Some of you I have already met, some I am yet to meet, some are wondering if it’s worth meeting me, and others are dipping in for a slightly voyeuristic ride: to all of you, though, a big welcome to my long promised, inaugural monthly newsletter. At the start of a brand spanking new year (one for which we all have exceedingly high hopes, albeit tempered with measured realism) I wanted to introduce you to my little world and start as I mean to go on.
I don’t think any of us (Bill Gates aside) foresaw what was to happen in 2020. Long laid plans were thrown asunder; weddings, parties, holidays, promotions, house moves – all fell by the wayside. And instead, we found ourselves spending disproportionate lengths of time at home, under the same roof, with the same people for stretches of time that we simply could not have anticipated. The tenets by which we lived our lives were voided. I am, therefore, looking at 2021 as an opportunity to re-consider the principles that I want to reinstate in these now ‘precedented’ times; what’s coming with me (both theoretically and sartorially) and what I’m leaving behind in 2020.
Although New Years’ resolutions have never held great sway with me, I am approaching 2021 with a greater focus on habits – both making them and changing them. As the philosopher William James wrote “all our life … is but a mass of habits … systematically organised for our weal or woe”. I’ve long given up on trying to start the day with a glug of hot water and lemon, but writing to you lovely lot with my sartorial titbits and stylish anecdotes will become a greater focus for me this year. If you’re wondering what jeans to be buying in 2021, how to stay current without becoming a cliché, or simply updating your wardrobe without breaking the bank, I’m hoping my weekly blog will be here to guide you.
And before you get concerned and hit that unsubscribe button, fear not – I’ll only drop you a note in your inbox (assuming you’ve opted in) once a month. For my weekly hit, you’ll need to swing by here.
Whilst it’s unfair to put too much pressure on 2021, (after all, when was the last time something for which you had the highest expectations actually lived up to them?), I do hope that this year brings you all joy. Surely the only way from here, is up.
Prue x
What I’m lusting after this week:
(Click on images below to take you straight to the webpage)
Mango Trousers
These trousers from Mango (£49.99) are fantastic – so long as you know how to wear them. Pleat front trousers can be tricky: if they pull at all, they will only serve to make you look bigger than you actually are. I always advocate trying a larger size than you would normally go for. These have a built in belt, so are a great leg-lengthening style when worn high on the waist.
Whistles leather dress
£449 for a dress is higher than my usual price point, but this dress is a great investment. Shirt dresses are wonderful on many body shapes (they become tricky when you’re rounder through the middle). Layer this over a fine-gauge knit and wear it with boots through winter, or wear it open at the neck and with bare legs through spring and autumn to give it the mileage it warrants. Pull the sleeves up a little to make the most of the waist on it too.
Sarah Chapman Skinesis Overnight Facial
I have especially tricky combination skin which means I suffer with both acne and eczema. The treatment for one is traditionally to dry the skin out, and the other to lather on thick moisture, so my skincare routine is a constant balancing act. With the cold weather and central heating on right now my skin is particularly dry. A few drops of Sarah Chapman’s Skinesis Overnight Facial a couple of times a week leaves my skin looking more radiant and significantly less thirsty without causing an outbreak. It’s not cheap (£54 for 15ml at cultbeauty.co.uk) but a little goes a long way, and - crucially - it really does work.