Wear the Trend: Espadrilles

Espadrilles are not something I would usually choose to put on my feet, largely in part to their surge in wearers over the past few years courtest of TOM's.  Since Chanel have decided to market a new range however?  Well, consider my mind changed.  The French fashion powerhouse have created this stunning range of two tone espadrilles that can pefectly compliment any outfit and as such, mainstream retailers have followed suit and have plenty of feminine style to offer us.  Unfortunately the price tag of the Chanels are a bit too much than I'd like to spend on a flash in the pan item.  Luckily the high street as always has plenty of just as nice styles for us to choose from for much more purse friendly prices.

 

1)  Madison Black Espadrilles - Carvella  £75

 

2) Pink and Gold Espadrilles - H&M £14.99

 

3) Lespy Espadrille - Dune £39

4) Koala Espadrilles - Topshop £45

 

 

 

 

Wear the trend: Pink Coats

Everyone knows that the pink coat is the must have item this season.  Shown this season by the likes of Carven, it wasn't too long before stores such as Zara had replicated the look with their own (much lower) price tag.  Choosing the right kind of winter coat is hard enough work as it is (bare in mind it is the only part of your outfit most people will see!) and considering that a coat like this is barely going to see you through to next season then it's more important than ever to pick the right one.  Here's my top 5 from the high street.

1) Wool coat £79.99 - H&M

2) Mil £99.00 - Marks and Spencer

3) Masculine studio overcoat £179.00 - Zara

4) Lacy coat £239 - Hobbs

5) Neon boucle coat £250 - Boutique by Jaeger

Wear the Trend: Spaghetti Straps

The summer might almost be over, but as we all know, fashion never sleeps and although most of our summer may have been filled with rain, as memory recalls September is usually one of the hottest months of the year. 

As a girl who seems to have developed a phobia of jeans, finding a nice dress has becoming something of an obsession of mine.  This season's spaghetti strap was one which I initially deemed inappropriate for my body shape, I mean, lets be honest, I know I'm not the only girl who would prefer a cap sleeve for fear of bearing their entire upper arm.  Having tried my first dress however, I realised that this style, as with many, is more a case of having the confidence to dare to bare. 

Whilst a plain up and down dress with these straps can be a little daunting, with the right cut and detail, you need to worry as the style will balance itself out.  See below for my top 5 spaghetti strap dresses.

 

 

1) Satin dress - H&M £34.99

2) Silk pleat slip - Topshop £100

3) Black ombre fringed flapper dress - River Island £50

4) Dress with ruffle neckline - Zara £35.99

5) Zenith bow front dress - Jil Sander @ The Outnet £387

Wear the Trend: Block Heeled Sandals

As women, we all love to wear a heel to work.  For some of us, however, a heel just isn't viable due to the fact that we are running round on our feet all day.  Enter the block midi heel.  A perfect style for summer, the block heel makes for comfortable walking as opposed to the formerly favoured stiletto style heel and is also a great step away from that hideously offensive and unflattering kitten heel.

This tan option is from Zara and is currently in the sale (from £49.99 to £39.99) which in laymans terms means you might want to snap them up before they're gone.

The neutral colour means they'll go with pretty much anything, but I favour this pair with a pair of chiffon shorts and a white blazer for an easy office to bar look.

The white colour of these sandals are perfect if you've got a summer tan, if you are more on a pale side, like me then luckily these Kurt Geiger shoes also come in black.  At £85 they are slightly pricier than their high street counterparts, but as any fashionista knows, you get what you pay for.

This pair are from High Street fave Topshop. Priced at £48, they won't break the bank and with their simple style and plain black colour they work with pretty much any outfit and are guaranteed to last. A safe yet stylish option if you are still unsure of this style.

At £625 this Rupert Sanderson pair are way out of my price bracket, but when a pair of sandals look like this, it would be a crime not to include them in a post.  This bright colour and perspex heel of this shoe make them just about as on trend as you can get and would flatter any summer dress.

Wear the Trend: Star Prints

 





Who could forget Anne Hathaways gorgeous cover for UK Marie Claire from September 2011?  Not me for one.  The Dolce and Gabbana dress she wore frequently features in my dreams, a print which has been replicated in many retailers over the last few months.  I myself now have over a dozen pieces with the highly desired print but weeding out the quality pieces from the cheap looking print hasn't been easy.

Here are some of the best pieces:

The Everard Skirt, Aubin and Wills: Maxi length, star print and pockets! Who said Fashion and convenience doesn't go together! At £125 and 100% silk it's this season's must have skirt!

Complete the look with the brands matching vest: The Willington.

Mini Stars Printed Calf Skirt, Topshop: Admittedly not as nice as the Aubin and Wills piece, but this Topshop number is still worth it's £38.00 price tag.  It's calf length will make it great for that 'Granny Chic' look the likes of Fearne Cotton seem to be going for and would look perfect with a knitted sweater and flat pumps.

Chiffon Star Dress, Tesco Online: Possible one of my favourite dresses at the moment and only £25! Pity it's sold out *Sighs*

Star Print Midi Dress, Oasis: Similar to the Tesco dress with a navy slip and chiffon overlay with sheer sleeves, this High Street favourite is about as close to Dolce & Gabbana you can get.  Offering a more vintage look, it's no surprise that it's another sellout.

You can however find it on eBay here: Oasis Star Print Midi Dress