Stylish Dresses and Festival Fashion

We’re in the middle of the summer festival season around the UK, whether you want to wear stylish dresses or any other festival fashion this summer, we give you a few tips and ideas on what to wear. Lets face it fashion at festivals is almost as important as the music and creating an individual and eyecatching look is the key to finding the perfect festival fashion.

Think carefully about which festival you are attending. A one day festival in London may well allow for a much more elaborate outfit than a muddy field in Glastonbury and may well give you the opportunity to wear one of your more expensive designer  dresses but there are plenty of stylish dresses around which will work for all sorts of different festivals.

Havianas Printed Rain Boots – Exclusive to Selfridges

Regent Savoy Boots – Hunter at Selfridges

You will also probably want to consider the weather and for more extreme wet conditions consider your footwear. Long dresses and maxi dresses are always stylish dress and look amazing but if the weather is bad denim cut offs and wellies might be a better bet. You can brighten up a grey day with some fun and colourful patterned wellington boots or go for the classic festival fashion hunter wellington boots which are available in a range of colours and styles.

Seven For All Mankind Vintage Wash Denim Shorts – My Wardrobe

Anna Sui Printed Silk Dress – The Outnet

If long dresses aren’t your thing beach dresses are also a good choice in hot weather and can be reused for your summer holiday making it worthwhile investing in designer pieces or slightly more expensive dresses.

Sequin Trim Fedora by Eugenia Kim – My Wardrobe

Multi Strand Jewel and shell necklace by Iosselliani – My Wardrobe

You can choose to wear a seventies, boho or rock and roll inspired outfit or pick from any of the  summers other hot trends including colour blocking and floral dresses. Fun statement accesories are a great way to dress up basic but  stylish dresses and give them a festival fashion feel. Think about hair flowers and wide brimmed hats if you want to get that seventies style. You can also wear cowboy boots and tassels for a western theme or beaded jewellery for a boho style.

Day Birger et Mikkelson Cross Body Bag – My Wardrobe

An across the body bag or small belt purse is the easiset and safest way to carry a few belongings with you.

Green Lense Aviator Sunglasses by Ray Ban – My Wardrobe

You will also need some sunglasses for that air of rock star mystery and of course so you can see your favourite bands. The most classic style is of course Rayban Wayfarers but these green lense aviators also look pretty cool.

Barbour Duralin Brigade Jacket by My Wardrobe

A cover up for the evening or to protect you from the sun is a good idea. Denim or leather jackets, vintage style kimono jackets and oversized shirts are all great festival fashions. For wet weather, a waterproof is essential but don’t worry there are plenty of stylish options out there

Blooming Marvelous Dolce And Gabbana Dresses For Summer

Dolce and Gabbana dresses are sought after for their ability to make women look and feel sexy. They are just the sort of clothes that women love to wear. The Italian design duo Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana have perfected the art of making beautiful and eye catching clothes with a big helping of Italian style. Their collections are perfect for strong women who know what they want and aren’t afraid to make a bold statement with their clothes. The pair have created many recognisable celebrity designer dresses many of which could be seen at the recent Dolce and Gabbana Dress me up party in London.

D&G is the brands diffusion line which sells slightly more affordable versions of the brands main line but still with that very recognisable signature style. It includes beautiful Dolce and Gabbana dresses including bodycon dresses plus corset tops and blouses.

For summer 2011 the D&G collection featured some stunning floral dresses with bold and bright botanical prints on a white background. The colours make you feel as if you are walking through a beautful garden filled with all sorts of different blooms from  Roses to Peony and Mimosa. The clothes have a dream like quality that was inspired by a dream of a garden party. There are beautiful Dolce and Gabbana dresses in the collection for just about every occasion from a summer garden party to a day at the races and lunch with the girls. There are also a variety of different styles to suit most body types from figure hugging bodycon dresses to flowing chiffon maxi dresses.

With botanical prints and floral dresses  being such a huge trend this summer Dolce and Gabbana dresses are such to be a big hit so if you like them don’t delay on bagging yourself one as soon as you can.

Violet Printed Tiered Gown

Probably the most romantic of the floral dresses in the collection this stunning chiffon maxi dress would be ideal for a formal event perhaps a wedding or day at the races. Its pretty pattern and loose fit  are so perfect for a really hot summer day.

Blue Rose Sweater Dress

This sweater dress is a really versatile piece as it can work well as a designer day dress with a pair of ballet pumps or for the evening with a pair of heels and tailored jacket. It is one of the prettiest and most elegant bodycon dresses around for the summer.

Peony Print Champagne Dress

This classic style of shift dress is again ideal for formal occasions but could also work well as a smart dress for work. It is fitted to cling in just the right places, a key look of the Dolce and Gabanna signature style. For a casual look, a denim jacket is the perfect addition and for a more formal occasion a brightly coloured clutch.

Blue Rose Print Dress

Another body con style this simple but very stylish dress is fitted but has a bustier top and flattering panels to add to its appeal. The red and blue roses would again look good with denim or any red, blue or tan accessories.

Peony Day Clutch

Finally if you are not brave enough to go for all over flowers, you can still add a touch of the floral magic of the D&G summer collection with this pretty clutch.

Shop Garden party:

Going Out On The Town In Hot Pink Dresses

Despite whatever trends are out there at the moment, or predicted to be out there this coming season, one things for sure, when we get a chance us girls just love to wear Pink. This is a point not lost on our friends at Designer clothing store Van Mildert as they have recognised too when it comes to pinks, candy’s and corals that its an urge we can’t resist and the inner “Girly” just has to break free.

With the summer moving progressively nearer they’ve put together a collection of stunningly beautiful hot pink dresses that will become evermore popular over the coming months as the warmer weather draws ever closer and the big occasions of the summer start to encroach. So if you’ve got a big summer occasion to look forward to such as a birthday celebration, a wedding guest or a once in a life time holiday coming up well here’s your excuse to get hold of a belter of a designer dress.

However, its not lost on us that these designer dresses are not just a dress to wear for one occasion only, these hot pink designer dresses are investment pieces that need to work with different looks to get the most from them, to be worn time and time again regardless of the season. As and investment in your wardrobe, you should just as easily consider it in the warmth of a summer evening than in the cooler spring night or for a Christmas party for that matter, it all boils down to how you accessorise.

Accesorising is the key to any look to maintain the longevity of any wardrobe classic or capsule piece, so think not just about the dress but how to adapt the look just by adding a little garment here and there. So for example the D&G by Dolce and Gabbana Womens Stretch Satin Fuchsia Pink Dress is a classic sleeveless mini shift dress that could be worn equally well in the summer for example, if you can match with a pair of killer laboutins or Jimmy Choos, perhaps with a shawl to keep the chill off your shoulders. Alternatively in the cooler weather of spring or winter as Katie shows here in the photo, match with a D&G quilted leather jacket, Vivienne Westwood for Melissa Womens Temptation Black Shoes and a pair of black opaque tights to set the glam biker girl look off perfectly.

If you would like to see more from the Van Mildert Collections click the button below:

Modern Minimalism At Reiss For Spring Summer 2011

Reiss is a design led, sexy and iconic brand that sells both menswear, women’s wear and accessories with an emphasis on quality and value and some very stylish dresses. Their designs are innovative and original but also highly wearable and practical for the modern women or man. The brand originated in 1971 with a shop selling quality men’s tailoring in London. In 2000 the brand expanded its offerings to include women’s wear and it now boasts over 90 stores and a headquarters housed in the old London College of Fashion.

In 2010 Reiss beat off competition from the likes of All Saints, Topshop and New Look to win the Drapers award for the larger retailer of the year category. The brand was praised for its exceptional sell of women’s wear through 2010. The Drapers editor Jessica Brown even wore a trendy dress by Reiss to the ceremony. Reiss can also boast to be a favourite of the future queen of England, Kate Middleton. In particular the Nanette dress was was recently worn by Kate Middleton for her engagement portraits with Prince William, making it an instant success. Lucky for those who missed out the first time around on the , it will also be featuring in the brands spring summer 2011, we are guessing that might well sell out quickly too so keep your eye out for this popular white dress as it is due in stock mid January!

With such a history and track record in mens tailoring, it is not surprising that Reiss is leading the way on the high street for simple cut and modern minimalist womens wear. The minimalist trend has been simmering away for a number of seasons but for SS11 is set to reach bubbling point with so many designers featuring. The minimalist white dress is most definitely going to be huge for 2011.

Greys, blacks and whites will be key colours for this seasons minimalist look with some blue too. The sharply tailored pieces that are ideal for work wear but there are also plenty of more relaxed pieces which are perfect for casual wear including  cashmere mix jumpers in creams and greys, and a versatile cotton mac. Most of the styles in the Reiss collection could simply be described as classic, so whilst they are right on trend for 2011, they won’t go out of trend in a hurry.

Quilted leather jacket – an unusual take on the SS11 trend for leather biker jackets, this quilted leather jacket is an investment that will last you for  many seasons to come. Try teaming it with a little black dress for an evening out or a pair of jeans and white t shirt for a casual daytime look.

Structured Dress - these flattering styles of trendy dresses are modern classic and blue is one of the key colours for the spring and summer. Wear for work with a tailored jacket or team with some sky high heels and a glamorous cover up for a special occasion.

Double Breasted Tailored Jacket - this classic structured style of jacket is perfect for the city girl who wants to create just the right impression. It can be teamed with a classic shift dress and court shoes for a simple but very smart work outfit.

To see the full Reiss Range visit their website by clicking below:

Mulberry Alexa – A Modern Classic In Designer Handbags

Mulberry is one of the best known British lifestyle brands and for most is synonymous with its iconic handbags. The Brand which was established in 1971 has grown up from modest beginnings in Somerset, and to this day still boasts one of the few British luxury fashion brands that actually still manufactures in the UK, with its factory still residing in Somerset.

The companies latest iconic ladies handbag is the Mulberry Alexa, The new must-have Mulberry bag is named appropriately after and inspired by none other than British fashion icon Alexa Chung.

Mulburry’s Alexa luxury leather handbag has it’s name not because Chung was signed up intentionally as part of a sponsorship deal just because of her fashion notoriety, though obviously there is an element of marketing in there too, but simply due to the fact that she was seen out and about using a Mulberry Elkington vintage mens briefcase as her handbag.

Mulberry’s designers drew inspiration from that to conjure yet another classic designer handbag suitable enough to be endorsed by someone who has become one of the leading fashionistas in the country. To do this the design was an amalgam of other mulberry classics such as the Bayswater, the Mulberry Elkington itself which Chung had used previously, plus a splash of good old British vintage inspiration to create the Alexa.

I’m sure you agree that the Mulberry Alexa is just arm candy at its best and most desirable, we can see it will definitely be added to several Christmas present list this year.

Since her launch for Spring/Summer 2010 collection the Mulberry Alexa has taken the market by storm and become one of the brands hottest items and has now developed into a whole collection with a myriad of colour choices and sizes now available.

The demand has been such that Mulberry have had difficulty keeping up during the summer, especially after being featured on Gok Wan’s Channel 4′s fashion show Gok’s Fashion Fix. To ensure you get your order in, click the button below…