MY RELATIONSHIP WITH MY PHONE

My relationship with my phone has had its ups and downs. Sometimes we're joined by the hi...hand, other times I can easily go without checking it all day. I'm sure a lot of you are the same. What I find interesting is going from my first flip motorola when did it happen our phones weren't just a phone, but instead our life? All stored on a little device. 

Although my relationship has got to the point where I'm really not on it as much as I used to be - countless hours of procrastination in the library might be to blame for those endless hours on it? but it still remains my third arm - just slightly more detachable.

I'd well and truly be devastated if my phone got lost or stolen - thank god for iCloud so not all would be lost. Regardless though, I really would be upset/lost. Now, is that healthy?

Like I said, phones aren't just phones anymore, in fact the thing I do least on my phone is actually ring anyone. It's your music collection, your games, your connection point with social media, all your photos aka memories, and your conversations with your nearest and dearest (and co). In this digital age its your portal to just that.

The positive and negatives of this is clearly endless. Some people's relationship with their phone is probably the most committed relationship they've ever had. But in a world where AI (Artificial Intelligence) is a threat to jobs within banks, is it time to accept that phones are just a new limb?

I'd love to know your thoughts!

Sophie xx

LIFE | HOW BLOGGING HAS CHANGED

Hello all!

Today's post is going to be a bit different. For a while now I've wanted to expand from my normal style of posts as I  want to do more 'talking point' posts. As whilst I enjoy doing my usual style, to be able to have a platform which I can ramble my thoughts isn't so bad (and I hope some people can relate).

The 'talking point' of today? Change.

I've been back in the blogging game for a little while now and it's been a while since I last actually gave it 'proper' go and a LOT is different. When I started back up I'd noticed the change, and just accepted it and it wasn't till I read a post by Sophie who runs Fashion Slave which can be read here. That I had a real eye opener on just how much it's 'adapted' and I wanted to have a lil ramble about my thoughts on it all.

I think for anyone starting out from scratch to even me returning can agree that blogging this day and age can be slightly intimidating. I remember in 2013/14 all you had to do to gain a following was get some (in hindsight) crappy pictures of your favourite products on your dresser, a picture of your outfit in your garden or room and it just seemed whatever anyone could do would do. 

Now? photos have to look professional for every post and simply taking a picture of that favourite lip product on the dresser won't do, for now you need it perfectly positioned amongst pretty flowers and rings you never really wear otherwise known as blog props.

It's safe to say a lot has changed, and ever since reading Sophie's post on Fashion Slave it made me wonder what I actually think of the change.

One part of me thinks quite negatively of the change, with it putting pressure on bloggers who just want a fighting chance of being successful, as they feel they have to match the professional standard popular blogs roll out. For me personally, it initially and sometimes still is quite uninspiring for with being a student with next to no budget to put money into getting blog props, or that top of the range lens for my camera, it can all feel very overwhelming and a little impossible. 

Another rather intimidating factor is the difference in the need for your Instagram (and Twitter etc) to be as impressive as your blog, to have the likeable flat lays and the perfect outfit to match the perfect location. For me I've been obsessed with how my Instagram looks for a while so that hasn't changed but I just partly live for 2013 where my Instagram wasn't even connected to my blog and I didn't know what hashtags were. 

However, with negatives there's always positives. 

Although there are times when browsing all the incredible blogs can seem quite uninspiring, it can also actually be a motivator. As for me, I'd love for my blog to consistently be at the standards others are, and to work out how to do that on a budget can be seen as a challenge. As well as that, it just challenges each of us as people, and tests how much we want to blog, for me I love it so trying to keep up with the professional standard that now dictates the blogging world is worth it.

So to round things up on this lengthy post, I embrace the change the blogging 'world' has seen, and hope that with more and more practice my blog will only get better.

Thanks for reading xx

P.s feel free to let me know your opinions in the comments!

HOW TO | FIND INSPIRATION AND PLAN BLOG POSTS

Hello allll, 

Today's post is about how I plan my blog posts and where/how I find the inspiration for them. Which I figured could maybe be a little helpful to other bloggers.

Inspiration

1. I think similar to every other blogger a lot of my inspiration comes from actually reading loads of different blogs and then naturally when you enjoy reading something you want to do your take of it. So mostly, I get my ideas from other bloggers amazing-ness. 

2. Secondly, I find sitting there thinking about what stuff I want to know/read about helps.

3. Thirdly I get a lot of my inspiration for my blog through just living. For example, I do my LIFE series because with enjoying photography it gives me a space to put out those photos(the ones that don't make it to my Instagram...). As well as that, with living naturally you have opinions and stories on things you've experienced and therefore may want to write about that.

Planning
Whilst I have my notebook to scribble down all the ideas I get actually then getting around to taking photos and writing up the post is the time consuming part. So this is what I do to ensure the ideas actually get used!

1. I firstly priortise what posts I want more of, for me STYLE posts are my favourite and the most time consuming so once I have outfits in mind when I have time I make it my priority to snap it and write it up.

2. I'm actually a lil' OCD with having a good backup of blog posts in my drafts (when it gets under 8 posts I start to panic). I know that is a lot but it 100% makes it easier for when/if I'm super busy and don't get around to taking photos for awhile. So a good suggestion is when you have time be as productive as you can so then you don't need to rush them when you don't have time!

There we have it a few little ways to help find inspiration and plan  blog posts!

Till next time x

STYLE | OUT FOR BRUNCH

 Hello lovelies! 

Today's post is a simple outfit post of what I wore to 'brunch' the other day. I have to admit that I have to thank my mum for half of this outfit which I'm a lil' obsessed with, seeing as when clearing out her wardrobe I took the shoes, bag and jacket (which are to dieee for).

HOW TO | MAKE YOUR ROOM PINTEREST WORTHY

Hello all! 

The other day I decided to change up my room up a bit so automatically looked at Pinterest to get some inspiration which worked a treat. On the downside it made me want to buy a large amount of homeware I both don't have the money or space for in my box of a uni room. So I went on the hunt to find 'pinterest worthy' homeware on the cheap.

STYLE | A BITE TO EAT

Dress - Topshop

Bag - Topshop

Shoes - Primark

Bralette - Pink

Hi all,

So today's outfit wasn't planned in the slightest, to the point I left the house in a completely different outfit. However, once I'd gotten half way to where I was headed the 25 degree heat had gotten the better of me and I decided jeans was the worst idea ever.

This firstly lead me into Primark to pick up these bargain £8 loafers. After that I headed straight to Topshop, knowing that there was a dozen dresses I'd been dying to try on, of course Topshop didn't disappoint and I left with this incredible dress, the back on it is just my favourite part, along with the side slits. Luckily, I had on the bralette from Pink which worked very well with the colouring in the floral pattern. The bag I brought out also luckily worked well, matching the brown faux suede loafers to a T.

So there we have it - a complete accidental outfit that is now one of my favourites for a hot day in the sun!

Thanks for reading!

HOW TO | FIND MOTIVATION

I think it's safe to say that all of us at some point or another cannot find an ounce of motivation no matter how hard you try. Whether it be to get a blog post up, do school work, work out, or to finish a job you've been meaning to for a while, it happens to us all. 

With this, I thought that I would give my top 3 tips and tricks that I've been using over the years to help me find both motivation and inspiration.

1.  Pintrest

While this sounds distracting and for me some of the time, is. It works a treat. Need inspiration for a blog post? Search up some ideas that relate to your blog and create a board all about it. For me personally, I love to pin quotes. It helps motivate me as it puts things into perspective and clears my head. I really recommend trying it out, it might just work for you like it does for me.

2. Working Out

This for most is probably the least appealing idea. It used to be for me too until recently when I've finally started working out regularly. It releases endorphins, and endorphins help. For me going for a run only makes me more inspired and motivated to work out more and really helps to clear my head. & we obviously can't forget the health benefits! 

3. Netflix Binge

This is the exact polar opposite to the tip above and is most likely a lot more appealing to you but it is equally as important to remember to allow yourself time to relax. Most of the time I put work off till later because I find myself too stressed thinking about the amount I have to do, to do any! So, because of this I decide not to stress and instead relax for a while. I set an amount of time to watch Netflix (at the moment it's Grey's Anatomy!) and stick to it. Sticking to it is the hard part but if you do, this method really does help.

I really hope that these three top tips that help me help you too. I'd love for you to let me know if they do!

As a side note, if you fancy checking out my Pintrest click here. & also I'd like to say thank you to everyone that both follows and reads my blog. I'm so grateful and astounded at how quickly it has grown. In order to show my appreciation I'm thinking of doing a giveaway when I hit 500 followers and would love for you to let me know what you would like to see in it!