Give yourself a break.

Hello everyone! I hope you're all very well! Let's dive straight into today's post. I'll always use my blog as an outlet to share my thoughts and to write about topics which I know others are experiencing too. I love to share my thoughts on here, and I know I'm not alone in my thinking, as I often receive lovely messages from women who are experiencing similar situations as myself. So, without further ado, here's what has been on my mind lately...

I've talked before about my post-university blues and quite frankly, I'm not ashamed to admit that entering the world of work had initially been a huge culture shock. Well, one year on from graduating, I have certainly learnt a few lessons about working life. One thing I've noticed on social media is the huge amount of inspirational quotes I see telling me to 'live my best life'. Have you actually typed the term 'girl boss' into google? Sometimes I feel bombarded with these inspirational quotes, and I'm often left feeling guilty about not giving myself enough time to work on my side hustles, such as my blog or my Instagram page. As much as I love writing, creating content and shooting outfits, I would rather spend time with my family and friends. Must I always 'wake up and grind' and 'build my empire'?Millennial burn-out is real. Having a perfect work-life-balance is pretty unattainable. As much as I want to shoot new content for my Instagram page, and post more often on my blog, sometimes I just can't. be. bothered. And that is okay, I know I'm not being lazy because I also realise that I deserve a break. Prioritising our mental health is important. Sometimes these inspiring messages social media messages do the complete opposite and leave you feeling, well, pretty crappy.

I always remind myself of the quote - "Time you enjoyed wasting, was not wasted."

I honestly believe it does you the world of good to simply chill out. However you relax - do that. Curl up in bed, have a duvet day, go on a walk, binge watch your favourite series and spend time with your family and friends. Do not feel guilty for not being 'productive' on your days off - because sometimes that's all you need. Taking time away from work often leaves you feeling more creative, as you've given yourself time to relax and recharge. There's more to life than work.

My favourite place to visit when I'm feeling uninspired or stressed, is the beach. I'm lucky enough to live close to the coast. Walking along the beach with my Mam & Dad is one of my favourite things to do. The beach is always the first place I go, whatever my mood. Rain or shine, the sound of the crashing waves and fresh sea air always helps to clear my mind and allows me to forget the reason why I came down in the first place- at least for a little while! Having a long walk is such a great way to take yourself out of a situation, and once you return, you'll often feel a lot better and more creative than you did previously.

Let's talk fashion. My Fedora is from Brixton, borrowed from my brother's amazing hat collection (thank you for letting me steal it if you're reading this)! My slip dress is from All Saints. As you can tell, I'm still not over leopard print. This slip is such a simple design, yet looks so effortlessly cool. I love the V-shaped neckline, it's so flattering and really draws attention to my layered necklaces. It's a silky lightweight material which is perfect for summer. This dress is so easy to style, its classic design allows it to be accessorised in so many ways, to suit all occasions.

I'm wearing my Zara military boots (again)! I wear these boots so much, they're my ultimate favourites, I bought them two years ago in the Zara sale and they're now my go-to boots. I just love their clunky androgynous style. As this pair have become such a firm favourite of mine, I'm actually going to invest in a pair of Doc Martens this Autumn, as the soles of these boots are practically falling apart!

I also just wanted to mention how much I am loving Glossier's Boy Brow! For a thin-browed girl such as myself, this product has been an absolute god send! Boy Brow gives the brows thickness and texture - which I love! I'm wearing the shade brown and I would 100% recommend if you're a fan of a bushy brow.

Hard work pays off - but what's the point in working if you don't give yourself time to enjoy the rewards?

S x

Florals For Spring? Groundbreaking...

Welcome back! Springtime has finally sprung, in today's post I'm featuring this amazing Zara dress, which I picked up a few weeks ago from Manchester's newly renovated Zara store. There's no better way to mark the beginning of Spring / Summertime than with a good ol' floral dress. As I sit here and write this, the temperature outside is twenty-three degrees, I can't quite believe it! I know the weather is beginning to pick up, when I finally succumb to wearing bare legs. I'm the type of girl who needs the temperature to be at least twenty degrees, before I even consider leaving the house with bare legs.

Floral prints are an absolute wardrobe essential of mine. More specifically - floral dresses. They're just timeless. Each year, as brands launch their S/S collections, we're inundated with a bouquet of florals. Blooms always play a vital part within springtime trends, and I'm sure they always will be. As Miranda Priestly once said, 'Florals for Spring? Groundbreaking..." I'm certainly not complaining about how this trend blossoms each and every year. It means I get the opportunity to grow my floral wardrobe collection...

This particular floral dress is from Zara. As soon as I laid eyes on it, I fell in love. Its green and pink floral motif looks beautiful against the cream shade background. I'm such a sucker for florals! I love the fit of this dress and how it lies on the body, the pleated relaxed waistline gives the dress a sense of body and movement. Its asymmetric shape means the front of the dress has a higher hemline, making it extremely flattering, allowing the dress not to look too oversized.

I've styled my dress down by wearing a pair of white Asos trainers and a pair of blush fishnet socks. I love these socks, I feel they add a grungey twist on even the most feminine of outfits. They're a nice delicate addition to my outfit, which helps to tie together my look and which picks up the blush tones within my dress and bag. I already know the oversized dress and trainer combo is going to be my go-to look this summer. I think the look is just so versatile and easy to wear, not to mention super comfortable.

I am so excited to create more beautiful summer content for my blog! Being able to shoot on an evening, during golden hour, really makes such a difference! I'm always on the look out for florals, I'd love to know your where you get your floral fix from!

Dress - Zara, linked here

Photography by Sam Sparks.

Take a look at his amazing work on Instagram, Facebook and over on his website.

S x

Re-thinking Our Fashion Choices.

As I’ve mentioned previously in earlier posts, I have recently embarked on a quest to become more sustainable within all aspects of my life. I thought I would share my discoveries and my thoughts on the highly topical, and important subject of fast fashion. Don’t worry though, this blog post isn’t going to be one big guilt trip. I want this post to inspire you, my reader, to become more mindful of the environment and to strive to make a number of small changes, to become more sustainable in your everyday life.

You may be thinking “she doesn’t even practice what she preaches.” Yes I agree with you. I’m not a die-hard environmentalist and I’m not claiming to be. I’m a hypocrite, I still buy into fast fashion trends and I still buy new clothes from time to time, but I’m aware of these facts, and I am working to reduce my environmental impact significantly. I’m not suggesting you boycott your entire existence and make the dramatic decision to lead a fully sustainable life, but I am encouraging you to make a number of environmentally-friendly lifestyle choices which are less harmful to the environment. I’m preaching sustainability because I understand the crucial importance of making a change right now. I would rather be a hypocrite and write this post, than not write it at all and miss out on the opportunity to inspire you to make even the smallest of changes.

It was announced recently the UK would run out of water within twenty-five years. It's plain to see that climate change has played a huge part in this terrifying statistic. Inflating global temperatures and rising sea levels have only been made worse, by our insatiable obsession of owning the latest fashions. The fashion industry is the second-biggest consumer of water, whilst also generating more greenhouse gas emissions than all international flights and maritime shipping combined...

I firmly believe that education on this subject is key. After speaking with friends and colleagues, I know that many of us still do not realise the monumental impact our fast fashion buying habits has upon the world around us. The terms ‘fast fashion’ and ‘environmentally conscious’ have become common jargon within the fashion and blogger world, but do people outside the realms of the industry understand exactly what these terms actually mean? I think it’s naive of us to presume this, however I do believe we all need to be more proactive in educating ourselves on the impact of our throw-away culture.

Fast Fashion - “Inexpensive clothing produced rapidly by mass-market retailers in response to the latest trends”

Eco-Conscious - "Showing concern for the environment"

Collectively, if we stop demanding fast fashion on such a global scale, retailers will stop supplying. Limiting our buying habits is not only an amazing way to save money, it is also hugely beneficial for the environment. Did you know it takes 2,700 litres of water to make one single T-shirt? Instead of buying something new, try styling up an item you already have in your wardrobe. I absolutely love transforming a piece simply by accessorising. For inspiration on how to style, take a look at my Instagram TV to see how I’ve styled a simple slip skirt three ways!

In terms of influencing, I have begun to turn down collaborations with brands, if I know I won't wear a garment again. Sometimes I feel as though I am declining opportunities, however the question I ask myself each time I am given an opportunity to collaborate is; “will I wear this piece more than once?” If the answer is no, I will always politely refuse the collaboration. I understand many rely on influencing as a primary source of income, however I strongly believe that influencers must take responsibility for promoting sustainability in one way or another. I cannot quite believe that over 235 million items are sent to landfills in the UK alone. To tackle this issue, we need to become more creative in the way we shop, we can all positively contribute to this by taking a step away from buying brand new fashion.

As you can see from the images of this shoot, I've kept it super simple. I'm wearing a vintage crochet jumper, which was passed down to me from my Mam! I often rifle through her wardrobe and 'borrow' pieces which I know she'll never wear! Crochet is the perfect transitional piece to wear throughout Spring and Summer. I absolutely love this jumper, I often see very similar pieces in high street stores, but nothing ever lives up to a good piece of vintage! My flared jeans give my outfit a 70's vibe, this vintage blue pair are from Mango. They're made from organic cotton, whilst I understand the production of cotton and organic cotton, has huge environmental impacts, organic cotton is produced in a manner which maintains soil fertility and promotes diverse agriculture. If you must buy new, look at the label! Small changes such as buying a garment which has been reworked, or one which is made from more environmentally-kind materials such as linen or organic cotton, can change the environmental landscape of our high street. If we stop demanding such cheap clothing, retailers will stop supplying.

I was in the Northern Quarter whilst shooting this post and stumbled across the independent store, Beaumont Organic. What a fitting location for this shoot! Beaumont Organic's store is beautiful, it's light and airy and is filled with timeless fashion and unusual sustainable homewares. Their eco-conscious, contemporary designs are refreshing, making their flagship store well worth a visit if you're ever around the NQ.

I've devised a small list of ideas for you to follow to fulfil your fashion fix; but in a more sustainable manner:

- Swap clothing with your family and friends.

- Sell and buy via auction apps such as Depop, Gumtree and Ebay.

- Get thrifty and visit charity shops and vintage shops.

- Upcycling your old clothes and turn them into something new!

- Only buy new when you really love something and you're certain you’re going wear it time and time again.

Whatever you do, do not throw away old clothes, instead donate them - someone, somewhere will be thankful.

Documentaries to watch:

The True Cost

Rana Plaza Collapse Documentary: The Deadly Cost of Fashion

Stacey Dooley: Fashion’s Dirty Secrets

I really hope this post has inspired you to think twice before you buy that new outfit for the weekend, each individuals' small change, can make a huge difference.

S x