Inspired by Chanel’s bright and cheery Neapolis makeup collection, I have been scouring the internet for things that will inject a bit of colour and life into my wardrobe, which currently consists of light grey things, dark grey things and denim.

I’ll be doing a full feature on Chanel’s Spring Summer 2018 Makeup Collection – the Chanel posts are always so ridiculously popular and I’d hate to be a party pooper – but I have to say that it’s not the most wearable set of shades. Beautiful and bold and so completely evocative of a hot summer’s day in Naples (I’ve been, decades ago, it wasn’t for the faint-hearted) but definitely not your run-of-the-mill Fifty Shades of Flattering Neutrals sort of collection.

Watch this space.

Anyway, as I said, I’ve been trawling the virtual aisles for bright little tops and bits and pieces that might drag me out of my sartorial depression. Buttercup yellow shirts (good one at M&S here*) and bright pink court shoes (LK Bennett here*) and t-shirts that’ll look good on sunkissed skin, once summer finally comes around. (Hush have brilliant raglan tops in acid colours – in the sale here* for £30. I particularly like the Aqua blue one. Also on Hush, these Alexis trousers* – I’ve worn them so many times and they are really comfy but incredibly flattering. Very sport-luxe with their gold stripe down the side. Currently on sale, £40 instead of £65 here*!)

The jumper in my photographs? I bought it from Karen Millen here*, £85. I want to find a little cinch-waist skirt to wear with it, but I must say that it looks just fine with jeans. Karen Millen have quite a few bits with colour-blocking and bold prints – jumpers with bright cuffs, dresses with yellow shoulders (a version of the top I’m wearing here) and skirts with stripes and geometric prints. It’s all making me feel very optimistic about things – I even might start gradual-tanning my face in preparation for the sun coming out!

(On my nails, if you can zoom in that far, I’m wearing a longwear nail polish from Chanel’s Neapolis collection – the shade is Verde Pastello and you can find it online at Selfridges here*.)