Travelling to Dubai: 10 DO's & DONT's

Do's & Dont's: Travelling to Dubai

Hello Kings & Queens, long time no blog post! I've been terrible lately when it comes to social media but I am finally getting back into the swing of things. For those of you that follow me on Instagram , you would already know that I recently went to Dubai. It was an amazing experience and definitely a trip of a lifetime. Make sure to stay tuned for a Youtube video that will be uploaded soon where I go into a little detail about my experience concerning money, activities, the culture etc but today's post is just going to briefly give those of you who may be planning on travelling to Dubai, a list of do's and dont's.

•  DO NOT expect Dubai to be cheap because it is tax free. For some reason I had this misconception that Dubai would be super cheap and I would do tones of shopping because they do not pay tax. However, this is incorrect and I actually found it to be a lot more expensive (depending on what I was buying) than purchasing those same items in the UK. Many retail stores that we all know and love were alot more expensive and sometimes double the price I would have paid if I were to purchase it in the UK. This is one of the many reasons why I did a lot of converting when deciding to purchase anything just to make sure it was worth buying. Please bare in mind that I am referring to GBP so if you are not from the UK, it may actually be cheaper to purchase from Dubai but for all those from the UK, you are more than likely not going to buy anything from the malls. Its simply not worth it!

•  Do not take pictures or videos without permission. I was obsessed with taking pictures and videos because I had to document EVERYTHING! However, if you see a sign that states 'no photography' I would highly suggest that you put your camera away and just take in the moment. I would be lying if I were to say I obeyed the warnings of no photography however a quick tip which saved me a lot of times when I had to catch moments on camera was I simply used me phone. Instead of taking out this huge DSLR camera, my Iphone was a lifesaver. Its a lot more discreet and if you put earphones in, it will just look like your face-timing someone. However, be mindful and respectful so do not video or photograph a mosque unless you have asked for permission, do not take pictures or videos of the locals and most importantly use your judgment. You will know when it is and is not acceptable to pull out your camera or phone.   

•  Always be respectful of the culture and religion. Some people complain about the mosque and how loud it is especially early in the morning. Firstly, if you are going to complain about such a thing, simply do not go to Dubai.What did you expect in a muslim country!!! I actually found that to be very offensive and rude. I actually enjoyed being right next to the mosque but to each its own. If you know you wont like the early morning prayers, simply get a hotel that isn't near one. 

• Wear what you want but again be respectful. I saw a lot of blog posts and YouTube videos of people saying, you cant wear shorts, you must cover your knees and shoulders etc etc. This is incorrect or at least completely incorrect to what I experienced. People were wearing anything and everything they wanted without any issues. When going to Dubai mall, we assumed we had to cover up because that was what we were told. I kid you not when I say people were walking around in booty shorts, playsuits, mini skirts, all of the above without a care in the world. I personally felt like people were taking it too far and were way over the top with their dressing. Just because you are not approached regarding your dressing, still be respectful of the culture and religion. A key example is, wear shorts, DO NOT wear booty shorts & crop top. Yes it's hot, but be mindful. Abu Dhabi is a lot more conservative than Dubai so you will have to cover up if you are visiting or staying in AbuDhabi 

• If you have the opportunity to do so  book your activities before arriving. This will particularly help those of you who do not want to overspend. If you've already booked and paid for your activities, thats one less expense you have to think about and depending on the activity it can get expensive, so this allows you to know where your money is going and how much spending money you will need to bring.

•  Plan what you are going to do each day. I stayed near the marina which was a great location with the beach being so near, the marina mall, pier 7 and more. Therefore, it would have been easy to just stay in that area and not branch out to other areas. This is why I say plan each day so that you experience different areas in Dubai and to ensure that each day is not being wasted. The time will go by so quickly that planning will be a life saver because before you know it's time to pack up and go home.

• Bring enough spending money that way you will thoroughly enjoy your trip without having to worry that your'e running out of money. This is why planning each day and booking your activities before arriving is so great. Rather than just taking a load of money and figuring everything once you are out there, this will ensure you don't make unnecessary purchases which will in turn save you a lot of money.

(Check out my instagram to see more pics)

Lizzie x

I spent way too much! Huge ASOS Haul

I spent way too much!Huge ASOS Haul.

Hello kings & Queens, Ive finally got back into posting YouTube videos but I thought I'd post the video on my blog for those of you who aren't subscribed to my channel. I will definitely be posting my Youtube videos on my blog whilst incorporating regular blog posts. Best of both worlds I guess!

    

Products mentioned: 

1. Asos tailored A-line mini skirt - Black

2. Missguided gingham tiered sleeve shirt dress

3. Asos tailored a-line mini skirt - pale khaki

4. Asos tailored a-line mini skirt - Tomato red

5. Asos tailored a-line mini skirt - cream

6. Asos cami with skinny straps in rib - white

7. Truffle collection zip detail elastic flat over the knee boots - black

8. Truffle collection zip trim mid heel boot - Black

Lizzie x

Motivated by the fear of being average

Motivated by the fear being of average

Hello kings & queens, todays discussion has been a topic on my mind for the longest time and i'm certain for at least one of you reading this, it may also be on your mind too. When people dictate what I should be doing as a career after university, I can't help but think that they are being practical with reality. We all know that the job market is very competitive, with a lot of people not even working in the field that is related to their degree because there is just so much competition. That being said, this causes many of us including myself to somewhat settle for things such as a career choice because it seems smart to play it safe than to take a risk. For me, this means we are being steered in the direction of being 'average'. Anything that is not geared towards being the best possible version of yourself is you settling for average.
The title of this post represents the stage I currently in. A lot of people will say that they don't have regrets and that everything in life is a lesson which is true to some extent but if you know for fact that you can change the state you are currently in, why wait for it to become a a regret or a 'what if', why not now. What is stopping us and what can we do to make that change so that everything aspect of our lives are geared towards being the best version of ourselves so that we are indeed better than average.

Glasses: Steve madden
Jewellery: Urban Outfitters

The following are tips to being a better version of yourself and raise yourself above the ordinary. 

1. Be afraid of being uncomfortable. The moment you are comfortable with any situation, there is little room for growth. The best results, opportunities and personal growth & development comes from taking risks and fear of the unknown. The individual motivated by being more than average will find the gift of 'so what?' The saying 'It is better to try than to not have tried it all' pretty much sums up this notion. Do what you never thought you could do, keep trying but most importantly challenge yourself. 
2. Risk is another tip which is very similar to the point above. The moment you talk yourself out of doing something you instantly settle into being average. Do what scares you the most and disregard the opinion of those who tell you 'its too risky'. Yes it will be risky, but won't it be so much more satisfying once you concur what they told you was once impossible.
3. Feed your passion. I think many of us are dreamers but why not make your dream your reality. This is of course easier said than done but the main point is that you should have an objective and work on that objective everyday until you have achieved it. 
4. Challenge yourself everyday. The idea about being motivated by the fear of being average correlates with the idea that every aspect of your life should be you challenging yourself no matter how small or big the challenge is. Aim to try something new as average doesn't like change. 
5. Lastly, remember the feeling of being average. For me that feeling is lack of growth and being stagnant. To get out of this feeling, I must do all of the above because once all of those are achieved I have done everything I could possible so to be more than average.

The message I am trying to convey is that to be above average, doesn't mean to better than everyone else. It is just the idea that you will challenge yourself, try new things and take risks to better yourself and to get to where you want to be in life. 

No matter how big the goal or achievement is, the fact that you attempting to work towards it regardless of  the risk, the fear and self doubt, highlights the title of this post. You are being motivated by the fear of being average. 

Tell me in the comments what steps you will take to be the best possible you! Are you afraid of being average ? Lets have a discussion. 

Fashion details

Top - NastyGal

Biker Jacket - Urban Outfitters

Ripped Jeans & belt - Asos

Bag - Lamoda 

Shoes - Ego shoes

Lizzie x

The Breakfast Club

The Breakfast Club lunch date

OOTD

Accessories

Sunglasses - Steve Madden

Earrings - Asos

Necklaces - Urban Outfitters

Bag - Zara City Bag

Ball Cuff Bracelet - Asos Purchase Here

Clothing

Denim Shirt - Boohoo  Purchase here

Jeans - H&M Purchase here

Belt - Asos

Shoes - 

Embroidered Floral Mules Purchase here

                 The Breakfast club Cafe Overall verdict - 5/10 (Lunch)

- Pros 

 Decent Price

Great atmosphere. Perfect for lunch dates

Attentive and helpful staff (My friend asked for more berries on her pancakes as she was only given a few. They were happy to give her more without any issues.

Food arrived very quickly.

- Cons

The menu is not spectacular or anything that will blow your mind. 

Pancakes were a bit dry 

This seems more of a dessert ( I actually regretted getting this, and will next time get an actual 'lunch' meal rather than something sweet)

It can get very packed so I would suggest getting there on time because there was a long line. 

Afternoon Tea at the Hilton

Afternoon Tea At the Hilton

Kings & Queens todays post is an OOTD to afternoon tea at the Hilton. I thought a smart casual look was best suited for the occasion since it was my friend's birthday. Everything I wore was from the high street and if you cant tell by now, most things I wear are purchased from high street and online stores. Fashion has come along way, whereby you are able to buy so many luxury dupes of all the fashion trends without spending an arm and a leg. Thats not to say I don't love to splurge once in a 
blue moon. 

Sunglasses: Quay australia electric dreams Still available at Asos.com

Earrings & Necklaces: Urban outfitters
Shoes: Bershka £19.99 Still available

 

Bag: Urban outfitters

Check out my Micah's blog! You wont be disappointed.

Afternoon Tea 7/10 - Hilton in Canary Wharf

Pros

-  The perfect place for a birthday or lunch date

- You can get amazing deals on Groupon,  Wowcher etc

- It is A LOT of food! We took all the deserts home. 

- Amazing customer service and attentive staff

- Variety of different sandwiches, desserts & hot drinks

- Affordable

Cons

- You cant choose the selection of sandwiches and desserts. 

- Pay extra for Cocktail champagne. 
- If you don't have a sweet tooth or you don't typically like sweet things, 
you most definitely will not like this. 

I also Vlogged the day!  Check out part 1 & 2 

Stay Blessed, Be Blessed
Lizzie 

'I own too much black'

'I own too much black'

Hello Kings & Queens, today is another fashion post & course a bit of words of wisdom. I clearly can't help myself! I thought this title was perfect because I definitely own a lot of black clothing simply because its easy to style, goes with everything and you really can't go wrong with it. I somehow tie this into the idea regarding fear of the unknown. For example, I wear a lot of black clothing because its safe and its nothing out of the ordinary, therefore if I had to choose between a bright pink blazer or a black blazer, it is more than likely I will choose the black one. The same thing goes with opportunities and taking risks in life. We often times play it safe because of the fear of doing something out of the ordinary which we feel will result in failure. So we go about our daily lives doing things we are comfortable with because we know we can't fail if we are doing what we already are familiar with. I have come to the realisation that playing it safe just won't cut it, particularly if you aspire to be something great. Something as simple as applying for a job that I feel is amazing but above me will result in so much anxiety because it is the fear of not knowing how I will do the job. The fear of being taken out of my comfort zone and deemed as incompetent. Feeling uncomfortable, nervous, anxious and fearful is a sign that I/We are attempting to elevate ourselves. Nothing good comes from being comfortable. I challenge you to face what your fear, and you will see how much you will grow mentally and emotionally. Strive to be uncomfortable as that is a a sign of growth!

Now onto fashion! Although I am wearing black, these culottes are very different to anything I would wear but I absolutely love it. Although its monochrome, I adore the print as it gives the the outfit a certain edge. I purchased them from river island on sale reduced from £35 to £15. STEAL! Unfortunately they are out of stock but they have plenty other culottes which are just as stylish as these ones. They are perfect for spring/summer because they a very lightweight which allows air to pass through easily so you don't feel hot and overheated. 

The rest of my outfit is pretty basic because I didn't want to have too much going on since the culottes are very 'loud'. I am wearing a bodysuit from new look. Its really nothing special but its a great staple piece to have because you can wear bodysuits with absolutely anything. I purchased it from New Look for £9.99. The blazer is from Charlotte Russe. Unfortunately this brand is only sold in the US but I am pretty sure you can purchase something similar from any other high street store. The strappy sandals are from Bershka. The best part is that they were only £19.99 and are still available on the Bershka website. I particularly love the detailing on the heel with the silver strip at the bottom because it separates it from classic scrappy heels that is sold everywhere. 

Last but not least are my accessories. The hat is from H&M which I purchased awhile back but again you can find something similar from other high street stores. The necklaces are from urban outfitters. UO offers great quality jewellery that doesn't change colour after a few wears which is why 99% of my jewellery is from them. I particularly love gold jewellery over silver because I think it suites me better. If you saw my previous post 'Pay close attention to those not clapping' I wore this same bag. Its always my go-to bag when wearing a lot of black & white because it brings colour to the outfit. It was purchased from Zara but unfortunately I don't think they sell it anymore. Zara seems to change their stock often so if you see a bag you love, I say grab it while it lasts. My Steve madden sunglasses are from TK Maxx. I love how they sell designer brands at such affordable prices. So if you're like me and you love sunglasses but don't want to spend a tone of money on them, I would highly recommend TK Maxx. Go online rather than in store because they have better variety of designer sunglasses. 

I have to quickly mention the amazing bakery I went to whilst taking these pictures. Peggy Porschen is an amazing boutique bakery located on Eburt Street. I am not a huge fan of cakes but I have to say these were the best cupcakes I have ever come across. Often times, I personally feel like cupcakes and cakes can be extremely dry but these were very moist with the right amount of sweet. I ordered the Red Velvet whilst my friend Micah (check her out) ordered the Eton Mess cupcake. I honestly wanted two because it tasted so good but I disciplined myself. Along side these gorgeous cupcakes, we both ordered the Summer berry Ice tea which was not the nicest. It was watered down, probably due to too much ice but it literally tasted like water with a hint of berry flavour. Definitely was not worth the price or any price, because it literally tasted next to nothing.

Stay blessed, Be Blessed
Lizzie x

Pay close attention to those not clapping

'Pay close attention to those not' clapping 

Kings & Queens today is another life lesson/ words of wisdom post mixed in with some fashion details of a shoot I did awhile ago. My friend Micah (Her Blog) and I were talking about the ‘friends’ we have that don’t seem to show any form interest or proudness in certain things we do such as blogging or Youtube. The point we kept coming back to is that we have all these close ‘friends’ but ‘why did they not show any interest when we started our blog’, ‘Why do no they not show that they are proud of us’, ‘Have they even taken the time to read a blog post or watch one of our videos’ etc. If these people are such close friends of ours where is the support, the encouragement or just a simple text to acknowledge what we are doing. I mean we are friends and I want good things for you as much as I want for myself because nothing is better than women encouraging and praising each other for their work.

(Glasses: Prescriptions from firmoo.com. They also offer sunglasses and non prescription glasses too! The best part is that  their glasses are all under $40. So if you wear prescription glasses and you're tired of spending £100's on designer glasses, look no further. They are of course not designer but I mean you can't go wrong with cute, on trend, fashionable glasses. They often have offers such as Buy 1 get 1 free or under $19 offers. Check them out and this is not a sponsored ad!) 

Its amazing how it is only now that we are starting to realise these things. I have people that I know but we are not particularly close and we don’t speak but somehow they seem to support me more. People from secondary school or sixth form that I barely spoke to are incredibly supportive and encourage whilst ‘friends’ that I’ve known for years don’t even bother. This is not to say I expect my ‘friends’ to read every single post, share on Facebook, twitter & Instagram or even watch every YouTube video. The key word is ‘SUPPORT’. You don’t need to understand what I am doing to show support. The point is that we all have these ‘friends’, ‘best friends’ but what we should all ask ourselves is are they genuinely happy for you, do they want you to succeed, are they a source of encouragement, are they your cheerleader?

(The black blazer is from H&M and I'm pretty sure you can purchase something similar from any other high street store. I love wearing Nike or adidas tops simply because they are great quality as I often have a hard time with white tops fading or changing colour in the wash. I purchased the Nike high low top from urban outfitters but you can find something similar from JD sports, Nike.com and ASOS) 

(Ripped Jeans are so on trend and some people love them so people hate them. I clearly love them because they give an edgy touch to the outfit. I purchased these from ASOS and rolled up the bottoms because I personally feel they look better. I have to mention the amazing quality of these which is not the case for all the ASOS jeans I own. I sometimes have an issue ASOS brand jeans tearing in the groin area but these wash really well and so far no tearing has occurred so these are a thumbs up from me)

The title is ‘pay close attention to those not clapping’ because there are people out there waiting for your downfall. Calling someone a friend is just a label but look at there actions and the way in which they support you. Watch out for the people who lurk and stalk your social media but show little encouragement or support when they see you doing amazing things and moving up in your career. I could be wrong when saying this and you can disagree with me but in my personal opinion a lot of us women fail to support each other. Even giving a compliment is difficult for some. What is wrong with telling other women they are beautiful or you like their outfit for example. It does not make you weak but rather stronger because you are instilling confidence in another woman which in turn will encourage them to possibly give a compliment to another woman because they know the power of words. I slowly digress LOL. The point I am trying to make is if you see another woman doing good, tell her! Let her know that you see her hard work. Appreciate her hard and success AND if your own ‘friends’ show little support for your success be cautious. I just want to make it clear that these ‘friends’ are not necessarily bad people and often times they are kind, caring and hardworking themselves. However, in the mist of those cheering and clapping for you, there are many conspicuously silent. Not everyone means well!

Last but not least are these bomb boots from vagabond. These boots are my absolute fave although my feet were absolutely dead after wearing them all day. I don't have much to say about them other than they are perfect but a little uncomfortable if worn for an extended period of time. I purchased them from Urban outfitters but they can also be purchased directly from the vagabond website.

Do you have any ‘friends’ that are not clapping when you win? I would love to know your thoughts! Do you agree or disagree? Let’s have a discussion. Comment Below!

Stay Blessed, Be Blessed

Lizzie x