Six month anniversary edition
A weekend in Cornwall, beauty and the Breton, PLUS a cause for celebration!
Happy new week, everyone! How are you?
Welcome to a special edition today, celebrating six months of The Midlife Beauty Edit (read on for a special offer to mark a milestone!).
We spent the Bank Holiday weekend near Penzance, Cornwall, for a family birthday party, which took place at the bottom of a cottage garden, complete with marquee, surrounded by trees strung with fairy lights.
It was magical - until the August Bank Holiday weekend British weather got the memo. The clear, starry Cornish skies opened, and it poured with rain. Sweaters were fetched from cars, and everyone sought shelter by the buffet, which was laiden with homemade treats worthy of the Bake Off tent.
The DJ (and next door neighbour - smart move, if you want to avoid complaints about dancing until the early hours) provided a playlist of 70s-through-90s bangers, nipping back to his cottage to download special requests, because of the patchy WiFi.
Which, of course, made it all the more magical.
Before going any further, WELCOME to all new subscribers - I’m so happy you’re on board!
On Sunday morning, the sun made a comeback and we blew off the cobwebs with a walk along the coast, at Marazion.
The town overlooks the famous St Michael’s Mount, half a mile offshore.
Cornwall, like Brittany in north-western France, is famous for its striped sailing tops (la marinière).
The little boutiques that line the cobbled lanes of towns like Marazion and nearby St. Ives are filled with them, as they are on the other side of the Channel.
It’s not by accident that the Cornish-based label Sea Salt is most renowned for its bestselling Sailor Shirt, which comes in every colour way combo, in addition to the traditional navy and white.
According to The French, “genuine marinière tops have 20 navy blue stripes on the front and back. Each of the blue stripes is 10 millimeters wide and spaced 20 millimeters apart. The shirt sleeves have 14 navy blue stripes, also spaced 20 millimeters apart.”
I’m fascinated by the fact that the Cornish and Brittany coasts were once joined as one land mass (there’s a Google rabbit hole to go down there). And it makes sense, when you look at the sandy coastline, with its tall pines, strong scent of salty-seaweed air, and the light.
I spent many a Seventies childhood summer in Brittany. My brother and I would clamber over slippery, seaweed-covered rocks and play games of boules (otherwise known as pétanque) on the sandy stretches of beach, with pastel-coloured plastic balls, instead of the metal ones traditionally used.
I absolutely did NOT need to purchase another, souvenir Breton sweater last weekend - tempting though it was.
My wardrobe is filled with more than enough striped tops, in varying widths of stripe and every colour combo.
It brings to mind a certain Barry B. Benson.
“Yellow, black. Yellow, black. Yellow, black. Yellow, black. Ooh, black and yellow! Let's shake it up a little.”
–Bee Movie
My equivalent (just not this organised).
Royal blue (and white stripes)
Fresh ways to wear your Breton
Last week, of featured some fresh ways to style the icon: Don't Let Your Striped Tee Define You!
I especially love the way Becky pairs a Breton with a Marni skirt (I’m a sucker for that look of a basic tee or shirt being teamed with a statement skirt), and her suggestion of opting for an oversize option.
Lots of transition-season inspo for reviving the stripes!
Beauty and the Breton
What makeup teams well with the look?
The focus is on glowing skin - maybe a sweep of bronzer and a rosy, just-back-from-la-plage flush, and a pinky-nude gloss or medium-pink lip colour. Likewise, nails look great au naturel.
And, for the hair, you just KNOW I’m going to suggest a sea salt spray (if not now, when?!).
After this post last week about my latest styling spray find, from Hairstory, (with an exclusive 10% discount code, just enter JENNI10 at the checkout), commented that she loves her OG Bumble and Bumble Surf Spray.
Just a few days later, my own hairdresser concurred —so I’m flagging it up here.
Accessories-wise, I love the look of layered gold necklaces against the simplicity of a Breton stripe, don’t you?
Stripes, shades and silver jewellery
Happy 6 months!
Reaching the six month milestone at The Midlife Beauty Edit—which is amazing to think!—feels like the perfect time to say a special thank you for reading, sharing and being part of this wonderful, blossoming community.
I’d love to take the opportunity to check in with everyone, too, as I plan ahead and think about what’s to come. I’m especially keen to offer added value to those who generously support my writing here with a paid subscription (I’m so thankful!).
I’m mindful, too, of wanting to make a paid subscription to The Midlife Beauty Edit as affordable as possible.
So, I’m celebrating with 50% OFF a paid subscription (paid on a monthly, or annual basis - I’ve set it to apply across the board).
This will give you 12 months worth of paid subscriber content and benefits, at half the usual price.
Paid subscribers immediately have access to the full archives, as well as receiving content exclusively for paid subscribers.
Next month, I’ll be opening up a Chat thread for paid subscribers - somewhere to share midlife beauty, wellness and style tips, product recommendations, ask the community (and me!) for advice, and get to know each other better.
Sound like fun? I can’t wait!
Whether you’re a free or paid subscriber, I’m SO happy you’re here. And I’d love to know what you want to see from The Midlife Beauty Edit!
Thank you so much.
Have a wonderful rest of week - riding into it, alongside you!
Ya got me! Hahhahah! I’m new to you and newish to substack and didn’t realize you were English and I’m obsessed with Brittany (never been, reading books😂), so I’m here for it! Thanks for the subscription deal!
Happy 6 months! Love this happy space/community you are building! Excited for all of the goodness to come…xox