OOTD: Mint Maxi Dresses, Straw Baskets & Coping With The London Heat

Us Brits are simply not built for the heat. We spend most of our days battling against the cold, wind and rain, so as soon as a ray of sunshine appears from the sky we get a touch too excited and embrace the flip flops when it still may only be fifteen degrees. The problem with our country is that 90% of the time we want to keep the heat in, so on those rare days when the mercury exceeds thirty we simply melt; our houses, offices and shops are not designed to keep us cool, they're designed to keep the heat from escaping. I do find it hilarious that we all wish for summer from mid January, but as soon as it arrives we complain and express our disdain at having to sleep next to a fan for fear of never being able to peel ourselves away from the bedsheets! Right now London is steaming, and every trip on the tube results in us all emerging looking like we've just been for a swim - not a ten minute trip around on the Central Line. So how do we keep cool? How do we keep ourselves looking chic and not let on that secretly we're weeping for fear of forgetting what it was ever like to be chilly? Pop on a fabulous maxi and seek out some shade...!


Being on the shorter side, maxi dresses can be a struggle for me; I either trip over them or need to get them taken up, meaning it adds another £10.00 onto the price of the garment. Finding a perfectly sized maxi dress that I can wear even with flats is like the holy grail - and even better when it's as pretty as this. I adore the colour, floral design and delicate ruffles of this Izabel dress, ensuring it's feminine and fun while still feeling airy enough to keep me cool. The top part can be either worn as I'm modelling it, or you can pull down the elasticated top to make it 'off the shoulder' if you want to sass it up or go from office to bar in a flash. The quality is pretty fab and it's only £35.00 too (which is pretty reasonable for a decent maxi,) so it won't break the bank if you don't like spending much on clothes you only wear a couple of times a year. I've got so many complements while wearing this, which means it's definitely a keeper! 

I'm really having to reign in my love of straw baskets this year, but they're just so blooming handy. Light enough to lug around, big enough to chuck all my stuff in and universal enough to go with everything: they're the style that everybody should have, regardless of whether you're planning a trip to the beach. This one is actually a limited edition design from the beauty brand Balance Me who have created their 'Balance Basket' to embody the 'spirit of British summer'. At £30.00 it's a good price and sturdy enough to last you all season long (from my experience the cheaper ones break within a few uses, whereas this has been pretty much by my side for the last fortnight and it's still as good as new.) Thanks to the cute embroidery it makes a subtle statement, or you can just flip it around if you prefer it plain. It's straw basket number three for me, but I'm not eliminating the need for another..!


My love for rose gold isn't waning; if anything it's growing ever deeper, helped by the fact I discovered these bargain metallic sandals in New Look that seem to go with everything. Simple in structure (just a strap over the toes and around the angle,) they're incredibly comfy and haven't rubbed at all, even when wearing them on some of the hottest days we've had this year. At £16.99 you can't go wrong; in fact, I need to check out if they have other colours!) Matched with my fave Daniel Wellington rose gold watch, my name necklace and some chunky wooden bangles from Mango that also seem to go with everything (I love the different colours and materials,) and I'm good to go.


How many pairs of sunglasses is too many? I'm asking for a friend... I've never been one of those people that can stick with one pair of sunnies all sunshine season long, instead opting for a load of new styles every season and relying on classic designer frames that I know will last me for years. These retro frames are from the Marc by Marc Jacobs range and offer a quirky take on the classic retro frame, thanks to the naked edges and cats-eye shape. You don't have to spend a fortune to get a great frame, but sometimes it's good to treat yourself to styles that will never go out of style; if you look online you can easily find these for half price, which makes the price tag easier to digest! Summer fashion is all about having fun, mixing it up and over accessorising in my opinion - but it's also about staying cool. This lot ticks all those boxes and so much more.