Al Fresco Dining In Style + WIW - Simple Sunday Style

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Capri Teak Sofa

Morning ladies with the next Bank Holiday weekend just days away I'm sure we're all keeping our fingers crossed for some glorious sunshine.  So for today's post in collaboration with Marks & Spencer I thought we'd talk al fresco dining.

I don't think there's anything better than waking up on a non-working day to glorious sunshine & the thought of spending the day in the garden topping up our Vitamin D & delegating the dinner to our other halves by putting them in charge of the BBQ.  Perhaps a spot of gardening, followed by loosing yourself in a good book with a glass of vino followed by a cheeky siesta & maybe if you're lucky waking to the smell of dinner cooking.  That's certainly my ideal of bliss & second best to lying on a sunlounger by the pool on holiday.  The smell of a neighbour's dinner sizzling on the BBQ is sure to get your tummy rumbling & hoping for an invite ;-) not to mention start the summer holidays conversation & looking forward to time spent with loved ones & wall to wall sunshine.

my midlife fashion, marks and spencer, marks and spencer garden furniture, alfresco dining, marks and spencer bermuda armchair, marks and spencer bermuda small sofa, marks and spencer bermuda II footstool, marks and spencer plain chenille throw, marks and spencer oversized geometric chenille cushion, marks and spencer beaded lantern, marks and spencer small beaded lantern, marks and spencer olive tree, marks and spencer lavendar basket, marks and spencer herb babylon planter



Herb Babylon Planter

In recent years outdoor living has definitely got more of a thing, it's just a shame our weather can't keep up with the trends!  However, one thing us Brits are good at is being ever hopeful at the start of  the season & hoping for a sizzler of a summer.  I know after the winter we've just had I've certainly got my fingers & toes crossed.  

So with the idea of lazy summer days in mind I've put together my top picks from Marks for dining outdoors in style.  Whether you're in need of some new garden furniture to some new dining sets there's lots of great choice.

In fact if like us, you're needing to invest in some gardenware then you're spoilt for choice.  From stylish rattan dining sets with everything from comfy sofas & armchairs perfect for arranging round a fire pit to dining table & chairs.  To cottage garden wrought iron sets that would bring any corner of your garden to life to modern wooden sets there's something to suit all tastes.

my midlife fashion, marks and spencer, marks and spencer garden furniture, marks and spencer alfresco dining, marks and spencer rosedale table and 4 chairs, marks and spencer shanghai parasol, marks and spencer spring bird embroidered runner tablecloth, marks and spencer pizza stone, marks and spencer wicker bread basket, marks and spencer sicily wine glass, marks and spencer sicily hi ball glass, marks and spencer oslo blue dining range, marks and spencer 16 piece vintage cutlery set, marks and spencer rosedale bench




Rosedale Bench

Or if you just fancy a few new pieces for dressing the table - whether that be a pretty table runner, to brightly coloured tableware, to the perfect glasses for serving that chilled glass of vino or cheeky cocktail then Marks have got lots of inspiration all perfect for entertaining.  In fact the only thing you won't find is a guarantee for the weather!

my midlife fashion, marks and spencer, marks and spencer garden furniture, marks and spencer alfresco dining, marks and spencer melrose table and 6 chairs, marks and spencer wicker tray, marks and spencer tavira serving platter, marks and spencer tavira serving bowl, marks and spencer tavira side plate, marks and spencer sommelier 4 pack champagne flutes, marks and spencer sommelier 4 pack red wine glasses, marks and spencer floral embroidered runner, marks and spencer classic window lantern, marks and spencer bay tree, marks and spencer clematis duo, marks and spencer melrose sunlounger


I've previously mentioned in past posts we're in the middle of a bit of a garden re-design having lost a large proportion of our plants & hedges during the bad winter & heavy snow showers.  Whilst Hubby & I are the first to admit that we're not that highly skilled or up on our horticultural knowledge we luckily do have a shared vision of how we want the garden to look & have found that a mix of asking lots of advice at our local garden centre to just planting & keeping our fingers crossed has generally got us some ok results.  Despite lots of man-hours over the past few weekends the main part of our garden is still a huge work in progress that is going to involve lots of application of Miracle Grow in the hope we can magically grow some plants at the same rate as Jack from Jack & The Beanstalk, but at least thanks to some new garden furniture & dining pieces our patio area is summer ready :-)

my midlife fashion, marks and spencer, marks and spencer garden furniture, marks and spencer al fresco dining, marks and spencer melrose table and 6 chairs, marks and spencer retreat pasta bowl, marks and spencer maxim jug, marks and spencer pressed hi ball glass, marks and spencer wooden platter, marks and spencer sommelier 4 pack champagene flutes, marks and spencer tavira cereal bowls, marks and spencer tavira side plate, marks and spencer maxim footed cake stand, marks and spencer tavira serving bowl, marks and spencer wooden salad servers, marks and spencer table runner, marks and spencer hammered cutlery set

Table & Chairs - Marks & Spencer *

my midlife fashion, marks and spencer, marks and spencer garden furniture, marks and spencer al fresco dining, marks and spencer melrose table and 6 chairs, marks and spencer retreat pasta bowl, marks and spencer maxim jug, marks and spencer pressed hi ball glass, marks and spencer wooden platter, marks and spencer sommelier 4 pack champagene flutes, marks and spencer tavira cereal bowls, marks and spencer tavira side plate, marks and spencer maxim footed cake stand, marks and spencer tavira serving bowl, marks and spencer wooden salad servers, marks and spencer table runner, marks and spencer hammered cutlery set

Table & Chairs - Marks & Spencer *
Pasta Bowl - Marks & Spencer *
Glass Jug - Marks & Spencer *
Hi Ball Glasses - Marks & Spencer *
Wooden Platter - Jamie Oliver, similar here
Champagne Flutes - Marks & Spencer *
Side Plates - Marks & Spencer *
Small Bowls - Homesense, similar here
Serving Platter - Marks & Spencer *
Cake Stand - John Lewis, similar here
Serving Bowl - Marks & Spencer *
Salad Servers - Marks & Spencer, similar here
Cutlery - Zara Home, similar here
Table Runner - Zara Home, similar here

my midlife fashion, marks and spencer, marks and spencer garden furniture, marks and spencer al fresco dining, marks and spencer melrose table and 6 chairs, marks and spencer retreat pasta bowl, marks and spencer maxim jug, marks and spencer pressed hi ball glass, marks and spencer wooden platter, marks and spencer sommelier 4 pack champagene flutes, marks and spencer tavira cereal bowls, marks and spencer tavira side plate, marks and spencer maxim footed cake stand, marks and spencer tavira serving bowl, marks and spencer wooden salad servers, marks and spencer table runner, marks and spencer hammered cutlery set

Table & Chairs - Marks & Spencer *

my midlife fashion, marks and spencer, marks and spencer garden furniture, marks and spencer al fresco dining, marks and spencer melrose table and 6 chairs, marks and spencer retreat pasta bowl, marks and spencer maxim jug, marks and spencer pressed hi ball glass, marks and spencer wooden platter, marks and spencer sommelier 4 pack champagene flutes, marks and spencer tavira cereal bowls, marks and spencer tavira side plate, marks and spencer maxim footed cake stand, marks and spencer tavira serving bowl, marks and spencer wooden salad servers, marks and spencer table runner, marks and spencer hammered cutlery set

Table & Chairs - Marks & Spencer *
Pasta Bowl - Marks & Spencer *
Glass Jug - Marks & Spencer *
Hi Ball Glasses - Marks & Spencer *
Wooden Platter - Jamie Oliver, similar here
Champagne Flutes - Marks & Spencer *
Side Plates - Marks & Spencer *
Small Bowls - Homesense, similar here
Serving Platter - Marks & Spencer *
Cake Stand - John Lewis, similar here
Serving Bowl - Marks & Spencer *
Salad Servers - Marks & Spencer, similar here
Cutlery - Zara Home, similar here
Table Runner - Zara Home, similar here

my midlife fashion, marks and spencer, marks and spencer garden furniture, marks and spencer al fresco dining, marks and spencer melrose table and 6 chairs, marks and spencer retreat pasta bowl, marks and spencer maxim jug, marks and spencer pressed hi ball glass, marks and spencer wooden platter, marks and spencer sommelier 4 pack champagene flutes, marks and spencer tavira cereal bowls, marks and spencer tavira side plate, marks and spencer maxim footed cake stand, marks and spencer tavira serving bowl, marks and spencer wooden salad servers, marks and spencer table runner, marks and spencer hammered cutlery set

Table & Chairs - Marks & Spencer *

my midlife fashion, marks and spencer, marks and spencer garden furniture, marks and spencer al fresco dining, marks and spencer melrose table and 6 chairs, marks and spencer retreat pasta bowl, marks and spencer maxim jug, marks and spencer pressed hi ball glass, marks and spencer wooden platter, marks and spencer sommelier 4 pack champagene flutes, marks and spencer tavira cereal bowls, marks and spencer tavira side plate, marks and spencer maxim footed cake stand, marks and spencer tavira serving bowl, marks and spencer wooden salad servers, marks and spencer table runner, marks and spencer hammered cutlery set

Table & Chairs - Marks & Spencer *
Pasta Bowl - Marks & Spencer *
Glass Jug - Marks & Spencer *
Hi Ball Glasses - Marks & Spencer *
Wooden Platter - Jamie Oliver, similar here
Champagne Flutes - Marks & Spencer *
Side Plates - Marks & Spencer *
Small Bowls - Homesense, similar here
Serving Platter - Marks & Spencer *
Cake Stand - John Lewis, similar here
Serving Bowl - Marks & Spencer *
Salad Servers - Marks & Spencer, similar here
Cutlery - Zara Home, similar here
Table Runner - Zara Home, similar here

Back to today & it's all about simple laid back style.  So I've teamed a maxi skirt with an oversized off the shoulder knit & ballet flats.

my midlife fashion, hush veria frill skirt, iris and ink cashmere off the shoulder jumper, j crew pointed tassel flats

my midlife fashion, hush veria frill skirt, iris and ink cashmere off the shoulder jumper, j crew pointed tassel flats

Jumper - Iris & Ink
Skirt - Hush
Ballet Flats - J Crew

Shop My Style


Jumper - Micha
Skirt - Religion
Ballet Flats - Next

So ladies are your garden's heatwave ready?  I've just put together a small edit of the delights Marks & Spencer have to offer but you can see their full range of garden furniture here, as well as their tableware here.  One things for certain heatwave or not I'm certainly planning on stocking up on some treats from their food hall this Bank Holiday weekend.

Enjoy your day ladies & let's all keep our fingers crossed that this coming weekend may involve some outdoor living & firing up of the BBQs......well it's good to be hopeful right?!

Back as always in the morning.

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Please note some of the links contained on my site will be affiliated & should a purchase be made via such a link it may result in a small commission being paid.
* Items gifted or bought with a gifted gift voucher.
This post was written in collaboration with Marks & Spencer.

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