KSUBI DAISY 1 BOOT

Most Australians I know seem to have a pathological hatred of Ksubi. I guess it's because of the over inflated presence on the Aussie fashion scene and their irritating 'hipster' manner. I have some sympathy with that view, having had the misfortune to visit one of their achingly hip stores in Melbourne (made to look like a garden shed for some reason) where the sales team all stood around like they'd been lobotomised as well as tattooed within an inch of their life and acted like I was inconveniencing them massively by asking to see the sunglasses in a locked case. IT'S YOUR JOB PEOPLE. YOUR JOB. YOU'RE MEANT TO BE SELLING STUFF. 

But anyway, these boots did not come direct from a Ksubi store, they came from Six Showroom on Farfetch.com in the sale. So there. Take that Ksubi. 

Top - Zara

Jeans - Topshop 

Socks - Topshop 

Shoes - Ksubi from Six Showroom via Farfetch.com

EQUIPMENT FLORAL SILK SHIRT

I think if I'm not careful my Mum will nick this shirt. She keeps on saying how much she loves the pattern. She did a similar thing with my reversible YSL leopard print tote bag, which is now pretty much in her permanent possession. 

I am still under orders to wear glasses. Hating it. Not only am I not used to wearing them 24/7, which means I am headache central right now, I can't even wear sunnies because none of my are prescription. The only thing I could think of to do to cheer myself up was to wear an outfit that radiated happiness in the hope that it might snap me out of my extreme flump. I'm unsure if this is a smart strategy as wearing this shirt means more professional cleaning and when I drop in my dry cleaning (full of silk shirts, shorts and dresses I've worn this month) I may have the most expensive bill known to humankind. 

Shirt - Equipment 

Skirt - American Apparel 

Shoes - Chanel 

Bracelets - H&M

Watch - Chanel 

LONDON ZOO LATES

On Friday night I went to the London Zoo Lates, so I felt the need to dress in my animal related finery. About 20 minutes after the doors opened it began to rain and continued to piss it down for the rest of the night, so the whole zoo experience was a bit of a washout, but at least we got to see a few beasties (ace frogs, otters, meerkats, a submerged pygmy hippo and a grumpy gorilla). 

I do love London Zoo, but perhaps not on a very wet Friday night when I was already pooped from a busy week at work and just wanted to be able to walk around and enjoy it all without ruining my beige Chanel pumps. I think you can tell it wasn't just the gorilla that was grumpy, eh?

Dress (worn as top) - Deyrolle for Opening Ceremony 

Necklace - River Island 

Ring  - Topshop

Animal bracelets - Kenneth Jay Lane & Topshop

Jeans - J Brand

BITCHING AND JUNKFOOD

A couple of weeks ago I went to the launch of the summer collection by Bitching & Junkfood at Urban Outfitters in Spitalfields. I am assuming that the collection in question was Remade by Bitching & Junkfood but I'm afraid I couldn't tell you because whilst the shop was wall to wall hipsters, an actual PR or a simple press release about the product was nowhere to be seen. It was so cool that nobody seemed to be working. You always know somewhere's cool when even the people who are paid to work there find the whole thing rather demeaning and decide to essentially opt out. 

The evening turned out to be one of those nights when you realise you are getting on a bit, and that whilst it's a shock to the system, you don't mind quite as much as you thought you would. I don't dress like a career woman, but neither do I dress like an 18 year old any more and I think Urban Outfitters for me now is a place for up and coming Brit and Australia designers rather than mass market fashion items. Besides, I don't think that my 32 years could quite pull off a pair of rejigged denim hotpants, but if I was to chose I think I would go for the studded version, I think they could just about work if I was in a massive grump as a nice warning to everyone. 

Perhaps I felt too old because, in fact, I am? After all, I am now old enough that MY CHILDHOOD is now being sold as retro t shirts, as witnessed by this Nirvana number...  

NIGHT & DAY STUBBS AND WOOTTON SLIPPERS

My Night & Day Stubbs and Wootton slippers. Can't stop staring at my feet!

SHEER STRIPES

Everyone seemed to love my purse necklace yesterday. Optician, woman in Boots...it went down well. My bad news is that my optician says I have to wear glasses for TWO WHOLE WEEKS because I have "cell build up under your eyelids". Gutted.  

Top - Topshop

Vest - Topshop 

Necklace - Topshop

Ring - Topshop

Jeans - J Brand 

Belt - Charity Shop

Shoes - Giuseppe Zanotti

IS IT A BIRD? IS IT A PLANE?

I bought these two items in Bergdorf's over the weekend and it wasn't until I got home that I realised these separates actually made a great outfit together because they'd been bought with totally different outfit maths in mind. 

Blue silk shirt x red jeans + platform brogues = Jil Sander S/S 11

...or according to the guys in my office, Superman sans the pants over trews. Really. Sometimes I don't know why I even bother when I get references like this, but at least I keep myself entertained in the morning. 

Shirt - Equipment 

Jeans - J Brand 

Socks - Tabio 

Shoes - Prada 

Bag - Zara

THE CHANEL THRIFT STORE FIND

I have been going to charity shops for eons. As a kid I can remember getting 10p to spend on something from the toy box in the Oxfam in Blackheath on a treat day. You'd rummage through trying to find the best item out of an eclectic bunch - a mangled My Little Pony, 25 piece jigsaw, ugly teddy bear and then go home happy with your bargain. Almost everything in my childhood was second hand from charity shops and jumble sales so nothing freaks me out about my shoes having a previous wearer or a little old man possibly dying in that golfing sweater.  

I still charity shop (not as often as I'd like however as that pesky full time job gets in the way) and in all my years there are some items you keep a look out for 'just in case'. In the past these items have been the perfect cowboy boots (wanted in 1996, finally found in 2001), cashmere sweaters and Levi jeans, but now include an Hermes bag, Chanel anything, Prada lucite platforms from S/S 1997, an original Ossie Clark dress and a pair of Ralph Lauren skull and crossbones embroidered jeans. 

So, when I walked into the Sloan Kettering Cancer Thrift Store on the Upper East Side and found an ENTIRE RACK of Chanel direct from the shop I nearly died. Sure, these were not traditional charity shop prices, but they were almost 1/10th of Chanel prices and Chanel at that price is not to be sniffed at in my opinion. It costs more than that in vintage stores, and this shit was brand new! I must admit when I paid I was shaking like a leaf just in case someone realised their mistake and tried to take the Chanel off me. 

Jacket - Chanel from a thrift store on the Upper East Side 

T shirt - Giles 

Jeans - J Brand

Belt - Charity shop 

Shoes - Chanel 

NEW YORK, NEW YORK

I spent a whirlwind 42 hours in New York at the weekend and I'm now home, running on 3 hours of plane sleep and a full day at work, totally shattered, but very happy. I shopped like there was no tomorrow, but that's a story for later when I've snapped all my thrift store goodies to show you. 

I went over to see the Alexander McQueen exhibition at the Met, stayed at The Mark so I would be just around the corner and for the first time ever remained on the Upper East Side (I didn't go below 59th Street). In that time I managed two visits to the Met, one trip to the Frick, breakfast at Sarabeth's, a thrift store shopping expedition, Barney's, Bergdorfs, a run in Central Park, a few grocery stores, even more drugstores and the world's strongest martini for a natter with Gracegoesabroad. 

1. New York skyline 2. More NY skyline 3. Guggenheim 4. Moi in the hotel bathroom (yep, that's a TV in that there mirror) 5. Streets signs 6. Detail of The Met 7. Exhibition poster 8. Sculpture at The Met 9. Sculpture in The Met

CITRUS PRINT PRIMARK SUN DRESS

I try not to buy things from Primark, but sometimes when there is a summer dress for £9 with a citrus fruit print that is more than a little reminiscent of the Chloe S/S 11 collection AND has pockets to boot...my inner fashion demon takes over. 

ALL ABOUT THE 7/8

Can you tell I'm loving the cropped pant? I think the pedal pusher may be my own personal 2011 trouser of choice, overtaking the Zara 'proper trouser' of last year. 

But what should have I changed about this outfit?

That's right...the white bra that gave me a slight, er, shadow, through my tee. CLASSY. 

T shirt - Topshop 

Belt - Charity shop 

Trousers - Topshop 

Shoes - Dove Nuotano Gli Squali from Poste Mistress

KIKI PRINT WHISTLES SKIRT

First there was the Whistles Carrie skirt, now there is the Kiki. I'm glad I held out, the print pleated skirt is far more me than a pink or yellow block colour one. 

Excuse the red face. I'd just finished a personal training session before getting ready for work. Running up and down steps on the Southbank made me floro pink. Tres Jil Sander or Christopher Kane, non?

Knit top - Topshop 

Skirt - Whistles 

Shoes - Chanel 

Belt (worn as necklace) - Chanel 

Gold bangles - Gogo Philip

Gold ring - YSL