Wednesday, August 20, 2014

Postcard from England

It's been a while, and I hope everyone has enjoyed a happy and beautiful summer. We've been on a round-trip through England, from the North down to London, to the South West and Wales, seeing family and friends.

Back home, July and August are the hottest months of the year, and so it was wonderful to breathe some cooler air, and to walk across green hills and fields. We were so lucky with the weather, most of the time it was clear and sunny, and nothing beats the beauty of the English countryside on days like this.














My capsule wardrobe makes packing easy, and trusted combinations of staple pieces sometimes only need slight changes to adapt them to different times and places. The style sheet below is a variation of what I wore in Paris a couple of months ago, only that I changed the trousers from red to blue, and left out the blazer, which made it a perfect day look for a walk in the English countryside. 







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27 comments:

  1. Beautiful pictures MaiTai...you look very relaxed and calm. Nothing like the countryside to recharge your battery! We are off to England in September and I am so excited, it will be our first time visiting. So glad you are back with us! Missed you, Simone xx

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    1. Wishing you a most wonderful upcoming trip, dear Simone! September is such a lovely time to visit, hope you’ll have the best of times! Missed you too, it’s great to be back x

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  2. Well, welcome home, Missy. You look lovely, fresh and relaxed in your English garden colors. It's 97 here and will be nearly 100 tomorrow. I won't even mention the humidity. Fresh is not in my current vocabulary, and the GM's are still packed away, awaiting the arrival of October, maybe even November.

    At least I can admire you in yours. But, what I really admire are those loooooooong legs in the fourth picture. I think that's one of the reasons you can wear anything and look marvelous . . . it's those long, slim gazelle legs of yours. Wish I could buy myself a pair!

    So happy to have you back. I enjoyed the Hermès windows but not nearly as much as I enjoy seeing you and your travels.

    Jerrine



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    1. Feeling your pain with the heat and humidity...bad hair days ahead!
      If you find a source for those legs,let me know;-)

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    2. Thank you, my friend. Misery does love company. I don't know why people think the South enjoys enviable weather . . . it doesn't - certainly not in August anyway!

      I searched high and low for those legs today. I Googled "long, slim gazelle legs,""looooong, looooong legs," and even "MaiTai legs," and not a darn pair popped up. Phooey!

      Stay out of the sun!

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    3. Dang!
      Thanks for the intel;-)

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    4. Awwh my dearest Jerrine, what a welcome back! Between you and Trudye you had me laughing out loud, you ladies are the funniest and sweetest! So lovely to see you again. Have a wonderful Sunday, and hope some cool and fresh air is coming your way soon xx

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  3. Blighty always looks so much more interesting through the eyes of others.

    The pasture looks very verdant. Especially as we are having the coldest wettest August I can remember! Summer, what summer!

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    1. I remember from all those years ago I lived in England that there is a price to pay for the lushness of the countryside…rain! But it also makes those beautiful and sunny summer days so much more glorious than anywhere else..hope there are many more to come this year!

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  4. Oh Mai Tai these puctures of sheep, flowers, nature and yoursef so young and fresh are a delight for the eyes, we can smell the flowers and feel the serenity.
    A ities
    Monica

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    1. It was so very peaceful and serene indeed, my dear Monica. Our next stop was London, which was more energetic! Hope you’ll like the upcoming pictures too. Amities

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  5. Welcome back, dearest Mai Tai!
    Hope you had a most wonderful Summer holidays too and am very happy to have you back <3
    I fully agree with you. The English countryside is so calm and beautiful. I feel like visiting the Cotswolds again.
    You look lovely and relaxed. Have a great remaining week. Many happy hugs, Manuela

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    1. Thank you for the sweet welcome back, dearest Manuela! So nice to know the pictures brought back happy memories of England. It’s hard to believe that the summer is nearly over, but it is wonderful to gather again with all my dearest ladies <3 Happy hugs right back.

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  6. Hello Mai Tai,
    You look so calm avec relaxed ! You're always elegant, even on holidays, bravo!
    Yesterday, i cooked your Madeleine recipe, and it was a real succès! (my son and my daughter adorent it !!)
    Amitiés
    Anne Marie

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    1. Hello dear Anne Marie, so thrilled to know you and your family liked the recipe! It reminds me that I should make them soon again too. Have a happy remaining summer and a bonne rentrée! Amitiés

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  7. Welcome back,dear friend! Such a bucolic scene you have painted and captured in the photog and especially by the look on your face! Obviously, the English countryside agrees with you;-)
    We have been very lucky with a cooler than normal summer,but that is about to end as the heat and humidity are ramping up! So happy for you and yours that you had such a lovely trip!
    In hopes that holiday,laid back vibe can carry over...at least for the rest of the week! Looking forward to seeing and reading more about this trip. Many mwahs, T xx

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    1. My dearest Trudye, it’s such a joy to see you again! Glad to hear you had a break from the heat, and hope the hot spell will be short and quickly over! We’ve had a less hot than normal August too.. it’s been absolutely blissful ever since we got back. Hope there won’t be too many heat waves for us before autumn arrives! Summer mwahs xx

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  8. Dear MaiTai,
    Thank you for these lovely pictures. You are beautiful as always and the landscape is absolutely bucolic. How relaxing your trip must have been. I aspire to be as chic as you on holiday! Welcome home--you have been missed! Xo

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    1. Missed you all too, my dear Pam! It’s so nice to be gathering together again, and what’s more, we have a long season of scarf weather to look forward to! Hope you had a beautiful and happy summer x

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  9. It's all so lovely, as are you, dear MaiTai! The view of the sheep meadow is so soothing. Your printed cotton blouse makes you look like an English rose. Welcome back!

    Warm aloha,
    Fifi

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    1. Many thanks for the lovely words, dear Fifi! I could have watched the sheep all day long, while reading a book under a tree.. so very peaceful. Have a beautiful Sunday!

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  10. What inspirational photos from the landscape and flowers to the fabrics! You look happy and so beautiful! Thanks for sharing images from your trip.
    Tanja

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    1. Happy you enjoyed the pictures, dear Tanja! Love English fabrics, there are so many fabulous makers. Visiting their shops can be as dangerous as going to Hermès ;-)

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  11. Dear MaiTai,

    Welcome back so glad you had a lovely holiday , really looking forward to seeing the rest of your pics of your travels these ones look fab and you were so lucky with the weather, maybe one day you will visit Scotland when next in the uk where I am.

    Have a relaxing week-end
    Jane

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    1. Oh would love to visit Scotland one day, dearest Jane <3 We’ve been unbelievably lucky with the weather indeed, I can’t remember having ever had so many sunny days in the UK on end! Hope you’ll enjoy the upcoming pics too, and have a great Sunday x

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  12. Superga's are too wide for me! Do they fit you well? Are they comfortable without having to break them in?

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    1. I love my Supergas and find them wonderfully comfortable. When they are new, I wear them around the house for a couple of days. Re width: My feet are narrow, but I don’t have the issue. Perhaps you tried them in a US size? Because they are unisex, a size conversion to US sizes can easily result in a mix-up, unless the shoes are specifically marked as mens and womens.

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