A Love Letter To Summer.
Shall we do something terribly British and talk about this weather for a moment?
For those of you readers who aren't from round these parts, the United Kingdom is, amongst other things (world cup fever, government falling apart etc, Brexit etc)....a heatwave. It's been going on a solid 3/4 weeks. Longer if you take it back to the beginning of June and ignore the sporadic rain we had after that. I don't know at what point we stop calling it a heatwave and start considering this might just be our summer but I for one am living for it.
Ever since I joined the blogging world and other bloggers made me think of these things, I have always called myself an Autumn person. I love the crunch of leaves, I love berry coloured nails and jewel coloured jumpers. I love blanket scarves and tartan skirts and ankle boots. I love being cosy, I love cold night food, I love the build up to the big C (no I won't say it too soon) and I always think 'sod summer, this is for me'.
But this summer has changed things for me. I have always said "I love not having to think about whether you need to take a coat or not but Autumn dressing is so much more me". I have long been a staunch supporter of the 'jeans and a nice top' club. 9 days out of 10 you will find me in high waisted skinny jeans and a breton tee with a pair of jazzy boots. But this summer, ohhh this summer.
This summer I have found a confidence I didn't know I had. I have a half written half ramble about body confidence in the drafts which you might see the result of one day but basically, summer dressing has been a source of stress for me (and the odd cry every now and then) for the past 4/5 years. I put a hefty bit of weight on at uni and long gone were the days of a flat stomach and size 6/8 clothes and in were the thighs and arms that wobbled a bit much for my liking and a stomach that clothes clung to a bit more snug than I had previously experienced.
The past few summers have seen me cry in front of a mirror, go out and buy new clothes on holiday because 'nothing will fit me and I don't feel confident in everything I own', feeling self conscious in shorts or skirts and even seen me nearly pass out because I simply had to wear jeans in 36 degree heat because it was all I felt me in. This summer however, this summer has been consistently hot and has forced me into the only pairs of shorts I own paired with a continual rotation of breton tees and vest tops. So much so, I have even been to Primark on not one but two occasions to buy loose fitting shirts and new skirts and dresses cos omfg so hot I just need clothes that aren't skin tight.
This week I was wandering the lanes round my Mum's house admiring the wide open spaces, the countryside views and the scale of the beauty around me and I fell in love with summer evenings all over again. I have always proclaimed my passion for summer nights, for long drives with the windows down, for sunsets at the beach and for bbqs and good music and best friends and family. It was 10.30pm and the sun hadn't gone down, I could still see clear as day and I didn't have to put the full beams on my car. People were out walking their dogs in the cool of the shade, the sunset was incredible and I just stopped for a mo and appreciated where I was and what I was doing.
Sure I am sweaty, sure car journey's in a tiny car with no air con isn't ideal most of the time, sure I don't really want to eat anything that isn't chargrilled meat in a bun. But my motivation has soared, my zest for life has sky rocketed, I am sleeping better, I am waking up earlier and I am feeling alive in everything I do. I am appreciating more, I am slowing down more, I am feeling confident and driven and this weather has everything to do with it.
This summer, the heat, the new clothes, the new found confidence and the sheer beauty of it all have cemented in my mind that I am a summer baby after all. Autumn is great sure, it has it's perks, I know I will love it when it comes along, but for now this weather can stay just a few months longer please.
