The sun was out and the hedgerows were full of primroses as I drove to see my son, Felix, at university in March 2017.  

I was excited at the thought of seeing him. His teenage years had been fairly difficult: he’d developed epilepsy at the age of 13, which was never that well controlled and it knocked his confidence.

But he seemed to be blossoming at university. He’d got involved in drama and I was travelling to Leicester from our home in Devon to watch him in the musical, The Producers. 

We’d arranged to meet outside the theatre but when I arrived at the appointed time, Felix wasn’t there. I called him but there was no reply. 

I waited for half an hour then went off to try and find him. In the theatre, I found the director, Izzy, who told me Felix hadn’t turned up for rehearsals for the last couple of days, and they’d also been trying to track him down but didn’t know where he lived.

He hadn’t responded to calls or texts. 

Deep in my being, I felt a terrifying sense of dread.  

We phoned Felix’s hall of residence who said they would go and check his room and call back. Time passed; there was no phone call.

Increasingly worried, with that visceral fear not going away, I drove there myself. The traffic was terrible. I finally arrived and the first thing I saw was an ambulance outside Felix’s room, along with a group of paramedics and security personnel. 

I knew, I just knew, that something terrible had happened. From this point on, my memory is not clear but I remember rushing over to Felix’s building, demanding to know what was going on.

No one would let me in, and eventually another paramedic emerged from the building and told me, ‘I’m so sorry. He’s passed over’. 

It is virtually impossible to convey the trauma of that moment, learning that Felix had died. It was like an earthquake, an incomprehensible shock, a ghastly drama that was so utterly surreal and yet was totally real – a hellish reality.  

In that moment my life changed forever and I have spent the subsequent days, weeks and years trying to deal with this terrible, incalculable loss. 

Felix’s death was put down to SUDEP: Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy.  

I had heard of SUDEP but it never occurred to me that it could take Felix’s life. I never thought he would die from his epilepsy. 

I have since learned that Felix was actually in one of the most vulnerable groups: he had seizures while asleep, his epilepsy was not well controlled and he was young and male. Many of those who die of SUDEP are, like Felix, found dead in their rooms at university. 

In the weeks after Felix died, I found myself writing letters to him. I kept a large red notebook by my bed and found comfort in telling him how much I missed him, and what was happening in our beautiful part of Devon, on the edge of Dartmoor.  

It was springtime, and the flowers were emerging in the lanes: celandines, violets and bluebells. Up on the moor the larks were singing. It was very strange, but even in the depths of trauma I remember being able to marvel at nature’s beauty. 

Felix was buried in a natural burial ground, a meadow overlooking the River Dart. I started to realise what a vital role the natural world was playing in my grieving.

My son had been returned to the earth, and, somehow, this was how I was going to connect with him going forward: walking in the countryside and on the coast and moors, sensing him in these wild places. 

For Sarah

Last year, on March 10, we lost our beloved colleague Sarah Whiteley. Sarah was a fantastic journalist; she was Metro’s parenting columnist and a valued member of our first-person and opinion desk.

Sarah died aged 39 from SUDEP – sudden unexpected death in epilepsy. It is thought that every year around 1,000 people die from causes related to epilepsy.

With support from Sarah’s family, Metro is fundraising for two very important charities: SUDEP Action and Epilepsy Action.

Sarah was so incredible at helping other people share their experiences; she was a born storyteller and we hope to do her proud with this series, while raising money in her memory.

After a couple of years, I was still writing letters to Felix, and I felt I had something to say about grief – it is a huge part of life that most of us never talk about.  

I ended up turning the letters into a book, The Green Hill: Letters to a Son, in which I explored the power of nature in helping me to deal with his death. Although there is, of course, a lot of pain in the book, there is also much joy: in the strange world of bereavement, life carries on, and includes the good as well as the bad. 

I will never be ‘over’ Felix’s death. I don’t want ‘closure’. I want continuing connection, and for me, this lies in my relationship with nature. 

My latest book, written with Felix’s father Alex Murdin, is about Dartmoor, where we live. We explore our relationship with this most wonderful of wild landscapes, which we feel, in many ways, has saved us.  

It has become a sacred place where we remember Felix and somehow find him again in the ancient granite tors which date back 300 million years, into deep time. 

Do you have a story you’d like to share? Get in touch by emailing jess.austin@metro.co.uk. 

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Let’s face it, pet hair, dust, and mystery crumbs have a way of showing up everywhere. And if your current vacuum isn’t quite cutting it, it might be time to level up.

Enter Shark’s Stratos Pet Pro Anti Hair Wrap Plus Anti-Odour XL Upright Vacuum – admittedly a bit of a mouthful, but trust us, it delivers.

Shark Stratos Pet Pro Anti Hair Wrap Plus Anti-Odour XL Upright Vacuum

Featuring Anti Hair Wrap Plus, technology to stop hair becoming tangled in the brush roll, anti-odour technology and a portable Powered Liftaway that makes cleaning under sofas and beds a doddle, the Shark Stratos Pet Pro Anti Hair Wrap Plus Anti-Odour XL Upright Vacuum [AZ3000UKT] is one sophisticated and sturdy model that turns cleaning from a tedious chore to a satisfying task.

Buy Now FOR £230 (WAS £349.99) – SAVE £119.99

There are plenty of features with this particular Shark vacuum cleaner but what makes it head and shoulders above the rest is its Anti Hair Wrap Plus technology.

Designed to remove long and short hair from the brush roll while you’re cleaning, you can say goodbye to tangled-up brush-rolls and spend half your weekend cutting fluff out of the vacuum.

Some vacuum cleaners can start to smell without regular emptying, but not this one. It actually has a built-in cartridge to help neutralise odours while you clean, helping to keep your home smelling fresh for longer – fantastic if you’re the owner of a pet with long fur!

The Anti-Allergen Complete Seal captures and traps 99.9% of all dust and allergens inside the vacuum too, making it ideal for someone who gets a little bit sneezy when it’s time to clean.

Its two brush rolls within the floor head are totally genius too and mean the Stratos seamlessly swaps between carpets, hardwood and rugs for even better deep cleaning. Plus, users can swap between the floor modes for even more control.

Got tricky areas in your home that need a spruce up or find doing the stairs a nightmare? Take your Shark on the go with its portable Powered Liftaway which makes cleaning under furniture, up high, or narrow spots easy.

There’s no need to keep heading to the dustbin every five minutes either as the Shark Stratos Pet Pro Anti Hair Wrap Plus Anti-Odour XL Upright Vacuum has a whopping 2.8L capacity. That, along with an 8m cord to make maneuvering it around your home a breeze, this vacuum cleaner is so user-friendly, we couldn’t love it more.

It’s not just us that’s impressed. The vacuum has a tonne of glowing reviews from previous shoppers including one left by Mz78: ‘Amazing, easy to use, makes light work of hoovering. I have always used Dyson, I now regret not trying shark sooner.’

A review from Sarah reads: ‘Fantastic hoover will never go back to my old one. Great quality lightweight, easy to use and picks up well more than my old hoover.’

And, Labmum’s review said: ‘This is brilliant especially for Labrador owners! You won’t be disappointed, picks up all the hairs in one go before it needs emptying. Good power and no smell with the special filters highly recommended thank you Shark!’

This vacuum cleaner? A brilliant, must-have gadget to keep your home looking spotless, we’d say.

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Asda customers are in for a treat this month, with the supermarket launching a major giveaway that could see you walking away with £6,000.

To celebrate its 60th Birthday, the supermarket has launched a new ‘Scan to Win’ prize draw, with instant giveaways ranging from 60p to thousands of pounds to spend on food, clothing and more in store.

To be in with a chance of winning, all you have to do is spend £5 or more and download the Asda Rewards app.

Simply scan your rewards app at the checkout to reveal a guaranteed prize.

How to claim your Asda’s ‘Scan to Win’ giveaway

From Thursday 1st May until Monday 30th June, customers who spend £5 or more in-store or online and scan their Asda Rewards app can earn one entry per day to reveal a guaranteed prize.

The top prize available to win is £6,000, but we’re afraid to say you won’t be leaving the car park with a wad of cash.

Instead, the prize money will be added to your Asda Rewards Cashpot in the app, where it can be converted to vouchers to spend in store or online.

Still, with the average family now spending £5,000 on food each year, the top prize will have your groceries covered and leave a decent chunk to splurge on clothing and homeware.

Other Cashpot prizes available are worth £600, £60, £6 and 60p, as well as £60, £6 and 60p off coupons.

Terms and conditions for ‘Scan to Win’ and a full list of products excluded from Asda Rewards can be found on Asda.com.  

Kids eat for 60p

As part of its birthday celebrations, Asda is also dropping the price of its ‘Kids Eat for £1’ meal deal in its cafes to just 60p.

The deal is available in all 205 cafes for the entire month of May, including the May half term holiday.

This article was first published on May 2, 2025.

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Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@Metro.co.uk.

I was running with my friend Polly, dressed as a pair of boobs in aid of CoppaFeel – to raise awareness of the risks of undetected cancer in young people.  

We weren’t necessarily fundraising for anyone we knew, we had just wanted to do our bit.  

I had run races in fancy dress before this and felt very prepared to finish.  

But not for what was to come.  

At the time of starting the race, I knew that my friend Simon was in hospital with his family in Hong Kong, having just been diagnosed with stage 4 lymphoma  – a blood cancer –  a matter of days beforehand. 

I knew that it wasn’t looking good –  blood cancer is the fifth most common form of cancer and third most fatal in the UK.   

By the time I crossed the finish line that morning, I had several missed calls from friends who were in Hong Kong telling me to expect the worst.   

By that afternoon, we came to learn of Simon’s passing. It was a bittersweet moment – I was surrounded by around 20,000 elated runners fundraising for causes close to their heart, and had just learned that I had lost a dear friend to cancer, aged 31.  

I couldn’t believe that Simon had passed so quickly, and sadly I wasn’t able to say goodbye properly because of COVID travel restrictions.     

Simon and I met on a dancefloor of a nightclub in Hong Kong on the night of his 28th birthday in 2018 and instantly found a friendship through a mutual love of Belfast DJ duo Bicep, trail running and Hong Kong style BBQ pork.   

We were young, single expats saying yes to basically everything Hong Kong had to offer. I just knew we had a future of laughter and fun ahead of us.   

18 months before Simon’s passing, and a few years into our friendship, we ran our first ever ultra marathon together, the 50km Hong Kong trail.

I don’t think either of us were prepared for what was in store, but a healthy dose of ice creams, regular beer stops and a pack of Marlboro did the trick.  

There’s a photo of us at the end of that run that I have on my wall at home.    

We were both young and believed we had endless time ahead of us, and the world at our feet. Simon in particular lived life as if tomorrow wasn’t guaranteed, something I’ve tried to emulate in the years since his passing.  

He would constantly try new things, and his enthusiasm was infectious. We’d travel to new countries, try new food and run stupidly long distances – all in the name of ‘giving everything a go and having a laugh’.  

Simon didn’t do anything by halves, and that was true right up until he was admitted to hospital in spring 2022. He’d just ran a 70km all night ultra marathon, unaided, and seemed to be in peak condition.   

At the time, I had moved back to the UK and was living in London, having been unable to visit Hong Kong since I left in 2020. 

Just a few weeks later he was bed bound in hospital with misdiagnosed glandular fever, which is  common for people suffering from lymphoma.  

That’s the thing with this disease – it really can happen to anyone and can go undiagnosed so easily, with symptoms much more hidden than other types of cancer.  

The most common symptom of non-Hodgkin lymphoma is a painless swelling in a lymph node, usually in the neck, armpit or groin – many people mistake it for simple infections. 

He was keeping us updated with a sense of humour on WhatsApp from his hospital bed, with no visitors allowed while omicron swept through the city.   

When Simon’s family flew in from Northern Ireland, they had to abide by strict quarantine rules, with near zero flexibility. Simon’s mum and aunty weren’t allowed out to visit Simon until he was already unconscious in hospital, on the day of his passing.   

I think that was the most difficult thing for everyone to deal with, that we lost Simon without being able to say goodbye.   

Simon lived life to the full – he constantly threw himself into new opportunities. He always said yes to life, and that meant he had twice as much fun in 31 years of life than some manage in a whole lifetime.   

Something I believe is that when someone passes, a way of keeping them with you, is to keep their legacy alive in the way you lead your everyday life.  

One way I do this is by taking 30 minutes each day to run and think of Simon and the impact he had on us. I’ve been running 5km every day for over 1,000 days. Remembering Simon is now a daily ritual.    

Simon’s friends have to date fundraised a combined £100k in Simon’s name over the last few years to fund PHD research into the form of lymphoma cancer Simon passed away from, in the hope that testing, prevention and treatment can be much more effective in the future.    

Since his passing, the Hackney Half is now a really important annual celebration of Simon’s life for me and his friends. We are determined to run it every year in his memory, and to raise more funds for Leukemia and Lymphoma Northern Ireland in his name.   

The Hackney Half 2025 will be day 1,234 of consecutive 5km runs for me. For day 1,000, a few of us ran 100km in his honour, ending at his memorial bench in Bangor, Northern Ireland.    

I’ve decided I’ll keep running till I can’t anymore – to me, it’s as simple as that. I’ll keep going until there aren’t any more stories like Simon’s.   

Blood cancer takes 15,000 loved ones from us each year in the UK. So, I’ll keep running until that ends.   

In Simon’s name and honour. 

Do you have a story you’d like to share? Get in touch by emailing James.Besanvalle@metro.co.uk. 

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‘Have you tried being less stressed?’ the doctor suggested. I did my best to hide my frustration.

For the better part of four weeks, I’d been dealing with a full-body rash, which had suddenly become red and increasingly sore. Then one morning in May 2024, taking a shower felt like acid rain.

Upon my GP’s advice, my boyfriend, Adam, and I went to A&E, and this was the response I received. I felt like I wasn’t being heard, my experience invalidated.

Then Adam spoke up. ‘She’s in a lot of pain and needs help,’ he said calmly and clearly. ‘The advice so far hasn’t improved things and it’s getting worse.’ 

The doctor listened and prescribed a strong painkiller. I felt relief – as well as confusion. 

My medical history is complex (at best) and I have grown up feeling dismissed.

I developed symptoms of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), anxiety and depression around the age of nine, all of which were disregarded as a ‘phase’. 

Over the last 30 years I’ve experienced a number of mental health conditions – bulimia, anorexia, binge eating disorder and depression – as well as ongoing physical concerns, and I have frequently been told that my mental health is the cause of my physical symptoms. 

It wasn’t until anorexia took hold when I was 14 that medical professionals took things seriously.

I had multiple life-saving hospitalisations but was subsequently given many new diagnoses, including bipolar disorder, anxiety disorder and body dysmorphic disorder.

Unfortunately, these interventions came too late. I developed further complications, including psychosis and hallucinations, paranoia and agoraphobia, with complex PTSD (cPTSD) suggested eventually in my 30s as being at the root of it all.

I felt as though I was viewed as an attention seeker – in reality, I was crying out for help.

As I entered my thirties, physical issues including musculoskeletal pain and digestive problems came to the fore. Again, doctors dismissed these as psychological in origin, as though my pain was an extension of my depression.

As a result, I stopped trusting my own body and started believing their dismissals. I went along with whatever was said because I didn’t have the energy to keep fighting. And I internalised that misogyny not to ‘be a burden’ and to stop ‘making a fuss over nothing’.

I also stopped visiting my GP, which, unsurprisingly, impacted my health further, and any treatment I did receive seemed to be massively delayed. At times, I felt utterly lost, alone. 

It wasn’t until that A&E experience in 2024 that I finally wondered: Why had it taken Adam’s advocacy for doctors to respond? Why had they responded far faster to his voice than mine?

Finally, I realised: It was the clearest case I’d ever experienced of medical misogyny. 

Sadly, I’m not the only woman to experience it. According to one study, the UK has the highest gender health gap out of all the G20 countries and medical misogyny contributes to misdiagnoses, inadequate pain management and delayed treatment. 

The same research found that 60% of women in the UK believe their health issues are not taken seriously, and 57% of women have had a negative experience with a healthcare professional. 

Those figures are devastating yet there is little being done to eradicate them. Meanwhile, women are still suffering.

Had Adam not driven me to A&E, convinced me to endure the six-hour-long wait to be seen then spoken to the doctor himself, I suspect I would have been cast aside again. 

Later that week, when we collected steroid cream prescribed for my rash, it was only thanks to Adam pushing back against the pharmacy staff that I received the correct amount instead of a bottle no bigger than the size of a travel toothpaste.

I’ve no idea why I was initially issued such a small tube, I think it might have been the correct dosage that had been prescribed but too small a dosage to cover my entire body.

The rash covered every inch of my body from neck to toe, but we were given a tube that would’ve dealt with a rash on the back of your hand.

It’s infuriating and unjust that a man’s voice seems to still command more authority than a woman’s in this day and age. Whether I’m getting my car fixed or calling for a plumber, people often defer to my male partner. 

This kind of dismissal in healthcare is especially dangerous. It jeopardises women’s wellbeing. I wonder how many of my medical problems could’ve been prevented had I not had my complaints ignored.

No woman should have to feel like they need to bring a man to an appointment just to get the doctor’s attention.

Medical training must stamp out medical misogyny at the source and culturally, we need to encourage people to stand up for themselves when they aren’t getting the care they need. 

I’m trying to get better at that. I’ve spent enough of my life waiting to be heard, but no more. I’m starting by calling myself and my internalised misogyny out.

Every single person, of any gender, should be listened to when it comes to their health. We will not stand for being dismissed anymore.  

(As told to Hannah Shewan Stevens)

Do you have a story you’d like to share? Get in touch by emailing jess.austin@metro.co.uk. 

Share your views in the comments below.

The world can be split into two camps: those that love Hyrox, and those who would rather do literally anything else.

The fitness challenge is not for the faint-hearted.

It sees competitors run an 8km race, split up by eight fitness stations where you complete functional movements, such as burpees, sled pulls and wall balls.

You can compete alone, in a pair, or group, or if you need an even bigger challenge (because apparently it’s just not hard enough already) you can do it all while wearing a weighted vest.

While it might sound like hell to some, Hyrox is incredibly popular. The German founded company now holds events across the world. According to their website, some races see 8,000 people participate and 10,000 watch, making it the largest mass participation fitness event in the world.

Hyrox challengers love nothing more than posting a sweaty selfie of themselves post race (and who can blame them) but this latest discovery has seen some proclaiming on social media that they’ve got the ick.

Taking to TikTok, PT Ella Rose, who goes by @tattooedgymgirl shared that Hyrox is actually a portmanteau of two words.

‘Don’t get me wrong, I don’t want to do a Hyrox, they look really hard, hats off to you if you’ve done one, but this makes me want to do one even f*cking less. Hyrox is short for Hybrid Rockstar.’

In between chuckles, Ella said ‘I’ve got the ick’ adding: ‘Any video I see of Hyrox from now on I’m just going to cringe.’

The video has amassed over 280,000 views, with comments equally disturbed by the information.

‘I thought it looked pretty cool until you said that,’ wrote commenter. While another added: ‘That made me unwell.’

Other creators have posted similar comments, equally shocked to discover the meaning. Online coach Harry, who goes by @regurgent_harry on TikTok, posted a video, calling the new-found meaning ‘the biggest ick ever’.

In an interview on the Head Start podcast back in February 2023, Hyrox Chief Growth Office, Douglas Gremmen, explained: ‘Christian and Mo [Hyrox founders] wanted to do something with the name ‘rockstars’. They really felt that people who have come across the finish line are rockstars.’

Unfortunately, as Red Bull sponsors Hyrox, they were against using the full word Rockstar, as it’s the name of a competing energy drink. So instead, the founders chose the name Curox, inspired by the Latin word ‘curr’ which means ‘to run’, along with their word of choice, ‘rockstar’.

However, they ran intro trouble again due a trademark infringement, which led to the need for a name change, and they opted for Hyrox instead.

‘They literally tried to figure out the best two letters to come before ROX,’ says Christian. Considering that Hyrox is a form of hybrid training, Christian added that ‘HYROX became a natural extension’.

‘I think is a great name,’ he added. ‘It’s universal. It’s global.’

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If you’re still drinking £6 Bordeaux then this is your intervention.

You shouldn’t be buying it (unless I recommended it). You should be getting wines from the Languedoc in southwestern France instead – and I’m not being paid by anyone to say that.

You know what, I’m probably partly to blame for the whole cheap Bordeaux buying thing. If you’re a regular reader of this column, you’ll know that I’ve recommended the odd Bordeaux that’s languishing seductively around the £6 mark. But those are the unusual exceptions, you can’t be sipping just any old Bordeaux.

Why? Because it’s a heck of a complex region to know your way around if you’re not looking to waste money, and quality is famously patchy at the lower end. If you’re only spending six or seven quid on a bottle of Claret, you’ll find it either delivers a wow or a woefully mediocre moment, there’s really not much in between.

In contrast, the Languedoc region of southwestern France positively thrives at the sub-£10 mark. What used to be France’s lawless wild west is now like Shoreditch; trendy and gentrified without the price tag of West London (can you tell I’m moving house next year and everything is about Rightmove?)

Tucked along France’s Mediterranean coast, from Nîmes to the Spanish border, this enormous, often-overlooked, region is quietly producing some of the most flavour-packed wines in Europe. There’s no Premier Cru this or Grand Cru that, it doesn’t have Bordeaux’s chateau-clout or Provence’s Instagram appeal. It’s just bang-for-buck-brilliance in a bottle. Not every bottle is brilliant but let’s not nitpick.

So, how does it get away with such low prices then? Well, the Languedoc doesn’t have the market pricing pressure of so many of the more famous regions in Europe. It’s under the radar so there’s less hype, fewer middlemen and plenty of smaller, independent producers doing their own thing. Land is cheaper there (80-times less pricey than Bordeaux) and did I mention it’s huge? It’s France’s largest wine producing region pumping out a third of its wine production. To put it into perspective, that’s more that the entire production of Australia.

But, chances are you’ve just walked by it in the wine aisle. You see, this region is often snubbed by wine drinkers who either genuinely don’t know it’s there, or that are wine snobs looking for flashier names.

Well, just wait until you find out that it’s good quality wine made by maverick winemakers from exciting grapes. You won’t find many fancy names, bloated marketing budgets or bottles with dusty heritage, because that’s not the vibe.

Here are some great wines from the region that should be on your shopping list…

Extra Special Languedoc Blanc, £7.97, Asda

A vibrating white with Mirabelle plum and peach notes and a long-drawn-out key lime pie-like finish. Vibrating sounds bizarre, but hear me out. It has a lively energy that makes you feel like you’ve just been plugged into the mains, in a good way. I recently tasted it at the Asda press tasting and it was one of the standouts of their white wine selection.

Taste the Difference Jurançon Sec, £9.25 (£8.25 with Nectar), Sainsbury’s

Here’s something a little different for you. And when I say ‘a little’, I actually mean ‘very’. Jurançon is a funky little subregion of the Languedoc, parked at the foothills of the Pyrenees. Made from two regional grapes, Gros and Petit Manseng, this dry white delivers sherbety flavours of waxed lemon zest and a riveting dab of earthiness. Told you it was unique. This is perfection if you’re understandably bored stiff of Sauvignon Blanc.  

Orange Groove, £9.50, Co-op

Brand new to the range comes this whirling dervish of a bottle. It’s an orange wine, so a white wine left on the grape skins to soak up layers of flavour and texture. Hence the name. It’s made from the some of the most expressive grapes in existence, including Viognier, Muscat and Gewurztraminer, so yes, it’s attention-grabbing in style. Think blossomy, orangey, grapey and spicy.

Taste the Difference Fronton Negrette Rosé, £8.50, Sainsbury’s

This actually has a little more zhuzh than your average Provence pink. Negrette is a grape famous for its extravagant flavours of berries, violets and red liquorice. Hence, this one is deeper in colour with flavours of strawberry sherbet and red liquorice. Grown around the town of Toulouse in the Haut Garonne, Negrette makes inky red wines and deep coloured rosés like this one. You’ll be a superfan in no time.

La Petite Laurette Rosé, £8.85, Co-op

I discovered this beauty at the recent Co-op wine tasting. Provence, who? The Languedoc to the southwest is where it’s at for rosé nowadays, so much so that Bon Jovi even has his own brand from the region, called Hampton Water. I digress. With so much candied strawberry flavours on offer, this should really be priced over a tenner.

Pierre Jaurant Merlot, £5.99, Aldi

For the price, this soft and pillowy Merlot knocks it out of the park. You can generally rely on good old Merlot as a weekday workhorse, but you’d usually have to spend a bit more to get something that’s not undrinkable. Aldi’s delivers smooth and juicy hedgerow fruit by the punnet-load, and dishes out change for a tenner while it’s doing so.

Irresistible Languedoc-Montpeyroux, £9.85, Co-op

If you like reds from the Rhône Valley, this one is firmly up your alley. It’s made from the same grapes and has a similar spiced plum flavour profile. Top tip, a bottle with ‘Montpeyroux’ on the label indicates a higher quality level within the wider Languedoc region. It’s seen as one of the most promising sub-appellations, mostly because of its sun-soaked, south-facing slopes.

Morrisons The Best Fitou, £8.50 (launches on 12th May)

Fitou is the oldest appellation in the Languedoc, known in the past for producing reds that were the wine equivalent of a drunk French farmer smoking a filterless Gitane. There’s nothing rustic and alcohol-heavy about their wines anymore though, this region has had a glow up and now produces elegant and complex wines like this damson and chocolate-loaded red.

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When it comes to fashion, I love having a clear-out and making space for those all-important capsule pieces. Over the years, I’ve purchased far too many things on an impulse, and now I’m in my 30s, it’s time to find those items that are built to last – which is where ALIGNE comes in.

Renowned for its innovative and trendsetting designs that appeal to a wide audience, ALIGNE’s collections often feature unique, stylish pieces that stand out, making them a favourite among fashion-forward individuals who seek to make a statement with their attire.

What I love most is how the brand places a strong emphasis on high-quality materials and sustainable practices, which resonates well with shoppers these days who are increasingly conscious of their environmental impact.

This commitment to sustainability not only enhances the brand’s reputation but also attracts a loyal customer base that values ethical fashion choices – me included.

I still have jeans and a pair of shorts I’ve owned since I was 21 years old, so when it comes to shopping for something new, it needs to last as long as possible – and be that item I’ll always reach for, whether it’s a job interview, first date, big meeting, and everything inbetween.

Luckily for me, ALIGNE has a plethora of items to suit all needs, and those fashion items (and accessories) you too need to last a lifetime (or 10+ years at least).

Best of all? Compared to some sustainable fashion brands on the market, the price point is very fair – and I have to say a price point I would pay, as the quality matches, far better to other items I’ve purchased in the past that have fallen to pieces.

Naturally as a shopaholic, I’ve picked out some timeless items that I think are perfect for any wardrobe – and not necessarily just for each season either. When I purchase anything, I want it to last from spring until winter and back again – and these handpicked items do just that.

Shop our fashion expert’s picks

Mia Linen Maxi Skirt

This straight maxi airy linen skirt features a back split, dart detail at the waistband, a center back zip, and a side seam pocket. It fits true to size.

Buy Now for £99

Markus Rigid Barrel Leg Jeans

These relaxed barrel-leg jeans feature seams at the knee for added curve, are made from heavier weight denim than the mid-blue Markus jeans to hold their shape, and have a mid-rise with button and zip fastening, along with side and back patch pockets.

Buy Now for £99

Summer Utility Linen Top

This utility-inspired short linen top features a flap pocket design with contrast white stitching, a boxy fit, button-up closure, crew neck, sleeveless design, chest pocket flaps, and a cropped length that sits just below the waist.

Buy Now for £85

Natalie Elasticated Cotton Midi Skirt

This organic cotton circle skirt, based on the bestselling Natalie shape, is softly gathered for a voluminous silhouette and features an elasticated waist, side pockets, and a high rise. It fits true to size, but you can size up if you prefer an oversized fit.

Buy Now for £99

Kimber Mini Denim Dress

This drop waist mini denim dress features a boxy fit, button front fastening, high V-neck, short sleeves, and patch pockets.

Buy Now for £110

Leo Long Waistcoat

This fitted longline waistcoat features a defined silhouette with a waist split, perfect for pairing with high-waisted bottoms. It includes an adjustable back buckle for a more fitted look, button-up fastening, a curved crew neckline, and a sleeveless design.

Buy Now for £119

Arlo Lace-up Striped Top

This lace-up short sleeve striped jersey top features a boxy fit, shirt collar, short sleeves, and contrast navy ribbing at the hem.

Buy Now for £79

Joni Rugby Top

This contrast collar jersey rugby shirt features a boxy fit, half placket with concealed buttons, a shirt collar, long sleeves, and an ALIGNE branding patch on the back of the neck. It fits true to size.

Buy Now for £99

So what are you wating for? Give your wardrobe (and self) the spring glowup it deserves, with these capsule pieces from the hottest brand on Instagram right now.

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We love a raffia straw bag in the summer months, but we think we may have found a new replacement in the form of Olivia Rubin’s Striped Tote Bag to see us through the summer. 

As you know we love our designer bags, as well as the designer dupes from high street retailers. But Olivia Rubin’s Striped Tote Bag exclusive to John Lewis is our latest obsession. 

The affordable designer tote bag was available for My John Lewis members to shop exclusively from May 1, but now the oversize bag is open to general sale too, and we couldn’t be happier!

Olivia Rubin Striped Tote Bag

Crafted from recycled plastic bottles, this sustainable tote bag is large enough to house your beach towel, a picnic feast, your laptop, and everything in between. It measures 76cm in height, 43cm in width and 14cm in depth. The tote bag features a laminated interior that is wipe clean, an inner slip pocket, long shoulder straps, as well as a popper fastening.

Buy Now for £12

Speaking about the partnership and the design, Olivia Rubin said: ‘This is the ultimate bag for life! We wanted to bring some joy to an everyday bag that can be used timelessly, so we went with our rainbow painterly stripe print. I have worked with John Lewis before on womenswear and kids, and now felt like the right evolution for me since I started my slow fashion journey.’

Seasonal Buyer at John Lewis, Georgina Davis, added: ‘We’re so excited to launch the Olivia Rubin tote bag exclusively at John Lewis for our customers. The spacious design means it will also be great for everyday use as well as those bigger day trips out. I can’t wait to see the bright stripes out and about!’

The Olivia Rubin tote bag has been crafted from recycled plastic bottles, and transformed into a vibrant accessory. The inside is laminated, which makes it easy to wipe clean if you are accident prone like us. It also features slip pockets on the inside to house your valuables.

This design also features long thick shoulder straps, and the main opening can be secured shut with a popper fastening. 

The tote measures 76cm in height, 43cm in width and 14cm in depth, which makes it the perfect Mary Poppins bag to see you from the office, to weekend picnics in the park and beachside fun on holiday. 

The bag is only available in the one multi-colour, but why would you need another when the technical horizontal and vertical stripes are running along the bag? 

This vibrant bag is not only practical, and vibrant, but it’s also very affordable at just £12. But we predict it will sell out fast – so don’t snooze on this new drop. 

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