A Spring In My Step With Boden

Fiiiinally… The blossom is starting to bloom, our arctic attire is beginning to shed its faux fur skin, and all our moods are joyously lifting as we all make way for SPRING. There’s no denying it, there are few better places to be in the world than England in the Spring, and I cannot wait to start wearing dresses sans tights and finally emancipating my (albeit, extremely white) ankles from their imprisoned UGG-state.

My style is known to be quite eclectic; one day I might look like a fourteen-year-old boy in baggy jeans and trainers, and then next be in a bright, sparkly gown with killer heels (“I’m a lady, don’t you know!”) The most important thing present in all my outfits, is that I feel comfortable, and also colour is key to me.  There is certainly no time like the Springy present to inject some colour into your wardrobe if you’ve been hibernating in black for the last five months. 

Boden has some great Spring pieces this season and I decided to style up some looks whilst hanging around my local Portobello ‘hood.  Let me know what you think...

For me, loose white jeans are synonymous with sunshine.  Liz Hurley likes’em skin tight, and this may scare off many without her bod (so all of us basically), but the more boyfriend-look, cropped jean works for most, and goes with practically everything (except coffee, red wine or black cats… all my favourite white-perils!)  Whilst buying some gooooorgeous flowers from Harper and Toms, I teamed the jeans with some basic white trainers (you really can’t go wrong) and a sunshine-friendly linen shirt which I only tucked in at the front giving a more relaxed vibe. Alongside the classic olive/tortoiseshell Sadie sunnies (such little winners, and a match for so many of their designer contemporaries) I wore a khaki jacket which has obvious appeals to my safari-loving self, but is also super versatile and will be a staple inter-seasonal cover up for me.

So light and easy to casually wear with jeans or tucked into a skirt for smarter uses, the unpredictable red and pink clash of this jumper was too good not to share with you (or immediately purchase myself!) Rainbow clashes were seen on many of the major SS’16 runways (Christopher Kane, Gucci, Balmain and Dries Van Noten to name a few) and this top is an easy way to emulate that trend.  I teamed the jumper with the previous same jeans and trainers, but added some dark pink Sadie sunglasses to compliment the look. 

You can take the girl outta Africa… It wasn’t going to take long was it? Growing up on the equator, my wardrobe is filled with olives, khakis and a pride of leopard prints, so this outfit has an obvious lure for me. This jumpsuit is not only flattering and chic, but can so easily be styled up or down, situation (and shoe height) dependent. I wore the jumpsuit to Pizza East Portobello with some bold African jewellery, tortoiseshell Sadie sunglasses and the most perfect, classic leopard-print flats which will work for city and beach alike this Spring/Summer. A bright clutch would be a welcome and contrasting addition.

This dress (also available in white) will be a huge hit for Boden this season. The style is totally classic but its heavier texture is far more luxe and warmer, than you would imagine which makes it perfect for smarter Spring events. Likewise, the tassled heels are also perfect for smarter occasions and come in a variety of colourways.  See you in the sunshine peeps! 

Photography: Eva K. Salvi

In Collaboration with BODEN

X Factor Fashion

Its back! The 8th series of X Factor launched this weekend and 12.6 million of us tuned in to boo and to cheer this year’s hearty concoction of desperate, deluded bellowers and genuinely talented songbirds.

They have a brand new, super shiny line up of judges… and Louis (who I’m sure will still be telling contestants they “have the full package” on X Factor 2070, having outlived us all.)

But what of the newbie’s? Handsome, stubbly, no-nonsense Gary Barlow, will surely have become the nation’s biggest crush overnight, but as with every X-Factor series, it’s really all about the gals...

Kelly Rowland is awesome.

With 15 years experience in the industry, a flirtatious Southern drawl and a swaggersome, super slick style (outfits for the audition stages have included this figure hugging Versace dress and lots... and lots… of bare midriff (hey, if we could, we would!) She’s also promised to wear more Brit designers for the live shows – Top contenders include Stella McCartney, Victoria Beckham, McQueen and Bass & Brooks.

I also love that her responses always include the liberal scattering of words such as ‘boo,’ and ‘mama’ – terms of endearment I feel, having obviously tried them out immediately, only Kelly Rowland can pull off.

N-Dubz feisty singer Tulisa totally held her own on the panel and also won the audience’s sympathy when a gobby auditionee verbally attacked her.

After seeing the above promo shots of her looking all a bit too reminiscent of Our Cheryl (tight Hervé Leger and glossy biiiiiiiig hair) Tulisa’s outfits for the auditions have been a relief - I especially loved her DKNY jumpsuit covered in little lips (available at Selfridges) which along with red lips and a retro hairstyle, she is definitely set to make her own fashion stamp on the proceedings.

The best audition of the night? 16 year old Janet Deviln (watch audition here.) A little bit Ellie Goulding, a little bit cupcake – this shy, ethereal girl from Northern Ireland was adorable and definitely one to watch.