When I first stumbled upon The Closet vintage shop, hidden away down a small lane in a part of Aberdeen I had never been to before, I was pleasantly surprised. I was greeted with clothing rails tightly packed with vintage silk gowns, velvet and fur coats, floral embroidered skirts, leather and denim jackets, colourful swing dresses and smart three-piece suits. Delicate pearl necklaces dangled from jewellery hangers placed on top of drawers overflowing with beaded evening bags. Tall glittery 70s go-go boots sat proudly on a shelf next to the window, sparkling under the overhead lights. Hanging from the ceiling, handbags and hats vied for my attention. In the centre of the shop was a circular rail of shirts with every pattern you can think of printed on them. Sitting next to the door, beside a rail of brightly patterned dresses that were waiting patiently to be priced, was Elane, the owner of the shop. She was wearing blue jeans dungarees, a pair of silver high heeled boots with matching fur cuffs, teamed with an acid blue denim jacket and a cream woolly bobble hat on her platinum blonde head. She greeted me with a surprised smile, as if she was shocked to see a customer, and then a jolly "Hello". I've been a regular customer ever since...
My Guide to a Thrifty Christmas
It's approaching that time of year when we all bring our Christmas trees down from the attic and decorate our homes with tinsel, cards and baubles. There are many reasons to start making thrifty Christmases an annual tradition. It's more eco-friendly as it saves items that are in great condition from going to landfill. It can save a lot of money and you are donating to a good cause by buying from charity shops. However, there's a stigma around buying gifts secondhand. Some people think that giving someone a secondhand gift is cheap and insincere. But I disagree. I don't think there's any shame in thrifting for gifts. Christmas can be a difficult time for those with severe budgets so shopping secondhand is a great way to find amazing gifts for a lot less money. Some parents scrape by for months before Christmas so that their children can receive presents from Santa. Gifts should always be appreciated- brand new or not. So, whether you're looking for eco-friendly gifts or you're on a budget, here's my guide to a thrifty Christmas...
Cheap Ways to Help the Environment
Money is often the reason why many people hesitate to buy eco-friendly products and alternatives. Rightfully so; being sustainable sounds great on paper but it can be expensive in practice. Don't have the money to get a micro-plastic filter installed or an ยฃ8 jar of plastic-free toothpaste every month? Me neither. Tired of people telling you that you have to spend money to be environmentally friendly? Same here. I've done a little research into ways to reduce my impact on the planet without whittling my savings away and I thought I'd share some of them with you...
How to Stay Warm without Sacrificing Style
Before I moved up North for uni two years ago, everyone warned me that Aberdeen is freezing- even colder than the rest of Scotland. With that in mind, I've been known to abandon wrapping up to focus on wearing stylish outfits that may not be the most practical. Back when I lived in student accommodation in my first year of uni, my flatmates would question my sanity as I strolled around Aberdeen in November. I would be wearing a skirt, top, and high heels- with nothing covering my legs. Thankfully, I soon realised that wasn't healthy or comfortable for me. So, I experimented with ways to stay warm without restricting my sense of style and fashion. Now that winter is approaching and the temperature is dropping lower and lower, I thought I'd share what I've learned with you all...
A COVID-Proof Halloween
With social distancing and limited household gatherings in public- parties canโt happen this year. Halloween 2020 wonโt be going ahead for a lot of people, after all a global pandemic is enough horror for some of us. However, by being a little creative and with cooperation from neighbours, we may be able to arrange a safe Halloween for everyone. Here are some ideas that Iโll be using to make this yearโs Hallows Eve something worth celebrating...
Tips for Studying at Home
Whether you're in a local lockdown, self isolating or even trying to get used to new covid guidelines, our lives are still being affected by Coronavirus. Universities are back in business, with some choosing to go completely online for this year or having one on-campus class a week. My uni, Robert Gordon University, has opted for the latter. After 2 years of attending in-person lectures and classes, adapting to online sessions is going to be difficult. Last semester, Ryan and I worked through coursework deadlines at home with some difficulty. We usually study on-campus even when classes stop so we had to learn how to study at home in the presence of each other. This is what I learned from studying in lockdown...
How to make your Home Cosy for Autumn
I love autumn. I love the crunch of the fallen orange leaves under the soles of my boots and the days of knitted jumpers and mugs of hot chocolate. Now is the perfect time to get your home cosy and warm for the upcoming sweater weather. "But how?" You might be asking. Well, you came to the right place. Feel free to make yourself a cup of tea and curl up on the couch while I walk you through my favourite ways to decorate and prepare your home for autumn...
My Nail-biting Transformation
For as long as I can remember I've always bitten my nails. It was something my mum and brothers always did so I developed the nasty habit too. Mainly stemming from nerves, anxiety and even boredom, I would subconsciously bite them until they started bleeding. I always felt self-conscious about the way my hands looked, I used to curl them up so you couldn't see my fingers in school photos. I pulled the sleeves of my jumpers over my hands so you couldn't see my raggedy, short nails. I never wore rings and I couldn't wear nail polish...
My Best Thrifty Finds
As some of you may already know, I love a good rummage in a secondhand shop. I love the unique nature of charity shops, every thrift shop is different each time you visit. I find it much more interesting than regular shopping as you can find retro and limited edition pieces. Now you may be wondering about some of the hidden treasures I've found while thrifting, so I've compiled some of my best secondhand finds for you...
What’s in my Backpack? University Edition
With the first semester of university rapidly approaching, I've been preparing all my uni essentials. As a fashion lover, I used to throw a notepad and pen into my handbag and leave it there. But now I take my university life more seriously. Now, I have a Kangol backpack for university, whenever I take anything out of it, I put it back in the bag once I'm done so I don't forget it. With the aftermath of the Coronavirus lockdown to keep in mind, universities are trying to keep in-person lectures and classes to a minimum but a lot of courses are still getting a couple of on-campus classes every week. So even though many people might not need a backpack for university and college this year, I thought I'd share what I take to uni along with some studying and note-taking tips...

