What timepieces go with delicate dresses? 

Watches, bags and shoes that will make your season, with Next 

When it comes to dressing for the summer, truth is you may not find the weather to show off all those new summer dresses, dipped hems and, dare I say it, beach body in that new bikini. But how can you bring a bit of spice to your best summer clothes with on-trend and in-touch accessories?

With a bit of help from Next (who offer a fine range of cheap bikinis if the weather does turn!) we’ve been picking out some key summer accessories trends, and here are our top three for you to take your pick from:

Chunky men’s sports watches

This is a trend we’ve seen a couple of times in the past few seasons, and it doesn’t seem to be abating in popularity. Bigger, link-chain round-faced watches with multi dials or sporty accessories are a popular way of bringing a little gravity to a feminine outfit.

You’ll see this a lot from designers like Seiko, Omega and TAG Heuer. ThisGold Working Multi Dial Watch (pictured) from Next is a lovely, affordable piece in the trend, costing £50. The metallic sheen is what gives it a special feel; and the best thing about this accessory is its ability to do the work of several accessories at once – it’s a big summer statement. And great with floaty dresses and mesh fabrics.

Bright, big clutch bags – or a printed backpack

Marie Claire picked out a catwalk S/S 2012 trend for white bags, but we’re a bigger fan of the candy colours and brights doing the rounds. You can combine colour-blocking trends with this.

You can mix it up by combining different bright shades, like yellow, pink and aqua; or, if you’re thinking into autumn as well, combine fabrics, like thissuede and leather clutch does so efficiently.  Your other summer bag option? A fun, printed backpack – the bolder the better.

Flatform sandals

First choice as featured in the Guardian’s pick of summer trends, the flatform sandal: like a platform or a wedge, just without the tilt. These are not the kind of shoes to walk a thousand miles in (ok who ever walked a thousand miles in any kind of platform?!), but they’re a great way to add height and a more robust character.

Great timepieces to wear to work – for men and women

Wearing a watch to work is essential – you need it for time-keeping, and it’s much more efficient than checking your phone. But what watch is right for the office? And what watches can you wear with a tailored suit that you can also use outside the office?

We’re going to take a look at some watch styles that work particularly well with simple tailored suits such as those from Next, whose men’s and women’s workwear is extremely popular in the UK.

Women

One thing’s for sure: women cannot get away with rubber straps at work. A sporty style watch can still be worn, but in a gold chain or more professional, metallic style. Unless you’re going to go retro with something like a Casio classic – now available in gold and excellent if you work in the media or creative industries – then it’s best to stay away from digital watches.

Michael Kors and Nixon in particular have some good inspiration – round, easy faces, with link bands around the wrist. Indeed, menswear-inspired watches seem to be the name of the game for women at the office (is that a bad bit of left over sexism? Who knows?!). To cast a feminine hue over the sports watch look, this rose gold LG (pictured), available through Next, is a lovely, punk-blushed gold metallic sports watch that is pretty but never brutal.

Men

For men in the office, again, a sports-inspired look is great; though rubber-y running-style watches should be avoided. The key is going for a sporty face but a simple, elegant strap for the wrist.

This can be in leather or metallic – we’re a big fan of the Citizen Eco-Drive line (celebrated in this squidoo post), which packs a punch on efficiency but also has smooth lines that will stand out, but not look stupid, with a suit.

Another option is the link chain, square face model. Square faces seems to have become a bit of a thing of the past with the recent successes of celebrity-endorsed timepieces from Omega and Tag Heuer. Still, a large square-face metallic watch is a good investment for some vintage elegance; it’s great for law, politics and other careers of the mind.