Summer dress guide 2025: hot trends for the beach, office and Royal Ascot

M&S called it earlier this year, when it sent out its spring/summer collection without heavy prints. 'It's just stripes this season,' one representative told me. 'Oh — and polka dots. Polka dots will be big this summer.' A statement that has been confirmed before June has even struck, no less. For some, a dotted dress can only be a chilling reminder of 'the Zara dress', a frock that defined the summer six years ago, but for many (and they are an armada led by the Princess of Wales) a cream-to-ivory silk or satin dress with navy or black polka dots will make for the perfect occasion wear frock in the coming months. Kate's favourites are from Alessandra Rich (£1,685, alessandrarich.com) but Me+Em (£595, meandem.com), the more wallet-friendly Nobody's Child (£99, nobodyschild.com) and wedding-appropriate Rixo (£275, rixolondon.com) all do similar versions. Now the Telegraph has blasted their popularity on its front page, however, I'd heed caution before wearing one to Ascot — unless you have no intention of standing out from the crowd.

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Scottish Sun

2 hours ago

• Scottish Sun

How stars including Becky Vardy & Kady McDermott are selling their designer gear on Vinted for fraction of the cost

We take a closer look at five celebrities' Vinted closets CELEB CAST-OFFS How stars including Becky Vardy & Kady McDermott are selling their designer gear on Vinted for fraction of the cost CELEBRITIES are selling designer clobber on Vinted – where some of their gear can be snapped up for a few quid. There are hundreds of 'star' bargains on the pre-loved site. Famous names such as Wag Rebekah Vardy are flogging their high-end cast-offs for a fraction of the usual price. Steps singer Claire Richards, Love Island's Kady McDermott, boxer Tyson Fury's daughter Venezuela, and model and TV presenter Alexa Chung are among those getting in on the act. Savvy shoppers can kit themselves out thanks to the likes of Rebekah, 43, who is selling a pair of pink Barbie shorts for just £10. Claire, 47, offers a Primark T-shirt for £3, while Alexa, 41, has £6,780 of gear listed, including a Dior saddle bag for £1,500. READ MORE ON VINTED KERCHING I'm a Vinted expert, my easy tips will instantly boost your sales & earn you more Meanwhile, Venezuela, 15, is selling a Zara blazer for £30. Kady, 29, who only joined last week, has a pair of leopard-print boots up for grabs for a tenner. As cash-strapped shoppers opt for second-hand, business is booming for Vinted. The app has more than 16million UK users and is worth £4billion. But Vinted and similar platforms are required to report sellers' activity to HMRC. This means stars like these will almost certainly have to pay tax on their side hustles. Here, we take a closer look at five celebrities' Vinted closets. I've made almost £4.5k on Vinted & here's the 18 unexpected brands that will make you a fortune, including Jane Norman REBEKAH VARDY 9 Rebekah Vardy is selling one item for just £8 Credit: Getty 9 She is selling pre-loved adults and children's clothing Shop name: Vardy's Closet. Site says: Pre-loved adults and children's clothing. Items being sold: Adult and kids' outfits. Number of followers: 2,227 Number of items currently listed: 84. Total worth of items currently being sold: £3,097. Number of reviews: 244. Reviews: 5/5 'Beautifully packed & as described, thank you very much'; 'Thanks Rebekah – lovely jacket xx'. Most expensive item: Age four Stella McCartney ski outfit for £120 Cheapest item: Green size 8 River Island shorts, £8. Brands include: One Teaspoon, Oh Polly, River Island, Good American, Ugg, Adidas x Stella McCartney, Moschino, Caramelo, Sweaty Betty, Givenchy, Lapin House. Other items include: Barbie size 6 pink Zara shorts £10, Ralph Lauren age four blue dress £40, One Teaspoon size 10 denim shorts £30. Vinted account: KADY McDERMOTT 9 Half of Kady McDermott's profits go to charity 9 Kady currently has 27 items listed on the website Shop name: kadymcdermott. Site says: '50% of all profits donated to Brain Tumour Research charity. Always posted within time frame.' Number of followers: 5,854. Items being sold: Adult clothing. Number of items currently listed: 27. Total worth of items being sold: £1,866. Number of reviews: 108. Reviews: 5/5 'Lovely two piece, thank you'; 'Auto-feedback: Sale not completed'. Most expensive item: Goldbergh ski outfit, size 6 £900. Cheapest item: Boohoo gold top, size 6 £10. Brands include: Tommy Hilfiger, Odd Muse, Valentino. Other items include: Multi-coloured Staud bag £200, Jordan red trainers, size 4 £60, Zara leopard print boots, size 4 £10. Vinted account: ALEXA CHUNG 9 All proceeds from model Alexa Chung's sales go to charity Credit: Supplied 9 The items Alexa is selling have a total worth of £6,780 Shop name: alexachung. Items being sold: Women's clothing. Number of followers: 38,302. Number of items currently listed: 20. Total worth of items currently being sold: £6,780. All proceeds from the sales go to her chosen charity, Endometriosis UK. Number of reviews: 24. Reviews: 5/5 'Super happy with this dress, thanks'; 'Gorgeous bag, I love it! Thank you Alexa'; 'Lovely sunglasses. Case was a little bashed but glasses were fine'. Most expensive: Dior saddle bag, £1,500. Cheapest item: Jordache jeans, £30. Brands include: Miu Miu, Armani, H&M, Max Mara, Ralph Lauren, Marc Jacobs. Other items include: Prada boots £400, Loewe shoes £600, Simone Rocha x H&M dress size 8 £50, Tory Burch jacket size XS £500. Vinted account: VENEZUELA FURY 9 Boxer Tyson Fury's daughter Venezuela has received mixed reviews on the site Shop name: venezuelafuryxx. Items being sold: Adult clothing. Number of followers: 3,647. Number of items currently listed: 8. Total worth of items currently being sold: £1,410. Number of reviews: 23. Reviews: 4.3 'Purchased item…7 days later nothing had been posted and no reply to message. Don't bother having a Vinted account if you aren't going to use it properly!'; 'Lovely seller, thank you Venezuela came really fast'. Most expensive item: Size 8 lilac Rebecca Vallance dress £500. Cheapest item: XS white Zara blazer £30. Brands include: Karen Millen, Misha. Other items include: Pink Karen Millen Size 8 dress £200, Patty Fashion dress, size 8 £400. Vinted account: CLAIRE RICHARDS 9 Claire Richards is trying to 'make space' by selling her clothes online 9 Claire is selling adult and kids' clothing as well as accessories Shop name: Princessclarabella. Site says: 'I am 47 years old, a mother of two and I sing for my supper. Love clothes but never seem to throw any of them away when I should. So it's time to make space x.' Items being sold: Adult and kids' clothing plus accessories such as bags. Number of followers: 5,213. Number of items currently listed: 90. Total worth of items currently being sold: £2,744. Number of reviews: 660. Reviews: 5/5 'Beautifully packaged and item as described, very happy!'; 'Perfect! As described and gorgeous packaging! Thank you'. Most expensive item: Moss Bros grey three-piece suit £150. Cheapest item: Size 8 Primark T-shirt £3. Brands include: Nike, Zara, Hollister. Other items include: Pink Mulberry bag £120, AllSaints leopard print top, size 12 £30, Matalan Junior boots, size 1 £3. Vinted account:

Daily Mirror

7 hours ago

• Daily Mirror

Zara McDermott announces 'step back' from social media as she shares motivation

Former Love Island star Zara McDermott has spoken about deciding to take a step back from social media, with the update coming ahead of her new documentary's release TV presenter Zara McDermott has opened up about taking a step back from social media. The former Love Island star shared the reasons for her absence in a message to her fans this week ahead of her latest documentary's release. Zara, 28, has worked on several projects for the BBC, including having fronted various documentaries, since rising to fame as an islander on the ITV2 show. Her next one, the two-part To Catch a Stalker, is set to launch on July 1. ‌ She's now thanked fans for their support and revealed that she has "taken a bit of a step back" from social media, which she said can feel like a "quite heavy" space, lately. Zara said she had focused on work and being present instead. ‌ In a message on Instagram yesterday, she wrote: "I also just wanted to say a HUGE thank you to everyone who messaged me with regards to the story I posted the other day. If you didn't see it; I spoke about developing my next documentary and how I've been thinking of how to create a project about domestic abuse, coercive control and tech abuse." Zara said that she received many responses. She shared: "I had thousands of messages and I'm still going through them, but I wanted to say the biggest thank you ever." She added: "It's so nice speaking to you all because I've definitely taken a bit of a step back from socials to focus on my documentaries & other work / just focusing on being more present recently. Social media feels quite a heavy & negative space sometimes ... so to be able to feel like we can work together to do something super positive is a great feeling. Thank you again." The presenter continued by expressing her gratitude for the support she has from fans. She said in her message this week: "Forever grateful for all of you who continue to support the work that I do. It really means SO much!" ‌ Zara went on to express concern over misinformation and people "hiding" behind social media accounts. Speaking about a project, she said: "It was really interesting to dive into the psychology of how we, as humans, can get so embroiled in this behaviour and how we can easily be fooled into believing what we are reading." She continued: "A lot of you suggested a deeper dive into the Tattle unmasking that's been in the press recently and that's something I'm definitely keen to explore a bit further!" Zara concluded by thanking fans for the suggestion. Zara's message for fans comes after her ex-partner Sam Thompson and Louis Tomlinson, whom she's been linked to in recent months, competed in Soccer Aid last weekend. The situation attracted much attention and made headlines. There was said to have been an awkward dynamic between Sam and Louis whilst at the event, which was held at Old Trafford stadium in Greater Manchester on June 11. The pair didn't play on the pitch at the same time though.

The Sun

7 hours ago

• The Sun

Home Bargains is selling £1.99 buy that hangs on your fence & turns your balcony into a kaleidoscopic display

ADDING a small item to your balcony can instantly transform your space at night. A budget-friendly outdoor light from Home Bargains will create a kaleidoscopic display when plugged in. 2 Whether you're planning to be the host with the most or simply enjoy the warm summer nights on your balcony, this buy can elevate your experience. It instantly illuminates your garden and adds a "splash of colour" to your space. The Firefly Crackle Ball Solar Light is available for just £1.99 from Home Bargains. This light automatically turns on at dusk, showcasing a "beautiful colour-changing display". And since it is solar powered, you don't have to worry about any extra costs with this light. According to manufacturers, it's easy to install and proves ideal for enhancing your outdoor area. Simply hang it on your fence or "anywhere you want to add a touch of magic". The product description details the "beautiful, colour-changing LED display" created by "this charming light". It is described as "perfect for enhancing your garden with vibrant, energy-efficient lighting". Just plug it in and watch the colourful display that is cast over your balcony. I transformed my garden patio into summer haven for less than £100 with cheap B&M buys including gadget to keep bugs out According to decor experts, fixing lanterns to your walls or fencing can help to create an "ambient lighting". As well as creating a visual display, kaleidoscope lights have another benefit. They are said to provide a "controlled visual experience" which can help alleviate migraine symptoms and enhance relaxation. Home Bargains shoppers can also pick up a popular ornament that doubles as a garden light. And another Home Bargains buy will brighten up your space while making it look like something out of Bridgerton. Meanwhile, Amazon has a £14 privacy buy that is described as "perfect" for summer. Another privacy fence is also available from Amazon, for just £5. B&Q has an affordable privacy fence currently on sale, and you can put it up yourself. And a £10 B&M product adds inches to your fence, elevating your garden's privacy. You can also add a stylish touch to your privacy fence with another B&M buy. 2