YOU'RE CRAZY AND YOU NEVER FADED

Taking a lil break from OOTD's on TheLenihanLook has done me the world of good. 

I'm going back to basics. I want this blog to be more of a look book, less stressing over snazzy location hunting and more emphasis on the actual look. 

These days it's rare you'll see me in a tight midi-skirt, but in an attempt to beat the Monday blues, we're going for something a little more risqué than usual. Obviously I had to take the formality away of the midi - enter my leather jacket, chunky boots and mens socks. Focusing on my waist, rather than 'dem hips n thighs' I sliced my plain black t-shirt from Topman in half. Oh and because I'm *desperately* trying to put some colour into my wardrobe, here's an electric blue oversized bag for ya. 

leather jacket - H&M | top - TOPMAN | midi skirt - H&M | boots - TOPSHOP | bag - ZARA | watch - MENS CASIO | nail varnish - Maybelline Bleached Neons in Chic Chartreuse [yes the highlighter nail varnish from last summer is BACK!] 

DETAILS | 24-03-2015

INSTAGRAM: THELENIHANLOOK

I used to never wear jewellery but lately I'm layering it on like nobodies business. In particular I'm loving silver/blue combinations, as you can see above. 

silver band rings - H&M

hand chain - TOPSHOP

silver rose - CAMDEN

holographic + blue stone midi-ring - TOPSHOP

watch - CASIO [mens]
nail varnish - TOPSHOP "Too Good To Be Blue" 

ALL TIME LOW 22/3/2015

You don't even have to know me very well to know that All Time Low are one of my favourite bands ever. I remember hearing The Party Scene in like, 2005 and just knowing I'd love them forever. 

Over the years, I've had the chance to see them like three or four times, but each time something has always stopped me. EG: I was meant to see them in Brixton last year but nah. 

Anyway, I am so so gutted that I didn't get to see them at their sold-out headline gig at Wembley on Friday [they sung Stella and just that thought alone makes me want to cry] but I DID manage to see them in Kingston at their acoustic set and damn, it was good. 

The venue sucked balls and unless you were front row, you couldn't see shit. That's what happens when you put a band in a club venue, with pillars and weird circle things hanging from the ceiling. But thanks to a lovely girl called Kaytee who took some snaps of Barakat [the love of my life] and let me sneak into her place to see better, it wasn't a total disaster. Annoyingly, it wasn't as "intimate" as I'd imagined with over 1200 people, most of which were thirteen year olds wearing not a lot of clothing - making me feel 1) extremely old and 2) crazily frumpy. Also, I think everyone feels the same with acoustic sets they're nowhere near as good as full live sets [don't worry, their next UK tour I'll be there regardless of snow, loss of limbs etc].

BUT don't get me wrong, I fucking saw All Time Low. 
The setlist took me back to 2006 with 'Dear Maria', they also played acoustic versions of 'Weightless', 'Dammed If I do', 'Backseat Serenade' and 'Therapy'. I couldn't believe how talented they all were, Alex's voice just blew me away [as well as his tambourine playing]. Rian's smile really is as angelic as it looks in pictures and Zack is legit Mr Muscles, Jack really is as lanky and his hair really is that big. The boys also played "Somewhere In Neverland" as well as the heart-breaker "Remembering Sunday" [Cassadee Pope came on and my God does she have the most insane voice].

Alex discussed how he uses tampons for nose bleeds, Jack offered for us to go listen to the new album on his laptop, to which the boys told him off and some kids threw mini-sausages at them.
I felt like I was an angsty 13 year old all over again, with a shitty haircut, far too much eye-liner and a studded belt and I kind of forgot that I'm now nearly 20 [still with a shitty haircut mind you].

We also got to hear stripped down versions of their new songs 'Somethings Gotta Give' and 'Kids in The Dark' from their upcoming album 'Future Hearts'. What with 'Runaways' being released today I am beyond pumped to hear what the rest of the record sounds like.

Yes, please put this photograph on my grave. Barakat you beautiful man.

I was blown away by just how far they'd come [and yes, I did get a little bit emotional]. I remember them being scrawny boys fresh out of school and now they're these insanely good looking men, selling out bloody arenas and stuff. They deserve every second of this success/madness and I am so damn pumped to listen to their new record. I've grown up with All Time Low as my soundtrack and it's insane to think it's been nearly 10 years.

REGENTS PARK & REGENTS CANAL

You guys know there are a million and one reasons I am madly in love with London and believe me, there's no city on Earth I'd rather call my own. I know not many people are lucky enough to live in or nearby to London, so this year I want to take you with me and show you the real London. Not Big Ben and Embankment but all the hidden paradises within the city.

Today, we're cutting right through the heart of Regent's Park and heading straight to Regent's Canal, aka one of my favourite secret hideaways. I discovered this little place at the end of last summer and in summer, it was so beautiful but it didn't shape up too bad on my return last week.

There's nothing like London's parks in the summer. Crowded by people wanting a little bit of that country escape in the middle of the city; but they're also gorgeous this time of the year what with spring just around the corner. 

Anyway, onto Regent's Canal. 

Once you've cut straight through the heart of Regent's, you'll come out onto possibly the most wealthy street you'll ever lay eyes on. I'm talking armed guards at the gates of these houses, it's crazy. You'll then cut down onto a little side road that brings you out to a bridge over the canal. Take the bridge, once across, make your way down onto the walkway beside the canal, it looks dodgy as hell but if you're into that dingy vibe it's pretty rad. Just keep walking. 

[ALSO en-route make sure you ruin all your friends artist photography shots with the lunge-stance]

THEN...after walking for so long you kinda wanna hurl yourself into the canal...you find this...

It's such a cool vibe there and it's the perfect place to take some rad snaps. Me and Maddy [in her trainers...if you're reading this Maddy hahahahahahahaha] chilled with a stray cat, strolled through here and enjoyed the last of the days sunshine. It's just a little place that not many people go, it's kind of the shitty version of Little Venice but with just as much character. 

T H E - C L O S E T - C O N F I D E N T I A L - T A G

Before we get into this, let's take a moment to talk about my gal Lola [who tagged me to do this]. Not only is she the loveliest girl you'll ever speak to, she's got THE coolest style. Kanye you've got serious competition from this lil honey. If you haven't seen her blog, go...run...now
>  IXMLOLA.com 

Today, we're doing a clothing Q & A, so if you're nosy to have a little peek into my closet, hang around! 

THE OLDEST ITEM IN YOUR WARDROBE 

BY far the oldest and most expensive item in my wardrobe, a vintage Versus Versace dress. I've not actually worn this, unless you count prancing round to 90s music pretending I'm Kate Moss, but I'm saving it for when I'm the girlfriend to a famous rockstar and so I can wear it with Doc Marten's at their headline gig at Glastonbury. Yeah, I've thought about it don't worry.

THE NEWEST ITEM[S] IN YOUR WARDROBE? 

I actually brought these two pieces quite a while ago but they've not seen the light of day on my blog, so let's chat about them. I really want to incorporate a little 70s into my look but it's proving harder than expected. I love my denim pinafore from Topshop that I got in the sale last year and this summer, I think it's going to be a love affair with this tan number. I also nabbed this turtle neck horizonal striped crop-top to either wear underneath the pinafore until it gets a little warmer or with MOM jeans, of course. 

pinafore - BUY HERE | crop top - BUY HERE

THE BIGGEST BARGAIN

NOTTING Hill is to thank for this next item. [note to self, you'll always find the best bits in charity shops in the richer areas of London]. The Cancer Research shop just off of Portobello had so many Urban Outfitters/Urban Renewal pieces for under £10 and I would've gone crazy if I had a little more $$ in the bank. I managed to snap up this crop-top for just £6 and I can't stop wearing it [OOTD coming soon]. I feel like you guys are gunna see this piece a lot this summer. 

 THE CHEAPEST/MOST AFFORDABLE ITEM THAT I WEAR/USE A LOT 

I didn't quite realise just how much TOPSHOP there was going to be in this tag & it's purely coincidental but honestly, I've found their basics to be the best. Yeah you can go to Primark and pick up basics for a couple of ££ but they just don't last, to be fair I'm not saying these will go on for years and years, but they do last a heck of a lot better than other basics I've tried. 

v-neck vest BUY HERE | ribbed crop cami BUY HERE | strappy cami BUY HERE | 

cold shoulder ribbed top BUY HERE

THE BIGGEST WASTE OF MONEY? 

HONESTLY *impulse buy* doesn't even sum this up, because I love this dress so damn much and I'm hoping what with current trends - summer 2015 will be the season for this Kate Moss collection dress [even if we are a year late]. I just haven't had the right opportunity to wear this, I want to either wear it on a night out somewhere cool [not my local dodgy bars] or at a festival with Doc's and a sh*t tone of tribal jewellery. Was it worth the money, probably not, but I'm such a snob I'm glad I managed to nab something from the collection. 

- 3 FAVOURITE ITEMS? - 

 BUY HERE
NO explanation needed really, this bomber jacket is like a second skin to me. Probably the best item of clothing I brought all of 2014 I will wear this until the sleeves fall off, even then, I'll wear it.

*SALE* SOLD OUT

I pretty much wear these shoes 24/7 regardless of whether I'm at work or heading on a night out - they're the best. I'm kinda annoyed I didn't pick up a second pair cause they were only £20 in the sale and I'll be gutted when these babies die. They're just the perfect boot to toughen up an outfit without enduring the pain my Doc's cause on every outing. 

BUY HERE
I'VE been after a pair proper blue vintage looking MOM jeans and I managed to nab this pair in my local Topshop, they were the last pair so it must've been fate. Similarly to the bomber jacket, it's rare you'll see me in anything but these bad boys. 

I really enjoyed doing this post, so much so I think I'll do this every now and then as my wardrobe changes and evolves. Like a monthly favourites but a less-regular-monthly-favourites-for-clothes-not-beauty-cause-I-suck-at-make-up.

Thanks to Lola for tagging me. There's no doubt you'll see us in another collab soon!

THE WEEK #4 | A ROUGH START BUT IT GOT BETTER

There's no fancy snaps today guys, it's just a stream of conciousness, the usual layout will be back next week. 

I've not been myself for a while. This happens sometimes. I just go down, really quick, out of nowhere. Last week the sun was shining and I was so damn happy but within about 24 hours I just felt the depression creeping back. I suppose in a way, I'm lucky it's not consistent but when it hits, it hits hard. There have been things going on lately in my private life that have just been getting me down as well as that, I've become really unhappy with my figure after all the hard work I put in at the end of last year I've just gotten lazy [but then it's not as if mind state has been promoting motivation] and Monday it just hit me. I just couldn't be bothered anymore, so I went to bed at like 6PM and cried myself to sleep. How lame. Two things I never ever do are cry and/or go to bed that early, I'm a 2AM kind of girl. I think it did me the world of good as it kind of got it all out, whatever 'it' was, but at the same time it's exhausting getting to that point and picking yourself back up all over again. This happens to me every few months. Again, as I've said in posts before I am in no way trying to get your sympathy 'cause at the end of the day, we've all got shit going on - but I want you guys to get to know me and all the 'real life' stuff in these #TheWeek posts. 

Anyway, after a rough start to the week, I took a 2 day break from social media and believe me that did the world of good. When I'm down, I always go looking for stuff that almost reaffirms why I'm sad and on the internet - it's not hard. You guys know I've started my new job and I was there all day on Tuesday, I got to work with the loveliest lady, Alex, who's just as fashion-mad [if not more so] than me and we just had a really productive day. Just taking that breather and stepping away from the web did the world of good, even if it was for 36 hours. 

On Wednesday, I met one of my closest and oldest friends Maddy in Notting Hill and we just spent the day hanging out. You can see some snaps HERE if you fancy. After a little explore around the Notting Hill Portobello area, we headed up to Regent's Park and one of my favourite lil corners of London, Regent's Canal [insta picture: HERE]. I'm in the midst of writing up a post with some snaps of the area, so I'll tweet or instagram the link when it's up [both: @TheLenihanLook ]. I then headed back to Shoreditch to hang out with the boys at their place.

 I've got a couple of questions on Tumblr as to why I don't really ever mention or instagram about my hangs in Shoreditch or the boys. The reason is, it's my happy place, it's where I go to escape shit and it's just a corner of my life I want to keep private, plus it's not their world. Sometimes you've just gotta have a place you can go that is your own, away from everything. 

I've come out of it quite quickly, which if you suffer from depression is always a "am I going to go back down twice as hard" but I'm feeling so productive and motivated at the moment, which I'm trying to make the most of. I'm feeling really refreshed and I've got some cool ideas I'm working on for TheLenihanLook and now I've got my head back in the game I'm hoping to upload a lot more. I'm also working on something really special at the moment but I'm keeping it top secret [how annoying of me] but I cannot wait to start sharing little snippets. 

I'm not really sure what this post was but sometimes it's nice to just ramble away, even if no one reads this, it's done me some good to reflect on the week. 

Here's to a much better 7 days. 

How's your week been?

Oh and this time next Sunday I'll be in Kingston with just an hour until I see All Time Low at an acoustic gig - yes, that is the sound of me exploding internally with excitement. 

NOTTING HILL

It's days like yesterday that make me super appreciative that I live [part-time] in the East of the City. It means as soon as the sun comes out I can nip 'cross town on an adventure. After a rocky start to the week I set my sights on hanging out in Notting Hill, joined by one of my favourite humans ever, Maddy. 

Why Notting Hill you may ask? Well, not only do I rarely ever travel West [except the occasional trip to Shepherd's Bush and/or Ravenscourt Park], Notting Hill also happens to be the location of my favourite film on the entire planet..."Notting Hill."

Now, I should probably explain that when it comes to films I hate chick-flicks/romantic comedies, if there's no explosions and guns within the first 60 seconds you've lost me [I'm a boy, I know] but there's something about "Notting Hill" I love. It's so damn British, it's sarcastic and pokes fun at itself but it's one of the reasons I fell so madly in love with London. From the sunshine and flower markets on Portobello, to the quirkly little coloured houses to the private gardens. I remember when I first saw the film, I just fell in love with how magical London seemed. Don't get me wrong, I know it's romanticised as hell and sneaky editing cuts out all the rubbish bits of the city. Although I spent a lot of my childhood in and around the city, I just wondered whether when I grew up the city would still be as magical to me. And it totally is. Even if it's for different reasons.

It wouldn't have been a trip to Notting Hill without visiting the book shop featured in the film...even if it's actually located hidden away in Portobello.

Of course I was such a nerd and took a selfie [which will never see the light of day] outside and then went inside and brought a canvas bag, chatting to the ladies about how I was wondering if Hugh Grant was about. [They were lovely, I'm sure they've heard it a million times]. 

Then, Maddy and I got completely lost. For girls that know all the short cuts and back alleys around the city, we're hopeless. BUT I discovered the house of my dreams. 

Just look at that quirky design, that ivy, those white walls...damn. *loser alert*

 All in all, it was the perfect breath of fresh air, I don't feel like I'm in London morning. I really needed to go and wander about in the sunshine for a while. 

Notting Hill is really sweet but I wouldn't change my Shoreditch in for it. 

HAUL | PRIMARK

Even though I spend the majority of my life buying clothes, I haven't featured a HAUL on TheLenihanLook for a while, so here's all the bits I brought from Primark a couple of days ago. 

'Cause I'm lucky enough to work for a pretty rad company [I'm sure you can guess if you think about the brand I wear the most] I seem to only ever wear clothes from their label. I often forget about other brands and always overlook places like Primark for a complete bargain. 

MENS | SIZE M | £12.00

I am so obsessed with this sweater and I have no idea why. I've always loved the American varsity look, as if you've stolen your jock-boyfriend's clothes and this jumper fulfils all of that. 

WOMENS | SIZE 10 | £5.00 [each]

This S/S I want to take my style back to basics, play with texture and minimalism and I've wanted a light knit crop-top for ages now. For just £5.00 it made sense to snap up the back and white version. Styled with MOM jeans, a maxi skirt or denim shorts - these are such versatile pieces that'll last right through to next autumn. 

WOMENS | SCARF | £5.00

I am a sucker for all black outfits and I've been on the hunt for a really simplistic white based scarf to lift the outfit. I practically ran across the store when I spotted this. I was on my own as well so I looked completely insane...good times. I really like the detail of the fringed ends. 

WOMENS | BOOTS | £18.00

Ever since I saw Lou Teasdale in some chunky sole heeled boots I've been after the perfect pair. Yes, I know I don't need anymore black boots but it's too late now! I wore these on a night-out last night and they were so damn comfy, it was such a bouncy sole to have on a shoe. They are quite high so if you're a tall gal like me you will be a Green Giant but when your boots are this rad, does it matter, no it does not. 

MENS | SIZE M | £5.00

You can never have enough sweaters, especially when the weather is as indecisive as England. I spotted this on a sale pile on the way out and I couldn't believe it was only £5.00. It's a real thick knit and super cosy, plus it's blue and white which is rare of me and jumpers so I nabbed it. 

MENS | SIZE L | £3.00

Similar to sweaters, I'm always keeping my eyes out for printed tee's, especially when they're bloody £3.00. I love cutting the sleeves off of 'em and/or wear them around the house or with jeans and a leather jacket. It's a simple go-to look that everyone needs. 

There's a TOPSHOP haul on it's way. Have an ace weekend lads and ladies. 

Gabi 

GO ON & LIGHT A CIGARETTE, SET A FIRE IN MY HEAD

It's MOM-day. Har har, get it?

Forgot the 70's, I'm sticking the 90's.

I've been on the hunt-down for a pair of real vintage blue wash MOM jeans forever and ironically, on my first day in my new job I stumbled 'cross these, thanks Topshop [and the fate Gods]. I've got this real thing for blue denim and black clothes, so this outfit is something I'm pretty much living in. 

In an attempt to jazz things up, I've whacked on some jewellery. I am obsessed with this hand/ring/chain thing [really good at describing things], it's such a statement piece but when teamed with a more laid back outfit it seems to work pretty darn well. 

All in all, today we're doing laid back and there's nothing new there. 

| THE LOOK |

bomber jacket - DOROTHY PERKINS

cut out top - TOPSHOP

mom jeans - TOPSHOP

heeled boots - DOROTHY PERKINS

necklace - H&M

hand/ring/chain thing - TOPSHOP