Chelsea Boots in The Lanes

Style, Travel, Winter, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

I went through my old work books a few weeks ago and came across a work book I did in reception (kindergarten) We had to find objects from a magazine and stick them in the book then count them. I chose shoes. My teacher even commented that I’d chosen shoes. My love for shoes spans over 20 years. How crazy is that? I’d say I am a shoe girl over anything else. Yes, handbags are lovely, but shoes. Shoes are where I get my most joy. While in Brighton I really needed a new pair of shoes. Something comfy, appropriate for Winter and that didn’t need breaking in. I went into Deichmann and picked there comfy black boots. They are super similar to the pair I bought about 4 years ago in a Deichmann in Truro. But when you find something you love, always buy it. Deichmann are perfect for me as I have big ol’ feet, they have a wide range of sizes. These Chelsea boots didn’t need breaking in and are versatile enough to be worn all the time. I wore them all around Brighton on our last day there, which was also my birthday.

Jacket – H&M (similar in B&W) |Beret – Vintage | Jeans – New Look (tall) | Boots – Deichmann |

Backpack – Desigual (linked similar) Jumper – H&M   sale £6

12 Trends SS/20 See Through

Style, , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Dress and Bag – Zara | Shoes Marks & Spencer | Necklace -H&M | Lipstick – Burberry

A 12 Step Programme to help you style the trends of Spring and Summer 2020.  See Through was seen on the runway from brands Supriya Lele, House of Holland and Richard Malone. Developing this look into more of a day piece is using the top layer of a summer dress. As I have done here. But wear it over jeans and a T. I always thought that you had to wear clothing straight from the run way, but no you actually don’t. The runway is your inspiration. I’ve used pieces I already own in a new way. I loved wearing this look and added in another trend for SS/20 for the hell of it. NEON! this little circuler number from Zara packs a mighty punch. A more sustainable way to play with new trends and not impact the waste of the fashion industry. I am working on creating a video of the 12 trends for the season.

Who else is working on their summer wardrobe now?

 

 

Exploring Brighton’s Food

Food, Travel, , , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Out first night I wanted to go somewhere cool. All the city breaks we’ve been on we’ve found cool drinking holes to laze around in. We had our first-night drinks in Tempest Inn. A bar on the seafront cut under to road. Little caves are carved out for tables for people to sit at. It’s a cool place. Some of the caves are really dark and it’s sort of dead in winter but still interesting to experience.

Birthday breakfast pancakes in our hotel. They were exactly what I wanted for my first birthday meal of the day. We stayed at The Kings Hotel on the sea front, just by West Pier.

Mocha and fries in Redroaster. We arrived at about 10 and couldn’t decide if we should have a second breakfast or have lunch. But would we have lunch at Redroaster, or somewhere else? We settled for a coffee each and a bowl of fries with alioli. The interiors were so hipster and cool that we drank our coffee and left.

Dos Sombreros in The Lanes, is where I had my birthday meal. I really wanted to have it at The Mesmerist but they closed their kitchen early and so did Black Lion, which was my second choice. We ended up at Dos Sombreros and had the place to ourselves. We shared chicken fajitas and lots of hawt sauce. It was perfect.

After realising that Dum Dum’s was closed I sulked then went for ice cream and warm cookie dough at Creams. I had the milk chocolate and Hayden had the white. It really made up for the lack of sweet treats we had this break.

Fatto a Mano

The pizza stop in the North Lanes. I love pizza and was hoping this place would be amazing, because of the reviews and it was. We decided to get two pizzas and split them with a side of fries because we were so hungry from walking everywhere. The N’DUJA and the CAPRICCIOSA. The first was a spicy pork number with heck loads of cheese. The second was an olive, artichoke mushroom extravagance that I would have ordered another to take home. It’s exactly that kind of pizza I wanted. When you can look at the pizza oven and watch if be made with love. That’s pizza.

uTrading post

The Trading Post Coffee Roasters. The best almond latte I’ve ever drunk. So smooth and easy coffee. I’d come back here anytime. The cakes looked amazing. If you want to people watch sit downstairs or if you want to work away from home or be more intimate sit upstairs and be away from the bustle of The Lanes.

Ben’s Cookies

If you get cookies, get Ben’s. Although not an exclusive to Brighton Ben’s Cookies are to good to pass up. When we saw the cookie stand Hayden and I both shouted ” Ben’s Cookies yeah!” So you know they are good. We bought 7 ( it was only polite to) and ate 3 on the drive home.

Hopefully next time I go to Brighton it won’t be in the middle of winter and places will be open. Well i hope Dum Dum’s is open. If you have been to Brighton where were the best places you ate at? I’ll add them to my list for next time.

Being Patient

Dorset, Style, , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

Hayden and I are moving. I’ve mentioned a few times that we are on the hunt for a place to call our own. We both currently live really rural in the South of England and can’t wait to have bus connections and a takeaway that will deliver to us.
Back in August we picked the place we wanted. The most stunning apartment in town. We fell in love and could have moved in then and there. But it was still being built. Yet that’s right, it was a shell but we were sold. The plans said it would be finished November/December. But here we are in January still not moved in. Wrong parts were ordered, other building sites were behind so our site got pushed back further. So we waited. Had a few building site visits, and fell more in love every time.
If you know me in person, you could say I’m not the most patient person. I hate queueing at the bar, waiting from someone to hand me something annoys me, Waiting for food to cook, takes too long.  So having to wait for our apartment to be finished is peeing me off to put it politely.  But building never goes to plan, there are changes, problems that can’t be foreseen. I’m so impatient as I know how amazing it will be to have our own space. To play house, to decorate, We have the most perfect masculine sofa coming. To be able to build my adult life, is so motivating. To be able to start building a life with Hayden makes me giddy with excitement.
End of February is our moving date. There will be blog posts, empty apartment tours and blogs, As your girl is putting all her effort into blogging and Instagram, Youtube.

Resolute in Knee High Boots

Style, Travel, , , , , , , , Leave a comment

” admirably purposeful, determined, and unwavering” Oxford Dictionary.

This time of year everyone is talking about the resolutions they are going to make and stick to this New Years. But it’s honestly a waste of time. Unreachable goals are set, once they aren’t reached a sense of uselessness creeps over you and the year is wasted.

Dress – Zara (old) | Boots – Thrifted | Headband – Accessorise, in the sale! | Broach – vintage

The point of this post is to tell you that you don’t have to set goals. But being resolute in what you’re doing is more important then what you are doing. Having the right attitude will give you the edge on everyone else. All the memes about 2020 and jokes about perfect vision for next year are, actually spot on. Starting 2020 with bravado and not wavering when life gets in your way. You can achieve more goals then your new year resolutions could ever dream. If you want to set goals, do it, set them. But don’t write, I’ll run a marathon in 2020. Write I’ll create a running plan that I’ll stick too, in the hopes that a marathon is achievable. See what I did there? Setting a slightly more achievable goal means that if you hit this one a marathon is in your sights if you choose to go for it. Don’t burden yourself with false goals of grandeur when whatever you achieve this year is beyond better than your best.

My level of determination for 2020 is high. But I won’t let myself feel the pressure. I’d like to travel more, create more blog posts, work on curating a wardrobe that is really workable and I will wear 100% of it. Spend time with friends. Save money.  These are easily achievable things I believe.

TRAVEL MORE

Allocate my free time better. Explore the UK. Visit Wales again, Edinburgh, I’ve never been to Liverpool. Travel doesn’t have to be abroad.

CREATE MORE BLOG POSTS

This is something I’m excited about working in The Curly Haired Girl really brings me joy. So I’ll create a monthly plan of what I’d like to do, how many shoots, what to write about. Anything I think of I’ll write down. Once things are completed I’ll cross them off.

CURATING A WORKABLE WARDROBE.

I’m sure I’m not the only person that doesn’t wear most of their wardrobe, right? I buy cute things wear them a few times, then they get lost to the back and I buy something new. I love fashion but this isn’t productive at all. I may challenge myself to wear everything in my wardrobe once in the next 3/4 months and if I can’t wear it for some reason out it goes. This way I’ll know what I like and what I don’t. I’ll be able to notice the gaps. Do I need a new nude bar? A pair of black heels? This challenge will tell me. I ‘ll save money and work buying only what I’ll need and use.

SPENDING TIME WITH FRIENDS

I found my friends working in various different jobs, but once We’ve all grown and left we have different schedules. So making time to see one another can be tricky. I would like to see my friends more. Have then come for dinner, see them at the pub.

 

SAVE MONEY

You never know what the future will bring and to have a little money saved is always a good idea. Saving money but staying in and cooking for my friends. but buying unnecessary clothes and travelling around England will all help me save.

 

Happy New Year Everyone.

A Love Letter

Style, , , , , , Leave a comment

Dear Amelia

I’ve seen what you’ve been through these past 10 years and had write you a letter of love. Where do we begin? 2010, roughly two years after your meningococcal Septicaemia saga and you are finishing school. Starting your blog The Curly Haired Girl, working out what career you want. You are so motivated it fills me with pride. You are tired all the time, but you don’t let it stop you, same as the scars on your legs from the Septicaemia.

During the next 10 years you’ve passed your driving test, hallelujah! Completed you A-Levels and found that academia wasn’t for you. But you made it happen. Went into the working world and found your love for fashion again. Seeing you get excited when your uniform allowance would come through, a delight to see. When you cut your long hair into a bob! Working on your days off on your blog, getting mum and dad to take your photos or using your webcam to get a photo. You realised that you actually did want to expand your learning and worked towards getting back into education. Hello, college. Working on making friends and meeting your Hayden must have been a stroke of some sort of higher power. I love how you two laugh and talk for hours, going on adventures, travelling. Stop going to Paris already there are so many other places to visit. Going to university. what !!! bloody well done. Getting a degree in Fashion Promotion and Communication (Ba Hons) Becoming a blonde, apparently they really do have more fun.

It’s clear to see that in these 10 years you’ve really worked your butt off to get to where you are. The next ten years are going to blow your mind! and you’ll be 35 by then too.

P.S. Here is a little something for you to say I’m proud of what you’ve achieved and can’t wait to see who you become.

Love Amelia.

What to Wear to the Beach at Christmas

Style, , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

The lul between Christmas and New Years is an odd one. my day job is a barista so I’ll be at work for a few days before ringing in the New Year with my family. What are your plans over the lul Between New Years?

Let’s talk about the outfit, shall we? The cardigan I bought while I was in Mallorca from Desigual is an absolute dream. Possibly the best cardigan I’ve ever owned. The bright animal print is a perfect example of a twist on a classic. I had visions of shooting this cardigan as a beach look as soon as I bought it. Who knew that it would be mum and I freezing our butts off on Christmas Eve by the pier to get the shots. I really didn’t plan for there to be so much wind.

A cardigan so bright deserves to stand out as the focal point of your outfit. I paired it with a pair of straight cut off jeans and a simple black T-shirt. A pair of nude trainers and my favourite fluffy handbag. Simple and relaxed styling for a Christmas eve shoot.

CARDIGAN – DESIGUAL | JEANS – GEORGE | T-SHIRT – H&M | SHOES – CONVERSE | BAG – CALVIN KLEIN|

location – Boscombe pier, Dorset

First Party of the Season

Dorset, Style, Winter, , , , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

 

Possibly the most nervous I’ve been in a while. Went to Hayden’s work Christmas party and met all the people he talks about me to for the first time. It was so warming to have people be excited to meet you and to get to hear how wonderful my boy friend is, it  makes me warm inside. We took a moment away from the party to snap a few outfit photos on the stairs on the Hallmark hotel in Bournemouth.

Dress – H&M (old) sequin option, red floral option, black option, | Boots – New Look (old) similar, similar, similar, | Earrings – Camila Carril “Eugenie ” Huggies| Lip Colour YSL – Fuchsia

 

 

 

Party Season

Event, Style, Winter, , , , , , , , , , Leave a comment

The party season is upon us. Decembers calendar is filling fast with work parties, family gatherings, friend nights out. I’ve felt, as I’m sure we all have. The need to buy a few outfit for every occasion to get into the festive spirit. But you really don’t need to. Working with a few elements in your already existing wardrobe to create festive work party looks.

My works party this year is “smart casual” the bane of many peoples lives. I am always the one to over dress and make a statement. But there are a few ways around this “smart casual” conundrum.

A good pair of black jeans, high waisted if possible. They will make your legs look longer instantly. A “smart top” anything that isn’t a t-shirt, collared shirt or overly sporty. Anything embellished or patterned, think sumptuous fabrics. Here is a high necked top from Monsoon that’s been in my wardrobe since the boxing day sales, last year.

Footwear stick with something comfortable, but not trainers. Anything really goes for footwear. If you want to wear heels wear them if not, boots or flats are perfect.

Jackets and Coats. It best way to say you are “smart casual” a formal coat can work with a more casual look and visa versa. This little swing jacket is one colour no flamboyant detail but the cut makes it more premium. I’d suggest to not wear the coat you call run to the corner shop in at 10 minutes to close to get chocolate and crisps (you know the one)

Finally the best part.

Accessories – My favourite way to have fun with an outfit. If you are wearing head to toe black, add a bright bag for a statement. Add your sparkle to your headband or bag. Slip a broach over your lapel on your coat or wear something in your hair.

Jeans – New Look | Boots – Seven7 Footwear | Velvet top – Monsoon | Bag – Stella McCartney | Headband – Nalí Shop