My kind of girl (even if she does work for the Times)

packing AGAIN

Having to pack and move NEVER EVER EVER gets easier. Its that time again where i have to pack up everything I own and get rid of mountains of crap. I am a borderline hoarder with so much aspirational stuff it is to that cleaning stage where you want to just head outside and scream from the mess you have to make.

You start of strong then it becomes like "why do i have a harem pants when I'm 5'2? did i think i was going to start an ashram" or "where did i get root boosting heat activated styling spray? i can't be bothered putting on lip balm most days did I really think I was going to start to do salon blow drys every morning" 

Its just stuff that is clutter you have to tell yourself when your packing your fifth plastic shopping bag for the op-shop, it needs to be like removing a band aid, fast to reduce the pain (and less likely for it to start creeping back into the suitcases).  

WWZHW - What Would Zoe Heart Wear

A few years ago I found the series Hart of Dixie about a New York doctor Zoe Hart (Rachel Bilson) who gets fired from her hospital job and moves to Bluebell, Alabama to become a GP only to find out that the guy who has been trying to offer her the job in Bluebell is really her father and she has inherited half of his Bluebell practice. Add in some cooky locals, stern co-workers and 2 cute love interests and this big city girl adjusting to small town life is so funny and entertaining.
I love the show but just as much I love Rachel Bilson and what she gets to wear on the show. As a very petite girl myself I love to take inspiration from her characters dressing. The sleek tayloring, perfect slouchy layering, great polished hot weather work outfit ideas and how she always knows her best assets to show off (hot legs, small waist, grate arms,perky ass), I use her as so much of my outfit inspo all the time.

 image from secrets of a good girl

image from hear

image from hear

 image from hear 

I am definitely a Team Wade girl, rugged handyman bar tender, HOT HOT HOT!!!! (Wilson Bethel as Wade Kinsella)

How not to be a backpacker

I have talked a lot on my blog about backpacking and the fun that you have and the places that you see and the fun of staying in hostels to meet interesting people from all over the world but this is not that post. This is a post about things that you should not do in a hostel if you want to keep your dignity in tact. I was in a situation early this year where I ended up living in a hostel down south in WA while working at a new job. As a Perthie living in a hostel in there own state and working in a job that is my career I wasn't the average backpacker that they have their but it did allow me to witness things that need to be said.
Even in Germany I wasn't on the normal backpacker working holiday but the people I lived with in the hostel where so it gave me a different view than i have had in the past of just with just staying in one for a few days while passing threw a city.

I know that your on holiday/working holiday and the normal "at home" rules seem not to apply to you but there are things you have to remember that just like high school your reputation can make or break you. I have one big thing to tell you, women to women.

Never be "that girl!"
I am not just talking about promiscuity (polite language) but also bitches that spread rumors because both will end bad for you. On the sex front the stories will be told endlessly, rooms will be named after you (laugh but its true) the guys that had sex with them will be eyed with a mix of high fives and disgust that they where that desperate. I have no problem with girls sleeping around (I don't and probably never will) but its a lack of respect for yourself that you use casual sex to boost your own confidence and the time will come when everyone will look at you with pity in the hostel but can also come back to bite you in the ass when you find someone that you want something more with can be forever tainted by this reputation, plus STI! (just saying). With girls who spread rumors and lies, it will come back and bite you in the bum because no one wants to be friends with someone who would be two faced behind there back and it will get to a point that you will alienate people so much that you will be ostracized from the pack. Its a sad truth.

New beguinings

After a very crazy year last this year has been tough, moving back to Australia from Germany before Christmas, finding a new job and moving down south in WA for it so being completely independent for the first time, ending my 6 year relationship with someone who I still care for a lot has been hard and to top it all off a 3 month flu from complete and utter stress.
Now I am starting to get myself together I want to start doing some changes and setting some goals for myself (along with getting back into blogging) so it is going to be Do Over November.

I have set myself a few goals for my Do Over November:
only wear 20 items of clothing on rotation for the month; this includes work gear
read 5 books from my overflowing
try to get 3hrs of some sort of exercise per week
drink 2L of water, including tea and coffee
and find a treat at the end of the month, maybe a trip?

Wish me luck

Tips and Tricks

1. Mr sandman, bring me a dream

I have always had a bad time with sleeping patterns, my mum still tells me about how I would always be up at 1am and go back to bed at 4am, and they have never gotten better. From chaining time zones, partying, different weather conditions and sightseeing all day you can end up sleeping very little that can wreck your system all over and no sleep means getting ill is on the cards. Lack of sleep everyone knows causes irritability, headaches and co-ordination problems but it can also causes loss of apatite (and "tummy problems") and mild delirium with micro sleeps. Some ways to aid sleep are limit your intake of caffeine, sugar and alcohol during the day. Another is to use a audio sleep trigger that can help you focus and slowly go to sleep, many people use white noise, music, podcasts or movie/tv program to get into a relaxed state. Another thing that can interrupt your sleep is loud noises or light. If you wake up frequently during the night you will want to "sleep in" more causing you to wake up later and later. If it is noise try ether removing the noise or blocking it out with ear plugs and if it is light try moving somewhere that is darker or use an eye mask to block it out. 

2. Scrub away your blues

Travel can mean that hygiene can take a little backseat so when you do get to shower after the beach/pool, traveling in plains/trains/buses/cars, wearing dirty clothes, being out all day and night and general fighting your way for a shower when there are 4 showers but 40 people on a hostel floor to have one too your general soap down will not do. You need to exfoliate not just wash. The more dead skin cells you can take off the better with a flannel/exfoliating mit/exfoliating gel/home made. Dirty clothes and dirty skin can not make you smell good after a bath/shower if you still have a build up of dead skin (people who always smell of BO will not smell good even with a bath) this also includes feet (guys especially). I know that it takes longer than a normal soap up but everyone around you will appreciate it, trust me on that.

Travel Problem

I am going on an epic month trip next month but have cropped up with a very interesting problem. I am going to a Pohoda music festival in Slovakia during my 1st week away and then traveling around and then going to Herrang lindy exchange in my 3rd week.

The problem is this, I am having to take a tent, sleeping bag and mat to the festival for camping but for Herrang I am going to be dancing so I need more shoes and clothes due to the sweat factor, how much stuff is too much. I hate having to carry around a big suitcase just for camping stuff but looking at having to take 5-6 pairs of shoes is also not a fun thing.

I am not going to be camping at Herrang (I hope) but I will still have to lug everything around with me because I will still want to use it in the future. My suitcase is so big and bulky it is very hard to drag around (plus most of the airlines only allow me 15kg checked luggage) but I might have to buy a very cheap duffle bag with wheels to carry all my camping gear and extra lindy clothing.

 Images from tonbogirl

 Images from teen vogue

Images from cali vintage and free people 

On the plus side I have been looking at some very cool style inspiration for the festival that can be easily transformed for lindy. Thinking a 40's sporty outdoors chic style mixed with 70's boho hippy prep style. Lots of cute sunglasses, scarfs, playsuit/shorts, brights and neutrals mixed together. Both Herrang and Pohoda is a real excuse to dress as crazy as you like without people looking at you like a complete crazy.

28/32

top - witchery, jumper - h&m, denim shorts - h&m DIY, fleecy tights - ambra, high top sneakers - high st, watch - big w

I have been drooling over denim cut off shorts for a while and I managed to make my own pare after a mistake in H&M. On Friday my boyfriend and I went clothes shopping in the city to find him some office clothes for his interview so while he was in the changing room I walked around the men's sales rack. As I was looking threw the rack I found a pair of jeans marked 28/32 for €10. My boyfriend needed a new pair and thinking that they where a 32inch waist I picked them up and because he was sick of having to try things on he just looked at the size and paid for it. When we got home the size was a 28inch waist so I fit them instead and made them into denim cut off shorts.

Currently

dress - made by me, cardigan - country road, tights - ambra, ballet flats - h&m, belt - big w, brooch - gallery shop in sydney

freaky looking brooch

Loving:Not working and exploring my new city. After constantly working for 7 years without any real down time I am finding it very rewarding to just relax and take everything in. Having a student lifestyle is very nice for the first time in a long time (trying not to get addicted to it) and being able to plan holidays that will actually happen and not feel guilty about taking. I find it so fun that even when I walk around my own area that I always see something new, everyone takes it slower instead of rushing hear and there.

Thinking about: My family in Australia. I am very close to my family so I find it hard to be away from them. My Grandpop has just come out of hospital after having a stent put in and it is hard to try not to worry and knowing that your a whole day of flying away if something does happen. I know that they are happy for me being brave and moving overseas but it is still hard that I can't just drop round for tea anytime I want to see them.

Anticipating: A weekend away. I have only been to Frankfurt in Germany so far so a little holiday before starting my course next month will be very fun. I am also looking forward to a trip in May for my birthday somewhere nice. Slovakia or Hungary would be very fun.

Listening to: German kids cartoons to learn more german. I find that they speak slow enough for me to understand what they are talking about. I am also listening to The Minutes podcasts by Patience Hodgson from The Grates and Comedian Mel Buttle. It is the ramblings of two very funny ladies who sound just like my friends when we all get together. It jumps from one topic to the next and will have you in stitches with there antics.

Eating: Belgium chocolate with whole hazel nuts in as an afternoon treat. Such a good snack as a reward for keeping on task in the morning. I am also loving all the good rye bread from the local bakery. Unlike Australia where everyone is all low carb food hear in Germany they love their bread and it is so flavorsome that you only need a very thin slice with cheese to fill you up.

Wishing: That everything will work out for the best for everyone.

Thank you Sometimes Sweet for the post idea. Please read her post and feel free to make one of your own.

I feel pretty

top - paper and cloth, cardigan - h&m, jeans - h&m, belt - forever new, brooch - hair clip from alannah hill, shoes - rubi

Yesterday I went to the city to go jacket shopping in the sales. I have a big pink duffle coat that I wear at night when it is cold but during the day I don't relay want to have to wear my hoodie over my tops because it makes everything look super casual and it is not that flattering on my body (I'm 5'2 but have a short body and long legs so anything that ends under my hip bone makes me look very dumpy) and as the weather gets warmer I need a jacket to protect me from the wind but will be too hot in a big wool coat. I didn't want to spend over €20 for one so I had to hunt around. The styles I could find mostly where parkas, motorcycle jackets or blazers but all where not cropped enough in length for me or where double breasted with only side detailing making my chest look very lopsided. I went into Zara to look at there sale rack and saw a jacket I had had my eye on had finally reduced to a good price (it was originally €70 then down to €30 and I managed to get it for €15) and that was a style that I liked. The jacket is a navy "chanel like" course tweed with a deep V neck and no turn up collar or buttons. I am going to have to add a popper or two to keep it closed but it is so nice and just warm enough. I also went to h&m to get a XL size men's t shirt to turn into a dress (DIY tutorial to come soon) and to get a small pouch wallet for my small cross body going out bag.

A closeup of my hair clip that I added a brooch back to and how I have been pinning my hair back because I am still not liking my haircut.

DIY up-cycled skirt

top - dotti, hoodie - cotton on, scarf - target, skirt - up-cycled by me, beret - knitted by me, bag - target, fleecy tights - ambra, high top sneakers - local high st

outfit for the outdoors

Indoors outfit

This is what I wore today to do my grocery shopping. A lot warmer than just a cardigan like yesterday. I am thinking that I might need to buy a lighter weight coat seeing that it is warming up a little outside.

On Sunday I was feeling quite bored and got a little destructive with my witchery wool skirt (see original in this post) that I liked but it was a little hard to find things to go with it seeing that it looked so casual. I decided to cut off its elastic waist band and then cut down the front in the middle. To make it a wrap skirt front, kind of kilt like, I added a popper at the inside band and a brooch backing at the other side making it easy to change its position on the front of the skirt. I have no sewing machine so I had to find the easiest way to close it. I think the wrap makes it look a little more polished than it did. If you want to know how to make one easily Geneva at a pair & a spare has an easy to follow DIY tutorial for making one.

brooch back and popper

asymmetrical pinning of brooch

HAUL

top - country road, cardigan - h&m, scarf - target, jeans - dotti, high top - high st, cross body bag - target, sunglasses - witchery

Yesterday after I finished making my HAUL video my boyfriend and I decided to take advantage of the good weather and go out for lunch in Sternshanze (very cool hipster area) and see the Fernsehturm near the convention center. It was nice and sunny so I didn't think to take my coat out with me, big mistake, the moment the sun went behind the clouds and the wind started blowing it was freezing and by then we where 20min walk from home and 10min walk to the closest U bahn station so I just had to suck it up and walk the way home. By the time we got home my nose felt like it was frozen.

Sunshine and Wine

top - witchery, cardigan - country road, skirt - cotton on, fleece tights - ambra, high top sneakers - high street, watch - big w, cat brooch - cotton on

Yesterday was a crazy day. After running errands in the morning I met my boyfriend and some of his class mates at the Hofbräuhaus in the city for a late lunch. I arrived at about 3 (they had already been there since 1pm) there was already wine on the table. After we moved in side because it was starting to get cold in the beer garden we then carried on with the wine. At 7pm we managed to rope in 2 german men who where having after work drinks onto our table who then insisted in buying everyone shots (4 rounds of them, I didn't have any of them because it was a nasty cherry flavored drink that tasted like cough syrup, plus I make it a BIG point to not take any shots from men who I have just met who seem a little TOO happy to give women large quantity of spirits in 10 minutes). At 10pm when we left for the Reeperbahn everyone was starting to feel very happy (very VERY drunk)and then made it to a few clubs before heading home at 2am. This morning was not so bad after I only had a few glasses of wine but everyone else who had been drinking for 12hrs was bad. A tale of woe to everyone.

sunglasses - witchery

sitting outside in the beer garden in 16C sunshine with no jacket. I did not think I would get use to the weather that fast.

Grey Day

tshirt - h&m mens section, jeans/jeggings? - h&m kids section, hightop sneakers - € 5 from a shop on my local highstreet

After spending the last 2 days rushing around getting a new mobile, travel pass and spending 3 nights in a row out late (i got home at 12am last night again) so after it being all hectic I liked having a very slow day today at home getting on with things I have been putting off doing. I have had another shopping trip to pick up some stuff I needed (I may do a haul video to show you what I bought).

I have started to wear jeans because I still haven't got use to the cold yet. In Perth I tried not to wear jeans and trousers when I wasn't at work so I got use to wearing skirts and dresses with tights but in Hamburg it is still very cold and not many women wear skirts or dresses. After being out for the past few day I noticed that the uniform of choice is jacket, jeans, boots or sneakers (they love there converse all stars) but also trying to find skirts in the shops is very difficult I have found that doesn't cost an arm and a leg.

I bought myself another pair of shoes because I have had to get rid of a pair of my boots because they caused me so much pain with blisters, my other shoes I am going to wear the hidden wedge out if I don't give them a brake and my plimsolls are not waterproof so they get wet and smelly easily. So when I was passing by a cheap shoe shop yesterday and saw the €5 sale sign I had to take a look and these fo-leather high top sneakers caught my attention that I had to snap them up. I have had them on all day today after doing my food shopping and they are very comfy. A good investment of money.