The hightstreet summer sales are coming to an end, before summer has even gotten into its swing.

Although one wouldn't necessarily think it at the moment, what with all the rain and wind and general chilliness that we've been experiencing (did no one tell 'them' it's the end of July??), there are a few weeks of British summer time remaining.

There are still some great bargains to be picked up in the sales to enhance and update a warm weather wardrobe.

Below is my round up of the best that's left - and all items are under £30!

MISS SELFRIDGE

Petites rose cupro shorts WAS £32 NOW £17

Straw preppy boater hat WAS £18 NOW £5

Leather tooled satchel WAS £50 NOW £20

Oriental print blouse WAS £28 NOW £16

DOROTHY PERKINS

White lemon print dress WAS £25 NOW £17

Indigo denim prom dress WAS £35 NOW £20

ACCESSORIZE

Contrast weave zig zag floppy hat WAS £22 NOW £11

ALDO

Zickler WAS £45 NOW £29.98

Crowthers WAS £60 NOW £27.99

FRENCH CONNECTION

Fiona denim shorts WAS £57 NOW £28

Perfect pleat skirt WAS £62 NOW £24

OFFICE

West end wedge denim canvas WAS £58 NOW £20

Have it black/bronze WAS £65 NOW £20

Hot stuff pastel multi WAS £65 NOW £20

None of that choc leather WAS £50 NOW £25

TOPSHOP

Fluro stripe vest WAS £16 NOW £5

Contrast zip holdall WAS £40 NOW £25

ALL IMAGES GRATEFULLY COPIED FROM THE COMPANIES' RESPECTIVE WEBSITES.

PICTURE EDITING BY BECKY DARKE.

The 'colour blocking' trend is one of the easiest to pull off, especially when buying from the highstreet.

It basically means wearing various one-colour items all at once - preferably in shades that clash horribly!

A plain dress paired with a different coloured bag and shoes is a good place to start. Alternatively, try a skirt or trouser and t-shirt combo with an exciting pair of ankle socks. Throw in a bright blazer to finish off the look and give yourself a more tailored edge.

Bold colours work best and if you're going to clash in the most effective way, go for a combination of complimentary colours:

Red and green. Blue and orange. Purple and yellow.

Here's some of the best new stock from the highstreet...

Lace babydoll dress. Dorothy Perkins. £40

Pelerine ankle socks. Topshop. £3.50

Oversize t-shirt. French Connection. £20

Pleated waist skirt. Zara. £39.99

Jogging blazer. Zara. £49.99

Chiffon hem vest. Warehouse. £18

Flecked roll sleeve tee. Topshop. £15

Placket vest. River Island. £7.99

Gathered slit side maxi skirt. Topshop. £35

Belted skater skirt. River Island. £34.99

Deena & Ozzy confetti cut-out shoes. Urban Outfitters. £35

Sylvia leather bag. Oliver Bonas. £85

ALL IMAGES GRATEFULLY COPIED FROM COMPANIES' RESPECTIVE WEBSITES.

Denim. That old chestnut.

Perfect in its limitless guises, no matter what the weather is doing. And no matter what YOU are doing! The ideal fabric in which to slub around, denim is crazy comfortable... but it can also be dressed up with a bit of savvy styling to make an outfit worthy of a night on the tiles.

It's not just blue jeans! Constantly being reinvented, denim was seen once again in the spring/summer 2011 collections from Celine, Mulberry, Stella McCartney, Dries van Noten, and Moschino - amongst others - and has to be one of the easiest styles to translate to the highstreet.

Below are some current highlights to help you make the most of the denim trend. (Can it really be called a 'trend' if it never goes out of fashion??)

You'll see a mixture of total bargains, and some slightly more luxe pieces to really dress up that denim! And not just denim itself, but plenty of items that will perfectly compliment the look.

Lace Panel Denim Shirt. Miss Selfridge. £30

Skater Dress. Oasis. £15 (was £50)

Iron Eagle Sweat. French Connection. £52

Plait belted shirt dress. Dorothy Perkins. £20 (was £38)

Cord cuff. Accessorize. £8

Cream peep toe wedge boots. River Island. £34.99

Louche Christina dress. Joy. £31.50 (was £45)

Grey horse print blouse. Dorothy Perkins. £15 (was £30)

Peach scallop hem cropped jeans. Topshop. £40

Anat clog. All Saints. £87.50 (was £175)

Black and white stripe bodysuit. Miss Selfridge. £18

Nelton wedges. ALDO. £39.98 (was £60)

Cream print soft kimono jacket. River Island. £39.99

MOTO red jeans. Topshop. £38

ALL IMAGES GRATEFULLY COPIED FROM COMPANIES' RESPECTIVE WEBSITES

GUEST POST BY SHERIN OF HiFashion

I was listening to the radio and heard the tickets were next years Glastonbury had already been sold out, 8 months before the festival. I've always wanted to go to a summer festival, but have never gotten round to it. I have, however, decided what I'll wear and how I'll look when I do eventually go. I'm not too sure, but I believe this look has been referred to as the 'Muddy-Knee Look'.

Icons:

There are a few girls that pull off this look perfectly: Natasha Khan (Bat for Lashes), Florence Welch (Florence and the Machine) and Fearne Cotton. All three rock this look and look amazing at festivals.

As you can see, both Florence and Fearne are wearing short dresses/skirts with wellies, which is the perfect look. 

It is all about being comfortable. You've got to travel light and cleverly. Summer festivals usually become really wet and muddy (thank you British Summers), so take things that will keep you warm, dry and something that you don't mind getting wet and dirty.

I'd also recommend lots of hats/scarves for bad hair days.You're not going to get the chance to straighten your hair or even shower every day so a nice hat will keep your hair at bay.Not ot mention clean pairs of socks adn underwear are VITAL!

So what kind of clothes do you need to take?

Layers: layering it up is great for festivals. Not only are you warm, but you'll look great as well, and layers also make you fairly comfortable, no matter what the weather.  Coats on top of hoodies, on top of t-shirts are a good combination.

Shorts and skirts are also a great look. You can wear them with socks or tights underneath, and the slip on a pair of Converses or Wellies. You can also wear a short dress with the same shoes.Wellies are just so perfect for festivals. They can keep your legs dry and they come inso many colours that you can have so much fun with them! Things can get muddy, so a pair of wellies wil go a long way.

And as there'll be so many bands there, having a few t-shirts with bands on them will make you look really cool! Here are a few examples of the kind of things you can wear to festivals:

festival by sherin88 featuring Dorothy Perkins

festival 2 by sherin88 featuring Dorothy Perkins

Photo credits: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

Many thanks  to Sherin for her post! Her co-writer Leia has a guest blog coming up soon, too! Click "Admin" for info.