Tag: Outfit

The Need For Balance & A Social Time Out

Maybe There Is Such Thing As Too Much Fun

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

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

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

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

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

Samio x

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September 1, 2017
Flared Denim

Something New

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.

Samio x

Trainers – Vans | Jeans – & Other Stories | T-Shirt – Asos | Biker Jacket – Topshop | Sunglasses – Vintage Dior (similar here) | Watch – Kartel

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August 26, 2017
5 Things…And A Transitional Trench Coat

A Ramble

Today’s post is going to be a rambling one, as whilst I’d had every intention of making this post a deep and meaningful one, it’s late, I have a 5:30am call time tomorrow (yes you read that right, 5:30AM!) and I have about a zillion other things on my mind, which unfortunately don’t provide much in terms of deep and meaningful topics of conversations. I can however treat you to the delights of my current brain activity with a spew of whatever pops into my head. So welcome to the second instalment of 5 (very random) things, with a new outfit post thrown in to boot.

1. The thing in the forefront of my mind is tomorrows shoot. Two shoots in fact! I have two bookings in one day, both coincidentally for sportswear/fitness clients and one after another. Apparently the first job will involve running, so I’m just hoping I won’t end up a big sweaty mess by the afternoon. Either way I’ll require a few coffees to help me through the day I’m sure because it’s going to be a long one.

2. The second thing on my mind is my holiday on Friday. I almost said trip but this one I am actually allowing myself to call a holiday. It’s going to be my 8th (I think) trip abroad this year and the 3rd trip Damien and I have had away together this year too. I’m really hoping to relax on this trip and switch off a bit. I feel like I haven’t done it in so long and I’m really ready to just chill the heck out. Out of office will be going on and I won’t be taking any phone calls!

3. Okay notice how I didn’t say ‘switch off completely’ there. The last time I switched off completely was when Damien and I went to Kos last October and I put my phone on airplane mode for a week – it was pure bliss! This time however, with it being a really busy time for work and with stuff constantly coming in, I already know I’ll find myself having to respond to at least one email. But I’m putting a restriction to it, along with how frequent I even allow myself to check my emails in the first place, because this is going to be a hol-i-dayyy after all.

4. Topic changer, but the green guitar I mentioned in my last 5 Things post, is now settled into our living room, and yes, I have been picking it up to practice on too. Now I’m no rockstar just yet but I have learnt two cords. Yes, two whole cords. As unimpressive as that may sound, it’s actually a lot further than I ever got the first time around, back when I had my uni guitar (you know the one that broke). I’m making a concious effort to pick it up and practice a bit everyday. I’ve put it out there now so this is pressure on me to have made some real progress in a year from now.

5. Back to the topic of holiday I actually can’t wait to get away and enjoy some sunshine because the weather here over the past couple of weeks hasn’t been the best. I can hardly call it summer weather and I’ve already starting pulling out those transitional pieces, like this satin trench coat I’m wearing in the pics. I’m not altogether thrilled that our UK Summer seems to be getting cut abruptly short but at the same time I must admit that a part of me is excited for Autumn clothes and pulling a few of my old jumpers back out (ughr can’t believe I actually just said that).

Okay that’s it. I’m done. This has been a most rambling, random and inconsequential blog post (I’m tired can you tell) and if you made it to the end, then hurrah and if not then hopefully you enjoyed the pictures and got something out of this outfit post. Ciao for now!

Samio x

Shoes – Topshop | Jeans – Weekday (in lighter denim here) | T-shirt – Cos | Trench Coat – Lavish Alice | Watch – Thomas Sabo | Bag – All Saints

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August 16, 2017
The Accidental Two Piece

A Perfect Combination

I love it when I find different pieces in my wardrobe that work perfectly together. On first appearance you may mistake this outfit combination for a two piece but the trousers and blazer are actually from two different brands entirely, with the trousers being from Topshop and the sleeveless blazer being from Lavish Alice. It hadn’t initially occurred to me that these two pieces would work together but before heading out one recent sunny Saturday, I decided to throw on my new sleeveless blazer with my Topshop trousers and Brandy Melville knitted crop top and it instantly seemed to work.

If prior to this you would have asked me my thoughts on the idea of a beige ensemble like this, I don’t think I would have been quite as enthusiastic, as let’s face it, it sounds a little bit drab doesn’t it, but it goes to show that sometimes you just have to try things on before making a final decision.

Before I forget I should mention the shoes, which are another new(ish) addition. I bought these a few weeks ago whilst in London and they were just the summer shoes I’d been looking for. They are a great day to day sandal/shoe without being too summery – which pretty much makes them perfect for the UK with our ever changing weather.

This combination made the perfect outfit for an afternoon spent with Damien and some friends, drinking cocktails and enjoying the sun. I’m a big fan of sleeveless blazers and I find it makes a great light layer for warmer days, which can (like on this occasion) tie an outfit together perfectly.

Samio x

Sandals – Topshop | Trousers – Topshop | Crop Top – Brandy Melville (similar here) | Sleeveless Blazer – Lavish Alice | Bag – Pinko (similar here) | Earrings – Alona

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August 2, 2017
5 Things

I have something a little bit different for today’s post and instead of going with my usual outfit post vibe, I thought I’d share five things: completely random, off the top of my head ramblings. So if you enjoy a chatty post, then here are five (rather random) things…

1.

I’ve had a real urge lately to pick up the guitar. I don’t know if this is a longing for a new hobby outside of blogging (which is technically no longer just a hobby), a desire to challenge myself, or just a deep down longing to put some attention back into my love for music and performing…I’m not sure, maybe it’s a combination of all three but either way it’s been something that’s been niggling in the back of my mind for a little while now.

There’s a dark green acoustic guitar (don’t ask me the name or model, I know nothing about guitars) that Damien has had since long before we met. It’s been long ago left behind at his parent’s house but I’ve always thought it to be quite beautiful and now coincidently also quite fitting with our living room interior. I think this could be just the tool I need to pick up my potential new hobby.

2.

I had a guitar of my own once…Yes I did. It wasn’t beautiful like Damien’s guitar but it was a guitar non the less. I think my folks bought it for me as a Birthday or Christmas gift sometime before my first year of University. Maybe I’d mentioned wanting to pick up guitar before, I don’t know.

Anyway, after initially being excited by the gift, the guitar later sat in its case for a good six months or so collecting dust in the corner of my university room before I one day decided to get it out again, only to realise it had broke. You see, where it had been propped up in the corner of my room, it would always slide down the wall and fall on the floor. On one of these occasions the top must have snapped off and I hadn’t even noticed. I took the guitar to the woodwork department and they glued it back on for me. That guitar was later used as a prop in many ‘photoshoots’ between my friends and I, where we would play around with a DSLR camera that we had no idea how to use.

3

The guy who took me to go and fix my guitar actually used to live in my room in university halls. Not at the same time as me, that would have been weird. He was actually a second year student and we’d got chatting in a university Facebook group before I started there…anyway, long story short, it turned out that I was moving into the room that he’d lived in the year previous. We remained friends during our time at university.

4.

Another person I met at university was my BFF, Chan. On my first day moving into my halls of residence, after my folks had said their farewells and left, I left my room and went and knocked on the doors of my new flat mates to say hello and introduce myself. When I knocked on Chan’s door she was crying and insisted she didn’t want to come out. I guess in that moment my initial thought may have been that we would be very different people but it turned out that we couldn’t have been more similar and it didn’t take long for a fabulous friendship to form.

5.

I’ve been valuing my friendships more than ever recently. I try to never take things/or people in my life for granted but I think it’s always good to remind yourself of those who are truly important in your life and to make a concious effort to make time for them, especially when it’s reciprocated. Chan and I don’t get to see each other half as much as we’d like to, we are both very busy women living miles apart but when we get on the phone for a catch up it’s like no time has passed at all and we easily spend hours chatting away. Another of my close friends (whom I’m excited to be maid of honour for next year) has just moved to the US and whilst we previously already lived miles apart, with her being from London, it’s crazy to think that she’s now half way across the globe. So I think, when you’ve got the chance, spend as much time with your favourite people as you can and for those who may be many miles away just remember to drop each other a message or pick up the phone.

Fin

So there you have it, five (very random) things. A little outpour of my subconscious, from guitars, to uni days, to friendships. I rather enjoyed writing this post and it even took me on a bit of a trip down memory lane, remembering things that I thought I’d forgot (if that’s even possible). If you made it all the way through my ramblings then good on you and feel free to let me know what you think in the comment section below. I’d also LOVE to hear one random thought from you, it could be related to this post, it could not, heck feel free to even share a few random things if you’d like. We’re all friends here and I love a good read and a chat about what’s in the old noggin’ (that’s head by the way). Ciao for now!

Samio x

What I’m wearing

Shoes – River island | Skirt – Topshop | Cami – River Island | Bag – Pinko

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July 31, 2017
#FAMYWAY – Casual Summer Vibes

Hello! Something a bit different from me in today’s post as I’m taking things super casual (even more so than usual) with today’s look. If you’re a regular to my blog/Youtube then you’ll know by now that I love a good style challenge, so when Footasylum women’s came to me with the opportunity to style some of their pieces to create my own look, I of course jumped at the chance. I like being taken out of my comfort zone and trying new things but still in a very ‘me’ way, so versatility of items and colour palettes are always things that I like to think about when picking out new pieces.

Starting with the shoes up. These Puma trainers are the first part I chose for my look. I’ve eyed these up in the past and played it safe opting for my usual Converse instead so it was a no brainer that I started my outfit with these. I’m glad to say that they are true to size and very comfortable. The fact that they are all white makes them easy stylers, so I’m sure you’ll be seeing plenty of these worn with future outfits too.

Next we’ve got the jeans. I of course love a good Mom jean and whilst I saw lots of sporty pants which looked like the comfiest things ever, I couldn’t resist a bit of denim, especially as I’ve been opting for non-denim pants a lot lately too.

The crop top just drew me in with the bight colours. I know, that’s something I rarely say but I felt this otherwise monochrome look was instantly made a bit more fun with this pop of colour. This is also a crop top that will look super cute with skirts and shorts in summer and as it’s rainbow it will go with so much.

The final part to this look is the hoodie. I like to keep things practical here and going out in the UK (even during Spring/Summer) without any form of layering is very often a no go. Even when it’s hot you’re always best to take a layer out with you for when it gets chilly later on. Okay, so enough of me sounding like someone’s Mum…I like that this hoodie is cropped, which helps to keep the look youthful and fun and works well with the crop top underneath, whilst also being a practical layer which you can tie round your waist when it’s warm.

All in all that’s a bunch of pretty versatile pieces which I’ve styled my way to create my own Footasylum look…Now it’s your turn to create your own Footasylum look and if you do you can be in with a chance to win £250 to spend at Footasylum along with a snazzy pair of trainers of your choice too. Head over to Footasylum women’s Instagram account for details on how to enter here. Good Luck! 😀

Also you can check out my feature on the Footasylum blog, The Lowdown, here.

Samio x

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Trainers – Puma | Jeans – Glamorous | Crop Top – Motel | Hoodie – Sixth June

*This post was sponsored by Footasylum Womens, however this does not affect my opinions – check out my disclaimer for further information.

July 6, 2017
Trust the Timing of Your Life

Photography by STVP

This is just a little post to say that it’s okay do things slowly, to take your time or to even at times feel like you’re not moving anywhere at all. It’s natural, we all have these periods, some longer than others and these each can take place at different times in our lives entirely.

With the internet these days it’s easier than ever to promote yourself, start your own business, create your own content, reach out to your dream employer, or whatever it is you want to do in life in terms of the growth of your potential career and dreams. However with that, it also becomes increasingly accessible to see what other people are doing too.

You might live in a cosy little village in a secluded part of Scotland but with a few taps on your phone you’re able to see what Emma is doing on her travels around Bali, how Jason in London just bought a second flashy new car with his latest bonus, or how Julia in L.A has just got engaged to Mr Right and is celebrating the start of her new clothing label. Okay, those are really poor examples of fictional people but what I’m trying to say, is how we can easily see what’s going on with everyone else and use it as an example for how we should be doing in our own lives…But, everyone’s timings in life are different, as well as each of our journeys.

One person might have their dream job by 25 but might be unable to find work at 30, whereas someone else might get their dream job by 40 and stay in employment until their retirement. Life happens very differently to us all and there are so many different examples like this, relating to all aspects of life, be it with work, love, relationships or goals.

There are no time limits on achieving goals or getting where we want to be, only the ones that we create for ourselves. Just because you aren’t where you hoped or want to be right now doesn’t mean you won’t be in five, ten, or fifteen years, or you may even end up somewhere completely different than you’d ever imagined but that doesn’t have to be a bad thing. We change as we grow and so does life around us.

Everything happens differently for different people at different stages of their lives. It’s important to focus on your own passions, goals, interested, love life and relationships and don’t take anyone else’s successes, growth or current situation as an example of what you should be doing, or where you should be at that exact moment of your own life.

Life is always going to be a bit of a rollercoaster and will never be one smooth sailing ride towards the finish line. Because what really is the finish line anyway, and who knows where you’ll end up. Once one goal is achieved you’re only bound to make another one and who knows exactly what life has in store or where it will take you on your journey. Just remember that your timing is bound to be very different to someone else’s. So whatever your dreams or goals in life, just keep working on those things that make you happy. This is your unique journey and you’ll do things in your own time.

Samio x

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July 3, 2017
Pants & Weather

I’m really starting to love my Spring/Summer wardrobe after having felt in a bit of a style rut not so long ago. I decided to mix things up and and now non-denim pants seem to have become ‘my thing’ at the moment. I’ve talked about wanting to move away from wearing jeans so much and I’ve really kept to that self pledge by incorporating a few new (non denim) trousers into my wardrobe, with these awesome Native Youth pair being the latest addition.

I feel with a few new clothing additions I’ve been able to have a total style refresh and I’m excited about my outfits once again. I’m still keeping things pretty simple but it just goes to show that you can still keep your wardrobe relatively mix and match whilst trying something new.

I’m very pleased about these new pants. They are versatile whilst still being a little bit quirky, as the print reminds me of a butchers apron. Weird association, I know but I think these are a type of love them or hate them trouser and I personally, love them! I wore them for the first time on Saturday on a glorious day in Manchester, whilst heading for lunch with Damien. We really got our own little ‘golden hour’, whilst it not actually being golden hour, when we decided to snap these shots on Saturday morning. When the sun was out from behind the clouds the lighting was just fabulous (bloggers dream) and I love how the shots didn’t even need editing because of it. We did however have to battle with the wind towards the end of the shots, as you’ll notice in the video clip below.

Anyway enough pant and weather waffle, I’m sure you’ll be seeing plenty more of these both here and on my Instagram (where I post outfits daily FYI). Let me know your thoughts on these down below. Ciao for now.

Samio x

Top – Rock On Ruby | Pants – Native Youth | Bag – Matt & Nat (here in black) | Trainers – Converse | Sunglasses – Vintage Christian Dior

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

June 1, 2017
Lately

Most Worn

It’s probably a tad bit inappropriate to post an outfit of me wearing a sweater when it is in fact (for once) boiling in England at the moment but in today’s post I wanted to share some of what’s been going on in my life lately, and this pink jumper is one of those things. Now I realise this jumper doesn’t fit with my usual style but my whole point for buying it was to have something super cosy that I could throw on when travelling or on those chilly early mornings when I’m heading to a shoot and want nothing more to be comfortable. I thought if I’m going down the cosy/comfortable route, I may as well make it fun and so I went for this bold oversized 80’s style sweater from Topshop. I believe it says ‘I am happy’ on the back in French, which I think is très appropriate as I’m often smiling my head off.

Eating Out

I’ve been eating out A LOT. This is something that at the start of the year I said I’d sacrifice somewhat in order to fund my travel addiction but alas that one didn’t last very long and I find myself eating out more than I dare to admit BUT with so many amazing new places forever popping up in Manchester (along with many old favourites), it’s hard not to!

A recent new spot I visited was the Brasserie Abode in Manchester, where I went along with my friend L’Oréal for dinner last Friday. The food and service was excellent. And although I may have gone for one of the least photogenic dishes on the mains menu (fish and chips), I have to say it was really good. My starter was the winning dish for me though, as I went for the Tuna tartare, spicy avocado and it was absolutely delicious! Just thinking about that dish makes my mouth water…after that we were too full to even think about desert but we did manage to wash it down with a tasty champagne cocktail which was the perfect way to start our Friday evening.

Music

I’ve been listing to some new(ish) music recently. I say some and by that I mean the same three albums on repeat, quite literally. I listen to music almost everyday but I must admit I easily get stuck in my ways listening to my firm favourites. Some current tracks I’ve been particularly obsessing over from from of these albums are:
Big For Your Boots – Stormzy
Sweet Dreams – The Last Shadow Puppets
PRIDE. – Kendrick Lamar

I have quite the eclectic taste in music so I never find myself listing to just one genre. Now I’m greatly anticipating the new Lana Del Rey album. So far I’ve been obsessed with every one of her previous albums so I can’t wait to get this new one in my life. Unfortunately it looks like we will have to still wait until the 21st of July for this one but at least we now know the release date.

And that’s it, just a little bit of what I’ve been loving and been up to lately. I’m happy to see that the weather has hotted up here but it probably won’t last long so I best go and make the most of it. Have a great weekend!

Samio x

May 26, 2017
What I Wore In Eindhoven

interchangeable pieces

I’m coming at you with a bit of an epic outfit post today, as I’m sharing not one but four outfits in today’s post. I’ve been a bit awol over the past couple of weeks here on my blog but if you follow my instagram you’ll know it’s because I’ve been super busy, as last week I was abroad twice: At the start of the week shooting for a job in Portugal and at the end of the week/over the weekend in Eindhoven for a bit of a different city break. A photo heavy travel guide on Eindhoven will be coming very soon but I thought that first I would share what I actually wore on my trip to the city.

Damien and I were in Eindhoven from Friday to Monday and I seem to have mastered the art of travelling light, as once again we managed to take one carry on case between us – the joys of having an interchangeable wardrobe means that you don’t actually take up that much luggage space.

I hadn’t expect Eindhoven to be quite the little shopping destination it was, with a few stores that were right up my street, including Hotspot which is now a new found favourite and I only wish they had one of these in Manchester!

Being one to keep my shopping to a minimal, I only purchased a couple of things whilst browsing round the shops, which included the stripe T-shirt featured further down in the post (which I bought at Hotspot) and the polka dot trousers (also in this post) from Monki.

As I steer away from wearing jeans quite so much I’m constantly finding myself on the look out for trouser alternatives. I spotted the polka dot trousers in Monki and had to try them on right away and I have to say that I am in love with them, so much so that I’ve barely stopped wearing them and am in fact currently wearing them as I write this post.

Anyway, I’ll let the pictures do the rest of the talking before I risk waffling on too much, so scroll down to see what I wore last weekend whilst in Eindhoven.

Samio x

Outfit 1

Trainers – Converse | Jeans – Asos | T-shirt – Cos | Biker Jacket – Zara, old (similar here) | Jewellery – Pernille Corydon | Bag – Kate Spade | Watch – Kartel

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Outfit 2

Trainers – Pinko | Trousers – Monki | Top – Topshop | Biker Jacket – Zara, old (similar here) | Jewellery – Pernille Corydon | Bag – Kate Spade

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Outfit 3

Trainers – Pinko | Trousers – Topshop | T-shirt – Selected Cotton | Denim Jacket – Old (similar here) | Jewellery – Pernille Corydon | Bag – Kate Spade | Watch – Kartel

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Outfit 4

Trainers – Converse | Trousers – Monki | T-shirt – Rock On Ruby | Denim Jacket – Old (similar here) | Belt – Asos (similar here) | Jewellery – Pernille Corydon | Bag – Kate Spade | Watch – Kartel

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May 19, 2017