'I own too much black'

'I own too much black'

Hello Kings & Queens, today is another fashion post & course a bit of words of wisdom. I clearly can't help myself! I thought this title was perfect because I definitely own a lot of black clothing simply because its easy to style, goes with everything and you really can't go wrong with it. I somehow tie this into the idea regarding fear of the unknown. For example, I wear a lot of black clothing because its safe and its nothing out of the ordinary, therefore if I had to choose between a bright pink blazer or a black blazer, it is more than likely I will choose the black one. The same thing goes with opportunities and taking risks in life. We often times play it safe because of the fear of doing something out of the ordinary which we feel will result in failure. So we go about our daily lives doing things we are comfortable with because we know we can't fail if we are doing what we already are familiar with. I have come to the realisation that playing it safe just won't cut it, particularly if you aspire to be something great. Something as simple as applying for a job that I feel is amazing but above me will result in so much anxiety because it is the fear of not knowing how I will do the job. The fear of being taken out of my comfort zone and deemed as incompetent. Feeling uncomfortable, nervous, anxious and fearful is a sign that I/We are attempting to elevate ourselves. Nothing good comes from being comfortable. I challenge you to face what your fear, and you will see how much you will grow mentally and emotionally. Strive to be uncomfortable as that is a a sign of growth!

Now onto fashion! Although I am wearing black, these culottes are very different to anything I would wear but I absolutely love it. Although its monochrome, I adore the print as it gives the the outfit a certain edge. I purchased them from river island on sale reduced from £35 to £15. STEAL! Unfortunately they are out of stock but they have plenty other culottes which are just as stylish as these ones. They are perfect for spring/summer because they a very lightweight which allows air to pass through easily so you don't feel hot and overheated. 

The rest of my outfit is pretty basic because I didn't want to have too much going on since the culottes are very 'loud'. I am wearing a bodysuit from new look. Its really nothing special but its a great staple piece to have because you can wear bodysuits with absolutely anything. I purchased it from New Look for £9.99. The blazer is from Charlotte Russe. Unfortunately this brand is only sold in the US but I am pretty sure you can purchase something similar from any other high street store. The strappy sandals are from Bershka. The best part is that they were only £19.99 and are still available on the Bershka website. I particularly love the detailing on the heel with the silver strip at the bottom because it separates it from classic scrappy heels that is sold everywhere. 

Last but not least are my accessories. The hat is from H&M which I purchased awhile back but again you can find something similar from other high street stores. The necklaces are from urban outfitters. UO offers great quality jewellery that doesn't change colour after a few wears which is why 99% of my jewellery is from them. I particularly love gold jewellery over silver because I think it suites me better. If you saw my previous post 'Pay close attention to those not clapping' I wore this same bag. Its always my go-to bag when wearing a lot of black & white because it brings colour to the outfit. It was purchased from Zara but unfortunately I don't think they sell it anymore. Zara seems to change their stock often so if you see a bag you love, I say grab it while it lasts. My Steve madden sunglasses are from TK Maxx. I love how they sell designer brands at such affordable prices. So if you're like me and you love sunglasses but don't want to spend a tone of money on them, I would highly recommend TK Maxx. Go online rather than in store because they have better variety of designer sunglasses. 

I have to quickly mention the amazing bakery I went to whilst taking these pictures. Peggy Porschen is an amazing boutique bakery located on Eburt Street. I am not a huge fan of cakes but I have to say these were the best cupcakes I have ever come across. Often times, I personally feel like cupcakes and cakes can be extremely dry but these were very moist with the right amount of sweet. I ordered the Red Velvet whilst my friend Micah (check her out) ordered the Eton Mess cupcake. I honestly wanted two because it tasted so good but I disciplined myself. Along side these gorgeous cupcakes, we both ordered the Summer berry Ice tea which was not the nicest. It was watered down, probably due to too much ice but it literally tasted like water with a hint of berry flavour. Definitely was not worth the price or any price, because it literally tasted next to nothing.

Stay blessed, Be Blessed
Lizzie x

Pay close attention to those not clapping

'Pay close attention to those not' clapping 

Kings & Queens today is another life lesson/ words of wisdom post mixed in with some fashion details of a shoot I did awhile ago. My friend Micah (Her Blog) and I were talking about the ‘friends’ we have that don’t seem to show any form interest or proudness in certain things we do such as blogging or Youtube. The point we kept coming back to is that we have all these close ‘friends’ but ‘why did they not show any interest when we started our blog’, ‘Why do no they not show that they are proud of us’, ‘Have they even taken the time to read a blog post or watch one of our videos’ etc. If these people are such close friends of ours where is the support, the encouragement or just a simple text to acknowledge what we are doing. I mean we are friends and I want good things for you as much as I want for myself because nothing is better than women encouraging and praising each other for their work.

(Glasses: Prescriptions from firmoo.com. They also offer sunglasses and non prescription glasses too! The best part is that  their glasses are all under $40. So if you wear prescription glasses and you're tired of spending £100's on designer glasses, look no further. They are of course not designer but I mean you can't go wrong with cute, on trend, fashionable glasses. They often have offers such as Buy 1 get 1 free or under $19 offers. Check them out and this is not a sponsored ad!) 

Its amazing how it is only now that we are starting to realise these things. I have people that I know but we are not particularly close and we don’t speak but somehow they seem to support me more. People from secondary school or sixth form that I barely spoke to are incredibly supportive and encourage whilst ‘friends’ that I’ve known for years don’t even bother. This is not to say I expect my ‘friends’ to read every single post, share on Facebook, twitter & Instagram or even watch every YouTube video. The key word is ‘SUPPORT’. You don’t need to understand what I am doing to show support. The point is that we all have these ‘friends’, ‘best friends’ but what we should all ask ourselves is are they genuinely happy for you, do they want you to succeed, are they a source of encouragement, are they your cheerleader?

(The black blazer is from H&M and I'm pretty sure you can purchase something similar from any other high street store. I love wearing Nike or adidas tops simply because they are great quality as I often have a hard time with white tops fading or changing colour in the wash. I purchased the Nike high low top from urban outfitters but you can find something similar from JD sports, Nike.com and ASOS) 

(Ripped Jeans are so on trend and some people love them so people hate them. I clearly love them because they give an edgy touch to the outfit. I purchased these from ASOS and rolled up the bottoms because I personally feel they look better. I have to mention the amazing quality of these which is not the case for all the ASOS jeans I own. I sometimes have an issue ASOS brand jeans tearing in the groin area but these wash really well and so far no tearing has occurred so these are a thumbs up from me)

The title is ‘pay close attention to those not clapping’ because there are people out there waiting for your downfall. Calling someone a friend is just a label but look at there actions and the way in which they support you. Watch out for the people who lurk and stalk your social media but show little encouragement or support when they see you doing amazing things and moving up in your career. I could be wrong when saying this and you can disagree with me but in my personal opinion a lot of us women fail to support each other. Even giving a compliment is difficult for some. What is wrong with telling other women they are beautiful or you like their outfit for example. It does not make you weak but rather stronger because you are instilling confidence in another woman which in turn will encourage them to possibly give a compliment to another woman because they know the power of words. I slowly digress LOL. The point I am trying to make is if you see another woman doing good, tell her! Let her know that you see her hard work. Appreciate her hard and success AND if your own ‘friends’ show little support for your success be cautious. I just want to make it clear that these ‘friends’ are not necessarily bad people and often times they are kind, caring and hardworking themselves. However, in the mist of those cheering and clapping for you, there are many conspicuously silent. Not everyone means well!

Last but not least are these bomb boots from vagabond. These boots are my absolute fave although my feet were absolutely dead after wearing them all day. I don't have much to say about them other than they are perfect but a little uncomfortable if worn for an extended period of time. I purchased them from Urban outfitters but they can also be purchased directly from the vagabond website.

Do you have any ‘friends’ that are not clapping when you win? I would love to know your thoughts! Do you agree or disagree? Let’s have a discussion. Comment Below!

Stay Blessed, Be Blessed

Lizzie x