I realise that Wednesday’s post was a long one so I won’t take up too much of your time today. As the sun keeps shining down on us (I’m typing with my fingers crossed), I’ve actually got over my usual mania for madly wearing dresses before the clouds come back. This week I’ve found myself veering towards summer t-shirts, worn with shorts if I’m working from home and wide crops or a skirt if I’m in the office. Now this is a ridiculous first world statement but it’s taken me a long time to work out how to wear a t-shirt reasonably well. The secret lies in understanding the fit that you need for your body shape. I find that as with jeans, it’s always best to try a size smaller than you think you need. Nine times out of ten I buy the smaller one, especially with brands like Hush. I’ve learned to avoid dropped shoulders and anything too long in the body unless I’m wearing it with skinnies. So today I thought I’d bring you the best summer t-shirts on the high street at the moment, along with a new skincare app, a garden update and a bit of Midlife lately.
The best summer t-shirts on the high street right now
Slogans and graphics
Strong statements in bold type are everywhere but you have to be really invested in a cause to wear something like that on repeat – I’m leaving them behind with my ‘Frankie Says…’days. Instead, I like to throw on something a little more upbeat, especially with jeans or shorts.
This one has lovely on trend embroidered letters which make it look much more expensive than it is.
I keep going back to this one, as always I’m drawn by the French chic but I also like this particular mix of fonts.
Happy embroidered onto yellow… what more do you need for a summer’s day?
Happy t-shirt (also available in pink)
The cut on these summer t-shirts is so good if you size down and they just seem to update everything you wear them with. I have the pink one but I really like them all.
Striped t-shirts
Plain breton styles are having a year off in favour of more retro, multi-coloured stripes. It isn’t surprising given how ubiquitous the breton is now. If you find a combination of colours that suits your skintone, the rainbow t-shirt will instantly update your look.
If you still prefer a breton style, look for added graphics to bring it up to date
Stamped heart t-shirt (now in the sale)
The handcrafted, knitted and crocheted look is filtering down from the catwalks. It’s a really lovely way to wear a summer t-shirt for work, it looks slightly smarter than standard cotton if your workplace is more formal but it still works well with jeans at the weekend.
This one is superb quality and goes with the top-stitching trend that will still be strong for Autumn.
I had to include the model shot for this one because the detail is all at the back. It’s lovely slub cotton with a plain front – a typically French trick of adding a surprise twist
And I know this one isn’t strictly a t-shirt but a few people have said that they don’t like wearing jersey because they feel it clings too much. I had so many requests about the cotton blouse that I wore with shorts on holiday that I thought it was worth tracking a striped one down and this has come into stock. The secret lies in the flattering boat neck, the frill that flatters the top of the arm area – and the cinched waist that pulls in neatly without adding bulk.
And here I’m wearing my all time favourite summer t-shirt which you’ve seen lots of times before in shots like this one.
Ça Va t-shirt; Blazer; Jeans; Shoes (now 30% off, more sizes here); Bag (GSS18)
I asked Mr MC to design this for me last year when he was placing an order for t-shirts for clients. So many of you wanted to know where you could buy one that I’ve persuaded him to do another order. If you’d like one, we’ll be placing it next Wednesday (13th June) and you can reserve one here. It’s a slim fit (I’m wearing a medium) with capped sleeves and it works well with everything I try it with. Ça Va is properly screen printed in ink rather than as a vinyl sticker.
Ça Va T-shirt; Sailor jeans (now half price); M&S sandals SS17
True North Skincare App
Now I want to give you something to play around with over the weekend. An old friend of mine from Selfridges got in touch with me recently. She runs a small PR Agency which focuses mostly on beauty and I know she is very choosy about the accounts that she takes on. This means that when she tells me something is good, I listen. Anyway she is working with the Danish skincare brand True North (how I love that name) and they have launched a free skin analysis app which I just can’t stop playing with.
You don’t have to register, you just download it onto your phone or tablet, it takes a photo of your face and analyses it, giving you a report on your major skin concerns. It then gives you a prescription of products that will address any problems. I’ve been using the products for a few weeks and I’ve seen my analysis improve. They do make your skin look plump and fresh but I was still a bit sceptical. I wondered if there was a clever algorithm built into the app to make you feel better so I decided to test it by not taking the products to Spain with me.
Lo and behold when we came back, it knew – and showed me that I had new concerns centring around redness and dehydration which will be as a result of all the time we spent outside in the sunshine! So, I’m using them again and I’ll see how it pans out when I do another analysis next week. As you can tell I’m slightly hooked on it and if you have a spare ten minutes this weekend, give it a try. There’s no cost and I think you’ll enjoy it – here’s the link to the download.
Midlife lately
I’m catching up and planning to be back to a normal schedule next week – I did post about our trip to Valencia here on Wednesday just in case you missed it. We have our village gala this weekend and it’s looking as though it will be the first time for about eight years that it hasn’t poured with rain. I don’t want to jinx it but I can’t tell you how much we have been enjoying the patio area. M&S sent me a voucher so I have now enhanced it with these lights for night-time which make it really magical. They’re solar powered so there’s no faff with cables and sockets. They come on just as the sun sets and twinkle away until morning.
Industrial style solar lights (g – left and right); warm white solar lights (g – threaded through the roses at the back of the patio)
I’ve also been working on adding the finishing touches to my reading corner. As you know I really enjoyed my fragrance training when I was working in the industry a couple of years ago and it has become an important part of my life. One of the things I love about summer is that you can make the most of natural fragrance. As an experiment I ordered a couple of ready planted pots from M&S that have done well. The herbs in the terracotta pot were tiny when they arrived but they’ve flourished which is amazing because I’m known as The Terminator when it comes to plants in our family. The lavender in its pretty wicker basket has done well too. I’ve placed them next to my chair which has roses growing over it and now I’m surrounded by a fabulous bouquet of herby and floral fragrance in the evenings.
One last thing, last night was the high brow law firm’s garden party that we go to every year. It’s an important event in this area and invitations are highly sought after. As usual, it was a very formal event – it is not the place to wear anything that is high fashion. We’re invited because the hosts are longstanding clients of ours but most of the people there are solicitors and barristers so are soberly dressed because they’ve just come from their day at work.
Anyway as I mentioned in my hunt for a dress, I needed it to work for this event as well as for the holiday so here’s a quick picture of it styled more formally last night.
Dress (also available in black and ivory in the sale); Boden shoes SS16; Handsfree clutch
And whilst I’m on the subject I thought it would be fun to look back at my outfit choices for the last few years – the thing that strikes me is how enduring these classics are, even though we’re looking back across a span of five years, they’re all still in production in some form or other.
Garden Party 2017
I was lucky enough to be sent this blush pink dress on loan from Cecily just at the right time. I’ve just looked at their website and there is a huge sale on – this is a real bargain now reduced from £225 to £70 and it’s available in other colours too – they’re obviously having a big clearout. It is amazing quality so if you’re looking for a formal dress like this I really recommend it. I was wearing the 12 and it was true to size.
Garden party 2016
Another classic that is still being made and some colourways are reduced in the sale. True to size but I would go for the long version now that hemlines have fallen.
Martha dress (sale stock); Martha dress (non-sale stock)
Garden party 2015
This is when I was working for the Home Fragrance company, I don’t look happy. A classic Audrey dress and this year’s version is also in the sale.
Garden party 2014
The very early days of Midlifechic, I’d been blogging for 3 months here. Another Audrey classic but a slightly longer length and still available to buy in an updated style.
And with that I wish you a lovely weekend. Enjoy the sunshine and I’ll be back again next week.
Disclosure: Summer t-shirts, skincare and a garden party is not a sponsored post
Recent posts you may have missed
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Spring / Summer style posts
Best swimwear for your bodyshape
A capsule summer city wardrobe
Summer 2018 from Hush and Uniqlo – a Midlifechic edit
Working in London – what to wear and The UK Blog Awards
Indigo jeans try on and what I’ve been wearing
A great weekend break and a new drop from Hush
Trying on my Boden order – keepers and returns
A Spring Smorgasbord – gelato colours
Spring / Summer 2018 – key trends
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