MSH Backup

It always feels a bit back to front to start looking ahead to spring when there's still a nip in the and it's getting dark by 5pm, but forward planning is always worth spending some time on, especially if you're willing the warmer months to arrive sooner rather than later. With that in mind, I popped along to the Oliver Bonas SS18 press preview last week, prepared to make a mental wish list of almost everything in sight. Suffice it to say there was an array of fantastic homeware and fashion on display: It is always lovely to have a sneak preview of what's about to hit the shops, and after casting my eye over the new season selection of fashion favourites, I'm resolved to book a summer holiday if only for the reason that it'll give me the perfect opportunity to snap up all of these goodies! It was lovely to see an array of contrasting styles, from palm prints to bold block colours, delicate embroidery to characterful patterns- and I'm pretty sure that I'l...

As I've grown older, and have started taking skincare a bit more seriously, I've come to the conclusion that there's no such thing as a 'quick fix'. I shudder to think about how much money I used to fritter away on a post-Saturday job splurge in Boots, hoping against hope that *this* £5.99 tube of face wash would be the one to finally give me miracle skin. Spoiler alert, it didn't happen, but what I learnt from all of those futile shopping trips was that taking time, investing in products which agree with your skin, and being patient is the only thing which pays dividends in the long run- that and drinking lots of water. With that in mind, I must confess that I was somewhat skeptical when I read about Glossier's latest launch- a chemical exfoliator aptly named Solution, which comes with a promise of a reduction of redness, spots and pore size.  However, having gotten on really well with the products which I've purchased from them so far, I added it to my...

It's been a while since I've posted about my adventures in brunching, primarily because it's seemed like an eternity since I've had the opportunity to enjoy a leisurely weekend morning! Luckily all of that changed last Saturday when Amelia and I met up for some food ahead of a trip to the theatre, and, making the most of the opportunity to sample something new, we braved the rain and ventured to Kingly Court to sample the menu at The Good Egg: There's something wonderfully comforting about being able to enjoy a relaxed weekend brunch trip, especially when the weather outside is grey and gloomy. Hot on the heels of the original Stoke Newington restaurant, this Carnaby-centric branch of The Good Egg is the perfect bolthole if you're looking for a calm couple of hours, with the pale pink walls, teal tables and rose gold accents offering an instantly relaxing atmosphere. In such comfortable but well considered surroundings, you might expect the menu to suffer at the...

I don't know about you, but I always tend to forget just how much my poor skin tends to struggle through the winter. Contending with the cold, central heating and general depletion of Vitamin D definitely takes a real toll- and it's one which I always underestimate at the start of the season. With that in mind, since the start of the year, I've been making more of a concerted effort to take care of my skin, battling dryness and cracking- especially at the extremities. As well as being more mindful of what I'm using in the shower (switching to fragrance-free is a game changer!), I've been keeping things nourished with a beautiful new selection of goodies from a very special collaboration: Regular perusers of these pages will be well aware of the fact that I'm a bit of a Rifle Paper Co. fan girl, so when I spotted their specially designed range for L' Occitane, it will probably come as no surprise that I snapped most of it up on the spot! Whilst I'm yet to...

Whilst braving the January sales can sometimes seem like a truly thankless task, if you're well prepared it's an endeavor which can yield some excellent rewards. I've posted in the past about how to be as sales savvy as possible, and the philosophy of bookmarking and buying at a later date is one which has really paid off for me over the years, ensuring that I only spend my hard-earned pennies on pieces which I've been after for a while. This year, it's a strategy which I've deployed to snap up some new essentials which are definitely pepping up my January wardrobe:  Coat- c/o Very Blouse- Whistles  Trousers- Espirit (via ASOS) Shoes- Adidas (c/o Spartoo)  Bag- & Other Stories  This blouse from Whistles is a piece which I spotted at the start of the autumn and have been keeping a beady eye on ever since...for good reason! Just before Christmas it made it into their end of season sale, so I snapped it up in a flash- at half price it was a no-brainer. The star...

*Peeks out from underneath the duvet...* is it the end of the month yet? I know, I know, it's shameful to wish the time away, but January feels like an eternity- especially as the gulf between last payday and next feels absolutely enormous. All is not lost, however, as I've been rummaging about in my stash of beauty goodies to pep the month up a little bit- and have uncovered some complete gems in the process:  This & Other Stories nail polish was a Christmas gift, and the shade (Vivant Ciment) is a wonderfully subtle hue for everyday- drawing on those grey January vibes in the best possible way. So far I've been really pleasantly surprised by how well the formula is holding up too, so I'm definitely going to pop back to my local shop and see which other colours they have on offer. Another beauty goodie which I found under the tree on Christmas morning was this Chanel Coco Eau de Parfum, which is a wonderful scent for winter. Sitting just the right side of musky, wi...

Whilst I've never really bought into all of the 'New Year, New You' hype which accompanies the start of the year (seriously, it's January, you'll be lucky if you can extricate me from underneath the duvet), the promise of a fresh twelve months in prospect does bring with it a certain sense of optimism, which I suppose is best capitalised on early doors. With that in mind, over the last couple of weeks I've tackled a batch of tidying up in an attempt to be a little bit more organised during the year to come, and have also been on the lookout for some fresh style staples to bridge the gap between winter and spring in my wardrobe- and have been bowled over by what Marks and Spencer have on offer at the moment:  Striped Round Neck Jumper, £35/Floral Print Long Sleeve Shirt, £35/Striped Trousers, £27.50/Wool Rich Peacoat, £159/Leather Block Heel Brogues, £49.50/Round Sunglasses, £15/Printed Cross Body Bag, £27.50, all Marks and Spencer.  This round neck knit offers t...

If one of your resolutions for the year ahead is to read more, then we are most definitely on the same page. There are few things I enjoy more than picking up a book, but sadly it's one of those hobbies which tends to fall a little bit by the wayside during the week, especially as I'm guilty of being quite glued to my phone on the daily commute, and am usually too tired to attune my eyes to the pages by the time I get to bed. Having said that, I'm very much determined that this is the year that I'm going to become a little bit better read- and if you're setting yourself the same challenge, then here's a peek at my current bookshelf buys:    Get Your Sh*T Together by Sarah Knight- This book was a lovely Christmas present from Jessie  and is something which I can't wait to get started on. I adored Knight's The Life Changing Magic of Not Giving a F*ck when I read it about eighteen months ago, so am beyond keen to delve into more pages of sage, sassy advice....

Now that Christmas is over and done with for another year, I've found the time to sift through all of the lovely gifts which was lucky enough to receive (including multiple pairs of socks, need I say more!), and share a new beauty favourite with you. I'm a huge fan of Charlotte Tilbury's cosmetics, and under the tree on Christmas morning I was beyond excited to discover her Instant Eye Palette- a one stop shop for easy eye makeup, offering a veritable wardrobe of different looks to kick the year off in style with: Regular readers will be no strangers to the fact that I'm a big fan of eye shadow palettes in lots of different shapes and sizes (as anyone who remembers the release of Urban Decay's original Naked collection probably is!), but this is a selection in a league of its own altogether. I've adored the Charlotte Tilbury shadows which I've had in the past because their staying power is tip top, and this selection of twelve shades is no exception, lasting...

January, January, January. I always find this month something of a slog, particularly as it always feels so long in comparison to the rush and chaos of December. With that in mind, I always find that it's well worth putting some time and energy into planning some lovely activities to help the month seem like less of a struggle, so last Saturday, accompanied by Hannah, I made my way to the Victoria Palace theatre for a long-anticipated trip to see Hamilton ! Beforehand, we made our way to a lunch spot which we'd oath been keen to try for ages- the Tandoor Chop House: Whilst January is often synonymous with detoxing and self-deprivation, I've never thought it the optimum time to reinvent the wheel as far as eating is concerned, particularly if you, like me, still have a whole host of Christmas leftovers hanging about the house. Instead, I'm very keen to make this year a year of new flavours, and new foodie discoveries- and the Tandoor Chop House really was the perfect des...

In terms of weekend wear, at this time of the year it's rare that you'll find me in anything other than pyjamas! Stepping out of the house to go back to work at the start of last week felt very strange, not least in terms of trying to decide what to wear after more or less a solid week of living in my cosy clobber, and over the weekend I found myself once again seriously contemplating whether I could get away with sneaking out in some cleverly disguised pyjamas! No such luck, unfortunately, but in lieu of anything fleecy, I opted for some casual staples which are the next best option for staying comfortable:  Coat- & Other Stories  Top- & Other Stories  Jeans- & Other Stories  Shoes- Marks and Spencer  Hat- Oliver Bonas  Bag- & Other Stories  I honestly didn't realise until penning this post that it's more or less a top to toe combination of favourites from & Other Stories, but I suppose it's proof positive that their clothes are ju...

I always find that making resolutions for the new year is something which makes everything feel terribly pressured- especially as January is a tough enough month to get through at the best of times. Over the next few weeks, I think I'm instead going to capitalise on the spirit of renewal by making a little list of all of the things which I'd like to achieve during the course of the year, whether that's travelling more or spending more time looking after myself. With that in mind, I'm keen to build on the skincare successes which I've had recently, and have collected a little selection of goodies which I've been eagerly trying out: Serums are something which, up until comparatively recently, have been largely absent from my routine, but thanks to Rodial's rose gold offering, I'm well and truly converted. With hydrating and rejuvenating properties a-plenty, it's a great option for this time of year too- especially with the winter weather proving as unp...

Another month, another year gone and here we are at the outset of 2018 with a fresh set of adventures in prospect. You'll know from the post which I penned last week that 2017 was pretty tough going for me at times, but it's definitely taught me a great deal, and I'm very relieved to have made it through to the other side. I'd planned to get a lot of new blog content planned over the Christmas break too, but time really did run away with me a little bit, especially as I've been keen to catch up on as much rest as possible before heading back to work. Anyway, with reflection in mind, here's a look back at my the final month of my 2017 in pictures:  My birthday kicked off the momth!/Gorgeous present from the dream team /Carnaby Street looking fabulously festive!/Standard evening at work/Covent Garden bringing all of the Christmas decor.../Tree-tastic/Stopping to take in the Natural History Museum in full Saturday afternoon glory/Must read!/Regent Street looking s...