Boyfriend Jeans

So I've been after a nice pair of ripped boyfriend jeans for a while now. I could potentially blame pinterest a little bit for that one.. but then again, if we were to list all of the purchases I could blame pinterest for we'd be here longer than you were planning so let's swiftly move on and just appreciate them for all of their blue ripped goodness.

  I've seen a lot of people styling these kind of jeans with a dainty heel and to be honest, I'm all about that visual stimuli.. thing is though, I'm not so good in heels and am definitely more of a heeled boot gal, and so out came the Topshop sale boots of the century. Admittedly, a classic court would probably have looked better but.. girlsgottawalk and it was either these or my gazelles..

They'd almost certainly be more flattering on someone without all of the hips but y'know: comfort.

 Topshop Blouse, Boots, Rings & Necklace (Similar here), Boohoo Jeans, Gemporia Bracelet*, Urban Outfitters Bra & Rings
Photo's by the lovely Megs

I've also been all about adorning my hands and wrists to the nines for the past few months. I feel like  a bit of jewellery can really pull an outfit together and since I've got loads of the stuff, I decided that it was about time that I started putting in the effort and if I'm honest, it's been making me a little happier since loosing my all time favourite ring a few months ago. I've also been loving this bracelet* from Gemporia which, to my extreme excitement, I received in the post last week! It's a leather wrap-around charm bracelet and the small silver detailing is for attaching charms, but I quite like it as it is. I decided a little while ago to focus on buying only silver jewellery and bags and watches with silver hardware so that I'm never in a pickle about wearing all of the different metals and this bracelet fits right in. I haven't taken it off all week!

Have you given in to the ripped boyfriend jean trend? 

If so, send me a link to your favourites, I might need allofthepairs.

X

Recipe: American Style Pancakes with Bacon & Maple Syrup

 I've been making these pancakes the last few Sunday mornings and I thought that it was time to share them with you - which of course meant whipping up a fresh batch to photograph.. it wasn't hard to persuade me. I've recently been following this Jamie Oliver recipe (Thanks Jamie), and adding in all of the good toppings

So let's get cracking! What you'll need:

- 3 large Eggs

- 115g Plain Flour

- 1 Heaped Teaspoon of Baking Powder

- 140ml of Milk

- 1 Pinch of Salt

-Butter (for pancake frying & bacon crisping)

- Heaps of Smoked Bacon

- Maple Syrup

First things first you're gonna need to separate the eggs into two bowls: yolks in one, whites in the other. Add the flour, baking powder and milk to the yolks and mix until it's all smooth and battery. Mmm.

Whisk the whites with the salt until they form stiff peaks, and then fold them into your batter mixture until it's all smooth and light and all of the good things.

Right then, let's do the damn thing. Heat some butter in a non stick pan and get pouring. Personally I like to make them pretty small so I can stack them unnecessarily high because.. well.. it's fun. But y'know, you do you boo.  

Once it's looking firmish, give it a flip and when it's golden brown both sides, job's a goodun! Simply stack them high on a plate under a low heated grill or at the bottom of a warm oven to keep them all warm.

Whilst this is all happening, you can leave your bacon cooking in a pan so that it can get all crispy and good (I usually add a bit of butter to the bacon too because clearly I can't get enough of the stuff)

Once your batter is all used up on pancakes and your bacon is nice and crispy, it's time to stack'em high and cover the whole thing in maple syrup. YESPLEASE. Obviously you could always opt for some thick greek yoghurt and fruit to top your pancakes, but if I'm honest.. for me nothing beats crispy bacon in the mornings.

SO! Will you be making these pancakes? I'd love to know if you do! 

Make sure to tag me on twitter or instagram if you upload any photo's.. y'know.. because pancake sharing is caring.

Wishing you a happy and pancake filled Sunday!

X

Summer Ready: Body

Welcome to my Summer Ready: Body edition. It'll be following along the same lines as my Summer Ready: Legs post but with more of a focus on your entire body and products that can help get you ready for summer as a whole.

The first thing I usually do when the Summer months start rolling along is get myself a new fragrance. There's something nice about having a lighter, fresher fragrance to carry you through summer and this Rosie For Autograph* perfume is basically the absolute dream and so affordable too! It's floral, light, fresh and has a 'classic' kind of scent and I've been reaching for it every single day since it fell through my letterbox!

This year, I've found myself on the look out for all sorts of 'body perfectors' whether it's a mitt or a cream, I'm down for trying it and my current products worth a trial are part of Bliss's fatgirlslim range. The first, is their 'Arm Candy' perfecting cream*, which has a really bizarre - but awesome- massaging applicator on the end. You use the product dispenser/applicator to massage the product into your skin in circular motions and it's meant to reduce redness and create a firmer and more toned appearance. For me, this is a bit of a life saver as I absolutely hate my arms. They're always red and bingo-wingy despite trying to tone them up and I'll jump on the bandwagon with anything that's going to help them look a little better. The product itself is cooling and soothing, definitely reduces redness (Finally! WAHEYY!) and my skin does look smoother and a little more toned! My arms feel all smooth like a dolphin and I can't wait to see the results over a longer period of time.

 I've also been trying their 'Hide & Glow Sleek' tinted body spray* which is meant to firm your skin as well as adding a bit of luminosity. As you can see from the image above, the tone of the spray isn't orange based which makes me do little jumps of joy because I'm not exactly a tanning pro and any kind of spray with colour pay off fills me with dread. Over time it's meant to reduce the appearance of cellulite (winner) but if you're after more of a quick fix, then it also evens out skin tone and makes everything look a bit more.. 'smooth'. And let's be real.. I'm down with smooth.

I'm also all about adding a small amount of oil and shimmer to my skin and as I'm more into 'minimal shimmer' than 'maximum glitter' I've been opting for the Nuxe Shower Oil with golden shimmer.* (Surprisingly, I'm not being paid to say shimmer as many times as possible in one sentence) I've been really getting into shower oils recently and this one is the perfect satiny texture that leaves your skin moisturised as well as cleansed. I can't stand in-shower oils that don't really cleanse as it all adds onto the ridiculous time that I take to get ready anyway so a product that can do both is something I can get down with. This one also smells bloody amazing and despite not really noticing too much shimmer going on post-shower, it makes that moment of body cleansing a little more luxurious. Brb whilst I go wash myself in this again.

Another great cleansing product, and a great one for shaving with IMO is the Rituals Hamman Delight foaming shower gel*. It's scent is one that I didn't think I'd like but have grown to love as it's quite strong and just smells so natural and 'herby'? Okay, so I'm officially the worst at describing smells but it's the best I can do I'm afraid. When I get a whiff of it up my nostrils and close my eyes I can imagine myself in a far away place surrounded by trees and waterfalls and jungle creatures and basically? I like it. It comes in a set along with a body cream and a scrub too so it would also be a perfect gift for holiday season. The body cream* is a really nice mousturiser that's fragranced with fig & rice milk and also has that whole natural vibe going on. It's rich and creamy, isn't sticky and sinks into the skin within seconds. My kinda mousturiser.

 I'm also all about exfoliating during the summer months as you'll already know from my Summer Ready: Legs post, but since then I've also discovered yet another scrub which I'm downright into and love using on my arms, and across my chest near my collarbones where I occasionally get break-outs. This Rituals 'Warming Ginger & Fresh Eucalyptus' sea salt body scrub* is like nothing I've ever tried (or smelt) before. It's scent is really strong and a good whiff would probably clear any congestion you've got going on.. it's that kind of smell which I guess is probably a love or hate thing. It's not a scent that I'd go for in a body spray but as a salt scrub it works amazingly and once you're all done getting your wash on, the scent really mellows leaving a really subtle 'I'm super clean' smell which is something I love in the Summer.

All of these products can be picked up in good old Marks & Spencer which is currently my new beauty product hang-out since discovering lots of amazing products and finding out that it's home to Stila cosmetics. See you down there?

Do you have any tips for getting Summer Ready?
What are your go-to products?

Stay tuned for my Summer Ready Face & Hair tips, lots more lovely products comin' your way!

X

A Guide To Pet Photography

The lovely people at Pets At Home recently got in touch with me to see if I'd like to share my tips for pet photography over here in Blunderland, and if you're a regular reader.. you'll already know that my dog Sandy likes to get involved in the occasional OOTD so I thought she might appreciate getting the limelight in her very own guide to pet photography. So.. lets get cracking with some tips and tricks I've picked up along the way that might help you out if you fancy taking the plunge into pet photography!

The first thing you can do to help yourself out in the long run is to tire them out first. I've found that taking Sandy out for a walk pre-photo really makes a difference in how excitable she is. I mean.. excitable is great.. but not when I'm trying to focus my 50mm lens. It's perhaps also useful to note that you'll need to take breaks. Even if your dog is super obedient like Sandy, they'll get bored/tired/distracted if you've got them sitting still for too long so try and make it fun for them too. (That might involve carrying treats.. it's always nice to reward good behavior)

Probably my favourite part about photographing Sandy is when I catch her mid-yawn or pulling a strange/human expression. It might not be to some people's taste but I can't get enough of it and for me.. the whole process is about having fun. Sure.. if I'm getting paid to do this for someone then I want to make sure I get the required end result but having fun is part of the process.

I'd also say, don't be afraid to get involved. In my case.. Sandy often involves herself in any shoots I'm doing in the garden anyway but sometimes I'll make an active decision to have a photograph with her. It's nice to see the bond between pet & owner and if you're only photographing the pet then you can miss out on some pretty photographic interactions.

I also like to mix things up a bit and my favourite way to do this is to use a film camera. If you've got one lying around somewhere, it can be really nice to experiment a little with it. Despite being madly in love with my DSLR and all of my lighting, backdrops, etcetcetc... my heart really does lie with the most basic film cameras. There's something nice about stripping back the complication and just snapping away. Plus, it's always an exciting moment getting your photo's developed!

When it comes to backdrops, I personally prefer to photograph animals in their normal surroundings, whether that be bounding around in the garden or sleeping in their bed surrounded by toys. However, if you're working to a particular brief or want an image that is super clean and simple then it can be nice to do a studio style shoot. Personally, I use this little set up  which I picked up from Amazon around a year ago, and these softbox lights for creating these types of photos, (and the lights are great for filming and product photography too. Winner) but don't feel like you need to invest in lights... if you can set yourself up in front of a large window then you should be fine.. it all depends what you're into.

It's also pretty fun to play about with angles and perspective. Everybody knows what a dog looks like from above... try getting right down to their level and getting up close and personal for some interesting shots. I love getting all up in Sandy's nose with my lens.. (especially when she's just been drinking milk, mucky pup) as I feel like it adds a bit more personality to the photo..... that and because she looks hella cute. Obvs.

When it comes to kit, I'm currently using my Canon EOS 60D which is basically the best thing since sliced bread, but previous to this, was using my Canon EOS 450D which is also great in all the ways and I'm selling it here! I'll usually be using my 50 mm f/1.8 II Lens cause lets be honest.. s'allll about that background blur. If I'm shooting in a studio set up then I'll have my camera attached to a tripod and I'll mostly be using my Remote Shutter to take the photo's. This enables me to get Sandy's attention in whatever direction I want without having to stand directly behind the camera at all times. 

I hope you found this post useful/interesting in some way, and if you decide to take any photo's of your pets then make sure to tag me on twitter and instagram so I can see them!!

Do you have any tips for pet photography? I'd love to hear them!

X

I Have News...

 

(Img source)

Okay.. so.. I don't really know where to start. I guess firstly, this is more of a post for those of you who might be interested in what's going on in my life, and secondly for those of you who might wonder what's up with my posting schedule in the next few months. 

God... this is so weird.. I've been wanting to write this post for six months but I just wasn't in a position to and now I am.. I'm actually terrified. Terrified of letting you in.. and terrified of what happens if I fail. More than that though.. I'm excited.. and I'm proud.. and yeah.. still terrified.

Do you remember seeing weird items in my youtube hauls? Or cryptic tweets about being nervous?

Well... In two weeks time I'm beginning the journey to becoming a Paramedic. 

(I'm beginning that journey in perhaps the coolest way by driving ambulance around at speed... sick)

All I can hear is you crying 'DA FUQ'?! so.. let me explain in the best way that I can:

Let me first start by saying that in some ways.. this is just as odd to me as it is to you. I've grown up an artist.. constantly having to defend my field and its worth. I love fashion, and makeup.. not biology and gore.... but amongst all of that? I care about people.. so much. I want to be the person that arrives in your family's hour of need, and I want to be good enough at my job so that I can reassure you that everything is going to be okay. I want to make your experience with trauma a little easier, and I want to reassure you that you're no bother, that you're worth my care and that things will get better. 

I want to treat people how I'd like my loved ones to be treated and ultimately, I want to feel worth for what I do.

It's a personal thing I think... self worth... There's so many awesome jobs that I think are so sick and cool and all of positive things and I'd love to have them.. but I've grown to realise that what makes me tick... as cliche as it sounds.. is 'making a difference'. (I'm aware that there's millions of ways of doing this but for me.. right now? This is the the way I want to do it)

I always wanted my artwork to be so inspiring.. so engaging that it changed people's lives and their outlooks.. I wanted them to look back on the moment that they experienced my work and remember it as the moment that their life changed. 

But y'know what? 

I wasn't good enough.

or at least.. 

My goals were too high.

It's taken me years to be able to admit this to myself without having some sort of breakdown but right now? I'm actually fine with it. I was scared that people might look negatively on me 'giving up' or 'running away'.. and as much as I truly believe that if you want something enough then you work hard for it.. you also have to know when it's time to try something different and for me? That time is now.

I've had six months of assesments, interviews, fitness tests and driving tests and yesterday I finally passed the final hurdle to enable me to start the course in two weeks time. 

The reality is.. that I could still fail in 6 weeks time but there's also a chance that I won't.. that I'll be the one people look for when they're scared, and that.. that would be a greater gift than I can imagine.

I know it sounds like I'm romanticising the role a bit here.. ( I have a tendency to do that about a lot of things) but I know that I'll also be dealing with a lot of drunk people.. agressive people and those that are just looking to cause trouble but on the flip side to that...actively improving - or even saving - someone's life? It's worth it I think.

I guess.. If I'm totally honest and open about this.. I feel like the only way to heal myself is to heal other people. Does that make sense? Not that I'm doing this all out of some weird self obsessed belief about my own worth and importance but more that.. I understand what it is to need help, and what it is to feel like you're drowning and I want to be the person that saves you rather than tells you to 'learn how to swim'. In a way it's like.. even if sometimes I can't help myself.. I want to help others who think they can't be helped. 

Perhaps I'm just rambling..

On top of all of it's positives.. this role will also enable me to move out in a few months.. and maybe even get somewhere with my boyfriend... It'll mean that I'll actually be able to afford things occasionally rather than living in my overdraft  (and omg all of the homeware hauls) ((I've already planned out my 'blogging &  youtube' room)) and seriously.. these things could not come quick enough.

I'm still a blogger.. through and through and someday maybe I'll take it full-time again, but before that point there's a few things I've just gotta live through. 

I'll still be updating this little space on the internet as regularly as possible and I'll still be working with brands and bloggers and going to events when I can fit them in.

The course I'll be on has different modules that have totally different schedules so as far as I can see.. July - September looks like it might be hard to keep posting three times a week and youtubing too but it might be fine. From September onwards.. things should free up a little bit and things might settle into more of a schedule again but the thing is I just don't know.. so.. I'm just giving you a heads up I guess.

'I didn't do this to get a front row seat to other peoples tragedies, I did it because I knew the world was bleeding and so was I, and somewhere inside, I knew that the only way to stop my own bleeding was to learn how to stop someone else's. '

Welcome To Paradise

I remember taking about ten years to decide whether I should buy this coat or not.. I had it on hold behind the till at work for easily over a month. Why was that again?

I think that I actually owe my new love of green to this coat too. I used to hate it y'know? But.. I've been won over and can't resist an emerald green knit (can you tell I'd live in Autumn all year round if I could?)

Speaking of green.. it might sound a bit weird but I was never really that into fields and trees and y'know.. nature. I feel like as I've got older, I've really become able to appreciate a decent view. I love to breathe in fresh air (not farm related) and take a stroll amongst nature and feel a little more.. grounded I guess. Growing up in a big city meant that I never really even thought about the existence of idyllic places like this and probably found them boring.. but not now. Not anymore. Me and Megs had to climb over a fence (in these heeled boots) to get these shots and I managed to fall onto a nice big nettle plant mid-shoot too.

/Topshop Coat (Sale)/ Dress similar(ish) here / Boots - similar here /

As per usual, I'm wearing Mac's Lady Danger on my lips.. just for those of you out there who are wondering? And other than that, I think that the only thing left to say is that it's probably about time that I forced Megs to be my regular blog photographer because lets be honest.. this view beats my back garden any day. I think I'll just live with her whilst I'm at it.

Life sorted.

X

*High fives to all those that got the 'Green Day' reference in the title.

Summer Ready: Legs

So it seems to be that time of year again where us ladies decide that perhaps we should shave our legs more than once a month since we're more likely to be getting them out and about whether it be on holiday, or simply for a picnic in the park. Need summer ready legs ASAP? I've got you covered.

Exfoliation Is Your Friend: Personally, I've been reaching for this Soap & Glory Sugar Crush Body Scrub* because it does an amazing job of exfoliating whilst also softening the skin. Oh.. and it smells like Heaven on Earth and I want to eat it. Like Mohito's? You'll love this. I'll be using this wonderproduct once or twice a week as it's not overly harsh but if you're looking for something more intense then I absolutely love the Mango Body Scrub from The Body Shop. I wouldn't use this more than once a week but then you wouldn't really need to as all scaliness will be removed!

Goodbye Hairy Mary: Now then, if you gals wanna keep your legs a little warmer and go without the shave then that's totally up to you but I for one will be finally making the effort again to get my pins hair free for summer. I'm not much of a razor snob and tend to grab the Soleil Bic ones as they do the job well and I've never had a problem with razor burn or random bleedy leg since using them. I always use a lathered up shower gel to shave with but I know that some people's legs are more sensitive, in which case, there's plenty of nice shaving gels and foams that you can pick up super cheap from Boots or Superdrug! 

I've had my legs waxed once before (not including that god awful time when I tried myself with wax strips and basically pulled my skin off instead) and I gotta say.. I do love the finish, but it's certainly something that benefits from repeat treatments and I guess I just got lazy.. oh.. and I hate having to 'let the hair grow' first. Not down with that.

Skin Perfecting: I have to say that in some respects I'm very lucky in that my legs aren't too troublesome in terms of stretch marks etc but they are covered in scars. If you're a regular over on my youtube channel then you might remember that time when I fell over in my room and scratched my upper thigh/bootay to within an inch of its life and well... It's scarred pretty badly and unfortunately, it's not the kind of scar that I can pass off as a shark bite and although I'm not overly fussed.. I think it would be nice if it never happened so I'm slapping on that Bio Oil like there's no tomorrow. Primark also do a really cool Skin Perfecting Body Lotion which somehow just makes everything look even and awesome so.. that's always worth a shot too!

Moisturising: This is something I've always been particularly bad at but oh boy have I found the best product for the job. The Burt's Bees Radiance Body Lotion is basically perfect skin in a bottle and of course that's something I can get down with. It's super moisturising without leaving any sticky residue on the skin and it soaks in within seconds. Something that I didn't think I'd enjoy is the slight shimmer that it has but I've actually grown to love it.. it makes my skin look radiant and sunkissed with no dry patches in sight. 

Getting Your Tan On: When it comes to tanning.. I'm not generally a fan as I totally love the look of pale skin on others.. on myself however, I find that having slightly more bronzed legs makes me feel a little more confident and it's probably jut me but I feel like it just makes their shape look better too.. SO.. if you're anything like me, gradual tan will be your friend and this Cocoa Brown gradual tan is something I've been reaching for on a regular basis over the last month. It builds tan evenly and slowly and doesn't have that weird biscuit smell so your secret's safe! I do still use a mitt to apply it as it can get a little patchy around the ankle if you don't buff it in evenly and to be honest I just prefer the application process with mitt in hand. 

If you're a regular with this tanning business then you might want to try out Fake Bake's range of tans. They all have excellent reviews and this one claims to be a 5 minute streak free mousse.. I'll get back to you on that.

Do you have any Summer legs tips? I'd love to hear them!

X

What's In My Asos Basket?

Ripped Boyfriend Jeans, Oversized Shirt,  Leather Cut Out Boots, Doubly Onyx Ring, Leather Cross Body Bag,Circle Ring, T-Bar Shoes, Gold Dipped Necklace, Jersey Dungarees, Striped Turtle Neck Vest, Peg Trousers , Suede Biker Jacket, Fiorelli Tote 

 I've been on somewhat of a spending ban for the last month but of course, when I'm not buying, my basket just grows and grows until it's overflowing and when I found myself on Asos for the millionth time, I felt like maybe now was time for another 'What's In My Basket' post (complete with links for your shopping pleasure.. of course)

So lets start with those baggy ripped up boyfriend jeans... I think that I have pinterest and instagram to blame for this (shock) but I really feel like I've waited long enough before buying some of these on trend beauties and I think that this week might be the week (spending ban or not) that I finally make the purchase. I also might have to buy some new heels to go with them.. but that's totally fine.. right?

I don't really feel that I need to explain that oversized shirt or those brown leather cut out boots because well.. you all have eyes don't you.

I don't know if you remember my polkadot jersey dungarees from way back when.. but these black ones are a bit more versatile and look awesome AND comfy.. which is always a winning combination isn't it really? I've also been majorly in NEED of some smart black peg trousers and I feel like these beauties might just be 'the ones'. I've seen so many people styling them up in all of the awesome ways over the last few months and I feel like it's time that I got some for myself. I like the fact that you can make them casual by wearing them with a simple striped top or a comfy oversized jumper, but could also go all out and wear them with a shirt and blazer. Basically I need them and maybe by the time you read this, I'll already own them because I've just managed to convince myself whilst writing this.. #fbloggerprobs

 Another thing that I've managed to convince myself of needing is an awesome suede biker jacket. I mean... I'll always love leather jackets but I just feel like suede biker's have a bit more of an edge.. am I right? I guess they're not as practical weather wise.. I'd certainly be concerned about heading out in the rain but my GOD isn't it beautiful? I like that it's got silver hardware too because I'm all about the silver right now.

And of course.. I need another tan tote bag.. don't I? I think I'm already heading into A/W mode and I'm not even sorry. Seriously.. I'm ready for leaves and jumpers and boots with socks and ALLOFTHETANANDCAMEL. Well anyway.. this Fiorelli one makes me swoon a little bit and it looks big enough that I could fit my ipad and lots of blogging essentials in.. maybe even my Macbook, so basically it's now a necessity.

So now I've got that out of my system.. let me know your thoughts! Is there anything here that you also need in your life? And what have you been lusting over recently?

Would you like to see what's in my Missguided basket? Or my Topshop basket? The list could go on really.

X

Blogging & Press Events: A Guide

 Linzi Press Event 2015

As blogging gets more and more attention and as our community continues to grow and gain even more deserved credibility, there's more and more of us that will be heading to blogging and press events all over the place and if it's your first time, it can be a little bit overwhelming and perhaps intimidating but I'm here to tell you that basically it's all super awesome and thought that I'd give you a bit of a lowdown on what to expect, things I've learned, and some of the benefits to heading down to these lovely events. Sound good? Lets get cracking with some things to note:

Urban Outfitters Press Day 2015

 It's An Opportunity To Network: So, first things first.. although it could be insightful to head to a press event or blogging event and have a browse of all of the new launches/nibbles/brands promotional material and then leave quietly through the nearest exit, the real benefit of these things is that you get to actually meet people. As a blogger, (full-time or not) a lot of your time might be spent typing away behind a screen and these kinds of events allow you to meet people in person and get your passion across face to face. There will most likely be PR's and various brands at most of the events that you go to and don't be afraid to introduce yourself and get to know the people behind the screen. You might be surprised at how flippin' lovely everyone is! And.. it's not just brands you'll get to chat to either, there will be plenty of other bloggers and press peoples around in the same boat as you! All I can really relay to you is 'Don't be afraid of conversation'... I've met some absolutely lovely people at events and worked with loads of amazing companies just through being open to conversation. Ooh, it's also always handy to have some business cards (not that mine ever seem to be printed/in my bag/ not under my bed).

Debenhams Beauty Press Day 2015

They're All The Same: Okay.. so not exactly.. but there's loads of things that all Press Days will have in common and it might be reassuring to know them. So firstly, the focus will be on new launches, new seasons trends and anything new and exciting happening with the brand/brands in question over the following six months or so.. this means that you get to eye up all of the beautiful things before they hit the shops. Winner. 

There will also probably be nibbles and prosecco : one glass might help.. ten probably wont.

With social media being the biggest thing since sliced bread.. the event will undoubtedly have a hashtag, SO.. if you're heading there alone, why not send out a few tweets using the hashtag to see who else is going and if anyone wants to meet up before hand. It's unlikely that you'll get completely pied.. there's always someone looking for a fellow event go-er!

Brands will usually be open to chatting about everything under the sun too as this event is an opportunity for them as well as you. The more people that they can get excited about their new launches, the better for them.. so.. if you see some products that you love then don't hold back on sharing images galore on your social media channels, and don't forget to tag the brand too! It's a great opportunity for your followers to see what you're upto and to get an insight into new launches if they weren't able to head to the event for whatever reason.

M&S SuitStyle Styling Event 2015

They're All Different: I'm aware that I'm totally contradicting myself here but just hear me out.... As much as press days and blogger events will all have common goals.. every single one that you attend will be totally different. There could be hundreds of people like there was at the Primark SS15 Press Day.. or there could be a way more intimate gathering of people like there was at the John Lewis & Origins event I headed to a few weeks ago. You might get up close and personal with products, or you might take more of a back seat. Every event will impress you in a new way and that's one of the most exciting things about them. When I headed to the Marks & Spencers SuitStyle event I had no idea what to expect, but we got to style their new wedding season suits to various briefs, and had plenty of lovely nibbles (that I ate ALL of). With it being menswear, I wasn't sure if it would be my kinda thing (I mean.. I was a VM for Topman for a while too and I've always loved styling ) but I absolutely loved it.. and their suits were dreamy too! I guess.. what I'm trying to get at is that you can never prepare 100% because there's always going to be differences between one event and another but that's part of the fun! Try and calm the nerves and allow yourself to be open to change. I guarantee you'll have a great time and enjoy experiencing something new.

Underground Cookery School Blogger Event

Fake It Till You Make It: I'll let you in on a little secret: When I headed to my first ever blogging event I was really nervous.. not so much about meeting people and doing all that social stuff.. but more because I had no idea why I'd been invited in the first place. Was it an accident? Did they mistake me for someone else? It never really properly sank in that I was deliberately invited and if I'm honest.. it still takes a while now but I think that it helps to realise your worth as a blogger/youtuber/whatever.. for whatever reason it may be, someone thinks that your words are important and even if you don't see it yet, others will! I remember that everyone was swapping blog URLS and asking each other how long they'd been blogging for and rather than shrivel into a corner whispering 'a few months', I said it proudly as if I was actually worth something. Whether I was or not is debatable but if you act like you believe it, others will too.

Primark SS15 Press Day

Being On Your Phone Isn't Rude: Okay so this might sound slightly lollable but seriously: Everyone will be on their phone and not looking at you wondering why you're there (despite how you might feel) Expect meals to go cold because: instagram.. expect products to be rearranged because:instagram and expect everyone to look awesome because, well... : instagram. I'm not suggesting that you bury your face in your phone when there's an opportunity to chat because faces = better than screens but these kind of events are probably the only time that it's not frowned upon to rearrange your plate of macaroons fifty times before getting that 'perfect shot'.. revel in it.

Of course, as well as all of this lovely stuff, you'll also be in an awesome environment to make friends and that's probably the sickest thing about all of it isn't it. (That and the occasional goody bags.. lets be real.. I practically squeal with excitement at all goody bag related situations because who doesn't love receiving a present for just 'being themselves' ..... aaaaaand of course it can help you out with blog content too so it's good in all the ways)

If you've not been to your first event yet, did this help? 

And if you have, would you agree with the above? 

Do you have anything else to add? I'd love to hear about your experiences!

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