MSH Backup

Although there’s something really (and wonderfully) comforting about reaching for a regular rotation of pieces during the winter months, there’s no denying that living in the same staples week in week out can get, well, a little bit boring. Don’t get me wrong, I love my usual uniform of jumpers and jeans, but for the sake of a little bit of variety, it’s always nice to have an excuse to switch things up a bit. Luckily, some spring styles are slowly trickling into the shops, and last week I snapped up a piece which I’ve had my beady eye trained on for a little while now:  Dress- Oliver Bonas  Coat- c/o Very  Shoes- Vans  How gorgeous is this dress from Oliver Bonas? They are absolutely winning with all of their spring pieces, and I spied this frock in store a few weeks back. Post payday, I snapped it up, particularly as I know it’s going to be a brilliant investment for the next few months and into the summer. The length is perfect, and I love the contrasting prints, ...

With spring slowly but surely creeping towards us, it's wonderfully cheering to feel the days getting a little bit longer and to see sudden bursts of colour after a very long and dreary start to the year. Spring is my favourite season, and there's something wonderfully reassuring about things renewing themselves after the winter. Similarly, over the last few weeks it's been lovely to see lots of new season lines in the shops- and I'm particularly keen on what the wonderful people at Oliver Bonas have got in store for the next few months: Whilst it might be a little while before we can divest ourselves of our winter woollies and even think about leaving the house without a coat (aka the happiest of days!), it's always lovely to have a sneak peek of what to expect in the shops over the coming weeks and months- and for spring Oliver Bonas are celebrating love. Just in time for Valentine's/Galentine's day, they've got a lovely crop of gifts, as well as some ...

Whilst there's still a distinct chilly feel in the air, the promise of spring is there too- especially as I'm pleased to report that I've got some snowdrops growing in the garden! Hooray! Looking ahead to spring (my favourite season!), I'm really keen to invest sensibly in some pieces which can be styled more sustainably from season to season, as well as items which present excellent value on the cost-per-wear from too. Window shopping around, there's a lovely little crop of bits and pieces which I've got bookmarked: Oversized Wool Blend Plaid Overshirt, £159, & Other Stories/Alda Pink Mug, £15, Oliver Bonas/Selma Sweatshirt, £150, Mother of Pearl/Kennedy Cross Body Bag, £39.50, Oliver Bonas/3D Bee Earrings, £45, Olivia Burton/Indigo Denim Jacket, £165, Toast/New Balance Fuelcore Running Trainer, £58, Free People/Botanical Signet Ring, £108, Free People/Mock Neck Sweater, £35, & Other Stories This wool button up coat from & Other Stories is perfectio...

Brr! Things have definitely taken a turn for the chillier over the last few weeks, haven't they? Whilst I've been using as much spare time as possible to hibernate, sadly I've also been battling to and from work too, contending with cancelled trains and trying not to turn into a block of ice waiting on the platform! At this time of the year (and particularly bearing in mind the eating-centric activities in my diary of late!), I've been keen to combine the practicalities of keeping warm with staying as comfortable as possible too. Luckily, some recent additions to my wardrobe are practically perfect for both purposes: Hat- Oliver Bonas Bonas Jumper- J.Crew  Dress- Monki  Coat- c/o Very  Shoes- Gap This pinafore dress from Monki is the darker wash of the style which I featured in my last style post , and I'm not exaggerating when I say that they are probably the most worn pieces in my wardrobe at the moment- they're just so easy to sling on first thing in the morn...

Now that December is just peeking over the horizon, I’m sure that I’m not alone in wanting to power through my Christmas shopping so that I can coast towards the holidays with my feet up! I’m almost there, and with just a handful of extra bits to pick up, I’m hopeful that I won’t be such a last-minute Linda this year! With that in mind, I’ve rounded up a selection of heavenly homeware to get inspired by- whether it’s for gifting or to treat your own winter den to a bit of a facelift: Pom Pom Knitted Blanket, £35, Laura Ashley/Round Marble Dressing Table Mirror, £125, Oliver Bonas/Overrose Scented Candle in Ultraflora, £45, Workshop Living/Allium in Vase, £9.50, Marks and Spencer/Ceramic Tiger, £18, Oliver Bonas/Scalloped Pink Glass Bowl, £16, Oliver Bonas/Mini Eco Tote, £21, Tidy Street Store/Follow Your Heart Wall Art, £69, Oliver Bonas/Set of two Stoneware vases, £12, Att Pynta/Polka Dot Cat Spoon Rest, £12, Anthropologie/Rifle Paper Company Appointment Notebook, £14, Anthropologie/M...

At this time of the year, you're most likely to find me wrapped up from head to toe in a combination of knits and thermals, but up until quite recently we've been really lucky with the weather, with mild temperatures and bursts of sunshine prolonging the mild autumn just that little bit longer. In the sartorial stakes, this has afforded me the perfect opportunity to inject a splash of new colour and character into my seasonal wardrobe, thanks to a new piece which has become a real firm favourite over recent weeks: Dress- Oliver Bonas  Bag- Zara  Shoes- Gap  Sunglasses- Ray-Ban (c/o John Lewis) How lovely is this dress from Oliver Bonas? I held off snapping it up until the payday before last, by which time of course it had sold out online! Luckily enough, I tracked one down in store and am so happy to have found one in my size- with the perfect winter floral feel I can see why it's been so popular. As well as the lovely print, the style is a dream too, with the midi design...

It’s not often that I get the opportunity (nor indeed show the inclination!) to get dressed up. Day to day, I much prefer reaching for comfortable staples which will see me through the day fuss free and with minimal need for maintenance. Having said that, it does always make a nice change to be able to switch things up a little bit and make an effort, and a little while ago a recent addition to my wardrobe well and truly came to the rescue: Dress- Olivier Bonas  Bag- Linea at House of Fraser  Shoes- & Other Stories  How lovely is this dress? I snapped it up at one of Oliver Bonas’ birthday events last month, and it’s definitely proven to be a worthwhile investment, especially as it wonderfully bridges a smart shaped gap in my wardrobe. The slightly looser fit also makes it brilliantly comfortable too, and as ideal for the daytime as it is for the evening. Here I paired it with some non-sporty footwear (miracle upon miracle!) in the shape of these much hyped buckle loa...

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 ...

Now that the hot weather has finally abated, I’m trying to get a little bit ahead of myself in terms of autumn styling. At this time of the year, I always tend to find myself with a wish list as long as my arm of standout pieces in the shops, but this season I’m determined to take a slightly more sensible approach to my autumn wardrobe by taking stock of what pieces I can get plenty of wear out of over the coming months. With that in mind, I’ve been mindfully investing in the sort of staples which work all year round: Blouse- Toast  Jeans- Whistles  Bag- Olivier Bonas  Sunglasses- Warehouse This blouse was a piece which I spotted in the Toast sale at the end of last month, and so far I've been wearing it a more or less weekly basis. Not only is it ideal for this betwixt and between weather, it's also really comfortable and I love the ruffle detail collar- a touch which will make it wonderful for layering under knits as the weather gets chiller. These jeans from Whistles a...

Given that I spend most of the working week in London, when the weekend arrives I'm always keen to make the most of the time away from town. Don't get me wrong, I can always be lured into jumping on the train for brunch, a visit to an exhibition or a trip to the theatre, but sometimes it's lovely to stay a little bit closer to home and explore the plethora of places which are right on my doorstep. A short hop away on the bus from me is Reigate, a medieval market town which I know really well from my college days, and which is also home to my spiritual home- The Tea House . Over the last couple of years, the town has seen a lovely selection of new shops spring up, with recognisable high street favourites including Whistles and Jo Malone sitting alongside the independent treasures which are always well worth exploring. One of the latest additions is a brand new Oliver Bonas, which opened last month: Occupying what was once an old haberdashery, this branch is one of the bigges...

Now that it feels like spring is in the air at long last, I’m eagerly anticipating packing away my winter coats for another year, and rediscovering some fair-weather wardrobe favourites too. For now, however, we’re trapped in that tricky transitional limbo where it seems to be gloriously sunny one day, and tipping down with rain the next, making it almost impossible to plan what to deck yourself out in in advance. It’s at times like this that I’m always grateful for those wonderfully versatile style staples which lend themselves so well to switching up for all occasions: Jacket- Zara  Jumper- Whistles  Trousers- Espirit (via ASOS)  Shoes- Nike  Bag- Oliver Bonas  The first trip out of the house of the year sans coat always feels a little bit preemptive, but in an attempt to will spring on just that little bit faster, last weekend I threw caution to the wind and plumped for this check jacket from Zara. Slightly oversized, it’s perfect for layering-here I popped i...

I don't know about you, but I can't quite believe that there's only a week left of February- and hopefully only a little while left of winter too. Whilst I've got a feeling that we haven't quite seen the last of the chilly weather just yet, it is lovely to see everything slowly springing back to life as the seasons shift, as well as lighter evenings being a brilliant energy boost too. Over the last month or so, I've amassed a collection of rather miscellaneous acquisitions, ranging from beauty to everyday essentials which have come in really handy as I've been dashing hither and thither: I posted about L'Occitane's collaboration with Rifle Paper Co. a little while ago , and since then I've been regularly reaching for this shea butter hand cream. As well as being a real handbag hero, I've also got some stashed on my bedside table to use in the evenings- perfect as it's so fast absorbing and smells heavenly. This card holder was a lovely gi...

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...

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...

At this time of the year I usually tend to find myself more or less living in a steady rotation of knits (as well as fleecy pyjamas!), which, whilst being hugely practical, doesn't really lend itself to much in the way of wardrobe creativity. In an attempt to switch things up just a little bit, I've been keeping the cold at bay by layering some of my favourite fair-weather tops and blouses over thermals, and so far it's proving to be just the antidote to a woolly washout: Coat- Marks and Spencer Blouse- & Other Stories Trousers- ASOS Shoes- Vans (c/o Spartoo) Bag- Oliver Bonas This blouse from & Other Stories is a recent find, and is proving to be something of a staple at the moment, especially as it's such a versatile, easy to wear piece. I love the statement sleeves too, and I'm sure this will be an investment piece which carries me right through to next season. Here I teamed it with a staple pair of trousers from ASOS and another old classic in the shape ...

Living just outside of London as I do, it's rare that I get the opportunity to enjoy the luxury of an overnight stay in the city- booking into a hotel always feels like a little bit too indulgent when home is just over an hour away on the train. Having said that, with Southern Rail being as unpredictable as ever (leopard, spots etc etc.), sometimes it's worth saving the stress just to be able to relax and enjoy a lovely evening out. Once such occasion arose last week when, in celebration of my gorgeous mum's birthday, I booked us tickets to see Harry Potter and the Cursed Child and an overnight stay in the beautiful Covent Garden Hotel. Packing for a single night away can be a bit of a puzzle, especially if you're looking to travel as lightly as possible, but I've now accumulated a stash of essentials which make the process as hassle-free as possible: In the beauty stakes, it will come as no surprise that I'm a huge fan of using Glossier's products when I...

As I mentioned in my last post, over recent weeks I've been rummaging through my knitwear stash in search of those staples which will make the transition towards winter that little bit easier. Whilst I'm yet to commit fully to retrieving my winter coat from the back of the wardrobe (it's probably on the way to Narnia by now!), I've got a steady rotation of knits on the go at the moment, in an attempt to avoid heading headlong into top-to-toe winterwear too early. Additionally, I've been keen to avoid retreating into dark colours too much of the time, so have been on the hunt for some bolder hues to contrast with my usual winter darks: Jumper- Arket  Jeans- & Other Stories  Shoes- Vans (c/o Spartoo)  Bag- Oliver Bonas  Sunglasses- Ray-Ban (via John Lewis)  How amazing is this knit?! It's my first purchase from Arket, and, suffice it to say that I've been more or less living in it since I snapped it up from their newly opened Covent Garden store a few week...

Now that autumn has arrived in earnest, I've had a long overdue rummage through my colder weather clothing collection, digging out some old favourites in preparation for the arrival of the chillier temperatures. Whilst I love the transitional aspect of autumn, as a rule I much prefer dressing for spring and summer- there's something about living in the same rotation of knits week after week which gets a little bit tedious after a while, don't you think? With that in mind, and in an attempt to avoid arriving at a style stalemate too soon, I've been experimenting with switching up some of my seasonal staples:   Jumper- Marks and Spencer  Skirt- Oliver Bonas  Shoes- Vans (c/o Spartoo) Bag- Oliver Bonas Sunglasses- Ray-Ban (via John Lewis)  Eagle eyed readers will remember this knit from last winter, and it's one of those failsafe pieces which is really easy to reach for first thing on a chilly morning. In an attempt to embrace the final days of late summer sunshine, he...

I don't know about you, but I always tend to forget just how tricky it is to second guess the weather at this time of the year. Granted, a rather unpredictable climate doesn't help- especially when you find yourself contending with torrential rain one minute and glorious spells of sunshine the next. Whilst I'm yet to have a rummage through my stash of winter woollies, recently I've been attempting to cling onto the last of the summer by reaching for some fair weather favourites:  Blouse- Zara  Trousers- ASOS  Shoes- Nike (via ASOS)  Bag- Oliver Bonas  You can never really go wrong with monochrome, especially during the transition between seasons. This blouse is an old favourite from Zara which I've had stashed away in my wardrobe for a fair few years now, and it's a really brilliant versatile basic which I'm sure I'll be hanging on to for many more years to come. These trousers from ASOS are another staple which I more or less live in- so much so that...

Now that we're headed towards autumn in earnest, I'm sure I'm not the only one reaching for some old fashion faithfuls. As the temperatures drop, it's always lovely to get reacquainted with those cosy casuals which wear so well throughout this transitional time of the year, and is a process which makes accepting that summer is over for another year just that little bit easier. As such, I've been rummaging through my wardrobe for some old favourites of late: Jumper- Oliver Bonas  Trousers- Zara  Shoes- Adidas (via Spartoo) Bag- Oliver Bonas  This jumper was something of a spur of the moment purchase which I made last winter, and it's an investment which I couldn't be happier with. Not only is it wonderfully comfortable but it's also great for adding a pop of colour and character to some of my more run of the mill basic buys, as well as being a real mood booster on dark, bleary eyed mornings. Here I teamed it with my Zara culottes- a late summer purchase f...