A Selection of Striped Dresses

White and Grey Striped Maxi Dress by Warehouse £30

No Shortage of Cuteness

Please excuse the terrible pun, but I couldn’t help myself after all the ooh-ing and aah-ing sounds I made looking at Miss Selfridges’ excellent range of shorts.  There’s a little bit of everything from denim hotpants to retro high-waisted shorts in a wide range of colours and prints – animal, polka dots, flowers, stripes. And lots and lots of bows! So whether you want to rock a retro pin-up look or tap into nautical, utility or rock chick trends, I’d recommend you take a look at the following little numbers.

Friday Frock

Wowza! is the first word that came to my mind when I came across this dress on ModCloth. This figure-hugging little number is incredibly sexy on top of being absolutely adorable. If you dream to be a retro pin-up, this is definitely the dress for you, but hurry up; the dress has already sold out once.

Retro nautical striped sexy dress by ModCloth $114.99

Mini Midi Maxi

Nautical dresses are everywhere at the moment. They come in many different lengths, shapes and prices, so you are bound to find the one to your taste that will fit your shape (and your budget!)

Nautical T-shirt Dress by Missguided £19.99

Silk Navy Stripe Dress by Jigsaw £146

Maxi Stripe Dress by Miso at Republic £29.99

Playful Polka

What do I love? That’s right, polka dots! And as much as I hate jumpsuits, I really like wearing playsuits in summer—I find them really cute and so easy to wear. With its great wrap over neckline and bow to the side, this polka dot silk playsuit by Oasis is just ridiculously adorable. £55.

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Update: More polka dot prints, more playsuits.

The Smart Businesswoman’s Wardrobe Staple – The Pencil Dress

For those of us not lucky enough to go to the Oscars as part of our jobs, there are still some stylish dresses we can wear in the workplace. Granted, pencil dresses aren’t as exciting as red carpet gowns, but there are smart, flattering and very easy to wear.

All you need to complete the look is to add a pair of heels and—depending on the model—a belt. It doesn’t get any simpler than this! Professional and practical, the pencil dress belongs in every woman’s wardrobe.

Structured navy jersey pencil dress by Monsoon £55

Belted red pencil dress by Jaeger £220

Black pencil dress by Oasis £75

Paneled grey pencil dress by Oasis £65 now £30

More Nautical Stripe Bikinis

Since the nautical triangle bikini I posted a week ago is only left in a few sizes, I have found two similar models for you. The gold ring detail on the model on the right will be good for those who like a more sophisticated look. Personally, I prefer the one on the left, as I like a touch of red on nautical bikinis and clothes.

Nautical Stripe Bikini Top with gold ring detail by Accessorize £14

Nautical Stripe Bikini Bottom with gold ring detail by Accessorize £14

Nautical Stripe Bikini Top with red ties by Oasis £14

Nautical Stripe Bikini Bottom with red ties by Oasis £14

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Update: More nautical clothes and accessories, a selection of bikinis and striped items.

Ebay Find – Sexy Red Shoes

I was browsing ebay when I came across these sexy patent shoes and thought they’d be the perfect follow-up to my nautical post from yesterday—these would work well for the pin-up version of the nautical look as well as make a great addition to your wardrobe. Team with a pair of white or navy shorts and a stripey top and you’re good to go. If possible, find a way to recall the red of the shoes in the rest of your outfit—lipstick, detailing or brooch, for example.

I have to admit I am not very familiar with buying clothes on ebay, I’ve only ever bought books and DVDs from it.  I am  however quite interested in the idea of buying designer pieces at a cheaper price, but I’m not sure how safe it is—I don’t really want to end up with a cheap copy.

In this case however, the red pumps with bows are from New Look and the maroon platform heels are from ASOS, so I don’t think there is any risk of being disappointed. There are no bids on either of them as I’m writing this and the price starts at £1.50. Good luck. ;)

Personal Favourites: Nautical But Nice

I absolutely love, love, love a bit of nautical inspiration for the summer. It’s fun, fresh and flirty. Plus, it never goes out of style. Go for blue (preferably navy) and white stripes, Navy-inspired cuts and mix with a touch of red and anchor-shaped jewellery.

A modern take on the theme makes for an easy, fuss-free day-look, or you can channel your inner pin-up with retro-influenced pieces. If you go for the latter, try to stick to copper or gold-coloured accessories rather than silver.

Asymmetrical Nautical Print Silk Dress by Oasis £55.

Nautical Triangle Bikini Top and String Brief by Accessorize £18 and £14.

Vintage-style Anchor Necklace by ASOS £5.

White Bow, Red Canvas Ballerinas by Accessorize £20.