The Monthly Round-Up: February

Chic affordable garden furniture (now's the time), favourite beauty buys, shopping basket I can't live without, 10 x stylish home hits, leggings I swear by, Diptyque dupe, and my fashion wish list...

Feb 21, 2025

Hello! Welcome to the February Round-Up. A mash-up of everything I have been loving, watching, smelling, listening to, wish-listing, using on my skin, manifesting, working out in, grocery shopping with, stalking…
Enjoy!

10 x (mostly high street) Home Hits…

Ten (mostly High Street, and all gorgeous) things I’m loving for the home right now.

Listening to…

Louis is back! So far I have listened to the episodes with Armie Hammer (just plain weird frankly - I honestly wouldn’t bother - sorry Claire!) and Sharon Horgan (which I very much enjoyed, particularly as I’m now on season 2 of Bad Sisters, which she talks about a lot). I just love Louis. His was one of my favourite podcasts during lockdown (remember all that walking??).

Just dropped (and loving)…

I love this style of coat, as it’s a bit of a hybrid between a blazer and coat. Warm enough to wear now (in London anyway), but with the feel of a blazer (when you don’t want to wear a big ‘coat coat’). And navy is always chic.

Current favourite beauty products…

Top row: Sarah Chapman | Beauty Pie | Vieve
Second row: Sarah Chapman Overnight Facial | Shiseido | Sarah Chapan

Some products I have been using (and loving) recently. Although the Sarah Chapman Overnight Facial (as you probably know) is already one of my absolute favourite products, so a loyal staple in my bathroom cabinet. I can’t recommend it more highly.
I don’t wear foundation (I only wear this from Elemis, which is amazing), but recently I have noticed a few breakouts and uneven patches, so I felt maybe it was time to upgrade to something with a bit more coverage. I consulted my lovely friend (and hugely respected makeup artist), Kim (hi Kim!) for advice, and she recommended this one from Shiseido. She knew I wouldn’t want anything too heavy, and so far I am really loving it. And I have had quite a few “you look well!” comments - always grateful for those these days! It feels like the right amount of coverage for me - I don’t have the skills to do anything much beyond concealer, mascara and bronzer/blusher, I so I don’t want the canvas to be too ‘perfect’ if that makes sense.

Plaid shirts…

I’ve always loved a plaid shirt, but it’s only recently that I’ve started wearing one again. As always, inspired by the Olsen twins, I’m wearing mine open, over a grey tee.

My (granny) shopping basket…

I have the exact basket and I use it ALL the time. I tend to keep it in the car (I guess like a ‘bag for life’), so I have it for those times when I’m popping to the shop/supermarket to pick up a couple of bits. I will then just put my keys and wallet in it too. As long as it’s not raining, and I don’t have lots to get, this is what I use. It always gets so many comments/compliments too, which I always find funny (and surprising!).

Chic garden stripes…

I saw these IRL at the recent John Lewis press day and can confirm that they are really fab. And they’re really good value too (£279 for the sofa and £149 for the chair). I couldn’t decide which colourway I preferred, so I’ve shared both. They also come in burnt orange if that’s more your thing (it’s not mine, obviously - haha!).

And the chicest loungers & corner set…

Now’s the time to start thinking about garden furniture (despite the rain pelting down just outside the french doors where I’m sitting), because if you leave it too late, all the best pieces sell out (a bit like summer sandals - ridiculous and annoying, but true). I’m manifesting a little garden ‘re-fresh’ of our tiny front courtyard this spring, and this lounger set is my favourite (and currently residing on my desktop) I have found so far. And the little table for your drinks/book! So sweet, But I am also toying with a corner sofa, and this is a really pretty one (very few are in my opinion). We have quite a few pieces in both our teeny-tiny courtyards from Cox & Cox, and they really do stand the test of time (and chicness).

Just Ordered/Bought…

Top row: M&S top | Sézane dungarees | John Lewis top
Bottom row: Sézane tee | M&S running top | M&S leggings

A few things I’ve added to my wardrobe the month. The M&S black lace top got a lot of love on Insta. And rightly so, it’s really fab. You do need to size up though as it comes up small (I know - unusual for M&S). It looks like Sea NY.
A moment for the M&S Good Move leggings too. I first bought these during lockdown when I started running (I know - such a Covid cliché…) and they are still going! They are the best leggings I have ever bought/worn (ok, so I maybe haven’t actually bought that many for actually exercising in, but I have tried on quite a few, plus I know what crazy prices some of them are…). They hold you in - securely, but not uncomfortably, and have a little side pocket for you phone/keys. It’s only in the last couple of weeks (I have recently started strength training twice a week, so have dusted them off) that one end of the little drawstring has disappeared. Hence an excuse to treat myself to a new pair (I generally can’t bring myself to spend money on things to wear to exercise in, and have recently been wearing an old men’s cashmere jumper to train outdoors. Ridiculous I know, but it’s been COLD at 7am!!).

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You’re probably already sick of reading/hearing about it, but I went (with Tom - he booked!?!) last Friday, and I have to say, I really loved it. Which I really was not expecting. Not to be mean, or down on Bridget, but the last two were pretty questionable weren’t they? This one (the last I believe? But is that like ‘the last’ Rolling Stones world tour, or indeed Elton John’s ‘farewell tour’?) hit different. I mean, I was fully expecting to enjoy it, but was I was not expecting were the tears (proper crying tears!! And I am not a cinema crier as a rule) and the full-on laugh-out-loud belly laughs. It really was an emotional rollercoaster. Because we already knew about Mark Darcey (no spoilers - it was in the trailer), I just wasn’t expecting/prepared for the tears and the sadness. I was completely unprepared. I challenge anyone not to find parts of this film quite emotional. I came out with (a really attractive, Valentine’s themed) bright red nose - proof that it wasn’t just a singular wipe-away-tear either - as hard as I tried to suppress them. I always love a film set in London, so loved that my city played such a big role. And of course, I loved the pool/party scene that was shot in Petersham House - next to Petersham Nurseries, minutes from my (in comparison, Sylvanian size) house. I had stalked the set back in July when they shot it. If there is a hedge equivalent of curtain-twitching (I mean, hedge-twitching right?) I was doing. Deeply uncool. It was Hugh I was searching for, but he wasn’t even in those scenes I discovered last Friday (but he was just brilliant in every scene he was in). All I saw were lots of extras wearing pashminas anyway.
So if you haven’t seen it, go! And take tissues, and look out for the garden party scenes. In the meantime, I really enjoyed reading this about all the locations.

As I always strive for balance wherever possible in life, I will be seeing The Brutalist on my next cinema trip. Ha! I am a little tense that it’s SO long, but apparently the interval really does make it all ok.

Diptyque dupe…

Eeek, I’m so not a fan of the word/term dupe (it give me the ick in a major way), but I literally couldn’t resist the alliteration here. My friend Claire (merci Claire, and hello!) tipped me off about this one, and it’s a real goodie! It’s a chic glass cloche to house your scented candle/s. I actually already had one from Diptyque that the kids bought me one year for my birthday (Tom always takes them on a panic smash-and-grab to the Westbourne Grove store, and I am not complaining!!). It’s so pretty (you can check them out here), but they don’t come cheap. This Habitat ‘version’ (a steal at just £10.000) is virtually impossible to resist, and apparently well-known interior designers have been spotted bulk-buying them from their local Sainsburys. You can just tap on the link above, from the comfort of your sofa…

Watching (on the small screen)…

To be honest I haven’t been watching that much TV recently, but Tom and I did binge-watch Amandaland, which I really enjoyed. I mean, it’s not quite as funny as Motherland (I missed Diane Morgan (sorry Anna Maxwell Martin, I love you, but I didn’t miss you because your character used to stress me out SO much!!), but it’s a lot funnier than I was expecting. Joanna Lumley (as Amanda’s mum) has some of the best lines in the show. And it definitely gets funnier (plenty of LOLS - SoHa made me crack up every single time) the further in you get. Then just as you’re fully onboard. and even starting to quite like Amanda, it’s over. Would 100% reccommend.

Bad Sisters was definitely a slow-burn for me, but as I said, I’m now on season 2 and really enjoying it. It’s an easy watch if you’re looking for something enjoyable that requires minimal concentration. I love all the Irish scenery too.

Severence is next on the list for me and Tom. We watched the first episode, but Tom fell asleep, so we need to go back. I’m not sure yet - I actually found it quite disturbing, but will persevere as I’ve heard great things.

White Lotus season 3 is almost on my ‘To Watch’ list. Too much to watch, too little time to actually watch.

Wish listing…

This is what’s my current shopping/wish/lust list (links on my iphone notes) looks like right now.

That’s it for the month’s round-up. In the meantime, if you’re enjoying these posts and fancy getting them more often (and ‘meatier’, more personal and covering more varied topics), you might want to consider upgrading to a paid subscription. You will also get full access to the complete archive of posts (including the most popular ones - What It Was Really Like Attending New York, London, Milan, And Paris Fashion Weeks As A Magazine Fashion Editor? | What's The Worst Thing A Man Can Wear On A First Date? | 21 Lessons Learnt (sort of) in 2024 | 14 Of My Favourite Restaurants in London | Got engaged in 2008, got a beautiful ring, and even had an engagement party. So why am I still not married | Has Anyone Ever Told You, You Look Like Drew Barrymore?) I am still loving putting these (free) monthly edits together, but it’s the other posts where I try to ‘go deeper’ and get more personal (also with smaller edits of things I’m loving in all areas of my life - fashion, home, beauty style…). Anyway, something to consider - zero pressure.
See you next time! In the meantime, thank you for all your continued support. It means the world. Have a gorgeous weekend!

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