5 Pretty Yet Practical Purchases

Something that I'm sure we're all guilty of is buying things that tend to look nice but when it comes to fulfilling their roles they're pretty terrible at it. And I speak from experience here as far too often I have put looks over practicality and it's always come back to bite me. So here are my favourite purchases which are practical as well as aesthetically pleasing.

 

radley fountain road backpack* 

I switched over to using a backpack more frequently a couple of years ago and it was such a welcome change. I love tote and shoulder bags but I can't say my posture appreciates them all that much and I've developed a very odd hunch. So whenever I have more than a handful of items or I'm taking the dogs out I will always go for a backpack and boy, are my shoulders grateful for it. And I used to think backpacks were really frumpy and ugly but not now, thankfully they've come back into fashion in a big way. When I have a lot of camera kit then I will go for my Kanken but otherwise, this option from Radley is beautiful. It's the sophisticated answer to practically and even though it's a lighter colour I've not had any issues with colour transfer from any dark pieces of clothing. And it's got so many comparments which means you bag doesn't turn into a bottomless pit of items.

 

 

topshop pinafore dress

I feel like I always have to say that I'm not quite convinced that pinafore dresses are the most flattering thing on me, I always feel like an overgrown child when I wear one. But without a doubt, it's one of the most practical items that I own and that's for one reason only. It has three different pockets, two at the side and then one in the middle. If you weren't aware then a lot of women's clothing doesn't come with pockets or even worse which is the biggest sin to me...fake pockets. Seriously, clothing designers? Women need pockets too. And even though I'm not 100% convinced they look amazing on me I do absolutely love the fact that it's the best item to be paired with a Breton.

 

BARBOUR AEONIUM JACKET

I mention my Barbour quite often when it comes to style posts but as it's the most expensive clothing item that I've ever bought it only makes sense to talk about it. I also get quite a few questions surrounding the coat and whether or not I believe that they're worth the money and I 100% think that they are. When items have such a strong heritage it's usually for good reason and I can definitely attest to how wonderful Barbour jackets are. I'm only over a year into owning mine and I've already seen how beautifully it's starting to wear and I've just rewaxed it to ensure it's waterproof. Although you can get items to make your jacket super warm so you can wear it all throughout winter when it's really cold I tend to only wear mine throughout spring and autumn as well as more of a typical British summer as it's the perfect throw on piece to any outfit. 

 

NIKE FREE RUNS

Trainers of this kind became quite the trend a few years ago when we all took note of how cool the Scandi bloggers looked in their camel coats and trainers. And generally I don't wear trainers like this in day to day life anymore but I do wear them for running and they are undoubtedly the best I've ever found. Normally running trainers aren't the nicest thing to look at but these not only look nice but they give me all the support I need. They're meant to mimic what it would be like to be running barefoot in the most natural position our foot could be in and I've never once suffered from any aches or pains from wearing these to run in. I don't really run on roads and more countryside trails and I was a little dubious that my feet might be able to feel all the stones but my feet still feel well protected.

 

IPHONE SLING 

This is the only tech-related item in this roundup as that could be an entire post of its own. If you have an iPhone + then you will know that sometimes it can be a real bugger to hold for long periods of time. My boyfriend initially got one of these and I thought they were a bit of a faff but then I bought my own and it's the one the most useful things I've ever bought. I got a gold one to match my phone case and it makes not only holding my phone really easy but also things like taking pictures a complete breeze. And not so surprisingly, I've not dropped my phone once since having it. I had one before but it wasn't as good but when I removed it there was no damage to my case at all incase you were worried about that.