CELINE WOOD PRINT

England is usually a place of terminal greyness but this summer surpassed itself by being the worst since 1985, or so the papers said. For most of us this 'indian summer' (it's been almost 30 degrees for the last 3 days) has been embraced with vats of booze, BBQs and a return to the summer clothes we bought 5 months ago but hardly got to wear. 

I must admit that I was somewhat dismayed by the warm weather. After a fortnight in Morocco I had flexed my summer wardrobe muscles and was looking forward to the A/W offerings but when it's sweltering there is no room for knit wear and winter weight dresses, let alone coats. My only consolation is that my Marni top, bought eons ago on eBay, has a satisfying nod to my print of the season - the Celine wood print that makes my stomach do a little flip every time I see it. 

Celine A/W 2011 images from Style.com

Top - Marni 

Belt - Charity shop

Shorts - Forever 21

Shoes - See by Chloe

A MEETING OF MINDS

Last week I had a very important meeting and getting dressed for it caused a total headache. What should you wear when you're trying to convince a fashion company that you know what you're talking about when it comes to your industry without looking too try hard, but at the same time letting them know you understand their business and can represent their best interests? 

I'd already worn the trousers and blazer during the week, so they got the vote from my friends as something I genuinely wear that they felt made a statement without screaming "me, me, me". Then it was just a professional looking shirt, boots I could walk in and a bag big enough to pop the presentation in - plus a swanky notebook I've been saving for just such a fashion forward occasion. 

Jacket - Zara

Shirt - Equipment 

Trousers - J Brand 

Slippers - Stubbs & Wootton

Last two pics 

Belt (worn as necklace) - Chanel 

Boots - Giuseppe Zanotti 

Orange Bag - Celine 

Lime Green Bag - Zara

Notebook - Marni 

Gold Ring - YSL 

ELEPHANT PRINT SHORTS

Many people foolishly give River Island a miss in favour of the more trendy rivals - Topshop, Cos & Zara. But whilst you often have to perform minor surgery to get your River Island purchases looking good (they put so many 'extra' bits all over them - bows, studs and logos), they can be great additions to your wardrobe. The jeans are cut amazingly well, the shoes are more fun than Topshop's and their prints are always slightly unusual - like these fabulous elephant shorts. What's not to like?

T shirt - Topshop 

Shorts - River Island 

Shoes - Marni 

FRIDA KAHLO T SHIRT

I went to an all girls comp school in Lewisham, where we were very lucky to have an incredibly charismatic and enthusiastic art teacher who I will remember forever. Her passion for her subject made art a school favourite because you got to do all sorts of cool things like design your perfect bedroom out of the Ikea catalogue or run across the floor with paint on your feet. 

The best thing about this art teacher however, was when she took the school assembly and kept 500 girls from South East London quiet for 15 minutes, with tales ranging from her family life to the inspiring lives of female artists. Finding out about the complex, creative figure that was Frida Kahlo was a watershed moment for me at the age of 14 or 15, and then when someone told me that Madonna was her biggest collector I was totally sold (this was back when Madonna was still totally ace, rather than alright). 

I was totally sold again,a few weeks ago, when I saw this t shirt from a small range of different prints all featuring Frida. Teenage fan-girl meets her idol. Cher-ching.

T shirt - Zara

Belt & Trousers - Zara

Shoes - Marni 

BICESTER VILLAGE BLOWOUT

I went to Bicester Village on Tuesday. I know. Dangerous. But I was about to start a new job and a treat was in order. 

I've never been to an outlet shopping centre in the UK before, only ones in Italy and the US. I thought it might not be as good as my previous experiences abroad, partly because when I'm away I'm always dealing with a currency that isn't 'real money' so I tend to convert wildly inaccurately (and therefore massively over spend in an accidentally on purpose kind of way). 

Turns out when you go to an outlet shop in the UK the comparisons you make are along the line of "Shit, this is pretty much what a pair of shoes in Topshop cost these days", which is not even that much of a delusion...I picked up Marni shoes for £61 and £78 respectively. I won't go into the Church's, but in Katy math they TOTALLY made sense, after all they're made with such detail the size isn't stamped on the sole, it's hand written on the inside *faints with pleasure*. 

White & tartan brogues - Church's 

Brown sandals - Marni 

Peach suede brogues - Church's 

Purple platform sandals - Marni

My 500th Blog Post

This is my 500th post on this blog. When I first started blogging it was curiosity that got me. I read so many blogs and wanted to know how easy it was to do from a technical point of view. So, I just blogged about my day, the restaurant I'd eaten in last night, the great things I didn't buy on eBay...

Then one day, bored and unemployed, I began experimenting with my camera and realised that if I placed it on a certain point on my window ledge I could get a full body shot of my outfit. I began snapping away, documenting what I wore and I found it fun. It helped me to think more critically about what I was wearing - was it flattering? Was I being lazy and wearing the same outfit again day after day? Could I dig through my clothes and find something I'd never posted before? In short, it spurred me on to start actually wearing the many clothes I'd buy and then not wear, or wear within the four walls of my house and never to be seen human eyes. 

The other added bonus to blogging was it helped me get over a phobia I'd had for years - being photographed. From the ages of 13 to about 30 there must be only a handful of pictures of me, because I hated my photo. I know for the most part I photograph terribly and am not a naturally photogenic person, but through taking photos of myself everyday I have learnt to be less self critical about my appearance and become more confident in the way I look (apart from cropping pictures and enhancing the light I rarely touch the pictures up - unless it's the bags under my eyes, which have become my replacement paranoia and the subject of much spending on eye creams). 

So, that's been my blogging experience so far - small lessons - but for me a sea change in both my attitude towards dressing and myself.  

Top - American Apparel 

Jeans - Uniqlo 

Shoes - Marni 

Just add thermal underwear

This Marni top was a naughty purchase from eBay a good 5 years ago when I couldn't really afford it. But I was addicted to eBay at the time, seriously addicted, and this was a £30 bargain I couldn't pass up. The fact that I'm still wearing it says something, non? I love the print, the tie detail on one sleeve, the boat neck and fact that it's really light cotton...which means in 2 degree London a thermal is sadly needed. Not fair! I think this outfit minus the thermal will be busted out come summer. 

Top - Marni

Thermal - Uniqlo 

Trousers - J Brand 

Socks - Tabio 

Boots - Zara 

Vivienne Westwood Squiggle Pirate Boots

I got my first pair of Vivienne Westwood pirate boots some 10 years ago. They were the comfiest, most versatile shoes I have ever owned, that sadly gave up the ghost when I was pounding the pavements in New York - the super soft leather ripped from sheer wear and tear. I literally wore them to death. Something that doesn't happen to many of my shoes. I will try and get them mended, but it's going to be a challenge. The loss (temporary, please!) of my favourite boots has meant my squiggle print pair that I picked up 3 or 4 years ago are now getting many more outings. 

Print Top - Marni 

Grey Top - Uniqlo Heat Tech 

Trousers - Whistles 

Boots - Vivienne Westwood 

Bangles - Kenneth Jay Lane and Topshop 

Watch - Chanel 

After Dries Van Noten

I only realised after I'd taken these pictures that I was subconsciously paying 'tribute' to the A/W 2010 Dries Van Noten collection (pattern, military green, tailored harem pants etc). I have mentioned before just how much I love Dries Van Noten, and this particular collection was pretty much fashion perfection as far as I'm concerned. Dries Van Noten is great at designing unfussy, grown up clothes for women whose idol is more likely to be Katherine Hepburn than Marylin Monroe. I can say without hesitation that I would wear every piece - not something true of any other runway show in recent times. 

Top - Marni 

Jacket - Army Surplus Store in Lee Gate circa 1993 

Trousers - Whistles 

Shoes - Topshop

And the inspiration...

Images from Style.com