A Very British Summer, Mulberry Style

Yesterday evening I had the lovely honour of being on the guest list of the Grazia and Mulberry S/S '12 evening at Mulberry's Spinningfields store in Manchester. Having been to their A/W '11 evening with Stylist magazine I was keen to go again and was thrilled when I found out I was.

The S/S '12 campaign for Mulberry is based around the British seaside and they couldn't have styled last night any more fittingly. A Mulberry ice cream van to greet guests (these should be obligatory at all seaside resorts, non?), helium baloons, a 'grab a bear' machine and a tombola (the prize? A new bag worth £1000...I didn't win. Hmf.)
Even the food and drinks were in the same vain - mini fish and chips, mini hot dogs, pink lemonade and raspberry champagne. Ok, the last one's not so seaside-y but who can turn down fresh fizz in a stylish martini glass? Not I!

The new collections looked incredible - the aptly named Travel bags are beautiful -  a sort of updated Alexa and available in brilliant colours and fabrics. There is also a new collection called Cookie which is more a new finish on the old classics - a scalloped edge to the Bayswater and Lily styles, mostly.

(the Travel day bag - and the website still as my photo wasn't the best)

I went with a colleague who also joined me at the Emu event I attended a few weeks back so I knew she was as much into the goody bag side of the evening as I was but we'll get to that..

I'd like to show you how lovely the drinks looked. I can only assume the 'Ding Dong' signs dotted about were to indicate the level of hotness of the male waiters handing out said champagne because, oh my, were they.
I'd have tried to sneak a photo but I felt, after several fizzy glasses, that my stealth photo skills would have been about as ninja like as a cow with concrete boots on. Shame - real David Gandy-esque stunners.

When we left the event I went to my favourite restaurant in the area (Chichettis) and pored over the contents of my canvas S/S '12 bag. Happily they were equally fabulous to the A/W '11 contents.

They included some lovely Mulberry stickers (I almost wish I was 17 again so I could cover a school folder in them) and some very on trend Revlon makeup. The nail varnish (Sweet Tart) is a cross between and hot pink and a neon pink and has really brightened up my mitts. It doesn't go on brilliantly and took 4 coats to even out but it's worth it for the end effect. The lipstick (Fuchsia) is again, a great colour and feels great on my lips - soft and moisturising. There's nothing worse than a lipstick that's a great colour but dries your lips to within an inch of there lives. Barry M, I'm talking to you!

There was a plethora of other goodies but the list is too long so I'll just pop a pic on of a few. (New Grazia, postcards from the S/S photoshoot, 'Mulberry' rock - yes rock, lookbooks etc...)

You might remember at the last Mulberry event they gave out fox masks in their goody bags so I was excited to see what head wear we'd have this time, and I needn't have worried. Super British word glasses. So I'll leave you with them (and me (left), and Vicki)...Enjoy.

Midi Madness

Midi length dresses. And skirts.


When they hit the catwalks a while back I'll admit I didn't quite know how to take them. Their inability to either be in the mini or maxi camp irked me somewhat. I like people, and my fashion for that matter, to choose a side. Sitting on the fence annoys me. And that's what I thought midi length dresses were doing.


Until last week that was...


During one of my, increasingly frequent, clicking sessions on ASOS I stumbled upon a dress that seemed to hold my attention. It was initially the print that hooked me (Yoko Pop) but then I realised the length. Midi! Although I was unsure it was the bodycon and full sleeve elements that eventually convinced me - a quick 'add to basket' later and it was en route. Get yours here

It arrived last week in my office and, handily, I had somewhere to be this past Saturday night so decided to immediately test drive it.
The heavy black and white print did cause me some initial 'how to accessorise' quibbles but I soon decided what better excuse to get out my favourite candyfloss pink MAC lipstick and Ruby&Millie nailpaint?

Teamed with 5-inch lace up shoe boots, a leather crop jacket and my trusty Chanel 2.55 and we have my new favourite outfit. In fact I'm going to wear it again tonight.

Alternatively...

So surely spring can't be too far away now, yeah? And I wish it would hurry because I have a set of T-shirts and vests I want to get my mitts on and envelope into my wardrobe for the sunnier months.

It's not often I look at a printed/slogan T and feel anything near interest in it but that's where Alternative 7 is different. The designs are edgy, fun and clever and I, for one, cannot wait to throw them on over denim cut offs, some gladiator sandals and a pair of Wayfarers.

There are 7 designs in the collection (makes sense with the brand name, non?) and the designs are based around our beloved capital city. With quirky slogans like, "Maybe It's Because I'm A Londoner," and, "Peace Begins With A Smile," it's hard not to fall in love with this collection. And its size and reasonable RRP (approx £38) means you can have one in every print!

I say I can't wait until spring but after seeing the promo shots of the beauties teamed with skinny jeans, biker boots and furs I think I might be cracking on from tomorrow.

And with the Olympics fast approaching is there a cooler way to support our country?

Mary Mary, Quite Contrary

Earlier this year you saw me salivate over this woman's S/S '12 collection and I think I speak for the whole fash pack when I say I waited with bated breath for this morning's LFW showing from her.

And she hasn't disappointed. Ladies and gents: Mary Katrantzou A/W '12

The designer is clearly not letting the trends from S/S be totally forgotten and opened her show with some amazing voluminous pastel dresses. All baring her trademark prints, naturally.

Happily she has also refused to let go of the summer brights so while most fashion houses tend to mute their colours for the autumnal period Katrantzou has bucked the trend and kept some incredibly vibrant pieces which I, for one, am thrilled about.

The collection developed into a rainbow range of colours after the initial neons which pleases me greatly as there's nothing worse than the lack of vibrancy clothing stores usually have to offer in the darker months.

That said Katrantzou did show some more season-led pieces in neutral tones so I'd say really, colour wise, there's something for everyone from Mary this coming A/W.

Enjoy, I know I will!

A Stella Performance

I think it's safe to say that come A/W 12 I'll be having a 'blue moment'.

No, I won't be depressed. Au contraire - I'll be elated!

I intend to don head-to-toe Stella McCartney and not remove it until Spring arrives (and, if this year's anything to go by, that's a real commitment.)

Unless you've been under a rock I'd imagine her show - which really can only be described as a production - has reached your eyes by now but here are my favourites from the catwalk for you to savour just that little bit longer.

Not to mention that party...

Shoes, Glorious Shoes

In the showroom I work in in Manchester we have a weekly subscription to Look magazine (y'know, as we're in the biz and want to appear professional whilst calling reading a weekly glossy 'work') So as Tuesday morning rolls round I anticipate the postman's delivery with excitement equal to knowing an Internet purchase is upon you.

This Tuesday was, as we all know, Valentines Day so as I was putting together my evening of self bought chocolates and Bucks Fizz the doorbell crashed through my thoughts to remind me Look was here.

Queue a cup of tea and a shoving desk paraphernalia to one side.

A few flicks later and I had stumbled upon my dream shoes.

They're Jeffrey Campbell for Office and not the cheapest I've ever seen but I haven't felt this way about a pair of foot smotherers in ages so I knew I had to somehow make them mine.

Jeffrey Campbell is known for his creations that look totally mad and uncomfortable but he's worked out perfectly where the weight is distributed on the foot so all his shoes are actually a dream to walk in.

I'd been thinking about them for a few days when, this morning, temptation got too much and I logged onto the Office website. What happening next I cannot be held responsible for; it can only be described as a clicking frenzy then black-out.

Anyway, when I came round I had a 'Thank you for buying with us' email from Office but, surprisingly, a guilt-free conscious.

And I found them on Feb 14th - I'd say that's my best Valentines Day in years!

(*update* They are now sold out online so I got the last pair - if that's not a sign that it was fate for me to purchase them I don't know what is!)

Dating Disasters

I've been debating for some time whether to share this as I'm not sure who comes off worse..me or the guys I was on the dates with. But I just couldn't resist the comedy element to the tales so here goes.


A week or so ago you'll remember I blogged about a good 1st date outfit. (I stuck with option #3) I needn't have bothered. I guess I was a little enthusiastic due to glowing recommendations I'd received from his colleagues that he was a great guy/a bit eccentric/had a heart of gold etc. The kind of things you list when putting together attributes you'd like in someone. But we'll come back to him later...

The week before I'd gone to meet a guy I'd been set up with. In his own words he was about 6ft tall (this is good as I'm 5'5" but I love my heels), a journalist and a gentleman. In retrospect I should have walked out the minute I arrived - he'd been 5 minutes early and got himself a beer. I had to get the 1st 'round' in.

Now, before you think I'm the kind of girl who, as soon as a date is set, locks her bank card in a safe as it won't be used, I'm not. I am all for 50/50-ing bills but the first drink? C'mon! £2.30 for a beer can't be asking much, can it? Not very gentlemanly if you ask me..

Eventually, after we'd finished the drinks (bought by me) he offered to buy one. I say 'eventually' as my glass was empty for 45minutes before he appeared to notice.


I wasn't overly impressed but thought I'd give it one last ditch attempt, before he went to the bar. I asked who he wrote for - y'know, as he'd told me he was a journalist - and he sort of spluttered a bit before explaining he is actually a spell checker for medicine bottles in a pharmaceutical company and has been for two years. It's not the job itself that put me off but the ENORMOUS lie about being a journalist!


I began to wonder what else he'd lied about - but I didn't need to wonder long. When he did decide to venture to the bar I was witness to his height. 6ft? In your dreams fella! Try 5'7" - and with my 5 inch heels this is no good. What with that and the buying my own drink and the job lie I swiftly drank my beer and made some silly excuse about working early and made my exit.

So..with that in mind you can understand my nervous feelings towards the date I went on a week later. The night before said date I was having dinner with a friend and after a brief chat about my upcoming encounter discovered she knew a few of his friends. A couple of texts later and I was being assured by people he was a lovely guy, good fun etc etc. So I went on the date.

Now, I don't want to lie and create a story about a date full of comedy sketches as it wasn't. He greeted me with a warm hug (he's a rugby player so you can imagine the size of him - a nice hug) bought the first few drinks and suggested moving on to several bars. Time flew and before we knew it it was 1am. I had to remind myself I wasn't out with a friend and that it was in fact a date so I should probably end it and leave it open to a second. That is exactly what I did and, handily we were two minutes from my apartment so I walked home.

No sooner had I stepped through my door than he called and, in a huffy tone, demanded to know why I hadn't invited him for 'coffee'. When I explained that's not the kind of girl I am I got a short, "Fine," and a dial tone.

As you can imagine I've not been on a date since and I'm pretty much honing the whole 'spending some time on me' vibe as, evidently, spending time on others seems a little disaster prone for me right now.

Ah well, there's always this solution I suppose...