Morning Around Park Guell: Styling a Playsuit

Every now and again you visit a place that you feel completely relaxed, a place that is so stunning that you could spend all your time exploring and just watching. Park Güell, Barcelona made for a beautiful backdrop to an equally beautiful playsuit. 

To me, holiday dressing is about being underdressed and a little bit undone, it's completely different to dressing in England. It's brighter, lighter and more relaxed. In my suitcase, you'll find fabrics that feel nice on hot skin and a mixture of bright colours- queue this playsuit. 

A playsuit; the perfect alternative to the summers dress. It can be dressed for daytime wanderings and sightseeing, but can easily be dressed up for an evening of dinner and drinks. There are a couple of rules to wearing a playsuit- Strictly not tight. The clue is in the name, play, and you cannot play in a super tight fitted playsuit, plus it may resemble a weird swimming costume. I would always opt for a relaxed fit. Pull it in at the waist with a belt to maintain and highlight your shape.

To bring this playsuit into the evening, swap the trainers for a pair of wedges, drape a leather jacket over your shoulders and add a chunkier belt. 

Outfit Linked Below |

Playsuit Boohoo by ASOS

Bag Mango (black version) 

Trainers New Look (similar)

Sunglasses ASOS

Pinstripes & Sagrada Familia, Barcelona

This time a week ago I was drinking sangria, looking out on stunning views and soaking up the sun in Barcelona, and now I'm under blankets with multiple layers on in a not-so-warm-England.

One of the places I explored whilst there was the infamous Sagrada Familia Temple, designed by the historic architect, Antoni Gaudí. Who has a number of stunning designs dotted all over the city! I would recommend paying this attraction a visit, although, we, unfortunately, didn't explore the interior, the exterior was just as breathtaking. From the intricate detailing to the sheer size of the building, it's an odd design- resembling a sort of sandcastle mixed with a futuristic style rocket ship.

Where one finds Barcelona's biggest tourist attraction, finds an onslaw of guided tours all walking into you as they view a piece of history through their camera lenses. A million ice cream shops (which I am not complaining about) and just a LOT of people. I would advise visiting early to avoid the queues and crowds, although the parks either side of the temple were peaceful- the perfect place to sit and enjoy an ice cream.

I wanted to keep my look simple and above all else comfortable for exploring the city, so I opted for this light, short pinstripe dress. The bows and slight open back kept it playful whilst the length and frill kept it moveable and airy so, there wasn't any chance of me becoming too hot in the spanish sun. Also, for under ten pound this Primark dress was a real winner in my eyes, I've since worn it with a leather jacket and black boots to the pub in the evening- such a transitional piece.

I kept my accessories to a minium, sticking to my favourite Chloe style bangle bag as my Barcelona bag of choice, due to it's size and accross body option it was perfect for wandering the streets without worry of pickpockets. As for my shoes...aren't they just amazingly mad, I couldn't help myself when I saw all the tassles. Great for jazzing up any outfit!


Outfit Linked Below |

Dress Primark
Sandals Topshop (in black)
Bag Mango (in black)

Seeking City Comforts | The Ultimate Nude Dress

It's now September the seasons are changing; Fashion Week is upon us and I've received the all-important September issue of Elle magazine through the post, but I'm not ready to leave behind summer, just yet. This outfit was inspired by Liv Blankson, I saw it on her Instagram and immediately ordered! Go check her out. 

Keep a cool head in the heat of the city with this simple and uber comfy outfit. This is the ultimate nude dress, it's a bit riskier than my default of black and baggy but I wanted to try something a bit different. The dress is figure hugging which accentuates the figure, something I don't usually do, however, it's a nice balance because the longer hem means it's not exposing too much skin. 

The outfit is made even comfier when paired with a baggy fitted denim jacket. The looser fit jacket with a fitted dress adds another dimension, and the uncomplicated colour palette and shape keeps the outfit understated, suited to exploring the city in comfort.

In typical British fashion, the weather has changed from summer to winter in a matter of days with no warning, but I can imagine this dress being a great transitional piece if layered under a loose fitting cream roll- neck and a pointy black boot for an uber stylish look. Hopefully, we have a few more sunnier days though! 

Outfit Linked Below |

Dress Missguided

Denim Jacket Bershka

Sandals New Look (similar)

Bag Zara

Festival Inspired

It doesn't take much to connect short shorts paired with boots with festivals. Shorts are the ultimate essential when standing in a crowd of people in a field, cider in hand and music blaring.

Festivals are weird, aren't they? I went to my first festival a couple of weeks ago and I was not prepared for the sheer volume of people, not to mention the amount of times I heard 'Alan', 'Steve' shouted around the campsite - (if you don't know, watch this). It's 4 days of drinking endless cider (starting at 10am), becoming overprotective of home (your tent and camping area) and listening to great music with 49,999 other people. It was great- apart from the obvious no showering and the dreaded portaloos.

What I loved other than the music, was the outfits. Festival fashion is second to none- it's fabulous. The outfit above was one of the more toned down looks I saw but none the less it was perfect, comfy and transitioned from day to night with ease.

These tropical print shorts are such a nice shape, the slight outward frill along the bottom is a great way to make your thighs appear slimmer. The wider leg makes for a more movable and comfy wear- essential at a festival. Pair with studded boots to move away from beach holiday and more to festival, with the added bonus of being comfy!

Take inspiration from Tommy Hilfiger and customise your denim jacket with badges to add fun and personality to your outfit. Shop Wild Violet do some really cute pins and badges! If you would like 20% off use the code - SAMXVIOLET at the checkout.


Outfit Linked Below |

Top Hollister (put a white vest underneath)
Shorts Zara (similar)
Denim Jacket COW Nottingham
Boots Misspap
Bag Mulberry (similar)
Necklace Topshop (similar)
Sunglasses Quay Australia (similar)

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Summer Outside but not in the Office, What to Wear

Surviving summer whilst working in an office can be hard, especially when it comes to your outfit. Your wardrobe becomes a minefield of doubt and confusion because although it's boiling outside (it hit 32 degress last weekend in England), your office has air con which is lovely... if you were a polar bear.

I have a solution that keeps you both cool during your commute in the glorious sunshine, or not so glorious if you're on public transport, and toasty warm in the office.

Layering! Whether you're male or female layering is key to surviving the office in the hot summer months. The beauty is that you can add as many or as little as you need to, depending on how cold the office is. There is an art to layering however; below I've put together a few tips to help you ace the art of workwear layering.

1. Only layer your tops!

2. Aim for a light- weight and neutral colour t-shirt for your base layer, often a tighter fit. This allows you to overlay with a shirt without worry that you'll look sloppy with an untucked t-shirt hanging out.

3. If you want to stop at the shirt then that's fine, if you're like me and get really cold, a high-neck jumper over a shirt is great for wearing in the office as it keeps you warm whilst looking professional with the addition of the collar detailing.

4. Your two base layers- t-shirt and shirt should be made of airy fabrics and it's ideal to opt for light colours, for a more comfortable commute.

5. Jewellery- if you are wearing a lot of basic and plain colours then your outfit may need some accessories to add interest. Opt for thin and delicate chains for your necklaces and bracelets to avoid them rubbing on your skin during the day.

As for your bottom half, I would recommend opting for a chino style or loose fitting trouser, as these are normally made of lighter fabrics and come in many different colours that are more fitting for the summer months.

Chinos are a great option, especially for men as they offer a more sophisticated look for the workplace, with similarities to the more commonly worn dark suit trouser!

Women in my opinion have it a lot easier in the summer, with more option in the form of skirts and dresses as well as trousers!

Remember to just have fun with your layering and keep in mind that you need to be both comfortable with each layer allowing you to move freely around the office and on your commute!


Outfit |

Shirt (Similar)
T-Shirt M&S
Trousers Jacqueline de Yong & For Men, Bonobos.
Jumper Mango
Shoes (Similar)
Bag (Similar)
Necklace (Similar)
Sunglasses (Similar)
Watch (Similar)

What I Wore to my First Blogging Event...#BloggersBall

I went to my first bloggers event this weekend, organised by Scarlet London, the bloggers ball is an event open for anyone and everyone who blogs, even if it is just a hobby. It's a chance to mingle, network and have a fabulous time...and I did. 

As this was my first event I was unsure on what to wear, I'd seen a few people on Twitter opting for heels and bandage dresses while others were choosing jeans. I decided to play it safe and go dressy casual. I think in a situation where you are meeting new people, you need to feel your most confident self, dressing in something you are comfortable in and love will one hundred help. 

A loose fitting dress paired with a denim jacket is my 'of the moment look'-  it's comfy, it's cute and a great outfit if you don't know what the weather will do. Adding a pair of low heeled boots will complete the look, and are also great for adding definition to your legs as well! 

Bags, Bags, Bags - I've become slightly obsessed recently. I've been introduced to a whole new world of colours, patterns, metals and styles. I want to be more adventurous with my accessories and what better place to start than handbags! 

This outfit can be worn with a simple black shoulder bag with tassel detailing, to keep it low-key and laid back or add a pop of colour with this beautiful red bag to dress up the outfit a tad more. 

Outfit Linked Below | 

Dress Urban Outfitters (Similar)

Denim Jacket Zara

Boots AllSaints (Similar)

Black Bag Zara (Similar)

Red Pattern Bag Kurt Geiger (not mine, but I wish it was!)

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