Helly Hansen Activewear Review

Recently, I have been on a mission to exercise more, in a bid to try and help my ongoing health issues, we aren't talking marathons but I have been walking and jogging regularly in order to build up to something more.

A few months back, Helly Hansen kindly sent me some of their collection to try out, I am absolutely in love with the items they sent, the clothes are stylish and the trainers are as light as a feather.

First up are the W Wicked Pace R2 trainers, I love the pink and black combo it looks really great on and I kinda want to wear them all the time. They really are so light to pick up so wearing them is like you have nothing on your feet, my feet don't sweat in them either and so far I haven't got any blisters from them.

Next the leggings, the W VTR Printed Capri leggings in Night Blue are really quite something, they come in a pattern to suit all tastes but I chose the Night Blue, not normally a leggings person I was worried these would irritate me and be more of a nuisance than comfortable sports wear but they weren't.

Once on, I couldn't even tell I was wearing them, they are comfy and lightweight and great for cooler evenings as they keep you really warm. Being tall I always worry they'll come up short but these were the perfect fit.

And finally the W Aspire Lifa Flow Singlet vest, I am quite broad shouldered so I probably should have sized up on the top as it is quite snug and for me I feel quite constricted, however it is lightweight and didn't make me feel sweaty at all. I love the colour way and the look of the vest it is perfect for what I needed.

I love these clothes and trainers, perfect whether you are out running in the countryside or working out in the gym, this colour way is absolutely fabulous and I love attention to detail with the little hearts around the bottom of the leggings and contrasting colours on the waist band.

I look forward to wearing these as my running progresses, we are off on a bike ride on Saturday and I will be wearing these. Hopefully they'll allow me to cycle without getting in the way as well as keeping my legs covered.

Thank you to my husband who came out with me on a recent trip to take some pictures and to the children who waited so patiently.

NB: I was sent these items to form the review, all opinions and words are my own.

House of Fraser Children's Clothing Review

I was recently asked to review some children's clothing from House of Fraser, now it was news to me that they even sold children's clothing, as we have a House Of Fraser in Nottingham but they don't sell children's clothing there.

So, I had a look on their website and found a few pieces that I knew my daughter would love, they have some great brands including Polarn O. Pyret, Mango, Lily & Sid to name but a few. They arrived a few days after I ordered them.

I chose this fab top from Polarn O. Pyret, the print looked really playful and it is in my daughters favourite colour, pink.

The fabric itself is soft, the sleeves loose enough to allow her to play and the length perfect. I loved the detail of the button on the shoulder and the general feel of this top is one of quality. She has loved wearing the top and it goes great with leggings or jeans, this top was £20.

The next top was from Mango Kids, I really loved this top when I saw it and the price was very reasonable, the colour is a hint of pink and looks very pretty. The fabric is soft and I love the attention to detail on this one too, my daughter instantly loved the pocket and I thought the linen tag was a nice touch. This top was £7.99.

My daughter really loves this top too, my only gripe with this one, is that it is slightly cropped. My daughter is about 101cm and this top is for a 104cm child, yet, when she lifts up her arms, it shows her tummy and this isn't something I would normally choose. It is a very pretty top and with some high fitting leggings or jeans it will be fine. The sleeves are a really practical three quarter length, meaning we don't have to roll them up when we are baking and crafting.

Overall I am really impressed with the clothing from House of Fraser, they have a lot to choose from, whether you are after smart or casual. You can pick up in store for free or delivery is between £3 and £8, depending on what you spend and how quick you want it.

I have put together a little Pinterest board of some of my other favourites from House of Fraser, they have a great range of clothing whatever your budget.

Follow The Mummy Diary's board House of Fraser Kids on Pinterest.

NB: I was sent the tops to review, however all opinions and photos are my own.

Boys & Girls Raindrop Dress from Sidneyboo Review

I blogged about Sidneyboo, a fabulous online boutique a while back when they launched and bought some gorgeous shorts for my daughter from them. So, when Sarah from Sidneyboo asked if I’d like to review a dress for my daughter, I knew she’d send me something pretty special. 

And she did, this most delightful raindrop dress from Boys & Girls is the perfect Autumn outfit, my daughters first impression was that she loved the colours of the raindrops. Her normal favourite colours are pink and purple, but even so she loved this print.

The fabric is similar to sweatshirt material, so it is really snug and warm, and being organic cotton it is super soft. I loved the cuffs, so chunky and perfect for keeping the cold out and little arms warm.

The attention to detail is divine, with the Girls & Boys logo sewn on the outside of the dress. Although not unisex as it’s a dress the colours don’t sway to those of the normal run of the mill high street colours, which for me is great, as it has opened my daughters eyes to other colours.

At just £24 this dress is perfect for dressing up with tights and pretty shoes or down with a pair of jeans. Great with jellies or wellies we love this dress and it has been a hit with both my daughter and I.

Not only is this dress gorgeous but it washes well (we should know, as we had a major chocolate incident in it) and with the philosophy behind Boys & Girls being Out to Play it allowed my daughter to enjoy being a child in comfy fashionable clothing,

She absolutely adores this dress and was so happy to run around showing it off.

It really is the perfect exploring, running, jumping and being a child kinda outfit!

I absolutely adore everything from Sidneyboo, with brands such as Indikidual, Gardener & the Gang, Tootsa MacGinty and Slugs and Snails there is something for everyone.

And finally Sarah is offering my readers 15% off with code MUMMYDIARY15 so why not pop on over and see what you can find to brighten up a rainy day.

NB I was sent this dress for review, however all words and opinions are my own,

A Beautiful British Brand

I recently came across this brand on twitter and instantly fell in love the with simple yet bright and colourful nature of their products, Fieldlife is a new lifestyle label for boys and girls aged 2-8 which offers British made clothing designed for children to live their life in, whatever their field. 

The Spring/Summer 2014 range is inspired by a Day Trip to London and an exciting journey along the Thames riverbank with many adventures along the way.  Fieldlife aims to offer robust clothes that stand up to the rigours of childhood, from building dens and sandcastles, to climbing trees and making memories.  

The collection includes a range of versatile separates such as T’s, sweatshirts, skirts, shorts and trousers to swimwear and rash vests for the beach or messing about on boats. Designed in bold and bright colours, thoughtful details such as adjustable waistbands in trousers and a double name tape in the label are also included so that the clothes can be handed down and become the next child’s favourite. 

Inspired by her two young children, Kendra Marsh founded Fieldlife in 2013 with a view to combining her family and career, together with developing an idea to bring children's clothing manufacturing back to Britain.  Her mission is to create high quality clothes that not only look good but will stand up to all that children will throw at them and will become a child’s much loved piece of clothing.

I think it it is a fabulous range and could certainly see my children in them, whether it is playing in the park or a day out in the city this range fits in with everything and best of all it's 100% British.

Fieldlife is available to buy online from www.fieldlife.co.uk and from additional stockists Babyccino http://babyccinokids.com and From Britain With Love www.frombritainwithlove.com. 

Magpie Monday - Charity Shop Goodies

This is my first Magpie Monday, mainly because this week has seen some gorgeous bargains being found!

First these pretty trousers, they are a really gorgeous purple cord with a paisley lining and were £1 from a Cancer Research shop. I had a quick look on the internet when I got home and as expected the would have cost about £15 new so quite a bargain as they look as they have hardly been worn.

Next I found this playsuit from Baby Gap, when I saw it I nearly squealed. I bought the same thing in a smaller size when my daughter was first born and she always looked gorgeous in it so when I saw this I had to get it, it was a snip at £1.50.

 

Finally, these gorgeous glass bowls by ARC, France were only £1 for 4! As soon as I saw them I knew they had to be mine. The pictures don't do them justice but they are really pretty, the gold is sparkly and they are quite translucent. I used them to serve Madeleines and strawberries in for breakfast yesterday and they looked great.

I hope you enjoyed my finds as much as I did, the bowls were definitely my bargain of the week!