Instagram Roundup: February 2015

Wanderlust Life // Pictures // Zuzka Beauty // Links of London Pendant // Chillin // Outfit // Alexa Hearts Nails Inc // Home // Saturday treats

February might be the shortest month, but I feel as if I've crammed a lot into the past few weeks and I'm definitely ready for a day off! I spent a lot of time looking at my blog content over the course of February and have enjoyed putting some new posts together and working with some amazing brands; Wanderlust Life, Zuzka and Links of London to name a few!

I've managed to get a few outfit posts up this month too and my favourite I think is this one above featuring the leopard print coat, such a classic! My nails have had a few treats too with this Alexa Chung Hearts Nails Inc set that I've posted more in depth about here.

I also paid a visit back to Devon to watch Adrian's band on the southwest leg of their tour, see my mum and dad and have lunch with my dearest friend. It was lovely to get back for a few days and I hit the charity shops hard, so there will be more 'chazza find' posts coming soon!

If you like what you see here and you don't yet follow me on Instagram, click the link below to do so!

XO Amie

A Blogger's Guide #5

For this episode of my 'Bloggers Guide' series, I wanted to look at a side of blogging that isn't so frequently talked about as new clothes or the latest beauty products. I started blogging back in 2009, and it was Adrian who inspired me to do so. He knew that I loved fashion and that I also loved to write, and he was the person that recommended I start taking these hobbies and using them to start my own website. He helped me to find the platform I would use, and he also helped me with the design, editing and styling of my blog layout and provided the hand drawn font for my header and blog buttons. He was also on hand (and still is!) to take the copious amount of photographs I need to include with every post, and show me how to use Photoshop to (basically) resize and edit pictures. I have had to Google some of the techniques, mind you, if he is at work when I need to use them!

I've been really lucky to have Adrian to help support me and encourage me to maintain and update Credit Crunch Chic, even when I've wanted to completely delete the entire site because I've critically compared my blog to other, much bigger and better, ones. I can understand why bloggers quit; I've been very close to doing so on several occasions but Adrian has always managed to talk me out out doing that and help me to appreciate the great content that I do have and strive to achieve; one of my favourite quotes is 'comparison is the thief of joy' and it really rings true; my blog is not like anyone else's, but then again, no one else's is like Credit Crunch Chic, and I'm proud of that!

The crux of this 'Blogger's Guide' was to talk about the importance of maintaining a work/life balance whilst running a website. It's difficult; social media and the internet make it so that we never really switch off; I will write a blog post, spend time putting it together and editing the pictures, writing the copy and making sure I'm happy with it, then spend more time feeding it out over social media, responding to tweets, alongside sharing choice images over Instagram and Facebook, (running the blog's FB page concurrently) and responding to emails and building up a network of PR and agency contacts. It is my hobby, but more so than ever it is becoming a full time one. I already have a full time, 40 hour a week job; juggling this with running the website can mean that I feel like I am permanently working, be that at my day job or behind a desk with the blog. This can be overwhelming and actually quite lonely, spending all your time at work or at home can be demoralising and definitely means that social obligations take a backseat.

Until it pays my bills, my website remains a hobby, and I have made a conscientious effort to view it that way. I try to avoid spending too much time on social media; sometimes, the amount of effort it takes to keep up is draining and I feel anxious that I am missing out. There are so many hashtagged blogger chats to join in with on Twitter, so many pages to comment on Facebook, images to like on Instagram and that's before I've had the chance to even glance over other blogs on my reading list. I sometimes feel that there just isn't enough time to get through everything, and it's taken me a long time to appreciate that that's ok.

Credit Crunch Chic is a huge portfolio of work which has built up over the last 6 years and I am incredibly proud of it. I know I haven't won any awards or been to many fashion shows, and it's been a lesson in hard work. What I've learnt is not  to take it too seriously, to enjoy the content that I publish and spend time and effort thinking up exciting new material that I look forward to posting every day, but not to let it take over my life or try to do too much, just to have fun and enjoy it. I make time to take part in other hobbies, too, like my ballroom dancing classes, yoga and charity shopping, which is important because I enjoy those and it always helps me to refocus on my blog if I step away from it for a time, even if just a couple of hours now and again to do something completely different.

XO Amie

Charity shop find of the week #13

Vintage bag £5.99

Last weekend I went back to Devon to visit my mum and dad and of course whilst I was there I took the opportunity to have a look around some of the charity shops I used to frequent when I lived there. Unfortch the one I really wanted to go to wasn't open on the day I visited, but I did have a good look around several others and managed to find some amazing things.

This first item is a cool structured handbag which I picked up in Banardos. I haven't bought a charity shop handbag in a little while but I really liked this one; the boxy shape and gold hardware is exactly what I like whilst the beige colourway is also a favourite. At £5.99 it was one of the weekends more expensive purchases but I liked it enough to invest in!

I actually came away with some really cool items which I will feature on the blog soon, I'm also writing a post about the best way to charity shop and some hints and tips which I hope to publish soon. I am often asked how I find my charity shop items; there's no real skill to it but I have learnt a few things over the years which have helped me to bag the bargs! If you are a serial charity shopper, as I am, you definitely should check out the wonderful Vintage Vixen and also Charity Shop Gold, who are two other charity shop obsessed bloggers you're sure to love!

XO Amie

Jumpsuit

Wearing: Whistles jumpsuit and coat vintage backpack Converse trainers

Despite the fact that I am quite obviously wearing socks, it's too cold for Converse, as I learnt a couple of weeks ago when Adrian and I went for a walk. I think I thought that with an ankle sock I wouldn't feel the chill but, unfortunately, Converse are paper thin and so provided no warmth at all; bring back my chelsea boots! We did walk past a bloke wearing shorts and toms, though, so clearly I wasn't the coldest person in the park!

This jumpsuit doesn't really photograph that well but it is such a lovely piece, I wore it a lot at work as I love that easy, one-piece outfit that doesn't require any thinking about, pretty much any shoes worked with it and it is so comfortable. It does also have long arms, so it's pretty warm and also looks wicked with a poloneck layered underneath.

Apologies for the beret, I can't do without a hat at the minute as the wind rages havoc with my hair and also hurts my ears, so it's a must! This is definitely my hat of the year; it looks really good with every outfit and keeps my hair off my face, so it's a keeper!

XO Amie

Alexa Chung hearts Nails Inc

Alexa Chung Hearts Nails Inc Collection

Of course, regular readers will be aware of the obsession I have with a certain Ms Chung, and whilst that does not enable me to buy everything with her face on it, when I see it's something I like, I have to get it!

I do really like Nails Inc nail polishes and I'd seen this set in Boots where it was around £50, far more than I'd ever pay! For some reason I then spotted it on the nails inc website where it had been reduced to around £20, so I snapped it up. For the price, you got six shades (Alexa's Edit) as well as a nail file and makeup pouch. Given that the hearts polish is available as a single purchase for £15, I thought this was a pretty good deal!

So far I have tried both the navy shade and the pastel purple which is called 'Winter Lilac.' Two coats and a top coat on this lasted a week with no chips, which is amazing. The navy hasn't fared quite as well, it has chipped after about 3 days wear but this could be because it is a darker colour, and so more noticeable.

I haven't tried the more glittery polishes yet although I am tempted to overlay the stars one on to the navy which I think will look super chic. I really liked the variation within this set, you get some really wearable colours as well as some very high fashion glitter polishes which I think will work throughout the season, for day and evening.

XO Amie

Jones Bootmaker Top 5

Gaia Brogues // Cillian Courts // Jennie Sandals // Goya Ballet Pumps // Ivy Sandals

Jones Bootmaker is such a stalwart of the Great British High Street that I forget to keep in touch with their wares from time to time, and then when I do get round to checking them out I always feel that I should pay more attention to the quiet, chic and unfussy styles that they so consistently produce. Established in 1857, this is a brand with heritage, and this reflects very clearly on their styles.

I thought I'd pick 5 styles that I liked especially to showcase here; and actually I could have picked an awful lot more but tried to show restraint! This season, Jones has crafted a very covetable selection of different styles, all very easy to work into your existing shoedrobe and all just lovely. I spotted the Gaia brogues a mile off; the beautiful rose print pattern is so pretty and spring like. I would wear them with rolled skinnies and a jumper for perfect transitional winter-to-spring style.

Classic courts are a must-own and a great pair of everyday sandals are a staple. The Cillian courts are a more elevated version of your everyday court with the side cut out detailing, and the sumptuous wrap across style of the Jennie heels are super flattering on the legs too.

My particular favourite pair from this selection is tied between the Ivy sandals (so simple! so minimal! so chic!) and the buttery soft leather Goya ballerinas (love the oversized gemstones) both pairs I feel will be so useful all summer long, and can easily be dressed up or down to suit your desired look.

Check out the full range at Jones Bootmaker here.

Archive #6

 Images from September 2011

By September of 2011, we had lived in Bristol long enough for me to get over my homesickness and slight agoraphobia to venture to the centre of the village in which we lived at the time, with one focus in mind: the charity shops. Living in a South Gloucestershire suburb did mean that although trying to get anywhere was a bit of a faff, the locality did provide some of the best charity shop pickings, especially for someone who is so interested in the cast offs of elderly folk. There was plenty of fodder to appease my 'Granny Trouser' obsession!

I remember getting these trousers for about £4 and despite the fact that they did my backside no favours at all, I loved them. Keeping it mod with a pair of ASOS shoe boots and a Quiksilver jacket makes up for the rest of my outfit being from eras past. Unfortunately, I no longer have them; I think they were a victim of either moth or mold, but I have got these pictures to look back on and reminisce, and it was probably a good thing that they are no longer in my wardrobe as they did make my bum look incredibly massive!

I have a surprising shortage of trousers in my wardrobe at the moment, which definitely needs to be rectified; I have had to turf out several pairs of jeans that have had their day and my favourite ASOS peg trousers are also seemingly past their best; I'll certainly have to start scoping out the chazzas for alternatives, because in my opinion, a granny trouser is always in order.

XO Amie