The Power of Sunshine

So today I'm going to be talking about the weather- how very British of me! Seriously though, I can't even believe the heatwave that we experienced a couple of weeks ago actually happened now I'm back in my jumpers and coats. But it did! And I have photo evidence to prove it! British people really are obsessed with the weather but there's good reason for it in my opinion. The weather has such a significant effect on my mood, motivation and social life and I always feel so much happier during the summer months than in the winter. Don't get me wrong, I love Christmas but I really feel like summer brings out the best version of me and I've recently decided that moving to a hot country would be worth what I'm sure would be a weird and disorientating feeling of experiencing Christmas without freezing cold weather and lots of layers.

During the UK's week of sun, I threw my university deadlines to one side and really made the most of it. Something I did with relative ease and would not have been able to do without serious anxiety and guilt usually. But as warm weather is so rare in our country, I really felt a sense of carelessness, which was so unusual and liberating for me. I feel like the sun loosens everyone up a little bit- well I'm certain it must do really if it makes someone as uptight as me loose track of my work. Obviously this might not be a good thing for everyone (aka those who are already a little nonchalant about their workload) but getting a little bit behind on work to enjoy times with friends and family surely doesn't hurt anyone.

That brings me nicely on to my next point about the power of sunny weather- it really gets an introvert like me out of the house a fair bit! I spent time in beer gardens, getting some work done with my friends outside rather than tucked up in my room as well as going on a night out, which was so nice. Leaving the comfort of my own space is always a tiny bit of a chore for me when the skies are grey and depressing but any time I had to spend indoors during the heatwave was spent rushing to get back outside. As mentioned in my last post about being comfortable with yourself, there's nothing wrong with being an introvert and enjoying staying in but sometimes it can be too easy to get a little bit carried away with how much time you're spending with yourself, which before you know it leads to feelings of loneliness and isolation. So I think a little push from the weather that makes you feel eager to spend time with other people is always a positive thing!

I spent the final day of sun we experienced, which just so happened to be a Saturday, in my favourite ever city and hometown, Liverpool. After sitting in a pub to watch the football (only a tiny bit against my will) Sam and I went to The Bagelry for lunch, which I would 100% recommend- I had the most amazing vegan pancakes and it's super affordable. We spent the rest of the day wandering around some shops and then went on a night out to Heebie Jeebies with his housemates which was so much fun. It was such a nice day/night and I was in a great mood the whole time (which, I have to admit, is rare), which I'm putting down to the weather.

The skirt I'm wearing I bought only the week before from Topshop, thinking I wouldn't be able to wear it for months or even ever in the UK, and so I was super excited to have a chance to wear it only the week after. This vest is also from Topshop and it's one I picked up last year. I also have it in white and they were both staples in my wardrobe throughout the entire summer of 2017. I think they're really flattering and I was obviously very pleased by how well these two shades of blue co-ordinate. Whilst my dark-wash denim jacket adds another shade of blue to the outfit, I especially love how the contrast stitching highlights the whites of my outfit. It's kind of ironic that I'm wearing an outfit that consists of various shades of blue whilst talking about sunny weather and happiness but I promise there really is no symbolism behind these colours.

I'm also wearing what is my current favourite bag from Zara. You're probably going to become sick of the sight of it because it's going to be featured in lots of upcoming posts. But I absolutely love it and I would 100% keep an eye out on Zara's website for a re-stock of it if I were you. These slides are so simple (and were such a bargain) but they really do elevate every outfit I wear. I particularly love styling them with some boyfriend/mom style jeans for an effortless look that is also clearly put together. And finally, these sunglasses that I've definitely neglected a bit too much over the past few years. They're a little bit OTT but I actually really like that and I think they're also quite flattering for my face shape.

I hope you've enjoyed this post and I'd love to hear about how the weather affects your mood. Are you a summer person like me or do you prefer the winter? I'd especially love to hear your reasoning behind the latter as despite the joys of Christmas, my birthday and all the other festivities I just can't get behind the cold weather and so would love to hear your thoughts! Let's hope for more warm weather in the UK! (Although I haven't got my hopes up too high- classic British cynicism hey!)