THE TANS WILL FADE BUT THE MEMORIES WILL LAST FOREVER
I‘m a January baby and very much looking forward to the onslaught of Pumpkin spice latte insta pics, cosy knitwear and ankle boots ( snuck them in a bit early in this post, you may have noticed 😉 ). However, I’m not quite yet willing to let the last, sweet taste of care-free summer disappear. I’m off to Greece next week which has somewhat extended my summer timeline and made me really excited to make the most of thin layers and warm skin! This year has flown by and with that, summer a blur before my eyes. I’m taking the time to slow down, be still and catch the last breathe of the warmer months. This year I haven’t felt guilty for not attending a million festivals, going to a tonne of parties or living at the beach. Instead I’ve prioritised the simpler things and it’s felt seriously good.
These ideas might not be groundbreaking, they might not be nothing new and at best, a little cliche. But it is true what they say, the best things in life sometimes are free and I’ve felt really appreciative of just being in the moment this summer, whether it’s watching the sun slowly come down or playing board games in a haze, here’s a list of my 4 affordable things to do before the end of summer and what’s made my soul happy this year!
WATCH AS MANY SUNSETS & SUNRISES AS PHYSICALLY POSSIBLE
Probably the most cliche of all summer activities but this truly is the most magical thing I’ve done and I’ve lost count of the amount of times I have simply just sat still this summer and watched the evening fade into darkness. On sandy beaches with a bottle of cheap beer, on a dewy, grassy hill or perched on a rock over looking the sea, these are my fave places to sit and watch a day melt into another. The other evening, I saw the pinkest sky reflect onto the water below and felt an overwhelming sense of calm, my troubles lost and really just felt appreciative to be alive and in the moment, because really, that’s the only thing that matters. This is one activity that costs nothing but makes you appreciate everything – highly recommend if you’re feeling a little stressed or like life is getting on top of you!
GRAB A DISAPOSABLE CAMERA AND PHOTOGRAPH EVERYTHING
I bloody love disposable cameras, the images they produce always fill me with happiness and have a certain charm about them. I love how they’re grainy, often out of focus and capture the flare of a hot, summers sun. Go to boots or a supermarket, pick one or two up for about £4 each and whack one in your bag whenever you head out! Each take about 27 images and you can get them developed for a small price (about £4, including both hard copies and a CD for that all important insta shot 😉 )
People often laugh and wonder why I don’t just snap images on my camera all of the time, but I love having these blurry snaps from a chilled summers evening with friends or a holiday to put into frames and into photo albums. I took one on my french exchange to Paris in sixth from and I always look back on those photos and smile. They have that vintage look no filter could replicate and I love whacking it out when I’m having a happy moment, with absolutely no idea what it’s gonna look like, no need to edit or delete!
GO ON A SPONTANEOUS CAMPING TRIP
Camping is SO underrated! My childhood was filled with my dad taking us on camping trips around Devon, come rain or shine. (Because have you really camped if the tent hasn’t fallen on your head through the pressure of the down pouring rain? ) We decided to spontaneously go camping the other week and within 2 hours we had a packed up car, a pitch booked and were on our way! There’s something beautifully freeing about letting go of all your materialistic items, wifi & television for a night or so and just taking time out!
We brought BBQ’s, beer, prosecco, veggie sausages and snacks and wandered off for walks along the coast, star gazing under blankets and photographing the milky way. Looking up at that huge sky really put life and my small, petty troubles into perspective. These are the magical moments that make you appreciate life and our insane world and the beautiful people we choose to share it with! Pack up your car and head off, even nearby and just camp, play card games and have fun!
SWIM IN THE SEA OR RIVER OFTEN, IT’S LIBERATING & AWAKENING
Let’s be honest, no matter how sweltering the day, the water temperatures in England will never really be comfortably warm, but that’s all part of the charm! There’s something hilariously fun about diving into glacial temperatures! Walking along Lyme Regis sea front I’ve met countless people who, over the course of their 50 or 60 years, have sworn by daily dips in the sea, no matter what the month and I find that super admirable! I like to believe it’s good for the body and livening for the soul – late night paddles or afternoon swims when the odd heat wave decides to greet us, you can’t beat the feeling of running in and screaming once the icey temperatures hit you. This one is great to make you feel alive, young and care free.
SHOP MY SUMMER & HOLIDAY PICKS
SHOP THE LOOK
I hope you loved this little post and found a little inspiration! I’ve been doing all of these things for the past few months & I can’t tell you how happy they make me, especially when life can get over complicated! What are your fave things to do in summer my beauts?
I’ve also got so much Summer style & travel goodness coming to my channel, so make sure you’re subscribed!
As always you can tweet me @stylepetalblog, catch up on all my posts over on BLOGLOVIN or see my latest beauty and fashion buys and vlogs over on my YouTube channel!
Photography by the lovely Emma from The Emasphere!
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Another gorgeous set of photos, loving your blog posts at the moment lady! I am such a sucker for a sunrise/sunset and couldnt agree more about how they make you appreciate everything…there’s nothing quite like nature for making you see how amazing the world really is and making you see how insignificant certain ‘problems’ or things that have been bothering you are. Seriously tempted to go camping after reading this too xxx
Sophie | Sophar So Good
Ahhh hun so glad you agree – I’m not usually soppy but it does make you appreciate life for all it’s worth! Oh my god do it – pack up your stuff and head of camping for a day or two – so much FUN 😀 xxx
You look stunning yet again in these photos, I always look forward to seeing your photoshoots and the outfits you have on! Watching sunrises and sunsets is one of my favourite things about summer, as well as disposable cameras! It’s so exciting developing photos and getting such raw shots for cheap! Hope you had a lovely summer xx
http://mylovelierdays.com
Ahh thats the absolute lovelies – thank you so much! Thanks for always reading my loves – means the world! So glad you agree, I really love how my disposables come out! Hope you’ve had a wonderful summer!! xx
The tan and tan lines will fade for sure! Loved your post. Well done. Photos are stunning. Love the sandals and bikini! Disposable cameras are a great idea, but a pain to actually have developed!!
Best,
The Heba xx
So glad you love that! Thanks for reading lovely! Ohh I just wait & pop into boots to get them done 😀 x