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.

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.

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.

Getting Scruffs in The Great Outdoors

Last year my husband was given the chance to try out some of Scruffs workwear, he found it to be comfy and hard wearing but sis you know the scruffs clothing can be great just for general wear too??

With the Summer holidays here, Scruffs sent my husband a couple of items from their range to trial and see how it faired not only when he was at work but when he was at play too. A great excuse to get outside in the great outdoors.

Damart Clothing Review

The seasons are always changing and of course a change of season also means a change of clothes. Spring/Summer collections are popping up everywhere and I was lucky enough to have the chance to pick a couple of items from Damart's latest  range.

Damart is actually a French based company, I'd previously heard of them but I have to admit that I've never worn anything from them before. What they offer is a range that is both stylish and comfortable and let me tell you I'm all about the comfort these days!!

I chose to receive a printed jacket (£49) and a pair of Amortyl shoes (£35).

What I liked about both items was that they could be dressed up or dressed down, they worked with an array of different outfits which immediately makes them great value for money.

The Amortyl shoe comes in two colours, black and white. I chose white. You get a second pair of contrast laces with the shoes so that you can change the look of the shoe. The orange laces can add a pop of colour and really give a Summer vibe.

Trutex Uniform Review

School uniform, we all have to purchase it for our children at some point in their lives, we can't avoid this cost and because of this parents like myself are always on the look out for uniform that is not only good quality, long lasting but also affordable.

Having three children in school with one more due to start next year, the cost of shirts, skirts, cardigans etc is something I have to try and budget for every Summer.

When Trutex approached me and asked if I'd like to review a selection of some of the school wear that they stock, I was happy to oblige.

Trutex was actually established in 1865 so it is no surprise that they are the UK's leading school uniform supplier. Stocking everything from main uniform, sportswear and outerwear in a range of styles and colours, there is something to suit every school.

I chose shirts, trousers and cardigans for my eldest daughter, she's just had a growth spurt so this was perfect timing.

What I liked immediately was that every item was made to go in the tumble drier, seen as my washing machine is on 24/7, this was a big plus for me, saves on time and effort.

The shirts I chose were non iron blouses, another bonus as I am not a fan of ironing!! I liked on the site that there was a size guide stating not only age but inches and cms of chest size too meaning you can purchase clothes that are just right.

No Tricks, Just Treats

Ok ok, I know Halloween is over and you're all thinking about Christmas now but I had to share with you the lovely delivery that I received from House of Fraser last week, no tricks in sight just plenty of wonderful treats.

Along with plenty of Halloween goodies including books, sweets and masks, the girls were each sent an item from their children's range of Autumn essentials.

Getting Dressed With Yellow Mellon

Is it just me or do kids tends to conspire together and all grow out of clothes at the same time?? Luckily for me online kids wear retailer, Yellow Mellon got in contact a little while ago to see if there was anything that my children were in need of.

Of course my answer was yes, but deciding which items was a hard task.

In the end I gave Yellow Mellon my children's ages and asked them to surprise us.

Well when my package arrived I was not only impressed with the speedy delivery but the contents inside were nothing short of wonderful.

Stepping Into Spring With Weird Fish

Ok I know the warm weather has been a bit sporadic but there have been moments of sunshine and warmth, the question is what to wear?? The lovely guys over at Weird Fish stock lots of lovely clothes for men, women and kids, great for every day wear and their latest designs are just perfect for Spring.

I was lucky enough to be sent a couple of items from their range to try on and get myself Spring ready.

The package itself was well presented, tied up with gorgeous floral ribbon and an added key ring hanging on there too. It was like Christmas come early.

I received the Phoebe Printed Tunic Stretch dress in Dusted Violet and the Holker Dip Dyed Scarf in Vanilla Ice.