One of the best things about summer is the clothes you get to wear. Bold, flowery, fruity prints are in season, and you don’t need to figure out how to adjust a strappy dress for wear in colder weathers.

Summer is at its end, alas. Though I am looking forward to the change of my wardrobe for fall, I’ll be sad to let go of some of my summer favourites until next Spring. So for now, I thought I would indulge in a flashback to my favourite outfits from this summer, my first summer after completing my pinup transition to dressing head to toe retro full-time.

(Click on the thumbnails to see the outfits in full detail)

• Dress: Olivia Polka Dot dress from Unique Vintage
• Cardigan: Rachael bolero cardigan by Hell Bunny
• Belt: Pinup Girl Clothing
• Bracelet: New Look
• Shoes: Red Primark ballet flat personally bedazzled in red crystals
• Bag: Primark wicker bag

• Dress: Red Tiki Temptation dress Glamour Bunny Clothing
• Bangles: Dorothy Perkins
• Sunglasses: Oversized Smoked Cats Eye Sunglasses from Pinup Girl Clothing
• Wedges: Very.co.uk
• Bag: Primark Wicker bag

 

• Dress: Black Spanish Fan Print Jenny dress by Pinup Girl Clothing
• Cardigan: Primark
• Belt: eBay
• Shoes: Asda

 

• Headscarf: Whatshalliwearboutique on eBay
• Top: Primark
• Cropped jeans: Asda
• Belt: Pinup Girl Clothing
• Bag: Primark wicker bag
• Sunglasses: Primark
• Shoes: New Look bow shoes personally customised with striped fabric

 

• Dress: Red Sailor Swing dress by Pinup girl Clothing
• Cardigan: New Look
• Bangles: Dorothy Perkins
• Shoes: Primark
• Bag: Primark wicker bag

 

• Dress: Lydia Rose Border Print Dress by Pinup Girl Clothing
• Bangles: Dorothy Perkins
• Wedges: Primark
• Bag: Primark wicker bag

 

• Top: Boohoo.com
• Belt: Primark
• Skirt: Matador Jenny Skirt by Pinup Girl Clothing
• Shoes: Accessorize

 

• Dress: Orange Border Print Jenny Dress by Pinup Girl Clothing
• Bangles: Dorothy Perkins
• Bag: Primark wicker bag
• Shoes: Everything5pounds.com

 

• Top: Blue Doris top by Pinup Girl Clothing
• Belt: Primark
• Bracelet: Primark
• Skirt: Italian Landscape Jenny Skirt by Pinup Girl Clothing
• Shoes: No brand shoes personally bedazzled in blue crystals and black glitter

 

• Dress: Claudia dress by Hell Bunny
• Shoes: New Look snakeskin shoes personally bedazzled in red crystals

 

• Dress: Paris Print Jenny dress by Pinup Girl Clothing
• Cardigan: Marks & Spencers
• Belt: Pinup Girl Clothing
• Shoes: Primark red ballet flats personally bedazzled with red crystals

 

• Dress: Black Monica dress by Pinup Girl Clothing
• Necklace: eBay
• Bracelet: Primark
• Shoes: New Look snakeskin shoes personally bedazzled with red crystals

 

• Dress: Black & White Gingham Manhattan day dress by Unique Vintage
• Belt: Pinup Girl Clothing
• Bangles: Dorothy Perkins
• Sunglasses: Oversized smoked cats eye glasses by Pinup Girl Clothing
• Shoes: Primark red ballet flats personally bedazzled in red crystals

 

• Top: Pinup Sweetheart top by Oblong Box Shop
• Cardigan: Primark
• Necklace: eBay
• Belt: Primark
• Skirt: Blue Castle print Jenny skirt by Pinup Girl Clothing
• Shoes: Primark red ballet flats personally bedazzled with red crystals

 

• Dress: Mint Karen dress by Hell Bunny
• Belt: Pinup Girl Clothing
• Cardigan: Pinup Girl Clothing
• Shoes: Asda

 

• Dress: Blue Vintage Rose Birdie dress by Pinup Girl Clothing
• Belt: eBay
• Shoes: Primark

 

• Dress: Lilac Paris print dress by Bernie Dexter
• Cardigan: Pinup Girl Clothing
• Necklace: eBay
• Shoes: Truffle

 

• Faux fur shawl: eBay
• Dress: Black Velvet Glam dress by Tatyana
• Shoes: New Look snakeskin heels personally bedazzled in red crystals
• Clutch: eBay hard box clutch personally bedazzled in red crystals
• Necklace: eBay
• Birdcage Veil: eBay

 

• Dress: Anchor print Renee dress by Pinup Girl Clothing
• Cardigan: Peacocks
• Shoes: Primark red ballet flats personally bedazzled with red crystals
• Bag: Primark wicker bag

 

• Top: White Zooey top by Pinup Girl Clothing
• Cardigan: Pinup Girl Clothing
• Necklace: eBay
• Skirt: Blue Castle print Jenny skirt by Pinup Girl Clothing
• Shoes: Truffle

 

For those of you who aren’t from the UK and don’t have Primark/Asda/etc, I should explain that those stores are low cost high street chain stores where everything mentioned above cost less than £10. And as you can see I also eBay my accessories or basics a lot. It’s worth noting while I tend to splurge on more expensive dresses and skirts that cost £70-90 each, the quality of those pieces carry over to form a beautiful outfit when paired with cheaper items you can pick up more easily at the mall or online. Not everything you wear needs to be expensive to form a solid look, not at all, and having a wide variety of cheaper statement piece accessories can lend a lot of versatility to your wardrobe. You can also see that I custom make my own shoes or accessories quite often, not only to save money but also to create something to my exact specification and needs, normally for a fraction of the cost of seeking out companies who will handmake these things for you instead. So if you’re just beginning your pinup journey and you’re intimidated by the price tag of some repro and vintage finds, don’t panic; you by no means have to buy expensive clothes to be a pinup, and even if you do you can finish off the rest of your outfit with inexpensive pieces and still create a cohesive and beautiful look.

So bye bye summer, with your cats eye sunglasses, bare shoulders and naked legs. Hello autumn and your seamed stockings, snug swing coats and excuse to wear exquisitely glamorous gloves. Your warm, conservative sex appeal is one all your own, and I look forward to it.