Wow! It’s so good to be back!
I didn’t get any time to blog whilst on holiday and, after returning home, I made a pact with myself that I wouldn’t blog until I had finished certain (really interesting) jobs – such as filing, sorting – you know, the usual domestic chores that get left until they reach the stage where they have to be addressed or else everyone disappears under a pile of magazines, rather like something on a poor quality TV show when the front door can’t be opened because of piles of old newspapers. Except in my case they are piles of Grazia, Red and Easy Living magazines, plus endless receipts!
We had a fantastic time away. We stayed at the Watergate Bay Hotel in Cornwall which I can thoroughly recommend for families. The views of the bay were fantastic, as was the food, the rooms and the relaxed atmosphere. For the first time ever, since since we have had children, we took advantage of the childcare that was on offer and the youngest loved going to “night-time nursery” for a couple of hours. The hotel thought nothing of people walking around in wet-suits, dripping wet having just left the pool – or anything else really, which was great.
This was the view from the pool – amazing! It was closed to children until 9am which meant a lovely peaceful swim every morning. Other than the day when there were six maintenace men cleaning the pool one morning – and only me swimming in it!
Anyway, having spent more time in the water than at any other point in my life, it left little time for photos, which was probably quite good on the whole as I was wrinkly most of the time with slightly red looking eyes from the saltwater/swimming pool.
We did manage shots of a few outfits, so here they are:
Dinner first night
H&M shirt, Gap trousers, Pied a Terre shoes, Reiss and Coccinelle cuffs, H&M ring (I thought that I blended in quite well with the surroundings!)
Lunchtime day 2 – Fifteen Cornwall
Next trousers, Warehouse knit and bag, Carvela shoes, Jigsaw necklace;
My husband was impressed that I managed to continue my birthday celebrations even a week later! Impressive huh?! This lemon polenta cake was lovely.
Body boarding days 1, 2 & 3
Wetsuit (borrowed from a friend as I had leant mine to our daughter) and thermal vest! The waves on the last day were like nothing I’ve been in before. They were huge! The lifeguards were out with their loudspeakers, on their jet skis and generally doing an amazing job, and it was brilliant.
Dinner day 2
Jigsaw trousers (current and in the sale) NW3 top (sale) plus new season NW3 necklace and pied a terre shoes;
This is a closer look at the Hobbs NW3 beaded collar £29 (post to follow shortly on beaded collars, which we are going to see a lot of next season).
My first hero piece
French Connection maxi dress which was great for layering over my swimming costume on my way to the pool and then going to breakfast in afterwards. I also layered a French Connection knit over the top and a studded belt so that I could wear it in the day time, with converse.
And the middle of these three costumes was my second hero piece. A while ago, I wrote a post about how my swimming costume had seen better days. In fact, it was almost at the point of being indecent. Anyway, amongst others, Seafolly sent me this middle swimming costume below, to try out.
I thought long and hard about how to include it, without looking like an exhibitionist – or an idiot! Anyway, when it came to it, it more than earned its place in my Wardrobe, so it therefore definitely warranted a mention.
I wore it every day to swim before breakfast, again under my wet suit and then again in the pool later on in the day with the children. For once I loved wearing a swimsuit – not in a “hey look at me” kind of way (I still made our son get out of the pool to retrieve the ball with which we were playing) but I felt covered, held in, and respectable – more as if I was wearing clothes rather than underwear – if that makes sense. So, whilst Seafolly are more expensive than some brands, and I would never previously have spent that much on a swimming costume, I think that they are worth the investment and would do so now.
So, in the spirit of seeing what it looks like on a “real” person, here’s a shot that we took in the garden before going away.
What you lose in leg length by having the 1950’s cut on the leg, you gain in decency and comfort!
Today I wore some other pieces that I took away, but which I didn’t get a chance to wear:
Jigsaw khaki skirt, French Connection pale blue striped knit (same as the navy one above) Topshop blue belt, Warehouse bag, Zara shoes (excuse the bucket – the fish were having their Saturday morning water change!)
Later on in the day I swapped the blue belt for a Topshop leopard print one, and brogues for our walk in the park.
So, that’s my round-up of the last week or so. Keeping to a simple colour scheme really worked for me but being on the go so much, I pretty much stuck to the same few pieces without much time to think about what I was going to wear.
I am now looking foward to our next trip, which is a few days on a narrow boat with some friends. Altough not the narrow boat we had booked, as I have just been informed by our friend that it has sunk. It doesn’t bode well! Better get that cozzie back on!
Beth you look amazing!! Every outfit is a winner – you look striking and so slender – glad you're back!
Hi Joanna – it's lovely to be back! The food in the hotel was amazing so lovely as it was, I don't feel quite so slender right now!!!!
Welcome home Beth – that was a marathon post! Funny, I was just reading about the Watergate in a magazine this morning – it looks incredible. Glad you had a great time and like Joanna, I love all the outfits too – esp the French Connection dress combined with the breton top. Super stylish! Avril x
Hi Avril – good to be back. Wish I was body boarding right now though! Glad you had a great holiday in Cornwall too. x
I love the maxi with the stripe top. That's a winner but I was also struck by what a lovely photo the first one was where you were "blending with the background". Love the swimsuit. I've been eyeing up a Seafolly one on Anthropologie so it might be time to hit the buy button based on your recommedations for decency and comfort.
Hi Sue – lovely to hear from you and thanks for your comments re the photos. Yes, I would hit that button! Like I say, on mine the lower leg means you lose an inch or so in leg length but I quite like the coverage! Let me know how you get on.
Glad you had a lovely holiday, the Watergate Bay is great. we've stayed there a couple of times for mini weekends away!Great oufits too.
Hi Kath – how lovely to have it on your doorstep(ish). Really wish we were back there now. Hope that life is good with you. x
Wow, that looks a lovely place to stay, I love that pool…and the view! Love Sea Folly swimwear, they always have a big range over here. Makes me want to book a long weekend away at the coast…..yesssss.
Don't make me jealous!!!! It was lovely thanks – really fab! Hope you get your trip away!
That's good trip, I like your dressing style, very dashing. I have Disney tour plan during this Halloween season.
Thanks Halloween costumes – we haven't braved Disney yet – would love to know how you find it!
Would second Watergate bay hotel and Fifteen as great places!I love the maxi with the Breton and converse.Bought a black maxi this season and haven't worn it because it looks awful.today I will copy your look…..this is what I read blogs for! Thanks Beth!ClaireH
Hi Claire – ah, thanks for that. I am so excited to hear how you got on. Did it work for you? I quite like mine with a shirt over the top too – tied at the waist, as an alternative.
I love Watergate Bay – we have stayed four years in a row now and booked next summer already! They are so family friendly , yet you get your grown up time too! Your outfits are lovely as usual….X
Hi Applebypie – ooh, how exciting to have booked for next year already – we ought to do the same. You must have found it very different this year with the pool etc. I totally agree re the staff – amazing but in a very low key kind of way. Glad that you liked the outfits – thanks!
You have a gorgeous figure Beth! And I loved the maxi dress from French connection.Mhh…after having read your post i wonder whether we also shouldn't take advantage of childcare when we go on our holiday soon!
Hi Ekaterina – it has taken us a long time to come around to the idea of childcare on holiday – I think no 1 always refused and then we just didn't consider it again until now. That couple of hours in the evening just to eat and sit and have a drink together was lovely. Have a lovely holiday and thanks for your kind comments re the clothes etc.
I am very excited that beaded collars are going to be big next season – because I have had two for a wee while now. It's not like me to be ahead of the fashion pack!
Yeah!!! Dig them out Mrs S and get wearing them. There is also a post coming your way on them today!
welcome home – my goodness there was no need for you to worry about showing yourself off in a swimsuit – you look stunning! So good to have you back and I think you look very elegant in the dinner day 2 outfit. View from that pool is utterly amazing…
Hello Mrs Green! I was kind of preparing myself for some nastiness re the swimsuit but everyone has been really lovely – so thank you and also for your comment re dinner day 2 outfit. Ah, the pool – yes, it was amazing. So lovely! Hope you are enjoying some sun.
I'd never heard of Seafolly before, but that swim suit looks fab! Will look it up…You look great in it, by the way :-)What make are the other 2 swimsuits pictured?
Hi Thea – the one on the left is Red or Dead and on the right, Dolce and Gabbana. John Lewis stock some. They are Australian based and very helpful in helping to advise/track down what you are after. Sue, above, mentioned the Anthropologie website too, so that may be worth a look.
Fab outfits Beth – you looked great in them all.I love holiday wardrobes as you have to work with what you've brought – there's too much choice at home!I love Cornwall, we holidayed there a couple of years back; your hotel looks fab, it even has rooms for 6 so I might consider it next time we're down there.Steph
Hi Steph – I love holiday wardrobes too – it's almost a great excuse not to have to think too much and the time is so limited with the children wanting to rush off to the next activity that it just has to work – somehow! I would really recommend the hotel – it was lovely and completley surpassed any expectations we had. Good to hear from you!
Love that gingham swim suit! So chic! The hotel looks gorgeous too x
Hi Rachie – ah, thanks. It's still doing me proud, having been taken to the local pool this week – without incident for either of us! The hotel was fab – I am virtually starting to dream about it!
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