Time to break it off baby

It's that time of year again, when it's all things go and there is simply not enough time to breathe. The real question is when you're taking all that time looking out for other people who is flagging you down and saying its time to take a step back. We all need our time to shine but it often goes unnoticed when things are turning all consuming and you're about to dwindle. It's time to take a break and here is how you know you need it :-

The struggle to stay awake- The best of us can all run off 4 hours sleep a night but this will only be sustainable for so long. If you are like me you can rise and shine the second your alarm goes off. A coffee later and you are ready for the day ahead but the second it hits that 3pm mark your pace slows and your energy suffers meaning you will never flourish as the day draws to a close.

Lack of patience- Maybe you have the patience of a saint but a real tell tale sign is when you find yourself irritated with even the smallest of things. Its not always fair and its not always reasonable but when you are run down and exhausted the tiny little things will make or break your day, how crazy it is something so small will get to you? 

Planning becomes a thing of the past-  Having it 'together' might not always mean you are the most organised person in the world, but it does mean you should be able to get by with ease. Forgetfullness, taking too much on or the struggle to make decisions all contributing towards a downfall, stop it happening before it arrives.

Stress levels - Stress comes in many forms and is detrimental to your health and well being. You find yourself checking in with others but did you take time to check in on yourself? How will you shine babygirl when you are the one hanging by a thread?

Sleepless- Whats worse than tiredness? When you are so tired but your brain hits overdrive. If you catch yourself working until the late hours of the evening or playing catch up with what you've missed during the day how can you expect yourself to put it to switch off in the click of a finger? Wild dreams and nightmares are also a major sign you need to slow your mind down.

Irrational thoughts- The thing with irrational thinking is you convince yourself you are right. This can be when you are tired, when you are stressed and when you do not have the time to think it through. You may jump to conclusions, make reckless decisions or think the extremes over the smallest of things.

It just takes one of these things to make you crack. As we enter the busiest season of them all its time to check in on your mindset. A girl can grind but she can also crumble.

Maybe its your turn to break it off, recharge and take a step back (even if that is only for a second ;) 

Roses are red, violets are blue

Roses are red, and violets are blue.

It's never cute when it's all work and no play. Not only does the exhaustion take a hit on your physical appearance but it also drags your mind down with it. The key to motivation is to always have something to look forward too, regardless of how drastic or minor it may be.

The second your something doesn't motivate you anymore is the second it gets harder to get out of bed in the morning.

Retrograde is over and so are excuses. Pull yourself together, snap yourself out of it and get ready for a change in pace. Whether its a coffee, your loved ones, your favourite flowers, or embracing a dream season, ask yourself what makes you happy and what makes you rise and shine? 

If you don't have this, you are doing it wrong. 

Work is important but don't kill yourself.

Don't make yourself blue baby, 

we only breathe roses around here. 

Wait for the days that count,

and better yet make them count

-xo

- Speed it up, a city girls guide to the commute

Say it with me, your commute is a drag and we all know it-

 Imagine finishing your working day and spending the best part of your evening driving or on a train. Even yet rising early in the AM because if you don't you hit the morning traffic and your day and at the point your day feels completely screwed. Life in the city has it highs and has it lows but we keep it real around here and the commute is the reality that hits hard, and you better believe it makes or breaks your day:

Organise like your life depends on it - The most vital step to making that commute a little more bearable is getting yourself organised. It just takes for that lost phone or outfit disaster that can result in you running late or worse yet, a return journey. Get yourself organised and save yourself those extra minutes of beauty sleep, or the need for botox.

Fuel your soul- I never use to understand what was meant by the need for morning coffee until I hit my mid 20's and realised it was non negotiable. Set yourself up for the day and get motivated, find the thing that wakes you up in the morning.

 Who said that has to be consumable?

Smart glam- Spread your morning glow up and leave the best until last. Leave your lips and finalise your eyes when you have just about arrived. If your commute takes you an hour at least you will still look cute by the time you get there. I keep a bottle of my favourite Tom Ford in my car at all times for those days I forget, the days I want to play and maybe an emergency or two if they come along.

Play me hard- Having a playlist is an essential and even more so, one you can listen to on repeat. Guilty pleasures always work at treat. I will be the first to admit my drive to work is often silent, but the drive home mirrors an Ibiza superclub. Catch my playlist HERE

Homework club- Keep your work to your commute. The second you are home switch it off. If you are going to check first thing do it when you are out the house. The last time you glance at this should be before you walk through the door and switch off for the evening.

Catch up on life- Don't waste your time, call that friend you haven't had a chance to see. Not only is this great for your mind it also passes the time away like a dream.

Deliberate detour- I am sure the last thing you want to do is work your way down your to do list after a day grinding but the pay off is worth it. It only comes naturally that you zone out when you get home so make use of your energy whilst it lasts.

If you sit here and say you enjoy your journey, I applaud you. However this builds such a significant part of the day for many and is more often than not the worst part. Figure out your routine, spice it up and your venture will turn from a drag to a walk in the park (here's hoping ;) )

- So, she's back

and who would have thought, she's back.

The world has changed over the past few years and so have we. I have been notably absent from blogging over the past two years but why? I fell out of love with it. Social media and the need to be seen falls nothing short of a facade. I struggled to get my head around how I could sit here and type about what I am wearing, or doing when the world was falling to pieces. 

When you hit your mid twenties you realise there are just bigger, more important things to concentrate on- oh and a pandemic escalates that. However, truth be told Ooohlalaa it's fashion will always have a special place in my life. It is this forum that shaped the life I desired and I worked so hard for it.

The difference between Ooohlalaa it's fashion then and Ooohlalaa it's fashion now, (or maybe I should say the difference between Tashaa then and Tashaa now) is that we are here because we choose to be. I love the runway, I love the industry, I love real talk and I love the voice that online provides to so many. What I do not love is the need to portray picture perfect falsities, and quite simply put that is not what you will find here. I love the power social media haves as a space, but that space is not safe and is filled with illusion. 

This blog is home to city life, reality and maybe just a little fun. We don't take ourselves to seriously around here, we grind day to day, we have a highs and we have our lows and we live to no expectations.

From fashion, to travel, to hot topic and just a little sass, Ooohlalaa it's fashion is reborn baby- 

Stay gracious, stay humble and join me as I let you know what I have been up to, what may be on the horizon and ... oh, of course I have a few tricks up my sleeve ;)

So, want to talk sassy, city frolicking and your latest style fix? 

Post Pandemic Diaries

We are not the same people.

         The world changed and so did we.

Heartache, loss and pandemic do that to you.

Try tell me different? 

Just because your new normal makes you uneasy and uncomfortable doesn't mean you are doing it wrong. It means you are figuring it out just like the other 90% of the world. 

Time to figure it out together my darling.

Let's explore together and fall back in love with the things that kept us going.

Welcome home