Work It Out: Suited

Although I am not usually the suited and booted type some days at work require a suit. Whether it is a business trip, an important meeting, or just one day you need to impress the boss a well cut suit can really give you confidence. Even if you don't work in a formal environment everyone needs a suit in their wardrobe... you never know when you will need it!

There are few places that can make a feminine, stylish suit that is fashionable. Most suits I try on make me feel far from confident as the child inside me scowls at the fact I'm wearing such 'grown up clothes', while my inner fashionista frowns at their frumpiness. Up till now I have purchased tailoring from Zara as well as a few bits from the ever conservative Austin Reed. However, I recently invested in a new suit in the Ted Baker sale and am exquisitely happy with it!

Suit: Ted Baker Prince of Wales (On sale here), Cami: Zara.

 

The jacket of this suit is cut so well that it fits snugly, but very comfortably. The lining is a gorgeous floral pattern and super silky (as shown on the back of the waistcoat below). These little details add a luxe feel while making it easy to wear with a cami or a shirt ensuring you can keep cool, even in the most stressful boardroom ;). There's nothing worse than a suit with a horrible, synthetic lining that makes you feel all flustered and hot!

 

All too often I find that I have to go up a size in jackets (I wear a 2 in TB) as they are too tight around the bust, yet too loose at the waist hiding any shape under an unflattering box cut. Ted Baker tailor their suits with the female body in mind, so that your shape is exaggerated, but modestly so. The button detailing on the skirt also adds some interest and makes it unique. This particular suit has matching trousers, which I am currently eyeing up, plus a waistcoat and a simple dress.


Do you often wear suits for work? Which are your favourite brands? Have you purchased any tailoring from Ted Baker? xxx

Chi Yu Wellness Integrated Therapy

A few weeks ago I visited the chi yu wellness centre to try out one of their holistic treatments. This was the second time I had the pleasure of an evening at chi yu. If you haven’t read my initial review you can refresh your memory here.

As I have always been interested in alternative therapies I was really keen to try something different to your regular massage or facial and so chose the chi yu Integrated Therapy – a tailored integrated  therapy to suit individuals’ needs. After your requirements are assessed the therapist devises a unique treatment that can include anything from aromatherapy, acupuncture, craniosacral therapy, acupressure and meridian massage or reflexology and many more. 

On arrival I filled out a simple form and met with my therapist Mami. I explained my main concerns, which were my back and neck. I have a number of back conditions including scoliosis, which I blame on being too tall lol, so sitting at a computer all day in the office and then on my sofa in the evenings is not ideal. I also explained that I get headaches quite frequently, which are probably stress or tension related as I always make sure to stay well hydrated throughout the day.

Mami designed my therapy to concentrate on my back and neck pain with a combination of acupuncture, massage (including acupressure and meridian massage) and aromatherapy. She also massaged key points on my face and scalp to help relieve any tension and taught me what points to concentrate on when I could feel a headache coming on.

Despite being of small stature Mami’s hands hold an incredible strength and power. During the massage she concentrated on particularly tight areas on my back and neck, which usually make me wince and bite my lip, using all my concentration not to run away. However, this time there was almost no pain and I could feel the tension and sore areas melting away as she meticulously worked through all the muscles. Honestly it was incredible. Although she was concentrating on my back I think pretty much every area of my body was cared for – legs, arms, feet, hands and even the stomach.

The acupuncture portion was completely painless and of the approximately 25 needles used I only really felt one of them, which penetrated a particularly tight area. The needles are incredibly thin and flexible and the anticipation of them going in was much worse than the feeling of when they did. I am not ashamed to admit that I have no pain tolerance and even I found it absolutely pain free!

Walking out after my session I was amazed by how relaxed, yet full of energy I felt. Normally I get a similar rush after an intense 90 minutes of bikram yoga, but this treatment left me feeling even better. My back and neck were no longer in pain and felt loose, I could stand up straighter and walk taller. It was amazing! All the tension had melted away and the next day I was still feeling a spring in my step.

Honestly I can say that the chi yu Integrated Therapy was the best massage I have ever had and I highly recommend it to anyone. I will definitely be visiting again in the future!

For more information on Chi Yu and a list of all treatments available you can visit their website here.

Instant Manicure: Elegant Touch Mix It Up Pretty Pastels

Sometimes a girl just wants to have it all.. and why shouldn't you? When it comes to manicures one colour isn't always enough so Elegant Touch have made the ultimate kit for mixing up your shades.

The Elegant Touch press on nails come in sets of 3 colours (36 nails in total) for £6.99 here. I was sent the Pretty Pastels set to trial, but unfortunately as I already have gel nails, I had to find a willing volunteer instead. She chose to go with the more conventional approach of a set the same colour, which just shows that you could have 3 manicures from only one kit!

In less than 10 minutes the nails were applied and felt fairly sturdy, taking much less time than your regular polish manicure to dry. The short length and rounded corners look really natural and elegant, even though my volunteer is of small stature with delicate hands, these nails still looked perfectly in proportion!

I love mixing colours, especially when it comes to groups such as pastels and neons. I think they can look really fun and quirky, without being outlandish...

What do you guys think of mixing nail polish colours? Have you tried any of the Elegant Touch Mix it Up sets? xxx

OOTD: Signa Pleats

Ah Reiss! You never fail to tempt me with your sales! This season Reiss don't have as many work  dresses as I would have liked in their amazing sale... it just feels like I have seen it all before. However, some of their separates are absolutely gorgeous. I picked up this dramatic, pleated skirt one lunchtime and I think it is a great find, especially for under £50! I love the detailing Reiss always put into their clothes. Ultimately among all the shops on the high street I think they verge the closest to designer, but fortunately without the associated price tag.

Leather Jacket: All Saint's (£350 here), Camisole: Zara, Skirt: Reiss (on sale for £48 here), Shoes: Zara, Bag: Mulberry Cookie, Sunglasses: Prada.

You may be weary of pleated skirts, but this one really is rather special. The colour is deep and sumptuous (not comparable to the nudes, pale pinks and minks or even neons on the high street). The skirt is double layered to provide coverage and weight. Plus while the front panel is plain, the slit underneath is at the front taking away all the bulk that many maxis add and really streamlining it as you walk. I also love the corset style pewter buttons and the mini welt pockets on the back. Once again this keeps it trim at the waist and is so much more flattering than having folds of fabric on your hips!

It looks pretty good warn backwards too! 

I had seen this skirt on the Reiss website before, but completely overlooked it as I am not a fan of the styling (skirt worn a size too big with grey jumper?). If you have a chance I highly recommend that you check the Reiss sale out, they have some great quality, effortlessly stylish pieces that would slot in to any wardrobe! xxx

Boudoir Lashes - 50% off for my readers!

As you may have noticed from this blog and my YouTube videos I am a fan of big lashes. I don’t need much of an excuse to stick on a pair of falsies or pile on the mascara! However, having used various eyelash growth stimulators such as Lilash and Rapidlash I definitely prefer the natural look. I was therefore really excited to be given the opportunity to try out a full set of lash extensions from Boudoir Lashes!

Boudoir Lashes is based in the prestigious Becca store, just minutes from South Kensington. Luckily, this is very close to my house so I was able to rush there makeup free post shower as Asma advised me that I should not get my lashes wet 24 hours after application. Having had cluster extensions before I was looking forward to seeing how different the individual lashes would be.

Asma welcomed me in and was absolutely lovely. We got started straight away after a consultation and cleansing the area to make sure there were no impurities on the lashes. She first applied little protector pads under my eyes and stuck my bottom lashes down with tape. I am very squeamish when it comes to my super sensitive eyes, but I can assure you this only took seconds and was completely harmless.

 My little lashes before treatment

As I lay with eyes closed Asma began to carefully apply the lashes. She was extremely gentle so there was no tugging or pulling on the eyes and were it not for the sounds of people coming in and out of the store I would have fallen asleep! (Normally Asma is located downstairs where it is much quieter, but we were upstairs due to a bridal event that weekend).

Just under an hour later my lashes were finished and though I was excited to see them I knew this was the part I had been dreading as the last time I had my lashes done the glue made my eyes so irritated that they were red and streaming almost an hour after application. Well, I need not have worried! As I opened my eyes and the pads and tape were removed there was absolutely no stinging or irritation. I blinked a few times and though I could feel my lashes were heavier they still felt light, fluttery and most of all natural.

Looking into the mirror I was so happy with the results. My lashes were long, looked darker and more voluminous, but the shape created was the same as my own lashes so they looked extremely natural. They blended in so well that it was almost impossible to tell they were not all my own.
I don’t know what it is about lashes, but I could rest easy if my hair, skin and lashes always looked good!

After my appointment I made sure to keep the lashes dry, forego my usual oil based cleansers, skip the mascara and try to sleep on my back. I am a horrendously antisocial sleeper – usually sprawling like a starfish on my front, but I made a mental note to try and at least sleep on my side to ensure I didn’t squash the lashes in my sleep and wake up with kinks. As the lashes are light and flexible the few times that I did find myself nose first in my pillow in the morning I simply combed them through with a clean mascara wand and they bounced back into shape.

As my lashes defined my eyes I felt I needed much less eye makeup. For the next week or two I mainly stuck to a little bit of liquid liner, which I gently removed at the end of the day with a damp cotton bud, making sure not to pull on any of the lashes.

 

(day after application)

Asma says that the lashes last about 3 weeks and I would say that they stay full, with only the odd one jumping ship for about 2/3 weeks. After 3 weeks I did start losing more lashes and began to use a little mascara on the roots to hide any gaps. No doubt this hastened the shedding process, but they actually stayed put for much longer than anticipated and almost 6 weeks since my appointment I still have 2 stragglers lol! Of course after a few weeks you can get your lashes filled in or come in to have them professionally removed, but I found that they fell out on their own well enough with no unsightly patches. My real lashes are now a little shorter and less healthy than they were prior to application, but I would not say the difference is dramatic, nor is it something that can’t be changed with a little conditioning treatment. Since the lash cycle is roughly 3 months though they seem shorter they are still growing until they reach full term.

 

(2 weeks after application)

 

Overall I was so happy with my lashes and would love to have them done again. They are absolutely perfect for a special occasion, holiday or just a little treat for yourself and I am so excited to let you all know that Asma has been kind enough to offer a discount for my readers! 50% off a full set of lashes for the first 25 readers to book - please contact asma on info@boudoirlashes.co.uk with FGM50 as your redemption code (subject to availabilty terms and conditions apply ask at the time of booking).

Please do let me know if you decide to try these out as I would love to hear about your experiences! xxx