Girl In The Pretty Dress

I grew up in a part of England that constantly comes alive with quirky traditions. Yanks Weekend is one such tradition. I'm not sure it can be explained all that succinctly but I'll try... In 1979 Richard Gere made a movie called 'Yanks'. It was about a group of American soldiers stationed in Britain and was set in the English countryside. The little villages (where I grew up) played a starring role in the film and for the last 16 years this fact has been marked with a 2-day celebration. For one weekend a year we step back in time to the 1940s. There are fairs, aerial displays and parades through the streets. A lot of people get into the spirit of things by dressing up vintage style - and there's an awful lot of swing dancing. Last year was one of the best and busiest yet - and the first time I've been able to experience it for quite a while so I thought I'd give you all a little taste. You can find out more about this brilliant and bizarre event here a...

I'm a big fan of America - In fact it's my dream to do a coast-to-coast road trip across the States one day. Last week it was Independence Day on the other side of the pond. (It was also, coincidentally, a year since I completed on my house, so I like to think of it as my own day of 'independence' ...more about that coming soon!) The star-spangled banner is the main image associated with Independence Day, and this summer it's something that's really influenced high-street designs. So here's my pick of the best stars and stripes still out there at the moment...    Star Denim Hotpants , £28 from Topshop wear with: Stipe Crop Top , £10 from Topshop & Ring , £8 from Urban Outfitters Flag Vest , £20 (on sale) Hilfiger Denim via ASOS Skinny Jeans , £45 (on sale) Kill City via ASOS Flag Shorts , £15 from boohoo.com wear with: Emroidered Blouse , £20 from Dorothy Perkins & Cowboy boots , £110 from Kurt Geiger   Ski...