WISHLIST/BACK 2 SCHOOL: Backpacks

It's back to school season y'all and I'm always on the hunt for the perfect backpack. Most of you have probably already started school, but hopefully this will still help those who haven't found your ideal backpack yet (or maybe you just want more bags - no harm in feeding your bag addiction). Even if you're no longer in school or university, it's always a good idea to have at least one backpack in your wardrobe.

L-R: Faux leather fold-over Asos £30 // Faux leather buckles Asos £25 // Quilted Religion (on Asos) £28 // Silver crackle finish Asos £22 // Grey faux leather Asos £12 // Mock croc Asos £25

My perfect university backpack criteria:

• affordable
• durable
• spacious enough/ the right shape to fit my laptop and folders - that means I'm focusing more on rectangular backpacks and mostly staying away from bags with drawstrings
• water resistant - you never know when you're going to be caught in the rain in London without an umbrella
• versatile enough to suit any outfit
• has at least one interior or exterior pocket - for all the little things I carry around

As you can probably see, I'm a fan of black bags - they're the safest colour that won't clash with anything you're wearing.Faux leather also does the trick most of the time in protecting my notes from the rain (it's the worst having all those notes you spent hours on ruined by rainwater). Oh and a quick tip when looking for backpacks: it's always worth looking at the men's section -  they tend to be bigger and simpler design wise as well. I find that Asos has the best selection and variety of backpacks, and the free shipping is always a bonus.

-Blanc-

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TREND/I WANT: Chunky Sandals

(L-R/ T-B) New Look on Asos £20 // Topshop £48 // Topshop £39 // New Look on Asos £25 //Topshop £39 

Summer seems to have finally hit London, and this good weather's been putting me in the mood to shop for summer pieces, including sandals. Being very short, I'm always on the look out for chunky shoes that will give me the height without the pain, and so these 5 sandals caught my eye. And it seems that since Vagabond has become popular, all the shops have started selling chunky boots and sandals, which is always a plus for me!

Yes, I do realise that most of the sandals I've chosen are black, but black's the most versatile so you'll be able to pair them with more outfits and get your moneys worth out of them. They won't get dirty as easily as white sandals either. And hey, I have put in a colour option as well so it's not all monochrome.

Unfortunately, I'm saving my money for shopping in Korea so I won't be buying anything for now, but hopefully in a couple of weeks I'll be able to buy some similar sandals in Korea (and probably/hopefully for a fraction of the price!).

-Blanc

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SALE PICKS: H&M (June'13)

Sorry I didn't put up a post last week and I will type up an update post soon to explain, but for now here are my picks from the H&M sale:

Almost all the items I've chosen are under £5 and I would say all are still appropriate for the summer season. And I've made sure that most of the sizes are available for each piece (at least for now).

I would love to go online and order all these pieces asap, especially the printed swimsuits, but I don't think I'm getting into a pool or going to the beach anytime soon and I still have a couple of swimsuits from last year that I have yet to wear.

Happy shopping!

-Blanc

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SALE PICKS: Topshop (Apr'13)

So Topshop's online sale started a few days ago and to be honest, there's not a lot on there that I particularly want (probably because I'm a massive cheapskate but whatever). As per usual, any bargains that I do spot are already pretty much sold out but I've managed to find two things that have caught my eye:

1. Winter Bloom Bralet (link here)
Bralets are perfect for spring/summer weather. Balance them out with a high waisted pair of shorts/a skirt but if you feel like you still have too much skin on show, throw a cardigan over it or layer on a sheer blouse.

2. Rave Badge Multipack (link here)
These badges are very 90s which I love. Pin these onto an acid wash denim jacket for the 90s grunge look or use them to make a plain backpack more interesting. You can find similar ones on ebay, but since the Topshop ones are on sale the prices are pretty similar and Topshop's just more convenient to buy from.

-Blanc

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I WANT: Novelty Pouches

Christmas is coming up and so's my birthday so I've been trying to compile a wishlist and found a few quirky novelty pouches from Urban Outfitters (somehow most of them seem to resemble food):

Novelty Pouches by iampiggy on Polyvore

1. Burger Pocket £10 // 2. Pizza Pocket £7 // 3. Hot Dog Pocket £7 // 4. Sandwich Pocket £10 // 5. Crisp Pocket £7 // 6. Pocket Boombox £7 £5

I am contemplating buying the sandwich pocket to use as a pencil case at school, but I just can't justify paying 10 quid and shipping for a pencil case when I already have a perfectly good one right now. Maybe when UO have an online sale or free shipping ....

I WANT: Topshop 'Sisters of the New Moon' Lipsticks

I love Topshop's new collection 'Sisters of the New Moon', especially the lipsticks:

crystal

charmed

I really want to get Crystal, a lip tint that applies as a different colour apparently on different people. I tried it out in the store and it was gorgeous. It wasn't sticky or too shiny like a lip gloss but it gave a lovely tint to brighten up your lips; great for spring and summer

But, being the cheapskate I am, I just couldn't justify spending £9, especially since I don't wear a lot of make up normally anyway. So, next time I treat myself or splurge, don't be surprised to see this in a haul.

Currently available online and in stores.