Date Night Pastels

We have a long list of summer essentials once the warm weather hits, including floral prints, little white dresses and denim cutoffs, and this season in particular, we can't get enough of vivid pastels. A little brighter and more saturated than their pale counterparts, the new wave of pastels satisfy our need for colour and still achieve that pretty, feminine look that we're always drawn to. Though pastel pink and mint will always be among our favourites, recently we've been drawn to shades of peach and periwinkle as well, which have slowly started to infiltrate our shop displays and photoshoots.

Last week I had the challenge of dressing for an anniversary dinner date, and I was determined to take advantage of the opportunity to put together an outfit that felt special and a little bit outside of my normal style comfort zone, with date night pastels. We have one rack in the shop right now that has a beautiful palette that includes this stunning, pale blue/purple colour that I think would best be described as a powdery blue 'periwinkle'. There's a blazer, a lace crop tee and the Darling Sienna Lace Dress, which I've felt a special attachment towards since we received it, but without a special occasion, I couldn't quite justify it... until now. With the sheer illusion neck detail, this little lace dress truly is something special, and with the fitted bodice and slim skirt that sits a little longer in length, this style is feminine, full of charm, and bike friendly (which is pretty important for me these days!).

Styled with a faded denim jacket, my favourite sparkly vintage earrings and a tropical pastel clutch, the outfit still felt like me, but a slightly more dressed up, put-together version which was perfect for a summer date night.

[photos: Jason Matos]