The thing I have fallen in love with this week: Hello Spring!

March 12, 2016 | blueskygirlie

Over the last few days it feels like we’ve finally left winter and slowly moved into Spring. Ok, its not totally here, but the suns been shining, there’s flowers blooming everywhere and Easter and all its sweet treats is on the way.

I need some inspiration – I need bright. I need cheerful. I need cute!!!

In todays ‘The thing I’ve fallen in love with this week’ blog I share the things that are making me smile so far this March. I couldn’t pick one thing so I’ve gone for a few (I do love doing a flat lay!). Bright, fun and sweet is the name of the game…

Clouds zipped purse – Cath Kidston
Vintage coral necklace – Etsy
Purse and brooch – New Look
Nail polish – Superdrug
Hello Fashion Monthly – subscribe here
Pineapple dish – Debenhams
Vintage Mother of Pearl necklace – Etsy
Pineapple vase – Store TwentyOne
Scarf – Echo
Love Sick book by Jessie Cave – Amazon
Vintage glass dish – Etsy
Mike and Ike American candy – B&M stores
Mason Jar cup – Poundworld
Face pot stand and beaker – Tiger Stores
Twizzlers American candy – B&M stores
Clouds Gola trainers – Cath Kidston
Hand Food hand cream & Butter Me Up body butter – Soap & Glory

Bright colours and cute designs lift my spirits. I love the Cath Kidston cloud design (well I am the blue sky girl!) and my new Echo scarf is perfect for Spring styling. The yellow Pineapple vase from Store TwentyOne was a bargain must have and ‘Love Sick’ by Jessie Cave is a book of her doodles on love and relationships and it is very funny and VERY relatable…

Regular followers of my blog know I love Hello Fashion Monthly (a bargain at £1.50 each month) and I couldn’t live without Soap & Glory products – I can’t shower, scrub or cleanse with anything else! If you like a jelly bean (as I do), it doesn’t get better than American brand Mike and Ike and when I saw that Pineapple dish in Debenhams I just had to have it…

I feel more cheerful already! So, what are you loving for Spring?

For more flat lay product inspiration follow me on Instagram – here.

My Limited Edition SS16 picks

March 2, 2016March 6, 2016 | blueskygirlie

I was in M&S the other day having a browse and as ever made my way to my favourite section, Limited Edition.

A fact about me – in my career as a stylist and visual merchandising manager I was part of the team at M&S who came up with the original brand concept (then Limited Collection) so it will always have a fond place in my heart.

The great thing about M&S and its ‘shop in shops’ is you can always find a sub-brand that you like and shop that area. For me Limited Edition is definitely ‘my brand’ – its trend led, stylish, aimed at a younger customer and always has an element of quirky styling that isn’t seen within the other M&S sub-brands.

In todays blog find my 5 favourite pieces all currently on sale in stores. Happy shopping!

Tie neck blouse – £29.50

This blouse is super pretty and perfect for dressing up or down. You’d need a camisole on underneath but I’d team it with skinny jeans or slim leg trousers and heels.

Shoulder bag – £38.00

I’m a sucker for a cartoon or fun reference and I love the mix of classic design and quirky detailing. Its a size that will hold everything and the nude and black colourway will never clash with what youre wearing.

Dungaree style jumpsuit – £49.50

Pinstripes – check, Navy fabric – check, Tie waist – check, Utility details – check. This jumpsuit has all the style points and will look so stylish through the Spring and beyond.

Flower necklace – £25

You can go wrong with a statement necklace and this oversized resin one would look perfect with a white skirt or t-shirt, white on white or to create a pop of colour over a bright top or dress.

Bomber jacket – £55.00

Bomber jackets are EVERYWHERE for SS16 and this is a more premium, feminine slant on the ones I’ve seen. The oriental style quilting definitely makes this look unique and its flattering and easy to wear – perfect!

What do you think? What are your picks for the new season? All products (plus lots more loveliness) available at M&S now – for the online range click here.

The future is now

February 23, 2016February 28, 2016 | blueskygirlie

Wearing white. Unless it is your wedding day it can have a lot of issues…Its typically a summer colour, it is one of the less flattering colours to wear (well it is the opposite of black!) and it marks easily. But…

…a white dress always looks cool and stylish! Dressing one for winter with a roll neck underneath and boots gives it a futuristic vibe which I’ve fully exploited in todays styling post. White is definitely is the colour to stand out in during the winter months and is great for looking a bit different.

The dress I’m wearing today is a Primark dress (last season but theres always tons of Primark on eBay) made from a thick quilted material with a half zip to the front. Although the quilting makes it a little bulky it also makes it very structured so it flares out beauifully at the waist (great if youre little and curvy like me). For size I am wearing the UK10 as it has some stretch to it.

Underneath I added a cotton roll neck, chain effect link necklace plus grey tights and boots. My futuristic look was complete! So do you think you’d give a white dress a go this winter?

Dress – Primark

Necklace – Primark

Tights – M&S

Boots – Store TwentyOne

Denim for the office

February 9, 2016February 28, 2016 | blueskygirlie

Being extremely fussy about fashion probably like many of you, I choose the gifts I want and put them on a wishlist for people to buy from if they want to.

I was lucky enough of receive quite a few of these this Christmas and todays outfit features two New Look items I received as gifts.

Denim dress – £24.99, ankle boots – £24.99, both New Look.

Denim is everywhere at the moment. I was reading the Metro on Friday and it had this spread…so at least I know I’m on trend!

The New Look dress is a really versatile piece – it has a button through front and D ring matching belt. The 100% cotton denim material is soft to the touch and has a slight stretch to it. It costs £24.99 and is available in store and online here. It is described as ‘slim fit’ and due to this I’d say the sizing comes up average/ slightly small – for comparison I am wearing the UK size 12 here.

To add some interest, instead of a necklace (which would of looked too fussy with its shirt style collar) I added a simple black neck tie tied in to a bow.

On my feet were my the ankle boots which are comfortable (they are from the wide fit range) but have a medium height heel and a soft pointed toe for a more formal look. They are now sold out but find similar here.
As this was a ‘in the office’ day my hair was blow dried wavy and my make-up was a simple base with a dark blue eye palette and neutral lipstick.

This dress is the perfect day dress to dress up for the office or down for the weekend…especially if you love denim but can’t wear jeans for work!

Dress – New Look
Necktie – Homemade
Tights – Primark
Boots – New Look

Dressing for the office

January 21, 2016March 24, 2016 | blueskygirlie

Business Dress.

Do those words fill you with dread or excite you into thinking up new smart outfit combinations?

I have just returned to an office environment after working freelance for the last few years and I have to say, I’m thoroughly enjoying dressing smartly each day. Here is five of my looks I’ve been wearing as featured via my Instagram…

Dress – BHS, Necklace – Primark. Jacket – Dorothy Perkins, Blouse H&M, Bow – home made, Trousers – Wallis, Boots – Next.

Pearl & sequin front jumper – George at Asda, Shirt – Matalan, Faux Leather skirt (just seen) – Dorothy Perkins.

Jumper – H&M, tassel necklace – New Look, Trousers – Monsoon.

Roll neck – M&Co., necklace – Topshop, Skirt – Monsoon.

Hey, lets make the office our fashion show!!!
Style tip: formal clothes can be expensive – look out for new or nearly new items in charity shops. The two Monsoon items seen in this blog were new samples bought in Cancer Research UK for less than £5 each. They still had the labels on!

To follow my Instagram for these sort of photos every day (plus a whole lot more) click here. Like these looks? Look out for more business dress inspiration blogs coming soon…

New Years Eve

January 7, 2016 | blueskygirlie

What did you get up to on New Years Eve?

We were lucky enough to be invited to two parties and split our time between family and friends and of course I took the opportunity to get dressed up!

What I wore –

I wanted a formal look that was a bit quirky and definitely sexy so went for a mix of underwear as outerwear and vintage! The skirt is an amazing vintage Frank Usher layered chiffon maxi skirt with a wired hem that makes it ‘swoosh’ out. Being vintage its fixed waistband was a tight fit on me even though the label said 14 – thats one of the things I hate about vintage…vain I know! But it certainly is a fabulous skirt. I teamed it with a black lace body with 3/4 length sleeves from the Secret Possessions range at Primark and a black satin underwear underneath.

Hair and make-up –

With it being NYE I went for a full face of make-up with Barry M smoky grey Dazzle Dust eyeshadow, highlighted with an amazing L’Oreal holographic silver shadow, black liquid eye liner and a wine coloured lip.

My hair was freshly washed in L’Oreal Paris Elvive Nutri-Gloss Crystal Sparkling Shampoo and conditioner (which gives a lovely shine) then dried while it was up in a loose bun to create full beachy waves. I pinned a few sections away from my face and finished with Ellnet hair spray.

Accessories –

As I was wearing such a dramatic skirt I went quite light on accessories wearing a pair of drop diamante earings and a novelty bag both from New Look. This chocolate bar clutch makes me smile whenever I use it!

And that was my New Years Eve look for 2015! I had a absolutely fabulous night and felt like a gothic princess which in my opinion, is not a bad thing to feel like! I hope you had fun too whatever you were doing.

Lace Body – Primark

Satin body (underwear) – Very.co.uk

Maxi skirt – Frank Usher (vintage)

Earrings – New Look

Clutch bag – New Look

InstaNatural Retinol Skincare Range

December 30, 2015December 30, 2015 | blueskygirlie

I have been continuing to use a new range of face and body products as part of my beauty routine provided to me by US organic beauty company InstaNatural. I have reviewed a few of their facial and body products now (find my last blog here) and today I share my review of their much praised 2.5% Retinol facial products.

So firstly – what is Retinol? Well it is not for the faint hearted! While it’s true there is no magic bullet when it comes to perfecting skin, this one ingredient comes pretty close. It is a Vitamin A derivative which is proven to increase skin cell turnover and stimulate collagen synthesis as well as creating a skin tightening effect. With consistent use of a topical Retinol you can see improvement of fine lines, dark spots, texture, and tone. Most over the counter products have a 0.5%-2% concentration but the stronger stuff is where its at (usually via a cosmetic doctors prescription). Both these items from the InstaNatural range are 2.5% Retinol so on par with any cosmetically prescribed products on the market.

InstaNatural Advanced Action Retinol Moisturiser Cream – £17.95/100ml

Details: 2.5% Retinol, 10% Vitamin C, Vegan Hyaluronic Acid, Shea Butter & Jojoba Oil, Green Tea.

Although it’s a fairly thick cream this absorbed into my skin very easily with no residue. It makes your face feel so smooth within a couple hours of applying and isn’t drying as some Retinol products can be. It also made my skin feel tighter and look clearer and has dramatically improved my fine lines and also has proved great for a base for my make-up.

I love the packaging this comes in as you don’t have to dip your fingers in to get the cream out, it comes with a pump top that dispenses just enough cream to cover both your face and neck. As well as the instructions on the packet I was also emailed instructions re exposure to the sun which I thought was very good. It is also probably double the size of many competitors products. It is scent free (as far as I can tell) which some people might not like, but this is definitely a powerful little cream.

InstaNatural Age Defying 2.5% Retinol Serum – £17.95/30ml

Details: 2.5% Retinol, 20% Vitamin C, 10% Hyaluronic Acid, Astaxanthin, Niacinamide, COQ10.

This is another winning product for me! A strongly orange smelling and coloured serum (well it is 20% Vitamin C) that absorbed into my skin easily, it makes your face feel so smooth within a couple hours of applying and isn’t drying as some Retinol products can be. Its a bright orange colour but this fades very quickly as its absorbed. It also made my skin feel tighter and look clearer when used daily.

I loved the packaging this comes in too – a glass bottle with pipette – very scientific and clean looking! As well as the instructions on the box/bottle I was also emailed instructions re exposure to the sun which I thought was very good. Overall this was a very quick working and powerful product – this is definitely one of my favourite InstaNatural products I have tried so far particular when used with the Retinol Moisturiser. You don’t expect age defying products to work and you feel kind of shocked when they do…and quickly!

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I don’t usually rave about products but these definitely WORK! Give them a go – I definitely think I’m looking younger, my skin is looking brighter and dark spots are fading. They are strong and you need to be careful with them but used carefully I really think these are two of the best age defying products I have tried so far!

Please note – although this prescription-strength product works fast and has great effects, it can cause irritation, redness and peeling so anyone with sensitive or drier skin might want to proceed with caution. It also must be used carefully if you then have contact with direct sunlight.

The range is sold exclusively in the UK via Amazon.co.uk – find the full range here. All prices correct on Amazon at time of posting. Have you used any of the InstaNatural range? I’d love to know your thoughts on it…

All products – InstaNatural via Amazon*

Thank You!

December 25, 2015 | blueskygirlie

Merry Christmas to all my readers both via the blog and via social media. Thank you for the support over the last year as this baby blog has found its feet and grown – I can’t believe ‘Always a Blue Sky Girl’ is over a year old now! Here’s to a stylish and wonderful 2016 and another year of blogging! Love, Sarah xx

photo source

Finding my Dress of Dreams™

November 25, 2015November 25, 2015 | blueskygirlie

I think its fair to say I’m quite a bohemian at heart. Style wise I love a maxi dress or skirt or hippy style kimono. I’m always on the look out for great boho style pieces for my wardrobe but you tend to find they are mainly summer pieces.

When I saw this dress in H&M last week I grabbed it off the rail so quickly I almost gave myself whiplash! I don’t buy a lot of clothes but this sort of dress is a dream daytime dress for me.

The dress itself is a great A/W piece made from a silky yet thick material which hangs beautifully. Being only 5’2″ I knew the dress would be too long and as soon as I got it home I altered it taking 3″ off the bottom. I’m used to shortening things now when there’s not a petite section and a dress like this is pretty easy to do.

I added a thick belt for a more structured look, as being petite I often get a bit swamped by blouson styles but the dress has an elasticated waistband so can easy be worn without. It is available in sizes UK 6-16 and comes up true to size/slightly generous. I am wearing a UK size 10 here although as I mentioned it is shorted by 3″.

Little details such as bell sleeves and a tasselled tie to the collar really makes this dress looks much more expensive than it really was…

…Oh yes, did I mention it is instore at only £14.99!!! What an absolute bargain!Lace up boots keep the look relaxed yet still within a bohemian vibe although I kept the hem length to just above the floor so you can hardly see them.I kept my hair long and added some extra curls to the ends, make-up was a neutral daytime look with just a bit of mascara, brown eyeshadow and wine coloured lip gloss to complete the look. My autumn flower power inspired look was complete!

Dress – H&M

Belt – Vintage

Boots – New Look

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