Music: What So Not, High You Are

Style File: Duffy Knitwear

So I have assumed a few things from my mum, this jumper being one of them and boy do I feel lucky- this jumper is the tits. It's warm, cosy and (in my opinion) stylish. So which label made such a creation: Duffy. You may not have heard of Duffy as I certainly hadn't before I became wearer of this jumper. Duffy was set up in 2009 and specialises in knit wear. The label has been picked up by the notorious online shopping destination net-a-porter. Although no such jumper is in stock now (sorry), check out their latest collection here. 

Here I am wearing:

Jumper: Duffy

Yellow knitted peplem top (underneath): Zara

Jeans: Levi 501s

Shoes: LK Bennett (borrowed for the day from my stylish mum)

Bag: Anya Hindmarch

Chia Seed Pudding by Calgary Avansino

I am a huge fan of Calgary Avansino, executive fashion editor at Vogue. I have been a bit ill the past few days so I decided to have chia seed porridge/ pudding this morning (similar to Calgary's second recipe) to perk me up and boost my health. Here Calgary shares her tips on enjoying chia seeds as part of a healthy diet.

If there is one question I am asked quite frequently it is:"How do you make chia seed pudding?" So, I shall tell you!

The pudding itself couldn't be easier, but first let's talk about the amazing nutritional benefits beneath chia's trendy exterior. Two tablespoons of these little wonder seeds provide approximately 4g of protein (containing all the important amino acids), 5g of Omega 3 fatty acids (direct brain food), 250mg of calcium (think strong hair and nails) and 10g of fibre (the most efficient "regulator"). And if that's not enough to persuade you, chia is said to have twice the potassium of bananas, three times the antioxidant power of blueberries and three times the iron of spinach. And on top of all that, chia seeds hold 9-12 times their weight in water and do exactly the same in your tummy so they are both incredibly nutrient-rich and make you feel fuller for longer on less food!

S t e p   O n e

The base of any chia seed pudding is made by simply combining chia seeds with any non-dairy milk you prefer, but I find coconut milk and almond milk make the tastiest puddings. All you need to remember is the ratio: 3 tablespoons of chia seeds for every 1 cup of liquid. So if you are making enough for four servings (it's good to make a lot at once because it stays fresh for days) you will need ¾ cup of chia to 4 cups of liquid. Combine and give the chia and milk a good stir.

S t e p   T w o

Now, the fun part of creating your own bespoke puddings with wholesome ingredients. I usually use two or three extras per recipe, but do whatever sounds good to you. A few ideas are: dessicated coconut, coconut flakes, walnuts, slivered almonds, cacao powder, grated apple, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, vanilla extract, dried cranberries, chopped mango, raisins, pomegranate seeds or pistachios. Once you add in your extras, give it all a really good stir (or put it in a mason jar and shake it) and then leave the mixture in the refrigerator overnight, or even just 20 minutes if that's all you have, and it will set to chia perfection.

S t e p   T h r e e

Before eating, give it a stir once more, add a bit more milk and top with blueberries, raspberries and a little maple syrup, agave, stevia or honey if you feel it needs extra sweetness.

Here are a few of my favorite recipes that I (and my kids) eat for breakfast, afternoon snacks and desserts.

V a n i l l a   C o c o n u t   A l m o n  d   C h i a   P u d d  i n g

2 cups of coconut milk

2/3 cup of chia seeds

1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract

2 tablespoons of unsweetened coconut flakes

2 tablespoons of sliced almonds

½ tablespoon of maple syrup (optional)

Top with blueberries and raspberries

C i n n a m o n   S p i c e   C h i a   P u d d i n g

2 cups of almond milk

2/3 cup of chia seeds

½ teaspoon of vanilla

1 teaspoon of cinnamon

½ teaspoon of nutmeg

½ teaspoon of ginger

2 tablespoons of chopped dates

2 tablespoons of dried cranberries

C a c a o   A l m o n d   C h i a   P u d d i n g

2 cups of almond milk

2/3 cup of chia seeds

1 tablespoon of ground cacao

2 tablespoons of unsweetened dessicated coconut

½ tablespoon of maple syrup

Haim- Go Slow

Style File: Harry

I haven't done a style file for ages now. I admire Scott Schuman from The Sartorialist because asking someone to pose for a picture and look natural is a harder than you think. I think that is why most of his subjects are often models or people in fashion who are customary posers. Harry, my brother, is not a customary poser, however he does know that when I say can I take pictures of you to put on my blog he obliges. 

I have done a style file on Harry before. It's funny to look back at my previous style files of Harry as he has grown up and changed quite a bit in the last year- the main difference being his hair. Anyway, here is Harry.

Harry wears:

Skinny Jeans: Topshop

T-Shirt: Friends

Denim Jacket: Urban Outfitters

Beanie: Vintage Shop

Socks: Jack Wills

Shoes: Adidas

Thanks Harry. X

Shoe Candy

Here is a bit of Shoe Candy for you... aren't they divine? 

I found these in Harrods. My fish memory cannot remember who they are by, so massive apologies for that.  Even though I don't know who they are by, isn't it great to know they exist......? Ummm....

Recipe: Flax Seed Porridge topped with Blueberries

When I go home home (i.e. my parents house) on the weekends, flax seed/ chia seed porridge is my go-to favourite breakfast. The reason I generally wait to get home and have this beauty is because I now associate it with reading The Sunday Times Style magazine, but also unfortunately it is not something that can be made quickly and easily in the office.

Making this dish is easy and quick when you have prepared your flax the night before. I suggest leaving your flax overnight so it is ready to go in the morning, but if you forget to do this or jut feel like this dish spontaneously, soak your flax seeds for at least 10 mins. Why? Well flax, like chia seeds, when soaked, swells up and creates a gel like consistency. This gel is what gives the porridge a yummy thick texture, helps keep us fuller for longer, and helps move food through our digestive system.

N e e d:

3 tablespoons of ground flax.

2 tablespoons of oatbran

enough water to generously cover this

almond milk (sweetened or unsweetened)

1 egg white

S u g g e s t e d   T o p p i n g s: 

Peanut butter

Seasonal fruit (I used blueberries)

Seeds 

Bee Pollen

Cacao Nibs

Dried Fruit

Coconut Flakes

Honey

D o:

1) Soak your flax and oat bran overnight/ for a period in the morning to create your flax gel.

2) In the morning add your egg white and a splash of almond milk. Whisk until all mixed.

3) Put all ingredients in a non stick saucepan, on a low heat cook the porridge until it is warm all the way through and all the egg white has cooked.

4) Place your porridge in a bowl to serve. Top with your choice of toppings and enjoy. 

H e a l t h   B e n e f i t s   of   F l a x:

Flaxseeds are a a great source of fiber and work as a natural laxative. They are a great way to keep things regular.

Flaxseed oil contains concentrated amounts of alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), an omega-3 fat. Vegetarians and vegans often use this as a substitute for fish oil.

Ground flaxseed has been shown to work just as well as statins in lowering cholesterol.

Flaxseeds are a good source of magnesium.

Flaxseeds contain high levels of lignans. Lignans may protect against estrogen-dependents cancers such as breast cancer.

An ounce of ground flaxseed per day was shown to regulate estrogen levels in post-menopausal women.

Flaxseeds have been shown to protect post-menopausal women from heart disease.

Flaxseed decreases insulin resistance and may protect against diabetes.

Soaking your nuts, seeds beans and grains prior to consumption will also enhance your nutrient consumption due to the soaking process removing the majority of the phytic acid. This acid can prevent us from absorbing a lot of the nutrients as it is very difficult for our bodies to digest. In particular, if you are a vegan or vegetarian, soaking your nuts, seeds, beans and grains is advised. Read more here. 

Have a good Sunday everyone. X

Isabel Marant for H and M

For those avid fashion followers, this blog post may be 'soooo two weeks ago' but I have been busy and I still want to celebrate this collaboration. 

So, Isabel Marant: the French queen of Boho-cool; the woman who dresses the Vicky Secret models and made high heeled trainers actually quite cool. Now we all get to have a slice of that parisienne style! Be prepared to see lots of print (printed jeans, jumpers, dresses, etc) bead work, and leather. This collection has embodied all of the key Marant top sellers.

Compared to Maison Martin Margiela's collection with H and M this time last year, I feel like this collection is going to be a lot more successful. Marant is known to design her clothes based on what she wants to wear everyday. It is why her clothes are so covetable: they are a funky twist on easy to wear clothes. 

What I do fear about this collection however is the quality of the fabrics. Until we actually see and touch the fabrics, we are not going to know. As we all know, a really tacky synthetic fibre is not going to hang as nicely as we would like over the ill-fitted PVC 'leather' trousers. Fingers crossed H and M have invested a little more here. 

Here are some of the key pieces I will be lusting after when these hit the shops. 

These look so cosy.

Here are some of the pieces which I think Isabel left to her assistant to design and I think are terrible.

I could be wrong, but I think the neckline isn't going to flatter anyone. 

If I were to dress up as Arial (Disney princess mermaid) for Halloween...

Cool in theory, but on anyone over a six 6 these are going to look awful. 

Let me just grab my gun and cowboy boots. 

Really? The zip just offends me further...

Check out the full collection here via Vogue.com

Bare Faced Beauty

I don't know if you have noticed but recently there has been a lot of press about wearing no make up. I believe this whole craze was kicked off by Sarah Jessica Parker (claiming she was) wearing no foundation to the Met Gala Ball earlirt this year. Whether the Carrie Bradshaw star started this trend or not, it has taken off. Loreal have launched their own no make up campaign with Cheryl Cole, Gwyneth Paltrow later turned up to an awards ceremony without make up, and Spring Summer catwalk beauty championed face-sin-slap.

Here are some faces of S/S 2014.

I love this trend as it is easy and care free. To look like you are not wearing any make up- sometimes you do need to wear a bit just to make yourself look appropriate. Focus on a tinted moisturiser (I like Laura Mercier), a good subtly blush (I use Liz Earl blossom), and concealer to hid those dark circles you have acquired (I use Boots No.7) and hey presto- this look is all yours.

NB: This look always looks better when you are healthy- the healthier, the less help you need with make up and the better you will look. Do not attempt this look if you have had a heavy night out- one generally looks better with a lick of mascara to bring out your alcohol swollen eyes (from my experience anyway). 

(I think this model may have had a larger than normal dose of photoshop...) 

Cucumber: Nutritional profile

Cucumber

One thing I love about food is that it can do so much for you when you eat it. This, in my mind, makes something psychologically tastier because of the added benefits. People often think that cucumber doesn't have all that much nutritional content in it as it is pretty much 98% water- think again. Here I bring you some facts about the trusty English cucumber...

Energy: Cucumber is a good source of vitamin B which will give you a boost in your energy levels.

Hydration: Cucumber is 95% water helping to keep the body hydrated.

Immunity: The skin of a cucumber has 10% of your daily-recommended dose of vitamin C, among other daily essential vitamins.

Hair Growth: The silicone and sulphur in cucumber promotes hair growth.

Anti- Inflammatory: Cucumber is very anti-inflammatory. Place a slice of cucumber over each eye when relaxing and your puffy eyes should noticeably reduce.

Sun Burn: You know how most after- sun creams have aloe vera in them? Well Cucumber works in the same way as Aloe- in particular the dark green skin. Place the green skin over sunburn and it will be instantly cooled.

Cancer Fighter: Cucumber contains lariciresinol, pinoresinol, and secoisolariciresinol. These three lignans have a strong history of research in connection with reduced risk of several cancer types, including breast cancer, ovarian cancer, uterine cancer and prostate cancer.

Hangover cure: Cucumber has enough sugar, vitamin Bs and electrolytes to replenish nutrients after a heavy night out. Eating a few cucumber slices will reduce your hangover and headache.

Weight loss and digestion: Cucumber has an extremely low calorie per gram ratio due to its extremely high water content. The fiber found in the skin of the cucumber also aids digestion. Cucumber is therefore great for digestion problems, in addition to aiding with weight loss as it helps to flush toxins out of the body.

Blood Pressure: Cucumbers contain a lot of potassium, magnesium and fiber, which, together help regulate blood pressure. Furthermore cucumbers contaian a compound called sterol which may help reduce cholesterol.

Diabetes: The juice of cucumber contains a hormone which helps the cells of the pancreas to produce insulin. Hence it is though cucumber benefits those with diabetes.

Joint Health: Cucumber is an excellent source of silica, which is known to help promotes joint health by strengthening the connective tissues

Strong bones: Cucumber contains a high amount of vitamin K which helps They surprisingly have a high amount of vitamin K, provides about 17 µg of this vitamin per 100 g. Vitamin-K has been found to have a potential role in bone strength by promoting osteotrophic (bone mass building) activity.

Anya Hindmarch talks about her Spring Summer 2014 Out of This World Collection

Those who know me know that I am a serious die-hard Anya Hindmarch fan.  This is for several reasons; it is a British brand, I love the cute little bow, her designs are always executed with a quirky sophistication and (although this is slightly changing as she has grown in popularity over the years) Anya's price mark is not on parr with the ridiculous Chloe's and Chanel's. Another thing which I really admire about Anya Hindmarch is that she has taken London Fashion week by the horns- she nails it every time.

Each season Anya rises to the challenge and puts on a playful show that will often surprise, delight and entertain her fashionable guests. This season Anya brought us a lots of snake skin, pastel colours and structured shapes. Her iconic tassels and little bow details are still present in this collection. I hope you enjoy the collection as much as I do. #wishlist

Kisua

There is a new quirky online shopping destination: Kisua. Kisua hasn't exactly launched yet- it is opening its online doors at the beginning of October, but waiting for this site is (fingers crossed) going to be totally worth it. The new online retail shop is going to be stocking the greatest talent from Africa; That means new designers, bold prints and a colourful take on dressing. * eee * Just check out their Tumblr to see their mood board and the kind of treat we are in for.

Just imagine this pop of colour with a big winter coat and high booties for a spraky winter outfit?! I'm sure this site and its clothes are going to brighten up the grey British winter.

Bring on October. 

#Inspiring Work Outfits

I have not blogged properly for ages now, and that is because I have recently started working full time in London- working life puts your time in perspective- every hour counts, there usually isn't enough of them throughout the day, and free time a.k.a. weekends have a whole new meaning. That said, working life is great- I just haven't got around to blogging much at all.  With every day comes new starts so with the new day tomorrow, I am going to endeavour to blog at least once a week. As for now, it is time to hit the hay sack for me. I am cream crackered.  For your viewing pleasure, here are a few outfits which I would love to wear to work. 

Green Kitchen Stories: Creamy Sesame & Orange Smoothie

I have been following Green Kitchen Stories for a while now. Their recipes are creative, alternative and always wonderfully healthy.  Moreover, the photography on the blog is absolutely stunning. Here is their latest recipe for a sesame smoothie.  Find the original recipe post here.

Instagratification

Vogue recently posted about how to get Instagram gratification.  As a new digital assistant account executive at Red PR in London, an instagram obsessive and an avid vogue follower, I had to share this on my own little space on the web. So without further ado, here is how to get instagratification...

Me, my beautiful selfie

Models and perfectly formed It girls only need apply - think Gisele, Georgia May and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley. Normally involves a dreamy close-up of symmetrical features further enhanced with soft filters just to remind the rest of us how far we have to go. Best accompanied with self-deprecating comments, or under-cut with an equal amount of selfies in silly poses that say, "I'm really just like you…"

Random flowers

We all get excited, it seems, by flora and fauna when on our summer de-camp to exotic destinations (clearly no one grows their own). There are no end of pretty petals in vibrant colours and rarely with the correct botanical labelling (apart from Sam McKnight's). Shows you are in touch with nature and have an artistic side.

See Miranda Kerr, Sam McKnight, etc.

People and pets

A dog is clearly a gorgeous woman's best friend ­- and they love to travel. The added advantage is they can't complain about being endlessly snapped on Instagram (unlike the husband/boyfriend who has said "Enough!") The doggy should be posed in all manner of extraordinary positions and always look impossibly cute (no one snaps them clearing up another poop now, do they?). It's the swiftest way to up your adorability/lovability. (Kittens, fluffy bunnies and guinea pigs also work.)

See Gisele, Katie Hillier, Pixie Geldof, Amanda Seyfried…

Beautiful bodies

Congratulations. Payback time for those who have spent hours sweating in the gym or on the Pilates Reformer. Just add a perfect boat or beach scene, an amazing array of glamorous swimwear and the supremely honed butt. See all Victoria's Secret Angels (retired or otherwise).

Spiritual messaging

This one is easy for all. Simply adopt a yoga pose in a stunning setting (waterfall in background, flowing fields, mountainscape). Then add sugary mantra, "Good morning Mother Earth", for instance. See Gisele.

Me and my fabulous friends

Maximise your address book with strategic shots of you with "famous" friends. (It's obviously essential you invite said famous friends on holiday or, better still, be invited on their holiday.) Ensure that you are wrapped around each other in a warm embrace that spells the relationship is true and close (wheedles out the fakies just photo bombing). Brownie points are earned for famous friend then commenting on your picture. And extra brownie points when another celebrity friend comments on said picture with famous friend. Failing that, simply hashtag Throwback Thursday and throw in an old holiday pic with you and a (probably former) celebrity friend.

Table-settings

If ever there was proof of the perfect aspirational life, it is the art-directed holiday table-setting: flowers, candles, napkins, Tuscan sunset… Doesn't have to be your table, of course. And no need to mention that normally you eat out of a plastic container at your desk.

Party snaps

A risky one. On the upside you demonstrate you are always at the hub of the summer social calendar. There are potential downsides, however. You risk looking sweaty or worse, totally wasted and chances are your boss/fans/Daily Mail/ are following you.