The F Word

November 19, 2016November 19, 2016 | blueskygirlie

*warning this post may have triggering effects linked to food or weight issues*

Hi, I’m Sarah and if you follow this blog you will know that I am a generally cheerful, confident, fun person. You will also probably know that I have lost a lot of weight (I was a size 20/22 at my largest) and have to work hard to stay a size 12 by trying to watch what I eat and running 5k three times a week. It is not easy.It has taken me quite a while to like myself again but my body image is still a constant struggle and this blog, in part, is a tool to embrace my flawed, curvy, 40plus figure as seen by my super critical eyes. I had a eating disorder as a teenager and still have a complicated relationship with food and my body – to try to help, I follow quite a few plus size bloggers, those who embrace their size, love their bodies and are part of the #effyourbeautystandards movement. I admire them and their confidence but I cannot feel like them sadly. Being morbidly obese was a prison sentence for me and although I seemed confident I suffered terribly from anxiety, was physically in a bad place with various aches and pains and I hated myself.

So why am I telling you all this?

Well last week during an arguement with a stranger (a man) I was called ‘fat’. I was also called a bitch, stupid, a ho and various other insults but ‘fat’ was the one that really hurt. It got under my skin and wounded me more then any other insult and it made me think – why do people still use it as a low blow insult? A word that is used to hurt and belittle, particularly towards women.

Forgetting the fact the man saying it looked like the back end of a bus (and was hardly an Olympian himself) once that word was said I felt awful, insecure, and yes, fat. I felt ugly. I felt weak. He had told me in his eyes I was…what? Unattractive to him? Not the perfect body shape? Imperfect? Erm – who cares! But sadly I did care.

At my sons school they are taught the word fat is a hate word, as abusive as a swear word or racial slur and if he hears me using it he tells me off. This gives me hope that using the word to attack and hurt and undermine will end with our generation.

Body confidence is hard – every time I go on a run I put myself out there. Dressed in skin tight lycra it is scary to exercise in front of the world. It not just the actual running that’s hard, its fear of being watched, insulted, maybe even hurt…I’d say pretty much every month I get catcalled by men in cars/lorries bleeping their horns etc – they seem to think thats a compliment. Doing it every other day, regardless of those fears takes guts.

So am I going to stop eating cake? Hell no! Not run in public? I’m fitter than I’ve ever been so, sorry, no. Starve myself for an ideal I can never reach, one that is perpetuated by photoshopped images anyway? My body has done amazing things – it carried a baby, it can run for miles, ticked amazing places and experiences off my bucket list, kept me fit and healthy and my boyfriend seems pretty keen on it too!

What I do need to do is make sure that my confidence in both my inner self and the body people can see (and judge) is greater than any throwaway line or joke. I need to hear the words when the people who care about me tell me I am beautiful and loved and perfect in their eyes. NO-ONE male or female has the right to make you feel bad about the way you look…and the key is knowing they are not just wrong, but that they are the weak ones, the insecure ones, the ones that truly hate themselves. I need to remind myself of this statement –

So another pathetic human being goes on their way thinking they’ve won because they have said some throw away insult which is not based on anything apart from wanting to hurt. But you know what? People like that will never break me – I am more than words, more than their twisted ideals, more than their insecurites – I AM ME…AND AM PRETTY DARN FABULOUS!!!Find my blogs on my fitness and running here, here and here.

All photos via my Instagram – blueskygirlie

Fashion Hacks: messy belts

September 20, 2016September 21, 2016 | blueskygirlie

Don’t you just hate when your clothes dont feel right? I am a stickler for perfection in fashion styling (its a throwback from being a Harrods window dresser) and like to customise things that aren’t quite right.

In todays blog I’ll show you a little fashion fix for when your belt is hanging down, looking messy and being generally annoying! Long belts are fine when youre wearing something with belt loops but I like to add belts to my dresses and skirts. Plus, it seems I always have too much belt left over (this belt is a S/M from Primark and is still too long!) as you can see below.

This hack works best with a plaited belt but you could also make a small hole in any belt yourself and do the same.

1) Firstly find yourself a bobby pin (the type you use to pin hair up).

2) Push the pin through the end of the belt where its too long. Make sure it is as near the end of the belt as possible.

3) Line up the belt where you want it to stay put and push the pin through both layers.

4) Twist the belt over so you can get to the underside and then bend out the ends of the bobby pin into a straight line.5) Turn the belt back over and line up the pin, so the pin is hidden underneath.

6) Pull down the belt so it is lined up with the waistband of your clothing and fits your waist snugly.

And Voila! A neat, fixed in place belt!

Simple, yet effective. Look out for other fashion hacks in further blogs.

What we did in the Summer Holidays…

September 15, 2016September 15, 2016 | blueskygirlie

So the summer holidays are over.

Reuben started back at school last Wednesday and now we are all back in the busy routine of school runs, working days, clubs and play.

I have to say I have genuinely enjoyed the last 6 weeks. Although a struggle at times to manage childcare while working in marketing part-time and running an online vintage shop, the more laid-back vibe and opportunities to do new things together has been wonderful.

I, like many, dont have tons of spare cash to throw around so the summer holidays are always a mix of days out and either free activities or time at home. So in todays blog I thought I’d share some of the things we got up to big and small… hopefully making memories that will last for years to come.

Bletchley Park

This hidden gem on the outskirts of Milton Keynes is a great place to really experience the lives of the WW2 codebreakers (led by Alan Turing – who you may of seen immortalised in the Benedict Cumberbatch film The Imitation Game). Theres lots of information, exhibits and a replica of the Bombe, one of the first computers as well as an original German Enigma machine. The grounds and house are lovely with plenty of spots for picnics and fun, plus theres a cafe and restaurant too. A great historical visit that has something to interest everyone.

The National Museum of Computing

Next to Bletchley Park is the museum of computing and with two computer/gaming crazed 9 years olds we couldnt not visit! The museum holds all types of computing devices and the boys marvelled at the huge old computers from the 1960s as well as interacting with robots, retro consoles and even some virtual reality. There were lots of passionate helpers on hand to explain things and were very patient with our children helping them program, play and generally interact with the exhibits.

Cinema – Finding Dory

OK, its kinda a no-brainer but the cinema was a great day out for all of us and we made sure to fit in some ice cream afterwards! Finding Dory was a great film that all our children enjoyed (with the age difference this can be hard) and had a beautiful message.

Roald Dahl Museum

What a delight this place is. Small but perfectly formed, it is located in Buckinghamshire where Dahl lived and shares his childhood, all his wonderful work, insights on his process (he ate 3/4 bars of chocolate a day, wrote during strict working sessions and never cleaned his writing hut) and his ongoing legacy. Theres lots of interactive displays, memorabilia, storytelling and talks and a lovely little tea room if you fancy a slice of cake. It is great for school aged children as they are already familar with much of his writing and all visitors are given a cute pad and pencil to write down their ideas just as Dahl did.

The Science Museum

I’d not been to the Science Museum since I was a child and I was pleasantly surprised to see it had changed alot since then. Its free to get in, theres lots to see and do and kids eat free in the restaurant when you order and adult meal. However for all the REALLY cool stuff you do have to pay – the IMAX cinema, 4D experiences and flight simulators add up £ wise, but make for a cool techy day out…and if you travel by train you can get 2for1 vouchers which bought the cost down a lot. Great for inquisitive minds, young and old, and don’t get me started on the amazing gift shop…

Theme Parks

We are a thrill-seeking family so summer wouldnt be summer without a trip to a theme park. We visited both Alton Towers and Thorpe Park this summer and had a blast! Look for 2for1 vouchers and online codes to make it more affordable and think about bringing a picnic lunch. We usually purchase the refillable drinks bottles too and refill throughout the day via the Hydration Stations. Now our 9yr old’s are taller we have a lot more rides to go on so keeping hydrated is important!

Swimming

The pool, the garden, who cares?!? If its hot get wet! Our local pool does lots of kid friendly swim sessions and we bought a bigger paddling pool last year and I was determined we would get good use out of it! Again quick and easy, but very fun.

Trampoline Park

This was a new experience for us as a family and boy it was fun! Be warned though it is EXHAUSTING! Our local trampoline park has a ‘Total Wipeout’ machine, dodgeball and basketball areas and lots of high points to jump off of! We will definitely be visiting again.

Frappincino Dates

A simple quick thing to do but it feels special. I love having a Starbucks ‘date’ with my 9 year old and it makes him feel very grown up. He knows its a treat (those drinks are yummy but calorific) and we get some sweet one on one time.

Days at the Seaside

Living in Kent we have quite the pick of the seaside towns. Margate, Whitstable, Broadstairs and Herne Bay are all great to visit and filled with everything you would expect. We walked the pier, played in the amusements (2p machines a speciality), ate chips and swam in the sea. Just perfect.

And of course there were plenty of quieter days at home. This year I made sure our boys didn’t expect to do something everyday and they made use of the many toys and books they have as well as visiting our local play park and spending time with other family members. All in all I think we found a good balance.

Find more photos via my Instagram – follow all the photographic fun and games here.

Still Running

July 7, 2016July 7, 2016 | blueskygirlie

Someone asked me the other day how I motivate myself to keep running. They wanted to run, in fact they could run a 5k OK, but they couldn’t motivate themselves to do it regularly so it wasnt having any effect.

It got me thinking – how have I bucked the trend and run 3 times a week every week for the last 2 years come rain or shine and havent given up?

Well firstly its definitely not due to any physical prowess! Let me be clear – I still find running hard – I’m tired at the end and I definitely dont look forward to it. But the thing I’m best at is never missing a run, so these are my 5 tips for not just starting running, but keeping running…

1) Treat it like a commitment you cant get out of – when you get up for work in the morning not going in isn’t an option you consider even if you’d rather stay in bed. I treat running the same way. I have ‘running days’ that fit around my work and childcare schedule and think of them as an appointment in the day that is non-negotiable. This change in how I think about them makes them a ‘have to’ rather than a ‘might do’.

2) Provide yourself with tools that make it easier – buy yourself some bits of clothing that mean youre not reliant on good weather. Any gaps for excuses is dangerous. A hat, snood and gloves for winter and sunglasses, vest and water bottle for summer. We can all make excuses to get out of doing things but dont give yourself the option. Carry an ipod or phone with you and listen to music or an audiobook – if you can find ways to make yourself feel more comfortable within the act of actually running it wont seem so hard.

3) Get to know your body – your body is a machine and you need to treat it as such. Know when you’ll be running and make sure you eat a decent meal beforehand. Dont leave it too late though, everyone is different but I would suggest a gap of least 2 hours so you dont feel like youre going to see your food again! Stay hydrated too and then take some water with you particularly in the summer and you will find running so much easier. If youre a woman don’t push yourself too hard at certain times of the month – a slow steady run is still a run. And finally a small thing but its mega important, ALWAYS make sure you use the loo before you leave 🙈.

4) Revel in your acheivements and be proud! Hey, youve done something amazing. Realise that. It shocks me how many people do no exercise at all – I used to be one of them. Share your run on social media – you might get the odd sarky comment but you know what? People that do that are just jealous (and usually doing no exercise themselves) and on the whole I find friends very supportive. Join a running community online or find followers via Strava – kudos from others can be a powerful tool. And if all else fails treat yourself to a favourite dessert or treat with dinner that night…after all the more you run the more you can eat!!!

5) Push yourself and acheive some ‘bucket list’ goals – when I started running just the idea of running a 5k without stopping was my only goal but as I’ve gone on (and its got easier) my goals have become bigger. Trying to get better times, running with others and recently doing my first organised run – a daunting concept for me – a charity Colour Run where we got pelted with paint powder as we ran. That had been on my bucket list so I was very proud…plus I got my first running medal!

Dont wait for January with the New Years resolutions losers, or during a short-lived health kick, or even wait till Monday, start now. And then, most importantly, DO. NOT. STOP.

All images via my Instragram – follow me here.

MY VERY.CO.UK SALE HAUL

May 31, 2016May 31, 2016 | blueskygirlie

Regular readers to this blog will know I’m quite a fan of Very. I have been a customer for a long time now and as well as loving the ranges I also like, as a online catalogue, you can have an interest free account and pay your balance in 3 parts using their ‘take 3’ option. This can be quite useful to spread the cost of things across 3 paydays or split a bigger purchase such as a leather jacket into more bitesize pieces. And then theres the sales…

Have a look at what I bought recently –

Definitions asymetric tunic – £9.75 (from £25) – the coral colour sold me on this top and its such an easy summer wear with leggings and sandals.

Vila suedette and stripe breton top – £16 (from £22) – I loved the updating of the classic breton with the suedette top and it works perfectly with the South boyfriend jeans – £15 (from £32) – distressed jeans look great in the summer rolled up with sandals and the dark wash on this pair is just perfect and looks really premium.

Shoe box lace up flats – £10 (from £20) – I’ve been seeing lace-up flats on fashion bloggers everywhere and at this price I couldnt resist!

River Island bib collar – £6 (from £16) – OK, OK its clear I love a collar! I find them so versatile and love the look they create without ruining the line of your clothes.

South skinny cropped jeans £11 each (from £20) – not the most exciting items in the world, but these will become a wardrobe staple and with their tight capri leg and high waist suit my figure perfectly.

All items available at Very.co.uk now while stocks last. New customers can open a Very credit account and get £30 off your first £60 spend using code FDNWW.

Visiting Budapest

May 27, 2016May 27, 2016 | blueskygirlie

Over Easter myself and my boyfriend travelled to Hungary for a 4 day city break. We had not been there before and were bowled over by the city.

So what to do when youve got time on your hands, no kids, a centrally located hotel room and some holiday cash?

Well firstly Hungary is not an expensive country! Food and drink is cheap and many of the attractions were free (or only a few pounds). We arrived with Euros but quickly changed them to HUT as paying in Euros works out very expensive (plus a lot of places wont take them). Be ready to feel like youre spending loads though as 1000HUT is worth about £2.50!

My top things to do…

Cruise the River Danube – the river splits Buda and Pest and is breathtaking. Take a romantic stroll or a riverboat cruise. We did both – a cruise works out about £15 a person and really lets you see the city along with learning the history too. We loved it!

Top Tip – book your cruise ahead at one of the tourist information points instead of being hassled at the waterside by the many different reps who may try and overcharge you.

artwork on the river bank remembering jews killed during the war. Budapest suffered terribly during WW2

Be in awe of the architecture – Budapest is a visually stunning city. Out of all the amazing buildings the Parliament buildings are iconic and usually what you see on postcards etc.

Top Tip -it is a working building with armed guards to the front as well as sculptures and fountains but it looks best viewed from the water.

that building youve seen in all the photos…

Get sporty on St Margarets Island – Ok, we are a bit annoying as we are both regular runners and like to do a 5k in cities that we visit…its a bucket list kinda thing. I know, I would hate us too if I didnt think we were awesome! St Marys Island is a car-free purpose built island in the middle of the Danube for sports and leisure. You can bike around it, canoe around it, play sports, visit the petting zoo or like us run round the 5k running track. It was full of locals when we were there and Budapest seems a very healthy city generally.

Top Tip – if you have room in your case pack some sports clothes – whether its a run, the hotel gym or finding somewhere to swim, its great to have the option to exercise available.

Get steamy at the Széchenyi Thermal Baths – A bit further out of the city (we had to take a short bus ride) is probably one of my favourite things I have ever done. A huge purpose built stunning building thats over 100 years old – you can swim in the thermal springs, get a massage, enjoy hydrotheraphy, sauna or just chill out on sun loungers.

Top Tip – book a cabin for a private changing room experience and pay to put your valuables in their safe boxes for extra peace of mind.

taking a dip in the thermally heated water

Ride the Castle Hill Funicular – so everyone wants to pretend theyre in a Wes Anderson movie dont they? This just sums up the whimsical charm of Budapest. The views as you go up and down are stunning too…

Top Tip – at the top discover the Hungarian National Art Gallery and see the changing of the guards outside the Presidents house

Explore the unique Buda –

Budapest really is a tale of two cities. The old town on the Buda side is unlike any place I’ve visited – very medieval feeling, quaint and unusual. It gets busy with tourists but we loved it.

Top Tip – if you visit St Mathius’ church book the cheaper bell tower tour rather than the full church tour – the climb will tire you out but the views are great.

pretending I’m a princess outside my castle at fishermans bastion

Visit St Stephens Basicila Cathredral – this is one of THE landmarks of the city and the ornate interior has to be seen to be believed. Entrance is by donation but spend a bit more and climb the 363 spiral steps to the dome balcony – the views are fabulous and theres even an art gallery on a hidden level!

Top Top – Afterwards, chill out on St Stephens Square where there are lots of pavement cafes and bars…

Ride on the trams – public transport in Budapest is cheap and relatively easy to use – we travelled on a bus and metro transfer from the airport (for about £4.00 each) and then used the metro and trams when things were a little too far to get to on foot.

Top Tip – the older yellow trams on the Pest side are adorable and you feel like youre in a 1950’s movie riding them. Buy a daily travelcard and enjoy!

the cutest public transport Ive experienced so far

Buy a rose shaped ice cream delight – there are lots of great food in Budapest but my favourite of the trip? It had to be these beautiful handmade rose ice creams made from 3 flavours of ice cream from Gelarto Rosa.

Top Tip – avoid the queues of the main shop which is nearest St Stephens Square by heading further down the street where you will find a second branch!

Dress up and eat out – when on holiday it has to be done! I’ll be honest, as a fussy eater I struggled with the hearty Hungarian food – however for lunch Goulash in a bread bowl made an interesting change and theres plenty to choose from. Food and drink is very reasonably priced with a 2 course meal with alcohol for 2 in a good restaurant easily managable on a budget of £50.

Top Tip – a 12.5% service charge is always included in the final bill in Hungary so dont add anything else on.

dress by boohoo boutique, attitude by me

Leave a Love Lock – this has become something of a traditional for us. After a romantic break its lovely to think they’ll be a part of you left there after you leave – last year we left one in Copenhagen at the spot where my boyfriend proposed to me. In Budapest they have metal ‘trees’ created for this purpose in Eserbet Tér (a large park in the centre of the city) so you know youre not vandalising anything or they’ll just be cut off a month later!

Top Tip – plan ahead and make one before you go using a cheap brass padlock. My boyfriend engraved it himself creating a lovely personal touch.

Budapest is a definitely ‘recommend’ from me! We flew to Budapest via Ryan Air from Stansted and stayed at the President Hotel in the centre of the city. Flights start from around £60 each way.

My vintage buy of the week

May 21, 2016 | blueskygirlie

Welcome to another of my new semi regular blogs! As you may know I run a business on Etsy selling vintage items and often end up keeping things I fall in love with

In these blogs I will share what I’ve bought and why (hopefully) it was a good buy!

Todays buy may be small but it holds its own! A minature 1960’s blown glass vase it was the perfect colour to add to a grouping of glass I’ve been adding to in our lounge. Isn’t it cute?

Highly collectable and growing in value its a great little buy. Plus I ADORE retro glass!

And here it is in its new home…

1960’s mini vase via RSPCA charity shop

What bargains have you found recently in the world of charity and vintage shops? I would love to know…

To shop my Etsy Shop click here

To shop my eBay shop (where vintage clothing ends up) shop here

To follow my Instagram (where most of my buys get shared first) follow me here

Look out more more vintage buys in coming weeks…

Alice in Wonderland at the British Library

April 5, 2016April 5, 2016 | blueskygirlie

One of my favourite books in the world is Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Caroll. In fact not just the book – I love the ideas, the illustrations, the history and the endless versions of it that have been created. When I heard the British Library were having an exhibition dedicated to it I just had to go.

From the British Library website:
“Happy Birthday Alice! To celebrate 150 years of the publication of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, this exhibition explores how Alice has captured our imaginations for so many years. Although the story has been adapted, appropriated, re-imagined and re-illustrated since its conception, we are still enchanted by Carroll’s original, much loved story, which continues to inspire new generations of writers and illustrators.

Come and see Lewis Carroll’s original manuscript with hand-drawn illustrations, alongside stunning editions by Mervyn Peake, Ralph Steadman, Leonard Weisgard, Arthur Rackham, Salvador Dali and others.
Discover how Lewis Carroll’s story has been re-imagined, re-interpreted and re-illustrated over the last 150 years with newly commissioned articles, a selection of manuscripts, reviews and literature relating to Alice in Wonderland”.

You start by taking a journey through a pop up of mirrors and maze walls all peppered with Alice in Wonderland quotes and various illustration from books across the 150 years of its publication.

You then enter the exhibition itself which showcases everything from the first edition, details and photos of the original Alice; Alice Liddell, examples of all the different illustrations that have been done over the last 100+ years, plus original art, vintage toys and of course, the ‘Disneyfied’ Alice and her merchandise.

My favourite thing had to be the original diary and then handmade book (complete with hand drawn illustrations) by Charles Dodgson (the real name of Lewis Carroll) that he made Alice as a present after that afternoon of storytelling…for a fan like me it was just breaktaking to see it.

Plus there’s a fab pop up Alice in Wonderland shop with lots of fabulous quirky items.

Its definitely worth a visit whether you are a fan or not and its wonderful that it is free for the nation to enjoy. Thank goodness for the patrons of the arts whose donations make this sort of thing possible.

The exhibition is in the library foyer, is free to get in to and runs until 17th April.

The British Library is at 96 Euston Rd, London NW1 2DB – nearest Tube Kings Cross/St Pancras.

The Vogue 100 Exhibition – National Portrait Gallery, London

March 30, 2016April 12, 2017 | blueskygirlie

As part of my birthday celebrations myself and my boyfriend had a great day out in London recently and I got to do one of the things I love doing – visiting art galleries. The Vogue 100 exhibition had been on my ‘to do’ list since it opened in February and I was thrilled to be able to go and see it. But the question is, is it worth seeing?

Once you enter the exhibition through pillars of different Vogue covers you are faced with this huge image of the late great Lee McQueen and a stark room with a small selection of the past 100 years most iconic images from which you can then access the different areas grouped by decade.

The layout is quite a strange one as it doesnt run in chronological order so I made my way to the ‘century of magazines’ area first and then worked forward from the 1920’s finally ending in the film area.

I went into to one of the end rooms first – The ‘Century of Magazines’ room

This room showed a copy of Vogue from every year of the 100 years it has been in publication…including the very first copy (pictured). It is breathtaking to see how a publication can represent its era, carry on through two world wars, touch politics, feminism and the changes to the world that happened during that time but still be a great fashion magazine.

Another great room was ‘The Planning Room’

In this room you entered a darkened space with negatives from all eras presented on top of light boxes and series’ of shoot images being projected on the wall showing how many shots the Vogue team would see before they picked ‘the one’.

And then there were the rooms of the different decades…

My highlights

The 1920s/30s –

Aristocracy mixed with silent film stars and glamour girls. Many of the images looked as modern now as they did 100 years ago…

The 1940s – against all the glamour the starkness of these reportage shots from the WW2 really made you realise Vogue was never just a frivolous fashion magazine…

And seeing key fashion illustrations in real life, remembering they had been done at the time and were of the most contemporary fashions.

The 1950’s – this room held some of the most glamorous photos including original by Cecil Beaton and Norman Parkinson…

The 1960s – Probably my favourite era, style wise, I loved the tone of this room with its retro textured wallpaper and full wall shot of David Hockney, his assistant and glamorous model Maudie James in his studio by Cecil Beaton…

The 1970’s – a strange mix of glamour, sexist sterotyping and the grungy beginnings of punk rock. Probably my least favourite of all the rooms although this Helmut Newton pic taken the year I was born stood out…

The 1980s – Big, brash and bold was the order of the day in this room…

The 1990’s- a key time in British fashion with film stars and artists suddenly taking up as many shots as the models and the grungy ‘Heroin Chic’ style starting to appear…

The 2000s and onwards – it is quite breathtaking to see so many iconic images in one place – the curation was perfect and you really ‘felt’ each decade and its subtle changes…

And finally (of course!) the shop

Look at these amazing Biscuiteers biscuits! The Vogue 100 book was great too but I’ve got to be honest I’m not going to buy it for a ‘special price’ of £35 in the gallery when Amazon have it for £26. The vintage copies of Vogue on sale (from £35) were tempting though…

I just adored this exhibition and would definitely recommend a trip. It runs until 22nd May 2016 and adult tickets are £17.00 each. If youve been I’d love to know your thoughts…

National Portrait Gallery

St Martin’s Place
London
WC2H 0HE
020 7306 0055

Opening hours

Daily 10.00 – 18.00
Thursdays and Fridays until 21.00.
Last admission to the exhibition is one hour before the Gallery closes.
Exiting commences ten minutes before the closing time.