MSH Backup

And here we are again! With a slight break in the heatwave, I’m making the most of ploughing through all of those little jobs which have seemed like far too much effort over the last few weeks, as well as having a bit of a wardrobe regroup so that I’m fully prepared as and when the temperatures start to rocket again. As you might expect, for the last month or so I’ve been proactively seeking out shade, as well as maximising the cold setting on the shower- if anyone has any top tips for conquering the warm weather please send them my way! Heatwave aside, the last few weeks have been punctuated by lots of lovely goings on, including my first trip to Devon!  Independence Day at Balthazar/South London sunset/ RHS Hampton /Sunshine yellow/RAF 100!/St. Paul's in the sun/ New Glossier favourites /A fresh Kitri buy/Local wandering/Sunday reading/Green shoots/A new addition to my desk from Rifle Paper Co./Door goals/Dreamy Devon/Dune conquering/Another stunning sunset Idyllic or what?! Need...

Phew! Now that the heatwave seems to be on hold, I'm starting to feel a bit less fuzzy! Looking ahead, it doesn't look like the respite is going to last for all that long, but for the time being at least I'm making the most of things being at a normal temperature again to regather a selection of summer beauty heroes which have been making things slightly more bearable over the last few weeks:  I'm a big fan of the Kiehl's hand salve as a year-round hero, but when I popped into store a few weeks ago I was introduced to this new Richly Hydrating Lavender version, which has become a firm favourite since I picked it up. Lightly scented, it's formulated with Shea Butter and Vitamin E so is perfect for hydrating hands and feeling fresh on the go- the lavender scent is one which I always associate with summer thanks to the flowers which burst into bloom in the garden at this time of the year, so it's lovely to have a slice of it ready to go when I'm on the move...

As I touched on in my last post, navigating what to wear in this prolonged heatwave can be something of a minefield, particularly if you’re trying to balance keeping cool with work appropriate attire. As well as rummaging through my wardrobe (and in the process finding things I’ve not worn in five years or so!), I’ve made some strategic investments over the last month or so- snapping up pieces which are ideal for this weather whilst still leaning towards the smarter side of the style spectrum: Dress- Arket  Sunglasses- Ray Ban (c/o John Lewis)  Bag- Cath Kidston  Shoes- Zara  I spied this dress in Arket way back at the start of the summer and it’s one of those pieces which I’ve been contemplating picking up ever since. I had a feeling that I might have missed the boat completely after it sold out online, but luckily it was still in stock in the Covent Garden branch, so last payday I took the plunge and snapped it up. It’s already well and truly proving to be a real i...

With our summer already having lasted so much longer than the average, I’m sure that I’m not alone in having hit something of a style stalemate. Don’t get me wrong, seeing the sunshine more frequently is fantastic, as well as being a brilliant mood booster, but I’m struggling to get to grips with what to wear day after day in the warm weather. Whilst I’ve got a selection of staples, there’s a serious vacuum in my wardrobe for summer essentials- which might explain why I’ve found myself making some spur-of-the moment purchases to bridge the gap between now and the inevitable cooldown. Having shopped around a lot over the last few weeks, I’ve fallen hook, line and sinker for Kitri’s effortless cool:    Eliana Striped Dress, £145/St Paul de Vence Tee, £45/Phoenix Floral Dress, £145/Black Ribbed Tee, £35/Dominique Linen Blazer, £145 How gorgeous is this striped dress? Made with summer holidays and effortless dressing in mind, it’s one of those real investment buys which you know w...

With this heatwave seeming to be here for the foreseeable future, I’m sure that I’m not the only one who has been rummaging around in my wardrobe for a selection of weather-appropriate things to wear. It’s one thing to be at home during a heatwave, where various combinations of shorts, smocks and, in my case, pyjamas, are the perfect options for keeping cool, but mastering warm weather officewear is another matter entirely. Needless to say, whilst I’ve been avoiding lingering in direct sunlight for too long, I’ve also been puzzling out a series of outfits for current temperatures: Kimono- Oasis Top- ASOS Trousers- Espirit (via ASOS)  Shoes- Gap  Bag- Cath Kidston  Sunglasses- Ray-Ban (c/o John Lewis) I’ll always be eternally indebted to whichever deity of sale shopping was smiling on me the day that I came across this kimono from Oasis- the only one left in the entire store, and for under £10 too! It’s one of those perennial pieces of perfection which I find myself reachi...

Just over a week or so ago, Mum and I made our annual pilgrimage to Hampton Court Palace Flower Show. Whilst an absolute shambles on the trains made it a bit touch-and-go as to whether we’d get there at all or not, luckily we made it after jumping in the car- and treated ourselves to a blissfully air-conditioned taxi home. Although visiting the flower show is a regular fixture now, it’s still a really special experience, especially when it incorporates a leisurely boat journey across the river:    This year’s show felt busier than I think I’ve ever known it before, and although the heat made it pretty hard-going at times, I’ve learnt from experience that pacing myself is essential. As well as some really inspiring show gardens, this year I really enjoyed the addition of the grown your own element- with exhibitors including Borough Market showcasing green growing and all of the most fruitful edible plants. It goes without saying that the Floral Marquee is always a highlight too...

Working in the middle of London, it's really easy to become a creature of habit and only visit a series of places on rotation at lunchtime or at the end of the day. Given that I'm usually up against the clock as far as downing any form of food is concerned, it's always lovely to carve out some time to indulge properly, especially at the end of a busy week. The perfect opportunity to try somewhere new came up a little while ago, with a post-work visit to a Covent Garden gem: Sweetheart Cupcakes is a small but perfectly formed little bakery which sits on the lower level of Covent Garden Market, and is somewhere which I've been meaning to pop into for as long as I can remember - especially as they offer such a broad variety of bakes. Although the cafe itself is quite compact, there's a myriad of options on offer to satisfy even the sweetest of teeth, with seemingly limitless options served on rotation as well as more traditional offerings, such as afternoon tea. It was...

Because I’m usually in so much of a rush first thing in the morning, it’s a rare occasion indeed which sees me divert from my usual routine as far as day to day makeup is concerned. I’ll usually plump for products which are easy to apply and fairly long lasting, especially with the weather still on the warm side. Over the last year or so, however, most of my daily essentials have undergone something of a wholesale transformation- from a pick and mix, pot luck of brands to a more or less entirely Glossier affair. There’s something really appealing about the low maintenance, fuss free feeling which so many of their products advocate, and, having been using the basics for a while now, a few weeks ago I treated myself to some new additions:    I can’t quite believe that it’s taken me so long to try Birthday Balm Dotcom, but now that I have I’m well and truly converted. It’s the perfect soothing balm for lips and other dry patches, and is really long lasting too- a great summer hol...

Phew! What a warm couple of weeks we've had! Don't get me wrong, it's lovely to see the sunshine after such a long winter, but any hot spell which lasts longer than a week invariably means that this country grinds to a more or less total standstill- especially as far as public transport is concerned!  As well as that, I'm sure I'm not the only one who has found myself panic purchasing some high summer wardrobe additions- I've even been rummaging around in  my long neglected summer holiday drawer for some weather friendly pieces! Before the heatwave took hold, however, I found myself living in a combination of style staples which are fairly recent additions to my wardrobe, but which are already well on their way to becoming real classics: Top- Comme des Garçons (via Dover Street Market)  Jeans- Whistles Shoes- Gap Bag- Cath Kidston Sunglasses- Ray Ban (via John Lewis) It really doesn't get much better than a classic breton top as far as style essentials go, a...

Phew! June- done! And time for a six month retrospective on how the year is ticking along so far- things are moving quickly but I’m really happy to have had a big weight lifted off of my mind by getting to the bottom of a personal medical mystery recently, firmly sticking to the resolution which I set myself at the start of the year to prioritise self care and stop ignoring those little niggles. Otherwise, I’ve also reignited a love for getting lost in a good book, and have got some much-anticipated travel in the offing for the next few weeks- watch this space for more soon! The last month has been quite a lovely one too, with a fair proportion of cultural consumption peppered with some other fun: Summer skincare from Origins/A new planting project from Burt's Bees/Blue skies/Finally visiting On the Bab !/ Peace & Love /Weekends/A new favourite from The Body Shop / Sea Wall at The Old Vic- incredible/ Secret corners / Translations at the National Theatre- another treat/Garden...

With the soaring temperatures showing no signs of abating just yet, I'm following some simple rules to make weathering the weather as hassle-free as possible. Whilst the need to keep hydrated is obvious, it's not always the easiest thing to follow through on, so I've been filling a litre bottle to keep on my desk every day at work- and so far, it's working wonderfully! As well as that, I'm definitely not scrimping on the suncream, and have taken to using only the essentials in the makeup stakes on a day to day basis, favouring products which require minimal effort but which offer a hearty payoff. One such multipurpose marvel comes in the shape of a recent addition to my beauty bag from Nars:   As well as being enveloped in some of the prettiest packaging I've seen in a long time, this freshly released Afterglow Lip Balm is a real treat too- an everyday, functional product which feels fantastically luxurious. A sheer pink, it glides on effortlessly first thing in...