It's My Blog Anniversary - Top 5 Posts of 2015

Hello everyone.

Hope your week is going fabulously!

Today is my blogs official 1 year anniversary woooo. I can't believe I've been blogging for a year now! I feel like I've learnt so much and hope to continue to learn and grow as the years go by.

So, today is going to be the last of me talking about 2015 and a bit of reminiscing seeing as it is Ciara's Cupboard's birthday. I've complied my 5 most viewed posts over the past year for those who have only stumbled across my blog today, last week, a few months ago, or for you lovely people who have been with me from the start.

So, number 1....

REVIEW - ST.TROPEZ GRADUAL TAN IN THE SHOWER

I still adore this gradual tanner. It's super easy to use and actually works! I was a bit apprehensive what with using it in the shower, but well, I have a lovely natural glow when used. Click the link to read more.

A LITTLE ABOUT ME

My second most viewed blog was all about me, ya nosey buggers. Just kidding, I love these types of posts as you can learn little things about people that you might not have asked or thought about them. I'm thinking of doing another one, so if there's anything you're dying to know, leave it in the comments section.

OOTD - DUNGAREES LOVIN'

Next up was a good old outfit post. I still adore this outfit as it's easy to throw on and looks great. 

MY TRIP TO BLEACH LONDON

I luuuurved writing this post. Bleach London is probably the best salon I've been to! I'm super picky when it comes to who does my hair however with Bleach, if someone who did my hair isn't available I'm fine with that as you know whoever does it will be just as good. Such quality hair stylists in there!

COACHELLA BEST DRESSED

To round up the top 5 is a little post about Coachella. I love seeing what people wear to Coachella as it gives me inspo for what I want to wear to our lovely rainy UK festivals. Still dreaming about going to Coachella one day... need mates who'll go like.

What we're you favourite posts of the year?

x C

2016 Goals

Hello everyone.

Happy New Year to you all! I'm still in shock that it's 2016. 2015 went in the blink of an eye.

I am super excited for 2016 though. Back in November myself and 2 other girls found ourselves a house in London and our move in date is only 2 weeks away eeeek! I literally cannot wait to move to London. I feel like I'm finally going to be able to live my life and start having fun again! Milton Keynes is too boring for my liking (soz if anyone reading is from MK).

So, as a new year starts I've got some new goals I'd like to accomplish. My 2 main goals for 2015 which you can read about here were to get my dream job as a Buyers Admin Assistant... tick. The second was to move to London... tick. So fingers crossed my goals for 2016 will go to plan too. 

This year, my goals are both blog and life goals....

1) Increase my social media followers. This is quite a main focus for me as the last 2 weeks or so, at least on Instagram anyway, I've been posting a lot more blog style photos and I'd like my Instagram to look more 'together'. Social media is such a great way to promote my blog and this year I really want to try and get my blog out there as much as possible (as self obsessed as that sounds haha) So if you want to follow my social media just look top right and click away. Also, if you have any tips on how to gain more Instagram followers leave a comment below. As I find it's crazy hard to increase my following on that platform, or is that just me?

2) Meet new people. Now this goal is both blogger community and life in general. I'm so excited to move to London and meet a whole host of different people and hopefully find a family away from home. I'd also love to meet more bloggers and be more involved in the community as I've only been to 1 event in the almost year since I started this blog. Which leads me onto goal 3...

3) Start collaborating with brands and other bloggers. This is another main goal I'd like to accomplish this year. Whether that be getting the chance to review products, interviewing with other bloggers or even just meeting other bloggers for the day and taking outfit shots together. 

4) Drink more water and get healthy. Yes, this was a goal last year and the water side of the goal went quite well for about 7 months of the year then, well, I don't know what happened but my water intake dramatically decreased. My aim is to start having 500ml with breakfast again, 1L at work and another 500ml when I get back home. Notice how I said healthy not fit, well obvs I'd like to get fit, I can barely run up the stairs without having a heart attack, but in general my diet isn't great. Yes, I'm very lucky to be naturally thin but I'm sure my arteries will tell you another story. So, I'm going to eat more fruit, reduce my maccies obsession and cook better meals (well, learn to cook first).

5) My final goal for 2016 is to well, live life. I'm quite a spontaneous person and love going out and enjoying the world, however since I moved back home from uni in July 2014 (God that was forever ago now), I literally just get up, go to work and come home. Now it's not that I don't want to do anything, I desperately do, it's finding the people who will do things with me. I get that people are busy and have their own lives but I'm 23 years old living like I'm 80. So I guess this goal ties in with goal 2.

So heres to a new chapter in my life and hopefully an amazing 2016!

What are your goals for 2016?

x C

Life Update

Hello everyone.

So it has been 3 long months since I last blogged, so sorry about that! It literally feels like 2 weeks, I don't know where the time has gone!

So seeing as I've been gone for so long, I thought I'd do a little post on what has been going on as I do have some big news.

Right, so first off, new job.

So when I was at uni I studied Fashion Business and Promotion and always aspired to have a career in Buying. In March, 6 months after I graduated, I finally got myself a job as a Buyers Assistant at ASOS (I know, dream company right?!) However, it was a temporary contract, but still an adult job.

I loved working at ASOS, met some great people and learned a lot! However my temp contract didn't have an end date so I felt slightly on edge not knowing how long I'd be in my job for.

So I applied for a job at New Look, forgot all about it until they rang me up asking to come for an interview. Less than a week later I was handing in my notice at ASOS and moving to my new role.

I've been there now for 3 months and feel especially the past month I've really settled into the roll and feel confident with what I'm doing. Plus, I'm on the Going Out department, and what girl doesn't love sitting in fit sessions seeing what outfit I might wear on my next night out!

Next big news... *drum rolls*

I'M MOVING TO LANDANNNNNN. *inserts every celebratory emoji there is*
I'm from Milton Keynes which is only 30-40 minutes to Euston but I've always felt more at home in London. Plus since I work there it's going to be soooo good to wake up later than 6am everyday! 

I'm not going to lie, it has literally been 4 months of searching! I met a lovely girl on spareroom way back at the end of July and ever since then we've had some obstacles to say the least in our house hunt. Sadly this fell through and I've ended up meeting 2 other lovely ladies to live with which I'm super excited about because the house is so beautiful!

I feel like I'm becoming a proper little adult and my life is coming together just in time for me turning 23 this week. And in the light of ageing another year, I've changed up my hairstyle and got myself a fringe *look right*.

So, I'm officially going to start blogging again, promise! I'm off to Boston on a family holiday on Wednesday for a few days so I'll defo have some outfit posts and major hauls (I've already got a list of makeup I'm buying). So stayed tuned, and god it's good to be back.

2015 Goals Update

Hello everyone.

Way back in January I set myself some goals for 2015 which you can read more about here.

I decided to set myself realistic goals not anything like I'm going to climb Kilimanjaro because if you know me, I'd probably die doing so.

So, I set myself the following:

- Drink more water
- Read more
- Exercise more
- Get a 'real life' job
- Move out

So, how have I been doing 6 and a half months on I hear you say...

Drink more water - I've definitely improved on this goal. I have a pint of water with my breakfast every morning and I'll always drink 1.5L everyday and try and aim for 2L. Because of my weight and height I'm supposedly meant to drink about 1.7L a day so I'm doing good. I've noticed my dark circles are not as blue / purple toned anymore, especially the outer sections. By the end of the year hopefully I'll be drinking 2L everyday easily.

Read more - Again, another goal I've stuck too and have actually been enjoying. If you read my originally post, I mentioned I'm not much of a reader. However, In the past 3 months I've read 4 books and I'm onto my 5th! Dead proud of myself *pats back*

Exercise more - Now, this started off well but by the time it got to February I slowly stopped as well, CBA. Although, I have kind of been exercising more since getting my job in March because I've been doing soooo much walking! I always take the stairs and I do a lot of walking round the office. That counts too right...?

Get a 'real life' job - I've succeeded on this one, kind of. At the beginning of March I got my dream job as a Buying Assistant at a successful online brand and have been there for 3 months now. I say kind of because it's temporary. Basically, they hire temps every now and then and it's a week on week contract so I literally have no idea how long I'm going to be there for. I am enjoying it though and have met some great people!

Move out - Sadly this has not happened yet. Because I don't know how long I'm going to be in my job for, I don't want to risk moving to London incase I'm out of a job a few weeks later. The good thing is, I have saved a good bit of money because my only consistent out going is my train fares which are £145 a week (it kills me every Sunday when I have to pay).

How have you been getting on with you 2015 goals?

Why Zayn Leaving One Direction Is For The Best

Wednesday 25th March 2015 was the day every Directioner dreaded, a member of the band has quit and that member was Zayn Malik. THE FEELS ARE REAL PEOPLE!

Now I've been a massive fangirl of 1D since they first graced our TVs on The X Factor almost 5 years ago. Hell, I still remember Harry's lovely solo rendition of Isn't She Lovely (he stole my heart right away.) I've watch 5 teenage boys grow and become the most successful boyband our generation has seen and it's been a great 5 years.

Some people may be reading this thinking "hold up Ciara, they've not split up" and yes I know this but One Direction will not be the same without Zayn. To the non fans or the I like the odd song, Zayn is the quiet, almost forgettable one. However to the fans he has a voice of an angel that no man can hit the high notes like him (Harry tried and fail. Soz babes, still love ya) and the one with a big heart.

Personally although it pains me to say, I do believe Zayn leaving is for the best. I think this because everyone knows he hasn't been happy for some time now. Yes, you may think that having everyone know your name, travelling the world and earning millions is the dream, but sometimes people can't take it. If you're a 1D fan you'll know Zayn wears his heart on his tattoo covered sleeve and is shy and sensitive. He never asked for his life to be played out in the public eye and the 'cheating' photos have proven to be the straw that broke the camels back. 

At the end of the day Zayn's happiness and health is more important than the band. They've worked non stop the last 5 years and who knows, if they'd been given even 6 months off after album number 3, I may not be writing this post, however I am. 

When I see One Direction again in September and October it will be very strange to see them perform as a 4 piece but I'm sure he'll come back one day. 

A Little About Me

Hello everyone.

So I was having a ganda through Blog Lovin' the other day and stumbled across November Girl X's post where she answered questions and I quite liked it so thought I'd give it ago.

Red or White Wine?
Neither I'm more a cider and vodka girl

City or Countryside?
Both

Cats or Dogs?
Dogs hands down!

Sweet or Savoury?
Sweet

Dresses or Jeans?
Used to be dresses but I've been wearing jeans more

Heels or Flats?
Depends, but mainly flats

Beyonce or Taylor Swift?
Oh god this is hard but... Taylor

Tea or Coffee?
Neither

Divergent or Hunger Games?
Hunger Games 100%

Blogposts or YT Videos?
Both but YT for beauty 

Skincare or Makeup?
Makeup

Night or Morning?
Night, I am not a morning person 

Pizza or Burgers?
Pizza

Books or Magazines?
Magazines

Facebook or Twitter?
Twitter, duh

Summer or Winter?
Probably summer. Just.

Digital or Film Photos?
Film

What is your favourite city?
New York! I've been lucky enough to of been twice

Book?
I'm not a massive reader but out of the ones I have read, Paper Towns is pretty good

Movie?
Breakfast At Tiffany's or all the Harry Potter films

TV Show?
Oh god I watch so much! Parks and Recs, Greys Anatomy and New Girl

Perfume?
Marc Jacobs, Daisy

Nail Polish?
Not a massive nail painter

Skincare Item?
Embryolisse Lait Creme moisturiser 

Lipstick?
Oooh another tough one. Probably Tom Ford Bruised Plum or Mac Ruby Woo

Foundation?
Estee Launder Double Wear

Food?
Pancakes!

Dessert?
Brownies

Alcoholic Drink?
Sambuca or Vodka Lemonade

Non Alcoholic Drink?
Diet Coke

Actor/Actress?
Jennifer Laurence

Singer/Band?
At the minute, Catfish and The Bottleman (and of course my boys 1D haha)

What accomplishment are you most proud of?
Finishing Uni

What did you want to be as a kid when you grew up?
A vet or a fashion designer (total opposites I know!)

What are you most scared of?
Snakes and spiders

I hope you enjoyed learning a little more about me. Let me know if you've ever answered these questions, I'd love to read them.