Travel Essentials

The summer holiday season is fast approaching, and oh do I wish I was jetting off somewhere warm and tranquil! But unfortunately I shall be stuck here in not-so-sunny-Devon, making the most of every ray of sun we might get. For all you holiday makers, I've put together my top travel essentials, perfect for whether you're flying off over seas or merely on a camping trip to Cornwall. 

1) Comfy Shoes

Appropriate shoes are crucial for a getaway trip, and no, I'm not talking about walking boots or anything of the like, but when you're travelling, you need to be able to walk practically and feel comfortable in your footwear for long periods of time. Toms are my absolute favourites at the moment and I think they'd be perfect for such comfort.

2) Dry Shampoo - Boots

Batiste dry shampoo is always a day-to-day necessity for me, so for travelling it's a must. I love this floral burst edition - it's so fresh, giving your hair so much more life and vibrancy. They come in mini bottles of 50ml, making them a perfect size for travelling,

3) E45 Intense Recovery Hand Cream- Superdrug

I suffer from quite dry hands and at times struggle with being able to find a hand cream that completely moistens them. However, I find E45 Intense Recovery hand cream to soften my hands greatly, its fragrance free nature encouraging my sensitive skin to not irritate any further, and, with the heat of a summer holiday, this one is such a necessity for me!

4) MONU Rosewood Reviving Mist - MONU shop

Having received this beauty product in this months Glossybox, reviving mist is not something I would usually tend to buy. However, it sets make up refreshingly, making it a perfect rejuvinator for a mid-travel stop.

5) Halo Face Wipes - Tesco

I also received these Halo face wipes in this months festival edit glossybox. The small size of the wipes make them a perfect travel size, convenient for fitting in a hand bag, making them essetial for a few days away.

6) Reading material/Entertainment

Whether you're travelling by train, plane or bus you'll be wanting something to keep you entertained. I'm particularly enjoying Hello Fashion magazine (available from most supermarkets) which can be purchased at merely £1 an issue! It's jam packed full of fashion, interviews, lifestyle and beauty too!

7) Music & Headphones

Finally (and probably the most important) headphones are a true necessity for any trip away! Nothing passes travelling time quite like listening to your favourite tunes... I don't know what I'd do if I forgot to take my headphones anywhere with me!

What are your travel essentials?

SS15 Trend: Tassels & Pompoms

Heavy fringing or light trimming, bold statements or subtle elegance, the tassels and pom pom trend is one of such versatility with so many ways to finish off a garment. From dramatic lengths of roughly textured wool to dainty and elegant balls of fluff, designers from Emilio Pucci to Zuhair Murad have picked up the fun and quirky trend for their SS15 collections.The garments tend to be reliant on these finishes, usually leaving the remainder of the pieces somewhat plain, all extravagance, drama and intensity relying on these techniques.

L-R Proenza Schouler, Emilio Pucci, Etro, Anne Sofie Madsen, Zuhair Murad

Shop the Trend

Crochet Fringed Hem Waistcoat - New Look

Patent Tassel Loafers - Topshop

Floral Print Pom Pom Hem Shorts - Boohoo

Floral Print Tassel Hem Co-ords - Misguided

Coral Pom Pom Hem Shell Top - Missguided

Vintage Tassel Kimono - ASOS

Quite unexpectedly, tassel and pom pom featured garments on the high street are considerably a whole lot more exciting than those gracing the catwalks. Usually I find the runway so much more fun and enticing, but this time the roles are completely reversed! Bold and quirky prints enhance the oh-so-boho tassels and pom poms, creating a much more enticing appeal. Team these pieces with plainer items in order to let the audacious prints and cute finishes take centre stage in your outfit.

What do you think about the tassel and pom pom trend?

Cold Shoulder Tile Print

Cold Shoulder Tee - New Look

White Joni Jeans - Topshop

Kimono - Boohoo

Toms - Schuh

The cold shoulder trend is definitely one I'm beginning to love this season. There's something I find quite comforting about wearing sleeves, and the gaping cut outs down the center of these dramatises them, making them so much more interesting. I love the intriguing, delicate detailing of the tile print, adding to the interesting effect of the cold shoulder. The simple tee style reinforces the emphasis on the features of both the cut outs and the print.

I teamed this tee with my white Joni jeans (again) as well as my blue crochet Toms (which I seriously cannot wear enough of at the mo) in order to maintain the white and blue monochrome colour pallet. However, styled with a pair of heels, this outfit would survey a smarter, more sophisticated appeal. I also added my black kimono, keeping he look light with the white jeans for the summer months.

Oh, and credit to our rabbit Richard for joining me in the photos.

Are you liking the cod shoulder trend for this season?

May Favourites

I feel as though May has been rather a successful month for me this year. I have completed two of my A-levels with only English left to finish, got a second job in a small clothing shop for over the summer, sorted my accommodation for UCA Epsom in September, and, started swimming again frequently for the first time since I stopped it competitively. Oh, and I seem to have started blogging a lot more too!

Comfortable, practical, yet pretty; what more could you want for a day-to-day shoe? I've really grown to love these Toms over the past month. Having rather wide feet, I struggle to find shoes that fit properly, however these do so just like a glove - perfect! I love the crochet style, adding a delicate pattern to the shoe. They go with just about anything too!

I received this Essence mascara in May's Glossybox, which you can check out here. For such a good value, this mascara works a treat, appearing to elongate and curl the lashes so nicely.

Finding myself in desperate need of a new phone case, I picked this one up in the New Look sale for just £2! I love the pallet of pinks, greens and blues and the abstract pattern that is made.

For the past few months, I've been loving the Hello Fashion Magazine for just £1! It's full of the latest  fashion trends as well as inteviews, lifestyle and beauty editorials as well. Such a fab read!

Having quite long and thick hair, I struggle with keeping it in a good condition, despite using conditioners and oils. John Frieda Miraculous Recovery really does do what the name states, and appears to cure hair drastically! As soon as I first applied the serum, my hair immediately calmed and appeared so much less frizzy!

What were you loving last month?

Collection: Viktor & Rolf SS15

Imaginably striking and beautiful, a field of blooming flowers is instantly portrayed in Viktor & Rolf's Spring/Summer collection as their initial influence arose from the work of Vincent Van Gough. Bold floral patterns in a seemingly dull, rather old-fashioned colour pallet were modernised through - as no other can expect from a Viktor and Rolf collection - dramatic, intense and purely wonderful 3D pieces.

Masses of ruffles create voluminous skirts and sleeves giving the garments such a powerful perception as they fiercely amplify the floral print. Enthusiastic colours fill the odd shape, the random blocks of monotoned complexions highlighting the individual motif of the pattern, spritely making the otherwise monochrome scheme more interesting.

Intricately detailed flowers formed from wire and and wax lift from garments, creating adventurous flower scenes. The cami style dresses refrains the magnificent structures from appearing too overbearing, building a dainty style for the structures to work from. Strips of monochrome applique finished with a black bow gives the collection a subtle trademark detail - one which might be recognised as vintage, harmonising with the matured theme of Van Gough.

 What are your thoughts on the Viktor & Rolf SS15 collection?

Pinterest Summer Inspo

Bright and radiant, the sun is glistening off the flat surface of the tranquil sea, warm and calming as the ripples of water lap around your ankles and - oh. I can hope though, right?

In actual fact, the sun is not shining, but is cast behind a blanket of grey cloud. The rain pitter patters, pitter patters against the window. The darkly toned sea remains choppy and certainly not warm! So whilst we're still captured in such awfully un-May-like weather, I can't yet bring myself to crack open the summer wardrobe, but rather lusting over summer style on Pinterest. I've gotten so into pinning atm and you can follow my Pinterest here.

So timeless and pretty, crochet and lace tops will always be a summer favourite of mine. I love the boho vibes of this waistcoat and the so on-trend swish and swirl of the tassels. The animal prints are made to look so much more mature and chic in their monochrome, silhouette form, and I love the loose fitting of kimonos and cotton shorts - so perfect for summer temperatures! I really want to try some patterned trousers this year, but it's so difficult when they make short legs look even shorter than ever.

There's one thing I can never get enough of for summer: florals. There's so many different shapes, forms, colours and prints, they can't possibly ever get boring! Intricate cut outs are a current favourite of mine and I love the delicacy of the forms in this hem. I am yet to purchase a white blouse, but they're so versatile and light, so perfect for summer as they'll naturally team well with any printed skirt, trousers or shorts.

What will you be loving this summer?

White Jeans and Pale Pink Roses

Who else is completely and utterly fed up with the current un-May-like weather? I'm so eager to crack out the summery tops and skirts - I'm finding it rather challenging to dress for the in-between-seasons' temperatures.

Usually, white jeans are a strict summer-wardrobe-piece-only for me. A total winter no-go. And certainly not to be paired with jumpers. But the pale pink complexion and 3/4 length sleeves of this jumper as well as its cropped cut made this outfit, actually, acceptable, making the jumper look a lot lighter and cooler.

I have to say, I did feel like I was stepping out from the Moschino SS15 Barbie collection, perhaps due to the pink and white mixture of colours, however I do just love the way in which the shades harmonise so well together. The rose detailing on the jumper is also so pretty and intricate, I think it needed the lift from the whiteness of the jeans.

Pink Rose Detailed Jumper - New Look (old)

White High Waisted Jeans - Topshop

Caged Sandals - New Look