My Signature Style

Happy Saturday! It must be like the 20th weekend in lockdown now (well, it feels like it) and creating content is keeping me sane.

I can often be a style chameleon who loves flirting with trends and different looks but there are some style staples I keep going back to. I’ve been trawling through my camera roll and I’ve noticed a lot of my outfits follow one of 5 particular patterns, without me really realising at the time.

For most occasions including birthday meals and blogging events I love a block colour or printed dress that I can throw on with tights in winter and without in summer. Sometimes I add a belt or a top underneath or others I keep it simple. The dresses above are from Topshop, Matalan and Boohoo respectively.

Suits are often my go-to for weddings, christenings and everything in between. What can I say, I just love a good two-piece. Different colours, cuts and fabrics make suits look feminine and on trend as well as being a classic wardrobe staple. These suits are from Misguided, Topshop and ASOS.

In Spring and summer I favour the midi skirt and top combo in a variety of colours and prints. It’s an easy formula that works for holidays, going out for a meal or visiting family and friends. The first outfit features a bodysuit from Pretty Little Thing with a H&M skirt and Zara mules, the second is a top from New Look with a Boohoo skirt and very old Primark sandals and the final look is entirely New Look (minus the Zara headband)

For nights out I often reach for the failsafe combo of a strappy top tucked into a miniskirt, worn with shoes I can dance in. This look keeps me fairly cool whilst hiding my usually less than flat stomach. The far left photo is a Topshop top with a primark skirt, I’ve mixed it up in the middle with a blazer but I believe the bodysuit is PLT and the skirt is Stradavarius and the image on the far right was taken in Ibiza and features a neon top from New Look with a skirt from Forever 21 which I’ve had for years.

Last but not least is the uniform of jeans (In various colours and washes) with a top and blazer. This is a more casual version of a suit if you will. Each pair of jeans is from Topshop and in the left photo I’ve recycled my Topshop suit blazer, adding a MCQ T-Shirt and M&S boots, The middle features a very old In the Style blazer with a snakeskin top from New Look and the final look is very classic with a Zara top and Next Blazer.

If you have a look through your pictures you’ll probably find certain formulas that you repeat regularly by second nature or perhaps you’re the type of person who experiments often and is never predictable. Either way, I’d be interested to know

1 Dress: 3 Different Ways

Happy Bank Holiday and VE Day! I hope you’re all having a nice day despite the restrictions. It seems typical that we’re blessed with lovely weather but can’t go out and celebrate. That said, we can still remember all the sacrifices made during that time and feel thankful to those who fought and were part of the war effort.

One of the things I miss is getting dressed up to go out for a meal, drinks or even to visit family and friends so I had a mini photoshoot in the garden today to show you how to style this Primark floral midi dress in 3 different ways. I bought this dress last summer as I was drawn to the bright print and I find the leg splits flatter my shorter frame. It was around £18 from what I can remember which is great value for how versatile it is. I’m not going to lie, I’ve packed on a few pounds since lockdown began so I couldn’t do the zip up fully but you get the idea!


The next look is also a daytime outfit but for a cooler day and is more covered up so may be suitable for work or other, slightly formal occasions. The puff sleeve top was from New Look earlier this year and the shoes are boohoo sandals which I’ve had for years as they’re so comfortable.

The final outfit is an evening look that plays on the black in the dress, with red lips and earrings so it feels more glam. the sheer puff sleeve top underneath is from Boohoo earlier this year and the heels are old faithful New Look ones. I couldn’t even tell you where the belt is from as I’ve had it for so long but it just about fits nowadays!

How To Keep Occupied at Home

The current crisis is a tough time for many for various reasons. If you’re used to being sociable or having lots of plans to keep yourself busy and distracted you may be struggling even more, so here are a few ideas to hopefully beat the boredom and take your mind off things.

Get Creative

Whether its blogging, baking, crafting or even just putting some interesting outfits together now is a good time to get your creative juices flowing. I’ve been blogging more often, planning instagram posts and making playlists on iTunes and Spotify. Being creative is also a good outlet for stress and can give you a sense of achievement.

Reorganise your space

I’m ashamed to say but my bedroom was an absolute tip before we all had to stay at home. Stuff was everywhere, had been able to pile up and it needed a good dust and hoover. Tidying is not exactly one of my favourite things to do and I’m not a neat freak so it had fallen to the bottom of my list. To have a much tidier, less dusty room has been really nice though! I’ve also organised my dressing table and make up drawers so it’s much easier to find things. If you have a cardboard beauty advent calendar leftover from December the little boxes are perfect for organising make up, brushes and beauty products.

Sort out life admin

We all have those boring tasks we keep putting off. Well, now is probably the best time to get them done. I’ve used the time to contact companies who send me letters in the post, asking for the information to be emailed instead and it feels good to tick something off my to-do list. Next task: organise my document drawers (Can’t wait!)

Read a good book (or 5)

I love reading and there’s nothing like curling up with a book that you can’t put down. I often get a couple of books for Christmas and buy the odd one occasionally but I only usually have the time to read them when I’m on holiday so being able to enjoy books has been a treat. The last book I read was ‘And the Stars Were Burning Brightly’ by Danielle Jawando which I thoroughly enjoyed. It’s aimed at teenagers but can definitely be enjoyed by adults too. It’s something I wish I’d read at 13 years old. I also recently read My Sisters Keeper by Jodi Picoult (I know I’m late to the party) and I really wasn’t ready for that ending 😦

There are plenty of other things you can do at home such as watching much loved programmes or discovering a new series or film, reading magazines, completing puzzles, quizzes, contacting family & friends, cooking, exercising, writing, drawing, colouring, journaling, the list goes on. Just do whatever gets you through this unusual and uncertain time (within reason of course)

Life in Lockdown

Every time I see the word lockdown I can’t help thinking of that Akon song, Locked Up. In a way, it does feel like we’re all locked up at home, no longer enjoying the freedom we once took for granted.

Everyone deals with things differently and my current coping mechanism seems to be mainlining all the snacks. Is anyone else with me? I’m sure there will (hopefully) come a point where I start easing off them, otherwise I’m going to end up in a ‘sweatpants are all that fit me right now’ situation.

Assuming you have some extra time on your hands, now is a good time to watch all of those films/programmes/series you’ve been meaning to watch but never got around to. I’ve already watched The Wolf of Wall Street and Toy Story 4 because I’d never really had the chance to watch them before. I’m also open to recommendations if you have any.

For those of you who are being kept apart from your partner during this time I can completely relate. My boyfriend’s parents are in the vulnerable category and us not living together has hit me hard. We’ve never spent this long apart in ten years and I just feel a bit lost. We keep in touch every day but it’s just not the same as snuggling up together which is what I miss the most. I’m also missing my family and friends and the excitement of a day or night out with my favourite people. Once we’re allowed to do things again I’m sure we’ll all appreciate everything and everyone much more.

There are those who do daily workouts and eat mostly balanced meals then there are those who struggle to step away from their stash of snacks to go for a walk. I definitely fall into the latter category but if you’re the same that’s ok and you shouldn’t feel guilty. Listen to your body and mind and do what’s best for you.

If you have a hobby or activity that you enjoy and it can be done at home make sure you indulge whenever you can. This is a time when creativity can flourish and I’m finding that I’m blogging more often and creating more content for Instagram as life is no longer getting in the way. Doing so keeps me occupied and makes me happy.

As always I hope you’re all holding up ok, following the rules and staying safe and well in these testing times.

Getting to know Me

I’ve seen a few other bloggers doing posts with facts about themselves, which I don’t remember ever doing in the past (apart from those questions and answers on Facebook which are a guilty pleasure of mine) and content is pretty thin on the ground at the moment I thought I’d follow suit. I hope you and your families/friends are all safe and well and that this post provides some temporary entertainment if you’re bored during these lockdown times.

I’m 33 but I don’t look or act my age. I’ve been told I sometimes act like a teenager and others like an OAP. I can be a bit like Peter Pan in that I resist growing up and becoming an adult.

I’ve been with my boyfriend for 10 years but various circumstances mean we don’t live together and both live with our families, an hour’s journey apart. (This means so far, I haven’t seen him for 3 weeks) Hopefully this will change in the near future.

I’ve lived with anxiety from a young age and certain triggers can make it flare up, lasting anything from an hour to a few weeks. The worst symptoms are feeling really nauseous, burning up and struggling to eat and sleep. I’ve tried CBT, traditional counselling, (a long time ago) hypnotherapy, rescue remedy, breathing and listening to meditations but nothing has had a significant effect in breaking the cycle.

Driving is unfortunately one of the things that triggers my anxiety and is one of the reasons why I haven’t been able to pass a driving test. I’d love to hear from anyone else who has similar struggles with driving related anxiety or just driving in general.

I’d say I’m an introvert who enjoys spending time at home and needs to regularly recharge and (attempt to) get enough sleep but at the same time I can be quite social if I’m in the right frame of mind and love a good night out with friends. I also enjoy going for nice meals with my boyfriend and family and love any excuse to get glammed up but still need my down days wearing tracksuits and no make up.

My interests include fashion, music, food, popular culture, travel, reading and writing. Sadly, I’m not sporty or athletic and I was the one who the competitive person in the class hated during P.E lessons as I just had no interest in winning! I have exercised in the past for my mental health and to look decent in a bikini but it’s definitely something I have to force myself to do. I also find it hard to say no to treats and junk food but try to balance things a bit when I can, which has been less often than usual lately (oops)

Autumn and the build up to Christmas is my favourite time of year. I’m a November baby who loves being at home, all cosy when the weather is rubbish outside. I do enjoy a bit of sun but summers in the UK mean bad hayfever and nights where it’s too hot to sleep. I prefer going abroad where there’s usually air conditioning and outdoor swimming pools. Whenever the weather is warm and sunny I get an urge to take a dip in an outdoor pool but with the travel restrictions, I’m not sure whether that itch will be scratched this year.

Just over 5 years ago I ended up having a blood clot in my brain but luckily it was in a place that hasn’t caused much long term damage. For a year or so life was a blur of hospital appointments, medication, not feeling my best and missing out on a lot but I’d say I’m mostly back to normal now apart from regular headaches, not remembering as much as I used to and feeling less sharp. It’s a bit like restarting a computer and having a couple of files missing. My family, boyfriend and close friends were amazing during this time and I can’t thank them enough.

I’m quite a creative person and in the past I’ve enjoyed sketching fashion designs (badly) making jewellery and cards, writing stories/articles and I have fond memories of designing and making a mini cardboard kitchen at school. I need to reconnect with my creative side to feel more fulfilled so hopefully this period of downtime will allow me to do that.

I hope you enjoyed reading this and please let me know if you’ve posted anything similar as it’s so nice to find out more about the people whose blog and social media posts I read regularly

Living in Loungewear

If you’re anything like me, during this lockdown period you will be dressing for comfort and reaching for the tracksuits and PJs. The elasticated waists and extra space for the snack induced podge are a comfort at this uncertain time. I’m lucky enough to have a handful of tracksuits, accumulated over the years but I couldn’t resist the lure of a shiny new set (or two) in pretty, Spring colours.

This puff sleeved knitted loungewear set was around £25 in the sale on I saw it First and it’s on trend aswell as being cosy and comfy. The sun may be shining now but I’m sure there will be enough grey days to get sufficient wear out of this beauty.

I’ve never been the sporty type but this mint green zip up sweatshirt is giving me 90s Mel C vibes. It was £14 also from I Saw it First and the black joggers were £12. This outfit is even more comfortable than the knitted set and baggy clothes can help disguise parts you may not be confident about.

On a side note, I hope you and your families are all staying safe and well in these troubling times. Remember to stay at home unless it’s essential and stay as far away from others as you can if you do need to leave the house. Lets hope that things begin to return to normal fairly soon.

Mourning

We’re all experiencing such unusual circumstances at the moment and living through strange times with no real blueprint of how to get through such a scary and uncertain change in everyday life. I have so many thoughts but I’m struggling to process them so I thought I’d share a sort of poem that I’ve written. I’d love to know what you think and if you can relate.

I’m mourning the freedom I used to have

I’m mourning the quality time spent with loved ones

I’m mourning how easy it was to buy the food and supplies I need

I’m mourning regular walks and fresh air

I’m mourning the cute Spring outfits I won’t get to wear

I’m mourning the fun occasions I had planned

I’m mourning the holidays I won’t get to go on

I’m mourning life as I knew it and although I’m struggling to see a light at the end of the tunnel I’d rather this than to be mourning anyone I love

February Feasting

The way to my heart is definitely through my stomach so what better way to celebrate Valentine’s Day than to enjoy a four course meal at my favourite restaurant with my favourite person? (cringe)

Last Friday my boyfriend and I had a late lunch/early dinner (linner?) at Aurum at the Seven Hotel in Southend and it didn’t disappoint. The food was delicious, the cocktails were strong but refreshing and the ambience was perfect. The place was decorated with heart shaped balloons, confetti and even the lighting fitted in with the theme of love with its red glow.

The first course was warm bread and butter washed down with Red Light and Bloody Mary cocktails respectively, followed by unbelievably tasty scallops. They were my favourite dish and I think I’d choose them every time they’re on the menu in future.

We both opted for beef mains but I went for fillet which came with buttery potato gratin whereas my boyfriend chose sirloin, accompanied by cabbage and other seasonal veg. Both of which were succulent and enjoyable and the portions were small enough to make way for dessert. I thoroughly enjoyed the creme brulee whilst my boyfriend chomped on a cheeseboard.

I’d definitely recommend Aurum for the food, drinks, atmosphere and friendly staff. My mouth is watering just typing this post and I’m already working out when we can go back.

Lighten Up

This time last year, I remember seeing pictures of the stunning and clever light installations at Canary Wharf and regretting not going to see them for myself so this time I made sure I went along to the Winter Lights Festival to immerse myself in the illuminated displays.

Different parts of the area were dotted with a variety of light attractions, including this sign above, (translated from Romanian to ‘I miss you’) messages hidden in cascading water (I’m gutted there were too many people around for me to capture this one) and lit up benches that you could actually sit on.

I went on the first Saturday which meant it was so busy it was often difficult to get decent photos and videos. Next year I’d prefer to go during the week if I can as the crowds do get a bit much after a while. I didn’t get the chance to see everything but my favourite was in jubilee park where the water features were filled with white balls with coloured lights underneath. For more pictures and some videos you can have a look at my instagram account: Instagram.com/chelseyprentice

My 2020 Vision

In a year of bad news and disappointing political events, where Brexit was meant to happen (various times) but never materialised it’s not that easy to feel positive about the future.

A new year is traditionally a time when many set personal goals so why not incorporate that into trying to offset the doom and gloom by making at least one goal something that has a positive effect on others? Whether its donating to charity or food banks, volunteering, buying something to eat or drink for a homeless person or helping those around you who are in need. Even having a clear out and donating what you no longer use to charity will benefit others. Another option is to cut down on the amount of new items you buy in an effort to help the environment.

On a personal note, I want to make an effort to blog more in 2020. I’ve had little motivation this year and let myself get distracted by scrolling social media but there is a lot going on that I should engage with rather than letting it pass me by. I feel like blogging in general is getting lost amongst the noise of instagram influencers and the like so it would be good to contribute towards hopefully the eventual revival of blog writing and reading. After all, people have a lot more to say than what can be squeezed into a caption or character limit.

I’m both fearful and hopeful about the future. We can’t control everything but we can all take steps to help those around us live easier and happier lives whenever possible.