Super charge your summer wardrobe

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80s, Adidas, ankle cowboy boots, arm candy, autumn, big, bright bolds, cats-eye sunglasses, catwalk, chunky, coloured, cool vibe, cropped fitted trousers, cut, dad trainers, denim jacket, dog tooth trousers, dots, Down-to-earth, dress, dresses, Edward Enninfu, Fun florals, gorgeous, grab, granny style cardies, head to toe, High Street, inexpensive, jumpsuits, kudos, length, lightweight trench, luxe track pants, morning after, moulded sports shoes, night before, Nike, patterns, pencil skirts, pink, polka dot, Princess Di, prints, rain or shine, raincoat, shades, shops, sliders, small, Stella MacCartney, stripes, sun, thermals, tops, UK, Vicky B, waist-cinching A-line style, wardrobe, weather, wrap skirt, yellow

The weather is still a little unpredictable on UK shores at the best of time, but it only takes the sun coming out for a couple of hours for us to start putting the thermals away and consider our summer staples.

We have had a look at what’s hot this summer so you can look totally gorgeous come rain or shine.

Go dotty
From the catwalk to the High Street, dots are big (and small) for the summer. Princess Di’s polka dot obsession can be seen on everything from jumpsuits and tops to dresses and pumps and if you have a thing for the ‘80s, they will serve you well.

Bag it up
Forget structured totes, sunny times call for a whole new kind of arm candy. Down-to-earth, inexpensive fabric cross body bags, raffia baskets and string shoppers are slightly retro but come with a cool vibe that will last right thought to the autumn.

Shades
This summer is all about cats-eye sunglasses, and we love them. They are smaller than the Vicky B super-sized sunnies of summers past, but are face-flattering and still big enough to hide the fun of the night before, the morning after.

Cover up
Put the puffa away and when the showers show up, reach in your bag for a lightweight trench or shake things up by going for a bright pink or yellow raincoat for extra kudos. If you want something a little different, the shops are fully of granny style cardies in a range of shades and textures that you can grab as you go.

Go faster
If you haven’t noticed stripes in the shops, where have you been? Go faster blasts, can be seen on everything from dog-tooth trousers to luxe track pants and designer hoodies. Don’t covert the look from head to toe, that would be total totally OTT, but go for one piece and match with bright bolds and you will be leader of the pack.

Dress it up
Summer isn’t summer without at least one new dress in your wardrobe. Fun florals, patterns and prints are all out there, just work out which cut and length is right for you, team with sliders and a denim jacket, and you have a look that even Edward Enninful would approve of.

It’s all about the dad trainers
You might not believe us, but Adidas, Nike and Stella MacCartney are all over the dad trainer this summer. Think chunky, coloured, moulded sports shoes and you have the perfect summer style to match with cropped fitted trousers and floaty pastel dresses.

It’s a wrap
Last but by no means least, we need to talk about the wrap skirt. This versatile staple has made a come-back from 1992 and we like it. Put the pencil skirts away, and swap them for a maxi-wrap in soft jersey, or a waist-cinching A-line style, match with a sharp white tee and you have a celebrity look in seconds.

With a pair of ankle cowboy boots, a dab of peach blush and plenty of sunblock on standby, you are ready to go forth and stand out in the fashion stakes this summer.

Team Pure Beauty

Give your walls a spring clean

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air of grandeur, animals, antique shops, art, beautiful, bedroom, books, boring, car boot sales, choices, cold, colours, cool, cost effective solutions, cosy, daffodils, design, easy, families, food for thought, frame prints, hallway, hand-blocked papers, home, horizontal stripes, illusion, individual, instant, instantly transform, kitchen, light and dimension, light-reflecting metallic paper, lights, living room, local artist, magazines, mirrors, patterns, Peel-off stickers, pictures, playrooms and kids’ bedrooms, pure natural woven fibres, retro feel, simple, social media, sources of inspiration, spring clean, statement, stunning pieces, stylish home, three-dimensional design, transform, uber-cool, unique feel, walls, weekend supplements, world of interiors, wrapping paper

As the days get longer, the temperatures start to rise and the daffodils show their sunny heads, many of us want to make changes to our homes so they feel lighter and brighter.

Decorating an entire house can be a big job, but by making changes to the walls in your kitchen, living room, bedroom or hallway can have a real impact and create the illusion of complete change.

The way you design your walls can transform cold into cosy, boring into beautiful and take old-fashioned into uber-cool in an instant and we have had a look at how.

Ideas and planning
Before you do anything have a think about the kind of finish you are looking for, what colours and patterns you like as well as how practical your choices are. Social media sites, magazines, weekend supplements and even moving websites can be great sources of inspiration, so use them to work out what would feel best in your home.

Stick it
Peel-off stickers come in a wide range of designs and sizes and instantly transform a wall from a boring background into a world of animals, a space age galaxy or a tranquil garden.

Statements Walls
Broad horizontal stripes or a single wall painted in a bright primary colour can be perfect for playrooms and kids’ bedrooms and give that room a really cool, individual feel.

Map it out
Maps – old and new – not only add a splash of style but they are educational too. You can quite simply paste pages from books, wrapping paper or pictures enlarged on a photocopier, onto a wall and create something totally unique.

Wallpaper
Wallpaper is on trend in the world of interiors right now so there is a lot of choice to decide from. From pure natural woven fibres and light-reflecting metallic paper to hand-blocked papers, three-dimensional designs and digitally printed styles it is hard to know where to start, and sometimes where to stop. Do be aware that wallpaper doesn’t always withstand wear and tear like paint, so be careful where you use it. Vinyl is durable and easy to put up and you can even get washable wallpapers that are wipeable and perfect for families who want a stylish home.stylish home

Mirrors
There are some really beautiful mirrors in the shops but you can also find stunning pieces in antique shops and car boot sales that give a retro feel. Go for a large mirror with a striking framed you will not only add light and dimension to any room but also to add an air of grandeur.

Go for art
Whether you buy from for a local artist, frame prints from the masters or use you kid’s doodles art is a brilliant way to bring your walls to life.

Light it up
Washing walls with light keeps edges bright but also offers a warm glow that lifts an entire room. A picture light not only brighten up a dark space but is a focal point while table lamps spread light across a walls and you will be surprised at the effect under cabinet lighting creates on a kitchen or living room wall.

Prepping your walls
Once you have decided what you are going to do with your walls, you need to make sure they are as clean and smooth as possible.

For a decent base peel away bulging, loose or crumbling plaster, strip off wallpaper and fill in cracks and holes; sanding down the area when it’s dry. Once your walls are ready, prime them using watered-down emulsion and if you are going to be putting up new wallpaper, coat the walls with a sizing solution or watered-down wallpaper paste for a really professional base, then get to work.

Whether you are going for big, bold statements, want to add some warmth or simply need to cover up those sticky finger prints, we hope we have given you food for thought for change.

Team Pure Beauty

Get your family healthy

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adults, attitudes, banana, brain, calcium, calorie, cereal, comfortable, eat, familiy, fruits, healthy, holiday, juice, lunch boxes, milk, organs, patterns, peas, porridge, processed foods, promote, running, salad, scratch, smoothie, take-aways, tummy, vegetables, vitamin, walking, water, weight

Growing up in the 21st century often seems to be more about iPads, junk food and computer games than the great outdoors and being active, but it doesn’t have to be that way.

As parents we all want the best for our children and getting them off the sofa, eating well and actually moving is key to this.

As there is less time, and resources, at school for PE and games, this is falling more at the feet of families but that is no bad thing. As well as being great fun it is also the chance to spend quality time together and bond.

We have put together some easy steps so you and your family can get fit and healthy.

Eat a Variety of Foods
We hear it all the time but it is vital that you and your family eat a well balanced diet so you body has the nutrients it needs to work well. Cut down and processed foods, take-aways and try to cook from scratch when you can. If you prepare meals together and eat together, this can really help promote healthy attitudes and patterns. Aim for at least five servings of fruits and vegetables a day, this can include:

At breakfast chop four large strawberries on porridge or have a vitamin rich green smoothie
Include six baby carrots, slices of red pepper and a banana in lunch boxes
Snack on an apple, some nuts or blueberries
At dinner include broccoli (about 2 big spears), a cup of salad, or a serving of peas and sweet corn.

Drink the healthy way
Try to limit fizzy drinks, juices and squashes as they adds calories and no real or important nutrients.

When you’re really thirsty, water is the best option. Not only does it stop you feeling thirty, it prevents you from feeling light headed and keeps your organs, including your brain, healthily

Children also need calcium to build strong bones, and milk, cheese and yogurt are good diary options and leafy greens, seafood and legumes are also calcium sources.

Listen to your body
Some parents might think about this but it is key to talk to children about what it feels like to be full. Don’t make it an issue but do point out how your tummy feels when it is comfortably full and when it is too full. Sometimes, children and adults don’t know when to stop eating and over time this can lead to health problems including weight gain.

Limit screen time
This term that is banded around a lot, but does it actually mean? Quite simply screen time is the amount of time spent watching TV or DVDs, playing video games and using a smart phone, tablet or a computer. The more time you spend sitting-down doing these activities, the less time you are being active doing things basketball, bike riding and swimming. Try to reduced screen time, not counting computer use related to school and educational activities, and look at other ways to spend time together.

Get moving
Whilst getting your offspring out of the house might feel like a struggle, it is well worth the battle. We all know how hard to can be to go back to the gym after a break, and it can be just the same for children. Find something that is relatively easy to pick up, that is fun and where you can offer encouragement. Go to the park for a run around, join a local football team, try a trampoline park or go for a bike ride together? The more you do it, the more they will enjoy it and want to take part.

Active family holidays where you are walking, cycling or boating are not only good for all of you but also create fun memories that will last forever.

Being a fit, healthy family opens up many choices for all of you and will hopefully lead to a long, healthy and happy life together.