Trousers – Zara. Bag – Gucci. Watch – Larsson & Jennings. Trainers – Isabel Marant.

I did receive a fair bit of warning before heading to the Maldives: that the islands will take my heart and drown it deep, deep down the Indian Ocean; that I will experience a kind of feeling not so dissimilar to love, or absolute bewilderment. Like the first time I tried Chipotle? I asked, and they all said EVEN BETTER. So I packed high hopes, along with six bikinis, because another someone said most of my time will be spent chasing Pixar characters under water. I assumed they meant Nemo but packed more racy numbers just in case they actually meant Mr Incredible.

Conrad Maldives is 30-minute seaplane flight from capital Malé down into the bluest bit of the globe – by atlas standards a practically invisible clutter of tiny islands located south of Sri Lanka, with a probability of accidental discovery from zero to drunk-and-randomly-clicking-around-Google-Earth-satellite-view. As the seaplane expertly skimmed down onto the glassy sea, I couldn’t help but feel like a bond girl, seeking refuge on a glamorous island with the aid of an international spy – nevermind the ill-digested plane food and a muffin top.

I had never seen such unadulterated scenery, such literal exhibition of colours, and immediately took up on bumping up adjectives to superlatives: bluest sea/whitest sand/bestest trip EVER…and so on. Indeed just like my first time at Chipotle. And just as I ran out of words starting with ‘A’ to describe the view over a coconutty welcome drink, a smiley Maldivian in white beckoned towards our water villas. Modern and minimalist in style, constructed of de-saturated sea wood, and pulled together by the occasional splash of blue furnishing, mine was one of 71 water villas on the island. Although, the whereabouts of the other 61 was a mystery I never managed to solve.

I felt right at home, if home was a house above crystal clear water and a glass globe horizon for a view. This feeling of privacy was something I’d never known I cherished in hotels/resorts, I suppose more so that I was to spend the next few days alone, wrestling with a tripod and remote for photos.

As the sea lapped at the beams of the villa and the outdoor Jacuzzi gurgled every so often to compete, I was already unbuttoning my heart to give to the sea at the Conrad Maldives. And I’d soon learn that no amount of snorkelling or diving I’d be able to retrieve it.

Stick around for part 2, and once again a happy 10th birthday to Ithaa, Conrad Maldives’ undersea restaurant – more on this later.

Park & Cube was a guest of Conrad Maldives, all views and opinions are my own.

Swimsuit – Victoria’s Secret

White Shirt – ASOS. Jeans – G-Star RAW (tight)

Jeans – G-Star RAW (wide)

If you happen follow me on my satellite rant-channels such as Twitter or Instagram you’ve been subject to the live stream moaning of all things related to the joy of moving homes. For this I apologise. If you don’t however, you 1) are making smart choices in life (or at least very refined taste in internet personalities) but also 2) missing out on a whole slew of embarrassing food choices that explain for mysterious stomach bulges that excite and disappoint my mother every other day around dinnertime. (“Kebab or baby?”)

For the past month I’ve been in nothing but jeans (these two G-Star RAW pairs, my current fav), occupying myself in packing, unpacking, and learning the art of leading a professional life in the most trashcan-like setting in the new house. But we have a marble fireplace so, we got that going for us, which is nice. So far we’ve managed to dig a path to and from the boxes containing beef jerky packets, and have sung a bit of Step in Time while vacuuming around the fireplace.

When it comes to moving uniform though, jeans all the way. Tight or wide, I just like knowing I can wipe my hands on my leg since I have no clue where we packed our towels. While I go look for some (it has now come to a point where a shower is definitely needed), you tell me whether you’re #TeamTight or Wide when it comes to jeans.

In collaboration with G-Star RAW #TightorWide. Editing P&C. Photo assistance by Simon Schmidt.

Silk scarf – MiH. Leather vest, trench, jeans – GStar RAW. Heels – Gianvito Rossi. Bag – Gucci. Watch – Karl Lagerfeld. Earcuff – CompletedWorks

Jumpsuit – Next

Dress – Alexander mcQueen. Heels – Celine. Both via Harvey Nichols

Top – J W Anderson via Harvey Nichols | similar at Gucci. Suede skirt – Vintage (similar). Boots – Zara.

In collaboation with Gucci. Photography: Shini Park & Brian Leavy. Art Direction & Graphic Design: Shini Park

Gucci clutch

Skirt – ASOS. Heels – ASOS. Blouse – Zara. Bracelets – Bouton. Belt – ASOS. Clutch – Gucci

When we’re not sunning ourselves at the glare of our laptop screens, connected merely through an Ethernet cable and gunning down Nazi zombies on co-op multiplayer mode, hubby and I like to think we are pretty normal people. You know, like, wine, dine, and footsie under the table kind of couple. Having been together since highschool, to this day our dates usually involve a bus, the local cinema and cargo pants for maximum pocket-space to smuggle in snacks (our record is 2 massive Dorito’s bags and a bowl of salsa dip). If we reach first place that’s a hot night. But lately, and I’m not sure if it’s all the glittery holiday decorations or the fact that it’s dark before the afternoon is up, we’ve been arranging more dates out in town – eating food that wasn’t delivered by a motorcycle, wearing clothes that aren’t soiled with bits and Kebabs. I won’t lie, it’s exhilarating to experience London in a different light, and to know that by learning to do this we’re living the best of both worlds. One night we’ll burn through the night at home with back-to-back Big Bang Theory seasons and plastic cutlery takeaway dinners, and on another we can sit at a marble-top bar with the glittering liquor bottles and sip wine that’s listed slightly lower on the menu before the 7:30 show. We’re still taking it slow though, occasionally I have to kick his shin if he tries licking his plate clean (our version of footsie for now), and we remind eachother about the discretionary cough when someone belches accidentally. The other night we tried smuggling in popcorn in the Gucci clutch and had to explain that it was a gift and all the popcorn just came with it.

Bar: Les Deux Salons; Theatre: Aldwych Theatre. Photos of outfit thanks to lovely Kit. Gucci x Park & Cube

Gucci ‘Babouska’, Sonia Rykiel Round-studded boots, Jak & Jil blog

Round Studs: check, Victim boots: on it’s way. I am planning to stud the hell out of these.