New Look dress and Topshop earrings.

 Enjoy the rest of the weekend! What are you up to?

NG <3

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Blanc Noir

Monochrome's a big deal right? Or so I'm told by numerous magazines, bloggers, shop campaigns etc. So what better way to ironically embrace the trend than to wear a slogan top that reads 'blanc noir', the French translation of 'white/black'?

In all honesty though, I do love this top as a multi-seasonal piece and if you look closely you may notice that the writing is actually beaded which I think is a sweet, unique touch to a standard top.

I'm wearing a H&M jacket and shoes, River Island top, New Look jeans and Boohoo bag.

This weekend has actually been really busy (hence the lack of posts). In England it was bank holiday which basically means it was a three day weekend for most people. Not that it really applied to me, the lazy life of a student and all, but I still like to celebrate it anyway. On Saturday we held an intimate family party at my house followed by a cacthup with some friends I haven't seen for ages. The majority of Sunday was spent nursing a hangover but I did manage to force myself to get out of bed put some heels on and have a night out with a group of friends. So all in all a good weekend!


How did you spend your weekend?

NG <3

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Back to Basics

Sometimes there is nothing as lush as a simple outfit that lets the accessories take centre stage. I live for prints and bright colours but black really is the best colour for a blank canvas.

I'm wearing a Primark top, tights, cuff and shoes, River Island skirt, H&M necklace and the bag was a gift.

I've only just realised that next week it's A-level results day in the UK and I want to wish good luck to all of you who are getting your results on that day! I remember when I was in that position last year-I can honestly say I don't think those butterflies in my tummy have ever been livelier! And yes there were tears.  I can't believe that the year has gone so quickly as I can remember the day vividly even down to the suitcases under my eyes due to a sleepless night. Luckily I did better than I expected but it's important to remember that no matter what you get it's not the end of the world and there are so many options out there. And take it from me re-sits aren't a waste of time, in six months I managed to get one of my grades from a D to an A! So good luck to all and may you get all the success that you wish for.


Are you getting any results next week?


NG <3

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Top Gun

Good morning! It's only Tuesday but it's been such a hectic week this week in the world of fashion. We've already witnessed the BAFTAs, the Grammys, the Elle style awards and the ongoing New York fashion week. And my week so far? Well it has pretty much consisted of browsing online shopping websites, reading and watching Revenge in my onsie. How glamorous.

I'm wearing SoCal at Republic shirt, Dorothy Perkins jumper, New Look skirt, Boohoo flats and Primark scarf and tights.

When I am out of my onsie, it usually means lectures. This is one of my key, casual lecture outfits for a no-fuss approach early in the morning.

Hope you're having a fabulous week.


NG <3

The Owl and the Pussycat

I'll admit that I have a mild obsession at the moment; owls. Let's just clear one thing up though. By owls I mean the sort you find knitted on the front of a woollen jumper, not the actual bird, all of which terrify me actually. So I was delighted to find these gloves in the sale at Dorothy Perkins, which were made even more lust-worthy by an extra student night discount. The sales have been pretty terrible this year but thankfully hidden gems can still be found!

I'm wearing Boohoo jumper and faux fur gilet, New Look jeans, Barrats boots, Accessorize earrings and Dorothy Perkins gloves.

The Nottingham campus looks so beautiful in these shots, if a little windy. Since it's rather exposed the wind can get quite fierce so you'll have to excuse my windswept (and hopefully a little interesting) hair.

Hope you are all having a great week!!


NG <3

Skullduggery

I'm going to be painfully predictable and cliche now and post a snow photo. As I'm sure you're aware if you read any British personal style blogs, England is blanketed by snow (there you go-another cliche). But the truth is that it's just so pretty not to take a picture in the snow, it's just a shame my camera doesn't pick up that glistening effect when the sun is shining above. Luckily it does not pick up just how icy the pathways are too. But my clumsy self will post some pictures before boring you about said falls.

I'm wearing New Look jumper, skirt, necklace, Hollister shirt, Rocha John Rocha boots and Primark tights. 

My motto when the snow falls; 'layer up'. And be practical. A bruised bum really isn't worth it to look a bit taller.  Here's hoping we avoid the aforementioned falls.

Stay safe and warm!

NG <3

19

Firstly an apology. It seems so long since I have posted and replied to all your lovely comments. The truth is that it has been deadline week at university so I've honestly been staying up until 3 every night to get it finished. Gosh, I do always leave work till last minute-maybe one day I'll learn. Even my own birthday on Monday was spent writing essays but I managed to head out the weekend before to celebrate my 19th birthday.

I'm wearing Missguided dress, New Look heels and Accessorize clutch.
I paid £13.50 for this bag-down from £45! Can you believe it? I think it's the only decent thing I've got in this year's January sales.

Have a fabulous weekend!


NG <3

It's the most wonderful time of the year

Oh yes, that's right. I'm going to use every Christmas song known to man for the titles of my December blog posts and drive you all insane. Just kidding, I think. The Christmas holidays have officially started for me as today I was 'driving home for Christmas' (see what I did there?). I'm so glad to be back but I got a few outfit shots before leaving campus.

Did you know it's national Christmas jumper day? Me neither but I suppose this jumper will do nicely albeit with no sign of Santa or Rudolph. Oh, and seeing as every other day seems to be the national day of something, I hereby declare tomorrow the national day of tinsel, have fun folks!

I'm wearing a New Look jumper and skirt, Rocketdog boots and Primark tights, scarf and gloves.

I've just opened a new Lookbook.nu account, you can find me here.

Have a fabulous weekend!


NG <3

Lincoln

Firstly apologies for the scarcity of posts this weekend, I've been away from Uni and didn't take my laptop. I was visiting a friend at Lincoln and coincided the visit with going to the Lincoln Christmas market, a tradition I have every year with family. It is by far one of the best Christmas markets I have been to, so traditional and festive. On Friday I had a crazy night out in Lincoln and this is what I wore; sorry about the lack of quality pics.

I'm wearing a New Look vest and necklace, Primark skirt (only a tenner!), belt, bracelet and headband, River Island clutch, H&M earrings. 

You've probably seen the clutch a ridiculous amount of times on the blog!

Only one week to go until Uni ends for Christmas-on full countdown now.

Hope you had a great, festive weekend.


NG <3

Denim Daze

Grrrr, red eye, my nemesis. Anyway enough of scary eyes (check out my baby to the right!). I am a recent addition to the denim shirt appreciation society-until I got one I didn't realise just how versatile and wearable they are. I could easily mix one up every day for a week! I'm back home again this weekend for my boyfriend's annual match fishing presentation and a Christmas trip to York (more details to come) and this is the outfit I wore to the presentation.

I'm wearing New Look jacket, shirt, skirt, boots, necklace, Topshop bangle and Primark tights. So yeah, I'm having a bit of a New Look frenzy at the moment!

Hope you are all having a fantastic weekend!


NG <3