Fashion: Our area's best online boutiques

With shop doors temporarily closed and streets eerily quiet our beloved independent boutiques need to know we still care. Velvet offers a silver lining with a round-up of the best of spring fashion from our top traders

Shop at Anna

The lovely flagship store on Abbeygate, Bury St Edmunds, is now operating online at shopatanna.com. Look out for luxurious loungewear, spring collections, generous discounts and an extended returns period. Also, owner Anna Parks writes regular and informative blogs showcasing her favourite trends and pieces – and even the books she recommends for isolation reading. Go see.

Joy Ankle Dress by Selected Femme, £99, shopatanna.com

Russet Knit by 360 Cashmere, £199, shopatanna.com

Cuckoo Clothing

Much-loved Cambridge boutique Cuckoo (St Mary’s Street, Cambridge, and Burwash Manor Farm, Barton) has some beautiful pieces to add joy to spring, even in isolation times. See cuckooclothing.co.uk where all the brands Cuckoo customers adore – Ilse Jacobsen, Odd Molly and GR Nature among them – await. There’s a cheeky spring discount to temp you too.

One Season Indie Dress, £134.95, cuckooclothing.co.uk and

Ilse Jacobsen flip-flops, £25, cuckooclothing.co.uk

Boudoir Femme

The very lovely Boudoir Femme (on King Street, Cambridge) is small but perfectly formed and the spring and summer offering is scrumptious. Take a peek at boudoirfemme.co.uk for 30 per cent off selected items and free delivery. As well as MKT Studio, American Vintage and Lily & Lionel you will find heavenly accessories, fragrance and scented candles.

MKT lkhaki jumpsuit, £159, boudoirfemme.co.uk

Ruth Mastenbroek Dagian Eau de Parfum, £120, boudoirfemme.co.uk

Elegant Atelier

Rose Crescent is home to the aptly named Elegant Atelier. The carefully hand-picked collections feature some excellent UK and European brands – Air&Grace, Ba&sh and Transit among them – as well as accessories and jewellery. Everything is at elegantatelier.com and there is 10 per cent off your first order.

Goa Silk Dress, £365, elegantatelier.com

Houna Shirt, £175, elegantatelier.com

Bowns

The stylishly curated collections at Bowns (Magdalene Street, Cambridge) will not fail to uplift your mood despite being confined to four walls. Select a dress for a meal-a-deux (in your kitchen, obvs), a super-chic home-working look and a summer something for when the garden beckons. And a *sweettreat* 20 per cent off atm. Go look at bownscambridge.com

Paul Smith Mainline Walkers Skirt £580, bownscambridge.com

M. Hulot

Plans to open the M. Hulot flagship store on Magdalene Street in April were sadly scuppered by the pandemic, but (glad tidings) the playful and beautifully-crafted Cambridgeshire brand has all of itsbags, accessories and clothing available online at mhulot.co.uk – delivered directly to you in the comfort of your own home.

M.Hulot Lowe Bumbag in Conker, £175, and Parkers Striped Batwing top, £140, mhulot.co.uk

M.Hulot Soames Tote, £295, mhulot.co.uk