I’ve been trying not to buy any clothes from high street shops unless completely necessary, but this top just called out to me. I feel like an angel in it. An angel with velvet flares. It’s funny how flares have become like, my thing. I met a friend’s new girlfriend recently who thought she’d seen me before at an event. “Were you wearing, velvet glittery flares?” yep, that sounds like me. This particular pair is from an independent handmade company, Velvet Cave. I’ve blogged about them a couple of times before (here and here), and all their stuff is beautiful. If I get another pair, I’ll ask for a longer length since I like to wear my trousers super high-waisted and the hems of these can ride up a bit. Their new website has a choice of inseam lengths which is so useful! I wish all clothes companies gave you that much choice – that’s the benefit of buying handmade.
I took these photos in the Edinburgh Botanic Gardens. It’s such a spectacular space. I feel so at home in the glasshouses, in the heat amongst the plants. I like watching elderly couples smell the flowers together and imaging that’s what I’ll be doing when I’m an old lady. I had the pleasure of spending a day at the Botanics recently at an event for work – we toured the Edible Gardens project and all the student plots. There’s this group of student plots from the herbology degree that they run at the gardens which really captured my imagination. The gardens had names like “Witches Brew” or “Mad Hatters Melancholy Tea Party.” They learn to grow different types of herbs and brew them into natural medicine, which sounds blissful to me. I know what I’ll be doing when I retire!
Outfit details: Flares, Velvet Cave / Shirt, Navy London via ASOS / Shoes, YRU / Choker, Tunnel Vision / Bralette, H&M
I can’t remember if I’ve written about mine and James’ outfit photo agreement before? James takes the vast majority of the photos of me on my blog. Occasionally I’ll ask my family or friends to do it, but I like taking photos with James because I don’t feel as guilty for bossing him about. He doesn’t enjoy it particularly, but after years of practice he’s gotten rather good at taking pictures (don’t you think?) so he’s my photographer of choice. To make up for burdening his days off with photoshoots, I make him pie. This photo shoot was particularly tricky because it was in the tropical glasshouse (narrow passages + lots of other people + humidity fogging up the lens = hard to take photos!) so James gets extra pie. This evening I’ll be making a vegan spanakopita, with tofu marinated in nutritional yeast instead of feta. Fingers crossed it goes well!
Girl, you are the cutest. I love everything about your style!
Ahw, no YOU’RE the cutest! Thank you
xx
I want you to tell James, for me, that I think he is an incredibly good sport! And, yes, a good photographer!
I will, and I’m glad you appreciate his work!
Thanks KerryCan!
I loooooove pie.
Heheh that’s so sweet that you treat him with pies for taking your photos. He did an excellent job!
That’s too funny that your friend’s GF thought she had seen you before! 
hehe I love the look of velvet. I don’t think it’s worn enough! 
We visited a lovely conservatory in San Francisco when we were there. I loved it. Though I didn’t love the heat part. I never love the heat. I’m a thorough believer that it’s due to Ayurveda. I’m such a Pitta. hahaha I know that’s totally silly, but it makes sense to me! 
XO -Alexandra
Simply Alexandra: My Favorite Things
Haha, it’s only fair right? I’m trying to remedy the shortage of velevet outfits by wearing it all the time
I love the heat in glasshouses, and the smell. There’s something about humidity and floral plants which smells like holidays to me. I often go to Greece with my family, and I love the feeling of stepping off the plane and being hit by a wall of fragrant heat. I don’t think it’s silly at all, although I’ve never figured out which dosha (?) I am! xx
That top is so gorgeous and I love your velvet pants!
District of Chic
Thank you, they feel amazing on. I wear them constantly!
I love the pie arrangement!!! I’m super lucky in that RDawg likes taking photos because he’s trying to learn how to better use cameras… this results in some experimental photos sometimes but I don’t mind too much. Gorgeous outfit as well Jess. I just posted from the Kew Gardens greenhouse so I feel like our blogs are kind of in sync
RDawg, I like that
Does he know that that’s his new nickname? I love the photos he takes of you, you’re lucky that he enjoys it. Yay for blog synchronicity! I love greenhouses and I think they make the perfect photos xx
2 pies seems fair!
I always love you in velvet.
Exactly! Thank you Catherine