Lucie Loves... Fashion // Queen of the Jungle, Georgia Toffolo shares her summer style tips - including how to cheat your way to a designer look, and which wardrobe staple makes your bum look good!

Whether she’s dressed down in denims or red carpet ready, Made in Chelsea star and reigning queen of the jungle, Georgia Toffolo, has always given us plenty of outfit inspiration. What we love about this first-class beauty is her ability to mix high street fashion with designer pieces, meaning that looking good can also be affordable. I caught up with her at Touchwood’s latest fashion event to unveil some of her top styling tricks.  

Toff takes a selfie or two with her fans at Touchwood, Solihull

Taking a quick break, away from the crowds of adoring fans at Touchwood’s Style Weekend, Georgia - affectionately known as 'Toff' - is in high spirits as she sits down with me to talk all things fashion and style.

Looking fashionably understated in her skinny blue jeans and fitted cardigan - trimmed with one of her favourite colours, eau de nil - Toff, who won the nation’s hearts and was crowned winner of ITV’s hit tv show ’I’m a Celebrity’ last year, is friendly, chatty and relaxed.

 I had felt unusually anxious about this interview - wondering if I should have chosen a different outfit, if my make-up looked a tad orange today, and what she might think of my broad Midlands accent - but she instantly puts me at ease, showing an interest in our blog and asking what we are all about.

Always looking so effortlessly chic, I was more than surprised to discover that the gorgeous 23 year old reality star doesn’t have a stylist.

“It’s all me, which is quite rare actually. I have so many filming days a week, so many events. I had a stylist for two weeks and they were dressing me in leather mini-skirts and patent, which just doesn’t suit me – it looks so good on other people, but as much as I’d want to wear it, it doesn’t look right. Style is very personal, I think.”

With such a busy schedule - as ITV's 'This Morning' presenter, the face of her first fashion collection at 'Very' and now with a book under her belt too - you might wonder how on earth she finds the time to keep up to date with the latest fashion trends. And there must be a lot of pressure to look good when you’re constantly in the spotlight. Her outfits must be well planned?

“No - I just get up in the morning, and think ‘oh my god I’ve got filming’. I have one rail of stuff that I recycle, so I’ll think, I wore that on Made in Chelsea 3 years ago, everyone will have forgotten that now - so I’ll recycle it. But I wish I was a planner. I don’t know where my accessories are. My house is a mess. I have shoes in my kitchen. I was trying to put together a black tie outfit the other day and I was like, ‘I know I’ve got some nice statement earrings... but I’ve no idea where they are.”

And where does such a style icon look for inspiration?

“My granny. I’m not even joking. My granny is the chicest person I know. I think I have quite a mature sense of style and she’s quite young, so we sort of meet in the middle.  I’ll take her into Zara and she’ll say ‘Georgia that’ll look awful on you’. Or I’ll say ‘Granny I bought this amazing little dress’ and she’ll say ‘oh I bought it too."

So are there any of Granny's style tips that the nation’s sweetheart wouldn’t mind sharing with our readers?

 “Of course! She’s known for getting everything altered, and that’s what she taught me – that actually you can buy really cheap clothes and just get them altered to your shape, and then it makes them look like they’re designer because they fit you so well. When she buys a dress, she always says ‘I’ll have a lining put in it’, so she gets a couple more inches. She doesn’t wear mini-skirts – on the knee!”

So I asked the question that you’re all probably willing me to ask - not that one! (you should never ask a lady's age) – ‘So have you and Granny ever turned up to an event in the same outfit?’

“All the time - we turn up in really similar stuff, because we’ve got exactly the same taste. I am the way I am because of her. It’s not just my granny, it’s my two aunties and my mum. We all have the same taste. When we go to Zara together, everyone wants the same thing.”

Toff describes her style as “cute, young and girly”. She tells me “It’s a bit old but it’s young at the same time. It’s my take on a classic look.”

And we’d agree that she looks amazing! But you may be surprised to discover that Georgia, who also appeared on E4’s ‘Celebs Go Dating’ last year, has been wearing the same clothes since she was 13. So have there ever been any shockers? 

 “There was once - filming for Made in Chelsea, I think it was a violin recital or something stupid - and I actually turned up looking like a present. I had this big bow across my boobs, and it was red - and then a massive skirt.. what was I thinking?!”

RETRO SPORTS DAY - Fila t-shirt, jean with tape stripe, Adidas cap and black bumbag - all available at Topshop Striped jumpsuit and bumbag - from River Island Yellow coat, orange NY sweatshirt, grey running shorts and iridescent bumbag - all available at Topshop

So, inspired by the catwalk at Touchwood's Style Weekend - and with Summer fast approaching (I can taste the Pimm's already!) - I decided to take some time out during my visit for a bit of much deserved (and long overdue) retail therapy. And boy did I shop! But we’ve all been there – we’re out shopping, we spot an amazing little outfit. It looks great on the hanger - and then we try it on... and it looks awful! But celebrities look great in anything, right? Toff explains..

 “Not at all. You know the trend with all the boyfriend fit jeans? – it’s not for me, it looks like a sack. Really cool, but it just makes me look a bit frumpy. I’d rather have my skinnies on. People are like ‘skinnies are so out’, but skinnies are never going to go out because they make your bum look nice!  I think for me, I like everything to be a bit tight. Like with this cardigan, I like it because it’s nipped in here (at the waist) and then the sleeves fan out. I love things that are tailored.”

For anyone who attended Touchwood’s event, there was a chance to discover the latest Spring/Summer trends for 2018 and the hottest pieces from some of the centre’s top retailers. From bright pastels and bold prints, to street style and fondant florals, there was something for everyone.

But what are Toff’s style essentials for the summer?

“I like a frilly, wrap around dress - because you can show off your legs and a bit of your cleavage without looking over the top. And I like to pair them with trainers – I wear trainers a lot in the summer. I’m also really vibing maxi skirts, with a t-shirt and trainers. I think it’s really nice – I wore it in LA, and when I put it together I thought ‘that’s not going to work’, but it actually looks like you’ve made an effort.”

PRAIRIE CHIC - Model wears tile print maxi skirt, tassel cami and straw panama hat - all available at Monsoon

And you don’t always have to buy new. We all have that staple summer item that makes an appearance year after year. And for Toff…

“I love a white dress - a short white dress. They always look nice. You can wear that whatever event you go to - you just need that white dress. But it just gets so dirty – and you get Jägerbombs down the front!”

And her favourite colours this season?

“My Granny goes through these phases - we laugh so much (my family), because there’s always a colour of the season, and she goes on about it. Last season was eau de nil, so that was her colour of the season - and now I can’t stop wearing it. And I’m quite into Millennial Pink. All the pastels. I’m like a homing pigeon for anything pinky.”

But there must be times when Toff looks forward to a day off - and some super comfy clothes.  So what is her go-to off-duty outfit?

“I’m really into silk nighties, but the long ones - so long shirts. I’ve only got one, but it’s such a treat.”

And if you missed this amazing weekend, you can still get your fill of Summer fashion at Touchwood Shopping Centre, Solihull.  Take a look at some of their featured outfits, available at some of Touchwood’s fashion retailers.