Autumn @ Jack

One of my favourite brands Jack Wills unveiled their Autumn Preview a couple of days ago and I thought I'd walk you through the looks, dish out a little advice on integrating new pieces into your current wardrobe, and get you as excited to buy this collection as I am!  

I love the pieces I've seen so far - the colour scheme is reminiscent of Victorian style; reflecting Jack Wills' tendency to celebrate and take inspiration from its British heritage.  The preppy brand's key colour this season adds a purple-hue to traditional oxblood shades to become Damson, and features on jeans, smart tees, dresses, playsuits and prints throughout the collection.  I'm 'pale and interesting' so the dark greys, navy and damson shades really suit my complexion.

In terms of cut, style and detail I think the Autumn collection is a little more grown-up than we've seen in previous seasons;  the delicate use of sheer fabrics, subtle polka dots and dainty floral patterns bring femininity to the androgynous cuts of jeans, shorts and boy-fit shirts.  These beautiful pieces add elegance to loungewear and casual clothing; the Marston Tee can be paired with black jeans and loafers during the day and a suede point-toe stiletto - this year's staple shoe - to carry your outfit through to the evening.  You could even add the Shelsey Cami to your workwear wardrobe; with a smart black skirt suit or cigarette trousers.

The Hamfield Crew (£49.50), Shelsey Pleat Cami (£59.50) and Marston Tee (£59.50)

 Wear with: the 'French 75' heel by Whistles, JW's own Maddison or J-Brand's 912 Skinny Jean.

Their key transitional outerwear piece moves away from the traditional rural uniform of weed, wax and quilt jackets towards the parka; the coat is often associated with an 'urban' or 'street' look (and championed by Liam Gallagher in the 1990's) and is available in navy or khaki, reflective of it's military origins.  The best thing about this coat is it's versatility - it can be thrown on over anything, and easily rolled up and popped in a bag when you don't need it til later. 

The Alwyn £98.50

 Wear with:  Contrast a sharp shirt and patent loafers with rolled-up trousers and the Alwyn parka for a slightly grungy city look.

'Kitty' by Charlotte Olympia, £465 (Selfridges)

If you're buying anything from this collection, or using it as inspiration for the rest of your Autumn wardrobe then here's a basic summary: stick to dark shades (greys, purples, reds and navy), pair  feminine tops with masculine-cut trousers, and never underestimate the power of a classic shoe.  Swap your ballet pumps for brogues and smoking slippers, and give your feet a rest in the evening because the mid-heel is back: point-toe styles in classic black patent and suedes, or wear a glitter or spiked pump for a little extra glamour.   Louboutin's 'Pigalle' is an absolute classic, as is the Whistles French 125 (/75) if you're not feeling irresponsible this month.

It isn't available in-stores yet, but my favourite piece is the Damson tweed jacket pictured below with the Bradnam short and a plain tee.  If you follow me on Twitter you'll have seen me raving about my guilty love of shorts-suits and, if anything, this little mix-and-match outfit has confirmed I've secretly been right about them all along. 

The Wardrobe Update: The LWD

I know I probably shouldn't post topics consecutively, but I thought I'd tackle one of this summer's biggest hits before the good weather runs out.  Readers, meet the Little White Dress.

We've all seen the Little Black Dress in action: immortalised by Audrey Hepburn (as Holly Golightly), the LBD has become a wardrobe staple and effortless show-stopper when it comes to making an entrance, and no fashionista's wardrobe is complete without one.   However, SS13 shows heralded a successor to this now-familiar icon, and I've picked out eight from across the high street for your convenience.. 

L-R

1. Topshop Embroidered Prom Dress (£50) -  I know I struggle for breath between criticisms when it comes to Topshop, but I can't help loving this LWD.  Seen on countless bloggers, friends and party-goers this summer so far, this dress is a super-flattering option for day to dark activities.  The V back adds a little extra elegance to this otherwise fun number. 

2. Manilla by Izanagi (£95) -  The details of this lace panel LBD earned it a place within this edit; a fashion-focused take on the fitted jersey dress, this is the perfect choice for after-work drinks in the city.  The monochromatic contrast allows you to experiment with coloured jewellery and accessories, while being simple enough to stand out without. Izanagi makes it's elegant dresses to order, but you can order online, via twitter, or watch the main man himself for daily deals.

3. Karen Millen's White Lace Stripe Dress (£175 here; on sale at £125 here) -   You don't need to be a genius to figure out why I've added this dress to the list.  Remember this?  We all know Queen B always made effort when it came to showing up boys, and I can't think of a better first-date dress than this Karen Millen number.  (NB: the original dress Blair wore to the White Party was Marc by Marc Jacobs)

4. Jersey & Chiffon Dress, H&M (£7.99 !!) -  I thought I'd give your bank balance a breather by popping this wallet-friendly number in the middle.  If you're heading to a festival, field party, to the beach or just lounging around the house waiting for the cute window-cleaner to come, this dress is an effortless casual staple.  Add a flower crown, plaited belt and wellies for festival chic or studded ankle boots for the city; with this one you can afford to experiment with all the accessories you like. 

5. Whistles 'Adrianne' Dress (£95) -  Okay so I'm not colourblind, I know this isn't white, but can you really blame me for adding it to the list?  This powder-pink neutral flatters both a tan complexion and the deathly almost-blue pallor sported by unfortunate Brits such as myself.  It's comfortably tailored and can be paired with wedges for lunch,  embroidered sandals for shopping and brogues for attitude.  Also, it has pockets.  

6. Silk & Tulle Gown by Willow @ Net A Porter (£705 from £1,175) -  If you've got a wedding, yacht party or similar fancy event to dress up for then this is the perfect formal LWD.  Not only does it cover the white, cut-out and midi trends in one beautifully made piece, Miranda Kerr was also pictured wearing a shorter turquoise version in her latest ad for Kora Organics.  Do you need more persuading?  

 9. Ted Baker 'IMOGINE' Colour Block Dress (£129) -  You're mixing the best of both worlds with this Ted Baker dress; not only is it both white and black, the drop-waist and loose style puts this dress right back in the swinging sixties (I'm really, really sorry. I can't apologise enough for that. It just came out), a style championed by Moschino's Cheap & Chic line this season.  Pair with super-cute coloured flats or nude wedges in the day and a point-toe black patent stiletto in the evening for instant retro elegance.

8. Jack Wills 'Meerbroke' Dress (£74, from £89.50) - Did you really think I'd manage an entire post without including some Jack Wills? That was naive of you.  

This flirty number also comes in bright pink (another big hit this season) and navy (you all know that, in my humble opinion, one can never go wrong with navy).  My favourite features are the racer back, modest hemline (hello 'meet the parents' scenarios) and the scalloped skirt hem; plus the lining (hello practicality) means you'll never suffer any of the inevitable wardrobe mishaps that occur from pairing bright underwear with white sundresses.

I lied. There's one more dress.

I haven't really included a naughty night-out dress here, so I'm throwing this Nastygal number (£38) into the ring. 

If you don't recognise the model then I really don't know where you've been for the last three months; this video has topped 100 million views on Youtube and has provided one of 2013's biggest conundrums:

What actually does rhyme with hug me?

I'm sorry, I've made too many bad jokes this post.  I'll make up for it by sharing my favourite cookie recipe on Thursday. 


PS:  I know we're all about white today but I'd feel too guilty keeping this from you guys and, as I've mentioned above, it's totally on trend.  I've popped it into my 'most wanted' list, but that just wasn't enough.  Designed by Jess Honey for MIC-feature-turned-fashionista (and musician) Caggie Dunlop's ISWAI project, 'The Orchid' statement skirt is the dream holiday buy this summer.  Pair it with chunky nude gladiator sandals, gold & leather jewellery and a plain white tee for instant hippie-chic; alternatively, slip on a pair of bright turquoise, silver or fluorescent yellow heels for a pop of colour at night.

 Isn't it dreamy?