Quotes are the cure

In my view, nothing picks me up more when I’m feeling upset or anxious than a motivating quote or poem. The power of words to help you gain a little perspective sometimes can be as helpful as any councillor or therapist could ever wish to be. It’s far too easy in our world of technology to get caught up in other people’s lives and find ourselves forgetting the basic facts of life: love, friendship, laughter and being present in the moment. Ironically Instagram is where I source a lot of good words and sayings, however there are some brilliant poetry books to delve into also. My favourites are Love Her Wild by Atticus as well as The Sun and Her Flowers by Rupi Kaur. Here are a selection of my current quote obsessions…needless to say these are a select few and I’m always on the search for more words of wisdom.

Romwe Clothes Haul

Once again I find myself knee deep in another indulgent clothes order offline, this time from Romwe. This was a website I hadn’t tried before, but after my successful purchases from similar companies including Shein and Zaful I thought I’d give it a try. I was very impressed with how quickly my order arrived to Australia – within a week it was on my doorstep, far quicker than Zaful which took about 3 weeks to deliver to the UK. Unfortunately some of the jewellery arrived broken, however following my email to complain to the company, I was immediately refunded for the damaged items.

In total I spent $96.88 (£55.45) which got me 13 products. On the whole everything was reflective of the images shown on the website and some peices were even better quality than I expected! I was particularly pleased with a few of the accessories I chose including the palm leaf phone case $4.70, the ear cuff $1.79 and the minimalist drop earrings $1.87 all pictured below.

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As always, the bikinis were a great result too and I was really happy with the styles and colours I chose. The stone blue knot high leg bikini for $15.06 was one of my favourites and the green printed plunge bikini for $12.23 is a great addition to my bikini collection.

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I also purchased these wide leg striped pants which were $10.36, not something I would usually go for but very comfy and especially flattering worn with a pair of heels. Overall a very successful order from Romwe with swift delivery, great customer service and good quality products for the price paid!

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Bondi Beach Blues

Everyone said that Bondi is overrated and so touristy that I wouldn’t like it, but I couldn’t disagree more. The view on the approach from the top of the hill on South Bondi is just breathtaking and never fails to make me smile. I admit it is very busy, however I think this is part of what makes Bondi and in fact Sydney as a whole so great too – the diversity of people from all walks of life who find themselves in this paradise.

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On the weekends during summer there’s always events happening on the front and nothing beats a Sunday afternoon drink at one of the many bustling bars after a day on the beach. My favourite hangout is the popular Bucketlist, located right in the centre of Bondi Beach with casual dining and fantastic cocktail pitchers. Later into the evening there are a number of other cool hangouts to party into the early hours including Hotel Bondi and the highly rated Ravesis. Not forgetting the famous Icebergs Bar on the cliff at South Bondi overlooking the expanse of the beach and blue ocean, perfect for sunset drinks whilst watching the surfers catch the last waves of the day.

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How could I not mention the abundance of health food cafes and restaurants in Bondi too, selling beautiful foods that are as much of an art to look at as they are delicious to eat. Of course my favourite smoothie bowls and particularly acai bowls are sold everywhere and it’s hard to go wrong in choosing where to go. My favourite for an acai on the run is Acai Brothers Bondi. This gem is hidden in the neighbourhood of North Bondi and attracts locals with its friendly staff and super yummy, thick acai bowls which can be personalised to your taste with all sorts of toppings. My favourite is the original acai topped with banana, strawberries, kiwis and burkini grain. For a more substantial bowl to graze over when you have more time, Bare Bowls located in Bronte and Manly is the other place I choose to get my acai fix.

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The Bondi beach walk is another absolute must! Simply follow the coast path and beach hop around to Tamarama, Bronte, Clovelly, Gordans Bay and finally Coogee. It’s the best way to enjoy the stunning coastline with hidden rocks and caves to explore and if you’re lucky you might even spot dolphins or a whale. A trip to the Coogee Pavillion for drinks and dinner would be the ideal way to complete the day and soak up those final rays of sun at golden hour.

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Summer Bikini Haul

Ok, I’ll admit that I too have always been sceptical of these cheap online stores – will the clothes actually arrive? Will they be any good? Is it just a scam? Having now ordered from Zaful.com and a similar website SheIn.com a few times now, I have been pleasantly surprised at the bargains I’ve managed to grab.

So with summer season here I decided it was time to order some swimsuits from Zaful.com given that bikinis on there average at £10 each! On the whole I was pleased with the quality and fit of my choices. However if I have been unsatisfied with a purchase from this website in the past, a quick email to explain my dissappointment and I was refunded the money without even having to return it – Fantastic customer service!

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The white edges and striking palm print give a luxe appearance and more expensive looking finish to this bikini.

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With the drawstring bottom and lattice back, this stunning auburn colour bikini is just as flattering from behind.

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I can’t get enough of mango orange hues this season – a clean and simple design lets the colour do the talking.

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With a wrap around tie design feature this bikini may not be the one for sunbathing, but the frilly crossover top is right on trend and very flattering.

Style Obsession: Bottle Green Faux Fur

With fashion week hitting London, New York, Milan and finally Paris, the street style of who’s who in fashion brought fresh inspiration for our spring wardrobes. Models, bloggers, designers and celebrities rubbed shoulders to welcome the new season of trends which includes classics from the past such as the pinstripe shirt, alongside slogan t-shirts promoting messages of feminism.

Whilst the catwalks teased us with pieces for the spring, as always English weather was still cold and wet meaning street style remained autumnal. Browsing Instagram and Pinterest I found myself back to this one obsession: the bottle green fur coat. And it seems fur coats, of course faux fur, are the wardrobe essential this season to throw on for any occasion as much as you would perhaps a leather jacket.

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After creating a mood board and searching for a high street alternative to this stunning outfit stealing piece, I found a similar version from Zara. Of course this was sold out…so eBay it was and pretty soon I found myself a very affordable £15.00 copy from China!

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Ok, it has taken a month to come in the post, but this great find is surprisingly good quality and has certainly satisfied my bottle green fur obsession. As a statement piece I’ll be wearing it casually to vamp up jeans and kicks, or to subtly add colour to simple black jeans and boot heels on a night out. And as someone who feels the cold, I know this coat will be well loved even for those chilly summer nights.