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.