16 going on 17; a summer garden party

Dress: here. Hat: alternative here. 

Earlier this week we celebrated a family birthday with a garden party at Charlcote Park, a beautiful 16th century stately home set within its own deer park. The stunning Elizabethan style building which is still home to the Lucy family, once played host to Queen Elizabeth I and Shakespeare himself is said to have frequently visited to hunt within the grounds.

My extended family rented the right wing of the top floor of the house for the week in celebration of my Auntie Gill's birthday, which meant that when all the visitors left at 5pm we were left alone in the grounds. The family who still live in the house were away for the summer, so it was incredible to be able to wander the grounds alone (many 'welcome to my humble abode' jokes were made...)

It was a scorching hot day, and during the party, my mum and I couldn't resist excusing ourselves to explore the grounds. As we were admiring some towering cedar trees, we realised it would be a beautiful and unique location for an improptu photo shoot. I'd already commented on how this pale pink dress makes me feel like Liesl Von Trapp when she sings 16 Going on 17 (then I had an internal weep over the fact that I am now 24 going on 25 and that doesn't have quite the same ring to it...) so, when we spotted a pair of stone benches, we saw visions of Liesl leaping around the garden room and decided to have a little fun with it. 

The dress, which I paired with a vintage straw hat in an attempt to make it a little more casual, has fast become one of my favourites. It's delicate layers of fabric flow beautifully and the perfectly ruffled bardot neckline and hem are lined with wire to preserve and hold the incredible ruffled effect. Don't tell anyone, but I ADORED this dress so much, I also bought it in a mint green...