I love wearing white clothes in the summer. They look fresh, cool and clean and they can be accessorised in so many different ways, a bit like a blank canvas. One thing that I have always struggled with is finding the right pair of shoes to wear with a white outfit. Of course white shoes would be the obvious choice, but coming from the South East, there are far too many connotations associated with the white stiletto and Essex girls and as a result I usually avoid any type of white shoes like the plague, even trainers. There are other options like cream, neutral, natural and tan, all of which have their place but sometimes just don’t look quite right. Colours either bright or pastel can look good with white, but may need some careful co ordination.

This summer white shoes are right on trend and I think they may have finally managed to shrug off their Essex girl image and adopted a very classy and stylish persona (not that Essex girls are not classy and stylish I might add). Chunky heels and cool details make them more elegant than Essex and more stylish than stiletto. I think I may even get myself a pair.

I love these Miss Sixty shoes which would look great with anything from a pair of jeans to floaty floral dress.

Shoulders have been slowly increasing in size and shape over the last few seasons. They are now big and eighties or sculpted and new age. But how wearable is this trend? What body shapes do big shoulders and shoulder pads suit?

The shoulder was a key focus at many shows for autumn winter 09, with top designers like Balmain and Dolce and Gabbana leading the way. Predictions are that by the autumn, big shoulders and shoulder pads will be every where. Big shoulders have a dramatic effect and alter the proportions of the body. The triangular shape created by shoulder pads can be a great way to balance out larger hips or waist and make them appear smaller. As with most dramatic and oversized features, if you are very short or very slim, aim for shoulder pads that are not too big or you will look out of proportion.

Shoulder pads will also create a more masculine shape so try and balance the look with some feminine details or accessories. I would suggest perhaps a blouse with some lacy details or some delicate jewellery.

At Dolce & Gabbana, shoulders were balloon shaped for a dramatic and feminine take on this trend.

At Balmain, the angular sculpted shoulders added height and elongated the body.

At Louis Vuitton, substantial padding at the shoulders added width to this jacket.

pictures from www.style.com

For a subtle take on the big shoulder trend, try this gorgeous shirt by Dolce & Gabbana.

The leather biker jacket has been an important style statement for many years. Each season the traditional black biker style jacket has a slightly new look.

Non Leather - the traditional biker style of jacket is popping up this season in all sorts of non leather materials. A great alternative, for summer, to the traditional black leather biker jacket. I love this Tipster Biker Jacket, this style has a soft and more relaxed feel.

Sophisticated - this very stylish and sophisticated leather biker jacket is long than the traditional cropped styles, giving it a really smart look. The assymetrical front and zipper details give it just a touch of the tough biker look.

The real thing - no matter how many new styles of biker jacket are around each year, for some the traditional style is always the best. This fifties style biker jacket is as worn by screen sirens and movie stars.

Most of my favourite clothes are summer dresses. They are perfect for long hot summer days and look great for both casual wear, with flats and more dressy occasions, with heels. The only problem with the summer dress is that, in Britain, long hot summery days can be a bit limited and sometimes, I do not manage to get as much wear out of my summer dresses as I would like. The key to getting maximum wear from a summer dress is by finding a cool cover up. This will extend the times when you can wear a summer dress to include summer evenings, spring and early summer and also late summer.

This white ruffle front shrug cardigan is ideal for wearing with summer dresses. White goes with almost anything in the summer and looks fresh and cool. The cropped style will not interfere with the line of the skirt and the tie has a flattering effect.

At Alexander Wang a very simple style of sequin dress makes  a cool and shimmery outfit. No one else could make a sequin dress look so understated and stylish as Alexander Wang.

At Balmain, Another simple style of sequin dress but this time the bold black stripes and angular shoulders add a bit of space age appeal.

At Louise Goldin, yet more shimmer and a simple style dress. The combination of black and silver on this dress gives it maximum sparkle.

A Michael Kors, the sequin dress goes grown up and ladylike with an elegant assymetrical knee length hem and high neckline.

At Twenty8twelve, the label of sisters Sienna and Savannah Miller, a gorgeous green sequin dress. This is a great option for those who always want to stand out in a crowd.

At Stella McCartney, diagonal sequins in  matt silver create an interesting armour like effect. The rounded shoulders and sleeves add to the feeling of being covered in armoured plates.

The great thing about all of these sequin dresses is that they are fairly understated, apart from the sparkle, so would not look out of place at any summer occasion. My top tips for working this summer’s street sparkle look are:

 Go for a simple t shaped dress.

Dress down with black boots and flats

Keep hair and make up simple and minimal

If you are very careful, you can look great in sequins for almost any occasion. Try this sequin panel dress for by the pool.

I love a bit of red carpet glamour. I always like to have little look and see what gorgeous dresses the celebs have chosen this time. I am always amazed to see the different colours that are chosen and how cleverly they are just the right colour for the celebrities hair and eye colour and skin tone.

There were lots of neutral coloured dresses this year. As always there were a few bright reds and jewel greens. Some might say that this is an effect of the recession, but overall the dresses were just as luxurious as they always are.

Hilary Swank opted for a waterfall style Giorgio Armani  dress in a gorgeous grey satin. It had an exaggerated version of this seasons pleplum.

Angelina Jolie, as always, looked amazing in this very graceful nude coloured draped Versace dress.

Robin Wright Penn looked perfect in this minimalist white dress by Narciso Rodriguez.

This wine coloured dress by Lanvin looks stunning with Juliette Binoch’s dark hair.

If you want your own show stopping red carpet dress, this Dynasty Lily’s black evening dress is perfect.

So, you have booked yourself  a week or two in the sun and you are all ready to jet off, except for your packing. Packing a great holiday wardrobe is a bit of an art and takes a little thought and planning, to ensure that you look gorgeous and stylish throughout your holiday, without paying out for excess luggage.

• If you are going some where hot, then less really is more when it comes to packing. You will no doubt live in a bikini so why not take a few, after all they don’t take up much space.
• Sarongs and kaftans are ideal for covering up around the pool, especially if the sun is hot and you want to avoid the lobster look.
• Look for versatile items of clothing that don’t crease easily, you can alway wash them out when you are there if you need to.
• When you arrive, hang any creased items in the bathroom while you have a shower, the steam will help the creases to drop out.
• Unless the exchange rate is really bad or you are travelling somewhere very expensive or remote, buy your sun cream at your destination to cut down on weight.
• Other items that are ideal for all stylish holiday makers include big sunglasses, denim shorts, playsuits, t shirts, sun dresses and maxi  or mini dresses for the evening.

This Promod maxi summer dress will look amazing with a sun tan.

You will be the most stylish at the pool with this abstract print kaftan.

These Ralph Lauren denim shorts are the versatile answer for what to wear when out and about sight seeing.

picture from  www.g-pisd.org

Imagine a sun drenched beach, turquise sea, palm trees and brightly coloured hibiscus flowers. These colours and pictures make you feel warm and happy. That is why I love tropical colours and prints for summer clothes, they remind me of everything that summer is  about. I also love the retro Hawaian surf wear feel of many tropical prints.

I love the mixture of colours in this Tropical print dress. It is perfect for a summer party, evening out on holiday or even a wedding.

This Tropical vintage dress is great for beach wear or a summer barbeque or picnic. It is casual and relaxed but a great colour with a really sweet floral print.

These Yellow Tropical Hot Pants would look great with a tropical coloured halter neck top for an perfect beach outfit.

This Tropical Foral Print Scarf is the prefect accessory for adding a bit of a tropical feel to a neutral work suit.

Nothing is as sure to make you feel great than doing something selfless and virtuous. Perhaps you have already helped an old lady across the road or donated some money to charity. If not some feel good fashion could have the same sort of effect. By feel good fashion, I mean ethical or eco fashion, clothing which in some way has a more positive effect on the world than conventional clothing. There are some great organic clothes around. Organic cotton is grown without the use of pesticides, which have a negative impact on the environment and can be dangerous for those living and work in the vicinity. They are also free of chemical residues so could well be the healthiest option giving you a double feel good factor.

If you thought that organic clothes weren’t pretty and stylish, you were wrong, look at this Organic cotton silk mix dress.

If you thought that organic clothing wasn’t affordable, you were wrong. These Organic Denim Cropped Trousers are an amazing price.

If you thought that you couldn’t get all organic clothes including lovely underwear, you were wrong, just look at this Ciel Organic Underwear.

I have always loved the colour grey and when I look in my wardrobe, I find that there are more than a few pieces of clothing in the colour grey. It is such a great neutral colour. It goes with almost anything, looks less harsh than black, looks young and fresh and is a lighter alternative to black for the summer. There are lots of shades of grey to choose from almost black slate grey, to grey marl to almost white icy grey.

Here are some of my favourite ways to wear my favourite colour grey:

• Head to toe in different shades of grey ranging from light to dark with some chunky statement silver jewellery.
• Grey florals and ditsy prints.
• Grey sports wear
• Grey and black for a toned down version of monochrome
• Grey teamed with bright neon colours for an eighties feel.

Slate grey promod skirt

Promod light weight knit dress grey

Miso grey jersey dress

Grey jersey dress