Me, the last few weeks: Omg I’m so excited it’s spring 😀 😀 😀
Spring, on the 2nd of April, in the South East of England: It’s 1°C, ice on car windshields, tried to snow the last couple days.
Me, waking up to that nonsense ready to take these summer dress pictures: Shocked Pikachu meme
A couple days ago I shared with you Dolly & Dotty’s leopard print Lily dress. I really tried to emphasise that it could be styled both up or down, but at the end of the day we all have dress cuts we gravitate towards and if Lily didn’t tick your personal box then that’s okay. Buuuut, saying that, I don’t think that necessarily means Dolly & Dotty’s leopard print isn’t for you, because it’s a delightfully understated leopard print (as far as leopard prints ever can be, really,) and they utilise it in several other clothing items. Today I wanted to show you another of the options, just because I love this li’l lep so much. Shirtwaister fans, this one’s for you–let’s look at Penelope!
Autumn is definitely on its way now, which means it’s time for me to start accessorising everything with every shade of brown possible. It’s dying leaves time, snitches!Â
One of my first ever vintage-style dresses–my second, to be precise–was a Hearts and Roses dress. In fact, I wore it to my brother’s wedding, back when I was a baby pinup who didn’t know much yet about what her vintage style would be, what suited her best, what she loved most of all. All I knew was that I loved that dress, with it’s contrast red and white detailing, and it’s full skirt. This Hearts and Roses dress today is very different, but one thing remains the same; boy do I love it.
There are millions of feelings, places, eras that clothing can evoke, but never before have I owned a dress that looks like the feeling of dreaming. Until now.
Look, I know here in the UK we’re currently experiencing a heatwave–again–which might make it seem like this autumn-themed post is a poor idea, but I posit the opposite. Picture this; chilly mornings with a slight crunch to the grass, the browning of the trees, the here-again-wonder of that first time you can see your breath when you exhale out of doors, the first time in so long that you’re reminded of your childhood belief that perhaps, just perhaps, you might be a dragon. Acorns. Chestnuts. Rain.
Now, don’t you feel just a bit cooler? No? Okay well at the very least maybe we can agree on wistful? Because that’s what I’m feeling right now, as I pick uncomfortably at the seams of the lightest dress I own which still isn’t quite cool enough. I want autumn and I want it ASAP, not just because I’m fed up of summer but because I want to get back to wearing outfits like this.
I was thinking the other day about the kinds of prints I love and why, and for some of them it boils down to something surprisingly simple: squares. My winter favourite, plaid, and my summer favourite, gingham, are both prints created by criss-crossing coloured lines to create squares of various sizes. As boring as that sounds, that description can also be applied to picnic blankets, and is there a single person out there who’s willing to say they hate picnics? If there is, there shouldn’t be.
This Lindy Bop Claudine dress makes me think of picnics, and buttercups, and being a bit too excited to be able to bust out one’s sunglasses for the first time this season because the sun, and even some warmth, are finally here. Let’s soak it all in!Â
They say that everyone has a base colour they build their wardrobe around, either black, navy or brown. For me by neutral base has always been black, with a leaning towards navy in summer. Brown, though, has never really interested me, whether in pale near-grey tones or rich chocolate. Until recently. Suddenly, in my ever-expanding love for autumn styling, I’ve begun to wonder whether brown tones suit me, and whether it’s a colour I should be adding in to my wardrobe. So when I saw this Charlotte dress by Lindybop, I knew I had found the contender that could make me try.
Who doesn’t love a good shirt dress? They’re timeless, easy to wear, and simple to style. I have a few in my winter wardrobe in plain moody colours, but it occurred to me recently that I don’t have any cute printed shirt dresses that would work for casual, fun summer wear. Well, as it just so happens, Joanie clothing have taken up that call this season with aplomb.
Look, I know you know this about me, because I’ve said it multiple times here on the blog but it’s important and it bears repeating: I love burgundy. I love it all year round but in the colder months it really comes into it’s own. Just think about it–crisp golden leaves beginning to fall from the trees, a slight bite starting to creep into the early mornings, just enough that you wake up wondering if you should have porridge for breakfast even though no one wants to eat porridge over Marmite toast or a cereal that is more cookies than nutrition. And there hanging on the front of your wardrobe, visible from the warm snuggliness of your bed, a perfectly crisp burgundy shirt dress, ready to be layered up and worn out into the world like you’re a dose of festive mulled wine.
Well that’s the Zoe dress from Collectif and I am all about it.
Miss Amy May 