June Loves

1. Wearing: I’ve been wearing this big Kenneth Jay Lane pearl cluster necklace on constant rotation with everything from a party dress and heels to breton stripes and jeans. In fact, I think it is so perfect that I also bought two of these matching oversized pearl bracelets (one for each wrist); just like a certain Chanel version, but for less than one tenth the price.

2. Sparkling: I want to be the sort of girl who wears big, fabulous statement earrings with a chic bun, but in reality there is always too much of a sparkly statement going on around my neck for earrings to be able to compete. Instead, I prefer the teeniest tiny whimsical golden studs, like these Marc Jacobs hearts or these Bing Bang lucky charms.

3. Buying: I like clothes that look like they’d belong on either a five year old girl at a birthday party, or a cool Parisian coquette, and this silk floral print Band of Outsiders dress (also available here) seems to tick both of those boxes and is pretty perfect in my eyes. I’ll dress it up with sparkles and high sandals, dress it down with sunglasses and suede ankle boots, and take it into winter with a boyfriend blazer and opaques.

4. Small luxuries: Weekend trips to the farmers market to buy armfuls of blousy pink peonies (a few of these on the bedside table is the prettiest sight to wake up to) and the first English strawberries of the season. Perfect!

5. Play: Trooping the Colour with The Queen, weekends at the polo (hello, posh men on ponies), Cambridge ‘May Week’ soirees and games of croquet in college gardens.

6. Beauty note: June calls for tanned skin, tousled hair, pastel nails and a spritz of Jo Malone‘s orange blossom perfume (summer in a bottle).

7. On my wishlist: These impossibly gorgeous Carven blush pink silk bow heels (also on sale in scarlet red here and here) are at the very top of my wishlist (a potential souvenir when I go to Paris next month, I think…). Granted, they’re hardly practical (pink silk and English rain are hardly a good pairing), but I’ll always say ‘yes‘ to shoes that make my feet look like presents.

8. Listening to: Phoenix are the soundtrack to my summer (I can’t resist a cute French man…), and their new album Bankrupt is so catchy it is just made to accompany bike rides on golden spring evenings.

9. Watching: I’ve been struck by a wave of adolescent nostalgia of late, and have been watching all my old favourites on repeat (Dawson’s Creek, The OC, Clueless…). Highbrow: no, fun: yes!

10. For the home: Following my own advice, I’ve been all about primping my home this month, so every cupboard and space is being de-cluttered, organised and prettified (because a good cleanse is wonderful for the soul). Shoe-shopping has temporarily been replaced with buying new fluffy towels, crisp linen (I get mine here) and gorgeous new lights (I’ve just ordered this), planting lavender, mint and white geraniums on the windowsill and hanging some fresh pictures on the walls. Domestic bliss!

I hope you’re all having a lovely month! And as always, I would love to hear what your favourite things are currently (do share in the comments).

Love, Miss B xx