Valerie Nightdress

January Reads with Sarah Gwonyoma

January 22, 2025

January is all about new beginnings and resolutions. It’s also about going a bit slower and hunkering down and what could feel more ‘hibernation mode’ than a good book and a fresh nightie. In celebration of this we chatted to our book crush, Sarah Gwonyoma to share a selection of her favourite reads – and yes, it doesn’t hurt that she is a fellow nightie devotee and looks just perfect in some of our designs! Writer and Book Critic, Sarah Gwonyoma is the Founder of the popular online platform What Sarah Read Next. With an acute eye for the hottest reads, Sarah writes brilliant book reviews and has interviewed an array of notable authors on literary circuit; Douglas Stuart, Abi Morgan, Annie MacManus and Musa Okwonga, Ayobami Adebayo, Paul Murray and many more. Her joy of reading is contagious, and we adored hearing her thoughts below. Dive into to Sarah's literary world, discovering her perfect nighttime routine as well as her monthly online book club - What We Read Next. WHAT IS ON YOUR NIGHTSTAND? Lumity Morning and Night capsules, Neom Perfect Night’s Sleep Mist (Lavender, Chamomile and Patchouli), Magnesium Glycinate tablets and Wideye Lavender Oil. Oh and books of course.  THE LAST BOOK YOU READ WAS... 'The Wedding People' by Alison Espach - laugh out loud funny. Oh my goodness, EVERYONE has to read it BEDTIME READING: PAPER BOOK OR KINDLE? Paper book every time. Kindle only if I can’t get hold of a book I’m desperate to read or when I’m travelling.  WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE BOOK OF ALL TIME? 'A Little Life' by Hanya Yanagihara. I think about this book (Jude) every day. No book has ever affected me like this one. WHAT IS YOUR ULTIMATE BEDTIME ROUTINE? If I’m not travelling or out at a work event, I’m usually tucked up in bed by 8:30pm. My routine usually involves cleansing my face and whacking on my Aesop Fabulous Face Oil, slipping on my PJs and getting into bed by 8:30pm. I spritz my pillow with Neom Perfect Night’s Sleep mist, take both my Lumity Night and Magnesium tablets, and then lie in bed with my book, until I fall asleep.  THE ONE BOOK EVERYONE SHOULD READ IS... ‘Possibility’ by Sareeta Domingo - A romantic novel about a woman called Anika who wakes up in hospital on her thirtieth birthday with a second chance at life, vowing not to waste another second. It’s a book about manifesting the life of your dreams and lots of sexy love. WHEN IT COMES TO BED, NOTHING FEEL BETTER THAN... Wearing your favourite luxe pjs, lathered in lavender oil, propped up in bed with a unputdownable book.  IS THERE A BOOK THAT YOU ALWAYS GO BACK TO AT THIS TIME OF YEAR? 'With Love Grief and Fury' by Salena Godden TELL US MORE ABOUT YOUR BOOK CLUB, HOW IT CAME ABOUT AND HOW PEOPLE CAN GET INVOLVED? My friend Charlie and I set up our monthly online book club - WHAT WE READ NEXT - last year. Every month we sit down and chat to a different author about their book, which I have specially picked from the hundreds I’ve been lucky to read and love. The online events will all run virtually, so you can watch it from the comfort of your home or on your phone. As a book club member, you will also have the chance to ask the author questions during the live event AND chat about the book in our very own blog space. The monthly subscription covers your ticket for the online event and 3 free newsletters from me. Charlie and I REALLY want to build a community of book lovers from all over the world because for us books ARE JOY. To find out more about the What We Read Next Book visit: Website // Instagram

Pillow Talk with... Caroline Kent

December 16, 2024

Welcome back to The Nightstand, our quarterly newsletter landing in your inbox in time for each season change, so here we are with Winter, in all its glory. This season's Pillow Talk is with the beautiful and charming Caroline Kent. With a background as a curator of contemporary art, illustrator Caroline Kent founded stationery brand Scribble & Daub in 2012, to create stylish cards and paper goods for gifting, hosting and correspondence. For those who still delight in handcrafted, tangible pieces as a remedy to the digital world. WHAT IS ON YOUR NIGHTSTAND?  A Moleskine diary to jot down a line or two about the day, a pebble my son Caspar drew love hearts on for me, a painting of roses on an odd bit of cardboard which hides the plug socket that was put in the wrong place, and The Nine Tailors by Dorothy L Sayers, recommended to me as a great Christmas read by my friend Jo Rodgers. WHAT IS YOUR ULTIMATE BEDTIME ROUTINE?  A candlelit bath with Susanne Kaufmann’s Oil for the Senses, followed by  Votary’s Night Oil. Then a few pages of a great book, turning out the light when I find it drops from my hand… This is not a scenario that occurs with any regularity! YOUR ONE PEARL OF WISDOM FOR A GOOD NIGHT'S SLEEP?  Fresh air - I sleep best with the window open. AND ONE FALLACY? Sleepy tea, it just makes you need a wee in the middle of the night! DESCRIBE YOUR PERFECT CHRISTMAS MORNING... I love the feeling of a rustling, present-filled stocking at my feet, and childishly insist that my husband still make one for me - he one hand-painted me a little box of marzipan fruits (I love marzipan). Waking up to that is the best. Our alarm clock on Christmas morning is the excited shrieks of our three boys as they open their own stockings, and who then pile into our bed to show us their loot. WHOSE BEDROOM WOULD YOU MOST LIKE TO SNOOP AROUND?  Alexa Chung WHAT INSPIRES YOU MOST FOR YOUR WORK? The garden and meadow we’ve made around our cottage. I won’t ever get tired of drawing flowers. But I do get terribly distracted by the endless jobs that I could be doing outside the studio window…  MOST ROMANTIC PIECE OF MUSIC TO RELAX TO?  My husband Tim playing the piano. WHAT IS ON YOUR BREAKFAST-IN-BED TRAY?  A pastry magically teleported from Lannan bakery in Edinburgh, half a pink grapefruit, a glass of Champagne, and coffee in my favourite Ginny Sims mug. And a copy of the FT on the side. BEDTIME READING: PAPER BOOK OR KINDLE?  Paper book, always and forever. WHAT IS ON YOUR CHRISTMAS LIST THIS YEAR?  A holm oak tree, Art is Magic by Jeremy Deller, a pair of beautifully coloured socks, a charm necklace from Grainne Morton, and a bolt of Common Room’s mochaware fabric for my January decorating plans… ONE SMELL THAT EVOKES AUTUMN IS...  Frost (or even better, snow). YOUR FAVOURITE IF ONLY IF NIGHTIE? Carey - cannot believe how soft and light it is, just want to spend all day in bed… WHEN IT COMES TO BED, NOTHING FEELS BETTER THAN...  Fresh clean sheets. And a cuddle. Discover Scribble & Daub: Website // Instagram

Pillow Talk with... Violet Dent

July 21, 2024

Welcome back to The Nightstand, our quarterly newsletter landing in your inbox in time for each season change, so here we are with Summer, in all its glory.  This season's Pillow Talk is with the beautiful and charming Violet Dent. Violet is a Fashion and Homeware Designer, Creative Consultant and Stylist who has worked with Cabbages & Roses for the past 18 years. She started her career as a make-up artist whilst working in the Cabbages & Roses shop part time. Christina Strutt, founder of the brand, quickly realised they had a similar eye and took Violet under her wing, teaching her everything from fabric printing to designing an entire fashion collection. She worked for the brand for 10 years until 2017, when she then worked as a freelance designer and stylist before having her daughter Dolly in 2020. She re-joined Cabbages & Roses in 2022, overseeing all creative projects and designs which led to our wonderful If Only If x Cabbages & Roses collaboration. What is your ultimate bedtime routine?  A bath, face mask, clean sheets, an If Only If nightie (obviously) and in bed by 10pm. This is extremely unrealistic and very rarely happens but when it does there is genuinely nothing better. What is on your nightstand? I love the Deep Sleep Pillow Spray from This Works, The Sleepy Cream from Lush which smells like heaven, Kalms, a pile of books I'll never read, water and my phone. Your one pearl of wisdom for a good night's sleep? When I was pregnant and finding it hard to fall asleep I started listening to Harry Potter on Audible. It's been almost four years since then and my husband and I still fall asleep to it every single night. It's read by Stephen Fry and there is something so calming and familiar about his voice. I'm not sure if it's a good or bad habit but if you're feeling anxious and want to take your mind off the real world I would highly recommend it. And one fallacy?  I've just received a grounding sheet to sleep on. They are meant to be amazing for sleep, mood, stress, inflammation and a million other things so I'm excited to try it and see if it's true or a fallacy. Whose bedroom would you most like to snoop around?  Probably Kim Kardashian's. Most romantic piece of music to relax to? Anything by Ludovico Einaudi. What is on your breakfast-in-bed tray? I'm not a huge breakfast person but I love coffee, my first of the day is a black Americano. Bedtime reading: Paper Book or Kindle? A paper book. Your favourite If Only If nightie? I adore all your nighties but the ones from the If Only If x Cabbages & Roses collaboration are my current favourites. One smell that evokes Spring is...  Elderflower and suncream.  When it comes to bed, nothing feels better than...  Clean sheets, a fresh nightie and a silk pillowcase. Discover Violet Dent

Pillow Talk with... Arabella Preston

October 12, 2023

Welcome back to The Nightstand, our quarterly newsletter landing in your inbox in time for each season change. So here we are with Autumn, in all its golden-hued glory, and this season’s Pillow Talk is with VOTARY and VERDEN co-founder, Arabella Preston. Former make-up artist, Arabella forged her career working with top photographers, magazines and high-profile private clients. Inspired by her belief that healthy skin is the best foundation, she went on to co-found these two incredibly successful brands. It was a complete joy to sit down with Arabella and pick her brain on all things 'nighttime routine’ and as a self-confessed skincare addict, I couldn’t wait to hear a step by step of her evening rituals. What is on your nightstand at this time of year? A transporting book. I’m currently immersed in Tell Me What I Am by Una Mannion. A hand cream. I can’t sleep with dry hands so have the VERDEN D’Orangerie Hand Cream by my bed always. A good luck charm. The magic wand my nephew made me when he was three. It’s one of my most treasured possessions. A skin transforming product. Currently VOTARY’S new Night Star Serum. My skin gets dry in the Autumn and is drinking this up. The best earplugs in the world. The wax earplugs by Blox are unsurpassed. What is your bedtime routine? It starts early in the evening with a hot bath, soaking with a bath oil and face mask. I then do my full skincare routine, thoroughly removing make-up and applying Night Star Serum. I am simply too tired just before bed to do a good enough job so my skin is always better when I do it earlier in the evening. Then just before bed I will reapply the serum and add a little Intense Night Oil on top. Then 10 minutes reading until my eyes start to droop.  Your one pearl of wisdom for a good night's sleep? I always sleep better when I have washed the day off, so a hot bath or shower are key. And one fallacy? I don’t need to digitally detox 2 hours before going to bed. In fact the opposite is true, if I am up to date with messages and have engaged with what the following day will hold, I usually sleep better.  Whose bedroom would you most like to snoop around? Estée Lauder’s - preferably in the 1940’s or 50’s if you can swing it for me. What books past or present have you enjoyed on your nightstand? I loved Anya Hindmarch’s business memoir, If In Doubt Wash Your Hair. It’s fun and honest. I also adored Sorrow and Bliss by Meg Mason. Your favourite childhood book? At bedtime it was always Demon Daisy’s Dreadful Week by Phillida Gill. It tells the story of a girl who is having a terrible time being good and her very, very tired, Mummy. My Mum read it to me and I loved reading it to my daughter at the same age. It ends with the cathartic line “But Daisy was a good girl at heart; she always said she was sorry, and her mother wouldn’t have changed her for the world.” The illustrations are also beautiful and I seem to remember some very If Only If-esque nighties! Which If Only If nightie is on your wishlist? Well I have to say the Arabella don’t I? But seriously, I love a square neck and long sleeve so…. One smell that evokes Autumn is... For me it’s the smell of our freshly pressed Apple Juice. We pick the apples in September then bottle the juice. It sees us through the winter and when it gets really cold we mull it with spices.  When it comes to bed, nothing feels better than... Clean, ironed sheets, cotton nightwear and cuddles!