At The Ice Cream Parlour

Autumn really has arrived here in Cambridge. Suddenly the nights are longer, the days crisp, and the leaves turning to gold upon the trees that line the River Cam. But I’m not quite ready to say goodbye to the memory of summer just yet, so here is a little dose of sunshine from a couple of weeks back when the sun was blazing here in Cambridge.

It had been a particularly long week at work, and so an afternoon bike ride was in order (there are few stresses that a ride through the cobbled streets of Cambridge, golden in the evening sunset, cannot cure). Although I had planned to meet my friend S for dinner, somehow we ended up at Bennetts, the best ice cream parlour in Cambridge instead (where I was perfectly camouflaged against the ice cream pastels in this fairytale print dress). Although I don’t advocate the practice of forgoing proper food in favour of sugar as a general rule, sometimes there is something so fun about acting like a child and eating dessert for dinner, just because you can and it’s fun.

And that right there is my favourite thing about being a grown up: you can do what you like without having to answer to anyone. Now excuse me while I put on my pink Prada heels, crank up The Supremes and turn my housework into my own private dance party…

Wearing: Kelsey Genna fairytale dress from Audrey Grace boutique, Mulberry Lily bag, Michael Kors watch, bracelets c/- Jersey Pearl and Poshlocket, vintage pink sunglasses.

Eating cake for breakfast or buying really beautiful, impractical heels (just because you can); what are your favourite things about being a grown up?

Love, Miss B xx

Thank you Sarah for helping with these pictures

In the Wilderness

Last weekend, I ticked another item off my ‘30 Things to do Before I’m 30‘ list; I took a day off from my day job/real life, hopped on a train to Oxfordshire, and spent the weekend in the blissful Cotswolds countryside at Wilderness Festival with my friends at Hunter.

Now I’ve never been to a festival before, but I’m fairly sure this wasn’t your usual music festival. Set on an aristocrat’s rambling country estate (complete with manor house, rolling hills and meadows and two large lakes), it was a celebration of art, nature, creativity and music. Of course there were bands (we listened to The Temper Trap as the sun set) and an obligatory sea of pop-up tents in a neighbouring meadow*, but there were also literary lectures, philosophical debates, art and craft classes, yoga, horse riding, rowing, vintage markets, a prohibition-era speakeasy, midnight masked balls in the woods and spectacular banquets (Yotam Ottolenghi’s feast was really rather special). The whole weekend had an air of magic about it; from the thespians nestled in the woods telling tales of magical far-off lands, to the festival-goers lazing about in the long grass with flowers in their hair as the sounds of a New Orleans jazz band floated on the warm breeze from across a meadow and over a dale, I felt as though I had stumbled into a real-life reenactment of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream.Along with my friend Dearne, I mostly spent the weekend wearing floaty white dresses, raspberry wellies and flowers in my hair (and dreaming of running off to be a ‘Temperley Bohemian’ more often), pondering the meaning of life and happiness, splashing about in the lake, treasure-hunting at the vintage stalls and dancing the charleston to a jazz-age brass band at 1:00am.

Beneath that golden light and restorative air of a summer’s day in the English countryside, I felt as though all my cares in the world melted away. I can’t wait to return next year!What is the most wonderful festival or celebration you’ve ever been to? I’d love to hear your suggestions!

Love, Miss B xx

* I’m slightly terrified of camping (I need a shower and a fluffy bed), so we stayed at the charming Bear Hotel in the postcard-perfect Woodstock just down the road.

Thank you Hunter for the most magical weekend!

How To: DIY Pastel Neon Crystal Necklace

As anyone who follows me on Instagram will attest, I’m always collecting jewellery. This season it’s all about the neon crystal necklaces, adding a fun pop of colour a bright collar can add to an otherwise simple outfit. And while I love the versions like this by Tom Binns, Shorouk, Dannijo, Mawi, et. al. I don’t want to pay hundreds of pounds for something that won’t be perennially classic.

So the other weekend when it was so rainy that there was nothing for it but to make my own fun indoors, I took to my jewellery box to make my own version (it is so easy you can do it while watching a single episode of Sex and the City). To DIY you’ll need:

1. Crystal necklace (find a basic one at H&M or similar, or find a vintage version on ebay for just a few pounds – search ‘vintage rhinestone necklace’ to find a gem of your own);
2. Opaque nailpolish (I used Nails Inc in ‘Wimbledon’ – a pastel neon yellow) & a clear topcoat nailpolish;
3. That’s it!Simply give your necklace a polish with a soft cloth, lay it flat on a surface (if you are cautious, you can lay it over paper to catch any drips and tape the ends down to keep it secure) and carefully paint the face of each stone as though you are giving yourself a manicure (you’ll want quite a bit of polish on the brush for a good coverage). Repeat with a second coat so that the colour is even and flawless, and allow to dry for at least ten minutes. Finish with a clear polish topcoat and leave to dry overnight.

Et voila! My own neon necklace in the exact shade I wanted, and for less than £10. I’ve been wearing mine almost non-stop for a few weeks now, and the colour is still perfect and hasn’t transferred onto any clothes (a common problem with spray-painted versions). I think glossy black, candy pink and pastel violet versions are in order next.Will you give this a go? Do report back if so with your own versions!

Love, Miss B xx