SUMMER SUN WITH ASOS

 I'm always scouring the internet as soon as I see a slight change in Weather. It's sunny outside, I'll be searching for that floral tea dress. Overcast? The perfect leather jacket to keep the chill at bay. The same can be said pre-holiday because lets face it, it's not a holiday without a splurge on the old wardrobe! This year I've got dates in the dairy for a couple of mini breaks here and there but as I'm yet to decide on destinations I've been slowly stocking up on my Summer Wardrobe in the meantime.

My first pit stop is always ASOS - I just love to browse the "New In" page at the 200+ new items landed that day. ASOS have always been a favourite of mine, mainly down to the wide breathd of product offerings aswell as thier next day delivery service and free returns.

There are three favourites I've added to my Summer collection recently so I thought I'd show you what they are and how I'm styling them this season.

First up the gingham skirt. Gingham as been massive for quiet some time now and I just haven't jumped on the bandwagon until recently. I'm not one for wearing a massive amount of colour so you wouldn't catch me in a full on yellow skirt but this one is such a gorgeous mustard colour and combined with the white check it's totally up my street. (The wrap style and asymmetric hem is a total leg lengthener!) A basic white tee makes this outfit super relaxed, adding a straw bag and pair of black sandals gives a proper beach vibe and pulls the whole look together.

The white blouse. This blouse is going to be one of those versatile pieces. I can see myself wearing it with a pair of light washed straight cut jeans, a frayed hemmed mini skirt and also worn with a pair of high waisted denim shorts. I'm not sure what I love more; the peasant cut, the sheer material, or the mix of feminine lace? As the weather has been very unpredictable lately a pair of straight cut jeans is the more appropriate attire considering we're dipping in and out of pure sunshine and overcast afternoons. A pair of gold woven mules and bamboo hoop earrings really help to bring out the gold detailing in the eyelets of the blouse.

And finally, the linen sundress. This is defiantly my favourite piece I've styled so far, I can't wait for the weather to pick up so I can wear this dress and show it off to it's full potential. First of all, the cut. The cut is very cami-like which I am loving at the moment! The front cuts into a V neck at the front, leaving the back very straight across - another favourite of mine. The best part of this dress is the tie back, it really pulls your waist in and shows off the smallest part. I've worn this dress with a pair of tan sandals but I can also see this worn with a pair of vans and denim jacket!

White Tee
Gingham Skirt
Lace Blouse
Light Wash Jeans
Gold Mules
Black Sundress
All ASOS

Shop all three looks

This post was made in collaboration with ASOS.

A CITY BREAK TO LISBON

Lisbon seems to be increasingly popular in recently years and this is couldn't be more true in 2017, so when the Tivoli Avenida Liberdade and Monarch airlines invited me to explore the Capital of Portugal I couldn't resist visiting the city break hot spot.

When I think Portugal I immediately think The Algarve (post on that coming soon!) It's pretty naive of me to think Portugal is just beautiful beaches, how wrong was I? Lisbon is a gorgeous city, from it's beautifully coloured tiles to it's narrow cobbled streets you'll be snapping away for hours - believe me there is so much to see!

Lisbon perfectly reflects the Portguese culture whilst embracing modern and maintaining it's unique traditions. One of my favourite traditions were the Custard Tarts. Head to Confeitaria Nacional which is the oldest and traditional confectionery cafe in Lisbon - Think crunchy pastry and a soft and warm custard centre making for the best custard tart ( The perfect afternoon pick me!)

We spent a large amount of time strolling through the cobbled back streets to get to the scenic hilltop views which were amazing. I really recommend walking around the City as you're more likely to stumble across a hidden court yard, a picturesque cafe or a cute little market. However if you're strapped for time and you want to see a large amount of City by day then I;d highly suggest the Metro.  I loved watching (and hearing) the old fashioned trams lurching and screeching around the narrow streets of the capital.

 The Tivoli Avenide Liberdade is set in the heart of Lisbon in the lively Avenia da Liberdade - the most prestigious avenue in town. 

The Tivoli is housed in a beautiful 1930's building with elegant decoration - the interior perfectly matches the neighbouring environment. Gorgeous marble floors frame the breath taking glass lobby as the scent of fresh flowers hit you as soon as you step out of the glassed revolving doors welcoming you into a glamorous and sophisticated space.

The 9th floor houses the Sky Bar which boasts stunning panoramic views of the city's skyline. We started every evening watching the late afternoon colours cast on the horizon listening to the resident DJ laid back on plush white leather sofas - I could of spent my whole evenings here, as do most of the locals. 

In hotter months you have access to the outdoor swimming pool set in a lush tropical tranquil garden. Equally if you'd rather swap the pool for a beach, you're only looking at a 30 minute journey to your nearest stretch of sand.

Calling all seafood lovers - The Cervejaria Liberdade boasts some of the best fish and seafood dishes sourced straight from the Portuguese coastline. Equally if Mediterranean cuisine is more up your street then head to the AVANI to experience fine dining a the Olivier Avenida Restaurant.

Thank you to Monarch Airlines and The Tivoli Avenida Liberdade for an incredible trip to Lisbon.

What I wore

Striped Dress - Zara (similar here)

Straw Bag - Work Shop Living (similar here)

Sandals - Nomadic State of Mind

Sunglasses - Celine

Dagger Necklace - Missoma

Horn Necklace - Missoma

Bamboo Earrings - ASOS

White Tee - ASOS

Stripe Trousers - Oysho

Trainers - Superga

White Shirt - Paper London

Black Trousers - Topshop

Monarch, the scheduled leisure airline, operates year round flights to Lisbon from Birmingham, London Gatwick and Manchester airports with fares, including taxes, from £42 one way (£75 return) For further information or to book Monarch flights and  Monarch Holidays visit www.monarch.co.uk

Nightly rates at Tivoli Avenida Liberdade start from 195 euros for a Superior double room on a B&B basis