The lockdown restrictions are loosening here in the UK yet we are still mostly locked down in an environment we aren’t used to during the summer holidays. It’s also not easy to go on holiday at the moment and we aren’t likely to be jetting off to Santorini for a week. Last year I couldn’t afford to go on holiday because we bought a house. This meant we had to create our own “holiday vibes” to give the illusion we were holiday-ing. These are my five ways that I make myself feel like I’m in Greece and not Surrey…however lovely Surrey may be.
1. DRESS FOR THE OCCASION
I find that when I’m on holiday I make so much more effort in to what I wear. I put on a cute dress, jewellery and shoes that aren’t pumps! Why not make this effort at home, at least in the evening? After a long day of work or hanging out in the garden, have a shower, do your hair, pop on your prettiest gold jewellery and Summer dress and feel fab-u-lous. How divine is my new star necklace from DAISY LONDON (AD-PR gift). I got it about 2 months ago and haven’t stopped wearing it. It glistens in the sunshine and looks incredible on sun kissed skin. One day I will wear it at the beach bar but for now it will have to be worn with an Aperol in hand on my patio.
2. TAKE SOME TIME OFF
If you haven’t been made to take all of your holiday over this strange ol’ period of time then why don’t you book a week off work even though you’re at home? Get your partner or closest friend of parent or sibling to take the same week off and spend it doing anything but work. Book a cleaner for a couple of hours in the middle of the week to pretend that room service has been. Plan some day trips if you would on a normal holiday or just hang out in the garden or at the park and get a small kids paddling pool to pretend your sunning yourself by the pool.
3. PLANNED DATE NIGHTS
If you can’t take a week off work then book in some date nights over the summer period. This way you will have some exciting moments to look forward to. You can get dressed up as I mentioned in point one and go somewhere that is a treat. If you can’t get into a restaurant or aren’t ready to visit one yet, pack up a picnic or get a take away and eat it in the park or by the river.
(These pictures are taken outside of Number 97 in Maple Road, Surbiton).
4. TAKE A TRIP
You may not feel comfortable jetting off on a plane right now, I definitely don’t but why not book a staycation trip? Getting away from your home environment can really help you shut off your brain from things you “have to do” such as the cleaning or having visitors pop over or having your work laptop pinging away 24/7. There are so many stunning places in the UK with beaches, mountains, cities and cute shops…don’t forget your mask! We plan on going to my parents house in Wales at some point and not taking any work with us so we can be more “party present” and shut off to the stresses that you can have when at home.
5. GO FOR AN EVENING WALK
Every evening of the year I do go for a dog walk but I tend to wear my UGG boots and trackies. There’s something so magical about going for a Golden Hour evening walk in your cute summer outfit, hair all fresh with nowhere but the beach bar and restaurant to go to. Recreate that at home and walk into town for a pre dinner drink. I can’t wait.
Have you got any more holiday inspired ideas to share with us all to get us in the holiday vibe?
(The below picture was me a few days before giving birth in June. It was insanely hot and Liam and I wanted to go for a bike ride. We booked a take away from a local restaurant and cycled to Home Park by the River Thames, sat under the trees in the breeze and had a delicious date night meal. Then by the time we got home it was an early evening of watching a movie and not having any washing up to do…dreamy).
