The park gates will close at dusk

H&M Breton top // Topshop midi skirt // Topshop sandals // Primark belt

On Saturday we had the most glorious sunshine here in Manchester and the parks were full of people having barbeques and enjoying the warmth. Luckily for my flatmates and I we live directly opposite one which is very handy for nipping back to use the loo and for getting drinks, nibbles and for changing into increasingly minimal clothing. My flatmate Lizzie, with her English rose complexion, managed to get sunburnt Brits abroad style catch an impressive amount of sun for an April afternoon in England's greyest and wettest county.

Jian Wei and I nipped to LIDL and ate a continental style picnic just outside our front door complete with Magner's pear cider (!) (it took me a long time to finish mine, I was still sipping away whilst watching iplayer in bed) and I attempted to make an improvised rasberry cheesecake. Lidl's unorthodox interpretation of cream cheese however failed me when it turned out to be closer to a form of sour yoghurt and scuppered all my plans to making a dessert that would set.

The top I'm wearing is seriously worn in and I've been wearing it almost every day since I bought it two years ago with Clare. I obtained the skirt for my last set of Topshop uniform, it's actually gone down into the sale since but it's the most beautiful cut and fabric so if you do come across it, I heartily recommend buying it. I also bought the sandals from the winter sale at Topshop, they were reduced to £7 so with my staff discount about a fiver - a rather thrifty purchase seeing as they're real leather and oh-so-cute with the bow tie. I also bought two other pairs of sandals which I'm slowing bringing out, blinking and pale, from where they've been stored for the last four months in my bottom drawer. The faux leather belt was £2.50 in Primark and I've been wearing it to death ever since I brought it home. It's made me realise how crucial such overlooked accessories really are to a successful outfit.

I'd also like to take this opportunity to say a warm 'hallo' to anyone who has started following this blog recently, I value every single one and every comment I get serves as a gloriously welcome distraction from my dissertation writing!

All photographs by Jian Wei Lim.