FatFace - Summer Must Haves

Here are my summer must haves from the new FatFace Summer Shop that are now available. These pieces have been massive Go-To items for my travels in Greece and I'm sure you will be able to see why. 

The ultimate holiday cover up has now been made and found. I love lace and crochet details and this Harlyn Crochet Cover Up is perfect with it's detailed sleeves and middle panel. Still letting that warm breeze cool you down but thin enough to over heat you. I found this so great for evenings on the beach and once I thought my shoulders were burnt enough for the day ;) The detail in this cover is just beautiful, the side panels have different texture to the middle and the thin cotton sleeves keep it comfy and able to flutter in the breeze. 

Of course this cover up has to be paired with the perfect bikini...introducing the Rib Strip Sport Top and Pants...these were my comfort swimwear all holiday. Super comfy and with the 3D ribbing on the bikini it was a bit different to standard prints. These complemented the cover up so well and they were ridiculously supportive when swimming underwater and snorkelling all day long.

Greece is full of the famous white buildings, blue skies and blue waters which makes this place just heavenly. The new Kirsty Strip Dress reflects Greece perfectly for me and was so gorgeous next to the flowing the pink flowers down the building sides. A classic summer dress that will be worn when I'm home on loads of summer occasions. Such a sweet length too and perfect for exploring the little streets in Lindos. 

No summer holiday is complete without comfy bright flip flops. In summer I personally hate wearing shoes and I live in flip flops so for me finding ones that don't rub in between the toes and don't make the bottoms of your feet ache is super hard. But from day one these Pease Printed Flip Flops were complete comfort. No rubbing, seriously spongy so no achy feet and I love the boho pattern. These are a big must have from me for your summer wardrobe and your travels.

Look out for more blog posts from my travels with my FatFace must haves coming soon on how I styled them and where they went with me!

Hunt For Colour

Craving the sun on my skin again from this summer. I have been so lucky the last few months with opportunities that have been handed to me, the travelling I have done and I really am so grateful for it all. I thought I'd share this Europe inspired shoot with you all today in keeping with heartache for sunshine.

I'm so in love with the bright colours of flowers and houses in Europe. They always make the place feel otherworldly and give off the best vibes. You can't really be stroppy standing outside a bright orange house can you? But how amazing are the colours of this place? Hot pink flowers, turquoise shutters, orange walls; and so tucked away, like a diamond in the rough. I find no matter where you are, if you look hard enough you will always find somewhere that is beautiful and bright; you just have to hunt for it. There is beauty behind every corner, train yourself to see it and everything becomes that little bit more magical. 

It's becoming sweater weather and this oversized knit is one of my favourite items for autumn, comfy and slouchy - always the best. Everyone loves comfy clothes, it's definitely one of my weaknesses. Oversized jumpers, sweat pants and uggs are the best for cold days. I'm secretly really looking forward to winter because of this reason alone.

Super excited for my shoot tomorrow by the way, something a little bit different, and a little bit spooky...keep your eyes peeled on instagram for teasers.

Sweater: Topshop

Leggings: Topshop

Hat: Zara

Boots: NewLook

Photos by: Griffin Photography

Soak Up The Rays

Always make the most of everyday, sunshine is missed so badly when it's gone so when it's out, soak it up like there's no tomorrow. This summer has massively been taken over by whites and pastels so here's just a cute little outfit that was one of my favourites. Pairing a plain crop top with a patterned skirt and some white sandals makes for a fresh look that gives even the palest of skin a little bit of colour. I will always be a lover of whites and creams, but it always looks so good on a hot day.

Photography: Olivia Bossert

The Tower Of London Remember

If there is a place I will never get bored of coming to it's London. Always full of amazing sites and exciting events so I couldn't visit without seeing the stunning array of poppies around the tower of London. The ongoing growth of poppies is such a beautiful way to remember each fallen soldier from the war but it also very moving to see the impact of the amount of lives that were taken. Each single poppy represents one lost life of a soldier that was lost and there are now hundreds of poppies placed around the grounds, which is so emotional to see.

Having walked over Tower Bridge to see the views across the river it brings you out right next to the Tower of London. Following the road along it cuts down into the gardens of the castle to allow you to view it from all the way around. It's a lovely walk to see volunteers placing the poppies in the pattern right around the grounds which is also a big wake up call to all the effort this has taken, all the time and how each life lost is so important to reflect in the exhibit. 

Feel very lucky to be able to experience this while being here in one of my favourite cities. Sorry that the photos cannot express the magnitude of this wonderful expression of art but if you are in London or going soon you have to experience it for yourself.

Beautiful Hydration

If it's one thing I miss most about the beautiful country of Thailand is the detail they put into their drinks. They were always perfectly made, amazing flavours and beautifully presented. 

This was one element that opened my eyes to the world, something so simple as a drink can widen your experiences to the world so quickly. In UK there are places that put the effort in to their presentation more than others, but out in Thailand it is everywhere you go. The effort, the love for their food and drinks, it was wonderfully refreshing. As for the flavours, they were vibrant, exotic and it felt like they awakened my taste buds from the grave. 

Being pretty frightening of trying new foods and flavours for my most of my life is just a distant memory as without trying new things I wouldn't have been able to taste the wonders of Thailand in all its glory. Don't be afraid to try new things, even with experiences, because you could be passing up a chance to try the most wonderful thing in your life.

Drinks:  Mango Mojito, Caramel Iced Coffee, Chocolate, Raspberry and Mango Frappes and Iced Lemon Juice with Orchid Garnish.

Doi Suthep Temple

Being blessed with the amount of wondrous temples we have come across in Chiang Mai, we decided to go find another breathtaking experience we had heard about. Known as the golden temple, the Doi Suthep temple is found up the mountains in Chiang Mai, through the rainforest and situated at the top of over 300 steps.

After a great work out to reach the top the first thoughts were you were walking straight inside a huge temple. To my delight the doors I walked through opened up into a large courtyard with smaller temples, statues, walls of candles all surrounding a glowing golden temple. With the sun shining off it all over allowing it to glow in gold it almost looked like it was the sun of Thailand. 

For the most part of this adventure I was speechless, everything was so perfectly crafted even on a huge scale. The talent was incredible. Stumbling across a room where a monk sat and anyone can go inside to be blessed was something I needed to experience. No photos were allowed to be taken whilst sitting in front of the monk so I wasn't able to show you myself getting blessed but the experience was wonderful. Taking part in things like really make the journey that little bit more meaningful and spiritual. I had to close my eyes in the prayer position and the feeling of complete calm fell over me again as he chanted and flicked water over us whilst praying. He then called us forward and showed us to the right of him where we were giving bracelets which would protect us and give us goodluck. 

If you are travelling, embrace every opportunity that presents itself to you, you never know what it might mean to you. 

For Those Who Like Inspiration

Thought I would share my other blog with you all today. 
I write another blog about self help and motivation, it is for those who need help looking at things in a new light and seeing the positive in situations. If you need an advice don't hesitate to drop me a message.

My latest post is called Beauty is Everywhere. Click the post to view and the rest of my blog and advice. Hope it can help some of you or just help you see things a little differently.

Little Friends

Being a massive nature geek since I was little I LOVED the amount of nature that was just so normal to the locals in Thailand. Anyone who has seen my tattoos you will know, but in particular my lizard on my foot. So you can imagine my excitement when we noticed there were lizards everywhere in Chiang Mai. 

Simple little things in life make me happy and these little guys definitely did, especially when a lady pointed and screamed at my foot thinking there was a real lizard lying on it. Luckily she saw the funny side when I rubbed it to show her it wasn't real. (It's not even a realistic tattoo)

Priceless Experience

The same day we arrived in Chiang Mai we decided to go look around the town and explore. Little did I know this day would be one that will stay with me forever. 
We wondered along the street we were staying on, heading towards the town centre, even the streets were beautifully lined with temples and giant marble walls. Unsure whether we were allowed to go into the temple or not we first went inside the grounds of one to take photos of the building which was draped in gold and jewels, reflecting the sun all over us.
The second temple was a lot bigger with water fountains, flowers, gardens all around it. There was a place to put your shoes and robes to put over yourself when entering the temple. The inside was just the most beautiful sight I've ever seen. Golden ribbons hanging from the ceiling creating almost a floating layer inside the temple, a huge golden Buddha at the back of the temple and row upon row on monks praying on the floor in front of him. There was a small space at the back where the public could sit and watch. We sat quietly and the feeling that washes over you in indescribable. 

Total calm and complete peace.

The chanting of the monks filled the temple and a state of complete mindlessness took over. It was sensational to be part of and I still feel blessed that I was able to experience this.

Tuk Tuks.

One thing I was particularly excited to see and try in Thailand was the Tuk Tuks. They are like scooters and cars mixed together but are all brightly coloured and just one of the coolest things I've ever seen. If they were road legal in the UK I'd have to get myself one for pottering around in.

We had a lovely first experience in one, with a very sweet man driving us who also had an amazing moustache. They have many things in their cars and Tuk Tuks for protection so at the top of them it almost looks like a little shrine. I loved this as each were different and personal, so it allowed you see things that meant so much to the drivers without even knowing them. Little insights into their traditions were so refreshing.

Sleeper Train

After a short stay in Bangkok we had to move North to Chiang Mai. After researching ways of travel through Thailand we chose to take a sleeper train north for 14 hours. Not knowing how clean or nice the train would be but the thought of sleeping in a bed on train was pretty exciting. 
On arrival I was surprised with how nice it was, it wasn't anything amazing but there were little rooms of 2 bunk beds in each room. I had the top bunk which was quite private with a curtain that goes across the room cutting it off from the aisle on the train then a curtain which closes off your bed from the room. Even the beds were pretty comfortable so I was happier knowing it wasn't really how I pictured it. (Pictured below was my bed for the night)

As the heat outside is so hot nearly everywhere has air conditioning which is usually heavenly when you step into it from being in the heat. On this occasion it wasn't so pleasant as the air con was like Arctic winds. It was set in the ceiling and because my bed was underneath it, my night was not one I'd want to relive. Apart from being freezing the journey was really enjoyable and an experience I'll never forget.

Arriving in the morning in Chiang Mai was a bit of a rush as I had finally fell asleep in the morning and woke up with 5 minutes to get off the train before it went onto its next stop. We all got off safe without forgetting anything (miracle) then went on to get our first Tuk Tuk to our new hotel, The Small Hotel.

Iced Lemon Tea

Although I believed Thailand would be totally different to the UK I was massively surprised to see Burger Kings, Starbucks, McDonalds and Boots everywhere on every street in Bangkok. The first day we had chance to explore the heat was still so new to us, the humidity was just incredible, so yes, we caved and decided to go to Starbucks to see how different it was from the UK. 

Yet again Thailand impressed us with how tasty everything was and the presentation. Starbucks in Thailand have different flavours so I opted for Iced Lemon Tea as it sounded refreshing (exactly what I needed in the 30 degree sun). I can safely tell you this was one of the most amazing drinks I have ever had. I'm already hoping it gets introduced in England soon. To make this experience even better a man came around giving us free mini tasters of other drinks, then cakes. 

Just sat in the middle of Bangkok having a Starbucks felt so surreal. It still didn't feel like we were abroad or really left the UK. But the feeling of total freedom was coming on strong and fast, a feeling I've been chasing all my life.

Good Vibes To Share.

Something a little different for you all now. 
I want to set the summer vibes for you before I share all my wonderful paradise stories with you. So here is my big summer tune for you to listen to and let the good vibes in!

Click the link below and enjoy!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iX-QaNzd-0Y