Picnic with CHILDRENSALON

The last few weeks were epic! So much sun and so much fun. We maximised our time outdoors and of course we had to do a picnic in the park

It's also a National Picnic Week, so here are few tips from me in collaboration with CHILDRENSALON

What is the key to a good picnic?

Good company is number one

Set up in the shade. I see loads of people going for the sunny spot but I'd recommend the shade under the tree. You can always dip in and out of the sun, but keep the base in the shade. Also remember to take a tray - it will keep your drinks safe and stable. For extra comfort bring some flat cushions to sit on

Food & Drink don't over do it, keep it simple and choose something that's easy to transport. This time we went for some plain croissants & cheese to spread. Fruit and berries is a must, but avoid too many soft berries. Hard fruit like apples, pears and apricots will keep their appeal in the heat. For drinks we prefer loads of still water, but you can always add a drop of cordial. If you are in a public park there is normally always an ice cream van handy

Elevate and keep it Sustainable by substituting single use plates, cutlery, cups for your regular dining accessories. I transport them in my picnic basket, covering them with towels and cotton napkins. It  might add a little bit of extra weight but it's so worth it!

Games & Books depending if you wish to have an active or quiet time. For me a picnic is more than just food, it's the quality of time you spend outdoors. For family picnics we bring a football, simple card games and a frisbee. 

Comfortable and appropriate clothes to sit and play around. These two are fans of everything colourful by Ralph Lauren. Gareth picked a cotton pink polo and Katerina went for a stripy shirt dress. And, of course, a pair of white trainers!

Leave the place cleaner than you found it. Make sure you collect all of your personal leftovers and waste, but also don't be shy to pick up litter if you see it. I feel like it should be done without saying, but we all saw the states of public parks after the heat wave

I'm hoping for more warm sunny days and fingers crossed more picnics like this!

Katerina is wearing a total look by CHILDRENSALON

Dress - Ralph Lauren

Trainers - Ralph Lauren 

National Dress Day with CHILDRENSALON

      Today, on the 6th of March, we are celebrating National Dress Day with CHILDRENSALON. 

Me and Katerina selected our Top-10 dresses for different occasions.

Jumper dresses, shirt dresses and funky dresses are asking for a pair of cool trainers to go with them. I see Katerina running through the park, scooting along wavy paths and going on adventures wearing these 3 dresses. 

1. Yellow polo dress for girls by Polo Ralph Lauren.  

2. Black dress with a rocket appliqué by Wauw Capow by Bangbang. 

3. Coral pink sundress with a mermaid print by Mayoral

For a tea party in the garden or a day out with mummy, the next three dresses are the definition of cuteness. They are smart, but playful and can really show a girl's character.

4. White dress with a butterflies print by Stella McCartney 

5. Pink floral dress for girls from British heritage brand, Beatrice and George

6. Fun white dress patterned with red hearts by Patachou

The next three dresses are for special occasions. Katerina is turning 8 in April and I'm glad I managed to narrow down  the search to these three beauties. 

7. Pink midi dress for girls by Childrensalon Occasions

8. Yellow dress with a bow by Abel & Lula

9. Pink cotton dress with floral design by Monnalisa

And my number 10 is this Childrensalon dress made in lightweight, white crêpe, with a beautiful pink and green rose pattern. Floaty and loose, it has a large bow on the front secured with poppers and a lightweight cotton lining for comfort.

You can watch our style video featuring this dress on my Instagram page (@galinathomas).

And last, but not least, let me share the adorable pink shoes she wore to match the dress. They are made of pink patented leather by Children's Classics.

Family Look: Holidays are coming

Me: jacket - LK Bennett / trousers - Zara / top - Whistles / shoes - Christian Louboutin

Katerina: top - Childrensalon / shorts - Childrensalon / shoes - Age of Innocence 

EN: It's only one month left till Christmas. Are you surprised how quick this year went? I know, I know, March seemed to last forever but all of a sudden November is coming to an end.

It's some sort of a tradition now when we sum up the year. Some people might call it the worst year, but I experienced some truly magical moments. Like being at home every night to read with Katerina and get her ready for bed, or picking her up from school every day and listening how her day went. Or rediscovering why I fell in love with Gareth in the first place by going out litter picking :) Sounds bizarre right? But it's an act of kindness without expecting anything in return, it's a feeling to do what's right, the social conscience. And the most magical moments of all is my Doc discharging me from the hospital. It was a real physical and mental roller coaster. But the saying 'Time heals' has never been so accurate. My lung return to a decent capacity without any surgical interference is my personal  highlight of the year. 

Oh, and I'm still getting used to my new MacBook. I'm trying to work out how everything works, especially how to resize the photographers without loosing the quality. So 'Hooray' to my first post using the new laptop 

xxx

Look of the Day: SENTALER

Coat - SENTALER 

EN: I can't hide my excitement! And why should I? I'm the happy owner of the most gorgeous coat by SENTALER, a Canadian luxury outerwear brand. I might sound like someone who loves clothes too much, but I'm following the path of "Quality over Quantity", so a meaningful addition like this definitely makes me happy.

Sentaler uses ethically sourced, sustainable, cruelty-free fabrics and furs in the production of all their items.

My coat is made from the finest Peruvian alpaca, one of the rarest and most luxurious fibres in the world.

"SENTALER takes great pride in its ethical practices and we have great respect for the alpaca animal. To obtain the materials that make the fabric for SENTALER coats, the animal is sheared only once every 2-3 years, which causes no harm to the animal."

And one can only dream ... So I would like to share my "Sentaler Wish List". All styles are classy and sophisticated with vivid and vibrant colours.

1. NAVY LONG SHAWL COLLAR WRAP COAT WITH RIBBED SLEEVES

2. MULBERRY LONG COAT WITH FUR COLLAR

3. RED LONG WIDE COLLAR WRAP COAT

4. FOREST GREEN LONG TRENCH COAT WITH BOUCLE COLLAR

And also let me share just a few more photos of me wearing my cream coat around London. My favourite city is full of contrasts from stylish autumnal Covent Garden, to iconic festive Fortnum & Mason. And here are just a few examples of what style and colour combinations you can create wearing a Sentaler coat. 

Look of the Day: Strathberry

 

EN: How to style one bag for Day and Night looks

Strathberry is an Edinburgh-based brand founded in 2013. Specialising in luxury leather goods, Strathberry creations are handcrafted in Spain using only the finest quality Spanish leather, and can take up to 20 hours to make. Known for its instantly recognisable bar closure and minimalistic design aesthetic, Strathberry's elegant lines, exceptional attention to detail and celebrity endorsement have lead to a global following.

This Blossom Bag by Strathberry is my newest edition. Elegantly shaped and uniquely constructed, the Blossom bag is a statement bag like no other. Celebrating the poetry and harmony in the blossoming of a flower, the opening emulates the delicate unfolding of petals, while closing with a leather drawstring in the centre.

It was designed to be carried in-hand with the elegant chain.  And I'd love to show you two ways to wear it.

My first look is a smart casual look. I styled it with a yellow chunky knitted jumper, wool burgundy trousers and leather burgundy loafers. I like the combination of these autumn shades. I've also added embellished hair band and fine gold jewellery. My burgundy Strathberry bag is a perfect match for this colour pallet.

My second look has few small twists. I kept the burgundy trousers, switched yellow jumper for a pink cami top, put a coat over and changed flat shoes to hot pink court shoes. It looks like the coat could be a centre of attention because of how rich the print and colours are but my Strathberry bag really stands out next to it. The main colour of my coat is deep indigo, but bees are coloured in blush pink and burgundy. That's why my burgundy bag really stands out next to the coat, it picks up the small amount of burgundy in the print and lets it blend the whole look together.  

Look of the Day: Better than Ever

  

dress - Self Portrait / bag - D&G / shoes - Asos 

EN: I have two weeks to get everything sorted. I was so lucky to get a permanent job with permanent hours after being made redundant at the worst possible time. My contract starts in 2 weeks so I better get on top of my projects.

These were my thoughts before I woke up with cough and sore throat on Monday morning :)) Typical, isn't it? So instead of being an ambitious workaholic I took time off to let my body recover. Hot water with lemon and honey and milk with butter and honey on repeat. Oh and vitamin D to speed it up.

Staying all day in bed also gave me a chance to catch up with new and not so new TV series. I watched 'Emily in Paris' on Netflix. And all through the series I was waiting for the style transformation of the main character. But it never happened so I feel like I was cheated on! I was promised "Sex and the City" style but got an amateur wanna be. I understand that writers wanted to show us the difference between iconic French style and American kitsch but gosh they went too far. I think "The Best dressed Character" goes to Julien. I admire his understated chic and colour combos.   

Look of the Day: Caramel

 

Cape - REPEAT Cashmere / Top - Reiss / Trousers - Reiss / Shoes - Christian Louboutin / Bag - Chanel

EN: This year is teaching us patience. As you know I was discharged from the hospital with no reasonable explanation, further actions or check ups. After endless phone calls I managed to get a date for 'second opinion' with a Doctor I trust. But it's not till November, so it's 2 moths away.

Now I wonder if it's time to have gel nails again :) It's the least of my problems but it can be solved soooo easy. I was asked to remove my gel manicure for the operation which never happened. So for the last 6 moths I had to do my manicure at home and to be honest I'm not a fan of doing it myself! You are going to laugh, but the main reason I want my nails professionally done is because I don't want to damage my tights and knitwear with accidental pulls from chipped vanish or sharp nails.

And talking about my style, I feel like it goes through more transformations! I'm dreaming of monochrome earth colours. This look combines all the shades of camel and caramel and I just love how it feels and looks.

My new beautiful cape is from REPEAT Cashmere. I fell in love with its colour scheme and geometric pattern but when I've put it on I became speechless. It's soft like a cloud, it hugs you with the warmest feeling. No wonder why, it's made of the best quality wool and cashmere!

By the way, it's not that difficult to look after it. Few years ago I got a special wool/cashmere wash and a special comb to take the best care of it.