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Hello, hello. I am sure by now you are sick of the sight of these posts but I felt I wanted to write one in lieu of starting by blogging year off. We are already one week fully gone in the year 2018... 

What a strange sounding year... 2018 - are we in the actual future?

I genuinely cannot believe 2017 is over, it legitimately flew by. I have spent the last few weeks reading a number of amazing blog post looking over the last year and their individual highs, lows and achievements etc. It can be a weird one talking about yourself, especially when talking about achievements and things that we are good at - but it is equally so important to do so!

Feeling inspired by this I have decided to do a post dedicated to the last year, a sort of review and a sort of resolution setter. 2017 was a year of some small achievements in terms of personal and career goals, I learnt a lot about doing more of what you actually want to do and not feeling pressured to or unable to do your own thing. 

For this post I thought I would use some of my favourite photos from 2017, some photos that I didn’t get a chance to use! 

Personal

2017 was the year that I turned 21, hilariously no longer just 20. It’s an odd one as I always have felt that my age has never suited me. As a slightly odd young 20 something who hates night clubs and would rather save and buy an investment piece than spend £100+ on a night out, ageing has only ever felt like I’ve become more and more comfortable in my personality. Turning 21 brought one of my absolute highlights of 2017 - OWNING A GUCCI BAG. 

For as long as I can remember handbags have been something I have always been infatuated with. Not that I am a particularly materialistic person but an investment piece such as the Gucci Soho Disco bag is a wardrobe staple that I know I will have for years and years to come. I knew that I would forever look back at this bag and it would remind me of this time in my life.

Perhaps some of you might read that and think ridiculous to put so much sentimental value on a handbag, but what can you do. 

One of the true highs of this year was watching my dear and beloved boyfriend graduate his Masters in Film. After what was a tough personal year he truly found his calling and decided to persue a passion. His creative (a word he hates) side as dedication is something that has always been something that has greatly inspired me since the day I met him. Graduating with distinction and having his talents truly recognised was just amazing to be there for! I’m not biased at all. 

My goals for this year in terms of personal life are for sure to make more time for friends and family. Unfortunately adult life seems to mean that time goes by at lightening speed and everyone is no longer in the one place and pinning people down is more difficult than one would imagine. But I am dead set on taking more time to see my lovely pals and have some much needed catch ups!

Also to see my two of my up most favourite people way more - both of my darling Grandmothers. Two unbelievable women who both equally look 20 years younger than their technical age and are just the absolute best.

Finally, this is the year where I want to get myself into an actual state of health. Not to be a complete cliché but the gym needs to be discovered. As my life gets busier unfortunately my health and body focus has been put to one side. But this year I fully intend on both learning to cook (sorry all of the great eateries of Belfast but I can no longer keep you single handedly in business) and rediscovering my love for sport/fitness in some way. 

Blogging

Last year ended on a bit of an odd one - after what I thought was a year that would end on a career high in terms of finally getting into a fashion focused job, in short, did not. I don’t want to get into it as I don’t want to begin on a negative, rather a look at how I began last year rediscovering a passion of documenting my love for personal style and fashion. 

After this small blip in the final months of 2016 I began 2017 determined to get back, full swing into curating my social media and giving more time to my blog. When I look back over the last 12 months and how my content has changed and developed, this is something I feel I somewhat achieved. 

Drawing a whole lot of inspiration from some of my favourite pros in the blogging world and trying to find my own take on the eclectic mix of styles. Unfortunately I was not nearly as consistent as I would have liked to have been with my blog. But hey ho - life gets in the way and these things happen. So 2018 will DEFINITELY be the year of consistent blogging. Writing, taking photos and creating is something this year I want to overall take more time for. 

Speaking of blogging, something that this year brought was the discovery of so many other NI bloggers that I had no idea existed. Thanks to the amazing Cathy Martin (CMPR) who has created a focal-point for the small community of bloggers in NI through brunches and blogger focused events. This community has brought some great opportunities that have allowed me to mr some amazing, like-minded and wonderfully creative people. 

At one specific event I did something I never thought I would ever do, I got up and spoke in front of quite a large room full of people. And dear god was it terrifying BUT I did it! Perhaps not the best I have ever spoke but what mattered was that I did it. This particular event also meant that I heard many other bloggers and the like speak about what their own social prescience is for or inspired by - which was equally so interesting.

All in all, in terms of blogging alongside a full time job and studying at University - this year has been quite a successful one and something that I fully intend on bettering in this new year.

Hoping to set and maintain the of goal to post on my blog at least once a week, on Instagram daily and really try to engage more on all social platforms.  

Fashion

This year I felt like I really began to understand my own personal style and found a balance between what I liked  trend-wise and what I simply just like. Certain podcasts such as 'Get It On' by Dawn O'Porter (an actual queen) to name my favourite have been amazing in really giving me a great perspective on personal style and the psychology behind it. It enlightens why we are drawn to some styles more than others and what each persons individual uniform per-say says about them in general. This is something I am so passionate about and have written about in more detail here, talking how I personally relate it to my own style and others.

Certain bloggers that I love and have loved since before I started my blog have recently really inspired this personal look at my own and others individual style. Also to look at what I am buying and how I can make purchases more mindfully, as much as I love a massive big statement piece I have tried to focus on purchasing more pieces that will stand the test of time. For me even some statement pieces that I own, that probably were bought in the rose tinted view of whats on trend, are still pieces that I regard as classic and I know will always have a place in my wardrobe.

I will never be the person with a capsule wardrobe, as much as the idea is a great way to be more mindful with purchases and stay more organised, it just isn't something I see myself with. I will always have a love for trend based, statement pieces that perhaps won't be life long items but thats ok too. I have tried to put more thought into my purchases in recent months, investing in three (rather cheeky) items this year - items that sometimes I do look at and think about how much they did set me back but also think about how I will have them for years and years. 

My first being the unbelievable Gucci Soho Disco bag, a bag that was a 21st birthday present and something to remember that year of my life by.

Then another handbag (I have a problem...) by Vivienne Westwood -  designer I have loved since I can remember. I grew up in love with the Punk era and Vivienne Westwood has always had massive impact in my fashion inspiration and I finally found the right one to invest in from her collection.

My final investment piece this year was my beloved Allsaints Balfern Leather Jacket, something I never thought I would own but after working my butt off for five months and saving I thought it was time. Leather Jacket's have always been a staple piece in my wardrobe and I have owned an abundance over the years of high street faux leathers and the Balfern was always my dream - I LOVE LOVE LOVE.

Going into 2018 I definitely intend on being more careful and thoughtful when curating my wardrobe and not making use of that next day ASOS delivery button so often...

Travel

In short, I need to travel this year. The last 18 months have been absolutely shocking on the travel front, of-course in that time there were a lot of firsts: 

  1. Moving out for the first time, subsequently moving again to more expensive (but fabulous) renting.

  2. Two promotions in my work which meant being actually responsible for the first time ever.

  3. Balancing a full time job with University and mainting a high grade average but also making time for personal interests and endeavours.

  4. Trying to figure out how to actually navigate being a somewhat independent adult and understanding how the hell to actually do it all.

With this intention in mind, I have narrowed my 2018 travel list down to:

  • Madrid: To visit some dear friends after over a year of promising to.

  • Paris: I love France, always have and it is just somewhere that I have had a really desire to go to this year.

  • New York: For our 5th anniversary in October hopefully myself and my love will go to New York. It’s one of my absolute favourite places I have ever been (just must ignore the Trump element this time around) and to experience it with my favourite travel companion would be a dream. 

I feel three places in the world is not too much to ask for this year.. surely more than doable. I just must reign in the spending - big time. 

So there it is, all my goals and reflections from the year gone by and the year to come. I hope anyone who kindly reads this has the best year ever and sincerely hope this is your year. 

Here’s to the futuristic 2018 - see you all on your hover boards. 


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