With the sun coming out from behind the clouds a bit more as spring is in full swing, I need to think carefully about eyewear for the summer. Not only is it really important to stop me squinting in the sunlight and developing eye wrinkles, but I also just love wearing sunglasses. They give me that feeling of anonymity, they are great for hiding under when you are having one of those days and best of all when the sun goes in they are great for holding my hair out of my face.

This year I am loving the retro looking fun heart shaped glasses and will just have to get a pair.

For slightly more serious occasions, these blue sunglasses are great a little less zany but still with a retro feel.

As much as I love bright colours, I have days when I just want to look stylishly subtle. This year there are many floral prints to choose from, some really bright and in contrast some really dark. The dark florals range from grey and grungey to black and white for a more crisp and elegant look. I love them all and they can even be teamed with some bright accessories for a really individual look.

Cotton Ditsy Floral Dress -  love the pretty design and the texture look of this dress, perfect for a casual look on a hot summers day.

Fenn Wright Mason Flower Print Dress - this black and white floral print dress is really slimming as it has a black centre panel.

Creation Dress - This dress has a really subtle but stylish floral print and the classic style of dress would be perfect for most ocassions.

Linen Blend Floral Dress - The print on this dress is really striking. It would look great teamed with  a cropped cardigan in a bright green or fuscia pink.

On a lovely spring day like today when the sun is shining I feel really happy to be alive and like to celebrate by wearing some beautiful and bright colours. This season there are so many to choose from including neon pinks, acid yellows and electric blues. They look great as colour blocks or incorporated in to eyecatching bright patterns and prints. The great thing about bright colours is not only do they cheer you up but also others around you. You just need to find the right colours to suit your hair colour and skin tone and you will look absolutely amazing and turn heads where ever you go.

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Miso Embroidered Blue Dress

Promod Pink Trousers

Per Una Print Maxi Dress

Pink Linen Embroidered Shift Dress

The Peplum dress is a key silhouette for this season and looks great in a eye popping bright colour like this candy pink one by Miso. The peplum describes the piece of fabric that is almost like wearing another shorter skirt over a straight skirt. The peplum can be varying lengths from no more than a frill around the waist to almost the same length as the underskirt. The V shape of the peplum on this dress makes it a flattering choice as it draws the eye downwards and elongates the body. It would look great dressed up with a blazer, jewellery, heels and a clutch and equally good dressed down when worn over a close fitting t shirts with flat shoes.

The peplum dress is the perfect way to look trendy and high fashion whilst covering up you hips and thighs -  no diets needed. I is also a great way for those with no curves to create a bit of shape.

picture from www.oxfordfashionweek.org 

 Yet another fashion first, Oxford Fashion Week runs from 3-8th May. The designer list includes names such as French Connections, Zara and LK Bennett. There will also be some innovative names like Liba Rubenyan from Russia to have its UK debut exhibition some established names such as Alexander McQueen and Maria Grachvogel.

The week, that is hosted by Channel 4’s Pete Nottage, will commence with a show exploring the decades of the 20th century and their fashion influences followed by a party when the runway will become a dance floor. There will also be an exhibition at the Jam Factory with Art, illustration, and photography exploring organic themes in fashion. Avant Garde designs and innovative creations will be shown in the Concept show which will include some of fashions hottest new names including students. There will also be a swimwear and lingerie show, a debate on whether fashion is an unecessary luxury, which will feature Dolly Jones, the editor of Vogue.co.uk and a couture show. I can’t wait!

picture from contactmusic.com 

Peaches Geldof is only 20 but she has already earnt herself  a name as a bit of a fashion icon. She models for PQQ, has her own fashion line and even writes for a fashion magazine. So what is it about Peaches and her style that is so appealing?

Of course Peaches has lived the Rock and Roll life style from an early age and perhaps this is why so many young girls look to her for fashion inspiration. With her family celebrity status, she also has had no shortage of invites to top fashion shows and her pick of designer clothes. When it comes to style though, it is not just access to designer labels that defines Peaches look. She likes to mix up vintage, designer and high street and this is where the skill comes in. It is often said ‘it’s not what you wear, it’s how you wear it’ and I think this really is the key to Peaches style appeal. She knows what she likes and what looks good on her and she shows her personality through her own unique style. I think as with many other celebrities that are known for their style, Peaches has mastered the art of not looking like she has tried too hard.

Get a Peaches style dress with this Miso Harem Dress

Office Lubberley Jelly Bronze

Solution Footwear Portia P.U. Toe Post Jelly Sandals

Office Jelly Peeptoe Bronze

Another blast from the past, the jelly shoe is back in fashion. I remember wearing jelly shoes when I was a child and I suppose this fashion has never really gone away for children. At first I thought that this trend is a bit like the crocs trend that has been around for some seasons, great for the beach, the garden or around the house but perhaps any where else is best left for the children.

But I am finding myself with a bit of a longing for a pair of jelly shoes especially in bronze. I think they would look quite quirky and a bit retro with a lovely dress for the summer.

picture from www.elleuk.com

Who would have thought that the Eighties style crop top would ever come back into fashion again? Well it has come back with a vengance with celebrities from Daisy Lowe to Peaches Geldof and Zoe Kravitz all being snapped in their own version of the rib skimming top. But what do all of these celebrities have in common? They are all young with incredibly trim and toned torsos. So what about the rest of us, can we really wear this trend?

Crop tops appeared on the catwalk this season at Prada and Alexander Wang. I think there is probably a fairly small percentage of the female population that can look stylish whilst baring their midriff. This probaby will not include most people over the age of 25 or those who have had a baby. But if you love this trend and really would like to give it a go without doing 500 crunches a day between now and the summer, there is hope. By layering the crop top, you can get the best of both worlds, a trendy Eighties style outfit without baring your tummy.

Get the look with this American Apparel Baby Rib Crop T

Green fashion and sustainable style seems to be the subject that everyone is talking about lately. Clothing manufacture have a huge environmental impact including the carbon footprint, use of fossil fuels and pesticides used in the growth of cotton. When you add the huge problem of disposing of textiles and landfill in the UK, it just makes sense to wear clothes made from recycled materials.

Until recently the though of wearing clothes made from recycled materials was not particularly appealing, but lately I have been seeing more items that are recycled but also very stylish. Following the launch of the governments sustainable clothing action plan, even some of the main high street retailers like Marks and Spencer’s are now stocking ranges of eco friendly clothes, so there really is quite a bit of choice. Here are a few of my favourite recycled finds:

These U Roads recycled soul shoes have soles made using recycled truck tyres.

This cool effect slip is made with polyester from recycled plastic waste so helps to protect the earths valuable resources.

This practical and cosy fleece is made from polyester made from recycled bottles.

picture from www.fashionunited.co.uk

The latest of this summers many designer high street collaborations is Zandra Rhodes for M & S. Zandra Rhodes is an iconic designer well known for her signature prints. She will be designing a collection for M & S which includes womenswear, accessories, holiday wear and lingerie. Graphic and bold prints are already big fashion news this year and the Zandra Rhodes collection for M & S will include some very trend driven pieces including a printed jumpsuit and a luminous snakeskin print cut out swimsuit.

Zandra Rhodes who is 68 has previously designed for Freddie Mercury and Diana, Princess of Wales. I am really looking forward to this collection which I hope will combine the wearability of M & S with a bit of designer creativity. I have always been a big fan of Marks and Spencers for quality clothes that fit and last well. I also love the elegant prints of Zandra Rhodes as featured on this plate that she has designed for Royal Doulton.