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Tag: Finery

3 Ways To Wear A Corduroy Blazer

It’s not often these days that I walk into a store and purchase something shortly after having spotted it in the shop window. In fact, I don’t remember the last time this happened…until Friday. When I spotted this double breasted corduroy blazer in a beautiful retro pink, in the window of & Other Stories, I knew I had to have it. After trying it on I was soon at the till making my purchase and several days later I’m happy to say, I have no regrets!

I know a pink corduroy blazer may not be an obvious choice for a staple piece but my reason for being so hasty in my purchasing it, is that I know it will be a jacket that I’ll get so much wear out of.

I decided to size up in this blazer. & Other Stories sizes are weird (if you’re in the UK). I tend to go for a 36 in their clothes, which I believe equates to around a UK size 10. For this jacket however I decided to go one up and went for a 38. I have broad shoulders, I’m tall (5’9) and have long arms (promise I’m not an alien, although that description makes it sound like it). It’s a rarity for me that I find a jacket that fits on both my shoulders and arms without absolutely swamping me in the process. I wanted this jacket to be slightly oversized anyway and I love the way this one fits as I’m able to comfortably wear layers underneath it too.

The quality of this piece feels amazing, the fit (as I’ve mentioned is great) and it actually also looks good worn closed (which is something I rarely do with my blazers). Also a nice little detail which I really appreciate in jackets, is that it has a little inside pocket which is the perfect size to fit your phone. Anyway, on to the styling…

With Jeans and a tee

Whilst this is a pretty snazzy jacket, I know it will be something that I’ll be able to throw on day to day and just wear with a pretty cool and casual look. This jacket is quite thick, so it’s great for the Autumn period as the weather gets a little cooler. Here I’ve worn it with a pair of flared Joe’s Jeans (which I cut off at the hem to make them cropped), a fitted tee and my go to nude Adidas trainers.

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With All Black

I love how a statement jacket can jazz up an otherwise basic outfit. I’ve been really loving flares recently. I’ve realised that they really suit my shape and I’m currently all about the 70’s vibes too. The jeans are from Amazon’s clothing brand Find. I went for a size 26 and they fit like a glove. With heels and a cute cami this makes a great evening look. It’s the type of thing I’d wear for date night when off out for a meal and some drinks.

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Like A Cowboy

I’m not sure why but this third outfit combination is giving me serious cowboy vibes. Maybe it’s the double denim, or maybe it’s just me? Anyway, I love how denim works so well with this blazer. I do enjoy mixing textures and it’s the ultimate combination of smart and casual mixed together. I decided to go for my Weekday Ami jeans and Abercrombie denim jacket worn with the Finery boots I’ve had since last winter. I know I’ll be layering pieces under this jacket a lot as it gets colder, which makes me glad it’s the perfect fit to do so.

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Images and video shot by me. See more via #SamiosSelfPortraits

September 11, 2018
How To Stay Focused and Get Stuff Done

I’ve mentioned before that I am a huge procrastinator and it whilst it’s something I’ve had to learn to deal with over time, I’m also aware that it’s a trait I may never fully get rid of and so instead of letting it take over my productivity completely, it’s something I’ve learnt to manage over the years. I’d definitely say it helps to focus on one thing at a time and these are some things that help me when it comes to staying focused and getting stuff done…

Keep Your Area Tidy

If the thing you’re trying to get done is clean, then you’re basically already doing the task by doing this…but anyway, I’m definitely in agreement with the saying that ‘a tidy space equals a tidy mind’. Clutter can easily pile up, be it at your desk or in your home and often this can be a big distraction. I know if my area isn’t clean/tidy my focus will be drawn to the task of tidying up and it will get in the way of me solely focusing on something else.

Put Your Phone On Airplane Mode

I don’t know about you but for me one of my biggest distractions when it comes to getting things done, is my phone. I’ll find myself checking my emails, replying to friends messages and having a quick scroll through Instagram…I’ll basically find myself doing anything which doesn’t involve the task in hand. Even when you’re not actually on your phone, it’s easy for it can still be trying to grab your attention. I learnt a long time ago to turn app notifications off but I’ll still find myself at the beck and call to emails, phone calls and text messages.

The best thing to do when you’re trying to stay focused is to simply turn your phone onto airplane mode. If it so happens that the task at hand is replying to emails (oh how they can quickly pile up), then do it on your laptop or desktop if possible, close all tabs and have just that page open so you can focus on the task.

Set Yourself A Timer

This tip flows on from the previously one as I feel the two go hand in hand. Whilst checking out from the online world for a time can be great at eliminating a lot of distractions, it can also be somewhat daunting for us internet reliant folk. So give yourself a light at the end of the tunnel and set a timer. There’s no point torturing yourself, if you feel your attention span to stay 100% focused will only last 20 minutes, then set your timer for 20 minutes. After that time you can give yourself a five minute break. Maybe you really do need to check those emails. Do it, then get back to work. You might work like this in 20 minute time blocks with five minute breaks in-between and before you know it you’ve actually had a solid hours worth of focus.

Keep Hydrated

Whatever you’re doing, be it cleaning the house, sitting down to write, or replying to that overwhelming backlog of emails, make sure you keep that brain focused by hydrating it. I always drink plenty of water throughout the day and the times that I don’t get enough of it, I find myself losing focus on tasks very quickly.

Aside from the boring water talk (sorry for sounding like your Mum), it can also be nice just to have a cup of tea to hand (if you drink tea). For me it’s a bit of a ritual. I make a cup of tea and I sit down to work. It can also be a great way to stretch your legs during those ‘beaks’ you give yourself and it can work as a nice little treat. I’m currently eyeing up an empty cup and I know that once I’ve finished this I’ll be making myself a nice hot cup of tea. Like they say, it’s the little things.

So there you have it. Those are just a few things that I like to do to stay focused and get stuff done. Do you have any tips for getting stuff done?

Boots – Finery | Shirt Dress – Finery (similar here) | Stripe Top – Weekday (similar here) | Jacket – Topshop | Bag – All Saints

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January 29, 2018
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

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