What makes a home

I will be upping sticks this year to chase my life long dream of settling by the sea.

I imagine i will be in a form of transit for quite a while so i'm having to think laterally about where i will live during that transitionary period.

Anyway, it got me thinking about homes that aren't your standard brick built two up, two down.

My first choice would definitely be a house boat. It would need to be something on the scale of David Gilmour's Astoria Houseboat Recording Studio to accommodate all my painting, photography and other misc items but a girl can dream right

Second on the list would be some form of camper van. I love the idea of being able to take your home wherever you want to go. I think this would be right up my street (and i can fit a roof rack for my easel!)

Third and final on the list would be a yurt, settled in nice shady spot close to a beach

What would be your choice and why?

Style Edit

It's been a while since i did a style edit so here's another lesson on layering for you.

I was prompted to share this outfit edit with you thanks to a lovely comment i received when wearing this dress the other day. Unlike the previous style edits this one also illustrates how to 'fix' a garment when the fit isn't 100%.

Step One - Locate Dress

Problem - The fit is not quite there. I mean i'm all for pushing boundaries (as most of you know) but the saggy boob look is just one step too far even for me.

(Jersey Dress - All Saints)

Solution - Needle and Thread. Decide how much you need to shorten the straps to bring the bust material up. If you have a mannequin great but if not use a dress makers chalk to mark the straps at the point where they correctly sit on your shoulder.  

Because the straps on this dress interlock i needed to sew them through the actual strap itself.

Use a thread as close to the colour of the material as possible and buy good quality so the thread is strong and holds.

Try on the dress to make sure the alteration is to the correct length.

Once satisfied (and this took two alterations so don't give up on the first attempt!) you're ready to build the outfit.

Step Two - Choose your under garment. With summer dresses i usually wear a bikini top or a bandeau/ vest. Your choice depending on where and when you're going to wear it.

(Bikini Top - All Saints)

This creates your first layer.....

Step Three: Add contrasting detail. I love wrap tops because of their versatility, this one is a wool charcoal wrap.  Word of warning though - check where it sits. This dress has a wide empire line so you can wrap the top to disguise or highlight it depending on your shape.

(Charcoal Shrug - Kew)

I need to show some of the empire line so i scrunch up the wrap top as so....

Step Four: Dare to bare? I tend to get cold quite quickly which means leggings are my best friend for dresses when it's a tad too chilly to get the legs out. 

(Leggings - TopShop)

Step Five: Shoes v Sandals: Here's me wishing for the sun in open toe sandals. The silver t-bar picks up the grey of the dress and adds some interest

(Silk Scarf - Alexander McQueen)

(Sandals -Monsoon Accessorize)

Step Six: Accessorise. I love scarves and a silk one like this is ideal to add an extra layer but keep things light. I would probably opt for this over a necklace given the line of the bikini strap.

That's it, you're done. For extra options like adding colour here are some other ideas for you....

(Red Wrap Top - Kew)

(swapping the bikini top for a vest - top from TopShop)

(adding a wide belt to accentuate the waist - belt from Jigsaw)

(using a shrug to show off more of the dress and keep the layers light - Shrug from Jane Norman)

(using a knit and ballerina pumps if it gets really chilly - Cardigan from Hobbs. Pumps from Clarks)

(Again, using a wide belt to emphasise a waist - belt from Jigsaw)

I hope you enjoyed this edit, if you have time to leave a comment i would love to get your feedback including any particular outfits or styles you would like to see on here.

The Style Edit (2)

Thank you to everyone that gave me feedback on the last style edit. Here's my take on some other looks.

1) Dressed Down Chic (because it reminds me of Paris)

What to do with stripes? I adore stripes as many of you will know and i have a wardrobe littered with them.  I tend to incorporate stripes through t-shirts as they tend to be more forgiving placed away from legs (thighs in particular). Here's an example of how i would pull together a laid back outfit

Step 1: If i'm going to wear flats i would stick to a skinny or straight leg jean/ trouser. It also helps to keep everything looking in proportion (basically your torso will only look as wide as the dark jeans not as wide as the t-shirt).

Step 2: Layering. I make my own t-shirts at home because i struggle to find ones that are long enough on the high street. You can pick up a simple pattern for around £5 or make your own.

It doesn't look much at this stage but you have to remember that you will only see a certain part of it once the outfit has been finished. Often tops that i use for layering look awful on their own, you have to remember to see past it.

Step 3: Add the stripes. This is a really soft cotton t-shirt with great tailoring detail. The stripes are also a charcoal so not as harsh as black on white. You can adjust the layering t-shirt until you're happy with it.

Of course if you're not a fan of the layering look you can do without the long t-shirt

Step 4: Shoes. Ahhhhh the shoes. I love ballet pumps as much as i love my sky scraper heels. If you have muted colours you can avoid the obvious and give the outfit an extra twist. These are rose gold pumps (so again soft in tone) which i think look great against the dark colours.

Step 5: Jewellery. If you can pick up on one of the accent colours. With the stripes being so busy I always opt for something simple but bold. This yellow glass necklace picks up the gold on the shoes and works well with the charcoal, adding just enough interest.

If you wanted to add extra detail you could go for a wrap belt......

Step 6: Extra Layers. I try to avoid covering up with layers that are too long when i have a short t-shirt on as it gets a bit messy.

Short layers tend to work better (especially as i'm so short!)

2) Easy Beach

I'm not great with the whole beach thing. I hate feeling like a trip to the seaside needs a whole spare bag of clothes so last year i decided to try and wear something that would work on and off the beach when on holiday.

1) Swimwear: I now wear bikini tops and bottoms with small shorts when i'm on holiday. It means i can swim or paddle whenever and wherever the mood takes me without having that awful 'change in a towel tent' nightmare because they double as under garments during the day.

2) The Dress: Maxi dresses are a god send, they suit every body type and are normally quite cheap which means I don't feel guilty when they get covered in sand and suntan lotion. I try to find ones with an empire line as they sit over the bikini top, making it look structured and part of the outfit.

3) The Cover-Up: I burn quite easily so i always have a wrap handy to cover-up when i feel the sun is getting too much. This is one time when long layers work really well because they work with the length of the dress rather than against it.

It also means i have a top for when the evening comes. Long jersey tops double as excellent wraps by just tying them around the waist. Best of all the layering of the material will hide a swollen stomach (in my case usually down to too much ice-cream)!

If there are any particular styles or looks you want to see let me know, hopefully i've hit the mark for some of you!