Set
sail in the sunshine
I'm
sitting on a wonderful boat, sail gently flapping, drifting
leisurely down the Nile, my mind filled with images of Cleopatra
and attendants courteously cooling her with fans. I'm stinking
hot and grateful for the canvas awning, my sunglasses, hat and
factor-25 sun protection. Yes, I'm on holiday in Egypt. A couple
of days ago we finished filming an episode of Bad Girls
at 1.30am, after which I dashed home, packed, grabbed a couple
of hours' sleep, and after popping my keys through my
neighbours' letter box, set off for the heat of north Africa.
Step
out in colour
Travelling
is all about not taking too much but covering all occasions, and
summer dressing is all about layers and cotton underwear. White
is a must-have. It adorns one with a look of sheer freshness;
it's a way to stand out whilst blending in. White trousers are
to summer what jeans are to winter, and twinned with a jacket, I
find, they give you lots of dress-up or go-casual possibilities.
But
this summer, everyone should be making a character-revealing
statement by adding a flash of colour to their outfits, whether
that's beside the swimming pool or at work. Have fun with colour
and you've a magical chance to shine whilst feeling comfortable.
Think bright and bold; think eye catching. Bold jewellery, a
colourful bag and that most useful of cover-ups, the sarong,
should give all of us the confidence to spend the day poolside.
Get
glowing
This
absolutely stunning bright, floral top and scarf are in my range
in the summer catalogue. Have you seen them? The top is
easy-care but glamorous - I love it. The scarf acts as a shawl
for tops of arms that shouldn't be in the sun any more, and
there's a white cardigan, to cover-up against the evening chill.
I also love the peddle-pushers which let me tan my lower legs
but cover my knees, which are nowadays probably best exposed
only among friends!
There
are lots of fab hats around at the moment and they are a great
way to stop your hair drying out in hot weather. But a word of
warning about after-sun moisturisers. If you don't want to look
as if you've taken up chain smoking, read the label carefully -
some after-sun has tanning cream in it, which needs careful
application and plenty of finger scrubbing afterwards. Be bold,
be bright, be happy!
