Summer Essentials

Looking at the glamorous scenes of the Cannes Film Festival has got me daydreaming of blissful sunny afternoons on the French Riviera and desperately craving some warmer weather. Thankfully the sun was in a most obliging mood today and it's time to get collecting those Summer essentials...

♥ Sunglasses: Practicality doesn't mean sunglasses can't be oh-so-glamorous so treat yourself to a pair which make you feel fabulous.
♥ Hat: From cute straw numbers to 70s glamour Summer's the perfect time to play with statement headwear.
♥ Exfoliating gloves: There are a whole lot of products around to help smooth your skin but I've found nothing beats a good weekly scrub with exfoliating gloves to get rid of dry skin. What's more you can find them inexpensively and they need no product beyond your usual soap- bargain!
♥ Suncream: Once you've gone to all the effort of getting your skin in shape for Summer there's no need to let it suffer, so get a fresh new bottle and be sure to pack it to avoid burning and damage.
♥ BB cream: So far as make ups goes in Summer there's nothing worse than that icky feeling of heavy foundation. A great BB cream will even out your skin's appearance but leave your skin refreshed.
♥ Enchanting books: Whether it's fashion history or action-packed fiction, and whether you're lounging on a beach or looking for a little escapism, reading is a Summer essential.
♥ Camera: I know I'm a bit of a photography addict but Summer adventures definitely need capturing, from exploring stately homes to simply spending time with friends and family.

From ice cream to taking a relaxing break, what are you looking forward to this Summer?

Going on an Adventure

♥ Bodyline jumperskirt L329 and shoes 267 ♥ Peacockalorum bolero

♥ Angelic Pretty Jewelry Jelly headbow and Logo Polkadot Round Bag 

♥ H&M jacket and brooch ♥ Forever 21 scarf ♥ Socks off Ebay 

♥ Chocomint bow ring ♥ Holley Tea Time moon

Although they may have contained no dragons, this week I headed off on two exciting adventures to London to visit some rather lovely press days and also spend a few hours amongst the treasures of two of my favourite art galleries, The National Gallery and The Wallace Collection. My favourite room to sit in at the National Gallery holds several works by Degas, my favourite artist, and The Wallace Collection has the most exquisite Rococo collection of both paintings and furniture.
For my train-time reading I took with me J. R. R. Tolkien's The Hobbit. I haven't read the tale of Bilbo Baggins or The Lord of the Rings since I was 10 years old so I thought a re-read was well overdue! At the time I could have really done with reading glasses but didn't know it and with the tiny LOTR print I misread Aragorn's name as Aragog, as in the creepy giant spider from the world of Harry Potter, the whole way through- poor Aragorn! I very nearly finished The Hobbit on my journeys so next I'm going to be watching Peter Jackson's recent adaption for the first time; have you seen the film?

A Spring in Your Step

Shoes are a wonderful way to add a little fun to your outfit. The approaching Summer months offer the perfect chance to head off on an elegant adventure in a fabulous pair of court shoes, or you could simply brighten up your work look with some fabulous footwear which puts a spring in your step and a smile on your face.
From shiny patent to matte suede, there are so many cheerful colours around at the moment as well as lots of really fun details. Polka dots are classic and ever so cute, meanwhile sweet bows turn oversized for impact and daisies and cherries are adorable. Or if you're feeling incredibly sweet you could even have cupcakes on your shoes! My favourite brand for Summer shoes has to be Melissa, combining a nostalgic love of jelly shoes with sophistication to create gorgeous shoes, and I especially love the brand's Vivienne Westwood collaborations.
I wouldn't mind any of these rather lovely shoes finding their way in to my wardrobe, but which pair is your favourite?

1. Lady Dragon Westwood, £138.99 Melissa

2. Stiletto, £132.99 Lola Ramona

3. Harvette, £43.99 Blink

4. Angie Lila, £132.99 Lola Ramona

5. Sweets For My Sweet Peep Toe Platform, £83.99 Iron Fist

6. Angie Polka, £65.99 Irregular Choice

7. Katty Cherry, £122.99 Cristofoli

8. Oddie, £43.99 Rocket Dog

9. Katty Lev, £122.99 Cristofoli

Twinning

Elizabeth

♥ Angelic Pretty's A La Carte Tea Time jumperskirt and headbow 

♥ Chocomint star clip and star filled bow ♥ Now, Voyager bunny hair clip 

♥ Lockshop wig ♥ Baby the Stars Shine Bright blouse ♥ Woolovers cardigan 

♥ Shoes off Taobao ♥ Peacockalorum wrist cuffs

Florrie

♥ Angelic Pretty's A La Carte Tea Time jumperskirt and headbow 

♥ Chocomint star clip and star filled bow ♥ Now, Voyager bunny hair clip 

♥ Gothic Lolita Wigs wig ♥ Topshop blouse ♥ Vintage bolero 

♥ H&M jacket ♥ New Look shoes

In lolita fashion there are surprisingly few horrific 'she turned up in the same dress as me' moments. It's not because it's all that rare to own the same prints, but it's actually considered cute. In fact, it's not unusual for lolitas to even coordinate in advance- from simply wearing the same print to painstakingly matching colours and accessories. The twinning phenomenon is far from exclusive to lolita fashion though, and looking through the gorgeous street style snaps of TokyoFashion you can often see friends whose outfits go perfectly together.
My lovely friend Elizabeth of Polyrillustration recently acquired one of her dream dresses, the lovely A La Carte Tea Time in black by Angelic Pretty, which I managed to find in pink earlier this year. We decided twinning was in order and planned our outfits for the meet she organised at beautiful local National Trust property Shugborough Hall. Our twinning plans were scuppered slightly by the weather as it was determined to throw  rain and even some hail on to the meet, so we decided not to go with the pretty light pink, but somewhat fragile, shoes we'd planned for. We didn't let the rain dampen our spirits though and had a really lovely day made all the more fun by twinning.

A Kawaii Moodboard for Spring

Spring's a little late this year, but oh isn't it pretty!

♥ My adorable Arpakasso plush

♥ Cherry trees in Stafford's Victoria Park

♥ Angelic Pretty's dreamy Cherry Berry Bunny print (sadly not mine)

♥ Carey Mulligan on the cover of Harper's Bazaar June 2013

♥ The truly scrumptious Saint-Honoré Rose Framboise at Ladurée 

♥ You can never have too much pretty cherry blossom

♥ Butterfly hair clips I made

Festival Fancies

Festival season is upon us and Coachella-goers have already treated us to some fabulous street style. Festivals are the perfect opportunity to have fun with trends from romantic florals to vibrant citrus shades and  flashes of neon. Personally I'm loving the surge of 90s revival clothes as they're just so cheerful and remind me how much I loved my childhood wardrobe!
This last week has been gloriously sunny but let's not forget the great British weather and the very high chances of the fields soon turning into a sticky situation ankle deep in mud! Whether you got for a classic style or a fun print which brightening up the muckiest of days a pair of wellies is a festival essential.
Here are a few looks I've put together with Summer festival frolics in mind. Will you be heading to any festivals this year?

♥ Tie-Dye Heart Pullover, was £16.75 now £11.99 Forever 21

♥ Cloud Print Skater Skirt, £32 Miss Selfridge

♥ 3-pack bracelet, £5.99 H&M

♥ Suzie Shell Statement Necklace, £25 Accessorize

♥ Floral Painted Ring, £3.15 Forever 21

♥ Tottie Short Wellingtons - Ladies, £20.99 Equestrian Clearance

♥ Braided Trim Floppy Hat, £8.90 Forever 21

♥ Pink and Ivory Print Sundress, £25 Dorothy Perkins

♥ Steve Madden Pink Celeste Satchel, £49.99 New Look

♥ Gold Necklace, £7.99 H&M

♥ Caldene Westfield Wellington Boots - Adults, £52.99 Equestrian Clearance

♥ Multi Floral Burnout Crop Tee, £24 Miss Selfridge

♥ Contrast Crochet Short, £32 Topshop

♥ Cream Cut Out Drop Earrings, £12.50 Miss Selfridge

♥ Coral Metal Plate Embellished Sandals, £40 River Island

♥ Plastic Flower Ring, £8.50 Topshop 

♥ Gold Metallic Leather Barrel Bag, £50 Zatchels

Ice Cream Sweets

♥ Rose crown, butterfly clip and necklace made by me 

♥ Bodyline Soft Cream skirt in sax blue and shoes 251 in deep pink 

♥ Vintage dress as top ♥ Forever 21 Belt ♥ Angelic Pretty Enamel Ribbon Rucksack 

 ♥ Peacockalorum wrist cuffs ♥ Macaron heart ring from Qu'tse

♥ Flower rings off Ebay ♥ Accessorize bird ring

One of my favourite things about this time of year is the beautiful evening sunlight- perfect for photography and also exploring the local countryside. Sadly I didn't spot any bunnies this evening but I did manage a quick snap of a shy little deer who made an appearance.