Nothing says casual, effortless and cool quite like blue denim. Be it a shirt, a skirt, or a pair of jeans, the fact remains that regardless of season and trends, anything made with this sturdy staple fabric will always have a place in our ever-evolving closets. But blue denim has come a long way since its factory days, and for SS13, designers like Phillip Lim, Acne and Miu Miu have given the classic material a high fashion makeover that makes jeans more fab and runway-ready than ever before.

But is your fashion-forward wardrobe complete with the denim staples that’ll see you through each season and beyond? Time for a re-focus on the modern classics in the making. Here’s our definitive round-up of the five key denim styles to check off your list this season.

1. The Boyfriend Jean

Officially the jean shape of the season, this summer’s low-rise, semi-baggy boyfriend cut is most appealing when paired with an elegant stiletto heel. Surprisingly flattering on most shapes and sizes, the no-fuss, nonchalant boyfriend jean is a Godsend for those of us who actually have hips (hoorah!). Plus, they just so happen to look great with everything from basic tees to printed silk shirts.

2. The Denim Shift Dress

With the swinging sixties being one of the season’s biggest trends, it should come as no surprise that the shift dress is also having its moment for SS13. And yes, that applies to denim, too. Think minimalist trapeze or A-line shapes, combined with short or three-quarter length sleeves. Whether you choose to liven up summer’s ultimate go-to dress with bold accessories and sexy heeled strappies or keep things simple with a pair of metallic flats, the denim shift is as flexible as you care to make it.

3. Dungarees

Long, short or skirted (yes, pinafores are allowed, too), make the denim dungaree your number one investment this summer. Trust us, nothing epitomises lazy summer weekends quite like them. Whether worn over a loose blouse or cotton tee, one of the best ways to work dungarees is with an unpretentious pair of plimsolls and naturally tousled, just-got-out-of-bed hair. Who knew getting dressing could be so easy? (Warning: they’re addictive).

4. The Chambray Shirt 

Easy, laid-back and practical, there’s no reason not to love a good chambray shirt. But every now and then, even the most reliable closet classics need an update. So stash away your shapeless distressed denim blouses for now and opt for stiffer fabrics and boxier cuts that feel altogether more modern. Our tip? Team your neat, buttoned-up chambray with a pair of leather Bermudas and pointed courts, et voila! Surf-chic-in-the-city look = sorted.

5. Denim Shorts 

Good news for all you denim cut-off devotees: they’ll be sticking around for a good while longer (which means, yes, you can still live in your fave pair of hot pants all summer). But for those looking for something different, opt for smarter, more structured variations on the summer classic – think tailored city shorts combined with a dark wash chambray – that feel casual yet sophisticated at the same time.

Shop our pick of this season’s must-have denim pieces in our boutique below:

1. MIH Jeans Phoebe mid-rise slouch-leg jeans, £210, Matchesfashion.com 2. Acne Bonnie denim patchwork shorts, £150, Matchesfashion.com 3. Theory lightweight denim shirt, £180, Net-a-Porter 4. New Look blue denim wash short dungarees, £24.99, New Look 5. Topshop mid-wash denim tunic dress, £40, Topshop.

But the sad truth is, strutting down a city sidewalk in a short, flirty number always makes us feel, well, a little nervy (especially in this in-between weather). Which means that more often than not, we end up waiting for that grande vacance to bust out our fave flippy skirt dress, only to end up chucking it to the back of our wardrobes when we return.

We’re pretty certain all you stylish urbanites feel our pain. So, this year, we vow to turn that summer dress into worthwhile investment by making it more metropolitan-friendly.

Whether you’re wearing it for work (yep, really) or for evening cocktails, see below for three ways to give your ultimate summer piece an effortless urban spin (even when the sun isn’t shining!).

1. For the weekend

A strapless sundress (and the compulsory shoulder flashing that comes attached) can often feel inappropriate in the city. Clever layering is the key to making it feel less St Tropez and a little more Soho. A buttoned-up, crisp white shirt worn underneath with a pair of chunky mid-heel sandals is perfect for a lunch date – or even at the office – while an unbuttoned linen blouse thrown over the top makes for an easy, relaxed weekend ensemble when worn with a statement necklace and a studded cross-body satchel for maximum practicality.

1. Mango studded messenger bag, £39.99, Mango 2. Mango strapless chiffon dress, £22.99, Mango 3. Topshop metal moon collar, £20, Topshop 4. Lauren by Ralph Lauren long sleeved shirt, £85, House of Fraser 5. Chloe two-tone Sandal, £348, Shoescribe.com.

2. For the office

Turn that fabulously beachy floral bustier dress into desk-friendly attire by adding a smart tailored blazer and a pair of sleek leather slippers (or slick stiletto heels for that client lunch meeting). A clashing envelope clutch can be both sophisticated and cheerful - perfect for storing your essentials and, of course, those all-important work documents (or iPad). No more dull outfits for the office this summer, we say!

1. Mary Katrantzou Rodizio clutch, £425, Selfridges 2. Avec Moderation Python dress slippers, £215, Browns 3. House of Holland floral print sundress, £354, Harrods 4. Faith Connexion crepe jacket, £419, my-wardrobe.com.

3. For cocktails

Transform a sunny neon day dress into a cool cocktail hour ensemble with a tough yet pretty floral-printed biker and a pair of sexy strappy heels. Finish off the look with a chic box clutch and a bold, crystal-encrusted necklace for added night-time glamour that’ll turn heads whether you’re dining in the city’s hottest restaurant or sipping martinis in a swanky hotel bar.

1. Camilla and Marc neon stretch-scuba flare minidress, £380, Net-a-Porter 2. J.Crew crystal and neon chevron necklace, £124.92, J.Crew 3. Diane Von Furstenberg Tonda Passamentry clutch, £273, Matchesfashion.com 4. Zara strappy sandals with ankle buckle, £39.99, Zara 5. Topshop printed floral biker jacket, £75, Topshop.

Shop our city-friendly sundress ensembles in our boutique below:

Shop our edit of 50 summer sundresses here!

Shirt dresses: one of those items we spend our whole lives searching for, yet so many of us seem to struggle finding The One. So why then, when there’s such a wide variety of this classic summer staple available to choose from, is it so difficult to narrow it down to just a single investment?

Well, the answer is simple: you don’t know exactly what you’re looking for. Have you ever considered whether you want a classic button down number versus a more contemporary design with a trend-led twist, for example?

The good news is, this season you don’t have to make up your mind. We’ve whittled down 10 of the coolest styles that cover every basic principle – whether that’s simple and chic, long sleeved or sans, printed or plain – to ensure you’re well on your way to uncovering the perfect investment piece.

Sure, the best babies don’t come cheap, but when you consider their versatility – and just how long they’ll last you – we promise it’s a purchase worth making. After all, what’s better than slipping into an easy-chic one-piece summer after summer?

From Antipodium’s classic blue and white striped man shirt style, to Phillip Lim’s black cotton version embellished with floral embroidery, we guarantee there’s something here to suit all tastes, shapes and sizes.

Effortless, easy and eternally modern, shop 10 of the best shirt dresses in our boutique below: 

Top: 1. Carven washed silk dress, £330, Browns 2. Alexander McQueen button down shirt dress, £575, Matchesfashion.com 3. 3.1. Phillip Lim embroidered flirt dress, £675, my-wrardrobe.com.

Eagled-eyed style-spotters may have noticed fashion’s obsession with pineapples lately. They popped up in bag and print form on Moschino’s runway, Marni has them printed on dresses, and Sophie Hulme has dedicated her SS13 ready-to-wear collection to the tropical fruit (see motifs cropping up on sweaters, tees and iPad cases). Even the high street has cottoned on. But not before possibly our favourite contribution to the trend so far: Lee Renee‘s new jewellery collection.

The London designer’s latest offering, suitably named ‘Miami Vacation’, is inspired by 1920s-meets-1980s Miami architecture and culture, where fine-tuned flamingos sit alongside playfully kitsch cocktails and ice cream cones in Deco-esque shapes. Our favourites, though, are the pineapple pieces – little spiky studs and pendants in silver or gold that are so sweet they might just satisfy your sugar cravings.

And since every piece is handmade by Lee in her East London studio, these labours of love are the perfect keepsakes to complement your summer style.

They’re certainly hitting our sartorial spot – who knew fruit could be so chic?

Shop Lee Renee’s Miami Vacation collection online at Boticca, prices between £49-£167.

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We love a treat for the weekend (Wednesday’s not too early to start thinking about it, right?), and since it’s bank holiday, we reckon that means we should get an extra somethin’ somethin’ to celebrate.

Well, so does Urban Outfitters. From today, you can get 15% off everything online at Urban Outfitters, including concessions (save for items from Vivienne Westwood’s Anglomania line), until the end of May.

Simply enter code YEAH15 at the checkout to receive your discount – and with free delivery on orders over £50, we suggest you make the most of it!

Offer valid until midnight (BST) on Friday, 31st May.

Click here to shop!

So we’ve come to the end of the first week of Cannes, and with five days still remaining, we’re cramming in as much red carpet spotting as possible. Yesterday saw Dita Von Teese make her festival debut in two red lace gowns by Dolce & Gabbana and Elie Saab Couture. The latter made quite the impact at the premiere of Cleopatra, where the midi-length full skirt offered a breath of fresh air among the floor-sweeping gowns.

Nudes and whites were the colours of choice last night, with Victoria’s Secret model Erin Heatherton choosing a plunging Roberto Cavalli gown, Princess of Venice and actress Clotilde Courau wearing a gorgeous capped sleeved lace dress by Valentino (would you expect anything less from a princess?), and Jessica Chastain in a simple white Givenchy gown for the Bulgari cocktail party.

As the week continues, we’re hoping to see more showstoppers from Nicole Kidman and Marion Cotillard (we’ll never tire of Dior!), but for the time being, see the rest of yesterday’s best dressed from day seven at Cannes…

Dita von Teese wearing Dolce & Gabbana at the Cointreau & Nikki Beach present Dita von Teese party

Erin Heatherton wearing Roberto Cavalli at the Behind the Candelabra premiere

Clotilde Courau wearing Valentino at the Les Salauds premiere

Dita von Teese wearing Elie Saab Couture at the Cleopatra premiere

Jessica Chastain wearing Givenchy at the Cleopatra cocktail party hosted by Bulgari

Joan Smalls wearing Emilio Pucci at the Cleopatra premiere

Kylie Minogue wearing Roberto Cavalli at the Les Salauds premiere

Milla Jovovich wearing Prada at the Cleopatra premiere

Rosario Dawson wearing Marchesa at the Cleopatra premiere

Still not quite prepared for summer? This’ll help. Selfridges has just launched its limited edition summer beauty box, brimming with every essential you need for suitably sprightly skin (and beyond).

The box includes nine miniature beauty must-haves - including St. Tropez tan, Bumble and Bumble Surf Spray, a neon pink nail polish from Models Own, barely-there BB cream from cult brand Erborian, and an Aqua Splash Tangle Teezer to tame sea-drenched locks – all for the purse-friendly price of £25 (valued at £70!).

Perfect to pack away for your summer vacay – or to keep handy around the house when you’re in need of a little pick-me-up – this is the essential summer tool kit for keen beauty fans (and those who like to sample a little bit of everything at once). We received ours last week and we’ll say this: Caudalie’s beauty elixir is a revelation!

But we’ll warn you – with a limited run, these boxes of sunshine won’t stick around for long. Grab your limited edition summer beauty box exclusively online at Selfridges while stocks last!

Selfridges Summer Beauty Box, £25, available online Selfridges.

At least something looks like spring. While the temperature remains steadfastly below 20 degrees, and periods of blue sky are celebrated like the birth of the Messiah, it looks like summer may never arrive.

It was a different story on the spring/summer 2013 catwalks, though. If designers were meteorologists, then this season would be one of sunshine and abundant blooms. So far, their forecast has missed the mark, but the fields of three-dimensional flowers that carpeted their creations are right on the money.

Erdem, London’s king of feminine florals, put a neon spin on lace, combining acid yellow and melon with baby blue, and giving a textural twist with appliquéd flowers on coats and dresses. I especially loved the little white gloves that came with one lacy dress – so dainty. Yes please.

At Chanel, even Karl Lagerfeld was feeling the floral vibe. He closed the show with sheath dresses that had blooms snaking up from the hem and ivy leaves creeping across them.

Giambattista Valli had a white-on-white take on the trend, while Moschino and Holly Fulton had much brighter ideas. More tropical hotbed than shrinking violet. In all cases, this season is about flowers that look like they are growing from the garden bed of dresses and coats. Sculpted blooms, lavish embroidery, 3D applique and plastic embellishment are all fresh for the picking.

Despite the inherent girliness of this trend, it’s one that requires a bit of chutzpah to pull off. I mean, this isn’t about demure floral prints. This is florals 2.0.

Try mixing an appliqué top with an embroidered pencil skirt for a standout look to wear to summer’s spate of weddings and grown-up parties. Or make like Dolce & Gabbana and wear colour-saturated blooms with big and bold stripes.

On the catwalks, to temper the flower power, designers often teamed their bouquets with slightly clumpy shoes, which makes sense on an intellectual level but, if you’re not K-Kloss, you may want to go for something more ankle-flattering. Try a pair of the season’s perspex stilettos or a sharp pair of tarty-yet-terrific white pumps (Topshop has a great pair).

And if all this botanica is getting your allergies going, you can incorporate some petal power via your accessories – pop a pair of Prada’s flower-topped shades on your face, or choose flower-festooned shoes or bags. They’re bloomin’ lovely.

Shop our pick of fab floral pieces in our boutique below:

Read our edit of the best summer floral pieces in store now!

Ok, that doesn’t exactly justify adding another shirt to my about-to-burst-closet, but how can I resist this uber cute cropped floral print top? It’ll look just perfect with anything from blue skinnies to a pair of white high-waisted shorts.

Need further proof that buying this beauty is totally necessary? Well, firstly, I do love me a little bit of chambray in summer – this one gets extra points for the blue floral print which makes it even more season-appropriate – and secondly, the short sleeves mean it’ll keep me cool whenever that heatwave decides to hit (here’s to hoping).

Plus, its boxy, cropped silhouette is relaxed and fun, yet effortlessly modern at the same time. Now that’s what I call a great summer time basic with a playful feminine twist.

Topshop Moto floral crop denim shirt, £34, available at Topshop. Buy it here!

Like this? Shop more of Ink’s picks in her boutique!

Day six at Cannes may not have delivered quite as much in the style stakes as the previous days, but there were still some killer looks to swoon over. Take Marion Cotillard, for example, one of the very few women who can get her hands on a Dior resort dress just one day after the new collection has shown. She looked the epitome of glamour in her colourful striped gown from the fashion house, with a very chic beehive hairdo and black ankle strapped courts. Earlier in the day she showed off some serious leg in an Antonio Berardi mini, too, with the embellished panel on the back shown off perfectly by her tousled bob.

Now, we may not really know who Ahna O’Reilly is (she apparently stars opposite James Franco in new film As I Lay Dying), but if her debut Cannes red carpet outfit is anything to go by, we’ll be keeping a very close eye on her style choices. Wearing an amazing Monique Lhullier red gown and matching trousers to the film’s premiere last night, the actress completely stole the limelight from her famous co-star.

See the rest of yesterday’s best dressed below, including Zoe Saldana in Valentino (we die!) and Milla Jovovich in head to toe florals from Chanel’s couture collection:

Ahna O’Reilly wearing Monique Lhuillier at the As I Lay Dying premiere

Aishwarya Rai wearing Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla at the Blood Ties premiere

Marion Cotillard wearing Antonio Berardi at the Blood Ties photocall

Marion Cotillard wearing Christian Dior at the Blood Ties premiere

Milla Jovovich wearing Chanel Couture at the Blood Ties premiere

Zoe Saldana wearing Emanuel Ungaro at the Blood Ties photocall

Zoe Saldana wearing Valentino at the Blood Ties premiere

See more Cannes 2013 best dressed here!