Showing posts with label fashion. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fashion. Show all posts

My Best TK Maxx Finds Ever

16 Jul 2020

It's no secret that I'm a bit of a TK Maxx lover so it's no surprise that the only shop that I've been in since lockdown restrictions have been lifted, is TK Maxx. I've been shopping in TK Maxx for years and while it can be a bit hit or miss, I've found some absolute gems throughout that time so I thought I'd just share with you some of the best of the best that I've picked up at my beloved TK Maxx over the years.


Why You Need to Know About Madlug

17 Jun 2020

*THIS POST CONTAINS GIFTED ITEMS*

It was the summer of 2015 that I bought my first backpack from Madlug after hearing about them at a summer conference. I was going into my final year of school and I needed a new bag anyway so when I heard about Madlug I jumped on it. I purchased the classic grey backpack because back then there was a very limited choice, and it's still standing 5 years later.


What is Madlug? you may ask. Madlug stands for Make a Difference Luggage and it's a social enterprise which is based in Northern Ireland and works on a buy one give one premise where for every bag you buy, a bag is given to a child in the care system who doesn't have a bag. Many children in care have to transport their belongings from house to house in a binbag so Madlug's motto is Value, Worth, Dignity - swapping out the binbag for a real bag showing the child that they can have value, worth, and dignity. There are currently over 90,000 children in care in the UK and Ireland with one child entering the care system every 15 minutes.

Since purchasing my first bag 5 years ago at the launch I have continued to support the work of Madlug (I've literally got 9 different bags) and they've continued to grow. Long gone are the days of basic coloured backpacks only, there are now loads of colours and styles to choose from and you can even design your own!


Some of my favourites include the Burgundy Day Pack (pictured), the Teal Backpack, and the Classic Black Backpack but there are so many great ones to pick! I may just get myself a tenth!

staying sane whilst staying in

6 May 2020

*THIS POST CONTAINS GIFTED ITEMS*

Being stuck inside all day can really take a toll on your mental health. Even as an introvert it can be a struggle not to see your friends and be able to hang out the way we normally would. That's why it's important to really look after yourself during this time, a time when we have nothing but time how we use it is important. So here are some of my top tips for staying sane while staying in!


Zoom zoom zoom

(or whatever other video messaging app you use) I used zoom all the time when I was doing my internship last year and honestly I forgot that it existed until everyone started using it during lockdown. We love having family zoom quizzes with our whole extended family which stretches all the way fro Chile to Thailand! I've also loved having virtual bible studies with friends and just having a good catch up I'm an introvert so I get my energy from being alone so naturally, you'd assume that I'm enjoying not needing to hang out with people but it's still so important to maintain your relationships during this time.

Stick to a Schedule

It doesn't have to be a very strict schedule but setting aside a certain time to do things and maintaining some semblance of normalcy is as important if you have nothing to do than when you have lots to do. I've been mainly doing my uni work but I always make sure that I've set time aside to relax so that my whole life doesn't become consumed by my dissertation.

Passion Projects

Use this time to really get stuck into your passion projects. A passion project can be anything from painting, to crochet to photography to even looking after your house plants. Find what sparks joy in your life and pursue it during this time!

Leave the House

I know the whole point of lockdown is to stay inside the house but it's also super important that you get some fresh air so whether that's going to the supermarket, going for a walk around the neighbourhood or just heading out to the garden make sure you're not keeping yourself locked inside all week (this is something that I'm personally not very good at!).

Get Comfy

I have spent a large portion of lockdown wearing jeans which is apparently not something that most people have been doing! I'm comfortable in jeans and I always find that getting dressed for the day helps me to have structure and actually be productive but I was recently introduced to loungewear and my life has never been the same. Femme Luxe got in touch and sent me over some of their cosy loungewear. I picked up two sets, the Black Ribbed Crop Top Straight Leg Loungewear Set and the Charcoal Marl Frill Waist Loungewear Set.


Black Ribbed Crop Top Straight Leg Loungewear Set

This is hands down the comfiest thing that I own. The material is so soft and stretchy that it gives you great freedom of movement and the fabric is breathable. I ordered it in a size 8/10 and it's super roomy due to the bottoms being straight leg rather than skinny leg and black is such a classic colour that you really can't go wrong! You can shop the Femme Luxe black loungewear sets here.


Charcoal Marl Frill Waist Loungewear Set

This one is a different material than the first set it's more of a sweater material. I immediately fell in love with this set on the website. Size-wise this one runs a little on the small side. I ordeered it ina size 8/10 and I ordinarily wear a size 8 but sometimes need to size up to a 10 in bottoms as I have quite wide hips so the bottoms of this set were a little tight so if you're like me I'd recommend sizing up! However the top did fit well and I definitely see myself getting more wear out of it even if I paired it with jeans! You can see the full frill collection here.


This is just scratching the surface of all the loungewear sets that Femme Luxe has to offer and you can view the full collection with so many different styles here!

What are your top tips for staying sane while staying in? Let me know below!

the one with the mom jeans

21 Feb 2020

*THIS POST CONTAINS AFFILIATE LINKS*



Judging by the title of this blog (MOM JEANS AND JESUS) you probably figured that I love mom jeans and my absolute favourite pair are the mid-blue Kimomo jeans from Monki and have been for years.

I got an email today letting me know that currently, ALL MONKI JEANS ARE 20% OFF!!!! So I simply had to come on and share this with y'all because if you're on the lookout for some new jeans, Monki is DEFFO the way to go. I also have the Taiki jeans in Black which I also love.

Here's a selection of some of my favourite mom style jeans from Monki to inspire you! The Kimomo jeans have straighter and skinnier leg while the Taiki jeans are more traditionally mom jean like with a wider leg and both are GREAT and come in multiple colours!

The Clogs Craze and Why I'm Here For It

23 May 2019

Okay, so I can't be the only one who's seen everybody on their Instagram feed trodding about in the cutest little wooden clogs ever and been like I NEED A PAIR! If you are that person I GOTCHUUU COVERED with the latest clogs lowdown and some things you're deffo gonna need to know before you make that purchase!

If you don't already know, Scondi style is my absolute favourite thing so I JUMPED at the chance to buy myself a pair of authentic Swedish clogs, I recently ordered a pair of (wait for it) Highwood Taupe on Brown Brown Base from 'Lotta from Stockholm' (these ones) but there are so many brands about depending on your budget! Swedish Hasbeens is definitely the most popular, but Lotta's are a great lower budget alternative and just as good in quality. Now here's the three big questions. Style, Comfort, Practicality!

Style
So as you can see from the photos everywhere clogs are CUTE, and they come in a whole load of cute styles. The ones that I have are the Highwood, closed toe version but here's a selection of other ones that I like! (all from Lotta)

Fit
If you're not sure on sizing, aka like me you have size 5 1/2 (UK) feet but bordering on a 6, I can't comment on all of the different brands but Lotta's are very true to size. I got a size 6 and they fit perfectly, a 5 would definitely have been too small, but with clogs, it's really important that they fit you properly so if you're really not sure, have a look at their sizing guide and it'll put you right.

Comfort/Practicality
This is the biggy! I'm a big comfort over style person so when I buy shoes I have to be sure that they're going to be comfortable and practical for everyday use, hence why I pretty much live in trainers! Now as heels go these are super comfy and functional, I wore these all day for work and had no issues whatsoever. However, there is a dark undertone of clogs, that I found out the hard way, and that my friends, is the buckling of the ankles. I have a very quick walking pace and have notoriously bad walking posture (think pregnant woman meets mother duck) so buckle in for story time... 

I was casually (well more like briskly) walking to church on Sunday morning, the roads were quiet and there was barely anyone about (which was a good thing) when suddenly my ankle buckled and I fell flat on my ass in the middle of the street and honestly lowkey thought I was about to die but nothing was bruised except for my pride and then the same darn thing proceeds to happen just a few metres farther down, this all happened only a couple of hundred metres from my house and I'd already fallen TWICE! What did this teach me? (Clearly, nothing because I'm still wearing them and recommending them to people but just making sure you know the dangers before you go ahead unlike me). I managed to make it the whole rest of the way to church without falling and even wore them to the airport later that day, and walking around Bradford the next week. But they've actually improved my walking before I have to be so so careful and conscious about how I'm walking and where I'm placing my feet. But the main thing I've realised is that cute clogs were not built for Belfast streets, city centre streets maybe, but definitely not the inner city streets where I live with their uneven pavements. I haven't fallen (or buckled) since that time on Sunday morning but it's really shaken me so now I walk about really aware that I could fall at any minute.

IN CONCLUSION: Clogs are cute but are definitely NOT appropriate footwear for everyday wear around inner cities with uneven pavements. If you live somewhere with nice flat and even pavements (uphill is also weirdly good) then these are perfect to walk about in, literally, the difference between flat surfaces and uneven pavements is STAGGERING! Despite my injuries, I still definitely recommend getting a pair of these if you're after a new pair of cute shoes, but please please please be aware of the formidable buckling ankles!! 

Best Fake Scandi Life

10 Apr 2019

I just finished 'Quicksand' Sweden's newest (and actually first ever!!!) release on Netflix and let me just say that it's reignited that inner Scandinavian in me (but let's be real, it never really went away). 

 I'm obsessed with everything Scandinavian, I sometimes feel like I was born in the wrong country. I always tell people that the second I stepped off the plane in Copenhagen airport, something shifted and I knew that I was in my favourite place in the world, I knew that I was home. It sounds like a lie but when that fresh Danish air hit me I knew that I loved this place.

How do I embrace the Nordic life when I'm over 1000 miles away from my home away from home? Well here's a few ways to live your Best Fake Scandi Life, just like me

 Music
The Scandi music scene is booming! Especially with Eurovision coming up it's the perfect time to get stuck into some sweet Swedish symphonies (100% a Zara Larsson reference). Here's a little playlist I've put together of some good Scandi pop to brighten up your day! (also Rix FM which is Sweden's top radio station play absolute bops all day every day and I highly recommend giving it a listen if you're tired of your own local stations)


 Media
As I mentioned I've just finished watching Quicksand on Netflix. Nothing truly screams Sweden quite as much as Scandi-Noir series, from Wallander, to The Bridge, to The Killing there are so many Scandi-Noir dramas to choose from but moving away from the dark dramas, Norway's SKAM truly revolutionized tv as we know it and to this day is one of (if not my absolute) favourite shows of all time. (I wrote a post about that as well, you can check it here if ya wanna see what it's all about!) and there's plenty of other good Nordic tv shows that you can sink your teeth into. 

 Style
I'm trying my hardest to live my best Fake Scandi Life by stealing the Scandi style, Minimalist, Basic, Black, Layers and Details that's the Scandi way. I recommend checking out brands like Arket, Samsoe Samsoe and Cos if you're after that high-class Scandi look or my absolute fave Monki if you're going more for a casual everyday look! Here are just a few of my top picks for embracing Scandi style as we come into the Spring!


Interior
IKEA IKEA IKEA, who doesn't absolutely bloody love a trip to IKEA? surrounded by Scandi design it truly is my way of escaping back to Sweden for a few hours even though I've just driven 20 minutes down the road. With a minimalist, classic design, you really can't go wrong with the flat-pack giants to add a touch of Scandinavia to your home! I'm also a huge fan of Søstrene Grene for homeware but also literally everything, I once went in to look around and came out with playing cards, scrunchies, socks and a bag of sweets, so never underestimate the sheer power that Danish things have on me.

 Language
Learning a language has never been easier than now with everyone's favourite passive aggressive bird on Duolingo. I've completed the Danish course but I'm definitely far from fluent but it gives me a sense of achievement after I learn some new words I can use the next time I visit. Duolingo is currently available to learn Danish, Swedish, and Norwegian (Bokmal) as well as a whole load more.

Wearing the Trousers (Literally)

27 Mar 2019

I've spent a long time curating my style, in my teenage years I went through a phase of wanting to dress how everyone else was dressing, followed by a period of dressing how I felt people expected me to dress but now I've found a style that I really love and lemme tell you all about it. 

 It's trousers. How groundbreaking! 

It feels like I turn up to church every week in a new pair of trousers and every week someone will compliment me on my trousers, so I feel like I'm in a good place to give some recommendations on my favourite places to buy my trousers as well as some that I'm currently crushing on!

 Monki
I blaaaddy love Monki, It's scandi-european style on a budget and honestly what could be better? I swear by Monki's jeans so if you're after a new pair of jeans I definitely recommend checking out Monki's Kimomo selection.




Mango
This is the best place to get staple pieces for your wardrobe, it can be on the slightly more pricey end but you're guaranteed something that you can wear and wear again!





 Bershka
I'm forever bitter that we don't have a Bershka store in Northern Ireland but it's probably low-key a good thing for my bank account because I would never be out of it if we did! But Bershka is always a store I can count on to deliver me with all my latest style needs and I always make a point of going everytime I'm abroad.




 New Look
Has there ever been a style of clothes you haven't been able to buy in New Look? if your budget is a little bit more limited you can always pick up something cute from New Look, ALWAYS



Also TK Maxx is worth checking out because you can usually snatch up some cute and unique pieces from there

Don't Be Scared of 'Blavy'

11 Mar 2019


 Controversial opinion alert!! Black and Navy IS cool! I hear so many people so often not wearing things because they're black and navy but I'm here to tell you to not give in to the peer pressure surrounding you and the overarching presence of people telling you that you can't wear black and navy together because you totally can!

 I'm probably gonna get a lot of hate for this but I wear black and navy (or blavy as it's more affectionately called) on a regular basis and lemme tell you I'm a fan.

I wear these Navy checked trousers from Monki with my black trench literally ALL THE TIME and that's not even my limit. I've worn navy sweatshirts with black jeans, I wear black boots with dark denim, there's been navy flannel over black vests, and I've even worn navy shoes with black tights. there is no limit to the blavy. So don't be scared of blavy, embrace the blavy, let's start a blavy revolution!!! (I've definitely said blavy too much in the post but it's what it deserves)

Navigating a Belfast summer with Madlug

13 Aug 2018

Summer in Northern Ireland is a funny old thing, some days it'll be sunny and everyone will be at the beach, running into the sea and then the next day the skies will be grey and it's cold and before you know it you're back into your knits and snuggled up into a blanket. This summer has been especially weird though because we actually had a heatwave, and not just any heatwave, a heatwave that lasted for three whole weeks, with not even a single drop of rain resulting in an illegal hosepipe ban. Only in Northern Ireland hey!

With Summer being holiday time seeing as I'm a student there's so much that I got up to this summer both at home and abroad. With the weather being so changeable it's important that you stay prepared for all situations. That's why I always carry my Madlug bag with me everywhere I go. 

Madlug is a Northern Ireland based social enterprise which I have been supporting since their launch in 2015 and have been fortunate enough to be involved with since May of this year. Madlug work with children in care, giving them value, worth, and dignity. there are over 90000 children in the care system in the UK and Ireland, with a new child get's taken into care every 15 minutes, and most of them don't even have a bag to carry their belongings in and are left to transfer all of their belongings in a bin bag. Madlug wants to change that! When you purchase a bag from Madlug a bag is donated to a child in care who doesn't have a bag! They have so many different styles and colours to choose from and the Classic range are all made in Belfast by another social enterprise company who employ people with learning difficulties allowing them to find work. check out all of their amazing work at www.madlug.com




Spring OOTD (feat. Glasses Direct)

12 Apr 2017

Spring as sprung, which in Northern Ireland means that it is socially acceptable to go outside without wearing a coat although you may still be slightly cold, which was precisely what I decided to do!


For this outfit, I paired my grey Topshop Leigh jeans with my denim jacket from Zara. Everything else I wore was black and white so that includes my shirt which I picked up in Cuba while on holiday yin Sweden last summer, my Happy Socks and my staple black boots from Schuh, probably not the most springy thing I could have been wearing bt girls yo can never go wrong with a good pair of black boots... trust me.

The main thing I want to talk about however is my glasses.


My glasses are Camden from the Retro London range from Glasses Direct. This was my first time using glasses direct and after getting my eyes tested last month I decided to treat myself to a new pair of glasses, or two pairs of glasses as I was delighted to find out about Glasses Direct's buy one get one free range so I was able to get both the Camden (pictured) and the Bromley for less than £60. Glasses Direct also operate a home trial system so you can try on up to four pairs of glasses at a time that will be sent to you free of charge before you decide to make any purchases. If you like what you see, give glasses direct a go and if you quote my name, "Alice Myles" at the checkout you'll get £30 off your order! I couldn't recommend them enough!

Everyday Spring Makeup Look

30 Mar 2017

Spring is almost upon us, so it's almost time to say goodbye, arrivederci, adios, au revoir to all of the deep wintery shades and hello to the bright vibrant tones that spring brings. With that in mind, I thought I'd talk about some of my favourite makeup products for the spring season.


In this look I used, Lancome Teint Idole Ultra Wear foundation in the shade 010 Beige Porcelaine, Maybelline The Eraser Eye concealer, Rimmel Stay Matte powder, Benefit Hoola Bronzer, Revolution Beyond Radiance highlighter, Barry M Get Up And Glow blush, Elizabeth Arden eyesadow, Ted Baker Brilliance of Beauty eyeshadow, Maybelline Master Precise eyeliner, Soap And Glory Thick and Fast mascara, Soap and Glory Archery eyebrow pencil, MAC Russian Red matte lipstick. (links provided for everything except discontinued products)

While I struggle to part with my beloved red lipstick when spring comes I like your brighten up my eyes with some more vibrant colours rather than the nudes and browns that I use in winter so in this case, I've used a bright rose gold shade to add a pop of colour. I also like looking fresh and glowy because it helps you look more alive and alert which is perfect for spring with the rebirth of new life it's really the rebirth of colour into my makeup using brightly coloured and we'll pigmented blushes works well also. I typically use a lot of pink shades in spring eve though this look doest show it :')

top: new look, jacket: zara




What I Wore in Ystad

29 Jul 2016

Hello, I'm just back from a family holiday in Denmark and Sweden and the weather has been surprisingly warm, around 22-28 degrees each day which has been amazing because being from Northern Ireland I'm really not used to the heat so that was hot enough to be pleasant. I've been meaning to do more of these posts but this is pretty much the only one I actually got decent photographs of so this just gives you a little insight into what I wore while I was there. so without further ado..

 
Hat // H&M (x)
Dungarees // New Look (x)
Shirt // Topshop (old)
Shoes (Unseen) // Keds (old red taylor swift 001 champions)


Making Old Things New

17 Jul 2016

  I don't entirely know what niche I'm trying to fit into with this blog but for the moment let's call in "faith, fashion and other nonsense" so let's get stuck into the fashion part.

"She is clothed in strength and dignity, she can laugh without fear of the future"


Belfast always does this thing where it's never fully aware of what season it is so as I dress for a summer night it's pretty much dead similar to what I would wear on an autumn afternoon, this particular evening I wore:

Burgandy Top from T.K Maxx // I picked this up when I was in T.K Maxx a few months back and I love it as a wardrobe staple, It has cropped sleeves and is quite heavy and floaty which makes it a little more interesting than a generic plain top so serves the purpose of simple yet effective.

Aztec Cardigan from Urban Outfitters // I've had this cardigan for years and I always find myself coming back to it to complete an outfit because of the pattern on it I just feel like it helps to give a rather plain outfit a little more character.

A-Line Skirt from New Look // I managed to salvage this beauty from the sale for only £15, What a bargain right! It's perfect for wearing casually and can be worn in all weathers depending on what you choose to wear it with

Plimsolls from New Look // a nice pair of plimsolls is always a sure fire way to ensure that your outfit remains casual and it's especially great if they are as comfortable as this pair from New Look which only cost £15

Necklace from Charlene's Project // Charlene's Project is a really nice charity that raises money to build schools in countries where children can't go to school founded by a girl who had to be taken out of school because of her cystic fibrosis,

Leggings from Primark // Leggings are just a wardrobe staple and can literally be thrown on with anything as proven here


I'm a sucker for never throwing clothes out so a lot of outfits that I show on here will more likely contain a piece that I picked up approximately 5 years ago but just can't bear to part with, in this case it is my trusty Urban Outfitters cardigan. It is important to invest in your old items and to not completely forget about their existence. Sometimes the older clothes that we possess can be just what we need to fully complete an outfit, Although it's important to keep up with the shift in styles keeping a hold older items is still important. The same way as when young people begin to take on the roles of the older people it is equally as important to keep investing into the older people so as they don't begin to fade into the background. Yes I am linking a post about clothes to investing in the older generation, deal with it!


Alice x
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