Fashion

I love to wear prints and I’m always on the look out for some nice ones, so I knew when Joe Browns got in touch that I’d like to try something with a bold pattern. We’ve just been away to sunny Florida and I’ve loved having the chance to try out some of Joe Browns bright and colourful clothes, which seemed to so perfectly suit the vibe out there.  This dress is just the sort of print I like: bright and colourful.  Not only are the colours and the flowery print design really my sort of thing, but the cut is very flattering too especially around the bodice with its empire line style. I like having a little bit of coverage on the sleeves, even though my arms are quite toned because of my yoga.

This is the Tamarindo dress in bright and there’s a pastel version for those less bold with their print choice than me.  It packed really well (very impressed) and was crease free out of the suitcase, which is a big win as you can wear it on your first evening on holiday if you like without worrying about crinkles.I think it’s really good value too at £34.95.

At this time of the year we are thinking about getting outside more as the days become longer and hopefully the weather becomes better.  After a winter inside sheltering from the rain it’s good to blow away the cobwebs and get out in the fresh, spring air. It’s a long way to the days of summer though, so practical footwear is a must, but it doesn’t need to be dull and boring.  A little looking around the shops can unveil some very stylish boots and shoes.  My husband needs some new boots this season so I’ve been looking around to see what is available and there’s quite a selection at MandM Direct.

I’m really loving the rugged, good looks of MandM Direct’s selection of Caterpillar boots with their chunky, reliable soles and their seam detailing, sometimes double, sometimes triple stitched.  They are perfect for dealing with muddy paths, puddles and anything that the weather chooses to throw at them.  They shout quality and they look stylish too.  They are reasonably priced, but there are cheaper equivalents available if you aren’t fussed about having a brand name, like the good value Firetrap range.  So it’s worth having a browse through to see what would suit you or your man.

Maybe you’d prefer to pick out something even more practical and go for one of the goretex boots on offer.  These will keep your feet dry through the April showers and are prefect for those spring walks in the countryside.  As well as being able to cope with bad weather and all terrains, they look good too, so you could easily wear them around town.  They don’t have that too heavy or clompy look that you sometimes get with walking boots. Again there’s a mix of options available including top brands like Karrimor as well as less well known names.

I’m a big fan of bamboo as a fabric and I like using clothes made from it.  It’s a very environmentally friendly material as it uses less water and pesticides to grow.  From a wearer’s perspective, bamboo is anti-bacterial (no more smelly socks) and breathable.  It’s that breathability that helps bamboo keep your feet cool in warmer climates and warm when it’s a bit chilly.

These Bonsai Socks are designed to be worn inside your wellies and they come up nice and long for that.  Normally I wear two pairs of socks with wellies to keep my feet warm, but I think you could get away without doing that with these as my feet felt nice and toasty in them.  In fact, I felt you got a lot of warmth for the thickness of them. We haven’t really had the weather for wellies recently (thankfully), so I opted to try these out with my walking boots instead.  They are quite long for wearing with walking boots and you can either wear them up to your knee like I did (felt a little odd to start with, but otherwise fine) or you can wear them around your ankle if you prefer either scrunched down or folded.

Washing is easy and they come up very nicely, although they do take a little longer than the average sock to dry because they are quite thick.  I can certainly see myself wearing these round the house in the winterwearing these round the house in the winter when I’m trying to avoid putting the heating on.

I loved the fact that they come in a cute little cardboard box with a carrying handle on it – it helps make them a nice gift to give especially to someone who enjoys getting outdoors.