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You are here: Home / STYLE / Holiday dresses and our first 24 hours in France

Holiday dresses and our first 24 hours in France

July 31, 2017 by Molly 18 Comments

BONJOUR! We’re in France. I haven’t just taken to shouting “Bonjour” for the sake of it (although, in the middle of a toddler tantrum, stranger things have happened). Anyway, I’m sharing the last in my series of holiday outfit posts here along with some photos from our first day in France because, well, you might also be off on your travels and looking for some new outfit inspiration. Or you might just be nosey. Whatever, I am here to serve.

So, we arrived in France at 3pm on Friday, fresh off the Plymouth to Roscoff ferry. I’m a long time fan of ferry travel with kids because a) you don’t need to worry about luggage allowance (we’ve brought everything but the kitchen sink with us – even our bikes), b) you don’t need to worry about your kids kicking off in a confined space (there was even a soft-play and cinema on board the Brittany Ferries ship we sailed here on) and c) you get to eat properly nice food that doesn’t taste like plane food. Oh and it’s CHEAP! Well, cheap compared to flying, anyway.

OK, now onto the outfits. This post is all about another brand I’d never even heard of until recently, but was really surprised by how many lovely clothes they have on their website. JD Williams has a whole range of recognisable names on the website. I’d discounted it as an option for me because I don’t consider myself “plus size” at a 12, but most of the designs start in a 12, which is the size of these dresses I’m wearing here.

I’ve lost around 20lbs since this time last year (no diets involved – watch what I did here) and wondered if my slight change in body shape would alter how comfortable I felt in my clothes this summer. The honest truth? Not really. I mean, I feel far more accepting of my body than I have in a long time, but I wouldn’t say the weight loss has transformed how happy I am generally with my shape when I’m actually wearing clothes! That said, these dresses are both REALLY comfy, super flattering and OH SO EASY to wear in the heat.

I chose the fit and flare Broderie dress by Lovedrobe (currently reduced from £65 to £50 – hurry!) and the denim double layer maxi dress which is a style I’d never have opted for before. Both are a lovely cut and a great style for the warmer weather. I wore the Broderie dress for a day in the city and then travelling down the French countryside and it proved to be really versatile. Comfortable but also smart. I wore it with sandals but I reckon it would go equally well with heels for a wedding or even as a summer office dress.

We headed straight from Roscoff south, about three hours’ drive to the beautiful city of Nantes. I’d booked an apartment in a hotel style complex on the outskirts of the city because I knew we wouldn’t arrive until fairly late and the first night was mainly about regrouping and getting some rest before the next leg of the journey.

With a few hours to kill the following morning and the weather not playing ball we went into the centre of Nantes to the amazing robot museum I’d read reviews of online. Les Machine de L’ile is a great way to spend a couple of hours and the girls were both transfixed with the creations – especially the giant walking robotic elephant.

I’ll write more about this in a separate post, as well as the place where we stayed but, for now, if you’re interested in the holiday outfits side of the post then I did a bit of a haul video a little while ago that you might like to watch (along with the behind-the-scenes of the photos – please tell me I’m not the only one with a partner who LOATHES being the designated outfits photographer?!).

You can watch it here:

 

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Thanks to JD Williams for working with me on this post. For more information about how I work with brands check out my Work With Me page. 

Filed Under: Fashion, STYLE Tagged With: fashion, holiday dresses, holiday outfits, mum style, outfit inspiration

« What clothes to pack for a family holiday to France – the Joules edit
The unexpected bonus of finding holiday clothes for him »

Comments

  1. Claire at Tin Box Traveller says

    August 2, 2017 at 4:13 pm

    Love the yellow dress. JD Williams have some beautiful clothes

    Reply
    • Molly says

      August 2, 2017 at 4:21 pm

      They do – I’d never considered them before but really impressed!

      Reply
  2. Jen Walshaw says

    August 2, 2017 at 3:30 pm

    I LOVE the mustard one. The colour really suits you and you look gorgeous in it.

    Reply
    • Molly says

      August 2, 2017 at 4:21 pm

      Thanks Jen! It’s so comfy too. x

      Reply
  3. Grace Hall says

    August 2, 2017 at 11:22 am

    Oh I LOVE the yellow dress, such a bright happy colour! Hope you enjoy the rest of your holiday!

    Reply
    • Molly says

      August 2, 2017 at 4:21 pm

      Thank you! Having a great time so far! x

      Reply
  4. Ami ThroughAmisEyes says

    August 2, 2017 at 8:31 am

    Both the dresses are stunning but I seriously love the double layer denim dress. I feel like that dress could hide a multitude of sins 🙂

    Reply
    • Molly says

      August 2, 2017 at 4:21 pm

      It’s done very well at hiding all the cheese I’ve eaten so far this holiday! x

      Reply
  5. Mel says

    August 1, 2017 at 8:57 pm

    Beautiful dresses, and it sounds like you’re having a great time in France already. Love JD Williams. I have a couple of pretty dresses and sandals from them and they’ve been my go-to items so far this summer.

    Reply
    • Molly says

      August 2, 2017 at 4:22 pm

      I’ve been so impressed by the quality of the dresses too! x

      Reply
  6. Chloë (Sorry About The Mess) says

    August 1, 2017 at 6:45 pm

    I love both of your choices. You look amazing, and that yellow really suits you! Have a fab holiday.

    Reply
    • Molly says

      August 2, 2017 at 4:23 pm

      Ah thank you lovely x

      Reply
  7. Amber says

    August 1, 2017 at 6:09 pm

    The denim dress is lovely – but my goodness, the yellow! I absolutely must have that. Thank you for introducing me to JD Williams, I would never have thought to look there had I not read this post.

    Reply
    • Molly says

      August 2, 2017 at 4:24 pm

      I’d never thought to look there either but there are SO many lovely things on there and I’ve been really impressed with the quality too! x

      Reply
  8. Becky | Spirited Puddle Jumper says

    August 1, 2017 at 12:48 pm

    Wow, you look lovely Molly and I love both those dresses! I’m the same colouring as you and have always been a bit dubious about yellow on me but this colour looks ace, might have to reconsider! Have a great rest of your holiday x

    Reply
    • Molly says

      August 1, 2017 at 12:58 pm

      I’m a sucker for the mustard yellow – even if it does clash with my hair! xx

      Reply
  9. Kate Sutton says

    August 1, 2017 at 9:23 am

    I thought about buying that denim dress, it looks gorgeous on you! x

    Reply
    • Molly says

      August 1, 2017 at 12:57 pm

      It’s honestly SO comfy. Basically like wearing a massive nightie!

      Reply

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Hello and welcome! I'm Molly Forbes - podcaster, presenter and blogger with a passion for positivity, confidence and body image chat. Regularly writing and vlogging about empowering female issues from a motherhood angle, I also cover lifestyle and fashion topics for like-minded mums who want to rediscover themselves after having children. Thanks for stopping by! Read More…

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If you feel bad about your body you’re less like If you feel bad about your body you’re less likely to do nice things for it, including moving in a way that feels good and eating in a way that feels good. (FYI health is about more than just exercise and nutrition, but let’s get deeper into the exercise thing for a second...)
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Research shows kids who have low body image are less likely to get involved with sports and more likely to skip PE. 
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Want kids to move more? Stop teaching them that one type of body is better than another - because if their body doesn’t look like your version of a healthy / beautiful / successful body not only will they be more likely to feel shame over their body, they’ll be less likely to engage with the very behaviours you want them to do more of (or be more likely to engage with them in an UNhealthy way - compulsive exercise is dangerous).
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Instead:
💕Try talking about the intrinsic benefits of exercise over the extrinsic ones (ie. how it makes you FEEL instead of how it makes you LOOK).
✨Create opportunities for movement where ALL children feel welcome. 
💕Show children diverse representation so they can see sporting heroes with a range of body types and know that movement is for EVERYbody. 
✨Take a zero tolerance approach to appearance based bullying, body shaming and comments that perpetuate weight stigma (including even the hint that fat = bad). 
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(If you’re a teacher or youth leader interested in knowing more about this topic, a #BodyHappyKids workshop will help - follow the link in my bio 🥰❤️)
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[Image description: A multicoloured slide with an overlaid screenshot of tweet by Molly which reads ‘If your intention is to “get kids healthy” then you need to be aware of how weight bias, weight stigma and poor body image are active barriers to health. The end.]
Sharing this outfit pic with you because it’s a Sharing this outfit pic with you because it’s a crying shame only the piles of laundry got to see it, quite frankly. Finally, a pair of pre-loved jeans bought online that are true to size, consistent with the rest of the brand’s sizing and actually fit! 🎉 
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PS heads up - I’ll be doing a Q&A about body image and kids in my Stories on Friday. The Q sticker is up in my Stories now if you’d like to submit a Q! 💕 #BodyHappyKids
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[Image description: Molly is standing in front of the mirror looking very pleased with the fact her new jeans bought from Depop fit her. She is wearing pink patterned jeans with cherubs on them, a pink check jumper and pink trainers. There are piles of laundry on the bed behind her.]
Another photo of us on a walk, because it’s been Another photo of us on a walk, because it’s been our main form of entertainment this year. Anyone else? 
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I honestly now get excited about putting my boots on and being outdoors, even in the rain. I’m going to start hugging trees next and going on wild camping weekends that involve doing a poo behind a tree and making my own fire. Joke.... maybe. 
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Just another reminder that all movement is valid, exercise doesn’t need to have to be about burning calories or even tracking steps in order for it to be “worth it”. Hope everyone’s had a great weekend ❤️
#BodyHappyMum #JoyfulMovement
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Image description: Molly and her two daughters stand on a bridge in the countryside. They are all wearing hiking boots and outdoor clothes and smiling.
My body is good and excellent and my body only bel My body is good and excellent and my body only belongs to me ✨ (Words by Effie May, age 6 💕) #BodyHappyMum
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Image description: A close up of Molly’s bare skin as she hugs herself. It’s dark and part of her body is illuminated by light. She has her eyes closed and is smiling.
“Mummy I wrote a letter to myself,” she said. “Mummy I wrote a letter to myself,” she said. And my heart swelled. Maybe I’m doing an OK job after all 🤞❤️💕 #BodyHappyKids 
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I could leave this caption here but I need to make something clear: if you think it’s great that my daughter - a thin, white, nondisabled, cisgender kid - feels good in her body but you’re not here for the self-love of any kid who doesn’t look like her.... then you’ve missed the point.
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ALL bodies are good bodies, and without this important piece of the puzzle ALL children will be at risk of doubting their body. And what happens when they doubt their body? Well... hating our body doesn’t make us treat it with love, and the same is true of kids. 
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Great, now we’ve cleared that up, can we take a moment to appreciate the incredible phonetic spelling on show here?! 
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Image description: Effie, age 6, stands against a white wardrobe holding up a letter she has written to herself. It is spelled phonetically and reads “My body is good and excellent and my body only belongs to me.”
I used to struggle to buy stuff for myself if I ha I used to struggle to buy stuff for myself if I had any spare cash - not just treats, but basics like pants and tights that fit properly. I’d tell myself I didn’t need it, didn’t deserve it, couldn’t justify the expense. There’s still that little voice (the habit of putting everyone else’s needs first and my own last dies hard it seems) but I’m leaning into exploring why it still sometimes rears its head, instead of always listening to it. 
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I’m trying to buy as much as I can from pre-loved places or small businesses these days, which is why I’m very happy to share with you some of my latest finds: a star dress from Depop (£5), earrings from @kelzojewellery by @ourtransitionallife (£12) and the comfiest tights I’ve ever owned in Raspberry Pie by @snagtights (£6.99) 💕💕💕
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Have you found any great small brands lately? Shout them out in the comments so we can all support in the run up to Christmas. ⬇️⚡️
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Image description: Molly is smiling and sticking out her tongue to the camera. Her hair is freshly dyed a light shade of pink. She’s wearing a pink t’shirt underneath a black and white star patterned slip dress, with bright pink tights and black and pink earrings decorated with a boob design.
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