30 Classic Dresses For Your Spring-Summer Wardrobe.

I've become a midi-dress-aholic.

And unashamedly at that, let me add!

There are so many great, beautiful and affordable options out there at the moment, my shopping baskets are positively groaning. All of which weigh heavy on my bank balance but bring heady joy to my heart!

So let me share some of my favourites from the web to inspire your Spring-Summer wardrobes - including the one I have on:

Spring Beauty 2019.

Is is that time of year already?

It's becoming a bit of a tradition to share a really lengthy (and today's really is that..) beauty post with you every Spring, and something that I love doing.

I'm really happy with the beauty products I'm using at the moment. I've found my skin has become less oily so I'm favouring slightly different skincare products. I've also taken more of a keen interest in clean beauty, and natural/organic makeup has really improved over the past couple of years.

So for the hair, skincare and makeup highlights of my Spring beauty arsenal, keep reading!

10 Things That've Made Me Happy Lately #20

one. // spending a couple of hours at a 'Guide Dog event' at F's work. Really just getting to play with the most gorgeous puppies and dogs for an afternoon. And all my favourite breeds. Ergh, I just want to squeeze something thinking about how adorable they are!

two. // finding simple, classic pieces at Uniqlo! I'd forgotten about the brand for several years but my friend recently bought the most perfect skirt there and my love was reignited. So many classic pieces and really affordable too. A few bits below for you!

three. // all the cherry blossom, magnolia and Spring blooms. Sometimes we miss out on beautiful architecture or spectacular natural wonders living out in the suburbs, but there can be the most beautiful blossom tree on even the dullest of streets!

four. // I've had such joy putting together my Spring wardrobe. Ha, 'putting together my Spring wardrobe' aka - just shopping ;) But I've especially enjoyed it nonetheless. Going a bit mad with the blue and white stripes. And very much so with broderie! Picked up a couple of really great value pieces recently so I'll share some favourite finds below (anything you love??):

five. // wild salmon and homemade salsa verde. Favourite combo of the moment for dinner. 

six. // F being so supportive with dad/surgery etc recently.

seven. // The clocks going forward and having an extra hour of light - it really lifts my mood, anyone else? (I'm assuming everyone else ;)

eight. // Notting Hill in the Spring. We spent a lovely sunny day there recently - lots of blossom, picked up a couple of lovely pieces in Portobello Road, had some delicious snacks and sweet treats, spent a while in the gorgeous Sezane store, so lovely.

nine. // featherlight Japanese sponge cake a la Castella. We've just found a new source in the form of a local asian supermarket ;)

ten. // I recently shared some of my favourite feeds on Instagram - Zoe, Sara, Hillary to name but a few.

What's been making you happy lately?

xx

My Favourite Books For Feel-Good-Food Inspiration.

Hello friends!

Someone recently asked me about my recipe book collection, and what sorts of recipes I turn to when I want to make an effort at eating healthily and wholesomely but need inspiration so my meals aren't soul-dampeningly boring...

So today's post is about those such books (I'm a bit of a recipe book fan hoarder lover so I'm just picking 6 today).

And frankly, whether or not you're actively trying to keep an eye on what you eat, the recipes found in these books are straightforward, nourishing, and well, just make you feel good!

Glazed Almond St Clements Torte (Gluten Free).

I've just noticed that my last three recipes have been fruit based. And I'm going to bolster that and add to the collection with a fourth today.

I've always been into citrus desserts but I've a real hankering from them especially at the moment. Lemon curd and raspberry madeleines, tarte au citron, iced blood orange cake, the list seems endless.

Today's recipe is my take on the classic St Clement's cake.

Sweet sunshine of orange meets lemon's tart astringency in a dessert that F is particularly taken with, I hope you are too!

The Two Pieces Of Country-Classic Attire I'm Loving Right Now.

I've a contented grin on my face right now.

Partly due to the glorious sunshine we've been bestowed lately.

And partly due to a couple of newcomers to my wardrobe.

19 Classic Spring Favourites Under £100.

I'm a bit fed up of expensive fashion at the moment.

I've been catching up with some of my favourite blogs, seeing the most beautiful recommendations, clicking the links and being met with a $750 dress or pair of heels etc. And at the moment, it just seems like I'm encountering that all the time!

I'm of course not averse to an investment piece (Celine is one of my most prized items after all!) but coughing up that sort money with any regularity for a single, solitary item of clothing irks me a little. Especially when there are so many beautiful options that just happen to kinder on our wallets, without skimping on style or quality!

So today I'm sharing a handful of my current favourite finds, all under £100. Actually, a lot of the items are far less, so I hope you find something you love!

1. Striped wrap top // 2. Summery lightweight trouser //3. Marina bra // 4. Tan sliders - a steal!!

5. Square neck linen top // 6. Blush/cheek palette // 7. Embellished straw clutch

8. Striped peplum top // 9. Scalloped, cut out swimsuit // 10. Broderie peplum top

11. Ivory woven clutch // 12. Sky blue linen dress // 13. Rose Migonnerie perfume // 14. Knotted heels

15. Beige shirt dress // 16. Broderie shirt // 17. Blue boucle blazer

18. Silk blouse // 19. Blue broderie skirt




There's a bit of a theme...

I can't hit spring and not want to jump into a sea of blue and white and broderie, so plenty of that.

The sort of tan, plaited slider of Saint Laurent yesteryear are around everywhere this year in a most affordable variant (the price of two decent pastries, because that's how I measure value these days). These ones are under £10 as I write this, so perhaps that's even 1.5 pastries?!

What's on your Spring wishlist anyway?

xx

An Affordable Way To Store Your Makeup.

I wanted a very speedy and entirely affordable solution to storing my makeup - something clean and simple but that I wouldn't mind replacing with perhaps more of an investment piece later down the line.

I've found a setup that I'm really pleased with, works perfectly for now for the guest room (or PR/girl-den..), and everything you need comes in under £100, so let me share with you all the details :)

I Gave Up Sugar For 8 Weeks And This Is What Happened.

Until February 28th, I had, rather unwillingly, been 'sugar-free', for just about 9 weeks.

A few things were hardly a surprise, but I learnt quite a bit along the way and I'm sharing that all with you today.

Five Little Things.

Haaappy midweek friends! I'm on post-surgery meds and have hayfever at the moment that are making me a bit loopy jolly at present. I hope you all devoured great stacks of pancakes yesterday - luckily they're soft so I was able to have mine, doused in maple syrup a plenty. Just had a bowl of very ripe mango too. And some citrus-spiked cake from Konditor & Cook, which I'm certainly going to recreate for my own tastes very soon I'm sure.

For today anyway, I just wanted to publish an ever so casual post sharing five little things I'm loving at the moment - I hope you enjoy!

one. // You

F and I have watched a couple of episodes so far and whilst I didn't think I'd like it, I do. If you've ever watched It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, the main character completely reminds us of Dennis Reynolds (The D.E.N.N.I.S system anyone?) and I like that they've painted so many good attributes into Joe's character, you almost start excusing his psychopathic behaviour and nodding along to his internal monologue..

two. // Dr. Roebuck's Healing Mask (UK | US)

It's a very idyllic picture they paint for this mask. The colour of Tamara beach, feeling like you've spent weeks on an Oz beach etc. This is the first product I've tried from the clean-Aussie-skincare brand and I really like - so a big thank you to Dr. Roebucks for sending it my way! Avocado, manuka honey, vitamin E, lots of great ingredients. A scary colour out of the tube, I thought it might stain but of course it doesn't. I checked my hand intently after this swatch!

three. // Kristin Ess Leave In Conditioner

My hair is just.. terrible for tangling itself up, and having ordered the Extra Gentle shampoo and conditioner, I found myself picking up the leave in spray too. Very light in texture, doesn't weigh my hair down at all, makes it feel softer and a bit more manageable. It only seemed very recently that Kristin Ess was just available in the US but it's now stocked at Feelunique (yippee) so I shall be buying more from the range I'm sure.

four. // Caudalie Divine Oil

I don't know what it is lately but I'm rather addicted to Caudalie scents. That sort of sweet, ancient-apothecary sort of smell. Which this and the Beauty Elixir have in abundance, and is probably why I keep repurchasing them. Caudalie sent me over this oil the first time around, but I like it so much, this is my new, second bottle. The spray is what does it for me I think too - I like to spray this onto my decolletage area and arms mainly, or down the shins (not that anyones going to be seeing the skin there in this weather! Besides, no-one needs to know that my legs go unshaven a lot more during the colder months ;).

five. // Eat Beautiful (UK | US)

Strangely enough, as I've not been able to eat a varied diet lately, I've been even more keen on flicking through recipe books. And the sort of beginnings of Spring make me far more inclined to thumb through something that's considered a little healthier. This book is gorgeous, and contains, if you don't already own it, a selection of recipes and tips to keep your skin looking and feeling healthy and radiant.

Bonne semaine a tous!

xx