The English Mademoiselle Diaries

I have been loving this smock dress from Pull & Bear lately, it is so comfy and versatile to wear that I can see it becoming a weekly appearance during the summer months. So naturally I wore it for my first exam of the season, with some plain black leggings from H&M, and my mums Levis jacket. For me this is a go to outfit when I need to be comfy and look put together at the same time. And I couldn't resist to put on my cat ears that I made for the RED tour!

You guessed it, I just had to wear some frilly socks from Topshop and some tan leather brogues from Clarks. In my opinion you cannot go into an exam hall without some preppy style straight out of Blair Waldorf's style book!

Dirty window selfie ;)

XO, Miriam

I have been really into creating cosplays (dressing up as) of Disney characters from what I have in my wardrobe, more specifically from Alice in Wonderland. My favourite version in by far Tim Burtons, because Johnny Depp and the dresses Alice wears are beautiful. In an attempt to recreate my doodled visions of an over the top "Alice" dress I added layers on top of a dress from Hollister that I have worn to be Alice before.

"If you don't know where you are going, any road will get you there" - Cheshire Cat

As my room become ever filled with revision notes and a selection of text books that I have seemingly read an infinite amount of times, dressing as my favourite characters is by far one of the best ways to regain some sanity... That and caffeine makes me supper concentrated on one thing for hours on end (I also get really shaky and cannot sleep properly)

I am so glad that I can wear my handmade skirt over the top of other dresses while I wait for summer to add the underskirt...

I managed this shot on the second go! So proud I just wish there was a rabbit hole to fall down afterwards!

XO, Miriam

I feel like an university student in this outfit, the crop tee is just a full length tee seen here, rolled under itself and pinned at the back. and I love this shirt with rolled sleeves and unbuttoned (less hipstery than a check shirt)....

Apple blossom is just the prettiest right?

XO, Miriam

P.s. What do you think of my outfit compared to the last one (here) I know which one I prefer...

Pale days are the ones that fall out of the sky after rainy and sunny days, they are neither extreme the sky is a pale grey:

"Not grey, exactly. Right before the sun rises there's a moment when the whole sky goes this pale nothing colour - not realy grey but sort of, or sort of white, and I've always really liked it because it reminds me of waiting for something good happen" - Delirium by Lauren Oliver

On days like this all I wish to do it match the colour of the sky, and just be (kinda) invisible for the day. I couldn't decide how to wear what I was on this day so for this post at least I went for something a little put together, I even put a pair of earrings in, and tied my messy hair back out of my face. I am going through a blue phase at the moment, I do this from time to time I only seem to wear blue, which for most people would probably mean repeating outfits twice or more a week. However I have several items of blue clothing and jeans to pair with black, white and grey. Perfect for days like this where the sky matches my shirt and my converse in the kind of way that makes it seem like it is just about to rain.

Ripped jeans, which were bought in pristine condition not a tear to be seen now cover my legs in jeans that look like they were bought that way. I feel like a proper teenager wearing these, especially with band tees and open shirts (flannel shirts). And the only thing that reminds me that it is April on these days in the Apple Blossom on the wall.

XO, Miriam

In a flurry of inspiration I went from scrawling venomous words in deep inky black, the kind that worries people, the kind you are scared of, not because of what is in it but because you have been blinded. The kind of darkness that makes you fear the future and the unknown and retreat back under the covers. To drawing the Mad Hatters Hat. Sometimes I wonder, Am I Alice before she looked through the looking glass? The answer is yes as to me the world is still enchanting and the Mad Hatter is still real enough to touch in my mind, cracked tea pots and sunken eyes. But so much more than that the sort of person you would miss in a future life.

"I am Alice before she looked through the looking glass"

So I took to my supplies of which I don't have many and tied them up in knots around a bowler hat seen here. Drew 10/6 on some folded paper, attached it to the spotty material with mismatched stud earrings and for a while I was the Mad Hatter complete with a fresh cup of tea (even if it was Green Tea, not English Breakfast Tea..).

I can see myself wearing this out at some stage, with some backcombed hair and pale eye make-up, and lest I forget the old school blazer, worn with ripped jeans and Doc Martens would be so perfect. But for now it will sit with pride upon my split end ridden messy hair. Not that, that matters at all I am only doing English revision today.

XO, Miriam

P.s. Follow me on instagram: @englishmademoiselle to see journal updates/clues to my next posts ;)

So instead of a tripod or my darling sister taking photos it was S. He has taking photos of me before but I still find it quite difficult to relax in front of the camera if he is behind it... Nevertheless he kindly took a few photos on what he called our first "proper" date (Dinner out followed by a cinema trip) and much to my dislike he paid for it. Naturally I chose a spot in front of the cathedral surrounded by alarmingly large trees.

//Jumper - Primark//Dress - H! by Henry Holland//

We went to see Noah, which I am now going to recommend to the rest of the planet, but with the warning that crying and a slight sick feeling are normal for the film. I have read the original story in the Bible as well as the version by Julian Barnes which I personally prefer because it is more realistic. The film plays to something halfway between the two, and left me questioning the way we live and if we need to use everything that we have.

XO, Miriam

"I didn't know who I was supposed to be at fifteen" - Fifteen by Taylor Swift

I still don't know who I am meant to be in this life, I have so many ideas that run at full speed through my head in the hope that some day I will catch one and run with it. But until then I shall wander through the gardens of old houses and write scruffy words and weird meaningless drawing on lined paper.

Maybe it was the way I was brought up or the number of times I read the Narnia collection that influenced my love of old houses and their formal gardens. There is something magical about them, that makes me feel like I am living in a fairytale or I should be swanning around in Downton Abbey style dresses...

An open door to the not so secret garden...

Pages from the last couple of days in my journal, some days it is 4 or 5 pages of solid writing and then other days I draw and write. I get the majority of my inspiration for this blog from my journal so I guess my blog is the best bits of my ideas that I scrawl in black ink and watercolours.

XO, Miriam