Weekly Recap #10, 2022

Long time no see! I hate not getting my usual blog posts up (especially because I have so many content ideas on my calendar for the coming months), but I have been trying to strike the right balance between focusing on blog work and soaking up as many study abroad experiences as possible. This week, I definitely chose the latter, and I have no qualms about it! Keep reading to see some cute outfits and what UK spots I’ve been exploring the last couple of days.

Monday, March 7

My friend and I met up at noon today to attend something called “A Play, A Pie, A Pint” at a nearby church converted into a bar/restaurant/theatre. As the name suggests, it was a lunchtime play where they serve you a Scottish meat pie and a beer before enjoying the show—the show we saw was called “I’m Dissolving My Love in a Tub of Acid”. It was a really fun afternoon, followed by a stop at our favorite churro spot and some thrift stores!

In the evening, I had an informational interview on Zoom for a position in Denver before rushing off to the usual Monday night pub quiz with some friends. We won, and our prize was a 50 pound bar tab (which we can’t wait to spend)! I wore this cute plaid skirt and got a few compliments, my favorite being that I “look very Scottish”.

Black Mock-Neck Top: JCPenney, $11 ($0.33 per wear), last worn here | Maroon Moto Jacket: Denver boutique, $25 ($0.56 per wear), last worn here | Plaid Skirt: JCPenney, $25 ($2.27 per wear), last worn here | White Knee Socks: DSW, $15 ($1.07 per wear), last worn here | Black Knee Boots: Clarks via DSW, $100 ($1.32 per wear), last worn here

Tuesday, March 8

My friend and I took the train to the nearby town of Stirling this morning. We wandered the streets, grabbed a snack at a café, and then toured the Stirling Castle, which was our main destination for the day (the first pic of today’s post was taken on the castle’s defense wall). It was very cool, and we learned an interesting thing or two about Scottish history. I just wore this comfy outfit to ensure I was warm enough while exploring all day.

Checkered Top: JCPenney, $30 ($1.15 per wear), last worn here | Quilted Vest: Francesca’s, $45 ($1.29 per wear), last worn here | Skinny Jeans: Express, $42 ($1.91 per wear), last worn here | Leopard Rain Boots: Ralph Lauren via Macy’s, $60 ($1.02 per wear), last worn here

Wednesday, March 9

I grabbed brunch with a friend this morning and ordered the most decadent banana and Nutella French toast. The serving sizes here are much smaller than in the U.S., but this was the first meal during study abroad that I wasn’t able to finish! So rich and delicious. I had my Scottish Culture class in the afternoon, followed by salsa lessons. I was very excited to spend a quiet night in working on my thesis afterwards (and watching “Love is Blind”).

My hair in today’s outfit is not doing anything for me, and I don’t think the boots and socks fit the vibe of the rest of the look. My leopard rain boots would have been much better suited for this outfit—not sure why I didn’t wear those instead!

Blush Top: JCPenney, $20 ($0.77 per wear), last worn here | Maroon Moto Jacket: Denver boutique, $25 ($0.54 per wear), last worn here | Black Corduroy Skirt: Francesca’s, $35 ($1.03 per wear), last worn here | White Knee Socks: DSW, $15 ($1.00 per wear), last worn here | Black Knee Boots: Clarks via DSW, $100 ($1.30 per wear), last worn here

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Thursday, March 10

Today was a bit of a whirlwind… Usually on Thursdays, I wake up at 8:30 so that I can walk the half hour to City Centre for my stained-glass class at the Glasgow School of Art. However, somehow, I didn’t wake up today until 10:40! I have never ever overslept in my life, and I honestly have no idea what happened—did I set my alarm and turn it off? Did I forget to set an alarm altogether? I have no recollection. Either way, I frantically got ready as fast as possible (throwing on workout clothes so that I could run to class) and made it to my three-hour class an hour and a half late… It was so embarrassing and such a stressful morning.

I then had to rush back to the University of Glasgow campus for my usual tutorial, and I went to one final Scottish dancing lesson in the evening. We all went out to the pub afterwards, and I had a lot of fun getting to know some of the people with whom I usually dance.

Friday, March 11

Today was super productive—I worked on my thesis, got groceries, watched a lecture, and cleaned my room and bathroom in preparation for my friend’s visit. A group of my American buddies hosted a party tonight, so I wore my one “going out” shirt for that (although I realized I was a little overdressed the minute I got there—all the other girls were just wearing t-shirts). I’ve been on the hunt for some white sneakers for a while, so when I saw these 8 pound ones at Primark, I figured they’d be perfect for casual looks and parties/clubbing.

Around midnight, my friend from Denver (who is currently studying abroad in Sweden) finally made it to my flat to spend the weekend with me. We had a fun night catching up and regaling each other with stories from abroad.

Sheer Top: Thrifted, $10 ($3.33 per wear) | Black Skinny Jeans: Express, $42 ($2.62 per wear) | White Sneakers: Primark, $10 ($10.00 per wear)

Saturday, March 12

My friend and I had a slow morning before walking to Pollok Country Park on the outskirts of town. There, we wandered around the beautiful grounds of Pollok House, an old family estate, and were able to tour some of the inside. I could definitely imagine living at such an extravagant property and think the area will be absolutely gorgeous in the springtime, once all the flowers are in bloom! Afterwards, we were able to see some Highland Cattle on the other side of the park, which is why we went in the first place. The cows are so cute, and I absolutely love their shaggy faces. We grabbed dinner out and had a rather quiet night in after a long day.

Grey Turtleneck: Bohme Boutique, $30 ($1.67 per wear), last worn here | Black Skinny Jeans: Express, $42 ($2.47 per wear) | Black Knee Boots: Clarks via DSW, $100 ($1.27 per wear), last worn here

Sunday, March 13

We woke up early this morning to walk downtown and catch a tour to England’s Lake District. All the other tours I have done thus far have been with International Student Tours Scotland, whom I’ve been raving about. Unfortunately, today’s tour was extremely disappointing (don’t get me wrong—I still had fun and the views were breathtaking. But the company itself was really bad… I would not recommend them). We drove a few hours to the Lake District and then did a somewhat difficult hike to one of the peaks, overlooking Lake Windermere, the biggest body of water in the district. We then spent a little time in the nearby town Keswick before riding back to Glasgow.

Pink Sweater: JCPenney, $18 ($0.38 per wear), last worn here | Black Skinny Jeans: Express, $42 ($2.33 per wear) | Leopard Rain Boots: Ralph Lauren via Macy’s, $60 ($1.00 per wear), last worn here

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Which of this week’s outfits was your favorite? Let me know in the comments below, and I hope you’re having a great Monday so far!

 

Miles of smiles,

Grace