Holiday Shop: Swimsuits

Prices: cut out suit from Select for £12.00, statement print suit from Misguided for £14.99, halterneck suits from Topshop from £34.00-36.00 each, neon suit from Dorothy Perkins for £26.99, swimdress from Evans for £39.50

Holiday Shop: Beach Essentials

Prices: Aloha tee by Glamorous for £10.00, Jelly shoes by Glamorous for £4.00, ASOS Francisco flat tie sandals for £12.50, Coral fringe vest by Internacionale for £14.99, Spitfire Cat eye sunglasses at ASOS for £24.99, Beaded necklace by Dorothy Perkins for £15.00, Acid wash shorts by New Look for £19.99, Zip duffle bags by Topshop for £32.00 each, Straw Trilby by River Island for £16.00

Holiday Shop: Bikini's

Prices: mesh cut out bikini from Matalan for a total £13.00, navy fringed from Misguided for £19.99, geometric suit from New Look for a total £23.00, blue print bikini bottoms from River Island for £5.00, Striped bikini bottoms from River Island for £5.00, neon colour block suits from Rock and Rags by Firetrap (in USC) £14.40 each

Spotlight on: Matalan

Matalan is somewhere I always neglect when searching for additions to my wardrobe, yet it's also the name I'm constantly dropped when I admire someone else's fashion choices. In a bid to shop there more, or at least remember to check out their latest offerings, here's my current picks: an ode to Matalan if you will...

Prices: Sandals £16.00, Dress £16.00, Brown Sunglasses £8.00, Monochrome Sunglasses £5.00, Playsuit £8.00, Boots £22.00, Bikini top £8.00, Bikini bottoms £6.00

Check Matalan out online here.

Everyday Sexism

Another video for you here, possibly even more important than the previous! The Everyday Sexism Project is something that we can all be a part of right now, and more than that, this video clarifies why we should be a part of it- why we should share our stories.

I actually wanted to share this video initially, but due to my lack of skills when it comes to technology I can't work out how to include it in the post! So please feel free to watch either video, the one above or the link provided, as they are both massively worthwhile. The one I initially wanted to include has some pretty hard-hitting stories from women themselves about their own experiences (be prepared to wonder why the hell wanking goes unnoticed on the tube?!). And I feel Laura aptly sums up the significance of the project when she notes the impossibility of being silenced once 25,000 voices are backing you.

I find it breathtaking actually, not only the support this project has, but the bravery within some of those voices- I assume it is mere determination to be heard that is pushing women to dedicate their stories to the cause because it's hard to be so honest. 

I definitely recommend taking a look at the projects twitter page (here) to read the stories as they trickle in. It actually gets you thinking about all the times you may have experienced sexism (if an experience doesn't instantly come to mind), and crucially relays a sense of mutuality and the crucial momentum for change.

Girl on Girl Hate

So, I was introduced to this video by YouTuber Laci Green via the website Upworthy (which I highly recommend for your daily dose of inspiration) and, as someone who feels very strongly about education and women's issues I really wanted to highlight it here. 

I feel like many of us can understand Laci's initial admissions of avoiding "girls" in an attempt to rule out bitchiness and backstabbing; I know as a result of being schooled at an all-girls institute when my education ended I internally declared that girls as a collective were horrendous and congratulated myself for surviving! However, this video highlights perfectly the issue with such perceptions, and more so, the need to educate girls today about the community they are automatically apart of as women.

I'll let Laci do most the talking, but I just think that it's worth noting that in a world where lines are drawn all over the shop due to colour of skin, religion, culture, band preference etc. it's supportive to know that your gender should also admit you to a network based on mutality and understanding. I feel gender should most definitely act as an opportunity and not a barrier: or, often is the case, a space for hyper-criticism and degradation.

Building the Outfit #1