Make friends with matchy-matchy

THE only thing that’s better than a dress for simple feminine styling is a dress you can turn into separates.

Matching tops and bottoms (trying hard to avoid that grim fashion term co-ords) sound like something your headmistress permitted on Fridays, but you’re hitting the midi-break bullseye: three for the price of one.

The top you can wear with your khaki trousers. The bottom you can wear with a Tshirt in a coordinating colour (try Nrby for cotton €47, or linen €58, nrbyclothing. com). And then, of course, you can wear them both together.

Me+Em has beaten the competition to the top co-ords slot, not least because its elasticwaisted skirts with pockets are so easy and flattering, and it mixes up prints and stripe trims, so the look is not too dressy and works with trainers or sandals. My favourite is the peony print skirt and top (€240 and €175, meandem.com).