Follow the Wanderlust

26 December 2014

Eldwick, Bingley, Bingley, West Yorkshire BD16, UK
Photo credit: Google
This time of year always makes me feel reflective. I try not to look back in disappointment, although there is some confusion as I have no idea where 2014 went. At the beginning of the year, I have a completely different group of friends and was in the middle of my second year in sixth form. I was applying for university and thinking about all the opportunities that come rushing in after receiving grades. That's how the teachers made life out to be. But over the summer, I learned it's very different, and secondary school only disorientated my outlook on life. Getting a good job and a huge house can come in a few years. I need to see the world first. Leaving Europe is the first step, I have only been to two other countries in my life as the travelling lifestyle wasn't always in my budget.
But, after creating my "one way ticket", "the big apple" and "city of angels" boards on Pinterest, my obsession with seeing every continent in the world just gets deeper.
One of the best ways of experiencing just a taste of the travelling life is to watch vlogs and video diaries. Even the thought of leaving good ol' Yorkshire and heading to London for a month is exciting, and Paris is a city of inspiration. My first beach holiday was in 2013 as I went to Salou, Spain and savoured every second. Salou is one city I could consider moving to, simply because there's no panic and no stress, it's all smiles.
Have you ever wanted to travel?
10 Places I Must Visit Before I (Decide to) Grow Up:
1. New York City
2. Los Angeles
3. Bondi Beach
4. Amsterdam
5. Toronto
6. Chiang Mai
7. Rio de Janeiro
8. Cape Town
9. Bangkok
10. Italy - the entire country.

Being Alone vs Being Lonely

24 December 2014

Eldwick, Bingley, Bingley, West Yorkshire BD16, UK
Photo credit: Google


They're two incredibly different things. I have experience in both, I would almost call myself an expert. There's something peaceful about being alone. Having that moment of silence and solitude to yourself, a period of isolation is healthy even if it's not for long. For instance, being in the shower. Most people tend to shower alone, but it's a great time to be left alone with your thoughts and clear your mind, forgetting about everything else, good or bad. On the other hand, being left alone with your thoughts is a last wish when loneliness is involved. Seclusion and a lack of interruption is almost painful and it's most certainly unwanted.
Confident plays a large part, in many cases, loneliness is down to feeling uninvolved, a feeling of abandonment begins to take over which can lead to self-pity - the wrong way to go. As a shy person, walking into a room makes me nervous. But it's realising that there's at least 2 other people that feel exactly the same way I do. Focusing on your own emotions is the wrong thing to do. Singling yourself out, and nitpicking is pushing yourself into a lonely mindset. It's very much like self-fulfilling prophecy.
I don't have a enormous group of friends, but there are days where I would rather sit and curl up with Netflix that head out to the nearest house party. Having fun is important, but then again, so it Netflix. An undisturbed evening with Evening Acoustic playing while scanning the best winter reads in necessary every so often. It gives us a chance to de-clutter, and just relax.
I think on occasion, people may confuse being alone with being lonely. Sitting alone in a coffee shop doesn't mean your lonely any more than being surrounded by friends.

Wintry Wonder

22 December 2014

Leeds, West Yorkshire, UK
 Avoiding wearing all-black outfits is becoming a daily struggle. But I recently bought this light pink blouse from Next and absolutely love it. The long sleeved shirt has a really simple button-up design and a pocket on the left side. However, what I like most about this super smooth blouse is that it adds that 'pop of colour' to an outfit that would otherwise be quite dull. The colour blends really well is plenty in my wardrobe including the wintry shades. The top is also really easy to dress up or dress down due to it's style. I could pair it with a high-waisted skirt and heeled ankle boots for a more sophisticated and formal style. Today I chose a black leather jacket, and as the shirt is quite thin it's great for layering.
Shirt // Next
Jacket // Miss Selfridge
Jeans // Topshop
Shoes // Brantano
Bag // TK Maxx

Blue Jeans, White Shirt

17 December 2014

Eldwick, Bingley, Bingley, West Yorkshire BD16, UK
 Lazy, do-nothing days are the best kind of days. Today I have quite a relaxed day, only running little errands but mainly writing articles and catching up on TV. I have grown to love simple outfits like this because they're so practical and easy to put together. If I need to accessorize with this look, I always can because each piece is very simple and straightforward. I chose a pair of basic blue jeans, going back to basics. Over that, I'm wearing a totally plain white t-shirt by Nike with a wool cardigan. The cardigan actually has a little shimmer to it as it has glimmer sewn in with the wool which I think adds a little sparkle, litterally. The black and white hi-top Converse are about as casual as you can get, they really flaunt a laid back look and add that tone to my outfit.
Top // Nike
Jeans // Next
Shoes // Schuh
Cardigan // M&S
Bag // TK Maxx

Managing Motivation

15 December 2014

Eldwick, Bingley, Bingley, West Yorkshire BD16, UK
Finding motivation is always difficult. It's never something that has come easy to me, and as I've grown older I think I have become a lot lazier. But when I do get motivated or inspired, I feel like nothing can stop me from achieving this goals. On the other hand, procrastination is an easy mode to slip into. Searching for inspirational quotes and images on Tumblr isn't always enough. There are a few things that often motivate me, and can hopefully help others too.

The success of others.
In the words of DVF: "Every woman inspires another woman." This is one of my favourite things about blogging, there are bloggers who can inspire you to work hard and be successful yourself. Rather than looking at others with a jealous or envious eye, admire the hard work that was put in by them and use that as motivation to improve. Social networking is a great way to learn about the success of others, spending time on Instagram and YouTube always inspires me to write posts rather than procrastinate.

Move around.
Working at home can be the hardest way to get things done. Sitting under a duvet watching The Holiday while eating a box of Maltesers sounds ideal. But it's likely that I'll get anything else done. I live in a really quite village so I can always go down to cafes with wifi and get stuck in. There are little distractions outside the home, and during the summer, I often work in the garden just to feel a little more inspired.

Ask for help.
As an incredibly lazy ex-student, being bothered to do just about anything can be a heavy task. One of the best ways to start the day is alongside someone else. On occasion, my friends will ring me or drive over to my house which always helps. Having someone else set you straight is enough to help you focus. Sometimes, a little nudge can go a long way.

A New Direction

11 December 2014

Eldwick, Bingley, Bingley, West Yorkshire BD16, UK
Recently I have been struggling with blogging regularly. Over the past month or so, I have been weighed down with the feeling that I don't quite fit in, no matter how hard I'm pushing. That's not down to the bogging community being hostile to me in any way, it's down to my over-dramatic brain trying to tell me I'm not comfortable with the content on my blog. To an extent, I do love just blogging about fashion, however, there's so much more to say it and I don't feel fulfilled just describing my outfit and favourite fabrics every day. Something about it doesn't feel right, it doesn't sit comfortably. 
So, I have decided to switch things up a little, until I fall into the slot where I belong. I like to write, that's my ambition and it's what keeps me motivated. I like to share experiences but I still have a keen interest in fashion and style. I have decided my blog is going to feature more topical items, in contrast to my outfit of the day, almost every day. There will still be plenty of fashion-based posts, so it's not a complete content change, yet, I would like to spend time also writing about things I enjoy and sharing more than just my wardrobe.
This is all still very new to me, Anika May isn't even a year old. I don't think I can quite define my my blog yet, I just know there might be a few changes. 

Dark December

10 December 2014

Eldwick, Bingley, Bingley, West Yorkshire BD16, UK
Gravitating towards darker clothing during this time of year is only natural. I absolutely love to wear all-black, just because it's one of my comfort colours so I tend to feel a lot more comfortable and confident in the colour. Today I couldn't help but pick a few darker pieces, but tried not to go all-black by including my check or flannel jacket and playing around with different textures. Leather usually looks to darkest in comparison to denim or cotton so I think mixing these up can make an outfit look less... black. Charcoal jeans are a wardrobe favourite of mine so they had to be included in today's look as they also match my jacket. I actually bought my zip-up in the summer during a sale and colour never find much to pair it with. However, this 100% cotton vest top is perfect. The top is very thin, and my jacket is quite loose so there's room for me to layer within the outfit for warmth. Finally, I wanted to match my suede shoes with the suede patches on my oversized handbag to complete the look.

you're gone and i gotta stay...

7 December 2014

Eldwick, Bingley, Bingley, West Yorkshire BD16, UK
you're gone and i gotta stay...
Wishlist time! I have waiting a while to post this set, partially because BT can't seem to fix my wifi, but also because I think it suits the time of year. The Tory Burch Dominique Sweater has been on my winter wishlist for a while because it's so unique. It's made of solid and foil-printed merino wool which gives the jumper the unqiue shimmery texture, but it's still cosy. The colour makes for a modern way to wear metallics which are always in trend during Christmas and New Year. The textural standout is great for a layering outfit that needs a contrasting element and the darker tones make it ultra-chic. Black jeans are an essential in a wardrobe, for both genders. Like a leather jacket, they're incredibly easy to style and pair well with many other textures as the denim look is often subtle. These YSL Skinny Jeans help the shimmery sweater stand out more and still look classy. The luxurious denim is very versatile and super soft too.
It's often said that black makes you appear much slimmer, but so do heels. The Opening Ceremony Brenda Boots are jet black, made of napper leather and naturally elegant. The round toe edge creates a smooth line in the whole look with hidden elastic for comfort. The ankle boots also have some heel, which elongates your legs, especially when paired with black denim.
To view the rest of the items on my wishlist, click right here.

Woolly Winter

3 December 2014

Eldwick, Bingley, Bingley, West Yorkshire BD16, UK
One of the main reasons I look forward to the colder time of the year is because I can wear as many jumpers as I like and roll up in blankets. The temperature is really starting to drop and it's getting incredibly chilly so the more wool and knits, the better. Today's jumper is one of my winter favourites as it's long enough to wear with leggings and is stretchy yet warm. The chunky knit keeps out the cold but also allows room for the fabric to move. The knit is also very soft on the skin, and doesn't irritate mine which can be quite sensitive to wool. My Chelsea boots are an all-year-round favourite, as I love to wear them with just about anything and everything. The versatility of ankle boots is exactly why I prefer them to any other kind of shoe. To finish the look, I'm carrying an oversized shoulder bag, made of faux leather with studded details.
Jumper // Topshop
Leggings // Next
Boots // Dorothy Perkins
Bag // TK Maxx
Copyright © Anika May | UK Life and Style Blog.
Design by Fearne