A very British summer.

If there's one thing we Brits are known for, it's talking about the weather. It seemed to me that it's one of those old clichés which turns out to be untrue - like the image that the French walk round in berets and striped tops saying "sacrebleu" all the time - but I've come to realise that the weather really is very commonly-discussed, partly because it's so changeable. What do Californians talk about with all that sunshine day in, day out? We may not have the hugely varying seasons, but you never know what's going to happen with English weather... as has been proved this summer!
Yesterday, it started off as a gorgeous day - really hot and sunny - but by 5pm it was PISSING it down, and I really do mean pissing it down.
Evidence:

(Not exactly a stylish outfit - I was in pyjamas at the time but I really wanted to soak myself in the rain, so I threw on some shorts (Primark) and added a ribbon belt to look at least a little respectable for my facebook friends).
Somehow, the storm failed to clear the humidity, so it's been horrible and muggy today. By 7pm, before going out to dinner, I was desperate to abandon clothes altogether and retire between the cool sheets of my bed entirely naked, but alas, social etiquette forbids this when you've got a dinner engagement, so I had to throw something together to keep me somewhat cool:
t-shirt - Polo Ralph Lauren (a cast-off from my dad); skirt - handmade from a vest top (it's got a navy blue underskirt) and a vintage scarf; clutch - Primark; flip flops - Accessorize.

It looks a little bit like a car crash, but I liked it. It made me feel carelessly chic, like I'd just bunged any old thing on and it had worked. The jury's probably out on that one, but I think it's how I'm going to play it this summer - baggy men's tee, belted at the waist, with a short short skirt and bare legs.
And a word about the flip flops - usually, I'm iffy about them unless on a beach somewhere in Italy or some similar hot place, but I think they worked. At least, they kept my feet cool (they were so swollen from shopping in not-very-comfortable shoes that I could barely get any other pair on!) and I like to think of them as "stylish" flip flops, if such a thing exists. The thong part is beaded! *hopeful smile*

Summer dressing and I have never really got along - luckily for me our summers are usually cool enough to get away with trousers if you want, but I hate the feeling that you're wearing tacky crap when you're away on holiday. All the bright colours and cheap prints make me a bit uneasy, and I feel much more comfortable in tights and scarves and layered cardigans in the winter. This year, though, I'm going to try and master summer dressing!
How are you all dressing for summer?
L.

Yours is the first face that I saw.

So, here I am, making my first ever blog! First anythings are usually always awkward in the beginning, but I'm really looking forward to this. The idea of making a blog came to me, quite suddenly, while I was on the bus today going (where else?) shopping. The blog is mainly going to be about fashion, as the name might suggest, but I'm planning to make it a jumbled compilation about my life and the things I'm interested in.

I suppose I should first give some background information about myself, as you do. I'm Lotte, I'm almost 16, and I live in London. I think living here has inspired my fashion sense a lot - I draw a lot of inspiration from girls (and guys!) I see on the street, and I love the diversity of both the people and the shops here. What else? Hmm, I am, as you might guess, very interested in fashion, although nowadays I place a lot more emphasis on my own personal style than designers'. I used to read a crapload of fashion magazines every month - InStyle, Elle, Vogue, Marie Claire, Glamour, Teen Vogue, Grazia - but I got so busy that I had a backlog of them to read, and now I mostly stay involved in fashion through blogs and shopping.

And as for the other things I'm interested in? It's a pretty wide scope - politics, religion (in my case, lack of it), history, literature... That's the intellectual list at least - I watch as much trash TV as anyone else! I'll probably intersperse my fashion talk with ramblings about anything that comes to mind.

Hopefully this blog will be good for me - although I've always enjoyed and done well in English, I don't often get the chance to write outside a school scenario. I feel envious of those people who write poetry (however cringeworthy I find some of it!) or write a journal or even stories in their free time - I've never really had the inclination, apart from when I was younger. Oh, for the days when I used to fill my time by making mock holiday brochures and writing short stories about children called Octavia and Hazel...

I think that's all for now, but I'll probably get all excited later on and end up posting a lot in the next few days.
Before I finish, though, here's what I wore today for my shopping:


(excuse the hideous photos - humidity does nothing for your hair or face)
Jacket - H&M; grey leotard - American Apparel; navy belt - vintage; khaki skirt - American Apparel (the circle scarf); white shoes - Office; striped bag; from a magazine.
Most of the shopping was for birthday presents, although I couldn't resist the temptation and bought myself a teal skirt and navy harem pants (!!), as well as a pink belt, all from Urban Outfitters. (Amazing sale on there - there's a lot of stuff under £20, which is a revelation where UO is concerned).

I'll probably post about the beloved harems next time!
L.