Pay Day Treats

Do you take respite in mindless activities when all hell's breaking loose in global politics? It's not like I'm burying my head in the sand - the world's gone to s**t and it's terrifying - but I do think we all need a bit of a refuge from the deluge of worrying news stories and anxiety-filled Facebook feeds every now and again. 

So I'm not at all ashamed to say that I took great joy in indulging in an afternoon of surfing interiors on Instagram and seeing what's new in the shops right now - yes, it's all very superficial when there's a new world order happening around us, but sometimes you've just got to gather your troops around you (in my case, two sickly children), make a pot of tea and take half and hour out from the world to wonder if buying a banana design bag from Zara might bring some small joy into your world right now. 

Here are some other things that caught my eye during my afternoon of surfing - all under £50 and all available online...

Mini Banana Crossbody Bag - Zara, £17.99

I love a fruit motif, do you? But maybe you haven't got a bag with a banana on it - if not, this might bring a pop of summer colour to your wardrobe. 

Lakeesha Blouse - Monsoon, £49

Just the right amount of boho detailing to make this an interesting and versatile addition to your spring wardrobe, plus Monsoon stuff tends to be well made enough to justify the more expensive price tag.

Denim Ruffle Top - Next, £30

Next reported disappointing profits last year which really surprised me - this is one of the few high street stalwarts that I think has really upped its game recently by introducing some really affordable, fashion-forward pieces to its range. I guess retail - like politics - is a capricious and totally unpredictable beast. This top is the sort of thing they do well.

Mocki Light Blue Jeans - Monki, £30

Monki recently opened in Bristol and while clearly its demographic is much younger than me, I'm glad I wasn't put off by the hordes of teenage girls buying crop tops and stick on patches when I made a visit or else I wouldn't have discovered it does brilliant jeans. The Mocki cut are fantastic - I really can't recommend them enough; they're made of quite heavy-weight denim, the cut is great (exactly the right kind of skinny) and they come in really nice washes. And they're £30. Go check them out. 

Embroidered Kimono top - Marks and Spencer, £39.50

This feels like a really good 'transitional' piece - the sort of thing that will provide a bit of respite from the slightly boring grey jumpers I live in during the winter, but which still has long sleeves to provide a bit of warmth on chillier spring days. And it has embroidery on it, so I'll probably end up buying it...

Black Floral Print Shirt - New Look, £17.99

I really love this look, even though florals aren't usually my bag. Granted the gorgeous model can work high-waisted jeans and dewy skin a lot better than I can, but I think adding a flowery flourish to your wardrobe might have restorative powers if you're feeling a little world-weary right now. 

Gina V-Cut Flare Block Heels - Topshop, £56

Whoops. These come in at just over £50 but forgoing a couple of shop-bought coffees justifies them, right? For the high-heel phobic like me, these are perfect - not too high and blocky. And they're animal print which is a print I mainly like to wear on my feet. 

Printed Cotton Sweatshirt - Mango, £19.99

I know, Mars would be a preferable option right now. Alas, we're just going to have to stick it out here on Earth for the time being - I recommend wearing cosy sweatshirts like this one, making cakes and drinking lots of tea. It might help a little bit...