Dressing for Autumn/Winter with Fashion World - Review

Autumn/Winter is my favourite time of the year to shop for, from a fashion point of view. I'm a big fan of chunky knit, jumpers, boots, layering and the A/W colours like maroon, burgundy and mustard are gorgeous.

Being a busy mum of two, I rarely find the time to physically go out to browse in high street stores so I spend a lot of time online shopping but then have a minor panic because I can't try the clothing on and don't want to buy something that doesn't fit and go through the faff of returning it.

My mind has been completely changed by online clothing retailer, Fashion World. They very kindly offered me the chance to choose some items from their website for the season and see what I thought.

I live in black and grey so I knew that I wanted it to change it up a bit so firstly I opted for the Blush Pointelle Jumper. I decided to team that up with the black Chloe High Waist Snake Skinny Jean and grey Edita Stud Detail Boots. I wanted to stick with a jumper and boots for winter but also get some of my beloved black in there too. I couldn't stray too much!

I was quite anxious when the items arrived as, although I went for my normal size, I know some shops differ when it comes to sizes. I needn't have worried though and everything fit perfectly.

The jumper was surprisingly soft and cosy and will definitely keep the heat in when the temperatures get cooler. My wardrobe is devoid of colour (that probably stems from being a self confessed emo kid in the 2000s) so it was nice to inject some pink into it and I found that it was a colour that I actually suited.

The jeans are absolutely amazing with their snake print which is very subtle. My partner originally thought they were simply wet look before taking a closer look. I am a sucker for animal print in all forms and I am a big fan of the snake print trend right now.

The boots are by far my favourite of all three. I'll admit, I always opt for flat shoes as they are easier, mostly reaching for Converse or Vans, but I love the chunky heel on these as well as the stud detailing. It helps that they are very comfy to walk in too.

I was really pleasantly surprised by the range that FashionWorld held and it took me quite a long time to decide what I wanted. They have clothes for every occasion! With the entire outfit costing under £100, I definitely will be purchasing more in the future.

(I received these items for the purpose of this post. All thoughts and opinions are my own.)

My Summer Wedding Guest Outfit Shopping Tips

If you have been lucky enough to be invited to a summer wedding you will no doubt be looking for a new outfit. Weddings provide the perfect opportunity to treat yourself and buy something really special. To help you to buy the best outfit for you I have pulled together a few of my favourite tips.

Try shopping online

Online stores like www.jdwilliams.co.uk offer a fantastic level of choice and do so in practically every size. So, they are a great place to go shopping for a wedding outfit. Plus, they also sell men’s clothes and everything you need for your children too. So, potentially, you could buy everyone’s outfit from this retailer or one like it.

Allow yourself plenty of time

Whether you decide to buy your dress or suit online or in a physical store,start the shopping process early. Ideally, you want to have everything you need at least a month before the actual wedding. This gives you the chance to try your entire outfit on to make sure it all fits and looks right. That way you will have a few weeks to send unsuitable items back and receive the replacements. Or, if you prefer, make the necessary adjustments and enhancements yourself.

Follow the theme

If there is a dress code or theme mentioned in the wedding invitation, try your best to follow it. Doing so will make sure you fit in and feel comfortable on the day. It will also please the bride and groom.

Don’t be afraid to try something a bit different

Weddings provide you with the perfect opportunity to try out something a little different. Never be afraid to try out a fresh look. This guide to choosing clothing that flatters your body type will help you to quickly narrow down your options. Just be sure to try everything on properly. It is especially important to look at yourself from different angles in the mirror. If you are not 100% sure get a friend or family member to take a few photos of you wearing your new look. This will enable you to take a few days to consider if you really should stick with that new style of clothing.

A few practical considerations

Try to think about the practicalities. For example, if the weather is not as you expect, ask yourself whether you will be able to stay dry and warm or cool enough. It is particularly important to select a pair of shoes that will be comfortable enough to wear all day as well as look good.

Getting yourself in shape before the wedding

If you would like to lose a little weight before the wedding, which is something I know a lot of people still like to do, you could try taking the Slimfast Challenge. I did it a while back and found that it worked well for me. You can read about my experience with this type of diet by reading the articles I wrote while following this diet regime. If you are interested in doing so, it is best to start with this post.

(This is a sponsored post.)

A Guide to Distressing Your Own Denim

Wearing the same clothes day-in, day-out can get boring, so why not get creative and transform some of your old jeans into the hottest distressed denim loved by the likes of Rihanna and Kylie Jenner? It may sound complicated but maxi dresses retailer QUIZ is here to break it down into a step-by-step process.

Before you start
Before you start, you need to carry out some inital preparation. If you don't, you risk acting too hastily and potentially making a mistake that could ruin the overall look of your jeans.

Try on your clean, dry jeans and work out where you want to distress. Pockets, knees and the bum are the most popular parts to modify, as they are the areas of the jeans that naturally wear and tear. Use chalk to mark out where you want to distress.

Creating tears
Inside the jeans underneath where you plan on cutting, you'll need to place a magazine or thick piece of cardboard. This will prevent your knife from slicing both sides of the fabric.

Take a safety knife and carefully cut rips of varying sizes into the denim to create a natural-looking tear. Loosely aim to create a diamond shape using varying sized cuts.

Next, fray the tears you've just made. Along the edge of each cut, gently tease the horizontal white threads using a safety pin, being careful not to break them. Then, using tweezers, pluck out the vertical threads to leave just the white horizontal threads. Repeat this for each cut you have made.

Distressing the denim
At this point, you'll need a piece of sandpaper. Take the sandpaper and rub it across sections of your jeans. Doing so will create a natural-looking colour fade, perfect for adding the finishing touches to your distressed denim creation.

Consider patches
This next step is optional but adding patches to your denim is a great way to show off your individual fashion flair. Bright florals motifs are in vogue and practically leap off distressed denim to give you an eye-catching contrast of grunge and chic. If you want a subtle embellishment, why not go with lace? This is a classic feminine fabric that will dress up your modern distressed denim with retro charm for the ideal smart-casual look.

If patching your denim or distressing it altogether sounds like too much effort, you could head to QUIZ instead to shop their collection of ready-made ripped and patched jeans. However you do it, you definitely need some distressed denim in your wardrobe for the season ahead!

(This is a sponsored post.) 

 

Kids Spring/Summer 2018 Wardrobe Wishlist

With all the snow that we are currently getting, you'd be forgiven for thinking that we are in the middle of December and Christmas is around the corner. In reality, we're almost into Spring so it's the perfect time to start thinking about upgrading my children's wardrobes - if we start getting some better weather that is!

Spring/Summer is probably one of my favourite times to shop for as I just love the prints available - especially for girls. I'm a sucker for anything with a pineapple or watermelon whereas three year old E is obsessed with unicorns. I've been doing a little bit of window shopping for the upcoming season for both C and E and here are a few of my favourites!

Even Spring and Summer months in Northern Ireland can be a bit chilly so I always make sure they have a cute little coat or jacket. River Island have some gorgeous boys coats and jackets in at the moment and this blue denim borg collar jacket would match everything plus the collar is detachable too!

I love a pair of chino shorts on C in the summer and I always opt for a beige or stone colour as it isn't too dark and keeps the outfit nice and light. These ones from Next are perfect.

I am a proper money saving type of mum so I love the t-shirt multipacks that I see in supermarkets each season. They are great value, plain so you can style them up however you want and I don't mind if he only wears them for a couple of months because I haven't paid a fortune for them. I love the colours of these four from Tu at Sainsburys - so summery!

I know C is five now and growing up before my eyes but I can't resist anything with a kiddie motif on it and Boden is always my go-to for this. How perfect for summer are these little shark plimsolls?

I always buy the children a new cap every summer and it's always from Sports Direct. They are an absolute bargain and I begrudge spending more than about £5 because we hardly get any sun!

I find shopping for E much easier as there seems to be a lot more choice for girls. My first stop is always dresses because they are so simple to stick on on a summer's day before a fun day out. This broderie frill dress from River Island is so cute that I actually will cry if I don't manage to get it in E's size!

I absolutely love Disney so have no qualms in putting E in character items and I'm so glad that she shares the love too. The little Dalmatian appliqués on this Gap jacket are so understated and adorable.

E is a massive My Little Pony fan so my eyes lit up as soon as I saw these on Primark's website under New Arrivals. She would have tons of fun flipping the sequins to reveal either Twilight Sparkle or Rainbow Dash.

Every little girls needs a gorgeous pair of sandals for summer and oh how I love the pom poms on these Boden ones! I was even more won over when I spotted that the straps are metallic too.

Similarly to C, E needs a cap! She is obsessed with princesses and Ariel is her favourite at the moment.

Have you seen anything in the shops lately that I need to know about!? Let me know in the comments!

(This is a PR collaboration.) 

Kids Summer Clothing Wishlist

Since I became a mother almost five years ago, I've developed an obsession with buying the kids clothes. I wear the same outfits day in, day out and very rarely buy myself anything new but I'll happily spend any spare money I have on cute items for the children that I just happen to see. This means that I am forever window shopping and searching online.

LoveTheSales is a website that aggregates sales from around 600 retailers and displays them all in one handy place. They have tons of top fashion brands listed, as well as toys, electronics and beauty brands. The website is perfect for me as I begrudge paying full price for anything and I will always shop a sale or look for a discount code. I think I spent a good few hours looking through the kids section alone! Just for fun, I've put together a little wishlist of my favourite kids clothing items that would be perfect for this summer!

My first port of call are always shoes! I'm really into the skater look, especially for my four year old son, C, so he (and I!) basically live in Converse so I was delighted to see some offers. I think these two pairs would be perfect for the kids to run around and play in all summer.

 
Joules is one of my favourite stores for clothing with cute prints. The quality is fantastic so whenever I do see their items on sale, I have to snap them up. The monkey tee is super cool and I love the plain grey t-shirt as it would be perfect in hot weather. When it comes to my two year old daughter, E, I'm a sucker for pinks and florals so these jumped out to me right away.

One brand that I'd actually never browsed for clothing before was Ralph Lauren. I just happened to see the brand on the site and thought I'd take a look. I was expecting the prices to still be quite high, even on sale, but I was pleasantly surprised. I do love the famous Polo logo so the cap will be super stylish and I love how bright the joggers are! Moving on to the girl's section and, oh my goodness, how adorable is the peplum polo?! I had no idea that something like this existed and don't get me started on how sweet the checked dress is! I fear for my bank balance!

 

Gap Kids is a store that I always go into when I'm looking for something specific like shoes or clothes for occasions such as Easter or Christmas so I never really spend enough time properly looking at what they stock. I know, I've chosen a jacket for summer but to be honest, living in Northern Ireland means that it still probably will be chilly in the middle of July! I am also obsessed with putting E in watermelon printed clothing and I think she's had about four different pieces in her short life!

They also have a Disney section but I honestly think I'd be here all week collating my favourite pieces as we are all massive Disney fans - especially E who has an obsession with Elsa. Pop over and take a peek - you won't be disappointed!

(Post via LoveTheSales)

#MPBTurns4 - Win a £100 Mainline Menswear gift voucher!

At the end of last year in the run up to Christmas, you may have read my gift guide post on Mainline Menswear where I wrote about some great present ideas from the site. If you missed it and aren't familiar with the company, they are the place to shop for designer brands specifically for men. They stock 85 different brands from Lacoste to Ralph Lauren, catering to all budgets and offering trends to suit every man.

My partner Chris owns the Ted Baker wallet set above from Mainline Menswear.

As part of my #MPBTurns4 blog birthday celebrations, Mainline Menswear have very generously offered my readers the chance to win a £100 voucher to spend online. All you have to do is fill in the Rafflecopter widget below. Good luck!

T&C's:

• One winner will win a £100 voucher code for the Mainline Menswear website which will be emailed to them directly
• The giveaway will run from January 26th until February 9th
• Open to entrants aged 18+
• UK residents only
• One entry per person
• No automated entries

  a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

#MPBTurns4 - Win a Pair of Blade and Rose Leggings & Socks

If you follow me on Instagram, you'll know that I have a bit of an obsession with buying (and posting photos of!) my children's clothing. There is just something therapeutic about it. Everything looks so cute and sweet and I'd much rather buy clothing for them than new items for myself - no matter how much I need them!

Blade & Rose, if you haven't heard of them before, are an iconic British clothing brand for children. I was only really aware of their leggings with the super cool patterns on the bum but they do so much more such as hoodies, hats, bibs and socks. As part of their Autumn/Winter range you can find the most adorable Car, Tractor and Flamingo sets, although I have to admit that the Superhero range is definitely my favourite. Sizes go from 0-6 months right up to 3-4 years.

Blade & Rose have very kindly offered up a pair of their Rainbow leggings plus matching socks as part of my #MPBTurns4 giveaway celebrations. Perfect for any little boy or girl! Just enter via the Rafflecopter widget below. Good luck!

T&C's: 

• One winner will win a pair of Rainbow Blade & Rose leggings and matching socks in a size of their choice
• The giveaway will run from January 25th until February 8th
• Open to entrants aged 18+
• UK residents only
• One entry per person
• No automated entries

  a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

#MPBTurns4 - Win a £25 DIWAH Jewellery Voucher

Continuing my celebrations for my four year blog birthday, I have a fantastic giveaway from DIWAH Jewellery for you all today.

If you aren't familiar with the company, they are all about making bespoke pieces for you. Using their creator, you can design your own pieces of jewellery. You get to pick the bracelet or necklace base then drag and drop the components you'd like so you can see your creation before it's made. Each piece is handmade in the UK too. They aim to create original statement pieces that showcase your personality so any item can be made to suit any style or occasion.

If the idea of creating your own is a bit too much, DIWAH do have a pre-designed collection that is available to buy too as it is or you can edit these to suit you better.

To keep up to date with all the goings-on, you can follow DIWAH on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. 

To be in with a chance of winning a £25 voucher to spend at the DIWAH website, just enter via the Rafflecopter widget below. Good luck!

T&C's:

• One winner will win a £25 evoucher emailed to them directly
• The giveaway will run from January 3rd until January 17th
• Open to entrants aged 18+
• UK residents only
• One entry per person
• No automated entries

  a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

My Winter Fashion Essentials

Winter is my favourite times of year when it comes to fashion. I find it hard to dress for my shape in spring/summer as I'm not comfortable with my body shape but winter is when I really enjoy what I wear. I've compiled a little list of my winter essentials for this year.

Chunky knit jumpers

I am totally in my element when it comes to chunky knit jumpers. I own an impressive selection and I especially love Christmas themed ones - the cheesier the better!

Jeans

I often hear women say that they are "afraid" of jeans and would much rather wear leggings or 'jeggings' which I've never quite understood! I've pretty much lived in jeans since I was 13 and there are so many different styles to choose from, you're bound to find a pair to suit your body shape. Over at M and M Direct you can even find ones in bright colours like red and green (which is so my style!)

Boots

The possibilities are endless when it comes to boots. Heeled, flats, ankle boots, knee high ones. They are so versatile. I'm partial to a Chelsea boot at the moment!

Parkas

I love, love, love parkas! I know they can be a bit marmite but they are so comfy, warm and stylish at the same time. How can that be wrong? I'm not a fan of khaki but you can get other colours like red and black. I love a black coat as you can wear it with any outfit.

Hat, glove & scarf set

When I was a teenager I'd always moan at my parents for telling me to wrap up with a hat, gloves and scarf but as I've got older I've learned to love them. Now you can buy some really on tread sets with lots of different hat styles so you can find one that suits you.

Woollen dresses
I love dresses but they don't need to be banished to the back of your wardrobe until we get sunnier weather. There are plenty of heavy or woollen dresses on the market and when you team them up with a nice pair of thick tights, you won't even feel the cold!

What are your go-to's for this season?

(This is a sponsored post.)

Squeaky Jumpers - Review

I remember briefly hearing about Squeaky Jumpers about a year or so ago when some of my fellow bloggers hosted giveaways to win one. I thought they looked so cool so when we were given the opportunity to try one out for ourselves, I thought C would love one.

Squeaky Jumpers sell just that - squeaky jumpers! They are available in men's, women's and childrens sizes - from 2 to 12 years - and you can choose from Poppy the Dog, Spot the Pig and Ted the Frog prints (designs and names vary slightly with adult sizes). I opted for Poppy the Dog as firstly, I love C in red and also he loves dogs so I thought it would be more 'him' than the others. He's only just turned three for I chose 3-4 years in the hope that he'd get quite a bit of wear out of it.

When it arrived, I was really impressed with the quality. With a price tag of £24.95, it is definitely worth it. The jumper itself is quite thick so your child will be kept warm and each little dog motif is vinyl so it will last longer than printed. I always check quality of stitching too and I couldn't fault it. I love the round neck and cuffed sleeves so they're great for rolling up when he's eating something messy! Size-wise, it is perfect. It looks so snug and I was right, he will be able to wear it for a while as it's very true to size. He seems comfortable in it too, no itching or complaining.

Now for the squeak test. You can see that the dogs are all black with the exception of one at the corner. This one has a squeaker inside which works when pressed. When I first showed C this, he thought it was hilarious and got himself into a fit of giggles. Even when his daddy came home from work he couldn't wait to show off what his cool new jumper could do. I did worry that washing it might warp it a little but it's been in the machine (on 40) 3 times now and nothing has been compromised.

With Christmas coming up, I think these would make a great unique gift!

You can view the full range of jumpers at the Squeaky Jumpers website and you can also keep up to date on Facebook and Twitter.

(Disclaimer: We received this jumper for the purpose of this post. All thoughts and opinions are my own.)

Father's Day Gift Ideas: Happy Socks from Fat Buddha

When any gift-giving occasion comes around and I ask my dad or Chris what they'd like they always either say "nothing" or "I could do with some socks". I tend to go for plain black ones but they're a big boring aren't they?

Fat Buddha have a lovely set of Happy Socks which are perfect to gift to dad. They are a set of four (polka dot, argyle, block neon and stripes) which come in a gorgeous dotty presentation box.

The socks themselves are made from cotton, polyamide and elastane which makes them so soft and comfortable on your feet. They are suitable for sizes 7.5 to 11.5 and they're to brighten up dad's sock drawer and his outfits!

A pack of Happy Socks retail at £35 but they are available from Fat Buddha for an amazing £15!

You can find out more at the Fat Buddha website and you can also follow them on Facebook and Twitter.

(Disclaimer: We received a set of socks for the purpose of this post.)

MyStory Gifts Personalised Scarf

MyStory Gifts started when creator, Lou, wanted a scarf made up of pictures of her twin girls to gift to their grandparents at Christmas. She and her husband searched but found nothing so they created their own and MyStory Gifts was born! 

When I was approached about reviewing a scarf, my first thought was "that is so odd, but I love it!" I'm constantly snapping photos of my children so it's right up my street. 

I received a gift voucher worth £28.99 (the price of a scarf) in the post first and put it through as though I was a customer. Although the scarves are made from your own photographs, you can get a pink, purple, green, blue , beige, red or grey hue over the top. I opted to beige as I thought it would go with whatever outfit I wear. 

The scarves can be made with anywhere between 10-100 photographs but tend to work better with 75+. I chose 100 photographs of C and E, saved them into a WeTransfer folder and emailed it directly to Lou. 

A few weeks later, my gorgeous scarf arrived. It would beautifully packaged and I couldn't wait to open it out. 

I was in absolute awe at how beautiful the scarf is. It's a thin chiffon and the images are immaculate. 

These scarves are so unusual and unique. They would make the perfect for any family member and at only £28.99 they are a steal! If you're interested in buying one yourself, Lou is offering a discount through June so you can pick up a scarf for only £25! All you have to do is email her directly at lou@mystorygifts.co.uk with your colour choice and she can process that for you. 

You can find out more at the MyStory Gifts website or you can also follow them on Facebook and Twitter.

(Disclaimer: I received a scarf for the purpose of this post. All thoughts and opinions are my own).

Win a Babygro from Rubi & Boris

I am obsessed with buying baby clothes. My wardrobe is calling out for new clothes but I'd much rather spend my money on having the kids beautifully dressed. I love finding online clothing stores as I like to have C and E wearing something a little different to all those on the high street.

Rubi & Boris is an online store which stands for quality products and always providing the best for your children.

Their signature product is the front fastening organic cotton babygros which are available in different styles and designs from Early Baby to 6-12 months. Front fastenings make them easier to get on babies with no need to pull them over their heads. Not only are they kind to your child's skin but they are also modern, stylish and practical.

Rubi & Boris also stock a range called Little Lady which is a collection of beautiful dresses. I definitely think I will make a purchase for E!

You can follow Rubi & Boris on Facebook & Twitter.

I have very kindly been offered the opportunity to run a giveaway for you all! You can win a babygro of your choice from here (single babygros only; 2 packs not included). All you need to do is fill in the Rafflecopter widget below. If you are unsure on how Rafflecopter works, check out this handy guide.

The giveaway will run from 14th May until 28th May. One winner will win one babygro of their choice.

T&Cs:

• Open to entrants aged 18+
• UK residents only
• Winner will be picked at random via Rafflecopter
• Prize will be sent directly from Rubi & Boris, please allow 28 days for delivery
• No automated entries
• One entry per person

Good luck!

 (If the widget doesn't appear, click on the link "a Rafflecopter giveaway")

a Rafflecopter giveaway

More competitions at www.theprizefinder.com

Easter Gift Ideas with Funky Giraffe

Next up in my Easter gift guide are a company that I love - Funky Giraffe.

Funky Giraffe sell gorgeous baby bibs, scratch mitts, socks and burp cloths in many designs. You are sure to find something that you will love. They have two beautiful designs which are perfect for Easter and Spring in general - Grey Rabbit and Blue Hello Daff.

The bibs are both in a bandana shape which means it fits tightly around your child's neck ensuring that their necks don't get covered in drool!

You can tell just by feeling them that they are great quality. The designs are, as the namesake says, funky and they make any outfit pop. The fleece underlayer really helps absorb liquids so that clothes don't get ruined. They have popper fasteners so you don't need to worry about your child pulling them off!

The Funky Giraffe bibs retail at £4 each but can be less depending on how many you buy. You can find out more or browse the range of bibs at the Funky Giraffe website. You can also follow them on Facebook and Twitter.

(Disclaimer: We received these bibs for the purpose of this post).