UK travel: the Pink Hamble Ferry

Hot pink heaven! Pink punchy paradise gets no purer than this absolute babe of a pink ferry! Travelling in the UK ain't all bad, especially when you've got a colourful treasure chest like this tucked away on the glittering sea. Graham and I had a few days over in Portsmouth last month; it's not a place we've really seen much of and he sweetly took us on a tour of the little pink Hamble Ferry during our time there. For oceanic reasons of course, not just 'cos it's pink....I think if Zac Efron had to moor a boat in Baywatch he would've gone for this little beauty, right?! Note: I'm still trying to edge Baywatch into conversation... but, anyway, this pink ferry.... 

After a blissful ride on the ferry it was quite cold on the other side so I sought shelter, literally, in the pink hideaway, aka the Warsash ferry shelter. The most stunning shelter you've ever seen or the most stunning shelter you've ever seen? To meet and greet the pink ferry in all it's fabulous finery I wore what seems to be my summer uniform; trusty Boohoo boho skirt, red tie up top, berry denim jacket and Zara rhinestone glittery sandals. We spent about half an hour looking around Warsash and then sped back on the ferry for the last return ride of the day. Being stranded there wouldn't have been an issue, although even I couldn't compete with all the pink pretty going on!

During our time in Portsmouth we also spent a day at Lee-on-the-Solent beach and Graham kindly booked us a gorgeous B&B that was made up of a nice bar and was part of a lovely Italian restaurant with nice food and a gorgeous garden. It's always nice to spend time in areas of the UK we've not always explored before, and gems like the Hamble ferry definitely make it worthwhile! If you're over in the Hamble area and fancy a ride on this babealicious beauty, it's only £1.50 per adult. You can find out more about the Hamble ferry on their website. Race you there, fellow Penelope Pitstoppers! 

Do you love this pink ferry as much as I?

Let me know if you've made any colourful discoveries lately!

💖👙

How to: rock sequins at the beach

Welcome to beachside paradise. It's no secret that I love sequins and you already know your girl loves the beach, so I thought what better way than to show you the best of both worlds; how I've been styling sequins this summer on the beach, no less. Sequins on the sun lounger might not be a fashion trend you'd have in mind when soaking up the sand, but if there's one thing I've learnt about my style in the past few years, it's that sequins and glitter can be injected into an everyday look to up the disco inferno tempo in stunning yet subtle tones. I opted for this rainbow sequin co-ord from Asos which I bought last fall. It cuts a casual edge yet shimmers against those sunbeams, and adds a fun, funky vibe to a beachy day out. I thought I might get a few inquisitive stares, what with wearing this by the sea, but no one seemed to bat an eyelid. Hopefully this is the start of a glittery era, where sequins and swimsuits become one...

Like most of my outfits and trends featured on the blog, sequins and glitter have kind of become a favourite forte of mine by accident. On a constant mission to liven up the drizzly weather we get here in the UK, outfits with a spirited glow will always get my vote. I overheard my mum on the phone to her friend the other week: "Sophie's prancing around in an outfit for a blog shoot tomorrow", my mum's friend answered: "Is it something glittery?" which totally made me smile. Unfortunately it wasn't (shock and horror, horror and shock), it was this crochet shell trim bikini outfit. My summer wardrobe has mostly consisted of crochet crop tops, shell embellished styles and rainbows, but now I'm craving a gush of glitter once more. If you too are seeking sequins by the beach, I've found a similar glitter sequin crop top by Pretty Little Thing & these matching sequin hot pants. 

Also featured are these rainbow shades from River Island, and this Skinnydip London peachy cross body bag. The perfect fruity glimmery touch to an outfit already overdosed on a hedonistic high. I struggle so much with Autumn/Winter fashion as it's not really my vibe at all, so sequins and glitter are key for me during the colder months too. They add so much shine and sass to any outfit, especially when the day is dreary and the trends call out for an injection of colour. It's like a bloody sigh of relief, having the promise of glitz amongst the drab grey and black hues. Once upon a time, I actually called black my favourite colour and lived in a sea of grey, dark, bleak tones. Can you believe that? NOT ANY MORE! 

 Two of my favourite ever outfit posts on this blog have involved jewels and gems. First up, this Asos jewel tone top and second, my mermaid sequin NYE style, shot during November and December no less, and thankfully blaring a bit of bliss through the corruptive cold. The mere mention of Autumn has my heart hammering and my flare falling, but so long as the online shops are promising a bit of dazzle, my heart can stay hotter than hot. 

I've got a Part II post in this series of how to rock sequins by the beach coming up, so stay tuned for that a little later this summer! Let me know if you'd like to see more ongoing "How to" fashion posts, it's something I'm thinking of including more in my style posts! 

Do you enjoy incorporating sequins into your everyday looks? 

I'd love to hear what glittery things you've been buying! 

💖🎉

Candy girl illustration by Aloha Lola Cards

Is this a fashion blogger's dream or is this a fashion blogger's dream? The truly talented Claire from Aloha Lola Cards  kindly drew this illustration of me last week and I've literally been on candy cloud nine forever since! I've been a bit MIA from blogging these past few weeks (enjoying some lovely holiday time off with Graham) but wanted to feature this gorgeous illustration on the blog as I know you guys will love it just as much as I! Claire is a true shining star, with so much talent and a real gift for crafting the most majestic illustrations out there. Be sure to check out her lovely website, and check her out on Twitter and Instagram. She really deserves all the support and love out there, what a total diamond! Thank you so much for making my millennium Claire! 🍭

The original photo came about as I thought it would be super fun to create a sugary sweet wonderland look over on Instagram featuring a candy bikini, a stack of 90s retro sweet bracelets and my favourite pair of candyland sunglasses which you've seen in many of my fashion posts; Kuccia Sequin Unicorn Mom Jeans and Disco Dreams: Sun's Out with MinkPink. You can see the original shot over on my Instagram. Must admit I'm still waiting for the chance to rock said candy bikini by the beach, it would be brilliant to get it featured on the blog. There might have to be a few Piña Colada's consumed before I work up the courage.... we've been out shooting lots of fashion looks this week so I can't wait to make a comeback and show you all my summery beachy outfits, I so hope you guys love them 💖👙