ICYMI, I spent a week in Sydney, Australia, last month. It was spur of the moment (I accompanied M on a last-minute work trip) with only room for carry-on luggage, so perfectly planned outfits and bringing multiple cameras were off the menu.
Instead – in-keeping with the last-minute nature of the holiday – I asked M to take a few photos on his iPhone of an outfit I’d thrown on that morning to explore the city in. Therein lies the disclaimer that these photos document a truly beautiful place accompanied by a jet lagged, hot mess of a woman.
After a 15-hour flight and minimal sleep, we landed in Sydney early on a Sunday morning. To acclimatize to the new time zone and keep ourselves awake for as long as possible, we showered, got changed and took ourselves off to the Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney Opera House and finally, Manly Beach.
I mentioned on my Sydney Instagram Story that the last time I’d been to the city was during my gap year, and it was so strange having hazy memories of places like Manly – I know I’ve been there but I couldn’t tell you what I got up to. After taking the ferry north to Manly Wharf, we made the short stroll down the promenade to the beach. It was colder in Sydney than I was expecting (it is their winter, after all) but seeing that beautiful, clear turquoise ocean appear on the horizon made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.
Manly is a truly lovely beach and after dipping a toe in the freezing cold water, M and I sat on the sand watching people body boarding, walking their dogs and lazing under the rays of the winter sun. It was blissful, and made me so happy I’d decided to get on the plane.
For a day of sightseeing in a climate I thought would be similar to SF, I chose a loose Zara top and slip-ons, my delightfully OTT mustard M&S trousers and my new denim jacket. I could have done with an extra layer – and a few days later did end up buying a giant turquoise jumper before boarding a whale watching tour – but aside from that, this outfit was perfect for clocking up 22,000+ steps in.
I’ve now decided I need more trousers that match shades of the rainbow (I currently have electric blue, aubergine and a pink pair) so if you spot any bright green palazzo pants or pillar box red cigarette trousers, you know where to find me…
Denim jacket, navy top and slip-ons – Zara / Mustard yellow trousers – Marks & Spencer / Quilted green bag – River Island
