Happy New Year

Manolo Blahnik at Liberty

I've got a new camera, which means I've been experimenting. These are my latest shoe purchases - Manolo's from the Liberty sale. The print pair are a Liberty exclusive using a vintage Liberty library print, the others are from his main line collection and totally fabulous - a cross between a court jester and village fayre. 

Manolo's feature heavily in Detamar Blow's biography of Issie Blow, which I got given for Christmas and finished reading the other day. It's quite an annoying account. It's very poorly written - if that's what private education does for one then bring on the state schools quite frankly. Detmar is the world's biggest name dropper, and it's hard to feel sorry for insanely privileged people that spend their whole time complaining about having no money whilst living fabulous lives full of travel, bespoke clothes, helicopters, yachts and houses where architects are involved and win awards. I know, I know, there's mental illness aplenty, but Detmar really pushed the limit and made everyone sound remarkably unappealing. Thanks Det! Reading books like this remind me why I have no wish to be part of that set (and why I would NEVER be accepted in the first place). 

Bruno Frisoni Fish Print Shoes

Bruno Frisoni fish shoes. How amazing? On sale at Far Fetch. If you get them please let me borrow them. Thanks. 

English Country Gent

Dying of a cold and bad back, so apologies for the slightly waxy ill face. 

I have discovered (somewhat later than most) that corduroy trousers are much warmer than plain cotton ones. This is obviously pretty straight forward stuff, but then again I am sure you're not reading this expecting fabulous fashion scoops (if you are I apologise, but you're in the wrong place). I usually have a bit of an aversion to the fabric on the account of cord not being as flattering as denim and associated with a certain class and type of gentleman. If you live in the UK you'll know what I'm talking about, if you don't sorry I googled but can't find any pics to illustrate. Anyways, I took the plunge, bought a pair of £20 trews and lo and behold, they are warm buggers. I may be hooked. 

Jumper - Dries Van Noten 

T shirt - Uniqlo 

Cords - Zara

Socks - Topshop 

Brogues - Paul Smith 

Necklace - Tiger (the cheap Danish shop in Hammersmith...amazing)

WALKING IN HIGH HEELS

I may own shed loads of high heels, but I'm not great at walking any distance in them. I don't own a car, London is too expensive to cab it, and there are cobblestones everywhere. All these things mean that 5" heels aren't practical or comfortable for day to day wear. But these wedges are a thing of beauty - not only are they pretty darn high, they're super comfy because of a spongy heel that has some give as you walk. I won't be wearing them when I go off my routes of London, but I wouldn't stress about getting from A to B in them quickly with no pain (which would be the case in most heels). 

Jumper - Whistles 

T Shirt - Uniqlo 

Jeans - Topshop

Boots - Surface to Air 

Gold.

I love this jumper, mostly because it reminds me of a similar one I bought from charity shop as a teenager (that disappeared in the way that clothes seemed to do with regularity when you live in shared halls at university). It may be snagged to death and a little tatty, but I'll be keeping this until it falls off me. I love wearing an extra long jumper like this one with this dress - the drop waist and pleated fringing mean it gives the dress a whole different feel when worn with a longer hem - it feels more modern and less like a twee tea dress. 

Jumper - Topshop 

Dress - Topshop 

Tights - M&S

Boots - See by Chloe 

Christmas Stocking

Everyone in our family has a stocking based on a design that my Grandma made for my Dad and his brothers and sister back in the 1950's. When someone new joins the family they get one too. The material might change depending on what's left over, and the snowman and tree might be in different places, but ultimately all our stockings match. I've had this ever since I can remember and it wouldn't be Christmas without it. 

Last Minute Gift Suggestion...Net-A-Porter Shoe Subscription

Well, if you don't ask, you don't get, eh? This is an amazing gift. If you have an extra eight grand and you'd like to watch me spend it all on shoes and shoes alone, then this is pretty damn convenient, non?

Billy the Christmas Dog

This is the dog I spend all day with at work. I know...I am so lucky it's untrue. He is this cute all the time. My phone photo album is about 70% dog now because of this little one. 

Snow Shoes

Grit and grimy melted snow play havoc with shoes. I really want to wear my new sale shoes and it's killing me to have to wear wellies and hiking boots instead. Please just rain and make everything clean again so a girl can wear camel coloured wedges. Ta. 

Hoodie - Gap 

White Tee - American Apparel 

Blue Tee - American Apparel 

Jeans - Topshop 

Boots - Thrift Shop

Still not on holiday

If it is possible to run on empty I am. The same clothes are in rotation because a) nothing is being washed I'm so tired and b) the majority of my wardrobe is not made for snow and slush. My eyes are hardly open in a single photo. THIS IS NOT A COINCIDENCE. If I talk to you it will be the equivalent of a conversation in deep sleep. Really, so shattered.

On a lighter note I have decided that these £10 sale trousers were a GREAT buy. Comfy, flattering and go with almost everything (I'm sure they'll clash with something terribly soon, but I'll keep trying until I make that faux pas and then go hell for leather). 

Jumper - Whistles 

Trousers - H&M

Boots - Hudson from Poste Mistress

Dress Down Day

After a post last week writing about how I almost never wear trainers I have managed to wear them twice in one week. Well done me. Glad to discover I can be contrary even towards myself. 

Sweater - Whistles 

Jeans - Topshop 

Trainers - Nike 

The down (or should I say back) side of harem pants...

Love these track pants. Hate that they give me an elephant arse. Wear them anyway. 

Jumper - Whistles 

Thermal - Uniqlo Heat Tech 

Tracksuit Harem Pants - Whistles 

Boots - Russell & Bromley 

Sale Shopping

This is my sale outfit - everything was discounted this week, a good thing about this recession is that at least it's a shopper's market. 

I think I've prattled on before about never understanding the mantra to not buy things in the sale that you wouldn't at full price. For me, some things are worth what they are when marked down, not the full amount. Sometimes you get what you were willing to pay top whack for in the sale, in which case, great. But sales open up new items and ideas too. An item becomes more attractive when it's cheaper - it's suddenly more accessible. I don't think that's always a bad thing. I'm never going to buy a silk shirt at £95, but at £50 I will. Likewise, I don't think I would ever consider buying leopard print skinnies for £24.99 in Hennes - the quality isn't good enough, but for £10 it becomes an experiment that can go wrong and get sent to a charity shop 3 months down the line if I wake up one morning and realise I was going animal print insane and need rehab. 

Shirt - Whistles 

Trousers - H&M

Wedges - Surface To Air from Poste Mistress 

A girl walked into a shoe shop...

The sales have started. Which can only mean one thing...the buying of shoes has also started. 

I picked my favourite A/W shoes from Net A Porter some time ago and these See by Chloe boots were on the list. There they were in the Poste Mistress sale. Done. 

And these Surface to Air wedge boots too...not on any list, but I just love the wedge, the buckle, the colour and pretty much everything else about them. 

And the ASOS shoe sale is on. Happy days! Both my picks from last month were reduced and therefore are now ready and waiting to worn once the snow stops. 

Bad me, huh?

Photos: Top - Bottom: Net A Porter, Surface To Air, Asos, Asos

Wrap Up Warm

I am loving my flowery / spotty socks. They make wearing trousers in winter much more pleasurable because you wear your ankle swingers or rock a turn up without getting blue blotchy ankles, and possibly dying of exposure. 

Blanket coat - Topshop 

Jumper - H&M

Jeans - Topshop 

Socks - Topshop 

Boots - Topshop

Celia Birtwell for Topshop

I liked this dress so much when it came out that I bought it twice - in this grey and a cream colour too. I could actually find it in my wardrobe after having a bit of a reorganise. Now all I need to do is sort my clothes by type and colour...it's all just, well, stuffed in at the moment. 

Dress - Celia Birtwell for Topshop 

T-Shirt - Uniqlo Heat Tech (it's cold, I need a thermal)

Tights - M&S

Shoes - Zara