The New Fashion Trend: Athleisure

I have always been a dress girl.  A pretty dress and preferably a gorgeous pair of Mary Janes is my constant outfit with lots of variations on pattern on colour.  But there is someone new in my life that is making my change some of my choices.

This fella!

Simba loves to go out for a walk and is never happier when he is bounding around in grass.  I love to see him run across the field or dart through the trees chasing after birds that he sees in the trees.  Unfortunately, my current wardrobe is not really suitable and the only suitable shoes I have are heavy snow boots.

This is why I am turning to the current trend of Athleisure.  

It’s never been acceptable to just crawl out of bed, throw on our trackies and stroll into work. I can't even do that when I am mooching around on the weekend.  While the basics of this look are comfort classics, you’ll need to style it right to create a perfectly polished look. Here, are some of the basics of Athleisure to take your look from slob to sass.

Must-haves:

To really nail the sports-luxe look, you’ll require some of the following must-have items. Make sure you’ve got:

• Trainers are key — forget heels, throw them to the back of your wardrobe, they won’t be needed. This trend all about a great pair of trainers. Ash trainers are the perfect choice, with a selection of sports-inspired styles to help you effortlessly conquer this look.

• A bomber jacket — HUGE in 2016 and set to be even bigger this year, the loose-fitting, bulky shape of a bomber is a must for creating this look. For a feminine look, choose fresh pastel shades.

• Leggings or joggers — we’re not talking your old gym wear here — invest in a pair of branded leggings or jogging bottoms that are tapered and cuffed for a close fit.

• Sports tops — cropped tops and hoodies are perfect when paired with a pair of leggings or jogging bottoms and bomber jacket. If you’re not quite ready to show off your tum, opt for a loose-fitting sports jersey with mesh detailing.

That’s not to say they all need to be worn together. You can play around with them to create the perfect sports-luxe outfit – or work them into other outfits — for example, why not wear your trainers with a flirty, feminine day dress? The juxtaposition will cement your status as the ultimate fashionista!

Whilst this look is versatile, keep these golden rules in mind:

• Accessorise, accessorise, accessorise! — sportswear is generally quite plain, so make your outfit pop with jewellery — think 90s throwback gold hoops and choker and delicate gold necklaces.

• Wear a coat — one of the easiest ways to take your look from gym to street is to wear a coat. Whether it’s a loose-fitting, vintage-inspired denim or bomber jacket or a longer, open duster coat, they’ll add to your look on cooler days.

• Cover your bum — if the thought of wearing leggings fills you with dread, tie a checked or denim shirt around your waist. Acting as a super-cool, bottom-covering skirt, it will tie-in with your look without cramping your style.

• Keep your workout clothes separate — if you are going to the gym, keep your workout wear separate to your athleisure wear so not to cross-contaminate fashion with fitness.

*In collaboration with Daniel Footwear

Jewellery Styles for Every Occasion

Jewellery is the perfect accessory make a bold and unique statement. An exquisite collection of jewellery is the ultimate accomplice to any outfit to add some sparkle and shine. Some jewellery is for daily wear and some should be reserved for special occasions. Here is a guide to styling your jewellery for different occasions to get the best out of your outfit and turn heads.

Jewellery for weddings

The invitation for a wedding is the signal to flaunt your finest pieces from your jewellery collection. Pearl jewellery is the perfect accessory to wear to this special occasion. A beautiful but simple pearl necklace matched with cute pearl earrings will help elevate any wedding guest outfit to a whole new level.

There are many different types of pearls available but when it comes to special occasions like weddings, styles such as Akoya and Tahitian pearls are a perfect choice. You can follow CoCo Chanel’s lead and layer up strands of pearls for a real statement. If white doesn’t match your outfit, you can find naturally dyed pearls in many stunning colours.

Jewellery for casual wear

Beaded jewellery is the perfect accessory for casual wear to glam up a simple t-shirt and jeans combination. The beads can be made of plastic, shells or glass as well as various metals. A simple beaded matching set of necklace and earrings paired with a few gold bangles are perfect for daily wear and are also easy to maintain and clean.

Statement necklaces can be styled to almost any casual outfit to make a fashion statement. They are perfect for a shopping trip or lunch out. You can find them in most high street shops for reasonable prices with an expensive and elegant look.

Jewellery for a holiday

Boho style jewellery is the perfect fit for your holiday. It is lightweight so won’t weigh down your suitcase and the bohemian style of these accessories complement holiday outfits. Styles with feathers or animal designs in or flowers embedded look great and the loose and flowing style means it’s easy to wear in warm weather without feeling uncomfortable.

For evening dinner dates while you’re on vacation, a Boho shell choker with silver pendants compliments floaty maxi dresses or denim shorts and floaty tops. This beachy style will look amazing on your glowing skin from the sun. You can make your own seashell necklaces that have a Boho feel and are perfect to take away with you.

Jewellery for a job interview

The advice to those attending a job interview has always been ‘dress like you’ve already got the job you want’. Go for a designer watch and a pair of diamond stud earrings. This is not too ‘in your face’ but shows confidence, style and sophistication.

You want to use your jewellery for this occasion to show your unique style so go for accessories that say something about your personality. Coloured diamond earrings like pink or blue say approachable and sociable while gold or silver says maturity and class.

Jewellery for cocktail parties

These are the ultimate occasions to go OTT with your jewellery and get out your finest jewellery from your collection. To make your mark and look a million dollars Pair some pearl earrings with a stunning pearl necklace. Lace your wrists with dainty silver bracelets and be sure to add in 1-2 stunning rings on those fingers.

So, whatever the occasion, whatever outfit and however your feeling, use your jewellery collection to glam-up and add some sparkle. Using jewellery in an outfit is like using spice in a cooking dish, it should be used to compliment what’s already there and make you feel and look uniquely amazing.

* A Collaborative Piece

Your Body Image

I have been thinking about body image a lot lately and what I have begun to realise is that how people deal with their body image is sectioned off into three groups: “The Happy”, “The Openly Insecure” and the “In The Closet Insecure”.

“The Happy” are those that have a good self image of themselves and do not let others thoughts or opinions affect that.  You are either born this like or you have worked hard in order to attain and maintain this self image.  Either way, it is the best frame of mind to be in.

“The Openly Insecure” are those that let others opinions affect how they feel about their own body image.  As a side effect to this, by accepting other’s insults and allowing that to factor into the way they think about themselves, they can also develop a “not good enough” complex. 

I spent about twenty five years in the not good enough complex so I know how this feels.  It is a feeling that creeps back into your life sometimes and so I always keep an eye out for it and mentally whack myself around the head when I feel like that.

The “In The Closet Insecure” are those that use their own insecurities about their own body image as a weapon against others whom they perceive look “worse” than they do.  This can come out in the pure insult form, which is essentially boils down to “I’ll hurt you before you hurt me” or alternatively comes out in the form of anger. 

It was this anger that confused me for a good while until I realised that that it wasn’t anger at all.  It was jealousy. 

The “In The Closet Insecure” person sees someone who may be larger than they are, or someone who they think is less attractive and if this person looks confident and happy in their own skin then their anger is immediately provoked. 

How do they have the audacity to feel better about themselves than I do?  I look better than them; why do they look happier than I do?  Their base line of thinking is that they cannot stand someone who is secure in their own self image when they perceive them to be “worth less” in their eyes than they are.  Confused by what they see, they hurl anger and abuse; trying to bring the other person down to the same state of misery as their own; not that will ever admit that.

When it comes down to it, bad body image is learned behaviour. 

No baby is born thinking that it is not good enough to be around others.  No child thinks that she/he is ugly until someone else tells them they are.  Until they socially interact with others, nobody ever links their weight to how they should be treated as a person.

I still remember when I was a little girl, watching my mum get ready to go with my dad on a Saturday.  As I watched her, I didn’t judge her against anyone else or think about how society thought that she ought to look.  She was just my mother and I thought (and still do) she looked beautiful.

I think that one of the most important things that you can teach a child when growing up is that they need to find their own sense of self.  To rely on what they think about themselves rather than letting others define who they are and what they should look like.

The question that we need to constantly ask ourselves is not “What do others think of me” but “What do I think of me”.  Because the answer to that question is all that really matters.

How being healthy affects your health insurance

There have been ongoing debates among people, healthcare providers, and insurance companies about the cost of insurance and the rates in which people pay depending on their lifestyle. While some feel that it is not fair to charge higher rates for people with certain habits that could be detrimental to one’s health in the long run, others feel that everyone, regardless of their lifestyle and habits, should pay the same price. This article will identify some lifestyle choices that could cause your insurance premiums to increase and how being healthy can lower your insurance rates.

Weight

If you are considered medically overweight or obese either by choice or caused by illness, you have a higher chance of experiencing a serious health condition such as a stroke or heart attack. Because this could be a great expense for the health care provider, as well as yourself, the insurance company will need to charge you a higher premium as it will cost them more to insure you. If you are in this situation, there are resources to assist in helping you get on track to getting healthier and being more active. Making small changes such as taking a 30 minute walk around the neighborhood every evening, can make a big difference.

Since we got my little Simba, I have been taking him a walk every day and I noticed over the weekend that my clothing had gotten looser. I never weigh myself as a rule as I refuse to be number obsessed, but on checking the scale to what I remembered I had been last, I had lost half a stone.

Drinking alcohol

If you love to drink alcohol after a stressful day at work and you do so on a regular basis, this could create health problems for you in the long run. Alcohol can greatly affect organs in your body, such as the liver, which can be costly to repair. Again, insurance companies will need to take a greater financial risk to insure you and therefore they will pass that extra expense on to you as the patient.

Smoking.

For years research has demonstrated that smokers have a higher chance of experiencing lung cancer, gum cancer, asthma, or emphysema due to consistent smoking. While these ailments can cost you your life, they also cost the insurance company a great deal to provide you coverage. While your health insurance premiums may be more expensive because you are a smoker, there are ways in which you can remedy this issue. Many health insurance companies have teamed up with health care providers to offer smoking cessation programs to help you reduce and even quit the habit of smoking. Some of these programs are even free and do not cost you anything but your time and effort.

The reason that these lifestyle choices could cause an increase in health insurance costs is that they can potentially cause the patient to need medical care that would otherwise most likely not be needed if they were not participating in these identified unhealthy activities. As the cost of care increases, the cost of insurance will also increase. If you are concerned about the cost of healthcare insurance, there are resources to assist you in making a positive change. When you begin to live a healthier lifestyle, you can check in with your insurance company, here and request a new quote without a problem.


*Collaborative piece

Score With Your Credit

Saving is something that we all strive to do.  Whether you are saving for someone's birthday treat, a holiday or in my case, saving for my future move; we all have times in our life when we try to actively save.

When you are living from payday to payday, trying to save and conserve your money can be challenging, but there are a few tips that I have picked up over the years that can really help, while still letting you enjoy a few things that you enjoy.

You Don't Need To Cut Out That Treat Coffee

Coffee is life.  For me anyway.  The idea of the cheap ground coffee that we have in the office makes me shudder.  I NEED real coffee.  But can I justify the daily trip to Starbucks?  No.  The £3-4 pounds a day I would, and have, spent in the past would be better placed in my savings than wasted on a temporary coffee hit.

One way to work around this is to buy your own fresh coffee and a one cup cafetiere and take them to work with you.  Get to work ten minutes earlier and you can make your coffee without the boss complaining of the extra time involved and you can start your day with a delicious coffee hit.

Cashback on your Purchases

We all love shopping and sometimes, even when you limiting your clothing and shopping budget, you may need to replace your favourite makeup product or buy a necessary kitchen appliance.

I have signed up to a site called TopCashBack which gives you cashback on online purchases.  Yesterday I wrote about the makeup products I use and one of them is Benefit Dandelion Powder , which is currently on sale in LookFantastic.  You can get up to 10% cashback on that site and the cash can surprisingly really build up.

Use a Piggybank

I have a long pink boot shaped piggy bank that I throw my spare change in.  The thing about piggy banks is that they are very tempting at the end of the month to break into when you are short on cash.  
The way that I combat that is to only save certain denominations of coins so that you would need a lot to make a difference.  I only save copper and 5, 10 and 20 pence pieces so that it does not tempt me to dip me.  

Having a larger piggy bank means that you can save for longer and get a nice surprise when you take it to be changed.

Keep An Eye On Your Credit Score

If you have a poor credit rating like me (damn carefree shopping years), it is important to keep an eye on your credit score and work hard to improve it.  You can check for free these days and it can really help in improving score.

Things to work on are not necessarily the bigger balances that you need to pay off.  I always used to focus on paying off the bigger balances and paying a minimal amount on the smaller ones.  But paying off those smaller ones can help to improve your score so bear that in mind.

Hope the tips help, happy saving!