So, Francene, our contributor from across the pond….went on holiday back to her home in Aberdeen Scotland for her friend’s wedding and to have a reunion with her family and friends. We encouraged her to share with all of us, her first trip home from her big move to the states and let us take a peak into what a Scottish wedding is really like….
Six new purchases (that my closet really doesn’t have space for), 3 espresso martinis along with countless glasses of Prosecco (with a slice of lemon on the side), 0 workouts (I am on holiday after all…), countless girlie nights out, and 1 wedding. It certainly has been a busy couple of weeks as I’m writing this article on the flight back from my hometown Aberdeen, Scotland. Surprisingly, I spent the day before I left sitting in my parents garden, basking in the sun with a glass of Prosecco. Yep, I am describing Scottish weather! This marks a year since we moved out to Houston to start our new life!
Francene in her lovely family garden
The main reason we journeyed home, not only to catch up with friends and family, but we attended one of our best friends weddings, in the most beautiful setting of Drumtochty Castle. What I love most about weddings is the array of colours! At the wedding the men wore traditional kilts, looking very handsome. I wore a lace fitted dress I had sitting at the back of my closet I’ve had for nearly 9 years; it’s such a timeless sophisticated dress. I paired it with nude open toe Jimmy Choo heels and some gold accessories. My friends looked amazing, one wearing a plain orange shift dress with gold heels and an orange hat; it’s now the in thing to match the hat and dress opposed to contrast colours, another following suit with a blue dress and hat. My most favourite outfit of the day – apart from the gorgeous bride herself – was my friends nude sheer dress with red flowers positioned throughout.
Drumtochty Castle, Scotland
The beautiful couple, Emma Leith and Ben Davies, in their wedding attire…perfect for such a Scottish wedding
That’s me, Francene, on the left, with many of my friends at the wedding.
Different weather climates definitely play a part when choosing an outfit in Scotland. You need to be prepared for all weather conditions, even if it’s a sunny morning it could easily snow in the afternoon. You usually find ladies will layer their outfits. Great way of layering, which I did throughout my time home is by adding a slouchy boyfriend sweater. This looks great whether on top of a dress, skirt or trousers. Another great way of layering, which a couple of my girlfriends wear, is adding on light jackets in pastel colours, like sleeveless jackets or Kimono jackets with contrasting colours to brighten up your outfit choice.
I noticed fringe items were big over in the UK. Fringe looks great on jackets, dresses or skirts. I prefer wearing fringe on more plain pieces like my latest purchase from Zara (suede black fringed skirt). It can be worn casually with a loose jumper or for cocktails adding on a crop top with statement jewelry.
This fringe skirt from Zara, was a dominant trend that I could not miss on the streets of Scotland
On my way through Heathrow, I stopped by Duty free and found myself wandering around the Gucci counter where I found their brand new make-up collection, which at the moment can only be purchased at this airport or online. Created under the creative direction of Frida Giannini and with the expertise of Gucci makeup artist Pat McGrath, the line brings together the history of the brand with the knowledge from one of the most legendary makeup artists in history. When the two combined, this fantastic collection was formed. Naturally I tested out nearly everything until my husband dragged me away when he saw my bank card creep out. The colours are perfect for fall with browns, purples and golds. The nude lip gloss provided great coverage which would be a great day to day purchase.
Gucci’s latest color palette for Fall
Now, how could I possibly go to the UK, flying through London and not make a cheeky purchase from Jo Malone, which started in London. These perfumes always remind me of my mum and best friend, lovely memories. For evening wear I absolutely love the deep scent of Pomegranate Noir which clings on to your skin beautifully. For during the day I would recommend the fresh musky scent of Orange Blossom.
UK’s own and a U.S. favorite fragrance collection from Jo Malone
It wasn’t just all about the fashion purchases, but a trip down memory lane. After taking up horse-riding again in the states my mum dug out my green gorgeous John Whitaker jacket, which actually would look awesome with black stilettos, dark jeans and a plain top. Take chances with your fashion choices. My best friend and I used to spend hours trailing around charity shops finding amazing vintage bargains and adding them into our daily outfits. As much as it saddens me to be leaving behind our family and friends, it’s been a lovely 10 days spent in Scotland – now I have fallen harshly back to reality!
My beloved, authentic riding jacket, rediscovered for me by my Mum….had to bring back with me for some serious U.S. riding
Us gals at My Red Glasses want to know where you are going or have been on vacation this year. Don’t spare the details! Please leave your notes in our comments section…..we really want to know!