Wednesday 22 November 2017

THE A-LINE SKIRT & TURTLE NECK COMBO

Hello Salala people I hope you are all well. 

As you will have noticed from the title we are talking about one of my favourite outfit combinations : a timeless a-line skirt and a flattering turtle neck. 

The other day I was casually scrolling through my Instagram account and  I noticed that in most of my pictures I am wearing my high waisted denim jeans from Miss Selfridges and my Nike trainers. 
I need to stop reaching out for them all the time! 

So in my effort to have a denim detox (first world problems, I know ha! Just please play along with me here) I thought it was time to go through my wardrobe and try again some of my best-loved items. 

I forgot how many winter skirts I have accumulated over the years and for this look I picked out one from M&S with red check school girl vides. I particularly like that this skirt fits very comfortably around my waist and I can still tuck in and layer more clothing, like a jumper. 

For an even more elegant look I added a black fitted turtle neck. The majority of  my turtle necks -including this one - are from Primark and  every year I tend to stock up with as many colours as possible! I highly recommend them especially as the price range is between 5 to 1O pounds. 

As it is rather cold outside I made sure to wear a pair of  black tights.  I have struggled to find the ideal pair (especially as most of them will not be long enough) and after many attempts I think the winner is : Bodyform 40Denier in Large from Marks & Spencer.

Finally I went for my trusted Topshop block heels that were purchased when I was in Edinburgh for a business trip. I remember this random detail as I nearly missed my flight whilst queuing to buy them! 

If I was to "dress-this-outfit-down" I would add an oversized red jumper , leather booties and a black aviator jacket. 














Saturday 2 September 2017

WHAT TO DO IN SKIATHOS GREECE

 Hello Salala people !! 

After coming back from holidays in Greece , a few people messaged me on Facebook for tips/advice and suggestions for places to go and see. So I thought it might be useful to share with you where we stayed, what we did , where we ate etc. and create a little guide of Skiathos and Skopelos for all of you salala viewers.  

Plus I really want to share with you some of my favourite holiday snaps, so let's get started!

Arrival and Transport 
We flew from Birmingham (as we couldn't find direct flights from Bristol) to Skiathos  airport. As soon as we landed we picked up our pre-booked rental car.  I must admit they gave us a relatively battered car which struggled up on the hills but it was very affordable. I noticed that the majority of tourists had rented quad bikes or 4x4 but our little Lamborghini (that's how we named our battered rented car ha!)  was more than fine! It took us to all the beaches that we needed without breaking the bank.  It seems like Skiathos has only one road that goes all around the island so trust me you will not even need to use GPS after day one. 
You don't necessarily need to rent a car as the island has a good bus system that starts from the town and goes all the way down to Koukounaries beach and back. But I would recommend renting a vehicle to avoid waiting/queuing. 

Accommodation 
When I travel with my mum we usually book all inclusive but as James is a foodie we wanted to have the opportunity to experience different restaurants (they are mostly referred to as Tavernas in Greece). I actually preferred that as all inclusive holidays don't always inspire you to go out and about and explore. 

If you really want somewhere that is peaceful and family friendly then I would highly recommend Kleopatra villas that is next to Kolios beach. 

Beaches 
You must (yeah you must) go to Koukounaries beach its just so blue , clean and dreamy ! It also has a cool bar with music and drinks and loads of watersponts. Next to this beach you will find the Mystique beach bar and if you want fancy cocktails then  this place is perfect.  Another beach that I really enjoyed is Agia Eleni it has a cool bar with outdoor pillows,a traditional Greek taverna , free beach volleyball and blue clear waters. 





Great lunch at Mystique bar. 


We really enjoyed playing beach rackets as it was our only form of exercise for the whole week.





We walked up to the clock of Skiathos to enjoy this lovely view. 

This is the port of Skiathos after a busy (ok most likely lazy) day at the beach you should definitely go as it is full of bars and tavernas to eat and drink. Plus it is ideal for "people watching" ha! 

Mythos is the only beer I drunk (and you should only drink!!)  for the whole week. 


One night we were so so so tipsy and whilst walking around the backstreets of Skiathos  we stubbled across this taverna with live Greek music. I honestly believe that was the best Greek food I have ever had.So tasty plus the people were so lovely!




 Gorgeous views from the Kastro of Skiathos (the old town) 


We drove up north of the island and then walked all the way up to the Kastro of Skiathos. 



If you dont want to get the day trip to Lalaria beach, then Kastro is a very similar beach that you can access after exploring the old town. 
Mythos , fish and Greek salad ...I mean what else would you need?!

Next to the old town of Skiathos you will find this original taverna. I don't remember the name but don't worry because its the only taverna exactly on the Kastro beach. 

We also visited the Monasteri of Evangelistria where you can see exactly where the first ever Greek flag was made. The monks there also make their own oil and honey!! 




Skiathos has so many lovely sandy beaches which is unusual in comparison with other Greek islands.





The Mamma Mia boat cruise. 







Shots from our daytrip in Skopelos.


One of my favourite parts ouf our holiday was our Mamma Mia trip to Skopelos. Yes a boat blasting Mamma Mia tunes all the way there and back took us to this lovely island for the day. 



Go ahead and try some of the watersports. 


One of the nights we got a boat and went to mainland Greece called Phlio. You can easily find those daytrips advertised around the port. 




Some shots from Agia Eleni beach. This was the first time ever James played beach volleyball !! Hopefully he will get better and join me haha:) 



I hope you have enjoyed this little guide. 

Wednesday 5 July 2017

HOLIDAY BLUES


Hello Salala people I hope you are all well !! Gosh where shall I begin from?! 

I have had  a super busy June . Firstly I went holidays for around 8 days in Skiathos and Skopelos. It was actually my boyfriend's first time ever in Greece so it felt even more special to take him around the islands and show him part of me and my culture. I might do a separate post all about Greece so keep tuned.  

Then straight after my holidays I unpacked my 20kg bag so I could put all my clothes into a bag-pack and go to Glastonbury!! I think I have mentioned before in this blog, that I am certainly not the camping type. This is not because I don't love the outdoors it's just that I do prefer home comforts such as nice clean sheets, a hot shower etc. etc. etc. 
Despite my personal preferences I must admit I had such a great time. The music , the people , the overall atmosphere was incredible. Everyone is there to have a good time and you can just feel it in the air. The weather for the first time ever was also on our side so that was a great bonus. My favourite artists was Ed Sheeran and Craig David. 
I didn't have time to recover from the festival as straight after I went to a proper British wedding up-north. My boyfriend's sister was getting married it the gorgeous Yorkshire dales. We stayed in a picturesque set-up so and it was great to meet all of my boyfriend's extended family. 

Now it's Monday and I am back in the office!It feels so weird...Surely I am not the only one that get's the so-called "holidays blues" ? However, I have a smile in my face and ready to face the working week ahead. Inside though, I am thinking about my next holidays... which will most probably be New York. Don't worry I will keep you posted! 









      Outfit of the Day details 
Top : Mango 
Skirt : Zara 
Shoes: Primark 

When I am tanned I love wearing white pieces as I find them even more flattering. 


Thank you for passing by. 

L.A 
XXX


Friday 14 April 2017

WHY YOU NEED A WRAP-DRESS

Hello Salala readers I hope you are all well!!
 I should have been on the train to Manchester but I am still recovering from a night out.(..oops) . My mum is not really happy with me but I thought to be at least productive and chat to you guys!!

How amazing is it that spring/summer is here?! When I used to live in Athens around this time of the year we would store all of our winter clothes and just keep out our t-shirts,swimsuits,shorts etc. The process of putting away your winter wardrobe was actually rather therapeutic ,like a new beginning sort of thing! 

Unfortunately, as I now live in the UK  I am conscious of the unpredictable weather  so I keep my winter items within (certainly close!) reach. 

Lately I have been enjoying pairing girlie wrap-dresses along with comfy block heels and a raincoat. 
I find wrap-dresses so sophisticated and sexy and I feel confident wearing them in the daytime for work and then by simply adding some extra lipstick I would be ready for drinks in town!





A good tip when styling a dress with patterns is to emphasize in one colour. On this look you will notice I have made sure to bring out the pink with my accessories.


Dress:TK-max (last season) 
Bag: Zara (similar here )
Shoes: Zara (similar here)
Coat: Marks & Spencer (similar here)

 The queen of wrap-dresses is certainly DVF , but for all of us that can't afford the price tag I have linked below some affordable alternatives. 

     ASOS - TOPSHOP  - BOOHOO 

Would you like some more convincing to invest in a wrap-dress? Well let's see different ways our favourite bloggers and celebs have styled them. 














The key in choosing your ideal wrap-dress is finding one that doesn't show so much cleavage, hugs your body all in the right places  and it's not too short. 


Hope you enjoyed this post and will chat to you soon!! 


Laura-Anne 
The Salala girl 

xxx