Life lately ... holidays, autumn outfits, favourite beauty buys and the countdown to 60!

Hello!  I've not done a really personal post for ages, and it is very remiss of me, I want to make sure my blog remains a personal space but sometimes life takes over, I get busy and I end up having to prioritise sponsored posts (because it is the paid and the affiliate content that allows me to keep my blog going)! 

Anyway, how are you all?  I'd love you to email me or leave a comment below, I always appreciate hearing from the real people that find my blog and hopefully resonate with the life of a 'nearly 60 midlife woman' - how is that possible?  I will be 60 in December 2026!  The countdown needs to be begin.  Share with me how you celebrated your 60th, if you have already reached that milestone.  And below I will share a few ideas I have.

What have I been up to the last few months?  Well as summer was slowly departing, I had a short trip to Ibiza with my daughter, then a few weeks at home to catch up before I went to Tűrkiye with my husband.  I've also been updating my wardrobe, putting away summer and organising autumn/winter but with a few new capsule pieces added.  Read on to find out more about life lately and take a peek at a few new outfits!

Ibiza baby! Wearing my new favourite bikini from NAIA Beach.

Winning a trip to Ibiza!

Back in March I attended the press launch for the new spring summer range from Cotton Traders and amazingly won their competition - two nights plus flights at a really stunning luxury hotel in Ibiza!  I decided it was the perfect trip for my annual get-away with my daughter, we treasure our mum and daughter holidays and I also wanted longer than just two nights.  Organising and keeping to a budget was a bit of a challenge, a competition win isn't always quite what it seems, and after the initial excitement of winning I realised it was still going to cost me a significant amount.  I asked Nicola Donaldson from Travel Counsellors to help me and she found us a hotel not too far from the airport where we could spend one night (and relax the next day) before arriving at the Petunia Ibiza for three nights.  So overall I paid for an extra two nights but not in budget hotels!

We of course had the best time, the weather could have been kinder, it was a little grey and we had some rain but it seems sun umbrellas are perfect for light rain showers as well as providing shade, so we just sat it out and stayed by the pool!

The Petunia Ibiza is located facing the iconic rock Es Vedrà and it is peaceful, quiet and relaxing with lush gardens surrounding individual rooms with 70s-inspired decor.  There are two restaurants for the evenings and the poolside bar and restaurant open during the day.  It is understated luxury and a little haven away from it all.

We didn't do much!  We read our books by the pool, we enjoyed the two restaurants and admired the stunning view, we listened to live Flamenco music, we people watched and generally just loved hanging out together!

Petunia Ibiza was a joy, my dress is from Nobody's Child and my daughters is from Next.

Autumn capsule wardrobe planning

When I got back from Ibiza, I started organising my wardrobe, I couldn't pack summer away completely as I still had Turkey to come, but I knew my wardrobe needed an upate, I hadn't loved my choices last year and I felt some new knitwear, jeans and trousers were required as well as some boots and jackets!  My delivery man has been busy!  I've been leaning towards burgundy, chocolate brown, charcoal grey and pale blue.

I will show you my finds gradually on Instagram in the coming weeks but a shoutout for a few favourites I recommend:

Jeans - I ended up with two new pairs from Baukjen and have been delighted with them.  Their Nixi barrel leg are a perfect fit especially as they have elastic at the back to make them just a little more forgiving, worth a look.  I tried them on in John Lewis and then ordered another colour for delivery.  I have also purchased their wide leg style in a petite leg dark wash, I am just waiting for a different size to arrive!

Smart jackets - I finally managed to get a blazer that fits without looking too oversized on me, I saw it in John Lewis but they only had an 8, it fitted really well but I kept thinking I'm not really an 8, I should try the 10 (I had to order it) but turns up the 8 was the best fit, it is the Grey Herringbone Wool Blend Blazer from Whistles.  I also got the viral Marks & Spencer checked jacket, which was a bargain but is no longer online.

Boots - I wanted some comfortable, kitten heel, boots, something I can walk in all day if needed but that look stylish with wide leg trousers and jeans.  I ended up with chocolate brown suede boots and snake print boots both from Next.  I also have some new (gifted) long suede boots in a wider calf fit to share on my blog soon!  They're from Dune London.

Knitwear - I am delighted with my merino wool jumpers from Uniqlo, they are a superb, everyday lightweight knit I can style under jackets, with jeans, or trousers and they aren't too bulky, plus they are a good price.  I ended up keeping the four colours I ordered.  And I also love my Cotton & Cashmere Abbie Jumpers, I added Teal to my collection when it was on special offer over the summer.

Days out

We had a girls plus grandpa day out in Brighton recently, the weather was better than the forecast and we had a fabulous day.  It was me and my daughter and my son's girlfriend and it was the best fun!  My dad loved it!

And I got invited to the opening of the new Audley Shiplake Meadows retirement village in Henley-on-Thames a few weeks ago and got to meet Mary Berry.  How fantastic is she at age 90!?

Brighton beach in September wearing double denim (shirt is Boden and jeans are Marks & Spencer).

Dress is previous season LK Bennett, I wore it to meet Mary Berry!

My new blazer from Whistles.

October in Kalkan, Tűrkiye

We discovered Kalkan nearly 15 years ago, my sister had lived and worked in Tűrkiye as a travel rep many moons ago and when we were looking for a holiday destination our (then) young teenagers would enjoy too, she recommended Kalkan.  And we've not stopped going since.  I never used to understand people who went back to the same place every year but we love Kalkan because we know where everything is, from beach clubs to rooftop restaurants, quality is guaranteed, the people are welcoming and hospitable and we find it easy and relaxing from the moment we arrive.

The transfer time from Dalaman is a little longer than staying in Fethiye or Olu Deniz but for us it is worth it.  We love self-catering (we are not all-inclusive types) so we can wander in the little harbour town in the evenings, browse the shops and choose from a huge selection of excellent restaurants.  We also spend a day (or two) at one of the many beach clubs and always book a day out on one of the many gulets that are available in the harbour.  We like quiet and peaceful so contact me for recommendations if you too don't like loud music!

We had a lovely week but I could have done without catching a nasty cold and then getting a cold sore!  We did have a day of rain and the stormy weather lurked around for a couple more days so it did mean our boat day had to be rearranged but October weather can be little unpredictable.

Mahal Beach Club in Kalkan, my dress is from Beach Café.

What's on my dressing table right now?

I've been loving my Medik8 products so much.  I had a facial back in the summer with Caroline at The Pure Skin Studio and she recommended the right routine for my skin and I am delighted with the results so far.  I also treated myself to a Celluma Pro Light Therapy device which I can use for acne, skin health and aches and pains.  It is so relaxing to relax under and I am impressed with how much it has helped (my skin is looking healthier, it helped me heal after getting such a bad cold sore and it was great post-op when I had my carpal tunnel in my wrist treated.  More on red light therapy in a separate post!

Wearing a new season dress from Saint + Sofia - details below!

I'm starting my countdown to 60!

As I approach my 59th birthday it has obviously reminded me that next year I will be 60 - okay not until December 2026 but still it is quite a milestone.  I didn't really think much about turning 30 (busy having children), 40 (quite comfortable with that one), and even 50 felt positive and exciting.  But 60 has thrown me a bit, it is the first time ever that life seems more precious and I feel like time is passing maybe a little too quickly.  There is a lot of anxiety around my health, mainly because my mum started showing signs of dementia around the age of 70 and she is only 21 years old than me, it means that the next ten years need to be lived to the full!  I am making sure I am looking after myself and incorporating all the advice to ward off a dementia diagnosis but seeing my dear mum suffer for the last 5 or so years has been hard.  Living well with dementia has not been our experience, it has been tough and the life my mum currently has is absolutely not what she'd have wanted and certainly not what we want for her.

On a more positive note ... I want my 60th year to be full of fun with family and friends.  As my birthday is in the winter months and just before Christmas I am tempted to celebrate in the summer - or all year!  And I want to create a 60th birthday bucket list of fun things I'd love to do.  I'm just not sure what yet!

I have considered a big trip - I looked into the Maldives but in all honesty, I hate flying long-haul and I just don't fancy the journey.  And I can get that luxury in my beloved Kalkan or certainly somewhere similar!  I did consider booking a big villa in Kalkan and taking my family but holiday dates are not quite working out (I won't bore you with the details).  A few ideas include:

Hire a motorhome for a road trip in the UK.
Take the Jag back to France for another road trip.
Book a luxury villa in Kalkan.
Go to New York - I'll need to make a long-haul exception!
Learn a new skill - maybe pottery or a painting class?
Visit some historic landmarks - I want to go inside Blenheim Palace and Highclere Castle and I'd love to get up to Balmoral.
Spend time with my family making memories.
And my sister has suggested a girls trip so I'm hopeful we might get that organised!

For my 50th my parents took me for afternoon tea at Harrods, so I might see if my dad is up for something similar!  Afternoon tea at Cliveden maybe?  I also loved doing a horse and carriage ride in Windsor Great Park, had a big party and went out for dinner with my family!

Striding into autumn style with a new jacket from Saint + Sofia - details below!

I've linked to a couple of really old blog posts when talking about my 50th!  I can't believe how awful and basic they are, and how much I've moved on since the very early days of my blog.  I've said before that many bloggers will update their websites and remove old posts but I like seeing how my blogging journey has evolved and I think it keeps it all real.  I've definitely grown in confidence and knowledge over the last ten years.

​I hope you have enjoyed this post, and thank you for being here and reading my ramblings!  Keep in touch!

Love from
Michelle xx

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Disclaimer: this blog post contains some affiliate links.

​Outfit links:

White floral halterneck dress from Nobody's Child
Supersoft Skinny Ivy Jeans from Marks & Spencer
Denim Shirt from Boden
Green Dress from LK Bennett - similar here 
Grey Herringbone Wool Blend Blazer from Whistles

Get 15% off full price items at LK Bennett using my code FIFTY_ANDFAB15
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Evelyn High/Low Dress in Brown Zebra from Saint+Sofia
Rayner Jacket from Saint+Sofia