Resort 18 Moodboard - Serene Tropical

It was two years ago, for Resort 16, that we saw palm prints emerge as the biggest trend of the season. Now two years on, designers love for all things tropical is once again back at the forefront of fashion. However this time around, tropicals are serene. Coming in a cool wave of calm earthy shades of green and grey, the colour palette sets the tone for this beautiful print trend.  Nature is never too far from fashion, but now more than ever it seems all too relevant.  Was Stella McCartney taking note from the current environmental crisis with her Resort 18 offering?  Did Trump's embarrassing climate change denial provoke a reaction from other designers perhaps? Origins of the trend aside, there is also something rather romantic about the soft palms and photographic rainforest scenes. This is how to wear tropical prints the sophisticated way, without the vibrant colours and bold motifs. I approve!

Phillippa x

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Seasonal Designer Wishlist

When it comes to fashion, we can all dream can't we? I love looking online at the beginning of the week, seeing which new pieces have dropped from my favourite designer brands. Having said that I've been stuck in a little bit of a style rut as of late, wanting to switch up my style but not feeling confident when I try new trends. But I've come to accept that sometimes you can't fight fashion, embrace what works for you and just roll with it. I've been shopping in the sales these past few weeks, and whilst I love seeing all the printed maxi dresses and cute floral skirts, there's no point in me trying them on...as they very rarely suit me. I just have to face up the fact that i'm a black, red and green kinda girl - my wardrobe is full of these colours! I'm all about a high-waisted a-line mini skirt (somewhat inspired by Francoise Hardy and Jane Birkin), cinching me in at the waist and being super flattering for my figure. I'm also a huge advocate of a classic polo neck, black preferably. A combination of these 2 pieces together elongates my body and leaves me feeling ultra confident. I have no need to worry about those 'problem areas' as I know I've picked clothes that work for me. Recently I've also been loving low cut v-neck shirts. Having purchased a skinny scarf from Rockins earlier in the year (literally obsessed with this brand!) I've been embracing that Kate Moss vibe of dressing and such a shirt with a skinny scarf looks effortlessly rock'n'roll. I've also fully jumped on the slogan tee bandwagon, adding a little bit of quirk to my outfits. Ankle boots are still my main jam, I mean if I could purchase every designer pair of flat ankle boots on Net-a-Porter I 100% would. So with all that being said, I've put together my seasonal designer wishlist...

1. Dress - Off-White £620

2. Dress - Realisation Par $195

3. Shirt - Rixo £175

4. Bag - Mulberry £1195

5. Scarf - Rockins £45

6. Boots - Valentino £1265

7. T-Shirt - Ganni £45

8. Skirt - IRO £580

9. Skirt - Self-Portrait £220

Phillippa x

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SS17: On Trend Now - Polka Dot

Polka dots are timeless print trend, one in which you were probably dressed head to toe in as a child. For SS17 designers updated this trend, taking the classic twee print and modernising it with new silhouettes. Such silhouettes, as seen at Louis Vuitton and Jacquemus, had major 80's references. I mean, just look at the emphasis on the shoulders! Elevating this trend further, some designers opted to add ruffles and contrasting graphic lines into the mix. It is typically a playful print, but with the right fabric and styling can have serious edge. The key to nailing this look is to keep things monochromatic. You can't go far wrong with a palette of: black, white, red and blue - the perfect transitional colours, which are flattering on all skin tones.

As this is a fairly understated and fail safe print trend, any pieces you invest in will work well for both work and social occasions. You could easily team a polka dot shirt with classic trousers for the office, or dress up with an a-line mini for a night out. With the right styling, you can still make a bold sartorial statement, should you wish to!

1. Monse £2995 / 2. Realisation Par $195 / 3. Marc Jacobs £625
4. No.21 £490 / 5. Dolce and Gabbana £1500 / 6. Topshop £29
7. Caroline Constas £460 / 8. BooHoo £18 / 9. McQ £320

Phillippa x

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Resort 18 Moodboard - Rainbow Stripes

Who doesn't love a good stripe? Well it seems many designers do, as the Resort 18 presentations featured more stripes than you could shake a stick at! Step aside the humble Breton stripe, because this season stripes come in a plethora of rainbow inspired colours. Nehera opted for hand painted, Au Jour Le Jour for ruffles and DVF for simple silk versions. Philosophy and Missoni even went one step further and combined stripes with asymmetric hemlines - a double whammy on the trend front! This print trend is somewhat music to my ears, favouring the clean cut lines of a graphic print and loving the work of artists such as Jim Lambie, Gary Petersen and Franco Grignani. It's time to stripe it lucky for resort 18...

Phillippa x

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July Playlist

Here's my latest summer playlist...

Lovers by Anna of The North

Hugs of Thunder by Broken Social Scene

Minimum by Charlie Cunningham

Cranes in The Sky by Solange

Music Is The Answer by Joe Goddard
True Disaster by Tove Lo

Oh Woman Oh Man by London Grammar

Perfect Places by Lorde

Bad Liar by Selena Gomez
Real Name by lostboycrow

Ultralife by Oh Wonder
Hold It Down by Noah Kahan
No Reason by Bonobo ft Nick Murphy
Doubt by Shallou
Song For Our Grandfathers by Future Islands

High and Low by Oliver Moldan ft Jasmine Ash

Now or Never by Halsey
Thinking of A Place by The War On Drugs
Wanderer by Mogli
Told Me by Dusky Grey
Closer by Majik
Jungle by Tash Sultana
OI' Sweet Day by AHI
In The Wild by ROMES
Mourning Sound by Grizzly Bear
Loud Places (Jamie xx cover) by HONNE
High Hopes by Kodaline
Time Lapse by Soul to Speak
Liar by Frans
Electric Touch by ARIZONA
iT by Christine and the Queens
00000 Million by Ella Vos
Given The Chance by The Kite String Tangle
Beautiful Ones by Hurts
Minds by CHINAH
Damage Done by Kita Alexander
I Know A Place - MUNA
Jailbird by Shells
New Song by Warpaint
With You by Waxahatchee
Good Girls by LANY
Unforgettable by French Montana ft Swae Lee
Our Own House by MisterWives
I Need A Dollar by Aloe Blacc (Ben E & Falki remix)

Please let me know your music recommendations!

Phillippa x

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Brand To Know - Realisation Par

Every so often a brand comes along and you just instantly fall in love, with every piece looking like it was directly designed with you in mind. That is how I feel about Realisation Par. Founded in 2015 by Aussie model Alexandra Spencer and designer Teale Talbot, the brand couldn't be more 'me' if it tried. Realisation seeks to design individual pieces, as opposed to collections, thus enabling the wearing to inject their wardrobe with key items rather than seasonal trend-driven garments which will be deemed 'out dated' in 6 months. Realisation Par translates to 'Made By, Styled By' in French, hence the understated and effortless appeal of the brands clothes. If you didn't already know, I'm a major lover of an a-line mini dress - so through some star prints and cute polka dots into the mix and I'm one happy girl! With 90's references throughout and ultra flattering silhouettes, including loosely tied tops and wrap dresses, Realisation is fast becoming one of the hottest brands of 2017. Price Range: $69 - $225 | Available online at realisationpar.com

Phillippa x

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Resort 18 Colour Moodboard - Fuchsia

No you are not having a serious case of deja vu, fuchsia which was the biggest colour trend of SS17 has once again made a play on the seasonal trend front. Seen widely across several of the Resort 18 presentations, this rich and oh so feminine colour is once again at the frontline of fashion. Street wear brand Off-White opted for deep fuchsia with strong purple undertones, whilst Givenchy went for a more reddish toned shade. But for me, it was Altuzarra and Versace who stole the show with a classic upbeat fuchsia - selecting a shade so bright you could no doubt see it from space! The great thing is, if you invested in this colour trend for SS17 then you are already one step ahead of the game and can work these pieces into your wardrobe for next year...

Phillippa x

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