I appreciate the title is punchy, but I can't explain to you how much I loved wearing this jumpsuit. Zimmermann is a brand I always keep my eye on, ever since the Aussie sisters launched their first swimwear collection many moons ago. There is something Australian designers get that nobody else does; combining strong lines with that feminity most girls really quite like, even if you are a tom boy at heart. It took me all of two seconds to pick this out as a favourite for my Marrakech visit (find it here, and rejoice in your purchase).

outfit credits at the base of this post

First things first; to explain where I am. These photos were taken on my own rooftop of my own riad at the Royal Mansour. Privacy is of upmost importance at the hotel and therefore every guest has their own terrace, pool, shower and sun deck at the top of their riad. It was immense, the evening sun was perfect to take a few snaps.


As already mentioned, I was pretty happy to prance around and have my picture taken when wearing this. This is me in my true holiday style; hair thrown up (looking a lot better thanks to a recent trim and colour at Sassoon Salons), absolutely no make up, no shoes. My feet had just been treated to the best pedicure I'd ever had in my entire life (and being a blogger, I'm fortunate to have had a few) at the spa at the hotel - so good they don't put nail varnish on your toes! Three weeks on they are still shining!


The detailing of this jumpsuit really makes it for me. The crochet detail down the front and alongside the floral embroidery makes it feel so, so special. I totally understand not every one has this money to spend on clothing so have added some alternatives to the base of this post. It's more expensive than I'd usually consider spending too, and I'm sure my hoard of ASOS jumpsuits are getting nervous now that I've seen the quality/price jump. The same print comes in a bikini top here and bottoms here; they're in my basket on my account already...


Outfit details
Jumpsuit, Zimmermann / similar here (never in a million years thought I'd suggest this site, but this is awesome) / similar here (same again) / similar here

Shop Zimmermann at Net A Porter here, or previous collection for reduced prices at The OutNet here. Created in collaboration with Net A Porter, all words my own.

Photos taken using an Olympus PEN EP-L7 from John Lewis here.

So it's pay day and it's a bank holiday weekend - winner! Can't believe how quickly the year is going - or how many weddings we've got this year.  It's really easy to get carried away in the summer months, especially when you have outfits to plan for. I've got two friends' weddings in Italy and a spatter of ones in the UK between now and September.  I've been on the look out for outfits that are "special" enough but won't break the bank - or are worthy investments. I'm not a natural "dress up" girl so I find this kind of stuff really challenging. So here is my stab at it... This is going to be a long post so please pop the kettle on and settle in...


English Garden Party Reception

One of our friends is having an English garden party on the river before their wedding abroad, so I thought I'd buy something for that and the two weddings (two different groups of friends, I hold the camera, no one will ever know) I have in the UK. I wanted something I'd feel really good in, would work not matter the weather and was pastel coloured without looking cheap (which I find is a genuine problem with pale coloured clothes). Mango needs a serious mention as their efforts are outstanding; this nude mini is great, as is this midi floral print and you could consider getting married in this!

dresses: long sleeved lace, the outnet / blue and white dress, topshop / taupe lace mini dress, alice and olivia / multicolour dress, L.K.Bennett / nude mini lace dress, mango
accessories: clutch bag, Reiss / light pink heels, L.K.Bennett / pink clutch, Sophie Hulme

Having searched high and low I've gone for this L.K.Bennett dress. It's very bright (the pinks and light blues come out a little more than the pictures show) but the fit is super flattering for me - and will hide a lot of wedding-cake-binging sessions. It's more than I would usually spend on a dress, but the detailing is beautiful and I know I'll get several wears from it. Shoe wise, I'll no doubt wear my ever-faithful Jimmy Choo Agnes' or LK Bennett Florets as they are the only heels I can wear all day...

Needle and Thread

I wanted to highlight one particular brand because if you don't know about it you really, really should. Meet Needle and Thread. When I get married, whatever decade in the future that may be in, I'm demanding that every single girl who attends wears one of these, I'm completely obsessed. They're really well known in the fash-pack down here in London but still quite new on the scene across the country - so be one of the first and get one. I have a navy midi dress from them (very similar to this) and I wear it every time I get a chance...


Stocked on Net A Porter here, their maxi dresses are perfect for everything wedding from bridal to minion in the back row. This one is £350 and to be honest I'd believe someone if they told me it had another zero on the end (compare it to this £1000 Valentino and you get my drift). My favourites are above, and I really think you'll spot me in one of them for one of the Italian evening events.  Ooh and this skirt is on the wish list, with exclamation marks and underlining... Seriously, it wouldn't surprise me if they jack up their prices soon so get one whilst they're still reasonable!

Italian Wedding Outfits

I have visions of us all walking up to the church looking like a Dolce and Gabbana advert, for both weddings (craving this dress, for that exact purpose). To me, Italian weddings mean deeper, richer colours and a little more "oomph." I'm thinking deep colours; reds, navys etc - and really enjoyed having a look.

dresses: red lace dress, Warehouse / navy maxi dress, Reiss / black and red lace, the outnet / navy lace maxi, Topshop / blue dress, Reiss
accessories: red lace ups, L.K.Bennett / earrings, Astley Clarke / cross body, J Crew 

Self Portrait dresses are all the rage, but having bought one and sent it back due to the quality I'm not prepared to try them again. I found this red dress from Warehouse which is very similar, and not far off is this blue lace one dress from Reiss. The OutNet is a really good place to look; this dress is exactly what I need. I really love the vibrant blue of this dress too. Phew, am exhausted! Hope this post was useful for you too - it's helped me whittle it down to a couple but if you have any finds let me know!

I don't need to tell you anymore about my Morocco trip, at risk of being unfollowed and/or blocked on the internets (but it was so awesome, just so awesome). However, one of the reasons for the trip hasn't been fully explained. When we were asked by Net A Porter to show our readers our favourite summer wardrobe pieces we thought we'd tie it all in together and shoot it whilst away... Our first job (isn't it ridiculous that this is a work task) was to pick out a pair of shoes that we thought could carry us through the season...

I picked out these Chloe heels, I'd been after them for ages and when this opportunity came up I doubt the girls at Net had ever been emailed back in a quicker time! For me, they really do with everything. They're the reverse-neutral; they have so many colours in them you can wear them with anything. I can also report that they really are incredibly comfortable. I completely understand that they're a high price point but it's good to treat yourself once in a while, no? If you really can't stretch that far, fear not, Topshop have made some dead ringer heels here and flats here.

What was really important to me in this post was to show readers that Net A Porter isn't all £5000 dresses (although it is fun to have a look at these, do so here). They do have some really good price-conscious options too. I get a lot of my basics from them, by that I mean pieces I pay a little more than high street for but for good reason as I'm going to live in them for seasons to come. This MiH Jeans skirt is the perfect example. As long as my aging knees will let me, I'll be wearing this with everything from flowing printed shirts to little vests and tees.. 

The vest is gorgeously soft and from Rag and Bone. Very much thought of as the epitome of urban New York, its often forgotten that the force behind this brand are British expats. I count them as one of the best for buying my staple "must haves." This vest's chunky knit is such a cool finishing touch, and I love it. I've worn it constantly since getting my mitts on it. Find it here. 

I wore my failsafe jewellery pieces; my Astley Clarke bracelets never come off! I have a couple of new additions though; my turquoise moon charm bracelet might just be my new favourite thing ever. Other bangles include a simple string with a charm my parents bought me in Spain, and my Halcyon Days gold cuff... Definitely helps me get the whole "boho" vibe going... My pinky finger has a new friend too, and it's very special. My boyfriend and I made it! We went to The Workbench London a few months ago and spent an evening creating our design. It was his Christmas present to me, and a very good one at that... 

Shoes: Chloe Knotted Sandal / similar Topshop Heels / similar Topshop flats

Vest: Rag and Bone vest / similar ASOS vest (£8!) / similar Moon River / ASOS vest

Skirt: MiH Jeans skirt / similar Mango one / similar Topshop Unique one

Jewellery: beaded bracelets, Astley Clarke / cuffs, Halcyon Days

Nails: white heat, Ciate London

How we've already come to May's beauty edit I don't know - it feels like I only just finished April's one! This is the month that I really start notching up my skincare regime and investing in some decent products. The minute the sun comes out my skin seems to age without some serious help. It quickly goes dry, yet also really gets oily with the muggy weather. All in all, time to do a proper sort out and make sure I have the right bits...

This month's post is a little bit different as John Lewis asked me to take a look at their own summer beauty edit (Super Nature), here. They've focussed on products that use natural ingredients, which is a must for me. Whenever I see a website's round up of bits I always expect that half of them will be what I'd go for, but their selection was completely spot on (pun not intended). They have all my hero brands for a thorough detox on my skin (REN skincare, Charlotte Tilbury and Origins) as well as new things I was dying to try... I decided to only use things I'd never used before, and was sat like a kid by the fireplace at Christmas waiting for them to all arrive.

I'll try and do this in a sensible order; brand by brand. Starting with Clarins. I'd stumbled upon their trio of "boosters" and was really keen to give one a go. They're created to give you some help when you need it. I selected Repair as it's good for sunburnt or damaged skin, and added it to my usual moisturiser on Wednesday as directed.  It's now Sunday evening and I can already feel a difference on my (ridiculously) sunburnt nose. It also reduced the redness instantaneously... Next from them was their Instant Beauty Shot which is perfect to have in your handbag for those days when you have to wake up and go to work but your face doesn't want to. It really does "tighten and brighten" as suggested... (especially when matched with the Clinique All About Eyes which took my puffy, dark lids and reformed them into their former teenage-selves in one hit....

On that subject; Clinique. I appreciate this may be a little bit nuts to some of you given how long I've been blogging about beauty but I've never tried any of their stuff before. I know. The first one was an excellent benchmark as the idea of spending money on a soap baffled me. However, as someone who really hates the horrid tightness you get after washing your face with standard bar, I was a bit stunned by the difference. Goodbye supermarket-branded cr*p - I'm using this forever and ever, I don't know what's in it but it left my face feeling actually clean. I'd apply the same level of "wow" to the Dramatically Different Moisturiser. My skin turns tight and dusty very quickly, and coming back from my sunny weekend left it tired the fine lines appeared with a vengeance. This stuff sent them packing almost straight away... And lastly I'm yet to try the Overnight Mask but will do this evening so check out my Instagram to see how it goes...

Estee Lauder products make me really happy, nostalgia alone. It's what both my grandmothers used and the smell of them reminds me of sitting patiently on their beds waiting for story time. I'd never tried them myself though, as I'd always thought they were more "generalist" than for specific problems. As heads up for anyone younger; when you turn 30 sh*t gets real, and it all shows on your face. I woke up on my 30th birthday to presents, cards... and load of fine lines. I really have to work at things, and did not think Lauder was the brand to do it with. You can't see, but as you read this I'm eating my hat. The first thing I tested was the Advanced Night Repair, I tried it after a few glasses of wine (which always shows the next day). I woke up and looked like I'd been on a health retreat. Everything was tight and firm, unheard of. BUY IT HERE. The same impact happened with the Firm And Fill Eye Duo; my eyes looked 10 years old. I'm trying out the Resilience Lift this week so will let you know how I get on, but given everything else I'm expecting big things...

Last but not least, REN. I snuck in one of my all time favourites, the 1 Minute Facial cream. I keep mine in my handbag and use it whenever I'm away as a bit of a treat. If I know I have something coming up when I can't risk a break out, this is my failsafe. Just buy it, here. A new product for me was the Evercalm Moisturiser. I was fairly stacked with things to try so I gave this to the boy to test and I can tell you wholeheartedly his skin looked better after a few days use. He commutes on the underground so often gets congestion in his pores (he'll read this and not have a clue what I'm on about) and they looked significantly tighter and cleaner whilst using this morning and night...

I hope this list helps you, this time of year is so tough on skin. For full details on all of the products in the John Lewis edit, click here. 

Full review list:

Clarins: Instant Beauty Shot / Repair Serum
Clinique: All About Eyes / Soap / Dramatically Different Moisturiser / Overnight Mask
Estee Lauder: Advanced Night Repair / Firm And Fill Eye Duo / Resilience Lift
REN: Evercalm Moisturiser / 1 Minute Facial

This post was sponsored by John Lewis, all words my own.

Those of you who follow any of us on Instagram will already know that last weekend Emma, Lindsey and I went on a 2 night break to Morocco. Just us girls, and it was bliss (find the content here should you wish). We were hosted at the Royal Mansour, which we expected to be a little bit wonderful given that the King himself helped to build it, but I don't think we were quite prepared for quite how incredible our riads (yep, we had one each) were going to be...

These snaps were taken on our first morning, from my very own rooftop balcony complete with plunge pool. Privacy is at the heart of the hotel, so the idea is that guests can enjoy all the benefits of a luxury hotel stay whilst remaining in their own "home." One thing I really love to when I'm away is have breakfast outside, so I rallied the girls to mine and got on with ordering breakfast.

The breakfast menu has it's own leather bound cover to give you an idea, and when the food arrived it didn't disappoint. Fresh pastries, smoked salmon and granola = the perfect start to a packed day of sight seeing and shooting - we all have some really super outfits to share with you as part of a collaboration to show you our holiday wardrobe, so stay tuned!

My holiday style is very relaxed; I don't like to be wearing anything tight fitting if we're walking around in the heat! I found this top from Iris and Ink a couple of weeks ago and absolutely love it. It's comfortable (softest cotton) and I love the detailing - it looks like it's a lot more expensive than it is, which is always a win...  My shorts are years old from Bloomingdales in New York, I have no idea what brand they are but if you're after similars Urban Outfitters here is always a good start. And, I've had lots of you asking about my espadrilles. They're actually from Havainas (so they have a rubber sole) and are possibly the most genius summer shoe I've ever come across, find them here.

After filling my boots with breakfast and caffeine, I was set for the day (as the below shot shows...). It really was the perfect start to the perfect girls' weekend. I've got plenty more outfit shots and tips of where to go in Marrakech to come in the coming weeks, it really was too good to pop into one solitary outfit post.