A trip to New York has long been on my bucket list and I’m super excited to be going there for the first time with my boyfriend next week. As soon as we booked the trip I couldn’t wait to get outfit planning and using Pinterest to create my mood board of NYC iconic aesthetic, delicious foodie inspo and of course cool street style.
I was in my element filming this vlog as I got to layout all of the clothes and accessories I want to take to New York, as well as try on some cute fall fits I had envisioned in my mind, before sorting them into my trusty packing cubes and slotting them into my suitcase. Needless to say, organising and planning makes me very happy indeed and when it comes to styling and having fun with fashion, NYC really is the perfect place for it. I hope this vlog inspires you for your own autumn wardrobe and gives you some useful tips for when it comes to packing for a city break. Next time I see you guys we’ll be in New York, so be sure to subscribe to see the NYC Diaries on my channel here soon ❤
When it comes to summer fashion, there’s a few non-negotiable pieces I find myself reaching for time and again throughout the summer months. Whilst I don’t have a capsule wardrobe as such, I’ve refined my essential items which form the base for most of my summer outfits.
1. Denim Shorts
Taking it back to basics and starting with a timeless classic, high waisted denim shorts. My favourite cuts are of course vintage Levis in dark and light washes, but there’s lots of great options on the highstreet for all shapes and sizes. Wear them with a tank top and Birkenstocks for a casual daytime look, throw them over a bikini with an oversized shirt on holiday, or even dress them up with a cute floral top and strappy mules for those warm summer nights.
2. White Jeans
Living in England of course the summertime can be unpredictable with the weather, so having a pair of white jeans on hand is always a great cooler temperature option. I’m obsessed with this pair from Zara with a subtle flare to enhance the shape and cropped to compliment a gorgeous pair of summer sandals. Pair a flared pair of white jeans with pretty blouses for that girly Chloe aesthetic, or keep it pared back with a colour block tank and matching accessories for that effortless yet pulled together look.
3. Tea Dress
Nothing beats a beautiful Tea Dress which you can throw on for a summer weekend with very little effort. I’ve had this daisy flower print one from H&M for years and it’s the perfect flattering shape with traditional cap sleeves and button front detail. Keep it casual with a pair of sliders for the daytime, or dress it up with ruffle trim heeled mules, gold jewellery and statement sunnies.
4. Printed Body
I’m a sucker for pretty summer tops and flattering bodies with a low back. I brought this leopard print body from Zara a few months back and it’s the perfect piece to dress up a pair of jeans or even a skirt for date night. For a summer evening out with the girls in London I wore it with a white skort, low heeled mules, statement earrings and Celine sunnies. I can also see this looking great with well cut denim jeans, heels and an oversized blazer for those cooler summer date nights.
5. White Tops
How could I go through my summer essentials list without mentioning white tops; tanks, tie front, bardot, backless, strappy, floaty, I have every style you could think of when it comes to a white top. It might seem like a very obvious choice, but with all the fun and colourful skirts, shorts and other accessories I have in my wardrobe for summer, a white top is key to completing a look without too much going on. This cropped ruffle cap sleeve white top was the perfect match for my striped blue boxer shorts which I wore to the pub this weekend. Clean, crisp & timeless, you can never have too many white tops for summer!
Coming at you this week with another vlog as I dive into the summer season with lots of entertaining, time outside soaking up the sunshine and making memories with the family.
I’m in my element when hostessing and entertaining, so I was thrilled to welcome lots of visitors into our home these past few weeks.
To wrap up a busy week, it was a treat to be wined and dined with my boyfriend at the stunning Ivy Asia complete with a gorgeous sunset over Guildford.
Watch the full vlog here for all the summer vibes! ❤
Whilst Balmy Beach Resort is a tropical paradise by day, it also comes alive at night with live music every evening and cocktails served until the early hours.
I love getting dressed up for evening dinners on holiday and having fun with cute outfits I wouldn’t get a chance to wear out at home.
With our first proper evening at the resort being a Friday night, weekend vibes were in the air from noon and by dusk the live DJ was getting the atmosphere buzzing at the beach bar.
I wore this Stradivarius skort paired with my favourite floral wrap frill blouse, these ASOS woven sliders and my new Dune white crochet handbag with gold chain which I brought in duty free at the airport.
When we were at the airport on our journey over to Turkey, I also decided to really splash out and treat myself to these magnificent MuiMui sunglasses.
I wanted to debut them for our special romantic dinner for two on Saturday evening at the Balmy a la carte restaurant.
First up though, it was sundowners at the beach bar where I enjoyed a glass of bubbly in this beautiful champagne flute looking so elegant next to by cute new bag.
Having got a golden glow from the first few days of sun, I decided to wear this white body con middy dress I got in Australia years ago paired with my pear detail sliders, a pair of oversized white shell earrings and my By Alona gold chain pearl necklace which I wore almost every night, the perfect holiday jewellery piece.
I was feeling very St Tropez in all white complete with those killer sunnies and sipping my champagne at that beautiful boho beach bar.
There’s nothing like dining al fresco on holiday with that salty sea air and mellow pink and blue sky as the sunsets and dusk draws in.
We had a wonderful evening together enjoying delicious food and being looked after so well by our lovely waiter; can you tell he was making me laugh here 😉
Sunday night I wore this tropical print maxi dress which is completely backless and features a flattering thigh split. Very little accessories needed with this number, the dress does all the talking.
That evening the live music was over at the garden bar, where we sat in the charming surroundings of the courtyard and could gaze up at the stars in the night sky.
Monday night I went a little more casual with these black crochet Zara shorts, my boho print bardot style croptop, those timeless ASOS plaited sliders and my usual gold jewellery to complete the look.
And once again we found ourselves down at the buzzing beach bar for post dinner drinks and another live band session.
For the final night we got dressed up and ready for dinner in time for golden hour down by the pool and beach bar.
I had to get out my favourite summer minidress from Abercrombie & Fitch, paired with this pastel pink shell detail ASOS clutch for a pop of colour, and of course my new MuiMui babies.
That golden hour glow was giving me all the fuzzy feels and I just wanted to bottle that magical moment forever.
Once the sun hid behind the mountains and the pastel pink sky set in, we went for pre-dinner cocktails at the beach bar.
We couldn’t have wished for a more exquisite setting for our final dinner at Balmy Beach.
Later in the evening the crescent moon came out to sit just above the mountains at dusk; how peaceful and spiritual this moment felt.
And so that marked the end of our stay at Balmy Beach Resort and we couldn’t be more grateful to the staff who were so kind and friendly in making our time there an absolute joy and pleasure.
Sunset views and moonlit hues; goodnight Balmy Beach ❤
Dani Aneka 