Bonfires, boots and blankets... see what is inspiring me this Winter

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Winter scent

Candle - The White Company Winter £8 mini candle

October is drawing to a close and with that I have purchased my first Winter candle of the season. As colourful Autumn days turn to cold Winter nights, I'm just about ready to settle in for quiet nights on the sofa in my cosy socks and blankets, with a steaming cup of coco and a good book. To accompany this I need my winter scent. Each year the smell of this The White Company Winter candle is just enchanting, with hints of orange, cinnamon and clove it perfectly sums up winter in a smell. You know how smells bring memories, this scent always reminds me of nights in round the fire on the lead up to Christmas.

For an alternative try this Festive Spice Frangreced Tree from Next, again a gorgeous winter smell with notes of orange, red berries and festive spice, all captured in a decorative tree in pot pourri form. Available from: http://www.next.co.uk/g402666s5#697440g40
 

Outfits for week two

Smart casual is always an interesting look to master, you can put emphasis on either side of the scale. This week with some sunny days still occurring in London I bared my legs with some smart Zara shorts but kept the outfit casual by pairing it with a white jumper and my nike trainers, perfect for running for the train. Black and white Wednesday was a running late day, grab a graphic top, black skinnies and go! Quite a casual look but I still felt appropriately smart and stylish for the environment I was in. Last look included adding some pattern to my outfit, something I'm not always confident with. Mixing patterns I find challenging, so I kept this look simple with a cream shirt and my trusty Ted Baker blazer, the best blazer going to take you from day time office to drinks after work.

I thoroughly enjoyed my two weeks interning, learnt a lot, got to be more expressive with my clothes and made some great friends. Interning in the best way forward and I look forward to many more opportunities.

Outfits for week one

So it would be safe to say that my staple item this week were my gorgeous new boots. These oxblood biker boots are pretty much the greatest boots I've owend. They're comfortable, stylish and practical for all weather and outfits. 

Here I have styled them three different ways, casual with ripped skinnies; with tights and a t-shirt dress;  and bare legged to punk up a cute evening outfit. Said boots are also available in black and are from Marks & Spencer Limited Collection range for £45.

What way would you style them?

The marmite debate

One week in the city, I'm coming to the conclusion that living or commuting to London is a bit like marmite. You either love it or hate it.

I think I'm leaning more towards the love side because it's new and exciting. I'm getting an inside to what my life could be, busy, ever moving, fueled with coffee and gossip. My first week as an intern has been great. I am given responsibility with tasks and left to use my initiative to move onto new tasks, rather than just shadowing what someone else is doing I get my own computer and own responsibilities. 

It has been interesting to work within PR from a brands focus, working with the clothes and pulling items to send out to the publications. From sitting in on meetings I have learnt about how much goes into organising an event, such as VFNO coming up soon. The PR team are in charge of the event held in NEXT Oxford street, the gifts and competitions, the entertainment and the marketing on social media. It's a very creative role these women have and I have loved being able to hear about who they work with and how closely involved they are with photographers, stylists and such when on shoots.

With what I'm learning here I would love my next opportunity to work for a publication in their PR office to see it from the other side, requesting clothes for certain themed stories or adverts. There is definitely a much more balanced relationship between the brand and the publication when shooting looks, which I was before hand not so aware of. When a brand is paying to have their advert in a magazine or to have a special feature obviously they want to get as much as they can into the shoot so they will attend to share their guidance and knowledge of the product with the photographer and stylist,to make sure the product is being properly represented. 

For now it's time for me to sleep all weekend because this week of commuting has left me completely shattered. Until next week!

Train Playlist this week: 

Sleeping With Sirens, The Vaccines, Ronan Keating, Twin Atlantic, Taylor Swift, Artic Monkeys 

Day 1 in the city

Who doesn't love a good selection of colour coordinated clothes?

My first day as an intern is much like Bambi learning to walk. I'm finding my feet, hidden beneath my boots. Learning new systems, new names and how to act like I commute everyday amongst the hussel and bustle of London. 

Today's tasks included:

Booking out clothes to stylists and publications

Returning items from press into the showroom

Scouting for media coverage from Sunday supplements

Tidying up the showroom and organising the Christmas Home collection show space

Today's train playlist:

The 1975 and some Gaslight Anthem

Sunday run day

After an alcohol fueled weekend, celebrating birthdays with close friends, it was time for a well needed run. The next two weeks I am working at Next PR and figured starting my week with a health kick would probably help get me started. 

I may not run far or fast, but I run. Just to get out there for 20minutes helps refresh my body and my clogged up mind. So now the alcohol is out of my system, I've had a fruit day and plenty of water, and my mind is ready to learn and be challenged for the next two weeks of work placement.

Go out and get those dreams, run those miles and challenge your mind.