Amazing Swimwear Finds at Asda

A short rant about swimwear manufacturers incoming: why do bikinis for women with breasts have to be so bloody awful? Each year, ahead of my summer holiday, I embark on my least favourite shopping activity of the year - finding swimwear. It's always a horrible business. It doesn't matter when I choose to undertake this soul destroying but necessary task - the day I go bikini shopping will be the day I look my most hairy, most PMT-ish and most pasty. And I always seem to be wearing clothes that prove the most fiddly to get on and off which will only add to my general feeling of irritation. 

But the the thing that really annoys me? The fact that in 2017 it appears to remain an impossible task to buy a supportive, stylish, well made two-piece for under £100. Go into most high street stores and you'll be confronted with racks and racks of gaudy, poorly made items that will do absolutely nothing to boost your body confidence. It makes my heart sink. 

Despite that fact that, generally speaking, the modern world is more accepting of different body shapes than it used to be, a silly myth appears to persist amongst the people who make swimwear: that women are one size all over. So, if you're a size 12 in your clothes, a size 12 bikini will be adequate for your needs. This is, of course, madness. I don't know many people who have size 12 hips, boobs and bums. It's so completely illogical when it comes to breast size, as you can be the size of twiglet and still have big boobs, so a one-size-fits-all-body-parts just doesn't make sense. 

Then there are the shops that refuse to acknowledge a cup size over a C - &OtherStories, I'm looking at you (you may be under the impression that everyone who shops in your stores is a boyishly figured Scandinavian model, but that's simply not the case. I'm a 40-something lady who loves your aesthetic but your bikinis don't go anywhere near the average sized 40-something lady.) 

At the other end of the scale are the brands who actively target the more generously endowed....and they, to be honest, are equally as bad. Who said that women with a larger cup size want to be trussed up in some fussy, frilly get-up that recalls a scene from Butlins circa 1956? It seems there's an idea amongst swimwear designers that girls with boobs are a bit 'cheeky' and a bit wacky, so the swimwear that targets these customers is all loud prints on push-up tops and big pants. 

Why does no one cater to women who want a discreet alternative, in a simple style and classic colour? And the padding!!! What's with the bloody padding? I hate anything that's padded or push-up but swimwear designers seem to have decided that it's a must for the modern woman. Ugh. 

Having tried on bikinis from a range of manufacturers, and at all price points, it also baffles me that the fit can be so wrong on so many of them. Tops described as "supportive" are often unflattering and constrictive. They can often draw attention to the area of your body you least want attention drawing too. Even expensive swimwear can be made from horrible, saggy material that thins at the sight of chlorine and loses its shape with even the teeniest bit of wringing out.  

Then there are the bikinis that actually break on holiday - I spent a memorable holiday in Greece with a safety pin attachment on my back thanks to a clasp that melted in the sun. I mean, it's a bit of a no-brainer - you kind of need a bikini to withstand hot weather conditions, no?

But there's no way I'm spending £100 on something I'm going to wear approximately 6 times in a year. Trust me, I've spent a few quid on swimwear in the past, and they all go the same way - you just need something to last you for your couple of weeks in the sun, something you'll enjoy wearing and which will - if you're like me - offer at least some support for messing about the swimming pool with your kids. In my case, I don't want a loud print or cheap feeling material - I want the three Ss: Simple, Stylish, Supportive. 

So imagine my surprise when on a random trip to Asda I came across not one but TWO pretty brilliant options? I honestly can vouch for the quality and fit of these two bikinis. You can buy the tops and bottoms separately, and while the tops are sized rather than cup sized (eg 10, 12, 14 etc) they are both supportive and flattering - I sized up to a 12 and found the coverage perfect for my needs. 

Of course, the proof will kind of be in the pudding - it's hard to judge swimwear on functionality from the confines of a changing room, but I was really, really surprised how good these two options felt on. I think the price points speak for themselves too...

Zip Front Mesh Detail Bikini

The zip and mesh detail give this one a sportswear vibe which I like. A really good fit on me and I love black. Available with matching bottoms. All in, £12. Buy here. 

Multiway Twist Detail Bikini 

Ignore the moaners on the reviews going on about sizing issues - just go and try this on. I found it a perfect fit and it offers the coverage I want without making me feel matronly. This top comes in at just £4. Yep, you read that right. Buy here.

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...

More Brilliant Buys From Next

To my surprise I'm posting my second fashion post of recent months and dedicating it to Next, a shop you could easily bypass if you were looking for fashion-forward buys on a budget. But seriously, you could be missing a trick. Turns out that just as it was full of amazing buys when I last did a fashion post in the Spring, it's currently a veritable treasure trove of gorgeousness, as I found out on a shopping trip the other day. 

Ostensibly on a mission to find a new pair of boots, I found myself lured into my local Next store by an amazing dress that had 'Christmas party' written all over it...and then I found loads of other stuff I liked too, all at brilliant price points.

Here's my round-up of some great pieces you might like to check out in store...

Black Embroidered Floral Dress, £95

Okay, this one is pretty spendy but things that are as beautifully embroidered as this frock don't tend to come cheap. With a whiff of the fashionistas favourite label, Needle & Thread, I'd love to have a winter wedding or some sort of other formal engagement in my diary to justify buying this beauty. 

Black Floral Ruffle Dress,£32

Cute, huh? And it's just £32. Having checked out this one in store, I can vouch for the fact it feels good quality and looks as good in the flesh as it does on screen.

White Lace Panel Dress, £32

Are you lucky enough to be disappearing off for some winter sun anytime soon? I am not, sadly, but I'm already fantasising about next summer and wondering if it wouldn't be too previous to buy this sweet little number as a very (very) early summer purchase...I can always make more room in my wardrobe for white stuff featuring lace, embroidery or broderie anglais.

Green Sparkle Pleated Skirt, £35

What are your feelings on green glitter? Personally I'm a fan, and therefore LOVE this pleated skirt. It's perhaps not a colour for everyone but if it suits your colouring and you're feeling brave, I say embrace the green glitter...

Black Floral Embroidered Top, £55

Saw in store, loved. The unusual colour palette and exquisite embroidery makes this piece look far more expensive than its £55. Very priddy - what do you think? 

Black Beaded Duffle Bag, £38

Calling all accessories freaks! This is a LEATHER bag...for £38, with just the right amount of sparkle if you prefer to keep the Christmas glitz under control. 

Black Suede Studded Strap Boots, £68

You'll find similar styles all over the shops right now, but most of the ones I've seen have been a bit too 'western' for my liking. These, however, have just enough embellishment, as high a heel as I like to go and simple straps that keep them out of cowboy territory.

Navy Glitter Low Block Heel Sandals, £28

Glitter done with class, these make me think of Miu Miu...but without the prohibitive price tag. And blue feels a bit more modern and interesting than black. And they're £28...£28!!!

Brilliant Buys at Next

It might be a high street stalwart, but Next isn't the most obvious place to go for your more fashion-forward buys. It's a dependable store, a place that's great for kids clothes and more conventional office attire, but not a shop you'd imagine picking up the sort of pieces you might find in, say, Whistles or Anthropologie.

Imagine my surprise, then, when I found myself waylaid on a trip to buy my kids shorts by the fantastic offerings in the women's department. I tried on more stuff than I have done in any other shop recently and bought two items (including the chambray dress you see below, as well as some Palmairas-style sandals for £20 quid), though I could have bought a lot more; the palm-print culottes jumpsuit is more flattering than you might imagine and really comfy, however I was being very strict with my budget on this particular shopping trip.

Forget any preconceptions you might have about Next and take a look at what's in store at the moment - I think you'll be surprised...here are some of the things that caught my eye (and check out those prices. Seriously, what's not to love?) 

Tan Embroidered Wrap Sandals - £30

Palm Print Jumpsuit - £26

Chambray Embroidered Dress - £38

White Embroidered Top - £30

Black Pom Pom Skirt - £25

Ecru Lace Front Dress - £32

Black & White Leather Stitch Bag - £45

3 Different Online Shops

A recent trip to Cabot Circus proved a reminder of just how poorly served Bristol is for shopping. With my pay cheque burning a whole in my pocket and a requirement to buy some new jeans, I spent a very frustrating afternoon trawling the shops and inwardly cursing about the lack of choice in our city. I don't understand it - Bristol is a creative, relatively affluent place, so you'd think the retail offering would be, well, just a bit more exciting. Of course, you'll find most big name high street stores at both Cabot Circus and the Mall, but if you're after something a bit different you're limited to Urban Outfitters. 

But on this particular occasion even Urban Outfitters failed to deliver. Not only did I bump into a friend's 14 year old daughter and her gaggle of mates in the changing rooms (a scenario that did rather make me wonder if I'm perhaps getting a little too old for Urban Outfitters) but the jeans I tried on here made me look like a '90s throwback...which is okay if you're not old enough to actually remember the '90s.

So back to the world of online shopping and seeking out those elusive jeans on the world wide web. It's a pretty overwhelming experience, so I thought I'd share three new sites you might want to bookmark if you're looking for an alternative to the standard chain stores (and useful if, like me, you never have any luck finding denim on the high street...)

Madewell

Not cheap, but the denim is particularly good and you can pick up bargains in the sale, plus Madewell really knows how to do a good vintage wash. I hate the flimsiness of high street denim, so I'm happy to pay a bit more for something that is a bit more heavy duty and shape retaining. 

Embroidered top, £66.12 in the sale

Aside from denim, you'll find great knitwear and t-shirts that have that relaxed but well-made look that US brands do so well. If you ever indulge in the fantasy that you're actually a writer living in Brooklyn (yes, I do) then this is a brand that will fit your style, though unfortunately you do need a little more than a writer's income to afford some of the pieces in the collection. That said, there are bargains to be had in the sale - I tend to buy my summer clothes in the winter and vice versa, so have been stocking up on a few pieces that are heavily discounted at the moment. And if you're after a special treat, the bags are affordable luxuries and have a timeless but cool look. 

Sezane

Perhaps Paris' Left Bank is more your thing than Williamsburg. In that case you need to know about Sezane, a French site that has just launched in the UK. It's got that sophisticated-without-being-stuffy vibe that characterises French style and prices are reasonable - it's on a par with more upmarket brands such as Whistles or Reiss, but has more affordable t-shirts and blouses in its collection, too. 

Bora Blouse, 65 euros

Uterque

A bit like &Other Stories, this Spanish brand has more of a fashion-forward edge, so it's perfect if you're looking for something for a special occasion and don't want to look like everyone else. Again, prices are very much at the upper end of the high street (think Karen Millen, Whistles, etc) but, like sister brands Zara and Massimo Dutti, the pieces feature quality fabrics and sharp tailoring that justify the steeper price tags.

Striped dress, £125

All images courtesy of Madewell, Sezane and Uterque

Six Fab Summer Sandals

There are few things as redolent of balmy summer days as a pair of sandals. A leather thong, canvas espadrille or rubber flip flop suggest lazy days in the sun like nothing else, which is why they're my favourite type of footwear. Forget sky-high Louboutins or toe restraining trainers; my feet are their happiest when slapping about in a lovely new pair of summer flats. 

If your toes feel the same way and you're looking for an update to your sandal collection, take a look at some of my current favourites below...

New Look Fringed Sandals, £27.99

Give your ankles some fringing with these expensive looking, Isabel Marant-y flats. The right side of boho, just add pretty painted toenails. And perhaps a beach in the Balearics...

Palmairas Neon Pink Sandals, £42

Aren't these special? An antidote to the 'safer' brown and black shoes in your collection, these leather sandals would be equally at home on a festival field, summer city break or sun-soaked Mediterranean island. Palmairas have the added romance of being handmade on the island of Menorca. 

Next Scallop Sandals, £28

If you tend to be a little dismissive of 'safe' Next I would urge you to reconsider your position, particularly with regard to its footwear - there are some amazing gems within its collection, all at affordable price points. Like M&S, Next can usually be relied on for comfort and durability, too. I think these simple black sandals are chic and smart without being too conventional.

TopShop Lace-up sandals

A good way to tap into the 'gladiator' trend without feeling, well, too gladiator. I don't see myself working the whole laces round your calf look too well, so this is a nice way to do laces without cutting off your circulation. Or looking a bit daft while wandering the aisles of Tesco. These sandals also have a pleasingly expensive look about them.

Essentiel Antwerp Fringed Leather Sandals, £125

Gah! So lovely. But so expensive. A bit of a 'wish list' addition, to be honest, but if you're feeling flush I don't think I've seen another pair of sandals as lovely as these for a while....

Summer in Denim

Typing to the sound of a gale force wind and lashing rain, it seems a bit previous to be talking about summer fashion. But despite pulling out the comfy knits again and realising that it's not quite sandal weather yet, I think it's okay to indulge a little in the idea that sometime soon we'll be basking in sunshine again.

However, said sunshine will, for the most part, be BRITISH sunshine, which always calls for something a bit heavier than a slip of cotton or spaghetti strap dress; and in my particular case, the mercury really does have to spike before I'll shed my jeans and long sleeves. That's why I love denim so much - it has that extra bit of weight and warmth that makes it perfect for dealing with the caprices of a British summer. It's all well and good having a wardrobe full of barely there dresses and tops for your two weeks of foreign sun, but for the most part, summers at home call for something with a bit more substance.

In a bid to distract myself from the thoroughly un-summery winds currently assailing the UK, I took a little wander along the virtual high street to see what's new in the denim world. Here's what I found...

& Other Stories Denim Skirt

Raw hem, right side of faded, pencil cut - a nice update of the classic denim skirt, don't you think? And priced at a very reasonable £39. 

Madewell Jeans

Not widely available in the UK, Madewell is a bit like an upmarket Gap, selling lots of cute denim pieces, albeit at quite expensive price points. These jeans are on sale via American department store Nordstrom, at the reduced price of £55.78 instead of £96 - quite a saving. I've been coveting some patched jeans for a while but hadn't found the 'right' kind of patch until stumbling upon these beauties.

Zara Espadrilles

Erm, what's not to love about an espadrille. Made from DENIM. Just take my £29.99...

Zara Embroidered Dress

Granted, this one's perhaps more Marrakesh that Minehead, but it would be cynical not to buy just one new summer dress - and this one benefits from the addition of long sleeves to counteract chilly UK weather. £45.99

Topshop Black Denim Dress

I find some denim dresses a little cutesy but this one has a bit of an edge. Unfortunately only available in size 4 online right now...£35

Mango Denim Oversized Shirt

A cute alternative to the standard t-shirt 'n' jeans combo - this lighter wash shirt works the double denim look and it has a nicely utilitarian feel to it. £34.99

Zara Dungaree Dress

Oh, to be the right side of 40 to pull this one off...I am still undecided as to whether I would personally feel comfortable strolling around in the sort of garment I last wore age 7, but if I was in the market for tapping into the dungaree trend (and was perhaps a few years younger), this is how I'd do it. £29.99

I Heart the Hippy Look

Something about shopping for summer clothes turns me into a bit of a hippy. Faded denim, embroidered cotton and cheesecloth...I'm all over it if I'm looking for something new to pack in my holiday suitcase. Perhaps it's because I'm a genuine child of the '70s, who grew up mucking about in denim pinafores, stripy Clothkits dresses and hippyish wooden clogs bought on holiday at Italian market stalls; thirty-odd years on and I still can't resist clothes that hold the promise of recapturing a glimmer of those carefree summers.

One of my favourite dresses, from ASOS

To be precise I'm not into that cliched 'festival boho' look that dominates the high street every summer - I'd look utterly daft in a a '70s-style floppy fedora, I hate maxi dresses and crotchet isn't my thing. But a cotton top, embellished with a lovely bit of embroidery, a pair of beaded leather sandals or a pair of battered denim cut offs say 'summer' like nothing else to me. 

With a holiday to Morocco on the horizon - the ideal place if ever there was one to embrace the '70s aesthetic - I took a trip to the shops to check out the summery offerings on the rails. As always, Zara does the look on a budget without looking tacky. You'll always find great leather sandals here and this season there are loads of pieces to satisfy your hippy tendencies - think embroidered peasant tops and denim kaftans if you feel like channelling the Talitha Getty in Marrakesh look...

Spotted in Zara

Look closely on the racks of New Look and you'll unearth some gems. This cute top totally had my name on it but I resisted buying in view of the fact I already have something rather similar.

New Look Blouse, £22.99

If you're  more of an online shopper ASOS is worth a look, though I find shopping here a little overwhelming and prefer sites with a more edited selection to trawl through. 

ASOS dress, £32.50

If you're also easily bewildered by the choice on the big fashion sites, I'd head to Mango which has the best edit of the '70s mood online, at incredibly reasonable prices. Handily it has a whole section dedicated to the '70s Revival' look - take a look here. I'm pretty taken with this fringed bag, embroidered dress and tie dye top, which at just £9.99 will have to be purchased immediately, I feel...

Mango bag, £29.99

If budget isn't so much of a consideration Anthropologie is the go-to place for this kind of thing; I only shop here in the sale, of course, where you'll often find some pretty good bargains - I have bought a couple of lovely tops here in the past, both heavily discounted. The good news for Bristol gals is that there's a branch in Bath so if you can try before you buy. 

And if money really is no object and you like the hippy look mixed with a big dose of Parisian Left Bank chic, then Etoile Isabel Marant is where it's at...but be warned that this is hippy dressing for those with investment banker wallets...

Etoile Isabel Marant Top, £220 (gulp)

Weekly Round-up

It’s been a mad-crazy couple of weeks and we have been away on our latest family adventure (look out for a blog post on our trip to Italy, coming very soon) so blogging has taken a bit of a back seat recently. And I haven't had much of interest to blog about. So, this week's post is a quick round-up of some of the small rays of sunshine in a period that's been a bit hectic, a bit stressful and not hugely interesting (bar our lovely break to Florence, of course. Talking of which...)

1.Half term in Florence

I lived in this lovely city for a year as a student and had been hankering to make a visit back to my old stomping ground for ages. The only question was, would Florence make for a successful family break or would all that art, history and culture make my kids’ heads explode? We decided to risk it, and thanks to relatively cheap EasyJet flights and very family and budget-friendly accommodation, it was a risk that didn’t prove too costly. And the kids’ heads didn’t, thankfully, explode. I think they enjoyed it, though I have a suspicion they liked buying rip-off Italian football shirts from the market more than staring at Giotto frescoes at Santa Croce church….

A full blog post on our trip is coming soon…

2. Cheap 'n' cheerful jewellery

I picked up this little beauty on a recent trip to London, at the Forever 21 store on Oxford Street. If you’ve never ventured into a Forever 21 store before, it’s a pretty manic experience, clearly pitched at the teen age group – I am not their target audience at all. That said, if you’re after cheap, fast fashion and have the time to trawl the rails, I noticed some nice little pieces and the prices are exceptionally wallet-friendly. But as I’m trying to buy less stuff and choose quality over quantity, and resist the false economy (and dubious ethics) of fast fashion, I ignored the racks of hippy-style dresses that looked quite nice and concentrated on the accessories, stumbling on this gem of a necklace that has a hint of the Anthropologie about it – but without the expensive price tag. This beauty cost me £7. Yes, just a little more than a magazine and a bar of choccy.

3. Reading 'Quiet' by Susan Cain

I rarely read non-fiction and have never in my life felt drawn to self-help books, and while this wonderful, fascinating book isn't strictly a self-help book, it does help you understand yourself better if you consider yourself an introvert and reveals the natural reflexes and responses that make some people quiet and anxious, and others confident and gregarious. It's a reminder to yourself that if you like your own company, work best on your own in quiet, familiar surroundings, or shy away from public speaking and 'putting yourself out there' in the workplace there actually isn't anything wrong with you and that your contribution is just as valid as anyone else's. In fact the book is subtitled 'The Power of Introverts in a World that Can't Stop Talking'. If, like me you are a 'quiet' person and fancy understanding yourself a little bit better, READ this book - find out more here.

4. Eating cheese  

My kids don’t ‘do’ shopping. So I knew there’d be no browsing the boutiques of Florence’s enchanting side streets, spending hours picking through vintage knick knacks in the flea markets or searching for the perfect leather sandals (for which Florence is famous)in San Lorenzo, the city’s bustling shopping area. However no trip to Florence is complete without a visit to the Mercato Centrale (an amazing food market) and I knew my kids would be okay with this, given that they love looking at weird cuts of meat and barely dead fish…and this place is full of that sort of stuff. It was while browsing the amazing food stalls at the market that we came across a cheese that sounded just a bit special – pecorino infused with truffle oil.

All I can say is the block we bought was nowhere near big enough. Sublime doesn’t go anywhere near describing just how good this stuff is. You can buy something a little similar here albeit it at quite a price!

5. Shoes, shoes and more shoes

Alongside the cheese I somehow managed to buy TWO pairs of sandals in Italy. Just need to fix the weather so I can actually wear them, now. Florence is renowned for its leather goods so if you’re in the market for a well-made pair of shoes or a new bag, it’s a good place to be. I was most definitely in the market for some new sandals as the Topshop numbers I’d packed decided to break on me midway through the holiday. So I simply HAD to buy some new ones. I opted for some simple, traditional-style leather sandals which I picked up in a teeny shoe store near San Lorenzo, selling proper ‘Made in Italy’ products. They are unbelievably comfortable and made from high quality leather. And at just £34, an absolute steal. And how cute are the raffia slides? A rash purchase from Pisa Airport and a great way to use up the last of our euros (29 of them, to be exact – bargain)

Oh, and then I remembered we have a friend's 40th birthday party coming up, requiring another shoe purchase, hence the lovely heels that found their way into my basket on a recent trip to M&S. I really rate M&S for shoes - their range is often quite 'fashion forward', they are much better made than other high street alternatives, and they come in half sizes and wider widths, perfect for my rather awkwardly-sized hoofs. Go take a look at what's in store now - I saw some really nice, sensibly priced shoes on my last trip.