I Got Stripes - Textured Skater Dress from Simply Be via JD Williams

This textured skater dress from Simply Be via JD Williams reminds me of the quintessential British seaside. Deckchair stripes, Neapolitan ice-cream and the perfect summer day.

The pretty pastels are perfect for sunshine fun, and the range of colours make it a dress which is easy to team with existing accessories. The dress has a fit and flare skater style shape, whilst the fabric has an almost waffle like texture. As soon as it went on sale I pounced on it, and it's been an easy to wear wardrobe staple as spring has blossomed into summer.

Dress: Textured Skater Dress fom Simply Be via JD Williams (£17, was £22).

Shoes: Silver ballet flats from New Look (aw15 stock).

Flower: Temptress of Waikikki.

Roller Necklace: Pip Jolley.

The only problem I have with this dress is that it always makes me hungry for ice-cream!

Until next time,

Diana x ❤ x

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(All photos (c) Diana Thompson / Fashion Loves Photos unless otherwise stated. Please do not reproduce without written permission.)

Mellow Yellow with Navabi

Anyone who follows my blog or my Instagram will notice that I wear a lot of yellow. It's one of my favorite colours, and I spend much of my life looking not too dissimilar from a chubby bumblebee! And that's totally fine by me - yellow is a shade which always lifts my mood, so when summer comes along with it's range of sunny hues, I'm always excited to see what's new.

Navabi is a bit of a new find for me, having stumbled across it when looking for a specific dress from Junarose which was sold out elsewhere. It contains a lot of premium quality brands which I previously hadn't heard of, and it made me really rethink my relationship with fast fashion vs quality wardrobe staples. With yellow on the brain, I wanted to check out their range of summer ready picks and was not left disappointed!  

Kekoo Cotton Balloon Hem Dress (£49.99).

This adorable Kekoo Cotton Balloon Hem Dress is the perfect choice for feeling both comfy and cute. Made from pure cotton, the short sleeves and rounded v-neck and countered with a creased finish and semi-sheer panels which create a volume filled, petal like finish. And it also contains the dress holy grail - pockets on either side of the dress!

Mat Crochet Lace Jersey Maxi Dress (£99.99).

This Mat Crochet Lace Jersey Maxi Dress is crying out to be packed into a holiday suitcase. Made from a soft and stretchy jersey fabric, it's an easy to wear style which is both comfy and elegant. The eye-catching crochet lace detail is stunning, and the maxi length is perfect dressed up with sandals or heels.

Oliver Jung Crushed Cotton Mix Dress (£79.99).

This Oliver Jung Crushed Cotton Mix Dress is another great casual number with an interesting, textured finish to the fabric. Featuring pockets, a flared cut with a partly elasticated hem, it's an easy to wear choice whether shopping or picnicking.

Manon Baptiste Jersey Wrap Dress (£129.99).

If you're looking for a dress which defines the waist, the Manon Baptiste Jersey Wrap Dress might just be for you. Made from a soft, heavyweight jersey with a self-tie belt, the elasticated material ensures the perfect shape with the skirt falling into a pretty bell shape.

Manon Baptiste Floral Textured Dress (£179.99).

Also from Manon Baptiste is this lovely Floral Textured Dress which is great for any weddings or summer events which you might have on the horizon. Made from a textured woven fabric with a shiny floral print, the pleats and nipped in waist show off a stunning silhouette,

Do you have a favorite colour which lifts your spirits? Let me know if the comments! ❤

Until next time,

Diana x ❤ x

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(All photos (c) Navabi.)

Yellow Days with H&M+

Yellow is probably my favourite colour, and I frequently wear it teamed with black. I spend much of my life buzzing around London looking like a chubby bumble bee, and wouldn't have it any other way! Therefore when I came across this dress from H&M+, it was love at first sight and I knew I had to order it for the warmer weather. Turns out it was a good move as I have pretty much lived in it on those rare occasions when summer has raised it's head!

Unlike most of the HM+ range, this dress is safe to order in your usual size. If anything, it's a little on the generous size as the bottom half of the dress is very fabric heavy with a tie-waist to gather.

Dress: Yellow dress from H&M+ (£29.99).

Shoes: Ghillie Lace Up Sandals from F&F (£15).

Flower: Temptress of Waikiki.

Necklace: Name Necklace from Punky Pins (£8).

This is pretty much my go to "sun is shining and I want to feel cute"outfit. Maybe it's the colour, but there's something about it which just makes me feel so happy!

Until next time,

Diana x ❤ x

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(All photos (c) Diana Thompson / Fashion Loves Photos unless otherwise stated. Please do not reproduce without written permission.)

Stayin' Alive - Floral Print Shirt Dress from Simply Be

A bright and bold print is a great way to give yourself a boost, and this 70s delight is no exception. Sitting somewhere between Woodstock vibes and your great grandmother's curtains, this delightful shirt dress from Simply Be is definitely a summer smash.

I couldn't resist it once it had gone on sale, and is currently reduced from £40 to just £20. It's a dress which needs very little in the way of accessories, so I simply teamed it with some plain blue ballet flats, and a matching yellow rose in my hair.

Dress: Floral Print Shirt Dress from Simply Be (Was £40, now £20).

Shoes: Sole Diva Ballerinas from JD Williams (£10).

Rose: Yellow rose from Temptress of Waikiki. 

Whilst most of my wardrobe and style inspiration is generally stuck somewhere between the 50s and 60s, I've really been falling in love with all the 70s trends from the last few seasons. They're just so much fun to play with, and almost always come attached with a huge burst of colour. If ever there was a dress which screamed summer, it's this one!

Until next time,

Diana x ❤ x

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(All photos (c) Diana Thompson / Fashion Loves Photos unless otherwise stated. Please do not reproduce without written permission.)

Nothing But Flowers - Ditsy Floral Print Dress from F&F

I recently wrote a blog post which showed the ditsy print peg leg trousers from F&F, and was so in love with the print that I just had to buy the matching dress too.

Like all the best dresses, it has pockets on both sides, as well as a cute pussy bow tie and a lovely, floaty shape perfect for the summer. Right now this particular style isn't in stock on their website, but there are lots of other dresses, shorts, tops and trousers which are currently rocking this cute ditsy style.

Dress: Ditsy Print Dress from F&F (currently unavailable).

Legings: JD Williams stretch jersey leggings (£10).

Sandals: George at Asda (previous season).

Until next time,

Diana x ❤ x

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(All photos (c) Diana Thompson / Fashion Loves Photos unless otherwise stated. Please do not reproduce without written permission.)

Black Cherry

Sometimes you come across an item of clothing, and you just know that it'll become one of those easy, chic looking no fuss garments. One of those wonderful, elusive items which you can just throw on and know that it'll go with anything. That's how I felt when I came across this side split tunic from Simply Be (£11), and I knew the second I put it on that it would be a wardrobe staple during the warmer weather.

Available in a choice of black, grey or red, I choose the darkest option to reflect how I feel about sweating it out during London's smoggy heatfest. But also, you know, because black goes with pretty much everything and I like to know that I have those easy to wear, dependable bits hanging in my wardrobe.

Here I've teamed it with some high-waisted jeans, and I love how the tunic's slits are high enough that they still show a little bit of skin. With the warmer weather, I've been wearing it a lot over some high wasited shorts, and it's been a great outfit for shooting in as I'm cool, but not in danger of flashing anyone! Plus it's so comfy, with the stretchy material both soft and cosy.

Tunic: Side Split Tunic from Simply Be (£11).

High Wasited Jeans: Curves from New Look (£24.99). 

Sandals: George at Asda (previous season).

Necklace: Tatty Devine (previous season).

Until next time,

Diana x ❤ x

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(All photos (c) Diana Thompson / Fashion Loves Photos unless otherwise stated. Please do not reproduce without written permission.)

Addicted To Love (and monochrome)

I know, I know - shock, horror, it's me in yet another pair of trousers! Who is this person, and where have all her floral and polka dots gone? She's still there someone, and without a doubt will be back on the blog shortly, but for now I'm really enjoying playing around with my wardrobe and just having fun.

With this look, I felt part way between a chubby rock star and bad ass biker babe which is probably as far away from my usual bumper bangs and hair flowers as you can get! I loved pairing the high waisted jeans with a white shirt, and simply unbuttoned and tied it up to give it more of a cropped finish.

Shirt: Simply Be

Jeans: HM+

Biker Jacket: HM+ (Old season)

Sandals: George (Old season)

The only thing I'll say is that I needed to size up with both the blouse and the jeans (two sizes in the jeans, in fact!) If you're smaller in the bust than I am, your normal size will probably be fine but if you've got a lot up front, size up to avoid the dreaded gape of doom!

I really like this outfit, and it was put together very much with my friend Chattermonkey in mind. It's the right balance of smart vs casual for me to go and meet clients and has definitely made me want to continue to further push through my self imposed style limitations.

Until next time,

Diana x ❤ x

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(All photos (c) Diana Thompson / Fashion Loves Photos unless otherwise stated. Please do not reproduce without written permission.)

Flower Child - Floral Print Peg Leg Trousers from F&F

In those brief windows which promise a flicker of summer, I'm trying to get out of my comfort zone and switch up how I dress for the warmer weather. My wardrobe is filled with vintage polyester and repro dresses which are my usual go to, but often worn with tights or leggings and even cardigans despite the soaring heat. It's mostly due to feeling insecure about my dry and blotchy skin, but as I'm getting older, I'm realising that people just don't care. Everyone is too busy with their own life to take note of every single little thing you hate about yourself, so with that mind set firmly in place, this is going to be the summer where my legs, my arms and even glimpses of my stomach will be very much on show.

I don't wear trousers very often, but having just a skirt or dress without leggings when on a photoshoot isn't practical unless I want to show everyone the colour of my underwear. But that didn't mean that I had to stray too far from my floral ditsy print loving style. When I saw these Floral Print Peg Leg trousers (£16) on the F&F website, I knew that they would be the perfect bridge between being practical and not veering too far from my personal style.

The trousers are available up to a UK 22, and with their comfy waistband and tapered leg are as easy to wear as they are pretty. They have pockets on the hips which is always a plus for any photographer, and a fabric belt which can easily be removed.

I teamed it with an old favourite vest rolled up from Simply Be, a Pearls & Swine rose headband and some ballet flats from JD Williams.

All the floral elements make me feel like it's still very me, just a more casual and sunshine ready version. I'd definitely wear this to a festival or for a picnic in the park, and would simply ditch the floral headband for a single flower clip to bring it back to be more everyday. I was so surprised how comfy I felt in the trousers, and loved the print so much that I've brought the matching dress too which will also be in the blog soon!

Until next time,

Diana x ❤ x

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(All photos (c) Diana Thompson / Fashion Loves Photos unless otherwise stated. Please do not reproduce without written permission.)