Come rain or shine...

Style Theory: What to wear when it is rainy, windy, sometimes warm and technically summer? The answer: layer it up..a raincoat, a fine top, denim and a pair of shoeboots...

I have been looking for a pair of shoeboots for a while, actually a few years,  so when Cloggs asked me to select a pair of shoes from their range these Gabor shoe boots called to me. They are butter soft, tan leather, slightly wider at the top of the boot meaning they are flattering on the leg, especially when worn with dresses and being tan they go with everything. I styled them with my Levis, a boho top and (my sister's) Burberry trench (I lurve that trench) and her new Radley bag (she is over from Spain and I am taking advantage of her wardrobe!). They are super comfortable, the perfect heel height to walk in and so soft, I cannot wait to wear them with my denim dress when this heatwave that we have been promised turns up ...

Top: Zara similar here
Trench: Burberry Trench £1195 similar here
Jeans: Levis 501ct £95
Bag: Radley £104 (in sale)
Shoeboots: Cloggs £89.99

So today, it is blowing a gale, I hoping tomorrow brings the possibility of sun and a chance to wear some summer clothes, fingers crossed!

Next time the Essential Black Dress..chic, sophisticated, flattering and oh so useful. 

As always I would love to hear your thoughts and comments, how are you dressing for this crazy weather, or are you basking in the heat somewhere gorgeously tropical? Are you fan a shoeboots, how do you style yours??

Frances xxx

The Long and Short of it...

Style Theory: Shorts..incredibly practical, a key item in any Summer wardrobe and when styled right they can look pretty cool....

ph via Pinterest

Here are a selection of the best shorts from the high street that will be endlessly useful throughout the summer..

The Khaki Short

Hush Marseille Shorts £40

H&M £14.99

Khaki is a neutral that you can throw on with any colour top. I particularly like khaki with bright oranges and denim. These shorts would look stunning with a lightweight denim shirt and a pair of tan strappy sandals.

The Denim Short

Levis 501 Cut Off Shorts £45

Fat Face Short £38

Denim shorts, year after year these are the perfect item to wear on hot sunny days, perfect for walking down to the beach with a boho top and a pair of black sliders. I have the Fat Face shorts, they are a supersoft denim and actually slightly longer on than in the image (see photo in My Style below) so they are perfect for wearing day to day in the UK, I tend to feel more comfortable in the shorter shorts on holiday!

The Patterned Short

Zara High Waisted Print Shorts £29.99

H&M £14.99

A dressed up version of the short, taking you seamlessly through from day to night. During the day pair them with a neutral grey t-shirt, in the evening wear with a loose, soft cream blouse tucked in and again I would pair with flat tan strappy sandals.

The Skort

Topshop Textured Wrap Skort £36

Topshop PU Asymmetric Wrap Skorts £36

These are really flattering as the front section hits further down the leg and the points elongate the legs. These are great when chasing after the kids in the evening on holiday, they create the effect of a skirt without the exposure when bending down to pick up a child!

The Longer City/Boyfriend Short

Asos Linen City Shorts £18

Gap Boyfriend Short £24.99

I have long been a fan of the long short (see streetstyle Pinterest photo above top middle of Pandora Sykes) the styling is perfect. I love these with an oversize striped shirt and flat black pointed shoes. I wore these when I was in my 20s constantly and I really feel the need to bring back this styling as it is super flattering and such a cool look.

Shorts are definitely worth their weight in gold for me in the summer, so easy to throw on, so comfortable and look good. My advice, as usual, is to try, try lots of different styles on, length is really important so they hit your leg at the correct, most flattering point. To flatten a tummy avoid pleated fronts and go for a flat fronted short. 

MY STYLE 

Coat: H&M similar here
Top: Zara similar here
Shorts: c/o Fat Face £38
Bag: Spain Boutique
Sandals: Mango £19.95

Are you a fan of shorts, do you wear them constantly in the summer, or am I just getting older and loving the idea of them?! 

As always I would love to hear your thoughts and comments, until next time Frances xxx