DRESSED TO STRESS

You are now entering Borderline Bitchdom

Coat: H&M, Jumper: H&M, Shirt: New Look, Jeans: New Look, Shoes: Next, Bag: River Island, Sunglasses: ASOS, Gold Chain: vintage

Boo exams. Boo exams for making me compulsively eat cereal straight out of the packet, and boo exams for making me neglect British Vague. Boo. 

THE BRETON QUESTION

Top: H&M, Jeans: Marks & Spencer, Coat: Topshop, Shoes: ASOS, Beanie: H&M, Sunglasses: ASOS

Let me take you on a journey through time and babes, also known as The History of the Breton Top. Firstly time: the Breton top as we know it today came into being following the 1858 Act of France, which introduced the navy and white striped knitted shirt as the uniform for all French navy seamen in Brittany. Fact. Secondly babes, because Breton been worn by many a babe over the years. Coco Chanel? Check. Jean Seberg? Check. Audrey Hepburn? Check. Brigitte Bardot? Check. And, most recently, we've seen the striped wonder repeatedly gracing the frames of It Girls Alexa Chung and Olivia Palermo. Check.

THE REALIST'S GUIDE TO SPRING DRESSING

Coat: Alexon at John Lewis, Sweatshirt: asos, Jeans: New Look, Shoes: Next, Bag: River Island, Sunglasses: River Island, Necklace: asos, Rings: H&M

It's Spring! Wonderful Spring. I've yearned for you for months. Time to get out the straw hat, Breton top, and go for a picnic... Right? Well, not really. Because this, as I have come to realise over the past month, is what can be diagnosed as The Spring Fantasy. The Spring Fantasy is a phenomena which afflicts a large proportion of the British population. Symptoms include waking up from the 1st March onward expecting to be greeted with sunshine and birdsong, and deeming anything over 15 degrees 'ice cream weather'. Today has actually been rather beautiful (say whaaat?!), but on the whole, the actuality of Spring is a much damper and chillier affair. So what are we to do on those days where Reality doesn't live up to the Fantasy? And more importantly, what are we to wear if not straw hats and Breton tops?