Hats Off To You, Whistles.

So apparently we've not only had the driest September on record; we're about to have the mildest October too. While most people rejoice at this I find myself accepting this with a slightly heavy heart. My poor wardrobe is practically bursting at the hinges with beautiful, boardering on delectable, Autumn/Winter wonders and they are just not able to come out and play yet.

Most people have an affection for a time of year and link this to when their clothes are going to look most fabulous. Mine is Autumn. I love the cold weather allowing me to layer up in beautiful knits, leathers, scarves and all manner of brilliant overcoats. My personal favourite is my bargain Aquascutum but we'll come back to him one day.

However, the lack of colder weather hasn't stopped me craving beautiful things in preparation for it so this week I took advantage of a ridiculously good offer from Grazia and Whistles. 25% off at Whistles *if you bought last week's copy of Grazia. (*don't fret if you didn't get it - the offer is now online with the code you need etc. and on until 06.10.14)

I knew what I wanted as soon as I heard about the offer. Something I've ooh-ed and aah-ed over. Something I've almost-nearly-pratically purchased about five times already. Something that's completely useless for the weather as it stands now but when it does get cold (and it'd better) I will be ready and, probably, just a little-over excited to don this beauty from them.

Ladies and gentlemen...The Winter Hat.

 

Grey and I are currently in the midsts of a heady love affair and have been for some years now. I don't see it ending anytime soon either.

It's just a brilliant colour/tone/shade - whatever you class it as, I love it! And I know it's not as if I don't already own an array of wool hats but I don't have a grey one. So, you see, it was a complete necessity.



Just look at those fibres!

It would appear that several hundred other Whisltes fans had the same idea as me as, unfortunately, this colour is now sold out online but it is available in Navy and Black and the and the Grey is still available in selected stores. (I got mine from the Manchester City Centre store - you can find your closest store here.)

 

A funny thing has happened recently in my office and suddenly hats have started making an appearance on lots of people. We work in fashion so what we can wear into the office is pretty flexible which is brilliant. And a couple of weeks ago we had about 72 hours of genuine Autumn so the first thing I did was whip this old faithful out.

I don't even remember where I got it from - H&M maybe... Who knows. But it's done it's job, and very well. I'm not retiring any of my existing hats - merely adding to the tribe.
So, to badly mis-quote Bridget's Jones' Diary: "Come the f*ck on, Autumn!"

Don't Push Me Push A...Sleeve.

It was in the middle of a phone conversation this morning - describing my latest, beautful summer trench coat from VILA - that I realised it. Something that has come as second nature to me* actually isn't 2nd nature to many people at all but is such a great, basic fashion tip that I had to share it.

*(the 'me' I'm referring to is the 'me' that is surrounded by beautiful fashions most days of the week. Of course, as far as I'm concerned, there are many versions of 'me'.)

Ladies (and gents) get shoving those sleeves up.

It instantly updates an outfit; turning even the plainest of plain tops into an edgier version of itself. Not to mention the beautiful platform it creates upon which your various wrist accessories are free to shine to their maximum potential.

Over the past few weeks, as the weather's heated up and my sleeves have been pushed up, I have been inundated with compliments about my watch. It's not a new accessory. I have worn it day-in-day-out for about 5 years now but the fact people are suddenly noticing it, my rings, my nail colour etc shows that a simple tweak to an outfit can create a whole new focal point on your silhouette. And it's a goody.

And that's that really. No long, in depth post from me today. A helpful hint is all.
 

Me today.

 

Now...shove off!

Sk8er Gurl

Skaters. Trainers. Pumps. Espandrilles.

We can no longer deny it. Flats have flooded the highstreet and are having their fashion 'moment' this Spring/Summer.

Usually this would perplex me - a 'heels' girl through and through. Espadrilles remind me of uncomfortable childhood shoes worn on holidays where sand got in between your toes and rubbed. Pumps put me in mind of awkward primary school gym classes where the boys and girls kept as far apart as physically possible, each group thoroughly disgusted by the opposite sex. And while I have enjoyed the trainer trend of late at an average price of £80 for a new pair of Airmax/Free Run/Flex it's a bit too much like hard work for my bank account to get into all that.

But skaters. Now skaters are something I can very much get on board with. And boy, have I?

I started small with a cheap and cheerful pair from H&M in leopard print canvas. At £12.99 I thought they were a simple enough way to dabble in this trend and see if it was for me. Within hours I was hooked. I put them on Instagram and got at least 10 'likes' before I could even click off the app.

So loved, were they, that when a friend went to buy them online and they'd sold out I was enlisted to go and get her a pair from my local store and post them to her. (I did, of course - share the joy!)

Amazingly a few pairs are back in stock but move quickly if you want some - only sizes 5,6 and 6.5 left....HERE.

 

After this my appetite was whetted and I had to have more. Cue ASOS.

When my mother saw these she was a little taken-aback. I asked for her feedback. Bracing myself (I could feel the confusion radiating from her) she said, "Well, you certainly can't wear a skirt with them. You'll see straight up it!" Good thing I'm more of a trousers and shirt girl then, eh?

These were a pinch more than the H&M pair at £20 but I still think this is very reasonable. I've barely had them off my feet and they are giving me a lot of joy every time I wear them. Plus they're the perfect dancing shoes; last night I went to see Janelle Monaé in concert and wanted to dress up but with comfortable shoes that would see me in good stead for a boogy. These fit the bill perfectly. Some glitzy earrings, a bejewelled top and Red Stripe in hand (it was a gig after all) I felt a million dollars. Get yours HERE.

And now we come to my latest pair...

These bad boys have been on my wish list from pretty much the day they were released online. They sold out almost instantaneously but I am a believer in replenishing so kept checking back, almost daily at times, and today my determination was rewarded.

Let me introduce my baby blues from Topshop - another £20 wonder purchase. (OH, if you're reading this then...um...sorry?) 

I am over the (blue) moon to have them in my life - they are so pretty. The Topshop website reviews say they come up a bit small but the 6 (39) fit me perfectly. In fact, if anything, in comparison, the ASOS space shoes were a bit more snug than these at first but have now broken in beautifully. These Topshop perfections are available HERE.

Here's to a summer full of sunshine and skaters.

How about you? Got yours yet?

Damsel In Distress(ed jeans)

Well, yesterday's relaunch went pretty nicely; even if I do say so myself. I was worried that after my 3 month hiatus I'd have lost my blogging mojo entirely but looking at the number of page hits I received yesterday it would appear not. Whether this is down to the new look, the new interior twist or just general re-launch hype one thing is for sure, I'm happy to be back!

But just before I am pigeon-holed as an interiors blogger I want to make it clear - I am still very much into my fashion! So while this page may be somewhere you can read about my new bathroom make-over it will also be the place I tell you about some excellent new additions to my wardrobe.

And what better time to start than now? Introducing...my new boyfriend jeans.

When this trend first made itself known to me it was via the pages of Look Magazine et al and honestly, it struck The Fear into me. I'm quite a small framed gal (as you'll remember from this blog post) so the idea of emphasising my lower half in over-sized trousers didn't seem like something I'd want to invest much time in.

Then a pair landed (almost literally) in my lap at work and, as the brand agent, it's important I'm the one championing new styles. So after a couple of days debating whether my wearing them would enhance or actually damage sales I decided to take the plunge. And honesty? I've barely looked back!

I won't lie, they're a tricky style to wear, I think, but I seem to have discovered a few ways to make them more easily accessible to all.

Firstly, always, and I mean always, wear heels with them. Yes, I may dash from my car to my office in running trainers but if I'm not driving I'm in sky-scrapers. These jeans need height!

Secondly, get the top right. A plain colour is best to emphasise the fact you're aware the trend is on your legs (nobody thinks that girl wearing every trend all at once looks cool) so I generally opt for a boxy black tshirt/top hybrid. I've also used white shirts tucked in to enhance my waist which has worked pretty well, proportion wise.  Although, today I also have a boxy black jumper as per the 'This Week's Inspiration' image in the side bar on the right of my page.

Thirdly, have fun! After all, it's only a pair of trousers, and if you want to try this look out go for it. We're not solving world peace here.

Here's a few beauties I found online:


1: Rag & Bone - £122
2: NSF - £322
3: H&M - £29.99

I'll leave you with a couple more shots of my attire today. I love these red heels and they seem to look their best with jeans so I'm always happy when I have an excuse to exercise them, the beauties.

And that's my garms today, hope you like them!


Weaving Magic.

Well, I've not done this in a while. Through no other reason than I simply forget to document my outfits more often than I remember. I usually end up pyjama'd, in bed, and thinking, "Not so sure it will photograph as well now it's in a heap on the floor."

But today I remembered in time so I'm sharing my garms with you. Let me know what you think.

I'm extremely lucky that my job means I have access to styles up to 6 months before they hit the shops and while this sounds like a total dream I have learnt that the key is to exercise a degree of restraint and actually only focus on styles that suit my body type and will fill a gap in my wardrobe. And I think this dress and jacket do just that.

Both from VILA (the beautiful brand I work for), the dress is set to land next January and the jacket in February; which makes them sort of perfect to wear now while we're enjoying a bit of warmth. I have wanted a denim dress for as long as I can remember and this style actually comes with a skinny black belt to waist it if that's your taste. I'm more a loose and comfy gal when it comes to office clothing so I like to leave it un-belted and flowing. The jacket is an incredible tapestry-esque creation with a solid black back to stop the wearer looking like a carpet all over. It's light enough to wear now but will comfortably fit a knit underneath in those colder months so I'll get my wear out of it!

I know that they're quite irritatingly far away from retail-readiness but what is available now are my shoes. From high street legends Zara and in the sale. Unfortunately they've now sold out but very similar styles available here and here. I love those leopard ones.

My necklace is Topshop but a few months old now - similar here.

The ring is &Other Stories and is still available here and in the sale. Excellent, I've been wanting the gold version...

So that's me today. I'm off now to see my friend for pizza, wine and girl chat. Have a great evening, all!

The Emperor's New Dior.

Favourites. Everybody has them. Be it your choice of beverage at your local coffe shop, or the shade of lipstick that you can't seem to break away from. Favourites are an incumbent part of most people's fibre and can provide structure and enjoyment to everyday life without us ever realising.

Some people even have the utter privilege of being able to have a favourite designer (I wish - does Zara count?!) and one such person is Jennifer Lawrence. She's spent months in the headlines cultivating and basking in her 'darling' status and, by all accounts, is a very nice girl so this is nothing personal; but I feel her favouritism towards Dior is going too far.

The first clue was the glasses. The final straw was those, and I struggle to call them this as I'm not entirely sure they are, but here goes, trousers. And that lace top(?) with sports bra gleaming through...jeez.

A sort of trouser/skirt hybrid can't be high on the wish list most girls have and nor should it be. If one of the most sought after girls in the world can't pull it off then who can?! I know, I know, she's at Paris Couture Fashion Week so off the wall designs are to be expected. But just to put it into context the below is also Dior and also at Couture Week and I would happily argue about 70 shades more attractive.

Ah Olivia, you can do no wrong.

I have to admire her loyalty though. House of Dior have been good to her providing her with beauties like these in the past:

And, sure, the latter was so enormous she fell over accepting an Oscar in it but what's a little trip between celeb/designer friends?!

Surely it was a case of levelling up the scales. So much beauty needs to be contrasted by some ugly sometimes, no?

The Thin Edge Of The Wedge.

What can I say? It's been a while, I know.

But far from tiredness and work being the culprits it's been something altogether more alarming. A frightening mix of writers block and lack of inspiration has left me wordless; my digits completely void of creativity, unable to communicate anything that had even the faintest chance of stirring some sort of literary stimulation in you lovely people.

So instead of firing out some sludge to keep my 'unique click rate' up I decided to take the infinitely more frustrating route of silence until something moved me. And today it presented itself. (I can feel you sighing with relief(!))

A notorious tabloid newspaper did its usual trick of trying to turn a non-article into something the nation can become suitably, and inexplicably, enraged about. Today's target - fashion illustration.

The illustration in the firing line? Roberto Cavalli's. Cavalli is the genius behind Beyonce's current Mrs. Carter world tour stage costumes and boy, are those some costumes. I'm not sure a magpie could have chosen more bling even if it had been locked in a sequin factory for a day and been told to go crazy! Suffice to say I love them. Lord knows I'd never wear something so intense but I'm nothing if not an appreciator of fine art - and that's essentially what this is. Roberto Cavalli is an artist and dressing women in the most beautiful way he can is his art. It is completely visually stunning and I've loved his work for a long time so long live RC, I say.

Well, the article I read ('read' is a stretch; I browsed it with barely concealed disgust) today didn't feel the same. They were pillorying the designer for his illustrations of Beyonce in the outfits he'd created for her. The particular image in question was this:

What seemed to be alarming the article writer the most was her proportions. Well, Mr(s), if you're reading this here's the thing. It's a drawing. Albeit with a photoshopped image of Beyonce's face on it, but it's a drawing. And fashion illustration isn't about realistic proportions, it's about enveloping the garment(s) that are being drawn in a fantasy world that invites the viewer in. Am I alone in feeling hugely more distressed by the below image as opposed to the above?

This is the part of the industry that needs tackled, not the illustrations. That are exactly that, illustrations, not adverts, after all.

I'm not really sure what I aimed to acheive with this post but if even one person who read the tabloid piece I'm referring to, and allowed it to warp their understanding of fashion illustration, changes their mind and thinks more logically for a moment then I'll be happy.

After all, who doesn't love a good illustration? And with so many styles out there I can find myself lost in them for hours. Not at all distressed about my calorie intake but more perplexed about how on earth I'm going to learn to draw like that.

Summer Saviours.

Like most people in the UK, I would imagine, my summer wardrobe never needs that much updating each year - due to the fact each lovely piece is barely worn the year before as a result of the poor weather it seems my items remain perpetually pristine so they rarely need the annual overhaul my winter wardrobe does. (My poor knitwear, on the other hand, gets far too much wear.)

And this year, so far, hasn't threatened to be any different. It was only when packing for my Portugal road trip a few weeks ago that I realised the majority of the garms I was wanting to accompany me on my break were at least 2 or 3 years old. This fact on its own isn't something that bothers me in the least - the old saying 'If it ain't broke don't fix it' springs to mind. But I've always thought there is something intrinsically holiday-ish about a bit of pre-break shopping. So with this mentality it was with very little effort that I managed to convince my sister to join me for a shopping session. The lure of a sushi lunch at the end was too much for her and before I knew it we were full steam ahead.

Now something that maybe not too many people know about me is my stance on shopping. And when most folk learn it they seem puzzled by it, I suppose it's because of what I do for a living but I think that's exactly why I am the way I am in shops -  I spend all day around newness that by the end of it I can barely stand to take in any more visual treats! I rarely browse, and even more rarely actually try something on. I prefer to get in and get out and return anything I need to, swiftly, at a later date. So this shopping trip with my sister that I'm describing is perhaps not the type most people envisage when they think of shopping. I am a firm believer in a bit of pre-shop online research so, really, I was only keen to plunder one particular store. The indisputable queen of the high street - Zara. 

As I mentioned it's rarely my summer clothes that need adding to but sandals seem to be something I am in constant need of every year. I'm not sure what I do to them the previous year but I never seem to be able to find them again and if I do they're always a little dogeared from weeks of me refusing to believe that we are having yet another miserable summer. For this very reason I have been caught short a few times with sopping wet be-sandaled feet, still in total denial that it's anything but a seasonal shower. Usually it's a typhoon.

Anyway, I digress. So to Zara we strode with my feet in mind and immediately began browsing their shelves for the pairs I'd seen online. After a little while, and with defeat in my heart, I was just about to turn grumpily to my sister and give up the ghost when I saw them, nestled on a very low shelf below some dresses were these beauties:

At only £19.99 a pair I knew I was sold on them before I even tried them on. I had to get a size up as I've quite a wide foot but I didn't care - they were mine! And they can be yours too if you click here or here. (Also available in white.)

Bolstered by my successful finds I began to view the shop in a different light. As an actual browsing shopper of all things(!) It was then that I came across a couple of other things I simply couldn't put down. A silk playsuit I'd seen a few weeks earlier in Look magazine and admired then, and some sunglasses.

Unfortunately both pieces are now sold out but they look like this:

The playsuit is close relative of the recent pyjama trend and feels great to wear. A small, geometric print in navy, beige and a deep red makes it very easy to wear and it's an amazingly flattering fit.

Similar styles here and here.

And the sunnies:

I just LOVE the white line detail on them and as often as I can wear them now, I do.

A similar, very cool pair available here.

Unfortunately I have no pictures of me wearing the sandals so you'll just have to believe me when I say they look great on. So great in fact that a few people I know have gone on to buy them. Theirs is a guilt free price tag that just won't quit!

So there you have it, this years summer saviours of mine. I can firmly say I need nothing else this season now. Well...maybe not until I see that next thing I simply can't put down.

Ah, why fight it?

Balancing Act.

The past few weeks have been a personal challenge. A good one but certainly something I will always look back on and remember as a challenge.

Starting a new job was always going to be intense but mine is something else at times. Having spent the first 7-8 weeks between Manchester, London and Denmark it's left my life a little 'work' heavy. Which is all fine and good, since my work life often looks like this:

In Denmark to view AW13 VILA collection.

In Denmark to view AW13 VILA collection.

In Denmark to view AW13 VILA collection.

Yes, we found taxidermy in our Danish head office. Taxidermy.
(I'd like to point out this was after a few bubbles at an evening soiree!)

Discovering some great places when working on the road.

I get to spend some very happy lunch times at quirky cafes around the country when visiting customers.

An enormous poster in Danish head office bathroom. I want this is my house.

But there are definitely times where I have to remind myself I do actually have a personal life and a very lovely set of friends and a wonderful OH who need attention too.

So with this firmly in the forefront of my mind I have been spending my weekends and some evenings now (a big step for me, for weeks it's been bed by 9pm!) with my nearest and dearest and trying to achieve that holy grail of scenarios - a work/life balance. And so far...well, I've not cracked it. But I'm trying!

So life lately has been looking like this:

Spending quality sofa time with my furbaby, Alfie.

Enjoying a Vero Moda necklace.

New reading glasses for work.

Sunny breakfast made by OH last weekend. Mmm bacon.

Last Sunday catching up on work. But while watching MIC. So not strictly working, right?!

Making sure I'm getting the maximum rejuvenation my body needs over night.

New Haircut Freak Out Face - sent this to a colleague who'd asked how the chop had gone and I thought the hairdresser had gone a little mad and too short. Come to love it now, but another example of hairdressers just having a free-for-all with my tresses!

So I'm doing OK. But never one to be content without a full plate I am also signing up to a re-upholstery class in June(ish) that will take up 5 weekends in a row so I can then spend future weekends lazily browsing vintage fares and picking up bargain furniture safe in the knowledge that I can update it any way I like.

I've also started running again. I find it is really helping me switch off in the evenings. Have you ever tried to think about work while running? It's impossible!

So am I alone in this or does anyone else sometimes feel their life balance tipping one way? What do you do to keep the sections separate; past times? workout? cook? I'd love to hear.

Anyway, it's 9.08pm on a Sunday and I have a date with my duvet and an exciting work week ahead (see you on Wednesday, Edinburgh!) Toodles!