I'll be on hiatus for a couple of days over New Years, so I can be with friends and family.

Hair hair everywhere!

Okay, normally I like my hair. It's shoulder length, brown and wavy. Nothing to grumble about. It also lets me do silly things with it, like these:

But when I leave it, there's no holding it back.

CURLS! CURLS EVERYWHERE!

I do love them, and I receive a fair few compliments on them, but it's not as nice to have on your head (and in your face and mouth and eyes) as it looks

I often mumble to myself "You're so lucky to have thick hair, they said. Curls are pretty, they said".

Some of you may be reading this thinking, 'what an ungrateful bitch'. Well, my dear friends, you would also get sick of it when you look like this 95% of the time

Keep Dorking On,

A xx

Aaaanndddd, relaxxxx

I am a great sleeper. I can sleep for hours on end. The actual sleeping is not my problem, it's the getting to sleep I struggle with. I usually have to have some kind of music or audio book playing in the back ground before I can drift off.

Here's what I usually listen to:

Keep Dorking On,

A xx

WE JUST HIT THE BIG THREE FIFTY! WOO!

NYE outfit for under £50? CHECK

To say I am an expensive person is an understatement. But being a teenager without a job, I am confined to whatever money my parents give me. Most of the time I will have saved for a couple of weeks before going shopping for an occasion, but with the rush of Christmas (we only broke up the Friday before christmas), an outfit for NYE completely slipped my mind.

So what did I do? Got straight online and headed for the H&M sale. And I was not disappointed. 

They are currently bringing in the spring stock (far too early for my liking, but it means I got some great discounts on clothes I will be wearing for at least two more months), the winter stock has already gone on sale!

These are the items I snatched up:

1) Ankle length trousers, petrol coloured with embroidery. Was £24.99, down to £10

2) I loved the pattern so much I got the skirt version too! Was £24.99, down to £15

3) I absolutely love the Peter Pan collar trend and the sequins give it that extra quirk! Was £24.99, down to £12

4) SHOES! I was in desperate need of some new ballet flats and my prayer was answered! These funky leopard print are only £7.99

For New Years Eve I'm planning on wearing the top, skirt and flats. I will probably do a post on how I styled it sometime in the future.

What are you planning to wear for NYE? What will be your quirky, 'wow' piece of the outfit? Let us know in comments below!

Keep Dorking On,

A x

Musical Medlings

I haven't shared the music that I'm listening to recently so here's a round up of the songs and artists I cannot live without at the moment!

I'm really love Alt-J at the moment!

Keep Dorking On,

A xx

The trifecta of Dorkdom

Anyone who knows me well will know that I am a massive technology nerd. However, being of the female variety, I don't often find myself in a situation where it is deemed socially acceptable to talk about the iPad mini versus the Google Nexus 7 or why Samsung thought it would be a good idea to create the useless phone-tablet hybrid monster that is the Galaxy Note, over topics such as who was at what party or why maths is so boring (which I object to, as a person who will be taking mathematics and further mathematics next year (AP Calc in American terms)). Luckily, I have a few good guys friends who will put up with such debates.

But as soon as I get home, I definitely allow my inner techno-dork flag to fly. My desk is affectionately referred to as the 'dork station' and at the moment houses my iMac, iPad and iPhone.

Between 4pm and 11pm during the week and all day at the weekends, I am installed at the dork station and only really get up for the essentials (food, drink and sleep). You may be thinking, 'Wow, this girl really needs to get a life'. And y'know what, that may be the case, but I throughly enjoy the time I spend at dork station interacting with the online community.

I have to say that if I was stranded on a desert island, I would probably think about bringing my iPad or iPhone before I thought about food or a survival kit!

What are your techno must haves? What can you absolutely not live without?

Tell us in comments below!

Keep Dorking On,

A xx

FETCH their fancy; Statement Red Lips

Red is EVERYWHERE during Christmas. On the tree, wrapping paper, even the flowers are usually red!

So to get in the festive spirit, I thought I'd try out the red lips (as seen on my Bow Bun post). And, well, I liked it so much, that is has no become my signature 'thing'. There is no better way to make a statement than through lipstick.

Red lips are fun, easy and sophisticated. I always feel so much more grown-up with a red lip, it gives any outfit that 'OOMPH'.

Here's how I put it together yesterday for some last minute shopping:

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU ALL, MAKE IT A DORKY ONE!

Keep Dorking On,

A x

Doctor Who?

Ah, Doctor Who, your action-packed quirkiness and non-linear structure warms the cockles of my nerd girl heart(s).

For those of you who already watch the show (and maybe be member of the Who fandom (BIGUP TO ALL THE WHOVIANS)), you'll know all the reasons Doctor Who makes me want to simultaneously burst into song and burst into tears.

However, for those of you who don't watch Who, that last sentence would've probably made you recoil into a state of 'WHAT THE HELL IS SHE ON ABOUT, CRAZY LADY'.

Well, fear not. Or maybe you need to fear. Because this is a show like no other.

The Doctor is adorkable and his companions are always so fetch, the whole show is just adorkably fetch!

Who is your favourite Doctor? Tell us in comments below!

Keep Dorking On,

A x

P.S Mine's Ten :3

That FETCHes my fancy; Bow Bun

I know, I know, how predictable could I be? Over time everything evolves, and so does fashion and 'trends'. I prefer to call what I wear my 'style' rather than fashion as I believe in showing your personality through your clothing, not just following the herd.

First came the Sock Bun.

I did love this as I like wearing my hair up, but have found that I don't have quite enough hair to create the fullness a bun really needs. The sock bun just gave it a bit of 'oomph' which I really enjoyed, but I never quite felt comfortable in it. Maybe because I was very conscious that the sock might be showing (yes, I used an actual tube sock, it seemed to work better than the 'donuts' found in beauty stores). Also, the normal bun just wasn't quite for me. It felt all too grown up and a bit same same.

However, the Bow Bun is a completely different kettle of fish.

It just feels 100% me. Quirky, while not being in-your-face offensive on the eyes, and it's also very quick, easy and practical. It took me 1 minute 45 seconds to do (I did time it) the first time I did it while following a tutorial. And as it is made only my hair, a bit of backcombing, some hairspray and a few hair grips (bobby pins), I feel a lot less conscious of it.

This is definitely going to turn in to my go-to style for everything, parties, school, work.

Here's how I styled it today for a lunch out with family

Mustard tights, red lips and a bow bun, you can't go far wrong!

Keep Dorking On,

A x

If a white girl has a Starbucks and there's no-one there to Instagram it, did it even happen?

#whitegirljokes

My name is Abi; aka the Worst Blogger in the whole wide world

My name is Abi and I am the worst blogger ever.

It started off with the best of intentions, as all these things do. A summer holiday project. Just something fun. 

And now it's turned into yet another thing I started and haven't completed. 

BUT I'M BACK NOW.

FOR REAL THIS TIME I PROMISE.

While I have been away, I started making Youtube videos! Check them out here ^_^

Keep Dorking On,

A xx

P.S To keep up to date with all my goings on, head to my twitter and tumblr!

http://this-is-pug-life.tumblr.com

https://twitter.com/abi_of_the_mor

Sorry

I haven't posted at all lately, I'm so sorry!

I'll try and find some inspiration soon ^_^

Keep Dorking On,

A x

Adorkable and fetching music

I'm a nu-folk girl all the way and autumn, I find, is always the best time for nu-folk music. It seems to bring everything to life.

Here's what I'm currently listening to:

What's your favourite type of music for Autumn? Tell us in comments below!

Keep Dorking On,

A x

Youtube!

So, I've decided to try out making youtube videos!

I'm not sure how long this will last, or if people really care about what I'm saying, but then again, I thought that about this blog and we've reached 250 views!

What's going to happen is I'll be uploading two videos a week, one on a Wednesday and one on a Saturday. The Wednesday video will be a general vlog by me, talking about what ever's on my mind. The Saturday video will a video called 'Sister Saturday'. This will be a video starring my sister and me either vlogging, doing a sketch, or possibly singing.

Here's the first of my Wednesday vlogs, hope you like it! 

Keep Dorking On,

A x

Transitions

So, I've just come home from my school's sixth form open evening. And it's only just hit me that I'm growing up. Yes, I know, that a really stupid thing to say, but hear me out. I'm currently 15 going on 16 and I always thought I had everything figured out. And to an extent, I do. I know exactly what I want to do for A-Levels, I'm pretty sure about what I want to do at Uni and I have an idea at what I would like to have a career in. But, to me, these have always been dreams and ideas, not plans, and certainly not the set future. Now I'm being asked to make these decisions. And it's scared the crap out of me, to be honest. 

It's just so permanent. So final. I just really want life to slow down. I feels like it's all slipping away from me, like I'm watching someone else make the decisions. It's scary. 

Many of you who actually know me in person will think that I'm very open with my feelings. True is that I'm an iceberg. 90% of me is below the surface, and I prefer it to stay that way. I find it very uncomfortable to voice my feelings and just let them happen. I suppose that's why I like playing music so much. I can just hide behind someone else's words or melody. I think what I'm really scared of is not the actual emotion, it's the thought that if I start, I'll never stop. I don't want people knowing exactly how I feel. I'm more comfortable in my own head.

I digress.

To be frank, Sixth Form Open Evening just scared me more than I was already. This is the rest of my life I'm choosing.

Shit.

Here's a little reminder

Just take a deep breath and be grateful you're alive.

This too shall pass.

Keep Dorking On,

A xx

Adorkably fetch; what does it actually mean?

So, Adorkably Fetch has been up for almost two months now and in that short space of time, we've managed to achieve some targets I set myself at the beginning of this project. We've reached over 200 page views, over 20 post and I haven't gotten bored and stopped posting (and I hope I never will!).

So what does Adorkably fetch actually mean?

Adorkable and Fetch are two words used a lot by the bloggers/vloggers/tumblrs (read: me) of the internet. 

The first word, Adorkable, is a combination word (a bit like a ship name) that combines adorable and dork, meaning something or someone that possesses nerdy/dorky qualities but is adorable either in spite or because of that fact.

The second word, Fetch, you may be more familiar with. Popularised by the 2004 film Mean Girls, Gretchen Wieners in particular, it has only really caught on with the internet (read: tumblr) and 'hipsters' being all ironic and stuff. Personally, I think it's hilarious and should catch on.

I liked the words and squished them together. 

So, there you have it.

What are your two favourite words? What would you call your blog? Tell us in comments below!

Keep Dorking On,

A x

Quotations, quotations, quotations (and no, this is not English Lit)

Whilst browsing (read: procrastinating) on tumblr, I stumbled across a wonderful blog called British Indie who create graphics and photosets of wonderful quotations that always seem to be just what I need at certain times. There is something reassuring and almost life-afferming about finding a quotation that you feel directly relates to you. 

Here are a few of my favourites:

They also run a shop on Etsy where they sell alternate posters for tv shows/films, as well as selling these brilliant quotations in poster format!

What's your favourite quotation? Tell us in comments below!

Keep Dorking On,

A x

(P.S This post was in no way sponsored or asked for by the owners/creators of British Indie. I just really liked their stuff and wanted to share it with you!)

Thanks!

I'm thrilled and honoured that Adorkably Fetch has managed to get TWO HUNDRED pages views since the first post in August!

Writing a blog has always been a bit of a pipe dream for me, I've wanted to do it, but just never knew how to or what to write. I took a plunge one boring day during the summer holidays and am chuffed that you all come here and read by choice! 

So, this is just a massive thank you to you guys for making this happen and letting me ramble on the internet. Fanks. Again.

Keep Dorking On,

Abigail x

P.S To keep up with the adorkable things in my life, check out my Twitter and my Tumblr ^_^

Mood moosic and a bit of Mumford

Now that the Babel album is out (aaahh!), I've been thinking a lot about having music that can just put you in a certain mood. As the weather shifts for the arrival of autumn, I've been really into music that just kind of evokes warmth and, of course, songs that make me smile.

Those of you who know me or follow me on Twitter will know that I am a big nu-folk/frock fan (Mumford, Laura Marling, Ben Howard, OMAM, Bon Iver, ect ect.), so I thought I'd use this as an excuse to share my favourite songs from Babel and some other amazing autumn songs.

BABEL

I love all the tracks on Babel, but here are my top 5 (in no particular order, I couldn't choose!)

1) Babel

2) Hopeless Wanderer

3) Ghosts That We Knew

4) Whispers In The Dark

5) For Those Below

Rainy Mood

I'm British, so naturally the sound of rain is very soothing to me! It just makes me feel very secure (anyone else? No, just me? Oh, okay). And for me, rain just epitomises autumn.

A while back, my friend Alex suggested Rainymood.com to play in the background under (or over?) my music. It's so good! I love the effect of it, it just adds something special to a beautiful song.

Here's a few of my favourite songs to play with Rainymood.com:

1) Flume - Bon Iver

2) Flaws - Bombay Bicycle Club and Lucy Rose

3) Gracious - Ben Howard

4) Home - Gabrielle Aplin (see my post on her!)

5) The Enemy - Mumford and Sons

 Hope you all enjoyed this post, tell me about any good 'mood' or seasonal music in the comments below!

Keep Dorking On,

A x

The ultimate white-girl problem; fetching iPhone cases

So after years of bugging my parents, they have finally agreed to get me an iPhone! So naturally, my first thought was 'what case shall I get?'

It's fair to say that I scoured the web to find cute cases and these are the cutest of them all. Now, I have the difficult decision of which one to actually buy!

Upper Left - Cath Kidston

Upper Middle - J.Crew

Upper Right - Cath Kidston

Lower Left - Kate Spade

Lower Middle - Cath Kidston

Lower Right - Emma Bridgewater

Which one do you prefer? Tell us in comments below!

Keep Dorking On,

A x

Gabrielle Aplin fetches our fancy!

Yes, I know, I know, I'm very late to jump on this bandwagon, but after a suggestion on facebook ( "14 of your friends like this" blah blah blah) I decided to check out her music that I've heard so much about from my frock/indie friends.

And, well, she's amazing. I honestly cannot get enough of her! Her new single is called 'Please Don't Say You Love Me' is the perfect mix of acoustic and catchy (not in an annoying way) riffs. You can pre-order it now and the single will be officially released on the 18th November. If that seems too far away, she's posted the lyric video on her youtube channel (video below)

Here's another one of her songs, Home, that I've completely fallen for.

Have you heard of Gabrielle before? (You hipster, you ;))

Keep Dorking On,

A x

(P.S I hope you appreciate how difficult it was for me to write a comprehensive post that isn't just completely fangirl-y and asdfghjkl;!)

My favourite adorkable youtubers

I'm going to be counting down my top 5 favourite youtubers! (side note, these are all vloggers, I will do another post with my favourite web series)

AT 5

Kristina Horner aka italktosnakes

Her videos are very funny, but at the same time very touching and quite deep too. I love her bubbly presence and the way I feel more linked with the Harry Potter fandom through her videos. This is her most recent video, What impact has Harry Potter had on your life?

AT 4

Phil Lester AKA AmazingPhil

Phil's videos are mainly comedy/sketch videos with fun little snippets of life. Sometimes known as one half of Dan'n'Phil (with danisnotonfire; see below), his videos feel like a fandom within themselves.

AT 3

Dan Howell AKA Danisnotonfire

The other half of Dan'n'Phil, Dan's videos are recordings of those awkward moments in life that you are glad you're not the only one that does that. Also hilarious.

AT 2

Charlie McDonnell AKA Charlieissocoollike

Everyone's favourite geeky-yet-ever-so-attractive teen/twenty-something. Is in a trock band. Owns a fez. Is possibly the cutest thing alive. Enough said.

AT 1

Hank and John Green AKA The Vlogbrothers

Hank and John Green are two brothers that make vlogs. So, vlogbrothers. Hank is a musician and John is an author (Looking for Alaska, Papertowns, Abundance of Katherines and The Fault in Our Stars). They make videos on everything a good nerd (or adorkable) needs to know. Join the club, become a nerdfighter.

Keep Dorking On,

A x

H&M Autumn Favourites

This is how I would style my favourite items from this post;

H&M knit top, $40 / H&M plaid blazer, $55 / H&M jacket, $55 / J.Crew skinny leg jeans / H&M corduroy mini skirt, $24 / River Island gray stocking, $14 / Nicole block heels / Eastland penny loafer shoes / Minnetonka suede shoes

That's quite FETCH-ing; H&M have NAILED essential autumn style!

Whilst aimlessly browsing the internet, I decided to do some window shopping (can you still call it that on the internet?) for some autumn essentials.

I'm feeling rather under-stocked for autumn and it seems to have hit England extra early this year so naturally, I decided to look for some affordable, (I'm a 15 year old on a babysitter's salary so that doesn't leave a lot of  cash to splash) yet cute, staple pieces for my cold weather wardrobe. Here's some items that really caught my eye;

Corduroy skirt: I posted here about winter alternatives to jeans and corduroy trousers and skirts were both on the list, so I was obviously ecstatic when I found this gorgeous corduroy skirt. It comes in dark blue, purple, orange and (my personal favourite) burgundy. 

Tweed Blazer: Blazers are a great way to dress up any outfit and, when the weather gets colder, it is a brilliant extra layer whilst still being stylish. I've been searching high and low for the PERFECT blazer and never seemed to find anything within my price range. At £34.99 I couldn't ask for anything more. AND IT HAS ELBOW PATCHES! So fetch.

The Classic Pea coat: A reasonably priced pea coat is almost impossible to find, even with the internet. This reefer coat has an extremely flattering cut, short and fitted. Navy is also a great colour, as I find black and grey too harsh in the winter (unless as tights).

Funky knits: In order to cheer up during the long winter months, I always find that funky knits such as cardigans and jumpers do just the trick. This comes in a purple pattern (as shown above) and orange. 

How do you stay warm, yet stylish in the autumn and winter?

Tell us in comments below!

Keep Dorking On,

A x

Stuck in a rut; that's not fetch

Getting stuck in a fashion rut over winter is common occurrence (with me, anyway) and sometimes the cycle can be hard to break. Here are some tips to help staying fetch and keeping warm!

In winter, I always find my default item of clothing is jeans. They are warm, comfortable and durable, the perfect pair of trousers for crisp autumn mornings or winter walk. But the habit of slipping on a pair of jeans can be hard to break. Here's some ideas of how to mix it up featuring a mustard cardigan from Joules:

Joules navy dress / Joules yellow cardigan, $79 / H&M low rise corduroy pants, $40 / Opaque tight / Joules denim mini skirt, $79 / Seychelles rose tight / Jack Wills leather loafer / FS/NY ballet shoes / Navy Dog Womens Welly Print Printed Wellies | Joules, $59

Corduroys: Corduroys are a great alternative to jeans as they are still warm, comfortable trousers that are easy to throw on without a second thought. They also come in tons of amazing colours as well as the basic colours of black, navy and green

Denim Skirt and tights: This is always a fun outfit to play with. I like a mid length skirt and a pop of colour on the tight to brighten up an overcast autumn day. Jewel tones such as purples, mustards and emeralds really liven up autumnal colours such as navys, blacks and browns.

Wrap dress and ballet flats: A wrap dress is a must for autumn/winter. It's sophisticated, yet playful and easily paired with opaque tights and ballet flats.

Stay fetch and warm with autumn!

Keep Dorking On,

A x

Scrap the schedule!

I've realised that the schedule that I set as a target for this blog is going to be unattainable during this coming year. It's a big year for both S and I and we feel like we would be doing a disservice to you adorkables promising posts and not delivering.

We're very sorry, but we hope you enjoy our post when we can!

Keep Dorking On,

A x

One step at a time

Okay, this is going to be mainly aimed at myself.

I really need to learn to SLOW DOWN. It's okay not to be perfect at everything first time round. I am a classic overachiever and, especially after results day, I'm finding it quite hard not to beat myself up over the little things. One mark off a grade. Not running as far as I did the week before. Not creating enough blog posts (sorry!).

Sometimes I just need to step back and RELAX. The simplest things in life are the greatest pleasures. Here's my list of great simple pleasures to help unwind.

(via)

Baking: As cliche as it may sound, baking is brilliant. It always gives me time to unwind and think things through before making a rash decision or getting upset. (And you end up with a yummy treat at the end!)

(via)

Music: Whether it be listening to it or playing it, music is extremely therapeutic. Let yourself get lost in a melody or a bass line and you'll forget all your troubles!

(via)

Walking: Go walking, get lost, have an adventure. Fresh air and beautiful scenery can always help clear a clouded mind. (Same goes for running)

How do you relax in your most stressed period? Tell us in comments below!

Keep Dorking On,

A x

Good Luck!

This is a quick post to say Good Luck to all the adorkables

 out there who are getting results tomorrow!

As recipients of tomorrow's results, WE KNOW HOW YOU FEEL SISTA!

GOOD LUCK!

Here's some pictures of cake and Klaine to calm you down

(via)

(via)

Muchos muchos love and hugs, 

Keep Dorking On,

A x

That's quite FETCHing; Pashmina Scarves

Come rain or shine, you can almost guarantee that I'll be wearing a pashmina.

Many people scoff and scorn at the idea of pashminas, calling them 'terribly MC' (middle class) and constantly saying 'gosh, you must be hot with that on'. Well, no. I honestly love the fact that pashminas are as middle class as I am and they often help to keep the temperature just right for me.

Another great thing about pashminas are the endless colours, patterns and style that they come in. They are a  staple accessory to any outfit for me and the  most common phrase heard in my house is 'just put a pashmina over it' (above 'darling, you know I love you but...' and 'could you make me a cup of tea'. Terribly MC, I know), with no regards as to what you are wearing. This versatility makes it my go-to.

My 'classic' pashmina is a navy blue one. I wear it so often that I am refered to as 'pashmina girl' by my friends (either that or 'ponytail queen' (I wear ponytails A LOT))

(via)

Other type of pashmina that I love are floral patterned ones. I have a pink patterned one from Istanbul that always adds a POP to an outfit and keeps me smiling in the winter

(via)

Plain or Patterned? How do you wear yours? Tell us in the comments below!

Keep Dorking On,

A x

Break-outs are so not fetch

Yes, they happen. And here's how I get over them!

It's taken me ages to find the right product for my skin, but now I've found it I won't ever use anything else. I get oily skin that dries out quickly (if that makes any sense?!) so I needed a product that would take away the oily-ness without drying it out completely, as some products do, and an accompanying moisturizer that won't make my skin oily for the rest of the day, tough challenge, I know!

Whilst at the beauticians, I was recommended Clean Start, the teenage range from Dermalogica, and it works perfectly for me!

I use:

Clean Start Wash off (am and pm), great all round cleanser

Clean Start Ready, Set, Scrub (am, 3-5 times a week), brilliant feel, not too heavy. I don't use this everyday as it is quite strong but it works miracles

Clean Start Bedtime for Breakouts (pm, leave on whilst sleeping, wash off in morning) brilliant for breakouts,  clear them up in one or two uses, but I use it about 4 times a week to be safe

Drum roll please! My miracle moisturizer! Clean Start Welcome matte (am, everyday) Perfect balance of hydrating and light. Love it, wouldn't swap it for the world

Clean Start Hit the spot (when needed) this spot on treatment is for that pesky zit that just popped up this morning that no amount of concealer will cover.

Other things to consider with break-outs are:

• Diet (too many eggs and chocolate always make me break out)
• Exercise (are you getting enough?)
• Sun light! (The vitamin D helps clear up spots)

Don't worry about the spots, Keep Dorking On,

A x

P.s This post was in NO WAY sponsored by Dermalogica or any affiliates, I'm just trying to help by writing about my personal experiences!

Some not quite so fetch changes

Adorkables, today is a sad day.

14th of August for me always symbolises the start of the back to school fortnight. Over here in the UK we always start school the week beginning/containing the 1st of September so this is the time that I start gearing my thoughts back towards school and what this year will entail.

Luckily, I chose all of my subjects last year and should have, more or less, the same teachers, classmates and rooms (Please say  it's not just me that gets anxiety about trying to find a seat in class when there isn't a seating plan? Just the thought stresses me out!). And I start the subject I swapped in back in May so nothing should be new!

Now for the bad new, adorkables. This impending doom of school will mean less frequent posting! Yes, S and I are extremely sorry but we reasoned that posting every day, on top of the heaps of coursework, just isn't feasible for us at this period in our lives.

So, the new posting schedule will be:

Post on Monday

Post on Wednesday

Friday Feature - 'That's quite FETCHing'

Saturday showdown

We really don't want to cut down like this, but we feel it is a neccesity in keeping up the juggling act throughout the coming school year

Keep Dorking On,

A x

When do you go back to school? Thoughts, feelings, dreads? Tell us in comments below! 

Saturday Showdown; Marilyn vs Audrey - Round 1: Marilyn!

Oh Norma Jean!

It almost sounds like a fairy tale; the daughter of an unwed mother spends childhood being sent all over the country to various, mostly unhappy, foster homes, gets married at an early age, and that's unhappy too, and then, after being both poor and unhappy for most of her life, she becomes one of the most successful actresses in Hollywood, a sex symbol (although she didn't really enjoy that bit, and I quote 'a sex symbol is a thing. And I just hate to be a thing') and an icon. It's not a fairy tale, though, and the ending is far more tragic that Cinderella's, but all the same - Marylin Monroe is just as iconic as a Disney Princess. Perhaps more.

Her films- Some Like It Hot, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, How To Marry A Millionaire to name a few- have come to not only showcase but define an era of Hollywood's history that seems impossible now. An era where romance and glamour ruled over all, where the paps only saw what you wanted them to see, where affairs remained secret and were never splashed over the front page of a newspaper (yes, K-Stew, I'm looking at you) unless the adulterers wanted it to be, and where the Queen of Hollywood was a woman who was once known as Norma (a name I, by the way, think should totes come back in to fashion). Her characters and films are iconic because she was iconic, and from the white dress-over-the-subway-grate scene in The Seven Year Itch to that last line of Some Like It Hot, they have entrenched themselves so deeply into pop culture that even Madonna, an icon herself, borrowed her look and stuck it on an album cover.

And it's not just her films that have made her iconic (although they did help. Obvs.), her turbulent and whirlwind romances in the public eye, that were so far removed from her rumoured-to-be-forced first marriage all those years ago, seemed to reiterate the romances of her films. Her elopment with baseball star Joe DiMaggio, for example, sounds like a Hollywood script. Ignoring their divorce nine months later, of course. 

And her marriage to the playwright Arthur Miller - the Intellectual and the Showgirl! They were sad, yes, because they ended badly, but boy, were they proper Hollywood romances. No Brangelina nonsense for Norma! 

Ah, yes, now we're getting to the real reason she's an icon - Marylin herself. Not only did she ooze sex appeal, something that scandalised Hollywood at the time (oh how times have changed!) but she was graceful and sweet - hell, even one of her most famous characters was called Sugar Kane! And even though her story has the saddest ending, and, despite all her hard work, critics still slated her acting, she is iconic because she embraced the idea of dreams and fantasies, once famously saying 'I have too many fantasies to be a housewife. I guess I am a fantasy.' Because she was. Men wanted her- perhaps not in the way they'd want Grace Kelly, but they wanted her all the same- and all the little girls who wanted to be actresses wanted to be her too, because she was oh-so-beautiful and oh-so-glamourous and oh-so-adored. And in the end, that's all anyone wants to be, isn't it? Adored? 

So that, adorkables, is why I think Marylin Monroe is an icon.

That's quite FETCHing; Skirts

There's something incredibly timeless and feminine about skirts. They're flouncy, flowy, and down right awesome. It's just something thrilling and magical about pulling on a skirt and gliding through the rest of the day.

Some (and by some, I mean lots) of people, friends, family, even random classmates have questioned why I love wearing skirts and try to argue that 'skirts represent oppression of women and they give in to men's ideals of femininity'. To those people, I say 'shut the hell up, skirts are awesome' because, well, they are.

While trousers are all well and good, I believe skirts give girls something that is uniquely 'us'. Boys don't wear skirts (I mean, they could if they wanted to, but they don't). I always gain a certain air of confidence whenever I wear a skirt.

Skirts can express so much in so many different ways, like loud patterns or bright colours, and get away with it because, hell, it's a skirt!

Here's some of my favourite skirted outfits:

(via)

(this is me!)

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How do you wear yours? Loud, subtle, classic?

Tell us in the comments below!

Keep Dorking On,

A x