Wildest Dreams

 Dress - Topshop. Jacket - Craft. Necklaces - Miss Selfridge. Boots - New Look.

One thing I thought about when I got back to blogging after my break was how I needed to re-insert the ‘country girl’ vibe, and what’s a better way to do that than stand by a windmill?

I drive past this windmill most days as it’s only 5 minutes away from my house, and although I remember walking to it on a year 3 School trip, I’ve never really looked at it. But a few months ago I was driving home late from school and realised the sun was a bright ball of red and that it was setting perfectly behind the windmill. So instantly I thought, being the 21^st teenager that I am, I must take a photo. So I pulled over to take a picture and took one crappy photo before my phone died. Now although I didn’t get my perfect instagram shot, I just stood there isolated from the world staring at this fiery ball of red setting over a windmill. It shows that a small break from technology can help you realise the beauties of the world.

This dress is one of my favourite new pieces this summer. It’s from Topshop and is just a perfect white summery dress with beautiful flowery details around the bust. A simple white dress is one of my favourite things to wear, you can wear it so many different ways that you can never get bored of. I chose to edge it up a bit wearing my new choker set (which I’m still not too sure of) my leather jacket (trying to be Emma Swan from Once Upon a Time…) and my standard heeled ankle boots. This dress is definitely going to be worn and re-worn many times over the summer.

I’m having another lovely day in London today, and might even vlog it! Hope the start of your week is going well, make sure you follow me on twitter and instagram whilst you there!

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Why I'm glad I had surgery four years ago

On this day, 4 years ago, I had major back surgery. I had two rods of Titanium infused into my spine to straighten a curve in my spine - to correct my scoliosis. At the time, this surgery was a major thing, and it still is but 4 years on I am so glad that I took the step (not that I had much choice) to have surgery as not only has it corrected my spine and stopped me wearing a back brace until I was 18, it has taught me so many things.

There is always someone going through something worse

The year before my operation I had to wear this plastic back brace for 20 hours each day - eating, sleeping and only really taking it off for dancing. I remember one night only a couple of weeks after I got it I had a breakdown crying that I couldn't understand why me out of everyone had this and felt that life was unfair. Although it's true, life is unfair, I remember my mum saying that I had to realise that there are always people going through worse situations and that has stuck with me since then. Scoliosis was bad but it was no way near life threatening, it was painful but not excruciating pain, and it could be fixed. Since then, whatever I go through I try to keep that in my head that there are always people worse off than you and that in fact, you're actually very lucky.

Family and Friends and the most important things

The week I stayed in hospital those four years ago was long. I remember lots of random details from it, but my most prominent memories are my family who was always around. My mum stayed with me the whole week - she was freezing after wearing about 10 jumpers and on one of the last nights managed to break the bed she was sleeping on! My dad, brother and sister drove 40/50 minutes most days looking forward to seeing me but just ended up sitting in a dark hospital room with me sleeping every five minutes, but they never failed to try and make me smile. Then once I was back home recovering it was the frequent visits from my friends that brightened up the whole summer - the group of three of my friends, who are still my best friends, coming every week to watch Harry Potter, eat lots of chocolate and play some random Harry Potter board game. It was the support of them, and lots of other friends that kept me going - it made me realise that although I like to be on my own sometimes, friends and family are always there for you.

There is always something else out there

Dancing since the age of three has been my hobby and my surgery had put that on hold for just under a year. I knew I physically couldn't dance, but I felt empty and hated the fact that it was still going on even when I wasn't there. It was on one random evening when I was reading the Teen Vogue Handbook that I decided to start a blog. I didn't have any clue about the blogging community, didn't know what was a good blog, didn't know what to write - but I did it anyway. It gave me a new hobby and more drive for my ambition. It was in those months following my operation that I realised that I wanted to go down the English/ Journalism route, it was having that space away from dancing that allowed me to open my mind to other delights the world had to offer. 

My surgery taught me to be strong, it taught me to look on the bright side, it taught me to take anything in my stride. Scoliosis has givens me setbacks and pain over the past five years but I'm glad I had it. It's a story to tell, it's my main event in my teenage years and although I wouldn't wish it on anyone - anyone can get through it!

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Final Fling

Dress - Quiz Clothing, Shoes - New Look.

'Prom' or 'Final Fling' - as my school like to call it - is supposed to be 'The best night of your life' and  be the highlight of your whole school life. My night was good, but it wasn't the highlight of my school years. The highlight of my school years are the most random ones; the memories of dancing with my group of girls in the house room to Olly Murs, or laughing at our rumbling tummies in year 13 English, or eating too many biscuits in the common room. These are the highlights of my school life that I will cherish. This one night was good, it made the whole year come together and everyone looked beautiful but it was the pinnacle of school. Many memories add up to what I will remember of my school life, the good and the bad, and I don't think this one night reflects it all.

I was so stuck on what dress I wanted for Final Fling. In my head I thought I knew exactly what I wanted, but it turns out it didn't really exist! So three weeks before the night I was stuck between a elegant dress from Quiz or this fantasy princess type dress from Asos - I joked that I would wear this dress on a red carpet and the other to the Met Ball! I decided on this dress from Quiz because of how simple yet elegant it is, the beading on the neckline and below the bust add a little sparkle which I wanted but the white and black chiffon create the flowy, ethereal look. I kept Jewellery simple, with my mother's earrings, my grandmas ring and my other grandmas bracelet. My hair was beautifully done by my friend Emily, I loved it! It was so nice not to have my hair traipsing around my neck, but to have it off my face yet still frame my face, it was possibly my favourite part of my whole outfit.

Tonight I'm off to see Miss Saigon in the West End with Madeleine and my mum. I do love a good musical and I've heard it is outstanding!

Now Watching // I've just finished watching Once Upon a Time (blog post coming soon!) and I've just started Season 2 of The Originals!

Now Reading // Tess of the D'urbervilles by Thomas Hardy - I read the first half super quickly but have seemed to slow down a bit now - Netflix got the better of me!

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Getting back to normal

So, I haven’t written in a while, and partly that’s been because my life has been so hectic and partly its because I have lost motivation/ confidence in this blog.

My life the past month or so has been extremely busy and you will have seen on my instagram. I’ve been finishing off exams (thank god their over – now for the long wait until August 13^th), went on a girls holiday to Ayia Napa, had a lot of ‘end of school’ celebrations like Vale and Final Fling (Prom and a speech day/graduation type thing) then have been preparing for my dance show which happened this past weekend. I’ve been wanting to live life in the present and not worry about my blog, which is weird, I shouldn’t worry about my blog, I should be excited to write about it. But, I couldn’t really put it into words all the different emotions I felt about leaving school and dancing and in a way didn’t (and still don’t) want to come to terms with it. I am excited to go to Uni, but I am also terrified for everything to change.

For some reason in my head  I created a mental block against my blog. I would sit down to write a post and think ‘Why are you doing this?’ ‘There are so many other people who write better than you’ and ‘Your blog design looks like a child has done it.’ Therefore I just closed the window and opened Netflix to distract myself. Even with the encouragement with my friend Luke to collaborate to create a better youtube channel, I lacked motivation, and I still do.

But, my blog is my baby. I’ve nearly been running one for 4 years and I can’t give up now. It’s an odd period in my life, everything is ending but I know new beginnings are around the corner, and I want to document that and be able to look back at exactly what was going on in my life and treasure the inbetween moments. So, I’m back, StyleStorey is back to normal (fingers crossed) and I’m seriously considering a blog redesign or even a move to wordpress, but we shall see. To symbolise the ending of multiple things to the beginning of new things these two photos are a sunset and a sunrise in Ayia Napa.

If any of you are still around, thank you for reading this and thank you sticking by me through a very bland blog break!

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All Over Again

Top - Forever 21. Skirt - Topshop. Shoes - H&M.

Excuse my weird posing and the multiple creases in my top, it appears that when I don't shoot outfit photo's in a while I lose the ability to shoot any nice photos. But, here's an outfit! I know it's been a long time coming but outfit posts are so difficult to keep on top of and I've become very self critical in myself and my blog posts recently that I want everything to be the best it can be. I think this happens most of the time on study leave, I spend most of my days with no make-up on, in trackies and baggy t-shirts that even when I do get dressed, the outfit normally isn't blog worthy! But on Tuesday I went on a little trip to Ikea with my mum and took advantage of the sunny-ish weather to wear two of my new summer pieces. I am obsessed with any white clothes at the moment and this top is very high on my favourite lists. I haven't been too sure what to pair this A-line denim skirt with but it pairs well with this floaty crop top. Then I dug out my platforms from last summer to complete this monochrome look. Although I was a little too optimistic and had to wear a knit cardigan with it to Ikea!

Yesterday was such a good day, I had day one of All England Regional Finals which is the semi-finals of a big dance competition that we have been working towards the past two years. And two of our groups came 1st and qualified for the finals in London! So it was a day filled with anticipation and a lot of nerves but ended in complete happiness!

Hope your week has been good and you have a fun weekend planned - I'm going out for dinner with my friends tonight then at the dance competition all weekend, so excuse the multiple Instagrams that I'm sure will happen!

Now Watching // Catching up with everyone's vlogs from Beautycon!

Now Reading // Everyone on my bloglovin feed

Now Listening // All Over Again by The Shires - a perfect Friday sound

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3 reasons why Beautycon London was so inspiring

I feel so motivated. I want to do my best, I want to pour my heart into my blog and I want to feel proud of the content I have created.

I went to Beautycon over the weekend and it was amazing, I met so many great people and listened to some really interesting panels that I feel so inspired with my blog, and here's why - 

1. Being surrounded by like-minded people.

My friends understand that I love blogging and the internet etc, and even my family get it - but I'm not sure they fully understand it. But, being at Beautycon felt like I was surrounded by people who truly understand the blogging/vlogging community. Yes, we could freak out that the bloggers that we watch and read everyday were right in front of us but we could also listen to what they were saying during the panels and learn from it. When I asked the not so simple question of 'Twitter or Instagram?' to Lily Pebbles, Anna from Viviannadoesmakeup, Lucy and Lydia and Sammi from the Beauty Crush they all reacted in a way that I would - completely stuck but decided on Instagram because of the visual elements and creativity. It was just amazing to be surrounded by people like that, and reminded me why going to events isn't scary, but fun!

2. Making a career out of a hobby.

Now when I started this blog, I wanted to be a journalist. And, part of me still does, but another part of me wonders if I could make a career out of this blog. Obviously this blog doesn't have a wide readership and is just a hobby and will be of the next three years but a tiny niggle in the back of my brain says, if these women did it, why can't I? Reading people like Suzie from Hello October and Zoe from ZoeLondon blog's everyday, then meeting them in person just made it clearer to me that these women are normal human beings who have worked incredibly hard to be where they are today! And seeing that has motivated me to try my best and make this blog the best it can be!

3. Everyone is unique.

The blogging world is huge, there is no denying that, and quite often it feels like your just the same as everybody else and cannot come up with original content. But, from listening to the panels I started to understand something - everyone is different. Everyone approaches their content differently, everyone is better at a specific part of a blog whether it be the writing, the photographing or the promoting, and it doesn't matter that the blogging world is so big. It was tempting to think that at Beautycon there was just multiple people who are exactly like me - but, yes, they're similar - but no-one can blog the same. Everyone runs their blog for a different reason, everyone has different aims for running their blog, everyone is different but everyone loves blogging and that's the thing that connects us all!

After a crazy busy weekend I am stuck revising and preparing for a big dance competition at the end of the week so make sure to follow me on twitter and instagram to keep up with my random daily thoughts and please, keep me entertained!

Now watching // I may have watched the whole of season 1 of Once Upon a Time last week...

Now Reading // I've literally just started a Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger

Now Playing // Hunter Hayes has been on repeat after seeing him in concert of Friday night!

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Instagram Lately #5

The longer I stay away from blogging and the blogging world, the harder I find it is to return. I've had an unplanned three week absence from my blog and yes, that annoys me, but I have been so caught up in everyday life that my blog just had to take a back seat. I had three weeks back at school and they were full of ups and downs - it was weird, it was the last stretch of school yet I found it almost the most challenging. I felt like I was already done with it, that I was done with the everyday routine, I was done with some of the people and I was done with the lessons. My weekend's were filled with dance competitions and my weeks with photography and exam prep. But last week was my last week at school and it was fab - it was bittersweet. My last day on Friday consisted of a car hide and seek, yearbook awards (which I won most likely to be a youtube sensation, ha), a barbecue, a rodeo bull, a waterfight, and a night out with loads of my school year - it was perfect! 

And now I'm on study leave which means my life revolves around revision and dancing which I'm actually okay with. I've still got quite a while until my last two exams so I'm fairly chilled and the stress hasn't started yet! 

Sorry for being absent over most social media sights the past few weeks but being on study leave should help me get back into the swing of things! 

Hope everyone is having a good week - and good luck with any exams that you have!

Now Reading // I've read so many Young Adult books in the past few weeks that I might do a blog post about them!

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My Spring Country Playlist!

After recently discovering the joys of having Spotify premium it has enabled me to find some pretty awesome new music. If you've been reading my blog for a while you will know that I have a soft spot for some country music, and that's the basis of my music playlist at the moment. So I thought, as I did back in June I would talk you through some of my favourite albums at the moment.

Striking Matches

'There's no music, no confetti
Crowds don't cheer, and bells don't ringbut you'll know it, I can guaranteewhen the right one comes along'

I first came across Striking Matches a couple of months ago after being introduced to them through the programme Nashville. They are the songwriters of one of the popular Scarlett and Gunnar duets, 'When the right one comes along.' After listening to a few of their EP's I was eager to hear their debut album. Their sound focuses around the guitar and the mix of a male and female voice create a tone of soothing voices that match perfectly to create a country inspired vibe. I'm pretty sure their album will be on repeat for a long long time.

James Bay

'Everything's that's broke
Leave it to the breeze
Why don't you be you
And I'll be me'

I have had James Bay's debut single 'Hold back the river' on repeat for goodness knows how long so I waited with baited breath, as I think a fair amount of the country did, for his debut album and it didn't disappointed! Yes, he does have a similar feel to Ed Sheeran and Sam Smith being a white male singer/songwriter but he has more of an edgy voice. Not only am I a fan of his hat, I love his chilled raspy voice, especially the fact the album has a range of slow songs like 'Need the sun to break' and more upbeat ones like 'collide.' It's the perfect Spring background music!

Nashville: On the Record Vol 2

'Got a pocket full of promise
Got it if you want it
Got a whole lot more to give
If your heart can handle it'

Nashville is one of my favourite TV shows and this music based episode where the cast perform live on the Opry and pay tribute to the songwriters of the show was ideal. Not only did they sing some of my favourite songs from the show like 'If you heart can't handle it' and 'Fade into you' there were some new ones, like the awesome Stella sisters singing 'We got a love.' Whenever the cast of Nashville come out with new songs I listen to them on repeat and this definitely won't be an exception!

The Shires

'We can build our own Nashville
Underneath these grey skies
And people will come, they'll come from far and wide
They'll leave their village greens and their big cities behind
We can build our own Nashville
It's about time'

Another Nashville/country duo, however this time - their from England! The Shires seem to have such a melodic and beautiful sound to their music. Their album, Brave, is a mix of slow love songs and upbeat pop-infused country songs. It's my perfect cup of tea. The upbeat songs like 'Friday Night'   and 'Nashville Grey Skies' sound perfect when driving along with my window down in the sun - then the slower songs like ' Brave' and 'All Over Again' fill the early Taylor Swift-esque hole in my life. The Shires is another music act that I'm very glad I've found!

I'm having a girly night in my sister and mum tonight, eating until we're stuffed and watching The Blind Side, and I couldn't be more excited! Hope your all having a good weekend! 

Now Listening // Listen to my Spotify Playlist of My Spring Country Playlist // StyleStorey - On the side of this page!

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Trouble is as Trouble Does

Top - Forever 21. Kimono and Shoes - H&M. Jeans - Topshop.

Oh, school! It's already taking up all my time and energy - and I've only been back two days! Today was horrible, it started with a timed History essay, after lunch an English timed essay and then I've been stuck in the library for two hours before a history lecture after school, not fun! But I'm actually in a pretty good mood, I've just been given the print edition of INK, and I could not be more excited. It's so exciting to see the whole year of work come together in an actual, physical, (and professional!) magazine. Being the editor, I almost feel like it's my little baby that has been growing this year and now it's finally all grown up - I don't know. It sounds odd but I just feel an overwhelming pride holding my magazine - lets hope its not the first of magazine I'm editor of that I get to hold!

A fairly simple outfit today, taken in my back lounge! It's been all stripped and redecorated so after the suggestion from Madeleine to use it as a background I went ahead and shot this outfit before I went out for dinner last week. I bought this floaty white crop top from Forever 21 and I love it, It has the perfect amount of 'float' (If that's even a word?) and the crochet at the top is a cute little touch. The Kimono adds to the bohemian relaxed type vibe of the outfit. It's just a simple one but actually something I really loved wearing, I felt all girly and cute!

Now Reading // Connor Franta's book 'A Work in progress' popped through my door yesterday and I'm pretty excited to start reading it!

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The importance of being part of a team

I have recently finished re-watching the first season of Friday Night Lights as it came to Netflix recently. And if you don't know what Friday Night Lights is (seriously, where have you been?) it's about a small town in Texas and is based around the high school football team. But, it's not all about sports! It's about the dramas, the romances, the passion behind the sport and everything to do with the coach's family and the players. And, it's amazing. Although I don't want this post to be all about this programme I would seriously recommend that everyone watches it - but I'm writing about this because it got me thinking about teamwork and how important it is.

I dance. That's my hobby (apart from blogging.) I've been dancing since I was three years old and since I was that age, I've been dancing in a group. We do a dance show every year or so so from the age of 3 onwards every year I would perform a dance in a group. Then, from about age eight onwards I started competitions and since then I have been performing with a group of four other girls by my side all these 15 years. And my love for those four other girls feels eternal.  In 3 months or so I will stop dancing with my dance school (as I hope to move to university) and the thought of leaving that dance school honestly breaks my heart. But reflecting on my past 15 years has taught me the importance of teamwork.

Teamwork makes the Dreamwork.

The two dances I do at competitions are solos and groups. I love doing solos - having the stage to your own and getting lost in a moment. But it's only you on that wide stage and sometimes, it gets a bit lonely. When you look out and see all those eyes staring just at you, it's a lil' scary. But when you dance in a group, it's a whole other feeling. Your part of a team, you dance as one, you are their for each other. Yes, you feel a whole lot of pressure because when you do something wrong its horrible. You feel like you have left everyone down. But it motivates you to do better. After all these hours of long tiresome rehearsals, most of the time it's the people your surrounded with that gets you through. When I catch myself in the mirror in the middle of a rehearsal, I look terrific, I look sweaty and tired and my hair is always a mess. But, then I look to my side and I see my best friend Emily looking the exact same. Some of the best nights I've had at dancing, when I've laughed the most, are the hardest ones, the ones when there are literal blood sweat and tears, but, although we get frustrated, we are all in it together. We all dance because we love it and when we're at a competition we all have the same goal; to dance our best, not let anyone else down, enjoy it, and to ultimately try and win. And when, last week things got tough, we all pushed through and winning with 91 marks, it was worth it. It motivates me to do better. To continue with the energy and drive that we found in that moment. 

None of it can happen without your teammates. 

Teammates are there for you all the time. Not only in the sport you play, but as friends, their support should travel further that the field (or stage.) You share a bond, a love for a sport, that connects you in more ways than one. Yes, you share the same goal, but you share the memories of how you got to that goal. Teammates are there for you in the good times and the hard, when things get tough, motivate each other and let them know your there. 

I don't know what this post is essentially about, but it felt like something that needed to be said - although I like being alone, being part of a group is a feeling like no other. So, yeah, sorry if this post was too ramble or just very random, it felt like something I needed to write and get off my chest! 

I'm going to finish with one last saying that I really love 

 Clear Eyes, Full Hearts, Can't Lose!

Now Watching // Friday Night Lights - Obviously!

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