Super Lazy Day | Wishlist

3 August 2016

Ilkley, West Yorkshire
goodnight
I always find shopping for nightwear to be so much fun. It could be two matching pieces, or random finds on the high street - I absolutely love to shop for brand new PJs and accessories to be worn for bed. I'm ridiculously lazy, no seriously, a day lounging around and doing nothing but watching hours of TV is a good day for me. Wearing comfy clothing is a total must for lazy days, and nightwear is the easiest of ways to ensure total comfort - it's foolproof!

The T by Alexander Wang tank top looks like it's the perfect tee for lounging around in. I don't tend to explore colour when it comes to a lazy day because I don't really have anyone to impress, nor do I need to stand out - so the simpler the better. This sleeveless piece is a linen blend, which means it's guaranteed coziness. Similarly, the Old Navy shorts look crazy comfortable! I've had them in my 'liked' list on Polyvore for as long as I can remember, and have always decided I will one day feature them in a wishlist. Although I have heard a few bloggers and vloggers discuss Old Navy and buy from there, I've never bought anything from the site myself. After having a brief browse, I think the store has the potential to be a new favourite! The clothes look to be a of really high quality, and are available for amazing prices. As much as I adore tracksuit bottoms and leggings, shorts are an ideal alternative because it means I can totally and completely surround myself with blankets upon blankets.

Anyone that follows my blog, knows that I am totally and completely obsessed with stationary. It's actually kind of scary. I once considered even signing up to a stationary subscription box, but sadly £40 a month was just a little too high for me. The Campus Gifts notebook is one item I would love to own. I think the font is really cool, and stands out well against the darker text. The phrase is unique and something I've never seen printed before; the large book would be amazing for jotting down blog post ideas or even write out posts on a snug day at home. I'm a huge fan of UGG boots, despite knowing a lot of people don't like them. Personally, I don't mind the style and love how warm they keep my feet. When I spotted the UGG Australia Knit Slippers, I knew they had to be featured on a cushy-themed wishlist. From wearing UGG boots for years on end, it must be made certain that these slippers must be crazy cosy. The colour suits this overall wishlist brilliantly, and although the price is high, I'm sure I could make an exception.

To check out the rest of items in this wishlist, click here!

This or That | Summer Edition

31 July 2016

Ben Rhydding, UK
One of the best ways to get to know people is to find out what they like and what they don’t like. It’s not difficult to figure out what I don’t like because I have a tendency to complain and do plenty of that on Twitter. Still, I absolutely love reading “this or that” posts, or watching “73 questions” videos, and I figured doing a post like that on Anika May would be a great way to start a Sunday morning. So without further ado…

Ocean or pool?
Ocean, it smells better and I like the tides and waves. Plus I have a think about pools being full of germs.

Beach holiday or wilderness?
I’ve been on a beach holiday before (and sadly only one in my entire life), so I would say wilderness as it’s something new.

Watermelon or strawberries?
In all honesty, I really don’t like either! But I can drink a strawberry milkshake.

Bikini or one-piece?
I only like high-waisted bikinis, which are kind of like a one piece. So I guess one piece.

Lemonade or iced tea?
Ooooh I think lemonade. As much as I like iced tea, I feel like lemonade will always win.

Hotdogs or burgers?
I am totally and completely a burger girl. I’ll eat a hotdog any day but I love a solid burger, as you can probably tell by the image above

Hat or sunglasses?
I have extensions so hats make my head really hot, so I don’t wear them as much in summer. But I love sunglasses to hide my eyes!

Windows down or AC?
I always feel too cold with the AC on, but the windows down gives you that nice windswept look and you can fake a music video.

Sports game or concert?
Concert! I recently went to see Rihanna while the sun was shining and it changed my life!

Ice cream or ice lolly?
Ice cream for sure. I can’t bite into ice lollies so they are difficult to eat but I love ice cream, especially with gummy sweets on top!

Fireworks or campfire?
Can I have both? I love a campfire in the summer, but fireworks are so much fun to watch.

Flip flops or bare feet?
Depends where I’m walking. I like bare feet on the sand, but flip flops pretty much everywhere else. The noise flip flops make is horrendous though!

Water balloons or squirt guns?
I like water balloons, especially now there’s balloons that fill way quicker than they used to! Guns are too much effect for me.

What would your answers be?
*whole outfit above from Next*

Nighty Night Shirt

28 July 2016

Eldwick, UK
Today’s outfit is all about this men’s suit shirt I bought absolutely ages ago, and haven’t let go of since. I’ve always been a fan of shirts, although in 2012, I wore way too many check shirts and now I’m not too keen on them. Still, I’ll always be a fan of the oversized look and this shirt is perfect for that.
I can be pretty lazy when it comes to getting dressed. Sometimes there are days where I really don’t want to put any effort into my appearance, and some days when I just don’t care. A huge shirt is perfect for that kind of mood. With most of my outfits, I hate to feel weighed down so men’s cotton shirts are ideal. I like women’s shirts too, however they’re built with the female body in mind, so have a slight curve for the waist, whereas men’s shirts and tops are usually just straight down the sides which is what I like. During a shopping spree, it’s just so easy to drift off into the men’s section and find way better items that some of the pieces in the ladies’ section.

I have a habit of buying clothes that are too big, and today is no different. With most clothes, I prefer them to be loose-fitting, but with shirts, I go way over the top. I can’t help it! I literally want them to flow in the wind. Also, the bigger the shirt, the skinnier my legs look so that’s always a plus. I picked jeans and shoes that would match my look, my shoes in particular being a new favourite. I’ve had them for a really long time, but recently re-found them during a closet cleanout and found them in tip top shape! I’m so happy I discovered them again as they’ll be perfect for Sunday’s trip to Alton Towers.

Shirt // Tesco (SIMILAR)
Jeans // NEW LOOK
Shoes // Nike (SIMILAR)
Bag // Topshop (SIMILAR
Jewellery // Various charity shops (similar bracelet from NEXT)

How to Decide If Your Job Is Wrong for You

25 July 2016

Leeds, UK
There are thousands of people who could tell you the worst thing about their job, however some find at least one aspect they like or one area they thrive in. Sadly, on the other hand, some employees simply can’t stand going to work and daydream about quitting every day. I’ve been there, and it took a lot for me to finally decide to pack in that sense of security and realise I was in the worst job ever.

Detesting your routine
It’s Sunday night, the idea of Monday is nauseating and the whole routine is just a headache waiting to happen. This is something that’s really common, but if the idea of the week ahead is sickening so much it affects quality of life, I would definitely say it’s time to figure out the next step. I used to love Friday nights, but also feel slightly sad because I knew the next week was so close – that was my sign!

Extreme lack of enthusiasm
I have a lack of enthusiasm when it comes to most things… like to think I’m quite similar to April from Parks and Rec, I’m pretty moody and have the bitchiest resting face, but if you give me something I really care about, I will jump up and become full of life. At work, most of my co-workers probably thought I was miserable, and it’s because I was. If there’s not even the faint flavour of zeal at work, maybe it’s not the best place the build a career.

Counting down to the weekend
While working full time, I used to say “every week is just a countdown to the weekend” and that’s really not the mindset to have. It was difficult for me to realise this train of thought isn’t productive at all, as it means I’m just wishing my life away and life is way too short to be doing that. It’s important to value the time we have, and that shouldn’t be spent wallowing around the office.

Little respect for your manager and colleagues
It wasn’t difficult for me to imagine my manager being hit by a bus every so often. I can’t even lie about it, the woman was evil. As time grew on, I lost more and more respect for her and the workers who did nothing all day. At that point I noticed I wasn’t in the right job because I don’t care for the authority or the rules, not the attitude to have.

Dreading team nights outs
Ugh. Nothing was worse. Yates Leeds became known as the local hell for me because it’s where all the team nights out were held. As soon as someone has a birthday, or retires, or moves house, or passes a test… or sneezes. Saying no over and over become very difficult, so team nights out and general co-worker association is a devastating occasion. When that’s the worst thing life could throw out, it’s time to leave.

Waiting until 08:59 to enter the building
This always makes me laugh because I did this every day. The funniest thing is that I would get into Leeds for around 8:30, and take the longest walk to work, before spending a good fifteen minutes in the bathroom playing Kim Kardashian: Hollywood before strutting to my desk to ensure I was never late, but more importantly never early. Even on days where I had to start at 7am, I sat and ate my breakfast before even thinking of logging on. Avoiding work like that showed me it was the wrong job for me.

Have you ever quit a job? How did you know it was the wrong career path for you? 
Disclaimer: I understand many people don’t enjoy their jobs but it’s their only means of survival. I know this from experience and would like to stress this post is just for entertainment. 

W7 In The Nude Palette | Review

22 July 2016

Leeds, UK
When it comes to beauty and cosmetics, I love to collect eye shadow palettes.  It’s one of my favourite ways to play around with colours and experiment with techniques while spending little money and time. As much as I like to contour every so often, I can’t always be bothered to do it every day, but a different shade of eyeshadow can brighten an entire look. Since being about 12 years old, I’ve worn eye shadow – bear in mind that was when I wore white eye shadow, or a navy blue shade with absolutely no eyeliner or mascara. I know.
Now that’s I’ve matured (slightly), and have sat through hundreds of make-up tutorials, from cut creases to smoky eye; I like to shop for different palettes and try to collect a wider range of colour. On the boring days, I stick to darker nudes (browns, maybe the occasional black), but I have recently really gotten into pinks on my eyelids, as I think the blend pretty well and can easily become a transition shade.
Shades from left to right: Teddy bear, Wonderland, Cracker, Happy, Lady Luck, Twister, Di Di, Delilah, Magic, It's a dram, Up in smoke & Dawn
I recently bought the W7 In The Nude Eye Shadow Palette from Amazon (only £5!) and was quite surprised at how much I liked it. Usually, when cosmetic products are under £20, there’s a slight worry they may not be of a high quality; but this palette could easily be a high street dupe for the UD Naked 3 palette! I have never owned a Naked palette, simply because the price is too high for me, but I think the selection of colours by W7 are perfect.
One thing I really liked about the palette was the pigment of the eye shadows, it was incredibly strong, and I’ve been using quite a few shades for a while, and have barely made a dent in it. I can use plenty of different brushes and the shadows spread really well and don’t clump up on my eyes. I have found that some eye shadows have a tendency to be too heavy which becomes a struggle when it’s a time to apply liquid eyeliner, or they’re so light and transparent, I have to apply layers upon layers which eyeliner doesn’t respond well to.
Two colours I’ve been loving are Twister and Up in smoke as they work really well together. However, it’s really easy to blend a few colours together and create a girly and looks with the lighter shades, or a darker look with the deeper purples. I sometimes worry that dark colours will make my eyes look to small, but the shimmer in the shadows really helps to bring out the bright in your eyes, and then I can use the lighter colours around my tear duct if needed.

Overall, I really like this palette, I have been pleasantly surprised by W7 (check out my review of their setting spray) and I think, like Sleek, they’re definitely a brand to keep an eye on as their products are constantly improving and staying at an affordable price. My one wish, was that W7 products were available in more stores! 
Copyright © Anika May | UK Life and Style Blog.
Design by Fearne