Today, before the sunshine turned to chilling wind in Melbourne, I went to the park for a picnic, and it inspired my predisposed fashion sensibilities. I wore a cute dress and boy wore a cute hat, and we played banging summer mixtape tunes full blast in the car on the way there (think Paul Simon, Nelly, Blink 182 and Shannon Noll). The whole picture was so damn effing cute it got me planning ahead for the next one - outfit-wise, anyway.
 
One thing that was missing from the cuteness today was the cute infrastructure. We had a kind of cute picnic blanket, but not as cute as this one from Etsy, which even has built in practicality with a button on carry handle. Cute. I’m also going to invest in a vintage picnic basket from Etsy for the next picnic. Nothing says cute summer picnic like a cute picnic basket. With strawberries on the lid. Cute.
 
I know I’ve said cute about 17 times already but just bare with me, we’re getting into serious business now - the outfit. A few local designers have got their cute pants on this season and designed collections that seem specifically geared towards summer picnic going, strawberry eating, melody humming and general romantic sunshine merriment.
 
Personal favourite Arnsdorf have gone retro (queue vintage bike, preferably baby pink), with high waist shorts, crop tops and linen shirts designed for ambling along creek beds, bird watching and skipping rocks across water.
 
Karla Spetic has the countryside in mind - the kind of sprawling landscape where lovers recline in long grass, weaving daisy chains and only coming up for air and Devonshire teas in the afternoon glow. Floral dresses and landscape print skirts and tops have summer love written all over them.
 
Following in this romantic step, Therese Rawsthorne’s beach babe, relaxed layers create volume that compliments the kind of windswept hair you get when perched atop some breathtaking look out, munching on local fish’n’chips.  
 
Melburnians Limedrop have joined the whimsical summer fold this season with soft colours in casual shapes that lend themselves to city exploration and the jet setting traveler. Fancy a trip to the zoo? Botanical gardens? Limedrop have it all, right down to the most important accessory of them all, the gorgeous man candy.
 
Now this wouldn’t be a dinky-di Australian picnic guide without the ‘slip, slop, slap,’ so make sure you take your sunscreen, and grab some sunnies from a Graz collaboration (Chronicles of Never for modern edge or Ellery for retro glamour). Oh and try a vintage French-style wide-brimmed hat like this one from Etsy. CUTE.