A Sicilian Coach Trip, A Nuclear Apocalypse, A Missing Schoolgirl and A Gangland Murder on the Costa del Sol

 

And that's just my weekend reading! 

I've always been a prolific reader but when the sun's out I'm positively solar-powered and get through books at an alarming rate. Thank goodness for the three for £1 shelf in the charity shop and those generous people with similar literary tastes to me. 

Maxi dress by Greek boutique label, Blu (purchased in Rhodes, 2022), rayon & filet crochet cover-up (originally River Island, £2 secondhand find), Mexican fair trade fedora (Shilpa Silver, 2018)  

Much to my joy, the record-breaking British heatwave continues with temperatures reaching the heady heights of 33°C over the weekend - almost as hot as Greece! What makes me even happier is that I can wear all my flimsier summer clothes, several of which haven't seen the light of day in years.

At 7am on Friday morning it would have been warm enough to wear the strappy maxi dress on its own to walk down to the pool but I was keen to give this pretty block printed cover-up its first outing. Dressed heat-to-toe in white with a straw hat I felt like an extra in a Merchant Ivory film....Heat or Dust or maybe, in anticipation of our post-swim Spoons' breakfast, Feast of July? 

Vintage 1970s Adini sundress (gift from blog reader, Helena in 2019), Teva crochet flatforms, 1970s Polaroids (car boot sale, 2011)

Keen to spend all day in the garden, on Saturday morning we walked into town early to pick up a few parcels and to get some rum & cola from Lidl. 

I bought this block printed scarf in Goa 25 years ago from a boutique named Happily Unmarried, a highly controversial choice of name a quarter of a century ago. Back in those days Jon and I had to pretend we were married when we were travelling as many guesthouses refused to rent rooms to unmarried couples. 

Here's Sunday's outfit. I found this pretty cotton dress on my friend, Mollie's £5 rail at End of the Road four years ago. If it had been a more "normal" size I have no doubt it would have been snapped up immediately, it really is a beauty and, like the Adini dress I wore the previous day, it has pockets! 

Vintage 1970s cotton sundress (Vintage Relics), Teva flatforms and 1970s French sunglasses (Moseley Vintage Fair, 2013

Before I became a part time mermaid I'd ever have entertained the idea of wearing small earrings but as I can't be bothered putting earrings in after my swim so I wear studs which fit beneath my cap. On Sunday I wore Evil Eyes and Mermaids Tears, tiny moonstones set in silver.

My hair's at its best a week after washing it, I can twist it into a topknot, skewer it with a single pin and it'll stay like this all day. 

Browsing Vinted the other day I spotted this maxi dress. I didn't really need it but with the proceeds going towards the Red Cross Gaza Crisis Appeal, I thought it'd be perfect for throwing on over my bikini when we nip into our favourite beach bar for an afternoon beer. 

Red Haute maxi dress worn with Fly, London platforms and prescription sunglasses (Specsavers)

The lovely seller failed to mention that the dress was 100% silk or list the make - which turned out to be a pricey American hippie-chic label with their Indian-made maxis retailing at between $170 - $210. Not bad for £6!

As always, I came back from Glastonbury with a new pair of Mexican silver earrings from Shilpa Silver. I struggle to find the right shaped earrings to wear with my 1970s Sheffield Stainless Steel choker - these are perfect! 

Anyway, I road-tested the dress when I went charity shopping this morning and I felt amazing in it, it's definitely coming away with me although it feels slightly too good to be just a beach cover-up!

I found these Fly, London leather platform sandals in Banardos this morning. I detest wedges but will make an exception for these - they're supremely comfy, the cut-out vamp reminds me of Moroccan tiles and I adore metallic footwear plus the £4 price tag helped make my mind up. These Yuti sandals retail at £119!

I couldn't resist this either! Designed in Paris and made in India, this Barok "Bohemian People" tunic with the labels still attached was a very reasonable £5 (and £90 less than the RRP).

 

I know a lot of you enjoy my traveling light posts so stay tuned, there's one coming up before the end of the week!

See you soon!