If there’s one area I feel I know quite a lot about, it’s jewellery and accessories. I spent over three years working in PR & Marketing for a successful High Street jewellery retailer, therefore many a day have I spent researching into the world of jewellery and accessory designers. I’m lucky to have met such talented jewellers during my days in the jewellery industry, and I do miss working with such a lovely product everyday.
However, although I have many loves, one of my very favourite jewellery designers is Alex Monroe. I adore fine, pretty jewellery, therefore his collections of delicate pendant chains are an absolute dream. Good news for other Alex Monrow fans out there – the popular designer has launched the book ‘Two Turtle Doves – A Memoir Of Making Things’ with Bloomsbury Books,
The book is a beautiful journey focusing on Alex Monroe and his passion of making things. Two Turtle Doves traces the intimate adventure of how an idea is transformed from a fleeting thought into an exquisite piece of jewellery. It is based on where we find our creativity, how we remember and why we make the things we do. Take a look at some reviews of this book, and read a little more about the story here. I am fascinated with his love for gathering inspiration from the great outdoors and nature, creating the basis of his collections built upon the sweetest designed bumblebees, hummingbirds, flowers and butterflies.
To celebrate this fantastic little book, I am giving away x10 copies to x10 of my readers! All you have to do is head over to Twitter and retweet my tweet which is an entry to win, with myself and @BloomsburyBooks
It’s the perfect book if you love the art of designing, making things, and the lovely world of jewellery, but it’s also the nicest little gift to give to someone too. Good luck!
Today’s post is a little round-up of some personal tips I wanted to recommend for helping you have a feel-good week. You know when you just want to experience a week where you feel you have done something good for someone, yet have also carried out a few activities which have cheered yourself up too? There are some little steps to follow and things to indulge in that may be only tiny, but can make a difference in your overall well-being for the week. So here is my round up for little tips and tricks for the loveliest week!
1. Do something nice for someone you care about
How often do you go out of your way to randomly treat someone you love? A friend, partner, family member, or just someone who has been really lovely and supportive to you? Possibly not enough. I’m guilty of this too – we probably all are! Last week, I decided to take on a random act of kindness and send my twin sister, who is 5 months pregnant, a thoughtful little gift hamper from Fortnum & Mason. I was inspired to do this after I was reading about a company called Work The World, who in December, set out to draw attention to the healthcare professionals who are making a real difference in under resourced hospitals all over the developing world. They recognised people who were providing extraordinary help, and it made me realise that we should sit and consider people who really help us out in life too. So I gifted a beautiful Fortnum & Mason Tea Experience hamper as a surprise, although I have to say I was spoilt for choice from all the lovely hampers they currently offer (take a look here).
Doesn’t matter who your chosen person is – everyone appreciates Fortnum & Mason! And you will feel wonderful for carrying out the gesture and making someone’s day.
2. Save an afternoon aside to spend with your friends
Spending a couple of hours during a Saturday afternoon (for example) with a group of close friends can work wonders for lifting your mood. I’ve recently had so many things on my plate, and was starting to go home at the evenings feeling exhausted, and wake up the next morning in a state of panic about everything I need to do, everything that isn’t going right, etc etc. Last Saturday, my friend Laura arranged an afternoon in Lytham St Annes, at a fabulous restaurant called Spago, so we all road-tripped up North for an afternoon on Italian food, white wine, good company and the beautiful setting of Lytham (It’s a pretty place to visit if you have never been before). I would have possibly stayed in that day, stressing and worrying about my work load and the negative things I’m currently juggling, but I felt 100 times better after the day out. A group of girls, good food and a change of scenery just for 4 hours is literally all you need to change your mood for the week.
A final note on this – Spago was actually one of the best restaurants I have visited in 2015 (and I visit a lot.) It has an extensive chichetti menu, as well as all the favourite pizzas, pastas and main dishes you would expect from a quality Italian. The decor and ambiance was spot on, with excellent chefs and waiters. I had the nicest sausage and tomato tagliatelle, and all the portion sizes are huge so you get so much value for money!
3. Beautify Yourself
Here we go – I always have to pop in a ‘treat’ option! I am honestly a big believer in treating yourself though. We should be more selfish with our time and our money every now and again – everyone works hard and juggles stressful lives, so no one deserves pampering and a touch of TLC more than yourself. Invest in a miracle product for both skin, hair and nails, and take an evening to try it out and discover its wonders. I have been doing that recently with Moroccan Argan Oil – I’m sure you have all heard how fantastic this stuff is?
As the world is currently going crazy over argan oil, The Moroccan Argan Oil Company wanted to find the best quality argan oil on the market. They visited many of the co-operatives in Souss Plain in Southwest Morocco where the finest quality argan oil comes from. They studied the analysis reports for essential fatty acids, vitamin-e and antioxidants among other things, and now retail this essential product. This 100& natural argan oil dropper product does everything – it nourishes, moisturizes, soothes and gives hair, skin or even nails a lovely shine. You can apply it on dry skin or dry hair, and it is great to use if you have skin allergies like eczema. I apply it to the end of my hair when damp, for silky hair, but I have heard brilliant reviews about how it can transform dry skin and completely revitalise your skin, promoting youth.
It costs £13.99 from The Moroccan Argan Oil Co. and will last you forever! Using a miracle product like this will help to lift your mood a little too, helping you have a more pleasant week…
So they are my three little tips today, that maybe could be kicked off from Monday? Do share yours with me too!
Last week, I headed down to London for a little bit of a work trip, and managed to take the time out during my visit to have the most loveliest facial to date. I was introduced to Tresor Rare – a global luxury beauty brand- back in December, but with the Christmas, New Year and January period of mayhem, I never had enough time to visit the brand new store situated on South Molton Street, Mayfair.
However, I managed to squeeze a little time in the diary to explore this beautiful, premium brand, and indulge in 50 minutes of bliss with the Tresor Rare Ultimate Pearl Treatment facial.
When booking in for facials at the Tresor Rare store, you are treated to complete luxury, which was exactly what I needed after a day of rushing around the manic capital. I also hadn’t treated my skin to a facial for a good few weeks, so it definitely needed a pick me up. My poor tired skin was crying out for a glow, so I was more than excited to see what Tresor Rare could to do me.
With a champagne greeting, I was taken downstaires to the salon treatment area of the store, before having an in-depth consultation with the therapist who discussed everything about my skin and my lifestyle. It’s really professional when everything is taken into account to get as much information about how I look after my skin, and to find out the current situation of my skin at present. Lately, my skin comes under the combination category, as regular breakouts lead to lots of salicylic acid products to keep it under control, which also dies it out. But naturally, my skin is oily, so tends to change from the two, giving me a combination of both.
The Ultimate Pearl Treatment is a facial to subtly enhance your skin to offer a brighter, more glowing complexion. The therapist started with a facial steam (which was lovely as it was so cold outside, plus I haven’t gave my skin a steam for a long long time!) and then continued with a gentle mousse with a scrub to purify and exfoliate bthe dead skin cells. Next, the BX Therml mask is applied to draw out impurities from beaneathe the skin. The products used all contain luxury ingredients, with quality minerals sourced from around the world, including magnesium which is known to help reduce redness and puffiness – something I suffer with often!
It was a lovely experience, and afterwards, my skin looked so fresh and revitalised, and extremely smooth to touch. As well as this amazing treatment, Tresor Rare also offer The Complete Age Defying treatment, Express Tightening and Lifting, Mask Mystique Special Effect treatment, and The Signature Tresor Rare BX-Relaxor.
Trésor Rare is French for “Rare Treasure”, and I can certainly see why. The stunning product range is composed of the refining effectiveness of gemstones, exfoliating diamond dust and the smoothing properties of deep water pearls all meticulously mixed with plant stem cells, liposomes, phospholipids and selected Dead Sea Minerals to form superb skin potions.
My entire experience at Tresor Rare was truly professional, and I felt like I was in the right hands of the best trained therapist, using the most premium products to really give my skin what it needed.
As this is a premium brand, booking a friend in for a facial, or purchasing a set of products would make a fantastic present. If you have a friend or family member in London, or wants to take a trip to the city, it’s definitely a luxury treat for them! Thank you to the Tresor Rare team for the lovely experience.
Today’s post is a little bit different than the usual one’s on whatemmadid.com – it is still focused around the fashion, beauty and lifestyle themes, but is a little more personal and focuses on my own views about the year ahead, and what I am personally aiming for. I don’t often spend too much time dwelling on my personal goals and aims over on the blog, I mean, sure you may be interested to a small extent, but the last thing I want to do is bore my readers by being soley focused on ‘me, me, me’, but I feel like this post may be beneficial to a lot of you out there who need to set some goals and perhaps gain some lifestyle inspiration across various areas.
As February comes to an end and we are almost 2 months into 2015, I wanted to draw up a post about the things I am striving for this year. I feel like if I publish this in a blog post, it will help me focus more and clarify want I want in my mind…
1. Eat My Greens, Drink More Water
Fairly simple, but this is something I should do more of, as it is so important for skin, hair and overall health. I do eat vegetables, but in small amounts and occasionally. Same with water. I drink it, but as it doesn’t jump out at me or excite me, I let it slip. This year, I’ll be making a conscious effort to make green juices, so that way, I can incorporate all the veggies that promote glowing skin that I never ever want to eat – like kale and carrot! Small steps and everything, but from February, I’ll be drinking a kale, spinach, avocado, carrot, coconut oil and soya milk juice everyday with my main meal. I’ll also drink two pints of water during the day at work. I drink a lot of green tea, so I do already have a sufficient water intake, so I think 2 pints is quite aim-able for me!
2. Get More Sleep
I am a terrible sleeper, and this one is going to be the hardest to crack. It’s not that I don’t like sleep, infact I love it, but I am so busy that I usually stay up late every night just to get things done, and wake up extra early to also get things done. This means that my sleep suffers, and I regularly clock up around 5 hours a night. Yes… 5 mini hours. I know your all reading this like “your meant to have 8!?”. Well yep, I know I am. And if I wasn’t busy juggling a full time career with a blog and a potential business, and a social life, and the gym… then maybe I would be reaping up those hours of beauty sleep that keeps you all looking so fresh and healthier looking than I. I haven’t quite decided how I’m going to tackle this one yet. From 10pm is usually the free time I have to start catching up on my very backlogged blog. Maybe this one will be a work in progress
3. Continue To Work Out
Yes! This one is a great one. I don’t need to lose weight luckily, so I don’t vicariously go to the gym to burn calories, but I like to do half an hour 3 times a week so that I get my blood pumping and keep myself fit. During January, I really let my regime slip, but I’m stepping it up a little now and making sure I get my half an hour sessions in. I also have a pair of 2kg weights at home, and I like to spend 5 minutes in the morning doing a couple of arm exercises. Little and often makes all the difference!
4. Launch My Business
This is an area I haven’t really gone into on the blog much, but I am in the process of launching a dress boutique, which will be taking place here on whatemmadid.com. So my lovely little blog will be changing from a blog, to a ‘blogtique’! From March, I will have a ‘Boutique’ page on the blog, retailing a handpicked capsule collection fo pretty dresses for you all. Watch this space!
5. Allow Myself More Beauty Treatments and ‘Beauty Time’
I really do believe that the more time you spend treating yourself to facials, exfoliation’s, deep conditioning treatments, hair cuts, massages, etc, the more you reap the benefits. I don’t mean spending lots of money every week booking in for a £50 facial or going to the salon and having one of their expensive hair and scalp treatments – these I can do with the right products and a little bit of me time at home. So at least once a week, I’m going to make sure I give myself a moisturising facemask (I’m currently loving Liz Earle’s Nourishing Face Mask), sleep with coconut oil in my hair to condition the dry, bleached ends, start using a body brush, and book myself in for full body massages during times I get really stressed with work etc. Looking after your skin, hair and body can really make you feel amazing.
6. Look After My Hair
This one is slightly different to the above in terms of amending my diet and vitamins to reflect my hair health. My hair recently thinned out a lot, and this along with lots of bleaching over the past few months has left it dull, dry, straggly and lack lustre. Since the start of the year, I’ve started taking a hair supplement everyday,and also from February I’v been adding avocado’s,coconut oil, pumpkin and sunflower seeds to my diet to ensure my hair gets the best nutrients. I am also going to ween on the bleach a little more too.
7. Create A Beautiful Abode and Organise Nights In
I’m almost a homeowner! I am currently in the process of buying my own house, and if everything goes through, it will be the Em Castle. I’m buying on my own, so it will be a two bedroom palace all decorated to my taste and style. The second bedroom will be the whatemmadid.com office, where I will run the blog and the boutique,and also use it as a dressing room so that I can keep my bedroom purely as a room for sleeping. Once I have set my house up as my cute little abode, I’ll focus on planning nights in with my friends to save money.
8. Don’t Let Other People Make Me Feel Worse
This is just a personal one that I really need to work on throughout 2015. You know when other people’s actions just make you feel really low and sad, or sometimes, even making you feel really bad about yourself? Everyone will have different experiences with this, but sure we are all on the same page with this one. I try not to let other people bother me, but sometimes, when you actually need other people, it can be hard to do this. I need to try and realise that some people out there are just plain mental…
9. Continue To Grow whatemmadid.com
The most exciting one I would say! whatemmadid.com turned 5 years old in January, and this little hub of love isn’t going anywhere! Don’t get my wrong, there has been the odd moment over the past 5 years where blogging has gotten impossible, and I have been tempted to throw in the towel. I can count those times on one hand, and I can assume you, it won’t be happening. Sorry world wide web- your stuck with me!
10. Read More
Last but not least! Ah, the art of reading. The art of having that precious 30 minutes before bed to read. I do read – I mean, I read this website, I read social media posts, I read fashion, beauty, art, lifestyle, food, travel and music websites. Oh but books … you know … those crisp pages bound together filled with educated storylines from a talented writer. Yes, like actual page turning books. Must find the time. MUST FIND THE TIME!
I could go on forever, but lets draw the line there. I am pretty confident they will all get fulfilled and successfully completed, as I haven’t really made them too difficult. Although if this time next year, I still haven’t managed to secure a nights sleep worthy of 7 hours or above, I’ll be one serious cranky girl (complete with these heavy eye bags)…
So what are your personal aims for the year ahead?
It’s almost time for the Cheltenham Festival, and you know what that means: the first significant horse racing occasion of the year, and all of the whimsical, spectacular fashion that comes with it. No one knows just yet what specific looks we’ll see from the reliably stylish crowd at the Cheltenham Racecourse this March, but we may as well guess in the meantime! Here are 10 things you can expect to see in Cheltenham fashion in 2015.
1. Fur Hats
Hats are always prominent accessories at horse races, but at Cheltenham they can look quite different from the typical costume-like hats that traditionally adorn racegoing ladies. At Cheltenham, because conditions are often chilly, it’s not uncommon to see fur (or faux-fur) hats in place of wavy, wide-brimmed pieces. Huffington Post even snapped a picture of Pippa Middleton wearing such a hat at the 2013 festival.
2. Race Day Hats
That said, you’ll still see plenty of ordinary horse racing hats. These vary in size, shape, design, colour, and pretty much everything else they could possibly vary in—the bolder, the better.
Hat photography from the collection by Rosie Olivia Millinery
3. Women’s Tweed
Again, conditions can be chilly, and layering is among the most common tips for Cheltenham Festival fashion. Many women opt for heavier fabrics like wool tweed in their outerwear. However, a page on Pinterest depicting women’s outerwear at Cheltenham shows off a number of other popular alternatives as well.
4. Duller Colours
This is not at all to suggest that there’s anything dull or bland about fashion at this event, but it’s also not the burst of neon and pastel colours you might see at some of the races later in the year, or in the U.S. Even those women who come in pinks, yellows, or blues often wear duller shades of these colours to suit the atmosphere at Cheltenham.
5. Boots & Platforms
At some races, you’ll see photos of entire groups of women showing off stylish high heels. Well, that’s just not the most comfortable option at Cheltenham, both because of weather and because of the terrain surrounding the tracks. For that reason, winter boots and platform heels should once again be prominent.
6. Sharp-Dressed Men
This may sound obvious to anyone who’s attended the festival before, but for those who are less familiar, no this: race day fashion doesn’t apply only to female racegoers! Men dress sharply too, usually in dapper suits with hats, scarves, and fashionable outerwear of their own.
7. Trainer Fashion
Speaking of sharply dressed men, one thing to keep an eye out for at Cheltenham is fashion among the trainers. One of the race lineup previews at Betfair Betting actually provides a subtle glimpse of what to expect in this regard. Leading a post about some of the reliable racing favourites, we can see an image of Willie Mullins, a well-known trainer, wearing a chic hat and scarf combination of his own!
8. Stylish Gloves
Not to spend too much time on the point of cold conditions, but gloves are popular accessories at Cheltenham, and some of the ladies in particular have a great deal of fun with them. You’ll see gloves of varying materials in a number of colours, and some will even extend all the way up to the elbows.
9. Clutch Handbags
Gloucestershire Echo put together a lengthy slideshow of 102 accessories you may see at the Cheltenham Festival, and somewhat surprisingly clutch handbags make a strong impression. Given the focus on layering, one may assume women would prefer larger, more useful handbags. But the clutch, it seems, is seen as the more stylish option.
10. Total Wildcards
Finally, expect the unexpected! Looking at past festivals and previews of what’s to come at the 2015 event can give you some idea of what you’re going to see. But the best thing about race day fashion is that, to some extent, it’s utterly unpredictable.
Are you attending any race day events this year? Feel free to share your style tips!
You may have noticed in my recent post that I am taking part in a 40 Days of Fitness challenge with DW Fitness, which involves 40 days of work outs, exercises and diet regimes to encourage improved fitness. As I regularly visit the gym, I’m not finding the set tasks too difficult, although finding time to do some of the activities everyday can be a challenge – I don’t always give myself free time daily to work on my fitness.
So the challenge made me sit back and realise that all my fitness activities always take place at the gym. I walk to work – but that is something I have to do – but other than that I keep all my fitness indoors with the safety of the treadmill and rowing machine! So this is going to change. Spring is on it’s way, and it’s about time I took myself out of the warmth of the gym and those 4 safe walls, and started taking myself on some treks and walks…
From the above photo, you can see I have already been planning. Yep, if I need to motivate myself to get excited about the great outdoors, then I need a brand new kit of essentials to help me through it. So far, this is my survival kit, although the shoes are subject to change! There is my Fila zip up high neck jacket (for layering up in the cold, it really keeps the heat in) my trusty Adidas trainers (these need to swap for hiking boots eventually, when I start to up my routes) and finally, the key item, my Berghaus Freeflow 25 Rucksack, from the fantastic selection of rucksacks for walking at Berghaus. This rucksack is going to be my life on legs – it is incredibly supported, with body support due to the firm straps, and is so roomy and spacious. It is the most suitable item for heading out to the hills and taking myself on a day long walk. Books, waters, extra clothing, sunscreen, a fat, shade, packed lunch… everything will be able to carefully sit in this rucksack for my journeys!
Some of the extra features it includes are listed below, which thanks to them, I know I’m going to be in as much comfort as possible when I start my hiking sessions! I also feel if I was to have a little camping or field trip for a night, this would be a great addition for my packing to take with me.
- Freeflow V fresh air technology, giving minimal contact area, and a gap between the rucksack and my back to allow airflow and reduce sweat
- Hydration pack compatible allowing me to stay hydrated on the move
- 25 litre storage, containing a range of supporting, zipped pockets and walking pole attachments
I live fairly close to Saddleworth, so I think the first time I’ll be venturing on a hike will be come April, when the weather starts to improve. By this time I will have invested in a good pair of walking shoes, and I can pack my new rucksack with everything I need to survive a day in the hills, taking in the scenery and more importantly, walking those legs!
Do you enjoy outdoor activities? Any particularly walking routes you would recommend?
As I have mentioned a couple of times on the blog, I am really into fitness. I have been going to the gym on a regular basis for 2 years, and I am thoroughly aware of healthy diets and foods which spur on the best lifestyles. But there is a difference with being ‘into fitness’ and ‘practicing fitness’. Being into it means I couldn’t encourage it enough – when I’m at the gym, I love it, it’s great to regularly attend the gym or take up fitness tasks at home. A 20 minute jog per day mixed with some 10 minute weight sessions or stomach exercises, or even yoga (this wasn’t isn’t me much!) can make you feel amazing. But by practicing fitness means you make it one of your main goals, ammending your daily activities to reflect the best healthy lifestyle by incorporating regular fitness programmes and a constant healthy diet.
This is where I slip up. January is always a depressing month, so I chose to skip the gym a little more than I should have done for sofa nights with Dominos pizza and a glass of wine. Or even worse, sitting at my desk at work indulging in a nice fluffy piece of cake. Well, this is where I reign it in!
DW Fitness have introduced their 40 Days of Fitness, which runs from Wednesday 18th February, right up until Sunday 5th April. That’s more than 40 days, but Sunday is a rest day. Everyone needs a rest day, right? Collaborating with certified health coach, and founder of Fit Girls Eat Burgers, Courtney Berlin, the programme brings a tightly-packed food and fitness schedule which helps inspire to eat well and move more. So far, it hasn’t just been inspiring me to make the effort to work out everyday, but I have also been changing my diet to feature leafy greens, vegetable juices and superfoods, to promote energy and all the vital vitamins I should be making sure I get. As you can see from my photo’s, my dinners have been getting very colourful!
Even though my meals may be looking healthy, they still have carbs in there- a little bit of brown rice, and wholegrain bread toasted. I like to have something quite filling with my main meal, so don’t worry too much about keeping a good solid carbohydrate. It’s a great way to mix up something quite filling with vegetables, avocados, fruits and coconut oil (yes – I have been spreading this on my toast, roasting my vegetables with it, and spooning this into my smoothies!).
So what have the work outs involved? So far, we have been undertaking tasks such as #workoutwednesdays (20 minutes of walking/jogging/running), squatting sessions, planking, 3 minute #SaturdayChallenge (3 mins intense training of a certain workout) and various weight exercises. The best thing, is that all of the tasks can be taken place at the gym, or at home. I have a DW Fitness close to me in Oldham, which is a really nice gym that is completely kitted out with everything you would want from a gym, so it’s a really good one to look at if you are considering taking up a fitness regime. Also, a little tip from me too whilst I am at it (oh here we go…) buy yourself some really nice work out gear too which will make getting ready for a work out more enjoyable! I currently wore my new Franklin & Marshall vest top from Fashiola yesterday for my session, it honestly makes all the different if you feel stylish yet comfortable!
So what is involved for today – Tuesday 24th February? Today is more of a ‘tip day’, and couldn’t be more suited to me. Here’s Tuesday’s advice from Courtney:
Tuesday 24th February – Ingredient of the week: Substitute milk
Courtney: Dairy can be difficult for many people to digest. It can cause gas and bloating, and unless you eliminate it for a significant period of time you won’t know if it is the source of your discomfort. Unsweetened versions of milk alternatives also tend to have less calories, one cup of almond milk has around 30 calories, whilst skimmed milk has 90. Despite the reduction in calories, dairy alternatives often have similar percentages of vitamins and minerals. Courtney suggests using coconut milk instead of eggs to fry up your French toast. You could also try coconut or rice milk in a smoothie, which gives your drink the consistency of a milkshake, helping you to feel fuller for longer.
I couldn’t agree more- I quit dairy milk 2 years ago, and although I sometimes have the odd bit in my tea at work if I run out of bringing in my soya or almond supplies, I rarely touch the stuff now. So this one is easy for me, I am already sat here at 6.30am with my bowl of shredded wheat and almond milk!
For tomorrow’s task, we are upping our game to a 25 minute session of walking/running/jogging. That extra 5 minutes will make that slight difference!
If you want to see how I get on with my healthy eating and fitness plan for 4o days, keep coming back to check out my #FitnessRevolution with DW Fitness 40 Days of Fitness, and use the hashtag on social channels to see how everyone else is getting on – it’s not just me taking part, there is a whole community of us!
I recently mentioned in a post last week that my fashion has changed slightly this year, in terms of dressing a lot more athletic by embracing the sports luxe trend. 2015 is going to be a big year for the whole laid back, casual dressing for women, and I find incorporating relaxed hoodies and branded logo tops quite stylish now. However, I’ve adapted this for the daytime only, with usually wearing my sports apparel on the weekends or for those dress down work days. When it comes to evenings, I’m still pretty much the dressed up ‘lady’ I like to be!
With that in mind, I spent yesterday wearing my new items from GetTheLabel.com which covered both style areas quite nicely. Take a look at this beautiful Lipsy Mesh Top Dress from Get The Label.
This dress did me proud this weekend at a 30th birthday party in Manchester’s Cane and Grain bar. I love how classy this dress is, and I actually wasn’t aware beforehand that Get The Label retail a selection of gorgeous dress brands, offering some stunning eveningwear. As well as Lipsy, they also retail AX Paris and Vero Moda. Get The Label is popular for offering branded clothing at discounted prices, so if you need to get your hands on a stunning dress, pair of trainers, a new handbag or whatever you wish, it’s handy to know that the items they sell are always reduced and on offer.
For my more relaxed Saturday daytime attire, I took to the gym in my new Adidas Womens Essentials Hooded Track Top, also from the brand. It’s really awesome in my opinion, as the dress was meant to cost £54.99 rrp, as well as the hoody being priced originally at £34.99, and they are both priced at half of this.
If you are embracing the whole laid back, casual sports luxe look this year too, but still love to buy your classic evening dresses for those parties at weekend, take a little look at Get The Label for some serious style inspirations, and savings!
So as you all know- I love fashion. Not a new statement there. However, what I do love more, is being involved with fashion from local, Manchester and North West based brands. By that, I mean wearing outfits from retailers that have started out in my local area, and have set up a retail business based on their love for fashion, being able to introduce customers to a selection of fantastic brands and collections. I was recently made aware of Ruby and Daisy- a beautiful boutique specialising in ladieswear and footwear. They are based in Haslingden, near Rossendale, but if you don’t live anywhere near this area, then you’ll be pleased to know they also have a pretty little online shop!
So as you can see from below, I’m spending my Friday wearing a cute little playsuit from Ruby and Daisy – the Glamorous Abstract Print Playsuit, £30.
I’m a huge lover of graphical prints, however I sometimes shy away from them due to being quite small and petite. It’s easy to worry that the actual print and design is way too loud or ‘busy’ for small bodies, but if you play it right in terms of colour, fabric and print, it can work. This particular playsuit is from the Glamorous brand (which is also a local Manchester based brand – loving all this reference to my home city today!) and with it’s played down tonal combination of muted navy, grey, black and white, it actually works really effectively. It’s a cute little trendy style, and I’ll be wearing it tonight to a family party paired with tights, heels, and a black PU sleeve blazer jacket. The perfect Friday night outfit, taking me straight from the office to party mode. I do love a good long sleeve playsuit.
At Ruby and Daisy, they also have a great selection of accessories, including jewellery, bags and scarves. And so that I can show you how pretty some of the accessories are, I’m giving away this chunky silver wrap cuff bracelet, which looks super cool when stacked up with fine and delicate wristwear too, like in my styling-up photo below. For a chance to win this, enter the competition via Rafflecopter below. Competition ends March 8th, so you have a week to get your entries in!
Do you have a favourite local boutique? Do feel free to share it with me!
Some slightly exciting news in the world of whatemmadid.com, although nothing is final so it isn’t officially ‘official’ s yet. But, I have began my journey to becoming a homeowner! I’m currently in the process of buying a house – or an Em Pad as better known to myself- and I am ridiculously excited. I have been apartment sharing for the past few years as I much as I love city centre living and having a flatmate, it’s just come to the time where I am so busy with my career and freelancing that I need a second bedroom to become my office, I need more storage spaces, I want to start decorating so I add add my personal touch and design to the rooms, and it also makes much more sense as what I would actually be paying monthly towards my mortgages is actually lower payments that the expensive costs of renting!
The first room I am excited to kit out will be my office. Yes, my very own whatemmadid.com office. In true ‘creative types’ style, I have been turning to the lifesaver that it Pinterest to get my creative mind flowing, seeking inspiration for a clean, chic, stylish yet professional looking office…
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This uber coll clipboard idea could actually be brought into the kitchen or dining room to for a real quirky, creative look…
In true Emma style, I’ll be setting up boards pinned with my ideas, magazine tears, sketches and notes (as well as a few splashes of colour swatches) so I can fully plan what my palace will look like. I feel like my office will really reflect my workig business, and it needs to be filled with inspirational products that will encourage me to work hard and keep up with my work. I’ll be on a tight budget, so I have been looking at The Works for stationary, books and office supplies for little bits to keep me kitted out. The selection of affordable books they retail are actually really good!
I also came across some really smart storage boxes that are pretty cheap to stock up on, so I’ll be piling up with these too, as I sure have a lot of bits and pieces that need storing away neatly.
Do you have a home office? Any inspirational rooms you have come across that maybe you would love to share?
