Recently launched NEON focuses on the craftmanship behind the fashion of their gorgeous one colour, luxury sneakers.

Made in Northampton in a family-run factory which has existed since 1908, NEON's mission isto highlight British footwear heritage.  

The beautiful and comfy shoes went down a storm on set (even halting proceedings for us to ogle the other colour ways!) and paired magically with our first coloured collection!

If you're keen to grab a pair or even just support the cause, do check out their current Kickstarter campaign and show them some love! 

This year we decided to tackle everything in one go and combined a studio shoot for our lookbook shots with our lifestyle location pics. A packed day and some tasty English rain meant this became quite the challenge! 

This shoot was extra special to us because not only was our kit Made in Britain and we had the coolest kids working on it, but all the accessories were also British brands! 

The shoot featured two looks both perfect for your workout and skilfully crafted by hair and makeup guru Hannah.

Model Mimi came straight to us from a job working for one of the biggest brands in fashion and spent the day flexing out her yoga moves and posing prowess.

Camera skills were provided by Lexie fan and street style Queen Phoebe Lettice. Once a 'Made in Chelsea' star (don'st pretend you don't remember the awesome put downs) she's long been behind the camera, interning for some of the coolest photogs in London. Having struck out on her own we grabbed her to shot the entire campaign in her own unique style.

Once the studio shots were in the bag, we raced the rain to get some outside looks (well our kits not just destined for the studio is it!).

Huge thanks to our awesome team and keep your eyes peeled for 13.3 coming soon!

P.S Don't forget we're still competing to win the Smarta100 Made in Britain award and need your votes! 

"The Smarta 100 is an annual celebration of the most resourceful,

inspiring and disruptive small businesses in the UK."

We're up against 9 other businesses to compete for the top place in our division. From there the top business in each category will compete to become the overall winner!

We are so, so proud to be British, giving us superior quality, allowing us ethical practice and generally making our sportswear the most awesome kit on the street! But we need your votes to win! So please vote for us here and check out our Made in Britain video here.

P.S Don't forget to drop us a tweet to let us know you voted, we can't promise tea and cake but we will say a big lycra clad thanks! 

They looked so brilliant on instagram that Abi sent us some to fuel AW14. So Awesome!

Abi aka A floral crown is not only a baker extraordinary and Lexie lover but a blogger with a passion for all things fitness and fashion! We particularly love her  and her blog is filled with interesting stuff, definitely worth checking out!

If you fancy making up some tasty treats check Abi's recipe that she's kindly lent us! 

*Note before we begin. These didn't turn out as biscuit like as I had hoped. They were very smooth, very cakey but sadly didn't have a crunch nor snap. Maybe I used too much avocado, hence the creamier texture, so if you're looking for something a bit more whoopie pie like this could be the one for you! If not, I think a bit less avocado would do the trick!*

On your marks...get set...BAKE!

- 1 small/medium avocado - ripe
- 1/2 cup brown sugar (you can use coconut or Stevia for healthier alternatives)
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder
- 1 egg
- 50g chopped dark chocolate (I used 70% Lindt)
- 1 tbsp water
- 1/2 tsp baking soda

Preheat oven to around 170 degrees. Cream together the sugar and avocado. Add the egg and mix thoroughly. Next add the cocoa powder and chopped chocolate. Dissolve the baking soda in the water and then add this to the mix. Once combined, spoon heaps of the mixture onto a baking sheet and bake in the middle of the oven for around 8-10 minutes.

I baked mine for about 10 minutes and they came out very soft and cakey. Leave them on the baking tray until completely cooled, then remove. Mine were a lot more delicate than cookies and definitely more cake like. Note - they taste super good when they've been chilling the fridge!

Please note, the Lexie team are on hand at all times to test out the results of any baking experiments. No seriously we will drop everything for cake. Yum.

Huge thank you to Abi! We are now in Chocolatey Heaven! 

So thought I’d share a few facts on the incredible health benefits of seaweed and how easy it can be to incorporate it into your diet.

Seaweed is one of the most nutritionally dense plants in the world. It contains an array of minerals and I would highly recommend adding a little into your diet:

• Iodine: The naturally high concentration of iodine in seaweed stimulates the thyroid gland which is responsible for ensuring you have a healthy metabolism which is your bodies fat burner.
• Alkalizing: Seaweed is very alkaline which is essential in order for your body to work at its potential and ward off disease and
• Amazing for your hair, nails and skin: Seaweed is incredibly high in calcium and has been shown to contain unto 10 times more calcium than milk. It contains amino acids and silica which are the building blocks of our hair and nails, and getting enough of these minerals is key for glowing hair and strong nails.
• Reduction in heart disease: The rates of heart disease are incredibly lower in Japan and this is absolutely down to diet. They notoriously consume more vegetables and fruit and seaweed! Seaweed is amazing to eat in order to lower cholesterol. It has also been linked to improving blood pressure levels due to the magnesium, vitamin C and folic acid found in seaweed.
• Detoxifying: Due to the high level of chlorophyll present in seaweed, it helps to draw out waste and detox the body.
• Nutrients: Some of the key nutrients contained within seaweed are Iron, Zinc, Manganese, Vitamins A, B2

Seaweed is such an amazing vegetable to incorporate into your diet. There are various forms such as Nori, Dulse, Wakame and Arame.



They are so easy to add to dishes and you can make your own sushi with nori sheets too- delicious!

You just need to soak the seaweed in some warm water for around 15/20 minutes and then add to stirfries, salads and any kind of dish you fancy really!



You will be reaping all these amazing benefits, and you don’t need to consume a lot of them to benefit either!

Enjoy!

Love Holly x

So in-between the hectic schedule of LFW she took to her back garden to see it it could withstand some serious antics...

Georgia off duty at LFW

We love her cute & crazy video almost as much as we adore her!

Check out this awesome article that also happens to feature a rather tasty video of our Lake & Anita Leggings.

So Vogue.

I think they are my new favourite skincare brand! I have been using the ‘Rejuvenate Face Wash’, ‘Enrich Exfoliant’and also the ‘Orange Blossom Hydrolat’.

I would definitely recommend giving them a try if you are due some new skincare cosmetics and they are really reasonably priced too!

The face wash is really light and soft feeling which leaves my skin feeling very fresh. I then use the toner which I have found to be the best toner on the market at the minute for my skin.

It is so refreshing and have found it finishes my cleansing routine really well. I use the exfoliator two/three times per week before toning and after cleansing which has left my face really clear and glowing too!

I finish my skincare routine with my Balm Balm Rosehip Serum which is my absolute skincare must have, and I have found is very much complemented by my Conscious Skincare products.

You can find Conscious Skincare and Balm Balm www.myonpure.co.uk . Happy shopping! 

Love Holly x

Check out our newest retailer Style PB

It's the culprit of most common allergies, acne, bloating and eczema to name a few (ditching dairy from your diet is arguably the best thing you can do for your skin.) In our culture it is basically drilled into us that dairy is good for us and we grow up drinking it to ‘make sure we get enough calcium’.

However there has been extensive research done which concludes that dairy causes absolute havoc on your health. The government, meat and dairy industries have tried their absolute best to convince us that their products are good for our health but of course they would, these are huge industries in this country that need sustaining some how!

Here are some dairy facts:

1. Dairy is highly acid-forming inside the body making it inflammatory which irritates your digestive system as well as causing an increase in mucus production- gross. If you feel bloated and tired it is probably due to the dairy which you are consuming. Try eliminating it for a few weeks and see if you notice any changes.
   
   
   
   
2. Hormones. Dairy milk contains numerous hormones which have been scientifically proven to significantly contribute to your risk of cancer, in particular breast and prostate cancer. As cancer runs through my family as soon as I found out about this I immediately ditched the dairy and I would highly recommend you do too. Along with progesterone and oestrogen being some of the hormones in milk, there is another which is injected into dairy cows in order to increase their growth rate to produce more milk for you to drink. Nice. This has been directly linked to numerous cancers and other diseases as it causes the chemical known as ‘IGF-1’to be released.
   
   
3. Casein.  Casein is the protein which is found in milk and although protein is essential for optimal health, casein is the most harmful animal protein which we can consume. There has been specific scientific research which illustrates the link between cancer development and animal protein. In the ‘China Study’; the largest nutritional study ever done, it was concluded that Casein promoted the growth of cancer at EVERY stage of its development and (what I found most astonishing) the amount of cancer growth could actually be controlled by the amount of casein being consumed!
   
   
4. Weight Gain. Cows milk is designed to grow a 90lb calf into a 2000lb cow. Humans breast milk is designed to grown a new born baby into a toddler. Doesn't sound ideal for the waist line does it? Because it's not. Nature intended milk to be used for growth and it does just that. If you are wanting to lose weight why would you possibly think its a good idea to consume something which has the sole purpose of making things grow as quick as possible? If you want to lose weight, de-bloat, and decrease inflammation you need to ditch the dairy. You will notice a reduction in your weight and an increase in your overall health and mood.
   
   
   
   
5. No other animal drinks another animals milk.  Think about it. We are the only species who drinks milk from another species and carries on drinking milk as adults. If you think about it, it is the strangest thing that us humans drink the milk from a cow. If we were to be drinking milk surely we would be drinking milk from humans? But that’s weird because were adults. So why do we mass produce it and drink it from a cow? Gross.
   
   
6. The Calcium myth. We are all lead to believe that we NEED to drink milk in order to get our calcium for our bones, teeth. However, research from the Harvard Nurses’Health Study which followed over 75,000 women for 12 years, illustrates that the consumption of dairy had absolutely no protective effect on the risk of fractures in bones. This is due to its acidic content and in order for our bodies to digest dairy, it has to use essential minerals from our bones in order to balance our internal pH.

So in my view I strongly advise you ditch the dairy! It will improve your energy, skin, weight and ultimately your health. There are so many alternatives out there to replace dairy and some of my recommendations would be:

Rude Health Unsweetened Almond Milk

Unsweetened Hazelnut Milk

Oat Milk

Rice Milk

And in terms of ensuring you are getting enough calcium, some recommendations are:

Spinach

Broccoli

Kale

Red Kidney Beans

Chia Seeds - 1tbsp of chia seeds contains more calcium than a whole glass of cows milk!

 Love Holly x

We caught up with Ms Dale to find out her inspiration behind the new store and the awesome name,

“Whilst training for the London Marathon, I struggled to find stylish sportswear in one place online. I realised there wasn’t really a dedicated website catering for this, so I thought I’d create one.

I have always loved striving for my personal best in sport (mainly running) and the feeling that it brings with it. When I was training to be a yoga teacher it was achieving poses like Headstand and Side Crow that became my new ‘Personal Best’. Poses that once seemed impossible became everyday practice and taught me that with determination and will, anything is possible.”

“I want Style PB to be accessible to every woman wanting to do sport whatever budget and to encourage women to feel strong, healthy and empowered through sport whilst looking stylish.” 

Lexie will join other great British brands on Style PB from 2nd September.

The kit young girls wear is a fundamental component in helping them to develop active lifestyles. If you're uncomfortable about what you're wearing, you're unlikely to feel very enthusiastic about participating in sport. And together with Virgin we found that many girls feel very uncomfortable in their PE kits.

So, to help tackle the problem, we spent time with girls form the Isle of Portland Aldridge Community Academy to understand what it was about PE kits the undermined their interest in being active, challenging them to design their own kits that would give them more confidence to participate in sport and exercise.

The girls produced some A-mazing designs which we then put to the test, asking other female students to vote their favourite!

Out with the old unisex kit, in with an awesome Lexie outfit!

The winning design was by 13 year old Emily Marshall featuring a gorgeous blue colour way and smart fabric.



The Head of Emily's school has committed to consulting the parents ahead of changing their uniform policy, giving the girls a much freer choice over their PE kit and we're hoping that plenty more will follow this trend setting schools lead!

 It has been incredibly rewarding to work with the Active Inspiration team to help inspire the next generation to reap the benefits of an active lifestyle. The campaign, which aims to help 500,000 young people to embrace activeness over the next five years, is a fantastic initiative that we're proud to be a part of and you can check it out here!

If you're an avid glossy mag reader you're sure to have spotted our El who graces the top boards at Models 1.

Ellie on the day job

 But not just a pretty face, long limbed Ellie is putting her catwalk experience to good use and walking 26 miles through London for the charity Papyrus, prevention of young suicides.

Rest is an important part of Ellie's training regime as she demonstrates with James M

Ellie will be joined by her equally gorgeous and wonderful Mum and together they will trek from the Olympic Park, past Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, the London Eye and St Paul’s Cathedral, through the heart of the city, to their finish point on the Thames at Greenwich, right by the famous Cutty Sark.

Ellie and Trek partner Mum! 

The G's chosen charity is the wonderful PAPYRUS, the national charity for the prevention of young suicide.

PAPYRUS operate HOPELineUK - 0800 068 41 41 a freephone national confidential line staffed by trained professionals providing practical advice, support and information to anyone concerned that someone they know is feeling suicidal.

To help Ellie support PAPYRUS and their vital work just click through here to Ellie's sponsor page and add your pennies to her brilliant cause!

Follow Ellie at  

GO ELLIE GO!

Our newest stockist Fashercise held an exclusive gig for the fitness glitteriati at Shoreditch's place to be, Boxpark.

Ladies of the moment: L-R Alex Fashercise, Hannah Lexie & Cam Fashercise

The only boy we allow to represent Lexie, mini boss Harry!

With their pop up shop still on until the weekend and the former blog now a full retail site the girl had found the perfect excuse to celebrate!

Awesome tunes, fantastic kit (if we do say so ourselves!) and a brilliant bunch of London's fittest made for a great night!

Lexie Girl Jane mashed up the prints with Cam on the dance floor!

Check the fashercise site now or drop down to the pop up until Sunday!

The world's first sport shot, Beet it was specifically designed for the sport nutrition market.



Now used by a number of professional, elite, and sub-elite athletes as well as Premiership Football, International Rugby, Cycling and Olympic Teams it's ingredients are pretty simple, just 90% Beetroot and 10% fresh apple juice (to smooth over the naturally earthy taste of beetroot)

Free from artificial fertilisers and pesticides, it tastes great and I definitely recommend it!

Love & Peace,

Sarah x

What started as an informative and brilliant sports style blog has now become the online shopping destination for ladies who lunge!

Obviously the girls wanted all the coolest brands so we were happy to join their kitbag of awesomeness!

Fashercise is online now with Lexie and will be holding a box park popup soon, check the site for more info!

Eat fibre. Fibre is an essential aspect of your diet and is vital for a healthy digestive system. Make sure you consume fruits, vegetables and whole grains to make sure you are getting enough fibre into your diet.

Drink at 3 litres of water per day. Water is so essential for your body to function and helps to clear out toxins from our system and is so important for clear, vibrant skin.

Stay active. It’s important to stay active as much as possible. I understand it may be hard when you work in an office sat at a desk all day but even parking your car further so you have a longer walk to the office is such an easy but great way to incorporate a little movement into your day. I would recommend being active for at least 30 mins per day to keep your body moving! 

Love Holly

I steer well clear of any parabens which are chemical preservatives found in the majority of cosmetic products as well as other toxic chemicals which have been linked to cancer development. However, as the sun has finally started making appearances and holidays are being booked I have been wondering what sun cream I could use that is natural and will also give me good sun protection.

Before I went to Turkey in June I came across a brand called ‘Green People’on my favourite Paraben Free cosmetic site ‘Myon Pure’and decided to give the SPF 15 Sun Lotion with Natural Tan Accelerator a try as it was my first natural sun cream I have ever used.

I wasn't quite sure how well it would protect my skin from the sun but I was so impressed!

The lotion goes on really nicely and isn't too thick and overpowering for your skin. It worked to protect my skin so well and I definitely felt that the natural tan accelerator worked too and I turned a really nice golden brown by the time my few days away was over.

I would definitely recommend this brand of suncream as a natural paraben free alternative to commercial sun creams. They do a higher SPF cream too if you feel that you need a higher protection for your skin.

There is also some really informative blog posts regarding Parabens and how dangerous they are here http://www.myonpure.co.uk/blog/ which I would recommend reading to understand the dangers of using commercial skincare products.

Epoh Ireti is a luxury lifestyle brand featuring some of the finest ethical luxury soy candles. Hand crafted in Britain by their female founder Hope we love their gorgeous look and beautiful scents.

Using all organic ingredients and eco-friendly packaging (biodegradable and labels printed using soy ink) these luxurious candles are as kind to the environment as they are to you, creating soft gorgeous lighting, perfect for the unwind after a hard session!

We are particularly in love with the Tuberose & White Peony candle, it just looks so pretty in our office (yes we do occasional burn the midnight oil, or candle as it were!) but we are very excited to try the Vanilla & black Pepper next, yum. Although with 50 hours of burn it might be a slight wait!

Created using carefully chosen soy wax and pure essential oils, the candles burn without releasing harmful pollutants, toxins or soot into the air with a wooden wick.

If you need a bit more zen in your life, check out Epoh Ireti online.

To celebrate and thank you for all your support we have an amazing 50% off everything for one weekend only!

From Voga to Fitness Playground, in London, the UK and abroad, you've been with us every step of the way for the past year.

We've been honoured to get to know so many of you and see you rock our kit!

A massive Thank You and here's to many more years of Lexie Girls!

Lily & Team x

 "I absolutely LOVE this home made exfoliator and I use it every day. It leaves my skin so silky smoothe and also smells delicious! It’s so easy to make and is all natural so contains no nasties. I definitely recommend giving it a try! 

All you need is a tub of 100% pure coconut oil and some demerara sugar. I make a big batch to last for the week and put it in a sealed glass jar in the bathroom cabinet.




You just need to use a couple of tablespoons of coconut oil and enough sugar for it to be of an exfoliation consistency and so there is roughly an even amount of both the sugar and the oil. When you mix it together it should be gritty.

Just take a handful of the mixture and rub all over your body (but not your face) in the shower and your skin will be left so beautifully smooth after.

 This is great to do before a holiday and will get you feeling bikini confident!"

Love Holly

Sport and exercise may sculpt your muscles and release endorphins but it can also leave you with dry, marked skin from the excellent but erratic weather and all the extra showers.

So when we bumped into girlboss and skin magician Ronke we were pretty excited! Ronke is the lady behind Emi & Ben, specialising in natural skin care, she’s created an awesome range of very affordable products.


A petite pot of perfection

Using amazing Shea Butter she creates like pots of creamy heaven, perfect for battered elbows and knees.


You only need a teeny bit of this super star body butter so it will last for ages! Awesome!

Commonly used in West Africa but less so in the UK, shea butter enables skin to absorb moisture from the air, creating a softer for moisturised body.

We’ve tried out a pot and it’s a total must have! To grab yours head over to Emi & Ben!

Combining Voging and Yoga in a dynamic fusion, Head Voga lady and all round amazing woman Juliet Murrel led a 20 strong cast of fearless ladies in throwing some awesome shapes!


Juliet shows our girls her moves!


So far so yoga...



Remember those moves that you thought were only for your bedroom mirror?



Technical hitches aside (the iPod gods were not pleased with our choice of 80s classics) it was an awesome night of flexibility both from our gorgeous guests and from our music choices (Youtube's finest 1980s hits anyone? No us either...)

DJ Wanted...

We were also super stoked to offer a special goodie bag to all attendees and can't wait to raid ours...

Our beautiful and flexi Hayley with erm Hayley and Hayley?

The full Blonde collection is now available with Active in Style where we join the best international brands, representing the UK!

Thanks to all the ladies who joined us, we can't wait to see your moves!

Last week I was lucky enough to receive a lovely parcel from Lexie Sport. Inside it contained some delicious coconut water and one of their absolutely gorgeous Jean T-shirts. I couldn’t wait to try it on and I loved it so much that I decided to write a review of it to let you know what I thought!



I absolutely love how it’s a slim fitting t shirt with a mesh panel down the back and mesh sleeves too. It has a really soft light feel and I felt so stylish heading to the gym in it.

I didn't actually feel like I was wearing a ‘sports top’ at all and I had a few women coming and asking where I got it from; always a good sign!

I would absolutely recommend it for a bit of stylish workout wear and can't wait to get my hands on another Lexie piece to take with me on my travels! 

Love 

Holly x

Eating clean has actually been really enjoyable and much easier than I thought. Little things like having breakfast and switching from crisps and chocolates to fruit and nuts has made a huge different to how I feel and my energy.

After a few weeks of eating healthily, I was thinking about how badly I’ve eaten in the past and the lingering effects all of that rubbish has had on my body and my system. I felt like I needed to hit a ‘reset’ button, so one day in a rather gung-ho fashion I ordered a 3-day juice detox. The old me would have recoiled at the thought of just drinking juice for 3 whole days but I was actually really looking forward to it. My colleagues, however, were expecting mood swings, headaches and the odd temper tantrum. Thanks, guys!

I did a juice detox…and survived!

So how did it go down? As I’m not a huge drinker and the only form of caffeine I have is green tea, I got off quite lightly. No alcohol and caffeine withdrawal headaches or mood swings for me. Although I thought about food a lot (mostly carbs), I didn’t actually feel very hungry which was the biggest shock for me. My juices were quite thick, almost smoothie-like and between 5 of those per day plus 3 litres of water and some green tea, I was actually satisfied. I didn’t have quite as much energy as I usually do and needed early nights but aside from that, I was perfectly fine.

In terms of how I felt, I was sleeping like a baby and walking with a spring in my step. I had quite a few comments on how well I was looking, my skin was glowing and my eyes were brighter, maybe due to all of the water I was drinking and the early nights. The detox also made me think about my relationship with food; I didn’t need as much as I thought to get through the day and I realised I eat due to boredom and habit rather than being hungry.

So if you’re looking to give your digestive system a little break, cleanse your system or just give yourself a little kick-start into healthy eating try giving a juice detox a go! 

Love Reena x

Ingredients- makes roughly 12 truffles

3 cups pitted medjool dates; these are the squidgier ones and tend to work the best

1 Tbsp warm water

1 cup pecans

1/2 small cup unsweetened desiccated coconut (optional)

Confession time...these aren't mine!  Unfortunately I had eaten them all before I wrote this post.

However I promise they looked very similar to these with the coconut on top so this is how yours should come out too! Oops!

Method:
First break the pecans into small pieces so they blend easier with the dates.

Next, place the dates and warm water into a food processor or you can blend them together with a hand blender and blend them until smooth. I find that a hand blender works best but either works.

Add the broken pecans and blend until they form a smooth paste-like substance.  If it hasn’t all blended together quite as well as it should then add another tbsp of warm water and re blend.

Scoop the paste into a bowl; it should be a sticky consistency.

Use your hands to shape the paste into 3/4cm balls or however large/small you would like them, and set out on a baking tray. You can also roll them into your desiccated coconut so they are covered in coconut all the way round before placing them on the baking tray. This is optional and I tend to do half with and half without coconut.

Place them in the freezer to allow them to set for around 30 mins. Then place them in a sealed container and put them in the fridge or back in the freezer. I prefer to keep them in the freezer but there’s no right or wrong way.

Enjoy! 

Love

Holly x

Somewhere along the way though, I lost my running mojo, preferring to live by the ‘shopping is my cardio’ mantra.

I’ve tried being a gym bunny but running on a treadmill is so uninspiring, I need to run out in the open which throws up a couple of barriers; being able to run in peace and in a safe environment isn’t always as easy as lacing up your trainers and stepping out of your front door.

Two of the flats I’ve lived in in London just weren’t safe for running, both  day and night you’d get shouted at or beeped at which can be distracting at best.

I did briefly rekindle my love of running when I lived in Camden; I was a stone’s throw from Primrose Hill which is a heavenly oasis for runners. I chose to run in the evening and The Hill was lovely and peaceful. I really got into my groove and even ran when it was pouring with rain – that’s commitment! After moving recently, I’ve been meaning to get back into my running shoes after scoping out my new area.


Get inspired by the world outside

When I was running regularly, I toned up so quickly and I felt so much stronger and happier. To quote Elle Woods from Legally Blonde, “Exercises gives you endorphins, endorphins make you happy”, who are we to argue with that?!

If you’re looking to recapture your running mojo, here are my top tips:

1. Use a running app.

Running apps are great because they accurately measure your distance, speed and pace among other things. I can be a little competitive, so seeing the stats from my runs always made me want to run further or quicker than my last run. My favourite is Run Keeper as I can plan in my running routes and put music to my workouts. It also gives you little awards too; I do love getting a gold star!

2. Harass your friends to sign up to the app.

Using the app is great, even better if you have friends on it too whether you’re motivating each other or competing.

3. Buy some decent kit.

Well, shopping is cardio too! I kid but if you are going to be running seriously, you need proper running trainers which will support your feet and help protect you from running related injuries. A good workout wardrobe always makes the prospect of exercising more appealing. I treated myself to some customised Nike iDs after I proved that I was serious enough to invest in proper kit and the Anita Leggings in The Blonde Collection are seriously covetable.

My sneaks have even made it across the world with me, true love!

4. Put together a kickass playlist

I have to run to music and it has to be kickass. I personally favour old school hip-hop like Public Enemy, Mobb Deep and the Beastie Boys or super current sing-a-long radio tunes like Problem by Ariana Grande. Whatever you like running to, put a bit of TLC into your playlist and your workout will be over before you even know it’s started.

5. Enjoy it!

The most important thing is to enjoy running. Yes I love tracking my runs and pushing myself but likewise, if my knee is playing up or I’m just not feeling the run I won’t push myself to go further than I’m comfortable with.



Love Reena x

It’s a huge problem for a number of us and leads to us feeling sluggish, uncomfortable and insecure with the way we look with our bloated stomachs- not ideal!

Bloating may also be a sign of digestive issues and is our bodies’ way of telling you that something isn’t quite right.

With summer here, I thought it would be a good idea to do a post on ways to prevent it from occurring and if it is a problem for you, help you reduce it; especially if you have a holiday lined up! 

Refined sugar, saturated fat and gluten are some of the main offenders in causing inflammation and are the ones to avoid in order to beat the bloat and decrease inflammation.


Holly's Happy Tummy 

You should therefore try to incorporate more alkaline foods into your diet. These include:

• Vegetables: All vegetables are amazing for you and will assist you in beating the bloat. Those which contain a high water content are particularly important here as they are easily digested (cucumbers, bell peppers, spinach, tomatoes are some examples.)
• Wholegrains: The high fibre content in wholegrains is essential in order to fight inflammation. Try to incorporate gluten-free grains into your diet such as quinoa, brown rice and millet.
• Fruit: Consuming berries is a great way to reduce inflammation. Try snacking on them, adding them to smoothies or breakfasts; they are a great way of curbing sweet cravings too! 
  
  
  A small strawberry haul! 
  
  
• Nuts: Raw nuts are excellent at fighting inflammation- almonds being one of the best. The source of Omega 3 and essential fatty acids in all raw nuts are great for our stomachs! 
• Tumeric: This spice has been shown to reduce inflammation and therefore reduce bloating. Try mixing a teaspoon with warm water and drinking it or adding it to your meals.
• Water: You need to make sure that you are flushing fluids through your system and by drinking plenty of water this will help. Try starting your day with a cup of warm water with lemon!

And finally: Sodium: Reducing salt intake will prevent your body from holding excess water and get rid of your bloated feeling.

I hope these tips go some way to helping, let me know if you have any top hints or trick!

Love Holly

It was definitely a challenge for me as I’m not that confident at sewing. But as I’m quite competitive with myself, I like a challenge, so it was good to arrive each morning knowing that I had a goal for the day!

The trio had asked for the hoodies to be customized with extra mesh panels and sections of print with a ‘hunger games’ vibe. I sketched out a few initial designs to see which panels would work best, as I wanted to make each hoodie slightly different, but at the same time, keep the same fabrics so they would all look good together on stage.

It usually takes me a long time to make the first cut in my fabric, as I’m always anxious, but after I’d cut out the first panel, it didn’t take long to have all the pieces ready to sew. I was pretty nervous to sew the new pieces of fabric in at first, but got more confident as I went along and they started to come together. I added in mesh panels under the arms/down the side of the body and mesh strips on the upper arm. I also added in mesh back panels, with printed piping. The binding technique was pretty tricky, so I had to practice quite a lot before actually putting it into the hoodies!

The final change I made was to the cuffs on one hoodie. I took inspiration from our Lake leggings, creating a half Lycra, half Blonde print new cuff. The blonde print from the leggings brightened up the hoodie and made it fit for the stage. I think the cuffs looked awesome and I hope they look great under the stage lights!

Hopefully the awesome girls from Massive Dad will like their hoodies – keep your eyes peeled for them wearing them at the Edinburgh fringe in August!