House of Fraser Blog

Silk butterfly one shoulder dress, £70, Oasis

There are some key pieces which you’ll need to get through the summer season, here are our top picks of what to get now and wear right through until Autumn. Before we get started we just had to show you Oasis’ gorgeous butterfly dress pictured above, this dress is perfect for summer parties and nights out, the one shoulder style is a key trend as is the ruffle detail and oriental print. This is a summer must.

The maxi dress

Left to right: Paisley maxi dress, £40, Therapy, Maxi vest dress, £35, Oasis, Handkerchief maxi dress, £45, Warehouse.

Why does the maxi dress continue to dominate the summer high street? The answer is two fold, one because they look great and two because they are incredibly practical. You can wear it on cooler days to keep you a little warmer and then it looks equally stunning on the beach.

The playsuit

Left to right: Ditsy ruffle collar playsuit, £45, Warehouse, African printed playsuit, £45, Oasis, Frill playsuit, £32, Therapy.

Love dresses and shorts? Well now you can combine both your loves in one. The playsuit is the answer to all those “what-to-wear” moments. Wear it casually with flats or in party mode with heels, the playsuit is the ultimate wardrobe hero.

The tropical tee

Left to right: Palm tree t-shirt, £18, Therapy, Palm print graphic vest, £20, Warehouse, Palm tree embellished vest, £25, Oasis.

Bring the exotic to your look with a fabulous palm tree t-shirt. It’s perfect teamed with shorts and flip flops or over a bikini on the beach. We love the retro Miami feel of the palm tree print.

The cork shoe

Left to right: Hibiscus cork platform, £140, KG, Kungfu cork platform, £95, Carvela, Bigbaby platform, £85, Nine West.

There are two hot shoe trends this summer, the wooden clog and the cork platform. We are particularly loving the cork platform purely because it’s more comfortable and easier to walk in. Plus once you’ve bought a pair you’re guaranteed to wear them all season.

The statement necklace

Left to right: Glamstock ethnic disc choker, £18, Oasis, Coloured ethnic necklace, £85, Stefanel, Turquoise stone long necklace, £110, Angie Gooderham

Add some drama to your summer look with an ethnic inspired necklace, the bigger the better A statement necklace is a great way to update jeans and a vest top or to dress up a maxi dress. Go for bold colours and unusual detailing.

The pouch bag

Left to right: Placed stud mini bag, £165, Karen Millen, Leather studded duffle bag, £45, Warehouse, Pageant Princess denim pouch, £19, Therapy

Every season there is an ‘it’ bag shape, and this summer it’s the turn of the pouch. A studded across body bag is the bag to be seen with. It helps that it’s mighty handy, small enough to take on a night out, big enough to hoard your life in.

The wing tip sunglasses

Left to right: Zeli wing oval sunglasses, £220, Dior, Retro wing oval sunglasses, £99, Marc by Marc Jacobs, Retro oval wing sunglasses, £115, D&G.

For the hottest sunnies this summer you need to go retro. Wing shape sunglasses are the shape to be seen in. Go for tortoiseshell or opaque black for a 1950s inspired look. It’s an easy way to earn style points as these are seriously on trend.