Working as a blogger and stylist it’s a full time job even if you’re on holidays.
That’s why I do a lot of planning before I even head to the airport.
If you a blogger and you are going to a fabulous spot of the world where you know you will have lots of opportunities for a great pictures, and you are going for limited amount of time, you have to be very well organised so when you get there your day can be filled with a lot of pictures with great outfits taken in the best possible spots possible.
You want to enjoy your time a well so you have to be as efficient as possible in your planning so you will work hard during the day but will have the afternoon or evening off for yourself as a reward.
My last trip of the year has been my dream for so long, no wonder is becoming a reality, the power of positive thinking is so strong that if you have something in your mind, I bet will come true sooner or later. That’s how it was with Bali. Bali has become a very popular spot throughout the past few years. Seeing my friends going there it only made me want to go there even more. I love Indonesia so for me it’s no brainer is a perfect vacation spot. I have also started going to yoga retreats recently so I’ve had the perfect excuse to choose such a place for my holidays.
How did plan my wardrobe to bali
First search for places you want to visit. Go on google, type Bali , check out the pictures , check out the reviews on trip advisor, read a few articles on the internet about places worth to see. My yoga retreat is around ubud area so I have decided to narrow my search down to this area. Take a pictures, store it on your computer or transfer to a Microsoft, print it out and make a small mood board.
Taking pictures and knowing where im heading giving me instant ideas what im going to wear. I have decided to narrow it down to 3 main attractions I want to take. That includes the jungle swings, the rice terraces and the waterfalls.
If you still not sure what you gonna wear. Go back to google search and type for example bali jungle swings and see what comes up. There will be for sure some pictures of people/models posing in these particular areas. Perhaps that will give you some ideas.

You have done the research, you have chosen the outfits, you know exactly where you going, what you gona wear, how you gonna pose, and you think you have all sorted out. Think again.
You have to be prepared for every possibility. That means weather. I was surprised to find that bali even though is still every warm in December (25-27 degrees ) , it’s a very much rainy season. Imagine you do your make up, spend time on making those perfect curls,
You go out and its pouring , you skip the day because of that?You cant , you have 3 days left of exploring and you can’t afford to stay in the hotel room. Rain usually comes and goes. Take the fancy umbrella with you and some cool raincoat which will look great on the picture. , throw all your fancy accessories in the bagpack , put your sneakers and raincoat on and don’t worry about the rain, by the time you get to your fabulous spot, the sun will shine and the rainbow will come out
Keep your hair perhaps in a simplest as possible style, so you can be sure they will always look good and you also have few options there.
If you want you hair to look different on eveyr picture. Think of 3 different styles which you can change your hair into. That whay you har to plan your day. perhaps start off with your hair
Then tight at the back, then make a hair bun. That will they will look great throughout the day, if you start off with the bun and let them go at the end they will get the curles you don’t want to see, if you curly your hair at the beginning they will probably get straight by the ned of the day, I do not use and hair sprays as they don’t stay on my hair and they only make my hair tangled and there is not much I can do with my tangled hair than wash them
Bali is a small place, one day is enough to get on the scooter and drive around the island. So if you to see 3-5 attractions and you want to look different on every picture , you have to think practical and plan your day ahead. If I see all my 3 attractions in one day this is how I plan it. If I want to see rice fields, swing and waterfall where do I head first. I will start off with the swing wearing my long dress, then I can quickly change to my other outfit and pose on the rice fields background, change my hair as well and I finish off in the waterfalls as that where I ‘gonna get in the water and it will all wash off in a second. If you start off with the waterfall you would have to go back to the hotel and start all over again with your hair and make up.you don’t want that, you want to keep going so
Plan ahead

Join to facebook groups . I was lucky to find out about the ubud community group on facebook which I joined immediately. I have asked a few questions about spending new years eve in ubud and made contact with people who lives there. I met a guy who does tours around bali and I have decided to go on a tour with him. Since I love taking pictures , I would really love to see the best of bali, meaning not only areas full of tourists, but hidden gems where most people do not know about.

I have enjoyed my time in Bali, in fact I would consider these vacation the best ever for many reasons. I’ve taken beautiful pictures, met so many wonderful genuine, humble and kind people, have visited places where you 100 percent surrounded by nature and managed to get into all my planned outfits. It has been great all the way.

My

blog is about saving saving saving
And also looking amazing with knowing what to buy where and when
I have been doing make up since I was a teenage girl, but really starting using colours recently. I spent 10 minutes on make up every day, I’m not going to lie, I prefer to get more sleep than spent the whole hour on a makeup. I am also not a fan of wearing a mask or using tones of different products, brushes with numbers and names as you see on some of the youtube videos and hours of doing it, while you can do something more practical in the meantime. I do 30minutes yoga and meditation in the morning , making sure I have a breakfast and time to dress up so there is not so much time left for make up.
Make up should be done fast, effective, with a minimum of products, it should last the whole day but also it shouldn’t feel itchy because there is so many layers on your face you can remove with a spatula.
Sometimes less is better. Especially if you have a sensitive skin like mine.
The items I personally own to do my make up involves foundation, mascara, eye concealer, brow gel, eyeshadow palette, blush and lipstick. Sometimes I use things like concealer(when I have spots) and pressed powder if I have a bit more time or I’m going out on a date.
The only thing I have in a large amount are the lipsticks. I have a thing for lipstick which I’m not going to get in details here, but all I can say I think having nothing on your face and wearing lipstick sometimes can work magic my lips can look very pale giving me not a great look, hence always having lipstick with me whenever I go.

BRUSHES
You don’t have to own much to have a great make up every day of your life.
You don’t need expensive brushes from an expensive brand that cost half of your salary. I got mine from amazon, you can get a whole set of amazing quality brushes that will last you forever. I’ve had mine for years and they still in a great shape like the moment I bought them. Remember to wash them regularly with soap and warm water (or baby body wash). In this way your make up will always look flawless (not having many different colours of eye shadows sitting on one brush) and your skin clean (there is lots if bacterias on the brushes believe it or not sometimes causing your skin to have spots, acne and other problems)

FOUNDATION
Again it doesn’t it to be the most expensive one in the shop. I use mine from maxfactor. I’ve used most of the brands which exists on the market and there is no point spending a lot of money because they won’t last you forever and you eventually have to keep buying more and more and there is not much difference between all of them anyway. Make sure the colours suit you, and for that I would advise to get a second opinion and check in a day light, not in artificial light inside the store.

MASCARA
Buy the one that suit you, I’ve tried so many that I could write a separate article on that. I think you really have to try a few to see which one enhances your lashes to the maximum. Start from the less expensive brands like maxfactor, loreal, burjouis, Maybelline to see if there is anything you like before investing in something more expensive. Mascaras similar to foundation don’t last very long, hence make a note you would need to replace them regularly. So mind the price before making a purchase.
I use mine from loreal which has 2 ends, and consists of base coat enriched with vitamins and mascara on the other end. I absolutely love that because having had to brush my lashes for a long time to get a few layers is just painful, having to put a base first it makes it a lot easier for the mascara to settle after the first time.

EYESHADOW
This is the reason im writing this article, because I want to show people you don’t have to own the whole shop to be able to come up with incredible looks. I used to buy a new palette every time I saw a new make up video on youtube. I ended up with drawers filled up with eyeshadows, which expired after a year (your not meant to use make up longer than that)
Make up is expensive, buy it wisely.
Choose palette which has many different colours. that way you wont keep buying lots of different ones. Choose colours which will go with your clothes. think of what colours suit you , which one you like, and what colours dominate in your wardrobe. Read my other article about how to choose the best colours for yourself.
going back to the pallete…
I bought mine from lancome and is called audacity in paris and I’ve never looked back since then. There is a sister palette available in a more bright, summery colours which is called audacity in London which is also great, but you need to know what colours suit your skin, clothes, personality before deciding. It’s not just make up your buying, the eyeshadows you would be wearing are the most important part of your face, if not the whole look. And I would say, invest in more expensive one because they not only last you a long time, but also need to last on your eyes for the whole day. Buy a base to make it last even longer. i got mine from artdeco from amazon. Some of the eyeshadows from cheaper brands really are not that good so save a few more pounds and treat yourself for soemthing more expensive.if you not willing to spend £50 on the palette, check them out on ebay, sometimes people sell new ones for half the price.

BLUSH
There is no so many of these available on the market. The blush really should go with your skin tone. There is pink and peach and brown one, or you can buy a mix of different colours. For me personally I only use pink in summer and brown In autumn winter as other colours or mixes just don’t suit me.
I buy mine from the italian brand called pupa which I’ve been using for more than 10 years and I just love their colours. They are only available in certain places online. Otherwise loreal is good and dior too if you opt for a more expensive one.

LIPSTICKS
I do have a thing for lipsticks and probably own more than I should but never ever thrown even one in the bin, I use them every single day. I can go out without the makeup up I will always have a lipstick on. I buy mine from loreal and maxfactor, but I also love dior, the only problem with dior is that they don’t last (except the matt ones). I also tried the Clinique one, which I absolutely love. They last and they glossy they don’t have many new colours and they mostly to be repeated year after year but if you set your heart for a particular one , you will love having it.

Its good to own an eyeliner and set of different eye crayons but not necessarily. I’m also using L’Oréal lumi magique base pure light primer for my chicks area to give them gloss before applying the foundation. L’Oréal also does Paris glow monamour liquid highlighting drops in a different colours which works the same as the base but you can use it on top of your foundation and it will give your skin a nice glow . Otherwise Buy things as you go along if you not sure you will be using it. The make up expires so buy only what you planning to use regularly.

Being a personal stylist requires many different skills which I learnt throughout the years. The moment you enter someone else house, you have to put yourself into their shoes. It’s not about you anymore, what you think, or what you want for them or what’s In your opinion will look great. NO! You shut your mouth and listen, observe, gather information. Sometimes I prefer to spend 2 hours on having a conversation with a person and 10 minutes look out on their wardrobe than other way round. Stylist is a little bit like grocery shopping for a allergic person, you have to gather lots of information before you make that shopping to avoid any allergens and mistakes. I like to get to know my clients not because I’m too nosy but because more I know them , easier for me is to pick up the right garments for them and avoid a lot of time in returning the clothes. For me every piece of puzzle matters, including what their job is, how they day look like, if they go out or they more likely stay at home person, if they have any pets, children, particular hobbies, even what they eat and how their house is arranged matter. From what people wear you can really guess a lot of things about them, the first sixty seconds matter, that’s what they say and there is some true in that as well from having a look around their lifestyle will tell you a lot about what places they will more likely be shopping at.

Your personal preferences don’t matter, its what your client wants and that’s where you have to go. I would shop in Zara 99 percent of the time not because I worked there but I genuinely think their collection is the biggest and I just love their pieces. I can’t help the fact that I would love to be there every time when shopping for my clients wardrobe. This does not matter. Clients budget could be smaller than what you have to spend in zara, or they prefer designer pieces next to which zara clothes look cheap and tacky or you have to shop for sizes bigger that what’s zara has in offer or perhaps type of clothes they don’t do such as sporty or more blinky. I had customer who absolutely despite zara having very bad shopping experience there and I had to respect that , even though I could pick up many things she asked for from there at that particular time,I had to go above and beyond to find what she needs elsewhere. It was very frustrating and time consuming but nobody said the job is easy. And it’s not about being easy, it’s about meeting your clients preferences and needs.
My passion for clothes started when I worked for inditex company. It was hard work but most of the time I enjoyed myself there. When I became pregnant my priorities suddenly changed and clothes were not as important as they used to, especially when I couldn’t fit in most of them after the pregnancy. I went onto studying a childcare which at that time in life seemed like a right thing to do as a mum. However 2 years later I realised that I don’t feel like it’s for me, I continued studying and finished the final year, only to know that the next course I will apply to will be my dream fashion course and that’s what kept me going. I have lived in 2 different words, working with children, and studying fashion , which continue for a very long time. One day I have decided enough is enough, sat at my computer and started a research on where the personal stylist in London are. I have contacted a few asking for a non paid intern, on order to learn the job, but faced only declined responses. I tried again the year after but the same happened. One day when shopping I met my old customer from the days when I was working in Zara and she offered me something that was a good start to my small personal styling business.

You have to be prepared to work for free or for a very small money. Keep your job, and do the styling In your free time at the beginning until you confident enough to make this your main income. I have always made sure I have one day off during the week and every other weekend I went shopping or picking up the pieces I’ve already bought online. I can say it has been easy but when you enjoy what you do, you are motivated and at the end of the day you can always have a nice hot bath which will flush off all the stress out of your shoulders and muscle pain out of your feet.
At the beginning you need the money to buy clothes, you cannot ask your client the first time you meet them for money. You have your own money when you go shopping, until the moment your project is done and you add the recipe to the final bill of you service. You have to build their trust and it won’t happen overnight. You less likely to pick up 100 percent all the pieces at the first time but if you are professional and friendly, it may save your life from a lot of disasters.
Clients are not all the same .Every single time you go on the job, you have to be open minded, have a flexible approach and never jump into conclusions. New job is a new canvas and for me I never drag any good or bad experience with my previous client onto a new one. Never act like you know better, and even though styling them it’s your job and that’s what they hire you for, it is not your job to make any comments, judgments or give advice they do not ask for on the first visit. I always reminded myself that even living with a boyfriend for a 5 years doesn’t really make you to know him 100 percent. So why talking to someone for 2 hours would make you know this person and make any judgements or having an opinion about them. Getting to know someone it’s a journey it’s not a one appointment that bring it all,
You have to be very patient with people, and respectful , you have to be ready for every scenario. You have to be prepared that some people do not have time to due to their busy lifestyle, or full time job , or juggling between husband and children and business. They are unpatient and strict not because they don’t like you but because they want the job done in as short space of time as possible. That’s why again it’s important to get to know people closer , so you can put yourself into their shoes and work with them according to their need and free time they can offer you, you might have a client who you will be able to only meet for 15 minutes in a coffe shop near their work place, and they won’t show you their home or their wardrobe, you have to gather as many information as possible from the conversation with them and pray that your gut will lead you to the right shop and clothing rail. You will meet the people who will want their whole wardrobe refreshed but their budget only cover half of the things they are asking for, again you have to be diplomatic, bring the pieces, show them the prices and go from there, they will realise themselves that their either need to up their budget or lower their expectations and compromise.
Never say anything negative in a conversation with your client, do not use words, it’s not possible, will take long time or that’s unrealistic, use positive words and positive approach to everything you do, and the time and circumstances always be on your side. I used to stress so much on the deadlines, one of my first clients needed the dress for the party which was in the same week as we ve met, she wanted a very specific design, and I had to do my research to deliver. I stayed up all night to find the right piece which was in her size and in stock in a shop which I could get to the next day. I wanted to give up at that time, I told myself , what was I thinking , I was exhausted and that job really worn me out but I delivered and the client was so happy she gave me another job and this time I had much more time to complete it. It’s not always gonna be hunky ponky but those challenging times, gives you confidence and motivation to carry on and you learn that perhaps if you have done things differently it would take less time, or be easier so learn from it, and be thankful for those free life lessons, you can develop yourself and your skills by keep going, not giving up.

Always socialise with people , meet new faces and be professional and friendly, tell people what you do, but do not sell them your life stories . Make positive comments if you genuine think they dress up nicely and never ever give advice on their appearance if they don’t ask for it. Don’t be pushy, make sure what you wearing stands out from the crowd so people automatically drawn to you and they will ask questions out of curiosity. That’s how you build up the right crowd.
You have to spend the time to know the client, you can’t skip that and just go shopping for them. You will end up returning more than you picked up and your time will go to waste as well as their time, time is money and if you waste their money, they won’t give you their time anymore.
Never go over the budget or under the budget , it is offensive for them. You might think you gave me 500 hundred and I found you a dress for half that price. They won’t thank you for that, they will find any excuse the piece look cheap and tacky and you end up returning it. Finding a piece that will fit their budget and also their needs will do much less harm than looking for a bargain when they don’t ask for it. Again you have to know the client, some of them would think you’re a gem finding their dress on the sale rack, but most likely that’s not a case. Every person is different and you have to be a perfect fit to what they asking for. Finding the right clothing it’s like shopping for sunglasses. You are the only person who know your face the most. And will get them right 99 percent of the time when trying them on and picking them form the shelf. With clothes is the same, you have to know the client to get it right 99 percent of the time.

Never tried to make friends with your client, always be professional with them, you can get to know them as a person, but do not expect anything more. when there is no fine line between your job and relationship, you not only will end up not being paid for what you doing, but also, your professional approach could go to the bin, as the client will feel too comfortable around you to even take any constructive criticism, also never expect people to invite you to the parties, events, birthdays, only because you work for them. Again you don’t invite your hairdresser to your child birthday party because she cut your hair that day and you shared the conversation about your children. Don’t expect people then to do the same.

Use as many tools as possible to make the job easier and fun. What’s very time consuming is to shop for clothes, bring the whole pile to your client and find they do not fit. At the very beginning of my career I had done exactly that. I was very confident in what I was doing , shopping all day for a client was exhausting enough, but when I reached their home and was told that half of the things were not what they looking for I almost fainted from the shock. I wanted to give up so many times because of that. I asked myself what am I doing wrong, I’ve done the research, I asked the questions, I found out about their preferable style, brand and sizing. I know their lifestyle and the budget. I started using the moodboards, ipads, pictures, my ipad became my best friend as I was able to take pictures when shopping and sending them to the client before going to the checkout. My confidence shifted and doing a simple mood board for the client(only for bigger projects such as whole wardrobe detox) was nice to the eye and perhaps their opinion and trust developed faster in terms of what I am delivering and what they paying for. Since its your job, and you on your own, make it fun, nobody cares if you tired , you on your feet all day , and most of the pieces your meant to picked up were not available in the store, they client don’t want to listen your pity stories, they want the things to be delivered because they have the conference this weekend and have to deliver their own project looking smart and professional.
If I had a bad day and things go wrong, I step back even if it means I delay myself from the finish day , take a breath, take a yoga class, have a nice, meal, gather my thoughts and start all over again. it works magic.

Being a stylist it’s a learning process. It took many months for me to learn how to do things differently and it will take me years to perfect my craft. Every person is different and you have to see what works for you better, if you love your job and you enjoy every project then you should be able to continue , and motivate yourself every day, and find the solutions and fix the problems. Staying focus, patient and positive can help greatly and that’s what you should do. Being patient and biting your tongue most of the time could be taught at the beginning but you will soon realise that what give you the pass ticket to the end of each project and is a connecting chain to future projects and more jobs. Being a stylist requires many skills which nobody will teach you at school, but when there is a passion , there is a space for a success.

Styling it’s not only the clothes , style is what you eat, what make up you wear, what hair you wear or perfume, it’s the exercise you do, or you don’t, it’s what furniture you put in your house and much more. you can enter someone home, and finding pretty fast that apart of the dress they looking for to wear at the party, they also need advice in what make up would suit them, or what clutch bag they should pick up from their wide collection. You have to be vigilant to what you see and what their body language would tell you. Like in any other subject you should always develop yourself , and be knowledgeable in other areas of life and style such as make up, home design, healthy eating, jewellery or hats if someone has the whole walking wardrobe in their home filled up with hats. Your skills should be always stretched to what the client is asking for, even if it means you have to do all day research on current trends of tight patterns in this summer collection. What makes the job interesting is you never know where you gonna end up and each project is special and unique in their own way.

Be your own stylist

Chain pattern in my opinion is the most exquisite of all. First started with the Versace fashion house has been coming back year in year out. There is something in that pattern that catches the eye immediately, and in so many different colours and designs it really is something unique. I was so pleased to know that this year Zara has introduced many pieces in that pattern which I knew will help me to dress my clients and meet their demands of an expensive look they always look for.
How do you dress with such a busy pattern, with so many colours on one piece of clothing? You can dress in as many ways as possible, looking ready to go to work, park, brunch with friends or an interview for a fashion magazine.
What I love about this pattern is that it looks expensive enough to wear with your prada heels and unique enough to wear a pair of ballerinas and go to a sunday brunch with your friends.You can look extremaly expensive and you can look very casual, it really is only a matter of what you wearing your patterns with.
I have gotten hold of as many pieces as possible in that pattern to be able to pull up different looks for every occasion and had so much fun with it. I have used some of my old bags, accessories and shoes and it proved again you don’t have to buy a lot to come up with a new look.
Im not gonna lie, im a huge fan of patterns, and throughout the years I have learnt on my own skin what works what’s not, now looking at my wardrobe there is hardly any pieces which are in one colour and for me dressing in mix of different colours it just became so much fun and new adventure every time I open my wardrobe.

Patterns of such a busy colour and design, of course look great with plain colour pieces but bringing other colours or patterns for that matter into the mix can be also a great choice if you now what your doing.

Dress which I worn with my nike shoes was simply beautiful, reminding me a little bit of a private boarding school times, the cut was very simple , yet very precise, pleated skirt and collar gave her a sharp yet beatiful look.Even the cufflinks were clearly very thought through adding to the design of a simple yet, enormously luxury piece.
Although I worn that will my nikes and simple high neck cashmere jumper I still felt very visible in the crowd of people and got strangely a lot of attention with that outfit on ( Or could be the fishnet tights I would never know )

I simple loved the white dress and the gold –black chain design which I worn with a burgundy long cardigan and my fur bottom coat. There was something so elegant about this look, I embraced the whole photoshoot experience and really enjoyed myself in that outfit. The grey heels which I wore on that day totally compliment the white high neck jumper and some of the black parts of the dress.

The top which I thought will wear to my summer vacation to Bali I have decided to throw over the high neck pastel green jumper and navy blazer to get that office look. I mixed that with a burgundy heels and gold fashion earrings to give myself more interesting look. I wanted to show how high street pieces can be well mixed with a designer pieces throwing my prada bag and dior sunglasses into the mix and I think overall was a pretty outfit.

With the shirt “inspired others” I wanted to pull up a very casual yet unforgetable look. With snake pattern boots and furry green emerald jumper i walked straight into the taxi to catch with my friend over Sunday brunch.I loved the creamy texture of the green eyeshadows and the bright colours which danced together with the emerald from the jumper.To throw more fun into this photoshot i chose a tights with a dot design, so some peoples eyes could wander in between the greens, and fur and chain and slogan and endless combination of my outfit.The leather bag with golden embroidery has been my travel bag for so long, i couldnt simply miss it the beauty of the design which complemented wonderfuly with the colours of the skirt.I think the whole look was simple, yet catchy and I know for the fact it would get a lot of attention from other pedestrians.

I absolutely loved another piece of design which was the the chocolate brown dress , the colour is so deep, and so luxury it can be worn to a meeting with your most demanding client. I have chosen a baby pink leather jacket only because I wanted to have some fun with it and perhaps go a little bit more casual for once. I mixed the dress with blue elastic heels with a stripy design and my favourite of all clutchbag. I think brown and blue goes beautifully together, but this dress if worn differently, deserves the best coat you might have in your wardrobe and some killer heels with a red sole.
Emerald is my favourite colour and there is nothing I adore more than pair of emerald earrings. They don’t have Angelina Jolie price tag on but they still look beautiful with the brown and matching some of the stones on my clutchbag.

The last of my looks I just loved it. I mixed a snake print and cheek which is very in fashion this year and the luxury of the chain pattern on the shirt just complimented the whole look, some of my most exquisite clients complimented me on that look and I just think I left the best for last.i mixed with my good old zara black heels and a cute little clutch with a geometric design which gives the whole look even bigger wow factor.

For the past few years working as a stylist I ‘ve met a lot of people from the high end of the scale, who’s budget for clothes is called “ no budget” who’s wardrobe size is larger than my whole flat and they can afford anything they want, whenever they want. Would they be bothered to buy a skirt for a couple of thousand pounds? No, would they want the same skirt with a high street brand tag , and the price 10 times lower? maybe. It took me a while to persuade some, that you can look like a million dollars without going to dior every single time you see something in the magazine and you can look like you’ve just stepped out from the fashion catwalk mixing high street brand and designer brand and still nobody notice you saved yourself big chunk of money. There are priceless and timeless pieces of clothing everybody wants to have and should have in their wardrobe like chanel bag, laboutin heels, hermes printed scarfs, prada sunglasses or a tiffany ring. If you can afford you should have it all why not. However I don’t see why buying a couple thousand pounds bikini that says valentino on it is any better from a marks and spencer one that looks like valentino if you didn’t check the back of it…

You can buy a high street brand dress and mix with your designer bag, you will look expensive , you can mix your blazer and trousers you just got from zara, with yout labouting shoes and go to the posh party , everybody will compliment you, and want to know where you got your clothes from
The same with brands of a smaller calibre like hm,zara or gap. You can mix both and I can promise you look really expensive too. It’s a matter of what you mixing , not how much you spending.

I love zara chain print collection this year which is inspired by Versace one of the biggest labels out there. I got some of the pieces from the collection for both myself and the clients. They will be wearing them with their designer shoes bags and accessories,and look like a million dollars, I will stick to my old cardigans, last season winter boots, and yes,my good old prada bag I got myself few years ago and hardly ever worn, and still look enough expensive for me to walk tall and proud.

The drill to look expensive lays in mixing something that you like with something that perhaps is more out of your comfort zone that gives you the wow factor like a beautiful chandelier earrings or a large hat, a fur vest, a cardigan with frills, embroidery, tassels ect with a bag that is enough unique to draw people’s attention or the boots that has something attached to them or have a pattern everyone will look at or they just in a unique colour. I love patterns colours, fabrics that are different , that has shine to it, weird textures , oversized, comfy, colourful, over the top but without the high price tag, this is what most of the time draws people attention.
When you put different with different together, when you experiment.
then you are unique, different, eye catching and people immediately think “that must have cost a lot of money”

If you wear a black dress with black shoes and grey bag and go out, would you draw enough attention as wearing a black dress, sequin cardigan, emerald earrings and pineapple clutch bag? Be a Christmas tree when comes to dressing up, just a tasteful one…
Experiment with clothes, start with something small if you not comfortable or unsure, buy a top that you really really like, with a unique colour, pattern fabric, go home and see what you can mix that with, add some shoes, trousers, skirt, earrings, put the make up on, find a bag that can go with it, think of you going to the best party of your life, there is no excuses for looking great every day , except your excuses. You only get on life.
Anyone can look expensive, for any type of budget.

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The other thing is the accessories. More accessories you have better, that doesn’t mean you have to dress yourself with everything you see in your wardrobe, without any thought put into it, it means, the accessories, can really make you look expensive not so much what you wearing as your main piece. When recently attended interview, saw many people wearing nice set of blazer, trousers, dresses with a bag that looked worn, old, ugly and two sizes bigger than it should be only coz is practical I would think to throw everything in it when you out and about. Take that bag if you need to, but when you enter the interview room, leave it behind you. That’s of course a metaphor as you don’t want your belongings to be lost. I always take a bag with me that has everything thrown into it and then a pretty piece than matches my outfit. Of course if you are going shopping for a day you’r not gonna take a clutch bag with you unless you live around the corner from Harrods. But be more thoughtful when comes to accessories they really put the whole outfit together. Investing in a new bag that your clothes can shine through will make a bigger impact that shopping for another few pair of trousers you probably already have in your wardrobe.

make up is another big thing when dressing up and as important as the clothes. if your face look radiant, happy,and colourful then the rest of its a history. make sure you plan your outfit and then the make up, not other way round, the same with the accessories, first you want to choose your main piece, then accessories then make up. ive been using one eye shadow palette for years, yes its expensive but it last forever.invest in a good eyeshadow, the right mascara and foundation which will make look your face like a porcelain cup,with a blush that adds your face a colour, i absolutely loves my blush that not only gives me sparkle but also conotour my cheekbones so well, sometimes thats the only thing i have it on. lipstick is one of the things that really, and i mean really you can wear without anything else and still look good. im absolutely obsessed with lipsticks and have tones of them, i just think there is nothing better to cheer you up than a red or pink lips in a rainy day.

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You don’t need a lot of money to look good, you can combine old and new and never look the same. You can wait for sales and never buy in season, and get things that you cannot afford , but find them for a quarter of a price on ebay. Looking good doesn’t mean you have to empty your wallet every month going shopping and buying another pair of shoes, Looking pretty doesn’t mean you have to have drawers filled up with makeup, you can use the same eye shadow palette for many years, you don’t have to spend fortune on yoga classes, gym, you can go for a run every morning and use youtube for free yoga practise, looking good is a way of life, and doesn’t have a price tag on it, you can have wardrobe full of clothes you never worn, make up that expires because you keep buying a new one and so many pair of shoes you lost count.
Looking pretty from the outside doesn’t mean you happy from the inside. If you’re miserable, it doesn’t matter what you wear, coz that doesn’t make you more beautiful. Clothes are great and can change your mood, like music or jogging or cooking, but having clarity of what makes you happy apart of new dress, that’s what it brings the life to balance. So how do you look pretty and safe your money?
-go shopping only if you need to
-shop for an occasion rather than because you have a day off and no other plans. Don’t spent your whole Sunday in the shop. Know when you done and walk out, have a plan before hitting the shop, the same with grocery shopping, have a list before you enter your local supermarket and don’t go shopping hungry, know what you buying, instead of wondering between rails for no reason. Buy for a reason, occasion, event, not for a sake of or because you have nothing better to do.

-mix old with new, don’t buy another pair of shoes, think of what you have in your wardrobe you can use to replace a new purchase. Buy a new dress if you want to but mix with a pair of shoes you bought last season and an old bag which might be stuck in your wardrobe for years but get useful this year. There is plenty of things that comes back in fashion every year, and also plenty of styles which repeats themselves every year. You giving yourself a favour not getting rid of your old corduroy trousers or clothes which you might have bought it ages ago and now are so in fashion
-use ebay and other selling websites as your backup, a lot of things that we find in the shops, we can also find on selling sites for a quarter of a price. If I like something and cannot afford to buy it for a full price I go on ebay. Its not always a case of buying cheaper but if you determined and you stick to your budget , you will find what you looking for. There is a buyer born every minute, the same with sellers, there is someone listing an item every minute if not second on ebay. What are the odds of someone listing exactly what you looking for and you can always negotiate the price. I think the chances are pretty big for you to get yourself a bargain.
– buy more small accessories and combine them with old pieces, most of the time is cheaper to buy new set of earrings, clutch bag, hat or a pair of sunglasses than the whole outfit. Nobody will notice you have an old dress on, because everyone will be looking at your new earrings or a unique clutch that beautifully matches your “old”dress.
-sell if you don’t like it. Sometimes we buy things with a spur of a moment, and after a while, asking , what was I thinking, sell, you can be surprised how many people might like what you just bought it and pay even the full price for it. I have a soft spot for designer sunglasses. A lot of the times I like to buy sunglasses from the previous seasons, rather than following the trends. Not always they are cheaper, but I got myself a bargain many times buying very expensive frames for a fracture of a price. That’s one thing I can honestly say I always get it right.
-use one eye palette with as many colours as possible, don’t buy a new one every season, when buying the same foundation for years, search if they sell a set of few on ebay, I got myself 5 bottles for a price of 2!, try to work with what you have at home instead of getting another 10th lipstick in your collection, sometimes you might be surprised that certain things go together and it actually look good, play with things instead of spending a boring afternoon in front of telly. you might have fun with it but realising you might just have saved yourself a chunk of money for that next unnecessarily purchase.
-find alternative for an expensive perfumes; I am not gonna say I don’t love designer perfumes because I would be lying. Every one of us like a pretty little bottle of fragrance which is just divine. I am a huge fan of fragrances when comes to perfumes, candles and cosmetics. I think there is nothing better to put us in a great mood than a fragrance that takes us back to particular moment in life. But when I searched for a recent fragrance and then accidentally tried one my daughter was using I couldn’t believe how similar they both were. Zara has amazing bottles of perfumes which I have been buying from time to time. The price is usually a quarter of what you spend on the designer ones and I just love how some of them really do smell like my expensive designer ones.

The time I discovered a selfie stick was a total breakthrough moment for me, because a)I have always been dependant on other people when it comes to taking a pictures while on holidays and b)almost every time the pictures other people taken of me I wasn’t happy with hundred percent.
Once I really started thinking through my holidays when it came to a chosen outfits, places I want to see and pictures I want to take I thought to myself there must be a better way than asking people for a photo every time me and my daughter needed one. It never occurred to me that we can take our own photo until the selfie stick came out and the new era begun. I bought my first selfie stick before going to Thailand in 2017. I was very excited knowing that I can take pictures any time I want and anywhere I want without being dependant on anyone else. Some of the pictures came out really good I framed them when we came back from the trip but I still was lacking something not quite sure what it was. Months passed and I have started my own blog knowing that I might perhaps need something else than a selfie stick which can only be used when holding the phone and I wanted to stand much further down than the actual end of my hand. I’ve started searching and found a selfie stick tripod with extendable legs which done just a job. Such a tripod selfie stick not only acted as a professional tripod used for taking a pictures when you out and about but also took almost no space in my bag and had a little Bluetooth remote included. What a bonus !
I have been preparing myself for a yoga retreat at that time and knowing that my daughter won’t be there to take a photo of me , somehow I had to manage it myself so I took the stick with me having that in mind. I have been able to take some awesome pictures by myself without a hassle of asking other people or even without embarrassment of making faces and doing different poses in front of other people. The truth is that the greatest pictures comes out when you the most relaxed and it is really almost impossible to get that expressions in front of strangers.
Taking photos really does depends on where you are and what mood you in but I always search for inspirations when comes down to poses or face expressions which most of the time I forget about anyway but I have to say if you shy and unsure what a great picture should look like it’s always great idea to look up and perhaps get some ideas before you go on holidays. Since I discovered how taking shoots from a different perspective can really change the picture or even persons face and body, I have been more conscious about taking photo instead of just clicking randomly for a photo with a smile. There is so many poses or face expressions you can do to really embrace the moment that I had no idea about, but before going on holidays I always search the internet or buy a vogue to get inspired and so far worked really great.
More pictures you take, better you get, I remember just taking picture from the same position which was either standing or sitting down, since watching the youtube videos about how to take a better pictures with an iphone I really tried to embrace all the information and used them in my future trips abroad. Once you start taking pictures from a different angles, levels, and sides you really starting to get an idea how different pictures you can get, you don’t have to get anybody to go around you with the camera, you can use the stick and do it yourself. In fact is much more fun this way and probably way more comfortable. Whenever I go now, I take my phone with me because almost every time I discover chances and possibilities for a great photo.
Another great thing is that with an iphone you can change colours of your photos. That’s probably not something the professional photographers would be proud of, but I have to say investing in a good camera like I did few years ago, really was great for a while, but not if I want to take pictures on the go. It’s great to have an expensive canon, and yes it does take wonderful pictures, but If you on a short one day trip and really need to act fast when taking photos , large and heavy canon is probably not the best thing to carry with you since is big in size and you have to change the lense if you planning on taking different types of pictures. I know it must sounds bad but I really started to enjoy taking pictures with an iphone, because it fits into my bag, it fits into my selfie stick, I can take photos myself and doesn’t take me time to set up anything. Plus I can change the colours of the photo any time of the day and that’s really helpful if you have your own blog or an Instagram account.

You suddenly feel like you need a break from all the hustle and bustle of everyday life. You booked the holidays and you ready to go. You’ve got 2 days of total relaxation and you want to look your best because you going with your boyfriend, and yes you will be taking some pictures and you want to look your best for that short holidays.
Wales it’s a place of small villages surrounded by mountains. You will need something which will fit into the background so you don’t look overdressed but look pretty enough to take some memorable photos. You want to be comfortable, look cute and cozy and you want to enjoy yourself without spending too much time on dressing up in the morning.
CHECK THE WEATHER. That is the main thing before travelling as you know exactly what type of clothes you will be taking. Of course you always need backup clothes, just in case the weather changes, but that’s not your main priority right now.
HIT THE SHOPS, check what’s in fashion right now. If that’s not your main priority, hit your wardrobe and check if you have any cool clothes that might fit the purpose of your trip 
I hit my favourite shop and spotted real fast what I will need for the weekend in Wales.
Cheek trousers coming back to fashion this year which is great because is one of my favourite patterns. Together with some chunky knitwear will look practical but also pretty enough to match the background of the mountains. I have gone for a bright purple chunky jumper and green cheek pattern trousers. I think the bright colours of the purple will bring out the pattern of the trousers but also keep me warm in case of any unpredictable wind or temperature drop.
Few weeks ago when searching the sales rack I Found this amazing colourful pattern jumper , which seemed like a great bargain, since I couldn’t afford to buy it for full price, but of course as with most of my clothes, buy and forget , so never worn before stucked deep inside of my wardrobe, I have decided to wear this time it and it seemed perfect for this type of trip. I also got some black suede trousers which I think will bring up the colours of the jumper and will prove enough comfortable in case there will be some serious hiking involved.
And of course mentioning the hiking taking my favourite trainers which I absolutely adore and wear them even with my most pretty dresses are number one when comes to trip like that as anything else would just look hideous.
I’m taking some knitwear skirt too, in case there will be any place to show off my legs ;-), but also my favourite part of every trip –a tshirt with slogan to celebrate the purpose of this trip which is basically having a great time with my daughter and enjoying ourselves.
I have been travelling around Scotland before and if you taking a picture with the mountain background there is a lot of green involved. Make sure that you either wear big patterns or bright colours. That way the mountain look beautiful and you will look enough visible for the picture.
I bought some rucksack too while doing shopping in ikea for my new bathroom and yes it might not be the bag with the designer tag on it but for me it’s just perfect colour and size and absolutely perfect for the purpose of this trip and I didn’t need to spend a lot of money either, which what shopping is all about.
Dont forget the raincoat or an umbrella as there is pretty big chance of few rain drops when you travel to places near mountains or generally Great Britain for that matter.

Here is the thing, travelling is an amazing, eye opening experience,but when it comes to an end its not so good and and for some could prove very difficult to go back to reality.

I first started travelling properly( not to mention few short trips every now and then) when my daughter turned one, we decided to go to Fuerteventura island for our first getaway and since then I never looked back. I caught the travel bug and most of my hard earned money goes towards my next adventure.
I always and always come home and feel like my energy level goes from 10-0 and simply because, yes we had a great time, and yes I finally had a time to sit, relax and sip mochito any time of the day like there is no manana and on the top of it, there is always plenty of sunshine whenever we go.
This year was different because first time in 9 years I have decided to travel solo. I sent my daughter for a month holiday to see her grandpas and grandads and cousins and packed my suitcase totally unaware what these holidays will be like. I have spent a week in a breathtaking Andalucia with 8other strangers who I never met before, practised yoga 4 hours and day and had all the time in the world to meditate, cry, eat, drink, think, watch the night sky, make a new friendships and so on.
It was holidays like no others, I came home with lots of memories, pictures, new body and brand new mind, which was completely cleared off the past, future and present.
My daughter wasn’t there and the first day thankfully I had a huge jet leg and I managed to sleep all day with a few wake ups for food and drink. I had another 3 weeks off to go, before going back to work and I had no idea what I am going to do with myself.
Yes, most of us, have to go back to work, the moment we step back on the British soil, and start planning on the taxi way back home, what’s for dinner, what’s tomorrow, and how many clothes washes we have to do. I did before, in fact I do that every single time I’m back from holidays because I know my daughter has to be ready to for another trip shortly after we back from our holidays. I had a choice this time. My daughter wasn’t there and so, I had plenty of time to choose what I would like to do first and yes, perhaps it was a first time to see how it should be done.
-Give yourself time to sink in everything you’ve seen, tasted, experienced and felt, this way you will be able to accept and move on with a huge cloud of gratitude and joy.
(… )and yes , we all have a job to go to, kids to take care of, boyfriend in the house, dog to take it for a walk. But the first week, when you back, take it slow, have that moment for yourself,
My energy level really went down on the second day. I couldn’t face the world, I went shopping to get few things and I couldn’t bare the fact I’m here, not there. I have decided to really embrace that time with myself and bring the best out of me. Yoga gave a whole new meaning to my life. Although I have been practising yoga for past few years, being in a different country, surrounded with breathtaking views felt so much better than doing it in the classroom. I was able to really let it go, and get in the deep state of relaxation and feel myself, hear my thoughts, and knew what the next step will be when I get back home. Being able to make new friendships and continue to keep in touch when back home helped me to go back to reality easier.
-Listen to the music, it not only puts you in the great mood but shush down your negative thoughts, of sadness and missing where you’ve just been.
-Flip through the pictures you’ve taken, remind yourself not only where you’ve just been but also, what have you brought back. Feel gratitude of your experience not sadness because is gone.
(…) there is no such a thing for me like going on holidays only for sake of it. Yes, I love to travel, and go to new places every single time, and I have the whole plan before even hitting the airport, but every trip brings not only nice pictures but also new experiences. It changes your perspective how you see the world, how you appreciate what you have, and makes you realise that half of the things you have, you don’t even need to makes your life happier, or better for that matter. There is so much more to life than just outer things we surround ourselves with and every day I use travelling to remind myself of that every single time.
What I’ve learned from my time in Spain is that yes, yoga is the greatest thing I discovered, and yes, you can travel solo, because that’s the only way to meet new people and make new friendships, and yes, you can find a connection with someone you’ve never met before, and yes, you can look pretty and do yoga at the same time , no matter what your teacher says;-)you must let it go off the past and future and live in the present moment, and forgive in order to move on and share the moments with others, you never know how someone’s friendship can lead you to the right direction.
Eat, drink, sleep, continue your life, share the memories with others, go for a run if you feel like, continue with your practice, plan the next adventure, and be excited,
(…)actually the best thing to move on is too plan another trip, coming back home from holidays it always feels like a divorce, painful and slow, start planning where you head next, you don’t need funds right now, or search the flights, or think how you going to take time off from work. The moment you start planning the next vacation, is the moment you plant that little seed in your head, to make it a reality. I had plenty of time this week so I have decided to create brand new vision board for next couple of months, printing off the pictures of places I want to go to and things I want to do. Get yourself excited again. Have something to look forward to. Don’t overthink and believe that it’s your reality no matter what happens outside of your life.
I’ve got to say, I’m grateful and thankful for this experience. And I cannot wait for the next one, as I know for the fact it will bring something completely different into my life and new memories will be formed.