I’m looking out of my window while I write this post and have realised that I have been inadvertently inspired by my garden. We planted (and by ‘we’ I mean my husband) tulips back in November and they have recently popped out as the most INCREDIBLE bright orange - I absolutely adore them. I am slightly taken aback by how much pleasure they are bringing me! (We are quite new to gardening).

Anyway, the POP of spectacular orange against the pea green colour of our garden shed and the otherwise green of our garden is so scrumptious it turns out I’ve started dressing in the same way…. Exhibit A, the bright orange socks and the overall green hues of this post.

I think that I may have mentioned this before but for those of you that have recently joined us, I once read that all greens ‘go’ together as they all exist in nature alongside each other. I’m not sure that I totally agree but it’s certainly food for thought.

Anyway, I digress. This week both mum and I are wearing a fair isle cardigan. Fair isle is an interesting design as we traditionally think of it as something for winter but I believe that it is a design that looks incredibly chic in summer. Obviously for this to be the case you are probably living in Britain (!!) but over a plain cotton summer dress, or with a pair of white linen trousers, the fabric works incredibly well. Last summer we were on holiday in Cornwall and my sister in law was wearing a white cotton broderie anglais dress with a fitted fair isle cardigan and it looked great!

I’m telling you this because I always like to think of many different ways of wearing my clothes in order to get the most wear out of them. I try not to have too much of a divide between my summer and winter wardrobes.

These chinos are a really great shape. COS have produced them in various colours this year which doesn’t surprise me as I suspect the shape is very popular. It is the combination of the flat front with the side pleats that are sewn down for a couple of inches at the top (so as not to yawn open at the tummy) which creates a flattering silhouette.

I am wearing my usual size and they sit just above my hips - which is a style that I like - but should you want a more waisted look, maybe try a size down from your usual one.

The khaki green goes incredibly well with navy blue but would look so chic with white in summer too. I also love khaki with bright red (and orange).

Mum’s trousers are similar-ish in style to mine but are designed to be high waisted which is mum’s preferred shape. The slightly roomy style of both our trousers with the tapered leg works beautifully with these fitted cardigans. The more trend-led trouser shape with the traditional fabric of the fair isle knit is a happy combination. I also love the contrast with mum’s green and white striped shirt. Stripes work so well as a foil to other more busy patterns.

N.B. These cardigans come up quite small. I would recommend sizing up unless you prefer a very neat fit.

This gilet is what I would call an ‘outfit transformer’ i.e. it has the ability to transform a plain outfit into something much more stylish without any effort. I love having items like this in my wardrobe. As a mum of two small children I can throw it over a slightly sad looking, food smeared t-shirt and voila! I look like I’ve made an effort. This particular vest is reversible - two for the price of one!

It also looks great as your third layer, either poking out from under your jacket/coat or worn over a t-shirt and an open shirt. OR whack them all together and call yourself the layering queen!