Palm Power

June 8, 2017June 8, 2017 | blueskygirlie

As it is now summer (hoorah!) its time to embrace all those colours and prints you wouldn’t normally wear any other time of the year. There’s something about a tropical print that always feels really summery and I am quite the slave to the palm print in both fashion and home.

So when this little gem caught my eye in the TU clothing department in Sainburys for just £20 I thought it was a really wearable summer staple and snapped one up.

It is described as a jumpsuit but I would describe it more as a culotte dress. I’m 5’2″ and its length sits like a midi dress on me. It is a fitted shape with square neckline and short sleeves and zips up the back and for those who hate summer and the nightmare that is thigh rub this is the perfect solution! Overall the shape is very retro and flattering and the wide cullottes balance out the fitted top perfectly.

I co-ordinated my new buy with some amazing OTT palm leaf acrylic earrings I got from New Look many years ago because, well, I love a Palm! I always wear these earrings in the summer and they have been a great buy.The tie waist adds an extra flattering element meaning you can pull the waist in if you wanted a looser fit (I chose to wear mine quite fitted) and the fabric has some stretch to it as well as being a vibrant mix of greens, black and beige highlights. I feel really great wearing this, have so far worn it to the office and can’t wait to wear it on holiday too.

Its available in store now but will sell out fast so grab one while you can!

Culotte Jumpsuit / TU at Sainsburys
Sandals / Primark (past season)
Earrings / New Look (past season)

The thing I fell in love with this week

May 17, 2017May 17, 2017 | blueskygirlie

H&M ❤ Coachella star earrings / £6.99

I love stars. Simple as. Oh and I love H&M. So when I saw these earring I just had to have them! Statement earrings are back in fashion and these chandelier style earring definitely do that. They are lightweight and have a mix of black, glittery midnight blue and lilac in them which pretty much works with most outfits.

And finally the price – at only £6.99 they are an absolutely bargain. I have worn mine with my simplest outfits and they really take the outfit to another level. Grab a pair now before they sell out!

Available in store now – £6.99

THAT Next Peasant Top…

May 4, 2017May 10, 2017 | blueskygirlie

You might remember me saying I had treated myself to the Instafamous red Next peasant top as part of my birthday spending last month. I had seen this top on A LOT of bloggers and had fallen in love with it knowing it would be a great summer staple but also something that was a bit different from my other summer tops.

Now we all know seeing something on Instagram and wearing it in real life are two very different things. For a start I do not have the body of a typical Instafamous blogger type – I am over 40, 5’2″ and curvy so not all ‘it’ items work for me…in fact many dont 🙈.

So what did I think? Well I really like this top. It is priced at £40 and well worth it in my opinion – it’s great quality (a thick, quite boxy, cotton) with lots of embroidery and a tassel tie collar. The red is REALLY red and it looks great with denim (and hopefully a tan when I finally get one!).

A word of warning though – it is quite short in the body. I think it was designed to skim over the waistline, or be tucked in and for someone my height it hangs longer to my hips which works for me. But if you are taller you might want to size up. The sleeves are also designed to be slightly shorter – a bracelet length but with them being bell shaped I think that looks ok.

This top comes in sizes S – XL and I went for a medium. It’s loose but not too baggy on me and has that bit of extra length to it.

Ultimately though, this top is all about the sleeves…the embroidery is really nicely done and you feel like this could be a designer top. Its material has weight to it and the tassels are heavy making it feel very authentic.

For todays post I co-ordinated it with this bargain Primark sandals and bag combo – the sandals are just £4 and I recently grabbed this red pair and a denim version in store. They are really comfortable with an elasticated back and wrap over fabric front. The cross body bag is just £7 and looks much more expensive – I love the navy and red strapping. Its a good size too if youre like me and carry far too much stuff with you!

Top – Next – available here.
Jeans – Very.co.uk
Sunglasses/Sandals/Bag – Primark

Oh and if you REALLY love this blouse but red is not your thing – it comes in blue too!

Youre welcome 😉

Birthday Bonanza

April 13, 2017 | blueskygirlie

So last month it was my birthday. Its lovely to receive presents particularly when most of the year youre spending your money mainly on other people (kids I’m looking at you). Want to see a selection of what I was lucky enough to get?

As a working mum/stepmum of three boys, doing up a house, with a foreign summer holiday on the cards, there’s nothing too extravagant here but have a look and hopefully get inspired for some present choices of your own…

V by Very colour block coat, V by Very embellished cross-body bag / Very.co.uk

I had been after this coat for a while and when it went 50% off in the Very sale pointed my boyfriend towards it. It is wool with different colour panels and really looks fab with just jeans and a t-shirt.

This bag was another item that went into sale, it was out of stock for ages but when a few appeared online I made sure one of them ended up as a birthday gift for me! The detail on the strap is just lovely and has got quite a few comments plus they go together nicely too!

Embroidered sleeve peasant top / Next

Everywhere on Instagram, this top will be a summer staple for me. Be warned though it comes up quite short so I went up a size to the medium. The detail is amazing though and it looks like a £300 top not a £40 one.

Love you to the moon and back artwork / Clintons

I am going to hang this within a collection of artworks on one of our feature walls – its a phrase my fiancé always says to me so has real meaning too.

Boho jacket, fluted sleeve jumper, assymetrical earrings / M&S

I had been given some money so put it to good use in good old M&S. The fluted sleeve ‘it’ jumper had been on my wishlist since Christmas so I decided to treat myself but instead of my usual grey I went pink!

Reasons I love you gift box / Not on the High Street

This was the cutest little birthday gift from my fiancé…there are 10 handwritten notes in this pretty box saying reasons why he loves me ☺️ I do love a personalised gift and a romantic gesture too.

Bloom by Estee Lalonde/ Amazon

I was interviewed by Estee as part of the behind the scenes filming on the Garnier advert I filmed last December and was struck by her cool Canadian style. Her book has all sorts of tips and information in and I really like its relaxed but stylish vibe.

‘Hello Lovely’ hanging mirror plaque / Wilkinsons

Because if you can’t have a mirror tell you youre lovely then whats the point? This is really lovely and adds a feminine touch to my usually quite retro tastes.

Vintage 1980’s necklace / Vintage Fair

Ah my best friend knows me well! I will wear this with a black polo neck or t-shirt while channeling my inner Melanie Griffiths in Working Girl. I love vintage jewellery for its uniqueness and love this look.

And that is a selection of the bits I got! I hope my presents gave you some style inspiration – its lovely to receive gifts you love and I usually set up a wishlist or ask for money to achieve just that.

So I’d better start building it back up – its only 8 months to Christmas!!!

You can never have too much (bargain) Jewellery

April 7, 2017 | blueskygirlie

They say accessories make an outfit and for me having a selection of different jewellery I can dip into to add to an outfit really helps me make a difference when styling my clothes.

Just want to wear a white t-shirt and jeans today? Add a fab necklace and it will take your outfit to the next level. The other bonus is costume jewellery is usually quite cheap so you can grow and a collection quite quickly without spending too much money.

With jewellery I am quite a believer of quantity over quality and will happily rummage through the sale areas of high street stores to find some bargain bits!

In todays blog I’ll share with you some the pieces I have bought recently, none of which cost over £5…

Crescent moon necklace /Primark
3D ring earrings / New Look
Heart earrings / New Look

Silver hoop earrings / New Look
Ribbon corsage / vintage (charity shops can be great to pick up unique and bargain priced pieces)

Tassel earrings / H&M

Rose gold disc necklace / Topshop

You’ll see these pieces appearing accessorising my regular outfits very soon! Who says you have to spend a lot to look great???

What bits have you got recently that you love?

The Art of Self-Gifting

March 9, 2017March 9, 2017 | blueskygirlie

So do you do it? Its kind of naughty, a little selfish and *ahem* very satisfying… I am of course talking about self-gifting. The act of treating yourself to the thing you want because, well, you’re worth it!

Now, I have a few personal rules for gifting to ones self.

Firstly they must be bargains (no extravagance here, thats for wish lists and actual gifts from loved ones),
They should be relatively frivolous – theres no joy in self gifting yourself something like nail varnish remover but a lovely nail varnish, now thats completely different,
They should ALWAYS make you feel good,
They shouldnt cost too much – £20 is usually my limit, spending more for no reason makes me feel a bit guilty!

We all deserve a treat now and again and as women we often put everyone before ourselves, particularly once we become mothers.

So, need some self-gifting inspiration? Here’s the last 10 things I self-gifted myself starting from just £1…

1) Striped tee £4.99
2) Tulle skirt £14.99 / all New Look

3) Adidas red gazelles (kids) £19.50 / Very.co.uk

4) Lace ruffle top / £15 / V by Very

5) Stationary inc planner clipboard £1.50 / Wilkinsons
A5 lightbox £12.99 / New Look

6) Embroidered biker jacket £10
7) Pin badge set £1
8) Gold textured boots £7 / all Primark

9) Asymmetric earrings £3 / Topshop

10) Glitter boots £7.50 / TU at Sainsbury

Not so keen to self-gift? Why not try the ‘I’ve bought this and you can give it to me as my birthday/mothers day/theres an r in the month present’. I find that one works well too!!!

Do you love to treat yourself and what do you treat yourself with? I’d love to know…

Boho is back…

February 23, 2017February 23, 2017 | blueskygirlie

…but then it never went away!

I am a sucker for falling in love with things via my Instagram feed – to be honest its one of my favourite things about Instagram. Stylish people share their great finds with you, discoveries that you can then make your own. I’d seen an amazing blouse on a few different bloggers feeds and had assumed it was Isabel Marant or similar, and knowing that was completely out of my price range resigned myself to swooning over it from afar.

I couldn’t believe it when I tapped for a credit tag and found it it was from good old Marks and Spencer! M&S! I practically did a little dance!!!

The blouse is from the Indigo range at M&S and is a cream cotton Telcel with detailed embroidery and fringing. It is gathered under the bust so is a very flattering fit which hangs to your hips. The generous bell sleeves add to the peasant look but everything about this blouse screams designer when it is in fact, high street.

I wore mine with skinny jeans and heeled boots and felt the proportions were really flattering to my curvy frame. Size-wise it is true to size and I bought the UK size 12 which hangs really nicely.

The best bit about this blouse is the boho details. The detailing is REALLY good – a mix of colours with fringing detail to the front and it has a slight cut out detail to the back fastening.

This blouse would definitely be a great addition to your SS17 wardrobe – its a very wearable piece, is lovely quality and very flattering. My advice? Grab it now before it sells out!

Peasant blouse – Indigo at Marks & Spencer / £35 in store and online now

What does your Valentines Day look like?

February 14, 2017February 14, 2017 | blueskygirlie

It’s Valentines Day! Whether or not you celebrate it, love it or loathe it, are taken or single, it’s a great day to spoil yourself and make yourself feel good. It’s a day all about love – whether its the love for a partner, for your friends, your family but most importantly yourself – because you can’t love anyone properly unless youve learnt to love yourself! In todays blog I’ll show you my picks to help you do just that…

Mind blowing blow dry spray – Schwarzkopf Got2b
Red lingerie set – Peacocks
Vanity case – Primark
Heart earrings/Movie Night purse/Diamanté brooch – New Look
Rose Quartz Facial Oil – Skin Chemists*
Red Gazelle Trainers – Adidas
Je t’aime brooch – vintage
The Righteous Butter – Soap and Glory
Heart dish – Clintons
Harley Quinn mini-figure – Lego
Love Heart sweets – Swizzles Matlow

I love wearing nice underwear whatever the day and Valentines Day demands some red accents so why not your undies! This lace bra and knicker set (£15 from Peacocks) is sexy but still wearable – as a 43year old, DD cup size with a mummy tummy, Ann Summers style is just not going to work for me! Feeling confident is sexy, right? The Schwarzkopf Mind Blowing Spray is a new discovery for me and its amazing! It makes your hair dry so fast and makes straightening really easy. The ‘Be Mine’ heart dish (£10 from Clintons) is perfect to put my rings on at night and the Harley Quinn Lego minifigure (£4 from all good Lego retailers) is a little gift from my boyfriend who just loves Lego (and I love Harley). The heart earrings were from the New Look sale and look really cute on as do my red Adidas Gazelle trainers – I’ve wanted a pair for ages so treated myself in the January sales and by buying the kids version (they go up to UK 5.5) I saved a fortune! The Skin Chemists Rose Quartz facial oil (£24.99 from Skin Chemists) is still keeping my skin soft and radiant (for more info see my review of it here) and smells lovely…just the thing to make you feel great about yourself!

I do love a pretty accessory and the heart brooch is a vintage one and the diamanté wreath brooch is from New Look. Love Heart sweets are always cute to give your loved one and dont seem to of changed that much since I was a kid (apart from maybe a ‘text me’ one!). And this vanity case (£5 from Primark) is just adorable – perfect for if youre going away or just to store stuff in your bedroom or bathroom.

I love Soap & Glory products so The Righteous Butter is a constant buy for me – if you’ve never tried their products then I did definitely recommend you do. And finally I couldnt resist the Movie Night coin purse (£4.99 New Look) its small, but perfectly formed and the perfect size for your cinema tickets, some coins and a bank card.

But ultimately my Valentine Day looks like just being with the people I love. As its half term and I have the day off I will be lunching then having a Starbucks date with my 3 sons/stepsons in the day and then later on will share a romantic dinner with my boyfriend. We dont ‘do’ gifts, just give a Valentines Day card because for us its every day that matters, not just February 14th. But whatever you do, however big or small, enjoy the day.

PS I also wrote about how I hate the commercialism of the day here – have a look and let me know your thoughts!

During February Skin Chemists are having a Rose Quartz month with lots of promotional offers on the entire range. This product usually has a RRP of £99 but during February is reduced to £24.99 – to shop it click here. My followers can receive an additional 20% off by using the discount code BLUESKYBLOG making the product only £19.99! The code is valid until the end of February.

*I was gifted this product but all views stated are my own. For more information please see my disclaimer section.

Pretty in Pink

January 20, 2017January 20, 2017 | blueskygirlie

Its no secret I love pink. I like bright pink, baby pink and metallic pink…which is strange really as I wouldn’t describe myself as a particularly ‘girlie’ girl. But fashion for me is about feeling good about yourself and pink clothing always does that for me.

Todays look is based around a fabulous bargain jumper I bought from New Look. Its just £9.99 and is available in a number of colours – its shade is ‘shell pink’ which is a lovely flattering pink perfect if you dont want to go too pink (if thats possible, but hey I love pink!). It has a high neck, sloughy shape and fitted sleeves which creates a very flattering fit. I went for the small as I didnt want it too loose fitting. The jumper is available in 9 different colours plus some petite and tall options too and I definitely recommend it – find it here.

For a feminine look, I teamed it with a silver pleated skirt, pearl necklace and silver brogues. I wanted the look to be pretty but not fussy so kept it simple. I just love pleated skirts and keep buying them in various colours, as theres something about the ‘swoosh’ you get when wearing pleats that just makes you feel great!

The longer length necklace creates a flattering accessory drawing the eye downwards and for a cute quirky look I teams the brogues with glittery ankle socks rather than tights.

I think this is a pretty, feminine look without looking too girlie (I am 43!). So are you ready to embrace some pink for when Spring arrives? How do you style it, I’d love to know…

Jumper /New Look £9.99
Skirt / eBay (China) £14.99
Socks / Next Kids £3.00
Necklace / Dorothy Perkins (past season)
Shoes / 915 at New Look (past season)

always a blue sky girl

fashion inspiration

Palm Power

The thing I fell in love with this week

THAT Next Peasant Top…

Birthday Bonanza

You can never have too much (bargain) Jewellery

The Art of Self-Gifting

Boho is back…

What does your Valentines Day look like?

Pretty in Pink

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