wishbone

You can't believe how many photos I took, on holiday, of my neck in this charming wishbone charm necklace from Vagabond Van. It was a weird little challenge I set myself: just holding the camera out, aiming in the general direction, and shooting my neck.



I don't like to wear necklaces - 'statement' necklaces drive me round the bend, they're like turtle necks to me: great in theory but in reality I'm pulling them off after 20 minutes. This is light as a feather: I had to check now to see that I'm still wearing it (I am). And - this never happens - my husband, Mr. Dot, keeps saying how much he loves it.





It feels like wearing the most delicate silver cross, but what I love is that it isn't denominational. And that when Lucie first contacted me, this is what she wrote: 'We've just started taking advance orders for the most darling handmade charm necklaces. I began noticing them nestled in bronzed collar bones around Cape Town about a month ago and have coveted them ever since. I've tracked down the designer and am making an order this week.' For all I know - it's too late to get one. She didn't ask me to promote it, which is another reason why I am. She doesn't even (yet) know I'm doing this post.



And most especially: when I'm wearing it, I feel like if I make a wish, it can come true. I wished, for example, that it would stop raining - and it did. I've wished for the Libyan people to be free.. come on, make a wish. Let's try it out: see if it works virtually.

Delicate charm necklaces available from Vagabond Van: there are hearts, too, and peace symbols, with your choice of colour thread. All at £16.90. Sourced in Africa, made by local crafts people. It's all good.

get aboard the vagabond van, apollonia!

Once upon a time, many years ago - many, many years ago - I had this white dress.. I'm a bit obsessed with the dress, actually, as I know I'd never willingly part with it, and I'm so afraid it's in the storage unit somewhere North of England (they moved our unit & we didn't find out til years later), being eaten by moths.. and I've been on a kind of Sartorial Quest ever since. I tried last spring, with a Topshop version that was wrong, wrong, wrong (I'm still thinking of doing a give-away on it: someone else could really do wonders with it).



So when Lucie, from Vagabond Van, ('the unique boutique on wheels') got in touch in exactly the right way - respecting my time, with good manners and good humour - I took a look at the site and the blog, The Vagabond Adventures and thought, wow, I love this idea! (They travel round Africa, sourcing beautiful frocks and things, then travel back round the UK, selling them at festivals - and online). So I asked if she wanted to send me a dress and I'd do a post on it. To my surprise - this NEVER happens (usually the PR people say oh we have our own photographs, blah blah blah) she asked which one I'd like.



I chose APOLLONIA, a white dress that feels like mine, reincarnated. Two days later, it was here. And I LOVE it. 100% cotton.. I could happily wear this forever.





And in all this time, I've been trying to get my husband, Mr. Dot, to shoot me in it. Our photo shoots have disintegrated over the past two years that I've done this blog, into a fight fest ending in tears (mine). And this was no different. I can never seem to get him to get me head to toe in a shot (like this one, from Green Park, during the Royal Wedding after-party walkabout), and I don't feel these shots do the brand justice, but CHECK THEM OUT. I bet if you asked them nicely to do a post of your own, they'd say yes. They are so delightful: a really cool, attractive couple and a really charismatic dog, Bow Wow.

I am SO on board the Vagabond Van.

Last Bank Holiday Monday - we're off on another adventure - I could really get used to this. All shots either of me, by me, or both, spanning decades ago, thru yesterday.