Throwback

This weather wasn’t in the cards. Any of you in or around London will know what I am talking about. I am so glad I didn’t buy that fan I was planning to last weekend because today I had to put my duvet cover back on my bed. Summer seems to have left London because today I wore the exact sweater I was wearing in these pictures and I wasn’t warm in the least. So I thought it was only fitting I dug these pictures out of the archives.

I discovered this skirt in my grandmother’s wardrobe last time I was at home and found out it was what my mother wore for her college graduation. In the past few years I have been loving stealing items that used to belong to her and every single day I regret that she gave away her high-waisted jeans – those would have truly been the perfect mum jeans. I remember a good few years ago when she came back from one of her business trips having bought me some clothes how disappointed she was that it was the first time I actually didn’t like what she had got me. I remember her saying the time had come when our tastes didn’t coincide anymore. Maybe she was being a bit dramatic but I am sure she will be happy to see that although our tastes have developed in different ways, I still get the most compliments when I wear items that once belonged to her. Maybe that is because I feel the most comfortable and close to home in them.

Bath Diary

I had completely forgotten I had these pictures from way back in April when I went to Bath for the day. I was quite apprehensive about time but in the end I found that I was allocating twice as much as necessary. The city had been on my list for a really long time and I was extremely happy to finally get to see it (Jane Austen fan right here). 

There are many things to be seen in Bath, from the Roman Baths to the Fashion Museum and the Royal Crescent. Pulteney Bridge offers a spectacular view only minutes away from everything else, and I would definitely recommend catching the sunset sat on the grass in front of the Royal Crescent. 

Ode to Chamomile

When I was younger and used to take private English lessons, my teacher at the time had this strange chestnut concoction that she used for any issue she had. She would use it when she had a cut, when her rheumatism kicked in or when she had stomach ache. The woman was 60 and able to do a side split so I never contradicted her. However, I never really believed it would do anything for me either.

With the same conviction my grandma has always recommended chamomile tea to me. My skin has always been very sensitive and demanding so every single time I had a facial it was left looking like I had been stung by a thousand bees. And every time my grandma would suggest a chamomile tea compress. After the tenth time I kind of blocked her and the chamomile tea out of my mind.

However, a couple of weeks ago I mistook my (only!) facemask with that of my flatmate’s and only realised the mistake once my face was on fire. Funny thing is it was supposed to be a ‘calming’ mask. Anyway, the second I saw my face was bright red I thought of maybe taking my grandma’s eternal advice of using a chamomile tea compress (mainly because chamomile tea was the only thing I had at hand to help me) and guess what? It worked wonders. In about half an hour my face was back to normal.

Skin care has been the main focus of almost every large cosmetics company’s ads recently and everyone has been emphasising the idea of prevention. Gone are the days when anti-wrinkle cream was all the rage, more and more now start using skin care treatments at 20 to keep them from ageing too soon.

But before you jump into Clinique and Kiehls to fix any breakout and irritation take a step back and think about what your skin really needs, think about those old remedies your grandparents used to talk about and see if they work for you. You might be surprised. I gave chamomile the benefit of the doubt and I am definitely putting it on my list of recommendations.

Commitment Issues

The first couple of months I lived in London I thought the weather was schizophrenic. Being used with the coldest winters followed by the hottest summers, with not much spring or autumn in between, coming here, where it seems like spring is eternally mixed with autumn was pretty disconcerting.

However, British summers showcase the beauty of this schizophrenia perfectly. It’s not hot enough to make your makeup melt and armpits stick and not cold enough to have to layer up. It’s the perfect weather for wearing bare legs with a jumper.

When I first started reading fashion blogs I would watch the likes of Rumi Neely sport cropped Levi’s with heavy knit jumpers and be completely confused by how those two could even be practical together. I really didn’t see the point of sweating on top and freezing on the bottom, surely some sort of outfit in between would have worked better. But in reality, that IS practical for London summers because, essentially, the two balance each other out. It’s strange because that would be a terrible option if the weather were constant. However, it’s perfect for weather with commitment issues.

Now, let me know, are you a fan of sweaters and bare legs? 

  

Meze and Calamari

Since I have been bombarding you with my holiday pictures anyway I thought I might as well throw another one in.

It just felt so GOOD. I always aim to be comfortable and this time I also managed to look good - two words that I can rarely put together.

That being said, my belly button is showing and I don't really mind - those trousers were perfect for big, Greek meals. Oh, take me back to those calamari and meze. PLEASE?

One Crop Top to Rule Them All

This crop top pretty much sums up summer for me. Keeping in line with light dressing and casual wear, this is what I wore when my legs were so burnt they couldn't stand any material touching them. 

Beach Basics

I was lucky enough to wake up to this view every day whilst in Greece so I thought it was only fitting to dedicate a post to it. 

If I could wear shorts, bikinis and cover ups every day I swear I would be the happiest person. The reason I love dressing for holidays so much is that I can very easily be casual with a twist. I might get away with wearing a bikini top around London but I would never choose to do so. These rules don't apply to the beach though - you can easily get the perfect balance between being casual and slightly more revealing without being tacky. 

Zakynthos Photo Diary

There’s something about summer that I have always loved. I can’t really describe the feeling I get when I’m close to the sea– it’s something in between feeling completely at ease and being filled to the brim with joy. There’s not much rhyme or reason to my love for it but it always surprises me just how much I need the sea. Just writing this I think it sounds stupid to say I “need it” when, in the end, holidays are luxuries. Regardless, being by the sea reminds me to take things easy, to stop being permanently connected to my issues and, honestly, to live a little – something I definitely have to improve on. I actually won’t even try to put it into words, it can very easily sound like a cliché and it definitely isn’t that. It’s just my own little piece of heaven.

This summer is going to be busy and hopefully very productive. But, in order to start it in full swing I wanted to escape for a bit, heading straight for the sea. I got to spend my birthday on a beach, doing absolutely nothing, which was divine. That was when I set myself the 5-day packing challenge and, not to brag, but I absolutely smashed it. If not, I could have even downsized a bit more. Anyway, I started this post with the idea that I will let the pictures do the talking so this would be about time to stop writing.

Warning, it keeps going. I only realised after I finished writing….

I spent my 5 days in Zakynthos, which I’d wanted to see for quite a while and I have to say, I wasn’t disappointed. If anything, my expectations were exceeded. We avoided the crowded parts of the island and stayed in a pretty secluded hotel called Donkey Bay Club, on the east coast. I think we couldn’t have made a better choice, it didn’t feel like we were staying in a hotel but more like we were staying with some friends (in a very up-scale house). The island has several spots worth exploring, the most famous one being Navagio Bay, but hiring a car to see other parts is definitely advised (we were initially planning to use the buses and were told they existed but didn’t see a single one during our stay). The main places we visited were the Keri Caves, Porto Limnionas and we also drove up to see Navagio from above. My advice if you wanted to take a boat to see Navagio and the Blue Caves would be to head down to Porto Vromi, a secluded little harbour, early in the morning, where you will most likely be able to enjoy a trip by yourself for only €15. I was amazed by the colour of the water, it was the purest, most beautiful turquise blue I have ever seen, I wish I could have gone there every day.

To be honest, in the end, I’m not sure what I enjoyed most – all these amazing places or just walking along the beach into the smaller towns nearby and seeing the amazing sunsets.

My Super Dupers

Sunglasses are a very funny thing. I have always seen them as an investment - if you buy the right pair you only need one. This is why I have always bought slightly more expensive ones and never really came close to high street brands. I never really went full out either though, I would still be pining after the Celine Audreys or Karen Walker's Super Dupers, which I knew were both out of my budget. Until one day when I came across these ones in Topshop. I was there with a very specific item in mind and wasn't fooling around but I tried them on out of curiosity and completely fell in love. The lenses are a very similar shape to the Celine ones and, as opposed to those ones, these actually fit my face. Plus, the blue temples completely got me. 

In the end, the fun thing about cheaper sunglasses is that you can buy a quirkier pair even if you might not wear it every day. Investment pieces (are they?) can be great additions but sometimes it's fine to have a little fun with your look. 

I remember reading an article on ManRepeller encouraging the purchase of cheaper, yet more out there pairs of sunglasses. Although at that moment I dismissed it thinking that wasn't for me, that I would rather save up to buy an amazing pair, maybe - just maybe - I might be converted. 

Savage Beauty

Artists have the power to influence a myriad of people through one creative act. A few influence you forever. Some creative minds are so fascinating that they leave a powerful trace on every individual that sees their work and I strongly believe Alexander McQueen was one of these individuals.

The funny thing, and what fascinates me the most about him, is that his work was so particular, so out there, and yet his talent transpires irrespective of his eccentricity. It’s very easy to associate extreme art with excess and deem it absurd, I mean I still struggle to understand modern art most of the time, but somehow even the most unwearable designs McQueen sent on the runway managed to fascinate everyone. I know I could have never pulled off living in his mad world, wearing his Bumster trousers or Armadillo shoes. However, I also know I would have loved it a hell of a lot if I could.

It’s one thing watching a designer’s shows and following his career and a completely different experience seeing the clothes up close. A couple of weeks ago I went to see the Alexander McQueen Savage Beauty exhibition at the V&A and I could not skip it on the blog. I know, I know, I’m late as hell to jump on the bandwagon but… there’s really no excuse, I just didn’t plan it well enough. I had had a sneak peek into the exhibition at London Fashion Weekend, which you can read all about here, and I was extremely curious to see it for myself. However, I had no idea what to expect. Beautifully curated, bringing you on a journey through McQueen’s evolution, the exhibition is a madly exciting portrayal of his work. Moving along each collection you come across intriguing items – from lining including human hair to dresses made entirely of real flowers.

Alexander McQueen’s messages can be clearly seen in his clothes, each collection has its individual voice that comes across through every garment. However, not to deter from the fashion, but what impressed me the most was the music playing through the exhibition. Each room had its specific tune, perfectly in sync with the clothes’ character and the message each collection conveyed. To be completely honest, the whole exhibition overwhelmed me. On the one hand because there was so much to take in and, on the other hand, because it was so crowded. We were literally queuing along the exhibits and waiting to be able to read what each of them was, which took away a bit of the pleasure of the experience. The Cabinet of Curiosities is absolutely amazing and I could have spent an entire afternoon watching every single item in there if I didn’t have to make my way through tens of other people.

Finally, if you have the chance to visit the exhibition, DO IT. If not for the fashion, do it for the music, I swear it’s worth it. I would visit it again in a heartbeat if I could. I’m sure that even if I were to go back I would see new things every single time.

You can buy tickets for the Savage Beauty exhibition here. I wish you all an amazing Sunday and an even better Monday ahead!