You don’t have to wait till Christmas and New Year’s Eve to bust out the sequins, especially since summer brings with it many many opportunities to get all dressed up and sparkly. Be brave and go for a shimmery top or shorts, or embrace it subtly with sequinned bags or shoes. It’s such a fun and feminine effect, but beware of sequin overkill which will take you from chic to showy (think Pat Butcher). Are you a fan of this look for summer?

{1. J.Crew sequinned t-shirt – £120 / 2. Miss Selfridge sequin clutch – £25 / 3. Alice + Olivia embellished top – £132 / 4. Dune embellished cuff sandal – £35 / 5. Reiss Sylvie sequin playsuit – £169 / 6. Reiss Millie sequin cami – £110 / 7. Miss Selfridge sequin poncho – £75}

I had one of those days yesterday… nothing particularly drastic, it was just a combination of Monday blues, feeling a bit run down and full of a summer cold, and not really being on board with city life and its packed-in-like-sardines commute. I had a sudden craving for a quiet corner of the countryside with a book (I haven’t read a proper novel in about a year, which is quite frankly ridiculous) and the kind of peace you get when you’re miles away from the daily hustle and bustle. Someone almost knocked me over in their haste to get into the train carriage first, and I so very nearly pulled a Carrie Bradshaw, circa ‘the post-it’: “You’re soooo busy!”
Anyway, there is a point to this demi-rant. One of my favourite interior stylists, Lucyina Moodie, has the power to bring calm to a room, as seen in her gorgeous portfolio. And just looking through the pictures brought calm to me as well, with her use of muted palettes, delicate flower arrangements and white floorboards. Then the pièce de résistance… the most idyllic little beach house ever. I’m imagining some kind of Sauvignon Blanc/marinated olives/Jack Johnson combo to go with it, and that, my friends, is pure perfection:

{images via lucyina moodie}

Right, seriously, where has summer gone?? It showed early promise for about two months, then suddenly as soon as June hits, we regress into cold, wind and showers. I am talking specifically about the UK, and London in particular; for all those in balmier climes, who have now well and truly banished coats and cardigans until September, then please enjoy on behalf of us Brits. I’m not angry, London… I’m just disappointed.
On the subject of summer, here is some straw-filled inspiration and a taster of the woven beauties on the high street this season. Remember the days when your mum used to insist you wear a hat on the beach to shield you from the rays? Well, sensible is now fashionable! Whether you opt for the fedora, boater, cowboy or floppy hat, be it at the beach or just out for a stroll in the midday sun, they all look super-chic. And straw bags are equally versatile and effortlessly “oh, I’ve just come back from La Croisette.” Kruger’s been seen carrying one, and to be honest that’s good enough for me:

{images via pinterest & we heart it}

{1. Monsoon Palm Beach straw bag – £35 / 2. Monsoon Aztec straw bag – £35 / 3. Dorothy Perkins navy straw saddle satchel – £28 / 4. Topshop silver metallic bag – £36 / 5. French Connection Paschar shopper – £77 / 6. Ted Baker Tonga handbag – £59 / 7. Oasis straw bowler bag – £35 / 8. Miss Selfridge straw basket – £35 / 9. Ri2k large straw tote bag – £59 / 10. French Connection Dina body bag – £57}


{1. A/wear corsage trim trilby – £12 / 2. Reiss Rowan boater hat – £39 / 3. Jigsaw Portofino straw hat – £39 / 4. Reiss Kenway straw hat – £45 / 5. Miss Selfridge Ditzy straw trilby – £15 / 6. Jigsaw cowboy straw hat – £65 / 7. Topshop ribbon floppy hat – £25 / 8. French Connection salt & pepper trilby – £37 / 9. Timney straw sun hat – £25 / 10. Oliver Bonas straw boater hat – £18}

Summer is really upon us now and I couldn’t be happier… in fact, the evenings are so light that last night I was in bed before it was even fully dark. Or maybe that’s just my old age. So welcome to the weekend everyone! I hope you’ve all got some lovely plans, whether you’re busy doing things or busy doing nothing. I have two birthdays to celebrate… my own (yep, still – I told you I have a fondness for ‘birthday months’) and one of my best friends, B. The rest of the time will be spent enjoying some of my presents – The King’s Speech, ‘Decorate’ by Holly Becker, and a bubble bath lit with my Diptyque ‘Mimosa’ candle. Not forgetting spending quality time with the new crop of magazines for this month. I’m easily pleased!

{images via pinterest}
This week’s most stylish look goes to Gossip Girl’s Leighton Meester who looks radiant in this Vera Wang outfit at the Harrods launch of VW’s ‘Lovestruck’ perfume – the combination of sun-kissed skin, lightened hair and the nude pleated blouse really works for her. And as for this room, the white walls and the splash of colour is perfection… and I’m such a sucker for trunks at the moment. Lastly, that couch has ‘nap’ written all over it:

{images via prphotos & we heart it}
I hope you have a beautiful weekend whatever you’re doing and wherever you may be…

I’ve always liked the ‘discover things about yourself’ quizzes you find in magazines, even if the answer comes out completely different from your true personality… everyone likes to be a bit narcissistic once in a while. So here’s a little ‘nearly Friday’ treat. Skim through the colours without reading the text, pick the one that you’re inexplicably drawn to, then find out what it says about your personality. Then either be impressed by the accuracy, or laugh at how way off it is:

{image via 7th House on the Left}
I was drawn to the “sunshine” yellow. Pretty spot on, apart from the whole shunning responsibility thing. But we’ll paper over the cracks.
Which colour are you?