How big, how blue, how beautiful.

Primark colourblock top: £13. American Apparel skirt: £30. Clarks leather loafers.

This skirt + wind ≠ a good combination. Mind-bending maths aside, these photos were taken four months ago in very thick tights weather, saving myself from much embarrassment. Heybridge Basin is one of the places I like to go when it's all getting a "bit too much"; pretty much untouched since it was built, there are beautiful coastal walks with views over Maldon, plenty of dog-walkers and an amazing Tiptree tearoom with malteasers cheesecake for afterwards.

Maybe I should get myself back to Heybridge Basin sometime soon as I've been a little out of sorts for the last few months. Things I'd normally let bounce off me and then forget about have been taken to heart, I've not been sleeping well, and generally things have been a bit difficult to deal with. I'm banking on longer days and sunnier weather to help with keeping my chin up, but if anyone has tips on how to take a step back please do leave a comment as I'd love to hear how you guys do it.

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I've got another dream lover.

Luella blouse: ebay. H+M palm print trousers: £15 (can't find them online, I'm afraid, but only bought them this month so should still be in-store!). Bally boots: £8, charity shop. Cheap Monday sunglasses. Rotary watch. Topshop Really Ruby lipstick.

It may not be blue sea and SPF 50, but I considered my trip to Cardiff to be a little holiday, so when better to whack out the palm prints? H+M is a store that I never seem to find anything in (being over a size 6 woes, etc.), but a meander through from Topshop to the gym ended up with me making a little purchase I don't regret in the slightest. In lesson two of Don't Rely On Boys To Take Your Photos, I've paired them with my favourite white shirt, but Luke has inspired me to wear them on Mondays weekends with a slouchy sweatshirt.

Saturday was much sunnier, so we headed into town for a wander round the shops. Cardiff is full of tiny, twisting Victorian arcades, and Gemma recommended I head into Spillers Records (she had me at oldest record shop in the world) before I resisted a whole lot of denim-skirt-shaped temptation in Urban Outfitters. I'm sure it won't be long before I'm back, but do let me know if there any any places in the UK you'd recommend for a long weekend away - I'm fully intending to rinse my YP railcard for all it's worth before it expires.

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