Draw Your Swords

Dress: Vintage

Belt: ASOS

Sandals: Charity shop

Socks: Primark

Sunglasses: market in Toulouse.

When England gives you a second chance at summer with a mini heat-wave, it's only polite to embrace the sunshine, throw on a sundress and head down to the river to soak up some Vitamin D. We found this wonderful little retreat while driving to a nearby village and we couldn't resist stopping to sit by the water for a while. If we'd come more prepared, we may have even been tempted into a little paddle. 

This heat has honestly thrown me through a loop though. I was not expecting to have to get my legs out in October and after finally embracing layers, jumpers and boots, it was strange to get back to summer dressing. It was nice while it lasted but luckily, autumn is back in full swing now.

I'm definitely a transitional season kind of person so prepare for a happy Chloe.

Within

Top: Swap via Jasmine

Jeans: UO

Sandals: Vintage

Necklace: Gift

Tote: Julia Pott

These photos came out a little bit bright but I wanted to share them with you anyway because I'm wearing a wonderful top that I have from the swap I did with Jasmine of Transient Withdrawal. It's wonderful meeting people through blogging and clothing swaps is just one of the perks. What I didn't realise, however, was how much shorter Jasmine is and so all the dresses ended up being too short to be dresses but I like a challenge. I love this top as it combines stripes and a nautical collar.

I also wanted to share with you my new hair colour. It's only a bit darker than it was before but I much prefer it this colour. I can't even remember what my natural hair colour is anymore but I know it's boring. I'm also getting my hair chopped when I get back from Berlin as I'm ready for a change for autumn.

That's not a knife, This is a knife.

Top: Ark

Shorts: ASOS

Cardigan: H&M

Shoes: Miss Selfridge

Bag: Charity Shop

Necklace: UO

Whenever I try and think about the favourite part of my hometown, the cynical answer that always comes to mind is 'the train station'. However ridiculous this may sound, it's true. I'm always getting a train somewhere or other, be it London for shopping and seeing friends or further afield like Leeds. Travelling is just something I always manage to stumble into. I've spent the majority of my summer sitting on a train but I wouldn't change one single journey.

We took these photos on Sunday morning at the train station after spotting this old train off the tracks that went nicely with my outfit. These shorts are a new purchase that I've been hoarding for a while, waiting to be able to wear them on a day I have my camera. This colour will make up the majority of my autumn wardrobe, I just love it! However, these shorts wrinkle so badly, so quickly. Does anyone know any tricks for keeping linen crease free?

I also included my friend's outfit as many of you have liked her contributions in the past. I think she should start her own blog.

Golden

Dress: H&M

Cardigan: H&M

Shoes: Primark

Necklace: gift

Leeds is nestled in West Yorkshire. Somehow while out driving we managed to stray into North Yorkshire and after Mel's little car nearly gave up from all the hills, we stopped to soak up the scenery. We spotted some sheep who were just dying to pose for us. 

I liked the colours of this outfit but it was a little blah for my liking when I looked back at the photos. Does anyone else get that? The outfit looks great in your head and alright in the mirror but not at all in the photographs. It's irritating!

This is the last set of photos from my mini-visit to Leeds. Only a few weeks until I'm back though and this time I will be living with my wonderful photographer so blogging will be a lot easier.

Fever To Tell

Playsuit: Vintage

Tights: ASOS

Cardigan: H&M

Belt: Zara

Shoes: Primark

Tote: Julia Pott via etsy

The perks of living with your best friend who has a car are endless. It means trips to sainsburys to stock up on cheese (my main weakness in life), driving to small towns to raid the charity shops and reliving childhood in the form of visits to national trust properties. For the last day of our Leeds visit we drove out to Harewood House and enjoyed some good old Yorkshire scenery. 

There was a bird enclosure, complete with a penguin tank and lots of beautiful greenery which we explored on the Himalayan walking route. We spent most of the day in hysterical laughter and took an embarrassing amount of photographs. Every else there probably thought we were insane but that happens more often than not when we're out together.

Consider this a massive recommendation to visit Harewood House if you ever get the chance! The next day was the ridiculous long drive back to London complete with singing so hard we lost our voices and discussions of fitting our heads inside our chests. Don't ask!

Careful Crossers

Top: Primark

Skirt: Swap (via Jasmine)

Sandals: Charity shop

Sunglasses: market in Toulouse

Growing up in a small town meant entertainment wasn't always what other kids were used to. When I was a teenager and still in school, most of my friday nights and my summer days were spent at the lakes. Our school backed onto the lakes which had two bodies of water and lots of green fields, hills and woods. It was the perfect place to spend endless hours, killing time until we could get out of our claustrophobic town. In the summer we would go out on the lake in boats and play in the playground that we were much too big for. We shot a short film for school there and staged a death scene by pushing a girl down the hill while filming from a tree. I held hands there with my first real boyfriend and I got drunk there when we weren't old enough to go to the pub. It has so many ridiculous memories there that it's one of my favourite places, which are far and few between in my home town.

A few weeks ago, I took my friends from university there to take a boat out and soak up the nostalgia on a sunny day. It was the perfect excuse to wear this skirt (that I have due to a swap I'm doing with the wonderful Jasmine of Transient Withdrawal) along with those perfect charity shop sandals I mentioned. I was going to buy a pair from Clarks which were out of my price range so I held off and then I stumbled across these, identical and never been worn for the massive price of 99p!

Sometimes, I'm just lucky like that!

P.S. Yes, we are singing I'm on a boat in that last photo.

Down in The Yards

Shirt: Charity shop

Shorts: Vintage

Belt: Zara

Shoes: New Look

Ok so in no way do I think it's normal to pose for photos in the bathroom but we took photos in every room of the house to give a mini tour of the new place and the bathroom ones had the best lighting of a bad bunch so voila!

When I bought this shirt the guy serving me asked if I was going to Barbados, I told him that I was not but that I was just indulging in my guilt pleasure for loving hawaiian shirts. He didn't seem convinced unfortunately. The week I spent in Leeds I had such good luck with charity shops, it was unreal. You know when you've had something on your list for ages and then suddenly all those things turned up wherever I went. Including the perfect sandals, a typewriter and a sleeveless shirt identical to one I was about to buy from asos for a fraction of their price.

That is why I love shopping in charity shops!

He's The Only One Who Knows The Words

Dress: H&M

Cardigan: Topshop

Shoes: Primark

Necklace: Gift

We took these photos outside of our new house in Leeds. I went up there for a week to sort out boring things like internet, furniture and it turned out to fix a broken boiler. We didn't have hot water until the last day of our visit which was horrible but lead to some hilarious noises coming from the bathroom as we both tried to suffer through cold showers.

I don't know what it is about the place but I always have a feeling of such contentment whenever I'm in Leeds. I love London to pieces and I know I will end up here eventually but Leeds is my home too now.

This outfit was very feminine, perhaps a reaction to the fact I'm currently living in smart casual clothes for my job. There are a few colours I wanted to inject into my wardrobe and purple is always on that list so this dress filled the void for a little while.

I've been so busy this entire summer, it's nearly over and I still don't have a spare second. I need to start writing my screenplay for my graduation film and about a million and one other things too but I've had so many of my friends in London that it's been hard to say no to plans. I can always sleep when I'm back at uni.

I Wish That I Knew Now When I Was Younger

Dress: Vintage

Cardigan: H&M

Tights: M&S

Shoes: Primark

This dress has been one of my wardrobe staples since I bought it last summer before my trip to Sweden. I have never owned a dress that I could remix quite so many ways and still love it every single time I get it out of the wardrobe.

I wore this outfit for a friends birthday and then again at the day after the wedding where we all got together for more food and drinks and even some entertainment from bagpipes. Going back to Ireland was exactly what I needed after a hectic summer it was nice to get back to family and take things slow. I miss it already and can't wait to get back there. It's such a beautiful place and if you ever get a chance, you should definitely visit!

Filming for a short film I've been producing starts tomorrow and I'm super nervous. I always turn into a big ball of anxiety whenever it gets to filming so it'll be a highly strung four days for me. Then I'm off to Leeds for a week with Mel to sort out our house a little more including getting an internet connection. I will be vanishing again for about a week but as soon as I get a chance to get online, I will be back.

Grapevine

Dress: Urban Outfitters

Cardigan: H&M

Shoes: Primark

Necklace: Gift

I'm currently sat in an attic bedroom in Ireland about to get ready for my cousin's wedding. I feel like there's been so much stuff going on in my life recently that I've failed to keep my blog up to date with what I'm actually doing. I've got a busy few weeks of travelling up and down the country when I get back from this little trip but I'd rather be busy than bored.

This is the outfit I'll be wearing to the wedding later. It's a really casual, homely wedding with the ceremony in a local church then the reception in a marquee in their garden. Gardens in Ireland aren't exactly the same thing as gardens at home as my family live out in the countryside near Kilkenny. It's sure to be a lovely day, seeing lots of people I wish I got to see more often. My irish family are some of my favourite people but obviously visiting can't happen too often any more. We used to spend lots of summers here when we were younger, playing with the sheep, riding the mini-tractor or kayaking down the river in the village. It's strange being back here after a few years away but not much has changed.

P.S I know it looks like I blend in with the cream dress and I know I'm pale but this time it was just a bit bright when taking photos!

Five Years Time

Top: Tesco

Cardigan: Topshop

Shorts: Vintage

Shoes: New Look

Bag: Vintage

Another lovely day was spent in London with Laura yesterday. We started the afternoon with a picnic in Regents Park before walking down the canal and up to Primrose Hill to take in the lovely view. After lounging around we walked back to Camden town and met up with our friend, Dom, who is living in London for her year in industry. We spent the evening watching Adventure Time and planning parties for Dom to come back to Leeds for.

It was a really warm day despite the sun being hidden behind clouds for most of it. I had hopes of getting a small tan this summer to take the ghostly look of my skin but unfortunately, it looks unlikely. I will forever be a milk bottle.