Spring has sprung: A Bristol themed guide to reinventing yourself

You know Bristol is starting to reach its peak when people are picnicking on Brandon Hill like they’ve never seen grass before or the Channings queue goes all the way down the stairs. What better time to reinvent yourself in the approach to summer and in the blissful ignorance of exam season??

Step One: Clothes

Starting with a Gloucester Road Charity Shop Crawl:

British Heart Foundation – A classic that you cannot go wrong with – just know there is definitely someone’s dead Nan’s beautiful designer midi skirt lurking somewhere in the rails.

Marie Curie – So underrated and you might not actually have to dig for hours to find something you have to convince yourself is nice so your trip does not feel wholly fruitless. 

Honourable mention for the Salvation Army on Cheltenham Road – The best one yet. 

And if you’re looking for something a little closer to Uni – Oxfam, Mind and Brandon Trust (a little more spenny) all on Cotham Hill.

An honourable mention to Sobey’s on Park Street – I always seem to find my most precious items of clothing in here. If you can bear walking back up the hill afterwards, it also has a great selection of accessories including belts, scarves and jewellery!

Step Two: Hair

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Reflections Training Academy – If you’re looking to get a free (!!!) trim or a full blown haircut in an attempt to fix the baby bangs you cut yourself last term, the Reflections Trainees are here to give you that, and it’s extremely student friendly! On the other hand, the regular Reflections hairdressers do a 10 per cent student discount and are conveniently located on Whiteladies Road if you’re willing to splash a bit to get more of a luxurious experience (with massage chairs!)

Shotgun Barbers and Hairdresser – With an ideal 25 per cent student discount, Shotgun charges “by length of hair not gender” and can be found on Cotham Hill, or alternatively, they also have a shop by the Bearpit in City Centre.

Step Three: Nails

Two Birds Studio – A lovely tattoo and nail salon in Stokes Croft. Because why not go wild and get a new tat while you’re at it.

Kelley’s Nails – Rest assured you will leave here with the most gorgeous set of nails! Whether you’re looking to get a healing mani/pedi, or a full set of acrylics, Kelley’s can be found in The Arcade in Broadmead and luckily also offers a 10 per cent student discount.

Step Four: Brain

A spring reinvention is not complete without becoming those people who mysteriously read outside Royal Fort Gardens with annotated margins and a black coffee in hand.

The Last Bookshop – All the books are £5, which gives you no excuse to not go and grab something from its extensive selection! This also counts towards the room makeover as they also do lots of very cool and niche posters to go with your new very cool persona. 

Heron Books – Tucked away in the Clifton Arcade, Heron do mystery books wrapped in brown paper with just a synopsis on the front. Just cannot get more fun than this can it!

Step Five: Room

Whether you’re living in halls or in a student house, please take down the last of your Christmas decorations and give your room the resurrection it deserves!

Lloyd’s Flowers – Located in the Clifton Down shopping centre, why not treat yourself to a plant (that you may or may not keep alive), to make your uni room a touch less dreadful to come back to after a long day of ASSing it up.

Flying Saucers – And if you’re looking to spice up your room with a new trinket dish, or perhaps a vase to put your new flowers in, Flying Saucers is a super cute pottery café ranging from £9-30 depending on size, and it also handily makes for a calming, revitalising day out.