CCC - Days 10, 11 and 12

I've been a bit slack on the old blog updating over the past three days - I'm very sorry. My camera ran out of batteries and in the endless maelstrom of Very Important Things that had to be done blogging was the activity that didn't make the cut.

Tuesday was a bit of a dud - woke up late and legged it half-way to uni in my lovely new vintage heels only to be informed that there didn't seem to be a lecture. At all. Bummer. Instead the day consisted of scribbling like mad and finally making a dent in my feature assignment, and the other learning the official dance routine to Lady Gaga's Judas with Jenny. Like I said, Very Important Things.




Coat - £5 at Islamic Relief
Polo neck - £1.50 at Islamic Relief
Skirt - £4 at Northcote Lane
Tights - £2 at Primark (not too enthusiastic about wearing second-hand tights)
Slingbacks - donated by my lovely Auntie Mandy

I've been feeling a bit of a 60's aesthetic recently - Hepburn-esque hair, simple skirt and top combos and swing coats. It's far easier when getting ready to go to uni in 15 minutes than umming and ahhing about accessorising and the pro's and con's of print clashing. While I'd love to be able to maximise my accessories like the amazing Bebe Zeva of Fated To Be Hated, I simply can't bring myself to get up a full half-hour earlier than I have to just to select a few necklaces.

The Sixties vibe carried on to the next day, which prompted me to dig out my old favourite - the white and maroon vintage beauty I picked up a few years ago at the (sadly now defunct) Cardiff Antiques Market. The evening saw an impromptu tea party/clothes swap with Cosh, Rhi, Esther and Zoe, which involved at least half of my wardrobe being dragged out of storage and put up for grabs. Despite the girls taking a substantial amount of goodies each, there is still a pile of clothes two and a half feet high covering my entire dining room table. I also came away with a rather large pile of goodies donated by Esther, who always dresses impeccably. Huzzahs all round! Sadly I couldn't photograph the last-minute event, as my camera batteries were at zero and I could not be buggered to walk to Home Bargains for the third time that day.





Pink cardi - £1 at an unknown charity shop
Sixties dress - £7 from Cardiff Antiques Market
Tights - as before
Shoesies - £15 at Penny Lane

I was very excited to showcase my Esther-goodies today, and plumped for this ever-so-Playdays cardigan and gorgeous blue Monsoon dress. The tights were back for the third day running, and the thought of hobbling around in my heels for another day made me feel a bit queasy, so I grunged it up with my beloved Chazza boots. Oli and I intended on going for a bike ride - an idea that was scuppered when we realised that, um, neither of us own a bike. Instead I went back to ballet for the first time in a year. As someone who used to dance nine hours a day, six days a week for two years (I trained in ballet, contemporary, jazz and hip-hop) I was previously pretty shit-hot at pirouetting and jette-ing my way across a dance studio. However, a year and a half of very little actual exercise has left me at approximately half the level of strength and flexibility I once was. Fortunately I was pleasantly surprised at my ability to sail through the beginners class. I guess it's like bike-riding, once you have the technique nailed it sticks with you whether you like it or not! I enjoyed myself so much that I let Rhi convince me to stay for the next advanced class, and apart from a slip-up during the end routine I found myself falling in love with ballet all over again. For those who have never been to a class before, I urge you to try it. Nothing beats walking out of a dance studio with aching limbs and a sense of smug satisfaction after finally nailing them pesky battements en cloche.





Cardigan and dress - kindly donated by Esther
Tights - as before
Boots - £8.50 at RSPCA

Whilst I've been writing this here baloney, I've been browsing a few of my favourite blogs (Miss Tallulah, Elissiam, Aminta, Marlena and Gem Fatale, I'm looking at YOU) and, I'm ashamed to say, feeling more than a touch of green-eyed monster syndrome setting in. Other blogs just look...better. More effortless. More, dare I say it, cool. After scrutinising said blogs to see just what they are doing that I am not, I figured that it's the photo's that make all the difference. The pictures featured all feature their subjects looking very comfortable, are nicely edited and taken in great locations. The poses don't look forced or staged or awkward, and each lovely lady's individual personality and quirks shines through in every snap. In stark contrast, my pictures look hastily snapped by the one plain wall in my house, as walking around my very busy neighbourhood smiling for pictures is nothing short of terrifying to me. I'm never particularly at ease in front of the camera, and am always aware of the fact that I'm not actually very photogenic. Those who are tempted to dispute this should be aware that it takes about 50 snaps (Oli is a saint) to get a picture of me looking a) drunk b) a bit mental or c) like my skin is sliding off my face. Which leads me to my question of the day - just how do I go about taking and editing a truly blog-worthy photo?! Answers on a postcard, or in my comment box plz.

KTHNXBAI!! x