5 Things Friday

I’ve definitely been a little more sociable recently. I think the warm weather and longer summer evenings make us all eager to venture out. It’s meant I’ve found myself sending the same message to my girlfriends’ WhatsApp group quite a few times recently: “So... what are we wearing tonight?” I genuinely just like to know the vibe, although I’ll admit I’d much rather be over- than under-dressed. Are we all in trousers? Is someone wearing a dress? Is it more flats than heels?

Last week’s heatwave meant I wore shorts most days. Every summer, I have that little voice in my head telling me my shorts-wearing days are over. And then, when the choice is either full-length trousers in 30-degree heat or yet another summer dress, I have a quiet word with myself, pull the shorts on, and get over it. We all have our little insecurities, don’t we? Mine has always been my knees.

This post is sponsored by Uniqlo. I know, a real pinch me moment! I was absolutely over the moon to be asked, as I genuinely love the brand. Every week I wear a selection of Uniqlo pieces, so here are my top five reasons I love Uniqlo! I could easily give more. This is probably the most-worn item in my wardrobe and one that I reach for all year round. Finding the perfect T-shirt isn’t easy.

You know I love an accessory, especially if there’s a bit of matchy matchy involved, so when Burga asked if I’d be interested in giving them a mention and sharing a discount code, my answer was a very quick “yes please”. Burga is my favourite phone case brand, I’ve certainly tried a few over the years. My daughter first recommended them to me and since then I’ve both bought cases myself and received some as gifts.

Since I’ve been back from holiday, I’ve been in a bit of a fashion rut. I’m putting it down to 50% holiday blues and 30% trying to move my wardrobe into its new space - believe me, that has thrown up a whole host of conundrums (watch out for that newsletter coming soon!). And the remaining 20%, I hear you ask? The weather. The British weather is serving up a real sartorial challenge on a daily, if not hourly, basis. There’s absolutely no predicting it.

I came back from holiday to what is now being called a heatwave. In my day, a heatwave went on for weeks and weeks. We had to share bathwater and, at one point, queue in the street to collect fresh water. My mother was furious about that last one, although it does seem strangely nostalgic now. My abiding memory of the 1976 heatwave is the sheer number of ladybirds everywhere.

It’s only been a few short days since we returned from our trip of a lifetime to Malaysia, but it’s given me enough time to reflect on what an amazing experience we had. I’ve said a few times that now our girls are older I want to start ticking off a few dream destinations, and Malaysia had been on my mind for quite a while. I love a holiday — in fact, I love the whole process, from planning the itinerary, to packing the bags, to having everything organised before we travel.

Jewellery finds, cool sunglasses, pedi-ready toes and my new fave trousers Hello and happy Friday! I finally got my dream wardrobe, which Richard worked tirelessly on over the last bank holiday. I mean, if you’re not assembling flat-pack furniture, is it even a bank holiday?

When it comes to capsule packing, I think I’ve pretty much got it nailed. You can probably tell by now how much I love a holiday, and over the years I’ve written a fair few newsletters about how I’ve fine tuned my holiday packing. I also love a little organisation! If I need to work to a tight agenda (a three- or four-night city break, a fortnight by the beach) I can pull together a well-thought-out edit without too much stress.

Swimwear season is here, and it is time to start thinking about what you will be wearing on the beach or by the pool. Give me any excuse and I will head straight for the coast - no holiday feels complete without a dip in the sea. Even on a breezy day here in the UK, I will get in the water. There is something about it that is either invigorating or deeply calming, depending on where you are.