Did you have bridesmaids??

I've just come across an article "how to pick your bridesmaids" and in it, it says the important question is "how many to have?" And stresses how fundamental bridesmaids are and having the 'right' amount of them to enable your big day to go ahead. It got me thinking... 

The actual question surely should be are you having bridesmaids?? One must not assume you are; it's not the legal part of the wedding to have a group of girls doing whatever they have to do; a wedding can go ahead quite easily without bridesmaids. I know where the idea came about - in ancient times the bride would have a look-alike who would wear a similar gown and could act as a decoy should an unscrupulous imposter come to kidnap her... I know I'm difficult to live with so was certain no one would want to come and steal me! 

I never had bridesmaids. I'm not sure how to word this, but I don't understand the concept for this day and age. Just going to put that out there, but don't hate me, let me explain!

I've never had anyone explain to me exactly why they had/ are having bridesmaids so if they did I may see it a bit more from the other side.

My best friend is my husband and obviously we organised, decided and arranged our wedding between us. Family members chipped in but more or less left us to do what we wanted. It never crossed my mind to involve anyone outside of us two majorly as it's us two that are in this marriage, no one else!

Don't get me wrong. I have some ladies in my life I get on really well with and two friends in particular who are always there for me; if I'd have decided to make them my bridesmaids I feel sure they'd have been great at whatever it is bridesmaids do...

I adore my friends and I value their friendship, support and advice now more than ever. I know I can turn to these people through good and bad; this makes me feel so happy.

It's the case that, for me, at our wedding, my view on it all was you're either the bride, the groom or the guests - I chose not to distinguish too much...

I'd love to hear of others' stories; to bridesmaid or not to bridesmaid and what it means to them

Proud

I am proud of me. 

Not in a big-headed way, no no no! I have my faults, and I'm overly aware of them! No, let me explain what I mean. 

I have been through quite a bit in my twenty-something years, haven't we all?! Some of which many know, and others that almost nobody knows. Some of which are trivial and others were life-changing. 

I've been through some things that have made me doubt the saying "that which doesn't kill us, makes us stronger"... I used to think "no, not stronger, but different". I think a more accurate phrase would be "that which doesn't kill us, changes us".

Going through life-altering events - however trivial they may seem to others -makes you who you are today.

I started thinking about this today, how I am probably a lot stronger than I often give myself credit for. 

I drive quite a few miles a day to commute to work. I have been driving for almost ten years. I had my first car accident this week. Some people would be scared to 'get back on the horse' as the saying goes... 

Don't get me wrong, I was shaken on the day it happened and it took a lot of effort to climb back in and complete my journey then to do the same journey in reverse to get home that evening. The point is - I did it! I have continued to get into my car several times since and get to where I need to be. 

On the large scale of life - that accident probably wasn't up there with the really awful times - I've had worse, as they say. I am going to be more aware and nervous about other road-users now but that's perfectly natural. 

This is why I'm proud of myself. Some days I just feel so sad when life gets on top of me. That is also perfectly natural. It's how I deal with it that makes me, and all those others out there doing the same, stronger than we'll ever know. We get up, put our make-up on, choose our outfit and meals for the day, go to work and live our life. Because we are strong. I am strong. You are strong.

What will be, will be

As the beautiful Doris Day once sang Que Sera, Sera... 

Sometimes life gets in the way of being able to see or think that though. 

I've had some really sad times over the past 16 months. Some good as well, obviously - I got married, for one!

I let these sad times engulf me. I let them lead my conversations, take over my thoughts and influence my whole mood. That dark cloud that followed me around, raining on any parade I attended!

That dark cloud makes the sunshine that peeps out, when it decides to show it's glorious self, appear even brighter! 

After chats with several people I won't publicly name but who will undoubtably know who they are, I've started to have happier thoughts. Happier times. Happier feelings. I've started to see the grass is already quite green, thanks. That my life is going alright actually. I feel, on the whole, more content...

I'm starting to enjoy every day for what it is, for, whatever will be, will be...

Happy Friday lovely people.

Living for the summer

I hate winter. You'll find me in a (heated) corner during the winter months with a calender just counting down the days until the sun returns! Seriously, I get really panicky whenever the word 'snow' is mentioned. Luckily we don't always get very much of this awful, pointless white stuff in the area I live in. Nonetheless, it's something I constantly worry about. Even in July I can be found rocking back and forth at the mere mention of snow! 

I hate having to turn your heating up just to ensure you won't freeze on your sofa, and that you'll be able to disengage yourself from the covers in the (cold, dark) mornings.

I hate that 3 layers of clothing is just not enough, but that whenever you enter a building with heating, you immediately start sweating despite it being -1 outside! 

I hate having to cancel plans because of unsafe weather conditions. 

I hate that it gets dark so soon in the afternoon and is still dark when you leave for work in the mornings.

I hate that I don't want to do anything when it's cold. Crazy golf? Na. Trip to the coast? No ta very much! Theme park? Or any park really? Nope. I'm fine over here semi-hibernating!

I hate that my hands and feet have poor circulation at the best of times so in the winter when they turn white and blue and I have to rub them constantly to get a bit of feeling back. 

I hate that you can't wear necessarily something you'd like to because you'll simply freeze!

I hate how around October time, people on social media start putting things like "I can't wait for winter - cosy nights in, blankets, boots, faux fur coats..." Bla bla bla! Then approximately 3 weeks later they are moaning they're cold and miss the summer!! At least I'm consistent - hate it! Always have done, probably always will!

Never fear, though, Kerri because the weather is on the turn!

Since the clocks went forward the end of last month, I wake up to light skies. I have even enjoyed an al fresco lunch already this year. I've yet to go bare-legged but it's only a matter of time now!

We've made it! We've made it through another cold, dark, miserable winter!

I love how the little baby animals start tottering around, daffodils spread like wildfire and the nights are shorter, days longer.

I love the feel of warmth on my skin.

I love the fact you can wear pretty much whatever you fancy (careful of April showers though, this is England after all!) the only thing is I suffer from feeling cold most of the time so I still have to be careful and that's where layering comes in.

I love how you can wear your sunglasses again.

I love sitting in the garden with my Kindle.

I love eating al fresco.

I love going to BBQs and hosting them.

I love how the world feels like your oyster - more spontaneity definitely goes on in the spring and summer months. Picnic? Yes please! Roadtrip? Why not?! Holiday? Oh go on then! 

I love that salad doesn't feel like a punishment.

I love that whatever beverage you have (alcoholic and non), it's chilled and fruity and glorious!

I love that everything looks sharper - the grass is very green, the trees are no longer naked, the sky has a blue sheen to it.

I love how it's not so hard to get up in the mornings.

I love that everyone seems united in happiness.

The only thing I hate about summer is that it's only 6 months away from the next winter!!

Summer BBQs

Beautiful, late sunsets

Al fresco dining with a chilled beverage

Fashion thumbs up

As ever, my opinion. What works for one won't necessarily work for all.

I love wearing matching items within an outfit. I also love clashing - I look at it as a challenge - will this look good?! Will it work?! I have a zebra pashmina style scarf that is as big as me. I teamed it with the skirt in the far left of the bottom collage. Monochrome with similar but differing patterns. Loved it! 

I love wearing patterns as a main piece

Patterns

I love wearing jumpsuits and dresses and having the challenge of making that same outfit look different every time. 

• Mint green & pink - *insert 'love heart eyes' emoji*

• Khaki and hot, bright pink 

• Jumpsuits - for when it's not warm enough for bare legs. And when it's too dressy an occasion for jeans but not dressy enough for dresses

• Experimenting with stripes - wearing them with spotty accessories or a slightly different stripe variation item all in the same outfit

• Wearing bold colours - this applies to nails and lips aswell as your clothes, shoes and accessories

• Colour popping 

• Palazzo pants

• Moccasins

• Converse

• Denim jackets are BACK! My teenage self will be pleased!

• Floral. Just floral. Skirts, blouses, shorts, playsuits, jumpsuits, maxis and trousers!

• Shift dresses and skater dresses - hide a multiple of sins!

• Pointed mid-heel courts

• Matching accessory colours to each other/an item of your outfit

• Midi skirts/dresses - I've had my fair share of years of consciously pulling at the hem of minis!

Floral & matching, jumpsuit, midi skirt & colour popping, floral, stripes & opposing stripes 

Fashion faux pas

As ever, my opinion. What works for one won't necessarily work for all. Although, some of these are common sense I think! 

• Open toe shoes with tights - *insert See No Evil Monkey emoji* what on earth possesses people?! If it's too cold for peep toe shoes, wear closed in ones.

• Heels that are too high for your trousers/ trousers too short for your heels - known as 'jack-ups' when you wear a heel and your loose trousers flap around the top/ middle of the heel, so the trousers look like they've shrunk in the wash. 

• Navy & black. Rarely works

• Black and brown. Mud brown and black are not friends. Tan can work. 

• Leggings with white knickers. No more needs to be said on that subject!!

• Heels you can't walk in. If you are stumbling across the street like a toddler taking it's first few steps, it takes away most of the sass and style of wearing heels

• Flatforms - like marmite for people. Je déteste.

• Blazers with huge shoulders pads - the 1980s called - they want their fashion back. 

• Those bloody cape jackets - they look like someone has peed Freddy Kruger off!! Slashed up the sleeve. Another Marmite piece of fashion.

Jessica Wright (TOWIE) sporting the Freddy Kruger attacked jacket!

Dressing for Spring

So, the clocks went forward last week. Que a million tweets and Instagram posts welcoming the official British Sunmer Time. Unfortunately, the weather didn't actually get the memo.

It's been all seasons this week in South-East England - we've had gale-force winds, hailstones, driving rain and beautiful sunshine (though sparingly). 

I desperately want spring to spring in to action now! I can't abide the winter - ever. Every year I dread it. From October I wish it was socially acceptable to hibernate til April! 

We went out for a meal and cocktails for a good friend's birthday on Good Friday. The big issue at this time of year, I'm sure you'll all agree, is what to wear.

It's that time of year half the population are still in uggs/ thigh-high boots and fur-lined coats and the other half are walking around in flip flops, ballet pumps and vest tops. For someone who has always felt the cold, I detest not being able to be one of those people who can put fashion above freezing!

So, I'd planned to wear a pink dress (shift, so there was room for food and cocktail consumption!) and mint green accessories. Is it just me, but mint and pink goes so well?! And they're such spring-y colours! 

Well, needless to say, black tights do not go with mint heeled courts. So when I'd got up and looked out the window and to my dismay, discovered grey clouds surrounded by more grey sky, I just couldn't face the bare-legged option. 

I naturally considered jeans, with courts. Now, I like jeans as much as the next person and I like to think when I do wear them I make them work for me by accessorising. But I did not want to go 'out out' wearing jeans. It's just not me. 

Then I had an eureka moment! Those floral trousers I bought the other week from Dorothy Perkins (petite, as always) were hanging in my wardrobe just biding their time. Waiting for a day just like this - too chilly for bare legs but too good for jeans! And, they feature pink and green floral detail. Perfect!

We had a fantastic day (and night) with our amazing friends, and I can't wait for all our spring and summer plans! Now, what to wear for the next time...?!

OOTD: necklace & bracelet; Forever 21 (last season)

Vest; old Topshop

Heels; New Look

Bag; Ted Baker

Trousers; Dorothy Perkins Petites