logo
‘Help! I'm used to a boring dark work uniform. I want to lighten up!'

‘Help! I'm used to a boring dark work uniform. I want to lighten up!'

Daily Mail​31-05-2025
PROBLEM
'As a stage manager, I spent years wearing the same dark skinny jeans and T-shirt combination. Now I'm ready to be centre stage myself in more stylish outfits.'
SOLUTION
The key to always looking chic is to fill your wardrobe with pieces that are easy to wear in several ways. Take this AllSaints look. It's actually a tank top over a dress – the coordinating pieces can be worn together or mixed and matched with other tops and bottoms.
VERDICT
'What a fun outfit! It's so different from what I've been stuck in at work. This dress is a dream – I can pair it with the tops and jumpers already in my wardrobe. I'm wowed!'
Hair: Dayna Vaughan-Teague at Carol Hayes using L'Oreal Pro.
Make-up: Levi-Jade Taylor at Carol Hayes using Tatcha and Anastasia Beverly Hills.
Additional copy: Scarlett Dargan
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

‘Picky bits for tea?' Elly Smart's no-fuss vegan spread with smoked tofu and balsamic onion
‘Picky bits for tea?' Elly Smart's no-fuss vegan spread with smoked tofu and balsamic onion

The Guardian

timean hour ago

  • The Guardian

‘Picky bits for tea?' Elly Smart's no-fuss vegan spread with smoked tofu and balsamic onion

There are many reasons we opt for a picky bits tea. Maybe there are some leftovers from a party that need using up. Perhaps you're too tired to curate an actual meal, and you'd rather just stick your hand into the fridge and see what comes up. You might even be like me – the season of opening the doors to the garden (or balcony) is upon us, we smell the summer air, and just know that the oven isn't being touched today. There are few words that get me more excited than ''picky bits for tea?'. Growing up, I think that was my mum's favourite line after a long day. We'd have an array of cold cuts, cheeses, dips and a couple of token carrots that may or may not get touched. I was a huge meat eater as a child and well into my teen years before I discovered veganism, so I've had to do a bit of a taste bud overhaul since those days when dinner was mum-made. Veganism forces you to get creative. When I ate 'everything', I had the same meals on repeat each week, but once I went plant-based, in 2016, I discovered the power of diversity. I couldn't believe how creative and exciting being in the kitchen felt once I cut out a large majority of my food groups. Picky bits as a vegan in those early days wasn't a whole lot of fun, as the options were pretty limited – I'd be lucky if I could find a vegan sausage. Now, we are totally spoilt for choice. Ocado has been my go-to weekly order for years for that very reason; it is filled to the brim with super-exciting new vegan products. So if you're looking for a vegan picky bits tea, look no further than Ocado … Deli bits are the foundation of any respectable picky bits tea, and all of these umami-packed gems will do a lot of heavy lifting when it comes to injecting flavour and colour into your spread. In my books, picky bits are synonymous with M&S semi-dried tomatoes, Ocado grilled peppers antipasti, and a load of Ocado pitted green olives. I've added some M&S balsamic marinated onions too, as I love that hit of acidity to cut through a lot of the richer flavours. The soundtrack to a picky bits dinner is the crunch of your favourite crisp, mine is always Sea salt & balsamic vinegar of Modena Kettle chips, and a lovely little dip to dunk them in, such as the Happy Pear red pepper hummus. As I mentioned, now we have all the options to choose from, and most meat alternatives are super comparable to the real thing. I usually prefer to go for more wholefood plant proteins such as tofu and tempeh, which are both 'complete' proteins. This means they contain all nine essential amino acids that the body cannot make itself, super important to get in for anyone on a vegan diet. Even though this may take a while to get behind, once I introduce you to pre-flavoured tofu you will never go back. It's a common misconception that you can't eat the stuff cold, but you absolutely can. Ocado stocks wonderful tofu from Taifun, in smoked, sun-dried tomato and basil flavours. Perfect in a picky bits set-up, simply slice and layer with your favourite dips and toppings. For crudites, you can add some red pepper, mini cucumber and carrots. Now, you can't do a picky bits dinner on your own, so when the girls are together it's essential you've got a good drinks roster. For me the holy trinity is a gorgeous pale rosé such as M&S La Balconne organic Provence rosé, something pre-mixed and easy to bring like the premixed Pimm's No1 cup & lemonade, and something grownup but non-alcoholic like an elderflower spritz, which I make with ⁠Belvoir organic elderflower cordial and soda water Someone is going to be tagging you in this lovely spread, so to make sure everything is looking photogenic, I always have colourful paper plates and napkins in the cupboard. I'm currently obsessed with the adorable Talking Tables strawberry paper napkins, which complement the English summer beautifully. Now I just need my Ultrasun SPF 30 family sunscreen and I'm picky bits ready. Life Delivered. Shop now at Ocado

‘Sprint to TK Maxx' says shopping pro who brands sale ‘best I've seen' with 30p clothes & ‘most cheaper than a coffee'
‘Sprint to TK Maxx' says shopping pro who brands sale ‘best I've seen' with 30p clothes & ‘most cheaper than a coffee'

The Sun

time2 hours ago

  • The Sun

‘Sprint to TK Maxx' says shopping pro who brands sale ‘best I've seen' with 30p clothes & ‘most cheaper than a coffee'

A BARGAIN finding whizz has urged shoppers to race to TK Maxx for a huge sale, with clothes scanning for as little as 30p. Becky Chorlton, 27, is an expert at finding deals and often shares cheap hauls from Vinted, charity shops and carboot sales to her TikTok channel @beckysbazaar. 2 2 In a recent video, the savvy saver urged her 445,000 followers to: "Run, run, run to your nearest TK Maxx to get clothes cheaper than at the car boot sales." Becky highlighted that the discount retailer has launched a huge yellow sticker clearance sale, with many items costing less than a cup of coffee. She advised fashion fans to head to their nearest TK Maxx, and look for the yellow final clearance banners. Highlighting some of the deals she found in her local store, Becky showed off a 30p top, a 70p mug and a pair of jeans for £1.70. The TikToker explained that TK Maxx has a huge yellow sticker sale twice a year. However, the shopping pro added that this summer 's sale is the "best one" she's ever seen. "Honestly, most things are priced cheaper than a cup of coffee", she said. Becky was able to nab a Calvin Klein bikini, reduced to just £6, and a pair of Abercrombie trousers, which were originally £82, reduced to just £5. She added that there are also bags and accessories in the sale, although she said that some accessories were missing bits, such as packets of clips with two instead of three clips in them. The shopping fanatic added that the skincare and makeup in the sale is perfect for stocking up on early Christmas presents. Women's Euro 2025 star Giulia Gwinn shows off her curves as she goes shopping at TK Maxx However, Becky's favourite section of the sale was the homeware aisle, where she found sequin coasters for £2 and "the viral bagel candle" for £3. She added that the sale is likely to last for a few weeks, but warned that the rails are usually "pretty empty" towards the end. Becky's video has likely left many people impressed, as it has racked up over 1.9 million views on the video sharing platform. TikTok users raced to the video's comments section to share their thoughts. How Does TK Maxx Flog Designer for Cheap? TK Maxx follows an off-price business model to get designer products for cheap It buys merchandise from various brands and designers at a discount and then sells it to customers at lower prices than traditional retail stores The selection at its outlets often includes overstocked items, last season's styles and goods from cancelled orders. The Gold Label is a premium collection of designer and luxury products offered by TK Maxx. If you love designer clothes, this is the tag you want to look out for on pieces. One person said: "I found a yellow sticker on a Juicy Couture set!" A second person said: "My biggest yellow sticker flex was a Zara dress for 20p." A third person chimed in: "I found a £230 rrp Calvin Klein top for £13 today." A fourth added: "I got a Kate Spade bag worth £430 down to £80."

I'm saving £1.5k a month by living on 48ft house boat – winter is hard but it's great in summer, there is a job I dread
I'm saving £1.5k a month by living on 48ft house boat – winter is hard but it's great in summer, there is a job I dread

The Sun

time4 hours ago

  • The Sun

I'm saving £1.5k a month by living on 48ft house boat – winter is hard but it's great in summer, there is a job I dread

A WOMAN ditched her pricey flat for life on a BOAT – and says she's never been happier. Lucy Barwick, 28, was fed up with sky-high rent for a three-bed flat she shared with her ex in Bedminster, Bristol. 7 7 The wholesale operator wanted a "viable option" that gave her space for herself and her cat, Mr Biscuits and found it on water. She took out a loan and snapped up a £100k dark green and white houseboat and moved in with her ex in May 2024. But when the couple split, Lucy kept the boat, calling it "affordable enough" to live on her own. If she lived on her own, rent would set Lucy back a pricey £2,000. Despite having to brave freezing weather and learn the ropes of emptying toilets and refilling water tanks, Lucy says she's loving boat life. She said she's already saved "a lot of money", cutting her monthly outgoings from £1,100 on rent and bills to just £600. Lucy said: "I can still afford to live here on my own, whereas I couldn't afford to live by myself in a flat. "The community is so nice I know all of my neighbours and financially I am better off here if I had bought a flat because here I can fully pay my loan off in a couple of years and there's no 30 year mortgage. "I wasn't a boat person as such but it is really livable and manageable - I love it, it is my home. "The location is really good as well. "If I was looking for a flat in this area would be potentially smaller than the boat it would be £2,000 and I couldn't get my head around that." When she first moved into her flat, she was paying £1,200 – already stretching her budget. Apple reveals 'home of future' with virtual decorations Within three years, that rocketed to £1,600. Lucy said: "We were looking to buy in the Bedminster area thinking there is no way we can afford a BS1. "We were looking at flats that were £300k and they were so uninspiring - some of them didn't even have windows. "We saw this boat on Rightmove so we thought if it would be a viable option for us and it worked out. "The narrowboat was ready to live in and they only repaired the walls and added their furniture in. "We had to get rid of quite a lot of stuff. We were moving from a three-bedroom flat into a one-bed boat. "It made us re-access what we actually need. We accumulated stuff over the three years." Despite downsizing to a 48ft by 12ft boat, Lucy insists it's no big change. She said: "For the first three months I was waiting for it all to hit me and think 'what have we done'. "But actually whenever I have people over they say how much it feels like a flat. "I always say that we can do much more on the boat than we could with the flat because we have got an outside space - the roof is basically our garden. "We can have people over for barbeques and things which didn't use to be an option." But boat life isn't all smooth sailing. Lucy said rust is a major issue, and keeping warm in winter can be a challenge. "In the summer it's quite nice because it is generally quite cool because of the water. "In the winter it can get cold overnight it can really chilled out and it can cool down. "When the temperature drops in the morning you can really feel it. "Emptying the toilet is a weekly task and you have got to get used to it, especially in the winter. I have always managed to do that when the weather is not too bad. "There have been times I have forgotten to refill the water tank and then the shower starts flustering and that's not great." Lucy hasn't even turned the engine on yet and has no plans to move the boat. "It sounds like a great idea being able to take your home away but for me when we moved on we moved on thinking this is relatively static. "I just love my boat life," she added. Where and how to buy a houseboat Living on a houseboat can be a cheaper alternative to living in a house, however, it comes with challenges, such as having to empty your toilets and do lots of hand on maintenance. Houseboats are exempt from stamp duty, and if you have a residential mooring, you will pay the lowest council tax banned, which is often included in your mooring costs. Many people buy houseboats with cash instead of getting a mortgage, as they can't be registered with the land registry. You can get a specialist "marine mortgage" but they need at least 25% deposit and come with higher interest rates and a shorter repayment term. You can find houseboats for sale on sites such as Zoopla, or on brokerage websites like Apollo Duck or Whilton Marina. 7 7 7 7 7

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store