DOES MY BUMP LOOK BIG IN THIS?

It's funny how many changes you go through when you're pregnant, and how much I'd forgotten it does! Especially when it seems so different this time round. I know with Felix I was lucky enough to scrape through the first 12 weeks with little sickness and my only real cravings were for meat (which is weird as I don't eat that much meat at all), and so the slow weight gain and strong stomach muscles meant I sported a tidy bump. In fact from behind you couldn't really tell I was pregnant even up to my due date.

CANARY YELLOW & BOTANICAL VIBES // STYLE EDIT

OK I'm officially claiming it, spring is here and I couldn't be happier to see the sun. It really is a mood booster and when the sun disappears I'm trying to find other ways to make my own! I've never really worn yellow as a colour, or red for that matter, in my mind I often felt I would look washed out being blonde and it instead it was reserved for raven locks.

So often we get stuck in a style rut, reaching out for the same colours and clothes combo and it's hard to step out of our comfort zone and be playful with your style. So I decided to bite the bullet and break out the Canary yellow, yep this ruffled beauty of a shirt caught my eye and I couldn't resist sharing it with you.

IS BEAUTY SKIN DEEP?

So this is a little different from my normal lifestyle posts but as I'm investing in a little self care at the moment – read more about why here – I thought it would be good to share my morning at the EF MediSpa Bristol and my state of shock when I saw the results!

BODEN SPRING BLOOMS TOUR IN BRISTOL

If you're a Boden fan girl then you may have noticed a big green bus making its way around various cities last week over on their social media! Yes the Boden Spring Blooms tour with Bloom & Wild hit the streets of Bristol last Friday and I couldn't miss a chance to say hey to the lovely Boden peeps and Bristol bloggers, while checking out a few select pieces from their Spring collection.

Did I mention the amazing green double decker bus?! Yes parked in the heart of the city centre Boden has teamed up with beautiful concept florist, Bloom & Wild, to create a flower workshop on the lower deck while transforming the top deck into a mini Boden showroom, complete with changing room.

GET READY FOR DATE NIGHT WITH THIS HIS 'N' HERS VALENTINE STYLE

With love just around the corner, or at least the social out pouring and feverish declarations of hearts and flowers only weeks away, I though it would be fun to put together a little style guide for the perfect valentine date. Nowadays most romance is contained to the swipe of screen or the furious volley of emjoi's, but not me. I prefer a much more old skool approach of getting asked out on a date rather than sending a risque selfie, so being married I still make time for a night out or a sneaky day time adventure.

HOW TO CREATE A HOLIDAY CAPSULE WARDROBE WITH LYST

Beautiful blue skies, sparkling seas and dappled light, toes sinking into white sand, sun kissed skin wrapped in warmth *sigh* Yep I'm definitely itching for an island getaway, something to soothe the soul and enjoy a little R&R. In fact I've been practically stalking my friends IG feeds as they head off to Greece and other Mediterranean getaways, so I thought it would be fun to create a holiday capsule wardrobe wish list using Lyst to appease my wanderlust and give me some style inspiration.

If you're anything like me when it comes to packing, then you'll probably find youself taking five pairs of shoes and a gazillion outfit choices 'just incase' and wondering why your getting extra luggage charge when taking a short haul mini break. As I'm longing for some actual sun *erm hello British summer?!* and keep getting distracted with the likes of pinterest, I've decided to plan a hypothetical four day adventure to a sunny Greek Isle and see whether the holiday gods send me some cosmic love ;)

The concept of a capsule wardrobe is to create a small collection of versatile clothes that you can use like a pic 'n' mix to achieve great style without packing everything-but-the-kitchen-sink, but how on earth do you know what to choose? I mean how many bikini's and shoes could a girl need? * lots apparently* but there is a way around it. I decided to use the Lyst, online shopping site that allows you to follow brands, watch trends and create wish 'lysts' in one place all for free and follow these five simple rules:

Capsule Wardrobe Top Five Tips

1. The first rule of fight club a capsule wardrobe is plan your outfits – yep this fills me with dread – how on earth can I predict what I'm going to feel like wearing?! Apparently the best way to do this is two fold: One, pick a colour palette making it easy to mix and match your outfits and limiting the amount you take, and two, for every one pair of bottoms two/three tops. OK so the last point might need some tweaking to work for me but in theory it sounds like a good idea.

2. Pack light, which means wear your heaviest clothes to travel in. So that bulky jacket and heavy pair of shoes you love so much, they going to be your new best plane buddy! Wear them and store above the locker if you get hot on your flight.

3. Shoes...oh how I love you! Ideally you want one pair of chunky wedge sandals that can dress up or down, one pair of cute pumps for running around in and a pair of flip flops for the pool/beach. Easy! Keeping them neutral maximises how many outfits you can wear them with too.

4. One a day keeps the over packing at bay! Before you reach for your passport and lotion, pull all your holiday clothes onto the bed and start creating a look for each day. By planning your daily go-to style you can save on suitcase space and also precious adventure time by eliminating morning choices.

5. If in doubt leave it out. Does every outfit choice make you feel yay or ney? Try on all your options packing them, if they don't feel great at home or you're not sure how they look then leave them in the no pile. Adding in hot sun and copious amounts of gelato isn't going to make those jeans feel cosier. It's time to say yay to good style days.

As I've been living in one denim skirt and the same three t-shirts I really need to update my summer wardrobe, and what better way to plan my purchases/adventure packed suitcase than a personal shopper in my back pocket. The app is super easy to use and within minutes Lyst allows you create your own collections full of you favourite brands and with alerts to let you know when your faves hit the sales. Better yet it creates suggestions based on your preferred style and previous loves, showcasing new labels and trends that you might miss otherwise. I used it here to pull together this Island capsule style and give me inspiration for my holiday.

I love this holiday capsule wardrobe especially the the oversized floppy straw hat from asos! The pastel colours would be great in the hot sun and by choosing similar tones I can create lots of outfit options from only a few clothes. The heavy coral cord shirt doubles up as a jacket and can be used as a shirt for cooler days, and choosing a metallic swimsuit means you can look stylish by the pool or wear it with jeans to create a fun nigh vibe.

Have you ever created a capsule wardrobe for holidays or even day to day seasonal wear? I'd love to hear what styles work for you when packing.

*In collaboration with Lyst 

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WASHED IN HAPPINESS & SUMMER STYLE

I'm not sure if you've sensed my excitement but it's officially June – my birthday month – which means fun celebrations, long hazy days and warm summer nights, and so far the weather is playing ball. I don't know about you but with the change of seasons comes a frenzied hunt for the perfect summer style staples to fill my wardrobe, so I knew I struck gold when I saw the new collection from FatFace. Full of soft cottons, pre-washed denims, floaty linens in an array of colour and prints, it certainly makes a shopping trip washed in happiness. I was thrilled to received the most beautiful hamper – thanks FatFace! – filled with a selection of styles to road test on a day out with the kiddo and I knew exactly where we should spend the afternoon!We jumped into the car and headed to Tyntesfield, our local National Trust property, with the most beautiful Orangery and fresh cut flower gardens *swoon* and while F played on the various tractors, I explored the hidden corners filled with botanical delights. 

I've practically been living in this FatFace Denim Fringed Skirt as it's perfect with pretty much any top and I love the acid wash A-line mini style. I teamed it up with this fun linen FatFace Batik Fish Linen T-shirt, a firm fave in their summer look book. We wandered around the stunning orangery and hunted for lemons and checked out the giant cacti, while I dreamed of a space like this to grow our own – a girl can dream right ;) 

The gardens were filled with the most beautiful blooms, fragrant roses, fallen petals and a wonderful kids play area with a ride on tractor and cafe for those in need of coffee or cream teas. In fact, it was quite tricky to persuade the kiddo to leave his new found treasures and when we got home I found a pocket full of pink petals stashed away. 

The next day we woke to more sunshine and smiles and headed to our local cafe to pick up my must have caffiene fix. I wore the FatFace Ava Batik Fish Dress and teamed it up with my old pair of leather sandals. The soft floaty dress has pockets, that is great for running around with a small, also I love that you can tie it in at the waist to create a flattering shift dress style.

Everytime I wear this dress my I imagine balmy Greek Islands in the med, walking along sandy shores under a burning sunset *sigh* it's definitely creating some wanderlust. If I did manage to tear myself away this summer I know I would be keen to let my legs see some vitimin D, and these super cute cotton chino shorts and colour matching Southwold Linen T-shirt  would be the first things I pack. I can't resist a bit of blush and it always reminds me of my fave 80's film, Pretty in Pink!

Now I don't know about you, but I have been super eager to try out the hottest fashion trend from the Spring/Summer catwalks, yes I am talking about the mid-length leg! Whether it's floaty cullottes that float your boat or Denim Capri Jeans, everyone seems to be wearing them or have an opinion on them. I've always stuck to skinnies as they are my fail safe style and I love the slick Opal Blue super skinnies from FatFace. I promise you won't find a comfier denim to pop your legs into, but rather than play it safe I decided to try out a new look and teamed up a super floaty Landstone Linen Swing Vest with a pair of these cool retro wide legged capri jeans and my faithful leopard print jacket. What do you think? Can I pull it off? Paul isn't so sure but I love the look, especially with my chunky platform sandals and I think it's a great one for a night out with the girls, sipping cocktails outdoors.

Have you seen anything for to add to your summer wardrobe? I've already spotted another dress that I can't wait to try from FatFace. *This post is written in collaboration with FatFace. All words and opinions are 100% my own. 

SLOW DAYS, EMU AUSTRALIA BOOTS AND MAMA STYLE

Over the last few weekends we've really been enjoying slow days pottering around the city, hanging out with friends, trying out new places to eat and generally having fun. As the weather is still proving to be quite unpredictable I've been switching between trainers and these spring boot c/o Emu Australia – totally crushing on these – and maybe the occasional sandal and naked toes! The silvery metallic finish looks really cool with a pair of skinnies and because they are so lightweight and breathable, they make for a perfect boot that can be enjoyed all year round. So when we headed down to North Street I decided to team them up with my leopard print jacket and sunnies for a bit of fun mama style.

The other week we decided to check out the new-top-us, Pizza Workshop, and a new coffee pit stop for me. Both Paul and F are huge pizza fan's so we thought it would be fun to sit out on the street front channelling some Brooklyn vibes in this small but perfectly formed restaurant/pizza bar, which oozes cool with its striking geometric stools, minimalist interior, delicious sourdough pizza and gluten free bases *win*.  

Typically we didn't manage to snap many pics inside as we were to busy enjoying our slices! They were delicious and it's definitely a place I'd recommend for families, as F loved the colouring in menu and the service was super friendly and quick. Afterwards I grabbed a quick flat white from Tincan Coffee and wandered around taking in some pretty blossoms before heading back up to our neck of the woods. We even took a blanket on the Downs for a bit of R&R. 

The kiddo, as per usual, had boundless energy and was very excited to try out his new Cheetah Sneakers c/o Emu Australia, which of course can make him run faster ;) They are so super cute with the little face on the front and I even caught him chatting to them about a race. It makes me feel quite nostalgic seeing him wear such a iconic Australian brand as I spent the first few years of my life growing up in Perth, and even though this is a far cry from Oz, it feels like I'm somehow giving him a little connection to my childhood.

This boy surprises me everyday with his kind nature, inquisitive mind and boundless energy, he really makes my heart swell with pride. As the weather has been so unpredictable I've been carrying around this Pac-a-mac c/o Muddy Puddles for any sudden downpours, plus he looks super cute in this raindrop jacket.



This weekend is going to be filled with more slow days, a school friends birthday party for F and a Eurovision party for us big kids ;) and fingers crossed there might even be sun!

What are you up to this weekend? 

PATCHES AND THE HIGH STREET'S HOTTEST DENIM TRENDS // MAMA STYLE

In my last post I mentioned how I was really getting into the current denim trends and how they were on fleek when it comes to fashion at the mo – you might have seen me try on a patch jacket from Pull & Bear over on Snapchat *swoon*. Yes this fun fashion throwback has been making an appearance on runways and fashion mags, as well as filling up my Instagram feed. So I thought it would be fun to show you some of my favourite designs so you can patch it up, mama style.

From Left to Right: Evil Eye | Lips | Sorry not Sorry | Dungarees | Fries before Guys | Cry Baby | Over it Rainbow | Doughnut | Bad Luck Babe | Only Dog Can Judge Me | Make Your Fortune | Bad Bitch

My Patch Inspiration! 

If you feel inspired and fancy rocking the look, why not dig out an old denim jacket or maybe just a good old sweatshirt and show it some love. What do you think? Do you love the patch look?

Images 2/3/4/5/6/7

BEAUTIFUL BLUES WITH THOUGHT ORGANIC CLOTHING // MAMA STYLE

So rather than succumb to the Monday Blues, which let's face it, can happen stuck at  a desk after a weekend of spring like weather, I thought the fun way to brighten your day would be to share my current wardrobe staples and beautiful blues from Thought Organic Clothing.

Yep, what better way is there to feel good on the school run, than channeling some mama style, coffee in hand and knowing you're wearing ethically sourced, natural, organic, thoughtful clothing and looking good doing so.

You might remember me wearing this perfect cotton summer dress from their collection last year and this cute shirt in October, but I'm even more excited by the fab Spring/Summer 15 range with its beautiful blues, fresh feel, stripes and feel good vibes. I've been pretty much living in this tunic dress and headed into London teaming it with black boots, and I've had so many compliments about this cute collar too.

I am in love with my Stonoway Cotton Waterproof Jacket, it's great to throw on super comfy and look great with skinny jeans and some comfy kick – a.k.a trainers. I also saw the lovely Katherine from Kat Got the Cream styling their jumpsuit *big thumbs up from me* and think that it might be dropping into my shopping basket soon ;) Here are a few pieces that have caught my eye so far, what do you think?

What do you think of the new season range? Have you got a go-to outfit for the school run?

*I was sent a the Stonoway Jacket and Frida Tunic c/o Thought clothing, but all thoughts and opinions are my own and I really love supporting independent ethical brands. 

MY MOTHERS DAY STYLE

Whoop it's officially the weekend and that means a day of dedicated fun and pampering is just around the corner for us mamas, or at the very least a nice card and a bunch of blooms *hint hint ;) 

If there's any excuse to get dressed up and have fun then I'm ya girl. So I thought it would be fun to put together a little 'Pretty in Pink' inspired Mother's day style with some cute 'n' cool gifts that complete the look...oh and did I mention helium balloons? Nothing spreads happiness like giant balloons, I've had so many people smiling and asking what I was celebrating while out with these.

I got this skirt in the winter sale at New Look and loved how different it was to anything else I owned, it's quite unlike me as I often don't go for the girly look but I though t it would be great for spring, this one is also cute. I paired it with this fun pink Jewel top that I made – post to come on that one – and this sweet denim jacket, as denim everything seems to be on trend at the moment and looks set to last until summer.

Last week I went along to the Pandora event in London with some fab mama's to celebrate Mother's Day early, I got a sneak peek at their new Essence range and swooned over the collection, each charm unique with an inscribed value. I was drawn to Intuition as I tend to use mine for everything, but I also liked Positivity, Love, Joy and Faith. I love how intricate the charm is but how simple the bracelet looks, isn't it cute!

Also these London Retro sunglasses c/o Glasses Direct are perfect for spring and you can choose the frames online with your prescription and they'll be delivered straight to your door, hassle free *win*. Oh an London Retro has teamed up with jewellery designer Nicholas King to produce a limited edition range of statement eye wear to support the eye care charity Orbis – pioneers in global eye health – with all profits being donated to the Charity. So guilt free shopping ;)



I've been dying for an excuse to take pics in front of these pillars with their bright pops of colours, and even though I got some weird looks and beeping horns when taking the pics under a bypass, I had so much fun running around with a giant X and O balloon – A.K.A hugs and kisses – and acting like a kid again, oh and these fun stickers from the Line Camera app are ace!


I've ordered my own mama *mum look away* a Big Fat Box of goodies full of beautiful photo's of precious moments for her to keep at home, isn't the box gorgeous! Also she's going to love this Wensley Woven Scarf from Joules, plus it's in the sale if you want to get in your mama's good books for less!


What plans do you have for Mother's Day? Whatever it is I hope you get a lie in, a hand made card and treat like a king ;) Have a fabulous one!

Lori x

*Thanks to Pandora for gifting me this gorgeous bracelet.

MOODBOARDS AND MUSES 02

The short month of love is here *ahhh* and although it was only been a few week since I posted my first Moodboard and Muses, I'm quite keen to pop another one up and keep up the momentum in mustering up some much needed motivation, plus I'm really enjoying making these little collages.

Things I'm loving:

// Succulents. Yep bringing in some green to the home is certainly on my to do list in an attempt to shoo away the grey and fake spring. Also excited to hear about the plans for an Urban Jungle Bloggers Book!

// Water. OK that's sounds a bit random, but after drowning myself in coffee to pull me through Jan, I'm realising that my skin isn't looking so great and a good dose of hydration is needed. That plus a decent moisturiser/foundation would sooth the skin and I'm loving this organic range.

// Quotes. I'm really into inspirational quotes at the moment and pretty much sticking them at eye level around my home to give me some get up and go. I've ordered this print as a Valentines gift and planning to put it above the bed. What do you think? 

// Holograms. No I'm not talking back to the future, more holographic fabrics and fashion. I know I'm a little late to the party with this being more of a 2013/14 thing, but oh how the shimmery style has caught my eye! I'm definitely looking for some fun pumps to make my feet happy and this fun tee has just dropped in my shopping cart too ;)

Things I'm Not:

// Dungarees. OK this is a lie, I LOVE dungarees but finding a pair that fit me is like a quest for the Holy Grail, and it's driving me nuts! If you have any recommendations then please throw let me know. 

Other Things:

// I wanted to share who's been inspiring me on Instagram recently and who I'd definitely include in my February muses. These ace ladies snap stunning pics and create beautiful feeds, all with different styles and shot from various locations around the world. It's where I get my daily dose of heart eyes.

Top left: Frida over at Bon who snaps stylish selfies, cool studio spaces, hangs out with friends and pulls off the best grey locks // Top right: Julie over at Sincerely Jules who travels the globe and has a whopping amount of followers soaking up her sun kissed style // Bottom right: Irina over at Irinahp will make anyone envious with her foodie adventures, I'm totally hooked on her IG feed, totally love at first sight // Bottom left: Jasmine over at Jasmine Dowling is an amazing creator of words and prints, not to mention her style posts that make you want to soak up that Aussie vibes!

Also let's take a sec to swoon over these pins! I love this secret roof garden I pinned to my outdoor spaces board, a happy little hideaway to drink coffee and day dream among the clouds. Also keeping a note of these avocado recipes as I'm eating almost one a day at the moment!

I've started tagging some of my Instagram pics with the #moodboardandmuses hashtag so I can create a feed full of inspiration, whether it's style, colour, words, coffee etc and it would be fab if you want to join in. I'm hoping to find some fun new accounts and hopefully showcase some new muses here.

Have you got any plans for the month of love?

RAINY DAY STYLE WISH LIST WITH JOULES

So far February is set to be a blustery affair with all the showers that April tends to delight us with, however for a certain small person this is causing much delight and a never ending supply of puddles to splash around in, and I'm left generally soaked. I was hoping for those fresh crisp winter days bathed in sunlight, a girl can dream ay!

As it seems this weather is going nowhere fast I thought I'd pull together a little rainy day style wish list for the family. I'm loving the new rain wear collection from Joules, with a splash of summer colours for him and her and a graphic striped coat for the kiddo, what's not to love! Now to team them up with a cool spring dress and wellies and I'm good to go.

What rainy day weather style do you love to wear?

WINTER BOOTS AND COFFEE // MAMA STYLE

How have you been enjoying January so far? I'm slowly emerging from this sleepy cocoon I've wrapped myself in and as this wishy washy weather continues to surprise me like a bad lucky dip, I've found myself sticking to a daily uniform of cosy wraps, winter boots and coffee on tap. How else is a girl to survive ay?

So while I've been nursing these January blues, I've been hunting for inspiration here and abroad, and surrounding myself with colours I love, heading out to the newest pop up cafes and hitting the sales. I keep promising myself that I'm going to get back on the health wagon and start up my exercise routine again , you know... eat all the good stuff, but these grey days makes me crave all the croissants and duvet days instead.

I'm happy that I'm making an effort to go out for long walks each day as I think it can really clear the head and I always love wandering round Bristol, it's full of beautiful architecture and I'm swooning over these pale pastel colours! They're totally channeling my inner calm at the moment.

I'm really lucky that we have so many good cafe's in our neighbourhood, or only a short walk away, and when I spend a good 20 minutes each morning persuading a certain small boy out the door, I want something quick to throw on, stylish and comfortable so I can get my caffeine fix straight after drop off!  

I've been practically living in these black boots from Clarks this winter, I was initially inspired to try the whole sock over jean approach after seeing so many stylish snaps from the lovely Stylonylon's Instagram account, if you don't follow Julia then what are you waiting for?!

I didn't think I could pull off the classic Chelsea boot style but it turns out that a pair of skinny jeans and chunky socks is all you need for these bad boys to look good, plus I've had soooo many compliments and they're super comfy so it's a win all round!

I've been using this gorgeous metallic bag to carry around my macbook and DSLR camera during the day, as well as F's toys and colouring books. I think metallic is great way to brighten up a dull day and this is also a good option for a fun bag from the same label.

I recently treated myself to an lunch at Anna, a new cake couture cafe in Clifton village, and when I say lunch I mean coffee, cake and macaroons...that's lunch right? The interior design here is right up my street: pale colours, wooden floors, simple scandi style and beautifully accented with copper fixtures and fittings and oh those hanging greens *heart eyes* and did I mention they do great cakes?

Have you got a winter uniform that you reach for when getting out the house quick? What's been keeping your January blues away?