Hello Goodbye

Before I left the UK, I sent an old friend an email. I no longer had their number, they'd moved out of the address I had, and I couldn't reach them on social media. I wasn't even sure they used this account any more, but I reached out anyway - across the dark void of both space and time - to let them know I was leaving. To let them know I wouldn't be back. To say some sort of goodbye, although goodbyes were said long ago. I didn't expect a reply, and the darkness didn't answer with one. But somewhere, somehow, I knew they had received my message. 

They say when you meet the 'one' for you, you know. I think that's true with many decisions in our lives - some little, some monumental; that courses set into action will irreversibly change your life forever. Sometimes, these are happy moments, like knowing you're with the right person; sometimes they are tinged with guilt and sadness, like closing a door on a chapter you will not revisit again. These are 'sliding door' moments - that if something, however big or small, had or had not happened, your life would be very different. 

Although I know, just know, that leaving the UK was the right decision, the knowledge is not an easy burden. I left behind a life that was filled with people and memories, with events and stages that have shaped me as a person and made me who I am, in exchange for one that, although familiar, is entirely new. I grew up here. I remember so many little details. Yet I have been entirely absent for 12 years. I have missed all my friends from those years grow up. I missed their trials and tribulations, their first kisses, their boyfriends, their parents' divorces - and although when I see them again it's like we were never apart, it's wholly surreal. Like I was in a coma and woke up 2 months ago. I have no idea of Australian politics (don't ask me who the last Prime Minister was), or any big news stories. I have a very bad sense of geography (I thought Canberra was North of Sydney until I looked on a map). I say 'football' instead of 'soccer', and 'rugby' instead of 'football', which although sounds quaint in my conditioned English accent, is fundamentally wrong here. I didn't know what 'Goon' was (cheap wine in a bag, what everyone got drunk on as teenagers), or 'schoolies' (Australia's equivalent to Spring Break), and I still cringe whenever anyone calls flip-flops 'thongs'. But despite me feeling like I might as well have lived on the moon for a decade, I know I'm happy. Like, deep down, fundamentally happy. Yet I feel more guilt for being happy than when I wasn't in the UK. Why?

A weekly Skype date with my parents is scheduled every Sunday. Technology has made the world so small that I still sit with them at home through a window spanning thousands of miles, talking to them like I would in person. Since I've been away, my mother has mourned my absence by unpacking my childhood belongings, which haven't seen the light of day for more than a decade. She's put teddy bears on my bed, carefully unpacked books into a new bookshelf, and slowly turned my room into her own kind of shrine. Although this behaviour is not new - when I left for university she turned my pinboard into an organised photographic chronology of my life, and hung portraits of me on the wall - it still makes me feel guilty. I feel my happiness has come at a cost - to them - and it pains me. Although technology makes it so easy for us to communicate, the distance can still be felt, and the distance is great. I don't know how to say I'm not coming back. At least not for good, and not for a long while. We avoid the subject of permanence every time we talk. And while I think we both know the truth, uttering it would break a spell that we have all weaved; that I will return, that I belong there, with them.

It's strange to realise how a life that seemed so all-encompassing, so saturated with people and memories, can so easy be forgotten. Events that haunted me for years have all but evaporated in the space of a few months. Yet I still think back to that rainy night I left the UK, when the weather echoed my emotions, and the email I sent to my old friend. The email that detailed my leaving date, and time, and asked for one last goodbye. It never came. They never came. And although I am several thousand miles away, and living an entirely different life, I am still waiting for it. Perhaps one day it will come, and through a window of a screen I will say a hello that will really mean goodbye. 

Tune Tape Tuesdays #43

As some of you might be aware, the great Sleeping Beauty baddie Maleficent's biopic is out today. So to celebrate, I've put together a wickedly addictive collection of tunes for you to jam along to. I promise this isn't an excuse for being three days late on delivering the goods…ahem. As usual, Top Tracks are as follows:


Top Tracks

1. Once Upon A Dream - Lana Del Rey. That's right, Miss Del Rey's talents have once again been employed on a big blockbuster soundtrack. And, to be fair, I couldn't think of a better person to cover the Sleeping Beauty theme tune of Once Upon A Dream than Lana. She puts in just enough brooding sexiness to turn what was once a popular music box melody into a dark and haunting ballad. Nice work.
2. Deckchairs on the Moon - Bipolar Sunshine. I've covered a few of Bipolar Sunshine's tracks before (Drowning Butterflies and Rivers), but this new tune is by far my favourite. With vocals that continue to impress, this song will have you on track for Summer (or a rather mild Winter, in my case). Lie back and soak it up.
3. Say You'll Be There (Daniele di Martino Remix) - Mø. Mø seems to lend himself to being remixed. First, I covered Yen Sleep's remix of his track, Maiden, then MS MR's rework of Pilgrim. Now he's back with his version of the Spice Girls' 90's classic, Say You'll Be There. Guaranteed to change your view on the song forever.




Love,
Belle x

Wish List Mondays #46

Whether you're Audrey Hepburn in Roman Holiday, or Fran Drescher in The Nanny, there's no denying that separates are big this season. For those of you unfamiliar with Fran, The Nanny was one of my most treasured 90's TV shows, and centred around a loud-mouthed New Yorker with a passion for [bad] fashion who becomes an accidental nanny to an Upper-East Side family. Unfortunately I don't think it made the leap onto British TV screens, so it had been about 12 years since I last watched an episode. Thankfully Australian television is still 12 years behind the rest of the world and still plays it on daytime. Yet, what once seemed like the most ridiculous two-pieces, are now not looking so bad, thanks to the recent resurgence in popularity of everything 90's. Take a look…

Although there's no denying how much I love Fran, I decided to go for more, shall we say, 'demure' separates for this week's Wish List. Think Audrey Hepburn 1950's Riviera chic. And as an outfit is only as good as the accessories you wear it with, I've suggested some stuff to pair it with. It's just like playing with Barbie.

1. iPad Mini in Silver, Apple Store, from $479. Up the creek without an iPad, here.
2. 'Highbury' White Heeled Sandals, ASOS, $82. White Hot, here.
3. Rapture Cat Eye Acetate Sunglasses by Le Specs, Net-a-Porter, $57. Specs Appeal, here.
4. Speckled Backpack by Hype, ASOS, $49. Don't believe it, here.
5. Marilu Woven Clutch by Sophie Anderson, Matches Fashion, $224. Dream-Woven, here.
6. Broderie Anglaise Shirt by Christopher Kane, Net-a-Porter, $877. Citizen Kane, here.
7. Arizona White Flat Sandals by Birkenstock, ASOS, $98. Raising Arizona, here. 
8. White & Gold Aztec Bangle by House of Harlow, The Iconic, $69. Go out with a bangle, here.
9. Reversible Crochet-Knit Headband by Missoni, Net-a-Porter, $99. Flip Reverse It, here.
10. Broderie Anglaise Skirt by Christopher Kane, Net-a-Porter, $806. Broderie before Hosiery, here. 
11. Medium Jet Set Centre-Stripe Travel Tote, Michael Kors, USD$298. Jet Set Go, here.
12. White Block Heel Cleated Sole Sandals by River Island, The Iconic, $110. Sole Sisters, here.
13. Olive Taupe Suede Woven Wedges, Office, £36. Don't be Suede, here.
14. England's Glory Imperial Matchbox Clutch by Anya Hindmarch, Matches Fashion, $2,181. Little Matchbox Girl, here.
15. Lady Ibiza Toquilla Straw Sunhat by Sensi Studio, Net-a-Porter, $231. Last Straw, here.


If after all that, you're still hankering for a piece of Fran's closet, I got something you might like. What can I say, I'm a people pleaser.

1. a) Jacket in Floral Print and Embellishment, ASOS, $118.
b) Shorts in Floral Print and Embellishment, ASOS, $78. 
Buy both here.
2. a) Petite Blue Leaf Print Woven Tshirt by Girls on Film, ASOS, $47. Buy it here.

b) Petite Blue Leaf Print Skort by Girls on Film, ASOS, $39. Buy it here.
3. a) Geo Cropped Boxy Shirt by Warehouse, ASOS, $69. Buy it here.
b) Geo Soft Shorts by Warehouse, ASOS, $63. Buy them here.
4. a) Cherub Mesh Sweatshirt by The Laden Showroom x Salle de la Lune, ASOS, $108.
b) Cherub Skater Skirt by The Laden Showroom x Salle de la Lune, ASOS, $108. 
Buy both here.
5. a) Striped Jumper with Contrast Band, ASOS, $47. 
b) Skirt in Striped Knit with Contrast Band, ASOS, $59. 
Buy both here.
6. a) Diamond Print Sweatshirt by The Laden Showroom x Salle de la Lune, ASOS, $108.
b) Diamond Print Skater Skirt by The Laden Showroom x Salle de la Lune, ASOS, $108. 
Buy both here.


Until next time, Fashion Friends.

Love,
Belle x

Tune Tape Tuesdays #42

The main way I communicate is through music. It's generally the first thing I bond with people over, and - judgemental as it is - how I rate them. It's always been a huge part of my life, acting as the soundtrack to every month, season, and year since I was a youngster. So it seems only fair to share with you all the music that has got me through the last few weeks, in which I've pretty much turned my whole life on its head, and relocated to Sydney. Having been over here little over a month, I can say with some confidence that Aussies are really quite the discerning listener. They take tremendous pride in top-trumping you with their latest finds, and where once I was the sole DJ at house parties, I'm now vying for the aux cable with about ten others. 

So with no further ado, and no one to compete with on my own blog (psyche!), I give you the first Tune Tape from Down Under…

Top Tracks
1. Stay With Me (Rainer + Grimm Remix) - Sam Smith. We've all heard the original on Radio 1 or Australia's Triple J equivalent by now - Sam Smith, who shot to fame on the back of Disclosure's huge single Latch has given up featuring and started soloing. With moderate success, I might add. Except he's being marketed as a younger, slightly less handsome Michael Bublé. Which is kinda whack, because he's actually pretty awesome. Instead of putting some commercial club beat on the track, Rainer & Grimm have striped back the already (in my opinion) over-produced original and just made it one hell of a happy song. Roll down the windows and head to the beach - better make the most of that 23 Degree heatwave, eh UK…
2. Cocaine Model - Zhu. Zhu's stuff has been making background waves for some months now. It's original-sounding, yet not too up itself for it to be fairly easy-listening. If the title of the track isn't enough to get your attention, the line 'It's Isabel Marant, I got everything you want' should do the trick. Pure magic. Perfect your 'House Party Head Nod' to this track.
3. Depth Over Distance (Tale Cooper Edit) - Ben Howard. I've been a big fan of Ben's ever since his first album dropped in 2011. He's recently released a studio version of Depth Over Distance which is beautifully raw and alive, which in turn has been picked up by a number of DJs. Tale Cooper's Edit of the track is sensational. Keeping relatively close to the original edit of the song, he really makes Ben's vocals and lyrics the star of the show, spotlighting them with some subtle yet evocative backing beats and loops. The ultimate track to get lost in.




That's all folks! I'll be back with more next week. Until then…

Love,
Belle x

Wish List Monday #45

While London has its Bohemians, Paris owns Minimal Chic, and New York has practically trademarked Carrie Bradshaw and Blair Waldorf, there is a different style of fashionista that pounds the sun-drenched pavements of Sydney's inner Eastern Suburbs: The Urbanite. Over the last month, I've observed these graceful creatures and well, rather admired them actually. The Urbanite seamlessly combines the 'care-less' attitude and style of Grunge with tailored androgyny only found on the catwalks of YSL and Givenchy. Women with perfectly tousled bed-hair slink past you in leather pants, an oversized Tee, chunky boots and a silk blazer, serenely sipping on a wheatgrass smoothie as their Ray Bans glint in the sunlight. Somehow, my fail-safe combo of Air Max, skinny jeans and a boyfriend jumper ain't gonna cut it no more. Well If I can't beat the bitches, I'm gonna have to join them. 

Queue the First Ever Down Under Wish List Monday… 

All Prices Shown are in Australian Dollars…because I, like, live here now.

1. Double-Faced Wool-Blend Jacket by Chloé, Net-a-Porter, $2,298. Face Off, here.
2. Cut-Out Back Stretch-Cady Dress by Alexander Wang, Net-a-Porter, $862. Cut it out, here.
3. Cameron Washed-Silk Top by Equipment, Net-a-Porter, $303. Whitewashed, here.
4. Skinny Leather Pants by Acne Studios, Net-a-Porter, $1,675. Skinny Minnie, here.
5. Cat Eye Sunglasses in Peach by Vans, ASOS, $29. Cat got the (Peaches and) Cream, here.
6. Ripped Boyfriend Jeans, Zara, $54. Rip your heart out, here.
7. Suede Fringe Shoulder Bag, ASOS, $78. On the fringe, here.
8. Leather Belt by Miu Miu, Net-a-Porter, $306. You can belt on it, here.
9. 'Keon' by Lipstik Online, The Iconic, $80. Keon on you, here.
10. Riley III by Senso, The Iconic, $259. Third time lucky, here.


Love,
Belle x

The Wizard of Aus

The last time I did a travel post, I was living in Bristol, savouring the last of the Summer sunshine at St Paul's Carnival. Well, in the last month, I've packed up my bags and job, and moved 17,000 kilometres across the globe to my birthplace of Sydney, Australia. It's funny how even in this day and age, with the technological advantages of Skype, email, Facebook, and the various apps on our smartphones, we can still physically feel distance. I've been back 3 weeks and already, my 12 years spent in the UK feel like a lifetime ago; at times, like a prolonged dream sequence. I've missed this place - the sights, sounds, and smells. The proximity of the ocean, the light, the lifestyle. 

This Easter, I travelled 2 hours south of Sydney to the small town of Bowral in the Southern Highlands, where my grandparents lived and where my friend's family has a country bolt hole. The climate down there is noticeably cooler and less humid than on the coast and in the city; making it perfect for walking and exploring the beautifully typical Australian landscape that surrounds it. The smells of Eucalyptus from the gum trees and freshness of the tall pine trees mix with the dry earth; bottlebrush trees shade cultivated roses and camellias. Under the pure azure of an Autumn sky, we rubbed shoulders with wombats (quite literally), explored the lush surroundings of the house, and walked through the countryside with Diesel, the beloved family pooch. Here are some photos of our adventures…

Oh hey, Elton.

Mr. Darcy, the Wombat.

Mr Darcy & Elizabeth Bennett

Wish you were here.

Love,

Belle x

Tune Tape Tuesdays #41

So remember that shaggy-haired Scottish lad, Paolo Nutini, who had hits a few years back with Last Request and Candy? Well he's back, and has somehow transformed from gawky teen to bone fide stud muffin. Check out his newest single, Iron Sky, recorded live at Abbey Road Studios.

This week, in an attempt at an apology for my absence over the last month, I have put together the biggest Tune Tape in LBeLB history. Coming in at a massive 38 tracks and lasting nearly 3 hours, it's a comprehensive list of all things great and good happening in the world of music at the moment. Enjoy.

Top Picks
1. Midnight - Coldplay. It ain't no lie that I love Coldplay. Recently they released their track for The Hunger Games - Catching Fire Soundtrack, but in my opinion, Midnight is the far more powerful tune. Going down a more electronica-sounding route, it's a slow burner (unlike their earlier, more commercial material) but I guarantee it'll haunt you with its beautiful, restrained and subtle composition. 

2. Go Crazy (Jeezy Cover) - Paul Conrad. Born out of the Radio 1 Live Lounge (or for my Aussie viewers, Triple J's Like a Version), there seems to be a growing trend in the Indie scene of late: taking lewdly explicit HipHop tracks (usually about bitches and hoes) and magicking them in to pieces that can actually move you - like, emotionally 'n shit. First it was Florence + The Machine who did a cover of Drake & Rihanna's Take Care (which was actually a cover of Gil Scott-Heron's I'll Take Care of You, just showing off...). Then Chet Faker came out with his version of No Diggity (originally by Blackstreet). This week, I've absolutely fallen for Paul Conrad's cover of Jeezy's Go Crazy. His vocals are absolute magic, a complete contrast to the original, yet he manages to keep the gritty sexiness of Jeezy's track - with none of the smut. Play on, player.

3. Slow Down - EMBRZ. I've been listening to this song for nearly a month now. A month that has been, shall we say, a little up and down in terms of emotion and sentiment. Yet this song seems to work in every situation. On the bus to work, late at night when you're awake and feeling sorry for yourself, making dinner, entertaining friends… You name it. Try it, you won't be disappointed - it really is a cure-all.




Love,
Belle x

Wish List Mondays #44

In every women's magazine in the world, there exists a page in which a celebrity - usually the current face for a cosmetics company - dissects her makeup bag for us mere mortals to copy. Coincidently, most of the items in there are made by the cosmetics company they model for. Funny that. I don't know why, but I've always wanted to feature in one of those pages. So I thought I'd make my own dream come true and unpack my makeup bag for all to see. Who knows, perhaps they'll kick Cara Delevingne off the YSL campaign and hire me instead. Stranger things have happened. 

1. Touche Éclat in No 2 by Yves Saint Laurent, Selfridges, £25. Available here.
2. Eight Hour Cream Intensive Lip Repair Balm by Elizabeth Arden, Net-a-Porter, £20. Available here.
3. DiorBlush Cheek Creme by Christian Dior, FeelUnique.com, £24. Available here.
4. Baby Doll Mascara by Yves Saint Laurent, Selfridges, £25. Available here.
5. Bright Red Shiny Goat Makeup Case, Mulberry, £210. Available here.
6. Super Tan Instant Self Tan, ModelCo, £28. Available here.
7. Frame & Define Brow Styler by bareMinerals, ASOS, £13. Available here.
8. Soft Kohl Kajal Eye Pencil by Rimmel London, ASOS, £3. Available here.
9. Alexa Chung for Eyeko Limited Edition 'Eye Do' Set, ASOS, £35. Available here.
10. Tinted Moisturiser in Bisque by Laura Mercier, Net-a-Porter, £33. Available here.
11. Terracotta Moisturising Bronzing Powder in 00 by Guerlain, Selfridges, £35. Available here.
12. Old Hollywood Eye Palette by Bobbi Brown, Selfridges, £59. Available here.
13. Michael Kors Women 30ml Eau de Toilette by Michael Kors, Debenhams, £38. Available here.
14. Diorific Lipstick in Dolce Vita by Christian Dior, Selfridges, £26. Available here.


Love,

Belle x

The Blame Game

If you’re at all clued in to what’s happening in the music scene at the moment, you’ll know that Kanye West recently released a new single, Blame Game - notable not only for Chris Rock’s 2 minute skit at the end of the track, and John Legend’s smooth vocal hook, but how it highlights the ‘compensation culture’ of the 21^st century. Now, I’m not saying this profound reading was intended by Mr West when he set out to record it, but it has definitely got me thinking.

Blame is not a new concept, nor a modern defense mechanism developed as a reaction to intrusive, investigative journalism.  We all do it, and as humans have done it, for millennia. As children, we blamed others when our parents told us off; X made me do it, Y got away with it. As teenagers, we blamed those same parents with the rationale that they “didn’t understand us”. Even in relationships, although the mantra of “it’s not you, it’s me” has become a nauseating cliché, hardly anyone actually means it. How often do we openly admit that it was our fault when something goes wrong? Let’s be honest: very rarely.

I have no qualms about acknowledging that I am my harshest critic. I have been cursed with the incredible ability to erode any self-worth or pride by focusing on the minute negatives going on in my life, rather than the bigger picture. Everything going well in your relationship? Let’s concentrate on how much weight you’ve put on. Just got a promotion? I think the much more important issue is why you’re single. I’m not saying that self-scrutiny is a bad thing. It can motivate you to improve situations, to fix things that are broken, and create goals to aim towards. What I will say is that it is exhausting. 

Recently, circumstances have prompted me to take a long, hard look at myself, at patterns of behaviour that stem back to childhood. If what psychologists say is true, that the first step to changing is realization and acceptance, then what I’ve discovered is potentially a game-changer. I have a self-destruct button, and I like to push it. Whether this is a reaction that stems from being a bit of a Drama Queen (who, moi?); injecting situations with added excitement and twists for entertainment, or if it’s simply a case of dropping the ball when the exhaustion of self-criticism gets too much, is still something I’m trying to figure out. But what I do know is that it’s not a recent development. That button’s existed for a long time, and hasn’t lost any of its appeal. As a child, 90% of the time I was well-behaved. I was conditioned by my parents to be polite, agreeable, and inquisitive - and for the most part, I was. Except those characteristics aren’t usually the ones that stick in people’s minds. It was that 10% Hyde to my Jekyll - the disobedience, the pleasure gained in flouting the rules, that got me into trouble, and to a large extent shaped what people (especially horrified parents) thought of me. At school it was no different. While for two years I was academic excellence personified, this got rather boring, and made me miserable. Luckily, then, that the big, red, self-destruct button was on hand to press - God forbid I ever achieve my grades with ease and admiration. Within a summer - turning 13 may or may not have had something to do with it, but let’s not start blaming hormones - I morphed into someone that purposefully set out to break any rule or accepted code of conduct out there. I started answering back to teachers, smoking on school grounds, drinking underage, and amassing a pretty impressive collection of detention slips. None of which I’m particularly proud of now. Did it make me any happier? No. The constant contradiction of who I knew I really was compared to how I was behaving drained me, and I finished school with no real friends or sense of direction. 

Perhaps part of the problem is that I have an addictive personality. (In the sense that I become addicted very easily to things, not that I’m personally so scintillating that people become addicted to me.) But isn’t that just a blaming tool as well? Can you really explain your behaviour by sweeping it under a rug of a supposed chemical imbalance? I don’t believe so. Maybe the more accurate term is that I am ‘habitually addictive’ as a person; that through years of getting kicks out of doing something I’m not supposed to I have developed a habit. Understandably, this has been quite a hindrance in any situation that requires you to follow the rules. 

A wake-up call came in the shape of a drunken friend on a night out, some years ago. Putting her arm around me and looking blearily into my eyes, she slurred: “you live your life like a warning to others”. It may have been said in inebriated jest, but it struck a chord. This soap opera that I’d turned my life into, through strings of failed relationships and let-downs, was just that - public entertainment. I realised that I could spin a situation in my favour, blame others for my failure, but at the end of the day, who is the common denominator? But self-hatred and blame is more destructive than passing it off on third parties. I recognize it needs to be a healthy balance. There’s unlikely to ever be someone following you around, foiling all your plans and good intentions. Most failure is down to you - your choices, your actions, your mindset. I’m in the process of developing that habit of addiction to rule-breaking into a habit of addiction to courage. To admit when I fail it’s down to me, but to also initiate righting myself. If I don’t, all I’m doing is destroying, rather than creating. It might be “two steps forward, one step back”, but at least it’s heading in a positive direction.

Do you play the Blame Game?

Love,

Belle x

Wish List Mondays #43

So I have a confession to make. In my absence, I'm afraid I've turned into a member of society that I used to rather enjoy heaping distain upon: the Gym-Goer. Yes, somewhat of a transformation has been made, and I now frequently find myself power walking through the darkness of the early mornings to the warm, fluorescent lights of my local bodily temple. It may have been the fear of the 'Fresher 10' at work, or the guilt of indulging in a particularly 'wet' January, but I now have a whole new type of wardrobe to attract my wishful gaze. Million Dollar Baby, I may not be in practice, but surely I get points for looking the part… No?

1. Link Design Black Crew Neck Sweater, Stüssy, €69. Don't break a sweat, here.
2. Acrylic Wash Beanie Hat by Carhartt, ASOS, £20. Beanie Baby, here.
3. Women's Clima Training Hoodie, Adidas, £41. Hood Rat, here.
4. Coral Sports Bra, H&M, £10. Bra-vo, here.
5. Reversible Yoga Leggings, Sweaty Betty, £70. Flip Reverse It, here.
6. Grey Yoga Trousers, H&M, £13. Fade to Grey, here.
7. Shakedown Workout Shorts, Sweaty Betty, £39. Hey Shortie, here.
8. Slendertone Flex Max Unisex Toning Belt, Boots, £90. Belt One Out, here.
9. Pro Training Glove by Lonsdale, Sports Direct, £15. Knock Em Down, here.
10. Leather, Suede and Mesh Sneakers by MM6 Maison Martin Margiela, £260. Let's Get Mesh-y, here.
11. Pink/Charcoal Eco Yoga Mat, Sweaty Betty, £39. Yoga-ba Gaba, here.
12. Flyknit Air Max, Nike, £180. Get Some Air, here.


Over and out - this Gym Bunny's got an early start.

Love,
Belle x

Tune Tape Tuesdays #40

Tune Tape Tuesdays returns in 2014 with some cracking tracks to get you through those January blues. What with Christmas, New Year and the wet weather that forces you to pay for the bus to work, I'm betting most of you are feeling pretty skint. Well you're in luck, because most of the following tracks are available for free download (or all of them, if you know a trick or two). As I'm tired, overworked and underpaid, I'm going to make my part here as short and sweet as possible so you can skip on to the important part - aka the music.

Top Picks this Week are as follows:

1. Gold - James Vincent McMorrow. JVM is back and better than ever. Following his initial new release, Cavalier, Gold sees him return to what he does best - a beautiful track with chilling vocals and a riff from the horn section that will have you spinning in the pouring rain like a scene from a particularly clichéd romantic comedy. Don't fight it.

2. Real - Years & Years. This new band have hit it out of the park with their second single, Real. One for those of you whose dinner parties frequently turn into all of you dancing around the living room, this track will transform your evening from sophisticated to spirited in one swift step. 

3. I Got U - Duke Dumont feat. Jax Jones. Now normally I stay fairly clear of any track that features text abbreviation in its title as they more often than not turn out to be a cringe-worthy House-Pop track blaring out of a sticky-floored club at 2 in the morning. But the steel drums and summer-vibe make this track are just about cool enough to make up for it. I predict a future Soundtrack to Summer favourite.




LBeLB is back, baby - C U Next Tuesday (literally).

Love,
Belle x

Wish List Mondays #43 - Think Pink

There exists a kind of 'friend' present on everybody's Facebook; you met them once or twice at a party about 8 years ago, probably had quite a good night, and then never saw them again - apart from on your News Feed. Simply put, they are 'Somebodies That You Used To Know'. Over recent years, I've been pretty diligent about having regular clear-outs of these anomalies, but there are two boys I've never quite been able to trash. Their names are Luke and Jamie. I met them on a ski trip when I was 16. They were 15, and complete shits. But as I'm writing this, they're halfway across the Atlantic in a souped-up rowing boat, the two youngest men ever to attempt such a feat. And they're doing it in the name of Breast Cancer Care. 

Now I have to admit, I've never been one to pay much attention to friends' and acquaintances' virtual charity muggings - demanding you to sponsor their morning walk for No-One-Gives-a-Shit Aid. But these two guys, who I never really knew, are an absolute inspiration. Not only have they raised over £160,000 for Breast Cancer Care, they've also given a new face to what has previously been a relatively mature, female-centric charity. At this point, they've been at sea nearly 7 weeks, updating their Facebook Page with honest and moving posts on their gruelling endeavour. If you can, please donate whatever you can afford to their Just Giving page. You can find out a bit more about the boys and their journey through their Website.

As a small act of appreciation for the way two teenage brats morphed into inspirational young men, I'm dedicating the first Wish List of 2014 to pink, the official colour of Breast Cancer Care. 

1. 'Sophie' Pink & White Stripe Dress by Jones and Jones, Topshop, £60. Buy it here.

2. Vesper Bead-Embellished Woven Silk Top by Tory Burch, Net-a-Porter, £340. Buy it here.

3. Light Pink Cropped Jumper, River Island, £30. Buy it here.

4. Double Jewel Earrings, ASOS, £10. Buy them here.

5. Pink Wool Boyfriend Coat, Miss Selfridge, £79. Buy it here.

6. Cotton-Blend Piqué Skinny Pants by Moschino Cheap and Chic, Net-a-Porter, £255. Buy them here.

7. Classic Southampton Ladies Watch, Daniel Wellington, £129. Buy it here.

8. Check Boucle Pelmet Skirt, Topshop, £40. Buy it here.

9. Knitted Crystal Stud Jumper, Topshop, £46. Buy it here.

10. 'On Top' Light Pink Courts, Office, £65. Buy them here.

11. Miss Dior Bag in Rose Poudre Lambskin, Dior, £POA. Buy it

through here.

12. Neon Pink Low Chuck Taylors by Converse, Kurt Geiger, £35 (was £50). Buy them here.

13. Lilo Oversize Square Sunglasses, Topshop, £16. Buy them here.

Love,

Belle x