saharasplash

Simplistic styling and brave choices featuring PrettyLittleThing

This October has been one of the most incredible Octobers of my life. Not only did I have the most fantastic 27th birthday with my family, it also brought and end to my pregnancy and welcomed a brand new arrival! I’m sure you have seen by now that I gave birth to a beautiful baby girl who we called Alice Iris. It’s been a tough first week to say the least, and I thought that this would be a great opportunity to talk about being brave- in more than one aspect of life. Having the courage to stick with your guns and make your unique voice heard is such an important thing, so here is my piece on simplistic styling and brave choices featuring PrettyLittleThing.

I feel that I have grown up a confident person, always going for what I want in life. Even at school I remember being the one always speaking out and eager to have my say, so having strength and courage definitely stemmed from a young age. Confidence and being brave may not come naturally to everyone, but I’d like to try and persuade you to come out of yourself just that little bit today. Whether that means doing that task you’ve been putting off for days or saying something you have been holding back from someone close to you- I say you are going to do it! And once you do, you’ll feel amazing.

So, how does being brave work it’s way into another part of your life- your wardrobe? PrettyLittleThing are here to help with their new season coats and jackets range. PLT are one of my favourite brands, so getting to collaborate with them on this project was definitely a big fat tick off the blogger bucket list. I did this shoot two days before giving birth, so this will definitely be one of those memorable weekends not only for my blog but for my family too. This sage green floral maxi kimono worked effortlessly with one of my plain black dresses. Pregnant or not, it’s a simplistic style for anyone not wanting to brave a whole new wardrobe just yet. Just one stunning jacket like this can make you feel confident and ready to take on anything life throws at you- you’re in a kimono for god sake, rock it!!

Much like this kimono, I took the leap of faith and braved my labour without any pain relief. We did it together, Alice and I, along with some super support from my husband, sister and mother. I took my strength during labour by focusing on all the reasons why I was doing it, and who I was doing it for. The list was long- my husband and my late mother in law who she is named after were the top two faces in my mind- and it worked brilliantly. Being brave for another person I find boosts your confidence levels like nothing else- I’m sure you can remember exactly how you felt at a time where you have stood up for something or someone that you believe in- it gives us that fire and purpose.

This next coat was a little out of my comfort zone, but I just had to jump in with two feet. That item you’ve been looking at online but not sure it’s ‘you’, just go for it, just like I went for this bright yellow longline puffer jacket.

Again, I’ve paired this with black which is a smart choice for anyone out there struggling with splashing colour into their autumn winter collection. Sporty stripes are heavily trending throughout the high street, so a pair of wide leg stripe trousers like this create a cool but chic balance to the powerful puffer.

Simplistic styling and brave choices go hand in hand- it’s just one small change that makes a lot of difference.

Tell me about a time you made a brave choice in the comments below- and for this week I want you to face any fears you have (wardrobe or otherwise) with a deep breath and a strong focus. You won’t get a baby at the end of it, but you’ll be self rewarded with a new found sense of accomplishment!

Until next time,

Saharasplash  x

Find out all about my experience at Seckford Spa with a pregnancy massage!

PR samples included

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My first experience with pregnancy yoga

My first experience with pregnancy yoga was not half as bad as I thought it was going to be. Going from being the bendiest person in pole class two years ago to not being able to touch my toes anymore has been quite an experience in itself! So when I was invited to take part in a pregnancy yoga class with Lushtums Ipswich, I was a bit unsure of what was going to happen…

The class was a great size of 8 including me- we started off with introductions and how we were feeling generally. The instructor (Sarah) likes everyone to get to know one another and create a stress free environment.

We focused on breathing techniques which certainly helped to forget the day and feel peaceful while we stretched, and it allowed everything to just drift away.

There were certain positions that were not hard at all, but depending on the position of your baby this may not be the same for everyone. Sarah gave us easy ways to adapt our positions with bolsters and cushions so that floor work was fine however you needed to pose.

As I suffer from carpal tunnel syndrome when there’s too much pressure on my wrists, I used a cushion with the extended poses to help support my floor hand (as below).

We spent the remaining minutes of the class doing a warm down excercise which was great. We all got into a comfy position with our blankets and listened to Sarah’s voice as she spoke to us about each body part to relax. Such a chilled out vibe, and it really made a difference the next day in terms of how I felt mentally and physically.

I have found stretching and breathing to be two vital things to get me through each day during this last trimester. As positions and actions become harder and harder, pregnancy yoga is a great way to help alleviate certain niggles and pains and at the same time teaches you some great coping methods. I will be trying for a natural birth without pain relief (not even gas and air) and I feel that my first experience with pregnancy yoga at Lushtums has taken me a step in the right direction towards preparing and coping when the time comes.

Leggings by Dharmabums 

Thanks to Sarah and Lushtums Ipswich for inviting me along!

  • Classes are suitable from 15/16 weeks unless experienced
  • Find your local Lushtums class here
  • Follow the Ipswich Facebook page here

Saharasplash x

Read my previous article HERE – beauty lovers only! ❤️

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Being Nautical in Ipswich Suffolk

With a love for so many things, it’s a good job I can use my blog to cover all sorts of topics. This blog post, Being Nautical in Ipswich Suffolk, is all about the weekend just gone. I had my number one blogger babe Yasmine come visit me in Ipswich to hang out and of course, take some photos. We ended up having a lovely Saturday afternoon forecast, so to the waterfront we went! This was Yasmine’s first time exploring Ipswich so I thought I would take her, along with a very statement wardrobe piece, to the marina.

Isaacs is a really popular destination on weekends for locals and tourists so we started out there for some lunch.

After, we took all of our things, plus a gluten free strawberry cheesecake to go, and set out to get some great content! Thanks so much to Yasmine and my sister for helping me on some of the shots. Being 32 weeks pregnant meant quite a slow walk back to the car, but all the better chance to stop and start posing!

So, details of my ‘being nautical’ ensemble…

Dress: Asos Maternity
Shoes: Zara
Bag: Juicy Couture via Trendlistr

 

The whole outfit was inspired by being nautical, and mainly focused around this gorgeous accessory. This sexy bag is a vintage Juicy Couture item from Trendlistr* and as soon as I saw it I fell head over heels for it. To tell you the truth, this is actually a makeup bag, but I couldn’t just leave it at home when the marina called!

It has such stunning detail, I know I’ll be using it as often as I can as it really is one of the most interesting items in my wardrobe for this season.

If you love this bag as much as I do, you have to go and check out more vintage gems via the Trendlistr website here. Not only can you buy, but you can also sell if you have some unloved vintage pieces lying around your bedroom!

Thanks so much to Lou at Trendlistr for this collaboration, I hope to see more bloggers being nautical too!

Saharasplash x

*Trendlistr and I worked together on this collaboration for my honest opinion and review.

See my latest post on some clever little discoveries for baby here and thanks for reading Being Nautical in Ipswich Suffolk.

saharasplash

Maternity Photoshoot at 27 Weeks

I always knew that when I fell pregnant I would want to do a maternity shoot. Being a lifestyle blogger has only made my photography craze more apparent and I guess there are a few reasons behind this. First, it’s about documentation. Not only can I look back through my posts, I like to think that it’s something I’m leaving behind for future generations. Second is about good quality. The more I blog, the more I want to improve upon my skills so that I can be proud of each post and know that they are getting better and better each time. So here we are with a maternity photoshoot at 27 weeks.

The start of July saw Paul and I venture a few miles down the road from Ipswich to Bramford. We were meeting a local photographer called Kerrie who runs her own business- Beautiful Creations Photography. She is known for newborn and family shoots so I was thrilled to be spending a few hours with her on a lovely Saturday morning.

We found the most perfect corn field to take some wonderful shots, it was super relaxed and a lot of fun, though a little hot in that field!

I’m in love with how the shots turned out. Kerrie brought along several props including a floral bouquet which matched my dress so well.

The dress I’m wearing is a maternity dress from Chi Chi London found via Love The Sales.* It made me feel like a woodland nymph as we took to our next backdrop against the trees.

I couldn’t help but bring Paul in for this last shot- Kerrie did the most amazing job at capturing our family in the moment like this.

Bring on the next maternity shoot planned for when I reach 33 weeks! Have you had/would you like to have a maternity shoot? Let me know in the comments!

Saharasplash x

Find Kerrie’s Facebook page here

*This post is via Love The Sales

If you liked this maternity photoshoot at 27 weeks, here’s my latest post on baby essentials!