Pick of the Best Gym Kit

While January marks the beginning of the time for good intentions, many have managed to see their fitness resolutions through until Spring. Myself and my boyfriend began a new gym routine in December and somehow, have managed to stick to it - totalling four decent sessions a week. For me, exercise is as important for mental health as it is for physical health. Running has always been a way for me to zone out, focusing on my breathing and mileage and as I get fitter, I can't help but feel mentally stronger too.

At the moment, I'm particularly keen on alternating my runs with some of the Les Mills classes. Body Attack is a high-energy and high-intensity workout that makes me feel like I'm really using my body and increasing my fitness, while Body Balance serves perfectly for laid-back Sunday mornings after a Saturday afternoon run.

One thing I'm passionate about at the moment is decent gym wear, simply because there is so much good stuff out at there at the moment for decent prices. Nothing spurs you on to work harder, run faster or lift heavier than good kit - so here's my pick of the best.

A good sports bra is a must. Good old M&S have really upped the ante with their amazing range - this high-impact bra is just £18 and is pretty as well as functional.

Eye-catching kit is actually a bit of a motivational booster if you don't fancy hitting the gym. These striking leggings are a much more exciting choice than baggy jogging bottoms, although possibly not for the faint-hearted or those worrying about the state of their thighs. 

A decent top that makes you feel comfortable and confident is one of the basics for a great gym kit, which is why I love this leopard print sports top from H&M. Subtle print, great cut and under £10 - it is also worth checking out the rest of their sportswear for good technical kit at pocket money prices.

Even New Look have got on the sportswear bandwagon! Their slogan tees and brightly-coloured vests are great for slipping on before a gym session but this one is one of my favourites for its motivational message.

Decent running trainers are important to me because I walk everywhere and don't want my poor feet to suffer! If the extent of your gym sessions are low-impact workouts and laid-back classes, it isn't worth spending that much on trainers, which is why these ones from New Look are great. Maybe I should just purchase a pair anyway?

What is your favourite place to purchase gym kit from?

9 Things Friends Taught Us about Style

With my favourite American sitcom hitting Netflix this month, it's time to take a look at the style lessons learnt from over ten seasons of Friends.

                                                  1. You can go too far with fake tan.

Credit: ilively.com

One misunderstanding in a tanning booth will leave you looking like an oompa-loompa on steroids. 

2. Never let your boyfriend do your make-up for a big night out...

Credit: Pinterest

..or you'll end up looking like this. Sophisticated like a hooker? 

3. Not everyone can carry off braided hair. 

Credit: Heart.co.uk

Even when singing Bob Marley songs.


4. Go easy on the teeth whitener.



Unless you want your jaws to glow in the dark, that is.


5. Blue lipstick never looked good on anyone.

credit: Tumblr

Even you, Ke$ha.


6. Never let your friends cut your hair.

Credit:Fanpop.com

You could end up looking like Dudley Moore, rather than Demi Moore. 

7. When in doubt, wear denim.

Credit: Pinterest.com

Apparently not just for the nineties.


8. When it comes to bridesmaid dresses, less is more.

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Never one to upstage the bride. 

9. If all else fails, a turkey makes for a great accessory.

Nothing says 'game for a laugh' more than wearing your Thanksgiving dinner. 

Dear Santa...Lust list

The build up to Christmas seems to bring the child out in me. This week, I have had a lot of fun sourcing the best mince pies, visiting the Coca-Cola truck on tour and painting ceramic Christmas tree decorations. I also managed to get the entirety of my Christmas shopping done! It is around this time of year, of course, that most of us will be posting our lists to Santa. Here is one winter wishlist for the cosiest, comfiest and most stylish christmas yet...

These cute Topshop reindeer pyjamas are perfect for wearing with a warm knit and some long socks to cosy up on the sofa after a long day. As someone with a penchant for fairisle print, I love these festive shorts!

As someone who lives in ankle boots all year long, I am always on the look out for a new pair to add to my collection and these studded ones were unique enough to catch my eye. Currently with £20 off the full price in the sale, they are practical and stylish.

Winter is also about stocking up with lots of yummy food and drink to get you through the season. Whittard's hot chocolate is indulgent enough to be a treat but also contains 70% cocoa and is fairtrade. Guilt-free hot chocolate! Yum.

This cosy Fairisle cardigan from H&M is a real favourite of mine. Perfect for layering over dresses or jeans as well as covering up on a night in front of the telly.

I have recently bought Great Expectations. A perfect present for anyone, this novel is a wonderful read in the build up to Christmas and these Penguin Classics look good on a bookshelf too.

Finally, this Aztec snood from Topshop is a lovely little cover-up for chilly walks through the country.

Here is my week in pictures...

(L-R: Ceramic Christmas tree decorations, Painting a christmas plate at Fun pots, Fairisle knits, peppermint tea and french onion soup, cosy slipper boots, Rimmel Ruby Crush nail polish, hot chocolate, Holidays are coming...)

Birthday cake

Although it only Thursday, this week has been nicely busy one already and with the jubilee long weekend coming up as well as seeing Coldplay tomorrow, I'm having a really lovely time at the moment. Yesterday was my 22nd birthday so I had a rather self-indulgent day shopping, reading in Starbucks and then eating Chinese with my family.

As the weather has been hotting up, I am desperate for some summer clothes so I headed to old favourite New Look for some affordable pieces I could wear in the sun. I found these high-waisted shorts as part of Kelly Brook's new summer collection, comfortable as well as very flattering. As well as these, I managed to grab myself this fail-safe floral sundress (my wardrobe is full of them) and a swallow print tee which I'm sure will serve me well for the Isle of Wight festival this summer. The best bargain, however, was this lovely red lace dress which was cut down from £26 to £12. I cannot wait to team it with a pair of black heels, leather jacket and envelope clutch for a night out in Lancaster. All in all, I spent around £50 on these pieces- a bit of a bargain I think you'll agree!

After feeling all shopped out, I headed to Starbucks for a half-price Frappuccino and to continue reading Catching Fire (the second book in the Hunger Games trilogy which I am hooked on). After a lovely chinese meal with my family, we all headed home to watch The Apprentice. A very rock n' roll birthday, I know. As I'm not a big fan of birthday cake, my Dad had the sweet idea of purchasing some ice-cream instead. I've since opened the freezer to discover four whole tubs of Ben and Jerry's that I sense will probably last us for the next few months. I'll definitely have to be doing double sessions in the gym!

Of course, as well as a lovely day I got some equally lovely presents from friends and family. Pictured below are all the amazing gifts I got. I felt completely spoilt! Liam filled a gift bag with goodies, including DVDs, The Sex and the City box set, Eclectic Eccentricity jewelry and Vera Wang perfume as well as tickets to Coldplay and Matilda the musical and some money for driving lessons and buying new clothes (since my old clothes are getting too big for me now as well as a bit tatty.) My parents also gave me some money for new things as well as the lovely blue heart necklace in the photo.

All in all, it was a lovely day and very tame indeed- I seem to be all partied out nowadays. Proof I really am getting old.

(From L-R: DVD's of Sex and the city, The Help and One Day, EE Necklace (with meteorite attached to it!), EE seahorse earrings all from Liam, Accesorize diamante cherry necklace from Lauren, River Island gold tape measure necklace from Laura, Blue heart necklace from my parents, Green 'Do not publish' notebook from Rachel with Waterstones voucher, Tickets for Coldplay and Matilda the musical from Liam, Handmade bunting from Laura, My starbucks birthday treat to myself, Vera Wang perfume from Liam.)

Lust List

For once, this week has been a relatively relaxed one. After coming down with the lurgy, I've given gym sessions a miss and even cancelled my driving lesson. I've really enjoyed this week at work, however- finishing on a high on Thursday as we were all visited by the Easter bunnies who left us all some delicious gold Lindt bunnies to feast on! Sometimes I truly love my job. I was also surprised to see that I managed to reach a total of 300 views in twenty four hours on my blog this week- all because of this post about Samantha Brick.  Here is this week's Lust List...

I'm sporting a serious love for cocktail rings at the moment and my current ambition is to make sure that at least half of my fingers are covered in jewels! Sitting Pretty is a wonderful shop full of pretty handmade jewellery by Claire, and has some gorgeous cocktail rings for bargain prices. This week, I purchased three for £10 and even managed to bag another free in a special offer! I'm very much looking forward to their arrival. Make sure you visit Claire's shop to have a look at her gorgeous little treasures.

This week, I've been loving Lily Melrose's blog. A fashion and beauty blogger, her reviews are honest and her pictures are flawless. Oh, and don't even get me started about her perfect ombre hair. Keep writing, Lily and I'll keep reading!

I'm really looking forward to catching up with Mad Men this Easter weekend. Three episodes have already aired on Sky Atlantic and we have them all logged on to the Sky+, ready to watch! I can't wait to see whether Don and Megan's marriage goes to plan and more importantly, how Joan deals with her new baby. So happy to have my favourite advertising firm back in my life! 

After hearing her gorgeous song Blue Jeans countless times on the radio, I finally weakened and purchased Lana Del Rey's album this week. Although I admit I haven't listened to it in it's entirety, I have managed to hit  repeat incessantly on Blue Jeans and her already established hits Born to Die and Video Games.  There is something distinctly refreshing about her sound, with a hint of classic americana and that sultry voice that makes me want to drink milkshakes in diners at the side of the road. We have recently purchased tickets to the Isle of Wight festival in June and I can't wait to see her perform.

Talking of the Isle of Wight, Cosmopolitan magazine drew my attention towards this great Topshop tee, designed especially for the festival. Depicting the 2007 line-up with a gorgeous vintage design, I'm sure it would be perfect paired with some shorts and sturdy chelsea boots for the festival of the year! At least I'd look the part, right?

That's it for this week's Lust List. Do let me know what would be on yours! Wishing you all a wonderful Easter weekend- eat many bucket fulls of chocolate and have a well-deserved rest. I'll be spending mine reading magazines, watching Mad Men and maybe even having a spot of retail therapy if I' m lucky! 

Lust List

This week has been a particularly busy one. In between fitting in gym sessions and working full-time, I also had my first driving lesson. Unexpectedly, I really enjoyed it and I'm looking forward to getting back in a car next week. Liam has been in Aberdeen at a conference this week so I've had some nice me-time to catch up with Skins and New Girl too. I also had a little splurge in aid of my first official wage packet and finally bought those red suede boots I was lusting after. Thankyou ASOS for the free delivery and 25%- it was too hard to resist!

This week's lust list has a bit of a beauty feel to it. Although I've always been a bit of a beauty junkie (the amount of points on my superdrug rewards card speak for themselves), I'm beginning to think that working in Beauty PR is rubbing off on me!

I'm always a fan of the newest beauty fads. Nail art is becoming increasingly popular with the sales of magnetic nail polishes and crackle paints hitting the shelves. This week, however, it was the caviar nail craze that caught my eye. This pretty polish by Ciante is available in three colours- black, white and multi-coloured and gives a three dimensional effect whilst also looking pretty glam. Anyone else think they look just like the hundreds and thousands you might sprinkle on your cupcake?

I have always loved Soap and Glory and my bathroom is now filled with the gorgeous products. I love everything about them- from the retro packaging to the great scents- and what's brilliant is that they really work. One of my favourites is The Righteous Butter- a really luxurious body butter to rival Palmer's Cocoa Butter that smells as good as it looks. Seeing as summer is nearly upon us, I'm looking to make sure I have the smoothest skin possible and I'm sure Flake Away would help. With Soap and Glory's Original Pink fragrance, it is a must-have for anyone who wants to pamper in the shower and feel glorious. 

When it comes to perfume, I tend to stick to the fragrances I love. For the last three years, I have made my way through the Vera Wang Princess range, having originally become hooked on Rock Princess. At the moment, I'm using Glam Princess but have alternated between the fragrances in the range for a while now. Whilst wandering around the duty free on holiday, I came across Vera Wang Princess Night and just had to have a spritz. With wild berries, watermelon and raspberry, it smells wonderful and still has the signature vanilla and musk that makes the Princess perfumes so appealing. Definitely one for the list. 

This product is actually something I already have, but I'm putting it on the list because it is too wonderful not to mention. Pond's Cold Cream has always had good press for being a fantastic beauty staple, used by the likes of Nadine Coyle and Kylie Minogue to name but a few. My favourite in the range is the Hydronourishing day cream which provides great moisturisation and a great base for make-up. It feels pampering for the skin and the scent brings me back to childhood for some reason. I remember my mum using Oil of Evening Primrose when I was a child, and this cream contains an extract, so perhaps that is the smell I love so much. 

I've got to admit that I have always been a bit nervous when it comes to self-tanning. For someone that looks like Casper the friendly ghost the majority of the time, I have always wondered whether I'd end up looking more like Katie Price than the desired Sienna Miller look. Horror stories of patchy skin and orange hands have always meant that I've stayed away from putting any kind of tanning product on my skin. However, L'Oreal's Sublime Bronze comes highly recommended. With a micro-diffusion spray, there is no need to rub in and no need for patchiness. Perhaps this is one tanning product that I should go ahead and try. At least when I feel brave enough!

That's it for this week's Lust List. Happy Weekend, everyone! 

Lust list

Here is this week's lust list.

I absolutely love this dress from South. Bang on trend with it's bird print and peter pan collar, I think it would look perfect for work or teamed with a leather jacket for down the pub. The tunic style is also very forgiving on curvy girls. 

Having almost worn out my spotify allowance of She & Him, I decided to have a listen to something similar. Camera Obscura are an Indie pop band from Glasgow with a sound reminiscent of Belle & Sebastian. For any Come Dine With Me fans, you might recognize this particular song French Navy from the Echo Falls ad that precedes the programme! 

I am way behind the times with everything that is loaded on to our Sky+ box, but I managed to watch We'll Take Manhattan last week and it was worth the wait. Although I am not usually a fan of Karen Gillam, her performance was good and the actor who played opposite her as David Bailey was wonderful. As always, a massive fan of the 1960's fashions, music and photography. 

I bought these studded sandals this week for my holiday (off to Lanzarote next week!) and had to put a picture of them on here. As someone who can't bare the thought of wearing flip flops, the sturdy gladiator sandal has always been my friend. I think these will be perfect for wearing around the beach and in the bar. 

I know I need to curb my addiction for buying books, as I have way too many on a waiting list to read. This book is definitely one I'll be buying in the future, however. First published in 1965, The Millstone by Margaret Drabble is about a young student who falls pregnant and the choices she makes. 

Wishing you a fantastic weekend! 

Lust list

Here are some of the things that I've been lusting after lately.

I love this dainty china teacup from Whittard. The vintage rose pattern is sure to make you feel like a queen when sipping your morning cuppa. Green tea for me, please! 

                                                        

From Urban Outfitters to Topshop, these bangles are everywhere. My favourite is this vintage inspired piece by Eclectic Eccentricity which has 'C'est la Vie' engraved on it. Perfect for feeling optimistic in the winter months and a wonderful valentines gift for your other half. 

Musical loveliness from She & Him. Their version of  Gonna get along without you now is my current favourite. Give it a listen. 

As a blogger myself, I love reading others blogs. Louder Than Silence features Sally and Ross, a creative couple living in London. I'd advise anyone to give it a read, if only to be inspired by Sally's gorgeous outfits. I totally want her hair.

I'm currently reading Call the Midwife. Like many, I'm a massive fan of the Television series and Liam went out and bought me the book as a present. Although I am only a chapter in, I am already hooked! 

What would be on your lust list?