The Swelle Life

SWELLE REVIEW: GREY JERSEY SKATER DRESS

I was given a £40 voucher by Zalando.co.uk to spend on anything in the shop and I chose the Nümph Amalie dress. I know what you're thinking - with all of the pretty dresses out there, why something so plain? Well, here's why. Jersey is comfortable, grey is easy and classic, and the skater style accommodates holiday gluttony very well. (That is an essential at the moment). It can be accessorised with just about anything you've got in your drawer and you can wear it over and over without getting sick of it. (I have and it washes very well, no pilling!) 

I also had my eye on some maxi dresses at Zalando but those will have to wait until my life is a bit more glamorous. (I have May 17 marked in my diary as the big day where everything turns sparkly, we'll see if it pans out.)

Does this dress, and the idea of wearing it over and over, remind anyone else of that Seinfeld episode where the girl Jerry's dating wears the same black and white skater dress every time he sees her? He's intrigued as to whether it's the same dress or she has a whole wardrobe of them, or that he just keeps seeing her when she's done laundry, like it's the first outfit in the rotation. (You can always tell when a (straight) man writes about women's things, like we have set days for certain clothes. "Yay! It's cranberry tunic with skinny jeans Monday!")

 

So they go back to hers so she can change, and while she's in her room Jerry can't resist the urge to peak in her closets and gets caught. She tells him the night is over and later he calls to see her again (so he can decipher the mystery, of course) and here's what happens:

Swelle Review: Crepe Butterfly Dress at Zalando.co.uk

   

Recently I was asked by Zalando.co.uk to review one of their items, and remaining true to form I went straight for the cute summer dresses. I was given a £40 voucher to spend and chose this cute Crepe Burnout Butterfly Dress at £44.95 by Ruby Rocks.

I wanted something easy and cool for the oppressively hot and humid Toronto weather I was about to be dealing with - it's brutal! - but something that still covered and had some shape. I liked the crochet edging all over the dress and thought the band on the loose waist would nicely accommodate my plans to shamelessly indulge in Toronto's fantastic food - so far so good! The crepe is nice and light and a lovely deep pewter colour. For those who don't love their arms (me at the moment), the short drop sleeves are the perfect style for coolness and coverage, and the wide crochet in lieu of a seam acts like little vents.

The dress has side slits edged in crochet which were a surprise as they weren't shown or mentioned on the product page, and at first I was worried they would make the dress a bit more 'leggy' than I'd like, but they are on the shorter side and aren't particularly revealing. All modesty remains intact and they're a cute feature.

I should also mention this dress is very comfortable, so much so that I slept in it last night! I'd like to blame lingering jet lag for my laziness, please.

Zalando.co.uk offers shoes, clothing and accessories for women, men and children as well as beauty products and even sports gear. Delivery is always free in the UK as is return shipping - very nice!

Hooray for Hoodies

This post is sponsored; however, the content is original (obviously)

Admittedly, I am well past the hoodie phase of dressing. But I do remember the days, during my raver era (not the candy kind, I never had fun fur pants) when a hoodie was essential kit for comfort when leaving a club at 8am. The hood and its accomplice, big dark sunglasses, were the perfect cover when I needed to walk the streets home, incognito, amongst the productive, early risers who were on their way to work on a sunny Sunday morning. It felt conspicuous and awkward to be caught out being nocturnal, and it was then I realised I would never succeed at being a vampire.

Looking at BANK Fashions Women's Hoodies I see a few styles that have nice details beyond the standard issue. Ribbon ties add a soft touch, duffle fastenings are neat and remind me of Paddington Bear which is always a good thing, and the red military style makes me want to grab some xylophone sticks and play some notes on its sequined frogging. Very cute.

I cannot end a post about hoodies without mentioning what just may be (let's hope) the craziest hoody ever conceived of. Our Judith of Frankly Frankland is a huge Tupac fan. She could not resist snapping up a most ridiculous piece of memorabilia. It's a huge, hooded, white sweatshirt with Tupac's image on the front. He's wearing his blue gangsta bandana on his head - a real one! - and a big gold chain around his neck - a real one! - with a diamonte cross hanging from it. It's like thug découpage. Note to self: photograph Judith wearing that awesome mess very soon.

Pretty from Provençe: L'Occitane Skincare and Scents

This review is sponsored; however, the content is 100% original and reflects my personal views of the company and their products

I'd always dreamed of visiting Paris before finally taking my first unforgettable trip in 2008. Before then, whenever I wanted to feel close to France I would buy something from L'Occitane. A simple bar of their lovely lavender soap would bring a bit of that beautiful calm I'd always associated with the French countryside.

I was thrilled to discover that behind the Provençal charm of the boutique and its products is a history of traditional technniques used to procure high quality, natural ingredients. L'Occitane founder Olivier Baussan took inspiration from his childhood in Provençe and began his business in well-being by producing pure Rosemary essential oil, using an old steam distiller. The villagers loved it and L'Occitane was born.

These traditions are alive and well today, and make their sensitive skincare products especially effective for the most sensitive of skins. Shea and organic cotton-based, the range is  free of perfumes, colourants, alcohol or preservatives to minimise the risk of allergic reaction. In fact, L'Occitane is known for its shea, they've been producing shea butter products for 20 years. Its protective properties are very nourishing for skin and hair and there is also a regenerative quality to the rich butter of this wonderful African nut.

Enhancing the Provençal experience is L'Occitane's delicious selection of Eau de Toilette fragrances. I am absolutely in love with their Cherry Blossom scent. It's like spring in a bottle and its fresh and delicate sweetness is instantly uplifting and perfect for daily wear. I hadn't used a perfume in years but this scent changed my mind about wearing a fragrance, instantly. Très joli!

Swelle Review: Joe Browns Flippy Tea Dress

Can you ever have enough tea dresses? Recently I was offered the opportunity to review an item of my choice under £50 from JoeBrowns.co.uk.  Staying true to type I immediately went searching for a pretty frock and found an extensive selection of women's dresses. While there's a range of styles to suit most occasions, the common link was ease and comfort - perfect as I was hoping my choice would take me through long days of walking around Paris next week in warm spring weather.

In the end, my love of 40s styling, florals and pale blue won me over and so I went with the Flippy Tea Dress, priced at £29.95. It fits on the larger side so I had to go down a size (which I certainly didn't mind) and it's very open in the front, so you need to wear a little camisole under it and expect that you will see a lot of it as the ruffle will flip out unless you pin it down. (That just reminded me I have two 1930s silk and crochet camisoles that would be a pretty complement to the ruffle neckline.) The waist is high and elasticated - much appreciated during a week of gorging on French pastries - which is covered by a tie belt. My favourite detail is the little front fabric covered, loop-fastened buttons.

The fabric is a gorgeous pale blue with rose and cherry coloured flowers and little white dots all over, in a very soft viscose. The easy style and softness of the fabric make it extremely comfortable, so much that I considered sleeping in it! I didn't want to take it off.

I'd recommend this dress for pretty and super-comfy daily wear - just remember to have that camisole on hand and you'll have a lovely 40s style outfit.

Get in the suitcase Flippy Tea Dress, you're coming to Paris!

Photo © The Swelle Life

'Pretty' Review: Hana and CHI Shine Products for Hair

A while back I was asked by Misikko.com to review two hair products, Hana Shine Shield and CHI Silk Infusion. I'm a pretty good candidate for trialing any product that is meant to make hair more manageable and healthy looking as I've got long hair, about six inches from my waist. There's a lot of it but it's fine and can puff out if I've got even very long layers in the back, which I do right now. No one likes a bunch of pom-poms hanging from their head! I don't have the time or patience to section all of that hair so it all lies flat when I blow-dry it; I'm more the type to fire up the dryer, blow my hair all around on high speed, high heat, making a half-hearted attempt to brush it as I'm doing so. Whatever it looks llike after five minutes is what it looks like and that's how I go out of the house (at least I can't be accused of being vain!). It usually works fine but it really does bug me when the back puffs out, and I'm not going to use a straight-iron on it just to do the school run and work from home!

I was curious to see if these two products made my hair sleek enough to combat the problem, and most importantly, could they do it without weighing down my fine hair and making me look like I hadn't showered in a week? I hadn't found a product yet that delivered on this promise and I had given up buying any more. Hana Shine Shield ($29.99 for 6oz) is a thermal serum that promises lightweight, 'never greasy' conditioning that restores both hair and scalp from environmental and styling stress, with 'unparalled shine'. CHI Silk Infusion ($12.99 for 2oz) is an alcohol-free restructuring complex formulated for thermal styling and hair repair and also promises silky shine.

So, I tried them. I applied them to towel-dried clean hair and then blow-dried as I usually do. I can't tell the difference between the two products, they both give me the same results and they're good: my hair was sleeker and softer - no puffballs! - and you couldn't see the product at all, there was no greasiness even when I used it close to the roots in the front. And if I added more product I still couldn't see it, you still won't get a greasy look even if you use a generous amount, even on fine hair. As for the shine, I only colour my hair about once a year just to boost my natural colour so it's pretty shiny already after I wash and condition, but I think it does add some extra shimmer.

But the real test is whether you continue to use the product and will you miss it when it's gone? I've now been using them for months (I wanted to give a very honest and accurate review) and I don't blow-dry without them. And I will replace at least one of them when they're gone and I'm not sure which as they both do the job.

So I highly recommend either of these products. Who knew after years of wasting money that something would actually work?

Swelle Review: G-Star Jeans. You read right.

Now, I must admit I wouldn't normally think of G-Star when it comes to choosing jeans for myself, a situation which presented itself recently when I was asked to review an item of my choice from www.box-clothing.co.uk. As you may have guessed, I'm not really the typical G-Star girl, I like things that are more understated that quietly hope for attention. Clothes with good manners that invite polite conversation. G-Star, or G-Star RAW I believe is their proper name, from what I gather from what I see around town, are a bolder, darker, raw and youthful brand, though they seem to be leaning toward refinement in the finishes and cuts of their New York Fashion Week showpieces.

I really needed jeans but wasn't sure I'd find something that would suit me. It's tough with jeans, you know how it is. You don't see anything you like after unfolding at least two dozen pairs, or you see a pair that looks appealing, you get them on and suddenly your bum has been transformed into something that resembles a dehydrated apple (actually, that image is from observing Mr. Swelle trying on jeans a few months ago - it's no easier for guys. My 'apple' would be the opposite of dehydrated.)

My criteria for a potentially viable pair included the following: not too light in colour or weight, not overly 'whiskered', pockets not too long, pockets not too small (we've all seen that, tiny pockets that looked lost in the middle of each seemingly disproportionate cheek and I must ask 'Why?'), a good wash without being overly done (I've seen jeans that I swear were meant to look like a flock of pigeons splattered all over them), and very important - good stretch.

And I found them! There was one pair from G-Star RAW, their Ocean Slim Fit Track Wash that looked like a winner, the wash was exactly what I like, the pockets were proportionate and they have a neat zipper on them. When I received them they were just as they looked on the site - the photos here are mine - and the jeans have really good stretch which you want and need in a skinny.

Now here's the rub. They're too small. That's because I ordered a bit smaller than my regular size. Why? Because there was no way I was wasting a new pair of jeans on my 'temporary body'. Temporary because I'm trying to shed the weight I gained unwittingly while on a medication and I don't plan for it to stay this way for much longer. I know you're laughing and shaking your head. 'You silly, silly girl', you say. Well, maybe. But we all need something to shoot for.

Based on appearances, I think they're good value at £109 considering you can spend double or triple that on a pair that uses cheaper denim, doesn't 'give' or looks weird. You can see more of the range here.

So when my new jeans fit - and they will! - I'll be back with an outfit post. Accessorised with a giant smile.

My bum will be filling these out one day. Soon I hope.