Tag: fashion

How I’m Incorporating Spring Pieces Into My Wardrobe Early

Oh winter weather how I am so over you. I think it’s nice before Christmas and all, you get a bit of snow and everyone is off their heads with excitement ‘It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas’ and all that…Then January comes along, it seems to get even colder and I am well and truly, completely, over it. Such a positive note to start a blog post on, but who is with me here?

It’s not often I feel obliged to focus an entire blog post solely on the subject of clothes these days (as we know I like to chat about other things on my brain and rather share my outfits in the photos) but it’s actually something I’ve been thinking about a lot lately.

I really do think the way you dress can affect your mood and whilst I’m mostly a happy person, I’ve began to feel a bit ‘meh’ about my current outfits of late. Whilst a winter wardrobe can be exciting, there’s only so many times I can go out in the same roll neck and jeans combination before I become utterly unenthused about it. Now this of course is partially my own fault. Whilst the winter wardrobe can become repetitive due to having to opt for those ‘go to’ layers, I also don’t think I’ve helped myself by mostly opting for a selection of muted tones and very safe pieces. Don’t get me wrong, I like my muted tones and easy re-stylers, those are my staples which I will of course pull out year after year but I am now feeling more than ready to inject some colour back into my wardrobe.

Not only am I looking to bring more colour back into my wardrobe but I also want to mix things up with my style a little bit too. I recently did a video all about this, where I planned my style for spring/summer and it actually got me excited about my outfits once again. I however am impatient. I want to wear my spring pieces and I want to wear them now. So that’s exactly what I am going to do.

I got this fabulous polka dot skirt from Finery in the sale recently and as soon as I saw it I fell in love with it. It adds a little bit more fun to my look whilst still being a very ‘me’ piece. I’ve always had a thing for polka dots and it’s a pattern that my wardrobe has seen plenty of throughout the years. I feel a print like this is so versatile and will easily see you right through from winter to spring.

I’ve missed wearing skirts and dresses and I love how a midi skirt like this is actually a great alternative to jeans when you’ve started to feel a bit ‘same-y’ and want to mix things up a bit. From the biker jacket to the boots, these are the usual pieces that I’d wear day to day with jeans, but by swapping out the jeans for a flowing skirt, it gives the outfit a completely different look.

But what about the cold? I hear you say. Well don’t worry, your girl has got you covered, quite literally, because I am all about the layering. You probably already spotted the leggings here in this outfit combo, although I think if you have some knee or thigh high boots, this could also work fabulously, as I’m just sort of faking that look here. And what if one layer of leggings isn’t enough to keep you toasty? Then add a pair of tights underneath those, heck, add a pair of jeans whilst you’re at it too. Who knows what else is underneath there, that’s the beauty of a skirt…and on that note, let’s end this here.

That’s a lot of outfit talk from me for one post but if you couldn’t tell I am very excited for spring/summer and all of the fabulous outfit combinations it will bring with it. Until then, plan ahead, have fun and remember, layering is your best friend! Have you started thinking about your spring/summer outfits yet? Are you impatient like me?

Samio x

Boots – M&S (similar here) | Leggings – M&S | Skirt – Finery (same style here in pink) | Roll Neck – similar here | Biker Jacket – Topshop | Bag – Pinko (similar style here)

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January 24, 2018
Shooting In An Ugly Space & The Golden Hour

Making The Most Out Of A Space

I remember before Damien and I moved into our house, I used to get frustrated with the space I had to work in. When it came to shooting content for my blog, I would often have ideas in mind of the images I wanted to create and that didn’t quite seem to fit with my surroundings. Obviously doing street style shots has always been an option and something that I still love to do today, but when the weather doesn’t permit (which can be more often than not here in England), shooting indoors becomes the only option.

In my last blog post I talked about how I’ve been getting back into shooting self portraits, in order to improve my photography and editing skills and it’s something that I have been well and truly getting stuck into. I’ve been shooting almost daily in fact, when I can fit in the time and it’s true what they say, that practice makes perfect. I’m seeing my skills improving with each shoot and edit.

The problem with constantly using my space to shoot in however, is the fact that I’m running out of it. The idea of this ‘accidental project’, let’s call it, is that I want to push myself creatively and improve my skills when it comes to shooting and editing images for my blog and so I don’t want to repeat the same type of image over and over.

Whilst our living room and kitchen space have been come together quite nicely, as we near the end of our house renovation, the rest of our house is still somewhat more of a work in progress. That being said, it actually occurred to me that it’s still possible to make the most out of any space. With this also being about me getting creating, working with the unfinished, or ‘ugly spaces’, pushes me to do just that.

I guess it’s easy to capture pretty or aesthetically pleasing shots, when the location does most of the hard work for you but when working in a space that is a down right shambles (like my current hallway situation for example), it forces you to get a bit more creative.

I really managed to utilise the golden hour for these shots and as the sun shone through into my hallway, the lighting was just beautiful. As I’m someone who is still very much practicing here, I’m not a pro when it comes to lighting and how best to capture it, but I know that as a simple rule, natural lighting is great and during the golden hour (just before the sun sets). It’s a prime time for that gorgeous golden lighting.

Tripod to the ready and I quickly set myself up ready to capture my shots in the brief window I had before the perfect sunlight finally set. Whilst capturing my outfit and working with the stairs, I also had to capture a few close up beauty shots because the lighting was just too juicy not to take advantage of. The way the lighting and shadows fell, it really framed the shots nicely and considering this is an ugly space, I’m really happy with how these shots turned out.

As for my outfit, because it would be rude not to talk a bit about it whilst I’m here (this is primarily a style blog after all), I’ve pretty much been living in the same old favourites recently. I guess that’s why they call them staple pieces, because they are the items in your wardrobe that bring all the pieces together and that you wear the most. Well this is an entire outfit of staple pieces right here. The roll neck I purchased last winter from Tesco. I was doing a food shop when I spotted it and it’s been a go to item in my winter wardrobe ever since. The jeans need no introduction because they are a pair of my most loved and most worn (frequently featured here on the blog), from & Other Stories…and Converse, well they need no explanation really do they.

Oh and if you’re interested, this is a hair and makeup look I’ve been wearing a lot recently (mainly to protect my hair during the Winter months) and I’ve just done a get ready with me video on it, which you can watch here. Anyway, that’s all for today. Ciao for now!

Samio x

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Check out the hashtag #SamiosSelfPortraits on Instagram to see more of my recent self portraits. 🙂

December 13, 2017
Learning To Go With The Flow

Going With The Flow

The idea of going with the flow sounds like something easy breezy but the reality is, it can often be quite the opposite. Going with the flow has the connotation of allowing yourself to bob along with the current of the river, which sounds simple…but then what if that current is going in the complete opposite direction to which you had planned.

We’ve likely all had times when going with the flow has led us to something fun or exciting, be it heading out for an evening with friends or throwing ourselves into a new work role with no real plan of what’s in store. Sometimes however we can find ourselves feeling forced to go with a flow that we aren’t quite as optimistic about. I think this is when the idea of what it really means to go with the flow is put into place. It’s not necessarily letting the flow completely take control of you and whisk you on down that river (right direction or not) but rather learning to ride the current so that even if things are taking you in a different direction than you’d planned, you are still able to work with it and prevent yourself from getting swept under.

Metaphors aside, I think the point I’m trying to make here is that even the most detailed life plan is bound to change, as the flow and direction of our lives are ever evolving. It’s normal to be faced with challenges or feel that we aren’t moving in the right direction from time to time. What’s important is that we allow ourselves to adapt with it and understand that no flow is continuously going to be a smooth one but if we allow ourselves to learn and grow from it, then that is the true art of going with the flow.

Samio x

Boots – Topshop (old, similar here) | Skirt – Next (UK) | Shirt – Enlist (similar here) | Biker Jacket – Topshop | Bag – All Saints | Watch – Thomas Sabo

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October 9, 2017
Practical Pieces For a British Spring Summer

Hello there! I’m excited to be coming at you with a new outfit post…finally! It seems that Spring has finally sprung (almost/sort of) here in Manchester and I’ve finally had the opportunity to wear some of my new glad rags.

I find shopping/dressing for Spring and Summer in the UK a bit of a tricky one, as while the shops tend to be filled with short shorts and cute little dresses, the weather here doesn’t always quite reflect that.

As much as I’d love to fill my wardrobe with a selection of gorgeous sun dresses and be done with it, it’s unfortunately not often the most practical option and unless you’re jetting away for the majority of the summer, it’s likely you’ll need a few ‘sensible’ summer pieces, to see you through those not so summery summer days. I have recently added two practical summer pieces to my wardrobe…

The Perfect Pants

If you watch my Youtube videos, you will have seen that in a few of my recent style videos I have been on the hunt for the perfect pair of culottes. It seems like a pretty simple piece to find right? But not when you are a miss fussy pants like me, who won’t settle until you find exactly what you have in mind. Luckily my search recently concluded in Topshop and after trying on a couple of pairs, I found just what I was after with these black wide leg trousers.

Now I know these trousers are rather simple but it’s basic pieces like these that I love to have in my wardrobe because I know I’m going to get so much wear out of them. The fit and quality is all there with these culottes and I like how they are in a fabric that doesn’t easily crease because I hate getting creases after sitting down for five minutes. These trousers also make the perfect transitional piece as I try to move away from jeans. Not completely but just a little bit. I did actually think about putting myself on a denim ban for a little while but let’s face it, with my current wardrobe that just isn’t realistic.

…and a British Summer jacket

Enough about the perfect pants. I have another new found love to introduce with this cropped stripe jacket. I don’t tend to buy things that I’m not intentionally looking for, however when I saw this I had to make an exception.

I’m a big fan of high waisted pieces: High waisted jeans, skirts, culottes, you name it, it’s quite rare that I go for anything with a low rise waist and because of this, something I’ve felt I’ve been missing in my wardrobe for a while has been a cropped jacket.

The problem with cropped jackets however, is that finding the right crop and fit can be tricky, especially if you have a fuller bust. I like something that covers the waist line of my trousers (as this jacket does), so that it’s cropped enough to still show the shape of the trousers but not too short that it doesn’t properly cover my top half. The right fit is everything and I was so happy with the quality and fit of this cropped jacket I ordered on Asos. I went for a size 10 and the fit is just perfect.

This jacket is certainly a great piece for a British summer and I also I love that it’s quite a classic looking piece, meaning that I’ll be able to wear it over future summers too.

Shoes – Clarks (similar here) | Wide Leg Trousers – Topshop | Belt – Asos | Vest – (similar here) | Jacket – Asos | Bag – Pinko | Jewellery – Pernille Corydon

So those are a couple of my new in pieces. I’m pretty happy with these alternative basics for the on/off summertime we have here in the UK and I’ll be getting plenty of wear out of them I’m sure. I’ll be sharing another new outfit later this week so be sure to check back if you’d like to see that, but in the mean time have a fabulous week!

Samio x

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*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.

April 24, 2017
What To Wear In Lisbon

Today I’m sharing the final look from my Lisbon trip, which I feel is long overdue, considering the trip was almost a month ago and now my next trip is in less than a week!

Anyway I’m still excited to share this look, as it was my favourite outfit of the trip and in this spot we found the perfect setting, with the blue tiled walls in the back, which complimented what I was wearing perfectly.

Before our travels I’d wondered what to wear in Lisbon, and more so, what to wear in Lisbon during the winter? I knew the weather was going to be milder than in England around this time and I was also aware that a lot of European cities tend to keep it pretty casual, which of course was fine by me.

I did pack heeled boots for the trip, just incase I wanted to step things up a notch in the evenings, however I found myself repeatedly reaching for my trusty Converse. In fact my friend L’Oréal and I both didn’t stop wearing our Converse and found ourselves ‘twinning it’ for the majority of the trip. We even wore our Converse for a night out, which was just as well, as we ended up dancing away until the early hours of the morning, which made it sheer bliss being heel-free.

Although we mostly kept it casual, that isn’t to say that we didn’t put some effort into our dressing. Being able to ditch several layers due to slightly better weather, got me excited to re-work some of my outfit favourites. You will see me repeatedly rocking my Mint Velvet 3 in 1 coat back home but it had been a while since I’d be able to wear it sleeveless. It worked perfectly with this Topshop shirt. Although I’ve been wearing this shirt quite frequently, I haven’t had much chance to show off the wonderful sleeves on it whilst out and about, as they are usually covered up by the sleeves of my coat. I felt the two pieces worked perfectly together and I can’t wait to team them together agin when the weather starts to warm up a little at home.

Finally, a quick note about the jeans. They are of course my favourite go to Farleigh style from Asos (which I wear repeatedly) but you may have noticed the slightly lighter shade of denim. That is of course because I decided to add a third pair to my wardrobe, which I actually featured here. However I since decided to cut the hem off the bottom, which I’m very glad I did because I think it changed them up a little bit.

Anyway, that’s all for now. It’s surprising how much you can waffle on about one outfit but if you’d like to hear more about my Lisbon trip you can check out my travel guide here.

Samio x

Shirt – Topshop | Jeans – Asos | Coat – Mint Velvet | Bag – Kate Spade | Trainers – Converse

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February 8, 2017
A Not So Blue Monday & A Lisbon Look

Oh hello first blog post of 2017! I’m a little late to the party, I know, but sometimes it takes me a while to get back into the swing of things…Anyway, today I’m feeling very contented (however tired) after a weekend away in Lisbon with my friend L’Oréal.

Today is apparently meant to be Blue Monday (supposedly the most depressing day of the year for us Brits), but for me I’m feeling very much the opposite and I have to admit having just had one of the most fun city breaks away might have something to do with it.

I’ve realised that one of my favourite things to do is travel. Strangely not in the sense of leaving home for six months to live somewhere afar (I’m far too much of a lover of my home for that), but I definitely enjoy the excitement of hopping on a plane for a weekend, or a week, or two away, to experience a different part of the world and try somewhere new.

After returning home from a trip abroad I’m always left feeling so happy that I’ve been able to experience another part of the world and make memories with some of my favourite people as well as meeting new people along the way.

This year I plan to do a lot more travelling and I’m happy to say that I already have a few more trips planned out, which is ideal because nothing sparks wanderlust in me more than a trip away in the first place.

Lisbon certainly kicked off the first trip of the year on the high and you can expect to see a photo heavy blog post all about my trip here once I’ve gone through all 915 photos on my camera, and how ever many more I took on my phone (yes, we got very snap happy).

For now I’ll share with you one of my outfits from the weekend away, which is this (you guessed it) casual and comfy ensemble…and I have to say I’m very glad that I made my Converse my footwear of choice for this trip because Lisbon has a lot of hilly cobbled streets, so practical footwear was a must!

Samio x

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January 16, 2017
Winter Wardrobe Upgrade With The 3 In 1 Coat

If you’re a regular to my blog, you’ll know how important versatility and wearability is when it comes to any new pieces that I allow into my wardrobe. When searching for a coat I can often find it overwhelming as there are so many styles out there that it can be hard to find ‘the one’, especially when wanting to invest in something good quality that can endure a number of seasons…

As soon as I saw the Navy Three In One Trench Coat, from Mint Velvet’s new collection, MINT, I instantly fell in love…Braking all my rules and saying yes to navy, I definitely managed to tick the box for versatility, as what’s more versatile than a coat that can be worn three different ways!? I can’t wait to keep re-styling this over the coming Autumn/Winter months. Can you tell how excited I am about this coat! Anyway, enough babbling, I’ll let the images do the rest of taking, and don’t forget to check out my mini Lookbook video at the end…

One

Shirt – Y.A.S | Skinny Scarf – Asos (similar here) | Skirt – Asos | Belt – Asos (Similar here) | Boots – Office |Bag – Kate Spade | Coat – Mint by Mint Velvet

Two

Three

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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.

October 17, 2016
Minimalistic Styling

I’m currently musing over minimalist styling and androgynous tailoring. I find everyday styling easier when I have a more restricted colour palette to choose from. It’s time for me to invest in more muted tones (something which I thought I’d never say) and focus more on building up a good collection of staple pieces. This is something I already started to do a few months ago and since then, although the amount of clothing I purchase has massively reduced, I feel that my style has actually somewhat improved.

There are still many tweaks I want to make with my wardrobe. The clear out appears to be never ending but at least I finally find myself gradually becoming able to let go of more and more ‘unnecessary’ items from within my wardrobe.

I aim for a wardrobe consisting of more mix and match pieces, focusing on quality rather than quantity, with a good selection of garments that I truly love to wear.

You can follow my musing on my Minimalist Styling board over on Pinterest here.

A selection of simple mix and match pieces.

What type of styles do you like to draw inspiration from? Do you have any style goals?

Samio x

January 25, 2016
Simply Styled – The Black Shirt Dress

It’s November, time to dress in head to toe black – just kidding. Although this is my second outfit post in a row in which I am actually wearing all black, adding just a hint of colour with my shoes. Sometimes all black styling simplifies life just a little bit though, and it can allow you to play with coloured accessories instead, like I have done with these shoes.

These heels have been featured on my blog numerous times, they are those sturdy staples that seem to go with so much and have a quality that doesn’t seem to wear easily. I’m trying to purchase more items like that these days. For example my bag is a recent purchase and those of you who may have watched my most recent YouTube video, will know that it’s one of my new favourites. Like the shoes, you’ll be seeing a lot more of this bag in my future outfit posts. I plan on slowly introducing more good quality pieces into my wardrobe that I can wear and use time and time again.

With a piece like this black shirt dress from Ark, it’s also a great item to wear time and time again. On this occasion I was heading to the cinema but it could easily be worn for work, or styled casually with a pair of trainers. It’s currently been quite mild here in England, so a jacket wasn’t needed on this occasion, which is just as well because I’m yet to find the perfect winter coat.

What I wore – Shop the look
Dress – Ark (here)
Shoes – Urban Outfitters (old)
Bag – Whistles (here) – (or on sale in burgundy, here)

At the moment I’m really enjoying simple styling. Owning several items that are mostly interchangeable makes getting dressed so much easier.

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.

November 2, 2015
Taylor Morris Eyewear

Let’s talk about designer eyewear… If I’m being completely honest I’ve never been one to obsess over eyewear, unless you count that one time when I was around five. I cried when the optician told me I didn’t need glasses because it meant I couldn’t have the rainbow rimmed spectacles I’d been dreaming about… When I think about it, that was probably the last time I strongly desired a particular pair of glasses. Whilst as a teen, some of my friends couldn’t wait to purchase the latest designer shades, I was rocking the same one pound pair that I’d had for about three years and it never really bothered me…

Eventually vintage designer sunglasses became my thing, as I always love the idea of recycling fashion from the past. Although my eyewear collection had somewhat evolved since my teens, it wasn’t until very recently, when I was introduced to Taylor Morris eyewear, that I really started to appreciate the fascination with well designed and crafted eyewear.

I was invited along to the Taylor Morris Spring Summer 2016 Collection Presentation, along with a small group of bloggers and press for a champagne breakfast at Harvey Nichols in Manchester. Hugo Taylor and Charlie Morris, who founded the brand in 2013, talked us through their new collection and gave us an insight into Taylor Morris Eyewear.

I was truly fascinated by all the detail that goes into designing each pair of sunglasses to the highest standard. Even the name of each pair of shades has a story behind it, which is something I particularly like.

I bumped into the fabulous L’Oréal again.

I got the chance to pick out my own pair of shades and after trying on a few different styles, I then went for the Vivien shades in half Havana & half Amber acetate. I tried them on and fell in love with them. They are a different shape to what I’d normally go for but the style just won me over, as I love the brown gradient effect with the beautiful gold detailing inside the rim.

You could see that both Hugo and Charlie have a real passion for eyewear, which is something that is translated in their designs. There is something very classic yet unique about each piece and although new designs are set to come and go each season, there is certainly a sort of timelessness in their collections. I’m sure I’ll get plenty of wear out of my fabulous Vivien shades, especially when I go on holiday next week.

What I wore:
Blazer – Zara (Similar here)
Jeans – tophsop here
Heels – Pretty Little Thing (similar here)
Bag – Zara (similar here)

Shop Taylor Morris Eyewear here.

Samio x

October 13, 2015