Tag: Student Blog

You deserve a good movie – why not watch this?

You deserve a good movie – why not watch this?

by Maeve ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Well – we’re still in quarantine and it not going any time soon. If you read my last blog post, one of the things that I do to brighten up my day, whilst also deluding myself into feeling ‘productive’ is to watch movies. Comedy or horror, romance or thrillers, nearly everything is on my watch next list. If you’re thinking of watching something new, here’s what I recommend:

Fantastic Mr Fox

‘Fantastic Mr Fox’ based of the novel by Roald Dahl, follows a cunning tale of families of wildlife versus three rampaging farmers, set in rural England. Directed by Wes Anderson, this stop-motion film is cozy coloured with fuzzy textures. His identifiable visual style of intricate details and symmetry adds style to the film, rather than distraction. Like Fantastic Mr Fox himself, the humour is clever, smart and is punched out by a stellar cast. For small animals, they certainly pack lots of personality.

Watch it for: Rosy art style, quick wit and the fast-paced action.

LA LA Land

‘La La Land’ is a classic romance story starring Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling as they pursue their far-fetched dreams in LA. The movie achieves a clear balance between modern struggles and the bygone golden age of Hollywood. Likewise, it’s mix of musical theatre and jazz scores each scene so well I would consider them to be stand-alone pieces of art. The connection between Stone and Gosling is undeniable but this is very much a love story for the dreamers; who work non-stop to achieve their dreams, no matter how futile it may be.

Watch it for: The wonderful soundtrack, the warm color palette, and a perfect homage to old Hollywood.

Lady Bird

There’s a reason why ‘Ladybird’ is rated 99% fresh at Rotten Tomatoes. Ladybird is triumphant in it portrayal of relationships. ‘Ladybird’ (Saoirse Ronan) is a moody teenager growing up in Sacramento California, with dreams of becoming a writer on the East-Coast. The movie follows moments in her life of self-discovery, including her first boyfriend and prom. Ladybird’s relationship with her mother (Laurie Metcalf) is the key focus of the film, and is beautifully conveyed on screen. As Greta Gerwig’s solo directorial debut it’s intimate, sad, hopeful and real (If you aren’t a Greta Gerwig devotee yet, this movie will convert you).

Watch it for: The top-notch acting, the inevitable tears and 2000’s vibes.

My neighbor Totoro

From the Japanese animation titan Studio Ghibli, ‘My neighbor Totoro’ follows the story of a family who move to the Japanese countryside to be close to their sick mother, and the spirits that they encounter. The movie perfectly portrays family but attention must be given to the whimsical and wonderful forest spirits. Ghibli has always portrayed nature well in films and after viewing ‘My Neighbor Totoro’ you’ll most likely become inspired by the magical mysteries of nature. Honestly I could recommend any studio Ghibli film, but this was a recent watch for me, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Watch it for: Gorgeous animation, scenic countryside, soothing music and the icon that is Totoro.

Thanks for reading 🙂 Hope you are all safe. If you have any movie recommendations yourself, post them in the comments.

Advertisement
Transform Your Clothes Into Party Ready Outfits

Transform Your Clothes Into Party Ready Outfits

by Maeve ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

Frost outside, dark evenings and the struggle to get out of your cozy bed in the morning. It’s the middle of December 2019, so you know what this means: New Years parties, family gatherings – and not knowing what to wear for either of them.

Year on year, I tend to not purchase too many new pieces in Winter, so when Christmas arrives and I’m meant to dress up, I struggle to put together cohesive looks. The festive season is also very expensive, between buying gifts, going to Christmas markets, and nights out. To avoid looking fashionably confused but not becoming bankrupt, here’s a few fashion suggestions to brighten up those basic pieces most of us own.

Dress up your jeans with a bustier top

Everyone has at least one pair of jeans – and although denim may not be known for the festive season, that doesn’t mean that you can’t dress it up with a chic bustier top.

Bustier tops are bang on trend this season and add a romantic touch to a simple of jeans. To avoid freezing, layer over a blazer and party the night away. This bustier top is from Boohoo, and is also available in hot pink, neon yellow and white (£12).

Finish the look with square high heels and some statement earrings for effortless class.

Vamp up a midi dress with knee high boots.

This can apply to any dresses or skirts that are long in length. Adding knee high/thigh high boots to a midi dress brings drama, as well as warmth, to an outfit. Does your dress have splits? Wearing thigh high boots underneath will be sure to grab attention and is more edgy than a pair of heels.

These stunning croc leather effect knee high boots are from Missguided, and come in multiple colours (£55).

Complete the outfit with simple jewelry for a paired back, stylish ensemble.

Match a basic top with an eye-catching skirt

If you own a basic t-shirt, wearing it with a patterned skirt can transform it into comfy yet dressy look. An edgy band t-shirt matches well with a feminine skirt and creates visual contrast, for a more interesting outfit.

This skirt I am recommending is one that I own and love. This black floral mini skirt is from Urban Outfitters, and is also available in red. (£36)

To finish the look, add sheer black tights, heed boots and a leather jacket.

Make a little black dress pop, with standout accessories.

It’s time to pull out the black dress that’s been sitting in the back of your wardrobe! To fully embody a 90’s party girl, glam up a little black dress (or any mini dress) with rhinestone tights and thin heels. These tights are from Ebay but are available across the internet. (£4.19)

Simply add dangling rhinestone earrings to complete your debut as a human disco ball. Alternatively, for an extra expensive look, pair the tights with a satin dress, and skinny heels and hair accessories.

Hair and makeup

Almost any outfit can be become your party attire, with the right hair and makeup. A quick search on Youtube or a glance at Instagram will unveil a buffet of inspiration for party looks.

Recently, I have been found some especially dazzling eye looks from Regina @coolgirlswearmugler as well as makeup inspiration from Alexa Demie. A simple rule is to add lots of glitter and just enjoy yourself.

Look at Lottie! Introduction

Look at Lottie! Introduction

by Maeve ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

So, am I only posting the introduction to my blog now – yes. Am I still going to tell you all about myself and why I started blogging – also yes.

If this is your first time seeing Look at Lottie, hello, my name is (big surprise) Lottie and currently I am nineteen years old, although in a few weeks, I’ll soon be turning twenty (Hooray for Virgo season!).

Anyway, I happen to live in a city called Belfast, which is in Northern Ireland. Although it’s a tiny country with a small population we’re home to friendly people, scenery so picturesque that you can’t avoid putting it on Instagram and for having rubbish weather.

Belfast is also where I study. I go to Ulster University, where I am working towards a degree in Communication, Advertising and Marketing (A mouthful, I know) and this month, I’m starting my second year of the course. In all honesty, I’m very much looking forward to going back to uni, I miss seeing all of my friends at lectures and I enjoy what I study quite a lot, even if it sounds nerdy to admit.

So why start a blog? I can’t exactly give a straightforward answer on this. One reason is that I get a lot of satisfaction out of being a creator and I like the idea of expressing myself online, regardless of whether I receive tons of followers, or not. From what I’ve seen online, blogging is a stellar way to interact and connect with people who share similar interests. Also, it’s pleasing to research and write about whatever topics I may choose to and put it out into the world for people to read.

Hopefully, if you have read my last few posts and was confused about the character who was behind them, this post will clear things up for you. If you’re new to the Look at Lottie blog, welcome! I will be posting more soon (I promise, I’m getting better at it) so until then, thanks for reading.