Alice Catherine

January has very much been a month of poor health – I’ve had enough coughs, colds, and sore throats to last me a lifetime. It’s very much been a month of poor weather too (it’s not all doom and gloom, stick with me here) – scattered snow storms, and very little daylight, has meant a lot more days hiding under the duvet than usual. I’m not entirely sure why my immune system has had a breakdown this month, I’ve been eating better than ever, and really trying to get back on the health wagon after Christmas. I’ve even bought myself some fancy new gym trainers in an attempt to woo me back on the treadmill, and awayyyy from the festive chocolate stash… 

Bad health aside, I’ve had lots of favourites this month (maybe this is due to being cooped up), but what else is January for anyway? I’ve been in FULL nesting mode, and have actually just been enjoying taking some time to rest, and not letting myself feel guilty about it. Without further adieu, here’s a random collection of things that have been keeping me sane this month…

I guess I should start with my fashion favourites – January has been all about blazers and masculine shoes. I picked up a few new vintage blazers before Paris, and haven’t really been reaching for much else. They are just effortless with a jumper and high waist denim – it’s just that timeless look that’s not about to disappear anytime soon. The belted blazer trend has been popping up everywhere too – I’ve always been a fan of masculine style belts, so I’m really happy that they are making a comeback. I used to wear waist belts all the time when I was at college – they create such a flattering silhouette, and they really transform a blazer into a sort of evening top. It’s quite a ‘power dressing’ combination, and I think this look would look really cool with a pair of fancy heeled shoes too…

I also treated myself to a pair of Gucci Jordaan loafers just before Christmas (doesn’t feel natural to type that) – I feel like every blogger and their mum owns a pair of these, but they really are a cult classic for a reason. They had been on my wishlist years, but spending that much on a pair of shoes never quite sat right with me. After all, they are going on the floor, and if my Converse are anything to go by, I’m not someone who is precious with my footwear. I then received a very generous voucher from Farfetch – meaning the loafers cost me a fraction of the original price, and I was luckily able to have a pair of my very own. So far, I’m absolutely loving them, they are a dream to walk around in, and I can’t wait to get more wear out of them in spring…

Next I wanted to talk about some TV series that I’ve unashamedly binge watched – I recently finished the third series of Lovesick and throughly enjoyed every moment. When I first started the series, it took me a while to get into it – sometimes I need a few episodes to connect with the characters before a series really gets addictive. As it’s a narrative totally based around four friends and their relationships – you definitely need a a couple of hours to fall in love. Please give it a second chance if you didn’t get it straight away – it’s one of the best things I’ve watched in ages. It’s incredibly clever, extremely witty, and Johnny Flynn is just the most endearing of all creatures to ever exist. If you’re a fan of his music, he also features heavily on the soundtrack – I challenge you not to fall in love…

The second series I’ve loved this month has been The End Of The F***ing World – it’s just the kind of thing that I’d been craving from Netflix. Something completely fresh and unexpected – the episodes are a mere twenty minutes long, so it’s the perfect one to binge if you’re not someone who can commit to lengthly stretches in front of the TV. It definitely won’t be everyones cup of tea, but as British series involving dark humour and an unconventional love story – it’s basically ticking all my imaginary boxes. THE SOUNDTRACK also happens to be one of the best I’ve stumbled across in a while – you’ve probably heard most of them already, but there’s something about the perfect compilation of different songs that makes them sound new again. Featured artists include Françoise Hardy, Hank Williams, and Mazzy Star…

Next up, a few homeware pieces that I now can’t live without – the main theme with my Christmas presents this year was definitely along the lines of ‘homeware inspired’. I’ve finally reached that age where unwrapping a set of crystal tumblers excites me way more that it should. My mum got Sam and I some for Christmas, and I’ve really been enjoying them filled with Disaronno and coke in the evenings. Coke zero for that matter – I’m not a huge fan of fizzy drinks, and I don’t really drink much alcohol these days, so a midweek tipple has been the perfect way for me to wind down. I haven’t drunk Disaronno since I was at university, but I think there’s something about Christmas that ignites my love for the sickly sweet things in life. My dad also bought us a giant ice cube mould – which sounds like the most boring gift to ever exist, but I couldn’t have appreciated it more. It’s the little things in life like drinking out of a nice glass (with a giant ice cube in it), that can perk up a rubbish day – it makes me feel like I’m on the set of a vintage James Bond film, and I swear the whole combination makes the overall drink taste better too…

The next homeware piece I’ve been loving is our new French press  (I can already feel you nodding off)- another beautiful gift from my wonderful mother who appreciates how much I love fresh coffee. Although a coffee machine would be great, they are so very expensive, and I really enjoy preparing my morning coffee the old fashioned way. Not to mention – those little pods that some of them come with kind of freak me out/can’t be great for you. Fresh coffee poured straight into one of our French inspired glass mugs is just the perfect way to tackle an early start – I picked them up from Trouva, and online collection of boutiques and brands that I just can’t get enough of at the moment. If, like me, you’re moving house this year and all you can think about is interior decor – I’d definitely recommend checking them out. I can only apologise in advance for the inevitable bank balance damage that’s about to ensue…

 New cinema favourites to shout about – the start of the year always seems to grace us with amazing new films, doesn’t it? It’s almost as if they know we won’t feel like doing much else other than cosying up with some popcorn for a couple of hours…

Photographs taken in Paris, by Adriana 

Blazer | vintage via Beyond Retro

Belt | vintage (similar here)

Jeans | vintage via Beyond Retro (similar here)

Loafers | Gucci c/o Farfetch (similar here & here)

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