I’ve always thought of a culotte as an elegant piece of clothing but with their long billowing legs, an item reserved mainly for the evening…..that is until I discovered this style from COS! With an elasticated waist and cropped leg, you can wear them all day long and be completely comfortable.

This particular pair of culottes combine two things that I love for summer - seersucker and stripes. Mum has kept it simple with an un-tucked white shirt and casual cream jacket but a fitted white t-shirt and fawn cardigan would also look great (the stripes are a very subtle cream and brown). Of course a brighter colour would look lovely too, a cherry red or sky blue would both work well.

Mum’s sandals by Penelope Chilvers are incredibly elegant. I love how the leather curves on the foot. They are very comfortable - and pssst, they’re in the sale!

This matching broderie anglaise shirt and shorts are by a small independent brand called Fawn & Freda. Designed by Poppy Totman, she started with childrenswear and has recently added womenswear to her British made collection. What a success it is! With ethics and sustainability at the forefront of Poppy’s design ethos, the price to quality ratio that she has achieved is impressive. The quality of this set is absolutely lovely.

The shirt and shorts look gorgeous together but what I love is that they can easily be worn separately too. It is sometimes tricky to find shirts and blouses that are more interesting than a plain poplin but that are not so interesting that they are tricky to slot into the rest of your wardrobe. This particular shirt ticks the boxes! I can’t wait to wear it with a pair of jeans for autumn and a cotton jacket slung over my shoulders. The broderie anglaise poking out from under a knit will look fab too.

Oh, and I should also mention that the shape of the shorts is perfect. It amazes me how many unflattering shaped shorts are on the market. In my opinion, you want a short that kicks out into an a-line shape - whether short or knee length - it’s most flattering on the leg.

Two more really lovely independent brands that I am wearing. Studio Bowe is a jewellery brand designed by fellow celebrity stylist Frankie Bowen. She uses vintage beads so no piece of jewellery is exactly the same. Both mum and I love this piece - called the Bon Bon necklace for obvious reasons. It’s fun and it’s happy and it’s perfect for the summer months to liven up a plain t-shirt or for maximum energy with lots of other colour.

Frankie’s eye for colour is really good so her pieces are often unusual in their pairings making them incredibly appealing and striking.

Last, but by no means least, the stripy tote bag. Made by The Contents Bag in collaboration with the influencer Emma Paton. These bags are made from waxed cotton and are designed to throw everything in and go. They are a made in East London by a social enterprise designed to create transformative employment and opportunities for their all female team.

Since shooting this, I see that the bags have been very popular! Originally available in beige, red and yellow stripes, only the yellow option is still in-stock. As it happens, the yellow was my favourite!