Whether you\u2019re in full summer mode or quietly planning for autumn, our fashion expert\u2019s monthly picks will carry you stylishly between the two<\/p>\n
How to create the perfect women\u2019s holiday capsule wardrobe<\/p>\n
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August: do you buy for the holiday you\u2019ll be melting through this month, or the one you\u2019ll be pretending to enjoy in a jumper come October? Answers on a postcard, please! The key to staying (relatively) sane in silly season is to embrace the contradictions.<\/p>\n
The Guardian\u2019s journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link.\u00a0Learn more.<\/p>\n
Read on for the holiday-coded necklace I\u2019ve fallen in love with and the elegant leather handbag I\u2019m dreaming of when I hang up my straw basket. Plus, a lace camisole and a cosy jumper \u2013 and the absolute sweetest grip socks for my pilates girlies.<\/p>\n
I\u2019ve done reformer pilates for years, and I am a little bit touchy about the stereotype of the pristine blonde, ponytailed pilates princess. We are not all like that! Old black cycling shorts and whatever comes out of the T-shirt drawer works for me. But now that most studios insist on them for safety, I\u2019ve had to buy more grip socks, and when I spotted these on the woman next to me in class, I had to grill her for deets. They are ridiculous but fun. I like to tie the ribbons around my ankles, Noel Streatfeild-style.<\/p>\n
L\u2019Atelier 73 is a new-ish London brand that I love for interesting, affordable jewellery. My current crush is these summer pendant necklaces \u2013 this one is a palm tree, but there\u2019s also the sun or a cactus \u2013 in colourful, enamel-plated copper. The colourful woven rope braid is adjustable so you can change the length to suit your shirt\u2019s neckline or to complement shorter necklaces.<\/p>\n
Reed diffusers work brilliantly for home fragrance, but most of them look hideous. I don\u2019t want to wait for cosy candle season for my home to smell nice, but I also don\u2019t want my bathroom to look like a cheap Airbnb. The answer? This beautiful hand-blown glass piece with a single reed diffuser, which looks as good in your hallway as a Diptyque candle. It\u2019s from Droplet, a brand launched by siblings Sam and Lucie Beecham with a mission to combine Grasse-level fragrance with elevated London design. Available in several scents; I love the citrus-floral orange blossom, with notes of tuberose and magnolia.<\/p>\n
For more, read our guide to the best diffusers<\/p>\n
Fragile hair is a problem for me, so I\u2019m endlessly searching for products that really help, and this does. OK, I admit, it was the extremely chic packaging of No98 Beauty that drew me in to start with \u2013 but it was the effectiveness of this, the brand\u2019s bestselling product, that got me hooked from the first time I tried it. You have to put it on damp hair and leave it for 20 minutes before shampooing, which is a bit of a faff, but I run a bath, wet my hair and slather this on, then soak with a book or a podcast for a bit. It works!<\/p>\n
For more, read our guide to the best hair masks<\/p>\n
There has been a notable uptick in the number of Topshop pieces being worn on the fashion desk. There is good stuff in there again \u2013 and, as deputy fashion editor Chloe Mac Donnell pointed out, isn\u2019t it nice to be able to buy Topshop and know the money isn\u2019t going to Philip Green? I am very into this monochrome lace column panel white maxi skirt, \u00a345, but my top pick is this organza shirt. It\u2019s such an elevated and charming eveningwear option over a colourful contrast bra or camisole.<\/p>\n
I am pretty wary of ordering high-street fashion online \u2013 the fabric is so often disappointing \u2013 but I make an exception for Zara Srpls, which is a limited-edition seasonal collection. It\u2019s described as \u201cpremium\u201d, but the prices aren\u2019t wildly higher than regular Zara. These perforated-cotton cargo trousers feel breezy and summery \u2013 tailored black trousers kill the vibe at this time of year \u2013 but they\u2019re still dressy. I might swap out the matching fabric belt for a tan leather one when I want to sharpen things up.<\/p>\n
Seriously. There are so many occasions \u2013 from late night at a festival when it gets chilly to a restaurant dinner when you want to feel cosy but look snazzy \u2013 when a glam jumper is a wardrobe life-saver. In anticipation of the return of one of our most beloved designers, Christopher Kane, when he relaunches Mulberry at London fashion week next month, I\u2019ve been stalking his classic knits on eBay \u2013 this fringed hot pink number, new with tags, is \u00a3413.68, while this preloved diamante-trim rollneck went for\u00a3135.90. Of the newbies out there, my fave is this delicious Essentiel Antwerp cardigan-cum-autumn-jacket. The lace-trim collar! Strawberry buttons! Irresistible.<\/p>\n