H&M | A Spoonful of Style

This has been one of those rare weeks that’s both productive and relaxing. I’ve managed to tick quite a few things off my to-do list, from clearing out the children’s cupboards to weeding the garden, and still had time to see friends, exercise and go shopping.

The countdown to Clemmie’s birthday next Tuesday has started in earnest and I have ordered the party tableware and going home bags from the fab website Jelly and Blancmange. We’re only having a small party at home with her two cousins and three little friends which, if I’m honest. I’m quite relieved about.

She’s been desperate for a scooter for the past few months and keeps trying to steal the boys’ on the school run so I’ve bought her a Micro Scooter in yellow (her favourite colour) and also a new Maileg rabbit from Bells and Whistles. I’m tempted by the dolls house from Le Toy Van but will probably leave that for Christmas.

I have to confess that my shopping spree has not been confined to my daughter. During a trip into town earlier this week I found some lovely ballerinas in H&M and also a few T-shirts, including this one from Topshop.

The expedition to Ikea that I mentioned in my last post went very smoothly indeed (probably because we had no kids with us!). After the obligatory lunch of meatballs and chips, we navigated the entire store at a steady pace and managed to find every single item on the list (a first for us I think, usually at least a couple of items are out of stock or the search has to be abandoned because of screaming kids or the husband losing the will to live).

Our considerable stash included a desk and chair for Cameron (which will hopefully solve some of our homework issues..), three of these white flower pots, and some new candles.

Finally, this weekend summer has properly arrived, even if it’s only for a few days. We decided to make the most of the balmy weather by heading over to my parents’ house this afternoon for some swimming and playtime in the pool.

Being Swedish I have always had a soft spot for H&M – after all, along with ABBA and Ikea, it is arguably the country’s most famous export. While I do shop there in the colder months, it is in the summer that the store really comes into its own for me. When the sun is out I want clothes that are comfortable to wear and can be thrown into the washing machine on a 40 degree wash after a trip to the beach or picnic in the park. I don’t want to spend a fortune on pieces that will only be worn for three months of the year (if that, given the last couple of dismal summers we’ve had!).

It’s in the autumn/winter that I tend to buy my investment or ‘forever’ pieces – the perfect jumper in the softest cashmere or the pure wool coat that nips in at the waist just so – that come with a ‘daren’t quite look’ price tag and a dry clean only label. That’s not to say that I throw my H&M or other budget finds into the charity bag at the end of each season. Many of them become firm favourites which are brought out from the under the bed storage box where I keep all my summer clothes every year when the temperature soars. I have one white H&M skirt, bought in the summer of 2005 when Sienna Miller’s boho look was all the rage, that is still one of my favourite summer pieces.

This morning I visited my local branch and exited with four pretty and flattering dresses, with change left over from £30. The dress with crochet detailing was on special offer (£7, down from £12.99 which is not exactly expensive either) so I bought it in three colour ways as well as a grey T-shirt dress for £7.99. If that’s not good value I don’t know what is!