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I recently spent £90 on a V neck jersey dress. To be fair, it is lovely – double lined and well cut, but still, it’s a jersey dress for the holidays. Wanting to replicate the style but in a different colour and price point (lower), I explored the world wide web but to no avail.

Until the latest press release from Marks and Spencer popped into my inbox alerting me to the £19.50 Maxi Dress.

Now we are talking.

Initially drawn (obviously) to the traditional black, staple navy and racy red.

They could all be dressed up or down and take you from the beach to sundowners.

Having read the reviews on the website – the main gripe is that the side split is slightly too high – which I think is a good thing. It stops it being in anyway mumsy!

There is also a summery electric blue and aqua green which are pretty.

The patterns aren’t really my thing but if you are looking for some – they have these maxi’s in a plethora of crazy prints!

Any take your fancy? I am thinking red, but will size up so it’s not too clingy.  All the calamari and sangria need some space to go (not that I will be eating that this summer – more like 99ers and fish and chips from a brown paper bag!)

When M & S gets it right, they really get it right – go grab one now! x

There are 4 relatively new brands at House of Fraser (well knew to me) that I wanted to draw your attention towards. If you have found yourself at the school gates realising that you are merging with the other mothers and want to redefine your style but not sure how – check out these reasonably priced labels that have some great items this season.

Fabienne Chapot 

Great For… Shirt Dresses 

Lobster Shirt Dress £99

Not for everyone but with neutral sliders, minimal make up – this would turn heads. Just fingers crossed that no one else IS wearing it as a pair of lobsters – you would never be forgotten!!

Leopard Shirt Dress £99

Leopard print has become as mainstream as navy (oak not quite but gone are the days of it being linked to clichéd barmaids). The colours also suit nearly all colouring.

Another Label 

Great For … American Vintage 

Just Sweatshirt £80

I love a slogan sweatshirt and it doesn’t seem to be tiring. Avoid anything that says LOVE or similar and you should stay one of kind, especially with Amsterdam across your chest.

Eames Bomber £180

To avoid looking to military, wear unzipped over a white T shirt. Very patriotic.

Twist & Tango 

Great For… Statement Blouses 

Savannah Cheetah Blouse £119

We will be seeing more and more animal (littoral animals) print over the next year. Embrace your inner animal and get ahead of the curve with this cheetah blouse.

Natalia Blouse £99

I can almost smell the clean laundry just by looking at this fresh and crisp blouse. I love the tied wrist detail too.

Maison Scotch 

(This is Scotch & Soda’s label for House of Fraser)

Great For… Patterns 

Tiered Printed Maxi Skirt £125

This will transition you from Summer to Winter so despite being over £100, it is investment.

Embroidered Top With Stud Detail £120

Very Isabel Marant without the price tag.

It’s impossible to keep up with all the emerging brands but I love hearing about them – let me know if there is a brand London mums would like!

Have a great day, Lucinda x

Other than being met with thousands of denim jackets or pale coloured leather jackets, it is impossible to find a non statement cover up for warmer evenings. Don’t get me wrong, I love denim and leather (and if I wanted a denim jacket it would be this one with epic puffed shoulders), but in the summer I want a little versatile cover up to throw on once the sun has gone down, that will go with patterned and coloured dresses/tops.

So, what am I looking for? A pale cotton/linen/rayon cape or jacket that will go with everything.

Perhaps a tiny bit of embellishment/colour.

Can I find one in the shops? No! I’m just met with boring cardigans, floral kimono’s and patterned capes. It’s so frustrating.

So, what’s the only thing to do…

Head Online

Bingo!

Good old Zara haven’t failed me. They know what women need!

Zara Cutwork Overshirt £29.99

Zara jacket with Contrasting Cut Embroidery £49

Zara Jacket With Tassels £69

I particularly like the last one as it is so neutral. Be quick though as items as versatile and rare as this won’t stick around for long (they have just landed)

Whistles Embroidered Jacket £119

Ok, double the price but fingers crossed double the quality?

River Island White Wrap Blouse £28

I have seen a few little wrapped blouses that would look lovely over a dress. Definitely worth investigating.

Monsoon Alana Embelished Jacket £99

I almost can’t resist this.  This is fabulous. Understated statement!

If you are on the hunt for some new clothes, have a look at my latest posts on maxi skirts and dresses for sports day!

Enjoy! x

If you noticed some of the hats & headwear at last months Royal Wedding, it could have been one of the Bundle MacLaren’s master pieces. Known as London’s ‘Hottest Young Milliner’, their mission is to create unusual and innovative designs.

From kissing flamingos to a Japanese blossom, Bundle MacLaren can help you stand out this summer, whatever event you have on the horizon.

Titania

A stunningly romantic birdcage headpiece combining autumn leaves, lilac birds and a beautifully ornate golden birdcage. An exquisitely feminine design.

Kylie

A loved up couple of pink wired flamingos sit atop this royal blue percher with tropical flowers at their feet. Quirky and fun, fab for those wanting something a little different for romantic occasions this summer.

Catherine

A black felt rolo pillbox adorned in black merry widow veiling and covered in an amazing array of hand sewn polka dots.

A fabulously confident, original and bold design and sure to command a lot of attention!

Daphne

Stunning handmade ivory and fuchsia feather flowers are suspended on a gold “branch” over a shimmer pink silk saucer. This highly original piece, inspired by Japanese blossom, is sure to catch the eye.

Ellie

Quirky and great fun, this two-tone silk covered pillbox is decorated with brightly coloured tropical birds.

Eliza

So unique and romantic, the Eliza sees three suspended crimson roses blowing their petals across the delicate navy veil mounted on a beautifully angled navy sinamay base.

Polly

Polly the parrot is perched on some emerald tropical leaves on a canary yellow button.

This witty design is sure to attract all eyes away from the racecourse!

POW

Yellow button adorned with retro comic strip style Pow! The message can say anything you like – if it isn’t too long!

Rosa

Two over-sized ivory roses are wired to stand at a wonderful angle for this striking floral showstopper. The flowers are on an ivory cookie base secured by an elastic.

Galactica

A fuchsia silk button adorned with a sculptural cluster of clashing pink and orange quills. A fabulously bold and eye-catching design.

Marion

Stunning sculptural headpiece made from ornate black quills with dipped gold ends.

Freya

Matt gold chain bow hairband – a super happy headpiece.

Natalia

A wonderfully romantic design. The word LOVE can be replaced with any name or word (providing not too long!)

Wired letters are adorned in twisted purple, pink and burgundy rose buds. Colours can vary.

Mia

A really feminine, soft, elegant headpiece which is incredibly easy to wear.  Two shell pink silk roses finished with two elegant navy quills.

Bundle MacLaren offer a truly bespoke service on all the creations you see and each hat can be made in any colour to complement your outfit for a 20% fee!

Bespoke hats take 2/3 weeks so you hop down and see them near Parsons Green, Fulham sharpish!

Prices start at £132

bundlemaclaren.co.uk

Or foxy and flattering… whichever way you look at it – this is a pretty hard item to get right. For a start, you are still parading 95% of your body and the bits that you usually disguise with clever dressing have nowhere to hide.

So what do you do if you still want to look sexy but need to look suitable? You create an illusion. So that from a distance, people aren’t noticing circumference of thigh, they are noticing how nice you look.

Good lines, never too tight (I always go up a size in swimwear) and a fun block of colour works a treat. House of Fraser has a fab collection of swimwear this season.

Let’s take a look….

Phase 8 Scarlet Swimsuit £47.20

With a detachable halter neck strap, this red swimsuit has a soft sweetheart neckline that is universally flattering.

Oasis Waterfront Stripe Swimsuit £35

The eye is cleverly drawn to the narrowest part of your body where the top and bottom half of this swimming costume meet.

Kate Spade New York  Bandeau Bow Swimsuit £150

Enhance a smaller bust with the banned bow across the chest. This will make your waist look slimmer. Not a great one for bigger boobs though…

Seaspray Hourglass Halter £75

Gathered sides help forgive a wobbly tummy.

Ted Baker Low V Tuck Swimsuit £75

I am not sure how flattering this swimsuit actually would be, but I absolutely love it and surely everyone would be admiring your swimsuit they wouldn’t look at anything else!

Jets Parallels Low Back Infinity One Piece £135

Clever cut and design of this swimsuit draws the eye into the waist.

Whistles Vacation Swimsuit £60

Such fun but not in a club 18-30 kind of way that most slogan swimsuits look like. It’s navy and white which is automatically chic and vacation is so much more chi chi than holiday!

Perhaps you are still in the bikini camp? Sit tight, it’s coming!!

Have a lovely day xx

Obviously, my highlight from THE wedding on Saturday was seeing Meghan arrive (I loved her dress, especially the simplicity – she wore it, it didn’t wear her and it enabled her natural beauty to shine through) and seeing Harry gaze at her and tenderly lift her veil (I was really impressed with how well he managed it, and that he also didn’t shut her dress in the Jag door on the way to the reception – I am sure most men wouldn’t have a clue – do you think she prepped him or is he is a natural?)

I thought her make up was spot on too. There is nothing worse than a ride not looking like herself on her big day, and she did only more beautiful.

However, a close second to watching THEM, was watching all the guests arrive. Oh wow, now to me that is simply a preferred hobby of mine. Whether it is people watching from a cafe or watching the stars arrive on the red carpet – I love seeing what everyone is wearing and getting a general feel of the day.

Every guest is allocated a time to arrive – it is not a coincidence that they all arrive evenly spaced throughout the morning. What I loved was that the mega guests aka The Beckhams and the Clooney’s were given a rather early time slot, so it gave us lots of time to watch them in a way that we never really see them. Usually it’s a snap on the way somewhere or a planned interview – but on Saturday they couldn’t hide from the cameras. Oh, how I wish I could lip read and see what they were talking about.

IT’S ALL ABOUT COLOUR

Loved Amal’s Stella Macrtney outfit.  Ok, Ms. Clooney has a head start that she has him on her arm, but actually it is her you notice straight away anyway. I think one of the key’s to her always paling it is her well tailored unfussy clothes with wonderful details – in this instance waist detail and interesting shoulders.

Sofia Wellesley also looked radiant in Valentino.  I would have looked like I was wearing Granny’s curtains, but with her stature, beautiful low bun and stylish hat the whole outfit was knock out.

I loved the fabric and colour on Cressida Bonas dress.  I would have liked to see a larger hat rather than this slightly insignificant fascinator but it allowed her dress to do the talking.

High Street Alternatives?

Floral Print Jaquard Dress £79 

Ruffle Assymetirc Short Sleeve Body Con Dress £79

HATS WITH NETTING 

Kitty Spencer in a Philip Treacey hat had tongues wagging.

Sarah Rafferty also in another net number.

Duchess of York in Jess Collet hat and net.

High Street Alternative?

Mesh Fascinator £45 

ANY LENGTH GOES

Short (I saw one obscenely short red dress – just above knee at most please) midi and lots of long where scattered throughout.

10 years ago, you would have mainly seen knee length and now anything goes.

Delphina Blaquier looks absolutely striking in this Acheval Pampa hi lo dress.

Meghan’s best friend Jessica Mulroney wears a royal blue custom tea-length fit and flare dress with cap sleeve button detail by Montreal-based designer Di Carlo Couture

High Street Alternative?

Double Layer Half Sleeve Aqua Dress £25 

Have a lovely week! Not long till half term so if you have an event next month, do it this week!

Love Lucinda xx

There are a few wardrobe staples and for me, and one of the most important one is a white t-shirt. It will make you look polished even when you don’t feel like it, with little or no make up.

Some people spend hours outfit planning for an evening out or a special outing but most of my outfit planning energy goes into the 2 minutes after the shower when I think what I feel like wearing that day, starting with the school run.

If I have a clean white t-shirt, I will start with that and build around it – everything goes with white.

FROM SCHOOL RUN TO A COFFEE

If the sun is shining but you haven’t refreshed your pedicure, a mid length colourful skirt and these sparkly espadrilles will disguise chipped toes.

Marks and Spencer White T Shirt £7.50

Pink Floral Skirt ASOS £35

Silver Glitter Espadrille Palmairas de Menorca £45

FROM SCHOOL RUN TO THE BEAUTICIANS 

A classic denim skirt and flip flops is a good weekend look for pooling around the garden or popping to the supermarket.

Marks and Spencer White T Shirt £7.50

Marks and Spencer Knee Length Denim Skirt £29.50

Pink Havianas £18

FROM SCHOOL RUN TO A MEETING 

Give your look a professional edge with this outfit perfect for going from the school run to a meeting.

Zara Satin Lapel Blazer Buy similar here

Like a Queen Floral Skirt $49 

Kurt Geiger Out of Office Espadrilles £69

SCHOOL RUN TO CRICKET MATCH 

Maybe a bit slummy mummy for many, but for me I love a white top and blue jeans. If this look is too masculine for you – whack on some pink lipstick, statement earrings or a colourful bag.

Primark Ankle Grazers £12 Similar here

Adidas Stan Smiths £69

SCHOOL RUN TO EXERCISE 

If you are heading to pilates or yoga pair with some loose joggers and throw on a little cotton jacket over your tee to give you a more finished look.

TLM Edit Embroidered Cotton Jacket £45

Like a Queen Black Cotton Joggers $49 

Semerdijan Glitter Trainer £125 

What’s your favourite school run look? I must say, mine if ‘heading for a coffee’ After all it is my main food group – I have to be prepared!

Have a great day xx