The Coat That Launched A Thousand Smiles

I've been pretty low on confidence for the past year or so, and in fact probably for as long as I can remember. As I've gained weight though, it has gotten worse. I get so caught up in considering myself a bit of a lump (and fat shaming from some close quarters really doesn't help with that), that I had gotten to the point of thinking that wearing nice clothes wasn't worth it. It was obviously going to look gross on me anyway, dur. BUT, that is not the truth. And yes I still have days when I feel like that, but do you know what,  most of the time recently I've been feeling like a boss: a girl in control of her own life, and the way she looks. And I love it. 
Now, I'm not going to say that this is 100% down to this coat and the perfect Autumn heeled boots (£15 in Primark - basically a must buy) that I almost always wear with it, but I'll give it a good 60% of the credit. I've been upping my self care routine recently, and making sure I keep up to date with tha (let me know if you want to hear more about this by the way - I'd totally be up for doing a post on it!). This has definitely had a major impact on the way I'm feeling, but I have to say, getting some new staple items in my wardrobe was an important thing that I overlooked.
Clothes shopping is something that I don't do on a frequent basis at all, and gaining weight has meant that this has led to a bit of a lack of confidence on my half. It's all well and good trying to save money, but when you're crying over the fact that the third dress you've tried on from your wardrobe in a row won't fit, it doesn't feel that great at all. 
So, as I'm now back to working, I decided to stuff the clothes buying ban and head out to a girl's best friend: Primark. Now, my old town *weeps* didn't have a Primani, so the cheapest place to get clothes was H&M - fairly inexpensive for t-shirts, not so great for wardrobe staples. You can imagine my joy at discovering that the town I moved to in June has a glorious three story bloody store. Literal heaven. 
Me and this coat basically fell in love at first sight. I saw it and knew I needed it. This was just confirmed when my sister and my boyfriend both agreed that they loved it (possibly the first time all three of us have liked the same item of clothing ever). And the best part? Dear old Primark, you loveable sod, you priced it at £25. I honestly absolutely adore everything about this coat. The fact that it's light enough to wear during the day, but the faux fur collar keeps you snuggly in the evening. The fact that the belt ever so slyly cinches you in at the waist a little. Most of all though, I love the way I feel with it on. Honestly, wearing this makes me feel like I can accomplish anything. I don't know whether it's the collar making me feel like an Elizabethan Queen, or the fact that it's the only coat that has fit me perfectly in months. Either way, I've lost count of the number of smiles that I've beamed at people whilst wearing this, or the grins I've given myself in the mirror on the way out of the house.
Do you have a staple item in your wardrobe that makes you feel like a boss too?
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OOTD | Styling Winter Colours in Spring

Your first thought on seeing this post is probably, like mine, an oh LORDY she needs to start squatting more (why why WHY bum have you lost your shape?!). But, if you've read my posts on dealing with weight gain and weight gain vs blogger confidence you'll know that I'm handling this, and I'm (almost) over how flabby and shapeless my bum is.
ANYHOW, let's get past the pity butt party for one shall we, and talk about this outfit. I've recently started taking more pride in what I wear, and a lot of people have noticed. Yes, I spend 90% of the time swaddled in my dressing gown in the house, but when I do go out I put an effort in.
So, on my nan's 80th I decided to jazz things up a little monochrome style. Although a lot of people like having a black and white outfit for winter, I love it in Spring as the white provides quite a fresh contrast to it's darker partner. 
These skinny jeans (similar here) are my go to, and have been for a couple of years now. Despite endlessly getting asked by the older generation whether my knees get cold (no), they make a lot more of a statement than plain old black jeans. Paired with my favourite statement black heels (similar here), I tend to opt for this look over a dress on a night out or big event.
This leather and suede style jacket (similar here) and cream top (similar here) were my best picks of the New Look January sales and I can't wait to style them with more outfits.
I hope you enjoyed this post, I had so much fun photographing it, especially with my little squirrel friend who popped up to say hello (see if you can spot him)!
What is your favourite transitional outfit this season?

Boho Yoga OOTD | Nourish my Style

Yoga is my one true exercise love, and in my opinion it is greatly underrated. It helps improve your balance, strength and inner calm, making it the perfect accompaniment to gym workouts. This summer I was determined to work on it (maybe even nailing the crow, who knows) but ended up doing a lot less than I'd hoped. So, I'm making it my goal this Autumn to do yoga at least four times a week, hoping to build back up to every day like I used to!
Anyway, these trousers from Bohomoon have fast become one of my favourite things to wear whilst doing yoga and having a chill out day. They are just SO comfortable, and the pattern is so pretty. Although you do get a lot of strange looks whilst strutting around in them, they're totally worth it. These paired with Boho Moon's metallic temporary tattoos made for the perfect look to spend the day in the park practising yoga with my little sister. 
This cute halter neck from New Look has become my staple top this summer. It's perfect for sunshine-filled days like this, as well as being a great little thing to wear with my ripped black skinnies on a night out!
What was your boho obsession this summer?

Fabletics: A Con? | Favourite Gym Wear

When my order from Fabletics first arrived, I wondered why I hadn't heard any other bloggers raving about it - decent gym outfits for £26 don't come easily! It was only when I started to notice that £44 was being taken out of my account near the beginning of each month that I started to get concerned. Quickly doing a google search for "is fabletics a scam?" came up with a truck load of hits, and I instantly thought "well, shit". After doing a bit of research, and having a lengthy conversation with one of the customer service team on the telephone, I came away with the result that no, Fabletics isn't exactly a scam, but you ought to be wary. When you sign up initially to get your cheap gym gear, and agree to be a VIP member, you are actually agreeing to pay £44 a month to get given one "credit" for an outfit. The company gives you up until the 5th of every month to skip that month if you don't wish to purchase anything that month. However, if you simply want to cancel the membership entirely, there is a phone number to do so posted at the bottom of the website.

So, on to the clothes. I'm not going to lie, when these arrived in the post I fell in love. I've never owned a sports bra before, which is pretty shameful in itself, but this one was so comfortable and stylish I now hate the days when I go to the gym and it's still in the wash (damn my student house for not having a tumble dryer!). This and the leggings are made out of similar material. Both are elasticated, yet firm, meaning that they don't go out of shape too easily, but give room for you to make those gainz, or y'know, put on a few pounds during exam season like I did. The top itself I also loved, as it was so light and airy it meant that I didn't overheat quite as much as usual.

All in all, I loved the quality and appearance of the items, especially as you got to choose which colour and pattern you wanted them made of! Although I was greatly perturbed at the fact that Fabletics didn't make it entirely clear that you were going to receive monthly charges, I now have two credits to spend despite cancelling my membership. I would recommend using this company, but just make sure you have your facts straight: get good quality gear and if and when you want to cancel your membership or skip a month make sure you do so.

What have your experiences been with this company?

Love and Light

Steph

OOTD: Summer Loving

Let's face it, I'm by no means a 'girly-girl'; never have been, never will be. But, this outfit was just perfect for a day trip in Devon on which I really wanted to embrace my inner femininity. Light and breezy, I felt so summery and carefree in this simple number.