Party season has once again come around and another year brings even more choice for the Christmas calendar.

Whether you’re a full-on sparkle lover or a low-key dresser we’ve got your covered. But an easy sustainable step you can make this season is to step away from sequins. Quite a few brands are making a move away from using them this season due to the fact they’re not biodegradable. Still love them? Try secondhand to give items a new lease of life, or look for post-consumer recycled options.

Boden is one brand that is driving this initiative – their team tells us, “The festive season has always been synonymous with standing out and shining bright – but not at the expense of the environment. Since 2021 we have permanently removed sequins and glitter as part of our commitment to driving sustainable change within the business. We know that sequins and glitter do drive sales, but we were creative and thought of other ways for us to excite and delight our customers this Christmas.” (And I have included such delights in the round-up below!)

Whistles have also made a sustainability step forward in promoting “Recycled Sequins” this year – “This season we are launching our first pieces with sequins made from post-consumer recycled materials.” 

Personally, I will be smartening up a casual jeans and blazer combo with a sparkly accessory and have put some of my favourites below…

1.

Velvet shouts Christmas and this cropped jacket could be dressed up with black trousers and metallic heels for a party, or dressed down with jeans and your slippers for Christmas day.

2.

Sometimes Christmas calls for all-over sparkle to lift our spirits, and Whistles has given us the perfect party piece (with recycled materials!) Wear double sequins for that wow factor or pair down with a chunky knit.

3.

This elevated top is a great addition to your wardrobe for events all year round. Wear it with a full skirt and ankle boots for a winter party or take it on your summer holiday with you next year!

4.

Quite steep in price for a pair of jeans I hear you say… but these diamante covered (another brand that has stepped away from sequins!) wide leg jeans are not only super cool, but in my opinion, a great investment for us more casual party goers to pull out time and time again!

5.

A classic Christmas combination – red and satin (and a great price!) Wear with a t-shirt and blazer or a chunky knit and boots.

6.

Firmly on my Christmas list are these crackle metallic silver trousers. Can be styled up with a heel or I’ll be wearing them with trainers and a cashmere knit.

7.

You can’t go wrong with a velvet blazer. I love how it is worn here, undone and oversized with some statement jewellery. Wear it with the matching trousers if you’re feeling brave (nice and warm too!).

I love a good pair of pyjamas. Lately, I’ve been partial to a nightie but in the winter, I’m a pyjama wearer through and through and slip into them at the earliest opportunity. I made a vow a few years ago to invest in a decent drawer of pyjamas and it has made a difference to how I feel at home. I’ve rounded up my edit of the best ones around, to suit a variety of budgets. And where I can I have picked ones with pockets (because we always talk about dresses with pockets, but pyjamas with pockets are the golden ticket)!

First up, this Uniqlo pair I was so close to buying! They have pockets, cotton-mix and I love the colourways – the pale blue is classic but I am also drawn towards the mustard.

Kate Barnét pyjamas are ethically made (often from deadstock fabric), with inclusive sizing AND pockets. This pair (from the brand’s collaboration with Charlotte Jacklin) are currently in the sale:

One of the surprises of this research have been Mango! Gorgeous sets and I love that they sell separately in case you’d rather wear with a t-shirt, the fabrics are natural and the styles not obvious – love!

95% cotton 3% elastane gingahm pyjamas: £59.99, Mango. Stripe cotton pyjama bottoms: £35.99, Mango.

You can always rely on Hush for good pyjamas, year after year. These are cotton flannel and I just love this colourway (reviews tend to say they come up loose so size down):

Wondering what Topshop is up to these days? Making nice cotton poplin pyjamas, it seems! I was pleasantly surprised to see these crop up whilst researching:

100% cotton rust stripe pyjamas: £48, Topshop. Pink and black stripe 100% cotton pyjamas: £42, Topshop via Asos

These are the pyjamas on my Xmas wishlist (Damson Madder have sold out on their site but I have spotted them on Asos!). I love the modern twist on classic pyjamas: the bows, the frills, the colour combinations – perfection (with the exception of pockets, sadly).

I love these chic flannel gingham pyjamas from Next, cotton mix WITH pockets. Tick, tick, tick.

Okay so no side pockets, but I have a soft spot for Muji pyjamas (pun not intended here!), they don’t have raised seams so are super comfortable and the double faced cotton gauze is so soft.

I’m still gutted Gap are mainly online now, as I used to love walking around in store (I know there is still one on Oxford Street but its collections are limited). These pyjamas are 100% cotton flannel in a gorgeous sage colour. The downside? From owning Gap pyjamas previously, I sense these are pocketless.

These Boden pyjamas are more on the pricier end of the budget but they often have discount codes, I was drawn to the colourway (and candycane stripes, obvs) and the fact that you can buy the top and bottoms separately for mix and match sizing. No sighting of pockets in these though…

I’ve never bought anything from Chelsea Peers, they do good value pyjamas but tend to be in a lot of shiny fabrics. These, however, are organic cotton (they are stocked at John Lewis too, but have better stock levels buying direct):

This pair of pyjamas have patch pockets, side pockets – you name it! They go up to size 26 and the print feels very Arts & Crafts movement to me!

Elizabeth Scarlett, known for their lifestyle accessories, has launched pyjamas for the first time. 100% cotton, hand-painted designs and every purchase of this set goes towards protecting tigers in Rajasthan – they’ve raised £350,000 for charities conserving animals so far! FYI: no pockets.

And then these to finish off with an affordable classic cotton pair from John Lewis. Unsure of pockets, but I suspect if the photograph on the site isn’t shouting about them, the answer is no. I do like that they have bottoms with an array of different tops – short sleeved, long sleeved, strappy, as understand not all of us want to be buttoned up to the top as I do!

And according to my pal, Hannah Rochell (sign up to her ‘Slowette’ newsletter here).

As far as steamers go, I have used a far few in my time. I have spent countless nights on work shoots in my stylist days steaming rails and rails and rails of clothes, from one suitcase to hotel room , to location vans to the beach. I have steamed ultra fine cashmere that has sat flatpacked for weeks (those arm creases are a special type of hell) for photo shoots – it is fair to say I know what you/I need from a steamer. And although we’re not talking industrial here, there are some decent and affordable handheld ones on the market.

My first disclaimer is that, for me, a handheld steamer will never replace an iron. If you’re looking for something to freshen up heavy curtains or do press your trousers perfectly, this isn’t the plce for you. If you were interestd in something a bit more heavy duty I can recommend Morplan’s steamers, this one is the type they have in professional photography studios (if they don’t have this, I would worry for my shoot), and this one is the type I had at home as a professional sylist (who occasionally needed to bring her own steamer to shoots). If you have a walk-in wardrobe or space to store this type (budget depending), I would highly recommend as you have somewhere to hang the garments and it holds way more water so you can steam for longer.

Anyway, today we are talking handheld steamers. On to go, easy to store and works well. Plus it’s nice if it looks nice, right? My last one was Steamery and I loved it, it was so chic and came in a travel bag and did the job. The downside? It’s expensive, the water compartment is small, I had to hold my thumb on the steamer button and it started to leak on me (after a good service of 6 years). I replaced it with this version from Amazon – I would love to offer a different stockist but sadly this is it.

The Pros:

It can hold more water (not gallons more but more) than the Steamery one I owned.

Once you press the button to start steaming, you don’t have to hold it down to keep steaming.

The handle can be detached for easy travelling.

It comes with a travel bag.

It looks chic.

It works well on shiny light fabrics like viscose and satin as well as hard to iron fabrics like silk.

Steamers in general are great for bringing life to garments and you can steam out creases that irons tend to make worse.

It is great value and does the job.

The Cons:

It is from Amazon.

It works better on lighter fabrics, a light cotton shirt (that I dread ironing!) came out great. However, tougher fabrics like cotton twill are harder to steam.

Using a handheld steamer sometimes feels easier and more enjoyable, but it’s not necessary quicker.

You still have to find somewhere to hang clothes to steam.

Steamer tips from a stylist:

Steam inside garments, especially coat sleeves and trouser legs – it gives more life to them.

Don’t forget to steam down the seams of arms, especially knitwear and shirts. Steamers can give shirts a 3 dimensional shape rather than a flat ironed garment.

Steam your coats, it’ll bring them to life (especially after storage) when you don’t wash them as much. Don’t forget to steam inside and the lining – it can make such a difference!

Be careful near skin: you can burn just as easily with a steamer as you can with an iron.

You watch my reel on this steamer here.

Who knows what’s going on with the weather at this time of year? But even with this delayed summer, you can guarantee the weather will change overnight and we will be rushing to find that perfect coat for the new season. With that in mind, we have put together a small coat edit with some favourites that will fit the bill:

1.

A drapey dressing gown style trench is the perfect throw on coat but still effortlessly chic. 

2.

Not the cheapest option but Cos always comes up trumps with fabric and this is one of those coats you will bring out year after year. 

3.

Longline design, super warm and has a hood – tick, tick tick! The perfect throw on for the school run or weekend walks.

4.

You can’t go wrong with an oversized coat – wear it done up for a smarter look and undone with your sweatshirt and trainers for the weekend. 

5.

I’m always a big fan of the H&M Premium Selection coats – that bit more expensive than regular H&M but you can really tell. The shape is very flattering and the soft felt material gives it a really lux feel.

6.

It’s no big surprise that we love a trench coat here at The Frugality! For an elevated take on a classic, try this khaki style from & Other Stories. 

One of the last styling jobs I ever did was with Debenhams, it was such a lovely team and such a pleasure to really delve into their collections. It really is one of those one-stop stores you can find something for everyone in and this season Debenhams have asked me to pick my favourite pieces that I believe will have longevity in your wardrobe.

1. First up, the classic borg jacket, I’m always on the look out for an easy jacket to throw on with kids but still feels chic. This ticks all the boxes, plus it has useful size pockets!

Jacket: £76.30, Debenhams

2.Ballet flats and Mary-Janes are set to be the shoe of the season, now you may think silver is a bit of an out there choice but in fact, my silver shoes are my most worn in my wardrobe. They add a flash of excitement to an outfit, a lot like leopard print, and will bring something unexpected to a simple look of jeans, tee and blazer (or a leather jacket).

3. And speaking of leather jackets, I’m really championing a biker jacket at the moment. I think it’s time for the crisp jacket and jeans look to come back and a good quality leather jacket will fare you well for years. This leather biker is really great value and will last and last:

4. A denim midi skirt was around last season but I think will really come into its own with knitwear and trainers for Autumn. This raw edge one in a classic wash looks great with a loosely buttoned oversized shirt too to play on proportions:

Shirt: £17.50, Debenhams. Skirt: £23.40, Debenhams

5. And the trainers to go for? I love a splash of red with any outfit and the retro look of these trainers will work with dresses, midi skirts and jeans alike. I had a pair of these at uni and really tempted to revisit (but I probably won’t be wearing mine with low slung Miss Sixty jeans this time!).

For an extra 20% off selected brands*, use the code LTK20 (valid until 31st October).

This post was in partnership with Debenhams, imagery and words all our own. *Selected brands include Coast, Oasis, Karen Millen, Warehouse, Dorothy Perkins, Wallis, Burton, Maine New England, Mantaray, Principles, Regatta, Roman, Dreamscene, Accessorize, Snuggledown, Trespass, Yours, Sienna, Monsoon, Jon Richard, Long Tall Sally, Brentfords, Slumberdown, Simply Silver, PixieGirl, Floso, Adrianna Papell, weird Fish, BadRhino, Eastern Counties Leather, Yumi, Universal Textiles, Sheridan

It’s no secret I love a classic shirt, and Sezane’s iconic ‘Max’ shirt (which they bring out every season in so many wonderful colourways) is no exception. It’s an item that never goes out of style and I feel great wearing it, I wear a Medium in this shirt and it’s naturally oversized – and pretty much always roll the sleeves and unbutton a little way down to show off jewellery. First up, the classic shirt and jeans look:

A classic ‘French tuck’ (where you tuck in the middle only) and loose at the back, this is the easiest, most classic look and one I probably wear the most (especailly on the frantic school run!). Team with trainers or a chunky flat for an effortless, pulled together look.

And then for summer I am drawn to the oversized shirt with shorts look, loose pull-on shorts work but when I tried these more tailored ‘Rome’ shorts on, I fell in love.

These shorts are so comfortable and the chic belt makes them the perfect style to dress up with heels but they equally look great with flats.

And then there’s the tie it with a midi skirt look. I love this hack for the feel of a tucked shirt but without the bulkiness under a fine fabric – it also feels a bit more casual with a dressier skirt, hence why it’s a go-to for me!

And I couldn’t talk about the Max shirt without also mentioning the ‘Maxine’ dress! A longer length style which can be worn as a dress or a shirt, I love its simplicity as a casual shirt dress but I also I wanted to try belting it.

It definitely has that androgynous feeling which I love style-wise and good news: it works with shorts and jeans as a shirt, too

And guess what, it also makes the perfect swimwear cover-up!

This post was in partnership with Sezane, all Art Direction and words our own

I have been asked a lot about how I shop on Vinted, so thought I’d share a few tips.

I mainly shop for interiors and kids stuff secondhand online as I don’t have to worry about the fit (I have had some bad luck with clothes for me sadly and returns aren’t so easy!). Generally, I have tried to change my thinking when I want to buy something – “can I get it secondhand?” is now a bit of a mantra. It’s not always the case but I’m starting to get more accustomed to it.

I use it as a chance to buy brands I couldn’t afford at full price, so often I search for brands like Bobo Choses, Mini Rodini or Vans (you can save these brands on the Vinted app so these items come up first).

This Bobo Chose cardigan (above) was the same price as an H&M cardigan and it will have a higher resale value too. I find an item will often depreciate quickly but then holds its value after that for longer (which is better for resellers and secondhand buyers!).

I always filter for size so there are less items to trawl through.

I use the tools like buying in ‘bundles’ (especially if I find someone who has a similar age kids!) and making offers. If you’re buying more than one item from a seller, you save money on shipping and are also in a better position to haggle. The option to make an offer on Vinted is also so easy. I get so embarrassed to do it in person but have no qualms on the app!

I look for toys too, which are washable, more likely to be in a good condition, and have a longer lifespan (Schleich animals and Duplo rather than cuddly toys). I have bought a few Schleich unicorns in a bundle and split them amongst kids’ birthdays throughout the year. 

My current watches/saves:

Cos black dress size 12/M

Ganni (anything!)

Bella Freud 1970 jumper in M

Doen dresses size 12

APC Bags

For the kids:

Birkenstocks

Saltwater sandals

Mini Rodini

Bobo Choses

Arket

Obviously there are loads of other sites out there too: @totswapshop is a lovely concept; I use apps like @gumtreeuk for interiors; @curateandrotate is amazing for clothes – I hope to find something there soon. I think for adult clothing, videos really help with seeing how an item fits.

I also love Fara for secondhand kids games, books and clothes – I like the Pimlico or Notting Hill store and found some £5 Crocs and great games in almost mint condition. I love filling the kids stockings with secondhand finds at Christmas and we collect Disney dvds from charity shops – the kids love picking a film from a wallet and pressing play!

It has been a really rewarding process for me and I’m really starting to change my mindset about how I shop. And I know so many of you love it, too!

Despite hating how the inside of my Birkenstock ‘Arizonas’ looked, it had still never crossed my mind to clean them! Until I saw an email pop into my inbox from Schuh with some handy tips, so I thought I’d give it a go.

1. THE BICARBONATE OF SODA TECHNIQUE

Mix 2 parts bicarbonate of soda with 1 part water to create a paste. 

Brush the excess dirt off using a suede brush, then use a brush (an old toothbrush will do) to rub the paste into the sandal avoiding the cork part.

Wipe with a damp sponge (try not to soak), dry with a cloth then set aside to dry away from direct sunlight. 

When dry, brush them once more with the suede brush.

The result? A slightly cleaner Birkenstock. It wasn’t going to win any awards but at least I got rid of some germs.

To say I was underwhelmed was an understatement but it did remind me that I never really take time to look after, clean, brush and repair shoes and it was really therapeutic. 

2. THE SANDPAPER TECHNIQUE

After posting my results on TikTok, a few people suggested the ‘sandpaper’ technique, as recommended in the New York Times – it’s more of a dry method and I tried it on my previously cleaned sandals, which came out wonderfully – the type of results I was expecting the first time.

But in case my test was defunct (as I had previously cleaned mine), I decided to test this method on possibly the dirtiest Birkenstocks I have come across: Chris’s.

The technique is basically to sand them (we used 180 grit paper) until the top layer rubs away (you might lose the Birkenstock logo). If there is dried crust (!) you can use a flat head screwdriver to scrape first.

I then cleaned the straps with a damp cloth and polished some beeswax into the leather (I used some Burt’s Bees baby ointment we had from the kids). They looked surprisingly good and I even glued a bit of the sole back down (although a cobbler would be a better option for this). 

I have also seen Hannah Rochell repainting her buckles using Hammerite paint.

Bringing life back to these sandals (ones which we get a LOT of use out of) brought back so much joy and encouraged me to sit and relax for a while. It kind of wasn’t about the end result but the fun of the mend. And I hope to do more of it.

I have had to cull a lot of my previous bikinis and one pieces (they no longer fit) and am really looking for great swimwear this summer. I’m currently loving a swimsuit but also some high waisted brief bikinis (my gingham Gap one from 2017 is still clinging on in my wardrobe!). I’ve been online a lot this week looking for the best styles to add to The Edit and decided to compile my ultimate favourites all in one place:

1 I love this suit! It comes in two different colourways too (blue and yellow) but my money’s on the green. I’ve tried this and definitely say it comes up small, so size up. The bold stripe, the gentle ribbed fabric….bravo, Boden!

2 Leopard print high waisted bikini? I’m sold. I also love that you can buy the top and briefs separately, too – but size up, this comes up small. A lot of sizes are sold out online but I went into store and picked up a set (it also comes in a different blue and white print) – but you can signed up to be notifed. I’d wear with stripe cotton shorts and an oversized white shirt.

3 John Lewis is always a good bet for swimwear browsing as they have so many brands like Seafolly, Whistles, Albaray. This is actually John Lewis own brand and for £39 it’s great value, I love this kind of ditsy print and love that it has detachable straps.

4 What can I say, I love a stripe! I just think these swimsuits are ones you’ll go back to year after year. This comes in a navy and white stripe too, but I think the lighter blue pips it to the post.

5 Looking for one with with removable straps? This swimsuit from Next is great and can be worn with or without straps (I have bought it and looks great but again, I sized up).

6. This bikini is reversible apparently, but I’m really not sure you’d use the other side when this side is so pretty! I have a thing for either ditsy stripe and not much inbetween. You might have noticed.

7. Marks & Spencer have really worked hard this season on swimwear, so many good sets (the cornflower blue version of this had already sold out). I think this is just really good value for an easy, flattering one-piece.

8. Another ditsy print, what can I say. In my defence this comes in 4 other colours and the shape is classic. Arket also have a lovely stripe seersucker set but you probably don’t need much convincing there..! But if you do, there is more swimwear on The Edit section. See you there!

What to wear for this inbetween season? We’ve had a few warm days lately but to be honest, it’s not much to get excited about. Mine and the kids wardrobes are still straddling that spring/summer/chilly interim where I can’t put away all the knitwear, still need light jackets and definitely can’t rely on bare legs everyday yet. No jacket weather will always be my favorutie but until then? A great denim piece will stand you well, the ‘Will’ jacket from Sezane is one of their best sellers for a reason – it’s the perfect structured jacket for those spring days, looks great worn over the shoulders and works with trousers/dresses/skirts.

‘Will’ jacket: Sezane. ‘Farrow’ bag: Sezane. ‘Sandy’ skirt: Sezane. ‘Lenny’ low mules: Sezane.

Just team with a logo tee (this one is from last year but it’s a classic style they do often – see below for this season’s update!) and an essential I’ve been eyeing up for a long time – a leopard print midi. I find leopard print very hard to get right in this type of bias cut skirt, but of course Sezane have perfected it.

I love that Sezane focus on great, quality (B Corp) staples rather than a quick turnaround of products. They have iconic pieces that you instantly recognise as Sezane and sell year after year (such as the Will jacket or the Max shirt), but at the same time don’t reproduce on a huge scale so chances are you won’t see everyone in the same piece. It’s not easy to do and one I hugely admire. Speaking of classics, the ‘Leontine’ jumper is one I swear by, they’ve been making it for a few years – 100% organic cotton and just sits effortlessly. It’s also one of those items I will have in my wardrobe year round as it’s light enough for the summer months too. I’ll be wearing with some boxer style elasticated waist shorts once it warms up.

The ‘Farrow’ bag is a great style which fits so much in, handmade by women in Madagascar, you can even have it monogrammed for no extra cost. There’s a huge trend on TikTok at the moment on how ‘styling’ can really make a plain outfit sing and I would say the same for details, the embroidery on this bag brings it up another notch, plus also adds an exra element of colour you could bring out to match with earrings, shoes etc.

And I don’t even need to persuade you on a broderie top, do I? This looser shape is so flattering, too. The flowers I’m carrying here were actually a birthday gift from my friend Sarah at Douceur whom I met for coffee before shooting this and whom also LOVES a floaty blouse/broderie anglaise – so this is a bit of a homage to Sarah.

This article was in collaboration with Sezane, all styling, words and Art Direction our own.