15.8.10

what would you take to a desert island?



First in a series.

I've just unpacked from a month o' holidays. I feel I did pretty well, considering. Considering I knew I wouldn't wear at least half the stuff, but since I didn't know which half.. you know what I mean.

There are, however, a few essentials I will not go on a tropical holiday without:



1. White Brooks Brothers' shirt, which once belonged to my husband (I choose from three, but love them all).

2. Black one piece swimsuit, plain as possible (I also wear bikinis, but the one piece is my base of operations: all my wardrobe ends up layering up above that

3. Swim goggles (because I'm so neurotic about going without, I usually pack three, but have one favourite: on this trip it was a white pair by Speedo)

4. My white Havaiana flip flops. I found them, literally, on the street, near the cinema on Fulham Road in London, one wintry morning, the day after I'd trekked to Notting Hill to buy my first pair in hot pink. This was years ago. I'd read about them and the Notting Hill shop was the only place I knew that sold them. I have no clue why someone left those two shoes in the middle of the street: it looked like some fashionista from a tropical climate had literally skipped out of her shoes, like Cinderella, into a waiting pumpkin. Someday, I am sure I will get contacted by someone who will say 'THOSE ARE MY FLIP FLOPS!' and then tell me the crazy story. It was in about 2006, perhaps sooner.








Okay, enough chit chat from me. These were all shot on the same day, in the DR: we had gone to this lovely beach that Annie had been to before, and because of the storms, the water was polluted from the town of Cabrera, and we couldn't swim. I love love love the colours there, and the island is still informing how I choose to dress here in London: my colour palate has become richer, deeper.



But it always starts, for me, with black and white. And ends, hopefully happily ever after, in a body of water of some description.

What would YOU take to a desert island?

11 comments:

Rosalind said...

Your holiday sounds so idyllic, and these pictures just reinforce that! Great story behind the flip-flops, and a lucky find for you..

What would I take? It depends if we're taking clothes or items. On the clothes part, lots of silk shirts, a simple sixties or seventies shift/ sun dress, cardigans and long socks in case of changeable weather, one or two home made skirts and a pair of high waisted denim shorts.
Item-wise, the three essentailitems would be a camera, my sketchbook (plus pencils!)and a good book.

I'm looking forward to hearing some other readers answers.

http://clothescamerasandcoffee.blogspot.com/

The Photodiarist said...

Your beach photos are spectacular.

Carrott said...

I think I would take my contact lens, sunglasses, a pair of shorts, a book, and a sweatshirt. Oh, and a bottle of pineapple juice, if that's possible! You look gorgeous in these pictures! xxx

Pearl Westwood said...

Pretty much the same as you: black cossie, sunglasses, shirt or sarong and a good book what more do you need!

Style Odyssey said...

hmmm...good question that i can't really answer. ok, will try. when i first set foot on tortola (as a visitor), i took denim shorts, a batik print sundress, 2 swimsuits, ray bans, big hat, flip-flops and a sarong. when i moved there, i took little else.

great post, J. and i see your FB comment, thanks so much- very sweet, and we can hopefully now talk soon. my house guests have left and it's easier now. i wish i had a decent international rate to phone out from my cell, but since you do, give me a call...or if you're feeling brave, skype! :)

by the way, i have enjoyed your Dom Rep pics more than you know. they appeared on your blog at a time when i longed to see the caribbean through fresh but distant eyes. thank you. your posts touched my spirit. xo

styleeast said...

Your photos are still making me so jealous, they're gorgeous! And you look utterly fabulous in your swimsuit.

Check out my last post, there's an illustration of you! x

Adorngirl said...

definitely a swimming costume, sunglasses sunscreen lots of books, and magazines, and sketchbooks, and pens to do lots of drawing.

College Girl said...

Amazing pics. Looks like a great time! Jealous!

the style crusader said...

jill this is so funny because i just got contacted by someone that has a blog about this very question: literally if you could only take three items from your wardrobe and you were going to be stranded on an island - what would you take? i love all your choices and i love all the images. so beautiful. xx

jill said...

How funny! (Jen). Thank you for your fab comments. It's funny that people mentioned books - because apart from swimming, good books are an essential part of my holiday experience. Mr. Dot's, too. The first thing we do when we're @ 'home' holidays (i.e. family homes winter/summer/sunshine etc) is go to my parents' - i.e., now, my mom's - local library.

In fact I'll be doing a post soon - I used the advice of those who commented on a post in June - literally made a shopping list from the comments. I really want to start doing a kind of virtual book club. Who knew that fashion bloggers were so well read? How am I not surprised?

Roz, it's uncanny: your answers are almost exactly mine. Except I'm afraid to wear silk: I'm sure I'll spill sunscreen or something on it. So mine are cotton. Everything else, sixties dresses, camera, check and check. ; )

Little Amy said...

This looks like such paradise! Check out mt Etsy store, I think you'd really like it! http://www.etsy.com/shop/latenightaew