Category: summer
Slides for a Reason x
Slides/sandals with socks were objects of such disdain in my youth: Only worn by tourists from lands that fashion forgot. But now they’re the sheep-shoe of the moment…and why not? They’re the model of languid self-possession with sleepy, knowing eyes. 
It’s that edgy, loose type of cool..a button casually left undone rather than a mini skirt and teetering heels…Birks are the reigning royalty. The ones with white soles have particular appeal..shame my feet don’t like them, but there’re plenty of other options.. 
(From here)
Some with that extra element of something to elevate them from the ordinary..
(From here)
I like the way they mix with tailored suits – poise, power, grace. And the ability to run..
(The Adidas originals JS Wing slides in black and white – from 2011, but you might find on Ebay..)
It’s what makes fashion so fascinating: That visceral force and ever changing skyline where something can be so rejected one decade makes a complete turn around the next..
But comfort and style needs embracing: I dare someone to sit next to me and tell me it isn’t true….
Laters, Kate x
The Runs..and an update x
I’m running the GSK Orange United Run 5k today at Dorney Lake where the Olympic rowing events were held. They don’t know it yet but the Husband, Bella and Charlie are running the 2.5k..hehe. This is the acknowledgement of keeping the fitness training up since January…except I’m not on my best form..had a migraine yesterday, all much better today but the halos of the remains are sill hovering around the edges and it’s a hot day with mucho sunshine…lots of water and dark glasses me thinks. To top it off we have a big party tonight I’ve been so looking forward too..no rest for the wicked hey so fingers crossed..and thank God this run’s sponsored by a drugs company…
Update
The beautiful setting at Dorney Lake where Eton have their rowing club..the view from the club house. The clouds were starting to roll in..
Pre-start nerves..
Slightly disconcerting to see this on the floor of the portaloos….I suppose it could’ve been worse…
Are we ready?
Go! The husband being beaten by a sleeping child..
Damn! Pipped to the post by a Dame! Although I got the style points for running in a denim jacket (didn’t have time to take it off..but don’t tell anyone) (and the truth is I even got beaten by a labrador) But despite the heavens opening on us about halfway round, it was a fab family day for which Fairy (in photo above) get full points for organising… it’s not often you can say you ran in a Race with a double olympic gold medalist!
Now where’s the Doctor before I hobble to my party??
Laters, Kate x
Fashionably White..
(All images from Tumblr)
Sometimes simple is simple…
Laters, Kate x
Shoe Fantasies..
Balmain SS12: A whole new level of voyeur porn..
Just add a bit of boho..
Kristen Stewart style cornrows..
(all pictures from Tumblr)
And you’re good to hit…the street.
Laters, Kate x
Just Corking! x
These are my beloved two year old most comfortable summer shoes the world has ever known babies. They’re really on their last hurrah, but I couldn’t resist giving them a summer re-vamp to squeeze that last bit of life out of them..
Studs! Except they’re not..
They’re bog standard drawing pins (tacks to others) pushed into the cork..no glue, nothing..just a bit of thumb grease..
And I absolutely love ’em! Now they’re smiling again for another year on the tiles…
Laters, Kate x
Shoe Notes… x
These shoes would complete my life. My waters tell me so. Sadly I have no idea who designed them…but I’m thinking a pair of pointy whites and some magic markers?
Laters, Kate x
Stunning Shibori..
(From Fausto Puglisi Resort 2015)
There’s a quiet revolution happening which originally had it’s routes in Japanese culture but for me will always sing of the seventies: Shibori tie dying.. 
(From Fausto Puglisi Resort 2015)
But now it’s far removed from flower garlands and hippy communes and is steadily seeping it’s way onto the catwalk..
(From Fausto Puglisi Resort 2015)
Even Michael Kors Resort 2015 can’t resist..
From MiH jeans who have a particularly fine range this season all in glorious indigos.
But the joy is this is something that anyone can do – especially with inspiration and advice available all over the web:
I love this video..I want to be there and play!
One of the best written tutorials I’ve found is this one from Honestlywtf, making all sorts of shapes and techniques look utterly effortless and astonishingly beautiful..imagine these as individual napkins on a summer table… 
Or doing these techniques on a dark denim shirt with bleach instead of dye?? And I’ve just looked….and Honesltywtf have a tutorial for that as well!
Suddenly I really, really want to get my hands dirty….
Laters, Kate x
Geo-caching..
Ever heard of Geo-caching? Nor had I until a friend mentioned it..it’s an app that basically uses GPS to find treasures hidden by others all across the world (over 2 million and counting). We used it for the first time on our little holiday..First you see a map that marks where the booty lies, then a compass points you in the right direction and counts down the metres to your prize.
The pleasure is it leads you to unexpected places..the journey is half the fun..
Our trail led us to this memorial dedicated to Airmen from World War 1.
You get within 10 feet of the treasure..then you have to start looking..
Success!
Inside was a log book to mark your discovery.
And then you can choose a prize – as long as you’ve got something to put inside as well..we left some dice! Then it’s time to return it to it’s little hidey hole for another explorer to find..
It’s a fabulous way to add an extra spin to a day…any day!
Laters, Kate x
Early Summer Flowers x
One of the hardest things I’ve found as a parent is the relentlessness of it – it’s 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. With young children even on a ‘holiday’, unless you have the luxury of child care, there’s no time off – the scenery may change but the demands don’t..in fact they’re exacerbated if you’re by water and they can’t swim..or applying sun tan lotion to a moving target..or cursing the lack of toys as the rain comes down..or wondering where the nearest pharmacy/doctor is..or suffering a hangover with a child bouncing on your head at five in the morning..no matter how beautiful the place there’s still meals to sort, cleaning to do, shoes to find..teeth to brush.
But now that Charlie is five, we seem to be turning that parenting-at-the-rock-face corner. And this holiday sort of proved it.
We wanted to know if we could find a back to basics, out on your bikes type of nostalgic freedom where we could let the kids roam free without a care in the world.
We based ourselves in a little holiday park where cars were banned, where there was an indoor swimming pool (although they still had to be accompanied to swim) a tennis court and a small playground and told them they could come and go as they wanted, even (this was the big one) out of sight…they wandered, made friends, played football, played tennis….and we sat outside in peace and quiet and read!! Unheard of…I finished a whole book!
The truth is modern day parenting has made the world smaller, more tense, less happy till it’s almost no better than pretending to sleep. Really..we don’t need the blister. Which doesn’t mean it’s easy to let go – we’ve all read or seen the horror stories. I just believe we need to do it and we need to do it more – freedom, boredom, security, love and benign neglect is a potent combination.
Which didn’t mean we didn’t do things as a family….we did. We just weren’t permanently chained together….there was room to breathe.
It helped that it was such a comely spot. I’ve rarely seen so many abundant, rampant wild flowers..
With lots to see and do.
Frog spotting..
A true holiday for ALL the family….We’ll be going back for more of the same.
Laters, Kate x
Joy x
If I see something I like that flutters the gut I follow the trail back to see if it was a one off or a true love. Sometimes there’s only time to scribble a name down..then tracking it down is a bit like a treasure hunt wondering what will turn up. So it was with Joie – a name in my notebook, a diamond in the dust.
What first caught my interest were the shirts with their easy nonchalance and natural grace.
In many ways similar to Zadig and Voltaire except more accessible, less edgy. Although much of that is the contrast of styling. Look at Joie as individual items rather than a whole look and it would be easy to add the urban edge.
Made with quality materials, there’s nothing faddy – they’re the type of pieces that will live on in the wardrobe, adapting and morphing with the times.
Smoothly integrated, wearable, honest.
Key pieces painted in broad strokes.
With a joy of simplicity.
I could say I didn’t like it. But it would be a lie.
Laters, Kate x
Maison Bentley Style 