Simone Reddington

This year, the summer has been a very strange one. I have not done many note-worthy things during the warmer months, but I have been working very hard and planning things to hopefully have a much more exciting time during the autumn. As we approach September and can already sense the darker nights and start to wear jackets again, I thought that I would share my favourite outfits that I’ve worn this summer.

1. Summer is the perfect time to wear bright, eye-catching colours and, if you couldn’t already tell, green is my all time favourite colour. I put together this ensemble while on a weekend away in Liverpool catching up with my friends from uni. I wanted something comfortable, so I could still enjoy a delicious meal at a Vietnamese restaurant without looking 6 months pregnant afterwards, but still look cool enough to go out out afterwards. I had bought these flared pants a while ago from Depop and thought they would be perfect for a summer evening of dancing in the city. I paired it with an olive green vest from ASOS, my white Reebok trainers and borrowed a gold necklace from one of my lovely friends.

2. Despite being a sucker for bright, colourful clothing, I also loved wearing this all black outfit for my mate’s hen do in Newcastle. Both the dress and sandals are both from River Island, one of my favourite shops on the high street. I’m not normally a long skirt kind of girl but I felt fabulous in this glamourous midi-length number. I also love a comfortable but stylish chunky sandal, especially when you’re out and on your feet all day. I finished off the look with silver jewellery and a set of amazing zebra print false nails from Superdrug.

3. I went for a much less formal approach for a shirt shirt themed night out the other weekend. When I heard about the theme, I was a little bit worried as I don’t own any novelty shirts and I didn’t have a clue how to style it. As someone who is conscious of the effect that fast fashion has on the planet, I also didn’t want to buy a brand new shirt to wear once, so I just ordered this multi-coloured vintage beauty from Depop. I wore it over a plain white camisole vest top and a pink leather mini skirt for a bright summer look.

4. Let’s be honest; I may have enjoyed some lovely trips and nights out this summer but I’ve spent the majority of the sunny days this year at work. Dressing for a heatwave in an office environment has been a bit of a challenge as I want to wear something cool, comfortable and smart, but this outfit ticks all three of those boxes. I fell in love with this leopard print midi skirt when I bought it in T K Maxx last year but wasn’t sure what to wear it with. I teamed it with a classic white T-shirt and my favourite black chunky sandals.

5. This summer ended with a night that I will treasure as my favourite memory of summer 2022- celebrating my lovely friend’s wedding. It had been a long time since I had been to a wedding or any formal occasion so it felt really good to get all dolled up. I bought this gorgeous green print dress from New Look, which I love as it can be dressed up or down to suit any event, and wore it with silver jewellery and a pair of black high heeled sandals which I hadn’t worn since long before lockdown.

So that’s a farewell to summer for another year. I hope that we’ve all enjoyed the sunshine, and here’s to better times this autumn.