I don’t know anyone who does not admire the style of Holly Willoughby. She’s the perfect combination of aspirational and relatable, mixing designer fashion with accessible high street pieces. Marks & Spencer, and many other brands, have tapped in to this appeal, creating collections endorsed or designed by celebrities. But just who has the best collections and pieces to help us emulate our favourite celebrity’s style?
First up has got to be Holly and her ‘Must-Haves’ for M&S. Several of her picks focus on denim, and there are a lot of pieces I adore like this denim shirt (£32.50), made more feminine with ruffles. It will go with so much, double denim as pictured here or a leather pencil skirt, it’s super versatile.
The equally as gorgeous Emma Willis has a collection with Next, including tailoring, nightwear and swimwear. It’s full of wearable essentials, like simple T-shirts and jumpsuits, but my favourite pieces have to be the pastel check summer suit. The smart yet relaxed vibe appeals to me and looks amazing with a T-shirt and trainers, or with sandals and a camisole.
I have a major soft spot for lounging bout in pyjamas, so I love that Emma has included nightwear in her collection. This style is perfect for summer, and so pretty I might even go to breakfast in them while on holiday!
Not a celebrity collection but high-end designer collaborations with high street stores are a great way of gaining access to a look that you might not otherwise be able to afford. H&M are great at this, having collaborated with many designers, such as Versace, Balmain and Alexander Wang. If you want a designer look for less try JW Anderson for Uniqlo. Everyone should have a trench in their wardrobe and this one is a classic. It’s chic, goes with everything and allows you that understated luxurious look without the price tag.
Continuing with the classic capsule pieces, this roomy tote is ideal for holidays, carrying baguettes in France, day trips to the beach… or even just the weekly shop!
Of course, Father’s Day is fast approaching on Sunday June 16 and we don’t want to leave the boys out. JW Anderson actually launched as a menswear designer and his men’s collection for Uniqlo is superb. The selection of T-shirts is super stylish and could easily transition into my wardrobe!
Another designer collaboration, which has been going for many years, is Stella McCartney for Adidas. If you want on-trend performance wear this is the one, and with athleisure becoming part of our everyday wardrobes, having your sportswear look stylish is essential. This sweater is perfect for pulling on after a session at the gym, on the school run, or with jeans for weekend walks.
My strapping boy has been wearing up to two sizes bigger since he was a toddler, so we outgrew Mothercare quite some time ago, however I love the Little Bird collection by Jools Oliver with its cool retro vibe. This blue rainbow swimsuit (£11.50) goes up to size 9-10 years and will brighten up any beach this summer and the T-shirts are great too, so cheery, colourful and cheap (£6.50 – £7.50). If only my nine-year-old (who wears an age 11) could fit into this!
So, the moral of this style story is… if you want to pay homage to your favourite celebrity, or invest in ‘designer’ pieces at a fraction of the cost, look out for high-street collaborations. I’ll be following H&M very closely to see if rumours that Givenchy will be their next designer collaboration are true. It has been consistently denied – but I live in hope!
Cathy x
Cathy Owen is a freelance creative with experience in PR, fashion show production, model agency manager and casting agent. Her greatest achievement to date is managing to style a shoot with kids, animals and a hot air balloon!
Find Cathy’s blog at cathyowencreative.wordpress.com