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Easier said than done right……Who cares right?? I do.   I have big issues with this.  As someone who loves fashion, I dreamed of starting my blog for so long but how could I write a fashion blog when I couldn’t post a photo of myself.  Looking back though my personal Instagram the grid was photo’s of my dogs (naturally) my husband and places we’ve visited.  No photo’s of me. I do have a few outfit post now !!

So I threw myself completely out of my comfort zone and booked at shoot with Rachel from Rachel Ross Photography who I can’t recommend enough.  She put me at ease straight away, she was confident and new how to direct the shoot with an amateur like me. I’m usually working in the back ground if we are having shoots with TBF.  And the location – Glasgow City centre, there I was standing in the street, passers by, some giving a strange look, others a wee bit of encouragement with a friendly smile but you know what…….. after the first half hour they became invisible and the only person I saw was Rachel.

 

Jacket and Shirt Dorothy Perkins.  Bag Guess.  Jeans Next. Sunglasses Victoria Beckham. Boots Sosander.

My wee neighbour passed away recently in her sleep on 99th birthday, her advise for a long happy life was – give it everything,  just give it your best.  If you want it enough – you will work hard enough for it.  She used to tell me that in my visits.

I’m going to do exactly that!  You only get one shot at this………….make it a good un and don’t be put off by others.

Marlene x

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Do I want them yes, do I need them no!

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The struggle of an online shopaholic ………. It’s usually early in the morning, I’m browsing my phone having a cup of tea with Gunners big head usually resting on my lap.

I check my emails & then instagram and boom ~ there they are, Marlene check out this dress, wow look at these shoes, you need another coat to add to your never ending collection – most of which are a size to small but I can’t part with – I’ll get into them one day 😉 the worse one, a £20 cup that my fav blogger uses, it is beautiful mind you but you see the pattern developing.

The moral of this story is I’m a sucker, adverts sook me right in and before you know it I’ve signed into my trusty PayPal & Bobs you Uncle,  a wee gift, “to me, lots of love me” Every week I start off – no purchases this week Marlene, you can do it, have some will power my girl, you managed to stop smoking for goodness sake so stop buying! It can’t be that hard you think but believe me it is. It’s up there with trying to loose that 2 stone I gained when I stopped smoking!

I want to get my teeth fixed & I don’t think it’s going to be cheap so I need to stop the impulse buying. I just need to think of this before beautiful items pop in to my add to cart!

If you follow me on Instagram or meet me in the street and I’m rocking a pair of beautiful pink brogues with a splash of leopard print, you will probably notice my trademark wonky tooth!

 

Love Marlene x

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I see this quote all over social media these days and it got me thinking, who actually lives their best life?

I don’t, I really wish I did and it’s something I am working towards this year.  I blinked and my 30’s were gone. My 40’s are going to be different.  I touched on this on another post but we plod through life & I was one of those people “One day I will do XYZ” why wait for that one day? Why not now?  Whats stopping you? I want to look back with no regrets.

Confidence gives me the fear.

It kills my all my plans, from the way I dress to how I run my business.  I love clothes, I mean really love clothes, I have rails of beautiful dresses, more coats, boots, shoes that you can imagine but I stopped wearing them due to weight gain and being judged.  Just because you like to look after yourself doesn’t mean you think your better than anyone, I’ve had a few snide comments over the years that slowly knocked me but I’m bouncing back!  Now the weight is slowly coming off – thanks to the Joe Wicks Plan, I have rearranged my wardrobe, had a good clear out, sold on ebay, gave to charity and binned a lot.  I take 10 minutes at night to look out my outfit and arrange my bag for the next day,  Not only does this save a melt down in the morning but gives me extra time to snuggles with the dogs & sets my days off in a positive mood!

Now if I’m walking along the street and I find someone staring at my boots (it happens) I smile and say hi instead of going home to change.  (yes my paranoia got that bad)  Business wise, I have my first shoot next weekend featuring moi and Tallulah Belle Fashion, yes my throat expands when I think about it but if you want something in life you need to push through your fears.

I remember going into a local shop to ask for the Vogue September issue, its the only time of year I buy it, its the holy grail of the fashion seasons ahead, the girls in the shop looked at each other and smirked, “No hen, we don’t sell it, the girl thought I had left the shop but I heard her saying to her colleague, “who the **** does she think she is”,  my heart sank and  the tears filling my eyes.   It knocked me for 6.  I had so many plans for you tube, this blog, photo shoots and just those words stopped the lot.  I’m growing a thicker skin as my confidence comes back.   If I went into a garage looking for a car part, or a grocery looking for certain food, would you be treated the same? I very much doubt it – so why does what clothes you wear become so judgmental – answers on a postcard please!  We all can judge, I get that but keep it to yourself because bringing someone down aint pretty.

Anyway, its the Easter weekend, I plan to indulge in a little chocolate, spend time with my family on Sunday and I’m going fishing with Alex and our dogs, well I will be reading my book snuggled in a blanket next to the loch while he does a spot of fishing!  Have a good one, Marlene x

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8th March 2018

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“When women support each other, incredible things happen”

It’s International Woman’s Day today, a day to celebrate the women who inspire me and have a positive impact on my life.  With the famous hashtag #GirlBoss making it’s way through social media, we are seeing many women smashing it through life and encouraging others to follow suit, literally proving anything is possible when you work at.

I choose to ignore the girl-on-girl hate crime online, theirs still a lot of that around but on days like today I’m going to share my inspiring women with you.

Michelle Mone

I’ve read her book a few times and watched numerous documentaries, my god that woman’s got balls of steel.  I love her grit and determination to get where she wants to be whither in life or business.  Her work ethic and how selfish she is.  I know that’s a strange thing to say but women like Michelle get on so well in life because they put themselves first and that’s something that is hard to do and I strongly admire them for it.

Davina McCall

Davina is my fitness guru, I think I own most of her DVD’s.  She is proof that if you workout and have a good clean diet, you can live well.  We all know what we are supposed to be doing, most of us just don’t practice it.  She’s been in the industry a long time and there is a reason for that.  She comes across very natural.  Her 500 mile Sports Relief Challenge sticks in my mind. I remember watching it on TV.  I was crying along with her.  She pushed her body to it’s limits, she is a machine!

Helen Mirren

Style queen Helen with over 50 years in the industry, who else can pull off a leather biker jacket & converse looking amazing at 72!  Watching her strut down the runway as part of the L’oreal Beauty Squad in Paris she was loving life and the star of the show, you could see the admiration of the models passing her on the catwalk.  I hope I have some of her glam when I reach my 70’s.

My Sister in Law

She suffers from a rare form of cancer.  A young woman with two young boys to look after, at the beginning not knowing how or if she would be treated.  It was horrendous. Over the years she’s went through painful treatments lives in constant pain but never complains.  She just motors on, looking after my nephews & brother (he helps a lot too!), getting on with day to day life.  She is a trouper one of the bravest women I know and certainly someone I admire. xx

My Niece Sophie

The most head strong wee girl I know.  Since she was a toddler she was so independent wanting to dress herself,  never wanted to hold your hand walking and this has continued as she has grown.  She has no fear and pushes herself with sheer determination at everything she does especially her gymnastics, constant practice, practice, practice until it’s perfect.  She’s growing up in a world which is so uncertain but at the grand old age of 9 she already knows the values of treating everyone as an equal & I admire her for that.  She is amazing………girl the future is yours! xx

In China women get the day off work, in Italy and Bosnia they receive flowers, in Cameroon they dance in the street (to good!) what will you do today to celebrate just being you?

 

Marlene x