I never really talk much about health-related things on here, I don't want to dramatise things or come across attention-seeking for something that is quite a common illness. But with it being so common (at least one in 10 of us suffer from IBS), April being IBS awareness month and me being sat at home today having called in sick because of said IBS, I thought it seemed the right time to talk about my situation; my limitations, how I deal with it and hopefully bring some awareness to this invisible illness. (Whenever I see people calling it a chronic illness I always think they're being dramatic; there are far worse things to suffer from, y'know? But it can cause quite chronic symptoms!)

I remember being 13/14 and a friend being diagnosed with IBS and I'd never heard of it nor had any idea what it was; oh how I wish I could go back to that obliviousness! But if you don't know, IBS stands for Irritable Bowl Syndrome and is a condition affecting the digestive system. It can cause stomach cramps, bloating, diarrhoea and constipation just to name a few, and varies from person to person. There's not an exact cause and there's no cure; it's a lifelong condition which can be managed with medication, along with diet and lifestyle changes.

IBS is a very stressful condition; it can be hard to get a diagnosis given there's no test for it, theres no cure, and as it varies for every individual, it can be hard to manage. Not to mention the pain you have to deal with and the SHAME; oh and the fact that stress aggravates IBS! It's a bloody minefield!
I've gone through many flare-ups and had all of the symptoms possible, but my most common is the horrific cramps (sometimes to the point of curling up in a ball, crying on the bathroom floor) and fluctuating between constipation and diarrhoea which always keeps you on edge (soz to be TMI). And sometimes it's just really shit when you get up in a morning thinking you look quite good but as soon as you have some breakfast (even if it's something that you don't normally react to, like homemade granola or toasted rye bread) and your stomach bloats ridiculously so, making you look at least 6 months pregnant. And then you have to reevaluate your outfit choice because skinny jeans just won't fasten, let alone be comfortable all day.

Those with IBS express stress through issues in their gut in the same way people get neck ache or migraines.

There are numerous changes that I've had to make to my lifestyle since being diagnosed, including cutting out both alcohol and dairy. I have to be careful when ordering takeaways given that greasy, carb-loaded meals are my worst enemy and I can't eat apples or pears without getting cramps. Nor can I have onions, which ruins a lot of cooking! But focusing on the positives, I've got much more experimental in the kitchen. It might be making my transition to veganism extraordinarily hard, but I've discovered so many new foods and my diet is much more fresh and healthy than it ever has been.


I've also kind of been pushed into a strict routine. I've always been someone who likes planning and routines, but now it's too important not to. I need to eat 3 meals a day, not intermittent snacking; I can't exercise after food and I've worked out that regular stretching is essential for helping with cramps. So I get up and do 20 minutes of yoga in a morning and not only does it ease pain but it also helps with my headspace; allowing me to destress and lose some anxieties.


Wearing:


Pinafore, ASOS


Top, Stradivarius


Jacket, All Saints


Boots, River Island (old)











Other things that help me, in case you suffer too and are looking for tips:

• A regular exercise routine. Along with the yoga, I try and go to the gym 3 times a week for both cardio and weights. Sometimes I can't do too much without near collapsing, but the regular movement helps with everything.
• Keeping a food diary. I'm not too good with this anymore, now that I've worked out most of my triggers, but it still helps to keep track and when symptoms are flaring up.
• Probiotics! I take a probiotic every morning after my breakfast and definitely think it's helped with keeping things healthy down in the gut!
• Hot water bottles are an absolute god send. I have one that lives on my bed, one in my drawer at work and a spare one in a drawer somewhere. 
• Journalling. It might sound odd, but bear with me! I keep a bullet journal now, writing down my intentions for the day and what I've been grateful for the previous day. It's helped me to keep more focused and positive about things, alleviating some stress and worries which in turn helps minimise cramps.
• Outfits like this! With no waistbands and nothing tight on the tummy.

I've really been enjoying a spot of vintage shopping recently so haven't bought all that much ~new~, but it's finally time to showcase another sustainable clothing brand! If you've missed them, so far in my sustainable series I've discussed 2 clothing brands: Armedangels and People Tree. Now, number 3 on my list, a brand I've been lusting over on instagram for a long time, is Lucy & Yak! Mostly known for their statement dungarees (such as this fabulous pair that I am now the proud owner of), Lucy & Yak are a brand committed in working to sustainability, while maintaining bold, colourful styling. So me in a brand, basically!



I don't really know why it took me so long to finally buy my first pair of dungarees from Lucy & Yak, considering how much of a dungaree lover I am; perhaps because they have SO many designs and I would love ALL of them? How are you supposed to choose only one? (I'm not made of money!) I finally managed because the colour way on this set just stood out to me. These are the 'Poppi Rock' design, 100% cotton and ridiculously comfy in the oversized style of fit. They may look hard to style at first, so much colour and print, but once you think about it (and see some inspiration from other peoples styling) there's a world of options tbh.


Who Are Lucy & Yak?
Lucy & Yak are a small company set up by Lucy & Chris after they packed up to travel the world; first beginning by sewing tobacco pouches on the beach in New Zealand, they moved onto selling vintage clothing from their van 'Yak' where the love for fashion was truly sparked. They devoted time to finding the right partners to manufacture their designs, who were equally as committed to an ethical practice, and now with over 13 employees in the UK and 30 at their factory in India, every worker earns above the living wage. Their aim is to have a system where everybody wins. 
They started with only dungarees, but have since branched out to jumpsuits, dresses, tops, trousers and outerwear! (Yes, I most definitely do have my eyes set on this gem of a jumpsuit next.) They're honest and transparent in not being 100% sustainable but share their progress in working towards it; they use 100% biodegradable mailing bags to ship their orders, promising that every order will only contain items that are either Biodegradable, Re-usable, Recycled and of course Wearable. 
They use oganic cotton, and although the dungarees don't have buttons, the dresses/jumpsuits that do use either metal buttons or ones made of coconut shell - no plastic!



Where Can I Buy It?
Their full range is online at lucyandyak.com but they also have a Depop store (where they first started selling: @lucyandyak) which offers a variety of deals.



Top Picks
                    Pinafore                    Spot dungarees                   Jumpsuit                   Rainbow dungarees

Not only is it good to support sustainable brands, but small brands and brands whose pieces let you still have fun with your wardrobe! 

I'm the first to admit that my wardrobe is not lacking in any way, but there is one thing that I felt was missing and that's knee high boots. I'm an ankle boot girl through and through, they're my failsafe for every season and if I had to go all minimalist, it's my ankle boot collection that I would struggle most to whittle down. But there's just something about knee high boots that I've been really loving recently. And yes, I do have some knee high snake print boots, but they're a little high for everyday wear! So I went on the hunt; I couldn't decide between wanting grey or brown but nowhere that I looked had anything I wanted. That was until I stumbled into the end of the Office sale and found these beauties! There was one pair in my size (fate, of course) but no price. Turns out they were reduced from £135 to £25. What. A. Bloody. Bargain!

So in honour of one of my best sale purchases, I thought I'd do a '3 ways to wear'. There are so many ways in which you can style knee boots and I struggled with choosing only three, so two in particular which I didn't include are with tailored shorts (even better if you have a matching blazer too for a sophisticated suited and booted look!) and simply tucking them under a pair of flares. Because how 70's and how cool? Anyway, onto the three ways that I have photographed for you:


Tonal
Sometimes it's nice to mix it up with all of the colour clashes, but other times it's nice to stick simple with one set tone. So for all of the warm tones, I paired this corduroy skirt and check blazer together with subtle pops of colour from the bag and headband. A-line skirts are (in my opinion) the best accompaniment for knee high boots! This photos aren't quite what I had in mind; we planned on shooting in a certain part of town, cobbled streets and old buildings; but as soon as we set off the heavens opened and showed no signs of stopping! With little time to rearrange, we had to settle for sheltering in the bus station and making the most of it. 


Tucked
One thing that I've never done too often, whether with knee high or over-the-knee boots, is to tuck jeans/trousers in. I've instead always opted for pairing them with dresses/skirts/shorts or even hiding them under baggy/flared trousers. But I thought I'd mix it up a bit and the this the result! I'm actually quite a fan, it works a treat for when it's super cold (as it was on this day). A double leopard print concoction with the softest coat ever and one of my favourite shirts from M&S makes for a nice little outfit if I do say so myself. 


The Jumper Dress
The best thing you can have in your wardrobe throughout Autumn/Winter and Spring too, with the temperatures all over the place in the UK, is jumper dresses. Cosy and warm they are the perfect throw-on piece to go with knee boots, OTK boots or even ankle boots and trainers. So versatile! Team them up with tights if it's cold or even jeans if it's really cold and there's no chill to be felt. This one is a couple of years old now from Missguided and it's getting rather bobbly now, but I still love it! It's not the longest so I did add some shorts underneath, and with a cross-body bag and fedora it makes for such a simple yet stylish look. I love hats for instantly transforming a look!