Mama knows best.

Wallis dress 

As I sat in a room more familiar than my own, I once again realized how much my mum has influenced my style. To get to the bare bones of this blog, I must say that without my upbringing I might not have felt the urge to write about fashion. But with every year of my life the passion grew, and that was because of one woman. My mum. It may be a cliché, but I am not someone to hide one when its true.

Today, as a common  ritual between my mum and I, she is showcasing her latest finds. I haven't seen her in a few weeks and her wardrobe holds some real high street gems. The thing with my mum is that she does not dress too young, or too old. She doesn't dress dowdy or as a slave to the trends. She knows her shape and what colours suit her, something which has been invaluable advice growing up as I know which colours drain my complexion. But enough about me, here is the woman that taught me everything I know about fashion:

How do you decide what to buy in the high street? 


I always dress to disguise my shape, trying always to achieve a slimmer line. I wear loose cardigans mixed with longer tops that may balance out some skinny jeans. I also make sure that if I wear a dress it has to be a shift and cut in proportion.

Range of t-shirts from right, Mango, Next, Warehouse, Peruna 

What colours do you wear once you have found the perfect shape? 


I normally choose bright colours, even in the winter, and especially white in the summer as it brightens my face and suits my complexion. As I have green eyes and brown hair I also choose some autumn tones as they always suit me.

Which are your favourite high street shops?


It is always important to discover which shops make clothes that suit you. For example, I always go to Zara for tops, but choose Wallis for trousers. I also normally find my jumpers online, especially on a brand called Wrap, as they do great deals for good quality cashmere knitwear. I would say overall, Zara is my favourite.

What is your inspiration for your style? 


I read lots of magazines to find out what the trends are and which stores are adopting them. I don't like wearing a whole outfit from the same shop so always shop around. You have to mix and match and hunt around, that is what matters.

Do you always wear the trends?

I do like wearing the trends but try and wear them my own way! I used to make my own clothes, but now it is quite difficult to get fabric, so I do think I have quite an individual style because of that.

Handmade tartan jacket by my mum!

What do you think of the idea of wearing 'vintage'? 


I was brought up not to wear other people's clothes, so I don't really like the idea. When I have visited a vintage store it is mostly hand-made stuff anyway, so very expensive for what you are buying.

Finally, describe your style in three words?


Young at heart!

So, as my mum shuts her wardrobe for another day, I know it is my turn. Like mother, like daughter, I had been shopping too.

H&M's perfect £12.99 paisley dress

This bang on trend dress from H&M is a bargain at only £12.99. It also comes in a range of colours, including orange and pink. I opted for the black with a dash of neon to continue my attempt at this bright trend. I teamed my favourite combo of chunky gold jewellery and pearls to add some more of my character to the dress. For cooler days add a blazer and flatforms to complete the look.  

Have you found a bargain bang on trend dress yet?

Lipsy VIP: dress to impress with these dresses modelled by Millie Mackintosh

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The Easter break for me isn't about chocolate egss, bunnies and a time to sit down with the bible. Instead, it is all about the big wardrobe switch over. 

As I grew up a certain ritual began between my mum and I. As the sun would suddenly outweigh the rain I would itch to start wearing my summer wardrobe, begging my mum that now was the time to hit the shops and buy our new summer wardrobes. But every year I would receive the same response.  "Wait till Easter poppet, that is when it'll time for summer clothes." Well, for a few years, since moving off to university and becoming an 'independent woman' I haven't been listening to my mum. My summer wardrobe is already taking shape, with flutterings of pastels and shots of bright neons. 

However, there has been one thing that I've saved for my Easter break back home. I need dresses. Lots of dresses. To my delight I have five formal occasions, including my 21st birthday where I need to look fabulous, and all the events need an amazing dress. I have already started the search, trying not to go for the obvious options like Topshop or Zara, as isn't every girls nightmare seeing someone else in the same dress as you?

So when I heard that Lipsy had launched a VIP range on the 27th March I could not have been more excited. The collection features 17 designs, all of which have been modelled by everyone's favourite posh girl, Millie Mackintosh of Made in Chelsea fame. 

All the dresses are reminiscent of couture but at a good price. You are looking at about £100 a pop, but I think these garments ooze a greater expense. Here are my favourite five: 

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I absolutely love the dress above. I  need it in my life! What does everyone think of the collection?

How to get minted quick!

Unfortunately, I am not talking about a fantastic money making scheme that I have just dreamed up. This is a fashion blog after all. Instead I am going to show you how to find the key peices that follow my favourite trend this season: Mint! I absolutely adore this colour, and cannot wait to start wearing it. I do have a slight issue though, as with my pale skin and dark hair I might end up looking more ghost-like than chic. I have always steered clear of pastel shades but I really want to make an exception with this trend. So, I am taking the first step: my nails. ( I used No.7 nail polish in Minty Fresh)

I managed to take a picture of this by balancing my camera on my chin and starting the timer..now that is dedication to the cause!

I am slightly undecided about this colour as I normally stick to very safe colours. I could not survive without my red nail polish, but I really want to indulge in this colour more. What does everyone think? 

I have already resigned myself to the fact that all the gorgeous mint coloured blouses in Zara could never be worn by me. However, thankfully, the high street has some gorgeous alternative mint garments which I could certainly wear! Here are my favourites from River Island!  

 These lovely jeans are perfect for spring, especially as they currently have £10 off, making them only £20! Thanks River Island! 

 These smart shorts, also by River Island are now  on my lust list at £28. I'll be wearing mine with a crop top and smart white blazer.

I love how mint is styled here. I would not have thought to team it with black but with the balance of feminine and masculine touches Topshop has proven they know how to style the trend!

If, unlike me, you can wear pastels near your face then I would recommend wearing this trend with silver. A cute mint dress worn with metallic accesorizes is perfect for summer and gives an edgy look rather than people mistakening you for an ice cream. I am picturing here a pale pink sweater and a mint dress. Just no. Here are my picks from Topshop:

First this gorgeous metallic jumper at £36, which would look great with these mint green patterned leggings at £20. I have also picked some silver and mint shoes at £60 and sunglasses at £14

 I have also checked out Miss Selfridge to see what they have to offer and this is my favourite item from their collection. I absolutely love all the maxi skirts that are in the shops at the moment, especially the ones styled like this example.

I would probably wear this skirt, £37, with a buttoned white shirt, flats, £25, and some costume jewellery, £10, for a fun day look.

So there you have it, a quick round up of what the mint trend has to offer on the British high street. I for one, cannot wait to get shopping and try this fabulously fresh trend. On a final note, if mint clothes are not your style, here is one final idea to experiment with this colour...

Thanks ManicMagazine for this inspiration!

Hiow have you styled this trend?