4 DIY Halloween Costumes With a Black Dress

Hey guys!

 

With Halloween just around the corner, I thought today would be a good time to suggest some last minute costume ideas. Yes, I know Halloween is only a few days away, but not everyone plans their costume weeks in advance!

 

One thing these outfits all have in common is a black dress (I've chosen a simple one from Amazon) - and I'm pretty sure you all have one stashed away at home somewhere! You will also need some other bits and pieces, but they're fairly easy to find (Etsy has a fab selection of Halloween-themed clothes and accessories) and won't leave you bankrupt!

1. Wednesday Addams

Shirt / Make up

First up, we have Wednesday Addams. I was initially planning to dress up as Wednesday for Halloween this year, as I pretty much own everything I'd need and wouldn't have to buy anything extra. However, the clothing I would've worn are all the way back in London, and unfortunately I can't really go back until early November. Luckily, I had another idea, something a little less popular...but I shan't reveal it yet! :P Anyway, as shown in the picture, a Wednesday Addams costume simply consists of a black dress with a white shirt underneath. If you want to make this look more realistic, cover your face with white make-up and tie your hair into two plaits. You could even add black contacts! There's a great tutorial for Wednesday Addam's make-up over at Mayeyelook!

 

2. Minnie Mouse

 

Belt / Cardigan / Heels

 

Minnie Mouse is more cute than scary, but it's still fun to dress up with her for Halloween! Team your black dress with a red cardigan, red shoes (either flats or heels, depending on how much dancing you're planning on doing), and mouse ears (bonus points if they're special Minnie Mouse ones). Add red lipstick and a red belt to your dress if you wish.



3. Holly Golightly 



Gloves / Cigarette Holder / Necklace / Heels
 

Audrey Hepburn is famous for her role as Holly Golightly in Breakfast at Tiffany's, and now you can dress as her for Halloween! Jazz up your black dress with a pair of black gloves, a pearl necklace and a black cigarette holder.

 

 

4. Maleficent

 

 

Cape / Horns

 

 Dressing up as Maleficent may seem complicated, but all you need is a plain black dress, a cape and some horns.

 

  

Hope this post has given you a few ideas of what to wear this Halloween!

 

 

Hasta luego!

 

 

Serena

 

 

Tune Tuesday: October Playlist

 

 

 Hey guys!

You may have noticed that I haven't done any Tune Tuesday posts for a while (since the beginning of September to be precise - not as long ago as I thought, but still). I have be meaning to, but I keep getting sudden sparks of inspirations for other posts. I finally sat down on Sunday afternoon and drafted this post. I've discovered some great songs recently and thought I'd share them with you. 

 

 

1. Pyramids - Noonie Bao

 

Noonie Bao isn't a singer many people are familiar, but her song 'Pyramids' is so catchy!

 

 

2. White Houses - Vanessa Carlton

 

 

All this time and I've only ever heard ONE song by Vanessa Carlton ('A Thousand Miles' of course)! That is just so crazy! 'White Houses' is another good song by Vanessa Carlton - I don't know why 'A Thousand Miles' is her only well-known song.

 

 

3. Sober - Selena Gomez

 

 

I don't particularly like Selena Gomez, but her two latest songs ('Sober' and 'Good For You') are quite catchy.

 

 

4. Locked Away - R. City & Adam Levine

 

 

Anything with Adam Levine is bound to be great, right?

 

 

5. Love Myself - Hailee Steinfeld

 

 

Love this!

 

 

6. WILD - Troye Sivan

 

 

Great song!

 

 

7. Bad For Me - Megan & Liz

 

 

A bit of an old song, but doesn't stop me from liking it!

 

 

8. Stole the Show - Kygo & Parson James

 

 

Love love love!

 

 

9. Better When I'm Dancin' - Meghan Trainor

 

 

My favourite song by Meghan Trainor! It's brilliant!

 

 

10. On My Mind - Ellie Goulding

 

 

Very catchy! She's definitely done something to her lips though, it's kinda annoying. Just leave your lips as they are people!

 

 

 

What songs would be on your playlist for this month? Let me know in the comments!

 

 

Hasta luego!

 

 

Serena

 

 

And I STILL haven't seen these Disney and Pixar films...

Hey guys!

 

 

You're never too old for Disney, right? Well, this week I will be sharing 10 Disney and Pixar films I never got round to watching. You may be thinking, "What?! How has she not seen these?!" I'm surprised myself, but don't worry, I will sit down and watch them...sometime...soon...

 

1. Anastasia

 

Source: Impawards

 

I just can't...it's ridiculous I never saw this as a kid.

 

 

2. The Hunchback of Notre Dame

 

Source: Whatculture
 

Unacceptable, pretty sure everyone has seen this.

 

 

3. Robin Hood

 

Source: IMDB

 

How is that even possible?!

 

 

4. The Rescuers

 

Source: Disney

 

I'm sure I saw a bit of this once...but can't really remember :/

 

 

5. The Fox and the Hound

 

Source: Entertainment Weekly

 

 

6. Oliver & Company



Source: Wikipedia

 

Yeah, again, unacceptable. THE MAIN CHARACTER IS A CAT! And it's based on Olive Twist.

 

 

7. Up

Source: The Guardian

 

It's on Netflix now so really no excuse.

 

 

8. Brave

  

Source: ANU Women's Department

 

 

9. The Princess and the Frog

 



Source: Wallpaper Pixel

 

10. Monsters University



Source: The World of Disney Magic

 

 

So that's my list! In terms of non-animated Disney films, I still have yet to watch the original versions of The Parent Trap and Freaky Friday (the remakes are two of my favourite films), as well as Hocus Pocus (one for Halloween methinks) and Tuck Everlasting.

 

Are there any Disney or Pixar films you haven't watched? If so, what are they?

 

 

Hasta luego!

 

 

Serena

 

 

Back To Uni Wishlist

Hey guys!


I can't believe it's already October!! The summer hols flew by! Now that I'm officially back at York (I did come up for a week before my work experience placement, but that doesn't count), I thought I'd share with you some products I'd like to buy for my room and desk (and wardrobe). "Back to education" shopping trips aren't really as exciting as they used to be when I was at school (that feels like such a long time ago now!), but I do still love looking at stationery products! I often find myself wandering into Paperchase and finding 135564 items I want to buy. Unfortunately, I've accumulated way too many pens and notebooks so I can't really justify buying any more, no matter how pretty they may be!


1. Poppy Lux Dorothy Sweater

 I adore Peter Pan collar sweaters. This one is fairly simple but great for Autumn, and I do need some more jumpers / sweaters (I'm pretty sure I have around 8-10 overall, which may seem plenty, but in the UK that's not nearly enough!).


2. Weekly Planner Pad

I really really really need one of these in my life! Weekly planner pads seem so useful, more so than diaries!


3. Pencil Pot

A pencil pot will definitely stop me from cluttering my desk with pens and pencils! This one is only £1.73 too! Bargain!


4. Vintage Notebook

I have enough notebooks to open up a shop, but I love this one - the cover is so pretty.


5. Retro Light Up Sign

 The 'Sweetheart' sign would look good in my uni bedroom - I've been living in my new room for two weeks overall and it's still really, really, really bare.



So there's my wishlist! Why not check out the wishlists on Fashion Train  or Elle Yeah? There's also some lovely stationery over on Em's Little Box!
 

What products would be on your wishlist?


Hasta luego!


Serena

What I've Been Watching In September

Hey guys!


I know it's a bit late, but here are my mini reviews of the films I watched in September. I didn't get to watch much TV because I've cancelled my Netflix subscription for a while. I have, however, resumed watching Awkward, and started Scream Queens. I'll admit that they're not the most intellectual shows on TV at the moment, but they are quite funny, and Scream Queens does have a great cast. Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be a legal way of watching Scream Queens and Awkward here in the UK, so I was only able to see a few episodes. They should really be on Netflix - I mean, Awkward has been on for a few years now, and there has been a lot of buzz about Scream Queens. This is why I shouldn't watch American TV shows!


1. How to Deal

Source: Google

I can't believe that I only just recently realised that a film has been made of Sarah Dessen's books. Talk about being behind the times! It just shows how much of a flop it was. I mean, How to Deal does have a rating of only 5.7 (out of 10) on IMDB. Part of the reason I watched How to Deal (rather than waiting to read the books first) was to see if the film was really as bad as the reviews suggest. I wanted to enjoy this film, but it turned out to be rather mediocre. Disappointing, since Sarah Dessen is a brilliant author. Hopefully, the books (Someone Like You and That Summer) are better.



2. Tangled



Source: Animation Begins
 

I have seen bits of Tangled before, but I finally sat down to watch the film in its entirety at the beginning of September. I'm so glad I did. Tangled is a funny film, and I love the songs. It's such a cute movie and perfect for both kids and adults.



3. The Falling

Source: The Dull Wood Experiment

This was a very strange, and I agree with Nigel that it isn't really clear what the message of the film is. The Falling was quite different to how I expected. However, Maisie Williams was great.


4. The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones

Source: Fanpop
 

I am so useless at watching films when they are in cinemas! It's taken me two years to watch The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones! To be fair, I did only read the book last year (again, useless!). The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones has a load of negative reviews, but I really enjoyed it. I love Lily Collins and Robert Sheehan (he was hilarious in Misfits). Jamie Campbell Bower is great too (I recently saw him performing on stage in Bend It Like Beckham the Musical). I like all the action and effects in The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones, though I do think that some things weren't explained well enough (e.g. 'the Clave'). However, The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones is an enjoyable film, not just for fans of Twilight.


5. Safe Haven

Source: Rogerebert

Safe Haven is one of the few films that stay very close to the book it's based on (Nicholas Sparks's novel of the same name). It's about a woman who flees to a small seaside town and soon falls in love. The reason why she has to escape from her previous home is quickly revealed. They may not be the best actors, but I do love the chemistry between Julianne Hough (Katie) and Josh Duhamel (Alex). Lexie is soo cute too! Tierney (a.k.a. Kevin, in the book) is very creepy! Safe Haven is undoubtedly a lot different to other works of Nicholas Sparks, but it's still fantastic.


6. Me and Earl and the Dying Girl

Source: The Atlantic

This is such a moving film, and cute too. However, I didn't find myself crying, which is what I thought would happen before watching the film. Nevertheless, Greg and Rachel are lovely characters.


7. Chasing Liberty

Source: Tumblr
 

Keeping up with the Mandy Moore theme (How to Deal and Tangled), I also watched Chasing Liberty in September. It had been on my list for a while. Chasing Liberty is very much like First Daughter - they pretty much revolve around the same idea: the overprotected daughter of the president longs for freedom, and falls in love in the process, not realising the guy's true identity. However, Chasing Liberty is my favourite of the two movies. I enjoyed watching Anna's adventures in Europe with Ben (Matthew Goode, who is so good looking!). It made me want to visit some of those places!


8. Bend It Like Beckham

Source: Planet Bollywood

Having seen the musical recently, I thought September would be a good opportunity to re-watch the film. I love Bend It Like Beckham - it's hilarious! I'm not the biggest fan of football, but that really doesn't matter with this film! I'd definitely recommend watching Bend It Like Beckham!



Let me know if you've seen any of these films!


Hasta luego!


Serena

My Summer Reading List Revisited

Hey guys!


You may remember that I posted My Summer Reading List back in June (wow, that feels like so long ago!). Well, now that we're at the beginning of October, and summer has well and truly finished (*sob*), I thought that today would be a goo time to let you know how I got on with my list.


Although I set myself the target of reading 22 books, which is a little ambitious in itself, I somehow managed to read a total of 25 during my four-month long holiday. I'm quite surprised I managed to get through so many books - some people don't even read that much in an entire year!

Anyway, sixteen of the books were from my list, while the remaining 9 books were ones that I either received spontaneously, either through Netgallery, Xpresso Book Tours, or from the author themselves (in the case of Untamed), or picked up a while ago and only recently got round to finishing it due to uni commitments (e.g. Lola and the Boy Next Door and Fangirl). I also decided to read Allegiant and The Duff last minute.


Out of the books I read this summer, I would have to say that The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants, Stolen, The Invention of Wings, Perfect Chemistry and Everything, Everything were my favourites. They're quite different, but all beautifully written. Safe Haven, The Duff, The Miniaturist, Untamed, Solace of the Road and Entangled come close. I did enjoy the other books I read, but they don't really compare to the first five books mentioned in this paragraph. I was actually quite disappointed with Lola and the Boy Next Door and Fangirl. I'd heard so many good things about the latter, and despite having a relatable protagonist, the story didn't seem to have much plot. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to connect with the characters in Lola and the Boy Next Door as much as I did with Anna and Etienne in Anna and the French Kiss.


(The mini reviews for the majority of the books I read can be found either in my June post, July post, August post or September post)

The Books I Didn't Manage to Read

Unfortunately, I didn't have time to read 6 of the books I was planning to read over summer. I'll probably read them over Christmas, Easter and next summer instead. They are as follows:


1. Easy

2. Emma

I was planning to read one classic this summer but that failed!


3. The Scorch Trials

:(


4. Romiette and Julio

I even own a copy of this book!


5. Sister, Missing

Ditto!


6. Before Midnight

Two Cinderella retellings was enough for one month!



What books did you read this summer? Have you read any of the books I read? Let me know!


Hasta luego!


Serena

How to save money at uni

Hey guys!


Following my Top Tips For Uni post, I thought I'd share with you some of the ways you can save money whilst studying at university. There's nothing worse than being stuck in debt and not being able to enjoy your life at uni. By utilising these tips, hopefully this won't happen to you.


1. Get a railcard

As a student, you'll be using trains at least six times a year, so it's worth investing in a 16-25 railcard. It only costs £30 per year (o £70 for all three years), and you'll be saving 1/3 on train tickets. You can find out more by clicking on this link.


2. Hold pre-drinks at home

If you're going on a big night out, get your friends together and pop to the local Aldi for any prinks (a.k.a. "pre-drinks"). This will cost as little as £3 per person, whereas drinking in bars can add around £15 on top of the £3 entry fee to the club. And £18+ is a lot to spend on a night out when you're a student, especially if it's going to become a regular occurrence.


3. Alternate nights out

What I mean by this is, go out every second week, rather than every week. It's really not necessary to go out every single week and you'll be saving money this way. The other nights you can stay in and watch a film with your flatmates.


4. Limit the takeaways

It may be tempting to stop off at McDonald's (or Efe's, if you're in York) on the way home after a night out, but think about all those calories! And all those fivers you spend on a burger and fries / pizza could add up and you'd be able to afford a ticket to visit your friend in the next town (I'm sure they'll be so happy to see you!)!


5. Subscribe to Netflix

You may be glued to your TV when you're at home and having your own tele at uni can be sociable (ironically). However, subscribing to Netflix can save a lot of money. Netflix may also have films / TV shows that aren't available on an ordinary TV (e.g. Pretty Little Liars).


6. Walk

It's shocking how much you can save each year by simply walking instead of taking the bus / a taxi. You could literally afford a weekend's holiday if you saved all the money you'd be spending on buses. I'm going to try to limit my bus journeys to once a week (so one return ticket), if that. Also, as my mum tells me almost every week, "walking is good exercise". The uni gym is so expensive so walking is a cheaper alternative. I use a pedometer whenever I go out, so that gives me more incentive to walk rather than hop on public transport.


7. Use the library

Any books you'll need for your course are bound to be somewhere in the uni library. Check before spending £50 on a book that might be difficult to sell after you've finished using it.


8. Sign up to experiments / help out at open days

It is so hard to get a part time job so look out for any psychology experiments at your uni. Some Departments / Colleges may need students to help out at open days, and they can pay quite a bit, so make sure you volunteer if you have time and you haven't managed to get a job.


9. Keep a money jar

Keep any spare change in a jar / large purse and it'll eventually add up! At the beginning of first year, choose a type of coin, for example 20p, and try to save every coin of that type. I personally try to save every coin dated 2012 or later. I started at the end of first year, and I'm now starting third year, but I've saved quite a bit! Only "break into" the jar in real "emergencies" - like if you're getting a taxi home and don't have enough cash on you, you could quickly run up to your room and take some coins from the jar and "pay yourself back" later (this happened to me last term - I was only £1 short! :( ).


10. Get loyalty cards

It's probably wise to get a loyalty card for shops / restaurants you'll be purchasing things from regularly. I'd recommend getting ones for Starbucks, Costa, Superdrug, Boots and Nando's. Also see if your local cinema gives out loyalty cards.


I hope these tips come in handy! Thanks for reading!


Hasta luego!


Serena