Friday 27 December 2013
Topshop Wishlist
With the New Year approaching fast, so will be the January sales. So I'd like to share with you a wishlist for one of my favourite stores, Topshop. I particularly like their leopard print items and 'Little Miss Grunge' partywear (most items below are from these sections). My style icons currently include Haim, Pretty Little Liars and The Bling Ring.
Wednesday 11 December 2013
Lookbook
I've just signed up to Lookbook.nu! Please take the time out to have a look at my profile, I'm hoping to post more looks on there soon. Here's the link: http://lookbook.nu/jessicaannie/ and here's my first post.
Thursday 5 December 2013
What to Buy: Secret Santa
This is another year where I find myself involved in Secret Santa events as part of the lead up to Christmas festivities. Therefore, I thought it would only be right to post this helpful two-part guide, in case you're not sure what to buy for someone.
A. What are their interests?
It sounds obvious, and is probably the first thing you'd ask in this situation, but it's really important to consider. Below is an example of what you could buy for the following person; A male of 20 years, currently at university who is a friend of a friend. You've been told he's outgoing, into ski-ing and loves Doctor Who.
A. What are their interests?
It sounds obvious, and is probably the first thing you'd ask in this situation, but it's really important to consider. Below is an example of what you could buy for the following person; A male of 20 years, currently at university who is a friend of a friend. You've been told he's outgoing, into ski-ing and loves Doctor Who.
Some of the above items may be suitable for the person you've been given. I've included the links so you can browse the websites above for other items also.
B. 'Help! I've been given someone who I know nothing about.'
A lot of people find themselves in this situation but all you need to do is be open-minded. DON'T ask for another name, it'll spoil the nature of Secret Santa. DO find out about the person you're buying for - ask their friends what hobbies they have, their personality and interests. Either way, here's an emergency Secret Santa list for a female, just in case.
I hope this short guide has been a help to you, I've found it helpful to research these stores for my own Secret Santa buys, good luck shopping!
Saturday 30 November 2013
V&A: #MakingIt13
Today I visited the V&A to listen to lectures, attend seminars, get involved and watch demonstrations all revolved around their youth collective for art and design. I really enjoyed the visit and found the lectures to be beneficial.
The first lecture I attended was about Careers in the Fashion Industry and was held in The Lydia and Manfred Gorvy Lecture Theatre. I was able to meet two representatives from The British Fashion Council who gave a presentation about the variety of job opportunities provided in fashion and advice on internships.
There were other lectures I attended and in addition I attended a seminar about interviews which was quite fun as we got to record each other. I was also able to see Claire Marie who was from Hermès demonstrate how they make their bags - this was really interesting!
Overall the experience was fantastic so I thought I share it with you and recommend it as an event to attend in the future.
The first lecture I attended was about Careers in the Fashion Industry and was held in The Lydia and Manfred Gorvy Lecture Theatre. I was able to meet two representatives from The British Fashion Council who gave a presentation about the variety of job opportunities provided in fashion and advice on internships.
There were other lectures I attended and in addition I attended a seminar about interviews which was quite fun as we got to record each other. I was also able to see Claire Marie who was from Hermès demonstrate how they make their bags - this was really interesting!
Overall the experience was fantastic so I thought I share it with you and recommend it as an event to attend in the future.
Tuesday 26 November 2013
Snapshot Lookbook: Floral
NEWSFLASH
It's pretty sad that Brian Griffin has died, so I've made this post to cheer everyone up (I'm joking, unless this does happen to make you happy in which case, that's great). Nevertheless I'm actually announcing the opening of my new (additional) blog: punkhaux.blogspot.com. The blog has been set up to work alongside my A Level art/design/textile studies and I'm hoping to start sales/giveaway items also. Keep checking both blogs to keep updated, in the meantime here's another post...
Jessica xxx
Wednesday 13 November 2013
Thursday 7 November 2013
A/W Picks
Here are some of my favourite items in the stores at the moment. I'm really excited by the fact that tartan seems to be around so much as it fits in really well with my current A Level project. I've always admired tartan as it's such an adaptable material:
(From top left to bottom right)
- Check Embellished Tee, Topshop
- Grafea Leather Backpack, Urban Outfitters
- Vintage Black and White Shawl, Waiste
- Suede High Flatform Trainers, Missguided
- Geometric Print Sweater, Urban Outfitters
- Heart Print Nightshirt, Topshop
- Bardot Crop Top, Missguided
- Colour Block Peplum Dress, River Island
I have to admit that I'm really lusting for most of the items in Topshop's 'This Is England' range, which is where the Check Embellished Tee is from. Urban Outfitters have got a lovely feature on their site where you can 'shop instantly' from clicking on photos. This is such a great advertisement technique and makes the clothing so fun to look through. In addition, the Bardot Crop Top seems to be really good value at £4.49, thank goodness for Missguided!
Tuesday 29 October 2013
Snapshot Lookbook: Sports Luxe
Friday 18 October 2013
Urban Outfitters Wishlist
+Urban Outfitters is one of my favourite stores and I'm constantly making lists of things I like from there. Here's my most current Wishlist:
I currently feel quite influenced from investigating the Punk Subculture, which explains my choices of the Pleated Tartan Skirt and Vivienne Westwood Earrings. The Black Ankle Socks were too adorable not to include and the Marvel Comics Top gives me a nostalgia of watching cartoons with my brother. If I was to choose an outfit out of these items I would probably go for the skirt with the crop top, ankle socks, Chelsea boots, earrings and jacket. The jacket looks perfect for the rainy British weather! What do you make of what I've chosen?
Thursday 10 October 2013
DIY: Bleach Tie-Dye
This is the method I've found most effective however there are many different DIY's on the internet for this, including various YouTube videos, so be sure to research more than one method before you try it for yourself.
You will need:
- 100% cotton coloured shirt (I used a black 'GEEK' t-shirt from Topshop and have found this to be the most effective colour).
- A few cups of standard household bleach
- A bucket
- 1 pair of rubber gloves
- Elastic bands
Instructions
1. The area you are working in must be well ventilated, it may be an idea to take your equipment outside for this.
2. Dilute approx. 4 cups of bleach with 1 cup of water in the bucket.
3. Fold your shirt into thin pleats and then over on itself and hold with an elastic band. You can experiment with the position of elastic bands and using more than one to create different desired effects.
4. Wearing the rubber gloves allow the tied shirt to be submerged in the bleach for just a few seconds.
5. Watch carefully and as the shirt changes colour immediately remove it from the bucket (a black shirt will turn 'rusty brown').
6. Now quickly rinse the shirt in water, unbind the elastic band(s) and hang the shirt to dry.
7. The colour will turn into a lighter, more appealing shade. After the shirt is dry, wash it in the washing machine.
8. Your bleach tie-dye shirt should now be ready-to-wear! Note: this method can also be used on other items of clothing, just check that they're 100% cotton.
You will need:
- 100% cotton coloured shirt (I used a black 'GEEK' t-shirt from Topshop and have found this to be the most effective colour).
- A few cups of standard household bleach
- A bucket
- 1 pair of rubber gloves
- Elastic bands
Instructions
1. The area you are working in must be well ventilated, it may be an idea to take your equipment outside for this.
2. Dilute approx. 4 cups of bleach with 1 cup of water in the bucket.
3. Fold your shirt into thin pleats and then over on itself and hold with an elastic band. You can experiment with the position of elastic bands and using more than one to create different desired effects.4. Wearing the rubber gloves allow the tied shirt to be submerged in the bleach for just a few seconds.
5. Watch carefully and as the shirt changes colour immediately remove it from the bucket (a black shirt will turn 'rusty brown').
6. Now quickly rinse the shirt in water, unbind the elastic band(s) and hang the shirt to dry.
7. The colour will turn into a lighter, more appealing shade. After the shirt is dry, wash it in the washing machine.
8. Your bleach tie-dye shirt should now be ready-to-wear! Note: this method can also be used on other items of clothing, just check that they're 100% cotton.
(BLITZ LONDON Remix tie-dye sweatshirt)
What do you think of bleach tie-dye?
Wednesday 2 October 2013
Snapshot Lookbook: Call of the Wild
Leopard print blouse - River Island
Suit (skirt) - Mango
Fur gilet - Denim&Co
Eyeliner - Rimmel London
Rings - Next
Shoes - (Fashion outlet, Rome, Italy)
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Tuesday 24 September 2013
Dress Spy
+Dress Spy is a website (http://www.dressspy.com/) which has been running for sometime now but which I only signed up to recently. I have to be honest in that I am more impressed with the site than I initially thought I'd be. Upon signing up to Dress Spy I received an e-mail confirmation message which included the following information:
"Our site features:
- Get inspired by asking "What can I wear to ..." any event.
- Create your own looks by combining 100's of fashion items and accessories
- Vote for looks on the site and chat with other users
- Set up "going out" events and invite your friends to talk fashion
- Enter our competitions to win prizes for the best looks
- Check out the latest fashion news, trends and styles from our experts"
and also;
"Experiment with our great fashion features such as:
- Entering our look of the month competition
- Inviting friends to join you and vote for your looks
- "Ask the style expert" in the news section
- Style a friend using our tag function
...and much more besides.
You can also find us @ https://www.facebook.com/DressSpy
https://twitter.com/dressspy @DressSpy
http://pinterest.com/dressspy"
I have to admit that it was a lot of information to be confronted with however the majority of opportunities available makes it seem worthwhile to sign up.
On the site, as seen above, you can create your own looks, my first look is featured below.
I wanted to create a look that would feature most of my favourite items for A/W13 at the moment. Jodhpur boots, dark eyes, tie-dye and patterns are all items/trends I'm currently into. Let me know what you think of my look (Autumn Ethereal), you can visit it via this link.
Another feature of the site is 'My Wishlist'. It means that if there's a look you like you can add it to your wishlist to remember it. In addition to this you can set up events, attend events and win prizes in competitions as well as 'liking' your favourite looks.
If your thinking of signing up to Dress Spy or already have come and visit me! You'll find my name as JESSICA ANNIE PARKES.
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"Our site features:
- Get inspired by asking "What can I wear to ..." any event.
- Create your own looks by combining 100's of fashion items and accessories
- Vote for looks on the site and chat with other users
- Set up "going out" events and invite your friends to talk fashion
- Enter our competitions to win prizes for the best looks
- Check out the latest fashion news, trends and styles from our experts"
and also;
"Experiment with our great fashion features such as:
- Entering our look of the month competition
- Inviting friends to join you and vote for your looks
- "Ask the style expert" in the news section
- Style a friend using our tag function
...and much more besides.
You can also find us @ https://www.facebook.com/DressSpy
https://twitter.com/dressspy @DressSpy
http://pinterest.com/dressspy"
I have to admit that it was a lot of information to be confronted with however the majority of opportunities available makes it seem worthwhile to sign up.
On the site, as seen above, you can create your own looks, my first look is featured below.
Another feature of the site is 'My Wishlist'. It means that if there's a look you like you can add it to your wishlist to remember it. In addition to this you can set up events, attend events and win prizes in competitions as well as 'liking' your favourite looks.
If your thinking of signing up to Dress Spy or already have come and visit me! You'll find my name as JESSICA ANNIE PARKES.
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Friday 13 September 2013
London Trip: Outfit Post
What with one thing and another I've been finding myself visiting London quite a lot at the moment and I'm not complaining with it being England's Capital of Fashion. In my most recent visit to London I went to the +The National Gallery I was hoping to also go into the Tate but one day didn't really give me enough time to fully appreciate more than one gallery. I went mainly to gather inspiration for my Art & Design studies and unsurprisingly the gallery did give me some great ideas. I quite enjoyed the Michael Landy: Saints Alive exhibition which is currently running from the 23 May - 24 November this year.
I also find the Underground an unusual yet inspiring place. There always seems to be someone playing acoustic music down there and the stereotypical 'London Underground' sign gives me a nostalgic sense of security (a bit like the red buses) which I don't think you can get anywhere else.
I've written 'Outfit post' in the title - this is because I thought I'd include what I wore whilst in London. Firstly is this amazing flowered t-shirt from South, which I really like because of the material which attaches the sleeves to the body giving a 'winged' effect. I paired it with some YesYes jeans along with my favourite earcuff and a few rings from Topshop, a River Island bag in red, a biker jacket from Miss Selfridge and my own DIY 'Stardust Walker' heels: instructions can be found here.
P.S. Sorry for the late post I've just started back at school and everything's a little hectic and for those of you that didn't already know +London Fashion Week has now started!
However it wasn't the gallery alone which inspired me it was also London as a whole. Trafalgar Square is such a lovely place to visit and I went to see my favourite lion (pictured with me above). I love the classic architecture as it reminds me of similar designs you might see in St Marco's Square, Italy, something which in some parts of England, outside of the main parts of London, we unfortunately lack.
I've written 'Outfit post' in the title - this is because I thought I'd include what I wore whilst in London. Firstly is this amazing flowered t-shirt from South, which I really like because of the material which attaches the sleeves to the body giving a 'winged' effect. I paired it with some YesYes jeans along with my favourite earcuff and a few rings from Topshop, a River Island bag in red, a biker jacket from Miss Selfridge and my own DIY 'Stardust Walker' heels: instructions can be found here.
P.S. Sorry for the late post I've just started back at school and everything's a little hectic and for those of you that didn't already know +London Fashion Week has now started!
Sunday 1 September 2013
Lusting For: 90s Bubble Backpack Bags
I love love love these and I had to write a post about them to express how great I think they are. Firstly, the bags are different to the usual day-to-day bag in that they are inflatable and this just makes them appear to be that much better because they feel fun! Let's face it, what other bag can remind you of being at a bouncy castle party as a child.. or is that just me? The bags also come in a wide variety of colours - another reason to like them. My favourite colours are the turquoise and metallic ones although I think that pink and yellow would be fun colours to have. As well as colours I've heard that there are also different patterns/shapes. Either way, below is a collage of some of the pictures which caused me to fall in love with these backpacks. Let me know what you think of the bags, at a first glance I didn't know what to make of them but as I've seen these types of bags more frequently I can't help but like them. Definitely a wishlist addition!
Friday 23 August 2013
DIY: 'Stardust Walker' Heels
This is a simple but effective DIY which only takes about half an hour but leaves you with unique and gorgeous shoes;
You will need:
- 1 pair of Black Wedged Heels (I recommend buying these from New Look as they aren't too expensive if you mess up.)
- 2/3 bottles of relatively cheap glitter nail polish (I used gold and silver from the Technic range)
- A pencil with a very light lead hardness (anything lighter than HB)
- A basic idea of what you want the pattern to look like. (It may be wise to draw pattern ideas on a piece of paper first.)
How to:
1. Make sure that the shoes are clean enough to work on.
2. Draw a faint outline of your pattern in the pencil mentioned in 'You will need'. (You should only just be able to see the line.)
3. Using the glitter nail polish begin to dab and spread the liquid across the area of your pattern, being careful not to overshoot the faint lines.
4. If you have a second/third colour(s) to add layer these over the top using the same technique.
5. Leave your heels to dry.
Side note: If you want to make sure the glitter definitely doesn't come off, then I suggest that you go over the pattern with clear nail polish after. If you're being a bit more inventive with your pattern you could apply different colours of glitter nail polish in different areas and then layer/not layer them at the edges, the choice is yours!
If you need any more advice then send an e-mail to jessicaannieblog@gmail.com also if you make heels inspired by this DIY you can send them to this e-mail address to have your picture featured on this blog! Keep the e-mail subject the same as the title of the post.
You will need:
- 1 pair of Black Wedged Heels (I recommend buying these from New Look as they aren't too expensive if you mess up.)
- 2/3 bottles of relatively cheap glitter nail polish (I used gold and silver from the Technic range)
- A pencil with a very light lead hardness (anything lighter than HB)
- A basic idea of what you want the pattern to look like. (It may be wise to draw pattern ideas on a piece of paper first.)
How to:
1. Make sure that the shoes are clean enough to work on.
2. Draw a faint outline of your pattern in the pencil mentioned in 'You will need'. (You should only just be able to see the line.)
3. Using the glitter nail polish begin to dab and spread the liquid across the area of your pattern, being careful not to overshoot the faint lines.
4. If you have a second/third colour(s) to add layer these over the top using the same technique.
5. Leave your heels to dry.
Side note: If you want to make sure the glitter definitely doesn't come off, then I suggest that you go over the pattern with clear nail polish after. If you're being a bit more inventive with your pattern you could apply different colours of glitter nail polish in different areas and then layer/not layer them at the edges, the choice is yours!
If you need any more advice then send an e-mail to jessicaannieblog@gmail.com also if you make heels inspired by this DIY you can send them to this e-mail address to have your picture featured on this blog! Keep the e-mail subject the same as the title of the post.
Monday 19 August 2013
Snapshot Lookbook: Cubed Appeal
Dress- Izabel London
Sandals- Milan Fashion Market
Nail Polish- Technic 'Curious Violet'
Monday 12 August 2013
Recent Purchase: Black Wet Look Skater Skirt
I'm going to be honest, I've been meaning to get a new skater skirt for ages now and my brother's 30th birthday seemed the perfect excuse to get one;
My favourite thing about this skirt is that it is actually made from ultra-versatile scuba fabric. I was initially going to get a leather skirt until I saw this - yet everyone seems to think the skirt is made from leather! The difference between the scuba material and leather is that the material is a lot smoother and nicer to wear. It literally looks no different to a leather skater skirt and if you're planning on buying a leather skater skirt I recommend buying this one instead. The skirt also seems to cost less than most leather skirts. I bought mine from boohoo.com for £12.00 and it arrived via next day delivery! This was the first time I had got round to using boohoo.com to buy clothing so I was slightly apprehensive (in case the skirt didn't fit etc.) However the site does give you a 'size guide' which is really reassuring as you can double check you're ordering the correct size for your measurements.
I'm really happy with the quality of my skirt and I think it may well become a wardrobe staple for me throughout A/W 2013. Here's a link to the skirt itself in case you wish to buy it.
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I'm really happy with the quality of my skirt and I think it may well become a wardrobe staple for me throughout A/W 2013. Here's a link to the skirt itself in case you wish to buy it.
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Saturday 10 August 2013
EBay Wishlist (2)
For this wishlist I wanted to show my more daring side (hence the studded heels). However there are some items I've been lusting after for some time, such as the snake armlet, which is only £0.10! EBay is still continuing to amaze me. Let me know what you think of the items.
Black Sheer Chiffon Blouse -cd9911
Pink Maxi Skirt -utopialive87
Gold Snake Armlet -bg4acf
Vintage Levi Shorts -discount-jeans-shop
Jimmy Choo Snakeskin Clutch -menack123
Black Studded Peep-Toe Heels -shusole
Friday 2 August 2013
Snapshot Lookbook: Hear Nostalgia
- DIY Dress (Vintage)
- Nail Polish in Turquoise "Siona Island" from Technic
-Rings from Topshop
- Floral Scarf (Vintage)
- Jade Shoulder Chocolate Handbag from Fiorelli
- Black Wedged Boots New Look
- Leather Jacket Miss Selfridge
- Neal's Yard Moisturiser
I'm now on Instagram so feel free to follow http://instagram.com/jesssannie#
Sunday 28 July 2013
Italian Sunset
My trip to Italy was as fantastic as ever. The art over there is really like no other and I feel fortunate to have visited as many exhibitions and seen as much as I did in the space of two weeks. Whilst in Italy I saw a mixture of both classical and modern art -seeing 'The Kiss' and Andy Warhol's collection were just two of the many highlights. However I clearly didn't go for the art alone. The first part of my visit was spent in Milan. I loved this part because it was an excuse to go round all the shops! It was nice to be able to see a lot of clothes I had seen from various fashion shows on the internet 'in the flesh'. I spent a lot of time in Dolce and Gabbana -their store has such a nice layout and nearly every street I went down had an entrance into another part of the store which I thought was really useful (and a good marketing technique) as you were able to see different collections at each entrance. Other stores I enjoyed visiting included Louis Vuitton, Armani, Prada, Roberto Cavalli and Versace. I also discovered a less well-known store called 'Twin-Set' (Simona Barbieri) where several of the designs caught my attention. This is the second time I've visited Italy although I have a sneaky feeling it won't be the last.
Monday 8 July 2013
EBay Wishlist (1)
It's actually amazing what great items you can find on EBay if you search hard enough. I've made a 'wishlist' below of some of my most liked choices, which items do you like the most?
Black Skater Dress -vulgarclothing
Stiletto Peep Toe -Ajvani Shoes
Cape/Blouse Top -sarah1992sarah
Ecru Parasol -The 1 for U Ltd
Floral Print Trousers -catrinfj
Scrabble Rings -minimum_mouse
Monday 1 July 2013
#GetInMySuitcase
For #GIMS I thought I'd show you a typical Summer 2013 outfit of mine;
- Sunglasses -Fashion Outlet (local store)
- Earcuff and Earring set -New Look
- Wedged heels -New Look
- Bag -River Island
- T-shirt -New Look
- Shorts -Pieces
- CD -Mumford and Sons 'Babel'
Sunday 30 June 2013
Friday 28 June 2013
Snapshot Lookbook: Festival Fever
Top left;
- 'Vibes' t-shirt from H&M
- Face painted using eye shadow from Accessorize with water; inspired by Coachella Festival
Top right;
- Lipstick by MaxFactor in Raisin
Bottom left;
- Nail Polish by No7 in Lucky Lilac
- Bracelet handmade in Santorini, Greece
Bottom right;
- Shorts from Label Lab @ House of Fraser
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Tuesday 25 June 2013
Snapshot Lookbook: Rise from the Dust
Top left;
- Vintage locket necklace
- Barry M Silver Multi Nail Polish (lightly applied)
Top (and bottom) right;
- Noisy may @ Vero Moda Crop Top
- Original Rayma Balance Bracelet
- River Island 'New York' Perfume
Bottom left;
- Prue Leo Hi-Lo Skirt from Vero Moda
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Appreciation Post: Grunge lipstick
I've been researching the 'Grunge subculture' quite a lot at the moment and it made me realise how much I actually love the look of dark lipstick. It can be seen as quite gothic but I've noticed that it is becoming more of a popular trend than it used to be. Below are some pictures which inspired me to really like the look, what do you think? Personally, I think that dark lipstick can be a love/hate situation, I know I would've hated it when I was little but it has definitely grown on me.
Monday 24 June 2013
Roberto Cavalli SS13
I thought I'd start by posting about one of my recent most favourite designers, Roberto Cavalli, using some images from his Spring/Summer 2013 Collection:
To start with I absolutely adore this blouse. Cut-out designs always intrigue me and this type of pattern cut-out in white gives both a mystical and interesting impression at the same time.
This pattern really caught my eye. This is one of the main reasons why I love Cavalli. The patterns are always so detailed yet give a beautiful overall image -I like to compare it to a flower just opening, perfect for Spring!
I chose this design because it has a wonderful bo-ho feel to it. It appears slightly dark for Spring/Summer however this isn't unusual for Cavalli. I just love the free, wild look of it and the leopard print really sets it off.
I had to add in this piece because of how daring it looked. There are quite large cut-outs on both sides with intricate sequin detail at the front and to the sides. I think it would be wonderful to wear on hot summer nights as the material is light and appears to 'float'.
All images used are from http://www.style.com/fashionshows/
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To start with I absolutely adore this blouse. Cut-out designs always intrigue me and this type of pattern cut-out in white gives both a mystical and interesting impression at the same time.
This pattern really caught my eye. This is one of the main reasons why I love Cavalli. The patterns are always so detailed yet give a beautiful overall image -I like to compare it to a flower just opening, perfect for Spring!
I chose this design because it has a wonderful bo-ho feel to it. It appears slightly dark for Spring/Summer however this isn't unusual for Cavalli. I just love the free, wild look of it and the leopard print really sets it off.
I had to add in this piece because of how daring it looked. There are quite large cut-outs on both sides with intricate sequin detail at the front and to the sides. I think it would be wonderful to wear on hot summer nights as the material is light and appears to 'float'.
All images used are from http://www.style.com/fashionshows/
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First Post
Hi everyone, so this is my first ever blog post (ignoring the bloglovin' link) and I felt it was only right to introduce myself. My name's Jessica and, as you've probably discovered by now, I'm a 17 year old fashion lover! My blog will consist mainly of fashion-related posts with other things occasionally thrown in. I'm very new to blogging so any advice on how to manage my blog etc. would be greatly appreciated! I hope you enjoy my posts.
Jessica xxx
Jessica xxx
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