Spring Swimwear

I'm aware that it is only February, however late winter/early spring is the BEST time to buy swimwear. I always leave swimwear till last minute if I'm going on holiday, therefore I struggle to find my size. Swimwear also seems to be a hell of a lot cheaper when there's less of a demand, so now is the perfect time to look. I've decided to pick out a great bikini in every style - from bandeau to full swimsuit - and at a great price too!


The Swimsuit

Topshop have a great swimsuit, if you're wanting something more practical for like an active holiday. Swimsuits are a good choice if you're gonna be on the rapids on your holiday - probably the best choice. Also, if you're not comfortable with your midriff showing make sure you find one that detracts from your stomach.

This one is £36 from Topshop, I love the scalloped edges on the top of the swimsuit. It also comes with removable halter ties, so if you want more security for the rapids, you can have it! I used to work at Topshop up in Yorkshire, so I know how well this suit sells (they did a navy version last year) so get one fast!

The Mix and Match

Asos is the King of mix and match bikinis. They do long line, bandeau, halter neck -- anything you want really, plus in a great range of colours. The brilliant thing about mix and match bikinis is that if you're a different size up top to what you are on the bottom you can always get a great bikini.

This longline top from Asos is £14 - BARGAIN. Plus you can choose the style of bottoms you want - they're about £6/£7 depending on the style. This particular one is from the D - F  range, so us top heavy girls can get a good bikini. Longline bikinis are a classic look, and suit just about everyone.

The Long Sleeve

I'm the only person I know that owns a long sleeve bikini, however I swear by it. It looks really different to anything else that people are wearing at the pool. It's also brilliant for the rapids, I've tried and tested it - it won't lift up! Asos do a really cool printed one, I have this style but in a lighter print. 

The top is £17.50 in the sale, so get moving! Long sleeve bikinis look really cool, granted it's more suited to the poolside and not the beach in LA. If you don't like your arms or boobs its a great covered up option. 

Bandeau 

Topshop do great bikinis each year, but some of them are restricted to a set - so you can't buy separates. However, this one IS separates. HALLELUJAH! It's £26 for the set, which isn't bad for Topshop as they're usually about £32.. As proven - it's better to get swimwear late winter!

Bandeau styles tend to suit the skinny friend more than the rest of us, so if you've got a boyish figure this style will look ace. Floral prints look great on the beach too. 

Triangle

Triangle bikinis should not be worn on the rapids, or for any activity! They are so dangerous, such a liability! They're kind of for lounging about on the beach only. I always tend to look for a cool print that's perfect for summer, rather than just a plain black style as they can risk looking kinda mumsy..

This one's from Asos, and is £14, the bottoms are £12.. £26 isn't bad for a bikini in such a cute print, but there's not much to it, so I doubt I'll be buying this style as I'm a bit too busty.

Sexy

This bikini is so awesome, if you're feeling particularly Sex and the City, this is the perfect Samantha bikini. This would look so amazing in a jacuzzi, with a cocktail (or a pint if you're anything like me). It's also really great for making you look a bit bigger on top if you're lucky enough to be a skinny minnie. 

The top is £20, and the bottoms are £14 from Asos. So it's a bit of an investment bikini, however I'm sure you'd get your moneys worth! It's real subtle but also really sexy at the same time - without looking like you've tried too hard.

Old School

This bikini is so gorgeous - I may have to buy it myself! I adore a daisy print (my middle name is Daisy). The high waisted bottoms make it so old school and retro, the top is kinda bandeau but it's a halter neck so it's a lot more wearable.

This one is by Motel, but available at Asos. This is the most expensive bikini, at £20 for the top and another £20 for the bottoms.. That's £40! But I can't say no to this bikini.. I may be investing for this summer. My only bikini splurge this year.. I promise.

Have you guys found an awesome bikinis ready for summer?

Back to Uni

So I've been back at university for about 2 weeks, and the first few weeks of the term is always slow to get going. Our brief this term is kind of a sport luxe or drape brief. We can either go the sport inspired day wear or drape inspired. I'm not really a drape kinda girl, so I've chosen sport - Redbull X-Fighters to be precise. I love freestyle motorcross, big fan. I like the whole 'performance' aspect, plus I'm a sucker for a dirt bike.

I chose this sport because it has some really inspiring detailing, like the seams that contour the body on the suits. I reckon there's a lot of fabric inspiration too - for example the mesh on the inside of their protective helmets. I also love love love the really tough industrial plastic on the boots, I could incorporate it in smaller areas, like pockets and elbow pads for example. I'm more excited about this brief than last terms; as the expected outcome was 10 creative samples, however this term it's one garment. Hopefully this'll mean that I can really get my teeth into every little detail on the garment.

We've started looking at raglan sleeves in classes this term, kimono sleeves etc. Basically the sleeves that are gonna drape nicely, and not need any shaping (darts etc). Cutting out these stretch blocks in a small halls of residence room is a bit of a nightmare, so I had to utilise my desk and ironing board and do it block by block!

Anyone knuckling back down with uni? Or you lucky beggars still got some free time?

Dr. Martens

Love them or hate them, Dr. Martens are a pretty iconic shoe. My boyfriend HATES the things, but he's not the one wearing em! I love mine, they are the most perfect shoes ever. After a successful trip to Sheffield this past weekend (spending some Christmas money), I now own two pairs of Dr. Martens. 

Docs are the most comfortable shoes ever! I needed a pair of decent shoes for trekking all over London before I left for uni. So I invested in a black pair. £100 is pretty pricey, however you should look at your Docs as an investment - they'll last forever. They only get comfier the more you wear them. Black goes with everything - so they look great with any outfit! They also add that edgy vibe. I took a lot of pairs of shoes to London, but I find myself reaching for my Docs every single morning. 

Working in a pub I need a sturdy pair of shoes, that won't get ruined by the amount of booze that falls out the drip trays. With Dr. Martens, you can pretty much wipe clean all the booze straight off! They are amazing. 

The second pair I bought (in Sheffield this weekend), were the last size 4 I could find near me. I couldn't wait for delivery from Office if I'd bought them online. I rang the York store, went into the Meadowhall store and had no luck. I called up the Sheffield city centre store and voila! One last size 4 pair. I was so unbelievably happy. 

I love love love the metallics trend. I'm dragging it out, I won't lie. I need some proper silver nail varnish too. I found these down from £95 to £60 on Office. Bargain for a pair of Docs. It's strange though, cause Urban Outfitters are flogging them for £80 down from £120. An Shuch haven't even got them in their sale! Moral of the story, Office rocks. 

Anyone found any sale bargains, or do you steer clear of the mad January rush?

ShopStyle

This month, ShopStyle are giving the opportunity to win designer handbags. So of course I couldn't not play - there is nothing better than the new leather smell of a designer bag! You basically do a short quiz to find your shopping personality, then enter your email at the end. Granted, it's to get a wider email audience, however I definitely won't regret it if a designer bag turns up at my door. What a perfect Christmas present!

My ShopStyle personality was "Opportunity Knocks", and this is the description:

"If there is one thing I hate, it's regret. I put on my game face when I see a fiery-red sale sign or the new release of a limited-edition collection, because it's now or never. When an opportunity presents itself, time is of the essence, and I strike. You can find me seated next to Rebecca Bloomwood at Shopaholics Anonymous."

It pretty much hit the nail on the head -- this is completely me! I just can't say no to a student sale these days.. Give it a go yourself here, the bags will be so worth it.