Style Theory: A beautiful bag can elevate your look, add a cool twist and make your outfit look 'put together'. Whilst I would love to have a wardrobe full of designer bags, at the moment I cannot afford them so it is high street all the way for me and to be honest I think the high street do a pretty good job. I love a big bag (I always, always take a change of shoes in it if I am forced to wear heels), I really like it to be leather but can live with pleather if it looks good and also I am rather partial to a backpack for the schoolrun so here are my favourite bags on the high street now.

The Cross Body Bag

Zara Leather Messenger Bag £79.99

Quite Mulberry-esque but for a fraction of the price. I love this leather bag and the chestnut colour is the perfect neutral. It is a timeless classic that will never date. Quite small so no room for spare shoes but great for a an evening out or shopping trip in comfy shoes!

Whistles Brandt Soft Saddle Bag £175

Slightly expensive but such a gorgeous leather and colour. The saddle bag is the bag of the season, sling across your body for a 70s look, wear with flared jeans, heels and a camel coats. Alternatively this bag would look good dressed down with a camo/navy jacket boyfriend jeans and trainers.

Vivienne Westwood @House of Fraser £110

I am slightly Vivienne Westwood obsessed at the moment, I think it is the 90s trends that are making me fall in love with all things Viv again. A really simple understated bag with the iconic Westwood badge, such a classic bag that would look fabulous year after year.

Urban Outfitters Saddle Bag £46

A real 70s look to this bag, the price is pretty good for a suede bag, it ticks all the boxes for trends this year and will see you seamlessly into Spring/Summer 2016

Mango Chain Suede Bags £69

More than a Chloe-esque hint about this bag, Mango are on fire this year with their accessories, their bags range is amazing. Love the chain detail on this bag, it looks designer without the designer price tag.

Dune @John Lewis £59

Leopard print is back again this a/w and this is a beautifully ladylike bag that would be perfect for an evening out, it has a chain strap and would look stunning with an all black outfit.

Bucket Bags

Topshop Leather Duffel Bag £35

Small but perfectly formed this beautiful bucket bag is in the colour of the season, team with navy, camel, pink or grey this bag will immediately bring your look up to date.

Mango Leather Bucket Bag £79.99

I love the tassel detail on this Mango leather bag, perfectly slouchy for a nonchalant, cool look.

Whistles at House of Fraser reduced from £280 to £84

An amazing price for this bag, soft tan leather, this would look stunning worn over a trench with clue skinny jeans and white trainers.

Mango Leather Bucket Bag £89

Slightly obsessed with this bag and I may have to add to my shopping list. These bags look fab for daytime with a denim shirt, black skinny jeans and black lo converse. In the evening wear black silk blouse, black tux jacket, boyfriend jeans and black heels.


Backpacks

Kipling Yartezi Lea £229

The ultimate in practicality, the backpack is my bag pf choice for the schoolrun, shove it on both my shoulders and off we go. I have this backpack in pale blue and love it, it is easy to find things in, beautifully lined and the leather is buttery soft. The tan colour is a fabulous neutral and will go with everything.

Asos Smart Front Backpack £28

A grown up, smart backpack perfect for dashing around town to meetings, it is practical but has a stylish edge. This is not leather but I love the styling of it as it does look expensive.

Urban Outfitters Suede Pocket Plum Backpack £49

Beautiful plum colour, this backpack would look striking work with a pink coat (if you have your still from a few years ago) I like the mixture of the suede and leather to give the bag an extra dimension.

Mango Suede Backpack £69

A true, slouchy boho backpack, fab for those (dry) autumn days with slouchy jeans, am oversized shirt and stansmith trainers.

Mango Black Backpack £39.99

A good basic backpack, non-fussy, practical and cool.

John Lewis Kin Gia Backback £39

After seeing the streetsyle photo above I had to find a silver backpack, I love this worn with the pastel colours, pinks, pale blues and greys.

My Style

From Left: Oversize Sweater Traffic People, Skorts (old season) Backpack just seen c/oKipling Trainers - Superga
Dungarees - last season love these ones ,  Blouse - Zara, Shoes - Isabel Marant love these ones,  Bag - H&M Old season
Sweatshirt - Selfish Mother, Bag as above, Jeans - Levis 501ct, Trainers Stan Smith
Top - zara (old season) Jeans - Levis 501ct, Shoes - Palmairas, Bag c/o Kipling

Cross body bags and backpacks are the two bags I use most, they mean I have my hands free to pull scooters whilst carrying shopping etc etc..all the glamour!
Are you a bag girl, do you invest in designer (I have my eye on the Gucci Soho Disco bag - one day!) or do you like high street. What has been your best bag buy and which bag would you have if money were no object?

As always I would love to hear your thoughts and comments, until next time Frances xxx

Your Summer Saviour - The Little Patterned Dress

Style Theory: This summer dresses have taken over as the 'must have' item, they are so easy to style, keep you cool and are unbelievably chic. With very little matching required the patterned dress comes in many guises from short to maxi with the key midi in-between. The little patterned dress having a big moment and here are a few of the best on the high street and how to style..

images via Pinterest

Patterned dresses make a statement so keep accessories simple and nude colours. Just a great pair of brown or tan sandals and a matching leather slouchy bag and you have stunning look...

Here are the best on the high street now..

Etre Cecile @theOutnet now £82.50

I am a huge fan of the cool label, Etre Cecile, all the garments have clean lines with a design edge, the prints are stunning. This is a dream dress, wear with pale tan heels and sunkissed skin for an edgy, cool look.

Zara Printed Dress £25.99

I love this dress and have just bought it for holiday. It is quite thick fabric so skims overs lumps and bumps (hopefully it won't be too hot on holiday) It looks fab with my tan Palmairas sandals  and as all these dresses does not need any accessories, I cannot wait to wear this.

Zara Maxi Dress £39.99

This maxi dress is new in Zara, it looks so much better on, if you are not mad on the loose fit you can always put a vintage tan belt around it and wear with flat tan strappy sandals, the Next ones in previous posts would be fabulous with this.

oasis Maxi Dress £75

This dress is stunning and would look equally as good for a wedding guest dress as with flat sandals for a evening out on a warm summers evening.

Edit Secondhand Preloved Marni Dress size 12 £60

I adore this dress, you can see it styled in the streetstyle photo above. This is from a Editsecondhand, they have one in a size 12, if it was in my size I would snap it up in a heartbeat. It looks fab teamed with tan and red heels (see image above)

Topshop Floral Print Ruffle Dress £48

This dress was brought to my attention by Joanna from Poppys Style, she emailed me a photo and said that this was right up my street, she is so right, I love this style of dress, the print looks designer-esque and will work through to the winter with 70s style tan knee high boots. 

Topshop Woodland Print Dress £46

This again looks so much better on than in this photo, Pandora Sykes in the streetstyle photo above styles her with a biker jacket and black strappy sandals, she has also worn it with a mustard puffed sleeve top underneath (it looked incredible!) Definitely one to try.

Mango £39.99

This dress is very D&G, the print is very similar to a D&G dress I had my eye on last year but was far too expensive this is a great alternative. The bare shoulder look is key and is so flattering, wear with a bandeau bra underneath (M&S has some fab ones) 

Jack Wills Dress now £39

I am a little obsessed with dresses with boats or land scenes on them, they look quirky and cool, this dress from Jack Wills is a summer beauty, and now £39. They have just sold out in my size so I am off to track it down in my local Jack Wills.

Are you a fan of the Little Patterned dress, have you got many hanging in your wardrobe. Which dress caught your eye or are you more of a colour girl? As always I would love to hear your thoughts and comments, until next time Frances xxx

Instant Wardrobe Update - The Off the Shoulder Dress

Style Theory: Have you been inspired to show a little shoulder? Chic, elegant and effortless the Off Shoulder dress, requires minimal accessories, the simpler the look the better, let the dress do the talking...

images above via Pinterest

My Style:

I find these dresses surprisingly flattering, they show off the shoulders and fall over any tummy/thigh area. I love this Mango dress, is a cheaper version of the Alexa for AG jeans dress (see below). It is a super lightweight fabric and has pockets which, in my mind are always a bonus!  It is the kind of fabric that creases easily so will need ironing and does crease a little when wearing it. I found it true to size I ordered a 10 online (inside the dress the tag says Medium) and it fits well. As I am a vertically challenged (5ft2ish) it is a good length just above my knees....

Mango Dress £34.99
Sandals: Next £24
Bag: Spain
Sunglasses: Primark

A comfortable, reasonable dress, perfect for holiday or wear with gold high heels and gold accessories for a glamorous wedding guest look. 

Here are a selection of my favourite off the shoulder dresses on the high street now..

Topshop Jersey Lace Dress £46

This dress is beautiful lace, I would keep accessories to a minimum wear with flat tan sandals or gold gladiators for a stunning laid back holiday evening look.

Topshop Embroidered Bardot Dress £50

A beautiful orange/red dress, this will show off your shoulders and the double layering of the top is incredibly flattering. Again add gold accessories, small gold hoop earrings and gold strappy flat sandals for an eye catching look.

Topshop Glamorous Off Shoulder Printed Dress £35

I am a huge fan of printed off the shoulder dresses, this would look amazing over a black bikini with a pair of tan strappy sandals for the beach. 

Asos Sister Jane Dress £56

The double ruffle at the top of this dress is beautiful and a real statement. 

Asos Pull and Bear Dress £25.99

Adore a white dress on holiday and this one would look as good over your bikini as it would for an evening out. Add some gorgeous sea green jewellery, I love these bangles from Black & Sigi for a real statement holiday piece..

Black & Sigi Gold Hemingway Bracelet £29

Black and Sigi are a British brand that handmake their beautiful jewellery, all unique individual pieces that sit beautifully with the boho look of the off the shoulder dress.

Asos Dress £28

I am a huge paisley fan, this is a beautiful print and again would look fabulous with fine gold jewellery and flat leather sandals.

Asos Denim Dress £40

Super modern, super cool , this dress ticks so many trends, denim, off the shoulder and a midi length. Love it styled with the clog shoes (see Topshop so some fab options) 

Mango Ruffled Dress £34.99

This is a lighter coloured version of my dress, actually this is the colour I thought I had ordered but obviously got it wrong. I love both colourways, this one would look stunning on sunkissed skin.

There is my round up of some of the best off the shoulder dresses on the high street, I could go on forever as there are so many stunning dressses about at the moment, they will be my dress style of the season.

Are you a fan, have you bought into the trend this year? As always I would love to hear your thoughts and comments, until next time, Frances xx