Hope everyone has had a great weekend and a productive week so far.
I meant to upload this post before my holiday, but with the mad rush of panic packing and getting everything organised, it completely slipped my mind. However, you get to have two posts from me - this one and my holiday one, lucky you!
Wiggle Dress - ASOS & Shoes - Primark.
You may remember this dress from a previous post as I wore this for my graduation but haven't had the opportunity (or shoes) to wear it again in the day time. When I came across these pink court shoes from Primark I knew I had to have them! They match this dress perfectly and compliment the colours - ASOS wiggle dresses are my absolute favourites and I have added a couple to my collection!
Jumpsuit - Missguided, Shoes - Primark, Belt - Miss Selfridge and Necklace - Bella Cosa Boutique.
I adore this jumpsuit. It is such a staple piece in my wardrobe that goes with everything and is super comfy, dressed up or down. I also adore my neon orange chain from Bella Cosa - a new online boutique which sells a variety of 'beautiful things'. I would recommend any of my follows to go online and have a look, I have purchased a couple (a lot) of pieces recently and the quality is second to none! The jewellery is a winner for me, as it can be very expensive in places like Topshop and River Island, but Bella Cosa has all your accessory needs without the high end prices!
Another winner from Bella Cosa, this beautiful heart print t-shirt. I absolutely love the print and haven't seen anything like it before! I don't usually go for such a casual look but I just couldn't resist this print and the box tee style. It also looks perfect with red lipstick!
Jacket - Primark, Shirt - River Island, Jeans - Zara, Shoes - Primark and Necklace - Bella Cosa
This is definitely my favourite outfit in this post! I have always loved shoes, but have recently become obsessed with having as many coloured/patterned court shoes as possible! I spotted these Primark polka dot heels (see what I did there!) in a magazine and have been on the hunt for them ever since! They're stunning and go with jeans and dresses perfectly. This jacket is gorgeous and at £17 a complete steal. I have been looking for a jacket to wear with my jeans for a while now and couldn't resist this Primark number!
Bomber Jacket and Vest - Bella Cosa, Jeans - Zara and Shoes - Primark.
Another beautiful piece from Bella Cosa! I love, love, love this floral print bomber jacket! Again, a bomber jacket wasn't something I thought I would ever wear but as soon as I seen this on the Bella Cosa website, I just have to have it! The floral pattern and bright colours are perfect to brighten up any plain outfit, especially when wearing jeans. My neon yellow court shoes match perfectly!
Those are my outfit choices for this post, I hope you liked them! Make sure you check out my holiday themed post too!
Ok, so before I start my Motivational Monday post I want to take the time out to say...
WOOHOO!
Not only is this my 20th Motivational Monday post, it is also my 100th post on my blog!
How amazing is that?
It feels great to overcome big milestones - although I do not blog as often as I probably should, to get to 100 posts is pretty impressive and I am proud of myself for how far I have come since my first ever post. I think you'll agree my more recent ones have been much better.
Anyway, onto the motivating.
So, the topic for this post came to me after a night out that I had on Saturday for a friends birthday. I know what you're thinking, what on earth is this going to be about if the topic was influenced by a night out.
It's something we all do. It's something we should be shameful for doing but we're only human.
When I was out on Saturday night, a man came up to me and my friend and asked us to dance. He came across all innocent but my defence radar sprung to life as this man was old enough to be my dad. I politely declined and said I didn't think it was appropriate. However, my friend (who was the birthday girl) had other ideas and decided to dance, so I went with more as a supervisor not as a participant. As we were dancing the man he showed us his left hand and placed onto his finger was a wedding ring, to which he clarified this by saying "I'm Married!"
Game over.
I was immediately disgusted and disappointed in this man, whom I did not know.
My initial thoughts were that he was cheating on his wife or up to no good being in a club at his age, with girls half his age. I also felt very sorry for his wife, who would have been sat at home wondering where he is or knowing where he was and had no say in the matter. It dampened my mood. My faith in humanity slipped and it took away all hope I had that many people are still happily married/wouldn't cheat on their significant others.
Later on in the evening, he came and sat next to me. Complemented me on my outfit and said how pretty I was. My stomach turned. Had he forgotten he had just told me he was married. I'm not sure how all women are, but that was of no interest to me. However, I am a polite person and this man clearly sat down to talk, nothing else. So we engage in conversation.
How wrong was I.
He expressed how much he loved his wife and how she was the best thing that had ever happened to him. He had a 12 year old son who was the apple of his eye. He worked in a successful IT company and was out with his work colleagues for a girls hen do. He was there merely to support his colleague and have a good time on a Friday night.
I felt ashamed.
I felt miserable
I couldn't believe I had judged this man so quickly, before I even knew anything about him or before he could tell me his story.
The girl who doesn't believe in first impressions and gives everyone the benefit of the doubt, had completely contradicted her own beliefs.
I judged that man based on one minor detail. He gave me solid advice for my career and expressed his beliefs in how he had a feeling I would be very successful. He told me I was definitely a people person and could easily and comfortably talk to anyone. He said he could tell I was a hard worker and put 100% into everything I did. He was right. He didn't judge me, he allowed me to talk and listened to what I said and based judgements on my story, what I was telling him. Not from the way I was dressed, or what I was drinking or what music I danced to.
The old saying 'never judge a book by its cover' became some what of a fact, rather than just a ambiguous statement.
Don't get me wrong.
Judging people is something we all do, and sometimes we can't help. As I've said before we're only human.
However, as humans we also have the right to control what we do and what we say, before we do and say it. So, that is something we should do more often. Think before we judge.
Giving someone the benefit of the doubt no longer exists, everyone is quick to judge someone as they do not want to be seen as the inferior. Whether you judge someone on their size, where they work, what car they drive, their physical appearance, the friends they have, the way they dress etc... it doesn't define them. Their story isn't told through how they look or what they do, it's how they tell you.
I have learnt from my mistakes. I am going to make a conscious effort to not judge anyone before I know them. I'm not a saint, far from it but I am always willing to better myself as a person to ensure others around me feel good about themselves.
I think that is something everyone should do.
Surround yourself with people who do not judge you, so then you know how to react and feel towards others. The best way to find out whether your friends judge you or not, is to do something really great and to do something really stupid, because no matter what they will react the same to each situation. They will not judge or pass a comment, they will not make you feel bad or inferior to them. Surround yourself with those people, be positive and make that positive shine through the way you act and react to others.
Excuse the profanity in the first image but I just can't help but think this is SO true!
I've had a fabulous few weeks. To be honest, I couldn't be happier!
I've had a really successful weightloss journey so far, losing 10 pounds over the space of 4 weeks and I am very happy with the results. I'm not where I want to be just yet, but I know it won't take me long to get there and I'm excited to see new results every single week.
I also went and bought a new car! Woohoo!
I upgraded my little, white, 54 reg Fiat Punto to a brand spanking new Fiat 500! She is absolutely gorgeous. As sad as I am that I no longer need my first car, I am so happy to be in a position where I feel comfortable to make big purchases. I work hard so I'm going to reap all the benefits from that for as long as possible.
(P.s. if anyone is looking for a great little run around, I'm selling my little Fiat Punto, message me for more!)
In exactly 9 days I will be sunning myself up in Tenerife with two of my besets friends - I can't wait!
I am so ready for a holiday and to spend a whole week doing nothing other than sunbathing, drinking cocktails and relaxing - heaven!
My gloating session is now over :)
Now onto my outfits from this week - there aren't as many as usual but I hope you like them all the same.
Top - Topshop, Jeans - Zara and Shoes - Primark
I have really got into wearing jeans at the moment, especially my Zara boyfriend fit ones. Since losing weight I have felt more comfortable in clothes that I wouldn't have worn before, or if I did I didn't feel very attractive in them. I love how they can be casual and dressed up. There's just something about wearing heels with jeans that feels so right!
Trousers - River Island, Box Tee - Bella Cosa Boutique, Necklace and Shoes - Primark
And it was aaaaall yellow!
I'm trying to incorporate more colour into my wardrobe, especially with the summer months only around the corner. This box tee from new online boutique Bella Cosa is perfect with its subtle splash of colour and obviously the floral pattern is a winner for me. Teamed with my yellow shoes and necklace this outfit was good to go! If you're looking for somewhere new and exciting to shop, then definitely head over to Bella Cosa Boutique as they have some amazing items for summer.
Vest, Skirt and Shoes - Primark
A very low budget outfit this one. Every item is from the wonderful Primark. I've been very impressed with Primark recently and think they've had some winning items for summer. This skirt also has a splash of yellow in the daisy print, so again teamed with my yellow shoes this outfit screamed summer!
Skirt and Crop top Co-ordinates - Very.co.uk
How incredible is this two piece? I am in love with it!
It was a complete and utter nightmare to get hold of as it was always sold out, but I eventually got my hands on one and have not looked back! It made a huge change to my usual all black ensembles for a night out. I received numerous complements whilst wearing it, plus I felt incredible. Overall, my winning outfit in this blog post.
My beautiful earrings are from Bella Cosa - definitely need to check them out!
T-shirt - Matalan, Jeans - Zara, Shoes - Ebay and Necklace - Bella Cosa
Such a simple outfit, but with massive impact. I love putting a pop of colour with my simple, plain outfits as it gives them a whole new edge. This necklace is stunning and I can't wait to put it with other outfits. Having a statement necklace is all you need sometimes to brighten up any outfit. This Bella Cosa beauty if definitely a winner. I can't wait to get some more!
Hope you've all had a very lovely bank holiday weekend!
I've had a super busy one! Lots of family time - couldn't think of a better way of spending my long weekend.
Anyway, here are my outfits from this week - hope you like!
Dress - Matalan, Cardigan & shoes - Primark
You may have seen this dress before on a previous post but I just love it. It is one of my all time favourites - it is super comfy and I absolutely love polka dots (as you probably know). I am also loving pastels at the moment, they are perfect for the summer months and to brighten up any plan outfits.
Top and Skirt - River Island
I've had this top and skirt for a while but never thought to put the two together! I love how this outfit is pretty dark but the floral and leather details make it ok for summer too. This is the first outfit I have put on since losing weight and felt pretty thin! I love how awesome I am feeling recently about the way I look - it's a great feeling.
Top - New Look, Jeans - Zara, Shoes & Necklace - Primark
I haven't wore jeans in what feels like forever! And for the first time in what feels like forever I felt bloody good in them. They are pretty big after losing weight but the top flows perfectly so it hide the gap in the back. I love the splash of colour in this outfit - it's amazing what a coloured pair of shoes can do to brighten up and prettify an outfit.
Jumpsuit - Missguided, Blazer - H&M and Shoes - Primark
I love, love, love this jumpsuit! It is literally one of my favourite ever purchases! It is super comfy and let's face it, it's very pretty. I'm into clashing my colours recently & these yellow court shoes are perfect to do that & go with practically everything.
Harem pants - H&M, Bomber jacket - Primark and Flatforms - Next
I have has this jacket for a while but I never seem to wear it. I wanted a casual outfit and found my all black ensemble was a little harsh, so this little floral number is perfect to brighten up and add something to this outfit.
I'm trying to find new outfits every week, so I'm sorry if there are a few repeated items or less outfits on my blog posts. I am very excited for the next couple of weeks because not only am I going on holiday with two of my best friends, I am also (hopefully) getting a new car! So, I'll be sure to keep you all updated.
Once again I have been pretty rubbish on the blogging front, but after this post you have four brand new posts to feast your eyes on! I hope you enjoy reading them, as much as I enjoy writing them.
I've been really looking forward to writing this blog post, but I've also been a little scared.
This is a topic I feel extremely strong about and I wanted to make sure I do it justice.
At first, I started writing some draft posts and then copy and paste it when I think it was perfect... But then I realised I didn't want this post to be perfect. I wanted it to be real.
I want this post and everything in it to come from my heart (and I assure you it is!)
I want the people who read this post to feel my passion, my emotion and my gratitude throughout this post and the only way to do that is to speak (or write) from the heart. So, here goes...
People.
Aren't they a pain?
Don't you just hate people?
People just shouldn't exist!
People are horrible - people are rude - people are uncaring - people suck!
As much as I sometimes agree with these statements. Again, I am human and I do have weaknesses.
But I think they're all wrong.
People are amazing.
People are incredible
People should definitely exist
People are lovely - people are kind - people are caring - people are the best!
People are my motivation.
Those are the statements that run through my head often, and many people don't understand why but I do.
There are people in this world who are absolutely incredible, and no amount of words could ever do them justice, but here I am - trying to give them justice.
I am a huge believer in being nice. I have always been the 'nice one' and been described that way on more than one occasion. I used to get really offended by this because, well lets face it, no one wants to be called nice.
Then one day I didn't mind being called nice. I found out the true meaning of why people called me nice, and it wasn't because I was plain or boring or just an average joe. It was simply because I am a nice person. I love to see people smile. I love to see people happy. I love people in general and this is something I say and feel often - I love the fact it has started to be noticed by others.
This is relevant trust me.
Because of the way I am, I can't help but see the best in everyone. So, when people outshine themselves, or are kind to others I can't help but really 'get them'. The warmth and happiness I feel when I see people achieving incredible things or just being nice to others is indescribable.
People are MY motivation.
And they should be yours too.
People. Real people are amazing - I know I keep saying it but they truly are! God, the things people have done and achieved, simply because they believed in themselves and the work they were doing! I want to be one of those people. You should too!
I am not about to slag off the celebrity culture. I too, enjoy reading celebrity gossip and like to know the goings on in that world that I can't seem to understand. Who doesn't? But I cannot idolise these people.
At dinner with The Reporters' Academy we were asked to play a game.
We were asked to write down on a piece of paper who we would most like to interview. While others thought long and hard about their favourite people (either dead or alive) and found it hard to choose between all their choices... I had nothing.
I couldn't believe there was no one that sprung to mind. There were obvious ones (which were pointed out by my fellow diners) such as, Marilyn Monroe and Audrey Hepburn - and as much as I love these women and they did come into my mind, I couldn't think of any reasons of why I would want to interview them. They hadn't done anything for me to feel elated about.
As much as many of my fellow diners thought I was overthinking the simple game. I couldn't help but do so. I just couldn't believe I couldn't think of anyone I wanted to interview. We then opened up a conversation about it being someone who inspires you and I instantly thought of my mum. My mum inspires me everyday and she's not famous, well-known by millions nor has millions. But she has many qualities that I would rather know more about, than just another celebrity interview.
I then started to think about all the 'real people' in the world I would enjoy interviewing more than a celebrity - singer, actress or footballer.
So, here I am going to list all the 'real people' in this world who inspire me every single day.
The people who not only inspire me, but I just have a huge amount of respect for and they make me smile with all that they have done and what they are continuing to do.
I can only hope/wish that I can become as incredible as these individuals, because my god they are amazing. I hope their stories inspire you!
First of all, it just has to be Stephen Sutton.
Now, if you don't know who Stephen Sutton is then where the hell have you been?
Stephen has become an internet sensation with his on-going documentary of his life with cancer. Stephen's Story is an incredible Facebook and Twitter page which has every single thought, feeling, update and opinion throughout his time with cancer. And let me tell you, if you haven't seen it then you must go and read it!
When Stephen was diagnosed he made a bucket list. A bucket list of all the usual things, such as, skydiving, crowd surfing and hugging a animal bigger than him but then there was his main dream. To raise £10,000 for the Teenage Cancer Trust.
Stephen smashed this target, which wasn't surprising.
But when his cancer took a turn for the worst this week, which is told everyone on his Facebook page, the donations starting to flood in! With the help of comedian, Jason Manford, Stephen has managed to raise over £2million! Incredible. I was literally on the edge of my seat, refreshing my page every second, watching the total go up and up and up.
But that's not the only amazing thing about Stephen. Stephen has the most incredible attitude. There is no other word that can describe Stephen than as incredible. Every single day Stephen puts up a post on his Facebook or Twitter page - I smile from ear to ear, not only because he is surviving but because his attitude never fades.
His positivity is infectious!
I dare you to go onto his Facebook and Twitter pages and not feel a sense of pride. I am proud of Stephen and I don't even know him.
He inspires me, he motivates me to be the best version of me I can possibly be! He has shown me and many others that life is made for living and what is the point in living if you can't be happy.
I find it incredible that one young man has influenced a world of people. I also find it incredible that thousands of people came together to help Stephen reach his target - our society for that moment became a community! Now, that is something to be proud of.
People are great!
The second person who inspires me (and never fails to bring me to tears) is Lizzie Velasquez.
Now, most of you are probably sat there thinking "Who on earth is Lizzie Velasquez?"
Well, you may know her or know of her as the 'ugliest woman in the world'
Not a nice title is it. That's us, people, real people who have gave a real person that title - terrible.
Anyway...
Lizzie Velasquez is an incredible woman in my eyes, which makes her the most beautiful!
When everything could have brought Lizzie down, she came back fighting! Fighting harder, bigger and stronger than what any hater could ever do.
Lizzie has used her experiences to her advantage and it has made her one of the most influential motivational speakers in the world!
Anybody who can turn a negative into a positive is an amazing person. Not only is it inspiring to see it is also very, very brave! How many of you could honestly say you could fight back after being called the 'ugliest woman in the world' - I don't think I could!
Lizzie decided she wouldn't let the haters or the negative comments beat her, and chose to raise her voice and become known to everyone. I think it was the best thing she ever did! I could re-watch her motivational speeches over and over again!
Her key message is simple - how do YOU define yourself?
It doesn't matter what anyone else thinks of you.
It doesn't matter what anyone says about you.
It doesn't matter whether someone dislikes you, doesn't think you're beautiful, smart or interesting.
It only matters how YOU define YOURSELF!
I couldn't agree more. We are our own worst enemy, or worst critic and our worst hater and its hard enough not to listen to ourselves, let alone other people. Others and what they think/say/feel does not effect you. You are the only person you need to impress and please!
You're amazing not matter what or who you are.
You're amazing no matter what size you are or how pretty you are
Just like Lizzie, you are amazing and you're the only person you need to convince!
The Reporters' Academy - now these guys are much closer to home for me.
The Reporters' Academy is a production company for young people.
Young people from high school, college and university ages are what make up this company and they produce some incredible media pieces.
I have had the privilege and pleasure to have worked with The Reporters' Academy for around 6/7 years and I wouldn't change my experiences for the world.
This group of talented, inspirational individuals are not only a pleasure to work with, but inspire me everyday. Just reading and listening to their work, knowing what each individual is doing and what they have achieved makes me incredibly proud.
I am so proud to be part of a group or know a group so full of talent and love.
A group that know the definition of working hard and put 110% into everything that they do. These are the kids we should be talking about in the news - the ones who are making a difference.
There is nothing more satisfying than when people you know personally achieve what they want to achieve and they completely and utterly deserve it.
I seen a quote one day that said this
"They wanna see you do good, but never better than them. Remember that."
This quote made me so sad. I just don't know why anyone would actually think that about others. In this world we should concentrate on building one another up, encouraging each other to do the best we can possibly do in order to achieve the things we want.
If every single person I know achieves everything they want in their life, especially the guys at The Reporters' Academy, even if that means they become more successful than me, earn more money than me, see the world faster than me etc... I will be happy. I will be content. I will smile!
Because there is nothing more incredible than seeing someone achieve something they utterly deserve.
So, The Reporters' Academy inspire me and motivate me to work hard, but they also motivate me to be the motivator, to be happy, and continue doing what I am doing.
They are amazing. They show the true value of working hard.
I am SO proud of each and every one of them.
And finally,
I literally could have gone on and on in this blog post of all the people who inspire me everyday.
But, I had to end on this person.
They were mentioned very early on and it would be a crime not to mention her... My mum.
Now to you guys, my mum may seem like a pretty normal woman.
She works, she has her own home, she is married, has a family - you know, normal stuff.
But to me, she is incredible.
My mum is the epitome of strength.
She is, single handedly the strongest woman I know.
She works hard.
She looks after her family.
She puts people first.
She cares. she helps and she nurtures.
She is my mum.
I don't say it often enough but I am so proud of her.
The other day when I was ranting and raving about something (probably something silly, because I am a drama queen) she stopped me in the middle of my conversation and said "You sound like me. You become more like me every day."
We laughed. We laughed for a while. I think she thought I was offended.
But I wasn't.
I was overwhelmed.
There is no feeling in the world than when someone tells you, you are something you have always wanted to be. When someone gives you the ultimate complement and there is no way of wiping that smile (secret or not) off your face.
Now, as much as me and my mum are completely different. We have different outlooks, opinions, values and career choices. To be even put into the same category as my mum makes me proud.
If I can look back on my life and say I was as strong, determined, hard working and amazing as my own mother, I will be pretty damn happy.
Basically, if you take anything from this blog post it is to see who is around you and who influences you every single day, even if you have never noticed before.
Take time out of your day to look around at the real people in your life and see who inspires you, motivates you and makes you want to be a better person. If you do, I can honestly tell you, it will change your outlook on your day.
Be happy. Be kind. Be nice.
Keep smiling and keep being inspired.
Hopeful
xxx
P.s. Huge thank you to all the real people in my life who inspire me everyday and make me smile - keep doing what you're doing! You're awesome :)
Look here - another review! I've got to say reviews weren't ever something I thought I would do on this blog as it was simply for fashion related content, but some of the places I have been recently have been so good it would be rude not to share them with everyone.
This review is all about Northern Quarter based restaurant, Solita.
I didn't really know what to expect with Solita - I had never been before and didn't really know what was going to be on offer. So, when my friend got the job there we had no excuse not to go and try the food.
I decided (like I always do) to look at the menu before I went - my friend hates it when I do this as she thinks it 'ruins the surprise' but I like to know whats on offer, as there's nothing I hate more than going somewhere and there is nothing you like or fancy eating.
The menu can only be described as one thing - unhealthy!
I looked at the menu and was immediately drawn to how unhealthy and greasy the food sounded! I'm not usually someone to turn down a good burger, but I felt uneasy knowing I was going to be eating something that is pretty bad for me!
But I went anyway and thought to myself it was a one off.
Oh my days - it was unreal!
First of all, I would recommend trying to book a table or going later on in the evening on a Friday, as we had to wait quite a while before getting a table. The staff were super reasonable and recommended that we went to Montpiellers (round the corner) for a few drinks. Well, this was the most disappointing of the night - our drinks took forever to make and were pretty disgusting once we got them.
I opted for a pretty safe Amaretto Sour, let me tell you it was a let down. I think the worst I've had - anyway, less about Montpiellers, more about Solita.
We got a call to say there was a table available and we couldn't wait as we were starving!
We were greeted by a waitress called Charlie, who was super cute and extremely accommodating! She put up with us very well.
We had a hot chicken wings (second spiciest sauce) and nachos to start - which were both gorgeous!
We got down to ordering the REAL food and here we our with our burgers.
They were massive! And I mean massive - we couldn't believe our eyes when they came out!
We all had something different and couldn't wait to tuck in.
UH-MAY-ZING!
A complete taste sensation! It was literally THE best burger I have ever had (and I've even been to America!)
The patty was cooked to perfection, the sauce was super tasty and the chips with cheese sauce and bacon - all to die for! I don't think I have ever felt so satisfied after a meal than what I did at Solita!
We ordered some drinks, a mixture of cocktails and wine (which obviously went down a treat!) I had a Peach Bellini at first, which was sweet but subtle and was a great cocktail to start with. We then decided we wanted something longer and stronger, so opted for a Long Island Ice Tea!
Now, this is honestly not an exaggeration... It was THE best long island ice tea I have ever had! I am a huge cocktail fan and have tried and tested every long island ice tea in every bar I have been too and not a single one tops this! Usually long island ice teas are quite bitter and very 'alcohol-y' - which is what you expect with the amount it has in it, but this was something else. It was sweet as well as tangy, and was literally the best tasting cocktail I have ever had, so much so I ended up having 6 more!!
I ordered the KFB ( I think)
Basically, it has bacon, cheese, jalepenos and pickles on it! YUM! Absolutely amazing!
My friend then ordered the oreo ice cream for dessert (the rest of us didn't have anything as we were too full!) but I had a couple of spoonfuls and OMG! It was insane! Literal foodgasm - it was so so good! So good in fact I could have stuck my whole face in the tub and eat until I passed out (or got severe brain freeze.) Next time I am definitely ordering a dessert - I feel like I completely missed out!
Charlie, our waitress was incredible! She gave amazing customer service and her manager should be proud to have someone like her on his team, as she went above and beyond with us. She laughed and joked with us, as well as recommending the food she thought we would like! She is an asset to Solita, as are the rest of the staff! I always find it difficult to find a restaurant with good food and good service, but Solita hits the nail on the head and performed incredibly.
The food, the drinks and the service were something to be admired and if the food wasn't so bad/unhealthy for you I would go every single weekend for my Solita fix! It was insanely good and I cannot wait to go back for my second go!
It is definitely a 'treat' kind of meal but I swear, if you haven't been, you haven't lived!
