Chop chop

If you ever mention cutting your own fringe to a hairdresser be prepared for a sharp intake of breath, a shake of the head and disparaging comments. Really, they don't recommend it. I can understand that. Especially since they offer free fringe trims. However - and I really cannot stress this enough - half the time they do it WRONG.  The number of times I have left the hairdressers dissatisfied with the result. I tend to whip the scissors out and hack off bits they've missed.

I have only ever found one hairdresser who cuts my fringe properly. But I tend to feel like a fraud when I go in and just ask for a fringe trim. That is why I did the unthinkable. I took scissors to my own hair. Cut back in my blunt fringe. I didn't get scissor-happy, just made it so that I can see. And I'm pretty content with the (free) result. One of my colleagues came in the morning after and I was greeted with 'I LOVE your hair!'. Yes I was also wearing my extensions, but still. And the following day my old hairdresser - who is coming back from maternity leave - praised my fringe and was shocked to learn it was all my own handiwork. High praise indeed.

Shapers? My ass....

Slightly more appropriate title than you might think.
Out of curiosity I thought I'd try out New Look's new Shaper collection of jeans. They supposedly suck you in and lift your bum. So far they sound ideal.
However.
There had to be a however.
And in this case there are two.

1. Colour limitations.
They only seem to come in this very dated blue denim. No black. No grey. No dark blue. Just blue. Not such a flattering colour to say the least.

2. My butt.
I have mentioned before that I'm quite fond of my bum. As bums go, it's not that bad. It's certainly not my worst feature. It has a nice curve to it. God bless squats.
So to find a pair of jeans that actually FLATTEN my bum? I'm sorry, but that's just not good. Yes it lifts (as advertised) but it squishes it. In fact, it squishes everything.

Sorry New Look, I'm not a convert. Nice try though.

She opens her trap

Now normally I'm not one to venture my opinion to a stranger except from behind the safety of a counter. At least, not out loud. In fact, around large groups of strangers I become quite the wallflower. But when it comes to shopping, I feel that I can say something. It's always nice to have someone say that you look nice, right?

Hunting for new work shoes (it's murder because they just don't last more than a month) in New Look I spotted a woman trying on two different pairs of wedge shoes in different colours, clearly trying to decide between the two. I told her I thought the black and blue ones looked nicer, and she explained that she was trying to find a pair of shoes to match a certain pair of jeans she'd bought. Genuinely the most colourful jeans I have ever seen. Hard to match. So I suggested maybe something black with chunky straps so that it wasn't block colour. And she went with them. Awesome.

....but it doesn't stop there. Clearly our exchange hadn't gone unheard. Once I'd finished talking to that customer (in a shop I don't actually work in. They should clearly employ me) another lady came up to me in the shoe department asking my opinion on a pair of shoes she was trying on and whether or not they'd go with her dress.

If this proves anything to me, it's that I have a fairly good eye. Sure, it may take me a few false starts to get dressed in the morning. And I may apparently look like a 'Bristol Chav' today because of my hair. But I'm pretty darn good at accessorizing.

Bad luck

Did I break a mirror lately? Because I am going through a spell of incredibly bad luck. How many 23 year old women have their phone stolen and their Paypal account hacked and big money transferred in the same week? Those are the highlights. The big ones. And I've spent today hungover which has hardly helped. Diet and exercise have gone out the window as I mourn my fuzzy head and feel sorry for my self-inflicted state.
Topshop haul post soon. It was a big one...

It's not all doom and gloom.

As those who've read this blog before will have noticed, I have a very low opinion of myself. Particularly in the looks department. But lately I've been thinking that in spite of all that, all of us have certain things about ourselves that we think aren't all that bad. And to that end, here are mine.

• My eyes. They're big and blue and not a normal shape. But I like'em. I do have eyebrows that curve almost at a 45 degree angle to them, but they'll do.
• My bum. Okay, so it's not exactly small. And it doesn't look all that great in a pair of skinny jeans. But the majority of the guys I've dated in the last year have commented on it favourably. So it can't be all that bad surely? 
• My hair. Yes, I add a little (a lot) of length with extensions every so often but that's part of the fun. I've been at my happiest since I dyed it back to red. And I like to experiment. Today I'm sporting Pippi Longstocking-esque plaits. Tomorrow I'm debating curling and pinning it all. The possibilities are endless. 

I could write a much longer list critiquing my flaws but that wouldn't really serve any purpose except to make me feel a bit pants. I have a better idea....

• My thighs are my biggest body hangup. Really they are. It doesn't help that I have short legs in proportion to my body. However, they aren't as bad as I think. I wear tights with skirts, yes, because I'm insecure about them, but I've finally bought my first pair of Topshop skinny jeans. I've been terrified of trying them on because I'd convinced myself I'd never fit them. I'll say this for them - they look better on when I'm not in the store. Strange, but true. 
• I've had horrific amounts of orthodontic work done on my teeth. I used to look a lot like Goofy. I would never smile with my mouth open, I was so self-conscious, even after the work was done. Yes, my bottom teeth aren't quite in line any more but I've learned to smile properly. Just not in photos! 
• I've never had muscle in my upper arms. I'm weak as a kitten. I will lose in any play fight. I will say this for Starbucks though, it's toned up my upper arms a bit. My (former) least favourite part of my body, and then an assistant in River Island commented on them enviously. I have to say, that made me feel pretty good.

So there are a few silver linings to be had. Even when you're a massive Scrooge, like me. But I have been good and started my Christmas shopping. And bought many things for myself from Topshop. I will share the spoils of that another time. Let's just say, it was expensive!