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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Grace Gatsby - Theyskens Theory Bubble Dress

“In his blue gardens men and girls came and went like moths among the whisperings and the champagne and the stars.” 

It's all about The Great Gatsby isn't it? Unless you've been living under a rock you will be aware of Baz Luhrmanns much anticipated take on F. Scott Fitzgeralds famous novel which will be hitting cinema screens in not too long at all. Apart from the obvious things to get excited about (Leonardo Dicaprio anyone?) I am mostly looking forward to seeing Miuccia Pradas' costume designs (quite a concise article about it in Vogue here). No doubt the clothes will play their very own role - if you know the book you will remember that Fitzgerald uses sartorial imagery and garment colours to symbolise elements of the characters and their traits. Yah!

As the story unfolds we discover all that glitters is not gold - but that the clothes were really pretty great.

I still fantasise about owning Daisy Buchanan's wardrobe. It's hard to do a take on 20's clothes these days without looking like you're going to a prohibition swing night. An iridescent, heavily sequinned drop waist that shimmers in the light, a bit of glitter and a tassel or two is the recipe for a bit of modern day Gatsby-esque glamour. This Theyskens Theory Bubble dress is what I think Daisy Buchanan would flap around in if she lived in the year 2013. Paired with coral tassel earrings from Jenny Jenny and a pair of gold T-bar glitter shoes from Miu Miu. I'll be wearing it tonight, Martini in hand, draped over a piano. Or Gold Hatted, bouncing around near my beautiful laundrette more like...

Bubble Dress by Theyskens Theory

Coral Tassel Earrings by Jenny Jenny

Gold Shoes by Miu Miu

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sN183rJltNM

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Californian Dreaming

I can't handle this weather any more. As I stare out the window at the April snow blizzard (?!), the only thing to do is dream about my impending trip to Los Angeles. I'm already sorting out my wardrobe in preparation but I intend to channel the 50's Hollywood look. I've started with this high waisted bikini from Topshop and a bit of red lipstick. It's enough to make anyone feel cheerier and keep dreaming. In the words of that guy in Pretty Woman: Everybody comes to Hollywood got a dream. What's your dream? What's your dream? Hey mister? Hey, what's your dream?

I'm dreaming of blue skies...

Purple Grape Bikini from Topshop

Superga Chambray Plimpsolls from ASOS

Metal Topped Sunglasses from ASOS

Nevis Embroidered Straw Bag from Anya Hindmarch 

Nars Jungle Red Lipstick from ASOS

Gold Hoops by Gogo Philip from ASOS

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Spring? Nope it's still Winter...

Apparently it has been the coldest March in 66 years - colder than December, January and February. I have had enough of black tights. I stocked up back in November and am damned if I am buying any more. This Easter weekend there was a brief opportunity for a bare ankle (chilly!) but I balanced it out with a warm coat, cashmere hat and colourful new Zara trainers which put a spring in my step instead (sorry)...then headed to Pizza East on Portobello Road. I reckon if you're warm everywhere else you look like you know what you're doing, not mad and not prematurely dressing for Spring. What's that?

White Coat from Blonde Fox Vinage

Leigh Jeans from Topshop

Cashmere Beanie from Marks and Spencer

Floyd Purse from Anya Hindmarch

Trainers from Zara

Cotton Bag courtesy of Premiere Classe in Paris

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Sparkling Star Shoes by French Sole for Starlight Foundation

This weather tends to make us confine any elegant shoes to the back of the cupboard until the sun shines again. My feet have been in encased in ugly old boots for the last month and I think they're a bit fed up. I do hate the words 'practical footwear'. It summons up the idea of Crocs (urgh!) and clonky old clodhoppers you can purchase from the back of the Radio Times. 

I do love a pair of glamorous flats so you can imagine my delight when I saw these beauties in French Sole. (I love French Sole) As fancy as a pair of heels but flat. Hurrah! So even on slippery slushy streets I can maintain my balance after one too many rum punches. To appease my guilt for shoe shopping in January (when I am most definitely defaulting on my gas bill) I discovered these shoes have actually been created by French Sole for the Starlight Foundation and HALF of the money from every pair go to this wonderful charity which makes me feel very warm inside.
They're looking a bit low in stock on the website but I called the wonderfully helpful people at the shop and they had my size. I realised the reason I gravitated towards them was because they reminded me of my favourite Anya Hindmarch Valorie clutch which I have mentioned before. 

Then I thought I could wear them together but (even though my sartorial motto is generally 'More Is More') I fear that would certainly be considered overkill...










Too much?!

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Bedtime with Poplin Pyjamas

I am a teenager when it comes to bedtime. I will happily put the lights out well past a reasonable hour and then if given the chance I can sleep late into the afternoon. This obviously isn't conducive to a normal lifestyle or holding down a job. I have three alarm clocks and have had countless cautions for being terribly late, simply because I COULD NOT get out of bed.

Poplin pyjamas have not helped my predicament. I have been on the search for some proper pyjamas for a while now and have finally found the perfect ones. Poplin was founded by the very lovely Lucy Archibald last year just as wearing ones nightwear in the daytime trend was taking off . Poplin offers beautiful, luxurious and elegant items to wear in bed or just to lounge around in. Anyone who saw me over Christmas can vouch for the fact that I very much lounged in my new pyjamas at any opportunity and felt a bit bereft while they were in the washing machine.

They arrive in the most beautiful box and are soft, comfortable and definitely worth investing in. They are stocked  in quite a few places but their website is simple to use and gloriously wholesome to look at. I am wearing the Iris set but am saving up for the ones called Grace...both pyjamas and nightshirt.

Get yourself some in time for the chilly January - you won't be disappointed. You also won't be able to get out of bed - just saying.

Third and fourth image are taken from the Poplin website

www.poplin.co.uk

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WWD They Are Wearing: Frieze London

I visited Frieze London last weekend. Apart from the art that adorns the walls there is also plenty of inspiration to be gathered...mainly from fellow Frieze goers and their outfit choices. It was one of those hard-to-dress-for days. Getting ones temperature right wasn't easy - going in to the warm tents and out into cold Regents Park all day - as well as looking smart and feeling like they won't spot you as a fraud and throw you out.

I opted for a pair of Zara trousers which are the best things I've bought this season, a silk Whistles scallop edged shirt blouse which is sold out but you can find similar here , a vintage grey coat with fur cuffs (Etsy is quite good for these) and a trusty Anya Hindmarch day clutch. I bumped into my wonderful and lovely friend, the photographer Marcus Dawes who was covering Frieze for Women's Wear Daily (WWD) and he took my photograph for They Are Wearing feature. You can see me and lots of other (much cooler than me) people here

Photograph: Marcus Dawes

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