This summer I feel like my style could be described as: stick a boater hat on it. I tend to default to the same hairstyle (waves achieved through my overnight technique) with a boater hat and basket bag. The basket bag still has a bit of variety since I've accumulated loads of those, so that's slightly less predictable, but hairstyles for me have been pretty lazy these last few months as I've settled into a comfortable routine. As you can see in the above picture I did briefly attempt a new hairstyle for me on this day...as you can see from the rest of the pictures--it didn't last. Of course, I didn't take pictures until midday so I did actually spend half of my day running around in those bubble pigtails, but almost as soon as we started snapping pictures and I looked at a few I thought, "oh no! Maybe I can't pull off pigtails!" and promptly pulled my hair elastics out. What do you think? Can I pull off the pigtails? I'm still on the fence; I like to try new things and this hairstyle is all over Instagram at the moment, but when I looked at pictures some old insecurities surfaced and I reverted back to my comfort level of loose hair. I'm more secure in my self with each passing year, but it's funny how securities and comfort levels shift. I used to be self-conscious in skirts and then I would feel overdone in maxi dresses and now I wear them without thought, but I have a new worry--am I looking too young? Am I dressing too young? I mean I do get mistaken as younger frequently and I have a penchant for cutesy items. I like my novelty purses, mini skirts, and quirky prints--being petite I even occasionally shop in the children's section for clothes, but I'm not actively trying to look younger. In fact, I often stop myself when putting together an outfit and think "is this too young for me?" Not because I'm super worried that people will think I'm not dressing age appropriately, but because I would like to come across as an adult when/if I can. I am an adult, I want people who interact with me to see me as an adult. So pigtails for me always give me a bit of pause, especially when combined with a bubblegum pink romper! It's such a cute romper (and it's from the adult section ahem!) and I love the print on it that reminds me of treasure maps and adventure novels, but when styling it I am conscious I don't want to style it too juvenile--statement earrings and chic slides seemed a good choice. Still I wonder how I come across as I go about my day: teenager, married woman, college student, ridiculously pale ghost? I know it all boils down to cliche adages about who cares what people think, but maybe being completely without hang-ups is still a few years off for me.

I'm growing to have quite the collection of hair bows and if you've been wondering where to get them this post has the scoop. They're such a chic little accessory and perfect with slightly messy or undone hairstyles ala eternal style icon Brigitte Bardot. I'll use bits of ribbon from everywhere as a hair bow, but shops are also filled with really cute styles in fun prints that are hard to resist. Most of my favorites are from Free People, although some of the styles I love there are sold out now. As we head into summer and look ahead to autumn as well I feel the trend drifting from prim and proper bows to scrunchie bows and scarves; still a feminine finish but a bit softer in shape and feel.

When Thomas and I were dating I made him several mix CDs of my favorite songs complete with handmade CD cases collaged with vintage photographs and doodles. We recently found a fairly scratched one in our car and played as much of it as could be played and I got so excited listening to those old tunes again. It had been years since I had listened to some of them and I kept turning up the volume and saying "oooh that's my jam!" It felt very nostalgic and had me itching to make another mix for fun. That's my jam as a phrase was probably on my mind due to my new embroidered tee from Joanie. Joanie makes a number of fun, pun-y tees and this one matches perfectly with their jam bottle skirt (both of which are on sale now!). I wanted to photograph it with the cherry trees on my in-laws farm but they had picked them clean before we got over. There were buckets of cherries all over the house, so we borrowed some of those for these pictures and headed out to the bare little orchard. It was still green and sunlit, a pretty setting even if we missed getting the cherries on the branches--we'll have to make a note on when they're in season for next year! When you aim to photograph nature everything is very fleeting and you have to be on your toes to capture a specific blossom or certain fruit.  

For a fashion blogger I don't tend to talk about clothes all that much! I wear a lot of clothes, but I write more about locations and *feelings* and thoughts. Today however I feel I have to mention that the boater hat I'm wearing is available at Free People and sale for such a good price! I'm tempted to buy a second one although why I would need two of the exact same hats I have yet to figure out...instead I might go for this black boater also on sale. My scalloped dress is also available for a steal from Shein and if you use my code "clotheshorse13" you'll get an additional 13% off. Not available (at least the exact same pair) are these dreamy vintage dolphin earrings I'm wearing. I've really been starting to love statement earrings this summer and have been hunting down quirky styles, but this pair makes me feel so nostalgic. One of the first fashion magazines I read as a teenager was a summer issue and there was an article interviewing a girl on her style inspiration--she said she was inspired by her mother and loved wearing her mother's old accessories like silk scarves and a pair of gold dolphin hoop earrings. There wasn't a picture of the earrings in the article but the description had me hooked and I spent years trying to find a pair of dolphin hoop earrings to no avail. Eventually I gave up the hunt until I stumbled across these earrings and the article and those early years of discovering fashion came back to me. They're still not hoops, but they're vintage and gold and have dolphins and I don't think I could like them more. Finding them took me right back to those formative years when I just started reading fashion magazines and devoured everything I could get my hands on (my local library kept old issues of the magazines and I would spend hours perusing them). Back then I was just starting to figure out what styles I liked and didn't have much courage to wear them, but I guess a few things that inspired me in those years are still with me now. I don't read a lot of fashion magazines these days and my style feels a million miles away from where I began, but I still have a soft spot for vintage gold jewelry and nautical elements...

If I think about what I love about nature and summer it really sums down to the same thing: space to breathe. I also like the heat, although I get as annoyed as the next person when I start sweating just trying to take a walk and as much as I love nature I do wish I encountered less insects on my adventures--or at least less of the annoying insects (fireflies are welcome to come to Ireland). At least on my trampings here it's usually not roasting hot and there's less mosquitoes and no poison ivy, which I'm quite prone to finding in the States! But despite the bugs and stinging nettles I find myself outside on a walk again and again and finding myself in a quiet corner, like an apple orchard gone feral, finding it empty and serene. Summer has the same quality for me, with lingering daylight until nearly 10 at night there never seems to be a rush. You finally have enough hours in the day to do most of the things you need to do and those you want to do as well. It gives me more time to breathe and relax while still accomplishing what seems necessary. I'm reading boatloads of books, savoring the sunshine, and still feeling productive to boot! Life too often feels like a race that I'm lagging behind in, but as summer rolls around I feel I start to keep pace a bit better and with an escape outdoors I wonder why I'm worried about who's leading at all.