1. I have never dyed my hair - This was a big thing when I was at school. Literally everyone was dyeing their hair, especially that classic 00's trend of putting streaks in the front, but I never did. I have managed to reach my late 20's still with natural blonde hair, and my hairdresser always tells me she can't believe how blonde may hair still is. I've always liked having blonde hair, and to be honest have never really had any desire to switch it up. Also, just think of the money I have saved!
2. I make felt decorations - This is one of my favourite hobbies. I have boxes full of felt and ribbons, in a whole host of colours, and love nothing more than making cute felt animal decorations. It all started when I made my mum a felt robin for our Christmas tree one year, and it's spiralled out of control since then. I've been told I should sell them, but the problem is people don't always appreciate the amount of work and creativity that goes into making them and therefore wouldn't want to pay a fair price for them. So until people decide to pay textile designers a fair price for their work, i'll keep them for myself (and give some to friends).
2. I make felt decorations - This is one of my favourite hobbies. I have boxes full of felt and ribbons, in a whole host of colours, and love nothing more than making cute felt animal decorations. It all started when I made my mum a felt robin for our Christmas tree one year, and it's spiralled out of control since then. I've been told I should sell them, but the problem is people don't always appreciate the amount of work and creativity that goes into making them and therefore wouldn't want to pay a fair price for them. So until people decide to pay textile designers a fair price for their work, i'll keep them for myself (and give some to friends).
3. I used to swim competitively - I was a real water baby when I was younger. After taking swimming lessons as a child, my swimming instructor suggested I join my town swimming team - which I did. This meant training around 9 hours per week, as well as taking part in regional competitions. My best race was the 200m Butterfly. I still have all my medals/trophies.
4. I spent 3 months living in New York - After I graduated I moved to NY for an internship with the fashion brand Milly. It was one of the best experiences of my life. I loved my internship, but more-so I loved getting to know such an amazing city. Being able to experience New York as a resident, rather than tourist, meant that I got to learn so many quirky things about the city. It will always hold a special place in my heart.
5. Ricky Gervais & Karl Pilkington are my favourite people - I mean seriously how funny are they though??? I am yet to meet someone who makes me laugh as much as Karl Pilkington
6. I'm very good at accents - I guess i'm a very observant person, but I've always had an exceptional ability to do different accents, and mimic celebrity voices too. I can distinctly remember doing a great Ruby Wax impression circa age 10 and I don't even know how a 10 year old would even know who Ruby Wax was...but apparently I did and people at school would ask me to do my impression of her. I should just point out that my roster of accents doesn't just include regional British/American accents, but spans to a whole host of different countries and continents - i'm obviously in the wrong career!
4. I spent 3 months living in New York - After I graduated I moved to NY for an internship with the fashion brand Milly. It was one of the best experiences of my life. I loved my internship, but more-so I loved getting to know such an amazing city. Being able to experience New York as a resident, rather than tourist, meant that I got to learn so many quirky things about the city. It will always hold a special place in my heart.
5. Ricky Gervais & Karl Pilkington are my favourite people - I mean seriously how funny are they though??? I am yet to meet someone who makes me laugh as much as Karl Pilkington
6. I'm very good at accents - I guess i'm a very observant person, but I've always had an exceptional ability to do different accents, and mimic celebrity voices too. I can distinctly remember doing a great Ruby Wax impression circa age 10 and I don't even know how a 10 year old would even know who Ruby Wax was...but apparently I did and people at school would ask me to do my impression of her. I should just point out that my roster of accents doesn't just include regional British/American accents, but spans to a whole host of different countries and continents - i'm obviously in the wrong career!
7. I listen to Taylor Swift pretty much everyday - "haters gonna hate" but I just love her music!
8. I only got my ears pierced last year - Growing up I was never allowed to get my ears pierced, and let me tell you, I was not happy about this. Being the only girl in secondary school without her ears pierced I felt like I was majorly missing out, but my parents insisted I wasn't allowed. Then as I grew up I realised it really wasn't a big deal so I just didn't bother (oh and did I mention my irrational fear of needles?). So anyway, last November I plucked up the courage and got my ears pierced. Of course I hated every second of it / nearly passed out - but now they look great and I can't believe I didn't get them done sooner.
9. If I love a film, i'll watch it hundreds of times - I've honestly seen: Jurassic Park, Matilda, Titanic, The Parent Trap and Jumanji so many times it's an actual joke. If I see them advertised in the TV listings, I have to watch them. Yes I know the storyline, and all the words, but I just can't help but give them another watch.
10. My lifelong ambition is to own a house full of cats - We had our beloved cat for 17 years, and she was the best thing that ever happened to my family. So now to fill that void I casually go out of my way to chat to random cats in streets.
11. I love a bargain - Especially when it comes to fashion, charity shops are my happy place. You would not believe the designer bargains I've had from charity shops over the years. And when I say bargain I'm talking under £10. It's incredibly rare these days that I actually buy anything brand new. Let's be honest, 99% of the time we buy clothes because we want them, not because we need them. Therefore, finding a designer bargain in a second hand shop brings me an immense level of joy!
12. My last meal would be fish 'n' chips (large portion obvs) - you can take the girl out of the north, but you cant north out of the girl. One thing that continues to baffles me is the extortionate price of fish 'n' chips in London. £16 = you've got to be kidding me! So as a matter of principle (and because I don't have ATM tattooed on my forehead), this delectable delicacy is now reserved for trips home to the motherland. Oh and FYI, they taste 1million times better in the north...just saying!
12. My last meal would be fish 'n' chips (large portion obvs) - you can take the girl out of the north, but you cant north out of the girl. One thing that continues to baffles me is the extortionate price of fish 'n' chips in London. £16 = you've got to be kidding me! So as a matter of principle (and because I don't have ATM tattooed on my forehead), this delectable delicacy is now reserved for trips home to the motherland. Oh and FYI, they taste 1million times better in the north...just saying!
13. I'm so glad I grew up before mobile phones and social media - I just can't even imagine how much it must suck being a child/teenager growing up in 2019 with the constant pressure of social media on your back. The thought of being at school now, with your peers scrutinising your every move on Instagram, gives me actual anxiety. I'm old enough now to not care about number of followers etc but I can see how children can get caught up in this.
14. I judge a restaurant based on it's bread basket offering - Forget fancy mains or exotic desserts, if i'm eating in your restaurant you better be offering me a tasty homemade bread basket (with homemade butter on the side). I've always been a fan of bread (countless childhood pictures of me casually snacking on slices of Hovis) and I guess I just haven't grown out of my love of that bready goodness. Bakeries are also my weakness.
14. I judge a restaurant based on it's bread basket offering - Forget fancy mains or exotic desserts, if i'm eating in your restaurant you better be offering me a tasty homemade bread basket (with homemade butter on the side). I've always been a fan of bread (countless childhood pictures of me casually snacking on slices of Hovis) and I guess I just haven't grown out of my love of that bready goodness. Bakeries are also my weakness.
15. 'Tidy house, tidy mind' - I hate mess. Whether this is in my home or in the workplace, I cannot feel comfortable in an untidy environment. I also dislike, what I would affectionately refer to as 'stuff' - picture frames, trinket dishes, decorative objects...aka dust collectors. One or two of them maybe I can tolerate, but anymore than that = forget it!
16. My favourite perfume is Doson by Diptyque. Sure you won't get any change from £100 but honestly, for me, this was worth every penny. I get compliments each time I wear it.
17. I have an acute eye/memory for small detail - Some of the small, and quite frankly random, pieces of information my brain retains surely cannot be considered normal.
18. Arguments are not worth it (most of them anyway) - Sometimes it's just easier to 'bite your tongue' or just let things go over your head. Sometimes we get caught up in trivial things which are so not worth the time or energy. Sure stand your ground, but life's too short for negativity - just get over it and move on.
Phillippa x16. My favourite perfume is Doson by Diptyque. Sure you won't get any change from £100 but honestly, for me, this was worth every penny. I get compliments each time I wear it.
17. I have an acute eye/memory for small detail - Some of the small, and quite frankly random, pieces of information my brain retains surely cannot be considered normal.
18. Arguments are not worth it (most of them anyway) - Sometimes it's just easier to 'bite your tongue' or just let things go over your head. Sometimes we get caught up in trivial things which are so not worth the time or energy. Sure stand your ground, but life's too short for negativity - just get over it and move on.
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