OOTD: Floral duster coat

Outfit:
Black and white floral duster coat: Oasis (similar)
White chiffon tunic: ASOS
Black ripped knee skinny jeans: F&F (similar)
Black pony hair heeled sandals: New Look (similar)

So is summer really over? By the amount of showers, Mother Nature would certainly have you thinking so. I'm still not ready to pack my sandals away. Despite the rain, its still pretty muggy so this is where thin duster coats come in handy. They cover you up but are light enough to not make you overheat. Especially on the tube. Gosh since commuting back into the city, I've been suffering on the underground. The Central Line was reported to have reached 38 degrees recently. Keep me in your thoughts please.

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OOTD: Floral Culottes

Outfit:

Black leather jacket: Zara (similar)

Multi coloured tropical culottes: New Look

Black jersey top: ASOS (similar)

Black pony haired sandals: New Look (similar)

In less than three weeks I’ll be jetting off to Barcelona for a week to bask in the sunshine, eat lots of tapas and soak up the sights. I’m a fairly casually dressed flier and I have to be comfortable. I usually wear lots of layers as I’m always a little bit cold on the aeroplane - air conditioning is not my friend! I wear the jacket I take on holiday to save room in my suitcase. Patterned culottes like these feel like I’m wearing my pyjamas so they’re great for getting cosy on a plane. They’re made from a lightweight, thin material so they won’t be too sticky on the other side as you struggle to cope with the heat. Am I the only one who loves that first feeling of the heat hitting you as soon as you step off the plane?! I like shoes that are easy to take off because I like to air my feet while I'm flying. I've worn these sandals as we land in the morning, that way I don't have to root around in my luggage for things to wear when we get to our apartment. I can head out as soon as I've dumped my luggage.

Purple Parking have a cracking table on hand luggage requirements so you don’t have any nightmares at the airport. They’re so fussy now! I usually go make up free on flights because I’m always napping on and off and plus who can be bothered to do a full face of make up when you’re so excited?! In my hand luggage I always keep my favourite lip balm, some moisturiser and some hand cream as flying can take it’s toll on my skin. It gets so dry and needs a pick me up as soon as I land. I have my camera, iPad, phone, kindle, money, travel documents and passport all tucked away safely in a side pocket for easy access. Getting stuck at customs is never fun!

What do you take in your hand luggage when you travel?

This post was written in collaboration with Purple Parking. Thanks to Sarah for snapping these pics!

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Review: Bills Summer Menu

If you scroll through my Instagram, you'll see that I'm a massive fan of Bills. No matter which branch I visit, I've never had anything less than brilliant service. I couldn't say yes quick enough when an email landed in my inbox asking me if I wanted to sample their summer menu. Certainly didn't need to be asked twice!

When I arrived I took a seat at the end of a very long table and ended up being seated next to Sarah  - who I'd met at the Strada event, Che and Rosie. One of the things I love most about blogging events is having a giggle and a chat with like-minded people. Plus they don't mind you leaning over them scrambling to get that perfect shot of their dinner!

We nibbled on delicious flat bread, carrot batons, cucumber sticks, tasty hummus and yummy tzatziki as we eagerly looked over the menu to fill our tummies.

To start I went for the crispy lemon squid with a smoked chipotle mayonnaise. I was very impressed with the portion size and proudly scoffed every last one. I'd have liked the mayo to have a bit more of a kick but it went perfectly with the batter. It was a good choice!

For the main I opted for the creamy halloumi and hummus burger with moreish sweet potato fries. Served in a sesame seed bun, it comes smothered in a sweet chilli sauce and topped with gem lettuce and roasted peppers. It feels just as indulgent as a beef burger and is perfect of you want something substantial but still feels a little lighter. The generous helping of halloumi won me round - I hate it when you're served tiny silvers of cheese and can barely taste it in your dish.

I was full to the brim and sadly couldn't manage a dessert. I'll make sure I do better next time!

Have you tried the new Bills summer menu yet?

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