If you're anything like me, you approach jumpsuits with great trepidation. VPL, tight around the bottom and potentially unflattering over the tummy are all things that strike fear into the heart of me. I've been there, done that and seen the photographs. They weren't pretty.
Jumpsuit in pebble from Asquith (£79) styled with trainers from Air & Grace and a statement necklace
When a brand approaches me and the words "women's activewear" appears in the email, I'm interested! And when that activewear is made "ethically, using eco-fabrics - organic cotton and bamboo" then my interested is really piqued - largely because I don't know that much about bamboo. And this is exactly what happened when Asquith got in touch to see whether I would like to collaborate with them.
In all honesty I don't think that I had heard of Asquith before they approached me, which was a real shame as I feel that I may have been missing out all these years. The first thing that I do on being approached by a brand is to head over to their website to take a good look around, particularly at their "About us" page. I'm always interested to know their back story as it often stems from something really interesting. And then quite often I pick up the phone and speak to the brand direct to find out more about them.
Alice Asquith was way ahead of the game when she created Asquith in 2002. Her love of fabrics and design, coupled with her love of yoga and pilates led to her creating one of the first "street to studio" brands for organic activewear. She was passionate that the pieces were ethically made from the best eco friendly fabrics available and that her designs could bridge the gap between pilates or yoga, the school run, the beach, as loungewear or for travelling in.
Now, aside from organic activewear being better for the environment, one of the things that interested me was the claim that clothing made from bamboo really could be soft, sweat wicking and comfortable. In my head I had visions of pandas eating bamboo and I couldn't work out for the life of me how that could be turned into something that I would want to wear. I also learnt from my conversation with Asquith that bamboo is breathable and therefore so much better to wear than lycra for working out in, plus it is great for travelling in.
Jumpsuit in pebble from Asquith (£79) - sunnies and sandals are all that you need
The piece that I chose for our collaboration together was the Jumpsuit (£79) which also comes in pebble. As I mentioned above, jumpsuits can strike fear in my heart but then again I thought that I spotted some strategically placed ruching (always a positive) and the legs looked as though they had enough room in them, it also came with detachable straps plus, a jumpsuit can be hugely versatile.
I took the jumpsuit away to Dubai with me, where I styled it in three different ways for daytime looks, but to be honest, there are unlimited ways that this jumpsuit could be worn. I like the idea of it with heeled sandals, a tux jacket and lots of gold jewellery for more of a dressed up look.
With hi-tops and a utility jacket for a daytime sporty look
I loved wearing this jumpsuit and can't wait for some warmer weather to arrive so that I can wear it again. With its 95% bamboo and 5% elastane composition, it was super comfortable, even in the heat (and there wasn't a spiky bit of bamboo, or a panda, in sight).
Alongside a drop of gin and the odd Easter Egg, I'm always up for a little bit of healthy living, which is rich really coming from the person who has just spent five days in bed with something horrible. Having said that it did give me A LOT of time to stare out of the window and think. And I decided on a few things. First, our bedroom needs decorating. Secondly, I need to do more ironing. Thirdly, I'm going to try and carve out some more time for yoga as well as incorporating more bamboo in my life, because I think that it's important to take time to breathe more deeply and to think about the planet a little more.
Please note: This was a sponsored post written in conjunction with Asquith, whose pieces I am really smitten by!
