A Maxi Dress With Trainers. A Cliché? Not Sure I Care…

I wore this back when the weather was… let’s say just a LITTLE cooler than it has been this last week.

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Since then we’ve had the hottest day this year so far, and right now it’s back to being cooler again (are you keeping up?!). However, I don’t think I’ll be needing to layer my new (yes, I treated myself) green polka dot dress from Roman Originals with a roll neck and biker jacket again anytime soon, but British weather being the way it is, never say never.

And I’ll address the whole yawn-fest that is a maxi dress and trainers: I know, I know, it’s been done to death. But sometimes I stop and think about how what we see on the internet and social media (with regards to style and what’s “in”) is VERY different to what we see in real life. Or at least, what I see IRL.

So maybe every woman and her dog are wearing a maxi dress and trainers on Instagram? Round my way they’re not. In fact, if they’re wearing anything more exciting than leggings and a black jacket/t-shirt, then it comes as a bit of a surprise to be honest.

 

Disclosure: This blog uses affiliate links (at no cost to you) and any items listed as* were gifted within the last 12 months. Full disclosure

 

On this day I REALLY wanted to wear my new dress. I layered it to keep out the chill. (Oh, how funny that sounds when we had 31℃/88°F in the shade here on Thursday.) I had a few errands to run, including walking the dog. The most obvious choice of footwear for me was, most definitely, [rose gold] trainers*.

I didn’t really care about the done-to-death-on-Instagram look that is maxi dress and trainers. I was comfortable, I loved my new dress (hides a multitude of lockdown-induced food babies, god knows how many I’m hiding in there) and I got Keith to take some pictures in case I decided to put them on the blog.

And here they are.

Read on below for a bit of info about where I’ve been (to explain the longest gap ever from posting) and a very important, new page on the blog.

SHOP THE LOOK:

 

Where I’ve been

I last published a post on 31 May – I’ve NEVER gone that long without posting. Basically, I needed a break. Lots of things have been happening (some good, some not so good) but I made an unconscious decision to take a step back and release myself from the chains of getting posts out every week.

Lockdown does funny things to you – I’m sure I’m not the only one who thinks that! – and I’ve had the breather I needed.

An epidemic followed by a race revolution has done untold things to our society and the way we live, work and think. It’s also not a temporary, fleeting thing. Together with some personal stuff I think that’s why I reached out for the pause button, to give me time to reflect, think and recharge.

And with that, I hope you’ll take the time to read my new Diversity and Equality statement page I now have as a permanent fixture here on the blog (scroll to the end for a quick explanation as to why I have this, though hopefully it’s obvious).

Thanks so much for reading, hope you’re all well and looking after yourselves…!

 

Stay safe XOXO

P.S. One year ago today we lost our beautiful lurcher Riley. It’s been a tough 12 months, but Suki the greyhound has provided us with SO much love, and she was just what we needed when our hearts were so broken. To give a home to a doggy that would otherwise still be in the rescue centre (as lovely as the rescue centre and the people there are, ALL abandoned doggies need a home of their own) has been the most wonderfully rewarding thing ever. Without having adopted Riley, we wouldn’t now have darling Suki ♡

You can read my tribute to Riley here
#AdoptDontShop

Here’s me before I went outside and realised it was too cold to go without a layer underneath…!

Dress: Roman Originals
Roll neck: Asos (similar)
Trainers: JD Williams*
Jacket: JD Williams (you might like this blush one)
Headband: Asos (similar)
Earrings: Accessorize (love these)
Bag: Marks & Spencer (similar)

 

My new diversity and equality statement

It’s taken me a few weeks to hit publish on this, but I’ve finally written my Diversity and Equality statement that I will be directing all brand partners towards (if I ever get any work coming in that is…)

I think it’s also important that my readers take a minute to have a read of it, especially if they’re content creators too (or even freelancers or business owners themselves), as there are some things in there that they could take away for their own use – for example, insisting on working with brands who are actively anti-racist and producing diverse campaigns. It also explains my zero-tolerance policy when it comes to comments.

All extremely important topics, and all worthy of a permanent page and not just a post that will get lost within the blog in time.