Style Theory: Every year my whole family and I take a little trip to a gorgeous Spanish beach resort on the Costa Blanca for 2-3 weeks of family time, sun, beach and eating. We have been visiting the resort since we were little and it really has a special place in our hearts, it is most definitely our "happy place". With long sandy beaches, shallow, clear sea, a charming Port and town it is an idyllic place to spend a few weeks.

It has a very relaxed, family atmosphere so in general I packed easy, comfortable clothes for us all, and a few dresses for Jess and I for evenings. As usual my denim shorts turned out to be my most worn item along with my bikinis and my Dune sliders...

Top: Mango
Shorts: River Island similar here
Sandals: Dune
Beach Bag: Accessorize similar here
Sunglasses: Mango

Top: Spain
Bikini: Topshop
Bag: Spain

I also found this little dress useful for day to evening, good for meandering round the beautiful Spanish town and then was smart enough to wear for dinner in the evening.

Dress: Topshop similar here
Sandals: Primark

For evenings I wore my & Other Stories dress a few times, both with heels and flat sandals. I also wore my Zara skorts often, they are fab when trying to catch the kids on the beach in the evening to try to bring them home..

Dress: &Other Stories
Shoes: H&M
Bag: Spain

Top: Boden
Skorts: Zara
Shoes: Russell and Bromley

Top: Vila
Skorts: Zara
Shoes: Russell and Bromley
Bag: Accessorize

As always it was such a lovely break and a chance to spend time with my family, just wish we could have stayed longer!

Have you had your holiday already, what was your favourite outfit?

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

Photos by myself, LasCallesdeBarcelona and J Desmier

En Vacances

SchoolRunStyle is on holiday for a few weeks.......

Follow me on Instagram (@schoolrunmum) and Facebook for daily outfit updates, holiday 'must haves' and high street buys....

Happy Holidays xxx

The Khaki Summer Saviour...

Style Theory: The Khaki Jacket...the ideal layering item to throw over your vest tops and denim shorts on cooler summer evenings and days.

The khaki jacket is a cool alternative to a denim jacket, it looks as good over a casual denim dress as a smarter midi dress. It dresses down a dressed up outfit perfectly. Here are some styling ideas:

With leather shorts and a floaty top

Add a touch of glamour and colour with a beautiful bright statement necklace and beaded clutch.

The khaki jacket looks fab with skorts and a breton, dressed up with a beautiful pearl statement necklace.

Slung over a black maxi dress...note how fabulous a red bag looks with the khaki coloured jacket.

Just love everything about this look..especially the dress. 

All images above from Pinterest

If you have a khaki jacket in your wardrobe, pull it out to wear over your summer dresses, if not here are a selection of the best on the high street:

Topshop Lightweight Shirt Jacket £42

Zara Unstructured Jacket £69.99

Maison Scotch Jacket £68

Noa Noa Jacket £99

Asos Festival Drape Parka £65

Next Waterfall jacket £35

Tommy Hilfiger Camo Jacket now £70

New Look Khaki Check Lined Hooded Parka

Try a little festival chic and throw a khaki jacket over your shorts this summer for a cool and practical look.

MY STYLE:

Practising what I preach with my camo jacket over my Diesel frilled dress:

Camo Jacket: Primark
Dress: Diesel
Sandals: H&M
Bag: Topshop

For a picnic out at our local Nation Trust Park, possibly the calmest, most tranquil place near me, even with three boys tearing around it seemed really peaceful...

Top: H&M
Shorts: Gap
Sandals: Primark
Backpack: Jack Wills

For one of our very best friend's wedding blessing, it was a beautiful sunny day with a blessing at church then a lovely party in their back garden...

Lace Top: H&M
Skirt: Asos
Shoes:M&S

Finally for a day running around after the kids I wore my new Topshop dress that I picked up in the sales. I had tried it on full price and then bought my maxi dress instead, so when I saw it had been reduced to half price I could not resist!

Dress: Topshop
Bag: Topshop
Shoes: Russell and Bromley

So there is my round up of how to look cool on summer evening with a khaki jacket and a few of my summer outfits. What have you found to be your best throw on on cool summer eves?

Next time the Summer Little Black Dress (although I am sure there may be some Maxi dresses in the too!) Frances xx

To the Max....

Style Theory: The Maxi...no longer just a dress..it has morphed into a 'gown' and is looking like it will play a large part not only in your summer '14 wardrobe but Autumn/Winter too. Luxuriously floaty and extremely comfortable, an elegant addition to your holiday wardrobe. Wear dressed up with heels and fine gold necklaces in the evening, or during the day dress down with sandals.

For Summer 2014 Maxi dresses are patterned or textured with different fabrics. For a chic look add a slouchy tan bag and matching tan sandals. For colder days throw a biker jacket over your gown...a few years on this look still works...

All images above from Pinterest

For the best on the High Street now:

Mango Cherry Maxi Dress £69.99

Michael Kors @Net a Porter  now £161

See by Chloe @theoutnet £157

Red is going to be one of 'the' colours for AW14, so why not start the trend early and invest in a red maxi dress now and in the winter layer up with a cute puffed sleeved black jumper and black shoe boots.

Free People Lonesome Dress Now £88

Love Struck Maxi Dress now £25

It is all in the details with maxi dresses this year, the lace and sheer fabric of the two maxi dresses make them summer 2014 must haves.

Grevlin Diana Halter Maxi Dress now £88

Mango Bow Dress £99

Mango Satin Paisley Dress £99.99

Mango Paisley Dress now £66

Mango Baroque Dress now £49.99

New Look Maxi Dress £22.99

Go bold with pattern, the 60s and 70s prints and shapes were all over the AW14 catwalks, it is time to be brave and work those paisley fabrics....

Mango Necklace Gown £89.99

Warehouse Maxi Dress £30

Of course black and navy maxi dresses still look the height of elegance and will last you year after year after year.

MY STYLE:

I bought this patterned Maxi dress from Topshop:

Topshop Band of Gypsies Dress £55

I styled it with my leather biker jacket as it was a little breezy and some tan sandals and I must admit, I am a maxi gown convert!

The dress will be so cool on warm, holiday evenings and I will  wear it in the winter with a black poloneck over the top and some black or tan ankle boots...Ooooo the possibilities!!

Are you are Maxi gown convert or have you been into them for years? As always I would love to hear your thoughts and comments, until next time, Frances x