Not sure about you but the weeks seem to be running away with me. The rest of May is so busy, and then we move into our new home the day I get back from Sri Lanka (and the boy conveniently has two stag dos back to back when we move in, so I'm going to do all lots of the sorting). When Bamford asked if Lindsey and I would like to come down for a day of rest and relaxation it couldn't have come at a better time... We replied to their email embarrassingly quickly...

I'd been to Daylesford before for a cooking course and a lunch but had never stepped into Bamford's part of the farm. Having visited their spas elsewhere (they are at Limewood and Claridges, amongst others) I knew I was in for a treat, but the surroundings really are something quite special. A complete haven in comparison to London, and we were super lucky with the weather...

I had a body exfoliation treatment for an hour in one of the treatment rooms, so relaxing I fell asleep! It really woke up my skin after my trip away, I was worried it would rub off my tan but if anything it did the exact opposite - the next day my colour had gone much deeper and looked a lot healthier. I almost floated back to the dining room to join everyone, I was that relaxed...

Lunch was exactly the kind of food you need on a healthy detox day; bone broth, smoked salmon platters and big bowls of green salads. I ate an embarrassing amount, so much so we had to delay our yoga class in order for me to digest it... Oops. And what a yoga class it was, Bamford's in house expert taught us how to unwind and relax - I felt like I was in a perfect state of "worked out" and "relaxed" afterwards...

Before heading back on the train I managed to bribe Linds to take some pictures; I wore my new top from Iris and Ink here. I'd been dying for this for ages so was delighted when it came available, it's so comfortable and good for those days when you don't really know how dress down/up you need to be. stays off the shoulder too, none of that faffing around with your neckline all day like others cause you to do... I paired it with my staple Topshop mom jeans here (seriously, will anyone make any I prefer? I think not) and mint accessories from ASOS. The shoes are super comfortable (here) and I love the little beaded bag (here) - perfect for my travels!

Last week we decided to escape and visit Dubai (as anyone who follows my Instagram here will already know, sorry) and after a day relaxing by the pool at Four Seasons DIFC we went up to their rooftop bar for drinks before meeting some friends. Dubai is a lot more "dressy" than London, so I used it as an excuse to wear a dress I'd been saving for wedding season for the occasion. 

Before I bang on about how much I love this dress, I really must mention the bar. The hotel has only just opened so it's a bit of a hidden gem, if anyone lives in Dubai I really recommend paying it a visit. We were there on Friday night and it was nicely busy; not too packed but full enough to give it credit that it's becoming a place to be. Details here. I had my first Aperol of the year (I now benchmark the start of summer with this occasion) and happily paraded around the terrace in my Dress Of Dreams.

It really is a bit special, I spied it at their press day ages ago and was determined to get my hands on it. I love that it's high street, it oozes designer quality and reminds me of much more expensive brands like Self Portrait and Vilshenko with the lace detailing. I'm usually not one for floral prints, but somehow the blue makes it less girly and more doable for me. Find it here, and it also comes as a two piece with a top here and skirt here (the skirt is firmly on the wish list, imagine it with a black shirt and pumps!?).

I paired it with my favourite suede pumps (which are currently 30% off here) which I've had since the start of the year. The yellow matches perfectly, and they're super comfortable - at home I wear them with jeans and a tee all the time! I am so impressed with Karen Millen's offering for this season, I'd never have thought so many dresses would be on my must have list. Here are a few more that can't be missed (below, turn off your ad blocker to see the content, or click the links beneath).

lace neck maxi dress / lime lazer cut dress / multi coloured lace dress / navy lace dress / tweed dress

Hope you managed to enjoy the UK sunshine this past weekend, can't believe we're back to rain already!

The idea with this post series was to post it on pay day, but I got a little side tracked with upcoming projects/life - so here you go, 11 days late. It actually worked really well because last week I spent a lot of time holiday wardrobe planning and getting myself "summer ready." I was in Dubai for work last week, and I've got two girly trips coming up; Marrakesh this weekend with Emma and Lindsey, and then Sri Lanka with Lindsey and Anneli. All in all, I've happily stored away my knits and am very ready for summer shopping...

It's very easy to get carried away with dressing for warmer weather as tops and tees are so cheap. I try to only buy pieces I know I will wear a lot, that pair up with my (more expensive) basics and staples. First things first, ASOS. I mean, what a choice. I've struggled to look any where else so when they offered to help us all dress for Marrakesh I went a bit nuts with all the options. I settled on this jumpsuit, which is just amazing. It's already sold out in the majority of sizes, but you can get hold of the skirt equivalent here which is just as lovely. Speaking of skirts, I couldn't resist this neon number or this twist on a denim basic.

When doing a high street sweep you can't not visit Topshop. I popped down to the Oxford Circus one between meetings the other day and did a bit of a haul. Included in it was this "perfect with everything" navy skirt, and these embroidered jeans (I tried not to buy into the trend, but it's not going away and these jeans are my go-to fit). Also treated myself to these cactus print shorts as they look great with my denim shirts and tees. Oh, and not forgetting my sheer annoyance with these sandals. I mean, I just spent in excess of £200 on a Tory Burch pair and then these dead ringers come up. They're available in black here, and brown here. Grrrrr. Before leaving I checked out Miss Selfridge too and spotted this awesome dress (very similar to a Zimmermann one here that I've got my eye on)...

Two places I'm really glad I made the effort to visit; Claudie Pierlot and Warehouse. CP have so much cool Parisian-like stuff (funny that, as that's the heart of the brand). Key favourites include a crochet vest top here, and this striped shirt. Warehouse really does have the best overall collection on the highstreet in my humble opinion. This "Self Portrait" esque vest is so good (and check out the dress version in red here), and these vests make incredible all-rounder basics (available red/white/black).

All in all, it's a great month to do some shopping!

Having spent a lot of time on the coast growing up, Barbour jackets are rather sentimental to me and my family. So when I was asked to take part in a campaign to launch their new Seafarer collection, I jumped at the chance. The brand are one of few to still be manufactured in their original factory in Southshields, and I went up to to see how the trademark jackets are made (in house, by a dedicated team of 140 all of whom have an extremely specific part to play in the creation of every piece). 

The lunch really did spell out what Barbour is to me; being in the great outdoors. Eating outside (in March) seemed totally crazy, but it captured the spirit of the whole trip even if we did risk frostbite at some points! We went off for a walk on the beach to help us digest all the food, you can see those pictures over on Barbour's blog here. 

All in all, Barbour is such a lovely company. I'm so glad I took the time to go and meet the people behind the brand. The level of their knowledge is just incredible - we were given a proper history of the brand and learned so much. Not to mention the workforce; a really fab, local group of people who clearly love their jobs as much as Barbour love them. As for the collection, it's a really lovely step on from the heritage jackets and has some great basics as well as some bolder colours. View the whole lot here.

A few weeks ago Rosie and I popped down to Selfridges to see their spectacular Body Studio, the company's largest ever department. It focuses on wellbeing, fitness and body care with everything from clothing, to an in-house spinning studio, Psycle to a Hemsley and Hemsley in-house cafe (a first for the sisters and not to be missed). Selfridges asked me to select some of my favourite pieces, and talk a little about how I make sure I keep my work/life balance in check.

 t shirt, James Perse at Selfridges / bottoms, Skin at Selfridges / bangles + charms, Astley Clarke

I thought my stay at the Four Seasons DIFC would make for the perfect back drop to show you my little edit, as the hotel was the perfect "calm in the storm" in the centre of Dubai's financial district. Usually my mornings in London are a bit of a rush, so it felt amazing to unwind and take the day slowly in my new found favourite pyjama bottoms (my first selection) from Skin. I've been doing my best to fit in some yoga practice, so after some coffee + a read of Emirates Woman (new found favourite magazine) I got my daily fill of "namaste" completing one of my favourite YouTube routines, found here. It's the only thing that helps me drop my tense shoulders and lower back. Saying that, after a night in the bed at the hotel (they have a special "sleep experience" where a team come and improve the pillows + mattress to your individual requirements) I felt the best I had for months!

I've spared you pictures of my practice as I'm not quite at the stage to publicise my childs pose, etc! But since giving my workout gear a severe upgrade I've found myself much more enthusiastic about getting going in the morning with some exercise. Selfridges' selection is second to none, with lots of my favourite names like Lisa Marie Fernandez, Sweaty Betty (these yoga pants are the bomb) and - new for me - The Upside (super cool prints and shapes, this is a winner). We then treated ourselves and ordered a big, hearty breakfast to the room- booked through the swanky app in the room. 

After a quick shower I changed into my robe (again from Skin, here) which has fast become an essential "rest and relax" piece. I wear it at home the minute I get back from work, the material is a great alternative to a towel (and dries super quick) and when the sun is out it's a great cover up - I wore mine by the pool in Dubai all week. Like the pyjamas bottoms they are super soft; it felt so luxurious lounging around in them in the suite as it made a welcome change from doing the same thing at home (as I work from home, I spend an unhealthy amount of time wearing sleepwear).

Following all of that food that, I felt ready to face the day! I hit the pool with a vengeance in my new Heidi Klein bikini (another Selfridges purchase, I could spend days in their swimwear section) feeling confident and happy. So much so after a Bloody Mary (or two in some people's case) 's decided to do our own version of the Nirvana album cover, complete with a dollar bill. Unfortunately I'm not all that good at holding my breath, so below was the result. 

I fully recommend paying the Body Studio a visit if you are in London as it really is a special space, failing that there is a super selection available on their website here.