My Cotton Traders Spring Edit

 & #WowOnWednesday

Dear friends. It's official: the Spring Equinox has happened and we finally leap forward into British Summertime on Sunday.  So I was more than ready to choose 4 items from Cotton Traders to start making the most of the spring sunshine.

If you haven't yet discovered Cotton Traders, or have an outdated view of them, I'm hoping to show you that they're worth checking out.

Let's start with a jacket. Short bouclé jackets are very trendy this spring and were seen in many of the Spring Summer 23 runway shows.  Cotton Traders have an excellent jacket in Lime, a superb colour for spring - so bright and zingy.  

I'm wearing their Coco Jacket, £62.  I advise wearing your usual size for Cotton Traders.  The quality is very good. A jacket like this can be worn casually over jeans or leggings or popped over a dress or skirt. Add a shift dress, pearls and Mary Janes, and you have a perfect wedding guest outfit.

White chinos from M&S, £25;  brogue shoes from Embassy London and acid yellow faux wrap from Kettlewell. The bag, Ted Baker Outlet Shop, is old. 

Next up is the Fran Jersey Knee-Length Swing Dress, £29, in Pale Gold. It's also available in a Navy colourway.  I've done an outfit build to show you how well this dress can be styled in different ways.  

Worn on its own, the shape of the dress makes me look bigger than I am, as you can see in the first picture. In the second I've added a wide leather waist belt and a scarf in a bright yellow (Kettlewell, current).  The belt was bought a few years ago when Gok Wan was forever exhorting women to wear belts, and he was right. 

I'm far from an hourglass shape - my waist is only 7 inches smaller than my hips - but you can how the belt gives the illusion of a smaller waist. 

In the third picture there's a denim jacket, (Amazon, old) -  much needed at the moment as it's still quite chilly -  and a yellow bag I picked up at the weekend from a garden centre  (as you do). Boots, old, from TU at Sainsburys. 

I love cropped trousers as soon as the weather gets warmer, and wear them all summer.  I also adore polka dots, so these Super Stretchy Printed Pull-On Crop Trousers, £29, are perfect. They're available in a plain colourway,  bright green, or in patterned variants in navy or fresh sky. Mine are navy.

I always think navy and a bright green look great together so I'm wearing a faux wrap top in parakeet from Kettlewell and white sneakers.

A couple of Georgian crystal necklaces elevate the look. 

My final choice was this Linen-Blend Tie-Waist Printed Blouse in Flamingo, £29. It's also in Navy. I don't normally wear linen because I don't like to look crumpled.  This blend however is very clever because it stays crisp and smooth. I was thinking of my Greek holiday when I chose it.  I'll be wearing it with white Bermudas and these coral cropped jacquard trousers from Robell, plus jewelled sandals. 

In the picture I'm wearing gold mules, old, from M&S.  They usually have a very similar style every summer. 

I hope I gave you some inspiration for styling different pieces. Which is your favourite? Do let us know in the comments. 

Disclosure: I was gifted with 4 pieces by Cotton Traders to create a post about spring fashion. 

Do pop back on Friday for my monthly book reviews. I have some crackers! 

Now it's time for the #WowOnWednesday link-up, where readers can find new blogs to read and bloggers/vloggers can find new readers! I feature the 3 favourites each Wednesday on Instagram, and my five or six top picks at the weekend on Twitter and Facebook.

Last Week's Favourites

10 on the 10th - The Telephone by Rena at Fine Whatever

An Accidental Outfit by Jennifer of Curated by Jennifer

Is This Mutton Favourite

Styling Something Different - A Colorblock Dress by Jess of Elegantly Dressed and Stylish

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