SOMEWHERE OVER THE RAINBOW

Here's a trend I've been been pinning and loving for a while: the colours of the rainbow. Because why pick one colour, when you can wear them all simultaneously? Starting life on  the catwalks of brands including Marco de Vincenzo, Gucci and Louis Vuitton, the hero piece of this fashion story is Gucci's striped jumper which sold out  everywhere, despite the eye-watering £600 price tag. British designer Anya Hindmarch was also at the forefront of this trend; spring/summer 16 sees her iconic accessories decorated with kitsch  rainbow motifs. The good news for those of us on shoestring budget is that the high street has finally cottoned on to this trend - and Boden are owning it - just look at this fabulous pencil skirt (drawn to my attention by the queen of colour herself - Shiny Thoughts!). Here's three ways I'd wear the rainbow for weekend, work and play:

WEEKEND: Rainbow cashmere jumper, Wyse London. Lucas slim boyfriend jeans, Topshop. Major multi strap gold points, Office. Sophie Hulme blue leather shoulder bag, The Outnet. WORK: Cashmere v-neck, Next. Felicity skirt, Boden. Marc by Marc Jacobs leather shopper, mytheresa.com. Lips in hazard, Topshop. PLAY: Striped terry Sonia Rykiel dress, Net-a-porter. Dark denim jacket, Mango. Sophia Webster Daria pumps, The Outnet. 

HOW I WEAR MY BAUKJEN LEATHER MINI SKIRT

The December sales are in full swing and with just about every retailer getting involved, it's hard to know where to begin.  My tip? Look for wear-forever buys that you will wear now and well into 2016. I'm avoiding anything remotely 70s inspired, sequinned or bohemian in favour of simple, classic pieces. A perfect example of this is this amazing leather skirt, that's just gone into sale. 

WHAT I WORE TO LONDON FASHION WEEK

I told myself I wasn't going to attend London Fashion Week this season. As a part-time blogger I have no real reason or entitlement to be there, I just happen to love the whole experience. But having given it some thought I realised I would be really sad to miss out on the whole event - I have attended 10 consecutive seasons now and am yet to feel jaded by fashion. So on Saturday I put on my finery and headed to the new venue - Brewer Street Car Park (more on the venue later…) - for the Jasper Conran show. Here's what I wore:

WHAT TO WEAR FOR A JOB INTERVIEW

What to wear for a job interview? It's one of the most googled style questions for a good reason, I think we have all had a sartorial crisis pre-interview at some stage in our careers. Having been Marketing Manager for The Fold London - a British fashion brand that empowers modern professional women - for nearly 5 months, I've learnt so much about the trials women face each day getting dressed for work, pitching for promotions and interviewing for new roles. So, when City Calling got in contact and asked me to write a blog post on this very topic, I thought I'd share some of my recently acquired wisdom. Here are the tips & tricks to follow:

Research the company: Do your research online and investigate the internal dress code (the company website and social media channels often offer clues). Tailor your style to the company's image so as not to alienate those interviewing. 

Stay in your comfort zone: Now is not the time to try the latest trends or to make a bold fashion statement. Wear something comfortable yet smart that makes you feel good. 

Wear comfortable shoes: I made the mistake of wearing new loafers that I hadn't broken in to an interview last year. Just walking into the interview was uncomfortable and I felt self conscious rather than confident thanks to my unavoidable my-heels-are-in-agony limp (unsurprisingly I wasn't hired). A mid-height heel is good solution, walkable meets confidence-boosting is a winning formula. 

Watch your hemline: A raised hemline will raise eyebrows. Keep things knee length or below, you'll be thankful when you sit down in front of HR and your hemline rises! 

Wear something memorable: This slightly contradicts my other tips, however, I strongly believe that an eye-catching accessory can set you apart in a sea of candidates. One former boss told me she hired me because she liked my mint green nail polish (!) - this tip applies even if you don't work in a creative environment - a colourful tote or an eye-catching drop earring can help to differentiate from the crowd.

Here's some job interview outfits to consider:

Corporate: Le Marais navy tuxedo jacket, The Fold London, £245. Le Marais navy tapered trousers, The Fold London, £155. Navy heeled courts, Dorothy Perkins, £25. Structured work tote, Charles & Keith, £59.

Creative: Silk stripe blouse, Uniqlo, £39.90. J.W.Anderson navy pleather skirt, Avenue 32, £148. Sophie Hulme textured shoulder bag, The Outnet, £294.25. Navy honeycup ankle boots, Rupert Sanderson, £555.

Career move: Iris & Ink silk shirt dress, The Outnet, £160. Skinny bud drop earrings, Monica Vinader, £110. Maribel red courts, Liam Fahy, £390. Mini Devonshire tote, Loxley England, £425. 

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. 

WEAR-FOREVER SALE BUYS

Is it really possible to find investment buys in the sales? I have to be honest - not often - I had to scour the internet to create this blogpost. But occasionally, you uncover an amazing gem, a great example being the polka-dot Sophie Hulme trench coat below, reduced by an amazing 70% from £545 to £163 at Avenue 32. Polka dots are one of the few, enduring prints that never-date. I know, I know, a polka dot trench might seem like quite a wacky buy - but in reality it's as wearable as they come. Use it to add interest to jeans + t-shirt ensembles or clash it with florals and stripes J.Crew style - in fact, I can't think of many outfits a hint of polka dot doesn't enhance. Likewise striped styles are great sale buy - I love Chinti and Parker's subtle twist on a breton tee with the addition of a cute heart motif. A classic leather bag is an investment you will never regret, and the Jaeger sale is full of them. Don't be scared to inject a bit of colour, a pop of pink livens up most colour palettes and will take you through autumn/winter. Have you invested in any bargains in the summer sales? 

Top row from L - R: Sophie Hulme polka dot cotton trench, Avenue32, was £545 now £163. Polka dot espadrilles, Penelope Chilver, was £85 now £45. Stripe miniskirt, Reiss, was £95 now £65. 

Middle: Acetate sunglasses, Kenzo, was £185 now £92.50. 

Bottom row L - R: Organic cotton stripe tee, Chinti and Parker, was 385 now £51. Rose gold and diamond star pendant. Astley Clarke, was £850 now £500. Large Lawrence bag, Jaeger, was £199 now £150 - £99.

LFF EDITS: HAPPY SHOPPER

I'm a strong believer in the power of retail therapy. Whilst you can't buy happiness, surrounding yourself with beautiful trinkets undoubtedly promotes a sense of wellbeing. Slogan t-shirts, bright nail polishes and mini-bags: just some of the frivolities I purposefully accumulate that bring an instantaneous smile to my face. For colour-pop nail polishes, my go-to brands are Rimmel, Barry M and Topshop (number 6.) In the fashion scape, Sophia Webster is the queen of witty accessories. Her colourful pop-art inspired designs are a favourite amongst the style editors and sit at the affordable end of the designer fashion scale (number 2.) For super fun ready-to-wear, Sophie Hulme reigns supreme, her polka dot playsuit is a practical but cute summer staple (number 1). Jewellery designer Jennifer Loiselle is a recent LFF discovery, expect kitsch but cool acrylic creations like the pink cherry earrings (number 5.) from her Tutti Frutti collection. Happy shopping! 

1. Sophie Hulme navy polkadot silk playsuit, Liberty London, £325. 
2. Sophia Webster Ida neon t-bar pumps, Net-a-porter.com, £260. 
3. Blue leather skirt, Warehouse, £60. 
4. Mya bag in gold, Boden, £59.40. 
5. Pink acrylic Cherry Crush earrings, Jennifer Loiselle, £45. 
6. Nails in Relapse, Topshop, £5. 

LFF EDITS: WARDROBE UPDATES FOR 2014

I've not kicked off 2014 in the best fashion - I'm currently recovering from a kidney infection which has sapped my energy completely. So, to re-invigorate myself for the season ahead I've compiled this edit of buys to introduce some of the new trends into our wardrobes. Sports luxe is still big news, although for 2014 it's seriously chic so look for luxurious fabrics and pair with a heel. A fun trend that I am loving is the demand for monster themed accessories - Fendi have some amazing monster bags and Sophie Hulme's fluffy keyrings (no.2) are  just too cute! Primary colours are also big news, so don't be afraid to buy in brights and pair them together. Have you started shopping for the new season yet?

1. Iris & Ink felt & vinyl bomber jacket, The Outnet, £195. 
2. Sophie Hulme Pom Pom man keyring, Austique, £95.
3. Étre Cécile fresh air tee, Matchesfashion, £75. 
4. New Balance 410 grey/blue trainers, ASOS, £55. 
5. Lips in Ditsy and Nails in Collegiate, Topshop. 
6. Hillier rose gold bunny pendant, Astley Clarke, £995. 
7. Metallic 'Hama' skirt, Monki, £25. 
8. Iris & Ink two tone leather pouch, The Outnet, £45. 

LFF EDITS: THE SS13 SALES

With the SS13 sales well under way and there are plenty of bargains to be had both on line and in store. As you may have gauged from this week's holiday style diary, I am really loving bold pops of colour right now so this sale edit is dedicated to all things optimistically-hued. Some of these items are quite pricey still (Sophie Hulme's beautiful buckle tote for example) but they are all investment pieces that I think will work for several summers to come. By the way, the Topshop sale started after I put this post together, so be sure to check out their offering too. Happy shopping! 

1. Check silk cotton trousers, Jaeger, was £ 99, now £49.
2. Sophie Hulme buckle tote, Matchesfashion.com, was £570 now £399.
3. Marc Jacobs colour block loafers, Net-a-porter.com, was £350 now £210.
4. Filippa K halter bikini top, Whistles,was £50 now £30.
5. Bliss yellow flatform sandals, StylistPick, was £32 now £15. 
6. Whistles animal jacquard skirt, Atterley Road, was £125 now £65.
7. Balenciaga round-frame sunglasses, The Outnet, was £235.94 now £94.38.

SIX OF THE BEST: KNITS WITH WIT FOR AW12

The coolest way to beat the chill this autumn/winter is by donning a witty knit or sweater emblazoned with a topical motif. A knit with wit is a key style for the season (see Burberry's AW12 owl jumper) and if Ashish’s SS13 catwalk was anything to by, the trend will continue well into 2013 too.

Whether you opt for a cute motif or a fun slogan (Markus Lupfer's 'Totes Amaze' sweater is my absolute  favourite!), this trend is all about having fun with your fashion. I've just splashed out of the J W Anderson for Topshop ghost knit (number.6) which was also seen on Alexa Chung recently. And hey if a knit with wit is good enough for Chung, then it's good enough for us!

1. Knitted Garcon jumper, Topshop, £40.
2. Flocked deer-print sweater, Jaeger, £60.
3. Markus Lupfer Boom sweater, Farfetch.com, £295.
4. Markus Lupfer Totes Amaze sweater, Harvey Nichols, £295.
5. Sophie Hulme Dino pattern sweater, Farfetch.com, £465.
6. J W Anderson for Topshop Ghost jumper, Topshop, £69.99.

TOTES AMAZING: THE BEST BAGS FOR AW12

If you hadn't registered already- I'm pretty crazy about handbags, so I've done a bit of fantasy shopping and selected my favourite styles for AW12. As a guide, here are the key trends to look out for when selecting your new-season accessories:

• Purple is the colour to be seen in for AW12; update your LBD by accessorising with a statement clutch in a rich purple hue. Christopher Kane's deep purple leopard print clutch (no.3) is undoubtedly the accessory of the season. 
• Animal prints are, as ever, a key trend. If you're bored of leopard prints, try a reptilian effect, as seen in the Whistles 'Jocelyn' tote (no.9.)
• Look out for gold hardware details to add a touch of luxe to your look. Sophie Hulme's (no.8) hardware-heavy totes wowed me at London Fashion Week back in February. 
• Digital prints are still big news. Rianna Phillips' 'Spiked Juliette' clutch (no.1) combines delicate florals with edgy spike prints, updating summer's blooms and botanicals trend for AW12.

1. Spiked Juliette digital-print clutch, Rianna Phillips, £72.00.

2. Jimmy Choo Candy glitter clutch, Net-a-porter.com, £350.

3. Christopher Kane leopard-print clutch, Net-a-porter.com, £390.

4. Marc by Marc Jacobs Classic Q Karlie bag, Selfridges, £220.00.

5. Green metal tip satchel, ASOS, £28.00.

6. Lily with Tiger detail bag, Mulberry, £595.

7. Delta leopard print structured bag, Stylistpick, £35.00.

8. Sophie Hulme medium black tote, my-wardrobe.com, £559.00.

9. Jocelyn snake tote, Whistles, £295.00.

SOPHIE HULME'S TRICERA-TOP AW12 LONDON FASHION WEEK PRESENTATION

Sophie Hulme's AW12 presentation was my first LFW port of call at Somerset House this morning. If you haven't discovered Sophie Hulme yet, there's a real buzz around her in the fashion world at the moment; Hulme's hardwear-heavy handbags are toted by many a fashion editor, regulary featured in Vogue and are sells-out in Selfridges. But today's presentation proved that Hulme doesn't just do accessories, she also does clothing, and very well at that.

When my invite for the presentation arrived decorated with t-rex motifts, I knew I was in for a treat. But whilst the dinosaur motifs were prevalent throughout the whole of Hulme's AW12 collection (and in the portico room where a giant gold t-rex towered above the catwalk), there was nothing prehistoric about these looks.

In front of a crowd that included Suzie Bubble and my-wardrobe.com's buying and merchandising director Luisa de Paula, with refreshments of Bloody Marys and bacon sandwiches on offer, Hulme showed a pitch-perfect collection. Dinosaur motifs were seen in most of the looks, from gold necklaces through to belt buckles and fairisle knits. Even more spectaculary, Hulme had created her own dinosaur motif 'lace' that decorated blouses, shift dresses and even covered a parka- very cool indeed.

The outerwear on display in the collection was pretty fabulous too, well-cut mannish coats and parkas looked cosy and wearable and came complete with fashionista must-have; contrast sleeves. The colour palette of dove grey, black and navy may have been classic, but contrasted against the gold dinosaurs with pops of fuschia pink, it looked fresh and new.


Looking at these pictures you may be suprised to know that this was Sophie Hulme's first on-schedule LFW show, but with the cute-yet-chic dinosaur theme contrasted against some classic designs, Sophie Hulme made London Fashion Week look like a walk in the (Jurassic) park.

Bloody Marys and bacon sandwiches were on offer for delicate press and buyers!

The Sophie Hulme t-rex

There's dinosaurs knitted into the design of this jumper!

The dino-lace parka