How to Wear Neon - the 2013 Update!

Last year, I took my first tentative steps into the world of fluorescence, publishing my original How to Wear Neon post (complete with "experimental" poses!). This summer, thanks to some actual sunshine, brights have tightened their grip on my wardrobe even further, with zingy new finds jostling against old favourites for precedence... Neon may even be giving monochrome a run for its money!

The Tops

Oranges and Lemons

Top and Necklace: Both Primark, Earrings: New Look, Skirt: River Island (Past Season), Shoes: Peacocks (Past Season)

Brights on brights... on brights! Summer is the perfect time to go wild with colour, but a common tonal theme running through the accessories pulls this look together for an off-beat ladylike feel (and trust me, if you buy one thing this summer, a multi-tonal neon necklace will be your hardest working piece for pulling together, polishing, or just adding a zest injection to more subdued ensembles).

Denim Dabble

Top, Skirt and Necklace: As Above, Beanie c/o New Look, Boots: Primark (Past Season), Shirt: Tammy (Past Season)

Swapping belt for beanie, wedges for ankle boots and bare shoulders for denim to toughen up the look with a '90s grunge twist.

Pastel Power

Top and Trainers: Both Primark, Pinafore: Tokyo Doll at New Look, Clutch: DIY (See This Post)

No need to stick to all-bright combos... try adding some lime zest to sweet-as-candy pastels...

Caught Up

Whole Outfit: Primark

A single neon piece also makes a stunning accent to an otherwise all-black (or white/grey) ensemble, and the perfect base for a statement sheer look. This is one of my favourite summer outfits so far this year, giving the classic maxi a sports luxe-meets-nu rave spin...

The Dresses

Natty Neutrals

Dress: Tammy, Blazer and Shoes: Both Primark, Belt: River Island (from skirt, past season)

Why stop at one neutral? If you can't decide whether to go mono or fluoro, do both! And no need to stick to accessories if you're feeling brave - try teaming a neon top with a printed pinafore or shorts/skirt/trousers...

Glo With It

Dress: As Above, Top: Primark, Trainers: River Island

Yup, the old "turning a dress into a skirt" trick - made even more exciting by neon's "glo-thru" effect... 

P.S. You may have already seen the layer-tastic 1-for-2 dress trick featured in the introductory montage in my How to Wear a Sheer Lace Dress post, but I was so proud of it I decided it bore repeating!

And don't forget, a neon bra is also your secret weapon for turning a plain white tee into a nu-rave statement (as in this post).

Instructions for a Heatwave

Dress: Boohoo, Necklace: Primark, Shoes: Peacocks (Past Season)

Dress: Missguided (Past Season), Shoes: Freemans (Past Season), Necklace: Primark

When it's too hot for structured waist-cinching frocks, coloured maxis remain the quintessence of summer... the perfect no-thought-required ready-made outfit (accompanied by sandals and trusty neon necklace, obvs).

Are you embracing brights?

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Teenage Dream: This Month's Star "Stolen from the Kids" Buys

Despite being the proud owner of an M&S Kids' dogtooth mini and Tammy denim shirt, I often forget to nose around the under-16s sections (aka secret weapon of the size-10-and-unders). Until, that is, a vision of loveliness like this neon lace dress literally stops. me. in. my. tracks. I'd vaguely wanted a neon lace frock for a while, but hadn't had my fancy caught for more than a second - this coral pink, age 14-15 Tammy number, though, serendipitously glimpsed on a shortcut through BHS, was The One. And it was only £14-15 (£14.40 to be precise)!

I'd say it has more "wow" factor in real life - photos can't quite seem to capture its full fluorescence wondrousness... but it's already proving to be a surprisingly versatile addition to my summer 'drobe (101 more ways to wear coming soon!) - definitely wasted on kids (though, if you happened to have an 8-9 year-old who could wear matching outfits, that would be quite fun).

Dress: Tammy at BHS (Available Here), Necklace: Primark + DIY (See Here), Belt: Primark, Shoes c/o F&F at Tesco (Available Here)

For obvious reasons, this got me panicking about what else I might be missing in those other uncharted high street kids' divisions, so, during a rather mediocre episode of The Voice, I took the opportunity to browse New Look's Teens selection online - you could have knocked me down with a feather when I came across the same polka dot crop top I'd drooled over in my local shop window for weeks but for some reason never seen inside - I was looking in the wrong place! A few clicks later, another sub-£15 designed-for-sub-15-year-olds gem was winging its way across land and sea (OK, maybe just the M25) to my door.

Top: New Look (Available Here), Palazzo Pants, Belt and Shoes: All Primark (Past Season)

How cute? It has elasticated straps and a stretchy back section to enhance the fit, although I did have to add  a strategically placed safety pin to avoid between-button gaping over my not-quite-child-sized chest! Interestingly, I've noticed that crop tops like these, with relatively high (but not turtle-neck) necklines, and which are slightly longer than average, seem to have a "minimising" effect, which might not be music to the ears of genuine teens, but is a useful tool in the fashion arsenal for those of us who like to rock a more demure look on occasion!

Do you ever venture into the "sized-by-height" departments of your favourite high street shops (whilst the actual teens are furtively splashing their allowances in the adult section)? I probably wouldn't have believed, as a 13-year-old finally over the threshold of the Topshop changing rooms, that, another lifetime on, and even more obsessed with fashion, I'd be shopping in Tammy again, eager as a 10-year-old - such is life!

Also in my teenage dreams tonight - from Tammy, this gorgeous sixties style cobalt blue swing shift, this ridiculously chic monochrome ponte dress and this Kardash-a-like all-over-sequin number; and from New Look Teens, more ridic cute spotted chambray in the form of this sleeveless tie-up shirt and these high-waisted culottes - sigh...

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