So those few words that fill me with routine dread are finally upon me “I’m studying again!” For anyone that studies, you’ll resonate with this feeling very well.
It’s kind of a combination of – yay lets get it done and crack on, to oh no my life is going to be filled with learning new shit and revision – ahhh!
I admire anyone that works hard to achieve their goals. I’ve recognised the older I have got that its ok that this comes in many forms too. Academia isn’t for everyone and neither is a manual job, it’s what suits you is key.
My Niece has gone to Uni today – queue huge tears, feelings of emotion and sentences which begin with “I remember the day you were born…”. The truth of the matter is that it does feel like yesterday.
My Sister brought home this teeny tiny so small I didn’t want to hold her in case I broke her because I thought she was made of china, baby. She was beautiful and from day 1 I felt so much love for this little human.
At only 13 myself (yeah yeah go ahead and work out my age, I know you’re already doing it!) we’ve kind of grown up together, and although there are a few miles between us in terms of where we live, I’ve always tried my best to see her as much as possible and we are very much part of each others lives and that’s how it’ll always be. She is without question an amazing lady, a mature outlook on life, caring, very funny and someone you want to hang out with, my Jadey Pops as she is affectionately know, JP now she is older and too embarrassed to be called Jadey Pops.
She excelled in school and college and I have nothing but admiration for her starting her new journey at Uni. I’m so excited for her next chapter and all the stories and memories she is going to create for her world. I’m looking forward to hearing about her new course, new friends, her travels, working, all the shenanigans and late night FaceTime calls because some boy has been a bit of a shit head!
So to you my JP, that little human who is now a grown up and about to conquer the world, I love you, I’m super proud of you and can’t wait to share the next chapter with you and beyond! Our precious little pumpkin xx
Anyway, where was I going with this!? I’ll dry my tears and tell you about my study journey so far. So, I started as an apprentice when I was 22. I didn’t go to Uni and would have done if I had pursued my other dream back then, but that’s what I am doing now! (Hence the blog!). I admire anyone that does go to Uni and pursues their dreams, it’s a big commitment and to be able to experience it is so very cool and I have heard, has forever memoties.
I worked hard at school and college, wasn’t the brightest by any stretch but I always do my best and work hard. A mantra that I still maintain in my adult life is that if you do your best, you can’t be disappointed in yourself because you can’t do anymore than that. However, it wasn’t quite the environment that I felt I thrived in. Being so painfully shy didn’t help and it was only when I went into the world and pushed myself that I realised it was only me who could change me. I knew that bubbly, confident person was in there, she just hadn’t had the opportunity to do her thing yet!
I studied for 3 years and even did my final stage in 1 year when it was meant to be 2! 2 evenings a week for a year, no easy task but I was determined. And I did it all whilst doing a full time job. It’s not for everyone, but its worked for me and I’ve got a lot of benefit out of studying whilst earning and also learning on the job too.
So I wanted to write about adult education and reach out to those of you like me who are studying and working too. How do you find it, what tips can you share and would you choose to do it this way if you had the chance again?
I graduated in 2009 as an accountant and I started studying again in 2013 to become chartered. I’m now on my 7th module of out the first 9 and start my new term next Tuesday evening.
It’s a weird feeling in a way. Pride, excited to be learning something new, happy to be working towards a new goal, estatic that its a little closer to finishing, along with dread and anticipation of revision and study schedules.
I work full time still and it’s a little challenging at times to know when to put the work pen down and pick up the study one, especially when you work long hours. And can you believe that after all these years and god knows how many exams, I still feel physically sick before an exam!
BUT – I know its worth it, the rewards are worth it, the hard work is worth it, and for anyone thinking about doing it – do it! I once read that sometimes people put off doing things because it’ll take too long, but that time goes by anyway so don’t let that put you off, something so true and something I’ve never forgotten!
You’ll thank yourself, you’ll never regret not doing it, even if its not for you, because you tried. Its not for everyone as I said and you might even hate it at times, but I’m here to say that one career path that suits someone, isn’t necessarily the right one for you.
So, please share! I’d love to know who else out there shares the same lifestyle and to hear how you find it.
And now you know why I put my ‘creative’ head into my blog and Instagram! It balances me out and feeds my constant love of writing, lifestyle and fashion.
My top tips for adult ed studying are:
Make sure you enrol on the right course for you. Research it, and unless it’s a lifestyle course, determine whether its something you want to turn into a job or career later on.
Create yourself a study timetable. Be realistic about how long things will take and work out how long you have until your exam. Tap in exam dates, half term dates, holidays, work commitments, family commitments, weekends away – literally everything! It will help you to focus your mind onto when you need to do things. I’ve even broken this down into book chapters before, to give myself clear goals.
Balance your life. OK, so I admit and those I know will tell you, I am so so so super bad at this. I don’t when to stop sometimes and I will keep going and going whether it be work or personal! But I am still learning that I need to do this more and more. Make sure that when you say yes to others, you are not saying no to yourself!
Reward yourself. Coffee, cake, that jumper you’ve had your eye on, makeup! Whatever your bag is! You have no idea how fast you can get through a chapter when you reward yourself with shoes…
Look to the bigger picture. Yes this revision is going to take the next x amount of months, but how many years is it going to benefit you for? ?
Above everything – NEVER STOP DREAMING AND BELIEVING! Anything is possible if you set your mind to it. Oh and never let anyone tell you, you can’t. I’ve had this several times in my life and the more people doubt me, the harder I work to prove them wrong and do right by myself.
It doesn’t have to be everything either. Yes a career is amazing and I would tell anyone that would listen if you can commit to it, do it. But fun is good too, and so is doing other things you love. Be someone with a multicoloured palette! You’ll have so much fun!
I love my job and its given me a lot of opportunities. But I love my blog too and am excited about where it can take me. Fingers crossed, everywhere!
I love stripes, I think they are a total classic and will never go out of fashion, therefore they totally fit my new shopping ideology of ‘buy less but buy well’. I love the nod to the nautical theme, and the stripes add a level of sophisticated glam to any outfit.
This beauty is from Zara and I absolutely love it. Backless dresses have been a fashion envy of mine for a long time. I’ve always lusted after them but never worn them until a) I was a bridesmaid for my best friend last year and wore a low scoop dress, realising that I can find underwear to suit my shape and b) I watched numerous re-runs of one of my favourite programmes Sex and the City and realised that SJP had it so right!
She proved that to wear a backless dress, you don’t have to be faced with the fear of letting your bb’s go free or search for hours for the perfect stick on bra – just wear your bra on show! Voila! It really is as simple as that, it looks just as gorgeous with or without it.
This look totally works for me, you can glam the look up with different colour bras and most importantly you can buy these gorgeous dresses without having to worry about the underwear issue! Hurrah!
The backless dress has a certain sexy edge to it, I would say sexy sophistication. A lady at the front, a little bit of sass at the back! Just how I like it!
I will be experimenting with these dresses a lot more in the future. How low can I go!?
I styled this absolutely gorgeous outfit and well, its so fab, I thought a few pics on Instagram simply wouldn’t do! Plus I am super happy with the photos so I thought they deserved their own shoutout!
I am absolutely loving the pink blush trend at the moment (check out the gorgeous pink blush long coat on my Instagram from http://www.prettylittlething.com).
I love the neutral tones in this outfit, especially with the added shimming effect. I think it makes your skin glow, especially in the Summer. If you follow me on Instagram, you will know that I am a complete sucker for anything shimmery or sparkly! I mean don’t get me wrong, I’m not completely bling-tastic – big ole’ jewel encrusted get up, no no no but understated sparkly and statement necklaces – yes yes yes!
Along with my copper and rose gold obsession, I am a little addicted I have to say! But why not!? If you love it then go for it! There are no rules as far as I am concerned! Though my sunglasses do slightly remind me of a robot – eh who cares! I love em’! And whats wrong with the robot trend! Que the metallic fashion season around the corner after the flurry of beautiful metallic dresses and get ups at the met gala this year, perhaps I am right on trend!?
Here is where to go for my haul:
Jacket – Dorothy Perkins £45 – this is an amazing roaring 1920’s Charleston flapper Esque jacket (as many period references in there as I can). I love love love this jacket and had to have it as soon as I saw it. I am certain it will be a wardrobe staple of mine. I have only worn it twice and each time, I have had lots of compliments. It’s silver and it goes with anything, dress it down with jeans and flats or up with a dress and heels.
Top – Sugarhill Boutique £20 – This is a beautiful top! Simple, elegant and sophisticated (ooh err!). The collar is high and it has delicate and intricate bead detail with transparent flowers on it. Short sleeves, and not too sheer at all – so modesty is kept in tact! I’ll post a close up of this gorgeous top very soon!
Skirt – River Island – £25 – The downward geometric pattern on this skirt makes it quite flattering – essential for a curvy girl like me! And it has a gorgeous gold thread running through it. This was my first outing with this skirt and we are a match-made! Although its above the knee, its still a great length and it has a slight a-line look to it which again helps with the curve flattering!
Shoes – BHS – In the Sales – £12.65! Bargain! – I love my heels and these are a perfect little height when you need a bit more comfort. Well done BHS! I have worn these all day for 2 days and they are so so comfortable, I always think a wedge heel is a winner in the comfort department. And of course they are glittery gold!
Peeptoe – check, glittery – check, bargain – check check check! If you are looking for a pair of heels for your holidays which, go and grab these! I also wore them with my travelling outfit – white jeans and a vest top. So if you also want a versatile shoe and a holiday space saver, make sure you treat yourself to these beauts.
Other Accessories:
Watch – Michael Kors
Bag – Michael Kors
Bangles – Jaegar
Sunglasses – Ebay
Lots of Love, Sunshine & Happiness Always xxxxxxxxx
So, on Boxing Day 2015, we took a little trip to Sweden’s wonderful second city, Gothenburg. And what a fantastic time we had!
As I’ve probably mentioned before, going away for Christmas has become somewhat of a tradition for my husband and I for the about the past 5 years. It all started with a trip to one of my favourite cities, Paris, at Christmas in 2010 of which after a very large hint, my husband booked it! And since then we’ve been addicted and always gone away!
It just seems like the perfect time to explore. We are lucky enough to get some time off, we live on Europe’s doorstep and lets face it, its wonderful, and we realised that we never know quite what to buy each other! So rather than wasting money on random crap (though I do admit that handbags, shoes and jewellery would never be considered random crap!) we would buy each other a holiday.
So back to Gothenburg!
It is home to approx 550,000 people, its modern with traditional values, super friendly and is worth visiting simply for the cinnamon rolls alone!
Our journey started at 1am on boxing day (I know right!?) and we travelled to Bristol Airport from home. We flew with KLM and got a connecting flight from Amsterdam. It was the first time we have flown with KLM and they were faultless. All flights on time, super friendly crew, our bags connected perfectly, plenty of leg room and we got snacks thrown in with our flights (note cheese sarnies and marble cake were delish!).
This was a holiday of firsts, as we booked the hotel and fights through Expedia whom we’ve also not used before and they were brilliant. It couldn’t have been easier and we booked the whole holiday all at once. We were able to search for our hotel based on price (a bit like when you’re on a clothing website and you search low to high!) Yep, you can pick your holiday like this too!
We jetted out of Bristol airport at 6.15am and we were on our way to Sweden!
Before we knew it, we landed in Gothenburg at 10.30am local time. Although we had been awake at this point for about 28 hours, we were so happy to be in Sweden and to begin our adventure.
I get so so excited about travel (ask my husband, I am like Tigger!) and it felt even more of an adventure because we had to fly to Amsterdam first and then onto Gothenburg.
For our digs, we stayed at the Gothia Towers, which was an AMAZING hotel. It was a couldn’t-have-been-easier 20 minute shuttle bus ride from the airport and was right opposite Liseberg, which is Gothenburg’s theme park.
I know people often say that their hotels were amazing but this really was! It has 3 towers, a 20th floor spa complete with open air heated pool which hangs on the side of the building, state of the art gym, restaurants for all budgets and a super cool bar on the 23rd floor called Heaven 23.
If you are lucky enough to visit this beautiful city, you have to stay at this hotel! I mean, just check out this view from our room! You may have seen this on my IG feed, and most nights we didn’t even bother watching the TV, we just stared at this breathtaking view!
View from our room at Gothia Towers
Saturday 26th December – Boxing Day
WOWSERS! We didn’t want to waste any time, so we put our baggage in storage at our hotel and decided on a walk into the city centre and to get to know our surroundings.
It was quite quiet on this day, I guess like anywhere, the city was still very much in it’s Christmas period with people having time off etc, though by the time we got to the city centre we knew why – everyone was in the shops buying up the sales! Clever people!
Being that H&M was founded in Sweden, I have never known it so cheap! I bought up (without hesitation, unlike me!) 2 jumpers @ £4 each – yes £4! And a gorgeous grey snood as seen in my piccies which was also £4! If I had an empty suitcase I would’ve bought up a lot more just to stock up, trust me!
Straight away I notice that Gothenburg is a very vibrant, cosmopolitan and young city. There are also a lot of young families which gives me the impression that its a great place to raise little ones. I can see why. There is a lot to do, it’s very pretty, its really friendly and uber cool. BUT its also not too busy for a city which means it also has a laid back vibe which is really fab.
We stroll around town and stay out as long as we can without feeling like we are going to nod off (though, we did stop off for a coffee and I had a head roll back moment!). We head back to our fantastic hotel and check in. We ended up with the most amazing upgrade which was how we got the view above!
The hotel were very good to us I have to say and this was because the first room they gave us with the wrong one (small, no view, no bath, you know the deal!)
Beautiful Lobby at Gothia Towers
Before we knew it, it was dinner time. Come on guys, yes my body clock was out of sync and yes we had been up for 36 hours but I was never going to miss a meal! 🙂
We ended up at this really cheap (but tasty!) pizza house called Pappa Johns! People told me that Sweden would be mega expensive but to honest, you can find cheap eateries if you want to, you just have to seek them out. I have good ole classic Margarita and Mr C has tuna and olive feast. Stomachs full, we back back to our cosy room and hit the sack about 8pm, we’ve been up for about 48 hours so we are ready for some z’s, in our Queen, yes QUEEN bed!
I think he had pizza envy…
Sunday 27th December 2015
Magically, and much to my absolute delight, we wake up to snow today!
EEK! I am so freakin bloody excited! If you’ve read my Prague blog, you’ll know that Christmas, Christmas Trees and SNOW are some of my favourite things in life. They bring me absolute joy and so the start to our first full day couldn’t have been more perfect.
The snow was draped perfectly over everything at Liseberg and it just looked like something out of a fairytale. If you want to experience somewhere Christmassy, come here, because you’ll have the most Christmassy time, most of which at Liseberg.
I love snow, just a tad!
Snow photo bomb!
Perfect Timing!
Before I move on to the details of the day, I will just tell you about breakfast (of course!) . Breakfast was being served on the second floor due to renovations in the usual area and it was HUGE! It had 2 sides and each side mirrored the other in order to accommodate all guests.
Meatballs, bacon, egg 2 ways, hot veg, cold meats, pickled herring, salad, cheese, breads, fruit, hot drinks, cold drinks, cakes, pastries, crackers, chutneys, pickles, gluten free section, have I missed anything!? Probably! Now, I’m not normally fussed about bacon (in the english fry up sense!) – however, I cannot get enough if its thin strips and crispy!
I treated myself to a good portion of this everyday!
So with breakfast done, we head out. I am bundled up to the nines because I feel the cold terribly, I am pretty sure I was born in the wrong country and am secretly from the Med, but thats another story…I credit my keep warm gear to a North Face coat, Rab ‘head skin’ which is a weather proof layer that you can wear under beanies, Ayacucho gloves with touchscreen technology so I don’t have to get my little pinkies out in the cold to take pictures and a thermal jumper and leggings underneath my clothes. See…I told you I feel the cold! 4 layers later and I am good to go!
Happy Happy Face!
We wanted to explore today and get to know Gothenburg, so we just walked, walked and walked some more. We ended up in the Vasaparken area which include the amazing University and Church.
We also got some amazing photos in the snow, and Mr C and I love our snow action shots! He says I am like an excited pooch running around in the snow!! HAHA! I assume he means cute rather than I look like a dog – RUDE!
We take in all the sights and the prettiness of Gothenburg. There is always somewhere to eat too! And there is a definite greek influence as there are lots of kebab houses and grills.
There are also loads of 7 elevens, which I have to say are really good. They are like spar shops but with added va va voom! You can eat in them as they have tables and chairs so they are great if you want a snack and a warm up, and they have hot food, fruit, plenty of hot and cold drinks and hot dogs on tap! Oh and plenty of cakes and sweet treats!
We stop for an Aloe Vera Mango water (obsessed!), something we can only find in Sweden as I don’t think its exported – or I am yet to find it! And I try a dark chocolate marzipan cake (mmmmm!) and Mr C has a fruity flapjack. Pitstop done, we head out for more walking and exploring.
Everywhere we travel we have always noticed that the spoken English is amazing!
Scandinavia is exceptional and Sweden is no different. I would say about 98% of where we went, everyone spoke English and incredibly well too, it’s so impressive.
Wherever we go, I always make a point of trying to at least learn a few words even it it’s just hello, goodbye, please and thank you. I like to communicate if I can because I feel quite ignorant if I don’t, plus I think its respectful too and it means something to the person you are communicating with. Here are a few Swedish words for you:
Hej – Hello
Adjo – Goodbye
Vanligen – Please
Tack – Thank you
We also notice that not only does nearly everyone speak English, they want to continue the conversation to try out their English even more! It just left us in awe! For example, a couple of times we asked girls or dudes in shops a question, not only would they answer the question but they would go on to tell us about other places in the city, shops, or general chit chat about where we were from etc.
I’d love to be fluent in other language and people who are impress me so much. I think learning another language is next on my to do list!
We head to a place called Condecco which is their version of say a Starbucks. Very trendy, great artwork on the walls and we get the impression it’s somewhere the cool gang goes to meet (well of course, because we are there!).
We try out a local beer called Erikesberg, very nice! Its huge! And gets me rather tipsy! We also try local biscuits called Pepparkaka which are like gingerbread but with cinnamon in them, very tasty and a must try if you are in the area.
For dinner, we head to a local grill near our hotel. We both had chicken wraps with salad and rice – very healthy and tasty too! Though I was craving some chips…haha!
Monday 28th December 2015
An exciting day today – a day for really testing our local knowledge and trying out the public transport! Ha!
We walk to central station which is about 25 minutes from our hotel. It reminds me a lot of Copenhagen central station and looks very vintage. However, its incredibly modern inside! Thats what a love about Scandinavian design – they are so amazing at mixing the two!
Next to the station is another incredible hotel, called Hotel Post (so thinking maybe it’s an old post office! I’m clever like that!) and it has a massive red bow wrapped around it as their Christmas decoration – how impressive is that!
We buy 2 all day tickets for 80 SKR (which is about £6) and this covers us for all trams, buses and even the ferry! Queue Mr C’s genius idea to travelling out to the Islands! We fit so well because we both have a sense of adventure which holds no bounds. We just hop on a bus/train/tram (any of the above) and just explore!
We catch the number 11 tram to Salthomen which is at the end of the line. Here you can catch ferries to the islands. It’s very cool and we are super impressed with how efficient, modern and impressive they are!
The ferries run until about 1am in the morning! It’s crazy to think our local buses stop running at 11pm and yet these ferries run until the early hours servicing all these local people, its fantastic!
Any-ho! We catch our first ferry to Vrango. It’s a lovely island, so peaceful and really beautiful. We walk around the whole island, taking pictures and breathing in the gorgeous sea air.
There are few inhabitants, lovely big houses, a church and a restaurant. It’s so interesting to see another way of life, a simple way. People who commute to the main land and live here must feel very lucky indeed.
On the way back, we stop of at the beautiful island of Donso. This island is much busier but still as pretty. It has lots of houses, a supermarket, lots of boats, a bowling alley and lots more inhabitants. We wanted to stay longer, but we grab a little souvenir (a Christmas bowl with ‘God Jul’ on it which means Merry Christmas’).
Timetable complete with chocolate snack – a chocolate covered marshmallow with sprinkles! Does it get any better!?
We then head back to the mainland, but we enjoyed so much being near the water, it reminds us of home. If you get the chance to head to the Islands, make sure you do! We want to explore them in the Summer too as there was a restaurant on Vrango or you could take a picnic and just relax for the day near the water.
So back on the mainland, we head to the famous Haga street. The only way I can describe how beautiful this street is, is that it looks like a film set, unreal but perfectly real and picturesque.
It’s boutique shops and restaurants are amazingly lined with christmas lights. It’s here we discovered a cafe called ‘Hebbe Lelle’, I read about this place and it’s cinnamon rolls – they did not disappoint! There were literally the size of a dinner plate! And so tasty too!
We stroll around the city some more, taking in the sights and before we know it, it’s dinnertime.
We start walking back to our hotel but take a slight detour and stumble across the most un-assuming little Italian. Its tiny and only seats 3 people at a time! Its called II Gambro and the chef is the most nicest guy! He spends ages telling us all about the menu and translating everything into English for us, and the food…omg the freshest pizza ever!
I have an amazing pizza with fresh bresaola, mozzarella and fresh truffle and Mr C has fresh anchovies and tuna and olives. We also have a side order of mozzarella, balsamic and basil. So tasty, so fresh and the nicest chef to cook it all for us, you have to visit!
Tuesday 29th December 2015
Today was all about food! (Well it is me, what else!?) So to build up a bit of an appetite, we take a stroll and head towards the viking ships and walk along the dockyard.
It’s a very sunny but cold day and it’s really nice to be near the water. There isn’t much activity this time of year but in the summer they have paddle boats along the canal which take in the city sights – another reason to come back in the Summer!
We have our usual pit stop in 7 eleven and grab some drinks and sweet treats and then we stroll around the city, looking in the lovely boutique shops and just generally exploring.
We take a peek in Saluhallen, which is located right in the city centre. It’s an amazing place and has deli’s filled with amazing food from all over the world.
Fresh bread, meats, fish, antipasti, cakes, turkish delight, coffee – anything and everything! I imagine if you live in this lovely city, this would be your go-to place for your weekly treats. Not only that, you can have a pit stop here for breakfast, lunch or dinner and there is a food place which makes traditional Swedish meals.
We are so seduced by the yummy-ness that we decide to come back here for dinner!
Next up, we head to Feskekorva. This place has been on our list from day 1 as I read about it in our Gothenburg travel book. If you follow my Instagram feed regularly, it won’t surprise you that this place is a fish market!
It used to be an old church and has been converted into a daily fresh fish market, they have still stayed true to the style and architecture of the church, however the inside has been transformed and you can grab fresh fish everyday.
The counters are filled with everything from smoked salmon, crab, lobster, anchovies, herring, cod, platters of fish for dinner parties, roulades and whole fish. There is also a cafe upstairs and a restaurant downstairs serving amazing fish platters with the catch of the day.
The platters range from about £75-£150. You can also grab a light bite or main meal and the food looks amazing! If we had more time, we would have stayed for lunch, however we had a date at Saluhallen!
However, we do treat ourselves to some smoked salmon with cream cheese, dill and rye bread snacks – so fresh!
We continue on our walk around the city and do a little shopping before heading back to Saluhallen for our 5pm dinner date!
If you visit Gothenburg, you have to visit this place and have food here! We really wanted to try some traditional Swedish food and this was amazing. I have a salmon burger with dill sauce and new potatoes, my Mr C has herring fillet with loganberry sauce and new potatoes. We also have rye bread and butter on the side – oh and a dessert of apple cake with vanilla custard! So so good! You always know when I am enjoying my food when I have no hesitation about having 3 courses…!
The atmosphere is so vibrant and full of energy, it reminds us of somewhere Michael Palin would visit on one of his round the world trips, trying the local delicacies!
To finish the day perfectly, we head back to our hotel for a drink on the 23rd floor at a bar called Heaven 23. It has amazing views of the city and Liseberg, beautiful at night!
Wednesday 30th December 2015
Another day for exploring!
We head to central station and take a tram to Bergson on the number 11, it takes us into the suburbs and it’s really interesting to see outside of the main city.
We go to the end of the line, have a walk about and then catch the number 7 tram to the other end of the city and again into the suburbs. These areas remind me very much of Prague and there are lots of high rise flats and lots of houses with small shops and cafes in between.
On the way back into the city centre, we stop off at a shopping centre called Frolunda Torg. Its huge! And also a hidden gem in amongst the suburbs of the city. This is another great place to come if you fancy a shopping trip and its crammed full of clothes shops and some lovely home shops too. If we had a bigger suitcase I would’ve filled up on lovely home furnishings! (Along with the H&M haul!)
Ok, and so onto the highlight of the day – LISEBERG!!
We catch the number 8 tram about 2.30pm and we are so excited to be going to this winter wonderland! Even the walk up to the entrance is so Christmassy!
We head inside and the whole park is filled with massive christmas trees, snowmen (and snow ladies!) and pretty lights everywhere. I think this is one of the most Christmassy places we have ever visited.
If you want somewhere that feels totally Christmassy and like you are in Winter Wonderland, you have to visit here! As you walk in, you are met with the most wonderful Christmas Trees (one of my most favourite things ever) and the whole walk way leading you into the park is lined with trees and fake snow (it was unusual that we didn’t have real snow!).
As you get into the main park you have various rides to have fun on, including the Liseberg Wheel shown in my picture above – amazing! There are so many food stalls and also really fun game stalls where you can try and win chocolate! We have a go on one with a number wheel and you bet on a set of numbers. Ours came in and we one a packet of ‘Plop’ chocolates! Funny how words are completely different in another language #theidiotinme
We wander around the park for hours despite the cold and we have mulled wine and stand over the hot coals to warm us up. There are 2 rollercoasters, a crazy ride which spins you around and upside down, teacups, dragon boats, waltzers and loads more! If you have little ones, there is also a kiddie section in the park which has rides for small ones. Oh and how can I forget the ice rink – amazing! You pay a small fee for your boots and you get to glide along the Liseberg ice! If you do this, I think as nighttime is approaching is best, it makes it feel even more Christmassy!
If you are hungry, there are plenty of restaurants and food stalls, oh and sweet treats to keep your hunger at bay. We had so much fun walking around and stayed from day to night to see the whole park lit up in pretty lights.
It really is a truly magical place at Christmas and it feels like you are part of a movie. We reluctantly head back to our hotel as the cold finally gets to us! And devour a humungous burger in the West Coat restaurant at our hotel.
Highly recommended if you want a good nosh and a menu which is tasty and has something for everyone. I had been craving a burger all week – so I caved!
Thursday 31st December 2015 – NEW YEARS EVE!
Aw our last day here in Gothenburg – for this trip anyway! 🙂
I always feel sad on the last day of holiday, I look forward to going home to my sanctuary but I just love travelling (as you know if you follow me on IG). The new places, the new foods, lovely people, amazing sights and the adventure and experience of somewhere new. And above all, seeing the world!
Our first flight isn’t until 5pm and we need to leave at 3pm, so we decide to do what I do best – SHOP! We have some Euros left, so in true tourist style we spend it in the local shops. We head into Gothenburg central and seriously this place is such a good place to come for shopping.
To be honest, I would come back here again purely for a shopping trip, streets upon streets of shops and all my favs; Zara, Mango, H&M to name but a few.
However, I am on a different shopping mission this time, and its for a Michael Kors bag! Well, I thought I would treat myself! Its funny isn’t it, if we say this sentence once we must say it a thousand times! It’s almost like its to justify the debit card bashing!
I have done my research ahead of time to where I can find the MK bags and I head to the department store ‘Ahlens’. They have a fantastic selection and also have a lot of other designers too such as Louis Vuitton, Marc Jacobs, Gucci etc, designer heaven!
I spot a 3 compartment black MK cross body bag. The reason for this choice was because I wanted something I knew I would use all the time – more easily justifiable that way isn’t it! I um and ah’d and actually left the shop and walked about to have a ‘think’! I have to say, I even give myself a pat on the back these days, since I have bought my new house I think much more carefully about what I am buying and also I want to buy better – more classics and less just one season wash badly toot! (though I still love the toot!).
I head to H&M where I buy a gorgeous mustard colour jumper – again £4!! It’s unbelievable! And I also head to the department store Nordiska Kompaniet to get my Niece some Dash make up, Auntie Brownie points for that one I reckon!
And after a good wander, I decide that I do indeed deserve that MK bag, so I whip back to Ahlens and buy my new bag. The bag was on offer too, at least I thought it was!
The shop assistant told me that the offer was only for locals who had an Ahlens card, however the lovely lovely lady let me have it at the promotional price – see amazing people! Perhaps she felt sorry for me as I was staring lustfully at MK bags!
So MK bag in hand and very happy with my new purchase, I meet my Mr C who has also been shopping and we head back to our hotel. All checked out and ready to go, we catch the 3pm bus to the airport, and my sentimental side as always, kicks in.
The view of Liseberg, the beauty of the coast, the city and the shops and the whole experience makes me feel so very happy that we picked Gothenburg as our Christmas 2015 destination.
2 quick flights from Gothenburg to Amsterdam and then onto Bristol, and we are back in the UK in no time. There was one slight hitch, being New Years Eve, there is nowhere open and we are starving!
We laugh because we have cola and crisps on the plane and that was our NYE dinner!
Aw well, dinner or no dinner it was worth it and we had the most amazing time.
More forever memories created and another city on our tick list.
Oh and I do use that MK bag all the time by the way….
So the holiday season is nearly upon us and tis the season to be Jolly! Or is it!?
I’m not sure about you guys,
but sometimes I feel the spirit of Christmas has been a little lost in the present/money mania of the festive period (bah humbug!).
Now, don’t get me wrong, I absolutely love buying my loved ones gifts and seeing their happy little faces. There’s nothing better than the gift of giving and I thrive giving people thoughtful things to treasure.
However, I have found over the past few years, I have become a self confessed Christmas panicker! Be it time, money or both, I always seem to have just about enough!
The joy of Christmas seemed to have become overshadowed with the anxiety of expense and making sure I can fit everything in. This is always compounded I admit by work commitments, travel commitments and of course time and money management. But like most of us, there is always something else to pay for and I have always definitely struggled to buy Christmas presents before December, it just doesn’t feel, well, Christmassy!
But not this year! Aha! This year I have been absolutely determined to get my Christmas Pudding into gear and get myself sorted, so here’s my take on what will hopefully be a well organised Christmas, with more festive cheer and less holiday stress!
Budget
Being that this is my day job, this is my number one rule and something I swear by! One of my husbands many nicknames for me is ‘squirrel’because I like to forage away my nuts (dosh!) into lots of places! It’s true, I do, and I like to have various different accounts for different things which require different levels of savings and the time required to save.
So one of these is – you’ve guessed it – a Christmas account. Every month I put away a small amount to save for Christmas presents. No matter how small this is it doesn’t matter, it will always help towards the final Christmas bill! I have known people to have spent so much money on Christmas, that they are still paying for it the following Christmas! No, no and no again!
Think ahead of time and build yourself a float, you’ll definitely thank yourself for it when the holiday season comes around. It’s astounding how much more happier you are to be spending money you have actually got.
Lists are your friend!
Manage what you have to do and organise yourself.
Write a list of who you have to buy for and assign a budget to each person – and stick to it! Once you start writing everything down, you’ll track what you’re spending too. How many of us have always lost count of how many pressies we’ve bought for people!?
Buy wisely
Check out the sales, they happen all year round now and grab yourself a bargain, Black Friday is especially good!
As you’re assigning yourself a budget per person, sales are great because you can maximise what you can get for your money.
Make sure you listen too! If you get someone just one present but it’s something they really wanted, they’ll be really chuffed! After all, it’s quality not quantity!
Get Busy
So, breaking my no Christmas before December rule, scrap this and buy all year round! It saves time, spreads out your cash flow and if you see something you know someone will love, grab it! There will always be another priority for cash but it’ll help you in the long run.
Be Realistic
If December 25th is stressing you out, downscale! There is absolutely nothing wrong with 1 present or even no presents and just enjoying being with those you love and enjoying it (queue cheese!). If you’re scaling down, be honest with your friends and family, they may be thankful that you have suggested it because they may be struggling too.
Use your time wisely
Life is busy for us all, so use your time in the right way. Allocate an hour each night to wrap presents or write cards in your lunch hour, it all chips away at how much you have to do.
I have spent many a Christmas Eve as a last minute wrapper.com when I want to be doing is drinking Proccesco, eating a tin of Celebrations and watching Home Alone! And yes, I do this every year!
Choose Wisely
Over the years I’ve even had to make myself a list of things I’d like myself so I don’t forget! Most of the time I give my husband a list and I always love what he gets me, but the last 4 years we have instead bought each other a holiday over the Christmas period!
And you know what, they are the best presents I have ever had! By the time you add up presents, food, alcohol etc we spend the same on a mini break!
It’s brilliant and we we get to travel, one of our favourite pastimes!
So there you have it, my top tips! And if you need any more convincing, I am proof this works!
It’s 10th December, I have all my presents bought and wrapped and 80% of my cards written! Yasss!
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays everyone. Have a wonderful time, eat drink and be Merry, and no tears under the mistletoe from all the Christmas stress, only kisses!
This month I had the absolute pleasure of being a hair model for the fabulous number 8 hair salon in Truro, Cornwall.
I met Claire, the amazing creative Director at Number 8, at the Truro Fashion Show in October, we got on really well and when Claire asked me to do this hair shoot, I simply couldn’t wait!
The idea behind the shoot was to style a step by step guide as a ‘how to’ on 3 different hairstyles and the photos capture different points in time in order for the viewer to re-create the styles for themselves. It’s kind of a still ‘vlog’, you know, the kind we all see in the magazines we all know and love where they give you a tutorial on how to do the look of the season.
Speaking of seasons, with Christmas fast approaching, you could well find a style to suit you in the 3 featured looks. Be it curls, straight, sleek or outside of the box (keep reading and you’ll know what I mean!).
My date with number 8 started at 1.30pm and I made my way to their salon in Truro. The girls are so lovely and I was introduced to Tamzin who is their marketing guru and Sue who was to be my amazing stylist for the afternoon.
The first order of the day is to wash and blow dry my hair. Sue gave my hair the most amazing blow dry! My hair is naturally wavy and I’m amazed at how straight it was. I’ve never been able to get my hair that straight without the added help of good ole GHD’s!
Next, my hair is curled with tongs to give it some bounce and then Sue puts in big rollers for lots of volume. She makes it looks effortless and prep time takes around an hour and a half.
So curlers in, hair done, we are good to go! We head over to the studio for 3pm. I am so excited! As the weather isn’t really on our side, Sue carefully incases my hair into a towel to keep it safe! She does a great job and there isn’t a strand out of place by the time we get to the studio!
Make up for the day was 60’s inspired dark eyes with iconic black eyeliner and ‘flicks,’ as Claire really wanted the look to make an impact. I did my make up ahead of time before I got to the salon and so all I had to apply at the studio was some lippy! Bonus!
I really focused on my eyes in order for them to be the main focal point for the shoot as I wanted them to have a distinctive look in the pictures, I made the rest of my make up more neutral toned in order for my eyes to stand out.
Prep time – look at those curls!
I think this comes across in the pictures, as I shaped my eyeshadow and ‘flicks’ into a point at the side of my eye and it shows in the side profile shots.
I used Natural Collection, Seventeen & Collection 2000 for my eyeshadow, MUA for my mascara and eyeliner, Rimmel for my foundation, Collection 2000 for my bronzer and MUA & Natural Collection on my lips. Hopefully, you’ll all agree that you can get fab looking make up with these high street and extremely bargain priced ranges!
We get to the studio and we are greeted by our amazing Photographer, Ben Tyler. I immediately felt very comfortable with Ben and he was fantastic at knowing which shots to get and also how to instruct me to get those shots, I found it really inspiring to work with him.
Stu – Stu – Studio
We do some test shots and then we are straight into the shoot! Ben gives me some tips and also some handy modelling lingo for when posing for shots, it really helps and its great to have someone to guide you.
It’s a really fun experience to be working with such professionals and experts in their field. To be around people who instinctively know how they want a style to look and how to get it, is very cool. I’m loving every minute!
Photographers ViewBehind the lens
Sue wanted to capture the ‘hair in curlers’ look, one of which is at the top of this blog, and it is in fact one of my favourite pictures from the shoot. This is the makings of ‘step 1’ of the how to guide.
So curlers done, and Sue carefully unwraps my hair and gently brushes it through with a paddle brush for that super sleek look.
Having been in curlers, you can see the volume it’s given my hair and also how the amazing blow dry has made it so straight (I told you!)! Its full on glamour! I also love how it showcases the ombre colours in my hair.
In between pictures, Sue does a fantastic job of re-styling my hair. She has a whole suitcase full of tools and tricks in order to do away from the salon styling.
Next up, Sue styles my hair into a very sleek high ponytail which also has a section of my hair wrapped around it to finish it off. She gives my hair lots of volume for this (back-combing – check!) and it looks fantastic.
Behind the camera
Behind the Camera Shots
This style is definitely one I am going to try because a ponytail tends to be my everyday look and this is very ‘me’. It’s incredibly versatile too and works with smart or casual and any style. The pulled up pony also gives your face extra shape and shows off contours and cheek bones – another reason why i love it! When my face is feeling tired in the morning, a high pony is an instant lift! 🙂
A bit more back-combing, then sleeking and then of course the obligatory hairspray, more hairspray, and a bit more hairspray, and the look is finished. Perfection!
The finished look – high ponytailThe finished look – high ponytailThe finished look – high ponytail
Look 3 is the most futuristic (and vintage at the same time) style I’ve ever had! Sue handmade a head size doughnut and carefully crafted it onto my head. My hair was taken out of the ponytail and lightly brushed. I held the doughnut in place whilst Sue entwined all of my hair around the doughnut – it really is a showstopper style!
It reminded me of something you would see in either Star Wars or a Henry VIII novel! So either end of the spectrum! It was really fun and interesting to have such a unique hairstyle.
It required lots more hairspray and lots more backcombing (2 compulsory things in hairdressing I’ve found!), however the finished style was incredibly sleek and it was such a fun design to model.
Above are the first steps to creating this amazing masterpiece! You need to make sure the doughnut is positioned in the right place on your head before you start winding it around the doughnut. To do this, Sue made sure my crown was at the centre of it and 4 hands are better than 2 for this style, as the other person can ensure that the doughnut continues to sit in the right place and doesn’t move before its pinned.
Sue used a ‘rat tail’ comb to push in any stray hairs into the doughnut and also to smooth out the hair around the doughnut once it was in place to make it sleek and also to even out the hair to make sure there were no visible signs of the doughnut.
This look was so much fun! I thought you could also use this style if you were attending a Julius Ceasar themed party – it would go so well with a toga!
So thats a wrap! The shoot lasted about 2 hours and I had so much fun! It was fantastic to experiment with different looks and I also learnt a lot about technique and how to get the most out of your hair, especially volume (mostly back-combing – ahem!) but believe me there is a lot of technique to this too. It’s a definite art to be able to backcomb hair and also make it look sleek at the same time!
The team were fantastic and I think it really shows in the pictures, please do go to their website and keep an eye out for for all the insight into the shoot and also for the expert ‘how to’ on these looks!
You can find them at http://www.number8hairdressing.com/news-blog/. A massive thank you from me to Claire, Sue and Tamzin for such a wonderful afternoon – thank you so much for asking to me to be your hair model! I can’t wait to do it again! 🙂
Last but definitely by no means least, a massive thank you and shout out to our fantastic photographer Ben Tyler. As I am sure you can see from the shots, his work is fantastic and he captured the essence of the shoot so well. Catch more of his work and contact details on his website: http://benphotography.co.uk .
Hair products courtesy of Paul Mitchell.
The shoot gave me such an insight to the modelling world and its made me even more hungry to do more! I absolutely love having my hair styled, and seeing the styles and shoot come together was really rewarding.
Hair-style me up – I can’t wait to do it again!
Love Debs xxxx
P.s – one of the blooper shots for you! Perfect for Halloween! Hee hee Xo
The Bridal Studio in Helston, Cornwall is a beautiful new bridal shop and they embarked on their first ever bridal fayre at Kingsley Village, Fraddon on Sunday 1st November.
When my friend Tara (owner of The Bridal Studio) posted on Facebook asking if anyone would like to be a live bridal model for the day – I jumped at the chance and couldn’t wait to be part of the day!
I got married 6 years ago and I was so thrilled to have an excuse to try on stunning dresses again, and trust me, these dresses are beautiful. From every style, shape and size you could wish for, they have everything to suit your big day.
I turned up at the venue around 10am, and all the businesses were setting up for the day ahead. Tara and her Daughter, Amelia were busy putting the final touches to their gorgeous and very pretty stall.
The girls get me into the first dress! Its a beautiful sweetheart number with a fishtail train. It is stunning, and I feel so elegant in it. Plus, I never thought my shape would suit a fishtail dress, so it just goes to prove ladies, that you should try lots of styles on, including ones that you think might not be for you, because you may just find the one!
I found this with my own wedding dress. Off the hanger, I really wasn’t too sure about it, and wasn’t sure if it was for me. It had a lot of sparkle on the bottom and no detail on the top. When I first started trying on dresses, I envisaged lots of detail on the bodice, gems, sparkles etc, but everything I tried on didn’t feel right. But when I tried my dress on, I knew it was the one for me! It was perfect in every way, so now I am a firm believer that you know when its right.
Any-hoo, doors opened to the public around 11am and there was a steady flow of people through the doors throughout the day until around 3pm.
The Bridal Studio also has a very big selection of bridesmaid dresses in store and to order. Amelia beautifully modelled a pink gown and was my bridesmaid for the day! I have to say it looked really good and as we were the only live bridal models, a few of the business wanted to us for their promotion which was a great opportunity to spread the word about the new shop.
We got to chat to a lot of people as they scoured the hall looking for all things wedding. Tara and Amelia did an excellent job of promoting the shop and all things in it. Recently, they had an ad in the Helston Advertiser to promote the shop and the slogan “The House of Gorgeous Gowns” really sums it up. The Bridal Studio stocks wedding dresses, bridesmaid dresses, prom dresses and Flora midday dresses.
It’s always so lovely to hear peoples wedding plans as everyone’s big day is so different from every angle! Tara and Amelia do a fantastic job of meeting and greeting all the wedding fair go-ers.
There is a total mixture of people, its not just brides to be, its also husbands to be, mother of the brides, best friends, mother in laws to be and also friends on the brides behalf! There is a great vibe in the hall and it’s a very fun and happy environment to be in.
Amelia and I also take the opportunity to walk around the hall, soak up the atmosphere, give out some leaflets and promote the shop.
The stall has a good selection of bridal dresses, bridesmaid dresses, accessories and also a handmade selection of cards, made by Tara’s other Daughter. They are gorgeous and are something I wish were around when I got married! They include ‘Will you be my Bridesmaid’ and ‘Thank you for being my bridesmaid’. Here is a snapshot of their collection from the stall:
We got to pose for a few more pics for some other fabulous companies and it was really good fun. It was also really humbling to see all the local companies joining forces to promote each other and we got a lot of opportunities to show off the gorgeous dresses which of course was the name of the game!
For the second half of the day, I got changed into what I would call ‘The Princess Dress’. It was a beautiful strapless gown, with a band around the middle, intricate detailing with a full tulle skirt, absolutely stunning.
The wedding fayre came to a finish at around 3pm and we had a fantastic day. It was an absolute pleasure to be involved in the day with the amazing ladies from The Bridal Studio, and for their first one, I think they did an amazing job.
So ladies, if you are looking for ‘the’ dress for your big day, make sure you pop down to this wonderful new shop. You’ll be sure to find your perfect match and be greeted with lovely, friendly staff who make every customer feel a million dollars.
What a fun month October was! And to top it off, I was absolutely thrilled to be involved again in Truro’s hottest & biggest night of fashion!
The Truro fashion show hosted by Truro Trend was on Wednesday 7th October 2015 and the beautiful historic cathedral took centre stage for the show.
On this night, the nave of the cathedral was transformed into a catwalk and models strutted their stuff for a host of shops wearing the latest trends, and styled gorgeous make up and hair by local hair and beauty artists.
I was lucky enough to be involved again this year and I modelled for Benetton, Jaeger and Plum. I also helped out for a while on the main door taking the tickets for the show and it was great to see the show from a different perspective, especially to see all the fashionistas arrive!
Truro Cathedral
Preparations started nice and early and I had the pleasure of having my hair glammed up by the very talented Claire who is the Creative Director at No 8 Hairdressing in Truro. I love getting my hair done and Claire did a fantastic job! She transformed my locks into a wonderful do’ which was side pincurls, lots of volume and a messy ponytail. She really nailed the Miu Miu catwalk look that Chris @ Benetton was aiming for. Claire glammed up my hair within about 1 hour and effortlessly took me from office look to catwalk ready. I have to say, all the girls at No 8 are so lovely and friendly, it’s a real pleasure to work with them and their creations are fantastic. They styled my hair last year too (the amazing giant bun – check my Instagram for pics).
I left the salon feeling fabulous and wandered over to Cafe Nero for dash of caffeine! I also glamorously used my table as my getting ready station – well I’m sure I’ll have my own dressing room for events soon enough! :-).
Red lips – check, bold black eyeliner – check, caffeine shot – check, I was good to go! I made my way over to the cathedral around 6pm. There was a buzz of activity already as the cathedral was being transformed into catwalk heaven.
I have to say, it really is the most special place to have a fashion show and the backdrop to the runway is wonderful. The architecture of the cathedral really adds something extra special and also creates a little extra drama for the show. So much effort and preparation (I’ve been told months!) go into it and it really does show, it looks fantastic and there are so many great and well established businesses involved including; Benetton, Bishop Phillpott, Du Barry, East, Jaeger, Little Boutique, Magpie & Fox, Moss, New Look, No 22, Plum, The Vor Store, Hotter Shoes, Hendra Hair & Beauty, Number 8 Hairdressing, Sarah Louise Hair, The Bodyshop and Vanilla Boutique.
This year the shops also had a stall in the cathedral which was a great opportunity to showcase the latest trends and items seen on the catwalk. It was also fab for the attendees – who doesn’t like an extra opportunity to shop!?
Doors opened at 7pm and it was fantastic to see so many people turn up and support the show. This year several hundred tickets were available and its so amazing to see the community come together for such a big event.
I took tickets on the door for about half an hour from 7pm and each person was treated to a goodie bag which they could fill up with freebies and samples available from the stalls. It was a great chance for the guests to browse the cathedral and see what was available and equally great for the shops to be able to advertise their products. And lets face it everyone loves a freebie!
So 7.30pm comes around quicker than lightning and I am called to be changed into my first outfit for Benetton as they are opening the show. There is such a buzz backstage and everyone is changing, having photos, chatting and getting excited about the show.
Chris-Benetton Style IconBackstage
The show is split into 2 parts, the first half is smart casual and the second is glam. The Benetton showcase is always so colourful which of course is their trademark and as I mentioned above, this year the hair and make up is inspired by the Miu Miu AW15 show. It has a 50’s feel with pin curl twists & thick black eyeliner with the trademark ‘flicks’. My first outfit was a floral shirt, teal tights, purple dress, floral shoes and a beautiful green statement necklace.
Full length shot for Benetton outfit 1Sultry posing backstage for Benetton outfit 1
I love this look and this is something I would definitely wear for daytime chic. Its very versatile as you can wear the dress for Summer or Winter and team with or without the tights or shirt. The bright colours add the the trademark special something and you’ll be guaranteed to get those “where did you get that” compliments. It perfectly complimented the hair and make up look too.
Style inspo’ for Benetton
Before we know it, we hear “5 minutes!” and I can feel my belly flip with excitement. Its showtime! Those familiar feelings of last year and the buzz starts to build. Last minute preparations and styling are taking shape as we take our place in the line backstage ready to go on. Chris, our style icon and owner of Benetton, Truro, styles us and places our line up together. The look is fantastic and as Chris puts us together in terms of colours, I find myself at the front – eep!
Struttin’ it for Benetton
It’s brilliant and something I never thought I would have the opportunity to do, so I am embracing it! The music starts and we hear the show being introduced, before we know it, we are off!
At the start of the catwalk, I see the crowds and the cathedral is packed! As we make our way along to the top, there is a brilliant vibe and I am concentrating on my steps! Hand on hips, head up and serious face on (though not too serious!) I think the photos come out really well if there are some serious shots and some playful ones too, plus the playful ones get the crowd going! I make my way back up to the start along with my lady in pink beside me, one more turn and we are done.
My next outfit is for a gorgeous shop called Plum and because the turn around is so quick, the ladies are waiting for me for a quick change! They did a brilliant job, very well engineered to get me from one outfit to another. It’s so exciting and I love the thrill of getting into the next outfit and getting back onto the catwalk.
My outfit for Plum is a super sophisticated black leather skirt and white shirt. I adore this look and I would wear this for a smart office look or drinks out with friends. It’s teamed with a long necklace and the beauty of this outfit is that it would appeal to any shape, age or style because you can mix up the styling of it.
Plum
Teamed with bold red lips and bold eye make up gives it that edgy look or teamed with a cashmere cardi & soft make up would suit the mature lady – though there are no rules so say this can’t be reversed! Thats the beauty of fashion, your style is yours! And there are no rules for that!
Next, I’m on for Jaeger and this time we have a little longer to get ready. The show is quicker this year to give a sharper turnaround time for the viewers. My first outfit is a super soft and beautiful baby pink roll neck jumper, black trousers, a gorgeous (very me) tan coloured cape and matching hat. This look is incredibly stylish and the cape is very on trend.
It could also be teamed with smart jeans and would be perfect for meeting the girls for lunch. I felt very chic wearing this outfit and again it would suit all and accessories could be added to make it wearable for both daytime and evening.
BenettonBenetton
Before we know it, its the end of the first half! The time goes go incredibly quickly and we take the opportunity to get some photos. I get changed back into my first outfit for Benetton and we head to a beautiful part of the cathedral for some group shots. All of the girls are so lovely and look amazing!
Photoshoot done, its time to get changed into our outfits for the second half of the show. Part 2 is scheduled in the same way as part 1 and Benetton is first up! For my 2nd outfit I wear a gorgeous chequered black and white shift dress, coral cardigan, black tights and pearls.
This is a fabulous outfit and again is versatile for any season. I felt very smart & sophisticated in this dress & cardigan as the colours are so bold, it makes any day feel glamorous! Thats what I love about Benetton, always fabulous!
Benetton Outfit 2
During this catwalk run, we each took our turn on the runway and came back to the start and we line up in our stylish outfits whilst the others took their turn. This was brilliant as it gave the audience a chance to see the outfits for longer and to showcase the whole look together. The colours look amazing as one piece together.
Benetton round 2Benetton outfit number 2
Outfit number 2 for Plum was a gorgeous black leather dress and high heels. Unfortunately due to timings I didn’t get a chance to strut my stuff in this dress, however it was modelled beautifully at the end of the show.
My final outfit for the show was for Jaeger and it was a beautiful lace midi length dress in burgundy. Perfect for the upcoming Christmas party season! So elegant, perfect length and the colour would suit anyone. I particularly liked the lace sleeves as it added an elegant and sensual edge to the dress. If you purchase this dress, you’ll be guaranteed to love it for many seasons to come, a classic. You can also add some statement jewellery for some extra dazzle.
JaegerJaeger
So to the finale of this fantastic show! I get to keep on this beautiful dress and we all do one last walk along the catwalk. The audience have been fantastic and the night has been such a success. I give the crowd a big clap as we doing our final lap.
Jaeger
I feel very proud to be part of the team and equally proud to be part of such a big community event and it’s fantastic to think that everyone comes together in the name of fashion to support our local city.
A massive thank you to everyone from me, from the event organisers at Truro Trend to the shop owners thank you for letting me be apart of your fantastic show, I can’t wait for next year, the show keeps getting better and better!
Debs XoXo
mywardrobeutopia
P.s keep scrolling for more pics! Catwalk pics are courtesy of my personal photographer aka Mr C, go follow him on Instagram; mario_surf.cornwalluk
took centre stage for the show.
mywardrobeutopia 
