No matter what the season or the latest trends there is always room for a bit of bling, and to be honest I think every girl feels better in her outfit if she has something sparkly adorning it. So, what colours to go for? With the muted hues of beige, grey and brown featuring heavily this season alongside strong autumnal colours, reds, oranges, browns and greens. I think there are two key colours to invest in when it comes to jewellery this season. Green and gold. The green will look fabulous with all autumnal shades as well as muted hues, and the gold will lift the muted hues and bring warmth to autumnal reds and browns. So go on…treat yourselves!

I spy a trend ALERT!! No more LBD this season, it’s all about the LWD. Team with gladiator sandals on the days the sun still shines, wear with nude accessories for a relaxed look, team with black jacket and black flats for an instant Channel feel that would be perfect for the office, and wear with black heels and black clutch for a fun evening look. So versatile, so now!

Remember 2 things: 1 – flesh cloured underwear, as white can be see through; and 2, napkins when you eat! You don’t want ketchup ruining the monochrome look you’ve pieced together so carefully.

So go for it ladies, try a new LWD to bring your wardrobe up to date. And of course the other brilliant thing about this trend is, if it doesn’t last or you decide it’s not for you, you can always dye the dress black for the winter! Perfect!

At Help with Style however, we are less concerned with the success of the scheme or the cost to its users, what is far more interesting is Cyclist Chic! Obviously it goes without saying that safety is important. The roads are dangerous so the first essential accessory is a helmet and the second some high visibility bands round the ankles and arms and on any backpacks, especially at night. Aside from that, my only other rule would be to steer clear of Lycra!

One can have an incredibly romantic view of cycling. I imagine floaty summer dresses billowing in the wind, a couple riding side by side in the summer sun, baguette in the front basket, smiles on faces… After today’s rain though, I am less optimistic that anyone, regardless of the baguette and floaty dress, will be riding in the sun at all this summer. This can mean only one thing: rain coats! This needn’t heed the Cyclist Chic however; there is an array of coloured waterproof jackets out there to put shame to a rubix cube. Webtogs sell a wide variety at really reasonable prices, all of which will go perfectly with the bright colours in your summer wardrobe on the days the weather lets you down. The North Face also does a really cute black women’s jacket, tapered in at the waist for a very flattering shape. Perhaps not quite evening wear but as waterproof jackets go, definitely chic!

Waterproof Jackets from The North Face by fashioncrazed on Polyvore.com

Badu is well known for her range of crazy hair styles; huge afro wigs, ornate head dresses, at one point she had a shaved head. I like her style because she always stays true to her roots whilst adding a futuristic touch. Perhaps that’s the best way to describe her music too.

Recently she made headlines following the release of her controversial video for the single ‘Window Seat’. The video shows Badu walking through the streets of Washington, shedding her clothes one by one until she is completely naked, bearing the word ‘EVOLVING’ on her back. She walks up to the point where JFK was shot near Dealey Plaza and then collapses as if she too has been shot. Some present at the time voiced their objections saying it was offensive and not performance art. The video was shot guerrilla style in one take, no licenses were applied for and the Police have confirmed that it was not legal but apparently she went without charge.

A poignant message is spoken at the end of the video:

“They play it safe…Are quick to assassinate what they do not understand. They move in packs ingesting more and more fear with every act of hate on one another. They feel most comfortable in groups, less guilt to swallow. They are US! This is what we have become, afraid to respect the individual. A single person within a circumstance can move one to change, to love our self, to EVOLVE.”

This should be applied to how we feel about fashion too, don’t be afraid to be an individual!

A lot of people don’t advocate the use of tights all year round. In fact, in staying abreast of the other fashion blogs out there I have even come across an article debating whether opaque tights can be worn in the summer time at all. I think however, there is a time and a place for tights in every season, especially with the British summertime’s erratic behaviour; they can often get you out of a (excuse the pun) tight spot. How many times have you woken up in the morning expecting it to be a really warm day and then buy lunchtime you’re freezing? All hail footless tights! Perfect for those more like spring time, summer days. Another bonus of course is that the need to shave, wax, epilate, exfoliate, buff, fake tan, and whatever else the beauty magasines would have us believe is a mandatory part of our morning regime to ensure perfect summer pins, is totally removed. One pair of tights can save a lot of time and money and effort.

Only a few days ago whilst we were all enjoying the heat wave in the UK, I saw a girl in Victoria Park wearing barely black see through tights with cute little denim cut off shorts. A look I will definitely be emulating.

In the evenings, when it starts to cool down, I think there is definitely a permanent place for tights in every girl’s summer wardrobe. And why not be slightly adventurous; these awesome Henry Holland for Pretty Polly Suspender tights can be bought from Mytights.com for only £12. The cute Betty Boop style looks brilliant on feminine curves and the fact they are not opaque all the way to the top makes them suitable for summer wear.

As seen on the likes of Lily Allen and Frankie from The Saturdays, and also Princess Eugenie! One has to say, well, if it’s good enough for a Princess…

The bracelet retails at £95, is made of sterling silver and comes with 3 delicate hearts as part of the chain as well as a silver jelly bean charm. The bracelet is a string of links which allows for great scope to customise it however you like.

Molly Brown London has a huge array of charms, the jelly beans come in every colour under the sun, and really do look like the Jelly Belly kind, ie: good enough to eat. I’m sure we can justify getting one in every colour to perfectly accessorise every outfit in the wardrobe!

There are also initial charms – for a really personal touch, cute Tinkerbelle charms – little balls of pastel pink with a tiny star, hearts which again come in all colours, my personal favourite is a gorgeous fairy charm, so unique I’ve not seen anything like it anywhere else. For the religious amongst us there are Christian crosses and fish and the Jewish Star of David, these would make excellent Christening, Confirmation or Bat Mitzvah presents.

I also like the idea of giving someone the bracelet as a present and then every birthday for the next few years, giving them a new charm to add to it.

The nice thing is, with so many colours, there is something there to suit every taste and there really is the opportunity to chose something incredibly personal and unique.

Of course, if the budget doesn’t stretch to the price tag of the bracelet, you can always just go for one charm on a necklace – less can sometimes be more.

Molly Brown London, Totally Charming! by fashioncrazed on Polyvore.com

Capello can be in our bad books for two reasons this year; firstly for the shocking performance by the English team, yet again a letdown – I also blame the media for making us believe we had a chance in the first place – and secondly, for banning WAGs. By comparison, the World Cup in 2006 in Baden-Baden was a fashion circus, this time round, nothing! As a woman, watching the WAGs strut their stuff in the latest fashions is a World Cup highlight, alongside appreciating incredibly toned thighs and shirt swapping at the end of each game.

Whereas the World Cup has totally out shone Wimbledon in headlines of the back pages of the papers, in the fashion stakes, the TWAGs (Tennis wives and girlfriends) were the front runners. The best way to describe them is ‘polished’. Every one of them oozes classic chic. Tailored jackets, light fabrics and huge sunglasses, all designer labels no doubt, but with high street stores doing great imitation pieces the TWAG look should not be impossible to re-create on a budget. So take inspiration from Kim Spears (Murray’s TWAG) and Xisca Perello (Nadal’s TWAG) apply some St. Tropez bronzing mist or something similar, get yourself a smart summer jacket and some heavy duty shades and start eating strawberries and cream by the bucket load.

I will be contributing to the blog with opinions and advice on everything that’s fashion, the do’s and don’ts, the must haves, and the celebrity style disasters we all secretly enjoy poking fun at. Living in the heart of London’s east end means drawing inspiration from the über cool fashion elite is a daily occurrence for me, less adventurous fashionistas needn’t worry however, the needs of the more main stream fashion focussed readers will never be ignored.

So I hope very much you will continue to follow Help with Style and continue to enjoy reading about all things fashion and fabulous. Comments are welcomed as always and follow us on twitter too!

Watch this Space…

One of the best styles of summer footwear is the sandal. There are a few tips to bear in mind when you are looking for a pair. The first thing is that they need to be secure. Children love running around, so make sure that the sandals have good strong straps to keep them in place.

Boys sandals with adjustable straps will mean that your son can be comfortable as well, and a smart pair will do for dressier occasions.Crocs might not be the prettiest of shoes, but they are certainly practical. They’ll keep the feet cool, and are especially good for playing with water. If your kids love playing with water, then crocs are perfect, as they won’t get damaged if they get damp. Flip flops can also be useful for paddling in the sea, but bear in mind that these are not so well suited for running around, as the chances of tripping over are very high! Another great summer brand of children shoes is Startrite.

The other style of shoe that is useful is the trainer or canvas shoes. These are better for less messy situations, and also more versatile, as you will get more use out of them. Canvas shoes are cheap, so no worries about them getting worn or dirty, but it’s worth spending a little more on trainers and buying a pair that allow the feet to breathe. So, you can see that just a few pairs of shoes are all your daughter’s feet need for summer!