Summer In The City

Unlike most of my friends and colleagues, I'm staying in London this Summer and sadly not jetting off anywhere tropical. With beach and holiday style edits ubiquitous across fashion magazines and websites, I felt I needed to create some summer-in-the-city style inspiration. This Summer it's all about embracing a fusion of tropicalia and chic European city style.

1. In the office

1.  V-wrap back shell top, £34, Topshop

2. Wide leg ditsy print trousers, £17.99, New Look

3. Leather sandals, £420, Chloe

4. Trilogy leather shopper, £1340, Lanvin

5. Smoke and mirrors idiom bangle, £28, Kate Spade

2. Weekend brunch

1. Handmade acertate retro sunglasses, £35, ASOS

2. Strappy v-neck cami, £18, Topshop

3. A-line double crepe skirt, £278, Carven

4. Monogramme quilted leather shoulder bag, £1290, Saint Laurent

5. Sandals, £19.99, H&M

3. Evening cocktails

1. Cross back jumpsuit, £40, Topshop

2. Harlow clutch, £405, Michael Kors

3. Fancay tan sandals, £79, Dune

4. Cookies and cream nail polish, £9, Ciate

This Summer I'm focusing on bringing holiday style to my wardrobe and soaking up the sun in London. When the sun is out, who doesn't love a British Summer?

- A.T.

Happy Feet (At Last!)

What do you get when you cross comfort with fashion? As well as thousands of smiling fashionistas, cue retailers and designers alike diving head-first into the latest trend of slip-on pumps.

First I noticed Steve Madden's offering, then came along ASOS and Kurt Geiger. Just to assure the fashion crowd that this trend was being taken seriously, Jimmy Choo has now jumped on the bandwagon and released some oh-so-mouth-watering pumps that I do wish I could stretch my pay packet to.

Now I'm seeing slip-ons everywhere and had to invest in a pair of my own. A big fan of the Givenchy floral pumps, and a stickler for finding high street versions of designer items, I invested in some Dockland Plimsolls from ASOS, £20.

What I love the most is seeing people pushing the boundaries with how they wear their slip-ons. I've seen them with sports-luxe trousers, pleated midi skirts and eclectic maxi dresses; I've also seen a few colleagues proudly scuffling around the office in theirs. I too share their smug expression, not just because of the great pattern on my slip-ons, but because they feel so nice on my feet - I see slip-ons as a chance for feet rehab. I'm always a fan of a good heel but when it comes to a choice between the two, if fashion says so, then I vote slip-ons.

(Pictures from Google Images)

How do you wear yours?

- A.T.

Tried & Tested: The Thigh Split Trend

Not too long ago I wrote a post on here about thigh split maxi skirts/ dresses. I'm still as obsessed now as I was a month ago and actually had the chance to try out the trend at my graduation ball a couple of weeks ago.

The dress: 

ASOS, £40

My take on it:

I wore the dress with neutral make-up and gold accessories. I felt that the dress was the focal point and so I didn't need heavy accessories or makeup that would look garish or draw away from the dress. I went for neutral, bronzed makeup using my Benefit Away We Glow make-up set.

Pictures from the night:

I took a lot of pictures and it was a really fun night. I got a tonne of compliments on the dress, too. The only warning I would give is the dress isn't particularly bloat-friendly, so I was lucky to get away with a three course meal and drinks - be wary if you are buying the dress for an occasion which involves a meal.

(Excuse the terrible quality of my iPhone camera..)

I felt great wearing this dress and can't wait to wear it to a formal occasion again in the near future. It is still in stock on the ASOS website for those of you interested. Overall verdict: make sure you join in with the thigh-split trend at some point this year, but don't overdo the split...

- A.T.

Style Steal: Manolo Blahnik 'Chaos Cuff' Sandal

The time has come for another style steal post where I find high street alternatives to designer items. I'm sure that most of you will recognise this one instantaneously.

I've been obsessed with these strappy Manolo's ever since seeing a picture of Rihanna wearing them. Then, to my surprise (and delight), high street stores cottoned on and started producing their own. ASOS and River Island have brought out their own takes on the shoe in various colours, and Rihanna's collection for River Island even has some Manolo-inspired sandals - it's safe to say she loves the shoe style.

As nice as the sandals at these stores are, I didn't want to depart with £40+ just to get in on the trend - that's what being a student does to you. However, I was shopping in Primark, arguably an unlikely place to sell some nice heeled shoes, and I found a pair of Manolo-esque heels. Priced at £12, I couldn't say no. They are really good quality and don't look cheap, either.

Primark heeled sandals (£12):

Manolo Blahnik 'Chaos Cuff' sandal (£445):

Noticeable differences are the width of the strap across the foot and the heel height. These are minor differences though, and what both the actual Manolo's and the Primark heels have in common is that they are really flattering for the legs and feet. No matter your height or size, Manolo-inspired heeled sandals are a must buy and an ubiquitous trend, restricted to no one! Track them down on the high street, try them on and tell me if you disagree.

- A.T.

Trend To Try: Mid-Finger Rings

I'm completely in love with the mid-finger ring - aka "midi ring" - trend. I've noticed that more shops have started selling them throughout the year which is great for us! As with bangles and bracelets, midi rings are perfectly stackable and are a stylish addition to any outfit, transcending day into night. I love the way they look so delicate yet add an edgy finishing touch.

Here are some pretty (and affordable) midi rings I found online:

Forget having a statement ring - midi rings are all about the plentiful, so stack them up to your heart's desire. Try this trend now - there's a new definition of finger swag, and we all should want in.

- A.T.

To tie-dye or not to tie-dye?

When I discovered that tie-dye was making a comeback for spring/summer, I wasn't quite sure what to make of it. My first thought was 'oh god no'; I remember wearing brightly coloured tie-dye t-shirts as a child and only ever looking back with regret. My second thought was that surely only the sartorially challenged would go for tie-dye. However, my opinion has changed. I've found some tie-dye items that actually look really cool and that I'm tempted to add to my wardrobe.

I think the key with tie-dye is to wear it right and choose colours that will look good. I'm not a fan of the rainbow-coloured tie-dye items as I feel that those are the types of clothes we wore back in the 90s - and, for me at least, when I was a kid.

I've thrown together a tie-dye mood board with my favourite finds from internet fashion sites. Tie-dye can look subtle and sophisticated, so the thing to remember is to keep the colour scheme to one or two colours and to avoid garish colour palettes.

There are some trends that should be left in the decades they first surfaced - this was my original thought on tie-dye, but I'm now thinking that tie-dye and summer will go hand-in-hand perfectly this year. It was a major part of Versace's catwalk event showcasing their S/S 2013 collection, so we can't argue with what such fashion powerhouses dictate. Tie-dye doesn't have to mean dressing hippy-esque and certainly shouldn't be confined to just festivals. It's a throwback, but one I feel we can embrace. My verdict: to tie-dye.

- A.T.

This week I'm loving...

Thigh-split maxi skirts/ dresses

I get a huge amount of wardrobe inspiration from Pinterest, and this week I noticed that I'd been drawn to pinning a lot of thigh-split maxi skirts and dresses (we can thank Angelina Jolie's left leg for kick-starting this growing trend). They are the ultimate item for summer: showing a little bit of leg and thigh but tailoring the rest of the outfit to not give everything away. I also noticed how figure-flattering a lot of the dresses were. Here are my favourite finds:

I know that ASOS have a great collection of thigh-split maxi skirts and dresses at the moment, and I've actually purchased one of their dresses for an upcoming graduation ball (pictures soon!) Whether you choose bold colours or go for neutrals, a thigh-split maxi skirt/ dress should definitely be a staple for your wardrobe this summer. Here are some suggestions:

Skirts

Dresses

Having the thigh-split makes you feel and look incredibly good without having to show off loads of skin - who doesn't want that? I recommend.

- A.T.

Spring/Summer 2012: Fashion Goes 'Marie Antoinette'

Despite all of the hype about the Queen for her Diamond Jubilee earlier this month, another royal figure - 257 years old to be exact - caught my eye.

You may or may not be familiar with the 2006 film Marie Antoinette, starring Kirsten Dunst, in which she portrays the life of Marie Antoinette, a french royal who married young and was thrust into power at the age of nineteen. With this age comes a natural desire for more au courage things - drinking, boys, drama and, needless to say, fashion. The fashion in Marie Antoinette is just as delicious as the mouth watering cakes the camera keeps pointing at (yes, there were alot of cakes - and eating of  - on screen at some points).

Reviews of the movie were mixed, but one thing was blueprinted in almost all write-ups: the gowns were BEAUTIFUL. I have to agree, not just because of their shape or form; but because their colors and patterns perfectly grasp that floaty, summer feel we all love. Pastels, flowers, lace... It's heaven. And who doesn't love dressing girly sometimes?

  

I've spent an excessive amount of time window and online shopping to bring myself up to date again with UK fashion, and one thing that stood out to me was how spring/summer fashion this year has gone a little Marie Antoinette with it's colour palette. Pastels are everywhere and I love it!

I've picked some items from my favourite stores - all on my wishlist of course.

1. Mint Condition

Although mint may not be the colour of choice for most people - I personally have zero mint coloured items in my closet - I find it to be a colour that needs to be given more consideration. In particular I like how it flatters the sunkissed look that summer gives our skin.

2. Pretty in Pink

I've always loved candy pink. It's another perfect colour for summer and so pretty.

3. Yellow delight

Pastel yellow has several names - lemon sorbet, pale yellow, sunshine yellow... One thing is for certain though: it's the perfect colour to brighten up any outfit, especially on our gloomy English summer days.

4. Florals

The girliest of girliest, florals are another hit this summer.

If you haven't yet watched Marie Antoinette, stick it on your 'to watch' list and get inspired for the pastel trend this season, as well as living vicariously through Kirsten Dunst throughout the course of the film.

- A.T.