TRAVEL || WEEKEND IN LONDON

London can be an amazing place to visit. There is so much to do you'll struggle to fit it all in, especially into a weekend. Although I did give it a good go! It's great to explore and discover new and amazing things in a city although it's also an advantage to know someone who lives in the area. Its interesting what hidden treasures a true Londoner will know.

I spent a total of 2 1/2 days in London last weekend. I travelled down on Friday and arrived at about 2.20pm at St Pancras Station, I stepped outside and thought to myself ''What an amazing city''. Then I started walking and realised I still have no sense of direction and instantly got lost, so I decided to stay put in a Starbucks until my friend arrived to pick me up for dinner! I know, I'm 23 years old and still can't find my way around, let's be honest I have a satnav built into my car and still can't find my way around Nottingham where I've lived my whole life so how can I seriously make it around London? Even with navigation I tend to get completely lost, but that's half the fun right?

Hache Burger 

The first night we went to a Burger place called Hache Burgers, now all I can say is it was amazing. The food was delicious, I had a beef burger, well done with caramelised onion and smoked bavarian cheese. Now I've never tried bavarian cheese before but I know I'll be having it again ... We also saved room for dessert by sharing a portion of sweet potato fries. This is an important factor as sometimes my eyes are too big for my belly and I end up with left overs for the next 3 days! Oh, when you have dessert consider the milkshakes, Oreo and Nutella what more could you ask for?!?

Rent a Brois Santandar Bike

Simple concept to grasp really, pay £2 to rent a bike for 24 hours and every 30 minutes afterwards cost £2. Little tip if you want to save money, dock it every 30 minutes and you'll only pay £2 all day instead of £2 for every additional 30 minutes. Discover London the scenic way instead of sitting on a hot, crammed tube to get to each destination. Its also a great way to get some exercise in, because as we all know when you're away for the weekend you tend to over indulge on sweet treats and great food.  

Spitalfields Markets

Markets are one of my favourite places to visit, you never know what kind of things you will find.  Hundreds of trinkets and gift ideas and general bits and bobs. Becky knew one stall would be there, I don't know you might of heard of it. ABookOnOnePage, I didn't think it was possible but apparently someone has managed it. There is alot of choice, whether you love Romeo and Juliet or my personal favourite Alice in Wonderland. They would look great on any wall!  

Matilda the Musical 

If you have an interest in musicals I would suggest you see Matilda! Becky and I saw it at the Cambridge Theatre in London and sat at the front of the dress circle which costs around £67 so don't feel like you need to buy the seats right infront of the stage which are about £90. The performance was amazing and I was blown away by the musical talent of the entire cast. There are so many fantastic musicals on my list and I'm so happy I ticked this one off! Unfortunately no photos allowed during the performance but it's a memorable experience!

Changing of the Guards

I'm English and I've never been to the changing of the guard ceremony, but now I have :) Unless you get there early enough to get the best spot where you can see absolutely everything, there will be alot of tiptoeing and extending your arm to get a good photo. Although we were really lucky, when we were leaving they came down the main road so I got some close-up shots too!

Of course you have to do as the tourist do and have a photo with the guard! It's tradition.

St James Park

St James Park is beautiful with all sorts of wildlife (mainly birds) like pelicans, geese and swans with the occasional squirrel thrown into the mix. Autumn is a great time to visit because all the leaves are shades of burnt orange and there is a slight cool crisp in the air. It's a lovely view and worth the time to visit it while in the area!

Platform 9 3/4 at London Kings Cross Train Station

If you're a Harry Potter lover this should be on your todo list when visiting London. I didn't manage to get a photo because there were so many people! Imagine a Hogwards cart to carry your wand and owl, (yano the usual things you would have on hand) half way through the wall to look as if you're going through Platform 9 3/4. Its definitely a great photo moment. Don't make the rookie mistake I did and only leave about 50 minutes until my train, try going in the morning to beat some of the rush and maybe go when you don't have a train to catch.

Sincerely, Kimberly.

xxx

AUTUMN ESSENTIALS

Black Boots: Dorothy Perkins £25 // Stripe Top: Tesco £6 // Burgundy Jumper: H&M £14.99 // Faux Fur Biker Leather Jacket: Warehouse £65 // Scarf: H&M £12.99 // Jeans: Topshop £38 // Backpack: Accessorize £25

When cool crisp air has set in and the leaves turn shades of golden yellow and orange, it can only mean one thing ... Autumn has offically arrived. Which means it's time for the denim shorts to go away and the scarves to come out and play. Each year I add new Autumn must-haves to my wardrobe but also use the essential pieces. Six essential items spring to mind that will also take you through to the colder winter months.

Black boots:

Every year I get a new pair of ankle boots normally from Dorothy Perkins as they've been reliable and I love the simple Chelsea Boot style. This simple style can be worn casually, professional and for a night out with the girls. The price isn't too bad either at only £25 why not give them a try. I’ve just purchased mine this week as the weather has started getting a tad frosty for my liking so it’s time to put the Birkenstocks away!

Long sleeve tops / thin jumpers:

One thing I love to do when Autumn sets in is layering. Due to the unpredictable weather in the UK layering can be a life saver, when you get a tad cold or hot just take a layer off or put one on. Consider long sleeve jumpers and tops. This season it's all about the striped top and I've already got that covered. I purchase this one for just £6 from Tesco F&F clothing, it's comfortable and good quality. Another new additional is this burgundy thin jumper from H&M (also available in 5 other colours) which can be dressed up or worn casually and for £14.99 why not?

Leather jacket:

The best layering piece I can suggest for Autumn is a leather jacket. It's the perfect thickness to throw over a jumper and looks stylish at the same time. Another great thing about leather jackets is they're a stable fashion piece, every year featured on the top trending pages of magazine and on must-have lists. Why not treat yourself to a stable must-have piece. It's not spending money for the sake of it, think of it as an investment!

Scarf:

I would suggest keeping a scarf handy incase the english weather takes a turn for the worst. Scarves are the one thing I always carry with me, they're light and easy to tie to a bag. They're also a great way to accessorise and finish an outfit. I would suggest getting a versatile colour such as black, grey or navy but also consider the stable prints such as tartan. I love my tartan scarf and have worn it for a few years now, I've found a similar on from H&M above.

Jeans:

Jeans are perfect for all seasons, I would normally wear light coloured denim although it can be a tad pale for the winter months so a darken denim is needed. I recently purchased some super highwaisted blue jeans from Primark for just £10, super comfortable and have lasted a few washes so they get a thumbs up from me! I also love Topshop leigh jeans, again they last after washes and I've had the same ones for over 3 years although they have a higher price tag of £38. 

Backpack:

I love backpacks, simply because they are easy to carry and distributes the weight between both shoulders. I already have a Cath Kidston one which is ideal for travelling as it fits both my laptop and camera in. I've been after one for everyday use and had my eye on a black faux PU one from Accessorize. Thanks to a friend I managed to get a little discount, in the end I paid around £23 instead of £35. Don't worry you'll get a similar discount considering it's now in the sale for £25 so get it while you can! The bag is very spacious and includes 2 pockets at the front and side to carry a water bottle and a few little bits and bobs.

There are so many different designs and sizes for backpacks now, yes it's not necessarily an essential piece for everyone but I think its great addition to your wardrobe.

Sincerely, Kimberly.

xxx

BODY IMAGE || WHY YOU SHOULDN'T LOOK AT SIZE LABELS

The fashion industry plays a huge part in convincing us we should be a particular size or have a specific body shape. This is programmed into our minds even when shopping, many of us feel upset or annoyed if we have to go up a size. This is because by "normal" fashion standards anything above a UK size 10 is classed as "plus size". The term "plus size" can be dornting because by fashion standards its considered oversized. 

Did you know the fashion industry no longer has a standard size??

This means it doesn't actually matter about the size label in your clothes, but we cling to the idea that we must be in a specific size because we're brainwashed to believe its the right thing.

Have you noticed that your sizing varies depending on where you shop? This is because every company has their own measurements for a "standard" size 10 for example. These will differ depending on the retailer. I personally own clothes ranging from sizes 8-14 from retailers such as Topshop, Miss Selfridge, George at Asda, Tesco H&M, the list goes on and on. I will gladly purchase the larger size if it looks better on me, after all who's going to see the size label? To me it doesn't exist anymore and I only hope this was the case for everyone. It's amazing how much power a little number can hold and change how women view their bodies. One of my friends is classed as a UK size 10 and she refuses to purchase anything above that. Even if a size 10 is slightly too tight on the bust or she has to spend the entire time breathing in, she would rather wear the size 10 than ever have a size 12. God forbid. This negative body image is a reflection of the likes of social media and the fashion industry views that are pushed on us. 

The fashion industry has now begun to change its perspective slowly by adding plus sized models into the likes of LWF and NYFW demonstrating the clothes aren't only for the size 6's of the world. This is new but hopefully will start to change peoples perspective of their bodies and the idea of how they should look.

At the end of the day, you're going to be in your body for a long time. Don't you think it's time to look at your body in a positive way and not let something as small as a little number affect the way you view yourself?

Sincerely, Kimberly.

xxx