New Obsession || 'Depop'

Nearly everybody can shamefully admit they're accustomed to a little bit of indulgent shopping, and I for one need to reign myself in when I see new stock on Topshop's website. My downfall has to be the revolution of internet shopping. Around six years ago, I would have thought it was only possible to buy the odd 'necessary' household item on websites like Amazon and Ebay and it didn't even cross my mind that you could buy all manner of fashion items on the interwebs. 

I even remember the first thing I ever bought online and I was so nervous about giving away my details and parting with my money with a virtual sales assistant that I enlisted the help of my mum! Needless to say, I was mostly worried because it was an £80 hoodie from the Abercrombie & Fitch website (a purchase I am astounded a 16 year old girl would even dream of making!). 

Nowadays, around 60% of my wardrobe (and beauty products) were the result of naughty online purchases, and while online shopping has it's benefits (being able to grab something you have failed to find in-store, the ability to improve your mood by around 99% once you've found something you'd always dreamed of, and the excitement of imagining you'd look just like the model in the new dress you're about to buy), it's also a pain in the butt when you are stuck with something that looks much more crap than it did on the website and you have to battle with the postage costs to send the item back. As a result of my terrible online shopping addiction over the past 3 years I've been working, I have built up quite an impressive amount of clothing (half of which I dislike or am not even aware I own), and it dawned on me recently as I struggled to find enough money three days before payday to pay for the bus, that I needed to do something about it.

I have been putting the odd item here and there onto Ebay and Asos Marketplace and have always been pleased with the service they offer, but just the other day I found a brilliant new app called 'Depop' which is basically a shop in your pocket! It's just like instagram (another one of my obsessions, just thankfully not an expensive one!), only you create your profile with pictures of items you wish to sell. People will like your pictures, comment asking about your items, make you offers and even offer to swap your item with something they're selling! It's just like having a little market in your pocket, which you can buy, sell or trade with, wherever you are! 

I've added several items today and tried to make the items look as lovely as possible so people feel they're getting the best idea of just how lovely they are. I'm aiming to build up a little holiday fund for myself so any money I earn from selling is such a bonus! I recommend this app to anybody who's interested in selling unwanted items as it's just so so easy! 

I also have to cheekily add that there's a search bar to see if anybody happens to be selling anything in particular you've been looking for. I am literally having to tear myself away from staring at the screen when I find something super super nice that somebody's selling! Ha ha.

xoxo

Mini Mani Monday

I'm well aware I have been away from the blogging scene for a little too long just lately, and am feeling deeply ashamed of myself! I adore blogging and feel sad that life can just get on top of someone so much that they neglect doing something they love. I've created myself a little plan of action, (or as I like to call it - a 'plaction') to get myself blogging regularly again. For every day of this week that I happen to have off work, I'm going to do a little blogpost! Whether it be a teeny paragraph reflecting on a piece of my day, or reams of waffling about something I'm really loving at the moment, I will post it for you to read :)

So to kickstart this very grim monday (It's been raining and thundering and even HAILING where I am today - boo!), and to cheer myself up from this blue mood, I decided to give myself a well overdue manicure. I'm no nail artist and I should definitely be ashamed to say I've actually never had my nails done by a professional before, but I thought I'd give it a go. My poor, unhealthy nails are unfortunately so used to having a fleeting lick of polish before I head to work or bed (exciting life I lead), as I simply don't have the time to sit down and give them a little pamper. So I grabbed my nail file, filled a bowl of hot, soapy water and doused my hands and nails in as many nourishing products as I could find. I really enjoyed the feeling and my nails looked and felt great afterwards.

I went for a simple lilac-toned nude from Loreal and gave my nails an intense buff with my four-sided nail file from The Body Shop. They were super shiny even before I put the polish on which creates the illusion of gel nails! 

I'm super proud of my efforts and am fiercely fighting the urge to pick them, (a terrible habit of mine) so I can have them last a whole week! 

It's only a little act of pampering but sometimes a little is all you need for a pick-me-up and I felt a little less blue afterwards. Of course, selfless acts of kindness are much better than selfish ones, but everybody is entitled to make themselves feel a bit better every now and again, and what's the shame in a little Monday mani? :)

xoxo