We have just had a wonderful fun day out with our friends at Ascot Racecourse for the horse racing!  And I got to wear my new Felicity Dress from At Last ... I have never been to Ascot before, well not properly anyway, I did go to a corporate event for Royal Ascot about 25 years ago!  Not sure I actually saw any horse racing that day!  At Last kindly gifted me the Felicity Dress a few weeks ago so when the Ascot Racing Day invitation arrived, it seemed like the perfect opportunity to wear this amazingly flattering dress.  It is such a versatile style, here I have dressed it up but equally it can be worn dressed down, and At Last have a vast selection of different colours, styles and patterns to choose from!

The Felicity Dress from At Last is one of their best selling shapes.  It is designed to flatter and is made from a gorgeous light silky feel fabric (artificial silk or art silk) it feels so luxurious.  The V neck with the frill all the way down the front is super feminine and the cut is designed to emphasise our feminine curves.  It is a midi length with pretty 3/4 length bell sleeves and a concealed zip.  The frill at the front combined with the frilled hem and sleeve detail really add to this fun and flattering style.  I love how the frill can disguise a tummy!

I am wearing the Felicity Dress in the Mulberry Swirl fabric but it comes in a huge selection of different combinations.  At Last make their dresses in sizes from an 8 to a 20 and I am wearing a 10, it is true to size and a perfect fit on me.  I felt amazing in it, it is so soft, comfortable, flattering, easy to wear and glamorous!  And it doesn't crease!  I hate buying a dress, then when I get out of the car, realising I look completely crushed!

This is a gifted blog post.

With lockdown and the ongoing restrictions, so many businesses had to change the way they work.  Many small businesses rely on footfall from people out and about and office workers grabbing their lunchtime takeaway or having meetings in the local coffee shops.  I am always keen to hear of businesses that have adapted and I have shared a few on my blog this year.  Strawberry Grove is a local cafe and coffee shop that started in Lane End and then opened up two more branches in Maidenhead, Berkshire and Marlow in Buckinghamshire.  A few weeks ago Strawberry Grove got in touch to ask if I'd like to try them out and share a review on my blog.

They kindly delivered to me a hamper of fresh produce and invited me to sample lunch at their Maidenhead coffee shop.  They explained to me that when lockdown started they had to adapt, forced to close, they needed to still make an income to cover their costs.  They decided to convert Maidenhead into a farm shop, for local people to visit to buy fresh produce but to also deliver in the area (please see here for their delivery postcodes). 

This is the first in an occasional series of gifting ideas in the lead up to Christmas (yes that other C word) ... I am really keen to share inspiration for 'uncluttered gifting' so things that do not take up permanent house space.  I have been inspired to head in this direction from my consultations with Jo at Less is More.  I think there is so much more joy to be had from making memories and gifting a day out or an experience.  Or indeed something that can be enjoyed and then finished, items like food, drinks, toiletries etc, that have a limited life span and even better if there is a natural or sustainable element.  This was my post about it last year - and it includes ideas from Jo if you'd like to take a look - Decluttered and Conscious Christmas Gifting Ideas

My first recommendation, and I am delighted to include a discount code, is a private walking tour of one of Great Britains magnificent cities.  My blog post today is specifically about Oxford and the brilliant tours my sister offers with her company 'Walking Tours of Oxford'. If Oxford isn't convenient for you then there are many others of course, but why not make a day of it, or a weekend and book an overnight stay?

Have you ever been to Royal Ascot?  I went many many years ago, pre-children, I was working as a PA and had a last minute invitation to join the VIP guests the next day.  Queue panic to find a dress and hat.  I fortunately had a beautiful deep pink silk dress and a big hat ready to go ....!  It was really good fun but I have never been back and I really should put that right as Ascot isn't far from where we live.  Next week is Royal Ascot 2020, from Tuesday 16th June to Saturday 20th June.  But things are a bit different this year!