The Safari Chic Edit - Farfetch.com

As the SS16 season gets well underway, in the UK, the weather seems to have its own agenda despite said season! Enter, the trends that boast the perfect transitional pieces. We’ve all seen the rise of the lightweight bomber jacket, the cold shoulder tops which still allow for seasonality sleeve length while flashing just enough flesh for that traditional Spring/Summer look, and then there’s denim. – The beautifully embroidered pieces that popped up in several shows are everywhere this season. Denim is the all-weather piece, it will always be 'in', every season updated with a new must have shape or style detail, whether it be the distressing we’ve seen over the last few years or the fantastically fun pop culture look, that made it cool to have a spaceship or an emoji on your back pocket this season! 

One trend that really is the saviour from one season to the next is Safari Chic, as featured in the latest Farfetch Editorial . This trend comes back each summer, with some seasons being more heavily influenced by print and others based solely on a safari/military-esque colour pallette. Either way its presence can be felt in all our favourite designers’ collections someway or another.
Silk, tencel & linen fabrics give this trend an effortless spring/summer look, shapes are key, oversized shirts nipped at the waist by buckled belts with leather accents and gold tones. The accessories are all about texture, think Indiana Jones’ rope slung over a shoulder or the details of pattern within an African tribe. The trend is beautifully minimalist pieces, with fabrics being brought to life by texture and print. Shirting is heavy with pockets, creating the perfect summer weight ‘shacket.’ On the other hand lightweight shirts are stripped to complete minimalism, with concealed button fastenings and clean long line hems. You can have as much fun as you want with it, making it the ideal trend to make your own! Here’s a few of the key pieces I've chosen from Farfetch.com to show you ,my favourite aspects of SS16's take on the Safari Chic trend.



This season's classic safari look is all about the added detail to modernise the trend. Patch embroidery has been taken from the military look and fits effortlessly on to utility shirts & playsuits. I particularly love the Valentino butterfly embroidered playsuit (Top left.) The Dsquared2 applique shirt (Second from right,) is also a beautiful example of a modern update on the vintage safari shirt.
Safari jackets have been given a gorgeous update in the form of the Beau Souci Suede Safari Jacket (centre.) This addition of texture takes this classic shape to a transitional investment trend piece, suitable to carry over in to seasons to come. The Givenchy Biker Cloak (Third from left,) is a great innovative piece, the fashion house also produced this shape in classic black leather, this sand coloured option gives a great alternative to the calssic safari jacket shape. Complete the look with a nude purse, these two from J.W.Anderson and Michael Kors - Both give the efficient, yet glam finish to a relaxed look.

The classic safari look is executed perfectly with the addition of texture, colour & print in the form of an accessory! I've chosen my favourite bracelets, guaranteed to give your wrist the perfect wild look to tie in your outfit! As I mentioned before, texture is key to accessorise this trend, beautiful leathers in a variety of shades are prominent this season so finding your favourite has never been easier. Personally I love the Heidi Klein Double Strap bracelet with the addition of a little palm tree engraved on each gold stud! (Worn by model, top right.) Pops of colour can also be found within the accessories, including the Versace Medusa Double Wrap bracelet (Bottom centre.) This gives the trend a fun injection of colour and accentuates the animal print in a modern way. I couldn't help but include the Chloe 'Jane' shoulder bag (Bottom right.) This beautiful suede and leather combination expresses an exotic feel with it's colourful stripes and bright suede tassels.



If a wild accessory isn't enough for you, fear not. Printed pieces are having a moment this season - especially jungle prints. The banana leaf in particular can be seen on everything from these gorgeous Dolce & Gabanna patch jeans to their Printed Dresses and skirts. A crisp white shirt tucked in to the jeans will give you an effortlessly chic look. The vibrant green sits beautifully alongside a tan leather bag also. Leopard print is back again this season, did we doubt! However the updated addition of colour from the ever great catwalk's of Versace and Kenzo amongst others has given a whole new dimension to the animal print trend. I particularly love this Saint Laurent Military Print Jacket (above centre.) Givenchy have also produced a gorgeous green animal print range in several pieces. Finally the feather print by Emilio Pucci is executed in beautiful fabrics, this Feather print skirt gives the flow and elegance as you'd imagine to see in the character of a bird flying free in the wild.

Above clockwise from 12'o'clock - Chloe, Pierre Hardy, Marc Jacobs, Kenzo, Saint Laurent, Heidi Klein, Fendi, Stella McCartney, Charlotte Olympia & Kenzo.

Finally, my favourite summer shoe, the espadrille. The stylish answer to comfort. I've selected 10 of my absolute favourite flat espadrilles from the Farfetch website! My number one has got to be the Stella McCartney 'Rocio' espadrilles - I love the soft print look, keeping it classic yet modern at the same time. I also think the Fendi Bird of Paradise espadrilles are a beautiful easy wearing addition to the delightful  'Bird of paradise' range they produced for SS16. I would live in espadrilles everyday if the UK wasn't so unpredictable with the weather! All I'll say is be prepared to take them off and run down the street in the rain barefoot girls!
On that note, I hope you are inspired to choose your favourites in this beautiful trend! I had so much fun building outfits in my head while selected the key pieces. Be sure to check out the Farfetch Safari Chic Edit here - Now we've decided what to wear, is it time to plan a trip!? 

“The only man I envy is the man who has not yet been to Africa – for he has so much to look forward to.” * Richard Mullin (Origin unknown)

Happy Outfit/Trip planning!

Lindsay x

P.S If you'd like to know who any of the products in the above image collections are by, comment and ask and I'll happily reply with the link! 

The June 30 Day Challenge!

So, apparently we learn something new every day.
Question is, how often do we try or do something new? The answer for me, is not enough.
Enter; the 30 Day Challenge!
Every day throughout the month of June, I will do or try something completely new that I have never done before! Some days will be more extreme than others but the final outcome will be to have achieved 30 days of fun & new experiences, learning along the way and hopefully showing all of you how easy it can be to do too!
As it's now Monday 6th of June I thought I would take the time to recap the last 5 days and what I've done on each of them! I will try my best to vlog the fun days out or the challenges that are best captured on camera and upload them to my YouTube channel for you all to see!

Day 1 Wednesday 1st of June - I signed up to run the Cheltenham Half Marathon in September. I'm not really a keen runner but I was inspired by watching the London marathon earlier this year and I'm ready to give it a go! I went on my first training run today also - a cheeky 5K around Cheltenham after work with my housemate!

Day 2 Thursday 2nd of June  - I tried Halloumi cheese! So let me explain this rather daft one! On Thursday we went on an 'away day' with work. While we were there I came across this Cypriot delight at the lunch buffet! After declaring that I'd never tried it, I was
met by several gasps from my colleagues - apparently it's a thing! Therefore it counted as day 2 of trying something new! Verdict - delicious!

Day 3 Friday 3rd of June - I bought my very first Lottery ticket! I had a little 'money spider' crawling on me, which obviously, I thought would be a dead cert that I would win. Somewhat disappointed not to have won in the draw but apparently you have more chance of being hit by a car! Great. A new experience none the less!

Day 4 Saturday 4th of June - I went to Wales by car - A first in itself! The first time I went to Wales was earlier this year when I went to watch the 6 nations in Cardiff. However, as I arrived by train I feel it doesn't count! So anyway, not only crossing a border in to a new country but also a new sport! We went surfing at Porthcawl, Rest Bay. Hands down the best day of 2016 so far! Here's a quick video of our search for the surf! (Apologies for the slightly grainy quality - filmed on my iPhone!) A truly fantastic day out!

Day 5 Sunday 5th of June - Today I was working in town so I had to fit my new experience in to 30 minutes during my lunch break! I decided to pop in to House of Fraser and have my make up done at a counter. Something I've never done and actually really needed to do but have never got round to it! I went to Bobbi Brown as they give make up lessons for free! Teaching you what make up and which brushes to use daily to suit your skin. See my quick video review below and some pics of the lovely lesson area;

Book an appointment at any counter for free!

So that's all for the past few days! I feel as though I'm off to a great start but I am welcoming suggestions for new things to try! Go on challenge me to something new!

Keep up to date with the challenge on my snapchat - (Username: Lindsjane4) or on my Instagram and YouTube - both situated on the right of this blog!
Stay tuned to see what Monday's new challenge is!
L x

Early season sun searching!

May can often be a temperamental month in terms of weather in the UK! The shops and magazines are screaming Summer, somewhat prematurely, and the random 25 degree days in among snow and hail are frustrating to say the least!
It is for this reason, that my housemate and I decided, May was a great time to take a lovely week off work and head in search of the sunshine!
Our search led us to the beautiful Greek island of Kos. We had a lovely week of activities, including tennis and paddle boarding, as well as the optimum amount of 'chilling' by the sparkling pools and the ever blue Aegean Sea.

We travelled with Markwarner Holidays and stayed in the beautiful Helona Beach Resort. This 5* paradise was on a slight hill, giving us a stunning view of the sea and the resort from the restaurant. We ate outside most nights, however, as it is early in the season the wind did pick up on occasion, where we then opted to eat inside. The food was gorgeous, luscious Greek salads, a variety of meats & different rice & pasta dishes every evening.

Breakfast was also a beautiful spread, setting us up perfectly for a day of a fun activities. Everything about this resort feels calm and opportunistic. We would take our time at breakfast, looking out to sea pondering how our day would pan out, yet with no real pressure to abide to any form of schedule. The perfect way to feel when on holiday.

Reception Pool - Ideal for sitting and enjoying a morning Frappe 

Evening Sunsets

The activities were excellent, the best bit, is that they are all included in the price of the holiday! However, if you do wish to complete lessons in any of them, then you do have to pay a little extra, that said, we didn't feel like we needed to as there was so much to do! Here's some photos we captured, although without a waterproof iPhone we were limited to how many we could get!

Ready for a morning HIIT class in the outdoor Aerobics area!

Holly, after another successful paddle boarding session!

Taking part in the social tennis, on every evening 5-6pm!

Having a yoga practice in the great aerobics area!

The windsurf shack - with kit for every ability!

Me, out for a morning windsurf not long after breakfast!

You can see the full list of activities on the Markwarner website, we didn't even have time to try them all! This may have been something to do with many a day spent by the pool or reading books! We're only human!

Ready to hit the pool with a bag full of books & mags!

Midday cocktails  - when it's 5'o'clock somewhere!

The best purchase of 2016!

'Donut' disturb. . .

We also spent some time in the nearby town of Kardamena, beautifully Greek and yet another tranquil day in the sunshine. Also, the photos below have absolutely no filter or editing on them, it really is this bright and blue!

Palm views

So many lovely passageways to the sea

The Stone Roses bar which reminded me of The Flintstones!

The town square

Bike goals!

the town, which is situated right next to the harbour.

The Harbour

Okay so let's talk about fashion! If you don't follow me on my Instagram then you won't have seen my #OOTN (outfit of the night) which I posted each evening before dinner. Here's a round up of what I wore, find out where all the items are from on my insta - tab is down the right hand side of the blog!

Night 1

Night 2

Night 3

Night 4

Night 4 

Night 5

Night 5 

Night 6 

Night 7 

Finally, I did a video over on my YouTube channel (which you can click through to under my blog photo on the right!)

A massive holiday haul on lots of little bits I picked up for my trip and where you can get them! Hop on over to watch it now!

Holiday Haul - What I bought for Kos!

I had an absolutely lush holiday in Greece, I'd really recommend going away early in the season. Not only did we get a great price but the weather was lovely and we weren't at risk of missing a scorching week in the UK! Markwarner also have a 30% off deal at the moment so pop over to their website and have a look! They also run a hashtag called #MWmoment which you can search on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook to see other people's experiences also!

The ultimate week of relaxation balanced with fun and adventure. Can I go back now!?

L x

Midweek Mag Best Buys - July 2016

June has arrived, unfortunately the good weather seems to have taken a wrong turn somewhere and has disappeared from the South West!
If you too, are in the same boat as me, fear not - I've picked the best mags to curl up and read inside or, with any luck, outside in the sunshine this weekend! Fingers crossed!

Marie Claire, July 2016. Cover girl - Rebel Wilson.

First of the July issues, is Marie Claire. It has the No.1 spot this month, due to the fantastic reader freebie! Pick up this magazine and choose from either an Elemis Hydra-nourish night cream or Hydra-boost day cream. Both are 15ml each and with the 50ml night cream setting you back £43 or the day cream at £39 - It's well worth picking up both for £8 with 2 Marie Claire's! The night cream promises to transform stressed & tired skin to become supple and refreshed by morning. -While the day cream boasts of leaving skin nourished and smooth after locking in moisture throughout the day.
If you do end up loving these products after a trial run this month then the Elemis website offers free UK delivery & several of the full size products come with a free miniature size which is ideal for your handbag or travelling!
Aside from the fab gift with purchase, Marie Claire has a great piece on 'ditching the dresscode' - A great read for anyone with several weddings to attend this Summer or if you are looking for ways to revamp your wardrobe without buying expensive outfits that only get one outing! In stores now!

Elle Magazine, July 2016, Cover girl - Bella Hadid.

No.2 on the July issue list is Elle Magazine! This months freebies are literally a dream for any brow fans out there - which is definitely over half the population by now! However, if you have not yet jumped aboard the brow wagon, now is the time as Benefit Cosmetics are offering a FREE brow wax for every new customer at any Debenhams Benefit Brow bar! Find your nearest Debenhams brow bar here.
 Benefit are really championing the brow revolution, so much so, they have a whole guide to brows over on their website 'Wow your Brows'.
Not only does the guide give you tips and tricks it also explains all of their brow products, so you can find the one that's perfect for you. Their brand new brow product, Goof Proof is also FREE in the mag, it's worth £18.50 and comes in 6 shades to suit your colouring.
The team at Elle have put together a fantastic Summer issue which covers off several typical scenarios of things to buy, what to try and lifestyle changes for a healthier, happier you! There's a Summer fashion edit, a holiday beauty haul and a great article on how changing what food you eat can change your mood for the better! In stores now!

InStyle Magazine, July 2016, Cover girl - Sophie Turner.

Mag No.3 is InStyle! July's issue has an excellent offering from Eyeko. You can literally refresh half your make up bag in one go! Choose from a free Skinny Liner, Fat Liner, Brow Gel, Black Magic Mascara or Skinny Brush Mascara! Phew.
If you really can't decide or just fancy £60 worth of make up for £12.50 then get down to Tesco for an exclusive promo price of £2.50!
The issue itself features a great 'holiday fashion hit list' with some great outfit inspo, alongside some brilliant beaity articles including an SPF article on how to protect your skin in the sunshine!
Cover girl and Game of Thrones heroine, Sophie Turner, also gives a great interview portraying her witty personality and her character off screen! In stores now!

Okay, time for the quick fire mags -
Cosmopolitan - Only a £1 for the July issue and a great interview with Taylor Schilling - Definitely worth a read if you are a fan of 'Orange is the new black!'






Next up, the best of the weeklies!

Grazia! - Also only a £1 this week! Not only that, but it has a 25% off River Island voucher inside! Valid for a week so if you've been eyeing up some bits from River, then pick up Grazia and pop in this weekend! Click here to jump over to their website to plan your bargain purchases. - Or even better redeem your 25% off online straight away by entering GRAZIAMAY16  at the checkout!

Look Magazine - Always a winner for their high street edits! The team at Look seem to always sniff out the hottest trends each week at fab accessible price points!
Also 20% off at Monsoon this week so if you have a wedding or special occasion on the horizon or maybe just fancy yourself some gorgeous new Summer dresses then Monsoon is the place for you this weekend! Pick up Look and take in the voucher to redeem the offer! Click here to check out Monsoon's website. That said, it's worth noting Monsoon have 30% of Occasionwear at the moment so you may get a better deal with that offer!



Okay, that's all for this month's magazine edit! I hope there's at least one in there that will have you dashing to the news stands. - Even if it is just top try out the products!
As I've mentioned in a previous magazine post, if you do fancy more than one of the free products then just go for it! You'll be getting such a good deal and make people's day at work by leaving the spare mags in the staff room or on a friends desk!

Happy reading/brow waxing/eye liner applying & shopping!

Lindsay x