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 But I'm sure that someone had commented somewhere that they were a bit outdated and frumpy.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.


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.




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?!)

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

This is the Rosie lace panel dress from Whistles (down from £249 to £199.20) which I borrowed from John Lewis for the Ladies' Lunch and Style Event at the Botanical Gardens earlier in the week. I hadn't had a chance to try it on beforehand but luckily the fit was great (this is a size 10 - I often go up a size in Whistles) and I have to admit to being reluctant to hand it back.

What I really like about the length of this dress is that the deep "hem" panel below the frill allows for a bit of leg to show through but without it being a "short" dress. And for one who has knees which are as wide as her thighs (you've heard of cankles, well let me introduce you to knighs or thees) that is a really good thing.

The nipping in at the waist bit is also good and although this is clearly meant to be a "dressy dress" there's enough volume in the skirt to make it slightly less dressy than a pencil/body con type number - without it being so voluminous that it requires the highest of heels to balance out the proportions. This dress is one that I would happily wear on a daily basis with flats (OK, let's be honest, trainers. There, I've said it. AGAIN.)  And should I ever be lucky enough to own one, I would wear pretty much day in day out so that it paid its way.

In addition to it coming in blue, it also comes in red as shown here...


And I could have sworn that I saw one in pale grey in John Lewis the other day. However on closer inspection, what they have is a similar version in the  Rosie Lace Dress (note the absence of the "panel" part of the description) which is a John Lewis exclusive. Now the problem with this dress is, because it's an exclusive to John Lewis, it may not be possible to ask them to apply their "never knowingly undersold" policy (which you can scrutinise in full here), meaning that it might be only available at the price of £249. Then again if it's the dress of your dreams then maybe that's one that can be squared off with a little financial/mental gymnastics.


And this is a side view of the dress, just in case anyone wondered what it looked like from a different angle. 


The shoes that I am wearing are Karen Millen past season but for a (sort of) similar look, take a look at these from Steve Madden at John Lewis (£80). I like the juxtaposition of the lace with something a little edgier rather than a girlie shoe but you know, just mix it up and have fun!

Let me know what you think. I hope that these could be just the gem you may be looking for this summer.

Beth x

One of the main observations in the "comments" section about this top on the Hush site, is that it is much brighter in real life than shown on the site - which is a fair comment when you compare the two photos above. Anyway, if you're on the look out for a pink pick me up for your wardrobe, this could be it.


And if you're looking for a snack time pick me up, these could be them! True, I know that they don't look the most appetising ever but I love them and the recipe makes loads, so you can pop a few in the freezer and always have a healthy snack at the ready. They are the raw vegan flapjack from Jamie's "Everyday Superfoods" but without the oil or the maple syrup. I find that if I soak the dates and dried fruit in warm water for a few minutes, they get nice and soft and absorb enough liquid so that the oil isn't necessary.

I make these in the nutri-bullet in two separate batches or else it can't cope with all of the ingredients. Essentially I chuck in 200g oats, 100g hazelnuts, 50/100g other mixed nuts, 20g sunflower seeds, 100g dried fruit and 180g dates, whizz it up, roll it into humungous sized rabbit droppings and there we have about 22 power balls. They can be flavoured with cacao powder, or ginger, or other bits and bobs but I prefer them just as they come. And they're great to take out running with you...which leads me to my next part of this post.


Running. In all its sweaty, heart-pumping, achingly painful (at times) but totally mind clearing and wonderful glory. For some crazy reason, I've entered the ballot for the London Marathon again. Now it's just a waiting game until the beginning of October to see whether I have a place. And in the meantime, I shall be training for the Birmingham Marathon, which is towards the end of October. It's the first time that we've had a Marathon in Birmingham and whilst I didn't think that I had another one in me, I did a few 20 odd milers with a friend in preparation for the Boston Marathon and it was OK - so what the hec?

But at the same time as marathon training, I'm doing the "Couch to 5k" app with my husband. A more unlikely runner you couldn't find - only through lack of interest I should hasten to add. It's taken me 20 years to get him to come out with me! But he's done three runs now, he hasn't complained once and I reckon that he will be pretty nippy once he gets into the swing of it. It was his new resolution on reaching 50. So for anyone tempted, the app could be perfect - the worst thing is heading out, blasting around the streets for 400m and then collapsing in a heap never to go out again. This is a gentle, structured introduction that includes lots of walking as well.  


Oh, and the "Mind over Marathon" TV programme was brilliant. I loved seeing how running transformed the lives of those involved in such a moving and positive way. I would imagine that if you weren't sure whether you could get out there and do it (and I know that it's not for everyone) this might just be the thing to get someone to put on their trainers and give it a go.

And of course non of us ever likes how we look in skin tight lycra but again, a splash of pink or coral - or some flowers and a few layers always helps. I'm still loving the way that my Prism Leggings and Seafolly Festival Hoodie (both available at Cocobay) feel when I'm running in them. These are my running staples but I also have a good splash of pieces from GAP, H&M and Primark for running in too - so it's really not necessary to spend a lot to get going.

I hope that you all have something fab planned for the weekend, or if not, that you can just sit back and relax for a while. x

I just briefly wanted to mention to you the event that I'm styling and presenting at the Botanical Gardens in Birmingham on 17th May. It's a lunchtime event with a fizz reception and a gorgeous sit down meal.

I have four amazing models modelling for me and I will be styling outfits for events from Ascot to a Summer Wedding and the from a trip to the Polo, through to the Tennis and a Festival - with clothes kindly being provided by John Lewis. This is the third year that we've held the event and we have Jo Malone coming along, together with Marc Jacobs make-up and jewellery by local brand Livto, as well as Stella & Dot.

Tickets for the event are £45 each or £400 for a table of ten and can be bought via the Botanical Gardens website here The event is a really fabulous afternoon out and it would be great to see some of you there.

In the meantime, have a super bank holiday. Beth x

Sorry to those of you who have already seen this post. I published it a while ago and then it seemed to "in-publish" itself...so here it is again!

Sometimes you just come across a new brand and you love everything about it. For me it was love at first sight with Giftpop Boutique. I got in touch with Hannah, who runs it, via Instagram and she kindly agreed to lend me a few pieces to write about (plus she very kindly gifted a star necklace and some star ear-rings to me, which are gorgeous.)



Hannah had a desire to set up something that was fun and colourful, so she took the plunge and put together a small collection of bright, happy and wonderful things, vibrant things that she would like to buy for herself, or her family and friends. Everything she chooses is meant to be exciting, individual and affordable and with an abundance of sequins, hearts, tassels, pom poms and neon, she doesn't fail to disappoint.



I adore this "Happy" basket, which I used today when I went to the beauticians to have my legs sprayed a less bluer shade of blue. The sun was shining and in it I popped my flip-flops, my keys and my purse. Equally it would be great to use around the house, disguising those bits and bobs that get in the way but which are a necessary part of life. A bit like children really. Only joking - I mean keys, lipsticks and bits of lego.


And Eric, our reindeer, much looks more seasonally appropriate with his tassels and pompoms. All of which could be draped around almost anything in our homes, from the star basket above, to a shelving unit, round a plant, on an Easter tree or a from a window catch.

Next on my list is one of these Gift pop throws (£85) which is just what our living room needs now that the warmer months are (hopefully) here. It's time to store away the faux fur and embrace the pom poms instead!




Hannah is constantly sourcing and stocking new products for her lovely online boutique so do nip over and take a look. It's hard to head her way and not come away with a smile (and a few new bits for yourself!)

With all of the above in mind, and given how much I feel the chill, it's always nice to come across a niche brand on Instagram - especially when the words "cashmere" and "pops of neon" are involved. Hello! Count me in!

By way of background, Cove Cashmere was launched in 2011 by local friends and entrepreneurs, Sarah and Jacqueline,  after they identified a niche in the market for an affordable knitwear collection. Their pieces are aimed to serve busy women of all ages who want to look good effortlessly.

Maybe it's a bit corny having photos taken of "Cove knitwear" in a Cove - a bit like matching your bag and shoes (although to be fair matchy matchy is sort of having a mini comeback) - but the ice cream here was good. Not to mention the view, of course.




The Eva is a neat poncho style, which can be worn on its own - as can the Florence (below) or over another layer or in my case, two or three! Sometimes I feel that I don't need as much coverage on my arms and so long as my body is warm, I can get away without the need for thick jumpers.  And I love the fact that I can just roll this up and pop it in my bag whipping out my extra layer, Mary Poppins style, when the need arises.


Whilst Sarah and Jacqueline began with their signature reversible ponchos Cove continues to grow with new styles with eye catching details including (that all important) pop of neon, a standout motif or a flash of lurex sparkle. The collection continues to include both cashmere and cotton cashmere pieces that focus on great colour combinations, quality yarns and original designs.  



You can follow Cove on Instagram and you can see where they are going to be when they're out and about  at various events around the country here. For a taste of what else is available at Cove, just look at this gorgeous Holly Star Jumper in navy and pink (£120) -  such a beauty!


One of the lovely aspects of my job is working with smaller, as well as larger, brands. Whilst I borrowed these pieces for the purpose of trying them and photographing them, and whilst this post was written in conjunction with Cove, the pieces have now been returned and all views are my own. The only money that exchanged hands in the writing of this post was me giving our youngest 50p for her efforts in taking the photographs. Is that too light?!

The good thing about this white blazer (and what I should have checked, and failed to do so when buying my Zara blazer) is that it is machine washable at 30 degrees. It is a soft ponte jersey fabric which is comprised of 70% viscose, 25% polyamide and 5% elastane. Whilst I used to think of viscose as some horrid fabric (wait for the nerdy comment) it is in fact structurally similar to cotton, being produced from a variety of plants such as soy, bamboo and sugar cane. So there you go!


The reviews of this blazer online are really good and I can vouch for its fit and comfort. True, I didn't keep it on for long (I didn't want to enter dangerous Ribena territory) but because it's made from ponte it isn't stiff and boardy. It's a neat shape without being too fitted (no doubt the elastane helps with this) and I found the length of both the jacket and the sleeves to be good on me - I'm wearing a size 8 so it's true to size.  Whilst it clearly is not the cheapest of blazers, it's such a classic style that it won't date. My only observation is that there wouldn't be a lot of room in the sleeve width to get much by way of another layer underneath it. But that could just be particular to me as someone who always thinks about how many layers they can squidge under something else.

As with all of these things, it's just a matter of trying them and seeing how they work for you. But if you're on the hunt for a new white blazer, of if you weren't but this one piques your interest, it could be a real wardrobe gem.