Company Bloggers Style The High Street Event

This time last week I was having the time of my life at The Tobacco Dock in East London, in the presence of youtube bloggers, some of the industries fashionista's and gulping down free cocktails. A week on, and I'm sat in my fluffy onesie, drinking tea, and reminiscing about how it was all good just a week ago. #Sigh If you follow me on Instagram and Snapchat (add me:LipsHipsThighs) then i'm sure it was quite apparent how much fun I was having, along with my girl Libby. 

Company Magazine, teamed up with 8 bloggers, with each of them acting as stylists for high street brands Primark, M&S, ASOS, River Island, Yumi, Warehouse, Next and Oasis. I wish I could say I was invited haha but sadly i'm not quite on that level YET, so I had bought a ticket for £25 which had the benefits of sitting front-row at the fashion show, free drinks, food, pampering stations around the venue such as getting make-overs and nails done etc and a goodie bag worth over £50 which had some amazing products from Sleek, Impulse, Yardley and many more. 

Overall, the event had an amazing turn out, and I got to meet some cool people. The highlight of my night however, came when myself and Libby met Patricia Bright and her husband Mike from http://patriciabright.co.uk / https://www.youtube.com/user/BritPopPrincess. We were so gassed and overly excited, I didn't even know what to say to Mike apart from comment about his ginger beard, go me! Not to mention how cringey I was when Patricia filmed us for one of her vlogs... kill me now. But aside from acting like crazy fans and possibly scaring them away, they were so lovely. So down to earth and humble; exactly how they come across on Youtube and how I had imagined them to be. I mean that in the most normal, uncreepy way possible. 

You know when you take a camera out with you, then end up taking pictures on your phone instead because it's less hassle? Well that's exactly what happened here guys, so please excuse the quality on some of the pics.

 Oversized Coat - H&M 

Mesh Top - ASOS

Pleather Joggers - H&M

Sandal Heels - New Look 

Lipstick - Cyber by MAC 

Mpho x 

Music Monday #10

Music Monday is back in full force, and next up on the list is Mila J, known to most as Jhene Aiko's sister. Not a lot of people have heard about Mila J, however,  way before she took a hiatus for a couple of years before coming back into the music scene in 2012 she had major hits such as 'Complete' and 'Good Looking Out' featuring Marques Houston which I still love! 

Fast forward to 2014, and Mila J has totally transformed herself. What I love the most, is the fact that she is doing something completely different to her sister. Her look is different, her sound and her lyrical content is nothing like Jhene's. 

Mila has just released her debut EP entitled M.I.L.A, which stands for Made in Los Angeles on October 14th, and it doesn't disappoint. All the songs are equally good and I've been playing it non stop ever since she released. I'm looking forward to seeing and hearing more from her. No doubt. 

Listen to the EP below. And tell me what you think in the comments below :) 

Mpho x 

OOTD | The Shirt

I thought I would inject some colour other than black and white, in my life through this shirt a couple of days ago. 

How amazing is this shirt by the way? I love the print, the length and the material is great. It's so warm, it's perfect for those chilly days. I got it last year from Libby who was selling some of her stuff. You know what they say... One man's trash is another man's treasure and all that.

Last time, I wore it as a dress (below) but it's getting quite cold now and this time I was off to uni instead of an event so toned it down a bit and instead teamed with my favourite pair of jeans and my new boots from H&M.

Please don't mind the pose. I'm useless 

Shirt - Monki 

Black Jeans - Topshop 

Boots  - H&M 

Mpho x

Life Lessons | Family

I haven't done one of these posts in a long time, but I thought I would do a quick post about the importance of family because we can sometimes "forget", take family for granted or let whatever it may be get in the way. Every family goes through it's up and downs, that's how life goes. No family is perfect, and we sometimes wish certain members of our families were not part of it, trust me I know all about that. And yes, there are also those who have done unforgivable things, which I can totally understand and more power to you for getting rid of anything negative in your life. However...

One thing I cannot stand is people who take family for granted. I mean, don't get me wrong we all complain about how annoying mums, dads and siblings may be but that's different...

I know all of this may sound a bit random, and I may be stating the obvious here, but in exactly 47 days I am going back to South Africa to see my family after two years, and it will be the first time in five years that I will get the chance to spend Christmas with them. And it wasn't up until my manager wasn't feeling the idea of me going away, during one of the busiest periods in retail that it dawned on me how much I love and miss my family back home. I guess what i'm trying to get at, is that some of you don't realise what you have. Use the time you have with your loved ones wisely. Cherish those moments and most importantly make amends, especially over little things before it's too late, because some people like me who are away from their families would love nothing more than to see their loved ones at the click of a finger.

Family is everything.

Mpho x

LUSH Mint Julips Lip Scrub

Wave goodbye to dry, chapped lips instantly... 

There's nothing worse than dry, crusty lips, especially when you're a lipstick lover like myself. And now that the harsh weather is fast approaching Vaseline alone sure aint gonna do the job, so I present to you what I call a little miracle in a jar: Mint Julips Lip Scrub in Mint Chocolate. Lush also makes this scrub in a 'Bubblegum' and 'Popcorn' flavour, just incase Mint Chocolate doesn't tickle your fancy. 

The scrub acts as a gentle exfoliant for your lips, leaving them soft and ready for an ultra smooth lipstick application. The sugar crystals infused with warming peppermint, sweet vanilla and Jojoba Oil buff away all the flaky skin. 

All you simply need to do is dip/scoop a small amount onto your finger, and massage over your lips in a circular motion until you feel confident that all dead skin is gone, then you lick your lips. That's right... Lick your lips. As nasty as it may sound, please rest assured that the LUSH lip scrubs are 100% edible. Mint Chocoloate flavour with NO guilty feelings afterwards, result! 

You can use this scrub as many times as you like. I use mine every morning, followed by Nivea's Pure & Natural lip balm (milk & honey) to moisturise my lips, then a lipstick. I sometimes repeat this a few times during the day if my lips get flaky, or after lunch etc before reapplying my lipstick. I've only had this lip scrub for a couple of weeks, and despite using it every single day, a thousand times over, i've only managed to make a small dent in it. It lasts! 

Remember ladies, dry lips are not sexy at all. You too can have luscious lips like myself (haha i'm joking) for only £5.50. You will never look back. I haven't...

You can pick this lip scrub at any LUSH store near you or online Here
Don't forget to tell me what you think, and if you have any other lip therapy secrets you would like to share please leave a comment below.

Mpho x

OOTD | Noir

I'm completely obsessed with all things black and white, and all around simplicity nowadays. I mean, you can never go wrong with black, you can wear it a million ways and it goes with absolutely every colour.

This friday just gone was no different as I fully donned my favourite colour(s) to Uni from head to toe. Also, can we please have a moment of silence for my jacket... I can't get enough of it. So much so, that I have gone ahead and bought a similar one in grey. The oversized coat trend has well and truly hit me.

Bowler Hat - H&M 

Plain T-shirt - H&M 

Jeans -  Primark 

Jacket  - H&M 

White Sandals - New Look 

Mpho x 

OOTD | Monochrome

I think without even realising it, near enough everything in my wardrobe has become black and white lately. I just love black what can I say. Not only is it slimming, but let's face it, black goes with everything so it's easy to style especially on days when you just haven't got the time, which to be fair is quite often when I have Uni.

Also, I STILL cannot get enough of my hair. I am absolutely in love with it, not to mention the fact that people keep telling me I look like Miss Olivia Pope herself, compliment much?

I'm not really a huge make-up person unless it's for a special occasion, and even then I still need to watch a YouTube video for guidance lol, however, i've been experimenting a bit more with powders and foundations and I have to recommend L'oreal's True Match Foundation (Cappuccino for my complexion). I just love how my it makes my skin look, so natural and radiant, and not cakey. I've tried MAC foundations in the past and I always found I had to mix them with a different shade as they matched my skin tone wrong. I've heard they do this to a lot of people actually. Anyway, I just think MAC is overrated and people just buy into the name so don't be wary of trying something new, go into any beauty store and ask for a sample if you're unsure. If you have any foundations/powders you can recommend for darker skin tones do share please.

Oversized Jacket - H&M

Slogan T-Shirt - H&M

Black Jeans - Topshop (Joni)

Backpack - New Look 

Trainers - New Balance 

Mpho x

New Hair | New Look

Lace Top - H&M

Black Jeans - Topshop (Joni)

Heels with Mirrored Heel - Miss Selfridge 

As you can tell from the pictures above, I think it's pretty obvious how happy I am. Life is great at the moment and not only that, I am totally in love with my hair. I don't think I've ever uploaded pictures of myself looking so smiley. Thank God for friends who can do hair eh?! Shoutout to my girl Hezel for hooking me up.

I really wanted to do something different other than my usual hairstyles such as the box braids and the recent sleek bun, so after some scoping on Instagram (as you do) I decided on this side part bob.


Also, I recently joined Slimming World in the hope of shedding about a stone, and so far so good. Everyone has been saying they can see a difference, but to be honest I can't really see any changes yet. I'll be doing a post weekly after every weigh-in, to share my "journey" with you and some helpful tips I pick up at the sessions. What I love about Slimming World is the fact that you can basically eat what you want (in moderation obviously) with the book they give you as a guide to help you choose suitable meals throughout the day. I know some people may think it's a bit extreme joining Slimming World as i'm not particularly that "big" or whatever, however, I think it doesn't really matter how "big" you are, do what works for you. Also, knowing that I get weighed weekly in front of people gives me that extra push and motivation as I don't want to be the only person who hasn't lost anything in the group. I like that pressure and it's seems to working in my favour so wish me luck!

Mpho x

Back To Reality | OOTD

Yesterday was the first day back at Uni, and after having to wake up at such an ungodly hour, I found it quite hard deciding what to wear. It was pitch black outside, extremely cold but I had an inkling that the sun would come out so ruled out a big jacket. Instead, I wore my new leather jacket I recently got from the sales in French Connection.

I'm still not sure how I feel about being back at Uni, but one thing I am definitely happy about is being reunited with my girl Libby and our not-so-willing photographer Sam, and ofcourse the endless OOTD posts I can do now I have someone to take my pictures because my mum was hopeless!

Check out Libby's blog on http://www.libbyroselondon.com for more details on her OOTD.

Leather Jacket - French Connection 

Striped Shirt - H&M 

Black Jeans - Topshop (Joni super high-waisted)

Strapped Sandals - Primark 

Studded Clutch - Accessorize

Mpho x 

Looking Back

I think up until today I was in denial that my summer holidays were coming to an end. That was until my alarm clock rudely woke up at 5:30am this morning for the first day at back uni for second year. Yes, you read that right, I said 5:30am. And no, it's not because of excitement, it's sadly because I live  outside of London. It's actually ridiculous to be honest with you. I mean why have us go in so early on a Monday morning? for only an hour mind you?! Maybe I should complain...

Back to reality... But I guess I can't complain because looking back at the last few months all I can do is smile. I've had one of the best summers to date. Not only did I kick start my summer with a trip to Thailand (yes that's my room you see there in the picture) I also went to Wales, London Eye and endless other fun adventures (we'll forget about work for now) and to top it all off I think the weather was so good to us this year, still is actually...

I've learnt so much about life this summer. I've learnt a lot about the importance of family. I've thought hard about relationships with those around me and who I want to be in the near future, and what I need to do to be where I want to be.

Anyway, I trust and hope that you have all had an equally good summer. Now let's welcome Autumn, my favourite second season.

Mpho x

African Queen

Monochrome Top - Bentalls 

Skirt - H&M

Red Sandal Heels - Primark 

Envelope Clutch - Zara 

Please forgive the lack of posts lately. I've been so terrible at blogging it's actually embarrassing. As per usual i've been caught up at work, and to be honest I haven't done much worth blogging about so I didn't want to bore you to death with my non-existent life. Or to blog just for the sake of having a post up. After all, it's not about the quantity, it's the quality right?

However, I had a rare day off on a saturday last week to attend my friends wedding. A South Africa meets Nigeria affair. So you already know your girl had to represent for her country and rock the traditional beads. It was my first time going to a Nigerian wedding so it was a really interesting to get a glimpse of the culture. I mean I've been to Nigerian parties but not a wedding before. I'm sure it won't be my last.

I decided to keep my outfit fairly simple with the focal point of my outfit being the beads of course, and red as a pop of colour against black. I didn't want to overdo it, i'll wait for my own wedding to do that haha! I absolutely love African beads\accessories. They are just the perfect way to add vibrancy to an outfit. If you're wondering where I get my accessories from,  Spitafields Market in London is the place to go. Also, check out my friends Facebook page Thandulundi and the website www.thandulundi.com for more . You can thank me later.

Mpho x

The Weekend

No, no. I'm not here to talk about the R&B singer The Weeknd... I'm here to share my amazing weekend with you, what I got up to, my hair and most importantly what I wore. I know... So much better right? Hehe.

This past weekend marked my boyfriends birthday so you already know we had to go all out and make it all special and romantical (that is not a word). Seeing as the Mr. had never been on the London Eye and the other attractions (weirdo) I thought it was the perfect time to go out and explore London and and experience one of his firsts with him. Not only did we do The London Eye but we also went on the London Eye River Cruise which was also quite educational. I know so much more about the history/stories behind some of the cities main attractions. Gosh that sounds boring, but let me assure you that it wasn't. I don't think I could ever get over just how beautiful London is. I was taking it all in whilst looking down on the city from the Eye, the beautiful lights at night. Days like that just make you put everything into perspective and appreciate life and the people/things around you as a whole.  All in all the whole weekend was great. I'm pretty sure you don't want me babbling on about the rest of the weekend, so i'll move on to my hair and outfit.

Black Blazer - New Look
Slogan T-Shirt - Primark
White Jeans - Topshop
Peep-Toe Boots - Topshop
Studded Clutch - Accessorize
Gold Chain Bracelet - H&M
Lips - MAC Ruby Woo 

So for the past few months I've been on a mission to get my hair back into a more healthier state, particularly growing back my edges, which were made thinner by excessive pulling from braids and weaves. Click here Black Hair Care to read about what products i've been using and a few tips.

I've been all about protective hair styles; where my edges won't be affected. So when a friend of mine showed me a picture of Keri Hilson's latest hairstyle on her http://instagram.com/kerihilson with the two french braids I just had to do it. It's so quick and easy, yet edgy and playful, while allowing you to look after your hair. If you have any protective styles you would like to share, please don't hesitate :)

Mpho x

Music Monday #9

So carrying on from last week's 'Music Monday' where I featured Keke Wyatt and her amazing voice, I thought I would stick to the theme and share music i've been listening to from some of the 'R&B Divas' ladies.

Unlike the likes of Love & Hip Hop (and other reality shows based on music) where we have seen artists in the studio for more than 3 season but with no music to show for it (good music that is) these ladies are taking advantage of their new found fame and blessing us with their amazing voices and i'm loving it. 

First up is Kelly Price. Forget all the drama or how much you love to hate her, one things for sure... You cannot deny this woman of her talent, she can sing! I've always been a fan of Kelly's from way back in the day with her songs such as "Tired", "You Should've Told Me", "Soul Of A Woman", and ofcourse my all time favourite "Friend of Mine" and now she's back with "It's My Time". Check out the video below: 

Next up is former 702 leader singer Meelah Willith her own spin on ODB's "Baby I Got Your Money", featuring musician Musiq Soulchild who also happens to be the father of her son. Love, love, love this song right now, it's on repeat. I must admit I forgot how lovely Meelah's voice was. It's so soft and buttery and I love her falsetto's. Don't even get me started on Musiq Soulchild... LOVE! 

Last but certainly not least is Syleena Johnson. For those of you that don't know, she's the one singing on Kanye West's "All Falls Down". Syleena is definitely on the list of people who deserve more recognition and respect for their talent. This woman's voice is amazing. She has that "take you to church" kinda voice. It's so sultry, soulful and raspy I love it. Her latest song "Perfectly Worthless" has been on repeat for the past few weeks, and I love the video, it's powerful. (But ladies, killing yourself over a man? Hell no!) Check out the video below: 

Check out the rest of the ladies' music, you won't be disappointed. 

Mpho x 

Daisy Dress | OOTD

Daisy Print Dress - H&M

Bowler Hat - H&M

Flatform Sandals - Primark 

I am getting increasingly worried at the rate my wardrobe is turning into a mini H&M store. I can't seem to leave work without atleast buying one item. I need help. I'm actually just giving the company back it's money right? And even though I know I shouldn't be buying that particular item I always justify it with how much discount I can get off it. Or that with H&M if you see something, it's a known fact that you should always buy it as if you don't you will sure enough regret it as it will be long gone.

Anyway, the minute I saw this dress I just knew there and then I was going to get it. I mean at £7.99 (comes in other prints too) it's a bargain and I just love the print and how east it is to style. Again, with prints you get away with looking like you've made a huge amount of effort to put something together when in fact the job is done for you.  

Also...

I didn't have time to do my 'Music Monday' post last night as I was out and about in Kingston in my new dress so here goes.

I've been trying to get back into listening to a lot more music again, especially R&B (it's not everyday  ratchet behaviour lol) so i've been listening to new music from Joe and Toni Braxton just to name a few but one person I cannot get enough of right now is Keke Wyatt. Not only does she give me life on "R&B Divas" with her coo coo ways and facial expressions, but my God, that woman can saaaing honey! That's right, it's no typo, saaaing! Her voice is everything, and you can tell she sings from the heart. She puts her soul into what she's singing.

Keke is a well known for her collaborations with fellow R&B recording artist Avant (and others), but her involvement with the reality show and it's success has undoubtedly thrust her into superstardom and it's whilst watching the show that I was reminded of her and her amazing voice. It's sad really, that there are people out there with such talent who don't get the recognition they deserve while we have people like Miley Cyrus, no shade but shade, making it in the industry.

Listen to her EP titled Ke'ke below:

My favourite tracks are by far "Lie Under You" and "Fall in Love". Check out the video below and listen to that beautiful voice.

Mpho x

Blacked Out | OOTD

Bowler Hat - H&M

Playsuit - H&M

Kimono - H&M

Gold Chain Necklace - H&M

Trainers   - New Balance (Schuh)

Just a quick post about what I wore to London on friday for a few catchup drinks with friends.

It's summer here in London but judging by the way I'm dressed you wouldn't have known. That's because British weather is so unpredictable. One minute the sun is blazing and the next it's pouring it down, it's so annoying! I didn't know whether or not to even take a small jacket with me.

Anyway, like i've always said... you can never go wrong with all black. It's stress free and you look like you've made such an effort when infact you haven't. I love it. I also cannot get enough of my fringed kimono from H&M, i've been wearing it to death. It just adds so much character to whatever i'm wearing it with, again just a little trick to jazz up a simple outfit.

Also, can I just add how comfortable my new trainers are? Lord... I've been wearing them religiously too. With pretty much everything. I've realised I have a tendency to do that. When I love something I abuse it to the point I get sick of it lol. I definitely need to invest in more trainers. Any suggestions?

Mpho x

True Colour Lipstick | Sleek

From left to right (top then bottom)
Barely There | Exxxagerate | Mulberry | Fuchsia | http://www.sleekmakeup.com

Can we have a moment of silence for Sleek lipsticks please?! I absolutely love them. And do you know what's even better? They are only £4.99 each (you can thank me later). That's £9.99 cheaper than MAC lipsticks! And to be honest some of the colours from Sleek look identical to MAC lipsticks such as 'Mulberry' which is the exact same as MAC's 'Cyber'. 

Sleek lipsticks come in matte and sheen finishes in a variety of gorgeous, highly pigmented shades. And I 'aint lying when I say they last for hours. I'm not a huge fan of lipgloss at all, I love a bright lip that can really make your pout pop. With 20 shades to choose from, please believe that i'm looking to get most of them. They're near enough perfect for all skin tones. 

What lipstick brand can't you get enough of? Comment below :) 

Mpho x 

Missing In Action

Oh my word! You have no idea how good it feels to be writing this post right now. I've been so busy with work it's been practically impossible to do anything, i'm always so tired when I get home all I want to do is crawl into my bed and watch TV. I kind of regret telling my manger I was flexible to work 30+ hours now but hey, the money won't make itself so I'm screwed. Not only that, for the past couple of weeks I have been having issues with my internet coming and going whenever it pleases so therefore was unable to blog. I finally managed to get it fixed today, so hopefully this means the end of my blogging hiatus.

On a positive note, for the past couple of months since coming back from Thailand, I've been hitting the gym and trying to follow a healthier diet and although I can't really see any real changes myself, so many people have been complimenting me on the weight i've lost so far which is so motivating. It's so hard to eat healthy though, not only is it expensive to do so, but with it being summer there's no way anyone can resist a good BBQ, cider and ice-cream. Anyone care to share any secrets on how to lose weight?

Might as well chuck in an outfit of the day while I'm at it eh?

Bowler Hat - H&M

Sheer Kimono - H&M 

Black Vest - H&M 

Elephant Print Shorts - New Look 

Mpho x 

Music Monday #7

"R&B's New Thug".

I first heard of August Alsina some time last year, and to be honest I never really took much notice of him until I kept seeing his name popping up all over the blogs for numerous reasons such as his beef with Trey Songz (It's all good now), that little incident over at 106 & Park and of course quite recently where his show was cut short by the man himself when his hat went missing after he crows surfed. Turns out the hat was given to him by his late brother. (Mmm someone has a bit of temper eh?)

Anyway, behind all the drama August Alsina is known for singing. He gained recognition over his track "I Luv This Shit" which features rapper Trinidad James. Ladies I know you were all as excited as I was to see him performing on the BET Awards (he is very easy on the eye if you know what I mean). Since then, I have been listening to the burgeoning singers debut album Testimony and I love it! Every single song, no exaggeration. It's so rare for me to actually like every song on an album but honestly you can listen to this album all the way through.

He has recently drawn comparisons to Trey Songs/Chris Brown and I agree (to some extent) their voices sound very similar in some parts then again today's R&B is pretty much all the same. However, what I love about August is the balance he was able to find between sex, love, women, family, talking about his life, the accomplishments he's made so far whilst also talking about his mistakes. I like his honesty, it feels real and genuine as opposed to most singers/rappers that talk about a life they've never had to look/appeal to a certain type of audience.

Testimony was released on April 15, 2014 and features the likes of Young Jeezy, Pusha T, Fabolous, Yo Gotti, Rick Ross, B.o.B, Chris Brown and Trey Songz. Like I said, I like all the songs however, "You Deserve", "No Love", "Pornstar", "Kissing on My Tattoos", and "Mama" are the ones I repeat over and over.

Be sure to listen to the album and tell me what you think. Check out "I Luv This Shit" below:

Mpho x

#NOFILTER

T-Shirt - H&M

Pleather Shorts - H&M 

Checked Shirt - H&M 

After a full days shopping with one of my girls, and with the sun still shining we headed off to a park nearby to chill and to take a few pictures, naturally.  This isn't an outfit I would typically wear to the park, the Jordans especially. Sandals would've been a more appropriate form of footwear as my feet do tend to get quite hot. Talk about repping my workplace! Everything i'm wearing is from H&M. I swear my wardrobe is slowing but surely turning into a mini H&M store.

Anyways, remember my post a couple of weeks ago about edges? and me talking about giving your hair a rest from the wigs and weaves? Well, this is the protective style I've decided to go for. It's not only quick and super easy to achieve but it is money saving. All you need is some gel, and in my case i've been using Eco Styler by Olive Oil and QP Elasta and one pack of X-pression in 1B plaited in a big braid and you can either leave the braid as a ponytail or a bun. My edges are starting to get fuller and I couldn't be more happier.

Do you have any other protective styles you can recommend?

Comment below, and FOLLOW the blog.

Mpho x

#ThrowBackThursday

Ripped Jeans - Topshop

White Crop Top - H&M

Oversized Grey Cardigan - H&M

Monochrome Sandals  - Primark 

Leather Backpack - New Look 

MAC Lipstick - Rebel 

A couples of weeks ago, I was joined in Reading for a bit of shopping and lunch by my girl Libby (check her blog out). It was such a spontaneous, random day! What started off as an ordinary lunch in Las Iguanas ended up as a full blown night out in the town, thanks to Q Bar and their £1 Jager Bombs! You can only imagine how we were feeling the next day...

I opted for a very casual outfit. My poor jeans... I havent been able to take them off since buying them! I teamed them with a plain crop top, oversized cardi and sandals.

I've since taken out this weave, I loved it but the poor quality hair (synthetic) meant that I could only keep it in for about two weeks. Watch out for my next post to see what protective style (to keep these edges intact) I have my hair in now.

Mpho x

Music Monday #6

"Let your man know... Mr. Steal Your Girl is back!"

Yes! That's right ladies, Trey Songz is back and I'm loving him all over again. 

I say "all over again" because I used to be such a hardcore fan of Trey Songz from his very first album 'I Gotta Make It' up until his last album 'Chapter V' which I wasn't feeling too much, well, with the exceptions of 'Dive In', 'Fumble', and of course 'Heart Attack'. I don't know, I wasn't feeling all the rapping he was delving into, jumping on the bandwagon of singing about shit that didn't even matter, if you know what I mean... 

However, after hearing a few of the singles he's been putting out in the build-up of his upcoming sixth studio album, Trigga, such as 'Na Na', 'Smartphones', 'Foreign', and 'What's Best For You', my love for Trey was rekindled. The album is scheduled to be released tomorrow, July 1st. 

In a May 2014, interview with Yahoo!, he spoke about the album, saying: "Trigga is you know, my sixth studio album. It's my every emotion at this point in my life, it's the good, the bad, the ugly, it's the beautiful, it's last night, It's love, it's hard-hitting beats, but beautiful keys. It's beautiful melodies, it's so personal to me as well, of course I have songs that are impersonal, that are fun records, that just want to get people to move and dance, but as you get to the depths and the layers of the album, it gives you an insight to my life at the person that I am - and what's going on in my life as I try to figure out growing into manhood, and taking on the responsibility that I do and trying to find love…"

I wasn't about to wait for that, especially when I can download it for free (can I say stuff like that on here lol? oh well, too late) so for the past week I've been listening to the album and so far so good. It's obviously not one of his best albums, but it's an improvement from the last one. I can't get enough of 'Mr. Steal Your Girl', it has this Keith Sweat "Nobody" feel to it. I just love the beat, his falsetto's and the smooth tone of his voice on this track. Definitely one the better songs of the album along with 'Smartphones' being another favourite of mine. 

Check out the latest single from 'Trigga' below:

What do you think of the album? What's your favourite track? 

Comment below & Follow the blog :) 

Mpho x 

Life Lessons | Flaws And All

"Your 20's are your selfish years. Old enough to make the right decisions and young enough to make the wrong ones. Be selfish with your time - travel, explore, fall in and out of love, be ridiculous and silly, stupid and wild. Be 20 something". 

I've been going back and fourth for the past few days about whether to write up this post or not, reason being that it's not fashion related in anyway and it's a bit different from my previous posts. However, I've always told myself that I would use this blog as a platform to express myself fully, and that includes my feelings, good or bad. And in that process hopefully, help and uplift someone else out there. We all need words of encouragement once in a while right? and besides, my blog name is "diary" of an extrovert after all.

Social media has us all wrapped up in this mythical bubble of perfection. Where everyone's lives are sparkly and glittery, when in fact it's the opposite. Everything you see on social media is what others want you to see; don't be fooled by what you read or see. 

One thing most people definitely don't know about me is that I'm sensitive. I take things to heart. An over-thinker. It can literally take me watching or listening to something to feel some type of way and that's exactly what happened when I watched the BBC Three drama 'Murdered By My Boyfriend' (which aired on Monday, 23rd June). It was about domestic abuse and tells the true story of a teenage girl who fell in love with a man she thought was the man of her dreams, who started abusing her not just physically but emotionally too. And despite all her friends and families efforts to help her, she was ultimately brutally murdered by her boyfriend and father of her child. This story was so heartbreaking and emotional and one of the things I took from it was how someone can start to take control of your life, little by little. It really struck a nerve. This is exactly how I've been feeling lately. Like my happiness is controlled by other people. I had "check" myself and ask why I was letting others have so much power... 

For those of you that missed it, click the link below to watch:
Murdered by My Boyfriend

Change is all part of growing up. Different situations with different people force us to change. Change can be good. However, change can be bad. I think when change doesn't feel good, it's time to step outside of yourself, take a look in the mirror and check yourself. Ask yourself whether you're happy with yourself and the person you've chosen to be; not the person you feel like you have to be to appease those around you. Being a "people pleaser" makes you vulnerable of being taken advantage of.

We are all in a daily battle to stay true to ourselves in a world where our smallest actions are judged. And it's so easy to lose yourself sometimes, whether it's in a relationship, friendships or around family. Sometimes to the point of feeling like you don't even know who are anymore. What i've been living by these past few months is eliminating anything in my life, and anyone I deem to threaten my joy. Literally. We're all insecure about something, but that one thing should never be YOU, yourself. You know yourself better than anyone ever will.

Having this much time off Uni, has really forced me to think about all aspects of life such as the past, relationships, work and my career, and what it is I want to get out of life. I've decided to take control of my happiness and not let anyone's opinion of me doubt myself in anyway. Ever.

I came across this photo on Instagram the other day too, and it gave me life. I love quotes and their ability to just change your perspective on things in a positive way.

Mpho x

New In | Shoes

So for the past week I've been redecorating my room, and sorting out my wardrobe. Out with the old in with the new type thing. And amidst all that I came to the conclusion that I have no shoes whatsoever. Okay, maybe that was a slight exaggeration... But I don't have any shoes that I'm crazy about right now. I'm always wearing the same old shoes.

The black "summer sliders" or "Birkenstocks"(obviously they're not the real mccoys) whatever you want to call them are a massive trend right now. They are not everyones cup of tea, and I must admit they did remind me of my grandma a 'lil bit (she used to live in these) but after seeing them at work for only £12.99 and trying them on I was in love. They are sooooooo comfortable! And literally go with everything. I'm talking jeans, skirts, dresses etc they are just great, I can't wait to get my hands on the real things.

The Croc effect "Skaters" as Topshop refers to them are another popular pair of shoes. I've seen these on just about everyone, and I can't say I blame them because for only £20 (that's good for Topshop too) they are a bargain, and once again so damn comfortable. I really wanted them in black too but unfortunately had no size, but I will be keeping my eyes peeled. They also had these in a soft pink colour and black with a suede effect so definitely check them out at your nearest store.

A good way to really see what's in your wardrobe, what you need or don't need for that matter is to sort your wardrobe out. Give your drawers a quick fold and you might be pleasantly surprised with what you come across. Some long lost hidden gems perhaps...

Mpho x