St Lucia

Style Theory: What to pack for a trip to St Lucia? It's our (Russ and I) 15th wedding anniversary on 28th May and we are going to St Lucia for 5 nights, it is unbelievably exciting, it's the first time we have been away together for longer than one night without the kids since they were born so we feel super lucky.

We are being hosted by St Lucia Tourism Authority (we have paid part but I will mark it all as an #ad) as it is a press trip for me and we are paying for Russ. We will be staying at the East Winds Hotel for a couple of days on the beach, it looks so beautiful and experiencing some fun activities such a ziplining through the rainforest..

East Winds Hotel - image via East Winds Instagram

Then we are heading to Sugar Beach, a Viceroy Resort for a couple of days which will be our beautiful base while we visit the Sulphur Springs and Hotel Chocolat.

Sugar Beach, A Viceroy Resort

So its going to be an action packed few days, fabulous few days, so...what to pack?

First swimwear, as it really is pretty vital...

I love a black swimsuit and a black bikini, for this holiday I am packing:

Beach Cafe Vitamin A Edie £170

This fab Vitamin A swimsuit, it's pricey but fab on, I love the back of it, a bikini look but in a one piece.

Boden £60

Adore this swimsuit, it is possibly the most flattering colours and shape, the black panels down the side give a slimming effect (like take inches off!) I find Boden one of the best places to buy swimwear, it is always cut beautifully, does not ride up and covers all the bits that need to be covered!

Boden Bikini Top £25 and bottoms £25

A black bikini is my 'safe option' I love them with a sarong or pair of denim shorts and stick a white tee over the top..I bought this one from Boden.

Boden £25 top and £25 bottoms

Love the colour of this bikini, again the same shape and super flattering...

Now to Tees...

My new favourite brand of tees in Michael Stars, great fabric, cut and so cool in the heat.. (I need to find a UK supplier)

Also loving this M&S tee...

M&S £12.50

This Zara top is a great 'fancier' option for a vest top, it looks fab on, I bought a size small and will be wearing with my denim shorts and tan sandals.

Zara £15.99

I live in denim shorts on holiday, I always pack two pairs..

Gap £39.95

Love the light wash of these shorts and the distressing...

A pretty white top is a must to wear with denim shorts and tan sandals if you are popping out for lunch, early dinner...

I have bought this one..

Innika Choo £168

This top can be worn both ways around, it looks gorgeous on but is expensive...

Zara £29.99

This is a great less expensive alternative to wear with denim shorts..

Bathsheva £270

I always take one showstopper dress...this year I have gone for it with a Bathsheva dress, they are like little girls party dresses and I just love this one on. It looks super cute, I will wear it with my flat tan strappy sandals..

Also packing this dress as there is nothing like a little sparkle on holiday...

Zara £79.99

I live in these Espadrille.co.uk sandals they look as good with dresses as with shorts..

Espadrille.co.uk £78

They take a tiny bit of wearing in (not much) but when you do they are really comfy and last for years and years.

Finally I am always tempted to bring pairs and pairs of heels with me that I never wear, so this year I am just taking on pair of Castaner Espadrilles, they give me height with comfort and look chic..

Castaner £80

I think the key with packing is to work out what you will be doing (beach/sightseeing etc), and place all your clothes out on the bed, then edit, I go through and if I wouldn't wear the piece of clothing for a hot evening out at home I probably won't wear it on holiday. I just edit down and down until I know exactly what I will be wearing when, easy peasy..(err kind of!)

I will keep you updated on what I wear I don't wear and also what St Lucia was like, super excited..

Until next time Fran xx

Summer 2019 Outfit Inspiration

Ph Lucy Williams

Style Theory: It is that time of the season again when I need some summer outfit inspiration. As each season comes around I forget what I loved to wear the year before so I find creating a visual blogpost of all the streetstyle outfits I love helps jog my memory. I find summer easier than winter, it is less trend based, fashion does not move as fast in the summer as winter fashion, so looks can be worn year and year out, you can never go wrong with a white tee, denim shorts and strappy, flat tan sandals. I can normally recreate versions of my favourite outfits with items already in my wardrobe just adding a few new pieces, normally a white top or two, a blazer and perhaps a new pair of sandals.

So here are a few looks that I love, some older, some new but they help me focus my mind on what I have already and where there are gaps, if any, in my wardrobe and whether I need to take the scissors to any more of my jeans to make them shorts (a summer hazzard!)

Ph credits, Song of Style, Emma Hill, Lucy Williams, Andicsinger, Jenny Walton, The Fashion Guitar, Audrey Lombard, Pinterest.

So my quick checklist for summer/holiday basics are:

TOPS:

White tee - Love Michael Stars
Boho/victoriana top - H&M
Breton Top - Boden
Cashmere jumper - Wyse London

BOTTOMS:

Denim Shorts - Gap
Ankle length jeans - J Brand Selena (size down)
Khaki/beige ankle length chino trousers - Gap

DRESSES:

Black summer dress - &Other Stories
Red Dress - &Other Stories/ Topshop
Patterned (spot or floral)

SHOES:
Tan, flat strappy sandals - Espadrille.co.uk
Espadrilles (really the only heels you need for holiday) - Castaner
White trainers (I still love Stan Smiths and Golden Goose) - 

JACKETS:
Biker jacket - All Saints
Denim jacket - Levis
Blazer (navy or checked) - Essential Antwerp

These are my most worn items whether on holiday or day to day summer wear, of course there are extras (I love a boilersuit) but these can be added to your wardrobe as and when you find the dream fit!

Russ and I are going away for a few days to celebrate our 15th wedding anniversary so I will be writing a packing post to let you know exactly what I am taking, I am not great at packing so it takes a lot for me not to pack my whole wardrobe...

Love Fran xxx

Jess' Bedroom Transformation

Style Theory: First an admission, this was not my interior creative genius (I have very little interior flare) this room transformation was a collaboration between my sister Joanne - Morren Interior Design, and my slightly 'out there and up for anything' 11 year old daughter Jess.

Mirror - Made.com £199
Lamp - Oliver Bonas £55
Set of three Succulents (faux) - QVC £15 #gift
Cases (set of two) - QVC £45 #gift
Shelves, Prints and Frames - Ikea
Wall Lights - Industville £29
Wallpaper - Creative Lab Amsterdam

The BEFORE.....

The big, horrendous, original brown wooden cupboards had to come out, we toyed with the idea of painting them (cheaper) but they were just so overbearing in the room they had to come out to create more space and more light.

There was only one ceiling light by the window (the electrician told us it was always placed by the window for modesty reasons so would not shine behind a figure getting dressed in their bedroom - random fact) This was removed and we had spot lights put in creating a more modern and much brighter room at night.

AFTER......

Mirror - Made.com £199
Lamp - Oliver Bonas £55
Set of three Succulents (faux) - QVC £15 #gift
Cases (set of two) - QVC £45 #gift
Shelves, Prints and Frames - Ikea
Wall Lights - Industville £29
Wallpaper - Creative Lab Amsterdam
Chair - Ikea
Fitted wardrobes - Chevalier Brothers

The brown wardrobes were replaced with three wardrobes (one shelved, two hanging with shelves at the top for games etc) into shallow fitted drawers for Jess' make up /underwear /pjs etc into a desk for her to work at with a cupboard for her printer and stationery built by the Chevalier Brothers. 

The desk is her corner of the room, bright airy and surrounded by positive quotes (Jess loves a positive quote!)

Set of three Succulents (faux) - QVC £15 #gift
Cases (set of two) - QVC £45 #gift

There was an eaves cupboard that was normal size at the door but went back at an angle, I had previously used it to store all the old toys Jess didn't use anymore. The carpenter pulled out all the shelves and built a bookshelf in there to make better use of the space and is now where Jess keeps all her school and reading books

Mirror - Made.com £199
Shelves, Prints and Frames - Ikea
Wall Lights - Industville £29
Wallpaper - Creative Lab Amsterdam
Baskets - QVC Set of two £20

Duvet Covers/side table/glasses & bottle - Ikea
Lamp -Oliver Bonas £78
Cases (set of two) - QVC £45 #gift

Joanne decided that the room needed a slightly more industrial side table and wall lights to make it look like a teenagers bedroom and not super girly..

Mirror - Made.com £199
Wall Lights - Industville £29
Wallpaper - Creative Lab Amsterdam
Baskets - QVC Set of two £20

Jess is over the moon with her room, (as is Jack who tries to hang out in there as much as she will tolerate him) Hopefully it will last her quite a while, unfortunately it now means my cupboard space has decreased (those big old brown wardrobes held lots of my clothes so I have had to do a massive cull which I am rubbish at and now it is in a big black box on the landing - baby steps ;-)

Huge thanks to Joanne - Morren Interior Design for designing and sourcing everything and being super patient with me as it took me weeks to get my butt into gear to order anything, often the wrong thing, Joanne also designed and sourced everything in my kitchen,

I bought/paid for everything with the exception the QVC items which were a #gift from QVC and I am working with them so will mark this #ad.