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Florals once again are going to be big news come Spring/Summer.  To be honest, florals never date so are a good item to have in some form in your wardrobe. They can be worn in a feminine, floaty way or you can edge them up by contrasting them with some tan ankle boots and a leather jacket. 

Being a bit of a rock chic at heart, this is how I would incorporate this trend into my wardrobe by wearing it with a worn looking pair of ankle grazer jeans, a bright pair of heels and a gorgeous understated pale long coat which will see you through from now all the way to next Autumn.

What do you think, are you tempted to try this trend out?

I talked yesterday about red being the colour of the season, well now it's the turn of the print.  Taking centre stage this Autumn/Winter is the mighty tartan in all its highland glory.  Not just appearing in traditional reds, there are lots of alternatives in muted colours if you prefer a more subtle take on this print. 

If you normally shy away from pattern and colour, step outside your comfort zone a little: there's a tartan out there
for everyone. 

This season there's one colour that is going to overshadow all the others and it's bright, bold and beautiful.  It's the colour of love and passion and is sure to get you noticed.  Move over the LBD, this Autumn/Winter it's all about the  LRD.

It's a brave colour so if the thought of head to toe scares you, break it up and use it in a jacket, a necklace or even a hat.  I've done a quick round up of some items currently on the high street which includes Warehouse, Oasis, Hobbs, Phase Eight, Debenhams and M&S.

Two of my particular favourites are the double breasted coat (Hobbs) and the leopard print pencil skirt (Warehouse).  If anything catches your eye and you'd like to know where it's from don't be afraid to ask.  This season be bold!

I love a bit of TK Maxx and have picked up some great bargains there.  You have to be in the right frame of mind for it with lots of time to spare and be dedicated to searching through the rails, but if you love a rummage, you can't go
wrong.

My latest label spot there is Reiss available at brilliant prices. They've got some great things both online and in store, so if you love the understated modern sophistication of Reiss but don't like their prices - this is definitely one for you.

For about a year and a half now a highlight of my week has been to spend a morning volunteering at St Peter's Hospice on Cotham Hill, dressing their mannequins for them.  The anticipation of what I might find makes me almost break out into a run and once I've arrived I'm like a child in a sweet shop.  Some of the items I've given a new home to include a leather Hobbs bag, brand new never worn leather Spanish brogues, Diesel scarf, Cos jacket....I could go on and on.....But it's not just the clothes I get excited about, I always meet a range of interesting people from all walks of life with a story or two to tell.

It never ceases to amaze me what people will give to charity, designer items barely worn, garments with labels still attached, and a whole host of accessories that only need a bit of TLC to bring them back to life (don't ask me about dirty underwear though - I kid you not!).  A charity shop really is a treasure trove of loveliness and is a guilt free way of shopping to your hearts content. 

I highly recommend spending a bit of time having a good old rummage.  Don't walk in, skim the shelves and walk back out again because nothing catches your eye. Go through the rails item by item and wait for that special something to leap out at you - because I guarantee it will.

Here are some of the outfits I've created for St Peter's Hospice over the last few weeks.

Magazines, websites and designer lookbooks are a brilliant source of inspiration for influencing your own personal style.  Whilst you might not have a designer budget, the high street is usually hot on the heels of what's on the runways and so you can usually find something more affordable but still with an edge.

Quilted jackets are really popular this season and are cropping (excuse the pun) up everywhere.  I will admit that they might be a bit like marmite, you either love them or hate them but with less structure than a traditionally tailored jacket, they're great to wear with jeans and are a good transitional piece for now if you wanted to move away from wearing a cardigan.

Whilst doing some research this morning, I saw this jacket from IRO and it reminded me of one I'd seen on Zara's website (they are brilliant at turning designer looks into high street prices) so I thought I'd share it with you to demonstrate what I was saying earlier.  Whilst not exactly the same, you can see a similar theme.  One costs £465, the other £59.99.  Which one would you choose or do you hate both of them??  I'd love to know.