Utilitarian summer fashion from Mango, Asos and New Look

Get to work with this season’s utilitarian trend

A summer take on the military trend this look is reminiscent of 1940’s ‘Land Girls’ and ‘Your Country Needs You’ posters, with work wear fabrics reinvented into everything from casual street-wear to chic day looks.

British favourites Stella McCartney, Mulberry, Jasper Conran and Joseph all featured this trend in their Spring Summer 2017 catwalk shows meaning the high street is full of khaki and olive tones.

Jackets and tops take on boxier shapes, while proportions are played with through gathering and toggle features; creating paper bag waists, fuller skirt silhouettes and wide or slouchy legged trousers to finish off the most comfortable and practical look of the summer.

Shirt dresses are having a real moment right now, a favourite amongst celebrities such as Bella Thorne, Kendall Jenner, and Anne Hathaway. Simplicity is key, but look out for patch pocket detailing and waist tie belts to add shape.

Layering dresses over trousers has become the surprising hit of the summer, creating a longer line silhouette, automatically making you seem taller.

Top, £69, Linea at House of Fraser. Trousers, £25, Asos. Bag, £130, The Cambridge Satchel Company

These Samsoe & Samsoe trousers are the perfect camel hue. A fuller pleated waist and leg offers the relax and slouchy look that this trend demands and can easily be dressed up with a heel or wedge, making them a great boardroom to rooftop bar option. Team with a soft blouse to add a feminine twist to this androgynous style.

Shirt, £59, Sister Jane. Trousers, £124.95, Samsøe & Samsøe. Bag, £195, Sophie Anderson

Embrace the countryside with a straw woven hat, the most stylish way to keep the sun off this season.

Finish off the ‘Land Girl’ look with this stylish white poplin shirt dress from the Mango Committed collection, a sustainable fashion initiative from the Spanish high street retailer.

Made from organic cotton this chic and smart summer dress plays with proportions while still showing off your shape.

Dress, £69.99, Mango. Hat, £210, Misaharada. Bag, £662, Lautem

Keep cool this summer with this loose fitting pairing.

These wide legged khaki trousers are a great base for building a summer holiday capsule wardrobe and can be dressed down with a cotton tee for long, hazy, summer weekends.

This white ASOS a-line dress is incredibly versatile, working well as a layering piece but would look equally great with a statement necklace, bare legs and summer sandals. Seal the deal to your land girls look with a wide brimmed straw boater and a wicker bucket bag.

Shirt, £32, Asos. Trousers, £28, Very. Sandals, £16.99, New Look. Hat, £320, Laura Apsit Livens. Bag, £235, Sophie Anderson

The paper bag waist is a style that has been adopted by the likes of Gigi Hadid and Sienna Miller.

These sandy hued Mango Committed trousers are the talk of the town as they perfectly embody the catwalk feel of Stella McCartney’s Spring Summer collection but at a high street price.

Help to emphasise your waist by adding a woven belt, but go a size up and try knotting your belt instead of using the traditional buckle fastening to give an added detail. Make sure to tuck in your softer t-shirt or blouse and opt for warmer weather’s favourite outerwear piece, the trench to finish off the look and give Balmain a run for their money in this suede coat from Oui.

Coat, £540, Oui. Top, £89, Hallhuber. Trousers, £49.99, Mango. Sandals, £16.99, New Look

Work this trend into your wardrobe effortlessly with a pair of dungarees. These gorgeous, faux suede ones from Mango, with side splits and a wide cropped leg are a fun twist on this well loved silhouette.

Layer over one of the high streets many fun, printed blouses, such as this cute, strawberry printed piece from Sugarhill Boutique that really offsets the ‘Land Girls’ theme.

Shirt, £44, Sugarhill Boutique. Dungarees, £49.99, Mango. Shoes, £276, Chie Mihara. Hat, £275, Laura Apsit Livens

Stylist: Rivkie Baum

Photographer: Jay McLaughlin

Hair and make-up: Danni Hooker using Kevin Murphy and Nars

Fashion assistant: Abby McHale

STOCKISTS

Asos 020 7756 1000, asos.com

The Cambridge Satchel Company 0800 085 5811, cambridgesatchel.com

Chie Mihara chiemihara.com

Hallhuber 0844 410 0224, hallhuber.com

House of Fraser 0345 602 1073, houseoffraser.co.uk

Laura Apsit Livens 020 7493 7067, lauraapsitlivens.co.uk