Autumn and Winter Bucket List.

 Yesterday evening I was writing down a list of things I want to do during A/W14. And some of the things I came up with I felt needed to be shared, so here is my bucket list for this Autumn and Winter Season:



Smile: It isn't that I don't smile at all but I think that I need to smile more. Some days I find I get to caught up in the stresses of life. Also someone once told me that just by smiling your mood improves.



 Drink more tea: As much as like the majority of the fashion blogging community I am partial to a Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte, I do favour tea. Not because I am British (that probably plays a part) but because I freaking love tea. Not the general purpose tea though, I really enjoy trying new kinds of herbal teas along with several cups of green tea.

Interact with new people: this is my first semester of university and I feel like this one is unavoidable. Having said that I do get very nervous about talking to new people and have a tendency to retreat to my room to avoid social interaction. I am setting myself the challenge to make friends at university in and out of my classes. 

Finish the A Song Of Ice And Fire book series: I am two books into the series so I have a fair way to go, but last year during the second year of IB I realised I stopped reading for pleasure because of my studies so while I am at university I want to prevent this from occurring again by finishing all of the books by the 1st of December.

XO, Miriam


Feminism & I

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 I am a *dare I say it* Feminist. Sort of.

I personally don't really like the words feminist and feminism, yes once during the suffragette movement and Thacher's time in power they were relevant but now?  Maybe just saying you believe in gender equality would suffice?

I guess I have always been a "feminist" from asking why I couldn't be a fire fighter in the playground or why during secondary school as a girl I was meant to be more organised, multi-task and keep out of trouble. I first found out that this was feminism through Tumblr, the social network of equality and free speech... What I didn't know was that my views on feminism and opinion of gender roles in society would be integral to my classmates opinion of me during college. If asked yes I am a feminist but really I believe in the equality of all genders be that economically (earning the same wage for doing the same job), the right to vote and the social expectations pressed upon both genders from a young age.

So what is feminism to me as of right now? It is working to show both genders that they can be whatever they want to be, that yes men can suffer from anorexia as well as girls, and yes women can be good at maths. It is calling out people who seek to remain in the current patriarchal society for their own benefit. It is ensuring that every child across the world has access to free primary and secondary education as far as it is practical for them as individuals. It is working towards a better future that allows people of any gender to be able to stand up and give a political opinion in the House of Commons (or equivalent) without the fear of being laughed at. It was finding out in a geography lesson that is you allow women to be educated as well as men then the children of the future will be able to live healthier lives. It is human rights.

Yes I hate the word feminism as it is associated with man-hating but no I don't think it is a redundant idea, gender equality is still an issue across the world.

XO, Miriam

P.S. Here is Emma Waston's Speech about it for the UN:


I am high on believing...

 //Dress - Zara//Watch - Unknown//Socks - Topshop//Brogues - Clarkes//

Sometimes simple outfits are the best outfits, cue a dress and some shoes. I am officially living in Oxford now already to start lectures next week at Oxford Brookes but for now I am experiencing freshers week. Which is all kinds of fun and crazy not to mention the nights out... During the day I have been enrolling for my course buying little bits I forgot to buy last weekend when I arrived to comfort is key, this dress fits the bill perfectly. It also makes me feel like an off duty model at New York Fashion Week... Just me okay.


XO, Miriam


Start as you mean to go on.


As I have mentioned in the last couple of "rambly" posts I am off to University. Oxford Brookes to be precise, to study English Literature and Publishing Media. I am excited and worried in equal measures at the moment, and incredibly that I have a list of outfits I want to shoot but I cannot until next week when I have unpacked all of my clothes.

After the second year of the IB, I feel like I can face anything academically even if this does mean I will not settle for low grades easily... So this semester I plan to start as I mean to go on AKA get organised. Hopefully I can do that with the help of the above items:

  1. A moleskin planner - one this one is pink so it instantly made it even more fabulous than moleskin items already are. I liked this one because as much as I loved my lego one last year there just wasn't enough room for all of my assignments and deadlines. 
  2. My headphones - obnoxious and the looks silly on me but I like to shut out when I am doing school work or working out so these will work perfectly. I can work to normal music (some kinda freak I know) but recently I have been loving reading up on things while listening to classical film soundtracks (Harry Potter, The Hobbit etc)
  3.  A photo of my sister and I - A little something to keep me motivated and a reason to smile while I am working my butt off at my desk.
  4. A pencil case -  I hate taking notes or making list in anything other than pen on paper, I also have coloured pens, highlighters and sticky notes in there. 
  5. My notebook of lists and stuff -  I love a good list, nuff said.
  6. The Rucksack - I bought this beauty by Hershal from Urban Outfitters the other day having put away the money slowly all summer to get it. I do not regret the amount I spent on the little America bag I cannot wait to use it to keep all of my daily essentials including my laptop in. 

XO, Miriam

All The Best People Are.


Hooray for another rambling post! If you have read my little about page then you will know I adore Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll. This is by far one of my favourite quotes from the novel it is one of those quotes than when I am feeling stressed out or out of control in any situation it can calm me down. I have been using this quote along with a whole host of others to get me through what I call the "stressful packing stage" before I head off to university on Saturday.

Up next is the "oh my gherd I am actually moving stage" where I will freak out that I have forgotten something and worry that I won't be able to stick to my budget that I have set out...

XO, Miriam

P.S. Anyone at university have any advice for me coming in?








The Last Flowers of Summer.






Now I am partial to flowers but after my mum's fiftieth birthday we had them in vases all over the house and yes they are gorgeous and smell amazing. Except the lilies I don't like lilies all that much. Flowers are very quickly becoming the inspiration for a few projects I am working on currently.

In other news I move out and head to university next week, and I am actually really excited. I have already decided which modules I want to take and checked out all of the clubs and societies ready for Freshers Week. I will be documenting all of my adventures at university here.

XO, Miriam

The Book Club| A Game of Thrones


So back in August I began "the long journey" as the guy behind the Waterstones counter called it, in to the A Song of Ice and Fire series. Hvaing watched the first 6 episodes of Game of Thrones television series I decided I wanted to read the books first then compare the storylines by binge watching the televised version afterwards. At some points in the books I rejoiced that each chapter is about a different character, but sometimes I would have to wait several chapters to go back to a storyline I really wanted to know more about. But my frustration came not from the style of writing but from the connection to the characters and the deep immersion in to Westeros that George R.R. Martin creates.


I personally view myself as either Sansa Stark or Daenerys Targaryen. I mean who doesn't want to have the blood of the dragon, and to think Martin almost didn't include dragons in the novels! Shock horror I know... If the small-folk of Westeros don't enjoy the Game of Thrones played by those above them, I certainly do.

I am pressing rose petals in my copy now, what I juxtaposition to the story.
I listened to Troye Sivan and Lorde while reading this book, so as with all my books if a song comes on then I will start thing about the book. If you liked Lord of the Rings book then you will love this, and as with all good books there is a set of maps in the front of each of the books.

XO, Miriam

What One Summer Taught Me.

Source: Tumblr

May taught me how to harness my emotions and make them my strengths. Take all of the pain that comes during the long nights after a break up and make it into the strength you need to sit 3 exams the next day. Okay maybe my results weren't what I had hoped due to an "in exam season" break-up, but my goodness did I learn that living is harder than dying. 

June taught me that nobody changes and everybody lies and that it is totally okay to take time out. Two week adventure in India and Nepal? Yes please! 
 

Source: Tumblr


July taught me why I don't give many second chances and how to deal with failing (by my own standards). It also taught me how to make new friends and leave old ones behind. 

August has taught me to be a little more reckless and adventurous and how to smile like I mean it. You know the smile that spreads all the way to your eyes when you can't think of a single horrible thing that has happened to you.

XO, Miriam

P.S. The quotes are from Paramore's Album Paramore, which has been one of my albums of this summer.

Roast Sweet Potato Salad.




While I am still at home for the next two weeks before I head of on my adventures at university, I am experimenting with different salads and meals in preparation for the new start. So to make this salad, I cut up a sweet potato, tomatoes and a sweet pepper in to wedges and roasted in the oven with olive oil for 30minutes. After roasting I put it all into a bowl on top of some baby spinach and spring onions. I served it with brie and garlic bread this time, but I think pine nuts would also go realy well with the mix of flavours! I must admit though this meal has got me thinking about all the lovely seasonal produce that comes with autumn...

XO, Miriam
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