Are You PR Friendly?

I was recently speaking to Laura from Six Out of Ten when she offered to do a guest post for me about how to be PR friendly.

Here is a bit about her:

Laura works half in PR, half in marketing, and spends the rest of her free time writing about London and lifestyle in her online magazine. She has a cat, a boy, and loves Revels a little too much (don't we all!).

Here is what she had to say:

Although I think calling yourself PR Friendly is redundant (as most bloggers are lovely and wouldn't dream of being unfriendly) as well a waste of precious character space on your Twitter bio and blog, being PR friendly is another matter entirely.

You see, bloggers have seen a few people add it to their accounts, and everyone has followed suit. It's almost the same as adding clichéd phrases such as 'works well in a team' and 'hard-working' and 'works well under pressure' to your CV. They don't really mean anything until you see them in action.

To PRs, just saying you're PR Friendly isn't enough. So what can you do to demonstrate that you can be a PR's best friend? Here are four really easy ways to get PRs on side.

1. Remove PR Friendly from your blog and social channels 

As soon as you mention PR Friendly, you're immediately classified as a review blogger. As in, you only care about working with me and my client for what you can get out of it - a new lipstick here or a press trip there. 

I want to work with bloggers who love my brand and all that it stands for, regardless of whether I might be able to offer a comped meal or sample. I want them to be discerning and strict about who they feature, to not cheapen my client's name by lumping their brand in the middle of fifty others.

I'll avoid PR Friendly bloggers as the reputation behind the phrase, unfortunately, isn't a good one.

2. Have an up-to-date, well-written about page

The first think I look at when scoping out bloggers is their about page. I'll usually look at this before their posts. Why? Because this is where I find out about your story. Why you blog. How you started. Who you've worked with.

You should include the following:

a. Your name (use a blogger alias if you don't want to reveal your full name)

b. Where in the country you live

c. Why you started your blog and how it came about

d. Your perceived successes and a few brands you've worked with

e. Your future plans and targets

f. Your link to contact information and a media kit (if this isn't visible from the homepage)

3. Your contact information

It's amazing how many bloggers have a PR Friendly badge in their sidebar and then literally no contact information available. How can that be considered friendly? How am I mean to get in touch with you? Through an easily-missed public comment on one of your posts that'll head straight into your spam folder? 

No. Have a contact page set up, or be sure to include this in your about page, as above. If you want to include a number you can, but at the very least a text-based email address I can actually add to my address book. Include a contact form too, but your actual email address is the most valuable part.

4. Make your site easy to use

Nothing puts me off more than a cluttered site where I can't find anything. If you're not the best at HTML or CSS then hire a designer to install a clean, easy-to-use template. And make sure it's responsive and mobile-friendly. In case you don't know, Google will be penalising non-mobile-friendly sites from now on. There's no point spending time on SEO if there's no chance 40-50% of your mobile readers won't see it.

If your site is easy to use it means your readers will be able to find my client too. 

By following these really simple steps, you'll ensure you go from saying you're PR friendly, to being PR friendly. And I'll love you just a little bit too.

Ugly Mugs

Whenever you see a fundraising campaign, the charity beneficiaries always seem to be the same.  Whilst charities such as Cancer Research and the Save the Children Fund are vital, many smaller charities are helping people and saving lives that most have never heard of. 

It is so important that these smaller charities receive exposure too as they need funding too.  With this in mind, today I want to highlight a charity called "National Ugly Mugs" which aims at protecting sex workers from violent offenders. 

The term Ugly Mugs was first developed in Australia in 1986, where the phrase ‘ugly mugs’ was used to describe punters who became violent.  They understood that distributing descriptions of ‘ugly mugs’ could warn other sex workers and help to keep them safe.  The first schemes in the UK were started in 1989 in two cities and are now run nationwide.

So why should you care about the lives of sex workers?

Since 1990, 149 sex workers have been murdered in the UK.   A study undertaken by the Home Office shows that more than half of women in prostitution have been raped and or seriously assaulted and at least 75% have been physically assaulted.  Those figures would pose a significant argument for crimes against sex workers being treated as hate crime.

A report by the Trussell Trust has showed an appalling rise of 163% in people having to utilise food banks, with nearly one million adults and children being forced to access them in the last year.  The austerity measures implemented by the Government has forced many people into looking for alternative ways to make ends meet and for some, this can lead to sex work. 

The atypical image of a sex worker is a scantily dressed woman on a street corner but the truth often is, especially in the current climes, that it could also easily be your next door neighbour; un-noticeable to a passer-by in the street.

The Home Office study shows that 74% of women in sex work identified paying household expenses and supporting their children as being the primary instigators in being drawn into sex work.

Everyone deserves help and everyone deserves support.  You cannot impose a moral line on safety.  It is only with schemes like the National Ugly Mugs that sex workers are feeling more confident about coming forward and reporting crime because of the stigma involved and the worry that they will not be taken seriously.

Alex Bryce, Director of Services at National Ugly Mugs has said:

"National Ugly Mugs is saving the lives of some of the most unfairly stigmatised people in our society and bringing to justice some of the most dangerous offenders."

The National Ugly Mug's reporting scheme is vital in bringing information about dangerous individuals to the attention of local constabularies and the National Crime Agency.  This has already led to nine convictions of serial repeat offenders.  In its first year of offering supporting, 480 incidents were reported, including 120 sexual assaults.

The cost of running the Ugly Mugs scheme for one year is around the same of investigating a rape and around the tenth of investigating a murder.  They are desperate for funding to allow this scheme to continue and this is where we come in.

My good friend Shona is a support worker for sex workers who works alongside Ugly Mugs in Lancashire.  As well as offering support and liaising with the police to report attacks on sex workers, she also is out at night twice a week providing condoms and panic alarms, along with a colleague who offers Hepatitis B and other vaccinations.

Shona is new to running but has set a goal of running the 10K Great Manchester run and has set up a JustGiving page with to a view to raising much needed funds for Ugly Mugs.  To date she has raised £885.00 in donations but the more that can be raised, the better.  You can donate to Shona and this very worthwhile cause at Just Giving

*Also posted on the Huffington Post

Spring Transitions

At this time of year, you never really know what the weather is going to be like.  In London yesterday it was 25 degrees I'm told but "up North" I'm afraid it was cold, wet and miserable.

When it comes to clothing, this time of year I always tend to struggle.  Do you dress for potential sunshine and end up cold?  Do you add an extra layer and be roasting hot all day?  You can never tell. 

What I tend to end up buying are dresses that I can style for both Spring and Winter.  Transitional pieces that you can either wear with tights, a cardigan and a chunky necklace or with bare legs and sandals.

On Sunday I was wearing this Dickins & Jones Floral Print Shirt Dress from the House of Fraser.  It is currently in the size, reduced from £65.00 to £26.00 and is available in sizes 22-26.  The jersey fabric lends itself well to this time of year and being a shirt dress, you can fasten/unfasten buttons at the neckline in order to change up your look and also suit  the weather.  I found the dress true to size.

As it was right between cold and warm on Sunday I styled the dress to match both.  My black t-bar wedge shoes, a chunky gold necklace and a silk slip underneath, but with an extra button or two left undone at the neckline.

This is my first foray into the plus size dresses section at the House of Fraser and I will definately be back.

*This dress was gifted to me but all opinions are my own

I Feel Good

You know sometimes when you spend ages getting ready for a night out, an event or even just a blog post, and the reflection in mirror isn't what you hoped? This challenge is for those times when you look in the mirror, no pre planning involved, and think "I look good today". 

We all have our good days and our bad, but this challenge is to record those good days and to remember that confidence, at any size, is beautiful.

I was looking through my photographs the other day and I came across this photograph from Plus North last year.  I am pretty sure that I didn't share it at the time, hence sharing it with now.  

The dress, as the sign says, is from So Fabulous at +Very.co.uk 

I look so happy and I really did feel good that day.

Abi http://aisforabi.blogspot.co.uk/

Becky http://www.doesmyblogmakemelookfat.com/

Kitty http://misskittykaos.blogspot.co.uk/

Leah http://justmeleah.blogspot.co.uk/

Mookie http://muki7x7.blogspot.co.uk/

Natalie http://awheelbarrowfullofstyle.blogspot.co.uk 
Nikki http://nattynikki.blogspot.com

Vicky http://www.thecurvedopinion.com/

The Grand National

Hello all!

I am once again guest posting for the fabulous Leah today who has kindly allowed me to post me ramblings twice on her blog whilst she has been having a break away.

Can I take a quick moment to wish her a very happy birthday and also happy anniversary!

Today I am posting my yearly post on the Grand National.  You can find what I have to say on the subject on Leah's blog here

As with every year, many will not read this post and those who read it may not care/decide to bet anyway; but if I can change at least one person's mind about what is the most dangerous sport in the world, I will be a very happy camper.

Would love to hear your thoughts, either on Leah's post or here. xxx

Lazy Girl Face Mask

Hello all!  I am doing something different on the blog today, something that I do not regularly do but when I find an amazing product, I want to share it!  So today, I am talking face masks.

When it comes to my skincare routine, I have to admit, I am horribly lazy.  I use *whispers* skin wipes.  I know you shouldn't, I know that they are not great for your skin but they are just so damn easy!

I have combination skin.  My nose and chin can get oily, whilst my cheeks and forehead sometimes would not look out of place in the Sahara desert for how dry they get sometimes.  Especially in Winter.  Before I discovered the magic, wonderous thing that is the Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel I actually used to get dry flaky patches on my cheeks and forehead.  Irritating and not fun.

I have tried face masks in the past to give my skin a little oomph and a treat, but they have been few and far between.  The reason?  They are a pain!  You buy the leave on version and you practically have to submerge your head underwater to remove them or you apply the peel off, which as anyone knows does not come off in one go, or even five (if you are me).   

What I wanted was a face mask that I could quickly apply, leave on and practically do nothing with.  Then I found the Vitamin E Moisture Mask from +Superdrug which costs a frankly amazing £2.49 for 75ml.  

You apply like you would a moisturiser, but you do not need a huge amount, less is definately more.  Comparing it to my two pump use of Clinique I would say that around a 5-6 pump equivalent is more than adequate.  Here is how it looks when applied. 

So basically not a huge amount.  Just a medium coverage that you leave on for 15-20 minutes.  The mask sinks into your skin, leaving a very, very light residue that you simply dab with a tissue.  Here is how it looks after around 15 minutes.

The mask is meant to be applied 2-3 times per week and I have found that my skin feels wonderfully hydrated afterwards.  It is simple, quick and above all, easy.  It takes no time at all, no fuss, no messing about; no sink fulls of water and it something that I can do first thing in the morning when I am running on auto pilot with only basic brain function.

So my top tip?  Buy it!  Buy it now!  It is the lazy girl's perfect skin mask and does the job.

Moonlighting

Hello all!

Today I am guest posting for the lovely Leah.  I am talking about the crazy laws in the world, current ones in America and how they are affecting women's rights.

You can read it here

Petty Little Liars

One thing that my mother has always said is that you have to have a good memory to be a liar. Whether it be a white liar, told for the good of another or a blatant lie with no regard for the truth; the lie that you tell takes on a life of it's own.  

Unlike the truth which speaks for itself, a lie requires a back story.  The bigger the lie, the bigger the back story.  Personally, I cannot stand a liar.  I would rather be cut to shreds with the truth than deceived with a lie.

One thing that I cannot understand is when a person tells a lie in order to impress another.  I recently read an article in the Independent about a recent survey that had been commissioned by Into The Blue about the most common lies that people tell in order to impress others.  The results were quite shocking to me and it made me wonder; just how shallow are we?

The survey spoke to nearly 2500 people asking questions about the lies that they have told in order to impress another, be it a work colleague, a friend or a potential love interest.

These are the top ten lies that people tell in order to make an impression on someone else:

1)      Skydiving – 45%

2)      Met a celebrity – 41%

3)      Attended a music event – 36%

4)      Bungee jump – 29%

5)      Being arrested/Spent time in jail – 25%

6)      School/University results – 23%

7)      Charity fundraising – 20%

8)      Attended a major sporting event – 19%

9)      Exotic travels – 17%

10)   Working in the forces – 15%

A further 8% of respondents confessed that they had lied about saving somebody’s life.  That goes beyond trying to impress, it is downright disgusting.  Apart from anything else, how do you support and maintain a lie like that?  

To quote Elvis Presley (I didn't expect this quote to be from him either):

The truth is like the sun. You can shut it out for a time, but it ain't goin' away.

According to the survey, just under a third had told a lie in an attempt to attract a romantic partner, with a fifth lying to people who were already their friends.  The thing is, that lie may attract someone at first or impress them.  But the truth always prevails in the end and you wind up looking at best disingenuous and at worst, a truly horrible person who deceives in order to attain their goal.

For me, if you lie to me then you are out of my life.  If I cannot trust you, what is the point in a relationship, whether it a friend or a loved one.  The closer the connection to someone, the more the after effects of a lie can hurt.  

I will leave you with another quote.  I do not know who said this but for me, it cuts through the truth about lying:

The worst thing about being lied to is knowing that you weren't worth the truth.

The Kelly Brook Range

SimplyBe recently released the new Kelly Brook collection.  I spied a gorgeous yellow floral dress that I simply had to have and decided to buy it to wear on my birthday.  

I only managed to take one photograph of myself on the night so I have re-created the outfit this weekend for you to have a better look.

The dress is true to size and as it is a jersey fabric, there is some give to the dress which flows well and makes it comfortable to wear.  The length is 41 inches which hits me just below the knee.  I am 5ft 4 to give you an indication of how it would look on you.

The wrap part of the dress as you can see is just over the bust area.  Usually when I buy this type of dress I wear a slip underneath in order to accommodate for any gaping over the bra but in this case I did not need too.

I would normally end the review at this point but there is one thing that has happened recently in the press that I wanted to mention.  Kelly Brook's ex recently shared via social media some texts purported to be from Kelly in which she fat shames and slut shames other women.

Kelly is no stranger to fat shaming given her spat with Katie Price a couple of years ago when Katie called her a "heffer".  Kelly responded by saying:

"I’ve always been a curvy girl. I’ve got huge boobs. I’ve got a huge bum. I’ve always had that body.  Even when I was a teenager I was curvier than everyone else. That’s just the way I’ve been built. There’s nothing I can do about it and there’s nothing I want to do about it – it’s just me. I’ve learnt to embrace it, accept it and make it work for me"

Kelly therefore well knows the effect of fat shaming and it does not bare well for a representative of a plus size brand to say one thing with a view to selling clothes, yet think another.

The word fat is not an insult, but when used in such a way as Kelly purportedly did, it becomes harmful.  How can you design a collection for plus size women when you believe that being fat is something to criticise?

I think that this is the trouble when you have celebrity collaborations with clothing brands.  The celebrities are just in it for the money and will say whatever is needed, whilst sometimes having completely different views.

The same happened with Gemma Collins who is plus size and happy when she has a clothing range to promote but then bemoans her weight and is unhappy about her body elsewhere.  

I buy a lot of clothes from SimplyBe and will continue to do so.  I made the decision some time ago however not to buy anything from the Gemma Collins range for the reasons above and I would have to think if I were to buy something from the Kelly Brook range again in the future.  

When it comes to celebrity collaborations I do not care if the celebrity is a size 8 or a size 28.  But I do think that they should mean what they say and not just promote body confidence for profit. 

Asos - What I Would Have Spent

Debz from WannabePrincess came up with a great suggestion for a blog challenge, Here's What I Would Have Spent!

There have been so many times that I have been shopping online and have found the perfect item of clothing, only to find that it does not come in my size.  Whilst Asos has a brilliant Curve range, I can't help myself looking over the main range and wanting so many pieces.

So this month, I am looking at Asos and telling them what I would have spent my plus pound on!

Floral Print Dress

Sunflower Print Kimono

Mesh Fit & Flare

Bold Print Dress

Biker Jacket

If these items were available to me in my size, I would be buying all of them, but especially the floral print dress which is absolutely gorgeous,

Don't forget to check out the other ladies taking part in the #HeresWhatIWouldHaveSpent challenge

Songs to Make you Happy

Just a quick post today.

I'm over on the Tombola Site today sharing my favourite Feeling Good song along with some other bloggers.

There are some great songs on there so go and have a look and brighten your mood up too!

Tip:  my song goes with this:

PS Blogger Love

The lovely Debz from WannabePrincess recently decided to arrange a blog challenge where we are all given another plus size blogger to talk about, share stories and tell you why we love them.

I was very happy to be given the amazing Kathryn from MissKathrynsMisstakes

Although I had been reading her blog prior to, I first met Kathryn at Plus North 2012.  I arrived scared, on my own and very very nervous to be modelling that day.  I was wandering around with the lovely Nikki when she introduced me to Kathryn who unbelievably recognised my name and enveloped me in one of her famous hugs.   

Kathryn was there all day cheering everyone one and she definately gave me the confidence I needed to walk down the catwalk.

Like me with dresses, Kathryn is the cardigan queen and I love her fashion style.  Kathryn has a true voice and says what she thinks.  She also encourages the plus size blogger community to support each other and use our own voices.

I love Kathryn's body positivity and the way she is so supportive to others.  Kathryn is a fantastic blogger and a wonderful person and I encourage you to go check out her blog immediately!!

The Right to Love

There are seven billion people on this planet.  Seven billion sounds like such a large number and yet, each one of those seven billion are unique to themselves.  There is no one else exactly like they are in the world.

Everything from our physical appearance, the way that we dress, our personalities; our views; our political leanings and our likes and dislikes all come together to shape someone who is one of a kind.

In turn, the ways in which we choose our prospective partners works in a similar way.  We are complex creatures and we all want different things, be it purely on a physical or a deeper level.

Beauty however is only skin deep.  You may meet someone who ticks every box when it comes to the physical aspects that you find appealing, but when you learn their personality, their character traits; this can change your original opinion completely.

I could meet, for example, the twin of my celebrity crush George Clooney but if he was a member of the English Defence League, I would be off running in a different direction.   Because someone like that is not my type, regardless of how they look.

Physically, we are all attracted to different things.  Tall, short, average height, blonde, brunette, red head, long legs, large breasts, small breasts, broad shoulders, lean, a great smile, tattoos, piercings, fat, thin; the list could go on forever.

Given that we all like different physical traits, different personalities and opinions; can you imagine how ridiculous it would be if we did try to impose our preference choices on others?  Not only would it not work, but what you would essentially be saying is that everyone apart from your own preferred type did not deserve love.

Sounds absurd doesn't it.  Yet it happens every day.   Because girls grow up being told that in order to "get a boyfriend", in order to "be attractive", in order to be loved, they have to be thin.  If you are not thin, you are the booby prize.  You are the one night stand they will never admit to.  You are a fetish. Men who like you are labelled chubby chasers.

Can you imagine it happening to any other physical characteristic?  "Were you drunk last night?  You pulled a girl with brown hair".  Sounds ridiculous doesn't.

Well enough is bloody well enough.  I've had it.  People and their narrow opinions can quite frankly stick themselves and their bigoted asses where the sun does not shine.  I  refuse to be told that I am not "good enough" to be dated, that I do not deserve to be loved because I am fat.

The shape of my body may not appeal to some but it does to others and guess what?  That works the same way for everyone.  BECAUSE WE ALL LIKE DIFFERENT THINGS!!!!

Fat, happy, deserves love and is damn well going to find it.

Screw you Daily Mail Readers.

Tips & Tricks

Recently I have had a few people, both friends and someone on Twitter asking me about how I went about setting up my own blog.  What to do, what to write; how to do it etc etc.  So I thought that I would do a little post:

5 simple tips for creating your first blog

Have thoughts that you want to share? Want to make your voice heard online? Well, writing a blog is one way to do it.  Whether you are using it as a business, a diary; somewhere to share your photographs and images, having a blog is a great way to put your thoughts and content out into the world.

1. Choosing the right host

There are plenty of free services that will host your blog, like Tumblr, Blogger, Wordpress and TypePad. Take a look through them all and pick the one you’re most comfortable with using. There are lots of tutorial videos out there that will show you how they work.

I tried a couple but for me, Blogger worked best for what I wanted.  Have a look around and see what works best for you. 

2. Sounding like yourself

I read many blogs before I started my own.  The danger when you start blogging is trying to be/sound like everyone else.  The trick is simple.  Be you.  Write what is in your heart, let your own voice speak for itself.  You started this blog to enter into your own particular niche so let people hear your voice.  Blogging works best when it is about something the blogger knows about and is passionate about. Don’t try to fake it. Readers will quickly lose interest and move on to something genuine. 

3. Letting people find you

So you have your voice, you are posting content; how do you get people to read your blog?  If you want to interact with other bloggers and let your work be seen, try joining Twitter. Chat with other bloggers, join in on the bloggers talks.

Try out the #FBLChat (Tuesdays 8pm) or maybe the lifestyle chat and beauty bloggers chat on Wednesday.  Whatever your niche is, find others and get chatting!

Try to leave comments on other people’s posts and join in on some blogger challenges, there are so many out there and it is a great way to share your blog with people who would be interested in reading what you have to say.

4.  Finding your look

One thing that I did when I first started to blog was trying to do too many things too quickly.  Having a personalised header, going self hosted, finding the right background, using the right apps.  You don't need to do all of these things at once.  Take your time.  Get comfortable with blogging first and then have a play.  You are not in a race.  Your blog will become like your baby, and just like a baby, it needs to grow at it's own pace.

5.  Tips & Tricks

So, you have found your voice, found other bloggers, started to get readers and your blog is looking the way you want it.  What next?  Well first of all, keep doing what you are doing.  

Secondly, find things to make your blogging life easier.  A lot of bloggers I know, like myself have full time jobs, try to juggle work and childcare or have children at home to take care of.  All of these things can sometimes leave little time for blogging so here are a couple of things to help you organise.

Buffer is an app that you can use which automatically tweets your blog links out several times a day.  Useful when your day time life is hectic and you don't  have the time to go online.

When you start to get really adventurous you may want to start contacting companies/magazines and websites to talk about your blog.  One problem: the more emails you find to contact, the more likely that a decent proportion of them will be fraudulent addresses. If you’re sending out a litany of emails to fake accounts, you can end up getting penalised. Use regular email verification to stop this happening to you.

Evernote is an app that you can use on your phone.  Ideal for jotting down blog ideas or drafting something up when you have a spare five minutes.  It can be linked with your laptop and really saves time.

If you have been reading blogs for a while and would love to start your own, I hope that some of these tips assist!

* In collaboration with Brite Verify

It's All in the Jeans

Today on the blog I have a new outfit for you.  Now I don't want to overly shock you, but I am NOT wearing a dress,  I know right?  What happened?

Well the truth is that I do wear a dress every day, but now and again I also cannot resist that classic jeans and a jacket combination.  It is comfortable and can look just as stylish and evening/afternoon out appropriate as a pretty dress.

When the lovely Cecilia told me about the new +Fashion World  360 Fit Bootcut Jeans I was intrigued to hear about their new fit philosophy.  Ever on the quest for jeans that actually fit properly, I wanted to know more.  Here is what they have to say:

Achieve a 360 degree fit with our amazing new four-way stretch bootcut jeans. This revolutionary denim has been expertly crafted to fit perfectly to your curves wherever they may be – and stay that way. Thanks to great-recovery fabric, you can say bye bye to saggy jeans and hello to long-life, on-trend denim 

+Simply Be Tux jacket - reviewed here

Jeans from Fashion World £38.00 from here

One of the reasons that I rarely wear jeans is because of the fit.  I buy them and at first, the fit is perfect.  Two washes later however and that fit is gone and I faced with either wearing a belt or having jeans that are practically falling off me.  It has happened so many times before.

For this reason I really wanted to review these jeans properly in order to give you an accurate perspective.  I have worn these jeans several times now, have washed twice, and the pictures below are from the last time that I wore them, this weekend.

I chose my usual size and would say that the fit is pretty much spot on.  I am used to wearing jeans that you squeeze into the start, and then wait for them to "settle" within the next twenty minutes.  Not the case here.

These jeans immediately clung where I wanted to them to cling without being tight and felt very comfortable.  The fit didn't change over time, wearing more than once and survived the multiple wash test with ease.

In short, I would highly recommend!

* The jeans have been gifted to me, however all opinions are my own

I Feel Good

You know sometimes when you spend ages getting ready for a night out, an event or even just a blog post, and the reflection in mirror isn't what you hoped? This challenge is for those times when you look in the mirror, no pre planning involved, and think "I look good today". 

We all have our good days and our bad, but this challenge is to record those good days and to remember that confidence, at any size, is beautiful.

For today's post I am embracing my tooth gap.  Some days I like it, other days I don't.  This is the usual type of photograph I prefer of myself.  The never ending pout!

The tooth gap may be all the rage at the moment in the modelling world but I am yet to fully embrace my own.  But a smile on my face, tooth gap and all, is the more frequent expression they see from me; so bring on the tooth gap selfie!

Evolving Style

Although I have been blogging for around five years, under difference guises and about different subjects, my blog The Curved Opinion turned two years old a couple of weeks ago!

Although I really hate the word "journey" when it comes to talking about your progress in life, this blog charts the way I started dressing when I decided to do away with my black clothes.   I decided to have a look back at some of my old posts and you can really tell the difference in me between now and then.  As a person, in the colours and patterns that I choose and my confidence in posing in front of the camera.

I decided to share a few of the photographs in this post, charting my fashion and confidence journey, can you see the changes?  

I actually love this photograph as it is one of my first blogging pictures.  Definately a little "rabbit in headlights" but I felt amazing.

You can practically see a thought caption over my head saying "Oh crap oh crap!!"

I LOVED this dress,  But I was too scared of wearing it and unfortunately ended up selling it.  Now I miss it a lot!

It's fashion, not torture, get rid of that forced smile!!

Another lovely dress, but another forced smile.  Come on woman!

What's that?  A genuine smile?  Are we getting there now?

Taken at Plus North.  I was so happy and it showed!

A real smile and a bright outfit - now I can see a girl I recognise

Happy and smiling.  Out of my comfort zone with a shorter dress and not a care to be seen.

I've come a long way really.  Roll on the next two years!

A Slippery Slope

When life gets busy or times get stressful, taking care of yourself can often be at the bottom of your list, if indeed you even make the list. You feed and water yourself and live your life on basic instinct, but often do you feel stop and take a minute to assess how you are feeling?

Neglecting yourself emotionally can be just as damaging as anything that you can do to your body physically. If you already have existing issues such as anxiety or depression, it can be a dangerously slippery slope if you do not look ahead.  You can find a psychologist online.

This is something that I have realised recently. These past six months have been rough; but my mental health is not something that has been on my radar. Actually when I say that, I am lying. It has been on my radar, sometimes with a very large red flashing warn sign, but I have ignored it; choosing to focus on bigger issues.

Sweeping aside these feelings has not really worked out for me so well.

I like stability. If I can make a plan, I am happy. Whilst I have a habit of making snap decisions sometimes, you had better bet that the outcomes are planned to the nth degree. I have my coping mechanisms for my anxiety and I know how to hunker down during a dark day. Unplanned issues and long term uncertainty do not fit well with who I am.

These are core aspects of my personality, hardwired in and hard to change. When things out of my control mess with my hardwiring, I am sent into a tailspin.

My unconscious way of dealing with that was to withdraw inward. I stopped calling my friends to catch up, I rarely went out on a weekend and my ability to say yes to invitations was practically non-existent. My blog also suffered, my motivation and inspiration were just not there anymore. Aside from going to work, I just wanted to be in my house and not go anywhere.

Can you see where this is going yet? Because I didn't.

Over the Christmas break, I had managed to book holidays from work meaning that I had around 11 days off. Nearing the end of my time off, during which I had only been out of the house once, I had event planned. Nothing major, just drinks and a catch up with friends at someone's house.

The day of the party arrived and suddenly, unexpectedly; I was terrified. It was not that I did not want to go, I was really looking forward to it in fact, but I did not want to leave the house. My safe space. My head was spinning, thinking of excuses that I could use not to go. My anxiety levels were spiking and I felt like I was in sheer panic.

It was at that point that the lightbulb went off in my head and I realised that my self preservation mode had lead me to a very dark place. A place where going outside even seemed like a bad thing.

I forced myself to go that night from sheer will, a will that has gotten me through many things over the years. I have started to say yes more and am no longer scared to leave the house; a feeling that I did not even know was there, until it reared its ugly head.

Today I am happy. My life is returning to more of an even keel and I am planning outings and events as much as I can. It is my birthday this weekend and have two fun nights out planned. I am back to my old self.

It is a while since I have shared something so deeply personal here. But I feel that it is important to do so because it shows just how close you can come to the edge, without ever realising that you are balancing on the edge of a precipice, where only you can pull yourself back.

No matter what is going on in your life, take the time to take care of yourself. Look for warning signs and do not ignore that red flashing light on your radar. It is important for us all to take care of the people around us, deal with bad situations well and look for that silver lining; but just as important is to take care of ourselves.

Counting the Pennies

When you are on a tight budget, it is important not to just look for places where you can cut costs, but also to learn to spend intelligently.

During the Winter months all of our household bills go up. The lights go on more, the heating goes on, endless cups of tea and coffee; it all adds up. Your next energy bill arrives and the price has suddenly gone through the roof.

When appliances break down or need changing, be it a faulty kettle or that washing machine you have had for ten years now; choosing their replacement should be a decision made with not just your current cashflow in mind, but also your future bills.

These days there are so many products on the market that are energy efficient which are both good for the environment, and your pocket.

For example, the Energy Saving Trust tells us that in the UK we waste 68 million a year by overfilling our kettles. Every time you boil a full kettle, that costs you 2.5p. Applying that to a standard family household, boiling a full kettle 10 times a day, that is 22.5p. That is ₤80.00 per year, just boiling your kettle.

Whilst buying a cheap ₤10.00 kettle might look good for your purse now, if you spent ₤40.00 on an an energy efficient kettle which lets you choose exactly how much water to boil, even when it is full to brim; in the long run, that more expensive kettle is going to save you money.

This principle can be applied all around your home. Energy saving lightbulbs, draught excluders to hold heat in and save energy. Appliances like the Panasonic Washing Machines which you can find here can detect the load amount and adjust the amount of water and power needed accordingly which again saves you money.

Put all of those ideas into play and you can really start to make a saving on your energy bills, which frees up money for the more important things in life. A day out with your family, a catch up night out with a friend. In the end, it is as your grandma used to tell you:

*Published in conjunction with Panasonic

My Inspirational Mum

Mothers Day is just around the corner.  With this in mind, Great Rail Journeys are currently running a competition to win a trip to Bruges for yourself and your mum.  

To enter, you need to:

• Write a blog post about why you're thankful for your mum and saying why she deserves to win this Mothers' Day trip.
• Tweet the blog post to @greatrail including the #GRJMothersDay to confirm your entry.

This is my competition entry.

My mum is the quintessential bubbly blonde.  At 74 years of age, she looks 15 years younger, with a fashion sense to match.  Unlike many of her peers, there are no grey haired perms and twin sets for her; my mum has always looked glamorous and always will.

My mum and I are quite similar characters in that we are both daft as a brush and we giggle at the drop of a hat.  We both enjoy good food, good times and a drop of something to put a sparkle in your eye. 

They say that you really see the mettle of someone in times of adversity and hardship.  That is certainly the case with my mum.

When my step dad fractured his spine nearly 6 months ago, we never dreamed that he would still be in hospital now.  Unable to drive, my mum has had to rely on lifts from family and getting the bus, visiting him nearly every day for the first few months, at a hospital some 30 miles away from home.  Even now, nearly 6 months on and finally at a hospital closer to home, she still visits 3-4 times a week.

My step dad's journey has been fraught with complications and through it all; my mum has been a tower of strength.  A long stay in hospital is hard but my mum has tried everything to make that stay a little easier.  Pouring hundreds of pounds into the hospital television, taking in home cooked meals, sourcing all his favourite films on DVD and finding the cowboy Western books he loves so much for him to read.

While my mum may still look like a spring chicken, life without her partner at her side has been hard.  Losing that day-to-day companionship and having her world turned upside has not been easy but she still has not lost that sparkle in her eye. 

I am thankful for my mum because she inspires me in so many different ways and I can only hope when I reach her age that I look as good as she does, with as much energy for life as she continues to have.