Culottes …. I will put my hands up and admit to having a bit of a love affair with them for summer and winter…. to the point of eyeing up every pair I’ve seen on the Tube/streets of London with envy and on most occasions feeling pangs of the I-need-to-know-where-she-got-those variety! It’s an obsession which is showing no signs of abating!!

As a girl who loves her skinny jeans I jumped right in with a fab pair of denim culottes from Topshop which were a steal at £36. I liked the fact that they were frayed at the bottom where the hem had been let down. It made them really casual. I wear them with cute flats and wedges, silk cami and loose fitting linen jacket when the sun refuses to shine. Top it off with a slouchy over-the-shoulder bag, it’s comfy without compromising on style – and it’s the perfect outfit for running around after my 3 year old!

For winter, or if you don’t like the frayed ends, you could reinstate the hem (it’s easy peasy as all the markings from the hem line are visible so anyone could give it a try plus I ADORE customising clothes!!)

I also wear them with soft leather knee high boots, my favourite old about-to-fall-apart Paisley jacket (which I wear as a top with a little vest underneath) and a burgundy silk scarf/wrap. I love it when I can resurrect old favourites from my wardrobe and give them a new lease of life, like my gorgeous wine suede stiletto boots which will probably make an appearance with the aforementioned culottes when I feel like breaking out the heels!!

Which brings me nicely to my latest purchase which is a sassy yet elegant claret dress/culottes! I bought it for my pals wedding and love everything about it; from the flattering halter neck to the sexy cutout detail on the waist and the perfect midi length. This is a really brilliant buy, again from Topshop at £58.

I’m having a bit of a Topshop moment at the minute which is heavily influenced by the fact that it’sright outside Oxford Street Tube when I’ve got a feisty toddler in tow and have no more than an hour to shop before I know all hell will break loose! I wore it with seriously high block heel snakeskin sandals (that managed to make me feel super sexy but fit like a glove!) and a cute little over-the-shoulder bag in wine and grey purchased in Dublin at Dunnes Stores for €25!!!! Total bargain!!

It could also work really well with pointy stilettos a-la Victoria Beckham as it’s quite a structured garment. And who wouldn’t like to look like Mrs Beckham at a fraction of the cost!’ They don’t sell the claret version of the dress in Dublin but do sell a fab mustard colour which is definitely worth a look. I’ll layer it up through the winter months with knee high sock boots and chunky knits or a fitted cropped jacket when I feel like taking it up a notch. As I said my love affair with culottes is showing no signs of abating any time soon!!

Una xx