The ES Shopping Shortlist: What to shop, see and know in May 2025

Australia's Alemais has been the go-to label for the last few summers, but for the upcoming season, you can find an exclusive collection in collaboration with Net-A-Porter.

The capsule of 24 pieces spans everything from swimwear and accessories to RTW pieces for special occasions, including satin and sequinned dresses made for summer weddings.

Inspiration is drawn from animals and flora found along the coast Down Under. Now that's our kind of Vitamin Sea.

Prices from £140.

Accessories can make the outfit, and now one of the biggest rental sites has added a new designer to its offering.

By Rotation has added Lulu Guinness to its list of designers (the first time that the brand has been available to rent), so you can pair a wedding guest or summer party outfit with one of the label's statement bags, including this archival black and ivory Schiaparelli-inspired bag.

Options from £5 a day.

The days of wearing one white dress on one day only may be behind us if Karen Millen has anything to do with it. The fashion label has unveiled its bridal collection, which spans cocktail dresses, swimwear, tops, suits and dresses, providing plenty of affordable inspo for every one of your pre-wedding looks.

Prices start from £39.

Why have it still when sparkling is on the menu? Chic appliance brand Smeg has launched a fizzy water machine to up your sparkling water game.

Offered in four chic colours, the sleek cordless unit features a dial turn that allows you to control the level of carbonation pushed into the water. Being wire-free means you can set it up anywhere, from your bedside table for pre-snooze hydration to out in the garden, ready to impress party guests.

Whether you’re someone who has to wait for the bubbles to drop after cracking open a can of pop or you like them tickling your nose, you’ll love this.

When sunny weekends hit, it’s time to book a trip to the coast. Whether you’re headed to Brighton, Margate, or further afield, feel dresses for the part in Columbia’s new Heritage collection, inspired by the Oregon coastline.

The unisex collection includes separates and accessories with prices starting at £30. We’ve got our eye on the fishing co-ord set.

For some, it’s the most depressing day of the week, but O2 is on a mission to turn all that around with the launch of a new rewards initiative called Blue Mondays.

The Priority from O2 scheme will see hundreds of vouchers on everything from holidays to cinema tickets and chocolate bars on the first working day of the week, which is enough to turn any frown upside down.

Get your broadband through Virgin Media? You will be eligible for it too.

Feeling frazzled? Can’t sleep? Or just want to boost your nutrient intake?

Boots, the high street chemist, has added two new labels to its wellness line-up: science-backed Modern Chemistry and HABI, a line of playful gummy supplements. Each one is powerful and will help restore a sense of calm to body and mind.

To mark its 40th anniversary, Aromatherapy Associates is dropping a new Heritage Collection, packed with heavenly scented products all designed to encourage R&R.

The set is ideal for aromatherapy fans and newbies alike, with iconic blends (worth £197) to try and treasure. Use the De-Stress Mind Bath & Shower Oil after a hard day and feel like a brand new person.

Widely touted as the best walk-in burger in London (and beyond), Five Guys is a takeaway favourite for many who can drop £20+ a go on it - costs can quickly add up if you're treating the whole family.

To address this, the chain has launched a kids' option called Little Guys at a similarly bite-sized price. The deal includes either a burger, hot dog or grilled cheese sandwich (with limited toppings), plus fries and a drink for £7, bringing down a family meal bill considerably. Three cheers for that.

For a restaurant that started out offering just two kinds of dishes, Burger & Lobster now has quite a selection on its menu. But if you've exhausted the selection, we've heard of a clever hack to request something off-menu.

Loaded fries are made a premium sharing dish with a topping of delicious, juicy lobster, cheese sauce, chives and that lemon and butter sauce that we would drink by the pint if we could. If you're feeling extra flush, you can even add 10g of caviar to it, creating the ultimate high-low snack to share with friends.

All you have to do is utter the words "I know about the secret loaded fries" to have them brought to your table. Knowing wink optional.

The secret menu item isn’t available for home delivery, but if all this B&L talk has stoked an urge, order on Deliveroo below.

Everyone has their go-to Pret order, but for a limited time, if you order one of the coffee shop's new iced drinks, you can get a free Shoreditch Nails gel mani too.

In London, two pop-ups will match customers' nails to their Iced Matcha Latte, or new this year, Ube Brûlée and Spirulina Macaron drinks. It will take place in Pret Hackney on May 22 and Pret Shoreditch on June 12, with limited slots available - so book fast.

If you miss out but still want latte-inspired nail art, the Dalston and Shoreditch branches of Shoreditch Nails will be offering the treatment from May 22 - June 22 for £60.

With the UK's best festival now just one month away, it's time to pull out all the stops to get yourself a ticket. Tony's is playing Willy Wonka by hiding tickets inside limited edition chocolate bars: the Everything bar and the vegan Dark bar 70%.

The confectioner is teaming up with Oxfam and the festival for the third year in a row to help raise cash for Worthy causes, with the competition collecting £125,000 already.

Time to crack open that piggy bank.

Hot weather is great and all, but if there's one part of the body that might protest, it's hair.

I’m talking frazzled strands, dulled shine, and split ends galore, but now you can wave goodbye to these nightmares with a fresh take on the Brazilian Blow Dry.

From haircare company Fabriq comes the Reset Enhanced Formula smoothing treatment, swerving harsh chemicals for low pH proteins to bond strands instead. It's so gentle, it's a safe treatment for pregnant women, and can be applied to all hair types.

The treatment leaves hair unbelievably smooth, shiny and frizz-free for up to four months. With the social season knocking, it’s a no-brainer of a beauty investment.

Best of all, Brooks & Brooks salon in Holborn is offering a 10 per cent discount for new customers until June 28. Prices start at £150.

We've heard a lot about this food delivery company, but hadn't tried one of its set menus until recently. The concept is based on Mumbai's dabbawalas, who collect home-cooked lunches in stacked tiffin lunchboxes from households before taking them to their intended diners, sitting miles away in busy offices.

Dabbadrop operates on the same model, only you don't have to be married to them to benefit. Instead, pick from weekly menus (all veggie for inclusivity) and have them bike-delivered in your own tiffin with condiments and sides.

I tried the Punjabi menu (£30 for two people), and honestly, couldn't spoon it into my mouth quickly enough. There's enough for two or even three people if you add in extra sides - anything that doesn't get eaten should be carefully decanted into fridge or freezer-safe containers to have later.

DabbaDrop offers an Asian takeaway that doesn't taste anything like one you’ve endured before. It's like something your Indian grandma might send over because she's worried you're not eating properly (and she's probably right). Scrape-it-clean delicious.

Curious? Now is the perfect time to give it a go: get 25 per cent off your first four deliveries with the code SPRINGISIN25.