June 2018 • Vintage Frills

I like buying gifts for myself, I think I definitely deserve nice things! I’ve mentioned a few times before how much I love subscription boxes. It’s so nice getting a little delivery every month and I love the surprise of discovering whats inside. As a busy mum, its not always easy to put myself first and I’ll always treat the kids before myself. The Lifestyle Box was also started by two mums, with a fab idea. I think this might be the perfect subscription box for me!

Each box comes beautifully packaged and contains a selection of 4 beautiful lifestyle items. The gifts in each box are sourced from a selection of small and independent businesses and makers. This is something I can really get behind and one of the things I was most impressed with when I heard about The Lifestyle Box. I was sent the May box to try, so here are my first impressions.

Packaging

One of the little things I always appreciate in a subscription box, is the box itself. I love a nice sized sturdy box that I can re-use. This one is large, robust and glossy and it was an absolutely lovely way to start the experience. I liked the little note inside, which made it feel more personal.

Inside, the packaging is just as good and I liked that the inner packaging matched the theme of the May box, which was Blooming Gorgeous and with a purple colour scheme.

So what was inside the box? A lovely scarf, a cute coin purse, a stunning Amethyst necklace and an adorable Prosecco lip balm. Such a nice gift and definitely all stuff that I will use and enjoy.

My favourite piece in the box was the gorgeous Amethyst Druzy Necklace. I love anything with with crystals and the colour of this one is just stunning. This is definitely something I will wear and use a lot. I also like that it’s not something I would have sought out and bought, so getting it as surprise and loving it makes it even better for me.

I always carry a lip balm or two around in my handbag, I love to try new brands and different flavours. This comes from lovely small business Heart and Heritage. I loved the smooth texture of this lovely lip balm. It’s perfect for giving my lips a little love and it smells gorgeous.

The cute leather coin purse is also going to get a lot of use. It’s currently in my bag with some spare hair elastics and hair grips in it, so I always have them on the go if I need one. This would also be great for keeping money in when I’m carrying a small handbag or clutch bag and I can’t use my big purse. I love the rose gold colour and that it was handmade by an independent maker called Dasprez.

Lastly the gorgeous scarf, which is just one of those lovely useful things to throw on before you leave the house. Right now it’s a little hot for a scarf, but I’ll be keeping this safe for Autumn, Winter and Spring. It’s a lovely light scarf, which is a really good size and agin absolutely gorgeous quality.

The Details

I received the May subscription box. Each month The Lifestyle Box co launch a new theme supported with colours and product that are completely different. There 4 surprise items presented beautifully in a box every month. The items very but include candles, stationery, beauty products, fashion accessories, confectionery and home trinkets. Basically all the lovely little things that I can’t resist treating myself too! Also perfect for bloggers like me who like nice things for flat lays (just saying!)

There are different lengths of subscription. 1 months costs £20 plus P&P, a three month subscription costs £54 and 6 months costs £105. I think this would make an absolutely lovely gift for somebody special, be it a friend relative or just lovely you!

Find out all the details of the subscription box over on The Lifestyle Box website.

*The Lifestyle Box was kindly sent to me for the purposes of review. All opinions as always are my own.

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When it comes to dressing in vintage, it’s the finishing touches that make all the difference. I love playing around with all my bags, shoes and accessories and putting lovely outfits together. As well as some new additions this season, there are lots of Hotter shoes which I pair up with my vintage dresses. I like modern shoes as they fit better and are so much more comfortable than their vintage counterparts! When I go to events or just for everyday life I wear shoes that won’t be hurting my feet after a few hours and my Hotter shoes are perfect. I own quite a few pairs, so today I’m sharing some of my favourites to wear with my vintage outfits.

Hotter Shoes for Vintage Outfits

Vintage Style Shoes from Hotter Shoes

For everyday I mostly wear flats. I walk a lot so it’s the most practical choice. I almost always wear pretty dresses though, so I like shoes that are actually more practical than they look! So popular everyday choices for me include my Flare sandals and for a slightly dressier look I’ll go for something like Hallie. For more dressy occasions or vintage events I’ll usually wear Donna or Viviene. I’ve also included Valletta in the picture above, I don’t own these, but I spotted them in the Outlet section of the Hotter website and there are few sizes left for a few lucky feet!

Vintage Style Shoes from Hotter Shoes

Viviene and Village Vintage Style Shoes

Vivienne are one of my favourite pairs of Hotter shoes. I own them in this simple cream colour and they are so versatile, I can wear them with almost anything. These are from last year and they now come come in a selection of other colours and two tone options. These are ideal for wearing with vintage dresses. I love the navy and cream pair so much.

Another favourite pair are the Village brogues, again I own them in a very easy to wear natural shade. This is another pair that is now in the Outlet section, but I thought I’d include them just incase any of you are a size 8. I mostly wear these with my cropped jeans, but they’d look great with skirts and dresses too. For some alternative lace up options click here.

Vintage Style Shoes from Hotter Shoes

Flare and Mabel Comfy Shoes for Everyday

I own the Flare sandals in two different colour-ways, the brown pictured above and a red pair from last season. I wear these at least 3 or 4 times a week and they just don’t seem to wear out. They are great quality and will last for years. I like the nod to 40s sandals with the Flare and I think they look great with vintage dresses. These come in lots of colours, so you can match them up to your favourite outfits.

I love a nice pair of lace up canvas shoes and the Mabel from Hotter are a firm favourite. These are another one that come in so many different prints, I’d love have a few pairs go these to match different outfits. I chose these because they’re quite an easy colour to mix and match with.

Vintage Style Shoes from Hotter Shoes

Donna Comfortable and Stylish

My all time favourite Hotter style would have to be Donna. These have been available for a few years now and have come in a variety of colours over the years. both my pairs are quite old now and the pink especially have been worn a lot. They are so comfortable and look amazing as part of a vintage inspired outfit. At the moment they come in a pale pink, a truffle and black and cream options. there are also a few colours in the Outlet section.

Hallie for Dressing Up and Down, Sol for Happy Feet

One of the newest additions to my collection are the Hallie shoes, these are low heel while still being quite dressy. I love to wear these with really casual outfits like jeans and gypsy tops and also go all out and wear them with a gorgeous dress. This is a pair I’d take on holiday, so I could wear them day and night. These also come in black a metallic nickel finish.

I wear my Sol sandals so much, that I had to take them off my feet to take this picture! Although not specifically vintage in style, they do go with just about everything, especially in the gold shade that I have. This is another style that comes in loads of colours and I definitely wouldn’t mind having a few more pairs. I’ve walked miles around London in these without my feet hurting at all, I’d definitely recommend these if you walk a lot, but still want pretty sandals.

Find your Perfect Pair

Fine the full range of comfortable shoes over on the Hotter website.

* This post was sponsored by Hotter who I will be working with on a few posts over the summer. I am so grateful to be able to work with brands who I already shop with and love. All opinions as always are my own. This post contains affiliate links.

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It’s been quite a while since I found a bikini that I really love and feel comfortable in. Much as I love my body, I like styles that cover my stretch marks, but also have enough room for my boobs. It can actually be really hard to find something that works when you’re not a conventional body shape. I recently got the opportunity to choose a bikini and cover up from Boohoo and I’m so glad I chose this simple black bikini and beautiful fringed kimono.

When I started looking on the Boohoo website, I went straight to the plus size section, which has an amazing selection of swimwear in size 16-24. The plus range is every bit as lovely as their main range and I was impressed with how fashion forward everything was.

In dresses I usually go for a size 14, but in swimwear I like to size up as I have a big bum and boobs and feel more comfortable in a larger size. The bottoms fit perfectly, but the top was a little loose round the back, so I had to wear it as tie back. I’m a 32F, so I often need to size swimwear up to allow for my cup size and make things smaller round the back to allow for my smaller rib cage. This isn’t a big problem for me though and so worth it to get a great fit. I couldn’t believe how supportive the bikini tops was, I felt secure and comfortable and the style was perfect for me.

The best thing about the bikini was how confident I felt in it. It hid the bits I’m self conscious about and supported my boobs, so I could just enjoy a lovely day on the beach with Rob and the kids without worrying about how I looked. I definitely believe that every body is bikini ready and there is a perfect bikini out there for everyone. Confidence shouldn’t come from changing you, but finding the right swimwear for you. I now want to buy lots more gorgeous bikinis, so me and my new found confidence can have even more fun on the beach.

The cover up is so perfect for me and I love both the print and the fringed details. It was nice having an extra layer as I don’t go to the beach to tan but to play with the kids, take in the view and have fun. It was also nice as we visited the beach later in the day and it kept the chilly breeze at bay. This would be perfect to take away on holiday.

You can find the full range of swimwear on the Boohoo website or check out the plus size range.

These pics were shot by Rob on a lovely day out at the beach with the kids. *Thank you to Boohoo for sending me a bikini to try and thank you for focussing on a body positive inclusive range.

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