#BodyPositivity :An honest post about lacking it lately

So I hope you all know that i am a huge believer in spreading the body positivity message. I feel like everyone deserves to feel gorgeous and happy in their own skin.
You are after all originals, exclusives, one of a kind.
But i wanted to share with you, as i always have, and will always endeavour to do, how i'm feeling right now, and honestly, it's not very body positive.
It could be the change of season, the lack of routine through summer, it could be that my hair is in desperate need of some maintenance, it could me that my nails are broken and chipped and it could be to do with the extra 13lbs i'm carrying that i've proceeded to put on over the past 9 months (3 of those over summer alone).
When i look down i see tight uncomfy clothes, flesh on display that is like tangerine peel, bruises from being slightly off balance (i always seem to be extra clumsy when i put on weight.. bizarre i know), a grey complexion from lack of sleep, spots from eating unhealthy and hair that resembles a dry haystack.
Its me, i see my reflection and yet i feel so very disconnected by it, upset even by it.

What i do here, blogging about style, taking photos of myself day after day can be good, but it can also lead to dark places. Places where you pick endless holes in yourself, a place where you choose just one half decent shot out of hundreds, and even then its only the best out of a bad bunch, still not great. A place where you so easily feel not good enough.

Comparison sneaks in, and before you know it all joy is stolen, leaving you reeling at how you look.
Loosing balance, perspective and self worth all in a short space of time.

It made me realise #Bodypositivity is not a destination it's a constant road, an endless journey that i am continually straddling between being happy and positive and feeling low and self loathing.

The thing is there is no answer, there is no right or wrong when it comes to feelings. I could tell you you are absolutely beautiful until i'm blue in the face, but if you don't believe it yourself, feel it yourself, well it will fall on deaf ears (although, lets face it, its always pleasant to hear whether we truly believe it or not). I know this. I wish the good comments outweighed the negative thoughts that creep in, but negative thoughts seem to have more weight than positive don't they.

So here's what i'm going to do.

If i feel bad i'm going to let myself, but not dwell on it. Its all well and good visiting negative town, but remember to not set up camp there.
I'm going to try and get to the root of my rut. Why am i feeling so low?
What can i do to make myself feel better.
Remind myself that beauty is not skin deep, beauty is so much more than an image, a still, or even a reflection. I'm still me with my wrinkles and extra weight, i'm still a good hard working honest person. I'm still a loving caring wife and mum. How i look doesn't take away from any of those things.

This week i'm going to be a little kinder to myself. I'm going to listen to my body and decide what it needs from me; whether that be healthier foods, more fresh air or a little more sleep.
I'm not going to be to hard on myself. I'm not going to compete with my inner voices on how i should and shouldn't look.

I'm just going to breathe.

3 Looks With Haruka Clothing &Giveaway( &#Passion4Fashion Linkup!)

Bold beautiful colours, interesting cuts and all ethically made fabrics, say hello to the gorgeous British Brand Haruka Clothing.
From one of my most favourite places on the planet, Glastonbury, Haruka Clothing houses a shop full of beautiful women's clothing designed right there in Glastonbury
Take a look:

"Our collections are designed to build upon each other year after year, so that treasured favourites can be mixed and matched with new pieces. We use natural fibres, in rich earthy shades, some of them woven especially for us to our own specification of weight, composition and colour. Other fabrics are sourced from the surplus market, using materials that the fashion industry would otherwise throw away. This allows us to get creative, and add spice to our range with limited edition pieces."

Pieces to be worn year after year.. I am all about getting the wear out of your clothing, as you all know. After running solely with a capsule wardrobe for a whole year i now completely appreciate well made items, with lasting power and longevity. Haruka clothing has it all in abundance plus the pieces are absolutely beautiful... let me show you:

(Scroll to the bottom for the giveaway)

-This is the  Boho Cotton Maxi-
In a stunning turquoise blue, I don't think i've ever seen a dress this colour and fell hard and fast for its glorious colour and cut.
The first thing i noted when i slipped it on was how supremely comfy it is. The cotton holds you in but there's also a lovely subtle flex to the fabric that makes you feel comfy and not restricted
I paired this with some orangey red as the unexpected colour combination just works tremendously well (or so i think😂). I also styled the maxi with a little knot to the side, this started out of habit as i always trip on the hems of maxi dresses (Hi I'm Rachel and i'm insanely clumsy), so a simple knot to the hem brings the fabric up. However, i've also come to love the interest it brings to the dress and on this Haruka piece it just worked. The flared sleeves and pockets add interest to this perfect dress. I love that this is such a wonderful stand out item that can be dressed up or down. I love the idea of it with black knee high boots and a chunky scarf come winter.

-Inanna Black Jumpsuit-
I wore this for the first time a couple of weekends ago, and wow... What a comfy piece!!!! I mean it feels amazing against the skin, is never wedgy inducing(c'mon we all wonder about it with jumspuits dont we 😂) and i had two ladies stop me in the street to ask where it was from.
When i posted it on Instgram you all seemed to love it too. I love that, for a jumpsuit, its different to whats on the high street, in fact all the Haruka pieces are different to your average Zara, mango etc, which makes me love them all the more.
I wore this all day out and about with the family, when i get home the first thing i do is change in to comfies, but i didn't on this day. I didn't feel the need, it was just so so comfy.
For styling i went with simple tan to go with the black. A lot of people asked about the belt and how well it went with the jumpsuit, but it actually comes with the jumpsuit and it is a gorgeous addition to that really makes this piece stand out.

Lastly and by no means least
-The Alya Cotton Maxi dress in Red-
When i first recived the packet, this was probably my least favourite .. strange as you know i love me some red. But perhaps it was just beacuse the other two where such strong favourites from the get go. However when i put this dress on i felt like a princess (my inner 5 year old is so happy right now) the flow of the dress is like nothing else i've ever owned. The fabric feels thick yet fluid and the colour just absolutely pops. I would wear this to a special event or just like here, with a cardigan and flats.
For styling, after the teal and red combination worked so well on the first dress, i did the opposite way with this one, adding in a couple of pops of teal and i love the contrast.
this dress honestly made me feel beautiful, the swish of the fabric and the cut just made me fell great, and lets face it, we all need that feeling now and again don't we?!

3 stunning Haruka pieces and i honestly love each one. Its so nice to have pieces in your wardrobe that you absolutely love don't you think? And from an ethical independent brand just makes it even better.

GIVEAWAY

I've teamed up with the lovely Amanda at Haruka to give one lucky reader a gift voucher of £100 for you to shop!!
Amazing I know.
To enter just click on the rafflecopter below and there are multiple entry options to give you an even bigger chance of winning!

a Rafflecopter giveaway
T's &C's for giveaway

No purchase necessary. Competition closes 9th September 00.00

All entries will be verified and any entries who haven't complied will be disqualified.

The winning entry will be selected at random. The winners will be notified via email. If we receive no response from a winner within 7 days of notifying them we reserve the right to select another winner. The prize is a £100 Haruka clothing gift voucher for the provided website.

The name of the winner will be published via our social media channels and on the blog that the competition was entered on, once they have responded to us to claim the prize. 

No cash alternative.

An InLinkz Link-up

My Favourite Everyday Makeup

I've been asked a lot on social media of late about what makeup i use and if i have any recommendations. It just so happens that i do. I've been using these same 10 items on constant. Sometimes i use all the items for a full face, sometimes just a couple of them to even things out or to make me feel a little better.

The feeling of when you're makeup is on point really does make for a good mood.

 Happy face, happy me.

I wear a lot less makeup in summer, i ditch the foundation completely and choose to even out my skin with light products and just dabs of concealer. 

I also go eye-makeup free a lot because i'm honestly too lazy to take it off some nights so don't bother with it, and also i kinda feel it makes me look a little more fresh faced, which in summer i kinda like.

I think a couple of key items are bronzer and highlight, they are definitely a must for me. And instead of favouring my usual matte finish i am tending towards glowy a bit more and really enjoying it!

1.-Caudalie radiance skin perfector-

This really is a marvel of a product. I had a free sample of it from Harvey Nichols and i will be most definitely purchasing a full size. This gives a wonderful glow from within type look to the skin, something i most definitely lack. On those days (which i give you , is most) when my skin looks blotchy, tired and a bit sad, this is instant pep in a bottle.

2. -W7 Porefection-

As an oily skinned girl enlarged pores are all part and parcel of my skin texture. Its not nice or pretty, but possibly something i notice more than others, but its something i'm not keen on none the less. A simple blur effect with this brilliant product makes my skin much more pore-normal and gives my skin a brilliant base to apply the next part of my makeup.

I will often mix this with my concealer also

3. -Collection Lasting perfection concealer-

The one, the only, the best. My concealer of choice for years and it is just really good. It conceals and does what it says on the tin.

4. -Eyelure eyebrow pencil-

I have tried every eyebrow product under the sun and never fall head over heels forever with one, however, the Eyelure is the best for me at the moment, it has lasting power, good pigment and applies smoothly.

5. -Tarte Amazonian clay palette-

One of my best buys, i'm on my second Tarte palette and i adore it. The pigmentation of shades is second to none, the blush is just the perfect rose flushed cheek shade for me and it also has wearable eyeshadows all of which i wear, which is a rarity with a palette

6. -W7 Lastastic mascara-

The main thing im asked on IG and emails is what mascara do i use. I have tried SO many mascaras over the years from high end chanel and lancome to maybelline and Rimmel, every brand i can think of i have tried and this W7 mascara is the absolute best. It doesnt crumble, is true black, you can layer it and build it or leave it to one sweep and still have a good cover of mascara on your lashes. It lengthens and gives volume.The wand is a good size to capture all lashes and it doesn't smudge at all on me. Amazing product that carries a tiny price tag. I'm on my 3 bottle of it and will continue to buy it too.

7. -W7 Aye Aye captain eye liner-

Truest black this is a great eye liner, a nice nib for a fine or fat line and it lasts all day without smudges.

8. -W7 Strobe & Go highlight-

Subtle pinky light highlighter thats fool proff to apply, just draw on like witha  giant sparkly crayon and then buff out a bit with fingers or a beauty sponge

9. -W7 Honolulu Bronzer-

This is extremely similar to a very well known bronzer (cough hoola cough) in fact i don't see any difference apart from the much much smaller price tag. It works brilliantly for giving a summery tan look.

10. -Barry M Matte Lip or W7 Mega Matte-

My lipstick has to be matte, in winter i favour a good red, but in summer i tend to go a bit lighter. I'm enjoying the 'your lips but better' type shades

Do you experiment with makeup or do you like to stick to some tried and tested favourites?

Last Throws of Summer.. What to wear

As the end of the summer starts to roll in i always feel a bit lost with what to wear. Its not hot its not cold, buying more summer dresses feels a little redundant and yet i'm not quite ready to say goodbye to the long light evenings and the feeling of summer just yet.

So after a long hard look through my wardrobe i know there are a few things that really help to see me through the last days of Summer.

JACKETS

I love to get as much wear out of my denim jacket as possible. If you don't have one, i simply insist you get one 😂 Summer simply wouldn't be summer without eh perfect denim jacket. This one below from Esprit is gorgeous, i love that its a slightly different cut and has no collar, making the lines just that bit cleaner and less fussy. This to me works perfectly with skirts, jumpsuits and dresses. I am going to wear mine as much as possible over the next month.

The next jacket is a khaki jacket. I have a utility style khaki jacket, but i adore the longline style of the soft draper jacket like below. It works perfectly with dresses and jeans alike and will work with layers come autumn.

Esprit Denim Jacket

Dorothy Perkins Khaki Duster Jacket

 SKIRTS

I love a good skirt, the remix potentials are endless. 

Wear now with slogan t-shirts or a pretty blouse and then later with tights and a chunky knit. As a girl who loves a dress, and i mean really loves dresses, skirts have taken me a while to get to love. But honestly i feel my wardrobe could do with a  few more of these staples, and these two could work so so well.

Esprit Skirts

CULOTTES

This year has been the year i absolutely fell in love with culottes. Not a week has past when i haven't donned a pair of culottes, and i'm now the proud order of 4 lovely pairs. Culottes make the perfect all season trouser, wear now with sandals, in autumn with pumps and then winter with sock boots. I love the idea of a bright pink pair, but for the remainder of summer the gingham has stolen my heart. Add a cute yellow top and the last throws of summer are looking pretty swell.

Miss Selfridge Culottes

 BLOUSES

An all year round fan of blouses, but now seems the perfect time to invest. 

Embroidered anything and everything is a trend thats sticking around and in blouse form looks pretty great. The blouse below works well with jeans, culottes and skirts.. especially than tan skirt above.

And as for the red beauty, well its just super pretty isnt it. Wear with a denim skirt or jeans and then some black coated skinnies come autumn. But for now, well a pair of culottes and this short would be perfection.

 Esprit Blouses.. My absolute Favourite is the red

 CARDIGANS

I was only having a conversation the other day about how hard it is to find decent cardigans. Cardigans can go often one of two ways: Frumpy or twee... which lets face it nobody wants to be either really.

I like to go for long and draped cuts or maxi cardigans and hopefully avoiding the two above cardigan faux pas. 

Get a cardigan right and it works as the perfect chuck on item to enable all of the dress wearing for the end of summer.

 Cardigans

STRIPES 

Could there ever be a season when striped aren't perfect (answer: no, no there is not). I don't think there would ever be a stripe i didn't love, and to wear with a little denim skirt, over a dress or to just chuck on with shorts is never wrong in my eyes

Classic black and white

A little dabble with colour

What are your last hurrahs for summer? 

What will you be wearing/buying in these last few weeks of sun?

Leopard Print Dress Love & #Passion4Fashion Linkup

The leopard print love is strong in this one. I mean really strong. I'm not a big pattern person anymore, opting for bold colours but no print, but my exception to this is leopard print and stripes (of course). I really do love a bit of leopard print and this gorgeous shift dress in this colour way makes me incredibly happy, the background of the print is a gorgeous khaki colour and then tan and black make up the print.

I also forgot how wonderful a shift dress is, with its magic abilities of hiding food babies, skimming over a multitude of sins and being sublimely unrestricted and comfy.

This one is from a lovely  #mumboss who runs Livia's Boutique and she has so many pretty, gorgeous things.

Check out her dress selection for sure!

I kept the rest of the outfit simple for an evening out, my trusty red mules which i never would have anticipated i would wear as much as i have this season.. they've been an absolute god send and toe the line between comfy day shoe to evening smart extremely well, a gold clutch and some gold hoops. I'm bringing gold hoops back, (i mean did they ever really go out of style?) what with all the statement earrings around at the moment i loved the simplicity of the gold hoops..

Do you have a favourite pattern?

Dress thanks to Livia's Boutique
Gold Clutch(old) try this lovely sparkly number

Mule Options below:

An InLinkz Link-up