Wear British brands with pride!

This year has been a very British year indeed; the Queen’s jubilee, the Euros, and now the Olympics are about to start. There have been many reason’s to support and be proud of this country, and people are not shy to show the world that they’re British. 

Some take it to the extreme though, wearing nothing but red, white and blue, and sometimes even with the Union Jack printed on their clothes – like a certain Spice Girls member from the 90’s…

I’ve seen Geri’s new Union Jack dress collection at Next, and it’s NOT pretty. I would say it looks quite tacky actually.

One way to show your support for Britain during the upcoming Olympics could simply be to wear British designed clothes. Homegrown brands such as Little Mistress, Oh My Love, Fever London or A Postcard From Brighton are brands to be proud of, and they’re easy to make a statement with without having to be too extreme. What do you think of the below homegrown garments?

I must say that Orla Kiely is my favourite alternative UK brand at the moment – a fabulous collection of crazy patterns and unusual materials that can be found at online store Zalando. I would be more than happy to wear anything from this line – although it is a little bit pricey…

Braided summery hairstyles

I got a little bit of a girl crush on Blake Lively when I first saw this photo of her with an amazing long fishtail braid. This is like the ultimate summer hairstyle, and it’s perfect both for a day on the beach and for a night out. I would never be able to achieve this gorgeous look with my locks though… my hair is fairly long, but far from long enough, and I’m guessing this style requires really thick hair as well – which I don’t have. My hair is just “normal” and quite boring… you can’t do much with it at all.

For special occasions I’ve sometimes thought I’d like to try hair extensions, but when I see them on other girls they sometimes look very fake. I’ve seen a lot of nice ones as well though, but I’m guessing they’re a bit pricier.

For this summer I wouldn’t mind trying out clip on ponytails to get Blake Lively’s look. Just check out this one from Hershesons hair accessories online store.

My hair looks very much like the “before” picture here, regarding both length and colour, so this clip on ponytail would probably be perfect for my hair!

I also love this summer hairstyle of Ashley Olsen. It’s a romantic looking updo that requires minimum effort – it’s supposed to look a bit loose with tresses hanging down and framing your face. If you don’t have hair long or thick enough to create this style you can simply use a braided hairband such as the one below.

I’ve sometimes used fake hair when putting up my hair in a bun. One of those scrunchy-types with curly hair on… know what I mean? It’s so simple to use when wanting to create a nice updo in no time at all.

Do you use hair extensions for special occasions or for going out, and if not – would you consider trying it?

Adding some colour to my life

The postman came to drop off a delivery for me today - a shiny new handbag!

I was browsing for a new handbag in several stores on Friday since my old one is about to fall apart, and I fell in love with this light teal coloured faux leather bag from Accessorize. I actually ordered it in their online sale after having seen it in their city center store, and didn't pay more than £20 for it.

I realised when I got it today that I've got a matching nailpolish (well, it's slightly more of a blue hue, but it still matches). Look at this match made in heaven ;)

I received this nailpolish in a Glossybox a few months ago, and it's a shade called "Sex kitten" (I know, funny name!) by the brand Leighton Denny.

I'm so glad I invested in this handbag. It feels like a good buy. I'm the kind who buys a handbag and proper wears it out before I buy a new one again, hence the worn out handbag I mentioned earlier. That one ended up in the bin straight away!

Dresses suitable for wedding guests

Decisions, decisions! I am going to a wedding later this month and I really don't know what to wear! I've not been to many weddings in my life, and at the ones I have been to the guest have been so dressed up – of course I want to go for the typical wedding guest look too!

I’ve been browsing around what feels like every fashion shop’s website this past week, and I must say I’m well confused. I obviously know that you’re not supposed to go for a white dress since that is the colour the bride will be wearing, but I still want to wear something quite light and summery. Nothing too party-ish that means I risk showing off my knickers if I bend down. I want something semi sophisticated, but still something that I will be able to dance in without stepping on the skirt. As I said; decisions, decisions…

I think the best thing would be to go for a dress with a partly flared medium long shirt.

What do you think of the ones below? I’ve especially had my eyes on the navy and cream embellished dress by Little Mistress (next to last picture). I found it on the BANK website, and it’s just goooorgeous!

  Cream and navy Little Mistress one shoulder dress £45

Light pink flower detail dress by Ruby prom £way-too-expensive!

 Black and cream Rare Grecian drape dress £40

 Coral structured dress by House of Dereon £49

 Light brown knee length lace dress by River Island £35

 Cream pink Sasha strapless dress £39.99

 Navy and cream embellished dress by Little Mistress £55

 Royal blue Elise Ryan jewel strapless dress £34.99

Celebrity Summer Style

Look like Lauren Conrad in fabulous high waist trousers from Fever Designs.  These Cindy Waimea Trousers in red are comfortable to wear and flattering to your figure, whilst inducing a fresh, sophisticated vibe with a touch of summer brightness.  What’s more, the candy apple red colour is simply stunning. The material is loose and comfortable, so will be the perfect choice for those warm summer days stuck at the office.  Copy Lauren’s style by teaming the trousers with a white blouse or shirt with the sleeves rolled up to achieve that stylish yet casual look.  Finish the outfit by experimenting with the brand new trend this season of platforms, so the trouser ends don’t drag on the floor, or play it safe with a classic pair of black heels.

 

If there’s any style to be influenced by this summer, it’s got to be that of Sex and the City star Kristen Davis.  She looks mesmerising in her vibrant summer frock, so why not take a leaf out of her book and play around with floral prints. The Menorca Mocoa Dress in Navy is the ideal option, with enough vivacious range of colours and floral patterns for you to dazzle just about anybody.  The bright mixture of pinks and yellows fits in brilliantly with this season’s trend of colour clashing, while the overall style of the dress itself is flattering to your figure.  With this dress you have the perfect balance between a maxi and a short summer frock, so while you still have the chance to show off your summer tan, the dress is long enough to suggest an aura of elegance and classiness.

 

Fergie is a fashionista you want to be following, and she’s proven her fantastic eye for fashion with a sexy summer halter neck maxi dress.  This look is easily achieved with the Rio Maxi Dress in Mint by Fever, and is ideal for those hot summer days when you’re in need of feeling cool and comfortable, but still want to look glamorous. The dress comes to approx 150cm in length from the side neck point, but with the halter neck you can wear it in whatever way makes you feel comfortable.  With this also comes a wide panel waist band to outline and compliment your figure, so it’s not so comfortable that it hangs in an unflattering or shapeless way.

Think Pink!

Flaunt your femininity this season and opt for a fabulous pair of pink skinny jeans. These ones from Current/Elliot has a relatively striking colour and they're very girly. The colour is also very soft and subtle without looking faded or washed out. Team these jeans with a colourful or printed tee or blouse to achieve a truly summery vibe. You could even experiment with the season’s hot new trend of colour clashing by rocking a pastel yellow or green tee to finish the look.

Pastel colours are a definite essential for any wardrobe this season, and this cute Ghost Pink Wildfox Love Poison Laurel T-Shirt is the perfect place to start. The tee has a loose fit so is ideal for attaining a casual yet chic look, with the skeleton design giving it a fresh, punky edge. This is a comfortable and stylish choice of clothing for any time of year and it looks best with skinny jeans or leggings, so avoid accompanying it with baggy trousers, as it can result in you looking like you are bigger than you actually are.

If pastel is too plain and you’re searching for something a little more daring, then play around with neon colours to add some extra zing to your look. The 811 Skinny Jeans, created by J. Brand and made from Japanese Twill, are slim-fitting and are ideal if you’re keen to flaunt your figure. The jeans look incredibly soft and comfortable and are fit to size with a little bit of stretch in them as well. The colour itself is very girly and summery, and would look fantastic accompanied by a printed or patterned T-Shirt or blouse, or if you’re looking to colour block, a similarly bright or neon tee.

 

Pour some passion into your fashion life, with a Passionate Pink Low-rise Thong from Hanky Panky. This type of pink is striking, loud and vibrant but at the same time it holds an ambience of richness and panache. Not only will you feel sexy in them - Hanky Panky’s thongs are also incredibly comfortable and easy to wear without any fuss or annoyance.

Floral and multiway summer dresses

It was midsummer last weekend, something we Swedes celebrate like crazy. It doesn't feel like midsummer this year though... it doesn't even feel like summer! What happened to the weather?! I actually skipped all kinds of celebrations last weekend, and I'll move them to next weekend instead, when I'm having some lovely Swedish girls over for a barbeque.

In real midsummer tradition you should really wear flowers in your hair, but an alternative to that could be to wear floral clothing. These floral dresses from are perfect summer dresses, and I wouldn't mind adding them all to my little collection. I'm not much for florals really, but these dresses are just so pretty and summery!

Most of these dresses are from the "hippie" shop Joe Browns, and so is this versatile summer dress below. Super clever, and great for bringing on a hot holiday - this dress can be worn in several different ways. If you know that you usually pack to much for your holidays (I know I do!) then a multiway dress like this is a perfect investment.

Right now there's actually a sale on at Joe Browns, so if you're lucky you might just find some bargain dresses to fill your summer wardrobe with.