Maya Angelou’s poem ‘Still, I rise’ connects with me on many levels. There’s beauty between the lines and on the lines. It’s a poem about strength which at this moment in time is something I can wholeheartedly relate to.

I'm only going to mention this once more because quite frankly I've given it way more air time than it should. The last nine months has been one massive test. My living situation at university was just a bundle of tension and stress. And unfortunately, there's nothing we could really do about it. Or at least, felt safe enough to do something about it. I spoke to every possible person. I was so distracted over it that it had a negative impact on my work and at numerous points, I felt I had lost control over everything. Except I was so distracted over the living situation that I was less stressed about work. To give you an idea of the extent of the issues: camping out on your flatmate's floor to seek refuge from the antics of another flatmate was a low moment. So was checking up on said flatmate to see if she was okay after being shouted at to find her friend had come round (at 2AM) to make sure she was okay. But walking the streets late at night (11PM) holding a pillow on the way to a friends house was an even lower moment. We won’t mention the bottle of pinot pressed against my eye at 8:30 in the morning to reduce the massive bags under my eyes before my 9AM.

In every testing situation, there’s a balancing act to be done. Picture a weighing scale. On one side is the testing factor and on the other your desire to achieve the goal. The side that holds your desire should weigh down the testing factor by far. That’s how I always find motivation and determination to push through troubling times. If the scales are close to balancing then maybe your desire is wavering and you should think back to where that desire stemmed from in the first place. Nothing should take you away from what you want to achieve. It is your life and you have the right to determine what you want to do with it. 

So, in every testing situation remember that there are more important things to think about. Such as that goal you're on track to achieve. I know that can be incredibly hard to absorb especially when all you feel is anger but turn it into determination. If you need to, go to the gym and pound it out on the treadmill. It helps! 


In the words of Maya Angelou...
“Still, I rise”.

Love, Aoife xo

Is it just me who has a ridiculous amount of canvas bags at home? Apparently, I just go around picking them up. I even buy something or spend more just to have a branded canvas bag. Silly, I know. But who knew they were such a useful bag and one that somehow went with every outfit! I’ll even choose one over a £300 bag because it works with the outfit better and I can fit more stuff in it. So how did a branded canvas bag became the ultimate summer accessory?

Benefit, Ted Baker, Micheal Kors and the estate agent down my local high street; all of their canvas bags have found their way into my wardrobe and become a regular among my outfits. And I’m not even mad at it. It used to be fashion over practicality. That was until we realised we could have both. Not only are canvas bags gorgeous but they are so practical! They’re perfect for all my uni books, or my laptop when I go to the library, or when I go to the park and pop a blanket in it, or when… you get the gist. 


There was a time when keyrings used to be the go-to souvenir. Then we realised we had more key rings than keys and they started to look a little tacky on the chain. Hence, a change in the go-to souvenir. The canvas bag. A bag with the printed logo of the brand you're now 'associated' with or a slogan from a recent exhibition. Those Dior canvas bags from the V&A exhibition are looking really nice. Although, at this point, it doesn’t matter where the bag came from because we’ll take one anyway. They’re even being gifted as presents!

A canvas bag is lightweight, can fold down to fit in another bag and can hold a lot of crap items. Thankfully, they're not as big as a tote bag so it’s not filled with quite as much crap. I love my tote but it's a wasteland at the bottom of it. The straps vary in thickness and sit comfortably on your shoulder. Of course, it needs to have substantial contents to make it sit right otherwise one strap will keep falling down. But just like with any bag, I don’t have a problem filling it up. 

There are three bags that are in heavy rotation; BBC Radio 1, Marc Jacobs Daisy and The Penisulist. I use the Radio 1 cotton bag when I go to gigs because it's smaller and less bulky. The Marc Jacobs one, my friend won for me at a press event, I use as an overnight bag or when I go to the park. It's double lined with a satin-like material and feels quite thick. The Peninsulist bag is my favourite canvas bags and it goes everywhere with me! It's been to Milan, Cannes and Columbia Road Flower Market. It's made of thick cotton material and gets filled with my stuff for uni, groceries and stuff for the beach. 


A canvas bag is a no-frills type bag and they come in really nice designs. Even if it is just a brand name. Or a pattern. My collection of canvas bags has reached peak heights. I have so many that I’m starting to give them away. I simply can’t cope with the bags spilling out of my wardrobe. So I'm blessing my friends with my random collection of canvas bags - think estate agent logos and ones picked up for free at random company stalls.

A canvas bag isn’t a bold bag and not being too heavy on the eye makes them perfect for the summer. And that's how the canvas bag became the ultimate fashion accessory. 

Love, Aoife xo

* Falseeyelashes.co.uk sent Eylure false lashes to me as a gift in return for a mention in a blog post. All thoughts are my own. 

My makeup bag is always overflowing. I can’t remember the last time it wasn’t. Even when I hardly knew about makeup and was just starting out, the bag was full. Between travelling and staying at different houses, (Mum’s house, Dad’s house and uni), there are a few staples that make it into the bag every time...

Givenchy’s Noir Couture Volume Mascara- I have always struggled to find a good mascara. One that doesn’t clump my lashes or make them look like squashed spider legs. That was until I found this Givenchy number as part of Glamour’s Beauty club. I absolutely love this mascara and I won’t be going back to high street brands for a long time. The difference between the before and after one swipe is amazing, my lashes look naturally volumised. 



Tom Ford 03 Loveshade eye shadow- My eye shadow game is shocking. Shockingly bad. I very rarely experiment with colours instead I choose at most 3 shades of nude. This colour (as you can see) is a golden pink colour and perfect for swiping over the eyes for a work look. It has a slight shimmer to it and the golden colour warms up my eyes.

Eylure False Lashes*- Fake eyelashes are a staple in every makeup bag. These lashes are from falseeyelashes.co.uk I really like the No70 lashes as they’re closest to my natural lash pattern, enhancing my features rather than covering them.


Benefit Goof Proof Brow Pencil- I have to say no one does eyebrows quite like a Benefit brow. I like that the pencil is quite basic because 1, I don’t have the time to be doing them properly and 2, I don’t have the skill to do anything more than fill my brows in a little bit.


L’Oreal True Match concealer- I’m usually a stickler for the Maybelline Fit Me concealer but when your shade is always sold out its difficult to remain faithful. This True Match concealer (1.R/C Ivory Rose) was the palest one I could find in the store and one that had pinkish undertones. The pink undertones help to add a little colour to my face and it works perfectly for brightening under my eyes and covering red blemishes.

Eco Tools Brushes- Makeup isn’t the only thing in my makeup bag. After all, I need to apply it somehow. When I first started wearing makeup I was a beauty blender devotee. But when I changed my foundation to a water-based one, I started using my fingers to apply it and using brushes to apply the rest. I really like the feel of the Eco Tools brushes. They have a similar softness and quality to the Real Techniques brushes and they're also vegan!


What are your makeup staples?

Love, Aoife xo