Sunday 5 July 2020

At Home Afternoon Tea










I've been trying to think of lots of ways to do things at home to try and create new memories during this crazy time, you may have seen my Ibiza party post here. Following on from that, I wanted to do little at home afternoon tea for my mum's birthday which was last weekend. Like with the Ibiza party I brought some decorations from Ginger Ray. (My new favourite website for party decorations.) I think when having an at home party it's really nice to decorate to give your home the right setting...especially when going out is limited at the moment.  

If you know me well you will know how much I love cocktails, so I couldn't have an afternoon tea without some. At the moment I'm loving following small local businesses on Instagram, I've recently discovered Dotty Mares which is a North-West London based cocktail horse box bar for special events. They have started doing cocktail at home deliveries on selected weekends, which is amazing! It feels like such a treat to have a cocktail made by someone else and delivered to your doorstep. I got some Expresso Martinis and Porn Star Martinis. They make the cocktails on the morning of delivery and put them in a jar, then they can be kept in the fridge for up to 48 hours. The cocktails were delicious and I will be ordering from them again. My friend and I were saying the other day how much we are enjoying just sitting in the garden having drinks instead of going out all the time to bars for drinks. 

Instead of pre-ordering an afternoon tea from a company or supermarket (I've seen looks of places doing this) I decided to buy the individual products myself as this way it makes it more personal as you can buy all of your favourite things. This is also a much cheaper option as most of the afternoon tea's I've seen online are £40+.  I picked up some unicorn cupcakes from ASDA, I just fell in love with the decorations on these.  Sandwiches and scones from M&S. I also managed to pick up an afternoon tea stand from a local household store near me for £9 and I had seen a few of these online for a lot more money. So it's worth looking around before you make a purchase. And now I've got this I can make afternoon teas more of a habit at home! 

Once life goes totally back to normal, I think I will still continue to do more things like this at home as I've really enjoyed it. I'd be posting any more at home parties I do in the future. 

I hope you enjoyed this post
Love
Nicole 
xx

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Wednesday 24 June 2020

Three Ways To Wear Tie-Dye


One of the biggest trends this Summer is Tie-Dye, whether you want to try out a DIY style or buy an item from a store. I'm seeing Tie-Dye all over social media at the moment. Today I'm sharing three ways to wear Tie-Dye to give you a little inspiration on how to style your own items or if you are planning on buying some for your wardrobe. 


First up and probably the most statement look is a Co-ord. Here I've gone for a top and matching cycling shorts. My favourite part of this look is the puff sleeves on the top, it just gives an extra edgy vibe. I didn't jump on board with the cycling shorts trend last year. And looking at these cycling shorts on the hanger in store I was really unsure on them. However upon trying on the whole look, I've fallen in love with them. Which just goes to show you should try items of clothing on which are outside of your comfort zone. 


Denim shorts - Topshop 

Next up denim shorts, denim will pretty much go with any Tie-Dye item. And I'm sure all of you have some sort of denim item in your wardrobe. I like how these shorts have a ruffle effect at the top, to give them a slightly different finish. I'd wear this with some plain white trainers for an everyday look. 



Denim skirt - New Look 

My last look is again with denim, but this time a denim skirt. I've also tucked in the top for this look too. But this time round I'd dress up this look by swapping the trainers with a pair of wedges so it can be more of an evening look.

Below I've added some of my favourite Tie-Dye looks from the high street at the moment.
*Affilate links 

I hope you all enjoyed this post, let me know below in the comments what your favourite look is?

Love
Nicole
xx

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Thursday 18 June 2020

12 Simple Ways To Practice Self-Care At Home


'You can't pour from an empty cup, take care of yourself first.'

Self care is such an important part of looking after our mental, physical and emotional wellbeing. Life gets so busy and we are always on to the next thing whether that is going out to the fancy new cocktail bar or working super long hours to try and progress in our careers. It's so hard now to find the time to fit in self care yet it is something that is so important. Lockdown has made me realise that a slower pace of life is actually a good thing and it's really important to make some time for yourself. I've done this a lot over the last three months and I'm going to try my hardest to continue when life gets back to normal. So here are my 12 tips on ways to practice self care at home. 

1. Long Baths 

Make a little at home spa set up. Buy yourself some face/eye masks and your favourite lush bath bomb. Light some candles and completely relax. One thing I find really nice is to just sit in the bath and do nothing. Often I find myself setting up my laptop to watch something on Youtube or reading a book while in the bath. But there is a lot of joy in simply laying down and not putting pressure on yourself to do anything! 

2. At home nails 

For two years straight up until the beginning of this year I got gel nails done every couple of weeks. It's taken months but my nails are finally starting to look healthy again, and now I'm not looking back! I don't want to get gels again unless its a super special occasion. I've treated myself to some new nails inc polishes (TKMax have a good online sale at the moment!) and I've been enjoying switching up the colours of my nails every week. Top tip try to get good quality products that will last longer. Nails inc can last up to a week without chipping! 

3. Fitness

Staying motivated with fitness is hard, but once I find a good routine I do tend to stick to it. I've been loving Zoe's zoom classes (she does them on a Tuesday and Friday morning for more info check out here instagram here.) You can also check out my blog post interview with her all about fitness here.

4. Gratitude

Writing down three things you are grateful for everyday. Doing this first thing in the morning or last thing at night before you go to bed. This will help you not to forget the important things that make you happy.

5.  Treat yourself to a take away coffee 

Now that coffee shops are open for takeaways, treat yourself to your favourite drink and go for a walk or sit in your local park. I did this with my friend the other day and it makes your day feel a little bit more normal.

6. Baking

I've turned into the baking queen since the beginning of lockdown and I'm loving it so far.  I've got most of my recipes from Jane Patisserie here. I've actually got the NYC cookies baking in the oven right now as I'm writing this.

7. Keep track of your accomplishments

I was talking about this to someone the other day, we live in a world where we are always thinking about what we need to achieve next rather than be happy for what we have already achieved.

8. Edit your Social Media

Go through your social media feeds and mute or unfollow any accounts that no longer bring you joy! I do this every 6 months or so and it means when I'm scrolling through my instagram feed I'm enjoying most of the content I am seeing rather than spending so long scrolling through things you don't want to see or don't make you happy.

9. Spend quality time with people who make you happy 

Make sure you make time to spend with and see people who make you feel happy. Now that lockdown is being eased you can plan after work walks with your friends or going for a picnic. I always love it when you spend time with people and you leave with a smile on your face.

10. Listen to a podcasts

I love podcasts and may do a future post about my favourite ones. I enjoy listening to them when I'm cleaning or going for a walk by myself. Lily and Anna have just re-launched their podcast and I'm really enjoying it at the moment you can check it out here. It's just like listening to myself and my friends chatting.

11. Read a self help book 

My favourite is Good Vibes, Good Life by Vex King. I would also recommend following him on instagram. This book talks all about how to look at the positives in your life. And really makes you think about how you can easily change your mindset to have a happier life.

12. Make yourself breakfast and then have it in bed 

I love breakfast in bed...but who said you need to wait for someone to do it for you! Make yourself some yummy breakfast then get back into bed watch something on your laptop/TV and have a chilled start to your day.

I hope you enjoyed this post! Let me know if you have any other self care ideas.

Love
Nicole
xx


  
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Thursday 11 June 2020

5 Ways to transform your garden for an ibiza party










'Make the most out of every situation'

I think it's so important to make the most out of every situation that life throws at you. This week I should be in Ibiza living my best life, but for obvious reasons that isn't happening. I wanted to do something to make a new memory for what should have been a full on party week. As we are allowed up to 6 people in our gardens now I decided to create a little at home garden party (Ibiza style of course) from myself and my best friend Charlotte.

If you know me well when it comes to planning things I always put 110% effort in. If I didn't work in fashion I think I'd love to be in events planning.

Here are 5 ways you can transform your garden for an Ibiza party

1.  Decide on an area in your garden you want to focus on. For me I wanted this to be our decking area. I moved some of our garden furniture from the decking to other areas of the garden so I could create a little dance floor. (The space needed to be large enough for dancing 2 metres apart of course!) I then set up a little drinks table and had two chairs for us to sit down on at the end of the decking.

2. Pick your colour theme. For me this had to be pink and silver, this was pretty easy to pick as those are my favourite colours! Once you have picked your colour theme you can then look for decorations to fit in with your theme.

3. Set yourself a budget of how much you want to spend on decorations. I think this is super important because it's otherwise really easy to just add loads of stuff to your basket that looks pretty but the total ends up being £££s. I set myself a £50 budget.

4. I searched online for a good website to buy some decorations, I can across Ginger Ray (Which I have fallen in love with and have since made another online order for my mum's birthday at the end of the month) I wanted some ballon's to give an 'instagram' affect. I loved the PARTY ballon...this was the first thing I found on the website which I added to my basket. Then from there I found the other little touches like the straws, napkins and cups.

I love adding personal touches to things so wanted a banner with a photograph added. I got this from Party Pieces. And again I made sure this fitted in with my colour scheme and Ibiza vibes.

5. Get yourself ready! I sent Charlotte a text telling her what time and date to come to my house and told her to get dressed up as if we are going on an Ibiza night out. It was so much fun getting dressed up! I had brought some new clothes for this holiday so it was nice to be able to wear them and feel as if I was going out somewhere.

This day was so much fun and made me realise even in tough times we can think outside of the box and still make happy memories to look back on.

I hope you all enjoyed this post.
Love
Nicole
xx


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Wednesday 27 May 2020

Five Outfits To Wear At Home (Which will make you feel fabulous)






I've tried wearing loungewear all day long and I've also spent time putting together a nice outfit in the morning and doing my hair and make up. And really it's whatever works best for you but for me the latter is better. I just feel a bit more myself and I'm 100% more productive on the days I make an effort. I've actually brought zero clothes during lockdown, so if you need some inspiration of what to wear making the most of what you already own than this post is for you! 

For me the key is wearing clothes that are comfortable enough to wear in the house all day long, but stylish enough to bump into someone I know on my daily walk. Or at least just having a really put together top half for zoom calls and catch up with friends. Lockdown is a great way to re-fall back in love with some items in your wardrobe. (You might want to read my post here which gives you tips for Spring Cleaning Your Wardrobe.) What I love about getting dressed up in the morning is, in the evening when I get into my pjs or other comfy clothes I feel like the day is broken up rather than all rolled into a blur. 

Outfit 1

I'm someone who is very much drawn to colours, wearing certain clothes makes me feel really good. My favourite colour if you can't tell already is pink. If I wake up feeling a bit rubbish adding some pink to my outfit will always make me feel a little bit better.  The skirt is from Topshop and is velvet which I love as this tends to just be a trend during autumn/winter. That being said I could team this with black tights during the colder months.  

Outfit 2

I've always been a lover off tee's but especially now as they are so effortless and need very simple styling. I always team tee's with shorts or jeans. My flamingo one is years old from Oasis and it comes on every Summer holiday with me. And this year I'm wearing it in my back garden to feel like I'm on holiday! 

 Outfit 3

Can you tell by now that I love Flamingos?! Again another old item...but one I love. This playsuit is from Rebecca Rhoades. I love this print and it screams summer vibes. Dress up Friday has become my new favourite thing to take part in. So I wore this a few weeks ago for virtual drinks! 

Outfit 4

Blue is another one of my 'feel good colours' I got this playsuit from Zara a few years ago. And I've had a few from them over the years and they are super comfortable which is one of the most important things for me when wearing outfits at home. 

Outfit 5

One of my favourite prints that never goes out of style is florals. I'm pretty sure most of you will have some sort of floral print in your wardrobe. It's one of those prints where you will probably end with a few items of clothing that are all similar. My favourite is by far black against coloured florals because I think it stands out more and I love statement pieces. Again this outfit is super comfy, loose dresses have to be one of the most comfortable fits especially when wearing them all day at home. 

I hope you like these outfits and it gives you some inspiration of what to wear! 

Love
Nicole 
xx    

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Wednesday 6 May 2020

FIVE things to do during lockdown if you want/have a creative career


Before I start this post I just want to say YOU DO YOU! I've seen so many things across social media telling people what they should/shouldn't be doing during this time. People are being put down for being super productive and those who are watching Netflix all day and just using this time to relax are also being put down. Turns out you can never really win. However if you do want to use some of your time being productive and you want/have a creative career this post is for you! 

I decided at the beginning of lockdown that I want days to fully relax but I also really enjoy learning and want to add more to my CV. I feel after doing quite a few different creative learning related things over thee past few weeks I'm now in a position to share my experiences and give advice on the good things I've found. 

1. Create a vision board, this is a really fun and creative way to look at how you would like your future to be in terms of work. You can do this by printing images from the internet or using newspaper cuttings and gluing them onto card. Or like me you can do this on Pinterest. (Also remember with Pinterest you can create secret boards so no one else has to see them) When you have day's you're not feeling so inspired go back over and look at your vision board to get that boost of motivation again. 

2. Four weeks ago I joined Grow and Glow, which is a platform to help bloggers/small businesses grow their online channels. (Check the website out here.) I can honestly say without Grow and Glow I wouldn't have been about to do 1/4 of the things I've now done for my blog over the last month. Grow and Glow have different bundles/courses you can work your way through. So far I've upped my Pinterest game, really narrowed down my niche, worked on my SEO the thing we all love to hate and put off doing for ages yet it's so important. You pay a monthly fee of £15 which is 100% worth it. Think of it as one less London priced cocktail a week once things go back to normal. Once you join you also have access to their Facebook group where you can ask other members questions and advice. 

My blog/instagram channels have always come up in interviews and it's something that employees are so interested in when you apply for a creative job. Creativity is something that you are so passion about outside of your work life so it's good to show extra dedication and things you do on the side. 

3. BoF, I had access to some amazing websites during my university days at London College of Fashion. But once I left and no longer had access myself through university I didn't join any membership programs. However after a recommendation from my friend at work about BoF. I decided to join. It's free for the first month then £33 a month after that and you can cancel at any point. You can check the website out here.  Monday-Friday BoF have live talks via Zoom with industry experts which has been really interesting. I think it's super important not just now but all the time to keep up to date with industry news again something that will make you stand out at an interview as you will have more to talk about. They also have so many articles and reports on what's going on right now and changes within the beauty/fashion industry.  

4. Do an online course, I'm currently doing a course on BoF called build your dream career. They have 6 courses on BoF the others include styling, merchandising/buying, marketing, history of fashion and building a brand. If you are not sure if you would like a career in fashion and haven't yet been to university or want to change you career path this would be ideal for you to get a taster as to what some jobs would be like. Also I think it's so important to remember that whatever your job title is, it would look so good to have some knowledge on other key areas in your industry. As all departments have to work together and you will do a better job working with the marketing department for example if you're a stylist if you have a good understanding of marketing. 

5. Download skills share, (the first two months are free at the moment then it is £7 a month after that check the website out here.) This is something that I have only just discovered and think everyone should be apart of a the moment. Skill share has 100s of online lessons about a whole range of different creative topics. I've completed the lesson with Emma Gannon called unlocking your potential. Emma talks through 5 exercises to build creative confidence. The thing I found most helpful was identifying your patterns looking at a 24 hour period and what makes you feel motivated and what doesn't. It is particularly important when working in the creative industry or any in fact to take a step back from time to time and look at how you're working and if this is benefitting you. 

I hope you enjoyed this post, and please leave a comment if you have any other tips/advice! 

Thanks, 
Nicole
xx

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Five Reasons You Should Shop At Independent Brands


Five reasons you should shop at independent brands  fashion bloggers


I love independent fashion brands, one of my favourites being Darla. Run by my close friend Amy. Independent brands offer some unique differences that separates them from big high street names. So for today's post I'm talking about 5 reasons you should shop with Independent brands. 

1. You get a real personal shopping experience, you get to know the person behind the brand and they get to know you. I think this all comes down to most independent brands having a real niche with their products that most of their customers will love. 

2. Leading on from this you get to build a relationship with the owner, they are likely to be the one who writes the newsletters and publish posts on social media. So if you have question you are likely to get a response from the owner themselves. 

3. You will find a lot of independent brands ask their customers what they would like to see more of and what trends/designs you are loving at the moment. As their target audience is smaller than the big high street brands your ideas are more than likely to be taken on board when putting together new collections.   

4. Designs have more originality and individuality. The downfall of big high street brands is that so many products look similar across multiple stores, however independents tend to have a different offering. Meaning that you don't have to worry about turning up to an event wearing the same/similar outfit to everyone else. 

5. They can focus on being more environmentally friendly, because they are producing their products on a much smaller scale than high street stores. You will tend to find that most independents try to work with recycled material or if not they will just buy enough material for the amount of products being made. This reduces the amount of waste. Also brands can be a lot more transparence about the history and making behind the clothes. Information that big high street brands either won't or can't offer their customers. 

As I've said before Darla is one of my favourite brands and I've had the opportunity to work with Darla on a number of occasions over the years.  Including styling for their latest photoshoot (all of the images included in this post.) 


Five reasons you should shop at independent brands fashion bloggers


'Darla is a lifestyle and womenswear label. Combining timeless silhouettes with modern fabrics and thoughtful details, our brand was made for creative everyday styling
Darla offers a playful and free-spirited range of clothing taking inspiration from around the globe while also promoting ethical and sustainable practises throughout our making process.
Designed for muses, romantics and starry-eyed daydreamers; at Darla you can shop our namesake collection along with independent brands, accessories, vintage and reworked clothing.'
I love how all of the Darla items are so versatile and you can style them all year round. Most of the designs are made in house and Amy is always asking her customers what they would like to see next, meaning they can get involved in the brand. All pictures from this post are from Darla and you can check out the website here
Five reasons you should shop at independent brands fashion bloggers


Hope you enjoyed this post, I would love to know who your favourite independent brands are?
Thanks, 
Nicole 
xx
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Sunday 3 May 2020

20 Positive Quotes



I love positive quotes it's amazing how a few words can really lift your mood and change your whole mindset. After I published my interview blog post with Mary-Anne here, (all about HeartyNotes) I decided to ask my followers over on instagram what their favourite quotes are. So here they are along with some of my favourites added to the mix. This could be a good post to screenshoot on your phone and look back over every now and again when you need to see some positive words.

1. It's impossible to feel bad if you think good thoughts
2. I am in charge of how I feel today and today I choose happiness
3. Try to be a rainbow in someone's cloud
4. Be fearless in the pursuit of what sets your soul on fire
5. Strive for progress not perfection
6. Difficult roads lead to beautiful destinations
7. Your mind is your only limit
8. Happiness often sneaks through doors you didn't know you left open
9. Change the way you look at things and the things you look at change
10. Don't compare yourself to others. There is no comparison between the Sun and Moon they shine when it is their own time
11. Today I will not stress over things I can not control
12. Be a pineapple; stand tall, wear a crown and be sweet on the inside
13. She needed a hero, so a hero is what she became
14. Be yourself, everyone else is taken
15. Real Queen's fix each others crowns
16. It's ok if the only thing you did today was breath
17. You are so much stronger than you think
18. There are so many beautiful reasons to be happy
19. Somewhere there is a past you looking over with so much pride at how far you have come
20. Spread love and kindness

Hope you are all having a lovely weekend! I'd love to know what your favourite quote is, let me know in the comments below. You can also check out my positive words board on Pinterest here.

Love
Nicole
xx
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Wednesday 29 April 2020

Four Friends Tell Me Their Favourite Places To Shop


Nicole

For today's post I've got 4 of my girlfriends involved. I thought it would be fun to hear from them where their favourite places are to go shopping! To start off I'll chat a little bit about mine then scroll down to see some of my lovely friends. 

'I love Topshop, I think it was one of the first places I shopped in when I could finally fit into adult clothes. Topshop offer an amazing range of fashion focused pieces but also some more classic pieces that will last in your wardrobe for a really long time. Last year they had some fab prints on offer and I brought quite a few of them...but they are all such good quality that I will continue to wear them this year.  My favourite classic piece has to be my leather look jacket. I've had a couple now but both have lasted a super long time.' 



Victoria

'I have always been a lover of Zara and enjoy browsing the new in section of their website and in store. I think their clothes can look expensive and effortless whilst still being affordable. I have a lot of key pieces from Zara that don't date and are staples for my wardrobe. Smart black dresses, winter coats, lightweight summer dresses and blouses are just a few of the bits that I've had in my wardrobe for a while. I also love their more fashionable clothing and love looking through Instagram and Pinterest to see how people have styled them!'




Maddi

'I LOVE to do my shopping at H&M. Mainly because I love how sustainable their clothing is and how quirky their clothing can be whilst staying in-line with trends. I’m a sucker for a unique pattern and I think H&M nail this, whilst not breaking my bank account, bonus!'




Charlotte 

I wouldn't necessarily say I have a favourite shop overall but rather a favourite go-to for particular pieces. For example, I love the wide selection of jeans that brands such as Topshop and River Island offer all body types as being pretty tall (5'9"), it's hard to find the perfect outfit staple in the right length for me. If I want to add a little edge to my style but still want to keep it casual, Zara have some cute options that really make an outfit stand out. I love how quick they are to keep up with the current trends and you can pay a lot less for something that looks a lot more expensive. For casual sweatshirts and jersey pieces, I like to shop in Urban Outfitters. Although I find that they are on the pricier side, when I have a little more money to spend on the basics it's a nice 
treat. And I'm all about treating yourself. 




Lana 

'At the moment I'm loving online boutiques like Never Fully Dressed and NastyGal, to find items at great prices. I've shopped with NFD for may years now and still love the pieces I bought from them years ago - they're definitely worth investing in, but have great sales too! I also enjoy shops like Mint Velvet and White company for quality key pieces which will last a long time; and Anthropologie for unique and quirky dresses! A mix of high street and high end goes a long way - I try to be sustainable with fashion; if I need to purchase items which I know will only last a season I do so from more budget friendly chains and once they have served their purpose the clothes either get sold at our local car boot sales or go to charity shops.'

I had a lot of fun putting together this post, thanks to my lovely girlfriends for their help! I hope you all enjoyed reading it. Let me know in the comments you're favourite places to shop. You can read all my latest fashion posts here

Love
Nicole
xx
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Sunday 26 April 2020

Interview with Zoe Louise - Personal Trainer





Zoe is a personal trainer and dancer who brings so much energy to life! I met her back in October when I first started going to Kobox classes. After a long time of not doing any fitness, I really got into boxing classes. I think the main thing that keeps me going when I really want to stop is the positive vibes and great music. I know that Zoe is the perfect person to interview about fitness as she has made me love it. And it's so true what they say you never regret doing a workout. 

1. Hey Zoe, can you tell us a little bit about your fitness journey and how you got into it?


I've been into sports since I was a kid growing up I had lots of hobbies but my two passions were horses and dancing which took over my life!! At 18 I went off to dance college so originally started my career as dancer! I've been dancing professionally for 14 years, then about 4 years ago I really got into fitness and decided I wanted to go down the fitness trainer route. I also found a love of boxing and 10 months ago I became a Kobox instructor. 



2. Do you have a structure to your day now we are in isolation, if so what is it?

Yes I need structure! So the night before I write down or make a schedule of all the things I want to achieve the next day it really helps to keep me on track, also I get dressed every morning I find sitting in my pjs doesn't motivate me to get the ball rolling! I try to workout early so I'm ready for the day and it makes me feel better. Afternoons are more for learning something new or doing something I've wanted to do and not got round to! 

3. How do you keep motivated on the days you don't feel like working out? Although we all have so much time at the moment, I know it can sometimes still be a struggle for people to workout.

So I try to be as motivated as I can, having set days to workout can help as you then have your workout days and your rest days also every workout counts if it's not as long as you would have liked it to be it still makes a difference, don't beat yourself up if you're not feeling it just do what you can. There are days I just don't feel like it and rather than force myself I just have a down day. We all have them and it's ok to not be motivated all of the time!

4. What are your top tips for beginners who are wanting to get into exercise? 

So for people just getting into exercise it can be intimidating I think the key is to choose something you enjoy whether it be yoga, dance, boxing, cycling, skipping or HIIT, if you enjoy it you're more likely to want to do it!! Also start small even it it's just 5 minutes it will change the way you feel and your mindset. Start off with one press-up or one squat or 5 minutes of your favourite exercise then add on every day before you know it you'll be at 20 minute. Lastly finding a trainer that you like and that inspires and motivates you during your workout can really help you to achieve way more than you thought was possible. 

5. Where can we find your fitness videos?


You can find my workouts on my 

Instagram @zoe1louise


Youtube user/zoe1louise


And real-time videos and live workouts on Move Home Studio here on here you can rent my videos for 72 hours or buy them so you have them for life or pay a monthly subscription and then you will get all videos and live workouts included.   

6. I'll be asking everyone this question. What one piece of advice would you give to remain positive?


Write down all the things you're grateful for or that are good at the moment it'll make you smile and remember nothing lasts forever it may seem like this is a dark cloud but it will pass and when we come out of it it's going to be amazing. 


I hope you love this interview as much as I do! You can read my last interview with Hayley all about The Kindness Foundation here


Have a lovely day 


Love

Nicole
xx


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Wednesday 22 April 2020

Five ways to add colour to your outfit








'The best colour in the whole world is one that looks good on you.'- CoCo Channel

If you know me well you will know I love wearing colour. Colour brings me joy and happiness if I wake up in a bad mood adding colour to my outfit makes me feel so much better. Here are my 5 top tips on how to add colour to your outfit. 

1. Bags 

Bags are probably the easiest thing to start with if you do not normally add much colour to your outfits. I have many bright coloured bags and it's surprising how many outfits they go with. If your buying your first coloured bag I'd opt for something like blue (the one above is from Aspinal of London) this will go with denim which most people have in their wardrobe. And you will find something like blue will also go with most other colours so you will get loads of wear out of it.  I think people shy away from bright coloured bags and stick with more neutral tones because they are worried they will not get much wear out of  them. So before you buy a bright coloured bag think about what you already have you in wardrobe that will go with it. You will probably be surprised just how many things you can wear it with.  

2. Use Monochrome colours as a base 

People tend to overthink things when when trying out new styles, which is totally normal. If you get the base of your outfit sorted then you can work around that. Pretty much any colour will go with a white or black base. And if you don't already have much colour in your wardrobe you are bound to have a plain white or black tee. Add a basic tee with a pair of denim jeans (again another item most of us have in our wardrobes.) Then try mixing things up with a blazer, you do not have to go as bright as the pink one in my photo above, you can start off with a lighter colour that isn't so bold. But this style is super easy to put together and a blazer can completely transform your whole outfit.  

3. Patterns 

I love patterns and one of the best is florals, simply because they will always be on trend season after season. And they are available in most shops, I actually got the one above in a local charity shop. (I can do another post on second hand shopping if anyone is interested?) You can also find patterns that have the base of monochrome colours which can be easier to wear if you don't normally wear many patterns. 

4. Layering 

I love layering and a light weight jacket is the perfect way to add layers to your outfit during Spring/Summer. I got the above denim jacket from Ebay but it was originally from Topshop, but again it is another item that is sold in most high street stores. Adding a layer which is a more neutral colour against a brighter one will help to introduce more colour into your wardrobe if you do not feel very confident wearing colours as it adds a balance between the two. 

5. Make-Up

I couldn't write this post without talking about make-up. Something I've always loved to wear is bright lipstick. I hear so many people say that they are worried that bright lipstick will not suit them. I think the perfect way to become more confident wearing bright lipstick is to simply buy one. (Maybe from a high street brand to start off with so you're not spending too much money if you do not like it.) Then wear it at home first so you get used to wearing it, then maybe style a bright lip with a really simple outfit when you feel more confident to wear it out of the house. A bold lip will completely brighten up your whole face. I love the Sephora liquid lipsticks because you do not need to top it up too often and you can go all day without worrying about it smudging. (I've tested them out a millions times after eating food etc so you can trust me!) 

But most importantly have fun with it and do not worry about what other people think. That's the most important thing with clothes. And if someone doesn't like your outfit who cares as there will be many people who will love it! 

Hope you enjoyed this post. You may enjoy post about 5 tips for Spring Cleaning Your Wardrobe here

Love
Nicole 
xx 


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Sunday 19 April 2020

Interview with Hayley - The Kindness Foundation





Hayley is a travel and style blogger behind Frock Me I'm Famous and has set up a non-profit charity, The Kindness Foundation to donate clothes and products from herself, bloggers to those in need. With the aim to spread more kindness! 


1. Firstly thank you for taking the time to answer some questions today. Can you tell us a little bit about The Kindness Foundation and how it all started? 

I set up #ShareThisChristmas nearly five years ago, a campaign to help people in need. As a blogger I've seen first hand the amount of samples and lovely products we receive, I also knew that I didn't need them, so I started to put items to one side and build up a collection to donate. I then decided to reach out to PR's that I had built a relationship with over the last 6 years, to see if they had any spare products they could donate, I didn't really have any expectations but was absolutely blown away when boxes of products started arriving (safe to say my mum wasn't overly thrilled haha). I bagged everything up into Christmas sacks and donated them to my local Women's refuges, Age UK, Little Havens and homeless shelter. This Christmas just gone, I was thinking about how I'd like to develop my #ShareThisChristmas campaign, the main way being that I didn't want to only help people at Christmas, but year round too - which led me to set up The Kindness Foundation!

2. What can readers do if they would like to get involved in the charity? 

There are a couple of ways that I'd love readers support with The Kindness Foundation! The first being to follow us on social media (@TheKindnessFoundation), the more people I can reach, the more people in turn I can help! If anyone knows of any PR's that are in the position to donate products that would be wonderful; or of any charities / causes that they'd like to put forward for donations then I'd love to hear! I've mostly helped people in the surrounding areas to where I live, but I'd love to branch out and help more! :) 

3. Do you have any exciting future plans for The Kindness Foundation? 

The one goal I really have is just to help as many people as I can, so I'd love to continue to raise awareness, and grow to help more people in need!

4. I'm sure most people reading my blog love fashion/beauty products and we all are guilty of over indulging in it at times. I know I own more things that I need. What tip would you give for being able to enjoy these things but also having the right balance and not buying too much?   

I think it's about knowing what you need / will use! I've kindly been gifted fashion and beauty products in the past that I couldn't keep due to storage or knowing I'd never get through them, so I started passing them onto friends and family members once I'd written about them. That's where the idea for #ShareThisChristmas came from! 

5. What's the been the best thing about running your Christmas campaigns over the last four years?

Knowing that I'm helping people is the best gift at Christmas! I know that giving people presents won't change someone's life, but if it puts a smile on their faces or let them know that people care for them, then that's what I do it for, to help those in need - you really can't put a price on that feeling!

6. I'll be asking everyone this question. What piece of advice would you give to remain positive? 

Trying to keep my days as normal as possible! Get up, shower, get dressed and pop some makeup on (it makes me feel like I'm ready for the day!). I'm using this time to work on myself, read more, do some yoga, learn the piano - I really want to look back on this time and say that I've learnt something / done something productive, so I'm setting myself one task a day, something that will make me happy and just focusing on that. Take each day at a time and don't put too much pressure on yourself - if you're having a bad day, just feel it and know that tomorrow is a new day. 






I hope you love this interview as much as I do! Come back next Sunday for the next one and you can read my last interview with Mary-Anne creator of HeartyNotes here

Have a lovely day 

Love
Nicole
xx
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