Summer in a skirt….

The inspiration for our wedding colour scheme came from two places……mini eggs and a gorgeous Becky Bettesworth print found in an art shop in Dartmouth. The pretty spring pastel tones on the print and the quote ‘all you need is love‘ was the perfect visual inspiration to plan our April wedding around and I love the fact that having it hung up in our kitchen in Bristol reminds me of this whenever I look at it. Devon artist Becky Bettesworth has made her name through her beautiful vintage style travel and seaside prints of iconic places throughout the South West, including Devon, Cornwall and Dorset, and we also have an ever growing collection of her prints in our holiday home in Devon as perfect reminders of our favourite spots we have visited (the gorgeous gardens and boat house at Greenway in Dartmouth being the most recent addition – a National Trust must have to visit if you haven’t already!)

It came as no surprise given the versatility of these prints therefore that this summer Becky has launched a collaboration with clothing boutique Revival Retro to translate some of her most iconic prints onto limited edition skirts and turn her art into fashion. Made in England and featuring some of the most iconic landmarks, these skirts (with pockets!) are the perfect addition to any ‘staycation’ wardrobe this year.

When Revival Retro got in touch to ask if I’d like to have a preview of one of the skirts that are launching this month online and at their boutique in London, I jumped at the chance. The hardest decision was which one to go for – made even harder by the fact that one of the three skirts features a Bristol print and one of them a Devon print – both places very close to our hearts!

With the iconic Clifton Suspension Bridge being a stone’s throw from where we live, this gorgeous yellow toned skirt with the famous coloured Bristol balloons instantly jumped out at me and screams summer in England. Every summer in Bristol the skies are filled with brightly coloured hot air balloons and the Suspension Bridge is one of the most popular places to try and catch a sighting of the famous morning ascents.

However, it was the pink hues of the Devon inspired skirt that won me over – the Palm trees taking me straight back to our night in Miami whilst on honeymoon! I adore the contrast of the green and blue against the pink background and teamed with a white tee and a denim jacket I think it really is the perfect summer outfit with a retro twist. Being Becky’s hometown, Torquay was always going to feature in this collection and the Torquay palm tress are as iconic in Devon as they are in Miami! If this English Riviera scene doesn’t tempt you to visit the Devon coast then I’m not sure what will.

The last skirt in the collection features Twr Mawr lighthouse on LLanddwyn Island on the isle of Anglesey, with Snowdonia depicted just in the background. The blue sky and coastal scene makes this skirt a must for anyone with a connection to, or love of, the sea and being a little bit more neutral in its’ colours I think is the easiest one to wear of the three.

Showcasing the best of Great British staycation venues, these skirts really are the perfect inspiration for holidays and weekends away without having to venture too far. And I think that is what Becky does best – inspiring the next great British escape through beautiful pieces of art. I’m just thrilled that I get to wear my holiday inspiration at the same time!