School run mum fashion with Love the Sales

My eldest has just started Reception and like many mums the whole mums at the school gates thing is completely new and I must admit I did feel a bit of pressure to dress in a certain way. Right or wrong we do often make judgements on how people look and present themselves and mums at the school gates are no different. I also feel like I'm at a really awkward age clothes wise. I'm increasingly aware that I am not a young trendy 20 something anymore (who an I kidding I haven't been for years!) but I am really not ready to throw in the towel fashion wise yet either. So I'm trying to strike the right balance - stylish, comfortable and practical. The practical bit is a must as no one want to see a 36 year old, dressing like a teenager who could easily be her own daughter!

For me school run mum fashion is all about layering. Im usually freezing when I leave the house, but by the time I get home after depositing said school child, pushed a buggy up the biggest hill in Hertfordshire (not a fact, please don't correct me on this) and the sun has started to make an appearance I'm a red faced, sweaty disaster. This fabulous Cape from Dorothy Perkins at Love the sales is the perfect solution.

 

Lets talk shoes, we would all like to imagine ourselves tottering elegantly up to the school gates in nice skinnies and heels but the reality is more skidding on a wet leaf and taking a small child out while in our heels, so I have 2 school run essentials - pumps and UGGS - yes I know they are the marmite of boots and will seriously divide opinions but I happen to love them - who couldn't love a shoe which essentially feels like a small fluffy dog is cuddling your feet

Love the sales have great selection of UGGS and these are my current faves - I normally opt for the super fluffy but these are so practical as well as still being fur lined. Perfect with jeans and an oversized smart shirt. 

So finally to combat the nemesis of all school run mums - the rain!!!! If anything makes us want to run or our cars and risk sitting in traffic until lunch time its the thought of dragging our children through the freezing cold rain, usually on school photo day knowing by the time we get there we will all look like drowned rats and miserable with it! So coats - it has to be waterproof and it has to have plenty of pockets for the many fir cones, feathers (really what is it with kids and disgusting old feathers?) leaves, old sweet papers and if you happen to be the owner of a toddler like mine, tissues covered in her freshly picked bogos!

This Barbour Parker is perfect, stylish, good quality and an absolute bargain on the love for sales site.

There is a huge selection of clothes for the whole family on the love the sales site so have a gander and if you really fancy a bargain don't forget Black Friday is just around the corner (25th November 2016) and you'll find even more bargains available. 

Disclosure: Via Love the Sales

Willow the Pillow: A Review

We've had a little visitor at the beingmumtoday residence and I have to say he's been made very welcome. We were sent a beautiful toddler pillow case from the lovely folk at Willow the Pillow and F has decided that he is very much hers and has found him a place in her reading corner.

Willow the Pillow is more than just a pillowcase he's a little character, promoting blissful sleep and friendly companionship. As parent we all love sleep despite how little of it we actually get and to have a product which talks about resting and sleep to a child is great - F might actually listen to Willow rather than me when it comes to bedtime.

From a mummy point of view the pillowcase is beautifully soft and I love that it is made from 100% Organic cotton and printed with eco friendly water based ink. The packaging is minimal and again eco friendly. I love the design, simple and very very cool - I'd happily have a little family of Willows dotted around my house.

What I also love about Willow the Pillow is the ethos, a small start up company making something unique and individual. Making more than just a product and instead creating a real concept bringing the product to life. Their fabulous website tells the story of Willow and you can follow his travels on there as well as on Instagram and Facebook.

F loved her sleeping pillow and I have to say I agree.

We were sent a little Mini Willow pillowcase but all words and opinions within this post are my own.