5 ways to show personality on your blog

When I started this blog, I had absolutely no personality. It was so bland and boring. Here's a true extract for you:

It's that time of the year again: Spring Couture time. I love the spring collections. In the depths of winter, when it's at that horrible time after Christmas yet only getting colder, it's so exciting to gaze at the fresh, breezy collections in awe.

Excrutiating! Then, around July, I had an epiphany. I realised that I wasn't showing my true personality. I was portraying myself as this sane, calm person when actually the truth couldn't be more different! From then on, I let myself go. I unleashed my true self on to the internet and, you know what, my blog became a much better place because of it!

I know it's difficult to get the hang of showing your personality online so I've compiled a list of 5 tips. This is how I did it so I hope it works for you too!

1. Photos
Imagine you're at a party. Your best friend points your own camera at you. How do you pose? For me, it would be something like this:

Obviously, you don't need to take this literally but use it as a starting point. If you don't give a simmering pout in your real life, why would you do it in your virtual life? Perhaps tone it down a little (or not!) but do consider how to incorporate your go-to poses into your blog. This is the end result for me:

Review: Benefit Coralista

If there's one thing we know about me, it's that I love Benefit! My Thrrrob blush is my ultimate blush ever and I'm still gutted that it's been discontinued. Nevertheless, my Hervana is keeping me pink-blush-happy in its wake. I'm still open to experimentation though, so when I saw this peeking out of my Grandma's make up bag, I asked if I could try it out. To my delight, she replied "You can keep it". Turns out she bought it when she couldn't find a replacement of her Nars blush but found it didn't quite live up to it. She should totally be a beauty blogger!

The packaging is super cute. I love the tropical appearance, although the leopard print is a bit tacky. I also love the Box o' Powder box designs, with the little mirror and magnet closure. The brush inside is rubbish- Too difficult to control and far too rectangular for a natural application. I just bin it and use a nice round brush instead.

In the box, the powder looks like a really bright coral however on application, it's a little more natural. I'm not entirely convinced whether it's the right shade for my skintone. Maybe it's just that I'm used to pink blushes but I think this makes me look a little jaundiced. It would probably look better on darker skin.

As with all Benefit blushers, the consistency is lovely- a nice, matte finish with some subtle glimmer to it. It lasts really well and, when it does fade, it fades evenly so I don't end up with a streaky face! 

I'll be sure to use this up but I'm not sure I'll repurchase it. There's nothing wrong with it, I'm just not sure if it's my shade. But maybe it will grow on me. We'll see. 

House Tour: Kitchen

Our kitchen is the mythical place where Rich goes to get me food! I have to admit, I only ever go in the kitchen on my way to the bathroom which is on the other side. I'm certainly not a domestic goddess! Nevertheless, it's in full view of our living room so I've tried to make it look as pretty as possible.

I love salt and pepper shakers. These are one of three pairs, which is funny as we never actually use any! 

A very old and very faded photo of us. I think it was just put in the kitchen when we were unpacking after moving and it never found a home.

I love the 1950s dining table we have. We never sit at the table though. It's really just used as a glorified kitchen counter. 

I think I picked up this cute door hanger in Brighton a year or so ago. Or maybe it was a gift from my mum. I can't quite remember. 

These magnets were definitely a gift from my mum! I have the Blue Energy blob on there too, just because it's so cute!

The newspaper clipping is a couple of years old now. The squinty-eyed goalie in green is my little brother. Proud big sister right here! 

This little squirrel was a Christmas present from Rich a couple of years ago. He's actually a Christmas decoration but he's too cute to be relegated to The Box every year. Instead he takes up permanent residence in the kitchen, only to visit his holiday home of the Christmas tree in December. 

My entire kitchen seems to be made up of gifts from my mum. This advertisement sign was a birthday present. She saw it and thought of me immediately!

 My ultimate dream is a pink retro kitchen. In the absence of a lottery win, however, I have to make do with a pink biscuit tin, toaster and kettle. 

The radio biscuit tin is a first aid kit. As with little tin of plasters in front, the tin was- you guessed it- a present from my mum! We keep our coppers in the Coca Cola glass in the foreground.

This is my favourite part of the kitchen- The skylight! 

Wow, turns out our kitchen is pretty much stuffed to the brim with knick knacks! 

29th June 2013

Cardigan: Primark

Top: Erdem for Topshop

Skirt: Topshop

Yeah, ok, I know it's July now (you what? When did that happen?) but this is what I wore to see the Rocky Horror Show on Saturday. This skirt is one of the presents Rich bought me for my birthday. I absolutely love it! 

My favourite 5 albums of all time

Yes, I know there's only 4 CDs here. Somehow, my other favourite- Deja Entendu by Brand New- has gone AWOL. I've already re-bought it once because I lost my first one! Now I've lost the second one too. Sigh!

Picking up these CDs to take these photos was the strangest sensation. It's been years since I held a CD and the feeling of holding a stack of CD cases in your hands, tapping the covers with your nails, is so nostalgic. Try it! It took me right back to my teenage years- I haven't played these CDs for 6 years.

Of course, I imported them to iTunes as soon as I got my laptop and later stuck them on my iPod, so I still listen to them all the time. It's a little sad that teenagers of today won't have the physical memories that we do.

So here's my top 5 albums of all time. It will come as no surprise to you that they're all emo classics and I bought every single one between 2005 and 2006. I'm so predictable! 

Three Cheers for Sweet Revenge- My Chemical Romance
Well, there had to be a My Chemical Romance album here somewhere! I bought this way back in 2005 and I still remember putting it on my Walkman as soon as I got on the tube. I have a really vivid memory of sitting on the Circle Line listening to Helena for the first time. I don't think there's any album that takes me back to the feeling of being 16 like this one does!

Sing the Sorrow- AFI
My best friend Marie was way ahead of me on this one. I was too sweet and innocent to listen to rock music when I was at school but Marie was already becoming an emo kid. We'd hang out in the drama studio at lunch and she'd always put this album on. A year later, in mid-2005, I bought my own copy. That summer, Marie and I would spend hours lying side-by-side on her bed, listening to this album on repeat in the dark. It's true emo at its best.

Where you Want to be- Taking Back Sunday
I was a latecomer to Taking Back Sunday. I knew of them- I remember chatting to a boy I went to school with outside Asda one time and him saying to me "You're not a real emo unless you like Taking Back Sunday" (Aah, the nostalgia of elitism!), and being mortally embarrassed by my little brother, then 15, loudly asking "Who's this?" when they supported Green Day at Milton Keynes. However, it was only when I started going to the local rock club at the end of 2005 that I first heard Decade Under the Influence and actually paid attention to the ultimate emo band. Their lyrics were a revelation to me- It was like they were living my life!

Deja Entendu- Brand New
Again, Marie was miles ahead of me with this album. She'd listen to it all the time but I didn't show much interest in it until I started uni in 2006. Suddenly, these morose songs, which I once neglected due to my love of catchy melodies, made sense to me. I still think it's one of the most beautiful albums of all time. Everything about it is pure perfection. 

Casually Dressed and Deep in Conversation- Funeral for a Friend
Ah, our home-grown emo kings! In the UK, it was pretty much accepted that you couldn't be emo without listening to Funeral for a Friend. Of course, Juneau was the song that alerted me to them and, as soon as I decided I was emo (yes, it was a conscious decision!), I went out to buy this CD. Somehow, even today, I see Funeral for a Friend all the time. I've seen My Chemical Romance 16 times, but I think I may have seen these guys even more. I don't know, I've lost count! It's a bit of a joke with me and Laura that I'm always seeing them! Speaking of which, Marie- We need to sort out those tickets for next month! 

To give you a little rundown on 2005-era emo, I've chosen the stand-out track of each album. Rip up your fishnets, don the red eyeshadow and enjoy!

Rocky Horror Show

As I briefly mentioned yesterday, I went to the theatre with my grandma yesterday. We had a lovely day out shopping first and then I headed to the theatre with my sweet, delicate, late-70s grandmother to see... The Rocky Horror Show! I can tell you, we got a fair few odd glances when we walked into the auditorium!
Of course, like all good days out, we went for a trip around the shops first. In Waterstones, I picked up a few supplies for my new home office and we got some chocolates to take in with us. After a couple of hours, we stopped in Debenhams for a blueberry muffin.

 With the obligatory Diet Pepsi, of course! 

 My grandma is one stylish lady. I am absolutely in love with her floral biker jacket! 

 Then it was time to head to the theatre. So many people were dressed up! I know it's the done thing, but I wasn't expecting so many people to be in such extravagant fancy dress, especially for a matinée! My highlight has to be the girl dressed as Rocky in only a tiny gold bikini. That's commitment! 

We had really great seats! What a perfect view of the stage! 

 Yep, that's a man in a feather boa and a man next to him in a basque. Unfortunately for us, the man in the basque was quite noticeably, olfactorily sweaty! Luckily, they moved to better seats at the interval!

The show itself was brilliant. I saw the film about 7 years ago and I wasn't really bowled away by it so I was surprised at just how great the show was. There really is that pantomime atmosphere to it and it's absolutely hilarious. Oliver Thornton, in the role of Frank n Furter, and Philip Franks as the narrator were both brilliant. There was some very witty improvisation from both. I didn't realise until afterwards that the girl who was playing Janet is the same girl who played Tracy Beaker... An odd realisation given the adult nature of the show! 

The show finished with only an hour until the evening performance started, so as we left, there was a queue of people waiting to enter for the second show. A 6ft 5"+ man in full-on drag, including stripper heels and a thong, stopped my grandma as we left the theatre, took her hand and said "Did you enjoy the show, darling?". They had a little chat and she was absolutely over the moon by his kindness. She told everybody on the way home- including a fellow train passenger and the guard- about the experience! 

All in all, it was a really fantastic show and I'd absolutely love to go again. Of course, next time I will be donning the full regalia! It's on tour and is going all over the country- from Bournemouth to  Aberdeen- over the next few months so I seriously recommend snapping up some tickets. Just don't forget to dress up- You'll regret it if you don't! 

Word of July: Love

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Love is a great word, right? This month, I'm on a mission to spread love everywhere! Here are my plans for the month:

• Tweet someone three times a week to tell them what I love about them (Follow with #BedbugLove)
• Go on two dates with The Rich
• Do something I love every week