MSH Backup

As I mentioned in my last style shaped post, my current default setting is to reach for all of the knitwear- partly in an attempt to avoid hauling out my winter coat for as long as it humanly possible! Whilst I know that I’ll have to cave in sooner rather than later, for now I’m quite content to live in a succession of one knit after the other, and, as someone who spent most of their formative years living in cardigans, I couldn’t be happier that they’re having something of a renaissance at the moment:  Cardigan- Marks and Spencer  Tee- Kitri  Jeans- Whistles   Trainers- New Balance (via ASOS)  This outfit was one which I rolled out on our final day in Ireland, as we visited Carrickfergus Castle before driving towards Belfast for a whistlestop tour before heading to the airport. With comfort (and warmth!) at the forefront of my mind, I reached again for this Marks and Spencer cardigan- a real new season hero piece if ever there was one. Here I wore it over ...

Now that there’s a definite nip in the air, I’m sure that I’m not the only one with knitwear on the brain. Whilst I’m yet to reach for my coat, I’ve been layering up in a selection of woolen wonders, and rummaging through my wardrobe to dig out some perennial favourites too. Of course, it’s always lovely to treat yourself to some new additions at this time of the year as well, and one of my most recent purchases has been earning some serious cost-per-wear points recently: Jumper- Marks and Spencer  Trousers- lululemon  Shoes- New Balance (via ASOS)  This picturesque backdrop comes once again from the glorious Antrim Glens, and more specifically once we’d conquered the Glenariff Waterfall Walk- hence my elated expression! I’d snapped up this knit from Marks and Spencer in advance of our trip, and it proved the perfect item for stashing in my suitcase. As well as being wonderfully practical (and perhaps one of the most comfortable items in my wardrobe!), the vivid, contrast...

With winter just peeking over the horizon, and a flurry of back to school-esque activity punctuating this time of the year, it can be easy to be left feeling a little bit adrift, especially as the journey towards the end of the year stretches out in front of us. For some inexplicable reason, work always tends to amp up at this time of the year too, something which when combined with darker evenings, chillier mornings and the perennial classic cold and flu season, can leave often leave you feeling rundown. Since recovering from my operation back in April, I’ve been really mindful of pacing myself, and being forced to take things slowly has been really helpful in terms of making me rethink just how to better balance things, and prioritising looking after myself. So, with that in mind, I’ve penned some self care hacks as rules for living over the coming months:  Sleep well  This seems like a slightly obvious thing to say, but there are few things better that a good, full night of...

As we ease into autumn and the seasons start to slowly shift, I'm sure that I'm not the only one thinking about the practicalities of some new wardrobe additions. As I've touched on in a few posts before now, at this time of the year, I always tend to get rather swept up in a back to school sensibility, and in the past I've found myself going slightly shopping happy without really considering the practicalities of what I'm purchasing. Perhaps it's a sign of my getting older, but this year I've got a mental list of all of the essentials to make room for in my wardrobe, and, if I'm being completely honest, am largely prioritising comfort above and beyond anything else! Luckily enough, my recent trip away to Ireland gave me the perfect opportunity to road-test some new season staples before deploying them properly on home turf: Raincoat- c/o Cath Kidston  Trousers- lululemon  Shoes- New Balance (via ASOS) How fantastic is this raincoat? I've been in the...

One of the things which makes visiting Ireland so special is the opportunities which it offers to spend so much time outside, soaking up both the fresh air and stunning scenery. As well as exploring The Causeway Coast , during our recent trip we also made a point of visiting Glenariff Forest Park, a jewel in the crown of the nine Antrim Glens. Glenariff itself is known as the Queen of the Glens, and stands out as one of the most beautiful places I think I’ve ever visited:  Home to nature trials and waterfall walks, it really is hard to put into words just how special Glenariff is- and even in the rain it was still a fantastic afternoon out. We chose to follow both the Rainbow Bridge and Waterfall Walk trials, about 3.5 kilometres in total. With lots of up and downhill trekking, we made sure to pace ourselves as much as possible, and if you’re planning a visit I’d definitely recommend popping to the loo before setting off and making sure you’ve got a bottle of water. I honestly lost...

As we wave goodbye to summer for another year, I’m determined to make the most of the short window of time left to enjoy being out in the garden. Whilst the heatwave wasn’t particularly kind to some of my favourite plants (poor hydrangeas!) now that things have cooled down a little bit it’s lovely to see some others in full bloom again, and hopefully they’ve still got a little bit of flowering power left before the temperatures drop: Dahlias really are the most beautiful gift at this time of the year, and make the slow segue into autumn and winter all the easier- the ones in the garden now have blossomed from bulbs which I picked up in Marks and Spencer, and I’m hopeful that next year they’ll be back in bloom- perhaps planted out into a flowerbed rather than in pots as they are at the moment. Similarly, the delphiniums are loving the last burst of sunshine which we’re having at the moment, and if they’re well protected over the chiller months I’m sure they’ll revive to be even better n...

At the end of last month, along with Hannah, Michelle and Sophie, I was lucky enough to make a return visit to the beautiful Causeway Coast. Staying in the same beautiful corner of County Antrim as I did back in 2016, it was so lovely to once again be surrounded by breathtaking scenery, lush expanses of green and to see the sea- an instant tonic if ever there was one. We were lucky enough that the weather on our first day was glorious, and the perfect motivation to get up and explore our beautiful surroundings: Starting with our now customary visit to The Giant’s Causeway, we walked from our base near Bushmills to see Finn McCool after breakfast, and I don’t think I could ever get tired of these beautiful surroundings- there really is nowhere better to be on a sunny day, with the wind in your hair and the sea spray on your face! The only slight downside is just how busy it was- needless to say this little corner of the world isn’t designed for the countless coaches ploughing up and dow...

Whilst I’ve never really been convinced that the holiday wardrobe is a thing, heading off on a trip always affords a nice opportunity to treat yourself to some new style staples- especially if you’re in the market for some new additions to your wardrobe. I know that beach breaks are a slightly different kettle of fish altogether, but city trips and active holidays always present the ideal chance to bridge any gaps in any wardrobe, especially at the outset of a new season. So, for my trip to Ireland at the end of the last month, I snapped up some real hero pieces which will carry me through the next few months and beyond:  Cardigan- Marks and Spencer  Top- Dorothy Perkins  Jeans- & Other Stories  Trainers- New Balance (via ASOS)  Sunglasses- Accessorize  Picking up something in green for my visit to Ireland seemed almost ubiquitous, and this top from Dorothy Perkins was the perfect purchase, especially as it ticked all of the right comfort boxes too. Wit...

I think it’s safe to say that we’re easing into autumn now, and with the start of the new season comes the perfect opportunity for a bit of a reboot. I think it’s the habitual back-to-school feeling of this time of the year which affords the ideal chance to take a step back and remix things, in whatever capacity that might be. As well as taking stock of some other life bits and bobs, I’m thinking about making some strategic investment buys to see me through the coming months and beyond: Cable Slit Wool Blend Sweater, £59, & Other Stories/Ash Indigo Denim Jeans, £125, Toast/Merino Crew Neck Jumper, £55, Arket/Greyhound Jumper, £42, Warehouse/Oversized Structured Plaid Blazer, £129, & Other Stories/Kin by John Lewis Foldover Backpack, £55, John Lewis/Alex Monroe Gold Plated Alphabet Necklace, £135, Liberty/Pale Pink Mohair Sweater, £139, Whistles/Roman Coin Hoop Earrings, £26, Hush/ Get Your Sh*t Together Journal by Sarah Knight, £12.99, Oliver Bonas.  This boxy knit from ...

Whilst the heatwave of last month feels like ages ago now, I'm really pleased that autumn so far is shaping up to be a fairly sunny one too- especially with temperatures which are much more bearable this time around! Seeing in the new season with a spell of sunshine also makes waving farewell to the summer for another year a little bit more bearable, and there's something really special about the combination of slightly chillier temperatures and brilliant weather which I love- especially as it affords the perfect opportunity to get some more mileage out of some summer style essentials: Top- Monsoon  Jeans- ASOS  Bag- Cath Kidston  Shoes- Gap  Sunglasses- Ray-Ban (c/o John Lewis) I picked up this top from Monsoon back in July, and it's become one of those pieces which I've been more or less living in, particularly as the temperatures rocketed during August. It'll come as no surprise that the blue and white striped design has cemented it as one of my favourite pieces,...

And just like that, we’re into the final quarter of 2018! I’m honestly baffled as to where this year has gone, and can’t help but feel a tiny bit terrified that all of those things where were on my to do list back in January are still largely sitting there, nowhere near close to being ticked off! There’s still time though, I suppose- although my productivity tends to fall off the face of a cliff as soon as the daylight hours reduce- needless to say that I’m not really looking forward to winter! Having said that, over the last month I’ve been lucky enough to cram in quite a lot- including a very green, very active holiday to my favourite place in the world: Heatwave dressing/ Brunching at Hally's /Countryfile Live!/ Exploring Oxford /A new favourite from Monki/ Exploring the original Petersham Nurseries /Coffee shop cool/A  new fragrance /Homeware additions/Love/Ireland!/Kinbane Castle/Beautiful beaches/Glenariff/Cushendun/The most beautiful blooms! I’ve got a post in the planning a...