When we heard that two of our favourite brands The Kooples and Puma were doing a collaboration, excitement and curiosity took over and we couldn't wait to see what the two had dreamed up. They certainly didn't disappoint either, a Puma style sneaker combined with The Kooples' rock'n roll androgynous edge, the classic clyde design, reinterpreted in black & white and stamped with The Kooples' signature silver skull, classic, simple and super comfortable, just how we like it! 

So to celebrate the launch of their new sneaker, we boarded the Eurostar to Paris with a suitcase packed to the brim of The Kooples gear ready to dance around in our new favourite sneaker (which by the way we've been wearing ever since we've received them.)

The Kooples has always been a brand Loanne and I have loved. The brands Parisian charm combined with British heritage cool makes it an iconic brand like no other. Added to which their genius campaigns of using 'pairs' and 'couples' is a sure winner for us! 

We hadn't visited Paris for a year so it was lovely to come back and visit the city of love although the weather was a little hit and miss. We were lucky enough to meet the founders of The Kooples: three brothers - Alexandre, Laurent and Raphaël Elicha, who are all seriously the epitome of cool and all oozing charisma & charm, the perfect Kooples ambassadors! 

We had a bit of time before the party to take a few snaps around the Parisian streets. Loanne and I decided to go for two different looks, I chose the more feminine & flirty look which comprised of a daisy shirt and skirt. (Yes, it looks like a dress but they are actually two separates! )  Whereas Loanne went for the more androgynous, cool look by wearing navy blue trousers with velvet detailing, a simple white Kooples t-shirt and a black blazer with the white clyde trainers. 

We've decided to include a few more snaps of us repping The Kooples. The black and white stills you may recognise from our recent shoot with Vogue Germany and the final photo when we spent last Christmas in Mauritius. Our Kooples items sure have travelled the globe with us,  the pieces are so timeless and chic that you can wear them anywhere and at any time!

We can't wait to discover their next collaboration and to continue filling our wardrobe with more of their dreamy items! 

When preparing for LA, we knew there would be one wardrobe essential that would make it to our suitcases without fail. Our summery Topshop dresses! With the sun guaranteed to shine and with Coachella on our list of things to do whilst in the US, these floral numbers are a perfect addition. 
Neither of us have purchased a nice dress in a while, and usually I'd say we're more 'shorts and trousers' kinda gals, but Topshop have such a great range of dresses at the moment, perfect for any occasion, so these were an instant, no-brainer purchase.

We're currently staying in West Hollywood and after a few hectic but fun days in Palm springs at Coachella, we've arrived back in LA and are taking it easy, excited to explore what the city has to offer. Any recommendations are hugely welcome...

We're staying in West Hollywood at the moment in a super cute AirBnB. It's one of those typical American houses surrounded by huge, wide roads that are scattered with palm trees. So dreamy. We spent the afternoon, wondering round the area, with the warm breeze on our faces. I couldn't help but feel like I was a part in Desperate housewives walking down Wisteria Lane! We have quite a few things planned in the coming week, so we'll be sure to keep you all posted but I'm sure we'll be rocking these flowing, floral dresses a lot more this holiday to fit in with the summery, chilled LA vibe!

Shop the look below:

                                                                               Floral Pink Dress | Topshop
                                                                               Floral Red Dress  | Topshop

 

So the countdown begins. T minus 3 days until we'll be in LA, sitting pool side, margarita in one hand and a burrito in the other, listening to some funky tunes and chillaxing to the max...Okay, not exactly that but you get the vibe. Haha

For all you avid, stylish travellers, do any of you find packing a bit of a chore? We certainly used to and in the past we've always done a throw in jobby hoping that a few dresses, shorts and flip-flops will suffice, when, lo and behold, we've forgotten the most crucial shirt for that one big occasion. 

Now, however, with travelling becoming a regular stint we've become quite the strategic packers. (I'd like to think so anyway.) Planning specific outfits for events/ occasions has been an absolute life saver, and that's exactly what we've done for LA.

So we've teamed up with Reiss to create the ultimate packing guide and shed some insight into our top tips and fave items we'll be taking with us. 

What are your top 3 in-flight essentials?

Jordan: My Master & Dynamic headphones, lip balm & candy kittens

Loanne: Comfy socks, headphones, a good moisturiser (La mer hydrating serum is my ultimate fave!)

What’s your top tip for packing when you’re away for a long period of time?

Plan at least 3 different looks before you go! For LA we've gone for:

Beach vibes: Reiss floral bikini, Reiss white trainers or  pink trainers, a pair of Monokel black sunnies & tortoiseshell sunnies 

Night out: a light satin shirt, black shorts , black suede mules and a clutch

Brunch/ day party: blue suit, a white shirt and my vanity bag

Which are your favourite pieces in your suitcase for this trip?

Jordan: Reiss white leather sneakers, Cleo glasses, vintage biker jacket

Loanne:  My Monokel sunnies, my black leather jacket  - absolutely perfect for a breezy evening at Coachella! Get me there now!

How do you adapt your style for a trip to somewhere like L.A?

Jordan: More colourful dresses & shorts

Loanne: Swap the culottes and the jeans for boho dresses and the boots for the sandals and open toed shoes.The blacks will turn to whites and brighter colours!

Top 3 tracks you'll be listening to on-route to LA? 

Jordan: Drake-Ice melts & Do not disturb, Childish Gambino - Redbone

Loanne: Drake- Passionfruit, Childish Gambino - Redbone, Chi Town- Mele

What one key trend do you think everyone should buy into this summer?

Jordan: Anything pink!! Anything from a ruffled pink T to some candy cotton slip-ons

Loanne: Ruffles and stripes! I've just bought a new ruffled shirt, it's perfect for summer and I love the shape it gives to clothing. You also can't go wrong with stripes, for me they always bring me back to summer time.

Do you believe that less is more or you can you never have too many clothes?

Jordan: I've always been a less is more kinda gal, even if i buy loads of clothes I'll always gravitate back to my go-to pieces

Loanne: I think it's important to have your staple, timeless pieces which are long lasting and which go with everything. However, with the majority of my clothes, I wear them a few times and then I want something new. So in that sense, I can never have too many clothes!

With lots of travelling tends to comes lots of packing and if you're anything like us, overpacking is a constant issue. The last thing you want is an overcrowded bag, bursting at the seams with a huge unnecessary make up bag.  
We're off to Valencia today so we've had to think wisely about what essentials to pack. The one blessing we've had this time round is our new 'Nude by Nature three minute glow kits'. They have been our life saviours. (Especially post Fashion week!) The three minute glow kit pretty much sums itself up in the title. Three products applied in three minutes which gives you an instant glow and beauty. We don't tend to wear much makeup as we like to keep our look as natural as possible but even more importantly we don't have the time to spend hours applying it so this simple glow kit has been perfect for achieving that look quickly, whilst keeping our luggage under control as well!
The glow kit contains the sheer glow BB cream which is great for evening out your skin tone and giving you a natural, luminous finish. It also comes with an amazingly soft blending brush.The thing we love most about the BB cream, is that it is super light weight and gives you a non-greasy finish. So no need for extra powder on top, girls! 
It also contains all natural ingredients (bonus!) such as the Vitamin C- rich Australian Kakadu Plum, Quandong, Desert Lime, Aloe Vera and Desert date oil.  All packed with active anti-ageing qualities, so no more wrinkles coming our way anytime soon.
The Kit also comes with a perfecting concealer and the 'Allure' defining mascara. Basically all the makeup we need in simply three products. Winning.
One thing we won't be worrying about in Valencia is having to carry a full stash of makeup with us so we can enjoy the city and culture and all it has to offer.

The festive season though traditionally associated with present giving, family time, warm fires and an excuse to eat & drink your whole body weight in yorkshire puddings & alcohol was this year our excuse to break tradition and exchange it for a Christmas chilling in the sun and sea far away from the madding crowd! 

So after our incredible week in the Maldives we ventured south of Mauritius to a place called Bel Ombre and stayed at the ‘Outrigger Mauritius 5* Beach Resort’ one of the most exquisite beachfront resorts with glorious indian ocean views situated amongst a cool tropical garden.

We stayed here for 11 days and when we say we chilled we literally C-H-I-L-L-E-D! So much so that we didn’t even leave our resort, that’s how much we loved it! Hehe  

Our apartment backed onto the beach so we woke up early most mornings made a cup of coffee and chilled on the green for a good hour soaking in the delightful views. The weather definitely didn't let us down! Most days we had beautiful blue skies with temperatures of around 28 degrees.

Whilst staying in the resort, we got involved in a number of different activities such as paddle boarding, kayaking, Tennis and Ping Pong. We also took a trip in a glass bottom boat to explore the vast amounts of oddly shaped coral inhabiting the sea, which sadly is being destroyed due to water pollution & careless tourism! Note: Don't tread on coral guys, it's precious and one of the most valuable and diverse ecosystems on the planet. 

Taking full advantage of our 'chilled' holiday we had a fully relaxing pamper day at the Navasana Spa with a full body massage, then a dip in a -10 plunge pool and steam room. 

Christmas day was spent at the Plantation Club, a private lounge for guest club members only, we arrived for a 7 course brunch which served up a variety of different food from fresh oysters, sushi, salmon, beef wellington, and a selection of pastries and cakes for dessert, oh and not to forget a variety of different champagnes and wine to get us in the festive spirit! What a delicious feast, so delicious I couldn't move from my seat for a good half hour until I built up the energy to attempt a few lengths in the pool to help aid the digestion.

Another incredible holiday and one that we definitely won't forget anytime soon, I'm sure next time we will explore the Island a little more but for any of you who are interested in going to Mauritius, The Outrigger resort provided a 5* experience leaving us feeling rejuvenated and ready for our next adventure to Marrakech to see in the New Year! 

It's no secret that Loanne and I both love a good old adventure so when skincare brand Origins invited us to explore 600 acres of wild animal reserve at Port Lympne with an overnight stay in our very own luxury tree houses we couldn't help but get a tad excited! 

We arrived on Thursday morning to a delectable spread of healthy treats & detox smoothies in the main mansion house. By midday a small group of us were taken around the reserve where we saw a number of wild animals from Rhinos, Zebras, Giraffes and Lions roaming freely in over 600 acres of Kent countryside. It was bizarre that these wild animals were residing here yet I had no doubt that these animals were treated with love and respect as our tour guide spoke with such passion and affirmation towards them.

When the safari trip came to an end we had a delicious, healthy and nutritious lunch followed by an afternoon of relaxation in our gorgeous luxury tree houses. Upon arrival we were presented with a luxury hamper full of yummy treats and a welcome note from Origins and products dotted around the treehouse to ensure our stay was as relaxing & tranquil as possible.

Loanne and I then decided to unleash our inner explorer that little more and drive around the reserve in our own personal golf buggy's. Typical that we got lost on route the primate trail and ended up going around in circles countless times (Oops!). When the rain started to fall we dashed back to our tree houses and made hot chocolate and watched the sun set over Port Lympne. Words can't describe how lovely it was.

As the night approached we ended with a gorgeous vegetarian dinner hosted by Origins who presented their exciting Christmas ad. To top off a lovely meal we ended with festive fireside drinks and toasted marshmallows on a lovely open wood fire whilst listening to Christmas tunes and sipping on mulled wine. The whole experience was truly magical & festive and somewhere we'd definitely like to return (maybe next time with a guy as it's super romantic! ) We truly unleashed our inner explorer at Port Lympne and became lost in the wondrous world of Origins Christmas collection 2016!