Michelle Darlow

A shopping guide rounds up affordable back-to-school uniform, footwear and accessories from UK retailers, with prices starting at £1.50. George at Asda and Matalan are highlighted for value, Sainsbury's TU for reinforced-knee trousers, Deichmann for branded accessories, Primark for low-cost basics, Next for quality multipacks and M&S for durability. The recommendations are aimed at helping families prepare for the September return while managing household budgets.

The Mirror’s fashion team highlights 13 discounted summer-sale buys from brands including Marks & Spencer, Boden, Nobody’s Child, The White Company, Topshop, H&M and Cotton On. Michelle Darlow recommends versatile dresses, knitwear, denim, lingerie and wardrobe basics, while Grace Salmon selects tops, cargo trousers, clogs, shorts, a handbag and a midi dress. Discounts range from modest reductions to major price cuts, with the editors emphasizing quality, versatility and the likelihood that popular items will sell out quickly.

A three-night Center Parcs stay is presented as a relaxing UK family break that helped the children spend less time on tablets and more time cycling. The review praises the combination of children's activities, including the Subtropical Swimming Paradise, with adult-focused amenities such as the Aqua Sana Forest Spa. A refurbished Grand Forest Lodge made family cooking and evenings together easier, while dining at The Dozing Duck added entertainment. The review also notes that cooking can help control costs, although the on-site shop is expensive, and lists lodge breaks from £799.

Mirror fashion expert Michelle Darlow gives a positive first look at Coleen Rooney’s By Coleen collection for Primark, highlighting its clean lines, structured silhouettes and wearable wardrobe staples. She particularly praises the white jacket and sculpted white top, while noting that prices range from £7 for a T-shirt to £34 for a statement mac coat. The collection launches on 10 March across 16 markets, with Click & Collect available in Great Britain.

King Charles III’s attendance at London Fashion Week is presented as a symbolic show of support for British fashion amid scrutiny surrounding the arrest of his brother, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor. His understated grey suit and black guard’s coat are less important than his focus on craftsmanship, apprenticeships, sustainability and responsible production. The visit is framed as continuing Elizabeth II’s 2018 fashion-week precedent and reinforcing the industry’s wider economic and cultural importance despite rising costs and changing consumer habits.

A multigenerational family stayed at Ada’s Hideaway, a dog-friendly barn conversion on a working farm near Kendal, and found it a relaxing base for exploring the Lake District. Highlights included family activities at National Trust-owned Fell Foot, paddling and boating on Lake Windermere, and a dog-friendly cruise from Bowness. The cottage suited quiet evenings, self-catering and families with children, although a car is essential because of its rural location. Seven-night stays start at £602 through Sykes Cottages.

Portland in Dorset is recommended as a family-friendly alternative to Cornwall, combining dramatic coastal scenery, historic landmarks and activities for children. The review particularly praises Clifftops at Pennsylvania Castle Estate, where the Clifftops Blue apartment offers luxury accommodation, panoramic sea views, outdoor cooking facilities and thoughtful dog-friendly extras. Highlights include Portland Bill Lighthouse, Rufus Castle, Church Ope Cove, Tout Quarry Sculpture Park and Portland Castle, while nearby Weymouth provides traditional beach entertainment and the Sea Life Adventure Park. Three-night stays at the lodges start from £546, with occasional midweek offers.

Michelle Darlow describes abandoning high-maintenance bleach blonde hair after being inspired by Cat Deeley’s natural-looking, sun-kissed “lived-in bronde.” Created with blended darker roots, lowlights, highlights and warmer caramel and honey tones, the colour requires appointments only every three to four months, reduces visible regrowth and has left her hair healthier and shinier. The article also provides maintenance advice, including limited use of purple shampoo, weekly deep conditioning and consistent heat protection, while recommending several haircare products.

Michelle Darlow reviews Manchester’s Kimpton Clocktower Hotel after staying there with her family. She praises its spacious, stylish rooms, welcoming staff, pet-friendly features, historic atmosphere and central Oxford Road location, which provides easy access to football-related attractions, museums, theatres and shops. The hotel’s Refuge restaurant is highlighted for its fresh local ingredients, beetroot borani, ribeye steak and reasonably priced children’s menu. Rooms start at £189 per night with breakfast, while a Manchester Family Getaway offer includes interconnecting rooms and £25 to spend on food and drink.

The Swan Hotel and Spa at Newby Bridge is recommended as a family-friendly base for exploring the Lake District. The review highlights its family suites, play area, swimming pool, dog-friendly policy, restaurant and riverside setting, while its adults-only Holte Spa offers sauna, hot tub and Temple Spa treatments. Nearby family activities include the World of Beatrix Potter Attraction, lakeside fish and chips, and Windermere Jetty Museum with heritage boat trips. Rooms start at £180 per night, while suites with breakfast start at £240.

A fashion shopping guide highlights winter coat trends for 2019, including bouclé textures, longer-line puffa jackets, wax jackets, white outerwear, 1970s-inspired faux fur and bold bright colours. It recommends styling these coats with complementary high-street clothing and accessories from retailers including M&S, Monsoon, Debenhams, Topshop and H&M.

Bella Hadid was spotted carrying Mango’s snake-effect baguette bag after attending the Off-White womenswear show during Paris Fashion Week. The high-street accessory, priced at £35.99, is highlighted as an affordable way to adopt the season’s snakeskin trend.

The piece offers practical guidance for wearing the season’s major trends—Dark Romance, 1970s Chic, autumnal colours, Heritage and leather—across different ages, body shapes and budgets. It encourages readers to adapt trends to their existing wardrobes rather than follow them literally, highlighting tonal colours, flares, checks, ladylike tailoring and darker faux-leather pieces. The article also addresses concerns about the under-representation of women aged 45 and over in fashion media and uses affordable and mainstream retailers to demonstrate accessible styling options.

Peacocks has released a black floral version of its £12 printed midi dress after the red version sold out. The dress was seen on Scarlett Moffatt, who paired it with black ankle boots, and the piece recommends it as an affordable autumn fashion buy while also praising Moffatt's commitment to body confidence.

The piece recommends six affordable high-street ways to incorporate Seventies influences into an autumn wardrobe: pussy-bow and peasant blouses, suede, polo-neck jumpers, printed dresses and wide-leg jumpsuits. It highlights chain prints, bell sleeves, wide-leg silhouettes and layering, pairing each key item with suggested accessories and footwear from retailers including Mango, Topshop, Marks & Spencer, Dorothy Perkins and Dune London. The trend is supported by a Centre:mk survey in which the Seventies was the favourite decade for more than 40% of respondents.

Holly Willoughby's floral Zara blouse and Warehouse corduroy skirt reportedly sold out after she wore them, reinforcing her influence as a fashion figure. The piece highlights her autumnal floral outfits, including a Whistles dress and Jigsaw coat, and recommends affordable floral alternatives from retailers including Oasis, Warehouse, Zara and Marks & Spencer.

Holly Willoughby’s return to This Morning coincided with the resumption of her daily Instagram outfit posts. The piece reviews four outfits featuring floral dresses, double denim, winter florals and leopard print, highlighting brands including Oasis, Essentiel Antwerp, J.Crew and Ghost. It also suggests cheaper high-street alternatives from retailers such as Miss Selfridge, Boohoo, ASOS, New Look and Vila.

The article offers six ways to refresh an autumn office wardrobe: update a traditional suit with colour, invest in a timeless trench coat, try a voluminous swing dress, wear a belted jumpsuit, pair an oversized shirt with wide-leg trousers, and adapt a shirt dress for colder weather with boots and accessories. It recommends affordable and high-street items from retailers including Next, Primark, Marks & Spencer, Zara, Dune London and H&M.

Slogan clothing and accessories are identified as a major summer fashion trend, extending beyond T-shirts to hair clips, bags, jackets and sweatshirts. The article recommends seven statement pieces from brands including Muthahood, Topshop, Skinnydip, ban.do, Hush and Accessorize, with prices and styling suggestions for updating outfits and carrying the trend into autumn.

The announcement of a Gossip Girl reboot prompts a retrospective on the original series’ influential fashion. Blair Waldorf’s preppy headbands, printed tights and colourful outerwear are contrasted with Serena van der Woodsen’s luxe bohemian style, while both characters’ use of blazers and designer-style tote bags is highlighted. Affordable recreations from Zara, H&M and Topshop are recommended, including a rhinestone headband, dress, blazer and tote bag.

The article offers destination-based summer fashion advice for four types of holiday: British staycations, glamorous Riviera trips, Greek island hopping and sunny Spanish breaks. It recommends florals, gingham and practical layers for the UK; nautical stripes and primary colours for the Riviera; lightweight fabrics, muted prints and basket accessories for Greece; and bold reds, polka dots and fruit prints for Spain. The piece includes specific high-street clothing, footwear, bags and accessories available from various retailers, with affiliate-link disclosure.

The piece presents bohemian fashion as a lightweight, cool option for summer and holidays, while emphasizing that modern boho styling need not involve crop tops or exposed midriffs. It recommends combining floaty fabrics, paisley prints, embroidered blouses, tiered skirts, wide-leg trousers, kimonos, raffia accessories and espadrilles with more fitted or classic pieces for balanced outfits that can work beyond the holiday season.

Statement headbands are presented as a major summer accessory trend, with Kate Middleton, Alexa Chung and Rita Ora cited as style influences. The article recommends affordable alternatives inspired by their plaited, jeweled and bow-adorned headbands, featuring products from retailers including I Saw It First, Anthropologie, Very, Topshop, Oliver Bonas and ASOS.

A shopping guide recommends affordable summer outfits for weddings, garden parties, black-tie events and other special occasions. It presents a range of styling ideas, including vintage-inspired dresses, bold tropical prints, tailored jumpsuits, monochrome looks, florals, co-ordinated separates, pastel maxis, sequins and relaxed floral dresses, with advice on accessories, colour coordination, comfort and re-wearability.