MODERN. BRITISH SUMMER
"Spring flew swiftly by, and summer came; and if the village had been beautiful at first, it was now in the full glow and luxuriance of its richness." That was Charles Dickens, back in 1838, celebrating the first night of the year when he could stroll down to the pub without a massive coat on. And while much has changed since Dickens’ day – fewer charmingly charismatic pickpockets and hobbling misers etc – the glory of the onset of British summertime remains undimmed.
There’s a strong case that no other country improves as much with the arrival of the warmer months as the UK. After what feels like about 18 months of fleetingly short days and driving rain, the start of summer is a revelation: pub gardens open up, the shorts go on (unless you’re a postman who’s had them on all winter anyway), the mood lifts, gaiety sweeps the nation.
As a brand who spend a lot of our time championing all of the things that we do best here, we’d make a strong case against traveling abroad in the summer. Firstly, there’s the basic logic - why head for the exits at precisely the time when the country is in full bloom? Secondly, there’s the reality of summer travel – a domestic break means no navigating airports, delays, lost baggage, or the kind of holiday experience that sees you becoming a Jet 2 meme after a stray dog mauls you in a waterpark. And finally, let’s be realistic – Britain just does summer better than anywhere else.
And whatever you’re doing, embrace the summer style and inject a bit of colour into the season: there’s a few months starting right now where you can channel a colour scheme that’s a cross between a stick of rock and an ice cream parlour. Go for deckchair stripes, bold sweats across the shoulders, caps that give a pop of colour, vibrant cottons and lurid swim shorts. Summer might be short lived in Britain, but it’s truly the best of us. And it’s worth dressing up for.
