Mimi's Dream Outfit of the Month!

I'm really trying to reduce the amount of clothing in my wardrobe and only buy staples pieces when and if necessary. SO, I've decided to make monthly outfit collages! I thought it will be an easy/cool way of seeing what I would like to buy and help me envision how I would style certain.

I'm trying to dress more mature and with autumn beckoning (my fave season), it is time to tone down the colourful clothes and bring out those neutrals!

Here is my DREAM outfit of the month:

1. KHAKI DUSTER COAT // Duster coats have been the craze recently and will continue be throughout the autumn/winter season. It gives an androgynous look to any outfit and gives a casual outfit a touch of edge. I cannot wait to get my hands on one. As a 5ft8 female, I hope I find one long enough! The one I had my eye on for a little while is from Never Fully Dressed.
2. DANIEL WELLINGTON WATCH // I have been wanting one of these watches for as long as I can remember! They are so classic and timeless. Also extremely British! Unfortunately, I cannot afford one so I might just have to get a quirkier dupe from Urban Outfitters for the meantime. It will be mine soon though. Click here and check out the Daniel Wellington website and find your perfect DW watch!
3. DR MARTENS ADRIAN SHOES // The love I have for these shoes is indescribable! I recently got a job at Jack Wills and the style of clothing is extremely preppy and youthful. I've been trying to find a perfect pair of shoes that still has an element of my quirky style while in keeping with the preppy vibe. These were those. They are extremely expensive however as they retail at around £105. Definitely out of my price range at the moment but there are dupes! Zara are doing a similar one right now which retails at a comfortable £29.99! Might have to get those instead. Click here for the Dr Martens Adrian shoes!

If I had to style these three items, I would pair it with a 90s style crop top, a pair of high waisted black skinnies and a slouchy hobo bag!

Hope you all enjoyed this post! These are the three things are on my wishlist, what three things are on yours?

Mimi x



Exercise blogging

I feel if I blog about this I may actually be better at sticking to it – the whole exercise thing. I hate not being active so this summer was the chance to break this, while I have a bit more time away from the work of uni which makes it a bit harder to fit exercise into the week. I want to start keeping up a bit more of a regular exercise pattern, which is kinda difficult for someone who doesn’t exercise as much as they should. So I’ve started the process of this, by going swimming, my favourite form of exercise. As well as this, I’ve got my running shoes back on – although I sort of hate running as it makes me feel like I’m more unfit than I thought. Although, I’m going to do it anyway, as that will surely get better as I do. Plus, I brought running shoes, which for some reason, does make it easier in persuading me to go for a run.

Living a healthy lifestyle doesn’t necessarily mean spending loads at a gym, so here are some tips for living a healthy lifestyle over summerrrr.

TIPS 

• Summer can be a difficult time to do intense exercise because of the heat, so it’s better to do it in short bursts. Apparently having a cold shower before you exercise is actually better for you if you’re exercising in high temperatures. I tried running when it was really hot and it just doesn't work.

• Plan exercise into your day – even just walking or biking somewhere instead of getting the bus is good.

• Drink all the time – I’ve started drinking a lot more water recently and it’s surprising how much difference it can make.

• Keeping a blog helps to record what you've achieved. Monitoring your exercise for the day or week makes it more accountable.

• Get a running buddy – for when the motivation is low. That way it becomes more of a social thing.

• Don’t make it boring – do exercise and classes that you enjoy.

• If you running during the summer, avoid doing it on asphalt as it absorbs heat and will make it even hotter – therefore head to your local park to run on grass or gravel.

Becca

J 

"I wear a lot of black"

HEY GUYS!

Long time, no see! I took some time out of blogging to focus on working and getting settled into my new home but now that is all of out the way, I decided to film a little video for you all!

As I said in my "Summer Edit" video, I wear a lot of black clothing so do not expect anything bright and colourful in this video (sorry!!)

Hope ya'll enjoy

Mimi x

Soul and a Summer Storm

I’d like to set a scene for you reading this; it’s a warm summer’s day. However, storm clouds have formed above, and people run into their houses before getting caught in the summer storm that is about to take place. You’re lucky enough to be inside watching the first few drops turn into, what seems like, a continuous stream of heavy rain. But this doesn’t faze you; you open the double doors leading to the garden, and allow the cool breeze and the tap-tap of the rain to enter the room. The atmospheric lights you hung up over the door a few months ago set a calming feeling around you, and on this Sunday afternoon you sit and watch the British weather do what it does best…rain. What better to do than to listen to some Soul?

Now, moving away from that little ‘setting the scene’ moment, I wanted to share with you guys the wonders of SoundCloud and some of the gems I’ve found. Before I carry on, if you haven’t signed up to it already make sure you do. I tend to roam the vast musical banks of SoundCloud, listening to anything that grabs my interest, and see what music is out there.

I’ve recently gotten into Neo-Soul and slow mixes to really bring out that summer vibe; nothing beats that moment of absolute chill on a cool day. Two channels on SoundCloud that have really caught my attention this year and that really evoke that chill vibe are one channel by Londoner, Tom Misch, and another by L.A. based Soulection.

From http://bamalovesoul.com/

I actually came across Tom Misch’s music through Soulection, and it hasn’t disappointed me since. If you’re into that old school sound, you’d be quite interested in this guy’s music. What I like most is how Misch re-works those old school sounds to make something so fresh and modern. One of the first tracks that I heard of his was an instrumental called The Journey, and to this day it remains as one of my go-to songs. Much like the title, the song feels like a musical journey, progressing and developing till the very end when you can just start to quietly hear the voice of Misch himself. I’m not sure why this song struck me so much, but it’s definitely something to listen to to understand what I’m talking about. He’s also, via his SoundCloud channel, released his latest track Memory, which has a real nice summer atmosphere to it, mainly with the introduction with Caribbean steel pans.

Check out his SoundCloud channel here.

For those, like me, who are into Neo-Soul, take the time out to listen to Soulection. As we speak now, Soulection is playing from my JBL Flip, filling the room with some of the freshest tracks at the moment. This L.A. based channel and radio show has got one of the most varied, but strongly connected, track lists I’ve heard. It’s times like this when I wish I lived in the States, solely because of the vast Soul vibe there. Broadcasted on Rinse FM, Soulection is one of those channels that fit the BBQ atmosphere and really gets you to go within yourself, if that makes sense! If you’re looking to build on your Neo-Soul knowledge, really have a listen to this channel and check out their website here.

You can check out the SoundCloud channel here.

I hope that you guys get a chance to listen to at least one song from these channels. You never know, you may end up surprising yourself and enjoy them…I hope you do too.

From your Neo-Soul-ful buddy,
Myles

Summer '14

I’m also totally guilty of not posting anything for what seems like ageees and there is no excuse as to why I’ve slacked with it. But anyway…

My summer has definitely been strange so far, from just missing out on the internship that I wanted to landing some fun writing experience for The Money Charity. Going into my third year of university is kind of scary and I wanted to some extra stuff this summer. After not getting what I wanted straight away I felt like it wouldn’t happen and I’d have a boring summer because of it. But with a bit of patience and hard work, this led me to getting some other experience that I couldn’t have foreseen. And sometimes having a bit of time off is actually quite nice to do what I want for once.

I suppose it’s about not giving up and accepting that even if it was something that you really wanted, it didn’t happen because something better is up next. I kind of believe that one now. And anyway, everything that you do, no matter if you didn’t get the end result that you were after, the experience will have given you something.

I decided that maybe I didn’t necessarily need to be driven by money and so I volunteered at a local writing centre. It was fun, I wasn’t getting paid, but for once that didn’t matter. So summer seems the perfect opportunity to do stuff that like that.

So basically make the most of summer, even if it’s not quite what you may have hoped for or thought it would be like. Life has random surprises, especially when you put the work in.

Plus it's left me some time to cook which I don't have much time for usually - me and my friend made the easiest banana cake ever and it was pretty yummy!

Recipe: 

• 125g butter
• 150g caster sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 egg, beaten
• 2 very ripe bananas, mashed
• 190g self raising flour
• 60ml milk

1. Firstly grease and line any tin. Melt the butter, sugar and vanilla in the microwave. 
2. Then add the mashed bananas. Mix in the eggs, sift in the flour and then the milk.  
3. Pour into the tin and bake on 170 C / Fan 150 C / Gas 3 for 35 minutes. Use a skewer to check that the cake is cooked and leave to cool! 
   

Books For the Summer

So…it’s been a long time since I’ve written a post, and I’m not too happy about it. I’m not sure why it’s taken me so long, sometimes having the inspiration for writing about something takes so long to arrive. But hopefully, this post is okay with you guys!

Without a proper plan for the summer, it can be very, very, VERY boring! I’m still at university, living in my student house whilst most people are back home, so things could get a bit quiet in little ol’ Norwich. Now, I’m a pretty picky reader and I tend to jump from novel to novel without finishing them, but I’ve decided to write up a list of books to read over this sunny period. I’m not sure if people would think that reading is boring, but it’s actually great for your mind. Plus, it stops your brain from turning into mush from watching Netflix every day.

So, here’s a list of some of the books I’m going to get stuck into, as well as some tips for getting your money’s worth.

The Master and Margarita

I’m reading this book by Mikhail Bulgakov at the moment, and so revolutionary for a 19^th century novel. I’m only a couple of chapters into the novel, but from what I’ve read it’s definitely kept me engrossed for hours on end. Now, I’m not going to ruin the plots for you if you do plan on reading these books, but this particular one is all about madness, magic and some very brutal deaths. I would definitely suggest it as a read; don’t be daunted by its hefty look, it is a great story.

The next books I have in line are:

‘1984’ by George Orwell
‘The Castle’ by Franz Kafka
‘American Psycho’ by Bret Easton Ellis
‘Fight Club’ by Chuck Palahnuik

From the look of these books, it does look like I’m obsessed with crazy and messed up plot lines. But I’m just really interested in what these novels have to offer, especially seen as though they are recommended and positioned on a lot of book charts. I am a huge fan of the old school paperbacks, just because I love the feel of turning pages and actually seeing the accomplishment of finishing a book when closing the last pages. But what can you do to make sure that you don’t spend money on books that you won’t like?

Beg, borrow, but don’t steal 

Get recommendations from friends and family and ask them if you could borrow their copies. You can get a taste of what the story is like without having to pay for the book itself, just remember to give it back.

Review, review, REVIEW 

Take a look at some reviews that have been written in newspapers, magazines and online to see what conversation the book is raising. It’s good to get the opinions of fellow readers so that you don’t get too hasty with buying a book.

Thrift booking shopping 

You can buy so many books at markets and charity shops for less than £3, maybe even in the pennies. There are many best-sellers that you can get which would usually cost a tenner, but don’t be afraid to buy second hand; you’re buying words, not gold!

Hopefully these tips help, and I’m hoping that everyone doesn’t get too bored over the summer. Read away friends!

From your literature-loving broski,

Myles

Mimi's Summer Edit

With the summer sun gracing the British skies, I thought it was extremely convenient to show you all the things I am loving this season.

Check out the new video below which is showing you all the clothing items I've been going crazy for this summer.

I thought I should include a little something extra for the blogpost… you’re welcome!

I am an epic music lover. Recently, I’ve been into indie pop and neo-soul music. I have discovered the most amazing app on my iPad and it’s called IndieShuffle. I have discovered some amazing music through this app so if you an iPhone user or own an iPad, you should definitely check it out!

So here it is, the surprise! My summer tunes :D

M I M I ' S  S U M M E R  P L A Y L I S T

Moses Sumney – Plastic

This soulful song literally sends me to a place of peace and tranquillity. This was the soundtrack for my last video! Sumney’s voice is so raspy and effortless, it makes the song even more perfect. A stripped back song with just his voice, a guitar and a little bit of reverb, this song is just the epitome of soulful perfection.

Wildcat! Wildcat! – Garden Grays

For some reason, the opening of this song reminded me of The Boy is Mine by Brandy and Monica – one of the main reasons I was sucked in! Other than that, this song makes me feel so happy. I love listening to this whilst wandering through the busy streets of London. I forget about everything around me and feel an overwhelming sense of “chill”.

Foster the People - Best Friend

I LOVE THIS SONG! Whenever this comes on at work, it gives me hope that day can actually be great! It is such a feel good song. I have to admit, it has started an obsession with Foster the People.

 Little Daylight – Overdose

This is my JAM! I always bob my head whenever the shuffle on my phone brings it to my attention. The female vocal fits in so perfectly with this song. It makes me feel the same way Garden Grays does.

Carousel –Stay Awake

This is my “if only I was in love” song. This song is the cutest song EVER! I’m so grateful to IndieShuffle for introducing me to this awesome song. Just listen to the lyrics. For some reason, even though it is a love song, it isn’t cringey at all! Make relationships seem pretty cool, WHO KNEW!

Childish Gambino ft. Jhene Aiko – Pink Toes

I have an unhealthy obsession with Childish Gambino. This song never ceases to blow my mind. Perfect summer jam! I can imagine this blasting at a chilled BBQ with plenty of alcoholic beverages (hehe who doesn't love a cheeky cider). Just listen. You’ll be amazed!

Hope ya’ll enjoyed the post! Speak soon,

Mimi x