Summer Vibes

Today I took advantage of the very rare sunshine England has to offer and went down to the river for a picnic with my friend. 

I wanted to christen my new Timberland boots (a bargain I found at an outlet store for £12 may I add) so decided to construct my outfit starting from my shoes. 

I'm loving headscarves at the minute, especially for the summer months, so tied this Topshop one around my head for a touch of colour. 

I wanted to keep the rest of my outfit quite minimal and toned-down to contrast with the headscarf, so I paired this J.W Anderson X Topshop pinafore with an old American Apparel Breton crop I found at the bottom of my wardrobe. 

Again, I wanted to keep my accessories minimal as not to take away from the statement headscarf, so I kept it simple with this Marc by Marc Jacobs leather bracelet strap and my trusty eBay sunnies!

Headscarf Topshop, Breton Crop-top American Apparel, Pinafore J.W Anderson X Topshop, Boots Timberland, Leather Bracelet Strap Marc by Marc Jacobs, Sunglasses eBay. 

Sports Luxe blog post

Sports Luxe really is a gift that keeps on giving. The trend saturated the runways of Spring Summer 12 during the London 2012 Olympics and now, thanks to New York designers Alexander Wang, Phillip Lim and Donna Karan, it’s back again with a vengeance for Spring Summer 13.

The Sports Luxe trend is more minimalist and paired-back in its second coming. Think slouchy trousers, zips, mesh bodies and sheer sweaters. 

Top Tips:

For a bang-on-trend outfit perfect for a night on the town, team a pair of slouchy track bottoms with killer heels and a flattering lycra leotard for a feminine yet sporty silhouette.

For a dressed up daytime look, pair a tailored pencil skirt with a boxy sweater, cut out heels and a leather cap.

If it’s a more casual approach to the trend you’re after, then work a pair of leather drawstring shorts with a smart blazer, a leather backpack and your favourite sneaks. 

The trick is to style contrasting, sports-inspired separates and dressed up accessories into one game-changing outfit to ensure you’re more fash-pack than running track.

Check out fashion’s favourites Cara Delevingne, Rita Ora and Rihanna for a real lesson in how to work the sports luxe trend. 

Hattie Broom

Sheer Simplicity mood-board

I was asked to create a minimalist mood board for a recent client on one of my favourite SS13 trends.

Amongst other trends, the emergence of sheer throughout both the catwalks and the high street is admittedly the one I'm most fond of.

Sheer pieces offer a fresh and feminine touch to the grungiest of outfits without sacrificing the edge desired when dressing in such a way.

Look to Erdem, Temperley and Preen for the most in-demand designer sheer pieces, or head to & Other Stories for the high street's more affordable take on the trend.

Hattie Broom

"I like White Stilettos but aren't they a bit 1980's?"

I'm currently pining after a pair of white stilettos. 

I know what you're thinking. Tacky, trashy, 1980's throwbacks. Well actually - according to Alexandra Shulman, editor of British Vogue and Sarah Harris, fashion features editor at Vogue - white stilettos are the new 'it' shoe for autumn 2012. And who are we to argue, huh?

White stilettos were once synonymous with the sort of girls your mum would worry about you hanging around with, worn with mini skirts whilst listening to Madonna in her 'Like a Virgin' years. The stereotypical ‘Essex girl’ then brought the heels into the 21st century, which dare I say it, stained the image of the white stiletto even more so than the 1980's girl; if that was even possible.

Fast-forward a few decades and the white stiletto's image has had a rather magnificent revamp. Spotted all over this years most glamorous runways including Alexander Wang, worn by the most celebrated stars such as SJP and Gwyneth Paltrow and some of the most influential bloggers of our time, The Man Repeller (Leandra Medine) and Miraduma (Miroslava Duma). White stilettos have also been celebrated by influential magazines such as Vogue and Harpers Bazaar in their November issue, giving us even more reason to jump on board this autumn's hottest trend.

White stilettos are back with a vengeance and I'll admit it, I'm completely infatuated. 

My favourites are the Kurt Geiger Elliot Leather Metallic Straight Stilleto Courts seen here. The gold heel gives them just enough glam to sex up the most casual outfit.

I imagine, when I get my hands on a pair, I'll wear the shoes with ripped white washed boyfriend jeans, a black oversized bomber jacket, an oversized white sheer tee and a black clutch bag big enough to fit my kitchen sink in. Well, you can never be too sure...