Monday 30 September 2013

today i'd love to wear...

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Saturday 28 September 2013

today i'm wearing...

Topshop black knitted jumper

Zara ponyskin loafers

& Other Stories cage ring

Zara white jeans

Linda Farrow Luxe round sunglasses

Mulberry black Alexa

If in doubt about what to wear, I generally try to keep things simple and abide by a basic formula, something like this: stick to black and white, throw in some leather and add a couple of interesting accessories. Hence yesterday's simple ensemble, which provided the perfect opportunity to dig out one of the enduring favourites in my wardrobe: this leather gilet. Handily this tricky in-between weather is one of the rare times when a totally impractical item like a sleeveless jacket (think about it: quite pointless) comes into its own. Oh, and I'm trying to get as much use out of my sunglasses as possible before they're put into hibernation for the winter.

H&M leather gilet /
Topshop jumper /
Zara jeans /
Linda Farrow Luxe sunglasses /




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Friday 27 September 2013

today i bought... zara patent ankle boots

Zara patent ankle boots


I've wanted a pair of patent ankle boots since, well, probably since Alexa Chung started wearing them in about 2008 (as a general rule, a lot of trends start this way, and I always seem to be about five years behind). In any case I've never really come across any that have floated my boat, apart from these divine Philip Lim beauties; sadly even at the Outnet's price I can't really afford them though. This Zara pair has been on my mind ever since I first saw it several weeks ago, but I wasn't 100% sure on the fact that they come up very high on the ankle.

Then I came across Camille of COTR wearing a perfect patent pair and knew they were the ones I'd been searching for. It took me a little while to realise they were this same pair. I finally decided to order them and see and, of course, by then they'd sold out online. Luckily, though, there were a couple of pairs left in my local store. I'm still not totally convinced I'll keep them for a few reasons: 1) after getting them home I realised they're not leather and as a rule I only buy leather shoes and bags, plus £79 is a lot for non-leather; 2) that high leg issue is still worrying me a little, so I'll have to try them on with lots of different things first; 3) ASOS have a very similar pair here which are not only cheaper, they're real leather too. That said, I don't like the cut quite as much. Argh, decisions, decisions.

What do you think? Are you a fan of a patent boot? And do you think these are "the ones" or should I keep the search going?


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Thursday 26 September 2013

today i'm wearing...

Zara grey basic sweater

Zara grey v-neck jumper

Zara nude sandals

ASOS perspex clutch

Zara jacquard wrap skirt

Dressing appropriately for the weather feels like a total game of luck at the moment (though in general it's now much nicer than it was for LFW, typically). Yesterday evening I decided to roll the sartorial dice and brave bare legs for what, I fear, may be the last time until next spring. I always have slightly conflicted feelings about the onset of autumn: in August I find myself longing for cooler climes that will enable me to wear chunky knits, smart coats and of course my beloved leather again. But come September I suddenly find myself clinging onto summer and remembering how horrible being outside in the cold is (fashion week reminded me of that loud and clear).

So with that in mind I decided to go all out in a miniskirt and barely-there heels. The fact that my legs are so pale they blend into the background could however be a sign that, despite my protestations to the contrary, I might just be ready for winter after all.

Zara jumper /
Zara skirt /
Zara shoes /
ASOS clutch /
Jordan Askill for Topshop heart ring /




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Tuesday 24 September 2013

today i love... beauty favourites

Bobbi Brown lip gloss Dolce Gabbana Intense parfum

A few new additions to my beauty arsenal...

I'm a little bit obsessed with & Other Stories, as regular readers will no doubt know. This extends 100% to their amazing own brand beauty line, which has some of the most sophisticated, far-above-their-price-tag scents I've come across. As well as Rose Revival, Fig Fiction (less keen on the names) is a firm favourite of mine. This body wash smells deliciously masculine and super sophisticated, and will set you back a mere £5.

Since noticing the first signs of ageing (argh) I now religiously use SPF 50 on my face everyday regardless of the weather. This one's great because it's mattifying so you don't get that telltale greasy face that most sunscreens give. Smells lovely, too, and has a very slight flattering tint.

A classic, and rightly so. Provided you apply it correctly (in a thin film like a face mask, rubbing it in as little as possible), it's the perfect primer to smooth skin and blur imperfections, and will keep your make-up in place all day. Ideal for special occasions.

I'm not someone who has one signature scent; I love discovering new fragrances too much. But I do have one set of daytime scents, and one of nighttime. This deep, sensual and luxurious perfume definitely falls into the latter category. Oh, and it comes in a purple velvet box. Need I say more?

If, like me, you left lip gloss behind in the last millennium, this may just be the one to re-convert you. Its formula banishes all nasty 90s connotations: it's subtle, moisturising, flattering and, most importantly, totally non-sticky.




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Sunday 22 September 2013

today i'm wearing...

Whistles burgundy fedora

Mulberry Alexa black

Zara ponyskin loafers

Topshop cream aran knit jumper

Topshop black Baxter jeans

At the moment, every time I think it's cold enough to wear a knitted jumper, I end up boiling alive. And yet if I leave the house optimistically dressed, I freeze. Anybody else wish this weather would make its mind up? It also presents a slight problem when it comes to hat wearing... My head was also quite warm, but I didn't want to be taking my hat on and off and risk looking as though I were constantly doffing it to some imaginary friend (great word, doffing; very underused).

That said, this is the perfect weather for these flats: the closed toe keeps your foot warm enough with no need to wear socks. That almost makes up for the fact that I still can't quite make peace with how much shorter they make my legs look than heels...

Whistles fedora /
& Other Stories ring /




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Friday 20 September 2013

today i'd love to wear...

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Thursday 19 September 2013

today i'm wearing...







Pictures / Catherine of Notdressedaslamb.com

I know, a notch above my usual photos, right? These very beautifully shot pictures were taken by the lovely Catherine aka Not Dressed as Lamb, who when she won tickets to the Simone Rocha show on Tuesday from Mercedes Benz very kindly invited me along. Die-hard readers of the blog (if there are any of you out there?!) may remember I fell in love with Rocha's designs back in 2011 when she first started using possibly my favourite material for accessories, perspex, in abundance in her collections. I've been a fan ever since and have watched her star rise into one of the most hotly-anticipated shows of LFW.

That said, I wasn't as enamoured with this collection as I have been with previous ones, but nonetheless some pieces went down a treat: beautiful structured dresses, lovely chiffon designs and of course, a little helping of perspex, and it was so exciting to be in attendance.

Anyway, Catherine offered to use her considerable photography skills to take some pictures of what I was wearing, so I hope these make up for the fact that I didn't have time to take photos of my other three LFW outfits (but there are a fair few floating about on the internet, so if you check my Facebook and Twitter I'll post any I find there).

Oh, and did I mention how in love I am with this skirt?!

Thanks again to Catherine and to Mercedes Benz for a very lovely final day of London Fashion Week.

ASOS coat /
& Other Stories shirt /
Topshop shoes /
Kurt Geiger bag /

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Tuesday 17 September 2013

today i'm wearing...






Finally managed to take some photos of what I wore to LFW yesterday. I think I like this jumper precisely because it's so incredibly bubblegum pink; it's almost so bad it's good. I decided to toughen it up with a good dose of double leather.

Whistles leather jacket /
Topshop Boutique skirt /
Whistles shoes /
Topshop clutch /
H&M bracelet /




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Sunday 15 September 2013

today i love... david koma s/s'14


Sorry for the lack of updates but I've been run off my feet at LFW. So far I've seen 9 shows and spent all of today shooting over 40 street style looks for the Telegraph (totally exhausting, but super exciting to see a lot of my fashion heroes in person - to name a few, Columbine Smille, Joanna Hillman, Mira Duma, Charlotte of the Fashion Guitar, Natalie Massenet and even the back of Anna Wintour's head...) Hopefully the next two days should be a little more chilled. I haven't managed to take proper outfit photos of myself unfortunately, but there have been a few snaps taken of me so fingers crossed they surface somewhere, otherwise I'll shoot them after the fact. Anyway, just wanted to let you know that the show reports I wrote for David Koma and Ashley Isham are up on the Telegraph's live blog here (scroll down a bit for Isham, then a bit further for Koma). One I loved, the other not so much...


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Thursday 12 September 2013

today i love... london fashion week


It's that time of year again (very literally a new season - anyone else notice how it's suddenly turned into autumn overnight?) This is the first time I'll be going to more than just a couple of shows so I'm excited and nervous for what could be quite a hectic few days. The fact that I just found out I'll be needing three more outfits than I'd anticipated has thrown me into something of a panic (hello, ASOS next day delivery) but hopefully I'll manage to find some clean clothes and get to all the shows on time. I probably won't have time to update the blog much, if at all, until LFW's over, but you can follow me on Twitter and Instagram for pictures and updates. Plus I'll be doing some tweeting, instagramming and show reporting for the Telegraph, so follow them too (Twitter; Instagram) to see what I'm up to. And let me know if you're going to be around!


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Tuesday 10 September 2013

today i want... topshop unique a/w '13


It's no secret I'm a huge fan of Topshop and especially its more high fashion endeavours, Boutique and Unique. When they first launched Unique several years ago it was a pioneering idea, a bridge between low end high street and high fashion designer, the first affordable catwalk line for girls who want to wear runway looks at a reasonable price. Somewhere along the line, though, that initiative seems to have been lost somewhere, because now Topshop's normal customers simply can't buy any Unique. Don't get me wrong: I think the design of the range gets better and better, and in some ways I think it makes sense to charge designer prices for designer-worthy pieces. It has come a long way from the days of novelty animal ears and sits quite deservedly alongside established names in the LFW schedule. But it just seems a shame that people like me, the loyal Topshop customer who would dearly love to own a piece of Unique, simply can't. This season one of the bags costs £750. £750! To be fair, some pieces are more affordable, such as cashmere-mix cropped knits for £80 and shoes around £135, which is pretty reasonable. But some of the jackets are upwards of £600 and even the beautiful embroidered knit above is just short of £300. Nevertheless I adore the collection, and I've chosen my top ten favourite pieces above, which, in an ideal world, I'd be taking home. It's just a pity that's not going to become a reality.


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Monday 9 September 2013

today i'm wearing...







I have to say I'm rather pleased with my latest foray into the world of flat shoes. I actually don't feel ridiculously short and stumpy wearing these, and I love how gloriously chunky and mannish they are. Oh, and the ponyskin. I'm kind of obsessed with the ponyskin. Still, I think I'm a way off from wearing flats anywhere important (work, a date, LFW...)

How about you? Are you strictly a heels person or have you been converted?

H&M jacket /
Topshop jumper /

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Sunday 8 September 2013

today i bought... miss selfridge ruffle skirt


Miss Selfridge skirt /

Just as with the trend for pink that's currently all over the high street, a super girly ruffle hem skirt is something I would have firmly steered clear of just a few months ago. But ever since a few of my favourite bloggers have been rocking JW Anderson's amazing asymmetric ruffle trim skirt (see it here), I've been slowly doing a volte face on the subject. Still, I didn't think it was a trend I'd actually buy into until I stumbled across this skirt on the Miss Selfridge sale rail. There are three reasons I took it home: 1) it's made of a scuba, neoprene-esque fabric, making it a lot less simperingly girly; 2) sized up and worn low on my hips, it's a very respectable length; 3) the deciding factor: it cost a mere £7. I'm looking forward to seeing how ungirly I can make it look, perhaps with an oversized mannish shirt and loafers, or, like Sabrina, a boxy jacket buttoned up with just a hint of frill peeking out. Anyway, surely it's worth giving it a go. Did I mention it cost £7?!




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Saturday 7 September 2013

today i'm wearing...





Current/Elliott jeans /
Whistles clutch /

Not the greatest photos today, but had to introduce you to the newest item in my wardrobe: these beauteous Current/Elliott jeans (and yes, I will be one of very few people in the world to spell that brand name correctly because I understand how incredibly annoying it is that absolutely everyone assumes Elliott has one 't' even though everyone I've ever come across with the name spells it with two. Sorry. Rant over). I've loved these leopard beauties ever since I first saw them on one of my absolute favourites, if not my absolute favourite, blogger Sabrina of afterDRK about a year ago. So when I saw that she was selling them last week, I couldn't resist snapping them up. Love them. Thanks Sabrina!


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Thursday 5 September 2013

today i want... whistles camo parka



I've been going on about Whistles' autumn/winter '13 collection ever since, well, they showed it back in February at LFW. The lookbook is my number one source of inspiration right now, and I find myself flipping longingly through its pages whenever I can't decide what to wear. I wrote about the camouflage trend a little while ago (here) and expressed my somewhat unexpected newfound love of the print. Back then I chose my favourite camo pieces around, but now that Whistles' take on the trend has finally landed in stores, it eclipses all the rest (yes, even Christopher Kane, I'd go so far as to say). This parka is just oh so brilliant: how Whistles have managed to take the words "camouflage" and "parka" and put them together to make such an unutterably chic item of clothing I'll never know. What I do know is that I want it. Now.


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Wednesday 4 September 2013

today i love... avenue 32


2. Carven pink crushed wool skirt / £210 at Avenue 32

Last Thursday I was lucky enough to be invited to a bloggers' breakfast by Avenue 32. While we sipped coffee and ate fruit and pastries, we were treated to a presentation by the very lovely (and beautiful) Erin Mullaney, explaining all about the concept behind the online boutique, their ten key trends for autumn and a whole crop of exciting new designers arriving on the site soon. It was a lovely morning and I came away pretty much lusting after every single item on the site. Describing itself as "luxury shopping with a sense of discovery and fun", Avenue 32 provides a perfectly curated collection where established and brand new designers sit alongside each other. I love this concept because sometimes it can feel like a risk investing in someone you've never heard of, but when the pieces have been carefully selected and sit happily alongside others you recognise, it doesn't feel risky at all to choose a little-known name. Some of the relatively unknown names Erin mentioned which I'll be keeping my eye on in future include Danielle Romeril, Alexis Barrell and Etienne Deroeux. Above I've chosen some of my favourite items from the site at the moment, all of which would 100% be in my wardrobe right now if only money weren't an object. It's no surprise that two of them are Phillip Lim (it's fair to say I'm more than a little obsessed with his designs and would own every single thing he's ever created if I could) - you can't go wrong with silver/black mules and a ponyskin blue leopard clutch, can you? The pink Carven skirt is a little more left field for me but I just love how its fierce, sculptural shape is almost the antithesis of its sugary colour, and I would love to pair it with those Lim mules (or my new Zara loafers). Maria Black is a jewellery brand I've got my eye on right now; I love her simple but eye-catching designs like this beautiful understated ring (not a bad price either). And of course, what more could you want than a JW Anderson jumper?


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Tuesday 3 September 2013

today i'm wearing...





Zara jumper /
H&M skirt /
Zara shoes /
Whistles clutch /




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