Saving This For Later

This week I'm sharing the things that have made January bearable, where to stay in Cotswolds that isn't Soho Farmhouse & jeans for petites

Hello to the full Every Shade team! I wanted to give all subscribers a taste of the depth that the Saving This For Later posts go into every other week and…Well, I got a bit carried away. Every fortnight there are at least three subjects I deep dive into, offering either all my recommendations or else a worrying amount of myopic research.

I ask all my paid subscribers to submit any questions they might have and then do my best to serve up the very best of my advice. There are no affiliate links or paid projects here, though I might have been introduced to some of the products or services through a press team. I try however, to focus on things I spend my cold, hard readies on and the purchases that solve real life problems - everything from shallow chests of drawers to nit shampoo. Do let me know what you think and if you have any recommendations you would like me to address, go to town!

1. Not Quite So Blue January

If you’re experiencing a midweek dip, I am right there with you. What is the tyranny of this month? Admittedly, there are some extenuating circumstances as I’m more than two weeks deep into some pretty hefty self-denial. No booze has led to plant-based eating to early morning gym sessions to, whisper it, decaf cappuccinos. I have thrown all my moderation mantras to the curb and am of course, now very bored with it all. Fuck January.

The question for anyone else making similar positive changes to their lifestyle: are you feeling any better? I’m definitely sleeping more deeply, but this also means I’m also finding it impossible to wake up in the frigid, pitch black of our current London mornings. Equally my eyes are as bloodshot and my skin as crêpey as ever. There’s the potential that two weeks is probably not quite enough to undo the bad habits of a lifetime. Anyway, I’m hanging on and will stick to it (at least the dry part) until the end of the month. But it’s already reminding me of the nine months I went totally sugar free only to decide the pros did not outweigh the cons. After saying no to birthday cake for the best part of a year, I looked and felt exactly the same and strangely did not transform in Gisele. Methinks it’s the expectations which may be the problem in this parable.

Either way, there have been a few purchases and services which have made the fun sponge month feel a little less no-lols.

1. Healthy Made Simple, Ella Mills, £16.99

Even though I’ve been cooking since I was 12 or 13, I find I fall out of the habit and then through laziness survival end up scanning Deliveroo deals or eating toast and houmous. Terrible, I know, Prof Tim Spector would no doubt be horrified at my gut biome. Lying there, unable to sleep in the wee hours of New Years Day, I decided it was probably time to come out of culinary retirement and start cooking for myself again.

This recommendation is not at all niche as it was the bestselling book in the country last week and is primed to become a modern classic. The plant-based meals are delicious and actually easy, I can confirm now having made four of them. There is some repetition of ingredients̉—peas, orzo, miso, ginger etc—but in the main, a lot of effort has gone into making them feel varied. Going forward I will, on occasion, be adding chicken and fish to the recipes, because I’m not vegan, but it will definitely help us have at least a couple of meat free days a week. All for the price of a Chipotle Burrito bowl with added driver fees.

2. F45 Fitness / MAD Lagree, both via Classpass

I’m really not being very edgy with my tips today, but I cannot describe how positive my experience has been with ClassPass over the past nearly four years. I don’t work with Classpass, but I enjoy being an IRL ambassador to nearly anyone I meet. The problem with exercise is that doing the same thing every single week gets tedious and I say this as a yoga and Pilates devotee of more than a decade. One of my intentions for the new year was to mix up my fitness scheduled and I’ve happened upon two new studios which I’m really enjoying.

The first, F45 really isn’t my kind of exercise. Based on an ever-changing menu of circuits, F45 is a blend of cardio and weights and despite myself, I have found it really good fun. I absolutely abhor the whole bootcamp vibe and I honestly don’t believe making yourself puke from intense exercise benefits anyone. But F45 (the name refers to functional training for, you’ve guessed it, 45 minutes) is much less psychotic. I could imagine doing it three times a week and I totally get why people fall in love with it.

I also tried out a new Lagree studio on the King’s Road called MAD. For the uninitiated, Sebastian Lagree is an innovator of almost mythical status in the Pilates world (try and keep a straight face when you click on his website, I dare you). Most famed for his invention of the megaformer (a reformer pilates machine on acid) he also devised the signature Lagree method known as ‘time under tension’ which involves painfully slow, heavily weighted movements.

From my experience, it totally changes your muscular-skeletal makeup as well as how you hold yourself day-to-day. Lagree is franchised around the world—any New Yorkers will be familiar with SLT—and did have a London HQ in White City, but it sadly closed over Covid. I’m a long-time regular these days at Karve, a subterranean and somewhat intimidating High Street Ken megaformer studio, but it is constantly booked up, so I jumped to try MAD when my Classpass app recommended it to me. I would say it is much more accessible and doesn’t inspire the same level of dread as the Karv-ing basement, though you absolutely still feel the sticky Lagree burn.

Get one month free Classpass here.

3. Dr Bike, Hounslow

I live on my bike, but have recently found it harder and harder to ride. The answer, according to Dr Bike was simple—my wheel was slightly bent meaning my break pads on the front were permanently kissing the rim. Yep, I was basically cycling with my breaks on. Dr Bike amazingly offers free bike repairs for minor issues, with schemes operating across the capital and beyond. The link above goes through to Hounslow council’s scheme, but Google your area and see if a free service operates there too. Even if Dr Bike can’t repair a more major issue, they will tell you what you need to do to remedy it.

4. Yellow Stripe Underbed Storage Bags, Dunelm, £14

After the insanity of Christmas and the deluge of stuff (particularly kid’s gifts from loving family members who went off-list), my house has required a spring clean in the depths of mid-winter. I’ve done a huge wardrobe clear out and been cutthroat with passing on my accessories to new homes, but there is still plenty to store. When looking for not hideous underbed storage options, I came across these from Dunelm and was sold. Nothing like a cleanse to lighten the proverbial load.

5. Pangea x Sézane, from £25

If I were to imagine joy in a collection it would look a lot like Pangea x Sézane. The first drop earlier this month inspired mass hysteria within several of my Whatsapp groups and now wherever I go, I see designs from the Pangea duo Columbine Jubert and Laëtitia Rouget dancing along the road. If you missed out first time, there is a second drop which has been rescheduled from this Sunday to 2nd February. As a veteran of Sézane drops, I can recommend you download the app and start shopping at least 15 minutes before the advertised start (usually 9.30am) to secure your favourite pieces. I’m in the market for the embroidered jeans above.

2. Where to Stay in The Cotswolds That’s Not Soho Farmhouse

***Disclaimer: I’m aware this is a horrendously wanky list including some eye-wateringly expensive hotels. In saying that, lots of people including members of my overseas audience have asked me for my honest recommendation for the ‘best’ place to stay in the area and if you are going to invest, you deserve to know where best to put your buck.***

I’ve just come back from the most magic 24 hours in Cotswold heaven and was yet again reminded of quite how special it really is. I spent a good proportion of my 20s weekending in Gloucestershire as it’s where my in-laws lived. Those first years, I was such a townie, jumping in glee at rabbits, freaking out pheasants on the road and wearing an immaculate Barbour. Not acceptable. Over time, I did learn, but I never really lost my urbane awfulness. However many seasons spent at the Gold Cup (jump horse racing) or drinking bad coffee in Chippy (Chipping Norton), I never managed to pass as a native. In saying that, the majesty of the land and sheer enchantment of the villages imprinted on me for life.

For my sins, I can admit to being someone who enjoys ersatz Cotswolds—the pubs, restaurants and hotels set in the area but catering distinctly to city folk. Locals absolutely hate this manicured and, in some minds, sanitised slant on countryside chic—let’s call it Disney meets bucolic. But as I don’t have access to a legit Cotswolds estate anymore (RIP my first marriage), I’m more than happy to enjoy its approximation, complete with diffused fragrances and artfully distressed roll top baths. Unashamedly nouveau over here after all.

Here are my top five Cotswold retreats which aren’t Soho Farmhouse—I’m not shitting on Farmy as it changed the game, but there are many other options which are worthy of your consideration.

1. Daylesford Farm Cottages, from £800

Kingham’s jewel, Daylesford Farm offers a verdant market shop, pizzeria and cookery school alongside the dreamy Bamford Wellness Spa. There are 32 cottages for overnight stays within 2 miles from the farm (outside of the property they are known as ‘Village Cottages’) and they are all decorated in the inimitable whitewashed, heart pebbled Daylesford aesthetic. Think multiple roomy bedrooms, fully stocked kitchens and lounging spaces so relaxing you can entirely hide from your real life. Obviously, if you were to choose a cottage that slept four for a family weekend stay, you’re talking a heart-stopping £1600. Far better to leave the chiddlers at home and go with two couples making it £200 each a night. Also explore Daylesford’s pubs with rooms and the delicious menu at local pint-pulling pitstop, The Wild Rabbit.

Kingham

2. The Bull, rooms from £190

From the team behind W11’s ever-buzzy Pelican, The Bull, smack bang in the middle of Charlbury and mere minutes’ walk from the Paddington line station is a Londoner’s dream. No need for a hire car, you can enjoy everything this foodie destination has to offer, then finish your bottle upstairs while you run a steaming hot bath. It’s definitely better to see The Bull as a pub with rooms rather than a hotel because there are no real facilities on tap. It’s also a very late check in (4pm) and if you do drive, forget about parking up and exploring beforehand—every single sitting is rammo and the car park is bijou.

The rooms themselves are fairly sparse and modestly decorated, in keeping with the stripped back look of the pub itself. It’s far more about roaring fires, meat on the spit, natural wine and silly good food. I stayed in the biggest room with a log burner and gorgeous bath, as well as chocolate box views down into the village. Charlbury is having a moment as just across the way, The Bell, another Daylesford property has opened with a great menu and pretty red and white stripe cafe curtains too.

Charlbury

3. Estelle Manor, rooms from £400, Manor House room £600

Hold the front page, a new Cotswold dawn has arrived. The newly opened Estelle Manor quite simply takes the biscuit. The grandeur, ambition and sheer opulence of this property is something that has to be seen to be believed. All sexy wood panels, chandelier-lit, smoky-scented and artfully layered, Estelle captures that British blue-blooded eclecticism that remains the envy of the world. To say the décor is exquisite is an understatement. I literally died.

Set in 3,000 acres of rolling parkland, it’s hard to know which virtue to extoll first. The claret parasol lined, heated swimming pool is an obvious contender for anyone looking to get the shot, but there is so much more to explore. With three restaurants—a brasserie where you eat a complimentary breakfast (you can choose from the whole menu, the pain au chocolat OMG), The Glasshouse for family style dining and upscale The Billiards Room, a traditional Chinese spot, the F&B offer is top notch. I loved the on-site boutique stocking chic fashion, beauty and homewares brands and as the property is open to members, you’ll also find a bright workspace and gym with a great timetable of classes. Elsewhere, there are a range of event spaces and sweet detached houses and cottages for hosting groups.

If you decided to bring your kids, you will be placed outside the Manoir in the walled garden, which is the only area which I didn’t love, though I’m sure it will bed-in over time. Equally, I didn’t get to see the spa, which is just about to open its doors, but I’m told it will be the biggest in Europe. There is no doubt that Estelle is going to be the Cotswolds magnet for well-heeled overseas visitors, and I’m sure the already pricey rates will rise when the building work is finally tied up. Get in now if you have the funds—this is a hotel which will stalk your dreams in all the good ways.

Hanborough

4. The Rectory Hotel, rooms from £190

I’ve only stayed once at The Rectory, spending a gorgeous weekend with two of my American girlfriends. Originally built in the 18th century, the limestone building has been sympathetically added to over the years to create a U shaped, 18-room-hotel complete with a great bar (ask for a pisco sour) and a banging restaurant (the breakfast was particularly well received). The property is walled giving it that Cotswold romance and there’s an alfresco heated pool (which I personally thought could do with a little more aesthetic consideration). The rooms are comfortable and beautifully done, but there isn’t that sense of décor personality or layered luxury that you get in some other über luxe destinations. Of course, this more spare approach is reflected in the price. There also isn’t a spa and in fact, for energetically hyper townsfolk, it might feel a little sedate. I suggest taking a breath, ordering a pisco and sinking deeply into one of the many pillowy sofas with a paper.

Between Malmesbury and Cirencester

5. Thyme, rooms from £400

Thyme isn’t just family run, it’s a true reflection of the family that has poured its collective heart and creative soul into it. Caryn Hibbert, the doyenne of the estate is the genius behind much of Thyme’s aesthetic - her organic prints featuring oak leaves, carrots and radishes are to be found dotted across the property and her rustic chic handprint is in every corner. Her daughter Milly curates the most gorgeous buy in the hotel’s upstairs boutique (I’m particularly enamoured with the stunning glassware and ceramics) and her son Charlie is head chef at The Ox Barn restaurant, serving up subtly flavoured English-inspired fare. 

I’ve stayed in a few rooms at Thyme and they are all beautiful, though I would say they are not as polished as some of the other hotels on the list. The Hibberts purchased Southrop Manor in 2002 and subsequently bought the derelict farm buildings around it, slowly turning the property into what it is today. That evolution can be felt in some areas, but that also helps it escape the almost Barrett Home vibe that other local hotel ‘villages’ could be criticised for. I particularly love the Meadow spa, the Provence-esque lavender-lined terrace, the walled swimming pool area (beyond chic) and the huge 17th century Tithe Barn which hosts a calendar of art exhibitions. And you can’t forget the botanical fragrances provided by the hotel’s own beauty brand, Bertioli….Or indeed the Swan pub, just opposite the hotel which has been equally lovingly restored by the Hibberts.

Between Swindon & Burford

3. Jeans for Petites

I’m often asked for denim advice and I usually fudge my reply simply because jeans are so insanely personal to your individual form. I’m 5’3’’, narrow hipped, almost entirely straight (waist a 6/8, hips a 4/6), with fairly muscular thighs and matchstick ankles. I did very well during the skinny jean era, but struggle with anything remotely boyfriend, or oversized. Each of us deals with such specific issues when it comes to jeans, but I do feel like there will be something in the words below which could be helpful to any other fellow shorties.

To start off with, brands often send me regular sized person jeans and suggest I hem to stop them dragging along the floor. On occasion this has worked, but most of the time it doesn’t because of the position of the knee. For anyone who has thought similarly, the issue for a short person is the shaped area around the middle of the leg. When you are under 5’4”, this point hits mid-calf making the silhouette baggy at the actual knee while tight lower down, which is often not the most appealing to the eye. Below are the real jeans I wear. A couple of the styles are several years old and have been discontinued, but I found a range of options on resell sites, for anyone who likes the sound of any of the cuts.

1. The Wedgie, Icon Fit, Levis, £`70

For some inexplicable reason, this iconic fit (clue is in the name people!) has been discontinued by Levis, but the vintage-inspired, slightly cropped, thus perfect for minis style, is one of my all time favourites. This is the jean I wear during the day and I have it in three washes—an indigo, light blue and black. It has a button fly, cups the bottom to create a nice little curve and is slim, but not skinny through the leg. I have found some sizes in a blue wash and a small waist size in the black at Shopbop, see link above and there are lots on eBay for around £50. I take a 25, but the style goes down to a weeny 23. There is now a new ‘Straight’ wedgie fit which I haven’t tried, but doesn’t look to be quite the ticket.

2. Relaxed Tapered Jeans, £85 & Other Stories

This is the best approximation for my size of ‘stolen from your boyfriend’ jeans I have ever found. Obviously, I have never managed to steal a pair of jeans from a boyfriend, as even my small-made fiancé is about 40% bigger than me. I dream of looking insouciant in baggy jeans, but a full wide leg just drowns me, and the length is always an issue. For whatever reason, this style is available in a 30” (you can kind of see from the pics that they look a little cropped) and the taper seems to help with the proportion. I take the 24/30.

3. Juniper Flared Front Seam Petite Jeans, £138, Reiss

Seasonally, Reiss always has two or three great jean styles in their petite denim collection, in the kinds of cuts which us shorties usually are left out of. I can wear trainers with these—the inside seam is a 30” meaning the 5’9” model in the link pictures is absolutely not wearing the petite version.

4. The ‘Lil Zip Rambler in Flood £281, Mother Denim

For anyone seeking high-end denim in petite (under 5’4”) sizing, Mother Denim has launched a proper collection with multiple styles which go beyond basic skinnies. I love the Rambler—high waist, wide/straight leg—but I wear mine with flats.

5. Le Crop, £95, Sézane

I’m pretty sure I’ve mentioned Le Crop before, again it’s a style I’ve bought in multiple colourways. I prefer it with a block heeled ankle boot proportion wise, but I do wear mine with high top Cons too. They always sell out so damn fast, I’ve been trying to get my mitts on the darker blue denim, but the pale blue is available now.