A definitive guide to nailing the Summer’18 look, on a Durham Student budget

A combination of rising fees, more edgy spenny events than ever and impending exam comfort eating means that money is going to be tighter than ever this season. But apparently our dreary northern town is due another heatwave, so what better excuse to plan how we're going to nail the key looks of Summer '18? Here's how to execute a Prada vibe on a Primark budget.

Straw Bags

How to achieve unbe-weave-able style…

What is probably the most coveted blogger purchase of the past few weeks must have originally cost European craftsmen about 2p to weave on the cost of the Mediterranean. But now, they can set you back £1,500 from Dolce and Gabbana . Ouch.

While this style is undeniably cute, that amounts to around twice what I have left over from my loan after my accommodation fees are wiped. Instead, take a trip to Chiquitos, steal one of their straw hats, and spend a day painstakingly unravelling and reweaving it, using the colourful (branded) headband as a strap.

You might snort at this, reader, but you and I both know you've done worse things to avoid revision.

Gingham

'Toto, I don't think we're on campus anymore…'

Demonstrated on the likes of both Em Rata and our esteemed Fashion Editor in our uncharacteristic heatwave last week, gingham is definitely set up to be the staple print of the summer. But, for those who don't have the income of a supermodel and want to save a few quids, here's how to get the sought after look in two ways!

1. Get a job as a chef at Spoons and bag yourself some black and white checked trousers as part of the uniform! The flared boyfriend fit is super chic rn (if your boyfriend makes pizzas for a living).

2. Ask your friend who ironically went as Dorothy to a rugby social if you can borrow their outfit. The key to this look is confidence; if you hold your head high, it'll look like the VK Tropical stains are meant to be there.

Florals

Durham in bloom…

Florals? For summer? Groundbreaking.

No but seriously, we're not talking basic River Island tropical prints, we're looking at floor length, Gucci Bloom Dakota Johnson florals. Something that looks cute on your nan but 100% smokin' on you.

Yet again, this is where Durham's incredible selection of charity shops extends its budget friendly hand, where you can get dusty old dresses for the fraction of the price. Slip it on, channel your inner Florence Welch, and make daisy chains on top of Observatory hill to escape exam stress (as demonstrated by @so_noro) . Go on, you deserve it.

Matching Sets

Get the Durham look.

Ok, I've been seeing this pant suit matchy trend everywhere online, so apparently this is one of the key looks of Summer '18. But, realistically, how often are you really going to be wearing even a dupe of this? It just seems pointless in my opinion, nowhere in Durham is worth dressing up this much for, not even Loft. So, for what it's worth, my advice is to just overlook this trend. Aside from a few bad-ass individuals seamlessly pulling it off for formals, the only person I've seen repeatedly wearing it is Meghan Markle.

But then again, she's the only person who's marrying Prince Harry. And now that I think about it, marrying a prince in Durham is very doable. And at this point in term, marrying one is beginning to look like more and more of an option…

Fuck it:

Buy the pant suit.