Moshulu Shoes 5 Ways:: Win a pair of the comfiest shoes you'll ever own (& #P4F Linkup)

What makes a good pair of shoes to you?

For me it is comfort and colourful.

If you've been around these parts for a while you will know there is nothing i hate more than uncomfy shoes that need wearing in. I can not stand blisters and painful feet and have given away practically brand new shoes previously after a realy first uncomfortable wear. I don't want to ahve to spend weeks trying to wear them in, going through the agony and blisters and rub marks. I just want pretty, practical shoes to be good from the off.

So first impressions are important, as i will shun them if they don't meet those requirements.

We're busy ladies aren't we? We don't have time for wearing in shoes and worse being injured by the vessels in which we encase our feet.

When i first slipped the Moshulu's on to my feet (straight after i tore open the beautiful present packaging, which honestly felt like such a treat!), no word of a lie, they felt like outdoor slippers. Instant comfort. I actually thought to myself, these are too comfy to be true, they're bound to rub at some point, but nope, as for the next week i wore the shoes consecutively and let me tell you, not one single rub. They are a sheer delight to wear and are versatile and comfy which i have to say, makes me and my trotters very happy.

Have you ever heard of Moshulu? I had and its a funny story. An old colleague of mine loves the Moshulu Slippers. She claims they are the most comfy, long lasting, hard wearing slippers shes ever worn. She wanted a pair so badly that had sold out online that she tracked them down by calling around a few of their stores. Low and behold a store in west wales had them and sent them to her after she made a quick payment over the phone. Great slippers and customer service.

So that is a testament in itself for the slippers.

How are the shoes i here you ask?

Quite simply they're fantastic. With a vast array of colours and styles that offer comfort without jeopardising on style they really are a wonderful brand.

Oh and they're based in Devon, which makes me love them even more.

For me, so far, they have been my summer shoe of choice. I opted for the Cheery Red Tagine flats and they go with just about everything i own (which you'll soon see). The slip on soft shoes offer support and don't feel flat to the floor like a a ballet pump. I can literally wear these from 7.30 am, walk around all day and take them off at 8.30pm and not have sore feet at all! Its incredible.

The styles really are happy shoes and that honestly makes me so happy.

So when the lovely guys at Moshulu challenged me to a 1 pair of shoes 5 ways trial, i was so game!

I'll be honest and say it wasn't even a challenge really as they go with 98% of my wardrobe so so well.

Plus they work for my lifestyle as a mum constantly on the run.

So this is how i styled them and what for:

Outfit one

A day at the seaside

 Super easy to slip on and off, i was grateful to the flats that day. They worked for when i scrambled over the rocks, walked down the promenade and then quicly slipped them off for a quick paddle.
I paired them with my linen yellow sweater as it was a bit breezy to begin with and some denim shorts. Simply beachy style.

Outfit Two

Smart-Casual

We've all had to dress to that annoying bracket at some point haven't we. The 'smart-casual' mean you need to basically cover all options. I donned a smart boucle jacket and a red breton top to cover my smart-casual needs that day of a quick meeting with the accountant. The shoes added the final pop of red and tied the outfit all together. I love how these shoes are legitimately smart and yet feel like i'm walking around in slippers. 

OUTFIT THREE

Weekend Casual

A bit of casual for the weekend, there's nothing nicer than an easy breezy look. I kept things simple with a chambray short and my floaty polka dot skirt with pockets.  The cherry red shoes add a lovely finishing pop of interest to a neutral outfit.

OUTFIT FOUR

Dog Walks

I love an outfit that can work for a day out but also comfy enough to walk the dogs. There aren't many pairs of shoes i feel comfy enough to do that in, but these work a dream! My khaki jumpsuit is basically like a glorified baby-grow too, so it was definitely comfort all round. The khaki and red combination is also an absolute favourite.

Option Five

The Dressy Option

An evening out for me is usually laid back but i still like to don a dress and feel pretty. Sometimes we go for a walk after a meal so its nice to know i can walk in my shoes and i won't be complaining all the way.

In a nutshell, these shoes work with pretty much everything, shorts, skirts, dresses, jeans, trousers and jumpsuits.
Whats not to love about that eh?! A pair of shoes for all occasions and comfy too!
So it's with great pleasure i have the opportunity to gift one lucky lady with a pair of these magnificent shoes. You will get to choose a pair form the Spring Summer Moshulu range and wear them and love them like i do!
T's & C's are below and its super easy to enter with the rafflecopter widget below. There are a number of ways to enter too so lots of chances of your name being drawn at random on the 15th!
Be sure to show this wonderful British company lots of love too, they really are very special!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Terms and Conditions

This promotion is not open to employees or franchisees of Coastguard Road Ltd nor to the immediate family members thereof. No purchase necessary. All entries must be received by 23.00 15/07/16 One entry per person. In the event that an individual submits multiple entries, only the latest entry will be counted. 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 pair of shoes, of the winners choice, from the Spring/Summer collection. The prize will be posted free of charge to the UK, Channel Islands or Isle of Man address of the winner’s choice. Sorry, the prize cannot be posted overseas. 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. The promoter is Coastguard Road Ltd t/aMoshulu, Devonshire Road, Honiton, EX14 1SD. Entry constitutes permission to email promotional materials.

So ladies what pair would you choose if you were to win?

Let me know in the comments below!

An InLinkz Link-up

#BODYPOSITIVITY Be Proud In Your Bikini!

Two years ago my beautiful blogging pal Vicki launched #ProudInMyBikini, a post and an Instagram that went viral as it showed her gorgeous post child bearing body in all its bikini clad glory.

Two years ago i looked at the pictures that she posted, and the vast array of women of all shapes and sizes that then joined her, and thought wow, they are so brave, I wish i could do that!!

You see, for a very long time i have not been happy with my body. Its funny as people see me being quite tall, of average weight and happy to post pictures on the internet, so they always say 

"Why don't you wear a bikini? You have a great figure" 

But really its that i've learned to dress my shape well. I've learned to use clothes as my armour and I'm happy in my outfits most days, choosing to show off my best bits in carefully selected items.

The thought of shedding those clothes was quite frankly harrowing. 

My son is nearly 7 and I haven't worn a bikini since the year before i was pregnant, so approximately 8 years ago. I was a happy in love 25 year old who was in Italy with her husband to be. I had a taut stomach and even some muscle definition. I had an itsy bitsy bikini and i didn't mind wearing it one iota. Then with my pregnancy and a huge baby (all 8lb 9 oz of him and super long to boot)came, suddenly i was left with red raw stretchmarks and saggy skin everywhere.

I no longer felt like me in this body. 

The carefree girl who grew up at the beach in bikinis having fun. 

She was gone for a really really long time. 

Nobody warns you how children can really effect your body and mindset, you just know that its all worth while when you receive that tiny bundle of joy in your arms, and i grant you it is. 

But i'm still me. There's still a girl screaming to wear a bikini and head the beach to have fun.

So why not?

Yes i have stretchmarks!! (Lots infact!)

No i am not toned. 

But i am healthy and happy. 

Whats stopping me?

Well apparently it was just me.

When i first wore the bikini out in public, nobody stared, nobody pointed and really not one person cared, except me. 

It goes back to the same thing i keep banging on about, the more we normalise ALL body types, the more we all feel comfortable with who we are and how we look.

I have a similar figure to my lovely mum, stretch marks and mum-tum and all, and every summer she would wear her bikini and not care one bit. In fact i always thought she looked cracking for her age (she still does now at 55!!). She has been a wonderful role model and seeing her with her wonderful figure, with its stretchmarks from my sister and i, made me realise i can do that too! As did seeing Vicki and all the other wonderful ladies who are #ProudInMyBikini. 

I am so happy to be joining in this wonderful movement of ladies in bikini's!

My body is not 'perfect' I have a road map across my tummy, there is no six pack in sight, i have claw marks down my thighs and a jiggle when i walk.

But this is my body, no body else's. There is no comparison to be had as i'm just me.. nobody else. Stretch marks and all, it has taken me a long time to realise that this is still me, and i am worthy of wearing a bikini.. we all are ladies!

M&Co recently did a survey that showed only 22% of women are brave enough to bare in a bikini! 

That seems incredibly low to me. Where are all the bikini's ladies? 

After my journey i thought i'd share some tips on wearing a bikini:

• Order a few and try them on in the comfort of your home. There's nothing worse than trying them on in the harsh lighting of a shops changing room, plus the pressure and stress of getting changed/unchanged. Order online, like from M&Co and try them
• Try a few styles: High leg is super flattering and elongates legs, high-waisted will cover most tummys, tummy control panels will hold you in and support cups will hoist you up when needed. There are some great styles on the market, its just about finding one that suits you. So don't be scared to try new styles as they may turn out to be the one for you.
• Choose Pattern/Colour! I think sometimes an all black swimsuit can be harsh, a little ageing and not very flattering. Its universally thought that black is slimming but honestly, i think a bold pattern or bold colour will actually help detract away from lumps and bumps and create a much more interesting look!The interest will be far more in the beautiful bikini then whats underneath it.
• Once you've chosen your bikini try it on in front of the mirror multiple times before you go out. I found actually giving my reflection a bit of attention helped. It made me look closer and think about why was i so concerned. Better yet, take a selfie and send it to some lovely trusted friends for feedback. You will soon see they, and nobody else, will see the things that you pick holes in.
• Stand with confidence! And if you don't feel it, fake it till you make it i say! When you're finally in your two piece and you're out at the beach/by the pool, try to relax in to it. There's nothing worse than looking uncomfortable and tense. Your body will go rigid and you will make yourself look far far worse. Try relaxing your shoulders, don't hunch over and smile. Confidence always starts with a smile.
• Use a cover up. I loved the light maxi dress cover up here, its light and airy and perfect for throwing on when walking around. If you're not feeling confident start by just taking your cover-up off around the pool or sat on the beach, then pop your cover-up on when walking around. You will gain confidence by just sitting out in your bikini i promise!

 A big thank you to M&Co for working with me, sending me this wonderful bikini and really pushing me out of my comfort zone!

I love my new bikini, you can find this one here! 

And the gorgeous cover up here

And thanks to M&Co here is a fab discount to help you on your bikini clad way!

Code: RACHEL10

Terms & Conditions: 10% OFF FULL PRICE – 10% off full price valid online at www.mandco.com until 31^st July 2017. Excludes promotional or sale items and online P&P charges. Items from non-participating concessions are excluded from this promotion. Returned items will be refunded at the discounted price paid. Use promo code RACHEL10 online. Cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer.

Do you wear a bikini? And if not would you consider trying one this year?

Whats In My Bag - Summer Edition

Oh i love a good nosey don't you? It can also be super useful to be nosey too, as someone may carry something and you think 'Ah.. i could do with that in my bag/life'. Last year i showed my little bag of tricks off, my summer holidays coping essentials which included aloe vera, wetwipes, and all sorts.
This is my day to day bag of stuff that always comes with me wherever i go.
My everyday essentials!
Shall we take a look?

So the bag i'm using it the Orla Kiely Travel Pouch for my day to day running around. Its the perfect cross body compartment bag that is small but like a tardis is deceptively big on the inside (obviouly its not massive, i mean in comparison to a sac bag, but what i mean is you can get a fair bit of stuff in there comfortably)

Inside we have

1. Obligatory Red Lipstick (My Go to fave!)

2.Purse by Rebecca Minkoff Love this cuuuttte one (& going to treat myself!)

3. Pen for emergency note making (forgot my pad though!)

4.Hairbrush to tame the mane

5. Eye drops: hayfever suffering, contact lenses wearers best friend

6. Mints, 'cos its nice to be fresh

7. A power bank for my phone, does anyone else find instastories drains their battery?

8. Blister Plasters! Aka Life savers.. Dear Compeed: THANK YOU!

9. Sleek concealer

10. Eyelure Eyebrow pencil for filling in any bits i've rubbed/sweated off

11. W7 Lip oil to avoid scabby lips

12. Frizz Eaze, travel size, again, in hope of taming the 'fro

13. Wet wipes for sticky hands (mine as well as the kids)

14. Ibuprofen, for when the kids just wont stop talking

15. A bit of bronzer top up

And that's it!! 

Whenever i have my bag filled with these essentials i know i can pretty much tackle anything that life may throw at me, from dog sick, to loss of eyebrows to huge inflated foot injuries (yes i've had to deal with all of those things.. life sucks sometimes, lol!)

What do you carry around that you couldn't be without?

Confessions of a Style Blogger #2

Ok this started last month and you all enjoyed it so much i thought i'd share some more home truths with you from this past month, all in the name of keeping this shizz real and to show that life is more than pretty pictures on social media. Life can be pretty shitty behind the squares sometimes, not all the time, but it only represents a small amount of life, and as much as we all love to keep it a positive place, expelling the feeling of not being good enough, or that big question "why isn't my life that perfect too?" is also important don't you think? Well i do, and confessing my silly moments to you dear reader is cathartic and hopefully will bring a smile to your face also.

Outfit is all via the lovely people at Laura Ashley

The dress has to be one of my most favourite items this summer, its insanely comfy and i can not wait to wear it again!!

• I went to take a selfie last week and the beauty filter was set to off, i practically shat myself at my own reflection.. rough didn't even cover it. Honestly it was a shocker to see skin like a crepe paper consistency around my eyes.. wrinkles, bags, grey tinge.. lush! The absolute epitome of attractiveness.

• I'm too lazy to exercise but wanted to try and tone my 'mum-tum' so i bought one of those slendertone belt thingies.. its still in the box 3 months later.. apparently i'm that lazy.

• Possibly my most cringe moment this month: I bent over and flashed a boob to the delivery man the other day.. he got more than a signature that day... #theyrejustboobs 😂 But this is all part of the no bra problem i'm currently incurring. Plus the poor man looked mortified. He hasn't been back to deliver since😜

• In a tired stupor through bleary eyes i grabbed nail varnish remover instead of eye-makeup remover, it stunk like a mutha clucker so thankfully i realised before any contact with my peepers was made, but wow.. that was close. It also took the nail polish off my freshly painted thumb nail which was a bummer.

• I'm using mascara to cover up my grey hairs more than i am on my eyelashes of late... they are gaining momentum by the day, i estimate i will be completely grey by the time i'm 36 (thank god for hair dye and my appointment next week)!! I did actually use mascara the other day as the mascara manufacturers intended (on my eye lashes) and after a vigorous hay-fever induced eye rub left great big black rings around me peepers. Forgot i had it on tho and walked around Tesco looking like i was Morticia Adams, the lady on the checkout actually said "You ok lovey?" with a sympathetic look and genuine concern for my well being. I didn't have a clue why until i caught my reflection in the rear view mirror when i was back in the car.. oopps.

• Last week i had the munchies SO bad(it was special lady allowance week, if y'know what i mean) i was like pacman, nail it down or i will eat it. I polished off a full pack of Gluten Free cookies, 2 bags of crisps and half a box of dry cornflakes in one afternoon. I looked 6 months pregnant for about 3 days after that, just in time for me to do a Bikini shoot coming up.. awesome!

• Lastly, i may look serene in these photos(i was channeling my inner liv Tyler in Lord of The Rings.. but without those amazing lips, or luscious long hair, or Aragon, mores the pity) but amidst the photos were lots of swear words and me yelling at the husband photographer, who had just gotten home from work, and i had made him come straight out to take photos of me prancing around in a dress (in all fairness he wasn't taking my direction and i was getting annoyed, plus it was , like, 32 degrees!). I like to think i could win an oscar or at least a bafta for my contribution to acting in some photo shoots.

So in the vein of keeping it real ladies, what have you got to confess this month? I loved hearing your last months confessions.. they honestly cracked me up and made me feel like we really are all in this together!!