opening chapter two – hello february
The baby of the year. 28 days. They fly by! Take them in. Bridging seasons. Stuck in limbo. Will she summon sunshine or snow? A little lighter, a smidge brighter. Air fresh, full of hope. Snowdrops - unafraid - poke their heads up from below. In the greenhouse, sow dreams for the months ahead. Back indoors, dim the lights. The scent of rose fills the air. Silk slips. Trimmed with lace. Dress to impress… yourself. Pancake parties. All the toppings. Toss! Flip! Stack ‘em up high! Final frosts. Be still. Reflect and breathe - what’s going well? Winter bows. Daffodils tease. We wait patiently for spring…
However excited I might be for spring to arrive, I cherish each of the 28 opportunities February offers to say goodbye to winter for another year.
Whether it’s cherishing the last remaining frost of the season, appreciating the excuse to light the fire one last time or taking advantage of the opportunity to ‘hibernate’ for a few more days (!), there’s so much beauty that comes hand-in-hand with the cold, I’m grateful that February let’s us say a proper goodbye.
Whilst some might find its unpredicatablity disarming, I love that February forces us to get creative, too. Prepare for the unexpected. Am I dressing for sunshine or snow? After all, if you, like me, have invested in a winter coat in recent months, any excuse to get your moneys worth can only be a good thing, right!?
That being said, nothing beats that first feeling of taking a deep breath in and inhaling the glorious, distinct smell of spring.
The first sign of many that lighter evenings are on their way… along with linen dresses, skipping lambs and freshly picked daffs.
As I mentioned in my opening to chapter two this time last year, it was in February a few years back that I really smelt that smell for this first time. Little did I know in that moment that it would set off a love affair with the British countryside, that I know deep down will last a lifetime and beyond…
For that reason, February is saturated with so much hope in my eyes. After months of darkness, we take our first tentative steps over the bridge between winter and spring, knowing full well that whilst the present is filled with so much beauty (if you look for it) the destination ahead is brimming with light.
The noticeably lighter skies when the team leave at 5pm are testament to that!
Of course, February sends good old Saint Valentine our way too, so naturally I’ll be dropping some serious hints to Ali in the coming days..! We’ve actually booked a Valentines getaway this year but if you’re looking for date night ideas to enjoy at home (which I love) I shared how we usually celebrate this time last year here. I’ll be sharing my guide to the perfect pamper night in over the coming days too, for those of you looking to take advantage of the last remaining wintry nights of the season.
Finally, after 2022 had the audacity to make us wait until March for pancakes (!) I will be summoning Carrie to the kitchen on Tuesday 21st and requesting that a full stack of pancakes are ready and waiting for me to feast on!
After all, if you can’t play the boss card and demand pancakes on pancake day, when can you eh!?
Ultimately, I plan to cherish this month in full. It’s the shortest month of the year. It always goes by in a flash.
Let’s make the most of it, together, shall we?
Missed chapter one and want to fill in the gaps? Take a look at 2023’s first chapter here…
Looking for a product that I featured last month. Find every item that I shared, here!
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Ad When the turn of the seasons encourages you to wrap up in classic clothing from the beautiful British brand that is @lkbennettlondon , retreat to a cosy, country hotel and hunker down for afternoon tea with your husband. Use LYDIALKB20 for 20% off until 28th October #WearingLKB paid partnership
I had so many messages about my work from home outfit last week I thought I’d share it complete with accessories
Ad Outfit
Jumper @goelia_official
Trousers @lkbennettlondon
Shoes @emmylondonofficial
Jacket @marcelalondon_
Fragrance @diorbeauty La Colle Noire
Can you guess where I’m off to for afternoon tea?
Ad Outfit
Coat @lkbennettlondon
Dress @aavelleofficial
Hat & boots @hollandcooperclothing
Fragrance @penhaligons_london
Tights @wolford
The Autumn Equinox has arrived and as the nights draw in there’s so many opportunities to reconnect with nature.
Hosting a very special breakfast for my girls in honour of @princestrust and @thebrilliantbreakfast to raise money to help young women turn their lives around through work, education and training. A donation of £5 can enable a woman to simply travel to an interview which could go on to change her life forever so I would absolutely love it if you would join me in hosting your own Brilliant Breakfast between the 9th and 15th October, whether it’s simply coffee with a close friend, or encouraging your entire office to get involved, the funds raised will go towards helping young women, aged 11-30 create better futures for themselves.
And thank you to my angel @hello.petal.flowers for giving her time and creative flare to bring my vision for the breakfast to life, of course you don’t have to go with florals like me, but if that’s something you enjoy this is the perfect opportunity to throw a lovely breakfast with your girlfriends with a cause that will help so many other women, front and centre!
Ad Because being old fashioned is always fashionable
Such an honour to drive to @goodwoodrevival with the @astonmartin team in the iconic DB5 to celebrate 110 years of the brand and 60 years of the DB5.
Outfit
Dress @dior
Hat @aavelleofficial
Gloves @cornelia_james
Jewellery @garrard
