Why gingham is my favourite summer trend

Outfit:
Red and white gingham midi dress: New Look
Nude espadrille wedges: H&M (similar)
Poppy red Lily bag: Mulberry

Despite looking like a tablecloth, Gingham is one of those trends that I come back to summer upon summer. Just looking at the print evokes memories of balmy long summer nights, endless BBQs with friends and trips away to foreign countries. It's seems so timeless and classic, one that will always be around until the end of time. I spotted this red gingham during an unusual browse on New Look late at night - usually I'm an ASOS girl through and though - and it reminded me of a blue dress I had from Topshop many moons ago that I had to reluctantly throw away after it became a little worse for wear. I have every faith that this dress will become just as hardworking and one I will turn to time and time again now that summer has finally reared it's head.

So here we are at Saturday again! Today I have a friend popping round for a hearty breakfast of scrambled eggs and my favourite bread from a local bakery. This afternoon it's a free for all at a BBQ hosted by my best friend. One of the reasons why I'm so excited to finally move into my own house is because it's less than a five minute walk from BFF. Not that that was the reasoning behind the purchasing... Tomorrow sees a mid morning brunch at Bills before popping to the house to do some work and splashing out on some paint in B&Q. A pretty chilled weekend is just what the doctor ordered...

How is your weekend looking?

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Is the Bardot neckline the trend of Summer 2017?

Outfit:

Red jersey bardot midi dress: ASOS (similar)

Double strap black sliders: Birkenstock
Pink sunglasses: Phase Eight* (similar)
Gold oversized watch: Marc Jacobs (similar)

I don't know about you but I've fallen hook, line and sinker for a bardot neck line. Every month when I treat myself to something on payday, nine times out of ten it's a bardot style. It's not hard as it seems to be absolutely everywhere. I find the style so easy to wear and it just helps to give a top or dress a little sass. It's transferable to the weekend, work, evening and holiday - as demonstrated here!

This weekend has been jam-packed. Last night I finally tried out Junkyard Golf for a friend's 30th birthday. Spilt up into teams, we whizzed around the crazy golf course in Truman's Brewery before grabbing a few drinks at a pub nearby. It was exactly what was needed after all the election anxiety - my head is struggling to comprehend just what is going on at the minute. It seems like madness! Tonight I'm off out in Essex for a evening with my family, drinking gin and throwing some embarrassing shapes. As it's World Gin day, it would be a crime not to right? Tomorrow I'm going round the house and try and be a bit more helpful than I have been recently before cooking a lush dish of Thai-inspired meatballs and catching up on Broken. Oh Sean Bean, I love you so.

I think I'll need another weekend to recover!

Have a scroll through some similar dresses below.

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The Zara summer dress you have to buy

Outfit:

Gingham and floral shirt dress: Zara (similar)
Light wash denim jacket: Primark (similar)
Black double strap sliders: Birkenstock

I first spotted this Zara dress a good few weeks ago and fell in love but I had to wait until payday to finally make it mine. It finally came around and it become mine just in time for my weekend trip to Marseille. I snapped a few outfit snaps on my phone for Instagram but it was so well received I thought I would blog about it! It's probably my favourite purchase of the year and is the perfect holiday dress. Made from lightweight cotton, it's easy to fit into hand hand luggage and easy to dry out if you have to wash it while you're away. It's a great length and the two splits at the side stop it from feeling frumpy. I love the bright clashing patterns and the short sleeves are great if your shoulders are prone to a bit of sunburn like me. It's something that will definitely be coming in my bag for my July trip to Poland as well as frequently appearing on my body as we accelerate into the summer months.

Have a look at some more floral dresses below.

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The £13 Primark embroidery shirt everyone needs

Outfit:
Khaki floral embroidery shirt: Primark (similar)
Ripped hem skinny jeans: New Look (similar)
Grey tailored coat: New Look (similar)
Croc print black skater shoes: Vans via TK Maxx (similar)
Red canvas backpack: Fjallraven Kanken via Asos

Back to my weekend uniform! I can't quite believe it but the last few weeks I've swapped my handbag for this backpack that I usually just keep for when I travel. I've been suffering with sore shoulders and back so thought I'd try and distribute the weight a bit by using a backpack. Turns out I'm getting sensible in my old age! I'm now a convert, my shoulders feel so much better and I can carry so much more stuff. As I'm no longer having to carry a handbag and tote bag to work, I look less like a cart horse... It doesn't seem like much of a hardship when the backpack looks like this to be honest. One step closer to achieving the Scandi coolness...

This week again looks set to be a busy week. I've got a few events I want to attend, a few drinks with friends and a dinner out. No doubt I'll be moaning by Wednesday just how tired I am but what's the point in working in London if you're not going to embrace it eh? God job this weekend was a lazy one...

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How to wear a pleated midi skirt

Outfit:
Black jersey roll neck: Topshop (similar)
Pink pleated midi skirt: H&M (similar)
Tailored grey coat: New Look (similar)
Black mid heel courts: Primark (similar)

I'm so pleased to be dipping into my spring/summer wardrobe again! I feel like I dress so much better in the warmer weather. All midi skirts and dresses galore. It's so much easier to throw something on and look presentable. I love jeans but I struggle to pull of the effortless LA chic and look more like lazy Essex girl who woke up too later and had to get ready in a rush. This hot pink pleated midi skirt was a bargain many moons ago from H&M for about £8, it comes out year after year and never gets old! It reminds me that I need to add a few more pleated skirts to my wardrobe... Paired with a simple roll neck tee and a tailored coat, the whole outfit looks smart and presentable when you haven't really made that much effort at all.

I'm on countdown to the Easter weekend - gotta love those four day weeks. I'm going out for a few drinks for  tonight for Kim's birthday and have a date with Gemma to see Don Juan in Soho tomorrow. The rest of the weekend will be spent watching my boyfriend showing off his handiwork in the house and getting in his way, providing bacon rolls from Dorringtons. Renovating a house isn't my strong point - I'm much better when there's plaster on the walls as seeing just a shell sends my blood pressure through the roof...

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Why everyone should buy a yellow dress for the summer

Outfit:
Yellow bardot summer dress: ASOS
Black faux suede mid heels: Primark (similar)
Poppy red Lily: Mulberry

Last weekend we took advantage of the sunshine after lunch at Hannah's and strolled down to the river in Putney to catch the rowers warming up for the Oxford and Cambridge boat race. After a few visits to Putney, I've really grown to love the area. It doesn't feel like you're in the city at all and when you're down by the river in the warm weather, you could almost be on holiday! I think I was a little too optimistic with this dress as when the sun went in, it was a little chilly. But it was just too pretty to have hanging in my wardrobe unworn. I've been eyeing it on the site for months but it kept coming in and out of stock. I finally managed to nab it at the right time and think it's going to be a staple for the next few months.

This weekend has been a busy one. Yesterday we celebrated a family 50th birthday and managed to squeeze in a tasty Bills brunch too. Today we're off out this afternoon to celebrate a friends birthday at Top Golf. It's been so nice to stay local for one and away from all the tubes!

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Dressing for the first day of spring

Outfit:
Leopard print jersey midi dress: ASOS
Mid heel black pointed courts: Primark (similar)
Faux leather jacket with fur colour: New Look (similar)
Poppy Red Lily across body bag: Mulberry

Gosh wasn't this weekend's weather beautiful? These pins came out for the first time all year and it was glorious. Although looking back it seems they could do with a bit of fake tan to help brighten them up...

I've recently given my wardrobe a bit of a overhaul. I've not been quite feeling myself lately thanks to gaining a bit of weight and my clothes not quite fitting how they used too. All those meals out are starting to catch up on me. But I'm hoping I can start getting back to myself once I properly move out and start cooking home cooked meals in my house. I've been wearing the same outfits over and over again, being stuck in a dreaded style rut and just being so unhappy when I look in the mirror. I have all these clothes hanging in my wardrobe taunting me and yet my motivation seems to be at rock bottom.

Instead of losing the weight as I probably should - but you know burgers - I've decided to treat myself to some new clothes. This dress has made me feel like myself again. It's makes me feel confident and given me a spring in my step. It's everything I adore about a dress. A loud print, a long length and short sleeves. This type of dress is my jam, it's what looks best on me and has been my style staple for the past decade.  I've neglected the midi dress recently, preferring to hide away in jeans and a blouse. But here's to gradually climbing out of that style rut. And maybe losing that stone that consists of pizza, cake and burgers. Eventually.

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Why you need a pair of rose gold heels in your life

Outfit:
Grey and purple ombre coat: ASOS (similar)
Colour block shirt: Boohoo
Washed out black skinny jeans: New Look (similar)
Rose gold court shoes: 4th & Reckless*
Red liquid lipstick: Kat Von D

I love shoes. In particular I love a pair of heels. No evening out for me is completely without wearing a pair of high heels. Court shoes and barely there sandals are my weapon of choice. I have far too many pairs to even want to count. That way I can just pretend I have none and buy more right?

I was kindly gifted these rose gold court shoes and realised they were exactly what I was missing in my wardrobe. Sometimes you just don't know until it falls into your lap. They're neutral to go with everything in your wardrobe yet they pack a punch. They help to jazz up a simple outfit but are plain enough to go with a busy outfit too. Basically everyone needs a pair of rose gold heels in their life.

Take a look at more rose gold shoes below - go on, treat yourself!

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How to wear a statement shirt

Outfit:
Pink and grey abstract shirt: ASOS (similar)
Grey wrap over coat: New Look
Grey skinny jeans: New Look
Grey faux suede mid heels: Matalan (similar)
Black cross over bag: Next (similar)

My uniform at the minute seems to be a shirt and skinny jeans. Every single day. Stuck in a style rut or found my personal style? You tell me... One day I might break those midi skirts out of storage when my legs have stopped resembling milk bottles. Anyway back to the statement shirt. As I'm wearing shirts 24/7 I like them to be lairy. The louder the better in my opinion. With a loud shirt I like to pick out one of the colours and base the rest of my outfit around that. This time I've gone for grey palette. I brought this warp around coat in a size up so it keeps me nice and cosy during the colder months. So to help counteract the bagginess and avoid looking too much like a barrel, I've gone for grey skinny jeans and a pair of heels to dress it up a bit. Nothing quite like walking around feeling like you've been wrapped in a blanket!

Thanks to my mega babe Sarah for taking the pictures.

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