It is a truth universally acknowledged (albeit, if the universe consisted of me, my other half and a legion of First Aid Kit fans), that Sweden is where it's at! Not only does it boast a certain flat-pack furniture empire, a storming music scene (the aforementioned 'Kit, Lykke Li and Euro-sensation Robyn) and significant man-candy points (Al Skarsgard); it seems to know its stuff when it comes to footwear...in the form of Lotta from Stockholm traditional clogs!
Being a short-hat, at a mere 5"2, the warmer climes can present something of a dilemma in terms of footwear, especially for those of us whose style edges more towards the 'vintage inspired' end of the fashion spectrum. Season after season there are hundreds of gladiators, brogues and wedges that do not compliment my seasonal knee-length dress addiction, neither do they compliment my fear of looking 'short and dumpy'. We've done pumps to death and our underfeet have all suffered with the iconic Topshop nude ballerinas and skinny jeans combi.
On the other hand, when I'm looking for something to give me a 'lift', heels and fashion and I are no longer seeing eye to eye. That is, I no longer see eye to eye with the skyscraper heels and wedges that tower above me! It has taken me nearly 29 years to admit it, but there are some shoes that really are just designed to look beautiful.
After endlessly trawling the Internet for a 'go-between' stylish sandal with an innoffensive heel that doesn't make me trot like Bambi on ice, I stumbled across Swedish clogs. Fashionista Blogs are going crazy for them, Office are stocking Swedish Hasbeens AND Lotta from Stockholm exists!
A Swedish native, now living in the UK, Lotta has built up her brand from her own fascination with clogs back in the 70s. And there is no better time that now to invest in a pair with the strong 70s revival trend back again for Summer. Not only that but at prices starting at £52.50 with free UK delivery on offer, they are some of the most reasonable clogs on the market
I bought a pair of cherry red peep toe clogs, with a 7cm heel they are the perfect height for walks with the pram and they compliment almost every outfit, including my skinnies and kneelength dresses. With a wooden sole, I wasn't expecting them to be as instantly comfortable; the ergonomic design of the sole feels amazing, not to mention you feel as if you are walking 'properly'! Finally, a perfect blend of style, femininity and practicality. A triumph for women everywhere! Head to their website to check out the various styles and colours....you can thank me later!
Once upon a time, a wise old 'Clever Clog' on Twitter was reported to have shared this gem of a tweet amongst his followers; 'The Internet called, it says it has enough Blogs now'. I laughed, then I moved on.
To Blog or Not To Blog?
Throughout my pregnancy, I was sometimes shocked at the level of negativity some of the motherly types I spoke to, about the impending change I was about to welcome to my life. I was led to believe, by some, that there was little to no point in getting up in the morning, as life as you knew it would fade into oblivion; you would be left in a haze of oversized tees, baggy leggings and incessant screaming. Daisy was born on March 14th, after two weeks of waiting, waddling to the nearest coffee shop and downing curries. Life, as I had known it, became suddenly enriched.
I think this feeling of euphoria sealed my decision to set up Life is Peachy. I thought I knew what to expect, I thought I would have no time for anything. I had trawled through the internet, through working mums, stay at home mums, debating mums, sadly unhappy mums and decided that perhaps I wanted to put Motherhood in a purely positive light.
Do Something Everyday...For You
When you become a Mother for the first time, the one thing you cannot be prepared for is the sheer amount of love and adrenalin you will wholly exist on. Your world changes, your priorities change and you are suddenly facing each and every day with a tiny person whose constantly changing face and abilities will astound you. There are times you will be tired, there are times you will be frustrated, but this always fades into insignificance when you consider what you have achieved. Daisy is approaching the three-month mark and she's already insisting on standing when being held, she has developed a morbid taste for Lana Del Rey (just like her Mother) and loves nothing more than chatting and smiling away in her chair. Those few things alone, personally, make it all worth it.
As for me, the personality lobotomy I was so afraid of during those bleak, self-aware hours before I was commanded to 'push', it turned out, was nothing more than an urban myth. I was proud to leave hospital the following day in a cheerful, if somewhat impractical, dress and tights. I still found I had a borderline obsessive interest in music new and old, books, writing, fashion, crafting, baking, recipes, tattoos and I was still itching to try pastel hair. In the end, the pastel was a short but much-loved moment of my peachy life. I set about trying to do one thing every day that I enjoyed. I read, baked and wrote my way through things I had been meaning to do for months and I created Life is Peachy to share these great things with you all, as I continue to grow, try new things and develop the sense of the word 'mum' that I am most comfortable with. I'm lucky enough to have the support of the wonderful Mr Peachy, who loves nothing more than to Daisy-dote for an hour or two so I can type up my latest musings. Everybody has different experiences, I feel I want to share mine through Life is Peachy And that, Mr C Clog,is why I believe there can never be enough Blogs.
I hope, if nothing else, that Life is Peachy inspires others not to be afraid of losing their identity, to try new things and most of all, to be proud and comfortable in themselves. Whether it's practicing a new craft, sharing a new recipe or daring to bear the wardrobe, Life is Peachy is a celebration of the creative parent, who challenges themselves and embraces all that they are post-birth. Parents do wonderful things, but this should never be at the expense of losing all sense of themselves. Life indeed feels Peachy, I hope you'll all agree...
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