Whites & Metallics

Suit- Cotton On/Top- Mr Price/Shoes- Mr Price.

I AM BACK!!! Firstly I would just like to apologize for my absence, it has been so hard not being able to blog, you do not know how much I have missed it. With being so consumed with exams and a few unforeseen circumstances arising, I was unable to get blog. Although I am still experiencing some hindrances, I am so happy to be back, and I promise I will bring you spanking new posts as often as I can.

Synonymous with the holiday season is loads of shopping and parties to attend, so I thought it would be fitting to give you some fashion inspiration. Lately, I have been gravitating more towards clean and simple looks, and this outfit is no different. I have said this before, there is something so effortless and clean about an all white look. If you look back on my outfit posts when I started blogging, you will see an abundance of black. I have been trying to stay away from black and wear more light and soft colours which to my advantage is fitting for the warm weather we are experiencing at the moment.

A two piece suit is an ensemble that every woman (and man) should invest in. It is such a versatile look and the ways in which you can style it are endless. Plus, you have two items that you can style individually with other items in your wardrobe. I am loving the whole grown up sophisticated trend, and as I am getting older and soon to be in the corporate world, this is the type of style that I see myself wearing.

I hope you guys enjoyed this post although it was a bit of a quick one. If you would like to see my other all white look click here .

Thank you so much for being patient with me. If you don't have me on social media, here are my handles= Instagram-Kendrahunsley;Twitter-@kendrahunsley and Facebook Page- Kotton&Silk.

Until next time guys :)

XX.
Kendra

6 Effective Study Tips For Exams

I know it has been ages since I did a blog post, I missed blogging so much but exams have been hectic along with other unforeseen circumstances that have made it very difficult to blog. I have actually realised just how happy blogging makes me and I cannot wait to be back in full swing very soon.

As I sit on this couch, way too sick to even comprehend my study notes, I decided it would be appropriate to do a blog post on study tips as many of us are either gearing up for exams or have already started. This has got to be the worst time to have the flu, especially because I have finally been able to focus and get my study on. But, I am determined to push through. I have put together 6 study tips that I have learned over the years that have really helped me through this stressful time.

1- Refrain From Reading Solely From A Textbook

So, for the past few couple of days I have been reading from my textbook and found myself being entertained by every- single -not-so-entertaining-thing all because I was bored out of my mind. Make notes using your own words and your own understanding of the material.  I find writing out notes actually helps me study more effectively. This assists you in remembering the work because it is in your own words, therefore you begin to understand the work material better. Also,
use colour pens for headings and subheadings. This brings in a fun element to studying and pretty, colourful notes just look more attractive to read. Find other resources of the same topics you are studying ( articles, academic essays etc), this will result in you having a broader understanding and could assist you on understanding the topics much better.

2- Read Your Notes Out Aloud

I have found, for some odd reason, reading my notes out aloud helps the information stay in my head. Act as if you are teaching the work to students ( You can even go as far as setting Teddy Bears out and teach them) in your imaginary classroom. It might sound a bit silly, I know, but it is very much effective.

3- Do Not Focus Solely On Studying

This is something I have battled with and still battle with even now. I have always put all my focus and energy into one single thing, and everything else must fall away. Its very hard for me to take some time out to engage in other activities while in exam season. This has resulted in me being way too stressed out and constantly feeling overwhelmed. This took a toll on my health and I had experienced a severe panic attack in the exam room of my final exam last year. I felt like a failure, this was a huge wake up call for me.

Now, I try my utmost best to remain calm and constantly remind myself that stress serves no good purpose in my life at all. Exams can be an extremely stressful time, but do try by all means to take some time out and focus your energy on something else for a while. Take time out to do some exercise ( even if its just a 5minute workout); play some loud fun music when you feel you are getting too tired and your energy and focus levels have dropped,this really helps to get your energy back up again; have a chill session with your friends- anything that brings you joy and makes you feel happy. Trust me, your study sessions and overall performance will be much more effective if you have a time- out, just don't over do it.

4- Test Yourself

Create relevant/possible questions based on your study material. Get passed papers and work on them. This will give you a clear indication on which sections you are good at, and which sections you are not so confident in therefore needing to spend more time working on them. This also allows you to really engage with the material, instead of just reading a bunch of words you are most likely not even going to remember.

5- Healthy Snacks

It is so easy to snack on crap, and by crap I mean all the good stuff- chocolates;sweets and all those tasty sugary treats. Those foods are not good for you on a normal day, now imagine when you actually need to focus and feel energised to tackle your exams? Snack on foods such as almonds, popcorn ( lay off on the flavour) , granola bars, string cheese, fruits and veggies and drink lots and lots (AND LOTS) of water. This way you get the nutrients and protein you need to stay focused and energised.

6- DO NOT STRESS!!!!

I don't know how to stress this more, stressing will not assist you in anyway. Whenever you feel overwhelmed- stop what you are doing, close your eyes and just take a few deep breaths. Tell yourself you can do this. At the end of the day, your health is the most important thing. It is so easy to feel defeated and just give up. Suck it up and do what you have to do, nothing in life comes easy. There are no rewards for giving up, it will feel all worth it in the end, I promise.

Okay, I should actually get back to studying now and you should too :-) . If you have any other good tips that are not on this list, please do share.

I hope these study tips have assisted you and has given you the confidence you need to do well in your exams. Good luck to all of you are writing and I hope all goes well, and I wish you nothing but the best.

                                                                                                                  XX
                                                                                                                    K

Tomboy Meets Feminine Chic

Shirt- Markhams/ Skirt- Mr Price/ Bag- Flea Market/ Glasses- Spitfire

MODEL: CHANE' COTTON

I have decided to introduce a new section to my blog where I style different individuals with different styles. My aim is to provide style inspiration to these individuals,as well as my readers,to be courageous with their style, to step out of their comfort zone, without drifting too far from their personal style. I love styling so I figured this would be a perfect project to introduce to my blog. 

Anyway back to the post, Chane describes her style as tomboy, very comfortable and easily put together. I have  decided to create two similar looks that are similar to her personal style but tapping more into her feminine side. For the first look I paired a flirty pleather skirt along with a buttoned up denim shirt and all stars. The black backpack goes perfectly with the tomboy yet flirty style theme. For the second look I decided to bring out more of her feminine side with a printed blazer,heels and a pair of frilly socks. I was able to provide Chane with some inspiration to create more of a feminine and flirty look with a touch of her favourite masculine pieces.

Blazer- Mr Price/Heels- Mr Price

Let me know what you guys think of this post by dropping me a comment below 

XOXO 

Kendra

You Are The Company You Keep

Jumpsuit- Mr Price/Kimono- Mr Price/Shoes- Mr Price/ Lipstick- RiRi Woo by MAC

 "You are the company you keep" is a saying I have heard way too often and I'm sure you have too. I never really understood the importance of the company you keep. I was never a teenager that really succumbed to peer pressure, I always found myself being the "odd one out" and I actually embraced my individualism. So what was the big whoo haa? I didn't understand how another person's actions could have an effect on me and my actions... Until now. 

 As I am getting older, I am less tolerant to bullshit. I am in a space in my life where if someone does not add value to my life, I do not want them in my life. Full Stop. As young people, we tend to (secretly) want to be accepted and liked, we care waaay too much about what others think of us and put too much value on toxic relationships. Get rid of the leeches in your life, get rid of the people that just take, take and take from you and have nothing to give. Get rid of the emotionally dependent friends that become emotionless to your feelings. You know, that friend that is always bombarding you with her/his problems and can go on and on for decades, but cannot give you the time of day (and ear) when you need them. JUST GET RID OF THEM!

 I know I may seem a bit blunt but I cannot stress enough the importance of keeping positive people around you. People that uplift you when you are down and are there when you need them, people that are able to tell you the truth even when you might not like it,people that you are able to cry with and still be able to laugh until your tummy is in knots. When I started paying more attention to the people I allowed in my space, I realised I was giving a lot of my time and energy to people that simply did not deserve it, so I let that well run dry and went on my way. I keep my circle small, which has resulted in a drama free and peace filled life. As young people, we need to stop being people pleasers and selling ourselves short for other peoples gain. Make the decision on who you are going to allow in your space and who you are going to give the 'DO NOT ENTER' sign to. 

 The Look

Seeing as kimonos are certainly on trend at the moment, its only fitting to do an outfit post with it being the star item. Kimonos are just so easy to wear and elevate a simple look. Even though its easy to wear, it still looks so effortless but also adds a sense of chicness to the overall look. 

 Please do let me know what you guys think of this look and if you have any views on the importance of the company you keep. I love hearing from you. 

                                                                                 XX

                                                                                  K

Its Not All Peaches & Cream

Denim Shirt- Faded Glory/ Scuba Leggings- Topshop/ Sneakers- Nike AirMax( sold at Nike stores)/ Watch- Michael Kors

I have come to the realisation that there are many people that have preconceived notions about Fashion Blogging. Let me be the first to tell you that Its Not All Peaches & Cream. I have only been blogging for a couple of months and even though it hasn't been that long, I have experienced my full share of crappy situations. Some people may think that all fashion blogging is, is looking pretty and taking pictures- but that is only a small portion of it. Let me give you an overview of typical experiences that fashion bloggers go through.

Most of it is actually sitting behind a computer, cracking your brain over ways to produce the most intriguing and wonderfully written content and top quality pictures. There's also the hassle of trying to find a committed photographer ( that being maybe your mom, your best friend, your boyfriend or all of the above) because not all of us can afford a professional photographer or have a friend that is a photographer that is willing to take your pictures for free. Unforeseen circumstances arise, such as when your boyfriend has something come up on the morning of your shoot and cannot get out of it, and your best friend being M.I.A. These, my friends, are situations many bloggers find themselves experiencing frequently and there is nothing we can do about it at that time.

Then there's the HTML Coding Horrors. Before I started blogging, I was unaware of the fact that so much work goes into designing your blog the way you want it to look. I literally sit for hours on end trying to add a feature to my blog via HTML Coding and sometimes feeling so defeated but never giving up. There are few things as satisfying as the feeling of victory that washes over you when you succeed, its a wonderful feeling accomplishing a task that you thought you could not accomplish. I have a new found respect for fashion bloggers and those that do it so damn well and make it look so effortless. 

The reason I chose to highlight these points are not to rant and complain, because even though it gets difficult at times, I love every moment of it. I just want to shine some truth over the common stereotypes against fashion blogging and to tell you guys that it really isn't easy. Fashion blogging ( and blogging in general) is time consuming, requires endless dedication and patience, and feels like a full time job. As I mentioned earlier,  I haven't been blogging for that long so I know there are more of these minor hardships that await me but I am so ready for them. Blogging has literally been one of the best decisions I have ever made for my life and I am so eager and excited to grow in this sphere and reach new heights.

The Look

I have never been a sneaker kinda girl, like ever, but as of late I have been loving the sneaker trend. Now that I have found ways and style inspiration on how to style sneakers, I am all for them now. You don't have to have the tomboy sense of style to wear sneakers, they look just as good with a pretty dress or a mini skirt. They add a sense of edginess to a typical girly look. This oversized denim shirt is my FAVOURITE shirt,and.... Its also my dads LOL. I went from sneaking into his closet, wearing the shirt when he was not around and putting it back as if it was always there, to permanently keeping it in my wardrobe. I doubt he even realises its his shirt, which is all the better for me *wink*

If you have or had your own ideas on what fashion blogging entailed, I would love to hear them. Also, if you are a fashion blogger and would like to share some of your experiences, I would love to hear from you too :-) 

                                                             XX

                                                              K

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Rips & Tassels

Denim jacket- Cotton On/ Boyfriend jeans- Mr Price/ White T-Shirt- Mr Price/ Boots- Timberlands/ Sunglasses- Raybans ( Sold in Sunglass Hut stores)

I am almost done with my studies and that means entering "adult world" and beginning my career. I am at a stage in my life where I am not quite sure what my next step is going to be. I have always been a long term planner,But for some reason I have not quite figured out the steps I have to take to get to where I want to be. I know the destination, but I am uncertain about the path I need to take in order to get to that destination. Does that make sense?

 I just feel so anxious and confused. I suppose I feel this way because I am such a control freak and the thought of not knowing what is going to happen next gives me major anxiety. Family and friends can put so much pressure on you. "So, what are your plans for the future?" "Where do you plan on working?". If you don't have the answers, or the answers that they were expecting, then your future doesn't seem so bright. Should I really have everything figured out at 21? Deep down I know I don't have to have everything figured out, but the thought of leaving my life to fate is scary. I have come to the realization that I have to learn to be content and trust that everything will work out the way its suppose to. 

 Lately, I have been doing more formal polished looks, so I figured I should take it down a notch and do more of a laid back look but still with some edge to it. Boyfriend (ripped) jeans are still very much on trend and don't seem to be going anywhere any time soon. A good pair of boyfriend jeans can be so versatile, it should definitely be a staple piece for every season. I love the tassels at the back of my stone-wash denim sleeveless jacket, cowgirl vibes LOL. 

 Let me know if you guys like this look. Also, I'd love to hear about your experiences on transitioning into a new stage in your life. 

                                                                                                                    XX 

                                                                                                                     K