Friday 29 April 2016

today i love… the friday wish list



Not even going to try and keep this to a Monday anymore since I'm always late…

This is the perfect versatile black dress. Just add heels and a blazer for work, trainers and a leather jacket for weekends, or a smoky eye and earrings at night. Couldn't be easier.

It's coming up to sunglasses weather (hopefully at least) and I'm always on the hunt for a new pair to kick off the season. I like the shape of these and the subtle black detailing on the corners adds the perfect amount of interest.

I'm a little bit obsessed with Sort London's shop on Etsy: so many beautiful concrete planters with copper and silver detailing, marble platters and apothecary jars, plus this perfect candle holder. Go check the range out now: if you're as obsessed with interiors as I am, I guarantee you'll be hooked.

Frayed jeans are all over Instagram right now, and I have to admit I'm falling prey to their charms. There's something very nonchalant about a ripped hem. I like the high waist on these too: slightly Mom jean-esque without being too totally 90s.

Sunglasses season can only mean one thing… Bikini season is also just around the corner. Now's the perfect time to invest in one, because you know by the time it actually gets hot they'll all be sold out. I love the print and neon detailing on this set: swimwear is one of the few ways in which you'll get me to wear colour.

Despite the fact that I'm pretty outraged that Diptyque candles have increased in price from £40 to £42(!), I can't deny my continuing obsession with them. My lovely friend Liz recently got me a Diptyque minis set which contains Feu de Bois, and I'm definitely going to have to shell out for the full size. It's deep and smoky and smells exactly like a bonfire. Perhaps more appropriate for autumn, but given this changeable weather I think it's still exactly what you need on a crisp cool evening.


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Saturday 23 April 2016

today i'm wearing...

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3.1 Phillip Lim 31 hour bag Smoke

Rachel Boston tiny stag ring

& Other Stories black spaghetti strap dress

& Other Stories black cashmere jumper

& Other Stories block heel leather sandals

So I may have gone a little crazy in the & Other Stories sale… #sorrynotsorry.

& Other Stories cashmere jumper / similar here
& Other Stories dress / similar here
3.1 Phillip Lim 31 hour bag / in tan here
Rachel Boston tiny stag ring / in silver here


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Saturday 16 April 2016

today i'm wearing...

Whistles asymmetric skirt

Zara ponyskin boots

Whistles nude Onslow bucket bag

Whistles Axel navy leather jacket

Mango white shirt

I'm thinking (slash hoping) that this might be the last outing for black tights this season. As soon as the sun starts shining, they begin to look very out of place. I'm hoping the great British weather will be on my side and I can start to bust out the bare legs and open toed shoes, and even make the move from the coats cupboard to the jacket cupboard very soon… Fingers crossed!

Whistles leather jacket / similar here
Mango shirt / similar here
Whistles skirt / similar here
Zara boots / similar here
Whistles bucket bag / similar here


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Monday 11 April 2016

today i love… interior design

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The main reason I've been a bad blogger lately is because I've been spending all my free time decorating my new flat. Since I moved in two months ago I've pretty much spent every waking moment (well, apart from when at work) assembling IKEA flatpack, buying succulents and arranging copper candleholders. Prior to that I spent two months redoing the bathroom, getting new carpets and painting the walls before I moved in (OK, I didn't do any of that bit myself). It's not entirely finished yet, but I'm getting there, so I wanted to show you the results. Plus I thought I'd share a few tips in case you're moving or looking to redecorate yourself.

1. Do your research first
This is the most important bit. Don't go straight to IKEA and start loading up the trolley (no matter how good that feels). The first step is to create a mood board (I'm talking on Pinterest rather than an actual physical mood board, because presumably nobody's done that since 1999). Start pinning things you like until you begin to build up an idea of the kinds of themes, colours and styles you're a fan of (see my Pinterest interiors board here). It didn't take me long to realise I was pretty much pinning all white, with hints of natural fibres and copper, and my tastes haven't changed much in the last few years.

2. Pick a theme for the whole house/flat
There's nothing worse than a house made up of rooms that are completely at odds with one another, with mismatched colours and styles. To my mind all the rooms need to feel like part of a whole; besides, they're all connected by a hallway, right?! Having a theme that ties them all together really improves (for want of a less hippy word) the "flow" of a house. My theme is (duh) white: I painted all the walls and ceilings the same colour and put the same carpet throughout (would have been a wooden floor if I had been allowed, FYI). That doesn't mean you can't vary things a little once you've got your base. For example, my bedroom and living room are focused around beige/neutral textures whereas my bathroom and spare room (not pictured as not quite finished) feature greys.

3. Don't panic buy - plan
If you can - and I appreciate you may not be able to - start planning everything months before you actually buy anything. Once you've done your research, start building up a picture of how you'd like each room to look (mine was a Word document because I'm a nerd). This can be decoration ideas or specific items of furniture you've seen. This helps you understand how everything will come together. The worst case scenario is moving in somewhere and being forced to buy tables, chairs and sofas quickly because you need them without knowing what styles you want. If you already have a plan, you won't fall into the trap of rushing to buy something and later discovering it doesn't work with everything else.

4. Know where something will go before you buy it
Again: plan. Don't impulse buy a massive cabinet that looks great, only to get it home and realise it just doesn't look right anywhere. Better to look around at the spaces you have and what needs to be stored, then go out looking for a solution. Also, research return policies before you buy. My M&S wardrobe that looked white online turned out to be cream, and jarred with everything else. Luckily it was returnable, but I did have to pay £50 for the privilege.

5. Know when to spend and when to save
This can be a tricky one, but trust your instincts. Yes, solid wood furniture from John Lewis will stand the test of time. But a lot of IKEA furniture can look pretty great and last well - I'm a big fan of the Billy bookshelf and my glass dining table from there is impressive quality. Bottom line is look around, do your homework, and where possible, see and touch things in person to gauge quality (and also to check the colour - see my wardrobe above). One thing I definitely recommend spending money on is curtains and curtain poles. I bought about 5 sets of cheap poles before realising they all looked really poor and giving in to John Lewis. And I'm so pleased I did because they look fantastic now. Plus, mid-season sales are on at the moment and homeware is absolutely ideal to snap up reduced. It's far less likely than clothing to go out of style and you can get some really great bargains. My proudest one is my Tom Dixon-esque copper pendant light, which I snapped up in the John Lewis sale last Christmas, reduced from £80 to £20. It sat in my garage for an entire year, but it was so worth the wait.

So happy decorating! I've picked out some of my favourite products below to get you started, should you be interested…




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Sunday 10 April 2016

today i'd love to wear...



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Monday 4 April 2016

today i'm wearing...

Topshop long navy coat

Larsson & Jennings CM silver watch

Zara blue skinny jeans

Alexander Wang black Prisma tote

Topshop Boutique long sleeved grey tee

Adidas Stan Smith prime knit trainers

It's pretty much the end of coat season, but precisely because of that it's the perfect time to pick up a cut price one in the sales. This lovely long navy beauty was a Topshop sale find I picked up a couple of weeks back. I love the tie waist and the perfect length. It's an ideal transitional piece as we slowly start to crawl into spring.

Topshop coat / similar here
Topshop Boutique top / similar here
Zara jeans / similar here
Adidas Stan Smith trainers / similar here
Alexander Wang Prisma tote / in matte black here
Larsson & Jennings CM silver watch /


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Sunday 3 April 2016

today i love… silent assembly lingerie

silent assembly curvessence bra


I don't know about you but I'm kind of obsessed with beautiful lingerie. There's nothing like a luxurious silk set to make you feel elegant no matter what you're wearing on top of it. Sometimes, though, it can be hard to find the right balance between beautiful and practical. Some of my most decadent lingerie is also the most uncomfortable. So when Australian brand Silent Assembly sent me one of their pioneering Curvessence bras to try, I was curious to see if it could deliver on its promise of being so comfortable you can barely feel it. Curvessence technology replaces metal underwires with "nylon ribs" which contour to your body making them feel virtually undetectable. I've worn mine for a few days and I can report that it fits really well and doesn't dig in by the end of the day like most bras. It's also very supportive, so ideal if you're larger busted and want something that will give you the support you need without feeling like you want to remove it after five minutes. The brand was previously only available online but it's just launched in the Selfridges Body Studio, which is ideal because I'm always a fan of trying lingerie on in the shop, plus the Body Studio has expert fitters on hand to make sure you find one that perfectly moulds to the contours of your body. Shop Silent Assembly in store at Selfridges or on their own site here.


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