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.

When the sun's out there's no place better to head than the beach and living on an island we have a fair share of those about! Irish beaches are some of the loveliest beaches, but a hot day to enjoy them is rare! I still remember my first visit to a beach here; I was bundled in a coat, tights, and knit hat and still shivering as I looked at the bright aqua water and soft sand leading up to sea arches. Even in summer a beach umbrella is an unfamiliar site on these sands, instead you're more likely to see beach windbreakers. And while you might catch a few brave souls playing in the surf, wetsuits are as common as swimsuits because the water is so brisk! It's quite a different picture from the hot beach days of my childhood where we toted a caravan of supplies to the beach, yelping as the hot sand burned our toes, and thankful for the tiny bit of relief the shade of our umbrella offered. But I'm pretty fond of both experiences and it's nice to not be so hot while you stroll along the shore that you can walk the whole length of the beach, exploring tide pools and caves, and wearing a little mermaid print dress! I must admit my new Miss Patina dress was one reason I wanted to head to the North Coast for a beach day (other reasons being the aforementioned sunshine and heat and a delicious harbour adjacent restaurant I love...).
Which gets me on the mind of theme-dressing and my obvious love for it. When I shared a picture of a vintage chicken print dress I had acquired, I said I couldn't wait to wear it while I fed chickens at a local farmyard. Someone commented, "do you have to feed chickens while wearing it?" And the answer is obviously no, I don't have to, but I'm still anticipating the day I get to wear that dress and feed chickens! So far I've worn the dress and I've fed chickens, but never on the same day...Here's the thing: I really enjoy feeding those chickens and wearing a chicken print dress while I do so will make me laugh! It sort of goes back to the argument of which came first: the chicken or the egg? The love of going to the beach definitely came first, but a nautical themed piece of clothing definitely adds spice to the visit for me. I would've gone to the North Coast without a mermaid dress (and still will this summer), but having a mermaid print dress, crab bag, and fishtail braid just lets me pretend I'm a land-bound Ariel for the day. The theme clothing reflects interests or hobbies I already have--I mean, why do you think I was searching Etsy for chicken print dresses in the first place?! The clothes don't dictate locations, but they give me even more incentive to seek out those locations or experiences I enjoy. 

Seems fitting on America's birthday to share these cherry pictures in a bright red dress and talk about my home country a bit. My mother took these for me recently while I was stateside visiting my family and man was it hot when we took them! It's only July but between an unusually warm Irish spring and my brief visit to the States I have experienced so many lovely, warm summery days that I really can't complain when colder weather and autumn arrives. I really like to fully feel each season--snow in winter, colorful leaves and misty mornings in autumn, and yes, boiling hot days in summer when you're sweating your head off! That is summer to me and not something I usually get to experience where I live now, but this year has been different. We've had every season right on our doorstep and it makes me so happy! As I said in a blog post recently, I don't believe in perfect places and I think part of what makes somewhere great is just focusing on appreciation. Even so, I am human and as wonderful as my new home is there are still things I miss about American. Here's a few things I wish Ireland had:
1. 24/7 stores and diners. I love greasy spoon diners and being able to drive to one at two am and get a milkshake and fries! None of the stores or restaurants near me are open all night and while it's hardly a daily requirement to run to the store for something at midnight, as a night owl I do miss the option.
2. A single faucet for hot & cold water. Much of this list is specific to my experience (as you might guess!), so while I'm sure there are single faucets in this country, my house has a faucet for hot water and a separate faucet for cold water. Which means when you're washing your hands you have to choose between burning your hands with boiling water, freezing them off with icy water, or filling the whole sink with a mix of both! Why, why why?
3. Vintage stores. I've been very fortunate in the States to live in places with excellent vintage and antique malls. The prices were amazing and the finds ranged from eclectic to elegant; while I do wander around the odd vintage store here I haven't found a very affordable one or a shop well stocked with vintage clothes. For now I content myself with late night Etsy browsing.
4. Driving. I haven't got my license over here yet so I'm dependent on others getting around, but in addition to that driving here is very different from the States. I used to visit friends in the States several times a week who lived over an hour away from me, here that length of drive is seen as more if a journey. I kind of miss the "open road" mentality of just getting in a car and going somewhere hours away without much thought or planning just because you feel like going somewhere.
5. My friends and family. Obviously the biggest thing I miss isn't superficial things like donuts (but man donuts!), but the people I left behind. I still get to see my family fairly often, but I find long distance relationships a lot harder to maintain and it's a very lonely experience moving to a new country knowing barely anyone.