A Week Of Outfits During A Hot May

A week of outfits – spring style 

Any photograph that reminds me of the film ‘Dirty Dancing’ is a good thing in my books. ‘I carried a watermelon’ in a shirt borrowed from my husband, organic cotton jeans and a rather fetching foldable tote bag. A few years ago, I searched everywhere for a foldable tote bag that didn’t have bright colours and patterns and finally settled on this one. See more totes here.

Getting the most wear out of fancier clothes is a personal challenge of mine. Growing up, ‘good clothes’ were always kept for best. But in my experience, they never get worn enough. I’m breaking through this rule by pairing a black silk dress that I found in Oxfam with this linen shirt. It meant I could walk about Berlin and not feel overdressed and the dress was free from another dusty day in the wardrobe.

I took a trip to the Botanical Gardens in Berlin this week – and saw probably less than half of it. It’s pretty big and well worth the trip. It’s more natural than a lot of botanical gardens I’ve visited before, with lots of it given over to the beautiful wildflowers that grow this time of year. I wore secondhand trousers from Oxfam, a blouse from Thought Clothing, blazer from Everlane and shoes that badly need to visit a cobbler. And it wouldn’t be a week of outfits without my black leather bag from Esty.

It is hot in Berlin, therefore, I have been looking out my summer clothes once more. This linen dress is from a few years ago when I started to buy fewer clothes and of better quality. And it shows. It’s a joy pulling this one of storage every year. It’s made of linen so I tend to embrace the wrinkles!

I have finally found the perfect shorts. (The last pair I bought around four years ago and I wore them so many times but they are super short and I don’t feel that comfortable in them anymore.) High waisted and slightly longer in the leg and made from sturdy organic cotton. They are from Arket which is a brand that are making small advancements towards more sustainable fabrics. I’ve paired it here with a very old top which I bring out every summer.

Today was so hot, I wore the jacket just to save my poor Scottish skin! I’ve taken to paring this very old dress with the denim jacket every time it’s hot enough. I love the mix of a pretty dress with a more casual jacket or shirt on top.

 

The shorts as before but this time I’m wearing them with a top I picked up from Oxfam and the same linen shirt as before. I’m hoping to mix and match basic pieces all summer and yet continue to create new looks. Check out some of my summer picks here.

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Fancy more reading? What about A Week Of Outfits In April?

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