WhoWhatClaire - North West Fashion, Beauty & Lifestyle Blog

WHY I DITCHED AN INSTAGRAM 'THEME'

noreply@blogger.com (Claire - Who What Claire Blog) — Thu, 27 Jul 2017 20:17:00 +0000

Ahhh Instagram. The channel we love to hate. The app I check first thing in the morning and last thing at night. The feed that seems to be sapping bloggers of their patience and leaving us questioning why we even bother!

The algorithm changes that have happened lately have had a huge knock-on effect on bloggers, and there's been some pretty shady activity going on with people trying to beat the algorithm by buying fake followers. People I have followed for years who's content I love no longer seem to show up in my news feed, some users follow and unfollow me on a regular basis (I can see you!) and great content doesn't seem to get as much engagement anymore. So many people are over-editing their photos and showing such a perfect lifestyle on social media that it can be hard to tell what's real and what's not.

For months I tried to stick to an Instagram theme, painstakingly finding things to photograph that fit my chosen colour palette in the hope that my feed would look aesthetically pleasing enough for someone to hit the seemingly all-important follow button. I'd add colour tints to make sure things tied in with my content, I'd serve food on plates in certain colours just so they matched and it even got to the point where I was basing my outfits on how they'd look alongside my last Instagram post.... and the saddest part about all of that is I'm definitely not the only one!

Its great to have a really beautifully curated profile, don't get me wrong, but to go to that much extent made me obsessed, and I know many accounts that do the same thing but go to much bigger extremes. It got to the point on a night out where I really wanted to photograph a pink neon sign I'd seen, but doing so meant I broke my blue 'theme' that I'd kept up so well for months. Tipsy me of course decided posting said pink sign was a great idea. Cue (a very hungover me) spending the next day cursing alcohol and photographing anything and everything pink to make sure my feed was looking coherent again. Crazy, I know.

That's why I've ditched the whole idea of a theme, and boy does it feel good to be posting freely again! I do try to keep things bright and colourful, (which is pretty easy as my wardrobe is full of colour anyway!) but no longer am I restricting things to a certain hue, or a particular VSCO filter to make every photo look perfectly aligned with the next. I'm not stressing about how often I post, I don't care if I miss a day or two and I don't care if a post doesn't get many likes. If Instagram is changing so much that its becoming a drag, then personally I just don't see the point in trying to 'beat it', especially by posting things that aren't real or are just too forced.

No matter how much Instagram changes and drives me up the wall, let's be honest here, its always going to be my favourite channel to post on and spend endless hours scrolling through, so rather than stress about the likes and followers I'm just going to carry on posting photos of my favourite things (clothes and food, obvs) and enjoying it for what it started out as - a beautiful platform for sharing imagery and finding amazing creatives!

What are your thoughts on Instagram themes?

C x

PARMA VIOLET

noreply@blogger.com (Claire - Who What Claire Blog) — Tue, 25 Jul 2017 19:57:00 +0000

You may have spotted that I've been adding a lot more colour back in to my wardrobe recently (which is mainly due to trying to stick to a simple colour palette/capsule wardrobe last winter, leaving me craving some bold brights this Spring! See my year in outfits here) and one of my absolute favourite shades right now is pink! I can't get enough of it - pastel shades, bold fuchsias or candy pinks - give me them all! That's why, when I spotted this £5 sweatshirt in Primark, it just had to come home with me! I love the violet pink shade which is completely different to anything else I own.

Cropped, super soft, oversized and the prettiest hue, its got to be one of the comfiest tops I own. Its typically something I'd throw on at the weekend with boyfriend jeans or jersey culottes or even over my gym gear, so I wanted to try and style it a little differently and see if it would work in more of a smart casual look. I dug out one of my all time favourite dresses, a midi- length shirt dress from La Redoute, which you might remember from this styling post from way back! My wardrobe changes SO much, so to say that this is still part of my collection over two years down the line says a lot!

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Cropped Sweatshirt - Primark // Midi Length Shirt Dress - La Redoute* // Converse - Very // Bag - River Island

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I was going to go for a pair of black heeled ankle boots to dress things up a bit, but decided to choose my trusty Converse and I'm so glad I did - there was a lot of walking involved in my day! I love how this outfit turned out and not only has it made me want to buy more of these cropped sweats (I've already spied a dusky blue version!) but its also reminded me how just how much I love this dress. I definitely need to wear it more often!

Have you got any items in your wardrobe that you just can't get rid of?

C x

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SUNDAY FUNDAY

noreply@blogger.com (Claire - Who What Claire Blog) — Sun, 23 Jul 2017 18:04:00 +0000

You all know by now just how much I love a good slogan tee/jumper/sweatshirt so it will come as no surprise that this New Look knit made its way in to my collection this weekend! As soon as I saw it in store I knew exactly what I wanted to wear it with - the Asos gingham skirt of dreams, of course! I love wearing red and monochrome together, so this was the perfect pairing, and we just so happened to have a sunny few hours this morning to shoot this look!

This skirt has made a fair few appearances on my blog now, such as when I wore it to see Blossoms live in Liverpool, and in this outfit earlier this year with (shocker) another slogan tee! As much as I love both of those looks though, this has to be my favourite so far as it just lends itself so well to bright colours, which is great because when I bought it I wasn't entirely sure what I could pair it with. Turns out it goes with pretty much my entire wardrobe!!

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Funday Jumper - New Look // Gingham Midi Skirt - ASOS (similar here) // Trainers - Converse // Bag - Primark

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Midi skirts, comfy jumpers or T shirts and Converse is quickly becoming my weekend uniform in this unpredictable weather, so much so that I've got my eyes on a couple more midis to add to my collection! This striped wrap skirt would look so good with a white cropped tee and trainers, and this gorgeous yellow pleated midi skirt in velvet (looks better than it sounds, promise) is dreamy! Get in my wardrobe!

On a side note, I'm super annoyed with how Blogger has drained colour from these photos, which looked SO much brighter before they were uploaded. They really don't do the outfit any justice and I've noticed it happening a lot with my images, so if anyone knows how to stop this from happening please do let me know!!

Hope you've all had a fabulous weekend. How have you spent yours?

C x

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THE AVEDA HAIR EXPERIENCE

noreply@blogger.com (Claire - Who What Claire Blog) — Mon, 17 Jul 2017 20:16:00 +0000

Last weekend I was very kindly invited to try out the plant based, cruelty-free hair treatments at a gorgeous Aveda Hair Salon in Lancashire. The lovely Dominique, Director of the beautiful salon, The Blonde & The Bears booked me in for my blow dry, and needless to say I was pretty darn excited to treat my hair to some TLC!

The salon itself is based in the lovely Cedar Farm on the outskirts of Preston, where you can find lots of little shops and units selling handmade gifts and food that's been locally produced. We actually ended up spending a good few hours there, eating a yummy lunch in the cafe, sampling the handmade chocolates and feeding the goats on the farm! If you're in Lancashire I'd definitely recommend a visit.

Now back to the hair! When I arrived at the salon (which has the most Instagram-able decor!) I was settled in my chair and asked to choose from a number of Aveda Chakra cards to determine which body mist would be used to start off the treatment. Each card represented a different feeling, and I had to select the one which I was most drawn to at that moment in time. I chose the 'grounded' card, which matched up to Chakra number 1. People who choose this particular card tend to feel 'lethargy, resistance to change and the need to slow down' which are all things I've definitely felt lately!

The mist was sprayed over my hair and body from above, and as I inhaled the oh-so-relaxing scent of olibanum (frankincense), organic patchouli and vetiver, I was treated to an amazing head and shoulder massage which left me feeling super relaxed.

The next stage of the treatment was to wash the hair with the Aveda Damage Remedy Shampoo which is great for lightened hair, then once this was all rinsed out, the Aveda Damage Remedy Botanicals Treatment was used. The treatment is made of lots of natural ingredients such as quinoa, and designed to put plenty of protein back in to damaged hair. I had a hot towel placed over my hair, (which was an amazing experience in itself!) to open the hair cuticles and allow the treatment to soak in, all whilst enjoying a lovely hand massage. Bliss!

The wash was then finished with a cool rinse to close the hair cuticles back up and lock all the goodness in to my locks, and I can quite honestly say that was the best and most relaxing experience I've ever had at a back-wash! The time and care that's put in to the treatments is amazing, and all the products smelt incredible.

The next step was obviously the blow dry, and this is always my favourite part as I love to see how my hair is styled in the hope that one day I'll get some coordination in my hands and I'll be able to do it myself at home! Dominique chatted to me about the kind of style I usually go for, and after adding some of the Aveda Confixor Gel, which is designed to hold a curl without weighing the hair down, she got to work on drying.

I decided to go for my favourite style - relaxed, natural waves parted off to one side and with plenty of volume, and that's exactly what I got! The look was then finished off with a few extra waves created with a curling wand, texture was added with the Aveda Shampure Dry Shampoo and everything was set with the Air Control Hairspray, which again all smelt SO GOOD!

Et voila! Here's the finished look! I was so pleased with the results and couldn't get over how lightweight my hair felt after the whole experience, and the waves held up the next day too. I must admit, I have never really given vegan hair products a second thought, but having my hair feel this good has made me seriously consider investing in some of my own Aveda hair products.

Thank you SO much to Dominique and her team at The Blonde & The Bears for such a lovely afternoon. I came away feeling completely and utterly pampered and so well looked after. I'd definitely recommend giving the salon a visit (I'm told you can even take your dog in with you, so what's not to love?!) especially if your hair is in need of some TLC! I'm hoping to return again in the near future, for sure.

C x

HOME & STATIONERY HAULIN' WITH ROOI.COM

noreply@blogger.com (Claire - Who What Claire Blog) — Sun, 16 Jul 2017 18:50:00 +0000

I'm an absolute sucker for stationery and have far too much (probably more than I'll ever need/use) and its no secret how much I love homeware and interiors, so when the lovely folk at Rooi got in touch to let me pick out a few pieces from their luxury living collections the answer was a pretty obvious HELL YES!

As soon as I spotted that Rooi stocked Kate Spade, it was a no brainer that I immediately found myself on the Kate Spade page! They have everything from diaries and pencil cases to umbrellas and water bottles, but something I've had my eye on for a while now are the gorgeous pencils, so I was chuffed to find they were in stock! I also spied the Kate Spade wedding planner but it was sadly out of stock. It's so beautiful!

Another stationery and homeware brand I LOVE is Ban.do. Their stationery is right up my street - cute pastel colours, holographic prints and the sassiest little slogans. I needed a pencil case to keep my work bag tidy as I can never find any pens (even though I know there's at least fifteen in there somewhere) and couldn't resist the 'I am very busy' design. Its definitely been a conversation starter whenever I've pulled it out of my bag at my desk so far!

Also from the Ban.do range, I chose the 'Love Potion' mug to add to my ever growing collection, because evidently I'm obsessed with slogans EVERYWHERE; T Shirts, pencil cases, mugs - you name it!

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Kate Spade Dot The I's Pencil Set* // Ban.do Pink Ceramic Love Potion Mug* // Ban.do I Am Very Busy Pencil Case* - all from Rooi

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If you love stationery and home accessories like these as much as I do, then you're in luck! Rooi have kindly given Who What Claire readers 20% off all full priced items with the code 20CLAIRE. I'm thinking of placing a cheeky order for the 'After this we're getting pizza' exercise mat (because why not?!) and a guestbook for our wedding. Let me know in the comments below if you pick anything up!

What are your favourite stationery brands?

C x

LITTLE WHITE DRESS

noreply@blogger.com (Claire - Who What Claire Blog) — Wed, 12 Jul 2017 19:12:00 +0000

You're no doubt all going to be sick of me saying this soon, but Primark have gone and done it again with another gorgeous little summer dress (Seriously, I reckon half my Summer wardrobe is made up of Primark's dresses right now. Not even kidding)! I spied this lovely little find hidden amongst a load of other one-offs, so I'm guessing that it was probably a return from another store as our local Primark doesn't tend to get a lot of the key fashion lines in stock. I did my usual squeal that I do when I find something that a) I absolutely need and b) is in my size!

I managed to bag a cheeky extra 10% off as there was a make up stain on the collar (girls who try white things on in fitting rooms and cover them in make up - please stop!) but at £13 it was already an absolute steal. The make up came out pretty easily with some baby wipes and a little hand soap, which was a nice surprise considering how delicate the crochet fabric is, and after spotting a glimpse of sun last weekend I decided to give it its first outing.

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Crochet Bell Sleeve Dress - Primark // White Ankle Boots - Kurt Geiger (via Megan Ellaby's Charity Sale) // Straw Tote Bag - H&M // Sunglasses - Spitalfields Market

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I went for a bit of a sixties vibe and styled the dress with some gorgeous new boots that I picked up at Megan Ellaby's charity sale. Megan sold A LOT of her clothes, shoes and accessories a few weeks back at Jimmy's Bar in Manchester's Norther Quarter and it was so much fun, but more importantly, for such a brilliant cause. All proceeds made (Over £5k!!!) from the sale of her dreamy wardrobe will go to the Manchester Emergency Fund for those who lost friends or family members during the Manchester attacks earlier this year.

Manchester is a place that's close to my heart, and Megan Ellaby is one of my favourite girl crushes so I was obviously there with bells on like a little eager beaver, and managed to bag three pairs of BEAUTIFUL Kurt Geiger shoes including these sassy little white boots complete with tortoiseshell effect heels. I've been waiting for the right time to wear them ever since, and as soon as I got this dress through my front door I knew exactly what I'd be wearing them with!

Did you manage to get to Megan's Manchester sale? Let me know what you managed to snap up if you were there!

C x

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30 SUMMER BUYS UNDER £30

noreply@blogger.com (Claire - Who What Claire Blog) — Tue, 11 Jul 2017 20:50:00 +0000

The high street is brimming right now with some amazing finds, and after scrolling some of my favourite sites I was pleasantly surprised to find that you can actually get a lot of the best things for under £30! So I've gone on a hunt for some of the most heart-eye-emoji inducing pieces from my high street favourites that won't break the bank, look far much more pricey than they actually are (and would look super nice hanging in my wardrobe!).

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Yellow Stripe Sundress // Comme Ci Comme Ca Tee // Striped Tee // Floral Bardot Maxi Dress // Boyfriend Denim Jacket // Red Cropped Ring Top // Bardot Floral Mini Dress // Pink Floral Pointed Courts // Pink Bardot Skater Dress // Red Rucksack // Blue Print Frill Bralet // Floral Sliders // Stripe Embroidered Flute Sleeve Top // Tan Ring Belt

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As you can probably all tell from my recent outfit posts, I've got a bit of a thing for a printed tee paired with something bright, hence the sheer amount of colour in these items and the amount of slogans and patterns! I'm loving stripes, spots and floral prints more than ever - can you tell?!

Zara are ticking all the boxes for me with their new collections (so much floral!) and are feeding my need for slouchy dresses, pretty shoes and tops that are that little bit different (hello, crochet!), and New Look have got Summer styling down to a T with their gorgeous sundresses and statement trousers. Give me a good dose of gingham and I'm a happy bunny!

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Polka Dot Wrap Blouse // Red Frill Mini Skirt // Sheer Embroidered Tee // Pink Frill Mini Skirt // Red Tapered Trousers // Floral T-Shirt Dress // Pink Frill Sleeve Shirt // Red Floral Culottes // Vintage Wash High Waisted Jeans // Pink Cross Body Bag // Crochet Top // Bow Detail Sliders // Gingham Frill Trousers // Grey Corset Detail Skater Dress // Colour Block Clutch Bag // Tan Cross Body Bag

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After a love/hate relationship with Topshop over the past couple of years, I've definitely fallen back in love with their Summer offering. There's so many pieces of there's in my bookmarks folder such as 80s inspired tie waist crop tops, casual T shirt dresses and some seriously cute wrap blouses that would be perfect for work paired with high waisted trousers!

Seeing all these high street goodies has got me hoping and praying for some more sunny weather! What are your favourite pieces from all of my picks? What do you think of high street fashion right now?

C x

GIRL NEXT DOOR

noreply@blogger.com (Claire - Who What Claire Blog) — Sun, 09 Jul 2017 11:42:00 +0000

Sound the alarm - I have found THE most amazing summer skirt that there ever was! Its no secret that my absolute favourite colour is yellow, so excuse me if my excitement over this is a little much, but oh my goodness, I love it! If there ever was a skirt to make me feel like a cross between the sassy dancing girl emoji and (kind of) like Beyonce in the video for Hold Up, this is the one.

Flattering on the waist and hips, gives you legs for days and a beautiful wrap-effect fit with waterfall frills - this ticks all the boxes and would look amazing on pretty much any body shape. Bravo MissPap!

Can we also talk about the tee for a mo? This slogan print tee was a Zara sale bargain that eagle eyed readers may have spied on my Instagram stories last weekend. It was a steal at £5.99 and I absolutely LOVE it. I may have developed a slight problem when it comes to printed tees as my wardrobe is full to bursting with them, but they're just so easy to wear and look just as good with a sassy skirt as they do dressed down with denim.

Clearly not content with the amount of yellow in this outfit, I decided to add my trusty little ASOS cross body bag in, yep, you guessed it, yellow. It might have been a crazy impulse decision when getting dressed yesterday but I actually love how the different hues compliment each other. The motto of the story is - there's no such thing as too much.

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Slogan Tee - Zara // Yellow Frill Midi Skirt - MissPap* // Snakeskin Heels - Office via Very // Yellow Cross Body Bag - Asos // Sunglasses - Shana // Bracelet - Thomas Sabo*

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I've been super lucky to have been gifted a few things from MissPap recently, and I can honestly say I'm so impressed with the pieces I was sent. This has to be my absolute favourite, but you can also check out a couple other lovely items I received in some previous outfit posts. This pink bardot shirt is an absolute dream for sunny weather, and the striped jumpsuit has proved perfect for lazy days paired with Converse and layered over tees!

Have you dipped your toes in the yellow trend this Summer?

C x

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CANDY STRIPES

noreply@blogger.com (Claire - Who What Claire Blog) — Sat, 08 Jul 2017 11:37:00 +0000

Every so often I lay my eyes on a piece of clothing that I just can't stop looking at, obsessing over and wanting to add to my wardrobe, and this cute little striped dress was one of those pieces. I spent weeks adding it to my bag then removing it again, unsure of when I'd actually get to wear it, but I'm so glad I eventually clicked 'continue to checkout' before I could change my mind again, as its the perfect little dress for sunny days when I want to add a little colour to my look!

I wore this little Warehouse number yesterday for a chilled out Friday with Dan - we headed out for lunch and had a really relaxed day celebrating 11 years together (and one year engaged!) and this was the perfect get-up for that. I dressed the look down with Converse and an oversized denim jacket, and I absolutely loved it!

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Dress - Warehouse // Converse - Very // Denim Jacket - Vintage // Bag - Primark // Bracelet - Thomas Sabo*

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What you can't really see in these photos is the neckline (it was a little too breezy to ditch the jacket completely, hence the 'balancing on shoulders' act that I've managed to nail somehow). It's a gorgeous bardot style with a huge ruffle all the way round, and two thick striped straps strategically placed to keep the off the shoulder sections from rising up (or down!). Its such a shame that this dress only came in to stock after our holiday as it would have made a great outfit for sunny evenings in Spain! Maybe its one I'll put away for the honeymoon next year?

It's been so nice to have a few days away from work to unwind and de-stress, and having some time off has meant I've been able to get lots of content together for some new posts! Expect to see a few more outfits and a review of some fabulous homeware and stationery. I've had some lovely feedback on my recent post on how I got my job in marketing, so if you'd like to see any more like that then please let me know!

Hope you're all having a lovely weekend, whatever you're up to!

C x

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HOW I STARTED MY CAREER IN MARKETING

noreply@blogger.com (Claire - Who What Claire Blog) — Thu, 06 Jul 2017 15:10:00 +0000

On the Monday morning commute this week I picked up a copy of Glamour magazine and found myself reading an article on landing a job in today's cut throat world of recruitment. It was so refreshing to see a feature on job hunting that spoke more about personality and extra curricular activities than qualifications and how many buzz words you could squeeze in to a CV.

I love my job in retail marketing and for my age I think I've managed to progress in to my role quite quickly, but hell, its been a bumpy ride! I'm not a direct line manager as such but I do in a sense have an amazing team of girls who are all of a similar age and mindset. I oversee a lot of activity for busy retail destinations and have eyes on a lot of social media accounts, which at 27 I think is quite an achievement and something that I'm really proud of!

It hasn't all been fun and games getting to this point though, and as the Glamour article rightly pointed out, nowadays a glowing list of qualifications isn't everything. I've been given opportunities in my career, past and present, because of things such as my blog, my love of photography, putting myself out there and sometimes just personality rather than a bunch of qualifications. Now with university costing so much, so many people are choosing to skip degrees too, but doing so doesn't have to mean that you can't succeed in a career you love.

I've had to apply for my fair share of jobs in the past, having been made redundant twice before the age of 25 due to companies folding or having to make cut backs, so I've been pretty desperate to find work in some instances. Through that time I've learnt what to write on my CV to make it stand out, what to talk up the most and what to delete altogether. I've also been on the other side of the process too, and have had to read through hundreds of cvs and interview countless candidates for marketing roles, and acting as a recruiter with an inbox of over 150 CVs for one role is a daunting task, let me tell you! This experience made it even more clear how important it is to make yourself stand out and sell not only your skills, but your personality. It's what Simon Cowell would refer to as the 'likeability factor' I guess.

For me, I would say it's all about just putting yourself out there and making sure there's something on your CV to grab a recruiter's attention and make them want to find out more.

When I got my first marketing job outside of uni (which took a good 18 months after graduating to find) it was a lot about being in the right place at the right time, and having the right things with me during the interview. I spotted the position online, sent an email to see if it was still available and got invited in to meet the brand manager. I just happened to take my styling portfolio with me just in case they wanted to see what I did at uni (I have a degree in Fashion Promotion & Styling) even though it wasn't exactly relevant to the role. Just as he started to flick through my portfolio, the company director walked in the room and asked to see it too, and it's at the point when the both of them agreed I could add something extra to the role and not only run the marketing channels, but also work on the upcoming campaign shoots, something completely unrelated to the job in question. In my interview, we barely spoke about my qualifications and instead chatted about my blog, my personal style, how I manage my own social media channels and what opportunities this has brought me. It came apparent to me that this was a topic I could talk much more passionately about than anything I'd been taught at college or university, and I'd like to think that helped my personality come through.

I was taken on as a freelancer to start with a few ad-hoc briefs, but after a few of weeks of proving myself, they offered me a full time role, and I'm pretty sure my CV was barely looked at when they made that decision. At that point in time, over 50% of my styling portfolio was made up of shoots that I'd taken on in my spare time or work I'd done with photographer friends to bulk out our books, and my blog was a completely personal and independent venture of mine (as it still is), so you could even say to some extent that my degree wasn't even necessary in bagging that role.

That role was what I would class as the beginning of my career, and a huge learning curve. I was tasked with doing a lot more than the post originally advertised, but keen to learn and make a difference, I took on extra work to broaden my knowledge of the sector, flew overseas for trade shows and put in a lot of hours outside of the office too. I built up my backbone and toughened up as I learnt quickly in that environment that I had to be able to voice my opinion, but also know how to take constructive criticism. Looking back, it was a tough role for someone so fresh out of the education system with very little experience, but its where I learnt the most about myself, honed my skills and brushed up on everything to do with retail marketing from PR, social media management and blogger outreach to organising trade shows, ordering POS and promotional materials and working alongside creative designers and retail sales agencies. It was a huge eye opener and only made me want to further those skills.

When it came about that the company was to cease trading, I was on one hand completely gutted as I'd built up a lot of the brand's online audience myself and had great fun working on all of the projects, but it also forced me to try and spread my wings in to another area and try some more new things.

After looking around for something else, I then managed to secure a roll in a small family-run business specialising in jewellery for both consumer and business retail. It only lasted six months or so, but it was a great role and allowed me to have a lot of freedom in creating blog and social media content, practise my photography for e-commerce, manage the upload of new products and deal with large business orders, but alas, it wasn't meant to be, and after a short time at the company I had to find alternative work due to cut backs.

At this point in my career, I felt so deflated and down. I'd got on what felt like a ladder to something great, only to have had two knock backs in such a short space of time, but looking back I should have really seen this as an opportunity. What was common in both of those roles was the sheer amount of skills I learnt whist on the job - nothing that university could have taught me. I went in to both of them, particularly the first one, not really knowing anything about the sector and never having worked in an office environment, and I'd come out the other end with a list of skills that could have suited roles across marketing, PR and e-commerce, but I just wasn't in the right frame of mind to think about it that way. Hey, hindsight is a wonderful thing!

Again this is where I believe that being in the right place at the right time is so important (everything happens for a reason etc etc) as on the exact same day I'd been given the bad news, a job that I LOVED the sound of popped up online at a place close to home and somewhere I'd always liked the idea of working at, so much so that I'd actually called up a few times in the months leading up to this point to see if they had any roles available. I spruced up my CV, sent off my application and crossed my fingers and toes, and eventually got offered an interview. Again, my blog was the main topic of conversation, as were the skills I'd learnt at previous roles, but very little mention of degrees, qualifications and grades. The skills I'd built in blogging and e-commerce meant I would be able to manage their upcoming website relaunch with ease, and my social media experience was perfect for the new marketing direction they were about to embark on.

The rest here is, as they would say, history. I was offered a role on the same day, worked for a year before being promoted to do the same thing on a field based scale with a small team, and I've been doing this for the past two years. It's challenging and a lot of hard work, but its fun and I get to use a whole range of skills, meet loads of new people and travel around the UK every week. I can honestly say though I don't think I would be here if it wasn't for this little blog or my social media channels, and the fact that I'd put myself out there to learn new skills and take opportunities from a young age.

I guess what I'm trying to say, is that if you've just left university and are having trouble finding something you love, don't worry. I spent 18 months after graduating serving customers in a fashion retailer and absolutely hated it, but everything I did there, and everything I did in the two roles following that have amounted to a skill set I could have only dreamed of when I left the education comfort zone. That degree might look great on paper, but the things you learn and the skills you hone look even better, and those 'extra curricular' things? They're solid gold on a CV! Love photography? Write a blog? Budding artist? Travelled the world? Run your own market stall? Have a baking business on the side? DJ in your spare time? Run a Youtube channel? PUT IT ON YOUR CV! Those are the things that will set you apart from the rest, as those skills you've built from doing those things will be invaluable. They could be exactly what the company is looking for, without them (or you) even knowing it.

A hobby listed in the Interests section at the bottom of your CV can often get lost - so why not scrap the typical CV template and start off by talking about your passions and what you love to do, and instead of just listing the word 'Photography' for example, talk about why you do it and the skills it has taught you. Big yourself up a little!

This has definitely become a very long, very rambly post and for those of you that have made it to the end, thank you! Hopefully reading about my bumpy ride up the career ladder can help some of you who are looking for their first job, or looking to take a step in a new direction. Put yourselves out there and contact them rather than waiting for them to contact you, shout about your skills rather than your daily job duties and when you do bag that all important interview, win them over with your amazing personality so they just can't say no to having you on their team!

What would you say to someone who is about to embark on a job hunt for a creative career?

C x

IN THE PINK

noreply@blogger.com (Claire - Who What Claire Blog) — Tue, 04 Jul 2017 21:20:00 +0000

If there's one thing I love about this season's fashion, its bardot necklines! I know they're not to everyone's taste, but I find them to be really flattering on my body shape. Since starting the Results With Lucy health and fitness plan, I've gradually lost weight around my face, neck and chest, and baring my shoulders to show that off in styles like this gorgeous pink number make me feel super confident right now.

This bardot shirt is a little different to others I own as the sleeves aren't completely attached to the body, but instead are joined with a small stitch. I wasn't too sure how this would work when I first saw it, but as soon as I tried it on I loved it, mainly because it didn't mean I had to spend the rest of my day pulling it down off my shoulders - result!

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Bardot Blouse - MissPap* // Frayed Hem Skinny Jeans - Miss Selfridge // Pointed Pink Heels - Very // Straw Tote Bag - H&M // Sunglasses - Joanie*

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I originally wore the blouse tucked in to my jeans, but decided to leave it out as it has such a nice shape to it. It was a shame to tuck it away! It's actually available in a few other colours, and I'm super tempted to pick a couple more up in different shades to add to my Summer wardrobe. It would look great with a mini skirt for warmer days, or even smart culottes for work, so definitely a versatile piece that I can see me getting a lot of wear out of this season.

Can we also just talk about the bag for a second too?! I finally got my hands on a straw tote bag after spending years thinking they were only fit for the beach. I'm now fully converted and will be sporting mine on a regular basis for the rest of the Summer!

In other news I've got a few days off coming up on Thursday which I absolutely can not wait for. It might only be a few days, and there might not be any plans in the pipeline, but a few days at home to chill out and celebrate our anniversary (ELEVEN YEARS!) has come at the perfect time. Expect lots more blog posts over the next week!

C x

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THE £8 DESIGNER LOAFER DUPES

noreply@blogger.com (Claire - Who What Claire Blog) — Sun, 02 Jul 2017 19:04:00 +0000

Happy Sunday lovely people! Seriously, these weekends are flying by in a flash. I can't believe we're already in July! It only seems a minute since we were eating Christmas dinner and celebrating the arrival of 2017. Is it bad that I still keep writing 2016 whenever I write the date down? Maybe I should make more of an effort to stop that now that we're in the SEVENTH MONTH OF THE YEAR!!!

I was in two minds whether to post these photos as they're not my favourites we've ever taken (shooting in bright sunlight is harder than it seems), but I love the outfit, and I posted a shot on Instagram yesterday and it seemed to get a lot of love, especially the shoes, so I thought I'd just go for it and show you! I wore this combo for day out at a local gin festival where I may have had one too many, but it was a rare weekend off where neither of us had anywhere we needed to be, the sun was shining (for a few hours at least) and I love gin a lot.

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Longline Blazer - H&M // Pussybow Blouse - Krisp* // Jeans - Asos (Farleigh) // Floral Loafers - Primark // Bag - Primark // Sunglasses - Primark

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The blazer is one of my favourite sale buys of the season and one I think I'm going to get so much wear out of! I love how it looks paired with jeans and a t shirt, but I thought it would work really well with this gorgeous little pussybow blouse that the lovely folk over at Krisp sent over. I'm wearing the Asos Farleigh jeans which are my current favourite denim fit, and their stepped hem makes the perfect cropped length to show off some statement shoes! And a statement they most definitely are...

The loafers were a Primark find of mine a few days ago and a bit of an impulse purchase since I didn't actually go in to buy anything (story of my life. Anyone else?), but after a member of staff kindly hunted down a size 5 for me, I couldn't really say no! They've got major Gucci vibes with their metallic oriental fabric and beautiful floral embroidery, but the best thing was the fact they were just £8! I'm loving slip on loafers right now, and wear my River Island silver leather ones (as seen here) to death - they don't hurt my feet and you literally feel like you're wearing slippers. Win win.

I'm now off to unwind and enjoy the last few hours of this crazy fast weekend, but I'm so excited as I have just a 3 day week ahead of me, then 5 whole days off to do absolutely nothing. Bliss! Hope you've all had a wonderful weekend!

Have you managed to bag yourself a pair of the Primark loafers?

C x

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30 THINGS NO ONE TOLD ME ABOUT PLANNING A WEDDING

noreply@blogger.com (Claire - Who What Claire Blog) — Wed, 28 Jun 2017 07:30:00 +0000

Today marks exactly a year to go until we get married, so I thought I'd mark the occasion by sharing some of the things I've learnt and wish I'd known before we started the whole planning process! It might seem like a hell of a long time to go until the big day (tell me about it!) but this past twelve months has flown by, and our anniversary on the 7th of July marks a year engaged which feels crazy! It feels like just yesterday when Dan got down on one knee in the most beautiful place and made me the happiest girl in the world (soppy, I know. Soz!), and back when we first settled on a date it seemed to feel forever away, but now reality is sinking in and the planning is in full swing!

That figure you had in your head for how much the whole thing is going to cost? Double it.
Seating plans are the work of the devil.
You're going to become obsessed with bridal magazines, even though you're probably never going to do any of the things you see in them.
Dress shopping is one of the most stressful parts. Cue trying on A LOT of dresses, scrutinising your reflection in every single one, then ordering the first one you tried on.
The little things add up! Photo booths, garden games, wedding favours and table centre pieces might seem like small expenses, but add those together and you've racked up a small fortune.
Every day stationery = affordable. Wedding stationery = not affordable in the slightest.
You'll find you become a whizz at DIY in a bid to shave off pounds from the budget.
You'll wake up in the middle of the night remembering something you've seen on Pinterest that you MUST. HAVE. AT. WEDDING.
You will most definitely want a donut wall.
Alcohol is more expensive than you remember, especially when you have to purchase enough decent bottles of wine for fifty guests instead of one of the corner shop bottles you usually go for at the weekend.
Feeding fifty mouths is also one expensive task. Bye bye savings!
You have to book EVERYTHING way in advance to make sure you get it.
Suddenly you become precious about your wedding and God help anyone who dare pass judgement on any of your choices. ESPECIALLY the dress!
You know how you promised you'd never be a Bridezilla? Yeah.... you might want to take that back.
You could probably cover yourself in diamonds for the same price as wedding flowers.

Your Pinterest board is going to become a large part of your day-to-day life and will probably get more attention than your family or friends.
A honeymoon costs HOW much??!!
You'll become so protective over your plans and will only tell a select few in case another future bride could copy all of your ideas (even though you've probably copied yours from somewhere else!)
You'll start to question if your music taste is suitable for a wedding playlist. Sir Mix A Lot, anyone?
Arguments with your fiancé about whether you should postpone the date to save more money are the norm.
Menu tasting is the BEST. THING. EVER. Hello, free four course meal!
You will most definitely need a shiny new organiser (or two) to do all your wedding planning in (but you will hardly use it)
You will have SO many questions to ask the venue/caterers/entertainment that you'll become slightly annoying over email.
Prepare yourself for a lot of tears whenever you watch any wedding related video for inspiration. Those first looks and groom's speeches at strangers' weddings are emotional, man!
You'll find yourself bartering with suppliers to try and save even just a few pounds. The number of times I've said 'do you offer discount for mid-week weddings?' in emails in cringeworthy.
Planning a hen party is probably about as stressful as planning the wedding. Try and pass as much of this off to the maid of honour and bridesmaids as possible.
You don't need to visit every wedding fair. Unless there's the chance of getting to sample free cake.
Your bridesmaids will be your absolute rocks through the whole process and will keep you sane
You're house will start to look like a flea market piled high with glass jars, pieces of wood and lengths of fabric for those Pinterest-worthy DIY projects.
Some days you just want the whole thing to be over so you can just marry the guy and get on with your future together!

In all seriousness, no matter how stressful the next year is going to be finalising guest lists, going for fittings and making sure the whole day runs smoothly, its also one of the best feelings to be able to plan something so special with the person I want to spend my life with. If you're planning a wedding too, just try to remember to enjoy the process and everything will fall in to place (or at least that's what I keep telling myself!).

What would be your top tips for planning a wedding? What advice would you give?

C x

THE LEG-LENGTHENING JUMPSUIT

noreply@blogger.com (Claire - Who What Claire Blog) — Mon, 26 Jun 2017 20:17:00 +0000

I'm not the tallest girl in all the land, and was never blessed with long legs, but instead have an awkwardly long torso (cheers Dad) that's sometimes an absolute pain when it comes to finding clothes that actually fit well. I spend a good chunk of my days pulling down and trying to tuck in tops that aren't supposed to be cropped but most definitely are on me, and I'm forever on the hunt for a pair of jeans that are snug on the waist but don't require five turn ups to get them to the right length! For me my short legs are a pretty big hang up of mine, and where I can I always try and dress to make them appear longer to boost my body confidence.

I'm a big fan of high waisted trousers and jeans as they give the illusion of having longer pins and a more balanced torso, but jumpsuits can always be a tricky one! Alas, I have found the jumpsuit of dreams and all my prayers and woes have been answered! This little Misspap number cinches in at the waist, making it appear higher than it is, and features a clever little overlay at the top, so essentially it looks like a crop top and high waisted trousers aka leg lengthening combo!

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Jumpsuit - Misspap* // Long Sleeved Tee - H&M // Denim Jacket - Vintage // Converse Trainers - Very // Mono Clutch Bag - Johnny Loves Rosie*

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Don't be fooled by the sun in these photos - the heatwave has well and truly left the north west, so I had to layer a little long sleeved tee underneath, but I still think it looks pretty cute! The jumpsuit would look amazing dressed up for evening though, or even for a wedding, with some barely-there heels and a glamorous up-do with delicate gold accessories. Heck, with heels can you imagine how long my legs would look?!

I'm super impressed with the Misspap collections at the mo and have a couple more dreamy pieces to show you, so fingers crossed the weather at least stays dry over the next couple of weeks so I can get some shots to show you!

What are your favourite looks to wear for when you want to feel confident?

C x

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BURNT ORANGE

noreply@blogger.com (Claire - Who What Claire Blog) — Sun, 25 Jun 2017 20:30:00 +0000

How on earth is it Sunday evening already?! Weekends seem to be flying by in a jiffy lately, and this weekend has been a very good one indeed! Today has been the loveliest day, spent with friends in Manchester. We started off with brunch at Moose Coffee (omg best breakfast menu I've ever seen) then headed over to Jimmy's Bar in the Northern Quarter for blogger babe Megan Ellaby's charity clothing sale. It was so lovely to meet Megan and I managed to bag some amazing bargains which I'm sure you'll be seeing on here soon!

Whilst in Manchester, I thought I'd take the opportunity to snap some outfit photos (once the rain had eventually cleared) to show you a couple of my latest ASOS buys! I picked up the jacket in the sale last week, and the Queen tee was something I spied in the 'New In' section and knew I just had to have!

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Burnt Orange Duster Jacket - Native Youth via ASOS // Queen Slogan Tee - ASOS // Mom Jeans - Topshop // Stan Smith Trainers - Very // Bag - Primark

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The jacket is the perfect weight for this inbetween weather (please bring back the heatwave, pronto!) and will work well for both my work and casual wardrobes as its super versatile and easy to style. I wore it today with the printed tee, high waisted mom jeans and some trusty trainers, and it turned out to be the perfect look for strolling round the city.

Were you at the Megan Ellaby charity sale today too? What did you manage to get your hands on?!

C x

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SHARING THE LOVE 💕 10 BLOGS THAT INSPIRE ME | VOL. 2

noreply@blogger.com (Claire - Who What Claire Blog) — Sat, 24 Jun 2017 13:28:00 +0000

So last time I wrote this kind of post where I talk about some of my favourite bloggers and why they inspire me, I decided I was going to make it a bi-monthly feature since there are so many bloggers and creators out there that I admire! Sticking to my guns and actually attempting to make a feature on my blog and keep it going (let's see how long this lasts!), here's my second instalment with another ten blogger babes who keep me inspired and remind why I decided to join the blogging community eight years ago! You've probably already heard of all of these, but maybe some of you will find someone new here in this list. Follow them all immediately - you won't regret it!

THE LITTLE MAGPIE
Blog / Twitter / Instagram

I've followed Amy for a long, long time now and have loved watching her style evolve and her blog grow over the past few years. Her outfits are always inspiring and her Instagram page is a regular haunt of mine if I'm lacking in style ideas. I also love catching up with her Youtube videos as she's always down-to-earth and funny - you feel like you're catching up with a friend! Also I might have lost it recently when she liked a photo of mine on Twitter, but I like to think I played it cool as a cucumber...

THE SCARLET STATE
Blog / Twitter / Instagram

I met Sarah recently at the Boohoo Blogger Event in Warrington and we seemed to just click straight away. Both currently based in Preston, it was so nice to meet a fellow blogger living in the same city! Sarah is one super talented little lady, and uses her blog to primarily document her amazing illustration skills. Her work is beyond beautiful, and I love watching her Instagram stories where she is busy working away on her next piece. She also blogs about beauty and food amongst other things, and prides herself on being vegan and cooks up some amazing recipes, plus she's passionate about supporting cruelty-free brands, which is super refreshing to see in this industry!

SHOT FROM THE STREET
Blog / Twitter / Instagram

A colleague of mine pointed me in the direction of Lizzy's Instagram feed, and needless to say I've been hooked ever since. Lizzy's style is so effortless and cool, and there hasn't been an outfit of hers to date that I haven't loved! I'm also a big fan of her blog, especially her 'Week on 35mm' posts where she documents her day-to-life with some great photography!

MEDIA MARMALADE
Blog / Twitter / Instagram

I've followed Melissa's blog pretty much since she started out, and have always loved her beautiful outfit posts. She has smart-casual dressing down to an absolute T, but the things I love to read most are her blogging tips and tricks. If ever I'm lacking inspiration with my own blog, or feel like I'm stuck in a blogging rut, I know I'll always be able to find some great advice from Melissa!

ESTÉE LALONDE

Blog / Youtube / Twitter / Instagram

Estée has been one of my favourite Youtubers for quite some time now, and I'm sure most of you are nodding along and agreeing too! I absolutely love her fun, effortless style, her hair (one of my main inspirations for cutting mine short again!) and her warm personality. Her beauty reviews are always trustworthy and I always love to watch her vlogs. I definitely need to get my hands on her book 'Bloom'!

ROPES OF HOLLAND
Blog / Twitter / Instagram

Lindsey is one of my current favourites on Instagram. Not only is she beautiful, but her style is SO good, her outfits are always so well put together and she has such a lovely personality. Watch her Insta stories and you'll see what I mean! I actually met Lindsey four or five years back when she first started out blogging, at a North West blogger meet up I organised in Preston, so its incredible to see how well she is doing now!

LAURA'S LITTLE LOCKET

Blog / Twitter / Instagram

Laura's blog is one that has been a fairly recent discovery for me. I came across her on Instagram during a collaboration she had done with Miss Selfridge, and immediately hit 'follow'. Her outfits are always attainable with really affordable high street finds, and she's the sole reason behind my new found obsession with colour block suits! Plus, her hair is dreamy!

ZOE LONDON

Blog / Twitter / Instagram

Zoe is one of the few bloggers I've followed continuously from back when I started seven or eight years ago, and its been so inspiring to watch her blog and social channels evolve and grow over that time. She's individual, has an amazing sense of style, she's a talented DJ and has hair much cooler than mine will ever be! ! One of my favourite blogging moments of Zoe's was when she went to Eurovision in Copenhagen a few years back - I loved seeing her take on something that is such a guilty pleasure of mine!

BEING ASHLEIGH

Blog / Twitter / Instagram

Ashleigh's blog is another of my favourites, mainly because she is just one hundred percent herself and I love the fact that she doesn't care what others think. Whether she's talking about sex and relationships or even reviewing places and products, you always know that what you see is what you get, and I absolutely love that confidence honesty. I would highly recommend giving her a follow, especially if you live in London as she reviews some pretty darn tasty looking food there!

GIRL STOLE LONDON

Blog / Twitter / Instagram

Lauren is probably the most inspiring person I've ever come across. Not only is her style, wit and sense of humour on her blog and social media feeds great to follow, but she also handled her recent cancer diagnosis and journey with the most amazing attitude. Not one to let this get her down, she used her platform to speak out about the disease and raise awareness in such a refreshing way for something that affects so many. A massive inspiration, I think you'll all agree!

Phew - I could literally carry this post on forever, but let's keep things under control for now and stick to ten bloggers at a time! If you've got any recommendations for blogs that you think I'd love to read then please do send links my way! I'm all about discovering new reads and style inspo, so the more the merrier! I'll have another instalment with 10 more amazing influencers in August!

What are your favourite blogs to read right now?

C x

SPENDING THE SUMMER AT HOME

noreply@blogger.com (Claire - Who What Claire Blog) — Tue, 20 Jun 2017 20:02:00 +0000

This gorgeous weather we've had over the past week (make the most of it whilst you can kids, because it won't last!!) has got me thinking all about the rest of the summer season and how to make the most of it! We went away on our holidays back in April, which is super early for us since we usually go in July, or as late as September, and the past few days I've found myself feeling a bit sad when my Timehop throws up memories of us counting down the days until we fly off to our favourite holiday spots! All the more reason to make the most of Summer at home, explore more places that are close by and when the weather is good, get outdoors!

Make The Most Of Having A Garden

We spent a long time living in a flat with no garden, and it was so frustrating in Summer not being able to sit outside and enjoy the weather, so now that we have a garden, albeit a small one, we'll definitely be spending lots of time in it. There's still a bit of work to be done to make it look how we want it to, but its been so good to be able to eat our meals outside, relax in the sun around our gorgeous Homesense garden furniture and even get some work done outdoors!

Explore Local Towns & Cities

Dan recently started a new job where he spends a bit of time on the road in local towns, and its come it so handy for finding new places for days out, evening meals and summer strolls! We've already visited a few places that are less than a 30 minute drive away for delicious food and lovely afternoons outdoors thanks to him spotting new places out on his travels! Its been amazing to find some places we never knew existed that are so close to us, and we've already racked up a few more to visit in the coming weeks!

Go To The Beach!

We're lucky enough to live just a twenty minute drive from the likes of Lytham St Annes and Blackpool, but we definitely don't make the most of it at the moment! St Annes is one of my favourite places to visit on a sunny day, so if we get more weather like this (fingers crossed) I will be heading to the seaside for my sun, sea and sand fix without having to hop on a plane!

Enjoy Summer Nights

When I'm on holiday, one of my favourite parts of the trip is getting dressed up and heading out for dinner in the evenings, so why not do that more at home? There are some lovely places to eat and drink in the North West that aren't too far away and would make the perfect setting for a relaxed, warm Summers night (that's if we get any more of those....)

Garden Table & Chairs Set - Homesense*

Go For A Stroll

As you will probably know, I'm currently on the Results With Lucy fitness plan, and whilst working out in the heat is not something I'm built for (trust me, I've found that out the hard way this week!), I can still be active even if it is too hot to don the lycra and lift some weights. We live in close proximity to so many shops, pubs and restaurants, so when the weather's good, I'll be ditching the car and going for a walk. Enjoying the weather and working out the pins in one go? Result.

Have you any more ideas for ways to enjoy the Summer at home to make sure those holiday blues don't come creeping in?

C x

BABY BLUE

noreply@blogger.com (Claire - Who What Claire Blog) — Sun, 18 Jun 2017 20:40:00 +0000

Today has been one of the loveliest days! The weather has been ridiculously good, so we spent a lazy morning in the garden then headed out for a couple of hours in our favourite park for a picnic! As I mentioned in my Summer wish list post, I can find it really difficult to dress for this kind of weather as we're just not used to it being this hot, but luckily I made a little impulse purchase in my local Primark store a couple weeks back in the form of this sweet little sundress! It's lightweight and the cotton fabric means its lovely and cool for days like this when the sun is cracking the flags! I absolutely love bardot necklines, but the addition of the chunky tie straps and the tie at the back add the perfect amount of detail.

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Blue Bardot Sun Dress - Primark // Red Over Shoulder Bag - H&M // Sliders - Primark // Sunglasses - Primark

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I didn't realise until writing this post just how Primark-heavy this look is, but hey, Primark is killing it right now! I've never know there be so many pieces in stock that I've wanted to get my hands on, and this Summer they have had some seriously good pieces (hello, gingham midi dress!). The sliders were another spur-of-the-moment purchase when I was picking up some last minute bits for our holiday back in April, and they were only a few pounds but have been one of my most worn pairs of shoes this season. The sunglasses were another Primark bargain which I absolutely love. The rose gold frames and pink lenses are so pretty - I'm literally looking through rose-tinted glasses!

How how you spent this sunny weekend? Hope you've all had fun in the sun and celebrated Father's Day in style!

C x

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SUMMER 2017 WISH LIST

noreply@blogger.com (Claire - Who What Claire Blog) — Sun, 18 Jun 2017 10:45:00 +0000

I don't know whether its this amazing weather or the fact that I can never find anything to wear (even though my wardrobe is slowly taking over our whole bedroom) but I've found myself spending a long time scrolling through the 'new in' sections of some of my favourite sites and basically wanting every little thing! I'm really loving the trends on the high street right now and recently I've been adding more colour to my wardrobe, so the bold yellows and reds and the pretty pastel blues and pinks on the rails right now are seriously calling to me! This started out as a small, perfectly formed little wish list but it quickly escalated out of control. I couldn't decide which pieces were my favourite from my rather large bookmarks list, so I thought, what the hell, I'll show you them all!

Blue Printed Midi Dress // Tassel Clutch Bag // Red Cat Eye Sunglasses // Pink Cape Crop Top // Yellow Mules // Blue Broderie Dress // Pink Ruffle Hem Trousers // Red Printed Platforms // Slogan Tee // Gingham Midi Skirt // Sunshine Sweatshirt // High Waisted Denim Shorts

Orange Bardot Top // White Ripped Boyfriend Jeans // Red Stripe Tie Waist Shirt // Giants Sweatshirt // Blue Ruffle Blouse // Yellow Midi Skirt // Red Embellished Slingbacks // Pink Lace Shirt Dress // Ruffle Midi Skirt // Pink Straw Bag // Blue Striped Cami // Tie Waist Utility Trousers

Bardot Ruffle Sleeve Blouse // High Waisted Tapered Jeans // Embroidered Shoes // Yellow Floral Dress // Pink Bardot Dress // Striped Slogan Tee // Embroidered Denim Jacket // Yellow Mini Skirt // Red Ankle Boots // Ruffle Wrap Dress // Cat Eye Wire Sunglasses // Metallic Pink Tote Bag

Yellow is my absolute favourite colour and I love wearing it, hence why it makes up such a large chunk of the collection above. The same goes for stripes and slogans - I just can't get enough. Then of course, it wouldn't be my wish list without a good dose of denim! Something I'm really keen to dabble in this Summer is white denim. I'm loving the ripped white boyfriend jeans which would look SO good with a bright bardot top or a pretty printed cami.

I've been delving in to the world of coloured shoes recently too, so there's a few pairs on here that would add to that collection perfectly. I love the idea of embroidered shoes, as I never really got in to the embroidered boots trend at Winter. I felt they looked a bit ~much~ for me, but the paired down sandal and slingback versions are something I can definitely get on board with!

I'm absolutely loving everything on this list and just wish it could all magically appear in my wardrobe, especially since its the perfect weather for it all right now!! What are your favourite pieces?

C x

BOTTLE GREEN

noreply@blogger.com (Claire - Who What Claire Blog) — Sat, 17 Jun 2017 17:00:00 +0000

Green is a colour I've always approached with caution when it comes to fashion, mainly due to the fact that I wore this colour for five years at high school and absolutely despised it back then, but also because I think it can be a tricky colour to style. I'd had my eye on a bottle green jacket for a while now as I think the faux leather biker style is the easiest way to dip my foot in the water with the shade, and I finally found the perfect one from a company called Krisp! It's the classic biker shape with silver hardwear and its such a flattering fit. I must admit though, when it landed on my doorstep it took me a while to decide what to wear it with as I've never worn this colour since my school days, and was adamant that I didn't want it to look anything in the slightest like my old uniform, so white shirts and black trousers were a definite no-no for me!

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Green Biker Jacket - Krisp Clothing* // Stripe Drop Hem Dress - Primark // Converse - Very // Sunglasses - Primark // Bag - Primark

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Whilst hunting through my wardrobe to find the perfect piece to pair with my jacket, I found a new purchase that I'd completely forgotten about! I picked this Primark seersucker drop hem dress up a few weekends back when we visited Lancaster for an afternoon out, and that afternoon the heavens opened, and it pretty much didn't stop raining until yesterday, hence why its not had an outing! Anyone who knows me, knows I'm a sucker for stripes, so this blue and white little beauty was a no brainer at just £13! The soft pastel shades compliment the bold green of the jacket, and casual accessories pull everything together perfectly for a sunny day like today!

I'm already thinking of outfits to rock the jacket with - printed midi skirts and cami tops, floral mini dresses and pale ripped jeans are just a few of the things on my list!

Have you tried the green trend? How have you styled this tricky shade?

C x

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LONGLINE DENIM

noreply@blogger.com (Claire - Who What Claire Blog) — Sat, 10 Jun 2017 09:15:00 +0000

I'm so glad the sun decided to show its face for all of an hour yesterday evening as it meant I could quickly dodge the rain and snap some photos! I've been a little quiet on here this week as I've been working away in London for a few days, and was desperate to get some new content back on here, so I thought I'd show you a look featuring this new longline denim jacket from Be Jealous. I've been wanted to try out this longline trend for a while now but not really been quite sure how to style it, but paired with simple skinnies, a printed cami and the comfiest sandals ever, I think its actually quite an easy trend to pull off!

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Longline Denim Jacket - Be Jealous* // Skinny Jeans - Miss Selfridge // Polka Dot Cami - H&M // Studded Sandals - River Island // Red Bag - H&M

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Granted, this isn't the most creative or inspiring outfit out there, but its the perfect look for a chilled out weekend. I'm planning on styling the jacket with some bolder looks when the sun returns as I think it would look perfect over little colourful summer dresses, floral prints and even gingham! It's such an easy piece to throw on for this in-between weather as its lighter than your typical denim jackets, but the longer length makes it feel that little bit smarter.

Now that I'm back home I'm planning on getting some more content live over the next week, so keep your eyes peeled for another instalment of my Share The Love feature where I talk all about my favourite bloggers, share some more outfit posts (weather permitting!) and show you my ultimate Summer 2017 fashion wish list!

Happy weekend!

C x

SHOP THE LOOK

POWER TRIP

noreply@blogger.com (Claire - Who What Claire Blog) — Sat, 03 Jun 2017 20:20:00 +0000

Lately I've found myself obsessing over bright and beautiful two-piece suits, and after seeing the gorgeous Laura rocking one earlier this week, I knew I just had to get my hands on one! I'd been toying between a yellow one from River Island, but wasn't keen on the trousers, and a fuchsia pink one from Boohoo (which I still think I might have to get!) but settled on this red Dorothy Perkins set for its flattering fit and affordable price!

To be honest, I'll probably get more wear out of the jacket and trousers wearing them separately, but for special occasions or days when I fancy feeling a little sassy, this combo is spot on. I love the shade of red which is super bright, almost with an orange tone, and the blazer especially is such a nice shape, great for casual or formal looks.

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Red Suit Jacket - Dorothy Perkins // Red Trousers - Dorothy Perkins // Life Of Pablo Tee - eBay // Silver Slip on Mules - River Island // Black Bag - H&M // Sunglasses - Primark

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Continuing my love for Kanye West, I styled the suit with a printed tee I found on eBay recently that has a nod to his current album. I just love how grey and red look next to each other, so this seemed like the perfect combination. I wore my silver slip on mules (aka the comfiest shoes ever) to keep the smart casual look going as I felt heels would be too much for day time. They were a great choice paired with the ankle grazer cut of the trousers, showing off a cheeky bit of ankle!

Have you tried the suit trend? What colour would you wear?

C x

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MAKING TIME FOR YOU

noreply@blogger.com (Claire - Who What Claire Blog) — Fri, 02 Jun 2017 17:00:00 +0000

In recent months, I've found myself feeling stressed, easily irritated and sometimes rushed off my feet, which are all things that we almost come to expect from working full time and juggling our own personal projects too. I thought I'd pen a little post on how important it is to take time out for yourself and some ideas for quick fixes if you really struggle to fit the 'me-time' in to your busy schedule.

I work in retail marketing, which don't get me wrong, is good fun, but can often be fast paced and challenging. Travel is a bit part of my working week, with train commutes to London and various other places in the UK being a regular occurrence. Then there's my blog which I try to give as much time to as I can in my spare time. Some weekends I can shoot 3 or 4 outfits and then spend hours sorting through the images, editing them and then writing the content. Plus there's Instagram and Twitter to think about and make sure everything is up to date and in keeping with everything else.

Add to that the fact we're currently planning our wedding, which is one of the most stressful things I've ever had to do and we've still got a year to go (but that's a whole other post!) and then the general day to day things everyone with their own home has to remember to do - cook, clean, pay bills etc etc, whilst still finding time to squeeze in workouts to keep fit and healthy, and remembering to socialise with friends and family!

I think life, in particular when you're part of the blogging community or have an online presence to uphold, is becoming more and more challenging lately. You become swept up in the wave of trying to make everything perfect, trying to show your best self online and working hard to keep everyone happy. With everyone leading such hectic lifestyles nowadays, its easy to forget to look after number one!

For me, just before going on holiday in April I was getting very overwhelmed. Not to be dramatic, but I was feeling really out of my depth with just how much there was to do before I went away. I had back to back work trips right up until the night before we flew, I panic packed my suitcase and forgot half of the new stuff I'd bought to take on holiday, workloads were high and a holiday could not have come at a better time. How I woke up at 3am for our flight is beyond me, but I did, and getting on the plane to leave it all behind for 12 days was exactly what I needed.

Since coming back, I've made much more effort to take time out, mainly because I don't want to get to that point again any time soon! Weekends for me have become much more important, and I'm putting effort in to enjoy more time with family and friends.

Some of the things I've been doing to take time out recently have really helped me to unwind and destress, so I thought I'd share a few here in case anyone else was in need of picking themselves up!

Lay In - One of my favourite things about the weekend is not having to set an alarm. Find a day in your week where you don't have to rush to get up, and just relax! I love nothing more that spending a Saturday morning in my pjs, slowly getting ready for the day. Brews in bed and late breakfasts are the perfect way to start the weekend after a fast paced working week.

Turn Of The Tech - I'd be lying if I said I wasn't addicted to my iPhone. The number of times I pick it up throughout the day to check Instagram/Twitter/Facebook/Emails is just ridiculous, and I'm sure I'm not the only one! I've been trying to look at it a little less lately, especially in the evenings and when I first wake up. One good way to take your mind off it is to bury yourself in to a good book! I've got a couple on my to-read list that I can't wait to get stuck in to next week.

Go Outside - Obviously this is weather permitting, but the odd day of sun we've been having lately has made all the difference to my mood and productivity. If the weather's good at the weekends, I make the effort to get outside and go and enjoy it, whether its just walking to the shops, heading out for a day at the park or the beach, or even just sitting in the garden for dinner.

Pamper Yourself - Obviously a spa trip would go down an absolute treat but we don't always have the money or the time to indulge ourselves that much, so I like to treat myself every few days with a hot bubble bath with a Lush bath bomb and some candles to relax and unwind. I also like to pamper my skin with an at-home facial every couple of weeks, which only takes ten minutes but leaves me feeling refreshed and relaxed. Little beauty treatments can make you feel a million dollars, so even just a trip to the nail salon for a fresh coat of shellac can make all the difference!

Watch A Film - If there's one thing that picks me up when I'm feeling down or stressed, its a funny film. They only take a couple of hours out of your week to watch, and a classic comedy can fix any mood I might be in. Pitch Perfect (1 and 2, obvs) are my ultimate happy films and my guilty pleasure. One line of a Barden Bellas mix and I instantly have a smile on my face. I'm also a sucker for a good kids film, but warning, do not make me watch Up if I'm feeling even remotely down as I will bawl my eyes out all the way through.

Exercise - I'm almost cringing at myself as I write this because if you saw the effort it takes for me to put my gym wear on and get my arse on the exercise mat four times a week for my Results With Lucy workouts, you would laugh. Exercise for some of us might seem like a huge effort, but trust me, once you've done it, even if its just a 20 minute HIIT session, you might ache and feel muscle pain, but mentally you'll feel like you've really achieved something. I hate working out as much as the next person, but the sense of accomplishment when I've finished a painstaking hour of arms, legs, abs and cardio makes it all worth it, and also clears my head ready for the day ahead.

Do you have any more tips for making time for yourself when life gets a bit too busy? I'd love to hear them!

C x

The loungewear featured in this post was kindly gifted by Tokyo Laundy (and its the comfiest ever!)

HIS & HERS SPRING STYLING

noreply@blogger.com (Claire - Who What Claire Blog) — Sun, 28 May 2017 15:38:00 +0000

Something I've always wanted to do is get Dan involved in somer form of post on here, and today is that day! We were very kindly approached by Jacamo who challenged me to style Dan in a couple of items from their site, and being the trainer fan he is, he opted for a couple of pairs of shoes. Jacamo are known for stocking a huge range of clothing sizes for guys and have some really great brands, plus wide fitting shoes as well as trainers! We decided to do a bit of a his & hers styling post (or I did. Dan kind of just did as he was told) and show you a couple of our favourite outfits we've been wearing lately for the slightly warmer weather!

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Look 1

Dan wears: Denim Jacket - Vintage Lee // Hood Famous Tee - Ebay // Jeans - G Star via John Lewis // Trainers - Jacamo*

Claire wears: Bardot Ruffle Sleeve Blouse - Strawberry Moon // Frayed Jeans - New Look // Converse - Very // Bag - Primark // Sunglasses - Primark

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Our first outfits are fairly casual and typical of the kind of thing we'd wear at the weekend when we're both off duty. Dan tends to go for tapered or skinny fit jeans, paired with a casual fit tee like this printed number. The denim jacket is one I found at a vintage fair a few years back. Its such a versatile jacket that goes with so much, and bang on trend for Spring/Summer when paired with a printed tee. The look is finished off with classic white lace up trainers from Jacamo!

I've gone for my current favourite jeans which are the Jenna skinny fit from New Look, but the frayed hems make them that little bit more interesting. They're such a great fit and true to size, so I'd recommend giving them a whirl if you haven't tried these already! My bardot blouse was an impulse purchase a few weeks back at a local independent boutique in Preston, and I've had so many compliments when I've worn it! It's something I've actually worn out with jeans and heels, but to keep this look on the casual side I wore my white Converse.

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Look 2

Claire wears: Femme Forever Tee - Topshop // Gingham Tie Wait Culottes - Monki via ASOS // Yellow Shoes - H&M // Sunglasses - Joanie*

Dan wears: Sweatshirt - TK Maxx // Jeans - New Look // Adidas VS Advantage Trainers - Jacamo*

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Look one was very much focused on monochromes and blues, so for the second look we wanted to inject a little more colour! I'm obsessed with these gingham culottes from Monki. I bought them with the intention of wearing them for work, but they're great dressed down too. I styled them with my printed Femme Forever tee from Topshop, and the brightest shoes I own, a pair of yellow slingbacks from H&M! Printed tees for me are an absolute must any time of year, but this Spring my collection has admittedly got a little out of hand!

Dan's outfit is one that is very much his go to style right now - a laid back sweatshirt, this one from TK Maxx, a pair of relaxed skinny light wash jeans from New Look and a pair of comfy trainers - a simple combo but one that's so easy to throw together and wear. The second pair of shoes Dan chose are the Adidas VS Advantage Trainers which have a vintage 70s vibe with the classic 3 stripe detailing and tennis-inspired design. The red and blue detail adds a subtle splash of colour to a timeless style.

I've absolutely loved putting this post together with Dan and as you can probably tell it was so much fun to shoot! Who knows? Maybe we can persuade him to feature again in the future! I think its nice to see how our styles compliment each other's and hopefully our outfits have maybe inspired you to try something new this Spring/Summer.

C x

SHOP THE LOOKS

GINGHAM & LACE

noreply@blogger.com (Claire - Who What Claire Blog) — Sat, 27 May 2017 19:31:00 +0000

All hail the Great British Summertime! Days of glorious sunshine followed by days of torrential downpours and a good dose of thunder! Yesterday I donned this lovely summer get-up and today I carried on the theme of open toe shoes and a skirt, and needless to say I regret the decision. When will we learn?!

Anyhow, on to this look which is one of my favourite outfits so far this year, all thanks to a glorious £7.99 gingham top from New Look! This absolute bargain of the summer was something I picked up on a browse of the store this week, and when I saw the price I was sold! I'm now wishing I'd picked up the black and white version too because its just so perfect and easy to wear. I'm going to predict this is going to be very popular!

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Gingham Top - New Look // Lace Skirt - Vintage // Studded Sandals - River Island // Bucket Bag - H&M // Sunglasses - Joanie*

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I dug out one of my favourite skirts to style with the top as I knew they'd look super cute together. It was an absolute steal at Absolute Vintage in Shoreditch about 6 or 7 years back and I just can't bare to part with it. It comes out every summer and goes with so many things! Then to toughen things up a little I accessorised with my beloved River Island stud sandals and black bucket bag, and of course some sunnies to shield my eyes from the rays!

Hopefully the sun will show its face again tomorrow and Monday so I can wear some more of my summer wardrobe! What are your plans for the Bank Holiday weekend?

C x

GET THE LOOK