Cut the crop

                                         Proenza Schouler


The days when 'crop top' brought to mind 90s high-school films and undignified nights out on girly summer escapades are long gone. I wouldn't have seen it coming, but it appears that crop tops can actually be done with stylish flair. It's something about the way they end so abruptly that looks so 'cool': as if you couldn't be bothered to wait for the finished product, pulling it over your head fresh from the sewing machine. 

                                           Reed Krakoff

But crop tops done properly also have that sleek, contemporary refinement about them. In fact, if your wardrobe were a living room, the crop top would be the modern, low-lying Scandinavian-inspired coffee table at the centre of it: modest and unassuming, but controls all the proportions of the grander scheme. Their minimal stitching, marginal detailing, and negligibly tailored shape give them that edge of understatement that rules the world of 21st Century unisex fashion. In one word, crop tops at their best embody minimalism - quite literally. And there is only one rule for translating it from chic catwalk androgyny into office appropriate wear: meet the midriff with a high waist.

Becoming "Conscious"

In 2007 I read an article in my monthly issue of Marie Claire that changed how I viewed the fashion industry forever. "Prada Vs Primark" was a duel between Katie Spicer, the average highstreet shopper who pairs the occasional designer item with an abundance of low-cost trends, and Tamsin Blanchard, an ethical fashion journalist who takes the time to question the values and practices of any given brand. For the first time, I was forced to ask myself whether my pennyworth on that exquisite £10 top would support something good and how I could make my decision count. Tamsin's side of the story captivated me: she was a shopper with a conscience, something we could all use a bit more of when building on our personal wardrobes.

So how do you know whether you're buying from a brand with a conscience? Sometimes, it's not so clear to you where they source their textiles from, or how they've come to arrive at an Oxford street window. Sometimes, it's crushingly obvious that a "bargain" to you is making a fool out of some poor soul lost, in the global bulldozer of a supply chain. And sometimes, just sometimes, they tell you. 

H&M Conscious is the brand's ethical commitment to "bring you more fashion choices that are good for people, the planet and your wallet". This season, the collection is a blend of Flamenco frippery and royally angular cuts, in the ever-classic palette of black and white. I love the mediterranean embroidery, and I have my eyes on this gorgeous black long-jacquered weave dress. 

It may not be the case of the usual wander-in-and-out of the high-street shop, picking up a few fanciable items along the way. The truth is that these garments are quite a bit pricier than the average H&M number. But being organic, recycled and created from cellulose fabrics you are guaranteed that guilt-free feeling when lugging your shopping home after spending a little more than you should. After all, as Amber Valetta views it, "looking good should do good too".

3 Pops of Spring

 If your work lifestyle is anything like mine, Spring doesn’t naturally coat your life in glowing relaxation with the promise of the Summer. No, no, no. For some unearthly reason, every time the sun bursts through the clouds like a rare invitation to linger outside, an angry deadline or a meeting grabs me by the scruff of the neck and drags me back to the office.

My only consolation is in the little things that leave me with a sunny smile. Here are three Spring-inspired trends that add just a pop of life to even the longest and dullest of days…

1.   ‘Le Parc Print’ by Bimba Y Lola

One unavoidable trend this season has got to be the ethnic print, or as my boyfriend calls it ‘Aztec cool’. There is an incredible ‘off the beaten track’ bite to any item with that characteristic black on bold pattern (even when you know it’s highstreet or designer!) I am personally besotted with this Bimba Y Lola ‘Le Parc Print’ special. It’s somewhere between the South American continent and 1960s geometry. Pair it up with an airy, oversized shirt and you’re good to go.

2.     ‘Hampshire’ by Hemsley London

I came across this London born and bred brand at Fashion Week this year. It’s a perfect example of how the Best of British is constantly evolving and transforming with up-and-coming talent. The Hampshire is a minimal beauty, combining off-white-painted calf leather, chrome plating and a pair of distinctive white racing stripes. It’s on my wish list.

3.     Decoltissimo Patent by Christian Louboutin

I am mad about block colour – especially when it props up quite unexpectedly. When I first lay eyes on these beautiful teal heels, I imagined a complete cream number accompanying it. What cheers ‘Spring’ more than a basic palette with a shot of the most joyful tone of the season?