The Mulberry Alexas were like golddust in the sales – the only reason I think I managed to get one was because the sale started a few days earlier than advertised! For those who didn’t manage to get one or are still saving for theirs, might we interest you in one of the following in the meantime?

On the left we have the Old School Satchel, £46 which comes in black, red and navy. Don’t let the name deceive you though, this bag is far from the satchels you used to have in school. No, this version is far more grown up and resembles more of a cool, casual briefcase rather than something that you’d pair with knee-high socks, pleated skirts and pigtails. If that doesn’t tickle your fancy, how about the Leather Braid X-Body bag, £48? Unlike the satchel, this one is leather (as if the name didn’t give it away!) and also comes in white and navy as well as the brown pictured. It’s a sweet option with quite a vintage look that could be your everyday bag. Whichever one you prefer, they are both great as the adjustable strap means you can choose to wear it on your shoulder or cross bodied (for those times when you’ve overstuffed your bag and want to swap shoulders). Buy both from Urban Outfitters now!

I am a firm believer that a good statement necklace can totally transform your entire outfit. It can turn something totally casual into cool casual chic, or it can make a tired, old outfit new and fresh again. In short – a statement necklace is a great investment piece, but unlike some other investment items, you don’t have to break the bank to get hands on one.

I think when most people think of statement necklaces they tend to think they might be quite bulky or quite heavy, but this fringed statement necklace from Bitching and Junkfood at Urban Outfitters is quite the opposite – it’s light but is still a piece that will make you get noticed for all the right reasons. This is easily my favourite of all the bunch and besides the fact that it won’t wind you everytime you take a step, fringing is something that always seems to crop up around summertime. It’s that trend that keeps coming back year after year, so this is not necessarily a use-once-and-dispose-of piece. Besides that, fringing is not an obvious season-only trend like florals, for example, so you would be able to wear it year-round, too. At £80, you should definitely be able to get your money’s worth!

To the majority of people, I think Accessorize is the go-to place for jewellery, and they have not disappointed in the statement necklaces section. The Tara long necklace (£35) features gorgeous light and dark blue beads on an antique silver chain. This is the perfect necklace for summer, and would be a good piece if you were looking to try the tribal trend without going overboard.

This long necklace with faceted stone from ASOS may not be the most obvious of statement necklaces. In fact, you could probably say that it’s an understated necklace. Regardless, it’s still a beautiful necklace to get you noticed and add a bit of oompf to your outfit. Whereas the last two were slightly more trends-led and trendy, this is quite a classic and elegant looking piece that will compliment just about any outfit. At £15, it’s the cheapest of the lot, but you can expect a lot of wear from this little bargain buy!

Fashion is getting a bit frisky this season with two trends in particular – nude and underwear as outerwear. Whilst most people may be a little shy to work the latter, everyone can wear nude because it’s not actually like we’re revealing anything, is it?

This beautiful Silk Blouse jacket is from Dorothy Perkins’ DP Collection and is a fantastic nude piece for summer. Being lightweight it should keep you cool enough in the heat whilst looking uber stylish, too. As it’s a blouse jacket, it will give you a hint of the trend without overdoing it, and is something that you can keep in your wardrobe for more summers to come. A snip at £45!

Try two trends in one with these Peg Leg jeans from Topshop (£45). Whilst we’re featuring nudes in this blog post, rolled up trousers is another trend for this summer and these peg leg jeans are quite a smart take on them. Team with either a fierce pair of heels or a great pair of gladiator sandals to show off your ankles!

If nude clothes are just a bit too much for you, how about a pair of nude shoes? These Christian Louboutin Simple 70 leather pumps are a the top end of the spectrum coming in at £375, but they are a classic! Nude heels not only make your legs look longer but they also go with pretty much any outfit! If that’s not an investment piece, then I don’t know what is!