Jess Cartner-Morley’s April style essentials: fancy brollies, Biscoff eggs and the perfect holiday dress
Whether it’s a tiered tulle skirt or a hardworking Henley tee, our fashion expert’s Easter basket is brimming with joy
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I am a big fan of Easter, which is an underrated holiday in my opinion: lots of joy and food, but better weather than Christmas (or at least more daylight) and less stress.
So my April shopping list starts, naturally, with a chocolate egg. More goodies include not one but two stormingly gorgeous new-season high-street skirts. Also, an umbrella to keep you smiling through the inevitable spring rain – and the shades you’ll want when the sun comes out. Because that’s April for you!
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A treat for on-trend Easter bunnies
Biscoff Easter egg
£15 at Cadbury £11 at AmazonBiscoff is to this year what pistachio was to 2025 and salted caramel was to 2024. Yup, those cute little biscuits you get with a coffee on holiday are a pop cultural sensation. So you’ll want one of these Biscoff beauties come Sunday.
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A deliciously fancy umbrella
Fortnum & Mason Eau de Nil umbrella
£28 at Fortnum & MasonIt will rain. That much we know about April. My all-time favourite umbrella, which I have written about before, is the Original Duckhead. However, I’m aware that some people find the duck handle a bit silly – in which case might I suggest this very posh Fortnum’s brolly? It’s expensive, but cheap umbrellas are a false economy and broken spokes make a rainy day feel bleaker.
For more, read our guide to the best umbrellas
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A Carrie Bradshaw skirt
Tulle tiered skirt
£139 at John Lewis £139 at BodenRemember the title sequence of Sex and the City, with Carrie crossing the street in her tutu skirt? Course you do. This skirt has enough Carrie magic to make it irresistible. Also, I know it sounds like fashion madness when people like me describe clothes like this as “versatile”, but IT IS. Wear it with a fitted jacket for a formal wedding guest look or with a T-shirt and trainers to Sunday lunch.
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I think I may have found your holiday dress …
Dipped drop waist maxidress
£120 at AlbarayAlbaray makes such brilliant clothes. Grown-up but cool, affordable but thoughtfully designed. I love how generous the fabric of this dress is – it has a real swish as you walk – and that the shoulders and back will work with any bra. To celebrate its fifth anniversary, this independent British brand has reissued some of its bestsellers – so if you missed out on its hit leopard print frock (V-neckline, soft puff sleeves) a few years ago, now’s your chance.
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… and I already found my perfect summer basket
Farrow bag
£140 at Octobre EditionsI won’t be buying this Sézane basket bag. I won’t be buying it because I bought this style three or four summers ago – it’s still my go-to daytime bag for as much of the year as I can get away with, and it’s still going strong. It’s the perfect size, easy to fasten, weighs nothing and comes with adjustable straps. If I was being really, really picky, I wish it had an internal pocket. But it’s basically perfect.
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A Jonathan Saunders top – thank you very much & Other Stories
Ruched cap-sleeve top
£67 at H&M £67 at & Other StoriesJonathan Saunders was London fashion week’s darling, until he was snapped up by Diane von Fürstenberg to design for her in New York. Now he’s got a new gig, as chief creative officer of & Other Stories, which means that we can all buy his beautiful clothes. This top is a bit special.
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The perfect Henley
Cotton rib Henley shirt
£115 at Harvey NicholsThis is so simple and so good. Polo Ralph Lauren has this amazing way with easy modern clothes that feel a bit nostalgic or romantic, and this creamy-white ribbed Henley makes me feel as if I am punting down a picturesque English river, even when I am in fact walking to the shops. The elongated eight-button placket makes for an elegant shape, somehow. Wear it now with jeans; it will be great in the summer with shorts.
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The sunglasses you’ve been looking for since watching Love Story
Outta Love black oval sunglasses
£44 at John Lewis £55 at Le SpecsLike the basic fashionista I am, I absolutely inhaled Ryan Murphy’s JFK Jr and Carolyn Bessette Kennedy drama, Love Story, on Disney+. No mere mortal can make 1990s minimalism look as good as CBK did – I think you need to have her hair, or her personality, or both – but watching it did make me rethink (a) my jeans and (b) my sunglasses. On (a), I tried on every pair I own, and decided an old pair of 501s that are slightly too big for me are the closest silhouette and on (b) I recommend these sunnies.
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A skirt of joy
Asymmetric printed skirt
£89.99 at MangoMango’s “Selection” edit is a treasure trove of upmarket design at (slightly elevated) high-street prices. It sells fast – I’ve wanted to include my finds in these edits a few times in the past, but they’ve always sold out. This skirt goes on sale on 31 March, though, so I think we’re in luck. I love the colours – very Michael-Rider-at-Celine and Jack-and-Laz-at-Loewe, if you want to get into the Paris fashion week of it all – and the asymmetric cut.
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Your summer necklace is here
Deia beaded black cord necklace
£80 at Monica VinaderThe cord necklace is back and I find myself very much here for it. It brings a boho summer vibe to a white shirt and jeans for work, and will look great with a swimsuit and a kaftan when summer finally arrives. This Monica Vinader gold disc on a black cord is 18-carat gold vermeil – and you can have your initials engraved on one side at no extra cost, if you fancy it. (I do.)
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