Category Archives: shopping

The Wish List That will make my Mum have kittens*

18th March 2017
I’ve always been a bit of a daredevil- the first to the top of the climbing frame as a child, the one who wanted to swing the highest. It carried on throughout my youth- abseiling, kayaking, climbing, high ropes, parasailing- I was game on for anything [unless it involved caves or tunnels, then I was much happier sat on the sidelines].

It’s all fallen a bit by the wayside since I hit my twenties but that doesn’t mean the urge isn’t there, and now I’m on my renewed mission to get back to health and fitness I’m finding myself coveting gems from my childhood to ease myself in- from scooters to rollerblades I want it all, bringing me to today’s wish list featuring products from Proline Skates

So why the title of this post? Well, lets just say I’m not the most graceful of human beings. If anyone is going to injure themselves during an activity it’s usually me [it doesn’t even have to be sport, I slipped two discs shopping in Aldi and broke my foot in Zara!] Every time I mention wanting to get back to doing things that will give me an adrenalin rush I’m met with eye rolls and “is that REALLY a good idea?”

I happen to think it’s a brilliant idea personally- but perhaps erring on the side of caution I’ll start with a scooter or skates and work my way up. As much as I like the buzz I am quite keen to avoid a trip to A&E having made it 18 months without one and I’d also quite like my dignity to stay in tact.

That said, I’m toying with the idea of a trampoline park gathering for my birthday celebrations with friends- you can imagine how that idea went down!

Are you a bit of a dare devil? Any random accident stories to regale me with?

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Posted in fitness, life, shopping, wish list

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All the Embroidery

13th March 2017
Just in case you hadn’t gathered by now, I love this seasons embroidery trend. A lot. It’s probably the only trend I’ve actively followed- and to be honest, other than the one for all things pink (which I also love) it’s the only one I really know about.

Jumper: Primark (recent) | Skirt: Vintage | Ankle Boots: New Look

I picked up this skirt when I went to the Bristol Textile Recyclers Vintage Kilo Sale back in October and it’s been hanging in my wardrobe waiting to be worn ever since. It’s vintage Monsoon and I love it- there are some gorgeous embroidery detail skirts on the high street at the moment (I especially love this one and this one) but a lot of them are just SO short, and now I’m rapidly approaching my 30th birthday I’m starting to wonder if I’m getting a bit too old to sport a mini skirt at all times and so I’ve decided to embrace the midi a bit more. The only trouble with this skirt is that it’s a pencil skirt, something I usually steer away from and because of this I was at a bit of a loss of how to style it. As soon as I saw this hummingbird embroidered jumper in Primark for a mere £12 I knew it would make a good partner for it so snapped it up, resisting the urge to size up as I usually do- I think that might be the key with pencil skirts, opt for a more fitted top half as well, although slouchy longer tops do seem to work well too.

Footwear was another problem especially as it’s still a bit too nippy to bring out the ballet flats or sandals. In the end it was my trusty pewter ankle boots that saved the day, and despite these photos not being the greatest representation of the outfit (thanks to the persistent drizzle) it’s an outfit I really loved and I wish now I’d put a bit more effort in to making sure things were tucked in properly, popping on some brighter lipstick and persevering until I had photos I was happy with. I’m struggling a lot with my inner perfectionist at the moment and it’s leading to a lot of dissatisfaction with most aspects of my blog and with my life in general, ho-hum. It’s taken me forever to get around to writing this post as I didn’t deem the photos worthy enough and sometimes I get the urge to delete my entire blog and start again.

How do you silence your inner critic? And how are you wearing the embroidery trend?

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Posted in fashion, life, life stuff, outfits, shopping, trends

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A Vintage Wish List with Rokit*

10th March 2017
I always have, and always will have a special place in my heart for vintage fashion. It’s what got me interested in the industry in the first place and despite not owning very much vintage myself these days (although my collection is growing thanks to events like the Vintage Kilo Sale I went to last year) I have a list of websites I visit regularly to lust over their latest offerings and compile wish list after wish list.
One of those shops is Rokit who began life as a market stall in Camden in 1986. Since then they have opened four physical stores in London as well as having a virtual treasure trove of a website that features hand picked items of retro and vintage clothing.
The pieces for sale on the Rokit website include vintage classics, designer finds as well as re-worked pieces making it perfect for the style conscious, eco-friendly and lovers of the eccentric alike. I’ve picked out just a handful of pieces that have caught my eye- some on the eclectic side of things such as the Teddy Bear print vintage Moschino dress and others that fit perfectly in to current trends- these include the vintage 1960s Levis denim jacket as well as the gorgeous pink lace dress which would be just perfect for S/S17.

Price wise things are pretty on-par with other vintage retailers- I suppose even the second hand market needs to be competitive these days! Dresses start from around £20 which I don’t think is too bad, unfortunately for me the pink lace dress is £65 which means it must remain wish list only, but it really is a beautiful piece and you won’t find every girl and her dog wearing it on your local high street. There is also an impressive array of shoes and bags on the website which I didn’t dare allow myself to browse for too long…

Where do you head for vintage pieces? Tell me about your best ever find in the comments below.

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Posted in fashion, shopping, vintage, wish list

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Girl Power!

08th March 2017

I love a good slogan t-shirt so when Teespring got in touch to introduce themselves and offered me the chance to pick out one of the many t-shirts they have for sale to feature on the blog I wasted no time in taking a look.

Tee c/o Teespring (get it here) | Trousers: Monki (get them here) | Shoes: Zara (sale find)

This outfit is an usual one for me- firstly I don’t think I’ve ever owned a bright yellow item of clothing before but I was really taken with this “Girl Power” design. It costs £22.00 which is reasonable for a high quality tee (prices vary, some tees are just £15 & there are also sweatshirt and hoodie options) with the added bonus that when you purchase this particular design 25% of every sale will be donated to International Woman’s Day charity partners Catalyst and WAGGGS (more info). It happens to be International Woman’s Day today, 8th March and it’s a cause we should all be paying attention to- aiming to achieve a more gender equal world and workplace.

The second reason this outfit is unusual for me is because, well, trousers! I don’t often do trousers although I seem to have spent half my life looking for the perfect pair that suit both smart and casual occasions. I spied these in Monki when shopping with a friend and although I wasn’t intending on making a purchase at the time, once on I knew I had to. These are exactly what I want from my trousers- half elasticated waist included and at £25 they were a steal. They also come in black which I’ll be picking up at some point, perfect for my hopefully imminent return to work or for dressing down with slogan t-shirts and converse/flats.

What do you think of this outfit? Let me know if you decide to design something on Teespring- you never know, it might be your design I wear next!

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Posted in brands I love, charity, outfits, shopping

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Uk Travel Bucketlist: Liverpool*

06th March 2017
I’ll admit I’m not particularly well travelled when it comes to the UK- not when it comes from venturing North of the South West at least. Devon and Cornwall I’ve done a lot thanks to spending most childhood Summers there and it being a relatively short drive away for days out and weekend trips. For some reason the opposite direction has always held less appeal to me and apart from Birmingham, Leicester and Melton Mowbray I’m struggling to think of other places I have visited.

That’s not to say I don’t want to though and I have a long list of places I’d like to pay a visit to when time and money allows (and of course it will be so much easier when I’m driving). These places include a LONG overdue trip up to Leeds to visit my brother as well as places like Manchester and Liverpool for the shopping scene- yep, I’m basing my travel bucket list on the places I most want to shop.

Home to some fantastic Liverpool restaurants and a huge array of some of my favourite shops- think Zara, Victoria’s Secret and All Saints as well as high end retailers like Michael Kors and Reiss as well as the UK’s only Beauty Bazaar in Harvey Nichols, Liverpool One is pretty high up on my list of places to visit. There is also a Disney Store which I admit is a huge pull for me despite being almost 30 as they are few and far between these days and there is almost always something I want from there- namely their mugs because a girl can never have too many mugs right?

Liverpool One is also home to some of my favourite places to eat- although I’ll be honest and say I’m not the most adventurous or experienced at eating out (yet, it’s a work in progress). Jamie’s Italian is one of my favourite dining chains and I’d definitely be making a pit stop there, and given that it’s likely to be at least a one night trip if not more I’m sure visits to Nandos, Pizza Express as well as several coffee stops and a cheeky prosecco at the end of the day will also happen.

Here’s a handy guide to what is on at Liverpool One right now.

What's going on at Liverpool One_ (2)
So, aside from Leeds, Liverpool and Manchester where else do I need to be adding to my UK travel list? I’m open to lesser known places too- I’m not solely about the shopping, I’m more than happy to soak up some culture and visit as many tourist attractions as you throw at me. Once I’m driving there will be no stopping me (aside from the seemingly ever climbing cost of petrol that is!)

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Posted in shopping, travel

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