July 12, 2021 at 05:00AM I don’t know about you, but I love a pretty trend. Maybe it’s the romantic in me, but I tend to lean toward dreamy, delicate, and graceful styles over anything else. Lucky for me (and you if this is what you’re into as well), this summer season offers plenty of delightfully “pretty” styles and silhouettes that are trending hard. From beautiful ruching to lovely embroidery and vintage-inspired V waistlines, I’ve been spotting these swoon-worthy styles all over the fashion crowd and at our favorite retailers. They’ll, no doubt, add a captivating and charming touch to your summer ensembles. Keep scrolling below for the loveliest fabrics, silhouettes, and styles worth trying (and Instagramming!) this summer.Sweet, textured details always add a pretty touch to dresses and tops alike. Smocking and ruching are ideal for showing off throughout the summer months. I’m a sucker…
July 11, 2021 at 08:00AM Summer holidays might not look how we’d like them to this year, but it doesn’t mean we can’t dust off our swimsuits and get ready for the warmer weather that lies ahead. Now, before you get too excited and end up spending all your money on the first cute swimsuit you see, let me share with you one of the only swimsuit trends I think you need to know this season: retro florals. I am officially convinced that if you’re going to be seen in one swimsuit trend this summer, make it retro florals.Retro florals entail any floral print that looks like it came straight out of the ‘60s, '70s, or '80s. The nostalgia these funky prints bring is what makes this swim trend feel fresh and different compared to your average floral-printed suit. To further sell you on this…
July 11, 2021 at 08:00AM Marks and Spencer is one of our favourite places to shop for long-lasting wardrobe staples and has a strong track record of every day turning basics into cult items, whether it’s a grey jumper or a beige wrap coat. I am most impressed by M&S’ footwear department, and wear a pair of ballet pumps at least nine days out of ten, as they are the comfiest shoes I own. These ÂŁ35 pumps have a high cut and a gentle V towards the toe, which make them appear more elevated that the classic almond toe. There’s something a little Phoebe Philo about this silhouette, no? I personally stick to the black pair, however they are also available in lavender, camel, leopard print, red and navy blue.Ballet pumps were the height of cool circa 2008 thanks to Kate Moss and her weakness for Repetto. Over the past five…
July 11, 2021 at 08:00AM I’m pretty lucky. Not only do I have a job where I get to experience, write, and learn about the newest and most exciting products, treatments, and trends hitting the beauty industry, but I also get to interview and get to know the artists and experts who execute and create them. That said, I also feel lucky to have a beauty-loving, 73-year-old makeup artist mom who I can consult about anything and everything. (My poor father never gets a word in when we have a family catch-up call. Sorry, Dad!) Being a 73-year-old product junkie and also a Tucson-based makeup expert who specialises in educating older women about makeup and skincare, my beautiful mum knows a thing or two when it comes to choosing the best products for mature skin. Oftentimes (but not always), when I try to foist my favourite…
July 11, 2021 at 08:00AM Your age should have absolutely nothing to do with what you should or shouldn’t wear. That said, we often gravitate toward women over 40 for style inspiration given their more experienced points of view. Influencers Erin Busbee and Melissa Meyers are two women we turn to for outfit inspo.Busbee, 46, and Meyers, 56, both consistently post looks on their blogs and Instagram feeds that are equal parts chic and easy. On that note, we were inclined to learn about the key pieces they’re into this season to build some of their strongest looks. They actually shared with us the five trends they both love due to the simple yet directional vibes.Keep scrolling to check out more from Busbee and Meyers, including styling inspiration. There’s also a wide variety of shopping picks if you’re interested in adding one of their go-to trends to your own…
July 11, 2021 at 08:00AM When it comes to French style signifiers, there are some that immediately come to mind. Breton stripes is one, basket bags is another, and feline eyeliner flicks also have an undeniable je ne sais quoi about them. But when it comes to hair, there’s one style that feels more Gallic than the rest, and that’s long hair with fringe. Of course, the look isn’t just popular with the French, but there’s something about tumbling lengths offset with a sweeping fringe that feels very Parisian. Regardless of its origin, it’s a hairstyle that looks incredibly chic and is becoming increasingly popular in beauty circles. For those with long hair, going for the chop is the ultimate commitment. After all, it can take months, if not years, to grow your hair back out should a shorter style not be to your liking. Cue the fringe—a small tweak that can make all the difference in your look…
July 11, 2021 at 08:00AM Holly Willoughby wearing a Rixo dress on This Morning.Rixo is a great British success story. Best friends Henrietta Rix and Orlagh McCloskey created their fashion business from the front room in their student flat in 2015. Five years later, their vintage-style dresses have had a colossal impact on how women in the UK dress. I can’t remember the last wedding I went to where I didn’t see a guest wearing Rixo, and it’s the brand that is mentioned the most among my friends. Look in any high-street store and you’ll also see its influence.Rixo creates beautiful silk dresses you can wear to any occasion and looks to vintage prints and silhouettes to ensure that these are classics you can treasure. When you’re spending ÂŁ250 on a dress, you want it to be something you can wear again and…
July 11, 2021 at 06:45AM There’s something so timelessly chic about backless dresses. They recall hot summer nights, the South of France, and a touch of carelessness all at once. The only time I go braless (with D-cup boobs) is for a backless dress, and though I’m still wrapping my head around the fact that that is perfectly okay, it feels a bit rebellious. Plus, they are just so comfortable when the temperatures warm up. Walking into a room having one’s back exposed is a secret that belongs only to the dress’s wearer. It’s business in the front, party in the back. Backless dresses ensure your last impression is as fab as your first. And the best part is that they come in so many styles, from mini halters and long-sleeve linen dream gowns, to cross-back frocks that make for dreamy wedding guest looks.  Keep scrolling for the best backless…
July 11, 2021 at 06:02AM Perhaps it’s that pedicure I’ve just been for, but at this precise moment, all I can think about are sandals. I’ve only invested in one pair this season (Dune’s Longisland chunky flip-flops, in case you were wondering), and now that summer is officially upon us, I now realise that I seriously lack in the sandal department.I only buy new sandals every other year, or longer if I can help it, so I can only assume that in 2019, I decided to rid myself of all my tatty sandals come autumn with the view of replenishing them in 2020. Considering last year was something of a write-off, it’s only now that I see I neglected to do so.There’s an upside to starting from scratch, though. It means I can invest in versatile styles that will form my core collection, pairs…
July 11, 2021 at 06:00AM There’s no doubt that Le Labo’s widely adored fragrance Santal 33 is one of the most defining scents of the last decade. From Alexa Chung to Justin Bieber, some of the most iconic celebrities have professed their love for the unisex scent. And in all honesty, I’d go as far as to say that it was Santal 33 that put unisex fragrances back on the map. Before it, the offering of unisex scents didn’t stretch far beyond Calvin Klein’s CK One. Nowadays, however, if a new fragrance launch doesn’t work for men just as well as it does women, we don’t want to hear about it.It’s true that more masculine fragrances are having a moment, but it was Santal 33’s unique and unrivalled freshness that made us ladies realise that life didn’t have to be all vanilla and roses. Traditionally masculine, woody notes could…