Kew Gardens

Spring, is that you? It’s been a long time since we could say it’s actually warm outside (in our heads) while stepping out the house.

H&M

Suede navy jacket

 Sunspel

Short sleeve camp collar shirt

AMI 

Slim-fit cotton twill chinos

Converse

1970s Chuck Taylor All Star Canvas High-Top Sneakers

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When the sun came to say hello a couple weeks ago, Kew Gardens was the destination for Joe and myself. All the way in zone three, Kew Gardens turns plant fans into plant obsessed and Londoners into green space enthusiasts. Though my enjoyment of layering is a fond one, sitting outside and enjoying a drink or two in a beer garden cannot be passed up and en route to Kew, that’s exactly what we did with no coat or umbrella in sight.

The aim of the shoot was to play around with the light. Inside the Palm House, shadows were appearing and disappearing throughout the afternoon and gave us that natural light that as bloggers and photographers, we crave.

Embracing spring with open arms, I was wearing a short sleeve Sunspel camp collar shirt. This style of shirt – also called Cuban and revere – is what I’ll be wearing all spring and summer. MR PORTER says that tropical prints are going to be trending everywhere and if I wasn’t sticking to a navy palette, I’d be reaching for my floral and palm tree prints. Regardless, subtle or print, a camp collar is a shirt style you should consider investing in.

I don’t think I’m alone when I say that I don’t like wearing shorts. When the weather allows, I opt for trousers, specifically pleated.

It’s great to keep an eye on ‘trends’, but your main focus should be on your own personal style. I’m confident enough to say I’ve found mine, but dressing doesn’t have to be monotonous.

These AMI slim trousers are light and airy enough in warmer temperatures and I’ll make it my mission to find more trousers like this. Its no surprise MR PORTER includes them in the key trends for spring. I tried something different by tucking in a Marwood pocket square in my back pocket to break up my navy shades. Not everything has to be used for its normal convention.

Then keeping it classic I turned to Converse to keep me moving while walking around Kew Gardens and a jacket from H&M when late afternoon brought with it cooler weather. I’m enjoying being able to tick off new places. First it was Tate and now Kew. I want to go again because of the amount I didn’t get to see!

Joe talks about styling pink and light jackets over on his blog. He’s the cooler one of this double act we’ve managed to form this year. jbicon

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Photography by Joe Galvin

This post is created in association with MR PORTER. However, all the views expressed are my own.

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