Good Read

Madia & Matilda’s spotlight book- ‘The Curated Closet: Discover Your Personal Style and Build Your Dream Wardrobe’ by Anuscka Rees

Think spring cleaning should be left until actual spring? Think again! It’s always the right time to de-clutter, change your diet or pick up that new hobby that you’ve wanted to explore.

There’s a consciousness here at Madia & Matilda about reducing waste; finding innovative ways to use up even the tiniest swatch of fabric. This way of thinking does mean that we have to be clever about how we store and work with materials. For most, this mentality is prevalent in our personal lives too. As a consumer, this book brings focus to how we approach fashion and in particular, waste form day to day.

Read between the lines with this lovely book. As seen with our curated brands Alphabet necklace.

It’s interesting to read the similarities in both our ethos and that of the book. We aim to create timeless pieces that you can fall in love with and can wear for a long time;there’s an emphasis in the book on buying fewer clothes that you feel excited about wearing, rather than a lot of clothes because they’re on sale or in fashion. 

If reading is your bag, the Edinburgh International Book Festival is taking place on 12-28^th August. This Hettie ‘Ella’ bag is perfect for the odd book and your daily essentials if you’re going to take part.

In favour of a lighter touch of reading, we suggest browsing the twitter feed of Ethical Hour. Have a look if you want to get more involved with sustainable brands.

With a good book or some headphones in, either way you could cosy up with our new pillows, made with upcycled fabric. A worthwhile read on a quite afternoon. 

                         

                  Sincerely Madia & Matilda

#Foodie - Pea Soup

Why not choose a creamy pea soup for a delicious autumn dinner to keep you going in the middle of the week

Ingredient:

Creme fraiche (optional)

Butter

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 medium onion or spring, chopped

1 stalk celery, chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme or parsley

6 cups peas, fresh or frozen

½ cup water

4 cups vegetable stock

½ cup half-and-half (optional)

½ teaspoon salt

Freshly ground pepper to taste

You will need:

Pan, a hand held Blender, Spoon

Directions:

Heat butter and oil over medium heat until the butter melts in pan. Add onion and celery; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 4 to 6 minutes. Add garlic and thyme (or parsley); cook, stirring, until fragrant, for about 10 seconds.

Stir in peas. Add in water and the stock; bring to a lively simmer over high heat. Reduce heat to maintain a lively simmer and cook for about 1 minute.

Puree the soup in batches in a blender until smooth. (Use caution when pureeing hot liquids.) Stir in half-and-half, add in salt and pepper.

Finally add in Creme fraiche (Leave out if Vegan)

Tip:

Ready  to eat in 35 m, with 3 servings, you can also make ahead of time; refrigerate for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

  

Sincerely Madia & Matilda

Muse of the Autumn Season

As we transition in to the autumn season, we thought we share our muses for the season; Caroline Issa, who is an fan of Madia & Matilda and our sustainable clothing ethos.

CEO and Editor of Tank, Because magazine Caroline Issa exudes classic feminine style, that the Madia & Matilda woman portrays. Always, making a statement in the front row or street style blogs, Caroline style is understated and sartorial.



We have hand selected, work style we feel Caroline Issa would approve of; to transition into the autumn season. 

1. Effortless everyday staple - Shan Blouse worn with the Phoebe skirt, in a fitted silhouette  with a contrast elasticated waist band. A great selection if you are planning on going for drinks after work.

2. A less conventional classic Work shirt - Adian has embroidered flowers or for a classic work shirt the Carrie - Chiffon Blouse as seen worn with the Eduora skirt a midi Length pleated skirt.

3.  Floral beauty - River Top a cap sleeve, pleated top; worn with a smart crop trouser Zara is perfect for running from meeting to meeting!

Sincerely Madia & Matilda

Edible Papaya Boats

The ultimate in fast food breakfast in a crafted edible bowl. A fresh, delicious & nutritious breakfast that just looks beautiful. Perfect for if your in a hurry or just lounging on a Sunday morning; check out our recipe below.

PAPAYA BOATS

Serves: 2

INGREDIENTS
80g mixed seeds (or Oats or granola which ever you prefer)
1 apple, grated
Splash of vanilla
Pinch of cinnamon
20g blueberrys
1 Tablespoon chia seeds
1 Papaya
Strawberries, blueberries to serve
Blackberrys
Bananas
Almonds
Coconut flakes
1 Nectarines

INSTRUCTIONS
Simply pop the oats in a bowl.
Cut the papaya in half and use a teaspoon to scoop out the seeds.
Fill the papaya bowls with the muesli, oats or seeds and top with berries and all the ingredients listed with a pinch of cinnamon and your good to go!

Sincerely Madia & Matilda

What to wear at a festival

Whether you are off to Glasto, Hide out or Boardmasters or somewhere further afield…

... We've got a few styles for you to stand out from the crowd; in a sustainable outfit you can wear again and again.

 Our ‘Levannah’and ‘Carly’ dresses are easily our favourite festival go-to.

With such a versatile style, the ‘Julia’ dress is easy to pack, just add your favourite accessories and of course glitter! Tip: The‘Lena’ skirt looks super with it too for increased variety; why not rock the perfect sheer vs. matt ensemble?

 In the mood for music? Check out our Summer Playlist here on Spotify. 

DIY Flower garland

You will need:

·         Scissors/a knife

·         Horticultural wire

·         Tape (preferably green washi or masking tape)

·         Dried flowers or artificial flowers

Step one

Bend the horticultural wire in a loop about 2cm larger than comfortably sits on your head to create the main structure

Step two

Arrange flowers without tape to ascertain how the final product will look. If there’s a variety in the flowers then ensure they’re evenly distributed (or not if asymmetry is your desired effect.

Step three

Begin to tape the flower stems covering each with the next flower. Where you finish will be the back of the garland.

Step 4

Add ribbons or other trimmings for more festival fun!

Aiming to crowd surf or sit on shoulders?Our ‘Jain’ playsuit offers a cool alternative to dresses, for the more adventurous side of fashion.

DON’T FORGET: Sunscreen is the best accessory with any outfit in the sun!

  Sincerely Madia & Matilda

Travel

Travel

Peak holiday season is almost upon us. Here at Madia & Matilda we want to share our go-to holiday outfits as well as some nifty tips.

Plain and simple

Opt for minimal pattern to achieve effortless style. We live the M+M Tess - dress for this reason. Not only is it comfortable enough for that long haul flight, its fun tie-back design ensures just the right amount of flair to be suitable for all occasions.

Creative combos

Mix and match items for maximum versatility. Our top picks from Madia & Matilda are the Phoebe - contrast panel skirt and the Lisa May - tank top. Block colours work best for this but patterns could be introduced with accessories.

Pre-plan outfits

we cannot stress how important it is to make sure you have already planned out your outfits to wear on holiday, we have previously often thrown a load of summer clothes into my suit case and arrived on holiday with no assembled outfits.

Take minimal accessories
You won’t want to turn up on holiday with 100’s of accessories, just try to take accessories that will co ordinate well with your outfits, sunglasses a must!

Take clothes that are durable for travel
It is a pain when you’re travelling and your clothes get damaged, so too avoid this make sure to not take clothes that are already damaged and take clothes that will be right for what you plan to do whilst travelling.

Try to avoid taking a huge amount of beauty products                                      
If you’re planning to wear makeup during your travels, try not to avoid taking most of your beautystash, try taking a makeup palette that includes eye shadow, lipstick and blush instead of taking those individual products.  

                                                                                                                                             

                                                                                                                                           

Sincerely Madia & Matilda

e::  info@madiamatilda.co.uk       w::  www.madiamatilda.co.uk/

Breakfast of Champions

With Wimbledon on at the moment it’s time to eat the British breakfast, or snack, of tennis champions A.K.A scones. They’re perfect for trying to replicate the Wimbledon experience, whether, it’s whilst eating lounging on the sofa watching TV or sitting in the garden on a picnic blanket with friends. 

Check out our recipe for scone

Ingredients:

350g of self-raising flour and extra for dusting

¼ tsp of salt

1tsp of baking powder

85g of butter cut into cubes

3tbsp of caster sugar

175ml of milk

1 tsp of vanilla extract

Squeeze lemon juice

Beaten egg to glaze

Jam and clotted cream to serve

Method:

1. Heat the oven to 220c/fan and 200c/gas 7. Tip flour, salt and baking powder into a large bowl and mix.

2. Add the butter then rub with fingers into the dry mixture until the mixture becomes fine like crumbs. Then stir in the sugar.

3. Put the milk in a tub and heat for 30 seconds in the microwave so it’s warm. Add the vanilla and lemon juice. Then put it to the side and put a baking sheet to the oven.

4. Make a hole in the dry mix and add the liquid. Combine it quickly with a knife; it will seem very wet at first.

5. Scatter flour on a surface and put the dough on it. Put flour on your hands too. Fold the dough over 2-3 times until it’s a little smoother. Then pat the dough into a round that is roughly 4cm deep.

6. Take a round cutter and dip it in flour before cutting out the dough.

7. Bake for 10 minutes until they are golden on the top.

Style - This weeks top picks

Stuck in the office or uncertain of what to wear to keep cool in a during the height of summer.

Instead of feeling envious at those hot-dog-leg photo or the next upload of seaside views, you’re left to tackle the question of: what to wear to work in the heat? Fortunately top 5 picks will help you keep your cool this summer, taking you from the office to after-work drinks with ease. 

1. The contemporary Alicia Skirt is worn with the Cathy Pleated Tee
an effortless look to wear to any day job. 

Shop the Alicia - Mini Skirt and the Cathy Tee

2. Rachel - Easy summer dress 

Relax into the weekend with the lightweight denim Rachel dress for your go to summer dress,  with the contemporary detailing of the Rachel Dress will be sure to impress. Maximise the versatility of the dress with mid block sandals for work or clean minimal trainers for the weekend. 

Shop the Rachel - Dress

3. Stone - Day dress

A sweet a-line style dress is not only adaptable and versatile, but is also very light and airy, perfect for a summer heat wave. A block court shoe to wear at night or for work or change up with a sandal for the weekend.

Shop the Stone - Dress

4. Modern Twist

Cut from luxurious fabric, this laid-back silhouette - Angelica - top, Simone - Skirt  lends itself as an every day essential, paired with flatform sandals and our Simone skirt  modernity. Keep jewellery subtle with a delicate wire bangle or stud earrings see our curated brand accessories for further styles. 

Accessorize with a spacious Hettie tote bag which come in 2 different fabrics (spot or tweed) or with our curated brands, crossbody bag Ella; crafted in tweed with a contrasting inside, is an understated classic perfect for day-to-day wear.

Shop the Angelica - top, Simone - Skirt, Ella Crossbody Bag & Hettie Tote Bag

Style - Wedding Season

Celebrate those unforgettable moments.

In the June weather, dancing from sunrise to sunset in our Dina Dress or for a fun time in our candyfloss coloured Stone Dress 

In need of a small clutch bag that sets off your outfit why not check out our curated brands selection here

The best dressed guest.

in a sustainable number, without upstaging the bride, go full romance with the Sage skirt or if your a good vibes gal you may like our Carly Dress keeping the look refined with a gold bracelet.

For those who love a sheer number, the Akeyla dress or the Levanna dress are sophisticated and polished for the wedding of the century.