Check Out Gingham Fresh

 [Main picture: Gingham dress available from Basler stores across UK]

Gingham always adds a fresh feel to summer but checks are often seen as heavy and wintery. That needn’t be the case. Vivienne Westwood and Burberry show perennially that a check can be light and fresh whether it is gingham or not.

Here we look at some fresh tartans and checks for everywhere from the beach to the boardroom.
1. Soft smock top in a preppy check with ribbon  belt gathered at waist, £44 from Hollister.

2. Turn heads on the beach in this bluebell gingham bikini, £28 from TopShop.

3. Understated subtle check camisole top in fine silk satin with a subtle light-reflecting shimmer, £150 from Burberry.

4. Vivienne Westwood Red Label re-imagines the classic suit in its own inimitable way with a coolly cropped asymmetric jacket and chicly draped skirt in a heritage-inspired Prince of Wales check. Wear this expertly tailored set with two-tone heels for a stylishly insouciant office look, £740 from Net A Porter.

5. Fashion meets function with Barbour’s cosy merino wool and cashmere–blend scarf, £90 from Selfridges.

6. Add some 50s chic with this full midi skirt in red check, £40 from ASOS.

7. Ladylike looks made a chic return to the runways for SS12, and Miu Miu’s candy-hued tweed shoulder bag is the perfect way to work the trend, £720 from Net-A-Porter.

8. Fall head over heels with these Darling H Gingham Peep Court Shoes, now £35 from House of Fraser.

  • Miss B

    Belinda Wanis, aka Miss B, is a Belle About Town who likes to bring a little bit of style into every aspect of her life. An experienced journalist with over 20 years in the industry she turned to the web, creating Belle About Town in early 2010, to fill a gap for tech-savvy stylish women who want the best life has to offer at their fingertips. She loves a decadent cocktail bar, a beautifully cut dress, cultural getaways, quality over quantity and is partial to Asian-fusion food. A globetrotter, who has lived in Australia, the UK and Denmark, she enjoys holidaying in the sun and you can often find her on a beach in Thailand or on shopping breaks in Sydney or New York. But her first love is, of course, London!