Let's kill grey.

I am so sick of the gloomy weather right now. It's actually affecting my mental health. So it's about time we took the situation into our own hands and killed the grey...

The weather seems to think that summer is never going to happen. That's unacceptable. Seriously - are your just going to sit there and let the weather get away with this?!

No! Let us rebel!

We shall not stand for this any longer! If the weather wont make it sunny, we must take the situation into our own hands.

Let's face it. This is pretty much our only option. I'm sorry it has had to come to this.

... But it has.

Strip out all signs of grey from your wardrobe. Throw it out! Seriously, that stuff is depressed.

In order to be a positive person, you must surround yourself with positive things. Grey is bad for your mental stability.

Now I demand that we all start wearing colour. As much as possible. Right away.

We've got to dress as much like it's summer as we possibly can - taking the circumstances into consideration, of course.

The aim: To make the world a happier place by cheering people up as you pass them on the street. So here's 4 ways of injecting colour into your look:

Same garments, brighter colours...

Pink jeans are a yes. Jeans are jeans after all. The colour of them doesn't make them any hotter/colder. So wear ones in happy colours.

Chunky knits are necessary in this freezing coldness. Wearing a white chunky knit will keep your outfit bright, whilst keeping you snugly warm at the same time! It's the perfect choice.

All hail opaque black tights...

Dig the summer clothes out of your wardrobe and dress like it's 30 degrees outside.

Now stick on some 80 denier opaque lack tights. Voila! Perfection.

It's summer if your hair says so... 

If you don't want to buy new colourful clothes and you hate your old ones, dying the crap out of your hair is definitely the answer!

A box of dye usually only costs around a fiver. Get a permanent one and you'll never be sad again. Happy days!

Take action now! And remember - if you're thinking of picking out something grey to wear tomorrow, you'll make people around you depressed. That's screwed up. You better think again...

Will you be brightening the lives of everyone around you from now on?! 

Let me know your thoughts in the 

comments box below :)

My fashion epiphany...

As you may already be aware, my name is Jasmin Andrade and I'm addicted to shoes. It's genuinely shameful. But today is (hopefully!) the day that things might finally change!

I'm that girl who clicks side panel adverts on web pages if they involve shoes. Shoe shops' displays vacuum me in for at least 5 minutes at a time. I'm always on the hunt for my next pair of shoes. Even if I just bought a pair.

I'm THAT bad.  

If people monitored the amount of time I spend oggling shoes they would probably refer me to 'Shoe Addiction Rehab'.

So today I had an epiphany. It all started yesterday when I did everything I could - beg, borrow, steal - to get not one, but THREE new pairs of new shoes:

No, your vision's not going funny. They are in fact all 'same same but different' (I've loved that phrase ever since travelling to Thailand!). 

Here's my reasoning / what I'm using to justify my purchases:

Those shoes you see pictures of above are not JUST shoes! This is where my epiphany comes in...  

A feature of these shoes might just SOLVE my shoe problem. It could make me feel like I'm wearing different statement footwear every time I leave the house:

!!!!!!!!!! DIFFERENT COLOURED LACES !!!!!!!!!!

Kaching! Booyah! I've really outdone myself this time, right!? GENIUS.

The idea is that one day I will end up with laces in every single colour imaginable. And (hopefully) new shoes will no longer be necessary! 

I will no longer have to SPLURGE out on new shoes... All I'll need to do is splash out on a new pair of laces every day! 

I'm overjoyed with my epiphany! I feel like I've just got a buy-one-get-one-for-every-colour-of-the-rainbow-free AND MORE deal! This is huge. Oh, the endless possibilities!

Do you reckon this is the answer to all my problems? Let me know :)

Make good of a bad situation

I have an absolutely gorgeous, bubbly blonde friend. Her name is Sam Denny, and this post is dedicated to her!
 

A very young Sam and her Dad

So last year my gorgeous babycake Sam lost one of the people she loved most.
It happened so fast. First came the terrible news, almost out of nowhere, that her Dad had been admitted to hospital. Sam was heartbroken, understandably. But no one expected the terrible news of him having Cancer coming next.
 
On 20th September 2011 Sam’s Dad sadly passed away. It won’t come as any surprise that Sam was left in pieces.
 
It was a horrible time. It felt hard enough for those around Sam, including myself. It really hurts when someone so close to you goes through a terrible ordeal that you have no control over. Nothing you say or do can possibly make the situation better.
 
Sam was traumatised. She had spent nearly every night in the lead up sleeping at her Dad’s bedside in hospital, ridden with anxiety - just waiting for the inevitable.
 
It was unavoidable that it was something which Sam would have to go through. It’s impossible to imagine what it was like for her - unless you’ve been through a similar situation, of course. Perhaps you have?
 
Luckily I haven’t. But as they say, you never know what the future will bring…
 
Nearly a year on and Sam has made it! She’s back on track and going strong!
 
She’s returned to Uni to finish her degree. Plus, she works a part time job as a Sales & Finance Executive in London on the side! I am SO proud of her!
 
And THIS April 27th, on Sam's Dad’s birthday, she’ll be swimming a whopping 5k for Marie Curie Cancer Care! It’s all in an effort to make sure that people like me and you don’t have to suffer in the same way that she did.
 
So please, sponsor Sam and help make all her efforts worthwhile. Just imagine if it were you in her situation. Make good of the bad situation she’s had to go through. Put a smile on her pretty face; there really is nothing that would mean more to her!
 
Simply visit her Just Giving page here, or text "SAMD80" followed by the amount "£XX" to 70070. Don’t forget to follow her progress in her swim blog by clicking here.
 

Thank you so much :)

My skirt length means nothing!

It's International Women's Day this Friday 8th March. And yes, women have come a long way. That's cool! But why am I still having to worry about whether my skirt is too short to wear to work?

Above: Not a happy short-skirt-wearing bunny.

I recently started a new job. I'm loving it. However, it's now my third week in and already I'm struggling for what to wear tomorrow...

A large chunk of my modest-sized wardrobe is taken up with short skirts, short shorts and see-through tops. I'm not talking fully see-through. But that kind of see-through which you LITERALLY cannot avoid if you enter ANY high-street shop in search of tops right now.  

Yeah, that's right. I'm not a slut.

I'm perfectly comfortable wearing these garments on all occasions. I don't feel like I'm exposing too much. I'm not saying I condone those ridiculous 'knicker short' concoctions. My bum's fully covered, I'll have you know! 

So yeah, if you look closely through my top you'll see my bra. But who cares? My bra covers my nipples. Would you rather see THEM?!

Either way, if I were to go shopping for appropriate clothing right now, I wouldn't find anything. 

There's either proper suits suits - which are expensive and overdressed for my office. Or there's pretty, short skirts and cute see-through tops. So what am I do to?

You know what?! Let's stop there.

Why am I even in this situation in the first place?! Why am I so scared to wear something too short or slightly see-through to work?!

Oh, of course! It's inappropriate. Improper. Unfit. Offensive!?

The more I think about this the more it gets me... How is it in any way inappropriate to wear a bum-covering short skirt? Or slightly see-through top?

Lots of offices are full of jean-clad employees, so it's can't be because clothing which 'pretends' to reveal more is too casual.   

Ohhhh..... Yeaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhh......

It all comes down to sex!!!!

We may not have to wear burkas in this country, but the fact that I can't wear short skirts for fear of them being inappropriate for work is pretty much the same thing. Less extreme, but the same concept!

I can't STAND the fact that middle eastern women have to completely cover themselves up because men can't control themselves. It's pure insanity!  

Don't get me wrong, I have no problem with them believing in religion. But oppressing femininity like that is JUST not right.

Our country's nothing like that though, right? Hmm.

People think that kind of stuff is way beyond our territory. Well it's clearly not the case!

And even if everyone in my office couldn't care less about the length of my skirt or opacity of my top, I couldn't help but feel like they were under the impression I'm trying to attract a mate!!

Lend me some sugar and please let me 

know your thoughts? :)

Musical meds: Elli Ingram

I've been frustrated recently. It's been a while since I've found a piece of music which has hit me hard. That's until I stumbled upon the track 'Poetic Justice' by Elli Ingram...

I often find myself toying around with a multitude of tracks all of the same genre. Each one somewhat resembles the other...  

Sometimes I'm lazy like that. I just get sick of the same tune all the time and go find myself a 'same same but different' one to keep me partially sane.

But tonight - well I was bouncing around from track to track on Soundcloud... Then out of the blue this tune randomly started playing?!  

How odd. Dr Soundcloud clearly knew I needed some musical medication, I see!

And this is what he prescribed:  

 

This musical beauty, produced by Felix Joseph & Rudi Redz, mixes jazzy vibes and hiphop with the most satisfying proportions. 

It's got everything I need. Bass. Beats. Umph. And I must admit - I'm a sucker for gentle female vocals with the appropriate levels of sass. 

Purrrrrfect!

So thank you Dr Soundcloud... <3 you more and more each day!

Will you be checking out more of Elli Ingram?

Sort your home out on a budget

'New year, new start' was often said in the first month or so of 2013, but how can you start fresh when you haven't updated your home since the dark ages? It may be mid-February ALREADY, but here are 5 simple steps to revitalise your essential living spaces... Let's face it, you probably hadn't got round to doing anything yet anyway! 

STEP 1: De-clutter

Get rid of all your junk. Come on, really? Are you ever going to wear, see, hold or use that ever again? Only if you're moving house in the future, most probably! 

So get rid of it. Car boot sale, Ebay, Charity Shop, whatever - there's plenty of ways to get rid of your endless amounts of crap. Free space, free mind!

STEP 2: Paint

First thing to attack is your walls. You'll most likely have accumulated a load of hand prints, coffee drips, perhaps even puke on your walls. Get it the hell off! 

If washing them doesn't work, re-painting them is your only option. Often a new lick of paint can brighten a place up instantly anyhow. 

For god's sake don't have a heart attack at the prospect of picking up a paint brush! First, invite your friends, relatives, extended friends group - you name it - over to your house. 

Then, disguise the event as some sort of super-fun social gathering and ask them to wear their most imaginative binbag fancy dress outfits. No risk of them claiming they're not wearing the right clothes then is there? Who said anything about deception? It'll be fun anyway!

Next, have a look at your furniture. Is it old, scratched and/or just generally obscene? Get some damn paint on them too! Or even just some gloss to refresh them! I hate that feeling of worn, oldness. This will instantly elliminate that.

After all, bad furniture can make a decent, mould-free house somehow conjure up a smell of dirt in our minds. So get to it.

STEP 3: Hang

Your walls may now be clean and fresh, but are they lifeless, with no pictures, nothing? The 'bare' look may suit the baby's bottoms featured in Pamper's adverts, but not your walls! Get some damn pictures on them. 

All you need is a few decent posters, a frame in a contrasting colour to the picture itself (don't you dare stick the poster straight on the wall - yuck!), hammer in a nail and hang it up. Simple!

Make sure every room has one large statement picture, or a variety of small ones.

STEP 4: Reupholster

If your sofa and chair covers are dirty, gross, and/or dated, get them reupholstered. It shouldn't cost much and will make a huge difference to your home. 

Plus, stick a few cushions in contrasting colours and fabrics to the sofa and throw them on. This will instantly brighten the room up.

If however your cushion covers are as disgusting as your sofas and chairs, you can easily get some new ones for cheap cheap cheap. My favourite places to buy home wares are H&M home, ZARA home, and even sometimes Ebay!

STEP 5: Get new sheets

If you've been hanging on to the same bed sheets for years it's time for a new set! That's like spending years in the same town and never venturing out; same stuff, all day, every day, nothing new - BLEUGH! If you live with other people, your bedroom is your sanctuary. New bed sheets are the icing on the cake and can work wonders with how you feel too!

Get inspiration from some 
interiors I <3 here

Shock horror: Valentine's Day approaches

Valentine's Day approaches once again my friends, and as usual the entire population of the western world commences into frenzy mode. To put things straight, I've responded to a few common reaction to the fateful day. Enjoy!

 

So which number best describes you right now?

1. A depressed person collating a list of potential places to commit suicide?

Chill out. First things first you should never be relying on a relationship to keep you happy. You must first learn to be happy within yourself, way before any other person can join the picture.

Maybe that's why you haven't met anyone yet? You have to have 'me love' before you can have 'I love', or you'll be plagued by jelousy in relationships!

Either way, being down all the time is unattractive. Sure, we all have our insecurities, but a fundamental thing to keep a relationship going is being able to make each other happy. Even if it's just the tiniest little thing. 

Try thinking of the people in your life who DO love you - your family, your friends... Why not spend time and develop amazing relationships with them first?

2. A singleton signing up to dating sites in an attempt to fix a Valentine's Day date at some cringey single-person's-bar?

Again... Valentine's Day is just any old day. If you're serious about being in a relationship then you should be actively doing something about that, yes, but not just for Valentine's Day!

A girlfriend is not just for Valentine's Day!

3. Pooing your pants over whether or not to sign the Valentine's card to the person you're lusting after with your real name, or simply 'your valentine'?

Yeah, OK, everyone gets nervous. But what on earth is the point in giving someone a Valentine's card without revealing who you are? 

If you're serious about this person then what are you waiting for? How are things going to move forward if they have no idea how you feel?

Sign your damn name!

If you're worried they're going to be horrible to you then why would you want to be with them anyway?! 

4. Containing your excitement for receiving loads of gifts and compliments every year without fail? 'Hooray, I'm so in demand.' 

Lucky you! You can't help that you're a gorgeous, beautiful person. Just don't go rubbing it in other people's faces. Bitch.
 
5. A 'taken' girl shopping 24/7 for the perfect gift for your boyfriend? 'Any excuse to shop - yippee!'

Gifts, gifts and more gifts are great. But remember, Valentine's Day isn't just about showering your lover with gifts! You should be trying to make your boyfriend happy every day of the year.

6. A 'taken' guy freaking out over where to take your girlfriend and hoping this isn't the year you're expected to propose?

Do something on the day which you both enjoy! Sure, every girl likes to be wined and dined, but don't think it HAS to be a fancy, expensive restaurant.

Me and James went into London last year looking for a nice place to eat and ended up in Pizza Hut. We had an awesome evening! 

Just because you're trying to show your love doesn't mean you have to start acting like a rich bitch. If she's cool, then you shouldn't have to try and be something you're not. If you're right for eachother, even the most low-key date should be fun!

As for the proposal, don't give in to that crap unless you genuinely both want to.

If you love her and you're happy then what on earth is marriage going to do to help you? Check out my blog 'May Alarm bells ring on the most hypocritical day of your life' for more on how I feel about marriage.

SO EVERYONE, JUST REMEMBER:

If you're single, who cares? Let it ride. Stick with people who do love you. The rest will come in time.

And to those in relationships: It's not about the dinner date. It's not about the size of the card. For Christ's sake, it's about having a great time with the one you love!

I honestly think Valentine's Day means the most to couples who have survived a really tough year together... The ones who come to the realisation that they've been neglecting the person they love, and then decide to make it 'Valentine's Day' every fortnight. Even if it's just setting the time aside to cuddle up in front of the TV together!

Let me know your thoughts in the comments box below :)