5 Resolutions For The Year Of 2014

Hey guys! I realise that it is a very long time since I have last written anything on this blog and I really do apologise for that. Life has been very busy recently- the astronomically high amounts of school work I seem to be receiving mean little time for things like blogging and on top of this my diary seems to be constantly ridden with appointments and events. However, it is now another year and I thought I would make a post on my resolutions for the year.

1. Get a job. Finding work at almost 16 years old is something that I have found difficult as the majority of employers are reluctant to give a job to anyone under this age. I had a job last Summer and whilst I was paid a pittance and had to spend many sunny days stuck in a stuffy office, I loved the independence that came with earning my own money. 2014 is the year where I finally want to get a proper job and get some more work experience under my belt, therefore I will hopefully manage to get one after my birthday in May.
2. Have a much healthier lifestyle. This is always something I have tried my best to work towards as I actually really enjoy eating healthily and exercising a lot- it is something that makes me feel very positive and nothing can beat the feeling after a long walk or run when you come home and even though you are sweating buckets and feel like you are dying, it is highly satisfying knowing that you have done something that will contribute to making a difference to both your physical and mental state. I intend to go to the gym AT LEAST once a week, carry on with my dance class and perhaps join a yoga group. 
3. Be happier. I have had a lot of trouble in the past with anxiety and having a very negative mindset towards some aspects of my life. I am currently working very hard towards being less stressed and anxious all the time, as well as learning different coping mechanisms for this. I would very much like 2014 to be the year where things really do improve! I also aim to be more optimistic about things, which I realise will be difficult since I can be very pessimistic at times, but again, this is something that I really want to do to benefit myself.
4. Work hard. As I am in my last year of school, the first of my GCSE exams are only around 4 months away. The tendency to get distracted when revising and completing homework has affected me in the past, as I lack a certain amount of motivation; however, I really aim to get my head down and work as hard as possible to get good grades in all of my subjects. In September, I will begin my 2 years at college and I would really like to use this time effectively to prepare myself for this.
5. Continue to treat myself better. In the year of 2014, I aim to learn many things- if I wasn't here then things would be different and every single thing I do makes a difference to the world; it's okay not to be okay sometimes, even when there is no reason why; make the most out of life, say 'yes' more often, take risks, learn new things, meet new people; everything is okay in the end and if it is not okay, it is not the end... All of these are things that, by the end of this year, I hope to have learnt and they are things that I think will contribute towards helping myself to be more positive.

There are many other things that I would like to do this year, including raising money for charity and meeting someone famous, someone who inspires me to become a better person. I aim to blog more often as I have realised that this is something I really enjoy. I would also like to travel more as this is one of my main passions- I am going to Austria next month which I am really looking forward to and in mid-June I am hoping to visit either Amsterdam or Berlin. The prospect of a new year is really exciting for me, as 2013 wasn't the best and I am hoping that this year will genuinely be a new start for me! I'd like to wish anyone that reads this a Happy New Year and I hope that you have an amazing year, filled with happy memories and good health.

INSTAGRAM - @_bxcca

Hey guys! I just thought I'd give you my Instagram username, which I use regularly and post many fashion and beauty related pictures. The user name is @_bxcca and if you don't have Instagram then I have a widget on the right side of my blog with my latest 9 images, which I am loooooving at the moment! I just thought I'd give you a quick preview...

♡Breakfast in Liverpool Starbucks ♡ Zara Accessories ♡ Glamour Magazine - October Issue ♡

BUYING TIPS

Hey guys! Being a self confessed shopaholic I felt it was time to write something I felt could really actually help people out- so here are my top tips when buying clothes, shoes and accessories.

INVEST

I would say my top tip would be to invest in items... this may sound scary and I'm not saying you should go out and buy a Chanel bag right now, but more of investing in higher quality high street pieces and if you can afford it, designer is certainly good. This is for two reasons- one is quality, which is obvious (I know that not every shop that has higher prices is necessarily going to last any longer, so be careful with this) My second (and my main reason) is for reselling. If you are prepared to pay say £30 more for a pair of jeans then the likelihood is that you will be able to resell them at a fair price as long as they are in good condition. Personally, I love the quality of items from American Apparel, Jack Wills and All Saints. I'm not totally against shops such as Primark and New Look, but when I buy an item there I buy it knowing I will not be able to sell it again. However, in my experience, buying from American Apparel etc. is certainly worth it- for example, I bought a hoodie from Jack Wills a few years ago for £60, wore it non stop for a year and sold it for £40. I would also recommend that when buying things you plan to sell in the future that you keep the tags, authenticity certificates, bags etc., as these will prove your item is genuine and may in fact fetch you even more money.

SHOP SAVVY

In my family, we are all about the sale shopping. Ever since the age of around 9 where I was allowed to start picking out more of my own clothes, my dad pressured me into looking in the Sale section before I looked at anything else in the shop. For years, I hated this, as I hardly every found anything I liked. However, now I am glad of this and people are constantly saying to me how they wished they shopped in sales more often. It is definitely worth being patient! Half price studded leather Zara brogues are my best buy at present!

DON'T WASTE MONEY
If you are unsure, don't get it. Simple. However, if you are the type of person that really doesn't know what to do when stood in the middle of Topshop with a beautiful winter coat in your hands that you're not quite sure will match your new outfit (and believe me, this has been my situation many, many times), think of two things. Firstly, is it really worth it? Check the material, will you get enough wear out of it, will you be able to resell it? Secondly, you need to work out whether if you take it home and decide it was probably a mistake to buy it, will you realistically have time to bring it back in the returns period? If not, then don't buy it. If you do, remember to keep the receipt.

COUPON IT
If like me you are completely addicted to buying fashion magazines, then you will probably know about the various discount codes that can be found- usually in Grazia etc. Discounts range from 10-25% and some really good shops are included! Also, when you make an account with a shop online such as American Apparel, DO x100 click in the 'Email me offers etc etc etc' box. This sends you things like invitations to join preview sales, special offers and discount codes- American Apparel in particular are very good for this, as every couple months or so I get a 30% code (with their astronomically high prices, this probably isn't enough, but even the slight reduction counts in my eyes).