COLOURBLOCKING

I love Hanneli's jumper, it's Stella McCartney and I'm not that rich but it reminds me of something I saw in Cos not that long ago. It was bright orange and cobalt blue which kind of clashes but strangely works.

Image from Hanneli's gorgeous blog

DAPHNE GROENEVELD

Just love her face.

SEVENTIES

Looking at these images has reminded me that I still haven't actually watched Taxi Driver all the way through. They're also suggesting to me that I need a 70s jumpsuit in my life. In satin no less.

Images from Self Service Mag

WALK THIS WAY

Ahh the sun's out, I'm so excited to be in bare legs and open toed shoes (even if by about 6pm I was slightly shivering). I hope this means Spring has sprung, I really don't want to go back to tights.

I'm not a shoe person really but every now and then I find a pair which suit me down to the ground. I got these bad boys at the Bertie Blogger Event on Wednesday and they have barely left my feet since. The event was a blast as always, sorry if I didn't say hi, I get shy at these things. Plus I was with some of my bestest and having too much fun in the photo booth (plus trying on every pair of shoes in my size). Thanks to the guy who ran back and forth to the stock room at least 10 times only for me to pick the first pair I tried on. Thanks to all at Bertie for my new season obsession!


I am not very good at doing outfit posts, perhaps I'll make more of an effort now the weather is improving!


Hat - ASOS
Poncho - Vila (via ASOS)
Dungarees - Vintage
Stripe Jersey Top - Gap
Shoes - Bertie

SAVED FOR LATER

My colleagues tease me about my 'saved for later' list on ASOS.com which contains well over a hundred items (not including things which are in there twice in difference sizes/colours). There are definitely more than a few things in there I'll never afford, but I like to keep them in there just in case I win the lottery or something. Plus it's a nice visual reminder of the look I'm feeling for, for the season. Here is a selection of my current picks:

YMC Perforated Stripe Crew Neck Knit As if I need anything else striped in my life right now, but I love the perforated detail.

Pendleton Drifter Leather Holdall I dream of owning a gorgeous holdall like this so I can swan off on weekends away with my capsule wardrobe enclosed. (Currently I stagger off away with a pull along case with a broken zip and numerous extra bags full of 'things I couldn't fit in the case but definitely maybe might need').
Sonia by Sonia Rykiel Striped Wool Dress with Sheer Panel More stripes? I don't know if it obvious from my blog how many breton stripes I own/wear, might have to do a post on the subject soon.

ASOS String Waisted Midi Dress I love this dress, but I need to be wearing it with sandals and socks. We have sun, now we just need heat...

Opening Ceremony Suede Lace Up Clogg Shoes The perfect mid heel summer shoe
Low Luv x Erin Wasson 14ct Gold Plated Triple Bar Crystal Cocktail Ring In Paris I lost my favourite ring I bought in India. It was unique and irreplaceable, but this would help me get over it.
Peter Jensen Rabbit Eye Shirt Even though no one would know they were rabbit eyes, I WOULD KNOW.

YMC Button Up Smock Dress This is the sort of thing I would live in all summer. And would be perfect with the aforementioned Opening Cermony clog shoes and Emma Nissim socks from my previous post!

Pendleton Shopper with Check Design Love the check. Love the chocolate leather. Love Pendleton.
ASOS WHITE Leather Culottes These are 20% off right now, but I cannot buy ANYTHING until pay day when they will probably go back up in price. Such is life.

ASOS Leather Portfolio Clutch My boss has this and assures me it is completely practical despite not having a handle because "you can even carry magazines in it".
ASOS Wide Brim Fedora Hat Buying things in two colours is the ultimate in materialism, but the tan colourway I already have doesn't go with everything!
Mardi Jeudi Drapey Cotton Shirt Tunic With Silk Collar and Sleeves French Korean brand Mardi Jeudi were sent with YMC to tempt me into buying clothes I don't need.
Opening Ceremony Pony Lace Up Clogg Ankle Boots Hmm definitely don't need these, they're like a hybrid of at least another three pairs of shoes I already own, but they would fit into my wardrobe SO WELL.

It would take more than a few extra quid for that little lot, so here are a couple of better things you or I could do with the cash.......

Donate to the Japan Tsunami Relief Appeal

Donate to Comic Relief

EMMA NISSIM

I try not to take plastic carrier bags when I'm shopping, so I'm growing quite a collection of my own canvas bags. A couple of weekends ago I was really happy to stumble upon Emma Nissim's gorgeous shop in Greenwich where I picked up a 'happy bag' for a mere 5 fiver. Who knew so much joy could come from a small canvas bag, but I can honestly say that when my day isn't going so well, that little red tag reminds me to just smile through it!

If you've never been to the shop then definitely do stop by if you're in Greenwich. Emma Nissim's screen printed garments are made from sustainable fabrics including bamboo and organic cotton. While I was there I picked up these cute penny farthing socks, here I go again with clashing bright orange and light pink! But when will bare leg weather ever arrive?

LADIES CLOTHES CAVERN

I helped out on my Auntie's stall at Greenwich Market a few weeks ago for the first of many times over the summer I expect. Ladies Clothes Cavern sells clothes and accessories handmade using vintage fabrics and recycled denim and also provides a bespoke service.

Aside from the very early Saturday morning start working on the stall was great fun though I did have to hold myself back from shouting "roll up roll up!" (not quite the image we were going for!). It was quite amazing to see how from literally a framework you can turn your pitch into a real shop. We even had a changing room complete with full length mirror and a hook to hang your coat! A guy who was pitched opposite us arrives every Saturday at a time I can only describe as 'still dark, go back to sleep' to begin the 4 hour set up of his stall.
At the end of the day everything is broken down back to a shell and you wouldn't believe what a hive of activity the place had once been.

Ladies Clothes Cavern is at Greenwich Market every Saturday and they also provide sewing classes on Wednesday nights if you're in the area. Check out the details on sewingtime.co.uk

TOPSHOP EDITED?

The last time I went to Topshop it was one of those days where you just want to spend money and you're not going to come out empty handed even if you don't find something you absolutely fall in love with. I'm kicking myself now as I spent £35 on a printed tie waist shirt I was drawn to at the time, but three weeks later the store is so filled with said print, I never want to wear my twice-worn shirt again. Talk of over-egged puddings, too much of a good thing is good for nothing etc spring to mind.




So yesterday I went back to Topshop with high hopes, heading straight towards the new Edited section which promised a curated selection of SS11 key pieces as well as a calmer shopping experience than Oxford Circus usually provides. I was hoping to find a room full of all those amazing things Topshop does, that you see Alexa Chung wearing but are never able to find in the vast flagship store or the pieces which you find in 'buy now, regret it later' but never in your size. I thought, no more zigging zagging across the store looking for that special something, ALL the special somethings will be in one place! Unfortunately it wasn't quite like that. What I found were a few nice shirts, a few Premium, Boutique and Unique pieces but annoyingly interspersed with shapes available in a multitude of prints/colours in the rest of the store. Case in point below. I guess I can't blame them for wanting to push their basic shapes, but I was trying to avoid trawling through all of this and get straight to the good stuff!

RICHARD NICOLL FOR FRED PERRY

Further to my last post, really want this cardigan from the new Laurel Wreath Collection which Richard Nicoll has designed for Fred Perry. Love the sickly pink and coral colours together! Reminds me of pepto bismol.

Pics from ASOS.com

IVY LEAGUE STYLE

I loved the styling of the Paul Smith show and it brought to mind the amazing book Take Ivy which I came across in Paris. The book which was originally published in 1965 in Japan has recently been re-released in English and contains a series of candid photographs taken by Japanese photographer Teruyoshi Hayashida. Hayashida travelled across America visiting each of the Ivy League campuses capturing the style of the time and what is really interesting about the photos is that the preppy collegiate style he captured is still completely relevant today.



My favourite part of the book is the fascinating 20 article dress code of Yale University. It's amazing to think of a university even having a dress code these days, let alone one that suggests anything like the following:

14. Unless it is extremely cold, a pale beige coat should be enough to get through most seasons.

17. A varsity jacket is one of the most popular garments on campus. But follow common sense and steer clear from jackets with excessively elaborate designs or ones that feature flashy patterns.

19. You can go anywhere with a pair of penny loafers.

20. Cotton socks for daily wear can also come in pink or blue.

For what it's worth, I think they had it right about the penny loafers.



Images from Powerhouse Books and Style.com

LFW: KIRSTY WARD

You might remember I blogged about the Ones to Watch show last LFW, well this season I didn't go to the show but made sure to go down to Vauxhall Fashion Scout to check out the collections and I was really lucky to meet and chat to Kirsty Ward. We talked about the idea of taking every day objects as inspiration and how important it is for the fashion industry to take inspiration from music, art, travel etc rather than just clothes, something I think is really important and one of the reasons this blog lapses sporadically into other subject areas! If you look closely at Kirsty's statement necklaces each piece incorporates door hinges of varying sizes! She told me that she got so carried away with making the jewellery in her living room, she had too many pieces to include in the show - the first piece below didn't make the final edit.

I loved the way some of the jewellery was 'trapped' in between a layers of clothing and how the spiky metal jewellery contrasted with the sheer fabrics and curved lines in the collection.

The skirt below kept jumping out at me, love the colour! Actually love the tan/mustard/cream/black colour pallette in general.

My camera isn't the best in low lighting situations, but Kirsty kindly emailed me the catwalk images :) These are a few of my favourite looks..
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Saw this street style snap of Kirsty on Idol Magazine's Blog, rocking one of my fave necklaces from the show, with the flash of neon!

DIOR

I just finished watching the Telegraph Fashion coverage of the Dior show, I actually found it quite moving.



What a fashion month - John Galliano disgraced and fired, Christophe Decarnin reportedly in treatment at a mental hospital. And all following the anniversary of Alexander McQueen's tragic passing. It makes me very sad for the industry.

WORLD'S BEST FASHION

I have so many tales of LFW still to share but a little thing called a Full Time Job seems to be getting in the way at the moment, not to mention that little something I like to call a social life. Sorry for the delay, all in good time!! In the meantime, I've been thinking about the World's Best Fashion for a project at work.

Anna Della Russo and Yu Masui have got to qualify, no? Even if their ensembles are not to your taste, the sheer effort and dedication to fashion that every outfit portrays, is worthy of high praise indeed.


Image from streetfsn.com


Image from Yu's charming blog, Yu Loves. Check it out!!

Who or what do you think qualifies as the World's Best Fashion?

ps. Hi new followers!!