HOLIDAY PACKING LIST: GREECE

L to R, top starting at the top: Topshop top, Whistles leopard top, River Island smock, JCrew stripe top, JCrew denim shirt, River Island embellished scallop top, Zara dress, Topshop Aztec print dress, Jamie Jeans in light blue, blue and white, Warehouse pocket tees in blue/grey and black, JCrew 3" navy chino shorts, Zara denim shorts, Duccio Venturi sandals and beige ballet pumps, Topshop swimwear, Monsoon blouse, Topshop cover ups, straw sun hat and slim Havainas. JCrew and Topshop earrings, Monica Vinader ring, Oribe Volumista, Oribe Apres Beach, Phyto Sun Veil, La Roche Posay factor 50 for face, Clarins fragrance, If Nobody Speaks of Remarkable Things, Diptyque candle, Oliver Peoples and Miu Miu sunglasses.

It's that time of year again! We're off to Kaminaki in Greece to spend a week en famille. In the build up to jetting off, polyvore has been as invaluable as always. It has once again enabled me to edit down the items I want to take. Truth be told, in a separate collage I arrange all the above in outfits to ensure it all makes sense. 

In the day time we're mostly just in our swim things, with cover ups over the top for lunch and afternoon strolls, so I don't really need to take any "day time" outfits. I normally only take one cover up but am taking three this year for a bit more variety! A beautiful lace number from Topshop and a hot pink aztec print maxi dress  (also from Topshop) which I've had shortened a little so that I don't trip my way along the beach. 

For evening I like a mix of prints, embroidery, a dash of embellishment and clean classics dressed up with fun earrings. My Duccio Venturi sandals were my buy of the summer and I heartily regret not buying the same style in black suede. These little chaps will work very hard throughout the week. 

I'm in love with sunglasses at the moment and am taking along a classic pair by Oliver Peoples and a more interesting, fun pair by Miu Miu. As well as taking a hat along to protect my hair, I'm also going to try out Sun Veil by Phyto having enjoyed their Hydrating Day Cream for hair so much. Inspired by Nicole Ritchie, I plan to style my hair with a deep side parting, pulled back into a low bun with the Sun Veil applied to the finished product. Oribe has also recently become my go-to brand for reliable hair care that delivers what it promises. I'll be taking a mini Apres Beach spray for loose beachy waves and Volumista to help my hair look a little more lively. I'm not a fan of overwhelming fragrances on holiday, so this rebalancing number from Clarins will work a treat.

I'm planning on taking outfit photos whilst away, so be sure to check on the blog and Instagram for updates!

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NEW SHADES

Introducing my new Miu Miu sunglasses which I wore during a stroll with my sister, brother-in-law and my deliciously chubby niece. These are my replacements for my mislaid Tom Ford sunglasses and are a very welcome addition indeed. That said, they are not as subtle as my previous shades. My sister greeted them with a good natured "you've gone too far this time", and my bother-in-law informed me I'd crossed the rubicon. Serious indeed. So I might just have to seek out a more classical pair for those times when black and white tortoiseshell cat eye frames are a tad too much. But they remind me of Olivia Palermo and I love them, so I'm very very pleased. 

I'm wearing: Warehouse tee, Topshop jeans, Bijoux by Desi F necklace and Miu Miu sunglasses.

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WHAT I WORE: STROLLING UP RICHMOND HILL

Owing to my feeling a little on the 'blah' side yesterday, we spent the day out in the fresh air, walking around Richmond Park in the morning and then up to Richmond Hill Bakery for a piece of date and hazelnut cake in the afternoon. 

The weather is a tad unpredictable at the moment.  I find myself veering between cursing myself for ever thinking it was acceptable to wear jeans in August, and putting my sunglasses away, groping around for the nearest available layer and grimly declaring Autumn's arrival. 

I wore a Topshop sleeveless blouse, Topshop Jamie jeans, Russell & Bromley ballet pumps and Miu Miu sunglasses. Funny story about the shades - I have, for now at least, moved past the big shade time of my life, but I brilliantly left my Tom Ford Cary sunglasses sitting alone on a train to Waterloo a few weeks ago and have thus had to return to said bigger shades. I still feel affectionately towards them, but am a tad conscious that they make everything look a little "done". Like I'm the kind of gal who keeps hairspray in my bag at all times and would hate to attempt any task that might risk my french manicure. Not a look I enjoy. 
A new pair of sunglasses are winging their way to me as they speak, so if they're a success I'll be sure to share them on here sharpish. 

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AT HOME: DRINKS

Our little dinner party was a lovely success. I wanted to share the recipes for the cocktails I made because they were SO nice. 

Thyme Lemonade by Martha Stewart

1 1/2 cups (I used about 300g) of sugar

1 bunch of fresh thyme

The juice of 10 lemons

1 cup (250ml) of gin

Bring the sugar, thyme and 1 cup of water to the boil. Stir until the sugar is dissolved. Then stir in the lemon juice, gin and 6 cups of cold water and strain into a pitcher. Refrigerate for at least an hour. Serve over ice and garnish with sprigs of thyme.

This may well be my new favourite summer cocktail. It was cool and refreshing with the thyme and gin giving it a great edge, but steering well clear of being too much. I hate strong cocktails. 

White Peach Maple Soda by Quitokeeto

1/2 cup (125ml) of maple syrup

1/4 cup (60ml) of water

2 cups of unpeeled white peaches (about 3)

Soda water

Lemons

Over a low heat combine the maple syrup, water and white peaches which have been cut into 1/2 inch chunks. Warm the peaches to soften them a little, but do not over cook. 

Puree the mixture with a hand blender and set aside to cool.

Fill each glass with ice and add 1 part puree to 3 parts soda water and add a squeeze of lemon juice. Stir and serve with a sprig of fresh lavender (if you have some!)
This is a lovely mocktail for alcohol eschewing guests or those who just fancy a break from the gin as the evening goes on! Incidentally, I feel like the puree could work really nicely in a prosecco/champagne cocktail  for a twist on a classical bellini and plan to try it asap!

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AT HOME: ENTERTAINING INSPIRATION

We're having a few people over for supper tomorrow night, so naturally I have turned to Pinterest for inspiration! 

 We don't have the room yet for a sit down meal for more than 4, that's the dream for the next flat! So instead we're going for something a bit more casual - making our own pizzas and offering up summery cocktails. 
Casual does not rule out chic though, and whilst frugality is the buzz word and space is limited, I'll be doing my best with little touches here and there to make what space we do have feel a bit more special. Cutlery will stand in tall tumblers for people to use as and when they want, perching wherever they like to enjoy their food. We are minus a garden to bedeck in fairy lights, but the inside of the flat will have to hand itself over to them instead, and I'll be dotting a few tea lights in pretty holders around the living room. Peonies, white roses and mini gladioli in printed vases will add a dash of colour here and there. 

I'll be making two cocktails - Martha Stewart's Thyme Lemonade with gin and a non-alcoholic white nectarine maple soda. The boyfriend is largely in charge of making the pizza dough (fingers crossed...) to which we'll mostly add the usual classic toppings pepperoni, mozzarella, artichoke, peppers, parma ham, rocket and figs. We'll be finishing up with Nigella's take on tiramisu (made with Bailey's). As the lady herself points out, it's a comfortably cliched dessert offering, but one that usually goes down well because it is SO darn tasty.

I've  also added a few bits and pieces from Zara Home to my entertaining toolkit - pretty paper napkins, retro glass dessert bowls, gold serving platters and aztec print tumblers for cocktails. 

You can find all the links to the cocktails and credits for the photos used over on my Pinterest page: gonewiththefash. And if you're after entertaining ideas I'd heartily recommend working your way through Natalie of Canned Fashion and Emily of Cupcakes and Cashmere's Pinterest boards - oodles of inspiration. 

WHAT I WORE: STRIPES & PRINT

In which I treat stripes as a neutral! Which they are aren't they? I wore this yesterday evening for the jazz night at our local pub. 

I bought this paisley quilted jacket from Zara a while ago after seeing it on Anneli of What I Bought Today (she wears everything so well it is a challenge not to snap up everything she blogs about!). The stripe top is a JCrew find from when I was in America and is my favourite striped top to date. The little pocket and cut of the hem make it pretty much perfect to my mind. I paired the whole shebang with Topshop Jamie jeans, Russell & Bromley flats, Monica Vinader and Bijoux by Desi F jewellery and Lipstick Queen lipstick in Medieval. 

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