Sleeveless

Dress - Topshop. Jacket - New Look. Shoes - New Look.

I don't know why I'm obsessed with khaki at the moment. For the past two years or so I've barely worn any colour, it got to the point where I was scared to reach out of my comfort zone and wear something that wasn't monochrome, which is a bit silly really. I mean I have my style, and I know what that is, but it is silly to restrict myself on clothes because I was weirdly nervous. However this Autumn I have branched out a bit and have added some khaki into my wardrobe, and I love it. Its such a muted colour that doesn't scream too loud but is perfect to add a contrast to black. When I was in the fashion cupboard at my work experience I can't even remember how many gilets and sleeveless jackets I saw, so many! They were so popular and I could see the appeal for a sleeveless jacket to add extra warmth in this transitional period but not make you boil like a full on coat would. So I mixed these two new obsessions of mine together and found this jacket from New Look! It's just perfect, and layering it over this sleeveless high neck dress from Topshop works well in this unknown weather England seem to always have at this time of year! 

I'm just having a bit of an errands day today before going out to dinner later. I might actually go to the gym - which I haven't done in two weeks or so because of that horrid cold, but I think it finally might have started to budge! Hope your week is going well, only two more days until Friday!

Now Listening // Halsey's Badlands - I cannot get enough of it!

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My week in photos #6

I don't even know what has happened this week. On one hand it seems super busy but on the other hand I feel like I've watched a ridiculous amount of Friends that I must have not done anything. The week started with my sisters graduation on Monday night which was lovely to celebrate her achievement of becoming a teacher but didn't give us a proper chance to catch up with each other and left me just wanting more! 

Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday were spent with school friends - having lunch, going out and having cocktails and dancing until our feet could not take anymore, eating more food and going to the cinema - it was perfectly chilled. I said goodbye to Bryony on Thursday which was quite hard, its weird to think  after the past seven years seeing each other most days we are actually finally moving away to uni! 

Yesterday I got super prepared and shot lots of outfit photos ready to share once I'm at uni, I've got a fair amount of new clothes recently so was nice to shoot some different autumnal outfits. The rest of the past two days all I've done is watch Friends, literally, all the time. I just can never get bored of that programme, and re-watching it from the start is just as funny. I love seeing all the different stories and relationships twist and turn, especially near the beginning of the programme! 

This next week is my final stretch before I leave, next week I'll be writing this round-up from a whole new location, weird doesn't begin to cover it! 

Hope you've all had a relaxing weekend.

Now Reading // Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe

Now Watching // Friends!

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Books, Autumnal clothes and saying yes

I haven't done a post where I use recent photo's from my Tumblr and just write in a while. I'm not sure if people like these posts as much but I find them fun and relaxing to write so I figure I might as well! I've had a busy few days and my cough/cold has still not budged so I'm going to spend today relaxing by writing, cooking and sorting out things for uni! So crack out a coffee and get scrolling.

As most of you know, I'm moving to Uni a week tomorrow where I'll be living in London and studying English - the dream life in my view! I was reading back my posts from last December and I wrote about how I couldn't wait to just do English and not bother about history or photography, and it's still true. My course is just reading and analysing books. I'm so excited to be surrounded by people who find that interesting, I ended up getting fed up at school of people who didn't take their work seriously or had no passion for what we were learning about. But now, just studying English, I hope I will be surrounded by like minded people who actually get excited by reading a book!

How beautiful is this photo? Tanya Burr and Jim Chapman (the worlds hottest youtube couple) tied the knot at their marriage ceremony last week and the photo's that have been shared are beautiful. After watching both of them for the past two years or so, I think they are such a perfect couple - they just seem to complement and bright out the best in each other. Not that I know them personally, but I, and the rest of the Internet was so so happy for them to finally get married!

I've said this for the past three years or so - Autumn is definitely my favourite season, and most of that is purely for the clothes! The trends that have been appearing over the last few weeks are just perfect. After spending an afternoon in the fashion closet of a magazine I was able to see how to work these trends and match them together. Now I don't always like to follow trends, I just like what I like, but the recents trends, I love. The neutral palette is steering me away from monochrome from which I am known for, the range of textures from cord, suede and leather is such a fun way to make an outfit just a little bit more interesting and although I'm still trying to get the hang of it - layering is such a classic autumnal tradition. Layering roll-necks with sleeveless coats and large scarves paired with contrasting textured boots and trousers will be perfect when the colder weather starts.

I miss dancing, but I'm trying not too. My dance school went back last week and it's weird that I am at home but not going. I  know that it wouldn't be the same if I went back but I miss the feel of dancing, losing yourself to movement to a song, but I also miss the feel of the family at the studios, I just felt so comfortable there surrounded by these girls who know me so well. I know once I go to university I won't feel so left out but right now it is weird that I'm not there! 

This my new motto for my first term of University. I need to say yes to everything. I need to not be afraid of what's to come. I need to grab every opportunity and fully embrace it. I need to say yes.

Now Playing // Lennon and Maisy Stella, I will never get bored of their voices!

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Changes

 Top - New Look. Jeans - Topshop. Shoes - H&M - Shot on an iPhone 6 (hence the not amazing quality!)

For my whole life I have lived in the countryside. I live in a tiny village that has a pub, a church and an equestrian centre, and that's about it - it doesn't even have a village shop! It's tiny, and a ten minute drive from the nearest town. I've lived in this village all my life (and by all I mean literally, all - I was born in my house!) so I've always relied on cars to transport me, always used to seeing a never ending view of green fields outside my bedroom window and the roads being bumpy, windy and quiet. However in a week and a half, everything will change - I'm moving to Uni! 

One of my criteria when researching Uni's was that it had to be a university near a city, preferably London. However I also wanted a feel of a campus uni, and Queen Mary University ticked all of those boxes. I'm going to be using buses and trains to get around, I'm going to have a concrete jungle out of my window and I'm going to have the constant hustle and bustle of London through my windows, and I can't wait. It will be a change, I mean I am so so scared for uni for multiple reasons but I am finally moving to a city! My tag line for my blog has been  'forever dreaming of New York' for so long and although I'm not moving to New York, London is definitely a close second! 

So appreciate the luscious green background whilst you can, because who knows when I'll shoot blog photos once I am uni, I just need to be-friend a photographer...

Hope you Wednesday is shining, I'm off for two nights of celebrating and saying goodbye to friends!

Now Watching // I've just started Suits!

Now Playing // Listening to Halsey's Badlands and reliving Lorde's Pure Heroine

Now Reading // My Uni reading has begun with Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe.

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My week in photos #5

I can't believe this is my 5th round up post already, it seems like only yesterday I was starting this series! This week has been such a mis-match of different things. My parents were away for the beginning of the week so it was just my brother and I which was quite a nice change. Monday began with a spontaneous sleepover with Bryony. We decided to have a throwback to year 8 type sleepover where we watched Harry Potter and Twilight, which both never really get old for us, embarrassing as it is! We then met up with my friend Lucy for lunch on Tuesday and went for a walk in the woods about 20 minutes away from my house, it was so nice and serene - one thing I think I will miss in London is the wide open spaces of grass that I have been used too my entire life! 

The rest of the week I've been feeling pretty under the weather with this cough/cold but that didn't stop me from going to my work experience that I briefly wrote about here. The last two evening were spent with my friends from dancing, Friday was spent eating and Saturday was spent drinking but it was nice catch up with them before we all leave in the next two weeks! Today I've been doing some clothes shopping for uni which is exciting, Hope your weekend was good!

Now Watching // I watched the Pride and Prejudice TV series whilst I was feeling ill and was reminded how much I love it!

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New Americana

 Top - H&M. Jeans - Topshop. Shoes - New Look. Necklaces - Miss Selfridge.

You know those mornings where you wake up and just feel completely rubbish? That was me this morning, not only did I wake up at the ghastly hour of 7, I got up and my head felt like it weighed a tonne. But, a morning in bed sorting out lots of different fun stuff for Uni was just the right medicine!

The past two days I’ve been doing work experience at a magazine and have just loved it. I spent yesterday sorting through the fashion cupboard, which was just a dream. Not only has it made me surer that I want to pursue journalism, it has made me so excited to go shopping for Autumnal clothes! The plum colours, the range of denims, the boho trend – I cannot wait to get updating my wardrobe going shopping this weekend.

My friend Emily did this henna last week, and I’ve fallen in love with it. It’s just such a lovely addition to jewellery and fancies up an everyday outfit. Anyway I'm going to dinner with some of my friends from dancing tonight as a last goodbye - which I'm looking forward to, but my best friend Emily leaves for college on Sunday which is quite scary. Hope you all have a good start to your weekend!

Now Playing // Badlands by Halsey - I love love love it, such a good chilled out album - was perfect for my morning commute!

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My week in photos #4

This week has been full of beautiful sunsets, getting to know new people and chatting with old friends, it has been perfect. I came home from V Festival on Monday, my throat felt like sandpaper but it was amazing, I won't rattle on about it too much as you can read my post here. But Monday and Tuesday were spent recovering and running standard errands like the physio and dentist, boring mundane everyday necessities!

However life got more interesting on Wednesday night when one of my good friends had her 18th birthday party on a boat on the Thames. We felt like we were in Made in Chelsea but it was so lovely to catch up with so many people in my year at school who I haven't seen over the summer. My favourite part was going past all the sights, we sailed past Big Ben, The London Eye, The Shard, Canary Wharf, London Bridge, The O2 arena - it was breathtaking, I honestly couldn't have felt more content at that moment knowing I soon will be living with these sights on my doorstep. (Three weeks until I move!) 

On Thursday it was another one of my good friends 18th birthday so the afternoon was spent chilling in the pub, getting to know new people, having henna done and just generally catching up and having a laugh! Last night was spent with the same group of people for a bigger celebration and sitting round a campfire at 3 in the morning with Red Hot Chilli Peppers playing, I felt so so happy. And we get to do it all again tonight for another birthday! Although I only slept for four hours last night, I'm to just chill and have some fun again tonight. 

Life's been busy this week, but it's been great. It is around this time of the year that I become obsessed with sunsets again, they just ooze candy floss colours and take my breath away each night. These long summer nights are drawing to an end but they've been perfect so I'm ready to enjoy them whilst they last!

Now Reading // I've started Me, Earl and The Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews and I'm really not sure about it! 

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End of Summer Playlist

I'm having a bit of a thing with music. I go through little obsessions. Whether it be a tv show, a film, or a book but - I've caught up with all tv shows and can't wait for their new seasons to start, I'm bored with my dvd collection and I'm struggling to get into any book since holiday - so I turned to music, and I'm loving it. Maybe it's because I just came back from V or maybe its because new music artists have been emerging and are really upping their game. I've put together an 'End of summer' playlist because people are starting back at school, the weather is getting worse and autumnal clothes are being introduced - the end of summer is coming! 

So have a listen if you fancy, and why not give me a follow over on Spotify because even though I don't update my spotify that regularly I might start! Also talking about following and all that, I made a Facebook page linked to my blog the other day I would really love it if you could like it here - I thought it would be a good way for people who don't have instagram of twitter to keep up with my blog. Hope your friday is going well, after spending most of the day yesterday in the pub (and not having one alcoholic drink because I was driving) and the night before on a boat party on the Thames I am having a quiet day at home doing admin and cleaning my room to recollect myself before an exciting weekend with friends!

End of Summer // Stylestorey 

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V Festival

Outfit 1: Shorts and rings - Topshop, Top - Missguided, Shoes - Nike, Shirt - Forever 21.

Outfit 2: Shorts and Rings - Topshop, Top - H&M, Shoes - Doc Martens, Shirt - Forever 21.

So if you follow me on Instagram or snapchat (and if you don't, why not?) you will know, and probably be bored of hearing about, how I went to V Festival this past weekend. My cousins live not so far from Hylands park in Chelmsford so myself and my two friends, Emily and Becky, stayed there for the weekend - forever grateful for hot water, food and a good bed (even though my cousin did end up stealing my duvet..!) My favourite acts have to be The Script, Jess Glynne, Sam Smith and Mark Ronson's DJ set - they just got the crowd going and created some unforgettable moments. I always forget how much I love live music and how much I love the energy of a crowd dancing and singing along to songs, there is just nothing quite like it! 

As you can tell these photo's were taken on my phone (hence the white background - I'm kind of making that my new thing.) Shoutout to Becky for taking these outfit snaps for me. I was so excited and nervous to sort out my outfits, I wanted something that looked cool but also that covered the range of weather conditions that were forecast - boiling hot sun on Saturday and rain for Sunday. My Sunday outfit changed from what I planned but my DM's were such a great shout to wear as they protected my feet from the wet muddy ground. I had the best weekend, and I'm sure I will go on about it for ages, but post-festival blues has already set in.

Now Playing // V Festival artists, obviously!

Watching // I may have had a movie day yesterday and watched Step Up, Footloose and The Bling Ring - I definitely needed that time to recover!

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My week in photos #3

This week's round-up is slightly odd because when this is published I will be in a field dancing to loud music wearing festival clothes - loving life at V festival! But as promised I wanted to continue this weekly series so am writing it on Friday morning before V properly starts.

I took this first photo looking sassy in a dirty mirror before I went and saw Paper Towns - as I mentioned how much I loved it in this post, I won't ramble on about it too much! But I loved this outfit, with Uni approaching I've realised that I need to purchase more relaxed clothing for everyday use, and this T-shirt from H&M was the perfect way to start. The Khaki colour is actually making its way into my wardrobe quite a lot for the upcoming Autumn and the slouched V-neck style makes an everyday t-shirt something a bit different.

This picture of roof-tops, however much it might remind you of Mary Poppins, is the view from my sisters new flat in London. We moved her in on Wednesday which was very tiring (four flights of stairs was not our friend) but exciting, I'll only be living half an hour or so away from her come September so I could picture myself going to hers on weekends to watch Downton Abbey and Dance Moms!

This last picture is the start of my uni purchases. My mum and I went on our first shopping trip yesterday and surprisingly came out with a lot. I got some cushions, two duvet covers, a blanket, a towel and flannel and one desk accessory! So it's all very real now, I basically want to move in right away - but then I don't because that means saying goodbye to a lot of people - I'm in two minds about it! 

Anyways, hope you've all had a good week - make sure you keep an eye on my instagram for daily snaps from V, and add me on snapchat 'Christinastorey' for more updates!

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University Room Inspiration

Now I finally know where I'm living in September I have started to think about what I want my uni room to look like. I've watched so many 'dorm room haul and tour' over the years and have moved Madeleine and Matthew in and I can't wait for it to finally be my term come September! 

I've had a search on pinterest and thought I'd show you what I'm thinking - beware, this is a picture heavy post! So grab a cup of coffee and have a scroll...

As you can tell, I'm a fan of fairy lights! It's difficult with hanging things on the wall because of restrictions etc but I think blue tac could be a hand in planning posters. Anyways it's just a quick post tonight as I'm super tired and need to pack for V Festival! Don't know if I have actually mentioned it but I'm off to V Festival in Hylands park tomorrow and could not be more excited! Make sure you keep an eye on my instagram for daily snaps!

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Paper Towns

Top - Topshop. Shorts - Forever 21. Jacket - New Look. Shoes - Nike.

When a book or a film touches you, you walk out of the cinema in a trance, you feel drained of all emotion- catharsis. You feel shocked from what you've just seen, but (most of the time) in a good way. They can give you a new view of life, they can help you see things from a different angle and help you connect with what other people must feel and think. 

I saw Paper Towns last night, the adaption of John Green's novel with Nat Wolff and Cara Delevingne. I read the book a year or so ago, I knew I liked it but I couldn't really remember why. However coming out of the film, wow, I loved it. I won't give too much away but its based on Quentin, a shy boy who is in his senior year of high school, has two best friends, and pines over his next door neighbour, Margo. Margo loves adventures. Margo is the popular girl at school who has an sense of mystery surrounding her. Margo and Q grew up together as friends but grew apart when Q became sensible and shy and Margo was eager for new adventures that would get them in trouble. However one night in senior year Margo sneaks into Q's bedroom and gets him to come on one last adventure for the night. The next day, Margo is missing. The film is based around Q pining after Margo but it's not just about his love of her, its about his love for his two best friends and the road trip they gone on in search for Margo.

The main message I took from this film was that not everyone is who you think they are. People are mysteries. You might look at a person and think you know them but you don't. You can't judge a book by its cover. You can't see a beautiful girl and think, "oh, well she must be really dumb then" or a girl who's head is always stuck in a book and think "oh, well she's no fun" or a girl who is into her sports and think "Oh, well she must hate dressing up and wearing make-up." We all have first impressions, we all judge people by their looks, I definitely do! But Paper Towns reminded me that people can hide behind what people think of them. People can create a persona of themselves - especially on social media - but peoples lives aren't what they always seem. You have to really get to know a person before you judge them, and even then - you will never really truly know someone, they probably don't even know their own self!

Now Watching // Paper Towns (obviously) and The Vampire Diaries, season 1 - I can re watched this show so many times, it never gets old! 

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My week in photos #2

This week has been such a whirlwind that I haven't really had time to digest everything that has happened! 

The week started in Sicily where we continued our chilled holiday but were desperate to spend every moment we could in the sun. However it didn't really quite go to plan as all day Tuesday and Wednesday it was tipping it down! Tuesday was spent indoors, playing cards with my family and reading. I felt like I was just in a constant waiting game - waiting to watch Pretty Little Liars (Oh my gosh, how good was it?!) and waiting for my results. However we went out to dinner which was lovely (apart from getting served only half of a pizza...) and the perfect way to finish our holiday. 

To start our journey home on Wednesday we had to drive the windiest route up the Italian mountains for three hours - luckily we had a pit stop at an outlet mall and I got some super cheap Superdry tracksuit bottoms - but my nerves for results day had fully set in and I had a constantly had a headache and felt sick. We finally got home in England at three in the morning - after an hours delay in the aeroplane before setting off!  

In just over a month I will be going to my first choice university, Queen Mary's University of London ! I am so happy and relieved that I achieved my predicted grades and got into Queen Mary's. Ever since I looked at the brochure last June I've known it was the right uni for me, and I cannot wait to actually start in September! I'm in a bundle of nerves about it but I'm also super excited - I'm just glad I finally know where I will be going in September! 

So my friends and I celebrated by going out on Thursday which was a laugh and was so good to see all of them again, we then ventured out of Chloe's house on Friday morning to go for Brunch together. It was so nice to catch up with my school friends and has made me realise how much I am going to miss them when we all go our separate ways! I celebrated my results with my mum and Madeleine at The Waffle House is St Albans on Friday afternoon - it was a dream. It is the second time I've been this summer and the waffles are just so so good, we shared some savoury ones then had a big sweet one each which was ideal! 

Since I've go my results this week everything seems so much more certain that myself and all my friends are moving away, It's daunting and really scary but also really exciting! Hope you have all had a good week, I'll be more constant with normal posts this week, I promise!

Now reading // All the light we cannot see by Anthony Doerr

Now Listening // Love Myself by Hailee Seinfeld (Such an awesome feel good song!)

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