T shirt weather

I just wanted to share some photos of me swanning around London as a reminder of life before (and after) lockdown. T shirt weather, here we come. Probably underneath a big coat.

Sending love xxx

Photos by the fab @jaieart

 

Sail away

top - Wild Room Tees

trousers and trainers - (old) Primark

So here we are - another day, another blog post. And the strangeness continues.

I've referenced the ongoing 'strangeness' quite a lot recently; as an opener to emails, phone conversations and even just chatting to my parents. It's a good way of acknowledging the situation without having to actually acknowledge it.

Staying inside has definitely brought with it mixed feelings. Gratitude for the most part. I've felt incredibly lucky to be able to work from home, have extended time to myself, and the luxury of my parents' kitchen cupboards. Thinking about applying for the next series of Masterchef as I type.

However, whilst I am, quote unquote, a fairly introverted person, I really do miss having the option of venturing beyond the front porch.  I miss being able to escape from my own head, just in the safety of knowing I have that freedom.

Being at home also comes with its own smaller challenges, that when faced with everyday can quickly become something more... noticeable. One example being faced with your own reflection more often than usual. Whether it's a Google Hangout video call or having to walk past the big mirror every time you go to the kitchen to make another cup of tea, having to look at your face for a larger portion of the day is not always ideal - particularly when the relationship with your appearance isn't the best (we're just about on speaking terms).

Another - perhaps more obvious thing - is cabin fever. Whether you're riding this out alone or with flatmates or family, emotions are running high and tempers are fraught. Seemingly tiny problems can quickly escalate into full blown door slamming disasters, ones which only the kettle seem to be able to solve. If you're from the UK you might be able to relate to this - I don't think I've ever appreciated tea bags more in my entire life. I don't even know if I like tea anymore, I just know it's the glue that's holding our household together.

Of course, whilst these molehills are there, they really are molehills - this isn't going to last forever.

Right now, all I'm thinking about is how brilliant it will be when we can do everything we want to do, and even the things we don't want to do - it's bizarre how much I miss public transport, overcrowded shopping centres and disproportionately priced drinks.

Perhaps most of all, I'm looking forward to seeing my favourite people without having to rely on wifi. If anything, this has made me realise the things, or people, I really value. Also prosecco. Honorary mention.

What are you most looking forward to when 'normal' life resumes?

Stay safe.

xxx

photos by the fab @satish.ports

Looking on the bright side

top - H&M

blazer - Topshop

trousers - vintage

shoes - ebay

These photos are a serious throwback to simpler times back in London. Meanwhile, Happy Saturday. I feel like I've finally moved past the 'this is really weird' stage to the 'this is really weird but I've sort of accepted it's the best thing to do' stage. And this week I've actually felt fairly OK.

As well as working from home - which I'm so thankful to be able to do - I've taken the time to sort out a whole load of my stuff, make excessive amounts of pancakes, and try out some post-lockdown outfits. I've done my best to actually respond to my texts and Facebook messages (I'm a serially slow responder), drunk a fair amount of wine and binged a hell of a lot of Netflix.

I've also really tried to make a conscious effort to reconsider the kind of content I'm consuming. What with my screen time having increased tenfold, it's very easy to go down an Instagram rabbit hole, and come out two hours later, convinced you're not thin, tanned, or Victoria's Secret runway show ready, enough.  It's one thing trying to convince your best friend that she shouldn't have to change for anyone, but it's a WHOLE other thing trying to convince yourself.  

I thought I'd share some of the creators I've been watching recently, because along with Tiger King, I think some positive content is something that we're all fairly in need of right now.

Lucy Wood

Helen Anderson

Sierra Schultzzie

Samantha Maria

RawBeautyKristi

Safia Nygaard

Samantha Ravndahl

What have you been watching during lockdown?

Sending good vibes to all, stay safe. 

xxx

 Photos by @ed2too

Self isolating without feeling isolated

Well. This is, weird?

 I currently feel like I'm living in a parallel universe, a video game, or an episode of Black Mirror - one which I haven't watched until the end just yet.  It's a stranger than strange time which few of us have experienced anything remotely similar to before, and that makes it that so much more confusing to deal with.

I have to admit that self-isolation isn't something that's totally out of comfort zone. From the outside looking in, I would say I'm a fairly introverted person who is more than happy to binge Netflix and a bottle of wine. When plans are cancelled, I silently rejoice.  However, what I had never really realised before - until about a week ago - is just how much I rely on those small moments of human interaction to get me through the day.

A little bit of back story. So for the last year or so, I have been working in London whilst living solo. In a nutshell, it's been great - I get to enjoy the buzz of working centrally in a big city whilst having the luxury of peace and quiet at the end of each day. I can't put into words how grateful I am to be able to live by myself - as you're probably aware, real estate is somewhat at a premium in the capital. Or anywhere for that matter. Anyway, given the current circumstances, three weeks ago our office was instructed to work from home. Which, at first, I thought 'OK cool'. I can avoid a crowded commute, I don't have to pay over £5 for a mediocre sandwich, I can have an extra hour asleep.

One week goes by and suddenly, I realise, all may not be as rosy as I first thought.  My daily routine was slipping. The peace and quiet had become overwhelming. I felt my work self and actual self had begun to merge (I was dreaming about emails.) I tried to push on but every day looking in the mirror was like staring at a slightly more unravelled version of myself. One that the morning trips to Sainsbury's (god bless those veteran sales assistants), could not seek to cure. Rumours of a London lockdown prompted my colleagues - who are all living with flatmates or family - to encourage me to head back up North. 

So after a bit of deliberation and a bout of confused packing, I made my way to an eerily quiet Euston station and hopped on the 11.07 train back up north. And all in all, so far so good.  Whilst my family maybe wouldn't be my first choice of flatmates, they're still pretty high up on the list. Plus, the dogs. I mean need I say more?

For me, the most difficult thing with this situation is the 'not knowing.' The uncertainty and the unpredictability. The need to know everything and the desperation to know nothing. Feeling a total lack of control over the structure of my day-to-day life, and having a lot of time to be inside my own head without distraction - two things I have actually really struggled with. Of course, I recognise I am in a HUGE position of privilege - being able to work from home without the threat of my job being lost. Having a roof over my head and a landlord who wouldn't threaten to evict me if I needed to defer paying rent. But that loss of control is something that so many of us seem to be experiencing, and if nothing else, is the root of that washing machine type feeling in the pit of my stomach. 

So what can we do to overcome it? Whilst there is of course no 'one quick fix' to coping with something like this, there are steps we can take to adapt to this temporary way of life. The first being exactly that; remembering that this is temporary. We will come out the other side and it will be great.

Take time to take care of yourself, and see it as an opportunity to focus on you, without feeling that creeping guilt of not being productive. It's completely fine to just read a book you want to read, bake a cake for one, or just sit and do absolutely nothing.  So many of us are in the same boat.

Finally, I would say that if you can, keep in contact with those around you, and not just via text. It's crazy how much of a difference hearing someone's voice can actually make, and whilst I would usually 100% be a text > call girl any day of the week, now is the time to mix things up. 

Talking about mixing things up, it looks like I've gone a bit wild and written a fairly lengthy blog post. Are people still reading blogs? Anyway, if not, I've certainly found it therapeutic.

Given that I do have slightly more time on my hands than usual, I was thinking about going back to my roots and sharing my outfit posts on here. If you are interested, my latest looks are over on my Lookbook page.  I guess it's the perfect time to experiment with my wardrobe and dig out some long forgotten bits -  it's weird how much you miss dressing up and getting ready to go out when you no longer have the option to do so.

However, as you will have heard a million times already, staying home is the best thing to do for now, just as much as not hoarding all of the cereal/soup/toilet paper. Wash your hands, look after each other and stay safe.

You can find the latest guidance about protecting yourself by visiting the World Health Organisation website.

You can read an informative and interactive article about the importance of self-isolation on the Washington Post. 

Photos are by the fab @kymagination_

x

London: What I've learnt so far

I can't quite believe I've been living down South for nearly a year. 

London life has been more of a shift than I ever expected; from the cost  of a cup of coffee to the wonder of 24/7 public transport, day-to-day existence in the capital city has been so much more than red buses and Big-Ben themed keyrings. It's meant getting used to a completely different place, meeting brand new people and doing my best impression of a fully fledged adult. More than anything, it's meant change - and definitely not the financial kind. Whatsoever.

So, in what has so far been a relatively brief stint in the capital, I thought I'd share a few things I've observed, acknowledged and learnt along the way.  Things that the guidebooks may choose not to include. Please read at your own discretion. 

1. If you take anything away from this post, remember this: when in London, you cannot stop. Once you get off the train at Euston or you touch down at Heathrow, whether you're stopping to tie your shoes, to check your phone or to turn the page of the latest bestseller, hesitation is not an option. Extra points if you can do any of these things whilst moving at 60 mph on the left hand side of the escalator. Which brings me nicely into my next tip.

2. Rush hour takes on a whole new meaning. Whilst previously I was lucky if my bus home turned up, now I can choose from about five trains home, all due in the next ten minutes. The one small sticking point is that there's probably a 2cm space for me and my bag to squeeze into, which means room to breathe is somewhat of a pipe dream.  On a serious note, a week or so ago, I actually did dream about getting a seat on my morning commute. Crushed when I woke up. Extra points if you line up your position on the platform with the train doors. 

4. Prepare for serious fashion envy. Whilst I imagine the same goes for most big cities, the commitment to looking incredible is higher in London than I've seen ever before. Whether it's a Monday morning busy train ride or Saturday night soiree in central, the sheer range of streetstyle on offer never fails to blow me away. Extra points if you're guilty of taking an #ootd photo in front of the multi coloured houses in Notting Hill.

5. Go with the flow. Probably most importantly, finding a rhythm and sticking to it has been the best way for me to be able to cope with living in a big city. Getting used to so much change is always hard at first, particularly when anxiety levels are at an all time high. I was scared about where I would be living and not seeing my favourite people nearly as much as I wanted to. Routines are important, but so is taking every day as it comes and just making the most of it. I've loved exploring, have taken advantage of being somewhere new and am constantly learning so much more than I would have done otherwise. It's been a rollercoaster, and I don't think I'm ready to get off just yet.

Do you live in London or have you ever visited? What tips would you give?

xxx

photos by the fab @bartekbasista_portraits

Season of change

For me, Autumn has always felt slightly strange.

It's something I have never quite been able to put my finger on, but the months between August and December feel almost dreamlike to me, with the cooler days somewhat shrouded in a blanket of mystery and magic. I'm not simply talking about Halloween - though my binge watching of Hocus Pocus has definitely had a part to play in my fondness for the season - it's a quality that's embedded into the season itself.

'Overcast skies still brimming with the promise of sunlight mean that the warmth lingers until the early evening, when that crisp coldness reminds you that Summer is well and truly over.'

Granted, I may be envisioning a highly romanticised version of this time of year, but it's hard to deny that there's something about the fleeting sunlight, leaf carpeted pavements and bonfire night parties that yields a feeling of comfort. It's perhaps no surprise to learn that whilst strange, Autumn continues to be my favourite time of year. 

Whilst the season also tends to remind us that tinsel and fairylights are not too far away, for me it also signposts that a much greater change is on the way; moving to London.*

As someone who is very comfortable 'up-North', the decision to move to the capital was far from easy, mainly because I am literally petrified of change. That being said, the job opportunity presented to me was far too significant to pass up.

This led me to decide that even though it had been offered uniquely in London, it's something that I need to do. Regardless of aforementioned fear of change. 

This is something you may be thinking would probably be worth a post all on it's own - and you'd probably have a point. It's just that, as the move is something I'm really still trying to come to terms with myself, carefully footnoting it to a post makes the whole thing seem much less scary and significant to me than it really is. In a nutshell, it's a coping mechanism - perhaps not one therapist approved, but a makeshift one nonetheless. 

Anyway, if you have any advice/guidance on life down South do let me know. I'd also love to hear if you can relate to my feelings on Autumn - do you have a favourite season?

photos c/o the lovely Bartek Basista 

xxx

*I can't tell you how hard it was to avoid leaf metaphors here. The temptation was real.

Don't wanna be your girl

shirt - Zara

jeans - H&M

shoes - Dorothy Perkins

hat - Missguided

sunglasses - ebay

Life is currently consisting of meandering through life, soaking up sunny weather and wearing sunny-ish appropriate clothing.

Also took a brief excursion to London and I can safely say salted caramel macarons are potentially among the top three things I've ever eaten. That was strangely the only thing I purchased (shock horror) as the rest of the day was spent being a tourist.

Hope everyone is enjoying their summer as much as I am :)

P.S. it's also your last chance to enter the Pizza Slut giveaway if you fancy!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

xxx