On the Cusp of Summer {Monday Muses, June 15th}

It rains one moment and exudes glistening sunshine the next, teetering between seasons June can be one of those months where it’s always wise to dress in light layers and carry an umbrella – at least in some parts of the world.

Here in Toronto we’ve had a mixed bag of weather so far this month. Some days have been stunners, others stormy, wet messes. Nature has embraced the idea of summer, but is still a tad hesitant to part with spring. Warm mornings and cool nights, or perhaps the exact opposite can pop up as easily as perfectly balmy days.

Jeans and shorts are both kept at the ready, sandals and gumboots sit side-by-side in the entryway. It’s more summer than spring, but far from the stifling heat of August that leaves you languid and in dire need of a constant stream of cold drinks.

The middle of June smells like fuchsia roses, Hawaiian Tropic, campfires, garden soil, and dusty rain. It’s like a child about to hit adolescence, certain of its impending growth but still tied to the comforts of its innocent past. Mid-June is a time to string badminton nets, sit outside until midnight hoping to glimpse falling stars, and gather (or at least admire) as many of the lingering lilacs of May as you possibly can.

There is so much warm beauty to this rich time of the year, when daisies begin appearing and everything suddenly seems a hundred times tastier when consumed between gulps of fresh air. Pivoting between seasons, this brief window of toasty, but not scalding, heat is a treat to behold and experience. This week my Muse is the cusp of summer, that magical time right before school lets up for the year and the dog-days of July come roaring in.

The following photos – and mosaic of pictures – all fill my soul with an instant fondness for this lovely, tranquil moment of the year, while providing wonderful ideas regarding what sorts of vintage looks to don for the arrival of summer. I hope that you too will enjoy the delightfully pretty, playfully fun time that mid-June brings with it (or at least the romanticized notion of such).



{This incredibly charming photo hails from a blog that I just discovered this month called wildflowers::pretty. I love the gentle beauty that flows through its creator’s photos and posts.}



{Johanna Öst looking superbly pretty in her new navy blue and white, button adorned swimsuit. Something about the fuller cut makes me think of the cooler water temps one generally encounters in June.}



{Anja of Clever Nettle looking about as sweet-faced and adorably set for early summer as one possibly can be.}



{This photo from Esme and the lane way does such a strikingly excellent job of conveying the sort of fading sunlight glory that summer ushers in.}



1. Vintage Style Outfit in Living colour, 2. Summer 1950, 3. laundry day!, 4. 081258 01 00A, 5. Cherry nosegay vintage button necklace, 6. Casual 50's look, 7. The California Barbecue, 8. It's not so easy as it maybe seems to take a picture at this angle, 9. Happy Birthday Mutti!, 10. 50's fashion , 11. A Patio Somewhere in Suburbia, 12. 8/6/08, 13. May 25 1957 {Vintage June joys of all sorts abound in these photos! Click on a link to see a larger version of a particular image and/or for photographer information}

Do you love the sweet tenderness that June can still posses or do you favour the passionate heat that comes later on in the summer? Does June inspire you or leave you wishing it was time to shovel snow from the driveway again?