Five Minutes on January

It seems that the simple act of existence without self-loathing is a renegade act. And in January, that renegade act can often feel like a battle.


Festive Fun With Fenetic Wellbeing

[This post is an AD in collaboration with Fenetic Wellbeing and contains gifted items denoted with *]
  
Christmas shopping can be a bit of a nightmare - Crowds, queues and chaos. "Why do we do this to ourselves?" I hear you cry "Why don't we just do it online?!? 
Mulled wine. That's why. 
That and the sparkly lights, the brass bands and the general camaraderie of the festive experience. 

I take it for granted that the crowds may be annoying but at least I can get in, out and off to the snow bar. This isn't quite so easy for so many people with mobility issues, so when Fenetic Wellbeing offered me the chance to take one of my lovely friends out, not only for all of the above but also to try their Lightweight Rollator*, I was intrigued.

What's On My Christmas List - Style

[This post contains affiliate links]

It's the second in my seasonal roundup / lust list/ 'things I just reyt like' posts. This time on my favourite topic of THINGS THAT I CAN PUT ON MY BODY aka STYLE. 
I mean, you can put anything on your body if you want; wafer thin ham, twenty terrapins, an egg. But these are things specific to me and if you want to talk about those things, do your own post ok?

The Em Edit

What's On My Christmas List - Beauty

[This post contains affiliate links]

It hit me today that I LOVE roundup posts but I never do them. Partly because I'm lazy and partly also because I am lazy. So I've taken the decision to use the festive season as an excuse to summarise the products I've loved throughout the year, items I've had my eye on and just generally lovely things I'd like to tell you about, and where better to start than with Beauty?
The Em Edit

Travel | One Week In Tuscany

[This post contains a gifted stay and a number of gifted experiences. Each will be denoted with a *]

If you're anything like me, when you think Tuscany, you think beautiful rolling vineyards, delicious food and gallons of wine. And you wouldn't be wrong my friend. But where do you start? What do you do? Who do you take? WHERE DO YOU DRINK SAID WINE?!? Never fear dear reader, I'm here to tell you the best way to spend One Week In Tuscany. 

Style | Seasonal Styling

[This post contains gifted items denoted with an *]

As much as I've complained about the seemingly never ending sweatiness of this year, Summer never seemed to get started did it? Maybe it's because I've not been on my holidays yet or maybe it's global warming. Who knows. 

This HAS, however, brought the old transitional style question into play earlier than I would usually expect and I AM NOT READY.

The Em Edit

Food & Drink | Clink Clink with Pull The Cork

[This post contains gifted items from Pull The Cork]

Sustainability is such a buzz word right now, and for perfectly good reason. We are a nation of consumers; Fast food, fast fashion and fast relationships.

Cue me, a 35-year-old woman, terrified that the world is crashing and burning, making some big choices. The IMPORTANT choices. 

Choices, my friends, about wine.

www.theemedit.co.uk

Style | Poolside Glamour with Simply Be

[This post is an AD in collaboration with Simply Be and contains gifted items]

We're not all jetting off to white sands and palm trees this Summer but a holiday is a holiday, and a holiday deserves a holiday wardrobe, whether it be in St Tropez or Skegness.

The Em Edit

Travel | A Weekend Of Rest at Ye Olde Bell Spa

[Ye Olde Bell Hotel and Spa very kindly offered us a discounted rate for an incredible couple of days with them but all opinions are my own

After your late 20s, being a woman is HARD. Work, family, LIFE... So getting away for a couple of days to to chill the heck out is often very much at the top of our to do lists. Throw an impromptu hen party into the mix and a Luxury spa day at Ye Olde Bell Hotel and Spa is the way to go.

The Em Edit

Five Minutes on Being Visible

[This post contains gifted items from Figleaves]

As a woman who does a 9-5 being Jen from The IT crowd, enjoys Countryfile more than she ought and who now uses Urban Dictionary on an hourly basis; I often ask myself what the ACTUAL living heck I’m doing perpetually posting partially dressed pictures on the internet. 

The Em Edit

Travel | Home From Home In Hull

[This post contains a gifted one night stay from The Hideout Apartment Hotel]

You may, or may not know that I am from the greatest city in the world: Kingston Upon Hull.

Home of chip spice, Pattie butties, tenfoots and The Humber Bridge; My hometown, with many working class cities and towns in the North of England, has had a bad rep over the years, but not a day has gone by when I’ve not been proud to be from this glorious city.

The Em Edit


Style | A Certain Shade Of Green with Simply Be

[This post contains gifted items from Simply Be]

Occasionwear is totally my bag right now. Working from home and rarely doing anything fancy means that I long for the opportunity to get all dolled up. Thank goodness once more for Simply Be my friends. 

www.theemedit.co.uk

Style | RSVP Yes with Simply Be

[This post is an AD in collaboration with Simply Be and contains gifted items]

Shopping for occasionwear when you're plus size can seem HARD my friends. I can't tell you the number of times I've trawled the internet looking for a frock that's even the right length and fit, before even considering whether it's going to be chic enough for the wedding of the century. Thankfully, Simply Be are upping their game this year to make being the best dressed guest much simpler. 

www.theemedit.co.uk

Five Minutes on Body Image

When I was a child I read EVERYTHING. Every piece of paper put in front of me was consumed by hungry eyes, by a mind desperate to understand how a girl should behave, smell, look. Which Tammy girl cargo pants will tell the other girls that I’m one of them, who should my favourite boyband be (Spoiler: None)

Curvy Kate Lingerie

Travel | A Solo YOLO in Split

I travel. I travel A LOT. Around the UK, abroad, I spend my life on public transport and have become quite adept at entertaining myself with my own thoughts. Despite all of this, I've never spent more than one night abroad as a lone female traveller and in 2019 I wanted to correct this. Queue me taking myself off for a solo YOLO to glorious Split, Croatia.

Travel | A Chub Girl's Guide To Surviving The Heat

Ok, the sun was here, then it went. And basically all it proved was that we're headed to a fiery dystopian global warming hellscape BUT in that short time I realised that year on year I come closer to NAILING Summer. So, here, for your delectation, is MY Chub Girl's Guide To Surviving The Heat; Ten handy hints that are getting me through the sweatiest of days in one only mildly damp piece.

Plus Size Swimwear 

Style | Ahead Of The Curve Panel with Simply Be

[For full transparency, I was paid to share Instagram content from the following event. However, this post is done of my own accord and contains my own opinions. Images contain gifted items]

I was recently extremely fortunate to be invited to the Simply Be "Ahead Of The Curve" panel. An amazing event discussing body acceptance, personal style and digital health with a breathtaking panel made up of Lauren Mahon, Felicity Hayward, our host the incredible Gemma Cairney (I made a total tit of myself with Gemma because I simply cannot be normal), Annie Price, Hayley Hasselhoff and Billie Bhatia

The Em Edit

Beauty | IT Cosmetics

[This post contains gifted items from IT Cosmetics]

If you follow my forever faves Danie Vanier and Callie Thorpe, you’ll have already heard about IT Cosmetics. Their CC cream is a firm brand favourite for its light yet full coverage and I’ve been dying to give it a try. 

I feel like there’s a bit of pressure on social media to only share makeup shots that are super sleek, ring lit and a bit “out there”. I bloody love these images but I think there’s also a lot to be said for “Hello I’m 35 and I don’t really know what I’m doing but this is my face”. So that’s what I’m giving you. 

The Em Edit

Health | Be Period Prepared With Modibodi

[This post is an AD in collaboration with Modibodi and contains gifted items]

If you are someone who has a period, you’ll know that, no matter how long you’ve been having them, they still take you by surprise. I’ve worked out that I’ve had around 270 periods in my life, I track them, I know when they’re due, I should be a period PRO, yet I’ve never quite mastered the art of preparation.

www.theemedit.co.uk

Style | Danielle Vanier x Navabi

[This post contains gifted items]

One of the greatest things about blogging and social media-ing is that I’ve met some incredible women; Women with vision, talent and the drive to make things happen. 

I’m sure you’ll all agree that Danie Vanier is one of these women. 

We all have our own styles and “fashion” is incredibly subjective but one thing I can tell you is that for as long as I’ve known about plus size style, I’ve been a big fan of Danie.
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www.theemedit.co.uk

Style | Bring On The Self Love With Simply Be

[This post is an AD in collaboration with Simply Be and contains gifted items]

HOW IS IT NEARLY VALENTINES DAY AGAIN?!? The day of romance, chocolates and (in my case) sausage, chips and beans at Morrisons. Something I've learnt about love and romance and all that jazz is that there is utterly no point whatsoever in expecting to be happy in a relationship if you're not happy with yourself. 

So much of what makes me happy now is not having a reliance on other peoples' opinions of me. Of how I look or how much they value my existence. I like who I am, and even on my worst days I know that I'm doing my best. 

www.theemedit.co.uk

Five Minutes on Validity

You all know that I have A LOT of thoughts when it comes to children and making children and growing children and having children and raising children etc etc. 

So this is a bit of an update around my thoughts on the validity of womanhood when it comes to children. The next step in my odd little journey along the road of adulthood if you will (You'd imagine I'd be getting it right by now...)

I just want to clarify in advance that anything I say is by no means someone without a child digging out those women WITH children. Quite the contrary. Mothers are INCREDIBLE. There are times when I look at my sister and think "HOW ARE YOU DOING THIS?!?" (Usually when she's covered in green stuff that could have come from literally any part of my niece) Plus, I would never judge any decision someone else has made when it comes to their body, lives and offspring - It is simply none of my business.