Shoes: ASOS
Dress: New Look
Polo neck: Gap
Bag: River Island
If there's one thing I can't ever get enough of, it's a wee bit of shoe art (I did try to combine the words to come up with a nifty one worded combination of the two, but upon looking up the word 'Shart' on Urban Dictionary I realised it wasn't quite right). These ASOS beauties are literally what a shoe addict's dreams are made of. Upon seeing them online, I was totally in adoration of them, but convinced myself they were too outwardly ridiculous to actually purchase. 4 days later and the strain of staying away from them was just too much and I caved. They are utterly bonkers but that's what I love about them. The hot pink hue and cute little heal (not to mention the elastic pom poms) just made for the most irresistible footwear. When I got them out of the box they just made me smile :)
Aside from receiving my weekly shoe art, the past 7 days have been pretty chaotic but glorious. I have been interning for The Debrief, and can honestly say that so far it has been one of my all-time favourite placements I have undertaken. The team is young and so friendly, and the site is full of hilarious and refreshingly open articles which 20-somethings actually really want to read and know about. During the week I have assisted on a shoot, got to go to two press events- one a beauty launch and the other where I got to meet Rita Ora- and the press conference for the new Cinderella movie. I have also had a couple of pieces published, which you can read here and here. It has been a great chance to get more experience and to meet some lovely people, both in the office and at the aforementioned events. It's also pretty damn handy that the office is located right near one of the only Crosstown doughnut stands in the city...coincidence? I think not.
Pink sports bra: Adidas
Black sports bra: Nike c/o Get the Label
Sports leggings: Nike
Black trainers: Nike c/o Get the Label
Grey trainers: Nike c/o Get the Label
If there's one thing I hate, with unrivalled, passionate HATRED, it's running. Anyone who knows me will tell you that I am the biggest anti gym bunny going. I just can't fathom the joy people get out of running; I can literally think of 107629 things I would rather be doing whilst sweating away on a treadmill. People that run marathons (although very very impressive and hardworking) are, I feel, slightly bananas. The thought of running a marathon makes me want to throw up before I've even started. And those journalists who write that it's possible for anyone to convert from a fitness-phobe to an avid runner? Liars, the lot of them.
HOWEVER, I understand it's just one of those parts of life you have to deal with if you want to stay healthy. When you love food as much as I do (and you wouldn't be caught dead buying kale or whatever trendy super food comes next) then you come to realise naughty food + no exercise does not a healthy human make. By writing a list of 10 tips for fitness-a-phobes (most of them to be taken with a pinch of salt) I'm actually making a mental list of the things I should myself be doing more. Because trust me, I have not yet mastered them all, and working in an office with constant delicious temptations and following a schedule with little time to do proper exercise can be a bit of a cock block in terms of my relationship with health. So to the fellow lazy girls & fitness-a-phobes out there, let's try our hardest to eat a little less, workout a little more, and follow these 10 little tips:
10 tips for fitness-a-phobes:
Get fun workout gear: any girl worth her salt will know that exercise becomes a hell of a lot more enticing when you get to wear that new bright printed sports bra and 'it' girl trainers (or at least, it does for a while until the initial appeal wears off, then it's time to buy new gear...YAY). Special thanks must go to Get the Label for kitting me out with some snazzy workout bits!
Consider what the best and worst types of exercise are for a fitness-a-phobe: Running? no no no. Swimming? ah yes yes yes. And what about yoga- I mean, it's just lying down and bending over...amirite..? No? Ok. But please, for your own sake, if anyone ever suggests you goto a spinning class with them, just turn around and walk in the opposite direction. Spinning does not mean taking a class to learn how to spin round in circles, as I initially thought.
Go shopping: sounds silly, but makes a lot of sense: A trip to the shops is classic cardio which burns burns burns those calories. Be sure to reach to the stars when trying things on, tighten those glutes when squeezing into those jeans and fill those bags to the brim with new purchases to carry and make arm muscles stronger (good for so so many reasons).
One word: YOUTUBE: There are some seriously awesome fitness routines on the 'tube which don't even require you to leave the house. Take a look at Viv's top 5 vids for some inspiration here.
Carry around water in a fun water bottle: which may (emphasis on the may) remind you to whip it out more often & get your intake
Swap naughty snacks (chocolate, doughnuts, basically all that's good in life...) with healthier alternatives that still give you a sweet kick: I'm really into the sweet coconut and vanilla propercorn atm, and caramel snack a jacks aren't half bad either.
Get creative when making sure you get your 5 a day: squeezed fresh orange juice, heinz tomato soup, veg on the side of your dinner, dried fruit & nuts to snack on: all cracking alternatives to the obvious.
Bring a blindfold to work when it's cake day in the office: And maybe a nose clip. Chocolate cake doesn't exactly smell bad, does it...
Make any exercise you do FUN: Although it's pretty impossible to get outside in shitty old England, (seeing as we see the sun about 5 days a year) it's worth making the most of it when you do. Rounders is pretty much the most fun you will ever have while doing any type of exercise. Until then, however, consider downloading 'Zombies, run!': the app which makes you run faster so that the zombies behind you can't catch up (yes, really). Especially appealing if you are as obsessed with The Walking Dead as I am.
And one last thing: avoid Victoria's Secret models' instagrams like.the.PLAGUE.
;)
Tee, skirt & shoes: All ASOS
Scarf: Charlotte Simone
What (aside from extra chocolate mars bars and The Walking Dead every Monday evening) am I totally obsessed with at the moment?
ALL THINGS SUEDE!
Oh, oh, and my POPSICLE.
The 1970s: a time period most fashionistas would rather forget. Bell bottoms, mullets and neon: it was a decade of some of the worst trends in British history. But this season numerous designers surprisingly took inspiration from the fun-loving hippies of the '70s. And thank God they did. Along with the bad, the 1970s also brought a hella' lotta' guuuuurrrd. Suede, (reasonable sized) flares and denim galore: I'm all over it like an ugly rash.
This pink skirt from ASOS provides a fun spin to the suede trend. Its midi length is given a sultry edge with its high rising split and silver buckled belt. It would work just as well with a pair of open toed dainty sandals as it would with some cute socks and brogues. The luxe feel and smell of real suede is also pretty fantastic; another reason why I adore this bubblegum-shaded piece.
I've combined it with my super cute 'I love you a latte' tee which Kirstie surprised me with (literally the kindest creature alive she is) and my ASOS tie up chunky platforms which everyone seems to be going mad over online! And last but not least, of course, is my Charlotte Simone popsicle scarf. It's been keeping me snuggly and warm since it was introduced into my wardrobe, and adds a touch of style to every ensemble I put together. I'm in a pretty monogamous relationship with my popsicle: no other scarf even comes close.
What do you like about the 70s trend? Do you like any other designs from Charlotte Simone?
PS. I interviewed the designer- read it here! Thanks to the lovely ladies at 5th House for organising this for me :)
Last week I was lucky enough to be invited along to the Benefit Curl's Best Friend Pop-up parlour press launch (phewww, that was a mouthful). I was so excited to see what the parlour had to offer, and even more so because visiting with me was my gal pal Kirstie (also a fellow blogger- check her out HERE). The pop-up is basically a combined beauty parlour, make up store and bar, and will be open for just a month. It has been designed in order to celebrate the launch of Benefit's new 'it' product: Roller Lash Mascara, and to honour its other best selling mascara They're Real.
Upon entering, myself and Kirstie were given a lovely warm welcome and handed a glass of bubbly. We were given a tour of the three story shop, and had time to take some snaps and chill out. The bottom floor of the parlour is a place to relax, indulge in a cupcake (or 12...they're super mini ok), slurp down a cocktail and gossip: perfect. Up the stairs lies the beauty parlour, in which you can book yourself in for a make upper, brow wax and tint or faux-blow. Up in the 'attic' is the biggest and best hidden treasure of the entire store: the Noir Bar. With mood lighting, plush seating and a cocktail list as long as my arm, this is the perfect place to finish your visit. Just be careful of the pesky winding staircase- I managed to knee Kirstie on several occasions on the way up (much to her discomfort and my, well, amusement).
I can honestly say the Benefit pop-up parlour launch was one of my favourite press-preview events I have ever been to, and I was taken care of so well by the seriously fantastic staff. From the very kind DeVries Slam PR people to the hilarious Benebabes who worked on my hair and brows, everyone I met was really lovely and willing to go the extra mile. Kirstie and I spent lots of time getting our hair, makeup and eyebrows done, feasting on cutesy mini cupcakes and having a laugh in the photo-booth. The goodie bags were also glorious, the contents of which you can see above. And yes, we even met the Benefit dog (rollers in hair and all).
To sum it up, we had a really fun night. For this reason, I would definitely 100% recommend checking out the stylish pop-up parlour before it closes in a month's time. I think it's just such a genius idea, combining 3 things most young 20-something women love: makeup, cocktails and chilling out with friends. It would therefore make a super Friday night out after work, or could even act as a mid-week treat to rejuvenate and kick back. The parlour itself is also decorated so fabulously, from the hairdryer-style lighting (DIY on steroids) to the wall cabinets chock-a-block full with mascara.
The parlour is open now and you can book in to visit by ringing 020 3620 4747 or by downloading the curl's best friend app. It is located on 26 Greek Street, Soho, W1D, and it's open Tuesday to Saturday 11am-11pm (Noir bar open from 7pm). Book yourself in now as it won't be around for long!
