Tag: Style

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
6 Things I Love About Autumn

The Style

Although I do love summertime outfits, it always gets to this time of the year and I feel ready to change up my style and what better way to do it than with chunky knits and layering. I currently love dressing for comfort as well as style and I feel Autumn is the perfect season to do so…Hello boots and favourite cosy roll necks, I have missed you!

The Social Calendar

Autumn seems to be the prime time for events, especially in the blogging world. Even outside of that, I always feel that during these coming months there’s always lots going on. From friends birthdays to parties, to pre Christmas celebrations, there’s always lots going on and my calendar always tends to fill up pretty quick. It’s one of the things I love about this season, there are plenty of excuses to dress up, celebrate and spend more time with friends and family.

Cosy Nights In

On the contrary to my last point…As much as I love my evenings out, I have to admit I do also love spending time in the comfort of my own home. During the (occasional) hot summer days, there’s always a pressure to go out and do something to make the most of the good weather (as it’s a rarity here in the UK), even when you’re maybe not in the mood…However in winter you’re guaranteed cold/bad weather so the pressure to be out and about doing things is gone and it can actually be used as a perfect excuse to stay in from time to time…Hurrah!

Autumn Foods

Two of my favourite seasonal foods crop up in Autumn and those include pomegranates and black peas! I’m sure most of you will be familiar with pomegranates and during this season I can’t get enough of them. You may be unfamiliar with black peas however, due to them being a traditional Manchester/Lancashire dish, which consists of, you guessed it, black peas – actually purple podded peas (that’s right I just googled that to check). They are soaked over night, then cooked and you usually eat them out of a cup, smothered in vinegar, on and around Bonfire Night. I personally can’t get enough of them and just talking about them is getting me excited for this simple, yet (in my opinion) excellent Northern dish.

The Atmosphere

Without sounding like the cheesiest person ever, I always feel like the time between mid September to December feels like the most magical time of the year (I know, super cheesy right?). There always seems to be lots going on with things like Halloween and Bon Fire Night…Not forgetting the run up to Christmas and New Year. And even if you don’t actually celebrate these events, I always feel like they create such a fun festive vibe everywhere you go…Can you tell I love this season!

There’s Actually Good Stuff On TV

I must admit, I don’t really tend to watch much TV (I’m much more of a movie and box sets type person) but if/when I do switch on the TV during Autumn/Winter, there always tends to be better things on…I’m instantly thinking duvet days on a Sunday during the run up to Christmas when a load of old movies are on. It’s been a while since I actually had a duvet day with all the house renovations that have been taking over the majority of our weekends for the past 16 months but now we are finally in our house (although the work still continues), I definitely plan on us fitting a couple of cosy duvet days in this Autumn.

What do you love about Autumn?

Samio x

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September 28, 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
The Perfect Slim Fit Mom Jeans

There was a time when the thought of wearing the same item on repeat would have horrified me. No matter how much I liked or felt good in an item, I always found it difficult to go back to wearing the same thing too often, which seems silly to me now as I love owning pieces that I can get a huge amount of wear out of…Times have certainly changed and for me a regular go to garment in my wardrobe are my slim fit mom jeans from Asos.

I hadn’t realised when I purchased them how big of a role they’d play in creating different outfits in my wardrobe and now time and time again, I find myself pulling these jeans out for so may different occasions. I’ve always struggled to find the perfect slim fit high waisted jeans that fit my body shape right and now that I seem to have found the perfect pair, I practically live in them.

I love how the relaxed fit is casual and cool, whilst being super comfy. I also love that whilst being a great everyday piece, these jeans can so easily been dressed up with a pair of heels and the right jacket…For me wearability is key when it comes to me making new additions to my wardrobe and these jeans certainly tick that box.

T-Shirt – Cos | Bag – Matt & Nat (in blue here) | Jewellery – Pernille Corydon | Jeans – Asos

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Samio x

July 7, 2016
How I Changed My Shopping Mindset

It seems strange to say it but I’ve sort of fallen out of love with shopping, no wait, let me rephrase that, I’ve fallen out of love with shopping in the way that I used to. If you had discussed this with me a year ago, I would have talked about how I loved to shop and may have even jokingly (not joking) said I was a shopaholic. As much as I’m ashamed to say it now, barely a week went by when I didn’t purchase something new, however small. I was regularly popping into the high street shops and picking up a ‘bargain’ or something I ‘had to have’. But were they really bargains or pieces that I needed?…Do I still love those pieces now? And am I going to have them for years to come?…The answer to all of those questions is no.

Something clicked last year, well it was more of a build up really and then I seriously began to think about my clothes, what they meant to me, why I bought so much and what would happen if I just stopped shopping in the way that I did. Other than that initial buzz of an impulse purchase, it wasn’t seriously making me happy, was it? I almost thought it would spell the end of my fashion blogging because if I didn’t constantly have new clothes to post about, then what would I actually post about? The whole point of my outfit posts had been to talk about the ‘cool new stuff’ I’d bought, right? Then I reminded myself that I’d always tried to label myself as a style blogger, more so than a fashion blogger anyway. The reason I loved to put outfits together to share here on my blog was more for the styling aspect rather than talking about current trends and I guess that in my obsession for always finding something new, I’d somewhat forgotten about that.

I decided to take it back to basics, quite literally. I began a massive clear out and decided to focus on the basics when it came to making new wardrobe additions. I wanted to focus on more re-wearable pieces and only have garments in my wardrobe that I genuinely loved and wanted to keep for a long time. That meant no more impulse buying. I stopped shopping in a lot of the high street stores, which is something that helped a lot. If I didn’t pop in H&M, then I couldn’t end up impulse buying a super cute top that was ‘only £8’, or if I stayed away from Zara, I’d avoid getting caught up buying the entire contents of the store after wondering in amidst a huge sale…And it was actually a lot easier than it sounds because what you don’t see, you don’t miss.

I began to find a love for clothing all over again and in a new way. Buying something new was always an easy option for me but working with something I already owned and constantly thinking of new ways to restyle it was actually a lot more fun than I had once imagined.

Now I really do think through my purchases. I use Pinterest for style ideas, I browse online at stores before buying and I like to plan. It actually makes the buying experience all the more enjoyable, as now it usually means that when I do come to purchase something new, I’ve really took the time to think about it and it’s something I really genuinely want, love and will actually get a lot of wear/use out of.

Dress – Old (Similar here) | Trainers – Converse | Denim Jacket – Dizen | Bag – Matt and Nat (Here in lilac) | Sunglasses – Vintage Christian Dior

Samio x

June 1, 2016
Perfect Pieces To Finish Off An Outfit

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

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

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

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

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

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

Samio x

May 16, 2016
Easy Stylers – Slim Fit Mom Jeans & Converse

Shirt – Asos | Jeans – Asos | Bag – Old (similar here) | Shades – Vintage Christian Dior | Trainers – Converse

Yesterday I had a the afternoon free and so I met up with my friend, Chloe. I’d initially gone to look in a boutique that sold a brand of bags I had been eyeing up for quite some time and was hoping to purchase. But after umming and arring for a long while and even going back to the boutique a second time, after we’d gone for lunch, I left empty handed. Chloe on the other hand ended up purchasing one of their gorgeous little purses…It wasn’t that I too hadn’t been won over by the selection of bags and purses on offer, in fact it was quite the opposite, as I hadn’t expect to be so spoilt for choice. This made decision making all the harder and it made me rethink about the initial bag I’d gone there to hopefully buy.

Nevertheless, we had fun browsing round the little boutique and now it’s given me time to sleep on it and I’m actually glad I didn’t make an impulse decision and by one of the other bags that I’d spotted. Although the bag in question was rather dreamy, after fully thinking it through I had to admit to myself that the colour maybe wasn’t quite right in terms of what will match with the majority of my current wardrobe, as I am going for a very mix & match vibe at the moment with the pieces I own…It’s funny, a while ago I would have said browsing is no fun without purchasing anything and I probably would have regretted not buying the bag. Now however I’m starting to see the benefits of thinking through my purchases and acquiring pieces that I can easily style and actually love to wear on a regular basis.

Speaking of pieces that I love to wear and are easy to style, yesterday I wore my new-ish Converse. They are the first pair of converse I’ve ever owned, can you believe it? I don’t know where I’ve been all these years. They are practical for day to day and I love how they go with just about anything. I’m also currently loving these Asos slim fit mom jeans. I have been getting so much wear out of them and they are easily becoming my favourite ‘go to’ jeans.

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Samio x

April 20, 2016