Amazing Women | Power of Positivity | Real Life Fitness

If you're someone who is remotely interested in health and fitness then you'll agree with me when I say it's great to get some real-life relatable inspiration.

Much as I love to follow fitness bloggers (and Instagrammers) they often seem unrelatable and their goals unachievable for someone like me.

Today I want to introduce you to Clare.

On the surface of things, she has it all...

She's the 'perfect' person that haters love to hate...

Outfit Formula | White Jeans and a Blazer

White jeans in summer... hardly cutting edge, is it?

Add on a blazer and thoughts of blazing a trail in the fashion world are well and truly extinguished!
(I can feel myself dozing off as the flames fizzle out...)

BUT, outfit 'formulas' like this don't need to be dull and boring.

In fact, if you're sticking to a tried and tested key-piece combination then it can be easier to add your own personality.
The groundwork has been done for you!

Take this outfit.

White jeans, a plain tee and a Blazer.

Making an outfit like this work for you is all in the details.
Accessories are key.
Adding your own stamp to an 'outfit formula' is an easy way to look stylish.

• Cuffs. A rolled jean hem and blazer cuff are essential for me! A must for staving off the frump-factor.
• Colours. I like to pick colours that either clash or blend in order to make a plain outfit seem more 'me'. Today I'm mixing pink, lilac and burgundy with the white jeans.
• Shoes. Interesting shoes are always a good idea. Boring shoes = Boring outfit. Today I'm wearing a pair of white sling-back clogs. Comfortable and just different enough. These ones I picked up in a charity shop... they were brand new and were for sale at over £100 on the brand's website. Oh, how I love a bargain!
• Bag. This satchel was a gift from my hubby a few years ago now and is fun but still functional... plus, the perfect summer shade!
• Scarf. A simple slim silk scarf (try saying that quickly!) adds a flash of colour that pulls the other items together with ease. Scarves are also an easy way to get outfit colour combination inspiration.
• Earrings. Fun tassel earrings make all the difference to the feel of this outfit. A little bit of whimsy is always a good idea. One bold piece is much more stylish than a matching 'set'.

TEE: Marks and Spencer
BLAZER: Asos... try this one
JEANS: ME&EM
SHOES; Sweedish Hasbeens
BAG: Cambridge satchel company
SCARF: A gift from a friend... this one is beautiful!
EARRINGS: New Look... try these.
BELT: Boden... try this.

What summer outfit formulas are you making your own this season? 

GET THE LOOK

Florals & Denim | Good Friends! | LINK UP

If you're lucky, you might have a friend (or even two) that really knows who you are and what you love.
Someone that just 'gets you'.

These fantastic friends are the ones you look forward to seeing.
The ones that make you laugh out loud.
The people that put you at ease and make you feel that you are enough.

The other day a friend like this surprised me with a 'no reason' gift and I was chuffed as nuts.

How to Accept the Fact You're Getting Older | LINK UP

Getting older.
If you're lucky, it's part of life.
And there's nothing we can do about it.

(Despite what cosmetic brands tell us!)

Age doesn't care how rich you are or how much time you have on your hands... it's coming for you!

More on that later.

Getting your Knees out over 40 | Spot Skirt & Lilac Tee

Bare Knees.
{Sigh}
Knees can be a touchy subject, especially when you are on the south-side of 40.

Once we're over this milestone, we've slid smoothly into the second half of our lives and most of our body has gone south with us.
Knees can go particularly baggy from now on in!

So, at what point to we donate our short hemlines to the charity shop and cover up those 'offending' kneecaps?

Current Trends... to Regret Later! | Ruffle Collars | LINK UP

There are always going to be those certain 'trends' that we happily follow (and even love) but, sure as fate, we are doomed to look back on and say...

"What on earth we're we thinking?"

Puffy sleeves and ruffled collars are definitely going to be one of those regretful moments.
I can almost feel the future cringe... Oh, my!

It doesn't matter how cool and trendy (or innately chic) you are, anything with ruffles is SO tricky to style and can instantly look a little bit matronly or like a costume from Little House on the Prairie...

(Especially if you're adding a decent-sized bust to the equation.)

Ruffle collars are going to be one of those trends that will cause the 20-years-later comment...

"Hahahaha, check this out!
What was Mum/Granny/Auntie wearing here?
Was that really in fashion?"

{Roll around the floor laughing}

Think a re-run of those dodgy 80's perms, legwarmers and shellsuits...
Oh Yes indeed.
We thought we were SO cool, and we were!

Today's look is all about a fabulous Victorian-inspired blouse that is the BEST quality ever.
Stiff and crispy, with loads of great details.

Of course, it's vintage and yes... it was on the £1 rail, like many of my best clothes!

I have been looking around for a ruffle collar to try but the thought of spending £40+ on something I might not really like was just too much.
Plus, with a design like this, if the quality is not there the whole look is ruined, and to find real quality nowadays you need to spend some decent cash.
Something I try to avoid!

Now, "Pulling off" a style like this (ye gawds, I hate that phrase!) is made so much easier by simply wearing your favourite jeans.
Jeans make everything ok in my book.

{See my tea blouse and jeans HERE}

Oh, and my outfit was lifted into an even happier place by my new sandal/clog/shoes that I am a little bit in love with!

Anyone who is looking for a more affordable (i.e. less of a rip off) version of Swedish Hasbeens should check out this brand... cute AND comfortable!

(They did not send me these shoes, I bought them with my own money... but if you're listening, Lotta of Sweden... I'm a size 37?! 😛)

Do you agree?
If not, what trends do you think we're going to be laughing at in 20 years?
I'd love to hear your opinion on this!

SHOES: Lotta
JEANS: Jamie @ Topshop (my favourites!)
BLOUSE: Vintage... try this toned down version.. or this OTT version!
BAG & NECKLACE: Vintage (Both different in the first picture, the bag turned out to be too small and the belt was riding up!)
BELT: Leibskind

Last week Debbie stole my heart with her story and her love of all things pink and a bit girly.
She really suits this feminine look... with ruffles too!
Read her full post HERE

An InLinkz Link-up

You Can't go Wrong with a Classic Red Dress!

I'm wearing a red dress and it's making me very happy.

Red is my favourite colour and this particular red dress has all of the swish a great dress should!

Red is a powerful colour that instils confidence (in the wearer and people surrounding them).
Red means business.

So today, nothing can stop me!

This red dress is also distracting from the fact my hair is in desperate need of some skilled scissors.
I feel like I'm wearing a hairy crash helmet.
My light blonde (which is now going grey) section is HUGE and the chemically highlighted bits are heading down the road to brass-ville.
Yellow hair isn't a great look... unless it's deliberate!

I'm off to the hairdresser on Saturday and can't wait.
It's been 10 weeks which is an AGE for anyone with a pixie cut.
I'll be half a stone lighter when I come out!

{I do use thinning scissors and clippers on my hair between cuts but I wouldn't recommend... unless you're willing to make mistakes!
I've been doing it for years and have made many.}

When I feel a bit untidy in the hair department (or tired in the face department) bright clothes never fail to cheer me up!

I spent the day in this dress but I was wearing my white frilly gutties, not these mules (see the gutties in action HERE).
I changed in the late afternoon to go for an early dinner and a few drinks.
The dress eases into a casual evening look with zero effort.
Simply changing my bag and shoes was all I needed.
{A hat would have been nice too!! 😜}

A dress like this suits just about every age, shape and size, although the hemline might need a tailor if you're shorter than me (I'm 5 feet 6).
I'm just getting away with the midi-length.

Midi hemlines can too easily slip into an old-fashioned or frumpy look.
If in doubt, go just below the knee.

A red dress needs next to no embellishment.
I added a belt, but there was no real need, I just wanted a little bit of pink!
Mules and a clutch finished the outfit off simply.

DRESS: c/o Alie Street... it's discounted just now!
BAG: Linea... older than time! Try this one.
SHOES: M&S... last year's... try these.
BELT: Boden Kids department... old. Try this one... it's from the gent's section but there's no rule for that!
EARRINGS: Charity shopped. Try these.

Some previous Red posts you might enjoy...

• If in doubt, wear red!
• Why I prefer a LRD to a LBD.
• Faking Confidence in RED.

Goodbye Spring, Hello Summer! 6 Favourite Spring Looks, 2018.

It's officially summer!

Okay, not really, but early June always feels like summer to me and the weather has been playing ball, which is unusual for Scotland.

I feel like summer has arrived (albeit temporarily) and I'm embracing it!

Today is the perfect time for me to pick my favourite Spring outfits of 2018.

{See last year's HERE.}

These 'picks' are not based on post popularity, or views.

They are just the outfits I enjoyed wearing the most.

{Click through the links in the titles to read the full posts}

Please feel free to disagree with my choices!

I would love to hear your opinion.

Do You Wear Your Favourite Colour? LINK UP

I've been thinking about colour a lot recently.
Mostly because our garden is coming into bloom (early June is always beautiful here) and there are so many stunning colour combinations to enjoy.
Nature is the perfect stylist and I always feel inspired at this time of year!