Thursday 31 July 2014

today i bought… alexander wang prisma tote

alexander wang prisma lizard tote

Alexander Wang Prisma lizard tote / similar here

I've been after the perfect black tote for quite some time, ever since I decided my silver-edged Zara version needed upgrading (for once it's not just me saying I "need" something: the stitching is coming apart at the sides). I've always loved Wang's Prisma totes because they embody that perfect balance of minimalist without being boring. It took a good few weeks of religiously checking the Outnet's new drops but eventually I found this utterly perfect lizard-effect beauty for half price. In case you're not familiar with Net-a-porter's discounted little sister the Outnet (where have you been?), all you need to know is that new stock lands about 9.30am on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays and the best pieces will be gone within 15 minutes. So you need to be an early bird if you want to catch a ridiculously good value designer bargain like this bad boy. Safe to say my collection of bags I'm pretty much in love with has just got a new recruit.


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Monday 28 July 2014

today i love… the monday wish list



Whistles' autumn collection has just begun to land, and so far it's this silk bomber which is topping my wish list. Often at this time of year it's frustrating to see the shops start to fill with boiled wool coats and heavy knitwear with no hope of wearing them any time soon. But a lightweight silk bomber is transitional perfection: light enough to wear even in a heatwave, but equally perfect layered under a cosy coat when the temperature cools.

Zara shoes are always the best on the high street in my opinion. These navy snakeskin beauties are totally impractical but just so elegant and sophisticated. Perfect to make a black dress just a little more interesting without compromising on glamour.

I can't help but love luxury items which are totally unnecessary but utterly indulgent. My scented candle addiction speaks for itself. Linen spray - along with scented drawer liners - falls unmistakably into this category. I'm slightly obsessed with the spa-like scent of lavender right now, and can't think of anything more heavenly than spritzing everything I own with this.

4. H&M lantern / £12.99
Summer evenings are made for dining al fresco, and that means candlelight, and plenty of it. I love a tea light holder, and a lantern-style one which means you can leave the flames unattended is perfect. H&M's home collection has me lusting after so many items, but this copper lantern is top of the list right now. All you need to go with it is a crisp glass of white wine.

Dressing for a heatwave is not easy. A throw-on dress is the easiest and most comfortable option, if you ask me. I'm living in my & Other Stories jersey ones right now, and I'd really like to add this lovely white version to my collection.

It's also not easy to dress appropriately for work in the heat. I don't know about you, but I find it quite difficult to find skirts that are long enough (do they get shorter every year or do I just get older?) This lovely croc embossed pencil version is nothing if not perfect for work. I would dress it down with a sweatshirt though, so as not to look too corporate. I like to think I'm not that old just yet…


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Sunday 27 July 2014

today i'm wearing...

Topshop white mesh bomber

Topshop Boutique grey cashmere vest

Phillip Lim 31 minute clutch

Topshop white bomber jacket

Topshop Boutique black silk shorts

3.1 Phillip Lim 31 minute clutch Marine

Whistles Maddy pool slides

Meet my new favourite shoes: the Whistles pool slides I've had my eye on for months. Originally £115, in the end I managed to snap them up for £35. Winner. As those of you who follow me on Instagram will know, I was debating whether to go for these or the Zara white Birkenstock-alikes. I almost kept both, but I'm very glad I chose these beauties. Even if they do leave me with massive blisters for now (why is it the more comfortable the shoe looks, the less comfortable it usually is?)

Topshop Boutique silk shorts / similar here
3.1 Phillip Lim 31 minute clutch /




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Friday 25 July 2014

today i bought… asos leather pencil skirt

asos leather pencil skirt

ASOS pencil skirt in leather / £54 (reduced from £90)

Couldn't resist snapping up this beautiful calf length leather skirt in the ASOS sale (sometimes the last dregs are the best). But I have a dilemma, and no, it's not whether to keep it (you know I never have any doubts where leather is concerned). No, unfortunately I'm right in the middle of two sizes. Whereas I would usually err on the side of caution and breathing room, especially with anything high-waisted, when it comes to leather it's a little more tricky. I bought my croc embossed leather skirt in a slightly roomier size and have always regretted it, because after just a few wears it stretched and is now more low-slung than high-waisted. The same goes for my first pair of leather leggings, so I made sure the second pair were skintight. But the smaller size of this skirt is really quite small, as in I can barely sit down. I'm wearing it now and it's not feeling good. But if it will give after a few wears, is it worth putting up with it, rather than invest in the larger size and then have to give up on that once it stretches? Thoughts please…


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Thursday 24 July 2014

today i'm wearing...

Topshop Boutique grey vest

3.1 Phillip Lim 31 hour bag Smoke

Zara black mules

Topshop modern tailoring white skirt

Dogeared Karma necklace

I'm not someone who's very adept at layering. You know how some people can just throw on a shirt over a top under a jacket, somehow under a gilet, and look perfect? I've never quite got it. I like my clothes simple, after all: sleek and minimalist. But this mesh top is a layering godsend. I have plenty of little cashmere vests like this one with drop armholes that make them totally daytime-inappropriate. But put this mesh top underneath and hey presto, you have a work-ready double-layered top that's also way more interesting to boot.

Zara mesh top / similar here
Zara mules / similar here
3.1 Phillip Lim 31 hour bag / in navy here
Dogeared Karma necklace /




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Tuesday 22 July 2014

today i'd love to wear...




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Sunday 20 July 2014

today i'm wearing...

& Other Stories navy t-shirt

3.1 Phillip Lim Pashli burgundy

Zara black sandals

Talking of what I bought in the sales… I raided & Other Stories pretty heavily and am so happy with my finds. Particularly this perfect oversized t-shirt which I snapped up in navy and white for just £6 apiece. You can't go wrong with a timeless basic at a bargain price.

& Other Stories t-shirt / similar here
Zara sandals / similar here
3.1 Phillip Lim Pashli bag / in black here
Dogeared necklace /




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Saturday 19 July 2014

today i bought… sale jumpers

salebuys

Clockwise from top left:
Whistles navy knit / similar here
Topshop Boutique grey ribbed sweatshirt / similar here

It may seem incongruous to be buying jumpers at this time of year, and I can't even think about wearing any of these right now, but the thing about sales is you can't let the good items slip past just because they're not weather appropriate. I think it's really important to focus on classic pieces when you're sale shopping, and I know that all of these will see me through AW14 and beyond. The classic chunky oversized knit from & Other Stories grabbed me as soon as I saw it in the store; I especially love that it has super long sleeves to be tugged over your hands when the temperature does cool down. Ditto the Whistles navy merino wool sweater: it's the perfect slouchy boyfriend knit and goes with absolutely anything. A hardworking item if ever I saw one. You've already heard me wax lyrical about the Whistles neoprene sweat - oh man, I love me some neoprene - and the grey Boutique number is actually the same as my white one, which I love so much I couldn't resist its reduced grey counterpart. All in all, they almost make me want to wish away this glorious summer weather. Almost.


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Wednesday 16 July 2014

today i'm wearing...

ASOS navy silk cami

3.1 Phillip Lim 31 hour bag Smoke

Mango ankle strap heels

Topshop leather jacket / similar here
ASOS satin camisole / similar here
Zara jeans / similar here
Mango ankle strap heels / similar here
3.1 Phillip Lim 31 hour bag / in navy here




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Monday 14 July 2014

today i love… the monday wish list


1. Beautannia Bloomsbury bath oil / £10.50 (reduced from £42) at SpaceNK
I love a bath oil. There's nothing like a truly decadent hot bubble bath with a nice crisp glass of wine, and a silky smooth bath oil that coats your skin in rich luxurious fragrance is the cherry on the cake.

I never fail to be impressed with how Whistles can make any item instantly luxurious and desirable. Even a faux leather drawstring sports bag. Nobody else could make something that on paper sounds so awful look so unutterably chic. I need it.

I tried these on the other day and it was love. The ponyskin cross straps and comfy rubber sole have me sold. The only drawback is I'm not quite sure how much use I'll get out of sliders before they slip back into the unfashionable abyss… Probably at least a couple of months, right?

I still haven't managed to be parted from my skinny jeans, but I'm slowly getting closer to investing in a boyfriend-style pair. This baggy, ripped, frayed version is a pretty extreme first foray into the world of the anti-skinny, but I think I'm ready for it. Unless they're super unflattering, of course...

You know I love me some & Other Stories. I also love the idea of having something that looks like a bronze antler wrapped around one of my fingers. A conversation starter for sure.

Sometimes it's the simplest items which are the most exciting. Little details on this otherwise plain white top make it stand out to me: the high neck, the longer-at-the-back length and the slightly textured finish. Perfect with leather shorts and sliders for a simple but winning summer look.


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Sunday 13 July 2014

today i'm wearing...

ASOS pearl earrings

Topshop black crossover flats

Topshop nude satin cami

3.1 Phillip Lim Pashli burgundy

Zara white skort

The weather is really heating up lately, so I'm taking the opportunity to bust out the shorts (and skorts) while I'm still hanging onto a tiny bit of my Cuban tan. I love white paired with nude: looks fresh and clean but somehow a little more interesting than white on white.

Topshop satin top / similar here
Zara skort / similar here
Topshop crossover flats / in white here
3.1 Phillip Lim Pashli bag / in black here
ASOS pearl earrings / similar here




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Saturday 12 July 2014

today i want… whistles kawaii bobble wool coat

pre-fall-5_00500785500785


It's that time of the year when my bank balance is particularly struggling: not only are the dregs of the spring/summer collections now reduced by 70% and upwards, but the fresh new pre-fall collections are dropping, too. As usual, it's Whistles above all else that is inducing pangs of shopping lust in me. This beautiful coat is so completely inappropriate for the current weather conditions, and so not in my budget constraints after I've been shopping like a maniac the last few weeks, but oh man, I want it. The fresh, cosy cream colour, the waffle-like texture, the wrap collar, the huge pockets… It's pretty much coat perfection, and even though you won't be able to wear it for a couple of months yet, you just know it would be a worthy investment purchase at any time of the year. (See Whistles' whole pre-fall lookbook here.)


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Thursday 10 July 2014

today i'm wearing...

& Other Stories grey jersey dress

Zara black mules

Zara leopard tote

One oversized boxy jersey dress from & Other Stories wasn't enough: I couldn't resist this grey version with deliciously large pockets too. Man, I love nothing more than a dress that can carry around everything I need and also be the most comfortable thing ever.

Zara mules / similar here
Zara bag / similar here




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Monday 7 July 2014

today i'm wearing...

Zara black leather tote

Topshop white bomber jacket

Topshop black fringed sandals

Topshop white pencil skirt

Rachel Boston gold stag ring

Love this beautiful white mesh bomber. It really is exactly what I'd been searching for. I especially love it paired with a matching white skirt. Summery perfection.

Topshop heels / similar here
Zara leather tote / similar here




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Saturday 5 July 2014

today i'd love to wear...




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Thursday 3 July 2014

today i'm wearing...

Zara nude sandals

IMG_2921

3.1 Phillip Lim Pashli medium burgundy

& Other Stories black jersey dress

You know I'm not a huge fan of a dress. I always worry that they're too girly, and that they limit outfit possibilities. But give me a super simple, black, almost boyishly oversized boxy version and I am sold. I can always count on & Other Stories to produce something I love, and when it's in the sale it's safe to say I love it even more.

Zara heels / similar here
3.1 Phillip Lim Pashli bag / in black here




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