Tag: Denim Jacket

The Need For Balance & A Social Time Out

Maybe There Is Such Thing As Too Much Fun

I well and truly feel like I’ve burnt the candle at both ends. You know that friend that will say yes to social plans 95% of the time, even the super last minute ones, well that’s me. The problem is, not being one to say no means I’m like this even when I have a thousand other things on my plate and eventually it often leads me to grinding to a complete and utter halt. I say this, but obviously work still needs to carry on, previously made social plans are still in the diary and meanwhile my mind is ready to switch off, I’m left feeling unmotivated and the most appealing option is to go into hibernation.

I think a big part of this comes down to not wanting to disappoint and trying to always be there for the people around me. When I say no to something or have to cancel plans I’m always left feeling so guilty, when in reality I know my friends and loved ones would understand, but I just can’t help feeling bad. There’s also the occasional fear of missing out and for the most part I just love having fun, so will rarely pass up the opportunity.

And that’s the thing, I do have a lot of fun. I can think of so many memories from this year alone that will set me off giggling just thinking about them. I’ve been able to spend some quality time and make great memories with some of my favourite people and I’ve had a lot of pretty cool adventures.

Whilst I sometimes do well with juggling it all, I need to remember that I occasionally need to stop in order to prevent me from eventually dropping everything. Saying no and easing up my social calendar is something I’ve never been great at and I absolutely love making plans, but it’s vital I get better at it in order to allow myself to have some rest and recuperation.

They talk about the work/life balance but I feel like I need ‘time out’ thrown in there too. I don’t mean stopping everything altogether, I just mean giving myself periods where I take a step back from social engagements and focus on work and me time, instead of trying to fit everything in all at once and eventually burning out altogether. This is just a reminder to myself that it’s okay to say no, it’s okay to not be available for everything and it’s okay to have those days that you might not have other plans but that you keep free anyway, even just to have a day for yourself.

Samio x

Shop The Look

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September 1, 2017
Decluttering, Changing Old Habits & Trying Out The Capsule Wardrobe

It was around last autumn that I had started to majorly downsize my wardrobe and had began thinking about creating a capsule wardrobe, which I talked about here. At the time the thought of clearing out the majority of my clothes to focus on the limited amount of items that I actually wore and refine that selection to create a ‘capsule wardrobe’, was both scary and exciting. Even once I’d got into the swing of mix and matching certain pieces on repeat, I still had a large selection of clothes that I’d been hoarding (but never wore) incase I ‘got bored’ or ‘needed something different’. As the weeks and months passed, I realised those were two scenarios that never actually occurred and although I was quite content with my new outlook on style and how I now dressed/shopped, I still wasn’t quite ready to let go of my safety blanket – which was basically all of the clothes that I was keeping for the sake of keeping them.

Trying To Start Anew

Although I was no longer adding to my unworn clothing collection, the clothes were still there. There were plenty of clear outs (I actually lost count) but it was the last and biggest one that was the hardest. I knew I didn’t want to take all of that stuff to my new house but a part of me didn’t want to part with most of it either. So for a good while, there it sat, bagged up, between homes, unsure of where it was going. It annoyed me, it got in my way, it definitely pissed me off but for some reason I just couldn’t part with it…until eventually I actually forgot what was in some of the bags and so then I knew, it was definitely time to let it go. It still sounds a lot easier than it actually was – I mean, it’s just clothes after all – but I’m so glad that I eventually did it.

Where I’m At Now

Fourteen months later and I’m finally at the place I had only been able to dream about a year ago. It sounds extreme but at the time, I had discovered a few things that really made me want to change my clothes shopping habits (something I’ll go into more in a future post) and I also started to realise that I really wasn’t finding fulfilment from all the things I owned and that the clutter I had created was just causing a distraction, not to mention slowing me down when it came to something as simple as getting ready in the morning (I definitely do better with a lot less choice). Fourteen months later I moved into our house with one suitcase of clothes plus a coat and a few jackets (that I bagged up separately) and I’m currently the happiest I’ve been with my style and my wardrobe in a long time.

…And The Capsule Wardrobe

As for the capsule wardrobe, I don’t strictly have one. I’m much more of a go with the flow person and if I really love something I’m not going to stop myself from buying it just because it doesn’t stick to a certain number of items. I do however like to stick to certain colour pallets. I’ve moved away from bold prints and bright colours, instead favouriting more ‘grown up’, muted tones but that’s not to say that it isn’t possible to have a brightly coloured capsule wardrobe or even just a pop of colour when you fancy it (as I had lots of fun trying to create an example of here). Limiting what I let into my wardrobe has just helped me to discover that I now prefer to dress much more relaxed and casual and I feel most comfortable in more minimal, simple pieces. I also think that if you’re like me and maybe don’t like to stay completely within the rules but can be helped by a little guidance, just planning a capsule wardrobe can be a great way to help you realise the things you actually really want in your wardrobe and it can also be a great way to help you to refine your style.

The Verdict

Without rambling on too much longer (I could honestly talk about this topic for hours), in a nutshell, decluttering has been a long and slow process but one I’m definitely glad I started. It’s helped me think differently about how I shop and yet buying less, opting for better quality when possible and owning less has actually left me feeling much happier about the way I dress and the pieces I own. I guess I can now say I really understand the meaning of ‘less is more’.

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Thank you to the fabulous kind hearted soul that is Onyi for taking these fabulous photos for me and thank you to those of you who actually read this post to the end because I know it was a long one.

You can read more about my decluttering journey here.

Samio x

October 10, 2016
Weekday Jeans

Hello! I have to start by saying, it’s been a while. Yes I have very much neglected my little space on the internet over these past few weeks, which is something that has frustrated me at times but I think my reasons have been somewhat justifiable, as work has been really busy at the moment and when I’ve not been shooting, there’s been lots of long days and late evening spent at our house doing D.I.Y and finally we’re starting to see things take shape and it’s slowly starting to come together. Although we still have a lot to do (it’s definitely been the biggest project of our lives so far), we hope to finally be getting in our house very soon and I cannot wait!

Anyway, onto the outfit post and I finally made a couple of summery(ish) additions to my wardrobe. I absolutely love these Weekday jeans that I got from Asos. I tend to struggle finding the right fit with jeans and usually just live in the same couple of pairs on repeat. Not only do I love the fit and style of these jeans but I also love the fact that they are made from leftover materials…I also decided it was finally time to purchase a pair of sandals after spending the majority of my summer so far in Converse. I’m not usually much of a sandal person but I actually really like these and I’m pleased to say that they are pretty comfortable too. Let’s just hope the good weather continues so that I can get plenty of wear out of them.

Sandals – Asos | Jeans – Weekday | Jumper – Asos (similar here) | Denim Jacket – Pieces (similar here) | Bag – Whistles

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Samio x

August 29, 2016
A Slow Start To Summer

Hello summer, hello…winter boots!? Okay so summer is finally here, it’s official but unfortunately the weather here in the UK still has quite a bit of catching up to do. I didn’t quite expect to be pulling out a pair of my black winter boots in the middle of June but a pro to the weather situation is that it’s buying me a little more time whilst I figure out exactly which summer pieces I’d like to add to my wardrobe.

Since downsizing my wardrobe quite considerably over these past few months, I’m finding it hard to now let new pieces in. I feel like I’ve tried on so many clothes and made so many summer orders, all of which haven’t been right or I have sent back, as I’m finding it hard to buy or keep things unless I absolutely love them. I’m guessing this can only be a good thing but at the same time I’m finding it harder than I had expected to transition my wardrobe for summer…In the mean time though I’ll continue to mix and match my current pieces, whilst still on the hunt for a few of those all important summer essential, because when the sun does finally decide to show its face, I plan to be ready!

Jeans – Topshop | Denim jacket – Pieces | T-shirt – (Similar here) | Skinny Scarf – Topshop, old (Similar here) | Boots – Office | Bag – Matt & Nat (in gravel)

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Samio x

June 22, 2016
Triple Denim

I’m currently loving denim, in fact, for the most part of this year it’s been a re-occurring theme in the majority of my outfits. But then denim does go with just about anything right?

Again, another very ‘mix & match’ denim piece has been added to my wardrobe and it’s this black denim Pieces jacket from online boutique Dizen. When asked if I’d like to pick out one of their items, I was instantly drawn to this denim jacket, as I’d been on the hunt for a black one for a while. It’s one of those easy to style pieces and as it’s black, it means it’s very versatile when wearing it with other shades of denim.

I guess you could call this a super safe way to wear triple denim (that’s right, not double but triple), as I went for black skinny jeans, my new denim jacket and I added an extra layer by wearing my old cropped washed denim jacket underneath. The result is something that isn’t as scary as it sounds and the layering aspect adds a nice touch whilst actually being rather practical with the current weather here in England.

Black denim Jacket – Dizen | Cropped Denim Jacket – Similar Here | Boyfriend Shirt – Gap (old), Similar Here | Skinny Jeans – Topshop | Backpack – Zara (old), Similar Here | Trainers – Converse

Samio x

Some of the items may have been sent to me for review purposes, however this does not affect my opinions – check out my disclaimer for further information.

May 3, 2016
The Versatile Jumpsuit – Casual OOTD

I love owning garments that are super versatile. What better way to simplify your wardrobe than by purchasing items that can be worn for a variety of occasions.

You may recognise this jumpsuit from my previous blog post, where I styled it for a Wedding look. It’s funny how just by losing the bling and throwing on simple pumps and a cropped denim jacket, it’s instantly transformed into a cute and casual day to day outfit.

I wore this whilst wondering around Hamburg last weekend and was able to keep it casual whilst still feeling elegant.

I’ve been wearing this jumpsuit a lot recently and I’m already seeing it become a staple piece in my wardrobe. It’s so versatile and I love how I can wear it casual or dressy and even a simple jacket switch can change the look completely.

I think it’s great when you find garments that you can get lots of use out of, it often makes things so much easier when you have a ‘go to outfit’ to hand.

What I Wore/Shop The Look:
Culotte Jumpsuit – M&Co
Cropped Denim Jacket – H&M (Similar Here)
Necklace – Timeless Junk
Crochet bag – gift (Similar here)
Ballet flats – Gap (Similar here)

Samio x

Some of the items may have been sent to me for review purposes, however this does not affect my opinions – check out my disclaimer for further information.

June 29, 2015