The Fashion Fix by Lexi Rees Blog Tour

 I wouldn't say that I know my fashion but what I do know is that I love to experiment with what I wear. Different styles for various occasions and my youngest daughter is certainly following in my footsteps. She is always pairing her outfits with the perfect shoes (and make up). 

So when I was asked if I'd like to join the blog tour for The Fashion Fix, I just knew it was going to be a book cherished by my child.

suSTYLEability (noun)

The art of making small changes to the way we dress in order to make big changes in the world.

If you love fashion, this activity book will help you create a wardrobe which reflects your personal style AND is mindful of the impact the fashion industry has on the environment and human welfare.

• Learn the shocking facts about fashion

• Make better choices when shopping

• Develop your own unique style

• Get creative with friends and family

• Discover fun ways to upstyle and upcycle your wardrobe

• Be crafty with recycling garments and fabrics

Split into eight chapters, this is a truly helpful guide.

Winter Wardrobe Essentials

Now I know what you're thinking. We're headed towards the middle of March already, why am I sharing my Winter wardrobe essentials now?

Well can I be honest with you guys?

I don't really think we have seasons as such anymore, you've only got to look back at the weather in recent weeks. One minute we're having days filled with glorious sunshine, a fool's spring if you will and the next Storm Freya is blowing our way and we have horrible rain, wind and plummeting temperatures again.

It actually popped up on my Facebook memories last week that this time last year we even had snow!

So whilst I've titled this post Winter wardrobe essentials, what I actually mean is essentials that you can pick up whenever the need arises. For this post I have teamed up with Fashion World who have kindly sent me some of the pieces which I'm about to showcase.

Now I could provide you with a long list of fashionable pieces which would all serve their purpose but for now I'm going to tell you my top five and also share with you my own personal favourites to wear right now.

Celebrating 15 Years of Elf the Movie with New Look

Christmas literally is my FAVOURITE time of the year. I am one of these annoying people that is ridiculously organised and has all their presents bought and wrapped before December even arrives just so that I can really enjoy the festive period without any of the stress of spending money I'm not sure I've got. And of course part of that enjoyment comes from watching all of my best loved Christmas films and near the top of my list happens to be Elf the Movie.

'Son of a nutcracker.'

Can you believe that film is now fifteen years old? That's older than my eldest daughter, yet it still feels like yesterday when I was sitting down for the first time ready to be injected with some festive cheer. And you know the sign of a good movie when all these years later I'm still watching it with the same excitement, sharing that joy with my children. The only difference is now I can quote most of the lines as we view it.

Sports Day, Days Out and People Coming Together #weeklyroundup

Another week has ended and for many of you the school holidays have well and truly begun. Not so much the case in this household. The eldest actually finishes at 1pm today, yay for her. My other three and myself don't break up until Thursday and it feels like a life time away, we're all in desperate need of a break now.

July always seems to be a busy month. So many school trips, sports days and various other events to remember and of course then there is the preparation for the youngest's birthday at the end of the month. I seem to be constantly on the go and all I want is to sit down and have a hot cuppa, not too much to ask is it?

But despite my usual moaning I'm going to start with something I read this week that has put things into perspective for me.

Read

Earlier in the week I read something so sad and I'm sure utterly devastating for some. A fellow blogger passed away on Monday leaving behind two sons and a lot of broken hearts. I never had the opportunity to meet the love Kate Sutton personally but I followed her on social media, joined in conversations with her and she always bought humour to any situation.

I just wanted to share a link to a Go Fund Me page which her eldest son set up in the hopes that some of my readers might take the time to donate something, anything to help. And if you knew her make sure you keep the tag #bemorewitwitwoo trending in her honour!

Hunkemoller make 'Herstory' With Limited Edition Influencer Swimwear Collection

At the beginning of the year I was lucky enough to have the chance to review part of one of Hunkemoller's limited edition collections and now their back with another brilliant collaborative collection and lucky me, I got the chance to see one of pieces up close and personal.

Hunkemoller’s have just launched their first ever swimwear collection which has been inspired by ambassadors and the collection is now available online. 

European retailer Hunkemoller have continued to build strong links with a great group of social media influencers with a new Ambassador inspired collection. This fantastic mini collection features four different monochrome swimwear styles which are real eye-catchers. 

Hunkemoller Make 'Herstory' With Launch Limited Edition Influencer Swimwear Collection

Hunkemöller ambassadors Lisa (@lisaanckarman), Nora (@allaboutnori) and Lynn (@whoisthatblonde) look beautiful in their very own limited edition swimwear collection. Lisa, Lynn and Nora are understandably extremely proud of this limited edition collection. 

Getting Strong not Skinny With Hunkemoller

Since the new year I have been making a conscious effort to be more active and to step up my exercise routines. Not in a bid to lose weight, no I just want to be as healthy as I can be and part of that means working out. I'm in the mind set of strong not skinny and that's why this year I've decided to incorporate more weights into my routines and my goal now is to increase the weights that I can lift throughout the year.

Of course part of exercising means wearing appropriate clothing. I've come to realise that there is nothing more comfortable than a pair of leggings and an exercise bra. No horrible underwire digging into your ribs and elasticated waist bands that are more than forgiving when your body betrays you and decides to make it look like you are carrying around a food baby inside of your stomach ( I can't be the only one that looks 6 months pregnant after eating certain foods?).

On top of that trying to lift weights can be tricky at the best of times but when your hands get sweaty it makes it even harder to pick them up correctly and seen as it is important to keep good form, I don't want any injuries now do I, this means also investing in some good accessories too. The thing is I'm also one of these people that like my accessories to match what I'm wearing, even if no-one else is watching me while I exercise.

It's All About the Little Black Shoes

We've all heard about the little black dress but what about the little black shoes, you know the ones that can make any outfit complete, the ones you just know will go with what you're wearing. A classic that just won't go out of style. Now I already have my fair share of black shoes but when JD Williams got in touch to see if I'd like to review a pair or two of shoes/boots from their site, well as a sort of addict when it comes to buying shoes, I just couldn't resist.

A pair of shoes can make or break your outfit. They have the power to bring your look together as one, to make a statement. They don't always have to be bold to make a difference. Sometimes it is the simpler styles that actually look the best. Or if your clothing is kept simple a patterned shoe can suddenly make a piece of clothing look more expensive than what it really is. It's about knowing your own style and making the shoes work for you.

With a wide selection of shoes, boots and trainers in their footwear selection, it was hard to decide on what ones I could see myself wearing. In the end I decided to think of the occasions I'd like to wear them for. Casual day to day wear, work hours and of course those rare times that I get to go out and party. By the time I had been looking at their site for a what my husband will tell you was hours, I managed to narrow my selections down to just four pairs.

Autumn/Winter Fashion For Men With Jacamo

The cold weather has well and truly set in and now is the time for layering up and getting cosy when going out and for simply sitting at home. Jacamo, who sell a great selection of fashionable menswear kindly asked if I'd like to style my husband for the season upon us and all though the man in my life doesn't like to be in front of the camera, I thought I could still show you what I'd get him wearing.

SONIC Chic DELUXE Review

As a parent I'll admit one of the things I take more seriously these days is my oral health, obviously I like to demonstrate to my children that brushing teeth is important and that going to the dentist isn't a scary ordeal like my 5 year old seems to think it is (imagine huge melt-down with lots of screaming). 

Getting Winter Ready With Trespass

When Winter arrives the temperatures drop and I don't know about all of you but I love to wrap up warm, I won't be seen without a hat (that may have something to do with having a bad hair day but we won't talk about that). I like to make sure that my children are layered up too, even if they do like to complain about wearing a coat! Now Trespass is a brand which I definitely associate with outdoor clothing so what better company to get Winter ready with.

My kids have worn Trespass coats in the past and I've had lovely walking boots from them, there range of clothes and footwear is definitely accessible to everyone, young or old. What I've always liked about their range is that not only is it inexpensive, the quality which you receive is fantastic. There aren't many coats that when they say they're waterproof that turn out to actually protect you from the rain.

Tired Mama Collection Sweatshirt Review

With Autumn well and truly here, the cosy jumpers have been dug out and if I wasn't feeling tired, I definitely am now. Whilst the kids are all about wearing wellies and jumping in muddy puddles and piles of leaves, I'm quite happy curled up in-front of the fire with my comfiest clothes on. And lets be honest as a parent I don't have an abundance of time to brush my hair, let alone put out-fits together these days. This is where new brand The Tired Mama Collection can help.

Stepping Into Summer With Saltrock Clothing

T-shirts, these are an item of clothing that are a staple in any wardrobe. They can be dressed up or dressed down and there's a style to suit any body type. With Summer now in full swing the lovely guys at Saltrock kindly provided me with a voucher to stock up on clothing for my family and I. Now I hadn't heard of them before so I did a little digging, they are a brand created by two brothers, Saltrock is known more as a surfing label. 

“We design for the lifestyle we love – fun, creativity and laughter is the lifeblood of Saltrock. We love the British coastline and all it has to offer, were passionate about having the freedom to express ourselves and we surf till the sun goes down.”

I'll be honest I was immediately drawn to their range of printed t-shirts, not only because there were so many of them to choose from but also because a lot of them are on a 3 for 2 offer, we all love a bargain right!? As I looked through the site I was having a problem in narrowing down what to buy because their clothing screamed comfy yet cool, I was already making a list of things that I would be back to buy later. 

Fifty Shades of Pink

As a young girl I was never typically girly, I didn't love all things pink, especially when it came to what I wore. This might of had something to do with having brothers and getting their hand me downs but pink was definitely a colour that I avoided.

Fast forward to 2017 and my wardrobe seems to tell a different tale. Over the past few months various shades of pink have made their way into the clothes that I wear, from tops and skirts down to shoes and bags. My husband has never been afraid to wear pink to I guess it couldn't hurt to embrace it myself.

The Vintage Sweetheart Dress Review

Having four girls I guess it comes as no surprise that they are really into clothes. Each of them has their own unique style, already choosing their outfits by themselves and having an opinion on what they think looks good. What's good is that even though they seem typically girly, they don't conform to the girls must wear pink, mixing it up with different colours and patterns. When The Vintage Sweetheart got in touch asking if I'd like to review one of their handmade dresses, it was tough deciding who would receive it. In the end I decided my seven year old should get to choose a dress, she does end up with a lot of second hand clothes so it was nice for her to get something of her own, something that you won't find on the high street. 

Before I review the stunning piece we were sent let me tell you a little bit about the company. Run by the lovely Emily, The Vintage Sweetheart create wonderful handmade dresses for babies and girls ranging from 0-3 months up to age 13-14. Each dress produced by The Vintage Sweetheart is made with absolute love and care in the UK using the highest quality cotton and each one is named after some very important people in Emily's life. With every item sold they donate £3 to Mango Tree, a children's charity in India and they are suitable for whatever occasion you are looking to wear them to.

My December Favourites

The final month of the year, I honestly can't believe it. I know we all say the same thing every year but hasn't it flown by! Any way I do digress I'm back with my December favourites for you all, prepare for a bit of a festive theme.

Festive Jumpers

I love a good Christmas jumper and I have two favourites this year and they both come from boohoo.com. My lovely mum bought me both of them, a gorgeous jumper dress and and an adorable jumper. Both super comfy and warm and really perfect to where all Winter long, a jumper isn't just for Christmas right?

Getting In The Party Mood With House of Fraser

The festive season is upon us and with that comes an abundance of parties and discos and it isn't just us adults that get inundated with lots of events to attend, our children's social calendars seem to get quite full too. My kids have school discos, tag days, even a school Christmas party and of course different outfits are required for each occasion and who better than to get our wardrobe in the party mood than those lovely people over at House of Fraser.

My two youngest daughters were kindly sent an item each. We were given a list of clothes to pick from my four year old opted for a gorgeous party dress (it apparently looked very princess like) and my six year old after much consideration ended up choosing some spectacular outerwear. Clothing tends to seem just that little bit better with a touch of glitter or sparkle so it is no surprise that my girls chose items that oozed a certain bit of glitz and glam.

Kids Fashion Has Arrived at Boohoo

I have four girls and they are all very typical in the sense that they love clothes and shoes, their auntie always makes a point of buying then new outfits at Christmas and others always tell her that she's boring for doing so but my kids couldn't be more appreciative! So when I was asked if I'd like to review some of the new kids fashion that's just arrived at Boohoo I knew it was an opportunity that I couldn't turn down.

My October Favourites

Autumn has well and truly arrived, the mornings and evenings are darker and the temperature has dropped a lot of late but all of this hasn't stopped me from enjoying some brilliant products this month so here are my October favourites.

Crunchie Spread

So the kids are loving spreading this on their toast and I have to admit that I've been stirring this into my greek yogurt.

Back to School Made Fashionable with House of Fraser

The time for kids to go back to school is nearly upon us and of course that means the dreaded school uniform shopping. I've always found when buying the obligatory uniform from the school itself it can not only be expensive but the ties and cardigans/jumpers are never anything particularly nice to look at and who wants to be dressed the same as everyone else anyway? This is where House of Fraser can help.

What to Wear to a Summer Wedding?

My lovely sister in law got married yesterday, hooray. But on the build up to the wedding I spent a lot of time wondering just what to wear. I mean it's tricky isn't it because of course it is meant to be Summer but we live in Britain so any sort of weather is possible.

Luckily my girls were all sorted for the big occasion because they were all bridesmaids so their outfits were all chosen and bought by their auntie, the colouring was all coral, orange, pinky so I wanted to almost blend in, I'm not one who likes to stand out in photos!

I changed my mind frequently on the outfit that I wanted to wear, in the end I wore something entirely different to what I'm posting now but I thought it was still too pretty not to share.