It's all about the sportswear

Gymwear has become a big trend over the past 2 years, from it only being worn at the gym to now being worn as casual wear as well the choice, colour and designs of sportswear are amazing. Nothing is more motivating that buying new gym wear to get you in the gym, well for me it is anyway. New trainers that make you feel like you could run a marathon or even new leggings that give you that extra boost! Getting to the gym is the hardest bit for me, once I'm there I feel great so why not look great whilst feeling great...here are some of my favourite gym pieces out there at the moment!

Adidas has become very adventurous with their designs recently. I love love love their pink floral shorts and monochrome printed leggings, perfect to match with a simple top or be brave and get the matching top.  My favourite Adidas style are there originals, the leggings, mesh top and jacket are simple yet stylish.

Pink Soda is a sports brand that has exploded onto the scene. The top and shorts are items I currently own and love. There so comfy and cute. The top is a 2 in one bra and top with a great design! This jumper may have to be my next purchase, who doesn't want a big comfy hoody walking to and from the gym in the mornings

MissGuided has a great range of gym wear that go from sassy to simple, definitely something for everyone. This marble crop top is perfect for summer and has an edge with the triangle mesh down the middle. MissGuided is great for students with discounts and always have offers about, so keep an eye out!

We couldn't cover sportswear without mentioning Nike. This metallic pinky/orange shorts are fun and on trend. Match these with a vest top and your favourite trainers and you're guaranteed to look great and feel great working out!

Check out some of my sportswear inspiration on my Pinterest- https://uk.pinterest.com/niamhryan7/sportswear/

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Vogue Café // London

When I saw this news on the Business Of Fashion website I became so excited! Who wouldn't want to go and try out a Vogue Café Champagne lounge in West London!

The Vogue Café pop-up store will be opening next month in West London Westfield as the British Magazine celebrates its centenary. You can go for cocktails, champagne or on a cold day a nice hot chocolate served along with cupcakes, sandwiches or afternoon tea. 

Vogue Café, which will be open at The Village Westfield in Shepherds Bush, west London, from June 16 to Sept. 18.

Lets get to the beach!

We all love choice, so when it comes to swimwear for summer, one is never enough! From high neck, mix 'n' match and the big trend of swimsuits, here are a few of my favourite for this year! With summer shopping in full swing be sure to look online and in store for some of these fabulous numbers that make you feel confident and fun!

River Island- Coral colours are a big trend this year so why not incorporate them into your summer bikinis!

ASOS- We all love a bit of glam, so why not try a plunging black swimsuit with a gold waist strap to bring our your body figure.

MissGuided- MissGuided is perfect for on trend clothes that give you some sass and edge. This bold red number is beautiful giving you a hint of strappy details on the top to make you stand out.

MissGuided- Why not grab yourself a flirty fun number, swimsuits are perfect this summer with low cut backs and fun text on.

Victorias Secret- High wasited bottoms help define your beautiful curves and make your legs look longer. This exotic beautiful pattern is a favourite of mine that has all the colours to show your girly side and strappy for that sexy look.

Its all about the eyes...

I am super into playing around with eye palettes right now,  spring and summer are here it is nice to be able to play with lighter eye shadows, peaches, pinks and beiges. I am desperate to get my hands on the Chocolate bar summer palette which is full of gorgeous colours for this summer. However, I have found a trick of using your bronzer, highlighter and blusher as eyeshadows that give you this glowy/fresh look. I added lashes and eyeliner, but I also love the bare look of peachy colours and just a light amount of mascara for a day look. 

 I am going to be posting more makeup and styling posts soon, so keep an eye out!!

Axis Skincare- Reflective Journal

Building a brand has been my main focus for the last few weeks. Taking all the research, information and inspiration and bringing it together to come up with ‘AXIS Skincare’. As a team we have come up with a portable skincare product for men on the go, pocket size. We had the task of creating a brand name, logo, strapline, product and packaging design, advertisement and a presentation that demonstrates our concept successfully. This has meant a huge amount of planning, time management and commitment. I have really enjoyed this task as it has allowed a lot more creativity to come into the mix and freedom to explore different methods of communication and promotion.

My scrapbook, Pinterest and magazines played a large part in my creativity and inspiration for this project. By looking at images and drawing sketches into my scrapbook, this has helped me learn the importance of not taking ideas literally but taking a concept and playing around with how I can use It to suit my subject. The photo shoot was a big part of the project, we had to come very prepared with mood boards, timelines and storyboards so the photographer knew exactly what we were looking to create. I got a feel of styling for a photo shoot and the importance of portraying the right image for our brand. Also, we were only giving 45 minutes to get all the images we needed, by having a limited time limit we had to plan out our sessions precisely.

Our presentation was on brand, we had a constant colour palette and imagery that reflected our brand essence. We were clear with what our product was and why we stood out from other competitors. We really tried to channel the fact that men live very busy lifestyles and our product was personal to their quick paced day. As a brand, AXIS Skincare works around your lifestyle, it does not hold you down to a morning or evening routine, its there for when you need it. We focused on organic ingredients that catered to the sensitivity of men’s skin, which is more sensitive than women’s. We learnt through feedback to really push our idea through promotion as much as possible. If advertising in the underground, use the concept than men will see the advert in the morning and again on the way home, by bus stops and then on the bus. Use the idea of movement and time passing as an idea for slogans and constant promotional opportunity for example.

By completing this part of the module I will take forward skills of team work, creativity, pushing the boundaries for ideas and using every opportunity to find and use inspiration by storing ideas and imagery in scrapbooks and online, for future reference. I feel this brief has helped me really understand every component that is required to build a brand and pitch an idea, very helpful in future tasks at university and in a job.