Holiday Style, Kota Kinabalu - Outfit Post

by Bex

I thought I'd share a few more of my holiday outfits from Malaysia this afternoon.  After arriving at Mum & Dad's house in Port Dickson after a couple of days in Kuala Lumpur, we had dinner and a sleep before getting up early for more travelling the next day!  We flew to Borneo for a few days to go diving and see the orangutans.

I wore my comfy but smart maxi for travelling there.  It is only a 2.5 hour flight so it was easy to travel light.

Dress - M&S

Bag - Zanzibar

Necklace - Accessorize

Bracelets - Forever 21 and H&M

Watch - Guess

Hat - modelled by Mum - Primark :)

On our first night in Kota Kinabalu, we went out for dinner and a couple of drinks.  I wore my new dragonfly dress which was a last minute impulse buy the day before we left, I love it!

Dress - Dorothy Perkins

Bag - M&S

Espadrilles - Schuh

Earrings - Vintage

Watch - Guess

Bracelets - H&M & Dorothy Perkins

The next day we went diving so I wore my coral jersey bubble hem dress which is perfect for throwing over a bikini.  It also means I don't have to worry too much travelling back in a soggy bikini so I don't have to worry about packing a change of clothes as it has two thick layers and dries quickly.

Dress - old
Bikini - Dorothy Perkins
Headband - old
Sandals - Forever 21
Hat - Primark
Bag - Zanzibar
Bracelet - old

That night we got a bit more dressed up for dinner as we went to a lovely place, Kudos, for a nice meal.  Cue the trusty coral maxi with new accessories.

Skirt - Mango
Top - Miss Sixty
Belt - H&M
Watch - Guess
Bracelets - various
Cuff - Dorothy Perkins
Earrings - Dorothy Perkins
Bag - H&M

On our second day we went to the fabric shop and the mall for a fun day of shopping!  Mum wore her new polka dot maxi dress she bought next to the hotel the night before and I wore my comfy teal menswear shorts from H&M with my floaty vest and blingy necklace over my rainbow bikini.

Top - H&M

Shorts - H&M (menswear)

Sandals - Forever 21

Bag - M&S

Necklace - Dorothy Perkins

Bikini - Dorothy Perkins

Bracelets - various

Sunglasses - eBay

Mum's Dress - Borneo

That evening we were all a bit tired so most of us stayed in the hotel to eat (Nik and Dad went exploring for something more Malaysian to eat).  I had a quick change into my £7 sale find maxi dress from H&M with my new bag bought in the craft market across the road, new shoes bought in an outlet shop in the mall that day and tribal accessories.

Dress - H&M (£7!!)

Shoes - Nine West (£10)

Bag - Borneo market

Bracelet - Borneo market

Ring - eBay

Necklace - Dorothy Perkins

Nail Polish - Models Own

Watch - Guess

Great Pink Bake Off - Breakthrough Breast Cancer

by Bex

I was invited to a blogger event last Thursday to garner some information about a forthcoming Breakthrough Breast Cancer Scotland event (and have a little fun and cake!).  It was held in the Breakthrough Breast Cancer offices in Edinburgh and Scottish chef Mark Greenaway came along to talk to us a little about decorating cupcakes and gave us a demonstration using his Sticky Toffee Pudding cupcakes with salted caramel cream cheese icing.  He also made a peanut caramel icing but as I'm allergic to peanuts I stuck to the salted caramel (which I love anyway!)  They were delicious and you can find his recipe here.

October is breast cancer awareness month and the #GreatPinkBakeOff event is a fundraising event on the 18th October to help combat breast cancer.  There is a whole load of information and ideas to help get you started if you wish to hold an event.  You can find out more information and sign up on the Pink Bake Off website.  The idea is to get people to bring along their bakes - be it at work, a coffee morning, a wee (or big) party at home - and hold a bake off.  You can also find out more ideas, recipes and see pictures and upload your own recipes at The Bake Off website.

We at Glasgow Baking Club love the idea and plan to hold one (a little early - to provide inspiration of course ;-) nothing to do with Mummy OliveDragonfly coming briefly to town and wanting to join in the next meeting!) on Sunday 6th October with a pink theme, similar to our breast cancer event last year.  Only this time with judging.  It wouldn't be a bake off otherwise, but it's just a bit of fun!  The pack you receive when you sign up to organise your own event includes invitations, a poster, stickers and award cards along with information and tips on how to run your event and raise funds.

There are lots of business women supporting the cause.  One of whom is Mademoiselle Macaron who made some gorgeous pink macarons (raspberry and rose) we were able to sample on the night.  She also made a video of support which you can see on Youtube.

Mademoiselle Macaron (I love her horse dress!)

Another business woman supporting the charity is Samantha Scobie who raised funding to produce some fantastic recipes books.  The books are for sale at just £5, all of which goes to the charity.  I bought one and found a few recipes I fancy trying.  You can buy your own via Samantha's Just Giving page.

We all had a lovely evening catching up with other bloggers, meeting new people, eating cake and learning about how we can help support this very worthy cause.

We also received some cute little cupcake cases and cookie cutters in our goody bags of information.

I had planned on wearing a colourful outfit to this but as I'd been horse riding beforehand I'd packed it all to get changed at Liz's Mum's house but it turns out I packed everything except the vest to go under the sheer blouse!  So I had to wear my back up outfit (jeans in case of rain) instead which was just a boring black knit,  my trusty cropped boyfriend jeans and cropped biscuit leather jacket.  I did have my bright accessories and a new scarf to jazz it up though ;)

It was also the first outing for what turned out to be super comfy sandals from Forever 21.  (Although they do look like they were made for someone with much longer toes than me!?)

Jeans - Next
Jumper - Levi's (TK Maxx)
Leather Jacket - Andrew Marc (HoF)
Scarf - H&M
Bracelets - Homemade and Debenhams, H&M, Dorothy Perkins, Capri
Sandals - Forever 21
Watch - Secret Sales

Update:

We've recently found out about another event raising money for Breast Cancer in Glasgow - The Hilton is hosting a Pink Afternoon Tea in aid of Breast Cancer Care on Saturday 5th October.  Tickets cost £40 which includes a £5 donation to the charity and you can enjoy a demonstration and mini makeover by Lancome before sampling the history of Cava as part of Cordoniu's 'Fizzness School' and special guest Karen MacDonald of Breast Cancer Care.

You can also enjoy unlimited afternoon tea including, sandwiches, cakes and delicious pastries.  Details shown below if you want to book tickets!