How to Wear a Pinafore, Part 2: 4 More Ways

Things I never thought I'd rediscover undying (though deeply buried) love for #2: pink - I didn't just like pink, for years I wore more of it than Barbie. At a certain point, I decided I needed to ditch it if I was to have any hope of honing some kind of "edge" and, anyway, I was quite frankly sick of the sight of it! But its gradual tiptoe back onto my radar became a full on sprint this season (I think the Barbie dress was the catalyst) - I am now officially embracing my rose-tinted roots (and will probably be sporting rose-tinted tips shortly!).

As for pinafores, well, they never really went away for me, even when no one else over the age of 8 appeared to share my enthusiasm for them, so, by the time everyone else finally joined the party this spring, I was a bit over the classic black variety... My houndstooth shift went some way to alleviating my desire for a new spin, but when I spied this in New Look (along with a couple of choice lovelies to layer underneath, for which credit goes to my mum), it was love at first sight. It's out of stock online now, but you might be even luckier than me and manage to pick it up in the sale if you're quick!

Oh, and the Part 2 bit? Well, you've seen my first D.I.Y. pinny look, but after I'd put this post together, I saw another had-to-have-it vision of pinafore-shaped amazingness - in monochrome polka dot! So watch this space for part 3...

Ice Cream Sundae

Pinafore and Cropped Jumper: Both Tokyo Doll at New Look, Hair Band, Boots and Socks: All Primark (Past Season)

Strawberries and Cream

Pinafore: As Above, Top: New Look, Trainers: Primark (All Current)

Go West

Pinafore: As Above, Shirt: Primark, Boots: Boohoo (All Current)

Neapolitan

Pinafore: As Above, Crop Top: Quiz, Blazer: Primark, Shoes: Peacocks (Past Season)

If you follow me on Facebook and Twitter, you may have already seen this ensemble, as it won me the Twitter prize on the first day of the F&F at Tesco 7 Days of Summer challenge last week! I managed to amass an amazing haul with my £75 prize voucher (plus, er, £26 of my own - there was too much choice!) to which more pink and more monochrome stripes both made a significant contribution! Hopefully I can start sharing it with you soon - too many possible outfit combos, too few days in the week, argh!

My Top Tips for Rocking a Pinny Post-Playschool

• Keep bulk to a minimum - I've found that cropped tops/knits and light, sheer shirts work best - a chunky jumper or stiff shirt can look a bit German folk dancer, especially if you're large-chested!
• If your pinny is plain black, you can go wild with colours and patterns. If not, sticking to pieces in neutral tones or the same shade "family" (e.g. pastels with a pastel pinafore) tends to look more polished, which allows you to...
• Experiment and push your own boundaries in other ways - clashing two monochrome patterns, going all out on accessories, or trying out a style that isn't traditionally associated with pinafores, like sports luxe or Western...
• Have fun! This look is all about playfulness, so feel free to forget the rules and try whatever the hell you like if the urge takes you!

Have you put on your pinny yet?

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Tie Dye Maxi

Things I never thought I'd rediscover undying (but deeply buried) love for until this season #1: tie-dye. My last brush with it was one of those "lifebuoy"-patterned T-shirts circa 1998 - I wore it to death, but once Mark Owen snapped out of his post-Take That hippy phase, so did I - never, I thought, to return.

Oh, how I sneered when it started popping up on the high street this season... but before long it began to stealthily creep under my anti-'90s defences... it might be quite fun really, I mused - on a garment that didn't look like something I would have worn when I was 12... Lo and behold, on our most recent weekly mother-daughter-grandmother high street trawl, this dress greeted us from the window of Pinc, just as I was attempting to drag nana past her favourite shop for once! Vehemently declaring that I would be "just silly not to have it", nana emerged a mere £10 lighter, and I a bundle of jersey (and a free belt! - the brown one in the first two images) heavier... I may have forsaken my tween love for 15 years, but I'm well and truly smitten again...

Dress (with Brown Belt): V London, Brogues and Boots: Both Primark (Past Season), Black Belt: New Look (Past Season)

Are you giving tie-dye a (second) chance?

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How to Wear Peg Leg Trousers (Minus the Sausage Legs)

When mum came home with these tapered trousers from Next, I was in two minds about whether to accept them - they fit like a dream, but was the tailored, low-rise, safari-chic thing really "me"? When I still couldn't get them out of my head a day later though, my mind overflowing with potential outfit combinations, I decided they did indeed have to be mine!

Effortlessly chic, classic, and pretty much the dictionary definition of "smart-casual", they're great quality, super comfy, and one of the few items I think would genuinely take you from sofa to boardroom to bar to beach, at virtually any age. Maybe not revolutionary, but an occasion- and weather-proof Spring/Summer staple that would be perfect for a capsule holiday wardrobe. I don't think photos really do them justice though - isn't it infuriating how certain items are so much more photogenic than others?!

Trousers: Next (Available Here), Everything Else: Primark

Making the Peg Leg Work for You

Although versatile and a welcome change from the ubiquitous bootcut/wideleg shapes that predominated in tailoring for so long, the peg leg can be an awkward shape to work with - unless you're particularly lucky, you'll probably need to put a bit of work into ensuring that your legs don't resemble chicken drumsticks, so I thought I'd share a few hard-earned tips!

1. HEELS are Peggy's best friend - nude or gold tones and low-cut styles are particularly good at elongating your silhouette. FLATS can work too, but again, nude or metallic shades and ankle-baring cuts work best.
2. VOLUME on top helps to balance hips - I've found that tops which incorporate a bit of volume and a body-conscious element (whether sheer, cropped or nipped at the waist) work best. Partially tucking in shirts or oversized tees or vests at the waist helps to retain shape and avoid a "swamped" look.
3. Sticking to a neutral coffee-and-cream COLOUR PALETTE is the most foolproof way to style a beige-toned trouser, keeping lighter tones on top to avoid widening legs. For a more adventurous look, I love rusts and burnt oranges with latte shades - as in the combo in this post which I put together with some similar trousers last year.
4. Sounds mental, but consider how you do your HAIR! It works on the same rationale as toting huge bags to make you look thinner: big hair = mini body. I'm not suggesting everyone need sport a permanent 'fro, but, when wearing a "figure-sensitive" outfit, you can visually drop a dress size by swapping flat, limp hair or a tight top-knot for a bit of tousling or tonging!

Have you tried the peg yet?

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Primark's £3 Rock 'N Rose Floral Crown Dupe!

It feels like I've been lusting after one of Rock 'N Rose's trademark floral crowns forever now, but £28-£55 for a hairband? Seriously? I knew Primark would come up trumps in the end, so I bided my time... tapped my fingers impatiently...  and bided some more... until last weekend my patience was finally rewarded with this £3 beauty!

OK, so far my local store is stocking a huge selection of one variant, but when it's this pretty I really don't care! The flowers are attached to a thin, stiff green band, fashioned to resemble a vine - it's both secure and comfortable, and can be worn as a traditional Alice band with the roses pointing upwards, or angled towards the forehead so that they point forwards. I think my favourite position is somewhere in between, as in the first image.

Floral Crown: Primark (Current), Dress: Primark (Past Season), Sandals: Freemans (Past Season)

I very much doubt I'll tire of pretending to be a flower fairy any time soon, so prepare for further rose petal showers!

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How to Wear a Cartoon Print Crop Top

As predicted, my inner child has already had several reasons to rejoice in the name of cartoon print this season, not the least of which was walking away from Primark with this crop top in exchange for a mere £2! You may have spotted it with my Primark disco pants here, but I swear it somehow seems to go with just about everything...

Double Shot

Top and Skirt: Both Primark (Current)

Yeees, I also managed to get hold of the cartoon print pencil skirt from my Primark High Summer '13 post! For a pretty darn reasonable £8 too... Pow! Ka-Boom! Ooops! (Repeat to fade.)

Skater Girl

Top, Skirt and Trainers: All Primark

It's official: a high-waisted leather skater goes with everything.

Sports Max

Top and Necklace: Both Primark, Dress: George at Asda (Current), Trainers: Skechers

Sports luxe meets cartoon superhero... Embracing my '90s schoolgirl roots - despite terrifying skirts-over-trouser-shaped flashbacks, I am coming to accept that some remnants of style may be salvageable from the decade terrorised by fleece.

Layer Cake

Cartoon Print Top and Trainers: Both Primark, Mesh Top: New Look (Current), Skirt: Topshop (Current)

This top just cries out to be layered over anything and everything... this time for an amped up cheerleader look, teamed with Topshop's amazing elasticated (yes, elasticated!) AA circle skirt dupe, £20, and New Look's gorgeous sports-luxe-sweetheart crop, £12.99 (to be featured in all its glory shortly).

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