Babycakes, It's Cold Outside!

Hello, dear readers! 

I hope you aren't having a gloomy Sunday, and if you are, I hope this blog provides some entertainment.

There's not really a theme to this week, just a run through of 'what I wore today' type couture. I've had a stab at dressing for the cold weather because as the slightly more famous Cerys croons, 'baby, it's cold outside!' 

Cerys Matthews back in the '90s having a Sporty Spice moment.

Sidenote, my favourite Cerys Matthews song is 'The Ballad of Tom Jones' (which is actually a Space song which she features on). It's a witty duet between a man and a woman in a toxic relationship; they want each other dead. Then, when they hear the dulcet tones of Tom Jones, they're saved and fall back in love with each other. My mum and I take a part each when we sing it in the car.

You stopped us from killing each other, Tom Jones Tom Jones
You'll never know, but you saved our lives
I've never thrown my knickers at you,
And I don't come from Wales.

Anyhoo, onto the fashion show, I hope you're all sitting comfortably in the FROW (front row, daaaaarling). 

I wore this outfit to go and stick up posters advertising my blog around my university’s campus on Thursday because I am a hustler, a grifter, a real go-and-get-‘em-tiger type. I thought I better wear a good outfit for this task because if someone saw me sticking up posters in my ratty comfortable clothes, they probably wouldn’t be v inclined to read my fashion blog (unless they don’t judge a magazine by its cover, of course). I don't think the posters will drastically grow my readership, but I don't mind as the blog is so FUN to write.

the drippery, the frippery!

 

The GAP jeans featured in last week’s blog, and I got them in a charity shop for about a fiver. They’re women’s jeans, as I went through a phase of wearing men’s jeans (especially my dad’s) but they made my butt look weird and rectangular, so I’ve reverted. 

 

The red lacy top with bell sleeves is originally from Marks & Sparks and my boyfriend bought it for me from, you’ve guessd it, a chazza shop. It’s got that Kate Bush Wuthering Heights drama, mama. Sidenote, I’d love to go to one of those meet-ups where people dress up as Kate Bush and do the Wuthering Heights floaty, ghostly, ethereal dance together. 

Heathcliff, it's me, I'm Cathy
I've come home!

When I went on a caravan holiday to Yorkshire in 2017 with my family we visited the moors and I performed upon them up high looking over the scrubs of heather and the wild ponies because I’m a DANCER (or attention-seeker, but attention-seeking, according to the psychoanalyst Adam Phillips, is ‘one of the best things we do’). My mum filmed it but I’m afraid the footage shall remain unseen.

picture from 'The Most Wuthering Heights Day Ever' event

I love the fluttery angel sleeves but they are very impractical, so when I whipped up some homemade hummus for lunch I changed into this Mullholland Drive top that was initially from Zara which I bought from Depop for about a fiver.

the drippery, the chickpea dippery!

I thought I ought to listen to something Lynchian while wearing this top so I played Julee Cruise’s album Floating Into The Night, which is an album I like to listen to when wandering around waiting for something weird to happen. I’m yet to find a severed ear (thankfully). 

Every blonde needs a brunette best friend #JustGirlyThings... also, it just occurred to me that the 'feminine urge to' memes are basically regenerated JustGirlyThings memes. History is cyclical, my friends. 

Making your own hummus is easy, cheap, and delicious if you have the time and it means you don’t have to buy those nasty little plastic pots. Also there’s something so therapeutic about mashing chickpeas by hand, it grounds me (and I need grounding on a day where I’m wearing sleeves I could fly away with).

 

Anyways, back to the original outfit! The black rock chick leather waistcoat was originally my nan’s from M&S (I told you before, she’s cool). I love it very much. The diamante necklace was a Christmas gift from my boyfriend from the Robin’s Nest Emporium, which the more attentive of you dear readers will remember, was also where the coral necklace of last week’s blog is from. The Nest is the Best. 

accessorise all areas

My spangly red sequin chandelier earrings are from H&M, and I must say most of my earrings are from fast fashion shops. Maybe I’ll try buying only ethical jewellery in the new year (although to be fair, I probably have enough jewellery as it is so maybe I’ll try to be content with my collection). I know you can buy earrings in charity shops but I’m quite squeamish about that even though I know they are sanitised.

 

And finally, at long last, I let my leopard coat out of its cage! The cold snap hath snapped. I wore my leopard-print mask with it, as the mask, for all its public health practicalities, is an accessorising opportunity. That being said, I think designer brands that released crazily expensive face masks did so in bad taste. Very not chic. 

I found a picture of myself trying on a leopard print coat in Matalan in 2012. Pree the fake doc Martens and the Gola bag, very zeitgeisty! I had the posing down even then.

The whole ensemble was so fabulous that I wore it out again that evening for casual drinkypooz with the girlies. Ideally I would’ve done some dramatic red eyemakeup, but my eyelids are very sensitive at the moment and I knew I was going out-out for a friend’s birthday to a bar on Friday, so wanted to save the make-up moment for then. 

Even my family's lil poodle pup, Rebel, has been wrapping up warm. I'm pleased to say it's a hand-me-down dog jumper from my nan's lovely late Westie, Nessie (rest in peace, Ness).

adorbz

And now, onto the all-out, out-out outfit!

et voila!

 

I wore this far-out psychedelic print bodycon dress which I got in British Heart Foundation for £6.99. Swagadelic, baby! The brand is 'Bay', and quite frankly, Bay slays. I've ordered a graduation dress from Bay off eBay, and it's very Old Hollywood Glamour, which is something I clamoured for after watching Gilda this week.

Put the Blame on Mame, boys!

I would love to have worn the mini dress without tights but I didn’t fancy getting hypothermia, so I conceded to the weather and put on a purple, laddered pair. You win, Jack Frost (what a sad little life, J.F.). 

fake beehive hair-do brought to you by a bulldog clip

I had planned to whir up a quick veg stir fry before getting dressed, but the hob and oven appeared to have stopped working. I thought I'd have to eat the devilishly decadent red velvet cupcakes I bought for my friend's bday for dinner, but my mum told me to check the kitchen for a big switch, and just like that I found it, switched it on, and noodles were back on the table, dear reader. Pure soy saucy joy. I'm so glad I didn't ring the maintenance team.

oodles of noodles, you gotta line the stummy!

Onto the makeup… I went for a glistening, lilac, glittering look with Poundland gems embellishing the windows to my soul a la Euphoria. I used an Elf  'cosmic' highlighter under the brow bone, 'sugar plum' eyeshadow from a big 'Bright' Beauty Bay palette, and Lime Crime Diamond Dew liquid eyeshadow in 'Chameleon'. It's all vegan, cruelty-free makeup. Bunnies are so cute that they don't need makeup (nor do people obvs, but makeup is FUN), which is why I avoid products that test on animals. 

the eyejazzle

As it was so very cold, I wore this pink zip up fleece over the dress which I got at a charity shop in Oxford (my fella's hometown), the same one I got the mystical purple necklace from. The necklace INEXPLICABLY BROKE last night, but I'll just get a new clasp for it, for the Reweary Fairy is also the Repairy Fairy. Ta-da! I wore the broken-zipped Nike coat too for extra warmth. My things may be broken, but at least my dreams aren't.

<3 peace <3

what a nice clean table! 

I had planned to curl my hair, but I really couldn't be bothered, and knew I'd be pushed for time if I curled it. It takes me ages to capture piccies for the blog because you can't rush art, so now I have to factor that into getting ready, too. I did, however, brush it for the first time in five days. QUITE the detangle-thon. I'd lost my hairbrush which is ridiculous because my home is tiny, so I gave up looking and bought another, which means that the old one will turn up any day now... Murphy's law tings! I do like the way my hair looks when it's unwashed and unbrushed because it looks more voluminous and has that seedy, dirty-blonde bedhead charm, but I brush it more than I did as a little secondary school toe rag because I want it to stay healthy, especially as I get bleached highlights. 

Twas the fabulous evening that the fabulous birthday babe deserved, deffo worth brushing my hair for. I kept things minty fresh with fragrant mojitos, but I felt a bit queasy at the end of the night then slept it off easy peasy lemon squeezey.

That's not strictly true, I just wanted to rhyme (can't help it, I'm a poet). I actually felt oh-so fragile on Saturday, with a head that felt like a lemon being squeezed. I'd slept in my make-up too. Forgive me, micellar water, for I have sinned. 

when life gets in the way of the evening skincare rituals

And would you look at that, dear readers, we are coming to the end of the third blog. What a riot it's been! What a lark! What a great big party with all you magnificent guests! 

Thank you for reading, stay warm and cosy in the wintery days ahead! Make some soup, knock up a hot choccy, and get smitten with mittens.

Charlie Kelly's revolutionary kitten mittens

Big love from

Cerys

x x x x x x x x