Hello there! How are you? Here all is well, I’m looking forward to a barbecue this weekend. It will be the first time in a long time that I meet with several friends! It will be outdoors, as there’s still restrictions on what we’re allowed to do, in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak.
I put this blog post together in honour of some restrictions being lifted, but also of the “new normal” being still quite different from the “old normal”. There are outfit ideas, in case you can’t remember life before leggings and baggy T-shirts, and also some quick tips to make the most of summer 2020. There are probably still some restrictions as to what you can do too, but that doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy the opportunities we do have! Overseas holidays and big parties are great, but there’s also plenty of joy to be found in our day-to-day activities.
The outfits below are adapted from my summer 2020 sustainable and ethical capsule wardrobe. I’ve been putting it together over the past few weeks and really enjoying the process! Click here to check it out!
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Playing in the garden
There might be limits to what activities can take place outdoors, but if you’re lucky enough to have a garden or access to a green space, summer is a great time to take advantage of it! Blow some bubbles, plant something new or just relax in the sun. Or the shade… I’m definitely a sitting in the shade kind of person now!
Yellow dress – Rose gold sandals – Sunglasses* – Tropical leaf earrings – Toucan do it T-shirt – Green shorts
* Β£10 off orders over Β£75 with code JESSICA
Quick tip: summer is a great time to slow down. Rather than scrolling on your phone, what if you chose a magazine to read outside instead? There’s magazines about everything these days, so there’s bound to be one that is about something you’re interested in!
(All of these tips are work in progress for me too!)
Chilling indoors
Not all summer days have appropriate weather for relaxing outdoors. And actually I kind of miss those days of being bored during the summer holidays. I played a lot of video games and read a lot of books. Which makes me think: I really should schedule a whole week off soon!
Sunset T-Shirt* – Navy leggings – Sand jumper – Rose gold watch* – Circle earrings – Pretty Little Liars series
* Β£10 off orders over Β£75 with code JESSICA
Quick tip: schedule time off. I doesn’t have to be a week, but make sure there’s some time blocked out every day for guilt-free rest. And possibly a whole day or two every week. Your brain will find a way to rest if you’re not letting it, by procrastinating during work time for example. If you’re not sure how to outline time for work and time for play, check out my free guide to making time for what’s important to *you*.
Zoom meeting
I feel that if 2020 was a drinking game, “Zoom” would definitely be one of the words that would require a sip!
Stripe dress – Dry shampoo mug – Pink blazer – Rose gold watch* – Pink and dot earrings
* Β£10 off orders over Β£75 with code JESSICA
Quick tip: make work enjoyable. The counterpart to resting without guilt is working without complaint (an idea I got from Sam Laura Brown!). If you need a quick motivation boost to get started or to make a meeting more enjoyable, maybe you could make yourself a nice hot drink or light a candle? I currently just have instant coffee with oat milk, so please share your yummy drink suggestions in the comments!
Indoor play
This year has also led to spending more time indoors with our housemates, whether they be friends, our partner and/or our children. If we’re going to be “stuck” with them for a bit longer, why not make the most of it?
Denim dungarees – Sand jumper – Baby vest – Wood and white necklace – Birthstone rings
Quick tip: be intentional with family time (I’m calling it family time, but this also works if you live with friends). Rather than everyone just drifting around and staring at their screens, why not encourage quality time and create some memories? What this looks like will depend on the age of the people you live with, but you could play board games or just roll around on a playmat. The key is to put our phones down and focus on the present moment.
(Do you sense a theme here? Putting screens away and being present is work in progress for me right now!)
Warm evening walk
I’m writing this while staring out the window at a grey, wet English day, so I probably won’t be wearing this outfit tonight. But if you’re lucky enough to have a balmy sunny evening on the horizon, please take advantage of it for me!
Pink blazer – Market bag – Printed top – White shorts – Rose gold sandals – Circle earrings – Rose gold watch* – Body oil
* Β£10 off orders over Β£75 with code JESSICA
Quick tip: do something a bit different. I currently go on walks most afternoons with the little one in the pushchair. But a few weeks ago we went on a walk in the evening as a little family of three and it was lovely! What could you do now and then that would shake your routine up and feel a little special?
Get all the outfits
These five outfits were adapted from my summer 2020 sustainable and ethical capsule wardrobe. There’s 95 more outfits to be discovered! By focusing on a few key items and using the outfits suggested, getting dressed will be simple and fun! And you’ll look and feel amazing. Check it out here!
