Tag: Heels

Why It’s Important To Switch Off

Time Away

At the start of last week Damien and I returned home from a long weekend away with two of our friends. It was pretty much a chilled affair. We drank, we ate, we lounged in the sun and aside from the 60 mile bike ride that the guys did on the Saturday (the purpose of the trip in the first place), we didn’t really do much of anything else…and you know what? I really enjoyed it.

Many of my friends would be surprised to know that I didn’t even take my camera on this particular trip and in total I took about ten, rather candid (and certainly not Instagram worthy) iPhone photos. I put my out of office on and actually managed to block out all work related stuff for an entire four days!

Being the weekend before last and so much having happened since then, our little trip away now actually feels like it was ages ago and it’s funny because if you were to look at my social media, it’s as if it never happened. This makes me realise that I (and many of us) really do document so much of our lives online and even when we aren’t documenting our own goings on, we’re likely catching up on someone else’s. When I think back to our little trip the other week, I have such fond memories of the weekend away and although for once I may not have the beautifully captured images to show for it, it still happened and we still had a great time non the less. Whilst I love being able to capture, create and share moments online, for me the trip has been a reminder that it’s so important to also switch off from it all occasionally and here are a few reasons why.

To Help De-Stress

Modern technology and the invention of mobile phones and internet on the go have been brilliant in helping many aspects of our lives become more efficient. However on the flip side it has meant that we have become ever more reliant on technology, especially those like myself who use it as a large tool for their job. So for most people (myself included) our mobiles have become an extension of our right (or left) hand. Basically meaning we rarely ever get to fully switch off.

As a result an increasing amount of us are suffering from anxiety and stress related conditions. It’s hard to say technology in some ways doesn’t play a part. Everything is faster and we’re supposed to keep up and aside from that there is an ever growing pressure to always present our best selves online whilst having to look at everyone else’s. I don’t know about you but sometimes this can all get the better of me and I need a big fat time out. Whilst we obviously have to keep up with our work commitments and the social side of the internet can be fun, we do have to allow ourselves the time to occasionally step back and relax away from it all. Annndd breathe.

To Spend Quality Time With Loved Ones

I’ll hold my hands up and say I’m one of those people who will quite often have my phone out on the table when out for lunch or a coffee. It’s not that I’ll be on it constantly, however it’s sort of a (quite weird) comfort knowing that it’s there. Again going back to the topic of always being switch on, I feel I always need to be alert to check work related emails or respond to a call from my agency. Sometimes I hate it and my habit to check my emails has become an unhealthy compulsion (I kid you not I just checked on my phone then). I think it’s so important to try and live in the moment however and aside from my weird email checking habit, when it comes to spending time with loved ones I’m pretty good at keeping off social media. Unless of course I’m with a friend like L’Oréal, as we’ll quite happily have fun messing around filming each other being silly on insta stories or taking shots for the gram (you know how it is). With other friends however, it’s not always like that and so I will happily step away from the social media when handing out.

Quite frequently these days though I’ll be out and spot a couple or friends out together where one will be on their phone whilst the other stares into space. I guess for many of us it can be the excuse that it’s ‘work related’ although mostly when I see it I suspect it’s just mindless scrolling. If we think about it, if we seriously can’t spare an hour or two phone free to hang out with a friend, or enjoy date night with our other half, then maybe our work (or even online social) life is spilling over into real life a bit too much.

Heels – Topshop | Jeans – Asos | Silk Shirt – Element (similar here) | Velvet Blazer – Topshop | Bag – Pinko (similar here)

The Online World Can Become An Ecco Chamber

One thing I’ve found after returning home from trips where I’ve allowed myself to switch off is that I often return feeling really inspired. Now of course being out of my usual habitat can have a part to play in this, not to mention having time to relax and clear my mind. However I do find that when I spend too much time looking online for inspiration that I can wind up feeling less inspired than I did to start with. Everything starts to become the same and in the process my thoughts start to align with those ideas too. Now I’m not saying I’m ever able to be completely original because lets face it, there’s too much out there these days and likely anything you do, someone else has already done. But I do notice that as all of our interests, searches and likes are (quite creepily) logged with our online activity, we are constantly targeted with adverts, videos and images of thing we already like, so that we aren’t really seeing anything new. The same goes for news and political opinions but that’s a whole other discussion for another day.

Basically we get trapped in an ecco chamber and the reality is that the only way to get out of it is to switch off from the online world and go somewhere outside of our usual zone…but even then, are we really able to step out of the ecco chamber completely (hmmm, let’s not get too deep here). In a nutshell, before I digress any further, sometimes we need to get away from our online world in order to fill our minds with something completely and organically new.

Occasionally switching off can do wonders for the mind, relationships and life in general. Life online can be fun, an escape from real life and for some even a job. However just remember that although it may seem like it, you don’t have to be switched on all of the time and if you are feeling overwhelmed, stressed or just like you need some quality time with the people in your real life, feel free to step back, switch off and take some time away from it all. 🙂

Samio x

Shop The Look

<br />

October 30, 2017
Not So Summery, Summer Days

Hello August, you came around fast! Is it just me or are the months actually flying by? So much so that we’ve approached the last full month of summer and I’m yet to buy any summer clothes…What is all that about!?

Clearing out my wardrobe did give me the opportunity to retrieve ‘lost’, barely worn summer type pieces, like this long, white, sleeveless roll neck from Free People, however I’m still yet to wear an actual summer dress this season!

Jeans have been my go to this summer, as bar the few super sunny days that we have had, the UK has been a bit of a let down weather wise. I guess I can’t complain, as overall the weather here hasn’t been horrendous, it just hasn’t been consistently amazing either, which is something I should be used to by now.

I guess you can’t go wrong with denim though and when you opt for a light blue shade of denim, like with these Topshop skinny jeans, it instantly gives a more summery vibe to your outfit…Teamed with these faux suede heeled sandals from Asos, I think I’ve found the perfect combination for those not so summery, summer days.

Jeans – Topshop (similar here) | Top – Free People (similar here) | Bag – Matt & Nat | Heels – Asos

<br />

Samio x

August 1, 2016
Perfect Pieces To Finish Off An Outfit

Often I find that the right shoes and accessories can help to finish off an outfit perfectly and recently I’ve had a few new additions that I’m absolutely loving…

I’d been on the hunt for a pair of mules for quite some time but finding the perfect ones was actually a harder task than I had anticipated. I’d tried so many on that just weren’t right and I really wanted to be 100% happy with the ones that I eventually went for. In the end Clarks saved the day as they kindly let me pick out a pair of shoes and whilst browsing through their new collection of women’s sandals I spotted this fabulous snake print pair.

Although this is the first appearance of these shoes on my blog, I’ve actually been getting so much wear out of them. They are my comfiest pair of heels by far and not once have they made my feet sore or felt uncomfortable to walk in, which I’m sure you’ll know is a rarity with heels.

Cami Top – Glamorous | Jeans – Asos | Cardigan – (similar here) | Bag – Radley London (similar here) | Shoes – Clarks | Earrings – Pernille Corydon | Rings – Velvet Head | Sunglasses – Vintage

Something else I’ve been loving is my new jewellery. I’m usually a gold person and for quite a while I’d only really been wearing one set of earrings, which I’d pretty much lived in. I’d been wanting some simple rings that I could wear everyday too and when I was asked if I’d like to pick out some of the silver pieces from Velvet Head, after browsing the collection I instantly feel in love. I went for two quite simple rings that I could wear together or on different fingers and one slightly more statement ring that has a synthetic white opal. I love how pretty the three rings look together and it’s nice to have rings that I can’t wear all the time without having to worry about them discolouring my fingers like a lot of dress jewellery does.

Of course once I had silver rings, I needed silver earrings too. A friend from Copenhagen had recently introduced me to the jewellery designer Pernille Corydon, after I had fallen in love with a pair of earrings I’d seen her wearing…I love the simplicity yet uniqueness of these open coin earrings. I’ve been wearing them everyday and I love them.

Samio x

May 16, 2016
Day Date Attire

I’ve been super busy as of late and so my blog has been a little neglected. Sometimes I struggle to balance modelling with blogging, especially with all the travelling it requires, being away from home and going back and forth to London quite often. I also spent this past week in London finishing an on going project I’ve been working on with the Imperial War Museum and the Goethe Institute, which I’ve spoken about in a previous post here. It’s been lots of fun but it’s left very little time to blog.

Now I’m back home again but only for a number of days before I head off on another trip and so hopefully I can fit some much needed blogging in before I head off again. For this post I thought I’d share an outfit which I wore a couple of weeks ago…

I bought this long shirt dress at the start of the year from Whistles and I’m so glad I did.I love how versatile this piece is and each time I wear it, I try to style it in a different way. On this occassion I wore it with these cute studded Asos shoes and my trusty biker jacket for a day date with Damien when we headed out for lunch and a few drinks.

Dress – Whistles | Biker Jacket – (similar here) | Bag – Radley London (similar here) | Shoes – Asos

Samio x

April 15, 2016
The Same But Different – Roll Neck & Faux Fur

I’ve become what you might like to call ‘an outfit repeater’. Long gone are my days of wearing a garment a limited amount of times before getting bored, as now I’m all for making the most out of each and every piece in my wardrobe by wearing them as much as possible. In order to not get bored, I’ve been having fun layering and mixing up garments with completely different looks each time I wear them.

If you have seen my previous blog post, you’ll notice that I’m wearing pretty much the same outfit when you strip it down to the Mon jeans, roll neck and bag. By simply changing the jacket and swapping trainers for heels, the look is instantly smartened up a little.

I know it’s not rocket science and mixing and matching items is what many people do everyday. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not something I’m new to, it’s just that before, I used to constancy crave new items in my wardrobe without fully appreciating the real versatility of many of the pieces that I already owned. As more and more ‘unnecessary’ pieces leave my wardrobe and I’m left with less clothes to sift through, I’m actually finding myself feeling happier with the fewer items I’m left with. I’m enjoying finding new ways to create different looks without the constant need for new garments.

What I Wore – Shop This Look:
Cream Roll Neck – here
Mom Jeans – similar here
Radley bag – similar here
Aldo heels – similar here
Grey faux fur jacket – similar here

See how I like to mix & match this look in my recent video here:

Samio x

March 4, 2016
Casual To Dressy In Two Simple Steps

I love wearing heels and going for a slightly dressier look, however day to day when running around the city, it just really isn’t practical. On days when I’m going to the gym, I find it easiest just to wear my gym trainers which are also my comfiest footwear for getting around in.

There are times though when I need to make a quick transition from a day to night look. If I’m going to an event or meeting up with friends, I do like to dress up for the occasion. When I don’t have time to go home and change, it’s easiest to just keep a pair of heels in my bag, which I can quickly change into and instantly make myself feel more evening ready…

I love my white leather look back pack because it looks smart enough whilst actually being like a Tardis. I got it from Zara a while ago and since I’ve had it, it’s served me well.

As well as slipping on heels to jazz up my daytime outfit, if I’m wearing a t-shirt, it’s also easy to tie a knot in it to turn my day time Tee, into a nighttime crop top and I’m good to go.

What I Wore:
Black shrunken boyfriend jeans – Asos (here)
T-Shirt – Asos (here)
Black heels – Asos (here)
Biker jacket – Zara (similar here)
White backpack – Zara, last year (similar here)

Samio x

January 10, 2016
Whistles Longline Shirt Dress

Happy New Year! Its seems that 2015 went by like a blur and if it taught me anything, it’s to embrace every moment and to enjoy life to the fullest. I’m all set to begin 2016. I’m feeling ambitious, motivated and excited to see what this year has to offer.

I decided to kick this year off on my blog with my favourite type of post; an outfit post. I recently purchased this longline Whistles shirt dress, which I’d spotted in store quite some time ago. I’d originally resisted the temptation of purchasing the dress, until it went on sale at Asos (it had been in my saved list for quite some time) and it made it the perfect time to buy it.

I really love how versatile this dress is. Although it’s simple, it’s one of those garments that I know I’ll get plenty of wear out of. It hangs loose and straight but on this occasion I cinched it in at the waist by adding a skinny waist belt. It also looks good worn loose for a more relaxed look and could easily be worn casual with a pair of trainers.

Just before Christmas I was given the chance to take part in a Blogger’s Secret Santa with online jewellery store Gemporia. I was gifted this pretty little bracelet from blogger Kat from Tales Of A Pale Face.

I don’t tend to wear much jewellery, but this bracelet that Kat picked out is actually perfect as I’ve been wanting to purchase some delicate pieces like this that I can wear everyday.

What I Wore:
Dress – Whistles (here)
Belt – Asos (similar here)
Heels – Asos (here)
Bracelet – Gemporia (here)

Samio x

January 1, 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
Wedding Guest Worthy? – The Black Culotte Jumpsuit

They say ‘never wear white to A wedding’ but what about black?

For a time I would have said black was far too morbid a shade to wear to a wedding. I love my brights, so any excuse I have to wear them and I usually jump at the chance (prints galore). Recently however, I’ve been seeing how simpler pieces can sometimes be a good investment, as they can be worn for more than one occasion.

Styling a classic black dress, or in this case a jumpsuit, the right way can easily make it wedding guest worthy. I’d say the key is to liven up your outfit with brighter accessories and avoid black shoes/accessories if possible. Remember you’re not going to a funeral and if it looks like you could be, change it!

The great thing about wearing black is that you have more opportunity to play with colours and patterns when picking out your accessories. A statement pair of shoes can really add that wow factor to an otherwise simple outfit. I went for this bold metallic pair that I recently purchased from Primark and this gorgeous gold/pearlescent effect bag from The Vintage styler. My gold chunky necklace added just a bit of bling and finished off my outfit perfectly.

What I Wore – Shop The Look:

Culotte Jumpsuit – M&Co
Necklace – Timeless Junk
Pearlescent Box Bag – Vintage Styler
Heels – Primark (In store only)

[interaction id=”559031ab9903ebaf4954ce3b”]

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 28, 2015