The End of Fashionista on a Budget?

I wouldn't call myself a 'fashionista' anymore. In fact, I don't know if I ever was one to be honest! I've always loved fashion and get excited about the latest trends and I believe that fashion should be accessible to everyone which is how the name of my blog came about. But personally, I feel that my life has and is continuing to change significantly since starting this blog back in 2010.

Back then I had a full time job and an exciting life, full of outfit opportunities. Nowadays I still have the bursting wardrobe but my most worn items are pyjamas, tracksuits and gym wear. I occasionally venture out to places that warrant a decent outfit but these occasions are now few and far between. I also go to far fewer events nowadays and will attend even less when I move out of London over the next few months. With the current saturation of blogs I also feel like my blog is outdated and that I need to up my game and start afresh.

Subjects to blog about are becoming more limited and I have to admit that I've struggled over the past year or so. A variety of factors have contributed towards me losing my mojo and blogging sometimes can be a chore. I'm even tempted to give up completely but I would miss being part of the community and sharing my thoughts so instead, I will continue blogging at ChelseyPrentice.com but my posts will be more personal and about a variety of subjects rather than prodominantly focused on what I'm wearing. My blog gradually began to change direction some time ago anyway and I don't feel that my blog title always reflects my posts anymore. 

Therefore, I plan to have a short blogging break whilst I visit my grandparents in Spain from later this week until early February. Then I will make the final decision on what to do about my blog but it's likely that Fashionista on a Budget will be no more. The blogging world is changing so fast and I need to adapt and attempt to catch up with it or else get left behind

Mad Hatter's Tea Party at The Sanderson Hotel

The Mad Hatter's Tea party is something I've wanted to do for a while so I was delighted that it was one of my Christmas presents from my Mum's partner. My mum also received the same gift so it gave us something to look forward to in January, which is probably the most dreary month of the year and we all thoroughly enjoyed ourselves! I opted for the White Rabbit tea which was infused with hints of vanilla and grapefruit and complimented the sweet treats perfectly. A refreshing, fruity gin cocktail was also included with the option to order extra cocktails and other drinks. (at an extra charge)

The savoury bites were brought out first which included sandwiches, a warm salmon scotch egg and a crab eclair. As I'm a fusspot and only eat warm sandwiches and canapés I ate the croque monsieur and the scotch egg only but they were both really tasty.

Then came my favourite part; a three tiered feast of sweet treats which included cakes, scones, marshmallows, macaroons and a delicious mini drink which tasted like tropical fruits

At the end we were given a surprise dish which was very yummy and light. I would definitely recommend the Mad Hatter's Tea Party for a fun and tasty afternoon in London and I'm sure I'll be back!

January Purchases

Since falling ill back in late 2014 and quitting my office job in July 2015 my everyday style has become much more casual. I still like getting dressed up occasionally but if I'm going shopping, have a hospital appointment or just going round my boyfriend's house I like to be comfortable. As a teenager I was obsessed with trainers and over the past few months my love of them has been reignited. I went from having one gym pair to two for the gym only and 3 for everything else. I've wanted a pair of Adidas Stan Smith's for a while so when I saw these in Footlocker my Christmas money was wiped out instantly! At £69.99 they are much more expensive than similar styles were back when I was a teenager (why didn't I keep some pairs from years ago just in case?!) but I plan to get my monies worth out of these metallic wonders. They do come up slightly small at the front which I didn't notice in the shop but they aren't too small to wear. I'd maybe advise that you go half a size up if you can

I also picked up some new gym trainers from Sports Direct which were from the kid's section and only cost £19! I've already worn them for the gym and they do the job nicely

I also had a sort out of my underwear drawer and replaced some uncomfortable knickers with 5 pairs of Victoria's secret Hiphuggers, bikini and high leg briefs which are the most comfortable styles

These are mostly practical items but I plan to treat myself to a few new season pieces once the new trends hit the stores sometime next month so watch this space

2016 Life Goals

I'm not the kind of person who sets goals for myself and I'm as far from an 'overachiever' type as you can get but, after a few unsatisfactory years full of bad news and unfulfilment I thought it might be worth giving it a try. I didn't want to be too ambitious as I'd only be disappointed if I didn't manage to meet most of the goals by 2017 so I thought I'd start small and aim for things that are attainable in my current situation. Here are my plans in a bit more detail;

1. Getting up before 10am during the week isn't a choice for most but as I've been unemployed since July last year I've got into bad sleeping patterns and lie in habits. I don't sleep very well most nights, often not falling asleep until 2 or 3am and then waking up a couple of times but as I hope to be doing odd days of work soon I need to get my body clock back to normality. This has proved more difficult than you would think but I've managed to get up before 10 3 days out of 5 this week which is a decent start I suppose. It doesn't help living next door to people who slam doors at all hours and often wake me up but I'm trying my best

2. Temping work is something I plan to do as and when for the next couple of months until I move out of London. I mostly need to do this for money but also to regain some sense of normality and have a life again. Back in November I did one day covering reception which I enjoyed but it seemed to make the pain in my head much worse. I'm hoping that I won't have the same problem next time as my head has been much better since Christmas so fingers crossed I'll be fine. 

3. Since August I've been going to the gym twice a week most weeks but I plan to increase it to three times when I can as it does make me feel better. If I can't get to the gym I'll try to do a bit of gentle exercise at home or go for a walk. I'm not one of those people who enjoys exercise but since my thyroid gland stopped working properly in 2013 I've needed to work out to control my weight and it also helps with my anxiety and stress

4. I go through stages of putting clothes and shoes I no longer wear on apps such as Depop or sites such as Ebay but get frustrated when things don't sell and end up giving up for a few months. I plan to be persistent this year as I could do with the money and need to clear out things that I no longer use or that don't fit me anymore

5. My lack of patience makes cooking quite a chore but I would like to learn and perfect a couple of signature dishes. At the moment I only either grill fish or meat and serve it with salad or throw something in the oven but I need to start behaving more like a grown up and force myself to do some things I find daunting such as chopping up onions! (Just need to find some goggles and gloves...)

6. I wonder if I'm the only person who has a bag of clothes in her room waiting to be taken to the dry cleaners or hand washed? This year I need to keep on top of this as clothes don't end up being worn for years due to my laziness! 

7. I love holidays but don't get to go away as often as I'd like. Luckily my grandparents live in Spain and I go at least once a year but it's not really a holiday as I go there to spend time with them and it's like my home from home. My boyfriend and I haven't had a holiday alone together since 2013 so we're hoping that we can afford to go away in the summer

8. Once I move away from London with my family I plan to look for a permanent job closer to where we end up living as I need to earn money and routine is missing from my life. Getting up early everyday will be a challenge but hopefully I'll sleep better once we move. We're praying for considerate neighbours this time!

9. It would be great to learn a new skill and not just give up in the early stages like I usually do, mostly due to my incredibly short attention span and lack of patience. I also need to believe that I can learn something and not be completely useless at it. This may take longer than a year!

Have any of you set any goals for 2016? If so how are you getting on? I'm going to need all the help I can get with some of mine as sadly, motivation isn't my strong point

New Year, New Outfit

Seeing as last night was the first New Years Eve that I've actually left the house since 2012 I thought it would be rude not to buy a new dress for the occasion. luckily there were some gems on asos, so much so that I struggled to narrow it down to this sequin dress by Glamorous. It cost £37 in the sale which is great value as the sequins are heavy and are matte when you brush them one way but iridescent when brushed the opposite way. I spent most of the night stroking my dress as it's weirdly therapeutic! We went to Kanaloa, a Hawaiian bar in the City for dinner and drinks with friends but left shortly after 12 as it got a bit too manic and people around us were getting too drunk

I wore the dress with M&S tights and Zara boots & bag which are both from previous seasons. I can't seem to get rid of the weight around my stomach which looks quite obvious in fitted dresses like this one so I'm hoping that cutting down on unhealthy food and fizzy drinks will help shift it. 

Reflecting on 2015

2015 hasn't been one of my best years. In fact, overall it's been far from a good year as the passing of my beloved grandad earlier this month has overshadowed the small moments of happiness that I've experienced over the year. I suppose grief can make you feel like that, along with many other unpleasant feelings which aren't always describable. Writing this post is really hard and I've been putting it off for a while but it's something that I feel I need to do.

If I had the opportunity to rewind about 14 months, before my grandad got ill and also before I was diagnosed with blood clots on the brain, I would but only if I knew then what I do now. Maybe then I could've saved him and myself before it was too late. I don't like to talk to those close to me about how I'm feeling as it upsets me and the grief hits me like a giant wave. As I struggle to keep afloat, the pain feels as raw as it did when I first found out that his illness was terminal back in the summer. He was only 76 so I thought he would still be around for another few years, making me laugh and putting up with me. I hoped he would still be here for when I finally get my sh*t together and start behaving like the adult that I'm meant to be (whenever that may happen) but sadly, life never seems to turn out the way we hoped. (for people like me anyway)

This year was the hardest year of my life but also one of the most slow paced and relaxing. I've spent the best part of the second half of the year out of work which has allowed me to spend much treasured time with family and close friends. It's reinforced ideas about what sort of job and life I want in the future which I hope to put into practice in 2016. I have a feeling that next year will be a turning point in my life and there will be quite a lot of change. I should be moving out of London sometime before the summer with my family which will begin a new chapter. I would love to be taking a step towards being a grown up and moving in with my boyfriend but sadly that isn't currently possible financially. I can only hope that it will be within the next couple of years. I also plan to look for a permanent job when I move which will hopefully be closer to home and not too stressful. Recent events have reinforced my view that a work life balance is incredibly important so I don't want a career that takes over my life. I plan to carry on blogging as it's a good creative outlet and I enjoy being part of a community. I don't fit in everywhere but amongst my fellow bloggers I feel accepted and at home

I hope that most of you have had a much better year than I have and I wish you all the best for 2016

Walking in Winter Wonderland

I haven't been blogging recently as I've not been in the right frame of mind. Sadly, my grandad passed away on Monday after battling aggressive cancer. He was only diagnosed in July so the latter part of this year has been awful. I've always loved Christmas but the past two years have been tough with my illness then my granddad's passing, it's enough to make even the most avid Christmas fans turn Scrooge but I'm trying my best to enjoy moments of Christmas spirit (no, I don't mean Baileys and the like)

A trip to Winter Wonderland for Ldn Meet up's Secret Santa with some lovely fellow bloggers helped lift my mood and I was mesmerised by the lights and festive atmosphere. Lauren did a great job of organising the event, I got to meet some really nice people and loved my secret santa present which was a set of Yankee candles. I still don't know who they were from but I'm very thankful!

My camera was on the verge of running out of battery so the best pictures were taken on my phone and posted on Instagram (view these under @ChelseyPrentice)

If there is another event at Winter Wonderland next year I definitely plan to go!