Tag: Pink

3 Ways To Wear A Corduroy Blazer

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

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

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

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

With Jeans and a tee

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

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With All Black

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

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Like A Cowboy

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

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

September 11, 2018
Improving My Craft & Shooting Myself

Back To Beginnings

In my earlier days of blogging I used to take quite a lot of my photos myself. Of course this was nothing new and I’m pretty sure you’d be hard pressed to find a fashion/beauty blogger who hasn’t (at least at one point), resorted to shooting themselves. The blogging life isn’t always as straight forward as it may appear and back in the days when I didn’t even have a tripod, I remember precariously balancing my camera on piles of shoe boxes and books, before hitting the self timer button, just to get the shot.

Obviously things have moved on a lot since then, for myself and for other bloggers alike. Photography equipment has improved, (I’ve since invested in a tripod, thankfully) and everyone seems to have massively upped their game.

These days many fashion, lifestyle and beauty blogs are just as much about the beautiful imagery as they are the written content/information. I myself enjoy both. As much as I love a good piece of written content, or an informative piece, I do love the impact certain imagery can make within a blog post too.

Earlier this year I made it an aim of mine to learn how to edit photos and become better acquainted with my camera settings. I’m going to be honest, I went years using SLRs, not really knowing what I was doing with them (oh hey there auto function).

Damien has always known how to use a camera and so adopted the role of my street style photographer (aka Instagram husband) early on and when I’m out with friends and decide to shoot my outfit, I’ll often just (now I know how), get the settings right, then pass them the camera and direct them where to shoot.

Whilst their help has been invaluable, especially as blogging has evolved into a job for me, I’ve recently been drawn to the idea of getting back into the habit of shooting myself again. I think this comes down to an amalgamation of things; One being the limited hours of daylight now it’s winter, leaving only the weekends available for Damien to take my shots, which hasn’t been happening much because we’re currently having the busiest weekends ever. Two, wanting to continuously improve on my editing skills but not having enough photos to edit. Three, being inspired by my super talented friend Onyi who takes self portraits of herself and her husband Craig, every single day (check out her daily photos here, they are seriously amazing). Four, as I mentioned in my previous post ‘Inspired by home’, I am continuously inspired by my home at the moment and I’m constantly seeing different areas that I think would be cool to shoot in.

This beautiful Free People dress arrived in the post on Saturday morning and whilst Damien was busy painting, I took the opportunity to do a quick shoot in our living room. For these shots I set the tripod up super high and angled the camera downwards to get a more aerial style shot. I really wanted to show the elegance of the dress and I think I managed to capture it quite well.

So right now I’m really finding enjoyment in taking self portraits and improving my photography skills. I’ve started using the hashtag #SamiosSelfPortraits on Instagram, so if you’re interested in seeing more of the photos I shot of myself, you can check them out all in one place there.

Samio x

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December 11, 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
Five Tips To Help You Stay On Track With Fitness

I used to make such a big deal out of exercising. By that I mean that when I would be in ‘fitness mode’ I’d go all out and make sure that each and every workout I pushed myself to the limit. So much so that when I slipped out of my routine, it was so very hard to get back into it again because I knew it would be so hard when I did. I’ve often been an ‘all or nothing’ type of person and the same has always gone for my fitness. Towards the end of last year I had well and truly slipped out of any sort of fitness routine and I began to feel sluggish and disappointed with my then current fitness levels.

This year I decided to change my approach to fitness and make it something that I could maintain and continue to enjoy. I think that staying on track is often the hardest part when it comes to keeping fit and here are my five tips for doing just that…

BE REALISTIC AND DON’T BE TOO HARD ON YOURSELF

First of all it’s important to remind yourself why you’re choosing to keep fit. Whether it’s for health purposes, to feel better about yourself, or even to look good on that summer holiday you have lined up, make sure that you’re setting yourself realistic goals and not being too hard on yourself when it comes to achieving them. It’s good to think of your long term fitness goals but then break them down into smaller goals to help you get there. You can’t expect to run before you can walk, so as long as you keep moving, it’s fine to take baby steps.

CEATE A WORKOUT SCHEDULE

I never realised how much a workout schedule would help me to stay on track with my fitness. Previously I used to workout when I felt like it but now that I have a routine, I know that on those designated days, I get up and I workout. By marking out my workout days in my diary and planning what exercises I’ll do before hand, it make sure I get them done and it leaves me feeling good when I’ve done them and ticked them off.

DON’T BE AFRAID TO CHANGE IT UP AND MAKE IT FUN

I’ve more or less scrapped the gym so far this year, in fact, I’ve actually been contemplating cancelling my membership. As it currently stands, I am still a gym member, however over the last several months, I’ve seen myself massively fall out of love with the gym. You could be feeling the same (I know many people dread the gym to start with), or maybe you’re the opposite and joining a gym would be just the thing to motivate you but whatever it is, make sure you enjoy it. I was only able to maintain my gym routine when I enjoyed it, now that I’ve grown bored of it (for the time being at least), I’ve found other ways to enjoy working out. Recently I’ve been enjoying workout out at home first thing in the morning and getting out doors and going for long walks in the countryside is something I enjoy to do on weekends.

REMEMBER THAT DOING SOMETHING IS ALWAYS BETTER THAN DOING NOTHING

Everyone has days that they lack motivation, I’ve certainly had my fair share of them. What I’ve found when it comes to keeping up with a fitness routine is that doing something is always better than doing nothing. On those days when I don’t feel quite as energetic but know I’ve marked it on my schedule to workout, I’ll make sure I at least do the bare minimum and do the exercises I most want to focus on. Then on my next designated workout day, I’ll make up for it by doing extra. When I don’t do anything at all (on the days I had planned to workout), I find it all too easy to quickly slip out of my routine and it really demotivates me. By getting at least some form of exercise done on the days I had planned to, it keeps me in the routine and I always feel better for it afterwards – Plus it makes me want to work harder next time.

MONITOR YOUR PROGRESS

Nothing Spurs me on more than seeing results. I’m currently focusing on toning up and building strength in my core and arms. One of the things I’m currently doing is the One Hundred Pushups training program. I mark it out in my diary and each day that I complete another step of the program, I tick it off and am able to monitor my progress by doing so. Although it gets harder, the more pushups I’m able to do, the further I want to go and so seeing myself progress really is great motivation.

Another great way to monitor your progress can be to simply take pictures. Often when you look at yourself everyday in the mirror, it’s hard to notice any difference but by taking pictures every so often you can eventually start to look back and actually see the progress, which can be one of the biggest motivations of all.

What I Wore:
Nike Pro Training Top – John Lewis (here)
Nike Pro Sports Bra – John Lewis (here)
Nike Training Tights – John Lewis (similar here)
Nike Geo Print Trainers – Asos (here)

Do you have any tips that help you to stay on track with fitness?

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.

February 8, 2016
The Pink Vintage Shirt

Today has been a delightful day, it’s been a delightful weekend in fact and now I can’t believe that it is March already! It feels like only the other day that I was writing my first blog post of the year on the first day of January. Anyway, here we are and I’m pleased to be slowly working outfit posts back onto my blog. Brighter days and slightly better weather mean I’m getting more opportunities to get some of my outfits snapped. Today was no exception and we got these shots done literally seconds before it began to pour it down. Despite the wet weather, it was certainly not putting a dampener on my day as I’d met up with one of my best friend’s, Lydia and her mother Hazel, as we headed to Frurt to attend their Barakah Food Aid event.

We spent the afternoon sipping coffee, sampling tasty cake and of course frozen yoghurt. Lydia and I tried our first taste of kanafeh, which is a cheese pastry soaked in sweet sugar based syrup. It was unusual, yet enjoyable nonetheless. We also enjoyed a delicious Nutella hot chocolate each, which of course was amazing! It was certainly a sugar filled afternoon and an enjoyable one at that.

What I wore:
Shirt – Vintage
Skirt – H&M
Belt – Primark
Necklace – Ebay
Shoes – Office

Samio x

March 1, 2015
The Pink Holographic Shoulder Bag

Since I was little I’ve been what you might call a ‘girly girl’ and still now into my adulthood there are many factors including that my favourite colour is pink, I’m instantly attracted to shiny, sparkly accessories and the fact that I’m still secretly slightly envious of Barbie’s wardrobe, that prove my fashion sense hasn’t grown up quite as much as I’d like to think.

Nowadays however, instead of dressing head to toe as a sparkling, shimmery, walking rainbow, I unleash my inner childhood girly girl by opting for key pieces to add a pop of fun to my outfits. So when picking out a bag from LYDC London, of course I opted for the fabulous Argill Holographic Shoulder bag in pink!

I’m like a magpie when it comes to shiny things and so I was instantly attracted to this particular LYDC bag, however I must say I was spoilt for choice whilst browsing through their website, so if you’re on the look out for a new bag, I’d recommend it as the place to go!

gey tulle dress from Forever 21. Belt from Asos.

Samio x

November 3, 2014
MUA Luxe Velvet Lip Lacquer

I was in Superdrug a few weeks ago doing one of my regular makeup hauls, when this MUA Luxe Velvet Lip Lacquer caught my eye. First of all the packaging stood out to me as it looked fancier than the other MUA lip products and second was the price. At only £3 I had to buy it and try it.

The Luxe Lip Lacquer comes in a selection of appealing colours, including a bright red and nude, as well as others. I went for this gorgeous pink shade called Funk. I thought I’d buy just one of these lip lacquers to try it for the first time and I have to say I’ll definitely be purchasing more.

It glides on smoothly as a liquid and then quickly dries to form a matte smudge proof finish on the lips. The colour is intense and long lasting. This product is excellent value for money. The packaging is great and as it comes boxed it makes the product look a lot more expensive than. It would make a great little stocking filler for someone (yes I am mentioning Christmas already), it’s never to early to start collecting gifts.

I give this product a big thumbs up and for all you lipstick lovers out there I’d say this product is a bargain buy must have!

Samio x

October 11, 2014