Summer Baby

Now I am a Winter baby, born November 8th and seeing more and more Scorpio traits in myself as I get older. And I have always loved the Winter - all the cosy good stuff about it, candles in an evening, hot drinks, coming in from the cold. And the best thing has always been the clothes, gorgeous wool coats, cashmere knits, leather boots - so many pieces I cherish in my wardrobe so much and have invested so much in. But, for the first time ever this year, I really feel like a Summer baby. I have loved the Summer, I have chased the sun most of this year, become obsessed with getting a tan and sunbathing (sensibly of course), wearing Summer clothes, having beachy hair, freckles… all of the quintessentially Summer things that previously I have never been bothered about! I think living in London has played a part - there is such an atmosphere in London in the Summer, and I have been loving the long evenings spent in the garden with friends, or sat working with all the windows in my flat wide open. There is the obvious things that make Summer good - waking up early doesn't seem as torturous when it's actually light out, Aperol Spritz tastes better in Summer (but then my all time favourite drink, and Old Fashioned, tastes better in the Winter), and the glowing skin you get on holiday can never full be recreated with make up. 

As I said, one of my favourite things recently has been spending time in the garden. I sit out there and read on my own, sometimes go write some blog posts, sit out and have drinks with friends and the odd take away here and there. I have also been shooting content out there too - this was the last outfit I shot last week when I had sort of lost my momentum (hence the Aperol), and in all honesty it was a little too hot for this all black outfit but I loved it. My beloved Toteme trousers (speaking of Toteme, been eyeing up this blazer, what do you all think??), with my Reformation blouse unbuttoned and tied up at the bottom - the whole look made me feel a bit like an old film star on the French Riviera, and I could have gone for that look even more if I was in the mood to brave heels on the gravel in the garden (but clearly, I was not). With my new Ray Ban club masters (totally forgot how much I love these sunglasses, and judging by the fact I bought a similar style from Celine last week, these are clearly a style I am into more than I realise right now!) and my favourite gold hoops and I had a look that made me very sweaty but looked good at least. 

TROUSERS: TOTEME (here is that blazer I mentioned, what do you all think?) | SHIRT: REFORMATION (Topshop have a similar one here, this one wasn't worth the Ref price tag sadly) | SHOES: TOPSHOP | SUNGLASSES: RAY-BAN c/o BRAND ALLEY | EARRINGS: LAURA LOMBARDI

PHOTOS BY TOM MITCHELL AND ME. 

Wishlist On A Wednesday

Fancied sharing some things I have seen online recently that I love, and some inspiration alongside that. Hopefully I can make this a regular feature if you guys enjoy it!! 

Madly into white trousers at the moment, and can't decide whether to splurge or not. Max Mara have this stunning pair which look like the most incredible fit, but Topshop also coming up strong with this pair and the matching jacket - both of which would be less than the Max Mara trousers. What do we think? I have no issue paying more for tailoring as so often it's worth it, but with something  as high maintenance as white trousers, I have my reservations! 

THE Jacquemus shoes that have been all over Tumblr came in stock in Matches, I can't help but imagine them with my white suit and WANT them SO BAD!!!! Holding off because I spent a lot on my Isabel Marant heels not so long ago, but my god these are good and will be sold out in a breath too. 

Once again blaming Tumblr for a current obsession with white lace, and more specifically what has to be the best wedding outfit ever from Emma Leth!! So sexy for Summer outfits, great with denim when you're in England, or linen for when you're on holiday. I can't get enough and the high street is offering a few strong options. This Topshop body, the ultimate night out piece! And this Stories dress (Stories new in is suddenly awash with incredible white pieces I am loving) - the sort of dress you wear on the first day of your holiday and then over a bikini for the rest of it. I love it. 

Also planning on having a few demure chic moments in the coming months in-between wearing see through tank tops and very short dresses (balance guys), and midi dresses will be my go to for that. I already have this & Other Stories dress which I have worn in London and on holiday - once with Superga trainers, and then again with some slides. It's mega flattering and so simple, I feel amazing in it. Also eyeing up this Mango one for something a little more casual, especially loving the button down detailing here. 

Understanding Accessories

You may have noticed recently I have developed a serious love for accessories - I promise to do a blog post about all my favourites very soon, but in the meantime I wanted to talk about it more generally. The whole post being inspired by my most recent sunglasses purchase, these Celine ones which I loveeeee. Sunglasses were always the only accessories I really paid much attention too. I have always loved them, always had a soft spot for designer ones, and always had quite the collection. I love how they can make a simple summer outfit feel all the more interesting, hide a dreadful hangover (and puffy eyes, I recently learnt), and all in all make you feel way more chic and glam. I don't know why it took me so long to transfer this idea onto other accessories to, thinking about how they can elevate a look. Things like handbags I am still sort of indifferent too, I so rarely see a handbag that I love and just have to have - and lets be honest, with their crazy prices nowadays, you really do need to feel quite passionately about them!! I have a relatively good collection now with all bases covered and little want for a new one, and as I said, I rarely even see ones that I like. I also find that my collection is just the right size to be able to rediscover ones I haven't used as much recently, like this Gucci one. It was in my wardrobe since moving to London (my day to day ones sit by the front door, so out of sheer laziness they are always the ones I end up reaching for the most regularly), and I probably didn't use it for well over six months. But recently I have been loving it again, even though it's black leather so not the most Summer appropriate, the bamboo handles add something to it that makes it feel like a Summer bag for me.

As I said, I will do a post all about jewellery soon - but my love for big gold earrings is still going very strong. These Laura Lombardi ones have been in my ears almost daily since I got them, and I have a few gold necklaces on rotation before I a) loose them, b) get them tangled up beyond the point of recognition or c) break them. Who knew gold chains were so easy to break, I seem to be doing it an alarming number of them! Anyway all these little details do just what the sunglasses do; make a simple outfit feel more special. Although this one is made up of some of my current favourite basics, so while it may be minimal, it already feels special enough. 

TOP: MANGO | TROUSERS: WEEKDAY | SHOES: ANCIENT GREEK SANDALS | SUNGLASSES: CELINE | BAG: GUCCI | EARRINGS: LAURA LOMARDI | NECKLACE: ASTLEY CLARKE & MAANESTEN

PHOTOS BY TOM MITCHELL

Acceptance

Coming to you guys today with my idea of the perfect evening outfit, and a little chat about how I am accepting I have a certain inability to properly switch off. I am writing this post mid-way through my week long holiday in Mauritius with Mum, where I have sunbathed, read, slept... and thought about work. I have felt rested, relaxed, but wanted to shoot everyday and thought about all the content I want to make for you guys. I have mentioned in the past how switching off is a problem for me, but I think I am learning that I can switch off, it just oddly has to run alongside thinking about work, but in a totally non-stressful way. I think it mostly comes from how much I love my work which makes me never want to leave it, and what is ever wrong with that?! So it may be 6pm here right now and I am sat at the bar while writing this post, but I am enjoying it and it's making me feel chilled out knowing things are ticking over just fine, so I think really it's all okay. I am also lucky to be excited by my work all the time, to share new content with you all and to shoot new things while I am away that I then can't wait to share - I will never feel guilty for that because I think it's just the best thing ever to feel that way about your work and if I ever lost it I would be gutted.

So this is where I am today, excited to share this outfit I love and these photos I shot in my flat that I love too - my bay windows are my favourite bit of my flat so to be able to shoot there will never get old for me. The outfit involves my new favourite trousers from & Other Stories which I have been wearing non-stop. I shared them on Instagram a few weeks ago and Karla Deras, one of my all time girl crushes and probably favourite blogger ever, commented saying she loved them and it honestly couldn't be a better seal of approval! They look amazing for evening looks with heels (but I have also been wearing them all the time with my Superga trainers especially), and I wanted something extra masculine so went with my old Frankie Store blazer, worn undone this time. My trick is to fasten it together through two button holes with a bent bobby pin, which always works a charm! Sleeves rolled up, some gold jewellery and some minimal heels and you are good to go. Also loving wearing my hair like this at the moment - it's a two day hair rotation I have going on where I wear my hair tied back in a braid for one day, then get these waves the next day! 

TROUSERS: & OTHER STORIES | BLAZER: THE FRANKIE STORE (similar here) | SHOES: SAINT LAURENT (similar here)

PHOTOS BY TOM MITCHELL