Side Street Style: June 2012

Brilliantly British Boden

29/06/2012

I know sometimes people have the wrong impression of Boden, that perhaps it's safe option but to me it is a quintessential British brand that has really come into it's own with the resurgence of vintage and british summer styles. I think you will be surprised when you see the Brilliantly British photo shoot (below). I am a huge fan of their vintage swimsuit collection as well as their festival perfect head scarfs and Union jack bags.

I own a few Boden pieces and not only do they make great staples but also amazing statement pieces and are far from boring, with so much detail going into each garment and they use high quality materials and excellent cuts and tailoring. I have had some of my garments for years and they are very long lasting and a good investment into your wardrobe. I love the big buttons they use and the floral liners and the small touches that will make you fall in love with Boden. They also do amazing Mini Boden children's clothes which showcase fun and quirky designs. Arthurs grandmother got him a shirt and trousers for christmas and he loves them...such soft material and stands up to a very messy toddler.

Boden has some really amazing deals and sales on at the moment and I came across some great money off vouchers at My Voucher Codes meaning you can save on some seriously quality items.

I love the vintage swimsuits

28/06/2012

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So for about a year now I have just been using my ASOS military backpack as a changing bag but through so much wear and tear it has finally given up and no longer closes properly and has holes everywhere so it was time for an upgrade. John came home the other day with a surprise gift and it was so beautifully wrapped. The bag is from Cath Kidston and was possibly something I would not have chosen myself as it's somewhat yummy mummy (a myth I don't subscribe to) but its very well made durable and practical with a bottle holder and integrated mat and would also double up well as a weekend away bag and the print has really grown on me :)

27/06/2012

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Every now and then you just need to get out of the city, town or village you live in and have an explore no matter how far or close it is to home. We both love Bristol/Somerset area and realised that even though we have both been to Bath we have not been together so it was time for a little family exploring to the beautiful city. First stop though was at Bristol Zoo for Mr A to see the Dino exhibition and also the monkeys which he loved. Since we are nearing moving house we had to do this short break on a budget and so we stayed at the basic but very central Travelodge on George street. Since we checked in on Sunday evening there was not that much open so we just decided to take a stroll into town and see what tickled our taste buds and John felt like a burger so we ended up at TGI Fridays and John not only had a burger but had the MEGABurger - it was huge! Mr A also won over the staff with his love for the TGI friday balloons.

John and Mr A at Bristol Zoo - John wears Ralph Lauren, Ray Ban and Guess Watch, Mr A wears Ben Sherman and Van shoes

My new friend

Father and Son

In the morning John walked to a little deli and picked up some amazing coffee and pain au chocolat (love it) and we got ready to take on the day. We where very lucky with the weather - even though it wanted to rain it stayed dry all day. First of all we visited the Oxfam Boutique which had a really amazing DKNY jacket but alas it was far to big but I really want to visit this store again, there are a lot of finds to be had here. We then proceeded to the centre of town and to the large and very beautiful Cathedral where a busker played some really good spanish guitar and Mr A danced in the street while John ate a rustic sausage from the local stall. You could spend all weekend walking around the boutiques and little shops in bath - there is something around every corner and so many culinary treats to eat. We walked along the bridge and above the weir and through Bristol market where we picked up a yummy samosa from another deli. We then spent the rest of the day in the park by the weir - you have to pay to enter this park - only £1.20 but it is so well kept and has won loads of awards and it great for children to run around. Mr A loved chasing the ducks and they have a very cute little cafe were we had some more yummy treats. All in all it was a great short break and we really loved the relaxed street style in Bath with an edge of boho chic - would love to live there!

John wearing a Nudie Shirt

Wearing a gifted scarf and knitted top from Next

Beautiful Bath

20/06/2012

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I realised I have not done a product review for a longtime and please note this is Not a sponsored review, I bought these myself and I simply want to share what beauty products I am using at the moment. Both John and I lean towards more natural based products and we thought we would give some of the Boots Botanics line a go as they are all plant based products and certified by Kew Gardens and feel very light on the skin.

Conditioning Clay Mask - First of all we wanted to find an effective face mask that was quick, easy and simply to apply and something we could fit into our busy lives and a product that doesn't dry our skin out (John has very sensitive skin). We both agreed that only after 15 minutes this mask left our skin feeling so soft and really helped draw out impurities. The main ingredient is natural oceanic clay which exhibits a negative electrical charge to attract deep rooted impurities and it also contains burdock which has both anti-oxidant and anti-microbial properties. Really love this product and would highly recommend it.

Sensitive Oil Free moisturiser - in the beginning I was very weary of this product, mainly because of it's appearance - I had only really used moisturisers that looked creamy and this was thin clear gel in appearance, almost a little watery. But after a few weeks I really felt it helped calm my skin down and keep it clear and didn't block the pores at all and it felt very light. I am very glad I stuck with it as I have since tried other moisturisers and have gone back to this product.

Organic Rose Water Toner - this has the most beautiful rose smell to it and makes your skin feel fresh and gives you the feeling like you have just walked through and English garden in spring. The great thing with the botanics range is they don't feel harsh on your skin whatsoever although it takes time for your skin to feel the benefits - so no quick fixes but very beneficial if you stick with it. There may be better or stronger toners on the market but this has a wonderful natural smell has a real feel-good factor.

All these products can be bought from either boots online or in store. Thanks for reading Side Street Style

10/06/2012

2 comments

So it's that time again - instagram lovelies from the past few weeks and what a busy few weeks they have been with our "mini" summer heat wave, Olympic torch tour and the Queens jubilee...so lot's to celebrate. Since the sun decided to come out the first thing I did (like everyone else) was try and find a paddling pool for arthur to cool down in, which was difficult as nearly all the shops had sold out. John and I have also been trying to spend as much time together as his job at the moment means long hours so the time we do get has to be quality time and I love the photo of him and Arthur. It has always been a week of getting back to things I love such as playing my guitar and listening to records and cooking healthy meals from scratch like the vegetarian curry. I also decided to give the Graze boxes a go...to be honest it wasn't as healthy as I thought with focaccia bread, buttery flapjacks and a bombay mix...none of my five a day :( so I am not sure if I will be carrying on with them.

Time together is well spent.

I love this photo

I need to make more time for my favourite friend...my guitar

The Queen and homemade curry - two British staples

The sun finally came out and has since dissapeared for the rest of the year

Graze box...hmmm still not sure.

06/06/2012

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Music is very important to everyone in our little family. Arthur loves dancing, John would be lost without his playlists and I love collecting records. When summer finally arrives I always find myself in a certain kind of mellow mood. Here are my current music crushes and who I will be listening to on those rare warm summer nights.

First on the list is Rumer my favourite "newcomer" I say newcomer in inverted commas as she has been singing under various names and bands since 2001 but her last two albums are what have propelled her to popularity. I have always been a huge fan of the Laurel Canyon era and I feel her voice is so reminiscent of that time.
Favourite songs - Aretha, P.F Sloan, Take me as I am

Rumer

Carole King - a Laurel Canyon original...there are few people who cannot find something of relevance to here Tapestry album. It's raw and well written and is an album I always take with me wherever I may travel too. Favourite songs - I Feel the Earth Move, Home Again, Smackwater Jack

Carole King

A Fine Frenzy - a singer-songwriter and pianist who is releasing her third album later this year. Her songs consist of happy, catchy quirky little ditties, perfect for summer, They fill me with the feeling of spring. Favourite songs - Blow Away and Think of You

A Fine Frenzy

Madeleine Peyroux - the Girl with the silky smooth voice. She is an American jazz/blues singer, songwriter and guitarist and her voice has been compared to that of Billie Holiday. When I listen to her I cannot help but imagine I am walking through Central Park in the spring time with all the time in the world for daydreaming. Favourite Songs - Don't Wait to Long and I'm All right.

Madeleine Peyroux

Yusuf Islam (Cat Stevens)...I grew up on Cat Stevens and Tea for the Tillerman. I love his style of songwriting with every song telling a story. I can put on his music and close my eyes and shut all the stresses and noise of the world...his music is perfect for putting things into perspective.
Favourite songs - Katmandu, On the Road to Find out, Father and Son, Miles from nowhere and Into White

Cat Stevens

Thanks for reading Side Street Style

04/06/2012

2 comments

So they say the eyes are the windows to the soul...so it only seems fitting to have something chic covering them. I love sunglasses...they just make a person feel cool when the suns out and your driving to the beach listening to road-trip worthy tunes with the window down and feeling like a rockstar. It's also such a great accessory to be bold with and there are some many fun frames out there. I am in love with round frames this summer and here are a few on my hot list.

Shwood handmade wooden frame sunglasses