The return of summer... finally!

After three terrible summers in a row, this season began with so much promise. June was a scorcher, but July unfortunately started badly and finished worse, with all manner of rain, every day - from drizzle to downpours. However, this weekend, it finally felt like summer was back. I had to spend Saturday holed up doing various bits of work - writing and designing a website for a forthcoming party (more on this later), none of which allowed me to be outside enjoying the sunshine. But on Sunday, I escaped to the country for a bit of R&R and tasty barbeque food with the parents.

It started hot, and remained so all day. My poor black kitties can't cope with sunbathing, so they stuck to the shady areas in the courtyard next to my flat.


(By the way, do any of you out there have curly tailed cats? My two are brothers, but Inigo has a completely normal tail, whereas Fezzik's curls like a little danish pastry! He can straighten it, but it's always curled when he's walking around. It's cute!)

Anyway, I set off for my parents' house at lunchtime, and my Dad had the BBQ going already. I rarely eat meat, but there's something about blackened sausages that makes me both nostalgic, and hungry! Together with my mum's lovely, colourful salads, it was an absolute feast!




Then Richard Branson sailed past in a balloon!



Not really, I expect he is sunning himself on Necker Island, or somewhere like that. But oh! How I want to have a go in a hot air balloon!

After eating, my dad was imposed upon to take some outfit photos. This really is something I just threw on, as I hadn't planned to go out, and my hair was certainly not fit for public consumption! But I ended up trying a new hairstyle since I was suffering from a severe shortage of bobby pins (where the heck DO they all go?!) and couldn't therefore pin my rat in very securely. But first, the whole shebang!


Beadle claw!

This is a cotton dress that I believe is handmade, although it's a very professional job. It has a shirred waist, that is unfortunately rather high on me, so it doesn't nip in at my narrowest point and thus isn't as flattering as it might be. I do tend to wear this dress just for knocking about it for that reason, and also for dancing as it's sleeveless and the elastic waist means it is not remotely restrictive. But the print and pocket details are fab!


See?

I wore it with my trusty Keds, which I'm sad to say are actually falling apart now, and look rather scruffy. But again, fine for knocking about in! I wish they were better made - the problem is that the rubber heel wore through very quickly, and walking has started to erode the wedge, and the fabric covering it is fraying. Plus the edging has come away from the sole in places. Boo, hiss!



As for my hair, I just parted it in the middle, and twisted two small front sections back and pinned them. Then I just braided my hair on each side and pinned the plaits to my head behind the pinned twists. And that was it! My hair is just a little bit too short for the braids to properly overlap - the hair at the top is just the very tips and therefore the braid had 'run out'! But it still looked quite nice, albeit a bit messy. I wore it with my trusty 60s faux-pearl earrings, as you can see, and my totally modern mother of pearl bangle.





After debating for all of 5 minutes on Saturday, whether I should give up my eyeliner flicks in favour of a more 40s look or not, I decided that you can prise my liquid liner from my cold, dead hands! It does seem to suit me more than 'naked' eyes do. I tried a little pale pink eyeshadow for a change, to complement my dress, and I rediscovered my Bésame lipstick that I got as part of a set (as mentioned in an earlier post). I have been wanting to try a pink lipstick for a while, but for some reason, it never occurred to me that I already have one! It's one of their Classic Enchanting Lipsticks, and I believe it's the Debutante Pink colour. I really quite like it, what do you think?



I just need a matching liner now!

Hoping you all had spiffing weekends,

Fleur xx
DiaryofaVintageGirl.com

PS. Awww

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