T R A V E L | A Weekend in Brighton with Travelodge

21 June, 2015
Brighton Pier Sign
Brighton Pier

Last weekend, James and myself were treated to a weekend away to Brighton courtesy of the guys and gals at Travelodge as part of their #BloggerLodge campaign. We stayed in the Brighton Seafront hotel, which is conveniently situated 'pon the seafront if you hadn't guessed that from the name. This was my first time visiting Brighton since I was a teen. The last time I went I was a 16 year old fangirl travelling half way across the country to meet McFly at Brighton hmv, would you believe it? All those years ago I didn't see much of the seaside town other than inside the shopping centre waiting for hours clutching a McFly poster and album in my eager hands. So, as you can imagine this time I was pretty excited to explore!

The hotel itself is only a five minute walk from the Brighton Pier and is within walking distance to everything in the town centre. Ultimately, location wise it is pretty perfect. However, if you're expecting a seaview unfortunately you're out of luck as the hotel is tucked just around the corner from the front itself and has no windows in the rooms that face out to the sea.

Travelodge Brighton Seafront

The Travelodge line is know for being cheap and cheerful with a set standard rooms equipped with your basic commodities. If you're after luxury, you're not going to find it at a Travelodge.

But, if you're after a spacious, clean room with the most comfortable bed ever for the night for a fraction of the price then this Travelodge is definitely fits the bill. The only problem we encountered whilst staying there was how hot and humid the room got, which made our first night a little uncomfortable as there is no air conditioning in the rooms. Luckily, the next day we were supplied with a fan from the ever so lovely lady at reception, which made the second night a lot more comfortable.

It did also get a little loud in the evenings as the hotel is right beside a strip of clubs and on the weekend, Brighton is a popular destination for stag & hen do's. This wasn't too bad though as when the windows are closed it blocks all the screaming, drunkards out completely.

Now, let's talk about the bed. This Travelodge bed had to be one of the most comfortable beds I think I've ever stayed in. It made it pretty difficult to find the motivation to get up in the morning, I tell you. You can even buy the beds, which we are pretty tempted by. They are that good!

Brighton Carousel
Brighton Beach Games

It's often easy to forget the charm of the British seaside when you've spent a good deal of your life in the city. Although a little outdated and a bit of a novelty, taking a stroll along a coastal town's pier, wasting all your money on those flashing yet enticing arcade games and eating fish & chips (well battered sausage for me, as I HATE fish) by the sea is something I think we could all certainly do with from time to time.

Brighton has something more than the usual seaside towns however. It's fun, vibrant and it's alive. I was actually taken aback by just how busy every single street, nook and cranny was.

Brighton Lanes
Beyond Retro Brighton
Beyond Retro Brighton

Shopping in Brighton

Unfortunately, James and me were on quite a tight budget during our stay, but that didn't keep us away from exploring what shopping Brighton has to offer. A little up the road from our hotel is the Churchill Square shopping centre, which has pretty much every high street store you could ask for inside and in the surrounding streets.

Personally, I'm more interested in what vintage shopping it had to offer and boy, did it have a lot! Whilst there I knew I had to hunt down the Beyond Retro store, which was breathtakingly huge. The surrounding area was also full of little hidden vintage & antique dealers. We even stumbled upon a little late night flea market whilst on the hunt for the perfect Brighton burger (more about the burger hunt later). Although there were a never-ending line of vintage digs, the prices in most were not so kind and were comparable to London prices. The only two that stuck out as more reasonably priced were Beyond Retro and Dirty Harry Vintage. Annoyingly, I had to leave the most dreamy suede skirt behind because it wouldn't fit over my hips without a struggle *sob*.

Next time we visit Brighton, we'll certainly put some money aside to splurge in all of the shops and maybe bring a extra empty suitcase too!

Choccywoccydoodah Brighton
Choccywoccydoodah BrightonChoccywoccydoodah Brighton

Eating in Brighton
Hidden in the narrow, winding depths of the Brighton Lanes is the most creatively named shop I've ever came across: Choccywoccydoodah!  It's not hard to miss as crowds of tourists (including us) were flocked around it outside in absolute awe of the magnificent, sky-high, intricate cakes displayed in the window. The detail on every single cake is so intricate and so delicate, it's hard to believe each one is actually edible!

Upstairs is a little cafe in where you can taste the chocolately goodness for yourself! I opted for the six-layer slice of chocolate cake with different layers to each section whilst James chose the dipping platter with a pot of heavenly melted chocolate in the centre. Even just writing this is making my saliva glands rev into overdrive! Although both were bloody delicious, neither of us could finish our plates and this is coming from a girl who can literally inhale a humungous Galaxy chocolate bar in under five minutes!

For two of us to each have a dessert and a bottle of lemonade, it came to around £18 which is incredibly pricey and is gutting that we couldn't finish it either. However, the staff did offer us a 'doggy bag' to take the rest home, but I had made such a mess of mine we had to decline. Oops! If you do plan on visiting Choccywoccydoodah, make sure you go with a empty stomach and a chocolate state of mind.

We also ate a lot of burgers, but burgers deserve their own blog post, right? RIGHT.


Have you been to Brighton before?

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O U T F I T | Seventies Summer

19 June, 2015

Hat: ASOS // Sunglasses: Primark // Top: Milk It Vintage via ASOS//
Waistcoat: New Look // Skirt: Primark // Belt*: c/o Style By Portobello//
Boots: Charity Shop

The sun has officially come out to play, which means my summer wardrobe has too. Bell sleeve crops, A-line mini skirts, floaty smock dresses are all my current 'go to' items as the weather gets a little warmer. With the days heating up, it's inevitable you start exposing a little more skin to the world, which is something that usually terrifies me. 

In preparation to get my skin summer ready, I've been using the Nair skincare range, particularly their Argan oil treats. Argan oil seems to be the remedy to absolutely everything beauty orientated including leaving your skin silky and smooth after waxing. It's amazing how much more confidence softer skin can leave you with meaning you're more likely to brave those more daring outfits that you may have hesitated with before. If you fancy trying the Nair Argan Oil range like myself you have a look here.

Although festival season has arrived, I'm still patiently awaiting on mine to start towards the end of this month. However, that hasn't stopped me dressing for the part! This bell-sleeved, patchwork top was in my saved items on ASOS for weeks as I desperately kept checking for it to come back into stock, then one day it did! Milk It Vintage sell an amazing range of vintage-inspired pieces over on ASOS that are eclectic and colourful, which is pretty perfect for any festival! 

I'm really enjoying Primark's 70's trend at the moment, which includes these oversized sunnies which are only £3 and the classic button-down, denim skirt which was only £12. It's almost identical to the Topshop version, but a third of the price! Bargain.

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Disclaimer*: This post was sponsored by Nair, but all words are my own and honest.
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F E S T I V A L | Beyond Retro Glastonbury Edit

09 June, 2015
Beyond Retro Glastonbury
Beyond Retro Glastonbury
Beyond Retro Glastonbury

You may or may not have seen splurged across my social media channels that I recently took part in a rather exciting collaboration that combines two of my favourite things: Glastonbury Festival and Beyond Retro. A few weeks ago I headed up to London for the day to shoot a variety of vintage outfits for the campaign, styled and shot by the gorgeous Naomi. As you can see it was a 70's, suede, fringed, crochet galore which is true to not only my festival style, but my day-to-day looks.

I also curated a Glastonbury edit over on the Beyond Retro website, where you can shop my favourite Glasto appropriate pieces!

Also, be sure to keep your eyes peeled on Beyond Retro's Instagram account throughout the festival as I'll be posting my best snaps at Worthy Farm every day. You can also catch my interview over on their blog here.

Now, just 15 days to go...





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#PawHumour with the RSPCA

05 June, 2015
PawHumour with the RSPCA

I'm a pretty proud dog mother (I even make them party hats). If you follow me over on Twitter or Instagram you'll see two regular appearances from my furry partners in crime, Dude (left) and Toffee (right). Although, I've recently been parted from them since I moved out of my family home, I still visit often as I cannot bare to be separated from them for too long. When the RSPCA asked me to jump onboard with their #PawHumour campaign, of course I had to participate. Both of my pups are rescues, which although can be a challenge at times is something that is important to me. I'll always rescue from now on as there are so many furry companions out there that need a second chance at life.

The #PawHumour challenge is to tell a entertaining tale from my beloved twosome and it's safe to safe, the list is endless. There is however one story that has stuck in my mind in where Dude humiliated me to no end.

It was a good nine years or so ago, when we first adopted Dude in the family as a fresh-faced youngster who had a heap of energy. I was around 15 years old and going through the 'MySpace phase' - those were the days! Black and blonde patched hair, a panda-load of eyeliner, studded belts, band tees from Camden market - I was a walking, talking stereotype. I was also in the middle of my teenager years feeling hella sorry for my self, as you did. As if that isn't embarrassing enough?

I was also in the middle of my first heartache and hopeless high school crush. He was three years older, an athlete training for the Olympics and oh my word, I was besotted. Obviously, I was the epitome of Wednesday Addams herself at the time. It never gonna happen.

Wednesday Addams


So, one day I was walking the cutest and newest addition of the Travers clan, Dude, in our local fields, which happens to have a athletics and sports track situated in it. I can't remember if I was there intentionally, but my beloved high school crush was training that evening along with what seemed like a million other people. So, there was me walking along a hill that overlooks the track with Dude on his lead pretty nonchalant, when all of a sudden someone throws something... a javelin, a discus, I can't be sure. It's all a blur!

Whatever it was, Dude HAD to have it. So, unexpectedly he launched himself down the hill with me in tow. Instantly I fell flat on my face as he darted towards the track barking excitedly and the lead slipped out of my hand. I ran as fast as I could after him, losing a shoe en route exposing my odd brightly, coloured socks and clung desperately to my jeans to save my falling to my ankles.

Dude, however continued to bound across the track, tail wagging and barking merrily. Half of the congregation on the track began screaming whilst the others stopped dead and watched the calamity unfold including that boy I had the biggest crush on at the time. It was AWFUL. I finally managed to wrestle Dude to a halt in the sand pit at the end of the long jump track. I STILL HAD ONE SHOE ON.

I can't remember what happened after that. I think I must have blacked it out from sheer humiliation. I can't even say if I went back to get my lost shoe or left it behind in the field. What a disaster.

Despite this tale and a million other tales of him pooping at inconvenient times and places, I wouldn't change him for the world.

RSPCA are currently working with MORE TH>N Insurance where you can not only protect your furry companions, but for each policy sold £20 will be donated to the RSPCA for the care of unwanted and neglected animals in England and Wales. How can you argue with that?

Have your furry pals ever embarrassed you? I'd love to hear any #PawHumour stories you might have to share!

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An Evening with Amazon Associates: What I Learnt

03 June, 2015
Amazon Associates evening

A few months back I attended an evening at Amazon HQ hosted by Amazon Associates. Amazon Associates is in fact an affiliate program exclusive to Amazon themselves, meaning you can link thousands upon thousands of products through your blog and make a little commission on any sales. Hurrah!

The evening itself was divided up into four sections with four key, influential speakers with strong blogging or fashion-orientated backgrounds. This included the hugely successful Ella Gregory of Coco's Tea Party whose blog I have been reading since before I started blogging way back in 2010. She spoke honestly about the realities of blogging full-time and gave great advice about taking the dive into the freelance blogging pool.

Next up was Gem, an ex-blogger turned digital writer at Cosmopolitan whose day-to-day life involves writing articles that are intended to be shared across social networks. A point that Gem made that has stuck with me since that evening is when writing a post, you should think 'Would I share this?'. Blog posts that are shared are often something that is relatable to the person reading them and they want to express just that to the digital world. This is why lists blog entires on websites such as Buzzfeed perform so well, because usually they are relatable to a large portion of the readers who want to almost 'show-off' to their following. For example, a recent Buzzfeed style list I shared myself was titled '33 Jokes Only Game of Thrones Fans Will Understand', because I like to tell the world I LOVE GAME OF THRONES. We're all guilty of it, whether we like to admit it or not.

After feasting on some mini burgers (what's a blogger event without mini burgers, after all?), we headed back to our seats to listen to some styling tips from Rachel Story, a stylist at Hello! magazine. Rachel has some great tips about styling flat lays and lifestyle photography, which involved curating a story around a product you're looking to photograph. I've taken a lot more pride in my Instagram account and lifestyle photography since listening to Rachel's tips. I've also found myself picking up props from charity shops to try and make my photos a bit more stylised and directed. 

Last but not least on the panel was the lovely Reena from Fashion Daydreams who also works in affiliate marketing as a day job. Reena cut out all the jargon usually thrown at us my affiliate networks and broke it down in a much more understandable context.

If you fancy finding out more about Amazon Associates you can do so here.


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T R A V E L | Holiday Packing Tips with Bonmarché

01 June, 2015
Holiday Packing Tips
Holiday Essentials*: c/o Bonmarché

I'm in the middle of planning my next adventure, which will be my summer holiday to Barcelona (EXCITED DOESN'T COVER IT!). As you probably know summer holiday planning can be a bit of a nightmare, especially for someone that absolutely detests packing (that's me!). I'm not the most organised human being in the world, so when it comes to packing for summer trip I try to plan ahead as much as possible.

Bonmarché recently sent me a summer holiday essentials package, which included a killer high-waisted, floral bikini, a straw floppy hat, a beach bag, some sunnies and some sun cream. What more could you want in a day-at-the-beach essentials kit?

Despite being the world's worst packer, Bonmarché asked me to share my top holiday packing tips with y'all. There's nothing I love more than procrastinating from sorting out that dreaded suitcase. Seriously. But, I'll let you know what I've learnt along the way.

  • Pack everything and then pull it all out and pack again: The first time round packing you'll probably find that your suitcase just won't close, which is why it's best to overpack and then unpack. That way you can really assess what you need and what you don't need. Do you really need seven pairs of shoes for a weekend getaway?
  • Double check your baggage allowance: Seriously, there's nothing worse than being stung at the airport because you've accidentally brought an extra bag that you haven't paid for or your suitcase is over the weight allowance. It is always cheaper to pre-book your baggage before you arrive at the check-in desk, so make sure you weigh your luggage before setting off.
  • Invest in an extra light suitcase: These suitcases are easy enough to come by on the high street and make all the difference with your weight allowance.
  • Roll your clothes rather than fold: This saves a lot more space meaning you can squeeze a lot more clothes into your suitcase.
  • Stuff your shoes with socks and pants: If you're packing shoes into your suitcase, utilise the space inside those shoes by filling them with socks and undies.
  • Cut down on your toiletries: If you're only going for a week away, there's no need to take a standard size bottle of shampoo, conditioner, soap, etc. especially when that extra weight counts. Invest in some smaller plastic containers and transfer your bathroom bits into these or buy travel-sized products. It's important to also bear in mind that you cannot take any liquids over 100ml in your hand luggage, so if any of your toiletries are over this amount put them in your hold baggage.
  • Split your luggage: If you're travelling with someone else (especially a boyfriend as they seem to pack little to nothing) make the most of the space in left over in their bag if they have any.
  • Wear your heaviest pair of shoes: This will save on packing space and baggage weight. Who cares if they're massively inappropriate for the airport - you'll look sassy as hell and you'll be saving on weight for extra accessories.
  • Keep all valuables in your hand luggage: I know it goes without saying to keep your valuables with you, but it's best to re-iterate DO NOT PUT THEM IN YOUR HOLD LUGGAGE OR YOU MAY NEVER SEE THEM AGAIN.
  • Leave some room in your case: After all, souvenirs are the best bit about going away, right?

If all this summer holiday talk has got you in the mood to jet off somewhere filled with palms trees and sandy beaches, then you're in luck as Bonmarché are running a competition where you can win an amazing holiday worth £3000!

Don't mind if I do!

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