The February List

Delicious things to read, wear, watch and shop right now

Hello there!

A pinch and a punch and it’s the third of the month! My goodness, February came and went quick. I know I say that every year, but it’s a slippery month, isn’t it just?!

Here’s what I’ve been up to…

I absolutely loved this three-part documentary about the top favourite ice-dancing pairs in run up to this year’s Winter Olympics. The series follows the highs and lows of Madison Chock and Evan Bates, Piper Giles and Paul Poirier, and Laurence Fournier Beaudry and Guillame Cizeron, as they get set to compete for gold in Milan: very high drama; plot twists at every turn; and, frankly, just wonderfully mesmerising to watch them all skate.

My friend Laura (who always gives the very best recommendations on what to read) got me on to this book and it is SUCH a page turner. As in I actually couldn’t put it down. It’s an exposé of the women entangled in the world of the Kennedys, whether because they were born Kennedys, they married into the family, or found themselves generally mixed up in the whole messy business (like Marilyn Monroe, for example). Callahan weaves the many biographical strands together masterfully; she pulls no punches, shatters all illusions of glamour, and retells history through the searingly harsh lens of a modern perspective. Utterly gripping; and very thought-provoking indeed. Plus if you too are having a Carolyn Bessette moment, then it feels like kind of a must.

Is it almost time for bare legs once again? What do we think? I’m loving this little plaid mini skirt from Cara Cara, either worn together with or without its matching jacket which, incidentally, is a very flattering cut and, like the skirt, comes in a very soft wool that feels wonderfully cosy, more like you’re wearing a snuggly cardigan than a smart jacket. Both on sale right now. Just saying.

I discovered Prism Activewear via my uber-stylish friend Carolyn. I struggle to find sportswear that I actually like and Prism is the one happy exception to this rule: very understated design; comes in beautiful colours, like a blush pink or a muted bordeaux; and - crucially - it all looks super flattering on. Think super comfy but without being overtly sporty-looking. The clothes are size-less, stretching from a size 6 to a 16, so you don’t have that thing where you’re fussing over trying to figure out what the right size for you is, when you shop; and (and this bit is genius) you can wear as sportswear or swimwear or dress up to wear for dinner (I love this top, for example, with a nice maxi skirt).

This might seem so obvious, and you’re probably already doing it; but I created a little packing checklist a while back, to have on my phone and check back on regularly every time I pack my bag to travel somewhere, and I swear it changed my life. It’s just taken away all that to-ing and fro-ing; I don’t need to remind myself not to forget my passport, or double check that I’ve packed my phone charger anymore; I just work my way down the list and tick as I go. There are probably snazzier apps that will help you do this if you want, but I just have checklist in the Notes on my phone. When I’m done packing, I just uncheck everything on the list so that it’s all ready to go for my next trip.

A friend described this hair cream as a ‘blow-dry in a bottle’ and I know what she means: you apply a small dollop to damp hair, comb it through well, and it leaves your hair all silky, shiny smooth even when you air-dry it. If we’re being honest, I wouldn’t say it’s quite same as a full blow dry but it’s - genuinely - a good 70% of the way there, which, if you think about it, is pretty damn good. An actual lifesaver for taming and zhuzh-ing your locks on those days when you don’t have the time (or the inclination) to faff around with a hair dryer. And if you have the time to give yourself a proper blow-dry and use the cream, then it’s even better still.

So very useful for organising your knick knacks and making those little corners of chaos round your house feel instantly ‘put together’. I especially love this tray here, with the swirling pink ribbons. Never met a swirling pink ribbon I didn’t love, come to think of it.

I’ve been obsessing over Natsja Sadi’s work for years now: she crafts the most exquisite flowers out of sugar. That’s right, if you look closely you’ll see that each of those beautiful blooms is entirely edible. Isn’t that utterly, madly wonderful?! Anyway, I have (and love) Natsja’s book; and now I long to one day take part in one of the sugar craft workshops she hosts in Amsterdam. She only does a few dates each year, and they’re pretty pricey; but, still, what a dream! More details here.

And while we’re talking about flowers and thinking ahead to Springtime: how sweet are these flower table lamps?

I’ve been obsessing over this updo with all the glossy combs and tortoiseshell clips for a while now. So chic. I’ve also tried (and failed) to replicate it myself at home, so am now opting for this tortoise shell hairband as a happy alternative for instant, low-effort chic.

Pancakes!!! Because it was Pancake Day; and now it’s no longer Pancake Day, I know, but I’ve found myself slipping into what I like to think of as a pancake way of life. It’s now pancakes for breakfast for me at pretty much any given opportunity; and I’m not going to lie: it feels so good. Taking the small wins where I can get them. More on all things pancakes here. Hoping you too will join me in a pancake way of life...

I do love a bit of liquorice and have recently rediscovered the utter joy of liquorice all-sorts, which I’m not sure if, strictly speaking, the liquorice snobs among us would full recognise as bona fide, but to my mind is nothing but utterly delicious delight. Those confetti colours, the pinks and the yellows and so forth, just an added bonus.

Rhubarb season is officially here (hoorah). To celebrate, I’ve been eating it every which way: rhubarb and cheddar tart (an old favourite); rhubarb and mascarpone pie (a new favourite); rhubarb crumble; you name it and put rhubarb on it, I’ve likely been bingeing on it. My newest discovery is making a rhubarb cordial: roughly cut 400g forced rhubarb into 2-3cm pieces; pop in large pan with 140g caster sugar and 300ml water; bring to the boil over a medium heat; when it starts to bubble reduce the heat a little and let simmer until tender (15ish minutes); now, tip the cooked rhubarb and its glorious juices into a sieve over a jug, let it sit there for a good 10 minutes or so to allow all the juices drip down into the jug (resist the temptation to press down on the rhubarb and smush it, as this will give you a cloudy cordial rather than a nice clean, pastel pink syrup). Mix your cordial to taste with Prosecco for a Rhubarb Bellini, or with lemonade, sparkling water or ginger ale for a non alcoholic version.

When I grow up I want to be Ginger Rogers. So obviously I’m obsessed with this instagram account. But if you enjoy a bit of old world Hollywood glitz and glamour, I think you might like it too.

I’ve got to say, I’m obsessed with the Sea NY x Sézane collab generally, but this dress with the crisp white linen and the pretty embroidered rosebuds which feel somehow reminiscent of granny’s tablecloth (in a very good way) is the one that has my heart. Makes me long for balmy summer days and picnics under a parasol.

I don’t need another pair of pyjamas, but you can’t deny that this little set, with the charming broderie anglaise detail, is pretty fabulous. Love a bit of broderie anglaise.

My friend Jenny has written a book and it’s going to be beyond beautiful, I just know it is: look at that cover!! Illustrations, vintage finds, styling advice, travel diaries, colour-paletting, and so many of the other uniquefinds that make up Jenny’s wild and wonderful world - all collected together in the one beautiful book. Treat yourself and pre-order now (I have already); then it always feels like such a nice surprise when the book actually arrives (round about the end of April for this one, I think).

A lovely reader messaged me a while back to recommend this app, and it’s such a clever thing: free to download, you can use it to scan foods and cosmetics, and the app will break down all the ingredients for you, then analyse and flag any hidden nasties. Genius.