Avoiding the School Morning Madness with Matalan

Avoiding the School Morning Madness with Matalan

#AD – This post is in collaboration with Matalan Back to School 

Back to school. I am slowly starting to accept that in just two weeks time, our lives are going to return to ‘normal’. The fun filled days and late to bed nights are going to abruptly come to an end, the lie ins will cease and those early manic Monday mornings, battling through school run traffic and the hectic commutes to work are going to return. I can’t say I’m looking forward to it. I’ve got so used to having E around over the holidays and her sister has adored having her bestie to play with. Despite battling the Mum guilt and having the challenge of trying to balance work and spending time with the girls, we’ve had a lovely Summer break filled with day trips and adventures, with our family holiday still yet to come. I’m in denial that the holidays have to end, and I am really going to miss her!

E has shot up so much in recent weeks and months and with her being quite the adrenaline junkie, last years uniforms were really put through their paces. Whilst normally the thought of heading out to buy a new terms worth of school uniform is enough to make me bury my head in the sand, this year Matalan have come to the rescue, and helped us get everything we need for the start of Year 2, all under one roof.  Even better, the Matalan Super Powered Uniforms have been created to appeal to grown ups and children alike, offering excellent value for money, practical features and hard wearing designs, whilst still providing unique and eye catching details that will appeal to their younger target market!

I got quite emotional seeing Erin put her uniform back on ready for her last year of infant school. It feels like literally yesterday that she started reception, when I walked to the school gates on her first day not knowing what kind of school Mum I would become. Now taller and more confident, and with two less teeth than the end of year 1, she looked so smart and well presented like she has suddenly grown up in front of my eyes. I know that she is desperate to see her friends again when September arrives.

Value and Practicality

Matalan school uniforms have been made with our busy lifestyles in mind. Tumble dry safe and easy iron with minimal creasing straight from the machine, Matalan know that we don’t want to spend our Sundays stood behind the ironing board. Their shirts have handy labels inside where you can clearly and easily add your child’s name; which lets face it is essential to prevent little ones losing pretty much everything they own on the first day of term.

With super white technology to keep the shirts whiter for longer, boned collars for a smarter appearance and even a handy touch close velcro top button (for children up to age 8) you can be confident that they will be able to get themselves ready without too much resistance and wont spend a hour battling over that fiddly last button!

The Simple Touches

Through the eyes of a child, school uniform also can’t afford to be boring – especially when your wearing the same colour scheme every single day. Matalan have clearly thought about this too, with subtle differences from the norm incorporated into their uniform designs. When I showed E a pinafore dress with large bows on the pockets (she really LOVES a pocket!) and fancy cross over back, as well as a skirt with an embroidered floral design, she quite simply she couldn’t wait to try them on.

When I bought out a pair of patent shoes that hadn’t broken the bank but still lit up with pink lights when she walks, well… the girl was in Back to School heaven.

It’s all about the Back to School Accessories

When it comes to back to school prep, I have to admit from my own experiences as a child, that the most exciting part of the start of a new term is all the school accessories – the new pencil case, the new school bottle, hair bands and bobbles. My Mum used to use these as a bartering tool, knowing that I would behave far better during uniform try on sessions if I had the dangling carrot of a pencilcase or a hair bobble or two. It worked every time without fail, and I don’t think my stationery addiction has left me since.

I am one of those Mums that loves to do Erin’s hair in the mornings, loving to sit whilst she eats her breakfast creating beautiful pigtails and french plaits. The school bag might not be packed yet and I might have forgotten to prepare the jar for the PTA (there is always a jar for something), but if nothing else, her hair at least will be done. Matalan have some great hair accessories in school colours to help complete their look – and these bow bobbles set me right back to the 1980s – too cute!

Matalan even read my mind when it comes to hydration – for a girl that never sits still, E can be a little bit lax when it comes to having a drink, often getting so distracted by the days activities that she can forget to drink enough during the day. This super cool water tracker bottle has stripe prompts down the sides, reminding her to “not stop” and “drink more” – its been a real hit and definitely encourages her to drink more!

Finally no back to school look would be complete without a new backpack and for Erin this one was a bit of a no brainer – the perfect combination of sparkle, glitter and unicorns, with plenty of room to stash her drink and lunchbox. With a huge range of backpacks to appeal to every taste, as well as personalised initial pump bags for PE, you can be confident that there really is something for everyone in the Matalan range.

If you’ve been avoiding the uniform purchase or simply don’t know where to start, you can check out the whole Back to School range in the Matalan Back to School Shop

We are now physically ready for the start of school at least, but as for being mentally ready, I fear that might take a little bit longer! I apologise in advance to anyone I see on the first day of term, as I have become quite accustomed to my lie ins. Wish me luck!!

 

Lucy

 

#MyMarksFave What’s your Summer Style?

#MyMarksFave What’s your Summer Style?

#AD – This is a paid partnership with Marks and Spencer

I love it when the Summer fashion arrives on the high street, marking that it’s time to pack the coats away, pop the boots back in the wardrobe and focus on the concept of ‘legs out toes out’. There’s something so incredibly inviting about the Summer months – the longer days, the chilled evenings in the garden, the warmth of the sun against your skin. It’s by far my favourite time of year, and everything always feels so much brighter and calmer in the sunshine. Who doesn’t love making plans of Summer holidays, barbeques, garden parties and al fresco dining with friends??

Apart from the obvious fact that the weather doesn’t seem to have got the memo (seriously, what is with the monsoon?) the biggest challenge I find about the arrival of the Summer months is that I don’t really know what my Summer style is anymore. With my body shape changing over the years, my confidence has been knocked somewhat, and it would be all too easy to fall back on the old faithfuls without embracing some of the latest seasons’ trends.

That said, I figure I do deserve a bit of a wardrobe update. A fresh new look would be a great way to boost my confidence and mix things up for Summer. When I was invited to Marks and Spencer in Solihull to check out their new High Summer Collection, the prospect of a couple of hours child free shopping was too good an opportunity to miss.

I was showed around by Rachel, one of the store managers, who very kindly highlighted some of the new Summer collection, which is pretty extensive and has styles to suit every occasion. I love the overall feel of the new collection – injections of colour, strong prints, floaty and comfortable skirts and dresses, and strong statement tees. Before I knew what was happening I had an arm draped full of hangers and headed off to the changing rooms to try them on. Doing so without the fear of my child running off in the opposite direction was the ultimate treat.

During my fairly extensive trying on session  in the spacious, well lit changing rooms (mixed in with a twirling and swooping boomerang or two) I found some pieces that I instantly fell in love with. Here are just a few of my faves…

Floaty and Feminine

I absolutely love a midi skirt, with the length being the ideal compromise between a full length maxi and something a little more leg baring.

This linen blend wrap midi skirt felt super comfy and amazingly soft to the touch, with the wrap style being flexible enough to flatter my curves (whilst hiding those lumps and bumps!).

It offered the ideal balance between being smart enough for work whilst blending seamlessly into my evening wardrobe too. Little touches like the asymmetric hem and tie at the waist also made it feel just a bit more special. A lovely find!

Sticking with the midi style, this Pure Cotton A-Line Midi Skirt also caught my eye. Super lightweight and floaty with an almost bohemian vibe, this skirt has a drawstring waist and tassle to the front. It was so unbelievably comfortable and I could see myself wearing this during flip flop strolls or paired with a wedge heel and a smarter top for a Summer evening ensemble. LOVE!

Embracing my feminine side, I also developed quite a soft spot for the textured swing maxi dress which feels like an absolute Summer essential! The super stretchy material is ideal for women like me with a bigger bust – as all too often I find dresses gape or buckle at the chest, yet hang funny if I opt for a larger size. I could picture myself wearing this on holiday as the sun starts to go down, on a semi romantic (who am I kidding), stroll along the beach trying to prevent Neve from eating sand, or for an evening al fresco meal – with the gold adding a touch of sparkle to take you from day to night.

Mixing up the Work Wardrobe

I work in an office by day, and in the Summer months it’s all too easy to stick to boring basics. M&S have some great options for a twist on traditional workwear this Summer.

I absolutely love this shirred shoulder dress with its elasticated waist, which I am wearing in the office today! It is easy to dress down with flats or trainers, but can also be teamed up with heels for a smarter office feel.

The Statement Tee

The M&S range of classic statement tees is pretty extensive this year, and as a blogger, the Love Slogan Tee obviously stood out to me straight away. Not only does it embrace my love for rainbow colours, but the tagline is perfect – at times its helpful have some inspirational words to guide us! I can definitely relate to this quote, and in the words of Steve Jobs “Do the right job, and you will never have to work a day in your life”

With other classic tees including their Weekend, Oh My and Hola tees, there really is a tee for every message and occasion in M&S this season. At just £6.50 each these are a steal and great option for your basic summer essentials.

I really enjoyed getting out of my comfort zone a little and trying some new styles and looks for Summer. Whilst for now, my floaty dresses and skirts may have to be teamed up with a jacket or brolly until the sun finally graces us with its presence, I at least now feel fully prepared for when it does!!

So these are #MyMarksFaves – what are yours? Which of these seasons looks can you see yourself wearing this Summer? 

 

Preparing for the Start of Year 1

Preparing for the Start of Year 1

The end of the school holidays is nigh. The end of Erin’s first six week holiday; her longest ever break without some form of school, nursery or childcare is fast approaching, and in just over two weeks time, we will be packing the PE bag, sorting out her pile of reading books and preparing her uniform for her first day in Year One. New teachers, a shake up of teaching groups and a slightly more academic approach to learning, it may be quite a change to what she is used to.

debenhams back to school girls range

It literally feels like yesterday that we were helping her prepare for the start of reception. I was lucky enough to have some time off before Erin started school, and as such, we had a week together just me and her, doing a number of Mum Daughter date days where I got to embrace every last minute of having her with me at home in the daytime.

Whilst I was incredibly emotional walking Erin to the school gates on her first day, Erin couldn’t have taken the experience more in her stride. She was really excited – mostly about putting on her new uniform and shiny black shoes, but she didn’t shed a tear, barely looked back when I left her at the door and came running out to me at 3.30 with a huge smile on her face. Despite being one of the younger girls in the class, she has adjusted to school life incredibly well, and even told me yesterday that she missed school and was looking forward to going back.

debenhams back to school girls range

To be totally honest, out of the two of us, Erin has probably coped with the start of school life better than me! I always knew I wasn’t going to be the most organised of school Mums when I wrote “I will be *that* school Mum”, but I kind of proved my predictions right. I have pretty much coasted through the entire year relying far too much on the Parent’s WhatsApp group or one of the other far more organised Mother’s to remind me of what I need to pay and when, what I need to take, and what homework we need to have completed. I try and keep track of all the emails and letters we get but most of them get lost in the jumble of my mailbox and it took me till Week 3 of the school holidays to even discover we had a Summer Reading Challenge – Oops.

This year, I am going to *attempt* to be a little more organised. Thanks to Debenhams, the uniform side of things is one less thing I have to worry about, as we now have her entire school uniform purchased, washed and ironed ready for the first day back in September.

debenhams back to school girls range

Erin is a very active child, who loves to dance, jump and run, so her uniform needs to be hard wearing and be prepared to get put through it’s paces. Debenhams Back to School range has definitely catered for children just like this; with their uniform featuring Teflon technology – which works to repel water and stains. Their shoes are also scuff resistant, being able to withstand literally whatever Erin decides to throw at them. Not only that, but to help the parents too, the uniform ranges are all easy iron – so for people like me that detest every single second of standing behind an ironing board, you don’t need to spend any longer than necessary getting ready for the morning madness.

debenhams back to school girls range

Last year Erin enjoyed having a variety of different styles for her uniform, and alternated between pinafore dresses and skirts, the latter of which was ideal when it was PE day, making it much easier for her to get dressed and undressed by herself. That said, however, with elasticated waists and easy access zips and buttons, the entire Debenhams Back to School range is tailored to suit little hands. For those who are also petite like Erin, the skirts feature handy waist adjusters inside, so that the skirts can be tapered in if they are coming up a little big at the start of term.

debenhams back to school girls range

As they were a firm favourite with Erin last year, we bought some more of the bow skirts and pinafores, which are a little bit different to the classic style pinafores available elsewhere. We also bought some of the kilt style skirts, and easy zip pinafores, with the small heart zip a lovely finishing touch to the design (pictured above).

debenhams back to school girls range

As per last year, I am both nervous and excited about what this academic year will bring. Watching Erin grow up makes me feel incredibly emotional but also makes me burst with pride. I love the conversation, the imagination, and the way she is figuring out the world around her every single day. One thing I am not quite ready for yet however is the school run traffic, having got quite accustomed to the easy work commute in the holidays!

debenhams back to school girls range

We will be making the most of the last two weeks of the holidays with a couple of mornings with just the two of us, something that I always look forward to now that it’s a fairly rare occurrence. Have you got your uniform sorted yet? You can check out the entire Debenhams Back to School range here – there is currently up to 20% off across the entire range.

*This is a collaborative post* 

Preparing for Spring with Boots Mini Club

Preparing for Spring with Boots Mini Club

I love this time of year. At least I would, if the Beast from the East would stop running back in to deliver one last hurl of abuse. The clocks have sprung forward, the days are getting longer, the evenings getting lighter, and finally, slowly but surely, we are taking baby steps towards saying goodbye to Winter and HELLLLLOOO to Spring and Summer. The forecast for next week is good and I simply cannot wait.

As much as I love snuggling up in the winter woollies (and the comfort eating that goes alongside it!) I am a proper lover of the sunnier seasons. I love getting outside with the girls, getting out in the fresh air and feeling the sun shining down on my skin! With the arrival of Spring also comes lots of fun things for the entire family to look forward to, including family day trips, Bluebell walks and birthday parties to name but a few.

Thanks to Boots Mini Club, we have got the girls wardrobe Spring ready, with clothes to suit every occasion. Here’s what the girls will be rocking this season! 🙂

Swimwear

Erin absolutely loves swimming, and is just getting to the point where she can swim a little without arm bands. This spring we are returning to Center Parcs, and Erin is quite literally counting down the days until she can pop on her ‘cozzie’ and get sliding down the flumes with Daddy! I am hoping that by the end of that break she will have properly met that milestone – a real achievement to be proud of and a special moment for us to share as a family!

boots mini club swimwear range

Neve, on the other hand has NEVER been in a swimming pool. Hard to believe right? At eighteen months old, we have never taken her to a public pool due to her skin being extremely sensitive to both chlorine and sunlight. Her eczema flairs up pretty badly, and as such, we have always been reluctant to make it worse. The Flamingo Sunsafe swimsuit protects the skin from UV rays up to 40SPF, and as it covers a large proportion of her skin, it can also be applied over a barrier cream, helping prevent the chlorine from aggravating her skin. With an easy on zip, and a super cute bright flamingo design, I cannot wait to see how she responds to her first swimming experience! 🙂

Boots Mini Club UV Flamingo Swimsuit

Pretty Summer Dresses

Erin loves nothing more than wearing a pretty dress, being a big fan of anything that she can spin in, anything with bows, and anything with a floral design. Something that ticked all the boxes that I immediately fell in love with was the Bow and Arrows Pini Dress, to the point where I was genuinely gutted that Boots Mini Club don’t offer adult sizes to match!!!

Boots Mini Club Dress

The bow detail on the back of this dress is simply stunning, and with a stretchy waistband perfect for petite souls like Erin, it fitted her like an absolute dream. This dress is ideal for holidays or for those lazy sunny Sundays.

Boots Mini Club

Occasion Wear

Spring brings a few special birthdays and family parties, and I love nothing more than an excuse to get the girls dressed up in their party clothes. As Neve is still lacking a little in the hair front, dressing her in something a little more frilly and feminine is always a benefit, and prevents the fairly regular exclamations of “Ohhh how old is he??”. Grr.  I loved popping Neve in the All Dressed Up White Lace Dress, with its detailed bodice and full layered skirt. She loves walking around ruffling up the skirt as she moves, but encouraging her to stay still long enough to photograph is no mean feat!!!

Boots Mini Club Dresses

Thankfully, Erin is a little more inclined to stand still, albeit not for long. She looks fab in the All Dressed Up Border Print dress. The thick material and full skirt has a real prom dress feel about it, and features buttons up at the back for easy dressing. I love the pastel colours and the subtle yet striking design, and with some pretty pastel shoes this is the perfect outfit for a family party or wedding.

Boots Mini Club Dress

With the exception of one sunny day a fortnight ago we have seen nothing but rain for the last few weeks, so I am looking forward to being able to finally get outside and give these clothes the wear time they deserve!!!

Overall as always, the quality and style of Boots Mini Club never fails to impress, with designs just that little bit different from the norm. Excellennt value for money, I think the girls look perfectly Spring ready – now all we need is for the forecast to be right!! Fingers crossed!!!

Boots Mini Club Dresses

You can check out the full range of Boots Mini Club clothing on the Boots website or in larger Boots stores.

Lucy

*This is a collaborative post. We were sent some samples from the Mini Club range in exchange for our honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own* 

 

REVIEW – Disney Vampirina Boo-Tiful Dress

REVIEW – Disney Vampirina Boo-Tiful Dress

Erin is always discovering new shows on TV, and once she gets into something that’s it – she gets well and truly hooked, and we watch every episode, on repeat every single morning during breakfast. This time last year it was Elena of Avalor, and this year, it’s allll about Vampirina – the loveable girl who ‘may be blue with pointy teeth’ but gets up to some fantastic adventures with her friends including Wolfie the dog. It’s fair to say I’ve got to know her pretty well over recent months!

When we were given the opportunity to try out the new range of Vampirina Dress Up outfits, I knew that Erin would be over the moon – this is a girl who absolutely loves dressing up. The challenge would be hiding it from her for long enough to photograph in the packaging! 🙂

Vamperina Boo-Tiful Dress (In packaging)

About the Product

Just like the outfit Vampirina wears in the TV Series, the Boo-Tiful Vampirina Dress is a soft velvet / velour style dress with a web design that fastens up the back with Velcro, has a web pattern throughout and an uneven zig zagged hem. It comes boxed, including a bat wing headband and blue gloves featuring a sparkly bat and skull.

The set is for children aged 4-6 and retails at £24.99. Some stores appear to have ones with wings included and a slightly different design, however ours included the gloves instead.

Vamperina Boo-Tiful Dress set

Our Experience

Erin was extremely excited when we received the Vampirina Boo’Tiful Dress and the timing was perfect – it arrived on the first day of the school holidays and a rainy one at that, and I was just sat down wondering how the hell I was going to entertain her stuck in the house all day when the door bell rang – it was like the postman had answered my prayers!

She made me run upstairs and take a photograph IMMEDIATELY (she knows the drill!) before inisiting that we open it right there and then so she could try it on. I then had to pretend to be Wolfie whilst she acted out various different scenes from the show, danced around on her cabin bed and sang (loudly and mostly out of tune) to the theme tune in her bedroom. She then asked if she could wear the outfit for Halloween (she has no sense of timing!!) and whether I would be willing to paint her face blue to add to the finished effect!!

Girl wearing Vamperina Boo-Tiful Dress outfit

The outfit is a lovely little set – Erin is a petite nearly 5 year old and it fitted absolutely fine, with a little room for growth. The Velcro back made life much easier, and meant that Erin could get it on and off without assistance. She was also able to pop on the gloves unaided and they were a good fit.

Vamperina Boo-Tiful Dress and Gloves

There are some lovely subtle features of the dress, including the Vampirina Brooch in the centre of the chest (this is attached so no need to worry about it getting lost) and the sparkly glitter design on the gloves.

Vamperina Boo-Tiful Dress Brooch

The headband was a little big for Erin and so at times would flop forwards if she moved too fast however this didn’t bother her at all, in fact, she found it pretty hilarious! 🙂

Vamperina Boo-Tiful Dress Bat Headband

Overall the Vampirina Boo’Tiful Dress is a fun outfit that will go down a storm with any Vampirina fan – what’s not to love?! There is also a range of Vampirina Toys and accessories including the Spookele for those who take their Vampirina duties a bit more seriously! 🙂 – you can see the full range available at Amazon here.

*Disclosure – we were sent a Vampirina Boo’Tiful Dress for the purpose of this review, however all thoughts and opinions are my own. This post contains affiliate links*

 

REVIEW & GIVEAWAY – Globenfield Super Sport 2.0 Mens Watch

REVIEW & GIVEAWAY – Globenfield Super Sport 2.0 Mens Watch

Time. No matter how early I get up, or how many times I wake in the night, there never seems to be enough hours in the day to complete all the things that I need to. In Mike’s day job, the phrase “time is money” most definitely applies, and he spends a lot of his day travelling around the region meeting clients for his next appointment, or his next potential lead. Being late simply isn’t an option, so timekeeping and punctuality is key.

We were offered the opportunity to review a Globenfield Super Sport 2.0 Men’s Watch, and I felt this would be perfect for his work attire, whilst retaining a sporty vibe – something that would strike a balance between casual and professional.

Globenfield Super Sport 2.0 Men's Watch in presentation box

About the Product

The Globenfield Super Sport 2.0 Men’s watch has a sleek athletic design and features a stunning blue face and dial framed with a Tachymeter. The arrows are made from steel and inside are three windowed dials with a matching metal band.

Globenfield Super Sport 2.0 Men's Watch in presentation box

The Globennfield Super Sport 2.0 Men’s watch is packed full of a wide range of functionality – it comes with a dual analogue and digitial display, making it ideal for those who have a preference, as well as 12/24 hour formats. It also features an alarm with chime (perfect for ensuring you don’t miss those crucial appointments), a stopwatch / timer with lap/reset, and a backlight function for night vision.

Globenfield Super Sport 2.0 Men's Watch

Designed to last, this durable and hard wearing watch is designed to suit gentlemen with a larger build (230g) and comes with a simple-to-adjust metal band which is both comfortable and aesthetically attractive. The case of the watch face is made from scratch resistant mineral crystal glass to keep it protected and new, and helps avoid accidental damage.

Globenfield Super Sport 2.0 Men's Watch face

The Globenfield Super Sport 2.0 Men’s watch comes packaged within a stylish gunmetal grey presentation box, making it an excellent gift and has a guaranteed warrantee – a 60-day, no-questions-asked money back guarantee. Globenfeld also offers a platinum warranty for a period of 5 years from the date of purchase, giving you peace of mind and reassurance with your purchase.

Globenfield Super Sport 2.0 Men's Watch strap

Our Thoughts

First impressions of the Globenfield Super Sport 2.0 Men’s watch were very positive – the packaging is attractive, with a sleeve covered presentation box housing the watch inside.

The Globenfield Super Sport 2.0 is on the large side, so if the man in your life is more petite or has slim wrists this probably isn’t the watch for them. Mike has relatively chunky arms but fairly slim wrists, and as such, we did need to remove some links from the strap in order to secure the fit. That said, this can be done fairly cheaply and easily, and it is far better to have a watch that way around than one that is too small. The strap is generous in sizing, and therefore would fit those with particularly large hands and wrists.

Man wearing the Globenfield Super Sport 2.0 Men's Watch

The Globenfield Super Sport 2.0 is available with different coloured faces, but we really liked the striking nature of the blue, and I felt that it looked really great with Mike’s suit when he headed off to work. It is quite heavy in nature, but the hard wearing and durable nature of the watch, as well as its anti scratch glass was a real positive and he didn’t have to worry about it getting damaged as he went about his day.

At just £79.99 (currently on offer for £59.99) this is a real statement watch at quite a bargain price, and is packed full of functionality that makes it perfect for work, rest and play.

Man writing whilst wearing the Globenfield Super Sport 2.0 Men's Watch

Want to win your own?

We have a Globenfield Super Sport 2.0 Men’s Watch to giveaway! To enter simply use the Gleam App below. (Please note the Newsletter option is for the Globenfield newsletter and not for Real Mum Reviews).

Win a Globenfeld Super Sport Men’s Watch #1

Giveaway opens 18th February 2018 and closes 8th March 2018. One winner will be selected at random from all eligible entries and will win 1 x Globenfield Super Sport 2.0 Men’s Watch (face colour may vary). Prize is being sent from Globenfield – please allow 28 days for delivery. Our standard giveaway Terms and Conditions apply. GOOD LUCK!!!

 

*Disclosure – We were sent a Globenfield Super Sport 2.0 Men’s Watch free of charge for the purpose of this review, however as always, all thoughts and opinions are my own. This post contains affiliate links*