super summer

After the ace weather we’ve been having down here on the South Coast this week (I’m really hoping I don’t jinx it by writing this), I’ve dared to think a little further ahead this week, and start looking around for summer essentials… and, err, non essentials. What started as a little browse around the internet (this resisting shopping thing is actually a lot harder than I thought it would be…) turned into one of those sessions where you find yourself aimlessly bookmarking a gazillion pages. The kiddos need things like sunhats and swimwear, and they obviously definitely need more blankets and a Corby Tindersticks soft toy. Ahem.

I’ve recently discovered some really great, organic brands and online boutiques for kids, and have included some of them in my picks above – Tootsa Macginty has become a firm favourite in our house!

And then because it seemed only fair, I had a little poke around for things for me – I mostly live in my Converse in Winter (I’ve now had the same pair since I was pregnant with Benjamin, and they’re still going strong), unless it gets really cold, so some sandals are definitely on my list. When I was nineteen, I went travelling in New Zealand, and lived in a pair of Birkenstocks, and after seeing their new floral designs, I’m pretty tempted by those – Lord knows I love a floral print. During the warmer months, I tend to turn into a bit of a hippy – clashing prints, flat sandals and woven bags are all on my list of things to lust after, and the summer certainly wouldn’t be complete without a huge blanket to lounge on and a book to get lost in.