Good old loafers

Never underestimate good old Marks and Sparks. I was treated to these patent beauties yesterday and I absolutely love them. Perfect for adding a touch of androgyny and an absolute must for any capsule wardrobe. They also come in tan and grey/black and , as with most M&S shoes, they have 'Footglove' soles. Their Footglove shoes really are the comfiest, particularly for people with battered soles like me.

Patent loafers, £39.50 Marks and Spencers

Expressing my love for The Black Keys

Unfortunately I didn't make it to the Reading Festival this year - unfortunately so as I live a hop and a skip away from the festival site but it was still fun to watch on TV (while you can hear it all outside!). I was disappointed to miss the Foo Fighters (like most people!) but I was also really keen to see The Black Keys. So the disappointment was lessened when they announced a UK tour yesterday morning - December 12th at the o2 I'mma comin'!

I don't usually catch on to many new bands to be honest, you find that most just come and go with the trends, but you get the occasional gem which usually tend to be bands that have been slogging it out for years relatively unknown until they hit the well deserved big time. The Black Keys is one of those bands. I think I like them so much because they have their own distinct sound but are also reminiscent of old school classic sounding rock, particularly love their use of organs and their dirty riffs. I am familiar with and prefer a lot of their newer stuff, like 'Brothers' and  'El Camino' (I like to stress release by dancing around to Gold on the Ceiling like a loony) but I'm working my way through their back catalogue.

Hurry up December 12th! In the meantime, enjoy these (and do dance around like a loony to GOTC, trust me, you'll feel loads better for it :p).

Louise Gray for Topshop

Louise Gray for Topshop has now arrived, it's a really fun collection full of sequins, colour and glitter. I worked on socks off on this launch, do go and check it out and try out the make up. You'll have loads of fun with it!

Summer Sun

Sunshine and sunbathing before Winter comes to bite us in the ass. 

I thought I had lost my trusty Lennon specs but they turned up in an old handbag just in time for the end of summer.

GirlCrush: Wild Belle

Hear My Train Comin'

Wellbeing: Yoga = Saviour?

Without going into detail, I'm not having a great time at the moment. I have now done something about it, but another way I am trying to work myself out is by taking up Yoga after reading an article my mum gave to me on the massive benefits to be gained from this spiritual form of exercise. I have to recommend it to you. 

I have started hot yoga, in a studio that is heated to 42 degrees (that is bloody hot) during the class. I trained to be a dancer for a good eleven years or so of my life, but after stopping my classes at the age of 17 I also stopped exercising and lost all of my flexibility. So my first class was a bit of a struggle, lots of cracking and stretching but a couple of weeks in I already feel like it will make such a difference. It is also a chance to completely forget about all the thoughts racing through your head, to breathe properly and relax.

The hot yoga is a chance to flex, focus and relax two times a week. And then there is hot Pilates. This is a different ball game - it is based on Yoga but it is all about toning and strength. It is incredibly hard work and I am still a bit of a wimp at powering through but over time Pilates will help to build a toned and lean (machine) body - fingers crossed. I actually felt a little scared before my second class - some of it feels like hell. But it's worth it. 

I was always apprehensive about hot (Bikram) yoga and pilates - but having given it a go I actually find it so liberating. You sweat buckets. Literally, the sweat drips off you and runs into your eyes. Your clothes are soaking, you smell like hell. Your make up comes off, your hair ends up in a sweaty bundle on the top of your head. You sweat all the toxins out of your body, your muscles stretch further. Afterwards - I feel great. For that small section of time in my day I actually feel great. 

Seriously, seriously give Yoga a try. It's given me something to channel my negative energy into, to focus on - and look forward to. And hopefully in a years time I will be as bendy as a snake :P.

Namaste

The Perfect Shoe

Speaking of Zara, I'm obsessed with my new pair of shoes. Honestly believe them to be the best pair of shoes I've ever bought - they go with everything and they're so comfortable. At only £29.99 I think I might have to buy a second pair for when this pair eventually wears out. 

Zara AW12

ZARA AW12 WOMEN & TRF

So inspired by the Zara AW12 collections for women and trf. 

As well as the velvet military and embroidered jackets above, I'm also hankering after these:

[Images: Style Squad and Zara UK]

Sunny Crete

Just returned from a lovely holiday to Crete where there was lot of sun, sea and sand. Heaven. Typically for me, I didn't completely relax unfortunately as I have way too much on my anxious brain at the moment but this was the perfect remedy for seven days. The area was a lot more tourist-y than we expected (not really our bag) but we were a stones throw from the beach and we also found a great little beach bar with a band that played loads of classic rock songs. One night we sat down to dinner with my/our favourite song Nothing Else Matters playing, so we had found the right place! We also stumbled across the Crete Hells Angels HQ by accident which I bloody loved. Oh - and there were so many cats and kittens - LOVED IT! Take me back.

My holiday song <3 center="center">