Fagan's Finds

Fagan Finds A New Web Domain

2015-11-14T09:42:00.000-08:00

Afternoon everybody! As you've probably all gathered, I've not been posting on my blog as often as I intended to this year. There's numerous reasons, including the fact I've been writing articles for Kettle Mag & Eat More Cake but there's also a bigger reason I've been hiding.

A couple of months ago, I decided it was time to take Fagan's Finds up a notch and purchase my own domain, woo! I chose to move away from Blogger, and try out Squarespace instead, which I'm still learning the ropes of.

So the next time you'll see a blog post published, it will now be over at www.fagansfinds.com which I'm super excited about. Like I mentioned earlier, I'm still learning how everything works, so at the moment the website is under construction. Being realistic considering I have other responsibilities (university, work, social life, radio hud, boyfriend etc), the finished product will probably be in the new year.

But, I still thought I would share with you all about the transition. It's been lovely hosting my blog over on this website, and I might eat my words in a couple of months and return. But until then, I'd like to thank everybody that has viewed this blog over the years, it's been an absolute pleasure. I'll be sure to update over here when everything is up and running!

In Stitches || July 2015

2015-08-04T11:45:00.003-07:00

July has been a busy month, not only in my own personal bubble but in the world of comedy. Tours have been released left, right and centre (read more to find out who), films have been premiered and just general happenings. Well here's my highlights from the month of July, hope you enjoy!

Welcome Your Agony Uncle, Matt Berry:

©Joe

Over the years that I've admired comedy, Matt Berry has always appeared down the line. The guy appears to be seamless in everything he does, whether it be acting, singing and now advice. That's right, you can now send your worries and concerns to Matt Berry curtesy of www.joe.co.uk a website tailed to male audiences, and he might answer you! You don't see a whole lot of agony uncles, so this is a refreshing piece of news to go around. If you fancy having a read of the entries or posting something yourself, then click here!

Visit Memory Lane With Paul Foot:

©GiggleBeats

Once again, Paul Foot it back on the road and offering fans the chance to go down memory lane with him. In this special mini tour, fans can sit through some of Foot's old gigs, specifically 'By the Yard', 'Still Life' and 'Kenny Larch is Dead'. The shows which start this October in Leicester and finish in Brighton this December, will be played on consecutive nights at the chosen venues. To find out whether Paul Foot is performing near you then click here, there will also be updates on future events and everything Paul Foot related.

Bad Education Comes To The Big Screens:

©DigitalSpy

And finally, if you're a fan of Jack Whitehall, like myself then you can begin the countdown to his first film 'The Bad Education Movie'. The TV show which finished last October, after three series is now being brought to cinemas across the UK, where Alfie (played by Whitehall) takes his students on their final school trip. Of course, this wouldn't be a comedy film without a series of unfortunate events happening, and the trailer certainly showcases a few. It is yet to be released when the film will be out, but I will be personally keeping my eyes peeled! The watch the trailer, click here.

In Stitches || June 2015

2015-07-10T06:20:00.000-07:00

Hello, hello! Hasn't it been a while since I've posted on Fagan's Finds, well now I'm back again with 'In Stitches'. For those of you who don't follow me over on Twitter, I've been freelancing with 'Eat More Cake' and 'Kettle Mag' alongside finishing my first year at university. But enough of the excuses, here's June edition of 'In Stitches', enjoy!

Channel 4 drop 'The British Comedy Awards':

©RedCarpetNewsTv

A statement was released last month from a Channel 4 spokesperson, following the decision to renew with BCA's deal. Channel 4, have been broadcasting the awards for the last three years, but last years figures were less than half compared to when it first aired. This decline resulted in the TV station deciding to give the responsibility to another broadcaster. There has been no word on who will take over the comedy crown, but suspicions suggest a return to ITV, who ran the show for 20 years.

BBC iPlayer release British Muslim comedy shorts for Ramadan:

©BBC

In honour of the muslim religious holiday Ramadan, BBC iPlayer have released five comedy shorts featuring up and coming British Muslim comedians. These shorts explore the lives of modern Muslim lives, including the ups and downs and the struggles during Ramadan. You can watch the comedy shorts if you click here for the next 7 days. All the shorts were directed by Dave Lambert, who has been involved with comedy shows such as Alan Partridge and The Mighty Boosh to name a few.

Julian Barratt & Simon Farnaby join forces on Baby Cow film:

©PMCvariety

'Mindhorn' will be the love child of comedy legends 'Julian Barratt' and 'Simon Farnaby'. Both have worked together in various projects like 'The Mighty Boosh' and 'Bunny and the Bull'. Filming will start on the Isle of Man in late July, but there is no information yet for a trailer or a release date. The very bizarre storyline follow MI5 Special Operative 'Bruce Mindhorn' who is kidnapped in the 80's. He is then subsequently fitted a lie detector in his eye, so he can physically 'see the truth'. This then follows a serious of events, which you can tell will be all forms of the weird and wonderful.

'Hancock's Half Hour' revitalised in missing episodes:

©Telegraph

And finally, back when radio comedy was popular 'Hancock's Half Hour' was one of the most listened to comedy on air. The series itself ran from 1954 to 1959, and now the show is returning to Radio 4 planning to air the 20 missing episodes from the BBC archives. Last year 5 shows were aired and due to the popularity, another 5 are planned for this year. The episodes will be recorded this July down in the London studios but it has not been released which scripts have been chosen and when they will be aired on Radio 4.

In Stitches || December 2014

2015-01-04T12:03:00.000-08:00

The last month of 2014, saw some lovely moments rise up in the world of comedy. Some which were expected like the Big Fat Quiz of the Year, which is always a treat, and then some not so expected like Noel Fielding's tour being postponed. But lets get straight into the round-up for December 2014, as we've got quite a lot to cover!

Toast of London Series 3 Confirmed

Last months round-up saw much discussion towards Matt Berry's Channel 4 hit, 'Toast of London'. Fans were up in arms celebrating, as it was announced that series three was on the horizon for 2015. Although it is argued that 'Toast' has rather low viewing figures, the whacky show has gained a cult following, only increasing its success. So make sure to be on the look out for series three, and while we're all waiting on updates for series three, why not catch up on the previous two on 4od here.

©Channel 4

The British Comedy Awards 2014

A special treat towards the run up to Christmas, is the always brilliant 'The British Comedy Awards' presented by Jonathan Ross. This years awards, saw continuous jokes and references to its sponsor Lidl as well as Jack Whitehall winning King of Comedy for the fourth year running. A favourite up and coming comedian of mine, Nick Helm, won 'Best Comedy Breakthrough Artist' from his work on the BBC Three programme 'Uncle'. A few old favourite faces won including Katherine Parkinson for 'Best TV Comedy Actress' and everybody's favourite Monty Python came away with the 'Lifetime Achievement Award'.

©SickChirpse

An Evening with Noel Fielding Postponed

Fans of 'The Mighty Boosh' and 'Noel Fielding's Luxury Comedy' know the great man behind it all Noel Fielding had been venturing around the UK with his brother Mike Fielding and Tom Meeten on his latest stand-up tour. I had the chance to go watch one of the brilliant shows in November in Manchester Apollo, and it wasn't a disappointed. Due to such a high demand and success, extra dates were put on that ran into 2015. Sadly however, the dates which were supposed to start in late January have now been postponed to December time. Its recently come to light that the change came about due to unforeseen filming commitments in 2015. A list of the new dates has been placed on TVO, for those who have booked tickets (like myself) as some tickets may no longer be valid please check here.

©ArtsCentreMelbourne

Nevermind The Buzzcocks Christmas Special

Carrying on with more Noel Fielding based news, was the Christmas Special to 'Nevermind The Buzzcocks' alongside Phill Jupitus and host Rhod Gilbert. This years special showed no exception with the outfits, as we saw both panellists dressed as Wizard, X Factor judge Louis Walsh as Joko Ono, singer Melissa Steel as East 17, comedian Lloyd Langford as a choir boy alongside Sex Pistols bassist Glen Matlock. The show had its usual conventions going on with several Christmas themed questions, and an identity parade which featured The Snowman. You can watch it over on iplayer by clicking here.

©BBC

Big Fat Quiz of the Year 2014

If one brilliant panel show wasn't enough, then after all the Christmas cheer was over you could sink your teeth into BFQOTY which you stuff your face with turkey leftovers. This year saw the return of the much loved, Richard Ayoade and the quiz's usual host Jimmy Carr. The other team members consisted of Mel B, Sarah Millican, David Mitchell, Kevin Bridges and Micky Flanagan. The teams this year, unlike others seemed more focused of actually gaining points and winning although that didn't stop unconventional bouts of the weird and wonderful from peering its head. You can relive the night simply by clicking here.

©Talkback / Brian Ritchie

In Stitches || November 2014

2014-12-07T06:43:00.000-08:00

November has not been a disappointing month in the world of comedy, the month kicked off with a blast bringing us Toast of London series 2. The first series of Toast was aired last year on Channel 4 and received more than a warm welcome. With the brilliant Matt Berry playing the main character, Toast who is a struggling actor, we follow him through his adventurous lifestyle while meeting some quirky characters along the way. Toast is definitely tailored towards those who're previous fans of Berry's work such as Garth Marenghi's Darkplace, Snuff Box, The IT Crowd and The Mighty Boosh due to its surreal and satirical material. I for one am a huge fan of Berry, so I found the second series to be just as funny and entertaining as the first, definitely search this out if you've got half an hour to kill.

This month we've surprisingly got two lots of Toast related news, as fans of the show are now able to begin buying related merchandise to decorate their humble abodes. Smart Giant Design have released four prints starting from £20 each, featuring the main characters; Steven Toast, Jane Plough, Ray Purchase and Clem Fandango. You could equally purchase all four for £50 to show your dedication to the show. The prints themselves are really simplistic showing the key features of each character, and I personally wouldn't mind purchasing myself one for my flat. You can click here, to have a nosey at the prints, treat yourself!

After a good couple of years, I was able to go see Noel Fielding again, and this time it was on the third row for his latest stand up gig. Renowned for his work as Vince Noir in The Mighty Boosh with his partner in crime Julian Barratt, Noel went on his own and produced two series of Noel Fielding's Luxury Comedy. The show, being more outlandish and surreal to the Boosh seemed to tighten his fans but still had huge success. A few months after the end of series two, Noel released tour dates around the UK, which are still currently running into 2015. I'm tempted to do a full review on the gig as it was so mental, but if I say anything its that Noel Fielding has not lost his comedy touch! With modern references to Tinder and other 2014 nonsense, Noel pulls it out the bag once again and proves his brilliance in the field.

Questionably the most surreal and controversial man in comedy, the likes of Chris Morris the creator of The Day Today, Jam and Brass Eye graced our radios this month. BBC 4extra broadcasted a three hour long documentary called Raw Meat Radio in dedication to Morris, featuring interviews from those who've worked with him over the years including the man who suspended him from Radio 1. Alongside this is also clips and unheard scenes from his shows unfortunately there is no actual input from Morris himself, who tends to stay out of the media's limelight due to his shows. You can still listen on catch up here, its definitely something not to miss out on if you're a Morris fan.

Soap & Glory || Body Buttercream, Rosy-Radiance Blush and Super Colour Lipstick

2014-10-29T14:03:00.000-07:00

My obsession towards Soap & Glory clearly hasn't died out as I've been buying more of their products and I'm still head over heels for the brand. It also doesn't help that Boots keep putting on 3 for 2 offers in stores either as they send me into overdrive. I've had all three products for just over two months now, so I'd like to say I've got a fair judgement on all of them.

Soap & Glory™ Super-Colour Fabulipstick™ Collagen Boosting Lipstick

The first product on the list is this beautifully cherry coloured lipstick called 'Man Trap'. As you can see from the link below the photo, the name for this lipstick is quite the mouthful, but exceptionally good. It has a very heavy colour pigment on my lips, which is a benefit as you don't need to repeatedly go over your lips for an opaque and matt effect. The staying power is quite impressive as well, I've noticed it doesn't rub off as easily when drinking and eating, I'd approximate 4 hours wear without reapplying. The lipstick itself might be considered quite pricey for a drugstore brand at £9, but I'd argue that so far its highly worth the extra few quid.

Soap & Glory™ Love at First Blush™ Multi-Shade Blushing Powder

Now this second product is used by myself every single day and its Soap & Glory's brilliant blusher. What appeals to me so much about this blusher it the variety of rosy tones, which contrast with the two white sections that create a wonderful luminous glow. This powder is also very build-able for either a subtle daytime look, to a more dramatic night time look so its essentially a 2 in 1 product. Over the course of experimenting with this product, I've found you can get away with using this for contouring, if you angle your brush into the darker tones. The only downfall I've found is that the blusher has a lot of fall away product, so you do have to top it up quite regularly, especially if you're on a night out but thats a minor detail that can be easily sorted out.

Soap & Glory Sugar Crush Body Buttercream

Finally, the last product in todays post is the well talked about 'Sugar Crush Body Buttercream'. This product has been raved about by numerous bloggers, so I ended up caving and buying it even though I've never been a body moisture fan. If you can go into Boots and just smell this, I urge you to because it smells absolutely divine (I swear I'm not smelling it as I'm typing, honest!). The lime and kiwi juice water give it a sharp scent which stays on your skin afterwards for a good couple of hours. This product just honestly feels so lovely when rubbed into your skin, the consistency is rather thick and luxurious which is a plus! I suffer with dry skin on my legs but after applying this my skin is restored.

One Month Into University & Tips

2014-10-27T14:01:00.000-07:00

Following on from my previous post on A-Level results nerves, a month (or just over) has passed and I'm no longer living at home with my family, surrounded by everything that has been familiar to me over the last 18 years. Those of you who're readers of mine won't know that on results day I was actually put through clearing, this is when you don't get the required grades for the course. This resulted in me choosing another university (thankfully they were my backup uni) and got onto my desired course as well, two weeks later and one of my grades had risen but I was still going to my clearing option.

I'm now located at the University of Huddersfield doing Broadcast Journalism, which is just under two hours away from home. I will admit, I am extremely happy that fate played out so that I ended up in Huddersfield because so far I've made a lovely group of friends and had some really fun experiences. A month into university, and I'm in classes Monday to Thursday as well as being part of a 2 hour radio show on Fridays called 'The Friday Warm-Up Show'. Whether you go to a town, city, small or large university I honestly think university life is what you make of it as I've had a cracking time so far! Obviously I'm sure a third year student could give more valuable advice than me, but these are the things I've picked up on over the last few weeks. If anyone reading has recently started university or returned to the next year, why not leave your experiences or tips below in the comments section to help those who're gonna be freshers next year.

Make friends with your flat mates, course students and with others across your accommodation.

Keep on top of your readings, no matter what course you study there's gonna be extensive reading behind it.

Don't do your main shop at a chain supermarket unless its Lidl or Aldi if you wanna be money savvy.

Speak to your family, although you want to revel on your newly found freedom, don't shut out your life from back home, you'll need them again.

If you go drinking the night before an early class, be home and in bed by 3am (latest!) so you can at least catch 5 hours to sober up (or you risk falling asleep in class or even missing it altogether).

Soap & Glory || Pressed Powder, Concealer & Liquid Eyeliner

2014-08-06T08:44:00.002-07:00

Very recently I decided that I was going to venture down a few makeup brand paths that I've never really tried out before. First on the list was of course Soap & Glory, I always thought of that brand having its strengths in its bath and body products but I was pleasantly surprised to see its success in makeup. My usual makeup routine was very minimal and basic, so I decided to pick up a few products that I've hardly bothered with in the past such as powder, concealer and liquid eyeliner. I've had all of these products for roughly two weeks now and used them more or less every day, so I think now is the time to go into reviewing them!

Kick Ass Instant Retouch Pressed Powder:
For years I've had oily and acne prone skin which has caused me huge problems when using products like pressed powder. In the past year or so, the oiliness has decreased now with dry patches causing me to accommodate for combination skin which has worked in my favour. I always thought the effect created by powder, in this case 'matt effect' is always flattering because I'm not a fan of the shiny/dewy face and I've gone and hit the jackpot with this powder. No matter how much you layer onto your face, I've found it impossible to create a cakey looking appearance which is a common problem with powders. It glides perfectly across my foundation and has yellow undertones that compliment my skin shade brilliantly. It can also double up as a primer for under your makeup, which I haven't tried yet but I'm sure it has just as great results.

Kick Ass Concealer A Three-Piece Flaw Camouflage Kit
When I picked up this product, I was actually unaware that it was a three-piece set so you can tell I was very happy once I opened it up. Again like previously mentioned I've never thought you use a concealer in my makeup routine as using heavy products just messed up my entire face. But as I'm recovering from many hours of non stop revising from my summer exams, my under eyes had darkened and a few red patches surfaced. When you open up the compact, the first level you see is the final step which is a miniature translucent powder to set your concealer but we all know how that works. Once you open the layer below that, you're greeted with two different shades of concealer. On the left you have a peach toned creamy concealer which works perfectly to counteract any dark circles under your eyes, and helps brighten up that area too. Then on the right you've got a darker, more yellow toned concealer for any red marks or imperfection you might have over the rest of your face. The smooth consistency enables you to glide it on effortlessly, with no creases covering everything up.

Supercat Carbon Black Extreme Eyeliner Pen
The final piece of Soap & Glory goodness I picked up was this liquid eyeliner pen. Previously I've always stayed away from liquid eyeliners because they can be pretty tricky to apply, and well if you mess it up you have to essentially start again from scratch. However this pen can create an effortless cat eye effect within seconds, and that's coming from a newbie. The black nib is relatively thick, which helps you to create your desired 'cat eye' look, whether you use the fine point to create a natural everyday look or press down on the lash line for something more dramatic. Another bonus I've noticed with this product is that once you're applying it along the lash line, the pen doesn't dry out halfway through. Prior to this I was using a Bourjois pen and by the time I was halfway through doing my eyes, the pen stopped working and dried up. I've never had that problem with this product though, and if you do, do a mistake it wipes away easily and doesn't drag the skin with it.

I'd love to hear any recommendations you have for Soap & Glory products, whether it be from their makeup range, skincare or bath and body care. I think I'm slowly going to buy the entire store I've been that impressed so far, leave a comment below what you think!

How To Reduce A-Level Result Nerves

2014-08-05T12:13:00.001-07:00

If, like myself you finished your A2 year at college this summer and are anticipating collecting your results next week, to move onto the next stage of your life this post might help those nerves. Whether or not you're going onto university in September, I'd like to think everyone finishing their A-Levels is quite anxious to find out how well they did. I'll admit now, I'm rather anxious myself purely because I'm hoping to go onto a rather prestigious university for the subject I'm studying. I thought I'd put together a little list of tips that can help you calm down that stress, as the days get closer and closer more people are gonna be feeling the pressure.

1. Don't look back at your class notes now

I'm guilty of this. As a precaution of having to redo any of my exams from this year (hopefully not!) I've stored away all of my class notes for each topic and put them into a huge box until it's actually results day. As the day comes closer, more people start to go over the exam questions and if you've got your notes to hand, it's tempting to notice things you've missed out or not explained fully. This is a one way ticket to unnecessary stress, there's no way for you to change your answers now so please don't start uprooting your notes.

2. Surround yourself with your college friends

By now most people have finished their holiday breaks, due to the fact that results day is so close. Now is the time to start rekindling with your college friends, the likelihood is after results people are going to be extremely busy sorting out university bits and bobs. I've already started the process of throwing away old things and slowly started to make mental notes of things I'll be taking for my halls room, but some people wouldn't of started this yet which can be quite lengthly. Try and squeeze in a few days with various friends you've made from the two years (and your high school friends) and do exciting activities together, to ensure you've got some good memories left together before you all depart.

3. Finish that book you've had for months

After being a huge English Literature nerd throughout high school and especially during my two years of college, I've naturally adapted myself into a book worm. For that same fact, I think it's going to be quite a shock to my system when I transition into university and won't be studying/reading period texts anymore. I have quite a few physical books to hand as well as on my kindle, that I've never had time to fully enjoy so why not read them now. We all know the abilities a good story line can hold over people and if the pressures are too much you can always distract yourself with a new book. So far this summer I've managed to read two books completely, I'm half way through another and just last night started one other too.

4. Figure out who you want to be

I'd like to clear up first, that I'm not talking about completely abandoning everything your stand for and embody to become fake but instead try and fine tune yourself. I am a strong believer in figuring out who you want to be, in aid to better your life and those who you meet. Obviously the older you get, the more opportunities you're faced with that help you grow and develop as a person. But I think the transition from living in your hometown to a new town/city is the perfect time to start asking yourself who you are. Personally over the last two years I've changed not only in appearance but how I portray myself to others along with my personality and I tend to push myself to perfect this 'new way' the best I can. The easiest and most distracting way to start this off is to clear your wardrobe and room out, figure out what best represents you and run with it.

I hope these little tips can help you all distract yourself for a couple of hours in the build up to the biggest day in your lives so far. I'd like to remind anybody reading that no matter what grades you get on the day, that they do not define you as a person and there is plenty of time to experience the student lifestyle at university. If you've got any other tips then don't hesitate to leave them down below in the comments, good luck everybody!

Aesop Sage & Cedar Scalp Treatment

2014-07-29T07:30:00.002-07:00

In order for me to tell this review fully, I need to give you some backstory as to why I ended up purchasing it. Some of you may know from some of my original posts, that I've previously bleached my hair numerous times and applied a variety of colours. And as you probably guessed my hair became pretty damaged as a result, I haven't bleached my full head of hair since July 2013 so its not had time to be restored. From last year I dyed my hair back to a dark brown which is my natural colour and used various hair masks and expensive shampoos/conditioners to treat the damage. My hair started in its own self destructive method against me and started rejecting different brands of shampoo, causing my scalp to go into overdrive with dandruff (yuck).

After suffering this for a few weeks, I decided to start researching products that could reduce if not clear up my scalp dryness and this is when I came across Aesop's scalp treatment. I've always been really interested with the brand but as many of you will already know, it costs a bomb! At this stage however I was willing to pay how ever much to sort out my scalp, the reviews on this product were absolutely outstanding! People who were diagnosed with severe scalp problems were seeing progress from this product, so I paid the hefty (but so worth it) £23 and waited for its arrival. I want to slightly digress and talk about the package I received for this product; not only did I get the scalp treatment but I got a handwritten note, free drawstring makeup bag, three face care samples and a swatch of one of their scents!! I like to think all those little contributions make up for the price tag.

After using this treatment twice, my dry scalp has completely cleared up, I tend to use this fortnightly as I do get some dandruff returning but a fraction of what I did originally. When you open the bottle you get hit with scents of rosemary, almond, cedarwood and sage which are so complimenting of each other. The recommendation for application is five drops across your scalp, but I just tend to put how ever much is sucked up by the applicator, so to ensure everything is covered. Once you've done that, you need to allow for it to soak for 15 minutes during this time I usually start running a bath and maybe watch a youtube video too. Then you simply wet your hair and go straight in with your regular shampoo to wash any access away, and then you're free from a horrible dry scalp. I'm hoping to purchase something else from Aesop in the future, and luckily I'll be equally as impressed!

Battle Of High Street Products || Dry Shampoo (Garnier vs. Lee Stafford)

2014-07-27T09:16:00.000-07:00

After hearing a lot of hoopla about Garnier's latest 7-in-1 dry shampoo I decided to put it up against the test with another new product, by a well loved hair brand Lee Stafford. To cut the battle between both of these high street products short I'm going to talk about them both individually, with their strengths and weaknesses.

Garnier Ultimate Blends 7-in-1 Dry Shampoo:
When Garnier launched this product I never heard the end of it all over Youtube and on various blogs. I happened to be in Tesco around the launch and it was on offer so I thought I'd give it a go. From the get go, I wasn't impressed with this product compared to a lot of people who were very pro Garnier. Personally I believe the sole purpose of a dry shampoo, is to substitute washing your hair for a day or two, covering up an extra grease and grime. In fact the whole idea behind this dry shampoo, is it performs 7 actions (cleansing,absorbing grease, lightweightness, suppleness, detangling, fragrance all with no residue). Out of all the actions, the fragrance is the most prominent, its a rather sickly vanilla scent which isn't pleasant but I can handle it for a few minutes. The only positives I found was that on freshly washed hair, it does add some body but on greasy hair it has no effect and just leaves your hair feeling even worse.

Lee Stafford Dark For Oily Roots Dry Shampoo:
Now onto a dry shampoo product that I highly recommend and it's the brilliant Lee Stafford. I only very recently picked up this product, compared to the Garnier thats been sitting in my room for a few months now, and I've instantly fell head over heels for it. In the past, whenever I've tried Lee Stafford products I've never been disappointed, and I'd honestly put this dry shampoo above the traditional Batiste range. For a dry shampoo, it's a little pricey at £5.99 but I think it's worth the extra bit of money. A huge difference I found was as the one I chose was specifically for dark hair, it doesn't leave dark pigments on your skin, which was a huge problem with the dark brown Batiste dry shampoo. It does however have the annoying white residue instead, but luckily it rubs/brushes in very evenly and doesn't leave little bits attached to your hair which is a plus! Whatever condition your hair is in, whether it be freshly washed or greasy it takes away all the unnecessary bits and adds in texture and volume, and just looks overall really impressive.

How To Successfully Wear Black In The Summer

2014-06-28T13:32:00.000-07:00

I've got to a point in my teenage years, where I've essentially stopped wearing all forms of colour. Staring at my clothes rail it currently has only five items which contain some colour; a red air hostess fancy dress costume, faded red and blue shirt, lilac adidas trainers, a grey skirt with pink roses and a dark navy dress. Everything else, is either black, white or grey which has its ups and downs. With summer approaching and considering I don't have the money to splash out, (neither do I wish to buy a brighter summer wardrobe) I thought I'd give some tips on what to wear in summer without fainting from the extra absorbed heat.

©Asos Photography - Leather Look Shorts

SHORTS:
Obviously with summer and the heat comes shorts. I thought I'd use the most difficult pair of black shorts and its the 'leather look' shorts. Not only have these types of shorts been very popular over the past couple of years, but they're also a key/ staple piece for the summer in anybody wardrobe (particularly those of a black only wardrobe enthusiast). As you can see from the photo you can pair these up with absolutely anything and thats the beauty of having black items to work with. As the UK isn't sweltering hot throughout the duration of summer, you could pair these with a white shirt (shown above), or pair with a lightweight crop top to counteract the heat.

©Asos Photography - Tshirt Dress

DRESSES:
My ultimate black items in my wardrobe are dresses, every time. You can wear them in all weather climates because all you have to do is add a pair of tights in the winter and cardigan and you're sorted, or take them off in the summer. This dress strikes me as a perfect transitional piece, as the sheer material along the shoulders and chest/back create an edgy look. The sheer material at the top and bottom, give the dress some breathing space from the solid black piece in the middle, while keeping in with the whole black trend.

©Asos Photography - Cage Back Playsuit

PLAYSUITS:
This is by far my favourite piece in the post, this playsuit is perfect for the summer time because it can be worn casual or dressed up for a night out. The exposed cage back gives the playsuit an elegant look , while keeping you cool when the sun gets too much. The material is also a sheer, delicate chiffon which makes it a very light piece of clothing that can be layered nicely for all weather temperatures. I think this would be a nice piece to take away to any upcoming festivals this summer as well, as you don't have to worry about your dress blowing up and I feel playsuits can be moved about in easily.

T-SHIRTS:
Lastly, a more common wardrobe piece is the common t-shirt. I originally was just going to get a plain black v-neck for this part of the post until I come across this beauty. Following the 'cold shoulder' effect that was deemed very popular last year, this piece goes across that line to make something really beautiful. Like some of the previously pieces, this t-shirt is made up of sheer material for the same reasons mentioned before. I think this is just a very simple piece that you can pair up with something fitted, that's heavily patterned to avoid looking too oversized.

REVIEWED || The Fault In Our Stars Movie

2014-06-23T12:55:00.000-07:00

©strawburry17.com

Firstly I'd like to say that yes I have read John Green's 'The Fault In Our Stars' and the film performed so well and closely to the novel, that I've had to give myself a few days from watching it in order to write about it correctly. If you've not read the book or heard about the film, where have you been the last couple of months! TFIOS follows two teenagers, Hazel Grace who is suffering from stage 4 thyroid cancer with metastasis and Augustus Waters who's currently in remission for osteosarcoma. The two meet in a support group, which is literally the heart of Jesus (nice reference for any fans) and Hazel also meets Augustus's best friend Isaac who suffers from eye cancer.

I went into the cinema viewing of this with a handful of tissue, ready for the expectant tears as I cried in moments of the book but I did not expect to cry as much as I did. For myself and thousands of others, this book really struck a cord and even though I've personally never dealt with cancer or known anybody with it, my emotional investment in these characters was off the charts. The acting was absolutely outstanding, Shailene Woodley embodied Hazel Grace so well and Ansel Elgot blew me away as Augustus. Like most people who're fans of a book before it turned into a film, I was really sceptical how it was going to turn out, but the key moments were played out with every detail intended and nothing major was left out.

One scene that stuck out to me the most, was towards the end (spoiler alert!) when Augustus attempts to buy himself some cigarettes in the middle of the night but ends up vomiting over himself, and has to call Hazel. That scene has always stayed with me after reading, and Ansel covered the realness of what was happening extremely well, perfect infact. It was raw and gritty and a little bit gross because of the amount of snot and vomit, but that's what made it feel so real and gave that brilliant connection to the audience. If you go watching this film I will warn you, there will be many tears! I went watching this with two girls who were fans of the book, and one other girl who didn't have a clue what was going to happen, and they all cried just as much. From the Amsterdam scene onwards I practically didn't stop crying till the very end, in fact once the film ended nobody in the cinema left for a good 5 minutes because everybody was so emotionally exhausted.

Without a doubt, I recommend everybody to go watch this film. It's not all soppy romance, there are some scenes that're funny and lighten the mood, which for a film surrounded by cancer is a pretty hard thing to achieve. And some of the scenes presented are beautiful and really helps take you along on Hazel and Augustus' journey.

Update || College, University, Leaving Home, Blogging etc

2014-06-18T01:14:00.002-07:00

For those of you who follow me on Instagram and Twitter or watch my Youtube videos (click the words for direct links) then you'll know in the past month and a half I've been worked off my feet revising for my A-Level exams. And I'm glad to say that I sat my final exam on June 16th, therefore I'm now a free agent for three and a half months! I'm possibly going to be going down London for two weeks of work experience but it's still in the consideration process, but besides that I have a completely free summer which I'm hoping to dedicate to blogging more regularly. I'm really happy about this, and to show my excitement here's a picture of me with loads of pigeons in Manchester hah!

So like I said before, I've completed my two years at college studying English Language, Sociology and English Literature (if you was interested) and now the next step for me in getting into University. Results day in the UK is around mid-end of August, which is something silly like 180 days away so until then I won't know whether or not I've got into my firm and insurance University (fingers crossed!). But until then I'd like to make a conscious effort of blogging more regularly because I really take pride in my writing, and it'll just get me into the swing of things again in time for University considering I'm studying Journalism.

Even though it's a couple of months away, I'm considering doing either a mini Youtube series or just blogging about it (or maybe even both if you're lucky) regarding leaving home and going to University, because for everybody it's a new experience and I think it'd be quite interesting to watch. If you're interested in something similar like that in the future, then just let me know in the comment section, or just tweet me! But yeah, I hope that little update has covered all the bases for you all, I'm going watching The Fault In Our Stars tomorrow (Thursday) so I'll have a little review up of that on Friday.

Topshop || Must Have Accessories This Summer

2014-05-26T11:23:00.002-07:00

Photo Credit: Topshop || Editing: FagansFinds

1. Stingray Handled Holdall: Never shying away from neutral tones in my wardrobe this latest holdall brings so many new elements to the table, it'll be hard not to resist myself from splurging on it! There are so many aspects of this bag I adore, the stingray effect patterning is beautiful. It beats your average faux snake skin, alligator and crocodile effect which makes it stand out so well. The structuring is wonderful as well, it gives an edge to a regular holdall that usually has no shape.

2. Big Felt Floppy Hat: I've actually purchased this item a few weekends ago and it's one of my favourite pieces in my wardrobe for summer. I've always been a fan of hats and if you have then this will be at the top of your list, the shapelessness of the brim gives a careful feel to any outfit. The dark grey shade is a great alternative to plain black, as it lifts up your outfit that would usually be pretty dark (most hats are black after all), especially mine as I practically live in black.

3. Small Square Sunglasses: I've been on the hunt recently for new pair of sunglasses, I already own a trusty pair of Ray Bans from a couple of years back but their lilac shade contrasts hugely with my regular colour scheme of black, white and grey. The frame on these sunglasses is slightly larger than usual, so if you have a bigger face (like me) or larger eyes then this shape should compliment you well. They also have dark lenses which switches it up a little bit in comparison to your light lenses that are usually clear.

4. Rose And Lily Garland: It wouldn't be summer without some form of floral piece worming its way into the list and this is perfect. I'm usually very anti-floral pieces as they're mostly light shades of pastel pinks, reds and lilacs but these darker florals with the contrast of the more lighter shades are a balance. I happened to try this particular garland on while I was out in Topshop the previous week and I felt very Lana Del Rey esque while wearing it because the flowers are so huge. I'm attending a Hawaiian themed get together soon, so I'm very tempted to go out and treat myself to this for the event and for the summer.

INTERVIEWED || Luna Webster on her new EP 'The Vanity'

2014-05-26T10:16:00.004-07:00

It's been some time since I've done an interview, in particular, it's been some time since I interviewed the lovely Luna Webster. If you're new to Fagan's Finds, then you won't know that I've previously done two interviews with Luna covering her previous EP 'Hollywood May Be Dead But Let's Dance On The Gravestones' in 2013 and a more general interview all the way back in 2012 (click here for it). As a follower of Luna's music and overtime also a friend of hers, I've always appreciated the hard work that she puts into her lyrics, as well as admiring watching her find her own sound and two feet in the industry. Because of this, I've always felt obliged to share her talent to as many people as possible in hope that'll one day she'll be a badass singer who's known throughout Europe (and maybe one day the world, go Luna!), so without anymore delay here's a wonderful little interview I did with Luna to promote her latest EP which is out now, entitled 'The Vanity.'

1. So it's been 18 months or so since the last time you graced my blog, has anything changed in the life and philosophy of Luna Webster?

The life of Luna Webster has been a ridiculous mad and crazy mess since I was last on your blog! I've left school and I’m out in the Big Bad Real World which is a terrifying feeling. The entire past year has been a bit of a blur really. My philosophy is still the same and that’s BE NICE!! JUST BE NICE!! DON'T BE A WANKER!! Sticking to this motto is generally a good way to live. Also LOVE AND APPRECIATE URSELF. That’s a super important one too.

2. You latest EP is entitled 'The Vanity', does this have any reflection on the mood you're trying to put across, or maybe a hidden message?

It’s not so much a hidden message as something I'm quite open about, and that’s the thin line that exists between self love and vanity or narcissism. I sort of covered that topic on my previous EP in a song called ‘Diamonds & Psychiatrists’ but that was more the idea of what happens when self loathing meets narcissism. The title track of The Vanity EP is an exploration of what other people, specifically men see when they're introduced to a woman with high self esteem, who openly likes who she is and how she looks. It’s often mistaken for arrogance, and I'VE been called arrogant for liking myself in the past, and I hate this idea that women should be quiet and have little confidence in order to be attractive. To me, there is nothing MORE attractive than somebody who thinks they're rad and hot and isn't ashamed to tell people. The song is pretty sarcastic and shouldn’t be taken literally, and really all I want is to yell at everyone JUST FUCKING KISS THE MIRROR EVERY DAY, JUST DO IT, DO IT IN FRONT OF OTHER PEOPLE, DON'T CARE, DON'T BE ASHAMED TO APPRECIATE AND ADORE EVERYTHING ABOUT U BECAUSE UR GREAT.

3. Since we've last spoke you've done a few more concerts, any that particularly stand out to you?

Just this week I did a really great gig in Dundee with a super cool Scottish band who are doing very well at the moment called Neon Waltz, they were featured as ‘next hype’ on Zane Lowe’s show the other week so it’s pretty impressive to be playing shows with a band with that kind of status. Especially when their members are telling you how much they enjoyed your set. There was another amazing Dundee band called Hookers For Jesus playing, who I adore, they remind me of Mogwai, and I really fucking like Mogwai. I also did a gig quite recently with my good friend Arthur Williams, we played as a duo, which was pretty fun as I'd never been on stage with anyone else before. We're hoping to get an EP done soon too.

4. Who would you say are the greatest influences behind 'The Vanity'?

Musically, I've been listening to a lot of Emily Wells and Regina Spektor but I think that I have my own Luna Webster sound now, and other musicians don't really shape it so much as they did 2 years ago. I really like Haim and what they do with harmonies, so I've been experimenting with that a lot and you can hear it on the EP. But these days I take ideas from things that happen around me and affect me and anything that makes me think. The Vanity EP covers bad experiences with shitty people, good experiences with wonderful people, drugs, misogyny, sarcasm, death, new beginnings.

5. Where would you like to see your musical career to be heading in the next 5 years?

Oh Jesus I don't even know what I'm going to do in the next 5 hours. Probably watch a lot of Ru Pauls Drag Race. Questions like this are hard because I haven't even been doing music for 5 years, I started writing in late 2011 and if you'd told me at the start of 2011 I’d be playing shows with people like Morrissey’s guitarist Boz Boorer in 2 years time I would have laughed in your face, but it happened. I’m taking this year off to work and have more time to be creative so perhaps an album by the end of 2014, but by 2019 I have absolutely zero idea, I'll probably be doing my last year at uni but then again I could also have died from a Haloumi Cheese overdose so we'll see how it goes.

6. Finally, any words for your fans out there on any special upcoming news or gigs?

I have no gigs lined up as far as I know but I'm looking into doing shows in Glasgow and Edinburgh and expanding my musical performing range from Just Dundee. But special news YES I have some of that! I’m currently the vocalist in an electronic music duo called Pussy Wagon (Kill Bill reference) with a super ridiculously INSANELY talented guy called Taylor Stewart (you can hear his music here as well as my previous collab with him, a song called Dog Bag http://ghost-ship.bandcamp.com). We are about to release a remix of my song Liquor and Lipstick and make a music video for that this week, and then start releasing our original material in the very near future, which I am incredibly excited about. Think a less aggressive Purity Ring voiced by Laura Marling or Lana Del Rey. I’m also going to do a collaboration with previously mentioned Arthur Williams whose soundcloud is here https://soundcloud.com/indigoverse.

Luna's bandcamp: lunawebster.bandcamp.com

Luna's soundcloud: www.soundcloud.com/anothergirlanothername

Luna's twitter: www.twitter.com/LunaWebster

Luna's facebook: www.facebook.com/LunaWebsterMusic

DIY || Ripped Jeans

2014-05-16T14:11:00.000-07:00

I've recently been on the look out for a pair of black ripped jeans, and to my surprise Topshop don't stock any online in the tall section! Rather than go into the store to possibly be disappointed, I took it upon myself to have a little DIY on a spare pair of jeans that I own. Now these jeans are also from the Topshop Tall Leigh jean section and they're in fact a shiny material rather than your generic denim. This DIY is extremely easy so if you wish to have a crack then click the 'read more' button below the picture, to achieve this look.

Like I said previously this DIY is super easy, so I'll break it down into four really simple steps.

1. Put your jeans on and mark with a pen where you want the cut to be, this can either be just below your knee, across your knee or above it really depends on the effect you're after.

2. Once you've done this you'll wanna take your jeans off and place them on a flat surface. Find the line you previously drew, and with a pair of scissors slice open the denim. Make sure you've separated the front panel of denim from the back, otherwise you'll cut straight through to the back.

3. Finally all you have to do is cut along either side of the hole to a desired length, I personally left about 1 cm away from the seam until you feel the hole is the correct size. Then for added effect, you can carefully drag the blade across the edges of the denim, to create a more distressed look.

4. Finally you'll want to put said jeans back on again to see whether you've attained the 'ripped' jeans effect. When I put mine on, I pulled slightly at the material to give it a more rough look, so it wasn't as clean cut, and there you have some DIY ripped jeans!

Topshop Picks || Spring to Summer Transition

2014-05-05T05:13:00.006-07:00

1. Pansy Print Smock Shirt Dress
Hats off to Topshop for finally producing a smock styled dress that actually has the littlest amount of structure to it, so those with a fuller figure can pull it off without looking 2 sizes bigger. Any black and white print is a huge must in my wardrobe, and it's gotten to the point where I only have one plain white tshirt, and even that has some hidden texture to it if you look close enough. The collared effect is always a winner in my eyes, and I'm crossing my fingers that most collared pieces will be coming out for the summer.

2. Dark Floral Mom Shorts

Again, following my trend of dark shades these shorts have got to be the only floral I would honestly consider wearing this summer. I feel pastel shaded shorts can sometimes fade more quickly in the wash and out in the intense heat (it better be hot this summer!) and plus black is always flattering to any figure. The only downside to these would be the fact, that darker colours absorb the heat quicker, but who said being on trend was easy?

3. Long Sleeved Ribbed Top

Crop tops have been on trend for a good couple of months to a year already and don't think they're gonna shy away any time soon! The colour can be matched with absolutely anything, whether you're muting an already heavily patterned outfit or looking for a more polished and sophisticated look. The ribbed texture really interested me, as it gives the piece that extra something, that makes it fall out of the category of a basic black crop top.

4. Bleached Borg Denim Jacket

Bleached denim is up there on the fashion cards which makes a change from the last time denim was on a high (acid wash was terrible!). This is one of them pieces that will be adaptable throughout the entire year, which explains the hefty price tag for a high street jacket. If like me you opt for a darker wardrobe all year round, then hopefully this denim jacket would bring some contrast to your outfit rather than colour.

What I Want To Achieve Before Turning 25..

2014-05-04T15:01:00.002-07:00

It's been some time since I've wrote something worthy of posting, over the past month or so I've been preparing for something that will literally be life changing for me. Towards the end of this year I will be packing up, moving out and starting fresh at one of two universities that have given me conditional offers. With such a huge step in my previously sheltered daily life (living at home for 18 years) it got me thinking that I'll soon be fully responsible for myself and boring things like bills. Not only that but I'll actually be turning 20 towards the end of next year, which might seem a long time for some people, but it still slightly terrifies me and feels really close. Because of this I thought I'd compile a little list of things I want to achieve by the time I turn 25, which is only a short 7 years away. Hopefully I'll be able to look back at this list and would've achieved at least two things, so enjoy!

1. Graduate University with a 2:1

I think this is honestly a no brainer for anybody that's heading off to university in their upcoming years. I'm off to study Journalism after September this year and not only is a career in the media a hard thing to get but with the current economic crisis it's even harder, which sucks! For those of you who don't understand the university grades, the highest that I know of is a 1:1 which is essentially like a grade A, then a 2:1 is a grade B etc etc.

2. Get a flat in Milton Keynes or Watford

I know most people just aspire to get their own flat somewhere or other but considering my degree will (hopefully) take me further down South towards London, I've already had a nosey at places around the area to move to. Milton Keynes and Watford at the moment seem to be considerably priced and aren't all that far from central London (1hr max on the train), I'd ideally love to eventually move into London itself but maybe in my late twenties.

3. Be accepted onto a Channel 4 internship

If you've read my twitter or know me in person, you'll know I've been so passionate about working with Channel 4 for a couple of years now and I'm actually in the process of applying for an internship as a backup incase I don't get into university. The Channel 4 brand (Film4/E4 etc) have given me so many programmes that I've enjoyed wholeheartedly and it'd honestly be a dream to work for them in the future, even starting off on an internship.

4. Watch and meet Tom Odell

There's really not much to this, I'm just a huge fan of Tom Odell since his first single dropped in 2012 and every time I've gone to purchase tickets to see him live something or other has gotten into the way. It seems inevitable that I'll ever get to see him live especially the more popular he becomes, the quicker tickets will sell out, so I must get to a Tom Odell concert pretty soon. And it'd also be cool to meet him because I hear he's a lovely guy, and he's quite a looker too ha.

5. Get a piece of writing published in a newspaper

Pretty self explanatory, as somebody who's interested in the media industry and an avid writer from a young age, having some of my genuine work published in a newspaper would be so satisfying and rewarding, I'd probably frame it in my bedroom (no joke!). As for what I'd want to be published I haven't got a clue as of yet, it could possibly be an opinion piece but we'll have to wait and see till it happens.

6. Travel to Prague

Prague is such a beautiful place, I honestly just want to go for either a long weekend or maybe 5 days just so I can drink in the culture and photograph the stunning scenery. I'm a sucker for places like Prague, Venice, Southern France etc I just feel at home surrounded by such sights. A lot of museums tours would be in order if I ever visit.

7. Become a regular at the gym

Now let's be a bit blunt, by the time I'm 25 even though I'll still be considered young (I hope) I will no longer have the metabolism of 18 year old me. This one is basically a really boring "I'll soon be forty and probably unhealthy if I don't start regular exercise now" also I secretly enjoy exercising, it's just a case of getting into a continuous habit that I find difficult.

8. Attend a music festival

Whenever I tell people I've still not attended a music festival it really surprises them, I don't know whether its because I'm really passionate about music and its expected or because maybe I look like the festival type but yeah I've never been to one, yet. Music festivals are a must have in my future, the atmosphere you get from a small concert is unbelieveable so I can't wait to see what it's like to be at a festival with thousands of different people.

9. Buy and care for my own cat

Again if you know me in person, you'll know I'm essentially the 'cat lady'. I've grown up with cats around me, my entire life and I currently live with 4 (Oscar, Betty, Bleu & Tiger) but I can't wait to save up money for my first proper cat that I'll have full responsibility for just because I love them so much. Some people want to have children and be married in their early/mid twenties, whereas I just want a cat.

REVIEWED || The Grand Budapest Hotel

2014-03-16T06:25:00.000-07:00

©whatleydude

Wes Anderson has pulled it out the bag once again, 'The Grand Budapest Hotel' follows Gustave H a well known concierge and his lobby boy Zero fighting for the ownership of a famous painting 'The Boy With Apple' which was inherited but not finalised from his recently deceased wealthy lover Madam D.

So I have been on the edge of my seat trying to find an opportunity to go and watch this before it went off the cinemas and I was lucky enough to find a friend who was available for the night to steal away and watch this with. Although I've only ever watched one other Wes Anderson film 'Moonrise Kingdom' (which is in my top 5 films list!) I consider myself quite a fan of his work and this film really heightened the standard he'd already set himself.

One aspect that I really loved about the film in general was the continual change of screen ratio throughout, if memory serves me right there was no scene that was filmed in the full screen ratio which I could imagine would frustrate a few people but the switch and change really kept it fresh, and helped you focus more on the scenery surrounding; rather than getting distracted over something not relevant to the scene. The casting was impeccable, Ralph Fiennas who played Gustave H really embodied the character, giving an outstanding performance and was able to get a few laughs out of me with his occasional, sophisticated swearing. I felt the film had a fast pace to it which in comparison to other films was really refreshing, scenes weren't dragged out for too long and the plot line was intact throughout. Obviously I can't do a review of a Wes Anderson film without mentioning the cinematography, which was absolutely brilliant. I noticed the 'birds eye view' was used quite frequently in the Budapest, but the smooth transition into this was what caught my eye, as you felt as if you was moving with the camera rather than static movement.

I honestly can't recommend this film enough, if your a fan of Wes Anderson then you'll love this film hands down, same goes for any fans of artsy films please go out and see this. And even those who aren't into artsy films, the plotline, occasional humour and minor additions of gore really keep the film interesting and alive so this really have a broad audience spectrum.

REVIEWED || Beyoncé - The Visual Album

2014-03-14T14:51:00.001-07:00

©themusicninja

Who doesn't like Beyoncé Knowles-Carter? I've known so many people who've loved both her old albums with hits on like 'Single Ladies' and 'Irreplaceable' to more newer songs such as '1+1' and I occasionally would belt out a Beyoncé tune but never grew an attachment to her until now. I'd firstly, like all people writing reviews of this album would like to congratulate Beyoncé for filming this entire visual album without it being leaked to the press because it was a really pleasant unexpected surprise. For me, this is Beyoncé's strongest album due to all the underlying messages so instead of an overall review, I'm going to go through track by track, giving this album the appraisal is deserves.

Pretty Hurts:

This song on the track is one my favourites from the whole album, this song is so inspirational and once the video is publicly released I think it'll be a big hit. The lyrics explore the social construction on how women in particular have to be "perfect" all of the time and will go to extremes to achieve this. This is an issue that has been constantly in the public eye for the past years now, and this song is a perfect example with killer lyrics such as "we shine a light on whatevers worse" and "perfection is a disease of a nation" it shows the levels that some women have been known to go too, to feel happy with themselves instead of being natural.

Haunted:

The audio to 'Haunted' is the first of two songs featured on the album that is actually the combination of two different songs which have had individual music videos created for them, for this song it begins with 'Ghost' and transitions into 'Haunted'. Both songs blend together quite well, 'Ghost' explores some true emotions that Beyoncé must've felt during her career about her choice of record label and how they can now manipulate huge artists to produce songs that will sell millions of copies. As for 'Haunted' this is quite a dark and passionate song, which in my eyes possibly explores parts of her old relationships or even with her Husband Jay-Z, of course songs like this can never be fully explained as its never revealed properly but that seems to be the case.

Drunk In Love:

If you've not already watched the video to this where have you been? This song is quite explanatory through the music video and the lyrics, and its her relationship with Jay-Z and how madly in love they still are after all of these years. It is believed that Jay-Z adlibbed these lyrics partially (don't count me on this) showing his true feelings towards Beyoncé even if some of them are slightly cringey and quite personal, but overall this song is quite sweet and beats Kanye's music video with his fiancee Kim Kardashian.

Blow:

This is more of a pop song for Beyoncé with a very light hearted music video to match it, but in fact the lyrics aren't as innocent as you'd believe. There are quite a few sexual references, not forgetting the occasional moans made throughout along with lyrics like "tear the cherry out" which can be taken either way depending on how you see it. But again it is supposed to be taken lightly and the music video really brings that aspect to the song and has the occasional french words added in like a couple of her songs.

No Angel:

Adding to the prominent theme of Beyoncé's relationship, 'No Angel' is no exception. I think this song is really beautiful because it gives us an insight to hers and Jay-Z's relationship of them both being a bit of a handful when they want to be, but that's the exact reason why they've stuck together. Beyoncé's personality is captured well in these lyrics, showing she doesn't just sit around silent when she might think somethings wrong in a relationship and is willing to speak out but again that's another reason why shes loved by her husband, and they can both make mistakes from time to time.

Partition:

This is the second song on the album that in the audio is a collection of two songs put together, and again go together so well, this time the song opens with 'Yonce' and flows into 'Partition'. The first song 'Yonce' is a short, extremely catchy song and even though its under three minutes, I find it stuck in my head all the time and keep singing the lyrics under my breathe. As for 'Partition' the video was recently released to this song, and what can I say, it is extremely sexual and empowering. What I really love about this song and music video is that Beyoncé is showing that even though she's now married and has given birth to a beautiful little girl, she is still able to act as sexy as she wants to without is looking forced or fake. Beyoncé's openness towards empowering your sexuality as a women is wonderful and comes out extremely well in this song.

Jealous:

'Jealous' is a darker song compared to her other love songs and a continual from the previous song 'Partition'. There is a reference to one of her older songs 'Freakum Dress' which I must say made me internally squeal when I originally heard it, but this song explores the inevitable part of a relationship where you can get jealous and you need to just go out and enjoy whats around you to help settle that back down because "if you keep your promise, I'll keep mine."

Rocket:

This music video to 'Rocket' is very simplistic and is basically a couple of minutes of Beyoncé flaunting around in her underwear where she essentially sings about how amazing her sex life is. Don't get me wrong, in no way shape or form am I discouraging this, like I previously mentioned I genuinely love how honest this album is and the visuals in this are very euphemistic but it gives the video more momentum and edge which I admire. The fact Beyoncé is singing her true emotions from her heart, really makes this song so powerful and sweet at the same time, as she's seemed to not only achieve success in her career but also in her love life, which she should be able to shout from the roof tops if she wishes.

Mine:

Now I can't remember whether or not I've pointed out already my favourite song on the album, but if not this is a high contender. It's so personal this song, particularly the opening lyrics about questioning her relationship since giving birth to Blue Ivy. I think this is really crucial to this song because not only does it set up the song for when Drake gets involved, but it also shows that Beyoncé is still a normal person with problems like everybody else. This visually is also one of my favourite songs as in the video they have dancers with their t-shirts pulled over their faces with the words 'YOURS' and 'MINE' printed across them and you get to see the people interacting together as couples. I think the aspect behind this song is lovely, and that you should just be able to enjoy each others company in a relationship and not consistently worrying about little things.

XO:

Another popular pop song by Beyoncé is 'XO', this song is very playful and the video looked so incredibly fun to film. I think this song is gonna pull through into summer and is gonna be played quite a lot during that time due to the upbeat, lighthearted nature of the lyrics. Again, this song is exploring the themes of romance, I feel it's particularly highlighting the experience you go through at the early stages where your in your own little bubble.

Flawless:

Much like 'Pretty Hurts' this song explores Beyoncés view towards feminism and discusses how women are still treated differently in certain aspects such as being as sexually active as men can be. The punk vibe to this song makes it really catchy and also has a beautiful section dedicated to a section of a speech done by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie on equality of the sexes. This song reiterates that were all 'flawless' regardless of what other people think, and this belief should be pushed against the social norms because women are now speaking up for their rights and are becoming more equal to men.

Superpower:

This song explores the joint power that Beyoncé and Jay-Z both hold together, which is very strong and influential. In the music video, there are a few famous people who appear along the way and I find its very reminiscent to the way 'Who Run The World' was filmed with a large group of people forming together, going against the social norm for what they believe in. Frank Ocean sings on this song, and I think his voice adds in perfectly with this mellowed out song, but also gives is the impact it was intending on doing.

Heaven:

I don't have much to say about this song in the retrospect that it must be connected to a death that Beyoncé has experienced over the past couple of months that has had a huge impact on her life. The lyrics to this song are quite self explanatory showing a lot of heart and soul that was put behind this song, the video is also produced very well to capture this moment.

Blue:

The very last song on the Visual Album is of course dedicated to Beyoncé's first child, Blue Ivy. The song basically is Beyoncé pouring out her emotions and love towards her beautiful daughter, with the added cuteness of Blue herself speaking on the end of the track (so cute!) the video to this is really sweet and just shows Beyoncé and Blue enjoying each others company. It's really nice to see that connection they have together and I overall just really enjoyed the song, as you can probably tell.

Monthly Inspirations || Kate Nash

2014-02-27T13:48:00.002-08:00

©KateNash

I've spoken about Kate Nash a couple of times over here on my blog, so I think now it's finally time to write a post celebrating the intelligent, feminist beauty that is Miss. Nash. If we flash back to 2007, Kate exploded onto the indie pop music scene with her hit single 'Foundations' which explored the love/hate relationship that Kate must've experienced during her younger years. From then on we saw Kate as a kitsch girly girl, who could kick arse and had a firm stance on what she considered right and wrong, along with some playful songs on her album such as 'Skeleton Song' and 'Mouthwash'. I personally remember going out to buy a physical copy of her album and I instantly fell in love and even after her few years of absence that love is still going strong.

After her burst of success, Kate disappeared from the music industry and what came back was a grown up 26 year old, who's new ambition was to let her inner feminist come out and play. Kate's latest album 'Girl Talk', came out in 2013 and has really set a cornerstone not only for her old and new fans but for music, when the single 'Under-Estimate The Girl' burst onto the scene instant criticism was thrown left, right and centre because Kate broke her old ways and the normal constraints for female singers in the 21st Century. I believe self expression was the key theme behind this album, as you can really hear Kate letting go of any boundaries whether it's through her lyrical choices or her singing/screaming patterns.

As well as this, Kate's feminist views have kicked started the rolling stone for many young girls who look up to her along with my own views. Before 2012, I was absolutely clueless towards feminism due to the fact that it's not taught in UK high schools and the fact that most people consider feminism to be a controversial/taboo subject, which they shouldn't. Following the release of 'Girl Talk' modern femininity started to rise through social media, whether it was small like tumblr posts or global news like the arresting of Pussy Riot. However, personally the views and extremely honest opinion from Kate encouraged myself and many other individuals to delve into the world of feminism and as an 18 year old in 2014, I am proud to stand up for myself and say 'I am a feminist'; and like Kate says in her lyrics "well if that offends you, then fuck you!" because feminism is what's bridging the gap between equal rights. Kate has been able to create this safe haven, called the 'girl gang' that promotes girls (and guys) to stand up for their own beliefs whether that makes you different from the crowd or not, which I think is truly inspirational.

Before unleashing myself into a complete feminist debate, I'd like to encourage anyone and everybody to go check out Kate Nash's work, whether it be her music or the work she's inspired her fans to create due to her extensive knowledge and thirst for equality, while having a great time and dressing impeccably.

REVIEWED || Bo Burnham Live - 'What'

2014-01-04T09:45:00.001-08:00

I've been anticipating the release of Bo's latest stand up gig 'What' since the end of last year when he mentioned it on Twitter, there was no release date mentioned so it was a case of checking Netflix every other week to see if was on there yet, and long behold two nights ago I saw it appear. Prior to this the only stand up I'd seen of Bo was his 2010 show 'Words, Words, Words' which hearing just the audio beforehand was still ridiculously funny! I also recently missed out on the chance to see Bo perform live in the UK, but we'll pretend like I didn't miss out on that amazing opportunity.

So the latest stand up gig for Bo was covered with heaps of new material, considering I like to scavenge the internet for hours on different comedians, I had come across some of the gags he featured but it didn't make it any less funny. Bo's one man show is outstanding, especially the opening scene which consists of a lot of free style dance that personally made me feel tired just watching him do. Pulling apart the generic pop culture and being rather sarcastic and slightly offensive (if you get offended at comedy though that's stupid) Bo has got to be one of my favourite comedians so far, and only being in his early 20's he's done well at putting his name out there. The show featured a variety of light and dark parts, especially ending with a great compilation of different voices to make one huge song on how people don't really know the real Bo, if you love comedy I highly recommend you go watch this on Netflix while it's still up there.

Hopefully Bo will be returning to the UK very soon as he does do a lot of performances in America and if he does I definitely won't be missing out on it! As well as this new release, Bo has brought out a new book which consists of poems that aren't supposed to be taken seriously and are after all just a bit of fun. If you wanna have a nosey at the book, then click here for a direct link. Another part of Bo's career that sadly hasn't been promoted in the UK is his latest TV show on MTV called 'Zach Stone Is Gonna Be Famous', I don't know much about the programme besides the fact its a type of sitcom ever so slightly based off Bo's life as a teenager, so if you live in America definitely check it out!

So what do you think of Bo Burnham, are you a fan like myself or have you never heard of him before? Leave a comment down below, be interesting to see who else knows of Bo's comedy genius.

In Stitches || December 2013

2014-01-02T06:14:00.000-08:00

As far as years go, 2013 has been absolutely outstanding for the comedy world, there have been suitable winners at this years Comedy Awards, the notorious BFQOTY (which I'll talk more about later in the post) and the sightings of new comedy tours. Hopefully I'll get back into the swing of filming my 'In Stitches' series, but for the next 6 months my priorities are going to be revising for my A-Level exams to get into university. The course I'll be doing (Journalism/Broadcast Journalism) will fit along side this hobby and passion, so I'll be able to put more time and effort into 'In Stitches' once that time arrives, but for now here's December's edition of 'In Stitches', enjoy!

It has been confirmed that Matt Berry's latest comedy project 'Toast of London' will be returning for a second series and oh boy am I excited! When I've spoke about Toast in the past, I've explained how much I really love the off the wall and dry humour and with its 400,000 viewership its evident that its had an effect on the comedy sphere. I came across a lovely quote that TVO got from the head of comedy for Channel 4, Phil Clarke sharing his opinion on the show; "everything a Channel 4 comedy should be. Unapologetically original funny writing, driven by bold and hilarious performances from Matt Berry and the cast. It’s a unique comedy show, there’s nothing else like it." Series one is available at the moment to buy online absolutely anywhere but if you can't be bothered to search the net you can simply click here for a direct link!

If your a fan of Moone Boy and have any siblings/children under the age of 10 then pay close attention to this piece of news. The rights have been bought for two novels to be made from the current series of Moone Boy, it has been said that the scenarios brought up in the series can be easily adapted to novel writing, and it presumed to bring in a six figure sum. The first novel is set to be released later on this year, following the second novel in 2015. And for those of you not interested in the novel at all, don't threat, series 2 of the show will soon be airing on Sky 1 along with series 3 already filmed.

As with all Noel Fielding news (being the huge fan I am) I'm proud to announce if you've not already heard that the surrealist comedy show on E4 'Noel Fielding's Luxury Comedy' now has its own online merch store. You can get your basic pieces such as t-shirts with notorious slogans "it's all bleedin' coming together" and "am I nothing?" or you can get some quite exclusive (in my eyes) pieces that were based around single episodes, such as the Bryan Ferry kite or Pele mug. Either way there is something for the fans and I think I might end up treating myself to some of these luxuries (see what I did there) myself in the future. If you want to have a nosey you can click here and it will direct you straight to their online store.

Towards the end of every year we get the delightful special of Big Fat Quiz of the Year, this year the teams consisted of Jack Whitehall and Jonathon Ross, Dara O Briain and Kristen Schaal and finally Richard Ayoade and Noel Fielding along with host Jimmy Carr. As always each episode goes down a hoot and this one didn't disappoint in the slightest. If you watched the show when it aired on Boxing Day I'm sure one of your favourite moments will be the champagne and turkey sandwiches break which Jonathan Ross initiated half way through the show, ending with an audience member getting a Jimmy Carr DVD filled with turkey and Noel Fielding going to sleep on the end of set with Dara O Briain next to him. The episode is on 4od so if you click here it'll direct you straight to that, definitely give it a watch!

Hope you enjoyed this months 'In Stitches' as always the comments are open for any discussions connected to the comedy news of this month and if you have any questions you can also leave them in the comments section.

Horror Photoshoot

2013-12-22T03:28:00.000-08:00

So a couple of weeks ago I helped out a friend and decided to be her model for a horror themed photoshoot she was doing for her media coursework. I'm a big fan of horror and just everything connected to that genre, so I leaped at the chance when she asked me to model for her. She sent me over the pictures the other day so I thought I'd put my favourite ones on here to show you guys, over all there were 50 pictures so I'm going to chose maybe 6 or 7 that I really liked and you can give any feedback if you wish. All the clothing, makeup and hair was done by myself to look like I'd been chased by my mystery killer in some of the shots, then to look like I'd just gone crazy and was hell bent on revenge ha, so enjoy the pictures!