I absolutely love this jumper. It has obviously been designed by a designer. One would assume that is a given but I look at half the collections on the high street and I think, you’ve been designed by computers and algorithms. There is a distinct lack of flare, everything looks the same - ‘best sellers’ are regurgitated in slightly different iterations every season until finally, we the consumer shout NO MORE PLEASE! I’m worried that the management of many of these high street brands are too scared to give the creatives the freedom and confidence to be creative- to take risks and design, really truly design. During Topshop’s hay-day, the designers were given free reign to do whatever they wanted and it was a runaway success, then Philip Green came in and, well, we all know how that story ends….

Jigsaw have a new Creative Director, Joanna Sykes, and we are beginning to see the fruits of her labour. There are very few high street brands that would produce this jumper. No computer or algorithm would come up with it because nothing has come before it to suggest that this is what people want. It takes a human being to read the zeitgeist. Joanna Sykes and her team have done exactly that and produced a larger than life, floral and heart print chunky knit jumper that puts a smile on your face. It’s a breath of fresh air and that is so pleasing to see.

Mum’s jeans are the ones that she was wearing in last week’s post. Try as much as possible to make sure that your trousers and jeans are a modern cut, that way when you wear ‘a jumper and jeans’ your outfit still looks interesting and directional without any extra effort. Another easy win is footwear. I have mentioned before that ankle boots are great shoes for wearing with slightly cropped trousers. This pair (that mum is wearing) have a chunky sole. Wear the chunky boots, it will keep the rest of your outfit looking contemporary.

Denim is a youthful fabric and one which is perfect for slotting into a simple outfit to give it a bit of edge. There are many lovely ones around, I would suggest finding a shirt that is simple in design, with no fading. Covered buttons always looks particularly smart I find. Wear it as you would any other shirt, under a jumper as I have done, or with a cardigan or simply tucked into a pair of chinos. Denim is a ‘neutral’ so it should go with everything.

Poking out from mum’s jumper is our increasingly ubiquitous COS turtleneck. To me this perfectly demonstrates how a coloured turtleneck can be a subtle point of interest whilst serving a very practical purpose - staying warm!

I ADORE this skirt. It is another example of high-street design at it’s best. The taffeta fabric has weight to it with a slight sheen but nothing tacky. There has been no scrimping on its volume, it is comprised of proper folds, it is cut slightly longer at the back and has pockets. I hope that no one reading this thinks ‘beautiful skirt but not at my age’, i’m sure that you’re not, but if you are, please don’t. With hindsight I should have got mum to wear it too….. i’ll see what I can do moving forward. Anyway, this skirt is for everyone - assuming you actually like it of course! If you are concerned that it might make you look bigger than you naturally are then wear a fitted top. A very fine turtleneck with a neat, fitted cardigan would look wonderful. Or a slim-fit blouse. Also wear light, delicate shoes as I am wearing, in other words, keep the parts of your body that are not covered by the skirt as fitted as possible. This skirt also comes in a denim and a very subtle floral pattern which has a matching blouse. This combo would be a wonderful option if you are attending any weddings or summer parties this year!