RIP Bare Leg Season, Here Are 30 Trousers To Rock Instead
This week's edit has a cocktail of picks for both comfort and style lovers because we're really not ready to compromise our need for pyjama like clothes in the year of loungewear loving.
Sadly the simpler times of chucking on a smock dress, sandals and some sunnies are long behind us, as we step firmly into trouser and tights (shudders) season. And whilst 2020 has been the year of grabbing for a ‘nice top’ 5 minutes pre Zoom call, today we’re advocating all things trousers, whether simple, statement, subtle or sexy.
Textures and fabrics like corduroy and faux leather offer a warm and more put-together look
This week’s edit has a cocktail of picks for both comfort and style lovers because we’re really not ready to compromise our need for pyjama like clothes in the year of loungewear loving. Textures and fabrics like corduroy and faux leather offer a warm and more put-together look, contrasted with the likes of linen, cotton and ribbed wool for the days when comfort dressing is highest on the agenda. Opt for an autumnal colour palette and go all out with earthy, rustic tones, or add some fun to your look with a pink cord or pastel number.
Let us know if you’ll be branching out from your usual black or blue denim, and which of these trouser picks are going straight into your basket.
There are infinite ways to inject a little bit of fall magic into your living space and reflect nature’s changing tones and textures, but perhaps one of the most stand-out seasonal touches we can delight in at this time of year is an Autumn wreath.
As we head into Autumn (we are SO ready), our homes become a haven of comfort & warmth. We while away our slow Sundays tucked under teddy fleece blankets, scent our living rooms with spiced candles, retreat to the warmth of the kitchen to bake cinnamon sugar biscuits and decorate bookshelves with pumpkins, embracing the true spirit of hygge season.
One of the most stand-out seasonal touches we can delight in at this time of year is an Autumn wreath.
There are infinite ways to inject a little bit of fall magic into your living space and reflect nature’s changing tones and textures, but perhaps one of the most stand-out seasonal touches we can delight in at this time of year is an Autumn wreath. Much like its festive counterpart, it’s made to adorn doors, walls, dining tables and cosy fireplaces, offering a warm welcome to all.
Here, we’ve gone for an earthy & rustic dried flower display but if you want to layer in some colour, you can add in some burnished bronze foliage, flax, moss, maple leaves, pine cones, dried hydrangeas, acorns, frosted berries and whatever else evokes those good autumnal vibes.
They also happen to be super easy to make, so even if you’re not the crafty and creative type, you’ll have no problem get to grips with one of these homemade dried floral wreaths.
What you’ll need:
Dried flowers of varying heights & textures – foraged or sourced online / from your local florist
Newspaper
Glue gun
Grapevine / rattan wreath
Let’s walk you through the step-by-step!
Start by lightly wrapping your the dried flowers you’d like as your ‘base’ around your rattan wreath
Use your glue gun to find them in place
Start layering on different textures and colours glueing as you go
Add on any larger pieces like pine cones
Try to make sure everything you add is symmetrical so the wreath feels balanced
Use some gardening twine glued to the back of your wreath so you can hang it to a door
Amazing and Delicious Biscoff Cupcakes with a Brown Sugar Sponge, Biscoff Buttercream, Biscoff Biscuits and more!
“I have previously put up a recipe for a No-Bake Biscoff Cheesecake, which went down an absolute hit. So this lead on to me wanting a cake version of it, and cupcakes seemed ideal!
I used a simple vanilla cupcake as the base of my cupcakes, but with the twist of using light brown sugar in the cupcakes, they have a lovely natural caramel taste to go with the caramelised theme of the Biscoff!
As you will have noticed from various other Cupcake Recipes on my blog, and even my Biscoff Cake/Biscoff Drip Cake… I love a brown sugar sponge. I borderline prefer it to a caster sugar sponge, but it definitely depends on the flavour.
As an optional extra for these cupcakes, you can use a biscoff centre. You would core out some of the cake, and add in some biscoff spread. I purely didn’t do this, as I didn’t have enough biscoff spread on me at the time of baking!
I decided to use a basic spread buttercream frosting for these. Unsalted Butter (the real kind, not a spread), Icing Sugar and Biscoff Spread. I would advise using the smooths spread if you want to pipe it more easily though!
Easily drizzle some biscoff spread over the top by melting it briefly in the microwave or in a pan, and add some biscuits on top. The easiest type of sprinkle is some biscuit crumbs, so crush over a couple of biscuits!
I honestly LOVEEEE biscoff. My various and endless recipes using it makes that obvious though. More recently my Biscoff Blondies, along with my Biscoff Rocky Road are some of my favourite tray bakes… but sometimes cupcakes are just the best you can choose!
If you are a Cookie lover, you will love these. If you are a Biscoff lover, you will love these. If you are a Cupcake lover, you will love these. I think you get the picture, enjoy!” Jane’s Patisserie
SERVES 12
PREP:
30 MINS COOK:
20 MINS
MEDIUM
INGREDIENTS
Ingredients
Cupcakes
150 g Unsalted Butter/Stork
150 g Light Brown Soft Sugar
3 medium Eggs
150 g Self Raising Flour
Buttercream
150 g Unsalted Butter
300 g Icing Sugar
200 g Biscoff Spread
1-2 tbsp Boiling Water
Decoration
Biscoff Spread
Biscoff Biscuits
Cupcakes
Preheat your oven to 180C/160 Fan/350F and get 12 cupcake cases ready!
Beat the butter with the light brown sugar until fluffy
Add in the Eggs and Flour and beat again till combined!
Using an ice-cream scoop (to make it the same amount per cupcake) dollop into the cupcake cases
Bake in the oven for 18-22 minutes or until a skewer poked into one of the cakes comes out clean and they are springy to touch – Leave to cool fully.
Buttercream
Beat the butter with an electric mixer for a couple of minutes to loosen it.
Add the icing sugar on a slow speed until it is combined then speed the mixer up and mix for 3-4 minutes until thoroughly combined and smooth.
Add the biscoff to the buttercream and continue mixing. If needed, add in the boiling water. Keep on beating for 5 minutes until whipped!
Decoration
Pipe the buttercream onto the cupcakes – I used a 2D closed star piping tip!
Add on a drizzle of biscoff spread, biscoff biscuit, and some biscuit crumbs.
Perfect for potluck dinners with the family or a quick healthy lunch, this roasted butternut squash and spinach salad is a great dish to balance out the sweet treats throughout the Autumn months.
Who says orzo salad has had its time? By introducing seasonal veg and plenty of nutritious greens, there’s no reason why this rice-shaped pasta can’t be a healthy perennial staple all-year-round.
Perfect for potluck dinners with the family or a quick healthy lunch when you’re sapped of inspiration
Perfect for potluck dinners with the family or a quick healthy lunch when you’re sapped of inspiration, this roasted butternut squash and spinach salad makes for a great light and refreshing dish to balance out the sweet treats throughout the Autumn months. Bake Off fans, you knowww.
The beauty of this dish is that it’s easy to adapt to taste. You can change up the ingredients to suit your mood, loading up your al dente orzo with crumbly feta or tangy goat’s cheese, pumpkin seeds, pomegranates and sultanas for texture. Mwah – chef’s kiss!
Let’s get roasting…
SERVES
PREP:
15 MINS COOK:
40 MINS
EASY
INGREDIENTS
Ingredients
500g butternut squash
3 tablespoons olive oil
200g orzo
300g shredded spinach
2 cloves of garlic
Preheat your oven to 200°C
Peel your butternut squash and chop into one-inch cubes
Spread the squash on to a baking tray, toss in oil and season with salt and pepper
Bake until your squash is starting to brown, about 40 minutes
In a hot pan fry off your garlic (crushed or minced) and toss in your spinach until wilted
Place the orzo in a pot of boiling hot water and cook until tender then drain
Combine the garlic spinach, squash and orzo together and top with whatever ingredients you fancy, we think pine nuts and feta would be delish!
This week Team Zoella have picked out the top tier cosy additions we'll be adding to our homes in the coming weeks, from Halloween homages, feel-good Fall furnishings to full-blown Christmas cosiness.
A spiced pumpkin candle, hot bubble bath, a Netflix night under a fluffy blanket = BLISS
For those loyal and committed homebodies out there, an autumn season at indoors is 10/10 on the list of things you love about the newfound crisp chill in the air. A spiced pumpkin candle, hot bubble bath, a Netflix night under a fluffy blanket = BLISS. But perhaps after seven months spent mostly at home, you’re feeling a little cabin fever-y, and who could blame you! Our homes are our sanctuary, and in turbulent times like these, making it feel warm, welcoming and somewhere you can thrive in is so important.
This week Team Zoella have picked out the top tier cosy additions we’ll be adding to our homes in the coming weeks, from Halloween homages, feel-good Fall furnishings to full-blown Christmas cosiness. Add some warmth to your space with a new rug or blankets, or see how early you can get away with casual fairy lights and Xmas candles before your s/o or housemate goes full-on Scrooge at you.
The power of mood lighting mulled wine and pyjamas on the radiator is not one to be questioned. All aboard the train of festive fun, we’re ready for you.
Zoe
I love this time of year for cosy home buys and I largely look for soft furnishings like cushions, rugs, table cloths, tea towels and throws! This fleece throw from M&S is a firm autumn/winter staple for me and this year they’ve brought it back with a star design! It’s the softest thing you’ll ever snuggle up in. I also thought a bath try would be the ultimate cosy accessory for all the autumn bubble baths, alongside a lovely apple spiced candle that smells incredible!
My husband and I are about 2-3 months away from moving into our home that we’ve been working on for the last two years, excitement levels are high. It’s finally got to the moment of buying some homey interiors bits and seeing as we are hopefully moving in at the most festive time of year I’ve even invested in a good quality faux Christmas tree when I noticed there was a sale on (are we allowed to say the C-word yet?!) We are going for a very neutral/organic colour pallet but I want to make sure we have some warm touches so that it feels like home from day one. I’m thinking candles, rugs, cushions and blankets!
I have quite literally bypassed Halloween altogether and just gone into full-on Christmas mode as I really love this time of the year and can’t wait for the festivities after a hard year. I purchased some tree print bedding from one of our recent blogposts and yes I have already put it on my bed… Never ever too early! I love a good faux fur blanket at Christmas and some festive decorative cushions, it gives me all the cosy feels. You also can’t beat a festive scent around the home and I just love the diffusers from The White Company. I also recently bought some candles from Cedar and they are divine!
I don’t really tend to decorate my house for fall/Halloween other than the obligatory pumpkin, so I’ve decided to pick some early festive bits. I think a mixture of chic minimal bits like the H&M wreath, trees and bells mixed with slightly more novelty finds like the M&S fleece blanket and Urban doormat makes for the best kind of Christmas decor! It might be early for most but I actually found a lot of Christmas product was sold out by the time I wanted to order it last year, so snap it up now and thank me later!
Truth be told, I buy more homeware than clothes these days so I’ll need to exercise some self-control on this one! I can’t fault Zara Home when it comes to those timeless trans-seasonal pieces that work in the home all year round. Also, it’s not strictly homeware but I love using books to decorate little corners. The clothbound classics from Waterstones instantly make an otherwise empty nook looked loved and lived in. I’m obsessed!
It’s beginning to feel a lot like autumn (sung in the tune of It’s Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas). I’m normally a summer lover through and through but there’s something about a cosy, cold night that I can’t get enough of this year. I’m going all out to make my flat a sanctuary and as calm and soothing as possible after a difficult year, so warm colours, comforting soft furnishing and relaxing scents are top priority. I love the idea of adding some dried flowers as fresh ones always brighten up my space but can get expensive after a while. Autumn decor is where it’s at people!
Halloween & Christmas Lush Picks To Level Up Your Bath Game
From spooktacular surprises to fizzing festive treats, here’s what Halloween & Christmas goodies LUSH are blessing us with this year.
Nobody does boujie bath time quite like LUSH. We know it, they know it, everybody knows it, which is why whenever sweater weather suddenly creeps up on us like a bat out of hell, you bet we are sniffing out their latest seasonal offerings with more enthusiasm than a Sanderson sister back from the dead.
From spooktacular surprises to fizzing festive treats, here’s what Halloween & Christmas goodies LUSH are blessing us with this year.
Halloween Treats
Bat Art Bath Bomb
Why have an ordinary bath when you can have a spellbinding one? This mystic bath bomb will fill the room with a fresh herbal aroma while transforming the water into a visual feast of deep shimmering violet bath art. Black magic at its best.
Very Very Frightening Shower Gel
Brighten up your shower experience with this sweet fresh lemon and fig juice shower gel. The only thing scary about it? It’s limited edition so grab one while you can. Petition to make it an all-year-rounder thank you please.
Toffee Apple Lip Scrub
This sweet lip scrub is a real treat for the pout. Use your finger to buff a thin layer of the green apple and blood-red toffee apple into the lips to exfoliate and then just lick off. Edible beauty? That’ll do the trick!
Bewitched Bubble Bar
Forget what they say about black cats and superstition because this is one friendly feline you would want to cross your path. Simply crumble a little or a lot under running water to transform your bath into a deep dark lagoon with blackberry scented bubbles and plastic-free glitter. Perrrrfect.
Monsters’ Ball Bath Bomb
Ain’t no ball like a monsters’ ball! Full of uplifting neroli, brightening lime oil and meditative olibanum oil, this pink fiend will make your bath experience positively groovy.
Punkin’ Pumpkin Bath Bomb.
It’s not enough that we’re picking, carving and eating all things pumpkin, we’re only really winning at Autumn when we can bathe in pumpkin, too. Fortunately, LUSH know us better than we know us, which is why they made this delightful mood-enhancing gourd. Our fears of going without a pumpkin-infused bath have been well and truly squashed.
Ghost In The Dark Soap
A handmade soap that glows in the dark when charged up in the light – touché witches. With refreshing lemongrass and uplifting bergamot, this ghostly glower will get you in the Halloween spirit in no time. If you’ve got it, haunt it!
Boo Shower Slime
If you love the scent of the best-selling Lord of Misrule, you’re going to love this herbal scented spooker. Packed with ground coconut shell, the Boo Shower Slime leaves your skin feeling silky soft and smooth, ready to climb into your PJs for a horror movie marathon.
Cosy Christmas Picks
Roasting Chestnuts On An Open Fire Shower Gel
They had us at marzipan scented shower gel tbh. This oat milk and soothing chestnut puree will ease you into the festivities nicely. May this be your best-smelling holiday, yet.
Winter Garden Bath Bomb
Let the calming scent of ylang-ylang and snow-frosted florals transform your bathroom into a winter wonderland.
Tick Tock Bath Bomb
Add a little popping fun to your little one’s bath-time with this adorable plastic-free glittery charmer. One to stow away for the kids for Christmas Eve bath bribery. Thank us later.
Kinky Boots Bubble Bar
Room in the bath for two? Have a holly jolly Christmas indeed with this Kinky Boots Bubble Bar. Wink wink, nudge nudge.
Snow Fairy Roll
A bubble bar with the iconic candy floss sweet Snow Fairy scent is sure to have you feeling and smelling your best this Christmas. A magical bath awaits…
Sugar Plum Shower Bomb
No bath, no problem. Thanks to LUSH, your shower can sleigh all the way to Christmas, too. Get in on the festive fizzing action and level up your shower with this sweet plum cleansing foam.
Elfie Stick Bubble Stick
Last year, we all went crazy for the Candy Cane but this time around, LUSH has truly outdone themselves with this perfectly formed reusable bubble stick that wouldn’t look out of place in Buddy the Elf’s bathroom. You’d be a cotton-headed ninny muggins not to snap one up.
Angels Delight Bath Bomb
New for 2020, the heavenly Angels Delight bath bomb is bound to make all your Christmases come at once. It’s what stocking filler dreams are made of. Let’s hope we’re firmly on the nice list this year!
What seasonal LUSH goodies have you got your eye on?
Homemade Pumpkin Spiced Latte That Tastes Just Like The Real Deal
As much as we enjoy the seasonal ritual of wandering down to our local coffee house and queuing for a PSL, there’s something extra cosy about shuffling into the kitchen and brewing your own signature fall cuppa from the comfort of your own home, swaddled in a dressing gown.
Klaxon: it’s October, which means we all get to be unapologetically basic about Autumn now and not be judged for it. Praise be.
We will quote F. Scott Fitzgerald like he’s a fond uncle of ours and clog our camera roll up with leaves glorious leaves
We will wear the coats and the knitwear and happily get claggy armpits in the process because it’s still slightly too sunny. We will quote F. Scott Fitzgerald like he’s a fond uncle of ours and clog our camera roll up with leaves glorious leaves because we are walking talking October clichés and ain’t nothing 2020 can do about it.
We’ve already drunk enough pumpkin spice latte to sink a battleship and yet we still want more because it warms our soul in a way that only a spicy caffeinated winter squash can.
There’s something extra cosy about shuffling into the kitchen and brewing your own signature fall cuppa
As much as we enjoy the seasonal ritual of wandering down to our local coffee house and queuing for a PSL, there’s something extra cosy about shuffling into the kitchen and brewing your own signature fall cuppa from the comfort of your own home, swaddled in a dressing gown. Not to mention the coin you’ll save on that daily Starbucks habit.
Here’s how to make our budget-friendly homemade PSL!
SERVES 2
PREP:
5 MINS COOK:
10 MINS
EASY
INGREDIENTS
Ingredients
2 cups of milk (dairy or non-dairy)
2 tablespoons pumpkin puree
1 tablespoon of sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (see instructions)
1 cup strong hot coffee
Whipped cream, chocolate powder, and cinnamon sticks, for serving
Start by heating your milk, pumpkin puree, sugar, vanilla extract, and pumpkin pie spices on the hob
To make pumpkin pie spice add 4 teaspoons of ground cinnamon, 2 teaspoons of ground ginger, 1 teaspoon of ground cloves, and 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg and give them a mix. Store them in an airtight container.
When hot combine the pumpkin spice milk with your coffee
Divide the mixture between two mugs and decorate however you wish, we went for whipped cream a sprinkling of chocolate powder and a cinnamon stick!
The Snug As A Bug Knitwear Pieces We’re Lusting Over
As the crisp, chilly mornings become the norm and we're opting for pumpkin spice lattes over iced coffee, we've reached peak layering season and we are frankly thrilled about it.
In the words of our favourite ogre, Shrek (just in case you know multiple green, swamp loving residents) layers are EVERYTHING. As the crisp, chilly mornings become the norm and we’re opting for pumpkin spice lattes over iced coffee, we’ve reached peak layering season and we are frankly thrilled about it.
Not only does an extra cardi or knit feel like a comforting hug on an early morning, but it also offers endless styling potential to switch things up, mix and match and clash to your heart’s content.
We’re talking slim fit turtlenecks under t-shirts, cardigans to warm up a summer dress and oversized jumpers roomie enough to huddle into whilst waiting for the morning bus. Adjusting and envisioning your fave existing pieces in different, versatile looks along with new season ‘add to basket IMMEDIATELY’ items make the morning ‘what shall I wear to WFH today?’ a little more satisfying.
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Which of our picks for this week is high on your lust list?
Halloween is fast approaching and we're more than ready to get the spook fest underway but let's face it, carving those fleshy Jack-o'-lanterns is h-a-r-d work. Seeds, seeds everywhere.
This year we’re ditching traditional pumpkin carving in favour of something faff-free
We’ve carved some very questionable creepy eyes and wonky teeth in our time, so this year we’re ditching traditional pumpkin carving in favour of some faff-free, longer-lasting alternatives. Because there’s only so much pumpkin soup a girl can have in one week.
Care to join us on our quest? Gather your ghoulfriends, put on some bewitching tunes and get your witch-craft on with these no-carve pumpkin ideas.
Yarn Pumpkin
A glue-free craft is a craft we can get on board with! These yarn pumpkins are easy to create and make for beautiful centrepieces or Halloween shelf décor.
Simply wrap orange yarn around your hands multiple times until you reach the end of the thread.
Cut a separate piece of yarn approximately 10 inches long to wrap around the middle of your bundle. Thread it through the gap in the bundle where your hand is then bring the two ends together, securing with a double knot.
Cut a green or brown pipe cleaner for the stem and place it on top of your bundle, looping it underneath the knot.
Fold the pipe cleaner in half then twist the ends together to create a thick stem. You can also use green/brown yarn instead if you don’t have pipe cleaners.
Why not hang them on a little string garland.
Stuck for ideas on how to display your gourd-geous creations? Why not hang them on a little string garland. If you’ve got it, haunt it!
Clay Pumpkin
We can’t promise it’ll be anything like that romantic scene in Ghost, mostly because Patrick Swayze won’t be there but we can promise it’ll be fun, at least and 10 times easier and iconic in its own way.
Using air dry clay, take a rolling pin or something cylindrical to flatten it out.
With slightly wet hands, knead into a pumpkin-shaped ball. Once you’re pleased with your pumpkin shape, now’s the time to add in all the ridges and grooves to make it look like the real deal.
Using a pencil, a skewer, a blunt knife edge or any other handy sculpting utensils you have in your kitchen, score your clay with vertical lines from top to bottom. Once you’re happy with the texture, you can add some detail to the top for the stem.
Form a little indent at the top of your pumpkin using your fingers. Roll out a tiny piece of clay into a cone shape for the stalk and pinch it onto the top of your pumpkin to secure.
Leave to dry for 48 hours before painting. It’s as easy as bibbidi bobbidi boo.
Toilet Roll Pumpkin
You’ll never look at your toilet roll in the same way once you’ve seen it in all its Halloween glad rags.
Simply unravel the sheets of tissue and roll them back up to create some texture. Then wrap and fold a fabric of your choice around the roll, tucking into the top as you go. You may need to trim any excess fabric beforehand to get a neater finish.
Repeat until you’ve completely covered the roll and finish with a twig, branch or cinnamon stick placed in the top for the stem. And you’re done. Crappy Halloween, indeed!
Painted Pumpkin
Your creative genius knows no bounds when it comes to painting ‘kins. The limit does not exist.
You can buy an eerie looking ghost pumpkin or paint one white if you want a blank canvas to work with. Alternatively, you can’t go far wrong with a classic spooky face or a black cat motif.
From paint splatters and creepy neon shades to spider webs and glitter-dipped stems – you can go as simple or as innovative as you like.
What pumpkin carving alternatives will you be making this Halloween? Let us know in the comments below!
We caught up with Juno Dawson,the author of our October Zoella Book Club pick 'Wonderland'.
First off, how are you and how have you been coping in 2020?
I’m not going to lie, this year is shit. Pretending it’s been character-building feels like a betrayal of the people who’ve been really badly let down by our leaders this year. On a personal level, my dad got sick, my wedding had to be postponed and the government scrapped plans to reform the Gender Recognition Act. This has not been my favourite year.
Can you tell us about your latest novel Wonderland?
I can! It’s a radical retelling of Alice in Wonderland where Wonderland is an exclusive, elite festival – sort of like Coachella. Alice goes there in search of her crush, a girl called Bunny and has all sorts of debauched adventures along the way. Perfect if you liked Euphoria or Gossip Girl.
You have an incredible body of works, what is the process like for writing a new book?
I spend a little time ‘dipping my toe’ with a new novel. It’s like dating. You have to get a feel for the characters and decide if you want to commit to them.
What do you like most about writing YA fiction?
I like that it’s a transformative time. That’s what my novels have in common – the characters undergo some form of evolution and end a different person than they started. I’m also a fan of the high school movie – from Heathers to Clueless to Buffy.
You’re a huge advocate for the LGBTQ+ community, do you have any recommendations for people who would like more books with LGBTQ+ characters?
The Miseducation of Cameron Post is beautifully written and pretty much anything by David Levithan – Every Day and Two Boys Kissing are my favourites. However, if you haven’t read Armistead Maupin’s Tales of the City series, you have such a treat in store. They’re the ultimate novels about finding your own family and place in the world.
What are you currently working on?
I can’t really say too much – but I have a new novel on the go and a bunch of TV projects.
What are your top tips for switching off and relaxing?
