Floaty Red Kimono Dress - The Streets of Mykonos (and a Vlog!)

- - -

Dress: ASOS. Bag: Zara (old - alternative here). Shoes: Next. Sunglasses: Prada. Earrings: Dior.
- - -

Hello hello!
Today I thought I'd share one of the outfits I wore whilst I was in Mykonos.  Prepared for the Mediterranean sun, but not the Mykonian winds, I'd only packed pretty little floaty dresses. It turns out, this was a monumental error of judgement. I subsequently found out that Mykonos is also known as 'The Windy Isle' - which did not bode well. I am not even trying to be remotely funny when I say that I spent the entire first day clutching my skirt, trying to hold it down as it blew up into my face. RIP my modesty, as everyone in Mykonos Town saw what was going on under my dress that day. It wasn't even cute in a 'tee-hee Marylin Monroe standing over the air vent' way, it was literally just my dress/hair trying to strangle me/flash everyone else. Sorry residents/fellow tourists of Mykonos.
I also put together a little vlog of my time in Mykonos, which you can watch below if you're interested! (Flashing not included.)

Heritage Check Cape, Flared Cuffs & Thigh High Boots

- - - Cape: Topshop. Shirt: Warehouse. Boots: River Island. - - -
Why hello!
I am so ready for Autumn. So ready. When this heritage check cape popped up on the Topshop website it really was one of those dramatic '...I MUST HAVE YOU' moments, like in films between the romantic leads, apart from it was between me and a cape. 
I also obviously needed another pussy bow blouse. However, the difference here is that it has adorable little flared cuffs. This makes it unimaginably different from all of my other pussy bow blouses and therefore it was a totally justified purchase. Shh. Shhhhhh. In all seriousness, I really adore that detail. It also has little pleats running down the front which I failed to capture, but they're shown in the product photos I've linked above and below. Small details like that really can make such a huge impact on the overall look of a piece, even if they seem small!
You may also notice that I'm wearing thigh-high boots. (Are they thigh high? Or knee high? I think they're meant to be thigh high but as I'm a rather long-legged 5'9 they've ended up just above the knee.) I thought the frilly blouse and cape combo was all a bit prim (don't get me wrong - I love prim-ness) but I wanted to sort of... rough it up a bit? Make it a bit ~*edgy*~. They're quite different for me, and although I'm almost an entire year late on the thigh-high boot bandwagon, I must say I really rather like them and they're astonishingly comfortable to walk in. When I revealed myself wearing them to my mother and grandmother their reactions were somewhat different;
Mother: Wow! You look fab! Granny: ...................what are they
I enjoyed both reaction equally, and don't worry, Granny came around (if I promised to wear really thick tights).

Where To Stay in Mykonos: (Part 1/2) - Rocabella Hotel

This week, myself, Charlotte (fellow blogger) and Jenny (normal non-blogger human and general cute person) took a little trip to the screensaver-worthy Greek island of Mykonos. If you follow me on Instagram (@arabellagolby) you will certainly know this because I have been bombarding you all with photos. We stayed in two beautiful locations, in two fabulous hotels, so I thought in the spirit of helpfulness I'd write up a review for each hotel, in case any of you (or any other internet people who stumble across this) are toying with making a trip or are on a hunt for accommodation. Also I took loads of photos and I kind of need an excuse to share them. Let's begin.

- - -

The Hotel

- - -

Perched on the coast, overlooking The Bay of Mykonos, sits the luxury Rocabella Hotel and Spa. A secluded but windy (hold on to your hat - literally, I'm looking at you Charlotte) paradise just 300 meters from Agios Stefanos beach, one of Mykonos' many idyllic shorelines. The views from the hotel are unlike anything I've seen before in real life, and certainly exceeded my expectations. The pool, restaurant and rooms all have unobscured views of the island of Rinia and the historic island of Delos, both surrounded by the unbelievably blue Aegean sea. I've drooled over screensaver-esque photos of Greece for a while - but I found being there almost too amazing to take in. I almost felt like 'this is literally so amazing I do not know how to react.' Looking back at the photos makes me feel even more grateful that I was able to experience it.  

Mykonos town (that instagrammable place with all the white buildings and blue shutters, innit) is just a 5 minute drive along the coast. For this, we utilised the hotel's complimentary shuttle bus service. 

The staff were friendly and attentive, greeting us with flutes of champagne on arrival. We were also informed that they are a very pet friendly hotel, which was simultaneously a happy surprise - because we all love animals, but also a shame as I didn't bring Teddy. (Although I'm not sure he'd have been impressed with Smoky, Rocabella's resident cat.) Not only that, if the scenery isn't relaxing enough, every guest is offered a complimentary 15 minute massage to enjoy during their stay, in either their room or by the pool. It's unsurprising that Rocabella has  929 reviews on trip advisor, with 830 of them rated 'excellent' and 75 'very good'.

- - - The Room: - - -
All of Rocabella's rooms are air conditioned. I repeat, all rooms are air conditioned. My first thought when booking a hotel in a hot country (as well as 'IS THERE WIFI?' - but that's relevant in all temperatures) is 'is there air-con?'.  I, like many others I'm sure, find it very difficult to sleep in heat, so when a hotel has air-con, I'm loving it. Even in non-hot countries I turn it right up, pile on all the blankets and bundle myself up like a sausage roll. Sorry global warming, I don't use hairspray so we'll call it even. 
Not only that, there is indeed free wi-fi (*choirs of angels sing*), a flat screen TV with satellite and an electric safe - which is always very important to me - I use it to store my passport/travel documents, extra money and general valuables etc. The room also comes with complimentary organic beauty products, coffee and a coffee maker, and a pillow menu. That's right, a pillow menu. With 5 options no less. If your pillow isn't to your exact liking - ring reception and they'll deliver an alternative pillow of your choice!
I was given one of the smaller suites, The Panoramic suite, which was absolutely fine and dandy, in fact more than I was expecting as it was just little old me sleeping there. I was already enamoured with the rustic but minimalistic aesthetic of the room filled with cute little details and the spacious, whitewashed stone bathroom - but then I was led out of the patio doors, up some stone steps and onto a rooftop balcony with panoramic views of the Bay of Mykonos and islands beyond (the reasoning behind the name 'Panoramic Suite' now became apparent) complete with it's own mini pool/jacuzzi, just for me. 
Overall, I would say that if you're looking for a serene, secluded spot for relaxation, complete with unrivalled views, Rocabella is your winner. If you're someone who enjoys lazing around by the pool, sipping a cocktail and having the occasional massage, you'll be in heaven. Not only that, but the short journey into town means that both exploration and secluded relaxation are both options when staying at Rocabella. Honestly, I'm much more of a get out and explore kind of person as I find it quite difficult to just do nothing (I can't even sit still without constantly wiggling a foot) but as Rocabella offers both options, it's the best of both worlds! 

*Please note: Accommodation kindly provided c/o Rocabella Hotel, but all opinions, as always, are my own.

Prince of Wales Check, Ruffle Blouse & Prada Baroque - Brunch at The Ivy Chelsea Garden

Top: River Island. Trousers: River Island. Bag: Zara (old). Hat: H&M (old - alternative here). Shoes: M&S (sold out - alternative here) - - -
Hello hello!
A few quick outfit snaps for you today, taken pre-brunch at The Ivy Chelsea Garden, by my friend Bianca. I feel it's almost become a tradition for me to show you my food; an outfit and an aesthetically pleasing plate of less than healthy food is what I seem to be providing as of late. 
It was a beautiful Sunday here in The UK, a day that felt like the last of summer. Although the weather was calling out for a pretty, floaty dress, I, not being one to resist a good pair of tailored trousers, couldn't help but begin my transitional A/W dressing. These Prince of Wales check trousers have been hanging on my rail, calling out to me. I'm longing to reintroduce my frilly shirts, pussybow blouses, suit trousers and capes to the outside world- so, I met myself halfway and decided upon this frilly halter neck blouse from River Island. It's probably one of my most worn pieces as of late, and I've found it to be extremely versatile. I wore it tirelessly on my recent trip to Brighton and it suited both my day and evening wear. 
I've also become quite enamoured with this dramatic, floppy straw hat, bought from H&M a few years ago now. For me, it just adds the right amount of interest to what might've been a rather plain and simple outfit.
I've also become a bit obsessed with photographing things on attractively-surfaced steps. Is that weird? Probably. I shared a photo in that vein on Instagram and it went down rather well, so I'm thinking of turning it into a regular thing; #StuffOnSteps - a la my pre-existing #DoorAppreciation. I'm probably thinking too far into this. I'd say I need a hobby, but this is pretty much it. 
Are you looking forward to Autumn? Are you stocking up on new pieces already?