Swimsuit vs Bikini

Summer is well and truly on the horizon which can mean only one thing, I will soon be packing my bags and jetting off on my jolly's. Perhaps the main wardrobe dilemma I have when packing my suitcase is the question of what swimwear i'm going to be wearing this year?! I am by no means confident enough with my body to go parading about in a tiny bikini, however in the past I've never felt comfortable in an unflattering costume either, which only ever seem to be available in prints that are suitable for those that are above the age of 50.
That is until this year where the swimsuit is definitely ruling the roost; and with celebs such as Rihanna donning a one piece, the swimsuit is finally becoming cool again and an item that is becoming a must have in every girl's wardrobe. Due to the ever growing popularity of the swimsuit, swimming costumes are now filling high street stores in a variety of different styles such as backless, side-less and even versions of the infamous Borat 'mankini' - an option I can't see becoming very popular, but each to their own! This means that if the idea of covering up completely isn't something that thrills you, you're still able to show some skin whilst still covering up parts of you that are least preferred. A perfect solution!
The added beauty of a swimsuit is also the fact that they are suitable for all ladies, regardless of their figure; whether you're a size 8 or 18, the swimsuit is available in a style that can suit and flatter all.

Still, the age old dilemma that you don't get as tanned in a swimsuit is still present and won't be forgotten by many in a hurry. It's universally known that bikini's are a firm favourite amongst young adults, especially those who have been working hard at the gym all year round for no other reason than to look good in a bikini. What's the point of spending a lot of time and money perfecting your bikini body, only to cover it up for the duration of your holiday? The variety of the styles of bikinis also trump the swimsuit by a mile; string bottoms, briefs, shorts, triangle tops, bandeaus, are to name but a few, just some of the styles that the ever loved bikini is available in. It seems that while swimsuits flatter all, the bikini also offers a variety of styles to suit you whether you're a hourglass, a pear or an apple.

In the end it looks like the type of swimwear that a person is going wear will come down to nothing other than personal preference. Regardless of what's considered the swimsuit of the moment, there's always going to be people that disagree and believe that there's nothing better than a tiny bikini on the beach, whereas others will prefer nothing more than to cover up in a flattering swimsuit. With both types offering a range of styles and prints for everyone, it seems that whichever style people opt for, they're going to look great and find something to suit them perfectly.

How to dress for festival season

Image from google

Dressing for festival season is possibly my favourite and least favourite thing of the year all rolled into one. The fashion that accompanies festivals is everything I love the most about clothes - a lot of fringing, embellishment, crazy makeup, hair accessories and layering! The downside is that I can never quite pull of the perfect festival look quite the way I would like to, which is why, three months in advance, I have started to plan my festival wardrobe. Slightly excessive? Possibly! Although in my eyes, completely necessary.

As anyone living in the UK will understand the Great British summer is, well, never really that 'great'; England sees a hell of a lot more days of rain and grey skies than it does sun. Therefore, the most important thing to remember when packing for a festival is to dress for all types of whether. The sun may be shining on day one, but it can be almost guaranteed that by day three the heavens will have opened and if you've packed nothing but shorts and vest tops you're going to find yourself very wet and very miserable. Meaning essential item number one is a coat! My festival coat of choice this year has got to be a parka; perfect for cooler days, however still light enough to wear for the full weekend regardless of if the sun decides to pop out for a couple of hours or you spend the full weekend trying to shelter yourself from the rain - a more likely option. Meaning, essential item number two has to be a pair of wellies! Regardless of if the festival fields are full of mud or not, a pair of wellies add to your look and give you the perfect festival attire. The high street is full of wellies with a variety of different patterns with an accompanying price that won't break the bank. However, if you're willing to pay that extra bit more, a pair of Hunters are a perfect investment piece (if like me you attempt to visit at least one festival a year) and will make you look like a festival pro! Not to mention they'll also see you through the winter months once festival season has come to an end and the streets are lined with 6 inches of snow.

Practicality is essential at a festival, so when packing your bag be sure to leave out anything that may cause problems when it comes to using the port-a-loos! Yes, playsuits, i'm looking at you. While playsuits may at first seem like a good festival outfit, when it comes to needing the toilet they become a problem even at the best and most convenient of times, not to mention when you're trying to maneuver yourself in and out of one in a festival toilet while avoiding the sides and performing a balancing act with all your essentials that just have to be taken down to the arena, you know, just in case! Stick to shorts ladies, much more practical and you still end up looking great!

Being a girl it is only expected that we're going to need to pack our bag with a smaller bag, albeit one still big enough to fill with a number of things that are essential for down at the arena (these things usually include the not-so-essential makeup, three different types of perfume, and a number of extra accessories and hair products). Therefore, a big, slouchy, fringed bag becomes festival essential number four. Stick to those which can be easily thrown around your body and that secure well, no one wants the burden of carrying a bag in the crook of their arm for a weekend when everyone else is out there having fun.

Top off and perfect your festival look with a crochet waistcoat, a bunch of fashion jewelry (nothing too expensive, you can never prepare yourself for things getting lost at a festival), a floral headband (perfect for the final day when even dry shampoo can't save your hair!), a pair of sunnies, and a lot of neon paint and you're good to go. I think i'm finally ready for festival season and I can't wait!

John Frieda Luxurious Volume shampoo & conditioner

My name's Beth and i'm obsessed with my hair. There, I said it, and it comes as no secret to anyone that knows me how much of a constant battle I have with my hair and how thick it is. Or isn't. It's commonly known amongst friends and family that the time and effort I spend on my hair, especially on a night out where I will admittedly spend the best part of an afternoon washing, prepping and fixing my hair into an array of heated, sleep-in and velcro rollers in an attempt to get the biggest hair possible, is ridiculous. Still, on a regular day-to-day basis i've found myself almost giving up on my hair. Lacking any form of volume what so ever the fight to thicken my hair has only intensified over the years, and has turned into a battle that I grudgingly have to admit I am painfully losing.

Enter John Frieda. I've always been a fan of John Frieda and the way that his products leave my hair feeling soft, nourished, healthy and manageable. Therefore it was only expected that I would pick up a couple of his latest products, especially as they were aimed predominantly towards those suffering with, and hating their thin hair. These products were perfect for me.  

Differing from previous shampoos and conditioners that promise to thicken hair and leave it with a perfect volumised look, the John Frieda Luxurious Volume products thickened my hair without leaving it looking frizzy and bushy! The shampoo and conditioner left my hair feeling soft, looking sleek AND the most volumised it has in years. My hair looked thick and felt more full without feeling heavy on my head or as though my hair had been drenched in a variety of products. These products had defied the odds and had actually left me with hair that I didn't hate! John Freida - miracle worker.

I am now desperate to try the other products in this range, and maybe one day I will be able to get ready for a night out without the need to spend the day in rollers or the night clipping an array of extensions into my hair. Well, here's to hoping anyway!

Festival fever

image from google

Give anyone the option of staying the weekend in a 5* luxury hotel, or spending it in a field surrounded by thousands of people they've never met for four days, it's almost guaranteed that the majority would pick the former. So why then, do thousands of people from around the UK pack their bags and flock to the fields of England to spend the weekend at a festival? The truth is there's an appeal that comes with festivals that isn't just about the music; meeting people you never before would have, striking up unlikely friendships and escaping reality for four days is a huge part of the fascination that accompanies festivals and it’s for this precise reason why attending one, with nothing but your bare essentials, becomes a yearly must for so many.

Granted, the festival scene is not for everyone. Anyone with a fear of mud, dirt and not washing for a weekend should avoid the fields at all costs. Still, it’s important to understand that once you’re there, and accompanied by many a pack of baby wipes and dry shampoo, the necessity to wash is almost thrown to the back of your mind. Fuelled on alcohol and cheap tasting food – because who wants to waste valuable alcohol space by packing food? – you suddenly feel as though if you’re not donning slightly messy hair and have used actual soap and water to wash, that you don’t fit in. And that’s just the way that everyone likes it.

Although sometimes things might not go necessarily to plan, a leaking tent is all part of the experience, right? And who cares? You spend hardly any time in it anyway. 99% of the time you spend your weekend relaxing at the arena with new made friends, drinking warm alcohol that you’ve managed to sneak in by hiding it in your wellies (no one wants to pay £5 for a beer). Despite the weather almost always being typical for a British summer and rarely topping 20 degrees, being in shorts suddenly seems like a good idea. Besides, there are more important things to worry about, number one being having a good time, and the excitement of seeing some of your favourite bands play gets your blood pumping and keeps you warm anyway.

Regardless of your thoughts about camping or the festival experience as a whole, there’s one thing you should know for sure, you’re going to have a good time. Whether you spend a day there, or camp for the entire weekend, you won’t regret it. So pack your bags, get your shorts and wellies at the ready and bring on festival season!