The story of a girl who lives above her means

OOTD: Little black dress

Outfit:
Black crepe midi dress: Zara (similar)
Ombre midi coat: ASOS (similar)
Burgundy leather ankle boots: Next (similar)
Black leather Bayswater: Mulberry

Not the most ground-breaking of outfit but when all else fails, the little black dress always succeeds. It's foolproof when you're having a breakdown in front of your wardrobe struggling to know what to wear. I always like to add a few splashes of colour if I'm going for the all black everything look. This time I opted for burgundy. Again. One day I'll promise I'll stop wearing this coat and these boots so much. Maybe when spring finally arrives. It is coming right?!

I've been making a conscious decision to slow down recently. Clearing my diary and just concentrating on myself. The early nights aren't quite happening but I'm feeling a lot better in myself. I think I was trying to cram in a bit too much, eager not to get FOMO and spending too much money. I love working in the city but commuting is tough. I think you forget how much travelling knocks you for six. So I've been spending the last week - and probably this week! - obsessively watching Dickensian, eating spaghetti on toast, taking candle lit bubble baths and reading Game of Thrones conspiracies. Pretty much perfect.

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Why we shouldn't strive for perfection

We want it all eh? The amazing career, the stamps on our passport, the incredible social life, the big friendship group and the enviable relationship. And we're often told that we can have it all. But the reality is totally different. No one has it all. No one has perfection. And it's ok. We shouldn't strive for it anyway. Perfection is overrated.

Perfection sounds great on paper but in reality it can be a downward spiral. It can be exhausting trying to constantly reach the peak and once you're there? You constantly looking for something else because it's never enough. Because true perfection doesn't exist. It can't ever be achieved. It can damage your mental health searching for something that doesn't exist. It stops you from living in the moment. Life is so precious that it shouldn't be wasted worrying about what you don't have. Concentrate on what you do have.

It's natural to constantly compare yourself to others. They have nicer hair, a attentive boyfriend or a better job but I can guarantee that they don't believe that. You always want what you don't have.

It's ok to be content. It's ok to do things to the best of your ability. To plod along at your own pace. And it doesn't matter if it doesn't live up to anyone else's standards. It's also ok to be happy with this. It doesn't mean you don't have any ambition or that you're settling. Being content with your lot is a wonderful thing. It's amazing how much happier you become. Concentrate on what makes you happy. As long as you do things your own way, then that is perfection.

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A weekend in The Cotswolds

Last weekend I took a three hour train journey down to a part of the UK I'd never been before. The beautiful Cotswolds. I won't be leaving it 27 years until I'm back this time. The occasion was to help celebrate Sarah's birthday with a large group of blogger friends. Every time we meet up, I'm so glad that these ladies are in my life. Who would have thought those weirdos on the internet would turn out to be so darn great?

It was just what the doctor ordered. Since the beginning of the year, getting used to regularly commuting into the city has taken it's toll on me and I've been burning the candle at both ends. I ended up being ko-ed for an entire week with an awful cold and sleeping for 10-11 hours. And it still wasn't enough. This weekend gave me a chance to totally recharge my tired batteries.

We all hired an absolutely beautiful house in middle of nowhere at the end of a dirt track. Located in Herefordshire, the 18th Century National Trust property was the perfect size for nine ladies eager to catch up and eat their weight in food and bubbles. Boy did we eat! We mooched around in our pyjamas until the late afternoon, laughed until our bellies hurt, had a lazy pub dinner, discovered charades talents we never knew we had, snacked on cake all day long and had a cheeky bucks fizz for breakfast. Just because.