The Baukjen striped off the shoulder midi dress - Perfection in a dress...

As part of the review of Baukjen's Pre-Fall collection, I've included a dress to style. I mean, who doesn't love a good dress? Even more, who doesn't love a good striped dress? Especially one that can be worn at different lengths and styled from modern, to smart, to casual? So, let me introduce the Franklin off the shoulder dress (£99).

Having worn this dress, I can see that there is a lot of clever styling that has gone into it, from its ruching on the tummy area, to its subtle slide split, sleeves of a good length and a fantastically versatile neckline.

The day that these photographs were taken was crazily windy - but we persevered, occasionally crossing the road for a quick dose of sunshine to warm up.

Having worn shoe boots and minimal jewellery above, I swapped my shoes for some spotty heels and a navy and yellow tassel/pom pom necklace - for a slightly different feel.

A splash of colour in the shoe department would also work well with this dress and for those who wish to flash their legs, it can be pulled up much shorter than I'm wearing it which would make it great for a beach holiday look. Being a soft jersey fabric, this dress really wouldn't feel out of place at a wedding, in the office, or on the beach.

For an everyday look, of course it had to be the silver Adidas Superstars which I wear with so many outfits and which mean that I can stride out in the way that I like to.

I've pulled the dress up here so it's slightly shorter - more knee length than midi but again, it's one of those great pieces that does what it wants to and which looks good however it sits. The other good thing is that, unlike some dresses which I own and which feel a bit dressy for everyday, I could (and would) wear this casually and still feel "me".

Off to the ice-cream shop to pay the photographer her shoot fee...

So this time she didn't sting me for the most expensive Magnum in the shop, instead opting for the white chocolate one instead - and she was happy for me to pretend to take a bite - as long as I did only pretend.

And if I really wanted to go to town with this dress, I'd wear it with this gorgeous everyday biker jacket which is just fabulous and which would work with so many outfits in my wardrobe :)

For anyone who would like to receive 15% off new season clothes, just quote STYLEG15 at the checkout. The offer is valid until midnight on 8th September. Happy shopping!

A pretty Victorian top from GAP

I will remember this day forever because it's the day that our lovely Flo came back from 4 weeks away in Tanzania. In that time we've had two short texts but nothing else as her phone stayed at home and wi-fi was virtually non-existent. It's been a long old time. At times I thought my heart would break and friends have picked me up and dusted me down. I'm still not used to hearing her voice calling "Mum!" down the stairs. Our once tidy house is strewn with damp, smelly, dusty clothing. And I couldn't be happier.

So I guess that a slightly fancy but everyday type top could better be described as a blouse really couldn't it? It would save on a lot of words! I bought this eyelet Victorian top from GAP yesterday. It is pretty and lightweight - good with skinnies or cut-offs for our Guernsey holiday - and with a nod to Victorian. Predictably I can't find the white online so I've linked to the blue but GAP's new "eyelet" range is pretty well stocked in stores.

They embraced as only siblings can.

 "Why are you so ugly?" she said to her brother.

"Why are you so short?" he replied.

And then we were five again. 

NB. To anyone who has siblings who fight to the point of driving you utterly and totally insane, there may well come a point, in the future, when they stop fighting and actually love - OK like - one another. In our case it happened when our son, who is younger than his sister, grew tall enough and strong enough to pick her up, throw her over his shoulder and remove her to another room when she started to annoy him. Those years of tears and tantrums (often from me in frustration!) are now over. So there is hope. I promise.

Are your shoes from Stella McCartney? No, sadly not...

A lace top is for all year round, not just for Christmas. In fact when the temperature is like it is right now,  namely a bit pants for summer but warmer than most of the year, it's a great time to bring out those tops that otherwise don't get much of an airing. So fancy tops it is from now on!

"I like your shoes..." the girl in Cos said to me "Are they Stella McCartney?" 

I think what she had in mind was something like these - the Stella McCartney binx burgundy loafers (£300). True, there are definite similarities - neither pairs are made of leather and both are flat form loafers. But there's a bit of a divergence on price - a £15 vs £300 divergence in fact. But I do love a bit of Stella and it was a great spot by the girl in Cos.

For similar styles elsewhere, take a look at these from Zara (£39.99). I love a chunky wedge - they get rid of cankles in an instant! There will be so many more styles like this in the upcoming season so do keep an eye out and have a play with a pair. They're great for adding a bit of height without teetering around and they add a style update to any simple outfit.

The Flora Top from Baukjen - the perfect summer top

Quoting STYLEG15 at the checkout will get you a lovely 15% discount on new season stock until midnight on 8th September.

A couple of weeks ago I was asked by the girls at Baukjen whether I might like to write a preview piece ahead of the launch of their Pre-Fall collection. We decided that it would be nice for me to style a few of their pieces in my own way, feeling that if I've worn the pieces about which I'm writing, it adds to the authenticity of the post.  

So this post is all about tops, and in particular the Flora top by Baukjen (£59). 

I have to say that I haven't got on particularly well with off the shoulder tops this summer. The ones that I have tried or bought have generally sidled their way back onto my shoulder, or the elastic has been tight, or the armholes too small or my movement has felt compromised. I've been worried that if I move my arms something will flick up, or off, or ping me where I don't want to be pinged. However I have a one shouldered dress that I find really comfortable and so when I saw the Flora top, I really wanted to try it.

I have to say that I really loved wearing this one shouldered top. If anyone is on the hunt for an all round fab summer top, then for me this would have to be it. Unlike full on "off the shoulder" tops it feels anchored. Securely in place, it doesn't move around.  This top has a little "shelf" inside it. which for some may mean that a bra isn't necessary but for those who do still need to wear one, it keeps the strapless bra in place (we all know how those little blighters can end up around your waist by the end of the day - with its contents not far behind!)

Here I've pulled the shoulder down to make the top slightly more asymmetric. And the good thing about it is that wherever the neckline is placed, it doesn't feel, or look, out of place plus it stays there which makes it hugely versatile and much more interesting to wear and re-style.

Here I've gone even more "off the shoulder" but still it works. It remains comfortable - and I'm all about comfort. 

Now as the shorts are my own, I didn't mind doing a little kerb perching, just so that you can see the top from the back. It's quite a deep frill but as it's jersey it's soft and not too "sticky outy" so it's not one of those tops to feel self conscious in, despite its frill. And because the frill sits quite flat, it would still flatter a curvy bust. Substantial too - yes, that's the word I'm looking for. It feels substantial whilst still being feminine and summery.

Here the frill has flicked itself over on my right shoulder but that's what I love about this top - it can be worn all sorts of ways and it can flick its frill where it wants but it still works.

For information purposes, I'm wearing a size 8 which was perfect so I would say that it is true to size. It was fitted but not tight, with enough room in it to accommodate a BBQ and quite a large slice of oreo cake, plus it had a good length to it too. I think that the sun is due to shine again this weekend so for anyone on the look out for a new top to wear, I can highly recommend this one.

As with all good shoots (OK, Barbie films) my 8 year old Photographer/Creative Director and I decided that we needed to include some Out-Takes....

So of course any photographer worth their salt knows how important it is to take their spoon with them on a shoot so that they can eat the contents of their Cornetto on the way home, which was payment for the taking of these photographs. She doesn't like the cone, hence the spoon. (As it was she stung me for the most expensive Magnum in the shop!) I guess that it was a fair exchange really.

And a passer-by offered to take our photograph together...so that had to go in. 

Oh and how I wish I could do this with my eyes. She's very proud of herself.

But anyway, enough of that. Whilst we're on the subject of tops, here's a selection of tops that Baukjen has this season.

Beacham Top (£59) - Now this is a great colour for people like me who don't look good in paler colours and also for those who want the versatility of a top that can be slightly off the shoulder/asymmetric but still really easy to wear. It also has a great length to it and ruching at the waist, which I can vouch for as being very handy!

Fleur  top (£59) - I'm intrigued by this top and it's definitely on my list of ones to try. Perfect for those who want an off the shoulder look but who just don't do strapless bras. Or for those ladies who do, but who like the double strap idea.

Calvin Top (£69) - I'm loving the slightly 80's vibe about this top. My best friend at University always used to pull the shoulders down on her top so it reminds me of nights at our Friday night disco. I love the volume in the sleeves and the body too - sports luxe meets 80's disco. Very cool and easy to wear. I think that it's fair to say that I have my eye on this top also.

Lila cold shoulder top (£59) - Style it up or down, this is a really versatile top, showing just enough but not too much.

Masham lace up top (£65) - I like this as an option for ladies who want something a little different but who would prefer to keep their shoulders and arms covered. The lace up detail is a nice addition.

I think that one of the things about doing this post that really struck me was just how lovely Baukjen clothes feel when on. I have a t-shirt, some jersey trousers and a jumpsuit of theirs already but in some respects a summer top that is stylish, stays in place, doesn't reveal too much and is fitted without clinging is a REALLY tall order. So maybe I've been looking in the wrong place all along for those summer tops.

Remember, quoting STYLEG15 at the checkout will get you a lovely 15% discount on new season stock until midnight on 8th September.

The New Look Camo Shacket

Apart from wearing some blue camo GAP trousers that I've had for a really long time now, I don't have much camo in my wardrobe. Sometimes it's all a little bit too green for me and it also has connotations associated with it which mean that I'm not quite sure it should be worn in a fashion sense - a bit like wearing tribal, or religious, symbols really. It's something that I've thought about quite a lot over the years....

...but then I saw a shacket from New Look (not showing online but mine was £24.99 and is called "camo shacket" on the label. It's very similar to this one, also from New Look) and I demonstrated to myself how truly shallow I am by buying it and wearing it many times since. But then maybe it's not shallow. Maybe I was just over thinking things before and maybe it doesn't cause offence. I'm not really sure now.

Aside from the whole camo debate though, a shacket is great for this time of year when there can be a chill in the air despite the fact that it's meant to be the height of summer. It means that whatever lies beneath can peep through, without it being covered up by a jumper. Also a shacket is something that can generally be kept on all day, inside or out, so it's not like a blazer or jacket that needs to be taken off and put back on time and again (because obviously that is such a hardship!) It's more the lack of faff and just keeping on until bedtime what I first put on in the morning, that appeals to me.

Like a denim shirt but a bit of an update, a camo or khaki shacket is good for keeping the chill at bay on those Guernsey beaches that we will be heading towards shortly.

I've debated whether I should have gone for a larger size - mine is an 8 - but I like how it feels. Sometimes over sized is good - sometimes it just looks like I'm wearing someone else's clothes.

Here are another couple of options for anyone mulling the idea over. Maybe they are a little more "jacket" like than the one that I am wearing but they just provide a feel for what's out and about at the moment. Hope that you all enjoy taking a look!

H&M Cargo Jacket (£24.99)

H&M twill jacket (£24.99)

Khaki camo print jacket New Look (£29.99)

Zara military shirt (£29.99)

Going a bit boho in Monsoon

Today I'm going a bit boho. Tomorrow I'm going a bit orange. Who knows what the next day will bring? Actually hopefully I won't be orange but rather a lovely nut brown. My phone assures me that this weekend we will have some sun and given that we're not going away until the end of August, I'm going to have to pretend instead. So if in my next post I'm a different shade, that's why.

I seem to have a bit of a thing with red at the moment too, which is pretty unusual for me. Red accessories (and coats) I can do...but I have a feeling that it's going to spill over into clothes this coming season. I've already tried to buy my first red piece of the season but it was out of stock. So that bodes well then. The bag is from GAP and the shoes were from Kew (anyone remember Kew?) a very long time ago now.

But anyway as to the jacket - I bought it a few weeks ago when it looked as if it was a very long way from the sale rail but when I went into Monsoon yesterday, there it was, bold as brass, half price at £27 give or take a few pennies. It's lightweight - more of a blouse than a jacket really. For me, to qualify as a jacket, it needs to have some warmth about it but call it what you will it's a smashing little number. The only thing that I would say is that it's not hugely long in the body, so that's worth bearing in mind. Honestly, if anyone can find this top/jacket on the Monsoon website they can have mine! I've searched jackets, cover ups, embroidery and sale but I can't find it anywhere.*

*Having just read Sue's post about this very jacket, it appears that it's no longer available online, which explains why I can't find it. Maybe I won't be handing mine over after all.

The slip dress round 3 - layering underneath and over the top!

I've done two posts now using this slip dress, which can be read here (when it was a sunny day and I wore it with flip flops and a sun hat) and here (when I wore it with trainers and a silky, waterfall oriental print jacket).

For its third outing, on a much colder day than when I wore the dress the first time, I layered a silk printed shirt with a pussy bow underneath it and a Jigsaw bomber jacket over the top. For shoes I wore some heavier Zara flatform  style loafers, which have bit of an espadrille sole to them.

All that's needed to achieve something similar is a blouse or shirt that you like and a blazer or jacket too. As many of you will know, it can work with a slip dress, a shift dress and some styles of sundresses. Sometimes it's just good to have a play and see where it takes you. But anyway, that's the slip dress done for now. I promise.

A Quick OOTD and some New Look sandals - my new favourite purchase of the summer

Shirt: John Lewis weekend (last summer); shorts: Gap, Belt: Boden (previous seasons); Shoes: Aldo (previous seasons); Basket: Guernsey Boutique (similar here)

Stars, hearts, neon, flouro, metallics, stripes, sequins, flamingos, palm trees, smiley faces and pom poms - I am a sucker for them all. Stick them on an item of clothing, preferably all at the same time, and I'm there like a shot.

So tapping into merely the stars, hearts, metallics, sequins and the tiniest bit of flouro means that there's a lot left for another day. Note to self: Must try harder.

Before I go, I wanted to share with you these pink leather beaded lace up sandals from New Look (currently available sizes 4 to 8) which I bought today for £11. I've been on the hunt for some "proper" summer sandals for a while. It started with some pom pom ones that I saw at Matches. Unsurprisingly it finished there too. New Look had a less expensive version but they had sold out and having looked a few times I'd decided that it was going to be a project for next year.

But then I spotted these and the deal was done. I've worn them around the house this afternoon and they are really comfortable, plus the ties don't come undone - which is always an added bonus. I painted my toenails especially to take a photo of me wearing them, then trashed my handi-work, tried again, trashed it again and gave up as I had to go and make a lasagna for dinner. To be honest I think that the family appreciated that more anyway.

Dahlia - an inexpensive, independent brand

Has anyone else come across the brand Dahlia yet? I walked past the store on Carnaby Street when I was in London last week but didn't have time to nip in. However there was something about what I saw as I glanced through the door that resonated with me, so when I got home I took a closer look.

My initial thoughts were that even if I liked the clothing, given its location, it was likely to be really pricey. However I was pleasantly surprised. What I found was an independent brand run by two sisters, with some pieces being produced in quantities of no more than 50. Some of you may have come across it in Topshop where it is also stocked. 

So, here's a flavour of some of the pieces available...

First off the Haggerston striped off the shoulder top Dahlia (£59) caught my eye. It also comes in pale blue here. It's slightly dramatic without being too OTT and taps into the offer the shoulder trend - although it can also be worn on the shoulder - the big sleeve trend and the striped trend all in one go.

For more stripes, there's the black stripe top with contrast frills (£65) Dahlia. This top is also available in navy stripes and also in white stripes. Again it is just that little bit different to most of what is out there at the moment.

I love the combination of the cute collar and stripes on this grey cropped smock top Dahlia (£45). There's also enough room to accommodate a food baby, should the need arise!

For anyone who prefers a slightly more fitted look on the body, there's this cheesecloth ruffle sleeved top Dahlia (£51).

For some "bottoms" these culottes with one pleated leg by Dahlia (£59) are different and a great price. They also do several other style of culottes - some shorter than these, the proportions of which can work well on petites.

And for a dress or two, there's the black sun dress with tassels at the sleeves Dahlia (£58) which would be great with pom sandals and a holiday tan (or a fake tan if a holiday one isn't an option!)....

...And finally this off the shoulder smock dress Dahlia (£59)

I really liked what I saw and can't wait to see the Winter collection. I would be interested to hear your thoughts. Have you bought from Dahlia before - or are you tempted to do so now?!