Capology are a new, independently owned company, who have a store in Newcastle which was opened in February this year, with Professor Green in attendance, but you can also shop with them online.  As their name suggests they specialise in all types of caps, but they also stock unisex and kids’ clothes and hats from brands such as Mishka and Play Cloths, as well as accessories, bags and even toys.  After a long time spent browsing their site and trying to narrow down my favourite pieces for this post, I have managed to put together an edit of just a few of the items they have to offer.

Top Row: Mishka Keep Watch Cardigan – £100 / New Era Hero Break Out Batman Cap – £35 / New Era NFL 59ifty Miami Dolphins Aqua Fitted Cap – £25 / 10 Deep Ghost Roses Crew – £90

Bottom Row: 47 Brand Stevenson Avalanche Dogeared Hat – £30 / Any Forty Artist Tee Sprinkles – £30 / Play Cloths Safara Shield Cordovan – £15 / Play Cloths Horizon Socks Mimosa – £6.50

My absolute favourite piece on the whole site is the 10 Deep Ghost Roses Crew, pictured above.  I’m a big fan of black for Autumn/Winter this year, and the contrasting rose print is unusual, but not over the top.  I’d love to see my fiancé in it with a pair of black jeans.

Whether you’re on a tight budget or have a bit more cash to splash, Capology have something to suit every budget, so check them out for all things urban.  You can also find them on Facebook and Twitter to keep up to date with all their latest news.

Naomi x

The Braun ExactFit 5 monitor comes with everything you need to check your blood pressure and heart rate – the monitor, two arm cuffs, an owner’s manual, four AA batteries and a handy black storage pouch.  The arm cuffs come in two different sizes, S-M for arms measuring 22cm to 32cm, which is the size I use, and L-XL, measuring from 32cm up to 42cm, so everyone is catered for.

The monitor itself is sleek and compact for easy storage and transportation, and is a very intelligent piece of kit.  After the initial simple task of inputting the time and date, very little interference is needed, but the monitor can do so much.  It has a memory function and a multiple user option, so two people can use the monitor to store up to sixty results each, whilst remembering the exact time and date of each measurement, and after seven days it can calculate your full day, morning and evening average using your most recent readings.  As it takes your blood pressure reading, the monitor also measures your heart rate, and has the very useful feature of being able to detect and highlight an irregular heartbeat.  Furthermore, the coloured bar indicator down the side of the screen is compliant to the World Health Organisation, and gives guidance on whether your blood pressure is normal or too high.  Despite its complex abilities, however, it is easy to understand, as the on-screen information is displayed clearly, in simple terms.

The ExactFit 5 is really easy to use, as the cuff depicts exactly how to fit it, with the red section and circular symbol having to sit over your main artery.  Once you’ve got the cuff right, you just press the start button and the cuff will inflate.  I have used home blood pressure monitors in the past which have felt uncomfortable and taken a long time to take and display a reading, but this one is surprisingly comfortable and quick.  After a reading is taken, it deflates quickly and the result is accurate and displayed immediately, unlike some less sophisticated monitors where you have to wait a while for the reading to show whilst the cuff remains tight.

Whether you want to check your blood pressure quickly every now and then, or regularly, the Braun ExactFit 5 is invaluable.  I imagine I’ll find it very useful when I eventually get pregnant, and it would also be ideal for the elderly or anyone with an existing health condition that requires regular checks.

The Braun ExactFit 5 has an RRP of £99.99.  For further details visit www.braunbloodpressuremonitors.co.uk.  Packed full of information and advice, Braun’s new microsite includes tips on controlling your blood pressure, as well as practical videos showing you how to fit your Braun blood pressure monitor and understand your measurements.  The Braun blood pressure monitors are available nationwide at selected Boots stores.  Visit the microsite for further information.

Naomi x

*This Braun ExactFit 5 Blood Pressure Monitor was sent to me for review purposes.  All opinions expressed are honest and my own.*

Black Jumper – Primark / Black and Turquoise Maxi Skirt – Primark / Cut Out Boots – New Look / Silver Rings – Gifted, Vintage

What have you been wearing this weekend?

Naomi x

Grey Wool Knit Sleeve Coat – £1150 / Multi Metallic Signature Leggings – £680 / Oxblood Wrap Maxi Dress – £1260 / Petrol Cross Over Maxi Dress – £1020 / Black Signature Leggings – £240 / Oxblood Cup Sleeve Jumper Dress – £570

This summer was all about the maxi for me, and the two maxi dresses above are perfect for a smooth transition into Autumn without having to shed the maxi trend.  The Oxblood Wrap Maxi Dress is my favourite piece from the whole collection, as its Gothic influences and elegant shape are the style I’m aspiring to this season.  I’m also a fan of colour blocking, and the Petrol Cross Over Maxi Dress takes it into a whole new dimension by cutting into the colour with an exposed black satin lining.

One of my wardrobe staples for this time of year is leggings, mostly black as they go with anything, hence why I’ve included Chayalan’s Black Signature Leggings in my wishlist, but his Multi Metallic Signature Leggings also really caught my eye.  The iridescent colours remind me of the backs of beautiful beetles, and would lend well to a dramatic day or evening look when worn with a simple black outfit.

Another Autumn essential has to be knitwear, and Chayalan gets it so right.  I usually struggle to find coats that I love, but I absolutely adore his Grey Wool Knit Sleeve Coat.  Its simple, angular silhouette is just stunning, and the combination of fabric textures give it an added edge.  The Oxblood Cup Sleeve Jumper Dress is also simple, but its heavy knit looks so snug.  I can just imagine it being teamed with a pair of chunky boots and a huge statement necklace.

Which Chayalan piece is your favourite?

Naomi x

A pair of comfortable, warm and waterproof boots are essential for all the walking to, from, and around campus you’ll be doing during the cold Autumn and Winter months, but that doesn’t mean they have to look like you’ve come straight from a building site or hiking expedition. If you go for quality leather boots, they’re almost guaranteed to fulfil the above criteria, and with this season’s biker leather trend there are currently hundreds of amazing, stylish boots out there to choose from.

My pick of the boots this season are these black Studded Leather Biker Boots from F&F, which are not only gorgeous and bang on trend, but also incredibly kind on the student pocket, coming in at a thrifty £35.00.

The boots are crafted from beautifully soft, high quality leather which give them excellent flexibility for ultimate comfort, and the fact that they’re made from leather means they keep your feet warm and dry too, so they can withstand any kind of weather without getting soaked or falling to bits.  Also, usually when I wear new boots they tend to rub and cause blisters until they’re broken in, but I haven’t had that with these at all, even after wearing them all day at work, as the strong soles and low block heel make them easy to walk in.

In terms of aesthetics, these boots are perfect for this season’s biker trend, with their double straps and silver dome stud detail.  They’re also very versatile and look great with a variety of outfits.  They work really well with a simple dress and a pair of black tights, and their wide tops mean they can be worn with skinny jeans on colder days.  I mostly team my pair with black skinnies, a simple top and a leather jacket for a chic look that’s effortless but edgy.

If you’re looking for a quality pair of leather boots for this season that are practical but affordable, then these are definitely for you.  You can order your pair of Studded Leather Biker Boots from F&F here.

Naomi x

*These Studded Leather Biker Boots were sent to me on behalf of F&F for review purposes.  All opinions expressed are honest and my own.*

This little gadget is a lot more sophisticated than your average pedometer as rather than clicking and only working when it moves up and down, it uses a 3D Tri-Axis Sensor, meaning it can sit at any angle or position along a Y, X or Z axis, and still work.  Also, it not only records your steps, but also your distance, speed, the number of calories burned and the amount of time you’ve been walking for.

There’s a set-up option on the pedometer which allows you to set the date and time, but also your weight and stride distance.  Using the latter two pieces of information, the pedometer is then able to calculate how far you’ve walked and how many calories you’ve burned depending on your weight, and every single time it does so it gives the same result as the MyFitnessPal app that I use on my phone, so it’s really accurate.  It’s also easy to look back through your recorded data – you just press the mode button to scroll through today’s results, or the up and down arrows to check through the last seven days.

Unlike a lot of pedometers, the 4×3 is completely silent, and comes with a detachable neck strap so you can wear it around your neck if you so desire.  However, its ultra slim design means it can sit in your pocket without looking or feeling too bulky, which is how I prefer to carry mine as it’s more discreet.

The pedometer has a few other useful features too, such as a blue backlight for night viewing, a sports timer, a clock and a calendar, and it automatically goes into sleep mode if you’ve stopped walking for thirty seconds or more.  This helps to save the battery life, but also prevents it registering any other movements or vibrations as steps, which is handy.

My only issue with the Ozeri 4×3, and it’s a small one, is the colour.  Though I like yellow, it wouldn’t be my first choice and I’d like to see a few other colour options be introduced.  A purple one would be nice!  But that’s only a tiny, insignificant quibble about an all-round brilliant pedometer that does what you want it to, and much, much more.

The Ozeri 4×3 Motion Digital Pedometer is available on Amazon UK and costs £15.95, which is a £16.61 saving on its RRP!

Naomi x

*This Ozeri 4×3 Motion Digital Pedometer was sent to me for review purposes.  All opinions expressed are honest and my own.*

Jacava are a 100% British brand who are vegan-friendly, cruelty-free, and never test on animals.  They also boast the first 8-free polishes in the world (yes, that’s right, EIGHT-free), as they don’t contain Formaldehyde, Camphor, Toluene, DBP, Cellophane, Phthalates, Parabens or animal ingredients.  So, right from word go, they’re a brand I’m happy to support, and luckily their products match up to their good name!

Top Coat with UV Inhibitors and Blueberry Muffin

Jacava’s packaging is simple but sleek, and the long, slim lids that their polishes come with are easy to grip which makes application effortless.

The polish itself has a silky smooth formula which gives surprisingly opaque coverage in one coat, but I like to apply two coats for a bolder, more intense colour.  Perhaps the most stand-out aspect of Jacava’s polishes for me is how quickly it dries.  It’s literally dry to the touch within a minute, and after five minutes it’s good to go.  I even got my two pet rats out to play just after painting my nails, and they didn’t smudge at all.  Just one word of advice.  In my experience the top coat isn’t suitable as a base coat, and will make the polish peel off extremely easily.  It stays put for a long time without a base coat, though, and looks gorgeously glossy with the top coat for an all round perfect manicure.  Jacava’s website also states that the top coat’s UV Inhibitors keep white nail polish white for longer, which is a nice feature that I’ve never seen before, so worth investing in if you regularly wear pale shades.

Blueberry Muffin has a lovely creme finish, but is more of a pinky purple than a blue purple.  Sort of a soft and dusky dark lilac.  It’s an absolutely beautiful shade which reminds me of spring flowers and lightning skies all at once.  I love it.

Click image for a closer look!

Jacava’s range features eighteen beautiful shades and several different finishes, including creme, metallic, shimmer and glitter.  Every polish contains 22-carat gold for a nourishing, luxurious formula, and they cost just £14.50 each.  I personally have my eye on Blackberry Fool, Marrakesh Nights, Midnight’s Secrets and Chillax!  To view the full Jacava range click here, or find them on Feel Unique.

Which shade do you like best?

Naomi x

*These two nail polishes were sent to me by Jacava London for review purposes.  All opinions expressed are honest and my own.*

Vida Vida was started in 2005 by husband and wife Matt and Andreya Townsend.  Their brand combines British design with a passion for travel and worldwide workmanship, and they work with suppliers and craftsman from around the world to create their beautiful range of bags, belts and jewellery.  Reassuringly, Vida Vida have an excellent ethical policy, and all of their products are fairly sourced for a fair price, and Matt and Andreya visit their suppliers annually to ensure they maintain strong relationships.  Their leather is also ethical, as they use leather which is naturally processed and coated, and is a bi-product of animals used for meat, rather than from animals killed primarily for leather.

The Vida Vida satchel I use is the dark tan Large Leather Satchel, which is made of soft and supple vintage-look leather that has a natural, earthy charm to it.  One thing I love about the look of this bag is that it isn’t perfect.  Due to the natural tanning process Vida Vida use, the leather has small marks on it that some would call imperfections, but they actually give each bag a unique character that gets better with age.  It’s lined with a thick fabric too which is extremely hard-wearing, so is unlikely to rip or get damaged easily, even if you use the bag a lot.

In terms of size, this satchel is just right.  30cm high, 38cm wide and 10cm deep, to be precise.  It’s big enough to fit everything you need for your studies, but not too big that it’s awkward to carry.  The bag has a large compartment inside with a divider, which can easily fit a 15″ laptop, folders and books, an inside zip pocket, and another zipped section and a buckle pocket on the front.  Vida Vida actually demonstrate what you can fit in each bag here, but I thought I’d recreate the image for myself to prove just how much you can pack inside this Tardis of a satchel!

As you can see, I managed to fit in an A4 binder containing paperwork and a notebook, a book, a pencil case, an umbrella, my purse, a hairbrush, my phone, my bus pass, a bottle of water, paracetamol and make up, and there was STILL plenty of space left for snacks, extra books and possibly more.  Impressive, right?  Due to the suppleness of the leather, it expands to fit what you need, and since the bag fastens with traditional buckles, it will still close.  I like to use the front buckled pocket for things I need easy access to, such as my phone, bus pass and coins.

The satchel is also really easy to wear and carry.  It has a carry handle on top, and an adjustable shoulder strap so it can be worn at whatever length feels right for you, and it’s also the ideal width for comfortable wearing.

I adore my Vida Vida satchel – it’s practical, stunning to look at, works great with any outfit (keep an eye out for styling posts coming soon), and is excellent quality.  This particular satchel retails for £80.00, and it’s worth every penny if you want a bag that will last you for years and save you money in the long run, as you won’t have to keep replacing it!  You can view the full range of Vida Vida satchels here.  There are various sizes to choose from, so if you like this satchel but think it’s too big or too small for you, you can size up or down accordingly.

Which bag would you choose?

Naomi x

*This Large Leather Satchel was sent to me by Vida Vida for review purposes.  All opinions expressed are honest and my own.*

Though university is hard work, you’ll probably also find yourself at home in between lectures with a lot of free time on your hands, and it’s during this time, and on lazy weekend days, that comfy clothes are key.  So with this in mind, today’s post is all about the genius invention that is slouch trousers.

I recently came across a brand called Beaufox, who specialise in fashionable loungewear which is both affordable and trendy.  They stock a range of pyjama style slouch trousers for men and women, in a variety of designs from tie dye to skull print to floral, which are available in a light summer fabric, or lined for the colder Autumn and Winter months.  I was recently sent a pair of Beaufox trousers to try for myself, and they are incredibly comfortable, just like pyjamas, but look really great on.

My pair feature an all over black and white Yin Yang print, and are made of soft, loose fabric.  This pair are from the summer collection, and though they look fab with a vest top and flip flops, they are warm enough for this time of year when teamed with a jumper and pumps.

Perhaps the best thing about Beaufox’s slouch trousers is that they can be worn around the house like pyjamas, but can also be worn out of the house as normal trousers.  So, if you’re sitting around watching a film and fancy a bar of chocolate, you can nip out to the shop without looking daft!  They have two deep pockets too, so you can easily carry your change and phone on you without having to worry about a bag.

The trousers are one size only, but they fit me fine and I’m a size 12.  I’d say they’d fit sizes 8 to 12 with no trouble.  The length is also fairly decent.  I’m 5’9″ and usually wear a 34-36″ leg length, and though Beaufox’s slouch trousers are probably more suited to an average leg length of about 30-32″, if I wear them low on my hips they are plenty long enough and still feel comfortable.

Beaufox’s slouch trousers are also great for festivals and camping, so they’ll last you all year round whilst allowing you to look and feel fun and fashionable on a budget.  You can get yourself a pair here for £15.99 for the summer trousers, or £19.99 for the lined trousers – bargain!

Which design would you choose?  Check out the Beaufox website and let me know.

Naomi x

*These Yin Yang Slouch Trousers were sent to me by Beaufox for review purposes.  All opinions expressed are honest and my own.*

“I’m not surprised someone finally decided to put Mat out of everybody’s misery, but if you think it was me, you’re sorely mistaken. True, Sophie and that bimbo Katrina saw me leave the table just before Mat was killed, but I was in the upstairs bathroom at the time, trying to keep those awful cupcakes down.”

And it’s all true.  Have you worked out who did it yet?  Head over to Twitter via the #BloggerMystery tag to get involved questioning us suspects, and be in with a chance of winning £100 worth of Waterstones vouchers!

Naomi x