Tag: Outfit

6 Things I Did On My Beach Holiday

I’m back from the Greek island of Kos, after a week away that I can only describe as relaxed, peaceful and self-indulgent. I allowed myself to fully wind down and do a few things that I very rarely get to do…

I Switched Off

I put my phone onto airplane mode for the majority of the trip. By the middle of the trip (and strategically timed on a Saturday), I couldn’t help but check my emails (just incase), as being self employed gives you the fear of missing out on work anytime you decide to ‘switch off’, which is usually never in my case. I did however allow myself to wait to reply to emails after I returned home – any guesses what I’ll be doing today?

I Sunbathed

For the first time in years I actually lay in the sun, not under the shade or wrapped in layers, and I fully let the sun bronze my skin – whilst covered in head to toe factor 50 of course – don’t get me started on skin protection.

I Swam in the Sea

I actually got to do this once whilst still in England over the summer but it had been a long time since I dipped into the sea whilst abroad…and lets face it, it’s always better swimming in the sea in a country that has a much warmer climate than the UK.

I ate a ridiculous amount of cheese

Okay so this is something I tend to do a lot whilst at home as well – hello, my favourite food is pizza! – But I wouldn’t usually opt for cheese with breakfast, lunch and dinner…But there was just so much of it and I couldn’t stop myself. I’m talking edam and cheddar for breakfast, pizza and feta for lunch and after dinner cheese and crackers with blue cheese every night. Yep, I’m going on a dairy free detox.

I Read a Book

I finally got to read the book that I’d meant to finish a long while ago. I’d bought A Little Life for my flights to Cape Town earlier this year and then found myself occupied watching the entire final series of Downton Abbey, along with a selection of old movies on the plane instead…Fast forward to a week ago and I finally picked it back up again and found myself hooked. In fact I found myself crying at the end. Actual tears, which was a bit embarrassing whilst sat in the hotel lobby but I definitely recommend the read, even if it may leave you a little heart broken.

I thought of nothing and did nothing

With an overactive brain like mine, that is somewhat impossible, but I did manage to zone out from the rest of the world (airplane mode definitely helped) and not think about the usual things that may rattle through my brain. I barely thought about my blog and didn’t even feel bad about not posting on social media. Sometimes it’s nice to switch off…It was also nice just being really lazy.

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It’s fair to say I had a great week away. I hope that you have had a great week so far and enjoy a great rest of the week too!

Samio x

October 26, 2016
Winter Wardrobe Upgrade With The 3 In 1 Coat

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

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

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

Two

Three

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Samio x

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

October 17, 2016
Decluttering, Changing Old Habits & Trying Out The Capsule Wardrobe

It was around last autumn that I had started to majorly downsize my wardrobe and had began thinking about creating a capsule wardrobe, which I talked about here. At the time the thought of clearing out the majority of my clothes to focus on the limited amount of items that I actually wore and refine that selection to create a ‘capsule wardrobe’, was both scary and exciting. Even once I’d got into the swing of mix and matching certain pieces on repeat, I still had a large selection of clothes that I’d been hoarding (but never wore) incase I ‘got bored’ or ‘needed something different’. As the weeks and months passed, I realised those were two scenarios that never actually occurred and although I was quite content with my new outlook on style and how I now dressed/shopped, I still wasn’t quite ready to let go of my safety blanket – which was basically all of the clothes that I was keeping for the sake of keeping them.

Trying To Start Anew

Although I was no longer adding to my unworn clothing collection, the clothes were still there. There were plenty of clear outs (I actually lost count) but it was the last and biggest one that was the hardest. I knew I didn’t want to take all of that stuff to my new house but a part of me didn’t want to part with most of it either. So for a good while, there it sat, bagged up, between homes, unsure of where it was going. It annoyed me, it got in my way, it definitely pissed me off but for some reason I just couldn’t part with it…until eventually I actually forgot what was in some of the bags and so then I knew, it was definitely time to let it go. It still sounds a lot easier than it actually was – I mean, it’s just clothes after all – but I’m so glad that I eventually did it.

Where I’m At Now

Fourteen months later and I’m finally at the place I had only been able to dream about a year ago. It sounds extreme but at the time, I had discovered a few things that really made me want to change my clothes shopping habits (something I’ll go into more in a future post) and I also started to realise that I really wasn’t finding fulfilment from all the things I owned and that the clutter I had created was just causing a distraction, not to mention slowing me down when it came to something as simple as getting ready in the morning (I definitely do better with a lot less choice). Fourteen months later I moved into our house with one suitcase of clothes plus a coat and a few jackets (that I bagged up separately) and I’m currently the happiest I’ve been with my style and my wardrobe in a long time.

…And The Capsule Wardrobe

As for the capsule wardrobe, I don’t strictly have one. I’m much more of a go with the flow person and if I really love something I’m not going to stop myself from buying it just because it doesn’t stick to a certain number of items. I do however like to stick to certain colour pallets. I’ve moved away from bold prints and bright colours, instead favouriting more ‘grown up’, muted tones but that’s not to say that it isn’t possible to have a brightly coloured capsule wardrobe or even just a pop of colour when you fancy it (as I had lots of fun trying to create an example of here). Limiting what I let into my wardrobe has just helped me to discover that I now prefer to dress much more relaxed and casual and I feel most comfortable in more minimal, simple pieces. I also think that if you’re like me and maybe don’t like to stay completely within the rules but can be helped by a little guidance, just planning a capsule wardrobe can be a great way to help you realise the things you actually really want in your wardrobe and it can also be a great way to help you to refine your style.

The Verdict

Without rambling on too much longer (I could honestly talk about this topic for hours), in a nutshell, decluttering has been a long and slow process but one I’m definitely glad I started. It’s helped me think differently about how I shop and yet buying less, opting for better quality when possible and owning less has actually left me feeling much happier about the way I dress and the pieces I own. I guess I can now say I really understand the meaning of ‘less is more’.

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Thank you to the fabulous kind hearted soul that is Onyi for taking these fabulous photos for me and thank you to those of you who actually read this post to the end because I know it was a long one.

You can read more about my decluttering journey here.

Samio x

October 10, 2016
Pretty & Practical – My New Go To Accessory

I used to be obsessed with owning lots of bags and shoes and ended up owning so many that the majority would get neglected and really I was focusing on quantity rather than quality, often acquiring pieces that wouldn’t really stand the test of time. These days I much prefer to own a smaller selection of really versatile accessories that I love and are easy to regularly re-style with lots of different outfits.

I feel the right accessories can really help to elevate an outfit and my most recent bag addition works perfectly to do just that, even with this simple jeans and t-shirt combination I wore on Sunday.

This gorgeous little Kate Spade Tassel bag is from Tessuti where they now stock Kate Spade NY in store. With its long adjustable strap it can be worn on the shoulder or across the body with ease and at just under 8 inches wide and 2.5 inches deep, it is the perfect size for fitting in all my everyday valuables and keeping them safe when out and about.

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I didn’t think a bag of this size would fast become my go to bag for everyday. The size is surprisingly deceptive and I actually manage to fit a fair amount in it, which is something you’ll notice if you check out my new ‘What’s In My Bag’ video here:

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.

September 14, 2016
Something For Everyday – The Burnt Orange Blazer

I have been on the hunt for the perfect blazer for the longest time ever! Okay, slight over exaggeration there but I have seriously searched high and low for what feels like months and I’m glad to now say, I have finally found what I was after, although not necessarily what I’d been looking for…In my mind I’d originally had the idea of a black or grey blazer that would be great for day to day but when browsing online and hunting in a few shops, I wasn’t really finding the type of thing that fit with my current (super casual) everyday style. It was just by chance that I stumbled upon this burnt orange colour blazer and to my own surprise, I instantly feel in love with it.

The first time wearing my new blazer I of course had to throw it on with my all time favourite Asos Farleigh jeans and a pair of Converse. It was the perfect outfit for a Saturday afternoon as Damien and I headed out for lunch and a few drink before meeting friends later for a BBQ.

This blazer definitely gets the thumbs up for the high wearability factor as I’m already finding myself reaching for it each time I head out. I also love that it’s a great Autumnal shade, which makes it a great transition piece as the seasons change.

Blazer – Asos | T-shirt – Asos | Jeans – Asos | Bag – Whistles| Trainers – Converse (in black)

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Samio x

September 7, 2016
Weekday Jeans

Hello! I have to start by saying, it’s been a while. Yes I have very much neglected my little space on the internet over these past few weeks, which is something that has frustrated me at times but I think my reasons have been somewhat justifiable, as work has been really busy at the moment and when I’ve not been shooting, there’s been lots of long days and late evening spent at our house doing D.I.Y and finally we’re starting to see things take shape and it’s slowly starting to come together. Although we still have a lot to do (it’s definitely been the biggest project of our lives so far), we hope to finally be getting in our house very soon and I cannot wait!

Anyway, onto the outfit post and I finally made a couple of summery(ish) additions to my wardrobe. I absolutely love these Weekday jeans that I got from Asos. I tend to struggle finding the right fit with jeans and usually just live in the same couple of pairs on repeat. Not only do I love the fit and style of these jeans but I also love the fact that they are made from leftover materials…I also decided it was finally time to purchase a pair of sandals after spending the majority of my summer so far in Converse. I’m not usually much of a sandal person but I actually really like these and I’m pleased to say that they are pretty comfortable too. Let’s just hope the good weather continues so that I can get plenty of wear out of them.

Sandals – Asos | Jeans – Weekday | Jumper – Asos (similar here) | Denim Jacket – Pieces (similar here) | Bag – Whistles

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Samio x

August 29, 2016
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

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Samio x

August 1, 2016
Practice, Perseverance and Pursuing Your Art

Inspiration can come in many forms; It can come in words we hear or read, music we listen to, imagery we see or even people we meet. I feel lucky to have friends who regularly inspire new thoughts and ideas in me but I also love meeting new people who I can share different creative ideas with and feel newly inspired by.

Onyi is someone I met recently at a blogger event and after hearing about her photography, I was instantly inspired by her passion to work hard at improving her skill in something she loves. We instantly got on and on Sunday after meeting for the third time, Onyi took some snaps of me in what I was wearing and effortlessly captured the vibe of how I was feeling that day; Relaxed and happy.

We chatted a lot about our creative goals on Sunday and one thing I think that we both agreed on is that whichever creative outlet you decide to pursue, it takes time, effort, patience and persistence in order to improve at it and get to where you want to be… I think Onyi’s work (just check out her Instagram, her self portraits are amazing!) is a great example of how time spent working on something your passionate about can pay off.

All too often we can envision the end result of where we want to be but forget about the hard work and practice it takes in between, in order to get there. If you feel like you’ve hit a brick wall or a creative slump, keep going. Create anything until you start create something. Often we are our own worst critics and if you don’t continue to try and work at it, you’ll never know what could come of your hard work and effort…and remember what they say, “practice makes perfect”.

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Check out Onyi’s blog here and Youtube here.

Samio x

July 27, 2016
5 Things I’ve Discovered Since Downsizing My Wardrobe

It’s actually possible to get ready in under 10 minutes

I’ve always been one to faff. I’m that annoying friend who says they are about to leave the house, when really they are still sifting through a selection of clothes, manically deciding what to wear…Or at least I was. One of the best things about downsizing my wardrobe is that it has given me more time! I don’t find getting ready a stressful task anymore, whatever the occasion. Less stuff, means less to choose from, which inevitably means less faffing from me!

Quality is far better than quantity

This one may seem pretty obvious but I definitely used to be someone who preferred spending less and owning more. This is something that changed a while ago, but I’d still easily be drawn in by something just because it was a ‘bargain’. Fast forward to now, and call me boring, but I find myself thinking purchases over a lot more and try to invest in pieces that will last longer when I can. I also find that I tend to favour the pieces I put more thought into purchasing too, and so I end up wanting to wear them time and time again.

You can be content with a smaller wardrobe

When I was younger I always had dreams of having my own walk in wardrobe…That dream still stands however now, I envision that space much more sparsely filled and with a selection of pieces that I truly love. I’ve been amazed with how much happier I’ve become with my outfits (even the super basic ones) and the pieces I wear on day to day basis. It’s not that I care less about clothes (I still totally love them), it’s just that I worry a lot less about them now that I have a lot less to choose from and find myself content with the pieces I own, instead of always longing for something new.

You don’t need every type of garment in your wardrobe

We’re constantly told about fashion ‘must haves’ and things that we absolutely need for this and for that that, but the reality is that if we bought into all of it, we’d actually have a wardrobe ready to burst…Oh wait, that was me!

I’ve always had quite an eclectic taste and so shopping for me meant buying random pieces that I liked on whim. Over time this meant that I really did have almost every type of garment in my wardrobe and lots of pieces that I wasn’t willing to get rid of ‘just incase’ the right occasion should arrive. But since finally letting go and clearing a lot of that stuff out, I haven’t actually missed any of it and not once has an occasion come around where I’ve thought ‘Oh I wish I’d kept that’. It’s also helped me to refine my style and think about what I truly want to wear and will actually wear on a regular basis.

It’s okay to be an outfit repeater

For a lot of people I’m sure this one is pretty much a given but I used to be someone who hated wearing the same look twice, especially when it came to occasion wear. Nights out would always require the ultimate planning as I’d spend hours browsing online for something new to wear for the occasion. Now I realise that it doesn’t actually matter if you have a particular garment or outfit that you like to wear on repeat for a certain occasion. There are ways to change your look without changing your entire outfit, such as styling prices differently, adding accessories and changing up your hair and makeup. Of course I still find it’s occasionally nice to go for something new or slightly more special from time to time but I’ve learnt that it’s better not to worry about it too much and like they say if it’s not broke, why try to fix it.

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Samio x

July 22, 2016
Three Mid-Year Goals

We’re slightly further than mid-way through the year but it’s never too late to set yourself new goals or work on old ones for that matter! Sometimes it’s good to give yourself a little reminder of the things you’d like to do/achieve in the coming months and I find the best way to focus on exactly what those thing are, is to write them down. So feel free to continue reading if you’d like to hear me self indulgently divulge three of my personal current goals.

Keep Blogging More Consistently

I really do love blogging so much. I find it really fulfilling and each new post I publish feels like a new little accomplishment…My problem however is balance. Modelling is my full time job and although this is partly a job as well, I often do let modelling take over and more often than not, when work outside of my blog gets busy, I do unfortunately let this space get neglected. Very recently however I have been trying to overcome this, as I know there is absolutely no reason why I can’t juggle the two things at once (I’ve proven it to myself on more than one occasion). It’s a case of old habits dying hard (massive procrastinator over here). I need to remind myself that on those long train journeys travelling around to jobs, I can still be utilising the time to think of new ideas, write and keep on top of posts.

Keep Up With Social Media

This point is somewhat similar to blogging and it’s also the reason I want to keep up with it, as for me I feel the two go hand in hand…I do love social media, especially Instagram and Twitter, so it shouldn’t really be hard to keep up with but sometimes I have days when I just completely switch off and don’t share anything on any platform. I know you’re probably thinking – surely that is a good thing – but I just need to get better at managing it all and actually utilise some of the many social media scheduling apps that are out there. I’ve avoided many of them for so long, as I do really like the idea of ‘being in the moment’ but I’ve come to the realisation that if I wish to keep on top of things, then it’s something I’m going to have to start doing.

Keep Up With Youtube

Yet another blog(ish) related goal here…When I posted my first YouTube video at the start of last year, initially it had just been a one off to show how I did my hair but little did I realise that it would lead to further video request and for me to develop a love for filming and editing my own videos.

I feel like I may have found my ideal creative outlet with this one, as it’s a process I thoroughly enjoy. However, once again my scheduling can be a little off. I’ve also gone through a little bit of a creative lull and whilst I love filming and the rest of it, I often can be a little over critical and find myself publishing nothing, rather than something I’m not fully happy with…I’ve surprised myself however and just recently reached 7,000 subscribers, which I know isn’t much in terms of the whole YouTube world but for myself it’s certainly an accomplishment and something I wasn’t expecting when I first started. So that has been the great little incisive I’ve needed to spur me on and get things back on track.

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So those were my three mid-year goals for the coming months. Yes this post was a little self indulgent as I said but I actually find it really helps to write things down a lot of the time and before I began this post I hadn’t realised that all my goals would be blogging related. So I guess it’s helped me realise what things I want to be focusing on and work harder at in these coming months.

What are some of your current/mid-year goals?

Samio x

July 20, 2016