Florals and stripes...

This dress is one of the key pieces in my wardrobe and I have already raved about the pattern and fit but I always try and find different ways to style it and I really like the blue for a more summery look and when the weather warms up a bit more I will definitely be pairing it with my favourite New Look sandals!
Dress: H! by Henry Holland, belt: charity shop, shoes: Nanette Lepore for Keds.
I have had these shoes for about 4 years now but I have never actually worn them outside of the house. I bought them on a whim for £4 in the Office sale because I liked the pattern but have never actually managed to wear them. They have been on my 'to sell' pile for years now but I have been loath to get rid of them because they are just so pretty!


I finally decided to match them with this dress as the blue is similar enough that it doesn't clash too much. Jen has talked about mixing prints before and I love stripes and florals together! I am definitely going to wear these shoes more often though as they are the most comfortable pair of shoes I have ever worn. My parents are big fans of Keds shoes and these may have persuaded me to check out some of their newer ranges...


These shorts from H&M have become a cult favourite in the blogosphere and they have proven themselves well worth the £6.99 I spent on them. It means that I can wear all of those dresses that are just that little bit too short without tights in the summer too. 

What are your summer staples? Are there any items in your wardrobe that you find difficult to wear?

As you are reading this I will be on my way to my graduation, I just hope I don't fall flat on my face or make a fool out of myself...wish me luck!
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Coral stripes...

It is always lovely when you spot a gorgeous pair of shoes that look cute, give you some height whilst still being comfortable and only cost £5. It sounds like I am talking about the impossible, but I found them in New Look the other week. I am always really impressed with New Look shoes and I love these but I cannot work out a way to tie them so that they stay on my feet without feeling like they are going to fall off...any ideas?

Dress: H&M, bandeau top: H&M, shoes: New Look, necklace: charity shop
I love this H&;M dress and it has been featured on here before but I have always found it difficult to know what to wear underneath it as the drapery is lovely (and it reminds me of the drapery on the East pediment from the Acropolis!) but far too low cut to be decent. I bought a pack of two bandeau tops in black and white from H&M a while ago and they have proven themselves invaluable when tops or dresses are more revealing than you might like, I really cannot recommend them enough! 



I was really impressed with the colour match with the dress and the shoes, especially as they were from different stores. I normally find it impossible to match things but these shoes seem to have ticked that box too!
How cute are the little bows?!
Coral has to be one of my favourite colours, it works whatever the season and looks particularly good in the sunshine... so this dress is definitely one of the cheeriest items in my wardrobe!

Do you find it difficult to find matching accessories? What colour is your favourite?
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Soda bread recipe



The other day I ordered a copy of Marguerite Patten's 'Cookery in Colour'. Every generation of my family has one of these and it is filled with recipes that range from the wondrous Roman sandwich boat to the frankly disgusting anchovy stuffed eggs. For me and my family, it is the first stop for any culinary related questions and when we found some sour milk at the back of the fridge, I knew exactly where to look. This recipe may put some people off as it uses sour milk but I can promise that you cannot taste it once the bread has been cooked.


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Wheat fields and daisy dreams...

Sometimes I am amazed at just how beautiful it is in the area where I live. I love the buzz of cities like London but give me rolling fields and pretty flowers and I immediately feel like I am home. My sister and I were looking for somewhere to take some outfit pictures when we stumbled into a field near to our house. I have only ever seen it in the winter when it is muddy but today it was like walking into a 1970s Laura Ashley catalogue. There were daisies everywhere. Of course, like a true fashion blogger, I threw caution to the wind and we managed to snap some photos in this gorgeous setting. 

Dress: H&M via charity shop, shoes: Dorothy Perkins, necklace: Accessorize


There must have been thousands of daisies in this field! The smell was absolutely heavenly but unfortunately there were also hundreds of bugs :( In my haste to escape from a particularly menacing beetle I managed to stumble straight into a nettle patch... not my finest moment! 
 

Apologies for the chest shot but I had to show you my gorgeous necklace. I have never really subscribed to the idea of a statement necklace but this may have converted me! It is one of the heaviest pieces of jewellery I own but it is my favourite piece at the moment. The colours match perfectly with this dress and I can't wait to pair it with my various bright summer shorts! 


As it was warm  yesterday (finally!) I wanted to keep my hair off my back so bundled it up with some clips and added a cute daisy to make it a bit more interesting. I was quite pleased with the finished product and it was so easy to do, I will definitely be experimenting with some ribbons and plaits too now that my hair is long enough to actually do things with! I need to try and decide what I am doing with my hair for my graduation too, any ideas? 



Is there actually anywhere prettier than this? 

How did you have your hair for your graduation? Are you a country or a city gal? 
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Deja vu...

As a blogger, I think it is inevitable that you will have several items in your wardrobe that have quite a lot in common. This dress which I wore to Stow-on-the-Wold is one of those those... brown, floral, cord... sounding familiar yet? There is something so comforting and robust about cord, it reminds me of being young and carefree (which is sounding pretty good about now!) I'm applying for jobs at the moment and am desperate to find one. If you know anyone who would want to employ a recent Classics graduate, please let me know! 

Coat: Marks and Spencer, dress: River Island, belt: New Look, shoes: New Look,
This coat deserves to have praise heaped upon it. A mere £4.99 from £50 and a steal at twice the price. Stormproof and in a gorgeous bright green colour, it would have been impossible for me to leave it behind, you know how I love a good coat! It has been invaluable in this weird stormy weather we have been having and I can see it becoming a wardrobe staple very quickly. 


I think the good people of Stow were more than a little bewildered by my posing too, I got some very funny looks as they wandered around me, trying to dodge Mark as he snapped away!  This dress was perfect for a lazy OAP day and loose enough to accommodate all of the cream teas too ;) 


A close up of the print and the gorgeous bows that form the neckline. I tend to steer away from anything that has a looser A-line shape like this but hopefully the belt adds enough definition so I don't look too shapeless... 


I would normally have worn my hair up with a fancy neckline like this but I quite liked it down and I thought it made it look a bit more casual, what do you think? 

How would you have worn your hair? Do you have a fondness for certain fabrics? 
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Stow-on-the-Wold...another OAP day out! (PICTURE HEAVY)

I have posted about my OAP trips before and yesterday Mark and I took another trip to the picturesque Cotswold town of Stow-on-the-Wold, home of cream teas and antique shops... a match made in heaven! I mean what could be nicer than soaking up the sunshine with a cream tea?! 

  
Could you ask for a cooler toast rack?! 






Seriously, if you are ever in either Stow or Burford, please go to Huffkins. It is the most divine bakery and the food is divine! Mark and I shared the club sandwich and a chocolate and almond gateau... I haven't had such a nice sandwich in a long time! 





I could quite happily live in a cute Cotswold stone cottage with a painted door...maybe I could retire here? It was such a lovely day and I picked up a couple of bits and pieces from the charity shops to show you which I am excited about :) This trip came at the perfect time, I have missed Mark so much since I have moved back home [yes, I am pathetic!] so spending a day as OAPs was just lovely! 

Do you like cream teas and charity shops? How do you like to unwind?
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Aussie summer soiree!

I can't believe that it has taken me this long to actually sit down and write this post! Last Saturday, Aussie held a wrap party for the campaign that launched the 'Lusciously Light' conditioners and as ever, they put on an amazing party. Special thanks have to go to Emma and Holly for organising such a wonderful event and for looking absolutely lovely! There were balloons, bubbles, candy-floss and a professional photographer, what more could you ask for?! I spent the day with some of my favourite bloggers in the gorgeous Sunbeam Studios and I can honestly say it couldn't have come at a better time. 

Dinner time! Some rather healthy salad which I completely negated with a Burger King on the way home...oops! 
Sherin, Lil and Susie



Hayley, Jen, Lil, Laura, Harriet, me and Lily
We all had the opportunity to have our hair done and my stylist, Eugene gave me BIG hair. Two cans of hairspray and half a can of mousse and a hell of a lot of backcombing resulted in some rather candyfloss-esque locks! 


I absolutely LOVED Lil's hair, talk about candyfloss inspired! 

Laura and Hayley
Champagne tasting! 
It was so nice to just hang out and relax with other bloggers and I really had such an amazing day... I only wish there was an Aussie event every day! 

Do you like blogger events? Did you get lusciously light? 



Images are mine and  Aussie's. 
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Green tea lemonade...

The lovely Susie sent me the link to the recipe for this after I mentioned that I was looking for a refreshing drink for when the weather heated up (!) and I have made it a couple of times now as it really is lovely!


Take a jug, some green tea bags (I used my favourite: Clipper green tea) and fill a jug with water.


Add teabags to the top and leave in the fridge for as long as possible (I left it overnight)

Yes it may look a bit like wee but it tastes lovely!
Remove the bags but do not squeeze the bags, otherwise it will make it bitter!


Top up with lemonade and serve over ice for a wonderfully refreshing drink that is fairly good for you, especially if you use decaffeinated tea bags!
Do you like green tea? What is your favourite summer drink?

P.S. I am off to London for the weekend so it may be a little quiet around here for a while!
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