CAN BLOGGERS BE SUSTAINABLE WITH THEIR FASHION?

The pressure on the public and especially influencers around the subject of sustainability is getting stronger everyday. Fast fashion and plastic consumption are on everyone’s mind and a lot of bloggers are worrying about being seen in their Instagram Stories, YouTube videos, blogs and Instagram posts with plastic bottles, plastic cups, cheap clothes that are creating fast fashion. The likes of Stacey Dooley’s investigative show for the BBC delving into fast fashion wrecking our planet and the Telegraph’s article on charity shops being inundated with poor quality clothes that they have to send to landfill is terrifying. We need to try our best to make sure that we are not part of this problem.

KEEPING OUR AUDIENCE’S ATTENTION

It seems that to be a successful fashion influencer there is a constant demand for new content, each and every day. We need to be seen as current, follow and create new trends to keep our audiences interested. I have looked at my most popular Instagram posts over the last year and apart from a few “announcement” images my posts with new, current and exciting fashion pieces always rank most popular. These posts excite people, they want to know where you got that items from and in turn are boosting our engagement rate which we all know is imperative right now.

AFFILIATE LINKS

Most fashion bloggers use affiliate links through the likes of Reward Style, Shop Style Collective and SkimLinks. Although, for myself, and many other bloggers, the profits we gain from these affiliate links are pocket money and not reaching salary goals, every penny helps so we are obviously going to use affiliate links. If we are posting old clothes that are no longer stocked, we can not link them and therefore make no money from a post which is not a paid collaboration.

FAST FASHION

The Telegraph states this sad fact, “the rise of fast fashion, where t-shirts are sold for just £2 and dresses for £5, means clothes are worn once then thrown away, where they end up in landfill…Mrs Creagh told The Telegraph: “Charity shops can’t be the dumping ground for the high street’s dirty little secret – much of what they take back they can’t sell because of the quality and it’s very difficult to recycle the fibres.”.

So, what are us fashion bloggers meant to do in staying sustainable and earning a living?

HOW CAN WE COMBAT THIS PROBLEM?

STYLISTS LIFESTYLE

The best way, I personally, can think of to help reduce our speedy consumption of buying clothes all the time is to work our blogging lives in the same way stylists do and always have done. Stylists get in touch with PR when they need items for shoots, they call in what they need and pack it up and send it back to the PR or brand after the shoot. The PR and their client gets current clothes, the brand and PR get the coverage they are after and free images to help promote their brand.

There are problems with this though. The reason the public have turned to bloggers over magazines is because bloggers are more “real”. We wear what we want, what we love and what we actually own and have spent our money on. If we are just borrowing clothes from brands and PR companies then we don’t actually own the item, we may not love it enough to spend our hard earned cash on the item so why should our audience part with their money? If we used this stylists lifestyle then would we effectively just be unpaid models for those brands creating our own editorial magazine style shoot but in a street style way?

THE RETURNS CULTURE

Back in August, the Daily Mail wrote an article which of course created backlash at the blogging community once again. They wrote about how bloggers and the public are buying clothes, wearing them once for the Instagram shot, then sending them back. Apart from cheating your audience with clothes that you are pretending to “love and own” you are actually doing harm to the environment with the constant ordering and returns process. Think of all those plastic bags that your online orders come in, think of the fumes of the vehicles getting your parcel to you.

THE REALITY

The reality is, to be absolutely perfect and not harm our environment we are going to turn ourselves into a stress bucket. We all need to be a little more conscious with our purchases, love our clothes until they are falling apart and then sew them back together. Let’s not lose the love of fashion but let’s also love and respect our planet at the same time.

CAN BLOGGERS BE SUSTAINABLE WITH THEIR FASHION? | Megan Taylor

WHY YOU NEED A TRIP TO THE COUNTRYSIDE

Hello Autumn, is that you I see? 🍂Autumn has crept up after the long hot summer and I am really excited about it. To me, Autumn conjures up thoughts of exciting layered fashion, Strictly Come Dancing, hot chocolate and long walks in the woods followed by cosy cuddles by the wood burning fire. With the kids going back to school, adults back to work and the roads and trains being busier in the mornings, it has got me thinking…I need a long weekend away 😉 As a bit of a suburban dweller it has taken me a few years but I believe I have aced the art of a long weekend in the countryside. Let me tell you why you too need a trip to the countryside…oh and also the fashion items you will want to take with you.

This post is sponsored by the wonderful Celtic & Co. Shop their clothes here.

RUN THE MOUNTAINS

Wether you walk or run, go and seek some adventure. Relaxing is so much more rewarding after working. My parents’ house is surrounded by mountains. They are right in the middle of the Brecon Beacons so we are spoilt for choice when it comes to picking our spot. Liam and I tend to run the Skirrid, Derry or the Sugar Loaf. Once you reach the peak and see the epic views you will feel accomplished and literally on top of the world. Once you have conquered your mountain or field or even the block you will be filed with fresh air and ready to justify a pub lunch.

LAZY PUB LUNCHES

Long lazy pub lunches are so much better in the countryside. The pubs feel so much cosier, especially in Autumn/Winter. There are often log fires and cosy little nooks to sit in with your loved one. What I also adore about the country pubs is that 99.9% of them I have visited have allowed dogs. I know not everyone is a dog person but I feel they add to the relaxed care free vibe. I am vegetarian and spent my childhood avoiding pub lunches with my family because they were so bad at catering for veggies. With time that has completely changed, you can’t get away from sweet potato fries and halloumi and for that I am forever thankful.

WHY YOU NEED A TRIP TO THE COUNTRYSIDE | Megan Taylor

• TRACKIES • SLIPPERS • CARDIGAN •

QUIRKY CAFES

Continuing on the food conversation, I am here with my love of cafes. I love stumbling across quirky little cafes around small towns. They all tend to be little independents which makes you feel like you are supporting the community. Abergavenny in South Wales is filled with them, my favourite being The Chapel. The food is fresh and exciting and they even serve alcohol to go alongside your cake…perfecting at it’s finest. I am in Abergavenny this weekend for the Abergavenny Food Festival and can’t wait to eat all the cheese.

SIT BY THE FIRE

My parents have a lovely wood burning fire and we light it the second we arrive. If we aren’t going out for the day we light it first thing in the morning giving full on Little Women vibes (one of my favourite books). The sound and heat of a roaring fire with a cosy old movie on in the background is absolute heaven for me. I do however have to fight my dog Coco to the hotspot in front of the fire.

• CARDIGAN •

FORAGING AND FARMER’S MARKETS

As I said earlier, I am off to a food festival this weekend which we do most years. The opportunity to discover new food and nibble goodies whilst talking to the owners is something that I am loving doing more as I have got older. When I was younger I hated my parents taking forever between each stand but I am now that person. If you go out for a walk make sure you bring a bag, you never know what you may find. Liam and I have been known to come back with berries, mushrooms and even apples to cook up a storm with.

CUDDLE

If you are in the countryside with a loved one then a cuddle is definitely in order. Pop on your cosy clothes and snuggle up together for extra bonus romantic points. I adore these lounge pants (remind me of Rachel from Friends ‘Apartment Pants’) and slippers for perfect lounging attire.

Are you a fan of being in the countryside or would you rather be in the City?

WHAT TO PACK

The weather can be obviously be a bit skitty. One minute it is raining and cold, the next sunny and warm. The most important factor for me was to have a pair of boots for walks and slippers for the minute you walk in the front door. This cardigan was my saviour last time we went to Wales, it was warm-ish so I was in a dress and flip flops but when we were walking around town there was a strong breeze. I popped this cardigan on and I was super cosy. I am not your best friend when I am cold 😉 . Oh, also, I got Coco a matching jumper to my cardigan for ultimate cuteness. I also adore these lounge pants because even though they are merino they don’t itch, even in the slightest! Also, after 3 days of lounging about the house in them, they didn’t get saggy knees, that’s a sure sign of an amazing pair of trackies.

• BOOTS • SCARF • DOG JUMPER •

SUMMER PREP BEAUTY MUST HAVES

Hands up who is ready for a summer holiday? Actually, who has booked a sunny holiday abroad? I am off on my yearly one week holiday to Greece. I’m not sure what it is about the Greek Islands but Liam and I can’t keep away. Whether you are off abroad or not we have been blessed with some lush weather lately (today…not so much, but it will be back I am sure). Anyway, I am here to introduce you or perhaps remind you of some amazing beauty products and little extras to help you prep for the summer months ahead.

BEAUTY MUST HAVES

REN MICRO POLISH
The eagle eyed amongst you may notice that my image of this product below is seriously creased, a bit dirty and the lid has snapped. This is all a result of me squeezing out every last inch. I have been using this product for about 5 months I think and actually not in the intended way. This product is designed for the face which is a delicate area, therefore I thought that it must be fine to use on your tougher skin on your body as well. I have been using it on the backs of my legs and on my bum cheeks. I’m not one of those Instagrammers that intend on wearing a thong bikini on holiday (not even when I was a teenager…I’m such a prude) but(t) it’s nice to keep all of our skin smooth and conditioned isn’t it!? I squeeze out the product which is like a dense clay like sand and rub it in before washing it off again. I have seen a great improvement in the bumpy bits on the backs of my legs from years of stupidly tugging at ingrown hairs. Was this paragraph TMI? hmmm…
DR ROEBUCK’S BYRON 2-IN-1 MASK + SCRUB
This was sent to me in my PO Box last month and I was immediately impressed before I had even physically used it. The packaging is delightful and everything that you would expect from an eco vegan Australian company. As soon as I spotted the fresh colours of branding and the beautiful white tube with a toothpaste style lid I knew I was in for a treat. The product does in fact smell like a minty fresh toothpaste, so much so that I would quite like to have a taste…I didn’t, don’t worry. The eco beads are biodegradable which are designed to target clogged pores and gently remove dead skin cells. I love that they are using eco/biodegradable beads after hearing so much press about brands using plastic in their products. You can use this product with peace of mind that you aren’t washing plastic into the ocean.
HEMPZ GRADUAL TAN
This electric orange tube of SPF 30 from Hempz helps protect skin from free radical damage whilst subtly helping you tan. It isn’t an actual fake tan, it helps to enhance your skins colour. Therefore you aren’t going to smell of biscuits or have streaky legs.
LEIGHTON DENNY WELL HEELED
This product from leighton Denny is designed to help soften your feet. I have never thought much about my feet as I have grown up. Yet, after a bout of wearing some trainers which blistered me up pretty badly I am all for reviving my feet and this product is definitely the one. Along with the cream which you can slather all over your feet, it also comes with the adorable spotty blue socks in the picture below. They even have cute pastel blue bows on the back of them. For a seriously deep conditioning, cover your feet in the cream, then pop the socks on and binge watch your current favourite Netflix series (check out my latest TV Picks here).
SAND & SKY MASK
I have had this product in my ‘To Test Out’ for a while and I am so excited to have stumbled across it again. In fact, this is another Australian product of goodness. In this pastel blue tub is a whole lot of Australian pink clay. This clay is designed to detoxify and brighten your skin in only 10 minutes. It feels incredible and super smooth. For a quick pre-holiday glow, you need this clay mask.

NOBLE ISLE BODY HYDRATOR
If you follow me on Instagram you will know that I am quite a big fan of Noble Isle, especially their Rhubarb scented products. I can’t live without their Rhubarb Rhubarb (yes Rhubard twice ;)) hand wash. I recently had a little bit too much sun after a long workout in the sun and used this Noble Isle body hydrator all over my tingly shoulders and it felt wonderful. It is actually a great lotion to use in preparation to fake tanning and can help negate the dreadful scent of most fake tans.
SKYN NORDIC SKIN PEEL
These Skyn Nordic Skin Peels pads are designed to exfoliate, tone and clear pores. When I first looked into this product I thought that it was maybe, a little bit like a Retinol (I talk in depth about Retinols here) but this is a less scary way to “peel”. It is the papaya fruit extract they use which exfoliates your skin. Make sure you are subscribed to my YouTube channel to see my review of Skyn’s skin peel and there eye brightening patches going live this weekend.

LITTLE EXTRAS

On to the pretty little extras, but by no means any less important. How pretty and sparkly are the below goodies. Once you have prepped your skin with hydration and a touch of sun kiss you will need pretty nails and to be adorned with pretty jewellery, right!? I thought I would introduce you to current faves which are carefully strewn across my gold rimmed mirror display form Oliver Bonas. In terms of adornments I am most in love with my beautiful pale blue Hampstead ELIE BEAUMONT watch and jewellery from MeMe London, Stella & Dot and Penny Levi and Lily Belle.
NAIL VARNISHES
These three nail varnishes from Joan Collins (Fontaine), iZ London (Lemon Meringue) and Mavala (Long Island) are my go to colours for the summer seasons.

How beautiful are these summer must haves! Which are your favourites?

EVERYTHING I LOVED IN APRIL

Happy May to all that dream of sunnier days. April showers are now behind us…well, mostly. I have filmed many monthly favourites over the years on my YouTube channel (while you are here, please do subscribe to my channel 🙂 I would love to get to 1k subs before the end of the year) but I am here with a bloggy version because my computer is currently too full to film and edit videos. Not to worry though I will be back with more videos soon and I am so excited. Anyhoo…keep on reading to see what I have loved this month from fashion to beauty to my current bedtime comforts (hubby sold separately).

FASHION & BEAUTY

BRIGHT LIPSTICKS AND JUMPSUITS AND PINK PARCEL

There are three items in this section which have been making me happy this month. First off is this glam jumpsuit from Damsel In A Dress (gifted). I wore it twice in April, to a friends birthday party and to the UK Blog Awards. It is perfectly comfortable and loose around the legs but naked enough on the arms and chest that you don’t look too covered up. I am quite a prude but to have the arms open to the air means it feels ok to cover the legs completely whilst everyone else is wearing a cute cocktail dress. I paired it with a pair of super high and surprisingly comfortable H&M heels (they don’t sell them anymore but these are really similar).
With regards to bright lipsticks, I have always been a nude/pink lipstick wearer but the sun has been sprinkling down on us lately and turned me to start loving brighter colours. I am very fussy with my lipsticks, I hate it when they aren’t creamy enough and leave my lips feeling dry. These two current faves are the perfect amount of creamy. Bobbi Brown’s Tahiti Pink and Joan Collin’s Fontaine. They are both a coral pink/red and really pop. I can’t wait to wear them when I have a little bit of a tan.
Another goodie which I have fallen in love with is Pink Parcel (Disclaimer: I had a paid collaboration with them on my Instagram but I loved it so much that I wanted to include it on this post, but this is not paid). Pink Parcel also gave me a discount code for 20% off PP20 if you would like. The idea of the subscription is that each month you are sent a discrete box through your letter box filled with all your girly monthly needs and an extra section filled with beauty products and this month also included chocolate. It’s a pretty awesome idea and I wish I had come up with it.

EVERYTHING I LOVED IN APRIL | Megan Taylor

HAIR CARE

MANTA & TROPIC (Ethos food)

Move over Tangle Teaser, there are two new babes on the block. I have two new hair brushes to tell you about, one of which I use in the shower and the other on an average day. I was invited to Tropic’s hair care launch last week where we had a wonderful sit-down lunch at Ethos (another of my favourites this week. Literally some of the best food in London. If you go, make sure you have the sweet potato falafels, pretty sure I ate 6 of them!). At the lunch we learnt lots about hair care and even got to make our own hair oil. Our goodie bag was filled with lovely hair products which I am currently testing but something that seriously excited me was the head massaging hair brush which you can see in the image below on the right. When you use the hair cleanser you massage it in with this brush and feel instant happiness.
The other brush I am loving is this one from Manta. The brush is perfectly moulded to the shape of your hand and bends with your clasp which makes you feel like you are brushing your hair with your actual hand. It also gives you a lovely massage in the process of brushing. The brush is delicate on your hair and even suitable for those with hair extensions and who experience hair loss.

BEDTIME COMFORTS

DOLLY ALDERTON & REN SLEEP SPRAY

Last but not least are my latest bedtime essentials. Sleep is very important to me. I am a very light sleeper and even though I love it I have struggled to fall to slumber for many years. This being said I love trying out new sleeping aids and my favourites which have proved best for me are listed here. You will notice that I have mentioned Ren’s Pillow Spray on numerous occasions. It is filled with Frankincense and Lavender which are both used to promote sleep. Even though it is a pillow spray, I spritz it four times around my bedroom whilst I brush my teeth at night so that I walk back into the perfectly scented sleepy bedroom. The book which I am really enjoying at the moment and reading at a much quicker pace than normal because I love it that much is Dolly Alderton’s, ‘Everything I Know About Love‘. It is a hilarious memoir of her upbringing in short sharp chapters.

What have you loved this month?

SPRING TREND // PASTEL BLUE

I am sooo ready for Spring. I need a teensy bit more warmth to make me content. I am literally frozen to the bone at the moment and I am an all round more pleasant person when I am warm. The skies are a stunning shade of blue at the moment and I am in turn channeling that into my fashion. Pastel blues (also known as Little Boy Blue) are going to be prevalent this Spring 2018 and was seen on the catwalk of Caroline Herrera, Ralph and Russo and John Galliano. Pastel blues are already filling the high street but Zara are doing it especially well. Check out my two favourite items below. In fact, I also bough a lovely pastel blue dress with a drop hem pleated skirt…but it was too cold to shoot!

THE COAT

Oh wow, where do I start with this coat? I didn’t even look at the price and went to the counter to purchase it! Isn’t it insanely dreamy. It definitely isn’t warm enough for the weather we are currently having…unless you put a gorgeous cream roll neck underneath (I should probably invest in one of those). I bought this in black last Autumn as well but have only worn it a handful of times because I always tend to pick a jacket over a coat but I know this coat is going to be well worn this Spring. I have popped a full length shot at the bottom of this post so you know the length (I am 5’7.5″…yup in the modelling world that .5 is super important haha).

SPRING TREND // PASTEL BLUE | Megan Taylor

THE BAG

I have only used this bag once and the compliments have been worth it alone. At under £30 it is a steal. It is absolutely gorgeous in person and the perfect blue shade. I love how it is really structured and hold its shape even with nothing in it. The gold exposed zippers make it look so much more expensive than it is. No one believes that it is from Zara. Get it before the rest of the world buy it.

Will you be buying into the pastel blues this coming season?

VALENTINE’S DAY GIFT GUIDE FOR HER

Yes, I know Valentine’s Day is a bit of a commercialised holiday that some people hate. Yet, I am baffled as to why anyone should hate on a day that is designed to be nice to each other, personally I think any excuse to declare how much you love your partner, family, friends should be pushed and celebrated. So without further ado I am here with my Valentine’s Day gift guide predominately geared towards presents for the girlies…because we deserve to be treated right!? So, show this to your loved one or maybe you should treat yourself, there is bound to be something you want in here. I have some gorgeous undies, yummy chocolates and must have beauty buys which range from the affordable to the luxe treats. Although I haven’t done a male gift guide this year, I thought the same concept applies to the gifts I suggested for last year 😉

UNDIES

Gorgeous underwear is definitely strongly linked with Valentines Day. I can tell you that currently my absolute favourite brand for stunning and immaculately made undies are from Fleur Of England. With stunning lace and super soft sheer fabric you will forget you are wearing anything. I can’t bear wearing underwear with underwire that is misshaped and digs into your bones and skin, you won’t get that with Fleur Of England lingerie. I have two sets and feel like I am wearing absolute luxury, I just wish I had known the brand existed when I had got married. The set which I am currently loving and which is featured in my image is the Margaux collection. You will want to find a way to have the bra on show in some way, the straps are so delicate and soft over the collar bones. Oh, make sure you check out the sublime detailing of the buttons on the bra and knickers. They look like the sort of detail you would get on a wedding dress.

VALENTINE'S DAY GIFT GUIDE FOR HER | Megan Taylor

BEAUTY PRODUCTS

Next week I happen to have a Valentine’s Day make up and hair look coming out but in the mean time I wanted to share with you some of my must have romantic beauty products. Joan Collins and Charlotte Tilbury have some wonderful pink and red colours and to top it off they both have stunning packaging in gold and rose gold which can really turn a nice product into a fab-u-lust product. Other great beauty products which are perfect for Valentine’s Day are body oils, bath oils and body creams…all of which can be shared with your partner. Some of my current faves are iMantara’s Jasmine body oil and Ren’s Rose Otto bath oil which is filled with 10,000 rose petals!!

FASHION

Even if you’re not in a relationship, why not get in the lovey-dovey vibe and dress romantically. I know I will be wearing pink to celebrate the occasion. I am wearing the gorgeous bow back jumper from Jigsaw in the featured image, it’s absolutely adorable in an adult girly way. I am a huge lover of pleated skirts, I find them incredible feminine and make me feel like I am floating on air like a fairy (yes my inner child is definitely trying to escape). My current lust item is a long floaty dusty pink pleated skirt like those below.

EASY EXTRAS

A few extra ideas for those that are pushed for time would be the traditional bunch of flowers or box of chocolates. A very easy and fun way to send flowers is through Bloom & Wild‘s letterbox flowers. My favourite chocolates of the moment would be Booja Booja‘s raspberry truffles. They are healthy, sugar free and dairy free but taste like absolute heaven (I have talked about these a lot in the past hehe)…they also come in a pink box, bonus. A super romantic present which I would love to receive would be a modern day “mixed tape”. Pre-fill the iPod shuffle with a romantic playlist or songs that mean something to you and your partner.

Which product is your favourite or gifting idea?

JAZZ UP YOUR FITNESS GEAR

At the end of last year I wrote a blog on autumn/winter activewear fashion and the feedback through Instagram was that you were loving it and the click throughs were super positive. Therefore, I thought I would pop back with some more activewear for you but this time a lot more affordable and a bit more jazzy. I feel that if you want to feel inspired to workout then you need to feel great whilst doing so, therefore you need to love what you are wearing. Here are my current favourite garments to help you jazz up your fitness gear.

PATTERNITY X JOHN LEWIS

Welcome to your new yoga gear. The Patternity brand have teamed up with John Lewis to create a range based on mindful living, if that doesn’t scream yoga then I don’t know what does. The collection doesn’t stop at activewear though, there are loads of home goodies too, including cushions and towels. At such a reasonable price you wouldn’t expect the clothes to be as lush as they are. The garments are super soft and have a great elasticity to them that sucks you in, in a comfortable way. My absolute favourite items from the collection are the pieces I am rather gleefully modelling for you below. The white swing jumper is fleece lined and is the perfect temperature for your yoga warm up. The leggings are a very pale mint green with black block print. I thought the print of the leggings would be a little too crazy for me, but I am running with the look and getting tons of compliments along the way…perfect.

JAZZ UP YOUR FITNESS GEAR | Megan Taylor

OASIS

Oasis have recently branched out into producing a whole line of activewear. If you click on through to here you may well spy yours truly 😉 . I tried out this collection over the Christmas period and ran mountains in it. The collection is very feminine filled with very lady like floral prints. My absolute favourite item is the jumper you can see me clambering about in below. Fleece lined, it is super soft and perfect for cosy-ing up in before and after your run. The leggings that I am wearing have the print only on the side of the leg, you can also get a more obvious pair with the print taking up most of the leg. I prefer the subtlety of my pair. Oasis have also made a super cute hoodie and pair of shorts which you can see me in below. I think this little combo would be the perfect at home yoga outfit. I can actually picture myself waking up in my beach front home (*dreaming obviously…), drinking a freshly chilled glass of water and do my morning stretches in the shorts and hoodie on my balcony overlooking the ocean. Hmmm…..

Which is your favourite look? Are you brave enough to wear these more jazzy outfits?

THE PERFECT OUTFITS FOR A CITY BREAK

Welcome to the winter season. Are you planning on a city break during this festive month? Or are you simply planning a trip to your local shopping centre? These outfits that I have chosen are all super practical…no painful high heels in sight 😛 This is a little insight to what I wore when I spent 3 days in Florence with my lovely hubby last month and which happened to be the perfect outfits for a city break. Make sure you let me know in the comments which outfit is your favourite.

KEEP YOUR BOOTY WARM WITH A COAT

My mum has always told me to buy myself a good coat to keep myself warm but I have never found one that is quite right. That was until now. I adore the fur collar trim which dresses up the coat a little bit. The structure of this coat is really lovely, it holds its shape and I have found it works with any outfit, both dressier and casual looks. Because the coat is relatively plain in its detailing I styled it up with my cute stripy cashmere knit hat.
(Hat • Coat • Bag • Jeans • Boots)

FAUX FLUFFY JACKET

How freaking adorable is this jacket!! I am in love with the cuteness. I have had so many compliments when I have worn this jacket. Also, not that you can see in the photo, but the lining is a stunning dusky pink satin which tops off the gorgeousness. This faux fur jacket is super warm and looks great with a casual day outfit but immediately makes you feel like you have tried a little bit harder with your look when you stick it on? As I was travelling around Florence I had to make it a bit cooler and “Italian” with my big And/Or sunnies.
(Sunglasses • Jacket • Jeans • Boots)

FANCY FLORALS

This outfit is my new go-to for dressed up day style. My pleather pleated skirt goes with so many things. You can dress it up with a blouse tucked in or dress it down with a statement tee tucked in. On this misty morning in Florence I paired it with this embroidered wooly jumper and my new favourite “man repeller” glitzy shoes. I say man repeller because men don’t seem to like them but most girls stop me and ask me where they are from. These shoes are my biggest happy item at the moment, they are the comfiest party shoes for the festive season that I have ever owned.
(Jumper • Skirt • Tights • Shoes)

IT’S PARTY TIME

As you may I have noticed, I am up for a couple of awards in the UK Blog Awards. If you haven’t voted, then please do here. I of course used this outfit as my celebratory picture to tell everyone that I was nominated, but the biggest question everyone had was, where is your skirt from haha. Well, you can buy it here and you will be so happy with such an amazing art deco sequin party skirt.
(Jumper • Skirt)

Which is your favourite outfit?

AUTUMN/WINTER ACTIVEWEAR I AM LOVING RIGHT NOW

Activewear is totally acceptable to be be seen in right now and I kinda love it. More and more brands are making stunning luxury designer activewear and I have been wearing two different brands lately which has changed my whole outlook. I spend a lot of time at bootcamp, which is another word for rolling yourself about in the mud. I love bootcamping but I tend to buy my clothes for bootcamp in cheap sports shops like Sports Direct. I have been feeling super daggy in my sports kit lately, everything is mud and grass stained, ripped at the cuffs and tinged with a dank smell…sexy huh? Well, things are slowly changing and I am adding more lush items to my kit, which in turn makes me feel a whole lot better about myself.

UNDER ARMOUR X MISTY COPELAND

This collection is part of the Misty Copeland (ballerina) and Under Armour collaboration so style and flexibility are key aspects of the garments. Iam not one to wear a teeny crop top and leggings but this outfit is the perfect alternative. You can have you midriff on show but the leggings are high waisted and the top isn’t actually that short so you feel quite covered up and only showing the slimmest part of your tummy. I won’t be wearing the top half as much as the leggings but even after only them for a month I have worn them non stop. The fabric is elasticated and sucks your legs in the perfect amount. The fabric is quite thick so perfect for the imminent wintery weather.

MONREAL

Monreal, as seen recently on Kate Middleton is new to me and I am already in love. The fabric is the right amount elasticated and super soft to touch I love the waist band, which is really elegant, check them out here as I didn’t photograph that part. The biggest draw to me with these leggings is the incredible reflective patches dotted around in a aesthetically pleasing way. I am a keen runner and after work I will have to run at dusk. I tried the kit out at dusk last week and the reflective patches worked incredibly well making me feel a lot safer running along the street.

What do you think? Would you spend a little bit more on your activewear to feel better about yourself?

HOW TO WEAR A MINI SKIRT

In the UK we are currently experiencing a bit of a freak Indian summer style of warmth but this is definitely not usual for October. If you are a subscriber of my newsletter (Subscribe here) you will know that I am having a bit of a love in with mini skirts. I love how versatile they are. Wear them with or without tights (perfect right now), with a cute fitted body, with a blouse or even cuter still, a chunky roll neck jumper slung on top. Check out my 3 favourite mini skirts which I am loving right now, all affordable and from the high street, including Topshop, Oasis and ASOS.

SUIT YOUR STYLE

There a mini skirts for everyone who wants to wear them. My favourites are the skater look like the photo below. Skater skirts are great for me personally as they cover my thighs which makes me happy and looks super cute. I love to balance the ‘sticking out-ness’ of the skater skirt with a slim fitting tee or jumper. For colder days I love wearing the cheap Primark fleece lines tights. Since I found out that fleece lined tights were a thing and didn’t make my legs look any thicker, I can honestly say my winter wardrobe was revolutionised. I get cold very easily so tended to wear jeans throughout the whole of the winter months, that was until I found fleecy tights.

MINI SKIRT // TSHIRT // SHOES

WHICH PLEATS BEST?

Let’s talk pleating…The skater skirt in the above picture is made for me as I adore the accordion pleat style. Even though I love the look, I actually hate box pleated skirts on me as my thighs and booty just stick them open making the skirt look way too small for me. I mostly have this problem because my waist is quite a lot smaller in comparison to my hips. This being said, I do adore the tennis skirt look where the pleats are stitched down to low hip…so cute.

MINI SKIRT // JUMPER TOP // SHOES // BAG

WHERE DOES IT SIT?

I personally love a high waisted skirt as I feel like it gives the illusion of a longer/less slutty skirt hehe. When I was a young teenager, back in the Britney era, I used to wear very low slung mini skirts which literally looked like a belt (oh my, how old do I sound!). I actually tried on these said skirts recently and I looked shocking, how did my parents not say to me, “You’re not going out like that”? Well…fast forward many years and I am back in mini skirts at a rather more decent length but definitely not fuddy duddy. I also really love a high waisted, cinched in skirt to emphasise the smallest part. Where do you like yours to sit?

MINI SKIRT // JUMPER

Which is your favourite mini skirt? How do you wear yours?

MY TOP AW17 PICKS AT OASIS

Autumn has officially started, yet we are being blessed with a week of slightly warm weather. When I say warm, I mean thin jumper, boots but bare legs “warm”, you get me? Well I have adopted this wardrobe staple and want to show you how I have been styling it. I have 3 looks for you, one for an Autumnal evening out another for an effortlessly dressed up day look and another for a casual everyday look. I am having a bit of a love in with Oasis at the moment so here are my top AW17 picks at Oasis.

AUTUMNAL EVENING

When I shared this photo on my social channels so many people said they loved this dress. I am generally not much of a lace lover yet for some reason I love this dress. When I put it on it fitted so well and made me feel really elegant. There is something about a dress with a zip long enough to allow you to step into the dress that makes me so incredibly happy. I have a strong pet peeve about dresses with a tiny head hole that you have to squish your way into after you have done your hair, so, designers…stick in a long “step in” zip (I tell all my fittings clients to do this 😉 , so all brands that I fit for tend to have long zips hehe). You don’t need to put a belt with this dress but I felt that my old sparkly Accessorize belt jazzed it up a little and broke up the print whilst accentuating my waist.

(DRESS)

AUTUMNAL SUNNY DAY

I adore mini skirts right now! I love how you can wear them with or without tights depending on how the autumnal weather is treating us. I struggled a little bit with this mini skirt because the size 10 was way too big for my waist but the size 8 was a bit too snug on my hips! I worked out that the size 8 skirt actually fitted me perfectly but the lining is non-stretch and is made a bit smaller than the outside layer…out came my scissors, I snipped holes in the lining and kaboom it fits me perfectly now and I couldn’t be happier. Let’s now talk about the top, how cute is it! The top is made of a lovely and soft knit with grown on cute frilly sleeves. I loved how they blew up in the wind. This top is such a great throw-on top which very simply dresses up a pair of jeans…the only problem with tops like this is you can’t wear a jumper or small jacket on top. I feel the perfect way to wear it would be with skinny jeans and throw an oversized fur lined (faux obvs.) aviator jacket on top for some warmth.

(MINI SKIRT • JUMPER)

AUTUMNAL WRAPPED UP DAY

When the chill in the air begins to blow we need to layer up. I tend to wear a strap top most days underneath whatever I am wearing. I think this trend began from me being a model and always wearing black skinny jeans and spaghetti strap top. I then wear a thin knit jumper which doesn’t make me too warm but just stops the chill touching my skin. I love bees and as soon as I saw this jumper I knew I had to have it! The gems that make up the bees are glued on sporadically only on the front preventing them from being rubbed at by a jacket. I’m not sure if it is just a coincidence but I have worn a grey jumper of some sort to three auditions lately and I have booked every one of them! Hmmm…maybe grey is my colour?! Light grey is a great colour to wear as it is so easy to coordinate with other clothes.

SHOP ☆ THE LOOK

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(BEE JUMPER)

Are you embracing the short skirt and jumper look yet? Which look is your favourite?

PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS ON A ROOFTOP IN CENTRAL LONDON

#JOHNLEWISXOLYMPUSPEN

Last week I was invited to another fabulous blogger breakfast on the roof of Jonn Lewis in Oxford Street. I always love going up there because even though you are in Central London you feel very relaxed and as we are always there very early it feels ever so calm. The roof is decked out with grass (astro turf), flowers galore and the most adorable “sheds”. These sheds aren’t you’re usual sheds, they are the poshest sheds, which you can fill with all of your friends. In these sheds you can be served lovely cocktails and food and tune into whichever music you like with your own personal Roberts radio…just you wait and see what they have in store this Christmas, I am so excited.

WHAT WE ATE

On this particular occasion we were invited to the rooftop for a John Lewis and Olympus collaboration ( #JohnLewisXOlympus ). As we entered we were welcomed with water, tea and coffee and mingled between the other bloggers. Once we got settled at the table we were served yoghurt and granola topped with strawberries, super delicious! Whilst we munched away we listened to the blogger from ‘Five Inches And Up‘ who taught us everything she knows about blogging photography, working with brands and how she gets the best shots. Carry on reading to find out what we were taught in more detail.

WHAT I LEARNT

Sandra (5 Inches And Up) taught us that when she has her photographer takes shots of her she will often shoot through flowers or leaves or sometimes a piece of fabric such a lace. I remember executing this very poorly when I was back a university. You wouldn’t believe it but at university I took a semester in photography and somehow managed to get a first! My course wasn’t based around digital photography unfortunately and spent most of my time holed up in a dark room. Anyway, I digress…taking shots with flowers in the foreground can create a fantastic depth of field and a frame the subject in som very pretty colours. Check out the picture below for reference. A lovely lady was on hand to teach us how to use our cameras and rested out some shots on me by using some foreground props to build interest and depth. For my blog fashion photography I tend to place myself against a wall or stand away from a subject and place myself close to the camera to create depth behind me. I love all of these different way but I may well mix it up now and add in my latest style.

I currently use the Olympus Pen EPL-7 but the latest camera is the EPL-8 in brown and white. There isn’t too much difference but the aesthetic is slightly different. My camera is ever so slightly more chunky but I still absolutely adore it and almost prefer the look. I always get compliments when I get my camera out because it looks old fashioned and incredibly feminine. I played around with the EPL-8 whilst I was at the event and didn’t see much difference so am happy to keep what I currently have until they release an even newer one one day. There is a super hot incredible Olympus which is a huge step up but a little out of my budget right now, the Olympus Pen F.

Have you ever used an Olympus Pen camera? Don’t you think they are incredibly beautiful!

Transitional OOTD

This dress has been seen in far too many of my Instagram posts lately and that is because it is a bit like dungarees. This dress can be made to suit any weather. I wear it with a crop top, a strap top, a tshirt, a thermal long sleeved top, tights, sandals, pumps etc. It is perfectly versatile and transitional. I bought it in navy and in white from Urban Outfitters about 4 years ago and it still looks brand new and I get compliments from everyone I see whilst wearing it. It is probably one of my best purchases I have ever bought. Although my dress is no longer on sale, the style is so popular right now and similar styles are available across different stores.

For this photoshoot I styled the dress with an old, super soft, NEW YORK Brandy Melville tshirt (if you want super soft clothes for a good price, I would highly recommend heading to Brandy Melville) and a Chanel inspired Zara cardigan which I adore. Although I bought this cardigan a few years ago I have seen that Zara keep bringing it back each year so keep your eyes peeled.

Do you have the perfect transitional piece in your wardrobe which is perfect for all occassions? I need another item like this…

Zara Summer OOTD

I haven’t blogged about my current favourite outfit of the day (OOTD) lately but I am back and intending on increasing their regularity as you all seem to enjoy the clothes I feature. I had a test shoot with the fabulous Vaughan Treyvellan recently. We always shoot some great content together. It is always bright and fresh and I love styling outfits for our shoots together…if only he lived in London permanently, he would definitely be my blog photographer of choice. My first instalment of OOTD from our shoot is this outfit from Zara.

I picked these adorable little frill hemmed black and white polka dot shorts. I am not a fan of shorts in general as they don’t necessarily suit my body shape. Although I am naturally slim, my legs are very muscly as a result of growing up as a dancer and basketball player. Vaughan of course helped me to pose in the best way possible for my shape but I think high waisted shorts suit me best as they lengthen me out. For this reason I tucked in a black strap top and styled them with a cropped jacket. This jacket is my current favourite item in my whole wardrobe. It is made of a faux suede and is baby pink which definitely limits its available outings to rain free Spring/Summer/Autumn days. I wore it on the tube one day and it immediately got grubby :(…I am still in love and think it is the perfect jacket to make any outfit look super cool.

Jacket : ZARA
Shorts : ZARA (sold out online)

What do you think of this outfit?

☆ SHOP SIMILAR ☆

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Father’s Day Gift Guide

Father’s Day is fast approaching for most of us (I believe Australian Father’s Day is in September?) and for me it has always been the most difficult present to buy each year. Each year my dad refuses to tell me what he would like for Christmas, birthday or for special occasions and apart from unaffordable Grand Prix or Chelsea season tickets I am often stumped for ideas. I have searched far and wide and think I have found some good ideas for every daddy out there. I stumbled across a site called Men’s Society on Instagram a couple of weeks ago where there were lots of lovely things which I really liked…for myself and my dad. This got me to thinking…if some men don’t really care about their present then why not buy them something you and he shall both like (especially if you are buying for your husband on behalf of your kids). Or you could venture down the beauty products route with unisex products for both of you to share. Beautiful copper bar equipment is aesthetically pleasing for your home and can be used by everyone. Keep on scrolling through this blog post for some more ideas.
N.B. Monetary presents are not always required and your presence is always the most important present…but I love love love buying presents for people even when it is tricky.

BAR STUFF

If you are tight on time alcohol is the perfect gift as it is an easy gift to buy . You can shop for it in your local supermarket on your way to see your dad on Father’s Day, along with the bag and card. What does your dad like? My parents, Liam and I love making cocktails together and I have been buying them all more cocktail related goodies lately such as pretty straws, cocktail shakers, glasses and stirrers. The absolute must have right now is a copper pineapple cocktail glass. To give your cocktail shelf/cupboard/stand a modern hit then you simply must have a pineapple cocktail glass. Buy the pictured one here. Liam’s dad is more of a whisky enthusiast and the pictured whisky stones are an amazing gift and come packaged so beautifully as a ready made gift.

{Pineapple Glass}
{Whisky Stones}

BEAUTY FOR ALL

You can buy some wonderful men’s gift boxes, including the pictured Father’s Day gift box by American Crew. I love gift boxes as you often get special edition products or a great price on an array of goodies from your favourite brand.

If you buy any Father’s Day gifts from John Lewis in Oxford Street during the week of the 12th June there is a barber in store giving free cuts!!!

Other options for male beauty products are these Ren products I have photographed. I think it is important for men to feel comfortable to look after their faces in the same way that us women do. The Ren products I have chosen are suitable for both men and women so why not buy the father of your children these lovely products to keep you both looking and feeling fabulous. If the men in your life lead a stressful life they won’t necessarily feel happy to add a splash of concealer under their eyes so the Ren beauty shot eye lift would be perfect to help diminish dark circles and puffiness.

FASHION

Every time I struggle to buy a gift for my dad I buy him a shirt. My dad wears shirts 99% of the time. He always appreciates a new shirt even if it is the same one that I bought for him the year before…similarly I’m always appreciative of a new plain white tee. If you know your dad’s/husband’s clothing sizes you can easily pick up a shirt in your local M&S or John Lewis. For an extra special touch I always like to choose a Ted Baker shirt because they often have a nice contrast fabric under the colour making the shirt feel that little bit more special. For top marks you could head to Selfridges, Harrods or Harvey Nicholls and get some of the same brands of shirts that you would normal buy on the high street but they will come nicely packaged. It is a small difference but to present your gift in tissue paper and a Selfridges bag can make it feel like more of a present than it actually is.

MEN’S SOCIETY

As I mentioned in the opening of this blog post, I stumbled across Men’s Society on Instagram but I now realise that I have actually heard of them before and even bought their products for my dad’s and my husband’s stockings. They have an array of perfect gifts for men from barware to hair care. I love the mini kits of ready made presents. Starting from about £10 you can buy a cute tin box full of goodies. Check out their Father’s Day collection here. The gin kit is my favourite ready made gift item on their site.

I hope this post has helped inspire you for your Father’s Day present shopping. What’s your favourite piece?

The Party Dresses You Need This Summer

It may well be hailing as I write this post but Spring has finally sprung and I can practically smell Summer peeking around the corner. Summer tends to be filled with garden parties, weddings, hen parties, BBQs, Christenings, Baby Showers etc etc etc… For these occasions you will want the perfect outfit. With these three handpicked dresses you will be all set for the whole season. These are the party dresses you need this summer.

GARDEN PARTY

This Silvian Heach lace dress is perfect for the Queens garden party. If, like mine, your invitation was lost in the post then this dress will have to suffice with a regular garden party. The only place I would suggest you don’t wear this dress to is someones wedding! However if you are the bride and want a more affordable and modern take on a wedding dress then this is the perfect option. If you are American and have the rehearsal dinner before then this dress would be perfect for you.

BABY SHOWER

This embroidery dress is such a simple and easy to wear dress. Zipping down to your hips at the back it is one of those perfect dresses that you can step into. In fact all three of these dresses are like this. I hate a dress that you have to struggle to get into and pull over your head, messing up your make up and hair in the process. I have styled this dress with an old belt that I think is from Accessorize to accentuate my waist. To wear this dress to lots of different occasions and still get away with it in front of the Facebook paps you can style it with different sized belts. The soft fabric makes this dress really comfortable and stretchy and one that will allow you to eat until your hearts content.

WEDDING GUEST

This blue jacquard dress is gorgeous. It is really eye catching and is the perfect injection of colour that you need to add to an other ways black wardrobe…yet that’s my wardrobe. The dress is quite dressy but has very well hidden pockets. I LOVE pockets in a dress to either pop your phone in if you don’t want to carry a bag or to simply have something to do with your hands. [This being said I really disagree with pockets in a wedding dress. Back when I was searching for a wedding dress I came across a lot that had pockets in, even though they may be handy I actually think this could ruin your beautiful wedding photos.] I love how this dress is so structured on the bodice but pops out around the hips. I honestly believe this shape is incredibly flattering for skinny, buxom and the in between women. The only problem with a structured bodice is that it may or may not be perfect for your bust shape. Make sure you try this dress on in the shop. For me as a small busted gal it fitted nicely but definitely had a little bit of room for a cup size or two bigger than my own.

What do you think of my dress picks for the Summer party season? Are there any here that you would wear? Which is your favourite?

UK Blog Awards 2017

It has been a long time coming and with a huge sense of anticipation the UK Blog Awards 2017 have been and gone in a blink of an eye. The whole process of the Blog Awards has been incredibly detailed and a bit exhausting, especially in February when we were being judged. This being said I wouldn’t go back and not have been involved. I am still honoured that someone nominated me (Who are you? Who nominated me? I still don’t know?). During February and the end of January (for prep) I worked my socks off to have the bestest of the restest content up on my blog that I have ever had. I upped my photography and writing skills. I loved every second of it and enjoyed having purpose and reason to my blogging. When February came to a close I surprisingly didn’t feel deflated, I felt powerful and ready to smash the blogging world with my new sense of determination. Keep on reading to find out more behind the scenes gossip from the event, who we hung out with and what I wore.

WHAT WE ATE AND DRANK

Food and drink were flowing…possibly a little too much for one Liam Gallagher-esque fella who hilariously made a fool of himself when “trying” to accept his award. Waiters and waitresses were always beside you when you wanted them bearing trays filled with wine, Prosecco and bottles of beer or the softer option of orange juice. Fish and chips, sliders, pizza and bags of popcorn were dutifully being passed around to help soak up the alcohol. The Prosecco stopped after the award ceremony which is pretty standard for any event but for a fussy drinker like myself it means I stop drinking (I stopped drinking wine after university when I came to realise it gave me spots and dark under eyes). This was actually a blessing in disguise as it meant I didn’t make a drunk fool of myself hehe.

WHO WAS THERE?

The event was a who’s who of bloggers that are ruling the blogosphere right now. Bloggers ranging from fashion to food to parenting mingled all night long. Liam and I spent most of the evening with our friends Sara (The 4 of Us) & Ben and Tess (Tess Montgomery) & Garth. Ben, Liam and Garth discussed their InstaHusband common ground while us girls discussed the ins and outs of the blogging world.

WHAT I WORE

I was kindly sent some dresses to wear by PR companies but however gorgeous they were, they just didn’t feel perfect for this particular event. I wanted to feel special. I wanted to look dressed up and stand out by not wearing black. I ended up wearing a bright orange dress by Karen Millen, it is the dress that I wore for my hen do a few years ago and got so many compliments for it. Made from a silk chiffon it floats like a dream. I am a sucker for a softly pleated skirt as they drape perfectly without making you feel too hippy. Although Karen Millen no longer sell my dress, they have a similar one which I have linked at the bottom of this post along with some other floated pleated numbers they currently have in stock which I have been swooning over.

WHO WON?

Although I didn’t win the top prize of Fashion & Beauty blogger, I did in fact win the title of Fashion & Beauty Highly Commended!! Of course I would have loved to have won (who doesn’t love winning!?) but coming joint second with Highly Commended is insane, especially as I have only been blogging since August 2015, under two years! The lovely winner messaged me yesterday saying to never give up as this was her 3rd time in the finals. The finalists in our category were all so lovely, many of us have made friends through the process. In fact fellow finalist, James Vincent and I have a collaboration in talks right now so keep an eye out for that.

OVER & OUT

This whole process has allowed me to make some lovely new blogger friends and led to some incredible opportunities by opening doors that I didn’t even know existed. On top of all of this, it has made me seriously UP MY GAME and I am more determined than ever to push my way further into the blogosphere. Thank you ever so much to everyone who has supported me throughout this and helped vote for me. A HUGE thank you to my gorgeous InstaHubby Liam who has been my rock whilst I have been, at times, grumpy and stressy trying to get the perfect shots for the perfect blog posts ?

Go and get what you want…anything is possible ✨

John Lewis AND/OR

Last week I was invited to one of the best fashion parties I have ever been to…and it was held in a shop! It was at John Lewis on Oxford Street. Liam and I were ushered in through the side door entrance and dropped off in front of the AND/OR sign to have our photos taken. The next day I found my cheesy mug shot on Getty Images. I have been on Getty Images a lot before but as an anonymous model from photoshoots, not as a named blogger. You may cringe but I was pretty chuffed that the photographer even remembered my name haha. The event held by John Lewis was to launch their cool LA inspired own brand collection called AND/OR. The collaborative collection between John Lewis and West Coast cool duo Calvin Rucker has resulted in an affordable fashionable look for the fashion conscious ranging from £22 for a t’shirt to £250 for the softest, creamiest leather jacket you can get your hands on.
(What I am Wearing In The Header Pic: AND/OR Jumper • AND/OR Avalon Jeans)

(Photo: David M Benett @ Getty Images)
(Wearing: AND/OR Avalon Jeans)

CUSTOMISE YOUR CLOTHES

A super exciting bonus to this collection is that John Lewis on Oxford Street has opened a Denim Workshop which is open daily from 12 noon until store close from 6th April – 19th April (apart from Easter Sunday). The service is FREE to AND/OR customers and only a small fee to personalise non AND/OR products. I am definitely skipping on down there next week with my jeans to get them personalised. Check my image above of all the amazing patches you can have attached. It is such an incredible service which is normally a process saved for big press and blogger events, so to see a store providing this is really exciting.

THE EVENT

Huddled in the AND/OR section of John Lewis store we were all on show for everyone to look on and wonder what all the fuss and party was all about. The event was attended by some exciting celebrities including the ever so gorgeous Gemma Chan who I have been loving in Humans…seriously, how can someone be that pretty?!!! Mollie King from the Saturdays was resident DJ for the latter half of the event playing some of my favourite sing along pop/dance music. The changing rooms housed a photobooth/Giff-booth which Liam and I played around with and got some lovely photos…I should have inputted them in this blog whoops! With the flowing alcohol you had a chance to shop the collection in an inebriated state, I am hoping for the sake of the cool collection that they made a fortune that evening hehe.

THE DRINK

The LA inspired nibbles and cocktails were readily flowing, along with yummy bubbly from Skinny Prosecco. I loved the touch of straws in open bottles. Not only does this save the environment with no washing up and plastic cups but it also looks super cute when photographed with the branded lipstick friendly straws. The mojitos were wonderfully lethal!

SHOP ☆ AND/OR

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What is your favourite item from the collection?