Hey loves, wow. It has been so so long I can't apologise enough!! I just quickly wanted to create this blog post to let you know I've created a new blog/moved website. One thing I was really struggling with was how unhappy I was with my blog/site e.g. the layout and so on. I've spent a couple months working on creating my new website and finally it is up and running (horaaaah!!) I would love it if you could go check it out. There is also an option to leave your email so you can be updated on any new posts I create. All content is the same besides beauty (I've found that it was perhaps more of a phase for me personally) but there is still lots on style and interior design, as well as opinion e.g. on books, films, politics, womens rights, the list is endless!
Its still the same old me, just on a new site so go subscribe and keep yourself updated! Here's the link to my new blog: emwilkinson24.wixsite.com/emilywilkinson24
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Hi stranger, do you remember me? It's certainly been a while and I have to apologise for that. I was quite naive and certainly underestimated university. After the second week it went from 0 to 100 fast. I've got so much to do, so much to remember, lots of commute and late nights. I am knackered. I've been feeling guilty about how inactive I've been, I hate leaving my blog for so long because it's not only my passion, but somewhere to escape from the stress of life and to indulge into my interests. I'm going to be so much more organised now I've found my feet at university, I'll definitely have to plan ahead with posts to be on time. I promise from now on you'll be seeing much more of me again. Today I really wanted to talk about mental health awareness as it was world mental health day on Tuesday. Mental health is so important and should always be addressed, not ignored. So without further adieu... You're not Alone Mental health can be a personal battle, a war with yourself and a lot of people suffer alone. So many people feel ashamed or embarrassed about what they're going through because often mental health is ignored, as if it doesn't exist, but it does. Right now it is estimated that 1 in 6 people in the past week have experienced a common mental health problem and around 300 million people globally suffer with depression. I'm here to reassure you are not alone. You shouldn't have to ignore your mental health, it is an illness. Your mentality is so important, your brain needs care just as much as any other physical problem you encounter in your life. If you broke your leg, would you walk around pretending it didn't happen? If you are bleeding, would you pretend you hadn't noticed it? Of course you wouldn't. Your mental health matters, in fact I would argue it's more important than anything else. If you're suffering, feel lonely or need help there are so many options for you. Perhaps going to the doctors is too nerve-racking or even talking to your parents about it, especially as a teenager. At the end of the day you don't need to force yourself to talk to them if you don't want to. If you trust a friend, a teacher, go talk to them about what you can do. Nobody who cares about you will want you to suffer, always remember that. There are online services and 24 hour helplines for you. Remember your mental health can be tough, but can be treated. https://www.betterhelp.com/start/?help_with=Depression Zoella - Dealing with AnxietyThis particular women was a huge help for me. If I felt stressed, nervous or was having a tough time and feeling a bit lost, I knew that watching Zoella would completely relax me and make me feel much better. Sometimes taking a step back from reality and finding your comfort, something you can do or watch for leisure is important. For me it was YouTube and time with my family, for others it may be sport or going for a walk. Test out different options until you find one that suits you best. Never give up. I found listening to music extremely therapeutic, naturally. Another way I relax is through an app called Headspace. This was a life saviour especially during my A-Level exams. It really helps to calm your nerves and leaves you in a state of complete relaxation. I was in disbelief until I tried it properly and I was hooked for the whole of May and June. It only takes up 10 minutes of your day, so doing it at night or in the morning really isn't much to ask! Never Give up on YourselfI'm going to say it for third time to drill it in, NEVER GIVE UP ON YOURSELF. This is so important. Don't ever think that you're worthless because someone else thinks that you are amazing, don't ever think that you're not needed because even if you don't realise it, someone would suffer without you. You can be amazing, you can do anything. Your potential is endless. It might seem tough now, but the battle isn't over until you're happy. Theres been so many times where my confidence was knocked, where I felt I wasn't enough, where I've wanted the ground to literally swallow me up, but I've never gave up. You don't realise how strong you are until you have to be. You can always be a better version of yourself and you will continue to grow, years down the line you'll thank yourself for keeping on going. That's a promise. Looking back on myself, my confidence and self-worth has tripled compared to what it was two years ago. It's baby steps, there's still a while to go, but It's motivating to know how far I've come. If you know someone, a friend, a family member, anyone who is suffering from mental illness, it really doesn't take much to make their day. An invite, a coffee, a conversation can save lives. Remember we all have a personal battle and sometimes even you're closest friends that you think you know the most, just desperately need a hug, a shoulder to cry. It costs nothing to be kind.
Whatever you're going through... "Everything will be okay in the end. If it's not okay, then it's not the end" x If there is ever a product, collection or new release that promotes diversity, I'm all for it. This is amazing and has been a long time coming. Whilst I'm over the moon at the whole concept of fenty beauty, I have to ask myself, how has this only happened now? Why is it that brands haven't ventured furthered than what is considered 'the norm' although, funnily enough, the norm is totally unrealistic. Foundation for ALL Skin TypesI love, love this whole idea. Even I still struggle to find the perfect shade. Having auburn/ginger hair means I have really fair skin with a red undertone, therefore foundation is never usually right for me. I had the too faced foundation and it was WAY too yellow and the foundation I used before that was a little bit too dark for me. Rihanna has literally created a revolution and really changed up the game in terms of beauty and cosmetics. This is what everyone has been waiting for, literally. I have to repeat HOW has it took so long! Clicking on the website I was so pleased. You can select a variation of shades whether you're light, tanned or dark. There is so much option, which differs from normal foundation releases which usually only have about 2 or 3 shades to choose from. I really want to test out this beauty range! A Realistic & Reasonable Beauty RangeThere is so much diversity I love it. To me, this is what the future looks like and it fills me with happiness that it's happening now. It's been a long time coming, but finally we are diminishing those annoying stereotypes. The foundation itself is $34 so around £25, which I think is a really reasonable price, especially for a foundation these days. I think I was quite surprised considering the brand has celebrity endorsement. Usually branding which includes a celebrity massively increases the price because they can be huge influencers. I also want to try out the lipsticks too, perhaps a Fenty haul will be coming soon... watch this space!x
OH MY GOSH. How long has it been since I created an interior design post? As always I headed over to my pinterest page and looked for some inspo in regards to what I'm loving at the minute e.g. plants and wall art. I even have some snippets of my own room, but only a very tiny amount because It's not finished yet. Being a student with a part-time job means making your room perfect takes time and money! Adding Colour - PlantsPlants, plants and MORE plants. I am so obsessed rn. Honestly. I think it adds so much more life to any room! I am such a minimalistic person so adding a bit of green to the room will always give vibrancy. Whilst I would love to experiment with real flowers, they unfortunately make me sneeze like mad (and they would be dead within days, oops...) so fake plants will do anymore to the point, they'll last much longer! For me, splashes of colour is all I need. I hate it when a room is full of it, it's too much for me personally. So plants here and there on bedside tables or a large one in the living room makes the perfect amount of colour. Other ways I add colour is through accessories such as pillows, rugs or throws. Pastel pink is another colour I'm loving right now. Don't get me wrong, at Christmas I go full on with red. You have to go crazy at Christmas though, am I right? My advice on styling plants is being smart and not going over board. All the best rooms having one or two plants which really completes the overall design such as the photos above. Pinterest: Photo 1 - The Decorista, Photo 2 - Alexanderwhite.se, Photo 3 - J.Ingerstedt My Room - Accessorising with PlantsI told you I would add in some of my own style into this post, didn't I? This is how I've styled plants in my room. This is my bedside table. I've basically merged a mix of hobbies which I feel describes me best e.g. all my vogue magazines, photography (my camera) and plants to give some colour to what would otherwise be a bit of a dull set up. Even a small plant goes a loooong way and makes a big difference! Personal Style - Wall ArtWhy do I love wall art? It's simple. It's a perfect way of showing of you're interests. If you go on pinterest and type in wall art you will see such a mix. You can really experiment with colour through wall art. If you love pink, wall art will really make your room pop and your fave colour will for sure stand out shown through the last photo above. Much like plants, they can add a certain vibrancy to any room. You can go full on or low key, dependant on your style. I'm currently shopping for wall art. I plan on having an array of frames on a certain part of my bedroom wall that really shows my interests. A rather cliché print I'm loving is 'More issues than vogue' what better way to describe my life than to intertwine it with fashion? Other prints would include New York and Edinburgh (too of my favourite places ever) as well as artistic prints, I have an eye for pretty designs and I feel they would complete my collection perfectly. I absolutely can't wait to reveal the finished look. I feel my wall art will be a mix of black and white, as well as a small amount of pastel pink to go with my pillow and throw. As I said, a small amount of colour is enough for me, I love minimalism and white interior, but it wouldn't be complete without a dash of pink or green, am I right? Pinterest: Photo 1 - popsugar.com, Photo 2 - bloglovin' Photo 3 - Etsy, photo 4 - etsy
I'm all for equality and rights for women, It's something thats been a huge issue that I feel needs raised and I've been passionate about it ever since I started looking into it when it took Media Studies at A-Levels, studying the history of feminism (and how it's adapted and evolved in the 21st century) for my case study. It both angered and inspired me to speak about it and express the need for change. Empowering one and Other #HeforSheIt's so crazy to see how much is hidden and/or how much we don't know about how unequal women still are (not to stay there has not been a massive improvement over the years!!), especially in undeveloped and third world countries. My main platform for my case study is HeforShe, which I'm positive I've touched on before. It's a campaign created by UN women and has really inspiring ambassadors such as Emma Watson who has a huge influence on people, especially the younger generation. If you follow her on instagram, she set up an account named 'oursharedshelf' which includes stories about female experience and empowerment. I love it. Being a book worm too, it gives me plenty of educative and motivating recommendations. I really wanted to share with you some stories that made me both emotional and uplifted during using HeforShe as my case study, in the hopes that it both educates and inspires you to do more. Are we Defined by our Gender?When I first read about this particular story, it really saddened me to know how such an innocent thing like choosing to wear a skirt or a dress can determine how you are perceived and treat by others. In a quick summary, Erick Matsanza was outraged to hear about how men were stripping and assaulting women in Kenya simply due to their dress choice, Matsanza chose willingly to stand up and defy social stereotypes by wearing a skirt and uploading it online with #mydressmychoice to encourage others, particularly men to stop playing into the notion that certain clothes must only be worn by a certain gender and to diminish the myth that a dress code defines women. His response, "women have always impacted society in their own creative ways. The men, however, have never stood up to realise and recognise these abilities." This, to me, is what HeforShe is all about, Feminism too because it's not just women who can be feminists. It's about people from all over the world, with different backgrounds and of different genders coming together to show how sexism and inequality should be diminished. This story is motivating because it allows men to realise they too can help change and improve both the society and world we live in. "Fight for Your Queen"If I could get any message across today, it would be that there are SO many ways in which we can change and shape the society we live in. Whether it's through social media, blogging, music, novels and literature, your words... we can help further the movement that is shouldn't even be needed in the 21st century. If you hear or see sexism in the workplace and your position or influence can change what's going on, take advantage of that and be an example to everyone that gender equality is a MUST. If you make music, you can show your platform, your fans, your followers that a society that see's gender equality as the norm and feminism as a positive thing for both men and women is what we should aim towards. We all have a voice and we should be using it for what we feel passionate about. In short, this particular story is about Carl & the Reda Mafia a young and dynamic award-winning band based in Dubai who wrote the song "Fight for Your Queen" which encourages men to fight for gender equality. "The idea of men fighting for women’s rights is something we truly believe in and support. We've got 500 men to pledge and support the movement.” It's not secret that so many people are afraid of that F word, Feminism. Even the word itself has stereotypes to it, no we aren't all man haters who cut our hair and wear no bras. I'd cry if I lost my red locks, honestly. People are beginning to show others that Feminism is about gender equality for both men and women, to not be afraid. Are you #HeforShe? http://www.heforshe.org/en - HeforShe website link
This is the third time I've been back to this city and I love it. I would honestly live there if I could. There is so much to see and do, a lot to offer in terms of tourist attraction, not to mention the array of shops they have there (my favourite part... the Topshop is amazing). There are so many restaurants and bars, offering pleasure for any given interest. There is SO much history to it, showing the heritage and how the country has evolved. If you've never been, what is wrong with you?! I only went for the day this summer, but thought I'd take you along with me. Breathtaking Views and much to doThe city itself is so beautiful. There is so much to look at, so much history to see even merely from it's buildings. If you want to learn about Britain, head to the Royal Britannia and see the how the Queen travelled on sea throughout her years of reign. Shopaholic like me? You're spoilt for choice. There are luxurious brands such as Karen Millen or Jack Wills or head to Jenners and Harvey Nichols for clothes and accessories to expensive for to me to even touch. Love food? I would without a doubt recommend the Hard Rock Cafe (one of my favourite food places) as it's quirky and different, with a real focus on the history of music, specifically rock n' roll. Prosecco and Afternoon Tea - The DomeWow oh wow, The Dome is breathtaking. If you like taking pics, this particular place is extremely photo worthy... just LOOK at the chandelier. The Dome itself looked and felt extremely posh. I made an effort to eat properly, no elbows on the table, so on and so forth because of how prestige the place was. Whilst initially it felt uncomfortable feeling a bit unworthy to be sitting there, the afternoon tea made it more than worth it. It was so divine. We had fruit scones, cheese scones, salted caramel, salmon, beef and egg sandwiches, carrot cake, macaroons and much more. There was something for everyone. We decided to have some prosecco with our food (which I can do now because I'm 18, hip hip hooray) which I would definitely recommend, why not go all out? You're in Edinburgh after all. The coffee and tea are always refilled if you run out and the service was immaculate as we heard the waitress go through what came with our afternoon tea. After this, we headed to a hotel bar for some drinks. I had selected a raspberry martini. Strong, but very tasty then at 6 we hopped back on the bus and headed home. The day was not long enough, I needed a week in Edinburgh (or preferably my whole life!).
Been waiting for this moment for a couple of months now, got home from my driving lesson and to find out that I've hit 5,000 unique visitors on this blog. I'm beyond happy, it's like this month is destined to be full of good news. More to the point I'm well into having 12,000 page views which further excites me. Started this, as I always say, thinking maybe I'll get the odd few visits and now I'm in the thousands!! I love this blog and I've been doing it for a good 3 years now, if not more so 5,000 is more than good enough for me. Just goes to show that if you're good at something or have a talent, life has a funny way of granting you the success you deserve. So appreciative right now. Next step, 10,000 (perhaps)!
Ok so it's been a loooooooong while since I spoke about anything beauty related and if I'm honest, I feel like I've completely grown out of makeup now. Whilst I love experimenting with it and wearing it when I go out, I just don't enjoy it as much as I used to. In fact, usually I only wear makeup four or five times a month now which is either when I don't feel confident about myself or I'm going out somewhere e.g. clubbing and what not. Nevertheless, there have been a few products I'm wanting to purchase and add to my makeup collection so I thought I'd share it with you as a beauty blog post has been a long time coming! Mac Lipstick - CaptiveI actually got this lipstick for free as I had exceeded a certain amount to be able to snatch a freebie. Bonus. Honestly, I love it! It's a gorgeous dark pink lipstick, so divine and an lovely pop of colour for any plain outfit. I think for day wear I would imagine black culottes and a striped black and white t-shirt which looks complete with this lovely lovely lipstick. What's more, is with lipsticks like this you can really experiment with your eyeshadow. Pair this with a smokey eye or perhaps go all out and mix burgundy and gold with this dark pink lip, I think that would look amazing in winter/autumn season if you ask me. I've always loved Mac lipsticks because they're long lasting and look truly amazing. Whilst it's perhaps not a colour I would typically reach for, I have been wearing it a lot. Skincare - Clarins MoisturiserNext up is something COMPLETELY different. I don't really think I've ever preached about skincare very much, perhaps mainly because I don't have problemed skin and barely ever get even ONE spot on my face so I don't feel the need to experiment with loads of different products, but recently I've been hyped about this new moisturiser I've been testing out. Clarins is my mums go to skin care brand (alongside Liz Earle), so naturally I've followed in her footsteps and I'm happy I did. Not only does this moisturiser smell divine, it works wonders too. If you're like me and have exceptionally dry skin, then this product won't disappoint. I usually wash my face and then apply this every morning and night. It's simple and effective. The moisturiser is £21 so quite a reasonable price, especially if you're just starting out with all your skincare products. I have very sensitive skin and a lot of moisturisers actually give me a rash, therefore undoubtedly Clarins is a safe (and amazing!!) option if you find yourself in a similar position. Charlotte Tilbury - Magic FoundationI'm not one to preach about foundations because I'm very picky and specific with my choice of such products. Foundation is the base of your makeup, if you don't choose the right one, the rest of your face doesn't feel right at all. I'll be honest, I heard that Charlotte Tilbury had opened up a counter in Newcastle, but I never ventured out to explore the products until my mum booked me in for a makeover for my Leaver's Ball. I wasn't sure what to think e.g. would I like it? I'm picky with makeovers, I usually only choose Mac (super original I know) but I was pleasantly surprised and what's more, this foundation was jaw dropping, it worked so well with my skin. Whilst I love the foundation I'm using now, which is the Chanel Le Tient Ultra Tenue It's perhaps not perfect for my skin type as I find the foundation can be a bit of a battle when trying to smoothly apply it to my nose which is one of the most driest parts of my face. I'm on the hunt for yet another new foundation and I think this ones definitely made the cut. The application was smooth, the coverage was a perfect amount and the product lasted me all night. It didn't feel like there was anything on my face, perhaps expected from medium coverage which is a bonus. The makeover itself was only £30 and looked so glamorous, next time you want your makeup done, I highly recommend Charlotte Tilbury! That's all from me! This post was quite refreshing and felt like a blast from the past when I had my phase of obsessing over makeup. I'll still preach about new products and beauty in general every now and again as I do still love my makeup I'm just not AS obsessed as I used to be. Fashion has definitely become my ultimate love as I've grown older. I would hope I enjoyed it that much considering thats what I'm going to study for University In September. What products are you lovin' at the minute?
Fashion Communication - Northumbria UniversityAbsolutely over the moon that I've been accepted into my first choice University to study Fashion Communication! If you've been reading my blog for a while now you'll know I've been extremely passionate about the subject since I was about 15 and now, at 18 years of age, I'm able to go and study something I love. Hopefully I'll go far. Here's to more hard work and creativity. If you need me later, I'll be partying HARD because I've earned it!!
Happy Wednesday loves, apologies about the lack of a blog post yesterday. If I'm being totally honest, I was very hungover after celebrating one of the best friends 18th. Nevertheless, I've decided to make one for today as I have a brand new passion and obsession that I've been binge watching this summer which I need to share with you, The Last Tycoon. F. Scott Fitzgerald Unfinished NovelIf you know me well, you would be absolutely certain without fail that I would love this TV series. F. Scott Fitzgerald is one of my favourite authors of all time, I fell in love with his famous novel The Great Gatsby (also a movie with the unbelievable Leonardo DiCaprio in) so it was no doubt that I would become obsessed with this programme. As soon as I saw its premiere on Amazon, I knew I'd saw that name before, The Last Tycoon, which of course is Scott Fitgzgerald's unfinished novel. A quick synopsis of the TV series tells a story of the movie business set in 1936 which faces pressure and struggle due to the rising influence of Nazi Germany. For me, I was most intrigued to watch this due to knowing the author whom created the novel which surrounds the series and I certainly wasn't disappointed. One thing I love about this programme is how Lilly Collins, who we must realise is a woman living in 1930's America, attempts to choose her path in life which much to her fathers despair, seems to be in the movie business as she pitches a storyline which hints at the cruelty of Hitler. I adore her defiance as she makes it clear she must not be treat like the bosses daughter, furthermore she wants to learn about how the other side lives, instead of being protected in her bubble of wealth. This is much more empowering, especially for a modern audience, compared to Fitzgerald's Daisy Buchanan who is born into wealth and will only marry into old money a rather cowardly and dependant character unlike Celia Brady within The Last Tycoon. Glamour, Wealth and NazismI find it interesting to learn about history, such as the rising influence of technology seen through The Last Tycoon which saw the golden age for the movie business which is intertwined with the pressure of Nazi Germany. Undoubtedly, we see love, friendship and heartache as we see the personal lives of each character. Monroe (an extremely handsome character), who lost the love of his life, passionate to make a movie about her which is denied. Celia, a talented, prejudged female character whom wants to be known as more than just the bosses daughter. We also have Kathleen, an Irish immigrant living in America getting to know the lives of the rich and the brutality of the movie business itself. Of course, we see many women who are expectedly sexualised and successful based on whether they will please the men that can make their fame a reality. I'm completely enthralled by this TV series and would place it in my top 3, its that good. It really tells you a lot about life in 1936 as well as revealing the journey of the movie business and how it came to be. That's all from me, I hope you've enjoyed my mini review on The Last Tycoon. If like me, you enjoy F. Scott Fitzgerlad's work then you will love this TV series. Perhaps you want to learn more about 1936 or the rising influence of Hitler which is certainly somewhat touched on within this programme. A definite binge watch programme!
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