A "back of the net" dress from Whistles

Rosie Lace Panel Dress from Whistles (£165)

We all need one of those dresses in our Wardrobe that we can just pull out at a moments notice, safe in the knowledge that it's not going to let us down by demanding the perfect tan, or particular underwear, or a particular event for that matter. It needs to make us look presentable and to give the impression that we're on top of our game - even when nothing could be further from the truth.

And that's what I mean by a "back of the net" dress. I'm not saying that I look great it in, just that it would do a good job and get me out of trouble, if it did find its way into my wardrobe.

As many of you will know, Whistles (along with many other stores) has a sale on at the moment. I  first wore the blue version of this dress a few weeks ago when presenting an event and when it went into the sale (the blue version is £145 as opposed to £165 for the red) I decided to give the red one a whirl. 

I also have the blue one in a box upstairs as I need to compare them against one another. It might be that I don't keep either but here's a photo of the blue one. So come on you stylish ladies, which one do you prefer? I thought that I had a clear winner but now I'm not so sure!

Have any of you found any great sale pieces? If so, I'd love to hear about them!

A gorgeous summer dress from HUSH

Hush Magnolia Dress from John Lewis (£89) Ear-rings Alice's Wonders (£6) Shoes Jigsaw (previous season)

I love a good black dress in the summer and equally, I love a good cream or white dress. This Hush Magnolia dress is white but I wouldn't say that it's a brilliant, bright, white - it's more of a creamy white. 

I spotted this dress when I was in John Lewis at the weekend and thought that the styling of it was great, which is why I wanted to share it on here. 

OK so it doesn't have sleeves, which I know lots of women prefer but it does have a v-neck which as those of you with a bit of a curve in the boob department will know, is a good thing. The straps are wide enough to accommodate a decent width bra strap and the way it nips in at the narrowest part of the waist is flattering.

It can be really hard to find the v-neck/wide strap/ nipped in waist combo in a dress and if you do, often the skirt lets it down by either being very full in a 1950's style way, or more commonly, they are found on a maxi dress.

The skirt part of this dress isn't too full though, plus it's a great length, lending itself to heels, flats or skater trainers. Plus - just look at those pockets! For those of you who like pockets, this is a winner!

Hush Magnolia Dress from John Lewis (£89)

I love the simplicity of this dress as it's such a great backdrop for so many looks, whether it's with pom pom sandals for a casual summer day, with a black jacket for a monochrome look, with tan accessories for a typical summer colour combination or with neon brights - like this lovely ear-rings from Alice's Wonders (£6)

For anyone wondering what's going on in the hem department. it's the lining which can be seen through it, which personally I like because it makes it look a little "undone". 

And if you want to see how it features on the site (and how it's meant to look!) take a look at the picture below. 

The 20 minute guide to getting ready....

Although I was up bright and early this morning, having faffed around and having completed a Joe Wicks workout, I left myself with only 20 minutes to get showered, dressed and breakfasted before needing to leave the house to take the youngest to gym. As I was going to be sitting watching her for an hour and a half, and given that I was a sweaty and disgusting mess, there really were no short cuts So here's an outline of my thought processes, how it all went and where I saved the time....

Breakfast:

"Great" I think to myself. "We can both have a bowl of cereal. That's the quickest breakfast ever and much quicker than toast." I make a bowl of cereal consisting of oats, shreddies, bran flakes, nuts and sunflower seeds. Daughter refuses cereal and I have to cook toast. Annoy myself by turning toaster to maximum to make it cook quicker (hate it when the older kids do that). It doesn't work. Time wasted: 3 minutes.

Carry bowl of half eaten cereal upstairs whilst simultaneously trying to check instagram. Realise said bowl of cereal is about to be dropped so stop trying to multi-task and feel very smug that disaster has been averted. Pat on head as have saved myself at least 5 minutes of clearing up. Realise smugness is mis-placed. I am 46 and should know better.

Invite youngest to follow me upstairs to eat her toast in our room (excellent parenting). When she asks where to sit I suggest on her Dad's side of the bed (I'm an excellent wife too.) Time saved zero but at least I won't be sleeping on crumbs.

Get in shower and whilst it's warming up, decide to use oil cleanser in the shower rather than using it standing at the basin afterwards. Decide this would all be a good idea for a blog post. Consider cleaning teeth in shower too as per Chris Evans. Decide that's gross. Time saved cleansing in shower , 1 minute. Time wasted cleaning teeth separately 3 minutes. I'm another 2 minutes down.

Go straight to conditioner rather than shampooing too. Time saved 3 minutes. I'm clawing back those minutes.

Whilst in shower, plan outfit. Think exactly which underwear I want and where it is, along with jeans, shirt, shoes and bag - plus which reading material I want to take with me too. How organised?

Can't find the jeans I want. Put on these Whistles ones which were previously tight but which miraculously now fit. Time wasted 1 minute but pleased that jeans can now be worn.

Find the shirt. Put it on. Decide I need a vest. Take it off and put vest on. Vest too high at the front. Take vest off. Complete waste of time. Convince myself I'll be warm enough. I wasn't. Time wasted, 2 minutes.

Time for the make-up. Can't skimp on foundation, blusher, mascara or lipstick but do it in record time. Eyes get a swoosh of shadow and only eyeliner on the bottom lid. Realise that some of make-up from the night before is still smudged under eyes. No time to remove it. Decide I'll pass it off as a smoky eyed look. Time saved - 30 seconds.

Blast hair with dryer but largely at the front only. I can't see the back so who cares? Dispense with the idea of hair product. Seriously look like a dog's dinner but at least I don't smell.  Time saved - 5 minutes.

Decide not to bother with stopping at newsagents for paper. Will read the bits from last week that I still haven't read. Time saved - 3 minutes.

Delighted that I have 2 minutes left before we have to go. Do Olga Korbut's hair. Fill water bottles for both of us. Have time to put on new Air and Grace shoes and tie them up. Find car keys. Get in car.

Arrive at gym exactly as Old Joe chimes 9 am. Get daughter into gym. Find a seat, sit down. Phew that wasn't so bad after all. Get my newspaper and new book out. The water bottle has leaked and both are saturated. Bollocks. Oh well at least we weren't late.

A Finery Dress WITH sleeves AND it doesn't show your knees!!!

Benworth Lace Panel Midi Dress from Finery (£99)

I know how difficult it can be to find a dress not only with sleeves but also with a good length, so I really wanted to share this Finery dress with you. If you haven't already come across Finery do nip over to their site and take a look. They have some brilliant pieces, with great styling at good prices. 

Along with the dress, I'm wearing these Coral Cord Tassel Ear-rings from Alice's Wonders (£6). Cathy set up Alice's Wonders a few years ago now and we collaborated together right at the very start of her journey. Cathy has a great eye, she's really passionate about what she does and she has some wonderful pieces at great prices so again, I would thoroughly recommend taking a look at her site.

And it's my 9 year old photographer who's responsible for creating this shot. She wanted me to twirl. So twirl I did!

Hope that you're all having a super weekend. Beth x

My perfect Boden holiday wardrobe

I know that I'm a little late to the "holiday booking" party, especially when said holiday is only six weeks away - but today, after months of procrastination and inactivity, I finally managed to book one.

And the thing is, I'm really excited. Since we've had children, which is now heading towards 19 years ago, we've done very few "hot" holidays. True, we've had some that were meant to be hot but that weren't (the rain is attracted to us like bees to honey) but other than that, we've been happily UK based. Partly we just weren't hard core enough to face travelling with the children (I'll admit, I like an easy life!) but also with our annual trip to Guernsey which we all love, and a few trips to Wales and Cornwall here and there, we were content with not going very far.

But this year we felt like a week in the sun. Flo will be off to University in October so who knows where she might be next year and after what seems like a never ending winter of rain and damp, a week in Crete is just what we could all do with. And don't talk to me about the skiing "holiday". That doesn't count. I don't think that I've ever sworn so much in a week.

So when Boden invited me to take part in their campaign to celebrate the launch of their "Holiday Hub" I felt that it would be the perfect way of pulling some of my holiday wardrobe essentials together.

For me it's the "bits around the edges" that make a summer holiday wardrobe. It's the holiday accessories - the pieces which shout "I'm on holiday and yes, I might even buy into one of the crazy local souvenirs which seems a good idea to wear when I'm here but which I might live to regret when I get home and re-visit the photos." It's the things that I don't necessarily wear on a daily basis when at home, that make all the difference.

So first off I would choose the Antibes Cup Size Bikini Top because obviously it fits my brief (no pun intended) of not being something that I would ordinarily wear when visiting my local supermarket. I love navy, its such a classic and the polka dot gives it that lovely 50's feel. Plus the cup sizing is a god send for someone like me who just doesn't fit the standard size 8/10/12 norm. Oh and the wiring - let's not forget that all important push both inwards, and upwards, that the wiring gives. And those children I've mentioned - well let's just say that they've all played a part in things not being what they could be (and of course I wouldn't have it any other way!)

And I think that I will go with plain bottoms. I just feel happier that way. Let's just draw the eye upwards and away from those cheeky bum cheeks shall we? Yup, good idea. Very good idea.

And for those days when a bikini just feels too much like hard work, then I'm a fan of a full on figure flattering swim suit. It still needs support and the clever styling of this Santorini Swimsuit ticks all of my swimwear boxes.

The words "body sculpting" and "lightly padded cups" are all music to my ears! I love the print on this swimwear - it's just like the gorgeous tiled floors that all the instagrammers take photos against in their summer sandals. Speaking of which...

I would be taking these Pom Pom Sandals  in snap dragon, which sounds so much more engaging than red, with me.

And for nights out - which largely exist in my head, I would be taking these Caterina Sandals. Not only because I love the idea of them with boyfriend white jeans and a bardot top but also because it wouldn't be so easy for my son to tap me on the head, look down at me,  and say "All right short arse?"

The reality of course is that really I could do with the Eva Espadrille because whilst I'm not the slightest bit concerned about everything going with everything, they will go with everything and they will be comfortable, particularly for travelling in.

And speaking of travelling, I love this Ariana jacket for travelling in. We land back in the UK late at night, when no doubt it will be a little chilly, so this would be perfect. In fact it might be the piece that I wear the most on holiday as the "battle of the air conditioning" commences inside the villa. Why my husband chooses to go somewhere hot and then make it as cold as back at home, I'm not sure. 

Then I need some eye catching sunglasses, such as these dahlia red Luz sunglasses which will just add a bit of colour to my outfits and make me look very cool and trendy (well, in my head at least.)

After that, how about a fringed towel which I can use as a sarong, around my shoulders - or indeed as a towel (although it's probably too nice for that and I'll just stick a few old Ben Ten/Tweenies ones from home in one of the kids' suitcases)

I always have a gorgeous scarf wherever I go on holiday, which I use as a blanket, around my neck (obviously), to tie on to a bag, to wrap a child in, as a pillow on an aeroplane, or to put around my head chic startlet style (OK old woman style) when we end up whizzing along somewhere and there's a breeze. This pom pom scarf would work perfectly for me. 

Then I will need a gorgeous bag trips to the pool or the beach...

Some jewellery... such as the Diona Bracelet

And the Lena necklace which, being simple in its styling, will again go with anything and everything.

And then I'm good to go. Except, as you may have noticed, I don't really have any clothes. But then again for a week in the sun I don't need many clothes - as I said before it's all about the "bits around the edges". Having said that...

A beach kaftan would be a perfect addition to my holiday wardrobe, as much for everyone else's benefit as for mine when I'm walking around between beach and bar (OK, pool and fridge.) The Luz sunglasses will work like a dream with it too. 

But for sure I would need some shorts, so I would take the Lottie Linen Shorts because they will be cool and shorts crease whatever they're made of, so that fact that they're linen is immaterial...

....and a pair of plain shorts could be a good idea, in which case the Pippa shorts, with their broderie texture, fit the bill perfectly. 

For tops, I'm not really a fan of lots of piles of plain vests or t-shirts, instead preferring to cover up with some cooler, looser, boho or bardot tops. So let's go with something lightweight but with sleeves, such as this gauzy boho top which I can pop over my swimwear or wear with the Pippa shorts.

...or the Henrietta linen top which will go with both of my pairs of shorts and also underneath my Ariana jacket. 

Ooooh and the Allegra top has my name on it too. This would look great with the Pippa shorts and pom pom sandals. 

Skirts, for some reason, I'm not too concerned about. All of my tops will be quite long so their proportions will work better with shorts or trousers but a couple of dresses? Now we're talking. I love a summer dress - so easy!

The Terese dress is 100% cotton, so it will be cool and lightweight plus it will work really well with the Luz sunglasses and pom pom sandals. 

I adore a black dress in the summer. I find them chic and a fantastic back drop for jewellery, such as the gold Lena necklace, which I've featured above, so this jersey maxi dress would be perfect.  In the evening I would wear it with the necklace and Caterina sandals and in the day, with the pom pom scarf and pom pom sandals. 

For a week in the sun, I think that I'm done. Oh, apart from nightwear - I definitely need nightwear. The Suzie shorts and the Featherweight T would work like a dream (I know, terrible pun. Again.)

So, the things is, I'm too tight to pay for the bags to be booked into the hold, which means we're all travelling on hand luggage. Consequently, someone might need to let me have a little room in their suitcase. Husband, you can manage for a week in a couple of pairs of budgie smugglers and a pair of crocs right? Yes? Excellent.

Just so that everyone is in the picture, Boden may send a small gift to me for writing this post - but I have no idea what that may be. All the items that I've chosen I've done so myself and all wording is my own (as if anyone else would write what I write!!!) And I'm so pleased that I was asked to write it as the timing was perfect (although not perhaps for the bank balance!) Have a lovely weekend. Beth x

Espadrilles - the shoe style of the summer

I'm only just starting to get my head around espadrilles as "the shoe style" of the summer season. You see for me they've been around since the year dot - which I know means I'm totally showing my age. Only last year I binned two pairs - one because the sole had come away from the heel (have you not heard of glue. Idiot) and one because the buckle came off (again, Timpsons. Doh.) But I'm sure that someone had commented somewhere that they were a bit outdated and frumpy. I tell you though, put those Carvela snake print babies on my feet this summer and I would have been the height of cool.

What I really want to know is this. Why, given all of the many, many clothes and shoes that I could have got rid of, did I have to part with the only two pairs of shoes that I wish I hadn't parted with? That is, I guess, what you call the law of sod.

Now there are lots of styles of espadrilles, from slides to block heels (I love these) to wedges, which is what I'm going to concentrate on.

For those of you who follow me on Instagram, you will know that I have now become the proud owner of a pair of gold shimmie espadrilles from Air & Grace (£99)

Now, before you balk at the price, just hear me out on this one. As most of you will know, I am very much a High Street girl. I'm not one for paying a lot for clothes or shoes just because they have a fancy label - it's just not something I've ever subscribed to. If my clothes are slightly more high end (by this I mean Jigsaw, Whistles etc) then I wait for the sales or for a gift card to come my way from the hubby. I could no more pay £200 for a pair of jeans that I could go to McDonalds to eat (said slightly tongue in cheek - don't judge me. It just never crosses my mind to go there.)

The only exception to this is if something is going to do an amazing job for me, such as keeping me exceptionally warm, or dry, or keeping me comfortable when running or walking a long way. Then I'm happy to pay a bit more.  And that's what appealed to me about the Air & Grace espadrilles, which are made with patent pending Tender Loving Air technology, which has three layers of memory foam cushioning hidden away in the sole.

Leopard Print Shimmie (£119)

I often look on amazed at women who wear high shoes - particularly those walking through town in their 60s, in heels. Amanda Holden was at QVC when I was there earlier in the week and she was positively whizzing round the Green Room in her very high nude stilettoes. Meanwhile I sat nerdily in the corner in my trainers. In fact the longest that I ever wear heels for is when I'm on TV or at a Style Event otherwise, silver Adidas Superstars it is. It's not just that my foot is at an angle, or that the soles are rigid but also the pressure of stiff leather on the top of my feet can make them hurt. I also hate my pace and stride length being compromised to the point that I get irritated by "normal" shoes.

H&M espadrilles (£34.99) for those who don't have the same shoe issues as me!

So anyway, that's what finally prompted me to order the shoes and my words when I put them on, literally, were "Oh Lordy me!" They are so comfortable - soft and cushioned and maybe, at long last, I've found an alternative to trainers or flip flops. If you're minded to try them, I suggest that you do. There's free delivery on orders over £100 and free returns too.

The other option for espadrilles is Castaner a Spanish, family run company, who have been making espadrilles since 1927. They first found notoriety in the 1960s, having created an espadrille wedge for YSL and now that Pippa Middleton has been spotted in them, well, say no more! Off the scale they go (but in which direction?!)

Castaner in Tropical from Rubber Sole (£81.99)

Castaner Carina from Matches £80

Then again, I know that not everyone likes the idea of ties around their legs, although I have to say that unlike some shoes I have with ties, these don't come undone. However, for those who would prefer a buckle, look no further than these...

...the Jigsaw Florrie heeled espadrille (£98).

So there you go - you can rock your inner Kate/Pippa Middleton in espadrilles or style them like the true fashionistas that you all are!

The "new"* basket shape for an instant accessory update

You know how something can creep into your sub-conscious, weaving its way into your brain until suddenly one day you wake up and, having not been in the least bit fussed about an item, it has now become your "must have" piece and it's right at the top of your "wanted" list, bumping everything else that was previously above it into oblivion?

Well that's exactly what has happened with these circular baskets. I blame Instagram for it. In fact I blame Instagram for a lot of things. What I do love though is how they convey that idea of a warm, balmy, summer's day (which is clearly unlike any other basket that I own) - plus they are just a little bit of a departure from the shopping bag shaped baskets that we've seen over the past few summers. A basket update if you will.

Circular woven basket Edit 58 (£40)

So this basket I spotted on Erica Davies of The Edited. Now for sure if you've come across me, you will almost certainly already know Erica but if not, you can find her on Instagram here. Erica has great style, a fab house and the best basket! Sadly when I went to hunt down her basket which was from Edit 58, it had sold out.

French Baskets $40

Nevermind. I knew that I had seen Chloe (at Chloe Loves to Shop) with one that was similar and when I scrolled through her Instagram I found that she had bought hers from French Baskets (above). Sadly Chloe's didn't appear to be on their website (I have linked to similar, above) which left me back at square one.

Aloha basket Etsy (£40)

So that left me with only one option, which was to head to Etsy - "an online market place for individual sellers of handmade or vintage items".  It really is the place to go for all things crafty/basket like/pom pom or tassel related.

It took me a while but, after using a few different search terms, I came up with this beauty. Now the bad news is that I snapped up the last one with "Aloha" written on it. The good news is that it's possible to order one AND it can be personalised in one of six different coloured wools. So really the world is your oyster, whether it's a French slogan (very now), your initials, your children's names (should you forget - something I find increasingly to be a problem) or some random word that you like (for me, that would be "Twilight" which could easily be mistaken for "Twiglet" which would be very unfortunate.)

My basket will be on its way shortly and I have to say that I can't wait. I know that many of you won't believe it but it's been a while since I've bought anything new (well, apart from 2 new pineapple T-shirts from the gorgeous Gift Pop Boutique) so I didn't think that a new basket was pushing things too much.

Let me know what you think - can you be persuaded?!

* I used the word "new" in the title in its loosest sense.  I think that they have been using this shaped basket in Morocco for centuries!

The Baukjen Brook Relaxed Pants - an alternative to jeans

There's something about wearing skinny jeans in the summer which can make me feel just a bit "eugggh". They can be a bit hot and sweaty which is never a good feel. The trouble is, come the winter, everything feels a bit snug - so from time to time, it's good to get the skinnies back on. And let's face it with our unpredictable weather, there's usually the odd arctic day, even in the summer.

So when Baukjen asked me to choose a few pieces to style, I immediately headed for the Brook relaxed pants (£95). With a composition of 97% cotton and 3% elastane they are a winning combination because they are lovely and cool plus they also have that bit of stretch for comfort.  

I'm also wearing the Eleanor blouse from Baukjen (£79), which I absolutely love. With a composition of 95% viscose 5% elastane, it's a lovely feeling fabric - soft and silky and the neck ties just add that little bit of something cheeky. It's really good for work or casual and the v-neck is fabulous for women with curvier busts.

The fab thing about both of these pieces is that being neutral they will work with so many other pieces in your wardrobe colour wise. And being simple shapes you can do the whole dress up, dress down thing. The trousers could be worn with heels, wedges, slides, trainers, espadrilles - you name it, they work with them. And as for tops, Bardot style, peasant style, nautical, de-constructed - they'are all for the taking. Plus, the top can be hugely dressed up for the evening or dressed down with busted jeans or cut-offs.

So, I hope that gives you something to ponder over the weekend. Good wardrobe basics are so essential in creating the building blocks for everything else and these truly are lovely items to have in your wardrobe.  Have a super weekend! Beth x