Individuality

It's a hard one.  

But it's the one thing that I was truly struck by at last weekend at Port Eliot (that and Sipsmith London Cup Gin is a seriously good drink).

So many gorgeous people and so many fabulously eclectic styles.  Which actually - when you look at the metropolis -plural - which apparently is metropoles.... that we live in and how time poor most of us are, it's not a surprise that many of us end up buying the same things.  As most of us shop in the same shops.  

However it doesn't mean that we all have to look the same.  It's the outfit you wear with it that can make it individual.  Which is handy otherwise we'd all be a host of clones walking around out there.  

And this was no more apparent at the weekend when I saw no less than four lovely ladies in the same gorgeous Zara dress.  One of the major themes of the weekend was definitely embroidery.  The prairie, almost Western meets Native American Indian look.  The ultimate in Cowboy and Indian embroidery feel.  With a hint of Victoriana...(which I guess could easily have a saloon style look to it...).  It was all very Prairie meets Mid West. 

Which I currently love.  And so do Zara clearly.  To be fair to them, they've nailed it.  And in particular with one dress.  Everyone else clearly agrees, as both my Insta account and a plethora of people I've seen in real life (at the festival) have snapped up The current dress of the moment. 

And yes, of course I've tried it on.  I thought that it was the perfect festival piece.  It was.  They came, they rocked.  I looked liked Shirley Temple meets the The Good, the Bad and the Ugly.  The high waist when you're ridiculously tall isn't going to do you any favours.  Plus the dress was so short on me, you would most definitely get an unwelcome eye full of thong were there to be a stray gust of wind.  No. Just no no and no. 

However the great thing about embroidered pieces is that despite them being so distinctive, you can make them your own by the outfit you create around them.  The fact we are all simply different shapes and sizes gives the dress its own personality to start with.  Whether you wear sneakers and a denim jacket.  Long cardigan and ankle boots.  Sandals and a biker.  Or just plain old flipflops.  Add a hat or don't.    

Here is the dress that looks so great on others but not so great on me (I had a style all of my own going on with it that wasn't for sharing...)

Embroidered Dress from Zara £49.99

So I'm starting with my current embroidered (80s denim be gone) faves.  From Warehouse, which is fast becoming my go to place on the high street - in fact, I'm wearing one of my embroidered gems of the season which I nabbed in the sale from Warehouse.  I love this. 

Floral Embroidered Jacket from Warehouse £89



And the skirt.  Which you could team together with a black vest underneath for dress look.

Floral Embroidered Skirt £59




And then of course, there is my absolute fave - the midi dress.

Reclaimed Vintage Embroidered Dress £60



Another amazing dress from ASOS. 

ASOS Embroidered kimono wrap midi dress £75




Lace Embroidered Midi Dress from Warehouse was £120 now £70  I would happily wear this with ankle boots into the Autumn.  Oh hello gorgeous selection of bikers.



Embroidered Shirt Dress from Warehouse was £75 now £40




Again in the sale at Warehouse.  This is the most amazing quality.  It's heavier than most out there so whilst lots like this are only suitable for a beach cover up, this one can actually be worn as a proper dress.  Fantastic for the money.  A little extra for holiday maybe?  I will say this is short though, so ideal if you're not too tall.

Linen Embroidered Tunic were £59 now £35



Another one which is shorter but as it's in the Tall, if you did want it longer, it would be a great buy to just sit lower on the leg.  And actually, even if you are Tall, this shouldn't be snatch flashing. 

Liquor & Poker Tall Embroidered Kaftan Dress £35  The detailing on this is gorgeous for the money.  Am super tempted to have for the holiday suitcase.  



And blowing the budget but the ideal all year round dress.  Into the Winter with opaques... sandals for now.  Perfect length for a *short* dress and all I really need to say is.. pockets?...

Vanessa Bruno Athe Smock Dress with Embroidered Trim £231



A couple of extras now if dresses aren't your thing. 

Vienna Embroidered Jacket from Anthropologie £148



And staying with the monochrome which I appreciate may be easier for some people to wear.  Certainly I find these easier to pair with neutrals than anything with a myriad of colours (I save those for my magpie days...). 

Vero Moda Embroidered Blouse £28




Cropped harem pants - hush
Jacquard sweatshirt - H&M
Copeland Sneakers - Air & Grace
Haworth Bag - Village England 

And for later on when I gave a talk in the hush tent.



Triangle top - hush 
Cropped harems - hush
Blazer - hush 
Copeland sneakers - Air & Grace

Sunday


White tee - hush
Khaki cropped harems - hush
1970 jumper - Bella Freud
Copeland sneakers - Air & Grace
Haworth bag - Village England
Hat - H&M

And in the evening - I snuck a dress from the new season Sample Rail at hush (which I did return....).  Available from mid August.  



Dress - hush 
Copeland sneakers - Air & Grace
Hat - H&M 

And all the glamour disappeared for the journey home. 


Sweatshirt - Wild Fox
Black harems - hush
Military jacket - hush
Black Caitlyn biker boots - Seven Boot Lane
Haworth bag - Village England

Speaking of individuality - here's another dress that is only from Zara so lots of people will have it but it's how you wear it that makes it individual to you.  One of my favourite ways to wear a midi for the evening.  With a biker and heels.  But I plan to be wearing this with my yellow biker and sneakers for during the day.  

Last night - for a much needed girls' night out. 


Maxi shirt dress - Zara
Onyx leather jacket - hush
Glove shoes - Balenciaga 
Haworth bag - Village England

And proving that embroidery is close to my heart - here I am in one of my many midi sales steals from this season. 



Dress - Warehouse
Sandals - Forever21
Red Soho Disco Bag - Gucci

We're off out for a BBQ and I'm planning on reinventing another way (aka simply putting on with a different outfit if I think about it... duh) to wear my pink pom pom sandals from Zara.  Where everything has become ubiquitous so a little imagination is needed.  I'm delving into the depths of my wardrobe for a Zara bargain of many moons ago for tonight (in my head it will work... hmmmm watch Instagram tomorrow morning for the potentially dodge results!).