Glasgow Student Takeover Haul

On Friday I went to a "student takeover", or "student lock-in" as they're sometimes called at Buchanan Galleries. It has nothing to do with world domination by generation y, or anything. Basically it's when stores in a shopping centre join together for the night to have amazing discounts for students. There can also be DJs playing, a bar, and some competitions as last night had.

As you can imagine, I couldn't help but go and have a small splurge. Here's my buys below!

1. Grey Floral Satin Trousers, River Island: Was £42, reduced to £33.60

2. Black Block Heel Ankle Boots, River Island: Were £40, reduced to £32

I absolutely love these two new purchases; both are so versatile, yet so different. Here I matched the trousers up with a crop top from ASOS, as mentioned in my back to university haul, which brought them back to a casual look. I can imagine I'll wear them with a lacy crop top and some sandal stilettos for going to a bar. These boots are also a god send and very comfortable. The gold band where the heel meets the shoe differentiates them from a standard ankle boot and can easily be worn for a night out when the colder weather really starts to creep in.

3. Black Ribbed Turtle Neck Top, River Island: Was £18, reduced to £14.40

There's no denying that there's a 90s revival going on just now, from the Kylie Jenner raisin lip to tattoo chokers. I know I don't wear it as well as Steve Jobs did, but still, the shape and fit of the top is so flattering! It really could go with anything and for any occasion: work, a bar, club, shopping, the list goes on. Here I paired it with a velour skirt and houndstooth blazer, both from Topshop (no longer available), and plain black stiletto sandals from New Look (NLA).

4. Black Denim Collar Jumper, River Island: Was £35, reduced to £28

The main thing I love about this jumper is that it's so soft and comfy. The collar doesn't reach further that the join, so it's not overly thick and frumpy. I've put it with a pair of lace and denim shorts (NLA), to embrace double denim in a subtle way, and chunky white platforms (NLA), both from New Look.

5. Green Split Back Blouse, River Island: Was £32, reduced to £25.60

6. Gold Tone Plate Necklace, River Island: Was £8, reduced to £6.40

7. Revel Bold Curve Skinny Jeans in Pressed Dark, Levi's: Were £90, reduced to £63

These three purchases work so well together to create an outfit suitable for many occasions. The satin texture in the blouse is so glamorous and the slits up the back, vamp it up. In general, I'm not big on accessorising and will opt for the statement to be in the clothes, but I have been craving a necklace like this for ages and can imagine it helping to quickly glam up a day outfit. Finally, the Levi's: I have several other pairs that are all at least two years old. They have only just began to wear out at the knee and slightly lose shape, so that's why I decided to invest in another pair. There was an amazing 30% off, that I couldn't miss out on, especially for a wardrobe staple like skinny jeans.

8. Red Check Contrast Sleeve Shift Dress, River Island: Was £45, reduced to £36

9. Dark Red Zig Zag Quilted Purse, River Island: Was £17, reduced to £13.60

10. Chigwell Jelly Dome Bag, Accessorize: Was £42, reduced to £33.60

I spotted this dress on the "last chance to buy" rack and I had to snap it up when I saw my size. You can help but feel like Cher Horowitz in some tartan, and thanks to Iggy Azalea it has rocketed the look back into peoples wardrobes. The purse I'm holding in the left picture is a beautiful oxblood colour and has many sections to keep everything organised. Finally the handbag on the right hand side could possibly be my favourite of all my purchases. It is a beautiful rose gold colour, with a Louis Vuitton-esque print of hearts, letters and stars  and is made from a jelly material: so different to all my other bags, this one will have a special place in my heart.

Want to know if there's a Student Lock In coming to your city? Have a look at StudentLockIn.com which is holding many throughout the UK, or your local mall's website, chances are if there is one being held, it will be all over there!

Happy shopping!

-Jen

TEDucation Tuesdays: Isaac Mizrahi, Fashion and Creativity

This TED talk really caught my eye as I skimmed through the selection on the website, as it revolved around fashion and creativity, opposed to some of the more technical or scientific talks, which were more alien.

Isaac Mizrahi is a well established fashion designer, but when you see the man behind the clothes, you finally understand where the flair comes from. He talks about topic after topic, in particular how quickly bored he becomes and his dislike for research. Clearly, his thirst for the future, opposed to the past has been a great catalyst for innovation and creativity. The way his mind works is incredibly refreshing and inspiring, as shown in the above video, get watching!


-Jen

Click here for last week's TED talk

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So a little change, I was previously Gen of 90s and have now become Jeneration Ninety.

The reason for change? Well, I felt as though the title didn't evoke the style, brand, whatever you want to call it of the blog I wanted to produce.

Nothing to do with content has changed, just the title.

Thank you!

-Jen

Quotivation: Roald Dahl

This quote (along with the picture!) is one of my favourite. As much as I love makeup, hairstyling, fashion, you name it, those loves stemmed from a serious lack of self confidence, before turning into something I really enjoyed. Hey, kids really can be cruel.

When you're in primary school, Roald Dahl is an obligatory read, and The Twits? Well I have to confess, was one of my favourites. But it wasn't until I started hitting sites like facebook and tumblr, when this picture went viral, it seemed to resonate with me more.

Quentin Blake, the guy who illustrated this along with many of Dahl's books, really captures the words. Remember, make up won't hide an ugly personality, but your choices can make you a beautiful person.

There's my soppy quotivation for this Sunday, more soon!

-Jen

Click here for previous week's quotivation

MAC September Favourites

I recently went on a mini MAC haul, and have discovered some holy grail products in the process.

This summer I have loved the natural and glowing look, as long as it's soft dewy, and not "it's Sunday and I still have Friday night's make-up on". I found that MAC's face and body has been the perfect foundation to achieve this look, but I've been desperate to find products to enhance it. Finally, I think the search is over!

Keep reading to learn more about these products!

1. Pro Conceal and Correct Palette in Light 

                                     

                                 

The first of my five new loves is the Pro Conceal and Correct Palette in Light. It works perfectly with my Face and Body, which is a light to medium coverage, as the formula has a beautiful satin finish, but still fully hides blemishes.The selection of colours is also a huge plus; above you can see the range in the palette, then swatches on my arm without flash and finally with flash.

I have been mostly using the pale yellow for especially red spots before, either the NC15 on areas that light hits or NC20 for others. Also, the W10 works beautifully for around the eyes where I have a blue tint.

For an idea of before and after application have a look below, the difference is unbelievable:

2. Lustre Drops in Pink Rebel

Here is a gem of a find: Lustre Drops in Rebel Pink! As you can see the bottle is small at 18ml, but the dot, shown on my hand above, is all you need to highlight your cheekbone, cupids bow, forehead and chin. This also comes in two other colours: sun rush and bronze hero, which are more golden in colour and suited to medium to dark skin tones.

Below you can see the healthy highlight on my cheeks, created from this holy grail of a product.

3. Fix+

When I tried this for the first time, I swear the heavens opened and cherubs sang; it is perhaps my favourite of the September favourites. This is called Fix+, and is just as versatile as the Lustre Drops, but the functionality is broader.

It can be sprayed over your face before placing on your foundation/concealer, as a primer of sorts. This will ensure that your make up will be extra bright and dewy. You can also use it as a "mixing medium", something that will make your pigments, eye-shadows and so forth incredibly colourful and long lasting. Finally, Fix+ is, in my opinion, best as a setting spray, as it contains glycerin, which is slightly sticky and will ensure that your make-up will last longer. I promise this will become your best friend!

4. Kind Sexy lipstick and Boldly Bare lip pencil

90's lips appear to be taking over right now: it's all about dark nudes and lip liner. These two work perfectly together and create a subtle, satin look, despite the "matte" formula.

Here's the final look! All products used are listed below:

• MAC Pro Conceal and Correct Palette in Light: £35
• MAC Face and Body Foundation in C1, 120ml: £28.50
• MAC Select Moisturecover in NW15: £15.50
• MAC Prep+Prime Transparent Finishing Powder: £22.50
• MAC Lustre Drops in Pink Rebel: £18
• MAC Mineralise Skinfinish Natural in Medium Deep: £23
• Bourjois Liner Feutre in Ultra Black: £6.99
• Clinique High Impact Extreme Mascara in Extreme Black: £18
• MAC lipstick in Kinda Sexy: £15.50
• MAC lip pencil in Boldly Bare: £12.50

TEDucation Tuesdays: Tavi Gevinson, Still Figuring it Out

I recently discovered TED talks during my internship when I heard a girl mentioning them. I rushed home to discover all these fascinating, inspiring and educational videos at my fingertips, and quite literally binged on them for the rest of the night. There was one area of TED that I loved in particular: TEDxTeen, talks geared towards a teen audience, or even teens giving talks, as is the case here.

You might not have heard of Tavi Gevinson, but after watching I promise you'll want to know more. Here, at the age of 15, Tavi talks about what a strong female character is and how the general lack of them in media, inspired her to create a magazine that gives normal, confused, complicated teenage girls a voice.

Will her TED talk inspire you to do something today?

-Jen

Quotivation: Mark Twain

Today's quotivation comes from Mark Twain!

This quote means a lot to me, and has given me plenty to think about during the last year or so. I used to be so confused about those who managed to get amazing grades in highschool, and from ages fourteen to sixteen I could feel myself getting left behind.

I did pretty well in the first couple of years, but when it came down to doing exams that really mattered towards my future, I began to shut down and lost confidence (that was also due to a couple teachers notorious for bullying, but I won't go into that) that resulted in me almost giving up.

The last year of highschool went well academically, as I knew I had to meet either, really high conditions to get into a world famous university, or pretty good grades for a well respected university.

That was the beginning of me ending my constant procrastination. I never got into the one with the incredibly high conditions, but got into my second choice no problem.

It wasn't until I was at university when I consciously made the decision to stop procrastinating, and I can't deny, the last year of my life has been the best so far: I passed all my first year exams getting with results that are averaging me out to be on course for a 2.1 degree, I was class rep for an accounting module, and got an amazing internship to round the academic year off.

In short, if you really, truly want something, just start, in order to one day reach the end. The start doesn't have to be amazing, but you can learn and improve once there's a foundation. Start the essay just now, that you're planning to rush through the weekend before it's due, even if it is just the first draft. Learn to play that song, even if it is just the first page, that'll quickly lead onto the second. Start the presentation you've to show to your boss, even if it's just the content with no cool animations (yes, leave them to the end), it's the words that are going to count.

-Jen

The September Issue: a Scottish Teen's view on the Referendum

The 18th of September is rapidly approaching, and for you, it might be a normal day, but for me, and over 5.2 million others, our lives could change forever.

I'm talking about the Scottish Referendum: where everyone over the age of sixteen, may vote to decide if the country becomes independent from the rest of the UK or not.

I'd like to take a different view of the whole charade than all the politicians, journalists, and campaigners have.

You can attempt to avoid the media, and damn it, I've tried, but you'll still somehow end up being bombarded with "the facts", from both sides.

Let's go back to the word "fact". The Oxford Dictionary states that it is "a thing that is known or proven to be true".

Forecasted numbers and persuasive statements seem to have been plugged together and fed to the country on a drip, from both Yes and Better Together. A quick google search is all it takes to be insulted by the millions of results that appear, or to turn on the tv to hear about some other poll or statistic. It's as if we've all of a sudden we have become a marketing competition, and the prize is an independent country, or remaining part of the UK, depending on your political affiliation.

This is where I suppose my choice comes into play. I love answers, as an accounting student, but the inner modern studies pupil comes out when events like this happen.

I'm all for Better Together, but why? 

Scotland has a history of success behind it as a part of the UK. Real, actual things that have happened... facts!

Another thing I am also fearful of is, what will happen to the three main parties, which want to remain united, if we become independent? I can only see one outcome of an SNP takeover with very little check or balance.
The "Yes people" continue to talk about the opportunities we need to take, how it will be "difficult", a "challenge", but it will help us in the long run (...right?). I'm yet to be enlightened as to who will put in this effort if yes is voted. As a part of the United Kingdom, we really do have a lot of privileges that will be virtually impossible to rebuild independently.

In short, I'm scared. No one know's what's going to happen, and don't let anyone else try to tell you what will. Unless some guy called Marty McFly comes up to you with a Sports Almanac including results for the next fifty years, then put all your money on those results.

What is your opinion on the way Scotland has been treated by the Yes and Better Together Campaigners, as well as the media?

More Soon!
-Jen

Friday Playlist: Freshers

Fresher's is all about meeting new people and getting a chance to let go before the studying starts, so current party hits and summer anthems are a must.
But it's also a time for remembering and looking back... that's why there are a few compulsory old cheesy jams in there at the end to round things off.

ASOS Haul: F/W 14-15 must haves for going back to university

It's September, that time of year where students creep out of their duvets and into their cars, back to university. Yes, summer is almost over (although weather-wise, it ended a month ago), and that means a new wardrobe.

For me, it will be a strange transition back to casual clothes after a summer of more formal clothing for my internship (more on that later!). I can't deny that I will miss the smart tailoring: an A-line midi skirt, blouse and brogues isn't exactly finance tutorial attire.

But that doesn't mean that I'll be ridding my wardrobe of formal clothes completely. I'm far from a joggy bottoms and hoodie girl!

A couple of days ago I went on a huge ASOS haul since they had a big 25% off for students that I got through Unidays, which, for those of you who are fresher's, I'll explain later on a thrifty students post.

I also find shopping on ASOS a lot more fruitful than I do going into town and physically looking for clothes, contrary to many other's opinions. To me, internet shopping gives a clear view of what your purchasing and can prevent an overspend.

Anyway, let's get onto my must haves:

1. CO-RDS

I bought this set after months of debating whether to or not. The beautiful colour seemed to match Pantone's rich aurora red that is promised to be in for the F/W 14-15 season, and in the end I couldn't stop myself. The quirky stripe around the neck also seemed to be right on trend with the "street meets sport" look that appears to be everywhere right now.

The main thing I love about co-ords is, is that it's like a 3 for 1. If you're like me, you probably feel excited wearing something new, and with co-ords you can wear the matching outfit together, or otherwise, making it feel different each time.

2. Sheer Blouses

I love, love, love all of these blouses! I have purchased a couple of them in the b,c, and d cut before, and I adored how flattering they are. Plus, how cute are these quirky prints? They are a brilliant way to smarten up a pair of jeans, I know these will be a definite "go to" in the mornings.

A is something a little different for me... "who wears cheetah, that's so ratchet", I hear you cry. But there's no denying its vibrant, in trend colours set it apart from a standard animal print.

3. Leather Skirts

I already have a couple of leather skirts, albeit, in different shapes. There's one common factor I really like about each of them, and that is how warm they are.

Living in the UK basically means winter starting in September, so I'm always looking for feminine pieces that keep me warm for the frosty mornings, and leather skirts do the trick. I love how adaptable this will be, perhaps I'll pair it with blouse b, above.

4. Camisoles

Camisoles have been one of my staple items this summer, and on cooler days I'd layer it up with a cardigan. What I love most about them is how effortlessly pretty they are, as they frame the decolletage (that collar-boneish bit) perfectly.

The one above is right on trend with Pantone's gorgeous sangria colour and hopefully will last me way into next summer. A great cheap buy!

5. Chunky Cardigans

Ah, chunky cardigans, a must have for me all the way back to my school days. They are a brilliant way to bring a summer wardrobe into the next season easily and cheaply.

As I mentioned above, I love to wear cardigans with camisoles as it's such a simple way to look on trend and channel Alexa Chung, New York chic style. I purchased the above in black and can't wait to wear it with all my other buys, it really does go with everything!

Anyway, there's my haul! You can find all pictures and items on the ASOS website. Let me know in the comments what you'll be wearing, going back to uni, or even just in general for the coming season.

More coming soon

-Jen