[affiliates] The spring/summer wardrobe transition is particularly difficult in the UK – we aren’t blessed with any kind of certainty on any day. One day, there you are, happily in shorts and a t-shirt and literally the next day, you’re digging out your jumpers again. I find any seasonal wardrobe transition discombobulating – I don’t quite feel like I’m wearing the right thing on any day for quite some time. I went into central London for an appointment yesterday and it was hot. I always like to people watch (sometimes too much) and of course it was a mish-mash of styles including those like myself radiating awkwardness at not getting the wardrobe quite right for the day. However, the people that really stood out to me as looking absolutely perfect were those wearing black and white. So simple, so chic and so flippin’ easy!
So, that’s what I’m wearing today (feel free to mentally change the background from my kitchen to a cafe in Nice) and immediately feel that I’ve found my skin. My wardrobe is full of black and white and yet somehow I couldn’t fit it together myself – I needed to see other peoples’ style before the light bulb went on. It’s highly likely you can throw together something black and white from your existing wardrobe with no need to splash out on anything else, but I can recommend Uniqlo’s Smart Ankle Length Trousers HERE as being lightweight, forgiving on the waist and a joy with trainers (they come in long and short to make sure you get the right ones). To that point, Uniqlo HERE or Muji HERE trainer/no show socks are perfection. I’m wearing the Uniqlo trousers although I bought them a couple of years ago so the style might be slightly different.
Dig out a white t-shirt (beautiful Cos version HERE) and from there you build. A beautiful red toned lipstick (I’m wearing Chanel Anemone HERE in an orangey-red but Charlotte Tilbury Hot Lips Red Susan HERE is major red!) is all you need to accessorise but sunglasses (mine are very old Chanel – a couple of suit-all options HERE and HERE) take this look from basic to best.
More options are to pile on coloured bracelets, wear bright nails, a long necklace maybe or a tan crossbody bag or a leopard shopper (Accessorize HERE). Black and white suits everyone, size, height and tone are all irrelevant to this combo and you can make it look different every time – a stripe t-shirt, a denim jacket, white trousers and black top, red sunglasses – the list goes on.
My final recommendation is Tamaris Wedge Trainers HERE which have booted Fitflop sandals out of top spot in my wardrobe – they’ve got a little booster in the heel that’s not chunky or obvious but it just gives your legs a little extra length and if you’re short like me, that’s a bonus. They’re quite hard to track down but Amazon usually has them if you are feeling patient but they have the absolute advantage, if you have any fine motor issues, of having a zip at the side while looking like you have a degree in lacing. They make me feel positively bouncy.
Transparency Disclosure
All products are sent to me as samples from brands and agencies unless otherwise stated. Affiliate links may be used. Posts are not affiliate driven.