Summer Shopping

There's a high street brand that's been on my radar for a while now, and as summer approaches I'm spending more and more time browsing their bohemian dresses, embroidered bed jackets and perfect printed jumpsuits. 

Maison Scotch is the accessible Isabel Marant for those of us dreaming of wearing cheesecloth and silk all summer long...

Shirt, Bag, Scarf, Shorts, Belt, Tunic, Trousers, Dress, Denim Jacket all Maison Scotch.

Stylist Shops River Island

ITS SHOPPING SUNDAY!!

And today I'm checking out River Island, a high street shop full of bold, trend led pieces.

In the last couple of years, the brand has gone from strength to strength - and its press preview is one of the ones I look forward to the most as they always have such great stuff on show.

So, lets see how I got on in their Oxford Street store...

Today I tried on: Floral shorts, white vest, white sweatshirt, lemon jacket, black vest, white shorts, floral skirt, lemon dungarees, floral coat, stripe trench.

Ok River Island, we're on.....

First up, when life gives you lemons, what do you do? Put them on dungarees of course and add a matching jacket for good measure. These lemon print denim dungarees (£40, size 10) and jacket (£55, size 10) are verging close to the line of ridiculous, but close enough to make them just bloody perfect.

My second River Island outfit is the Geisha-Gal kimono-esq wrap around skirt/skirts combo (£30, size 10). That's right, the SKORT is back, and it ain't bad. 

I've paired it with this excellent black silky vest (£20, size 12 so that it fits oversized) which I would suggest buying in every colour for summer.

Now folks, you know how much I love a matching outfit, it must stem from my childhood spent in shell suits, so this shorts (£30, size 10) and coat (£75, size 10) combo slightly rocks my world. 

Obviously worn with the ubiquitous silky vest (£20, size 12) in white - told you it was worth a purchase.

The coat will also look freaking awesome with rolled up ripped skinny jeans and Birkenstocks this summer...

Head to toe white is my favourite sartorial challenge - the challenge being not getting myself filthy within the first ten minutes of leaving the house. If you can master that, this is probably my favourite look... 

The brushed cotton jumper (£28, size M) wasn't the best quality (you can see bits of material fluffing off on my arm and my hair) - although it was soft, comfortable and lightweight enough for British summer. The bleached denim shorts (£28, size 12) are meant to fit high waisted but I tried them in a bigger size so they would ride low on the hips like a gangsta, rather than high on the bum cheeks like a 16 year old. 

And yes I fell for them folks. 

Madly. Deeply. 

They came home with me.

Finally, the patterned silk trench - something I've seen a lot of brands doing for summer. It's the new summer kimono, chuck it on over shorts and a tee - or even over a bikini round the pool. This one (£65, size 10) is both graphic and floral and totally and utterly great.

So - what do you think? What do you love? Hate? What will you be adding to your summer wardrobe from River Island?

Answers on a postcard.

(Or the comments box below)

New Season Shopping

New Brand Alert!

Self-Portrait is an amazing new brand from Han Chong the ex-creative director of Three Floor.

Full of classics with a twist this is one collection to really get excited about.

This lace biker jacket is sitting in my shopping cart already.

Shop SS14 online now, and see below for a sneak preview of the High Summer collection, out later this year.

Here's What I Wore...

On a Friday in March...

Im currently on a fashion shoot in Namibia, staying at a lodge in the middle of the desert that took three planes and 24 hours to get to - hence the lack of posts this week!

Follow me on Instagram @rachelingram14 to see what I'm up to (when I can get wifi).

As for today, Im wearing an Acne tshirt, James Perse shorts with a Gap shirt round the waist. And my trusty birkenstocks from ASOS which haven't left my feet all shoot.

Whata-ya-got Liberty?

IT'S SHOPPING SUNDAY!

And time again for me to take on the changing rooms of another shop, raiding the racks and showing the world how much my hair really needs a wash.

This week I've visited London boutique Liberty, one of my favourite spots in London, a beautiful Tudor revival building stocked full of beautiful SS14 things.  

I've gone for higher price points today as Liberty stocks two of my favourite brands Acne and Isabel Marant Etoile - but as a massive advocate of cost per wear purchases, I'm going to show you how to style up each item a few different ways - making them so versatile and wearable you'll never take them off so THEY'RE PRACTICALLY FREE! 

Sadly, much of Liberty's stock is still not available to buy online (get with the times Liberty), so I have had to link other stores to some of the items I'm wearing...

So, we're ready to go.. and here are the 6 delicious items I've picked today...

Trousers Isabel Marant Etoile, Top Isabel Marant Etoile, Jeans EachXOther, Jacket Acne, Tshit Acne and Shirt Isabel Marant Etoile. 

First up, these Isabel Marant Etoile checkered, cotton trousers (£225 size 10) are probably the most comfortable things you will ever drape upon your legs, like clouds of soft brushed cotton floating about your lower limbs. They are also the kind of thing you may not buy because you're  'sure you can find a similar pair at Zara', but mark my words dear reader, they will NEVER look or fit like these look and fit.  

The Isabel Marant Etoile top (£265 size M) has a simple, boxy tshirt fit but is made from a heavy-mesh-embroidered material and can be dressed up or down, so I can't imagine taking this one off all summer long...

And just to prove that point, I haven't taken it off....

Second outfit is the same delightfully meshy top half paired with jeans from new cool kid brand EachXOther (£285 size M) and the leather side panel makes me very happy (I don't know about you?). So happy I'm even doing a selfie-side-pose to give you an optimum viewing angle.

Dont say I don't treat you good....

The pyjama pants are back on, and this time with a clashing printed blouse again from Isabel Marant Etoile (£210, size 8) which makes me renounce my revulsion for floral prints. Coulda gone a size up, not going to lie, they simply didn't have any more in stock. Word of advice, if you have any hint of womanly breast, never buy a French brand's size 8 top. 

And on to the Acne tshirt (£100 size M) - it fits as any Acne tshirts does; loose, boxy and perfectly. Every Acne tshirt I've ever bought has lasted me years and been worn to the threads. Sound investments. 

I can't go much further without mentioning Acne's JUST DROPPED collaboration with Liberty - an amazing mix of Liberty's fabrics with Acne's cool designs. Yes it is pricey but it's totally amazing...

Top £150, Shoes £350, Tshirt £440, Sunglasses £250, Leather Dungarees £1,900, Leather Jacket £2,700.

So - back to the changing rooms...

My final outfit for the day, the Acne denim jacket (£300, size 10) thrown over those trusty EachXOther jeans and Acne Tshirt. This jacket looks like a simple white denim jacket, but reader, it is so much more. It fits like the boxy babe you always want your vintage one to be and the three stripes across the back and arms (check out the link to see this properly) give it that 'where did you get that jacket?' factor. Yes it's £300 but I guarantee you'll wear this jacket over everything you own this summer.

And that's it for today folks. Enjoy the sunshine, spring has arrived so time to get shopping....

Here's What I Wore...

...On a Tuesday in March

A classic look today, but with the added twist of this awesome jacket from John Wayne's recent collection for French brand Maje. Designing clothes from the grave is that cowboy's speciality. 

Jacket Maje, Tshirt Stella Jeans at MatchesFashion, Trousers ancient Next, SunnyG's from Accessorize and Boots by Duo.  

Whata-ya-got H&M?

IT'S SHOPPING SUNDAY! 

And time for me to take on a new shop and see what they have in store for us.

So, today, H&M the high fashion high street shop which even has it's own show at PARIS FASHION WEEK is my shopping target... lets see how I got on!

First up the knit'n'shorts combo. I love a knit and shorts but am always confused as to which season one is meant to wear this? If it's cold enough for that knit, it's sure as hell too cold to wear those shorts.

ANYWAY I digress, These shorts are a WINNER on all accounts. Bottle green, suede, boxing shorts (size 12, £59.99) - I mean do I even need to say anything else? Well, apart from the fact that I liked them a size bigger to feel boxier. They are a true gem of a high street find and will probably disappear off the racks pretty quick. so GO!

The jumper (size 8, £39.99) was a perfect knit, not too tight on the neck, not the softest of materials but at least it wasn't itchy.... 

I then refused to take the shorts off ever again (they came home with me) so threw this shirt (size 10, £29.99) and bomber (size 10, £29.99) on for another way to wear them.  

Oh AND this coat. Which was also a total winner. This denim, oversized trench (size 10, £59.99) which looks totally ACNE and super cool with a rolled up sleeve, would go with absolutely everything in your wardrobe.

Once I'd managed to pry the suede shorts from my nether-regions I threw on this amazing embellished sweatshirt (size 10, £39.99) with pinstripe wool trousers (size 8, £34.99) which came up pretty high waisted - too high for my comfort factor, but fit pretty well on the leg. They are a good cropped length so would be perfect with a pair of brogues or slippers once 'tis ankle bearing season again. 

So, curve ball time, the mid length, strange old auntie dress (size 10, £29.99). This one confused me so much on the hanger I had to have a go. I'm not sure I can pull it off - feel free to let me know - but I felt it had to go with a pair of trainers (size 39, totally true to size, £24.99) to have any sort of chance of being cool and modern. 

And finally, this mid-blue number (size 10, £39.99) which is a little more on the casual wedding side and would look totally marvellous styled up for the day with a cute rollneck or silk tshirt underneath. VERSATILE HEY?