Thursday 27 November 2014

today i love… my christmas gift guide

under £25





under £50





under £100




It's that time of year again: time to shop for someone else for a change. With December just around the corner we can't really put it off any longer, and in fact this weekend is the perfect time to start, because many shops are offering Black Friday discounts (25% off at Whistles and 20% off at ASOS, for a start). It can be a daunting task, but luckily I've done the hard work for you. I won't be helping you with what to buy your boyfriend or your dog, but if you happen to know a woman who likes her fashion, beauty and interiors as much as I do, or maybe just want a little something for yourself, then you've come to the right place. This is basically everything that I'm (admittedly very optimistically) hoping to find under my tree. It doesn't really matter what your budget is, my advice for Christmas shopping is always the same: get them something they wouldn't buy themselves, be that a decadent beauty set, a little alcoholic treat in fancy packaging, some jewellery from a designer they haven't heard of or some luxurious lingerie. It doesn't have to be wonderfully original or incredibly personal: just go for something that feels a little bit special.


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Tuesday 25 November 2014

today i'm wearing...

Whistles Kumiko navy faux fur coat

Acne Pistol boots

3.1 Phillip Lim Pashli medium burgundy

Michael Michael Kors leather trousers

You know I love a good mix of textures. Super soft faux fur teamed with slick leather and a cosy sweatshirt = ideal.

Whistles Kumiko faux fur coat / in black here
Michael Michael Kors leather leggings / similar here
3.1 Phillip Lim Pashli bag /




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Sunday 23 November 2014

today i want… whistles knitted tube skirt

whistles-knitted-tube-skirt-grey_00901867636_03


Lately I've been overcoming my aversion to skirts. I'm still not a fan of the full, flippy kind, or anything that says "girly". But made in a non-girly material - leather or scuba, say - and kept slim-cut rather than princess-worthy, then they're definitely winning me over. My latest obsession is this Whistles grey knitted beauty. It's kind of the ultimate loungewear made outdoor-appropriate. The figure-hugging wool means it's simultaneously comfortable yet flattering: surely the holy grail of any skirt. I love the idea of teaming it with a matching grey jumper and scarf for a monotone look that's super warm yet utterly chic (balanced out with a fierce black ankle boot). The downside? £95 isn't cheap, and my bank balance is trying desperately to hold out for the post-Christmas sales. Fingers crossed Whistles reduces this beauty so it can become a much needed addition to my skirt arsenal.


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Thursday 20 November 2014

today i'm wearing...

Whistles leather shearling jacket

Acne Pistol boots black

Whistles black neoprene sweat

Whistles navy merino bobble hat

Zara leopard tote bag

Sometimes it's the little things that can really perk up your wardrobe when it starts to feel like you're wearing the same thing day after day. Right now I'm reaching for this lovely navy bobble hat more often than not to add a little extra something to my outfits. It has the added bonus of being super soft and super warm, too.

Whistles shearling leather jacket / this year's version here
Whistles neoprene jumper / similar here
Zara jeans / similar here
Zara leopard bag / similar here
Whistles bobble hat /




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Wednesday 19 November 2014

today i bought… acne pistol boots

acne pistol boots


If any of you have been reading my blog for a few years you might be getting a sense of déjà vu from this post. In fact I bought a pair of Acne Pistol boots back in March 2012. I loved them from day one and wore them to death with anything and everything. Unfortunately, however, in January 2013 I managed to ruin them by putting shiny polish on them and then having to use washing up liquid to get it off. Since then they've been looking pretty sorry for themselves, battered and scratched and very much grey rather than black. It kind of broke my heart, if I'm honest. So much so that I've barely been able to look at them since, let alone wear them. It's taken me nearly two years but I finally decided to replace them when I saw that my-wardrobe was offering 30% off Acne last weekend, taking them down from £380 to £250. Now at last I can start wearing my beloved Pistols again, and finally stop feeling so sad about them (melodramatic, yes, but damn I love my shoes). On the plus side, I managed to get the right size this time after my previous pair were too big (they run very large so size down!) Every cloud and all that…


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Sunday 16 November 2014

today i love… molton brown christmas gifts

molton brown christmas gift sets


On Thursday I was lucky enough to be invited by Molton Brown and rewardStyle to Molton Brown's Splendid Christmas party, held in their flagship store on Regent Street. We had champagne and canapés while perusing the lovely selection of Christmas gifts on offer from the brand and were very kindly treated to a selection to take home. I've always been a fan of the brand and the lovely girls who organise their press events certainly know how to put on a fun evening. I even sipped champagne with the advert campaign models in the display window and waved to the confused-looking tourists passing by (in fact, I'd worked with one of the models on my first ever shoot back in Christmas 2010, so very appropriate!) Molton Brown's Christmas selection perfectly suits my number one gift giving criterion: must be something a little bit decadent that they wouldn't normally buy themselves. Boxed up with ribbons and smelling absolutely divine, surely nobody could complain about finding one of these beauties under their tree. No prizes for guessing which was my favourite: the trio of festive candles. They smell rich and decadent, perfect for winter, but not so specifically Christmassy that they'll be out of place come January. I'm actually going to wrap these babies up and give them to myself. Because sometimes the best gifts are too good to give away… Thanks to rewardStyle and Molton Brown for a lovely Christmassy evening.


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Friday 14 November 2014

today i'm wearing...

Whistles Kumiko navy faux fur coat

Zara black ponyskin ankle boots

& Other Stories off-white t-shirt

3.1 Phillip Lim Pashli medium burgundy

Zara blue skinny jeans

I almost think it doesn't matter what you wear with this coat. It is the whole outfit on its own. But that's why I love it so much. I think it's actually best to totally play it down with nothing more exciting than a simple white tee and blue jeans and let it do all the talking (well, aside from the knockout bag, of course).

Whistles Kumiko faux fur coat / in black here
& Other Stories t-shirt / similar here
Zara jeans / similar here
Alex Mika ring /




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Wednesday 12 November 2014

today i bought… jo malone pine & eucalyptus candle

jo malone pine eucalyptus candle


Even if you've only visited my blog once or twice, you probably know that I'm a little bit obsessed with scented candles. Someone asked me the other day how much I spend per year on them and quite honestly it doesn't bear thinking about. But I don't care: they make me happy. And none more than a scented candle that also features one of my other favourite things in the world: Christmas. Seriously, I am all about the festive cheer. Mince pies, John Lewis adverts, twinkly lights on Oxford Street, ice skating, Michael Bublé songs: the whole shebang. So when I received an email about Jo Malone's special Christmas candle scented with pine and eucalyptus, there was no way I wasn't ordering it. It arrived today and is currently scenting my home with the most divine smell: like the most beautifully fragrant Christmas tree, only more luxurious. It's usurped my previous Christmas candle of choice, but I still burn that at this time of year as well: Lily Flame's Ho Ho Ho, which smells quite manly, but in a Christmassy way (hard to describe but it's a lovely scent). Below I've selected a few more festive candles to help light your way to a deliciously aromatic Christmas.




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Monday 10 November 2014

today i want… zara grey cashmere sweater

Zara grey cashmere v-neck sweater


First, a disclaimer. Sorry about the bad blogging form lately: unfortunately life has got in the way a bit. Plus as I'm sure those of you who face similar dilemmas will know, it gets harder and harder to find a moment to take outfit photos at this time of year when it's not dark, raining or both. So, with that in mind, just a wish list post today, but for an item that has been circling around in my mind for days now, ever since I saw it in person two weeks ago and couldn't stop stroking the thing. I sometimes think that I'd love nothing more than to have a totally streamlined wardrobe full of absolute classics with not a trend-led piece in sight. These daydreams are generally filled with the most classic of leather jackets (Acne's Mape, please), heaps of Céline bags and piles and piles of tactile cashmere knits. This v-neck specimen is surely the ultimate wear-forever piece. It is feather-soft 100% cashmere, deliciously oversized and in the most versatile colour imaginable. Sadly the price also speaks of a forever-piece, so for now it will stay on my wish list. But if you're in the market for a Christmas gift that's luxurious yet practical, look no further.


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Thursday 6 November 2014

today i'm wearing...

3.1 Phillip Lim 31 hour bag Smoke

& Other Stories grey wool scarf

Whistles quilted leather jacket

Zara ponyskin ankle boots

I picked up this beautiful wool scarf in & Other Stories last week on the standard pilgrimage to the store that I always make whenever I'm in London. It hasn't left my neck since and I don't think it's too bold to say I may just have found the perfect scarf.

Whistles leather jacket / similar here
Topshop Boutique jumper / similar here
H&M dress / similar here
& Other Stories scarf /




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Tuesday 4 November 2014

today i bought… alex mika sapphire v ring

alex mika rose gold ring


A couple of weeks ago I was lucky enough to attend the rewardStyle masterclass in London. I always love the events put on by rS at their beautiful London offices (seriously: I'm modelling my dream home on that place) as there are always plenty of lovely people to talk to, lots of nice food and drink and loads of helpful tips. This time the event was sponsored by Luisaviaroma. In case you're not familiar, it's an Italian online store which stocks a huge range of designers at a wide variety of price points, everything from Adidas to Givenchy. At the masterclass we got to meet the lovely Sophie from Luisaviaroma and were fortunate enough to be provided with gift cards for the store. I very quickly knew what I wanted to get with mine: this amazing rose gold ring studded with sapphires. I hadn't heard of designer Alex Mika before, but that's precisely what I love about this type of online store: it's the perfect way to discover new names and try out new designs. Needless to say this hasn't left my finger since it arrived, and it's not going anywhere anytime soon.


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Sunday 2 November 2014

today i'm wearing...

Whistles Gracie jumpsuit

Whistles black suede heels

Whistles leather shearling jacket

3.1 Phillip Lim 31 hour bag

So happy that the weather's cooled down enough for me to dig out my number one favourite jacket. I had my eye on this beauty for over a year and it definitely lived up to the hype when I finally got my hands on it last autumn. Hopefully I'll be wearing it for many years to come yet.

Whistles shearling jacket / this year's version here
Topshop Boutique sweatshirt / similar here
Whistles shoes / similar here
ASOS pearl earrings /




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