Blogging on a budget

Blogging on a budget. It's something that sprang to mind and is probably more poignant than ever at this time of year for those of us who blog, who read blogs and who have a general love  addiction to shopping including me for all of the above!

I decided to write a post on this, purely because I myself am struggling financially at the moment (which is all self inflicted) due to buying too many 'must have' items of clothing the past few months; cue sighs. The way I have justified it is that believe it or not I have managed to lose almost 2 stone from turning gluten and dairy free in the past nine months. Being able to wear things I wouldn't have dreamt of before, and replacing must needed essentials has meant that my semi healthy shopping addiction is now somewhat of a massive problem.

The way in which I look at it is that for those of us out there who blog, whether it be for 100 readers or 10000 we are always thinking about the next outfit that we can feature in a post. The temptation of never wearing anything twice for the fear or being labelled 'boring' or 'too much of the same' does flicker in and out of my mind more often than not. You know what; were all only human and realistically everyone even our favourite super bloggers wear clothes more than once. 

I want to give some easy to live by tips for all of you out there to keep your wardrobes exciting without having to break the bank; something I know all of us will struggle with as some point or another and especially now that Christmas is approaching.

Having the needed 'essentials'

If we make sure that our wardrobes contain all the basics it should, we enable ourselves to introduce different items and change outfit looks easily. For example, having a few white, black and grey t shirts albeit 'boring' really helps when it comes to mixing and matching. This goes for shoes, bags, jumpers trousers etc. By having a few simple pairs in a style that suits our body shape it means that 

all you need to jazz an outfit up or make it different is a bit of jewellery or a fun bag.

Affordable ways to keep up to date

Not all of us are lucky enough to earn 60k a year, or get sent numerous samples by PR companies to keep. So this means we have to be inventive when trying to change the look of an outfit without breaking the bank each month. The simple solution is to concentrate on accessories. Yes trends change frequently, and yes we want to keep up with this, but an easy way to do this is by investing a small amount of money into things that can radically change a white shirt and a pair of black jeans.

Having different types of jewellery (and not expensive) can really help. Topshop, River Island, Warehouse are to name but a few places to get some excellent on trend accessories for affordable prices. Next time your heading out, or planning an outfit post why don't you think about mixing pieces you have already worn and used and bring it to life with a new pair of earrings or a patterned / coloured scarf.

Keeping it simple

The simple and unplanned outfits are often the best. I used to be a stickler for prints and crazy colours when it came to clothes, and it didn't take me long to realise that this made it almost impossible to interchange outfits. Prints are a fantastic way of getting across who you are and colour is amazing for showing your style, but if your trying to save a few pounds, the easy way to incorporate print or colour into an outfit is by adding accessories or a statement tee. When you are buying new things think about what in your wardrobe they will go well with and if you have enough clothes already to match them up with. If you cannot make at least five outfits-then ditch it (unless it is a really amazing item!).

Finally: Be you

This one sounds like the easiest tip but I think it can sometimes be the hardest. With social media at our fingertips for most of the day, it is hard not to come across images and photos of people we'd rather be or look like. This is something that not only affects us women but men too. Remember who you are and if you blog like me, why you started your blog. I can guarantee most of you will have begun it for yourselves, and having readers and followers is a massive plus! Wear what you feel comfortable and most importantly confident in; thats what people will enjoy seeing most. Be proud of who you are and remember to always stick by what you love.

Thats it for now; I hope you've enjoyed this different type of post. Sorry for the rambling and happy tuesday everyone!

S x

Stay Happy

There has been a current trend as of late, especially within the blogs that I read on a daily basis, and that is the rise of what I like to call 'feel good' blog posts. Im getting on that bandwagon; I feel like we don't tend to recognise when people need help or a little something to cheer them up. We can get so engrossed within what is going on in our own lives on a daily basis that we miss the tell tale signs that we should pick up on to let us know that someone close to us is struggling and needs a little help to be picked up. 

I myself have gone through many ups and downs, some absolute highs and some incredibly bad lows, all of which my close family and friends know about and were there to support  me through. Everyone has things going on in their lives which we don't know about and which are there constantly testing and pushing us and I wanted to share with all of you what I find helpful and tips and ideas on what help me to feel brighter and ready to face the world. Sometimes there are days where all I really want to do is hide away and snuggle up underneath the duvet covers.

Talk and Share...

One thing I have learnt is not to keep things locked up inside. This is easier said that done and has been my greatest downfall; I personally find it so hard to open up and talk about how I feel to people, even those closest to me. Some of you who know me may find this difficult to understand as I have such a confident exterior sometimes but to talk about emotions- it freaks me out.

Find a way in which you can release and let go of your emotions- whether it be writing them down in a diary for your eyes only, or speaking on the phone rather than face to face. I find it easier to approach someone via text or email first, that way I know when I see them next to talk about it they can approach me or ask me how I am doing, and I don't have to do the difficult part and start the conversation about why I am feeling so low.

Do what you love...

I have spent six years working out and finding out what I want to do in life. Now I spend my days at university with people who are almost six years younger than me and I feel so old! I would not have it any other way- studying and doing something productive to get to where I want to be counteracts any negatives. Yes; I am a student and totally dependant on my student loan. Yes; I work part time and find it incredibly hard sometimes to juggle my time and get everything done to the standard and quality in which I want it. But I stand back and know it is all worth it and when I get to where I want to be I can hold my head up high and know I did this all by myself.

My advice to you; don't let anything hold you back. Virtually anything is possible. There is funding for almost anything nowadays whether it be for degrees, part time courses, training etc. If you find that a career change isn't for you why not try signing up to a weekend course where you can spend your saturdays with like minded people doing something you love?

Eat well...

This probably goes without saying but I can tell from how my skin looks and my mood as to what I have been eating and drinking in the past week. Too much alcohol and crappy food leads to a few too many spots and a lethargic and grouchy mood. It is all to easy to pick up that packet of crisps in-between work and meeting friends or to have that extra glass of wine while catching up with the girls, and by no means do I intend on telling everyone out there to live off of fruit and veg! However, do think about what you are eating throughout the day. If I can I love to start my day with a mug of hot water and half a lemon. I find it helps flush everything through my body and kick starts my body for the rest of the day ahead.

Make sure you get five portions of veg and fruit and drink plenty of water. Broccoli is an amazing source of iron and for us ladies this is so important. Not a fan of the greens? Then make sure you are eating lean meats to keep your protein levels up. Swap white bread and rice for multigrain bread and brown rice and avoid putting that extra spoonful of sugar in that coffee at lunch despite thinking it is going to help you get through the rest of the day. All of these things will add up and help you keep your body happy and feeling fresh.

Keep moving...

Im not going to sit here typing away about how we should all be exercising like crazy- I have not had a proper exercise regime in months; but I will tell you that when I do exercise I feel ten times better. Why not try to walk to the tube station instead of catching that bus because you are always in a rush in the mornings? Getting up half an hour earlier will mean you have time to take a leisurely stroll to the station and get that extra ten to fifteen minutes of fresh air at the beginning of the day.

This week I have signed up for the Moonwalk in May where I will walk the length of a marathon in aid of cancer. I am so excited, not only because I have wanted to do it for the past ten years but because it is going to give me the incentive to train and start exercising again. Why not sign up for a 3km run or a sponsored walk to get your head into training gear?

Be you...

Lastly and most importantly stay true to yourself. Don't do things half heartily or because it will please someone else or benefit them; do them for you. Its time to get selfish and think about the most important person. After all you are no use to anyone else if you are not 100%.

Stay true to what you believe in and who you are...this way you are bound to get to where you need too be physically and mentally.

I hope you've enjoyed something a little different. Let me know what you do to make yourself feel  better on a down day or to stay focused.

S x

N.B I'd like to make a note that all of these ideas and opinions are my own.

First pair of Wangs

Firstly I'd like to point out that I am trying out new ways to photograph and blog, so bear with me throughout the testing. I am not too good with my camera despite having it for a few years and my sister gets so frustrated that I never use it to its full potential. I have made a promise to myself that from now on, this blog will showcase my ever improving camera and photography skills to show you my new buys and outfits.

Secondly the title of this post just sums it up so well. For those of you who follow me on instagram (if you don't get your butts over there and press the follow button! http://instagram.com/saraladylippy or @saraladylippy ) I posted these new shoes up on there pretty quickly and had a lot of fun with the hashtagging; I think it was probably all of the excitement!

Thursday was an exciting day for me. Firstly I received new hoover bags in the post which I had been waiting for for days. I am a little OCD and after not being able to hoover my room for a few weeks I was very much looking forward to the prospect of being able to use the hoover again; when you have a carpet that everything sticks to you will understand.

As I was sat on the sofa catching up with Clare, my best friend and flat mate who had just got back from two weeks in the USA, the door bell rang again, and to my surprise the shoes I ordered from Connected to Fashion Blog had arrived. Little did I know when buying them they were Alexander Wang and barely worn. You can imagine my surprise and delight when trying them on knowing for £25 (such a bargain) I had just bought my first pair of designer shoes (albeit second hand, but in such good condition). Now I just need an occasion to wear them.

I'd love to know about your special finds or designer bargains, let me know and drop your blog URL in the comments section below. I'm always on the look out for new blogs to follow!

I hope you have all had a wonderful bank holiday despite the wet and dreary weather.

Sara x

Better late than never

Photos taken on my iPhone 4S

Sorry for my absense. Uni work has taken over my life as well as my part time job and I have not had a chance to upload anything. I thought I would upload something light hearted; these are just a few of the photos taken at my boyfriends rugby 'T' party, and my Housewarming/ Halloween party.

I have to admit I am not normally a massive fan of dressing up. But if the theme and time is right, I love it. My T Rex costume came from ebay, and I just used face paint in a slight rush to create the skeleton-esque design for Halloween. Excuse all the sultry stares while I was a skeleton, I just felt it would have looked strange if a dead person was smiling. As for the Tiger face paint which my boyfriend Tom is beautifully modelling, I am the proud painter!

I promise I will be blogging more often. Its a new years resolution that I am going to take up early.

INSANITY WORKOUT DVD // WEEK 2 & FIT TEST 2

Nike Lunarglide

So, an update on the Insanity workout dvds. Week 2 is complete along with day 15's fit test.

I know this isn't a fitness blog, but it is a lifestyle one and this is going to be part of my life for at least another 40 days!

Week 2 was far less successful as after having my wisdom teeth out under general it took me a fair few days to feel normal again. Monday missed, along with Friday and Saturday so only 3 workouts were completed. I felt very disappointed with this but I have to say, due to only eating soup and liquid food for a week my energy levels were not great and boy did I feel it when I was completing the workouts. 

The fit test which we did yesterday proved that even though I had missed three days worth of exercising, I had still make progress. I always set myself unrealistic goals and therefore feel disappointed when I don't end up succeeding like I thought I would and although I have not made as much of an improvement as I hoped or wished for, any improvement is good enough for me right now. And I should feel proud! Lets hope this week is a little more positive, with 6 full workouts completed!

More fashion and beauty posts soon I promise!

Sara x

INSANITY WORKOUT DVD // Week 1

Picture c/o beachbody

So, nothing to do with Fashion, Beauty or anything that I have blogged about before.

My boyfriend recently did his PT training and since then has been thinking of crazy ideas to test and challenge himself for personal benefit as well as to see if it helps him to make 'improvements'.

The first one is Insanity. If you have not heard of it before (I hadn't) the name pretty much describes it...it is INSANE.

Call me stupid but I have been wanting to tone up, get fit, lose weight for a while so being very naive to the idea I said I would do it too.

You workout 6 days a week and Sunday is your rest day. The work outs for the first month last about 40 minutes which include the warm up and cool down. They are non stop, high intensity...I sometimes feel like crying when I do them. I don't think I have ever been so physically pushed. I am still awaiting my dvd's from some dodgey ebayer but if you are looking for a ridiculous way to lose weight or tone up here I think this could be it.

I have decided I will be giving you weekly updates to let you know how it is going. It lasts for 60 days with a recovery week in the middle...

Progress photos will be on the way when I feel like enough progress has been made. 

In the meantime do some research and maybe check it out...2kg lost from week 1, so I can't complain so far. The question is, can I keep it up until day 60?

Sara x

Check out the boyfriends new Blog http://fluent-in-fitness.blogspot.co.uk/. He keeps me motivated (I don't know how) so he could help you too.