A Big Thank You!
6 October 2015
Some very exciting news has just reached my ears! So, remember a while back when I asked anyone and everyone to vote for me during the stylefruits.uk Insider's Tip competition. Thanks to all the amazing people who took the time to vote, I WON! The prize is a super stylish Spiral rucksack which I can't wait to receive. I just thought I would write this post to truly thank everyone who took a minute or so to follow the link and vote. The competition was extremely exciting for me as a new blogger and is a first-time I experience I hope to never forget.
So thank you so much, and thank you for visiting Anika May.
xxx
6 Reasons I Adore Autumn
4 October 2015
Many would conclude it's easier for me to list things I don't like rather than things I do like. However, one thing I absolutely love is Autumn. This season is great in so many ways, and like spring, it brings exciting times and great spirits.
#1 The weather is manageable enough for me.
Although there can occasionally be days where the weather is like a crisp winter day in the morning and turns to the middle of summer by noon, I actually find it a lot easier to dress for this kind of weather. It's weather that's not too hot function in and never too chilly to handle. During this season, the office I work in is also usually a great temperature which means I get get on with my job without shivering or sweating - always a bonus.
#2 Autumnal style is perfection
I absolutely love the style that comes with this season. Whether it's adding layers with faux fur or mixing the amazing colours this time of year brings, I love experimenting with my style. I can try on turtle necks without worrying about overheating and finally wear the (many) capes and cardigans I've collected over the summer. Over time, it's noticeable my wardrobe contains more winter pieces that summer styles simple from living in the North for nineteen years, so it's exciting getting to try on everything I own.
#3 Cosy nights
And the very best of cosy nights: oversized jumpers, candles, romance films, cuddles, fluffy socks, blanket and hot chocolate. The list is endless, but now the summer is really over, I look forward to coming home, curling up into the fur blanket and going through my Netflix list or flying through chapters of my favourite book. Autumn seems to bring some of the very best sunsets! Fireplaces and candles add a great setting for the darker evenings too.
#4 Walking through the colourful leaves
A sweet autumn walk through the brisk breeze and bright trees is the perfect thing for me. Whether it's alone or with my friends, a lot walk wrapped in scarves and happiness is the ideal way to wind down after a hard week at work. I like walking for exercise and the stamina needed to run is not really my cup of tea; so taking a long walk and watching the leaves fall is just excellent.
#5 Bonfires with cider in the woods
As I live in the 'countryside' section of West Yorkshire, there are woodlands everywhere, also accompanied by the bright red moors. A tradition among myself and my friends is to grab a few packs of cider, snacks and firewood. Setting up a bonfire surrounded by colourful trees, blankets and people you love makes for a great autumn Friday night. This doesn't have to be over the top, but is still plenty of fun.
#6 My bed feels cosier
As everywhere outside my bed is reasonably cold, climbing under my many layers in the softest pyjamas and my favourite Spotify playlist going sounds amazing right now. Because I work all week, I naturally wake up quite early in the morning, sometimes as early as 5:30am. Looking at the clock, realising it's Sunday morning and melting back into the sheets is just a fantastic feeling and I look forward to this almost every weekend!
What do you love about this season?
Style Crush: Lauren Conrad
30 September 2015
Lauren Conrad has remained one of my favourite celebrities from the beginning of Laguna Beach back in 2004. Despite only being 8 years old, I was still drawn to Lauren for her down-to-earth attitude and growing personal style. As she showed more interest in fashion, even studying this during her time on The Hills from 2006 onwards, Lauren's street and social style has developed into an inspirational wardrobe and created closet envy worldwide. She has studied at an elite fashion school (Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising) and working with some of the most iconic names in the modern fashion industry (Teen Vogue, Kelly Cutrone and Kohl's). I think Lauren's experiences and amazing sense of style inspire many, including herself, as she continues to build her empire.
Lauren's style has always had a girly element to it, which is why we often find her in dresses and skirts when out in the public eye. I think her feminine touch was visible from early stages while on The Hills and has continued to influence the way she dresses. She usually pics a basic shoe, making her clothing items the staple pieces and centre of her look. One thing I've noticed is that Lauren never overly-accessorizes and is perfectly happy with a simple colour scheme. She never collides a wild variety of colour to create something extraordinary, but her sense of confidence and happiness also show through in each look she pulls off. I'm drawn to Lauren's wardrobe because of it's naturally girly quirk and ability to look chic no matter the occasion. Whether it's an outfit for a photoshoot or pop culture appearance, Lauren has continued to stay one of my number one style crushes.
My Blogging Process
28 September 2015
After reading over a few different posts from bloggers I admire, I thought it would be nice to share my own blogging steps on Anika May. Blogging is a hobby that's brought out the routine-loving, schedule fanatic in me which has affected my process in creating a blog post and promoting it. Although I don't always stick to the plan, and can become easily distracted, there is a set process that has developed, especially as I begin to fall further in love with blogging.
This isn't difficult for me to do. I read a shocking amount of magazines and could spend hours browsing Tumblr and Pinterest, a habit I'm trying to relax. For me, inspiration can be found in so many different ways. Sometimes it can be motivation after a rubbish day at work or an amazing photography job found through another blog. I carry an ideas notebook with me to jot down anything I may come up with.
After creating an idea in my mind, the best thing to do is create a draft post, even if I never touch it again. I type in everything, from phrases to use and the type of photos I will take. If I already have pictures, I can write around this but I prefer to actually create the text first.
When I work on a post, it's really important that I take the time to focus rather than string together whatever ideas remain in my mind. Because I'm so busy with work at the moment, I use my day planner and multiple calendars to basically timetable my free time between blogging and relaxing. This stops me from panicking about a lack of posts or the frequency of my presence online.
On occasion, I have photos just sitting in folders on my computer, waiting to have a post attached to them. However, most of the time, I will take photos to match ideas that I already have. This is one of the most important steps in my blogging process because I love nothing more than beginning a post on Anika May with a great photo. The type of photo varies, if I have a new outfit, I'll shoot it immediately; or if I come up with a new lifestyle post, I'll find the relevant objects to shoot.
This could be the hardest and easiest part of blogging. It's really important to me that my writing style develops and grows as my blog does; writing is the reason I began blogging in the first place. I always like the have an element of my voice or personality in whatever I write, whether it's through brackets for side comments (a habit I struggle to break) or my typical Northern dialect as a good ol' Yorkshire lass.
EDIT, EDIT AND EDIT
After taking photos and writing the post, I edit everything. I usually insert photos at the very last minute, partially because they're enormous and can be difficult to navigate around. This is also because I like to change photos to suit the tone of the post. I'm also a little bit of a perfectionist, meaning the editing process is incredibly vital and valuable.
Before pressing 'Publish', I check everything. Re-reading text, over-analysing photographs and taking an overall look at the preview. It's common for me to include spelling
Finally, once all my perfectionist tendencies are settled, I publish the post. Sometimes this will be published automatically which is more common for off-the-cuff or spontaneous posts. However, because I work full time, I'm not always at home to work, so I will prepare a post before and schedule this. Once a post is up on my blog (usually from around 6am) I promote this throughout the day. This could be through my social networks or by leaving a little link at the end of a comment when I visit other blogs.
Now that the colder weather is here, there's nothing I enjoy more that curling up in bed with my laptop and creating a product for Anika May. My process seems pretty complex when laid out but is actually quite simple and effective enough for me. Do you have a blogging process? Is it any similar to mine?
Kaftan Magic
26 September 2015
I think it's at the point now where I'm really struggling to let go of summer. For someone who infamously hates the warmer season, I strangely loved this summer and became obsessed with the variety of outfits I was able to wear. One piece I found difficult to part with is this bold print kaftan bought during the spring sales. I was immediately drawn to the pattern as my number one goal was to incorporate more colour into my wardrobe. This staple piece is the best tool to do so. The blend of summer tones make it really easy to pair with plenty of other colours without becoming too busy at first glance. It's incredibly easy to dress around this piece as I think it speaks for itself. The length means it can be easily worn during the day (it was ideal for my festival style) or for evening drinks in the summer heat. The kaftan is cool and light which means it's never a burden to wear. I love that it can be worn with black (my favourite colour to wear) and still look bright. It's magic!
Katfan - Matalan // Dress - Primark // Boots - Next // Watch - M&S // Jewellery - gifts & charity shops
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