Archive for category: Weekend wishlist

You are here: Home / LIFE & STYLE / Weekend wishlist
nail trends that are perfect for spring 2019

Weekend wishlist: nail trends perfect for early spring 2019

/0 Comments/in , , , /by

So you know I’m completely obsessed with nails, right? I’m so lucky because my gorgeous niece Amy is incredibly talented at gel nails and does the most amazing gel manicures. We’ve been chatting about nail trends that we love, and I thought I’d give you a little roundup of a few nail trends perfect for early spring 2019. February is a funny time - we’re still officially in winter (until 20th March), and although I’m not quite ready to crack out the brights, I’m ready to mix it up with some new colours and fresh textures. Here are a few of my favourites.

Read more

hush early spring 19

Weekend wishlist: go west with new hush early spring 19

/0 Comments/in , , , /by

I’m trying so hard not to spend any money at the moment, and then those little devils at hush go and bring out the nicest collection of clothes in a long time! It’s funny, because usually when I actually need to buy something, I can’t find anything I like, but this spring, I’ve seen tons of nice stuff (see also, Mint Velvet, where I very rarely shop, but this season I could probably spend about £500 with all the things I’ve fallen in love with (might have to do a weekend wishlist post about this soon - this animal print dress with the handkerchief hem is definitely on my ‘yes please’ list). Anyway, back to hush, and as usual, the photography accompanying the new collection is absolutely to die for. Shot on location on a road trip through Southern California, there’s a definite cowboy/prairie theme to the collection which I’m loving: bohemian tops, loose dresses with ditsy, folky prints and some brilliantly retro cowboy tees too. hush are releasing their collection in two parts season (the other half follows towards the end of the month), but here are my faves from, let’s call it hush early spring 19…

Read more

A beauty pie skincare regime for 40 something skin

Updated: a beauty pie skincare regime for 40 something skin

/0 Comments/in , , , /by

I’ll admit it, I’m addicted to Beauty Pie. If you haven’t heard of Beauty Pie, it’s a ‘luxury beauty buyer’s club’, founded by industry expert Marcia Kilgore (follow her on Instagram - she gives great skincare advice). The premise is that you pay a membership fee every month and that gives you access to state of the art, high end skincare and makeup at a fraction of the cost, by taking advantage of Kilgore’s skincare knowledge and her ability to source the products but cut out all the middle men in the process. You don’t have to be a member, but you’ll pay full price for all the products. For example, I currently pay £10 a month, which gives me £100 budget, meaning that if I want to buy Beauty Pie’s high performance Super Retinol Serum, it will cost me £9.81 instead of £80 (typical high end beauty brand mark ups can be up to 1000%). It’s a no brainer, right? Once you’re completely in love with the products (and I know you will be) and are certain you’re going to repurchase, some are sold in sets which are slightly better value. I thought I’d give you an insight into the products I love - I’m absolutely no expert, this is just what works for me. So here’s my Beauty Pie skincare regime for 40 something skin.

Read more

new hush pre-spring collection

My top capsule wardrobe picks from the new hush pre-spring collection

/2 Comments/in , , , /by

At the start of the year, I told you all about how this year was going to be a simpler one for me, embracing the little things in life and putting the emphasis on a lifestyle that’s less rush rush hurry hurry, and more about embracing our down time and railing against the pressure of being constantly busy. I firmly believe that this life philosophy can spill over into all aspects of our lifestyle, including our wardrobe. If you’re a regular reader you’ll know that I’m a huge fan of the capsule wardrobe. There’s something about discovering your signature style and curating a collection of great quality items that work well together that’s really satisfying. Of course, it also helps cut down the unnecessary waste, pollution and misery that are caused by fast fashion - something I’m really passionate about.

Read more

Shopping the sales with a capsule wardrobe in mind

Shopping the sales with a capsule wardrobe in mind

/0 Comments/in , , , , /by

What is it about the sales that send us all a bit bonkers? I’m usually perfectly happy with my wardrobe, then a sale email drops into my inbox with those Grenson boots that Holly wore on I’m a Celeb, and I suddenly really want them. What’s up with that? I have trainers, and my leopard boots, and wellies for walking the dog - I really don’t need them. A while ago I wrote about the questions I’ll be asking myself before my next purchase, and I feel like I really need to revisit these before I even think about shopping: do I need it? Do I love it, or am I buying it because I liked it on someone else? Does it go with the other things in my wardrobe? Will it last? Is it a brand I trust? Of course, if you’ve got something that needs replacing, or a gap that needs filling, shopping the sales with a capsule wardrobe in mind should be 100% possible. So what will I be looking for?

Read more

Fragrance, comfort and candlelight

Fragrance, comfort and candlelight: preparing your home for Christmas

/0 Comments/in , , , /by

I’ve mentioned before that I’m completely obsessed with the concept of hygge (n): a Danish word that conveys domestic cosiness and warmth. As far as I’m concerned, once the temperature drops, the idea of cosiness and a feeling of wellbeing is exactly what we all need. I find a bit of nesting - which usually involves PJs, a favourite book and some frothy hot chocolate - really comforting. Happily, the lovely chaps at M&S let me loose in their home department to choose a few essentials that will bring fragrance, comfort and candlelight to your home, to put you in the perfect frame of mind for Christmas.

Read more

The Christmas gift guide: beautiful and useful

The Christmas gift guide: beautiful and useful

/0 Comments/in , , , /by

Here goes, then, with my first Christmas gift guide of the season. I’m so excited! Get the Bublé on! And - bearing in mind my winter self care promises - I’m going to stay true to myself and say - here goes - Christmas pressies can be horrendous. Oh, come on now, we’ve all been there: ugly jumper that you’ve gone ‘oooh, lovely!’ and worn religiously even though you hate it because you didn’t want to upset the giver, useless gadgets that you never used and DVDs when you haven’t owned a player since you got Sky Cinema years ago. I say it every year, but even when we’re embracing our inner William Morrises - I’m paraphrasing here - and having (or giving) nothing that we don’t know to be useful or believe to be beautiful, we need to remember that our idea of beautiful might be different to someone else’s. I’ve come up with a few ways to overcome the gift dilemma and I’ve teamed up with M&S to give you my top picks. Here goes, then… Read more

Weekend wishlist: sweater weather! Cosy knits for autumn

Weekend wishlist: sweater weather! Cosy grey knits for autumn

/0 Comments/in , , , /by

I’m still cultivating my perfect capsule wardrobe, and one of the easiest way to do this is to stick with a palette of colour where everything goes nicely together. You know me - I tend to stick with black, white and grey (with a dash of leopard, which is clearly a neutral). I’ve read a lot recently about seasonal dressing, and it seems to me that people tend to fall into one of two camps: those that are happier in summer, or those that find dressing for autumn and winter easier. I love layers, jeans and jumpers so for me, autumn dressing is my absolute favourite. One of my style staples is a soft, squishy jumper, preferably a little oversized. I’m a bit addicted to cosy grey knits for autumn - they work with black jeans and trousers as well as toning with most other colours, so you really get your money’s worth.

Read more

Weekend wishlist: home essentials for university with M&S - charcoal throw modelled by Lyra

Weekend wishlist: home essentials for university with M&S

/2 Comments/in , , , , /by

It’s that time again *sniff*. This time last year we were shopping to furnish Charlie’s first university room and it was honestly such a hard thing to do. The house seemed so empty and the dog sulked for about two weeks (Charlie’s her favourite). I know it’s always a bit emotional when the kids go back to school: the little ones start in reception when you still feel like they’re your baby, and the bigger ones seem so tiny when they start secondary school. And then it seems like seconds later and you’re saying goodbye to a kid who’s off to uni and it’s pretty darn hard. This year, he’s moving into his own flat with a couple of friends (how can this be possible? He was only just starting school, like, yesterday!), so we’ve been on the hunt for reasonably priced, good quality home essentials for university living, and where better to start than good old M&S? Read more

a shopping spree at the new shopDisney store!

Weekend wishlist: a shopping spree at the new shopDisney store!

/0 Comments/in , , /by

You probably know that I love a little bit of Disney magic, so I was delighted to hear that there’s a brand new site where you can buy everything Disney. At new shopDisney.co.uk, you can find absolutely everything Disney-related, with twice the amount of merchandise found at any other Disney retail outlet, including incredible exclusives, special editions and collaborations. I thought I’d give you a little roundup of what to expect, so come with me for a little shopping spree at the new shopDisney store.

Read more

Weekend wishlist new season trends are landing

Weekend wishlist: new season trends are landing!

/0 Comments/in , , , /by

All I’ve wanted to wear for the last few weeks is strappy dresses, shorts and vest tops, which is glorious (I could live with this weather all year round - I love the sunshine). But all good things must come to an end and as usual at this time of year, new, autumnal items are starting to appear all over the high street (and the internet). I thought I’d dedicate this weekend’s wishlist to a few new season trends. And while some are more wearable than others - I’ll be steering clear of capes, thank you very much - there are some gorgeous new season pieces appearing. Here are some of the ones I’ve spotted.

Read more

Weekend wishlist floaty dresses for hot summer days

Weekend wishlist: perfect dresses for hot summer days

/0 Comments/in , , , , /by

It’s hot, hot, hot! I think I might be in the minority in that I absolutely love a heatwave. There’s nothing guaranteed to make me hop out of bed in the morning than a peek of a sunny day blossoming through the crack in the curtains. In this weather there’s nothing better than a loose dress, catching every little bit of breeze, and not clinging to you in the heat. So, for this weekend’s wishlist, I thought I’d have a look for a few deliciously light, floaty, cool options - all perfect dresses for hot summer days.

Read more

The hush x Balance Me summer edit

Weekend wishlist: the hush x Balance Me summer edit

/0 Comments/in , , , , /by

I do love a little travel kit, don’t you? There’s something about teeny products that I love - they’re perfect for travel, or just popping in your handbag, and I’ve absolutely fallen in love with this gorgeous hush x balance Me summer edit skincare set. I mean, as if the cute jelly watermelon pink limited edition pouch didn’t light your fire, they’ve only gone and covered it in palm print too. It’s like it was meant for me! Happily, the products inside are brilliant as well - I’m just discovering the Balance Me range and I’m loving everything about the botanically active products, most of which are 99%, if not 100% natural.

Read more

New hush high summer styles

Weekend wishlist: new hush high summer styles

/0 Comments/in , , , /by

I was lucky enough to be on a cruise around the Greek islands this week (I took over P&O Cruises’ Instagram account, if you’d like to take a peek - more about beautiful P&O Cruises Oceana coming soon). It’s scorchio in Greece at the moment. On Saturday we docked in Piraeus and travelled a couple of hours inland to visit the ancient archaeological site of Delphi. It’s beautiful, but there are a lot of steps and steep slopes and very little shade, and in 35 degree heat, it made me realise that my crocheted black dress (although light - it’s a Next beach dress) was woefully badly chosen. What I needed was light, airy, cool and as much as I love it - possibly not black. Hush have added quite a few new pieces to their summer collection, which includes lots of lovely lightweight dresses, so I think I might invest in a few for my next trip. Here’s my weekend wishlist chosen from the new hush high summer styles.

Read more

Weekend wishlist - the perfect holiday capsule wardrobe with M&S

Weekend wishlist: the perfect holiday capsule wardrobe with M&S

/0 Comments/in , , , , /by

Isn’t this weather glorious? Last week, we were lucky enough to have a little adventure on board Royal Caribbean’s newly refurbished Independence on the Seas, and from there I went straight to Gatwick for a quick overnight at the BLOC Hotel there (write up coming soon) before flying to Palma on assignment for Cruise International for the launch of Marella Cruises (formerly Thomson Cruises) brand new ship, Marella Explorer. Fab fun, but the challenge was that I had to have cabin baggage only for two trips, which forced me to think long and hard about what I needed to take. Happily, this means that I’ve been testing out the perfect holiday capsule wardrobe and I think I’ve come pretty close.

Read more

Weekend wishlist chic dressing for sunny days

Weekend wishlist: chic dressing for sunny days

/6 Comments/in , , , /by

This week, having finally beaten the jetlag which has been making everything foggy and slow, and also having finished drafting all of the new recipes for the book update I’m writing for a work thing (woohoo!), I woke up to beautiful, spring sunshine streaming through the window. I sat and had a cup of tea with the dog on my favourite blue seat in the garden and watched as my beautiful baby cherry tree shed its blossom in the breeze, like pretty pink snowfall. Oh, isn’t it glorious? As you know, I’ve been lucky enough to have had a couple of trips away so far this year, but even then, I rarely feel like I nail the effortless sunny day dressing thing. As much as I’d love to wear bright colours and prints, I just don’t feel right in them. I’m a more relaxed, monochrome dresser at heart, but feel this mostly lends itself to winter dressing: black jeans, grey cashmere and white shirts are an easy uniform, somehow, when it’s cold. So is it possible to dress for summer without opting for brights and florals (yes, I know they look lovely on some people), well, I’ve had a scout around, and here are a few of my favourite things for chic dressing for sunny days.

Read more