After our incredible heatwave last year, I have been adding Summer pieces to my wardrobe ready for an equally hot Summer this year. Last year I found out I didn't really have that many Summer clothes and I didn't want to have the same problem again this year. I now have loads of cute Summer clothes and not enough warm weather to wear them all but there is one outfit I have been wearing any opportunity I get. I wanted to share my entire look with you today, broken down so that you can see my mind set when I look at outfits and looks. I will take you through: my favourite look, how you can change it a little depending on the weather and the makeup I like to wear during Summer.
Outfit
Dress
Starting with the outfit, I have picked my current favourite outfit but there are simple changes that can be made if the weather is a bit nicer than it is at the moment. I have always preferred to wear skirts and dresses to trousers but I've never been overly girly within my style. I've always stuck to dark colours and I've never been a fan of prints but this year something seems to have changed within me. I now love a ditsy floral print which is incredibly feminine and it currently borders on being the only pattern I will wear.
My favourite dress this season incorporates a ditsy floral design and the colour of the season, red. Throughout the A/W19 runway there was a lot of red and quite a bright red at that. The dress I have been loving is the Red Ditsy Print Bardot Skater Dress from Pretty Little Thing. You can buy it in two colours, I obviously went for the red but you can also buy it in yellow. I have to say I was not the first person to come across this dress, my best friend showed me it first and I copied her but from the moment she showed me it, there were various aspects of the dress I loved but I also knew exactly how I wanted to style it.
My favourite dress this season incorporates a ditsy floral design and the colour of the season, red. Throughout the A/W19 runway there was a lot of red and quite a bright red at that. The dress I have been loving is the Red Ditsy Print Bardot Skater Dress from Pretty Little Thing. You can buy it in two colours, I obviously went for the red but you can also buy it in yellow. I have to say I was not the first person to come across this dress, my best friend showed me it first and I copied her but from the moment she showed me it, there were various aspects of the dress I loved but I also knew exactly how I wanted to style it.
The aspect that mainly drew me to the dress was the Ditsy Print, as I said, it is a pattern I have been loving this season but I also loved the shape of the dress. I am a petite lady and as much as I wish I was curvy I simply am not so I like clothes which give the illusion of shape and this dress does that. I did manage to buy this in a petite which also works in my favour, other than the dress being a bit shorter compared to what I would usually wear these days.
It is a skater dress with a bardot top. I love a bardot style as I find it incredibly flattering on my slender shoulders but then the skater bottom means there is a bit of balance and it helps to create shape which is emphasised by the belt around the waist. Hands down the best part of this dress is that the bardot sleeves have their own elastic. This means that the bardot doesn't rise all the time and it is comfortable, essentially this is the best style of bardot you are going to find. The sleeves have a little frill which matches the bottom of the dress and adds even more femininity to the dress. I'm not sure how skater the skirt is as I do not find it flares out that much but it does have a frill detail hem which provides movement. What I am trying to say is that I love everything about this dress and there is literally nothing I would change about it, other than the length.
It is a skater dress with a bardot top. I love a bardot style as I find it incredibly flattering on my slender shoulders but then the skater bottom means there is a bit of balance and it helps to create shape which is emphasised by the belt around the waist. Hands down the best part of this dress is that the bardot sleeves have their own elastic. This means that the bardot doesn't rise all the time and it is comfortable, essentially this is the best style of bardot you are going to find. The sleeves have a little frill which matches the bottom of the dress and adds even more femininity to the dress. I'm not sure how skater the skirt is as I do not find it flares out that much but it does have a frill detail hem which provides movement. What I am trying to say is that I love everything about this dress and there is literally nothing I would change about it, other than the length.
Jacket
Depending on the weather, there are two different jackets I will pair my dress with but my favourite way at the moment is with my All Saints Balfern Leather Jacket and a pair of chunky black boots from New Look. I love the contrast of the more tough leather jacket with an ultra-feminine dress, I think it is the ultimate combo. My leather jacket is the Balfern Style and I have worn it so much since I received it for Christmas a couple of years ago. Unfortunately it is going into temporary retirement as I have ripped it and until I get it fixed, I can't wear it. I actually broke it whilst I was out taking pictures for this post and I am absolutely devastated. I am looking to get it fixed so if you know of anywhere in Bristol that does leather repairs, please let me know!
Whilst my leather jacket is tucked away I will instead go for a lighter jacket, my denim jacket. I have a slightly oversized crop denim jacket which also pairs well with this dress. My jacket is from H&M but I've had it since I was around 17 so there is no way you can buy it but there are so many on the market at the moment that it shouldn't be hard to find one you like. I have to say a jacket is not completely necessary, especially not during Summer but I like to have one because I feel the cold easily and in the UK it doesn't always stay warm into the evenings and that is always the point that I regret not taking a jacket.
Shoes
A big trend at the moment is chunky boots with a floral, feminine print dress. This style was all over the Coach 1941 Runway and it was a look I wanted to adopt this season. I found it really hard to find the exact boots I was looking for but eventually I found the boots on ASOS. They are a chunky boot with thick laces and they don't go too high up your leg. Also I did not want a heel but I didn't want to feel like I was walking on the floor and these shoes have the perfect balance of a tiny heel that doesn't feel like a heel. I wanted the style to almost be masculine but something that could be made feminine depending on what you paired with them and this dress is exactly what I imagined wearing these boots with. I love how the red dress and these boots balance each other out so they sit somewhere between feminine with a little bit of edge.
Let's face it, in the UK it is hardly ever scorching so for the most part I can get away with wearing these boots but if it is bloody boiling, I will swap these out for a pair of sandals. I bought a pair of sandals from Primark last year in prep for when I went to Nice but I have seen this style again this year. They are a tan sandal with a rope sort of design along the front and it has a flip flop hold at the front. I hate showing my feet so this is rare but if it is too hot, I will wear these and they look really cute with this dress. Once again much like the denim jacket, really any sandals will do but I recommend looking for something a little bit more dainty.
Bag
Bags are steadily becoming a more considered part of my look. It used to be that I would only have one or two to chose from but now I have a couple more. Although I do have a favourite for the weekend, my Aspinal of London Lottie Bag in Taupe. For Summer I much prefer a smaller bag, it is less of a burden and it isn't going to make you feel like a pack mule. The Aspinal Lottie bag is perfect for this. Plus the light leather goes with every outfit I create and so does the Silver chain and detailing. It has enough space for your essentials and that is it, what more could you need?
Alternatively I have just bought another bag which would complete this look perfectly, a small backpack. I had been looking for a small backpack for ages, searching designer websites trying to find one but where did I find what I was looking for? Primark. I actually saw a girl carrying this in Bath, brand new, still with the tag on it and luckily I recognised the tag as Primark straight away. The next time I was near a Primark, I made it my mission to find this bag so I actually purchased it when I was taking the pictures for this post. When I bought it, I realised it would be perfect for this outfit.
Sunglasses
I cannot express the importance of having a good pair of sunglasses enough. I am not saying you need to buy a designer pair, you just need to look for a pair with good sun protection because your eyes suffer just as much as your skin in the Summer. A number of years ago I decided to make my first ever designer purchase and it was a pair of Chanel Sunglasses and I have adored them ever since. They have the ultimate level of sun protection and they are incredibly stylish. As they are black and a classic shape these will never go out of style and they go with every single outfit I have. These are the sunglasses I reach for and I love them. I bought these years ago so they definitely aren't available anymore but I cannot recommend buying a good staple pair of sunglasses enough because you will get the wear out of them, more so than if you were to buy designer shoes. I have no alternative suggestion for sunglasses because these are actually the only pair I own so I have to wear these but you need a pair of black sunglasses in your life with a high UV protection!
Jewellery
My mother adores jewellery, any excuse to buy something new and she takes that opportunity whereas I am a creature of habit in this respect. Like a lot of millennials, I am not a jewellery person, instead I like to opt for basic pieces that can be worn with all outfits rather than matching pieces to my outfits like my mother does. I have a selection of jewellery I wear all the time and for the most part, all of it is is rose gold. Everyday I wear the same Hearts of Pandora Necklace that I have worn for the past two years, I have a Rose Gold Michael Kors Watch, a Pandora Feather Ring and all of my various piercings. My piercings stay the same (mostly with Rose Gold jewellery,) the only ones I swap are the earrings in my lobes. On this particular day I was wearing my Astrid & Miyu Huggie Hoops but of course you cannot see that in the pictures. I never feel the need for a lot of jewellery but I feel like this dress has the neck line for a statement necklace so if you like big necklaces, this is the style of dress to wear them with.
In this outfit I feel incredibly comfortable and it still embodies my everyday style. Summer clothes always feel awkward to me, there is always too much skin showing and too much colour for my liking but I feel like this outfit has the perfect balance. As you can probably tell I do like to have a mix of high and low pieces within my looks, with the accessories usually being a bit more high end. I feel like it is safer to go for a classic accessory as they are timeless whereas, a more expensive clothing piece you are more likely to grow out. Whenever I pick this outfit out of my wardrobe I know it works for me and that is why it is my main Summer look this year. Now that we have covered the outfit, let's move on to Beauty!
Makeup
Normally for Summer I have one staple makeup look but this Summer I have been loving two looks. One is a more Rose Gold pink toned look and the other is more of a golden goddess look. I have to say I have been gravitating towards the rose gold more but for this look I went for my golden goddess look purely because it went better with my outfit. Not a lot of the products included will be surprising as for the most part, a lot of my makeup items stay the same but I have changed up a few items for the Summer months.
Base Makeup
During Summer I always prime my skin. During Winter I am an oily mess but if there is any form of heat, it is even worse. I am still using the Fenty Beauty Pro Filt'r Instant Retouch Primer that I have been using since last year, honestly this lasts a ridiculous amount of time. It keeps your skin matte and it helps your makeup stay in place, what more could you need? I then go in with concealer and I am using the Makeup Revolution Conceal and Define Concealer. After Drugstore Month in April, I actually went back and repurchased the larger size because it is cheap and works. I then follow this with the matching Conceal & Define Foundation. I have to say the foundation is not my favourite and I do think it is too matte for this time of year but it is the only foundation I have and I am operating a one in, one out system so I have to continue using this one until I have finished it. Luckily I have the YSL Touche Eclat to add a bit of brightness under my eyes which stops me from looking flat.
Once I've finished blending, I then start adding powder products. I like to use powder all year round but especially during Summer so I know nothing is going to move around. I am currently using the Makeup Revolution Loose Powder because a lot of people rate it and I was curious. I have the Lace shade and it is actually really good. I use this to powder my T-Zone and I use it post contour to clean up a little bit. I do not use this loose powder to bake, I just apply a light dusting with a big fluffy brush. Once I am happy with that, I bronze my face with the Marc Jacobs Coconut Bronzer in the shade Tan-tastic! I've had this for just over a year and I have majorly hit pan but this is my ultimate bronzer. I only apply a light bronze to the outer parts of my face and then I do a little bit of a more focused contour with the Charlotte Tilbury Filmstar Bronze and Glow. I use the bronze side with an A05 Spectrum Brush in the hollows of my cheeks and on my forehead. As always my blush of choice is the Benefit Gold Rush Blush. It is a peachy rose shade that adds a subtle amount of colour whilst adding an element of glow at the same time. Gold Rush is beautiful for Summer! To highlight it is back to Charlotte Tilbury but this time it is the Bar of Gold Trio and I use tons of the Original Bar of Gold shade on the top of my cheeks. It is an incredibly finely milled highlight so it just looks gorgeous when the light catches it.
That is my entire base look, if I am doing my rose gold look, the only thing I really swap is the highlight so it is more pink toned and I will either use the Rose Gold shade in the Bar of Gold Trio or Benefit Dandelion Twinkle.
Eyes
I like to go for quite a simple eye look as during Summer I feel like it is all about a bold red lip. I try to keep my eyes relatively plain but very bronze. I start off with a bronzer, I use Benefit Hoola in my crease and as a transition shade because I really love the way it looks. Once I am happy with that I use the Charlotte Tilbury Eyes to Mesmerise in Star Gold. I bought this on a whim because I loved the Rose Gold version so much and this is gorgeous. This definitely lives up to the Rose Gold shade and it adds a very bright gold which I then pat some of Gold Bullion from the Bar of Gold Trio on top just to set it. Once I am happy I use a bit of Golden Pink Cream Shadow Pencil from Bobbi Brown in my inner corner and call it a day. The eye look is really simple and can be done in 5 minutes.I then do my mascara. At the moment I am using Benefit They're Real Mascara which I will actually be doing an update blog post on so keep your eyes peeled for that one. It does take a couple of coats to get my lashes where I want them so this does take a bit of time. Once I am happy with my lashes, 20 coats later, I then do my brows. In this look I used a Benefit Precisely My Brow Pencil and a Soap and Glory Volu-Boost Brow Gel. All I can say is thank god none of these pictures are particularly close because I haven't had my brows done in a year and they are wild! The brow gel helps but realistically there is only so much it can do and my gel is incredibly old so it is definitely past its best.
Set Your Hard Work
A few weeks ago one of my best friends text me about setting sprays and embarrassingly enough I had not tried any. Basically I am a bad beauty blogger so I have made it my task to try a few. I have been testing two and there is one I prefer, the NYX Dewy Finish Setting Spray. Not only does the Dewy Finish set your makeup and keep it in place but it also takes away the matte look that using the foundation and so much powder gives me. I really rate this setting spray and it has quickly become a part of my daily routine. It just gives a bit of life back to my skin.
Lipstick
Once all of this is done, the finishing touch is of course, lipstick. I am a lipstick fan and I have a lot to choose from but I back a summer time red. I spoke about this when I spoke about Red Lipstick Friday, on what turned out not to be National Lipstick Day, (I had the wrong month.) Anyway faux par aside, I love an orangey red for Summer. My personal favourite is the MAC x Miley Cyrus 2 Lipstick that I think I may have lost but a close second is Tom Ford Flame which I love just as much. I am aware that really an orangey red does not go with the dress in this outfit but for the purposes of showing you my favourite outfit and makeup I wore it for these pictures. I always wear a matte red so it doesn't move around too much and I think it provides a great contrast with dewy skin.That concludes my makeup look, it sounds like a lot but it doesn't look like a lot and really the red lipstick makes you look more put together than perhaps you are. The main difference between the golden goddess look and the rose gold look is within the eye shadow look and the lipstick. If you would like a full post on my rose gold makeup, let me know! One thing I have not mentioned is SPF, as technically it counts as skincare, but I definitely think it is important to mention. Please make sure you use an SPF throughout the Summer because sun damage happens very quickly and you won't even notice.
Hair
The final aspect of any look is hair. I already know this is going to be a really short, boring section so I decided to leave this until last. I wish I could do so much more with my hair but I simply do not have the skill. My favourite hair style is a curly ponytail with a cute scrunchie but I have thin hair so this look doesn't work. In general I love curled hair in soft waves but I can't do it so I have to settle with straight hair but I feel like any form of curled hair would look incredibly cute with this look.
I do still sort of have Rose Gold Hair but it isn't as bright as it once was and it changes colour every time I wash it. I am still trying to work out the best way of using the toner and at the moment I have a pink tint in the sun but for the most part I just look blonde which actually worked out for the best for this look as clearly pink hair does not go well with a red dress.
I do still sort of have Rose Gold Hair but it isn't as bright as it once was and it changes colour every time I wash it. I am still trying to work out the best way of using the toner and at the moment I have a pink tint in the sun but for the most part I just look blonde which actually worked out for the best for this look as clearly pink hair does not go well with a red dress.
British Summer Time doesn't really equate to warm weather and I feel like this look embodies that. When most people think of a Summer look they instantly think of what they would wear on holiday, whereas the look I have chosen is my everyday outfit. If I was on holiday then I would definitely not be wearing a jacket, there would be no boots and probably no makeup but I've gone for my classic British weather look.
I am willing to admit that I do dress to impress, I like to wear something that I know I look good in which means I am willing to put a bit of effort into my everyday attire. I am fully away that not everyone wants to wear a bardot dress during the day but I'm going to and I feel like the accessories for this outfit makes it a little bit more daytime appropriate.
Also I would like to mention that at first this may seem like I have spent quite a lot on an outfit but I do get a lot of wear out of all of these items and all of the high end/designer products I have purchased when they have been discounted. I am quite a savvy shopper so I will wait to buy more expensive items in sales or when stores like Harvey Nichols or Harrods do discounts. I hope you have enjoyed this Summer look and if you want to see more of my outfits, go over to my Instagram: SophaaRambles
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