Monthly Archives: February 2019

Cat Lady Fashion feat. Oasis

27th February 2019
A few days ago I posted a spring dress wish list and mentioned that I’d re-discovered the high street hero that is Oasis. They’d somehow slipped off of my radar for a while but a month or so ago a fellow crazy cat lady at work mentioned they had some fabulous feline themed pieces in store, and with a shopping tripped planned with my Mum that weekend it seemed only right that I pay them a visit.
It was a tough call between this dress and this jumper but after trying both on it was swiftly decided that it was the skater dress that was coming home with me.
This dress is just part of a partnership with the animal charity Blue Cross which provides support for pets, and pet owners in need, ensuring they can access affordable veterinary care and finds homes for abandoned animals. I could quite easily have taken everything home as I had forgotten just how well Oasis clothes fit and how good quality they are.
It’s not just this collection that has caught my eye either. Oasis are currently killing it with their new arrivals and it’s seriously paining me that I can’t afford to go on a wild spending spree (especially as they are running 25% off some of their seasonal styles at the moment).

For now I’ll just enjoy my latest addition to my ever growing cat themed clothing collection. Is being the wrong side of 30 a bit old for this kind of novelty print? Not a chance…not in my book anyway…the more cats the better for this lady.

Posted in brands I love, cats, dresses, fashion, outfits, personal style, shopping

Permalink 5 Comments

The Spring Dress Wish List

23rd February 2019
The recent milder spell of weather and odd sunshine bathed day has me full of hope that Spring might be on the horizon; I do remember having this same train of thought last year though and then we got hit by The Beast From The East so we’ll see how long this optimism lasts! Still, un-predictable weather aside it’s been a long time since a wish list post graced this blog, so here we are with my current obsession- dresses perfect for that transition in to Spring.

Monki Wrap Dress | Joanie Star and Scallop Dress

I love the bright and bold prints on both of these dresses, especially the star and scallop print on the Joanie dress. The Monki shirt dress looks perfect for dressing up for work, or down with trainers for the weekend, and the Joanie number is a bargain at just £30.

Floral Skater Dress from Oasis | Unity Posy Midi Dress from Joy

Both Joy and Oasis dropped off my radar for a while, and both used to feature regularly on the blog back in the day. These floral dresses are both ideal for Spring and I’ve made myself a promise to frequent these stores more regularly for inspiration and the occasional purchase when budgets allow. I did pick up an awesome dress in Oasis just after Christmas which is coming up in a blog post soon. Florals for Spring may not be groundbreaking, but they sure do work.

Ruffle Floral Dress from Warehouse

I saw this dress pop up on Warehouse’s social media recently and instantly fell in love. My current shopping ban means I can’t make the £69 purchase at the moment but I’m mentally making excuses to break the ban; would it be perfect for a late Spring wedding I’m going to? I’d love some opinions on this as it might be enough to justify the spend!
What’s caught your eye lately? I’m loving the high street right now, and it’s the worst possible timing to feel so inspired to shop as all of my spare pennies are being filtered towards spends for the epic holiday Bob and I have planned…it’ll be worth it, but I can feel my halo slipping.

Posted in brands I love, dresses, fashion, personal style, shopping, wish list

Permalink 2 Comments

5 Fun Ways To Create Wild and Wonderful Wedding Day Memories*

19th February 2019
You’ve probably been to quite a lot of weddings in your time, and not all of them have been memorable for the right reasons. You wouldn’t want your guests to leave with negative comments muttered under their breath, you want to make a hugely positive impact right away. Whether you’re dreaming of the perfect wedding video to take home after the day is over, or you’re thinking about a unique source of entertainment there are so many different options you can explore. Creating wild and wonderful wedding day memories might be at the very top of your priority list right now, so let’s explore all of your options here.
1.Stunning Singers

There is nothing more amazing than listening to stunning singers during the ceremony, at the wedding breakfast and at the evening reception. You could hire a gospel choir or a quirky band that will really leave their mark on your big day. Instead of opting for something that has been done a million times before you could truly make your special day completely unique. Not only will this create wonderful memories for you, but it will also ensure your guests have the most amazing time.

2. A Photo Booth

One of the best ways to collect unbeatable memories is to hire a photobooth for your evening reception. As soon as your guests have had a few drinks they will want to leave you a special picture to commemorate such a fabulous evening.

3. A Quirky Guest Book

Instead of your traditional guest book, why not opt for something a little unique for your big day? You can purchase jigsaws, where each guest write their own personal message for the bride and groom. Or you could invest in a small tree where guests can hang their message to you. Not only does this serve as an amazing decorative item, but it also gives you a different guest book option.

4. Vibrant Video

A wedding video will ensure you never miss any special moment of your big day. From the moment you walk down the aisle, to the funny best man’s speech, there are so many wonderful things it will capture. Look for a videographer that fits within your price range and you will be able to collect some wild and wonderful memories to last a lifetime.

5. Fabulous Photography

When it comes to choosing your perfect photographer, you need to make sure you’re truly on the same page. When you share a vision with the person on the other side of the lense, your photos are bound to come to life right away. Make sure you outline every shot you want to achieve from the big day so that you aren’t left disappointed when you get your prints back.

You have always been a huge fan of making memories, especially when it comes to planning your special day. You want to ensure that everybody on your guest list has the best time ever, without forgetting a single moment. There are many ways in which you can achieve this so consider all of the ideas above and you will have the picture perfect wedding bursting with memories.

Posted in inspiration

Permalink

Hit Refresh

16th February 2019
Is there anything better than a fresh hair colour to pull you out of a funk? Finding this perfect red shade via my local hairdresser a couple of years ago marked a real turning point for me; it became the shade that signified re-finding my confidence after a hellish few years, and getting back out there in to the real world and embracing recovery with everything I had.

Last weekend, determined to pull me out of my January blues, Bob packed me off to the salon (he kinda owed me after telling me he’d never seen me with so many grey hairs) and I came home re-vitalised and ready to plough on through these last few kilos of weight restoration and turn my life in to something even more fulfilling than it already is.

I picked this dress up in the & other stories sale after Christmas. Still an extravagant purchase for me, but I couldn’t leave it behind. It’s exactly the kind of thing the true me loves to wear, and being all floaty and forgiving it’s perfect for those all too frequent days where body image isn’t my best friend.
And so far this refresh is working, it’s not easy, in fact this is probably the hardest phase of recovery from an eating disorder. My BMI is no longer wedged far down in to the underweight category, and arguably I don’t look underweight in the slightest. I live in silent fear of being judged for my decision to add another 5kg to my frame despite knowing I’m doing it to enable all the things I still want to achieve to happen.

Time is ticking and I know that if I want to start a family, if I want to live the rest of my life in a world where I don’t count every calorie or scrutinise every menu within an inch of it’s life I need to do this. And what’s shameful about wanting to be the best version of myself I can possibly be? What’s so wrong about wanting to have a healthy figure that has the energy and strength to start running again, or embrace the great outdoors and go on long hikes or bike rides with my boyfriend or my friends and family?

I couldn’t resist adding in this picture of Pablo and I, taken in one of his rare co-operative moments. It’s hard to believe he ever fitted in to the palm of my hand, or nestled in to my neck when we first met him at 8 weeks old. He’s a right little character who keeps us on our toes- he’s obsessed with foil, meows relentlessly at the fridge for slices of cooked chicken, he’s destroyed every toy we’ve bought him and makes our living room look like a toddler tornado has run through it. But he’s the sweetest, most sociable little creature and yet another addition to my life that simply wouldn’t have happened if I hadn’t hit refresh two and a half years ago.

Posted in dresses, fashion, life, life stuff, lifestyle, outfits, personal style, recovery

Permalink 5 Comments

Review: Vape Mate Juices from E-Cigarette Direct

12th February 2019
I was recently lucky enough to receive another delivery of juices from the team at e-cigarette direct. This time I was sent a selection of flavours from the budget friendly Vape Mate range* which has just landed on the site. Costing £2.99 per 10ml bottle these are around £1 cheaper than most 10ml bottles, I’m not yet au-fait enough with vaping to know if spending less on juices would compromise on flavour and quality but I was all set to find out.

Juices c/o e-cigarette direct

I was sent four flavours from the 20 strong classic range, which includes several standard tobacco flavours alongside the more novelty ones that I favour. One thing I will say about the range, before I start my review is that these were all 12mg nicotine whereas I usually vape 6mg so they were definitely stronger than I would have liked but all this really meant was that I actually got through far less juice as I was “needing” to vape less.

The first flavour I tested was Mint Choc Chip which I knew from the off I probably wouldn’t enjoy much. Sadly I wasn’t wrong, whilst I loved the mint notes in these I am yet to find a chocolate flavoured juice I enjoy. That being said, it was more subtle than those I have tried and hated previously and as a result I have managed to use the bottle, it just wasn’t my favourite and I wouldn’t purchase it.

Next up came Lime Zinger which was every bit as punchy as it’s name would suggest. This was refreshing in a way I haven’t yet experienced from a juice and very pleasant, 100% would get this again.

Following on from this came Harvest Berry which I fully expected to dislike as I’m not a fan of berry flavours in general. I was so wrong though, this was probably my favourite of the four I tried. It combines strawberry, blueberry and raspberry as well as a “secret ingredient”, and whilst subtle it was pleasing and smooth. Again, I would get this again without a doubt.

Finally came the flavour I had highest hopes for; Glazed Doughnut. I’m a sweet juice devotee and I really thought this would be amazing- it wasn’t quite everything I hoped for but I enjoyed the sugary hit and baked good aftertaste, I just think I built it up a bit too much in my head.

Would I buy cheaper juices in the future? Yes, I absolutely would. I’m not sure I’d stoop to pound shop level but these are perfectly acceptable, the largest indicator of their price tag was that these are a 50:50 PG:VG ratio and usually I seek out 60:40, that certainly doesn’t make them unappealing though and I would be keen to try out more flavours from the range and will be popping some in to my next order (the strawberry and peppermint flavours are next on my list).

Does anyone else have experience of lower prices juices? I’d definitely like to check out more brands- I’ve saved so much money since quitting the cigarettes but further savings could be made.

Posted in review, vaping

Permalink