ADVICE THAT I WOULD GIVE MY YOUNGER SELF

Now, don't get me wrong.. I'm not sitting here at the ripe old age of 24 thinking I'm 'old'. I had a conversation with my boyfriend the other day about how I feel that I'm finally at that age where I am able to reflect upon my teenage years. From your GCSE's, to your A Levels and right up until the end of University (if you followed that path), we are placed in line to follow the norm and do what everyone else around is is doing. Once you finish one course, you're straight onto the next, and it's quite a big deal to break free and do something else, especially at that age.

Now, at 24, I have been working for three years and I finally feel like I am in control. It's my decision to shape my own destiny and there is no visible 'next-step'. So, looking back over the past few years and having slowed down a little, there's some advice that I'd give my younger self.

JUICY COUTURE X TOPSHOP

I never thought I'd write a blog on Juicy Couture. Seriously, I didn't. Back in the day, Juicy Couture was the tracksuit to have - the coveted jazzled tracksuit, yet it's back and it looks better than ever.

Arguably.. it's the label revival of the decade and while velour tracksuits may not be your thing… I can see these coming back with a bang! Topshop announced the return on 19.01 and it's sure to be a huge hit!

ASOS - WHAT I COVET THE MOST

Lets be honest. I love ASOS. There. I said it. 

I never really got the hype about ASOS up until the past year or so. My friend at work (who was always ever-so-stylish) was always on ASOS, and I loved nothing more than rooting through her saved items, gaining inspiration.

Now I love to sift through the site, saving things to my basket. I may never buy them, but I get tremendous joy from simply just looking and gaining ideas on what I can piece together. So, without further adieu, here is my most coveted ASOS items. For now….

HOW TO PICK YOUR DREAM CAREER

Social media is a big advocat in showcasing the best of people's lives. Things may seem hunky dory from the outside, but it's not all about coffee art, big brands and dream holidays. Just because things may look great on the outside, the truth may not be what lies beneath.

Picking your dream job sounds easy enough right?! Well it's not. In my inner circle of my nearest and dearest, I can honestly say I know about three people who are doing their dream job. Lucky them right?! While others may sit there and think that's impossible or so far from their reach, others are out there, doing their dream on a daily basis, so why is it so hard for some of us?

LASEK EYE SURGERY - MY EXPERIENCE

Wake up. Scramble for glasses. Shower. Can't see anything. Put my make-up on. Sit as close to the mirror as humanely possible. Go Swimming. Swim only above water. Spontaneous night out. Can't happen.

You may or may not know this but it's not that easy being a glasses wearer. Well - not for me anyway. I was blessed with short-sighted vision. This means that I can't see things that are far away and as my eye sight has deteriorated, I can barely see past the tip of my nose. Fun right?

BURN BABY BURN - MY FAVOURITE CANDLES

When I am stressed and I need to shut down at the end of the day and drift off into a peaceful abyss, something I like to do is light candles. For me, a candle can take away the woes of the way, and as I sit back, relax, and light the wick, I feel my worries slip away as the wax melts and the flame thickens.

I WORE WHAT?!?

This outfit got a lot more love than I expected so I thought I'd put together a quick post on it to tell you where everything is from. 

MY NEW MAKE-UP BAG

Make-up is something that I wear most days which I love to do. Transforming my face and experimenting gives me immense satisfaction, and it’s just genuinely something I enjoy to do each day. As I sit down in-front of my mirror each morning and reach for my make-up bag, I get a feeling of happiness as I reach for my carefully picked pouch.

As make-up is something that means a lot to me, what I store it in means a lot, and to have something on display which I use all the time, is important to me as I love the way that things look and how they are designed.

HOW TO LOOK AFTER YOURSELF

There comes a time in everyone's lives, where you're moving, but you don't feel like you're living. You may think back to last week and not remember what you did. You might have just finished a crazy day at work and you haven't even taken a break.

Despite the fact that time moves quickly, after each day comes the next, so it's important to take time for yourself and this is one of the most important things that you can do. You will never get this time back and in order to be the best you, you have to check in once in a while.

My tips and advice below are things that work for me, but they may not necessarily work for you. My point is to show that there are things that you can do to feel like yourself again, and even if you aren't in need of a pick-me-up, it's still good to look after yourself.

THE DUBAI GUIDE

I never thought that I'd be lucky enough to travel, but I was given the opportunity to go to Dubai in October, and I just had to make the most of it.

As I headed off with my youngest sister, I had no idea what to expect, but I was really excited and very much in need of a break. As I arrived in the sea of people making their way to their destinations, I couldn't help but feel like I didn't fit in - from the wealth to the ultra-modern sky high buildings, it was a lot to take in.

However, as the days moved on and I settled into my beautiful hotel room with a breath-taking sea view, I felt my apprehension slip away as I finally took in what Dubai is all about. From the outrageously luxury shops and cars, to the monstrous sky-scraper buildings, Dubai definitely has a lot to offer. 

I was blown away by the kindness and generosity of the locals that lived there. I felt safe and serene walking along the beach at night, and the food on offer was healthy and super delicious. My sister and I got up to a lot in one week and I thought I'd share my key highlights from the trip which I think are must-do's.

ABOUT ME

Emamurphy.blogspot.co.uk launched while I was searching for something to release my creativity while at University studying English. Over the course of the years, my passion for blogging has grown and it's my goal to put my all into my blog as I see it's full potential.  I love nothing more than spending my time on taking that perfect photo and capturing the moment through words and a lens.

Thank you for coming on this journey with me and I hope that you enjoy it as much as I do.

For any enquiries about myself or Emamurphy.blogspot.co.uk, please contact emamurphy92@gmail.com. Some links on the Ema Murphy website may contain affiliate links.

-x-

BOOK CLUB - THE ONE WE FELL IN LOVE WITH

There is that small saying that goes something like ‘don’t judge a book by its cover’, however admittedly, this dream-like cover of rich swishy blues and gorgeous gold writing caught my eye and I just had to pick it up.

The dreamy blue cover represented to me a dream-like state – something I wanted the book to take me too, so regardless of what the book was about, I just had to have it.

SUNDAY STYLE

Fashion to me is something that I enjoy - a passion, if you like. My boyfriend will probably tell you I shop a lot, but I actually like just looking as I feel inspired every day.

For me, fashion is a way to explore and I feel this huge sense of inspiration whenever I am looking out for pieces. For a while I have been searching for the perfect pair of leather trousers. Bold, I know but I had a calling for them recently and just had to get my hands on a pair.

A TIME FOR CHANGE

Hello everybody, 

Welcome back to my brand new blog design. It looks great doesn't it? If I can say so myself. Now this change has been a long time coming. I got to a point in my life where I was extremely busy at work, and trying to juggle the work/life balance along with my blog just wasn't working out for me.

Rock 'n' Roll

I've found a new obsession and it's one with nature. Kind of. Not really.

Lately, I've been harboring an obsession for all things rocks. Well, stones.

I think, no matter what the current fashion trends, stones will always be in fashion and they can really be tailored to peoples different tastes.

I've picked up a few recently items with coloured stones in them which I think are worth telling you about.

Water You Talking About...

Aloha ladies and gents,

Welcome to my first non-beauty blog post *gasp*.

Today we are talking about water. That's right - the good stuff.

I drink water all the time. and I mean ALL the time. I am the most thirsty person I know - I'm always thirsty, so when I came across the Thermos Intak Hydration Bottle with Meter (longest name) - it answered my prayers. Kind of.

The first thing to talk about is the colour. Fuschia Pink. Yeah baby! If pink is not your thing then fear not, Thermos have loads more to choose from!

How To Dress For A Fashion Job

Working in fashion can be daunting and believe me, when I did it, it was a flurry of excitement but it was also really daunting. Wondering what to wear every day was a lot of pressure because you feel like you have to look good – but, it’s really not about that.

F-F-Freezing at Work

It comes to that point every year when you question whether it’s socially acceptable to leave the house and go to work in your dressing gown.

It may be okay to wear pyjamas, thermal pants, tops, t-shirts, jumpers and coats when you’re freezing at home, but how do you dress professionally at work without looking too casual?

It'll Be All White On The Night - How To Wear White

White is one of the hottest colours – and I’m going to show you how to wear it. The first thing to kick off with is to say that white is a colour that suits everyone – you just need to know how to wear it. Whether you’re trying to enhance a tan or to go for that crisp office chic, you can brighten up your wardrobe at any time of the year.

ALAÏA

There I was.. Flicking through my Glamour magazine, unaware what was about to happen to me.

I was about to fall in love.

With a perfume.

Now, don't laugh... You clearly haven't smelt the Alaia Paris Eau de Parfum yet, or you'd feel the same too.