Monthly Archives: June 2014

Sarenza Sunday: Ecentric

08th June 2014
Ok, so when it comes to footwear this season it would appear I’m a sucker for the trends. Generally I can take them or leave them when it comes to clothing- it’s easier to accept that not everything is going to suit you but when it comes to shoes it’s hard to find a style that you can’t pair with something and look fly as hell. After last week’s post on ugly shoes, this week I’m bringing you the slip-on sensation…seen on bloggers everywhere, and hopefully soon, me! Once again Sarenza have come up trumps with a huge selection.
Probably my favourite pair from the selection on Sarenza is the Ecentric by Steve Madden, £84.99. I’ve been a fan of Steve Madden shoes for a long time, and own a couple of pairs including some stunning glittery brogues. I love how clean these look and the leopard print adds an extra dimension. These would be just perfect with a pair of boyfriend jeans with turned up hems, or a denim pinafore dress…and then there is the fun of clashing patterns or pairing them with a super-girly dress. Never have casual shoes been so appealing!
What do you think of the slip-on trend? I’m loving the laid back vibe, especially for lazy weekends!

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Posted in sarenza, wish list

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May’s Degustabox

07th June 2014
I’ve really been enjoying doing this series of reviews on the monthly food subscription box Degustabox. I love not knowing what is going to turn up each month, and the variety of the contents requires thinking outside the box and trying new things. The May box less snack themed than some of the ones I have reviewed which means I am yet to try everything out, but I wanted to share my initial thoughts.
1. There was a definite Italian theme to the May box with pasta, passata and tomato puree as part of the contents. I’m not a big pasta eater and haven’t used this yet, but I am familiar with both brands (Cirio and Garofalo) and know they are quality products. I hope to make a bolognese bake recipe I’ve seen using these, I might share it if it’s a success!
2. The second photo shows the savoury contents of the box (and a fabulous cake release spray by Dr. Oetker which is just brilliant. I’ve used similar before but this one knocks the socks off of the competitors…HELLO hassle free baking!). The Finn Crisp crispbreads are the perfect vessel for houmus, although as a child I used to love these with just butter and a smidge of marmite. The packaging has given me a craving for smoked salmon and cream cheese so that will be my next combination. Yum! Sweet potato Kettle Chips are a crisp I’ll break my “I don’t like crisps” way of thinking for. With 50% less fat than standard fried vegetable crisps and a super tasty sweet chilli flavour these will be making their way in to my basket next time I’m in Waitrose despite the £2.49 price tag.
3. There was quite a selection of drinks in the May box, which I am yet to try with exception of the tea, which is heavenly. I do love a good fruit tea but it needs to taste like more than dirty water. This one is so not dirty water- super fruity blackcurrant enhanced by delicate elderflower. Another item I’ll be re-purchasing. The Ciders I’ll be passing on to Dad to drink as despite being from the West Country I’m not a fan of the stuff, same with the apple juice I think; as much as I am sure it’s gorgeous I just can’t bring myself to try it.
4. Last but not least we have the sweet stuff! The Elizabeth Shaw flutes were one of the first things I devoured- dark chocolate combined with crunchy cocoa nibs makes for a deliciously grown up treat which goes perfectly with an after-dinner (or breakfast, oops!) cup of coffee. The Raw energy gum is a genius invention which has aided me getting through the busiest week of the year so far. A far cry from my standard spearmint, this is full of flavour and really provides a bit of a kick!
So that’s my round up of the May box, which I believe is my last until I can afford to order some later in the year. If I’ve tempted you to try it then you can get the May box for £9.99, a £3.00 saving on the usual price when you use the code 651U1 at the checkout…let me know if you go for it and what you think!

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Posted in food

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In the Navy

06th June 2014
I’m known as “the cardigan lady” to many people who see me on a daily basis; I’m rarely spotted without one on my person, being a chilly being by nature I find them essential and more comfortable to wear than blazers or a jumper. I’ve been on the lookout for a navy blue one to add to my collection for a while now without much luck, I suppose it’s the wrong time of year, that and most of the ones in the shops are so either paper thin or cropped. The lovely people at Damart very kindly sent me a parcel of goodies from their new season collection then other week and in among it was THE navy blue cardigan I’ve been looking for (along with some other bits that will feature on the blog soon).

Cardigan c/o Damart | Dress c/o Laura Ashley | Boots: Jeffrey Campbell

The combination of the cardigan, plus this navy and orange striped dress that Laura Ashley sent me last year made for the perfect office wear (we have quite a relaxed dress code). I added these much neglected orange boots and some rose gold jewellery from Lola & Grace to finish the look.
I always struggle when it comes to dressing for work, I never used to but I seem to have outgrown all of my smarter clothes and seemingly never got round to replacing them. I do own a few smart pieces but I never know how to style them to make them work friendly, I do a lot more clinical work now which involves uniform so I haven’t spent much time/effort on what to wear on office days! Suddenly everything feels too short, and I really don’t get on well with pencil skirts, which tend to be a better length as they are super un-flattering on me! Time to hit up H&M and Primark I think!
Happy Friday everyone, I hope you have a great weekend planned!

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Posted in life, outfits

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In Reverse

05th June 2014
I’ll start off by saying that I’m not a clutch bag girl. I think I’ve only ever used one twice in my life, I just can’t travel light! But with a wedding on the horizon and having to think more and more about what I carry on a daily basis after my back troubles I’ve started to see the appeal of the minimal approach; that and seeing some seriously stylish bloggers rocking the clutches lately.
One of the best clutches I’ve seen this season is the Fleur reversible clutch bag from Paul’s Boutique. It comes in five reversible colour-ways, all fabulously fun and bright and spot on for the colour block trend. It’s a bargain too, as for £25 you are effectively getting two bags. My eye is on the pink one, which converts to a lovely bright blue.
Sorry for the super short post, this is probably my busiest week of the year! What do you think of these super-duper bags? Which colour combo would you pick? Sell me the benefits of clutches over carriers.

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Posted in accessories, wish list

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The Long and Short of It

04th June 2014
I finally got my hands on some dungarees! They are probably one of those items that people either love or hate, but for me it’s pure love and I have always been drawn to them. I wore this outfit last Sunday for a day of really not doing much at all, which is exactly what Sunday was invented for, right?

Tee: e-bay | Dungarees c/o Long Tall Sally | Sandals c/o Sarenza

It’s a shame it wasn’t a sunnier day as the photos were a bit hurried due to impending rain and a cool breeze, hard to believe it’s June and nearly officially Summer!
I love this Batman vest that I bought on e-bay last year for around three quid. I didn’t expect it to last one wash, but despite multiple wearings it has survived to last another year and it seemed like an excellent pairing with these dungarees, which fit like a dream thanks to the extra leg and body room that Long Tall Sally offer! They are a really lovely quality denim too, thick but soft so they are extra comfortable. I’ll be wearing these in some form or another all year round.
I’ve really been enjoying the trend for holographic shoes so the second I saw these ones on Sarenza last month I popped them in my basket. I always struggle with Summer shoes as they never seem wide enough for my monster feet…boots and trainers are so much easier to squish in to! These are a great fit though and despite being quite a statement will go with so much.
What’s your stance on dungarees?

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Posted in outfits, sarenza, shoes

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