HAPPY HALLOWEEN

All photos taken with Instagram 

FRIDA KAHLO HALLOWEEN COSTUME

I went as Frida Kahlo for Halloween. Got to say, I'll be repeating the look from now on, the hair accessories and makeup (extra strong brows) were working for me, although it did take about a gallon of hairspray to keep my style in place. 

I look even more serious in my stair photos than normal - blame Frida, she wasn't much of a smiler. 

Flowers - New Look & Superdrug 

Earrings - New Look 

Collar - Hobbs 

Bangle - New Look 

Dress (worn as top) - Chelsea Girl by River Island 

Skirt - Zara

Belt - Charity shop

Boots - Ksubi 

Scarf - market stall in Cambridge 10,000 years ago 

HALLOWEEN PREPARATIONS

I love Halloween. It's probably my favourite holiday (other than Christmas) and one that has been a big deal since I was little. As a child our family socialised mainly with Canadian ex-pats (because that's where I was born) and my parent's created a little social circle of similar Brits with Canadian ties or vice versa. Our little gang was often extended to include Americans living in London too and Halloween was always celebrated.  

Because trick or treating wasn't the norm at all back in the mid 80s, we used to go en masse to one another's houses, or other families we'd checked with first. I can vividly remember trudging through Blackheath Village in an uncomfortable homemade ghost costume with my little trick or treat bag - I wore the same costume every year until I was about 12. A ping pong ball halved with little slits cut out and put over the eyes, held in place by a pair of sheer-ish white tights worn over the head and a white sheet with a hole in it. High tech stuff. We also used to go to my friend's house to dunk for apples and then her Dad would hide a Rolo in a pile of flour (no drying of the face allowed) and the treat of the Rolo would be somewhat tempered by the mouthful of pastry like flour you'd accidentally inhale. 

Today Halloween is a great opportunity to cook some fun food, indulge in my love of kitsch and get dressed up in something amusing, oh, and have friends round to share it with so I don't look like billy no mates. I'm looking forward to tomorrow when I'll debut the costume my little brain has been hatching....

Slippers - Target 

Photo taken with Instagram 

SIMPLE ALWAYS WORKS

Sometimes the simplest outfits can be the most pleasing. I felt like a lumberjack mixed with Alexa Chung in this getup, although I have a sneaking feeling that I'd probably only fit an actual lumberjack's clothes and never the latter' s. 

Shirt - Thrift store in Austin, TX

Jeans - Topshop 

Boots - Zara

COS DRESS

With a chill in the air I can now wear Cos knitted dresses. I have two and they are without a doubt favourites in my wardrobe - simple cut, flattering, comfortable and hard wearing. Cos can pretty much do no wrong in my book. 

Cardigan - Alice McCall 

Dress - Cos 

Necklace - Topshop 

Tights - M&S

Boots - Vivienne Westwood 

A WEEKEND IN SHOES

1. Vans from a thrift store ($15)

2. Salvatore Ferragamo two tone shoes from a thrift store ($20)

3. All the thrifted shoes, top r clockwise - Vans, Ferragamo, YSL, random brand 

4. My shoes / socks / jeans combo - more a packing fail than deliberate choice

5. Glitter Miu Miu shoes - new Barneys purchase

6. The boots left behind - Dries Van Noten beauties

7. Glitter Miu Miu shoes, I'm in love

All taken with Instagram

INHERITED DRESSING

My Dad always complains that my Mum's default dressing setting is a striped top. It seems to run in the family. 

1 & 2 

Jumper - Zara Man

Jeans - Topshop 

Boots - Marc by Marc Jacobs

3 & 4

Top - American Apparel 

Trousers - J Brand 

Shoes - Chanel 

CAMO OVERLOAD

I picked up this camo army shirt from a thrift store for $5 last weekend as I thought it would just the right amount of camo loverload to my new favourite shirt  - this fabulous Equipment number that I bought from The Outnet last month. Add a thermal Uniqlo heat tech top and I'm ready for Winter. And yes, my humungous camo padded coat I scored from eBay last year. I said overload and I meant it. 

Jacket - Thrift shop 

Shirt - Equipment from The Outnet

Trousers - J Brand 

Boots - Vivienne Westwood 

PRE HALLOWEEN PURCHASES

1. Skeleton necklace - Topshop 

2. Neon snakeskin print socks - Topshop 

3. Spine ring - Topshop 

4. Alien skull & stud clutch - Zara

All taken with Instagram

THE GAP - A RANT

There are high street shops that I buy things from all of the time; Zara, Whistles, Topshop, H&M, ASOS, New Look, River Island.

And those that I don't; Warehouse, French Connection, Office, Next, Miss Selfridge, Mango and...Gap. 

Let's talk about Gap. In my youth Gap was one of THE places to shop. It was classic Americana at a good price, always innovative (the ads! can you remember the ads!) and with great simple cuts. But as the high street got more and more fashion conscious Gap began to look a little bit old hat and then Abercrombie took the all American look and did it much, much better (this was the late 90's / early 00's). Gap tried to be all cool at times...despite the fash pack harping on about the Pierre Hardy for Gap shoes each season you rarely actually saw them in store (the only pair I ever bought were in a charity shop about 6 months down the line). No, for me the store stayed the same as I remembered at the age of 16, which isn't a good thing in high street retailing unless you are Marks and Sparks. 

So it must have been quite some time since I have handed over any cash in Gap when I popped into the Oxford Street branch with my Mum a couple of weeks ago. She likes the linen shirts when they're in the sale but it was me who ended up buying. It's just a super simple sale priced £9.99 tee shirt dress but the fabric is lovely and stretchy and it fulfils all my chuck it on and go needs. So, please, c'mon Gap. Let's get back to real basics. Be proud of your denim, chinos, white shirts and sportswear. Go classic. Get good. Make me want your stuff again. I challenge you...

Dress - Gap 

Necklace - Whistles 

Tights - M&S

Boots - Carvela from Kurt Geiger