As my last instalment for Mulberry month, I thought I’d show you my new ‘Picnic’ dress (any excuse to get the cost-per-wear basis down really…). Ever since seeing it on those red-headed models on the runway, I knew it was actually made for me – Emma Hill might as well called it the “Briony goes punting and picnicking and frolicking through country laneways with bunnies in Cambridge” dress. Or something like that.
So perfect was it, that despite the painfully hefty pricetag for a ‘day dress’ that I would essentially be mistreating by riding bikes and sprawling all over grass in, I’ve been thinking, obsessing, and generally fantasising about it since the day I saw it. In the end I got so fed up with my own broken-record thoughts that I just took a deep breath, made my peace with surrendering a large chunk of my paycheck, and clicked ‘order’.
In my mind, this is basically the exact dress my summer alter-ego – she who doesn’t have to sit in an office doing clever political things, but who spends all her days lying on grassy river banks gazing up at the sky as fluffy clouds drift by, having garden parties in the beautiful secret gardens of the Cambridge colleges, punting on the Cam (pretending to read Hemingway but actually just watching all the Chuck Bass-clones float by on neighbouring boats), talking to bunnies in the hedgerows (embarrassingly, I’m not even joking), and sitting on park benches with a box of Laduree macarons – wears whenever the sky is blue.
So of course I’m now finding any excuse to do all of the above as often as possible (wearing the dress, obviously). But despite all the outdoorsiness this dress is going to see this summer, I am going to try not to mistreat it too much; I’ll try to remember to take a blanket to sit on when picnicking, and to not fall off my bike when whizzing along laneways. Failing that, I’ve got an industrial-sized bottle of Vanish on hand just in case. Stain-attraction aside, the only problem with this dress is that the only accessories it wants to be teamed with are a tan, a Pashley bicycle, a wicker picnic basket, my Mulberry Tillie satchel and a tiny gold Alex Monroe bumblebee necklace. Do you think anyone will notice if I go barefoot all summer?
Those of you who follow me on Facebook might have seen this already, but there is also a little interview with me over on the Mulberry blog. The love is mutual!
And so, this concludes Mulmerry month on A Girl, A Style. I hope you enjoyed it! Would you like to see any other themed months on here? Unless you want me to pose in a leather catsuit or give line dancing instructions, I’m always happy to oblige reader requests.
Love, Miss B xx
P.S. Some of you have pointed out that I’m misspelling ‘Mulberry’ in the title of these posts. Rather than being unable to spell (I was one of those freakishly/annoyingly smart 6 year-olds who won spelling bees – grammar has never been my problem), it actually means “Mulberry makes me merry = Mulmerry”. Geddit?
Mulmerry!!! Lovely!!! Your dress is adorable and that bag, oh my goodness that bag. I need that Tillie Satchel!
Pretty! LLGxx
Thank you lovely! Although I really can’t take any credit for Emma Hill’s design-cleverness.
B xx
Thank you Miss B – I have really enjoyed your Mulmerry month and I say that as someone who’s never quite “got” my friends’ obsessions with Mulberry bags (I buck against most blanket celeb trends). You’ve provided a more detailed and personal insight which has opened my eyes somewhat and I even did my first internet crawl for a Tillie satchel this week…
You must do a Chanel month, a label I am much more enamoured with though I would anticipate your passion and knowledge to still educate and inspire!
Bird x
I know exactly what you mean – I try and avoid ‘celebrity trends’ as a rule (and press releases that say ‘as worn by…’ get instantly deleted). As much as I loved the Alexa, I couldn’t quite bring myself to buy a bag that was everywhere, and thus didn’t feel as personal and special. But although I saw the Tillie on the arm of every fashion editor worth her salt at Fashion Week, it seems to have remained largely under the radar in the general public, which I sort of love.
And I don’t need any encouragement with my Chanel habit – Chanel July it is!
B xx
The Picnic dress looks fantastic on you B and love the pictures… and the fact that you talk to bunnies in hedgerows! Just left a comment on someone else’s blog about why save things for best? You wouldn’t get as much joy from the dress if you left it hanging in the closet so wear it much as possible. And I’m still obsessed by your Tillie satchel…she makes me sigh!
Off to read your Mulberry interview! xxx
It’s true, whenever I pass the hedgerows I start having one-way conversations with the bunnies in that annoying voice people adopt when talking to small dogs and babies (this also happens in Autumn when the squirrels appear).
And Tillie is lovely indeed. I’ll let you borrow her when I next see you – everyone should have a Mulberry bag for a day!
B xx
Oh dear.. just visited the Mulberry site and blog… and signed up! B I now hold you personally responsible! xx
I’m sorry, I’m accidentally a Mulberry enabler!! I’m so addicted I can’t help rope others in with me 😉
A very pretty dress: and cotton gets nicer the more you wear and wash it!
Oh my! You look like a Princess, so so pretty!
xx
Oh you’re too sweet! But in that case, where can I find Prince Harry……? 😉
B xx
This dress is perfect, I absolutely love it. And you look so pretty! Can we have more personal style posts please? x
You look adorable!!! That dress is soo you!!!
This is seriously way too sweet. Love your Mulberry inspired month. This dress is so darn perfect on you Briony! Totally agree – this dress is so beautiful and I love how you’ve described that you’re going to be wearing it all through the summer while doing un-Princessy things. It’s just too beautiful to save for special fancy occasions. If you’ve looked smashing all summer long in a gorgeous white Mulberry dress and it’s got a few grass stains on it by the end… that way better than having the dress hang in the closet without ever being worn.
LOVE this post. LOVE this dress on you. You look like a total babe and totally fierce even without shoes! xx
Thank you so much petal. And you’re right – better to have grass stains as evidence of a Summer gloriously spent, than a pristine dress hanging in the wardrobe.
B xx
And then there was the bunny. I’m glad you bought the dress! Cost-per-wear is the best formula ever invented.
Arianne
Any excuse to get a small, fluffy woodland creature on my blog 😉
B xx
Gorgeous dress and the same bag as Olivia, I die….
Ooh thank you. And I’m secretly thrilled I had the Tillie bag first 😉
B xx
aaaaw, that rabbit is sooo cute! 🙂 The dress looks great on you!