Hello everyone
Is that it? Is this the end of the horrendous heat we’ve been having in the UK? I do hope so. I know us Brits complain about the weather all the time, with often very little reason as, in comparison to other hotter countries, we usually don’t have extreme weather. Instead, we have a temperate climate and quite a bit of rain. But this time in the south we had no rain for around two months and the heat was unbearable, especially when one of our five heatwaves was a wet-bulb event, which I believe is about the extreme humidity you can get with hot weather.
Yes, one of the five heatwaves was a wet-bulb event and I hope to tell you more about this and other things as I am currently researching a post on climate change. That will appear in a couple of weeks time on My Other Blog. But my heart goes out to those people who have lost their homes in a wild fire. Fires that destroy homes in the suburbs, is new for us, so excuse these two paragraph, but dear readers I feel we are experiencing climate change right here and now. It is not something that will happen in the future – it is our reality now!
Got that off my chest and for the rest of this post it is about two summer dresses I bought recently from the dress agency I frequent far too often!
Here is the first one.
This is a Labina Sosan dress, an Italian brand (I think) and cost very little at £35. It seems hardly worn and is an unusual shape.
Both the body of the dress and the hem are caught inside, making an asymmetric, interesting shape. I wore it on Sunday to lunch with friends.
I wore the sandals bought for my son’s wedding. I see our indoor thermometer states it’s 25C (77F). We were trying to sleep in that room when the temperature was 28C(82.4F). Very difficult.
We ate outside which was delightful.
The temperature had gone down significantly and was comfortable with a light breeze. BTW I have decided to never ever worry about showing off my white, untanned body and the aged arms.
Note also both my friend, Jan and I sat throughout in the shade. I do not ever sunbathe nor does Jan as we both suffer the consequences of sun damage. I have booked my annual check up at the Mole clinic – I wonder what they will find this year! I once again urge any of you with pale skin to get an annual check somewhere, it doesn’t have to be at the Mole Clinic, which has various clinics around the country. At this age the little cancers start appearing. But if found early enough there is truly nothing to worry about. Do go on the link to see where your nearest clinic is.
And here’s another sun dress I bought for the same price in the same place.
I mean what a print, what gorgeous colours.
I simply had to try it on. I haven’t as yet worn it as I need an occasion as it is full length. But I just love the colours.
Well that’s all for now, but do tell, were you ecstatic at the rain that’s fallen recently onto our parched gardens and fields. For a time we were not a green and pleasant land but rather a scorched one. I know I looked at the rain and thought, ‘oh wow, how utterly wonderful!’
That really is all for now, with love PennyX
I drove home through heavy rain yesterday and was so glad to hear it hammering down on my car roof. Ponies and donkeys on the forest need the water and the grass desperately needs to regrow for them to get through the winter.
The new forest fire that started with just one vehicle catching fire and has closed the A31 for over a week shows how quickly the fires spread. Fortunately no human lives or homes lost , firefighters on site for well over a week,
Let it rain, let it rain, let it rain 🎵
Ah yes I read about that fire and saw something in the media too. It is alarming and the whole country was tinder dry – until now – and what a relief, it’s been truly wonderful to see and feel the rain.
Indeed – let it rain, let it rain, let it rain!
Thanks so much Holly 🙂
We’re literally on our way home from our first ever coach trip to Wales which we’ve really enjoyed but it’s been heartbreaking to see the effects of the drought on all the lovely countryside. I so admire your decision to not cover up your aged arms & skin-I’m almost there with you.
Yes everywhere was, and probably still is, a deep straw colour and that’s quite unusual for the whole of the UK to be like that. At last we have some rain. Fortunately in the south and where I live our first lot of rain was quite gentle and we haven’t had the harsh downpours that just run off the land or cause floods. May that continue as I see we have several days of rain from Wednesday onwards.
What finally made my mind up was at our son’s wedding where I saw much younger woman showing of very pale arms and wearing backless dresses with equally pale backs. I thought well, if that’s OK with them, it will be for me. Also it was not a very, very hot day, but hot enough, and the spotted blouse I wore as a jacket was too hot. So off it came and I was bare-armed from then on. So, I hope you do the same but keep in the shade of course, as much as you can.
Thanks Anne 🙂
How many times have I told you not to worry about your arms? They’re good – flaunt them.
Re dresses: new black one looks great and you do not have to save maxis for best. I wear them round the house!
Yup, I know, but it was at my son’s wedding when I saw some very pale arms and backs on much younger women, so I thought Ok, I’ll also go bare-armed and take that spotted blouse off. And I did. Actually really glad the other dress didn’t fit – the one I wore at the wedding was far better.
Both those dresses are keepers – they were great finds and I’ll wear the floral one when and if we have another hot spell.
Thanks Sarah 🙂
I love the rain – especially after the appalling heat/drought of the last few months. I didn’t do it yesterday, but I love running around in the rain in the summer – usually get the chance during Wimbledon 😉 but not this year: not a spot during the whole fortnight.
Today it is overcast … which suits me fine!
I’ll be interested to read your post on climate change. Alas, still too many people think it’s in the future. (‘Head up but’ syndrome.) Heaven knows what they think the wet winter and this hot summer are about. I have heard one ‘specialist’ say we’re getting climate change – but it is not man-made.
I like both your dresses (and the black beads). The print is fab. It looks rather like a Sue Collier (Collier Campbell) design .
Stay cool! Mary
Hi Mary – oh that rain we had. I looked at it in wonder! And amazingly my very large water butts, one is now completely full and the other half full. So pleased about that as we were saving , as far as possible, all our grey water for the very small garden area I have.
I think there is an important task to i) alert people and ii) do as much as possible to cope with the coming catastrophe, the latter of which most people are in denial. Or maybe we’re not quite as denial here in the UK now after this summer. I’m waiting though for Andy Burnham to start leading on climate change, but he’s been rather quiet on this subject. Sadly it is two key nations: the US and China who also need to not only open their eyes, they need to embrace new ways of living to dial down the rising temperatures around the world. And that, I think will never happen. Constant growth is there a limit to it? A question I think neither country will want to focus on – ever. Enough. I will continue on that vein in the My Other Blog.
Those two dresses were very good finds – the dress agency in Lewes is where I’m finding the quality clothes now. I go there rather too often!!!
Thanks Mary 🙂
I’m so glad your summer has returned to what it should have been. We have had drenchings from rain for a couple of weeks now. Roads and streets I’m used to traveling have completely washed away. We don’t live anywhere near any streams or rivers, but who know if we got a lot more rain. I heard a climatologist explaining it this way: Indiana has been very dry so the ground is very hard. When it rains, it just falls on it and runs off because there’s no time for it to soak in. I’m pretty sure we’re good and soaked now. But, the streams and rivers are still running high. Then, the heat moved in…sort of like your wet-bulb event. We are used to that, but it doesn’t make it any easier. Of course, we are spoiled by air conditioning so we can escape both the heat and humidity that way.
That black dress is so you, Penny! I love the hemline and can see you wearing this all year round by the addition of a jumper or jacket. I love that wildly colored dress, too, and can’t wait to see you in it!
Have a wonderful weekend, Penny!
https://marshainthemiddle.com/
Ah yes, if the rain is heavy after weeks of sun and the ground is parched then it runs off and causes damaging floods, so sorry you had it near you. Fortunately in the south where I live the rain was gentle and just fell over a day and a half. It filled my empty water butts which was quite a relief as we were collecting grey water for the small garden area I have. More rain will come from Wednesday onwards and it doesn’t look like it’s going to be that harsh rain you can get. I think Scotland though had some real down pours, and as a result, streets in Edinburgh got flooded.
We are very much looking into how the flat/apartment we live in can remain cool through a heatwave. This will be important as the current El Nino will have ramifications for us maybe in the Autumn but certainly next summer – which is forecast to be even hotter than this year. Currently researching not just for a blog but for our safety in our own home.
Actually don’t you think that dress is a very Jill like dress! That’s what I thought as I pounced on it! It was a lucky find.
Thanks so much Marsha 🙂
I have enjoyed the last six weeks or so very much. Yes some days have been a bit warm but overall I prefer it to winter! I live on the South Coast so it has been cooler. We do need the rain though especially all the areas which have been on fire, the New Forest included!
Actually I know one friend who really enjoyed the hot weather but for me, it was too much. This I think is due to my DNA – have you had yours done? Mine is 75% Highlands and Islands, and looking at any map these islands could be Norwegian so that must be why I adore going to Norway! The rest is 20% Lowlands and 5% Northern Ireland. My body is therefore just not equipped for the heat.
And yes, those parched fields and grassy areas have still not recovered. I do hope there’re no more fires in the New Forest.
Thanks Sandra and I hope you get some more warm but not too hot days 🙂
Oh, i hope you wear that colorful one soon….no occasion needed in my head. Just the love of being alive and enjoying the day.
XOXO
Jodie
You are so right, Jodie. Do not keep dresses for best. However the temperatures have dipped quite a bit – it’s 15C(59F) out so it needs to be a bit warmer. But I promise I will wear it before the summer ends.
Thanks so much for that timely reminder – wear your clothes right now and not for something in the future! 🙂
I think we need some more ‘hottish’ weather Penny, so that you get a chance to wear that lovely colourful dress. However it would be nice if it was accompanied by lots of rain ( hopefully at night). We are still waiting for rain here, less than 1 mm has fallen, and I am getting quite jealous of people talking about their downpours!
Liz x
There was one day it rained all day quite gently, but it didn’t stop and then we had another day when it rained for half a day. Again it wasn’t a downpour but, my water butts which had been empty are filled. One is completely full – amazing – and one is half full. That’s brilliant and I was able to water wilting plants as well as my pots.
I see more rain is forecast for next week – bring it on! And you are so right – if it gets just a bit warmer I promise I will wear the brightly coloured dress.
Thanks Liz X
I don’t mind the heat actually. But it’s devastating for nature of course. I watched Bargain Hunt yesterday and they were in Lewes! I was all excited as I know those stores….. who doesn’t but anyway. Enjoy your weekend.
Hey, that prompted us to watch Bargain Hunt as my daughter has a cabinet of mostly mid-century goods and items in one of the antique shops (the Emporium) that the competing teams went to! This at the moment is a part time hobby but she would like do this more and I expect when she retires that is what she will do full time. It was quite exciting to watch because it was our hometown! Thanks for prompting us!
Oof my body can’t cope with the heat, I mean I do like warm sunny days but this heat we had prevented us from going out anywhere. My body cannot cope with it. Very lovely to feel the rain on ones face once again and yes, you are so right our parched fields and woodlands need the rain badly.
It’s cooled down a lot now but hope you get some more warm but not too hot days. Thanks Nancy 🙂
We had a stormy night on Thursday/Friday but temperatures dropped by only 2 degrees. I feel as if the Summer has been stolen from us as we only go out in the morning and very occasionally in the evening. We do love the heat and in Winter we keep the temperature in the flat at 22 but pushing 40 is too much. I hope you’ll post a photo of you modeling the colourful dress the combination is beautiful.
Oh I agree, yes, it feels right to have a reasonable summer and be warm but I’ve seen that France has been incredibly hot this year. Pushing 40 is way too much. For us pushing 35 is ghastly as our heat is humid. I’m currently researching climate change in conjunction with a big think about how we keep our home safe and cool during these hot summers of which (due to the El Nino) we are to expect a much hotter summer in 2027 – yikes!
Yes, that too, I promise once it hots up again (at this precise moment the temp outside is 15C) I will wear that colourful dress.
Thanks Flora – I was wondering how you were managing the heat in the South of France. Very best wishes to you 🙂
We’ve only had a small amount of rain here in Oxfordshire so it’s still looking very parched. I’m just hoping the forecast storms don’t arrive when I’m on holiday in Cornwall at the end of this month. Suppose I’ll have to pack my wet weather gear just in case! If only we could arrange for the rain to come down at night.
I’m also going to be brave like you and bare my arms; I bought a lovely sleeveless dress on ebay for my holiday, just hoping that it will be warm enough to wear it. Will also look forward to seeing photos of you in your new floral sun dress, the colours are stunning.
It was one of your posts advising about skin checks that prompted husband and I to get ours done three years ago; we had our second one last week and luckily all clear. I think it’s a sensible thing to do as you get older, especially those of us who used to sunbathe in our teenage years.
All the best, Penny xx. https://pennyhampson.co.uk/
I think unfortunately the south west gets quite a bit of rain. We had gentle rain falling for one whole day and one half day and that filled up one water butt completely and one half full which is amazing as they were both empty. It was really needed – hope you get some up there in Gloucestershire.
As for baring the arms and back. While my PT is always saying my arms are OK with not too much flab as I do weights with her, it was more associated with the paleness of my skin. But at the wedding I saw so many much younger women baring near white skin and backs. On seeing that I thought, well if it’s ok with them, I’ll do that too! Do wear that sleeveless dress!
Oh so pleased you took heed of my warnings. I’ve never forgotten one commenter on here who did get melanoma about the same time as me, but hers was far advanced with the inevitable consequences. I still think about her. It’s just good to get the all-clear. Annual check-ups are essential for me (been doing it since I was 60) as for 2 years running now they’ve found a cancerous thing – both found early, so all good. But it is better to just be careful. Because, just like you I sunbathed so much as a teenager and always went lobster red until I went a nice brown. I did that for years.
Thanks Penny 🙂
I love the shape of the black dress. So you. I don’t think we’ve seen the last of summer dress weather. The forecasters don’t seem to know what’s happening. We haven’t had any of the predicted rain, except for a couple of showers that lasted a few seconds.
Both dresses were great finds and indeed that black dress has a very interesting shape.
We had rainfall throughout one day and again for half a day and it was gentle rain so it didn’t rush off and cause floods like I think it did elsewhere. And. It filled one large water butt up completely and one is now half full. Amazing as they were both completely empty.
Thanks Gail 🙂
I love summer dresses and these are so stylish. At the end of each summer season I look into my closet and think that I ought to have worn my dresses more. And I do see them, dresses, being worn more often nowadays. Today after a trip to the barn to see the pony and my son in law’s horse we stopped at the ice cream place on top of the mountain on our way home, there is a farm at the foot of the mountain where the cows who give the milk are raised. I noticed several woman of various ages in such pretty dresses, each looking lovely in their own special way. Even doing this simple act in rural New York with their partner or families.. As I had helped groom, hosed and even rode a bit, well, walking Riddle out at the end of my daughter’s ride to cool her off and picking up her poop. You might say I was not looking my most stylish! But the day which had began with rain was now sunny and the ice cream delicious. It reminded me that every event no matter how small needs to be celebrated and we ought to dress and present our best selves. There are a couple of weeks of summer left and still time.
Oh that’s good to hear that dresses are being worn more – I mean on hot days what else is there? I always think of shorts as being too hot. And lovely to hear about your connection with horses.
I see New York has had a deluge and parts are flooded – I hope you are OK. And yes, always present our best selves, that’s a great way to look at things.
Thanks so much Darby – I love getting your comments 🙂
I was pleased to hear that you finally have some rain and your weather has cooled down . It is predicted that the El Nino will bring with it hot and dry weather and possibly an early bush fire season. I do get so annoyed with climate deniers as it is just so obvious what is happening worldwide.
Well done on your two new dresses , they are both so good. No surprise that I really like the black one on you and good on you for showing your arms – they are perfectly fine. The dress could work with a top under in Autumn . Hopefully you will get to wear the floral dress this year .
All the best, Penny.
Here’s hoping that the floral dress can be worn but it’s quite a bit cooler – which is wonderful and not complaining! My water butts are full again and we have a brief respite from the rain but there is more to come. Which is so good.
Those dresses were such good finds and the Dress Agency is the place to go as it has very good quality clothes with great prices. The black dress looks hardly worn. In the winter I will wear it with a top underneath and a cardigan.
Thanks Jill and all the best to you too 🙂
I love both dresses, Penny, but that colourful full-length one really caught my eye. Such a beautiful print and those colours are gorgeous. I also loved your honesty about embracing your natural skin and ageing arms. There’s something very refreshing about simply enjoying what we wear without worrying about what we’re supposed to look like. And yes, the rain has been very welcome after all that heat.
Hi Melody and very late in the day I am replying to you! Sorry for the delay.
Thanks so much for your kind words and yes isn’t that colourful dress amazing. But it’s just not hot enough now, so it’s next year when it’ll be worn. As for the arms, I now feel, if the dress has no sleeves – wear it!
I think the rain is still very welcome – thanks again 🙂
Penny, Your latest acquisitions are just you, yet again! Isn’t it a grand feeling when you come across such great finds with your name firmly on them?
It’s funny that you should mention ageing arms. I’ve suffered from swing-wings for a long time and have always refused to cross the step in anything sleeveless – until now. With this heatwave I’ve noticed more and ladies forgoing even cap sleeves despite sagging and wrinkles and overspill. Fortunately, I don’t suffer from the last but the saggy arms are probably beyond redemption but even so, I’ve decided I don’t care! No one seems to take any notice, so why should I worry? That means that if/when I come across a sundress I like, I can go for it, bingo wings notwithstanding! Although I shall still insist on pockets!
Now, was that you who waved at us on the little train puffing into Dungeness one afternoon a couple of weeks ago? I know it wasn’t but did wonder if you’d stayed there yet this year in your favourite spot. Unfortunately, the chuffing and puffing was oil-driven, not steam, as steam engines are banned currently due to the fire risk, but it was still a nice ride. If you do go there soon, look out for the young fox whose territory includes the ground around the old lighthouse. Rich pickings there to be had! He’s not tame, but not afraid of humans and will come close enough to photograph when on a hunting mission. He looks healthy enough and was well pleased with the hot meat pie someone gifted him. The fellow had actually been and bought it specially!
Enjoy wearing your new dresses, and take that trip if you can.
Zepherine x
Hi Zepherine, and so sorry to have not replied to this sooner especially as you were in Dungeness! I wonder if they’ve started steam engines again now the weather is cooler and we’ve had plenty of rain?
The place we stay in is past Derek Jarman’s cottage, past the Fish Shack, and turning the slight bend it’s on the straight, off the road on the right – a yellow windowed, one storey place in a row of little abodes, that is far bigger than it looks. It’s just before the newer lighthouse. I will be organising our food delivery this weekend as we go on the 19th.
And I so agree with you that the hot weather which will continue now – this year was not a one-off – so if the sundress or blouse has no sleeves, we wear it and who cares about the state of our arms!
Thanks so much Zepherine 🙂