Monki magic

I'm falling ever more in love with Scandinavian design, and my latest crush is Swedish-born concept store Monki. The brand takes the simple silhouettes of the Scandinavian aesthetic and adds urban, girly and fantastical twists, resulting in easy-to-wear pieces imbued with a tongue-in-cheek sense of fun.


Prices range from 3 euro for socks to 130 euro for coats, with the majority of pieces on the international site under 50 euro. So affordable that my wish list for spring/summer is, for once, within the realms of financial reality. Peter pan collar top, camel coat, quirky tee, heart print dress and sheer cranberry shirt = £150 - throw in a black pleated mini and some cute accessories and you've got yourself a covetable capsule wardrobe.


Can't wait to raid the real-life stores in Stockholm next year!

Festival capsule wardrobe - H&M Fashion Against Aids

I'm not going to a festival this summer - too much mud for me - but if I were, this is what I'd pack. It's all from the fantastic H&M Fashion Against Aids collection which launches 20 May. Some 25% of sales from the range will be donated to youth HIV/AIDS awareness projects, which makes this near guilt-free shopping!

The prices are in the usual reasonable H&M range, meaning that I could - in theory - buy all of these pieces. But if I had to reign in my greed and choose three essential items, it'd have to be the maxi dress, tribal sandals and Art Deco chair.

Brightonians, the range will be available in the Churchill Square branch - although we'll only know nearer the time which exact items will be stocked.Image credit:H&M Fashion Against Aids collection