Simply Be's Secrets to Summer Confidence

Hey Everyone! 

Today I am excited to be sharing with you the below secrets to summer confidence infographic in collaboration with Simply Be. Have a read and then scroll down to see my thoughts on each of the tips they have come up with and some interesting statistics!

Find swimwear that fits to perfection

I definitely think that underwiring is a huge must for me personally and paired with a nice pair of high waisted bottoms you get support from both, don't feel too on show as the high waist gives a little more coverage and just as comfortable as I would be in a one piece. There are so many jazzy prints and patterns available so you can really have fun with it and match them up with a cute sarong or wrap around, a floppy hat and shades for a super cool beachy fashionista style.

Browse the latest Simply Be plus size swimwear for a great selection!

Master pretty beach hairstyles

I have to say that loose waves are one of my favourite hairstyles in general and that's all year round. I usually use a Bumble and Bumble texturising salt spray on damp hair and it gives a really nice wave without being crunchy but nothing beats the real deal after a dip in the sea. Another trick I use is putting my hair in a fishtail braid or french plait to keep my hair away from my face when it's all hot and sticky but then later on you can undo the bobble to have natural waves with no product! 

Create a feel good playlist

Here's my summer playlist! Let me know in the comments what your picks are:

Calvin Harris - Summer

Natasha Bedingfield - Pocketful of Sunshine

Flo Rida - Whistle

Ella Henderson - Ghost

Ed Sheeran - Sing

John Legend - All of Me

Iggy Izalea - Fancy

Pharrell Williams - Happy

Fuse ODG - Dangerous Love and Antenna

Rita Ora - I will never let you down

Choose a signature summer perfume

Now there have been some great summer editions out this year in the form of Jimmy Choo's Exotic, Katy Perry's Killer Queen in Oh So Sheer and my favourite which is Eclipse by Ghost. You can get yourself a free sample in this months Marie Claire so check it out when you're next out and about in town.

Pamper your hands and treat your feet

In my opinion, nothing says summer like bright neon nails and cute sandals, Get to Boots, grab some Barry M and you can even match the colour to your bikini!

Now on to the survey results! The main theme seems to be that us girls are really uncomfortable getting our stomachs out with a huge 71.3% of us feeling self conscious on holiday. I think going on a beach holiday can be a really daunting experience in general for a lot of women (me included), I know I get myself all worked up thinking that everyone will look at me and be judging me on how bigger I am in comparison when I'm wearing swimming gear. The irony is though that a lot of women of all sizes aren't confident on the beach and are generally more worried about themselves and how they look than bothering themselves by fretting over what I'm wearing/look like. I think it's important to maintain perspective, we do work ourselves up and most of the time it's not even warranted. With gorgeous kaftans and cover-ups available there really is something for everyone to wear on the beach and feel comfortable in, have a browse and see for yourself.

I hope the tips we have shared in the post help some of you and were interesting to read. Let me know if you'd like to see more posts like this in the future.

Thanks for reading! Love Sally X

*This is a PR collaborative post however the opinions as always are my own*

Round My Hometown, Memories Are Fresh

Hey Everyone!

Yesterday I met up for some lunch with the lovely Apple Charlotte in my hometown of Potters Bar. We went to the local park to get some pictures and then had a nice lunch at Harvester which we ended up getting refunded due to issues with all of the card machines, result!

Here are the pics from our adventure:

 I am wearing:

Dress: Alice & You for Asos Curve

Tshirt: Primark

Tights: Asos Curve

Shoes: New Look

Scarf: Vida Moda

I love the two different floral parts of the dress which give it a quirky twist, the fabric is really nice too but doesn't have any stretch in it so you might have to size up. 

I love this scarf so much, the colours are beautiful and it's so lovely and soft!

When we came out from Harvester, darkness was quickly upon us so I got some more spookier looking pictures!

How cute does Charlotte look?!

I hope you like this little park themed lookbook, let me know in the comments if you want to see more of these posts as it was so much fun to do.

Thanks for reading! Love Sally X

Get one step ahead this summer

Happy Friday everyone!

Summer seems to bring with it a whole host of events that can often require new outfits. I’ve picked out some of my favourite shoes for s/s 2013 and given an idea of how and where I’d love to wear them:

BBQs

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BBQs are one of my favourite parts of summer, I  love getting together with friends and family and being outside so long you see it turn from day to night. They are really popular all the way through the summer so I’d want to be wearing something comfortable and that I can wear all day. Pumps are great for this as they’re so comfy and they come with so many different styles and patterns that you can vary them up. I love a nice floral print in summer especially teamed with some denim shorts for a great casual look.

Festivals

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Wellies are a given (unfortunately), don’t get me wrong wellies come in some amazing styles these days but the last thing you want at a festival is rain. I always try to be as optimistic as possible and plan for sun, although this has backfired on me before. However if you are praying for sun at a festival I would say trainers are my ultimate shoe. Anyone who has been to one knows that you don’t want to be carrying a lot so I try to take as little as possible, which isn’t easy. It’s great if you think about your outfits beforehand and then you can literally just take those rather than taking loads of clothes you won’t wear. There are some great outfit ideas in this post and all are perfect to be paired with a pair of retro high-tops. Gold or silver would be my choice but they come in so many different colours making them perfect for summer. You can dance all day in them and if the heavens should open at least you’re not getting caught in the rain in sandals.

Parties

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I never need an excuse to attend a party but it is great in summer because of all the colours that are available (it feels so good to get out of black sometimes). I can never resist a pair of killer heels so of course that is going to be choice for a party especially in summer – if you’re in a dress they will make your legs look like they go on for miles! I really like to experiment with different materials as well as colours so metallic or suede is great. I would probably keep the dress simple though so I could let the shoes make a statement and have a great clutch bag to go with them. If you’re feeling daring try a clutch in a contrasting shade to your shoes to really stand out.

Weddings

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Almost as common as BBQs in summer are weddings. It makes perfect sense really, the bride is never going to want to risk rain on her big day. I think any sort of formal occasion in summer whether it be a wedding or a day at the races is the perfect opportunity for open toe shoes or sandals. I always feel like I never really get a chance to wear these so I look forward to anything that provides the opportunity. They’re elegant and sophisticated whilst still being really summery and have just enough heel to make you look nice without being in serious pain at the end of the day.

I hope you like my choices and let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

Thanks for reading!

 Love Sally X

This is a post in collaboration with House of Fraser/Aldo, all thoughts and opinions are my own as always.