Mediamarmalade

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  • A MOMENT OUT

    A MOMENT OUT

    . INNER ZEN .
    Today’s post is a little different to the norm, I wasn’t enthused to blog today which is a real rarity for me, but rather than withhold from posting all together (and ruin my 2.5 year daily blogging streak) I thought i’d use today’s post as a little diary edit. It’s not something i’ve really done before, and If I have its usually been about my upcoming holidays (and the excitement i’m feeling). Unfortunately right now I have no holidays booked (although fingers crossed i’ll be off skiing by the end of March), this again is a real rarity for me, usually I like to travel every 6-8 weeks even if it’s a small trip – this is potentially part of the overall problem. I’m run down, really run down & currently have no exciting ‘breaks’ to look forward to or time to unwind & recuperate (my birthday is bank holiday easter weekend but unfortunately due to some important work deliverables, i’ll now be spending my 4 day birthday weekend working). I have mouth ulcers, i’m seriously tired (bags under my eyes, falling asleep on the sofa every day) my tummy is bad (I suffer from IBS & gluten intolerances), i’m super super busy at work, with high pressure deliverables over the next couple of months which is driving up my stress levels, I have a couple of family things in the back of my mind and my blog projects are starting to feel a bit overcommital.

    It’s nothing major, and it’s not like my life is ever not stressful or demanding, but after having a low traffic day yesterday on my blog and losing two followers (which is by no means a biggy at all) I started to feel a bit disheartened & a bit hard on myself (largely drive by the fact i’m feeling a bit run down right now). This is a frequent thing for me, being hard on myself. I’m a perfectionist & strive to do the best in everything I do … which is great, but can become very hard and difficult to live up to when you’re juggling more than one thing. My career as a Communications Director, my blog which is technically a hobby but really like a small business, my family & friends who I want to spend time with, and Jase who I live with & want to be able to have more fun time with. The moral of the story for me is that it’s good to take a break and give yourself a little TLC every now and then – whether this be on holiday or not.

    So rather than focus on getting out an all singing and dancing blog post out today, i’m using today’s post to vent (which helps me destress) and tonight to take a nice bath with candles and red wine & cook a lovely dinner for Jase and I. I’ll be back tomorrow in full swing :)

  • SNOW LEOPARD

    SNOW LEOPARD

    . LEOPARD PANTS & OVERSIZED COAT .

    I’ve found myself lately getting stuck in a bit of a jean and knit jumper rut in my daily style, not that there’s anything wrong with a good pair of skinnies an a comfy knit jumper … but for me it’s a little unusual to revert to these sort of items on a daily basis (i’m usually a skirt / dress / colourful kind of girl). Whether its the weather or the extra pounds i’m packing, I decided this weekend it was about time I put the jeans away for a day and opted for a little more adventurous and more true to my usual style.

    . French Connection Leopard Trousers £65 & Sweater £40 . M&S Coat £85 . Kurt Geiger Serpant Boots £150 .

    These leopard trousers were something I lived in during the summer, a French Connection number which I absolutely fell in love with. Not only are they super cool but also very very comfortable, they were my number one travel companion for summer holidays last year. I haven’t worn them much since the summer but decided it was about time I gave them a little winter styling. I teamed them with my French Connection cropped sweater (unintentionally double branding) and the final touch was my Marks and Spencers oversized boyfriend coat. I was a little worried this coat was a bit too big, but actually have since decided I love how big it is, it’s like a big warming blanket keeping me warm in this nippy weather.

    I wore this outfit on Sunday when Jase and I popped along to our local village fete, they host this on the 1st Sunday of every month and it’s a great hour spent pottering around buying locally produced goods & eating seriously tasty street food. I opted for an ‘all in’ galette with spinach, cheese, mushroom and ham … warming myself up for the pancake feast tonight (I take pancake day very seriously, we’ve got galettes and crepes on the agenda for tonight).

    What do you think of this look? What clothes do you find yourself wearing when you get in a bit of a rut?

  • PASTEL BLUE OVERLAY

    PASTEL BLUE OVERLAY

    . BOYFRIEND STYLE .
    This weekend was super chilled out, in fact it was probably the most low key weekend i’ve had in a very long time. Jase and I spent both days pottering around the local village, watching movies & warming up in front of the fire. It was actually quite nice to have no plans and really take the chance to chill out. In the spirit of our casual weekend, my outfit’s were equally low key and relaxed.
    . Topshop Leather Trousers . Whistles Knit . Daniel Footwear Pumps . Missguided Boyfriend Coat & Clutch. 
    Despite the fact leather trousers can often be viewed as dressy, more often than not, I throw these on when i’m wanting something laid back. I find them actually really comfy & they look great with a sweater & pumps which have to be the most effortless items ever produced. I styled my topshop leather trousers with my Whistles cobalt blue knit jumper, my Daniel Footwear pumps & my Missguided baby blue boyfriend coat. The finishing touch was this awesome mock croc clutch bag I picked up from Missguided last week (a bargain £14).
    I’m really loving boyfriend coats right now, the oversized cut is fab when you just want to throw something on and not really worry about what’s underneath. They can transform a simple jeans and tee look into something uber trendy & sophisticated. It’s my new favourite thing.

    How was your weekend? Are you a fan of the boyfriend coat?


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  • SKINPERFECT PRIMER

    SKINPERFECT PRIMER

    . DERMALOGICA SKINPERFECT PRIMER .
    As you’ll know if you’ve read any of my beauty posts (or follow my Instagram), i’m a big fan of Dermalalogica products. Despite having flawless skin as a teen, hitting my adult years (and taking the pill) changed things somewhat and gave me a horrible bout of adult skin issues (caused by my pill & hindered by my stressful lifestyle / job). After trying everything under the sun to help it, I decided I really needed to step up my skin are routine (i’d previously been quite lapsed) and this is when Dermalogica entered my life. My dad is a big user of the brand and introduced me to it about 4 -5 years ago. Since then i’ve not gone back and now use an array of their skincare range on a daily basis (my most favoured product is the microfoliant – see here). Whilst it was a prescribed cream which cleared my spots up for good, the introduction of Dermalogica has upgraded my skin all round and is now an essential part of my daily routine.
    . Dermalogica Skinperfect Primer £35 .
    My latest Dermalogica find is slightly more on the beauty side of things. A primer. My dad got me a few of my favourite products for Christmas (Cleanser, Pre Cleanse etc) and within my pressie was also an Age Smart mini kit for me to try out. One of the items in this kit was a small version of the Skinperfect Primer (from the age smart range). Prior to this i’ve never really been a big primer user – I tried porefessionals when it was hugely hyped but wasn’t sold, and most recently have been using Clinique City Block (which I love and featured here). I started using City Block as more of a moisturising protection layer, opposed to for makeup purposes, so I was interested to try the Dermalogica primer and let me tell you, I was not disappointed. After using it for a couple of weeks (until the product ran out) I decided I was sold on investing in the full size product …
    The key things which make this primer a winner for me are, the coverage, the texture and the ease of usage. The primer itself is tinted which helps hugely in giving your skin a glow but most importantly for me, even out skin tone. Any blemish scars or dark circles under the eye are already partially covered when using this primer, before you even get to cover up / foundation etc. This is a real bonus and makes your skin feel and look almost flawless before you’ve really begun. The texture of the product is very light and airy, despite the strong coverage it provides colour wise , it feels barely there on your skin. I avoid heavy products on my skin (opting for light tinted moisture opposed to foundation etc) and so it was really important to me that this product felt light and breathable on my skin. Finally, the ease of application, now this probably doesn’t sound like a particularly special offering, but as a beauty novice and not particularly au fait with the do’s and don’t of perfecting your beauty regime, a product that requires no thought to use & applies easily without messing up my usual routine is a real winner. This primer does just that, it’s a secret addition to my routine, that’s no hassle, but that upgrades my overall finish dramatically and genuinely helps create a slightly more flawless base.
    Have you tried this Dermalogica primer? Which primers do you use and why do you recommend them?

  • FOOT HEAVEN

    FOOT HEAVEN

    . UGG SLIPPERS .
    When it comes to being cosy and keeping my tootsies warm there’s only one brand that can deliver that very comfort every time …  UGG. We all know UGGS have to be the comfiest shoe around and I finally can have that comfort in the house as well as out the house with my new cosy UGG slippers. Expensive yes, but worth the money … totally. Walking around in these beauties is completely heavenly.
    . UGG SLIPPERS £100 c/o .

     

    After a very busy and tiring week at work, today is being spent pottering around the house, relaxing, catching up on my favourite blogs & reading the latest Look & Grazia. Jase and I have a mexican night planned this evening, i’ll be whipping up my favourite turkey tacos – you can find the recipe here and we’ll probably put on a movie and have a cosy night in. I can’t wait.
    What are your weekend plans? Have you tried the incredibly comfortable UGG slippers?

  • RAIN RAIN

    RAIN RAIN

    . RAINY DAYS IN LONDON .

    Well after raising my hopes so high with the blue skies & sunshine sneaking through over the last couple of days, today is straight back to winter rain & grey overcast skies in London. We’ve even been warned that snow might be on its way (which to be honest, I’d actually quite love). So for now my sartorial expressions are being forced back to clear PVC (Umbrella’s) & boyfriend coats to keep me warm. Let’s hope the weekend brings us a little more of that Spring feeling again.

     

  • FADED

    FADED

    . MUTED TONES .
    Colours are a big part of my wardrobe, without consciously opting to invest in bright or pastel shades, I seem to be subconsciously drawn to them every time. I don’t often wear muted shades, you’ve probably noticed, so when I styled up this outfit a little while ago it took me a while to adjust to the colour palette which is comparably dull to my normal bright and bold mix.
    . Boden St Germain Coat . New Looks Brogues (old) . Prada Safiano Tote . Love Tartan Dress .

    I’ve been meaning to share this look for a while but never quite got round to it. It’s not necessarily anything overly special, but a simple, fail safe weekend outfit that looks remarkably WWII London refugee inspired. I wore this outfit a few weekends back as the dress was a newbie from LOVE, as the dress is a muted tartan print I decided my Boden coat & old (but ever faithful) leather brogues from New Look would make the perfect pairing. The finishing touch was my Prada tote which went perfectly with the blues in the dress.

    Are you a fan of the tartan trend? Do you wear muted tones, how would you have styled this dress?


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  • SPRING COLLECTION

    SPRING COLLECTION

    . MARKS & SPENCERS SS14 .
    As I mentioned back in this post, i’m currently collaborating with M&S in support of their SS14 style EDIT which was featured in Vogue not that long ago. Whilst my initial post was a selection of my favourite picks from the collection & an inspirational style board. Today’s post is the real deal with me styling my favourite items in my own way.
    .Marks & Spencers Coat £85 & Skirt £29.50 c/o . KG Serpent Boots £150 . ASOS Grey Tee .
    . Here’s some other ways to create this look .
     
    As I mentioned in my previous post, I had two clear winners from the EDIT which I decided to style up in this post. This M&S oversized lapel coat was my absolute favourite from the entire edit, I love the slightly masculine cut and oversized style of the jacket & think it’s the perfect coat to see you through winter into spring summer. The skirt was my second favourite item, i’m a huge fan of embroidered skirts (you may remember my blue Zara embroidered skirt one I featured here) and this vibrant orange mini from the M&S range was an instant winner for me. The skirt is a good length too, so it would make for a great work look too.
    My other picks from the range were a simple grey marl tshirt dress & some cute red cowboy boots (check them out here) … these items make a great staple look for spring, styled uber casually with a simple leather jacket to finish the look.

    What do you think of my picks from the M&S Edit & the way I styled up my coat and skirt ? What are your favourite items from the new collection?

     

  • SWEETHEART

    SWEETHEART

    . SUGARHILL BOUTIQUE SWEETHEART PRINT .
    Valentines has been and gone but in my mind there’s still room for a drop of romance every now and then. Even if it’s a subtle touch. This sweetheart swing skirt is a gorgeous new addition to my wardrobe & is the perfect way to add a bit of a flirty feminine touch to your look all year round.
    . Sugarhill Boutique Sweetheart Skirt £45 c/o . KG Serpent Boots £150 . Missguided Boyfriend  Coat £59.99 c/o .
    The skirt is a newbie from Sugarhill Boutique (which as you probably all know by now, i’m a big fan of), their prints always grab my attention & I love how unique and bespoke their designs are. The sweetheart print is a new addition to their range & one I love. I decided to opt for this floaty skirt as I thought it would be perfect all year round, not least in Spring / Summer when it’ll look beautiful with a silky cami and strappy sandals. I didn’t want to wait until the sun was shining so decided to pop it on this weekend for a flirty Sunday outfit. I styled the skirt with a simple grey tee, my new baby blue boyfriend coat (which went perfectly) and my KG serpent boots (which i’m still obsessing over). This sort of look is definitely something I want to incorporate more into my winter style, adding some seriously spring touches to an otherwise grey and overcast winter (seriously, these grey skies are getting me down).

    What do you think of this sweetheart print swing skirt? Are you a fan of the baby blue colour tones which seem to be becoming increasingly popular (especially with me)?

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