I went shopping this week (on the one day it wasn’t
torrential rain in Aberdeen!). I had to return a top, so I wasn’t necessarily
planning on shopping but pretty much all of Debenhams was on sale. And seeing
as they only refund you a store credit if you buy anything on sale, which it nearly
always is when I do, I’m always back in the loop of buying stuff ;-0. I actually
did a pretty impressive (by my standards) clear out a few weeks ago, so I am
feeling a few particular gaps in my wardrobe.
But so far I’m not really feeling a lot of the summer
fashions on the high street this year, for various reasons. I’m consciously
trying to only buy colours that actually really “pop” on me, and I guess a lot
of this year’s don’t. (I never did figure out my “season” on the colour wheel,
because I swear to god I am a mutant, my cool toned skin and warm hair and eyes
do not perfectly fit ANY of them).
Plus there are an awful lot of 90’s inspired looks that are
just a bridge too far for me at this stage. I didn’t do crop tops or chokers
when I was 20, why in god’s name would I start now?
And there are a lot
of really over the top hideous floral and other prints too: just me? I mean, I am a print addict, but lately
most of them make my eyes bleed. Plus I’m feeling like nothing fits me/therefore
unmotivated to shop.
But …saying that, I did pick up a couple of things. I had my eye on this jumper (sweater, yes we buy sweaters in
the summer in Scotland, because that is life here) for awhile, and couldn't resist it. I really like a
nice lightweight but dense sort of knit in the summer.
I grew up in Virginia, where it was HOT from April-October, so a summer sweater was not something I even knew about.
I grew up in Virginia, where it was HOT from April-October, so a summer sweater was not something I even knew about.
I remember when we moved up to Mass. my first time going to
Martha’s Vineyard in the summer and it suddenly randomly got chilly and I was like “What
is this magical place where I need a sweater in July?” Summer sweaters bring to mind the Cape, Maine, the
mountains in New Hampshire, and I can just about console myself that Scotland’s
soggy excuse for a summer is vaguely familiar and comforting rather than bleak
and depressing…;-0 sorry, I digress.
I am coming to terms with the fact that really bad weather, for days on
end, actively depresses me. And it also deeply irks, because we are
constantly being told to barbecue and picnic here and I’m like “What crack are
you people smoking it’s raining and not even 60 degrees out!”.
Chin up. Someone send me a plane ticket somewhere sunny stat,
please, I promise I will write blog posts thanking you for a year!
Anyway so yes, I’m not feeling the sundresses and shorts and
whatnot because it’s been monsoon weather all week.
So I bought a khaki/olive green sweater, because khaki is my
comfort blanket colour, because it’s weirdly one of my best colours, because it
matches my eyes.
Not really summery at all as I mentioned to the sales assistant who cheerfully pointed out I could wear it with a light coloured bottom (true dat). And my other summer sweaters are getting kind of ratty looking so I justified the Rocha John Rocha (on sale but still almost £30) price tag.
The other thing I bought was one of those sale rack/last one
left so I convinced myself it was a holy grail item deals. And only £10 what! It’s a little shift dress (it looks cuter in person) by Izabel London. It’s got a “Moorish print” according to their description,
to me it stood out because it was kind of 70’s Peggy in Mad Men looking colours:
red and black and white.
Normally red is a no go for me but mixed in with black
and white I can just about get away with it. So I broke my colour “rule” a bit
but I really liked it. I also broke the “Um this is way to short” rule because
no way can I wear it without tights or leggings (I think I could even wear it
as a top) but whatever, I like it.
It dawned on me that I often like the
clothes in this range, but more often than not they are sold out in my size (they
sell the line everywhere from Debenhams to Dorothy Perkins to New Look), and it
never occurred to me until now that they might have their own website, and voila,
they do, and there is all sorts of stuff on there that I like. Clothing draught
crisis averted!
They do a nice balance of vaguely hippy/vaguely vintage
items that don't stray too far into fancy dress looking. Kind of like a cheaper Joe Brown’s? It surprised me how many nice styles they have
that the shops don’t seem to buy in. I’m
actually eyeing up some of their harem pants despite deciding I was over them
because theirs look suuuuper comfy.
Anyway, that’s my weekly fashion file, raindrops, dark skies, cozy knits and tile prints! Current fashion mood: autumnal. I hope you are having more traditionally summery weather wherever you are! Do you buy much fashion in the summer? I feel like it's way oversold in Scotland as a necessary thing! :-)
I have problems with summer clothes because i'm not that comfortable in shorts or sleeveless tops so I pretty much sweat all summer in my jeans. And I'm so particular on tops... why I don't know. I'm not a fan of "tribal" print, or the general festival wear, or fringe, or all the cropped tops... which is great because it means i'm not tempted to spend any money on clothes right now! i feel like my closet has a ton of stuff, but none of it really works 100 percent for my life or weather.
ReplyDeleteWell if a California girl can't find summer clothes what hope is there for me! ;-) I think I know what you mean, I like some hippyish stuff but there's only so much of it even I can take!
DeleteHello Lovely,
ReplyDeleteI have found a quite useful video about colours & seasons by Mimi Ikonn 'What Colors work for you?'. Check it if you have time, she explains it very well.
I have to say that this season I did not find many items that would scream to be 'buy me'. I am trying to be more conservative (better quality, style over fashion etc) with my style and what actually is in my wardrobe.
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Love, Iga x
I know, this season is sort of "blah" in the shops right?! I always say I will buy investment pieces but still end up trawling that sale rail lol! ;-) Thanks for the video, I will def. check it out I need all the colour guidance I can get! ;-)x
DeleteI really enjoyed your writing style. It's also interesting to hear your mention of the color seasons. I'm a winter, but I sometimes break my color rules too.
ReplyDeleteHi Susan thank you! :-) I do think we can break the colour rules, I have read that certain seasons overlap with each other too, it's the narrowing down which colours are actually the right ones that define my season I struggle with! Thanks for stopping by! :-)
DeleteI find shopping tricky. I like bright colours, especially the vogue for brightly coloured jeans recently. Except I went to Debenhams, too, to look for some replacements for a pair of pink trousers I have and what did I find, the choice was black, black or dark blue. Ho hum. I think the law of shopping is that whatever you want to find, the opposite will be there.
ReplyDeleteLike the jumper and dress, good going. ;-)
Now see, I would never have pegged you for bright trousers! I have dipped my toe in the printed trouser pool, baby steps for me! I agree it does feel like whenever I really want something in particular it's nowhere to be found. :-0
DeleteOh my gosh, I feel you on the lack-of-summer summer. This one seems especially sucky, and I live a lot further south than you so can't even imagine how chilly Aberdeen must be! Thomas would love us to move to Scotland (he's from Glasgow), and after Thursday he's even keener, but I've said I'll only do it if we can move to Edinburgh, rent our flat out for the festival, and go somewhere hot on the profits! He hates hot weather but I reckon he's tempted...
ReplyDeleteOhhh I mean I would never say don't move to Scotland, but weather wise it really is SO much nicer in my expereince in England in the summer. I have always thought the Edinburgh flat rental idea is genius, as someone who has yet to go the festival because it's so expensive!
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