3 Ways To Wear It: The Slogan Sweat

I'm thinking of making '3 Ways To Wear It' a regular feature on my blog, so please do let me know what you think in the comments!

Slogan tees and sweatshirts are everywhere right now; you can pretty much say anything by plastering it across your clothes. I tend to think you belong in one of two camps when it comes to the slogan sweat, you either loathe them or are really confused about how to wear them! 
I've come up with three ways you can style up your slogan sweatshirt and give it a little more versatility. 

This post features the 'More Issues Than Vogue' sweatshirt from In The Style UK and the much coveted 'Full Time Fashion Blogger' sweat from River Island. 

1. With a [leather] skirt. 

Think casual Friday at work. This look is still comfy and relaxed but the leather skirt and loafers give it a bit of extra style. 

Skirt, H&M. Loafers, Schuh. Clutch, Chic.

2. With heels. 
Cocktail date on a week night? This is your look. The sweatshirt makes this outfit look effortless. You may have spent over an hour getting ready, but nobody will ever know! Perfectly laid back but still well put together. 
Jeans, Topshop. Shoes, Marks and Spencer (!). Clutch, Primark.

I thought these shoes deserved a close-up, how gorgeous are they?! I can't actually believe they are Marks and Spencer and what's more, they are my mum's ! I love the stud detailing for the heel itself and they aren't too high either. Excellent buy mum.

3. Monochrome.
This ensemble is just pure casual, but I think monochrome always looks good. You can run errands all weekend in this look and still appear put-together doing so. Easy! 

How would you style a slogan sweatshirt? Leave me a comment! 

Fifteen Summer Holiday Essentials

Next week my boyfriend and I are going on holiday to Turkey and I'm so excited! We booked it back in September and it's finally here, I can't wait to escape to some sunshine. I've never visited Turkey before so I'm extra excited to explore. I've been preparing for this holiday for months... by buying lots and lots of holiday clothes! For this post I've picked my favourite fifteen essentials everyone needs to pack for a beach holiday...

1. Of course, a bikini is an obvious essential for any beach holiday, but make yours a little more interesting with a pretty print and stand out by the pool. This one is from H&M, I love the studs on it as well as the paisley print.

2. The floppy hat. I'm not usually one to wear hats, I'm all about my hair, but when I go on holiday I always take one. A floppy hat will protect your hair, your parting and your face from sun damage. I got mine in Primark for only £4!

3. A beach bag is a necessity when on holiday: nobody wants their handbag ruined by sand and chlorine! I got this particular bag last year when I went to Spain. It was around 4 euros. I don't want to spend too much money on a bag I'll probably use only once a year. This one is straw but its lined. Also, it's big enough for both mine and my boyfriend's stuff. 

4. Baggage limits can be such a pain so I like to take items away that have a double wear option, hello day-to-night playsuit. This gorgeous chiffon one is from H&M and it can easily worn for a walk along the beach during the day, or out for a nice meal at night. At only £19.99 I couldn't resist!

5. Summer 2014's must-have shoe: the slider. These shoes are a bit like marmite, you either love or loathe them. I am a huge fan! The embellished pair are from H&M and are perfect for adding a bit of sparkle to your beach look. The silver sliders are from River Island and are literally the comfiest shoes I've ever worn. Ever. Even comfier than trainers! You need some.

6. I love all things high-waisted so of course I love crop tops. This tropical print crop is from New Look and is perfect for holiday wear. 

7. Maxi dresses are the ultimate summer item. Even if you aren't going on holiday you need a maxi dress: day to night styling and so easy to wear. I love the pops of colour on this Primark dress, very summery.

8. This black lace kimono from H&M is a very versatile item, it can be worn as a beach cover-up, or a cover-up for evening. The lace will add an extra detail to any outfit. 

9, 10, 11. When on holiday, hairstyles should be relaxed, easy and quick. Invest in some hair scarves, salt spray and hair oil and you should be good to go. Salt spray tames and styles beachy hair into evening-appropriate waves in just a few squirts. Macadamia or Argan oil will not only nourish dry hair but will add shiny an bounce to sun-dried hair. Hair scarves are the easiest way to embrace beach styling, these are great if you have a fringe that needs pulling back! Both head scarves here are ASOS.

12. The co-ord is this season's must have. There are soooooo many around right now it's a little hard to choose just one to buy! I had been searching for literally months for one I really loved, then last night I found this beauty from Pretty Little Thing. I am obsessed! The print is very cute and definitely holiday appropriate. Also, the great thing about a co-ord is it's three outfits in one. You can wear the top and shorts either together or as separates. Bargain!

13. I tend to over pack and I like to carry a lot of stuff with me on holiday that I perhaps don't need. Because of this I have invested in a large cabin bag. It comfortably fits everything I will want on the plane including snacks, my Nook e-reader and some layers (I get cold because of the air con when flying). This bag is from Storm, its a summery color and has thick straps so is comfy to carry around.

14. A few months ago my iPhone tragically died of water damage. I now have a new one and I will be taking no chances when I'm by the pool in Turkey! This handy little pouch and many other variations can be picked up from Amazon for around £3. Trust me, it's so worth it. Rather be safe than sorry!

15. My last holiday essential is a good book. There is nothing better than relaxing by the pool reading. I would definitely recommend a Kindle or the cheaper Nook e-readers for holidays, saves so much space! I had six books on my Nook last year and I read them all in a week. You wouldn't like to carry six books in your hand luggage! This Summer I plan to read 'The Notebook' and 'The Fault in Our Stars'. I love the film version of 'The Notebook', but I have never read the book! Also, since 'The Fault in Our Stars' film comes out this week, I think I need to finally read the book version after much persuasion from my sister. 

Are you going on holiday this Summer? If so, where? Do you have any other essentials? Leave me a comment!

Fitness Myths Busted

It is a very real fact that many women who frequent the gym are Cardio Bunnies: they go to the gym and spend an hour on the treadmill or the elliptical. You can actually see this in gyms, the cardio equipment is dominated by females. I'm not saying there is anything wrong with this as such, cardiovascular health and stamina are important parts of overall fitness, however many of these women are completely disregarding an essential strand of training: weight lifting. There are so many misconceptions surrounding women and lifting weights and I really do not know why. Hopefully by the end of this article I will have provided you all with some basic knowledge and a bit of confidence to try something new and better your body.

Myth 1: Lifting heavy weights makes women bulky.

I should probably clarify what I mean by 'weight lifting' before I begin. I see women lifting weights in the gym yes, but believe me those 2 kg weights they are using to bicep curl will not be doing very much. I fully appreciate we are all on different levels, but 2 kg is the weight of 2 bags of sugar... Most women can definitely lift heavier than that!

Everybody has to start off somewhere, you should ideally be lifting a weight that you are comfortable with, but you should struggle with it by the last two reps (lifts) of your set (group of reps).

.Many women do not attempt to lift any 'heavy' weights because they fear it will make them bulky and mannish. This is  definitely not the case! This is bar far the biggest fitness myth I can think of and it drives me crazy! Full body weight training will sculpt your body, giving you curves in all the right places. We come in all different shapes and sizes, so results will vary, but it is inescapable that weight training will provide your body with tone and shape far more than cardio alone. Lifting heavier weights will make your muscles stronger, not necessarily bigger. And as you get stronger, you can lift heavier. Eating right and lifting the weights will burn the fat that is hiding those muscles and make your body look toned. You will also be able to open that jar without male help, remember the princess doesn't always need saving!

Also, it is actually physically impossible for women to look 'bulky like men' as we do not naturally have enough testosterone in our bodies to achieve that. What about those female body builders I hear you ask? Well, those women eat, train and take supplements specifically so they can look like that. They have also probably been working towards that goal for years.

Myth 2: Weight training doesn't burn calories.

This is another common misconception of weight training. Many women believe that to lose weight or burn calories they need to do cardio. This is not true. There is no reason you can't be healthy and look great without constant cardio. If you aren't a big fan of cardio and just do it because you think its best, this is for you! If you never want to run on a treadmill again in your life, you don't have to. However, if you actually really enjoy cardio, great! Just incorporate some weight training in there too !

When you train with weights, your muscles are broken down and then rebuilt again over the next day or so. While this is going on, your body is using more calories to make this process happen. This essentially means that your metabolism operates faster after your workout, even if you are just sitting studying or watching TV.

I understand that the weights room at the gym looks pretty intimidating with all those boys lifting really heavy and grunting, but I promise you its not that bad! You have every right to be there just as much as they do, you are strong and confident and trying to improve your health. However, if you really don't want to venture in there just yet, you can train your muscles in much the same way with other strength exercises:

·         Kettlebells - technically weights but you don't necessarily need a gym for these

·         Yoga/pilates - Personally, I have been weight training for a year now and I find pilates really difficult! The moves are designed so that you are lifting your own body weight, therefore toning and strengthening your muscles.

There is absolutely no reason women shouldn't train like men! If you are seriously considering trying weight training, I recommend YouTube as a great tool to observe correct form of the lifts and examples of different exercises. Also, you should get a program drawn up by a trainer at the gym, who can correctly demonstrate the different lifts and help you with any specific problems.

Hope to see more ladies in the weights room, mainly because I need a gym buddy! Help me out!