Loungewear Must Haves!

Jumper: Missguided (various colours!) 

Joggers: Zara 

Shoes: Nike

Loungewear is my new favourite trend and is fitting because my brain is always asleep even though my body is awake. It combines comfort with style, as well as keeping you warm in these winter months! Here's some loungewear sets that I'm loving at the moment. Click on the images to shop from Missguided, Miss Pap and Missy Empire!

  

   

  

Lots of Love,

Emily xx

Autumn Leaves

Photographer: Tasha Walton (@tashawalton)

Jacket - Maniere De Voir

Denim Shirt - Forever 21 (similar here)

Tee - Boohoo

Jeans - Zara

Boots - ASOS (similar, and so cute)

Say hello to the coat of dreams. Everyone's doing shearling biker jackets at the moment but I can honestly say that if you're investing in one, Manure De Voir is the place to get yours. So soft, so comfy, so warm, so stylish. Every thing you want in a jacket. Obviously it's getting super cold and maybe getting a jacket instead of a coat isn't the wisest choice, but this one is. It's an upgrade from your typical leather jacket. Also though it's cold as hell, I am absolutely loving autumn.

Lots of love, 

Emily xx

Happy Halloween!

Bunny Ears - Missguided (DIY Veil)

Jumpsuit - Custom (similar here and here)

Happy Halloween kids! This is the first time in what feels like ages that I'm not doing anything for Halloween. But that doesn't mean I can't dress up at home and wait for trick-or-treaters to show up. So for a quick easy look at home, I dressed up as the Velvet(even) Rabbit in a slouchy, baggy, super-comfy velvet jumpsuit custom-made by my Mumma, with some basic ears from Missguided. I wanted those ones with the veil on them but they are sold out everywhere! So I did these myself with lace from an old shirt. Super simple! Here's my contribution to Halloween, I hope you like!

Stay safe and I hope you get lots of treats!

Love, 

Emily xx

5 Simple Ways To Battle Stress & Anxiety

Oh stress... Hello you old friend!

At some point in our lives, stress can take it's toll. Whether it be on the home-front, work or university, everyone handles it differently or not at all. Sometimes it can be harder than we realise to get a grip on it. 

What's worse is when stress brings along its friend, anxiety. We all have forms of anxiety too, but sometimes it can go from bad to worse. 

Both my frenemies are currently working a battle in my brain and I wanted to share my little ways to de-stress and reduce the anxiety. 

(Disclaimer: I am no expert and I may not be the best person to advise, but these are just personal things I do)

1. Take a break!

It sounds easy, it sounds simple but sometimes your brain tells you not to do it. Mine's currently doing that right now, hence the reason for this post. Do something to take your mind off of whatever is consuming it. Close your eyes for a bit, take an hour nap, read a book, listen to music. Whatever takes your fancy is best. Taking an hour for yourself is so important. 

2. Write it all down on paper. 

I find that writing down whatever is stressing me out helps me come to terms with it. It also helps me realise that it's not that big of a deal! Uni assignments and due dates are crazy for me. Having it all laid out in front of me helps me to plan better. Even if it's not assignments and it's just a bunch of feelings you can't seem to understand, writing them out releases the pressure. 

3. Get some fresh air. 

Going for a walk, run or just standing outside with the fresh air is always a perfect idea. Breathing some fresh air (physically or mentally) helps your psyche revitalise.

4. Food & Water: Key to survival.

Before I start this, I want to make it clear that you don't stress eat. That is so unhealthy and just wrong. It's not the way to deal with your stress and anxiety. Get yourself some fresh fruit or a healthy snack to give yourself energy. Water is your best friend. I cannot tell you the amount of times that I have a glass of water in the day. It is literally the best thing for you. More water, less problems. 

5. Do what you love.

This is very important. You have to take time to do something you love. Give yourself a break, you've been working hard and you can afford to have a little "me" time. Write, read, draw, sing, dance, shop (goodbye money) and just enjoy yourself. Life's too short to live it anxiously. 

These are 5 little tips that could help anyone (I hope) and so many of us take on way more than we bargain for. But you can do it. Persevere and you will do it. Just make sure you give your brain a break, it's always on overdrive. 

Lots of love, 

Emily xx

Back To Reality

Jumper - Zara

Jeans - Zara

Bag - Zara

Shoes - Public Desire

Photography: Safraz Ali

Finally I'm back! It's been over 2 months since I've posted. Life's taken over and I obviously had no time at all to do any posting. But I'm slowly but surely back. The posts may not be up to par, but I'll try my best. I may just do one-photo-posts from my Instagram just to keep the ball rolling, but I definitely want to post more. My current store of obsession is Zara, as you can see most of my outfit is from there. There's so much I want from there right now, it's unreal. 

Lots of love, 

Emily xx

Sundown

Dress - U By Upeksha

Shoes - Public Desire

Please excuse the photo quality, these images were taken just as the sun was going down and I was going to an event in the dress, but couldn't pass up the opportunity to take photos of this beautiful dress!

This dress is made by a wonderful and my personal favourite Sri Lanka designer, Upeksha Hager. Every single piece of hers is cut and sewn to perfection, from the materials to the patterns to the design. My mum and I have a couple of dresses from U By Upeksha and I cannot fault any of them. Her collections have been showcased time and again at Colombo Fashion Weeks and that is the collection I always look forward to. The delicate pieces are more formal wear and include amazing dresses. I've linked the Facebook page above, so make sure to check out Upeksha's pieces. 

The shoes I'm wearing are my current favourites, I wear them all the time because they pretty much go with anything. Public Desire, you have outdone yourselves. This is only my first pair from PD but I plan on buying many (many) more. They are just gorgeous! 

Lots of love, 

Emily xx

Just A Little Something...

Lace Top & Vest - old

Jeans - Forever 21

Shoes - Forever 21

Another month gone by and very little blogging... I'm absolutely terrible at this. A lot has been going on in my life and I've been spending time with my family, so please excuse the lack of posts on the blog. However I do manage to keep my Instagram (@seventeenjames) & Snapchat (@emilynicole42) pretty up to date, so make sure you keep posted to that. This is just a mini post to keep the ball rolling and hopefully soon enough I'm going to post more often and get a lot better at this.

Lots of love, 

Emily xx

Little Red Flowers

Photography: Oliver James

Playsuit - H&M
Shoes - Forever 21 (similar)
Sunglasses - Ray Ban

It's been over a month since my last post, even though it doesn't feel that long but I have good reason for not being around. After an instant decision by my parents, I was shipped off to Sri Lanka to help my mum move house. More than excited, I left within the matter of days. Who knew that moving to a new house would take a good week. I spent about two weeks without wifi or a sim card, therefore I have been living under a rock, but a beautiful rock. I realised that I hardly packed any clothing for myself for this trip which worried me, baring in mind I'm here until September! But thanks to online shopping, I think I'll be able to get my hands on a few bits. 

This little playsuit is from H&M and it's actually the first one I own. It's super comfy and summery, and I'm thinking of getting my hands on the others. I don't usually wear patterned clothing, but I really like florals so I thought I'd go for it anyway. There are other colours available too! I paired the playsuit with a pink-nude pair of flats and gold rim ray-bans for a simple look. You could jazz it up with a pair of black heeled sandals for a night out too.

Hopefully I'll keep you more up to date on this blog, rather than let it waste away!

Lots of love,

Emily xx

Jogger Luxe

Photography: Natasha Walton

Shop the Look:

Joggers - Zara (only in grey & black, similar here and here)

 (matching sweater here)

Top - Primark

Lace Up Flats - Topshop

Bag - Gucci

Hat - Nike

These joggers are my favourite thing at the moment. They are super comfy and such a nice colour. I was pining for them for ages, they were (and still are) sold out on Zara, but I managed to find them on  Depop! Depop is one of my new favourite apps at the moment and it's great for anyone trying to get rid of their clothes or buy pieces that they can't find! Check out mine here. Joggers are quite popular at the moment and can be dressed down or up, so make sure you get a pair from anywhere! 

Lots of love, 

Emily xx

All Nude Everything

Photography: Natasha Walton

Shop the Look:

Blazer - Boohoo

Culottes - Missguided

Top - New Look

Shoes - Office

Better late than never, a new post! My love for the colour nude is never-ending and I will continue to purchase pieces in the colour. I bought this outfit a while ago for an event and wasn't able to photograph it, so I managed to get around to it. I usually don't go for high-waisted trousers because they most certainly don't look nice on me, but I thought I'd give it a go anyway. If you want to wear something, wear it and don't give a damn. I love these pieces together and individually so you'll probably see them again soon. 

Lots of love, 

Emily xx

Going Cruelty Free

Make-up is a big part of any girl's life. For some it's an absolute essential (like me, hello my face needs it). Recently I've been trying to change my lifestyle; make myself much healthier and consider what I'm indulging in, what I'm exposing my body to. Now I've always been against animal testing but as the ditsy child I am, I was not aware of what make-up brands tested. It's become a highlighted subject in recent months with people making the switch to vegan lifestyles and so on. 

Before you ask, I'm not going vegan. That may sound bad to some of you or it may not, but for my own personal reasons I've not decided to go vegan (yet, I won't rule it out completely, you never know). However I have decided that I want to convert to vegan and cruelty free make-up and skincare products. 

It's quite a big switch, baring in mind that many of the products I do use come from certain make-up brands such as MAC, Maybelline and Rimmel.  Not to call them out and place blame (I do like their products), but I'm not pro-animal testing, therefore I'm taking them out of my make-up bag. 

Changing everything in your make-up bag can be difficult because honestly the stuff doesn't come cheap, however there are certain brands that are affordable if you're ready to make the switch. 

As I've been making the transition and researching, I've found that some of the great make-up brands can remain in my daily routine. Brands such as NYX, Barry M and Illamsqua that I already use can remain, which makes me happy because I absolutely love these brands. Even Kylie Cosmetics are all vegan and cruelty-free, so yes you can splurge on lip kits if you want. They're definitely worth it, I've bought 5 of them and I'm in love. But there are also a bunch more that I didn't know about and am quite happy to switch to, such as NARS, Anastasia Beverly Hills, Too Faced and Urban Decay, which I was planning to purchase anyway. 

The reason I want to share this lifestyle change is because I think it's a really important thing for us girls and women to discuss. Animal testing should not be carried out just for the purpose of putting products on our face. It's not right. If you want to make the change like I do, I want to share with you that it's not difficult but it will be gradual for some. 

Obviously you can't go out and a whole set of new make-up because it is costly, but doing so gradually is perfectly fine because you've made the decision. 

Here's a list of brands that are cruelty free and vegan that may help you make the switch. 

When I make the complete switch, I will vlog it for you so you can have a look at what I'm using. I hope that this post helped any of you that was thinking about making the switch!

Lots of love, 

Emily xx

Sipping Coffee 🐸☕️

Photos: Alizey Mirza, Pintsized Fashionista

Coat - Missguided

Skirt - Boohoo

Top - Forever 21

Converse - Office

Featuring Starbucks.

Just a little casual outfit today, nothing major but blog-able. Do not be afraid to wear your trainers with a midi skirt, it's actually very cool.

Lots of love, 

Emily xx

Khaki Obsessed.

Photos: Alizey Mirza, Pint-sized Fashionista.

Shop the Look:

Waterfall Coat - Missguided

Top - New Look

Jeans - Old DIYed

Shoes - Forever 21 (similar here)

Sunglasses - Ray Ban

I've wanted this coat for absolutely ages and I finally have it! It's so comfy and gorgeous, the colour is my absolutely favourite. Khaki is just a beautiful colour and goes with a lot (especially all the nude colours i'm currently lusting after). This was my casual outfit for uni today but I loved it, so why not have a mini photo op? 

Lots of love, 

Emily xx

Hello Spring, Finally

Photo Credit to Alizey Mirza of Pintsized Fashionista.

Denim Shirt - Forever 21 (similar here)

Jeans - Elle Jeans

Sleeveless Coat - River Island (similar here and here)

Lace Up Flats - Topshop (similar here)

Bag - Gucci

Watch - Marc By Marc Jacobs

Bangle - Mango

Sunglasses - Ray Ban

The sunshine is finally here and the weather is picking up, I couldn't be happier! So it was the perfect time for a girls day out in London. A little wander through the streets around Oxford Street led us to the Illamasqua Hypnotica make-up event (I may do a little post on the products I received in the goodie bag), into Selfridges to grab some make-up, food and a soak in the sunshine. It was the best way to spend my afternoon and since the sun was out, we couldn't miss the opportunity to take some new photos. Hopefully the weather will continue to stay this way or even get better. More to come soon!

Lots of love, 

Emily xx