Archive for October, 2014

I’m crazy about this Autumn; All my knitwear is freshly laundered and for the first time smells gorgeously cruelty free as we’re embarking on replacing all our household products with lovely brands that are against animal testing! If you have any recommendations, please leave them in the comments.

I’m totally into these delicious berry shades this year and this shirt from Dorothy Perkins perfectly encapsulates those colours. I bought some shoes at the weekend that I’m excited to match with it so I’m sure I’ll be showing you another way to wear a lumberjack shirt this Fall. The Minnetonkas never fail, though!

The shirt is 2-3 sizes bigger than I’d normally go (it’s a UK 18) for two reasons. One: It was the last one in the store, haha! Two: because I really wanted this loose, slouchy fit. I’ve stopped caring about size labels because nowhere can guarantee the same fit. I often take two or three sizes into the fitting rooms so I can pick out what suits my shape as well as my size. If in doubt, I go big. I love loose tops with skinny jeans and I can always pull them in with a belt over leggings or tights. I have such a variety in my wardrobe now that it just doesn’t bother me if I have to size up anymore. I apply the same rule to band shirts, I get the biggest they have and chop it down to my own specifications.

I’ve had a bit of a rough summer, but I’m so excited for all things now the weather has turned: From fashion to my business to my blog. You’ll start to notice things changing around here over the next few months as I develop more of a focus, but there’ll be more on that later. Please do let me know if you have a favourite feature that you don’t want to disappear, though! You can get me on Twitter if you’d prefer not to comment.

Shirt | Dorothy Perkins  //  Jeans | Dorothy Perkins  //  Cardigan | Topshop
Minnetonkas | c/o Surfdome  //  Earrings | Onetenzeroseven

Loves x xx

Not long after we moved into our current home I became desperate for a dog. Sadly one by one the family dogs had moved on to Doggy Heaven and for the first time in my life I was without a dog. Of course being a renter it’s not easy to keep a pet, so here are my top tips for getting a dog while renting:

// Ask. Our contract didn’t allow us pets, but being the sort of person who isn’t afraid to ask for what I want I went ahead and put in a request to change that. It seemed like a total long shot and our letting agents flat out said no, but our Landlord wanted to think it over. We had talks about it where our landlord voiced his concerns giving us a chance to ease his mind on certain issues. Despite being advised strongly against it by the letting agents, he finally made the decision to write a dog into our contract.

// Offer a larger deposit. We rounded up our security deposit to allow for any additional damage that may be caused by the dog.

// Make compromises. We were due to have a brand new kitchen fitted and the hallway carpets ripped out and walls decorated, so instead we agreed to put that off and get a dog instead. The following year (I presume after our Landlord checked the dog wasn’t programmed to destroy!) our new kitchen was fitted anyway, but we painted our own landing walls and kept the old carpet. That way when we move out it doesn’t matter if the carpet is ruined by the dog because it needs changing anyway.

// Agree to additional cleaning. We had a full carpet clean added to our contract so when we move out we are required to get a professional carpet cleaner or have the cost taken from our security deposit.

// Adopt a rescue dog. Often dogs from rescue centres, particularly slightly older ones, are already housetrained before they come to live with you. This minimises any accidents that may occur or any damage to the house. We also got a massive folder full of our dog’s medical and behaviour history, which leads me on to my next point…

// Create your dog a CV. Hopefully your dog is the poster pup for good behaviour, so gather up recommendations from your vet/neighbours/previous landlord so your landlord has evidence that your dog is well behaved, instead of just taking your word. If you don’t have a dog yet, Dogs Trust can advise you about your new pal!

// Don’t forget insurance!! Argos Pet Insurance asked me to share their services with you guys and I cannot stress how important it is to get insurance. Not only does it cover you for unexpected vet fees, but it also covers for third party liability so your landlord can rest safe that you’ll be able to pay your rent! It also shows you’ve taken the responsibility to look after your pet.

// Be responsible. If you have a long history of being a good tenant, paying on time, not holding wild parties and not causing any damage to your property your landlord will have a stronger trust in you to act the same with a pet.

// Get it in writing. When we went to adopt Frank, because we lived in rented housing we need to provide a letter from our landlord to state that we were allowed to keep a pet. It’s also important to get any stipulations into your contract and signed so no-one can go back on their word at a later date. A dog is for life.

If you have any specific questions, please do ask in the comments or @me on Twitter! It may seem like a long shot, but it’s worth a try. Trust me.

Loves x xx