Saasha, Shoreditch

Saasha is a model from Melbourne, Australia. She wears Acne boots and jeans, a vintage jumper, Daniel Wellington wristwatch, and Thierry Lasry sunglasses.

Pickmix, Carnaby Street

Reece, Editor at Pickmix Magazine, wears an American Apparel jacket, Acne trousers,
Dr Martens boots, and Linda Farrow sunglasses.

Bayo, Seven Dials

Dapper as he is already, Bayo is wearing two of my favourite brands - an Unconditional tartan suit and Jeffery West boots, along with a Vivienne Westwood tie, Paul Smith hat, and a Guess wristwatch.

Co-ords for Boys

With the summer holidays drawing to a close, and hints of autumn on the crisp air, one might suppose that shorts season is well and truly behind us. But heck, I consider myself an optimist. I remember stretching out on a hot and sunny Bournemouth Beach during mid-September, shortly before my first term at university. The following year, we then had a freak heatwave in October, which quite naturally demanded another week of sunbathing and impromptu beach barbecues. So there is hope for me and my shorts yet, even if the closest beach to me now is the bank of the River Thames.

FARAH VINTAGE SHIRT & SHORTS / JUMP FROM PAPER BAG
SPITFIRE SUNGLASSES / DANIEL FOOTWEAR CHUKKA BOOTS

Here, I have commandeered a trend more often seen in womenswear: "co-ords", or "co-ordinates" if you prefer. I can't say if Farah intended for these matching shirt and shorts to be worn together (the lookbook and website style them as separates), but I enjoy the almost seamless flow of colour and pattern, broken only by the brown leather of my belt. I thought this fun, bright and summery outfit might also do well with equally fun accessories, so I picked up a pair of tortoiseshell Spitfire sunglasses and a cartoon-styled Jump From Paper handbag - all set for my tropical staycation!

Commercial Street, London

Helen wears Nike trainers, Primark bomber jacket, and a Goodordering backpack.

Mick, Brick Lane

Strolling along Brick Lane, I happened upon the dearest and most dapper, 70 year old man. I regret I don't photograph nearly enough of the older generation, but all the same, I truly enjoy meeting people such as Mick, a retired demolition worker, who ooze so much character. Mick wears a Cecil Gee pinstripe suit, and brogues from Blackmans Shoes on nearby Cheshire Street.

Monsoon season

Come summer, the British weather has a knack of being predictably unpredictable. One minute, we're basking in glorious sunshine, stretched out like cats on a hot patio; the next, dark grey clouds are looming overhead, and we soon find ourselves dashing for cover from a sudden and heavy downpour - thunder and lightning on our tail.

TOPMAN BANANA JUMPER / HYPE WAYFARER SUNGLASSES / AMERICAN APPAREL UMBRELLA

This erratic weather tends not to bother me so much, when I am cooped up in an office all day, but it has made it very difficult lately to do my photography. After all, nobody fancies standing around in a storm, while I try to set up the perfect shot. (Not to mention water and expensive cameras don't mix!) That's not to say I haven't taken some unexpectedly wonderful photos in wet weather, but for the most part, rain is the bane of my life. Even more so, when weekend afternoons offer the only spare time to squeeze in some street style photography. A dreary day can set me back an entire week on blog posts. #streetstyleproblems

The other dilemma in this almost tropical climate is what to wear out and about. Raincoats keep you dry, but they also keep you too warm. And umbrellas... Well, I couldn't begin to tell you how many I have accidentally forgotten in restaurants and on public transport. The duck head umbrella pictured above is actually my second, after this nitwit left behind the first on a train at Waterloo, and didn't even realise it had mysteriously vanished until three hours later.

Here's hoping for a more Mediterranean weekend...

Shoreditch High Street, London

Inky, media student at Goldmsiths, University of London, wears boat shoes from Japan, American Apparel trousers, an ASOS rucksack, UniQlo t-shirt, and sunglasses from Brick Lane.

Girls Who Read, Bethnal Green Road

Steph, a doctor and trainee GP, is wearing an Oasis maxi dress. Her paisley-print, fabric book cover was a gift from her aunt, a seamstress.

Mint & Berry, Shoreditch

Natalia, who works for Ralph Lauren, is wearing a dress from Berlin boutique Mint & Berry.

Black on the block, Earlham Street

Hint of camo print, Braithwaite Street

Wayne, an electrician, is wearing an H&M chambray shirt with camo print panels, khaki River Island trousers, Ray Ban Wayfarers, a Citizen wristwatch, and trainers from the Nike Air Max Camo Collection.

Spitalfields, London

Jemima, graphic and packaging designer, is wearing a second-hand, floral-print dress from Japan.

Cornerstone | Subscribe and Shave

Beards, unlike bow ties, are not my forte. By which I mean I am useless at growing one. That's not to say I don't try, but biology seems to be against me on this matter. After a week without shaving, all I have to show for my patience is an ever-so-slow-growing, patchy mess of prickly splinters. Sometimes I might briefly enter the "sexy stubble" stage, in which I look slightly more Mediterranean, but before I know it, my mother is soon saying I look dirty, and politely asking me to shave the dark fuzz from around my face.

With that in mind, regular shaving is important. So agrees Oliver Bridge, founder of Cornerstone, who wondered if I might like to sample his company's brand spanking new shaving supplies. Never one to say no to a spot of pampering, my shave set promptly arrived the following week, in which I found all the essentials and, rather kindly, an aluminium razor handle engraved with my initials. (Scroll down for details on how to win your own personalised shave set!)

Cornerstone shave sets are sold as part of a tailored subscription package, supplying the customer with regular deliveries of their desired products - including face scrub, shave gel, post-shave balm and razors - reflecting the rhythm of one's shaving routine. For example, those who shave nearly every day would receive a new set every six weeks, whereas those who shave once a week or less would be re-supplied every 24 weeks. The idea is so remarkably simple, I am surprised nobody had thought of it before now.

The important question, then, is: does the quality of products reflect the ingenuity of the concept? In short, yes, although each step of my shaving experience came with a pleasant surprise. I admit I am not an expert in male grooming and skincare, but a face scrub reminiscent of Turkish mud baths was unexpected to say the least. The dark grey scrub, made with volcanic sand, exfoliated my skin and gave my reflection a wild visage.

After rinsing my face clean, I then applied the ginger and eucalyptus shave gel - which smells amazing - and prepared for a foamy face. But much to my surprise (again), the gel remained... well, like a gel. I suppose the profusive froth produced by competitor products is rather unnecessary, collecting like fluffy clouds on the razor, before dissolving away in the sink.

Despite its minimality, the Cornerstone shave gel kept my face well-lubricated for the razor, which glided across my skin effortlessly, due in part also to the flexible, rubbery head. Best of all, even with one or two annoying spots, the blades didn't nick me once. In fact, I barely felt the razor mowing through my facial fuzz at all. How about that? Following another rinse and a towel-dry, I finally freshened my face with the post-shave balm, this one scented with mint and honey (which, according to my workmates, makes my face smell like chewing gum - but that's what every man wants, right?). 

And the result? A clean face, a smooth finish, and no prickles in sight. I know shaving isn't exactly the hardest skill in a man's repertoire, but after my first shave with Cornerstone, I understand at last what all those TV ads mean by a "close and comfortable shave". And if that isn't the bees knees, my face smells absolutely delightful. Now, if somebody can sort out my patchy eyebrows, we will be good to go...

And now your chance to win your very own Cornerstone shave set, complete with personalised razor - simply follow this link, enter your e-mail address, and you're away! All entrants will also be offered a runner-up prize of a £10 gift voucher to spend at www.cornerstone.co.uk. The winner will be announced in the next couple of weeks, so keep a close eye on your inbox.