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Treat Yo' Self Gift Guide

My saved baskets and bookmarked list of things to buy has been growing increasingly bigger in the past few weeks as I'm DYING to start dressing for more spring-appropriate weather - not that it's coming anytime soon. With Valentine's day looming, it seems like as good a time as any to splash the cash and indulge in some shiny new pieces for my wardrobe. I put together a list of things I've been lusting after recently. I never need an excuse to treat myself but I'm taking full advantage of this time of year and waiting in optimistic anticipation for my fave brands to help a gal out by dropping an extremely generous promo-code...

I've been dreaming about owning this & Other Stories striped jumper, priced at a v reasonable £25. The only problem is deciding which colour to choose because it comes in eight different variations and I'm obsessed with every single one. I really don't need another striped jumper - or any kind of jumper at all, come to think of it - but & Other Stories is one of those irresistible brands which I'm always so impressed by and I just don't think I'm strong enough to resist. I think I've narrowed it down to this green and pink number so I may have to visit the new store in Leeds Victoria Gate centre to make a purchase closer to pay day. 

I've also been obsessed with this asymmetrical midi skirt from Topshop which I think would look so cute with an oversized jumper or a slogan-tee and high-top converse. Given my limited student budget, it's a bit pricey at £39 but it's not often I find something in Topshop that I absolutely MUST have so I reckon I'd regret it if I missed out. It's not often that I wear red and I've never owned anything in such a statement print so I need to see this purchase as more of an investment in a unique but extremely transitional piece rather than an unnecessary splurge. For the sake of 'treating myself', it will be mine.

The next item on my 'treat yo' self' gift guide is 100% aspirational and completely inaccessible but one day I hope I'll have the necessary funds to be Shrimps' number one customer. While I'm in a constant state of grief over my lack of statement faux-fur Shrimps coat, I've also found myself hopelessly wishing for the new-in Mary jumper. I'm still unwaveringly committed to the ruffle/frill trend and recently picked up a grey long-sleeved jumper from Primark in a similar style to this, which I suppose will have to do for now.

I'm off on my hols at the end of April to soak up some much needed sunshine. Huddersfield is potentially the least sunny town in the whole of England and I'm desperate for some vitamin D. The weather lately has only been pushing me to start preparing sooner - at this rate, I'll be packed and ready to go to the airport with passport in hand by the end of this month. I was on the hunt for the perfect pair of espadrille-style sandals last year but I think I left my search a little too late. I love this ASOS pair because the wedge is the perfect height to wear during the day and in the evenings and I expect they'll be quite practical to wear when the weather (hopefully) warms up here in the UK too. Also over on ASOS, I've found this extremely cool ban.do beach towel which is just so me - definitely not something I've ever said about a towel before. Inspired by Megan and Faye, the ridiculously cool Mellaby sisters, on their recent trip to Miami, I've decided that it's about time I invest in a pair of statement sunglasses. I LOVE everything by Quay Australia, including this gorge Quay x Chrissy-Jetlag pair in black and rose-gold... my only issue is that I'm short-sighted, so I'm having a serious internal struggle over whether I can pay so much money for a pair of sunglasses that I can't really see out of. First world problems, I know.

I also decided to show myself some non-materialistic love this week by ordering myself a bunch of Bloom & Wild flowers which are just starting to blossom in time for Valentine's day! I think buying yourself a bunch of flowers is a seriously underestimated act of self-care; so whether you're single or not right now, go buy yourself some flowers and treat yourself to something in your much neglected saved basket this Valentine's day. 

6 Reasons to Interrail

January 2017 marks twelve months since I jetted off across the Atlantic for a short New York city break and six months since I set off on an incredible solo Interrail adventure of a lifetime, so naturally, I'm feeling all kinds of nostalgia and wanderlust and just plain sadness that I'm currently a bit stuck in the dreary routine of university, work, cold weather and dark evenings. Despite how much time has now passed since I arrived back at home, I still have so much left to say about what proved itself to be such a valuable and enriching experience out in Europe over summer. 

I present you with a basic list of reasons why you ABSOLUTELY should take the plunge and book yourself an Interrail ticket straight away. This is a blog post for anyone who is tempted to fill their summer with long train journeys and new places but just needs an extra push, or for anyone who would NEVER DREAM of setting off with just one bag of belongings and no fixed abode for such a long period of time - because there's absolutely no reason why you can't do it too. Let's get stuck in...


You'll be out of your comfort zone the entire time
I never truly knew how much I was capable of until I went interrailing and I can't even begin to describe how much confidence its given me in my everyday life now. I don't even know what a comfort zone is anymore! I definitely don't live in it these days. It literally did change my life to make such a bold and brave decision, and then to put that decision into action for everyday that I spent abroad. If you're looking to do something totally 'unlike you' or try something new that you've never done before, I just can't recommend this enough as a way to finally push yourself into doing something a bit more daring.

It gives you an incentive to save
I can't think of anything more satisfying than saving up for an Interrail holiday because you're literally saving up for the experience of a lifetime which (in my opinion) beats a package holiday hands down - mainly because it gives you so much more freedom to personalise your experience in every possible way. A great thing about Interrail is the fact that anybody can afford it and you can make it exactly the type of getaway you want based on the type of accommodation you stay in and the type of food you eat - be it mixed communal hostels and packed lunches consisting of supermarket-bought ingredients, or fancy apartments and expensive restaurants. I think I found a comfortable middle ground: my hostels cost on average about €12 per night but they were all very safe and clean and I cut down the cost of food by utilising the hostel's all-you-can-eat breakfast buffets where possible (and sneaking out a sandwich for lunch too) as well as packing plenty of cereal bars to snack on throughout the month.

Without sounding cliché, you'll learn a lot about yourself
I learnt that I can cope really well in quite bizarre situations and even when faced with challenging language barriers, I can muddle through alright. I spent 75% of my time completely lost but I'd estimate that I was only ever genuinely concerned about it maybe 2% of the time. I also learnt, reeeaally surprisingly, that I love being active and walking non-stop. I know right, crazy. I always knew that I would love travelling. It had held my attention for so many years and it still does today. Actually doing it for real just reaffirmed it all for me. It's given my life another layer of purpose and meaning that I'd probably be quite lost without, ironically.

You'll make friends all over the world
I snapchat girls from the Netherlands and I keep up with others from Taiwan on Instagram. I went to a bar in Prague with some girls from Iceland and spent a day at the beach with another group in Barcelona. In just a few short weeks, I met people from different parts of Australia, Ireland, Scotland, Germany, South Africa and so much more. I even had a brief argument with one Spanish girl who WRONGLY accused me (quite aggressively) of moving her things - haha! One of the many benefits of interrailing alone is definitely how much more approachable it makes you to other solo travellers or small groups. OBVIOUSLY safety comes first so I was always cautious and never 100% trusting of anyone - but I still find it cool that I had so many conversations with countless different people from all over the world.

Getting there is half the fun
I visited nine cities over the course of the month but I also saw so many hours of gorgeous countryside and European towns across the continent from my train carriages! My train from Berlin to Prague followed alongside the most beautiful Bavarian-style village nestled by a river in between mountains and it was just so lovely. I spent a maximum of four days in every city I visited and during that time I did and saw everything I possibly could, but the few hours that I spent watching the world go by during the train journeys was the most welcome respite both mentally and physically. 

It gives you a powerful voice
I looked to the internet to provide me with other people's accounts of their experiences, so it excites me that I could be a contributing factor behind someone else's travel inspiration. The Interrail website itself provides an absolute wealth of information about train times and tickets, routes, packing essentials, insurance etc. etc. etc. and this is the first place I'd direct anybody to as they start to put their plans together. Getting to hear personally about other people's trips does make your own plans feel all the more real, however, and it's always useful to get an insider's view about hidden gems and cheap eats!