Liebster Award

I was recently nominated for a Liebster Award by the lovely Hannah of Daisies and DMs, and I've been meaning to put this post together to answer the questions set to me for ages. Sorry, it's taken me so long, Hannah, and thank you for nominating me! Better late than never, though, right? 

1. What inspired you to start blogging?

A number of things inspired me to start blogging here at Polka Spots and Freckle Dots. When I first injured my back and became bed ridden in September 2011, I stumbled up on the world of body positivity and plus size style blogs one day when I was randomly browsing Tumblr. I was amazed to see plus size women looking happy, and comfortable in their own skin, while rocking fabulous outfits, and I was hooked. I began to read them every day. These blogs, combined with a wake up call from my injuries, started to change the way I saw my body after 26 years at war with myself, and my confidence gradually began to rise. 

I had loved fashion for years, and realised wearing pretty outfits was helping to raise my spirits through the pain and all the sudden changes and restrictions to my life. I felt more like myself whenever I could dress, and do my eye make up in bold colours, and that's still true today. A few months later, it occurred to me that it could be fun to have somewhere to share my outfits like a couple of my friends did. Just for something to do. I didn't have any big plans or aspirations, I just thought 'hey, a blog could keep me occupied and I could use it to try to work my way towards self-acceptance, too.' I didn't give it much thought, and I pretty much assumed I would get bored of it after a month or so and forget to update it, like I always did with old Livejournal accounts. I never imagined I would still be blogging regularly here more than two years later, or what impact it would have on my life, but starting this blog was one of the best decisions I've ever made.

2. What do you love to blog about the most?

My favourite topics to blog about are outfits, shopping hauls, my travels and adventures, and home tours. Y'know, like dressing table tours, what's in my bag, a collections of particular possessions etc. They're basically all topics I love to write about, and topics I most enjoy reading on other blogs, too.

3. Who is your fashion icon?

Bloggers are my biggest style icons! I read their blogs and follow their social media pages on a daily basis, and the internet has no shortage of incredibly stylish ladies of all shapes and sizes. There are dozens if not hundreds of bloggers whose style I adore. Nita, Rachel, and Kate are probably my top three style icons, but I have so many style influences that I just can't narrow the rest of my favourites down. I've been trying to for half an hour and it ain't happening, so I refer you to my list of favourite bloggers. They are all style icons in my eyes!

I can't say that I worship the style of celebrities or models like other women do. I don't hunt down the latest images of what they've been wearing, obsess over them, or constantly look to them for fashion inspiration... but I do love the way Dita Von Teese and Zooey Deschanel dress. They both have such a unique style, and wear the prettiest clothes; they always look fabulous, flawless, and so well put together. 

4. Where do you most want to visit before you die?

There are hundreds of places I hope to visit, but I'd particularly love to visit Italy. It looks like such a beautiful country, and the desire to visit it has only increased since I first saw the film Letters to Juliet. I'd love to visit Rome, Venice, Sienna, Milan, and Florence, and soak up all that history and culture. I'm equally in love with Greece, and Australia.

5. What's #1 on your bucket list?

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Now that I've finally seen Fall Out Boy live and crossed it off the top of the list, I most want to see the Northern Lights, and to see whales in the wild.  Hopefully one day I'll be lucky enough to cross them both off the list!

6. Favourite magazine?

My favourite magazine used to be Company, but it's gone down hill a lot over the last couple of years and I'm swiftly going off it. I think my current favourite is probably Cosmopolitan, but I also love Marie Claire, Grazia, Glamour, and Look.

7. What is your most loved film?

My favourite film is Titanic and has been since I first saw it in 1997 aged eleven. I've watched it hundreds of times over the years, and I never tire of it. In fact, I'm actually watching it as I type! It's a classic!

Another film I have always loved is Steel Magnolias; which is in my opinion one of the best chick flicks ever made. It's feel-good, it's lovely, it's sad. The characters are fabulous, and the awful eighties fashion, hair, and beauty are alone worth watching the film for! It's one of those films that I can't help quoting in day-to-day life, and I must watch it every Easter Sunday- it's a tradition. If you haven't seen it, grab yourself a copy; you'll love it!

My sisters have called me Ouiser for years after Shirley MacClaine's character! I don't mind, she's awesome!

8. Describe your favourite outfit?

I have several favourite outfits, but I'm currently besotted with my black heart print skater dress from Alice & You. It has a fitted waist, a circular Peter Pan collar, no sleeves, and a fabulous full skirt that I love to swish. It sits on the knee, and has large white hearts all over it. I love wearing it with black opaque tights, studded ankle boots, and a red cardigan, with my black and gold Russian doll bag worn over the shoulder.

9. Describe your worst...

Oh, I've worn some horrendous clothes in my time, especially before I had any interest in fashion. Back in my early teens my friends and I would dress in tracksuit bottoms (remember those Adidas Poppers, with poppers from the hip to the cuffs?), with over-sized men's t-shirts, trainers, and fleeces! *Shudders.* Looking back we looked like characters from Little Britain, but at the time (1998-99) everybody used to dress like that. I won't even go in to the time I wore a backwards cap, and a basketball vest over shorts and a t-shirt a little earlier in the nineties on holiday in France... Thank God I've left my tomboy roots behind!

10. What's your speciality dish?

It's been a while since I've cooked anything more substantial than pate on toast, but I make a mean French Onion Soup, and a great cottage pie. I'm far more skilled in baking and dessert making, though, so my speciality dish is definitely my Blackberry, Raspberry and Apple trifle. I make it every year for Christmas and occasionally on other special days, and it always goes down a storm. It's delicious, if I do say so myself!

11. Where do you see yourself 10 years from now?

Honestly, I have absolutely no idea! With my life on hiatus and no idea when or even if my injuries will heal and my pain will go away, it's difficult to imagine my future. More than anything, I hope that I will have made a full recovery from my injuries and will no longer be in constant pain. I would just like to be happy and living life to the full, with good friends and family in my life, and a man who loves me for who I am. I'm not sure I want kids, but it would be nice to be married and settled down by the time I'm 38, hopefully with my own home and a menagerie of fur babies. I would also love to be back working in animal care, as I'm passionate about that field and loved working around animals. Perhaps I'll even pursue something in fashion... I'm quite certain I'll still be gallivanting off to concerts and taking spontaneous trips, but who knows where the next ten years will take me. At the moment I'm just hoping for the pain to go away and my freedom to return so I can start living those years and make my dreams happen.

If you've made it through to the end, thanks for reading, and thanks again to Hannah for nominating me for the award! Have a great day!