STYLING THE PETIT BATEAU BRETON DRESS

It's no secret that I love the French sense of style [the blog title is a dead giveaway] - so when Gemini Woman got in touch and asked me to put together a post celebrating the launch of Petit Bateau [aka the holy grail of the Breton stripe] on their site, I was more than happy to oblige.

In a change from the classic Breton tee, I picked a navy stripe dress to style [£120 - shop here]  because I wanted to demonstrate it's versatility. If you're yet to jet off on your summer escape, a Breton dress makes an ideal beach cover up. Style it espadrilles for a St. Tropez vibe. Stripes are also the perfect print for weekend wear - wear your dress with a pop of leopard print for an unexpected twist. You can even smarted up this piece for the office, I'd wear either a white shirt or bib collar under mine for a professional edge. Pair with some colourful flat points and you've got a 1960s homage going on which is a key trend for autumn/winter 2014. 

If you're unfamiliar with Gemini woman, I'd recommend checking out the site. They stock a curation of grown-up, wearable fashion brands including French Connection, Great Plains and of course - Petit Bateau!

Whisked away: Amalfi espadrilles, Mint & Rose, €75. Petit Bateau stripe scarf, Gemini Woman, £47. Fendi two-tone sunglasses, Net-a-porter.com, £200. 

Weekend: Sophie Hulme mini leopard print shoulder bag, Net-a-porter.com, £395. Nails in One Hot Minute, Topshop, £5. Felt borg skater shoes, Next, £24. 

Work: Pointed pumps in beetroot, Boden, £89. Karl Lagerfeld folded cotton-blend collar, Net-a-porter.com, £110. Lips in Inhibition, Topshop, £8. 

6 OF THE BEST: PARTY FLATS

There's something very chic about wearing a flat shoe for a party. Heels can appear try-hard, whilst flats have an insouciant air of cool. Coupled with the fact sky-scraping stilettos never lend themselves to tearing up the dance floor, comfortable shoes make the altogether better option in my eyes. A few styling pointers: if you are petite, a pointed flats (like the fabulous Fendi pair below - no.6) will elongate the leg. If you are tall (like me) pretty much anything goes - try a brogue with a mini dress for an unexpected twist on festive dressing. Most importantly, look for luxurious details like glitter finishes, embellishments and embroidery to up the ante in your party look. Will you be trying a flat shoe this Christmas?

1. Glitter lace ups, F-Troupe, £65. 
2. Cecilia glitter & suede ballet flats, Office, £56. 
3. Black jewelled slippers, Next, £35. 
4. Shellys lace up glitter flats, ASOS, £60. 
5. Dandy palm-detail slippers, Penelope Chilvers, £245. 
6. Fendi metallic leather flats, Net-a-porter.com, £560.