Tuesday 12 June 2012

My bedroom is my fashion blog

Some people keep what inspires them in a scrapbook. Some in their internet browser favourites. Others, just in their heads.

But when I find something pretty that I like, I stick it on my wall. And by that, I don't mean my Facebook wall.


My bedroom walls are so covered in pictures that it's hard to remember what colour my room really is!

I'm one of those people that rips things out of magazines and makes folders and folders of stuff. I have a book for hair and makeup, and another for recipes that I like, but when it comes to fashion, it goes straight onto my walls.

I just think it's such a good way to be surrounded by what inspires you, what makes you happy, what reminds you of what you love.

I've always done this - while some keep their pictures in inspiration blogs, my fashion blog bedroom is what I wake up to everyday, and whenever I've had trouble deciding what to wear, how to do my hair or makeup, all I have to do is look around and fashion dilemma averted!

I redo the walls about twice a year - once for Summer, and again for Winter - so the fashions are relevant to the season. Redoing my walls basically involves taking everything down (I feel like I'm an angry teenager out of a movie when I do this, violently ripping and pulling haha), and putting new stuff up.

The whole process normally takes about 3-4 hours - I have to take everything down, then sort through my picture box, then crop and arrange groups of pictures before finally putting them up. It takes a lot of work! I collect cutouts from magazines, fashion collection catalogues, and then random little bits and pieces, like postcards, tags off clothes, even drink place mats, for about six months for each revamp.


I always recycle my blu-tack by taking it off the old posters. 
All the old ones going in the bin!
As it's twelve days into winter (yes, I'm counting - I'm a summer girl at heart!) my walls are now covered with models wearing colourful coats and cute comfy knits. 

Here's the before and after shots of the empty walls and finished ones:


My best friends made that J-card for my 18 birthday <3



It works as a fashion blog, a mood wall(s, ha) and shopping list all in one, and it just feels so great to be in a space that caters to every taste that I have, like it's truly an area just for me that reflects my personality so well and I always feel so proud and fresh after each revamp session.

Fashi-nspiration photos around my mirror.
They're pages from Princess Highway's Winter Collection,
so much love for their pieces! 






What do you put on your bedroom walls? I'd love to hear where you keep what inspires you, so let me know in the comments :)

Oooh, Taken By Surprise now has a Facebook page! I'd love it if you visited and if you like my blog, show and share the love on Facebook <3

xxx
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55 comments

  1. I collect those free postcards you see around the city and stick 'em up on my wall, or pictures I find in magazines or anything that attracts me eye basically! It is a great idea to surround yourself with inspiration, your room is your abode after all! I actually never get around to redoing my walls regularly, just 'feng shuiing' (haha) when I feel like it. 3-4 hours is great! I take at least a day... mainly because I'm pedantically scrapping off blutac off the wall haha. Ahh your room is so lovely and like a gallery of its own! I have that Princess Highway collection catalogue! It's on my wall too haha, aren't they just timeless pieces?!

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    Replies
    1. I'm forever doing that, and my friends end up walking way ahead of me because I'm picking up all of these random postcards hahaha The blutac part is definitely the longest, my hands get sore getting it all off! Thank you, that's so kind! I adore their current collection, they're my outfit inspiration at the moment :D x

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  2. This is so cool!! When I was a teenager I would do it too, take all pictures from Vogue or other magazines and hang them to my wall (even pictures of horses, so embarassing haha). But then we redid my room so now there is just one painting on the wall... Your room look so cool, I agree that it's so nice to wake up with all those pretty inspirational pictures around you :) Nice post!

    xxxx

    lifeisroyalty.blogspot.com

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  3. So cool! Reminds of my room when I was a teenager. When I was 19 or something I took it all out and decided just to have a few things on photo frames. Now I live with my boyfriend in a rent apartment so I really can't hang anything. I just keep my inspiration images in my computer.:)
    Love,
    Diana from http://thegirlwhocouldntbeafashionista.blogspot.ie/

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  4. This post really inspired me to do something like this. Not on my walls I guess, but in different books. I like your blog and started to follow you (: when you have some time, please take a quick look at my blog ;)
    xx
    lovelifethemost.blogspot.com

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  5. Nice ! Your room looks very cosy!
    Would you like to follow each other? Let me know.
    XX Tali
    http://hersecondskintali.blogspot.com/

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  6. LOVE how covered your walls are. i bet they are inspiring!

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    Replies
    1. Thank you so much! It's perfect when I'm stuck for ideas :) x

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  7. This is so inspiring! Your room is amazing!

    www.rougefox.com

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  8. love it! so inspiring

    xoxo P.P.

    http://www.rebelission.com/

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  9. I do the same!! having my bedroom walls covered by fashion front page magazines is so inspiring and i totally understand why you do it as well!!
    <3 from Claudine!!

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    Replies
    1. Haha how great is it for ideas! I feel bad throwing away half ripped apart magazines at the end of it haha x

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  10. OMG!! you have a lot of things!! haha I think I'll be stressed in that room, mine is empty hahaha!

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    Replies
    1. I haven't had bare walls since I moved into this house haha maybe one day :) x

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  11. It really is a big huge mood board! I absolutely love it, especially the closet doors. I create mood board on my computer and I have a cork board where i post things as well. Beautiful stuff!

    Thanks for your lovely comment. I’m a new follower too!

    Have a great day, beautiful!

    xx
    holly foxen wells
    www.ThreeLayerCake.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  12. Cute!
    I like how your bedroom has all
    editorials.


    COme visit my blog, and maybe we
    can follow each other on GFC.

    http://www.momfashionworld.com/

    ReplyDelete
  13. Wow,you're so creative :D i love your bedroom :D

    http://mulanranagradis.blogspot.com/

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  14. That's pretty cool! Must be nice to be surrounded by inspiration all the time. :)

    Keep calm and carry lipstick.

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  15. ahaha! wow! my room is like that too! filled with ads from every designer brand possible! dior, gucci, fendi, prada, chanel, celine, armani, list goes on!!! i guess they should pay us to advertise their stuff in our rooms :P

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    Replies
    1. Wow, your room sounds like the perfect fashion lookbook! How amazing would that be :) x

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  16. Wow!!! I admire you!! A lot of work and so organized, my wall would be a mess If I tried it! Niice room, good job!
    Thanks for stopping by my blog!
    Kisses!

    www.minlyfestyle.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  17. Great wall decor. I'm sure it's inspirational for you! Your blog is so cute =)

    xoxo,
    Suzie Q
    www.StyleCueBySuzieQ.com

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  18. great idea!

    http://navlandstyle.blogspot.ca/

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  19. Thanks for the sweet comment on my blog. I am following you now...

    LOVE the red pumps!

    www.wardrobemenu.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  20. I really love your blog, it is amazing. I'm now following you and I hope you will follow me too !

    Love,


    S

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  21. Awww I love your room! I like how straight you hang the posters up. I use to put posters and pictures up when I was a teenager but not that many, just one or two. I didn't like putting up pictures as I like bare walls, makes me feel too cluttered otherwise. I suppose it was because of how my brother use to cover his room with posters, they were everywhere, it was like mould growing on the walls. It made his room feel really small.

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    Replies
    1. It's a structured mess :) Haha what a way to describe it! A lot of my friends prefer bare walls too, they wonder where to look first in my room haha x

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  22. Hi doll, thanks for swinging by the blog and leaving a comment!

    I agree with you- I love to be surrounded by what inspires me. And I'm a beauty-booker, as well. I have a binder separated into fragrance, makeup, hair, etc. categories. :)

    Keep in touch!

    -Ashley
    http://lerougestylo.blog.com

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  23. Hey lovely.. thanks for commenting on my blog! I love this post! Such a good way to get inspired and make your room look pretty! Now following.. :D

    www.beanabeach.com

    XOXO

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  24. Great room. I'm inspired to adapt a little bit of it to my space! xA

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  25. Oh i love your lightning!!!

    fashionindahat.com

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  26. I used to do this when I was younger, although admittedly it was mostly photos of the Spice Girls.. I think. At one point I was ripping out pictures I liked and adding them to a scrapbook but have since found that having it all on PC works better for me.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Haha good 'ol Spice Girls! I also have an folder of pictures I like from the internet on my laptop, which I sync to my iPhone so I can see them whenever I like, so PC is a great way too :) x

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  27. I love it, its so nice to fill your own space with the things you love and be surrounded with so much inspiration! I normally cover my walls with photography that I've done, so I can always look at them (i think it's a shame that people mostly just take digital photo an store them away on their hardrives) and continue improving by taking new, better ones and replacing the old ones. Since I've moved out though, to my own small rented place, the walls are bare...but you've inspired me to get decorating again!

    sorry for the ramble haha!
    p.s i followed you, you have a lovely blog :)

    WEMAKEPLANS

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  28. always wanted to be more inventive and i love this! <3

    http://wishuponasmile.blogspot.co.uk/

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  29. Wow! So teenage but amazing! I love it!

    Www.theitaliansmoothie.blogspot.com

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  30. P.S. Thank you darling!
    I'm now following you back on GFC.
    See you around.

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  31. Oh this looks cozy! I wanted to keep my walls clean but there's a big black n white photo of Audrey Hepburn and a 'clothesline' with lots of black n white postcards, cinema tickets and little messages and photos of friends and such. Can't describe it but it looks so lovely! :-) x

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    Replies
    1. That clothesline sounds like a cool idea! Your room sounds super classy and elegant, perfect for you :) x

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  32. wow your room really looks like such a fun and individually expressed place to be! love it :)

    xx rae

    http://www.loveforschoolgirl.net/

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  33. ME ENCANTAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA !
    YO TAMBIEN HAGO LO MISMO JAJA
    UN EXITO !
    besoss, Te sigo
    www.escobedojimy.com

    ReplyDelete
  34. you've inspired me to start covering my walls again! i used to stick photos of my friends and i for a few years until i realised that we drifted apart and don't talk to each other any more. so i took them down and never stuck anything up again
    i should cover my walls with pretty inspirational pictures as well because it's so great to wake up to some inspiration!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That's a good reason to restart your walls again, to begin afresh with new friends and new inspiration and memories :) x

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  35. Love that your bedroom is like on inspiration board!

    http://fashionistanygirl.blogspot.com/

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  36. love your blog,follow you :)

    www.lemarsescloset.blogspot.com

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  37. Very cool and unique blog!

    I just followed, follow back?
    I'd really appreciate it <3
    http://www.ashleythefashionguru.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  38. Great blog:)
    Would you like follow each other?
    I follow you now:)

    Kisses:*

    http://joannas-secret.blogspot.com/

    ReplyDelete
  39. Love your room! So inspired! Now following!
    www.high4allheels.blogspot.com

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  40. Love your room and your red shoes <3

    xoxo. Déborah.
    http://thebrunettecomplex.blogspot.fr/

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  41. A great idea of developing your creativity. You also get to be inspired on a daily basis because you get to see those fine collection of yours. What an awesome crib! :)

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  42. Nice article. I am also recently changed my bedroom door and done some small renovation work. Now its looking really nice. Thanks for sharing the useful information.

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  43. We pride ourselves on the quality craftsmanship of our travel posters. Printed on high-grade materials, each poster boasts vibrant colors and sharp details, ensuring that the essence of the destination comes to life on your walls.

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for all of your lovely comments, I love reading them <3 Make sure to leave a link to your blog so I can come say hi! Otherwise look out for a reply on the post :) Love xx

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