Is there anything better than clothing with a novelty animal print? I don’t think there is.

Dress, Primark | Jacket, ASOS | Belt, Forever 21 | Satchel, Cambridge Satchel Company | Ring, Miss Selfridge | Converse, c/o Sarenza

The relentless grey sky and fact I’m wearing 50 denier tights in July is getting me down, to be honest. But rather than wallow in stylish self pity and take to wearing a onesie in public, I decided to cheer myself up with a new dress. A dress that cost £10, and has dogs on it. Dogs on a dress. The key to sartorial happiness.

I should point out that these dogs may not be Dachshunds. They may, in fact, be Beagles. But I’m a sucker for alliteration, so let’s pretend the title works.

Are you suffering through the British Summertime? What are you wearing to lift your spirits?

I sometimes think that should’ve been the title of my blog, because it’s certainly the most accurate description of my general approach to fashion. I love skinny jeans. I live in them. They’re like a clingy, not-particularly-comfortable security blanket.

Jeans, Zara | Shirt, Zara | Leather jacket, Sandro via The Dressmaker’s Vault | Boots, Valensi c/o Sarenza | Necklace, H&M | Ring, H&M

I always find it bizarre that so many people just don’t wear jeans. I’ve always thought of them as an absolute staple in every wardrobe, like nude underwear or black leather flats. They’re classic, they never date, they can be thrown on in an instant and dressed up or down. My love for denim knows no bounds and if I’m really honest, without this blog I’d probably wear my skinny jeans every day.

I own about 20 pairs of jeans in a variety of fits and hues. I’ve probably bought from every high street range available, and have a tried and tested list of my favourites. If you’re still doubtful about denim, here are my recommendations – go on, try a pair!

• Topshop’s Kristen High Waisted Jeans – classic skinny jeans with a very slim leg and high waist. This style retain their shape really well after washing and wearing and come in a range of shades. At £40 they’re not the cheapest but definitely worth the price. See how I wore them here. 
• Next Zip Pocket Skinny Jeans – form-fitting skinny jeans with a mid rise in a range of bright colours. The denim on these jeans is quite thick and stiff so they can be uncomfortable, but I love the range of colours and at £24 they’re great value. See how I wore them here. 
• Zara TRF Slim Jeans – slim leg jeans with a mid rise and soft, stretchy denim. These are the jeans I’m wearing in these photos. I picked them up in the Zara sale for £17.99 and got three pairs – the light wash (shown above), the dark wash and the black wash. They’re great, inexpensive, everyday jeans but do sag around the knees and waist after a few wears. 
• Gap Sexy Boyfriend Jeans – loose fitting with tapered leg and soft denim. Despite the awful name, these are my favourite Sunday Afternoon Jeans. The tapered leg makes them much more flattering than other boyfriend jeans – I need to try them with heels! More expensive at £49.95 but very good quality. 
• UJ Jeans – a range of styles and washes with free leg alterations in-store. I love Uniqlo jeans – the heavier denim means they sit nicely without creasing or sagging and there’s a range of shades to suit everyone. Best of all, though, is their in-store alterations service – try a pair on, get a member of staff to pin them to your desired length and pick them up 20 minutes later, the perfect length for your pins. See how I wore them here. 

Kate Middleton isn’t really on my style radar. I like her, sure – she’s got that classic English Rose look and I’m sure she’d be a delight at afternoon tea. Not that I’ve ever had afternoon tea, but I imagine it’s just fabulous.

She’s captivated the world with her bouncy hair and shiny teeth, and she’s done wonders for British fashion by wearing homegrown designs from LK Bennett, Reiss and McQueen all over the world. But… she’s a bit boring. Just a little. I’m not sure how experimental a high profile royal can be  (although Beatrice and Euginie seem to get away with it), but seriously – another blue wrap dress? Courts, again? Sometimes I wish she’d whack on the Litas, ombré her hair and get spotted dancing on a table somewhere in Shoreditch.

I was charity shopping in Brighton a few weeks ago when a peek of polka dot blue caught my eye. I grabbed it off the rail to get a better look – a very classic royal blue polka dot wrap dress. So Kate. So Refined. So boring. But being the busty-and-hippy type, I knew the shape would suit me and at £3.99 I could hardly leave it behind (it’s this way of thinking that’s left me with a gigantic ‘to eBay’ pile). So I snapped it up and brought it home with me, thinking it’d go the way of those vintage leather shorts and the slightly-too-small embroidered bed jacket.

But…

Vintage dress, charity shop | Belt, Target | Necklace, Primark | Boots, c/o Sarenza

It’s a keeper, isn’t it? Sometimes classic just works. Dresses like this can add years and look frumpy, but a few neon accessories, some clever belting and a cute pair of ankle boots give the style a modern edge and move it away from granny territory.

I love to see Kate try something like this with one of her classic dresses – I think she’d really rock a statement necklace and her feet are crying out for an alternative to those mid-heel courts.

What about you – do you like Ms Middleton’s style? How would you spice up the classic wrap dress?