Drunk Shopping

A comparison website recently found that 43% of the 2000 people they surveyed had shopped on-line after drinking. Had they included me in said survey last week I would have upped that percentage. A quarter of the once-inebriated respondents said they 'only bought the item because of the alcohol they had drunk'. A fifth could not even remember what they had bought (me) and that the most common purchases were clothes
and shoes (me).
A whopping 78% regretted their purchases. Not me!
Or so I thought...

 Luckily I woke up with no sense of regret but a sort of lovely, excited feeling and a headache. Surfing the net after a glass bottle or two of Lambrini and a wallet is a joyful experience! Oh the possibilities! There is a whole world out there and slome reeeally slovely dresshes. Despite the fact it was raining cats and rats outside...how about a 1940s silk tea dress and espadrilles? Yup! Click - straight in the basket! Grosgrain pale pink sun dress? Yes please. Click! Laser cut out shorts and cami combo? What is that? Sure, why not?! Would you like to checkout because you're seeing double because you're seeing double? Yah! Don't worry we've saved your card details from last time. So convenient...no time to scramble through my purse and change my mind/pass out. Gosh I love Topshop. I seem to especially love Topshop under the
affluence of incahol.

In the sober light of day, parcel by parcel by parcel arrived on my desk, accompanied by raised eyebrows from work colleagues. I shamefully checked my bank statement. And that's when my heart slightly sank - a socking great chunk of money meant for my water bill...had disappeared.
Most of it's being returned (white leather shorts? I mean, who does the drunk me think I am?) but a few delights are staying. Thank goodness we are able to return things without a hoo-ha these days. Mind you, clothes are one thing, a flight to China is quite another...as are mousetraps*

However, I fear Drunk Internet Shopping is just like drinking followed by a hangover: one quickly forgets the bad bits because it's so blinking fun and starts all over again. Gin and Tonic anyone?

This is what I kept. I can't even begin to tell you about the horrors that went back.

Floral Tea Dress by Topshop Boutique

Floral Beaded Clutch Bag from ASOS

Nars Lipstick in Roman Holiday from Space NK

Hayworth Raffia Shoes from Charlotte Olympia

Pearl Hairband courtesy of Louis Mariette

*After one too many Flaming Lamborghini's a panicked friend ordered 100 mousetraps (instead of 10) having spotted a rodent in her kitchen and wasn't allowed a refund. They're not even the kind of thing you can give as a present. 

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Capsule Wardrobes & Day Dressing

Now, as much as a I love a dress, a heel and a touch of the ridiculous, I also love a warm coat and a good pair of jeans. As Leonardo da Vinci once said 'Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication' (Apparently?! Thank you famousquote.com) and I am inclined to agree when it comes to dressing for down time. But I do find it hard.

Give me a black tie party or a wedding and I feel confident that I will choose the right outfit. Tell me I've got a pub lunch on Sunday followed by a walk in Wormwood Scrubs Park and I break out in a cold sweat. I've never been able to dress for the day very well. I once had a job in a furniture shop and was taken to the stock room by my manager who instructed me to stop dressing like I was going to a party. In another job at a private members club in Mayfair, I was told to tone down on the dresses because I looked like I had ideas above my station. 

I thought I looked fine.

The 'Capsule Wardrobe' was a term coined in the 70's for the modern woman who ideally needs about 10 essential but simple items of clothing that work together in order to have something to wear for every occasion. 

I have such schizophrenic tastes, therefore am not a Capsule Wardrobe kind of person but recently have been trying to grow up a bit and go for a few classic purchases rather than say, a Francesca Couture dress (guilty). I've concluded that a white shirt, jeans, ballet shoes, leather jacket, utilitarian coat, a selection of jumpers in muted tones and some classic sunglasses with simple gold jewellery should get me through these weird weather weeks so that day dressing is a walk in the park. Maybe not Wormwood Scrubs though. 

Don't be silly.

                      

                  

I am wearing:

White Boyfriend Shirt from ASOS

Leigh Jeans from Topshop

Chanel Ballet Flats (best things I've ever bought)

My mums cashmere jumper

Acne Rita Leather Jacket (another of the best things I have ever bought)

Ray Ban Wayfarers and Aviators here

Guernsey Jumper similar here

Hooded Jacket from Zara

Cholet Handbag from Anya Hindmarch

Selection of jumpers from ASOS (mens section) Zara & Topshop

White Boyfriend T-Shirt from ASOS

Supergas from ASOS

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Space Oddity

Sorry! Having said it's all about The Great Gatsby, it's actually all about David Bowie no?

The AMAZING exhibition at the V&A (beg, borrow or steal a ticket)...the INCREDIBLE documentary on the BBC...he's everywhere. In a good way. Opening the May edition of Vogues 'More Dash Than Cash' I was thrilled to see a feature on metallics and Burberry's SS13 collection. At first I thought it would be hard to do a bit of a Ziggy Stardust salute without looking a bit like an space oddity myself, but on second thoughts what with all the holographic, body-con, cut-out and metallic (Oh you) pretty things around at the moment it would be silly not to give a nod to Bowie's sartorial splendour while he's on trend. Ground control to a Major shopping spree I'd say. Sorry.

                 

If on the other hand you like something a little more subtle, maybe one of these will add some stardust to your ensemble: 

Headband from Topshop

Earrings from ASOS

Cosmic Sneakers from Nasty Gal

Lunatic Clutch from Charlotte Olympia

Glitter Clutch from Mawi

Starburst Ring by Kenneth Jay Lane

Wind Swept Wing Glasses by Jeremy Scott for Linda Farrow

If this absolutely isn't your vibe but you like a bit of Ziggy, then take your protein pills and put your helmet on and get yourself down to the Non Stop Party Shop and get one of these:

Or get your scissors out and get snipping...

Cut-out Dress from Topshop

Gem Shoes from Miu Miu

Gem Drop Earrings from ASOS

Bowie Paper Doll Book from here

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Candy Colours for Spring

Last year I saw a photo in Vogue of a lady called Elena Perminova, part of 'the Russian set' who not only managed to win the genetic lottery (ex-model) but also the actual lottery (billionaire husband) and has the most phenomenal wardrobe of clothes...check her out here.  There she was, resplendent in a lilac coat and peach hat. It was a refreshing choice of Love Heart/Parma Violet colours, mixed with a bit of whimsy - my ideal outfit. Her style mixes high fashion,which looks cool but occasionally veers over to the slightly bonkers. A winning combination! I cut out the picture and kept it in my diary thinking that I probably wouldn't ever get my mitts on the Chloe coat or Maison Michel hat (or for that matter an ex-KGB billionaire husband) but maybe somewhere down the line I could use the colours in one of my outfits. 

 While dressing recently for a wedding I recalled the picture in Vogue and decided to use the pale candy colours of my Zimmerman Splatter dress,  ASOS Mongolian jacket and Anya Hindmarch Apple Bag. Apart from a few big bird comments, I really enjoyed this; mostly for the palate of colours and fluttery feathers. It finally felt like Spring! 

                 

Silk Splatter Dress from Zimmerman

Mongolian Fur Jacket ASOS

Apple Bag from Anya Hindmarch

Starburst Ring by Kenneth Jay Lane

Gold Shoes from Miu Miu

             

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