For those of you who are reading these posts regularly (my husband....my dad.....I think that my aunt said that she would check in from time to time), you will know that I am a big fan of Toast.  I think that the design and quality vs price is really good.  Here, Toast have done it again.  Gingham is a fun, fresh fabric for summer bringing joy and light-heartedness to all who wear it.  This skirt is a great length if you're someone like me, who likes to wear skirts in the summer but doesn't necessarily like to get their legs out.  However, as demonstrated here, it looks great with tights and ankle boots.  I like to get alot of wear out of my clothes and so trans-seasonal pieces are a win for me.

I love clashing prints.  Inadvertently I have managed to demonstrate here the difference between no obvious clashing prints (above) and in a more obvious way (below).  Instantaneously mum's outfit looks cooler and fresher with the stripy t-shirt poking out the bottom of the jumper and sitting on top of the checked skirt.  

With a 3/4 length skirt and a flat boot, it is probably more flattering to wear a point rather than a round toe.  A point elongates the leg which makes a difference with a notoriously tricky length skirt.  These boots would also look great with skinny or straight leg jeans.

The peacoat that mum is wearing is beautifully designed.  Although I love double breasted jackets, if not cut well, they can look bulky and unflattering.  This version by Jigsaw does not fall into this category.  It has a sharp shoulder, is tailored enough down the sides to be flattering but not so much so that it looses the boxy essence of a good peacoat.   

Monochrome and red are very happy bedfellows.  Wearing a red jumper is one way of injecting that pop of colour, but another way is wearing a shoe or boot.  I have fallen in love with these boots from Kurt Geiger.  They represent one of those brilliant high-street buys which could pass for a high-end one.  It's a neat way of dressing, keeping the overall outfit neutral, and then choosing a shoe in a bold colour. 

Having said that, this bubblegum pink coat with the shiny red leather boots works a delicious treat too.  Pink and red is a gorgeous colour clash.  For A/W18 we are set to see the shops awash with bold clashing colours, from deep red and mint green to mustard yellow and purple.    

I think that this jumper is such a fantastic design from H&M.  It is made from acrylic and polyamide so sadly it's not likely to age very well, but in terms of value vs design, it's very good.   

I should probably take a moment to advise here that if you can afford to spend a bit more and buy a good quality garment, then I really would.  I spend so much time in the shops and have come to feel very uneasy about the trend towards disposable fashion.  However, generally it is alot more expensive to buy ethically and I do understand that for alot of people, it is very tricky.  

So, what makes this jumper so lovely is the high neck which actually stays up rather than flopping down into a (gasp) cowl neck.  The sleeves balloon out and then come in at the cuff which is both interesting and flattering.   It would also look good with wide legged, cropped trousers and of course, jeans.

Both these bags are a triumph in their own way.  I've talked about how much I like COS bags before, but hey, let's talk about it again.  If you're looking for an affordable one that is well made and a little bit different from some of the other high-street offerings, then COS is your shop.  

The bag above reminds me of a small squidgy pillow.  Im not sure that it is instantaneously attractive; evidence of this being the amount that I have spotted in the sale.  However, I think that people are missing a trick.  Styled as it is here, with other similar colours, I think that it is fab - something really different and eye-catching.

The silver bag below is more of a 'blockbuster' I think.  The silver leather coupled with the square shape is so obviously cool and I most certainly do not mean that as a negative, it's a gorgeous little thing-perfect for taking you from Winter into Summer.  Silver is also a versatile colour - it goes with everything - which is great if you're only wanting to invest in one bag.

ooff - the cuffs on that coat. Let's finish by taking a moment to admire them.... 

SUE

Polo-neck, Jigsaw (sold out, similar here) . Jumper, Whistles (sold out, similar here) . Skirt, Toast . Tights, Wolford . Boots, & Other Stories . Peacoat, Jigsaw . Bag, COS (sold out, similar here) . 

HANNAH

Jumper, H&M . Skirt, Toast . Tights, Wolford . Boots, Kurt Geiger . Coat, Topshop (sold out, but this coat would also work) .

Bag, COS (sold out, but this bag would also look great) . 

Photography and Artwork by Alexandra Mooney