Showing posts with label Fashion. Show all posts

9 Summer Wardrobe Essentials

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With summer just around the corner (well, I hope it is anyway!!), we’re all beginning to think about all the fun we’re going to have. There will hopefully be trips overseas, road trips with friends, and lazy afternoon BBQs with the extended family. Really, is there a better time of year?! And with the weather so fine and everyone looking so tanned, you better believe that pictures will be taken left, right, and centre. As such, you’ll want to take steps to ensure that you look your best! This can prove a little bit trick during the summer, when it’s oh so bright, there are a million and one social events, and we don’t have a big coat to hide behind, like we do in winter.

If you’ve got the right clothing in your wardrobe, however, you’ll always be able to look the part, no matter what the equation. Below, we take a look at some of the tried and tested essentials that every female needs to have in their locker.

The Go-To Plain T-Shirt

Now, this might not be the most exciting item in the summer wardrobe, but that’s essentially the point. A high-quality, plain white t-shirt can be worn with anything, and also again and again without people beginning to ask “why do you wear that t-shirt all the time?” Keep in mind that the emphasis should be on high-quality. There’s a subtle but obvious difference between low and high-quality t-shirts. The versatility is this option’s greatest strength. When you don’t know what to wear, you’ll have a go-to option just sitting there.

Funky Designs

Though of course, let’s not forget that summer is a time for fun and colour, and all those other things that make the season so enjoyable. As such, you’ll want to invest in a few more funky t-shirts. These can have logos, bright colours, or just in some other way be unique. It is recommended that you take the unique angle though -- you’ll get more positive reactions if you have a t-shirt that no-one has really seen before.

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Source: www.cavells.co.uk

Denim Everywhere

Denim is your friend in the summer. It can serve multiple purposes. First, let’s think about the denim jacket, which is an essential item for the summer. Whatever you’re wearing, you can throw a denim jacket on top, and take your look to the next level. Another denim option is the jumpsuit. Jumpsuits are making a comeback in a big way, and with good reason -- they offer a little bit of everything, all rolled up into one neat package. They’re especially recommended during the summer because they keep you warm, but not so warm. They’re the perfect, stylish option for those hot, but not quite baking, days. 

For Those Chilly Evenings

Even on those baking days (which we’re hopeful we’ll at least get a few days of), it’s always important to remember that things can change a lot when the sun goes down. When it does, you might find that the fun summer’s day outfit you were wearing is no longer doing the trick. When that happens, you’ll be grateful that you invested in a warm sweater. The trick is to find something that’s thick enough to take the chill out of the night, thin enough that you don’t end up too hot. Indeed, this is one item where it’s wise to have a couple of options -- plus, it’s also nice being able to offer one to a friend who’s cold when they’re around at your place. 

Light Footwear

When the weather is oh so warm, you’ll want to be able to just put on a quick outfit, and get out and enjoy the sunshine. At least, there’s usually one aspect that can undo all the good work you’ve put into your outfits: the footwear. You simply can’t keep the same shoes you’ve been wearing throughout the winter and spring. They’ll be too clunky to be worn with shorts, or too warm. As such, take a look at investing in some light footwear options. It’s well worth buying some light, high-quality sandals, or some light sneakers. They’ll go with everything and will be a God-send when the sun is shining.

White Trainers

While we talk about light shoes, it’s worth noting that one of the biggest footwear trends isn’t light at all: indeed, they’re anything but cool. White trainers have become all the rage, and can be worn with skirts, dresses, shorts -- all your summer outfits, essentially. Plus, they’re comfortable, so they’re especially great if you like exploring during the summer months.

Beach Dresses

There’s nothing better than a trip to the beach, is there? Even in the UK, the beaches can get pretty busy on those warm summer days. And then there’s the matter of those journey to the best beaches in Europe, which you’ll hopefully get to experience this summer. When you’re there, you’ll want to be weight some light and airy, something that’ll invite those cool summer breezes. This is where the beach dress or maxi dress come into their own. They allow you to get into that easy summer vibe, they’ll keep you cool, and they’ll protect large areas of your skin from the sun. It’s win-win-win. 

Accessories

Because we’re showing so much skin during the summer months, we have so many opportunities for accessories. In your wardrobe, you’ll want to have options such as bracelets, necklaces, summer watches, and a hat. Or rather, multiple versions of all of these options. For your hats, it’s all about mixing style with practicality.

Everyday Sunglasses

And finally, let’s not forget those sunglasses. These are really important when it comes to protecting your eyes, but they can also be a fashion statement. Like your other accessories, it’s recommended that you have multiple pairs -- the classy ones, the beach ones, the ones you don’t mind losing. The most important pair in your locker will be the everyday glasses, however, the pair that you put on every day. They’ll be with you all along the crazy and fun ride that is summer. 

What is Really in Your Bag?

What's in my bag posts are everywhere on blogs and youtube channels and I'm just sat here like erm, why is my bag not as clean and tidy as that?! My bag is very rarely organised and tidy; it becomes a dumping ground for various receipts, odd coins and lipsticks so I thought I'd give all you ladies out there with messy bags and shout out and show you what's really inside my bag... (before I got all ashamed when I realised how much a of a mess it was and actually cleared it out!)

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Aww look how pretty this looks, like a typical 'what's in my bag' post I have a very nice purse peeking out of the opening with a phone, a bottle of perfume and some hand cream strategically placed as if they've just fallen nicely out of the bag. The reality of the situation is very different...

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What was really in my bag:
- iPhone 5s
- Michael Kors Purse
- Soap & Glory Hand Dream
- Zara Oriental Perfume 30ml
- WHSmith carrier bag (did contain Fleur de Force's book which I bought for my niece)
- Cineworld Tickets (from 50 Shades of Grey)
- Empty Minstrels packet (also from 50 Shades of Grey, I think I kept the wrapper as a souvenir of the £3 I paid for them!!)
- Various packets of paracetamol (I don't even know why I have so many?!)
- Sweetener tablets
- Receipts from Boux Avenue, Makro & Boots
- Statement Necklace (I took this off at some point because it was irritating me)
- Touch screen gloves
- Bath & Body Works Cashmere Glow body spritz
- Nivea Raspberry Rose Lip Butter (smells amazing)
- MeMeMe Persian Pink
- Maybelline Color Sensational lipstick
- Soap & Glory Sexy Motherpucker lip gloss
- Mac Lipstick 'Twig'

I obviously got rid of the rubbish out of it when I realised how much there was in it and I was actually left with quite a minimal handbag stash. I don't carry around a lot of makeup with me and I never carry anything like an iPad because most of the time I don't think it's necessary because my phone does pretty much everything I need it to. I should probably be more organised in the handbag department, I reckon i'll be sticking my nose into other peoples 'what's in my handbag' posts to get some organisation inspiration!

The Best Jeans on the High Street

After spending the best part of 5 years wearing leggings and other elasticated 'bottom wear', actually enjoying wearing jeans is still a novelty for me. Since losing weight I very rarely wear anything elasticated simply because I don't need to anymore! I'm slowly working my way through various high street shops deciding which jeans I prefer; I've already decided that my favourite fit is mid rise skinny/slim and mid wash is probably my preferred colour (but I'm still open to changing my mind on that one). 

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When I joined Slimming World my ultimate non-scale goal was to be able to get into a pair of size 12 Levi's jeans so before Christmas Jason took me to the Levi's store in Meadowhall and treat me to a pair of Demi Curve slim fit jeans. At £85 they are very pricey compared to what I'm used to paying but everything about them just screams quality; the fit, the denim and the feel of them is totally different to any pair of jeans I've owned before... I think I might do a full post about my Levi's because there's so much more to be said about them!

Next was the first shop I bought a pair of size 12s from and I have to admit that since that day I've fallen out of love with Next jeans a little bit; they used to be my absolute favourite but I dunno, they just didn't seem to be as comfortable as they used to be. 

New Look is probably my go-to shop for jeans at the moment because although they're not what you'd call top quality, they are functional, affordable and come in lots of different styles and colours. My favourite styles are skinny and super skinny; super skinny tend to be more stretchy and therefore a tighter fit whereas skinny have a little bit of stretch but they aren't as tight fitting, especially on the waist. At the moment I have three pairs from here; some black skinnies, some blue supersoft super skinny jeans and a pair of dark acid wash skinny ones; most New Look jeans come in at between £20-£25 which isn't bad at all I don't think.

A new addition to my jeans collection this Christmas was a pair from Dorothy Perkins; initially I had some jeggings but they were a short leg (I need a regular) and when I went to exchange them I found I actually preferred the 'Bailey' super skinny jeans. They're still not my favourite pair because I find them quite difficult to get over my calves (which, despite my weight loss, are still bigger than your average!) but on the whole the colour is nice and they fit perfectly on my waist. 

Finally, I added a pair of Zara jeans to my collection the other day when I was shopping in York... I still took a pair of size 14s as well as the 12s into the changing room with me because I think I still find it hard to believe that I'm actually a 12 (and I was unsure if they'd be small fitting). These ones have a bit of rip detailing on them and they were only £17.99 (down from £35.99) so I couldn't exactly say no could I?! All in the name of research and all that...

Why You Should Splurge on a Designer Bag

There are some things in life that we buy when we don't really need them but we convince ourselves that having said item will make us happy - it's just the materialistic beast inside creeping out. A Michael Kors bag has been on my wish list for a long time and after a long summer I decided now was the time to treat myself for all the hours I'd put in at work (we all make excuses for these purchases, don't we?!). 

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Michael Kors Jet Set Double Zip Tote Bag £310.00 House of Fraser

I went into House of Fraser in Meadowhall with a structured bag in mind and an eye for something which I could fit everything I needed in. When I saw this Jet Set Double Zip Tote Bag I fell in love with it straight away. The Saffiano leather, gold hardware and 3 compartments made it perfect for what I was looking for. I did consider the bucket style bags with just one compartment but I think the zips really add style to this bag and make it something a little bit special. 

Of course, a bag like this isn't something I can afford to buy every month or even every year but I'm hoping that this will be on my shoulder for a good number of years because it's a classic, timeless design.

How to Wear a Denim Dress

I genuinely thought I could never make a denim dress work, denim dresses were always something I saw on other people which looked fabulous but I could never see myself in one. I also didn't realise how versatile one could be, it's actually the perfect kind of dress to take you from summer to autumn. Some dresses only work with or without tights and only with a certain type of shoe but this actually works to create a summery look and more of an autumn outfit...

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Because it's still August I've styled it really simply with a waist belt and a pair of brown sandals but this would easily work with tights and boots, I'm so looking forward to wearing this in Autumn as well as right now. Can you imagine how nice this will look with a pair of thick black tights, flat boots and a scarf?

This particular denim dress is from Joules* which isn't a brand I would normally consider simply because I associate their clothes with being specifically for country folk and equestrian supplies but I couldn't be more wrong! They have some really lovely pieces and you can tell that they use high quality materials, I reckon this dress is going to be a part of my wardrobe for many years to come!

Denim Dress: Joules £49.95*
Tan Sandals: New Look £7.99
Waist Belt: New Look £1 (in store)

Michael Kors Tech Wallet

I'm not actually one for splashing the cash on bags, purses or shoes. I usually see spending big money on small things as a bit of a waste, I tend to consider how many clothes I could get for the money or how many lipsticks it would pay for - you get my drift. However, when I went to Florida in May I had my eye on something from Michael Kors, I knew the prices were slightly cheaper over there than in the UK so I thought it was the perfect opportunity to actually buy a designer piece.

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After much deliberation I settled on the Michael Kors Tech Wallet which not only holds money & cards but it also has a space for a phone. It's slightly smaller than the traditional zip around purse but it has a zipped compartment for coins as well as 3 card slots (doesn't sound a lot but I tend to organise my cards so my most used ones are easily accessible). Tech wallets retail for around £125 in the UK but I paid the equivalent of around £75 in the US so I made quite a good saving! I know compared to some designers Michael Kors is one of the more affordable brands but £75 is still a lot for me to spend and not feel guilty about it!
Made of saffiano leather, the three stripe design really caught my eye because it's modern but quite a classic design. Tan and white seemed like a really nice summery to the usual black accessories that I would normally choose and the gold hardware finishes it off beautifully. Trouble is, I'm now looking out for the perfect bag to match...

When you love something, buy it in 3 colours

Might seem extreme to some people buying the same pair of sandals in 3 different colours but I couldn't resist with these wide fit sandals from New Look. I go through a lot of shoes, I'm on my feet all day so they seem to wear pretty easily and I have wide feet so regular shoes sometimes aren't very comfy but this particular design are perfect; they're comfy, stylish and affordable... I'm so tempted to buy them in the coral colour aswell. I got all three of these pairs for a total of £23.97 which I think is an absolute steal for such a nice pair of sandals!

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Wide Fit Sandals £7.99 New Look

Boux Avenue DD+ Swimwear Red Polka Dot Bikini

As you can imagine, with my weight loss came a new found confidence for my holiday; I could go shopping and literally pick anything I liked off the shelves because I knew there'd be a size to fit. Bikini shopping used to be really quite tiresome for me, I never thought I looked nice in anything so even the prettiest styles were wasted on me. However, no matter what size I've been I've always liked Boux Avenue lingerie and swimwear.
Luckily for me, there's a store pretty local to me in Meadowhall and I've always found the service in there second to none. I've had bra fittings in department stores etc. but they just don't match up to what you get in Boux Avenue. Everything in store is luxury, the layout, the smell, the fitting rooms and the service you receive, my husband came with me when I bought the bikini I'm featuring today and even he said it was the nicest shop he'd ever walked in (and he usually hates shopping!).
No matter how many times I buy from Boux Avenue I always try things before I buy, not only because I want to know they fit but also because I love their fitting rooms. They're so beautifully decorated and the lovely Boux Avenue ladies are always on hand at the push of a button to come and help with any fitting questions or general advice... and I won't lie I do like the fact that you can change the lighting in your own individual fitting room.
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Regular fitting rooms and stores in general are known for having awful fluorescent lighting, however Boux Avenue give you 3 lighting options when you're trying on their gorgeous pieces: day, dusk and night because let's be honest you're very rarely in the cold light of day when you've just got your smalls on so you want to see how someone else (ie. your significant other) sees you. Because on this particular occasion I was trying on a bikini, I used the day setting but usually I use the dusk lighting which is much more forgiving and for me shows what I have in the best light possible.

Anyway... onto what I bought, I took in pretty much the whole of their DD+ collection of bikinis into the changing room because I just couldn't narrow it down. I'm a 36F so the theory that 'all big bikinis/lingerie are ugly' is blown totally out of the water because the choice in Boux Avenue really is big, meaning that there's something for everyone.
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After spending at least 20 minutes trying on and deciding, I eventually settled on a beautiful red and white polka dot bikini with a halter neck and short style bottoms. It reminded me of Minnie Mouse, and seeing as I was going to the land of the mouse, how could I not choose this one?!

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It was packaged beautifully which just adds to the total luxury that you get when shopping with Boux Avenue (you also get this gorgeous packaging if you order online) and it has their signature scent which you can smell when you take it out of the bag when you get home.

I personally much prefer shorts to bikini briefs because I just find them more comfortable, I also think that halter necks are most flattering on me because they give me the support I need without thick straps. The design of the Santa Barbara bikini reminds me of a retro pin-up style; something that Marilyn Monroe would wear. It's both comfortable and flattering whilst giving me full support and even a bit of a cleavage boost (not that I need much of one with my sizable chest!). 

Before I lost weight I would always air on the bigger side of things when buying any kind of clothing, swimwear or lingerie, but after having a proper fitting at Boux Avenue I actually found out that I was wearing a cup size smaller than I should have been but a back size bigger than I thought I was! So I was thinking I was a 38E when really I was a 36F, when I tried this on it fit so much better than any other bikini I had. It fit flush to my body in all areas so I could tell that it was a good fit, it also made my boobs look pretty good (even though I say so myself) because they were properly supported and not in a bra that was far too big!

Although this bikini was £44 altogether it was totally worth it, if there's one thing I think you shouldn't scrimp on its good fitting bras and bikinis. Wearing bras/bikinis which don't fit properly can be uncomfortable and potentially damaging to your body so if you haven't been measured for a while (or at all) Boux Avenue would be a great place to start, I can't praise their service enough especially in their Meadowhall store.

Boux Avenue cater for a wide range of sizes; from 30A up to a 40G in some styles and their knickers go up to a size 20. They also do shapewear, nightwear, hosiery and bridal bits... gah! I could honestly spend a fortune on their pieces, I love their Tori bras and I have my eye on their Fleure Floral Longline bra... so beautiful!
*The Santa Barbara Bikini was part paid for with a complimentary voucher from Boux Avenue, the rest was paid for with my own money.

Primark is the Best Place for Disney T-Shirts

Primark is undoubtedly the king of affordable Disney products and the beauty about buying them here and in Primark is that they're a fraction of the price that I would be paying in Florida or in the Disney Store in the UK. Each under £10, I got myself 3 t-shirts with different Disney character designs...

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The Minnie Mouse one is a slim fit t-shirt which I had to get in a bigger size because it is tight but it's meant to hug your figure more than the other two which are more of a loose fit with turned over sleeves. I think they'll be perfect to wear for either travelling or during the day with a pair of shorts, although I haven't quite decided whether it's going to be too hot even for t-shirts. And by that I don't mean I'm considering walking around with nothing on my top half, I'm just unsure as to whether I'll have to wear vests during the day.

They do stock a Bambi one which I loved but they didn't have my size, they also do a Finding Nemo one and several other non-Disney character and band tops and t-shirts. I'm sure lots of you will be partial to a good character t-shirt, if you are then Primark is definitely the place to be at the moment. They also do some cute socks in Disney and some other prints but they were £2.50 per pair, a little steep for Primark, no? Anyway, these t-shirts were all £6 each and a selection should be available in most UK Primark stores.