(Almost) Spring dressing & thoughts on Self-Care

Trying to dress for this in-between season can never end well – one minute you’re out with sunglasses on and the next it’s raining and the temperature is down by 5 degrees. Well, that’s global warming for you and should have been expecting that when less than a month ago we still had snow here in the UK. However, there is definitely a suggestion by mother nature that spring is around the corner, and walking around, looking at the insanely beautiful magnolia trees is a good way to relax and prepare for warmer days and maybe, just maybe ditch the extra layer and carry sunglasses that you can wear for a mere 20-minute sun spell. You have to start somewhere!

I decided to put together three outfits for this crazy weather, that would quite easily work for warmer days with the removal or swapping around of some details (a major one being tights! Remove tights!). And I had my friend’s dog to keep me company that first day, who is an absolute dream and makes everything better.

On a different note, spring is a season of change for nature and naturally for us too; you change your wardrobe, skincare routine, food choices so why not try and focus more on your wellbeing. I know the theme of self-care has been a very popular one in the last couple of years, with fitness trends, wellness gurus etc but it’s actually so so important to focus on our wellbeing, and it really isn’t a ‘gimmicky’ thing or a trend. I am very happy that the world has started to take notice and has turned this into a trend, because no matter how much fun a night out might be, consecutive nights out might not feel so good – in that respect, everything in moderation is the best way forward, and listening to your body and its needs is really the best practice. I am most definitely a city girl, but spending a few days in the countryside, where the air is cleaner and you can actually take time out to relax, it’s so good in terms of self-care. Even when you are in the city, take some time every week and practice self-care.

Start perhaps with something easy like making a nutritious meal, going to a gym class or even putting a face mask on and running a bubble bath.
Once these things start coming naturally to you, try meditating; I still need some form of guidance and the app Calm is really helpful.
Use candles, incense and cleanse your room/flat with white sage. The burning of sacred herbs (smudging) is used for spiritual cleansing and blessing of a space or person.
Try some yoga out. Even if you’ve never done it before, it will help even if it’s just about stretching your muscles – it doesn’t have to be on a spiritual level. For some at-home yoga, I really enjoy Yoga with Adriene who has loads of videos for beginners too.
For some extra positive vibes, I like receiving the Shine texts, which sends over a daily positive affirmation, a quote and an article to read. Texts are only available to US residents but you can sign up on Messenger for some extra positivity. I don’t always have time to read what they’ve sent through, but it helps start the day in a good way when I do.

Now on to the outfits, the first one is definitely the most comfortable thing to wear apart from pajamas – a big, oversized hoodie dress and over the knee boots. The boots make it look less street style-y and more put together instantly and the dog-walking is another way towards self-care! Looking after a cute dog even if it’s not your own is always a stress-relief in my book.

Wearing: Tobi hoodie dress* (here on sale!) | Stuart Weitzman boots (here)

| Céline sunglasses (similar) | Danse Lente bag (here) | feat. Céline the dog!

The second outfit features one of my favourite things to wear for spring; dungarees, which granted can be a marmite piece of clothing. This pair is slightly oversized from Mih Jeans. I love dungarees as they are so versatile and can be dressed up or down with accessories and choice of tops. This was shot on a visit to a super cute garden centre (Burford Garden Centre) in the Cotswolds.

Wearing: Mih Jeans dungarees (similar) | Tobi blouse* (here on sale!) | Vans shoes (here) | Danse Lente bag (here)

For the last outfit, and after a day of constant rain, I took out my trusted Hunter boots that I don’t normally wear in the city, but are perfect for the countryside. A walk around Blenheim Palace was the ultimate stress-relief, despite the cold wind. Also, can’t wait to wear this super cute dress when it’s actually warm!