The bikini post.

This is a post that I have been meaning to do for a while. As a size 14 girl with a bigger bust, bikini shopping is not exactly my favourite way to spend my valuable shopping time. I want what I see in the magazines, but it turns out that my size is not exactly a high street regular, so this time of year presents me with a few problems.

1. I need support. No one wants to see a Baywatch wannabe.
2. I don't want to look frumpy, but those stringy bottoms just aren't flattering on me.
3. I am ridiculously pale, so I need colours that aren't going to make me ghost like.
4. I can never seem to find a shape that makes me feel confident when I'm literally at my most exposed.

SO, bearing all of this in mind and the fact that I am going on holiday in roughly a month - the search has commenced.

Next Turquoise Underwired Bikini with High Leg Briefs - £26

Bravissimo Panama Plunge Bikini Top with Bikini Brief - £52

Simply Be Loren Underwired Halter Bikini Top - £31

ASOS Purple/Cream Spot Moulded Bikini - £16

I ended up buying the final option from ASOS. Although it is not necessarily my favourite option (I really love the black and white stripes from Bravissimo) I am simply not made of money and this purple ASOS set seems to tick all of the boxes. The dots will make me feel fun, fifties and girly while the shape and halter neck should give me adequate support. I'll let you know if ASOS lives up to my hopes.

I can't wait for sun, sea and cocktails! Now just to buy some summer dresses to take with me as well. Gosh, I love summer.

Sami xx

Colours of the rainbow.

When I was about 15/16 I had skinny jeans in almost every colour of the rainbow. My older, supposedly wiser self eventually told me to leave this phase behind and send them to a charity shop to be loved by new owners. But it seems, in this instance, I gave my pride and joys away a little too early. Block colour skinnies are making a come back.

I'm a huge fan of the nerdy geek chic look and I think some of these beauties with a blazer could be a wonderful spring look. For this reason, I have decided to embrace my teenage thoughts and add some to my wardrobe. But the question is, which ones?!

Topshop

Topshop MOTO Pink Seven Eighths Skinny Jeans

American Outfitters

Next - Red Skinny Jeans

Asos Rose Skinny Jeans

What do you think of the block colour skinny jean look?

Sami xx

Leggy blonde.

Well, I am not so leggy to be honest - never have been. But more recently I have been starting to experiment a bit more with statement tights and I really like how they can instantly change an outfit.

Here are a dotty pair from Primark that I wore the other day:

I wore them with a topshop tee and high-waisted shorts from Miss Selfridge and I think that they made the outfit really fun.

I'm not used to drawing so much attention to my legs as they have always been a problem area but once I got used to the occasional person's eye darting at the pattern I found myself getting extremely comfortable. But now we have a problem - I just can't stop wanting more...

Miss Selfridge Black Lace Panel Tights - £8

Topshop Black All Over Heart Hold Ups - £8.50

Topshop Rose Lace Tights - £12

Topshop Black Armour Net Tights - £12

Pretty Polly Lace Tights from mytights.com - £6.25

House of Holland for Pretty Polly at asos.com - £15

I want, I want, I want, I want, I want!!

This last photo is my favourite and it really makes me want that denim skirt. I am looking at it as more of an investment - a skirt that goes with everything and is suitable for all seasons is definitely a worthy one.

Sorry I haven't been blogging as regularly recently. I had a big exam yesterday morning but now that is well and truly out of the way. I also got some brilliant news today. I have been accepted onto the Broadcast Training Programme for the Olympics next year, which means my initial application was successful and I am through to the next stage. If I get the job then I will be gathering news at the Olympics which makes me very excited. A good stepping stone in my journalism career.

There's nothing like lots of Diet Coke and good news to bring you out of your celebrations hangover.

Sami xx

Festival excitement!

Hey guys!

Hope you're having a nice monday :)

My friend Paul bought our tickets to Latitude festival yesterday so I am so very excited at the moment! We went last year and it was my kind of festival. So chilled out and absolutely beautifully set up. There were lights and flowers where ever you went and they even have recyclable plastic floral-patterned cups that you can keep if you think they're as cute as I did (be kind to the environment people!)

There's nothing better than spending a weekend in total relaxation, in the middle of a field, wearing a straw hat and absorbing the sun's rays. I also went to beach break last year and had an amazing time!

Foals, Paolo Nutini, Everything Everything and sooo many more! Can't wait!

Smile t-shirt - Topshop

Floral wellies - Office

Straw hat - Faith

Denim shirt - River Island

Anyway, this time of year can only mean one thing - new festival wear! I love the festival preperation almost as much as the actual weekend. It's time to invest in a new straw hat and some comfy loose fit t-shirts and shorts.

I'm keeping my original wellies though. I love my wellies! They were £15 from Office and SO comfortable. I'm quite unfortunate in that I have rather sizeable calves so wellies are usually horrible to wear. But these cut off at just the right point and look great with some long socks underneath them!

I've seen lots that I want already...

Toucan Sam Tank - Forever 21

High-waisted shorts - Miss Selfridge

I pretty much lived in a couple of pairs of these last year. They are so useful - go with everything, comfortable to wear, not too hot - and they let the sun get to my legs.

Floral knot back vest - Topshop

This will go wonderfully with my straw hat!!

Fringe short - Yayer

Not sure I am going to be able to squeeze into these bad boys but I LOVE the fringing. I found this website through another fashion blog and I have to say I am adoring it. It has a gorgeous vintage section with some of the best patterned chunky knits I have seen. If you haven't already you should definitely check it out. Be warned though - it is a little more pricey than the normal high street stores.

Cream bead waistcoat - Yayer

Perfect for protecting my shoulders from those rays. I got so very very sunburnt last year. Unfortunatley I definitely have one of those complexions which is either just extremely pale or so red that I almost turn purple. Although last year the festivals did sort that out a bit for me!

Rare Vintage Floral Playsuit - ASOS

I think this could be just perfect for those slightly cooler, cloudy days! You have to be prepared really, it is England after all. We were so lucky with weather last year but I just know the one time I do turn up with just shorts and a tshirt it will probably be freezing. The beauty of the playsuit also means that you have one whole outfit without even really having to try. It wouldn't go too well with my wellies though...

Maybe with these...

Leatherette Eyelet Flats - Forever 21

Oh dear, looks like the festival season could be a little bit expensive for me! And there is going to be so much more appearing over the next few months. I am sure it will be more than worth it though. Summer is my favourite time of year!

Hope you liked the post today lovelies. It's my actual birthday tomorrow so I probably won't put anything up but I'll be sure to post as soon as I can on Thursday. It's really lovely that there's a few of you following my posts already!

Have a nice couple of days :)

Sami xx

Midi makes me mini.

Sometimes I just do not feel that fashion is working in my favour. I'm talking about the uprise of the midi skirt - it was all over the catwalk and now they are filling up the high street shelves. This is all very well for the long and leggy but not so much for the small and hour-glass of us. The midi literally makes me look mini.

I'm fairly sure they are not for me really. Having spent my childhood apparently twisting each ankle alternately (I was a very clumsy child) I now have oddly podgey ankles and try to avoid drawing attention to them. At least with slightly shorter skirts my equally short and bulky legs are there to share the spotlight! OR even better the maxi skirt that just floats over all of it.

Also, my parents did not exaclty bless me with height. Most midi's end up down to my ankles anyway - which just defeats the point entirely!

Ok so maybe this means I am slightly bias, but I feel this is definitely more of a fashion for those with model figures out there! I'm probably a bit jealous to be very honest...there are some gorgeous designs out there.

Asos - photo from asos.com

I love this one!! Would be so cool on those boiling days (if England actually gets any this year that is...)

Dorothy Perkins - photo from dorothyperkins.com

Topshop - photo from topshop.com

And this leather skirt would look so good with a loose fit top - if only my legs were a normal size...

Forever 21 - photo from forever21.com

I think I might just be able to get away with this one though! Can't quite make my mind up about it though - what do you guys think?  

Topshop - photo from topshop.com



Anyway, if anyone could suggest a midi that won't absolutely dwarf me I would appreciate it a lot. It is something that my summer wardrobe is definitely missing.

Thanks for reading lovelies,

Sami xx

Hello fellow high street lovers!

Hi!

I'm Sami - student, trainee journalist and spendaholic. I say that because no matter how little money is in my bank account I don't have a lot of any self control when it comes to the high street bargains. I like to think my ever-changing wardrobe is worth it though.

Here's what's got me spending my precious pennies this week!

Just like every girl needs a LBD, every girl also needs a pair of little black shoes (LBS - I think it works...unless you are like me and 5ft 1 with fairly big feet.)

I got these velvet beauties for £35 from The Vestry Online - a site I discovered on Twitter. This site has all kinds of styles for reasonable prices and is now officially saved to my Favourites! If they're comfortable these are probably going to become my best pair of shoes - they go with everything and that chunky heel will mean I can dance until the early hours of the morning with the possibility that I will still, just maybe, be able to feel my toes afterwards.

These cropped jeggings have also caught my eye:  

For £12 from The Vestry I can see these teamed with a batwing top being a spring/summer trend for 2011. So maybe I'll just have to buy this too...

I love a cheeky ASOS buy.

Here's this week's wish list.

ASOS Lace and Mesh Contour Dress - £22. Erm...ABSOLUTE BARGAIN ALERT. As soon as I've finished this post I am buying it. I know we're coming into the summer months but something tells me velvet and lace will still be a huge hit next winter. I'm a big believer in dressing for your body shape and hopefully the lines on this dress are going to really show my curves in the best way.

As a curvy girl I'm determined to show you can still look good with a size 14 bum. This means I am always looking for clothes that either show the curves in their best form or that float over them so you can forget they're even there.

For this reason I think these shorts might just be my next purchase:

Petites Rose Paperbag Shorts from Miss Selfridge - one of my ultimate high street haunts! This beautiful pair are just £35 and I love everything about them. How can you go wrong with shorts that go in at the waist and then flow nicely over those problem areas?! A pair of aviators and a floral top and I will so be ready for summer.

And don't all summer looks need a summer satchel?!

Just £15...Oh ASOS - I don't know how I'm going to resist.
Right, must dash. I hope you liked the first post.

I'm off to Primark tomorrow so I'll be back to show all of my guilty purchases!

Thanks for reading,

Sami xx