I’m looking back over January with fondness; that’s not something I usually say about the first month of the year but it seems I surpassed the dreaded January blues and actually had a pretty good month, despite the bad weather and having had a cold…It’s what I’d call a ‘getting things done’ month. I got lots of little things ticked off (as I’d mentioned in my last post), I set a few things in motion which I’d been wanting to do for a while, and made a few fun plans, which I’m looking forward to over the coming year.
I think taking a slower approach has been the best decision I’ve made for the start of this year. The irony is that work has been even busier, but what’s changed is my approach to it all and I’m managing everything a lot better. I’m enjoying working on less but bigger projects which I can really channel my focus into and not feel so overwhelmed by lots of little things all building up. I’ve started as I wish to go on, so hopefully this is habit forming for the rest of the year with how I manage my time and work.
As we veeerryy slowly creep towards Spring (I say this as I can still see the remnants of snow outside my window), I’m really looking forward to lighter evenings and warmer days – but aren’t we all! We may have a while to wait yet but that doesn’t stop me from musing over Spring outfits on Pinterest and curating ideas in my head for the milder months.
I was recently offered a gifting from cult Australian brand Oneteaspoon and so after browsing through the website I decided to pick out a few pieces that I felt would be good all-year round staples. I hadn’t planned on putting a look together for my blog as such; however the other day as I was trying on and styling the jeans and jacket that I had picked out, I decided to take a quick snap in it for Instagram, which then swiftly turned into an impromptu photoshoot. As I’ve been getting back into shooting self portraits this year, I’ve really been enjoying shooting more lookbook style shots again, which fit together perfectly as little series of images. This is something that’s not so easy to share on Instagram, and often I find myself torn as to which one image I will share there. This is why I will always love my blog, as it allows me curate a selection of images and tell a story – or in this case, show an outfit.
Outfit posts on blogs have died out a bit over the past few years, and it’s no surprise why, as Instagram makes everything so quick and accessible, why even need to visit a blog. But for me, it’s still a process I enjoy and a part of me slowing down in life, is also slowing down somewhat online too. I don’t want everything I put out to be so fast pace and disposable. I don’t live or shop that way, so why share that way? So I’ve been enjoying styling and shooting more outfits again recently and I have lots more that I’m looking forward to sharing over the coming days and weeks. Here’s to a happy and chilled February, have a good one!
Oh, it’s still January. And there was me thinking it should surely be February already. I’m not wishing time away or anything but I have to agree with the many observations I’ve seen expressed on Twitter, that this does feel like an awfully slow month. No wait, I shouldn’t say ‘awful’, there’s nothing particularly awful about it for me personally (as long as you exclude the weather and well, Brexit – let’s not even go there)…but aside from all the gloomy stuff that we’d rather bury our heads in the sand about, over here and on a personal level, things are going pretty okay. I’m taking things slow, as I mentioned in my previous post and with it, time seems to be moving a lot slower too. I have to say this is something that I’m actually pretty pleased about. I didn’t think it was possible to really take control of your time in such a way but it seems that by taking certain pressures off your plate, it allows you more time to breathe and simply think. Usually I feel a constant rush of catching up, but over these past few weeks I’ve been moving at a sloth like pace, making my way from one task to the other and taking my time as I do so.
It’s unlikely things will remain like this, we are only at the start of the year after all, but for the moment I’m thankful for the seemingly abundant time. There are lots of things I need to sort out, plan and do…but like I’ve said previously, I’m in no rush to do them all at once. The ‘one thing at a time’ approach definitely works best for me.
So far this year I’ve been making a concious effort to tick some things off the list that I’ve been wanting to set in motion for ages. I’m first focusing on those little things that are often pushed aside in favour for the bigger or more urgent things, but that you know are always there, niggling. It feels good to be be paying attention to the smaller things that are seemingly less important, but will inevitably be one less distraction or thing to worry about in the long run.
Anyway, I’m back to capturing self portraits, as you’ll see from this post and the one before. Aside from a few campaigns that I’ve shot with the help from Damien, I’ve not been in front of the camera much so far this year. I think this time last year I was on a roll with shooting but as I’m going at a much slower pace this year, I’m taking things easy. I did have a burst of inspiration the other afternoon though when I decided to shoot these shots. Currently the spare bedroom/soon to be office room is waiting to undergo a transformation, but in the meantime it’s providing a great space for shooting in whislt making the most of the natural light.
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.
I’m sat up in bed, surrounded by an unwanted abundance of snotty tissues…and wow, do I feel exhausted.
There are so many things I love about being self employed that I hardly ever take time to dwell on the negatives. But it’s on days like today when I could easily fantasise about calling in sick and then spending the remainder of the day cocooned in blanked, drinking copious amounts of hot honey and lemon, whilst having the world’s smallest pity part for one. I guess this little mind dump of a blog post is the closest thing I’ll get to that, as today’s little pity party is about to be cut prematurely short.
This morning I have to head out and shoot and after about 4 hours of broken sleep, I couldn’t think of anything worse. Unfortunately it’s not a day where I can be flexible and change things around, as I have a deadline and needs must and all that. Thank goodness for heavy concealer, that’s all I can say! It’s not the end of the world, I know, and to be honest it’s time like this that make me feel grateful for all the other things that I do love about my job.
I always tend to find that when I get sick with something so trivial as a cold (where I feel horrendous yet deep down know it’s not actually the end of the world), it actually helps me to put things into perspective. Not only with work, but also with general life.
I’ve been jokingly saying for a while now how I need to stop constantly eating crap. As much as I love salad, fruit, veg and all the good stuff (which I do eat in large quantities), I don’t think it counts so much if you’re following it up with take out and junk food on a regular basis.
If I were to write a food diary, you (and likely myself included), would be shocked. Sometimes I blame being busy, having to eat out a lot due to a busy social life and having an irregular schedule, but really I only have myself to blame. You can’t burnt the candle at both ends, eat like you’re filming a new Super Size Me documentary, and expect to stay fit and healthy. Nope. And that’s most likely why, on top of everything, my body has finally said, ‘I’m not having it, I don’t feel good, you’re rundown, here’s a cold’.
So taking better care of myself (or at least cutting down on all the extra crap I put into my body), is up there on the to do list. Along with that, I always tend to get my best ideas and inspiration when I’m not feeling well and have little energy to do anything. It’s frustrating of course, but it makes you realise all the things you really want to get done, and for me, it makes me realise how lucky I am to usually be able to do them without a second thought.
Something so simple, like going for a walk for example. I was so desperate to get out and go for a walk yesterday, so Damien and I went for one and even though it was a beautiful evening and I was glad for the fresh air, it absolutely floored me. Things like that just make me think about those who maybe always have to deal with that feeling, and how I can sometimes take these things for granted. I’m lucky that (aside from this passing cold), overall, I have my health. I can do things that I want and enjoy to do, so I should do them.
So we’ll round up this little cathartic poor excuse for a rant, style blog post by saying that, although having a cold sucks (and through it I feel pretty sorry for myself), it’s actually one of those little tiny blips that helps you put things into perspective and really appreciate your health, abilities and time. So I’m going to get up, take a hot shower, drink as much hot honey and lemon as I can before leaving the house, glam myself up (because like they say, fake it till you make it, or in this case, fake it until you’re actually well again) and get this show on the road…
The month of June was a bit of a whirlwind and so much happened that I don’t feel I’ve been fully able to process it all yet. I’m now back home, sat at my little make shift work area, with my freshly poured coffee, my laptop open in front of me…and I’m not quite sure where to start.
I’ve been away twice in the past month (3 times if you include the weekend trip I took to Wales) and whilst I’ve enjoyed every minute of it, it’s left me feeling slightly off-kilter when it comes to my blog and work…and although I ended up working throughout my holidays, I still can’t help but feeling behind and somewhat overwhelmed by the amount I need to catch up on. So I thought I’d start here and cathartically share some of what I’ve been up to this past month and why the month of June has been such a momentous one for me.
The start
I really hit the ground running at the start of June (or should I say, hiking), as myself and some of my close girlfriends took a trip to Wales to climb Mount Snowdon. This was a pre-birthday celebration for my birthday the following weekend, and something we’d been looking forward to for months. I don’t usually do much for my birthday but this year I felt the urge to celebrate it doing something that was very me. It’s probably a sign of my age, but I’d much rather a long hike followed by a wine night in, than a night out clubbing these days. Times really do change and I joked with my girls at how we’d come a long way since our birthday celebrations in our early 20s. It couldn’t have been more perfect for me though and it was one of those girls trips where you find yourself laughing from start to finish.
The Snowdon hike also reiterated to me my love for hiking and the great outdoors. It’s something I don’t share much here on my blog but I’ve loved going hiking since I was young and it’s something Damien and I have got back into doing more of recently. I want to share more of that adventurous side and I’d love to plan some more outdoorsy trips in the future too.
My Birthday
I’m not someone who frets too much over their birthday, but then I’m not 30 yet, so we’ll see how things change when that one comes along…but for now I’m blissfully enjoying each year as it comes along. I could end up eating my words in years to come and long for the days when my tits were perkier and I saw a fresh faced 20 something year old staring back at me in the mirror, but for now I’m not too worried about getting (slightly) older.
With age comes wisdom, as they say and I do believe that. Not necessarily that just because you’re old means you’re wise, but with each year comes new lessons. I definitely know a lot more than I knew a year ago and I’m grateful for that knowledge I’ve gained and the lessons I’ve learnt. We all live and we learn, and birthdays can be a good time to reflect on what we’ve learnt during that particular age. For me this birthday coincided with lots of changes and things being ticked off, so it was a reflective one for sure and one that made me feel grateful for where I’m at right now.
Trainers – Adidas | Shorts – Uniqlo | T-shirt – & Other Stories (sold out, similar here) | Bag – DVF (sold out, similar here) | Necklace – Pernille Corydon | Sunglasses – Taylor Morris (same style in different colour, here)
The End of An Era/New Beginnings
I decided to make the (not so easy) decision to leave my agencies and quit modelling after 6 and a half years of doing it as my full-time job. It’s crazy to think that it really is the end of an era for me, even as I type these words it still sort of feels strange to be saying it. I’m no longer a model and I’m now solely a full time blogger/creative…and this is the first time I’ve properly announced it anywhere.
For me it’s something that has naturally been transitioning over the past eight months or so. As my work load as a blogger/Youtuber/creative increased, I was finding less time for modelling, and it was like a tip of the scales one day where I just thought, something has to give. Modelling was a dream I pursued for a long time and got to fulfil so many goals through it. It gave me some incredible opportunities that I’ll forever be grateful that I got to experience, and through it I met some of my best friends. I think there comes a time in many life chapters where as much as you’ve enjoyed it for a time, yourself, your life and your goals change so much that you know that it’s time to move on.
It wasn’t an easy decision to make but if I’m honest I felt relieved once I’d plucked up the courage and decided to make it final. I no longer had to keep wasting anyones time when I wasn’t available for castings and modelling jobs, or try to juggle it all as my workload outside of modelling was increasing…and I instantly felt free to put 100% into my creative work, which is what I feel most passionate about.
A big Tick off The List
In March I decided it was time to finally start having driving lessons. It’s something I’d put off for years and I’d never really been that interested in driving in the past. Only when it felt like it would be really beneficial (like when I’d get booked on a modelling job in the middle of the country side), did I really wish I could drive. This year I made a personal list of things I’d like to achieve and one of those was to finally learn how to drive. I still don’t particularly need to be able to drive, however I finally felt ready to take on lessons and had the mindset that I wanted to get it done and pass!
I’ll be honest, I didn’t love driving lessons. I had an amazing instructor who was very patient and such a good teacher but I still found myself feeling incredibly anxious before every lesson. Sometimes I’d actually be filled with dread the night before a lesson and although I knew I was being irrational, I just couldn’t help but worry about having to get into the car. It’s funny because as soon as I’d be in the car and driving about on my lesson, (aside from the obvious minor nerves) I felt fine, yet still it was like a cycle and before the next lesson I’d be feeling anxious all over again.
I can’t say it was easy breezy for me, and so I did have to work at it. When it finally came to the date of my test I knew deep down I could do it but I was worried that my nerves would get in the way. It was a surprise to me that I passed first time, so much so, that I burst out crying as soon my test examiner said the words ‘you’ve passed’. Not the usual reaction I’m sure, but I was just so overwhelmed and I couldn’t believe it was over. Thank goodness I don’t have to do that again, that’s all I can say.
To add to it, two days later Damien and I went to pick up our new car and that afternoon I drove it on the road for the first time as a newly passed driver. It still feels quite strange that I can now say I can drive and that there’s a car on the drive that I’m actually legal to drive about in.
New Hair, Who This
I got box braids for the first time. This might not seem like the biggest thing ever but for someone who has had near enough the same hair style for the past 6 years this is quite the change. Obviously box braids aren’t forever and my afro is sitting tight, having a much welcomed rest whilst in these plaits, but I’m seriously loving this style more than I expected. It’s just nice not having to worry about doing my hair, which I now realise is actually so time consuming. I feel very me with this style, which is strange because I didn’t think anything could feel more ‘me’ than my afro. But it’s nice to have a change once in a while and settle in to something new. I’ll actually be sad when it comes time to take them out but this is a hairstyle I will be returning to for sure.
A Long Overdue Girl’s Holiday
I love girl time and girls holidays are my fave. I went to my friend’s villa in Spain and had such a fun four nights away. We laughed, we drank, we ate, we chatted, we even made up a dance routine and it was just what I needed. Sunshine, sangria and girl time.
Exciting Collaborations
Although this month has been my month for going on holiday, it’s ironically been one of my busiest work months. Out of office unfortunately doesn’t always mean much when you’re self employed and as much as I tried to step away from the work load, it’s hard to completely switch off from it when important emails need to be answered and content needs to be shot.
Luckily I really enjoy the creative process and shooting (can’t say the same for emails), so I didn’t mind taking some time out of one of my holidays to shoot some collaborations, but it has all been rather non-stop. I’m definitely not complaining though as I’ve got to work with some of my favourite brands during June and one of my biggest blogger collaborations so far, that I shot with Oasis, went live at the end of the month too. I’m feeling incredibly grateful for the opportunities that have been coming my way and June was a month of seeing some of my hard work paying off.
First Time a Bridesmaid
I’ll end on the most prominent part of June (although it’s hard to decipher what’s been most prominent during this crazy month)…but my trip to America was definitely a highlight. Damien and I went over for my friend’s wedding and it was my first time not only being a bridesmaid, but a maid of honour too! I felt so honoured (pardon my pun) to be a part of our friend’s special day, I think I’m as excited to see the wedding photos as the happy couple are!
The trip overall was so much fun. The wedding was in Oregon city, just outside of Portland and Damien and I flew to San Francisco for four nights, then to Portland for four nights for the wedding. We then flew from Portland to San Fran for one last night, before returning home. I plan on chatting much more about our San Fran and Portland trip in a separate blog post but for now I’ll just say that we both had a brilliant time and it was great to be reunited with my friend and see her walk down the isle on her special day.
And that’s about it. It’s been a full on month. I feel like I’ve gone through a range of emotions and took on so many different experiences that my brain is only just starting to process everything properly now. June has been quite the stand out month for me and in more ways than one. It’s funny how it’s mid-way through the year too and it’s been quite the momentous half way point. It’s a prime example of how sometimes everything can come at once, and a lot of things have paved the way for the rest of my year to come.
When I think back to the first encounters with some of my favourite people, it’s safe to say we hit it off right away. Damien and I met in a club and went on our first date the very next day, my friend L’Oréal and I met at an event and basically declared our friendship within a matter of hours and I knew on my first day of college when my friend Dawn came over to introduce herself with a big friendly smile on her face, that we were instantly going to be good friends.
First impressions do mean a lot, and those have been some of my most lasting ones, but when I really think about it, not all of my most important relationships began in such a way.
I used to be very much of the notion that first impressions meant everything and if you didn’t hit it off right away or get a clear vibe from a person, then it was likely a sign that it wasn’t meant to be. I can easily dismiss possible friendships if I don’t feel that there is that initial spark right away. However something I’ve learnt over time is that a lot of relationships can actually take a while to get going and not everyone finds it easy to be their true self from the get go when interacting with someone completely new.
I think I’ve realised this in myself too. I always attempt to make a good first impression but on many occasions I think I can actually end up coming across as quite overly enthusiastic, which I realise can be quite overwhelming for someone who is maybe not as naturally bubbly. What was initially supposed to be a friendly introduction can end up coming across as quite overbearing. Then on other occasions I can be the complete opposite. I’d never exactly describe myself as a shy person but sometimes in certain situations (especially at events and things), if nobody has made any introductions and I feel like everyone else knows each other, I can become quite quiet, or at least just stick to who I know. I think this is due to past experiences where I’ve been my usual happy overly-talkative self with new people and it’s not always been received too well because maybe people think I’m being too overfamiliar, when that’s really not my intention.
This mix of experiences with trying to make good first impressions on my part has made me realise that it’s not always easy to get your true self across in the first meeting. If I occasionally struggle as someone who is quite confident, then I can only imagine what it must be like for someone who is shy. And this is exactly why it’s good to remember that first impressions actually aren’t everything. Whilst yes, it’s important to try and come across as friendly when meeting someone new, I really don’t think that first impression should be the be all and end all. Not everyone is good in social situations and this can be detrimental when it comes to forming new relationships.
Sometimes people who come across as antisocial are just socially awkward and those who come across as rude are just plain shy. Some of my closest friends are actually both (socially awkward and shy I mean, not antisocial and rude haha)…but I wouldn’t have got to know that if I’d only taken their first impressions and not got to know them further. Not everyone has the skill of being instantly charming and just because someone doesn’t come across the best from your first encounter with them, it doesn’t mean they are not actually a nice person.
I was reminded of this a while ago. I bumped into someone who I’d initially not had good vibes from and needless to say, in our initial meeting, we hadn’t hit it off. I surprised myself though on this occasion as I actually found myself really liking the person and getting on with them, a lot! What was it about that first encounter that had gone so wrong, I wasn’t sure and I don’t think they were aware of it either. It was definitely a reminder that not only should you not judge a book by its cover but that you shouldn’t just judge it from the first few pages either. It’s always a good idea to read on to find out the real story.
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
Shop The Look
Check out the hashtag #SamiosSelfPortraits on Instagram to see more of my recent self portraits. 🙂
I hadn’t intended this to be a home/interior post but I’m going to start by talking about it anyway, because as I look through these images I realise that this is actually the first (although small) look into our house, here on my blog.
These images were actually shot a couple of weeks ago now, one miserable Saturday when Damien and I didn’t fancy venturing outside to get outfit shots and so, we decided to capture this outfit inside instead. And although impromptu, I’m pretty happy with how the shots turned out.
If you’ve read my blog for a while you’ll know that a couple of years ago Damien and I bought our first house together and since then it’s been a long process of major house renovations, most of which Damien and his dad have done themselves between working full time (hence the longevity of this project). So now that things are finally begining to take shape, our house is finally feeling like a home.
I really love the vibe of our home now and I’m feeling so happy with how it’s all coming together. The interiors and the decor really reflect a combination of both of our personalities and for me, in a totally different way to how my personal style does.
I feel relaxed in this space and most surprisingly I feel inspired. And I think this has reflected in how I’ve been feeling when putting outfits together recently.
Whilst I haven’t added many new items into my wardrobe recently, I’ve really been enjoying playing around with my different pieces and mix and matching garments that I wouldn’t have initially planned to go together. I guess it’s stepping out of my comfort zone slightly whilst still being very me.
If you watch my YouTube videos you’ll likely know that I’m obsessed with the velvet blazer I purchased a couple of months back now from Topshop’s London Fashion Week collection (I seem to manage to squeeze it into nearly every styling video). Little did I know at the time that it would be such a trend piece but I feel the style of a tuxedo blazer is one that will never truly go out of style altogether and regardless, I’m pretty sure I’ll keep wearing it anyway.
I’m usually drawn to opting for a quite put together look when grabbing for this blazer but on this occasion I was in the mood to mix all textures and styles. Like I mentioned in a recent post, I’ve fallen in love with my & Other Stories flared denim jeans all over again and so it only felt right to try the two pieces together…and voilà we had a look.
I liked this outfit combination, I felt cool in it. It has a real, I’m really not trying to go for any particular look but this is now a look, vibe (that’s the only way I can describe it). So there we have it, that’s a low down on this outfit and a sneak peek look into our house so far. If you’d like to see more you can check out my home renovations/tour video below and of course, more home/interior related content shall be coming to the blog soon! But for now, I’ll say ciao!
I’ve been feeling rather uninspired by my wardrobe over the past week or so. I think it comes down to the swift change in seasons and me not being quite ready for this colder Autumnal weather. I often find myself getting into this little rut around this time of year, which in part I feel comes down to my outfit focus shifting mainly towards practicality (and more so than usual). I find myself wearing the same outer layers and opting for that one trusty roll neck (seriously I have one roll neck that is trusty as heck) that I know will keep me warm.
I hate being cold, so layering is a must but I will admit that when pulling out my autumn/winter staples from previous seasons I do easily fall into the habit of wearing the same go to combinations (queue the trusty roll neck).
The other day I pulled out some of my favourite pieces, both from this summer and last winter and decided to mix and match a few items to see how different combinations could work. I don’t always find something new to be the solution for how I’m feeling about my outfits but instead I often just need to try something different with what I already have.
The first look I threw on – and I literally mean, I didn’t give it much thought at all – was this combination. Initially I’d thrown the blazer over the shoulders and thought it looked cool and effortless but when walking around today I put it on properly because lets face it, this is real life and nobody actually walks around with a jacket on their shoulders (do they?). Styling alterations aside, I felt pretty happy throwing this outfit on again to head out today. There’s nothing new in this outfit combination but there is definitely a different vibe to my usual combinations. I’m not a huge trend follower but I must admit I’ve surprised myself with how much I’ve been into the 70s vibes lately. These & Other Stories cropped flared jeans were a go to for a good part of the summer and it looks like that will continue into autumn and winter.
I feel I’ve found a combination that I love which is sort of minimal 70’s. I’m not sure if that’s a thing but that’s what I’m going with, so I guess it is now.
Speaking of changing things up, I’ve been doing so with some of my content too. As I mentioned I tried on a few different outfits the other day and after doing so I decided to style them up in a short lookbook video. Again I wanted the vibe to be different than my usual lookbooks and as I was at home alone at the time, I decided to do a self filmed lookbook which I then had a lot of fun getting creative with whilst editing. The video is at the bottom of the post if you’d like to check it out.
And last but not least, the shots. Onyi and I had a coffee shop working day today, which was great because I’m always left feeling super inspired when we hang out. She suggested that I take a more candid approach to today’s outfit pictures and I really loved the idea. Rather than standing in one spot and taking multiple images all at once, we causally just took a few shots here and there throughout the day and the results are something I really love. So I guess this post is a bit of a photo diary of my day as well as an outfit post and a waffling essay about clothes.
That’s my queue to wrap things up here. Thanks for stopping by. Ciao for now!
A week away from denim and I have to say that I actually missed wearing my new jeans (as sad as that sounds). If you didn’t already know I was on holiday in Porto, for just short of a week where I allowed myself to switch off from emails and all work related stuff – hence the lack of posting. Needless to say it was sheer bliss and a photo heavy Porto post will soon follow but for my first post back in over a week, I wanted to talk about my new jeans.
Now I’ve talked about how I cut down on wearing denim as a little bit of a self-styling challenge not too long ago and after a break away from wearing jeans almost everyday, my love for denim was refreshed and I felt keen to try out some new styles. Since the purchase of my last pair of jeans back in May, my obsession with jeans seems to be back in full force. Not only am I loving wearing denim again at every opportunity, I’ve also got brave enough to try out some different styles and fits too.
Here is where I introduce my latest denim addition, purchased not too long before I went away, which are these cropped flared jeans. Never did I think I’d be adding flared jeans into my wardrobe but on a recent trip into & Other Stories, whilst waiting for my friend to try on jeans, just on a whim, I decided to try on a pair too.
Now I mentioned in my previous denim post how I hate jean shopping and usually I have to try on about a thousand pairs before I can find a perfect fit and one that suits my body shape. So once again I was surprised to find a fit that I actually love and in a completely different style too. So although I’m not usually one for impulse purchases, I made my second impulse jean purchase in the space of 4 months and I have to say I’m very pleased with that decision.
I wore these jeans near enough everyday since buying them, prior to heading on holiday and this was one of those occasions. Now I’m back I can’t wait to get wearing them again. I just love the versatility of jeans and that is one of the main reasons I missed wearing them so much.
These flared jeans are surprisingly flattering and I’ve been loving styling them up in lots of different ways. On this occasions I was meeting Onyi in town to spend the afternoon working in a coffeeshop. These are some of the comfiest jeans I’ve ever owned and they worked perfectly thrown on with my new vans, a simple tee and my biker jacket for a super casual day look.
These jeans are also true to size and I’m glad to say that they do odd number sizes, as usually I have to jump between a 26 or 28 in jeans, but on this occasion I was able to get my exact fit, which is a 27 and the fit is perfect. The denim is thick but with a good stretch and I’m super impressed with the shape and quality. I’ll definitely be checking out & Other Stories for my next pair of denim jeans, that’s for sure.
