48 Hours in the Scottish Highlands: Loch Lomond

As a perfectionist, I can sometimes find it hard to be spontaneous especially when it comes to travelling. So when John suggested we spend 48 hours in the Scottish Highlands with less than 48 notice, I really took a leap of faith and said YES. (Wild. I know.) Whilst the thought of packing an overnight bag and hitting the open road may sound exciting, even romantic to some, to me it just isn’t logical. When travelling, I like to be well prepared, usually packing a capsule wardrobe of mix n’ match pieces well in advance. Turns out, last minute adventures are a whole lot of fun and packing needn’t be stressful!

Over the years, I have learned that the best way to pack for a trip away is to simply take your favourite clothes. (Naturally, checking the weather forecast before you travel is a no-brainer.) I’ve written posts before on how to travel light or how to pack for city breaks, you name it. This is not one of those post. This post features my favourite pieces I have bought and thrifted over the past few weeks, true classics that I know will be with me until they’re worn to threads.

Do you remember my trip to Blackpool a few weeks ago? Whilst John was finding an elusive piece of street art, curiosity got the best of me and I popped into Primark to look at their autumn arrivals. I was so impressed that I took to Twitter to proclaim my pleasant surprise at their autumn range! To me, Primark isn’t a place that I shop at regularly- their sizes are irregular and the quality is hit and miss, however even I cannot ignore the fact that occasionally they have some amazing pieces and because of that, I buy the odd Primark piece. Last month, that odd piece was this bee print shirt for £7, yes £7! I dreamed of layering it under winter knits but the quality was so impressive, I added a neck tie!

Recently Newgate watches got in touch to ask if I’d like to try a watch from their range .Can you believe I didn’t own a watch until I hit 30? With mobile phones and classroom clocks, I never saw the need for one. These day I can’t be without a watch, I have a sense of feeling out of place, out of time. I’d been trying to break out of my Olivia Burton rut, so I said yes please and chose The Electric.

You might think I chose a unisex watch so I could share it with John, that’s partly true. But, I loved the classic and retro design of The Electric. I love the stainless steel against Newgate’s classic and iconic typography, no matter your style it’s a classic design that will compliment all outfits. If you haven’t heard of Newgate, the brand has been known for their iconic clocks for decades so it seems only natural that husband and wife duo, Jim and Chloe Read, decided to translate their clock designs into bold and contemporary wrist wear for men and women.

The benefit of growing older is understanding, developing and fine-tuning your own personal style. As you know, I search for and seek out clothes that are high quality, made to last and come with a price tag that I’m comfortable with. I tend to find that I invest my money in my accessories because these transcend fashion trends and stand the test of time. That’s why I’m happy to wear bargain finds alongside accessories that cost £100+ for. It’s all about price per wear.

I’m so happy that we’re now truly in autumn. Even though the days are flooded with sunlight, there’s a welcome chill in the morning air and it won’t be long until we start our descent into winter. I’m so pleased to have purchased my winter coat in September, brand new with tags from a Roy Castle charity shop. Whilst it may have been the most I have ever spent on a single charity shop purchase, this £20 Topshop coat is a steal. You know when you slip a new coat on and it feels perfectly snug and cosy you never want to take it off? Despite it being 19 degrees at the time, that’s how I felt. It’s a sample coat, which means it may be imperfect in certain places but I’ve yet to find any faults with it. I’m sure you’ll be seeing lots of it in the upcoming months. It was perfect for 48 hours in the Scottish Highlands.