Hot on the Highstreet Week 84

Equipment shirts have become something of a craze… Net-a-porter describes the designer collection perfectly:

“Christian Restoin introduced the men's shirt to womenswear with the launch of Equipment in 1975. Inspired by Hollywood stars Katherine Hepburn and Lauren Bacall, his debut collection was an instant hit with fashion's elite. Current/Elliott's Serge Azria relaunched the brand in 2010 with a collection of androgynous styles in luxurious silks, paying homage to the label's heritage while infusing it with contemporary edge. Now with pyjamas added to the range, you can stay stylishly equipped 24/7.”

These gorgeous silk shirts come in a plethora of colours: muted pastels, grungy woody hues and fun bright shades. There are also a variety of patterned garments and special shirts available with adorned collars and bejewelled sleeves. All the pigments used are unique and intense and the silk material is deliciously soft and velvety; they are unlike any other silk shirts currently on the highstreet.

I have always lusted after these pretty tops, stroking them enviously while wandering round Harvey Nichols. So you can imagine my delight when I found an Equipment shirt in the sale at Selfridges… I felt extremely lucky to get the last one, reduced from a hefty £230 to a staggering £30, surely the best sale buy ever?! A pale dusty pink, it is elegant and smart, now I’ve got my eye out for a bright Equipment shirt steal… I’d love to find a turquoise or tangerine coloured one.

Buy Equipment shirts online here at ASOS.

Hot on the Highstreet Week 76

Recently Reiss has been hitting the jackpot... smart sassy dresses, super sharp tailoring and now fun party wear too! I saw this slinky playsuit a few months ago and am surprised to still see it on shelves - sophisticated and versatile, it is the perfect Christmas party outfit. Reiss has never been my favourite high street shop, I find their collections a little too generic and overpriced, however a few weeks ago I found some amazing smart/casual work trousers there. Bright red lava coloured, flattering and perfectly cropped, I fell in love instantly.

This playsuit is described by Reiss as a “dazzling after-dark option,” it has a loose silk top with adjustable straps and sequin shorts with a relaxed fit on the thigh. It is a glamorous garment but thankfully the loose fit tailoring makes it super comfortable and very flattering on the legs. It certainly has the wow factor and would look equally amazing with killer heels or comfy flats.

Priced at £169 and made from beautiful 100% high quality silk, this is an investment piece. Put down the party frock and pick up the party playsuit.

Visit the Reiss website and buy here.

Hot on the Highstreet Week 50

In a variation on the theme of last week’s hot on the highstreet, I introduce to you some of my other favourite highstreet spring collaborations. Get your very own little piece of designer with these much cheaper collections.

Antoni and Alison are a dynamic duo, British designers with a very British flair. Their clothes are quite art-based and sometimes use a ‘stupid’ concept to present garments with silly quirky slogans. I have visited their dizzy little shop on Rosebury Avenue, and was fascinated by it all, a museum of exciting and bizarre artefacts amongst their wonderful clothes.

This season Antoni and Alison have contrived some witty remarks for UniQlo, and together they’ve made some hilarious bright t-shirts, casual and very easy to wear. Bold statements such as ‘I hate my hair’ and ‘I can play the piano’ are used on the front, and there are about twenty different illustrations to collect. I hadn’t noticed this collaboration until I saw my trendy little sister sporting one the other day. If it’s as popular as the Jil Sander partnership I’m sure it will sell out in no time. At the moment there are still quite a few online, buy here (£12.99 or two for £19.99, bargain!)

Edward Meadham and Benjamin Kirchhoff are the designers behind London’s most talked about, up-and-coming label, Meadham Kirchhoff. The clothes are girly, candy floss tinted with a touch of mystery - ethereal garments unlike any other. The prices are painfully steep though making it hard for most of us to afford these charming gems. Meadham Kirchhoff presents its second collection with Topshop this spring, featuring incredible layered skirts and dresses that are beautifully dishevelled and amazingly flattering. See the whole collection and buy here.

And finally Matthew Williamson has teamed up with charity Too Many Women (raising funds for Breakthrough Breast Cancer) to create a fun neon beach bracelet that will be sold in Accessorizes all over the country for £15. Featured in this month’s Vogue.

Hot on the Highstreet Week 41

The days of natural fibres are long, long gone... and the highstreet stores are cashing in on cheaper, more versatile materials – goodbye cotton and silk, hello nylon and viscose. And as prices continue to rise, quality takes a tumble. I can’t stand wearing clothes made from synthetic materials, I find them itchy, hot and sticky and aesthetically incomparable to the real thing. Washing-wise they are usually easier, but are prone to shrinking and changing shape, leading to disappointment.

It breaks my heart to see so many tacky materials filling the rails in popular stores like Topshop and French Connection, and while others may continue to waste money on their unnatural garments I refuse to. Okay, rant over. While browsing for shoes in Topshop the other day I came across a gypsy yellow silk shirt, made from, believe it or not... real silk! Faded and delicate, with sweet tassle detailing - I instantly adored it.

Overjoyed with my unique find I rushed to the nearest mirror to try on the beauty (see picture above). I sampled different sizes but decided the largest 14 would suit my needs best: I could wear the shirt as a loose summer top, perhaps over a bikini or with denim shorts. Assuming it would fall within the usual £30-40 price range, I took the shirt to the till, ready to forgive Topshop for all its viscose sins.

“That will be £70 please, would you like a bag?” Horrified I turned away, I just couldn’t justify spending £70 on a shirt in Topshop, no matter how pretty and soft. So that’s where the dream ended, and I left Topshop empty handed. Weeks later I am still dreaming about that pretty shirt, impressed that Topshop have at least one naturally made garment. Not worth the price, but a beautiful top if you do feel like splashing out on a highstreet treasure.

Buy here.