How on earth did we end up at August bank holiday weekend so quickly? Historically UK summers really are a case of "blink and you'll miss it" with this year being the real exception. With this is mind we shouldn't really complain about how quickly it's past us by because we actually been able to relish in it this year but I still can't help but feel like I would have liked it around for just that little while longer! It really has been a summer to remember and in light of my inability to let it go just yet this is my last post and therefore last hoorah to the warmest and most wonderful couple of months we've had in a long while. Why not recap on my favourite summertime moments? Let's talk through my favourite trends, my favourite places and the music which has truly made it...

So let's start of with my favourite trends of the summer and thankfully they all consist of pieces I truly believe will last you through until next year (and possibly the year after that too). I've absolutely loved how much we've all embraced French style with full force this year from gold, trinket style jewellery to floral button down skirts and knitted vests. This is one of my favourite looks I tend to pull out every year without fail so it's really nice to see the high street invest in this aesthetic too! This July we officially fell in love with the midi skirt and when we weren't sporting it in ditsy florals, we were opting for a polka dot with a brown/caramel ground a la Pretty Woman. I'm still not quite over the brown polk dot love yet and I'm trying to think of ways I can easily incorporate this in to me Autumn wardrobe too... After all brown is forever the hero colour for September/October surely? 

Touching back on trinket jewellery, this year we've fully committed to yellow gold and pearl in a ostentatious nod to the costume jewellery of the Eighties/early Nineties. I'm always a fan of a round pendant or vintage inspired coin worn on a necklace but this year it's seashells which have truly stolen my heart. Whether its bold statement- boarding on slightly tacky- shell earrings or dainty little charms around your neck, the sea as been the place to be. Both Mango and And Other Stories seemed to nail this trend spot on and even when my tan completely fades (who am I kidding I said goodbye to the holiday glow weeks go) I think I may still be pulling out my mermaid jewellery because it's just so goddamn pretty. Just call me Ariel. 

Away from what I wore themes of this summer have been music and reading for me. This year will forever be remembered as the year we were graced with Arctic Monkey's sixth album and oh my did it arrive in style. This is one of the those albums which divided opinion and where I may lean towards the view that it's pretty spectacular and filled to the brim with Alex Turner-isms that would satisfy any AM fan, I do completely appreciate that for others this album verges too close to the obscure. Personally I think it could all depend on why exactly you love Arctic Monkeys? For me I've always adored their perfectly eloquent lyrics and my favourite album is Suck It And See with its whimsical, dream like melodies and so with this mind, Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino is right up my street. It was very quickly added to the list of album I can quite easily listen to from start to finish with no complaints. 

If you possibly read my 40 before 40 blog post early this year then you'll vaguely remember I aimed to read more and I think it's fair to say I've stood by my word. This summer my favourite read was one recommended to me by my sister Melanie, The Cows by Dawn O'Porter. Now this novel is a couple of years old so I'm technically a touch behind on the times but never the less that doesn't stir away from how much I enjoyed reading it! Ok so this isn't a hard, complex read but it is touching and really enjoyable. At times it can be a little twee but the overall message is one which really struck a cord with me. The book tackles the notion of a woman's place, so to speak. It touches on a woman's hang ups with society and society's with her. From female sexuality to juggling motherhood and a thriving career. For any buddy feminist this is a great book to sink your teeth into and one which helped me survive a lot of airport boredom. 

Away from the painful boredom of Airports and right into the excitement of summer holidays, this year I took a trip to Lisbon with one of my best friends and although I won't go into this trip in too much detail (as I did write a humongous post on it), it was undoubtedly my favourite memory of the summer. This has been a year of keeping plans to a minimum as me and Joe continue to save for our house BUT I couldn't have been more smug that my one big trip end up being Lisbon. It's a city I would whole heartedly recommend visiting and since returning home I've been planning ways to go back... It just so happened to be another one of my 40 before 40 aims too.

This summer I finally managed to watch Rolling Stones live (another one to tick off my bucket list), I danced like a mad woman at TRNSMT festival, I sang my heart out to Taylor Swift and got all nostalgic to Noel Gallagher performing Wonderwall at Neighbourhood festival. I've lazied in the garden and I've committed to ridiculously long country walks with Joe. I've hideous tan lines on my feet and well loved freckles on my nose that I just wish would stay forever. I've worn my sandals to death and over eaten ice cream... This summer has been exactly as all summers should be. It's been a dream. Roll on next year.

Sophia x

Photography by Rosie Butcher