New Year, New Start, New Handbag.

First of all, Happy Belated New Year everyone!

That's me back in Galashiels Now. Its a bittersweet event that had to eventually come. Although I expected everyone to be thriving on the fact that were all back together again, its been quite the opposite. Everyone seems to be feeling fairly under the weather at the moment, myself included.

During the festive period, I got some lovely things in the Topshop Sale. Although I despise sales - all the raking through clothing racks with busy crowds of shoppers, my best friend Claire inspired me to check out the Topshop Sale. Aberdeen has two Topshops, the older one and a new one. The new one is far more grand and has a wider selection of clothing, which has therefore left the old one neglected and rather pathetic looking. Claire was determined that I'd find something in the older Topshop since no one shops there anymore, and luckily, she was right.

I got this backless maxi dress and another grey one.

Was £28, bought for £5 each.

Another maxi dress (Tee And Cake)

Did not have an original price, but purchased for £7

Its backless too (:

And a denim aviator jacket...

Was £48, bought for £20.

So, all and all, I was quite lucky.

With my 19th birthday coming up, I've decided to get another designer bag. Although I LOVE my Vivienne Westwood, I want something a little more durable, and something I'm not as sentimental over.

I recently had a discussion over the Christmas holidays with a work friend and she told me that her sister bought her a Juicy Couture bag as a gift. We then talked about how we classify Juicy Couture in a way that's very similar to Paul's Boutique bags. Both of these designers unfortunately, suffer from women abusing these designer brands. Paul's Boutique, was once seen in my eyes as quite a fashionable, young, quirky and funky brand. Now, their bags and clothing range are associated with young early teenagers looking not so fresh and young women who look like wannabe "WAGS". Very similar story for Juicy Couture, looks lovely on the right person, but see one chav wearing a pair of Juicy Couture velour sweat pants and BAM. My appreciation for the label is ruined.

Both designers tend to be quite OTT in their colour schemes in their clothing range and handbags. I myself, would not wear a neon pink Paul's Boutique bag, but as contradicting as it sounds, throw me a cute Barbie edition one, and it takes me back to my youth. I can ignore the fact its ridden with what seems to be a crushed zebra, as long as Barbie's adorable plastic face stares up at me as I reach in to get my Blackberry.

Likewise with Juicy Couture. You wont see me in a velour baby pink bowling bag, but I'd gladly wear a quilted leather and far more understated one.

I've seen a few people at University rocking a Paul's Boutique bag. They're affordable but look expensive (if you're wearing the right one). This is exactly how I feel towards Juicy Couture.

Yes, I could blow my boyfriends bank account and buy a teeny tiny Alexander McQueen bag, but would I wear it? No. I wouldn't wear it in the chance that it was,

1. Stolen
2. Got dirty
3. Someone decided to deface it
4. Or I foolishly leave it somewhere

My work friend then went on to explain how she too feels that Juicy Couture bags can look somewhat cheap on the wrong person. However she then went into detail how ornate and beautiful the bag was, thus, planting the idea in my mind, "Hmmm, Juicy Couture bags can't be that bad..? Plus, I do need a bag that I could use everyday for all my Uni books..?"

Since I've also recently moved rooms, I was redecorating the wall with cut outs from Vogue, i.D and Dazed. I cut out an Ad campaign from Vogue that I always stopped it look at - a Juicy Couture ad.

The exact cut out I have on my wall

I've always loved this ad. I think it tells a real fantasy story - as do all the Juicy Couture campaigns. It's the kind of photograph I find something new in every time I look at it. PLUS, note how understated the bags are in this photo? They're gorgeous.

Until very recently, I'd flick through Vogue, see this ad and think "Wow that photograph is amazing, shame the label is crap". However, through word of mouth and Vogue constantly reusing this image, I've been brainwashed.

xoxo