Jess Cartner-Morley’s June style essentials: from treat-yourself dresses to high-street bling

It’s our fashion guru’s birthday month, and she’s being sensible … mostly

• Women’s spring wardrobe essentials: 27 easy-to-wear pieces

I try to be realistic about what people will spend when I do these edits. When we’re shopping and see something we like, the first thing almost all of us do is look at the price. What with money not growing on trees and all that. If I see something nice in a shop, then check the tag and find it to be out of my budget (or just overpriced), I move swiftly on. By the same logic, if I spot a contender for this monthly roundup but then discover it’s prohibitively expensive – which happens a lot these days, “sticker shock” being a familiar syndrome in an era of fashion hyperinflation – I am not inclined to include it.

But we can’t be sensible all the time. I don’t need to remind you that it’s better to buy fewer good, long-lasting things than loads of cheap tat. Then there’s the fact that, sometimes, an object is worth spending money on not because it’s objectively worth a lot of money, but just because it’s worth a lot to you. Plus, June is my birthday month, so you have to indulge me, OK? So, there’s a couple of splurges in here, should you be in the market for a dreamy dress or two. But also: the £46.75 swimsuit that’s in every chic holiday luggage, and some utterly brilliant earrings for less than £20. Because, that’s real life.