MSH Backup

There's something crushingly ironic about the fact that I'm penning this post having just been absolutely drenched and windswept the moment I set foot outside of the front door- an indicator, I suppose, that the Great British Summertime is well and truly with us! After the glorious weather of last week, it's probably no surprise that the cosmic balance has been restored rather rapidly- something which is making me even more grateful for having been able to get away last month. The sunny South of France was every bit as beautiful as I expected it to be (keep your eyes peeled for some more posts coming soon!), and provided some seriously tip top backdrops for showcasing some of my suitcase staples: Blouse- Marks and Spencer  Top- ASOS  Shorts- Topshop  Sunglasses- Ray Ban (via John Lewis)  This blouse from Marks and Spencer featured in a recent outfit post, and, from the moment I picked it up, I knew it would be perfect for the beach too- it certainly did a fantastic j...

Goodness me, what a month this last one has been. On a personal level, it's been one of the hardest periods of my life, and one which I don't think I'll be sharing too much about online, but needless to say that I've never been more grateful for the support of some truly amazing friends. More broadly speaking, the horrific events in Manchester earlier in the month and in London over the weekend have also been difficult to comprehend, but the determination and resilience of these two incredible cities has been an inspiration, much like the courage of the emergency services and those affected in standing shoulder to shoulder, in defiance of these attempts to disrupt the normality of every day. With that same spirit in mind, I'm determined to look forward to some lovely summer plans- as well as looking back with fondness at some beautiful moments which have punctuated the last month: Blue skies making Monday that little bit more bearable/Making the most of peony season...

One of my pet peeves about the transition from winter to spring (as well as the sheer amount of energy expounded trying to find a suitable space to stash my knitwear!), is the amount of body admin involved. If you're anything like me (pale), the thought of displaying more flesh than usual is one which will fill you with a near Victorian sense of apprehension. My skin tends to really suffer with dryness during the winter months, so, when the warmer weather roles around, I'm always on the lookout for products which make the transition into spring as straightforward and hassle-free as possible. One such recent bodycare discovery comes in the shape of Dove's Derma Spa Body Oil: This product has become a real hero of mine over recent weeks, and is something which I've found myself reaching for on a daily basis. It's a light, fast absorbing moisturising oil with just a splash of shimmer added- ideal if you, like me, are looking to cheat your way to something remotely clos...

Although I'm a fan of switching up my wardrobe every now and again, sometimes there are few things more comforting than taking things back to basics, styling staple pieces which are real everyday essentials. I'm sure I'm not the only one who finds myself largely reaching for the same pieces on rotation week after week (more out of habit than anything else!), but it's always reassuring to be able to grab these old favourites without having to worry about how well they work together. As such, in recent weeks, I've been keeping things quite classic with a combination of monochrome marvels: Jacket- c/o Warehouse  Blouse- COS  Trousers- ASOS  Shoes- c/o Boden  Most of this outfit is a combination of perennial favourites- and I'm sure you're all bored stiff of seeing the same basic black pieces styled with various combinations of white shirts! Having said that, I don't think it's a combination that I'll ever get tired of wearing- so I'm sure this d...

Whilst I don't get the opportunity to travel anywhere near as much as I would like, taking the time to get away from the hustle and bustle of an everyday routine is always worth it, especially if it involves seizing the opportunity to discover somewhere new. The week before last, after several solid months of anticipation, myself, Sophie, Michelle and Hannah spent a whistlestop long weekend visiting Elodie and her glorious hometown on the beautiful French Riviera. Our crack of dawn flight from Stanstead to Marseille (although a shock to the system!) touched down before 10am- giving us the whole day to explore the rambling streets and stunning seafront of France's second city- and, with a local as a tour guide, uncover some hidden gems in the midst of this bustling, sprawling harbour town: After hopping on the coach from the airport to Marseille St. Charles Station, we began our day exploring the city by taking in some seriously impressive architecture in the shape of the Porte ...

If you're heading away for a short break this summer and if you're anything like me in terms of your packing preferences, you'll find it quite tricky to travel light! There's no doubt that I've got much better at streamlining my suitcase, but it's always tricky to decide what to ditch when you're struggling for space- especially in terms of toiletries. Having said that, however, for my recent trip to the sunny South of France to see Elodie, I was more determined than ever to crack the packing once and for all- and, with the help of some travel sized treasures, I think that I more or less succeeded: This travel sized sample of Live Irresistible by Givenchy is something I've been hanging onto in anticipation of summer holidays, and it definitely earned its keep in France- especially after trekking around Marseille! I've posted about my love for this Hourglass palette in the past, and as well as being a brilliant everyday essential, it's perfect for...

If you've been tuned in to social media over the last week or so, I'm sure you're well and truly switched on to the fact that the last seven days have been #MentalHealthAwarenessWeek. Whilst it would be lovely to live in a society where we could talk openly about mental health, it's sadly still an issue which remains largely stigmatised, particularly in many areas of the mainstream media, and, from my experience, mental well being is, on the whole, considered largely secondary to psychical health, in spite of the two being intrinsically linked. I have to confess, that it's only recently that I've started thinking about how well I feel psychologically, but after a fairly intense start to the year, there's been a definite domino effect in terms of how I've been getting on overall. With that in mind, I thought that sharing my experience might be beneficial- and somewhat cathartic for me too!  I'm no stranger to feeling anxious- and I'm convinced tha...