Natalie brown

A few bits and bobs that I have in my room this autumn!

I absolutely adore record collecting and having physical media for bands and artists I love. I have been record collecting from a young age and have just passed the 500 mark. These new (both in album release date or reissued release date), Walmart and Target exclusives are some of my favourites, not always the easiest to get to the U.K but always absolutely worth it. My music taste spans quite a bit so theres bound to be something you like too, I.. while scrolling a few of these were added to the basket. In case I don't mention it enough in the notes, I love when the record ties into the cover!

Its spooky season! I'm saying this as if I don't watch horror all the time, its my absolute favourite film genre and its always so much better when they ace a soundtrack. A lot of older horror movies have some absolute gems and I always pay so much attention to the music used. Here are some of my favourites…

I work gigs professionally but of course there’s always moment where I just want to be a fan. Obviously that can involve a whole lot of things but really taking on the fangirl role is a task (a very fun). Here’s a few things that make up a great starter kit for going all out for a band.

I’ve been playing instruments since I was around 5 and can play bass, piano and drums. There’s always essentials that you need so I’ve curated a few basics if you’re just getting started and also some things you absolutely do not need but will somehow make you look even cooler while playing. I am such a sucker for any possible customisation or way to add my own personality into things so hopefully this will give some inspiration :) These are written with the basis of already owning the instrument.

Truly the biggest gig lover, I've been to over 100 gigs and worked more that aren't counted. The live music scene is sometimes hard to find in cities that aren't London. I go to University in Birmingham, U.K and have been using the city as my go to gig place for about 7 years. There's a lot of smaller hidden gems that you might not know of. Here's a few of my favourites.

I adore all things music and if I can watch some behind the scenes footage I’m all in. Learning about a bands career or the making of an album is so interesting, even following a tour. Here’s a few of the ones I love now and growing up.

I am a music journalist, I love writing reviews which as you probably guessed means I love reading them too. I also need to stay up to date with the industry and a range of genres. I’ve made a list detailing a range of my favourite publications I always turn to when I want something music related to read, ranging from news sources, review sites for indie music to edm.

After going to my first gig at 13 in 2017 I knew instantly it was something I just had to do more. I also have always adored writing. That’s where music journalism comes in. I’ve been writing professionally for nearly two and a half years now, my main profession being music journalism. When I started out, I felt a little lost, it’s daunting starting anything new and the music industry as a whole is huge and a little scary to say the least. Along the way I’ve learnt a lot so here’s some things that have helped me at some point within my journey with a selection of media options (books, videos, websites etc.)

This is a bit of a niche one, but I’ve just been to the Found Heaven tour in Manchester and London and fell in love with Conan Gray’s latest album found heaven even more. With an 80’s synth pop vibe and themes of yellow, red and blue it's such a fun one to make outfits to match the vibe. Whether going to a tour date or just for fun I’ve curated a list of things that I think perfectly match the album. I did a lot of my shopping for this on ASOS so a lot of items are from there and most items fall within a £10 - £30 range.

Here are some smaller artists who may have slipped under your radar. You might not know who they are yet but trust me (i'm a music reviewer) you'll want to! Plus if you like them now you'll have bragging rights when they get even bigger. These all fall into the indie and pop genre, enjoy.

Some of these artists may be a little more well known than my other music recc suggestions but they are just so good! This is new rock you have to listen to. Rock is my favourite genre, alt-rock specifically so I feel pretty knowledgable on the subject. Theres so much good modern rock being released so here a few of my favourites from this month or so!

I'm doing everything I can to get in the mood for Halloween this year and here's my personal collection of a couple of hours of music to fit the spooky season. Split between songs that are spooky and autumnal to the heavier tracks and ones that feel more specific to Halloween, there's a range of genre and artists!

I absolutely adore reading, my tbr list is of course far too long but I will spend time rereading my favourites (oops!). So here’s a couple of lists of books I can’t help but reread and have reread this year and ones I’m super excited to read. Most of these fall under the romance and fantasy genre and are specified if they aren’t.

Music is my biggest passion and sometimes listening to it isn't enough. I've made a list with my personal favourite books from a few bands and artists I love. Some are official, some aren't but they are all really good. This perfectly combines love of music with reading and even some photo books with stunning photography too!

Reading is a huge passion of mine, I never really considered annotating my books until I read Red White and Royal Blue and decided it was time to start. Having a great selection of things to do this with made it even more fun, I like to go all out if I'm going to sit down and annotate. I've listed some of my favourite supplies that make up the perfect annotating kit.

I always saw people shooting on film and was so reluctant to try it because it seemed complicated and slightly daunting. I finally went for it at the start of this year and I’m so so glad I did. It’s so much fun and way easier than I thought, and has the coolest results. For some of the vintage cameras, Ebay and second hand is always a good shout so I've added a few on here!

I adore vinyls, my current collection is over 500 now and I absolutely love any and all accessories that are related to record collecting. I always want to display my records and make my record player cooler with slip mats. From the biggest music lover and avid collector here are things I would love and think would be a perfect gift for any vinyl lover.

Crocs one of the most comfortable shoe options and although not necessarily a statement in fashion you can absolutely add them to an outfit. Sometimes I find crocs a bit awkward to style and being a huge fan of personalisation adding charms and accessories to them is a must. Here’s my list of some things I think can take simple crocs to the next level!

If you’re like me, you’ll do absolutely everything you can to get in the mood for fall and cooking is no exception. I’ve been baking since a young child (admittedly not perfect back then) but have tested and trialed a lot on the way. Cinnamon and chai have always been a favourite of mine all year round and combining them with other fall elements can make for the best recipes. Here are some of my favourites…

Being a student for two years and visiting the city for about ten I feel like I have found some brilliant hidden gems and some great places when you’re after a stop in a little cafe. Whether that be for a coffee, sweet treat, brunch or lunch, here are my favourites around the city.

Fall is such a good season for all sorts of activities. I feel like every element of fall holds such a beautiful aesthetic and channelling that into outdoor adventures or cosy days and nights at home are the perfect ways to celebrate. I am very much a mixed bag when it comes to doing things and find balance in outdoor activities to staying in so here’s my list with some of my favourite fall time activities. (A lot of my links to places are Birmingham, U.K based as they’re trusted places I’ve visited but there’s bound to be something similar to you locally too!)

As soon as the weather starts to get colder, I instantly want to refresh my wardrobe. Some of my favourite pieces when it gets to winter is a nice jumper or chunky cardigan. I'd say I don't have a consistent style at all but its always a little bit quirky so these are all a little unique and bound to add a spark to your wardrobe. Theres a mix of price ranges on the list, I always love saving up and buying one exciting piece at the end of the year and Anthropologie and Free People have some great quality clothes. :)

I always like to make sure there’s a bit of my personality in everything I have, especially when I go out. It’s always fun to accessorise and your phone is always with you so it’s such a great place to start. Here are some things you can add to make a phone case way more exciting and some tutorials if you want to get crafty with it. :)