I have had requests for a closer look at some of the pieces that were on my rail last week in preparation for the Style Event I was running. I think that one of the requests related to this dress which I am wearing and which cost £175 from Whistles. Actually, I am lying - it cost £14.99 from H&M.
This is the dress in its simplest form. Whilst the black tights and dark shoes aren't terribly spring like, I couldn't face revealing my legs to the world. Ordinarily I would dig out my knee length M&S vest (sounds sexy huh?!) to layer under a dress like this but I think it's currently residing at the back of a cupboard somewhere so, in the spirit of keeping the photographer happy, I let the shots be taken even though there is a very clear line where my shorter vest ends but hey, it doesn't matter, we're not talking Vogue photography here.
Now I know that this dress won't suit all bodyshapes but in actual fact with it having a sleeve, a decent length and some room in the skirt, it is actually not as limiting as it first seems, particularly if you can get over the fact that it is 100% polyester, which to be honest I can because lots of things are these days - but I know that others can't.
I quite like this dress as a general "every day and it doesn't need too much accessorising" kind of dress. At the start of the summer it could be put with a blazer and dressed up a little for work. As the summer progresses, and depending on how it wears, it can be relegated further down the fashion foodchain to a weekend dress, ending up as a beach cover up. Having said that, it could wear really well. After all, people have been known to pay a lot more for a polyester dress!
On the photograph below I have added in a wide blue Reiss belt. I quite like it for the colour but you can see how the addition of a contrasting colour breaks up the line of the dress.
For this look I have added a cream moc croc leather belt, also from Reiss. The width of the belt is probably better for my proportions and it would look nice paired with some nude shoes for the summer.
For this last shot I have put it with a Hobbs skinny coral belt - narrower again it's just a nice alternative to any of the above if I fancy ringing the changes.
I am also bringing you a picture of this 100% silk shirt, which too is from H&M and costs £34.99. I bought the turquoise version earlier in the season and they have now brought it out in mint green.
Thanks to Louis Vuitton, pastels are huge this season and I think that this shirt, which isn't too girly, is a nice way of tapping into that trend. I am taking the mick on the first shot, in tucking it in on one side - as per the fashionistas....
....which is why it is all creased up on this shot!
I have some other outfits to show you from the event which I styled on my mannequin and which I will bring to you tomorrow.
We seem to have had a mini Hugh Heffner move into our house in the shape of a four year old wearing a dressing gown and sporting sunglasses. She has taken to putting on her dressing gown when she gets in from school and has also decided that she can't see unless she is wearing a pair of very glitzy (sun)glasses which used to be her sister's. In fact she goes as far as walking into things if she's not wearing them, just to prove the point. The whole ensemble, together with the straw from her smoothie which uses cigar style, completes the look and I have to say that I find it very funny.
I spoke to a photographer from the Daily Mail today. He was arranging to come and take photos of me for an article which will be in the Femail section next Thursday and in which I will feature. When it came to the clothes I should be wearing his instructions were no black, no denim, possibly a block colour shift dress and nothing frumpy. NOTHING FRUMPY. Cheeky whatsit. No comment.
