Brilliant Black & White

30.4.14

If you see me, the likelihood is that I am wearing something black and white. As I write this post, I am wearing black jeans and a white and black striped tee! J.Crew has an excellent range of black and white items- some call them basics, I call them my essentials! :)








Top Tips for Sweet Dreams

29.4.14

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Ever since reading Arianna Huffington's 'Thrive' I've been conscious of my sleep habits and what I can do to improve them.

Above anything, I am a girl that needs sleep. I could sleep for 12 hours if I needed too (and this has been known to happen!) I always get a little irritated when people say sleeping your life away is bad- it's not. Studies show that people who have a lack of sleep are prone to get ill, perform not at their best, and general lack of snooze time is detrimental in all areas of a person's life.

Huffington herself collapsed from a lack of sleep, and it was this moment that told her she needed to change her habits. She increased her sleep to at least 8 hours a night (whereas I find 9 helps me perform better.) She also offered up the following top tips for getting some great shut-eye:

Charge your devices away from your bed- this way you will be less tempted to check them if you wake up during the night.

No smart devices before bedtime- sure reading a book on a Kindle or an iPad is great, but does it beat the real thing? The light that illuminates the screens on our smart devices stimulates the brain, thinking that it is work time. Turn them off (or purchase glasses that cut out the light,) will definitely help you sleep better.

Use calming sprays- choose a delicate and relaxing scent like lavender to help you sleep better. I sprinkle a few drops of lavender oil on a tissue and place it under my pillow- it works a treat!

Be dark- make sure your blinds or curtains completely submerge the room into darkness. Also use an eye mask to help block out any other unwelcome light sources (blinking televisions I'm looking at you.)

Try meditation- this will really help you relax. When you wake up, Huffington suggests taking just one minute to breathe and ease yourself into the day.

No sound- what really works for me is wearing ear plugs. Get bright coloured ones so you can find them if they fall out!

What helps you sleep? Let me know in the comments! 

White House Week

26.4.14

Earlier this week, the President travelled to Asia on a six day trip to the region. The President visited Malaysia, Korea and the Philippines and reaffirmed his vision to the rebalancing of the world's largest region.

Check out the preview video here:



This week, Joining Forces celebrated its third anniversary. The First Lady and Dr. Biden joined the 101st Airborne Division at a comprehensive Veterans Jobs Summit and Career Forum to announce that more than 540,000 veterans and military spouses have been hired through Joining Forces. There have been commitments from America’s biggest firms like UPS, who announced a doubling of their commitment to 50,000 new hires and Xerox who have committed to hire 10,000 veterans and spouses over the next five years.  Find out more here.

Shoe Savings at AERIN

24.4.14

There's some great shoe savings to be had at AERIN! Check out my top selections below.







Top tips for Toronto!

24.4.14

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I'm headed to Toronto in a couple of weeks for my first visit! Have you visited before? What do you recommend that I see, shop and do!

Leave your suggestions in the comments! 

The 2014 White House Easter Egg Roll

23.4.14

This past weekend, the annual White House Easter Egg Roll took place.

More than 30,000 guests gathered on the White House South Lawn for the 136th annual White House Easter Egg Roll.

This year’s theme was “Hop into Healthy, Swing into Shape,” which promotes the First Lady’s Let’s Move! initiative to help kids grow up healthy and have the opportunity to reach their full potential. The day's activities included live music performances, activity centers, cooking stations, storytelling, and, of course, Easter egg rolling.

Check out some highlights below!

Metallic Accessories at Tory Burch

23.4.14


Check out the full selection of super sparkly and shiny items here! 

EARTH DAY GIVEAWAY: Entertaining essentials from Bambeco

22.4.14


I've been having a lot of fun lately looking at great pieces to use for entertaining. When Bambeco sent me a copy of their latest catalogue I found some fantastic items that I just can't wait to get!

This bamboo amplifier is great for sharing your favourite tunes, and these cafe au lait mugs are just adorable!

You can have the chance to win two items from the catalogue- a Vintage Champagne Ice Bucket and a set of Isabella Solar Lanterns! The items are worth $98 and $114 respectively and are perfect for your summer parties and get togethers!

To enter, use the two widgets below! For extra entries share on Twitter! This giveaway is open to US readers only.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Reel Style: Alicia Florrick

21.4.14

Pinterest
The Good Wife is top of my must-watch list at the moment. I love everything about the show- the storylines, the actors and the fashion! My two favourite characters are Alicia Florrick, portrayed by Julianna Margulies and Diane Lockhart, played by Christine Baranski.

For this edition of Reel Style we take a look at how to score Alicia Florrick's seriously sophisticated work style!








Stay tuned for an accessories special! 

White House Week

19.4.14

President Barack Obama observes a moment of silence during his meeting with senior advisors in the Oval Office at 2:49 P.M. to mark the one-year anniversary of the Boston Marathon bombings, April 15, 2014. Pictured from left, are Senior Advisor Dan Pfeiffer, Press Secretary Jay Carney, Chief of Staff Denis McDonough, Senior Advisor Valerie Jarrett, Communications Director Jennifer Palmieri, and Katie Beirne Fallon, Director of Legislative Affairs. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

This week at the White House the President joined others around the country in a minute's silence to mark the one year anniversary of the Boston Marathon bombing.

The Vice President also joined Instagram! Make sure you check out his account!

On Wednesday, the President and Vice President travelled to the Community College of Allegheny County in Oakdale, Pennsylvania to talk about the importance of reforming America's job training programs.

In his remarks, President Obama announced that the federal government will award over $500 million in job training and apprenticeship grants to ensure Americans have the right skills for the workforce. Read the President's speech here. 

Title revealed for Hillary Clinton's Memoir

18.4.14

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The other big news in the Clinton camp today is that Secretary Clinton's soon to be released memoir will be called Hard Choices! I for one cannot wait to read it! 

Tory Burch at Bicester Village

18.4.14


On Wednesday I took a trip to Bicester Village to check out the Tory Burch Outlet. It's been three years since my last trip, and whilst the complex has a range of my favourite stores (Ralph Lauren and Kate Spade to name two!) the addition of TB pretty much makes it one of the best places to shop.

There was a fantastic range of items marked down, and many of the items that you would see in the regular boutiques and concessions were in the store but on sale!

I picked up a Simone Cardigan that I've been after for ages, and a great hot orange iPad case for under £50.

I could have bought pretty much every shoe in the store, but I needed to show a little restraint ahead of a big shopping trip that's fast approaching... :)

Revas the colour of the rainbow
A great selection of wraparound bracelets
The chicest hanging rail I ever did see!

Essie Polish for Summer Toes

17.4.14

With the sun brings the chance to wear my favourite sandals - notably one of my pairs of Jack Rogers! So get your pedi ready for fun in the sun with these great colours from Essie!


Under Where?


Style Hunter


Chills and Thrills


Fashion Playground

Which is your favourite Essie shade? Let me know in the comments! 

Easter Inspiration on Pinterest

16.4.14

Easter is fast approaching, and if you're planning a celebration or a get-together, make sure you check out my Pinterest board for some simple and fun Easter entertaining ideas!


Follow Laura-Emily Dunn's board Easter on Pinterest.


The Zooey Deschanel collection from Tommy Hilfiger

15.4.14


Tommy Hilfiger has teamed up with the fab Zooey Deschanel to create a capsule collection inspired by the swinging sixties! The collection has a great range of dresses in crisp mod shapes, nautical twists and a dash of Zooey's doe-eyed femininity.

Whilst some of the pieces are already sold out ( :(  ) there are still plenty of great pieces to get your hands on!








Tommy Hilfiger

White House Week

12.4.14


This week the White House marked Equal Pay Day with the signing of an Executive Order and a Presidential Memorandum to help combat pay discrimination and strengthen the enforcement of equal pay laws. Find out more here!

The President also met with the inaugural members of the Presidential Ambassadors for Global Entrepreneurship. The group includes individuals such as Tory Burch, Reid Hoffman and Quincy Jones. Find out more here.

The White House also launched their Tools section where you can find all the vital government information you need in one place. From finding out how much financial aid you are entitled to, to knowing how much money a hybrid car could save you, this is the hub for all information! Test it out for yourself here.

On Wednesday, the President and First Lady attended a memorial service at the Fort Hood Military Base to honour those who lost their lives.



On Thursday, the President spoke at the LBJ Presidential Library to mark 50 years since the Civil Rights Act was signed into law.

One Beat Designs Mlekoshi playground